Page 21 of Notorious Man on Campus

“You definitely need to get out more.” Allie nods. “Didn’t you go out in junior college before you transferred?”

I shake my head. I’m not going to tell them about my overprotective mother and that I could count on my fingers the number of times I went out or had a drink in the past four years.

“Not much. I always worked full time while I was carrying a full course load. No time.”

“That’s right—at a restaurant?”

“For a caterer. I was the one watching everyone have fun drinking and dancing from the kitchen.”

“Oh, honey, you really are a Cinderella, aren’t you? With the evil stepmother caterer making you slave away while your wicked stepsister event guests had all the fun.” Allie and I laugh.

“That’s a good one, Dools,” Nyla says. “The question is, who plays the handsome prince tonight?”

“Dooley is my prince,” I say, hugging him with one arm.

“Not so much,” he says. “I’m your fairy godmother, remember?” He pauses and gives me a sly look and I immediately know where he’s going. I don’t like it. My palms get suddenly sweaty. “You’re going to be swept off your feet by the handsome Prince Brick tonight.”

“Of course she is,” Allie says. “Who else would fit in this story so perfectly?”

“Anyone else but him,” I say, though I’m aware I can’t exactly explain the problem. “How about Roman?”

“He’s a sweetheart,” Allie says, but I can hear her but coming so I cut her off.

“Speaking of Brick,” I say, “Dooley says he owes Brick a favor but he won’t tell me why. Do you have any idea?” Let’s put Dooley back at the center of attention where he belongs.

“No I don’t. What’s this about, Dools?” We both turn to him.

“I told you it’s a secret.” He looks from one to the other of us and then with a dramatic sigh, collapses onto the bed. “Oh my God, you girls will be the death of me. All right, I’ll tell you, but only because it’s my secret to tell. And I will need another shot first. Who else is in?” He lifts the bottle and shakes it then pours. I’m already feeling a little lightheaded, but this is my first party and I need to do it right.

“Thank god there won’t be any pictures or videos tonight,” Allie says after downing her second shot, “because if I keep this up the night could get ugly.” We laugh and Dooley settles us down on the mattress with him like he’s telling us a bedtime story. Already I don’t know when I’ve had more fun and we haven’t even joined the party yet. I want to hug these two and tell them I adore them, but I have a modicum of sense still left even as my head swirls with the delicious buzz. I feel the giddy smile emerge, the one I only ever felt before when I was with Brick. But that was far different. Don’t go there.

“You ready for the story, girlfriends?” He check us for rapt attention as if there’s any other kind when he has the floor. “It was last semester. I went to the field house to get some tickets for a game—I don’t even remember what kind of game, either basketball or hockey. While I was there, the basketball team was practicing and I saw them through the window in the door. Much to my delight, my hot crush at the time was there shooting threes and I absolutely had to stay and watch.” He pauses and puts a finger to his chin. “Now that I think of it, I must have been picking up tickets for a basketball game. That boy was so hot, I was addicted to watching him—”

“We get the picture. Get back to the story, Dools,” Allie says, and we both giggle.

“Right, so there I was, spying on the team through the window in the door and two not very hot guys come along. I don’t pay attention to them, but they make sure to get my attention, calling me out on spying. We have words. Theirs were nasty ones, accompanied by a shove.”

“Oh no, Dooley.” My pulse speeds up and I’m afraid for him even though he’s safe here with us in my room.

“Oh yes,” he says, nodding. “But that’s where my man Brick comes in.” He heaves a dramatic sigh. “Brick walks in, pulls the asshole away from me, spins him against the wall, and gets in his face with a lecture on bullying. He goes all Intellectual Batman with his rescue then pushes the two guys out the door, tells them not to even think of going near me again, and expects a written apology to be sent or they shouldn’t plan on ever attending a football game again.” He takes a breath, and I’m impressed with Brick even though I already know this about him, that he’s a champion of underdogs and anyone who’s picked on. He claimed back in high school that it was part of the responsibility of his position as a leader, not that he cares personally. But I bet Dooley is an exception to that rule.

“You’re really good friends with Brick, aren’t you?”

“I like to think so, though you know how Brick is, sometimes one must take it on faith. He plays his hand close to the vest when it comes to his emotions.”

“True this,” Allie says, rolling her eyes. “You knew him in high school, Ny, was he always a stand-up guy—as in standing up for the little guys?”

“Hey, I think I resent that,” Dooley says, grinning.

“Funny you should ask. He was. He rescued me once.”

“Do tell. I’ll pour us another shot. Too bad I didn’t have time to get the Red Bull for Jäger Bombs.” He pours another round and it’s too late to wonder if it’s too much because I’m totally committed to letting loose tonight, to doing as the Romans do even if I’m not one of them. Yet.

Holding my shot glass, I say, “To new beginnings and belonging.” I raise it up and Dooley and Allie raise theirs to tap them against mine, and I giggle with the happiness of newfound friends and Jägermeister running through my system. The shot of licorice taste at the end sends a thrill through me that screams of Brick. I find I want to tell them this story.

“What happened?” Allie leans in. Her concern seems real and I put my hand over hers and smile. The warm and fuzzy buzz amps up my sense of well-being and I feel like I could spend the whole night in my room with these two. Except Brick’s out there and it’s his party and just the thought alone makes my heart skip. Holy shit.

“I was trying to tell an otherwise nice boy that I couldn’t go to the Junior Prom with him, but he was having real trouble accepting his fate. He didn’t believe me, but it was true. No way would my mom allow that.”