“Okay . . . film? Do you like to go to the movies?”
“Love films, but I tend to just watch them with friends in our rooms. Usually on somebody’s laptop. But one of my teammates showed up here with an awesome TV and DVD player.”
“That’s actually very antisocial.”
“How’s it antisocial to get together with a bunch of friends to watch a DVD? I’m not watching it alone!”
“Yeah, but you’re just hanging out with the same people. You’re not meeting anyone.”
“I’ve got news for you: I don’t meet people in dark theaters.”
Richard laughs. “Point taken.”
They walk along in silence a little longer. They’ve left the river path and are walking up the main drag leading to campus.
“You must think I’m pretty lame,” she says. It just pops out of her mouth. More honesty than she’d intended. Why does this happen to her around this guy?
But Richard smiles easily. “I don’t think you’re lame at all. Sounds like you just don’t get out enough.”
“Hmm. Can’t argue there. So what would you suggest?” She pauses. They’re at the intersection. This is where she breaks off and heads to the dining hall. See you in math lab, Cute Guy.
“Well.” He squints, looking up the hill and into the slanting sunset. “For starters, you could join me for dinner. That would be something new.”
She struggles to look nonchalant. Business as usual. Yeah. She’s cool.
“Sure.”
Is it her imagination or does he look relieved? Like, did he think she’d say no?
“Okay. Uh, I need to shower, but that’ll just take a minute. Want to walk to my house, then we can head to dinner from there? I live in Taylor.”
Haley cocks her head, considering. She still hasn’t figured out where all the different houses are.
“It’s the one next to Conundrum,” he adds. “Not far.”
“Uh . . . sure,” she repeats. She begins following him in the direction of the house.
Now the silence is awkward. She doesn’t know whether that’s because this suddenly feels like . . . something . . . or because he’s mentioned Conundrum.
He lives in the house, sleeps in the house, right next door to where Jenny was raped.
She doesn’t want to act weird. She hopes she’s not acting weird.
“So,” she says, “I hear Conundrum is the campus Animal House.”
Richard looks straight ahead. “I wouldn’t know. I’m having enough trouble keeping up with the animals in my own house.”
“Oh?”
“We got a little carried away earlier this semester and are pretty much on social probation right now. No parties, and spot checks to make sure no one underage is drinking.”
“Hmm. I wouldn’t have pegged you for a hard--partying sort of guy.”
He laughs, but he’s not smiling. “There’s hard and there’s hard. I mean, I like to party. But when stuff is getting broken, people are getting hurt, and the place is ruined, it’s time to back off.”
“Are the people in the house backing off?”
“Most of them are. It’s not a big deal, just have to lie low until the sanction is over. I’m actually a little relieved we can’t host. My GPA needs to recover.”
They approach Taylor. At this point the sun has set and lights are on. It’s actually a nice house, one of the newer ones on campus. They go inside. There’s a big common room on the first floor, with a huge fieldstone fireplace. Couches.
“You want to wait for me here? I’ll just be a minute,” Richard says. She nods, and he dashes off. There isn’t anyone else around, and she finds a seat for herself in a big armchair in the back of the room. She sinks low into it; the springs beneath the cushions are broken.
The floors are sticky and smell sour from spilled beer. All of the furniture seems askew, as if it had been moved to the side then hastily shoved back with no particular layout in mind. The walls are dull white, but one large spot is whiter than the rest, as if it’s been patched. The fireplace contains ash and burnt log remnants. Sheets of newspaper and a box of matches on the hearth.
Haley gets up, moves to a window. The house is set on a leafy lot. This whole part of campus seems tucked away.
From down the hall she hears voices. A group of guys heading for the front door. Their words carry.
“How about the Grille?”
“Why should we pay for the Grille when we can get free food in the dining hall?”
“Okay, fine. Let’s go to Lower hall.”
“Bockus, what part of this don’t you get? They’ve got Philly cheesesteaks in Main hall, and some stir--fry vegan crap in Lower. We’re going to Main.”
“Seriously, man, what’s up? Are you, like, allergic to Main hall all of a sudden?” The front door opens, closes, and their voices disappear.
Haley peers out the window again, but can’t see much in the waning light.
Bockus. Where has she heard that?
“There you are. Ready to go?”
Haley startles. Richard has reappeared. His hair is wet. He’s changed into a flannel shirt and jeans.
“Whoa,” he says, laughing. He steps closer, touches her. This little gesture, his hand cupping the crook of her elbow. “I think I just scared you.”