Six

Kate
Alice and I stumbled home at some ungodly hour. I crawled into bed sloppily, thinking over the nights events. Everything was pretty weird, with boys falling for me, and me falling on the ground a bit. I laid in bed with the spins while I thought over Marcus’ words about the GSA. I decided to drag Alice to the club fair the next morning.
“When did you get interested in clubs? You hate organized anything and you have authority issues.” Alice grumbled. I had woken her up earlier than she would have liked, and we both had raging hangovers.
“Just one club. The…” I stopped, “Gay Straight Alliance.”
“Really?” she turned to me and stopped walking.
“Yes, really. Marcus told me about it.”
“Hmm. Can I join?”
“I don’t think its invitation only, Alice.” I smirked at her.
“It’s too early for sarcasm.” She put on a pair of sunglasses to hide her bloodshot eyes, and gulped some Gatorade we had picked up.
“Hey! Over here! Alice and Kate!” I turned when I heard our names called, and then groaned. It was our neighbor Melanie. She charged over, clutching a handful of brightly colored flyers.
“What clubs are you joining? I’m thinking the Young Democrats and an a capella group. I love to sing!”
“Of course you do.” Alice said under her breath.
“I knocked on your door last night to see if you wanted to watch a movie with us in the common room, but you were out.” She pouted. “Where’d you go?” before I could answer a snide remark, I heard someone else call Alice’s name. We turned and Blanche was striding toward us with a roll of masking tape and some posters.
“What’s up guys?” she gave Melanie a wary look.
“Just…join’ some clubs. I’m thinking a capella.” Alice laughed.
“Oh god, nothing is more lame than a capella.” Melanie looked crestfallen. We walked away without saying good bye and I turned around to see her standing behind us, looking like a lost puppy. I felt a twinge of remorse but instead turned to Blanche.
“What’re those for?” I nodded to her posters.
“Literary Journal. I’m the poetry editor.”
“Cool. I’m…just looking.” Alice looked at me sidelong, wondering why I didn’t say my real reason. I could read her so easily.
“Yeah, we figured we’d, you know, join some stuff.” Alice filled in for me.
“Like what?”
“Shit, I don’t know. The radio station sounds cool.”
“Oh they have the best parties.” Blanche enthused. “And Ellen will put in a good word for you. They’re pretty exclusive, But you’ll get an in because you know her.”
“Uh, want to go find the booth, Kate?”
“Yeah. Blanche, we’ll see you later?”
“Oh definitely. Let’s chill tonight.” She smiled her broad grin. “Call me, girlies.”
“What was that about?” Alice turned to me, hands on her hips, after Blanche left.
“I don’t want to be the gay girl!” I explained.
“That makes sense. But you have to tell her. it’s part of you now.”
“I hate when you’re right, it gives you a big head. And with a melon already that size, bigger is not better.”
“You’re a little asshole. I really am going to go to the radio station. Want to meet back here in a few?”
“Yeah sure.” I watched her go, her long legs pale in her shorts, the same ones from last night. She was in one of her brother’s t-shirts too, and a slice of freckled stomach peeked under the hem. I saw a few boys look her way, and I smiled. This would be good for Alice, having her own thing. I was a little nervous to be by myself so soon, but I knew we both needed a little space. I wandered through the rows til I found a big rainbow flag swaying in the breeze.
“Found it.” I said to myself. I walked up to the booth, where a very styled boy and a hippie girl were sitting.
“Uh, Hi.” I stammered.
“Hi there! Want a flyer? We’re having a mixer tomorrow night at the student center.” I was taken aback by this boy’s enthusiasm. Between Alice and I, I wasn’t used to it.
“Yeah, that’d be great.” I looked at the flyer. “GSA!” it proclaimed in big letters.
“Lesbian, Gay, Straight, Transgendered, Queer ALL ARE WELCOME!”
“I had no idea there were so many labels out there.” I remarked.
“You’ll learn a lot at our meetings then!” The boy replied, still super friendly.
“We meet every Wednesday night in the Sex and Gender department, room 206.” The girl smiled at me. I wondered if she was flirting. I shook off the thought quickly. I was so girl crazy these days. I thanked them and walked back over to meet Alice, shoving my flyer in my back pocket. I thought about asking Marcus to come with me tomorrow night.
“The radio station is awesome.” Alice grinned at me. “Ellen said she’d vouch for my coolness to them. They have a party tonight, wanna go?”
“Yeah, maybe. Will you go to the GSA party tomorrow with me?”
“Man, I’ll be partied out.” Alice fake sighed.
“Yeah, we don’t; want that to happen.”
“It’s hard being so popular.”
“We never experienced this before. Having friends and plans.”
“Hey we had some friends. Remember all of Stacy Cartwright’s parties?”
“No, I don’t remember them, that’s how I know they were good.”
“Point is, we’re not total losers, and you know it.” She gestured at me with a pointed finger.
“Ha, you sound like you’re trying to convince yourself there.” I grabbed her finger and shook her hand a little.
“Let’s get lunch, I want something greasy. Freshman fifteen be damned.” Alice pinched the non-existent flab on her stomach.