Falsettos College AU

Girls' Outing

Mendel

Getting to know me this year, it may seem to some people that all I care about is my psychology degree. And I'm not totally denying that (of course college is important, and I'm working toward it every day), but nobody really gets the deeper side of me. I don't just care about giving people guidance and therapy. I care about people.

Specifically, Marvin and Trina. Not together, not like, as a couple, but the two of them are the ones I see the most often outside of class and the ones I think need me the most. They both went through a breakup not too long ago, and are simultaneously dealing with the new experience of Marvin getting a boyfriend, as well as starting school together. I understand it. I understand it all.

But why won't they talk to me about it?

Trina opened up to me at first, but now it seems like there's nothing more for her to say, even though with all that went on it's impossible for there not to be anything. I sometimes wonder if she just doesn't want me as her psychiatrist anymore. But then, what does she want me as?

It's no secret that I like her. To me, at least. I've known for weeks, and as much as I feel shame for liking my best friend's ex-girlfriend, I can't stop myself from feeling the way I do. And unless I'm crazy (which I probably am anyway), I can see that Trina likes me too. At least, a little.

I just wish that I had guidance as well. Because even though I'm great at giving advice, I'm only eighteen, just like them, and I get confused sometimes too.

I'm lying on the couch in the library thinking about all this late Wednesday evening. I should probably just head to my dorm and get some sleep, but I'm too busy here in the library.

From my spot, I see two men come in talking. I can't hear what they're saying, but one of them looks familiar. No, both of them do. One of them is Marvin, I can tell in the dim light. The other one was helping that drunk girl at the party. That's right— Whizzer.

"Hey, guys," I call, still lying down. Marvin jumps at the sound of my voice. "I didn't know you two would be by here."

He runs a hand through his hair and sighs. "Mendel. Hi. We're just trying to get some studying done because there are too many distractions in my dorm."

"Namely, the bed," Whizzer says, flicking Marvin's head playfully as they sit down. Marvin turns and glares at him.

"I wish I had a bed to lie on," I whisper from the couch. Neither of them reply, so I stand up and trot over to their table. "What are you studying?"

"Ways to get you to stop talking," Marvin quips.

I back away. "Okay, point taken. I'll just sit at the table near you guys." I pull out a chair, but take it over to their table and sit down anyway. "It's Whizzer, right?" I ask the boyfriend. "I think we saw each other at the party."

"That's right," he answers with a nod. "And you must be Mendel."

"Don't humor him, Whizzer," Marvin tells him irritably. "We have a lot of work to get done."

Whizzer shrugs and looks back at his paper, uninspired. I glance around. The lights in the hallway are off, so the library isn't lit up through the wide glass window the way it usually is. A dim glow from the cloudy, almost black sky outside casts over the room instead. It's kind of gloomy, and it's no surprise that we're the only ones in here.

Marvin looks up, noticing I'm still there. "Mendel, could you go? We literally have hours of work."

"We could do something else that takes less than an hour," Whizzer remarks.