Beyond The Veil

Chapter 4

'Why did you ever convince me to minor in psychology?' Laura complained.

'I don't think I ever did,' Jess said, breathing in the fresh air after their three hour lecture.

Friday was always a bitch, and with Professor Tilder at the helm, fresh off another argument with her husband about his smoking, it was more torturous than usual.

'Yes, you did,' Laura retorted. 'You said, "Laura, come join me in psychology. It'll be easy and we'll just bullshit our way through". I remember it distinctly.'

'Then your memory must be awful.'

'But seriously, three hours of listening to personality types, and the thinly veiled barbs at her inept husband.'

'He does sound pretty inept.'

Laura snorted. 'Anyone compared to Professor Tilder would be considered inept. The woman is a borderline genius, but my God, she needs to take a chill pill.'

'Just think it'll all be worth it when you're some hotshot lawyer,' teased Jess.

'Damn straight, ain't no one gonna wanna mess with this chick.' Laura pretended to karate chop an invisible person, and Jess laughed.

'Alright. Alright. Don't hurt yourself, Jacki Chan.'

Laura grinned and put her hands down, stuffing them into her coat. 'Strange that Charity wasn't in class. Do you think Miss Church Choir ditched?'

Jess frowned. She'd been thinking the same thing when she hadn't spotted her in her usual seat at the front of the class.

'Maybe she's sick. I didn't see her at breakfast either.'

'Me either. Though it was nice not to have her judging my cereal.'

'If you didn't want her to judge your cereal, then why did you get the one where all the wheaties are shaped like dicks?'

Laura's smile was wide. 'Because life's too short not to have your wheaties shaped like dicks.'

'And you knew it would irritate her.'

'I don't know what you're talking about?'

'Ever since she said you looked slutty in your Halloween costume, you've gone out of your way to annoy her,' Jess reminded her.

'I was Hilary Clinton,' defended Laura.

'Yeah, a democrat. And you have to admit, it wasn't as conservative as the woman herself.'

'I am allowed to express myself.'

'You dressed up as Hilary Clinton if Hilary Clinton was a dominatrix.' Jess deadpaned.

'It was satire. An expression of how powerful women are demonised by the media.' Laura sniffed.

'I don't think Charity shares your vision.'