Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 7

The cool morning air slaps my face abruptly as I push open the doors exiting my residence building to walk onto the bustling campus. It was officially the first day of school, which meant it was the beginning of Melissa's study and my responsibility with the basketball team. I'd spent the last week hanging out with Avery, checking out everything around campus and shopping nearby. The team had been away on a last-minute media trip and just got back last night, meaning I didn't have to associate myself with them until now. Avery helped me feel a lot better about the whole thing, and now I feel better than ever. I look down at my wrist to check the time. 8:55am. Everyone must be rushing to their 9ams. I walk down the sidewalk, taking in the crowd as I navigate my way to the cafe Avery showed me when I first arrived. I had some emails from Yale profs to respond to regarding TA positions for when I'm back at school. Plus, I needed a coffee.

"Oh my god, I love your skirt," a girl walking past me turns and says, her white teeth gleaming as she smiles.

"Oh my gosh, thank you so much," I breath back, taken by surprise. "I love your whole outfit." The girl is wearing low waisted black jeans paired with a red leather jacket and a white baby tee.

"Thanks," she replies, sticking out her hand to shake mine. She's stopped walking and so have I. "I'm Lily."

I shake her hand warmly, beaming down at her. "Emma."

"Emma, I'm meeting some friends for some coffee right now, you should come!" She nods in the direction of the cafe I was just headed for.

"I would love to actually. I was just on my way for some too." Lily sarcastically throws her hands in the air as she smiles. "Perfect!"

As we keep walking, Lily tells me more about herself. She's a psychology major, she's from New York City, she's got a dog named Max, a twin brother who goes to school in Vermont, and she was a gymnast but she quit when she was 18. I tell her about Yale and that I'm here to work on a research study. Before I can get into the details, we arrive at the cafe and I follow Lily to some seats at the back where two girls are already sitting, looking up at us. They smile at me and give small waves. Lily clears her throat and motions for me to sit as she sits in the chair next to mine. "Guys, this is Emma. She's a Yale student here on research."

"Yale? Oh, wow," one girl says, chuckling. "You must be smart. I'm Maria."

The other girl nods, wide-eyed. "I'm Cassie. Please be my tutor in like literally all of my subjects. You're probably better than me at all of them." I laugh at their comments, blushing. "It's nice to meet you guys. I'm not sure that I'd be THAT much of a help, but if you really needed it I'm sure I could arrange something," they laugh with me. Lily nudges me. "Let's grab our drinks. Guys, we won't keep you waiting," she says to Maria and Cassie, who have already been sipping on their lattes. They nod and we get up to go order.

My coffee is ready first and I quickly grab a napkin to cover it with so I don't burn my hands from the heat. I take a sip as I start to make my way back to the table Maria and Cassie were sitting at, letting the warm coffee heat my throat as I swallow. It was perfect. As I get closer to the table, I begin to pick up on the conversation Lily and I were missing out on.

"....and then she literally just left! Like I just don't get it."

"So she literally just used you."

"I mean, I guess! I knew she was a whore but I didn't know that whole rumour about her being a player was true too." My eyes widen at this. Who do these girls think they are calling another girl a whore? Maybe I'm hanging around the wrong people. I arrive at my seat and sit down, meeting their eyes as they look up at me. I put my coffee down on the table. "Guys, I swear I'm just bored, but what are you talking about? I wanna know."