The World According to Susie (stemxfem)

Ch 6: First day of Senior Year (II)

I finally find the seminar room and spot Rina up on the third row. We lock eyes immediately. I start speed-walking like a typical gay person. "Riiiiinnnnaaa!" I squeak.

"Susie!" She beams, making space for me.

As soon as I sit, she deadpans, "I'm literally dying. I want to die."

"Well, I have news!" I announce dramatically. "First, Vivienne is my lab partner—ugh. Second, I got Georgia's number!" I proudly flash my hand, covered in smudged digits.

"Wait, wait... you got her number? What about her girlfriend? Hold up. Whose number is that?" Rina squints.

"Uh... some geologist named Min. Very quirky. No eyebrows. I think she's straight but definitely an ally."

"She sounds hot."

"Oh."

"What?"

"Georgia invited us to Henry John's mansion party."

"Wait—GEORGIA invited us to Henry John's mansion party?"

"Yes, Georgia."

"GEORGIA?!?!"

Rina's jaw drops so hard I think it's dislocated. "Why? She barely even knows us!"

"Apparently, she thinks we're 'comical.'" I make the most sarcastic air-quotes possible.

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" Rina throws her arms around like she's trying to swat an invisible bee—and promptly knocks her thermos over. Hot tea floods my hands and notebook like a tiny, caffeine-fueled tsunami.

"AAAAAA!" I scream like a horror movie extra, just as the professor strolls in. Now the whole class is staring. Classic Susie move.

I bolt to the bathroom, with Rina shambling behind like a guilty puppy. I glare at her while furiously washing my hands.

"What? This is a perfect excuse for a bathroom smoke break," she shrugs, pulling out her vape from an embroidered coin purse clearly designed for coins, not illicit bathroom vaping.

As I scrub my hands like I'm trying to erase my entire identity, Rina suddenly gasps mid-vape, eyes wide like she's just uncovered the lost city of Atlantis.

"THE PHONE NUMBERS!"

I freeze. My eyes dart to my hand where, sure enough, the digits I'd scrawled earlier have turned into a smeared inkblot that looks like modern art. Panic sets in. How am I supposed to ask for her number again? Will I even see her again? I start mentally speed-running my escape plan.

Rina, ever the optimist, pipes up: "Well, won't you maybe see her after your last class? You've got lab with Vivienne, right?"

"Exactly. Lab—which I have once a week." My sarcasm could cut glass.

"Oh." Rina takes another casual drag from her vape like this isn't a catastrophe.

"Look, let's just... linger around," I say, twirling my hair in the mirror like a Bond villain. "What are the odds I just so happen to run into Georgia again?" I grin at myself, secretly imagining Vivienne being mysteriously replaced by yours truly as Georgia's new girlfriend.

"Fine, but you owe me. And I'm only doing this because I wanna go to some ridiculous mansion party," Rina grumbles under her breath, "I wonder how rich this Henry guy actually is..."

"Whatever, let's head back to class and then casually wander around campus all day. LOL." I air-quote 'LOL' because that's how ridiculous this plan is.

Rina takes one last dramatic puff before we saunter back to class, like we're on some kind of weird stakeout.

During the lecture, Rina's scrolling through Pinterest and adding random stuff to her cart while I'm studying the campus map like it's the key to the Holy Grail. I know next to nothing about Georgia—besides the fact that she's out there somewhere, and I'm definitely not giving up my shot!

As soon as class ends, we embark on what feels like the world's most pointless scavenger hunt—18 buildings, multiple levels each. It's like we're in some low-budget spy movie montage, searching every floor and room for any glimpse of Georgia. Spoiler: nothing. Nada. I knew this plan was a long shot, but hey, sometimes you gotta shoot your shot... even if it's with a water gun.

By the time we finish, it's already close to 4 PM. We've been here since 8 AM, and at this point, my legs feel like overcooked spaghetti.

"Suusieeee, I can't do this anymore!" Rina whines, dragging her feet and her tote bag behind her like she's auditioning for a zombie movie. We trudge toward the final building: the library. We split up—she heads one way, and I take the second floor, determined to make this last attempt count.

As soon as I turn the corner from the staircase, BAM—I spot Georgia! And she's with some unfamiliar girl. Jackpot! I speed-walk toward them like I'm power-walking through the mall during a clearance sale, not even thinking about what I'll say. Oh right, and I definitely won't mention how I washed her number off my hand because I'm a walking disaster.

As I get closer, though, the girl rests her head on Georgia's shoulder. Wait... what?! I skid to a halt and dive behind a pillar like I'm in some weird rom-com spy scene. Peeking out, I fumble for my phone and frantically text Rina: COME TO THE SECOND FLOOR. NOW.

I focus on their conversation, heart pounding. They haven't noticed me... yet.

"Are you going to break up with Vivienne soon?" the girl asks, pouting like a puppy that just got denied a treat.

Georgia sighs, "I want to. I think this weekend might be the perfect opportunity."

This weekend?! As in Henry John's party?! I strain my ears, practically holding my breath.

"Soon we'll be together," Georgia says softly, brushing the girl's hair before kissing her on the lips.

I nearly choke on my own saliva. WHAT?!?!

Rina suddenly appears behind me, ninja-style.

"Who's that girl?" Rina squints. Then her eyes widen in realization. "OH MY GOD, THEY'RE HOLDING HANDS!" she shout-whispers, because apparently, that's the only acceptable volume in a library.

Georgia and the mystery girl jump like they've been caught by the paparazzi, instantly pulling their hands apart.

I just stand there, frozen, processing what I've seen. The girl I've been obsessing over for an entire year... is a cheater. Fantastic. I shoot Rina a sad, defeated look, and she immediately grabs my hand, leading us out of the library like it's an emergency evacuation.

"Want to smoke some dabs when we get home?" she asks gently.

"Anything to numb this pain..." I whisper dramatically, as we shuffle off like two defeated soap opera characters.