Submission {UNFIN}

Chapter Thirteen.

4:37 p.m., October 31st, 2008. Columbia University.

I gathered my books in a bunch, clutching them securely to my chest as if the mere survival of the pages depended on it. Chatter of upcoming Halloween festivities melted into the otherwise still air, knocking over my thoughts and disorienting them on the floor of my brain. A sigh escaped me, as I recollected the lack of plans I had for the evening. Though I was to be alone, I figured that the marathon of ANTM scheduled for the night would provide company enough for me. Typically, I would have called my dear friend, Liv, but ever since she'd become comfortable on campus at Princeton, she was attending parties too, and in no way had time for my eleven p.m. calls when she was at some late night fraternity-sorority jam. The remembrance of my solitude made me grievous, yet I hadn't much time to linger on the idea when Leo, my design partner, tapped my shoulder politely. I turned in cooperation and simpered. 

"Oh, Leo, what's up?" I quizzed. With eyes a sickening blue-green that were reminiscent of murky ocean waters, he glanced up at me, his thumb twiddling back and forth with his forefinger and middle, a habit I noticed he displayed when jittery and anxious. 

"BB, I was um, wondering- Well, my friends- I have a lot of friends. I mean, well, like, Zander and Chris- they're in this fraternity thing and um, I kinda-" I giggled endearingly. 

"Leo, you were wondering..?" I focused him back on track. 

"Oh yeah, Zander and Chris have this fraternity Halloween party like thingy and um- I'm not really good with parties- well, like, I can be, it's just that um, sometimes, I uh-"

"Leo-"

"Iwaswonderingifyouwouldliketogowithme," he hurried out, squinting his sickeningly but still stunning eyes as if he were afraid of getting punched. If I was being entirely honest with myself, the offer had flabbergasted me, not because I didn't want to go with him, but because Leo was terribly attractive, and there were girls who'd had their eye on him since the day he stepped foot on campus. Him asking me, the nerdy, quiet, home-sewn clothes wearing, black girl to the Halloween party on a predominantly white campus was the last thing I would have been expecting. In spite of such emotions, I still found myself drenched in adulation and flattery that I had been asked to attend a party. The only ones I'd been halfway invited to were the ones with Joan's friends, and those didn't count because I knew Joan talked them into asking me. Plus, Leo was destined for success. I just knew it; Leonardo DiCaprio? His name even sounded like money. 

Oddly, I could sense my partner's heart palpitating as rapidly as mine, giving me the urge to smile, but I thought better of it. 

"Of course, I'd like to go with you." Then, we were both beaming, watching each other a bit too closely to talk as little as we did. What was funny, however, was when Leo nearly tripped over his own feet with elation as he retrieved his books. 

"Sounds great! I can uh, pick you up around nine. Is that okay?" he confirmed. 

"That would be perfect, but Leo..." His face dejected immediately. "I don't have a costume." 

"Well then we'll just have to make one, won't we?" I looked in incredulity as he wore a mischievous smirk. "Hey, you know your measurements. So I say we go to the fabric store, pick the fabric, I cut it you sew it, or you cut it, I sew it. There are benefits to being fashion designers, you know."

"I have no sketches or-"

"You know," he interjected guiding me toward the door with a hand on my shoulder,"I think I have just the right design."