Love, Take One

Scene 4

The bed dipped beneath her, jolting Bo from a deep sleep. Arms cocooned her waist and the faint smell of coffee and goodness followed. She opened her eyes to find her favorite Donnie Darko mug on her bedside table together with a plate of jammy toast—a masterful feast where Eleanor's cooking ability was concerned.

"I'm sorry." The words vibrated against Bo's back.

"I know."

"I was a bitch."

"What's new?"

Eleanor pushed her gently before climbing out from behind her and off of the bed. "Very funny. Don't choke on your toast."

"Did you lace it with arsenic?"

"Thought about it."

"And?"

"You made it. I need company for tonight's gig."

"You're going?"

"Yeah. I thought I'd give him chance to grovel."

Bo understood that Eleanor agreeing to watch her boyfriend's band was groveling enough on her part. "Good thinking."

Sitting up, she reached for the coffee. It was too weak and not sweet enough but Bo bit her disgusted tongue. It was an olive branch and she would reach for it without argument.

Eleanor leaned against her friend's desk. "What's this?" She held up one of the pages Bo had been working on the night before.

"I was just messing."

"You haven't 'just messed' in a while." She angled her head, getting a better look at the sketches. Eleanor was majoring in Film and Television too, but her love was broad—she'd yet to decide what she wanted to do with it. She had a good eye though, one Bo could trust. "You know, for a drawing, he's pretty cute."

Bo smiled in agreement.

Eleanor narrowed her dark eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Bo narrowed her eyes back. "You're being weird."

Pushing from the desk, Eleanor smiled her butter-wouldn't-melt smile as she headed for the door. "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em."

*

She'd never admit out loud that last night's heated talk with Eleanor had affected her, but as Bo sat in class, finally, she at least admitted it to her herself. College had never truly been on her agenda, but staying at her best friend's side had. She'd followed her to college and through their freshman year, so she might as well follow her lead and actually make use of the education she was paying for. Her parents were paying for. At least, those were her thoughts today.

Bo and Eleanor sat way back at the rear of the class, reserved for snoozers and losers, and watched an animated Professor Kitson round up the last of the two hour lecture.

"Some of you may be looking forward to the holidays," she began with a twinkle in her bright eyes. "The smarter of you will be wondering why you've yet to be marked for this semester. Allow me to enlighten you."

Bo sat taller in her seat as she watched Kitson turn and scrawl a word on the board behind her. She finished with a flourish, underlining the four letter word that had Bo smiling.

Love.

A collective groan emitted from the mouths of men.

"Oh, pipe down. I'm not expecting you all to showcase a testament to chick flicks or period dramas. There's no need to go casting a modern day Romeo. Love, as we all know, comes in many forms. Romantic, yes, but also parental love or love for a sibling or friend. We have love for our hobbies, for our teams. Maybe a love for a special place. Four letters and a wealth of meaning. Choose one and document it. More than that, make me feel what you want me to feel."

Clapping her hands, she dismissed the class, calling for everyone to collect an instructional paper on the project on their way out. The shuffle of tired students making their exit almost masked the sound of Bo's name being called.

"Miss. Gable? A word."