This Is How It Goes

Chapter Five: Oh, Naive Natalie

Orientation is the most boring form of torture a person can ever be put through. 

"Hello everyone my name is Ray and I am your orientation leader. I am so pleased to meet you all. I too was once a freshman and I understand that this is a difficult time for all of you but it's also an exciting one." I imitate for Natalie on Thursday evening after almost a full week of orienational events. 

"She wasn't that  bad." Natalie says giggling.

"Were you there? She spoke like she was in a bad telemovie and she wasn't even the leading character. And she was too perky." I lie down on my bed and kick off my sneakers. "If I never see her again it will be too soon."

"Well orientation is over now. Classes start Monday. That's what's scary." Natalie says using a wet wipe to remove her make-up.

"Give me classes any day over orientation. It was the stupidest thing I've ever been too. All the fun things were on so late that you didn't want to do them because you were so worn out from the talks about campus safety and the history of the college. I mean, please. I contemplated pretended to choke on my gum at one point to get out of it."

Natalie laughs and tells me I'm being dramatic. I am beginning to like Natalie a little bit more each day. She's uptight and a neat freak but she's not annoying. There's something about her preppy cheerleader exterior not matching her prudish good girl interior that's endearing. If we met in high school I'd have hated her. Maybe not hated her actually, but I would have ignored her. Disallowed her access into my bubble. But college is all about meeting and befriending people you never would have before. So I'm enjoying Natalie. But I certainly am not enjoying Harry.

While Natalie looks like the popular girl trapped in a nice girl's body Harry looks like the geeky, shy boy trapped in an assholes body. He's smart, that's for sure but there's nothing nice about him. 

Okay I might be exaggerating a little bit. 

But he's not good enough for Natalie. She's sweet and kind and willing to do anything this stupid idiot pleases. But all he seems to care about is science and partying. He's loving and devoted one minute and then cold and arrogant the next. Natalie doesn't seem to care though. 

Last night after we came back from some stupid talk about respecting our peers and learning to love time management Harry was waiting outside our room. 

"Where have you been?" He snapped at her.

"At a talk, weren't you at yours?" She opened our room and stepped inside, seemingly unbothered by his tone.

He waved his hand dismissively. "I skipped it. I wanted to talk to you, I texted you a bunch of times."

I got out my laptop and pretended to ignore the looming argument. I was a pro at it after watching two of my mother's marriages crumble. 

"I left it here, sorry." She took of her jacket and draped it over her chair. She went in to give him a kiss but he brushed her off. 

"Look, about the concert tickets I got for Pluto Forgive Me for December," He began running a hand through his already messy hair. "They fell through."

Her face dropped. "Oh no."

"I know, I'm sorry. I did everything I could to try and get some others but they're sold out." He shrugged.

"That's too bad." She said sadly.

"You don't have to get shitty about it." He accused, anger dancing in his eyes.

"I wasn't," she stuttered. "It's not your fault, it's just disappointing. I really love that band."

"Yeah well I'm sorry." He said sarcastically. "Not everything works out."