Exaltation

Chapter 8

 It's Friday night, and I have to look good. Stef and I only got to see each other one other time post-coffee date, and so I need to impress him tonight if I want to keep him interested.

"Kris!" I exclaim as soon as she enters our room. "Are you coming out with us tonight?" I ask. She sets down her bag and looks over at me.

"I already promised Trish I'd go with her... But I guess I told you I'd go with you last week," she says. I let out a whoop whoop before turning back to my mirror, my mascara wand in my hand.

"You look great," she offers. I glance down at my outfit. Ripped jeans and black crop top. Nothing too special, but it shows off my belly button ring, of which I hope Stef takes notice.

"Thank you! Well, I'm about to head over to Ellie and Margot's room, but you should just come whenever you're ready," I tell her, running my brush through my hair one final time. When I turn around, she's already getting changed, slipping on a denim miniskirt and a tight t-shirt. My eyes travel over her toned stomach, admiring the curve of her waist and how her fingers move as she straightens out her shirt.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," she teases. I force myself to laugh off the clear awkwardness of the situation.

"Sorry about that. Anyways, I'm off. See you soon," I say quickly, running out of my room before stepping inside of Ellie and Margot's.

"Hey!" Ellie exclaims, running over to me and wrapping me up in a warm hug. Margot waves from her desk, where she's currently applying another round of powder to her face.

"Hello, ladies. What are we drinking tonight?" I ask. Margot, now done powdering her face, pulls another bottle of wine out from under her desk.

"How's this?" She questions.

"Perfect," Ellie and I reply in unison. We grab cups from the cupboard below the sink and pour ourselves glasses.

"Your glass is much less filled than last time," Ellie says with a laugh. I raise my eyebrows with her.

"I.... Want to be at least halfway sober for Stef tonight," I explain.

I wonder if we're going to hook up. I mean, the texts have definitely gotten more flirtatious. And, somehow, I've avoided talking about my past with him almost completely. Although he's asked about it, if there's anything I know about boys, it's that they like the chase. If I told him, the chase would be over. And despite the fact that the burdens of everything that happened might be shared with someone else, the destruction of who I want to be might be too much to bear.

*

As soon as we walk into the Phi Delt house, I spot him. I wave, and he comes jogging over.

"Hey hottie," he says, looking me up and down. I bite my lip and weave my fingers through his.

"Why hello there," I reply. He squeezes my hand with the one holding it, then, with the other, gestures out to the girls in front of him.

"And who are your friends?" He asks. I grin.

"This is Margot, Ellie, and my roommate, Kris," I say. Each gives him a small hi and a wave. He nods.

"Well, it was wonderful meeting all of you. Sophie, do you want to go to dance?" He asks. I look back at Margot and Ellie, who are whispering excitedly about something— probably about how hot Stef is. Meanwhile, Kris looks a little disinterested. Her eyes scan the small space, falling everywhere but on me and Stef.

"Yeah, let's go," I answer, and before I know it, my back is pressed against his chest, and we're moving to the beat of the music playing over the loudspeakers. When he starts kissing the nape of my neck, I reach behind myself and place a hand on the growing bulge in his pants, rubbing softly. A tease.

"Do you want to go back to my room?" He asks, his voice hot and heavy against my ear.

"Of course," I say, allowing him to take my hand and lead me to the exit of the building. On the way out, I make eye contact with Kris. For a split second, she seems confused. Then, as the understanding of where I'm going hits her, she sighs, folds her arms across her chest, and looks away. I shrug it off and continue following Stef outside.

I suddenly feel like I want him to hold me, to stop right now in the middle of the path back to his dorm and kiss the crown of my head, to tell me how lovely I look in the moonlight. But he does none of these things. I can't help but have the sinking realization that all of this might make for a terribly beautiful poem.