Walking the Crimson Road

by Perrie Patterson

  “He reminds me of an actor I saw in an eighties movie called Pretty in Pink.

  “Oooooh, I’ve seen that,” Lexi cries. “Is it Andrew McCarthy?”

  “I don’t know the actor’s name, so I’m not sure. He’s got blonde hair, hazel eyes and he’s kinda tall.”

  Lexi nods. “Right, you mean he looks like James Spader. Or, more specifically, a very young James Spader.”

  Rolling my eyes, I answer. “Sure, maybe.”

  Back on campus, Lexi, Bella and I head to Phi Mu house to hang in our room until dinner. I grab my computer and look up James Spader movies and sure enough, that’s who Lane looks like. I pull up images and show the screen to Lexi and Bella, who are busy going over notes and homework, which I should totally be doing, too.

  Lexi confirms. “Yep. That’s him.”

  Bella looks at the screen. “OMG, Bex! I totally get why you’re so ga ga over meeting this guy. He looks like hot-Ivy-League-prep-schooler-meets-Hollywood-heartthrob. Good luck with that. Lexi, you know Bex got a sample of the cologne she thinks he wears.”

  Lexi sticks out her hand. “Gimmie. Snapping the lid open on the bottle, she sniffs and grins. “You’re right, this smells like heaven.”

  Bella inhales deeply. “Speaking of delicious smells, I think it’s Waffle Wednesday. I’m ready to eat. She sets her notebook down and stands up, stretching.

  “Oh, good. I hope they have fresh fruit toppings and whipped cream like last time,” I say, standing, tossing the cologne onto my bed. I follow the girls out the door then turn and look back at the samples. Yep, I’m definitely squirting that all over my pillow later tonight.

  6

  #Friyay

  It’s Friday, and I’m glad the first week of school is over. All my classes have gone well, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow night’s social. Bella and Lexi invited dates and decided I needed one, too. Now I have a blind date. Yay! I’ve never dated anyone seriously. Back in high school, I dated and had a few crushes, but no one I felt strongly about. Mostly, I kept my grades up, danced, went to practice, and hit repeat. I’ve never been one to stay out partying or drinking a lot. I’ve always tried to stay on track. A lot of it has to do with my upbringing, my church, and my family. I’ve always had a good-girl reputation. That’s probably why I stopped getting invites to some of the parties that my friends were going to in high school. I guess I’m too much of a rule follower. I feel the need to change that starting soon.

  Here on campus there’s never an end to the number of parties or social events, most of which seem pretty casual. Bella and Lexi have a lot of guy friends they’ve met from being in the band, and they volunteer with Young Life, a non-denominational outreach, allowing them to meet even more people. I’ve gone with them to Young Life a few times. It’s fun and involves a worship band and dressing up for theme nights. I think whoever they’ve chosen for my blind date will be someone they met there. At least that’s the impression I’ve gotten from the hints I’ve picked up on.

  I decide to walk down to Starbucks after my last class. I want to catch up on homework before the weekend starts. At the counter, I order my favorite chai drink, find an empty table near the window, and pull out my work with an air of confidence and a goal of getting things accomplished. My phone dings a text. It’s Bella wondering what I’m up to.

  I’m at star$.

  Do you want to go to Gallette’s to hang with some ppl 2night?

  Sure. What time?

  Cat’s friend will let us in. We should get there early, around 8:30 or a little b4.

  When we know someone at the door who can let us in, that’s usually when we decide to go out. Until we’re of age we don’t have much of a choice. The plan is to each buy one drink but don’t stay too long, hoping not to get caught. I won’t turn twenty-one until August, right before my senior semester starts.

  Hours later and dressed to impress, Bella and I meet Cat on the sidewalk outside of Gallette’s.

  “Hey, girl,” Bella says when we walk up.

  “It’s early and not hopping yet, so we should be able to get a table while waiting for the rest of the gang.” Cat says, and motions toward the bouncer manning the door. He sees us and lets us through. Lexi and Patrick arrive with Ryan and Jack and a really cute guy I’ve never met.

  “Bex, this is Grant,” Bella introduces us when the guys sit down.

  “Hi, Bex, nice to meet you.” He reaches to shake my hand.

  “So how do you know Lexi and Bella?” I ask, kinda already thinking I know the answer.

  I remember this is the guy Bella and Lexi met while working at summer camp. A week ago, they told me all about him during our long bus ride to our sisterhood retreat. Grant has a killer tan, dark brown hair and soft brown eyes. He has a really handsome face and striking cheekbones. Let me just say it like it is, he’s hot! We chat each other up with a lot of small talk. He’s easy to talk to, and he definitely passes the vibe check. Cat’s friend, Reese, shows up and joins our group, and we struggle to find another chair. It’s starting to get crowded as more people pack in to kick off the weekend. I see some girls from dance team and wave to them as they move through the club.

  Our group grows into eight then ten after Cat invites a few more friends to join us. We leave to walk down the strip and grab something to eat. By sticking close to Grant, I’m finding out more about him and his hobbies. He’s talking about a fishing trip in Destin last spring break when he caught a thirty-pound marlin.

  Our group heads into our fav restaurant hang out, Buffalo Phil’s. A band is setting up while we’re ordering and starts tuning and testing the microphones. The first song they play is “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi, and by the third song, we’re up dancing and singing to “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey. The band switches from 80’s to our decade and does a good job with “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers. This is why I love college so much. I’m caught up in the music, have a slight buzz and am dancing and singing like there’s no tomorrow. Everything in the world is right now. This moment is all that matters. I’m feeling totally free. I have my friends by my side, good music is blaring, and my world pauses into a perfect sliver in time. As I drink in the mood, the band slows down and plays “Sweet Caroline,” and we sing it at the top of our lungs. After the song ends, we notice it’s way after midnight and decide to walk back to the house.

  As we’re walking toward Phi Mu, I’m smiling, thinking what a great night. People are still milling about, and I see a group of guys, laughing and singing, coming up the other side of the road. I do a double take and realize it’s him. It’s Lane. The gorgeous and delicious smelling guy from class. Our eyes meet for a brief second, and I turn and look back again. I feel a draw, a slight pull like an invisible force, and then I hear, “Bex!” “Watch out!” “Bex!”

  Bella is yelling my name, bringing me back to reality.

  “Bex, you stepped off the curb and almost got hit by a car.”

  Grant’s asking if I’m okay. I’m totally startled and dazed but manage to say, “Yes. Sorry guys, I’m fine.”

  I make it the rest of the way home in one piece. Stopping before I go inside the sorority house, I smile at Grant.

  “I’m looking forward to tomorrow night,” I say, giving him a hug. His jaw brushes against my hair as we pull apart.

  “I am, too. It was nice to meet you, Bex. See you tomorrow night.”

  He turns toward the sidewalk and gives a slight wave before he walks away with the guys.

  Back in the room, Bella’s talking about how much fun tonight was and starts asking me questions.

  “So, Bex, did you have fun? What do you think about Grant?”

  “Bella, I saw him.” I ignore her question, because my mind is on Lane.

  “What? Who?” She looks at me, confused.

  “Lane, the guy in my creative-writing journalism class. I saw him walking on the other side of the street, going the opposite way, and he saw me, too.”

  “Are you
sure it was him?”

  “Yes. We looked right at each other, then I turned around to make sure. That’s when I stepped off the curb. I swear, Bella, it was like a force was pulling me toward him.”

  Bella smirks at me. “Girl, you need to watch it and be careful not to get too carried away. You’re already acting like a fool in love.”

  We have a good laugh. “You’re right. I need to stop before I become some crazy stalker.” Changing into my PJ’s, I inform Bella, “I don’t have anything until practice at one, so I’m sleeping in.”

  “Me, too.” I hear as I turn off the lamp.

  “Goodnight.” I snuggle down under the covers. Closing my eyes, I think, Oh, dear God, am I acting like a middle school girl with a crush on a famous YouTuber?”

  7

  #Phisandbowties

  Bella and I are in our room with the music up loud, jamming out to Judah & the Lion while we get ready for our Phi date social. I check my hair and makeup in the mirror to make sure it’s on point. As I’m standing there, I hear a knock on our door. I open it to find Amanda waiting to give instructions.

  “I need you guys to come down and help with set up,” she says, before hastily closing the door.

  Downstairs, Amanda assigns us a variety of jobs, and we join our sisters working on last minute tasks. After blowing up forty balloons and putting out plates and napkins, we have the house looking festive. We take pics with our Phi big sisters, and our housemother gets a group shot of all of us on the staircase. Glancing at my phone, I see it’s time for our dates to start arriving.

  I greet Grant out on the front patio and introduce him to each girl as we walk past. I give him a quick tour, then we grab some drinks and head over to the photo booth. We search through the cute props. There are all sorts of hats, sunglasses, long gloves and even a gold tuxedo jacket. I pick up a giant bow tie on a stick and Grant picks up a giant pink bow. Grant holds the bow over his head, and I hold the bow tie under my chin, laughing and making faces at each other during the photo session. Taking his hand, I pull him over to snag a spot to sit and get cozy. I scroll through the photos we just took on my phone.

  “These are really cute.” I show Grant the pictures on the screen.

  “You probably wouldn’t be able to take a bad picture if you tried.”

  “Awwww, you are sweet to say that.”

  I smile at him. I think he’s nice and has a great sense of humor, and, of course, he’s hot. I’m not drawn to him by some invisible force like the one, last night that made me walk off the curb while starring back at Lane. But I do want to get to know Grant better.

  We make our way outside to hang out near the band. Since last night’s dancing was so fun, we pick up where we left off. As we get closer to the DJ, we can see Jack and Patrick doing the “floss” with Bella and Lexi laughing hysterically. Grant joins the guys and the three of them entertain us with their dance moves. The evening is turning out to be pretty cool. I’m feeling very relaxed around Grant. Dancing with him is a lot of fun and shows off his fun-loving personality. When it’s time to say goodnight, I walk Grant out the front door. We stop near the sidewalk, and he reaches for my hand and holds it gently.

  “I had a really good time with you tonight and last night. I’d like to get your number and maybe get together and do something tomorrow.” The look in his eyes is hopeful and adorable.

  “Sure, I usually go to church on Sundays with some of the other Phi Mu’s. Would you like to meet me there?” I ask, thinking he’d probably be interested.

  He agrees, so we exchange numbers, and I tell him I’ll text him in the morning before I leave the house. He looks into my eyes for a brief moment before he leans in for a kiss. His kiss is soft and gentle, almost polite with a sweetness that makes me blush as we whisper goodnight.

  I think he’s certainly a gentleman and everything a girl would want in a boyfriend, but he’s just not Lane. I’m determined to put forth the effort to get to know Grant better, and tomorrow we’ll have an opportunity to be alone to talk. It’ll be great, I tell myself as I walk up the stairs. I see Bella and Jack saying goodnight near the foyer and wave to them. Wandering into our room, I kick off my shoes and flop onto the bed, almost forgetting about washing my face. I drag myself back up and into the bathroom to start a facial routine. After putting on the new Burt’s Bees mask I walk back to the room and decide to vlog about this hydration treatment mask as I wait for it to dry. When Bella walks in, I shut off my vlog and head back to the bathroom to wash the mask off. Slipping back into the room with glowing skin, I say goodnight to Bella, and snuggle down under the soft sheets. I fall asleep quickly, dreaming about rock bands and boys with bow ties.

  8

  #Mondaymood

  Monday, ugh. Why does Monday have to rhyme with fun day, because who thinks Mondays are fun? I am totally not a morning person, and neither is Bella so waking up in order to get to an 8:30 a.m. class is like a zombie scene from The Walking Dead. We grumble and grunt and stumble around, trying to wake up. After a shower and a Diet Coke, I feel a little more alive. I gather my bag, slide my feet into a pair of flip flops, pull my hair into a bun, and say good-bye to Bella. As I’m shuffling to the sidewalk, I see Amanda, my Phi big sister. She’s one of our chapter co-presidents, a senior, and she’s on dance team with me. She’s someone I admire with strong leadership skills. She’s a talented dancer, and she’s stunningly beautiful, as tall as I am with glossy auburn hair. I’m glad she chose me to be her Phi little sister this year.

  “Hey, Bex, don’t forget we changed practice time today. It’s at 4:30, instead of 6:00. We’re meeting on the gym floor at Coleman,” she says, walking up to me.

  “Thanks, Amanda, see you then,” I say with a smile, turning the corner to head to my first class. Although I didn’t forget the time change, I still appreciate the thoughtful reminder.

  Classes go by quickly for a dreaded Monday. It’s sunny and warm without a cloud in the sky, a perfect September day. I decide to grab some rays and sit out on the quad, which is buzzing with people sitting on blankets, playing frisbee and eating lunch. I plop down in the grass and use my backpack as a headrest. I pull out my Ray- Bans and put them on to hang and chill while watching some hot guys throw a Frisbee. I’m zoning out when I get a text, and someone pops up next to me. I look up to see Lexi standing above me.

  “Hey, whatcha doin’?” Lexi asks, sitting next to me in the grass.

  “Nothing much, just watching those cuties,” I say, pointing subtly.

  “I know, right? It’s a beautiful day.” My phone dings again. This time I look at it.

  Lexi smirks and asks in a singsong way, “Who is it?”

  “It’s Grant. He wants to know if I can hang out with him at the cliffs today.”

  “Oooo, sounds romantic.”

  “Yeah, I know, but it’s 1:30 now, and my practice time changed, so I can’t go.”

  I quickly text Grant back to let him know my schedule and ask for a rain check.

  “So, you’ve been on a few dates with Grant now, how’s it going?” Lexi asks with a silly schoolgirl grin on her face.

  “After church on Sunday, we ate lunch at that busy brunch place on the riverfront. He’s really funny and started telling me these corny bicycle jokes after some bikers passed us on the boardwalk while we were waiting for our table to be ready. He had me laughing so hard I was snorting.”

  “Cute. I knew you guys would hit it off,” Lexi says smiling. “By the way, the chapter meeting tonight is about Homecoming. Bella signed us up for decorating.”

  “Wait, for what?”

  “The Homecoming lawn decoration committee. We’re supposed to meet after Love Island is over.”

  “Great,” I say, not very enthused. “Fortunately for you and everyone, I’ll be there, since my practice time for today got moved up.”

  Before I left this morning, I’d packed a change of clothes in my backpack for practice, so I wouldn’t have to walk all the way back to the hous
e then all the way to Coleman. I’m loving just sitting in the sun on the quad for a few hours and getting a little homework finished. After Lexi and I shoot the breeze, she says she has another class to get to and tells me she’ll see me tonight. It’s almost time for me to go to practice, so I put my homework away, put in my AirPods, choose a song by The Killers and begin my walk toward Coleman Coliseum.

  Everyone seems to have the first routine down, so after we’ve gone full out for the fourth time we’re dismissed. I catch a ride back to the house with Amanda, and we arrive just as everyone is sitting for dinner.

  Afterwards, Bella, Lexi and I grab a few chairs, carry them into the living room, and settle in for the traditional Monday TV drama either Love Island or The Bachelor. During the commercial breaks, we chat about who's cute and who seems fake. The show ends and our Homecoming meeting is called to order. We vote on the theme and afterward count the tallies. Caroline, the senior in charge of the Homecoming float and lawn decorations, announces the winning theme, Disney Dreams Come to Life Along the Crimson Path. We move on to discuss the Homecoming choreography dance and pass around signups for those who want to participate in the Homecoming sorority basketball games.

  Only the fourteen girls who have committed to competing in this year’s dance stick around for the rest of the meeting. Phi Mu is serious about the choreography competition. We usually win every year or come in second. This year I made sure Lexi and Bella were up for the challenge, and they promised to give it 100%. As the Homecoming meeting wraps up, we finalize the day, time, and location for dance practice and the days and times that will be set aside for working on the lawn decoration and the parade float. When the meeting ends, everyone seems pleased with what we accomplished.

  After my busy Monday, I’m glad to change into PJ’s and lie down. My mind wanders to thinking about tomorrow’s creative writing class and if I’ll see Lane. Maybe I should avoid him?

  The next morning, I’m purposefully early for my creative writing class. I think I’ll try to avoid you know who. I don’t want to be his stalker chick, and I am really interested in Grant, so it’s probably best to avoid further contact with hottie. I find a seat on the end of a row near the front on the far left. I’m rummaging around in my backpack getting out my notebook, pen and phone when I hear…