New Girl

by Paige Harbison

  They all looked forgiving. She stepped into the line and then up to the window.

  “Rebecca Normandy.”

  The boy behind the window was skinny and unattractive. He was the type that needed to learn that big shirts only make you look smaller.

  “Freshman?”

  She looked askance at him. Did she look like a freshman? “Um, no? Junior.”

  “Fill out the card.” She did, using the information from the janitor guy, and then slid it back to him.

  “Here’s your key and information packet,” the boy said.

  “Okay, and where are the girls’ dorms?”

  He pointed. She smiled at him and then again at the boy who’d let her cut in front of him.

  As she turned to walk away, she saw that almost everyone in the hall was looking at her. She couldn’t help but love it.

  But what a lot of average-looking people, she thought.

  She had nothing to lose now that she was at Manderley. She might as well choose to be a hit while she was still here. She could be remembered when she did finally leave. But for a better reason than last time she left a school. There wasn’t exactly a plaque hanging up at Waterford High School.

  The following eyes continued the entire way up to her room. When she finally got there, the door was open. There was a dark-haired girl sitting on one of the beds, and the other side of the room was empty.

  “I’m Rebecca. Call me Becca if you want,” she said, making brief eye contact before looking around and taking in the entirely dreary room. The floor was a flat and ugly all-colors carpet, the walls were dingy white, and the bed looked like one you’d see in a dollhouse, i.e., not one for sleeping.

  “I’m Dana Veers.” Even she sounded bored with herself.

  “This room is horrible,” Becca said, and walked moodily to the empty side.

  “It’s ridiculous. I hate it. I’ve been here two years, and I feel like the walls are slowly moving in every day.”

  Becca looked at her new roommate for the first time. She was thin and pale, but was very pretty.

  “Rocking the vampire look, I see.” Becca started to unbutton her coat.

  “That means a lot coming from you, Barbie.”

  Becca froze, and then started to laugh. She could see that her reaction surprised Dana.

  “What are you laughing at?” Dana’s tone sharpened.

  “You! That was funny. Barbie. I never get that.” She rolled her eyes.

  “Because vampire was so creative?”

  “Touché,” Becca said with an arched eyebrow raised. “So what happened to your old roommate?”

  “She graduated. Most of the girls end up with a roommate in the same class year, but sometimes they have to combine ages.” She shrugged. “She was quiet, we didn’t really talk very much.”

  Becca nodded, and then looked at her suitcases and boxes. “Wow, do I not feel like unpacking. What time is it?”

  Dana hesitated before answering. It was clear that she didn’t quite know how to handle her new roommate. “Eight-thirty.”

  “Mmm-kay. Is anything going on tonight?” It had been a while since she’d been social. She needed it.

  “Anything…like what?”

  Becca sighed. “Like, a party or something?”

  “No one really parties here.”

  Becca laughed. “Now that is just not possible. It’s a boarding school. That is the only thing that makes these places tolerable.”

  And then Becca was out the door. She stuck her head in the doorway of the next room over. Two girls were chatting and unpacking.

  “Hey, I’m Becca.” She smiled winningly at them in an omg-we-r-about-2-b-bffs! kind of way.

  “I’m Julia.” The taller of the two girls ran a hand through her caramel highlights.

  “I’m Madison.”

  “Great. So, what’s going on tonight?”

  “What?” Madison asked.

  “Any kind of party or anything?”

  Madison looked confused. “No…”

  Becca looked to Julia, who shook her head.

  “Well, we should have one. Is there anywhere we can go?”

  Madison shook her head, but Julia raised an eyebrow in consideration.

  “I’ve always said we should do something down at the boathouse, but we never have. They have cameras. Not on the actual beach, but in the hall on the way there and stuff.”

  “Hmm…who watches the security tapes at night? Is it a student or, like, a security person?”

  “He’s a security guy, but he’s kind of…” She looked uncomfortable. “He’s just kind of off....”

  “What, like, retarded?”

  “Mentally challenged. Yes.” Madison nodded.

  “Let’s go talk to him. What time’s he go on to his shift, anyone know?”

  “I always see him in there at night. He might be down there now.”

  Becca smirked. “Lead the way.”

  Madison looked nervous.

  “Come on,” said Becca, “don’t be spineless.”

  Julia straightened up almost imperceptibly and walked out of the room. Madison followed. Then Becca. They led her to a wing off the great hall.

  “That guy?” Becca pointed to the lanky, red-haired boy in the small, all-windowed office.

  “That’s him....” said Madison meekly.

  Becca adjusted her hair, pulled down her shirt a little and knocked on the door. When he turned to look at her, she smiled and waved. “Hi!”

  “Come in?”

  “Hi, I’m Becca.” She leaned down and held out a hand, which he took. “What’s your name?”

  “Danny.”

  “Danny? I like that name.” She smiled again when he did. “So, Danny, I was wondering if you could help me.”

  “Help you with what?”

  “Some people want to have a little get-together tonight, but we don’t want to get in trouble.” She stuck out her lips a little. “We just don’t want to get told on. And we were just sure that you would be the right person to talk to about that.”

  He groaned. “I don’t know....”

  Becca smiled. “Oh, come on…it’ll be our little secret! And maybe one of these times when we do it you can come down? Maybe?”

  Danny laughed. “That would be nice.”

  “Good. So when you see everyone walking down the stairs to this boathouse, you won’t say anything?”

  He bared his teeth in worry, but shook his head. “I won’t say anything.”

  “Good. Good. That’s very, very sweet of you.” She took his hand. “Thank you so much, Danny. If you ever get in trouble, I’ll take full responsibility. But let’s not let that happen, okay?”

  He nodded eagerly.

  “I’m going to go now, but I’ll stop by soon to say hello, okay, Danny?” He nodded again.

  She walked out and looked at the girls. “Okay, we’re all set.”

  “Oh, my God, how did you do it?” Julia asked.

  Becca shrugged. “Okay, now we need people. Guys.”

  “That’s going to be difficult,” said Madison.

  “Why?”

  “We’re not allowed in the boys’ dorms.”

  “Ugh, are you serious?”

  Both of the girls nodded, looking somber.

  “Okay, well then I’ll do it. I’m new. I didn’t know.” She gave a wide-eyed dumb-girl look and then smiled.

  Madison laughed. “You’re so…ballsy.”

  “Take me to the boys.”

  Their next stop was a door directly across from the one that led to their own dorms. While Julia and Madison stayed put, Becca walked through it, nonchalantly as could be, and into a long hallway, where she knocked on a door at random.

  A chubby but okay-looking guy opened it. He looked surprised to see her.

  “Hi, I’m Becca.” She smiled.

  “Cam. What’s…what’s up?”

  “Hi, Cam,” she said, looking up at him. “We’re having a party at the boathouse.
Get as many people as you can to come. I have a bunch of tequila and stuff.”

  “Really?”

  She nodded. “Tell everyone.”

  “Sure. Are you new?”

  “Yes, I am. Okay, so tell people. I’ll see you tonight.”

  “I will. Nice to meet you.” As soon as he shut the door, she walked to another room a few doors down. She had to tell someone who at least looked like they had friends to tell. It took a few doors until she finally decided she’d told enough people of the right kind.

  When she emerged from the boys’ dorms, it was to find Madison and Julia looking impressed.

  “Okay, now let’s just get the things we need.” Becca smiled, and set off with her new posse to find cups for beer pong. She didn’t have much beer, but they could just play with water when they ran out.

  They returned to their hall with their collection, stolen from the dining hall.

  “Hold these.” Becca handed Madison the sleeve of cups she’d been holding.

  She set off down the hallway, pounding on every door she passed. “Ladies! Everyone out of your rooms! Come on! Whoooo!”

  By the time she reached the end of the hall and her own door, the hallway was filling up. She turned and smiled at them all.

  “Good evening, girls. My name is Rebecca Normandy. Call me Becca. Tonight we are sneaking out of our dorms.”

  The girls exchanged glances, all looking eager and ready to be told what to do.

  “We’re going down to the boathouse. I’ve got a few bottles of tequila, and I’ve already started recruiting the boys.”

  “But we’ll get in trouble,” said a small, strawberry-blonde with tight curls, “won’t we?”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Susan.”

  “No, Susan. I’ve already handled that.” She looked back to everyone else. “So are we all in?”

  Most of the girls nodded.

  “Good. See you out here at eleven.”

  She turned and went into her room.

  “So, Dana, are you coming to the party tonight?”

  “Um. I don’t know.”

  “Just do it. I couldn’t possibly go without my roomie.” She smiled, and Dana smiled back.

  CHAPTER THREE

  WE SNUCK DOWN SOME CREAKY, SANDY STAIRS to get to a beach that was so, so different from the ones back home.

  My bare legs were swathed in chilly air and I wished I could go stick my feet in the water and have it be warm. But, alas, this was not Florida.

  There was a boathouse at the foot of the stairs. It was pounding quietly with music, and a slivery border of gold indicated the door to us. When the door was opened, sound and light poured out and smacked us in the face.

  I followed the other two and their booted feet with my sandaled ones, and took a deep breath. I was ready.

  No you’re not, said that nag in my brain.

  “I brought the new girl!” Julia said once we were in view of the rest of the party.

  “Hey,” I said with a wave. My insides melted and I felt my face grow hot.

  She introduced me to everyone. I smiled and gave them my name, promising them we’d have to remeet later. After that, Madison and Julia went off to different guys, and left me alone.

  I surveyed the scene and immediately felt out of my element. I had no guide. There were a few people on a shabby couch taking deep, strained breaths out of a bong. Another few were playing beer pong, a game I was familiar with but entirely awful at. And some people just hung around like me.

  Some guy rose from a chair nearby and sidled up to me. “Hey, sweetie.”

  “Hey.” I almost felt like I would rather be ignored.

  “I’m Ricky. And you’re the new girl.”

  I nodded and laughed, unable to think of anything to say.

  He gave me what I was sure he thought was a winning smile, and asked if I wanted a shot.

  “Oh, no, thank you.”

  “Oh, come on, you’re fun, aren’t you?” another guy asked, wandering over to us.

  He said it in the distinct tone that usually goes with, “Come on, little girl, you want some candy?” Either that or like he was starring as a villain in some 1950s after-school special.

  My cheeks, I was sure, were growing even redder. “I’m not a prude, I just…I’m not thirsty.”

  That was a stupid response. They looked like they knew it, and walked off.

  I sighed and took a step backward. There was a yelp behind me, and I leaped as I realized I’d stepped on some girl’s foot.

  “Oh, jeez, I’m sorry.”

  “No problem. I’m Blake.”

  “Hi, I’m apparently ‘the new girl.’”

  She laughed. “This is my boyfriend, Cam.”

  “Hi, Cam.” I glanced back at the two guys who had just walked away from me.

  “I’d stay away from them.” Cam took a sip from a red cup.

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, they’re harmless, but I mean, they’re pushy.”

  I looked around at everyone else. It was strange, because there was music and drinking and there were games, but everyone was kind of quiet. It was like a detention pizza party. “Everyone’s sort of…subdued.”

  “Yeah.” She looked around, too. “It’s not usually like this.”

  I nodded, as if in understanding, and looked back out. Then the two of them started talking, and I felt like I should drift away. So I did. I sat down against a wall, suddenly eager to leave.

  “You want to play?”

  Another guy I hadn’t met yet walked over to me. I really hoped they weren’t all skeevy. This guy didn’t look like he would be, though. He had shortish blond hair and an overall pleasant look about him. He probably didn’t have to resort to being creepy.

  “Play?” I asked.

  He gestured to the table behind him. “Beer pong? Well…water pong. We don’t have any beer.” He smiled.

  I envisioned the scene. Me playing, being terrible and being entirely lame and disappointing. “No, thanks, I’m really bad.”