Emerge (Evolve Series #1)(22)

in the bathroom at the same time as her. Good thing, or else I’d never get to use it.

“You gonna let me make you up tonight, Laney?”

“No. I don’t need to impress anybody. I’m warnin’ ya, B, this is gonna be very low key for me. Oh! I almost forgot, I wanna

come up with a word or sign so that if either of us is uncomfortable, it means we’re getting the hell out of dodge.”

“Laney, my personal bodyguard,” she giggles. “You think of everything! Ok, so how about if we say, “‘these shoes are killing

me, I have to go change.’ Or we could sneeze three times in a row?”

“Um, I’m not sure I know how to fake sneeze and I’m wearing flip-flops, but sure, sounds good. Will you hand me a towel?”

She tosses me one and urges me to hurry. We have like, two hours, and she’s about to learn firsthand that it doesn’t take me that

long to get ready. In fact, I throw on jeans, a nice top and flip flops, dry and straighten my hair, add a little bit of mascara

and lip gloss and viola! I’m ready, so I have time to call Kaitlyn.

We talk for a bit, catch each other up about our classes and our teams, but something’s off. It just doesn’t feel like talking to

the same Kaitlyn. What a difference a few weeks had made.

“So, do you ever see Evan?”

“Ya, I saw him at a party the other night. He said we should hang, but we’ve both been busy lately. What about you, have you seen

him?”

“No, not in weeks now.” I don’t add how much it feels like I’ve lost one of my limbs.

“Ohhh, Laney, you okay? Maybe he and I could do a road trip to you.”

“Yeah, let’s plan it soon. I mean, college is supposed to be awesome, right? I’m so not feeling that way.”

Bennett walks in the room looking glamorous; she really can’t help it. Her little green dress accentuates her perfect figure (I’m

guessing size two), auburn locks, and green eyes. She’s one of the most naturally beautiful girls I’ve ever seen. She’s real

life Ariel.

“You ready?” she mouths.

“Listen Kait, I gotta go to some open dorm crawling thing. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”

“I thought you said college wasn’t awesome? That sounds pretty awesome,” she laughs. “Have some fun for me!”

“Love you, Kait, talk soon.” I feel a little jealous as I hang up, she sounded happy and excited about life. I sounded like a

depressive flop. She could literally go search him out and be near Evan in ten minutes if she tried hard enough. I haven’t been

near him in what seems like forever.

Bennett looks ready to crawl out of her skin, hands on hips and top tapping, so I paste on a smile.

“Yup—let’s go,” I choke out, forcing my feet to move.

We head down to the student lobby to get checked in and some Elle Woods wannabe slaps a nametag on my chest. “Um, you spelled my

name wrong. It’s L-a-n-e-y.”

“Oh well, close enough!” she chirps back at me.

Yeah, she’s really good at her job. Meet and greet people with the wrong name?

“Come on, Laney.” Bennett laughs and speaks too loudly as she pulls me along. “Let’s have some f-u-n.”

Couldn’t have come up with a better one myself.



The first room is occupied by Dumb and Dumber. I’m not a fan of the movie, either. They offer us beers and their snack is cheese

in a can, no crackers. I sneeze like five times in a row and pull Bennett out; I have absolutely no tolerance tonight. As we walk

down the hall, reviewing those ten minutes we’re never getting back, the RA announces its “switch” time. Way ahead of ya!

Room two belongs to what’s-his-name, a soccer player, and his roommate, who simply gives us a “sup” head nod. They, too, serve

beer and no snack. Not that I’m hungry or thirsty, or even trying to feign interest in this whole extravaganza, but were the boys

not told to even try? For God’s sake—if you know the parade starts tonight, at least kick your streaked underwear under the bed

and switch the trash! How 90% of girls my age aren’t virgins is beyond me. The thought makes me miss perfect Evan, so I walk just

outside the door, still with Bennett in view, and text him.

Laney: As if you didn’t b4, you’re looking even more like a Prince now

Evan: Why is that?

Laney: 2 rooms into this and I’ve been offered cheese in a can and spotted streaked underwear. You should be outside of your mind

with jealousy.

Evan: Lol. So basically I’m a God, you finally realize it and r now ruined for all other men?

Laney: That was already the case b4 tonight.

Evan: I love it when you say things like that. I miss you.

Laney: Miss you too. Gotta go to hell #3, ttyl.

The RA again announces switch. Putting my phone away, Bennett appears and we head off down the yellow brick road. It won’t even

slightly surprise me if the next two are representing the Lollipop Guild.

Try three isn’t a complete loss. Zach and Drew actually remind me a bit of Parker and Matt back home. Zach is a big, football-