Forever Yours
16
Party
HENRY GOT HIS HAIRCUT, ate lunch at the mall, and drove his car through a car wash. He went home, showered, and dressed. He was ready for his date and it was only four in the afternoon.
He’d kept a few vital things from Lisa, like Open Cloak Design, but realized he hadn’t asked much about her except the color of her dress. They really had a surface-deep relationship.
The creation of androids, or humanoid robots, had come up in one of their expanded study sessions. Henry appreciated the subject but was not enthused. He detected that Lisa was slightly repelled by the concept.
He knew her as an intelligent woman who often had key points to offer to a conversation that enhanced their understanding of a subject. She was cute—as far as he could tell. Her baggy clothes never revealed much about her shape, but he considered her on the petite side with a pretty face.
But who was she? Where did she come from? What were her goals? What was her favorite food? Music? Did they actually have anything besides their classes in common?
He didn’t really need to know any of that for their date. It was just a formality—a favor for a friend—taking her to a dance so she didn’t get passed around to frat boys looking to get lucky. That was all. He could find out more about her while they were together.
He went into his private study. This room was a bonus in his opinion. It was as large as his bedroom, which was generously proportioned. He had his own computers set up next to a wall, but over the summer, he had added a reading corner and a desk for working on class projects and papers. His development computer was in this room rather than upstairs in the office. Just like his partners did, he connected to the company server via their virtual private network.
The Board of Directors—all four of them—had agreed that until they were full time, Henry’s development work on new patents should be considered independent work rather than work for hire. As a result, whatever he created would ultimately be acquired by the company for another $75,000 worth of shares. Of that, Don Harvey would continue to receive $3,750 for his work. Don had readily agreed.
Henry was still absorbed in the new data he’d received on the performance of his new optimization app. He couldn’t understand why he seemed to be getting more data than he had previously. He studied the data and finally ran a query on the number of devices represented. He was surprised to find three more than his own collection.
That was when the light turned on. His partners all connected directly to the server through the VPN. That was considered within the one degree of separation he had defined. He hurriedly checked to see if anyone connecting to the website had been “infected” by his app, but the website, even though served by the same server, was not considered a direct connection. That was encouraging. His app would not just continue to spread. It was contained.
Henry’s phone alarm sounded and he realized he had spent the entire afternoon in the study and it was time to go to Lisa’s party.
Henry texted Lisa when he arrived at the sorority house. “I’m coming up the walk. Do I need to announce myself to someone?”
“I’ll meet you at the door,” she sent back.
The door opened as he approached and a guy held it open for him.
“I’m here to meet Lisa Hartwell,” he said.
The doorman looked at him curiously and then at a stunning brunette just inside.
“Lisa? I mean, like, wow!”
“I hope that means you approve.” She gestured to her hair and dress. “It took forever.”
Her braces flashed when she spoke and Henry quickly adapted to the ‘new look’ Lisa.
“You look spectacular. I wasn’t expecting anything so elegant and lovely.”
He quickly re-evaluated his entire assessment of his classmate. She was obviously still shy, but once freed of the baggy casual clothes he’d always seen her in, she blossomed into a beauty.
“Um… Thanks, I think. It’s not exactly my style. My mother bought it for me to attend a cousin’s wedding last year. I tried four-inch heels so we’d be more the same height, but I couldn’t stand them. Hope this is okay.”
She wore a pair of matching green pumps with about a two-inch heel.
“I think you’re perfect.”
“Don’t spread it too thick. I might need my image bolstered later,” she laughed.
She looped a hand through his arm and they walked in to the main room of the house. The party had already spread to the dining room and kitchen. Henry thought he heard some voices up the stairs. Lisa introduced Henry to those she met, but got them through to the refreshments.
“Would you mind opening a can of sparkling water for me?” she asked. “I don’t trust anything here not to have been tampered with.”
“This must really be stressful,” Henry said, opening a can of water for her and a pop for himself. “Whatever inspired you to pledge a sorority in the first place? It seems so unlike you.”
“My mother,” she sighed. “She was everything in college I’m definitely not. Sorority president, queen of the ball, society maven. But she turned around and married the biggest geek in the school. I was the result. She did her best to pressure me into joining the sorority. I guess I take after my father more.”
“He must be pretty cool to have a daughter like you.”
“God, Henry! Are you just a natural born flatterer?”
“I didn’t mean that as flattery,” he defended himself. “I personally think being queen of the geeks is superior to queen of the ball.”
“Queen of the Geeks. I like that. Considering I’m the only woman in our year in the program. Simon might contest the title of Queen, though,” Lisa laughed.
“He did kind of stake a claim to the word early on, didn’t he?”
“He loves it! I couldn’t invite him to the cotillion, though. He’d have been prettier than me.”
The benefit of holding hands at the party—Henry suddenly wondered when her hand had slid down his arm to rest in his—was that with a drink in the other hand, they didn’t have to shake hands with anyone; they just nodded and smiled.
“Tell me more about your family. I realized that I don’t really know much about you after we talked yesterday,” Henry said.
“Last summer, I got hold of my mother’s letters and diary from when she was in school here. She talks a big game about how great sorority life was, but she did some pretty nasty stuff before Dad latched on to her and straightened her out. And I mean got her straight, too. By the time she was a senior, she either needed to get married or live on the streets.”
“I’m sorry you found out about something like that. I hope it hasn’t destroyed your relationship,” Henry said.
“No. It wasn’t that great a relationship to start with. Now I know I need to deal with an adult who faced some of the same trials and temptations we all face. She’s more real now. I don’t want to talk any more about it.”
“Yeah. I understand. If you ever do want to talk, I’ll listen,” he said.
As they circulated around the party, they spent a little time dancing, but most people were more caught up in the football team’s homecoming victory earlier in the day. Henry had only been to one football game the previous fall. He and Carol had stayed for only half of it and then went to the car to make out.
There were obvious temptations for some around the party. Alcohol and weed were plentiful, even though Henry estimated most of the party attendees were underage, like he and Lisa were. Harder drugs were found in corners, usually with a boy convincing a girl to try something. Most of the guys had frat pins on their lapels and didn’t seem to be with any particular girl. Many of the girls were apparently unattached as well, and moved freely from boy to boy to boy—sometimes dancing and sometimes just trying to occupy the same space at the same time.
Henry had just led Lisa off the dance floor again to get fresh drinks when a large guy shouldered his way between them.
“Hi. I’m Brad and I’ll be your date tonight,” he said with a swagger as he faced Lisa. “What say we go find a room and celebrate the victory today. Did you see me sack their quarterback? It was listed as the play of the game.”
Henry tapped him on the shoulder and lightly pushed the huge linebacker aside.
“You’re dicking around with my girlfriend,” he said. “Fuck the hell off.”
“Oh, listen to you.” The alcohol on the guy’s breath was enough to make everyone in the room drunk. “Pretty woman like this deserves a real man. There’s a couple skanks here who’ll do anyone—even you. Now get lost.”
“I said, move aside,” Henry said. He gave a tug to Lisa’s hand and she spun to his side as if they were still dancing.
“You’ll regret that, punk.”
“Bite me.”
“Hey, Brad! Inverteds!” a guy shouted from a few feet away.
Brad spun on his heel and headed toward his friend waving a bottle of rum in the air. Henry immediately got Lisa on the other side of him and they moved to the refreshment table, leaving Brad to have rum, lime juice, and soda poured into his mouth.
“Hey, Lisa, are you okay?” a young woman asked as she came up to them at the table.
“Hi, Miss Susan. I’m fine. Uh… Susan, this is my date, Henry Pascal. Henry, this is our sorority president, Susan Barkley.”
“Happy to meet you, Miss Barkley.”
“Let me introduce Eric Jones, president of Omega Rho,” Susan said about her date. Eric didn’t try to shake hands but bumped fists with Henry.
“On behalf of Omega Rho, I want to apologize for our brother’s rude behavior to you both. Brad is pretty full of himself after the game today. He thinks he’s immune to common decency. Once he gets this last drink into him, I’ve asked one of the guys to get him out of here.”
“Thank you for your kind apology,” Lisa said.
“And Henry, it’s a pleasure to meet you. We could use more guys of sound character in our frat. I hope you’ll consider pledging during spring rush.”
“Thank you for your invitation,” Henry said noncommittally. He bet they could use guys of sound character. He doubted very much if the frat president would even recall their interaction by spring rush, even if Henry had an inclination to join a Greek society.
“Lisa,” Susan said, “don’t let this little incident color your impression of Kappa Tau or of Omega Rho. We watch out for each other and most of the guys are really decent. You know, even we at Kappa Tau have a couple of girls of questionable character. We pride ourselves in being the upper crust of the university, but no one can vouch for the character of everyone. You’re a legacy pledge and in your mother’s honor, we want to welcome you.”
“I understand, Miss Susan,” Lisa said. “Thank you for talking to a mere pledge like me.”
“Oh, Lisa, we have different ranks, but we are sisters as soon as we choose our letters. And may I say, you look truly spectacular tonight. Membership is not based on physical appearances and you were no less welcome as the kind of geeky girl we know you are. But seeing you in this dress, and with your handsome boyfriend, tells us you could also represent the face of the sorority one day.”
The two presidents excused themselves and wished them a good time for the rest of the evening. They looked around the room, but didn’t see the football player anywhere.
“Miss Susan?” Henry asked after they’d had a sip of their drinks.
“I’m a pledge. She’s an active. It’s a sign of respect,” Lisa sighed.
“Okay. I hope they don’t judge you by me. I don’t think I’d fit with Greek life.”
“It’s after eleven. I think I’m ready to leave,” Lisa said.
“Don’t you live here?” he asked.
“Not tonight. And it’s temporary. I’m staying with a friend over at the MacMillan Residence Hall tonight. If you don’t mind dropping me there.”
“I’m at your service,” Henry laughed. “After all, I was just promoted to boyfriend.”
“Oh, my God! Don’t like… I mean the declaration of the sorority president is not legally binding.”
“I’ll let you off the hook. I’m ready anytime you are.”
“Great. I need my coat and overnight bag from the hall closet. Then we can find the pledge mistress to say goodnight.”
Finding her coat was easier than finding the pledge mistress, but eventually, Lisa said her goodbyes and they left. It was nearly a two-block walk to where Henry had parked and Lisa leaned against Henry while continuing to hold his hand.
“Oh, yeah. Pretty little bitch and her wimpy boyfriend. I’m not done with you yet,” Brad said, stepping out of the shadows behind them.
Henry spun to face him, pulling Lisa behind him so he was between her and Brad and dropping her overnight bag beside him.
“Forget it, Brad.” Henry said. “You don’t want this fight.”
“Fight? You think you can fight me for her? You her big brave protector?”
“Women don’t need men to protect them. But I won’t stand by when a jerk is threatening.” Henry noticed Lisa had slipped out of her heels. Whether to defend herself or to run, Henry approved.
“Move aside or I’m coming through you like you’re an offensive guard.”
“I warn you, I don’t fight clean,” Henry said. Not that he’d ever really fought before.
“Gonna kick me in the balls? Surprise! I’m a linebacker. I always wear a cup.”
Brad moved aggressively as if to push Henry aside. He wasn’t expecting Henry’s potentially lethal blow to the throat. Brad doubled over gasping for air that wouldn’t come.
“You should have worn the cup around your neck,” Henry said.
He turned, took Lisa’s hand, grabbed her bag, and led her on to the car. She kept glancing back at the boy writhing on the ground.
“Did you kill him?” she asked as they pulled away from the curb. She looked back again but didn’t see Brad.
“Don’t know. Don’t care,” Henry said.
“That’s… That’s all?”
Henry sighed.
“No. I doubt that I killed him. He has a thick neck and I’m not that strong. But I wasn’t going to let him hurt either one of us if I could help it.”
“Yeah, but…” Lisa was quiet as they drove toward the residence hall on the other side of campus. Finally, she broke the silence. “I suppose… you want to have… sex now,” she ventured. “I guess it would be okay. You kind of earned it.”
Henry jerked the wheel of the car abruptly to pull to the curb and turned on his flashers. He slammed the car into park and turned to face Lisa.
“Listen to me, Lisa. Get this straight right away. If you and I ever have sex, it will be because we both really want it. Want it more than anything. It won’t be because one of us thinks we’re owed or the other is owed, and it won’t be because one of us expects it or because it’s convenient. I like you. It was an honor to be your escort tonight. I’d happily repeat it in the future. But you are under no obligation to me. Now or ever.”
“Henry? Are you angry with me? I’m sorry about it all.”
“No. I’m not angry. I’m a little intense at the moment. I think there’s still some extra adrenaline in my veins. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I’ll never do anything to hurt you,” he said.
Lisa looked at him as intensely as he was looking at her. She unfastened her seatbelt and leaned across the console. She touched his cheek to pull him to her for a gentle kiss.
“Thank you,” she said. They smiled at each other in the dim light of the car.
Henry turned off the flashers, and signaled to pull away from the curb. In a few minutes he found a place to park near the residence hall. He opened the car door for her and took her hand in his again. At the door of the residence hall, she paused long enough to give him another sweet kiss and take her bag, then went in.
Nothing really changed between Henry and Lisa. They saw each other in class and had lunch with their study cohort to go over the week’s notes. Sometimes, the interaction during study time was more like a book club where members drank wine and never discussed the book. Except they had no wine.
Henry felt he had made a breakthrough during the week with his new rendition of the optimization app and had gotten it out to the testers. He was a little more relaxed and was listening to his friends. They’d expanded the study group to include Leonard and Simon this fall.
“I am so glad I’m no longer in the residence hall,” Josh said. “I share an apartment with three other guys, but it’s still better than the hall. They’re pretty good guys and aren’t into partying all the time. I can actually get some studying done at home.”
“I wish,” Lisa said. “I have to be out of the sorority house by the end of the month. Living there through September was a temporary offer. Right now, I don’t think I’ll even continue with them. I’m still looking for a place.”
“Why don’t you get an apartment?” Josh asked. “Get a couple girls to share it with you.”
“It’s not that easy for women,” Lisa said. “Single women living alone or with other women are easy targets for predators. There’s a woman in my ethics class who was attacked on her way home from class. It was only just after dark and she was walking alone.”
“Women shouldn’t walk alone,” Leonard said.
“Men shouldn’t attack women,” Henry responded.
“Yeah, of course,” Josh rebutted. “None of us at this table would attack a woman. Unless Simon saw one in a dress he wanted. And by attack, I mean run up to her and gush.” They all laughed and their gay classmate wiggled his fingers at them. “But reality is reality. Men are assholes. You can see that at every level of government and entertainment. I’m guessing it’s the same in any corporate hierarchy. That’s why we need to get an AI that will counteract the inherent unfairness of the patriarchy.”
“So woke,” Dan said beneath his breath. They didn’t let it distract them from the conversation.
“I had no idea you were so passionate about that, Josh,” Lisa said.
“My old man,” Josh breathed. “He is one of said assholes and I’m determined to bring him and those like him to their knees.”
“Ooh! In front of me, please,” Simon said. Everyone chuckled at that image. Josh clearly was angry with his father, but didn’t want to discuss it further.
“Um… I’m looking for a roommate,” Henry said to Lisa. “You could check that out.”
“Henry! That was just for one night!”
“Wait! Did you two hook up?” Dan asked.
“No! Not like that!” Lisa laughed. “Henry was kind enough to escort me to a sorority party last week. Nothing more.”
“I wasn’t suggesting you live, like, with me,” Henry said. “I’ve got a pretty cool apartment that has a lock-off suite. I’m looking for a subletter, not a girlfriend.”
“Really? How much?”
“$1,500 plus your share of utilities.”
“Kitchen?”
“Shared with me. Equal responsibility for keeping the place clean.”
“Equal?”
“Absolutely, unless one of us gets suddenly fabulously rich and can afford a cleaning service. I’m not anticipating that in the near future,” Henry said.
“Could I… see this lock-off suite?” Lisa asked.
“I’m not doing anything this afternoon. Let’s go over now.”
“Hey, giving a tour? Can we all come?” Josh asked.
With that, Henry and six classmates headed in three cars to his row house. Lisa rode with Henry.
Please feel free to send comments to the author at devon@devonlayne.com.
