“Well you're not looking if that guy isn't Jordan Levitt,” she said. I smacked her with a pillow and she laughed. “You know, he talks about you a lot,” she said suddenly.
I sat up on my bed. “Jordan talks about me?” I asked dumbly. Riley rolled her eyes.
“No, the pope talks about you...yes Jordan!” My throat felt tight.
“What does he say?” I shouldn't want to know this. I knew better than to ask. But damned if I didn't want to hear every tiny detail.
“He makes every excuse to mention you in some way. 'Oh, Maysie must have rearranged the salt shakers.' 'I wonder if Maysie knows where the phone book is.' It's almost pathetic.” I forced myself to laugh, though I really felt like throwing up. “Yesterday, he was telling me about how he taught you to play the guitar at his party. He said you're a natural.” It was my turn to roll my eyes.
“He clearly has a different memory of that than I do. I sucked.” Riley shrugged.
“Hell, you could probably sound like a dying cat and he'd think you were amazing,” she teased. I shot her a look.
“What's that supposed to mean?” I asked. Riley picked up the pillow I had thrown at her and hit me in the face with it.
“Don't fish, Mays. It doesn't suit you.” I stuck my tongue out at her. Riley flicked my nose. “You know exactly what I'm talking about. That boy has it bad. You can see it every time someone says your name.”
“But Olivia...” I started and Riley cut me off.
“Fuck Olivia.” I gaped in surprise at Riley's forcefulness.
“Wow, tell me how you really feel,” I said dryly. Riley got up off of the bed and stood there for a minute.
“Seriously. Jordan has major feelings for you. And he's a good guy. I have never endorsed a guy you dated because so far they've been a bunch of dick weeds. And I know what I said about dating him before. But I was wrong because Jordan's different. And Olivia's a bitch.” I automatically opened my mouth to defend my sorority sister.
“You know she is, Maysie. And Jordan sees that too. He wants you, my love. I say stop worrying about Olivia. She'll move onto the next sorry ass frat guy in no time. But you deserve to be with someone who looks at you the way Jordan does.” I blinked, shocked by her statement.
“But, whatever. It's your life. Have fun at your 'mixer'.” There she went using those stupid air quotes again. I didn't say anything as she left. I couldn't say anything. She had given me a hell of a lot to think about.
I proceeded to get ready in a bit of a daze. Riley had called out a goodbye before she left for work. I put on my cute little cocktail dress and opted to leave my hair straight. I applied very little makeup and deemed that I was presentable.
I arrived at the Chi Delta house a quarter after seven. I found a bunch of my sisters hanging out in the common room. They all called out a greeting as I came in. I couldn't help but feel warm at the recognition. It's not like the girls had ever been anything but nice to me. Otherwise I would never have pledged to begin with. But I had always felt a little outside of it all, despite my every effort to the contrary.
“Damn, Mays. You look hot!” Gracie called out, hopping up from the couch to give me a big hug. I did a little twirl and then a short little curtsy.
“You know it, babe,” I replied, grinning. Cira came up and put a cup in my hand. I took a tentative sniff. “What is this?” I asked cringing. Cira giggled.
“I think it's every liquor we had in the cabinet and a little bit of 7-Up. Drink!” I took a sip and coughed.
“Are you trying to give me instant alcohol poisoning? I think I'll just have a beer.” I handed the drink back to Cira who only laughed.
“Come on lets get you a beer then.” Gracie tugged on my hand and I followed her into the kitchen. We had about an hour before we were all heading over to the mixer. It was taking place at another off campus Pi Sig house. It was only a couple of blocks away, so we would be walking.
Olivia was in the kitchen embroiled in an intense looking conversation with Milla when we came in. “Hey Maysie,” she said, throwing me a distracted smile as she turned back to her discussion. I lifted my hand in a quick wave before grabbing my beverage. Olivia looked stunning, as always. She wore a purple halter dress so tight it looked as though it had been painted on her body. The bodice apparently had a push up bra built in because her boobs looked like they were about to spill out from the top. Her legs looked ridiculously long in her black hooker shoes.
She was beautiful and I felt anything but standing near her. Jordan's a lucky guy to have someone like her. I told myself harshly. Gracie was talking to me about some guy she planned to hook up with tonight, even though she was the date of Eric Lewis, a Pi Sig sophomore. I tried to listen but I was completely distracted by the conversation going on behind me.
It seemed that Milla was giving Olivia a pep talk. Olivia's voice sounded tight and when I took a peek at her, she looked as though she had been crying. “I just wish I knew what he was thinking. He's been so distant since I got back. I thought it was just me, that I was being paranoid. But it's not in my head. We haven't had sex since before I left for the summer.” I heard Milla gasp in surprise, though looking at the other girl's expression, she seemed pleased with the news. Who was that bitch kidding? She loved that Jordan and Olivia weren't doing it. For her it was the probably the best news of the night.
Olivia sniffed and rubbed her nose with her hand. “Last night, I went over to his house after he got off of work. I was wearing his favorite lingerie. You know the red one with the nipple tassels?” Milla nodded. Nipple tassles? Uh, gross.
“So, I'm all laid out on his bed when he gets out of the shower and he tells me to move over, that he needs to get some sleep. Can you believe that?” I felt bad for her as I could tell she had started to cry. Milla patted Olivia on the back.
“It's like he doesn't want me anymore. How could he not want me? He used to never be able to get enough! Don't you remember that time everyone walked in on us having sex on his pool table in the middle of the mixer?” Gag! I tried to control the upchuck reflex at her p**n ographic reminiscing.
“That's how it used to be all the time. Now I can barely get him to kiss me. Do you think he's seeing someone else?” Olivia sounded terrified at the possibility.
“No way, Liv! How could ever look at anyone else when he has you? Put that thought out of your head.” Milla was saying exactly what a supportive friend should say. But I couldn't miss the fakeness of it. I knew with a certainty that had Milla been in my shoes with Jordan this summer, she would have been all over him like white on rice. Great friend there.