Page 10 of Massacre Monday

Gwen

I have so much to tell you about last night. Luv you beebs.

“Was that Gwen?” My mom waltzes in with empty suitcases and tosses them on my bed.

“Yeah. She was reminding me about the decorations for our room.”

“I got your bedding in the bag downstairs.”

I open my mouth to interrupt, but she continues.

“Andyour mini fridge.”

As I stuff clothes into one suitcase, she places her hands on her hips and turns around to face the wall. “Mom?”

When she doesn’t answer, my heart melts.

“Mom…are youcrying?”

Her shoulders shake softly when she faces me with ruddy cheeks and glistening eyes. “I hate when you guys aren’t here.” She gathers me in an embrace and kisses the top of my head, and I squeeze her back before pulling away.

I feel dirty. Like I’ve really disappointed her. We usually share a lot. She knows a little about my feelings toward Nico, but not enough to tell my father, who would go ballistic.

Speaking of, my bear of a father rips through my room and tries to close half empty bags. “Let’s go. Let’s go… We were supposed to leave fifteen minutes ago! I can’t deal with this another year, Penelope. Where’s Oswald?”

Shit. He’s using our full names. “Dad, those aren’t packed yet. I’m almost ready.”

My mom grips his hand and leads him from the room with a mumbled scolding, and he whines back.

Continuous text notifications ding from my phone. The girls are as excited as I am, and now that I’m a sophomore, I get to live in theSigmahouse. Oz will be in theDeltahouse across campus. Gwen and I chose to be roommates for our second year, and everything is looking bright again. I can put the events of last night far behind me and start over with a new academic year.

Mitch

We on for practice as soon as you arrive? My feet are feeling the need to be stepped on.

A smile parts my lips as I send my dance partner andBeta Kappa Etamember a reply.

Me

Ofc. Tbh I’d worry less about your feet and more about your hip work

Mitch

Ha! I’ll see you in Northview!

Dad panics a few more times until we’re all loaded in the SUV, Oz up front because “my legs are too long” and me and Mom watching an episode ofDance Queensin the back. The ride is slightly over an hour with the new highway, but Dad keeps reminding us it used to take three “back in my day.”

Instead of helping Oz, they toss his stuff on the lawn of theDelta Kappa Eta’sprairie style house where brothers are milling about and lugging in trunks or boxes. Most showcase glistening bare chests, gleaming with sweat from the summer heat.

For me, of course, my parents raid the sorority house. Dad checks out every exit and safety feature to ensure some unseen enemy won’t harm his precious princess.

“This keypad could get hacked easily.Look at this!The door doesn’t even shut properly. I’ll ask your Uncle Cal to inspect it. Maybe this place needs better security.”

“Dad!”

My mom rolls her eyes and shoves him into the elevator with some of my boxes. “Lion, seriously.”

Once the doors seal us all in, he huffs. “Don’t give me that. The Freidenberg Foundation grants a lot of money to this university. I’d expect our kids not to have to deal with creeps coming in at all hours.”