Moose and Goose

Chapter Forty-one

Judith drags the last blue streak of paint against the backdrop, then drops the brush in the cup of water. She takes a step back to admire her handiwork.

In the foreground, she's painted a chestnut brown head without facial features, and it's gripping the sides of its black afro as a storm cloud hovers above. In the background is a tornado spinning near a raging volcano. Though it's not perfect, she's content with the way she's captured her inner turmoil.

Judith looks down at her fingernails, then her palms, and notices paint coated here and there. She strolls towards the sink while watching Juniper and the unnamed girl talk outside the room.

When she reaches the metal basin, she turns the knobs, and the pipes creak as the water pours out. She leans her hands forward, then scrubs the colors from her skin and under her nails.

The girl walks towards the exit, but Juniper doesn't move. Surveying Juniper's body language, Judith notices her wide, terrified eyes and trembling lips.

Once she's removed as much of the stains as she can, she shuts the water off and then power walks towards the door. Tugging it open, Judy asks, "Are you okay?"

"No." Juniper licks her lips and takes a deep breath, then turns to her. "Kara just told me that she and a bunch of other girls saw me leaving the party at my boyfriend's fraternity."

"Okay," Judith drones questioningly, creasing the skin between her brows. "I don't see the problem."

"I was – drunk," she confesses with her gaze lowered. "I shouldn't have gone, but in a way, I'm glad I did because the girl I was helping to her dorm was assaulted by one of the guys."

"Oh, my," Judith stops herself and bites her bottom lip, then emits an enraged huff out of her nose. Her hands rhythmically clench at her sides. "I'm so fucking done with this place and just about everyone here."

Juniper folds her arms and takes a deep breath. Unaware of how to respond to her cynical statement, she says, "Maybe we should go to the Dean and report the guy who did it. I know who did it."

"Unless you want her to be blamed and ostracized, I wouldn't bother going to his office," Judith warns her, then shakes her head. Juniper sighs in defeat. "Are you okay, though? Did anything, y'know, happen?"

"I'm fine," she answers without looking at her and unknowingly raises her suspicion. "I just – I wanna help that girl and all the others like her who haven't said anything."

"I'm protesting later." Juniper meets her warm gaze, and it eases the desperation in hers. "It'll probably just be me and Cyrus, but if you wanna join us, then I'd greatly appreciate it."

"When and where is it," she asks, and Judy cracks a smile.

***

Judith steps into the student lounge with Juniper. A few people are in the room occupying the tables, making spotting Cyrus on the couch easy for them. As they inch closer, Judy notices that he's holding a journal and a pencil, but her eyes remain on the hardcover.

"Hey," he greets them with a smile when they stop at the edge of the table. He scoots to the left, Juniper takes the middle seat, and Judith sits beside her. "I was afraid you wouldn't show up."

"I'm sorry. I suppose I lost track of time." She leans her painting against the coffee table in front of her and props her elbows on her knees. "By the way, Cyrus, this's Juniper. Juniper, this's Cyrus. He's a member of Zeta Psi Phi and the first person to help me."

"Nice to meet you," Juniper says to him while extending her right hand. He sets his pencil and book in his lap, and then he takes her hand in his. Judith watches the awkward positioning of their bodies as they shake hands, her lips pulled into a straight line.