The Taunting (College Life #1)

Elizabeth Pratt's dorm warming party is mid

"Right, the gift!" Carlee hands me the box, it was wrapped beautifully.

"Who wrapped this, it's amazing."

Doug smiles, "It was me. When I was younger, my mother would have me wrap my sisters' gifts. She said I had a talent, and so I thought why not wrap the gift for Eliza."

I give him a warm smile, "Well, thank you." Sadly, I rip open the perfect wrapping of his gift. It was a box full of. . .money? "You guys bought me money?"

Carlee explains, "Well, yeah. See, as of last week I and the others chipped in money to buy you a gift, but it didn't work out once we couldn't figure out what to get you. Everyone had different ideas."

They all tell me what they wanted to buy me.

"I wanted to buy you something that would be beneficial for you here at college. Like a bulletin board to organize your thoughts or maybe a calendar," said Carlee. I would have liked that.

"I just wanted to get you a blanket. Everyone needs a blanket," said Doug. That is true. Sometimes blankets are better than jackets.

We all look over to Bridget, who's quiet as a mouse.

"And what did you want to get me, Bridget," I ask, crossing my arms.

"Tell her," Carlee demands.

She sighs, "I wanted to get you a vibrator."

"A vibrator!"

"That's the same thing I said."

"Hey, that's not a bad gift." Carlee and I stare at Doug, he sits down on my bed, metaphorically zipping his lips shut.

I turn my attention to Bridget, "Why would I need a vibrator?"

"Because everyone is getting dick or pussy and you're not. As of late, you've been stiff and stuffy. I thought maybe you needed to orgasm, orgasms always relax a person, so a vibrator came to mind." They all just stare at her. "What! It isn't anything out of the realm of possibilities, and we know you're not getting any, especially dressed like that."

I look down at my outfit, "What's wrong with my outfit."

She laughs, "An extra-large UC Berkeley sweatshirt and yoga pants, no one is going to notice you looking like that."

"That's because I don't want anyone to look at me."

I used to dress up, mostly for Andreas. But now, with me having nowhere to go and no one to impress, I've just been dressing comfy.

"Let's just ignore Bridget. Thank you, guys, for the cash, I'll put this to great use. Where's Monica?" I've been wondering that for a minute now. This is something I know she wouldn't want to miss. When I mention her name, a grave look comes over all their faces. "Oh god, don't tell me she's dead."

"God no!" Doug shrieks.

"Fuck, don't be so morbid, Elizabeth." Bridget chastises.

"Then what?"

"You didn't hear," said Carlee. I shake my head, "At the football game last night, Jace got hit pretty hard by a Notre Dame defense member and his shoulder was dislocated, and arm broken in two places." I grimace at the thought of that, hearing the crunching of bones and the pain he must have felt.

"Is he ok?"

"Yes, he's fine. He got out of surgery a few hours ago and is stable. We're going to the hospital tomorrow to go see him. Also, try to get Monica to leave him. She's been there since yesterday and refuses to eat, sleep or shower."

"That's horrible. I need to call her, or text her and see if she needs anything."

"She would like that," said Doug.

We stand in silence for a few seconds until Bridget breaks the silence.

"Right. Guys, let's leave Elizabeth to her boring life." She kisses me on the head, ruffles my hair, and pushes me to the wall.

"Ow! That hurt." I rub my hip.

"It was supposed to." She walks out the door, and Doug follows behind her and then Carlee. But before Carlee gets out the door, she turns to me. "Is there something you need, or are you going to physically assault me also."

"No, I'm not violent like Bridget. There's something else I need to give you." She pulls a mini-sized box from her purple jacket. It was a shiny, gold box. "This is for you." She hands it to me, I take it.

"Is this from you?" I ask, moving the box around in my hand.

"No, it's from Andreas." Suddenly the box in my hand feels like fire, burning at my flesh. I can't throw the box; Carlee would know something was up. I hold it in my hand, steady. To know that Andreas held this box in his hand sends something warm through my body. It's been so long since I've touched him, If I did, I don't know if I want to kiss him, hold him or wring his neck for what he said to me at Doug's match.

"Did he say what it was?"

She shakes her head, "No. I asked him to put money in the jar, for a gift for you but he declined. He said he wanted to buy you a separate gift himself. He wouldn't say what it was, and told me to give it to you when no one was around."

"Well, tell him thank you for me."

"No problem." I start to close the door behind her, but she holds it open. "Whatever is going on between you and Andreas, I want you to know that you have my support."

"Trust me, nothing is going on between us, he ruined that."

She smiles painfully, "That's bad, you were perfect for him."

Then, I shut the door.

I stand in my room for an hour, just staring at the box I sat on the bed. I wonder what's inside of it. The box has been in my possession for two hours now, and not a bow has been unwrapped. Why would he buy me a gift? After everything that happened between us, why now?

Maybe it's an apology, him feeling bad for what he said to me, well, I don't care because I don't want it. He hurt me, deeply, shit like that is something you don't say to a girl, and he should know that.

Or maybe it's a petty gift, an in-your-face gift.

I don't think about it anymore, instead, I put it in my desk drawer and turn on the news, trying to force myself to listen to the world's problems instead of my own.

It's kind of working.