Fantasy

12-Abby

We arrive in Alabama via plane and meet our new driver, a guy named Sherman, at the airport. He takes us to the University of Alabama campus and drops us off at the gate, then parks outside. The campus is huge and adorned with vast residence halls and immaculately trimmed lawns. We go to the current summer housing resident hall, Ridgecrest South, but run into a problem right away.

"Does anyone know what room Randy is staying in?" Jessica asks. I look at the address; it lists Randy's college and residence hall but not his dorm number. Aaron and I are silent; we don't know.

"Well, what do we do?" Aaron asks.

"Maybe we should ask someone," I offer.

"Who?" Jessica demands. As if to answer her, two college girls round the corner in the hallway. One has pretty blue eyes and brunette pigtails while the other has her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail. They do a double-take when they see us standing in the hallway.

"Um, hi," pigtails says, addressing us, "are you guys lost?"

"Uh, we were just looking for, um, someone we know's dorm," Aaron tells them.

"Oh, okay, who is it? Maybe we can help you," ponytail girl asks.

"His name is Randy Hall," I say.

"Oh, I know him. We're going out, actually. I'm sure he's told you all about me; I'm Maggie. In fact, we would be eating out tonight, but he's not feeling very well," Pigtails rambles.

"Oh, we'll just be a minute," Jessica reassures her.

"Well, alright, his room is number 11 on the second floor; tell him I hope he feels better."

Jessica knocks on the door. At first nobody answers, so she knocks again. Still, no answer, so she yells,"Hey, open up!" Finally Randy comes to the door.

"What...Abby? How did you guys know where I go to school at? More importantly, how do you know my dorm number?"

"Your girlfriend told us. She said you were sick and called off tonight's date..." I stop when another girl comes to the door.

"Girlfriend, what girlfriend?" the girl probes Randy.

"Uh, no girlfriend, these Girl Scouts must have the wrong room, sorry I don't want any cookies," he stutters, trying to close the door. Aaron doesn't look too happy that he just got called a Girl Scout.

The girl holds the door open, "Hang on Randy; let's help them out. Whose dorm are you looking for?"

"Randy Hall's," Jessica replies, "we're at the right place and were not selling cookies!" Just then, Randy's cell phone dings a text alert. He pulls it out and looks at the screen.

"Who's that from?" The girl asks.

"Nobody, Joslyn, just..." Joslyn jerks the phone out of his hand. Her eyes widen at the screen as she reads it out loud.

"'Get well soon, love you honey. XOXO' Who is Maggie and why is she calling you honey?"

"Uh..."

"She's his girlfriend, the girl we talked to," Aaron informs her. Jocelyn's mouth drops open.

"Look, Jocelyn, I have no idea who Maggie is, uh, maybe she's going out with a different Randy Hall... but more likely she's just delusional enough to think she could actually be dating me," Randy stutters.

"Are you telling me the truth, Randy?"

"Yes, Jocelyn. I would never lie to you," he chides, draping his arm over her shoulders. It's plain as day to me that Randy is cheating, but I think he's going to get away with it, well, until Maggie appears in the hallway toting a jacket.

"Oh, hey, Randy, the kids reminded me that you left your coat at my place after our date last Friday..." she trails off when she reaches the door and sees Randy standing next to Jocelyn with his arm around her. Randy's eyes bulge.

"Um, Maggie, I mean, I've never seen that thing before and...who are you?"

"What are you talking about, Randy? That's your varsity jacket. It has your name on it, not to mention I've seen you wear it! You lied to me; you are going out with her! I knew something was going on! You cheater!!" Jocelyn explodes, jerking away from him.

"What? Randy, were you two-timing me?" Maggie asks, tears welling up in her eyes. Randy opens his mouth to say something, but Jocelyn stops him.

"You know what, don't even try to talk your way out of this one. We're done."

"So are we," Maggie says shakily. She throws the jacket at him and both girls storm off.

"What? Wait! Maggie, Jocelyn..." they ignore Randy's pleas. "Fine, I don't need you! You're both just fat, ugly, worthless, deadweight!" Jocelyn turns around and holds her phone up.

"Randy Hall is a big fat cheater and you'll be sorry if you ever date him," she says as she types, "...posted. Good luck finding a new girlfriend ya' jerk!" Then she turns around and marches forward with Maggie. Once the girls disappear down the stairs Randy whips around and grasps Aaron's collar. He presses him against the wall and lifts up until only Aaron's tiptoes touch the ground.

"Thanks a lot pipsqueak. 'Maggie, his girlfriend' you should've kept your mouth shut. Now, you ruined my life and you'll be sorry," he threatens, but Aaron looks unperturbed.

"Randy, you want that paycheck from the CMRA you better put me down. In fact, you want a job at all; you'd better put me down." Randy's face changes.

"You Riley's kid?" Aaron nods. "...Okay, what do you want; why are you here? Keep in mind; I can still make you... Disappear, pretend it was an accident."

"You wouldn't take the chance that my dad would read your past."

"Wouldn't I?" Randy replies, releasing Aaron. They stare each other down. It's now when I decide that I will never get in a car with Randy again.

"Look, we're just trying to open this locket and we need your help," I explain calmly.

"Oh come on, you're still going on about that locket? Just leave me alone!"

"We will, if you tell it to open," Jessica retorts, which I think is pretty brave, but maybe a little dumb considering the fact Randy just threatened to kill Aaron a few seconds ago! He frowns and then rolls his eyes.

"Fine! Just open you weird locket!" he screams, well, that's the edited version anyway. Then he turns around and slams the door in our faces.