College Weekend (3 page)

Tina smiled. “I love Mexican food.”

“Have you ever had a crab enchilada?” he asked.

“Crab?” She raised her eyebrows. “No. Are they good?”

“Great,” he answered. “You should go there this weekend.”

Tina stared out the window at the starry night. “Josh hates Mexican food,” she murmured.

“He doesn't know what he's missing,” Chris said.

I know, Tina thought. Me. Josh should be here with me right now.

“This is the dorm,” Chris said, pulling the Jeep into a parking space.

Finally, Tina thought, opening the door. Be there, Josh. Be there. The words repeated in her mind as she followed Chris into the tall redbrick dorm.

But when Chris unlocked the room, it stood dark and empty.

“The plan is for you to stay here in our room,” Chris told them. “Josh and I got permission from the RA. We'll sleep at my studio.”

“Do you think Josh is there now?” Tina asked.

“I doubt it,” Chris answered, checking his watch. “It's only ten.”

“Why don't we call—just to make sure,” Tina suggested. She knew he wouldn't be there. If he'd made it back to town, he would be here waiting for her.

While Chris dialed the number, Tina chewed nervously on the inside of her cheek.

As she expected, no one answered at the studio. Tina flopped down on one of the beds.
She knew she'd see Josh soon. But she couldn't help but feel disappointed.

“See you guys later,” Chris said, hanging up the phone. “If you need anything, call me.” He wrote the number of the studio on a piece of paper.

“These dorm rooms are bigger than the ones at Blaine College,” Holly said, after Chris had left. “And look, they even have a stereo and a TV.” She picked up the remote and flipped through the channels until she found MTV.

“I'm sure that stuff belongs to Chris,” Tina said. Josh could barely afford to live away from home.

Tina glanced around the room. Two beds, two dressers, and two desks filled most of the space. Josh's old computer sat on his desk. Chris's desk had a color Mac with CD-ROM and a laser printer.

Tina wondered whether Josh ever felt jealous of Chris. If he did, he never mentioned it to her.

Geology maps covered the wall near Josh's bed. A photo of the ocean and an announcement for a photography contest hung on the opposite wall.

And of course, rocks and fossils were perched everywhere. On Josh's desk. On his dresser. On
the window ledge. Even on the floor. In every shape and size.

Just like his room at home, she thought. He probably even dreams about rocks.

She picked up a triangular black stone and rubbed it between her fingers. Its rough edge scraped her skin.

Holding the rock, she stood up and paced around the room. Although everything appeared normal, something wasn't right. Something was missing.

“What's wrong?” Holly asked.

“I don't know,” Tina answered, tossing the rock onto Josh's bed.

Then it hit her. Where were all the photos of her that Chris had mentioned?

Their prom picture sat on Josh's dresser. But that was it. She picked up the photo and gazed at Josh's handsome face.

Tina knew she would never forget that night. In place of a regular corsage Josh had given her one made out of layers of green mica crystals. It made her feel really special. All night long her friends commented on it.

She turned the photo over to read the inscription on the back.

The writing was gone! How weird, she thought.

She had written a message to him on the back of this photo. Did Josh erase it?

Someone pounded on the door.

Tina hurried to open it. Please be Josh, she thought.

Instead a dark-haired girl stood in the hallway.

“No!” the girl shrieked. “I don't believe it!”

T
ina stared at the girl. “Excuse me?”

She wore tight blue jeans over a beige bodysuit. Her short dark hair framed her round, serious face.

“I'm so sorry,” the girl apologized. “I thought you were someone else. But your hair is much lighter.” She blinked rapidly.

“Are you okay?” Tina asked.

“I don't know what's wrong with me,” the girl replied. “Too much coffee, I guess. I've really been cramming for exams. And I—I didn't expect you to look like her.”

“Like who?” Tina demanded.

“Uh … no one,” she stammered, waving her
hands in front of her. “Sorry. I'm not making any sense—am I?”

She's lying, Tina thought. What's her problem?

“Who are you?” she asked.

“I'm Carla Ryan,” the girl explained. “I've been going out with Steve. You're Tina, right? Chris said he planned to pick you up at the station.”

“Right,” Tina answered. “And this is my cousin Holly.”

Tina relaxed a little. Josh had told her about Steve and Carla. Steve studied geology, too. Carla majored in journalism, and always exaggerated and made an issue out of everything.

“Who do you think I look like?” Tina repeated.

Carla ignored her. She flopped down on Josh's bed. Tina sat next to her.

“I went to high school with Steve and Chris,” Carla explained, running her fingers through her short, silky hair. “They're great guys.”

“So do you have your own apartment?” Holly asked eagerly as she unpacked her clothes.

“No, not yet,” Carla replied. “I live in the dorm. On the tenth floor. But I work at a boutique, and next year I'm getting my own place. I'm sick of the dorm.”

I wish I could go away to school next year, Tina
thought. Maybe if I get some modeling jobs, I can afford to go somewhere besides Waynesbridge Junior College.

She didn't care if she lived in a dorm for four years. It
had
to be better than staying at home.

Music blared out from the next room, drowning out the TV.

“You can always tell when it's Friday night.” Carla banged on the wall.

The music grew louder. Carla rolled her eyes, and they all laughed.

“If you want to be a model like Josh says, you should get Chris to take some photos of you,” Carla suggested. “He's really talented.”

“He offered to do it this weekend,” Tina said.

“Then you should let him,” Carla replied. “Maybe you'll get an agent like my friend in New York. Chris shows his photos to his uncle. He told you about his uncle, right?”

“Uh-huh.” Tina checked the clock on the dresser. Five after eleven. Josh should be back soon. “But I want to spend all my time with Josh.”

Carla shook her head. “I can't believe Josh went camping. I mean, I see Steve all the time,” she said. “But you haven't seen Josh since Christmas break. And with the car trouble, he won't be back till late.”

Tina groaned. “Don't remind me.”

“Isn't it hard being so far apart?” Carla asked. “I don't know if I could do that with Steve.”

“We talk on the phone a lot,” Tina explained.

But if he missed her as much as she missed him, why did he go camping this week? His dumb rocks couldn't be that important.

“Did you know they were going?” she asked Carla.

“Of course,” Carla replied. “Steve tells me everything.”

“Oh,” said Tina. Josh used to tell her everything, too. Maybe college did change people.

“Tell us about Chris.” Holly finished unpacking and opened a bottle of nail polish. “Does he have a girlfriend?”

“That's a sad story,” Carla said softly. She glanced over at the picture of the ocean. “Really sad.”

“Don't keep us in suspense,” Holly urged as she painted her thumbnail a bright red.

Carla took a deep breath and began. “Back in high school Chris had a girlfriend. Judy. They were totally nuts about each other. I mean, they went everywhere together. They loved to go sailing all the time on Chris's boat. And then last summer …”

Carla hesitated. “Last summer they had an accident. They were out really far when a storm suddenly came up. Judy fell overboard and …”

“Don't tell me she drowned!” Holly cried.

Carla nodded.

How awful, Tina thought. She couldn't even imagine how she'd feel if something like that happened to Josh.

“Chris tried to save her,” Carla continued. “But he couldn't find her anywhere. They had to search for her body for two days.”

A heavy silence filled the room. Tina pictured Chris on the boat, the wind whipping the sails, searching, searching for his girlfriend. Horrible.

“Poor guy,” Holly muttered, breaking the silence.

“Steve tried to fix him up a couple of times,” Carla told them. “But Chris isn't interested.”

“Why don't you go out with him, Holly?” Tina asked. She glanced at her cousin.

Holly shook her head. “Not my type,” she muttered.

“Too normal?” Tina teased.

“Exactly,” Holly replied.

Carla glanced at her watch. She pressed her lips together and shook her head. “I'm going to have a talk with Josh when they get back.” She picked up one of Josh's rocks. “I don't think he appreciates you.”

Tina watched Carla as she tossed the rock into the air and then caught it. Carla talked as if she knew something about Josh. Something that
Tina didn't know. And it made Tina feel uncomfortable.

Someone knocked on the door.

Holly opened it and Chris walked in. “I forgot I wanted to take my chemistry notes to the studio. What's up, Carla?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she answered. “We're just waiting for the guys.”

“Any word?” Chris sat down in Josh's desk chair.

Tina shook her head. “I'm getting worried.”

“Don't,” Carla insisted. “It's pretty foggy out tonight. They'll have to take it really slow. I don't think they'll get back until after midnight.”

“Carla's right,” Chris added. “Listen, how about going to a party, instead of hanging around here waiting?”

“Good idea,” Holly called out.

“I don't know,” Tina murmured.

“Come on,” Chris urged. “Josh wouldn't want you to get bored.”

Tina thought for a moment. Time would go by faster at a party. And when it ended, Josh would be back.

“Okay. Let's go,” she told Chris.

“Great,” Chris replied. “How about you, Carla?”

Carla shrugged. “Why not?”

“Let me just get changed.” Holly picked up a
pair of jeans and a bright red sweater from the bed. “Where's the bathroom?”

“Down the hall,” Carla instructed. “Out the door and to your left.”

Tina opened up her suitcase. “I need to hang up a few things first.”

She pulled out the two outfits she had brought for the dance. A sexy black dress and a miniskirt with a white blouse. She planned to wear the one Josh liked best.

As she shook out the wrinkles, she could feel Chris watching her. Her skin prickled.

With the outfits draped over her arm, Tina opened up the closet door.

She reached for an empty hanger. Her foot bumped into something heavy.

She stared down. That's weird, she thought.

Josh's hiking boots?

If he's on a hike looking for rocks, she wondered, why did he leave them behind?

“A
ren't you ready yet?” Holly asked, entering the room. She wore jeans with holes in the knees and a tight red sweater. Beaded earrings dangled almost to her shoulders. “Why are you just standing there?”

“I'm ready,” Tina answered, shutting the closet. But she couldn't shut Josh's boots out of her mind. Why did he leave them in his closet?

“Well, are we going or what?” Holly asked impatiently.

“I have to write Josh a note first,” Tina replied. “Chris, where are we going? I'll tell him to meet us.” She found a pen and a piece of scratch paper on Josh's dresser.

“To a party over in Old Town,” Chris responded, staring at her intently as she wrote. “I don't know the address. Tell him to wait here for us.”

Carla shook her head and tsk-tsked. “He doesn't deserve you,” she said. “If I hadn't seen my girlfriend in three months, I would be right here waiting for her.”

Tina sighed and tried to ignore Carla. But she couldn't help agreeing. A lump formed in the back of her throat as she put the note on Josh's pillow.

“Don't listen to Carla,” Chris said. “Josh will be back soon.”

“Well, let's not stand here and discuss it,” Holly demanded. “Let's go to the party.”

When they reached the Jeep, Tina decided to sit in the back with Carla. That way Holly and Chris could talk—and maybe Holly would find out that he
was
her type.

She started to climb in.

“Tina,” Chris called. “Sit up front with me, okay? And stop worrying.”

So much for that plan, Tina thought, settling into the front seat. She rolled down the window and let the cool air blow back her blond hair. She stared at the clear sky. The stars shone brighter here than they ever did in Shadyside.

Tina pictured Josh cruising through the mountains.
But still, she couldn't shake her uneasy feeling.

“Chris,” Tina began. Her heart started to beat quicker. “Something seems weird to me. I saw Josh's hiking boots in his closet. Why would he leave them if he went camping?”

Chris's eyes widened. “He bought new ones. Really cool with double-padded ankle supports and soft leather.”

“Really?” Tina answered, very relieved. “But Josh is on a tight budget. How could he afford new boots?”

Chris downshifted and turned the corner. “He must not have told you about his job. He's been doing some computer work for the geology lab. The pay is pretty decent.”

“I think he did mention it,” Tina lied, embarrassed to admit that her boyfriend hadn't told her about the job.