Ch. 1: Youthful Indiscretion
The budding leaves rustled as the warm breeze blew through the sycamore, the winding branches creaking as if the ancient trees were stretching after waking from a long slumber. The brilliant sun smiled down from a cloudless sky, illuminating the emerald-green pitch as the girls took to the field for their first field hockey practice. Busy as little bees, the girls of Hudson University diligently ran drills as a warm-up to the meat of the practice. With a piercing tweet of her whistle, Ms. Pressley brought her team to attention.
"All right, girls β fall in! We're going to start running some plays β Jeri, get yourself in goal, Jolene, you take forward, and Bethany, I want you midfield today."
Snapping to attention, Bethany Taylor trotted down the pitch to take her spot, her blonde hair flowing behind her as it shone in the afternoon sun like spun gold. Taking her place, she pivoted her hips as she brushed her long locks out of her green eyes, the hem of her uniform's short skirt fluttering in the breeze. Despite the pristine day, Beth was not looking forward to the remainder of the practice, as she was paired up on her position with Danica Moore.
Danica was a tall girl with cocoa colored skin, long black hair and green eyes that betrayed her mischievous nature. She was about the same height as Bethany, but while Beth's taut, athletic body bespoke of her discipline, Danica's figure β while no less attractive β was softer, rounder; she had been sure to enjoy herself from time to time.
Standing there, amidst the hustle and bustle of practice, Beth could feel Danica's eyes creep up and down her body. Unsettled, Beth nonetheless refused to give Danica the satisfaction and refocused her efforts on the play at hand. However as practice rolled on, Beth found Danica determined to make a nuisance of herself; colliding with her, tripping her up, even the odd "accidental" grope amid the confusion. Things would eventually come to a head when, in a mad scramble for the ball, Beth's frustration boiled over.
Refusing her opponent any further quarter, Beth checked Danica into the fence at the edge of the field. Not one to back down, Danica pushed back with equal ferocity and before anyone knew it, the two girls were locked in a scuffle with their sticks crossed between them, each struggling angrily. Beth could only faintly hear the screeching of the whistle over her profanity, her teeth bared as she grimaced at Danica who grinned back in satisfaction.
"That's enough!" Ms. Pressley shouted at the incorrigible girls. Danica, sensing the fight to be at its fever pitch, darted her head forward to land a playful nibble on Beth's ear. Outraged, Bethany pushed herself out of arm's reach, throwing her stick to the ground as the girls finally separated.
"I said that's
ENOUGH
!" Ms. Pressley boomed.
"But she-!" started Beth, her hand wiping the spittle from her ear.
"I don't want to
hear
it! Both of you hit the showers- the two of you are done for the day!
Alone with each other in the locker room, Beth angrily stuffed her uniform back in her gym bag while Danica leisurely undressed.
"I can't fucking believe you! What the
hell
is your
problem
?!" the incensed blonde growled.
Chuckling, Danica placed her hands on her shapely hips as she turned to her schoolmate. Beth, like herself was now in her sports bra and panties, and the sight of her body piqued the corners of Danica's mouth. "Come on, Beth- Don't be so uptight. You'd be a lot more fun if you just loosen up."
Fuming, Bethany threw her bag to the floor and stood tall to look Danica dead in the eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you?
I am not interested!
Get that into your head!"
Danica's hips pivoted as she clasped her hands behind her back, her bright eyes denoting her amusement. "Honey, if you'd just drop the 'Susie homemaker' routine for five minutes, I can show you what you're missing."
"I'm not
like that
, Danica- I'm not into
girls
!" Beth said, exasperated. "And even if I
was
, I wouldn't sully myself with a fucking smut peddler's daughter!"
Danica's joviality froze in an instant, and her lips pursed into a straight line as she bristled with cold rage. Both girls came from wealthy families, but while Beth's father rode his successful law practice into the state senate, Danica's father built his fortune as a porn magnate.
"How fucking dare you" the black girl spat. "You think you're so high and mighty- what right do you have to judge me? The same people who call my father filth are secretly his best customers - you're all fucking hypocrites! Deep down, we're all thinking the same dirty thoughts. The difference is I'm not ashamed of what I want!"
Pulling on her clothes as the listened, Bethany hurriedly dressed herself in a pleated miniskirt, distressed John Lennon T-shirt, and jacket.
"Well get this, Danica;
I
don't want
you
! I want nothing to
do
with you, and I'm going to spend the rest of my life
forgetting
you!"
And with that, Bethany shoved open the locker room door and stormed out with her gym bag slung over her shoulder. Fuming, she walked halfway across campus en route to nowhere in particular before finally plopping herself down on a bench. Try as she may, Beth could not believe the gall of Danica Moore.
Ms. Moore's reputation on campus was dubious at best, having firmly established her party girl status by this, her junior year. Always set for a good time, she was a steady source for weed, ecstasy and if rumour was to be believed, cocaine for those with ready money. The more Beth thought of that jet-setting wild child the more her stomach turned. It sickened her that no matter how deep into the dirt Danica burrowed she always came out smelling like roses.
It was just then, when Beth had surrendered fully to her funk that her mobile phone chirped. Slipping the device out of her bag and tapping the touchscreen, her eyes drifted over the display and felt her scowl melt away despite herself.
FROM: SAM
ART HISTORY GOT OUT EARLY - WHERE R U?
;)
Samantha Greene was a studio art major in her sophomore year. She and Bethany had met at a party during rush week, and they had been inseparable ever since. Beth sat and wondered at the way a single text could break her out of her mood and set the whole world right again as she eagerly tapped out her response.