that’s why it’s called building,” Rob said. “My résumé to get into college was full of things I built into it, and now my job résumé will be the same thing.”
“Getting into Cyprus-Rhodes was the only reason I was vice president of my high-school literary magazine. I don’t remember reading the submissions so much as arguing as long as possible as to which ones were the best. And they were all pretty terrible.” That seemed so long ago, and so petty—was that how she would view college in four years? Or even less? “But hey, it got me into college.”
“And Panhellenic will get you into grad school? Or just be a career builder?”
“There are some people with interesting jobs who are ZBZ sisters. And that is the reason a lot of people join sororities—because of their older, well-connected, job-offering sisters. I got a congressional internship because of a recommendation from Congresswoman Paula Baker over the summer. Again, great for the résumé.”
“It does seem to always come down to that. Our lives down to a piece of paper.”
“It’s part of the reason I’m here—aside from you, of course. But before I met you, I was going, date or not. You were just…a happy accident.” She wanted to reassure him, and he seemed to trust her on that. “I need contacts like Lauren if I’m going to get a term on Panhellenic next semester.” Her phone rang. “Hold on. And I thought I shut this off. Hello?”
“Hey, Case. It’s Betsy!”
Casey rolled her eyes at her overexuberant ZBZ sister, eager to prove herself. Way too eager. “Yes?”
“So this guy was here. He came to pick you up, but you weren’t here.”
“Rob already— Wait, what did he look like?”
“Um, hair was way too long, outfit kind of clashy? I don’t mean hippie long, just a little too long. He’s too short for that haircut.”
“Was his name Dale?”
“He didn’t give his name. He was really rushed. When I told him you left already he just ran off.”
Crap! “Did he say where he was going?”
“Did he have to? Formal. Duh. But, no, he didn’t.”
“Great. Thanks.” She cursed silently as she hung up. “Forget about it,” she said, seeing Rob’s inquisitive expression. “Where were we?”
“We were talking about why you came. Otherwise you would just sit at home? Or go to a much better party?”
“No! No, I was supposed to be at this engineering awards thing last night. I kind of promised my brother I would be his roommate’s date. Dale’s being honored for his grades and has this huge but totally innocent crush on me. But the awards event got moved to tonight.”
“And?”
“And I had to choose, and I think the results are obvious. I told Dale by voice mail.”
“How did he take it?”
“He showed up to pick me up anyway. Maybe. Betsy’s a little oblivious, but I don’t know any random guys who would be showing up to pick me up at the house.”
Rob leaned against the railing. “He must be bummed.”
“It was a pity date. Every link in this chain knew that. But maybe I should go—later, I mean.”
“Later? It seems like you accomplished what you wanted here anyway.”
“What?” She was taken back. “I’m here for you.”
“And I appreciate it. It was a nice gesture, but it seems like a bad time for you. You’re upset about breaking your promise.”
“I’m not.”
He shook his head. “I can see it in your face. And the fact that you’ve checked your cell phone like eight hundred times since I picked you up.”
She unconsciously touched her purse, which contained her phone. “Maybe. But I would rather be with you. I want to be here with you.”
He shrugged. “I’m around. I’m a student, and at night I have the social life of a transfer student—no friends because I wasn’t here to network freshman year. A Greek formal is not the beginning and end of my social calendar.”
“Are you bored? Is it that I’m boring you?”
“No.” And he looked into her eyes
“Getting into Cyprus-Rhodes was the only reason I was vice president of my high-school literary magazine. I don’t remember reading the submissions so much as arguing as long as possible as to which ones were the best. And they were all pretty terrible.” That seemed so long ago, and so petty—was that how she would view college in four years? Or even less? “But hey, it got me into college.”
“And Panhellenic will get you into grad school? Or just be a career builder?”
“There are some people with interesting jobs who are ZBZ sisters. And that is the reason a lot of people join sororities—because of their older, well-connected, job-offering sisters. I got a congressional internship because of a recommendation from Congresswoman Paula Baker over the summer. Again, great for the résumé.”
“It does seem to always come down to that. Our lives down to a piece of paper.”
“It’s part of the reason I’m here—aside from you, of course. But before I met you, I was going, date or not. You were just…a happy accident.” She wanted to reassure him, and he seemed to trust her on that. “I need contacts like Lauren if I’m going to get a term on Panhellenic next semester.” Her phone rang. “Hold on. And I thought I shut this off. Hello?”
“Hey, Case. It’s Betsy!”
Casey rolled her eyes at her overexuberant ZBZ sister, eager to prove herself. Way too eager. “Yes?”
“So this guy was here. He came to pick you up, but you weren’t here.”
“Rob already— Wait, what did he look like?”
“Um, hair was way too long, outfit kind of clashy? I don’t mean hippie long, just a little too long. He’s too short for that haircut.”
“Was his name Dale?”
“He didn’t give his name. He was really rushed. When I told him you left already he just ran off.”
Crap! “Did he say where he was going?”
“Did he have to? Formal. Duh. But, no, he didn’t.”
“Great. Thanks.” She cursed silently as she hung up. “Forget about it,” she said, seeing Rob’s inquisitive expression. “Where were we?”
“We were talking about why you came. Otherwise you would just sit at home? Or go to a much better party?”
“No! No, I was supposed to be at this engineering awards thing last night. I kind of promised my brother I would be his roommate’s date. Dale’s being honored for his grades and has this huge but totally innocent crush on me. But the awards event got moved to tonight.”
“And?”
“And I had to choose, and I think the results are obvious. I told Dale by voice mail.”
“How did he take it?”
“He showed up to pick me up anyway. Maybe. Betsy’s a little oblivious, but I don’t know any random guys who would be showing up to pick me up at the house.”
Rob leaned against the railing. “He must be bummed.”
“It was a pity date. Every link in this chain knew that. But maybe I should go—later, I mean.”
“Later? It seems like you accomplished what you wanted here anyway.”
“What?” She was taken back. “I’m here for you.”
“And I appreciate it. It was a nice gesture, but it seems like a bad time for you. You’re upset about breaking your promise.”
“I’m not.”
He shook his head. “I can see it in your face. And the fact that you’ve checked your cell phone like eight hundred times since I picked you up.”
She unconsciously touched her purse, which contained her phone. “Maybe. But I would rather be with you. I want to be here with you.”
He shrugged. “I’m around. I’m a student, and at night I have the social life of a transfer student—no friends because I wasn’t here to network freshman year. A Greek formal is not the beginning and end of my social calendar.”
“Are you bored? Is it that I’m boring you?”
“No.” And he looked into her eyes
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