My name is Abigail and I attend St. Katherine's College for Women. 'St. Kate's believes in equal education for women. That is why we offer college courses, taught by women, for women, to prepare the young adults of today for a brighter tomorrow'...I believe that's how the slogan goes. Most girls stay on for two years and move on to the University, but St. Kate's also offers four-year degrees. I have long dark hair and brown eyes. My friend's all call me "Shorty" because I'm only five feet tall. They picked it up from my brother, Scott, the last time he visited. Sometimes he can be a real jerk. He's twenty years old and in college. He's called me "Shorty" for so long, I never hear him call me Abigail, or even Abby, which is what I prefer. All the girls think he's so handsome, his blue eyes have a twinkle in them, his tanned skin makes them sparkle even more. Yeah, I guess he's all right, if he'd just leave my friends alone, we'd have a much better relationship.
Today is "graduation" day. This is the day where the lucky ones move on to university, and us losers get to go home for the summer, dreading the arrival of September when we have to go back to St. Kate's. Graduation day consists of numerous activities. Most of us get to "help" by setting out chairs, arranging flowers on tables, setting out silverware, or helping the older girls get ready. Technically, we are slaves for a day.
I woke up with the sun, as usual. I wanted to go for a walk before my mentor came in and whisked me away into slavery. I stretched and groaned, my sleep left something to be desired. I'm sure all the thoughts of going home to that glorious pool kept me awake that night. We don't have a pool at St. Kate's, and I love to swim, so I look forward to vacations when I can go home and enjoy the feeling of the cold water pounding on my warm skin.
I was very quiet so I wouldn't wake my roommate, Jennifer. She's a light sleeper, so I usually lay my belongings out in the evening, so I don't have to rummage through things, and catch "the wrath". Luckily, I had thought ahead the night before. I put on my pink shorts and my white tank top, some socks and shoes, and headed out the door.
The morning couldn't have been better. The sun was shining, the sky was bright blue, and there was a hint of a breeze in the air. I heard birds chirping, the gardener was pruning the roses next to the building, and far off, I could hear the sound of cars on the freeway.
"Hey, Abby, wait up!" The voice was familiar, and I groaned. My captor had spotted me. Jessica Winthrop, how had I been stuck with her? She was the bitchiest girl in school. Most of the younger girls couldn't stand her, but the older girls held her up on a pedestal. I wondered what she did to them to make them like her. Jessica had long blonde hair, blue eyes, a great tan, and a terrific body. I think that's why all the girls hated her. She was one of the lucky ones.
"Oh, hi Jessie, what's up? I thought you'd be sleeping until noon today." I tried to be cordial to her, because I didn't want this day to be ruined, for either of us. "Well, I figured you would be up early, so I decided that we could have a little girl talk. I won't be here this fall, and you are moving up the ranks here at St. Kate's. I just thought I would share a little wisdom with you." Wisdom? What the hell is she talking about? "Why don't you come up to my room for some coffee and we can talk? You can get your walk in later, can't you?" She batted her eyelashes at me, grabbed my hand, and practically dragged me back to the dorm.
"Sure Jess, no problem." We made small talk all the way to her private suite, which is one of the luxuries of being rich, you get your own room, unless you want to share, but most girls don't. All the time I was wondering what was this wisdom she needed to bestow on me. It was just school. I'd been here my whole life, what else did I need to know?
Jessica opened the door for me, and invited me inside. She always had the cleanest room, not one speck of dust, no clothes anywhere, books always neatly on the shelves, bed always made. I wonder how she kept it this neat. I always waited until someone commented on mine before cleaning it up. That's how much I hated cleaning.
"Jessie, your room is so beautiful. How do you keep it this clean? You must spend hours on it a week."
"On the contrary, I don't spend any time at all cleaning it." Jessica smirked, but I couldn't figure out why. I just dropped it, kicked off my shoes, and continued to admire the beauty of the room.
"So, Abby, what do you plan on doing this summer?" asked Jessica.
"I am going to sit by the pool all summer, sipping lemonade, checking out the guys, and working on my tan." I said. I didn't want her to think I was a total nerd.
"That sounds like fun. I have to get ready for university in the fall. I got accepted to the "U", but I will probably only be there a short time. What I really want to do is go to Spain."
"But that's so far away, your family is all here, what is in Spain?"
"Oh, my boyfriend and I want to live there. I think it would be wonderful to just run off with him to another country, where no one can find us, no one can bother us. Do you have a boyfriend?"
"No. I've never even been on a date."
"So, I suppose you've never even kissed a boy before, have you?"
"No." I said. I could feel my face getting hot and red. I felt tears well up in my eyes. "I'm not pretty like you, boys don't like me."
"You are so pretty. You just need to give it time, put on a skimpy bikini this summer, it drives them wild." Jessica was looking at me with this weird look. I started getting uncomfortable, so I started toward the door. "Where are you going, Abby?"
"I just want to get my walk in. I'll come up later."
"Abby, sit down." Said Jessica, patting the edge of the bed next to her.
I walked over, and plopped down, tears welling up in my eyes.
"Do you think I'm pretty Abby?"
"Yes, you are the prettiest girl in school."
"Have you ever kissed a girl before?"
"No." I said, horrified that she would even suggest such a thing. My mother always taught me that sex between men and women should be sacred, saved for marriage. And sex with someone of the same gender was just plain wrong, according to my mom.
"Abby, I can teach you how to attract men. Let me instruct you in the art of kissing. I promise, if you feel weird, you can leave."
