Oddball for Britney

Britney did not think anything of Chin Li's behavior. Chin Li was finishing up her last semester of college and often studied for hours on end.

Also, after suffering a miscarriage, Chin Li was prone to long periods of moping and mourning the loss of her child.

Britney did wish Chin Li would talk with her about her pain. She had even asked the girl to talk with her, but Chin Li refused to even speak; just shook her head resolutely.

"Then see a fucking doctor about it," Britney yelled. "Fuck, I didn't even know you were pregnant until you lost the baby. Chin Li, that's just not right!"

After eating a second helping of the red beans and rice, but making sure to leave some of the sausage in case Chin Li wanted a second helping of the meal, Britney debated whether or not to go to Fleur De Lis to see if Mary was there.

"Fuck!" she spat, remembering she still had a Graphic Arts assignment that was due in three days.

"Remind me again why I signed up for this fucking class?" Britney grumbled at herself as she labored over the assignment.

XxXxX

"So?" Conrad asked, pushing his way into Megan's dorm room. "How'd it go last night, huh? You two you know?"

"Nothing happened; never showed up," Megan yelled, looking over at a very interested Theresa.

"Aw, you're fucking kidding me; you mean Denise was a no-show after all that..." Conrad whined then noticed that Theresa was in the room. "Oh hey Theresa, sup?"

"You tell me," Theresa smiled knowingly.

"So um, Megan, I talk to you...?" Conrad mumbled, gesturing with his head toward the hallway.

"Look Connie, I'm busy, all right," Megan yelled again.

"Yeah, Connie, she's busy," a male student mocked from the hallway.

"Fine, fine, talk with you later," Conrad mumbled, faces dark with anger.

"So?" Theresa asked, knowing little smirk on her face. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing, all right?" Megan yelled at Theresa. "Just tired of his bull shit; is that all right with you?"

"Yeah, it's about time, you ask me," Theresa agreed, and returned to reading her Cosmopolitan magazine.

In the hallway, a few more male students taunted Conrad with the hated 'Connie' moniker. Conrad stumbled down the stairs and out to his car.

He glanced at Megan's car and thought about keying the car, gouging it deeply but some students walking across the parking lot discouraged him doing this.

Conrad got into his own car, checked the glove box and cursed himself for not having enough marijuana to tide him over until the next time he could get some money from his mother.

He looked again at her dark green car and grimaced.

XxXxX

Britney worked on her assignment until it grew to be too boring for her to continue. She looked at her clock; 10:24; there was time to go to Fleur de Lis and see if there was any Mary hanging around.

She stretched, opened her closet and debated with herself on what to wear.

A sudden rumble of thunder quelled the idea of going out, so Britney strolled out of her room to the living room.

There was no television in her room; Britney saw that as the ultimate in laziness. If she wanted to watch television, she could get out of bed and go to the living room. Lying in bed to watch television was a total waste of time.

She found Chin Li in the living room, watching yet another documentary on Ancient Culture. Although the shows, in Britney's opinion, were somewhat boring, it was good to see Chin Li out of her bedroom.

"I'll watch this in my room," Chin Li offered, reaching for the remote control.

"Why?" Britney asked, settling on the opposite end of the couch

"Well," Chin Li hesitated. "I know this stuff kind of bores you."

"So?" Britney asked and brought her feet up on the cushion between them. "You like it."

She reached out with a bare foot and playfully pinched Chin Li's forearm between her big toe and first toe.

"Quit it!" Chin Li giggled, pushing Britney's foot away.

"Oh, hey, this is on that Mayan calendar?" Britney asked.

"Yeah; it's pretty amazing, the stuff they predicted," Chin Li said, settling down to watch the program.

"Want some popcorn?" Britney offered.

"I'll make it; you always burn it," Chin Li said, getting to her feet.

Britney hit the 'Record' button on the satellite dvr and listened as Chin Li bustled in the kitchen.

Moments later, Chin Li brought a large tub of steaming popcorn and pushed Britney's feet off the middle cushion.

"Damn, Chin Li; your popcorn is the best," Britney said and hit the 'Play' button.

"Butter, salt, garlic, oh, I use that peanut oil, not that nasty vegetable oil you always use. That's probably why your popcorn burns," Chin Li said, shoving a handful of the white kernels into her mouth.

XxXxX

Megan looked again at the newest profile with interest. The twenty three year old woman's very first line really intrigued her.

"Don't hurt me," was what 'Sassy52989' wrote.

Megan looked around the library; no one was paying any attention to her at all.

She pulled up the word processing program and typed out a reply to Sassy52989, describing herself as best she could and stating that she didn't want to hurt Sassy52989; she wanted a friend.

"If we become more, then great. If we don't, you can never have too many friends," Megan typed.

She did Spell Check, then copied her document, switched back to the web site (after checking that she was still being ignored) and posted her reply to Sassy52989.

Sassy52989 must have been on her computer; Megan was checking her e-mail when a new message from the web site popped up.

A loud clap of thunder boomed and the library was plunged into darkness. There was a chorus of sighs and even a few shrieks.

"Damn it!" Megan complained.

A moment later, the lights flickered on and Megan rapidly re-opened her e-mail.

Sassy52989 confided that she too was bi-curious, had actually gone to a lesbian bar and was picked up by a very attractive blonde. At first, Britney had been very loving, very gentle, and very seductive. But as the night wore on, Britney seemed to become a monster.

Her second attempt had been on a different web site with even more disastrous results; the woman had been drunk and physically abusive.

Megan read it again, certain that the 'Britney' that Sassy52989 had met with was the same Britney she had stumbled upon.

She typed out a quick reply and waited.

"Hey, you over your time of the month yet?" Conrad grumbled, plopping down in the seat next to her.

"I'm not having my time of the month; thank you very little," she hissed.

"Then why you got PMS, huh?" he demanded.

"Look, Connie, maybe I just don't feel like hanging around some fucking loser that's always stoned and stupid, huh? That means I'm on my period? Huh?" Megan said loudly, causing a few people to look up in annoyance.

"Fine, fine, fucking dyke," he muttered, loudly scraping his chair back and getting to his feet.

"Loser," she hissed at his back and tried to remember what she had been working on a moment ago.

The 'ding' of her e-mail let her know a new message had popped up.

Sassy52989 had replied and Megan read it and re-read it, but decided, while she was still angry with Conrad, to forego answering.

XxXxX

Chin Li was slightly more talkative and even joined Britney at the breakfast table.

"What time you going in?" Britney asked, swallowing her bacon after only a few chews of the meat.

"Ten; then I've got European History at 12:00," Chin Li answered.

"Mmm, Got Lab at nine then nothing until one," Britney mused aloud.

"Oh well, guess I'll see you tonight, then," Chin Li said and got up.

"Yeah," Britney said and looked out the window again. "Damn; still raining."

"Please don't ride your motorcycle; I hate it when you ride that thing in the rain," Chin Li begged from the kitchen, looking over the counter at Britney.

"Why I wanted to know what time you had to go in; taking the beamer since it's raining," Britney mumbled around her mouthful of grits.

"I'll be ready in ten minutes," Chin Li said, putting her dishes into the dishwasher.

"But if you don't have to go in until..." Britney said and shook her head as Chin Li scurried to her bedroom.

XxXxX

Megan stared, horrified, as clumps of dark green pain fell off of her car door.

"Dike" was now visible as the paint fell, baring the metal underneath.

More paint peeled from her hood, displaying the word "Bitch."

Campus Security filled out the report, gave her a copy of the report for her insurance claim, and agreed to check with her number one suspect.

The dormitory monitor banged on Conrad's door, then opened the door and let the two Campus Security officers into the filthy room.

There, on his over-crowded desk, was a can of paint remover and a nylon bristle brush.

Conrad did not deny having the can of paint remover, but did deny the damage to Megan's car.

"Why the fuck would I write 'Bitch' or any of that other stuff on her car?" he asked.

"And how'd you know what was written on her car?" the younger, less experienced Campus Security officer asked.

"Had to be Connie," Theresa agreed, looking at Megan's car. "Dumb ass misspelled 'Dyke.'"

She looked at the now angry Megan.

"Something you're not telling me?" she teased.

"No!" Megan denied hotly, and then stomped back to the dormitory building. "I'm going inside; I'm getting wet standing out here."

After a few hours of sitting on her bed and studying, she grew bored and again pulled on her boots and rain coat.

"Going to the library; need to use the computers," she explained to Theresa.

"Can use mine if you want; I'm not using it," Theresa offered.

"Kind of personal," Megan blushed hotly.

"I'm sure it is," Theresa said, staring intently at Megan.

Megan didn't answer, just left the room.

XxXxX

Britney decided, even if it was raining too hard to take her bike, she could still dress like a biker. Her leather pants fit like a second skin so she sprinkled some baby powder into the legs first.

She debated for a few minutes on whether or not to wear a sports bra underneath the short leather jacket, and finally decided against it.

Just as she had done with the pants, she sprinkled some baby powder into the sleeves and pulled it on.

Chin Li smiled as Britney entered the living room, and then her face fell as Britney continued to the door.

"Going out," Britney cheerfully called out.

"I won't be here when you get back," Chin Li said, getting up from the couch.

"Oh, okay, have fun," Britney said, grabbing her purse.

"I doubt it," Chin Li spat, striding purposefully toward her door. "Been great; have a nice life."

"Wait, what?" Britney said, looking at Chin Li just before Chin Li slammed her bedroom door shut.

She put her purse down and walked to Chin Li's door.

"Chin Li" Britney called out, knocking on the door.

"Go away!" Chin Li screamed.

"Chin Li, open this door," Britney demanded.

She could hear a drawer being jerked open and heard the drawer fall to the floor.

"Chin Li, open this door. Now," Britney demanded.

"Fuck you! Just go, all right? Just..." Chin Li screamed through the door.

XxXxX

Megan smiled; Sassy52989 was obviously on her computer; the response to the e-mails was coming almost as quickly as she was sending them.

"How are you so fast?" she finally asked.

"Using my I-Pad," the response came.

Megan admitted to being soaked through to the bone; she had to walk to the library to use their computers.

"Wish I could take a bath; no bathtub in dorm, though." Megan typed.

"Got a tub you can use," Sassy52989 replied.

"Are you hitting on me?" Megan smiled as she replied.

"Big enough for two," Sassy52989 responded.

Megan again looked around the room. Again, she was being ignored.

My name's Megan," she responded. "And my phone number is..."

There was no response but then she felt her cell phone vibrate.

"Hello?" she whispered into her phone.

"Hi, it's um, I'm Bonnie; Bonita actually but I kind of hate Bonita," a thin voice said.

Megan shut down the computer, grabbed her purse and scurried out of the library, clutching the cell phone tightly.

"You there?" Bonnie asked.

"Yeah, yeah; I was in the library. I hate those ass holes, carry on a conversation on their phone like no one can hear them," Megan whispered as she pushed open the glass door.

"Oh I know! I was at the Pizza Hut? This guy in the booth next to me? He's just going on and on like he's the only one there!" Bonnie shrilled.

"So, um, uh, um what's up?" Megan asked, her heart hammering in her chest.

"I um, well, I'm just um, you know, just sitting around, not doing nothing and..." Bonnie replied.

"Are you..." Megan asked then giggled nervously. "You sound um, are you as nervous as me?"

"Ten times more," Bonnie declared.

Megan looked around; there were a few people huddled under the canopy, waiting for a break in the rain to chance a run for it.

"So, um, were you serious; I can use your tub?" Megan whispered, turning away from the other students.

"Yeah; I um, I got these salts? My mom gave them to me? Oh they smell awesome! Oh, and she also got me some bubble bath? You like bubble baths? I love them; loved them as a kid, guess I never grew out of them?" Bonnie excitedly agreed.

Megan noticed that Bonnie ended every sentence with a question mark. Right now, she wasn't sure if it was cute or annoying.

So text me your address?" she asked.

A moment later, her phone vibrated.

"Wow, how'd you do that?" she giggled as Bonnie's address popped up on her screen.

"These I-Pads are awesome!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Oh, them's those apartments, right there on One seventy one?" Megan asked.

"Yeah," Bonnie agreed, suddenly sounding unsure.

"Something, what's wrong?" Megan asked.

"Look, I uh, look, you're not going to go all crazy and beat me up or nothing, right?" Bonnie asked.

"You read my profile?" Megan laughed. "Fuck, I'm only five feet!"

"So?" Bonnie said. "Remember? I'm only four foot nine?"

Megan assured Bonnie that she wasn't psychotic, wasn't dangerous. She hung up, looked around and decided that the rain wasn't going to let up, and made a dash for her dormitory.

Theresa looked up as a now giggling Megan ran in, tennis shoes sloshing and squeaking.

Megan grabbed a change of clothes, thought about it for a second and grabbed a pair of pajamas. She then grabbed the school books she would need for the following day and jammed it all into her back pack.

Megan then dashed back out of the room without saying a word to Theresa.

"Have fun," Theresa said to the closed door.

XxXxX

Britney decided she had enough of yelling through the door and stomped into the kitchen. She retrieved a butter knife and strode back to the door.

Chin Li screamed in outrage as Britney entered her bedroom.

"Get out; you have no right to..." she screamed.

"What is wrong with you?" Britney screamed right back. "Why are you leaving..."

"Am I that God damned ugly?" Chin Li suddenly screamed, bursting into angry tears.

"What?" Britney asked, not comprehending.

"I disgust you that much that you have to drag those, those WHORES in here?" Chin Li screamed.

"Chin Li, what the fuck are you talking about?" Britney asked, tired of screaming.

"I wait here, night after night, I tell you I love you, and yet you bring strangers here? Why? Is it because I'm Korean?" Chin Li asked, sobbing in earnest.

"No, Chin Li, no, that has nothing to do with it," Britney tried to assure the girl.

"Then what is it? Why do you have to go get others?" Chin Li begged.

"Chin Li, you're straight, right?" Britney asked, face twisted in confusion.

"What? How many boys you see me with, Britney?" Chin Li asked, becoming angry again.

"Well, none, but..." Britney conceded.

"I cook for you, I clean for you, I tell you I love you, I even buy you little gifts; what more do I have to do?" Chin Li asked, fists clenched in anger.

"That mis... When you were pregnant; what happened there, huh? Britney defended. "I mean, you didn't get pregnant on your own, huh?"

"You mea when my father and brother raped me?" Chin Li screamed, more tears bursting out.

"Oh my God! O Chin Li!" Britney gasped, horrified.

She grabbed Chin Li and pulled the diminutive girl to her.

"Oh my God, oh Chin Li, oh baby, why? Why didn't you tell me?" Britney asked, rubbing the struggling girl's back.

"I didn't, I didn't know how to," Chin Li sobbed.

XxXxX

Megan parked in the designated visitors' parking spot and looked around. She gave a quick look around but saw no one waiting to laugh at her, or call her derogatory names. She saw no one that would be standing in judgment of her for visiting another girl's apartment for the sole purpose of having sex.

Megan almost slipped on the wet concrete steps and clutched the handrail tightly as she made her way to the third floor.

"Who is it?" she heard the thin voice screech out after she rang the bell.

"Megan, the non-psycho," she called out.

She heard a dragging sound, then saw the peephole darken. She waved to the unseen eye.

She heard the dragging sound again, then heard the door lock being slid back.

"Hi!" a tiny woman smiled nervously.

"Hi; it's coming down in buckets out here," Megan complained, smiling widely.

"It's a real frog choker, that's what my dad would say," Bonnie agreed, swinging the door wide open.

"My clothes are soaked; I'm dripping all over the place," Megan apologized.

"Well, that's what they make tubs for," Bonnie agreed, pointing to the closed bathroom door.

"You um, you don't..." Megan asked, suddenly very nervous.

Bonnie was a small wisp of a woman, dark hair cut in a very unflattering style, bangs hanging over her dark eyes.

She was wearing a terry cloth robe, displaying slender legs, but the bulkiness of the robe gave little indication of her form.

When Bonnie smiled, her left check dimpled slightly and displayed small white teeth.

"Oh God, I'm like, getting all nervous again," Bonnie admitted and giggled.

"Hi, I'm Megan," Megan said, holding out her hand.

"I'm Bonnie, hi, welcome to my apartment, it's not much but it's what I can afford?" Bonnie said, putting her tiny hand out and giving Megan's hand a quick shake.

"Hi Bonnie; love your place, mind if I use your tub?" Megan smiled.

"No, not at all; I'm warming it up right now," Bonnie giggled again.

"Don't really want to get your carpet all wet," Megan said worriedly.

"Oh, don't worry about that; I got this vacuum cleaner? Sucks water right up, oh God! It came in sooo handy when Isaac hit?" Bonnie assured Megan.

Okay, if you say so," Megan said, but did slip her tennis shoes off her sodden feet, leaving them by the door.

"Come on; like I said, I'm warming it up; my mom got me this space heater? It's only about this big (holding up her hands) but it works so great," Bonnie prattled, walking in front of Megan to the bathroom door.

Bonnie opened the door and Megan could feel the warmth seep out of the small room.

Oh, that feels great," she agreed.

"You like hot chocolate? I got some; my mom went to Germany; I'm German on my mom's side of the family? My dad's Mexican but my Mom's German and she went to Germany and brought me back a whole bunch of this chocolate mix?" Bonnie rattled out as Megan struggled with her dripping clothing.

"I LOVE hot chocolate," Megan enthused.

"Oh great; I'll make us some right now; it's so great, you just heat it up in the microwave?" Bonnie enthused, scurrying out of the bathroom.

Megan finally got her sopping wet jeans off and bent to start filling the tub.

"It'll be ready in just a minute; you like bubble baths? I just love a nice hot bubble..." Bonnie said in her rapid-fire delivery as she scurried into the bathroom again.