Divine Contract

Neighbor

Lillian was lucky because her dorm room was a single with a connecting bathroom.  Her neighbor was an Asian girl with short cropped hair.  She took one look at Lillian and asked, “Freshman?”

    Lillian had glanced down at her own outfit, suddenly feeling insecure after the obvious once over, and nodded her head mutely.

    “Figures,” she’d said, putting her things away in the bathroom.  “Your mommy isn’t here to clean up after you so just don’t make a mess in here, okay?  I like my space clean and organized.  And for the love of God, no raw tampons in the trash can.  We’re not animals.”

    Lillian’s eyes widened at her crude statements but nodded her head in agreement.  She was a clean girl, always had been.  She actually felt thankful that her neighbor was, too.

    “Great, I’m Tara,” she said briskly, offering her hand.  Giving a good shake, Lillian offered her name with a small, nervous smile.  Tara frowned.  “You should speak up, be proud of your name.”

    Clearing her throat, Lillian just shifted on her feet, surprised by the statement.  This girl was peculiar and gave off a management vibe.  All business, it seemed.  And as abruptly as they’d met, Tara had left, shutting her bedroom door between them.  Odd and not particularly friendly but at least she wasn’t outright mean.

    Lillian put her bathroom supplies in a crate underneath the sink not claimed by Tara and headed back to her room, laying out the sheets from home, the ones that always seemed to smell of fire no matter how many times she washed them.  Her thoughts flickered to the man with black eyes and, shivering, she took a moment to scan the room.  It was smaller than the one at the convent but equally as plain.  The closet, ironically, was larger than the one she’d had there.  Plenty of space for the few things she’d brought along.  The window was locked, as was her bedroom door.

    The ladies of the church had pitched in to help Lillian get a mini fridge which she set up in the corner of her bedroom.  There was a kitchen here but it was in the main area.  Most of her food would be from the on campus diner which, thankfully, was provided for by her scholarship but it was good to have for her water bottles.

    She’d been just settling down on the bed to write when a knock came at the door.  Confused, she answered it and found Tara dressed in a tight fitting dress with a leather jacket and combat boots.  “Well?  You coming or not?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

    “Excuse me?”

    “There’s a party,” she said, walking into Lillian’s room as if it were the most natural thing in the world.  She hopped onto her bed, kicking her feet thoughtlessly as she looked Lillian over.  “It’s not like you have anything better to do right now, do you?” she asked, c*****g her head to the side.  “Of course not, you’re a freshman.”  Lillian’s mouth parted, then shut.  No, she didn’t.  She glanced down at her outfit curiously and Tara said, “Oh no.  You cannot go dressed like that.”

    “Um,” Lillian said, clutching her dress.  “How should I dress?”

    “You’ve never been to a party?” Tara asked, straightening where she sat.  She wore an expression of amazement.

    Lillian shook her head.

    “Where did you come from?” Tara snorted.  “A nunnery?”  She was joking but the look on Lillian’s face made her stop laughing.  “Wait, are you for real?” she asked, shocked.

    “I was raised in the St. Bernadine Convent,” Lillian admitted quietly.

    Tara’s mouth dropped open.  “Oh my God, you’re serious.”

    Lillian’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment at the use of the Lord’s name in vain.  Lady Catherine would be throwing a fit at Tara’s language.

    “Okay, well, let me find something for you,” Tara said, jumping at the opportunity to help.  “Let’s start your freshman year off right by knocking off a first for you.”