The Party Favor

 

Keely looked around in wonder at the busy, crowded campus. There were so many people here, as students, professors, athletes, coaches, and staff milled around. The dorms at the University were filled with parents helping settle in their children, who were no longer children and had reached their first year of college. Keely met her roommate, a tall, athletic-looking girl whose name was Rosalyn. She was dark-skinned, with dark hair and eyes, speaking with the hint of a Spanish accent. Rosalyn was a beauty with an outgoing personality. This was in deep contrast to Keely, a small, pale, painfully shy girl, away from home for the first time.

Rosalyn liked Keely right off, despite her obvious social awkwardness. Keely felt some kinship toward Rosalyn too. That first night, they learned about each other in a chat session that lasted into the wee hours of the morning.

For her part, Keely told of her life in a small town living on the family farm. She confided in being so shy; it hurt to be around people she did not know, yet she didn’t feel that way with Rosalyn. She felt such anxiety being at this school, which had a bigger population than her hometown.

Rosalyn did not laugh at her, nor did she judge her. She tried to understand and began to empathize with the small, pretty creature that had come into her life. Rosalyn told her of the sports she participated in, her scholarship in soccer, and how she was a wild child. Rosalyn spilled her secrets out to Keely, knowing they were safe. She told her about the counselor she had an affair with; she cautioned her that this was not a good thing. In the end, they made a pact to watch over each other and help keep each other safe. They assisted each other in decisions, making sure that neither did something stupid.

“I think,” Rosalyn said, giggling as she talked, “you and I will be the best of friends for a long time.” Rosalyn and Keely hugged each other sitting on Rosalyn’s bed. Keely felt safe, and Rosalyn felt protective of her new friend.

The next day was Freshman Orientation, a 4-hour course crammed into one afternoon. The gist of the course was, “Be happy, Be Safe, Be Smart!” The course gave instruction on organizing study time, how to protect yourself on campus, and so forth. It was, in short, a massive snooze fest for 5800 new freshmen.

At one point, Rosalyn turned to Keely, and making her hand look like a gun, she pretended to load it, turn the barrel to her temple, and pull the trigger. Her head snapped to the side, and she slid down in the seat with her tongue sticking out. Taking the imaginary gun from Rosalyn’s “cold dead hand,” Keely repeated the exercise. They both laughed, though not aloud, just a silent laugh as the agony slowly passed.

Keely with Rosalyn, or Rosalyn with Keely; they were rarely seen without the other. Of course, they attended classes without each other, save for the two they had together. As soon as class was over, they sought each other out. Boys tried to work them, but Keely’s painful shyness got in the way. Rosalyn was extremely popular; though there were a few times she got asked out, she didn’t like to leave Keely alone.

One persistent young man wanted to see Rosalyn often, and felt Keely’s presence on their dates was a small price to pay. It took time, but slowly Edward worked through Keely’s protective shell, becoming a good friend to her also. There was nothing romantic in their relationship; he was dating Rosalyn and was a friend to Keely. She had never had a friend that wasn’t a girl before, and for Keely, it was momentous. For Rosalyn, it was perfect. She had a boyfriend givi