"Cooney, Linda A - Freshman Dorm 10 - Freshman Changes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Cooney Linda A)

"Yes!" Winnie spooned the last soggy flakes from her bowl. "I wanted to know if Peter's kissed you yet!"
KC shook her head. "We haven't even been out on a formal date. I just danced with him at the party at his dorm, and we went hiking up at Hosmer Lake."
"But something will happen," Faith said emphatically. "I can feel it in the air. You will be kissed. Which is more than I can say for myself these days. I don't even know anybody I'd like to kiss, except my old teddy bear."
"Don't feel too sorry for yourself," Winnie said. "Just weeks ago you were kissed by one of the hottest movie stars in the country, or have you already forgotten about Alec Brady?"
"I'm not feeling sorry for myself," Faith said. "But I'll probably never see Alec again." Faith had apprenticed on the set of a Hollywood movie shot on campus, and she and Alec Brady had had a brief romance. "It's okay, though," Faith went on. "I'm going to be real busy soon, and I won't even have time to think about guys."
"A new drama project?" KC asked with interest.
Faith nodded. "I'm going to be directing a segment of this year's U. of S. Follies. It's sort of a slapped-together musical/variety show, but at least it's in the University Theater, so I'll get a lot of exposure. We're holding auditions next Wednesday."
"How about a high wire act starring me?" Winnie joked. "You could string a rope across the stage and I could walk across it, singing about how unstable my love life is. Only it wouldn't be an act, it would be real. My story's sad to tell," Winnie began to sing in a mournful voice, pretending to balance herself with her hands. "About a, love that was going so well. Her name was Winnie, his name was Josh, but she screwed up, and oh my gosh."
KC felt bad for laughing, since she knew how much Winnie had suffered since her break-up with Josh Gaffey, but she couldn't help it. "Not bad for off the top of your head."
"Winnie had two guys but couldn't choose," Winnie continued, changing the melody with every line, "and so, dumb girl, both loves did lose." Winnie hung her head sadly at the end while KC and Faith applauded.
"I guess it's good I can joke about it, right?" Winnie said, looking up. "I mean, maybe there's still hope for me and Josh. He did call when I was working at the Crisis Hot Line and tell me how much he loved me and that he was going crazy without me. Of course, he didn't know I was working there and that it was me on the other end of the line. So he doesn't know that I know, and I can't sit down and discuss it with
him because he's really busy working on a big research paper. He's either coming or going to the Computer Center, and I don't feel like discussing our relationship when I'm running to keep up with him."
"He'll slow down eventually," Faith said, "or maybe you can figure out a way to shortstop him."
"Yeah." Winnie unwrapped a straw and stuck it in a glass of chocolate milk. "I could just leap out from behind a bush and throw myself on top of him. That's what I used to do to get a guy's attention." Winnie blew through the straw, making light brown bubbles on the top of her chocolate milk. Then she took a long sip.
"It's going to work out," Faith said with assurance. "When two people want to be together that badly, they find a way to make it happen. Look at Lauren and Dash. They had their problems, but now they're closer than ever."
"Where's Lauren been keeping herself?" KC asked casually. "I haven't seen her around."
Lauren Turnbell-Smythe was Faith's roommate. A creative writing major, Lauren also wrote for the campus newspaper, the Weekly Journal. Her ease with the written word made Lauren the person who could save KC's life. KC had been doing terribly in English all year. If she
didn't bring up her grade, her average wouldn't meet Tri Beta's minimum requirement, which meant she could wave Tri Beta goodbye.
KC was determined not to let that happen. She'd signed up for another extra credit paper, but getting started was proving impossible. Maybe Lauren could help her.
"Do you need to speak to her about something?" Faith asked.
KC considered lying to cover up her problem, but then she relaxed. If she couldn't trust her two best friends, who could she trust? Faith and Winnie would understand.
KC sighed. "I was sort of hoping she could help me on my latest English comp assignment. We have to write a persuasive essay on any current topic, and I just can't seem to focus on anything. Since Lauren's so disciplined about her writing, I thought she could give me some pointers."
"I'll leave a note on her bed," Faith said. "But if you're in a hurry, why don't you get a tutor to help you?"
"A tutor?" KC asked. "Where can I get one?"
"At the Learning Center," Faith said. "It's like a resource room to help students with any academic problems they might have."
"Hmmm . . ." KC brightened. "Does it cost
much? I mean, I'm not as broke as usual. My grandmother sent me money to cover my sorority dues, but I only have about thirty dollars left."
"That should probably be enough," Faith said. "It's just one paper, so it shouldn't take more than one or two sessions."
"With me, who knows?" KC groaned. "If only all my courses were as easy as my Intro to Business course. That one's a natural for me. I mean, it's not as if I'm not trying in English, because I really am, but I'm having so much tr-" KC stopped in mid-sentence and the worried look on her face dropped away instantly.
KC had been so absorbed in her problems, she hadn't noticed Peter Dvorsky appear near her table. He was of average height and average build, with hair that was somewhere between blond and light brown. He wore a red baseball cap and a gray U. of S. sweatshirt. He was partially turned away from the table, as if he hadn't noticed KC sitting there, but he could easily have heard what she was saying. It was bad enough he wasn't impressed with her looks. KC didn't want him to think she was a crummy student, too.
"-I'm having so much trouble remembering the name of that movie I wanted to see," KC finished the sentence, smiling at her friends.
Winnie and Faith looked at each other in confusion. Then Peter suddenly turned around.
"Well, well, well!" Peter said, suppressing a smile. "Who do we have here?"
KC tried to keep her expression cool and distant, but she felt her face grow hot. "Hello, Peter," she said in what she hoped was a casual voice.
"Looks like all the tables are full," Peter said, looking around.
He wanted to sit with her! KC felt like bouncing in her seat, but instead she said, "There's an empty seat here, if you can't find anyplace else."
Peter shrugged. "Guess I'll have to take you up on it," he said, coming around the table and sitting down next to KC. "Very executive-looking suit," he joked as he pulled his chair closer to KC, so that their legs were nearly touching. KC felt goosebumps rise on her flesh. "I hope I didn't interrupt a breakfast meeting."
"Oh but you did," Winnie chimed in. "We are KC's high-powered business associates. I'm Winnie Spike, vice president of chocolate milk, and this is my colleague, Dr. Faith Broud, hot cereal specialist."
"Pleased to meet you," Peter laughed, though he was still looking at KC. KC, too, couldn't take her eyes off him. He looked as if he had just
rolled out of bed, or off a baseball field, and KC knew she looked as pressed and clean as a Chairwoman of the Board. But despite their mismatched appearances, KC felt they fit together perfectly.
"I guess you've noticed KC's a little better dressed than we are," Faith said, "not that these aren't my best jeans. But did you ever stop to wonder why, of all the hundreds of freshmen breakfasting here this morning, she alone has taken the trouble to make herself look beautiful?"
"Ooh! Ooh! I know!" Winnie yelled, raising her hand in the air like she was waiting for a teacher to call on her.
"Yes, Winnie?" Faith asked, pointing with her spoon.
KC shot an alarmed look across the table. Faith and Winnie wouldn't really blow her cover, would they? After six years of friendship, they would allow KC just the smallest scrap of dignity, right?
"I think KC was hoping to run into someone," Winnie said. "A special someone. And I think she wanted to look good for him."
"And do we know the name of that special someone?" Faith asked Winnie.
KC shot her leg out to kick Winnie under the
table, but only succeeded in banging her toe on a metal rang of Winnie's chair.
"I don't remember," Winnie said, "but I think it rhymes with Meter. Let's see, could it be Liter? Heater? Jeeter?"
"You guys ..." KC begged, her toe beginning to throb.