“It doesn’t have to be art.” Tap…tap…tap. “Just make it recognizable.” Tap…tap…tap. “The exercise is not to prove you’re an artist, it’s to help you learn the material.” Tap…tap…tap.
Manny scratched his pencil to his temple and stifled a yawn. Anatomy and Physiology Professor Dillan Ramsey’s steps were as rhythmic as a pendulum as he paced around the classroom. Twinkling blue eyes and chest-length beard would make him a good Santa Clause in another few years.
Can’t draw worth shit, Manny thought as he put pencil to paper and began sketching out the assigned bone groups. Humerus, radius, ulna… He flipped his pencil and erased some oddly-bowed lines, then redrew them. Dr. Ramsey must stay up late at night trying to think of ways to make assignments more difficult. Doctor Ramsey. Were all medical doctors double doctors? Ex-physician in possession of a PhD, the short, round, friendly man was highly accomplished. Now, he was stuck teaching freshmen kids in a random university in California. No wonder he purposefully made it hard.
Humerus, Manny wrote beside the bone he had just drawn. The humerus attaches to the radius and ulna on one side and on the other…the scapula.
That bird tattoo. The way it had stretched over the scapula, intricate wing feathers extending towards the curve of the shoulder. Taking a sharpie and writing bone labels on that body would be a sure way to learn the material and remember it for good.
Ana! Manny dug his fingers into his hair and scribbled out the names of the other two arm bones. Ana. Ana. Ana. He should call her that night. Why did evening classes seem to last forever?
Movement in the corner of the classroom distracted Manny from finishing his drawing of the bones in the left arm. He looked up to see someone had just walked into the classroom mid-period. The black student flashed her eyes up at the professor from under long, flat-iron-straightened bangs before taking an empty seat behind a boy in a green shirt. Manny did not recognize her. Maybe she was late. But maybe she was in the wrong classroom.
Professor Ramsey did not seem sure either. He raised his eyebrows at the newcomer, then paced by with a quiet, “Welcome.”
“Clavicle,” Manny whispered to himself, forcing his attention back on the page in front of him. His pencil moved across the paper.
Nothing he drew, nothing anyone drew, would better present the pectoral girdle better than that neckline had. The suprasternal notch between collar bones. That chest below it. Smooth, formed pectorals.
What in the world!? Manny snagged at his hair again, dragging his mind back to reality. What the hell is wrong with me?
Dillan Ramsey dismissed the class, and Manny threw back his chair. The in-class assignment was on the professor’s desk with a slap of Manny’s hand, and then he was bustling out the door.
Students had already begun spewing out into the hall. The girl who had walked in mid-period was standing a short distance into the hall, talking to the boy in the green shirt. “I don’t know, I wasn’t even there, ok?” the boy was saying. Manny saw him throw out his hands in an exasperated gesture as he passed the two.
But Manny nearly tripped on the smooth hallway when he heard the girl reply. “Zeta Phi. Zeta Phi, Francis!” She was holding out her phone in the boy’s face. “That’s the last text he sent me.”
The boy in the green shirt frowned at the screen for a moment. “Yesterday. You got that text yesterday, Ava. What are you so worried about?”
“He never came back last night! So—either he split, or something happened.”
She was pregnant, Manny realized. Her belly had an oddly round shape for her otherwise fit and slim body. And apparently, her boyfriend had made himself scarce. Manny recovered his stride and continued down the hall.
“Look, I already made myself square with your boss, ok? I can’t help you,” the boy with the green shirt said behind Manny. The conversation was only beginning to blur into the background with distance when Manny slowed a second time, once again at the sound of the girl’s voice.
“Hey! Anyone!” She was addressing the public at large, now, the boy with the green shirt walking quickly away. “Does anyone know where the Zeta Phi house is?!”
“West of the UC. Canvas Street,” a guy answered.
“Where the hell is Canvas Street?” the girl snapped back.
The boy turned briefly in his stride to point in the approximate direction. “Joins with 12th.”
“Where is 12th?”
He was walking away, shaking his head. Everyone else was ignoring her.
Manny’s feet stopped, and he melted towards the wall, a hand automatically lifting to his lips to bite a fingernail. It’s not my business. It’s not my problem. Don’t get distracted.
The flood of students began to thin, then suddenly became one or two. Then the hall was empty aside from Manny and that girl, sounds of Professor Ramsey packing up in the empty classroom relieving the silence.
“Oh! So no one fucking knows where Zeta Phi house is! Ok, thanks a lot!” She huffed, planting a hand supportively on her stomach. “Damn it.” And she turned towards one of the exits. But she stopped, as if sensing eyes on her. Then, like leaping on an unsuspecting prey, she spun around to face Manny. Dark eyes fixed him with a firm glare. “Do you know where Zeta Phi house is?”
Manny jerked his finger away from his mouth and straightened from the wall. His eyes darted to the left for a moment. Then, uncertainly, “Y…yes…?”
The girl’s fierce glare instantly softened. “Can you show me where it is? Please?”
Manny slipped his hands in his jean pockets and nodded.
It was not a big deal. He would show her to the building, then walk away. He wouldn’t see any of the frat boys, he wouldn’t talk to them. He would just…walk away.
Manny let out a long breath and watched it condense on the air in the light of the sidewalk lights. The dark air felt cold and thin. Most of the ice had melted from the sidewalks in the afternoon sunlight, but ice was beginning to form again at the edges of puddles.
“So you’re a Zeta Phi member?” She was looking up at him, arms wrapped around herself and shivering in the thin jacket she wore.
“No, I…” Manny paused, wondering for a moment if he could just leave it at that.
“You go to Zeta Phi parties?” It was like she already knew.
“I just went to one.” Manny shrugged.
“How long ago?”
Why does it matter? Manny shivered. “Last night.” In a year from now, I won’t even remember this. Ana. Ana will still be with me, though.
“Last night?” She stopped in her tracks for a moment. “They had a party last night?”
“Yeah. Why?” Manny glanced her down briefly. Zip-up jacket, pale blue skinny jeans with hearts embroidered on the pockets, sneakers with ankle socks—not the most equipped outfit for the weather.
“Shit.” The word peeled off her tongue like Manny had just told her someone dear had gotten into a bad car accident. Her stride suddenly quickened. “How many people do you know in the fraternity?”
“N-none.” Manny picked up his own pace. “My friend knows a few, but—”
“You went to a whole frat party and you never once talked to any of the frat boys?” Her voice was sharp, almost accusatory.
“I—I did, but I don’t exactly know any of them.”
“How late did you stay?”
“Um…” A wheezing breath escaped Manny’s throat. He shifted his backpack straps. “I’m not exactly…sure?”
“Were they drinking? Doing drugs? What kind of shit went down?” The way she asked the questions was similar to the way a mother might ask questions about an iffy party her child attended.
Manny glanced at her again. But she was far too young to be a mother of a college-aged kid. “You’re um…looking for your boyfriend?” Then, when she passed him a sharp glance, “Sorry, I—overheard a little of the conversation you were having with that guy in the hall—b-by accident.”
“What kind of shit went down?” The girl repeated her question, voice deathly grave.
“There was drinking, I dunno.” Manny shrugged and turned away, biting on his lip. Then, raising his head and pointing across the street, “There it is. That’s it. That red brick building with the gray roof and blue lights out front.” There was a group of figures standing outside the house, milling around a corvette. Forgetting to breathe for a moment, Manny checked each figure. Some of the faces, he could make out. Others, he couldn’t. What am I looking for? His mind demanded accusingly. He looked down at the girl beside him.
She was halted on the sidewalk, also seemingly scanning that group of figures. A slender hand snaked out and grasped Manny’s wrist. “Come. Help me talk to them.”
“What?!” Manny quickly yanked his arm free. Then, stumbling, “I—I—look, I don’t know them, ok? And I don’t know you, either. I don’t even know your name—”
“Ava.” She grabbed his wrist again and started across the road with him.
I did know that, Manny realized dimly. They were drawing rapidly closer to the group. Manny’s heart had gone into overdrive, searching those shadowy faces. What if—what if—what if…
No, none of them were. Manny felt himself relax, surprise hitting him at the feeling of his heart actually sinking. Was he disappointed? No. Impossible.
“Hey, boys.” Ava’s voice was relaxed and confident as they stopped in front of the frat group. Brice was among them, and the tall blonde met eyes with Manny and gave him a grin. “I’m looking for someone who was at your party last night. Think you guys can help me out?”
Brice produced chewing gum at the tip of his tongue and snapped a bubble. “Damn, Manny.” He glanced at Manny, but let his eyes thoroughly sweep Ava. “Playing for both teams, huh?” He casually crossed his thick arms. There was snickering at a joke Manny did not understand. “You weren’t the one to knock her up, were you?”
“What?” Manny’s face paled and his jaw dropped slightly. “N-no. I don’t—she—” Manny rapidly stepped away from the girl. “I don’t even know her, I was just helping her find the Zeta Phi house!”
Ava passed around an annoyed glance. “Are you gonna help me or not?”
One of the other guys, a boy with shoulder-length dark hair, gave her a smile. “Certainly, Missy. What can we do for you?”
Manny spaced out for a few seconds on that guy’s hair. It was similar. But not the same, was it? A glance at the boy’s face told Manny no. But his mind had surely already warped the true features of that person he had woken up beside. No one could really be as beautiful as Manny remembered that strange boy.
“He’s half Asian, kind of looks like a K-pop model, has a lip ring.” Only when he turned and looked at Ava’s face did Manny fully believe he had really just heard the words, and not out of his own mouth. Ava shrugged easily. “Pretty cute looking. Anyone seen him?”
Brice’s lips curved into another grin. His eyes darted momentarily to Manny’s shocked and frozen face. Then, “Babe. What is he, your boyfriend?”
Manny’s heart felt like it was about to burst. He didn’t even know why he was so shocked. Everyone had connections. There were sure to be plenty of other people who knew the boy in mention. Yet, hearing someone describe exactly what he had woken up beside that morning was like hearing someone talk about something Manny had dreamed about like it had actually happened.
“I just need to find him.” Ava shrugged.
Brice flashed Manny a grin—only then making the freshman college student realize that there were, in fact, many grinning and snickering faces pointed his way. “I wish I could help.” Brice’s eyes flickered momentarily towards Ava before he turned that teasing look back on Manny. “But Zeta Phi is known for putting on big parties. All kinds of people turn up. I can’t say the description you gave rings a bell from last night.” He turned and gestured to the other knowing faces around him. “Did any of you see someone like that?”
“Nah.”
“No.”
“Not me, man.”
“It was a packed house.”
“Yeah, it was a packed house,” Brice agreed. He gave Ava a smile. “Your boyfriend might have been there. Might not have.” His grin flickered again in Manny’s direction.
“Either there’s another Zeta Phi in San Diego, or he was here,” Ava insisted sharply.
“Well.” Brice shrugged. “Guess we just didn’t notice him.”
“Nobody saw him? None of you?” Her eyes moved to scan the group.
“Sorry. We can’t help you.” Brice was smiling as he said the words.
For as insistent as she had been, Ava gave up quite abruptly. Without even a thanks or goodbye, she turned from the group and started back towards the road. Manny immediately took off after her, shivering under the snickering that broke out behind his back.
“Shit. Shit.” Ava shook her head as she walked briskly away. “Shit, something definitely happened.” She paused before crossing the road and pulled out her phone. Then she was sliding it back into her pocket and walking towards the other side of the street. “Shit, he’s gonna kill me. Damn, I can’t afford to be cut loose right now.”
Manny fell out of pace with her, as if only then realizing he was no longer obliged to follow her. He came to a stop beside a streetlight and glanced back towards the fraternity. Ava did not even slow to look over her shoulder. When Manny turned back, she had disappeared around the corner.
“Damn,” Manny whispered. He shifted his backpack straps and started back towards his dorm building. So they had both been cheating? I didn’t really…like actually…like…have sex with him, did I? Stupid! What do you think two people did the night before when they wake up in the same bed naked together!? Manny shivered.
Ava had not denied that she was the girlfriend of the beautiful boy she had been seeking. And yet, something about the way she had not confirmed it told Manny she was not.
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