To say Maya finds her current living situation a bit awkward is an understatement. She'd been entirely prepared for the situation of Ashlee and Liliana both getting boyfriends at university and her being the fifth wheel but she hadn't expected this. It's especially awkward when Liliana gets soppy and talks about what they're going to do when they graduate. Maya knows Ashlee better than her, even if she isn't in a relationship with her, and she knows Ashlee's not ready for commitment.
It's not long before she's proven right, and she doesn't get any pleasure from it. One of their dormies has gotten hold of a certain illicit recreational activity and Liliana's a big fan, especially during parties. Unfortunately, Ashlee's guy-on-the-side picks that moment to get all flirty with Ashlee...
Unfortunately, Liliana's stint at the "bubble blower" hasn't mellowed her out any. She storms over, grabs Ashlee, and lays into her in front of everyone."What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
"Don't give me all that," sneers Ashlee. They're drawing quite the crowd now, gathered around the keg. "We're too young for all that settling-down crap anyway, and it's not like we love each other or anything...""Well maybe I did love you! Or at least I thought I did!"
They can't argue for long. The party gets busted and the campus cops aren't best pleased about what the kids have been smoking, so they all head off to bed. But for Liliana, Ashlee and Maya, the tension isn't in any way relieved, merely delayed.
The morning after, as the dormies abandon then disassemble the hookah, Liliana tries to pretend everything is normal. She gets dressed, brushes her teeth, does everything she'd normally do to be ready for class... but eventually she breaks down in the middle of a corridor, in full view of everyone. She doesn't know how to deal with this.
Ashlee thinks she knows precisely how to deal with this - messing around on couches with her guy-on-the-side, Douglas, and eventually losing her straight virginity. Sure, it means she seems a little too committed... but it stops her from thinking and being full of guilt.
Maya inevitably takes on the role of agony aunt. Hey, at least she has plenty of practice after everything her parents put her through."You could have least told Lili you wanted to see other people," she says in a reasonable tone over brunch on the dorm patio.
"I didn't think I needed to. I mean, she's not a lesbian. I didn't think she was going to fall in love with me or something!"
Liliana isn't budging either. Maya tries to get her to see both sides of the story but she's sticking to her own view of events."She pretended to be all honest but she never really told me anything important. Y'know, like the fact she wanted to sleep with some frat boy. I'm not a freakin' mind-reader!"
At the end of sophomore year Ashlee makes the first move towards a truce. One morning she catches Liliana before she can run off and hide in the shower, and says the immortal words: "We can still be friends, right?"
Liliana glares. How can Ashlee be so heartless? How could she not GET Liliana, after all of this? "No. We can't. Maybe someday, but right now... you've really hurt me and I want you to get out of my face."
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