Lily White Lies(35)

I could hear the hurt in Cory’s voice, as she asked, “Are you insulting me or looking down on me because I don’t believe the world revolves around marital bliss?”

Raising my voice above theirs, I said, “Hey. That’s enough...” The air was quickly growing heavy with tension and somehow, I felt responsible.

Charlotte waved a hand. “It’s okay Meg.” Turning her attention to Cory, she said, “I’m not insulting you. All I’m saying is that it’s easy to give advice when it’s someone else’s life you’re advising.” Offering me a sympathetic smile, she continued, “Look at me. I’ve been over thinking and screwing up the last ten years of my life, but that didn’t stop me from voicing my opinion in Meg’s life.”

“Constantly!” I smiled in an attempt to end the serious conversation.

“I may have come down a little hard.” She turned a sincere smile toward Cory. “I would never hurt you intentionally; you know that, don’t you?”

Squeezing Charlotte’s hand, she nodded and said, “Of course I know that. I’m sorry, too.”

My intentions were for us to enjoy the day together, and that’s what we were going to do.

“Who’s up for a ride?” I asked.

Charlotte’s expression became serious, as she said, “Maybe later. Right now, I have something I want you both to see.”

Cory and I exchanged confused glances as Charlotte slid a movie into the VCR, saying, “And... the year was nineteen-ninety three!”





Ten





...the world was spinning only for us, newfound friendships were more important than air and we were certain that our plans for life were cemented in a future without change...





While the snow before the movie fluttered across the television screen, I thought back to nineteen-ninety three. It was a time when—as college freshman—the world was spinning only for us, newfound friendships were more important than air and we were certain that our plans for life were cemented in a future without change. Independence was ours for the taking and life had never seemed more worth living. Looking back now, I wonder if we were that naïve, or if our own arrogance and ignorance colored the world around us.

As the movie began, Cory blurted, “Tammy Holbrook.” Leaning forward, she pointed to the television. “Damn! I haven’t thought of her in ages.”

My mind slipped rapidly, back to the making of this video. Although I hadn’t seen the movie in the ten years since, I remembered it vividly.

It was the night of our first college dorm party. It was the first time in her life Charlotte acted on impulse, sneaking out a second story window for her first date with Kevin. Moreover, it was the beginning of a life-long bond—almost a sisterhood—between Charlotte, Cory and me.

The movie began with an unflattering shot of Tammy’s backside and then went straight to the introduction of girls in attendance that night.

First was Holly Strom, not quite as pretty as she thought she was, but that never stopped her from flaunting.

Then there was Heather Greene who, although pretty, lacked the intellect and common sense to score high enough on her entrance exams, leaving us to wonder how she was accepted.

Next was Dawn Wetfield, who was of average intelligence and beauty, and quite happy with being average.

The only thing each of them had in common was their willingness to wade through gossip, lies and fake friendships to reach the top of the popularity pole.

There were a few others. I couldn’t remember their names although I did recall they were the uppity ones the rest of us referred to as ‘Rodeo drive-byes’—rich girls who would drive by friendships, never making them. They weren’t team players and felt deceived by the Kirkland brochures because they had to coexist with girls who weren’t one of ‘their own’. They were the girls who spent the entire evening bored and looking down their noses at the rest of us. Even if they had received an invitation to another dorm party, they wouldn’t have accepted anyway.

Before our first formal meeting, I thought Cory was a Rodeo drive-bye. She had a prominence about her, a certain air of coming from money and enjoying advantages most of us had never known, growing up with only the best and expecting nothing less from Kirkland College. However, from the first time we spoke I knew she was different. I knew that within the voluptuous body I secretly envied, behind the credit cards, underneath the silky, blonde hair and past her sparkling, blue eyes, she was a person who saw the world in shades of humor, possessing the sincerity and compassion not found among the other girls sharing her privileged upbringing and financial advantages.