Sophomore Switch(24)
Author: Abby McDonald

I gape. “So if you screw up on the day . . . ?”

“Then I’m done for.” He looks so forlorn, I feel like giving him a hug.

“But you’ll be fine.” I try and lighten the mood. “It’s only dumb-asses like me who would have to worry.”

“You’re not dumb,” he scolds me. “You’re just new to this style of thinking.”

“I wish it was that simple, but with Elliot . . .” I shake my head. “I can’t figure her out.”

Will pauses. “You’ve read her book, haven’t you?” I shake my head. “You should.” He gives this wry grin. “It’s a long rant about the new generation’s betrayal of feminism. How every girl in a short skirt undermines decades of activism — stuff like that.”

“And you believe that?” I shift in my seat, totally uncomfortable. If we’d met two hours ago . . .

But luckily Will just laughs. “Elliot oversimplifies everything. But she’s rather uncompromising. All or nothing, I suppose.”

I sigh. “Anyway, enough about work. I think I’ve got enough notes to manage my essay now. Tell me about you — what do you do for fun here?”

“Fun?” He gives a snort. “As I said, I’m a finalist. This is as close to fun as I’ll get until after my exams.”

“There’s got to be something you do to relax,” I prod, trying to move the conversation on. “You’re not a robot.”

“Well.” He hesitates. “You’ll probably think I’m a loser . . .”

“I won’t! C’mon.”

“I play Scrabble,” Will admits. He looks so sweet, I have to try not to laugh.

“Scrabble?” I repeat dubiously.

“See, I told you.” He sighs.

“No! It’s . . . interesting. I’ve never met somebody who likes it. My friends don’t really go for that kind of thing.” Understatement. If Morgan was here, she’d be cracking up, but there’s something so endearing about Will’s confession. The guys I know back home would never tell me something like that in case it ruined their chances with me, but Will couldn’t be less of a player.

“So why do you like it?” I look at him carefully. He’s pushed up his sleeves to reveal pale forearms and is sitting on the edge of his seat.

He pauses for a long time. “I suppose . . . I suppose I find it relaxing. There’s an order, a pattern to it. I don’t have to think about anything except letters on the board.” He shoots me an embarrassed half smile. “Pathetic, I know.”

“It’s not!” I insist. “At least you’re doing something. If I want to relax, I just veg out in front of the TV.” It strikes me that Will would have a whole lot in common with Emily, Queen of Order. Then I notice the time.

“Frak!”

Will lights up. “You watch Battlestar Galactica?”

“Hell yes.” I grin. “It’s a total guilty pleasure, but I caught an episode a while back, and ever since, I’ve been hooked.” I think I spy some new admiration in his eyes and wonder why I didn’t drop that into the conversation earlier. Sci-fi shows are prime nerd-bonding material. “Anyway, I have to go. I’ve got to get to the library before it closes.”

“Of course.” Will gets up. “Well, it was nice meeting you.”

I grin at his formality. “You too. And I’ll set up another session next week. You’re on Facebook, right?”

He nods but reaches to scrawl his number on my notebook all the same. “Or even just call, you know, if you have any random questions, or . . . anything.”

“I will.” Packing up my notes, I see he’s still hovering out of his seat. “Umm, bye?” I don’t know if I should hug him good-bye like I’m used to, or what.

“Good-bye.” He looks as awkward as me. Finally, he sticks his hand out again. I shake it.

“Later.” I turn away and quickly bounce down the stairs and out onto the street. Finally, some luck! He’s awkward but an angel for sure, sent to save me from academic oblivion. I grin, thinking of his blushes and cute politeness. Any other guy would have hit on me, but not Will. And in my new outfit, he didn’t think I was one of those short-skirted underminers of feminism. The switch survival is working out just great.

So great that when I pass a couple of students with flyers outside the library, I pause. They’re signing people up for a protest group against the closing of the women’s health center — that thing Carrie was going on about the other week. Didn’t Emily say that getting involved with a group would be good for me?

“It’s a vital cause for all Oxford women.” A short girl with cropped hair thrusts a leaflet at me. “We’re meeting Thursday lunchtime, in conference room B.”

I add my name to the chart.

“Wonderful,” she exclaims. “Bring all your friends.”

“Sure,” I agree, taking the slip of paper and heading into the library. I might not have any friends to bring, but I may as well show up.

Hell, it’s not like I have any other plans.

From: totes_tasha

To: EMLewis

Subject: switch survival 1.0

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ok, the first secret is that “california casual” totes isn’t casual at all. before you leave the room in the morning, you’ll need to blow-dry your hair and put your makeup on — even if you’re just going to the gym. like, it doesn’t matter if you’re just wearing a sweat suit (cute and fitted, obvs), you’ve got to be shiny and sleek, that’s just the way things work. maybe cut out some study or get up earlier?

xoxo

p.s. do I really have to stop wearing my uggs? i know the girls over here don’t go for them, but they’re sooooo comfortable and it’s “bloody freezing” as u brits would say.

From: EMLewis

To: totes_tasha

Subject: re: switch survival 1.0

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And I swore I’d never be one of those girls who spends half an hour on her makeup every day . . .

Now for your guide: agree with people. I don’t just mean smiling and nodding along with whatever they’re saying, I mean fake enthusiasm a little more. The thing about the students at Oxford is that a lot of them are self-important and egotistical — they’ve spent most of their lives being told how wonderful they are, and they like to keep that going. So if somebody’s off on a long rant or lecture, actively agree. Make murmurs of assent, say “Right” and “Exactly what I was thinking” a few times, and they’ll think you really do know what they’re talking about. Also, start reading the news headlines online and scanning the main arguments: the people you’re around are very into current affairs and politics, so you’ll need to be able to bluff your way through discussions.