COLLEGE YEAR by Iceguy

Part Three: Regrets

Zelda pulled out from the front of the farm house party. Bobby starred straight out the window, still saying nothing. His fists were still clenched tight as well as his face was now filled with pure rage. This scared Zelda. She had not seen anything like this in him ever before, nor had many other people.

To Bobby, anger was wrong. To be angry was to be a weaker person. Hate and anger were for the bigots, not Bobby. Showing his anger towards another was a sign of failure, and this state of rage he felt only made him even angrier.

"Bobby, please say something. Anything." Zelda said nervously.

She didn’t get an answer. Instead, Bobby only turned his head to face hers. Zelda looked into his eyes, which were filled with tears. He was furious, angry, and saddened by this one event. And he wouldn’t tell her why.

"Why…" Bobby tried to get out. Rather unsuccessfully.

"What Bobby?" Zelda tried

"Why do people have to feel this way? What did they do to them?" Bobby asked turning his head back to the windshield

"I don’t know Bobby. I honestly don’t know." Zelda said to him

Zelda turned her head to face the road again, looking into the rear view mirror she saw Kalia closely following her. Only ten more miles to her dorm, and then maybe Bobby will start talking. It also looked as though Kalia needed to calm down as well, which was also something Zelda wanted to talk about with her.

Kalia was closely behind Zelda, and in a state of anger all her own. Even though she barely knew Bobby she couldn’t help but feel bad for him. He seemed like he was in real pain. Something I could relate to, she thought.

"What is your deal Bobby? This anger doesn’t fit what I know of you." Kalia talked to herself. "What happened to you?"

Bobby’s new friend couldn’t help but wonder about him. Kalia had seen Bobby say something to Zelda, but what could he have said. He didn’t seem as though he was screaming or anything.

"Five more miles to go." Zelda thought to herself.

Thankfully Bobby had seemed to start to relax a little. He was still visually upset. Zelda tried not to say anything to him. In as many years she knew him, this was the first time she was scared with him around. Not for her safety. She knew deep down that Bobby could not do anything to hurt her. But this was a different kind of fear, fear of what he may do to another.

"Oh my god. My head is killing me." Bobby finally broke his record of silence

"Bobby?!? You said something?" Zelda said with relief

"Yeah…I’m sorry Zel." Bobby said concerned "You okay?"

"Yeah, I’m fine. I hear that kind of stuff all the time." Zelda said, realizing that was probably the wrong thing to say.

"I don’t know what happened. That fool opened his mouth and I barely hold my mouth back." Bobby confessed

"I know. You not speaking is a very scary thing." Zelda attempted at humor

"Just don’t tell anybody ok, I have a reputation to uphold." Bobby smirked

"This is extremely weird. Two minutes ago, he looked like he was going to explode. Now everything is almost normal?" Zelda thought to herself concerned.

"Well, Kalia and me are taking you to my dorm. ‘Cause you don’t look like you should be alone right now." Zelda smiled at him

"Yeah, I think I’ll go commit suicide later. Fourth floor window? Nah, too much effort." Bobby said regaining his sense of humor.

"Funny." Zelda said

"I thought so too, thanks." Bobby smiled back

"You know, the more I see you the less I understand you." Zelda said

Zelda’s attention returned to the road, as Bobby grew silent again. Still a few more minutes before they reached the dorm. She could save the questions until then. Even though she’d like some answers while they were alone.

Kalia watched with almost a sense of awe. It only took Bobby a couple minutes to go from a complete rage to almost normal. That is behavior far beyond what one considers normal. And as she thought to herself, the ringing of her cell phone interrupted her.

"Hello." Kalia answered

"Where are you going?" Asked the voice on the other end

"Nowhere that matters to you." Kalia answered. "Who is this?"

"You know who this is. Where did you run off to?" The voice said

"Angela." Kalia said disgusted. "What do you want?"

"I want to know why you ran off." Angela said matter-of-factly

"You know why I left. Frankly I don’t like you. I don’t know how you got this number, but I swear call it again and there will be hell to pay." Kalia said hanging up.

"Goddamn that girl." Kalia said infuriated.

Both cars pulled into the Zelda’s dorm parking lot within a half hour of leaving the party. Kalia grabbed her phone and walked over to Bobby’s car.

"So how is the patient?" Kalia asked

"Surprisingly ok." Zelda answered

Bobby got out of his car and placed looked over at Kalia.

"Aww. I didn’t even know you cared." Bobby smiled

"What the hell?" Kalia asked

"Well, Hell is this place where all the bad people go when they die." Bobby smiled

"That’s not what I meant." Kalia told him

"What did you want to know about then? How about the birds and the bees? Or maybe Santa Clause?" Bobby smirked

"Bobby. Shut up." Zelda said

"Just like that?" Bobby said. "No please? No Drake?"

"I could if you wanted me to. But we’re going upstairs now." Zelda grabbed him

The two girls grabbed Bobby and dragged him upstairs to Zelda’s dorm room.

"Now this is the life, two girls dragging me to one of their rooms. Gotta love it." Bobby smiled.

That statement earned Bobby several slaps and punches while climbing the stairs.

Zelda turned the key to her door and they entered her room. Bobby was amazed at how much better it looked than his own room. He walked straight over to her bookcase, where instead of books he found her music selection. He was shocked to find that she was an avid fan of Offspring and Blink 182.

"So, what, did someone borrow all your boy band music?" Bobby wondered

"Say what?" Zelda said disgusted.

"Sorry. Sorry. It was a joke. Relax." Bobby pleaded

"Just don’t insult my intelligence like that ever again." Zelda laughed.

"Sorry. Really I am." Bobby said.

"So, Bobby. What’s with the sudden change of attitude?" Zelda asked sitting down.

"What do you mean?" Bobby tried to avoid

"Don’t even try and play that off. You were almost unable to move an hour ago. Now you back to what you call normal. That is far from normal Bobby. What is going on with you?" Zelda asked

"That is a little out of the ordinary." Kalia agreed as she stared out of the window.

"So what is up with Joseph and his little fun time buddies?" Bobby asked

"No Bobby. No more talk about Joseph and Angie right now. No more games with emotions either. In the entire six months we dated you never got angry. Even when I met you at Harry’s Hideaway you weren’t mad at me. From what I gather from you, you take everything with a grin." Zelda told him.

"Yes Zelda, I forgot you and everyone else for that matter are experts on me and how I feel. Lets just skip it ok." He said turning towards the door.

"Bobby, please don’t leave. I didn’t mean to ask on such a sensitive subject for you. I don’t think you should be alone right now anyway." Zelda said to him.

"Look, Zel. I don’t mean to make either of you two mad. You helped me out today and I appreciate it. But this is something only I can deal with. This was probably the worst time for me to confront something like that." Bobby confessed

"Why is that?" Kalia asked.

"Nothing of consequence." Bobby avoided

"Bobby we’re all friends here. You can tell us." Zelda reassured him

"I know this. But this is my problem. I just want to finish my degree and be done with this place." Bobby said

"What degree?" Zelda asked

"I’m finishing my second degree in meteorology." Bobby informed her

"But I thought you were already an accountant." Zelda asked

"An accountant?" Kalia said

"Yeah. Family troubles with that profession." He said

"Ok." Kalia replied

"So that’s why you are here." Zelda asked

Zelda starred into Bobby’s eyes. Looking for reassurance that he was as ok as he said he was. Bobby was not a good liar. At least she thought he wasn’t. Now something else was bothering her. Kalia.

She had not taken her attention away from the window since they got into the dorm room. Kalia looked angry, and almost as though she was waiting for something to happen.

"What’s going on Kalia?" Zelda asked

"Nothing. Can I just look out the window and not have something going on?" Kalia snapped.

"I’m sorry Kalia. I thought something might be wrong." Zelda said

"No, I’m just tired. I think I’m just going to go home." Kalia told them

"Do you need a ride?" Zelda asked

"No. I live in this building too. Remember?" Kalia reminded her

"Oh yeah, that’s right. Are you going to come over tomorrow?" Zelda asked

"Maybe. I’ve got some things to take care of before classes start next week." Kalia said as she walked out of the door.

Kalia walked out of the door, without words or even a look to either of them.

"Just like that huh?" Bobby asked

"That was weird. But I guess weirdness is the theme for the night." Replied Zelda

"Weirdness? With me involved? You’re kidding right?" Bobby laughed

"Yes, especially with you involved." Zelda smiled back.

"You don’t say." Bobby smiled

Bobby and Zelda stood there for a few minutes. Silence filled her room; the pair just stared at each other.

"Ok, so where does this leave us?" Zelda broke the silence

"Well, this is your room. I’m over here, and you’re over there. That’s where we are." Bobby answered in his usual manner.

"Ok, smartass. Are you gonna start answering my questions or not?" Zelda asked firmly

"Jeeze, Zel, what do you want to know?" Bobby asked annoyed.

"I’m not trying to upset you Bobby. I’m just concerned for you." She said

"I know Zel, but I’m not up to talking right now." Bobby told her

"Do you ever feel like talking?!?" Zelda asked

"Look Zel. Let’s just say I’ve had a lot goin on lately. Can I just leave it at that for right now? Please." Bobby pleaded

"What could be so bad, Bobby. I thought we were friends?" Zelda told him

"We are Zel. But I don’t really want to talk about it right now." He confessed

"Fine Bobby." Zelda said giving up. "I’m not about to argue with you anymore."

The silence retuned to her room.

Bobby looked at Zelda.

Zelda looked back.

Neither of them could find anything to say.

"So…." Bobby tried

"Right." Zelda replied.

"Maybe I should go, before your roommate gets back." Bobby assumed

"That would probably be a good idea." Zelda agreed

Zelda and Bobby said their goodbyes to each other. They both planned on seeing each other the next day, for a more calm night. Zelda wanted to find Kalia and ask what was wrong with her. Bobby wanted to sleep, or at least that’s what he told Zelda.

Bobby left and headed to his car, while Zelda watched him from her window. As Bobby drove away, Zelda fell back on her bed. Thinking about the events from last night, and this morning. If Bobby wasn’t enough of a problem, Zelda noticed something wrong with Kalia. She was never the quiet one, not on a normal day.

No matter how hard she tried. Kalia couldn’t sleep. Her roommate was still at work, which provided her at least a moment of silence. It was a known fact that Kalia and Angela shared a bitter disgust of one another.

It was not always as such. The two girls used to be great friends, as well as Zelda. The three of them were inseparable for their first year in college. Kalia and Zelda had been friends since their first meeting; they both shared a criminal law class, and found that they disagreed on every issue. Kalia had be a hard set, unforgiving in her opinion to criminals, and those that used and victimized people. Zelda was more passive, always asking for second chances for people. Ironically they became friends after a paper that had to compare their very different ideals.

While researching this paper, Zelda introduced Kalia to her roommate Angela. Angela was a struggling student. This was the first time Angela was away from her family for an extended period of time. Being alone frightened her, which only made her turn inward. Kalia saw this and befriended her.

Their friendship didn’t last long. By the beginning of their second year the three began to go separate ways. Kalia became lost in the social environment outside of class; Zelda became obsessive over her studies, while Angela once again started to be consumed by her depression.

Angela watched from the outside of Kalia growing circle of friends. She became lost to Kalia, and that hurt her deeply. She considered Kalia to be her only real friend. Zelda was a necessary acquaintance, Kalia on the other hand wanted to be her friend. At least she thought.

It wasn’t until early in the final term of the year, that the school noticed Angela’s slipping grades and her inwardly attitude. One of her instructors stepped in, and saw to getting her a position at the school to meet new people, hopefully in her same situation. She reluctantly accepted her job giving tours to the new students at the college. It was soon after that she met Joseph.

Joseph saw her fragile state of mind. First it seemed strange to her that he had started school so late, but she gave it no thought and did her job. Shortly after their first meeting, Angela and Joseph were always seen together. Almost immediately he took an unhealthy interest in making Kalia miserable to what she ‘did’ to his friend. Kalia never let him talk down to her, and soon that developed in Angela taking arms against her former friend. Blaming Kalia for her depression and coming very close to failing out of school.

Kalia remembered those events as she sipped on a freshly mixed drink. She had learned that no amount of alcohol could ever make her forget about letting her down. Thankfully she had Jesse, who showed her that. Almost six months of constant torment from Angela, Joseph and their new friends drove her to frenzy unlike any other; it took almost as long for her roommate Jesse to convince her that Angela was beyond her help.

Almost limitless friends she had, but it took her roommates constant bickering and off the wall comments to convince her. Even the thought of what she would say to Kalia’s attitude right now brought a smile to her face. Until she had to put her glass down, for fear that the laughing fit would cause her to spill it.

"Hey rooooooooooooooooooomie." Jesse called out opening the door.

Jesse stood in the doorway, looking at her roommate in a laughing fit. "Uh huh." She said to herself. "Well I’m going to bed, don’t be all loud."

"I’m sorry Jesse." Kalia said between laughs. "I was having a pretty shitty day"

"Coulda fooled me." Interrupted Jesse.

"Shut up." She said throwing a piece of ice at Jesse.

"Hey, that was beyond uncalled for." Jesse returned

"Yeah whatever." Kalia crunched on another cube

"So what does this shitty day involve this time, roomie of many problems?" Jesse threw herself onto a chair.

"Oh the usual Angela crap again." Kalia confessed

"Ah jeeze." Jesse sighed burring her face into her arms

"Yeah I know. ‘She’s just a little vindictive, jealous, twerp with nothing better to do than bother me.’ You don’t have to say it again." Kalia sipped again.

"Ok, first of all what did I say about that word?" Jesse scowled

"What word?"

"The one that started with a ‘T’ and had a reference to do with someone’s height."

"Jesse. Get over that." Kalia threw another piece of ice at her

"Ok, as soon as you get over the vertically challenged person not in this room." Jesse laughed

"Deal." Kalia sipped again. "So how was work today?"

"You have to ask me that everyday, just to torment me don’t you?" Jesse returned Kalia’s ice to her, via the forehead

"I was on a role, I had to make you feel bad too." She laughed at Jesse.

"I work in the school library. I don’t need to feel bad about that through another person. I do enough of that to myself. If I didn’t double and triple the fines of people I don’t like I would be a very harmful person to live with though."

"Uh, but you don’t like anybody."

"That’s what makes it fun. I don’t discriminate."

"Thank god I don’t go to the library."

"That might be a good thing. We might not get along so great if you started." Jesse said, escaping into her room.

"Yeah sure, just try and put me in a worse mood and see how fun I can be to live with." Kalia called out to her.

Bobby pulled into his parking space near his dorm. Getting out of his car and taking a quick look around he saw that no one was around. Probably still at that party he thought to himself.

Clicking the alarm on his car remote he started to his building. As he walked he cursed himself for the show he gave to Zelda and Kalia, and whomever else saw him. He was thankful for tonight though, it was very cool and quiet. His favorite time of year, not that he could feel how cold it was. He was more relaxed during days like this.

He was starting to relax until he saw his three smoker friends come outside in front of the doors. Almost in precise unison they lit up, and started dragging. Feeling devilish, Bobby thought slightly and created a slight drop in the temperature around them, just sudden enough to extinguish their cigarettes, but short enough to go unnoticed.

"Hey look who it is guys." The center one said.

"Yeah hey." Bobby said walking past them.

"Say, did you go to that party today?" One asked him from his perch against the wall

"Uh, yeah, you saw me there…" Bobby said irritated. "Remember?"

"Oh yeah, I think I saw you there, I don’t really recall it though." The third one said.

"Well, I was with company so I just waved and went on my way." Bobby told them

"Prospecting the ladies already? Wow brother, you don’t waste time." Said the perched one.

"You could say that." Bobby said eyeballing the one against the wall, "and don’t call me brother."

"Sorry man, I didn’t mean to upset ya, the human family should stick together you know." The smoker returned.

"Yeah, now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get some sleep." Bobby said sliding past them

"Not so fast." The center one grabbed Bobby’s arm

"Please" Bobby thought, "give me one good excuse to freeze the water vapor in your lungs."

"Where do you think you are going?" He asked gripping Bobby’s arm tighter.

"To my room." He said, giving the smoker an idiotic look

"The night is still young, friend. How would you like to come with us, there is something we want to show you." The smoker said squinting his eyes.

"How about, no." Bobby said to them, "I told you I want to sleep."

"Suit yourself man. We’ll show ya tomorrow then, when you’re not so worn out from that wild party." The man laughed

"Alright, later." Bobby said as he opened the door to his building.

"Jebus, this is becoming a theme every time I walk in this place." Bobby said to himself as he started the four flights of stairs to his room.

"So you’re home tonight?" Angela called from the doorway

"Yeah, that I am. Why do you ask?" Zelda asked

"Oh, I thought you’d be out with your new boyfriend." Angela remarked

"You haven’t the slightest clue about me and Bobby. You’re just still pissed that he didn’t take you’re crap." Zelda scolded at her, just before retreating into her room.

Zelda slammed the door behind her. Angela was in another mood; she was always like this when she was around Joseph. And it was when she was like this that Zelda felt more sorry for her. Angela was so easily led along into believing whatever people had to say, that it struck Zelda as pathetic.

She knew that she couldn’t take much of Angela’s mood tonight. She’d already been through enough frustration with Bobby and she thought that Kalia had something going on with her too. Kalia worried her; Zelda knew that Kalia believed that it was her fault for Angela getting mixed up with Joseph and his group. Which caused her to drink, and lock herself away for a day or two at a time.

Zelda packed a bag and grabbed her keys, and started out the door. Stepping into the common area they shared, Zelda saw that Joseph was now in the room. Not wanting to see what they were about to do, Zelda went straight for the door and headed to her car.

To be continued…