"Your mom told you not to be so negative, remember?"
They went downstairs, merging into the loud crowd of students.
Outside, the sun shone brightly on the brick-covered courtyard known as Red Square. Over by Suzzallo Library, a group of long-haired students were gathered beneath a CLEAN UP HANFORD sign.
"Quit complaining to my mom when you dont get your way," Kate said as they headed for the Quad. "We cant even get into journalism classes until were juniors. "
Tully stopped. "Are you really not going to come with me?"
Kate smiled and kept walking. "We arent going to get the job. "
"But youll come with me, right? Were a team. "
"Of course Im coming. "
"I knew it. You were just messing with me. "
They kept talking as they walked through the Quad, where the cherry trees were lush and green, as was the grass. Dozens of students in brightly colored shorts and T-shirts played Frisbee and hacky sack.
At the newspaper office, Tully stopped. "Ill do the talking. "
"Im shocked, really. "
Laughing, they went into the building, announced themselves to a shaggy-looking kid at the front desk, and were directed to the editors office.
The entire meeting lasted less than ten minutes.
"Told you we were too young," Kate said as they walked back to the sorority.
"Bite me. Sometimes I think you dont even want to be a reporter with me. "
"Thats a complete lie: you hardly ever think. "
"Bitch. "
"Hag. "
Kate put an arm around her. "Come on, Barbara Walters, Ill walk you home. "
Tully was so depressed over the meeting at the newspaper that Kate spent the rest of the day cajoling her into a good mood.
"Come on," she finally said, hours later, when they were back in their minuscule room in the sorority house. "Lets get ready. You want to look your best for the exchange. "
"What do I care about a stupid exchange? Frat boys are hardly my ideal. "
Kate struggled not to smile. Everything about Tully was big—she had such high highs and low lows. Their time at UW had only increased her tendencies. The funny thing was that while this huge crowded campus had somehow released Tullys extravagances, it had had an opposite and calming effect on Kate. She felt stronger every day here, more and more ready to become an adult. "Youre such a drama queen. Ill let you do my makeup. "
Tully looked up. "Really?"
"Its a time-limited offer. You better move your ass. "
Tully jumped up, grabbed her hand, and dragged her down the hall to the bathroom, where dozens of girls were already showering and drying off and blowing their hair out.
They waited their turns, took their showers, and went back to the room. Thankfully, their other two roommates werent there. The tiny space, filled mostly with dressers and desks and a set of bunk beds for the upperclassmen, barely gave the two of them room enough to turn around. Their own twin beds were in the large sleeping porch down the hall.
Tully spent almost an hour on their hair and makeup, then pulled out the fabric theyd bought for their togas—gold for Tully, silver for Kate—and created a pair of magical garments held in place by tight belts and rhinestone pins.
Kate studied her reflection when they were done. The sparkling silver fabric complemented her pale skin and golden hair and brought out the green in her eyes. After all the nerd years, she was still sometimes surprised that she could look good. "Youre a genius," she said.