Maggie Grey
I tucked my hands underneath my arm as I looked around the quiet old part of Legacy Row.
A neighborhood full of history, wild nights and a murder sprinkled in.
Now it was just old homes for the Greeks and alumni who didn’t want to leave this school alone.
I stood on the doorsteps of the newly renovated Beta Nu house as I quietly knocked on the door, barely even a tap.
“Come on…Come on.” I hissed irritably. The moment someone catches me out here, it was going to get around. “Answer the damn door already…Sheesh–––”
The door swung open as a Feza, a fourth year in a satin green pajama set with the bonnet stood rubbing her eyes with an exaggerated yawn.
“Welcome to the Beta–––”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah…” I barged in. “Beta Nu, true to thee, black women rise, we have arrived…yadi yadi ya. Where is Clem?”
The house was dark with a few lit lamps in the corners and pockets of the old Victorian home. It was study hours that eventually fell into sleeping hours. If you wanted to talk you had to be conscious of your fellow sister who could either be asleep or studying.
“She’s upstairs in her room. I think she’s asleep…”
I went up the spiral stairs, taking two at a time as the door closed.
The halls of Beta Nu were covered with portraits of famous black women above and below wearing their green brooch.
Quietly representing the fantasy sorority, it was always an if you know, you know basis with Beta Nu Pi.
Most of the portraits were enchanted with a looping spell that would occasionally have the women follow you or greet you up and down the stairs.
So I made sure to give a respectful nod before making it to the top floor.
The bedroom doors were closed, quietly letting out muted music, rain sounds or just snores from the bunk beds and multiple twin beds laid next to one another.
These women would do anything to stay in this damn house.
Personally, if I were going to live with a bunch of women, I would rather it be my friends on the grounds.
“Maggie, she’s asleep,” Feza anxiously whispered. “You know how she doesn’t like being woken up from her–––”
I opened the door with a gentle shove, careful not to cause too much commotion before turning around to close the door on the nosey sister.
Clementine’s room always smelled of orange spice with hints of cinnamon and vanilla.
I wasn’t sure if it was the mix of plug-ins, or she had some sort of room spray but her obsession with smell goods in the room needed to be studied.
It was like walking into Bath & Body Works.
All she was missing was the basket full of Japanese Cherry Blossom lotions.
“Clementine?” I whispered. “Clem?”
I heard the light snores suddenly stop as I crept over towards the large bed, praying to God there wasn’t a woman hiding under the sheets beside her.
“Clementine?!” I hissed. Leaning over the bed in the dark with nothing but the light from outside peering into the room, it gave the space a blue undertone of light.
All I could see was the outline of her body under the green covers.
I gently shook her shoulder as her body whipped around with the frilly green eye mask and black tape in the shape of lips, covered her mouth.
She had tape on her cheekbones, and something wrapped around her neck when she rose like a zombie from the spa.
“What in the entire hell is on your face?” I gasped. She snatched her eye mask up glaring angrily at me with layers of bags and mangled lashes. Then she peeled the lip masks off before reaching to cut her lamp on from the nightstand.
“This better be a God damn emergency or I’m calling this in as sexual harassment–––”
“Sexual wh––What are you talking about?” I flipped. “This is an emergency–––”
“Well then spit it out!”
“What…what is all of this on your face and–––”
“Maggie?”
“I’m leaving,” I blurted out. Her mouth fell open as if I had the audacity to waste her time. She dropped back on the bed and turned over with her back facing me. “I’m serious Clem–––”
“You broke into my room to tell me you’re leaving.”
“I didn’t break into your room, I simply opened the door and yes, I’m leaving. I want you to cover for me,” I said as I shook her shoulder again. “I’m going to find a way to break this spell on my family. I just need a few days–––”
“Tuh!” She snorted. “If the most powerful mythics have no idea and they don’t or else it would have been a book about it–––”
“I’ve done some pretty powerful shit too,” I reminded her. “I can do it. I just need time.”
“Where is Namir and why aren’t you telling him?”
“Because he would tell me no and stay here and blah blah…He treats me like a child–––”
“Well you act like one so that’s not surprising.”
I stayed quiet and stared at the back of her head until she groaned before turning around. Flashing a quick smile at her like, she groaned.
“What do you want, Maggie?”
“I told you. Just make sure they know I’m fine,” I said. “I’m leaving after this. I should be back by Monday. I just want someone to know.”
“Your friends don’t know? Not even…Asha?” She asked with a hint of spiteful hope in her voice. Anything to have one over Asha, I guess.
“I’m telling you,” I said with a stern voice. She and I stared at each other before she turned over in the bed. With a wave of her hand, I knew I had her blessing and confirmation.
“If you do something stupid or you’re caught up in something dumb, I’m not covering for you. I swear to God I will act like I don’t know a thing.”
“Thank youuuuu Clemmy Clem…”
“You’re leaving right now?”
“I’m about to go back and pack my bag.” I said over my shoulder. “I’ll be back before you know it.”