the sixth week

Monday. The weather is phenomenal. It’s so nice to drive around with the car windows rolled down. I took Faikham to get her blood drawn, and then we went to Wal-Mart. I got several photos from Minnesota printed. I do miss it there. I spent the evening with Katie and Amanda. Emily invited me to go on a walk with her, so we went to the View and sat looking at the city and talking. She’s engaged to her fiancé who lives in Hamilton. She told me about how she was raped and molested, how she has so many insecurities. I know so many women who’ve gone through that, it’s insane. And heartbreaking.

Tuesday. Katie called me, terrified that she may be pregnant. Dylan refuses to talk about it. Jessie called me today, said, “We don’t hang out anymore.” Am I pushing her away? No. I’m just not drawn to the group she hangs out with: Justin and his cronies, not least the Wright Brothers. Both Emily and Ams called me at night for help on Acts of the Apostles homework.

Wednesday. I skipped Genesis 1-11 to work on Romans homework. Gambill told me Dyke keeps mourning my absences. I ate lunch with Ams (an Acai Berry Smoothie) and then napped listening to the raging 60mph winds shrieking outside my window. While in my ext class a HUGE storm rolled through, resplendent with thunder, lighting, and golf-ball-sized hail. I ate dinner with Stupid Farmer. Jessie and I got into a tiffle today, but we metaphorically kissed and made up. I spent the night with Mikaela in the Hilltop, talking and drinking smoothies.

Thursday. I skipped Geology to hang out with Kyle and to do homework. I went to dinner, felt suffocated by the crowd, and went back to my dorm room. Yay for isolation. The fire alarm went off, and Rick got chewed out by the firemen for boiling water on his stove for dinner. So ridiculous.

Friday. I was going to go home tonight but decided against it. Instead I went to the Hilltop, drank two lattes, and studied Romans. Katie and I watched some movies on her laptop in Student Life. Isaac invited me to go out with to The Anchor at 1 AM, but I was way too tired.

Valentine’s Day. I got breakfast at The Anchor and even woke early enough to see the sunrise. Faikham and I went to the library to do homework. I went to Mariemont down OH-50E, a quaint little down thrust against a backdrop of Indian hills, went to the old chapel and sat on the stone wall encircling the romantically-styled graveyard. I went to a Starbucks there and got an iced coffee. Ams and I went to an art show in Loveland with Sarah, and then I went to Isaac’s apartment. He was throwing a party, and lots of great people were there. I spent the night at Justin’s condo, which is downtown overlooking the Ohio River and Newport across the way. Faikham, Jessie, and Amanda came along, and Faikham fixed us some Thai food. I barely remember most of the evening: I had seven shots of bourbon whiskey and scotch. Nate, Kirby and I laughed at my sexual exploits in the back of Nate’s truck during my days with Courtney. By the time Jessie, Faikham, Justin, and Ams picked me up, I was pretty hammered. Amos ran out to the car with me and then fell flat on his face. I tried picking him up but fell over too. We went to Kroger, and Faikham kept watch over me. “You’re too drunk to be on your own,” she said. The aisles seemed to shimmer as I walked, and I tripped over one of those red cones they put out to tell you there’s a puddle of water. “Why didn’t you warn me about that?” I demanded of Faikham. She looked at me funny, said, “What?” “The cone!” She pointed, and I looked behind me, and there was nothing there. I’m not supposed to drink alcohol while on Abilifi; that’s probably why I got so fucked up.

Sunday. I spent the night throwing up Thai noodles at Justin’s aunt’s condo, and we returned to campus around 10:00. I slept until late in the afternoon and grabbed a light lunch from Rally’s. Something greasy to appease my stomach. The hangover isn’t awful, just an annoyance. The cold shivers are pretty awful, though. Katie let me into the Hilltop at 5:30 to get some Sierra Mist mixed with OJ. Ams and I went to Rally’s for dinner (yes, twice in one day).