First Night Back [Senior Girls only!]

Abi leapt up the girls dormitory stairs, soon realising that in fact it was an extra flight than last year. Balanced in her hands was a large bowl of popcorn, on top of a small book, that Abi had finished writing in and was making her way up to the Senior Dorm, for the first night back party! It had happened every year, apart from their first year at Felicity's, and every time it got better and better. Nothing was really ever planned, it was just a time for them to gossip, have a laugh and a ton of junk food before bed.

This was Abi's favourite part of the year. Pushing open the door, she wobbled slightly, managing to right herself and slide the bowl of popcorn onto the desk sitting right next to the door. Abi placed the book in the small drawer underneath the desk, spotting a bottle she had picked up earlier. This would do for later. She eyed the clock ticking away above the bed in the middle, it was 9pm. The girls would hopefully be getting back early for this, Abi had sent them each a text just to remind them in case they forgot - although they never did.

She walked over to her bed, one of the closest away from the window, and flopped down onto it, her arm sweeping across her face and behind her head. Abi groaned, it was exhausting. Right after the end of relaxing at the lake, her hair was slightly damp from all the splashing but she was hardly wet compared to a few of the others. Abi watched the needle ticking and jumping each minute, she was getting impatient. Pulling herself up from the bed, she jumped over to the popcorn, picking it up from the desk and taking a piece, putting it into her mouth before walking back over to her bed. It was warm, just how she liked it!

Abi started thinking about what would happen tonight, of course gossip would be on the menu, what had happened over their Summer's, and then some random games if they felt like it. Lying back down on her bed, she put the popcorn on her stomach, idly putting her hand in and taking a piece, munching it for a few seconds before sliding her hand in again.

Nikki knew what tonight meant, the first night at school get together of the now 7th year girls. The four of them had gathered every year in their dorm on the first night back at school and had discussed everything that had happened during the summer and what they would be doing for the next year. And this was going to be the last one that they ever had. It made her sad to think that next year at this time they wouldn't be at Harriman. Next year they would probably be starting at a university or they would be working. And they probably wouldn't have each other to gossip with or throw popcorn at or all the other little things that they did on this night. They were going to have to promise to at least call each other and find out what each of them were doing.

She had gotten her snacks out of the back of Monalisa where she had left them during the picnic. There was the grocery bag full of bags of rice cakes in caramel and sour cream and onion. And a small ice chest with cold Cokes in the bottle and Orange Crush and grape Nehi. That would be good with anything they had to eat. The grape Nehi was hard to find but she had carefully lugged it from California after finding a BevMo that carried it.

She opened the door to the dorm room and spotted Abi laying on her bed eating popcorn. She grinned at the sight. "You are lucky, I brought the beverages," she held up the cooler. "And a bag full of rice cakes, in caramel and sour cream and onion flavor, no less. I practically lived on these things last summer. They're soo tasty and low cal. The other two come in yet?" She asked about the other two girls, Jane and Audrey.

Jay had just finished having a wonderful time at the back-to-school picnic, and now she was pumped and ready to have an even more wonderful time at the Official Abi-Nikki-Audie-Jay We're Cooler Than You First Night Back Party (at least that was what she called it in her mind). She hadn't needed Abi's cute text to remind her of their awesome late-night binge-snacking party, she'd been looking forward to it for about the last month. A good deal of the weight of her luggage was from some of the supplies she had brought to fuel their 'little' roomie get together. She'd squirreled away some amazing SoCal ginger ale (the real stuff that was so gingery it made you cry) and had hidden a large jug of burgundy wine. It wasn't the best stuff in the world, but it was good to pass around and get a nice bitter buzz from. They were of course underage, but her cover story could always be that she'd brought it from home to help her make a nice beef bourguignon stew when she got to school. Since she actually knew how to make it, they would probably only get in a little bit of trouble if they were caught. They weren't going to get caught though! On top of those beverages, she'd made some giant rice crispies treats at home (an easy dessert that was also easy to travel with) and brought them along with her. They were no doubt going to be completely murdered by Audie's kickass brownies, but at least she would have contributed something sweet and non-alcoholic.

She ran up to the senior dormitory, looking forward to one of the few 'parties' of the year at which she wouldn't be playing designated driver or voice of reason, and came in only a little after Nikki had entered. "Not yet! But I'm here now, and I don't think Audie's too far behind. Man, I can't wait to get started!" Jay exclaimed, her voice climbing into an incredibly ecstatic squeal as she spoke. She ran over to her dresser and pulled open the bottom drawer, which now contained her SoCal bounty. "I brought goodies too!" she said, showing the other two the stuff she'd brought from home.

Audrey was mad. She was supposed to arrived back at Harriman a good six hours ago. But no. She just got there. Of all the years to be late to school, it had to be her last. Typical. She dragged her suitcase with wheels, her duffle bag, and her bassoon case up the stairs, momentarily stopping in front of the junior dorms to laugh quietly to herself. She hurried up the last flight of stairs to the SENIOR dorms, she had been looking forward to being able to live in these rooms since she was back in middle school. Now she was finally able to. Saying she was excited was putting it lightly. She pushed in the door, remembering to leave all bad thoughts about airplanes in the hallway. Absolutely no reason to spoil the Great-Gal-Get-Together they had every year. Pulling her suitcase into the room, she dropped her duffle bag and set her Bassoon case down softly before looking around. As soon she she spotted her amazing friends she couldn't not be excited. "Jane! Nikki, Abi. Oh my gosh! You have no idea how much I've missed you guys!" She smiled widely before hurrying over to Jane and pulling her into a quick hug. She turned back to the other girls and laughed. "So I brought stuff too!" She knew that they always went through what everyone brought back from home. Traditions. Audie loved them. She was pretty sure that they would all have to get together sometime before they started college and do it again. Audrey wasn't really ready to let it go yet.

Now though, she hurried back over to her duffle bag and pulled the zipper open. She plopped down beside it, facing her friends, and pulled out three containers. "So I made most of these late last night." She opened them, describing each as she opened them. "My brownies, duh. Cupcakes, with my frosting, and Popcorn Balls that technically my sister made them...but I helped." She rolled her eyes, still keeping a big smile on her face. She was glad to be finally back. This school felt like home just like her actual home did. "Brownies aren't warm though. The plan was, I was going to heat them up when I got here, but I'm lucky to be her now and not tomorrow. Missed my second plane after my layover. I fell asleep, but they had another plane leaving like three hours later. So after paying some money that I had been saving for things later on, I got on that plane. I had like a five hour layover." She shrugged, pushing it all out now, figuring they were all wondering where she had been during the back to school event. Something she had never missed before. Now though it was time to gossip and stuff their faces.

Abi couldn't believe it! Not one sign of Audie! It was unusual for her not to be at the lake party, it was at the end of the party Abi noticed that Audie still hadn't arrived. At first, she had wondered if she was just talking to some of the others. Abi smiled "Nikki!" She jumped up from her bed, tossing the popcorn to the side, making sure the minimal amount of popcorn was spilt in the movement. Realising that Nikki had bought drinks, "Wow!" Abi walked over to Nikki, she'd seen her at the lake with the others and spoken to her then. "It's a bit weird. I haven't seen Audie at all!" The look on her face was one of clear worry, was Audie ok? As she finished speaking suddenly, Abi heard someone running up the stairs, and pushing open the door with a bang.

Abi's mouth was hanging open, "Jay!!" She squealed, running over to her friend, and giving her a hug that luckily wasn't as wet as she thought it would be from Jay having gone swimming earlier. "You mean Audie's actually here?" Abi rolled her eyes, and then smiled as Jane mentioned the 'goodies'. "I've missed this so much!" Once again a dull rhythmic thud began hitting the stairs outside, echoing down the hall. Suddenly, the door was pushed open and Audrey was grinning at them all. "Audie!!" Abi squealed. Audrey quickly walked over to Jay and then to Nikki and Abi, Abi quickly gave her a hug, she had missed not talking to any of them over the summer.

Abi sat down at the end of the bed, perching as the last of her roommates appeared. Three boxes appeared from Audie's bag, and she began explaining what was in each. Audie started with the brownies, Abi was so excited, her brownies were complete legends, and you truly hadn't lived until you had tried one. Audrey carried on talking about cupcakes and popcorn balls, all the while Abi was staring at the food, and remembering all the times they had had up in their dorm. She loved all the laughs, pillow fights, games of truth and dare. They were all so memorable.

She blinked, so ecstatic it was brilliant, joining in the conversation again. "You almost missed your plane!?" Abi frowned, "So, you almost missed the one that was next after the one you missed?" Even what she just said was confusing herself, somehow Abi could still see the logic in it.

"Aww Audie, that was horrible. I can't imagine how panicked you must have been. Luckily you had the money to continue on. Can you imagine being stuck till someone could get you a ticket? I'd just die. Of course I hate flying. So I am so uptight everytime I travel cross-country that I could never sleep in an airport, let alone on a plane." She giggled. "And I always worry about my luggage, so I always carryon almost too much so that I be sure to have what I need when I get here.

"Audie, you don't have to warm up your brownies, they are awesome the way they are. I brought some lower calorie snacks, we must watch our weight a bit. Though when you get them out, I will have just one of your delicious brownies. We all must indulge sometimes, just not enough to bulge." She smiled. She loved her food and chocolate was her downfall. She just had to watch how much she ate. She didn't want to blow up like a blimp, though her schedule kept her busy enough that she didn't have to worry about not getting enough exercise.

"Audie-potty!" Jay said, with something only slightly different from a squeal, and set down her goodies in the middle of the floor of their new room. There would be eating and pillow fights and jumping around on beds later, for now though it was time to say hello to everyone again. "Oooh, brownies!" she said, before frowning as she heard Audie's story. "Oh man, airports. They messed up the dates for flying my freaking car and computer over, but at least they got me here on time. That's such a bummer Audie." She gave her friend a hug, snagging one of her brownies in the process. She munched on one corner of the amazingly chocolaty snack and rolled her eyes humorously at Nikki's precautions about their weight. "Aw, come on Nikki! Can't we blow up like blimps, please? Just a little bit?" she gave Nikki her best puppy-dog face, then smiled broadly. Nikki was probably right about not being total piggies, but Jay thought that at least this night out of the next year they could splurge. She didn't care what the others did, she was going to stuff her face with so much food that her first night of sleep at Harriman would be more like a first night of food coma.

"Okay, so we've got the snacks, the drinks, and the booze," she smiled anxiously, "The question is how are we going to put it to good use? I think first things first though. Why don't we sit down on the lovely floor of our lovely, bathroom included room?" Jay took a seat, beginning the ring that would end up circling around the food.

Abi couldn't help rolling her eyes at Nikkis health food kick. It certainly wasn't going to kill her to calm down over that for a couple of seconds, she wanted to enjoy Audie's brownies without Nikki muttering something about it in the background, no matter how good a friend she was. She laughed at Jay, jumping from one thing to next just like she usually did, no matter how much some of the things they did annoyed her, Abi loved them all to death! She hastily grabbed a brownie from Audie, muttering a quick 'thanks!' in passing. As Abi seated herself happily down, when Jay said they should. This was going to be fun.

"This is so much fun! It's just like last year" Abi grinned, munching on the last of her brownie, as it just started melting some of the little pieces of chocolate. "Amazing as usual, Audie!" Abi crossed her legs, and rubbed her hands together, "Anything exciting happen to anyone? Gossip people!!" Abi ordered, although a massive grin was glued to her face.

Jay drummed her fingernails against the floor of their room, holding the pointer finger of her other hand against her lips. "Hmmmm, fun and gossip. From us? Why Abi, I never!" She grinned broadly at the roommate sitting next to her, only pretending to be offended. "Well...Evey and I chased scores of boys through Disneyland this summer, but here was this one who totally stood out. He was Mr. Tall Dark And Handsome all the way, and he actually talked to us!" She grinned bemusedly, "Well, actually he talked to Evey and I talked to his random, and much less handsome friend, but Evey had a great time!" She shrugged, wondering if gossiping about sisters counted as gossip.

"Any gossip from you girls? Boy-related or otherwise?" Audie and Nikki were being a little more quiet than was usual for them, but Jay just wrote it off to the presence of food to distract them. Speaking of which (sorta), she leaned back and wrapped her hand around the handle of her large jug of red wine. She pulled it over in front of her, then leaned back again for the plastic red cups she'd brought. With both things in front of her, she separated out four cups and poured three fingers of wine in each of them. "Anybody up for a little bit of depraved behavior?" She asked mischievously. Jay made a habit out of not drinking or doing anything else that would kill brain cells (heck, she had to hold on tight to what she had already, right?), but there were a few situations, and a very small group of people, in which she felt comfortable indulging. Just a little bit.

Audrey pushed one of her hands into her bag and tried to find a hair tie. In the process, three batteries rolled out and under one the already occupied beds. By the look of it, it had to be Jane’s, but that was beside the point. Letting the other girls start eating her brownies, Audie push up off the floor and quickly plopped down on Jane’s bed and leaned over the side, looking underneath the bed. She reached under, probably looking absolutely ridiculous, and pushed the batteries back towards her bag. She pushed up onto her head for a little and almost fell over. Standing on her head was probably not were her specialty. Actually anything that took her off her feet wasn’t her specialty, but everyone should know that.

Audie laughed slightly, before crawling over to the other girls. ”Blowing up like blimps sounds like a perfect plan in my opinion.” She sat cross legged between Jane and Abi. She grinned widely before shoving some popcorn into her mouth. She listened quietly as Jane-y talked about Mr. Guy, while eating more popcorn. If she kept eating it, it'd be all gone. She pushed her hand into her lap and decided she was being to quiet. ”Did you get this Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome’s number?” She raised her eyebrows slightly. Audrey didn’t do much during the summer, usually spent with her Aunt, but that wasn’t any fun to talk about. When Jane poured the wine Audrey automatically reached for one. She didn't drink often, but she didn't have any problems with it. She held the cup at arms length, up for a toast. ”Toast! To ruling the school in our last year maybe?” She laughed, ruling the school would be amazing.

The underlined portion is my goose...from like forever ago. Sorry it's kinda short.