A CALIFORNIA ROSE
Chapter Four
Elias University
Southland, California
September 15, 2002
Rose’s SUV bounced over a speed bump as she
pulled into the parking lot of her dormitory, Cherbourg Hall. Circling the
parking lot, she searched for a parking space. She saw several that would have
worked if she had been driving a compact car, but her mother had insisted that
she drive an SUV, saying that it was "safer".
Rose finally found a parking space, at the
farthest end of the second level of the parking lot. A moment later, Cal pulled
up beside her, followed by her mother’s car.
Rose stepped out of the SUV and headed around
to the back to start unloading her belongings. Cal followed her and began
pulling boxes out of the vehicle.
Hefting a box, Rose turned to look at the
campus. "I don’t see what all the fuss is about. It doesn’t look any
better than a community college."
Cal’s brow furrowed angrily for a moment.
"You can be blasé about some things, Rose, but not about Elias University.
It has a much higher standard than community colleges, and is far more
difficult to get into." He turned to Ruth, who was also helping unload.
"Your daughter is far to difficult to please, Ruth."
Ruth laughed lightly, reminding herself to
have a talk with Rose later. "It’s lucky that you were allowed to move in
on a Sunday, Rose. Otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to help you."
Rose didn’t reply. She just walked faster,
carrying her heavy box toward the dorm building. Ruth watched her in
irritation. Ever since Rose had become engaged to Cal, she had been cranky,
irritable, and hard to get along with. Ruth knew that Rose wasn’t happy with
her situation, but she would not allow her to make a mistake that might ruin
her life.
Rose started down the stairs toward the
building, wishing that she was anywhere else. Cal had pulled several strings to
get her into Cherbourg Hall, the only all-girls dorm on the campus. Most
likely, Rose thought, he was just afraid that she would meet some other guy.
Rose struggled up the stairs to the third
floor--the elevators were out of order--and found her room at the end of the
hall. Her two roommates were already there.
Rose looked around the room in dismay. It was
smaller than her tiny bedroom at home, and was being used to house three
students, their desks, computers, wardrobes, books, CD players, and beds. Three
twin beds were crammed into the room, so close together that if a person fell
out of bed, they’d be trapped until their roommate decided to wake up.
One of her roommates was fiddling with an
already blasting radio. The other turned to stare at her and her boxes.
"Oh, wonderful. They really are putting
three people in here. Hey, Mari, you’d better get your stuff off that bed.
Someone’s gonna be using it."
Mari didn’t look up from her radio. The other
girl walked over and shut it off. "Come on. Let’s move our stuff. I can’t
believe they’re really putting three people in here. With the amount we’re
paying, we could’ve rented an apartment with two bedrooms."
It wasn’t the warmest welcome Rose had ever
received. Ruth and Cal had come in behind her, setting her boxes on the floor.
"I’ll get the rest of your boxes,"
Cal told Rose, holding his hand out for her keys. Rose gave them to him, glad
to be rid of him for a moment.
"You have more boxes?" Mari asked,
staring at her in disbelief.
"Only two," Rose replied, trying to
reassure her.
"Let me guess. They told you about
spacious rooms," the other girl said.
"Sort of," Rose admitted. "I
knew they couldn’t be that big, because my fiancé graduated from here and is
familiar with the dorms. Nobody told me about three people to a room,
though."
"They never do. By the way, I’m Michelle
Palmer. This is Mari Lopez. And you are?"
"I’m Rose DeWitt-Bukater."
"Is DeWitt your middle name or part of
your last name?" Mari asked, looking over Rose’s clothes.
"Part of my last name. Why?"
"There was a man in the town I went to
high school in who’s name was Dewitt Ruth," Mari explained. "He was
on the school board for a while, until he got recalled back in 2000."
Rose laughed. Ruth walked back in, looking at
her questioningly. Rose explained. "There was a school board member in
Mari’s town who was named Dewitt Ruth. Like your name, just reversed."
"Oh." Ruth didn’t seem too
interested. "Where are you from, Mari?"
"A town about thirty miles north of
here, Perris."
Ruth nodded. "I’ve heard of it. A
run-down, seedy place."
Mari’s eyes narrowed. "It’s not that
bad."
Michelle spoke up before an argument could
start. "Let’s get Rose settled and check out this place, see who else is
living here." Cal had brought up the last of Rose’s boxes while they were
talking, and looked eager to leave.
He tossed Rose her keys. "Do you need
any help settling in?" he asked her, watching her two roommates. They were
helping Ruth unpack Rose’s clothes, exclaiming over some of the outfits.
"You might help me unpack my
books."
Cal sighed. "All right, where do they
go?"
Michelle pointed to an almost full bookcase.
"Put them there. If you can’t fit them all, you can stack some on the
desk."
Mari held up one of Rose’s dresses.
"Hey, Rose, can I borrow your clothes sometime? You can borrow some of mine
if you like."
Michelle hit Mari on the arm. "Your
clothes are nasty! Nobody wants to borrow them!"
"Sure. Go ahead," Rose told Mari.
They looked to be about the same size. "Just ask me first."
"No problem. You can still borrow my
clothes. This’ll make both our wardrobes bigger."
Cal interrupted. "Rose, you knew space
was going to be limited. Why did you bring these books on drama?"
"Because I’m taking a drama class."
"You’re not taking a drama class."
"Yes, I am."
"Rose, drama isn’t going to help you get
a business degree. You need to take things that will help your education."
"It’s general education the first two
years, remember, Cal?"
"You still need to think about your
future. Drama isn’t going to help you get a position with a top company."
"I’m not going to graduate for years
yet. I hardly think it matters."
"Rose..." Cal said warningly. He
noticed that her roommates were listening with interest.
He pulled her out into the hall. "Need I
remind you who is paying for your education? You need to take classes that will
help you get ahead. Drama won’t look good on your resume."
"It’s part of being a well-rounded
individual. Besides, I like drama. There’s truth to the ideas expressed upon
the stage, or the screen."
"Those ‘ideas’ simply incite people to
violence and promiscuity." Cal paused, thinking. "I think a good
psychology class would be better. It would look good on a resume, especially if
you’re going for an internship."
"I probably won’t be thinking about an
internship until I’m a junior."
"Actually, I have been discussing the
possibility of an internship for you this year with the company president. As
CEO, I have the influence to get you a paid internship in your freshman
year." He paused. "But only if you take the right classes."
"You don’t need to get me an internship
yet."
"Rose, you are not taking drama, and
that’s all there is to it."
"I’m already signed up."
"As soon as you’re moved in, we’ll go
down and change your schedule."
"No!"
Cal sighed. "If you want to take drama,
Rose, it’s up to you. But I’m not paying for it."
"I can’t afford the tuition here! You
knew that when you accepted for me!"
"Then you’ll change your schedule."
He noticed Michelle watching them from the doorway.
"Oh, don’t mind me," she told them.
"Go right ahead. This is fascinating."
Cal glanced at her dismissively, then spoke
to Rose in a very quiet, very controlled voice. "You are going to finish
unpacking. Then we will get your schedule and your ID, and change that class.
You can still return your books, and I’ll pay for any new books not covered by
the refund."
Rose pulled her arm away and stalked back
into the room, slamming the door in Cal’s face. She heard him swear under his
breath as he shoved the door back open. "I’ll be waiting for you
downstairs, Rose. Hurry up."
Angrily, Rose rummaged through her purse for
her schedule. Her mother and her roommates had finished unpacking for her. Ruth
looked at Rose warningly.
"I’m going home now, Rose. Behave
yourself."
Rose pulled her schedule from her purse,
crumpling it angrily. Her roommates were watching her sympathetically.
"Who’s that guy?" Michelle wanted
to know.
"Caledon Hockley, my fiancé."
"He’s a jerk!" Mari exclaimed,
handing Rose her drama books. "No offense."
Rose couldn’t help but agree.