Waltz of Her Life

Linda let out a friendly laugh to let them know that Nancy's religion was not a problem. "I'm a sophomore," she said. "Last year, just about all I ate was cereal and things from the salad bar."

Nancy's mother said "We're going to be sending down lox, gefilte fish and bagels. I don't want my little girl to waste away to nothing, you know." She pinched her cheek, causing Nancy to blush visibly.

After most of the boxes had been opened but not emptied and they cluttered up the other side of the room, Nancy and her parents excused themselves. "They have a nice kosher deli here," her mother said. "We're going to get a bite to eat before we leave you both on your own."

Linda found herself alone in the room again. She took advantage of the opportunity to go visit Lauren and find out what apartment living in Alexandria was like. The Tuileries was so close that Linda could walk there. They had been arranged in a massive block, the driveway forming a maze through the Tudor style beige and dark brown buildings which caused Linda to say "They look like a giant 'smore" the first time she'd seen them. Each of the buildings had been set up like newer row houses. All of the apartments contained two floors. After wandering awhile through the maze, Linda found Building E, apartment 102, where Lauren lived.

"Hey, you made it!" Lauren exclaimed, smiling widely, jumping up and down, bumping into Linda for a long, warm hug. Lauren wore a canary yellow halter top and had teased her hair into soft, seductive curls. "Let me give you the fifty cent tour." Linda stepped onto fluffy shag carpet in a spacious den with a TV and a stereo on an improvised cinder-block and plank shelf with huge JBL speakers. "That belongs to Naomi," Lauren explained. "Rich bitch from Schaumburg."

In the kitchen a tanned, blonde haired girl dined at a table made of dark wood and high-backed chairs. She was eating orange macaroni and cheese. "This is Julie, who just moved in last week, from Rockford."

Julie stopped eating long enough to say hello. A cat had curled up on one edge of a colonial style couch with scarlet cushions in the living room. "That's Tiger," Lauren said. "Now come on upstairs with me. You won't want to go back to Bartholomew after this."

The upstairs contained two bedrooms that seemed twice as large as the one where Linda would live with Nancy. Lauren smirked when she opened the door to her room, revealing her full-sized four poster bed, her dresser and mirror, a vanity and an armoire, all of them tastefully matched cherry wood pieces. A glamorous floral bedspread and a huge, red-bowed teddy bear adorned the bed. Across the room lie an equally impressive beige twin bed with matching dressers and a vanity.