Page 29 (1/2)

Chapter One - Elise

March bit with all its teeth It was midterm season here on campus, the air rife with a cocktail of pre-celebration elation and existential dread Snow clung toin the air like a phantom

Echoing halls led to a deserted classrooained entry I liked to be early in every sense Gave me some time to myself

Although even I occasionally succumbed to the comforts of my mattress, and so I’d debated whether I should just stay in bed and rush over at the lastit was best to arrive early, so I would already be where I was needed

I liked to sit in the back A habit I picked up in high school Short and overweight, with thick glasses and a passion for learning, I was a priirls The jocks and cheerleaders were the worst They always stuck together andfear in all they encountered

The only ones they left alone were the sroups Only about ten strong with their full numbers, their reputation preceded them, and not even the linebackers wanted to take the risk

Checking the orange plastic seat for subtle threats, priue thuin

“Foucault was a nut,” Amber objected as she sat down beside me

“That’s what they always say about people who are right,” countered Thorne, AKA Hawthorne Gray, flanking ht

“Elise, what do you think?” A me into the fray

“Yeah, Vaughn, you’re smart, educate this philistine on the Post-Modern truth”

It was the first time I’d hear my name in the same sentence as ‘post-modern truth’ and I wasn’t sure how much I liked the association

“Truth, hed, “had you read post- Foucault, you would know that there is not set truth, and we live in a less universe”

“Can’t argue with that,” I agreed