19:40. Tuesday, November 28, 2023. William Williams Dining Hall at Sherman University.
As they approached the entrance to the dining hall, Margaret became excited. William Williams (sometimes just shortened to Will Will), had two sides. One was the quiet side, where students could eat quietly in peace. A lot of students used it for studying and talking was strictly limited so students could focus.
The other was the loud side, where students were allowed to talk to one another freely, and they even played music over the speaker. The sides were separated by the room where students actually got the food.
Her dad had made her agree that she wouldn’t go to the loud side unless she was with friends who he had approved of. It was tough because Margaret knew that he was just worried about her being overwhelmed, but she wished that he didn’t worry so much about her. Still, she would never upset her dad, so she followed the rule to the letter.
Thankfully Janice was on the list of approved friends. It had been awkward asking her and Addy to talk to her dad when she wasn’t allowed to know what they talked about, but she had the best friends in the world so it turned out fine in the end.
“Can we go to the loud side?” Margaret asked.
“I kind of prefer the quiet side,” Roman said, “it isn’t so bad if you keep your voice down.”
“But I never get to go, Margaret said, “and I think it would be really fun!”
“It’s fun?” Roman asked, “Well that won me over, let’s do it.”
“Loud side it is,” Janice said.
William Williams was one of Margaret’s favorite spots on campus. Beside the food being great (besides what one cute nonbinary person might tell you), they always had plenty of options for vegans, vegetarians, and people who were gluten free.
They also had plenty of drink options. Including the coffee, soda, tea, and various flavors of juices and smoothies, they also had Margaret’s go to drink of hot chocolate always on tap! And whenever she was here she would always refill her thermos.
Her favorite part though, was the ice cream machine. Margaret had taken ample advantage of it during her time on campus. And, when she was feeling particularly decadent, she would pour ice cream into her hot cocoa. It always came out at the perfect temperature.
The downside though, was she was definitely feeling the freshman fifteen her dad warned her about. She had already been on the husky side before she ever even became a student here.
Even if she was a bit self-conscious about it, she tried not to let it get her down. Her dad once told it meant that there was just more of her to love, and so she decided she would take that message to heart.
“How do you drink that?” Janice asked, “That would be way too sweet for me.”
“Yeah,” Roman agreed, “I am getting a cavity just looking at it.”
Margaret had decided to treat herself with a cup of hot chocolate, with ice cream, marshmallows, and some sprinkles and gummy bears poured on for color! It was already a rare treat to get to go to the loud side, so she decided she would go all out.
“Judge me all you want, but I know you want to try it!” Margaret said.
“I’ll pass,” Roman said.
“Same,” Janice said, “but it is fitting for someone as sweet as you.”
“Stop!” Margaret insisted, “You’ll make me melt!”
“Then you and the icecream will have another thing in common,” Roman said.
Everyone is always so nice to me. I wish I could make it up to them.
A pop song that Margaret had heard on the radio came on. She wasn’t sure if it was called Baby I’m In Love or My Sweetheart’s Liar. But those phrases were repeated enough during the chorus that she was confident it was one of the two.
“Ugh, I hate this pop trash,” Janice said, “I can’t wait for the revolution so I can burn down the studio boardroom that made it.”
“That seems harsh,” Roman said, “why waste a perfectly good building?”
“I don’t know,” Margaret said, “I kind of like it. How do you know that the singer didn’t write it anyway.”
“Margaret,” Janice responded, “I love you, but you are so naive. None of those popstars make their own songs.”
Margaret should have been bothered by being called naive, but she was too happy hearing Janice say that she loves her. It made her feel warm.
“I love you too,” Margaret said, “even if you only like scary music.”
“It’s not ‘scary’, sweetie,” Janice said, “it’s alt.”
“A lot of the bands you like are probably made in the same boardroom as Sweetheart’s Liar,” Roman explained. Oh is that what this song is called?
“What would you know?” Janice asked, “All you listen to is techno.”
“Calling chiptune music ‘techno’ is as bad as Margaret calling alt music ‘scary’,” Roman said.
“They are scary!” Margaret interjected, “A lot of the songs Janice sent me talked about blood and the devil. And I don’t like that they yell...”
“And what did you think of the stuff I played for you the other night?” Roman said.
“The video game music you played on
“Sorry Janice,” Roman said, “Case closed. My ‘video game music’ beats your ‘scary music’.”
“Can’t argue with that logic,” Janice said, “but Margaret you have to at least admit my taste is better than Marcus or Addy’s.”
The conversation drifted onto the tastes of the other two members. When asked for an ‘official ruling’ on their tastes, Margaret declared that Addy’s ‘scary German rap’ was worse than Janice's because at least some of the songs Janice listened to were about love. While she rated the ‘old people’ music Marcus listens to as the best because the lyrics were always about coming together for a better world.
“Yeah, Janice agreed, “a good rendition of Solidarity Forever will make me tear up in the right context.”
“Pretty sure most communists would agree,” Roman concurred.
“By the way, what do you think he and Addy are talking about for the plan?” Margaret asked.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“Hey,” Janice warned, “be careful talking about the plan in public.” But before Margaret could feel bad for talking about secret business in public, Roman spoke up.
“Don’t worry, I got it,” Roman said. Then, the music for Sweetheart’s Liar began to get louder.
“It’s programmed to just play whatever is playing over the speakers,” Roman said, “and just in case…” He held out his hand, holding what looked to be an invisible box. He waved it over the area.
“Okay,” Roman said, “no hidden bugs. And anyone nearby will just think the speakers are just louder over here. I have it facing away from us so that we are free to talk.”
“Your talent is so cool, Roman,” Margaret said.
“Thanks I awakened it myself,” Roman quipped.
“To answer your question Margaret,” Janice explained, “I have to guess that Addy just wants to make sure we are playing this smart.”
“But if we have
“Sweetie,” Janice said, “I love you, and I love Marcus, but you really shouldn’t put stock in those visions.”
“Agreed on that point,” Roman said.
“But Janice, I thought you were in favor of the proposal?” Margaret asked, “Why would you do that if you don’t think it would work.”
“I was initially on the fence,” Janice answered, “but I figured taking on a group of villains might make a good stress test for our current combat capabilities.”
“I was against it because it sounded like adventurism,” Roman said, “I think we need to develop more as a revolutionary vanguard before we are able to take something like this on.”
“What do you mean by adventurism?” Margaret asked.
“It is a term for when someone is motivated by a desire for action regardless of if the tactic is sound. It’s something Addy and Marcus have in common. I don’t see how Addy’s plan to remove hostile architecture was that much better,” Roman explained.
“Isn’t hostile architecture bad?” Margaret asked. She remembered a conversation where Addy explained the concept to her in great detail.
“That isn’t the point,” Roman answered, “you and I are the only two from Midport in the Rammers. Neither Addy nor Marcus really understand the local conditions but want to go out and try to solve our problems.”
Margaret did her best to absorb the information. Adventurism is when bad socialists try to fix other people’s problems.
She added it to her mental list of other words that were bad such as ‘revisionism’, ‘opportunism’, and ‘reactionary’. But she rated it a lot less bad than the others because it was something Addy and Marcus do rather than something the WAA or conservatives do.
“What would you have us do?” Janice asked Roman.
“We could steal a page out of YWAA’s book,” Roman answered, “and only focus on organizing on campus. Only without their tendency for reformism and economism.”
“I know those ones! Reformism is when fake socialists try to change stuff with laws. And economism is when fake socialists get caught up in labor unions.”
“Close enough,” Roman said, nodding. Roman is a stickler for definitions, so I know this is high praise.
Janice patted her on the head, and fed her a french fry. Margaret felt warm thinking about how far she had come since she first joined.
“You should have brought this up in the meeting,” Janice said, “it would have changed my mind at least.”
“Honestly?” Roman said, “You called the vote a little early. Plus I thought it was gonna fail anyway.”
“Oh, yeah sorry about that,” Janice apologized, “things were just getting a little too heated.”
“Speaking of the vote,” Margaret interjected, “do you think because adventurism is why Addy changed their mind in the end? Because Addy and Marcus actually agree on trying to fix other people’s problems?”
It was a little quiet. Margaret felt a chill up her spine. Did I get the definition wrong? I thought I was starting to understand.
“You know,” Janice said, “I think fixing other people’s problems was exactly why Addy changed their mind.”
“Good point Marg,” Roman said.
Margret felt warm at the praise, and because it meant she now could understand Addy better.
----------------------------------------
20:19. Tuesday, November 28, 2023. Sherman University.
“Okay, this is where I have to head out,” Roman said, “have a good night comrades.”
“Night comrade!” Margaret said.
“Later,” Janice said.
Roman lived in the Innovation Hall, which was exclusive for stem majors and was a little ways up the road. Addy and Janice lived in Miles Dormitory which was one of the oldest dorms on campus, and was one of the nicest on campus. Addy didn’t like it though and said it was probably filled with lead paint.
Margaret was heading back there in order to meet back up with Addy so they could drive her to the sleep study place.
Meanwhile Margaret lived at Continental College, which was for freshmen only, and wasn’t far from Miles Dorm. Living there was supposed to be a bonding experience for the freshmen, but part of the arrangement that her dad had made with the school meant she wasn’t able to have a roommate. Everyone told her they were jealous she had a single, but all it made Margaret feel was lonely.
He did say he would talk to the school about letting her move in with Janice next year, but Janice was a junior and would be a senior by that time. Not to mention Marcus was a senior, and would have graduated by then. He said he would be applying for the graduate program though so there was a chance he would be around for longer.
Thankfully, Addy and Roman were only sophomores so I have lots of time to spend with both of them!
“Hey hotties, where are you two going this time of night!” said a guy interrupting Margaret’s thoughts. She looked over and saw a group of guys hanging out by a bench.
“Just ignore them,” Janice whispered.
“Come on baby!” the guy shouted, “Don’t go and give me the cold shoulder!”
“Yeah blondie don’t be a bitch!” a second guy shouted. They all started laughing.
Margaret didn’t like these boys. They were ruining a good night she and her friend were having. So even though Janice asked her to ignore them, she just couldn’t.
“That is very rude!” Maragret called out.
“Ew, I wasn’t talking to the fat one!” the second guy shouted. All three really started to laugh after that. Margret felt a chill.
“Seriously Maragret,” Janice whispered louder, “just let it go.”
But Maragret couldn’t hold it in. Maybe she had a bit of an adventurist streak in her too, because she really wanted to fix these boys' bad attitudes.
“There is nothing wrong with being fat! My dad says it means there is more of me to love!” Margaret said.
“Yeah, and what does your boyfriend say? ‘Help you’re crushing me!’” the second boy said. Margaret froze in her tracks and felt her fingertips getting cold.
“Die in a fire!” Janice shouted back, before whispering to her “Seriously don’t listen to pigs. You’re hot, anyone would be lucky to date you. We are almost at the dorm, so let’s just go.”
But those boys were right. I’ve never even had a boyfriend, and no guy would ever want to sleep with me.
“You pig headed misogynists better take that back and apologize!” Janice shouted.
I’ve never even kissed a boy. Why would they wanna kiss someone like me?
“Or what! Is she gonna eat us!” the third guy yelled.
I’m ugly. And stupid.
Ice started to cover both of her hands.
“I’m serious it is about to get really bad! Run!” Janice said before she started to mutter numbers to herself.
I’m going to be alone forever.
Nothing matters.
“Addy is in love with you!” Janice shouted.
The third boy managed to get his shoe off and ran away to join his friends half barefoot. Yelling about how Margaret was a 'psycho bitch'.
Margaret turned to Janice. She’s lying to me.
“Yeah,” Janice said, “but you can’t ask them about it, because they told it to me in private. But I love you so much that it hurts to keep a secret this big from you.”
She never cared about me.
“It’s true!” Addy declared.
Warmth filled Margaret’s body. Allowing her frozen tears to flow once more.