The Long Winter #84
Media Blitz part two
The University Arena was used for basketball and volleyball and sat nearly 25,000 people. It was well-lit with a bright, smooth wood floor and individual seats under a vaulted steel and wood roof. They were on the floor where one of the basketball hoops would normally be with three or four dozen curious reporters staring down at them. The three girls read their statements and then Anita stepped in and directed the questioning.
“What was your relationship to the suspect in the weeks leading up to the attack?”
“How well did you know his family?
“What about the timing? Did it interfere with your classes? Your other relationships?”
“Why, specifically, did he target you?”
“Why would he target your friends?”
“What is your relationship to Kelly Swanson?”
“Are you planning to continue attending the Institute?”
“Do you think the Institute is safe?”
And others. Nagisa bowed out after fielding three questions when the attention on her faded. Leah smiled to herself as Maddie took to the attention like her older brother. She even had the group of jaded journalists laughing at one point, quite a change from the somber way the interview had started.
“I feel so much safer now that it’s over, and I’m really lucky I have such good friends to help me, like Leah.”
And after that they ended the conference. Anita pulled Maddie aside and they trailed behind Leah on their way back to the dormitory. That was fine, Leah wanted to walk beside Bethany anyhow.
“You’re flying back today.”
“I am.”
“Mother is demanding an answer regarding our spring break plans.”
“I am instructed not to leave without one.”
“I can’t say for certain, but Maddie and Nagisa and Penny will likely all be going.”
“All right.”
“Penny will need us to subsidize her journey.”
“Is she a charity case?”
Leah stopped and suppressed a glare. Bethany’s eyes flashed caution and she backtracked.
“You two seem quite close.”
“She’s my friend. I trust her more than the others.”
Bethany’s eyes widened slightly.
“So she will go. She’s never been to Europe. Maddie has, and I believe Nagisa as well, but not Penny. I will suggest the chateau on the Riviera.”
“Your mother will like that. She likes any excuse she can make to go home.”
“I thought so.”
They nodded at each other and walked on, not quite catching up with Anita and Maddie. Leah found she liked the little bubble of privacy they had. She wondered if Bethany did as well. If only she could be so lucky as to holiday with the older woman herself…
***
Anita and Maddie worked together to set up a schedule for one-on-one interviews. There was no shortage of requests for meetings with the pretty blonde girl, whether respected news reporters from big-name stations, or internet denizens looking to heighten their profiles. Maddie swiped through the list on her phone, then looked up at Anita.
“My parents will be mad if this makes me lose some of my study time.”
“A valid concern. I suggest doing all of the big-name interviews while they're interested, and selecting two or three others after you’ve researched them. I like this one’s comedy show for you, they all liked your sense of humor back there.”
“Thank you. I have a lot to think about.”
“Think it over today and get back to me tonight. We’ll keep in touch, and I’ll help arrange things for you.”
“You’ve been such a huge help, I really appreciate it.”
“It’s what they pay me for. Handsomely.”
They laughed together and, after a long, leisurely lunch with Maddie’s friends, Anita and Bethany returned home.
***
Penny watched from the sidelines as Maddie basked in the glow of a seemingly adoring media. Following the big press conference, reporters showed up to interview her several times, while for others she was whisked away by a driver to a studio somewhere else. Her parents provided her a hair-and-makeup team to make sure she looked her best when the brightest of lights was on her. For Penny, however, she was content to stay out of sight. On this morning they showed up at her dorm room as she was leaving for her morning workout. A face she had seen somewhere before, too pretty, too smooth, hair too perfectly mussed.
“Are you Madison Carter’s roommate?” the woman asked as a man with a digital camera and a spotlight behind her turned on Penny.
“Yes…”
“We’re here to speak with her, we have an appointment.”
“Okay, I don’t think she’s awake yet—“
“Here I am!”
Penny turned to see the blonde girl burst out of her room in conservative business attire, complete with understated gold jewelry and rings around four of her fingers.
“You want to sit in this one with me?”
Maddie smiled at Penny. Penny frowned down at her exercise clothes and then glanced at the reporter.
“No, thank you.”
“I want a quick reaction from you,” the reporter said. “What was it like to see your roommate turn into a hero right before your eyes?”
Penny blinked at her, then looked back at Maddie. Her roommate smiled and nodded at the reporter encouragingly.
“Look, I really have to go. Excuse me.”
Penny pushed past her and ran down the hall with her winter coat under her arm. She did not hear if they called after her, and she did not look back. She only wanted out.
No more cameras.
Agreed. You did the right thing. Maddie loves it. Let her enjoy it.
Oh, I will. This is her story all the way!
Penny pulled her coat on as she fled the dormitory. The air outside was cold but the sky was clear with dawn glowing on the horizon. She slowed and watched her breath float up and dissipate into the atmosphere. She heard nothing but her own footsteps and her heart was calm that the whole thing was over.
Penny was smiling slightly as she finally entered the gym. Hannah was there already, and Penny began warming up on the treadmill beside her.
“Hey there, Penny. I’ve been trying to synch my schedule up to yours for months now.”
“Hey, success.”
“You okay?”
“Yes. Listen, can I ask you a personal question?”
“Sure.”
“Are you a lesbian?”
“No.”
“But you propositioned me last semester.”
“Because you’re sexy as hell and we could make beautiful piles of cash together.”
“There’s a girl in the robotics program who really looks down on, well, on that sort of work.”
“Yeah. That’d be Bridget Morrison. We did some things together a few times last year. She ended the whole thing when she found out what I was doing to put myself through school.”
Penny nodded. “She didn’t seem… seem to like girls like that, though.”
“She had had a few bad experiences with boys. I think she’s keeping to herself these days, though.”
Penny nodded again.
“Have you reconsidered your earlier answer to my proposition?”
“Well, I have a girlfriend now,” Penny answered with a shy giggle.
“Oh, getting serious is it?”
“We’re moving in together this summer.”
“And who is the lucky girl?”
“Becca Ford.”
Hannah’s smile vanished.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Something!” Both girls were no longer warming up, the treadmills running before them as they stepped off the backs.
“No. You know what? If you’re going out with her and things are fine just be thankful for that.”
“What do you know?”
“Forget I said anything—“
“Hannah, please.”
Hannah’s face twisted with pain and she looked around the gym before stepping close—too close—to Penny. She put her hands on Penny’s arms and spoke in a low voice.
“She is not a nice girl, she’s dangerous, and she lies.”
“Lies about what?”
“Anything and everything. I wish you had just taken my invite. I’d have been exclusive with you, and I don’t lie. If you’re with her and things are fine then you should be thankful, but you should also be careful.”
“I will. Thank you.”
“Anything you need, you let me know.”
Penny did not want Hannah’s hands to leave her arms. Something about the intense concern in the other girl's eyes was comforting.
“How do you know this about her?”
Hannah glanced away again. She released Penny’s arms and shifted her weight from one leg to the other. She adjusted her sports bra and yanked down on the bottoms of her tiny shorts.
“She hurt someone I was close to my first year up here. I don’t know you very well, and I know it’s not really my place to say anything, but please watch out for yourself. I don’t want you to get hurt, either.”
“Hurt how?”
“Hurt every way you can imagine.”
“Oh…”
“Yeah.” Hannah forced a smile back to her face and she took Penny’s arm. “Listen, this is getting too morbid. Let’s become better friends and work out together. Then we can watch out for each other, too.”
“You mean, you can watch out for me.”
Hannah laughed. “You can think of it that way if it’ll make you feel better!”
They shared a laugh and then it was time for exercise. As Penny began to go through the motions with Hannah, she wondered why she had to go from one problem to another. But like the other girl said, if everything was fine with Becca, things were fine and Penny could be thankful for that.
For the moment, at least.
Follow The Long Winter into #85 Media Blitz part three here.