I can see you
Jackie scrolled through the Rush Week sign-up list, her perfectly manicured nail tapping against the screen. God, some of these names. Did people actually name their kids Brynnleigh? Whatever. Her eyes caught on a familiar name, and she froze. Shauna Shipman? That quiet, kinda weird freshman from the school paper?
That freshman from the school paper who'd sent her that adorable, if somewhat awkward, DM a few weeks ago. Nobody else seemed to have the courage to ask her about soccer through instagram.
She tapped on Shauna's profile, curiosity getting the better of her. Why would someone as reserved as Shauna want to join a sorority? That quiet brooding dark haired girl? Jackie's mind whirled with possibilities. Maybe Shauna was looking for a fresh start, a chance to reinvent herself. Jackie knew all about reinventing oneself; she'd been doing it since freshman year.
Before she could overthink it, Jackie typed out a message. "Hey Shauna! So excited to see you signed up for Rush Week! Can't wait to meet you in person!" She hesitated for a moment, then added a few more words. "If you need any tips or just want to chat, I'm here!"
As she hit send, Jackie felt a shiver spread through her chest. There was something about that quiet, mysterious girl that drew her in. Maybe it was the way Shauna seemed to observe everything without saying much, like she was always watching and waiting. Whatever it was, Jackie was intrigued.
She refreshed her messages, her heart skipping a beat as she waited for a response. This could be fun. Maybe Shauna would surprise her, turn out to be more than just a shy freshman. Maybe they'd even become friends. She needed more than another Ashleigh or bottle blonde to keep her company.
The thought sent a flutter through her, and Jackie couldn't help but smile.