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“We should stop,” The Golden Antlers pant as they throw their hand against TSL’s chest.
“What are we doing?”
“I don’t know…but this feels right.”
As they gazed into each other’s eyes–so close together now–they both thought to themselves “how did we ever get here?”
It wasn’t always like this. The Golden Antlers got to Claremont a year before TSL ever entered the picture; it was 1888 and they had just gotten their bearings. It was college and Golden Antlers was ready for a new start.
But by their sophomore year, 1889, TSL had entered the picture.
TSL was always so serious; when Golden Antlers would make a joke, all TSL ever wanted to talk about was the PP Swim Team stats, or some random political movement at Pitzer. Sure, Golden Antlers thought TSL was attractive–who wouldn’t? With that splashy logo, a nickname that rolls off the tongue…but they wouldn’t smile.It really irked The Golden Antlers. How stuck up do you have to be to not smile??? not like it mattered anyway, they were in such different worlds. Right?
The first time TSL met Golden Antlers, the glass house they’d spent semesters building shattered. Life was so dull. The sky was so gray. Then that loud, crimson and gold beast brought it color. TSL kind of liked that, but they would never admit it. TSL had watched those types of relationships before,the ones with couples who were so different,and they always crashed and burned. TSL did not want that. Their best friend, The Outback, was in an evil situationship with The Claremont Independent. And every week Outback would tell TSL they wouldn’t get back together with Independent, but then the next morning TSL would see them walking back from Independent’s dorm. TSL was dead set on breaking the cycle.
So, TSL had come up with a genius plan–they would just have to find a way to make themselves hate The Golden Antlers.
And boy did they try.
“I ate shit on CMC’s new anti-skate blocks,” The Golden Antlers would start another story; and TSL would try so hard not to laugh. Even when TSL could see the fire build in Golden Antlers’ eyes as they wouldn’t smile, they couldn’t let it happen. They would always think to themselves, “they’re so immature,” and “I’m better than that, life is more than jokes,” and yet deep down they knew they were lying to themselves.
“Just stop it. You would really save so much time,” Outback said to TSL.
“What are you talking about?” TSL feigned confusion.
“You and Golden Antlers? I mean you can lie to yourself all you want, but I see the way you look at them.” The Outback was now glaring atTSL with their hands on their hips.
“What are you even talking about? You’re too obsessed with relationships Outie.”
“Is that really a bad thing? God forbid someone loves love,” Outie rolled their eyes. Outie understood that their current relationship with the Independent was probably the worst example of a positive relationship that had ever existed, but unlike TSL, Outie could at least appreciate the importance of having others in your life.
“You literally have no ability to talk about this. The last person on Earth I need relationship advice from is you,” TSL was visibly frustrated now. Truthfully, TSL loved the Outback as much as any student publication can love another, but sometimes they needed to stop talking.
The Outback’s phone buzzed.
TSL knew it was The Independent before The Outback even went to look at the notification. The Outback made up some ridiculous excuse about forgetting to get their laundry and ran off in the complete opposite direction than their own dorm.
And now TSL was all alone.
Normally, this would have been fine…but nothing was normal when it came to The Golden Antlers.
TSL sat outside of Malott picking at the remnants of their dinner which was now, in fact, quite cold. And that’s when they saw them,The Golden Antlers, strutting down the steps of the dining hall’s patio.
TSL couldn’t help but to watch. It’s not like they meant to, in fact, they were actively trying not to.That beautiful website, the way their logo was two colors (instead of TSL’s pathetic one), and of course their flowing gorgeous hair as it waved in the wind. TSL’s facial expression may have been blank, but their eyes were anything but.
The look in them was undeniable…desire.
The Golden Antlers was hungry. Like really hungry. It had been a long day.
Besides being the funniest person on campus, The Golden Antlers was quite possibly also the most academically talented student in all of Claremont.
This morning had been a mix of solving semi-impossible math equations, paying close attention to a very interesting lecture on feminist literature, and of course, conquering the hardest engineering elective that Mudd had to offer. The Golden Antlers had intended to eat lunch earlier,they really did, but when the church next to Pomona caught fire, they had to go in and save the old ladies worshiping inside.
So, now here they were at Malott five minutes before closing, having not eaten since 8 A.M. Really all they wanted to do now was eat. But, as they went down the steps of the dining hall, they couldn’t help but feel like there was a pair of eyes watching them.
That’s when Golden Antlers saw them.
At first the Golden Antlers thought, “Oh great here is TSL again. Why can’t they just mind their own business and let me eat without judging me?” but then the Golden Antlers really saw how TSL was gazing at them.
This was new.
Usually, TSL had a certain sadness in their eyes that made The Golden Antlers feel at least slightly guilty for not liking them; but this was different. The way TSL was looking at The Golden Antlers made the Golden Antlers feel something. Something deep, deep down inside…something primal and uncomfortable that the Golden Antlers for some reason desperately wanted to ignore.
The Golden Antlers did not know what to do. TSL’s gaze was just so intense…so hot… searing. They kept walking. They kept walking until they were safely inside the dining hall and in an impossible line for tacos.
That was weird.
The Golden Antlers told themselves they just needed to eat and get some rest, as they tried to shake the whole thing away.
Little did they know that outside the thin walls of the dining hall, TSL was having a very different experience.
