grinned.
“Which was?” Kelsey asked.
“I take the fifth.” Ryan said. “I don’t want to get in trouble with such a pretty girl.”
Kelsey felt herself about to blush, so she said, “So how many times have you been?”
Ryan shrugged. “At least ten times. We used to go camping near there on the Fourth of July every year.”
“At Fort Flagler?”
“You’ve been?”
“All the time. It’s a great place to camp.”
“Do you like camping?”
“I do.”
“An outdoorsy type. I guess you’d have to be, living in Port Townsend.”
“Medina isn’t exactly the big city,” she said.
Ryan smiled broadly.
“And how did you know that I was from Medina?” he asked.
Kelsey bit her lip.
“Take the fifth, Miss North. Don’t incriminate yourself.”
Kelsey laughed. “I will,” she said. She spotted Jessica standing a few paces away, drinking her Diet Coke and looking at the pair with interest. Ryan glanced over and saw Jessica waiting.
“Okay, I just wanted to introduce myself since we’re in group together. Looking forward to working with you this year, Miss North.”
“Me, too. Mr. Perkins.”
Ryan’s eyes sparkled in the fading summer light. “Bye,” he said, walking away.
“Bye,” Kelsey breathed.
Jessica walked over. “You’re glowing. Could it be that one of the Irritating Five isn’t irritating?”
“Could be,” Kelsey replied.
The next morning was a panel discussion in front of all of the 1Ls about building a legal career and the importance of paying your law school debt. Kelsey noted that the last topic didn’t seem to be of interest for most of the students in the room. She was beginning to wonder if she and Jessica had been paired together because of their financial aid status.
She ate lunch with Jessica and Ashley, who was pleased to have made some inroads into building a relationship with Matthew. They had had a long conversation at the cookout, and Ashley spent most of the hour analyzing it with the girls.
Back in small group, Ryan greeted Kelsey pleasantly, while Tyler Olsen gave her a bored glance and turned back to his smartphone. Kelsey sat in her usual spot. For the second day in a row, it seemed as though there were fewer students. The small group, joined by two professors, spent the day doing some class simulations, as well as further discussing study techniques. Kelsey was glad that Professor Eliot wasn’t presenting today.
After small group, the 1Ls walked over to the student center, where the student organizations fair was being held. Although Darrow was smaller than most law schools, there were over 35 student groups in attendance. Kelsey and Jessica glanced through the tables quickly and left within a half hour.
“Do they really think that anyone is going to join the drama club during their first year in law school?” Jessica asked, as they left the building. The cold, wet September air hit her cheeks.
“I bet that they’re just there as an advertisement for next year,” Kelsey said, zipping up her fleece.
“Yeah, maybe that’s it. The only thing I’d consider is the yoga club. I bet that will help with the stress,” Jessica said.
“That’s a good idea,” Kelsey said. “We should do that.”
They walked across the quad and into their dorm. Tyler, Matthew and Zachary were sitting in the lounge as they passed.
“I should let Ashley know her man is downstairs,” Jessica said, reaching for her phone as they walked up the stairs.
“What does she see in him?” Kelsey said.
Jessica shrugged as she sent a message. “Money?”
“I think she has more,” Kelsey said, unlocking the door they had reached.
“Money has to marry money,” Jessica said as they walked inside.
“I guess,” Kelsey said. She placed her damp jacket on the back of her desk chair to dry. Jessica did the same.
“So two more days, then the
John McEnroe;James Kaplan
William K. Klingaman, Nicholas P. Klingaman