Chapter One
January 6, 1972
New York
'Karen. Where's the lamp?', Helen asked her.
'There! By the make up counter', Karen answered.
'Oh, I see. Where's Brian?'.
'We're over. He's dating Dana'.
'Dana Kemper'.
'Yes'.
'The cheerleader Queen of New York'.
'The same'.
'She is the rich Queen of Lower Manhattan. And she is worth $US36 million dollars'. Karen coughed, and waited until her life was going to be brighter than before when her father died in Vietnam overseas.
***
'The Academy is for Girls has been around since 1927. It was founded on morality, ethics, and common sense. Sadly, this is the way that conservatism in the 1950's changed America. All of the time, the next decade, the 1960's, was a terrible change in corruption', Mrs. Lowell said.
'Is that true?', Carol Nathanson asked her.
'Yes, no where's your parents?', Mrs. Lowell answered.
'At home watching TV', Carol said.
'Isn't that the way', Mrs. Lowell said.
Carol smirked, and the conversation ended.
***
Karen walked towards the dorm room.
She gazed at the girls who were applying nail polish on their toes, and feet. Their eyes were focusing on the books in their hands. The 8:30 AM bell tolled, and it was time for class to begin.
***
Thomas Kincaid stood near the protestors. He grabbed the rifle in his right hand. He didn't want to be drafted like his older brother, Edward Kincaid; he wasn't going to die in the Vietnamese jungles. 'What are you going to do, man?', Rory Lindell asked him.
'Living my own life, man', Thomas answered.
'Everyone's freaking out', Rory stated.
'America shouldn't go to the jungles. It's crazy'.
'And the point is...'.
'The point is we're in trouble'.
'Look, there's a lot of death in the air. Look, I got to get out of here'.
'Good bye, man'.
'Good bye, man'.
Thomas walked away, as the country burned on television.
***
Karen walked near the window.
'Must they shoot the protestors'.
'It's what the police do. They like to kill us', Helen said.
'Oh, that's too horrible to think of'.
And then the sound of gunfire was heard off 131st Street, and 7th Avenue.
***
Karen headed to the Restroom.
Afterwards, she smoked a cigarette.
The growing violence against the United States Government, especially with President Richard Nixon, created a growing unease that never went away.
***
'It is the Academy's idea to recruit more people', Helen said. She gazed at the Headmistress, as she looked at the doors. The creaking was pronounced; the knobs were loose.
'And I am one of them?', Karen asked her.
'All girls are one of us. It's tradition', Helen answered.
And she smiled.
***
Karen saw a poster on the walls.
NO TO VIETNAM
She watched students were protesting, as the police used force to quell the violence.
***
The music was in Times Square.
Karen watched the NYPD officers dragging hippies into the waiting vans. 'This isn't right, man', a boy said. He had long, black hair, blue eyes, and tall. Some of them were dirty; some hadn't had a shower for a long time. 'This isn't right, pigs', a girl yelled. She was dragged into the van with her boyfriend, and the protest ended as a NY1 news van appeared, and an African-American reporter, Avery Cole, reported on the chaos of the event for television.
***
The girl stepped towards the Academy's gates. Security guards loomed over her. She saw Brian Toll, her boyfriend, was waiting for her. 'Are you alright?', he asked her. 'No. It's dangerous to be in New York', she said. 'Maddie. We have to go to the Drive-In cinema tonight. They're playing "Rear Window" with James Stewart, and Grace Kelly', Brian said.
'I love Grace Kelly', Maddie said.
And she showed him the movie poster of the actress that was on her dorm room.
***
H. Klein Price III, read the board.
He frowned.
'Did you get into college?', Harvey V. Porter asked him.
'Yes. I'm Bradley Price. You're a freshman at the fraternity house', he answered. Two girls appeared near them.
'Look, Angie. You got it', Margaret Deane said.
'Great, I am glad something went well today. Last night was a drag. Mom grounded me for smoking a cigarette; Dad was watching the football on television, and he drank three beers', Angie stated.
'Hello. I'm Harvey. This is Bradley', Harvey said.
'Hi. I'm Margaret. And my friend, Angie. Are you two going out with anyone?'.
'No. I mean, we're single', Harvey said.
'We can go to Lover's Lane. It's two miles from the sorority house, Delta Delta Delta house', Angie laughed.
'What time shall we go?'.
'Six o'clock. We can get pizza if you like'.
'Fine by us', Bradley smiled.
And they became friends after that.
***
The rain started to fall in New York.
Karen yawned, as she was tired.
'You're going to be late for dinner', Helen told her.
'Oh, I had class to go to. And homework'.
'The dorm is full of sisters'.
'Yeah, see! It's Bid Day tomorrow. The ceremony goes for two hours'.
'Will we get into a sorority?'.
'Yes', Karen said.
And they headed to the Dining Room, where the other girls were eating.
***
To be continued....
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