005

"You are gone”. 

I am startled by Loretta's voice as I enter the room. She looks at me with an inquisitive look, as if she already knows everything. 

"I ran away, actually. I don't think this prank is funny at all.”

"That's not to say that you're also lame…”

Gee, you have no idea, Loretta.

"And where did you go?". She insisted, sitting with her legs folded over her bed. What a curious girl. 

I felt like confessing everything. But I still didn't know if I could trust her. Boy, it was the first day of school, wasn't it? 

"She looks tired”. Loretta continued, showing some irritation at my silence. 

"Tired? Oh, that I am. I had to walk a long way to avoid those inconvenient seniors. No offense”. 

Loretta laughed disproportionately to the mood of our conversation.

I started to sort through my things to take to the shower. I was really exhausted and still in a frenzy inside. 

"You know you can trust me, right? To tell you anything”. She said, emphasizing the word anything. 

" Anything, really?”

"Little finger promise.” 

"We can arrange for you to tell me a secret and I'll tell you one of mine. What do you think?”

I proposed, remembering that same conversation with Peter earlier.

"Great. May I begin?”

Loretta's curiosity about my disappearance was really on the rise.

I nodded and she continued.

"I've already had sex at this university”.

I rolled my eyes. That couldn't count as a joke. 

"Why not?" She defended herself, excited.

"Everyone gets laid at the university." I said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, which to me it was.

" You don't understand." Loretta then decided to explain. " People have sex in dorm rooms, in sororities, at parties... Now, inside the university building, I wouldn't say it's something so common”. 

I remained silent. It was obviously a cue for me to reveal my secret.

"Or is it common for you? Was it common at your school?" Loretta countered.

"Well, not exactly”. 

"That's the point!”

"And who was it with?”

"No, no, no. The information is gone. The information is gone, I've told you my secret. Now it's your turn”. 

Rá.

You know what, I was bored with all the games. I decided to bet big on trusting Loretta and sooner or later I would know if she was a first"rate gossip or not. 

“Well... There aren't any kids here, are there?”

She joked, looking both ways.

"That's right, I don't think so”.

"So, come on... I've had sex in college too”. 

Loretta smiled broadly.

"Girl... I was going to say you were one of mine, but... Girl, you just got here, so it looks like you're already over me". She said, then pretended to be stunned. 

"I can trust you, right?". I reinforced.

She held up her little finger. 

"And is he any good?" She brought it up again, out of nowhere, surprising me.

"What do you mean he's good? Did you see something, Loretta?". I was starting to get really worried. 

"I have a strong suspicion who it is”.

" It wasn't Peter”. I played it off without thinking.

"I'm glad, because I'm keeping an eye on him”.

Another new piece of information for me to keep.

"You didn't tell me, so I won't tell you either…”

"You don't have to. I told you that my suspicions are pretty strong”.

I kept looking at her, trying to find something in her eyes that indicated that she was bluffing. I found nothing. She was very good at this game of secrets.

"Rest assured, no one will be reported". She added.

Then I realized that, yes, she knew.

"So, is he good or not?” 

I smiled, feeling like an incorrigible naughty girl. 

"He is a delightful teacher”.