Franken-Time to rush

Nadia opened her eyes to the mid morning sun gleaming through her bedroom window. She didn’t realize how childish her room seemed with the violet paint colour, posters on the wall mixed with art from her many phases of watching different shows- cartoons, fanart commissioned by local artists tacked up next to her high school band medals. The instruments she had tried sitting long and forgotten under her bed. The look of it made her cringe. She wasn’t used to being here. The past four years at Marauder University had her living in dorms and apartments and for one short term in first year, a sorority house that culminated in an end of term return to the dorms. Ugh, first year.. but that was a story to forget about. Her seventeen year old self was so naive. She was twenty-one now, ready to graduate and take on the world. Even if her teenage bedroom didn’t quite look like it. Once she was settled with her new job, a conditional offer to continue with the children’s creative center upon graduation, she would find her own place again.

She loved her parents, and majorly appreciated that she was able to stay there, but she was determined to forge ahead. She would be returning to campus for her graduation ceremony in University Hall next week. Her sociology degree might help her out later, but it was all the art and music electives, along with volunteering, that got her the job in the first place. She loved the idea of fostering creative young minds and mentoring the next great generation of artists… just as she was daydreaming, her phone buzzed.

It was Jayne, the chill-est genius she had ever met. They had met in first year, and volunteered together at the creative center, but Jayne was an engineering student. She had hoped to bud some scientists with creative minds by introducing architecture, engineering and design as an artform and had a whole idea for integrating arts and science. Unfortunately for poor Jayne, the Arts Center focused more on typical art forms- drama, dance, and, well, art. The closest she might get was designing the set for the center’s Lion King Jr, but even then, she wouldn’t be able to have kids build something new, they needed to repurpose the platforms that were already on hand. Jayne left the arts center, but a bond was formed that could not be shook-eth.

Nadia opened the text from her mad scientist friend to find It was a picture of Frankenstein- the novel they presented on for first year literature. Jayne took it because she thought Humanities were bird courses, and did not realize how much actual reading was involved in an English class. Brilliant Jayne, how could you be so dumb?

The text read: “omg, forgot this was a library book! Was going through my room. At least I’ll still be able to graduate. lol”

Nadia, slightly bemused replied,

“WTF?! so long ago!!  Why in the world wouldn’t you graduate? lol”

Send.

Then slowly, as the ellipsis was waving, indicating Jayne responding, Nadia felt her stomach drop, like she was missing something important. The phone buzzed.

“The loaned, lost, looted policy?”

Buzz

“If you didn’t return resources you signed out from the school, they could hold you accountable for stolen property. They could fine you or worse depending on the equipment. I got used to being meticulous with returning lab equipment, but I’m glad I’m such a packrat.”

Buzz

“I’m sure it’s not a big deal, but I can graduate with a clean conscious.”

At that moment, it dawned on Nadia that she too had taken Frankenstein out of the school library for the very same class, not wanting to spend money on the excessive number of novels needed for the class, and thinking her late fees would be covered in tuition, didn’t bother to return it.

She rushed toward her laptop on the desk, continuously pressing the enter button until the screen lit up. She typed into the school website search: loaned, lost, looted. A page popped up with the policy that indicated what Jayne said was correct. It was really meant for bigger items in the science department, but it did say that any item unreturned could make it possible to miss graduation, or, having completed the requirements, the degree would be withheld and stored in school records. She needed that shitty piece of paper for her portfolio, her records. She earned it! …And if she didn’t show it to the center, there was a chance she could lose her job. Oh, poor, naïve first year Nadia., she thought to herself, HOW COULD YOU BE SO STUPID?

She checked the school website. The late fees would in fact build up, which would be forgiven if returned one week before graduation. One week prior to graduation. That meant she had 3 days including today to remember where she had put a book 3 and a half years ago. She started typing with determination.

“Jayne, we have a mission. Find my copy of Frankenstein and return it to the school library.” She hit send and put the phone down. A few seconds later, it buzzed continuously, needing someone to answer. Nadia picked up the phone

“Jayne?”

“Girl, are you crazy!?” Her academic demeanor disappeared when she was a) drunk b)at a family reunion (usually also drunk, but with her cousins) or c) when she was putting all her energy into something else and did not have the ability to mask her personality. “How are you going to find this thing in 3 days and return it on time?”

She was in.

“Well, I have a couple Ideas. We go search the sorority house for starters. We were trying to join them after all. It could have got left behind in the chaos, then we work forward from there.”

“Okay. Meet me at the house in half an hour. I’m not graduating without you.” Nadia didn’t need to ask what house Jayne was talking about. She was out the door and on her way.

***

Jayne and Nadia stood on the sidewalk in front of the Zeta Phi house for overachievers. Jayne could have been living here if she wasn’t so loyal to Nadia, but Nadia never would have belonged here. The house had grey siding and white accents and you could see the standard pink curtains in the windows. The seniors weren’t worried about moving out until later, to make room for froshy recruits found during welcome week. They would have a lost and found to check, then ask around to see if anyone might know anything about the missing book.

Jayne turned to Nadia

“You sure you’re ok with this? The time you spent here wasn’t exactly the peak of the university experience.” Jayne was concerned, and Nadia could appreciate that, but years of taking psych electives and the occasional counseling session with the student wellness center told her that this would be fine.

‘Hey”, Nadia replied with a reassuring look at Jayne, “everybody has to face ghosts eventually, right?

With that, the two women walked up to the front door and knocked. A short, perky first year with the air of Disney cast member opened the door. What she lacked in height, this girl definitely made up for in spirit. In a very perky customer service voice, she said,

“Hello! What can the Zeta Phi’s do for you today?” Nadia then noted the tag on her shirt that said Ambassador. She would be answering incoming froshies questions about the sorority and university all summer.

“Uh..Hi” Nadia said, unsure that this was the right place to start after all,  “I think I lost something here a while ago, do you mind if we have a look around?”

The girl’s cheery smile faltered. She had the look that she was indoctrinated to the outward appearance of the sorority-always friendly and helpful, but was aware of the existence unwritten rules she still didn’t totally know. Letting strangers search the house was probably against them.  

“We have a lost and found box, but things usually get donated at the end of the term. I could bring it out to you?”

Jayne cut in-

“We don’t want to trouble you. I know where it is, I can show her.” She smiled reassuringly but the girl seemed unsure whether she should let the guests into the house. Another voice called from inside.

“Keri, who’s at the door?” this voice was definitely more sure of herself, probably a senior sorority member.

“Someone lost something?” Keri shouted back. “They want to come in and look for it.”

The woman appeared behind her. Tall and thin with a sleek blonde ponytail, a swimmer’s toned body, and the aura of someone who knew how to handle herself professionally. Lea was perfectly friendly, but definitely someone you did not want to mess with. Lea, who rushed with Jayne and Nadia had a perplexed but pleased look on her face.

“Jayne, it’s so good to see you! And … your friend?”

               “Nadia.” Jayne replied. She had kept in touch with Lea, Nadia knew that, but she was more self conscious now.

“Oh right! Rush was so long ago, how are you?” Lea had a way of knowing who to keep in touch with and would have a decent network of young professionals after university. Jayne would have access to that network, Nadia would not.

“Doing pretty good, getting ready for grad, which is actually why we’re here. Nadia has to return a book from first year, and thought it might be here? Could we have a look around?”

“Looking for a book. Hmmm, well I can take you to the lost and found, and look around in the common areas, but the rooms always get cleaned when they’re passed on. Come on in and look around.”

Nadia had a weird feeling Lea wasn’t telling them everything.

They looked through the box and found nothing, they were allowed to look in the common areas- kitchen, living room… the basement study space had a book shelf, but nothing. They thanked Lea and headed down the walkway. Jayne had to go home for dinner with the family, many of which she had missed while at school. Nadia went home and spent the entire night tearing her room apart and fell asleep in piles of possessions around 3 am.

***

The next morning, she woke up to her phone ringing and an overcast sky outside. She looked at the screen which said eleven am, which made sense for how late she had been up the night before looking for that stupid. Effing. Book. The number that appeared was vaguely familiar.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Nadia? It’s Mason”

Mason? She could tell by his voice that this particular Mason was one of her English classmates from first year elective lit. They dated for a bit around the time she’d been rushing the Sorority, but it ended. The end of that term was a foggy blur of exams, crying, and her first visits to the student wellness counsellor. She shook her head, trying to shake the memory away. What did he want? How did he still have this number? Weirdo. Who keeps the number of someone they dated 4 years ago?

“Hey Mason, long time; what’s up?” she hoped her response was casual enough and didn’t hint at how sick she felt.

“Hey, Leah reached out. Said you were looking for a library book from our first year lit class. I’m working at the library this afternoon, if you want, I could check out the system and… see if someone returned it for you? Or call up your account to see if it’s on there? I’d need your student card though.”

That was very nice-- and kind of creepy, but at this point, Nadia needed to take any help she could get, even from an awkward ex-boyfriend. Nadia remembered that Lea had also been in the class with them, and Lea remembered that Nadia and Mason had dated, and Mason worked at the library. This woman’s memory; damn she was good. Maybe that’s why she thought Lea wasn’t telling her everything? Either way, she was headed toward the library.

“ok, yeah, that helps. I’ll meet you at the campus library at two?”

“Sounds good. See you there.”

Nadia walked up to the help desk as soon as she saw Mason appear at five after two, card in hand.

“Hey, It’s good to see you.”

“Thanks, and thanks again, for helping me, it’s down to crunch time.”

He took the card and scanned it. Nadia’s entire borrowing history from the past four years appeared. She was definitely too focused to care that some of the stuff she’d checked out for—personal use—was a bit embarrassing, but hey, university was a time to learn. Mason glanced at some of the titles and blushed. OK, let’s see what’s checked out currently.

There it was. Barcode, check out date- October, three years prior, an absurd number of overdue fees with a note saying the book was a special edition and was protected under the loaned lost looted policy. The graduate would be permitted to walk and receive a certificate of completion, but not a formal degree, or need to pay the fine on top of tuition, which now because of the book’s value, apparently, was a down payment for a house.

Shit.

At least now, Nadia knew to prepare for what was coming. She felt herself starting to cry.

“Hey, hey now, it’ll be ok, you can still walk and no one ever asks to see the actual diploma anyway.” Mason was trying to help. He didn’t need to see this mess.

“Yeah, ok. Well, thanks for the help Mason.” She lingered for a minute, not sure where to go next.

“Hey, you remember when we did the project on that book? You and Jayne did a presentation and I did an essay. I loved the music and effects. Very creative.” That made Nadia smile

“Hey, tell your brother congratulations too. I saw on the school website he made the scholarship list for literary awards. I remember he was a smart kid.” Something sparked in Nadia’s memory.

“Mason, My brother! Thank you! I should have checked with him.”

“You haven’t talked to him? I’m surprised. He had some ideas about the book that I put in my paper too.”

Nadia blinked. She’d forgotten Mason came to her house for thanks-giving that year instead of going home to his own family. It was so long ago. Did Mason really connect that much with her Little brother?

When she got home, she charged into the house. Nadia spent the rest of the day and night going through boxes and boxes of of old books collected by her mom, dad, and brother over the years. “It’s not hoarding if it’s books:” a poster at the campus book store had said. Maybe it was hording a little bit. That’s why she wanted to use the stupid library in the first place. Marco wasn’t home to ask. He was at some grade twelve field trip that lasted days, and he would be home tomorrow. Nadia called Jayne to help sort the books. Jayne couldn’t get over their collection. It rivaled even her parents’ home library. It was ten am and neither of them had slept. Jayne had to go. Doomsday. If that book wasn’t returned, Nadia would have to confess to her parents and her job that she wouldn’t have her physical degree until her new debt was paid.

Marco got home from his field trip, He went down to the basement to find Nadia in hysterics. She told him about the last few days and her graduation and debt.

“Which book did you say it was?”

“Frankenstein. Some special edition from first year that I used for a stupid report.”

Marco’s eyes lit up “Hang on-- the Frankenstein book you shared with me was a library book?” He bolted up the stairs. Nadia followed him up to his room. He was taking papers and files and books and pencil cases and books and magic cards and books out of his desk, then he pulled it out. An ornate looking book with a ship in ice on the cover, and the library ID and barcode on the inside!

Nadia hugged her brother and looked at her phone. The school library was closing in 20 minutes. Not enough time to get there. She dialed back Mason.

"Hey, I found it! Are you working and is there any way you could check it in for me? "

"I’m not working, but I can stall to keep the door open."

"Thanks a million"

"I can get you there." Marco said. "Let’s go."

Nadia stood on the back bike wheel while Marco pedaled the bike to the campus as fast as he could. Nadia jumped off and ran to the library automatic doors, hoping they would open and she wouldn’t run right into the glass. She saw Mason was chatting to another staff member when Nadia ran in the door. It was 5 minutes past close already and the staff member was a bit annoyed that Mason had prevented her from locking up. It’s ok, I’ll lock up, you go ahead. The girl was an exhausted second-year who had just finished exams. She didn’t argue.

Mason restarted the staff computer and logged in, the beep of the checking sound lifted a huge weight off of Nadia’s chest, they checked her profile and the debt number had disappeared. Number of items checked out: zero.

The loaned, lost looted policy was not going to get Nadia. She was free to graduate and begin her career. Nadia and Marco rode home slower on Marco’s bike, and would spend the next week getting ready for Nadia’s graduation.