“The worst thing has happened to me. Laura Lou Mitchell—last year’s most popular Prep—who reserved this room with me last June is not coming back. Mrs. Cole just told me. Gee! I was scared to death when she sent for me. I thought, Oh, my gosh! What have I done now? Believe me I was relieved when she told me about the wire from Laura Lou’s dad. Of course, I’m terribly disappointed. The worst of it is I could have got Magdalene or Lida or anyone I wanted.” Betsy did not say this conceitedly. She was attractive, popular, and she knew it but never, never, could she be called a snob or overbearing. “They’re all signed up now. Mrs. Cole is so cranky about changes. Anyhow, they’d feel second choice now.”
Chloe fastened the safety catch on her brooch, gave her hair a final smoothing down and turned her eyes away quickly. She knew about second choices. “It’s just as if Mimi knew about me,” she was thinking for the hundredth time. “But she doesn’t; none of them do—I’ve never told a soul.”
“Say!” Sue exclaimed grabbing her head as if it were hurting and rolling her eyes, “I’ve an idea!”
“It must hurt terribly,” Mimi laughed, “but do tell us.”
“Summoning all the nerve and courage I have, I shall plainly and simply state my case.”
“Simply,” Betsy interrupted. “You sound like Olivia already and I loathe the sight of the dictionary.”
“’Scuse me for living,” Sue murmured, “I just thought I had an idea.”
“Oh, come on,” urged Mimi.
“O. K.; here goes. Betsy, if you can’t find anyone else to room with you”—Sue hesitated—“you might try me; you could do a whole lot worse.”
“Perfect!” Mimi clapped her hands.