LARK POV

Now that all the sorors were back on speaking terms, they started work on their next big event. Black Student Union hosted an Annual Step Show competition and it's the only time MAX stepped. It was open to all Greek organizations, even the non-Black, and many times they were top contenders. It was very competitive, and everyone brought their A-Game.

Because they only had four this year, they knew they had to bring something super explosive. In preparing for her first step show, Lark found out that she was "rhythmless" nation. She was not coordinated enough to learn the steps that she needed to do at the rate the other three got them down.

Jill served as Step Captain, of course, having the most experience with dancing. Stepping was nothing like dancing. It was intense and intricate and if you missed a beat, the performance would suffer. Mu Alpha Chi was not known as great steppers, but they always put on a great show and she did not want to disappoint this year.

"Jill, you're going to have to give me extra lessons. I feel so clumsy doing these steps."

Lots of stomping, hand-clapping, jumping, hopping, and chanting altogether. On top of that, they added theatrics to their show, giving the audience hopefully something to remember them by. Practices were brutal. Arms needed to be straight, not slouched. Everything needed to move like a machine. She could barely breathe after a few rounds of practice, even the asthmatic kept her pace and breathed through it.

"This is your first time, it's new to you, you'll get it."

Lark lay on the floor after their practice, still breathing hard, while the two others were already gone. "Really? I'm glad you have faith."

"With a little more practice. The show isn't for a while, that's why we practice far enough in advance."

"I feel like you guys should have taught me this while I was on line. Then maybe if you saw my two left feet, you would have dropped me like Essence."

"Girl! We never, ever say that witch's name."

They practiced in a big empty room in Hewett Hall they reserved three days a week. Three days a week were not enough for her, she needed more.

The door opened in the room and she thought it was one of her sorors coming back, but she looked up and saw Frankie.

"Zav told me y'all was still in here." He looked at her on the floor and came over to her. "What's wrong? Why are you on the floor?"

"Jill is killing me!"

"Girl, stop being dramatic." Both Frankie and Jill helped her up from the floor. "Okay, extra practice, just let me know. You're a MAX now, act like it. See y'all later."

Jill left and she rubbed her sore shoulder.

"Babe, you just need to exercise more, you won't be so sore. Wanna come to work out with me sometime?"

"No!"

"Just run a couple of miles, lift some weight."

"Boy, do I look like I can lift any weight outside of a burger to my face?"

"It doesn't even look like you do that," he said with a chuckle and she pushed him. He knew she was sensitive about her weight and he had to go there. "Lark, I'm just messing with you. Don't get so sensitive on me."

"Why would you joke about that when you know how I feel about it." She walked away from him, out of the room with him following her.

"Lark, why are you stressing over something other girls would kill for? To be your size."

This boy was going to make her smack him. She was not having this discussion with him. He would not understand it, no one really did. She would continue to suffer in silence, while other people mocked her slim build and laughed at her attempts to gain weight. Since the start of the year, she actually lost five pounds she did not need to lose. Step practice on top of additional exercise would probably dig her deeper into a hole.

"Lark, are you seriously mad over what I said?" He stopped her from walking, holding her arm. "Babe, you know I love what you look like. Fuck everybody else."

"Well thanks, Frankie, I'm here to please you and no one else." She rolled her eyes at him.

"Maybe you should talk to a nutritionist or a counselor."

He was going to keep on this subject. She snatched her arm away and walked away. She had no words for him as they waited for the elevator in silence. Obviously he got the picture that she did not want to have this discussion with him. Once the elevator arrived and they walked in, he pulled her in his arms and held her there without saying anything.

She felt a bit better being in his arms. She knew her issues were not with him and it was not his fault she lashed out at him.

Once they made it to her room, he pulled her back in his arms.

"I'm sorry Lark, if I said something to upset you."

"No, it's my own problem I need to deal with."

"That's just it Lark, it's not a problem. You're fine. You don't need to change for anyone. But...and hear me out before you kill me...talk to a professional. Or even just someone in the sports medicine or nutrition field. I know some peeps. Some of the coaches help us with our meal plans and stuff. It wouldn't hurt to-"

"You're right." She nodded at his suggestion. She battled her weight ever since her adolescent years, and thought the cure for it was pigging out on all the fatty foods she could eat. That never seemed to work, but she did it for years anyway.

Her parents never suggested she seek professional help. Her mother always told her the weight would come on with age and after having kids. Now it was so psychological for her, it wasn't even about gaining weight anymore.

Because her schedule was so tight now with everything going on, Frankie and her usually studied in her room for at least two hours nightly. It was late, and Frankie had to get back to the Jock House before midnight. They did not play with their rules.

"Have you given it more consideration to staying for your Master's Degree?"

She looked up from the paper she was typing, her glasses on that she wore at night when her contacts started to bother her.

"Uh...I can barely afford to finish this semester. I am sure my parents won't pay for more college."

"Then figure out a way to pay for it yourself. All I'm saying is, a Master's Degree in your field will help you."

She grinned at him. "And you're not saying that so I can stick around here for you?"

"I mean, if that's the consequence, I'll take it." He leaned over to kiss her.

She giggled and pushed him away. "Stop! Do your work. I have this paper due tomorrow and I am tired out of my mind, but it will get done tonight."

And she did, even after Frankie left, she stayed up till two o'clock the next morning to finish the paper, a report on E-Buying Trends for her Consumer Business class. Instead of attending class, they could turn in their paper by the end of their class period. She was done so she went early to her class and the only one there was her professor.

"Professor Davis, all done." She handed him her report, printed out and in a cover. He was one of the few professors that wanted paper copies still. He said he was not staring at a screen for hours to read papers, and he liked jotting notes on it. Some instructors were strictly electronic. She had no preference either way.

"First in class, and first to deliver what I am sure is the best report."

"I really tried."

"I could use a student like you to assist me next year."

"Excuse me, what?"

"My Graduate Assistant. It's a very competitive position, but if you apply, you will be my first choice."

Now even her teacher was trying to get her to stay. Was the universe trying to tell her something? And a graduate assistant? That was more for people who wanted to teach, not have hands-on in the business world. She wanted to work somewhere she could learn how to run a business so that she could one day start her own.

Everything was changing now, especially with her not on good terms with her parents. There was a guaranteed job working for her father, that now she could not count on. While he never said she could not work there after graduation, the way they were treating her now, why should she? It was time she made a new plan for her life.

"Professor, tell me more about this GA position. Does it pay?"

A/N: Graduate school is not for the weak. I have my Master's, but I did it while working full-time and going strictly during the evenings. Major papers and research, and then the dreaded thesis. Good luck Lark.