Prosperity Challenge - 6.2 (Days/Years 16-18 - Koepple)
Let's catch up with the Koepples...
Koepple
Belva found that she enjoyed spending time with Ian. It was a little weird when he moved in at first, but as time went by she began to see him as a sort of big brother. With Ria moved out on her own, it was nice to have someone a little older to talk to. Over chess, she shared her fears about college.
"Ian, I'm not sure if I'll be happy away from home," she said. "I'm really not very good at making friends - and I know Nevada will be out partying every night. I'm nervous."
"Bel, you've got a year before you need to worry about this stuff," Ian replied. "That's forever in high school terms. Maybe you could see your senior year as practice - try meeting some new people now, and maybe it will be easier to do it in college."
She gave it a shot. And that's how the strangest night of her life began.
She and a few friends had decided on a poker night downtown. A pale weirdo with a cape had joined their table uninvited and kept winning every pot. Annoyed, Belva called for a break and headed to the bathroom. To her surprise, she saw Ria sitting at the bar, and started walking over to say hello. But before Ria even spotted her, Count Weirdo came up and got in between them. Belva couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Ria stood as if entranced. And then the really awful part happened.
Belva was so shocked that she froze. When it was over, both Ria and the caped man ran out of the bar very suddenly. She didn't think Ria had ever seen her. She wasn't sure what to do. Ria seemed unharmed, and maybe it hadn't been what it looked like. In fact, maybe Ria was cheating on Amar with that guy. She decided to call her when she got home.
"Hey, Ria!" she said, casually. "I just thought I'd call and see how the wedding plans are going."
"Bel! Uh, everything is coming along. Nothing really new to report..." Ria sounded distracted.
"Oh, ok. So how are you? How's Amar?" she asked.
"Amar? Oh, we're both fine. And you?"
Belva decided not to bring the incident up. Ria obviously didn't realize Belva had witnessed it, and it didn't sound like she was in trouble. She wasn't happy about it, but it wasn't really her business.
***
The time finally came for the triplets to go to college. Belva had gotten over her prior trepidation and was really looking forward to it - she was really driven to learn as much as possible on every subject.
Nevada was thrilled to go and room with Shena Thigpen. Joining a Greek House was first on her list of things to do after getting to the Academie Le Tour.
But Anabel threw everyone a curve ball by announcing that she wasn't going to college. She told Marilyn she didn't see the point, as she hated school.
When Nevada and Belva had left, Rochell and Anabel were left as the two youngest members of the household. Rochell couldn't believe Anabel didn't want to go to college.
"Don't you want to get out there and see something other than the same old neighborhood everyday?" she asked.
"Sure - but I can do that without college," said Anabel.
Even Ian expressed his opinion.
"You know, college and living on your own are great experiences. And I know how much you like parties, Anabel - how could you pass it up?" he said.
"I'll throw my own parties," Anabel replied. "And I'll live on my own. It's not a big deal, I wish everyone would just drop it. I'm not going."
Rochell privately thought that there was no power on earth that would keep her from college, but Anabel had always been weird.
Ian asked Marilyn what she thought of Anabel staying behind.
"You know, I should probably care, but I can't help feeling that if the worst problem any of these kids have is not wanting to go to college, after all they've been through, then I've done pretty well," said Marilyn, laughing.
"Fair enough!" said Ian.
Koepple
Belva found that she enjoyed spending time with Ian. It was a little weird when he moved in at first, but as time went by she began to see him as a sort of big brother. With Ria moved out on her own, it was nice to have someone a little older to talk to. Over chess, she shared her fears about college.
"Ian, I'm not sure if I'll be happy away from home," she said. "I'm really not very good at making friends - and I know Nevada will be out partying every night. I'm nervous."
"Bel, you've got a year before you need to worry about this stuff," Ian replied. "That's forever in high school terms. Maybe you could see your senior year as practice - try meeting some new people now, and maybe it will be easier to do it in college."
She gave it a shot. And that's how the strangest night of her life began.
She and a few friends had decided on a poker night downtown. A pale weirdo with a cape had joined their table uninvited and kept winning every pot. Annoyed, Belva called for a break and headed to the bathroom. To her surprise, she saw Ria sitting at the bar, and started walking over to say hello. But before Ria even spotted her, Count Weirdo came up and got in between them. Belva couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Ria stood as if entranced. And then the really awful part happened.
Belva was so shocked that she froze. When it was over, both Ria and the caped man ran out of the bar very suddenly. She didn't think Ria had ever seen her. She wasn't sure what to do. Ria seemed unharmed, and maybe it hadn't been what it looked like. In fact, maybe Ria was cheating on Amar with that guy. She decided to call her when she got home.
"Hey, Ria!" she said, casually. "I just thought I'd call and see how the wedding plans are going."
"Bel! Uh, everything is coming along. Nothing really new to report..." Ria sounded distracted.
"Oh, ok. So how are you? How's Amar?" she asked.
"Amar? Oh, we're both fine. And you?"
Belva decided not to bring the incident up. Ria obviously didn't realize Belva had witnessed it, and it didn't sound like she was in trouble. She wasn't happy about it, but it wasn't really her business.
***
The time finally came for the triplets to go to college. Belva had gotten over her prior trepidation and was really looking forward to it - she was really driven to learn as much as possible on every subject.
Nevada was thrilled to go and room with Shena Thigpen. Joining a Greek House was first on her list of things to do after getting to the Academie Le Tour.
But Anabel threw everyone a curve ball by announcing that she wasn't going to college. She told Marilyn she didn't see the point, as she hated school.
When Nevada and Belva had left, Rochell and Anabel were left as the two youngest members of the household. Rochell couldn't believe Anabel didn't want to go to college.
"Don't you want to get out there and see something other than the same old neighborhood everyday?" she asked.
"Sure - but I can do that without college," said Anabel.
Even Ian expressed his opinion.
"You know, college and living on your own are great experiences. And I know how much you like parties, Anabel - how could you pass it up?" he said.
"I'll throw my own parties," Anabel replied. "And I'll live on my own. It's not a big deal, I wish everyone would just drop it. I'm not going."
Rochell privately thought that there was no power on earth that would keep her from college, but Anabel had always been weird.
Ian asked Marilyn what she thought of Anabel staying behind.
"You know, I should probably care, but I can't help feeling that if the worst problem any of these kids have is not wanting to go to college, after all they've been through, then I've done pretty well," said Marilyn, laughing.
"Fair enough!" said Ian.