Chapter 1

Lugging her suitcase up the stairs in the late August heat, Ashley made her way to her dorm room. She was tired, her body sore from a long week of work, and all she wanted to do was crash in bed for a little while. It would be her last night of solitude for a long time, so she wanted to enjoy it while it lasted. She found room 237 and stumbled towards it, dragging her wheelie suitcase behind her. She fumbled for her keys in her purse filled with her passport, travel documents, and other random stuff until she found them. She put in her key, turned the knob, and entered her current home. She stepped in, locked the door, and collapsed on the bed, exhausted.

Summer for Ashley was a mix of the highest highs and some very low lows. It started with the bittersweet day she moved out of her parent’s house into a small temporary sublet for most of the summer. No matter what she tried or how she argued, her parents would not support her decision to major in business. They didn’t even say goodbye to her the day she moved out. They simply left to go to brunch with some friends of theirs. No good luck or anything.

Ashley didn’t take much with her from the house—just some clothes, photos, trinkets, and things that held meaning to her. The rest stayed behind, as she didn’t want to owe her parents anything. When Nikki, Rick, and Scott came by with the van to load up, they found only a few boxes and a crying Ashley. They loaded up quickly and did their best to cheer her up, encouraging her to think about the exciting new life that was in store for her.

And it was exciting. Ashley continued working with Rick and Scott as a business manager and model. Ashley could work full-time with the guys over the summer, booking gigs, scheduling shoots, and managing all the paperwork that came with it. Their studio didn’t take long to double in revenue after Ashley took over the management. This was a double-edged sword, though, as they had more photoshoots both in the studio space and elsewhere. Some weeks, they were so busy that they barely had time to play together.

Ashley’s own modeling career had started to climb as well, which meant some long hours in front of the hot lights and cameras. Anya Burke, who signed Ashley to a modeling contract, had kept her busy over the summer months. All but one of the shoots were with Rick and Scott, which was a relief. The last, for a fragrance line, was done in the Florida Keys with a fairly high-strung photographer who seemed like he could have a heart attack at any moment. It was an interesting contrast to Rick and Scott’s more casual, relaxed style. It went alright, though, and she would be part of the marketing for the new fragrance line, which meant a bonus check.

Ashley’s eyes hazed over as she just lay in her small twin bed, unwilling and unable to move. She couldn’t even take off the thin summer dress she wore. It was pale yellow with white accents. It weighed almost nothing and was perfect for traveling. It showed off the golden-brown tan she got over the course of the past week in the sun. Now, though, she was trapped in it like a cage weighing 200 lbs. As she drifted off the sleep, the last thing she looked at was the empty bed on the other side of the room.

Ashley was rudely awakened by the sound of chaos in the hallways. The usual silence she’d enjoyed since she moved in was shattered by loud talking, slamming doors, and clanging objects. She stretched and realized she was still wearing the dress she fell asleep in. She felt around the bed in search of her phone and found it under a blanket. It was after 10:00 am. She’d slept for over twelve hours. She’d slept so much that she actually felt tired from oversleeping. She got up and was about to change clothes when she heard the door unlock.

“Well honey, here’s your room, and oh ... hello,” a tall, balding middle-aged man said as a trio of people entered the room. Behind him was a lady around the same age with black curly hair carrying a box and a younger copy of her trailed behind.

“Looks like someone’s already moved in, Trish. Introduce yourself,” the older lady said, moving out of the way. Ashley could tell she was shy. The girl couldn’t look directly at her.

Ashley decided to go first since this was the stranger she would spend the next eight months living with. “Hi, I’m Ashley. Let me help you with that.” Ashley took a box from the girl. “Sorry, I’m a little out of sorts. I got in late last night and must have fallen asleep in my clothes.”

“Oh, thank you.” The mother said. Ashley could feel the girl’s parents size her up, likely wondering what she was doing there already. Today was the official move-in day, after all, and Ashley clearly had moved in before today. Ashley hoped she didn’t look like she’d been partying last night, having gone over what she’d previously said. The family seemed very conservative, based on how they were all dressed. Very buttoned up and with unflattering clothes, drab colors, and the women’s shirts were loose and baggy.

“Trisha, honey...” the father nudged his daughter forward.

“Hu ... hello, Ashley. My name’s Trisha. I ... I guess we’re living together.”

“Nice to meet you, Trisha,” Ashley replied with a warm smile, “The school let me move in a few weeks ago, so I already took a side. I hope that’s ok.”

The girl simply nodded and placed her boxes on the empty bed on the other side of the room. Ashley put the one she had taken beside the other. The girl’s parents smiled. They seemed like nice enough people. The three of them went out to get another load from their car while Ashley changed into some jeans and a T-shirt to help out her new roommate and, hopefully, friend.

The family returned shortly afterward with another load, and Ashley did her best to help. Trisha seemed very quiet, and Ashley hoped she’d open up once her parents were gone. Otherwise, it was going to be a long year. Her parents, the McEwens, were another story, though, and were happy to talk about their daughter.

They were from Nebraska and drove all night to help their daughter move in. She was taking Art History, and they were very proud of her. Ashley couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy as they gushed over their daughter’s academic choices, something Ashley knew she wouldn’t get from her own parents.

“So, Ashley, what are you taking?” Mr. McEwen asked as he put down a computer on Trisha’s desk.

“I’m in the business program. I’m excited for classes to start.”

“Wow, the business program here is hard to get into, I’ve heard. Your parents must be very proud,” replied Mrs. McEwen, as they started to unpack Trisha’s things.

Ashley awkwardly shuffled her feet, “Yeah,” then added under her breath, “they should be.”

“Oh, honey, we should hit the road. We’ve got a long drive back, and I’m sure the girls want to get better acquainted without us old farts around,” Mr. McEwen said, looking at his watch.

It was now 2:00 in the afternoon, and most of the boxes had been unpacked. Ashley couldn’t help but wonder if Trisha was allowed to do anything on her own, the way her parents doted on her. She couldn’t help but feel some sympathy for her, having had a similar experience with her own parents. Maybe the two of them could bond over that once they were alone.

Not sure what to do, Ashley followed them outside, where they said goodbye to their daughter and her new roommate. From what it sounded like, they were going to drive straight home, only stopping for food and fuel on the way. It was going to take them at least six hours if traffic was light, so they headed to their Toyota Corolla.

Before she got in the car, though, Trisha’s mom pulled Ashley aside. “Here’s our number if you or Trisha ever needs anything, ok? Please take care of our little girl. She’s not used to a city like this. I hope we can trust you, Ashley.”

Ashley was a little dumbstruck by the request. “Uh, sure. I’ll do my best.”

“That’s all we can ask. Nice to meet you, and good luck this year.”

With that, they hugged their daughter one final time and climbed into the car. They waved goodbye as they drove away, leaving the two girls standing there in the parking lot. Neither really knew what to say, so they just turned and walked back to their dorm building. The halls were alive with students running around, music playing, and people greeting each other. Ashley could tell she caught the eye of several good-looking guys as they headed up the stairs to the second floor.

Attached to the stairway door was a note, ‘Freshman Mixer Party. Meet New People!!’ It was followed by an address to a house a few blocks from campus. Ashley studied it, and her mind swirled as she thought about the good and bad of going. She didn’t know anyone yet and this would be a good way to meet people, but she didn’t want to go alone.

“Hey Trisha, wanna go to this party?” Ashley didn’t expect a yes but figured it was worth a shot.

“Well I ... I don’t know. I don’t have anything to wear, and ... I’m nervous around people,” Trisha replied hesitantly.

“Something to wear, I think I can fix. Let’s get to the room, and I can see what I have.” Ashley pushed open the door, and THUMP!

“OOOWWWW!” A voice came from the other side.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” Ashley yelled as both girls ran around to the other side to find a good-looking guy knocked onto the floor.

“Watch where you’re...” he stopped mid-sentence when he saw Ashley, who was bent down over him.

“Are you ok? I didn’t think anyone would be standing behind the door like that.”

“I’m ok, it’s ok. My head stopped the door, and I’ve been told it’s filled with rocks. I’m Justin, room 289.”

“I’m Ashley, and this is Trisha, room 237.” Ashley giggled just happy he was ok. She thought he was pretty cute. He had short blond hair, clean shaven, and he looked pretty muscular. As he stood up, he looked about 6ft tall, give or take, with blue jeans and a tight white shirt.

“I know this is awkward, you giving me a concussion and all, but are you two going to the party?”

“Possibly. We were just seeing if I have something for Trisha to wear and then go from there,” Ashley replied as she looked over at her roommate, who seemed to be petrified in place.

“Well, if you do, stop by to say hi.” Justin then walked off, holding his head, a smile still visible from the side as he went to his room.

“He’s so cute!” Ashley squealed as she and Trisha entered their room.

Trisha blushed and nodded. “You’re so lucky. I wish I could get a guy like that.”

“Of course you could. You just need more confidence in yourself. I think you could get any guy you want, Trisha.”

“That’s easy for you to say. You look like a model. Me, I’m just scared and nervous, plain old me.”

Ashley felt bad; this was the most conversation the two girls had actually had up to this point. Trisha seemed like she needed a boost. Ashley dug through her closet to find a range of outfits that might look good on her new friend. It was difficult to tell what her body type was like under all those baggy clothes.

“I think we’re going to be friends, and I want to help turn your confidence around. The first thing we need is clothing. Strip down so I can see your size.”

Trisha blushed a bright red and looked at her shoes. Ashley was starting to wonder if Trisha was a virgin by the way she comported herself. That would be something to find out later. Right now, she wanted to get her to try on some clothes.

“No need to be shy, Trisha. We’re going to be seeing each other undressed a lot over the next year. Might as well get used to it.”

Trisha looked uncomfortable but knew her roommate was correct. She wasn’t about to run out of the room to the communal washroom every time she needed to change. It was going to be a big adjustment from home. Ashley seemed nice and was looking to help her, so she might as well do it. She untucked her shirt from her pants and unbuttoned her loose-fitting blouse.

As Ashley watched the girl undress, she couldn’t help but get a little turned on. It kind of reminded her of the last time she was with her best friend Nikki, the short redhead. It had been a while since they last got together at the studio a month ago with Rick and Scott. Ashley was actually quite horny in general. The week in the Florida Keys was rough since she didn’t have the guys to satisfy her like normal. She had an itch that needed to be scratched and no one to help her take care of it.

Trisha pulled off her shirt, and Ashley was surprised at the size of the girl’s breasts. They had been very well hidden under that baggy shirt. The bra Trisha wore was very plain and basic, with no lace or designs, just a cheap white bra. Ashley then watched as Trisha unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down to reveal a similar basic style of cotton panties. There was nothing sexy to them at all, but the biggest issue was the large amount of hair that poked out from around the sides. It didn’t look like Trisha groomed that area at all. This might be more work than Ashley originally thought, but she had plenty of time.

Ashley spun her hand around, and Trisha knew she wanted her to spin so she could look at her body. It felt really weird to have this stranger she just met a few hours ago checking her out in this manner, but Ashley did look like she knew what she was doing. Trisha wanted to look good, to be confident, and maybe break out of her shell a little bit. Isn’t that what college was for?

Ashley had her hand to her face as she studied the body of the girl in front of her. She’d spent enough time with Rick and Scott to roughly know sizing at a glance now. Surprisingly, Trisha had a lot of good qualities she’d kept hidden under all those loose clothes. Her breasts were larger, likely a C or D cup, which meant Ashley would have to get creative with the top half. Her stomach wasn’t as flat as Ashley, but she wasn’t fat either. Her hips flared out more, too, which gave her more of an hour-glass figure.

“You look really good. You have nothing to be ashamed of,” Ashley said, trying to reassure the girl. “You’re bigger than me up top, so my shirts likely won’t fit, or they will, and you’ll suffocate.”

That helped to get the shy girl to chuckle a bit, which seemed to put her at ease. She stepped forward towards the pretty girl’s closet, where she saw a wall of fancy clothing nicely hung up. Several items were tossed on the nearby bed: skirts, shirts, and various accessories. Trisha wasn’t into fashion, but even she recognized the names of high-end designers.

“Where did you get all this stuff? Are your parents rich?” Trisha asked, briefly forgetting her state of undress.

“No, well ... yes. It’s a long story. Try this on!”

Ashley handed Trisha a pleated plaid skirt, which had been a gift from the guys. It would be sexy and adjustable to suit the comfort level of her friend. It also allowed her to use a white button-up shirt she had that didn’t need to be fully fastened. The gears were grinding in Ashley’s young head.

“This seems pretty short,” Trisha said as she tried to pull the skirt down to her knees but only got it below her thighs.

“That’s the idea. You have to show a little skin if you want to stand out in the crowd. Do you have a plain white or black shirt?”

“I have this tank top that I usually wear to bed,” Trisha held up the thin shirt. “It shows a bit too much, though.”

“That’s perfect. And don’t worry, I have a plan.”

Trisha put the tank top on over her bra, which helped give her a nice amount of cleavage. Ashley then handed her the white dress shirt and had her button it up as far as it could go. The buttons ended just below her bust line, which hid the sides of her breasts and just left the top somewhat exposed. Ashley led her to a mirror and let Trisha have a look at herself.

“I look so ... good, but I feel weird, like I’m not me.”

“Then don’t be you tonight. Try being just Trish instead. You’re just meeting people tonight, like Justin. Don’t worry. It isn’t like you’re taking him home tonight, right?” Ashley nudged her friend.

“That’s true. I’m sure he’ll notice me now.” Trisha’s face lit up as she turned around in the mirror.

“That’s the spirit. We’ll work on the rest of you another day. Get you some new underwear and maybe clean up your undergrowth.”

“My what?”