Chapter 5

The weekend lunch shifts netted her about two hundred dollars of which she deposited a hundred and eighty in her savings account, which now stood at six thousand four hundred dollars. She calculated that was enough for a down-payment on a car and would leave her a manageable monthly payment over three years until it was fully paid off. Saturday evening had been devoted to the music content at the Orphanage which had been won by someone singing “I will Survive” but somewhat differently from Gloria Gaynor’s rendition. However, it was passionate and heartfelt, rhythmic and the young girl had many of the moves down pat and so after she was crowned the winner she was asked to sing it again which she did, while the majority of the audience and other contestants danced and sang along.

Rob had texted her and she had replied over Sunday afternoon but the content had really been about whether they were still talking to each other and no mention was made about the subject of travel. She wished him the very best of luck for his exam on Monday and agreed to catch up with him on Tuesday sometime.

She spent the most of Monday polishing her resume and listing companies that she felt might be good targets for her newly minted skills and qualifications. She added her voluntary work at the orphanage and other good causes that she had supported while at university, along with the most relevant societies that she had joined. Two hours that afternoon were spent laboring through a small number of online application forms with little prospect of even hearing back from any of the companies.

At about five o’clock Holly began to feel like she had been voted ‘Miss Popular’ of Witney University. Her cellphone rang, indicting it was Stephany, a school friend who had decided to go straight out to work rather than pursue a university degree. After exchanging greetings Holly explained what she expected to be doing.

“Yep, so I’ve just started filling in application forms. Got a spreadsheet too of potential firms and I was just ranking them for location, desirability, that sort of thing” she said, delighted to hear from her old school friend.

“Cool. You’ll do fine Hol. I’ve just started a new job as junior manager for IT Operations here. Super busy and great experience. What sort of thing are you looking for?” asked Stephany.

“Oh wow, congrats! So, I want to do marketing and corporate promotion, but with people involved, not just products and ads. Something that will involve travel and getting to see the world.”

“Thought you and Rob were going to do that?” said Stephany, the noise of a regular metallic clacking in the background.

“You on the train?” asked Holly, recalling that she took the train from home to work.

“Yeah, going home early today, we have a release coming up this weekend and I need to get extra sleep”

“Huh. No, I don’t think the trip is going to work, it’s too expensive and I have zero money for it” said Holly, staring out at the gathering clouds.

“Yeah, can’t see how you would do it for less than twenty grand.”

“Yup, so I’m focused now on staying in this place and getting a job, but I’d move if I had to for work,” said Holly, thinking that she seemed to have made a huge decision unconsciously.

“Hey, we use event people for trade shows and that sort of thing. We don’t have expertise in-house. Want me to find out who we use?”

“Yeah, would you? That would be great!” said Holly, knowing that a personal introduction would speak volumes compared to an online application.

“Course. The guy who manages it over here is called Don. I’ll give him your email and see if he can reach out to you. How are your parents?”

“They’re fine thanks, still walking through the hills and valleys, fit as always. Yours?”

“Yeah, they’re fine. Hey, you going to the reunion next month?” asked Stephany.

“I got the email but I can’t afford it. Maybe next year.”

“I went to the last one, not many from our year were there. Saw Sandra and Eric, glued to each other as always. Shelly was there but threw up in the car park.”

“That girl has a problem!”

“Tell me! Not much else to report though. I left early as it was kind of dull without the old crew there.”

“Yeah, they need to ship us all in as the cabaret!”

“Yup. Look, here’s my stop. Stay in touch Hol, hope all goes well!”

“Will do and thanks for the intros! Thanks so much for calling.”

“Bye!”

Holly smiled. There was a girl, she thought, who had entered the workforce straight from school with a level of confidence in her abilities which had taken Holly four years to develop. She knew what she wanted and chased employers without resting until they gave her what she demanded. She was driven, smart and it made Holly wonder what extra value she had obtained from her four years of study. Perhaps it came down to just personal development, and if that was the case, her judgment about Rob would give her a failing grade. As if on cue, her phone vibrated and a text from Rob appeared: exam went fine. Wanna catch up tonight? She let it sit for a few minutes even though she knew how she would answer. Then, leaving her desk she grabbed a clean pair of panties, stripped, pulled on her dressing gown and went to the bathroom. As the shower heated up she dropped the gown to the floor and twirled in front of the full length mirror which Addie had installed with a hammer and nails.

She stood on tiptoe and noted the shape of her calves, the way they tapered to her knees and then the lithe shape of her thighs. Her buttocks were taut with the same sort of shape that she recalled from High School, bubbly and attractive. Her breasts were firm and as she squeezed them together she wondered just what men would think of them. They weren’t big at all but then they would never be down to her knees when she got to sixty. She turned with her back to the mirror and spread her legs, trying to imagine what Rob would see if he had ever flipped her round. The mirror was steaming up as she turned again and with one foot on the bath, parted her pussy lips. Everything seemed in order and her face was still pretty, young, her skin unblemished and her hair lustrous, wavy and full of vitality, just like it promised on the shampoo bottle.

Back in her room she sat with her feet on the desk, naked, clean and warm, thinking about her response to him. She knew they had to meet but wanted it to be out in the open, not in her room. She also wanted to part friends so that their two years had some meaning to both of them. He would need to collect his stuff from her room but she would say there was no hurry so that he knew she wasn’t breaking up with him for somebody else. She moved her feet so they were either side of her keyboard, pleased with the sensation of exposure and wondering why she had never done it before. Her bottom drawer contained a small travel-sized container of baby oil, and just a few drips of that would be enough to help her fingers slip and slide all over her clit. She had one dirty video on her laptop, something that Rob had given her many months ago in a brief period of total openness. It showed a couple having sex in a house that had no furniture except for a large bed and where the woman’s screams echoed around the place, drowning out his grunts of passion. All she seemed to say all the time was either ‘yes’ or ‘oh god’ but after the hundredth time it became annoying and a major distraction. She had seen it dozens of times and the impact decreased each time she viewed it so she simply cupped her pussy and felt the warmth from her skin as she leaned back and closed her eyes. Anyway, she thought, if she had an orgasm like the one the previous week courtesy of Mike, the bartender who was the star of her fantasy land then she would probably slide off the chair and break her neck. She texted: gotta go to foundation handover tonight. How about afternoon tomorrow?

As she pressed the return key a call came in from an unknown number. She clicked the green key and waited for the stupid advertisement for credit card loans.

“Holly?”

“Yeah?”

“Holly, it’s Sam. Marko said that you were looking for a car and suggested I might be of help so that you pick something in good shape,” said Sam. Her hearth leapt in her chest and she sat upright, wondering for a second if she should cover herself. Sam, the most gorgeous guy on campus, was phoning her, offering help. She recalled his chocolate-brown skin, part African-American, part-Italian, and part-god. She flushed remembering that she wanted to lick his face, to feel the smoothness on that first occasion they had met, four years ago but he was way out of her league. He had girls fawning over him constantly and was very careful who he was seen with, but polite, tactful and considerate always to anyone he spoke to. But those lips of his, they shone, inviting, with pearl white teeth and a long pink tongue beyond.

“Oh wow!’ she said, breathlessly. “Yeah, that was nice of him, I’m certainly on the look-out for something,” she said, cursing the innuendo.

“My Dad’s in the business. He can recommend good dealers and have a mechanic take a quick look once you’ve found something.”

“Really? Oh, that would be great!”

“Look, I have some time on Wednesday afternoon, wanna take a drive around then?”

“Sam, yeah, thanks! Can I meet you outside the Students Union?”

“Sure, shall we say two o’clock?”

“Great, and thanks, that’s so nice of you!” she said, calming a little but thrilled at the idea of being in his car and being seen with him even for a few hours.

“See you at two then. Bye for now!” He rang off before she could reply but she just smiled and gently set the phone down on her desk. She cupped her pussy and brought her legs together, squealing with pleasure at the feeling and the phone call. Her middle finger slipped between her outer lips and she leaned back in the chair, staring at the ceiling. Tonight she would scratch that itch and roll out Mike the unforgiving bartender once again. She pulled on a stylish pale pink floral-patterned blouse and her only other skirt which was cream with a black belt and left the house just after six-thirty.

It was seven when she reached the lines of dormitories, each flanked by rose bushes alternating with standard box hedges to provide some natural relief from the stark brickwork. The main administration building was at the end of the dormitories and on the second floor she entered the room where they held Foundation meetings to discuss financial assistance to local worthy causes. Holly had been Treasurer in her third year and this year was Event Director, a position which involved coordinating sponsors, funds and people in aid of causes in the city. There were about ten extra people there this evening as they were shadowing their counterparts, ready to take over from those students who were leaving the university in less than a week’s time. The first hour was a review of the year’s achievements as well as commitments for the following year, along with assignments for the incoming students to the positions to which they had been elected. The second and third hour were devoted to planning, tactics, advertising and general groundwork that would be required to make the events a success.

With all business finished just after ten, the meeting broke up and a celebratory party was held downstairs in the main Administration lounge where wine, cheese and biscuits were served along with soft drinks and coffee. It wasn’t filling but Holly had grabbed another ham sandwich before she left and didn’t really need much to eat. She was introduced to the majority of the new committee members and was delighted to feel the enthusiasm and energy that they would bring to the Foundation. She left as the party was winding down at about eleven and made her was out of the building, across the quadrangle and along the path between the main dormitories that eventually led to Foley Road. Raucous laughter filled the air as she strode along the flagstone path and her steps echoed with reassurance and authority as she walked quickly and confidently in the gloom.

The buildings either side were lit but the tree-lined path was quite dark although she had no sense of foreboding as she picked out the shape of the campus gate about three hundred yards away. She watched a couple about fifty yards in front of her, walking in the same direction as she was. She saw them pause briefly then carry out at a faster walking pace, clearly arguing. Between the trees was the occasional bench seat and litter bin and it was by one of the litter bins, about half-way along the path, that she came across an ivory coloured shoe with a two or three inch heel. It was a woman’s shoe, in perfect condition but most certainly out of place on the grass by the bench. She left it where it was but looked around slowly, wondering where the owner might be since they would surely know they were minus one shoe. Both behind her and in front, the path was empty now and yet she felt that someone was close by. She walked on slowly, primed for the discovery of the other shoe, but it was a groan that caught her attention and sent her heart racing. It came from her left, fifty feet or thereabouts she estimated. Female. Unwell. Another groan, no louder than the first but as she drew closer the sound of being unwell turned to one of pain.

As she approached the source she spotted the other shoe, attached to a girl’s stockinged foot, poking out between the rose bush and the hedge, her limbs jammed in at a ghastly angle that suggested she had been thrown in and had not simply tripped or fallen. Holly crouched down and confirmed that it was indeed the other shoe.

“Hey” she said softly. She could smell vomit and reached out for the girl’s hand between the rose brambles. It was scratched and bleeding in places, not life-threatening but it was going to sting like mad later. “Hey, can you get up?” A noise emanated from deep in the bushes and the girl vomited noisily. Holly looked around at the deserted campus and briefly wondered if the laughter she had heard earlier was something to do with this girl. She seemed to be a similar build as herself, maybe a little younger and her concern grew as she noticed that the girl was trembling, shaking as she lay entangled in the undergrowth. “You need to get out of there sweetie, come on, I can help,” said Holly, taking her hand. It was covered in vomit and for an instant Holly wondered if she should get involved. The thought passed immediately as she realised that it could happen to anyone, herself included, in the four years at university and for a myriad of reasons. She stepped deeper into the brambles and cleared some away with her feet, pricking herself on the sharp thorns as she guided the girl’s head slowly out of the tangled brambles. After almost a minute of effort she finally managed to get her hands under her armpits and pulled her, despite her shrieks, out onto the grass. She jogged back to the bench, grabbed the other shoe and returned to the girl, noting that she clutched her small black handbag to her chest even though it too was covered in whatever she had for dinner. There was blood all over her hands, legs and the back of her neck, and Holly noticed that she too had scratches from the thorns and smears from the girl’s injuries.

“Where do you live sweetie?” asked Holly, crouching in front of her, now worried as the girl hadn’t said anything and didn’t really seem to be able to move. After a moment’s silence Holly peeled the bag from her grip and felt around inside. A small credit-card holder held her driving license, two credit cards and a student ID card. “Hey, Jane, I’m going to get you home, OK?” said Holly, rewarded with the slightest of nods. The ID card said Stanley Hall which was right in front of them. Holly slipped the ID card into her back pocket and locked the bag. “We’re going to walk over there to your door, OK?” she said, taking her hand. It took almost a minute though before Jane could stand long enough for Holly to even support her, and another three attempts of getting up, falling down and getting up again over the twenty yards to get her to limp to the door. She pushed the girl up against the stone wall, slipped the card from her pocket and buzzed them through while noting her last name of ‘Tanner’. Jane spun round once inside, teetering on one foot as Holly tried valiantly to support her while reading the names and room assignments on the board. “Three A, OK, here we go” said Holly, breathless, stinking of vomit and her clothes stained similarly to the girl she held in her arms.