Chapter 2

When I woke up the next morning, it took me a moment to realize where I was, but then it all came back to me in a rush. The flights, security searching me like I was a terrorist, the cab driver stealing from me, the woman in the gas station kissing me, and then Francine. Remembering Francine made me stir. Details I hadn’t thought about the night before, or had been too overwhelmed to think about, came back to me, and though I was somewhat erect because I had to go to the bathroom, the mere thought of what happened with Francine changed that state from somewhat to fully.

I couldn’t go to the bathroom like that. I had to think about something else, but I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Well, that didn’t mean I had to think about the finale, so I focused on some of those details I hadn’t the night before. I thought she was drunk, because she stumbled after bumping into me. Was she? I didn’t smelled alcohol on her, and she was close enough long enough for me to remember. Maybe she wasn’t affected by alcohol but something else. Marijuana? Again, no, I didn’t remember the smell of smoke or of anything odd either. The only things I remembered smelling were the new smells of the city and something light and flowery coming from her. Perfume. Yeah, she had on perfume, and that scent didn’t help my condition any.

I shook my head, climbed out of bed, and paced the room. I had arrived late, which meant I could have woken up to having a roommate this morning, but the other bed was still only a mattress with nothing on it but the plastic casing. It was still a good thing. I’d hate to have to explain the obscene tent I was pitching. Knowing what caused the tent, I remembered Francine’s hand and the feel of her strokes. A low moan escaped me and I stumbled.

I stopped pacing. Francine didn’t stumble because she was drunk or high. I eliminated both possibilities. Did she stumble because she was ... turned on? All she did was look at me. I wasn’t that much to look at either, especially after the day I’d had. She couldn’t have been that turned on.

Then I recalled the other two women. They came out of the same shadowy hideaway Francine had. Had the three of them been doing something other than talking? Considering Francine’s lack of attire, I couldn’t ignore the possibility, and that only made me ache more. So, if she was already turned on by the time she bumped into me, why did she run from the other two? Especially if she had been enjoying it. She didn’t strike me as fleeing from something she didn’t want, but someone playing. When the two blondes came out of hiding, Francine had offered me to play with, as she put it, but they left. Maybe they weren’t interested in a boy.

I shook my head and started pacing again. I had to go and my body wasn’t cooperating with that idea. I had to focus, to keep my mind off Francine, and think about something that would have the opposite effect. I thought about the cab driver, his grizzly stubble, multiple chins, vast sweaty body, and the anger he caused when he took off with my money. That pretty much did it, and I didn’t hesitate a second. I stepped out of the room, found the toilet, and relieved myself. After I finished and cleaned up, I went back to my room and found it locked. All of my stuff was in there, including the key!

I banged my head against the door uselessly. Yes, I was happy not to have a roommate five minutes ago, but I would give anything to have one right now. The only way to get back into my room was to go down and convince the super to unlock it for me.

I looked down at myself. All I wore was my pajama bottoms. I had never been able to sleep in a shirt unless it was cold, and though the AC in the building was nice, it wasn’t cold. At least I wasn’t pitching a tent anymore.

I knocked on the other two doors in the suite. No one answered. I went out into the main hallway, hoping to find someone who’d be willing to go down to the super on my behalf, but I didn’t see anyone or hear anyone moving around. I even went to the lounge on my floor, hoping to find a public phone to call down with my request, but there wasn’t one. Shaking my head and hugging myself, I went to the stairs. There was nothing left to it; I’d have to go down myself. I could only hope that, since I hadn’t seen anyone on my floor, the rest of the building was also devoid of wandering bodies.

The stairwells were deserted, but as I got closer to the main floor, I could hear voices. After turning the corner leading to the entrance, I stopped and then backpedaled. I had only heard guys’ voices, but several girls were standing in the entrance with them. I stood there, waiting for them to go away and couldn’t help hearing what they were talking about.

“I say we go. If they didn’t want half the campus showing up, they shouldn’t have posted fliers in the dorms,” said one of the guys.

“I don’t know,” said another one of the guys. “Do you have the code to the gate?”

“I think I remember it,” said one of the girls. “One of the girls in my psych class from last semester lived in that community, and she held a party last year.”

“We could go test it really quick, and if it works, go take care of things before the party starts,” one of the other guys said. There sounded like a consensus and then the sounds of shuffling feet.

I peeked around the corner. I watched them go out the main door and head to the parking lot. It didn’t look like anyone was in the lobby, so I headed around the partition toward the super’s desk. I stopped dead in my tracks. Another girl was leaning against the desk talking to the acting super. Before I could hide, she looked up, smiled, waved, and said, “Hey!”

I spun around, thinking she was waving at someone behind me. Looking at her again, I pointed at myself.

She laughed and nodded. “I see you made it.”

That’s when I recognized her. She was the one who had given me directions from the girls’ dorm, and though she was dressed differently, in a lime green tank top and short beige denim shorts, her long straight brown hair and smile were difficult to mistake. I nodded, but stood there, caught off guard by her presence.

“Feeling better this morning?” she asked.

I nodded, but didn’t say anything.

The guy behind the desk had sandy blond hair, cut short and looking in desperate need to be brushed. He looked at her with an annoyed expression and said, “Want to introduce me, Sharon?”

Sharon shot him a look that he returned. “He showed up at Brazos House because someone gave him the wrong directions. I sent him the right way.” He kept staring at her. I had no idea what was wrong. She turned back to me and held out her hand. “I’m Sharon by the way.”

I stepped up and shook it. “I’m Seth.”

She smiled, and waved at the guy behind the desk, “This grumpy pooh is Chad.”

I nodded at him. He merely grunted and then asked me “What are you doing down here in your pajamas anyway?”

I glanced at Sharon and said, “I ... I um...”

Sharon smiled again. “I think he locked himself out of his room.”

I nodded and told Chad my room number.

He sighed and the look he gave me made me squirm. I used to get looks like that from my sisters. He was annoyed with me now, and I had no idea what I had done to deserve it. Sharon reached over and nudged his shoulder. He glanced at her and some of the annoyance in his face faded away. He shook his head, reached under the desk, and pulled out a huge ring of keys. Staring at those keys, he took a deep breath and let out a sigh. “I’m not supposed to do this,” he said, finding the key and pulling it off the ring, “but I’m going to let you take this up to unlock your door and get your key.” He held it out and looked me dead in the eye. “Don’t make me regret this.”

Not wanting to be in the main lounge dressed as I was any longer than I had to be, I nodded, took the key, and then ran back up the stairs.

Back in my room, I rummaged in my suitcases on the floor for clean clothes. I changed and then looked for my lanyard. I had been a latchkey kid for the last two years of high school, and after forgetting my key at home a couple of times, I got a lanyard to keep the key around my neck. I wasn’t used to needing a key when I woke up, not to go to the bathroom, so if this morning were any indicator, I would probably have to sleep with the thing on.

Feeling a lot more comfortable in clothes and with my key hanging around my neck, I picked up Chad’s key and headed back downstairs. Sharon was sitting on the desk, half turned toward Chad and smiling, but Chad looked, if possible, even more irritable. Honestly, I had no idea how he could feel so grumpy with her sitting there. I knew I couldn’t have.

“Aww,” Sharon said when she saw me. “I liked the pajamas.” Chad rolled his eyes.

I had to look away and used the excuse to hand Chad the key.

“Hold on,” he said before I could run away. “You’ve got some mail.”

I turned back around to watch him stack three boxes and several packets on the desk.

Sharon looked at the stack. “Someone at home loves you.”

I recognized two of the boxes. My stereo was in one and various other personal belongings were in the other. I had no idea what was in the third. The packets all looked like what I had received from the school after I got my letter of acceptance. I looked those over first, to confirm just that. “Why would the school send me this stuff here?” I asked, looking at the packets. “I already got them before I left to come.”

Sharon shrugged. “They do that in case you forget any important paperwork.”

I nodded and realized that would include another map of the campus. I set those aside and looked at the box I didn’t recognize. The name on it was mine, but the return address had my mother’s name. I groaned internally. What did she send me? For that matter, did I really want to know? The box was big but not heavy.

“Are you going to open it?” Sharon asked.

I shrugged. “It’s probably stuff I forgot.” I didn’t like the idea of her seeing what was in it, especially since I didn’t know.

New voices from the entrance reached us. I turned to look.

“Dude, a pool party! Imagine all the hot chicks!” the taller of the two guys said. “Imagine all that skin in those bikinis!”

His friend shook his head. “Yeah, but the party’s in a gated community. We’d be lucky to actually get in.”

The tall one said, “I can get us in, we just have to get there.” With that, he turned and went out the main door.

His friend followed, asking, “Neil, wait! How are we...?” The door closed before I heard him finish the question.

I stared at the entrance and the bright summer light. The night before had been hot. The days would be worse. The thought of a pool party only inspired the idea of swimming, not actually attending a party. Back at home, I swam in a lake. I had a pair of cut off shorts that I used. Turning to Sharon and Chad, I asked, “Does the gym on campus have a pool?”