by Tia Siren
He seemed to like the sound of that. But, it was short-lived.
“Hollis, Christine, I know you two are probably making a deal where Christine does all the work, and Hollis just sits back and soaks up the credit. I, fortunately, am not that gullible.” The professor paused. “You two have a special extra assignment. Hollis has to perform an experiment in front of the class and knowingly explain the processes involved in the chemical reaction.”
I sat there open mouthed as he continued.
“Christine, your grade in this class depends on him handling this assignment. I will even have a few questions for him to answer, just to make sure he was paying attention and not just memorizing a script.”
I was doomed. My perfect record was about to be shattered, and I could do nothing about it at all.
“Whoa, that’s rough,” was all that he could manage to say before going back to his phone and tapping away.
My anger got the best of me as I yanked the phone from his hand and threw it out the window. He watched it fly out several feet and fall the four stories to the campus courtyard.
With that done I packed up my things, wrote my phone number on a slip of paper, and handed it to Hollis.
“If you find your phone, you can reach me at this number. Hopefully, the next time we have work to do you’ll be more interested in working.”
With that said, I walked out of the class. I was overwhelmed and decided it would be best to go to my favorite spot to unwind for a bit.
4.
I don’t know how many other people knew about it, but I really like this spot. It was quiet and secluded, and I had never seen anyone come up here before.
I was on top of the tallest school building, and it overlooked the courtyard from just enough of a distance that I could make out Hollis poking around and looking desperately for his phone.
It took me a while to regain my composure after he bumped into another classmate and knocking her paperwork all over the grounds.
Granted, I think he ended up getting her number written on his arm before she gathered up her things and walked away. He really was the worst kind of man, but he was still a man.
I did feel a little bit of pride when I realized that I’d get the chance to be his partner and nobody else would. Thinking about it made my heart sink, as I knew there was no way he’d pass this assignment.
I still felt myself sigh a little thinking about all the other women he had been with. I started to think less about the girls on his list and started to think more about the girls that weren’t. Thankfully I was securely in the ‘not’ list, but a part of me wished that I could meet an attractive man, like Hollis, that also had the brain to match.
Hollis found his phone under a bush nearby. I did feel a little bad about throwing the thing out the window. I have been known to have some anger issues in the past.
Then my phone started ringing.
“Hello,” I said.
“So this really is your phone number; I had a feeling that you were just playing a prank on me.”
It was Hollis calling me.
“I see you finally found your phone.”
“I did.”
“So, back to planning your party,” I asked.
“Actually, I had something better in mind. How about the two of us call a truce?”
“A truce? I didn’t know we were at war,” I said.
“I have a feeling this isn’t a war I’ll win; so I’m hoping that we can reach an understanding before it gets any worse.”
I couldn’t help but feel prideful, and a sense of power washed over me.
“Alright, I won’t bother you anymore outside of class, and you will actually try to study?”
“You’d kill me if you got a bad grade; I have no choice.”
I laughed. “You got that right.”
“So, you’ll come by, and we can study at my frat house tonight?”
I almost blurted out a laugh. No studying ever got done at a frat house.
“Why don’t we go to the library? It’s quieter, and we can get more done.”
I saw him pacing around the field as he talked. He looked a bit nervous even from this distance.
“The truth is, Christine, that I really don’t feel comfortable studying anywhere outside my room.”
I continued to push.
“Yeah, studying female anatomy.”
“Okay, that’s a fair hit. But, I still would prefer to study at home.”
I sighed. He seemed unrelenting in his efforts to get me to come over.
“Fine,” I said, “but, if you try to make a pass at me then I’m going to be very upset, and you can study on your own.”
“Deal,” he said.
I nearly hung up my phone, but it looked like he wasn’t done yet.
“One more thing,” he added, “I think some people are coming over for a party tonight. They might be loud, but it shouldn’t be too much a distraction.”
“Fine,” I sighed, “I will just bring earplugs.”
I hung up my phone. I had no interest in going to a party tonight, but if it meant that I could get some studying done with this horrid situation looming over my head, then I might as well try.
I was surprised when he urged me to come over. For an outgoing man, he really didn’t seem that interested in trying new things. I’m sure he had his reasons for avoiding the library, but I made no point to pry.
I was stuck going to a party by proxy, and I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. I hadn’t been to a college party yet, but I had walked by a few. They were always drunken affairs, broken up by campus police before they got too far out of hand.
Perhaps this party wouldn’t be so uproarious; then again perhaps I’m kidding myself. Even so, I thought it might be nice to look the part.
I stayed on the rooftop, waiting for the sun to set over the buildings. Today was far from over.
5.
The frat house was an old brick building with roman letters pinned to the balcony of the second story. The building sat close to the roadside, leaving little room for a yard. Even so, a couple guys were throwing a ball back and forth. Despite the chill night air, they were still shirtless.
As I strode towards the door they both stopped.
“Hey there, cutie. Where are you headed?”
I swiveled.
“I have business inside.”
The two looked at each other and laughed.
“Business? I think you’re at the wrong house.”
Hollis opened the door.
“Don’t worry about it guys, she’s here to help me study.”
They looked at Hollis and me and continued to laugh.
“Enjoy your business Hollis,” they scoffed.
Hollis beckoned me close and held the door for me as I entered, whispering in my ear along the way.
“Don’t mind them. They’re just jealous they can never get a date.”
I looked at him with disdain.
“Not that this is a date,” he added.
I nodded and stood in the entryway. For a frat house was surprisingly well kept. That is to say, there wasn’t any garbage lying around, which I was thankful for.
He started up the staircase and waved for me to follow.
“You guys keep this place pretty clean.”
“Not every guy wants to live in garbage. My parents were pretty strict with me growing up; now I’m just used to everything being clean. Keeping the rest of the guys in check is hard, but I think they’re finally getting it.”
I didn’t know he was the one in charge.
“So, you’re like the mother of the group,” I asked.
“I wouldn’t say mother, I would more say incredibly strict father.”
He gestured towards his room, with the door still open. I entered and took in my surroundings.
He had a rather large bed in the corner, already made up for the evening. In the corner sat a pair of desks lined against the wall, both covered in homework. A co
uple of books were already open; making it appear that he began studying before I arrived. The floor was spotless, save for the carpets covering the hard wood.
“Make yourself cozy; I thought it best that we work by the desk.”
I moved over and lowered myself to the chair, and we started to study. He was surprisingly apt for what he was, picking up a rather advanced topic easier than I would have thought possible of him.
A couple hours passed and he had absorbed everything that I really knew.
“Why do you do so poorly in class if you’re capable of learning this quickly?”
“What do you mean,” he asked.
I had to know what was going on, was he faking being dumb to be popular, or was he just not interested. The thought was nagging at me, and I was consumed with curiosity.
“You seemed capable of picking this up really easily, are you trying to make me look like a fool?”
He stood up and stepped back from the chair. He thought for a long moment before he finally replied to my question.
“I don’t know if this is something you’d really care to hear.”
I shook my head.
“Really, I need to know why.”
“Alright, I’ll tell you,” he said, “I used to work really hard and get good grades, but then I started growing. Before long I was a head taller than anyone else in my grade. I got popular and started spending more time with friends. When I got to High School, it was just more fun to go out and enjoy life rather than spend time staring at books. Getting a full ride scholarship to this college was great, but nobody is expecting me to do well in classes.”
I nodded; it really was what I expected.
“I practice more than any other player on that field. Every second I’m not practicing, I’m out enjoying life. You’re only twenty once in your lifetime.”
I laughed but tried my best to stifle it. “So you’d rather waste your education on sex and partying?”
He looked serious, but I could tell he was a little embarrassed. “We all have our reasons,” he quipped.
The door swung open wide, as three of his roommates burst in laughing loudly. One tackled Hollis to the bed before he realized and I found myself laughing along.
“The libations have arrived!” they shouted.
“Then why is my drinking hand empty,” Hollis replied.
I rolled my eyes and began packing up the study materials. I had a feeling my night was over, and it was nearing time for me to get some sleep anyway. That was until a drink was shoved into my hand.
“Drink!” they chanted, staring at me as I examined the can.
“I’m not drinking this; It’s a school night,” I replied to the group.
Hollis stared down at me. “I’ll study harder tomorrow if you’ll try having fun with me tonight.”
It was hard to pass up. My brain was alight with possibility; I had the chance to try something different and even though I feared it, I could do little to stop myself from trying.
I snapped the top of the beer can, frothing out golden liquid from inside. I had tried beer in the past and hadn’t liked it. But, I was very young.
I sipped at the top as the guys watched until Hollis came over and tilted the can into my mouth. A rush shot down my throat, and I gasped for air.
“You dick,” I managed to spout out after catching my breath.
They all hooted and hollered, and I couldn’t help but feel a tad ingratiated into the group of revelers.
Before I could even finish the first can, a second can was being shoved into my hand. I let myself go.
The party continued, and a few other girls showed up, and they looked prepared for tonight. I wished that I could wear the same thing as they did. Their short-cut skirts left almost nothing to the imagination. They may as well have shown up wearing just their underwear, as it was easy enough to see.
The boys all panted as if a bone were being held in front of their eyes. Hollis looked but showed little interest in the matter. He drank slowly from a mug and chatted with the guys that would walk near him. I saw a bit of responsibility in him as he continued to pick up trash and replace snacks when empty.
I was beginning to feel the drink hit me hard. Things started to spin a bit, but despite my inability to taste anything I continued to go back for more beer.
After a while, I was using the rail on the staircase to prop myself up while one of Hollis’ roommates kept talking to me about how many times he could lift a particular weight.
Then I was being picked up from behind. I tried to fight it, but there were two of them, and both of them were football players. They flipped me upside down and held me upside down in front of a keg.
“First keg stand!” they shouted.
I was too drunk to say no, and they thrust the nozzle in my mouth. I didn’t know how much I drank before they dropped me, but by the end of it I had to throw up.
Hollis noticed me behind the bush.
“Looks like you partied a little harder than you wanted.”
He walked over and put a hand over my back, pulling my hair away from my face.
“Am I a hottie?” I asked, slurring almost every word.
He laughed; which seemed like an annoying way to say ‘no.’
“Where is this coming from, Christine,” he asked.
“You called me a firecracker while I was running yesterday,” I replied.
“All red heads are firecrackers, Christine.”
“Yeah, but it seemed like a term of endearment. You think I’m hot,” I said as I poked him in the chest. More alcohol decided it didn’t want to stay in my stomach.
“I think you’re drunk,” he replied.
I sat down in the cool grass, trying my best to avoid anything I may have just left on the ground. He sat down next to me and held me upright.
“I can see why you do this,” I said, “being drunk makes a lot of the voices in your head stop talking.”
He pulled me in close, giving me something to lean on. It was nice being close to his body heat; he smelled amazing. I wished that he’d pull me in closer like he does with all this other girls.
I leaned in and kissed him on the neck. He turned to me and rubbed the kiss with his hand.
“What was that for,” he asked.
“Does a girl really need an excuse for kissing the hottest guy on campus?”
He smiled. “So I’m the hottest guy on campus, now? I thought I was a moron this morning.”
“You’re starting to grow on me,” I replied.
“Okay, you’re too drunk. No more alcohol for you,” he said as he stood back up.
“Come back down here,” I said, trying in vain to pull him back to the ground. He did the opposite and lifted me from my resting place without any real effort.
I tried to kiss him on the cheek, but he backed away.
“Christine, you’re drunk. You need to lie down for a while and sober up.”
He picked me up from the ground; I did little to resist. I hadn’t been carried since I was six years old and I hoped he wouldn’t set me back down.
He carried me up the stairs and into his room; laid me on his bed and pulled the covers over.
“Sleep, I’ll take the couch.”
“You could stay here with me,” I said.
“Sorry, Christine, I can’t,” he replied.
I sighed; I had never felt so turned on in my life. I couldn’t resist my hormones any longer.
“You’ll regret saying ‘no’,” I said.
“And I’ll regret saying ‘yes’,” he replied.
He walked to his door and clicked off the lights.
As soon as my head touched the pillow, everything went dark.
6.
I woke up to a rather wonderful smell from downstairs. My hair was matted to my face, and my glasses were sitting nearby on the bedside table. My clothes were still intact but quite dirty, and my head beat like a jackhammer. I wrapped myself in the comforter from the bed and shuffl
ed my way downstairs.
The house was empty. I assumed that everyone had left for early morning classes. Then I saw a clock nearby chime noon; I had missed all my classes for the day.
Hollis was cooking in the kitchen and whatever he was making smelled divine.
“I see you’re finally awake,” he said while plating some eggs, “I made breakfast. Have a seat, and I’ll bring it over.”
I pulled myself up to a bar stool and laid my head down on it in a futile attempt to end the jarring in my skull.
“First hangover, eh?”
“Why do you drink if you know it’ll end up like this,” I asked.
“I don’t really think about it,” He replied, “I don’t drink enough to get that hung over.”
He dropped a plate of food in front of me: eggs, bacon, and some toast. I dug in as a thirsty man would water. He stood on the other side of the bar, eating slowly and enjoying the sight.
“I missed class for the first time in quite a while,” I said, “why didn’t you wake me sooner?”
He sat his plate down and started pouring some coffee. “You’re a cute sleeper,” he replied through a wide smile.
“Please, did I say anything stupid last night?”
He laughed and replaced the pot of coffee. “I don’t know, am I hot?”
I remembered it all, now. I came on pretty strong last night. “That wasn’t me talking, that was the alcohol,” I pleaded.
He wasn’t really paying attention to my pleading, but I could see that behind his eyes he didn’t mean to be rude.
I smiled back. “Well, am I hot,” I asked.
“I don’t think you need me to tell you that,” he replied.
“You have me curious now.”
He sighed and took a sip of coffee. “Yes, I think you’re hot. I’ve always had a thing for redheads.”
I unconsciously started twisting my hair around my finger as I had whenever I was nervous. It took me a moment to realize. “Can I show you something,” I asked.
“Will you keep your pants on,” he asked in return.
“Only if you want me to,” I said with a coy smile.
“Alright, what is it?”
“It’s on campus. I think you’ll like it.”
He looked intrigued. “Alright, we can go after breakfast.”
I nodded and continued to eat. I made quick work of the food and drank more than my fair share of coffee in order to wake up. He didn’t seem to mind, even going so far as to ask if I wanted seconds.