Steamy Dorm

by Kristine Robinson

  I pause for a moment and collect myself. The furrow on my brow relaxes and I can feel every angered muscle in my being relax. He’s right. I’m not going through a divorce. I never married him. I thought at one point I did want to but this has made it very clear.

  I get up off his bed and grab my coat. I start to put on my shoes and he gets up and turns me around by the shoulder.

  “What’re you doing?”

  “You’re right.”

  “What?”

  “You’re right. I’m not going through a divorce. Just my parents who have been with me for twenty one years. You know, my whole life.” I finish tying my shoe and look him straight in the eye. “But I guess I am going through a break up because my boyfriend has the emotional capacity of a thimble!” I make my point by shoving his chest.

  He stares at me dumbfounded as I storm out of his room. He doesn’t even follow me as I walk out his front door.

  The air doesn’t feel so cold, in fact it feels nice. The sun behind the clouds still seems warm and bright to me. It has been a while since I was actually happy and smiling. There was a skip in my step as I walked through the park.

  I stopped next to the lake in the center where little old ladies are throwing cracked corn for the ducks, kids are playing ball with each other, and couples are having picnics. I sit down on a bench and take in the sights.

  Then it hits me. I’m now alone. I don’t have someone to help me through my parent’s divorce. I sit there with my hands in my lap and my toes kicking against the pebbles and dirt. The smile starts to fade and I hold the corners of my lips up to keep the happy façade going. I don’t want to draw attention.

  My vision goes to tunnel vision and I can really only see the dirt down at my feet. I don’t notice the soccer ball roll up next to me until I hear the children shouting at me. I shake my head and look up to see some kids waving and yelling at me. I look around until I spot the ball, get up, and toss it back to them.

  I sit back down and realize I’m not the only one on the bench any more. Someone has swooped in and stolen the spot next to me. I look over and am surprised with a big hug.

  “Annie!”

  The fake smile on my face melts away and is replaced by a big goofy smile. “Oh my god! Tabby!”

  We laugh and talk. I feel kind of bad about myself. I lied to her in the first place about not having a boyfriend and now I’m sitting here alone on this bench having just broken up with him. I want to talk with her about everything going on because I feel like she would actually listen to me.

  After about an hour of catching up and talking about our jobs she asks me if I want to go grab some food with her. We get up and wander around the park until we find a street vendor with hot dogs, coffee, and pretzels.

  She asks me what I want and I just ask for a coffee. She smiles and starts ordering for both of us. I start to take my wallet out of my pocket but she’s already pulling bills out of hers and handing them to the vendor. I tap her on the shoulder with my wallet in plain sight, she brushes me off.

  The vendor hands her two coffees, she hands me one. He then hands her a hot dog and a pretzel. She hands me the pretzel. I smile and watch her deck out her hot dog with a few condiments. I grab a little cup with mustard and we head over to a picnic table under a nearby tree.

  We sit there eating and enjoying our coffees. She tells me about how her roommate recently moved out so she’s been trying to find another person to take the room. This gets my attention.

  “I’m kind of looking for a place.”

  “Really? Where are you living now?”

  I tell her where I live and barely mention that things are getting hectic so I need to find a place. I want to tell her that I just broke up with my long term boyfriend but that would mean also explaining to her that I had lied about not having one in the first place.

  She pats me on the shoulder and hugs me close. Then she says something I really didn’t expect. “I’m going out to a party tonight with some friends of mine. We’re likely going to get drunk. Would you like to come along and maybe crash at my place tonight?”

  I blink a few times trying to confirm that she just said what I thought she said. I manage a nod. I really want to go.

  “Right on.” She hands me a piece of paper and a pen. “Write down your address and I’ll come pick you up around seven. Wear something that you can dance in.”

  Her smile is so sweet, it makes her all the more beautiful. I jot down my address, we hug, and then she leaves. I stay there at the table for a little bit with a smile on my face. After I finish the coffee, I toss the cup in a waste basket nearby then skip home.

  It doesn’t take long for my skip to turn back into a walk. Skipping is surprisingly tiring. It takes less time than I thought it would to get home. As I approach the door I can hear them yelling inside. I don’t want to go in.

  I stand there on the stoop for a long while, just waiting. The yelling doesn’t stop so I slowly open the door, trying not to draw attention. They don’t seem to notice. I creep inside and slink over to my room. I shut the door as quietly as I can and that is when I lose it. I drop to the floor with my back against the door and just cry.

  They are my parents and I love them both dearly but I can’t be in the middle of this. I want them both to be happy and it does not seem that is what is on their agenda. Both of them go back and forth over whose fault all of this is. My mother brings up how both of her children want to leave and how father’s lying and never being home is why. He brings up that he wouldn’t have had to go out with his friends for drinks if she had been more willing to do things with him.

  I sit there against my door with my eyes in my palms. Tears stream down my face and drip down my arms to be soaked up by my sleeves. I try hard to stop but every breath I take in is shaky. Their fighting begins to subside because mother slammed their bedroom door.

  The crying slowly ends and I wipe my eyes and nose on my sleeve. I get up and go to my closet. I don’t really have anything to wear for dancing, never really had the reason to get clothing like that. It’s not like Greg ever took me anywhere fancy. Scrounging through the closet I manage to find a pair of black high-top canvas shoes, fishnet stockings, a red plaid short skirt, and a tight black shirt. I figure this is good enough.

  I get dressed and grab my thinner zip-up jacket. I want to put make-up on but I don’t know if that would be best at this moment. I look at the clock and I have about an hour left before she arrives, assuming she told me the truth and will actually come pick me up. I shrug and sit down on my bed to surf the internet.

  6:50 comes and I flip out. Did I really just spend almost an entire hour on the internet? I spring up off the bed and start rushing to put on some decent make-up. I didn’t think I would care, apparently I was wrong. I get on a decent light red lipstick, dark purple eye shadow, and coat my lashes in mascara.

  I brush out my hair and realize I need to re-dye the red tips at some point. The dye is faded but you can’t really tell against my brown hair anyway. I leave my hair down but place an elastic on my wrist just in case. I grab a small bag that I use as a purse occasionally and stuff my needed items in it, like my phone, wallet, and phone charger.

  Then I remember she offered to let me stay with her. Do I pack an overnight bag? Does that seem too needy? I shrug and shove a spare pair of panties into the bottom of my purse, just in case. I look back at my clock, 7:12.

  She is not here. I sit on my bed and wait since I should give her a few extra minutes just in case. My parents haven’t been arguing so at least I have that going for me. I watch the minutes tick by and still no one knocks at the door or honks out the window.

  The clock strikes 7:30 and I don’t think she is coming. I start unlacing my shoes. I kick one off and unlace the other, then I hear a horn. I clamber to my window and there’s Tabby leaning against a car with some other girl leaning out the window chatting with her.

  I’m so excited to see her. She tells the driver to honk the ho
rn again and then starts coming up to my door. I forget in an instant that I had untied my shoe and pull open my door. I try to run to the front door and lift my foot while the other is standing firm on my shoelace. I try to catch myself on a nearby jacket only to have the hook on which it is hanging snap off the wall. I land on the floor underneath the jacket and begin crawling to the front door.

  The handle to the door is a bit higher than I can reach. I can hear Tabby laughing outside. I get up and open the door while shoving the jacket off my head. She smiles with her hand covering her mouth, trying hard not to laugh.

  I start laughing and she removes her hand, bursting out with laughter.

  “Are you okay?” she asks between gasps.

  I run my fingers through my hair to straighten it back out. “I’m fine.”

  “Go get your,” she pauses and looks down at my feet with a chuckle. “Your shoe?”

  I take a moment to tie the remaining shoe then go tie on my other shoe, grab my purse, and I’m out the door. She brings me out to the car and introduces me to Cass, the driver, and Suri, the other passenger.

  We take the back seat together and she asks what all that ruckus was about. I tell her that she said seven and it had hit seven thirty so I started kicking off my shoes when I heard the horn. She paused me there and apologized for being late, seriously hinting that Suri was the reason they were late. Suri laughs and explains that perfect hair means a perfect night. I continue the story to which the whole car has a good laugh.

  Cass turns on some music after a few more introduction stories are had. Cass is a lovely looking woman with a hot pink pixie haircut, nose ring, and tattoos all up and down her arms. She looks like she could be an anime character. Suri has long braided black hair and dark skin that shows her Indian heritage. They seem to be a couple, but I’m not sure.

  During the drive I take my time to really look at Tabby. She has light blue eye shadow around her bright green eyes and they glisten in the lights. Her black bob cut looks wonderful with the big gold flower pinning half of it back. Her tight shirt leaves her midriff visible as well as her cleavage. I notice a small glimmering on her navel and take note of the belly button ring twinkling there. She has a short jean skirt and fishnet stockings like mine. She also has the same black canvas shoes as me.

  She looks beautiful in the dim light of the car. I know she is not into men and I know she is single, but am I into her that way? She looks over at me and sees that I am looking at her. My cheeks go red and I think she saw that. She smiles and slides her hand into the center seat between us then looks back out her window.

  I know that gesture, I’ve done it before. You look at the person, make sure they know you were looking at them. Then you place your hand between you two and look away. It’s a simple gesture that if the other person takes it, it can change everything. I look down at her hand and admire the blue polish on her nails. I look at my hand then back at her then back out the window.

  My hand slides off my own leg and across the seat until my fingertips touch hers. She lifts her fingers and I slide my hand closer until our fingers are laced together. We don’t look at each other but I know we both are smiling.

  The rest of the car ride is silent except for the radio and Cass cursing at a driver that cut us off. We pull into the parking garage next to the club and Cass parks the car. We get out and Tabby tells me that the club has drinks and they are going to drink, but that I don’t have to. I confirm that I really want a drink.

  Suri hops around the car and jumps on Tabby with a hug. “Tabby! I want to dance!”

  “We’re not even in the club yet, Suri!”

  Suri mockingly whines and tugs on Tabby. We all laugh and they lead me around to the front where a large man with a tight black shirt is standing with a clipboard. Cass struts right up to him and taps his shoulder. He smiles and gives her a big hug, picking her up off the ground. He lets the four of us pass and we go inside.

  We pass a coat check and the bathrooms. Through another set of doors and we are in the club. People are dancing on the dance floor, people are schmoozing at the bar and surrounding tables, there are go-go girls dancing in cages, and lights blazing in all sorts of colors dance around the room. We go straight to the bar and Cass flags down a busty bartender who has a few dollar bills shoved between her breasts.

  She begins ordering drinks and flirting with the bartender. Well, a little more than flirting actually. Cass leans over the bar with a smile and the bartender leans over to meet her in the center. They kiss one another, their tongues caress each other. Cass reaches out to grasp one of the bartender’s large breasts and massage it gently. The bartender doesn’t seem to mind, nor do the nearby bar flies. Cass slips a bill between the woman’s breasts and whispers something in her ear.

  Suri is looking around the room, probably scouting the dance floor. She does notice Cass’s momentary fling with the bartender but says nothing of it. She has eyes for more interesting things.

  Tabby grabs my arm and leans in. “Cass will try to get you to drink everything. Stick with me or Suri and you’ll be fine.”

  She grabs me and Suri and pulls us over to a table right next to a go-go girl in a fluffy neon orange outfit dancing in a cage. We sit down and Suri looks around the dancefloor some more. She has her knees on the chair seat and her arms crossed over the back rest. She has her back arched, popping her butt up in the air. She has a mini skirt and with her body in that pose, everyone can see the ruffled lacy white panties that only barely cover her skin.

  Tabby sits next to me and has her arm around my shoulders. I lean in, enjoying her body against mine. She smiles down at me and leans her head against mine. I nuzzle into her shoulder. I’m not quite sure what her overall plans are for me, but I enjoy where I am at right now. If we’re being honest, having the view of Suri’s taught buttocks framed with white lace is not a bad perk of the evening.

  Cass eventually finds her way back to the table with a tray of drinks. She sets the tray down and Suri immediately spins around, as though she knew the drinks had arrived. The music is so loud that I’m not sure how she knew. She grabs a drink, plops a dark shot in it, and chugs it. Then she’s up and bouncing off towards the dance floor.

  I watch her for a bit and look back at Cass. “Are you two a couple?”

  Cass laughs and knocks back one of the three shots sitting in front of her. “Yeah.”

  I look back at Suri dancing with someone on the dance floor. They are getting down and dirty with it. Suri is licking the woman’s neck and her breasts are pressed right up against her. I’m fairly certain that Suri is groping the woman’s breast with one hand and her rear with the other. I look back at Cass and she knows the question on my mind.

  “She’s hunting.”

  She downs the other two shots and joins Suri on the dance floor. Cass prowls near Suri but takes a different dance partner. She finds a cute young girl in tight jeans and a tie-on shirt. Cass keeps one hand on the small of the girls back and looks deep into her eyes. She seems to be pulling the girl into a trance. After a few seconds the girl has her arms wrapped around Cass’s neck and her tongue in Cass’s mouth.

  I look at Tabby and she laughs, taking a sip of her salt-rimmed margarita.

  “Suri’s the pretty one and Cass is the butch. They really, really like threesomes. Suri picks them out.”

  I nod and take a drink sitting on the tray. It looks safe enough. I start to sip it and it tastes quite refreshing. After downing the first of many strawberry daiquiris of the evening I look at the dance floor then at Tabby.

  She smiles, finishes her margarita, and grabs my hand. We get up from the table and head out onto the dancefloor. Colored lights swing around the room, bouncing off of a large slowly spinning disco ball. The music is so loud that we have to shout just to hear each other. She pulls me into the crowd and I clamp down on her hand so I don’t get lost.

  Once we reach roughly the center of the floor she pulls me close and dances with me. Her bo
dy feels so nice and warm against mine. She has her hands on my hips and I have mine around her shoulders. Our bodies gyrate and grind together. The music pumps through our bodies.

  The crowd around us is tight together in a bouncing, dancing, sweating ball. People are shouting and cheering as they dance. I can feel her hand slide down my hip to lightly caress my rear. I can’t help but smile. I turn around in her grasp, pressing my rear right up against her. She holds my hips tight and grinds up against me.

  I have my hands up in the air, pumping to the beat. Her hands slide up my sides then back down to my hips. She slips her hands underneath my shirt and caresses my skin. I let out an inaudible moan that surprises even me. She keeps one hand on my hip and wraps the other around my ribs while pressing her body right up against me. She has her chin on my shoulder and I can feel her warm breath on my neck.

  The people around us seem to join in our arousing dance but I only care about one body pressed up against me. I slide my hands back to her hips, holding her close. I gyrate against her and she keeps herself steady.

  I see Suri on the prowl, dancing her way through the crowd, finding the best prey. She goes from one person to another, occasionally being sandwiched between two people. She pays more attention to the women, but she does not leave out the men. I watch her dance up behind a man who turns to acknowledge her with his hands on her breasts and his bulge against her rear.

  She reaches out to grab a nearby girl who turns around and is immediately brought into a tongue filled kiss. The girl objects only for a second before realizing who is kissing her. The smile on the girl’s face says it all. Suri has one hand on the back of the man’s head, holding him against her neck, and the other down the back of the girl’s skirt, pulling her close.

  The man slides one had up Suri’s top to caress her naked breast. Apparently she either didn’t come in with a bra, or lost it along the way. The girl dancing in front of her takes notice of this and pulls up the rest of Suri’s top, bringing her perky nipple into her mouth. This arouses the man further slips his hand down the back of the girl’s skirt. She doesn’t seem to mind in the least.