He Loves Me Not

by Matt Coolomon

  “Neat freak?” he asked idly. There was no hint of judgment in his tone.

  “A bit,” Jules admitted. “Clutter leads to dust and dust ruins machine components, so I keep things pretty tidy.”

  He nodded. Jules pulled a black tank top from her dresser and slipped out of her sticky tee shirt. At least her skirt was dry. It didn’t appear to have been hit with the alcohol laced drink after all.

  Theo’s sudden sharp breath told her of her error. Used to changing in front of Keller, she had forgotten what the sight of her in only her bra might do to a young man. She wasn’t exactly porn star material, but her barely B’s looked right on her slender torso and filled out a tight top just enough. Theo looked about to swallow his tongue.

  “Sorry,” she said, quickly pulling the tank top into place.

  “I’m not,” Theo said. She glanced at him. He was grinning. Apparently he liked what he had seen. “Jules, you have a belly ring?”

  “Uh huh.” She lifted her shirt enough to show him.

  “Didn’t that hurt?”

  “A little,” she replied. “It was worse than earrings. But it didn’t hurt as much as my tattoo.”

  “Ta… tattoo?” Now Theo looked like any minute his tongue might start hanging out.

  She turned around, her tank top still slightly lifted. “See,” she said proudly. “My tramp stamp.”

  She looked at him over her shoulder as he took in the delicate Celtic knot about the size of a fifty cent piece in gold outlined with black on her lower back. It was a surprisingly ladylike work, and she absolutely loved it, silly moniker notwithstanding.

  Theo walked up behind her and touched the little design with the tips of his fingers. “Tramp stamp?”

  “That’s what they call it. Isn’t it pretty?”

  “Yes, very pretty.” He sank to his knees and kissed the spot. Heat flooded through Jules, and suddenly she felt quite wet. She remembered earlier that she hadn’t been able to imagine wanting someone, but suddenly she did. Then Theo pulled her tank down around her hips and rose to his feet. He was blushing furiously. Jules slipped her arms around his neck and laid a wet kiss on his lips. He took to it instantly, sliding his tongue between her lips.

  “Hmmm,” Jules moaned softly. Theo was so nice to kiss. She could go on with this for ages. She wanted to.

  Then he pulled back. She tried to cling to his lips, whining a little in protest of his departure.

  “Let’s walk, Julie,” he said. “Do you have a warm jacket? I need to clear my head.”

  “Okay,” she replied, still a little lost. He scooped up her black leather jacket and wrapped it around her, zipping it over her body. Then he laced his fingers through hers and walked out of the room, down the hall, and to the elevator this time.

  As the floor dropped away below them, Theo treated Jules to another thorough kiss, holding her face in both his hands.

  “What happened to clearing your head?” she asked.

  He didn’t answer. He was too busy guiding her lips back to his. Not that she was protesting. Jules was completely beyond rational thought.

  The bell dinged and they hurried from the elevator through the lobby and into the night. Behind them, Joey protested that Theo needed to sign out, but they didn’t stop.

  The cold no longer bit at them, hot as they were with each other. Around the exterior of the building ran a low stone wall. They followed it into a dark place between security lights and Jules sat down on the top. Theo joined her.

  “What’s happening, Theo?” she asked. He shook his head, reaching for her again. She placed a restraining hand on his chest. “No, not until you tell me what’s going on here.”

  Theo looked at her, lost. “Can’t you just feel it, Jules? Is it only me?”

  “No, but I want to define it.”

  “It doesn’t require definition.” He kissed her again. This time when his tongue touched hers, Jules stopped trying to talk and just let Theo make love to her mouth. He had her moaning in minutes as he teased her with his tongue. She wasn’t exactly sure when he unzipped her jacket and slipped his hands inside, but the pressure of those hands as they squeezed and molded her breasts only layered fire on fire.

  “Theo,” she sighed, just forming his name. She arched her back, offering her breasts to him and he took the invitation, plucking at a nipple that was suddenly hard and sensitive. Oh, that felt so good. He lifted her tank top and bra, baring her breasts so he could stimulate her nipples directly.

  Jules was not exactly sure when she had gone from sitting to lying down on the wall. All she knew was that Theo’s weight as he pressed down on her body felt intoxicating. He gathered her skirt in his hand, lifting it to her hips. Yes. That would be good. Less between them. It would be through closeness that this ache would be eased.

  Oh yeah, just like that. Theo was rubbing his erection against her pubic bone. That was just what she wanted. But without his jeans and her lace panties between them. Oh please, Theo. Come on. I need it, baby.

  He needed something too, it seemed. Even through the heavy denim, the thick shape of his penis slid enticingly over her. Then he groaned, low and deep.

  “Oh yes, Julie,” he sighed, stilling his movement. Then he hissed. Levering himself off Jules’ soft willing body, he looked down with an expression of dismay at the large wet spot centered around the front of his jeans.

  “Is that...?” Jules started, but Theo interrupted her.

  “Yeah. Sorry.” He seemed so embarrassed yet satisfied at the same time.

  “Don’t apologize. I’m not the one who has to ride home like... that.” She indicated his jeans with a wave of her hand. Then she straightened out her bra and shirt.

  “Don’t remind me,” he said.

  Jules grinned. Poor Theo. She was throbbing with unfulfilled arousal, but his plight was worse. Then her smile faded. “Theo, what just happened?”

  “I don’t know, Julie, I...”

  “No, Theo, I need you to know. What was this? Just a hook-up?”

  “Is that what you want, Julie?”

  Jules groaned silently. Why couldn’t he understand that she needed him to lead out, this once. Why couldn’t he take charge a bit?

  But it was too important to let it go. “No, Theo. That’s not what I want at all. I never hook up.”

  The expression of profound relief on his face helped Jules tremendously. “Actually,” she continued cautiously, I’ve never...” she broke off.

  “Really?” he raised his eyebrows. “But you’re so sexy.”

  “Thank you,” Jules said, flattered, “but I’m really just a geek in black clothes. I’ve never attracted so much as a second glance.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said, “you seem sexy to me. Anyway, um, I...” He seemed unable to finish his statement.

  “If this is any indication,” she pointed at the semen stain on his crotch, “you haven’t either.”

  He shook his head.

  “So if it’s not a hook-up, Theo, then what are we doing?” She was pushing, and she knew it, but she couldn’t stop. The way they were going, the issue of virginity would soon be put to rest, and she had to know what was happening first.

  He looked at her uncomfortably, his thumbs rubbing nervously over his fingers.

  “I like you, Julie. I like you a whole lot. I... um... I want to be... closer to you. I... would you consider being...” He stopped, broke off. Even in the darkness she could see the color in his cheeks. Rising from the wall, she slipped an arm around his waist. He needed to say the words, but she would make it easy on him, making it clear she was willing, if he would only ask.

  He hugged her tight against his side. She reached out and placed one hand on his cheek, drawing him down for a brief kiss.

  He sighed. “Okay. Julie, I’m crazy about you. Will you be my girlfriend?”

  “Of course,” she replied and rewarded him with another kiss. He touched her lips with his tongue again.

  “Better
head home, Theo,” Jules reminded him. “You’re going to be mighty cold and uncomfortable.”

  Theo dug at the front of his jeans. It appeared he was gearing up for another round. She rested her fingertips on his wrist. “Not now,” she told him gently. “Go home. I’ll see you at breakfast, okay?”

  She guided his lips back to hers one last time and walked away along the wall to the well-lit front entrance of the dorm. Before going in, she turned. Theo was unhooking his scooter from its chain. As though he could feel her gaze, he turned, waved. She blew him a kiss and went in, heading up to her room smiling.

  ***

  Theo chained up his scooter then pulled at the front of his jeans where they were still soaked. His genitals were cold after the ride home. It was only a few miles but there was no way of stopping the chilly air from infiltrating his crotch. Bowlegged, he ambled inside and peeled his jeans and white underpants down, tossing them in the plastic laundry basket in the bathroom.

  He checked his chin in the mirror, testing it. The punch from the jock had been too much of a surprise to hurt at the time, but he was a bit sore now. He doubted there was any real damage. His cheek was a bit swollen. He could feel it with his tongue and taste the tang of blood.

  It was worth it though… got kissed better by the girl.

  Theo’s thought had only just left the notion of Jules a few minutes ago, so right then was more so a continuation of replaying the evening with her in his mind. This was different from any feeling he’d had about any girl before. It was weird how at ease and confident he felt with her. Sure, he had the nervous, chest tightening mumbles and bumbles at first. But that was not holding him back anymore. It was being overpowered by some strange sense of urgency. It was something almost primitive. A compulsion that made standing up to a bigger man a simple matter of course.

  The hair on the back of Theo’s neck was standing on end at the thought of another man laying a hand on Jules. His penis inadvertently touched the cool wash basin in front of him and he suddenly realized he was standing there with no pants on, and the reason for that was that he had ejaculated in the ones he had been wearing.

  Oh boy!

  This harsh little slice of reality about his evening was not so inspiring. The hairs on the back of his neck lowered and smoothed as a tingle of embarrassment wormed down his spine. He would have had a tail wedging between his legs if he had one.

  Aw heck! First real chance to do it and you go and shoot off in your shorts.

  Theo tossed his shirt and got in the shower. His crotch was sticky. He lathered with soap and smiled as his mind drifted just slightly, like to the adjacent frame of the photo reel where he was squeezing Jules’ breast. Man, how did that even happen? He couldn’t remember how he had gotten his hands under her top. How had he found the courage to try that? But again, this was something different. It was like she made him into someone else. Into a guy who knows what he wants. And it’s not as if it’s dirty or anything. I wasn’t trying to feel her up. It wasn’t like that at all. It’s just that her clothes were in the way.

  After pulling on one of his pairs of pajamas and getting into bed, Theo patted down the quilt on either side of his body and lay staring at the moon shadows from the oak tree dancing on the wall and ceiling. He had a big window by the bed and always kept the blind raised. There was no neighbor on that side, so he had privacy. He liked the romantic ambience of the night sky. He liked it a whole lot more lying there grinning so much that his face ached. The notion that he had a girlfriend elicited tingling bubbles of glee in his belly.

  ***Chapter 7***

  With no classes at all before lunch, Theo indulged in a sleep-in. He woke at seven but stayed in bed. His first thought was of Jules’ tattoo. Glee bubbling through his veins again at the thought that she had undressed in front of him, then shown him her ‘tramp stamp’ and the cute belly piercing. He hadn’t been able to relate to girls with tattoos and piercings before. But now there was only one girl in the world, and whatever she was into was just fine.

  A couple of hours passed in a state of half sleep while dreamily replaying moment by moment the kisses and the feel of her pressed against his body. He was seriously erect and had been inadvertently squeezing his penis the whole time, not rationally thinking about sex, but the notion kind of blended with the image in mind of his pretty girlfriend.

  It was after ten by the time Theo snapped out of his morning daze and sat up. He had things to do. There was the gene sequencing final assignment he had been working on for the past few weeks and needed to hand in that afternoon. Plus he had to shop for food. He made do with a stack of toast and peanut butter for breakfast, and hammered out the rest of the assignment on his laptop. At two in the afternoon he thought to give his girlfriend a call.

  My girlfriend! I’ve actually got a girlfriend! Theodore Kent loves Julie Masterson! He typed that on the bottom of his assignment. Then he enlarged the font and tried it in different styles. It looked good in Lucida Calligraphy. He thought of her pretty face and remembered the magic feeling when his lips were pressed to hers and her sweet feminine essence was flooding his soul.

  He shook off the goofy reverie and found his iPhone on the floor beside the bed. It was powered off and wouldn’t boot up until he plugged it into the charger. And when it did boot up, he found six missed calls from Jules and a text message to come as soon as he could. The message was logged at 9.45am.

  Oh boy… that’s like four hours ago! She’s been waiting for me all day. She must think I’m a total scumbag.

  Calling back was not an option. Theo was dressed and at her dorm within ten minutes. There were two police cars parked in front of the auditorium. That was weird.

  Theo pushed open one of the glass double doors with its silver crash bar and entered the lobby. What a shabby space. His former building had been recently updated, and, though industrial, at least was freshened somewhat. Not so Wilson Hall. The brown and gold linoleum was peeling up in all the corners of the room, and in the common space, off to the left near the ping pong table, something purple had been spilled and left to soak into the porous surface. The stain had the look of decades around its irregular edges. The table itself was slightly warped in a way that suggested people had been sitting on it rather than using it for its intended purposes. The pool table was no better. It had a definite tilt and the green felt lining was torn in several places. At least a dozen rings in the shape of soda can bottoms decorated the wood. A set of ratty brown sofas, garage sale rejects by the look of them, circled an ancient television with a coat hanger in lieu of an antenna sticking from the top and a cheap DVD player attached. A shelf of movies stood behind the check-in desk.

  Theo turned his attention to the desk where a different underclassman sat in a threadbare blue office chair poking at the keys on a laptop. She looked up through huge windshield glasses as he approached. Her watery-looking red eyes told him that she was allergic to something, and his senses told him fall leaves were the culprit.

  “Coming for a visit?” she asked in a nasally, congested tone.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  “Sign in.” She indicated a white paper with a chart on it clipped to a clipboard. A pen with a cheap plastic flower taped to the end lay across the pad. He scooped it up and wrote his name, Jules’ name, and her room number on line 13 and headed across the lobby to the chilly cement staircase.

  He bounded up the stairs and hurried to the blue door, number 306. It opened as he was about to knock.

  “Theo! There you are. Where have you been all day?”

  “I slept in and then I was doing this stupid assignment, and my phone was dead and I didn’t realize… sorry, Julie!”

  She pulled him into the room and flung her arms around his neck. He was being kissed. He cuddled tight and had his girlfriend on tiptoes as he shuffled her back towards her bed.

  “Hey, not so fast,” she scolded playfully. She was squirming from his bear hug. “There’s no time for that. We have to go and s
ee what’s happening.”

  “What do you mean? What’s going on?”

  Jules had hold of Theo’s hand. She pulled him along the hallway towards the stairs. “They say it was the ghost in the brown suit. That’s what’s going on. They say he pushed some girl off the balcony at the auditorium.”

  “They? Who are they? Who said?”

  “Everyone, silly! It’s all over campus, and you, mister big time ghost hunter, decided to sleep in.”

  “Well I didn’t mean to,” Theo defended, and he stopped suddenly on the landing of the first floor, pulling Jules off balance and into his arms. He pinned her against the wall and planted a kiss on her lips before she had a chance to complain. Her eyes widened at first, but softly closed after a moment.

  “But we have to go and see…” she got out between kisses.

  Theo felt that surge of confidence from the day before. It was still there, even stronger, it seemed.

  “Well, what’s the rush? It’s not like any self-respecting ghost is going to show itself in broad daylight.”

  “But we have to talk to the cops,” Jules explained. It was what she mumbled into Theo’s mouth as part of the next kiss.

  He cupped her head with a hand either side of her pretty face. “This is for real, right?”

  “Yes. Of course it is. Everyone’s talking about it.”

  “No, I mean this is for real? This! Me and you?”

  She smiled. Her fingers hooked into the belt loops on the sides of his jeans. Her head lowered for a moment, then she peered up, biting a lip. “Yeah, it’s for real. It had better be!”

  Theo grinned. It was that gleeful, bubbly, tingly feeling back again. It hadn’t been a dream or some freaky Halloween twist of reality.

  “So are we just going to walk up and ask the cops what’s going on, are we?”