The girls laugh and finish their cocktail. The pregame party at the dorm is packed and the boys make it a point to make sure everyone has a drink in a red cup. There’s a buzz in the air and Katie is very aware of Drew at all times. As Katie and Shila mingle with the other people in the suite, Drew sneaks up behind Katie and brings his arm around her holding a shot. “To new beginnings,” he says as he feeds the shot to Katie. He’s certainly not shy, Katie thinks to herself.
The group readies themselves and heads towards the so called ‘Mutt’s’ who turns out to be a grad student with his own place and he likes to throw parties. As Katie shows up she sees a lot of upperclassmen who already know each other and she’s glad she has her hippy roommate as a wingwoman. Drew shows them where the keg is and pours them each a beer. “So what are you two brainiacs here studying? Molecular biology?” Katie smiles, “journalism. I want to expose the schmucks and offer justice to the good people in the world. No big deal.”
Drew straightens up a little bit. “Woah, you’ve got it all, the looks, the brains and the compassionate side, I like that. A woman after my own heart!” Katie blushes. Just then Shila comes up and says she stepped on broken glass and her foot is bleeding pretty bad. Katie thinks about how much they’ve had to drink and realizes neither of them should be driving nor can they walk home with glass in her foot. Drew quickly analyzes the situation and announces, “I already called an Uber for you.” Katie looks at him in relief, “thank you, that’s really nice of you.”
Katie and Shila go back to the dormitory and play doctor on her gnarly wound. They retrieve the shard of glass and then locate some butterfly bandages to wrap it up. “Well I guess there’s only one thing left to do, Lord of the Rings Movie Marathon!” Katie jumps up, “wait you like Lord of the Rings?! That’s my favorite.” Shila replies, “yup and I have the whole series right here on bluray!” They pop in the movie and lose track of time.
Katie suddenly feels her phone vibrate on her bed and she looks at the time, 2:03 am. The text reads, “hey neighbor, we are bringing home pizza, bring yourself and the injured one over because I just can’t bear the thought of you going to sleep hungry on the first day of college. Sincere Regards, Drew.” Katie looks at Shila who is intently watching the movie and says, “hungry? I guess they are bringing home pizza.”
The girls wait a few minutes and wander over to the room next door. The boys are quite intoxicated and singing their favorite 90’s songs along with YouTube. They are a sight for sore eyes. The boys are sitting on the floor in a circle like a tribe of men but the fire in the center is just a mac laptop. “Women!” He exclaims, “join us as we celebrate our lives, we are so blessed to be at this wonderful school, and I’m so grateful to have met all of you. I know we will be lifelong friends and from this moment forth, wait sorry I might cry, ok no, I’m good, from this moment forth, we will support each other, in sickness and in health, in homework and in poverty until graduation do us part. Amen.” He hiccups. Everyone laughs.
Drew reaches up for Katie’s hand and sits her in his lap. “You are just the most adorable little thing I’ve ever seen. I hope you take care of me when I’m sick, because I’m don’t really know how to do that. In exchange, I can help you with your math homework, I’m really good at calculations. For example, I did the math earlier. You plus me, carry the two is one awesome time with a remainder of fun.” Drew says with a few drunken slurs. “Fuck yeah! You cheesy bastard Drew. Chicks can tell when you’re laying it on thick. And remember I told you not to use the nerd lines. You’re going to make her think you have a small cock,” his roommate says.
Katie replies, “actually I can tell from where I’m sitting right now that that is not true.” Everyone laughs again. Katie catches a glimpse of Shila in the kitchen making out with one of the other roommates Don. She motions for Drew to look. They all giggle and Drew says, “I wonder which one of them will remember that in the morning.” The couple sways back and forth in a drunken stupor as they are lost in their passion.
Drew suddenly perks up and says, “hey Don, want to switch roommates tonight?” Katie turns to look at Drew and he lands a quick kiss on her cheek. Don gives a “mmmhmmm” from the kitchen. Katie and Drew get up and holding hands, go back to Katie’s room. The alcohol is definitely coursing through their blood and all that matters right now is….right now. Drew stops at the door, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful woman than you. Literally, I feel like we met for a reason. You’re perfect. You’re beautiful and smart and how am I so lucky to live right next to you?”
Katie is feeling good as she’s kind of a light weight and because she’s so thin, alcohol really affects her. She laughs and puts on a very serious face. “I want to see your family and best friends on Facebook. I feel like I’ve known you for ever.” They cozy up on her bed and start browsing Facebook together. Drew slips his hand around her lower back and moves his thumb under her shirt and slowly strokes her skin. Katie could care less that she barely knows this guy, she is totally enjoying herself.
Drew grabs the back of her neck softly as if questioning the kiss, the first kiss, which always has so much electricity. Drew pushes the computer away as he rolls on top of Katie, his strong body taking charge. He puts his hand over her shorts and starts to massage between her legs. He grabs her breast and then pulls her shirt down and sucks on her nipple. Katie touches between his legs outside of his pants. Suddenly all she can think of is this gorgeous strong body taking her, all of her and she wants him inside of her.
There’s nothing stopping her. He unbuttons her shorts and kisses her stomach. He licks his way down between her legs and starts to massage her clit with his tongue. Then he takes off his pants and he is fully erect and has a huge cock. Katie is already really wet and when he touches his penis to her clit, she already feels like she might orgasm. He plays with the tip of his cock between her legs. Starting to put it in but pulling it out, waiting for her to want him so bad that she pulls him close. Katie grabs his hips and pulls him towards her and his cock slides into her. The ecstasy is so divine and they kiss as he touches her clit while he moves in and out of her.
“I have a condom,” he says as he pulls out and reaches in his pocket. He puts the condom on as Katie admires their naked bodies. He turns her over on her knees and touches her while he slowly makes love to her. They both suddenly climax together. “What a great fucking first day,” Drew whispers in her ear. “Literally,” Katie says as they fall asleep in eachother’s arms.
Chapter 2: The Guy Next Door
As Katie stirs awake, Drew reaches for his pants, gives her a kiss on the cheek and says, “I’ve gotta get to class.” Katie nods her head and looks over to Shila’s bed. It’s empty. Katie reaches for her binder that has her class schedule to see when her first class is. Her head is pounding from the mixture of liquor and beer the night before. She pops an advil and eats a breakfast bar her mom packed for her.
She looks at her phone and sees a text from her best friend. “How was the first day? You didn’t fuck anyone did you?” Katie scoffs, how does she know me so well? Katie realizes she has an hour before her first class and quickly showers and goes to the cafeteria. She shoots a text message to Shila to remind her to get up and go to class.
At the cafeteria, the friendly smells of eggs, bacon and waffles help her forget that she literally knows no one. It’s strange that she lives here now and these people do too. She sees a group of hipster guys at one table and there’s just something that catches her eye. One guy in particular is looking at her as if he knows what she just did! She feels like he’s looking right into her soul. He has long hair pulled back neatly with a sweater over a plaid shirt. He’s sipping on some coffee with a simple bowl of granola.
Weird. She thinks to herself. She suddenly gets a little self conscious and wonders if she looks like a train wreck. The students around her mostly look hungover so she puts her mind at ease and stops her critical thinking. She steals another glance at the earthy
guy in the corner who isn’t watching her but looks up right as she glances at him. They catch eyes and he gives her a look that says a thousand words. She suddenly feels like he just knows stuff and that he’s asking her to own up to her actions and be more smart.
Katie suddenly feels a swarm of guilt for her late night escapade with Drew. Oh fuck! I just solidified my reputation on the first day as easy! Well it’s not too late to change it. One fuck up doesn’t define my identity. She thinks as she drinks her coffee alone at the table. Lost in thought. She thinks back to what her mom said at her birthday party this summer, “Honey you are a diamond, don’t let anyone treat you like anything less.”
Katie shakes off the negative feeling brewing in her head and suddenly feels excited about the first day of classes. She puts her tray in the dish washing window and heads for the building her class is held in. Anthropology 101 she reads from her paper, this doesn’t sound that bad but what the fuck is an anthropology? She sits down in the front row as is her style and gets out a fresh notebook to take notes. As she writes down the date and name of the class someone takes the seat next to her but she doesn’t look up.
Suddenly a hand reaches in front of her vision with a bag of dried chile mangos. “Want some?” She looks up and to her right is the hipster looking guy from the cafeteria. Katie responds, “is that a hangover cure? If so, then yes!” The guy shrugs and lets her take some. “You know you don’t have to party just because you’re in college. It’s kind of the weak people that fall into that social trap.” Katie looks at him in bewilderment, “yeah I guess that could be true. Ummm thanks.”
He reaches out his hand and says, “Alfred. Nice to meet you.” Katie shakes his hand. “Nice to meet you too. Oh I’m Katie.” He replies, “I thought you were hungover? Ok I’ll call you Katie if you insist.” He smiles. “Actually this might help you,” he says as he pulls a coconut water from his bag. “You probably need it more than I do. I was in bed at nine last night.” Katie smiles and opens the coconut water, grateful for her stroke of luck.
He’s probably just trying to get into my pants, she thinks as the teacher walks in and starts talking about the syllabus. Katie looks at the hands of this Alfred guy as she’s taking notes. They look really…..healthy. She looks at her hands and her cuticles are dried and peeling back and her hand is shaking from the hangover. She feels a magnetism towards this guy and tries to focus on what the teacher is saying.
At the end of class as she’s putting her books away, Alfred says, “hey we are getting a group together to hike to eagle rock and go camping this weekend. You can come if you like camping.” Katie looks at him and says, “oh cool, um how can I find out where to meet everyone? I think I brought a sleeping bag.” He takes out his phone and asks for her number. Katie gives him her number and suddenly realizes she needs to rush across campus to get to her next class on time.
She feels a twinge of guilt like she’s cheating on her neighbor just by giving this guy her number. Get it together Katie, don’t be boy crazy. You’re here to focus on school, not hot guys. She get’s to class just in time and is already thinking about napping afterwards to nurse her throbbing head.
When the class is done she quickly walks back to the dorm and finds her roommate doing headstands in the center of the room. “Hippy,” Katie says with a laugh. Shila smiles and says, “I can’t believe I made out with our neighbor! I slept in his bed and made him sleep on the couch.” Kate feels another pang of guilt for going all the way with Drew. Shila says, “he’s not my type anyway.” Katie quickly changes the subject before Shila can ask what happened between her and Drew. “How were your classes?” Shila laughs, “we painted in grey tones today. It was so hard, like you know deciding which shade of grey to use?” Katie laughs, “yeah that sounds rough.”
Katie goes to the mirror and looks at the puffiness under her eyes. “I look like hell.” Shila says, “hell is pretty hot.” Katie laughs and says, “some guy in my class said there’s a camping trip this weekend. Want to go?” Shila replies, “hell yeah!” Just then there’s a single knock on the door. Katie opens it to see two goofy guys (Drew and Don) standing there in full suits with white towels over their arms and two bottles of wine. Shila and Katie start laughing at the sight before them. The guys crack up too. Katie appreciates their playfulness but can’t even think about drinking as her head is pounding. Shila looks at Katie as if asking, do we go down this road?
Katie finds some sort of will power as a flash of the guy in the plaid shirt comes into her mind. “You know, I’m not going to make drinking a regular habit here. I’m really here to focus on learning and I can’t be distracted by cute men in suits. Shila you’re welcome to entertain these gentlemen but I have a book on monarchies to peruse. Shila clears her throat, “gentleman, we wish to decline your kind gesture of drunken debauchery to work on our lexicons and ummm, vernacular that we may become studious individuals that contribute to society rather than...umm something else.” Katie says, “yes thank you kind sirs.”
“As you wish madams,” the boys bow in unison and turn around and knock on the door behind them. Katie whispers to Shila, “children.” Shila whispers, “did you fuck him?” Katie gives her the look that says, oops. The boys are now in the room across the hall and can’t hear them. Katie says, “I feel like a pumpkin-headed-ninny-muggins.” Shila’s face get’s very serious, “Katie, you are,” (she lowers her voice and looks around as if someone is watching and might over hear them), “not a pumpkin-headed-ninny-muggins.” Her face cracks and she bursts out laughing. “I thought I was the only one that quotes Elf all the time.”
Katie is crying she is laughing so hard and then admits, “Seriously though, I feel so dumb. I know it was a mistake, obviously he’s just a party guy. He hit on me the first second we met.” Shila responds, “well you’re really hot. I’m sure he was conflicted.” Katie laughs, “I mean I’m generally a relationship person and I think it’s important to get to know people. I also don’t want to get a bad reputation you know?”
Shila says, “ok let’s make a pact that from now on, we get to know people first and run them by each other to get a second read. That way we will look out for each other and hopefully not have too many oops moments. Cool?” Katie responds, “that sounds like a really sound plan.” Shila adds, “I think we can still have fun, just not in a way that will make us feel bad about ourselves right?” Katie nods her head.
They put on the Lord of the Rings movie they hadn’t finished and work on some homework. Both of them are pretty tired so they get to bed early and feel good about being at their new school, even if they screwed up the first part a little bit.
Chapter 3: The Frat Party
The next morning Shila brews coffee in the room and adds some agave nectar and cashew milk. The aroma wakes Katie. “It’s Friday!” She says as she hands Katie a steaming mug. Katie smiles as Fridays always have a bit of a buzz to them. People are always wondering, especially in a college setting, what is going to happen that night. Shila is wearing a short loose blue dress with a bandana tied around her head. Her gold nose ring, rough diamond necklace and Birkenstocks complete her hippy ensemble.
“You’re so cute,” Katie says. “Let’s take our coffee out on the lawn?” Shila asks. Katie throws on a flowy brown mumu and Shila puts her elbow out for Katie to take. They walk arm in arm outside to a beautiful sunny day. As if out of a movie, there are butterflies in the bushes, a rabbit sitting on the lawn which is perfectly groomed and birds chirping in the background. The clouds look almost fake. The girls sit on the grass as they sip their morning coffee.
“This is so peaceful isn’t it?” Shila says. Katie replies, “mmmhmm. You’re coffee is delicious by the way.” Katie is sitting with her legs stretched out in front of her and Shila rests her head on Katie’s leg as she lays on the grass. For a moment, they let the sun hit their face and say absolutely nothing. They get up and go back inside to get ready for class and as they are walking back in a girl with a shor
t tank top and little skirt is walking out of Drew’s suite. Katie get’s a sinking feeling that she was with Drew just as he pops his head out to give her a kiss.
Drew, oblivious to everything, leaves his door open and sits on his couch talking abnormally loud to Don. “God she’s so fucking hot!” He says loud enough for the whole hallway to hear. Katie and Shila look at each other as if to say, what a douchebag. The girls go their separate ways to class giggling as they part about Drew’s obnoxious behaviour.
Katie sits down in her anthropology class again, somewhat hoping that Alfred will sit down next to her. The teacher starts and the seat next to her is suddenly taken by a large African American girl. Suddenly a tap on her shoulder gets her attention. She turns around to see Alfred holding a cup of tea with her name on it and a heart. “I got this for you.” She smiles and whispers, “thanks!” She takes the tea and turns around before the professor notices.
Katie feels a buzz in her pocket and carefully reaches into her bag as the professor is writing on the chalkboard to check her text message. It’s from Shila. The text says, “frat party tonight, let’s go see what we are not missing out on?” The text ends with a smiley face and a middle finger emoticon. Katie likes Shila’s sense of humor. She decides to wait until after class to respond so she can stay on the teacher’s good side.
PARANORMAL ROMANCE: The New Couple in Town: Don’t Let Them In Page 4