Friends and Lovers

This is actually the second story I wrote. Though Mine was submitted earlier as it took time to find walkingliberity to edit this. For those who, like me hate it when an author starts a chapter story, then for whatever reason, abandons it you’ll be happy to know all six chapters are written and with walkingliberity. I cannot thank her enough for her assistance.

Friends and Lovers

Chapter 1

Copyright 2014

Jack met her the day he arrived at the law school. She was in front of him in the line to register for first year classes. He briefly wondered why, in 1985 they used such an archaic system. For the first 5 minutes or so she was talking to the guy in front of her, so he took the opportunity to check her out a bit, at least from behind.

She was a brunette, tall, just a little under his six feet so say maybe five foot ten. Slim but not skinny with a shapely firm butt that, on her frame, one would call an athletic ass.

Jack could hear she was one of those happy, perky, chatter box, annoying type of person. To be fair, he thought, his opinion was tainted by the throbbing hangover he was suffering at the moment.

The drive from Saskatchewan to the Law School had been exhausting and although he had been in the city three days, he had been staying with a friend, Ken, who he knew from his days working in a potash mine in Saskatchewan. Ken and his wife put him up and helped Jack search for a place of his own which he appreciated.

The days were fine as Ken worked, but the evenings were murder as Ken insisted they go out to the pubs. The copious amounts of alcohol consumed did not help his recovery from the trip at all and lead to his current hung over and exhausted state.

Jack returned to wallowing in the misery of his hangover when suddenly, at least it seemed sudden to him in his condition, the girl in front turned and faced him saying, “Hi, I’m Astrid Alfredson.”

“Jack Crawford.” He responded, somewhat pleased with himself for not groaning it out.

“That’s great,” she said, “that means that we will be in the same section”

“Section?” was all his wits could muster in response.

“The administration splits the first year class into three sections based on our last names. Since your last name starts with C and mine starts with A, we’ll have all our first year classes together. My father told me study groups are important so we now have the start to ours.”

“Okay.” He answered wondering what the hell a study group was and what he had gotten himself into.

“Great!” she said and then switched her attention to a young woman who had just joined the line behind him.

While she was talking to the new addition in the line he took the opportunity to surreptitiously check out the front of her. Her chest suggested she would be a B cup which worked nicely with her frame, which boasted a flat midriff once again leaving the impression of athleticism. All he had noticed of her face when she was talking to him was the striking azure blue of her eyes. Taking a closer look, he saw her face was a lovely oval shape with fine features full lips and a dazzling smile. All in all he thought of her as fashion model beautiful.

When Astrid looked at Jack, her first impression was that he was a man, not a young adult as she considered herself and her peers. First of all he had an actual moustache not the clean shaven face or scraggly facial hair she was used to in her male classmates.

Secondly he looked hard, as though he had done manual labor for a living. Figuring that he probably got into law school on some sort of special mature student program, she impulsively decided to start her study group with him and told him so.

It seemed to Jack the line moved interminably slow until he reached the registration people. He was given enrollment papers to sign, a class schedule and a list of textbooks he would need for the classes. He was then sent to another line to have his picture taken for the school I.D. card.

When he finished he saw Astrid was still there waiting for someone, as it turned out, waiting for him.

She asked, "Where are you going now?"

He replied, “Coffee”, thinking he was a bit abrupt he added, “then I guess to the book store to pick up the texts”

“Oh don’t do that, I mean the bookstore, not the coffee. Coffee sounds like a good idea. They have a grad student’s house here that serves coffee and drinks and we are allowed access although the grad students don’t consider us to be grad students as we are in a professional school.”

She paused to breath, “Why don’t we go there and relax for a bit, I’ve wanted to go there but I look so young I figured I would get hassled but if I go with you, I doubt if anyone would question us as they would probably think I was a guest of yours.”

The words came out so fast his brain had trouble keeping up.

Jack took a moment to weigh the benefits of the coffee against listening to Astrid talk for an extended period. He finally decided that her actual voice was very pleasant and if she was drinking coffee there would be some breaks, that and he definitely could use another coffee.

They found a table and had no sooner sat down than the server came up and asked Jack what program he was in. He responded, “Law,” then added, “We are both first year law students.”

When the server left to get their order he said to Astrid, “That may save you a hassle in the future.”

Astrid had been nervous about talking to Jack, but when he spoke in actual sentences the deep, baritone drawl of his voice she found very calming.

Interrupting her thoughts Jack asked, “Why not go to the book store?”

She replied, “The first year texts are all basic concept books and rarely change. We should be able to buy them used from second year students.”

It wasn’t lost on Jack that the speed of her talking had slowed down to near normal and he thought his first impression may have been wrong. She certainly seemed to have a wealth of knowledge and decided the earlier chatter was just nervous energy.

He asked, “What’s a study group?”

She responded with a hint in incredulity in her voice, “You’ve never been in a study group?”

“No, my undergrad degree is in science and, at least where I went to university, science students didn’t have study groups.”

Curious Astrid asked, “Where did you go to University Jack?”

“University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Campus, and you?”

“Brescia University College.”

Seeing the puzzled look on Jack’s face she expanded, “It’s a woman’s university associated with the University of Western Ontario.”

He decided to ask about something that had been on his mind since meeting her. “Astrid, you seem awfully young to be in law school, just how old are you?”

She blushed a bit and answered, “Twenty.” Knowing he was going to ask she continued, “My parents placed me in a private school for girls in Calgary that allowed me to proceed at a pace that I could handle. Mom and dad chose this school for its reputation and being an all girls school they thought the fewer distractions, meaning boys, I had to deal with the better off she would be. I thrived in this atmosphere to the point where when I was fifteen, I had completed my grade ten.

The school was involved in the International Baccalaureate program which gave us enriched classes that allowed us to have credits towards a degree.

My mom went to Brescia and thought as I was seventeen it would be easier for me. Anyway with the advanced standing I got my business degree in three years”

“I can understand that.” Jack then opined, “I found at seventeen I didn’t fit in at university at all and had a miserable time.”

“You graduated high school at seventeen?” Astrid asked a little amazed.

“Actually sixteen, I turned seventeen later that summer.”

“I thought you were a lot older than the rest of us. How old are you?”

“I’m twenty six.”

“Why are you just starting law school now?”

“I dropped out after my first year and got a job, my co-op placement actually, and worked at the mine until I was twenty two.”

“What happened then?”

“The miners went on strike and as I come from a union family. I guess I was a little two vocal in my support. I went to college for a year and became a heavy equipment mechanic. I worked at that for a year, until the company went bankrupt. When that happened I had taken enough distance education courses that I found that if I started in the summer semester and went twelve months straight I would have my degree.”

Astrid mulled over what she had just been told, it was so unlike anything she could imagine doing. Trying to make sense of it she half asked, half stated, “So you did really well in your classes and decided you wanted to be a lawyer, right?”

“Actually no, if I liked a course I got A’s, if I didn’t, I got B-, C’s. Law school just sort of happened to me when I wasn’t looking.”

“Okay Jack, that you have to explain.”

“I made several good friends in the business type courses and we hung out quite a bit together. These people tended to be a bit older and on the co-op stream meaning they would be working the next semester but back for my final semester. I would see these friends from time to time with a work book with LSAT across the spine. They always seemed intensely busy with these books so I never bothered them.

Finally curiosity got the better of me one day so I asked them and found out LSAT stood for the Law School Admission Test.

They then proceeded to tell me all the horror stories they had heard about this test. Not enough time, people freaking out, questions that were unanswerable, that sort of thing. I had a look at some of the questions and, to me it was just nothing more than a lot of medium difficulty logic questions.

I did have one friend, Matt, who remained in the city for his work term so we became closer friends as he was the only friend I had left in town.

We hit the bars together on the weekends and generally had a good time. Every now and then I would see him at the University library going over yet another LSAT book.

I finally asked him when he was going to actually take the test. It turned out he was going to take the second sitting in the New Year. I asked him if it would help if I took the test the sitting before him and let him know if the horror stories were actually true.

He thought it might help, particularly since I would be relaxed, having no desire to go to law school and would be able to look around from time to time without anxiety.

I reported back to Matt and the other two of our friends who wanted to go to law school about what I saw.

Unfortunately, the only real advice I had for them was to relax. If they moved along at a steady pace they would have plenty of time. I received the results about two weeks before my final exams were about to start.

My friends knew the marks had been sent out from another friend of theirs who had taken the test the same sitting I had, so they tracked me down to find out my score.

I was actually embarrassed to tell them and at first tried to put them off by saying, ‘Never mind I did okay and so will you.’

They persisted and I again tried to put them off, this time by telling them I had no intention to go to law school so my results didn’t matter. I scored quite high, as I guess you did as well Astrid.”

“You’re right. I scored in the low nineties.” She confirmed.

“What was your score Jack?”

Jack ignored her question and continued, “They persisted until I finally gave in and told them.

What happened next was what I was trying to avoid. They almost in unison said, ‘With that score you have to apply to law schools.’

They bugged me for about a week until I finally gave in and said I am applying to one law school and that’s it. I picked this one because of the prestige, thinking that my application would be rejected out of hand and I could get on with my life.

It wasn’t.

A representative from the law school, a professor, came to the campus to interview me. With her she had two distinguished alumnus, a Superior Court Justice and a senior partner from a large law firm in Regina.

The professor got right to the point. Jack mimicked the professor voice, ‘Well Mr. Crawford you have a somewhat checkered academic history. Why do you think you will be able succeed at our institution?’

I gave them a cock and bull story about the how I had matured, true I guess, and how the near failure of courses on the transcript were because of youthful misplacement of priorities. Not true, as I was bored with the courses in question and no amount of effort could make me study the materials.

Honestly, I didn’t think they bought it. Obviously they did.”

Astrid was getting a little suspicious and asked again this time with a firmer tone, “What was your score Jack?”

“If I tell you have keep it to yourself. I am beginning to think that you and I already stick out like sore thumbs with our ages, so I don’t want anything else drawing attention to me. If attention is drawn to me it will draw attention to your orphan status as well Asti.”

“What was your score Jack!”

“Seriously Asti, I spent far too many of my years growing up being looked at like some sort freak, I just want to slide under the radar here as best I can.”

“Okay, I’ll keep it to myself. What was your score JACK!”

He looked around furtively before whispering, “Perfect.”

“Perfect?” Astrid repeated querulously, in a somewhat stunned tone.

“Perfect, like in no wrong answers, like in freak.”

“Wow.” was her only response.

She sat silently for a few moments looked at her watch then stood up and, in what sounded to him like a subdued tone said, “I have to go or I’ll be late for supper. I’ll see you tomorrow at the welcome speeches.”

She then headed out the door seemingly down hearted and lost in thought.

***

The next morning, Thursday, all the first years were gathered together in one of the main lecture halls.

Jack walked into the lecture hall were the speeches where to take place and was looking around for a place to sit, preferably at the back near a door when Astrid stood up and started waving calling out, “Over here Jack”.

She wasn’t near the door but she also wasn’t down in front so he went over, sat down, and was introduced to her new friend Violet, now part of ‘their’ study group.

He talked with Asti, as he now thought of her. Actually, mostly he listened as she told him how she had met Vi in a lineup for coffee at the student union building that morning and started chatting with her and on finding out that not only was Violet a first year law student but her last name was Baker which meant she was in their section so would be perfect for their group.

It seemed to Jack that it was as Yogi Berra once said, ‘Like déjà-vu all over again,’ with Astrid once again playing one of those annoying, happy, perky, chatter box, type of people and Vi in the role of Jack as she had a distinct hung over look.

Jack caught Violet’s eye while Asti was talking and received a nod and a distinct look of relief.

“First of all you called me Asti yesterday, why?” Astrid asked when she turned to him.

“Oh you know, just a nickname like Jack”

“Why Asti?”

“It comes from the name of an Italian wine, ‘Asti Spumante.’ It’s sweet and bubbly just like you. Would you have preferred Baby Duck?”

Astrid blushed when Jack told her about Asti, then he caught a punch in the shoulder over Baby Duck.

During their talk Jack casually asked Asti where she was living. To his surprise her perkiness vanished when he asked the question. She told him that she would be living with a classmate of her father and his family. Obviously there was story behind this but Jack let it drop as the speeches were starting. He did, however, conclude that this was the reason for the downhearted look he saw the day before.

As expected, the program for the day consisted of boring speeches by University and Law School big wigs telling them what a noble profession they were entering and how fortunate they were to be a part of the tradition of excellence at such a prestigious institution.

Jack felt for Violet, but was pleased he was not the one hung over that morning.

As part of the orientation, some of the third year students volunteered to familiarize groups of first year students with the campus buildings, amenities and answer any questions they had about classes and the law school experience.

The groups were randomly chosen with two students from each of the three sections in the group of six with two senior students leading each group. For the group Jack was in, the leaders were Katherine and Gina. Jack couldn’t help but notice how attractive they were.

Gina had dark hair, dark eyes that sort of smoldered when she looked at him. Her dark complexion spoke of Mediterranean heritage. She was ‘shortish’ at five foot two but her body was perfectly proportioned with what he guessed where B cups that sat high on her chest.

Katherine was the same height and, like Gina, she had a well proportioned body just more of it. Everything about her was just a little thicker and said athlete. She had chestnut hair surmounting a heart shaped face, full lips and deep blue eyes. Her breasts were well into the c-cup range and her butt was just the right size to keep her from looking top heavy.

Katherine and Gina had the group introduce themselves and tell the others a bit about who they were.

The Only name Jack remembered was the other group ‘A’ student, Roscoe Brenton.

Jack gave them a quick rundown leaving out the high and low points to leave the group with the impression he was a working stiff who got accepted as a mature student.

Roscoe, like Jack had come from a working class back ground. He was a little intense and somewhat morose but unlike the others, he at least had personality. The others were what he thought of as prototypical first year law students. That is, they were twenty two years old, high achievers who went straight to university then on to law school and were oh so serious.

Before they left the hall Jack had a quick word with Asti asking her to meet him at the Grad House for coffee at One o’clock. She only had time to nod before the groups were on the move.

Jack’s group finished their tour around twelve thirty. As they were about to break up they were invited to have dinner as a group at the apartment of a friend of Gina and Katherine. They were given an address and told to arrive around ‘sevenish’.

When Jack arrived at the Grad House, Astrid was already there with two cups of coffee. When he sat down he asked her about her tour and it seemed she had added another member to the study group, Sheila. Fearing he might end up the only male Jack told Asti that he had asked the other ‘A’ section student, Roscoe if he was interested in the group.

“Perfect, five is the ideal number.” was her response.

Jack then asked her why she was so down about her living arrangements. She told him the law school they attended was the one her father attended so she figured that he couldn’t object to her moving so far away from home.

What she hadn’t expected was her father who was, she thought, overprotective would arrange for her to live with the family. She went on to say that one of the reasons she was nervous when she talked to him in the line that first day was Jack looked like the type of male that daddy had told her to stay away from.

“Jack, I told you about my schooling up until now. I had hoped I would be able to live like a normal student for a change, but now it’s just like living at home.”

“You mean you want to go out and get drunk?”

“No, nothing like that, but I do want to socialize with everybody, at least now and then.”

“Don’t worry about it too much. I suspect from what little I know of her, Violet and I should be able to come up with some plans to get you sprung.”