Her body shivered like a fish as wind rippled against her bare flesh left exposed by a red miniskirt and crop-top. Her makeup didn't keep her warm. She slipped into a stagnant, smoke-filled club along with a few others and disappeared forever to the man on the bench. Here he sat, examining the crowd as they dispersed to the strip after the holy ritual of Saturday Night College Football. One neon street of nicotine chaos. The trash barrels were already overflowing with liquor cases and cigarette packs and beer cans as they were added to. An amalgam of decadence left after the laughter. The girls who stalked the strip alongside the men who bored them gave him passing and passionate glances, as he was quite handsome, but soon pandered away when met with his bland dark clothing and sardonic stare. Feeling he had seen all there was to see, he rose from his seat and walked down the street towards his home. The night would get rowdy soon and he didn't want to get involved in anything.
He glanced into a bar and saw a commotion which intrigued him enough to halt. That was me. I caused that commotion. The girls I came in with had all dispersed around the room to get free drink and kisses on their cheeks from drunkards. I was talking to no one, a full glass of whiskey pressed against my stomach, untouched by my lipstick. Veronica was coming back from the bathroom, the girl our dear friend outside had seen a few moments ago, and I knew she would get onto me for not drinking. I didn't care for the boys these girls tried to occupy me with, and I did not wish to let these tribal pigs defile me due to my choice to dull myself with alcohol. Honestly, I wouldn't mind being fucked, and fucked hard, but everyone here just seemed so repulsive to me. I quickly sloshed most of the drink over my shoulder, lifting it to my lips to leave my lipstick's mark. It landed on some girl nearly identical to Veronica: lips red as blood, makeup thick as paint, shivering in a short black skirt and holding a margarita. She mumbled some insult and lashed out at me clumsily. I was able to evade rather easily, but her strike landed on 6 foot plus man in a red jersey with a cigarette between his fingers who quickly grabbed her, numbed and unable to distinguish anger, sexual assault, and flirtation. I didn't want to witness whatever would happen next, and I had no desire to see Veronica or any of the other Sigma Kappa girls, so I left for the door.
There I saw him. Gray condescending eyes, yet comforting and steadfast. His clothes were neutral, no sports gear and thick enough for the weather. He started to go towards the helpless, incoherent girl who was being played with, but I grabbed him and told him, "Leave it alone." In a strong, definitive voice. I don't know why I did it. I just felt something for him, some mistake I would've made if I cared, and I felt I knew enough not to care. He paused for a moment. I looked at him knowingly. He sighed like an odd admission of guilt and said, "Okay". I learned some time ago that I have powerful eyes, like they look like they know more than they do. It tends to make people believe me and be receptive to things I say. It works, that's all I need. He walked with me for a moment, both of us most likely feeling a bit awkward.
"What happened?" He asked in a surprisingly caring voice.
"Some girl got a drink slashed on her, ended up hitting some guy, he grabbed her, and we left." I replied plainly.
"Well why didn't we do anything?"
"Because there are enough people there to stop it, and they'll just end up fighting. And you look like you wouldn't do too well in a fight." I added with a flirtatious and demeaning tone. Why the fuck did I do that? I was pissed and I didn't know this guy, he was probably just as bad as the rest of them, going to join in a fight like that. Worse, he was probably a preppy, based on how he was dressed.
"That's fair." He replied sullenly yet with a touch of optimism.
I was intrigued. He was rather handsome and well dressed. I mean he looked like he could've been anything at that point. I could've thought he was a spy or a righteous warrior, or a well-meaning, idealistic poet. I kind of didn't want to learn any more about him so that he wouldn't spoil it.
"So, what are you doing out here?" He asked kindly.
"I'm with my sorority, they wanted us to go drinking together after the game."
"Oh." There was a note of disappointment in his voice. I felt like I knew just what he was thinking. I don't like most sorority girls either, it all comes off as a façade under which to party. And I had seen much of that proven true, he needed to know I wasn't just another one of those carbon copy future cougars.
"I'm really thinking about leaving, my parents really wanted me to join because of the connections and whatnot, an easy way to get a husband or something like that." I replied with a bit more passion and resentment than anything else I'd say up to that point.
"Oh, that's pretty, cool." His surprise made him stumble through his words and I laughed. He smiled in return.
"What's your name?" I asked kindly.
"John," He said in an upbeat tone.
"Pretty boring name." I teased.
"Um okay," He looked slightly hurt. "And what's yours?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" I replied sassily, throwing him a flirtatious glance.
I won't spend too much time going over the mundane details of this exchange, it really wasn't very exciting, but I liked him, and he liked me and as we walked back towards campus, we realized that exponentially. He was a music major, played 5 instruments I think, and could talk about different bands forever. I was an English major, played clarinet in high school but that was about it. Apparently I had pretty good taste in music, as his ears actually perked up when I mentioned some bands. That was pretty cute. He could evidently wiggle his ears, and although I didn't mention it, I would giggle every time his ears moved up just a bit each time I mentioned something he evidently liked too. It was nice. I really enjoyed talking to him, but there was just too much. I knew he would probably be like other guys, and I didn't want to find out. And, truth be told I had some things in my past, bad experiences which would always change how I saw things like this. But I didn't want it to be like that. By the time we walked to his dorm, I decided to take a chance. He had mentioned his roommate was at a party tonight. I couldn't stop smiling ask the words came to my lips, maybe it was the smoke from that club getting to me.
"Hey, you think you'd want to, show me some of your music?" I asked in a languid shy voice with a ridiculous smile. He let out a mellow treble chuckle and nervously looked at his feet, his body lightly shifting from side to side, then moved only his eyes to meet mine.
"It would be my pleasure."
His response rippled through me. I felt so warm in the bitter night. I was almost tingling.
His room was on the third floor, the dorm was much nicer than mine. Carpeted hallways, spacious halls, nothing broken. His walk seemed a bit unsteady, I liked thinking I could have that effect on someone. Then I noticed mine was about the same. Upon opening his door, I was presented with a light glow of multicolored lights and posters of various bands and artists. I didn't know any of them.
"Hey, me and my friend have been going to the tailgates after the games and stealing beers, we've got a good number in the fridge if you'd want one." He said with pride and a bit of hope.
I laughed louder than I intended.
"You're full of surprises, I'm good though, no thanks." I said kindly. He nodded, but cast a look of disappointment. I'd already made up my mind. I wanted to tell him not to worry, that he would get lucky anyway, but this was just fun. He began setting up a speaker and analyzing the music he was about to play, calling it soothing and mellow yet avant-garde. A warm tone emanated from the speaker before a slow drum line began. He started saying something about it, but then I kissed him.
