I decided not to break this story into chapters, but leave it as one long piece. I hope that does not detract from enjoying it.
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Zackery had just turned 21 years old and he is a rising senior at the state university. He is 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds with medium length, dirty blond hair. Most people describe him as "long and lanky." He is majoring in analytical chemistry and has elected to do an 8-week co-op semester during the summer between his junior and senior years at the university. He had applied for and been accepted at a forensics laboratory located in another city about a two-hour drive from the university. Fortunately, the university has a satellite campus in that city and he was able to secure university housing that was only a four block walk from the job site. He thought he would gain valuable experience into what it might be like to work in a real lab; moreover, he would also get additional credits towards his degree. Finally, he was hoping would might get a job offer or, at least, a good letter of recommendation. And who knows he might even meet some girls.
On his first day, Zack arrives at the lab for his orientation and meets Tomás, the lab's manger. He has spoken with Tomás on the phone but has never met him in person. He is 42 years and Hispanic with olive skin, a black crew cut, and a black circle beard with flecks of gray. He is a short stocky man, about five-foot-six and 180 pounds. He is built like a fire plug and has a bulging chest and muscular arms. He explains that for the first week Zack will spend time with him learning the overall functioning of the business. After that, he will spend one week with each of the four laboratory technicians to acquaint himself with their areas of expertise and to learn how to operate the lab's various machines and equipment. Finally, during the final three weeks he will be assigned an actual project that the lab has been tasked to complete. He will use his newfound knowledge, and with the help of the full-time techs, develop an action plan and complete the project.
Tomás takes Zack into the laboratory to show him around and introduce him to the four technicians. "Wow, they're all girls. I mean women," Zack mumbles as he stares at the four diverse, yet beautiful, ladies.
"I'm sorry. Did you say something?" Tomás asks.
Zack blushes and replies, "No. I'm sorry. I was just mumbling to myself."
Tomás continues, "This is Maria. She is the lead tech and you will be spending the second week with her. She will be your resource for any questions or problems going forward. Next, we have Andrea, Ella, and Lois.
Zack shakes each of their hands and says, "Good morning. Nice to meet you."
Ella and Lois smile at him brightly and say, almost simultaneously, "If you need any help, please feel free to come to me." They then both giggle and Ella says "Sorry. We have a habit of thinking alike." While Lois chimes in, "And finishing each other's sentences." They both chuckle again. Andrea doesn't anything to Zack. She gives him a curt smile and nods her head before returning to her normally dour facial expression.
Maria gives Zackery a brief tour of the lab. She is also Hispanic with caramel skin and chin-length, dark brown hair and brown eyes. She is 33 years old, five-foot-six (the same height as Tomás) and 140 pounds. She is Rubenesque with full breasts and a shapely figure. She is very friendly, but professional. Zack gets the feeling that she is in a relationship with Tomás since he frequently calls her "babe" or "hon" when speaking with her, whereas he doesn't do that with any of the other women. After she shows Zack around the lab, she lets each of the other techs spend 30 minutes with him to acquaint him with their areas of expertise.
Zackery next meets Andrea who is 29 years old and tall and thin. She is 5-foot-11 and 120 pounds. She has mid-back length straight, black hair pulled into a ponytail, pale skin, and gray eyes. She is wearing a brightly colored, long-sleeved peasant blouse with flared slacks and sandals. If Zack didn't know any better, he'd swear she was a hippie from the 1960s. Even with this brief encounter she seems quiet and introverted.
He meets Ella next. She is 24 years old and is 5-foot-8 and 130 pounds. She has shoulder length, reddish brown hair and large brown eyes. She has an outgoing personality and is asking many questions about him, where he is staying, and his plans while he is here. She is very touchy with him; grabbing his arm and standing very close to him. At one point she wants to show him how to calibrate one of the mass spectrometers, so she has him stand very close behind her and look over her shoulder as she performs the adjustment. She bends over to reach for one of the knobs and pushes her cute bubble butt into him. She even seemed to wiggle her butt in his groin. If he didn't know any better, he'd swear she was flirting with him.
Finally, he meets Lois. She is petite, only 5 feet tall and 100 pounds. She is 25 years old and has shoulder length, curly, honey blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She has large breasts for her small frame and Zack has to keep reminding himself to look at her face and into those gorgeous blue eyes rather than staring at her ample bosom. She is also very helpful with getting him acclimated to the lab but seems more cautious in getting to know him and revealing details about herself.
Tomás takes Zack out to lunch to go over other details of how the lab operates and answer any other questions about the setup. It becomes obvious to Zack that Tomás is a strict boss and a domineering individual. He seems to have a Napoleon complex. It also becomes quite apparent during their lunchtime conversation that he is dating Maria and seems to be very controlling of her life. While he doesn't come right out and say it, Tomás basically advises Zack to stay away from his woman. Zack realizes he is going to have to tread carefully around Maria.
While Tomás and Zack are out of the lab at lunch, Ella, Lois, Andrea, and Maria have lunch in the break room at the lab and talk about their first impressions of Zack. "I don't know about you girls, but I think that our new co-op student is hot. I cannot wait for my week with him. I am definitely going to make a play for that tall and lanky hunk," Ella announces.
Lois blushes slightly and says, "Yeah. He is kind of cute. I'll bet I can get to him before you, Ella."
"For roommates and supposedly best friends you two are so competitive with each other," Maria replies. "Maybe I'll beat you both and try him out myself. Afterall, He does spend the first week with me."
"Oh yeah. Like Tomás is going to allow that," Ella responded. "He's got you all wrapped up. There is no way that you chance getting caught for a 21-year-old student.
"Besides he is way too young for you," Lois added. "What are you becoming a cougar now?"
Andrea sighed heavily. "This is going to be another one of those summers, isn't it? With you two playing spin the bottle with the young co-op. And now you're getting involved too, Maria? What about Tomás? This is going to be a long, long 8 weeks."
"You're such a party pooper, Andrea," exclaimed Ella. "We're just having some fun."
"Yeah. It helps to make the summer more enjoyable," Lois added.
