Author's note: the following story is purely a work of fiction and any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. The author wishes to express his gratitude to Copperbutterfly for her editing to make this a better story.
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Yeah, I have to admit that I grew up being pretty naΓ―ve about girls - and women, in general - when it comes to talking with them, being around them, kissing, or - heaven forbid - having sex with one. I had only one sibling, an older sister, but she was four years older than me and we lived in different worlds, for all practical purposes. She struggled with schoolwork; I breezed through mine. She had lots of friends; I had very few. She was close to my parents; I tried to stay out of their way. She learned to drive early and was trusted with the family car; I was trusted to take the garbage out, after being harangued mercilessly.
In high school, I managed to make a few friends, although none of them were really close friends. I joined the Math Club, the Chess Club, the Spanish Club, and was inducted into the National Honor Society. I could hold a conversation with some of the people that wore pants and none of the ones who wore skirts. For some reason, I felt like females - all females - knew something that I didn't, and I couldn't figure out what it was. And I was too bashful to ask about it.
That didn't keep me from dating. Oh, yeah, I dated. Let's see. There was the time I met Mary Lou at the theatre and we watched some movie, ate popcorn, drank cokes, and then went our separate ways, without ever touching. Yep, then there was the time I met Annette at the theatre and we watched some movie, ate popcorn, drank cokes, and then went our separate ways, without ever touching. Oh, yes, there was the time I met Doris at the theatre and we watched some movie, ate popcorn, drank cokes, and then went our separate ways, without ever touching. Then there was ... no ... no, that was it. Just the three times. Really intimate guy, wasn't I?
Then for the first time, I was out from under the direct influence of my parents when I went to college. It was 357 miles from home. That first semester, I got to go home not one time. Man, was I homesick! I went to classes, studied, played a little ping-pong, and slept. I didn't even know you were allowed to do anything else until the second semester. I found the student union and began spending a lot of spare time there. Some of us studied there while others played cards or video games and others ate - or made out with girls. I guess that's what got me to hanging around so much, watching guys kissing on the girls and getting kissed back. It made me wonder what that must be like.
One Saturday afternoon, I was sitting at a table by myself as usual, trying to read a dry text but really studying the people, when I was jolted out of my reverie.
"Hey."
"Huh?" I looked around.
"Hey! It was me."
The speaker was a girl, a redheaded girl with freckles covering every inch of bare skin that I could see: face, arms, a little bit of her neck. Her straight red hair hung down past her shoulders and she tossed it back. She wasn't a beauty, in the beauty pageant sort of way, but she was good looking. And she had a figure! Big round uh-huhs on her chest pushed her blouse out in front, and I could see how her hips made her blue pleated skirt flare away from her waist. That waist wasn't narrow but you could tell she wouldn't break apart the first time she was touched, either.
"Hi," I finally responded.
"Do you play bridge?"
"Yeah"
"Good. I need a partner. Wanna play?"
"Sure!" I replied, probably a little too eagerly.
She led me around a corner where a group of bridge players frequently gathered. One table was already playing and two guys sat at another. She told me her name was Kristen but her friends called her Kris. She introduced the two guys as Macy and Franklin, both juniors. Neither of them hid their looks of disdain when they glanced my way and they didn't bother to greet me when I told them my name was Louis.
I took the seat Kris indicated while she sat across the table from me and we began playing. The guys' comments told me they didn't consider us to be worthy opponents and their every attitude dismissed us as being beneath them. The first couple of hands seemed to bear out that attitude but then Kris and I began to get a feel for each other's bidding and things turned around. By the time we'd made game, it wasn't close. They slammed down the cards and stormed off.
I reached my hand across the table and Kris shook it, while we laughed uproariously. I asked if I could buy her a coffee or something and she shyly agreed. I bought us two cups full at the counter and we walked outside, strolling along the beautiful campus. Even though it was winter, the weather in the south was still pleasant with just light jackets.