Ariel watched out the window, the other student beginning to file into their dorms and campus housing. Having arrived a week early due to choir rehearsals, she had her room already having been put away.
There were a variety of boys streaming by, none particularly interesting to her until she saw *him*
Tall, slender, but with contour to the sleeves of his shirt and a taper down towards his waist, clearly showing that there were muscles on his slim build. She got lost in the sight of him, her eyes tracing the beads of sweat running down his forehead in the August heat, his brown hair curling slightly in the humid air.
"Taking a gander at the frat boys, huh?" Her roommate, Elizabeth, teased Ariel. "Do you really want to be part of that world?"
Elizabeth laughed it off and went over to her side of the room without a second thought, Ariel staring out the window a bit longer, watching as the boy carried another box inside. She couldn't help but to envision him, standing over her, driving himself inside of her with increasing intensity. Ariel's legs pressed tight together as she felt the fabric of her panties start to moisten at the thought of this stranger taking her.
*I wish I could be. Part of that world*
She thought to herself, sighing as she accepted the fact that such a man would never go for her, that she would never have the opportunity to as much as meet him. Ariel may have been new to campus, but as she saw the Greek lettering "Phi Epsilon Pi"
on the side of neighbors house, she knew that she would need help. And she unfortunately knew just where she would need to go.
"You poor, unfortunate soul!" Her cousin Ursula laughed later that day when Ariel went to explain the situation "If only you had a chance to be at our party tomorrow, where the entirety of Phi Epp will be in attendance."
Ursula laughed, her lips turning up into a grin as she continued.
"Now I admit that I've been a nasty" she said. "They weren't kidding when they called me a bitch. But I've mended all my ways, repented, seen the light, and made a switch"
There was a devilish look in Ursula's eyes as she gave her cousin a chance.
"Rush" she said. "For Delta Delta Delta. Come out with the girls tonight and you can come over to the party tomorrow. I'll even introduce you to whatever boy you have your eye on"
Ariel readily agreed, much to her cousins pleasure.
The night started with the sisters of Delta Delta Delta pouring shots for the pledges. One. Then another. And another. Ariel didn't know what was in the glass, but she knew that each one felt like her throat was being raked across the coals. The rest of the night went blurry, Ariel not coming too until late afternoon the next day. Hungover with a pounding headache, she drug herself to the shower, knowing she had only a little time to get herself ready and over for the party.
As the water cascaded down over Ariel's body, she let out a sigh, the sensations of warmth filling her body. Ariel had always found singing in the shower to be relaxing, settling any nerves, so she opened her mouth to prepare to sing.
She clenched her jaw shore after but a moment, the feeling of a thousand small knives all pressing into her throat as she attempted to speak, the shots from the night before leaving her throat sore to the point where she couldn't speak.
Later that evening, Ariel arrives at the party, shyly slinking off to the corner, avoiding eye contact with anyone as she nervously looked around, considering whether not to even stay. She was uncomfortable and unsure what to do, considering she couldn't even speak.
When she had finally had enough, she started to walk towards the door, ready to call it an evening and go back to her dorm room. Her path was interrupted as the young man from before cut off her path.
"Hey" he said, his voice calm and gentle, a soft smile on his face as he looked down at Ariel. "We know each other, don't we?"
He was dressed for the occasion, matching slacks and sports coat over a buttoned down shirt, meticulously ironed to avoid any semblance of a wrinkle. Despite his attire, he seemed to stand out to Ariel. Maybe it was the way he approached her. Or the way he hadn't seemed to gotten as drunk as his brothers. Regardless of what it was, he stood out to her even more in the moment.
"You're the girl in the dorm across from the house, aren't you?" He asked, his question and interest genuine. "The one who sings?"
Ariel opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Her face went from one of excitement at the attention, to one of disappointment. She sighed a silent sigh as he responded.
"I guess not" he said. "I hope you have a great evening anyways"
And with that, the young man started to walk back towards the party, leaving Ariel with a choice.
*Never underestimate the power of body language Ariel*
she thought to herself before summoning all of the courage she could muster and stepping toward the young man.
Acting for more bold than she felt, she took his hand from behind, gently tugging at it until he turned to face her. The man's lips started to open to speak, but the delicate skin of Ariel's finger pressed tight to his lips, her other hand still on his.
