COLLEGE DAZE
Chapter 4
I roll into the parking lot a few minutes before nine in the morning, over an hour and a half later than usual. I had found my clothes sitting on the washing machine when I went into the laundry room to find a clean shirt. Proof that last night happened and not just a dream, an extremely erotic dream. I am lucky that I don't have any classes on Tuesday (today) or Thursdays, otherwise I would have missed my 8AM class and barely be on time for my 9:00 class.
As I turn the corner into the hall where my office is located, I see a girl sitting on one of the couches with her legs pulled up arms around them and her chin resting on her knees.
'Hi Brandi,' I say as she turns her head towards the sound of my footsteps. She is in my Intro to Engineering class this year, having taken both Physics classes last year. I take in her form, tiny, 5'2" and 115 pounds, strong, a member of the gymnastics team, dressed in fitted sweats. Her long brown hair is pulled back severely into a ponytail.
'Hi Dex,' she replies. 'I need to talk to you.' I need to talk to you, that phrase last year meant she was horny, but now, without the mischievous look of angst on her face, I feel that she really needs to talk. I guess I am a sucker, I can never turn a girl with a problem away.
My nickname Dex came about in a funny way. My riding buddies started calling me Poindexter after the cartoon character on the Rocky and Bullwinkle show. They called me Poindexter because I always had the answer to their questions, just like one of the cartoon characters. The problem is, though, Mr. Peabody, a dog, was always answering the questions and Poindexter, a kid, was asking those questions.
At the same time, my friends in college during my undergraduate year, started calling me Dex after a yellow pages commercial where people would ask an actor, supposedly the phone book, questions and he would give an answer. The Yellow Pages byline was Dex knows, thereby I became Dex.
The funniest part is I never told either group about the nickname the other gave me.
'Come on in,' I say to her as I unlock the door. She grabs her gym bag and follows. As I hang up my leather jacket and helmet, she perches on the desk. As she leans forward, I can see what looks like her workout leotard.
I sit in my chair as she announces, 'I have been asked to join the national team.' Even though the news is exciting, she says it with a dour face.
'That's great,' I respond, standing and giving her a congratulatory hug. Her return hug is lacking luster, I notice. 'What's wrong?'
'I have been working out with the team all summer,' she states. 'And I have been invited to join the team again.'
'That's understandable,' I state. 'You were ranked number one last year.'
'In college,' she says without any pride. 'I was an alternate three years ago for the Olympic team. In a year, I could make the team. I have always dreamed of being in the Olympics.'
'So, what's wrong?' I ask, cutting to the point.
'I went to tell the coach that I was going to red-shirt this year so I could pursue my dreams,' she said, close to crying. 'He yelled at me. He said I should think about the team I am on and not go running off after a pipe dream.' Tears finally flow.
I lift her off the desk and into my lap where I envelop her in my arms. 'He's a jerk,' I say resolutely. 'All he thinks about is himself.' I wipe the tears from her cheeks.
'He said he was going to get my scholarship pulled if I don't toe the line and participate in the meets,' she says quietly with a waiver in her voice.
'He can't do that,' I say with a hint of anger in mine. 'Don't worry, the board of regents won't pull the scholarship. They will think it's a feather in their collective cap to have you on the team.' I lift her face and try to smile.
She wraps her arms around my neck and says, 'I knew you would know what is really going on.' She gives me a quick kiss. I kiss her forehead and eyelids, trying to dry her tears.
'I'm going to need some help from everyone in order to pull this off,' she says with the first hint of a smile.