Chapter 2: Beyond the Dorm
After her semester in the coed dorm, Rebecca moved home. She had been having too much fun in the coed dorm. Her grades were suffering, and things between her and Robert had fizzled quickly, from romance to friendship. That friendship was the best she had ever found. They told each other everything. Over Christmas break, Rebecca went out with an old friend from her high school days. He, Jonathan, had called and asked her to dinner, and, much to her surprise, at the end of the evening, kissed her goodnight. She thought it was just two friends meeting for dinner to catch up on old times. Jonathan said he was acting on an old crush.
He'd had that crush for 5 years. She had suspected in high school, but figured that now was a different story. He had just finished boot camp, and was headed to Colorado to his Air Force Base. He wanted someone he could write home to, and tell the other guys about. They had a whirlwind romance, and 2 weeks later he was gone. Rebecca was not looking for a serious relationship, and this suited her fine. He called twice a week, and emailed short little notes daily. It was like having a boyfriend without all the fuss, and she wasn't looking for anything that would hinder her from bringing her grades back up to A's.
When the spring semester started, her schedule allowed her to eat dinner with Robert two nights a week. She had a night class those two nights, and when it was over, she would often go to his room to hang out an hour or so, and catch up on each other for the previous few days. She enjoyed her time with him, and wouldn't have missed their chats for the world. She told him about Jonathan, and he would discuss it with her, but didn't know what she wanted with a long distance relationship like that. He wasn't very sure about Jonathan either. It was strange, he had never met Jonathan, but he was convinced he wouldn't like him. Of course, he never mentioned that to Rebecca, he would just listen for a few minutes, and then change the subject.
Jonathan was able to come home for a visit at the end of the semester. Rebecca couldn't wait for Robert to meet Jonathan. She was positive that they would get along so well. She had managed to convince two of her professors to let her take her exam early, then she and Jonathan could meet her family at the beach for the rest of the week. That night she had scheduled for Jonathan and Robert to meet. The meeting did not go as she had planned. They were like two bucks circling each other, ready to fight for their doe. She was shocked. They were insulting to each other at first, but then they just stopped talking at all. She ended the meeting quickly, and told Jonathan that she would meet him at Megan's place, for him to go ahead.
"What were you thinking," she asked Robert. She was angry that he didn't even try to be civil.
"He is a shrimp, and he acts like an idiot. He is strange, and I don't think he is right for you. I think you can do so much better," Robert replied.
"You didn't even give him a chance, not that he acted much better toward you. I am disappointed, I wanted you two to get along. I'm not happy with you, or him."
"Rebecca, I know what a great person you are, and I don't think he deserves you."
"Robert I have had enough! Only I can make that decision, and I'm not marrying him tomorrow. What does it matter, at least I'm giving him a chance, what do I have to lose?" Rebecca was hurt by his obvious disdain for Jonathan because it meant that he didn't trust her judgment. She wasn't sure why she cared so much, but it hurt her feelings anyway. She hated to leave for the summer with this between them, but it also might be good for them to get away for a little while, it might help them figure out why it was so hard for him to except someone else for her.
"I hate to leave for the summer like this. I don't want you to worry about me, and I don't want you to think that I have made a mistake, because I don't think I have." She said.
"I know, I'm sorry, lets forget it, ok? Come here, and give me a hug, and we'll leave with 'see ya soon,' ok? I'm terrible with goodbye, it sounds so final, and I will see you in August, right?" He hated to leave like this, knowing that she was upset with him, but he also wanted her to know how he felt.
"Ok, I hope you have a great summer, give the girls in your hometown hell, but stay out of any serious trouble. And if you have any 'trouble' don't name it after me."
"I won't, but behave yourself, and email me when you get home." He was a little nervous about the fact that she and Jonathan were spending the night together. He knew a little about their relationship, and that it hadn't included sex, but he wasn't sure exactly how far they had gone. He also knew that Rebecca was smart, and he wanted to trust her, even though he didn't trust Jonathan. He just hoped she was thinking clearly.
"I'll see you soon," she said as she hugged him hard.