Meeting Andy
Then...
Greenville's center for nightlife could be found in the crosshairs of West 5
th
Street and Cotanche where places like Club 519 and Rehab Lounge drew some serious student attention from around campus and beyond. East Carolina is a party school. Make no mistake. Study when you can... and only if you give a shit.
Buried under my first year of nursing school academia and rooming off campus in a three bed, two bath rental house, I had no business downtown mingling amongst the drinking and debauchery. Exams were lingering on Wednesday. I needed to be studying like my other two roommates, even though it was Friday night.
Angela, a senior ECU undergrad finishing up a degree in psychology, wanted to park her car in our drive and escort me into some action. I had just turned twenty, and she insisted I needed to celebrate. It wasn't that I hadn't been downtown before. I had a purse full of fake ID's and a license for danger, but duty to career had taken over since starting professional school.
"You don't understand," I explained. "Nursing school isn't the same as tromping around campus taking a few psych courses. I don't have time for this. I've got a whole semester's worth of crap to cover in four freaking days!"
"What I understand," Angela replied, "is that you haven't been laid in almost a year, and you just turned twenty. Do you have any idea how many guys would love to help you take your mind off the books for one night? I'm talking about hot guys, Megan... freshmen to senior, take your pick."
"What about grad students?" I sarcastically chaffed.
"Oh, they are the best." Angela plopped her keys down on the counter and rummaged through her purse for the necessities she could cram in her pockets... credit card, student ID, driver's license, cash, and three Ultrathin Trojans.
"Going prepared I see." I picked up one of the condom packages. "How do you know the right size before you even meet the guy?"
"You've been out of the game too long, Meg. One size fits most. If he's too big for these, we will stop by a gas station and get what he needs."
"And if he's too small?"
"I leave his ass at the station and go back downtown," Angela smirked.
"That's not very nice," I cackled.
"Save nice for Sunday School, Meg. This is about dick. I don't have time for losers."
The truth is that I shared entirely too much private information with my friend. It was probably because she was a psych major and knew how to get in my head, although she was totally a riot during conversation... and I talk too damn much. Still, she might not have known about every guy that had gotten into my panties.
The last guy I had actually dated was a varsity baseball player named Chris who had totally rocked my world. All he really wanted was somebody to write his English papers. I stubbornly refused his request until he stretched me out on the kitchen table and plowed me like a field. Then, I became more cooperative.
I knew better than to expect a long-term relationship with Chris or even monogamy. Chris was one of the hottest guys on campus. He probably couldn't make it to class without some bimbo rushing him and unzipping his pants. We just sort of hit it off in English Literature, which was only an elective for me.
I wanted to think I was cute enough to hold his attention, but ECU was loaded with prime Grade A Pussy. It probably still is. That's why all the guys come rolling into Greenville every weekend from every university in the state.
"I'm telling you, Angela, I don't have time for this."
"Well, that's just fine," she quipped. "The least you can do is walk me down there. You've told me before that I shouldn't go alone, and you know parking can be impossible."
Trapped again. I put on a T-shirt and jeans, nothing special. Neglected a bra. I generally don't need one. We took off. An hour later, I had no idea where Angela had gone, and I had some lumbering giant of a football jock drooling in my hair. You can't tell football players anything. They're all deaf. It's a prerequisite. Plus, the excruciating music was pounding every eardrum into mush and every brain into wanton recklessness.
"Don't you live in the athletic dorm with the other guys on your team?" I was trying to clarify the circumstances. He was asking me to come home with him.
"Yeah. They don't care who we bring up there."
"But don't you have a roommate?"
"Yeah. I can ask him to leave. It's no big deal, Meg. Come on."
"I need to go to the little girl's room. You just hang right here, okay Bubba?"
He nodded his approval and took another swig from his longneck. I made a slow trek through the crowd looking for an exit. That's when we crashed into each other.
It was my fault. I was looking behind me, making sure I wasn't being followed. I slammed right into Andy. He spilled his cup of draft all over me. DAMN! My white cotton Nordstrom scoop T, too tight and too thin for a beer bath. No bra. Perfect.
"Shit! I'm sorry. Oh wow..."
Those were the first five words my future husband uttered when he saw me. Needless to say, he saw more than I intended to show him, and he wasn't alone. I quickly folded my arms over my chest, but how exactly do you do that with a bottle of beer in your hand? Fortunately, he took it from me and relieved me of that burden.
"I'm really sorry," he repeated. That smile. Those lips. That dark hair against those bright blue peepers. Well, I was a little drunk, but I still liked the view. So did he. "I'm Andy. I apologize. I didn't notice you coming."
I lifted my arms off my chest just slightly and looked down to survey the damage. Oh, it was bad. Nipples on parade.
"Hey, I'm Megan, the queen of bad decisions, particularly when it comes to downtown fashion." I poked out my finger as an alternative to shaking hands, keeping my arms over my breasts. Andy hooked it with his pinkie and a chuckle. A clean-up team moved in quickly to mop up the mess. Andy and I slipped out of the way, and I noticed a crowd of people was staring at me... including Bubba from across the room. Ugh.
"You see that guy over there? That really big guy?"
"Yeah, what about him?" Andy took a swig of my beer, apparently assuming ownership. He could have it.
"Well, that guy plays varsity football, and he wants to fuck me."
"He told you this?"
"Yep. I was just talking to him before you tried to drown me."
"I'm sorry. I really am." It was Andy's fourth apology. So cute. "Did I screw that up for you?"
I took a quick glance at Andy. "Look at that guy a second. He probably weighs 350 pounds. Can you seriously imagine that guy on top of me? Can you envision that in your mind?"
Andy closed his eyes and lifted the beer bottle to his forehead as if concocting the mental spectacle of me having coitus with an elephant. He opened his eyes. "It's still cloudy for me. If you take your arms off your chest, I might get a better picture."
"Very funny. What's the problem? You didn't get an adequate inspection?" I couldn't help but smile. "If that lineman gets on top of me, I become an archeologic relic."
"I can see that," Andy laughed. "What can I do to help?"
"Sneak me out of here." I took another look at my shirt. "I think I need to go home."
"Fair enough. You take the lead. I've got your back." Andy pointed towards the door as we slithered between patrons and carefully made our way out the front. We were both on the shorter side so we could easily stay hidden. Outside, the streetlights were brighter than I ever remembered. My buttons were bursting through with a vengeance.
"I've got to go," I said, setting a rapid stride up the sidewalk. As cute as Andy was, the whole situation was way too embarrassing for small talk.
"Wait!" Andy was skipping behind me like a puppy. "You got a car?"
"No, I just live a few blocks from here. I lease a house with two other girls. We're all nursing students."
"What? I'm finishing up in hospital administration. I'm a senior this year."
"Congratulations." I didn't mean to sound snarky, but it just came out that way. "Why are you following me?"
"I can't let you walk alone at night. I'll walk you to your place. That's the least I can do."
"I'm seriously okay, Andy. You can go back to the bar. I'll be fine."
"No way. I'm not a serial killer, I promise. I'm not going to let you fall victim to one. Let me walk you back home, Meg."
Why does everyone call me Meg no matter how I introduce myself?
"We have a real problem with serial killers around here, Andy. Downtown is teaming with them."
"I'm being serious, Megan. I'm not leaving your side."
I shrugged. Andy wasn't a big guy, and he didn't look dangerous. Had I stayed with Bubba, I certainly would have died an agonizing death, crushed beneath his sweaty bulk. My longevity seemed more promising with Andy. I slowed my pace so we could talk.
"You go to ECU?" I asked. I wasn't aware of any medical administration program in Greenville.
"No, I'm at UNC. I came down here with some of my frat brothers. They are all staying at this guy's house a few blocks from here."
"
They
are all staying?"
"Well, I'm supposed to be staying there too. I'm not really looking forward to that. The place is pretty crowded. I'll probably end up on the floor."
"Do you have a car, or did you ride with somebody?"
"I hitched a ride," Andy admitted. This sounded more like a setup every second. I wondered if I should be alarmed. That little boy face had put me at ease.
"Let me guess. You'd like to stay over at my place."