[I have been asked ... over ... and over ... and over again, (how flattering!), to write a new strip poker story, with new characters, and a new situation. The story got off to a quick start, but then I just couldn't come up with any ideas about how to end it, because I wasn't happy repeating some of the situations from my Proper Rules series. And then ... after 6 months ... here it is!]
[All characters in this story who are involved in serious sexual situations are at least 18 years old - PS]
* * *
Stacy walked through the empty dorm. It was amazing how quiet it was, given that it was a Saturday night, and now that all of the first year students had gone home. Friday had been the last day of exams, and everyone had to leave no later than 24 hours after that ... everyone, at least, except Stacy. She had one more final, Monday, due to a scheduling mix up; and had been given special permission to stay until then. There were still some people on campus, graduate students, professors, staff and the like; although it was a pretty solitary dinner in the campus pub that evening.
She'd drank a Mike's Hard Lemonade, and watched the flat screen TV, but none of the few guys, even those who were alone like herself, attempted to keep her company, or, God forbid, pick her up.
"And no small wonder," she thought to herself afterwards, as she opened her room in the dorm. The full length mirror she had brought from home told the story. She was too tall, too skinny, too flat chested, and too average in the looks department to attract any kind of serious male attention; especially on a campus that was two thirds female ... not that any of the other colleges or universities were any different.
About the only remarkable feature she had was her red hair, which she had been growing since last summer, and had now reached her shoulders. Unfortunately, nice as it was, it came with the mandatory set of freckles; and even though she had green eyes, which should have also been an asset, she also was very short sighted, which meant glasses ... thick glasses ... yuck!
She did have contacts, which she used on special occasions, but tonight certainly wasn't one of those. Sitting down at her computer, she wondered how to fill this evening. She was more than prepared for Monday, after all, she'd written her next to last final last Wednesday ... and there was only so much reading, and re-reading, you could do for an English final.
"Modern Poetry," she reflected playfully, "maybe the prof will be impressed if I write my essay like e. e. cummings ... no capitals!"
Her mother liked to describe herself, and Stacy, as willowy ... well that was fine for her; she wasn't living Stacy's boyfriendless life! The very first thing she was going to do, once she finished school and started working, was to have laser surgery on her eyes, and get a boob job ... and a good one! Maybe then her dating fortunes might pick up.
"Stop complaining; you have gone out," she noted to herself cynically, "three whole times ... including the prom; and that was an arranged date with your cousin ... how pathetic can you get!"
At the prom after party, once everyone had had plenty to drink; most of the couples started sneaking away to make out. In her case; she had managed to lure her cousin into a small den ... and then to have sex with him on a couch ... her first time. Not only was it not very good, but she must have been the only female at the party who had to coax her date into doing her as a "charity fuck" ... how embarrassing! At least he got a piece of ass for his time and trouble!
She hadn't been on the pill at that time, but her mother had insisted that she start before leaving for college.
"I may be old," she had said, "but I know what goes on in first year ... and don't you dare do it without a condom, even if you are safe," she had further admonished.
"That's a laugh," she thought bitterly, "it's already April, and the only thing those pills were any good for was keeping my cycle predictable."
She had been tempted to stop taking them a couple of times ... but some tiny, and very stupid, part of her psyche kept hoping lightning might strike. So far, terms like, "no chance", and "hopeless case", were entirely in order.
Turning to her computer again, she brought up the erotic stories site. Some of them were good, and some terrible, but at least you could live vicariously through the better ones, or even masturbate to the very best literary efforts. She rather liked some of the strip poker genre ... and even bookmarked a few.
A few of her girlfriends claimed to have played at various parties, and stripped all the way ... but she wasn't sure how much of this to believe ... and since she never got invited to parties like that, there was no way to know for sure.
"Of course if I was in a strip poker game," she reflected ruefully, putting a hand over each breast, and sighing, "the guys might not be certain what sex I was until AFTER I pulled my panties down!"
This was one of the main reasons she was growing her hair, she was tired of looking like a little boy ... albeit a tall little boy.
Getting up, she took a cooler out of her bar fridge ... and twisted the top off. Closing the lid of her laptop, more by habit than anything ... and just in case someone was around, and might see what she was reading ... she decided to check out the common room. Taking her drink with her, she locked her room, and headed down the long hall. The lights were on, which was a good sign. Maybe she would be able to find some company for tonight after all.
* * *
When she got to the doorway, and looked inside, she saw a girl that she vaguely recognized.
"Hi," she was acknowledged.
"Modern Poetry?"
"Lovely ... isn't it?"
A slightly British accent ... she must be from abroad.
"I don't think I know you?"
"We were in different sections ... my name is Jennifer ... but everyone calls me Jenn ... and you are?"
"Stacy."
"Is that a cooler?"
"Yes ... would you like one?"
"God yes ... it's Saturday night, and I'm totally out of booze."
"Just wait here ... I'll go get a few from my room."
Stacy took stock of Jennifer, as she retraced her steps to her room. She was rather short, with long dark hair, dark eyes, and a very nicely developed figure.
"Probably gets zillions of dates," she thought to herself, imagining Jennifer fighting off a pack of good looking guys with a stick!
Unlocking her door, she fetched three more coolers from her bar fridge, and headed back to re-join Jennifer.
"You're a life saver ... if I read one more word by T. S. Eliot ... I'm going to do something drastic to myself!"
"How is it that all these Ph. D.'s can't get an exam schedule right?"
"Beats me?"
"Are you by yourself?"
"Yes ... especially since I just got dumped."
"How so?"
"The guy I was with just ditched me three weeks ago for some blonde bimbo back where he lives."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be ... I don't know why I'm telling you this ... but who cares ... once he got me into the sack ... that's all he was really interested in!"
"Was he your first?"
"Yes ... that's why they call it college ... it's where you go to get an education," Jennifer said with a giggle, clinking her bottle against Stacy's.
"At least you had a boyfriend."
"How so?"
"I don't exactly have to lock my room at night to keep them away!" Stacy answered sarcastically.
"I don't believe that," Jenn said with a grin.
"Where are you from?" Stacy said, changing the subject.
"Plymouth, England ... but my dad got transferred over here."
"Do you like it?"
"Yes and no ... it wasn't great leaving all my friends behind ... I wanted to go back home for school ... but it was too expensive ... you know; airfare and everything."
"But don't you pay way more tuition as a foreign student?"
"My father's company gave me a scholarship, but just for this university ... some business association or something ... plus my mom wanted me here ... probably so she could keep an eye on me ... apparently that plan didn't work out quite so well; since Mark got into my pants anyway ... what about you?"
"Just an hour's drive from here."
"Do they visit often?"
"No."
"Anyone special here; or back home?"
"That's a laugh ..."
"You're nice looking ... I wish I was slim and tall."
"Be careful what you wish for."
"Why?"
"Like I said before ... I don't have to lock my door at night."
"Oh, c'mon there must be lots of guys ..."
"Jennifer ... I mean Jenn ... even if I slept naked in the hall with my legs wide open; nothing would ever happen."
"You're exaggerating!"
"No I'm not ... trust me!"
"But ..."
"My mother sent me here with a prescription for the pill ... she was probably hoping ... get it?
"I know it's kinda personal ... I mean we just met ... but are you a virgin?"
"No ... I got a guy to take pity on me at the senior prom."
"Were you and he an item?"
"Hardly ... he was my cousin ... his mother forced him into it!"
"The sex?" a wide eyed Jenn said in a confused way.
"No, that was my idea," Stacy said, finally able to laugh, "just the date part ... when you look like me, you have to get down on your knees and beg!"
"Now you're being ridiculous," Jenn said, laughing as well, "I can't believe that one of these horn dogs on campus hasn't hit on you."
"I"m still waiting ... and if it happens ... you'll be the first to know!"
The two of them dissolved into gales of laughter. As she passed Jenn another cooler, it occurred to her that, after eight months away from home ... she had finally made a friend!
* * *
Jason lay on his dorm room bed, trying to study Dylan Thomas. But it wasn't much use. So finally he flipped the book aside and picked up "Araby". As he read the short line about Mangan's sister, he was once again in awe: "Her dress swung as she moved her body and the soft rope of her hair tossed from side to side."
"How can you conjure up a beautiful girl in just a dozen or so words," he thought to himself, "when everyone else needs a dozen sentences, or paragraphs, and still doesn't get the same effect?"
"I guess genius is just that ... genius ... maybe, someday, I can learn write like that ... but I doubt it!"
About the only reassuring part of it; was that the editor had missed the punctuation, or was too afraid to alter Joyce's text.
