The dorm hallway was quiet, lit with a warm afternoon light from the end of the hall. The walls and ceiling were off-white with a green carpet that ran with blue strips up the sides. Some dust particles were visible lazily drifting about in the sunlight spilling from the recreation room into the corridor. Sounds of muffled laughter and talking could be heard through the window of the rec room as people were going about campus. There was a slight creak and a flash of reflection as the end door opened, and a short girl shuffled through. There was a soft little bump as it closed behind her. She made her way up the hall head down, arms crossed in front of her over a binder. Her hair, a straight soft dirty blonde was obscuring her face, and thick black rimmed glasses were just visible underneath. She wore a black T-shirt, and soft brown cotton pants. She walked in small steps, seeming to even dislike making the whisper of pants and little taps from flip-flops in the hall. There was a thump in one of the rooms and she twitched her head just the slightest and tried to compromise her desire to go unnoticed for speed. It was eyes, they upset her. Especially men's. Every time she noticed another guy giving her a once over it reminded her of that night in high school.
She reached her door, which had no smiley face with a name adorned it like the others. She had thrown that out just as fast as you please. She removed one hand from the binder and reached into her pocket for the little key to her haven. She fumbled it, and it fell from her grasp. A momentary panic struck her chest as she watched the golden metal twist in the air until it dropped on to the carpet and bounced onto her right foot. It was a little cold on her sensitive skin and not wholly unpleasant. She reached down and retrieved it and stared at where it was. Her feet had never concerned her before, she had always been most comfortable in flip-flops as opposed to closed shoes. Recently she had learned that to some people they are more than just a way to get around but something she never expected; attractive. It had started earlier in the week and the memories flashed in her mind's eye in practically an instant.
- - - She remembered the first day (Monday) - - -
"My name's Tricia..." She said reluctantly as it was eventually her turn in the circle to make her introduction. It was her floor's initial icebreaker the day after moving in. Tricia was lucky enough to get a double room for the price of a single. There were two beds and two desks, one on each side of the room. Each desk had a tube light above it and a little square mirror behind a slide panel. The wall opposite the door was almost completely taken up by a good sized window, the blinds retracted up. She was unpacking her few cardboard boxes when a rap came on the door. She was greeted by the R.A. He was a fit guy, in a white polo and khaki shorts with a generic baseball cap. He insisted that she come to the meeting to meet her new neighbours. So, Tricia found herself in this circle of twenty people, about half male she found, which just increased her anxiety. She slinked in, arms across her satchel and took a seat between two females, who were kind enough to her, but seemed to have just been bickering. The one on her left was a thin girl with chin length dyed red hair, tamed slightly out at the bottom. She wore black shirt/jeans, spike bracelets and bangles. The girl on the right was quite short, wider set with long unkempt brown hair in a grey hoodie. Everyone was supposed to give their name and something about themselves to share.
"...I draw." She muttered. She did rather well too, specializing in anatomy. She could memorize how flesh and muscle flowed and stretched in movement and pose. The difficult positions of a human torso while bent, or taught while reaching upward were once a challenge, but one she surpassed. She even designed clothes from time to time after drawing the bare model underneath. Her aunt was working in clothing design and suggested she gave it a try, to which she found an artist of frightening potential. So what was once Tricia's favourite pastime became a segway into her career choice. Not necessarily design, but something in art. Her drawings never featured faces anymore though, and the males she drew much less were usually nothing more than a back, or arms, or chest. Nothing below the waist.
The R.A., being used to detecting people's body language could tell in an instant that she was an intensely introverted, closed person. He knew a few tricks to try to draw them out from a few years in training for counsellor.
"That's awesome!" He exclaimed with a smile, trying to make eye contact, "Can we see some of your artwork?" He kept lowering his head to try and catch her eyes. Tricia hesitated, then set her satchel on the ground, unclipped the hooks with slightly shaking hands. Everyone was watching her take out some loose sheets with sketches of bodies and hand them to her right. The shorter girl took them and thumbed through them unceremoniously then held them out to her right without looking. The guy next to her took them and took a bit more time, mostly looking over the female works and snickering with his buddy at the breasts. As the drawing went around gasps and impressed mutterings of her peers took over the previous silence, and Tricia found it hard not to smile a little. It was rare she had a source of pride and whenever she did it was a rare moment of an irresistible grin.
The R.A. was waiting for this and knew he made the right move. He watched her face blush red and hoped she would make some comments on her works, when there was a sound of a camera shutter. Tricia looked over to see one of the guys with his phone out, having just took a picture of one of her drawings. He regarded the sketch a bit longer, then passed it on. Tricia looked at him, wondering why he snapped a photo of only that page. Perhaps it was the best of the lot, and she'd have a look later to see what she did right. She kept peering at him through her hair, quite curious now. He was tall, in a toque and striped long sleeve shirt. He seemed to be almost as uncomfortable as she was, avoiding the others' eyes. When he passed it to the girl to his right - a girl with a black ponytail and ample bosom mostly exposed in a very revealing tank top - Tricia noticed he only stole a glance at her chest once while she was distracted with the pages. He was slyly watching her foot which was covered in a white ankle sock and silver anklet. She had it propped up on her left knee and was waving and flexing it absentmindedly. There was just enough grey dirt marks on the bottom to see the shape. It was quite close to his arm and Tricia would have bet her best set of pencils that he wanted to touch it.
When it came time for him to make his introduction he rose and said his name was Jack. Apparently he dabbled in photography, but mostly working in engineering. He had taken an IT course before and passed with flying colours, but came back to take an art course hoping it would give a fresh perspective on his photography. There wasn't much response as he lowered back into his seat, and the girl he was watching before rose to introduce herself.
