This all happened over thirty years ago. I was a student teacher in my last semester at a prominent "teacher's college" in the Northeast. As March rolled around the group of students who were in the program with me were surprised to hear that while all our friends went on Spring Break, we would remain teaching. To add insult to injury, the dorms were closing (as were dining services.) Shit! We were expected to find our own lodging, among other things, for a week. I certainly did not have money for a hotel for the week, and the one guy I knew in the program was in the same predicament as I was.
The other person I knew well was Jen. A pretty brunette who lived in an on-campus apartment with three other women. She was also a student teacher. Now the campus has a strict cohabitation law, but I felt with most of the campus shut down this might not be a problem. We had been out drinking many times and we got along super well so I asked if I could borrow her floor. She was fine with that she caught up with me the next week and said that her roommates were off to Florida and Carly said if I brought my own sheets, I could use her bed. So, I planned to show up on Sunday evening, taking the time to go home for the weekend and do laundry and all the stuff college aged folks do on a weekend home.
When I arrived on Sunday, I was greeted with an enthusiastic hug which I returned. With both of us currently unattached, we had a lot in common besides teaching. Plus, with both of us being student teachers, the chance to exchange "war stories" was a plus. We had been so busy in our lives we really hadn't talked as much as we might have liked. We traveled quickly over to the grocery store for lunch and dinner supplies which I paid for as "rent" for the week as well as a trip into the local department store for school supplies. We passed by the swimsuit display, nicely at the front of the store when we were still in the middle of a Northeast winter. "Hmm, I prefer bikinis" Jenn said flipping through them frowning at the selection.
"Oh if you buy something does this mean a fashion show later?!" I kidded. I was rewarded with a wry smile, a punch on the arm and that "all men are the same" eye roll. We continued and headed for her apartment where I made my bed, moved my stuff out of the way and we graded papers.
Except for the first night where I took her out for dinner (more rent and profuse thank yous for saving me from having to find other accommodations) our days were busy, and we traded student stories and graded papers. It was relaxing. Coming home Tuesday night it began to snow and by the time 6:00 PM came around it was a good old-fashioned snow storm. Our friends from Florida rang us up, drunk and kidded us how they were enjoying 80-degree days and sunshine on the beach. Bastards! At 7:00 P.M. our school district called. With 12"-15" predicted, school was called for the next day. We decided to finish up grading and then have a little wine and relax, knowing we had a day off.
We traded some stories and began reminiscing about the last 4 years at college. The wine loosened us up so the conversation got a little more intimate "You know Taylor?" Jenn asked.
"Of course." Taylor or Tay for short as a good guy, we used to hang out and he had graduated last year. "Have you heard from him."
"Good guy?" She mused with a look in her eye. "Did you know he always used to hit on me?"
"I know he liked you." I answered.
"No, I mean remember how you and everyone would leave the house after a party and Tay would stay behind."
"Sure, Dan and I used to kid he was trying to get you to have sex with him. But since he was hot and heavy and two years into Kelli, we figured it was all talk. He never did anything did he? I mean like bad. We always felt he was safe."
"No, nothing like that. He never once made an inappropriate physical pass, but he would stay behind for almost an hour. He constantly told me he loved me and would ask me to sleep with him. It got to be too much, that is why I used to leave after the parties and go sleep at Mary Grace's dorm. That way I could leave with everyone else and make up some bullshit about me and MG going out early.
I was shocked. "Gee, I thought you seemed kind of weird around him last year, no wonder."
"Well, I knew everyone liked Tay, Hell I liked Tay, but that got be a bit a much. Mostly I would have brushed it off if he hadn't had been attached. I didn't like Tay in that way, but the fact he was snooping behind Kelli's back pissed me off." She spoke. "Pissed Kelli off too, but I had to tell her."
"So, he never had a chance?"
She shook her head. "Even unattached, the whole fake intellectual vibe, while fun at first, got to be a bit much. He constantly tried to make everyone think he was all deep. But I guess some women bought it"
"Hmm, he's not a real intellectual like me" I kidded.
She rolled her eyes dramatically. "If you're getting up Einstein, grab me another glass of wine will you?"
We chatted for another hour, drank more wine and talked about the end of last year. "Remember how drunk Maryann was at that final party we had here in the apartment."
"Yup, she was wasted, she was the last person I expected to get almost pass out drunk."
"I remember she suggested playing strip poker and we ended up playing Pictionary. Can you imagine a prude like her playing strip poker?"
"Yeah, I'm still pissed off about that night."
"Why?"
"Are you kidding, a chance to see you naked? The hottest woman on this campus! Who wouldn't be pissed" Realizing what I saying, I lifted my voice at the end and tried to laugh it off like I was making a joke.
"I think the wine is talking, but that is sweet. She blushed a bit. "But what if you lost, don't you think I might have enjoyed see you with your cute tush, among other things, exposed."
I had not thought of that but said "Now who is letting the wine do the talking? But you are too kind. I am sure we could have handled it after all what's a little naked between friends?"