Seeing Is Believing
Of course,
Jason had a right to be pissed off. His 'contract' with the coaches was that he was supposed to get free room and board. He had imagined a comfortable room, perhaps shared with a congenial roommate, and all-he-could-eat at the caf. Maybe it was because he was a walk-on, junior jump from CC to the U. No scholarship, but his choice of campus jobs. The costs of lab fees and even certain electives written off. Of course they didn't tell him most of the great jobs with the best pay: barista at the Golden Bean, libe assistant, or waiter in the Nightlite, were all locked up by other students the semester before.
Still, he made do: dish belt where he could cadge all the free dishes the rich pricks thought were too shit for them; maintenance at the book store where he literally 'picked up' all his basic supplies, assistant RA in the dorm to a jolly Associate Prof. in her middle years. Of course, that came with 'mop up' duties in the dorm when assholes and assholesses got too tanked and yucked in the lobby. But it came with a room, if you could call it that.
Now, at first he was ready to squawk. It was
tiny,
more like a cell, with a single bed, a skinny bookcase and kiddie desk. It was on the half-basement level which could have been dark and shit but actually had some pretty nice light from a tiny 'secret' garden tucked in a hidden corner of the back courtyard. It could have been ratty but someone had planted some flowers and even what looked like tomato and cucumber plants at the edge. So, all in all, nice view.
He wouldn't have noticed the garden because it seemed like for ages the window was jammed shut and painted over. It took him quite a bit a cursing before he got the sucker open; some soap on the sliders to get it moving smooth and surprise! Daylight. And a pretty view, chest level of that 'secret garden.'
First few weeks he didn't spend much time in his room, what with two-a-day practices and learning the ropes of his various jobs. It was good that Professor Langstrom, that was the RA in the building, she wasn't a hard-ass at all. They had coffee a couple of times so she could fill him in on what was expected of him. She wasn't too chummy and yet she didn't 'pull rank'. Just letting him know she would need his 'presence' in making sure the rowdier men in the building didn't break stuff or make the women students feel uncomfortable. He wasn't expected to actually
clean
bathrooms or the halls, but to make sure gross stuff didn't get anyone upset. He wasn't a cop.
"But..." She winked at him in a sisterly way. "...I do trust you to be a bit of a
spy
, I'm sorry, but there it is, and they will know it too, I'm sorry again, but it comes with the badge. You don't have to be Goodie Two Shoes, or the cowboy in the white hat, but the idea is to keep the
school
from getting in trouble from
shit going down
that you know and I know would get bad press. I think you can figure out what kind of thing that might be...such as...smoking a little weed in your room, is okay...look the other way...
selling
weed and other scary stuff like a business...no way, José. Kids want to hook up...that's their business.... Bringing underage cuties from town...give me a buzz."
"They're not going to like me much."
"Could happen. But they also know you have something special...power. So they will learn to be...respectful."
A few months in; soccer season was over and he headed for the gym, a little bored and restless. Hadn't hooked up with anybody for a while. He knew his way around the circuit of machines, not pushing it too much, but challenging himself a bit. Not proud of his pecs or his lats, but working on them.
He noticed the next workout was a rowing machine. He'd never done one of those. He sat down and was trying to figure out the little instruction screen. Might as well be hieroglyphics. Then a voice from the next machine over says: "It's impossible until you get the hang of it. I think it took me a
month
before I got it right."
He glanced over and who should be sitting there in tight rust-colored spandex but his 'boss,' Professor Langstrom. She almost seemed like a different person.
Her curly chestnut hair was pulled up in a cute topknot with a raspberry scrunchy. No makeup to speak of; but her face was glowing with the workout. The tight top revealed some high, round,
substantial
breasts. Toned shoulders. And whatever she did in the gym had created
powerhouse
thighs and glutes. This was a bod to be reckoned with.
Because they were 'compatriots' and co-workers, she was pretty comfortable getting up and leaning against his shoulder as she showed him how to flip through the screens and program a good beginner's workout. She also coached him as he began his row, telling him not to 'shoot his tail' and to keep his back straight.
As he began, she stood next to him, arms crossed over her substantial chest.
"Good.That's good. You have the basic rhythm. Hmm, you're stronger than you look. Sorry. I mean you can handle more; but we'll stick with this for now. Don't forget to breathe. That's good, but right now don't try to prove anything. You're doing great. I'm back to my machine now."
The thing wasn't easy, even though it looked so simple, with the sliding seat, and the basic hand grip, but it used all of his body. Pretty soon he was aching and sweating. But he didn't want to look like a pussy to his workout companion.
When he glanced over he was surprised to see her pumping away twice as fast as he was. Impressive legs pulling her forward. Impressive ass as she drove back.
She had started before he did. He didn't know how long. But now she finished when he was still rowing. Wiped down her machine and came to stand beside him, toweling her neck.
"I think you've got it. Pretty much a natural. Impressive legs from the soccer. You could be good at this if you strengthened your upper body and core a bit. Can you get your middle like this?"
She flipped up her tank top and revealed washboard abs.
He grinned. "Show off."
She grinned back, blushing a bit. Or was it just the hard sweaty workout?
About then Jason's machine beeped and his program was over. Professor Langstrom gave the back of his neck a friendly swipe with her towel.
"Hey, I've got to charge out of here to a faculty meeting. Otherwise I'd say, let's have a coffee, or even a beer. I think maybe you could be good at this and I'd love to see you out on the lake in the Spring. That's my thing. Talk about it later. Sorry, gotta run."
He realized he was privileged to see those serious buns go jogging off. She had the wonderful 'separate hemisphere' kind, each with a motion of its own. He never got stiffies in public, but...butt....
He was tempted to do another session on the rowing machine, but he still had no clue how to set it up. Have to ask Professor Langstrom the next time around. Hmm. 'Professor Langstrom' was beginning to feel awkward in his mouth.
******
As it was, the next time he saw her wasn't at the gym. He had crashed after a hard day of classes, practice and some serious study for an upcoming Poli Sci exam. He was bushed. And he rewarded himself with a beer. So he was sleeping the sleep of the gods when a godawful banging woke him up.
He staggered to the door and there was Ruben Gurgevich, pale large chubby dude. Glasses, barefoot, sorry ass bathrobe.
"Mr. Brodnax..."
"Jason."
"Uh, Jason, uh...I...I...they're too goddam
loud.
I can't get them to
stop
. I have a bitch of a physics exam at eight...fucking
eight
tomorrow morning and...and...and it's a make up and I
have to pass it,
but I can't sleep
at all
with all
that
going
on and on.
I mean...aren't there
rules?
I mean...I hate to be a
rat.
They will
hate
me, but I
gotta