No involvement of under 18 person is mentioned.
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I was happy like never before: I got accepted to ASU! It was my number one choice, and I got it.
Our family resides in a small town in Vermont. The state is beautiful, but during the winter, it is too cold for me. I always preferred hot weather. My friends warned me that in Phoenix's summer I'd bake in the sun, but I ignored their advice. Not only high temperatures were OK, but during summer vacations, I could return home if I wanted. Besides, Sandy, my BFF was also coming to Arizona.
After finishing high school, I looked in Tempe for a small apartment not far from the campus. After a week of searching online, I saw a place I liked. Money was never the issue; I was a single child, and my parents were wealthy. Sandy was already in Phoenix, and I asked her to check the apartment. She called me a day later, "Emily, it's beautiful. It's in a single level housing apartments complex with two bedrooms, a renovated bathroom, nice kitchen with new appliances, Laundry and washing machines, a small basement, a covered balcony, and even a private jacuzzi in the small yard. I checked the walls, the plumbing, electricity, and Wi-Fi - Everything worked fine. The only catch is that the rent is 50% higher than most apartments of that size."
I chuckled, "Not a problem. Tell the owner I'll call him this evening to secure the apartment, and agree to pay him several months in advance."
Two and a half weeks before the beginning of the school year, I drove a rented van with the stuff I thought I needed toward Tempe. The drive took me 4 days, but I liked driving and went through states I never visited before. The apartment key waited for me in a hidden place with a card, congratulating me on my arrival at my new residence. It was almost 100 degrees at 4 pm when I parked my van in front of my door. I started unloading the car.
Shortly after I began moving my luggage, a middle aged man showed up. He smiled at me, "You must be the new occupant of this apartment. My name is Morgan. I am one of the neighbors. It's still hot outside. Let me help you carry the stuff inside, so you won't have to stay in the sun for too long."
I smiled, "You are very kind sir. My name is Emily. Sorry I will not be able to offer you a cold drink, but once I am settled, I will."
He grinned, "Don't worry about it. I guess you are a student at ASU. My son, Ryan, is also a student here. He is about to start his junior year at the university. These days, he travels with a couple of friends, and is somewhere in Montana. Unlike me, he doesn't like the scorching sun around here and tries to leave the place at every opportunity."
After emptying the van, I rested in front of the large screen TV for an hour, and then went shopping for food in the nearest supermarket. I filled the kitchen closets and the new fridge with the necessary stuff and rested again. Yes, I loved the heat, but I got tired more easily.
...
I had more than a week before the school year started. I decided to take advantage of the weather, get some tan on the balcony, and use the jacuzzi later in the evening. On the first morning, at 10, I put on my skimpy white bikini, spread a large soft towel on the floor, and lay down on my back. I felt fantastic and closed my eyes. About 15 minutes later, from the corner of my eye, I noticed something shiny in one of the next building's windows. I ignored it. Later I turned on my tummy and unclasped my bra straps to get an even tan. I stayed in that position for half an hour and then turned again into a supine position. The shiny stuff seemed to be moving slightly, but I didn't care. After another 40 minutes, I was sweating. Even though the heat in Phoenix is dry, I drank a pitcher of lemonade while tanning, so I did perspire.
I took a shower and stayed for a long time under the cool refreshing water. Then, just as happened on the balcony, I noticed a light shining on me from the same window in the opposite apartment. It was weird. Did somebody hang something shiny outside his window? I continued soaping myself and decided to check it later. I dried up, put on a robe, and went to my bedroom. I pulled out my opera binoculars and gazed at the shiny window, but it was now closed with nothing shiny hanging on it. Was I dreaming? I started making my lunch and forgot all about it.
In the afternoon, I strolled around to inspect the neighborhood. It was 95 degrees, but wearing a summer blouse and skirt, I had no complaints. As I was returning, I saw Morgan walking toward me. I smiled and said, "Hi, thanks again for the help yesterday. I owe you a cold drink, so whenever you wish to stop by, be my guest, and I'll add some cookies too."
He smiled, "That will be nice. What do you do later?"
"I planned to use my computer for a while, and after dinner, enter the jacuzzi."
"Good idea. I may take you on your offer tomorrow or the day after."
I ate my dinner, which included a large salad and fruit yogurt. Then I put on my other bikini, the red one, and went to the jacuzzi. Just like Sandy told me, everything worked fine. I removed the cover and saw the water surface was clean. I operated the bubbler and noticed the water temperature was 102 degrees. Perfect! I placed a pitcher with fruit punch by the edge and slowly entered the water. I loved it. Many people like to immerse themselves in hot water when it's cool outside, but not me. I sat in the water and resumed reading a book that I started before arriving in Arizona. My mind was focused on the dramatic plot, when the window from across began blinding me once again. It was the same window. From a distance, it looked like the window was open, and a mirror was directed at me. Was it a child playing games? Was it a voyeur? Well, the window was far away, and no danger was imminent, so I dropped the subject and continued reading.
Later, in bed, I remembered these episodes and attempted to find an explanation. The shine appeared both in the morning and late afternoon. It was already the summer vacation, so it could be a naughty kid. After all, adults usually worked during the day. Before falling asleep, I thought to ask Morgan who lived in that apartment.
...
The next morning, I looked through my window and saw Morgan coming out the door of his apartment. It was the same apartment with the shiny window!... But since his son was away, he was the only one in his place... Was Morgan a perverted voyeur? How could it be? He was so nice and helped me... I was confused.
Later in the day, Morgan called me and asked if he could visit in the afternoon and have a cold lemonade or iced coffee. I invited him at 5:30 pm. Initially, I planned to inquire him about the shiny window but chose to skip it for now. He was nice to me, and my questions might embarrass him. Even if he was peeking at me, there was no risk involved.
The more I thought about it, the more it amused me that a man his age found me a target of spying on. I was 19, 5'5", 132 pounds, with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes, but my face was average at best. My breasts were on the large side, D cups, and my hips were too wide to be considered really sexy.
In my senior year in high school, a few guys asked me out, but I wasn't interested. Back then, I concentrated on ensuring my scores would be high enough to get accepted to a good college.
Morgan knocked on my front door on time. He brought me flowers. I thanked him and arranged them in an empty vase. I noticed his eyes ogled me when I placed the flowers. So he was the dude who watched me from the window... Was he doing it with binoculars? It would explain the shine... I served cookies with iced coffee for both of us, but I was still reluctant to talk about his voyeurism.
I asked, "You told me about your son. Where is your wife?"
