**Thanks to Master Exploader for editing**
*****
"No, I'm not," Marlon confirmed.
"Marlon, it's just I... I can't trust you when you're like 100 miles away," Rachael replied.
"Yes you can, I would never do that too you."
"Well, I don't believe you."
"I don't know what to tell you," he replied. "So are we meeting up?" There was nearly a minute of silence.
"I want to break up," she said.
"What?!" Marlon retorted.
"Don't get mad again."
"Fuck you Rachael! First you accuse me of cheating when you have no proof, and then you want to break up just because you have the feeling that I'm cheating?"
"There's no way you haven't been. I knew this was a bad idea dating a college guy. They have all those girls around."
"I don't do that," he replied. "We said we'd be exclusive, and I'm not going to lie about that."
"I always feel like you're holding back when I'm talking to you on the phone."
"Again, I don't know what to say. I call you every day to talk. I tell you everything I do. I don't know how to be more open."
"Yeah, about that... I told you I don't like you having so many friends that are girls."
"They are just friends. It's not like this is a boys only school, I'm going to see girls. But I tell them I have a girlfriend."
"I still don't like it. You shouldn't study with girls."
"You don't trust me?"
"No I don't. That's why I want to break up," she replied.
"Fine," Marlon replied. He was sick of arguing over a losing battle. "But we're over, no calling back. I don't want to talk to you again. If you don't trust me then I don't want-"
"Wait, Marlon-" she interrupted.
"No. Let me talk now. Thank you so much for this. For opening my eyes to what a dumb heartless bitch you are. I was actually going to break up with you last month because you were constantly questioning me and never trusting me, but I was hoping that you would get past whatever issues you have. But now I see it was just a waste of time. Someone must have really done you over to make you so fucking suspicions," he sighed, "and so we break up, on my birthday no less."
"Marlon I'm sorry."
He hung up the phone.
***
Marlon sat restlessly in class, staring at the teacher, but not really paying attention. He looked around the room and noticed Madison, one of the hottest girls in class, sitting a few rows behind him. She had her raven-black hair styled in curls. When she looked down to Marlon she gave a small wave and a smile.
The bell rang and the class started to disperse. Marlon walked over to her as she was leaving.
"Hi Marlon," she smiled. Next to her was Brooke, an attractive girl with dirty-blonde hair. She frequently flirted with Marlon and although he was attracted to her, he had never acted on any of her advances, because he was in a relationship. The young women were talking and giggling. He hadn't known the two were friends.
"Hey ladies, how are you?"
"Fine," Madison replied, her face straightening as she recovered from a laughing fit.
"Good," Brooke said with a smile.
"Look, I wanted to talk to you... girls, to see, if we could get together."
"Really?" Brooke smiled. She looked as if her dream was coming true.
"Yeah we could meet back at my dorm about 9."
"Tonight?" she asked.
"Uh I don't know," Madison said, looking to Brooke.
"Come on, I want you both there," Marlon said. "I have something I want to celebrate."
"What is it?" Brooke asked.
"Do you girls like to party?"
"Definitely," Madison replied.
"But what do you have planned?" Brooke asked.
"You'll have to be there to find out. Come on, it's my birthday," he said to Brooke.
"It is really?"
"Happy birthday," Madison said.
"Yeah it is. Thanks Madison."
"Alright I'll go too," Brooke said with a grin.
"Great, see you girls tonight."
***
"Come right in ladies."
"Thanks," said Madison. She wore a puffy white jacket and a short black skirt with heeled brown lace-up boots.
"From both of us," Brooke said, as she handed Marlon a tall paper bag. Brooke was dressed in a loose pink turtleneck sweater with large gold hoop earrings and a pair of tight gray jeans.
"Thanks," he said setting it down on his desk.
"Open it," Brooke said.
Marlon took out a bottle of liquor.
"How did you know I love vodka?"
"A little bird told me," Brooke smirked, "It's from Iceland, supposed to be real good."
"Guess we should try some."
Madison took off her jacket and set it on the chair in front of Marlon's desk, revealing a white button up blouse with no sleeves and frills down the center. Madison was thin and had a very attractive face. She could probably make it as a model if only she was taller, Marlon thought as he unscrewed the bottle and got some plastic cups.
"Go ahead and sit on my bed if you want," Marlon said after noticing Brooke look around the room.
Marlon's room was organized with a twin bed on each side and desks against the far wall from the door, on either side of the window. There was also a mini-fridge and microwave near the door.
Marlon handed everyone about a shot-sized portion of vodka in a cup and then raised his own to his lips. He left the liquor soak into his mouth for a few seconds before he swallowed.
"Mmm, that's good."
Brooke coughed as she took a small sip.
"Wow," Madison said, her voice sounding a little hoarse after she swallowed the vodka.
"Too strong?" he asked.
"Yeah, but I like it," Madison smiled.
"It's smooth for vodka," Brooke admitted. "So Marlon, why did you invite us over?" Brooke asked, putting her hand on his arm.
"Well... I was supposed to go out tonight for my birthday, but things fell through. I figured I'd celebrate my own way instead."
"Which is what exactly?"
"My roommate hooked me up something special." Marlon put his hand beneath the bed and pulled up a plastic baggie of weed.
"Now you're talkin'," Brooke said with excitement.
"Oh here we go," Madison laughed.
"What is it?" Marlon replied.
"This one's a pot-fiend," Madison said, pointing at Brooke.
"No I'm not," Brooke said with a shake of her head. "I only smoke a few times a week."
Marlon opened his desk drawer and pulled out a rolling paper. He put in a bit of weed and rolled up a joint.
"I don't smoke that often," Marlon said opening the window. "Maybe a few times a year."
Marlon lit it, took a long drag and coughed before passing the joint to Madison. She took a hit and held in her breath as she passed the joint to Brooke. Madison coughed quite a bit as Brooke took a drag. Brooke passed it back down the line and Marlon started pouring more drinks.
They took several hits each, nearly silent for nearly a minute as the smell of weed filled the room and slowly wafted out thru the window.
"Damn that's good," Brooke said. She held the burning joint up with a smile. Madison made a move to grab it, but she put the joint back in her mouth.
"Greedy bitch," she said with a laugh.
Brooke coughed and handed it past Madison to Marlon with a devilish grin.
"Fine," Madison said with an annoyed laugh. She took her cup of vodka and finished it.
Brooke giggled suddenly.
"What?" Madison asked.
"Marlon do you know Jessica Kensington?"
"Nah, who's that?"
"She's a prissy girl that lives in our dorm."
Madison pressed the tip of her nose up and giggled.
"Maddy and I were in the bathroom about a week ago and Jessica started sniffing all around asking everyone what the smell was coming from the stall at the end. She said it smelt really familiar, but she just couldn't place it."
Madison was smirking at this point of the story.
"She convinced us to go over. I was expecting some terrible smell, but it was just a bit odd and yeah, I didn't know what it was at first. I looked over and Madison looked like she was going to laugh. Then I realized what it was. We both told Jessica we had no idea but... it was..."
"Semen," Madison whispered.
"She had sat on it. Some guy must have finished there after doing his girlfriend in the stall."
Marlon smiled and the girls laughed.
"I need some real smoke," Madison said. "You wanna?"
"Nah," Marlon said.
"Really, weed only? OK, fair enough," Madison said, tapping her cigarettes against her hand. "Balcony?" she asked Brooke, grabbing her coat.
"Sure," Brooke replied.
"I'll go out with you, I need some air," Marlon said.
They went down the hall to a small door that went to a short and narrow balcony. Madison had trouble lighting her cigarette because it was quite windy.
"Let me," Marlon suggested. Madison handed him the lighter and he gently took the cigarette out from her lips and put it into his mouth.
"What are you-?"
He pulled up the bottom of his shirt and put his hand with the lighter beneath his shirt, and up towards his chest. Then he leaned his head forward and pulled up the top of his shirt with his other hand so the cigarette was between his chest and the shirt. He was able to light the cigarette easily in the area under his shirt that was protected from the wind. Madison enjoyed the view of Marlon's abdominal muscles.
He passed the cigarette to Madison, who smiled and took a long drag before puffing out a billow of smoke.
"I wish I could quit," she thought out loud.
"Have you tried?" Marlon asked.
"Too many times," she confessed.
"I just quit actually," Marlon replied.
Brooke shivered in the cold air.
"When?" Madison asked, taking another drag from the cigarette.
"It's been about a week. My girlf... ex-girlfriend smokes. Actually I started because of her. But I really don't want to talk about that."
"I'm sorry," Madison said.
"Don't be."
"So are you like off all women who smoke?" Madison said with a raised eyebrow. Marlon gave a wan grin.
"I haven't decided."
She expelled smoke from her nose.
"It's funny," Brooke smiled.
"What's that?" Marlon asked.
"Oh? Umm, didn't you smoke a lot with your ex?" Brooke asked Madison.
"Yeah it was bad. I smoked twice as much when I was with Sam."
"How about you Brooke, you didn't come out to smoke?" Marlon asked.
"I only smoked once," she replied.
"Didn't like it?" he asked.
"No, but I still like the smell," she said.
