Thanks to marching band, I had arrived first, and since this was my first year of university, I was very thankful to be able to arrive early. That meant that I could avoid the massive traffic jams as more than six thousand new students arrived for orientation, since I was actually on the practice field most of the day. It also meant that upon my arrival, I could pick the best side of the room, the best bed, and the best dresser.
Over the summer, I had traded a few letters with Samantha, my university-assigned roommate. From the three pictures she had sent, she was indeed beautiful. It was clear that she spent a fair amount of time in the sun – not surprising for someone who had grown up on the beaches of Florida. I could not tell what her natural hair color actually was, as it was black in one picture, dark blonde in another, and dark red in the third. I was a little jealous of her in the chest department, guessing that she was a C-cup gal from the two bikini pictures she sent. In all three pictures, she was hanging out with various girls, likely friends from school. But that was not unusual, as I had done the same with the two pictures I had sent of me with my best friends Julie and Maureen.
I thought about my best friends for a moment, specifically remembering the last time all three of us were together. It was a Wednesday night sleepover at Maureen's house when her parents were out of town, the last time we could all be together alone before she left for college in Montana that weekend. The laughter had given way to quiet, which had given way to touches, which had given way to hugs, which had given way to kisses, which had given way to...
I thought fondly of that experience, when, as of one mind, all three of us finally gave in to the attraction which had been bubbling beneath the surface of our friendship for years. It was a one-night experience, and the intimacy had lasted only about two hours in total, but it had truly opened my eyes, and, while I had certainly admired plenty of girls as I grew up, I suddenly saw the female form in a much different light, suddenly understanding why my big brother had always been openly ogling the female half of the species... including me.
When I returned from the practice field after a long day in the hot sun, I most definitely needed a shower before I could even think about dinner. In fact, I had forgotten that it was the day Samantha would arrive until I unlocked and opened the door to our dorm room...
First, I just noticed an abundance of stuff – stuff which clearly was not mine and thus had not been there when I had left just before breakfast that morning. Second, I noticed a purple theme to the stuff, which instantly lowered my estimation of Samantha by several notches as purple had never been one of my favorite colors (perhaps in part because my high school's biggest rival had a purple-heavy color scheme in its logos and uniforms). Third, the teddy bear on the floor beside her bed was big enough to be a small child, and seemed like a most unusual item to bring to college, especially given the tiny size of the dorm rooms.
Then when I closed the door, I noticed it: the poster which explained a lot. I had seen this very same poster in stores or online, but previously had never paid it any attention.
It was a poster of a black-and-white image of two girls. With one girl clad in a white t-shirt and panty and the other wearing a white tank top and panty, they laid together, shot from a position above the bed, holding each other and sharing what was truly a meaningful, romantic kiss.
The poster made me think once again of the final night Julie and Maureen and I had been alone together, and I smiled.
A key in the lock startled me from my memories, and I opened the door instinctively. The unexpected act surprised Samantha, but when she recognized me from the pictures I had sent, her stunned expression instantly softened.
*****
The first week of classes was fairly easy, with relatively little homework. That allowed Samantha and I to chat late into the evening, twice well into the following morning, coming to know each other.
"I've noticed you keep looking at the poster," Samantha finally commented. "Tanya Chalkin's 'Kiss.' It's one of my favorites." She looked at the poster fondly, almost the way one would look at a much-loved person.
"I've seen it sold in stores before," I said, wondering where this conversation was going, "and I've stumbled upon it on eBay a few times before. It's intriguing, but I never really paid it much attention until you put it on the back of the door."
Samantha shrugged. "I like it because it's really just two everyday girls doing what comes naturally to two people in love. There's a sensuality to it that I find intriguing. There's also a comfort is simply looking at the poster for a long period of time. I can't explain it.
"Then," she added, "it's also a good way to judge other people."
"Oh?"
She nodded. "It's been up for over a week, yet you haven't yet insisted that I take it down."
I smiled shyly, averting my eyes. "Well, I do like it as well," I admitted, "although I hadn't seen it on quite the same level you do."
"Curious?"
