This is the sixth story.
This is the story of Ciara and Melanie.
I was doing alcohol delivery on a Saturday night and picked up a few items from a liquor store - vodka, OJ, cool ranch Doritos - going to a Ciara, near a college campus. I had to drive through the campus to get there and it was buzzing with the weekend, numerous groups of coeds heading to various parties, every piece of clothing skimpier than the last.
The delivery address took me to off-campus housing, a big apartment block. I parked, buzzed in per Ciara's instructions, and found the unit on the third floor.
I knocked and stood back, ready to scan her ID and bounce. I had figured the alcohol might be fuel for a big party, but the hallway was quiet and I couldn't hear much noise from behind the front door.
Then it opened, and there was Ciara.
Her skin was light brown, her hair straight and back in a ponytail. She had beautiful brown eyes and round cheekbones, and full luscious lips. She was five-foot-five and incredibly curvy, in a low-cut tank top and tight athletic shorts that didn't leave much of her hefty bust, ass, and hips to the imagination.
"Hi," she said, smiling. It was a gorgeous smile, her teeth perfect.
"Hey," I said, holding eye contact with her.
She held out her hand for the bag. I looked at her hand. Then back up at her.
"ID?" I said.
Her eyes widened and she put a hand to her forehead.
"Oh, right! Crap!" she said. "Let me grab it."
She ran back inside, leaving the door open. I could see into the living room, and saw another girl sitting there, a very cute blonde, looking back at me. I smiled, she smiled, and then Ciara appeared in the doorway again.
"Here," she said, holding out her ID.
I started going through the process of scanning it, deliberately taking my time.
"What are you girls doing in on a Saturday night?" I asked. "Your boyfriends not take you out?"
I looked up at Ciara. She smiled bashfully, put a hand on the doorframe and leaned into it.
"We're juniors," she said. "Kind of over the whole party scene."
I nodded. Then she added quickly:
"And no boyfriends."
"What scene are you into now?" I asked.
"Drinking and smoking. Watching sad movies."
I laughed. "My three favorite pastimes. Well, three of my top four."
"What's the fourth?" she asked.
I held her ID out to her, smiling. She was still looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to explain. But I just kept smiling, and then, because the palpable mutual attraction probably had sex somewhere on both of our minds, it clicked for her. She blushed and laughed, a cute guffaw, holding a hand to her mouth. She took her ID back, I handed her the bag of goods, and she backed through her front door, still laughing. I peeked past her at the blonde in the living room. We made eye contact again. She rose up off the couch and started moving toward the door, but then Ciara said:
"Have a good night, sir," and closed it.
I stood looking at the closed door. Sir. I didn't know how to feel about that.
I turned and walked back down the hallway, wondering if there was a way I could've gotten in that door, dreaming about what could've been. And then halfway to the elevator, I heard a "Hey!" from behind me, followed by running footsteps.
I turned. It was the blonde. Her hair was wavy and chin length, her face cute and sharp. She was also in a tank top and athletic shorts, almost the same height as Ciara but skinny and without the same curves. Still, she looked like she'd look incredible naked, with perky b-cup breasts and one of those gently curved, gravity-defying bodies that only the young can maintain.
"Hey," I said.
She was holding out a $5 bill.
"A tip," she said.
"Oh, thank you," I said, taking it, letting my fingers brush across hers.
"My name's Melanie."
"Hi, Melanie. I'm Jack."
She shifted cutely between her feet, then said in a rush:
"This is weird, but do you wanna hang out with us?"
My brain went hell yes, but I stayed silent for a second, letting the request hang.
"Really?" I said.
Her expression turned unsure.
"You probably have to work," she said.
"I don't have to," I said.
She started to smile.
"We've got good weed," she said. "And alcohol. Well, now we do. And sad movies. You said you like all the same things."
I held eye contact with her. She was breathing quickly.
"All the same things?"
Now it was her turn to blush. She covered her face with her hands as she ran pure scarlet.
"Oh my god," she said.
I laughed and touched her elbow lightly.
"Hey," I said.
She peered at me between her hands.
"I would love to hang out."
She nodded and lowered her arms, then turned on her heel and I followed her back down the hallway.
We entered their apartment. Ciara was on the couch, her feet up, regarding us with a shy smile. Melanie led me into the living room.
Everything about the space screamed "college." The carpet, patchy and stained. The IKEA furniture, the Target back-to-school decor. The base smell of stale weed and incense. A sliding glass door showed a balcony hung with multi-colored lights, purple and red and pink.
"We haven't officially met," I said to Ciara. "I'm Jack. But you knew that."
"Ciara," she said. "But you knew that."
She extended her hand and I took it, and held it lightly for a second. She stared into my eyes and tried to not blink.
"Anything to drink, Jack?" Melanie asked. "We have vodka."
"I know," I said, smiling. "I just brought it."
They both giggled, and Melanie blushed again. Oh, college girls.
"I'll make you a vodka-OJ," Melanie said, and moved into the kitchen.
I looked at the TV, paused on a frame of the actor John C. Reilly.