I
Partly based on elements of an adult comic called Saint James Infirmary. Fair warning, this is plot heavy. If you're looking for quick and dirty sex scenes, look elsewhere. If you want a (hopefully) good story that happens to involve sex as a central theme, read on.
Jason took a deep breath as the bus pulled up to his stop. Grabbing his backpack, duffle, and guitar, he shuffled carefully to the front of the bus, worried more so about dropping his luggage than actually disturbing anyone since he and the bus driver were the only people on board.
"You going to the college?" the driver asked as Jason neared the front.
"Yeah," the kid answered, "first year, you know. 18 years old, got to leave the nest and all that."
"Hmph," the driver grunted. "Picked as good a spot for that as any, I guess. Probably be able to get plenty of tail at St. James too."
"You don't say," Jason replied flatly as he passed the first row of seats and began his descent down the steps.
"You got a ride?" the driver asked.
Surprised at the show of concern, Jason stopped and turned on the last step. "Yeah, I've got the number for the taxi service.""Better hope they're not busy kid," the bus driver kindly replied. "They've only got two taxis in this town."
"Oh, ok," Jason said. "I'll try to keep that in mind, thanks."
With that said Jason took the final step into the cool air outside. It was the beginning of August but in the town of Montfort in northern Montana the temperature would barely break 80 on a warm day. Days like to today it would sit at a cool 60.
Jason took off his beanie and ran a hand through his short brown hair, looking out over the town. Montfort was small, only about 10,000 people, more than half of them students at the local college, St. James' Art School. That had been what had drawn Jason here in the first place, but looking down at it from the bus stop on top of hill, all of it visible from right where he was standing, a part of him was regretting it. This was a far cry from his hometown of New York City.
With a quick visual search he saw what he could only assume was the St. James campus, dominating the north side of the town, taking maybe a third of Montfort's real estate, perhaps more. With a shrug he put his beanie back on and pulled his phone out of his jean pocket. Dialing the most recent number added to his contact list, he called up the local taxi service.
"Hello, Montfort taxi service, a godsend to drunk college girls everywhere, how may I help you?" a pleasant female voice answered on the other end. At least they were honest about their clientele, Jason thought to himself.
"Well, I'm not drunk nor am I girl, but can I get a ride all the same?" he asked.
"Of course," the girl answered. "May I ask from where?"
"The bus stop on the edge of town," Jason replied.
"You got it," the response came, accompanied by the sound of of keystrokes. "Your driver should be arriving in next 20 to 30 minutes, alright?"
"I guess that's what I got," Jason said. "Thanks."
"No problem," the woman on the other end replied before she hanged up.
Putting his phone away Jason bounced on his heels for a moment before realizing that he could sit down. He looked behind him at the bus stop's lone bench and consider utilizing it. "Nah," he said to himself. "Sat long enough on the bus anyway."
***
"Here's your stop," the taxi driver said, halting on the side of the road in front a large house.
"You sure?" Jason asked, sidling up to the window and pulling a slip of paper out of his pocket, reading the address written on it.
"Unless you got the wrong place, yeah," the driver replied matter of factly.
Jason looked from his cheat sheet to the front of the house, seeing the same number on the facade of the building that he had written on his paper. "Yep, 31 Backstreet Grove, this is it, thanks." He reached for the door handle and pulled it open.
"Wait," the driver interrupted. "Aren't you going to pay me?"
"Hm?" Jason emoted. "Oh, I'm so sorry." He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and drew out a credit card from it.
"Sorry kid," the man said, "don't take credit. Need 16.31 cash."
"Oh, sure," Jason replied. Returning the card to his wallet he pulled out a 20$ bill and placed them in the driver's outstretched hand. "Keep the change," Jason said as he stepped out of the car.
The sound of a door opening caught Jason's attention as he walked around to the back of the car. Looking up at the house he saw an older, dark haired woman in a long green gown stepping down from the porch.
"Hi, you must be my new tenet," she said with a smile. "Jason, right?"
"Yeah," the boy replied as he opened up the taxi's trunk.
"Oh, here, let me help you with that," the woman said when pulled his duffle bag out of the trunk.
"Thanks," Jason said, handing off his luggage before slinging his backpack over his shoulder and lifting his guitar case out of the trunk. With his free hand he closed the lid and gave the driver a thumbs up. Without a moment's hesitation he left, leaving Jason and the dark haired woman alone on the side walk.
"You know my name, so what's your's?" Jason began as they started walking up to the house.
"Mavis," the woman answered, "I'm your new landlady, as well as your librarian at the school. Beds and books, that's what I do."
"Ok, sounds fun," Jason stated, chuckling slightly.
"I'm guessing you're coming here as a music student," Mavis said, pointing at the guitar case.
"What oh, yeah," the young musician replied. "Yeah, I am."
"Fun, never had one of you lot before," the landlady commented. "Plan on playing it around the house?"
"Who knows," Jason said with a shrug.
"Hold on a second," Mavis interrupted, pulling a key out of her pocket as they stepped onto the porch, using it to open the front door. "Come on in," she said, holding the door open.
"Don't mind if I do," Jason replied, following through on that statement. He studied the entrance way as Mavis stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
To Jason's right was a small living room area, with a couple of couches and a TV. Beyond it through another door was what he could only assume was a kitchen. To the left was a stairway leading to the second floor and a doorway into a small hallway, a half bath and a laundry room further through there.
"Come on, sit," Mavis said, walking into the living room. "I'll give you the run down."
"OK," Jason replied, depositing his luggage on the floor and joining the landlady.
"Alright," Mavis began, sitting on one of the couches. "First off, this is my boarding house, I own the property, so there's no going over my head here, got it?"