As Allison crawled into bed, the hallways were still teaming with activity. Even so, she could barely manage to keep her eyes open. She turned off the reading lamp clamped to her bed frame, and then snuggled into the cool sheets. Allison was out as quickly as her reading lamp was.

The sound of a key turning in the lock of the room’s door pulled Allison out of her deep slumber. She wasn’t used to the sounds in her new home much less those of a roommate.

Finally, the door opened, letting in a sliver of light from the hall. Allison watched through half shut eyes as two figures made their way into the room. The door clicked shut.

“Thank you for walking me home,” she heard Kaija whisper in the darkness.

“Anytime.” The response was a more masculine whisper.

In the shadows, Allison saw the smaller of the two figures step into the larger figure. While she couldn’t see it, she suspected arms were involved somehow, too. The sound of a single quick kiss echoed throughout the sparsely decorated room, amplifying the sound.

Kaija giggled. “Shhhh,” Allison heard her whisper.

If Allison had been asked to describe the sounds of a hot make out session, she doubted she could have done it. But there was no question that that’s what was going on with Kaija and her escort. Sounds of hungry lips and escaped moans came from the far side of the room.

“No.” Kaija’s breathless whisper broke the series of moans. “Not tonight. My roommate’s asleep.”

Allison let out a sigh of relief, careful not to make it too obvious she was awake. Fearing what she might have witnessed otherwise, Allison thanked her lucky stars that Kaija was putting an end to the evening. She had witnessed more sex-related stuff in her few short hours on campus than she had all her other years combined!

“We’ll talk tomorrow, Barc,” Kaija said, giving the guy another quick kiss. “Thanks again for walking me home.”

A stream of light spilled in the door as Kaija let her date out of the room. Allison couldn’t see much of him except for the outline of his athletic build. Boy, Kaija sure didn’t waste any time, Allison thought with a smile.

The sounds of zippers and drawers filled the room as Kaija prepared for bed. When she finally walked by Allison’s bed, Allison caught a faint whiff of beer. Kaija appeared to be in complete control of her movements, so Allison doubted she was actually drunk.

Allison watched through her eyelashes as Kaija jumped up onto her bed. The lights from outside made it a bit easier to make out Kaija’s movements. It also made it painfully clear that her roommate was once again naked.

Kaija lay on top of the sheets on her back, her arms folded up behind her neck. Probably thinking about her evening with Barc, Allison guessed. A short time later, one arm came out from behind her neck. It was just light enough in the room for Allison to see Kaija’s hand make its way to her mouth. Kaija’s lips parted to accept one finger into her mouth. Then slowly, the hand skimmed down her neck until it reached her breasts.

Allison could hear a sharp intake of air as her roommate tweaked a nipple. After a few seconds, the hand traveled down toward Kaija’s crotch. What in God’s name was the girl doing, Allison wondered, wide-eyed at the sight. A few seconds later, Allison could hear the sounds of Kaija’s finger flickering over her moist privates.

Vacillating between intrigue and nausea, Allison watched a few moments longer. In time, Kaija’s breathing turned into pants, and satisfied moans escaped from her lips. She tried futilely to muffle the sound in her pillow, but the sensations were obviously too intense. Allison’s cheeks grew warm from embarrassment until she could take it no longer. Feeling guilty about taking in the show, Allison rolled over and pulled the covers over her head.

Allison tossed and turned in her bed until the alarm went off at 8 a.m. With a tired groan, she reached up and slapped the Snooze button. She had never been drunk before, but she suspected that the headache she was nursing was very similar to having a hangover. Allison rubbed her temples as she thought about what had already happened during her short time on campus. She could only imagine what else awaited her!

As she lay there contemplating the various scenarios, it dawned on her that Kaija was sleeping naked. Hoping to avoid another awkward scene, Allison whipped the covers off and planted her feet firmly on the cool tiled floor. She was determined to be dressed and on her way to breakfast before Kaija woke up.

No such luck. Kaija sat up in bed, her covers falling to her lap. She raised her arms and arched her back in a stretch. Allison instantly turned her head and mumbled, “Morning, Kaija,” to the wall.

Kaija bent her legs and hugged her knees, hiding her bare breasts in the process. “Hey, roomie!” she smiled, looking disgustingly good for having just woken up. Allison rolled her eyes as she fingered one of the many strands of hair that had managed to escape from her ponytail overnight. “I hope I didn’t wake you up when I came home last night,” Kaija continued.

Allison thought of the moans and sounds of kissing and, not wanting to look like a total prude, responded, “Oh no, I didn’t hear a thing.”

“A friend walked me home since it was so late. I was afraid we’d wake you up. I’m glad we didn’t,” Kaija smiled.

With a wave of her hand, Allison dismissed her roommate’s concern. “Not to worry,” she went on, “I sleep like a rock.” Allison made her way to the closet and pulled out a clean pair of jeans and a neatly folded t-shirt. At the same time she grabbed her brightly colored plastic caddy, which was filled with shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, and other necessities.

Kaija cleared her throat as Allison reached for the doorknob. “Sooo…” she began tentatively, “you wouldn’t mind if I had company once in a while?”

Allison shrugged. How could she say she minded without looking like a total scrooge? “Oh course I don’t mind,” she lied. If she wanted to fit in on campus, she was going to have to do some changing, plain and simple. Allison just hoped those changes were something she could live with… “I’m gonna hop in the shower. Want to head over to breakfast after?”

“Sounds great,” Kaija responded with a smile.

As Allison entered the bathroom and headed toward the row of showers, she made a conscious effort not to choose the same shower used by the young couple the day before.

The hot spray of water beat down on her back and sent a cloud of steam through the stall. Allison glanced down at her breasts as she lathered her arms with soap. She couldn’t help but remember Kaija’s touch from the night before. Her eyes wandered down to her tuft of pubic hair as she contemplated why her roommate seemed to get so much pleasure from touching herself ‘down there’. With a shiver of shame, Allison promptly dismissed the thoughts from her mind. If long kisses were supposedly a sin, she could only imagine what touching yourself was classified as!

Allison had absolutely no desire to become a wild woman now that she was on her own, but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t at least somewhat curious in sex and why people found it so enjoyable. As she rinsed the last of the conditioner from her hair, she made a mental note to talk to Kaija about that. Surely Kaija would know the scoop, and Allison didn’t think she’d make too much fun of her as a result of her thoughts and questions.

The smell of bacon and sausage drifted through the air as Allison and Kaija entered the dining commons for breakfast. As they slid their trays through the line, they gathered scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast, and a small bowl of fresh fruit. If this meal was any indication of what the others would be like, Allison could certainly understand how many college freshmen put on the pounds!

They poured themselves each a glass or milk and orange juice, and then headed for the dining area. Much to Allison’s surprise, Kaija instantly saw someone she knew.

“Barc,” Kaija called across the room. “Wait up!” The tall, stocky man paused with his tray in hand to wait for the girls before finding a seat.

He was absolutely gorgeous, Allison thought to herself. She’d have to be careful not to let on that she remembered him being in their room the night before since she told Kaija she was asleep. In the light of day, his thick, wavy brown hair and sexy hazel eyes made Allison’s stomach flutter. His tight blue jeans left little to the imagination, and his partly unbuttoned Kelly green polo shirt exposed tufts of thick chest hair. Yep, Kaija had incredible taste in men… But Allison knew she was no match for Barc anyway. He looked like the kind of guy who could have any woman he wanted. Barc literally exuded confidence in his smile and purposeful stride.

“After placing their trays on a nearby table, Kaija made the formal introductions. “Barclay Peyton, this is my roommate, Allison Delaney. Allison, Barc.”

With a smile that made her swoon, Barclay took Allison’s hand, squeezed it gently, and said, “Good morning, nice to meet you, Allison.” Her heart raced as his attention was focused solely on her. Allison merely nodded, smiled pleasantly, and returned his greeting.

Not to be forgotten, Kaija rounded the table and kissed Barc on the cheek. Without saying a word, Kaija made it crystal clear that Barclay was her man. “Did I tell you that Barc here is my hero?” Kaija gushed, patting him on the shoulder. “He’s the guy who walked me home late last night. Wasn’t that a sweet thing to do?”

Allison nodded in agreement as she pulled out a chair and removed the various plates of food from her tray. “How gentlemanly of you,” she commented, peeling open a tray of grape jelly. She winced at her own words. Ugh, she sounded like a first class dweeb!

Kaija seated herself next to Barclay, across the table from Allison. At first, the conversation was labored and forced since the trio hardly knew one another. But by the time they were finishing the last of their breakfast, they were bantering back and forth like old friends. Allison especially liked Barclay’s quick wit. Not only did she appreciate a good sense of humor, but the fact that he caught on to her subtle plays on words almost instantly told her that he was also reasonably intelligent. If only Allison could find someone like that for herself… She certainly didn’t want to cause problems between her and Kaija. No guy was worth that in Allison’s mind. But Barclay could sure tempt a girl that way!

They cleared their table and then walked over to the main entrance. “Where ya headin’, Allison?” Kaija asked, holding the door open for her two friends.

“I’m off to Calculus,” she replied, with a definite lack of enthusiasm. “How about you?”

Kaija paused, as if trying to remember what day it was. It may have felt like a Monday, but this year school had started on a Wednesday instead. “Physics of Music,” she answered. Barclay laughed, and Kaija promptly hit his arm in return. “Hey, stop laughing! I’ll have you know Physics of Music is a perfectly respectable science course.” Kaija stuck her lips out in a mock pout. “Besides, it was the best E core class I could find,” she explained, referring to the school’s math and science requirement. “Or at least the most relevant to my major,” she corrected.

The threesome went their separate ways, making tentative plans to meet up again for lunch.

Allison was already beat by the time she arrived at the dining commons for lunch. College level Calculus was going to be a lot tougher than she anticipated. She was a bright student, but the rigors of her small Midwestern high school didn’t adequately prepare her for the challenges that lie ahead. The semester was not starting out well, Allison thought glumly as she pulled out her lunch card to hand to the clerk.

She made her way through the food line for the second time that day, collecting a sub sandwich, chips, and a brownie that looked positively sinful. A trip to the salad bar was in order, too, but she’d do that after she caught up with the others and found a seat.

The chatter of enthused college students filled the room as she entered the dining area to look for Kaija and Barclay. Kaija was nowhere to be seen, but Barclay sat at a table next to the window on the far side of the room.

Allison zigzagged her way through the obstacle course of students and chair legs, making her way to Barc. “Hi,” she smiled awkwardly, admiring the beauty of his eyes in the sunlight.

“Hey,” he grinned back. “So how was Calc?” he asked, munching on a potato chip.

Allison sat down with a sigh. “Not so great,” she confessed. “I thought I was ready for the class, but after this morning, I’m not so sure.”

“Ah, you’ll do fine,” Barc reassured, shoving the end of his sub sandwich into his mouth.

 He seemed so nice. Sincere and caring, too, Allison observed. But then Kaija and the rest of his fan club showed up, and he turned into a total butthead. Kaija gave him a possessive peck on the cheek while several guys high-fived him. As Kaija and the group of guys took their seats at the table, Allison’s nerves bristled. Apparently neither Kaija nor Barc felt she was worthy of an introduction to the guys. Allison hated the feeling of being invisible, but she was used to it.

She ate her lunch in silence as Barclay “performed” for his friends. He’d tell crude jokes and burp loudly to elicit roars of laughter from his buddies, but the worst was his stint came next.

As Allison returned from her trip to the salad bar, she noticed the dynamic at the table had intensified a bit. Apparently, Barc had told a joke that offended one of his bigger buddies.

Barc held his hands up in resignation. “Look, man, I’m sorry.” Seconds later, he lowered his hands and said, “But jeez, you didn’t have to smack me!” His hand came up to the space between his eyes, and gobs of bright red stuff went sliding down his face. Barc contorted his face into an exaggerated wince of pain. 

Being the sweet Midwestern girl she was, Allison raced around the table with a bundle of napkins. “Barc, are you okay?” she cried, tilting his head up to get a better look at his injury. At that exact moment, the white wrapper from one of those little packets of ketchup slid out from underneath his hand and fell on to his tray, leaving a streak of ketchup in its wake.

The group burst into hysterical laughter, but Allison was mortified—and angry. With a disgruntled gasp, she threw the napkins on to Barclay’s tray. “Clean it up yourself!” she spat out through gritted teeth. Allison gathered her dishes, delivered them to the required window, and left the building in a near run.

Laughter exploded from the group as Barclay took a bow. Kaija snuggled up to him and gushed, “You’re SO funny, Barc!” She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before she turned her attention back to her lunch.

They finished eating in relative silence as they noticed how quickly time was passing. The majority of them needed to be across campus for 1:15 classes.

Barclay entered the huge auditorium and spotted her immediately. She was sitting alone in the middle of hundreds of theater-style chairs, apparently trying to blend in. “Allison!” he called, waving from the aisle.

She rolled her eyes, praying he wouldn’t come her way, but of course he did. Rather than hide out of embarrassment, Allison decided to make a joke of the whole thing. She didn’t consider humor her favorite coping strategy for nothing! “I see you got the ketchup off your face,” she smiled as he fell into the seat beside her.

He nodded with a grin, extracting a spiral notebook and a pen from his backpack. The auditorium filled quickly as Allison and Barc engaged in idle chit-chat. Allison was at least somewhat relieved to see that Barc had returned to the more likable guy she had met earlier that day.

The crowd hushed as the professor made his way on to the stage. After introducing himself, he turned out the lights to make his PowerPoint presentation of what they were going to study during the course of the semester.

As Allison fixed her gaze on the slide, she felt a puff of warm air hit her ear. “You know that ketchup thing I did in the DC?” His whispers sent a shiver through her body, and her shoulders scrunched up in reaction to the tickle of his breath. “I did it for you…”

Stupefied yet somewhat intrigued by the admission, Allison bit her lower lip so she could remain expressionless. Even in the dark, she somehow sensed he’d be able to see her grin. She certainly didn’t want to encourage him… He was so not her type! Besides, he was most likely just playing around anyway.

A moment later, Allison felt a hand on her knee. Her body sizzled at his touch, but her Catholic school guilt quickly put out the fire. His hand moved ever so slowly from her knee up to her thigh. The movement was barely noticeable at first, but she could feel—and Barclay could hear--her breath quickening.

She’d have been okay if he had stopped there, but he had to push it. Allison freaked as his hand got dangerously close to her crotch. So she did what any self-respecting girl would have done—slapped his hand!

The sound of her hand hitting his was much louder than she had anticipated, sending a wave of giggles through the seats around them. Allison slid down in her chair, hiding in embarrassment as numerous students looked around the room for the source of the sound.

GO TO CHAPTER 3...