Night Terrors

Navigating the halls of his dorm didn’t prove to be any easier the second time around, but eventually Thomas found his way to A-tower and Jessica’s common room. Instead of posters about food and calories these walls were covered in large coloring book pages of Sponge Bob Square Pants. Taped to each picture was a box of crayons, and several of the pictures were already partly colored. Thomas laughed when he realized that someone had colored Sponge Bob blue in one of the pictures. Two girls were doing their nails at the table and pointed the way to Jess’ room when he asked.

 

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly. Thomas and Jess explored the campus, browsing the bookstore and the library. Jess gawked at him when Thomas checked six books out of the library at once, but he shrugged and led the way to the dining hall for dinner. Dinner was a greasy affair with a choice of cuisine: there was a pasta dish Jess thought was lasagna, a selection of bread covered fish, and a variety of different pizza’s. Thomas headed to the salad bar, but Jess stacked her plate high with heaps of lasagna and two servings of chocolate cake from the desert bar.

 

“Are you really going to eat all that,” Thomas asked as they found some seats in a corner booth.

 

Jess eyed his salad suspiciously, “Is that really all you’re going to eat?”

 

“How do you stay so skinny?”

 

“Good metabolism, I guess. I can eat anything I want, whenever I want. It’s nice.”

 

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Jess, but I hate you right now.”

 

“It’s okay, I loathe nerds,” she looked pointedly at the pile of books Thomas had plopped on the table.

 

“What’s wrong with being a nerd? At least I’m going to pass my classes.”

 

“God, Tommy!” A new voice said, “College isn’t about classes. You need to take those books back and find a party!” Mike dropped his tray of food on the table beside him.

 

“Hey Mike,” Jess said, “have you actually found a party yet?”

 

“They don’t start until later, but you fuckin’ wait. I’m getting smashed tonight.”

 

“Mike, you’re vulgar,” Thomas said.

 

“Yep. You have a problem with that gaytard?”

 

“Gaytard? No ones called me that since, like, elementary school.”

 

“I’ve never been friends with one of your kind before. The insults will get better.”

 

“My kind?”

 

“You know, homosexuals.“

 

“Do you insult all your friends, Mike?” Jess asked.

 

“Doesn’t everyone?”

 

“I’m not gay,” Thomas said.

 

“Of course you’re not,” Mike said, “your homosexual.”

 

“It’s the same thing,” retorted Jess.

 

“Stay in your place, woman. Go sweep a floor or something.”

 

The three of them burst out laughing and finished their dinner.

 

Not long after dinner Thomas’ cell phone rang. He looked down to see who was calling.

 

“Hey Mommy,” he said.

 

“Hi sweetie,” his mother said, “your father and I just pulled into a parking lot. Are you ready to move your stuff up to your room?”

 

“Sure, where you at?”

 

“We’ll meet you in front of Russell. There’s a kid down here helping everyone move in, and he says we can park in front of the dorm until you’re moved in.”

 

“Okay, mom. See you in a bit.” Thomas hung up his phone.

 

“Dude, Tommy,” Mike said, “if you want me to believe you’re straight then stop using a pink phone.”

 

“I like pink.”

 

“Tommy,” Jess said, “you’re not helping your case. What did your mom want?”

 

“She’s here with my father. I’m finally going to move in.”

 

“Want help?” Mike asked.

 

“Yeah, come on. My parents are parking in front of Russell.”

 

Even though they got lost three times in the dorm building, it only took forty minutes to get all of Tommy’s stuff into his room. Mike was very polite, shaking hands with Thomas’ father and smiling at his mother. He didn’t swear or make a vulgar joke the entire time, not even when Thomas’ mother almost fainted at all the naked girls on the wall. Finally Jess plopped the last of the boxes onto Thomas’ bed and pulled Mike out of the room so Tommy could say good bye to his parents.

 

“Here,” Tommy’s father said, holding out a fifty dollar bill.

 

“I don’t need that, dad.”

 

“I know. Take your friends out to dinner or something. Have fun.”

 

“I’m happy you’ve made new friends already,” Thomas’ mother said, a tear trickling down her cheek, “Mike seems so nice.”

 

Thomas smiled. “Yeah, I guess he is.”

 

“Hey hun, we’ve got to go,” said Tommy’s father.

 

“I know. Have fun at school, sweetie. And don’t forget to call!”

 

“Okay, Mommy. Once a week, I promise.”

 

Tommy hugged his parents, holding his mom tight as she tried to hold back tears. His father took his mother’s arm, winked at Thomas, and led her out of the room. 

 

“God, I fucking hate parents,” Mike said a few minutes later as they helped Tommy unpack his stuff.

 

“Thanks, Mike,” Thomas said, “I didn’t know you could be so polite.”

 

“I’m only that nice once a year,” Mike said, “count yourself lucky I decided to waste that time on you. It’s not like you deserve it.”

 

“He doesn’t,” Jess replied, “but you haven’t found anyone else to use it on yet. I think you’re desperate for a friend.”

 

“I’ll be friends with whoever the hell I want,” Mike burst out laughing, “and Tommy proves to be the best. Look at this!”

 

Mike opened a box full of stuffed animals. There were two large white bears, about half a dozen smaller stuffed bears in different colors, an elephant, a dolphin, and three monkeys. Each of the monkeys was stricking a different pose, one had his hands over his eyes, the other over his ears, and the last one over his mouth.

 

“Oh, Tommy!” Jess exclaimed, “You didn’t bring your stuffed animal collection to school with you!”

 

Thomas’ face turned red. “Well, not all of it.”

 

“Dude, you have more of them?” Mike asked.

 

“Um, yeah.”

 

“Damn, man! The book I was reading about getting along with your roommate at school said that if you’re roommate brought a stuffed animal collection you should run away. Something about a latent need for attachement and love,” Mike said.

 

“You can read?” Jess asked.

 

“Yeah… but it’s another thing I only do once a year.”

 

“Where are you going to put all these?” Jess asked Tommy.

 

“I thought they could stay on my bed,” he replied.

 

“You’re roommate is going to love you,” said Mike

 

The door opened and the sour smell of sweat poured into the room. A tall boy in full football uniform walked into the room, his broad shoulders made huge by the pads. A helmet hung in his hand. His black hair was drenched in sweat and he looked exhuasted. He looked around as he entered the room and his eyes fell on the stuffed animals.

 

“Oh, shit!” he said, “what are those?”

 

Thomas stepped in front of his roommate, trying furiously not to blush. “Hey, are you Zach?” he asked.

 

Zach nodded.

 

“I’m Thomas, your roommate.”

 

“Right,” Zach said. “And those fucking things are your little friends?”

 

Tommy stared at his feet, unwilling to meet his roommate’s gaze.

 

Zach tossed his helmet onto his bed. “Tell you what, I’m gonna go take a shower while you realize that preschool ended at least fourteen years ago. This is freakin college. Put those damned things away.”

 

“What the fuck, dude?” Mike asked, “It’s his room too.”

 

“Your friend?” Zach asked Tommy.

 

Thomas nodded again.

 

“I’m not staying in the room of a five year old mommy’s boy,” Zach said.

 

Mike stepped up to Zach. He was dwarfed by the jock’s large figure, but he stared into Zach’s eyes ready to fight. “Go take your fucking shower. If you want I’ll get him to put his toys away, but if I do that then your posters are coming down too.”

 

Zach took a step forward, and for a second Thomas thought they really were going to fight. But Mike held his ground, refusing to give way to Zach.

 

“Fine,” Zach said. “I’ve got better things to do.” He grabbed a towel and left the room.

 

Thomas waited for the door to close, then he turned to Mike. “Thanks.”

 

“No problem, man. You’re my friend.”

 

“I’ve only known you for a few hours.”

 

“I make friends quickly.”

 

“I don’t see how!” Jess said.

 

The rest of the evening passed quickly. Thomas finished unpacking and the three of them hung out in the room until after midnight. Tommy’s roommate came in once to drop of his football stuff, but left without saying a word. Thomas’ stuffed animals were set up on his bed against the wall, a happy collection of stuffed comfort. At about two in the morning Mike finally decided it was time to go back to his own room. Thomas and Jess waved as he walked away.

 

“I’m hungry,” Jess said.

 

“Again?”

 

“Yep. Let’s go find something to eat.”

 

“Jess, it’s two in the morning. Nothing will be open.”

 

“Not true,” Jess replied, “I saw a Store 24 off campus when I was driving in. We can go there.”

 

“Um, sure.”

 

The walk to Store 24 was about half an hour. At first Tommy and Jess joked and laughed as they walked down the street, but as they left campus the street became dark and scary. The houses along the road were disheveled and ugly. They seemed to loom above them promising punishment to any who dared enter their territory at night. They saw a dark skinned man on the other side of the road, an unshaved beard rolling off his face and down onto the shopping cart the man was pushing down the street. It was clear he was homeless. As they finally crossed the street to the convenience store they saw six figures walking down a dark alley. Thomas was sure that the figures were gang members.

 

The mood lightened a bit inside the store. Tommy found a Slush Puppy machine and created a lemon lime slushy that looked like something out of a nuclear waste facility. But the mood quickly grew somber again as the two made their way back onto the dark streets. Across the street the gang members were hanging out on a corner. Three of them were smoking, the tips of the cigarettes making red paths through the air. Thomas and Jess looked at each other, and hurried back towards campus.

 

The gang members fell in step behind them, five large figures all dressed in dark leather jackets.

 

“Hurry,” Tommy whispered urgently to Jess.

 

They walked on for a few minutes, the gang trailing behind them. Every time they sped up the gang kept right on behind them. Finally Thomas’ nerve broke.

 

“Run!” he yelled.

 

He grabbed Jess’ hand and pulled her into a fast run. They only ran for a few seconds before the sixth member of the gang stepped out of an ally in front of them.

 

“Hey,” he said. “What’s the hurry?”

 

Thomas was frozen in dark terror. This couldn’t be happening, not to him, not on his first day of college.

 

“What do you want?” Jess asked.

 

“We just want to talk,” the gang member said. Thomas noticed he was wearing a silver ring in the shape of a skull.

 

“We don’t want to talk. Go away.”

 

“How could we leave such a beautiful lady to wander the streets all by herself?”

 

“I’m not alone.”

 

The gang member scoffed. “This kid? He’s nothing. Look at him, he couldn’t beat up a two year old.” The rest of the gang laughed as they came up behind Tommy and Jess. One of the gang members, this one with red hair, reached out and caressed Jess’ cheek. She slapped the hand away.

 

The skull ringed gang member laughed. “Hey, this girl’s got some fire in her.” He leered over Jess, “I like girl’s like you. You’ll be fun to break.”

 

Jess spat at him. “Fuck you. Go to hell.”

 

The gang member laughed. Then he tore Jess’ purse from her shoulder. He threw it at one of the gang members behind Jess and Thomas. “Go through that, Julio. Let me know if you find anything… interesting.”

 

Julio opened the purse and started rumaging through it.

 

“Happy now?” Jess asked.

 

“Not even a little, but after spending some time with you I’m sure I’ll be the happiest guy on the streets.”

 

Tommy looked up. “Please let us go.” He held out his wallet. “Take this and let us go, please?”

 

The gang’s leader looked at him. Tommy didn’t see the punch coming until it was too late. It slammed into the side of his face and sent him sprawling. His wallet flew from his hands and landed in the dark street. He pushed himself up to his elbows, and then collapsed back to the ground.

 

“Don’t hurt him!” Jess exclaimed.

 

“Too late, honey. But I’ll let him go if you cooperate.”

 

“Hey boss,” Julio said. “Look at this.” He held up a silver chain, a sapphire dangling back and forth through the air.

 

“Bring that here,” the leader said.

 

Julio threw the necklace and the leader snatched it out of the air. He looked at the sapphire and then at Jess.

 

“This is real,” he said. “What’s a pretty girl like you doing without her jewelry on?” He leaned over Jess and hung the necklace around her neck. “There, perfect. Now, are you going to cooperate?”

 

Jess looked furious. Tommy could tell that all she wanted to do was punch the figure leering over her, and then kick him in the groin. But she looked at Tommy, and he saw all the fight go out of her.

 

“Let him go.”

 

The gang leader leaned down and forced Jess into a deep kiss. Jess closed her eyes, grimaced, but let him kiss her.

 

The gang chuckled. The leader pulled away from Jess. “Cut him loose boys. We’re going to have some fun tonight.”

 

One of the gang members pulled Tommy to his feet and then shoved him down the road. “I’d get out of here before the boss changes his mind,” he said.

 

Thomas stumbled, but managed to stay on his feet. He looked back at Jess. The gang’s leader had his hands on her breasts, roughly pulling at them. The sapphire swayed back and forth between them.

 

It was then that the sapphire stone started to glow.

Chapter Two: Sapphire Tears

“What’s so funny?”

Thomas turned around to see who the newcomer was and blushed furiously. It was the girl. The smoking girl. The incredibly smoking hot girl. He tried to think of something to say, but no words would form in his head. What was one supposed to say to such beauty anyway? He thought Mike would have something to say, but it seemed as if he could think of nothing to say either. For once he was completely silent.

The girl sat down and crossed her legs. Thomas couldn’t pull his eyes away from the tights. The purple and green stripes were so cute. They were so… perfect.

“Hi,” the girl said. “My name is Jessica, do you mind if I sit here?”

“Fuck no,” Mike said, “please sit there.”

Jessica giggled. “What are your names?”

Thomas thought about answering, but he couldn’t seem to remember his name.

“I’m Mike. The dude with the pretty nails is Thomas.”

Jessica reached down and picked up one of Thomas’ hands. Her skin was warm and soft against his palms. She raised his hand and splayed his fingers so she could look at his nails. “Look at these,” she said, “these are the longest nails I’ve ever seen on a guy.” She rolled his hand back and forth and the nails gleamed in the sun’s light. “Are these buffed?” She asked.

Thomas looked away. “Maybe,” he mumbled.

“They are! You keep your nails in very good condition, Tommy.”

Tommy, he hated that name.

“We should get together and do our nails,” Jessica continued, “I bet these look amazing in color.”

Thomas pulled his fingers away from Jessica’s hand. “We’ll see,” he said to the ground. He hid his nails under the table.

“Hey Jess,” Mike said, “where is your room at?”

“It’s in Russel Towers. A403. Where’s yours at?”

“Over in Aubuchon Hall. I’m all the way at the top of the fucking building. I thought the elevator was gonna crash while I was in it, but there’s no way in hell I’m walkin’ up nine flights of stairs every time I want to get to my room. Where’s yours Tommy?”

“I’m in Russel Towers too. A508.”

“That’s really close to my room,” Jessica said.

“Really? I couldn’t figure out what was close to what. Russel Towers is like a maze.”

Jessica laughed, “It is a bit, isn’t it? I’m sure it will start to make sense after we live there for awhile.”

“Probably.” Thomas agreed.

“I just remembered something!” Jessica said, “I found this outside when I went to finish my smoke during Fatty’s speech.” She rummaged around in a skull bone hand bag and pulled out a necklace. It was a large sapphire stone on a simple silver chain.

Mike whistled, “Damn, that looks expensive.”

“Doesn’t it?” Jessica asked. “I wonder who it belongs to.”

Thomas reached down and picked the necklace up. The sapphire broke the sun’s lights into dozens of blue sprays that swirled around the table as the stone spun on its chain. It was fascinating.

“How could someone loose something like this?” Mike wondered.

“I don’t know,” Jessica replied. “I’m going to ask around and see if there is somewhere I can take it. I’m sure whoever it belongs to will want it back.”

Thomas held the stone up. A slight breeze pushed the stone back and forth. Mike sneezed as the breeze blew dust onto the table and suddenly Thomas’ eyes were tearing as dust got caught in his eye.

“Here,” he said handing the necklace back to Jessica. He began to rub his eyes, trying to get the dust out.

“Dude, you okay?” Mike asked.

“Fine,” Thomas replied, “I just got some dust in my eyes.” He blinked rapidly half a dozen times and began rubbing his eyes again.

“You shouldn’t rub them,” Jessica said, “It doesn’t help. Just pry your eyes open with your hands and wait for the tears to push the dust out.”

“Kay,” Thomas said. He pried both eyes opened and squinted at the blurring scenery. Tears trickled down his cheeks, but finally the dust came free. He blinked several more times and then wiped the tears away.

“Better?” Jessica asked.

“Yeah, much,” Thomas replied.

“Hey look, everyone’s leaving,” Mike said.

Jessica and Thomas looked around and saw that the collection of students was moving off the quad and dispersing in different directions. Mike looked down at his watch.

“I have to go to. I have a floor meeting in my dorm now.”

“Duh, Mike,” Thomas said, “We all do. See you later?”

“Not if I see you first, queer.”

“Don’t call him that,” Jessica said.

“It’s okay,” Thomas said. “He’s just joking around. I don’t mind. Bye Mike.”

“Want to walk back to Russel with me,” Jessica asked.

“Sure,” Thomas replied. “Let’s go.”

Prologue: The Throne Room. Chapter One: Opening Ceremonies

Prologue:

Rosalind, princess of Ayarma, watched Sapphire limp towards her throne. Sapphire’s black hair was in tatters, some of it burnt away, and clumps of it had been entirely torn out from her scalp. Blood trickled down her face, and her right eye was beginning to sport a bluish bruise that did not give her name credit. Rosalind thought a mere breath might knock her over for good.

But it would be time for that later.

Rosalind caressed the onyx scepter in her lap. “Well, well, Miss Sapphire. How surprised I am to see you. What brings you all the way to my throne room?”

Sapphire’s blue eyes fixed the princess in their gaze. “Release my people, Rosalind. This has gone far enough.”

“That’s Princess Rosalind to you, Sapphire. You will keep a civil tongue with me, or I may loose my patience.”

“Oh great and powerful majesty,” Sapphire said sarcastically, “Your games have gone far enough. Release my people. I have no wish to harm you, not even after all you’ve done to me. Just let them go and we can go back to being friends. Don’t you want that? I love you Rosalind. Come back to me!” Sapphires voice began to break. Tears started to pour down her face.

“No, my darling Sapphire. It is not for me to release those that have joined me. It is you who are alone. You are friendless. Join me, and we will be friends again. You can have me back. We can rule the world together. We can divide the universe between us.”

Sapphire sniffled, and more tears ran down her face, but her eyes remained locked on the Princess. “Enough, Princess. I don’t have time for this,” she let out a pained chuckle at that, “I don’t have time for this. Me? I am Sapphire, I have all the time in the world. But I am running out of it, Rosalind. And I won’t let you stand there and let my world be destroyed. Goodbye.”

Blue light suddenly surrounded Sapphire. The girl flung her hands out towards the princess on her throne. “Sapphire Freeze!” The girl shouted, as blue energy arched towards Rosalind.

The energy slammed into the Princess and surrounded her. Then it was gone, as quickly as it had come. Rosalind sat on her throne, inert, unmoving.

“I’m sorry, Rosalind. I wish I didn’t have to do this,” Sapphire said.

Sapphire approached the throne where her friend sat frozen in time. Rosalind’s purple gown was laced through with pearls, a gown that would have been fit for a royal ball. Around her neck was the onyx jewel that had caused so much destruction. It was the thing that had destroyed her life, her friends, her world.

It was time to destroy it.

Sapphire reached her hand to take it from her friends neck. Destroying it would destroy Rosalind, she’d invested too much of her life force in the jewel, but it would save the thousands that the princess had enslaved. It would give them back their minds. It would give the world back its soul.

Sapphire didn’t notice her friend blink. Perhaps if she had things would have been different.

Suddenly Rosalind was moving. Sapphire saw the black scepter come around, but it was too late. The scepter slammed into her stomach and erupted with black energy. Sapphire was flung away from the throne, and thrown against the back wall of the throne room.

Stone cracked as Sapphire’s body slid down the smooth surface.

Rosalind stood up and stalked towards the tattered girl. “Your power is weak, Sapphire. Did you really think your simple time tricks could affect me? I gave you your chance to join me freely. Now I will take your mind. I will take the last free mind on our world and enslave it to my will.” The princess raised her scepter and pointed it at Sapphire.

Black lightning raced across the throne room and slammed Sapphire into the wall again. More stone cracked, and Sapphire let out a terrible wail of agony.

“Die, Sapphire! Your time has come!” Rosalind began to laugh as black energy continued to pour into Sapphires body. She heard a bone snap. “Oh dear, was that your arm?” She pondered her friend’s body beneath the black lightning. “No, not an arm, that looks fine. It must have been a rib.”

Two tendrils of black energy snaked up Sapphire’s body and buried themselves into her eyes. Sapphire’s scream of pain went up a notch as her eyes were burned from her body. Blood started to pour down her face from empty eye sockets before it dried from the heat of the lightning. Her lips moved, trying to form words through the endless shrieks.

Rosalind stopped the flow of energy.

“What was that?” she asked.

Sapphire’s body slid down the wall for the second time in less than two minutes. Her body shuddered and heaved, and as soon as she could move, her hands went to her empty eye sockets, trying to cover them up as if doing so would stop the pain.

“I asked you what you said!”

Sapphire shuddered again. Her lips formed three words, but they were barely a whisper. She whispered them over and over again, an endless litany against the pain.

Rosalind slowly approached the maimed figure. “I can’t hear you,” she taunted. “Speak up, speak louder.”

That was when the princess noticed the blue glow beginning to grow beneath Sapphire’s hands. Once again blue energy burst from Sapphire, streaming out of her empty eye sockets. But the energy did not slam into Rosalind’s body. It wrapped itself around Sapphire like a glowing blanket.

The smell of charred flesh filled the room.

Sapphire’s body began to smoke.

Then the blue light exploded. It expanded to fill the entire throne room. It swept through the princess, through the stone of the room, through the Throne of Ayarma where the Princess ruled over her imprisoned souls. It swept out of the throne room to envelope the palace, the city, the world.

Then it was gone. For an instant there was nothing. No light, no throne, no world. There was only oblivion for a long, long time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter One:

She stood in the corner casually leaning against the wall blowing smoke from her dark lips. Thomas Shelton watched the smoke rise above her pink and black streaked hair as it joined the gathering cloud above the girl’s head. She was dressed like a punk, knee high boots crawling up her legs buckle by buckle. Green and purple tights flashed beneath her short black skirt. A tantalizing portion of skin was revealed until it met a t-shirt advertising Gamma Ray. Thomas would have guessed Gamma Ray was some sort of rock band, but he was distracted by the fishnet that weaved its way down the girl’s arms. As she exhaled another stream of smoke Thomas could only think one thing.

She was hot. Fucking A, she was beyond hot. She was smoking.

A fat man dressed in a traditional black suit and blue tie waddled up to her.

“Young lady, we ask that you please don’t smoke in the lounge. It’s impolite to the other students.”

The girl looked around at the other students. About fifty other students were gathered in the M&M Lounge. A smattering of them were turned away from the smoke of the girl’s cigarette smoke. One of them, dressed almost like a catholic school girl, coughed pointedly at the fat man’s words.

The girl simply shrugged. “Whatever,” she said and walked outside thought the swinging glass doors. Thomas craned his neck to watch her drop the cigarette to the ground and crush it into the pavement with her boots.

As Thomas watched the girl, the fat man huffed his way up to the front of the lounge and up the three metal steps of the temporary stage. Thomas wondered for a moment if the man might simply roll back down the stairs like a giant, fleshy snowball. But he made it up to the podium on the stage without mishap.

“Quiet everyone,” the man said, “Your attention please.”

The general hubbub of noise slowly fell into silence as students turned to face the podium.

“Welcome,” the man said, “My name is President Larrington, and I’d like to welcome you all to Fitchburg State College. In just a moment the other major faculty members will introduce themselves, but first I’d like to say a few words. As you can see,” he gestured vaguely around the room with a thick hand, “we have a diverse population of new students this semester. In addition to you the welcoming ceremonies are being broadcast to the two other lecture halls on campus. All told, I have the pleasure of welcoming to our school one thousand three hundred and fifty two new students. I’d like to welcome you all.

“As new students it is very important for you to have the proper expectations that are required if you wish to succeed here at Fitchburg State College. I know that there will be parties-”

A cheer sprang up from the collected students. President Larrington glared at the assembly and started frantically waving his hands for silence while every ounce of fat on his body jiggled up and down.

“I know there will be parties, but you all must remember that the reason you are here is to obtain an education: it is the holy grail that will lead you to success in this modern world. To achieve the grail of education you should all remember that two hours of work should be put in for each hour of classes you attend. This is the golden road to your graduation in four years.

“Thank you, and I know that four years from now I will be shaking hands with each and every one of you during graduation ceremonies.”

A smattering of polite applause rippled through the audience. The president began to introduce the next faculty member, Greggory Brown, the Chairman of Student Life, but Thomas’ attention was diverted by the swinging doors as the girl silently entered the Hammond Building. Thomas spent the next half hour wondering what her name was and if she had any other pairs of sexy boots.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the opening ceremonies Thomas followed the stream of students onto the quad where a giant outdoor lunch was waiting. Smoke was rising into the sky from dozens of barbecues, and two long tables covered in green paper were laden with salads, hamburgers, hot dogs, watermelon, rice, and some sort of red punch in large, clear containers. He pushed his way through the line and covered two hot dogs in ketchup. He also placed a piece of watermelon on his plate and went to find a place to sit.

He found a place at an empty table and sat down. He watched as others began to find their own places to eat, trying to find the smoking girl. But she was no where to be found. He was interrupted from his search when a boy plumped down into the seat next to him.

“Dude,” the boy said in way of introduction, “have you ever seen so many hot girls? College is gonna rock.”

Thomas turned to face the new comer. He had a round face with black hair and brown eyes. “Umm… I guess so,” Thomas replied.

“If that’s all you have to say than I wish I’d gone to your highschool,” the kid said. “My name is Mike, what’s yours?”

“Thomas.”

The two sat in silence and ate their food for a bit. Finally Mike looked up, “What major are you?” He asked.

“I’m studying English Literature,” Thomas replied, “you?”

“Psychology. I figure it’s the best way to figure out what all those hot babes are thinking.”

“Think that will work out for you?” Thomas asked.

“It better. Otherwise I’m gonna die sad and lonely.” Mike said. “Maybe I’ll buy a few cats.”

“Isn’t the stereotype to be a creepy cat lady?”

Mike chuckled. “Well, I’m no lady, but getting one out of two ain’t bad.”

“You’ll never pass a class that way.”

“Yeah… guess you’re right.” Mike’s face fell as he thought about the prospect of classes. Then he brightened up again, “Oh well. College is about parties! Who cares about grades?”

“I do,” Thomas said.

“You say that now…”

“No, really. I do.”

“Do you care about them as much as you care about your nails?” Mike asked.

“Wait… what?”

“Your nails. I’ve never seen such long nails before, not even on a girl. Look how long they are!”

Thomas held the back of his hands out, fingers outstretched to look at his nails. They were long, crescent shaped, and well groomed.

Mike watched and broke out laughing. “You’re a fucking queer!” Mike laughed.

Thomas sighed. It seemed some things weren’t going to change from high school after all.

“I’m not gay,” Thomas said.

“My ass,” Mike replied, “straight guys curl their fingers towards their palms when they look at their nails. Only queers splay their hands out like that. Queers and girls.”

“What?” Thomas had never been called gay because of the way he looked at his nails. “You can’t be serious.” He got up to leave.

“Wait,” Mike said. “It’s cool. I don’t mind. Sit down and finish your lunch.”

Thomas almost left, but there were no other tables free so he sat back down.

“And before you say anything,” Mike said, “there’s a girl behind you with an incredibly tight ass. Check her out.”

In spite of himself Thomas turned around. “Which one?” he wondered. There were dozens of girls getting food or standing in little circles talking.

“The one getting the punch. The red head.” Mike replied.

Thomas found the girl Mike was talking about. She was about five feet six and had streaming red hair that covered half of her back. It blazed in the hot sun like fire. She was wearing a light green sun dress decorated with yellow flowers. On some people it would have seemed hopelessly out of fashion, but the girl made it work.

“I like her dress,” Thomas replied.

“I like her ass.”

“Is that all you think about?”

“Not really. I like boobs too. But mostly I’m an ass man. I love me some ass.”

Thomas groaned. “I can’t believe you just said that!”

“Hey dude, I’m just telling it how it is. I might be a jerk… but I’m no liar.”

“At least you know you’re a jerk.”

“Yep. And proud of it. Hey… have you met your roommate yet?” Mike asked.

“No… I haven’t even seen my room yet. I still need to move all my stuff up to my room.”

“I met mine,” Mike said. “His name is Jonas.”

“Like the whale?”

“I think so. I think he’s Jewish.” Mike said.

“I see.”

“Speaking of which, I heard an amazing joke the other day,” Mike said.

Thomas flinched inwardly, but his curiosity got the better of him. “What was it?” He asked.

“Who’s the best Jewish Cook?” Mike asked.

Thomas pondered and wondered if he really wanted to know. Finally he said, “I don’t know, who?”

“Hitler.”

Thomas groaned in disgust as he watched Mike fall into helpless laughter.