College 23
By Corbin
How life tests the endurance, patience, and sometimes faith of one young woman.

**********

"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in 
madness." 
	-Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)
 
**********

It's a race to the bottom!
 
It's like most everyone I talk to, or should say 'listen to', they seem to get 
*IT*. *It* being what it takes for things to get better in society...like Health 
Care, Politics, Education, Military...and so on and so on...
 
...BUT, something very bizarre happens come election time, these very 
same people check they're brains at the door and like a pack of lemmings, 
just file into the voting booths and re-elect the same MORONS....OVER AND 
OVER AND OVER...and then whine about how things never seem to get 
better. YOU KNUCKLEHEADS!!!....YOU LAZY KNUCKLEHEADS!!...it's your 
own damn fault!
 
I always vote and I always vote for the person who is NOT the incumbent. If you 
are in office currently you will NOT get my vote, you had your chance, now move 
aside and let the next person try. I believe in term limits, you get one 
term...one shot and then you get booted out! I could go on, but I see the class 
is nodding off again :)
 
**********
 
Oh OH!! I almost forgot! The opening line "It's a race to the bottom", I 
wrote that for a reason and it has nothing to do with the above 'voting' 
rant. It has everything to do with how I've noticed TV/Radio/Cable/Movies 
are all in a race to the bottom, the lowest common denominator if you will. 
Nothing is sacred and these obnoxiously pathetic reality shows are everywhere 
now, where people allow themselves to be humiliated/degraded/insulted because 
they think it will get them one step closer to fame and that 'big break'. Sorry 
people, your just a wanna-be actor/model with no talent. Watching these reality 
TV personalities desperately cling to their 15 minutes of fame is so painful to 
watch...so desperate...so sad... 
 
Speaking of desperate and sad, I have a question! If Brittany Spears declared 
that she would stop undressing for the camera this very second...no more! Never 
to take another stitch of clothing off or pose in a provocative manner, would 
she disappear? I say yes. She can't act, She can't sing (A wailing cat being 
dragged to death under a car come to mind?) She can't dance (Hence the several 
leg injuries...gheesh is this girl klutzy or just a crappy dancer? I think 
both!)
 
**********

I was a zombie for a few days, that last intense conversation with Nikki still 
had my head spinning, not to mention I was emotionally drained. I was distant 
and cold to everyone, including Dale and Sharon, I was eyeing everyone with 
suspicion and kept to myself. My primary focus was studying 
and sports, but even those activities seemed to lack their usual luster. I guess 
I was reexamining everything; Who my friends were, Sharon and her motives, 
School, everything really.

So it was during this funk that one of my former Gymnastic buds invited me to a 
party. But I should have known the kind of wild party that it was going to be, 
based on who the invitation came from. So let me back up and introduce Vera, 
Vera is a good friend of mine, a bit wild, okay very wild. She's attractive, 
athletic (gymnastics), but is a wild child and her antics make my stomach turn, 
but I just tune that out.
 
"Come'on Corb, you gotta come!" She pleaded; she calls me 'Corb' so that's not a 
spelling mistake. It actually didn't take allot of arm twisting as I 
had been wanting to cut loose for the past several weeks, and Vera was 
just helping that along, I really needed to get out and forced myself to go to 
the party with Vera. I even went with some provocative attire, a short 
tight skirt, and a deep v-cut tee shirt that showed off a bit more cleavage 
then I should have.
 
So I'm riding with her to this party, which is at some girl's house, whose 
parents are out of town (big surprise there). I don't know the girl hosting 
this thing, nor anyone else that Vera is rambling off, come to think of it 
Vera is the only person I may know! Now I'm really nervous because I am 
relying on Vera for transportation, so I need to keep her in my sights and 
she is totally unreliable at times. 
 
The ride over was annoying as hell, because it had to do with Vera's 
favorite subject, 'Sex'. 

"Hey babe, if I get you loaded tonight maybe I can get lucky?" Vera smiled 
over at me with a laugh, her right hand suddenly appearing on my bare, 
left thigh. 'Here we go' I thought, is this how the night is going to get 
started?
 
"Vera" I sigh and removed her hand as I consciously cross my left leg over 
my right, shit this skirt is riding up higher on my thighs then I initially 
realized, damn this could be problem, if I bend over too far my ass will be 
hanging out...this was a big mistake, why did I wear this skirt!? At 
least I'm not in heels! A small concession.
 
"Oh come on Corb, don't tell me your still a prude, I know you are 
staying over Dale's allot and I know about your little fling with Nikki!" she 
teased. I glared over at her (my evil glare which is not that menacing at all  
to people that know me) but she was just licking her bottom lip 
while looking into the rear-view mirror.
 
"Dale and are not having sex Vera, and I don't want to talk about Nikki." I 
sighed.
 
"Okay, okay, chill, just when I heard about Nikki I was floored, I always 
thought you were a dick-chick."
 
"A WHA, A WHAT!!?" My jaw dropped as I looked over at her, where the hell does 
she come up with this junk!
 
"A...dick...chick." Vera said very slowly, like twisting the verbal knife into 
my brain.
 
"That's gross Vera, where do you come up with this stuff?" I was now 
folding my arms across my chest regretting this little venture, and I wasn't 
even at the party yet. I should be studying or relaxing...or...I WANT TO GO 
HOME! MAMA! WHAA!!!! WHAAA!!!!!  ( I'm such a sheltered baby :)
 
"God you just wait, I've been dying to get you out, the guys are going to 
drool all over you when they see you in that outfit. You are definitely 
hooking up tonight!" And she kept looking over at me with that funny look 
she gets, that lustful look. Vera has no hesitation when it comes to jumping 
in bed with anything she is attracted too; she is a sexual predator for sure.
 
"Oh Damn." I mumble out loud as I survey the number of cars parked up 
and down the street.
 
"What's wrong?" Vera glanced over before getting out.
 
"Oh nothing" I quickly clammed up, but I recognized some of these cars, 
some of the people that were here I had less then stellar relationships with 
and when the alcohol starts to flow, anything can happen. So I started up 
the sidewalk, to the front of the house, but Vera quickly began directing 
me around to the left side (facing the house) and the closer we got the 
louder the noise of partying became. Her hands slipped around my waist 
from behind as I felt her warm face close to my left ear, "Oh this is going 
to be a blast!" She panted.
 
'Oh Joy, a blast she says, for whom?' I just wondered.
 
I suspected she had been to parties at this house before and probably had 
slept with everyone here. 'Oh that was mean of me to say that, but Vera's 
reputation preceded her.' So I'm following the exquisitely hand-laid rustic 
brick sidewalk around to this very imposing white gated fence. I was slowly 
getting clued into the fact that this neighborhood was very upscale. I also 
admired the giant Leland-Cypris trees that lined either side of the lot, I'm 
sure the neighbors appreciate all that sound deadening growth when parties 
like this get cranked up. As for me, I was just thankful that the weather 
was a bit warm tonight given the small amount of attire that covered my 
body.
 
'Wow' was all I thought as I stepped thru that gate, the side of the house 
was dark, but the back had several flood lights illuminating a party that 
was well under way. Perhaps about fifty to sixty people in all, maybe more 
and more were arriving! I had a drink in my hand within seconds, I think it 
was wine...yep, a Chardonnay I think. If I had any enemies here, they 
were hiding it well, as I joked it up with everyone. 
 
I think things took a turn for the worse when a few people began to jump 
into the pool, first clothed, then stripped down to underwear, then just 
nude. Nude, drunk people flailing around in the pool in and out of the 
water, just great. I noticed several guys trying to drag some girls into the 
water so that's when I put as much distance between me and that pool as 
possible, although that water was looking good I have to admit;  my legs, 
arms, chest and face were now slicked with sweat from the growing 
humidity, a warm front must have moved into the area. I could literally 
wipe streaks of sweat off my arms and legs, that combined with the alcohol 
was doing a number on my brain.
 
"Uh oh...someone's had a little too much to drink." I heard someone say, 
'Are they talking about me? Or wait, are they talking to me?'
 
"Just lean on me?" A guy said from my left, his arm was around my waist 
and I didn't know who he was, 'How long had he been standing there 
holding me and who was he? Is that his hand on my ass?' I lost count of 
the number of times I felt someone brush against me, from the side...from 
behind...and this guy to my left, he wasn't the same guy that was standing 
there a few minutes ago. I'm looking down at my drink and it's still half 
full, 'How many have I had?'
 
Several times this guy kept trying to pull me aside into the nearby garden, 
one of those expansive gardens where you could get lost in the growth, 
and it was dark too, how convenient for him. That was his plan, he wanted 
to get me alone and have a little make out session, just great! So I'm well 
on my way to being plastered, I'm fighting to stay current with the 
conversation going on around me, all the while this octopus is clinging onto 
me, groping me, trying to pull me into that damn garden. 
 
'Okay, one thing at a time' I told myself, and was about to push him off me 
when Vera showed up, 'Thank you lord! Saved, or so I thought!'
 
"Hey Corb, come with me for a second."
 
"Uhh..." I moaned and stumbled as she pulled me from the arms of that 
guy, he protested, but Vera promised to return me to his clutches when 
she was thru, 'Gee thanks Vera.'
 
"Wha...where areveee goin?" I slurred, oh fuck I'm slurring my words now, 
this is bad, really bad!
 
"Just around here babe." She pulled me along and I struggled to keep up.
 
"Vera...Im feeelen..." I hadn't even finished trying to speak when she 
turned me around and pushed me out of the lights and into the dark shadows. 
My back hit the brick side of the house and it actually felt good to lean 
against a solid object that wasn't trying feel me up. I gently rested my 
head against the wall and could feel my eyes closing until I felt 
something...holy fuck! I gasped and looked down, Vera had her mouth 
suctioned to my belly button! She was squatting down in front of me as her 
tongue twirled and licked in and around my belly, her hands having pushed 
up my shirt, right below my bra, and the sweat helped keep it in place as 
her hands moved back down. So her mouth continued its assault on my 
stomach as her fingers ran up my calves...then my thighs...

"I'm going to eat up every inch of this delicious body." She moaned into 
my belly button and I watched with some discomfort as her tongue flicked 
out and teased my fluttering abs.
 
"Vera...what are you doing?" I mumbled, I couldn't really focus to well, but 
every once in awhile I would catch a glimmer of the flood flights where her 
tongue was leaving its wet slimy trail of spit. She wouldn't respond, she 
was in her 'sex zone' now, as her hands rubbed overtop of the bumps of 
my abdominal muscles, she seemed particularly enthralled with them at 
this moment. 
 
'Whoa!' Now we're almost face to face as she stands and nuzzles her face 
into my neck, kissing and sucking on my shoulder, making these wet 
slurping sounds, 'Oh fuck Corb, you smell so good, I've waited so long to 
do this with you.' She kept moaning. 'Do this with me?' Like when in the hell 
did she ask my permission? She just decided to do it and I'll tell you 
something else, it didn't feel sexy at all, her wet kisses on my body were 
not making me hot, they felt nasty. I was tired, drunk, feeling all yucky 
from the humidity and I wasn't feeling well...not exactly the kind of mood 
for making out. Besides, I am not the slightest bit attracted to Vera, like 
she cares about that.
 
"Stop...stop..." I groan and push on her shoulders.
 
"You sure?" Vera purrs into my ear, and now she's rubbing her sweaty 
cheek against mine and that actually feels kind of soothing. Okay...snap 
out of it!...blinking my eyes I look around and we are still somewhat 
isolated and I push again on Vera's shoulder, this time she doesn't have a 
choice because I'm a hell of allot stronger then her.
 
"Damn Corbin!" Vera sighs with a pout and rubs her hands along my 
shoulders, she still doesn't take a hint as her fingers dig into my shoulder 
muscles, gripping and kneading them like I'm some loaf of bread. I've 
gotten that feeling before, when guys eye you up and down like some 
'object of desire', but nothing could compare to the look this girl is giving 
me, Vera is literally licking her lips with some insatiable hunger.
 
I thrust my butt against the wall to push off, "Lets get back to the party." 
and my enunciation of words is getting worse.
 
"Oh baby, baby..." Vera sighs and falls in behind me, gripping me along 
my shoulder and neck, "...one of these days." She whispers.
 
"Not in this life time." I reply to Vera's taunt, when I suddenly realized, 
unfortunately too late, that I am heading back in the same direction of Mr. 
Octopus and company, and boy is he about ready to break into a song-
and-dance when he sees me stagger back and right into his waiting arms. 
Isn't that lovely, but I'm using him more for leverage then affection.
 
My drink is now gone from my right hand when he suddenly replaces it 
with full glass of wine, gosh he's quick, to which I mumble "Thank you". 
Thank you? What am I retarded or something? I'm staring at this glass of 
wine, my head is spinning, my stomach it rumbling cause I just realize that 
I've had nothing to eat and why is the earth spinning so fast?
 
Well, I glance over at my male partner and I see him move in, I turn my 
head just in time as he plants a kiss on my left cheek. 'Whew that was 
close, I don't see anything exciting or romantic about kissing some 
stranger.' Now he's starting to snuggle up a little too close for comfort, and 
that was the final straw, my left hand shoots up and pushes this jerk away, and 
I don't hold back as much as I should cause he's doing his own drunken' stumble 
away from me, but he's not drunk, he's just getting a wake up call by me. He's 
also looking a little surprised that my muscles are just as much 'Go' as they 
are 'Show'. Now the group is laughing at him as Mr. Smooth just got publicly 
rejected, but oh shit I've lost my leaning post and I proceed to stagger around 
a bit.
 
"Look out, she's going down!" I hear somebody say with a humorous tone. 
Ahhhh damn! This is not good at all as the ground is spinning, everyone is 
spinning...okay emergency procedures kick in and my brain says DIVE 
DIVE DIVE! So I drop to my knees, the drink in my right hand thankfully falls 
and rolls away. 'Ahhh, this cool grass beneath my knees and shins feels 
good' Now I'm really thankful that I am away from the pool and the 
surrounding concrete, which would have felt really bad on my legs.
 
'Where's Vera?' I need help and now, I couldn't stand even if I wanted to.
 
"Holy shit she's going to puke!" Is that in reference to me? Who's going to 
puke?

"I'm fine." I slur.

"Oh my god, you better not barf all over my yard!" Came a girl's voice, by the 
tone of panic and barking orders I take it this is the hostess, and now I'm 
wishing we could have met under better circumstances. My head feels like it's 
full of cement as I try to stand up, 'OOPS' no time to complete that thought, 
I'm now being hauled up by several people and dragged off the premises, I cough 
a few times causing everyone to scatter. Nah, just kidding, I wasn't going to 
puke but I did want to scare them a little :)
 
"Is the party over?" I babble with a half smile on my drunken face. 
 
"For you it is!" This girl snaps.

"EVERYONE Mind your own damn business!" She starts trying to break up the group 
of guys and gals that have followed us, and then turns her venom back on me.

"Put her over there, up against the wall." The hostess orders and I am 
dragged mercilessly up against the garage wall. I don't resist, under normal 
circumstances I could pulverize all these model wanna-be's, but I'm feeling and 
looking so poorly I just want to go home. Then it gets really quiet, like eerily 
quiet as this thin, black haired girl slowly walks up to me and now I'm getting 
a good look at her face, long and angular, maybe attractive if she wasn't so 
anemic looking...oh she must be on that starvation diet. Anyway, I don't 
recognize her, so hopefully she has no beef with me.
 
"Who did you come with?" She asks, thank god she stopped yelling, my 
head is throbbing and I could use a drink of water and maybe a Axid for my 
stomach.
 
"Uhmmm...Vera?" I say in a not so sure tone, I'm not really sure about 
anything now.
 
"Where's Vera?" She snaps looking off to her left for an answer, when one 
of her cronies pipes up with a chuckle; "She gone!"
 
"Fuck" I whisper under my breath and look down at the ground, 'should have 
known', but now I wonder if they're lying to me, unfortunately from my vantage 
point I can't see if her car is still parked out front.
 
"Look at me!" The girl snaps.
 
"HEY!" I yelp as my scalp feels a painful yank, the girl actually had the 
never to yank my head back! You would think I've trashed her family 
name...or killed a blood relative or something the way she seems intent on 
dragging this out.
 
"You nasty, skanky bitch, I recognize you, with that shitty haircut I almost 
didn't." She says and takes another step back.
 
'Skanky bitch?' I'll show her and then I do something really mature, and lobe a 
big shot of spit at her...BULL'S-EYE! Right on her neck! HAHAHA! Well you think 
I just gave her cooties or something, cause the girl just about hurls as this 
ghastly look comes over her already pale, anorexic face. Now she seems to snap 
and I see her pull her fist back, 'Oh damn, here it comes, oh...wait...she's 
aiming for my gut...okay abs do your thing and I crunch my muscles in 
anticipation, 'Prepare for collision!' my brain fires off to my stomach. But I'm 
smart you see, cause the last thing I want to do is make this girl look stupid 
in front of her friends, so I double-up around her fist upon impact. After she 
pulls her fist back I'm now thinking 'I braced for that?' She definitely is the 
reason for the phrase 'Hits like a girl', heck it was probably invented just 
because of her. But I'm playing it up so her ego gets stroked and I'm moaning 
and coughing. That seems to do the trick as she steps back with a look of 
satisfaction and barks an order for one of her flunkies to fetch a towel so as 
to clean off her now tainted fist and neck.
 
"Your not so tough, I heard you were suppose to be this big girl on Campus!" She 
tosses the towel aside before placing her hands on her hips. "All those muscles 
aren't' for shit!" She's giving me this condescending look now, eyeing me up and 
down, "And your fake tits don't impress anyone either." which seems to generate 
a round of smirks and giggles.
 
'Fake tits?' Why is she attacking my breasts? They're not fake...maybe I 
should take that as a compliment? I dunno...
 
"Let's kick her ass!" Another girl pipes up, which is meet with a "YEAH!" 
from a few more girls.
 
"Was that a snort!?" A girl says jerking my right arm.
 
"That was a laugh!" Another says, jerking me by my left arm, I feel like a 
see-saw and my stomach is ready to heave.
 
"You think that's funny? You think we can't do it!" Another one pipes up. 

That's right I did involuntarily chuckle when they threatened to 'kick my 
ass', but I quickly suppressed it, although I really couldn't help it. I just 
found it to be humorous and I'm now fighting to suppress my internal 
desire to click into 'Fight Mode'. I just want to got home and rest.
 
"Anymore vulgar acts you stupid bitch?" She says to which I shake my 
head 'no'. 
 
"Good, someone take her home, just get her off my property!"
 
'Her property? I'm willing to bet her parents make the mortgage payment 
on this house', but now I'm being escorted out, no wait...that' a bad thing, I 
got this guy and a few girls directing me towards a car. I don't know these 
people, where are they taking me? I've rarely felt moments of true panic 
and fear, but at that moment I wondered if they intended me bodily harm. 
No matter, 'cause no one is putting me in a strange car to some unknown 
destination and *SNAP* I yank my right, then left arms free, twisting away 
from the group of four or five people. Now I've got both fists clenched, 
ready to start throwing punches at everyone in arms reach.
 
"WHOA....STOP RIGHT THERE!" I here someone's voice call out and it's not 
mine. It's some guy and my head leans to the right to see Shelton running 
up. Where the hell did he come from? Did he just arrive? And now he's 
putting himself between me and everyone.
 
"You want to get real nasty about this we can, just give me a reason." Now 
Shelton can get pretty damn intimidating when he wants to, after all not 
only does he play football but he doesn't mind getting into the occasional 
scrap and everyone knows that.
 
As for me, I'm trying to look menacing, but I'm fading here folks...my eyes 
are barely open and I'm staggering, limping more then walking as Shelton 
guides me to his car. "Hang on Corbin, just hang on okay." He says softly.
I lean my head against the cool metal of his car as he helps me in, wow that 
feels good.

"Thanks Shelton" I moan as I slump into his passenger seat, "I'm sorry." I 
whimper as we pull away from that nightmare of a party.
 
"Corbin its okay, relax, its okay" He sighs, "You've just too much to drink, 
they were a bunch of idiots anyway."
 
"It's more then that." I whisper and lean forward, resting my forehead 
against the dashboard and wipe the tears form my eyes. So many things came 
back up to the surface; Dale, Nikki, Sharon, School....everything...it felt good 
to be in touch with my feelings again. I'm glad he didn't say anything on the 
ride home, sometimes words just get in the way and he did the next best thing by 
gently rubbing me on my back.
 
He helped me up to my dorm room, I pointed to the bathroom and he 
placed some towels for me to kneel on. "I'll be okay, just wait for me out 
there, please close the door." I just wanted to be alone as I hugged that 
porcelain throne, the coolness was soothing as I sat hunched over, waiting 
to see if my stomach wanted to rebel, thankfully it continued to calm down. 
Slowly, I turned around to the shower, while waiting for the water to get hot I 
did a rather pathetic job of pulling off my clothes, finally I got stripped down 
and crawled into the shower, but simply proceeded to lay down in the tub. I 
think I was smiling as I pretended I was in some rain forest as a heavy downpour 
washed over my body. I stretched my leg out and gripped the knob with my toes, 
turning it until the water cut off to a lingering drip.
 
I sat up and took a deep breath, looking up I smiled again as I saw my 
comfy robe awaiting me on the back of the door. 'Oh crap, Shelton!' I 
slipped a wet arm into it's plush confines and tied the knot, quickly running 
my fingers thru my wet, blonde hair, didn't even bother drying off.
 
I opened the door and it gave out an aged creek from the hinges, he was 
sitting on Sharon's bed flipping thru some magazine but instantly stood up, 
giving me his full attention as I emerged. I blushed and smiled cause I 
know I wasn't looking too good.
 
"Thanks, you really were...so nice...you went way out of your way tonight." 
I sighed and shuffled over to give him a hug, he deserved it and besides I 
wanted to give him one.
 
"You know you can count on me Corbin." he said and firmly squeezed me in 
return. I felt his head tilt against the side of my face. "I like the fragrance 
of your shampoo." He chuckled, which I laughed as I patted him on the 
back. I wanted to be careful here because I knew Shelton had a crush on 
me, and I also knew he was going to make some move on me, like right 
this very moment which sent my heart racing along. I felt torn you know, 
like I should oblige him in a kiss or something just as a thanks, but it would 
be totally misleading, I just don't like to casually kiss people. But that's 
me, I take everything way too seriously, yet it's how I operate, so I did the 
next best thing by turning my cheek to him, which he did kiss and I in turn 
kissed him on his cheek. That was it, diplomatically I lowered my head as I 
pulled away, he took the hint.
 
I sat down on the edge of my bed and folded the robe tightly around me 
before stretching out and pulling the covers over me. "Ohhh my" I moaned 
as it felt like my wonderful bed was pulling me into it's warm embrace, I 
heard Shelton asking me something in the distance to which I responded 
'Sure', I think it was if I wanted him to stay over that night.
 
I didn't care, I just wanted to sleep :) ZZzzzzzzzzzzz.....

**********
 
I was awake and didn't feel half bad, not sure why, I thought for sure I would 
be feeling the morning hangover blues. Now I was a little shocked to see Shelton 
sleeping in the bed across from me (SEPARATE BEDS REMEMBER) and then it all 
came back.
 
'Oh god' I thought, how embarrassing, maybe it was all a bad dream but Shelton's 
presence was proof positive that I had indeed had a bad night. "Oh god", this 
time I said it out loud as I sat up, did I say I wasn't hurting too bad? Well 
apparently sitting up takes things to another level. I can only imagine what 
standing would do to me. 

A sudden and sharp knock at the door just about scarred the shit out of me, 
without thinking I said "Come in" and in walks Dale. Oh joy! This should be fun.
 
"Hey, are you....." He never finished his sentence because he caught site of 
Shelton, granted sleeping in another bed, but is that going to matter? And I 
guess I can understand how it looks, me sitting in just my robe.
 
"What the fuck is going on!" He yells and slams the door, jolting the poor 
unsuspecting Shelton awake not to mention my poor head.
 
"Dale will you be quiet my head is killing me." I fall back onto the bed 
and curl my pillow around my head, seeking peace...and darkness.
 
"I want to know what the fuck is going on!" He just kept repeating pacing 
between me and Shelton, who was struggling to wake up.
 
"Shelton brought me home last night." I moaned as I pulled the pillow away and 
massaged my scalp, again trying to sit up, but ended up putting my head between 
my knees a little.
 
"And then what? What's going on?" Dale was standing near Sharon's bed and 
Shelton wasn't helping much because he wasn't doing a good job of explaining. I 
suspect that's just the way he wanted it to, the more friction and problems 
between me and Dale the better Shelton figured his chances became of dating me. 
And while I'm on that topic, for some reason a large number of black men on 
campus seemed interested in dating me, I have a few whacky theories about me 
being white and blonde as a primary contributing factor....but maybe that's just 
some stereotypical formula I've setup in my mind. I really could care less what 
your background is or who you are....just be decent, respectful, intelligent, 
AND NO TATTOS!!! Although allot of the black women were very peeved at me 
because I got asked out by 'their' men.
 
Okay, back to the incident at hand, finally Shelton spoke...
 
"Nothing, like Corbin said, I just brought her home." He shrugged.
 
"Dale, I was sick, he brought me home and he slept over there okay? Nothing 
happened." I groaned and flopped back in bed pulling the sheet up and over me. 
My right eyelid peaked open and watched Dale pace around the room, his hands 
massaging his neck and shoulders trying to figure everything out. But there was 
nothing to figure out, I've never lied to him and he knew I would never cheat on 
him or 'hook up' with someone (Okay yes, I am making a huge exception for 
Nikki), I'm just not like that, so now I think it was just a matter of male 
pride and knowing that some other guy had stepped in to take care of me last 
night.
 
It was awkward to say the least, but I just wanted to sleep and I'd let these 
two guys figure out who stayed and who left, it was Dale who piped up first, 
"Shelton, can I talk to Corbin in private?" He asked and it kind of pissed Dale 
off that Shelton looked to me for an answer, like he wasn't getting any respect 
from Shelton.
 
I just shrugged and mumbled, "Okay with me", after all Dale was my boyfriend.
 
"Well, just call me later and let me know how your doing." Shelton said as he 
slipped on his shoes and headed out, acknowledging Dale with a polite "See you 
at practice." But Dale didn't respond, in fact, from this point on, their 
friendship was forever tainted. Why? Because of me, that's why and no one did 
anything wrong. What a shame! Just bruised egos...gossip...and jealousy that 
took over. As for me? I just wanted my hangover to go away.
 
"He's asking you to call him later Corbin?" Dale sat down on the edge of my bed. 
Funny, sometimes I liked Dale being possessive of me and I guess I felt the same 
of him. 

"Oh baby, please don't worry, I don't care about Shelton, I love you." I 
whispered and pulled him down onto the bed, wrapping my arms around him, pulling 
the covers over us both while softly stroking his head and back. He was so 
emotionally fragile at that moment, unlike the strong, confident Dale that I had 
first met. But I didn't care, we all have our vulnerable moments where we need 
someone to hold and care for us. I guess he just needed some reassurance that 
everything was going to be okay, with or without me. Slowly he rolled over to 
face me and pulled me into a tight embrace, he didn't try anything, no kissing, 
he just held me, we pretty much held onto one another for a while. I don't know, 
thinking back on it now it was like a final goodbye of sorts.
 
"Sorry, I think seeing Shelton over here was just a bit much." He sighed and I 
watched his lower lip tremble some.
 
"Dale please look at me." I said and waited for his eyes to meet mine, 
"There is NOTHING going on between me and Shelton, nothing, I have no interest 
in him at all. Even though things are kind of strained between us, you know I 
would never cheat on you." The look of relief on his face was instantaneous, and 
for a moment, we seemed to touch and hold one another, things felt so nice that 
maybe every bad word and moment could be erased. 
 
Then the door to the room burst open and Sharon comes blazing in.
 
"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!" Sharon snaps, throwing her purse down on her bed.
 
"What the hell are you talking about?" I groan.
 
"I get back in town and hear you went to that party last night, got your ass 
plastered...making a total idiot of yourself in front of everyone!" Sharon 
snapped.
 
"Yeah Corbin, that's the other thing we need to talk about, that wasn't very 
Smart going to that party with Vera." Dale turned around towards where I was 
laying on the bed.
 
"Okay, let's get it over with." I moan and fold my right arm over my face, 
"Both of you, just go ahead and vent." I rolled over and moaned wondering how 
long it takes for the aspirin to kick in and if I took enough.
 
"Who's been sleeping in my bed?" Sharon suddenly said. Oh, this is too good to 
be true, I couldn't wait to tell her and watch her reaction!
 
"Shelton stayed the night 'cause he drove me home!" I rolled over and said. Sure 
enough, Sharon made this pained expression and then cringed like a family of 
roaches had just setup shop on her bedspread.
 
"What the fuck? He slept in my bed and drove you home? Where was Dale the 
whole time?" Sharon finally looked back over at me. Well, now see Sharon's 
priorities; First it's her bed, then who drove me home....and where was Dale in 
all of this.
 
"Yeah, and Shelton looked mighty sick too, like he might have the Black Plague, 
so you might have to burn the whole bed." Even Dale smirked a little at my wise 
crack.
 
"Oh ha-ha this is one, big funny joke to you!" Sharon wheeled around on her 
heels and sat down on my bed.
 
"Well, at least you made it home in one piece and don't EVER go anywhere with 
Vera again." Sharon sighed while rubbing my legs thru the sheets.
 
"Don't worry about that." I mumbled, never again will I trust Vera where social 
activates are concerned.
 
"How was your weekend with Kevin?" I had to ask, and here it comes.
 
"WONDERFUL! GLORIOUS!" Sharon was suddenly beaming and radiated this glow of 
joy. I wanted to barf...partly because of my hang over and partly from Sharon's 
over-the-top reaction to my question.

********** 

I still wasn't feeling great, but practice was scheduled for this afternoon so I 
struggled to get myself together and trudged across campus to the field. I was 
bracing myself for a real razzing by my team mates as I am sure they now knew 
about my idiotic performance at the party, you see I rarely ever get drunk.
 
'But it's a new day!' I sighed and smiled to myself as I walked along, 'Things 
can only get better!' as I took a few deep breaths.
 
...or so I thought until I walked into the locker room.
 
*CLICK* Out went the lights and I was standing there in total darkness.
 
"GET HER!"
 
"What now?" I groaned as a flashlight suddenly blinded me and an army of hands 
latched onto my legs and arms.