Get the Party Started

I clearly remember how I felt when I got my acceptance letter from Foxbury. I knew that this would mark the true beginning of my life. I would get my dream career, everything was going according to plan.

Even though I had assumed, perhaps a bit arrogantly, that I would get in, I still did a little happy dance in front of the mailbox.

My parents were proud and happy for me, but I suspect they were also looking forward to finally spending some more time alone.

After all, they started dating when my brother was a baby and had never lived alone together.

My own love life was less happy. My girlfriend, Cecilia, who I had been dating for almost a year, told me we needed to talk. I knew what was coming.

She had also been accepted into her dream university, and wanted us to break up before we left.

I knew she was right. We were too young for long distance, and we would both be better off being free while meeting so many new people. Neither of us wanted a messy breakup later in case one of us found someone new.

I knew it was for the best, but it still hurt. Cecilia was my first long-term girlfriend, and I really did love her.

We hung out for a few hours, just enjoying each other’s company one last time. Neither of us wanted her to leave and make it final.

I’m not ashamed to admit that there were some tears when we said goodbye, but I still wished her all the best at her university.

Even harder was saying goodbye to Maggie. She was very old, much older than we ever expected a pitbull to get, and I knew she didn’t have much time left. My parents promised to spoil her completely.

Despite the pain of saying goodbye to everyone, I still felt great when I arrived at Foxbury. I knew that this was where I belonged, my destiny. I had dreamed of this for years.

I immediately started preparing for my first classes, I knew I wanted to be in the top as always.

I also walked around campus, familiarising myself with the new surroundings, especially the common area, Larry’s Lagoon, where the canteen was, as well as a gym, a robotics lab, and a study area.

The very first week, I met Jamie. She just walked over and started talking to me during lunch. At first I wasn’t sure what to make of her. Surely, no one could be that outgoing? The next day, she came over and asked to join me for my morning workout.

She was pretty fit, and it was nice with some company. She could even give me some tips.

I managed a new personal record with her guidance.

At first, I was a little worried that maybe she was interested in me, but it was quickly apparent that she wasn’t into guys at all. We even ended up discussing ex-girlfriends, and I told her all about Cecilia.

Cecilia and I knew each other from school, and had been flirting for a while before meeting up at a coffee shop near the park. I was surprised when she kissed me as a greeting. She then insisted we found a more private place.

We sat in a nearby picnic area. I was a bit shy, and a little startled by her taking the initiative like that, so I nervously messed around on my phone, but Cecilia wasn’t having it.

She demanded my attention. It was honestly refreshing. The few girls I had briefly dated before her were the quiet types, and since I also tend to be quiet until I get to know people, the dates had been pretty lame.

But Cecilia challenged me. She didn’t take no for an answer and she was smart and witty.

Flirting with her was like fencing, both of us taking turns attacking and parrying, throwing smartass comebacks at each other.

I don’t believe in soulmates, but if I did, I might have said that she was mine. We matched so well.

When we got tired of bantering, she simply pulled me in for a kiss. No mind games, no insisting that I take the initiative just because I’m the guy.

It was one of the things I loved about her. The simplicity. Everything was so easy with her.

Well, it also didn’t hurt that she was a great kisser.

Talking about Cecilia made me a little sad, but Jamie managed to cheer me up with a few anecdotes of terrible dates she had been on, and just like that, we were friends.

A few weeks into the semester, one of my dorm mates, Athena, had heard that the St. Laurel Library was a great place to study, so we decided to meet there on a Sunday afternoon.

I wanted to make sure I was slightly ahead for as long as possible to be prepared for when things would probably get really busy later in the semester.

I had set up at a table with Athena and a few others, and I was deeply engrossed in my work when Athena called me over.

I liked Athena, she was really smart and ambitious like me, a great study buddy, and I knew she wouldn’t be the type of friend to lure me into the university party scene. I needed to focus.

Suddenly, a woman approached us. I hadn’t seen her before, and while she was still pretty young, she seemed too old to be a student. She was, however, smoking hot.

When she introduced herself as Dr. Katherine Gilscarbo, the dean of admission, I was honestly shocked. I had stupidly assumed that Dr. Gilscarbo was a man. I desperately thought back to my application letter and hoped that nothing in it had sounded like I didn’t know.

To my surprise, Dr. Gilscarbo asked me to meet her at her office on Monday. I wasn’t sure what to think of it, but there was something about her that made it impossible for me to do anything but stand there and nod stupidly. Athena seemed a bit worried about the whole thing.

I had dinner with another dorm mate, Cierra, that night, and told her about my upcoming meeting with Dr. Gilscarbo.

She seemed taken aback that Dr. Gilscarbo wanted to see me. She hadn’t heard of anyone else being asked to come to the office.

I actually got worried for a while, maybe I was in trouble somehow? But I couldn’t think of anything I could possible have done wrong, I had only been at Foxbury for a month and I was the perfect student.

Cierra just gave me a strained smile and said she was sure that I had done nothing wrong and that everything would be fine.

She was half right.

“Come in”, the voice said. I nervously walked into the admissions office.

“Ah, yes. Mr. Duchelli, was it?”

“Uhm, you wanted to see me?”, I replied awkwardly.

Dr. Gilscarbo’s cool demeanour disappeared and she cracked a smile.

“Oh, where are my manners?” she said, as she got up and walked towards me.

“It’s good to have you, Mr. Duchelli. I wanted to welcome you personally. We were very impressed with your application and we have high hopes for you.”

I took her hand. Her touch and her smile made me struggle to find words. She was incredibly charming.

“Uh, please just call me Eric”, I managed.

She casually sat on her desk, which made me feel awkward for towering above her, but she made me feel more at ease with smalltalk. She asked about my family and my pets. I was flattered that she remembered my letter so well. We must have talked for half an hour at least.

I tried my hardest not to stare at her, but it almost felt like she had positioned herself in a way that made it impossible to look at her face without looking at her cleavage. I started getting a bit flustered and I could feel the heat in my cheeks.

Suddenly, she got off the desk and took a step towards me. “Are you feeling alright, Mr. Duchelli? Eric?”

I couldn’t speak. She was standing way too close. I could almost feel the heat radiating from her body. Part of me wanted to flee, but other, more stubborn parts of me wanted something else.

My emotions must have been written all over my face, because she suddenly closed the distance between us and kissed me.

I was stunned for a second. She moved back towards her desk to give me space, waiting to see what I would do. Giving me one last chance to turn away and leave the office.

I didn’t.

I lost control, all worries about my studies and my future plans forgotten.

There was no time to consider the consequences for us both if someone walked in.

There was only Katherine.