Starting College my way. Chapter 4.

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Starting College my way. A story of fiction by Symphony Simms.

Starting College my way. Chapter 4.

Who’s that girl? Monday afternoon September 9th.

I walked down the stairs and headed briskly towards the college. I had not had time to eat any pizza but then I thought maybe the fact that my stomach is so constricted be this corset will stop me from being hungry, but I instantly realized that I was hungry so my theory was wrong.

My optimism made me theorize that an orientation could include food, but that was probably only wishful thinking. I was probably going to go hungry for the next couple of hours.

I walked as quickly as I could without getting myself overheated as this was a warm late summer day and the sun was strong. I took some relief from the shade available in the tree lined streets and the avenues leading through the open area if front of the campus, and on to the main building entrance.

There were people gathering in small groups in front of the main building and some people sitting at desks with posters and advertisements for college activities but I did not have time to look at them. I walked up the large stone steps and into the main building and down the long hallway to the Grover Cleveland Hall.

The door was open and I could hear someone talking.
The hall was large with maybe 2 or 3 hundred seats but it was less than  ¼ full. I headed up the side of the hall about 6 rows from the front and saw two women sitting together so I made my way to them and sat down.

When I looked up I realized that most of the people in the hall were looking at me including the lady at the front.

“Young lady please stand up and tell us you name,” the lady projected clearly from the plenum.

“Leslie Haigt Miss.” I replied clearly and loud enough for everyone to hear me.

“And why are you here today Ms Haigt?”

“To become oriented Miss,” I replied, which raised a few chuckles around the room, but I don’t know why.

“And tell me Ms Haigt, what have you learned so far?”

“I have learned that the distance between my apartment and this hall cannot easily be walked in less than 10 minutes Miss.”

“I am glad that you have already started learning. And Ms Haigt can you tell me what you expect to learn in this presentation?”

“To learn some of the things I need to know to smooth my path through the academic year.”

“Good answer Ms Haigt. One of the things you will need to know is that I will attempt to embarrass anyone who comes into my lectures late. What will you be majoring in Ms Haigt.”

“Mathematics Miss,” I answered.

“Then your lesson is timely Ms Haigt as I will be one of your Professors. Please sit down Ms Haigt.”

At last she turned her attention away from me and resumed talking to the rest of the assembled students.

She was a short slim lady maybe in her 50s with no chest to speak of, wearing an ash gray pants suit with a white blouse. Quite smart I thought. Her hair was short and medium brown. I guessed she could have been attractive when she was younger, but now looks a little weather beaten.

“I am Professor Lisa McClelland. You may call me Professor McClelland or Ms McClelland and I will answer to Miss without offence. I have occasionally been called other names but I had better not hear them from any of you.”

As she talked she began walking from one side of the hall to the other, explaining the thing that we as freshmen needed to know. Respect in all things. No hazing of any kind. Be your own best advocate. You are here to learn not party. Make friends here and they will last you a lifetime. Join college student organizations and never waste a moment of you time here it’s too precious.

It was a pretty good 20 minute speech but my hunger and tiredness from this morning’s shopping were distracting me.

After the speech we all filed past the row of tables at the front to collect official college handouts for everything from where to get academic supplies and books off campus, the best and cheapest restaurants and the tire stores that give discounts to Winston students.

She encouraged us all to go to our first meet and greets at the rooms designated for each subject. There were charts in a couple of places around the hall showing the student names and the room numbers and location. My assigned location was the main library reading room table 5.

As I was approaching the allotted table a young man approached me. He was just a few inches taller than me. Medium length brown hair loose over his ears, thin beard and broad across the shoulders. He was wearing nice new looking jeans and a short sleeve dress shirt.

When as his gaze met mine he started speaking. “You certainly made an impression on your first day.”

“Excuse me,” I replied.

“Clear, calm and confident. You certainly did not allow the lecturer intimidate you.” He was now holding out his hand obviously to shake mine, so I gently but firmly shook his hand.

“Why should I be intimidated,” I asked. “I was 3 minutes late to an orientation presentation.”

“I agree with you,” he said, “But I can tell there were many people in the room terrified of being asked anything on their first day. And may I also say that you were also the prettiest women in the room?”

“You did say it and I do not object to flattery provided you accept that I am attending college to obtain a degree in mathematics and not to pick up boyfriends.”

“I think that is fair enough, but I couldn’t resist the temptation to be the first to try.”

“In that case,” I said, “consider yourself the first to be rejected.”

“I will therefore congratulate myself on my accomplishment. My name is Lawrence Dark.” He said offering me a seat in the middle of the table. “I am also taking Math.”

I accepted the seat and placed by back pack on the back of the chair. He sat beside me and continued to talk to me. “I am from Wilmington Delaware. Where are you from?” he asked.

“Reading Pennsylvania,” I replied.

“That’s where they have the Japanese Pagoda on the hillside overlooking the city.”

“Kind of,” I said. “You must have been there.”

Other people were now joining us at the table. A tall slim smiling young man with a Fender ball cap and curly brown hair sticking out from under it sat next to me and introduced himself. He placed his back pack on the table in front of him. It had electric guitars painted on it.

“Hi,” he said. “You are Leslie Haigt. I am Vic Headingly from Worcester Massachusetts.”

“Please to meet you. Do you play?” I asked.

“Sure do,” he replied. “Just got myself a 1979 Gibson ES335.”

“Cool, just like Lucille, that must have cost you a pretty penny,” I said.

“Sure did,” he replied with gusto. “My folks paid for most of it for a high school graduation present. It took me most of the summer to find one I wanted. Don’t tell me you play guitar too?”

“Yes I do but what do you mean play guitar too?” I asked.

“Well you play guitar and your know what kind of guitar BB King plays, you’re in my math class and you’re really pretty. You must be my dream girl.”

“Not you too,” I said. “I just got hit on by the guy the other side over here. Am I going to have to sit on the other side of the table with the girls?”

“I was just trying to be friendly,” said Lawrence.

“Please don’t sit over the other side. We will behave, we promise don’t we Lawrence?” then he placed his hand over mine.

“Ah,Ah, ” I said as I pulled my hand away. “Don’t touch the merchandise. You have to but me dinner first!” as I realized that was exactly the wrong thing to say.

“Does that mean we are on for dinner?” said Vic.

“No it does not.” I said firmly. “I am sorry that was a bad joke. Can we all just start again? Hi everyone. My name is Leslie Haigt and I am here to do Mathematics!” as I stood up and offered my hand to the guy on the other side of the table who looked kind of Mediterranean looking with straight black hair and a tan.

“Hello my name is Jesus Gotano. (pronounced hey zeus) I live with my family in Highland Park NJ and we moved here from Columbia. My Dad is Project Manager for an oil company. I think this is an all mathematics table.”

The African American lady next to him had had also stood up and was offering me her hand. “Hi I am Connie Smith. I come from Dover Delaware. My parents are in the Air Force.”

Everyone stood up and was introducing themselves to the others in the group. The group consisted of Me, Vic, Lawrence, Jesus, Connie, Caroline Gordon tall dark haired slightly overweight but very pretty girl from Long Island NY. James Rumple from Pittsburg, tall slim redhead with a scruffy red beard, and David Trinder from Rochester NY, stocky medium build guy developing male pattern baldness.

“I have the envelope for this table,” said James and he handed out sheets for everyone to read and complete.

It was an ice breaker with instructions. It explained that this group had selected randomly from the first year math students just to get things going.

Study groups could be organized separately or we could stick with this group. The questionnaire should be completed then we could all discuss our answers. The questions were set just to get conversation going any try to find out if we have anything in common with the rest of the group. The questions included.

What is your favorite sport and who is your favorite team?

How do you like to exercise?

What type of music do you like?

What is your favorite band or musical artist?

Do you play a musical instrument?

What is your favorite tooth paste?

What is your favorite store and what do you like to buy?

What is your favorite food?

What kind of books do you read and who is your favorite author?

What do you do on Saturday nights when you are not in college?

There were no names on the pages and when we were complete we mixed up the pages face down in the middle of the table and then each person got a sheet to read out, then we guess whose page it is.

The first person to read was the person who handed out the sheets so James the tall guy from Pittsburg stared reading from page the out loud

“Basketball and Miami heat,”

“That could be anyone because no one on this table comes from Florida,” said Lawrence.

James continued. “Exercise bike, pop music, Adele.”

“Obviously a girl,” said Vic, “because guys don’t like Adele.”

For just a fraction of a second I wanted to correct him on that, but thought better of it when I remembered that I was wearing a dress.

“Violin but only at middle school,”

“That puts Leslie out because she plays guitar,” concluded David, Vic and Lawrence at the same time.

“Colgate fresh mint.” No takers on that one, we all use mint toothpaste.

“Zara women’s clothes.”

“That’s a nice store,” I said. “But they have boy’s clothes too!”

“It has to be Connie or Caroline so don’t you two say anything then we can guess at the end,” said James, then he continued till the end of the list.

“Seafood marinara, Maeve Binchey and 40 shades of grey.”

“Could be either of you,” I said looking at Caroline and Connie.

“And the last answer is movies.”

“I don’t know why but I think its Caroline,” said Jesus. She nodded and said yes.

“So you get to read the next one,” said James to Caroline.

“OK,” said Caroline. “Here we go. Basketball and Football, 76’s and Eagles”

“That’s local and sounds like a guy,” said David.

Caroline continued. “Electronica and Indie, Moby.”

In an instant Vic started clapping his hands over his head and singing.

“Am gonna find my baby, woahh, for the sun goes down.”

I joined in singing the next line and clicking my fingers and Lawrence started banging out the beat in the table.

“Am gonna find my baby, woahh, for the sun goes down.”

James started to complain, “I think we’re gonna get thrown.” But he couldn’t continue because students on at least 3 other table started joining in.

“Am gonna find my baby, woahh, for the sun goes down.”

Lots of people around us were joined in singing now and Lawrence was banging away like a drum solo on the table.

“Am gonna find my baby, woahh, for the sun goes down.”

Then it petered out quickly as 3 lecturers came into the hall and started shushing us.

“That was cool,” I said as a couple of us continued to laugh after the singing stopped. Caroline started back into the list.

“Vinyl turntables, a sampling machine, Kentucky Bourbon.”

“Kentucky Bourbon is not toothpaste,” said Connie.

“You speak for yourself,” said Lawrence. “It has worked fine for me on occasions.”

“So Lawrence, are you a rap artist?” asked Vic.

“No I just try to make new music out of samples and do a little sound recording,” said Lawrence.

“So you could record Vic and me playing Lawrence?” I asked.

“So are we a duo now?” asked Vic. “Maybe we should discuss this over dinner.”

“No we will not.” I stated. “I was only asking if he could.”

“I could,” said Lawrence, “but all my stuff is at home.”

“Ball Park Hot Dogs,” stated Caroline.

“Hot dogs?” asked Vic. “All those great answers and you have to finish hot dogs?”

“Hot dogs taste great when you are watching a good game,” said Lawrence talking across me to Vic. “Just not so good when you are losing.”

“The last answer is Raves and Hip Hop Dance clubs,” said Caroline.

“You can fry your brain on the stuff they get at Raves,” said James.

“I don’t use any of the bad stiff,” said Lawrence. “Red Bull and Bourbon seems to work good for me.”

“My favorite aperitif,” said Vic.

I guess Lawrence and Vic were building a friendship already.

We continued reading each other’s sheet but nothing interesting happened. I did learn a couple of interesting things about some of my classmates.

Connie seemed to have a pleasant outgoing personality and she was quite attractive too. She didn’t play any instruments but she said she did sing a little soul and gospel and was interested in opera music and had some opera lessons. Connie liked going to the occasional Redskins game.

David seemed pleasant and exceedingly average at everything apart from smoking cigarettes which he seemed to do a few times during our afternoon together, bringing back his foul smelling aroma back with him from the smoke area.

Jesus is a nice happy guy who likes to go dancing and keep in touch with his Latin roots through salsa. He said he has a couple of girlfriends who he dances with and invited any of us girls to go dancing with him, no strings attached just dancing he said. He made it sound interesting enough that it could be tempting.

James seems like a self-righteous ass who didn’t seem to care what people think of him and spent too much time on his own. I think he must be a health freak because he explained his special diet that he maintained because he is a serious medium and long distance runner. I don’t think we will be spending much time together.

Vic’s page was a little more interesting as read by Jesus.

“Football and Hockey. Patriots and Bruins,” said Jesus.

“Well there are a few of us who like football, maybe we could go see an Eagles game together?” I suggested.

“Sure,” said Vic.

“Playing scales on my guitar,” said Jesus.

“That is not exercise,” said James.

“It’s all you get from me,” said Vic.

“We are supposed to guess who the person is by the answers,” said Connie.

“Well there are only two people left and we all know Leslie is not from Boston,” said Vic.

Jesus carried on. “Guitars and toothpaste is toothpaste.”

“You must have a favorite?” said Caroline.

“I hate them all,” said Vic. “I only use them to make sure my breath don’t stink. I use Crest because it’s usually the cheapest.”

“Not a big fan of oral hygiene then Vic,” I asked.

“Oh I am a big fan of oral hygiene,” said Vic. “I just don’t like the taste of toothpaste.”

“Guitar Center and Guitars,” said Jesus.

“Well we could all tell that was coming,” said Lawrence.

“There is one about 5 minutes from here in Cherry Hill,” I said.

“Will you show me where it is,” asked Vic.

“On a map, sure,” I replied. He looked forlornly at me waiting for me to change my mind but I was not going to offer. He is good looking I thought, but that kind of idea could get me into serious trouble.

“Meat lover’s pizza,” continued Jesus.

“That kind of food will make you put weight on,” said Caroline.

“Ah, but I am lucky. I have the eat all you want and don’t put on weight gene.”

“I hate you,” said Caroline but only joking.

“Classics — John Steinbeck.”

“Now there was a man who could tell a story,” said Connie. “So what do you do on Saturday nights?”

“This Saturday I haven’t made any plans. Where would you like me to take you,” he asked back to Connie.

“What does it say on the page Vic. What do you do on Saturday nights?”

“I play guitar with my band in some noisy bar.”

“How are you going to do that Vic if your band is in Massachusetts?” asked Lawrence.

“University comes first,” said Vic. “I might get up there to play a couple of times before Christmas, anyway I might find some pretty girl to play music with me while I’m here.” Then he looked at me and winked.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I said. “I already have my sister as my singing partner. You wouldn’t like our music because it’s too quiet for you.”

“You have a sister that you sing with?” asked Lawrence. “Is she as pretty as you?”

“She is even prettier than me and she is studying music at the Philly school of arts.”

“If you are so keen on music, why didn’t you go study with her?” asked Vic.

That was a hell of an idea I realized. Why didn’t I think of that?

“Because she took music at high school and took all of the prerequisites. I didn’t, but if I had I could have avoided you two jerks.” They laughed because they knew I didn’t mean it.

We had kind of forgotten the exercise but Connie brought us back on track.
Leslie there is one more page and we guess you are going to have to read your own.

“OK, here we go!”

I turned the page and tried to remember why I had chosen such stupid answers.

“Football, the Eagles, Bicycle riding in the country.”

“Pop, Rock, Indie, Blues, Jenny Lewis, Elvis Costello and Sheryl Crow.”

“Cool choices,” said Vic.

“Acoustic guitar, Colgate Total.”

“Wal-Mart George cheap clothes — DSW for shoes.”

“Wal-Mart!” Exclaimed Caroline. “You don’t look like you shop at Wal-Mart.”

I said, “It’s not what you wear but how you wear it. And anyway I can’t afford expensive clothes on my college budget.”

“Manhattan Clam Chowder.”

“What’s wrong with New England clam chowder?” said Vic.

“I don’t like the cream and the potato.” I continued without stopping as I wanted to get this over with.

“Music related books — No favorites but I just read Waging Heavy Peace by Neil Young and I play music at home with my family.”

“What you sit around the TV on Saturday and sing to your guitar?” asked Lawrence.

“No, our house has a studio/music room. Mom plays the piano, Dad plays the double bass, Barbara plays violin, Dawn plays drums, Fiona and me play guitar and we all sing.”

“Just acoustically,” asked Vic.

“Oh No,” I replied. “We have a sound system with mics set up and a proper mixing board and everything.”

“So we are done!” said James.

“Why,” said Vic.

“Because its 5pm and they are serving pizza in the cafeteria.”

“Perfect. I am starving,” I said.

“Everyone got up and headed towards the door in a disorganized bunch, but Connie and Caroline made their way to be one each side of me as we left the library. Vic and Lawrence were trying to get between us but I managed to avoid them.

“Those two Vic and Lawrence really like you,” said Caroline.

“Maybe but they are not going to get anywhere.”

“Why not,” said Connie. “They both seem really cute.”

“Cute is dangerous. Oh I might hang out with them but I am not looking for a boyfriend right now. I intend to take University seriously.”

“You have 3 sisters,” said Connie. “I would love to have had sisters but I am an only child, and because we moved around so much with the Air Force I never really had any close friends.”

“Oh come on,” I said. “You seem like a really pretty and likeable person. You should never struggle for friends.”

“You don’t know what it’s like living on a base.”

“Do you have any siblings?” I asked. Caroline.

“I have an older brother but he is married. He is nice to me but I don’t see him often. It’s just me and my Dad at home.”

“Well you two can both be my honorary sisters while we are here,” I said.

“My stomach is rumbling, where is the pizza?”

“Powder room first,” said Connie as they ushered me into the nearest ladies.

I became aware as we went in that I was still a boy and I had never been into a girl’s bath room. I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I knew that there would no standing places so I would be using a stall.

I arranged myself behind Connie and Caroline as we went in and found ourselves at the back of a short line. I became very aware of my condition all of a sudden and had conflicting emotions.

I felt confident in my female appearance but my concern was I am now in a girl’s only environment. What do they do different? What do girl’s talk about in bathrooms because boys don’t usually talk much?

There were 3 girl’s talking while quietly maneuvering for mirror space above the wash basins, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying.

Connie turned around and said, “You know that Lawrence has a really nice ass, if you don’t mine me saying?”

“Why should I mind you saying?” I asked her.

“Well right now I would say that Lawrence and Vic are yours to do whatever you want with. I couldn’t get between you and them if I wanted,” said Connie.

“But I told them both,” I said quietly. “I am not interested and am only here to learn math.”

“You played that very well too,” said Connie,” but we both know you were still flirting. I bet they will be waiting for us when we get into the cafeteria and will want to sit by you.”

“I wasn’t flirting intentionally,” I said.
“But the way you spoke to them and looked directly into their eyes will make them think you were,” said Connie.

“I bet they both felt dizzy after you looked into their eyes. Your eyes are beautifully done. I was hoping you might help me with mine,” said Caroline.

When I looked I saw she was hardly wearing a any make-up.

“My sister did my eyes for me this morning,” I said. “I don’t usually wear much make-up.”

“Your eyes should be your trademark,” said Connie. “Everyone will remember your eyes and be disappointed if you don’t look just like that next time they see you.”

I was obviously going to have Angie and Carla give me a lesson in make-up tonight.

Stalls became available so I went in. I pulled up my dress and pulled down my control panties then the tiny lace panties I had under them. It was good to be ‘free’ for a moment but my predicament was giving me a small erection, which I was sure no one could see because of the tiny cracks around the doors and my dress falling back down.

I sat down and pushed my hand between my legs to control the direction of the flow. I had to let go in small bursts to make sure I didn’t wet myself or make too much noise. I felt like the other girls could be listening.

I cleaned myself up and pulled up my panties and went to adjust myself down and under, which was not easy because it felt truly wonderful to be wearing a dress and panties, but it had to go down. I managed to straighten myself out and was out in a flash over at the basin washing my hands, when I heard someone behind me.

“Whose is this bag?”

I looked around and there was a tall black girl holding my handbag. I went over to take it from her with wet hands.

“You could have lost that bag in an instant,” she said. “Never leave your bag over the paper holder girl,” she said.

I turned red with embarrassment.

“Sorry,” I said, “And thank you.”

I put the bag over my shoulder and returned to washing my hands.

“I can’t believe you left your bag in the stall,” said Caroline who was standing next to me.

“I must have my mind on other things,” I said.

“Like Lawrence’s ass,” said Connie.

“No at all,” I said.

“I wouldn’t blame you,” said Connie. “I can imagine holding it between my knees right now,” as she started putting some more lipstick on.

I couldn’t think of how to answer that, so I grabbed some lipstick out of my bag and started to retouch my lips, then my bag swung off my shoulder and I smudged my lipstick out the corner of my mouth. I reached for some tissue and tried to wipe it off but only succeeded in making it worse. Connie was watching me while I did this.

“Shit Leslie,” she said. “You look like you have never done this before.”

“No much,” I said. “I never started wearing much make-up till recently.” I was now feeling rather stupid and helpless and fortunate that I had an understanding friend to help me.

She reached into my bag.

“You haven’t got much in here,” she said, then she reached into her own bag and pulled out a q tip.

Then she took some foundation out of my bag, put some on then end of the q tip and started working on the smudge.

“The foundation acts like a solvent to blend the lipstick so you can’t see it. Now you finish the job,” She gave me the q tip and passed me back my own lipstick and said, “Put your bag between your knees, it can’t do any damage there.”

I thanked her, put my bag where I had been told, finished blending the smudge until I couldn’t see it then put some more lipstick on, this time more carefully.

Then I looked at myself. A pretty girl surrounded by other pretty girls in the girl’s room. If I had the time to think about this I would definitely find this arousing, but I didn’t have time.

As we got out into the hallway I pulled them both aside to explain to them something that I was making up as I went along. I hoped they couldn’t tell.

“Connie, Caroline please help me. You may think I am confident and assured but to tell you the truth I don’t know much about being an attractive girl.”

“I have been a tomboy most of my teens and my parents just used to let me get on with it, then I got really upset recently when someone I thought really liked me, told me he thought I was a boy.”

“That upset me a lot so I decided it was about time I really became the girl that I should have been all along. Until a couple of weeks ago I only ever wore baggy jeans and never even had a handbag.”

“Really, someone thought you were a boy?” said Caroline.

“It’s true,” I said. “Happened more than once too.”

“I guess that explains a few things,” said Connie.

“Honestly I am just winging this,” I told them. “Seriously, before today I haven’t worn a dress for more than half an hour for years.” That line was actually true.

“But you have a beautiful shape, how could anyone think you were a boy?” asked Caroline.

“You should have seen the stupid clothes I used to wear. Cargo pocket pants and baggy tee shirts. Never wore make-up and only ever wore sports bras.”

“But why Leslie?” asked Caroline.

“Growing up with 3 beautiful sisters has its drawbacks. I always felt like the runt of the litter.”

“They can’t all be more beautiful than you?”

“Oh you should see my sister Dawn, She looks like Sophia Vergara” I said and grabbed my phone to show them a picture.”

Connie took the phone off me and started looking through the pics .

“I see what you mean,” she said, and then she found one of me in boy’s clothes.

“Shit is that you. You do look like a boy.” She showed Caroline. “How on earth do you hide that body under those clothes?”

“That is amazing,” said Caroline. “I can see the same person underneath but I see a girl in front of me and a boy in this picture.”

“So if I seem a little new to all this girl’s stuff you can understand why.”
“Don’t worry,” said Connie. “Caroline and I will help when we can.”

We carried on down the hall and went into the cafeteria. There were boxes of Pizza, wings, salads and a variety of canned drinks. I went straight for the pizza and I grabbed a couple of pieces then snagged a few wings and a can of coke. Caroline and Connie took some food for themselves and we headed for an empty table.

As we got there Lawrence and Vic made a bee line for us. As they reached us I held my hand up.

“Stop right there,” I said. “Ladies only table. No room for you guys, we are full up. Not enough seats. Find your own table.” There were a few buts and groans and comments like ’but it’s a free world’ but I wasn’t having any and they left.

I was glad I chased them away because as they left Rebecca came walking confidently towards us in a beautiful red summer dress with matching clutch bag and pumps looking quite stunning. The dress was cut quite low and she was displaying some remarkable cleavage.

“Can I join you?” She asked. “Eating healthy again I see Leslie?” she said looking at my pizza and wings.

“Please do,” I said after clearing some pizza from my mouth. “I am making up for a missed lunch. Caroline and Connie please meet Rebecca. We met today at the Coffee Hutch on Swedes Road where my apartment is.” They shook hands.

“I am a returning student doing my MBA this year,” said Rebecca. “Are you two doing math with Leslie?” They both nodded their heads as they were eating.

Rebecca added, “I work part time at the Coffee Hutch and live in the apartment above it, so you know where to find me.”

I cleared another wing from my plate and asked Rebecca, “How come you are here Rebecca? I didn’t think you needed an orientation.”

“I am here to browse the student activities. They usually do a play and this year it seems they are going to do a musical version of Romeo and Juliet.”

“Do you act?” asked Connie.

“Heavens no,” she said, “but I like to help with production.|

“But you are certainly pretty enough to be on stage Rebecca,” I said.

“Thank you Leslie but I though your friends had told you not to do that,”

Rebecca said giving me a knowing look. Connie gave me a confused look too.

“It turns out I am too stiff on stage. I am far too nervous. You on the other hand would be perfect on stage.”

“I don’t know what makes you think that. You have never seen me act or sing.”

“But you are confident and forward Leslie. There doesn’t seem to be an ounce of shyness in you.”

“Maybe that’s because I haven’t a clue what I am doing.” I replied.
“You may not,” replied Rebecca. “But you are totally natural and unreserved.”

“Everyone was impressed when she came late into the orientation and totally flummoxed the Professor,” said Connie.

“What did she say?” Rebecca asked.

“The professor asked if she had learned anything yet and Leslie said, ‘the walk from my apartment to this room cannot be comfortably walked in ten minutes’,”

“What’s wrong with that?” I asked.

“But Leslie, didn’t you understand what she was doing,” asked Connie.
“What?”

“She was trying to embarrass you but she couldn’t.”

“Was this old flat top,” asked Rebecca.

“Who is old flat top?”

“Professor McClelland.”
“So that is what she was talking about when she said ‘other names’ I guess,” said Connie. “It suits her.”

“That’s mean,” said Caroline, “but it’s funny.”

“See what I mean,” said Rebecca. “Nothing seems to faze you. So why don’t you come over to the Dramatic Society table and talk to them?”

“OK,” I said. “I don’t have anything to lose.” I finished my pizza and attempted to clean up my sticky fingers.

We went over to the Dramatic Society table at the far end of the cafeteria and me this year’s director. His name is Anders. He was a tall slim blonde guy with a scruffy beard pale freckled skin. Rebecca introduced me.

“Nice to meet you Leslie. We can never promise people parts but we give everyone a try out. Do you have any musical abilities because this year we are doing a musical version of Romeo and Juliet?”

“Yes, Rebecca told me. Actually I sing and play guitar.”

“How interesting,” he remarked. “We haven’t done a musical in a few years so we have no idea who will do the singing parts, so we would welcome you to try out for as many different parts as you like. Have you performed on stage at any time?”

“I have done a couple of recitals at my sister’s school.”

“And where was that dear?” he asked.

“At Lenfest Hall.”

“You have performed at Lenfest hall?”

“Yes and what is wrong with that?”

“Oh there is nothing wrong with performing at Lenfest Hall, it’s just that for them to allow you to play at Lenfest hall you have to be pretty dam good.”

“It was only an alumni recital,” I said.

“But even for alumni recitals they get a thousand people. What did you play?”

“We played ‘In Dulci Jubilo’ on two guitars with my sister. A bit similar to the Mike Oldfield version.”

“And when was this?”

“About 4 months ago.”

“Now let me ask you a stupid question. What subject are you taking?”

“Math,” I said.

“Why are you taking math?’

“Now you are the second person to ask me that today. You’re putting doubts in my head.”

“Look Leslie we will be really glad to have you with us but I have no idea why someone who could play ‘In Dulci Jubilo’ on two guitars at Lenfest Hall would not want to go to Curtis and study music full time.” Then he turned from us to talk to someone else.

I wrote my name down on his list but I was a little upset at why someone would want to talk to me like that. I wanted to do math, at least I thought I wanted to do math.

“Oh don’t mind him,” said Rebecca. “He is an engineer. I think maybe he regrets not going into the theater.”

Then she put a friendly arm around me. Her right breast was resting on my shoulder and I was given an amazing glimpse of her cleavage from about 6 inches.

It was hard to look away but I realized that I didn’t want to upset her because this lady obviously wanted to be my friend, and I really wanted to be her friend. Who wouldn’t?

“So what are you doing later?” she asked.

“I thought all of the students would be going to the orientation dance at in the Eisenhower Hall.”

“Well you can of course if you want to but I don’t think you will get much from it. Before 9pm nothing much happens then later when the music starts its all dance music for the kids. You don’t strike me as that kind of person, and there is no alcohol.”

“Well I am only 19 and shouldn’t be drinking anyway.”

“Well I am 23,” said Rebecca, “and when I need a glass of wine I am going to have one. I am helping out at the Coffee Hutch from 7 till 9 and then I am going to stay around and listen to a couple of people who said they would play a couple of songs for us, so we could see how good they are. Why don’t you bring your guitar down, we are only just down the road.”

“I will think about it,” I said. I had already made my mind up that I wouldn’t miss it for the world, but I didn’t want to tell her that.

“I will see what the other girl’s at my apartment are doing. I do have some other stuff to catch up on.”

I was hoping the girl’s can give me some make-up advice.

“Think of me,” she said. “Waiting on my own for someone to come cheer me up.”

“Don’t you dare try to make me feel sorry for you,” I said as looked into her eyes and gave her a knowing look.

“You are the one person I have met since I got here I am sure will never be left on her own.” The top of her thigh was resting against my hip and her presence continued to electrify me.

“But I am not always surrounded by the right kind of person,” she said.

“So what makes you think I am the right kind of person?”

“Well if you come to see me tonight we might find out?”

‘Jesus’ I thought to myself. How the hell do I think I could possibly handle a woman like her? She was giving me so many signals I thought they must be unmistakable.

She took her arm from around me and placed both hands on the table looking at Anders. He looked over at her and looked her straight in the cleavage before looking at her eyes.

“You are coming over tonight Anders right?”

“Of course I am darling,” he said. “Nineish.”

“For sure,” she said, then she guided me away from that table and down the line of student organization tables.

Ahead of us I could see Lawrence and Vic hovering near the music club table. Their eyes kind of lit up when they saw us. They both had a very good look at Rebecca.

“Leslie, are you going to join the music society?” asked Lawrence as he and Vic waited for my answer.

“What do they do?” I asked.

“Well first,” said Vic, “they get the use of the music room to play and practice two nights a week through the school year. Tuesdays and Sundays.”

“Starting tomorrow?” I asked.

“No starting this Sunday. Some years they do performances for the students but last year there were not enough students interested. This year they have more people interested. Just put your name down and we will keep you informed.”

“Are you two in math with Leslie,” asked Rebecca.

“I am sorry Rebecca,” I said. “This is Lawrence and this is Vic, they will be in my class.” They shook hands. As she was wearing pumps Rebecca was a little taller than Lawrence but not as tall as Vic. They both seemed really pleased to meet her.

“Are you an old friend of Leslie’s?” asked Vic.

“No actually we just met today,” she said, “but I can tell we are going to be good friends.”

The absurdity of these situations continued to confound me. Here am I, a 19 year old runt of a man, in a dress and make-up, listening to this 23 year old goddess of a woman tell these two attractive young men that she and I were going to be good friends. One part of me felt totally at home here and another part felt totally out of place.

“Well we hope to see you around. Are you going to the orientation dance tonight?”

“Now way,” she said shaking her head. “I was just trying to persuade Leslie to come down to the Coffee Hutch where I work, so she can play a couple of songs for me.”

“Sounds great,” said Lawrence. “Me and Vic here would be more than pleased to be wherever you and Leslie are going.”

“You flatter us with you politeness,” said Rebecca as she reached over and touched Lawrence’s arm for an instant. I could see he was temporarily disabled by her as his mouth opened and he couldn’t speak for an instant.

“Where is it and what time?” said Vic. She told them, and then we excused ourselves and looked to find Connie and Caroline.

We found them at the ski club desk talking to some tall good looking young guys about going skiing in the winter.

We explained or plan for the evening with them and invited them to the Coffee Hutch, then we all made our separate ways out Connie and Caroline going east from the main entrance and Rebecca and I going south towards the Coffee Hutch and our road.

Light up my life, so blind I can't see
Light up my life, no one can help me now

Who’s that girl?
Maddona

I’m gonna find my baby, before the sun goes down.
Moby
Sampled from "Joe Lee's Rock" by Boy Blue.

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Comments

With each chapter, I'm

With each chapter, I'm getting pulled deeper into the story. Very enjoyable!

_Bev_

Who’s that girl? It's

bad boy To good girl Leslie who is finding her way in life.

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

Yes very, very good...and now good music too.

I loved the character interactions and like before Leslie is very honest in who she is, yes she's still not telling people about her being a "Boy" but other than that she is very straightforward and actually charming.

Stand up girl she is I can't see her not coming clean eventually though...especially to herself.

An Excellent Read:)
*Great Big Hugs*

Bailey Summers

Wonderful story

loved how Leslie handled the boys, though obviously not quite the way she wanted. got help from two new sisters. The interaction with Rebecca so compelling, the relationship between them had the 4 of us a little hot and bothered. Still lots of fun.

Only bad part is I had to explain so much to my Daughters as they have not had a chance to see the earlier chapters Though they really like it as a nice way to wake up during breakfast

Goddess Bless you

Love Desiree

she may

present as confident, but she is definitely going to need her girls to guide her.
great chapter, thanks