Corbin: The College Years, part 9
By Corbin, nex_xus@hotmail.com
The trials and tribulations of an athletic young woman.
I came across my favorite quote
today…I don’t recall where I first saw it, but I love it:
“Far better
it is, to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered
by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor
suffer much, because they live in that great twilight that knows neither
victory or defeat.
-Teddy
Roosevelt”
That’s
it…no venting today :)
Okay…where
the hell was I?...
Part 9
(but who’s really counting)
Putting
things on better terms with
Steve,
the recipient of Corbin’s elbow had only seen Corbin once in the week that
followed, at that was at a distance. Initially he was infuriated, but that
lasted for maybe another twenty four hours, until an odd sense of respect and
attraction seemed to take hold of him as he actually admired her strong sense
of ‘self’. He knew of so few girls that had such guts to punch, or in this case
‘elbow’ another person and it definitely made Corbin stand out. The blonde
seemed unapproachable now and for Steve, as well as most other guys, that
unattainable quality was what ‘the chase’ was all about.
It took
some time for Corbin to notice, but that one incident on such a big campus did
spread and in some small pockets, the truth became manipulated. To the chagrin
of a great many of girl’s on campus, the male classmates now spoke of Corbin in
the highest regards as if they admired her. It seemed to totally dumbfound many
of the women that Corbin was suddenly elevated to this sexy Amazon status when
all of the men present had initially riled against the blonde’s violent
actions. Regardless, many of the women could care less who Corbin was,
athletically or academically or what she had done, she was now stealing allot
of their thunder. But not all the girl’s aligned themselves against Corbin, she
had friends on the Gymnastic and Soccer team that, and while they teased her to
some extent, many of them showed support. This support became especially
helpful when Corbin began to notice snide comments being made just within
ear-shot when she was in class, the library, or just walking down the sidewalk.
Corbin
wasn’t one to hang out in large clicks of girl-friends or guy-friends, even
when she was invited by her team mates to ‘hang out’, she often declined. But
living on Campus did afford Corbin the luxury of exploring the School layout at
whim and she had quickly made it one of her primary goals to thoroughly check
out the workout facility at the School. Corbin had always enjoyed hard physical
athletics, whatever the sport may be, but with so much anxiety over school, her
friendship with Sharon and such, she needed more than ever a release and she
hoped that the weight room just might give her that.
Corbin
swiped her ID card thru the reader and the door to the gym unlocked. It was an impressive
facility indeed and upon hearing the clanging of metal she immediately followed
the noise. Coming around the corner she was confronted by a large workout room,
filled with free weights and other machines, the likes her private high school
never had. The group of guys and a very few girls seemed to pause and stare in
her direction as she looked wide eyed at everything in the room. Corbin in fact
stuck out like the proverbial ‘sore thumb’, and why not, at almost 5’ 11’’ and
strikingly long blond hair she was beautiful and carried a strong physique that
demanded inspection. One guy walked past her from the water fountain, “Hello”
he said casually and attempted to engage her stare, “Hi” Corbin said, barely
above a whisper as her eyes stayed more distracted to the lavish amount of
equipment that was available. Needless to say, she was intrigued, ‘I’d like to
give that a try’ she smiled to herself as she strolled back to her dorm room.
But, scheduling her time to privacy in the weight room was not that easy,
seemed that other people kept ‘odd’ hours just as she did.
Meanwhile,
Sharon continued to take to school life like a bird to the air, she was
successfully pledging her Sorority and was now on the Duke Cheerleading Squad.
While Sharon appreciated Corbin's support, she also knew that Corbin thought
sororities and fraternities were stupid and childish, although she wouldn't
openly say it, so as not to hurt Sharon's feelings. The closest Corbin came to
admitting her true feelings about everything was when Sharon invited Corbin to
a mixer at one of the Fraternities, to which Corbin just sneered that ‘I hate
being around those guys. They seem to act stupid and childish all the time with
one purpose and that’s to get drunk and laid’.
“Okay, tell
me how you really feel” Sharon countered, “And not all of the guys act that
way”. ‘I know I know, maybe I have unrealistic standards’ Corbin would just
sigh, but Sharon didn’t push the issue any further.
Because
part of her scholarship was Athletic, Corbin had to finagle the appropriate
approval and prove she could compete at a competent level on the soccer team to
which she finally assigned a backup goalie position.
And while
Corbin met people on campus with some regularity, she hadn’t the inclination to
invest into any real time in a friendship, which was not earning her any points
with people. Sharon, being Corbin’s ‘main’ and seemingly only real friend on
campus became inundated with question about Corbin to which Sharon did her best
to deflect questions about ‘Why Corbin acted so stuck up’, to which Sharon
would half-heatedly reply, ‘No, she’s just takes a while to get adjusted’, all
the while Sharon would privately wish that Corbin would ‘hurry the hell up and
get adjusted already!’.
It was
right about this time that Corbin came to know Nikki on the girl’s Soccer Team,
the first thing Corbin could remember was how stunning the girl was; a black
haired beauty, lean with fair complexion. She had these big dark eyes, like two
black opals that were calm yet so direct that Corbin felt like she didn’t have
a private thought around her. Nikki was also smart and was one of the first
girls who didn’t look at her in some judgmental manner. She wasn’t into weight
lifting, but was ‘Sporty’ as Nikki liked to call herself, but still visited the
University gym frequently. The budding friendship would be the setup for a
series of pit-falls in Corbin’s friendship with Sharon as Nikki was becoming a
substitute best-friend for the blonde while Sharon became more and more
involved in her social activities.
In the
meantime, Corbin handled her stress level by working her ass off academically
and more importantly athletically. Corbin made immediate progress in the weight
room, something she had never really pursued heavily in High School and both
Corbin and Nikki were amazed at how Corbin’s body responded to weight lifting.
But with every up, comes a corresponding down, and much to the dismay of the
other women who entered the gym, every guy that would walk by made a positive
comment on Corbin’s progress while the glares of resentment continued to grow
from the other women.
“It’s
getting old, all the comments that guys make” Corbin sighed quietly.
“They’re
being nice” Nikki responded while helping Corbin stretch out her back.
“There
just hitting on me” Corbin said.
“Is that
so bad? They’re not being rude” Nikki smiled as she helped Corbin lay on her
back and push up on her leg, until her knee was almost touching her breast.
Although Corbin was decked out in her long sweat pants, having Nikki help with
her stretching always seemed to attract a number of lingering stares from every
guy in the gym. Looking up from the floor, Corbin tilted her head around her
calf to find Nikki’s face staring down at her, “They’re not being rude? That is
so much bull, guys think with one thing only in mind…” and her eyes looked
around the room discreetly, “…Sex” Corbin mumbled, “And only sex”.
Nikki
just smiled, “Okay” she sighed. She was smiling because she suspected that
Corbin’s complaining wasn’t so much genuine resentment against guys, but
another issue that she was only now starting to put the pieces together on.
~~~~~~~
Corbin
wasn’t big on talking and made her whole life revolve around several hours a
day of training and studying, but Sharon meanwhile was on a mission to set
Corbin up on a date…a double date to be exact and as she headed back to their
dorm room she was determined to make Corbin agree.
Sharon
breezed into her room and just froze like a statue;
“Who the
hell are you? And what are you doing in my room? What are you doing sitting at
Corbin’s desk?” Sharon said to the girl sitting down, who looked tired, dirty
and sweaty. She was wearing the school soccer uniform and even under all the
dirt, she was beautiful with her straight black hair pulled into a pony tail.
The girl rose quietly with a disconcerting smile on her face and outstretched
her hand to greet Sharon; “I’m Nikki, a friend of Corbin’s from the soccer
team, you must be Sharon”. Nikki watched the stunningly beautiful brunette
apprehensively take her hand and shake it gingerly while she felt the
brunette’s strikingly blue eyes roam her body in judgment.
“Oh, well
yes, I am Sharon, Corbin’s roommate. Can I help you?” Sharon withdrew her hand
as if she feared the dirt might jump off Nikki’s forearm and onto her body.
“Corbin
just got out of the shower and then we were going to head over to my apartment
so I could clean up and then head out” Nikki said with a soft smile.
Sharon’s heart
plunged like a breakaway elevator, heading down….way down….the awkward silence,
primarily the way Sharon just stood staring and Nikki or thru her more
accurately was finally broken when Corbin stepped out of the bathroom, her hair
wet but looking radiant as billows of steam and perfume filled the room.
Sharon’s eyes grew wider as she saw the bruises along Corbin’s legs and arms,
“What in the hell!” Sharon stepped in to look closer.
“I know,”
Corbin sighed, “but goes with the territory”.
“Territory
nothing,” Sharon squatted down and gently ran a finger over Corbin’s bruised
legs, “Are you okay?” She said in her overprotective manner she had developed
with Corbin. Corbin noticed the look of puzzlement on Nikki’s face, which was
true, Nikki was amazed at the way Sharon was fawning all over Corbin’s ‘minor’
bruising.
“Sharon’s
very concerned” Corbin shrugged with a smile and looked over at Nikki. Suddenly
Sharon stood up, “Yes I am, and what’s all this junk about you going out
tonight? I need to speak with you about something!” Sharon said in a very tense
but demanding manner.
“About
what?” Corbin said and reached over to pull a brush off the nightstand, running
it thru her blonde hair.
“About
that double date we’re going on tomorrow night” Sharon said emphatically, to
which Corbin’s hand froze and her light hearted expression turned serious.
“What are
you talking about?” Corbin said, arm still frozen in the air, brush still in
hand.
“That’s
what we need to talk about” Sharon said placing her hands on her hips.
Firmly,
Corbin pulled the brush from her hair and placed it back down on the dresser,
“No”
“Why?”
Said Sharon with a hint of irritation, “You haven’t even heard me out!”
“I’m not
going on a blind date, that’s why, you know I don’t like surprises” Corbin
replied. Nikki watched Corbin become a little flustered which surprised her
since she had never seen Corbin get so on-edge so quickly.
“Do you
trust my judgment?” Sharon asked with a smile while innocently tilting her head
to the right.
“That’s
not a fair question” Corbin sighed, “Look, we’ll talk about it later, okay? But
I’m really not in favor of going on a blind date” Corbin walked over to her
desk and grabbed her keys and purse.
“Okay, it’s
not really a blind date, I know the guy and we are going to meet them at the
Pub down the street, it will be very casual, so let’s just eliminate the word
‘Date’!” Sharon protested.
“Do I
know this guy?” Corbin spun around.
“Not
directly…”
“Then it’s
a blind date” Corbin picked up the brush again and whipped it thru her long
blonde hair casually, which was starting to piss Sharon off the way her friend
was casually treating her.
“…but he
knows you…or he’s seen you around…and like I said…” Sharon countered in a
heated tone.
“What do
you mean he knows me!” Corbin looked suspiciously at Sharon.
“He’s
seen YOU with me on a few occasions so…” Sharon tried to quickly collect her
thoughts. “Look, we do need to talk about this, so why are you heading out right
now?” Sharon huffed.
“Sharon,”
Corbin paused in frustration and placed the brush down on the chest carefully.
Sensing
maybe now would be a good time to leave, Nikki spoke up, “We can do this some
other time Corbin” Nikki said in the most unassuming manner possible.
“No”…”Yes” Corbin and Sharon both spoke at the same
time, making it impossible for Nikki to know who said what, but Corbin quickly
and firmly put an end to the issue, “NO, we are still going Nikki” Corbin said
and then looked back at Sharon, “It’s late Thursday Afternoon Sharon and you
come waltzing in here, when I have barely been able to catch up with you for
the past three days, and now you want to talk about making plans. But I’ve
already made plans this evening….”
“BUT”
Sharon tried to interrupt.
“No
BUTS!” Corbin stepped in and gently grabbed Sharon’s right arm, “Look, we’ll
talk in the morning okay? Please. And, I’ll see what I can do about tomorrow
night. I just wish I had more warning that’s all” Corbin looked dead on into
Sharon’s eyes for some understanding. Sharon relaxed her posture a little and
rolled her eyes, “Fine” She sighed.
“What are
your plans for tonight?” Corbin asked, her hand still gently tugging on
Sharon’s right elbow, hoping that maybe she would be able to join her and
Nikki.
“Oh I
can’t, I have this pledge meeting I need to attend” Sharon sighed again and
then felt Corbin lean in to give her a hug, which Sharon firmly returned.
“You
coming back here tonight?” Corbin asked as she pulled away.
“Yeah”
Sharon nodded.
“Okay,
see you later tonight” Corbin smiled and stepped around Sharon to reach for the
door. Nikki awkwardly smiled as she stepped around Sharon and said, “It was
nice meeting you”.
“Yeah,
nice to meet you too” Sharon said, but in a somewhat distracted tone. She
remained rooted to the spot as she ran her fingernails over her chin, thinking
about her plans for tonight and tomorrow night, and how she suddenly missed
Corbin’s company. A twinge of jealous irritation moved over her as she thought
about Corbin’s new friend…’I wonder how good a friends they are?’ Sharon
thought to herself, and then in typical snap judgment Sharon came to a
conclusion;
“I do not
like her” She thought with sinister calculation.
“How long
have you and Sharon known each other?” Nikki had to ask.
“Couple
of years” Corbin’s reply came out sounding automatic, as if her mind was
elsewhere, quickly she returned to the present and looked over at Nikki as they
climbed into Nikki’s car.
“That’s
right, you did mention that” Nikki spoke out load as she started the car.
“Why do
you ask?” Corbin sat looking and staring at the black haired girl.
“Because,
back in your room, for a few moments you two had the familiarity with one
another that you find in friends that it takes years to develop” Nikki replied.
“You mean
like an Old-Married-Couple?” Corbin smirked with amusement to which Nikki
chuckled a little while adjusting her rearview mirror.
“No, not
at all. Well, not quite, but close enough” She said.
Corbin
had started to enjoy Nikki’s company immensely as she enjoyed simply hanging
out and Nikki had a sense of responsibility to her academic studies like
Corbin. Before Corbin even knew it, she had found herself in what felt like the
beginning of a genuine, sincere friendship.
“Those
guys over at the bar and that table over there have been staring at us” Nikki
said as she they sat out on the now enclosed balcony of one of their favorite
restaurants. Corbin’s head jerked to the left and scanned the room,
“Don’t
look!” Nikki giggled.
“Oh
sorry” Corbin slumped in her chair and blushed red with a smile. She waved her
left hand in the air as if shooing a fly, “I’m such a klutz” and reached for
her glass of red wine, taking a hurried sip.
“No,
your just indiscrete when it comes to certain social graces” Nikki said with a
smile but Corbin knew she didn’t mean it to be condescending or insulting. In
fact, Nikki seemed to be ‘the’ authority on manners, etiquette, and moved with
effortless grace. More so then even Sharon, but then Sharon seemed to be a bit
more pampered and feminine in her mannerisms.
“What?”
Corbin gawked at Nikki as she noticed the raven-haired beauty was staring at
her with this odd smile.
“One
of those guys is coming over to our table” Nikki raised her left eyebrow with
such description that had Corbin not been staring right into her disarmingly
dark eyes, she would not of picked up on it.
“Damn”
Corbin mumbled and looked down at her lap. She was just hoping for some time
alone with her friend.
“Hello
ladies” the guy said, “My name is John and wanted to invite you two to come
over and have drinks on us”.
“Hello
John, my name is Nicole and this is my dear friend Corbin” Nikki extended her
left hand out over the table towards her blonde friend as if introducing someone
important.
“I’ve
heard of you! You the girl that belted that guy at the party?” He chuckled
trying to be lighthearted. However, Corbin simply frowned and rolled her eyes.
“Yeah”
Corbin sighed and reached for her drink.
“You
know John, that’s an awfully nice invitation but we’ve ordered and would like
to eat first. Then we’ll stop by and chat” Nikki smiled and John, like most men
when in the presence of two beautiful women, his brain had ‘checked out’. He
hesitated for a second and then smiled at his stumble, “Yeah, sure that would
be great, enjoy your dinner” and took a step back casting several looks back as
he walked away.
“Oh,
he likes you” Nikki discreetly pointed her finger in Corbin’s direction.
“How
could you tell, I never made eye contact with him” Corbin sighed.
“Well,
as he walked away he definitely was checking you out” and Nikki smiled at
Corbin’s bashfulness as she turned her head away and adjusted her hair. The
black haired girl sat quietly and studied Corbin’s mannerisms and reaction to
it all, “You’re gorgeous Corbin and you don’t even know the effect you have
over men and…” Nikki hesitated “…women” but felt a wave of after shock upon
hearing herself make such a bold statement and awaited the blonde’s reaction,
if there was to be one. Soon it became evident that Corbin had heard her as she
remained looking away and tilted her chin further down, she almost looked like
she was falling asleep.
“I’m
sorry, such talk makes you extremely uncomfortable, I could see that the first
time we met” Nikki sipped on her wine.
Corbin
folded her napkin a few times in nervous gesture and shrugged, still looking
down at her lap. “I don’t know why, I’m just very uncomfortable with being
viewed as a…sexual object by men”.
Corbin’s
whole body jumped a little bit when she felt Nikki’s foot touch her on the
calf. Nikki smiled; she just wanted to get her friend’s attention.
“Corbin,
its okay, just be yourself around me. We don’t have to talk to those guys” and
immediately a sense of relief seemed to come over the blonde as relaxed smile
crossed her face.
”Thanks Nic, I get so stressed out…I’m terrible at making small talk” and
Corbin perked up when the waiter came over with their meals. “So, uhm, which
one was looking at me?” Corbin meekly asked and glanced over to where the guys
were gathered, playing darts and drinking beer.
Nikki
let go with a quick burst of laughter at how Corbin was now showing signs of
interest in the group of guys. By now, a few other girls had joined the guys in
their round of dart playing, a couple cut unwelcome eyes in Nikki and Corbin’s
direction.
“You
and Sharon are allot alike,” Corbin said.
“Like
how?” Nikki shot back, surprised by Corbin’s statement.
“Both
of you have this confidence…I mean you just seem to radiate confidence around
people…especially strangers…like just now” Corbin gave a quick glance to those
guys.
“I
would say that is were the similarities end” Nikki commented.
“True,
very true” Corbin admitted.
“I
think the hardest part for you is just accepting yourself, to stop trying to
overcome your bashfulness like it’s something bad…like some flaw in your
personality. It’s actually one of the best traits about you Corbin, it’s part
of your strength and when you embrace that as a welcome characteristic then
eventually everything else will start to fall into place and feel comfortable”.
Nikki
looked up from her grilled chicken salad and her she saw Corbin quickly wipe
something off her cheek and heart plunged as she watched more closely, noticing
that it was a tear.
“Corbin,
I’m sorry…look at me” Nikki insisted becoming distraught over what she had just
said.
“No,
its okay…I’m not upset because of what you said…” Corbin looked up and actually
seemed to smile a little, “…please believe me…” but Nikki seemed to need
further convincing.
She
watched Corbin pause mid sentence and how the blonde’s left hand reached up,
crumpling her napkin into a waded ball as her forearm muscles flexed. Nikki was
shortly distracted as she remembered how strong Corbin was but snapped out of
the daze.
“If
you only knew how good it made me feel to hear you say that, no one, except
maybe my mom has ever encouraged me to be content with that part of myself” and
Corbin’s jaw and fist flexed with greater effort, as if her mood had switched
more to being angry, Nikki could see it in the intensity in Corbin’s eyes.
Corbin didn’t jump this time, but a shiver went up her spine as Nikki stroked
the back of Corbin’s bare calf, exposed by her knee length skirt. It was an
attempt to sooth her friend and it seemed to be working. It struck Nikki that
Corbin had allot of bottled up emotions…”Mmmmmm…” Nikki sighed.
“What?”
Corbin asked, feeling better as Nikki gently brushed her leg, it didn’t feel
awkward or sexual at all, but soothing…calming…what Nikki was doing.
“I’d
hate to get on your bad side Corbin”
“Puuhhhhlleease”
Corbin groaned, “I’m a pussycat…harmless” she blushed.
“I
can’t believe that Sharon has never consoled you like this before” Nikki’s
curiosity got the better of her.
“Oh
she has, but just to try and get me to be more outgoing, but that’s Sharon you
know, she is very driven by ‘things’ that SHE wants” Corbin said as she ate
dinner. Nikki took careful note of how Corbin said that and noticed a lack of
resentment, almost acceptance in how Sharon was, but Nikki was not so
agreeable, she found Sharon to be troubling in how she treated Corbin…on a much
more psychological level that Nikki wouldn’t try and tackle right now. For now,
Nikki dropped the subject and engaged in lighter conversation.
“You
ready?” Nikki looked up as they split the tip.
“Yep…oh,
what about?” Corbin’s eyes darted to where the guys were still hanging about.
“That’s
up to you” Nikki paused as she was about to stand.
“I
guess” Corbin nervously said as her heart fluttered, but her friend just gave
her a worry free smile. Taking a deep breath Corbin collected her purse and
turned, Nikki was already a couple of steps ahead.
They’re
eyes collectively turned as heads and bodies all followed to watch the two
women approach. John didn’t really think they would come over and now found
himself scrambling to think of ‘cool, interesting’ things to say. The other
half dozen guys had started jostling for position, all but forgetting about
their current female company, something that sparked outrage in at least two of
the girls present.
The
tall black and blond haired women slowed down as they got within a few feet,
Nikki smiled and recognized a few of the guys.
“Hey
Nikki” a couple of them spoke up.
“Hey
Rob…Dave” She smiled, “this is my friend Corbin”. Corbin simply raised her
right arm and gave a little wave.
“Why
don’t you join us?” John quickly interjected and scurried about collecting some
extra chairs. Nikki gave Corbin a quick look and was pleasantly surprised to
see Corbin shrug with a smile, a sign it was okay to stay. Already Corbin was
inundated with at least three men who were all trying to engage her in
conversation, quite honestly it was exhausting for Corbin to try and keep up
with them all, and before she knew it a glass of beer was next to her.
Uncharacteristically she took the offered drink, thinking she needed the
alcohol to unwind.
“Careful,
the brute might sock you if you get too close” A girl’s voice rose up from
behind several of the guys causing an uncomfortable moment.
“What?
Was that directed at me?” Corbin stood up nervously and looked around the space
they occupied in the corner of the bar.
“Duh!”
A girl said and slipped thru two of the guys, making a goofy dumb expression at
Corbin, meant obviously to mock her. It was Tiffany, and she was pissed at
having these two girls show up and basically manipulate every guy’s attention
away from her and her friends.
“Put
a cork in it” One guy said in reference to Tiffany’s insult.
“You
put a cork in it, what do you guys see in this muscle head jock anyway” The
brunette scowled at Corbin.
Corbin
took a step forward but Nikki’s left hand gripped Corbin’s right wrist with a
gentle squeeze and Corbin stopped, checking her state of mind, realizing that
she was about to deck the girl. It dismayed her that she was about to loose
control so quickly and why did she want to immediately lash out? ‘Get a grip’
Corbin told herself.
“Come
‘on, what are you waiting for…do we need to step outside?” Tiffany spat,
looking Corbin up and down with the best disdain and disgust she could muster.
Tiffany wasn’t so sure about her actions, but she didn’t like playing second
fiddle to anyone, sure Corbin was taller and stronger then her and Tiffany’s
heart was pounding out of control in her chest, but she was determined to make
a stand. In her mind, she had her own pride to look out for even if it meant
getting the crap beat out of her, and then again, maybe she could take the
blonde. Just maybe Corbin’s reputation, earned all out of one solitary
incident, was mostly talk, ‘mostly’ Tiffany hoped.
Corbin
swallowed hard and looked away as Nikki gripped her right hand that was down
between they’re bodies. Corbin decided to remain standing, she had swallowed
her pride some but felt that it would look ‘cowardly’ to sit down, at least in
her own mind it did. Yet the brunette seemed to be intent on doing just that,
calling into question Corbin’s courage. Worse still, most of the guys were
facially showing some disheartening looks that Corbin wasn’t ‘stepping up’.
Everyone’s excitement over a ‘girl fight’ apparently was not going to
happen. Corbin had become too tongue
tied to think of some snappy comeback and hoped somebody would shut the girl
up.
“Tiffany,
what the hell is your problem? You’re just being bitchy” John gripped. That was
all the distraction that Corbin needed, apparently Tiffany turned her venom on
John next with his criticism as the two argued, but that died down too as
Tiffany’s friends managed to calm her down. Corbin nursed her drink a little
and actually accepted another drink, even relaxing enough to play a round of
darts. Simply put, Corbin decided to keep her distance from the other girl’s, but
it suddenly it seemed that she went from fending off the hostility of other
girl’s to fending off the sexual advances of the guys who began probing her
personal life.
“Uhm,
no” She said to Ryan’s question and that was the biggest mistake she could have
made.
‘Are
you seeing anyone?’ that was his question, simple enough but her honesty opened
the floodgates to invitations and requests for her phone number.
“Well…uhm…you
know, I don’t know, my roommate and all really doesn’t like allot of calls...”
Corbin just started to babble now, she tried fending off questions for her
number but as the night wore on her defenses began to wane and the alcohol was
causing her to stumble over her words. Watching another group play darts, she
stood leaning up against a waist high wooden bar, that allowed patrons to rest
their drinks.
“Would
you like to go somewhere, get some coffee and talk?” His voice came from her
left and Corbin glanced over, thru glassy eyes she studied Ryan’s attractive
face.
“What
time is it?” She slurred her words.
“About
midnight” He faintly smiled.
“Oh shit
that’s way past my bedtime”.
“Seriously?”
He asked and leaned in closer and suddenly Corbin realized just how close he
was. With his body facing the bar so his left side rubbed up against her left
shoulder as she was standing, facing away from the bar.
‘Good
grief’ Corbin privately thought as she started to realize that her heart was
beating fast. This was the first guy she had ever come close to kissing since
she and her friend Kevin kissed in High School. Corbin’s fear of intimacy with
guys led allot of people to think she might be a lesbian, but rumors of her
making out with Kevin quickly squashed those rumors.
“Don’t
answer that, I know your serious, sorry” Ryan sighed. Corbin shivered as his
warm breath crossed the short divide and caressed her outer ear. ‘He must be
really close’ Corbin thought for her to feel his breath against her skin. As
for Ryan, his heart was thrashing and he was trying to keep his composure, most
importantly he just prayed that nobody would interrupt them as he seemed on the
verge of making some connection with Corbin. Corbin was one of the most
beautiful women he had ever seen and it blew his mind that she could be showing
something in return, ‘Hell, even if it’s the alcohol talking, I don’t give a
shit’.
Corbin
smiled and felt their shoulders brush and just about gasped as she turned her
head to the right, her eyes closed as she could feel the warmth of his cheek
next to hers. Soon, the music and crowds seemed to be fading…further away
now…’I want to kiss him…I think…I think I do…’ she wondered to herself.
“There’s
Dale, let’s go chat him up” came Tiffany’s voice and it totally disrupted
Corbin’s mood as she looked up, blinking her eyes. It was total coincidence
that Tiffany was walking past where Corbin stood, but it caught the blonde a
bit off guard. Her eyes followed Tiffany and her two friends as they made a
straight line to where a few guys from the football team had just entered the
bar.
“What’s the
fuss?” Corbin sighed. Ryan, dismayed that the spell was broken hesitantly
answered; “Oh, that’s Dale, the new ‘star’ quarterback for the team. He’s a big
deal now, it’s been all over the news about his stats and going pro in a couple
of years”.
Corbin
squinted, trying to clear the alcoholic haze from her eyes and mind, the smoke
and late hour had also taken a toll. ‘Wow’ Corbin thought to herself, Dale was
very handsome…tall, looking very well built under his clothes and well dressed.
Corbin just smirked at how allot of the girl’s were throwing themselves at him,
she looked down at her almost empty glass and now understood why she didn’t
like this whole social scene, ‘much too complex’. Corbin looked up and felt an
awkwardness, was he looking at her…thru her…some next to her. In the most
discreet manger possible, Corbin looked around but she and Ryan were the only
ones in the vicinity of Dale’s stare. Over and over, his gaze kept returning to
Corbin, trying to engage her.
‘I’ve had
about enough of this’ Corbin sighed to herself and set the beer down. “Thanks
Ryan” Corbin suddenly turned to her left and gave him a hug, something that was
more promoted by her buzz then anything else. He gave her a kiss on the cheek
but was hoping for more, Corbin however wasn’t in the mood anymore. She took
kissing on the lips very serious, not a casual thing at all.
“Nikki…can
we?...” Corbin asked as she walked up behind her friend, her head nodding
towards the exit.
“Sure”
Nikki smiled and said her goodbyes as they left.
“Who the
hell is that?” Dale turned to a couple of his friends, but they didn’t know,
although they immediately understood his interest when he pointed her out.
‘Damn it!’ Dale fumed, he had just lost sight of her and stood on his toes
trying to look for her blonde head, she definitely stood out.
“What’s
wrong?” Tiffany pouted at Dale’s distraction.
“Who’s
the blonde?” He asked absentmindedly forgetting his manners.
“What!”
Tiffany’s mouth dropped to the proverbial floor in shock.
“Nothing”
He muttered and turned around, but Tiffany was raging inside because she
suspected he was asking about Corbin and she wasn’t going to tell him a damn
thing about that bitch, she wanted Dale all to herself.
“You
okay?” Nikki asked guiding Corbin by one of her arms as they walked to Nikki’s
car.
“Yep, I
think so” Corbin giggled as she tried to walk a straight line.