College Years, part 30 By Corbin, corbin@poetic.com "An active mind cannot exist in an inactive body." -General George Patton Pre-Story Introduction/Ranting/Venting/Observations... Yeah, yeah...I know, Part 29 (College) wasn't the proudest moment in my life. Some have even expressed shock and dismay over my behavior...OH PLEASE!...PLEASE! If that's the worst thing I ever do (and it was/is) then I'm in good shape...I think? :) Now had I stripped down to my birthday suite and jumped in that pool, or made out with someone...well that would be shocking (not to mention whorish, sluttish, and trashy). ~~~~~~~~ I stopped listening to the Radio about a year ago, I knew that Radio was dead when I was driving one day and left the auto-scan on for about half an hour. After that, if I don't have a CD with me then I just drive and enjoy the silence...windows down usually. Unless it's bitter cold. Even if it's hot outside I keep the windows down; I once drove about two hours up to Virginia Beach to see relatives last summer and drove the whole way, windows down, music cranked up (90 degrees with almost 80% humidity). I had a towel laid down in my seat cause I knew by the time I arrived I would be soaked with sweat and I was...it was shower time when I walked in the door. I am not some nature freak, nor have some romantic-idealistic view of being one with nature, I just like being outdoors, really that simple (oh and the wind in my hair, yeah I know that sounds a little corny but its true). 30 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 fucking 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." Shelton 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, 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 still my boyfriend...well sort of, and things were strained at this point. "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. Although we were 'taking a break' Dale was still very possessive of me and I guess I felt the same of him...but things were going to come to a blowout soon, I could tell...but I wasn't up to talking about it now. "Jesus Corbin, what did I do that was so wrong...what went wrong?" He sighed and just lost it, I mean really lost it, he covered his face with his hands to cover up his crying. Well, that really rattled me, to see him so vulnerable and sad and never had I seen him openly sob like this. "Oh baby" 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. He sat up slowly, "Sorry for that..." he moaned, "...for unloading like that." "Oh Dale, its okay" I sighed and reached up to stroke his cheek. I was having a hard time putting on my best face cause I had a bad hangover. "I think seeing Shelton over here was the final straw..." 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 Dale you know I would never cheat on you." I said that little speech to make him feel better, I think my track record speaks for itself you know, and he knew what kind of person I was. But then he dropped a bomb on me; "And Nikki?" He said, his face suddenly grave and serious. I just froze, lying in bed looking up into his face as my right hand seemed to move on it's on, finding my face as my fingers slowly rubbed my aching head and eyes. "So it's not a rumor?" He asked. I pulled my hand from my face and let it flop down on the bed, "No it's not a rumor, but that's done, over...it was just a..." "Experimental phase? Lipstick lesbian thing?" He snapped, not loudly, but there was a tone in his voice now. "What? NO! Nikki and I...we just...I...we just kissed a few times....there were no games..." I knew I was rambling but tried to collect something that was coherent. "While we were dating? Did you have sex with her!" Dale's voice raised some. 'Again with the sex thing!' I thought and I knew where this was going, if I had sex with Nikki...why not him. "Dale, I just said...ONLY kissing! NO! No sex with Nikki." I said, but kept my voice low because that is what my aching head appreciated :) "Are you bisexual Corbin?" He then asked. Great now the questions were going to start flying. "Dale, I don't want to get into this now, this conversation is OVER." I growled and sat up and started heading to the bathroom for some water and an aspirin. And then, there was silence, when I returned he was standing in the middle of the room, arms folded across his chest, head down as if thinking. "I'll let it drop." He sighed and finally looked up at me, he was looking rather exhausted. The door to the room burst open and Sharon comes blazing in, barely acknowledging Dale walking right up to me. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND!" Sharon snaps, throwing her purse down on her bed. "What the hell are you talking about?" I groan as I shuffle back to my bed. "I get back in town and hear you went to that party last night, got your ass plastered...making a total ass of yourself in front of everyone...getting sick....and I won't repeat what else I heard!" Sharon snapped. "Yeah Corbin, that's the other thing we need to talk about, that wasn't very smart" 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. Yes I had an accident on myself, but it was an accident." I even smiled a little because I knew the response I was about to get. "YOU WHAT!" Dale snapped. "SO IT'S TRUE! That's foul Corbin!" Sharon fumed, "What's wrong with you, that's what bathrooms are for." "I WAS SICK!...SICK YOU IDIOTS! I could barely walk, form a coherent sentence...so the nearest bush was going to have to do...it was an accident! I had to pee!" 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, 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. '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.