Only For You Page 6

  “Robbie asked me to lunch today, but since we already had plans, I invited him to join us.”

  “Nice to meet you Robbie,” Hunter shook Robbie’s hand, “and good to see you again, Sam. I’m glad you’re here. I was just asking Everleigh if she felt I was wearing too much blue today. Your opinion would be invaluable.”

  Sam looked him over. “Looks good to me, it compliments your eyes.”

  “Are you sure? Everleigh had some objections. Let me stand up so you can consider the full picture.”

  Hunter rose, stepping back a few paces before slowly spinning around to provide a 360-degree view. I growled loud enough that Sam heard; she glanced in my direction trying to ascertain the source of my angst. Unable to determine the cause of my distress, she turned to offer Hunter the approval he sought, but instead her head whipped back in my direction. She paused taking inventory of me before bending over and ducking her head beneath our table. She returned topside with a look of amusement painted on her face.

  Hunter laughed, loudly.

  “Alright Zoolander,” I said, referencing the over-the-top fictitious model, “you’ve had your fun, sit down and eat.”

  Hunter wiped crocodile tears from his eyes while returning to his seat.

  “Have you two taken to coordinating your outfits in the morning?” Sam got in on the ribbing, “you haven’t made the effort with me since fifth grade, Ev. Are you replacing me?”

  “I fully intend to replace you after this betrayal, but Hunter failed his audition as your understudy,” I seethed.

  “Fantastic. Sam, it appears you now have an opening. I would like to apply, where should I direct my resume? How many references do you require?” Hunter taunted me further.

  “Sorry man, I just got the job. Day late, dollar short,” Robbie chimed in, joining the roast. “Sam, does this mean we have to start dressing identically, too?”

  “Screw you all. I need to find new friends. And you Robbie, I was just starting to like you. You’re on my list now—written in pen.”

  “Sorry Ev, I have to follow the majority, I’m not strong enough to stand on my own against the dominant party.”

  Despite my words to the contrary, I liked what I had seen of Robbie thus far. He didn’t hesitate to join the banter and he was entertaining. He went out of his way to see Sam again before their next scheduled date and adapted to her plans. These were all good signs, Sam was happy and they seem well suited.

  “Not to be a downer, but did you guys hear about the attack last night?” Sam redirected the conversation.

  “No, I haven’t heard anything around campus. What happened?” I asked, concerned another girl had been hurt.

  “I overheard a couple of Beta Gamma Gamma girls talking about it in the bathroom. They said one of their sisters was attacked after their sorority meeting—they were really shaken up. Apparently, she was beaten brutally and…sodomized,” Sam whispered the last word. “When she didn’t come home last night, her roommate called the sorority house to check if she had slept there. A few sisters went to see if her car was in the lot and found her near the trees. She was a mess with rope burns on her wrists and ankles but there was no rope nearby. She’s in the hospital, but when she regained consciousness, she couldn’t identify the attacker. He came from behind her and put something over her head. The only thing he said was “This is what you want, isn’t it?” Sam trailed off, shaken by the recounting.

  I prayed for an easing of the victim’s suffering and that she was surrounded by love and support. I couldn’t imagine how I would go on if I experienced such horror, or worse, if the sadistic bastard harmed someone I cared about. I shuddered at the thought.

  I looked around the table and saw Sam shared my thoughts. Robbie was discernibly unnerved, probably imagining the same as me. Hunter looked incensed. We sat silently until the screech of Hunter’s chair pushing back against the floor tiles ended our rumination.

  “Sorry, I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow, Everleigh. It was good to see you again Sam. Nice meeting you Robbie.”

  “That was abrupt,” Sam said to no one in particular, once Hunter had departed.

  “Tragedy impacts everyone differently. Maybe he knows someone who suffered similarly. Did you notice how angry he was when you told us what happened?”

  It was the first time I had ever defended Hunter instead of assuming the worst of him.

  “I better get going too. I have a ton of reading to catch up on.” Robbie leaned over to give Sam a distracted kiss on the cheek before disappearing with less tension than Hunter, but still troubled.

  “I sure know how to clear a room,” Sam tried to lighten the mood, but it was a lost cause. We were both disturbed by the grim news as we ate our lunch in silence.

  Tuesday morning I awoke before my alarm, feeling rested. I poured my morning caffeine fix and decided to relax in front of the TV before getting ready. I was preparing to change channels when a picture of Hensley flashed on the screen, and morbid curiosity got the better of me, so I didn’t turn it off. The anchorman reported the attack Sam relayed yesterday, including the fact that this was the fifteenth assault in sixteen months and the perpetrator was still at large. Experts were speculating that more attacks might have occurred previously, but gone unreported. The police had no leads, witnesses, or suspects, and victims were unable to identify their attacker. Sources confirmed that sexual assault occurred during the last assault, but police found no DNA evidence. I turned off the television feeling oppressed by my sorrow for those injured at the hands of a deviant.

  When I arrived at Hensley, I purchased coffee and settled on a padded bench along the wall, waiting for Hunter to arrive. If we matched today, an intervention would be added to the week’s agenda. A few minutes later I spotted him headed my way.

  “Would you believe I almost wore that exact same outfit today?”

  “Yes, I would, it seems your style,” I teased him, “it would have been an improvement over your current attire.”

  “It was a long night and a cold morning. I lacked the motivation for anything other than comfortable and warm,” he shrugged confident in his ultra-casual appearance.

  I nodded, familiar with the feeling. “I’ve had those days. If Sam didn’t hide, cut up, or burn all of my comfy clothes, I may have opted for the same.”

  “She didn’t burn your clothes,” he remarked incredulously.

  “She despises casualwear in public; it’s her crusade. I can only confirm with certainty one pair of flannel pants, but I suspect others have followed in their wake. She fears throwing them out in the trash because she doesn’t want to find me riffling through dumpsters. I can’t blame her—for a perfectly worn pair of sweats, I probably would.”

  He laughed, undoubtedly assuming I was kidding. You know what they say about assuming—you make an ass out of you and I’m right. Maybe that was not the exact quote, but I preferred my version.

  “Everything okay? You rushed out yesterday like you were on a mission.”

  “Yeah I did. Those girls should not have been spreading the gruesome details of their friend’s suffering in public. I wish Sam hadn’t repeated it either, it should be confidential. I had to call work, so it seemed like the right time to leave. Sorry if I was abrupt.”

  “No need for apology, I was just concerned. I understand your point about protecting the victims. I’m positive Sam’s intention was innocent, but she just needed to share the story to relieve some of the burden of knowing. She’d never maliciously gossip—actually she would, and does—but not about anything so serious.”

  “I know, her compassion was more than evident. Don’t feel you need to defend her to me,” he smiled understanding my loyalty. “How much time did you spend fretting over my wellbeing yesterday? Did you pace the floor all night anxious, worried I was distraught and alone?”

  “Egomaniac. I was worried initially, but then I forgot all about you.”

  “If that were true you wouldn’t have remembered to ask th
is morning. Evidently my welfare was still on your mind, proof you care.”

  “Yes, I care—the same way I care about all my friends and even some strangers,” I spoke to him as if explaining a terribly abstract concept.

  I was a camp counselor one summer and mistakenly mentioned heaven in an off-handed remark to my young campers.

  “Miss Ev, what is heaven?”

  “Heaven is the place where your soul goes when you aren’t here anymore.”

  “Why wouldn’t we be here anymore?”

  Obviously, I was not tackling death with a four year old, so I deflected, “I don’t know, but that is a really long time from now, so don’t worry about it.”

  “What’s a soul?” the curious little bugger continued.

  “A soul is the essence that makes you who you are. It exists forever.”

  “What’s essence?” Okay, I had it coming for that poor word choice.

  “Essence is the spirit inside your body that thinks and feels emotions like love.”

  He looked down at his stomach before asking, “Where is it inside me? Can it fall out?”

  At this point, I threw in the towel. I had not even entered college yet, and when I finally did and took a Philosophy class, I struggled for the B- I received. That bloody B- has been a blight on my cumulative grade point average ever since. Searching for rescue from the conversational black hole this boy had become, I threw a Hail Mary pass.

  “Look, Miss Jessie is giving candy to her campers. Why don’t you go ask her for a piece?”

  Jessica didn’t forgive me for a week once mutiny broke out amongst her kids when she was accused of not sharing candy.

  “Some strangers? Why not all strangers? What strangers do you not care about? Are you harboring anti-tea drinker sentiments?” Oh no, it was happening again, and I had no make-believe candy to divert this man-child. I had to stop this, or he would warp my mind until I couldn’t find my own nose. I gathered as much feigned excitement as I could.

  “Oh, Oh, Oh, Hunter look! Isn’t that Chuck Norris, the famous martial arts guy?”

  He knew I was lying, but the remote possibility got the better of him. He turned in the direction I was pointing as I ran for the restroom.

  “Not cool, Ev. Not cool at all,” Hunter shouted at my retreating back. “You shouldn’t get a man all worked up like that and then take it away. That makes you a co—” he trailed off as if he surprised himself and then resumed, “That makes you a tease, Miss Carsen.”

  He regained the upper hand in our verbal sparring while I was making my escape. He was too quick, too unruffled. This was getting out of control, in other words—it was getting fun. I reflected on the source of my failures while in the restroom. I had to stop providing opportunity for him to retort; I had to time my verbal blows more precisely. If I left myself open, he would get me every time. A plan developed in my mind that it was now time to execute.

  When I walked into class, Hunter was already seated and looking smug. No problem, let him enjoy that victory. It would distract him from my impending evil scheme.

  “Do you forgive me Ev? I don’t want hostility to get in the way of our verbal warfare.”

  “Not yet, Mr. Charles, maybe after class.”

  Dr. Kull entered the room and promptly began his lecture on the importance of ethical business practices to the longevity of a corporation. I took copious notes on my precious and absorbed as much as I could. At the end of class, Dr. Kull asked if there were any questions on the lecture, and I raised my hand.

  “Dr. Kull, just a quick question. I was debating with Mr. Charles before class regarding the matter of malleable ethics.”

  “Interesting, go ahead, Miss Carsen,” Dr. Kull permitted.

  “I understood that ethical business practices, such as discrimination against applicants, were malleable in specific cases. I cited the entertainment industry as an example of times when it was ethically acceptable for a casting director to hire based on gender, ethnicity, and aesthetics. Hunter strongly disagreed. Using my example he stated that, as governed by the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity, EEO laws, the entertainment industry should be held accountable for discrimination in hiring. He claimed a casting agent would violate ethical business practices and could be found discriminatory for rejecting an actor for exclusively aesthetic reasons. Hunter proposed a man auditioning for the lead male role in a pornographic movie who was rejected due to his inferior penis size. Hunter believes this should be considered discrimination under the EEO. He said that as long as the man had a penis and was able to engage in sexual intercourse on camera, the size of his member should not be relevant. He claimed that by systematically rejecting men with smaller penises, the casting agent was violating EEO and there was a substantial potential for a class action suit accordingly. Furthermore, the production was encouraging discriminatory behaviors by altering the perception of women as it pertains to average penis size and the correlation between size and functionality. He was quite adamant about it, actually, and I was wondering if you could settle our debate.”

  I heard Hunter choke behind me. Priceless. Dr. Kull cleared his throat, collecting his thoughts.

  “You and Mr. Charles have certainly presented an interesting case study. I believe you’re correct Miss Carsen, the casting agent in question could claim they are selling a fantasy in their films and as such, the size of an actor’s penis would be pertinent. Laws and their interpretation do change. It’s possible if such a case were to come before federal court, a discrimination judgment could occur. Although, I believe such a ruling is unlikely. Thank you both for your informative participation. See you all on Thursday.”

  As I walked out of the room, I caught Dr. Kull pat Hunter’s shoulder sympathetically. I stifled a giggle and picked up my pace, unsure if my personal safety was in jeopardy. My plan seemed brilliant during its conception and executed beautifully. However, I didn’t factor in the sacred relationship between a man and his penis. Inferring that a man’s penis size was subpar was tantamount to…well, I do not actually think there is anything worse for a man. I increased my pace to a jog hoping to make a clean getaway, and provide the opportunity for him to cool off before finding the humor in my efforts.

  Hunter was suddenly beside me. I was positive he could outrun me, even with my adrenaline pumping, so I slowed to a walk. I decided to speak first to control the tenor of the conversation.

  “I forgive you now,” I smiled at him as if all was well.

  “You do? How magnanimous of you.”

  I could not read him. Should I make a run for it—on the off chance he tripped over an untied shoelace—providing me the possibility to live another day? I threw caution to the wind.

  “Do you forgive me?” I asked meekly.

  “There is nothing to forgive.”

  Say what? Did I hear him correctly? Was he launching an immediate counter-attack?

  “You do?” I heard the uncertainty and hope in my voice.

  “I do, you were inspired. You trounced me thoroughly and left no quarter for redirection. I bow to your genius,” he then bowed to me. “You’re the undisputed victor of this battle.”

  “No hard feelings?” My hopes were rising.

  “None at all. I almost swallowed my tongue, but it was worth it. I’m truly impressed, my worthy adversary. I can only respect your ability.” He bestowed his captivating smile, which I knew was sincere.

  That went better than expected, leaving me confident. “Can I ask you one question?” I ventured. If I didn’t ask, it would fester in the back of my mind.

  “Shoot.”

  “It’s my understanding that men are sensitive about the size of their equipment. I thought it was unpardonable to insult their manhood.” I looked at him to verify my long-held belief.

  “That’s true,” he gestured for me to continue.

  “Then why aren’t you livid?”

  “Because it’s only a crime punishable by death if it’s true.” He raised one eyebrow at
me to emphasize his point. “Have a great day, Everleigh.”

  He sauntered away, leaving me with only one conclusion. He did it again, it should not have been possible! There was no way to recover from the blow I had landed in class, yet he did it. I now have an image of Hunter in my head I will never be able to rid myself of—not that I necessarily want to be rid of it. It was too depressing to dwell on the reality he was only interested in utilizing his impressive appendage as part of a matched set. Thank goodness it was sub-zero or I would have no excuse for my flushed cheeks. Oh well, a girl can dream…vividly.

  Chapter Six

  * * *

  "You have people come into your life shockingly and surprisingly. You have losses that you never thought you'd experience. You have rejection and you have to learn how to deal with that and how to get up the next day and go on with it.” -Taylor Swift

  It was two hours until close when he walked in. Against my will, my eyes traveled to his crotch, I hoped that reaction would not become a permanent affliction. He was clean-shaven, which was a first. I had a working theory he shaved at night to ensure he had that sexy stubble all day.

  I was about to call out my greeting when I noticed he was not alone. Crystal came into view shortly after Hunter cleared the door. She was beautiful in an obvious way—if you’re into that whole perfection thing. She was in her mid-twenties, but carried herself with the presence of a woman more established. She wore brown pants that could have been painted on, and a cream cropped leather jacket was expertly fitted over a matching turtleneck. Her high-heeled vanilla/beige snakeskin ankle boots were to die for. Sam would have pilfered them, regardless of size. Her hair and complexion were flawless. How she managed to look elegant and overtly sexy in equal measure was beyond me.

  Hunter gave no indication that he noticed me. As they approached the counter, a tingle of apprehension ascended my spine. Why had Hunter not said hello? He knew I worked at Higher Yearning, logic dictated he would look to see if I was here when he entered and greet me accordingly. We had become friends after all; perhaps he was more upset over my stunt today than he led me to believe.