A COLLEGE AFFAIR

ELEVEN

"Nice." Melissa looks at the living room, barely furnished but tidy, and yes nice Aurora thought. She looked also, trying to see it through the eyes of Melissa, seeing it for the first time.

The slightly peeling round mahogany table and green sofa had been here when she moved in, but the teal couch was her addition. So was shelf by the wall, where she kept her books. Also were the small desk and chair placed strategically by the window. The place served as her work station. And that was it. The rug, the TV, and of course the clock had been here as well. Other stamps of her signature could be found excessively in the kitchen, the bedroom and then the bathroom.

"I noticed the other places don't seem to be occupied." Aurora knew Melissa was referring to the unoccupied section of the staff buildings, so she replied: "Yes. Many staff members stay off campus. The other blocks are occupied though." She says motioning with her hand.

Melissa dropped her brown croc leather carry-on along with her small black purse on the green couch. "Bathroom?"

"Over there." Aurora pointed towards the narrow hallway. When Melissa disappeared behind the door, She dropped the teddy on the couch and walked to the kitchen to start up the pasta sauce.

"Wow. The kitchen is homey." Melissa walked in.

"It's my favourite place here." Aurora says and smiled.

"Sure it is. You've always loved to cook.''

Aurora grinned. "Guess what I'm making?"

Melissa glimpsed her handiwork and gave Aurora a big surprised smile of her own. "Why, three minutes into your house, and you're already making me fall in love with you."

"What? That easy?" Aurora gasped, placing her palm on her chest and they laughed heartily with Melissa hugging her from behind. Sighing contentedly, she told her Aurora:''I missed you."

"Me too. I missed you." Aurora's eyes shimmered. "Hey! No tear drops in my food!" Melissa warned playfully, wagging her finger at her friend.

"Yes ma'am." Aurora saluted.

"Why in heaven's name are you saluting me?" Melissa drew one of the two kitchen stools and sat on it.

"You're dating a navy guy."

"I'm not." Melissa chuckled. "We only met in the plane."

"But you will." Aurora stated matter-of-factly. "I saw the way he looked at you and you at him."

"Uh uh, you're one to be analysing a potential relationship for me when you have none, yourself." To distract from the present topic, Aurora offered Melissa a drink. A glass of orange juice naturally prepared. Chilled from the little freezer she purchased from her first pay.

"Hmm, tastes wonderful."

"Thank you."

"You should start your own restaurant."

"And sell orange juice?" Aurora laughed.

"The best orange juice. Natural, enriching, refreshing." Melissa piped and Aurora laughed again. Spending time with Melissa always made her laugh.

"You sound like a brand ambassador."

"Yeah. Too bad no company approached me." Melissa drank the juice eagerly.

"Not true, I remember that toothpaste company offering a deal."

"Well, I would have accepted if it were something sexy, you know like lingerie or stilettos, not some dinky herbal toothpaste."

"Wouldn't that have been great?"

"Great, really great," Melissa looks around again. "This place really suits you."

"Suits me?"

"Yeah. Calm, cool, a little bland but pretty charming?"

"Bland?" Aurora paused on the garlic she was peeling.

"I don't mean it in a bad way Ro, but your routine is a little bland. You need a bit of energy. How many times have you gone out? Maybe on a date, or even for fun since you moved in?" Aurora peeled the garlic silently.

Melissa finished the juice and lay the glass on the counter top with a clang. "Let me guess," She held up a finger "None. Right?"

Aurora exhaled a breathe. "Outings are not the only way to have fun. I enjoy peace and quiet and books and..."

"And movies and walks and all the boring stuff." Melissa quipped. Here we go again Aurora thought. Melissa had this trait of trying to fix everybody. In her case, Melissa believed she lacked 'fun' and was always trying to 'spice up the heat' She always said.

"I like those boring stuff. They satisfy me."

"Oh boy."

"What?"

"You need to get laid." Melissa says without missing a beat. Aurora blinked rapidly and busied herself with placing the pot of ingredients on the heater.

Melissa got up and washed the glass before putting it away. Then she looked at Aurora who rolled her eyes at the scrutiny.

"When was the last time you kissed someone?"

To her dismay, Aurora gasped, the pot lid fell of her hand clattering to the floor and as she bent to pick it up, she hoped the blush sure to be on her face wasn't all too noticeable. No hope. Melissa's widening eyes indicated she picked up on it. "You're blushing." Melissa confirmed. "Guiltily," she adds and then realizing her own words she gasped as a light bulb went on in her head.

"You kissed someone! I'm guessing recently if you're blushing so hard about it." Oh no. Here we go again Aurora thought because Melissa was moving on to her like a predator that has found it's prey. She placed her hands on Aurora's shoulders and her eyes practically sparkled when she asked the question. "Who was it?" When Aurora said nothing, she pressed, "Come on Ro, the suspense is killing me! Was it a friend, a stranger, random guy at the bar? Oh wait, a co-worker!"

Aurora grimaced. A part of her thought of agreeing but she knew Melissa would detect the lie. "No." She said pulling away from Melissa as she turned to check the broth before going out to the living room.

"You can run but you cannot hide, Mackenzie." Melissa sing-song as she bounced on the couch Aurora came to sit on.

"Tell me his name at least." She said. Aurora thought there was no harm in it. "Mathew." She provided.

"Okay, so who is Mathew?" Aurora giggled at the question. "You said his name at least."

"Yeah, well, I'm curious. With his name, this guy sounds like a pastor's kid and knowing you, I won't be surprised if he was."

Aurora pictured Mathew's handsome face along with his subtle arrogance and hinted charisma. "I don't think he's a pastor's kid." She smiles, "I wouldn't know though."

Melissa groaned as she fell back on the couch. "Aurora Mackenzie Kent! Tell me already."

"He's a student." She meant to say it quietly, but it came out loud. Melissa sat up so speedily that she nearly knocked Aurora off the couch. "Whaaat?" Her jaw hung open. "You're kidding?"

Aurora shook her head. "Damn! That's good news!" Melissa said and Aurora looked at her dubiously. Of course Melissa would find this as good news!

"This shows you have a bit of excitement in your bones!" Melissa says gladly and Aurora scoffed. "I'll get the spaghetti ready." She says standing up and leaving

a still shocked Melissa behind.

* * *

Mathew rang the doorbell and waited, hoping it will be heard over the loud music. No one came through and he rang it again. Seconds after, the door opened and a semi-clad girl, who may have been auditioning for a lingerie model smiled at him.

"Hi Steph."

"Mathew! Come on in!" She shouted over the music that sounded impossibly louder when he stepped through the door. There were three empty bottles of beer and a box of half eaten pizza on the table in the living room of the small apartment. The floor thrummed with vibrations and Mathew couldn't help being a little worried for Chase. "Where's Chase?" He voiced just as Grace walked in from the room. A golden retriever pitbull followed at her heels.

"Hey!" Mathew laughed as the big dog almost knocked the breathe out of him in excitement. When he stood back up, Grace was leaning on the hallway's doorframe smiling at him. "He sure missed you." She said.

"I guess so. I missed him too." He says petting his friend fondly by his ears.

"Turn down the music a little Steph." Grace shouted over to Stephanie who sat on the floor by the table, chewing and sipping beer, moving her head rhythmically as she thumped through her phone. Mathew wasn't sure she heard what Grace said until the music turned down a relieving fraction.

"Did you receive the notes?"

"In my email? Yeah I did. I already went through some of them."

"That's good because I forgot to tell you earlier, Jaime said your dear Mr Lawson's giving a test next class."

"Crap. I thought this was only the fourth week?" Mathew raised his hand and rubbed at his neck.

"It's sixth week Mathew."

"Chase!" Stephanie called and the dog hurried to the slice of pizza she wavered at him. Mathew looked at Steph then back at Grace inquiringly. Grace merely shrugged.

"Do you want a beer? It's chilled." She offered.

"No thanks, I'm giving up the bottle." Mathew says piously and she laughed.

They looked at Steph and Chase fighting over pizza. "Thanks for watching him for me." Mathew says to Grace.

"No problem. He's a good boy." She said and Mathew nodded with a smile. He rubbed his palms together. "I'll take him off your hands now." He said.

"Steph's gonna miss him." Mathew quirked an eyebrow at that. "A little." Grace added and he chuckled. "Chase!" he called and the dog came bounding without a second glance at the pizza he was leaving behind.

"Bring him back some other time." Stephanie shouts over the music she has tuned up again. "Sure." Mathew replied looking at Grace again, a question in his eyes.

When they got outside the door, Grace petted Chase. "I'll miss you, little man."

"I'm not sure he likes you calling him a little man."

"Sure he does." Chase was grunting happily at her caress. The door opened and Stephanie came out. She rubbed her arms at the slightly colder temperature outside before handing Mathew Chase's lease. Then she bent to pet the dog also. Yep. They were spoiling him. Mathew smiled as Chase basked in the attention. Stephanie gave him one last kiss before straightening to meet Grace's eyes. "Don't worry. I reserve the best kisses for you." She says, pulling Grace closer and dropping a wet kiss on her lips. Well, that answers my question. They are back together, Mathew reasoned. Their relationship was a now and then affair.

"We'll leave now." He says. "Thanks again."

"Anytime." Grace says, "Bye Mathew, bye bye Chase." Steph waved as she closed the door behind them.

The music was still beating loudly as he walked with Chase by his side. He folded and pocketed the lease. He didn't use it often on Chase. As he walked, Mathew looked at the identical student apartments. This Thursday evening, they were all probably inside, studying or otherwise like Steph and Grace. Come tomorrow night, it will be another affair. Everyone would be out partying. Tomorrow... He tried not to think of it, but he couldn't. He could quit like Grace said. But he didn't want to. Not yet.

Chase barked to get Mathew's attention and he obliged, petting him fondly as they walked home. Mathew was glad he decided not to bring his car. He needed the walk. They both needed the walk. He stroked his loyal companion as they merged into the night.