My very first university class, Introduction to Calculus I, began at 8:30 am, while I was still sleepy from the night's activities. I had my notebook at the ready, and wrote down everything Professor Summers said. He spent ten minutes on an introduction, and plunged right into infinitesimals, a concept that completely stalled my brain. There was no way I was going to keep up with the material shoveled at us. But we also had been given a mimeographed list of the lectures and the material to be covered in each. The textbook was easily three inches thick and weighed more than a brick, so what I missed in class, I hoped I could easily make up from the other material.
I probably shouldn't have worn such a short skirt. I was attracting stares from my male classmates. Even Professor Summers was unable to avoid glancing at me, or rather my legs, encased in tawny nylon. I resolved to sit farther back in the next class, where the bodies of other students would screen me from his gaze.
After class, Summers waved me over to him, as he gathered up his papers.
"Miss Perez, am I right?" He was blushing.
"Yes, Professor."
"Would you do me a favor in future, and wear something a little less revealing?"
I blushed, too. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't expect the desks to be...well, like they are."
"Forget the dress code. You've probably noticed that most of the girls wear jeans or slacks, anyway. Here in the sciences, we're not so big on appearances."
In my next class, I found my thoughts drifting towards Craig. At the moment, he was Professor Craig, teaching a second-year psychology class somewhere on campus. But two hours ago, he'd still been Contrite Craig. He'd brought me a breakfast of eggs, toast, and juice, and kneeled beside the bed while I ate.
"I love you," he said at one point, out of the blue.
"Uh, huh," I said, past a mouthful of toast.
Unbelievably, he asked to lick me again before walking to the El station. The man's appetite had no limit.
I turned him down. "I appreciate the offer," I said, "but it'll have to wait until tonight. I've got too much on my mind. I mean, this
is
my very first day of University."
I hoped that, while teaching his class, he was still thinking of me. Perhaps I'd go back at the end of the afternoon and arrange myself on the bed, awaiting his return. But then I had a different thought. I owed Candy a visit.
The afternoon lab was Drafting. The tilted drafting tables were arranged in pairs. I arrived early and chose one near the window, where the light was good. I sat on the little wooden stool and spread out my drafting tools.
As the other students entered and occupied the desks, I realized that all were male. I'd known that, but it hadn't hit home until now. All seemed to be younger than twenty, too, and some were blatantly curious about me. Some gazed frankly at my legs; others were more furtive. Some clustered in groups of two or three, and it was clear from their murmuring that I was the chief object of curiosity. Finally, I slipped from the stool and stood up at the desk, so that less thigh would be on display.
From now on, it would be jeans. Preferably baggy ones.
The desk next to mine remained vacant until the classroom was nearly filled, but then a boy appeared. He was nearly my height, dark-haired and handsome.
