Wednesday Evening
On another college campus a couple of hours away, a twenty-year-old female student was walking across the open grounds known as the Commons or the parade grounds when it started to rain. The student union building was on one side, the dining hall on another, the library on another, and the administration building on the other. The grounds were intended to be park-like with big shade trees and several little shelters with benches. It was to one of these little shelters that the girl sought refuge just as the precipitation became heavier, but not before she was drenched. In the late afternoon, the inclement weather also hastened darkness.
She had been on her way to the dining hall for dinner, so she sat on a bench to ride out the storm, alone in the shelter. Suddenly, someone came flying over the bench on another side. The male came to a stop in the middle of the shelter. Turning and seeing the stunned expression on the beautiful girl's face, he was quick to apologize.
"Sorry to frighten you. I was trying to get out of the rain."
"Well, I would hope that's not normally how you make an entrance."
He chuckled, recognizing her in the waning light. "Melanie, right."
"It's actually Melanie
Brooks,"
she said with a smirk, "not Melanie Right."
"And she does comedy," he remarked. "I didn't know the University offered a degree in that."
"Now who's
trying
to be funny, Burt."
"So, we know each other."
"I don't
know
you; I
recognize
you."
Burt nodded to acknowledge her correction. Even though it was darker, there was still enough light for him to see her white t-shirt-like top was so wet it became see-through revealing what looked like a sexy bra. "So, we were in a journalism class together last semester. Is that your major?"
"No. Meteorology."
That surprised him. "You want to be a weather girl on TV?"
"No, I don't."
"Really? You're very attractive. Would probably have good on-air appearance."
"Thanks, but I'd rather stay behind the scenes." Melanie shivered.
"Then why take a course in journalism? Is that part of the curriculum?"
"No. Report on the weather. More to it than just forecasting."
"I suppose so. The rain is slacking a bit. We can cut through the library and get to my apartment without getting wet, if you'd like to come dry off."
With a smirk, Melanie said, "You tell me I'm attractive and then you invite me to your
apartment?
You think I just fell from the sky with the rain?"
Burt held up his hands. "No, no, no. I have no ulterior motive. Strictly a friendly gesture."
She gave him a cockeyed look. "I guess it would be nice to dry off before going to dinner." Standing, she told him, "I know karate." She didn't really.
"You won't need it."
So, off to his apartment they went. Once in there, Burt directed her to the bathroom. He grabbed her a robe.
"You can hang your clothes on the shower rod if you like."
"Thanks." In the bathroom, Melanie removed her clothes and found her underwear to be wetter than she'd thought. She pondered whether to remove her bra and panties and picked up the robe as though to study it. Questioning her own wisdom, she took off her undergarments and donned the robe. After a deep breath, she exited the bathroom only to find the apartment empty. "What the . . ."
He invites me here and then he
disappears,
Melanie wondered. Now, what do I do? She went into the kitchen and found a Diet Pepsi in the refrigerator. She helped herself to it while deciding what to do.
However, the decision was made for her when the door opened, and Burt returned with a large grocery bag. "Hope you like meat loaf. That was the special tonight."
"You went to get us dinner?"
"That's where you were headed, wasn't it?"
"Yes."
"So was I."
Well, so far, Melanie had Burt pegged all wrong. He was turning out to be quite a nice guy. He brought her a plate with the meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and green beans. "Thank you. This will be just fine."
Handing her the plate, Burt noticed that the robe was, of course, tied at her waist, but up top it was open enough to show some alluring cleavage, and below it opened to show a nice pair of crossed legs. "That robe looks much better on you than it ever did on me."
"Thanks. And thank you for your hospitality. But I have to tell you, sitting here with nothing but your robe on is a bit awkward."
"That's
all
you have
on?
The
robe?
I'll never wash it again!" he joked with a grin.
"You're
trying
to be funny again," Melanie accused, lightheartedly.
"This is working out well," Burt said. "I wanted to ask you out when we had the journalism class together last semester, but I didn't really know you and didn't want to, you know, just come up and ask you out."
"And now?"
"Now. Here you are."
"So?"
"Well, I was wonderingβ"
"Seriously?
You're going to get shy on me
now?"
"I don't handle rejection well."
"Well, I came to your apartment."
"Yes, you did. So, would you go out with me?"
She let out a big sigh. "I thought you'd never ask." With a chuckle, she said, "Yes, I will."
Just then, there was a loud crash of thunder, followed by a bolt of lightning that lit up the room, followed by heavy rain.
"Aw, hell!" Melanie swore.
"Yeah, I think this rain is good for all night. I checked the weather while waiting for the food."
"How am I going to get home? My apartment is on the other side of the campus."