"He's cute!" Meg whispered to me, distracting me from the staff meeting. "Think he's straight?"
At a small college with a strong Fine Arts focus, like ours, straight men were hard to find. And even then, pickings were slim.
I shushed my fellow RA but took a peek over to see the new supervisor whom she was shamelessly ogling. He was cute. 6' 2" with light wavy hair and a big smile, Rob was instantly likable and charming. He was a grad student and recently received the position of supervising a group of us RAs to pay for tuition. The staff meeting had been called to introduce us.
I didn't want to be in this meeting. Having been an RA for now the 3rd straight year, and also a senior, I was ready to graduate and be out. I enjoyed the students I worked and lived with, but I partied with them and could care less about the position anymore. I was the type of RA who smelled weed coming from a room and instead of calling a supervisor, brought snacks to satisfy their munchies.
But this caught my interest. Having an attractive, straight guy on staff was an attention getter for every girl in the room. He turned out to be every bit as charming, sweet, and handsome as that first impression. Being a supervisor, he was off limits. But at 23, what a tease that was for all the desperately lonely RA girls.
Starting the year, I had decidedly squelched whatever crush I could develop on Rob, knowing it'd only lead to disappointment on my part. Besides, I had seen him around with another beautiful grad student, Sam, with long blond hair and legs for days. I was sure they were sleeping together. Not to say I wasn't pretty, but I certainly didn't look like her. My best attributes lie in my personality, my sense of humor, and big heart. I had a pretty face and long, silky auburn hair but otherwise was a pretty average 21 year old trying to graduate.
Our interactions were flirtatious though. We were always laughing and had a casual, relaxed relationship from the start. He'd compliment me and touch my arm, giving me an easy smile, and I'd make a joke and laugh it off.
One afternoon, after a long meeting for Student Council, I bumped into him on campus. I was wearing a ridiculously lazy outfit made of every comfy cotton item I owned, regardless of pattern or color. He looked me up and down and I laughed off my outfit. I told him I was practicing looking homeless in the event that graduation did not work out well for me. He shifted and smiled and the back of his hand brushed mine.
"I think you look great."
I had to get off campus. When you live on a campus as small as ours, if you wanted sex, you needed to outsource. If you wanted a fun night with a straight man, you'd need to get familiar with the bar scene.
I threw myself in some deep red leggings and an oversized metallic top. Some pumps, a deep smoky eye and big, brushed curls completed the look. When I was satisfied with the results, I met up my group and out we headed.
The bar was a dive/ dance club hybrid. It was dark, loud, and a bit dirty but full of 20-somethings and cheap drinks. I grabbed my sexy friend, Mark, away from his boyfriend, and onto the makeshift dance floor. He grabbed my hips and I gyrated into his leg enjoying being so close to a good-looking man, no matter his sexual preference. We danced as he ran his fingers through my hair and I held his muscular shoulders. I spun around and our hips moved together in time to the floor shaking, thumping bass in the music. I looked up through my slightly drunken haze to the bar.
In a tight fitting black tee and jeans, Rob was leaning against the bar with a group of his friends. And he was watching me.
Seeing him watching me was exciting. I got goosebumps and lost my breath. He was looking so good and was watching me with a serious look I'd never seen on him before. I decided to put on a show. I snaked my arm behind Mark's neck putting his face nearer to mine and pushing us closer together. I closed my eyes and arched my back and moved intently to the beat. I went to sneak a peek to see what Rob thought. He wasn't there. Disappointed and feeling like maybe I had hallucinated, I left Mark to go grab another drink.
I bounced to the bar and ordered my usual Jack and Diet Coke. I tipped the bartender and turned around to see Rob inches from my face. I almost ran face first into his chest and he steadied me with his arm.
"Oh hi!" I feigned surprise at running into him there.