Jen whined in helpless frustration as she slowly limped across the campus mall on her crutches. Not only did her sprained ankle hurt, now the crutches were digging into her armpits as she struggled to get back to her dormroom. In her mind's eye her armpits were a solid black bruise just from going to class and back. It was a glorious morning in early spring in Pennsylvania, and the exertion of crutching her way across campus was starting to make her warm.
"Stupid, stupid girl," she berated herself as she paused to take off her sweatshirt. "What kind of klutz trips over a smooth sidewalk and sprains her ankle?" At least the campus police had quickly descended on her and driven her to the clinic on a golf cart. They had wrapped up her ankle, given her these evil crutches and sent her on her way. Even after emptying almost everything out of her backpack, it still felt like a ton on her back. She sighed in resignation and readjusted her straight black hair in its ponytail. She was grateful that her mother's Asian heritage showed in her petite body; she wondered how larger girls could possibly use crutches. Maybe they just weren't as big of a crybaby. Jen took a deep breath and started again, wincing immediately as she put her weight on the crutches. When she got back to the dorm, she resolved to ask Amy if she could use her punk Army boots and lace them up really tight, maybe then she could dispense with the crutches. Moments later, the pain was too much and she stopped again. Dreshner Hall seemed no closer than it had twenty minutes earlier. At this rate it would be dinnertime before she got back. Although she was a senior, she still lived on campus in the dorms. "Maybe if I had a stupid boyfriend I could have him carry me around," she pouted. Ha, a boyfriend, like that was ever going to happen. Three years and half years in college hadn't even produced a date, much less a boyfriend. It's not that she wasn't pretty, or at least attractive, it was that there were too many girls for too few boys and she was unwilling to chase a boy just to say she had a boyfriend. She had dated a few boys in high school and even then they were too self-centered and too grabby, and she understood that the college boys were even worse. Jen took another few painful steps before spying Lisa walking towards her.
"Hi," Lisa called out as she came close. "How's the ankle?"
"Awful. Can you carry me back the dorm?" Jen begged.
"Seriously?" Lisa laughed, "I can barely manage my own backpack, much less you on my back!"
"I know, but it hurts," Jen whined.
"Keep at it, you're almost there," she smiled in encouragement. "I gotta get to class."
Jen grumbled to herself as she started again. Her friends Debbie and Sue walked by, again declining to carry her back, as they had a presentation to make. Jen kicked herself once more: she had felt so superior early in the semester, when her three early classes meant that she was done with school just as most of the campus was heading out to their first class. It also meant she always had a convenient excuse not to go out and party. Now the mall filled with students all streaming to class, all heading away from her destination. Jen took a few more painful strides and then almost tripped, catching herself on her injured ankle and yelping. All pretense of composure left her, and she started asking anyone who walked by if they would give her a lift. She limped a few more feet before she looked up to see Jason headed by her. She remembered him from Freshman Chemistry, as he had been the only one to do better than her on the midterm. He was also, as she recalled, on the school's hockey team. If anyone could carry her back, he could. She called out to him.
"Hi, can you please carry me back to my dorm?" she smiled up at him, trying to look pathetic.
"Well," he frowned, "I'm heading off to class..."
"Please?" Jen begged, her hopes raised by not getting an outright rejection.
"I really didn't want to go anyway...okay. Where do you live?"
"Really?" Jen exclaimed, amazed at her good fortune.
She turned to point at Dreshner Hall and he took the crutch out of her near hand. She turned back to him and in one smooth motion he bent over, lowered his shoulder into her waist and picked her up. Jen squealed in surprise as she found herself draped over his back. He took the other crutch out of her hand and started to move effortlessly across the mall. She could feel his muscles rippling under his red tee as she supported herself with one hand on his back. From her position couldn't help but enjoy a long look at his butt and muscular legs. She finally managed to tear her eyes away, blushing lightly as she looked around from her strange position.
"Hey, cool!" Jason said.
"What's that?"
"You're wearing pink panties."
Jen yelped in embarrassment as both her hands flew up to guard her lower back. Between her backpack, his head on right and the crutches he was holding on her left, she was largely unsuccessful. She realized that her capri sweats had pulled down a little from her position. She struggled to cover up, but Jason blocked her with a laugh.
"No, it's nice. I love pink panties. So feminine!"
Jen could feel herself blush scarlet as she cupped her face in her hands and giggled. They approached the lawn stairs outside of Dreshner and Jason smoothly carried her up them. As he reached the top, he paused. Jen looked around and wondered why they had stopped. Suddenly, she felt herself falling backwards. She shrieked and tried to protect her face as they fell backwards before suddenly stopping in mid fall at an impossible angle. Jason slowly straightened back up.
"That was close," he commented.
"What happened?" Jen asked breathlessly.
"I lost my balance there for a second."
"How did you get back up?"
"Uh oh..."
"What?"
"It's happening again!"
With that they plunged back down, Jen shrieking anew before he stopped them. Jen finally figured out what he was doing--hanging on to the railing and pulling himself up with it.
"Stop it!" she complained with a laugh.
"One more?"
"No!"
He pitched over anyway and Jen smacked his back in disapproval.
"You know, when I asked for a ride, I didn't mean over your shoulder like a sack of potatoes."
"A sack of potatoes with pink panties," Jason added.
Jen grunted in retort. Jason bent down and then suddenly straightened, sending Jen flying off of his shoulder. She barely had time to scream before he deftly caught her so she was lying across his arms.
"Is this more what you had in mind, princess?" he grinned at her.
"Yes," Jen nodded. "This is much better. Thank you."
Jen smiled up at him for a moment as his playful eyes held hers.
