Blue Smoke

absorbed the romance of the act in books and movies. But the doing of it, the getting naked and fitting two bodies together, would be an absolute first.
    It wasn’t something you could practice or diagram or experiment with until you worked out the kinks in your technique.
    So she wanted an understanding and patient partner who’d guide her over the rough spots until she found her own way.
    It didn’t matter so much that she didn’t love him. She liked him a lot, and she wasn’t looking for marriage like Bella.
    Not yet, anyway.
    She just wanted to know, to feel, to see how it worked. And, maybe it was stupid, but she wanted to shed this last vestige of childhood. Having it all in the back of her mind was probably why she’d been restless and distracted the last few days.
    And, of course, she was overthinking it again.
    She grabbed her purse, shut off the music and rushed out of the dorm.
    It was a beautiful night, warm and star-studded. Ridiculous to waste it buried in chem notes, she told herself as she walked toward the parking lot. She tipped her face up to the sky, started to smile, but a chill tickled down her spine. She glanced over her shoulder, scanned the grass, the paths, the glow of the security lights.
    Nobody was watching her, for God’s sake. She gave herself a little shake, but quickened her pace. It was just guilt, that was all. She could live with a little guilt.
    She hopped into her secondhand Dodge Shadow and, giving in to paranoia, locked the doors before driving away.
    The group house was a five-minute drive off campus, an old three-story brick that was lit up like Christmas. Partiers spilled out onto the lawn, and music spilled out of the open door.
    She caught the sweet drift of a burning joint and heard snatches of high-toned debates on the brilliance of Emily Dickinson, the current administration and more comfortable discussions on the Orioles’ infield.

    She had to squeeze her way through once she was inside, narrowly avoided having a glass of some alcoholic beverage splashed down her front, and felt some relief that she actually knew some of the people crammed into the living room.
    Gina spotted her and wiggled through the bodies to grab her shoulders. “Reene! You’re here! I have such news!”
    “Don’t tell me any more until you eat an entire box of Tic Tacs.”
    “Oh, shit.” Gina dug into the pocket of jeans so tight they must be causing organ damage. The Slim-Fast hadn’t whittled off all the twelve pounds she’d gained in their first semester.
    She pulled out the little plastic box she always carried and tapped several orange Tic Tacs in her mouth. “Been drinking,” she said, chewing.
    “Who’d have guessed? Look, you can leave your car and I’ll drive you back. I’ll be the DD.”
    “It’s okay, I’m going to throw up soon. I’ll be better then. Anyway, news!” She pulled Reena through an equally jammed kitchen and out the back door.
    There were more people in the yard. Did the entire campus at College Park decide to blow off studying for finals?
    “Scott Delauter’s totally flunking out,” Gina announced, and did a little butt boogie to accompany the statement.
    “Who’s Scott Delauter and why do you boogie on his misfortune?”
    “He’s one of the housemates. You met him. Short guy, big teeth. And I dance because his misfortune is our jackpot. They’re going to be one short next semester and another of the group graduates next December. Jen says they can squeeze both of us in next term if we bunk together. Reena, we can get out of the pit.”
    “Move in here? Gina, come back to my world. We can’t afford it.”
    “We’re talking about splitting the rent and stuff four ways. It’s not that much more. Reena.” Gina gripped her arms, her dark eyes dazed with excitement and cheap wine, her voice reverent. “There’s three bathrooms. Three bathrooms for four people. Not one for six.”
    “Three bathrooms.” Reena spoke it like a prayer.

    “It’s salvation. When Jen told me, I had a vision. A vision, Reena. I think I saw the Blessed Mother smiling. And she was holding a loofah.”
    “Three bathrooms,” Reena repeated. “No, no, I must not be drawn to the dark side by shiny objects. How much is the rent?”
    “It’s . . . when you consider the split, and how you won’t need the food allowance on campus because we can cook here, it’s practically free.”
    “That much, huh?”
    “We’re both working this summer. We can save.