Paying for College - The Novel Read online

  ***

  A few days later while laying on my bed, I pulled out my lucky key with Phaedra’s napkin wrapped around it.

  My roommate, Drew, was sitting at his desk sketching a star battleship at war with another ship. He turned to face me. “What you got there?”

  “Do you remember the freshmen welcome reception?”

  “How could I forget? I’m sure you made the Dean’s shit list.”

  “Well, the stew certainly thickens. The Dean’s daughter gave me her Facebook contact info.”

  Drew’s eyes enlarged while his mouth opened wide, “Really? That’s awesome dude. How’d you get it?”

  “I asked for it, and she just gave it to me.” Snapping my fingers, “Just like that.”

  “What’s your next magic trick Houdini?”

  “I’m going to talk to her.”

  “Damn dude. You’re gonna really piss the Dean off.”

  “I’ll try my best.” I picked up my phone, turned on the FB app, and searched for Phaedra. Then I searched through her Facebook pictures. I saw nothing to indicate she was a naughty girl. I saw many pictures where she attended church and university social functions. None of this explained the community service at the homeless center.

  I tapped the button for a friend request.

  Drew said, “What’s her profile pic look like?”

  I tilted the phone, so he could see her profile picture.

  Drew jumped out of his chair, ran over, and grabbed my phone, “Not bad.”

  Then his finger swiped across the phone to look at Phaedra’s other pictures. “Look here. She’s standing next to papa, the Dean. Your new best friend.”

  “Yup. That’s the Dean alright. Pompous prick.”

  “Ugh. You’re gonna get burned while playing with fire.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure he’s a nice guy. He just shows his tough-guy exterior. When we meet again, we’ll hit it off. I’ll charm him and win him over.”

  “Well, that’s not what I heard. Everyone says the dude is a real dick.” Drew returned my phone. He wandered to his bed and hopped onto it.

  After five minutes, Drew asked, “Did she add you yet?”

  I picked up the phone and looked, “Nope.”

  Ten minutes later, “Did she add you yet?”

  “Will you stop? Everything in good time. I’m sure she’s not waiting at home for a friend request.”

  Then an hour later, I looked at my phone, “Bingo.”

  “Cool man. What you gonna say to her?”

  “I’ll be a little naughty.” I started typing.

  Hello beautiful. How are you?

  Fine. How are you?

  Doing well. Would you believe I had a dream about you last night?

  Really?

  Yeah. It was a good dream.

  What’d you dream about?

  I dreamed we were walking along a beach at sunset. The waves caress the shoreline. A flock of birds flew above us and sung a sweet melody.

  Drew came over and read my message. “Dude, you can’t do that”

  “Why not? I’m being romantic with her. Trust me. It drives the women crazy.” I continued typing.

  turned to face each other. Then we leaned towards each other and started kissing, as the sun set. We kissed for hours while the baby turtles hatched from their eggs and scampered to the waves.

  Drew shouted, “Dude, you’re crazy.” Drew walked to his bed again, shaking his head back and forth. “You blew it, man. You really blew it.”

  “Hold on.”

  After twenty minutes, Phaedra wrote, “Did you really dream of me?”

  “Of course. I could dream about you every night as I get to taste the sweetness of your lips.

  Hhhhmmmm.

  “Do you like international food?”

  “Of course. I can never get enough of culture and fine foods.

  Next week, the students organize the International Food Festival.”

  “Oh yeah. It’s next Saturday. Why? Do you want to go?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Then let’s go. We can sample food from other cultures. We’ll have a blast.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Even though I could talk to you for hours, I must go. I have so much stuff to do.”

  “Okay. Bye then.’

  “Bye girl. We’ll see each other tonight in my dreams again.”

  Drew said, “She blew you off?”

  “Nope. We may be going to the international food festival next Saturday.”

  “Seriously, dude?”

  “Seriously.”

  “She bought that beach story.”

  “Apparently. She may meet me.”

  “Damn. I never thought about doing something so direct like that.” Drew sat down at his desk and grabbed a pencil, “By the way, did you really dream about her?”

  “Maybe I didn’t dream about her last night, but if I were to dream about her, that’d be the dream I would have.”

  “Damn dude, she’s the Dean’s daughter.”

  “Yup, the Dean’s daughter. I think the Dean and I will become great friends. We’ll be bumping into each other all the time.”