I waited nervously on the porch of her dorm. I gave the lapels of my tux one last tug and looked through the window of the door. Where was she? We were going to miss our dinner reservation if she didn't hurry. I was just taking a pack of cigarettes out of my pocket when the door opened behind me.

"Sean! You promised you wouldn't smoke tonight!" She scolded me. I turned around with a smile on my lips, but my mouth dropped open at the sight of her. She looked gorgeous! She had straightened her long, usually curly, hair and it hung smoothly on each side of her face, framing it. Her makeup was natural looking as always...all except her lips which were painted a beautiful shade of red. A red that matched the color of her low cut, tastefully snug dress. Her heels made her taller than her usual five foot two, and the tasteful jewelry completed the look. On an average day, Trish was very pretty, but tonight she was absolutely beautiful! My heart fluttered when I saw her, and it suddenly hit me that I was falling in love with her. That I had been falling in love with her for two amazing months of being together.

"T-Trish! You look amazing!" I stepped to her and kissed her full lips. Then I nuzzled her neck and put an arm around her waist and bent down to whisper in her ear. "Are you sure we have to go tonight? I can think of a few other things I want to do to you instead."

She smiled wickedly and winked at me. "Maybe afterward. Aren't we going to be late for dinner?" She asked as she pulled away. I sighed dejectedly and took her little hand in mine. A manicure I noticed. Trish never got manicures.

"Not if we hurry!" I led her to my Jeep and opened her door for her, got her in with a kiss and then dashed to my side and took off as quickly as I could. We chatted, almost nervously, about the formal that her sorority was holding, about her classes and about my impending graduation. My heart gave a jolt when I realized that in another two weeks I would be moving back to San Diego and we would be apart. I pushed the thought from my mind as I pulled up to the valet and let him take my seat in the car. The other valet had already helped Trish out of the car and was talking to her, his eyes darting from her face to the top of her silky brown cleavage that she had decided to show off this evening. I smoothly stepped up to her and gave her a kiss on the temple and gave the man a look to let him know that she was taken.

"You two have a good night," He said with a knowing smile to me. I took her hand and kissed her again as we walked into Fusion, the restaurant that everyone who was anyone was trying to get into. As we sat waiting for our table, Trish looked around eagerly, taking in the mostly red décor, the plush couches we sat on, the pictures of pagodas; the fountains that bubbled quietly in the corners of the lobby area. Our eyes met and she gave me a dazzling smile.

"You look very handsome tonight," she said a little shyly.
"You don't think my hair is too short?" I asked. I had gotten it cut that day and the stylist had tried a new style. I was anxious to know if she liked it or not. It was a change from the usual cut I got.

"No," Trish said, reaching up to touch my hair. "I really like it. She did something a little different, didn't she?"

"Jesus, if you keep touching me, we'll never make it in there," I growled softly. She gave a low chuckle and touched my cheek. My dick jumped in response.

"What turned you into a big ol' horn dog this evening?"

"Do you know how amazing you look? I've never seen you with your hair straight," I touched the end of her hair with my finger and marveled at the fact that it wasn't curly anymore.

"Don't get too excited," she laughed. "It goes back to the way it was tomorrow."

"I like it curly too," I offered. "But this is damn sexy. Damn sexy."

"I was worried you wouldn't like it," she murmured as her gaze caught mine. "It's so different. Hell, I wasn't sure that I would like it."

We stared at each other until I heard my name being called. I turned to look toward the waitress, but not before I felt the spark that jumped between us. We had been undefined until this point. Seeing more of each other than anyone else, but I was positive that I wasn't sleeping with anyone other than Trish, and I was pretty sure I was the only man in her bed. I wanted everything to work out between us and I didn't want to fuck it up in any way.

We followed the hostess to the table, Trish looked a little bewildered and didn't say a word. We sat, ordered drinks and she stared off into space.

"I'm going to miss you, Sean," she half whispered from across the table.

"You won't have a chance to. You're still coming to visit in June, right?" I reached across the table and she slid her hand into mine. The distinction of her brown skin next to my paler, whiter skin turning me on for the umpteenth time. I stroked the bones of her hand with my thumb and she sighed cozily.

"Sure," she said a touch too brightly, but before I could ask her if something was wrong, the server came to our table and asked if we were ready to order.

We were silent, listening to the sounds around us: the clink of sliverware against plates, the almost ethereal sounds of light, asian inspired music floating on the air, the heavy sigh that escaped from Trish's lips.

"Are you alright, Buddy?" I had started calling her that when I was pretty sure the only thing that would ever be between us was friendship. The name had stuck, and was now a term of endearment. She laughed sharply, then fixed her eyes on mine.

"Yeah, just nervous. This is the last function before I become a sister tomorrow, and this is my last chance to make a good impression."

A good impression? She had to be kidding. There wasn't a woman more poised, elegant or beautiful in that sorority. I watched as she took a small sip of her drink, then sat forward as if to tell me something in secret. I leaned forward too, all my attention focused on her, studying every detail of her. God, she was beautiful.

"There is some kind of after party that Cecillia wants to go to, if you want to skip it, then that's okay, but at least we have an option." I heard her, but my mind was too busy remembering our last lovemaking session. Her body had writhed under mine, she had called my name out over and over until her voice had become more hoarse than it's usual sexy huskiness

"It's your night, Buddy. We can do whatever you want." I sat back and let the waiter place my plate in front of me.

"I should have gotten what you got," she groaned. It was inevitable that she wanted my food.

"If you're nice, I'll think about sharing," I said as I cut into my steak. I cut a piece for her and leaned across the table, pushing the fork between her lips. Her red lips parted and with more sensuality than I am sure she meant to impart she took the bite into her mouth and moaned in ectasy.

"I really should have gotten that!" She said when she had swallowed the bite. It was too late for me though, I was rock hard already. Dead puppies...my grandmother's underwear...boogers...God, when would this raging erection go away? After staying with us the entire dinner, my unwanted guest finally started to leave; but when Trish stood up and excused herself he was back again. I watched her tight bottom as it weaved through the crowd to the restroom, and I wondered how I was going to make it through the rest of the night without a chronic case of blue balls.

We reached the ballroom at the hotel by nine-thirty, and were immediately overrun by Trish's pledge sisters. They grabbed her and pulled her out to the dance floor, making a show at solidarity, even though I knew that most of the girls disliked each other. Trish gave me a backward glance and threw me a grin that took my breath away. I watched her dance with the other sisters, and when the song was over, I joined her out on the floor and danced with her for the next hour or so. I stepped off the floor to get her a drink and just as I heading back out to her, whiskey sour in hand, I saw a guy sweep in and take her into his arms. It was her ex-boyfriend, Matt. What the hell was he doing here? Trish gave him a kiss on the cheek and then a big hug and kissed him again.

"They seem awfully chummy, don't they?" A voice behind me half whispered.

"What?" I turned and found Lizzie Uddo standing behind me, her hand placed lightly on my shoulder. Her hair was lacquered into an unflattering french roll. Her dress was equally unflattering, the green of the obviously expensive dress washing her color out. I stared at Trish and saw Matt put his arm possessively around her and stare right at me.

"What the fuck is he doing here?" I demanded. I felt my blood begin to boil.

"He's my date, but I see he would rather be with her; he's been talking about her all night.. What is it about her?" She whined. "Is she that amazing in bed? Is fucking a black girl that different from fucking a white one?"

"Shut up, Lizzie," I said through clenched teeth.

"You know she's nothing but a tramp, don't you?"

Matt's hand slid down the waist of Trish's dress while he seemed to undress her with his eyes. It was clear what his intentions were when he led her off of the dance floor and to the bar.

"Shut up, Lizzie." My free hand reflexively balled into a fist.

"Forget her, Sean. It looks like she's already forgotten you." We stood together and watched Matt lean his blond head to hers and give her the tiniest of kisses on the mouth. Then he gave her a deeper, more soulful kiss. I didn't stop to see what Trish's reaction was, I turned on my heel and strode through the ballroom and out the door to the lobby.

I pulled my pack of cigarettes out of my pocket when I reached the street and lit it with shaky hands. I thought the first drag and exhale would calm my nerves, but it just upset me more. I couldn't get the vision of Matt's lips on Trish's out of my head. The way her eyes stayed fixed on him as he talked...she wasn't over him, I could see that plain as day.

I heard the click of high heels behind me, and when I turned, I saw that it was Lizzie who had followed me out to the street. I threw my half finished cigarette into the street and wished that it was Trish instead of Lizzie coming to find me.

"Sean!" She called out to me. "I was so worried about you!" She threw skinny pale arms around my neck, then gave me a wet sloppy kiss that made my stomach turn.

"Sean?" I heard Trish's voice say in disbelief. "I-I can't believe this!" Trish backed away from us and turned quickly. She ran as fast as her heels would take her, which wasn't that far.

"Trish! It's not what you think!" I jogged to her side and put my arm around her shoulders. I pulled her close to me, but she pushed me away.

"I saw her tongue down your throat...what else am I supposed to think?" She gestured wildly with her hand toward Lizzie.

"That Lizzie is just a friend! She kissed me! Anyway, I didn't exactly see you objecting when Matt kissed you just a few minutes ago!" I yelled back.

"That's right, we didn't," Lizzie slid next to me smoothly and leaned against me.

"Lizzie, please!" I stepped away from her and stepped closer to Trish.

"Sean, you can't fight what is between us. We have been friends since last year, we've gone out a few times, we've made love a few times," She looked pointedly at Trish before she went on. "We are meant to be together!"

"Lizzie, we are friends, that's all," I stared at her in disbelief. Trish looked at her with narrowed eyes but stayed silent.

"We will never be just friends," Lizzie cried frantically. "We made love, you asshole!"

"Liz—" I was at a loss for words. "I'm sorry, but I love Trish. I didn't realize you had feelings for me, or I would have..." I faltered. There were no words to tell her how sorry I was, until she looked at Trish with blazing eyes and coldly said:

"You stupid nigger bitch! You already have Matt. Go back to him. Sean should know that you are fucking them both. You fucking slut!"

"W-what are you saying?" I stuttered.

I didn't see Trish curl up her fingers and I missed the part where she threw her arm, but there was no mistaking the crunch of bones as her fist smashed into Lizzie's nose. Lizzie sank to the ground holding her nose in shock while Trish stood over her holding her injured hand.

"I'll make sure you never get initiated into Tri Phi if it's the last thing I do!" Lizzie sobbed. Blood was starting to seep through her fingers and onto her dress.

"The last thing I want to be a part of is anything you are in. For your information, I knew about you and Sean, I haven't been seeing anyone but Sean, and Matt's an evil son of a bitch. You two are meant for each other...you can have him—you can have both of them—if that's what you want, you psycho bitch!"

Trish stalked off and was at the taxi stand when I caught up to her. Her eyes were flashing but her mouth was trembling as if she were going to cry. She held her hand close to her body and when she saw me coming she turned her back to me.

"Oh God, Trish, I'm so sorry. I honestly didn't know that she liked me so much. Then I saw Matt kiss you and I got crazy because I thought you were still in love with him." I saw her square her shoulders and then she turned and stared into my eyes without blinking. "Come with me, Buddy. You don't have to take a taxi, I'll take you wherever you want to go."

She let me lead her by her good hand to the parking garage and we were silent all the way to the house that I shared with two other fraternity brothers. When I opened the door, the house was dark and quiet. She followed me to the couch where I sat her down and then I went to the freezer to find a package of frozen veggies, some ice...something to bring down the swelling in her hand. It was already twice its normal size and didn't seem to want to stop swelling. But I had seen enough hand injuries in my baseball playing days to know that sometimes the breaks were hard to find until later when the swelling had gone down. I found what I was looking for, walked out into the livingroom and saw her sitting just as I had left her, only she was trembling visibly.

"Oh, baby, I'm so sorry. Are you terribly upset?"

"No, Sean, I'm really fucking angry!" She looked up at me and I started to reach out to her but she pulled back. She jumped to her feet and stood toe to toe with me. "She has no right to call me those names! Stupid arrogant ugly-ass bitch! I hope I broke that ugly fucking roman nose!"

"Trish, I'm sorry," I said lamely. I didn't know the right words. The words that would take the sting away. The phrase that might heal her. So I took her into my arms instead. When she finally relaxed against me, I heard a painful sob escape from the depths of her body, and she began to cry. I murmured her name over and over and when the weeping turned to shuddering breaths, I sat down with her and wiped her face with my hands.

"Before we get too comfortable, can you move your hand?" I gazed at her with concern. She showed me how her fingers wiggled, though she did grimace as she moved her fingers slowly. "Good, nothing seems to be broken, but I want you to put this on your hand," I handed her the package of frozen peas. "You have a great right cross."

"All that boxing with my brother paid off after all." She said with a giggle, and a small, sad smile that broke my heart. But at least she could smile. She hissed in pain as she set the peas on her hand, but she didn't cry.

"About the kiss—I didn't kiss her, I swear it!" I rubbed her cheek with my thumb and gazed at her.

"I know you didn't, I just got jealous. I knew how much she wanted you," Trish shrugged. "But I also know that we are not exclusive, so I wasn't going to say or do anything...until she started calling me th—those names. I shouldn't have hit her, but I was so angry, Sean. I'm really ashamed of myself."

"She should be lucky that my mother raised me to not hit girls," I grunted. I moved closer to kiss her, but she scrambled away from me.

"No," Trish said quietly. "I think that's a bad idea."

"What are you talking about?" I was genuinely puzzled.

"I think that maybe I should go home. I want to get my head together and figure out what is going on with the sorority."

"Trish, stay with me. We don't have to sleep together, but I feel completely responsible for what happened tonight."

"It wasn't you," she said softly.

"Stay, please." I leaned in to kiss her and this time she didn't pull away. She kissed me fiercely for a second then stood up quickly.

"I'll call you tomorrow," She said as she dashed to the door. She opened it and then she was gone.