El Torero: Chapter 3

The air conditioner on my old Honda Prelude had died along with the radio, and now I was soaking in the last breaths of the cold air. Just before the temperature in that hot box became unbearable, a pale girl on a bicycle appeared, my salvation.

“Jesus Tabitha, you said you’d be home 2 hours ago. I’m gonna need a jump now,” I complained as I slammed my car door.

“Well,” the skinny red head started, locking her pink mountain bike to the rack, “that is what you’re here for isn’t it?”

I gave only an amiable smile as the double entendre wouldn’t dawn on me for another moment. “Well where the heck have you been? Your phone was off all day.”

“Sorry Leila, I had to meet with the review board on short notice.” Tabitha fished for the apartment key in her orange mesh workout shorts. “I’m so sorry you had to brave the elements while you were waiting for me to provide you with free room and board for the weekend. How ever can I make it up to you?” she said snidely, opening the door.

I smiled broadly as I followed her in, giving her a firm hug from behind as she set her bag down on the patched flannel recliner in the middle of the living room.

“Don’t be a bitch, Tabby. You know I missed you.” She reached back and pinched my ass roughly, and I let go with a start.

“Likewise,” she said with a toothy grin as she chucked her sweat covered shirt through her open bedroom door. She strode into the kitchen, her powder blue sports bra confidently covering the tall red head’s perky B cups. She grabbed a couple bottled waters from the fridge. “Want one?” she asked.

I happily snatched a bottle from her hand and asked, “So what is a review board and why are they more important than me?”

“Well, the review board oversees all the psychology experiments that are done on campus. As part of my honors work I’m planning to run an experiment later on in the semester and I have to get approval from them first, ya know, to make sure I’m not electrocuting hobos or something.”

“So what is your grand experiment?” I asked between gulps.

“That really depends,” she said, hanging on her words in a very ominous way.

“On what?”

“On you, of course! But we can talk about that later. I need a shower. Make yourself at home!” Tabitha bounded off to her bathroom before I could question her further. I soon forgot all about it as I slumped into the recliner to watch Law and Order reruns.

A few hours later Tabitha and I were awaiting the first visitors. Tabitha was hosting a small house party tonight to welcome her cousin to town.

“Ughhh!” I grunted, forcing my stitched jeans into place. My fit legs and ass were incongruous to my small waist so putting on jeans was always much less pleasant than actually wearing them. Anyone who wanted to get into my pants tonight was going to have to work at least as hard as I just did. I tossed a lock of satin brown hair off my chest and clipped my (properly fitting) strapless black bra into place. I covered that with an adorable yet sexy corset style blouse that clung to my figure but was topped with classy puffy sheer shoulder caps. I straightened my top out in order to present the optimum decolletage just in time for Tabitha to lurch through the door lugging two cases of domestic light beer.

“Well, that should do,” she said, sliding black rimmed glasses up her lightly freckled nose after having dropped the beer on the kitchen tile.

I wrinkled my nose at Tabitha’s clothes. She had a pair of white canvas shorts and an orange University T-shirt. It wasn’t even a girl’s shirt. Of course, I didn’t care how she looked; it’s just that her casual dress made my efforts feel excessive. As a 17 year old girl trying to pick up a 23 year old guy, the last thing I wanted was to look desperate or naïve. I considered changing back into the T-shirt I wore in the car. Of course, even that was fitted and glittery. I started wondering why it was that I owned so little casual clothing.

“Marco just texted me. He said he’ll be here in a few minutes. Said he had a surprise.”

At Marco’s name, Tabitha had my full attention again.

“So, what kind of surprise?” The word “surprise” unnerved me. He was probably bringing his new fiance over. Maybe he wanted to tell Tabitha he was gay.

“Hell if I know. He probably wants to show off his new clothes or something stupid like that. I’ve never known someone quite as diligent in his vanity as Marco.”

I satisfied myself with that response and helped Tabitha rearrange the furniture.

“So who else did you invite?” I asked.

“Oh just a handful of girls from my psych seminar.”

“Only girls? I don’t need that kind of competition. What kind of welcome are you planning for Marco?”

“Relax, Leila. Girls bring guys. Girls bring other girls. If you have girls, you have a party. Relax. Marco won’t be the only guy here.”

An hour later, half a dozen guests had shown up and Marco was the only guy there. At least, he would have been the only guy there if he’d shown up. I politely seethed in a corner and left Tabitha to schmooze with her college friends. She was already heavily buzzed and acting a lot louder and a lot friendlier than I’d ever seen her. Apparently, she loved all her classmates very much and needed to hug them repeatedly until they accepted it. I drank very little. Even though I had no moral opposition to alcohol any more, I had never developed a taste for beer and preferred, especially on an important night like this, to stay as level headed as possible. The girls were laughing amicably but clearly anxious to make something more of their night. Tabitha’s display gave them enough reason to politely say their goodbyes. Tabitha pouted momentarily and saw them out the door but not before she gave the blonde girl in the back an embarrassingly enthusiastic drunken hug.

Tabitha was bent over behind the closed door. She sighed and slithered into the recliner now parked in the corner out of the way.

“Well that sucked, for both of us I guess.” She lost her train of thought for a moment as she searched her empty hands (and pockets) for a beer. I obliged her with my own half empty can, and she continued: “Well there’s no reason the two of us can’t have a smashing party.” She swung the half empty can around her head in time with her words.

“Well Tabby, we certainly can’t go out. You’ve already made a mess of yourself.”

“Pllllleease, you tee tolling cock sucking boy scout. You don’t know what I’m feeling right now. OK? You don’t know. So don’t act like you do.” Tabitha’s crooked sneer melted to horror. “Oh my God Leila I’m so fucking sorry I said that. Oh my God you know I love you. I don’t think you’re a cock sucker.” Tabitha spilled to her feet and lunged at me in a drunken embrace.

“Well, I’m definitely a cock sucker, Tabby, but they threw me out of the Boy Scouts when they found out I had tits.” Tabitha gave a snorting, unsophisticated laugh as she clutched me like a baby chimp, popping my boobs out of my formerly well secured blouse.

“Oh my god,” she said stepping back. “I’m sorry. Let me fix that.” Her unsteady hands shot toward my breasts and were only interrupted by a knock at the door. Tabitha pirouetted instantly, spinning 500 degrees and almost smashing her face into the wall. She grabbed the door handle and yanked it. Then she turned the knob and yanked it again.

“Howdy stranger!” She bellowed, predictably tackling the man at the door.

“Sorry we’re late,” a man’s voice replied. “There was some… car trouble.”

I frantically shoved my tits back into my shirt and retied the decorative laces at the front. A single foot crossed the threshold of the apartment, and I jumped across the room and into the doorway to greet it.

He was tall, and his jet black hair curled lightly on his head. I made contact with his heavy blue eyes, and he extended a hand.

“I’m Marco. You must be Layli,” he said in a dark voice. Tabitha wasn’t joking about his sense of style. His matching black shirt and slacks were covered by a thigh length gray jacket with a dramatic popping collar and lapel. It was completely inappropriate for the Texas summer, even at night. I was excited. The man was clearly dressed to impress. I heard the sound of plastic wheels on pavement.

“Leilani,” I corrected, just in time to see a second figure coming from the parking lot.

“Oh my god.