The Protection

Five

In the midst of my saki haze, I somehow managed to write my first Sociology paper and study for my genetics exam. My pre-med program was proving to be as relentless as ever. I hated to admit it, but I found myself looking forward to Chapel as much as Beth despised it. It was an hour where all of the campus came together, providing a safe place where I could decompress before the rest of my crazy day commenced. I pulled my heavy backpack up a little higher and squared my shoulders as I walked through the double doors and into the vast bright Chapel. Historic colorful stained glass windows adorned the walls, each depicting different stories from the bible, while golden light fixtures further illuminated the space. Despite the hundreds of college students packed into the space, the Chapel always seemed beautiful, romantic even.

I greeted my teammates as I sat down, but I could tell behind their false smiles and prying eyes they were wondering what made me, God forbid, miss volleyball practice yesterday. That was a cardinal sin of college athletics, much like sitting out of your assigned seat for Chapel.

"Hey, babe," said one of the freshman pitchers as he sat down next to Beth. Babe?! I raised an eyebrow. The Saturday night mystery man was revealed. He was tall in a gangly kind of way with long arms that ended in long fingers. I felt beguiled thinking back to how Beth had said size was an issue. I guess proportionality was not always the case... 

My cheeks burned at the impure thought. I shouldn't be focused on his thing, especially not in this holy Chapel of all places. The man smiled at me unaware of my inner sin-filled monologue. His strawberry blonde hair was buzzed short beneath his flat billed baseball cap.

"I think you're lost," Beth snapped as she turned her body away from him and toward me. "Your seat is somewhere in the back with the rest of the baseball trash." She tossed her long blond French braid over her shoulder, but he was not deterred in the slightest, wrapping his long fingers across her inner thigh. She tried to shake him off, but he was persistent, and I saw a small smile spread to the corner of her mouth.

"Hey, I'm Scott," he said, extending his hand to me across Beth's rigid body. I shook it, admiring his freshman confidence. I could see why Beth liked him. He was cute in a young and unassuming kind of way. His features were understated and handsome when the lighting was flattering, but as he turned and the shadows fell across his face he lost some of his prior appeal. He wasn't exactly her type, given her track record of sleeping with professional athletes and models and gorgeous actors. His personality must compensate for the rest, I judged rudely. I didn't know what had gotten into me. Beth continued to ignore him, fingering the golden ribbon at the bottom of her braid. She loved her ribbons. I never knew why, but she had one in every shimmering shade. It must be a rich girl thing, something I knew absolutely nothing about.

I tore my eyes away from Beth and Scott's awkward exchange, looking for the same person I did everyday: Ben. He arrived minutes later, sauntering in just before the opening prayer. I tried not to stare. Everything about him was unintentionally good-looking. His dark brown hair hung a little too low over his bright blue eyes, his facial scruff always looked like he needed a clean shave, and his attire rarely wavered from gray baseball sweatpants. Ben absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair. I bit my lower lip reminiscing on all the times I ran my own hands through his dark wavy hair when we kissed, our arms a tangled mess, our bodies pushed together, hidden between buildings away from so many prying eyes. He glanced in my direction and I quickly cut my eyes back towards the stage. My cheeks burned red, but they were only half as flushed as the space between my legs, the space that seemed to pulse with every beat of my confused heart...