College Years
#5 of College Years
Chapter 5 College Years
Orlando
"What I don't get, is how you ended up getting stuck with a prick like that"
It was lunchtime. Dozens of others furs flocked about the large cafeteria talking lively with one another as they arrived. Some classes got out later than the others, which was why there were several different bell systems installed throughout Morton.
"It seems like dumb luck to me!"
Sitting across from me prodding his food with his fork was Blake, a depressed look on his face. Letting out a sigh, I picked up my fork and began to eat. For several minutes we ate in silence, well to a degree anyway. Picking up my glass of water and bringing it up to my lips was when he decided to speak.
"I know this may sound weird and all but could you hear me out before you criticize or anything?"
"Mhmm, sure" I began to take a drink.
"I-I'm in love with Allen"
There went my drink as I spit it out. "WHAT?! How can you love him already?! You two just met yesterday!"
Blake shushed me then cast a quick look around to make sure no one had heard. After which he turned his attention back to me and spoke quietly.
"I just know I am Or, I-I....I've felt love before so I know what it feels like..."
The look on his face and the tone of his voice told me not to press for details, and I'm a person who respected boundaries to a certain degree. Letting out a sigh then leaning back in my chair, I merely kept silent and stared at the wolf across from me as several furs passed by within hearing distance.
"Like I was saying, you should try out for soccer, you definitely have the talent for it!"
"How do you know? You haven't seen me-"
I couldn't catch anything else as they moved out of earshot.
An idea suddenly came to mind and I looked over to Blake, who in turned laid back his ears and shook his head. "What? I think it'd be cool if you partook in a physical after-school activity!"
Blake sighed and in a soft voice replied, "I don't think I'm any good at sports really..."
"Really? I'm mean, you certainly seem to have that certain athletic physique to your build, and when I ran into you earlier you were as sturdy as a brick wall! I actually hurt myself a bit when I hit you"
The white wolf just shook his head again then started to eat his lunch. A plan was already hatching inside my head as I watched him eat for several moments before I started doing so myself. After awhile I looked back over to Blake, who had stopped eating and was just staring down at his food again.
Letting out a long drawn out sigh, I said, "You're not the only one having problems..."
He looked up to me a bit startled. "Wh-What?"
I set my fork down and looked away. "Just last year, my family was forced to go through two loses. My mother.....and my older brother, who had died on these very grounds..."
"I-I'm sorry for your loss"
Shaking my head, I only said, "Don't apologize for things you have no control over"
"Or, w-why are you telling me this?"
Now I turned and looked him square in the eyes.
"Because my older brother and Allen....they were in love. My brother never stopped talking about all the good qualities in that same fox that is your roommate. Whenever we talked, he'd always have something new to tell me about Allen...Then last year, the two were heading out to a friends house to attend a party. They were with two other friends, one of whom was driving. From what I heard the party had started two hours before; my brother never wanted to go, it was that damn fox who dragged him along! As they pulled out from the university parking lot, they were hit. It was one of the party guests returning from getting completely hammered at the party. He hit the car going well over fifty...My brother was rushed to the hospital, but the doctors could do nothing for him.....Allen was the only one who survived the crash....."
Upon remembering the look on my dying brother's face, that look of fear, tears started running down my cheeks and I closed my eyes. Before I knew what happened, I found myself being hauled up to my feet. It was Blake. He had gone around the table and was now hugging me tight. I buried my face into his chest fur and began sobbing for real.
As we held each other, both of us failed to notice an older snow fox passing by with a grin on his face...
***
Allen
Why does life have to be so cruel?
This question repeated itself over and over in my head as I sat alone on the couch in the dorm. The door to the room was locked, and Blake didn't have a key, well, not anymore anyway. I stared down at the key that sat upon my thigh, the key that he had forgotten on the counter.
As I stared, another question came to mind; What was the key to happiness? I didn't have the answer to that question, and I doubt I ever will. Just then there came a knock at the door.
A familiar voice came from the other side of the door. "Allen? Are you there?"
I quickly sprang up from the couch and rushed over to the door and unlocked it. Standing there in the hallway was my father.
Thomas Foxworth was wearing one of his turtleneck sweatshirts that he pulled off so well. Not to mention that it was his one black turtleneck, which meant he wanted to talk personal. Great.
"Father, what are you doing here?" I was using the formal tone of voice that he always asked me to use when others are around.
He gave me 'The Look' and replied just as formally. "Allen I'm here to talk about what I had heard happened today. The slip hasn't reached you yet, but I know it's coming. Allen, why did you punch a freshman in the face? It is completely unlike you to resort to violence in these kind of confrontations"
Turning away from the older snow fox, I headed back towards the couch. "Just leave me alone Dad, you wouldn't understand anyway..." Big mistake.
Coming into the dorm and shutting the door behind him, my father spoke in a low voice. "I wouldn't understand? I wouldn't know the struggle you're going through? Son I lost your mother, after I swore to her that I would keep her safe from your real father when she divorced him,"
I hung my head in shame and rubbed my shoulder. He placed his paw on my other shoulder and gently turned me around to face him, a look of kindness in his eyes.
"I thought you'd never find love after that incident with Denver, thought that you'd never move on. But now you have a chance son, a real chance! I've seen the love in your eyes when you look upon Blake. I know it's there son, there's no denying it. He's just waiting for you to come around Allen! Don't make your life miserable by never letting go of the past or grabbing hold of your future. I'm saying this because I want you to be happy, son. Think about that."
My father gave me a tight hug, then turned and headed back towards the door. Something came to mind and I quickly said, "Dad wait!" He stopped and looked back to me. "How do you know if Blake is right for me? How do you even know any of this?"
With a huge fox smile, Thomas Foxworth replied, "How do I know any of this? Because I know you. As for Blake; why do you think I chose him to be your roommate?" With that he turned, opened the door, and left, leaving me standing there dumbstruck.
He was right though, I did love Blake, I've loved him from the very moment I laid eyes on him. Rubbing my shoulder again, a smile finally broke through the grim look on my face...