Roger decided tocall on Thanksgiving.
Benny answered the phone, since I was out monitoring 'Othello's' final performance.
"Hello?" Benny answered.
"Hi. Is…Mark there?"
"No- he's, I think he's at a production right now. Can I take a message?"
"Uh- no- can you just tell him that Roger called and…that... I'm really sorry?"
"Wait- you said you were Roger?"
"Yeah, Roger Davis."
"New York Roger?"
"Yeah. Look, can you just tell him I called?"
"Of course. But Mark had a message for you too, it's been by the table for a while."
"Oh. Uh- okay."
"It says, 'Tell Roger that I can probably come in the beginning of December if that's a good time for him. Tell him that I hope he's okay and I'll call him back to discuss any plans. And he better answer this time.' Does that sound right? Are you this Roger? The best friend?"
"Look, I don't know who you are, but thanks, okay? Bye-"
"Well! I'm Benny, Mark's roommate? I'm sorry if I'm pissing you off dude, but I think you need to know how much Mark cares about you. He's gonna be gone into tomorrow, so what should I say about him coming in December?"
"Benny? Is that your name? You're his roommate, not his secretary. I'd rather just talk to him myself."
"All right all right, I'll let him know you called. Which will probably make his day since you never call…"
"Dude, are you trying to start shit over the phone?"
"No, no, sorry. Like I said, I don't expect him back until tomorrow though."
"Whatever. Thanks."
"No problem."
Benny prepared to hang up, but caught Roger's voice before the receiver landed.
"Wait, wait, Benny?"
"Yeah?"
"Okay, tell him…whenever he can come..Tell him to come."
"Okay."
"Thanks. And um…sorry."
--
June's show was an enormous success. All the actors and actresses received standing ovations and a full house every night of the show's run.
On the final performance- Thanksgiving- I stood in the wings and waited for June with a bouquet of roses and baby's breath.
She came around the corner mobbed with fans and friends. But she saw me and cheered, breaking away from her entourage to throw herself at me, screaming, "We did it, we did it!"
I managed to get the roses out of her crushing grip, grabbing her with my free arm and spinning her around. She kissed me clumsily on the mouth midair, out of excitement, knocking my glasses askew. Embarrassed, I pushed them upright and held out her flowers.
She didn't seem to notice, and bounced off in another direction, confused to which group of oncoming theatergoers to mingle in first.
"June!" I called after her, feeling stupid that the girl I was dating totally just overlooked the bouquet I had picked out for her.
She spun around, scanning the crowd to see who had shouted her name, and then her eyes fell on me holding out the roses and looking disheartened.
She bolted back, covering her mouth in embarrassment.
"Mark!" She squealed. "Were those for me?"
"Um…yeah…" I blushed and handed them to her.
"Oh my gosh! Mark! I totally saw those before and thought someone gave them to you! I'm SO sorry! You deserve them just as much!"
She plucked two roses from the arrangement and handed them to me, grabbing my other hand.
Turning to the doors, she stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled a shrill tweet.
Everyone stopped their clatter to turn and face the director.
"ATTENTION EVERYONE!" June called. "Hello? Hi! As you may know- I'm June- the play's director. I'm SO very honored that everyone came out tonight, and all those other nights, to support me, and all these fabulous actors, and the school- or- just to enjoy a good, heartfelt tragedy..." The crowd laughed.
"Honestly, I really appreciate all of you coming and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, but you must take note! This production would not have been possible without the people behind the curtains! I'd like you all to meet Mark- my boyfriend- and the head of production of 'Othello.' Without him, there wouldn't have been a play tonight. So if you could just give him a big round of applause-?"
She leapt up and kissed me again, holding up my hands and shaking them like a boxing champion.
The onlookers erupted into cheers, applause flooding down the hallway. I blushed a deep, deep scarlet and covered my face with the bouquet.
Burying my head into June's shoulder I hissed, "You really didn't have to do that…"
Covering my face, I looked up at the crowd and nodded, calling feebly, "Thank you, thank you so much."
Some of my friends were in the audience and they hollered out, "Yeah Mark!" or "You go boy!"
I was on top of the world.
--
...I wound up losing my virginity that night.
A few hours and a few flowers later we were in June's dorm room, and it was awkward as ever.
I speak of it casually, but we were both so ill at ease asto what happened next that it just seemed like the next step.
It...happened like I'd imagined, in 'the throes of passion', on her roommate's couch.
Somehow, I'd become incredibly skilled at foreplay, only having dated her for less than a month. I took pride in that.
As of tonight, she considered me her boyfriend, and apparently she wanted to go.
I often wondered how it would happen- and with who.
I used to think, in my earlier teenage years, that I'd remain chaste until after marriage. Not because I couldn't get a girlfriend, but because it was chivalrous and orthodox.
But June on top of me with her shirt off and her hands down my pants caused that to become an outdated and innocent notion at breakneck speed.
I couldn't say if it was romantic or not- or if June was 'the right person', but looking back, the fact that I'm questioning it, she probably wasn't…
It might not have been the life-altering moment mentioned in the birds and the bees talks, but it was good.
June was good (she was no virgin) and I suppose I did all right. June picked up on my inexperience and guided us along.
It was sort of an out-of-body experience, watching myself go at it on someone else's futon with an assortment of crumpled bouquets strewn on the floor.
We...both climaxed. That was fun.
Oh who am I kidding, that part was amazing.
We ended up on the floor, panting, and all June said was, "Oh Mark…" which was pretty much the sexiest thing ever.
We kissed for another half hour, and then retreated to June's bed for the routine bickering. We argued about some of my cues and I criticized her casting of Desdemona's understudy, but all I could really think about the whole time was how incredibly hot June was, and how I'd just had sex for the first time. I ended up with another erection, which just sent June into hysterics, and she punched me and laughed so hard she almost fell out of the bed.
I caught her, which made her laugh even harder. I just stared at her until she quieted down, and eventually she set her jaw and turned to me, looking me in the eyes and speaking in all seriousness.
"Mark?" She asked."How old are you?"
I scowled, as I thought this was a weird question.
"I turned nineteen in September." I replied. "Why?"
"Oh…nothing. Just wondering."
I raised an eyebrow and shook my head, settling down under June's silky pink sheets. Sighing happily, I put my arm around her and we fell asleep like that.