"Dammit!"

Jess ducked back inside the rounded column façade of the Geology Corner building. Roger and one of his football cronies were standing out in the open area in front. With as huge a campus as Stanford was, the chances of him being there by mere coincidence were totally astronomical. Had he somehow gotten a hold of her class schedule? Just thinking someone might have violated her privacy like that made her blood boil. She'd hoped to at least be free of Roger's pestering on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Now what was she going to do?

She took a peek past the column and saw the two of them were still there, waiting. At least the façade's overhang made it hard to see inside. Rather than go back into the building, she moved with the tide of students down the covered walk. She tried to scrunch down a little as she was forced out into the sunlight, hoping to hide enough of herself that she wouldn't be seen. She ditched into the first available structure at the Quad and worked herself from one to another around to the other side.

By the time she made it to the library, between looking over her shoulder and feeling like some kind of walking target, she was exhausted. She snuck down to the reading area in the basement. Seeing that it was mostly deserted, she raided the vending machines, in for another night of less than ideal food.

Dragging her small hoard, she entered the basement stacks and headed for the small area she used the day before. Not surprisingly, it was available. What did surprise her, however, was that the other table at the far end was being used. And if her eyes weren't playing tricks on her, it was by the same guy as before.

Not daring to question her luck, in this anyway, she pulled out her books and got to work. At least there were no distractions here, but it sure did make for a lame evening.

#

"Maybe you should just give in and go on a date with him."

Jess stopped brushing her hair and stared in disbelief at her red headed roommate. "Shirl, are you crazy? He's a jock! And a total jerk to boot."

Her friend wouldn't meet her gaze. "He's not bad looking though. You could do a lot worse." Her voice was small. "I wouldn't mind dating him."

"Then why don't you?" Jess slammed the brush down on the desk harder than she meant to. It had been a long, tiring week.

"Aw, common, Jess, don't get mad at her. She's just trying to help." Becky came out of the closet, the clothes she planned to wear for the day in hand.

"I know…it's just!" Jess threw her hands in the air not sure how to vocalize her growing frustration. "It feels like he's stalking me, okay? And his other wanna be girlfriends are giving me a hard time, too. This is not what I came to college for!"

Shirl's lightly freckled face turned beet red.

"Maybe not you, but…" Becky laughed out loud, glancing at Shirl.

The shorter girl stood up in a huff. "Not all of us want to be braniacs and prove we're better than men. Some of us don't actually mind being taken care of!"

"Oh, Shirl, I didn't mean anything. Please wait!" Jess stood up from her chair, not entirely sure what she would say, but her roommate stormed out never giving her a chance to try.

She sighed, her shoulders slumping. College wasn't supposed to be like this.

Becky scrunched down next to her. "Don't worry about her. She'll be all right." Her friend glanced in the direction of the closed door. "Honestly? I think she's a little jealous of you."

Jess sighed again. "I don't see what about. Not at all."