I've been in school for a day and a half, and I'm already tired. I'm at my university's health science/nursing building and I'm not even in those programs. I'm out of it.

I think I've said this for almost every chapter so far, but I'm excited about this one.

Year One: Foreplay

The Boiler Room - 00:38 AM

Smooth dancing music fills the background as James approaches Angela with a refill of her drink. She puts it to the side as she bends over to take her next shot at pool. She strikes the cue and the balls soar across the table, some stripes sinking in.

"Nice," James compliments as Angela sips her drink.

"Before you take your turn, can we talk about something?" Angela asks.

James nods, taking the stick from her. "What about?"

"Our relationship."

James almost drops the stick and he freezes. He finishes his cup and feels a panic rising inside him. Was Angela going to break up with him? It made sense. They're in college and she has more options. Maybe better options, but don't tell his ego he thought that. It's not like he can do any better.

James clears his throat. "Don't break up with me. I love you."

Angela gives him a face, taking a moment to process what he said. He sounded desperate and she's looking at him like a moron. She starts shaking her head and holding his hand to reassure him.

"No," she says, wondering why he thought the opposite. "James, I wanted to know if you were ready to take the next step."

He's more shocked that she asked that than a possible breakup. James replays that last part in his head. Next step.

"Are you talking about -?" He asks, unsure how to phrase it. "That next step."

Angela nods, smiling excitedly as she holds his arm. "I've been thinking about it. We're in college now and I love you. I want to share this with you. That is, if you want the same."

Oh my god, this was really about to happen. James starts nodding and grins so giddily that he hugs her. Angela was surprised by the hug but wraps her arms around him.

"Okay," James says, taking a breath. "Let's do this. You mean now?"

Angela hesitates. "Do you want to do it now?"

James pauses. "No, but not because I don't want to. I have to think some things over. I will call you."

He gives her a quick kiss before turning on his heel and running out. Angela watches him go but smiles to herself.

-o-

Edison Residence - 1:42 AM

For the first time in forever, Daniel feels intellectually challenged and stimulated. His textbooks are interesting and he's learning new information. Lectures were engaging and thought-provoking. He should've come to college earlier. What did he learn in high school besides which bathrooms not to use? As he turns the page, James bursts into their dorm, panting heavily.

"Dude!" James exclaims, leaning against their door to close it. "Angela wants to engage in thermodynamics."

Daniel blinks. "What?"

"Hot action."

Daniel thinks for a moment before understanding. He clears his throat. " … wow. You good for it?"

James walks over and takes a seat at his desk which is next to Daniel's. "I mean, I guess. With Angela, I have enough. I don't need more or less because she's perfect. And I'd be lying if I say that I've never thought about it because I have on many occasions. I'm used to those concepts being up in my head and not out on the table. Okay, this will be a stupid question but not the dumbest I've asked."

"What?"

"How do you really perform thermodynamics?"

-o-

Concrete Beach - 2:06 AM

Across campus, Xavier and Orchid sit close together at the bar. She's sitting on a bar stool, looking at her phone. Her eyes squint at the intense brightness of the screen that she had to set in the dark environment. Her knees point at Xavier whose back leans against the counter. He watches his classmates dance around, enjoying themselves. Drinks are being taken and people are screaming. It's a normal Tuesday night here at SHIELD Academy.

"The benefit of living on a farm is that you never saw your neighbours," Orchid tells Xavier. "They're too far away. But sometimes they did nice things for you like plow your field."

"Wouldn't you have to plow their field in return?" Xavier questions.

Orchid nods. "Southern hospitality, baby." She shows him her phone. "What do you think about him?"

Xavier takes her phone and lowers the brightness a bit. He sees a boy on her phone via one of many dating apps he doesn't know the name of. He has no thoughts about the character in question because, well, what was there to say? He agreed to help Orchid find a man but he had no idea what he was doing.

Xavier looks at the guy on the screen and he looks familiar. It could be someone in one of his class on his floor back in residence. Even the name wasn't ringing any bells. The last name more because maybe he heard a prof yell it out. It never occurred to Xavier that he barely knew people's first names. All he got were his friends, Ashton, and Orchid.

"He looks lame," Orchid says, taking her phone back and swiping away. "Why can't it be easy for me?"

Xavier shrugs. "You know, when my girl and I were together, other girls wanted me even more."

Orchid scoffs a little. "That's because girls assume that a taken man is amazing. Men are creeps, or so that's how they teach us growing up. It also doesn't help that you're you. Girls in my dorm are thirsting so hard for you, it's insane. Your sister has to cover her ears whenever she walks by because they say some things. I can't imagine what it must've been like for you in high school."

Xavier modestly shrugs. He had no idea that girls here were looking at him mostly because he wasn't looking back. It wasn't new for him because, as he said, this happened when he was with Britney. People are so sincere in their affection for him; they can all celebrate Xavier because he's nice, and he makes everyone feel comfortable and good. Even when he rejects them, he does it so politely that they can't get mad.

"Maybe if we dance, we'll get a better look around," Orchid suggests, putting her phone in her back pocket.

"I can't dance," Xavier says.

Orchid looks at him in disbelief. "But you did football. That's like a choreographed routine!"

He has never been so offended. "It's not dancing."

"Fine. I guess your genes had to sacrifice something for that pretty face."

She smiles at him as she leaps off her bar stool. Leaving him at the bar, she starts grooving into the crowd. Xavier is about to stay where he is but begrudgingly walks in. He has no rhythm but nobody minds because it's Xavier Rogers. He will get someone grinding on him. For sure.

Orchid sees him and almost laughs at him just standing there. "You didn't have to come after me."

"Yes, I did," Xavier says, stepping to the side when a girl gets too close for his comfort. "You're far too inexperienced to find love in a hostile environment without me."

Orchid couldn't argue with that. "Your gentleman mannerisms were worth not being able to dance."

-o-

Atlantic Residence - 2:43 AM

After getting ready for bed, Angela sits on her bunk and isn't surprised to see any calls or messages from James. He almost freaked out when she asked him about having sex for the first time. Honestly, if he asked her, she would've reacted the same. She spent so many nights thinking about it before she decided to get it out there for James and see what would happen next.

Now her body's shaking at the idea of going to that level with him one day. She loves him. He loves her. It will be great. Will it? Was she ready for this?

Her mother warned her about this along with having a boyfriend in college. After her parents found out that Xavier lost his virginity after graduation, they expected her to be next. That wasn't why she was thinking about it, though.

It's not that she wanted to get over it. She wanted to experience it with James.

She snaps back to reality when her phone rings. Checking the screen, she sees that it's Emily because she texted her the moment James left The Boiler Room.

Emily: How goes it there at SHIELD Academy? Isn't it like 3 AM?

"I don't know," Angela responds. "I asked James if he wanted to have sex and he said yes but had to think something over."

The other end is silent. Angela checks to make sure that the call didn't end. When she holds the phone to her ear, she almost drops it due to Emily's screaming.

Emily: This is big news! And good for him for thinking because you have to do the same.

"I'm aware," Angela responds.

Emily: Not that stuff. Look, I know you're hot but fix yourself down there.

Angela furrows her brows. "You're not going to give me any body positivity?"

Emily: Fine.

Emily clears her throat and Angela prepares herself for the wisdom.

Emily: Forget any issues you may have had about your body. If you reach the point of getting naked and making love, the other person doesn't care about your perceived flaws. They just want to be with you.

Angela is taken aback by those words. "That was beautiful."

Emily: But trust me and get waxed everywhere. It makes the experience better.

"You have a point." She makes a mental note to start researching places after this call.

Emily: And don't be nervous. It's your first time but it's way less of a big deal than you realized once you finish. Then when you get better at it and, speaking from experience, it's way more fun.

Angela nods, seeing how that all makes sense. Matchmaker Emily knew her stuff even when she wasn't matching people. Then her thoughts focus on something else and she almost drops her phone. How did she completely skip over that part? The call isn't ending until that's addressed.

"Oh my god!" Angela exclaims. "When did you and Daniel -?"

-o-

Merida plods up the stairway into her dorm's hallway. Fuck the couple who decided to fuck in the elevator. Those nasty classmates couldn't hold it in until they reached a room? In a few steps, Merida will be the most relieved. She'll get to peel off her cadet training uniform from her skin and change into her own clothes. Muscles she didn't even know she had hurt. She wants to drop on her bed like a hung man, mentally, spiritually, and physically depleted.

Before she searches her pockets for her room key, she sees Xavier at the end of her hallway. She pauses, watching. He's dropping someone off at their dorm. And they look friendly with each other. Was her fatigue making her hallucinate? No. It can't be. But could it?

Once the door closes and Xavier starts leaving, Merida clears her throat to get his attention. Xavier faces her and starts walking her way.

"Where were you?" Xavier asks.

"I'm tired," Merida responds.

"From partying?"

"No."

"Then that's sad."

Merida laughs because it's true. "You move on quickly."

Xavier turns around, looking back at the girl's dorm. "Not funny. I'm helping her out."

"With what?"

"None of your business."

Merida puts her hands up. She respects his business because she'll find out in other ways. Maybe she'll even help out. "I'm telling Britney."

Xavier smiles a little. "While you're at it, tell her I say hi."