It All Started... Ch. 01

This is a building romance story over a plot development line, there may not be sex in every chapter but it does get steamy once the story picks up. Please comment and feel free to give ideas. Try to keep negative critiques to a minimum, this is my first time writing a story.

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Riley walked into the already packed and noisy gymnasium and looked around. He wasn't used to the hustle and the bustle of the first day at a four year college. He had just transferred in from his community college, and gotten accepted to his dream university for his first year. He was a junior in college years but a new student at this school. "Oh boy, here we go," he thought as he plunged into the auditorium. Riley's parents already helped him drop his stuff off at his off campus apartment, and they had left. He wasn't intending to attend the orientation since it was mostly freshmen, but he was looking for his transfer mentor; Professor Austin. Bob Austin was the Criminal Justice professor who helped mentor all the transfer students helping them get acclimated to the university. Riley had planned to meet him and get a tour of the campus.

Only one problem

He had no idea what the guy looked like.

Riley decided he might as well sit down and try and find this guy later. He sat down in one of the weak plastic folding chairs and tried to plan his next move. He didn't know when he zoned out but he caught a phrase that jolted him back to attention, "Any new students can have any questions they have answered at the table in the back."

Riley looked back at the tables and decided they might as well help him out. He stood in line and shuffled forward with the rest of them. Halfway there he saw and sign on the front of the table labeled: Transfer Mentors. "Oh thank god, finally someone can help me."

He eagerly stepped in front of the table and a female voice said, "Hi there, how can I help you?" The speaker was a very pretty brunette with hazel eyes that shone even through the pink framed glasses she wore. She wasn't beaming with her smile but she did have a bright one to look at. She was wearing a shirt in the University colors with what looked like Greek lettering on it. Riley felt bad because he immediately started checking her out. This girl was very pretty, and he caught himself staring down at her breasts as they strained against her shirt.

Wanting to speak before he got caught ogling her he stammered, "Uh..um yes...yes. I'm l-looking for my Mentor professor. Professor Austin."

The girl smiled at his nervousness, "What's your name?"

"Riley, Riley James."

"I'm Annabelle Dawson, welcome to the school. Hang on a second." She started rifling through a plastic box in front of her and muttering to herself. She eventually pulled out a large manila envelope and handed it to him.

"You can find Professor Austin over there by the exit to the gymnasium. The tall guy with the wire glasses. Looks like he hasn't been in the sun for years. He's really nice though," she said as she handed him the manila envelope.

"T-thanks," Riley said as he took it and looked over at his Professor. Annabelle was truly disarming. There was just something about her that made him like her instantly. But he pushed that thought from his mind, "I can't do that...not now...she doesn't deserve that. Besides she probably has a boyfriend."

"Maybe I'll see you around campus, or in class, I'm a Criminal Justice major as well," Annabelle smiled at him again and said, "I hope you enjoy it here."

Riley only managed a soft smile and walked away. He caught himself looking back at Annabelle but she was already talking to another student. He sighed and kept walking until he met his professor.

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Annabelle tried to focus on the students that kept swarming the table with their routine questions; "How do I know what meal plan I have?" "How do I set up Wi-Fi in my dorm room?" "Can I be allowed a microwave?" She wished she had a quick link like on the internet that could answer all their F.A.Q.s with one click. It didn't help that her thoughts kept drifting to the new guy who just left.

He was everything she liked; tall, dark haired, well built and had killer blue eyes. Annabelle couldn't explain it, but she was drawn into them. She saw something in his eyes that she couldn't explain, it was like finding a secret and she wanted to unveil it. If he hadn't walked to her table then she would have thought Riley was a freshman. He had that innocent look about him. Annabelle also caught a glimpse of a tattoo on his right arm, on the bicep. Thinking about it sent a small shiver through her. She loved guys with tattoos.

She shook her head and tried to get her mind back to helping these poor, lost confused sheep-sorry freshman. One by one they filtered over to their groups and they all flowed out. In the silence of the gym that followed she huffed a sigh. Annabelle took that opportunity to stand and stretch when she heard a voice call her name.

"Annie! Annie! Over here!"

It was her longtime best friend Brittany Hoffman. They grew up together, went to high school together, so it was obvious that they would go to the same college together. She was an English major and wanted to be a teacher.

"Hey Brit! What have you been up to?" Annabelle asked with a smile.

Brittany sighed and tossed her hair back over her shoulders, binding it up in a ponytail, "Getting things set up in our dorm room. Our two roommates have showed up and already they're getting on my nerves!"

Annabelle smiled softly. Brittany could get annoyed at the smallest things with her roommates. "Why what's wrong with them?"

"They have such a stuck up attitude! They started questioning why they couldn't

have the room that we chose. They were whispering at each other and pointing at our stuff in the room. I don't like them already."

Annabelle put her hand on her friend's shoulder, "I'm sure it will calm down once school starts. They're probably just stressed out. Don't worry about it. Let's go get a coffee."

Brittany smiled back at her, "Yeah maybe. Let's go take them to the field and watch the lacrosse team practice without their shirts on. Maybe you can snatch one of them up to be your man this year!"

Annabelle's thoughts drifted toward Riley and her stomach did a small flip. "Maybe...but I don't think he plays lacrosse."

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Riley liked the campus already. It was wide, sprawling with lots of areas for the students to congregate. The student Rec Center was massive. There was a brand new Criminal Justice building with the latest high tech equipment. The football stadium was impressive and he could definitely feel at home here.

Professor Austin was a great guy. He was nice, funny, and enthusiastic but Annabelle was right with his apparent lack of sun exposure. As they walked he chose an opportunity to dart into each and every building, and each time they were outside he squinted and turned his body away from the sun. Riley had an urge to open an umbrella for him like Michael Jackson.

As they completed the tour they walked back to Professor Austin's office and sat down with him. He tore open his manilla envelope and handed the professor a copy of his transcript that they sent to the school along with a blank schedule. Austin brought up all the available courses he could take and set him up with a schedule that would balance nicely. He also had required meeting with Austin twice a week.

As Riley looked over the schedule written for him the Professor broke his train of thought, "For three of your classes you're very lucky. One of my favorite mentoring assistants Miss Dawson is in each of those classes."

Riley looked up sharply and asked, "Annabelle Dawson?"

"Ah, you know her already?"

Riley shook his head and drowned out the next thing the Professor said. The meeting finished and Riley walked back to his apartment. As he walked in he paused at the strange noise coming from his room. Slap slap slap slap slap followed by a steady stream of female moans and gasps... Riley groaned. His roommate was having sex already. He flopped down on the couch and waited. Twenty minutes later the door opened and his roommate Brandon walked out in just a pair of boxer shorts. He wasn't exactly attractive. He was husky, hairy, and had oily hair with yellow teeth. The girl who stumbled out was pretty, attractive and had no reason to be with a guy like Brandon.

They walked to the door together and Brandon opened it. The girl stepped back and opened her mouth, "Will you cal-"

Her sentence was cut off as Brandon slammed the door and locked it. He started laughing and looked at Riley, "I'm telling you man. This place is all about Hit It and Quit It. I wish I could rack up bitches like her every day. Maybe even a pussy like you could get lucky." He laughed again walking into the room. Five minutes later he could smell weed coming through the walls.

Riley sighed and shook his head. He booted up his laptop and logged onto his Facebook, he immediately saw a friend request. As he clicked on it, he beamed when he saw that it was Annabelle. He stared at her picture for a bit and smiled again thinking, "Maybe this place won't be so bad after all."