You're Not Finished Yet Ch. 01

~~~~~~

That night, I took a nice long swim before I went to bed, ensuring that I would sleep like a baby when I finally did lie down. And as I thought about all the things that had taken place that day, I smiled, knowing that not only was I going to do well in college, but also that I had handled the conversation I'd had earlier with Rachael perfectly, not raising my voice one bit, trying my very best to be as civilized as possible, regardless of how I truly felt about her...the bitch..

I knew that perhaps I might've been a little harsh with her, but like I've already said, when it came right down to it; she turned her back on me after she'd professed her undying love for me not two days prior. I may sound like I'm going on a bit too much about it; but that is something, which, regardless of the circumstances, except cheating, I could've never done, not in a million lifetimes, and I most certainly was not going to put up with it from her, end of story.

~~~~~~

Chapter Two

I woke up at five o'clock the next morning feeling new and refreshed. The first thing I did after I got out of bed was to jump in the pool, naked, and swim ten laps before breakfast. To say that it felt good would be an understatement, as I hadn't had the opportunity to do something like this since I first got out of boot camp, and then was attending my Hospitalman "A" School, while I was going through training in the Navy.

~~~~~~

That morning at college began a day that I'll long remember for the rest of my life. It was also the day that I met one of two girls, both of whom eventually became the most beautiful souls I would ever know.

After my piano class with Julie Hanover was finished, I had it every day; the next class I had that morning was Psychology 101, with Dr. Richard "Dick" Barnes; and he was one of the greatest men I'd ever had the honor of meeting. I didn't realize it yet, but he would also be the same man that would help me overcome the demons that I'd yet to face, that were just beyond the horizon, and would be coming for me...much sooner than I ever expected.

~~~~~~

"Excuse me, Mister Haynes," Dr. Barnes smiled, after class, "Do you have a few minutes to spare? I was hoping that you and I could talk."

"Sure," I smiled, "What can I do for you, Doctor Barnes?"

"Please don't be offended," he replied, "But Doctor Brown told me that you're a combat veteran, and I wanted to speak with you about that, if you don't mind."

"Alright," I sighed, "What would you like to know, sir?"

"Please, come into my office," he cordially smiled, "That way no one can hear what we talk about."

~~~~~~

"Okay, Doctor Barnes," I said, once we were seated in his office, "What would you like to know, sir?"

"I'll get right to the point, Mark," he kindly smiled, "Are you familiar with the term, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?"

"I've heard of it," I truthfully answered, "But I'm really not all that familiar with it."

"I'll tell you what it is," he said, "We combat veterans are the most susceptible to it, and..."

"Uh, excuse me, Doctor," I politely interrupted, "What do you mean by we combat veterans?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," he chuckled, "I did three tours in Vietnam. I thought you knew that."

"No, sir," I proudly smiled, "I didn't know that, but I'm glad that I do now."

"Oh, really," he curiously smiled, "And why is that?"

"Because I can finally talk to someone normal," I told him, "Someone who really understands where I'm coming from."

"That's why I wanted to have this conversation with you, Mark," Dr. Barnes smiled, handing me his card, "I wanted to let you know that you can come talk to me any time of the day, or night, for that matter."

"Thank you, Doctor Barnes," I genuinely replied, rising from my seat, "It means a great deal to me to hear you say that, sir."

"It's no problem at all, Mark," he smiled, "Call me anytime."

~~~~~~

That evening when I got home, I watched a little television while I ate supper, and then did my homework while my food settled. And when I was finished, I jumped into the pool, and then swam some laps until I was tired; where afterwards; I took a shower and then went to bed.

As I lay in my bed listening to some soft music, I began to think about how lonely it was around the house, and that maybe a couple of room mates would be cool to have. However, I decided that I wanted my room mates to be female, because as far as girls go, and I'm speaking from experience here, most of them have a tendency to be much neater than guys.

I'd had a female room mate while I was in training in the Navy, and yes, we lived off base. She and I got along great, and because I'm kind of anal when it comes to keeping a clean house, having a female there was perfect. So; before I went to sleep, I wrote myself a reminder to check into it tomorrow when I got on campus.

~~~~~~

I at least wanted a room mate who was not only female, but majoring in some kind of music field so as to at least have something in common with any potential room mates. So, the next morning, I posted a note on the bulletin board in the Music building that was very specific in its description of what I was looking for in a room mate. I left my name and phone number, and also that I would be available after five o'clock in the afternoon, if they wanted to reach me.

~~~~~~

It was almost four o'clock when I got home that afternoon, and I had just enough time to make myself a quick snack, before I started in on my homework. That day was a Wednesday, and it just so happened that I had a pop-quiz coming up in my music theory class on the following Friday so; I studied my ass off for that test in order to be on top of my game while I was in school.

I knew that college wasn't going to be easy by any means. Still though, being in the military had given me a drive unlike a regular college student; and I felt secure in knowing that I would be prepared to rise to any challenge I was given...especially after having been through the horror that was Beirut, Lebanon during the early part of the Eighties. Suddenly, I was broken from my reverie by the ringing of the telephone...

~~~~~~

"Hello," I said, into the receiver.

"Hi," responded a female voice, "I'm looking for Mark Haynes."

"That's me," I smiled, "What can I do for you?"

"My name is Jennifer Bradley," she nicely replied, "And I was calling about the note you posted on the bulletin board in the music building; the one about needing a room mate."

"Would you like to come to the house," I asked, "Or would you like me to meet you out somewhere in public?"

"I think it'll be okay if I come to the house," she suddenly giggled, "Why, you're not a serial killer, are you?"

"Not for a long time now," I laughed, teasing her, "Have you got a pen and something to write on?"

Once she'd told me where she was, I gave her directions to my house and then hung up the phone after she informed me that she would be here in about twenty minutes. I suddenly began to smile, the reason for it being way beyond me, but I still wore a happy grin on my face, none the less

~~~~~~

"Hello, Miss Bradley," I smiled, opening the front door to greet her, "Please, come in and make yourself at home."

"You can call me Jennifer," she sweetly giggled, as she walked into my house, "Wow, this is a nice house."

"Thank you," I replied smiling, as we sat down at the kitchen table, "Tell me about you. How old are you? What is your major? That type of thing."

"Let me see," she began smiling, "I'm twenty years old, I'm majoring in Cello, because I want to either play with an Orchestra, or become a teacher; and I'm very anal when it comes to keeping a clean house."

"Good," I chuckled, "Me, too," Then after quoting her the price that I wanted for rent, I looked at her and said, "Can you handle that?"

"I'll make a deal with you," she impishly grinned, "If you let me move in, I'll pay the rent up for the whole year, how does that sound?"

"It sounds great," I gladly smiled, "When can you move in?"

"Is today too soon," Jennifer giggled, pulling her check book out of her purse, "I'll write the check right now if you'd like."

~~~~~~

To make a long story short, suffice it to say that Jennifer moved in, and had her room halfway set up by the time I went to sleep that night

I'm sure you want to know what she looked like so, let me take a moment to describe her.

Jennifer Bradley stood five feet, seven inches tall; and weighed somewhere around one hundred and twenty pounds. Her long hair flowed gently down her back in waves of honey blonde, stopping right past her beautifully tight, but wonderfully round ass.

She was wearing a tee shirt that day, but I could only hope that her beautiful 38D breasts were something to behold once unencumbered. Her skin was soft and tan, evenly colored throughout her body. She had an almost elfin face, and her eyes were a sharp Emerald Green, captivating, yet still gentle at the same time, definitely placing her in a class all by herself.

~~~~~~

I didn't have a class that next morning until ten a.m. so; imagine my surprise when I was awakened by the smell of something really good being cooked in the kitchen, wafting down the hall and into my bedroom. Needless to say, I got out of bed, put on a pair of shorts and a tee shirt, and then followed the smell, or should I say, aroma, down the hallway to the kitchen.

~~~~~~

My eyes were pleasantly greeted by the sight of Jennifer in a long, but not quite long enough, tee shirt. The bottom of her ass was barely covered, but the long and beautiful bare legs which flowed from beneath what I was certain, was probably a spectacular ass, held me in a trance.

"Good Morning," Jennifer smiled, breaking me from my reverie.

"Uh, good morning to you, too," I feebly replied, knowing that she had busted me looking at her ass and legs. Still though, she said nothing about it.

"I'm making some breakfast," she giggled, "Would you like me to make something for you?"

"That would be nice," I replied, relieved, "Thank you."

"Sit down, Tiger" she knowingly grinned, "Let me get you a cup of coffee." And after telling her where I kept the coffee cups, I watched as she reached up into the cabinet, which made her tee shirt rise and expose her nearly bare ass. It was the perfect shape with tan lines ending midway up her ass cheeks.

The thing about it was, she purposefully showed me her ass, saying, "It's alright if you look, Mark, that let's me know that I haven't been wasting my time in the gym."

Finally giving in, I looked at her smiling, and replied, "If you show it, then I'm going to look."

"Any time, Tiger," she giggled, handing me a cup of coffee, "Any time at all..."

And it was at that moment that the beginnings of deep and loving friendship was formed that still lasts to this day, because she...Ooops, I'm getting ahead of myself, sorry.

~~~~~~

After I got home from class, I relaxed, knowing that I wouldn't have another class for the rest of the day. It was twelve, noon, the sun was shining brightly; and because she didn't have any classes at all that day; Jennifer was sunning herself by the pool, wearing the tightest, smallest bikini that I'd ever seen.

"Hey you," I grinned, walking out onto the pool deck, "Nice bikini!"

"You like it?" she giggled, her eyes covered by a pair of RayBans™ sun glasses, "I hoped you would."

"Why, Jennifer," I suddenly asked, not knowing why, "Why would you care what I think when I'm only your room mate?"

She sat up smiling, removed her sunglasses, and then while patting the cushion on the chaise lounge she was sitting in, she looked at me and sweetly said, "I want you to go inside and put on some shorts. Then I want you to come back out and sit down here next to me, Mark, because I want to tell you something."

~~~~~~

"Okay," I grinned, sitting down next to her on the lounger, "What do you want to tell me, Jennifer?"

She took a deep breath, and after smiling at me, began, "The reason I've been a little more than familiar with you, is because, number one, you're a guy, and your opinion on how I look means everything to me. Number two, I think that you're the sweetest guy I've ever met, and last but certainly not least," as a naughty smile crept across her face, "You're a good looking son of a bitch, and my sorority sisters are all jealous as hell because I get to live here with you in this house."

"Wow," I smiled, my face turning bright red, "I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything," she giggled, leaning over and very lightly touching my lips with her own, "Just enjoy it, handsome," and then she stood up and beckoned me into the pool with her.

That was also the day that I discovered that there truly were some good girls left in the world, and that I had been blessed to have such a girl for a room mate. We had fun for the rest of that day, and when the evening came, neither of us felt like cooking so; we decided to go out to dinner.

~~~~~~

Because I was new to town and barely knew my way around, Jennifer took me to a restaurant/bar called, "Jericho's Bar & Grill". When we got to the restaurant, Jennifer took my arm, and giggled, "Let me hold your arm, because it will make me look good."

"Is that right?" I chuckled, offering her my left arm, "Well, here it is, silly girl."

~~~~~~

It hadn't been more than two minutes after we'd sat down, when a girl who had introduced herself as Lynn, appeared at our table to take our order.

"Hey, Jen," Lynn smiled, looking at me, "Is this him?"

"Hey, Lynn," Jennifer smiled back, making it obvious that they knew one another, "Let me introduce you to my room mate, Mark Haynes." And then Jennifer turned to me and said, "Mark, this is one of my best, if not my very best friends in the whole world, Miss Lynn Chandler, and she's a pianist, Mark, just like you."

"Hi, Mark," Lynn meekly replied, "It's very nice to meet you."

"Hello," I smiled, "It's nice to meet you, too."

"Have you found a place to live yet, girl?" Jennifer knowingly asked.

"Not yet," Lynn exasperatedly replied, "But I'm still looking."

And then without any hesitation whatsoever, I blurted out, "I've got an extra room at my house."

"That's right," Jennifer excitedly smiled, "And I know you can afford it, Lynn."

Of course Lynn asked me how much I wanted per month for rent, and after I told her, she grinned from ear to ear and said, "That's great; just tell me how soon I can move in."

"Would tomorrow be okay?" I grinned, "My first class ends at ten thirty, and then I don't have another one until two so; that gives you plenty of time."

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," Lynn giggled, "Now, what would you guys like to eat?"

Jennifer had the cracked crab, while I had shrimp scampi, with two rock lobster tails, and after Lynn had turned and walked away, Jennifer took my hand, and then smiled at me and said, "See? I told you that you were the sweetest man I've ever known, Mark. You didn't have to do that."

"Tell me why not?" I asked, "She's a friend of yours so, that's all the reference I need. Plus, my heart tells me the same good things about her that it did about you."

"Why hasn't some girl snatched you up yet?" she softly asked, "Whoever the woman is that gets you is going to be one lucky girl."

"Thanks, Jen," I quietly told her, softly squeezing her hand, "It means a lot to me to hear you say those things."

There's no need to thank me," she sweetly replied , "It's easy to tell the truth."

~~~~~~

Nothing was said on the way home that night, as Jennifer simply rode next to me with a warm smile across her face.

~~~~~~

"Doc, Doc, I'm hit," cried Jake Ross, who was lying wounded, not more than a hundred feet from me. However, I was pinned down by terrorist gunfire and couldn't reach him.

"Hang on, Buddy," I told him, "I'll be right there."

"No, Doc, you can't reach him without losing your own life," Gunnery Sergeant Hal Markinson, said, "You're going to stay right here, and that's an order."

All at once the mortar fire began to rain down on us like the thunder of Zeus himself, and right before the last round hit, I saw Jake looking at me with fear written all over his face, and then he was gone, the mortar round having obliterated his whole body, exploding right before my eyes.

"JAKE," I yelled, "NOOOOOOO..."

"Mark," I heard Jennifer's voice call, somewhere off in the distance, "Mark, wake up, you're having a bad dream. WAKE UP...."

"Ahhhh..." I cried, opening my eyes to find myself back in my bedroom at home, with Jennifer crying, with her arms around me, holding me closely to her.

"Are you alright?" she sniffled, "You scared me to death."

"Yeah, I'm okay," I replied, trying to catch my breath, "I'm sorry for waking you up."

"It's okay, sweetie," she tenderly and compassionately spoke, while still gently holding me against her body, "But you and I need to talk as soon as possible, Mark. I'm worried about you."

"I'll be alright," I smiled looking at my bedside clock to discover that it was barely three in the morning, "It's still early, and we both have class tomorrow. Why don't you try to get some sleep?"

"No problem," she giggled, scooting down in my bed beside me, and then pulling the sheet up over the both of us, "See you in the morning, handsome."

"Would you like to tell me what you think you're doing, Miss Jennifer?"

"That's easy," she giggled, "I'm going to lay here next to you and chase away your nightmares."

"You don't have to do this," I said, "Why don't you go sleep in your own bed?"

"Yes, I do have to do this," she told me, in no uncertain terms, "And I'm going to sleep right here whether you like it or not," and then with that said, she leaned over and turned off my bedside lamp, then kissed me on the cheek and said, "Good night, Mark."

"I'll be damned," I laughed, lying back down.

"Yep," she giggled, "You probably will be if you don't listen to me."

~~~~~~

When I opened my eyes the next morning, the bed was empty and the smell of freshly brewed coffee filled my nose. And once again, I put on a pair of pants and a tee shirt, and then, with my nose, followed the aroma to the kitchen.

~~~~~~

As opposed to what I saw the previous morning, my eyes were greeted by Jennifer wearing clothes this time, and when she looked at me, she smiled, poured me a cup of coffee, and then bringing it to the table, said, "Good morning, handsome," and then set the cup down on the table, kissing me on the cheek in the process.

"I'll be gone for most of the day," she informed me, "But be sure to tell Lynn, when she gets here, that I said 'hello' okay?"

"Yes, Miss Jennifer," I teased, "I aim to please, Missy."

"Oh, shut up," she giggled, lightly smacking me on the arm, "And don't call me Missy...Buster."

I simply grinned at her, still not being able to keep from looking at her hot ass as she walked out of the back door.

It wasn't too long after that, that I had to get ready for class myself. However, in doing so, I knew that I was almost dressed, save for combing my hair and brushing my teeth. After those morning rituals had been completed, I walked out of the house, locking it behind me on the way.

~~~~~~

I managed to make it back to the house in a little over ten minutes after my morning class ended. My house is only a short distance from the college campus so; there was never a matter of being either pressed for time, or the need to worry about traffic when it came to attending classes, I was never late, not ever.

~~~~~~

It was a little after eleven o'clock that morning when Lynn appeared at the front door. I also think that now is probably as good a time as any to describe what she looked like. Lynn Chandler stands five feet four inches tall, and weighs about a hundred and fifteen pounds.