Jynx'd

Janelle's sharply angled face revealed more disappointment and she simply pouted her lips.

"Well, help yourselves to anything, okay?" Mathis said.

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Ernesto assured him, "In a couple of weeks it'll be the big kids' party, anyway."

"You're coming for that, right?" Janelle spoke up.

"Oh yeah," Mathis nodded, "For sure!"

"Mathis!" Mia called out again from inside the house. He was sure that even if she were on the other side of the city, he could still have heard her.

He gave his friends another sheepish look and shrug and jogged into the house, his nephew still under his arm.

There was frenzy in the kitchen with Mia, his other older sister Margueritte, and a couple of other female guests busy with all the food. Somewhere, there was a small grocery with nothing left on its shelves except for a can of Spam.

"What'cha need?" Mathis asked, lowering Shawn to the ground.

Mia walked over to them and crouched down looking at her son disapprovingly. She gave his powder blue polo top and cargo shorts a rough brush of her hand. "Don't go getting his new outfit all stained, Mathis," she scolded.

"That all you wanted to tell me?" Mathis sighed.

Mia stood up and eyed him. "No," she said pointedly, "I don't know where Morris is at."

Mathis rolled his eyes upwards. He had a good idea where his brother, Morris, and his 'guest' were.

"More guests are arriving and Aaron is busy talking with Dad and Mom downstairs talking about some legal advice," she continued, "I need you to mind the door and put away the presents in the living room for now."

"I'm supposed to be a door man?" Mathis frowned.

"Better than just being a door STOP," she quipped.

Shawn tugged on Mathis' hand, trying to pull him out to the backyard again.

Mia clicked her tongue and gave Shawn a gentle nudge on the head, "Your uncle has some work to do, baby. You've got all of your friends here. Go play with them."

Grudgingly, the little boy turned to leave the kitchen.

"Catch you later, champ," Mathis waved.

"You," Mia pointed at his nose then towards the hallway, "Go...but put on your good shirt, first. That one's filthy."

"Want me to drive the limo while I'm at it?" he replied sarcastically.

Mia was already onto something else.

With another heavy sigh, Mathis snatched a piece of ham then left the kitchen and went upstairs to one of the guest rooms. He tossed off his jersey and grabbed a white button down T-shirt from his gym bag. Slipping on the shirt as he made his way back to the stairs, he stopped by the second guest bedroom. He paused, and then leaned the side of his face against the closed door. The sound of heavy breathing and panting escaped from the room.

"Morris," he murmured. An impulsive, impish thought crossed his mind and he reached for the knob.

Just then, the doorbell chimed.

Holding onto the knob, Mathis paused and frowned. "Damn," he whispered, then quickly made his way downstairs to the foyer.

Opening the door he was greeted by a petite, fair-skinned young woman standing on the front step. Her pink lips were stretched into a long smile and her cheeks held a healthy rosy glow. Her auburn brunette hair was braided and tied back and up and tightly along her head. Everything served to highlight her eyes -- round and wide like chestnuts and the same roasted brown colour-- that appeared ready to infect anything within their view with an illuminating spirit.

She wore a yellow spaghetti strap tank top and a pair of tight, blue gym shorts. She also had a large suitcase, about half her height, by her side.

"Uh..." Mathis stood holding the door, frozen, unsure of what to say.

The young woman then reached out and poked him twice in the arm, adding, "Honk! Honk!" each time she did. She giggled.

His jaw slipping further down each time he blinked, Mathis still was having trouble jump-starting his brain.

She looked off to the side and laughed, finally amazed by the tall, brawny man's stultification.

The melodic sound of her laughter further pushed him for a loss.

"Mathis! It's me," she declared gleefully, "Jynx!"

He shook his head slightly, almost imperceptibly.

No. It wasn't Jynx.

It was Sam I Am.

*********

*A year and a half ago Freshman year Winter semester Prof.McDaniel's Humanities course tutorial group B*

Mathis Abrams stood at the podium at the front of the group, 25 pairs of eyes set upon him. He was dying up there. He knew it. The class knew it. The prof knew it though he was really trying to be encouraging and lead the freshman towards some answers.

It was the beginning of the course, just the second tutorial session and the first assignment was intended to be an ice breaker of sorts. It combined some easy reading --a children's book-- with a subject that every first year student should have been eager to explore -- sex. Just the announcement of the assignment had stirred a giddy commotion amongst the students.

Using the idea "Every Child's Book Can Have Sexual Undertones" as a basis, the students were to pick a children's book and apply it to the theory. Of course, the prof didn't actually believe that stories like Harold and the Purple Crayon were written with any intentions remotely sexual but the idea was just to get the students to start thinking outside the box and then see what they can stuff into it.

Mathis had chosen comic books -- specifically Superman, his hero. The problem was, after a minute of talking about it, he realized that stating the facts that Superman was obviously drawn to sport a "big package" underneath his tight red underwear and that he and Lois Lane were so ready to "get it on" was not exactly what the prof was looking for. He managed to garner a good chuckle out of the group but he hit a wall when asked to delve deeper and not just think of the surface of the story.

That's when the uncomfortable silence set in and he kept looking down at his notes for some answers written in invisible ink to appear. After another minute, the prof opened up the floor to further questions. Still more silence. He hadn't given the other students much to work on.

Usually smooth with the words and carried by a charismatic smile, Mathis felt like a mute and could hear the sweat roll down the side of his head. The confidence he usually exuded was replaced by unfamiliar awkwardness and even a man of his size and build seemed strangely small at the moment.

Suddenly a hand went up.

Mathis pointed towards it hesitantly.

"Why does he wear the costume?" a young woman asked.

He thought for a second trying hard to get the wheels going again. "It's...um...it's to show who he is. It's to tell everyone that he's Superman."

The young woman nodded, a pensive expression on her rosy-cheeked face. "It's awfully form-fitting," she said with a relaxed grin and an angled brunette brow, "All his muscles rippling and puffed out like that."

Mathis chuckled, "Yeah, like I said, there's no hiding what Supes is packing. I guess he's kind of showing off for the ladies...kind of like a male peacock...all those bright colours and stuff."

"He goes from mild mannered Clark Kent to super stud," she elaborated.

Mathis gave her a firm nod in return. "It's...a transformation," he said. It felt like his brain was pushing marbles through pinholes but he continued, "Like...role-playing fantasy, right? Role-playing's a big deal in sexual fantasy."

He glanced over towards Professor McDaniel and noticed him sitting up in his seat a little more, but he just as quickly returned his focus on the easy-going young woman he was having a conversation with.

"And his powers...overcompensation?" she asked, leaning forward in her chair, big brown eyes set on him.

Again Mathis gave this some thought. With a casual wave of his hand he said, "Nah! Nah! Guy's Superman. He has nothing to overcompensate about. He's strong. He's confident. He's handsome. Knows how to work it. He's...uh...like the most desirable man in the universe. The powers are like pheromones."

"His powers are a show of his virility?" she asked with a gentle tilt of her head.

"Yeah! Yeah! They're uh...uh...," he frowned turning his head aside and snapping his fingers before his eyes lit up and a broad smile appeared on his face, "They're extensions of his sexuality. Yeah, he saves the world, defeats Lex Luthor, and he's like the top dog, Alpha man in the world. Ladies want to lay a banquet out for the guy."

He paused like someone had hit the pause button a video, his hand still extended towards the young woman. He was breathing hard and felt an unsteady thump beneath his chest. It felt like he had just scored a touchdown. In his mind, for that moment, she was the only other person in the room and when she smiled and offered him a simple nod of her chin, he felt unexpectedly elated.

Finally, the prof wrote something down on a sheet of paper and then looked up and said, "Okay. Thanks, Mathis. Who do we have next?"

Touchdowns had more satisfying celebrations, that was for sure. Still, Mathis was happy to return to his seat.

"Samantha Petric?" the prof announced.

The young woman with the naturally blushed cheeks and long brunette hair tied in a simple ponytail, got up and walked to the front of the room. As she passed Mathis who was settling into her chair, she gave his shoulder a light tap and whispered, "Good job."

Mathis pursed his lips momentarily, nodded once then replied, "Thanks. Good luck."

Light on her feet, she seemed to be bouncing on her toes as she took to the podium. Once there, she paused to scan the group, ensuring everyone noticed the confident yet playful look on her soft, pixie-like face.

"Hi, my name is Samantha. Some people call me Sammy," she began, her voice flowing and wistful, "But you can call me Sam. Sam I am."

She held up her book. "Would you like some Green Eggs and Ham?" she said with a knowing grin.

There was a light-hearted murmur amongst the group.

Putting the book down, she leaned leisurely against the podium, spiking her eyebrow up and speaking very slowly and deliberately said, "Would you like to try it in a house? Would you like it with a mouse?"

A few soft giggles and chuckles floated through the room.

"How about trying it inside a box? Could you, would you, HAVE you with some FINE looking fox?" she went on, her face seductively expressive.

"Ohh yeah!" a male student growled. He was followed by a "Whoo" and some further laughter.

Samantha stepped to the side of the podium, leaning against it, placing a hand on her hip and throwing it out to the side in a diva-pose. Even with her small size and her baggy track-suit outfit, it was an attractive tease. "Now I know you like it in the dark. But would you, could you in the rain? Have you ever on a train?"

"Been there. Done that," one of the female students who had been sitting beside Samantha sang out. She waved her hand, "You know that already, though, Sammy!"

The laughter continued unabated by the prof who held his fingers over an obvious smile. The upward hitching of his back was an obvious giveaway of his amusement, as well.

Mathis also had a crooked grin on his lips as he chuckled along with everyone else.

"Well how about a boat?" Samantha stood tall, hands up and to her side."Have you ever tried it...with a goat?"

There was a collective "Oh!" amongst the class. Some people pointed accusingly towards others and comments like "gross" and "sick" rippled through the room.

"Naughty, naughty!" She wagged a finger like a mother at everyone. The woman loved to pantomime.

Samantha walked back behind the podium and concluded, "The fact is as long as we're open-minded, we could like it here, we could like it there, we could like it ANYWHERE."

"Praise Jesus!" someone declared.

The young woman scanned the room again, and with her doe-like eyes crossing Mathis', she said, "And we could like it with ANYONE."

Mathis leaned back in his seat slightly, looking as if a feather had just tickled his nose.

Samantha went on to elaborate and field a few more questions. The notion of bestiality involving the mouse, fox, and goat evoked some fervent lurid chatter.

"Well," the teacher announced with a coughing-chuckle, "That was great. I believe my response should be, 'Thank-you. Thank-you, Sam I Am'."

A polite applause was bestowed upon her as she went back to her seat.

Mathis, who was slapping his hands together with solid appreciation, held one up and back as she passed by. "Good job," he offered.

She slipped her palm against his. "Thanks," she said, her pink lips smiling warmly back.

Samantha took her seat. Her classmate and friend gave her a nudge with her shoulder and the two giggled.

As the rest of students went up one-by-one to do their presentations, Mathis caught himself glancing over towards Samantha more and more for the remainder of the tutorial period.

*********

"Sammy? Samantha?" Mathis said, unable to contain his surprise at who was standing just outside the door. "It's Sam I Am."

"Any and all of the above," she replied with a quick-step curtsey.

Mathis leaned back, shaking his head like a baby rattle. "Sammy Petric," he declared.

Samantha chuckled. "Stop it. If you say my name one more time I'm afraid an evil spirit might appear behind me," she jokingly insisted.

Finally managing a more normal smile, Mathis asked, "What are you doing here?" Samantha put her hands on her hips and tossed her head back --though she really couldn't toss her tied up hair-- and said, "I'm here to pleasure you, big boy."

Mathis did a double-take. "Come again, say whu'?" he sputtered.

"What do you think I'm here for?" She chuckled again and waved her hand, "Can you let me in already? I have to put on my clown costume."

He blinked. "You're Jynx?"

She shook her head. "Shh! Secret identity!"

"It's alright," he nodded towards the back, "Everyone's either in the kitchen or in the backyard."

"You didn't recognize me on the street the other day."

Mathis looked her over. "Yeah well, let's just say you're easier on the eyes when you're not in the clown getup." She did look sweet in her simple little outfit right then.

Samantha also gave him a once over from head-to-toe. "Casual dress, I see?" she asked suspiciously.

"What do you...oh," Mathis paused as he looked down. In his haste to answer the door, he had forgotten to button up his shirt. At least while he hurried to do them up, he noted that she wasn't looking at him disapprovingly.

Finally stepping aside from the door, he watched her come in hauling in her suitcase.

Overcome with giddiness, the spritely young woman quickly wrapped her arms around Mathis giving him a warm hug. It took him by surprise but he quickly returned the greeting, holding her gently in his arms. It felt very good.

"I'm so happy to see you!" she declared as she stepped back. "You have no idea!"

"It's been over a year since I saw you," he remarked.

She nodded. "Yeah, first year Humanities course ended and that was it. How are you doing? How did your sophomore year go?"

"Doing alright," he replied still watching her closely as she looked what she could see of the house from the foyer. "I can't believe we didn't run into each other over the year."

She shrugged. "Huge university, different programs. I changed campuses in 2nd year," she looked up the stairs as she talked, "Saw you, though."

"Yeah?"

She nodded, a perpetual smile on her fine red lips. "Mm-hmm. At the football games."

"You watched me play?"

"Yup." She stood in front of him and looked up. "The team sucked," she said thoughtfully.

Every part of Mathis' face drooped. "Thanks a lot," he grumbled..

She giggled and gave him a nudge on his arm. "I'm kidding!" she said, "I don't know anything about football. Is a 2 and 10 record good?"

His brow dropped even more heavily over his eyes.

The bubbly young woman laughed. "Okay," she breathed, "Let's catch up later. I should get ready. Anywhere I can change?"

Mathis thumbed towards the stairs. "Yeah, up there," he said, sounding as deflated as she sounded perky, "Guest bedroom on the right."

Samantha walked past and made her way up the stairs, pulling up her luggage.

"You want help with that?" he asked.

"No. It's alright thanks." Though the size of it was cumbersome, she really didn't look like she had any trouble lifting it. Mathis figured she had been keeping up with her yoga and aerobics.

"Like how you're rocking the Princess Leia hair, by the way," he said.

Samantha made it to the top and looked back down at him. "Makes it easier to put on the wig," she said, winking and then turned away.

Mathis watched her go, still a little stunned to see her.

"Yo bro', whassup?" Ernesto ambled up to him, with Janelle in tow.

Shaking his head and smiling crookedly, Mathis started to say, "Check this out, you will not believe..."

Suddenly a shout rang out from the upper floor. "Hey! What the fuck...?!" an angry male voice hollered.

All three of them turned and looked towards upstairs..

Mathis suddenly realized something. "Oh shit," he said under breath then bolted up the stairs.

He got to the top just in time to see Samantha backing away from the door of the guest bedroom. "Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" she pleaded with words and a 'calm down' motion of her hand.

Mathis' brother, Morris stood at the door. His lanky, lean body was bare save for a shirt held in front of his crotch. "Do you not know how to knock, woman?!" he yelled at Samantha. Behind him, a figure was hidden under the sheets of the bed except for a hand pawing around blindly on the floor for bits of underwear and clothing at the side.

Samantha's mouth was gaping, her round pupils completely visible as her eyes widened, and she was glowing hot pink all over her face and neck. She was shocked, and yet, strangely, she was having a difficult time trying not to gawk at the bizarre sight and sputtering with laughter.

"What the hell are you grinning about?!" Morris snapped.

Mathis quickly joined the scene, wrapping an arm around Samantha's shoulders and holding up his other hand in his older, but shorter, brother's face. "Hey! Hey! Be cool. Be cool," he said, talking him down, "She's a guest. Just got a little lost."

"Man, I don't care who this pipsqueak elf is!" Morris spat.

"'Elf'?" Samantha said taken aback. She pointed to herself. "No, no. Clown. Me."

Morris' face contorted sideways.

"She probably didn't even see nothing," Mathis remarked, "It's no big thing. Right Sammy?"

"Uh, right," she looked up at Mathis then back at Morris, then down towards his hidden crotch. She gave an exaggerated nod, "It's definitely 'no big thing'."

Both the brothers froze for a good three seconds. Then Mathis sniggered.

As if in slow motion, Morris began to talk, "Man...what...the...fuuu..."

"You know what?" Mathis said to Samantha giving her shoulder a squeeze, "You're right. No big thing, for sure!"

He tried to snatch the shirt away from Morris but his brother just as swiftly jumped back. "Get the fuck outta here!" Morris shot back and then slammed the door.

Samantha and Mathis stood in front of the closed door for a moment then looked at one another and laughed.

She regained her breath and asked, "This wouldn't happen to have been a way for you to get back at me for spraying you in the face the other day?"

Mathis shook his head vigorously. "Uh-uh. Swear. That was purely an accident. AC-CI-DENT unlike what you pulled on me," he replied, "But thank-you for reminding me that I do owe you one...pipsqueak."

With his hand still around her shoulder, he steered her away from the bedroom and then further down the hallway. He opened the door to the other guest bedroom and said, "Here. You can change in there."