Midnight Movie Club Ch. 03

Eleanor put her hand against her chest, a look of mock astonishment on her face. "Me? Cole Scales, I am a perfect angel." She pointed at a spot a few inches above her head. "Don't you see my halo?"

"See the horns propping it up." Eleanor covered her mouth with her hand as she laughed silently at Cole's teasing. "Enjoying the view?"

"Heavens, yes." She looked up into the night sky. Even the moon decided to take tonight off so we could appreciate this. My girl Luna knows what's up." Cole raised his head, joining his friend in appreciation of the scenic natural beauty. "It's awe-inspiring," she proclaimed. "Between this sky and that storm, tonight is a reminder Mother Nature's the one in charge around here."

"Saw a sky like this last week in Yellowstone. Seeing it here though, middle of a college campus without power? Lot more special."

"Have you ever been down to Sawtooth? There's a place in the valley where there's no artificial light. It's called the Dark Sky Reserve" She motioned towards the galactic ribbon woven overhead. "It looks like this all the time. It's amazing."

"Good reason to head out that way next summer." Standing side-by-side, Eleanor with her arms crossed and Cole's hands clasped behind his back, the two friends stargazed in silence for the next few minutes, watching the Milky Way's shadow as it gradually made its way across the sky. Observing the vista above her filled Eleanor with pure and simple joy, providing her with an emotional complement to the bliss of the past hour with Alexander. The memory of his initial confusion and hesitation brought a smile to her face as she continued to watch the universe go by.

A dim shine in the corner of Eleanor's eye caught her attention. Across the lawn, light was now shining from several windows in Perry Hall. They were quickly joined by more rooms, not just in Perry Hall but also in the three other dorms surrounding the grassy square. The lamp posts that lined the four sidewalks branching out from the Farragut statue slowly began to come on, a white glow blossoming in the metal-and-glass globe atop each one. Eleanor quickly glanced up at the sky, trying to mentally preserve as much of the view as she could. The ribbon slowly unraveled, fading into blackness, leaving behind only a handful of the brightest stars. "Well," she sighed, her shoulders slumping as ambient light took dominion over the sky, "it was nice while it lasted."

A hand on her forearm gently pulled Eleanor from her melancholy. "Make you a deal," Cole said, "try to find a way onto the roof of one of these buildings so next time you and I and ours can have one hell of a private viewing." Eleanor's fingers rested atop of Cole's hand as she gave him a glum nod. "Eaten dinner yet?"

At his question, a rumbling gurgle boiled in Eleanor's stomach. "I'm starving now that you mention it. Problem is..." She pulled her smartphone from her gym shorts. "...one, Julie has been texting me wondering where I am." As Eleanor texted Julie to let her know she was with Cole, she added, "and two, it's pushing 9 o'clock. The cafeteria's closed and Lake House is twenty-one and over after 9."

"Didn't think of that... wait. Said 9 o'clock?" At Eleanor's nod, Cole gave her an easy smile. "Idea."

X X X X X

"The cheese is dripping with grease, there's who knows how many preservatives are in the pepperoni, and I'm going to get black lung from all the carcinogens in that oven. This is probably the best damn piece of pizza I've ever had in my life."

"Top three on my list." Cole's paper plate was almost see-through as he took another bite of pepperoni-and-sausage pizza. "Delicious," he muttered as he chewed, forgoing social niceties for the moment thanks to the gooey joy in his mouth. "Got a feeling gonna have to ask Julie for tips on avoiding the freshman fifteen."

Eleanor leaned over and gently knocked her shoulder into his. "Sex is a great fucking way to burn calories, pun intended."

"Pretty sure it is indeed," he chuckled. "Meant watching my diet. Can afford to put on a few pounds, don't want it going to my belly."

The college freshmen sat on a wooden bench near the north end of campus as they ate their pizza. Across the street was the town of Bayview, a small residential town built around the twin institutions of the Navy's Acoustic Research Detachment and Farragut College. Between them and the town were several food trucks, each of them turning a brisk business this post-storm evening. A long line of college students, along with several locals, snaked from the windows, waiting patiently to order and receive their food. Cole and Eleanor had been one of the first in line for a food truck named Speedini's that proudly proclaimed "HOT, FRESH, FAST ITALIAN FOOD," complete with a Roman Centurion with the spinning circles around his feet to show that he was moving really, really, really quickly. By the time Cole and Eleanor received their pieces of pizza, over a dozen of their fellow students were standing in line behind them. The wooden bench nearby was a little damp, but a swipe with a handful of napkins removed the excess water. The remaining moisture slowly soaked the butt of Cole's jeans but being able to sit down and enjoy a hot, fresh, fast piece of pizza was worth the slight discomfort. Besides, it wasn't the first time he sat in the wet spot.

"How did you know these food trucks were here?" Eleanor asked, dabbing her lips with a napkin.

"Last Friday night, respect to Miss Katy Perry. Went for a walk, found these guys all lined up. Perfect place to catch people going to parties sober and coming home drunk."

"Good find, Mr. Scales. So, what did you do during the storm?"

There was no hesitation in Cole's answer. What happened was going to come up sooner or later. Sooner meant a lesser chance of hurt feelings, he thought. "Honest answer, fucked Julie."

Eleanor's sharp intake of breath caused a tightness in Cole's chest. "Oh good," she sighed with relief, a feeling mutually shared by Cole as the knot loosened. "I was worried there was going to be a lot of beating around the bush." Eleanor sat her paper plate on the bench between them, putting her used napkins on top. "I slept with Alexander during the storm," she admitted.

"Huh. How did that come about?"

"It started when I walked in on you guys cuddling together. You were both fast asleep however it was pretty obvious what you guys had been up to."

"Didn't plan on it. Got caught in the storm when it started. Sky opened up and your building was the closest bit of shelter. Wasn't worth the risk to limb and life to run across the square to my dorm, so headed upstairs to hang out and dry off."

Eleanor smirked. "I saw the clothesline with all your stuff on it. Your idea or my roomie's?"

"Julie's. Believe she was being her practical self, seeing both of us were drenched to the bone." Cole tapped his chest. "Even had water trapped in the cups of her bra. Decided best to dry off, got starkers, asked for a towel to cover up, Julie asked why, and biology took over from there."

"Sounds like Julie." Eleanor shook her head. "Clinical and kind of creepy. But... it's creepy in that she doesn't do small talk or flattery. She's 100% upfront and honest about everything."

Cole nodded in agreement. "Explains why she told us she's not good at making friends. Between moving around so much and guessing telling people exactly what she thought of them, ain't exactly the most conducive combo for surviving high school. So," he segued to get back on topic, "you and Alexander, huh?"

"Me and Alexander," Eleanor said as she took a drink from her bottle of water. "As I said, I walked in, saw you and Julie sleeping in her bed, and... well, I took it to mean Alexander was fair game."

"Fair game?"

"Yeah. Fair game. We all agreed, the four of us, that no one was exclusive to anyone else. But when I saw you and Julie together..." Eleanor slowly rotated her hands in front of her as she tried to explain. "...she's slept with both you and Alexander. And I've slept with you, so..." Her hands continued to move as if she was trying to weave an answer from her mental ball of cognitive yarn. "...sleeping with Alexander kept things in... balance? That I and Julie are... even? Somehow?"

"You knew that answer was bullshit the moment you began. Ain't a competition, Eleanor," Cole emphasized.

"I know. I know it's not. It's just..." She leaned forward, elbows on her knees as she put her face in her hands. "I know it's not." There was a noticeable lack of belief in her muttering.

Having finished his pizza, Cole set the paper plate on top of Eleanor's. "Well, might as well ask. How was Alexander?" he inquired.

Eleanor's entire body shook as she snorted in response. "Heh. He was good," she stated. "He was really good. Now I know why Julie gave him another go-around last weekend."

"Asking because it's on my male brain. Better than I was?"

Now her body shook from the short, barking laugh. "Oh my God." Eleanor looked up at Cole with playful disapproval on her face. "Alexander asked me the same question. To quote yourself, Cole Scales, ain't a competition."

Cole sighed. "Know as much," he agreed. "Curiosity, that's all."

"Boys." Eleanor squeezed Cole's knee, giving him a friendly smile. "You both were incredible. I'll put it this way. Alexander's a sprint, you're a marathon. Does that make sense?"

"Reckon it does."

"I will say one thing. You are way more self-assured than he is. To be honest, I'm thinking his whole self-confidence act is actually a confidence job."

"Politely but hard disagree. Seen Alexander meet people and be all friendly-like. That's legit. Maybe he's just nervous when it comes to girls. You and Julie are intimidating. She's upright, you're upfront. Might not be used to girls like you." Cole finished his bottle of water. "Plans for the rest of the evening?"

"No clue. Probably go back to the dorm, hang up my clothes to dry." She hoisted her backpack for emphasis. "Talk to Julie if she's still awake. What about you?"

"Thinking about trying to burn off the pizza. Interested?"

"No thank you," she laughed. "Not counting a threesome, fucking two different guys in one day is a level of sluttery I'm not ready to attempt."

"Meant going for a walk around campus," Cole responded with a smirk. "Enjoying the night. Lights might be back on, but there's still that post-storm calm in the air. Gonna soak it all in."

"Is that what you were really asking me to do with you?"

"Absolutely."

"Well, thank you for the offer, however, I'm gonna head back to my room. And thank you for the pizza." Cole nodded as Eleanor grabbed the pile of plates and the empty bottles of water. "Enjoy your walk."

"Try my best. Good night, Eleanor."

"Good night, Cole."

X X X X X

Julie looked up as Eleanor stepped into their room. "There you are," she said, taking out her Airpods. "Before you texted me I was wondering if the storm had blown you away."

"Nope. I wasn't taken by the wind." Julie had been sitting at her desk when Eleanor arrived, watching a movie on her Nexus that seemed appropriate for the evening, a heist movie from 1998 titled Hard Rain, starring Christain Slater and Morgan Freeman. Freeman considered it an old shame, telling people years later, "Did any of you see this movie? Don't. Just don't." Julie didn't find the film that bad, but it was one of the more forgettable movies from the late 1990s. Before sitting down to watch the movie, Julie had opened the windows to air out the dorm room. Along with the crisp post-storm scent, the faint sound of dripping water was evident as Farragut College began to dry out, buildings and trees alike.

After closing the door, Eleanor tossed her backpack onto her bed. "I'm sorry for not getting your texts. My phone was on Do-Not-Disturb for class and I had it shoved in my backpack so it wouldn't get wet from the rain. I have to remember to set your number to bypass Do-Not-Disturb."

"Thank you for texting me back when you eventually read my message," Julie replied. "I apologize if I acted like a mother hen."

Eleanor waved her hand. "Don't apologize," she said as she opened her pack to pull out the soaked sundress from earlier in the day. Julie gave her a puzzled look as Eleanor proceeded to hang her sundress over the railing at the foot of her bed. "You wanted to make sure I was OK after the storm. That's what roommates do. That's what friends do."

"Good. Because there is something I want to tell you, however, I'm trying to make sure I know the parameters of the situation so I determine how to tell you without risking our friendship."

In response, Eleanor turned and grabbed her desk chair. Sliding it across the carpet, Eleanor placed the chair in front of Julie and sat down, straddling the back to look at her friend. "Unless you tell me you committed a felony, support fracking, or voted for Donald Trump, you're not going to lose my friendship over how you tell me something." Eleanor threaded her arms through the back of her chair and softly took hold of Julie's hands. "What do you want to tell me?"

"I slept with Cole. I believe you already knew that, however."

"I was 99.94% sure," Eleanor nodded. "There could have been a chance you both just decided to take a nap together." Eleanor gently squeezed Julie's hands as her friend let out a relieved breath. "I ran back here once the storm let up. When I came in you and Cole were fast asleep, and it was a no-brainer that you two hooked up."

"How so?"

"Well, your perfectly made bed was in tatters, the two of you both had wicked cases of sex hair, and... I could smell it."

"You made the same observation last weekend when you arrived just after I finished masturbating. Is my scent that pungent?"

Eleanor shook her head. "It's not you, Julie, it's me. I've got a heightened sense of smell. Great after a rainstorm. Lousy during allergy season."

"Oh. I didn't know that about you. If I may ask, is to make up for a deficiency in your other senses?"

"Not even close. 20/15 vision, great hearing, I can tell the difference between sea salt and kosher salt by touch, and if I don't brush, floss, and use mouthwash every time I go down on someone I'll get a gummy taste in my mouth that lasts for hours." She shrugged. "On the other hand, good food tastes amazing, and amazing food is ambrosia to me."

"So noted. I will endeavor to keep my body odor down and do my best to circulate the air in this room as often as I can."

"Don't sweat it," Eleanor joked. "If it becomes a problem I'll say something." The smile fell from her face as it was now Eleanor's turn to sigh. She kept hold of Julie's hands, swinging them from side to side in between them. "And since we're friends, I have something to say as well. When I came in and saw you and Cole together, I... well, I decided to let you guys be and go hang out with Alexander."

"I didn't mean to bar you from our room in such a manner."

"And how weird would it have been to wake up and see me taking a nap or working at my desk?"

"I concede the point. So you braved the storm to meet with Alexander?"

Eleanor nodded. "It was still pouring something fierce so I kept my sundress on since I was going to get soaked anyway and threw these clothes in my backpack so I could change into some dry clothes once I got over to his dorm."

"Ah. I understand now. What did you and Alexander do while you visited him?"

"We fucked."

Julie blinked at Eleanor's words, before slowly nodding as they sank in. "I see. Was that your plan when you left here to go see him?"

"Kinda. No, yeah. Yeah, it was," Eleanor conceded.

"Did your plan come about because you saw Cole and me and determined we had sex?"

"Yeah. But not because I was upset or mad," Eleanor quickly added. "It was because... OK, I know the four of us agreed that there were no commitments or any kind of exclusivity between us. I saw you with Cole though, and there was this brief flash of..." Eleanor let go of Julie's hands. She spoke with confusion and uncertainty, eyes closed and hands moving in slow circles, trying to draw forth the words she was looking for. "This brief flesh of..."

"Envy?" suggested Julie.

"Competition."

"I wasn't aware our sex lives were competing."

"They're not, but that's the best word I can come up with. It's what I told Cole earlier and he called me out on how bullshit a reason it is... oh yeah," Eleanor said, "Cole told me he slept with you and I told him I slept with Alexander. We crossed paths on the square and talked for a bit. So I think only Alexander's in the dark about you and Cole, and I have a feeling Cole's gonna tell him." The young woman laughed. "So much for keeping secrets in this group."

"Benjamin Franklin once said, 'three may keep a secret if two of them are dead.' Not that I was attempting to keep Cole and I's physical encounter a secret from you."

"When I saw you and Cole together, I guess I had this moment of... that you were up two-to-one on me and I needed to even the score to keep in the game." Eleanor sighed. She dipped her head down and leaned forward against the back of her chair. "I know this isn't a competition. I know that here in my heart," she said, tapping her chest with two fingers, "but not in my brain."

"Because brains are stupid?"

"Because brains are stupid." There was a weariness in Eleanor's eyes as she raised her head to look at Julie. "We're OK, right?"

After a moment, Julie replied while wearing a teasing grin, "this would be the kind of situation where it would be acceptable to hug it out, right?" Eleanor nodded. She put her head against Julie's shoulder as her friend wrapped her up in her strong arms. "We're OK because we can talk about things like this instead of hiding them, or worse, letting them fester like open wounds. Thank you for being honest with me about sleeping with Alexander."

"Same with Cole. Took us a roundabout way to get there, but..."

A text tone from Julie's phone interrupted Eleanor.

# But the Colorado rocky mountain high #

# I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky #

# The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullaby #

# Rocky mountain high #

"Of course you'd have John Denver as a text tone," Eleanor said as Julie let go of their embrace to pick up her phone.

"Not because I'm from Colorado," Julie responded, "but because it's the warning song from the first Final Destination movie that Death is approaching." A smile crossed Julie's face as she saw the picture and adjoining message on her screen. "It's from my ex-boyfriend Mark," she told Eleanor, holding the phone up so she could see. The photo was a selfie of a lean and muscular young man standing on a running track inside of a floodlight-illuminated stadium. He was coated with sweat, his hair soaked and the red tank top he wore dark with perspiration wicked from his skin. Despite the exhausted look on his face, he was giving the camera his best smile and an enthusiastic thumbs up. "You were right," Julie read out loud, "skiing did not prepare me for trying to jog at 7800 feet above sea level." She smirked. "I warned him about that."

"Ex-boyfriend, huh?" Eleanor inquired while eyeing the attractive young man.

"Yes," Julie said as she began to type out a reply. "We dated throughout high school. Nice guy. Incredibly appealing body."

"I can tell. So why is he your 'ex-boyfriend?"

"Because of distance. He's attending Adams State College in southern Colorado. There are about twenty hours of driving between there and here. There was no chance of a long-distance relationship working out between us so we decided it would be better to break up and remain friends than try to make it work over... I think it was 1250 miles... over such a long distance and end up bitter with each other." After texting Mark back, Julie put her phone on silent and set it back on her desk. "So, now that we've established that the waters are calm between us, I must ask. How was Alexander?"