Thew View From the Hill at Twilight

They took a couple of plastic bottles over to get water to filter. Once these were full John turned to Emily. "You know that water looks rather nice after the hike."

"A swim would go quite well I think. Shall we?"

"Sounds good to me," John replied. Both immediately began removing their boots and then pulled their tee shirts over their heads.

John and Emily had gone skinny dipping together for years and thought nothing about stripping down to do so. In a few more seconds both were completely bare and stepped into the pool below the falls. They splashed around for ten minutes or so and then stepped back out. Emily picked up her shirt and then said, "We didn't even bring a towel down with us and I really would rather put on a clean shirt."

"Same here," John replied. "Let's just rinse this stuff out and hang it up to dry back at the camp." Emily agreed and took her shirt and panties back to the water to rinse while John did the same with his things. Then they slipped on their boots and, still naked, carried their clothes back. They spread the wet things across a couple of bushes and then went to their packs to get dry shirts and shorts.

In another half hour they had the tent setup, some firewood gathered, and were sitting on a couple of rocks just talking. At one point Emily mentioned how much she was hoping to really get to go to school in another three years. She said something to the effect that college had seemed to agree with John.

"It definitely did. Not just getting away from the hills but all the different people I got to meet. I got the chance to play football, even to travel with the team to other places."

"Well, I noticed at the creek that something must have kept you in pretty good shape. I guess the football helped. What about the classes?" Emily asked. "I noticed you didn't mention them a lot."

John laughed. "Well, football and ROTC. Classes were mostly a way to stay in school. Oh, really there were a number of them I liked, but, Em, you know school itself is not really my thing. I'll leave that to you." Then he looked directly at her. "You seem to be in pretty good shape yourself. Seriously, Em, you are really a beautiful girl with a fantastic figure. You are going to have a lot of guys after you when you get to school. Seriously, Sister, if you're a virgin you shouldn't count on staying that way unless you really want to. I don't mean anyone will force you. I know you can take care of yourself. But you may find someone that you will want to change your status. If you do make sure he uses condoms. There are STDs around. And when you get there you should make a trip to the clinic and get on the pill. Just in case. I'd hate to see some accident mess up your future."

A little surprised at the seriousness of John's comments, Emily slowly said, "I probably will. I know I can generally take care of myself. After all, you taught me a lot about self defense." With a smile she added, "Including how to kick a guy in the balls." After a few seconds she went on, "You know I'm not going to drink a lot or anything so I expect to say conscious. But, like you said, I might change my mind with some guy. I'm practical enough to be prepared."

"I know you are, Emily. I just don't want anything to mess up what you're after."

A little later they built a fire and cooked hamburgers over the coals. They remained outside until nearly midnight talking before going into the tent and climbing into their sleeping bags.

The next day they hiked several miles before again camping and the following afternoon emerged back at the trail head and drove home. Emily was always to remember this as one of the best trips she and her brother had taken. A little over two weeks later John left to report for active duty.

CHAPTER 2

Emily found she was thriving on her studies. She had always been able to learn from books and had always found math and science interesting and fairly easy. Now it was March of her senior year of high school. She had shown the school that she had learned enough trig and solid geometry that there would be no point in her taking the course her school offered. They didn't offer Calculus but Emily had already made a good start on that subject and the school had helped her enroll in an on-line second term course for which she would receive high school credit also. Likewise with a college level physics course.

Over the last three years her brother had written her most months. He had had a number of stations and was always enthusiastic about what he was doing and where he was. After a few months in Texas he had had assignments in Germany and Hawaii and in his last letter had said he expected a transfer to Japan in the next few months. John had always wanted to see the world and now it looked like he was getting his chance.

Emily often went up on her hilltop, to study or just to sit and think. John was getting what he had wanted and now she dared to hope that somehow her own dreams might come true also.

She had continued to correspond with Professor Branson and he had helped her shape her studies. Some months earlier he had encouraged her to apply and had written the promised letter of recommendation. He had also said that with her SAT scores and grades she would almost certainly be admitted. Then he had pointed her in the right direction for scholarship and grant applications and she had filled out dozens. Her acceptance had, in fact, come as predicted. She had already received two small scholarships and the big ones should be announced in the next month or so. She had high hopes.

One afternoon she got off the school bus and pulled the mail from the mailbox. There was a fat envelope from the university and she rushed back to the house and into her room to read it. Almost afraid to open it, her hands trembling as she slit the seal, she pulled out a number of sheets of paper. She unfolded them and saw at the top of the first page the heading "Financial Aids Awards."

She closed her eyes, said a quick silent prayer and looked down. Then she let her breath out and looked again. A scholarship and a grant. She had enough for a full ride. A second later her mother heard a near scream from Emily's room and turned to see her daughter running towards her.

"I got it! It's real and I'll really be going. It's really going to happen!"

She showed her mom the letter and in return got a tight hug. Her mother didn't attach the same significance to college as Emily did but she understood how important it was to her daughter. She hugged her tightly and used her dish towel to wipe a few tears from Emily's eyes.

The rest of senior year seemed to slip by quickly. Graduation came. For most of her class that was the end of their schooling and graduation was a really big thing. To Emily and a few others it was still important but not the be all and end all. This was the key to a door, a door which led to a future of which she had long dreamed.

She had, of course, e-mailed Professor Branson as soon as she had received the awards letter and he had congratulated her and had suggested a few things for her to study over the summer to make herself better prepared in the fall. To Emily, summer had not meant the end of study for a number of years and this was no exception. She again dug into the work the professor had suggested and most days spent several hours immersed in equations, theories and material most of her friends and family would not have understood of even cared about at all. But to Emily it was incredibly fascinating. She loved learning new things and the entire field caught her imagination.

As she had in the past, if the weather was good, most days would find her spending several hours up by the ancient maple, reading a thick book or working some complicated problems. She loved it. She also loved the view, the hum of the insects, the calls of the birds. She loved the smell of the summer blossoms, the sweet scent of clover that she could almost taste on her tongue. When she had ended her current reading or finished the problems on which she had been working, she would lie back and lust look out at the land. Or up at the clouds as they made their slow way across the sky. Sometimes she could see a thunder storm coming from far off and she would linger to watch it until she had to run back down the hill to avoid getting drenched.

However, Emily's world was not limited to math and physics and such. Emily was also a romantic. In addition to math and science books she often brought books of another type up to her hilltop. She would frequently be found leaning back against the old maple and reading, sometimes out loud, Byron, Keats, Hardy or Bronte. This was a side of Emily that even John didn't really know. Maybe part of it was that she knew none of the local boys would make a good long term prospect for her. Part of that was, of course, her driving interest in advancing her education while almost none of them ever wanted to attend another class. But part of it was that the heros of the English poems and novels seemed so much more than any real person she had ever known. She often laughed to herself at the idea of one of the boys she dated quoting romantic poetry to her or speaking the words of one of her fictional heros. The boys she dated were fine as friends and short term interests - well, not really romantic interests, but if she was honest, erotic interests. While she would not consider sleeping with any of them, long, hot make out sessions were another story altogether.

Twilight would often find Emily leaning back against her maple. Sometimes dreaming of the coming year at college. But sometimes imagining a tall, handsome man, holding her on his lap as he quoted, "She walks in beauty like the night ..." or something similar. Overall, that summer, life was very good.

The third week of August Emily packed her belongings into a pair of duffles and a couple of boxes. Her parents drove her over to the campus, her fourth trip a hundred miles from home. They found her dorm and in only a few minutes had her things moved in. With long hugs they set off for home once more and Emily, for the first time in her life, was completely by herself. Surprisingly this didn't bother her at all. She knew she could handle whatever she had to. What she was a little uncertain of was rooming with someone she didn't know.

From the pile of stuff when she had come into her room, it was obvious that her roommate had already arrived , but she was no where in sight. There were things piled on one bed and in one closet so Emily began to place her few things in the remaining spaces. The second bed had a pile of sheets, pillow cases and towels. When she had placed her few things in the closet and the empty dresser drawers, she began to make the bed.

As she was tucking in the top sheet the door opened and a dark haired girl about her own height, maybe an inch or two shorter, entered. As she turned around the new girl said, "Hi. I'm Lynn Mason. You must be my roommate."

Emily smiled. "I guess so. I'm Emily Letton."

For the next few minutes the two talked and learned a little about each other. Lynn was from a small town outside Owensboro. She was planning to major in chemistry. At least they would have some of the same type of classes in common. Emily got the idea that Lynn's family was middle class, at most, and certainly not wealthy. Lynn also had a scholarship. The more they talked, the more Emily thought they might get along quite well. Lynn seemed a serious student, not interested in wild parties, drinking or any of the other things John had warned her about. Neither girl knew anyone else on the campus.

Each desk had a cork board above it and Emily saw Lynn putting a photo up on hers. It showed her with a guy a little older than she was and another pair of teens, male and female, slightly off to the side. "Your boyfriend?" Emily asked.

"Who?" Then she saw Emily looking at the photo. "No, my brother. He's a year older. The other two are my cousins, two years younger. No serious boyfriend." Then she added, "Yet. What about you?"

"I have a brother, seven years older. He graduated three years ago and is the army now. In Japan by now, I think." Emily dug out a photo of John in his uniform, along with her mother and father, and placed it on her own cork board. Then she said, "No boyfriend either."

The way she said it made Lynn stop and look at her. "By choice?" Then she quickly added, "I'm sorry. That's none of my business."

Emily laughed. "Don't be. I don't mind. I mean no serious boyfriend. I've dated a number from home but none of them have ever impressed me as long term serious. I'm still waiting."

Lynn sighed. "I guess we have something else in common. I'm kind of waiting, too. Well, I expect most of the men around here will be able to count beyond ten with their shoes on."

Emily joined her laughter. "That's one way of putting it. Actually the ones at home probably aren't that bad but I don't think many of them are interested in counting beyond seven - just how many days until the next weekend."

Still laughing, Lynn said, "You know, Emily, I think we are probably going to get along pretty well."

Emily smiled. "That's just what I've been thinking."

The next few weeks of the semester were quite busy. Emily had found that Professor Branson had been designated as her advisor. She suspected he had arranged for that to happen and when she asked, he admitted that was the case. He helped her select classes even though most of her first ones would be basic courses outside the Engineering School.

Once registered there were books and supplies to purchase as well as a few more clothes and things. Emily had not had a huge wardrobe at home and now found she would need a few more things. Even with her scholarships and grants she still had to watch her expenses. Books were incredibly expensive and clothing added up rather quickly. At least she didn't have a roommate like some she saw in the dorm who acted like there was no limit on their credit cards. Maybe there wasn't. Even surprising herself a little, Emily realized that she was not actually jealous of those girls. She was getting what she really wanted and didn't begrudge anyone else what they had.

One of her biggest expenses, but one she had expected was a computer. Emily's family did have a computer but it was fairly old. Besides she couldn't take that away from home. She had been planning on buying herself a laptop and had done some serious research. She didn't need the latest top of the line model but she would want something that would handle simple tasks like word processing and e-mail. She had mentioned that she was looking for something like that to one of the other students in her calculus class. This girl, Barb, seemed quite knowledgeable about computers and one day after class offered to help her search for a good unit.

They headed over to a snack bar where they got cokes and settled at a table. Barb brought up her own laptop and quickly found several possible models. Emily was surprised that the cost was quite a bit less than she had expected. When she mentioned this Barb said, "I got the idea you might be on a tight budget. Most of these are a year or even two old, but they are good machines. I've used one of these," she said, indicating one of the models. "It's a good machine and you can find them with a professional grade operating system. Might be just slightly heavier and thicker than a new model, but it will do everything you want."

"That would be great." Emily looked at the description. "It looks good to me and if you say so, well, you know a lot more about them than I do. It's actually a couple of hundred less than I expected to spend."

"Like I said, I've used one and this will work fine for you. I can even promise it will handle the graphics you're going to need before too long. The only downside, as I mentioned, is that it will be a little heavier to carry around to class with you." She hesitated for a few seconds, apparently mulling something over in her mind. The she said, "Emily, if you were planning on spending a couple of hundred more anyway, you might consider a tablet to carry around to class."

"You mean instead of the laptop?"

"No, I meant in addition. Look at this one." She reached into her pack and pulled out a small tablet. "This one is a ten inch model. You can take notes right on the screen with the stylus." She demonstrated this, making notes on a grid paper type of background, changing colors now and then and erasing things."

"Emily watched fascinated. "I've never used a tablet but I've seen them. Something like this would be great." She hesitated a few seconds. "How much does one of these run?"

Barb replied, "I paid about one hundred fifty for this one." Then she smiled at Emily's surprise. "They've come way down in the last few years."

"Really? That's a lot less than I would have thought." For a few seconds Emily was quiet, running numbers in her head. Then she suddenly nodded her head. "Yes, I can manage that. Where do I get them?"

Barb smiled. "I know the sites which will have the best prices. You can order them right now if you want. All you need is a credit card."

Emily did have a card. In another few minutes she had ordered both the laptop and the tablet along with a case for the tablet. "Barb, I really want to thank you. This was a great help."

"I'm glad I could help. You'll probably do something like this for me some time."

By the beginning of October, Emily had settled into her new life far better than she would ever have imagined. For a new life is what it really was. She had always enjoyed reading and learning and had dreamed of a chance like this for years now, even if it had seemed an impossible dream until quite recently. She loved her courses and her professors. Well, most of her professors. She awoke each day, eager for her classes. The rest of her life had also bloomed. With her looks she was soon being asked out by a number of men. Although she enjoyed the much wider social life available on a big campus and although she found that many of the men were a cut above those at home, she still hadn't met anyone who came up to what she was looking for.

At introspective times, sitting under an old tree, brightly colored leaves falling all around her, autumn sunshine illuminating the many students strolling along or hurrying about their various pursuits, Emily would think that perhaps she was looking for someone who only existed in old English novels. Then she would shake her head and smile to herself and decide to keep looking at least a while longer. After all, a man didn't have to be perfect for her to enjoy some physical activities with him. And enjoy them she did, even though she never went beyond some serious making out. She had taken John's advice and gone to the clinic for birth control pills. For now, she took them regularly but had no intension of actually needing them. Many of the girls she met in her classes and in her dorm easily admitted they slept with most of the men they dated. Emily had noticed, however, that most of them didn't seem to take it seriously and that it didn't seem to make any real impression on them. Emily fully expected that when she did find someone, making love would be an experience unmatched by any she had previously had or anything she could imagine. Then she would smile to herself and think that maybe that was just in the novels also. Still, she would wait a little longer.

Emily was fortunate in that Lynn did not drink heavily. In fact, not at all. Emily herself had had wine a few times growing up, had tasted beer but didn't like it at all. She had even once or twice had a taste of moonshine but had no urge to ever do so again. She was never interested in getting drunk for the sake of getting drunk and had never, never considered the idea of any other substances. Now, loving her classes and the life on campus, Emily had no desire whatsoever for any of that. She loved her own reality too much.