Chapter 1 - Lori
You could hear the music before you could feel the beat as my best friend, Christina, and I approached the party from down the street. We lived in a nice-sized college town, and many events were held throughout the year, which was ample reason for us to get out and enjoy ourselves, especially after we turned twenty-one this past spring.
I had planned on staying in, but after Christina bought me a costume and told me what she had planned, it convinced me to want to go.
Christina and I were both in college and finishing our last semester as sophomores. We decided to get a place of our own after we finished our first semester as freshmen. Even though my parents lived in the next town over, I felt it was probably best for me to be out on my own, which is perhaps why I hadn’t seen them in over two years. I was too busy having a good time.
“Oh, girl. I can’t wait,” Christina said cheerfully.
“Me, too, girl,” I replied with equal enthusiasm.
We were both single and ready to mingle, but tonight, we had one rule: we were to have fun at the party and go home with each other to make sure nothing bad happened to either of us.
We had attended the summer break events and had a great time. Christina and I left with someone, but I felt as if I had made a poor choice in guys, as I really didn’t enjoy myself. The guys I hooked up with seemed only to be interested in getting themselves off, and I felt pathetic for even trying, as well as used.
Christina and I continued to go out to enjoy our summer break, but she was the only one who left with someone. She said it didn’t go great and didn’t want to discuss it. We both came to the same conclusion: we were simply being used by choosing the wrong guys.
So, when the Halloween party loomed closer, I told her I wasn’t going. I also stated that I didn’t want to attend any more events and needed to focus on my studies. I wasn’t sure why I was being picky or if I was giving up on men. Maybe I couldn’t stand the thought of running into a classmate who I would find out later was terrible in bed, selfish, or worse.
Somehow, Christina wasn’t accepting my excuse. “We are going to go to this event,” she told me, wagging a finger at me to emphasize that she wasn’t backing down. “We are going to have fun. We’re also going to find someone tonight, and you are wearing this.” She walked over to the couch and set a large paper bag next to me. “This one is yours.”
“You didn’t have to buy me a costume.” I was curled up on the couch in my pajamas, my favorite Halloween movies all picked out, and the coffee table set up as my personal snack bar with all my favorite snack foods. I was ready to settle in for the night by myself.
“Girl, yes, I did. You are going to look good in it, too.”
Now, I felt obligated because she had spent money on me. “I’ll go, but just so you know, it’s okay if we don’t hook up with anyone.”
“I know. Here’s the thing, though,” she came around the couch and sat beside me, clutching her paper bag. “We need to focus on how old the guy is.”
My eyebrows furrowed as I waited for her to explain, but she didn’t. “Okay, you lost me.”
“Older men know how to give it to you.”
I scoffed, “And where did you hear this?”
“Around, Lori,” she rolled her eyes. “Look, we’ve been going about this the wrong way. It’s about how experienced the guy is.”
“It’s going to be a costume party where you are supposed to wear a mask. How are we supposed to know how experienced they are?” I emphasized the word experience. “It’s a frat house, and I know there will be a lot of guys our age there.”
We were going to the event off campus at one of the old frat houses and were supposed to wear masquerade masks. It was the rule. I knew a few people who were going because it was all everyone could talk about in every one of my classes.
“It’s a huge house. Just look for a guy with gray hair,” she laughed.
