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[Keith Logan]

● FickleVixen & Keith Logan ●
presents

An adaptation from an existing PM roleplay,
diving into the lives of over twenty characters,
as they venture into the realms,
of temptations,
lust and sins,
of friendships and drama,
trust and betrayal,
and the hypocrisy of innate desires.




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[FickleVixen]

Dear Aliyah, Congratulations and welcome to the University of California, Berkeley. ​ Receiving the acceptance letter from UCB was nothing short of a dream come true. Though her parents had insisted that she stay in Oregon for the in-state tuition, even they couldn't deny their daughter the opportunity to follow the path she had chosen for herself. The hardest part for Aliyah Walker wasn't saying goodbye to her family as she loaded up her car, but saying goodbye to Benji, her boyfriend of four years. The drive between The University of Oregon and Berkeley was only an eight-hour drive, or an hour and a half flight if neither felt they could make the drive. She had insisted that they would still see each other as much as possible despite their hectic collegiate schedules on top of her cheerleading as well. But she had been far too excited to let those thoughts of possibly having to go months on end without actually being with him deter her. She had spent their last month together trying to make sure that neither one would be able to forget the other, but having borrowed time only seemed to make it go by faster. It wasn't just the school itself that she had been looking forward to, but the opportunity to leave the frigid state for somewhere warmer, to go somewhere she wasn't known to truly make a name for herself, and experience a life of her own rather than one her parents wanted for her. Unlike the regular students, athletes had to arrive at campus early. For some sports it was due to try-outs, others it was simply to get their practices or off season work-outs started before students were flooded with class work. While she had little doubt in her own abilities, Aliyah had been shocked that despite the sheer number of people who arrived to the gymnasium for the cheerleading tryouts that they would only be forming a squad of 20 students, and even returning team members had to try out again. The day had been absolutely grueling, her entire body ached, from her limbs to her lungs and yet it had been worth it in the end as they dwindled the numbers down hour by hour until Aliyah was among the remaining 20 for the squad, only one of four freshmen to make the team. She spent her first few free days orientating herself with the campus with the help of her junior and senior squad members, the semester hadn't even started yet, and she could already see how daunting of a task it would be to balance the school life with her sport life. With over 1,200 acres, UCB was a massive campus that was far too easy to get lost on, but having done her research prior to her arrival, Aliyah made sure that her classes wouldn't be too scattered and that her final class would be closest to the gym for practices. As her first week on campus drew to a close, the coaches gathered all the athletes for what they called their 'welcome home' event. In truth, it was little more than the coaches reminding everyone of the integrity and responsibilities that each individual had and needed. But the purpose of gathering everyone at once wasn't just to lecture the young adults, but to serve as a way for everyone to meet in a more informal setting and hopefully build comradery between sports. Of course, the majority of the older students already knew each other, but for the freshmen it was a useful platform. “Are you thinking about joining a sorority?” Aliyah slid her hands into the back pockets of her jeans as she glanced to the sophomore, Sabrina, at her side. Sabrina had been the first to volunteer to take Aliyah under her wing and though the two didn't have much in common besides being on the cheer team together, they were already becoming fast friends. “I'm not sure, I haven't really thought about it, honestly.” She glanced around the large number of students as Sabrina placed her arm around Aliyah's shoulders to start leading her around and introducing her to people. “Well, if you do think about it, recruitment starts next week and I know Alpha Chi Omega would be happy to have you.” With a quiet promise to keep it in mind, Aliyah only turned her eyes away from the crowd when Sabrina brought her to someone new. After what felt like the 50th time of introducing herself, she found her eyes drawn to a taller boy who seemed to naturally command the attention of those around him. “Who's that Sabrina?” She nodded her chin in his direction, pulling Sabrina from the conversation she had found herself in with one of the basketball players. The junior leaned closer to follow where Aliyah was looking, her left brow rising just the slightest bit as the hint of a smirk formed on her lips, as if she knew more than she was willing to share. “That's Jason Fredericks, he's the captain of the rugby team.” Though Sabrina made no move to bring Aliyah in his direction to introduce the two of them, Aliyah couldn't help but occasionally look back in his direction as they moved around. There were plenty of attractive guys around her, not that Aliyah was trying to notice something like that, but it was just a natural thing to observe. But Jason just stood out more than the others. With a soft hum, she pulled her phone from her back pocket, it had officially been a week since she left Benji behind, and yet she was already feeling lonely. 2:30pm: Hi babe! I just wanted to see how you were settling in so far without me. I miss you already, we need to try to plan a visit to see each other asap. As she quickly texted Benji, she put her phone back into her pocket to give her attention to the volleyball players Sabrina had brought her too. Though she had no complaints against meeting people who were already friends with Sabrina, Aliyah wanted a chance to make a few friends on her own. After politely excusing herself, she worked her way through the crowd, pausing to introduce herself and even offer her phone number to a small handful of people before she kept moving with one destination in mind. It didn't take her long before Aliyah found herself standing just a few paces away from Jason, and though she wasn't quite sure why she felt the need to introduce herself to him, she didn't let her uncertainty show as she smiled warmly. What the hell are you doing, Aliyah? The thought flitted through her mind for just a moment before her lips parted as she offered a quick greeting. “Hi there, I'm Aliyah. I heard you're the captain of the rugby team, right?” She could feel the eyes of a few students nearby on her as she introduced herself. She wasn't the first to approach Jason, and had even waited until there was a lull in his conversation before she spoke up so she didn't interrupt anyone else. As she spoke, Aliyah removed her right hand from her pocket, offering it out politely to shake his if he wanted. While Aliyah had practically spent her week wearing nothing but tank tops and spandex for each practice and work out session, this little get-together gave her the opportunity to wear some real clothes for a change. Though California was still warm from the summer weather, she stilled dressed somewhat as if she were still living further up north. Her dark blue jeans hugged her hips, the perfect fit that didn't require a belt and yet wouldn't lower as she spent the time walking along with her black long sleeve top with a sweeping neckline that was greedily soaking in the sunlight. At some point throughout the day, she had pulled her sleeve up just a touch to try to give herself a bit of relief from the growing heat, but it hadn't done much to stave it off completely.

 

[Keith Logan]

Sabrina Dransfield could never pin point what exactly got her drawn to the fresher, and be so keen to volunteer to be the trials week tutor to Aliyah. It required effort and time on her part. Perhaps it was something to do with how similarly petite the both of them were, and that they were both blondes. The semblances served as an unconscious draw albeit the both having no clue what the other was like as a person. But for Sabrina, she felt nothing but good vibes coming off from the girl who had the personality to pull off a baby pink bow for a hair band. She was cute and sassy - just like herself - she thought. And she decided they would make a great dynamic duo. She just needed Aliyah polished for the college life. And the sophomore cheer junior figured her past year's experiences warranted her the license to play the big sister to Aliyah. The excitement. "Are you thinking about joining a sorority?" "I'm not sure, I haven't really thought about it honestly." "Well, if you do think about it, recruitment starts next week and I know Alpha Chi Omega would be happy to have you."​ Sabrina hadn't exactly found a girl whom she thought was seamlessly in-sync with her on a very personal and intimate level over the past year - until Aliyah showed up. Ali had thus far, been the most promising. With that, she decided she wasn't going to ride her second year in college without the BFF that she had been yearning for, one whom she could stuff cheerios with while netflixing beneath fleece blankets, and could empty her entire cauldron of bitchy thoughts uncensored, without worrying about being judged. She decided that if she was going to make Aliyah her bestie, one of the first few things she thought she should do, was to rope her into the things that she herself was already involved in, and get their lives more intertwined with one another. As a member of the Alpha Chi Omega herself, having Aliyah inducted into the sorority she was in would be a giant step towards her idealised scenario. The path to being inducted into Alpha Chi Omega wasn't going to be easy. But Sabrina was determined to guide Aliyah through the process as best as she could - if she could first convince her to formally express her interest. "I would be happy if you if you joined me too." Sabrina gave Aliyah a grin, and a delayed, cheeky nudge by her elbow, as she just couldn't help but attempt guilt tripping and tugging Aliyah's emotional heartstrings, just a little. Perhaps it would nudge her into seriously considering. It was then that she casually sauntered off a few seconds later to one group of the basketball lads within her vicinity to play it cool, before she was tugged back by Aliyah to ask for a quick introduction to a certain, very prominent male figure. She couldn't contain her grin. She saw the way Ali's dilated pupils looked - they were clear as day that she was interested. It didn't come as a surprise, since many girls would spare more than just a look at the sturdy, stunning figure with handsome face, and who wasn't just all brawl and no brain. Jason was the full package - or at least, that was how he came across as to most people that were acquainted to him. "That's Jason Fredericks, he's the captain of the rugby team."​ "… and he has got ties, and often hung out with the Alpha Chi Omega." "Just saying." Sabrina whispered into Aliyah's ears, quick to pounce on whatever opportunity that presented itself to sell her the idea once again. Sabrina was quick witted like that. And just as quick as she turned to address her question, she reverted her attention back to the group of boys to resume her conversation with them, that was previously lowkey rudely disrupted by Aliyah. It was probably also a cue by Sabrina that she needed a moment of space, especially when she was chatting up with what she thought to be some pretty interesting boys. That didn't mean that Aliyah's unabashed attempt at walking straight up to one of the college's most coveted figure went unnoticed. It wasn't just Sabrina. Most non-fresher girls within visual vicinity noticed, all bearing what seemed like judgemental eyes of keen foxes. Sure, there were numerous individuals and groups who previously approached Jason for a talk. But they had all been acquainted, or had legitimate work reasons when initiating one. Aliyah on the other hand, was probably the first newbie to step up with gusto. That resulted in a whisper or two amongst the crowd, making it seem like her simple act was quietly causing quite a spectacle. Just like that, Aliyah had subjected herself to be a candidate up and coming subject of gossip amongst mean girls. "Hi there, I'm Aliyah. I heard you're the captain of the rugby team right?"​ "Someone's been stalking, hasn't she?" Jason casually replied. There wasn't even a visible smirk. Well.. maybe just the faintest of a lob-sided grin. That was how composed a figure he carried himself to be. Jason reciprocated her gesture when she offered her hand, and returned a firm shake. His palms felt surprisingly smooth and uncalloused for a sports veteran. But they were large, just like how the captain's physique easily over-towered hers. "And you must be that one fresher who defied all odds to secure herself a spot in the college's esteemed cheer team on just her first attempt." "The last time that happened, I wasn't even matriculated into Berkeley. You must be possessing some immense potential." Jason spoke, while his eyes made calculated gazes away from her face at intervals, stealing glances on the girl's figure, brief enough each time so as not to come off as some kind of a creep, for he has standards - because which testosterone-packed boy would not be naturally inclined to do so? The captain's first impression of the girl was that she seemed like an intriguing mystery. She was well wrapped in fabrics. Yet, she still managed to exuded sexiness. It was the way her apparels hugged her mouth-watering bodyline so fine, and the teasing cleavage that promised of a pair of sumptuous bosoms in which her overall petite physique did no justice to. "I'm guessing you're not from the south, since you dress a little different, and you've got really good skin. I reckon you should consider overhauling your wardrobe, dress down a little so you get that tiny bit more of a golden tan, and you'll be able to look just like one of us." "Why don't you do that the next time we meet? Say, dinner this Saturday, 7.30pm, my treat?" "I'll get us a table by the beach side, so you'll have no excuse, but to dress for the occasion." Just like that, he offered a date. What was a tad bit astonishing, was how nonchalant he was, and the manner in which he smoothly tabled the proposition, yet at the same time, making it seem like it was just like any ordinary dinner. 2.35pm <Benji Boo >: Oregon sucks. 2.36pm <Benji Boo >: Term break is in like 7 weeks. That is too long! 2.36pm <Benji Boo >: I reckon I'll come down to visit you for the long weekend in week 3? What say you? 2.37pm <Benji Boo >: Also, we're doing a pub crawl tonight, so I may not be able to facetime later 2.37pm <Benji Boo >: Giving Oregon a chance right here to change my opinion 2.38pm <Benji Boo >: Shall we do tomorrow sat evening instead? Maybe like 8, or 9? I don't have plans for the weekend, so, yeah.

 

[FickleVixen]

Because Aliyah hadn't outright declined the idea of joining a sorority so early into her collegiate life, Sabrina took the opportunity to continue subtly pushing it. Her efforts certainly hadn't gone unnoticed by the new girl, finding her attempts to be quite endearing rather than annoying. Sabrina's final attempt, for now, came as whispered words when Aliyah had asked who Jason was before walking away. But those weren't the only whispered words she had heard as she slipped through the crowd. Once people realized where she was heading, who she was heading toward, she became fair game. “Who does she think she is?” “Surely she doesn't think he'll even give her the time of day, does she?” “How desperate do you have to be?” The people around them hadn't shaken her the slightest bit, she had no ulterior motive for approaching Jason other than pure curiosity. When he made the suggestion that she had been stalking him, Aliyah tilted her head ever so slightly. If it wasn't for the ghost of a smile on his lips she might've thought he was serious even as he slid his hand against her own for them to shake. Those closest to him had laughed quietly at his little jab, but she didn't bother giving anyone else a moment of her attention as she placed her hand back into her back pocket. “Well, it seems like I wasn't the only one. I guess I should be pretty honored that someone like you even knows who I am, huh?” She watched in amusement as Jason's eyes occasionally left her face to look her over, though he was polite enough to not outright stare at her, which was more than could be said about some of the younger guys she had talked to prior. As Jason pointed out the fact that Aliyah was clearly not from a southern state based on her clothes, she couldn't help but look down at herself. Her wardrobe was arguably limited for the warmer climates, which could easily be remedied, but she hadn't thought it would be something that would be noticeable. “Is it really that obvious? Maybe I just burn rather than tan.” She joked before her eyes danced back up to his own with a look of surprise as he smoothly transitioned from talking about how she could better fit in, to asking her out to dinner as if it was the most normal thing he could do. “You certainly don't waste any time in trying to ask a girl out, do you?” Her words were slightly teasing as she brushed her hair from her shoulder while pulling her phone from her back pocket. “Tell you what, why don't you give me your number, and I'll at least consider going to dinner with you tomorrow night and let you know later on what I decide.” As if she would be doing him a favor by agreeing to go. Of course, she wanted to agree, but she wasn't looking to come across as the type that might be easy. Aliyah glanced down to her phone to unlock it before noticing the messages from Benji. She hadn't even realized her phone had been vibrating in her pocket, but worse was the fact that he hadn't even crossed her mind while talking to Jason. Her heart thundered as she cleared the notifications before opening the contacts and holding her phone out. Don't feel guilty. There's nothing wrong with a harmless dinner. It's not like you're doing anything wrong. But if she wasn't doing anything wrong, she should've mentioned the fact that she had a boyfriend. Hell, she should've declined his offer, and yet she didn't want to. She had plenty of male friends throughout high school, but they all knew Benji. The fact that she was willfully choosing not to mention him just wasn't like her at all. Jason just seemed to be different from others she had known before, and certainly different from Benji as well, which only drove her curiosity harder.

 

[Keith Logan]

"Well, it seems like I wasn't the only one. I guess I should be pretty honored that someone like you even knows who I am, huh?"​ "Eh. Don't get cocky now. Words spread around like wildfire here. Perhaps you are really that good with your craft, that the general standard of superiority here is the equivalent to your view of mediocrity. It's a big deal for a girl to pass the cheerleading trials in UCB on her first attempt, so people talk about it." The need to emerge victorious in the verbal sparring that began out of nothing was strong. Jason was a winner. And he was obsessed with winning. That included not being made to look like he was going head over heels for a freshman. Not like he was just yet, as much as Aliyah was admittedly very attractive to him. And even if he was, he probably wouldn't ever admit that as well. Jason knew how to play the game of cat and mouse. And in Aliyah, she had sparked a certain flame in him that made him relish her teasing jabs, wanting to take the game she had unknowingly started to her seriously. But he had to momentarily paused, when someone attempted to squeeze pass him. In the process, that caused him to wedge closer to Aliyah. His rock hard bicep brushed pass against her breasts for a second. It was immense in size, probably requiring at least the length of three Aliyah's hands wrapped around to make round the full circumference of it. He didn't apologise for the unexpected collision. And as much as he was aware that he had somehow managed to sneak a feel of her assets, his eyes were on the guy who quite rudely caused him to shift his footings in the first place. It wasn't a menacing stare, but more of a display disbelief at the random guy's mannerism. Regardless, he looked like he was too distracted in the moment, and deep in thought, that made him look like he was supposedly 'unaware' that he had intruded into the girl's personal space and modesty. Or maybe an alpha male like Jason just wouldn't do apologies. He did however, return his attention back to the girl almost immediately. "I also think you might have already made an enemy or two without yourself knowing. The cheer girls are let's just say... incredibly competitive. This extends to those who had tried, yet failed to get in the team. Envy fills the air with toxicity. But such politics is naturally, part and parcel of being amongst the elite, even in the male sporting fraternity. You'll just have to learn to deal with it in time." Jason offered his word of advice, before casually commenting about her choice of wear. "Is it really that obvious? Maybe I just burn rather than tan."​ "More like, you were dressed to ensure all eyes are drawn to you. If you were going to be modest and hide your figure, you needn't had to dress so tight. It's difficult to escape one's attention, that." Jason didn't sound like he meant it as an insult, but more of a bold, pulling of the leg unfiltered attempt at teasing. "I'll be bluntly honest and say that you've got a great body. So don't be afraid to strut it out here in the south." The captain was on a roll, as he pressed on their feisty exchange ever so calmly with the proposition of a date out of the blue. "You certainly don't waste any time in trying to ask a girl out, do you?" "Tell you what, why don't you give me your number, and I'll at least consider going to dinner with you tomorrow night and let you know later on what I decide."​ Once again, Jason was fuelled by the way that the girl was playing hard to get - the audacity. She had certainly caught on even more attention and intrigue from the slightly older male being. There were an abundance of pretty faces in UCB. But a good majority were sluts all too eager to make the best out of their college life. Aliyah was a bit different. She didn't look prude by any means. But she was holding her ground well. It was quite very captivating. It made the captain interested to know more about her as a person and her mystifying ways. "Fine." "Just know that if you do decide to come, you owe me one for making me wait." "That is only fair. I don't like being made to feel like I am getting the short end of the stick.. whatever you're playing at." Jason very subtly teased towards the end with the softest of smirk, hinting to her that his ego believed that she was purposefully making him wait for the inevitable answer. Whether he meant it as a joke or in all seriousness, was well up in the air. The captain took Aliyah's phone, keyed in his contact details, but very respectfully not hit the dial button to get her contact prior to attaining her permission. Because Jason was confident it was only going to end it one way. Sabrina whistled some half an hour later from a short distance, reuniting with Aliyah once all the socialising was done. Once she came within touching distance, she hooked Ali in by her shoulders, with a wide grin on her face. "I saw you handing Jason your phone, you little vixen. Trying to score for the best already in just a week into college?" "Getting hold of his number doesn't necessarily mean you've got him wrapped around your fingers, you know? You'll need the perks, ties and backing of Alpha Omega Chi to really ensure you get an unbreakable chokehold of that beast of a man." Sabrina smirked. It was becoming apparent by now that she was going to bug her relentlessly on every possible instance. "So tell me, what'd you guys talk about?"

 

[FickleVixen]

She couldn't help but scoff quietly at Jason's insistence for her not to get cocky. He was right, of course, the other members of the team had made it quite clear to her how impressive it had been that she managed to do what so few had before. Yet, the fact that he had even paid attention to news like that told her she had managed to catch his attention in some way before she had even introduced herself to him. Her lips parted when he was suddenly pushed forward. It wasn't dramatic, nothing more than his body simply stepping closer to her own, but her reaction was instinctual. Aliyah didn't recoil from the subtle touch of his arm to her chest, rather, she lifted a single hand just inches away from Jason as if she might be able to catch him if he were to fall. Her eyes tracked the stranger who had bumped into Jason without so much as an apology for the slight nudge. There was a slight frown on her face for a moment, but quickly brushed it off, the guy probably hadn't even noticed that he had bumped into someone. Her eyes were quick to return to Jason as he offered a word of warning to her regarding those who might not be so thrilled at her accomplishment. Though she mentally waved off his advice, she offered him another warm smile. “Envy isn't something that's new to me. I tend not to let other people bother me, though if they're so jealous of what they couldn't do while I could, then they should have tried harder and been better prepared. You have to have thicker skin if you're going to be successful.” The confidence in herself was clear. She had already displayed once how little people talking about her bothered her. Jason's honest compliment to her figure hadn't been missed, after all, Aliyah was practically hanging on his every word by this point. For the first time during their little quips, she had been left speechless. She wasn't exactly trying to draw eyes to herself, if she had wanted to do that she would have worn something far more revealing, but he had a point. She had chosen an outfit that, while it didn't reveal much of her skin, left very little to the imagination with how it hugged her body. Hearing Jason concede to giving her his number brought a triumphant little smirk to her lips. “I would think agreeing to join you would be sufficient for owing you, you wouldn't want to be too greedy now, would you?” As he took her phone, she crossed her arms over her chest before taking the device back and replacing it into her pocket after ensuring his number was saved. She had no intention of being quick to give him her information in return, and that was clear in the fact that she hadn't given him a quick call. It was a subtle way to maintain control over a potential future interaction between the two of them. Aliyah glanced over her shoulder at the sound of a whistle, Sabrina standing not too far off was clearly waiting for her. She turned back to Jason and flashed him another smile. “Maybe you'll hear from me soon, I'd hate to leave you waiting for too long for an answer.” As she turned away, she knew there was a slight flush to her cheeks. Her fair skin tone making it all the more obvious as she finally walked away from Jason and back to Sabrina's side, who quickly slung her arm over Aliyah's shoulder to tease her. “Come on, Sabrina, it wasn't like that.” She laughed softly as the two began to leave, the crowd already starting to thin. When she glanced at the blonde beside her, she saw the way her eyebrows ticked upwards just the slightest bit in a silent show of disbelief at Aliyah's claim, before pushing the importance of her own sorority. Perhaps it really wouldn't be such a bad idea to join after all, though not for the reason Sabrina was suggesting. “We didn't talk about anything interesting, just the fact that some girls probably won't be excited about me making the team over them and the fact that I'm not from the south.” Aliyah shrugged her shoulders innocently, there was no need to add in the fact that he had invited her to dinner. People were already going to start talking, she didn't want to add any fuel to the fire or possibly lose her first friend on campus, especially not when that friend was a teammate. “Oh, seriously? And that warranted getting his number?” There was no jealousy in her words or veiled animosity, just gentle prying into the new freshman who seemed to be full of surprises. “I was just being friendly, you don't really think a guy like that would have any interest in someone like me, do you? My younger brother has been interested in getting into rugby and I asked if he would be willing to offer a bit of advice, that's all.” The lie rolled easily off of her tongue. Aliyah had one sibling, but it was a younger sister, not that anyone here would be aware of that, but she had to come up with something, anything to get Sabrina to relent just a bit. “I might've also mentioned my interest in trying to join Alpha Chi Omega next week.” Another lie, though one far less untrue. She was actually interested in joining thanks to Sabrina's pestering, she just hadn't said anything about it to Jason. But Aliyah knew the change in the direction of the conversation would serve as a welcome distraction and by the way Sabrina's eyes seemed to light up, Aliyah knew it worked. Now she simply needed to decide what she might tell Benji, who was still waiting on a response from her by this point.

 

[Keith Logan]

"Envy isn't something that's new to me. I tend not to let other people bother me, though if they're so jealous of what they couldn't do while I could, then they should have tried harder and been better prepared. You have to have thicker skin if you're going to be successful."​ Jason actually raised an eyebrow when Aliyah so nonchalantly spoke the words that she said, not even flinching one bit. Her belief in herself was astounding. No. it was a bit much more than astounding. The girl reminded him of... himself. It was quite unexpected, as Jason's first impression of the girl did not have him anticipated that. She was fun sized, and dressed with accessories that made her appear cute rather than coming off as someone who had immense fortitude and possessing a heart of steel. Jason was tempted to squeeze her when he first saw her. Now however, she didn't look so much like a stuffed toy bunny as he first thought. Aliyah was the epitome of the saying that looks can be deceiving. "Looks like we might be more alike than I had imagine. I like the way you think. It's amusing to see that you looked like you have more nerves than at least half the boys under my charge. Maybe I could rope you in to give a lesson on building mentality. We came in third last year, because the newer breed of boys are some notches softer than the seniors who had graduated in the recent past." Jason spontaneously vented, before he keyed in his number into her mobile device, whilst listening to her rebut to his comment about her owing him one. "I would think agreeing to join you would be sufficient for owing you, you wouldn't want to be too greedy now, would you?"​ "Greedy?" Jason paused, as he entered in the last of his digits, handing her phone back to her, before he very smoothly pirouetted himself to one side of her for a split second. He was going to whisper into her left ear, but made a deliberate detour to the to the length of her neck. Very brief and swiftly, he parted his lips, as hot air gushed against the stretch of her sensitive skin. He was close... but not too close. It was an extremely fine line, his lips threading along the edge of that constituted her personal space. But he didn't touch her. Just his hot breath teasing against her neck, which left a lot to be imagined. The young man was bold, and brazen like that. If Aliyah wanted to play with fire, Jason would entertain and push the envelope, just to see if she would eventually surrender and perhaps admit that she took a bigger bite than she could handle. "... It remains to be seen who will end up being the greedier one between us, once the dust of all these formalities have settled." Jason's whisper gushed against her ear when his lips did finally arrive at its intended destination. It all happened in just under five seconds, and away from the prying eyes of people nearby, including the approaching Sabrina, as he had expertly and very discreetly pulled Aliyah behind an adjacent advertorial board that gave them a makeshift moment of privacy. Jason had been in the dating game long enough to know what the younger girl was playing at. And frankly, he couldn't be more eager to be over with the mind games, and cut to the chase. But if this was what the fresher wanted to play, Jason would oblige, by throwing back a number of proverbial punches at her to let her know that she was not any closer to being the one in control of their little budding, steamy situation than he was. He teased her with snippets of his ways and what he was capable of doing, only to then pull away. If she wanted to find out how it would have ended, she will have to dial him up. Eventually. "Maybe you'll hear from me soon, I'd hate to leave you waiting for too long for an answer."​ "You should be." With that, their little tensed banter ended, when duo parted ways after Aliyah stepped away from him. "Come on, Sabrina, it wasn't like that." "We didn't talk about anything interesting, just the fact that some girls probably won't be excited about me making the team over them and the fact that I'm not from the south."​ "That's... dull. That was a given. I never thought that would even be a conversation." Sabrina paused. Still, she eyed her like she had a hunch that Aliyah wasn't being entirely truthful. "But Jason is right. The politics around here can get really toxic. And you're gonna need people by your side." "I was just being friendly, you don't really think a guy like that would have any interest in someone like me, do you? My younger brother has been interested in getting into rugby and I asked if he would be willing to offer a bit of advice, that's all."​ "Your brother? Is he cute?" Sabrina grinned. "He must be quite the something if you think he could fit into the jock culture." She paused. "We're from Venus while guys are from Mars. How am I to know what is going through the mind of Jason, or just most boys in general, for that matter. They can be a bit... hollow. I don't get the way they think sometimes." "Anyways, just, be honest with me from now on, and I swear I'll take real good care of you, to the best of my abilities, Ali." Sabrina firmed her tone a little as she visited the topic that warranted some solemnity. It seemed that UCB's culture could really be as harsh as a few people had made it out to be. That seriousness didn't last for long however, when Aliyah subsequently defused the air of mild gravity. "I might've also mentioned my interest in trying to join Alpha Omega Chi next week."​ Sabrina let out a shrieked, before lunging forward for a tight hug. "I'm glad you have come to your senses!!" Sabrina grinned. "Initiation and the first few months will undoubtably be a challenge. But you have got the benefit of someone here who had walked the tight rope previously! I'll ask for you to be roomed next, or close to me. I'm sure we can work something out." Before they knew, time had passed by them with all sorts of superficial conversations interspersed over one another with the different people, and early evening approached. 5.13pm <Benji Boo >: That is the first time in a long time you've gone on more than an hour, 2 actually, without checking your phone 5.14pm <Benji Boo >:

 

[FickleVixen]

It had happened so quickly. One moment Aliyah was listening to Jason explain why his team had wound up coming in third, and the next he was so close. She wasn't even sure she had been breathing when his head dipped toward hers. Her own words coming back to bite her as the warmth of his breath nearly sent a shiver skittering down her spine. All it would take was for her to uncross her arms to touch him, instead she dug her nails into her palms with the refusal to move, trying to seem unshaken, but the flush to her cheeks betrayed her. Walking away from him almost felt more like fleeing, there was a line between herself and any guy, but whether Jason knew it or not he made her want to cross that line, consequences be damned. He was dangerous. Not in the sense that she felt like he would harm her, but in the way that he could ruin her life and all she had to do was let him. When was the last time Benji had made her heart race so fast that she thought it might burst? Sabrina served as a welcome distraction to the lingering feeling of her neck, though her smile felt far less natural now than it had before. “I don't know if I would call him cute, but I'm biased cause he's my brother. But he's also way too young for you.” She joked as Sabrina paused before her comment about being honest nearly made Aliyah's smile falter. “Don't worry, I will be honest, I promise.” From now on. The fact that Sabrina wanted so clearly for the two of them to get along gave Aliyah a new sense of guilt over lying. Their friendship was only just starting out, and now it was going to be built around a lie she would have to remember. She watched as Sabrina's serious attitude quickly evaporated at her declaration of interest in her sorority. The slender blonde pulled her into the tightest hug she had ever received that squeezed a laugh out of her as she patted her back. “Let's focus on me getting in before we start talking about where I'll be rooming!” Seeming to realize that she was squeezing a bit too tight, Sabrina finally let go of Aliyah, but her grin hadn't faded. “You're right, but let's admit it, you're going to be excited to leave the freshman dorms. Luckily, there are a few other girls from the team in Alpha Chi Omega as well. You'll have to participate in rush week just so it doesn't look like we're playing favorites, but I doubt anyone would be against you joining. You just play your part, I'll take care of the rest.” Sabrina winked as she looped her arm around Aliyah's to keep the two connected as they started walking. “Let's go out tonight! It's Friday, classes start on Monday, and practice is only going to get harder from here on out. We only have a few more days of freedom left!” Her enthusiasm was infectious, but Aliyah couldn't think about going out right now, her mood just wasn't on par with Sabrina's. “Sorry Sabrina, I have to take a rain check, I still have some things I need to do to get ready for next week.” As she turned Sabrina down the older girl hesitated, she had already been able to make Aliyah cave once, surely if she continued to press the topic she could do it again. But she knew if she pressed too hard or too often, it could drive Aliyah away. “Fine, but you can't say no next time.” Though her tone was firm, she was only partially joking. By the time Sabrina finally let Aliyah go, it was nearly 5:00 pm, still early for a Friday evening, but the events of the day brought a sudden wave of exhaustion as she made her way back to her dorm room. Away from prying eyes and in a much more quiet environment, she was finally able to give her boyfriend a bit more attention, as well as give herself a chance to consider Jason's invitation. 5:30pm: Sorry about that! I was stuck at a 'meet every athlete on campus' event. 5:33pm: 7 weeks is definitely too long. Let's shoot for 3 weeks. I can probably work around any game or practice to make some time for you. 5:34pm: Be safe on your pub crawl, please! I can't tomorrow night, a group of the girls want to get together, but I can tomorrow afternoon if you won't be too hung over! She sighed quietly as she sent her messages to Benji, for the first time in their relationship Aliyah was actually lying to him. It was one thing to lie to a person she hardly knew, but lying to Benji wasn't easy in the slightest bit. She wanted someone to talk to, someone to vent to, but the person she would go to on a normal occasion was part of the issue. Aliyah quickly changed out of her clothes into something more comfortable for bed before climbing in, leaving the texts with Benji to pull up Jason's contact. Spending any more time with him could only spell trouble for her, but she couldn't deny the fact that their interactions with each other had simply felt natural. She hadn't been intentionally trying to flirt and tease with him, but there was just something about Jason that drew her in and made her want more. She went back and forth over what to do, what was the right thing to do, versus what did she want to do. By the time she had finally come to a decision, it was closer to 9:30 pm. 9:28pm: Hey, it's Aliyah. 9:30pm: So since I owe you one for making you wait, what should I get you tomorrow evening as an apology before dinner? Chocolate, or flowers?

 

[Keith Logan]

Jason was acutely aware that his brazen approach had resulted in a sequence of heated physiological responses from Aliyah. But he didn't outright react to it with smugness, coming across as cool and even aloof in the aftermath of his actions. He didn't feel a need to rub it to her. He knew, she knew, who had truly came out top from their flirtatious banter. No words needed to be spoken, for he believed that they had a telepathic understanding of it. And that was good enough for him. Aliyah would have about a day more to mull over what had happened, after they had parted ways, while Sabrina took over her attention for the time being. "I don't know if I would call him cute, but I'm biased cause he's my brother. But he's also way too young for you."​ "Is he of legal age? If so, that's cool. Nothing is ever quite serious in college, and it's the perfect playground for experimentation." Sabrina smirked. It was fast becoming a factual opinion that Sabrina was the sort of girl that lives her life carefree, wildly adventurous, and unafraid to push beyond boundaries. If not now, then when? - was probably a motto best suited for her. "Don't worry, I will be honest, I promise."​ "That's my girl. I'm sure college will no doubt be the years you will never ever forget. And you'll get through it safely so long as you don't do anything stupid. One way of doing so is to keep me in the loop of things always, so big sis here can watch over you." It was something Sabrina had always thought of for the longest time, being the only child in her family. She had always wanted a sister. And with Aliyah, she felt like she could play that role of the big sibling she had always longed to be. Aliyah saying she would go ahead with her sorority application was a big enough achievement and fruitful work done for the day. So when she turn down her offer to go partying for the night, Sabrina wasn't hard on her rejection. Together with her opinion that she shouldn't be pushing her too much to the point of controlling or intruding into her life beyond reasonable length, she was convinced that she should just let Aliyah off for the time being, until her 'friendship meter' with her, - as filled to the brim for now with her agreeance to join the sorority - starts to naturally deplete over time. That capped the end of the first week in college. 6.02pm <Benji Boo >: Look at you trying to make your presence known already in just a week 6.03pm <Benji Boo >: I can totally imagine you attempting to stamp your authority around like you always did back at Ridgeview High 6.03pm <Benji Boo >: Smol, but menacing 6.04pm <Benji Boo >: And great! I'll book a ticket now for friday morning so I can arrive in the evening in time for the long weekend 6.05pm <Benji Boo >: We'll see how about tomorrow afternoon 6.05pm <Benji Boo >: Can't foresee the state I'll be in Booking the ticket right after was probably the highlight of his day. He could only wish that the pub crawl will at least cap a decent end to the day. He was already starting to regret choosing a degree in computer science. Most of his course mates seemed to be rather reclusive, which didn't quite vibe well with his extroversion. And they also seemed to be on different wavelengths when it came to matters outside of academia. But the prospects after graduation for people with his specialty was apparently said to be money spinning in the current and next decade. However, he chose the course because of family and peer influence, rather than what he truly enjoyed. In truth, he wasn't even sure what he was passionate about. Such was the predicament of many around his age, who might have still been a little too young to be tasked to make a life changing decision that could seriously alter the course of one's life ahead. Benji's relationship with Aliyah had probably been the best highlight of his life in the recent year. And apparently, Aliyah said the same the last time they were romancing each other on a date night. But that opinion was based on their lives in the bubble of Oregon. College was the entrance ticket to adulthood. And it remains to be seen how that may, or may not change people over time. Benji was the sweetest, always accommodating, so much so that there were a few times he felt hurt from Aliyah's supposed 'immature' words or actions, but chose to keep it to himself, simply because he believed he should 'man it up' and be a 'gracious gentleman' to his sweetheart. Truth be told, there were matters welled up in his cauldron, but he was still able to cope with them with relative ease, as nothing major had require him to let loose any steam. Benji always believed in being supportive of his girlfriend, consciously reminding himself to be selflessly submissive when needed to her, often saying the things to her that she would want to hear, rather than what he felt. The both of them had the opportunity to stay at Oregon together. Instead, they settled for Oregon and UCB. And unspoken as it was, it did hurt him a little that Aliyah chose to head over to UCB for wishful and selfish reason - because which partner wouldn't at least feel that way? It did feel like their bond wasn't tight enough for her to make that sacrifice on her part. He did privately wonder that between the both of them, was he more invested in them than she was? But he didn't make that personal musing known, and convinced himself eventually that he should be happy that Aliyah was happy. Hey, it's Aliyah. So since I owe you one for making you wait, what should I get you tomorrow evening as an apology before dinner? Chocolate, or flowers?​ 9.35pm <Jason CGB>: Mmh. 9.35pm <Jason CGB>: You should have just agreed to the date earlier. 9.36pm <Jason CGB>: Much easier to talk in person, wouldn't it be? 9.36pm <Jason CGB>: What you owe would be more than just chocolate or flowers . 9.37pm <Jason CGB>: But I'll keep tabs of what you owe for now, and ask of you at a later date. 9.37pm <Jason CGB>: For now, all I ask of you is to doll yourself less like a northern girl, and be more like one of us. 9.38pm <Jason CGB>: I'll pick you up, 7pm by the front porch of your dorm.

 

[FickleVixen]

Sabrina's words had surprisingly struck a cord with Aliyah. She knew she needed someone here on campus that she could trust and turn to in her time of need. But there were far more factors involved here than there had been, trying to make friends throughout high school. Those were kids she had grown up with, most she had known her entire life. Here, loyalty and trust were harder to discern from those simply trying to get information to use for themselves. She could try to make it through four years of college alone with no one by her side, but it would be a painful and lonely road. Putting herself out there wasn't something new to her, she had never been afraid to get hurt in the process. It was who else could wind up hurt that made her so hesitant to truly open up to Sabrina, despite her clear friendliness. 6:30pm: Not trying to claim any authority just yet. Gotta get to know everyone first! 6:30pm: Maybe in a month or so though. 6:33pm: Just let me know what time your flight is supposed to land the week of, and I'll be sure to be at the airport to pick you up 6:35pm: If you can't make the call tomorrow, don't worry about it. Just make sure you have fun tonight. There was no heart fluttering excitement at the prospect of seeing Benji again. She still cared for him, he would always have a piece of her heart no matter what happened between the two of them, but sometimes it just felt so overwhelming. He was overwhelming. UCB wasn't just Aliyah's dream school, it was a big leap out of her comfort zone. If she had ended up attending Oregon State with him, they would have stuck to their same pattern of safety that they had created over the years. She had overheard a phone call between her mother and aunt a few weeks prior to accepting the offer from UCB. Her mother had been bragging about how sure she was that Aliyah and Benji would be getting married after college, and honestly that thought scared her. Neither one were ready to commit on that level, at least that was how Aliyah felt, after all they were both still so young. That conversation was what had prompted her to accept the offer without even talking to Benji about it first, simply telling him that distance makes the heart grow fonder. He had been supportive of her decision, like he always was, but there had been a part of her that wanted him to fight for her to stay with him. 9:41pm: Maybe I really was considering turning you down earlier. I have a feeling that doesn't happen often to you. 9:41pm: Calling it a date is a bit much, don't you think? 9:43pm: Don't worry, though. I'll be sure to dress more appropriately for you, wouldn't want to embarrass you, dressing like a northerner and all. 9:44pm: I'll see you at 7. Aliyah certainly didn't consider their planned outing to be a date. Not officially anyway. Sabrina had made a good point; college was the perfect place for experimentation. She wasn't under any sort of illusion that things with Jason could possibly progress past the point of him just trying to get into her pants, which most certainly would not be happening, but she didn't see why she couldn't at least have a bit of fun in the meantime. Her biggest issue came in the form of honesty. Would it be better for her to tell Jason upfront about her current relationship so he didn't think he had a shot with her? Surely the moment she told him the truth, he would drop her. But she was technically leading him on, and while it could damage her reputation in the long run, it didn't make that choice of what to say any easier. Before setting her phone down, she decided to send one last message out, this time to Sabrina. There was no better way to test a friendship than to share a secret. 9:50pm Aliyah: Hey, I was wondering if I could come by your room tomorrow around 5? Wanted to talk to you about something. Maybe steal a dress while I'm there? 9:57pm Sab : Sure, I don't see why not. What do you need a dress for? 9:58pm Aliyah: I'll explain tomorrow. Just really need some sisterly advice, and it'll be much faster to just talk in person.

 

[Keith Logan]

Perhaps communication between the high school sweethearts weren't exactly optimal. Perhaps it has got to do with their limited experience going into a long term relationship, and the complacency that got them to where they were at that juncture of their relationship. Neither of them seemed to grasp the gulf of mismatched understanding about what the other felt in what was supposedly a big and possibly defining moment of their relationship. He really didn't want her to leave. But his introspective insistence on placing Aliyah's needs at the forefront of everything might have caused him to put on a forced smile, and made him seem like he was more ambivalent than reluctant about her leaving. On top of that, he remembered a few occasions in which he had made his displeasure known about some other minor issues, and Aliyah sulked a bit. With the cumulation of all those experiences, that further caused him to be more restrained, and kept his true needs to himself by retreating away from potential conflict. Benji hated confrontation with a passion. And for Aliyah, if she had been more honest with Benji about how torn she might have been, and her innermost thoughts about their situation, perhaps that might have embolden Benji to speak up his mind, and convince her to stay. But all he saw from Aliyah, was how she seemed to be buzzing with excitement about moving on to the next chapter of her life. And frankly, he felt a little downhearted that she was moving on with her life that didn't have him at the center of her life for the first time since they got together - or perhaps he was still presently at her core, but it wasn't hard to see that he was going to be progressively pushed further into her peripheries due to the evolving circumstance of their lives. 6.38pm <Benji Boo >: Booked! I'll touch down at 5.45pm 6.38pm <Benji Boo >: Exciting times! 6.38pm <Benji Boo >: And I'll try, for you. Benji was still coming to terms with the fact that there was a noticeable delay with most of her text replies since college started, as opposed to when they were still in high school. How he missed the days when they bantered and exchanged sweet nothings relentlessly back and forth with one another like nothing else in the world mattered. Was the honeymoon period really over? Unlike Aliyah, Benji was comfortable with predictability and sticking to the status quo. He thrived on living with structure in life. And while he was still young, he could envision settling down with Aliyah in the distant future. He would imagine that Aliyah would be on the same page, based on how passionate they seemed to be for one another up until the point she left for California, and had no reason to suspect that eventually, marriage was not the end goal between the both of them, as much as they hadn't spoke about it. They were comfortable. Their lives together would be no drama and smooth sailing. What else could Aliyah possibly ask for for a good marriage? 9.55pm <Jason CGB>: And yet, you still agreed to come. 9.56pm <Jason CGB>: That's all that matters - the end goal. 9.56pm <Jason CGB>: People don't usually care for a person's journey as much as what really matters at the end, do they? 9.57pm <Jason CGB>: Dictionary defined a 'date' as 'a social or romantic appointment or engagement'. 9.57pm <Jason CGB>: The fact that you were fixated on the latter definition rather than the former meant that maybe, you've been thinking a bit too much ? 9.58pm <Jason CGB>: But don't worry. I'll be sure to make it worth your time. Till then. Benji hadn't been on his messenger or phone for the matter up until 4pm the next day. Alcohol probably might have knocked him up real hard. Benji wasn't known to be a drinker. He was a light weight in fact. It was evident the last time he illegally downed a pint of beer when they were out on a class outing after the last paper of the finals. Someone from the group managed to purchase alcohols for the preplanned celebration. By nine at night, Benji had his face down against the table, well into slumberland, and a few boys had to drag him into a taxi to have him ferried home while Aliyah watched on. They were supposed to catch a late night movie that night. ​ When Aliyah arrived at the Alpha Chi Omega fraternity house where Sabrina resided, it was the first time she got to view a segment of the premise. It was massive, and well furnished. There were four wings to the house, with the entrance located at the south. By the heart of it, consisted of a huge common pool. This particular fraternity must have been well-funded. As to how the funds were obtained, was up to anyone's guess, barring the president and her trusted executive committee. Apparently, girls of Alpha Chi Omega were all on a scheduled rotation to serve as the house's receptionist, which Aliyah needed to sign in with as a guest upon entering. First years take up about half of the schedule, before their load gets progressively lightened as they turned into sophomores and seniors. When Sabrina heard the knock on her door, she took a minute to answer - only because she was returning from the common toilet. Only the final year seniors were given ensuite bathrooms. "Like what you've seen around here?" "You'll get to use the facilities in no time." Sabrina smiled, before she tugged her into her room. "So, what's with you being so mysterious about whatever you are here for?"

 

[FickleVixen]

6:41pm: Perfect, then I'll see you in 3 weeks! It was the last message Aliyah sent Benji before fully letting herself focus on what to do about Jason. There was a bit of comfort in the fact that their banter from earlier was able to carry on through text as well, and while she didn't give him a response the second time around, she was concerned that he was right. There was a very good chance that she had been thinking about it all too much, that her mind had gotten away from her into thinking Jason might have some sort of interest in her. She rubbed the left side of her neck tenderly, as if she could still feel his breath on her skin. She wasn't overthinking, there was just no possible way. As one of her first days without practice to wake her up early in the morning, Aliyah allowed herself to sleep in, half expecting to be woken up by her phone ringing with a call from Benji waiting for her. When the call never came, she wasn't terribly disappointed at the fact, since it let her sleep longer than normal and have a few hours of zero stress. Once it got closer to five, she finally left her dorm, checking her phone again to see that she still didn't have any messages from Benji, which was a little worrying. 4:45pm: Hey, just wanted to make sure you're still alive? The ACO house was far larger than what Aliyah would have expected, though for the size of the school itself it made sense that one of the more popular Greek affiliations would be just as large. Calling it a house was just too humble. This was a mansion, plain and simple. Between the directions Sabrina had given her, and the directions of the receptionist at the house, it wasn't long before she was knocking on Sabrina's door. “Actually I do, it's a gorgeous place, though I feel like it'd be easy to get lost in it.” Seeing the house for herself would have only helped to sell her on the idea of joining. Anything was an upgrade from freshman dorms, but a place like the ACO house was like its own separate world from campus. It would be easy to forget you were even on college grounds. After Sabrina pulled her into the room, Aliyah took a seat on her bed, tapping her fingers against her kneecaps as she took a slight breath. “Okay, let me start by saying you aren't allowed to judge me.” “No promises there.” Sabrina's response had been meant as a joke, but the frown that Aliyah gave her told her to get a bit more serious, just for a little bit. Sabrina rolled her eyes as she put her hands on her hips. “Come on Ali, how bad can it be? You're acting like you're about to tell me you killed my dog or something.” Aliyah sighed quietly as she rubbed her forehead, mulling over her words carefully before finally speaking up. “So… basically the reason I need a dress from you is that I don't really have many clothes for the warmer weather just yet, and well, I'm going out tonight… with Jason and-” “I knew you weren't telling the whole story yesterday! Oh my God! Why would I judge you for that? I'm going to make you look so hot he won't know what hit him.” Sabrina quickly cut her off with a large grin. She had little doubt that she had picked the right girl to be her best friend, but Aliyah simply continued to be full of surprises. A first year able to make the cheer team on her first try, as well as getting one of the most coveted phone numbers on her first try? Aliyah was going to fit in perfectly. With an excited clap of her hands, Sabrina turned her attention to her closet instead, sifting through her dresses as she pulled out one after the other. There was no way she would be letting Aliyah go out with a guy like Jason, looking anything less than irresistible. Her enthusiasm, however, was quickly curbed as Aliyah spoke up again, quiet at first before spiraling into a stress rant. “Because he doesn't know that I have a boyfriend, so I'm basically just wasting his time, right? I should cancel tonight, shouldn't I? Or tell him at least? I mean I haven't ever done anything like this before, and now I just feel like I'm going to wind up looking like a bitch, or a slut which is arguably worse. What would you do if you were me?”

 

[Keith Logan]

Benji headed to bed at about only 5am in the morning, just half an hour after he and the group he hung out with got themselves kebab and fries with gravy - hang over food essentially. He didn't even know the names of the people he was out with. His mind was simply too intoxicated for anything to be registered beyond short term memory. Even at the time when Aliyah texted him, he was still passed out by his bed, still dressed in the clothes from the previous night. It was quite an un-Benji sight, if someone were to see him in the state he was in and form an opinion. He tried spacing out a shot or a pint every other hour. But still, it was too much for him. Benji was simply, not built for the night life. "Actually I do, it's a gorgeous place, though I feel like it'd be easy to get lost in it."​ "Just wait till you find out we have affiliate facilities access beyond the compound of ACO's frat house. Holiday cabins by the Anthony Chabot Regional Park and Mile Rock Beach to name a few. But let's take it slow, yeah?" Sabrina teased, as she led Ali into her room. Such luxury however, would almost always come with a caveat, as Aliyah would eventually learn about what it takes to be a member worthy of such perks. ​ Sabrina's room was sized relatively cozily, if not for the panoramic mirror that doubled as sliding doors to her wardrobe, stretching across the entire left side of the room after walking in, which gave the illusion that the room was much bigger than it was. Space was maximised, by having a loft right above her bed. "If you'd like, we can actually arrange for you to share this room with me. We can just clear out the loft and have a mattress placed there, and that will be your space." Sabrina cooed, before Aliyah diverted and began explaining the reason why she turned up at her place. "Okay, let me start by saying you aren't allowed to judge me." "So... basically the reason I need a dress from you is that I don't really have many clothes for the warmer weather just yet, and well, I'm going out tonight... with Jason and-"​ Sabrina hung her jaw down long at the mention of Jason for a split second, before she was quick to recompose herself, a grin immediately flashing across her face. "I knew you weren't telling the whole story yesterday! Oh my God! Why would I judge you for that? I'm going to make you look so hot he won't know what hit him." "Oh my god, oh my god!!" " 'I was just being friendly' " Sabrina tease-taunted, mimicking the exact words she said to her the previous day. Apparently, Sabrina has got really sharp memory. She whistled a tune while she rummaged through the neatly tucked section of her night out apparels. It didn't look like a small compartment at all, and the fashionista looked to have a versatile collection ranging from classy, to down right slutty. But she froze mid way through, when she caught wind of her words that came from her initially hushed tone, and slowly turned around to face Aliyah once more. It wasn't so much a look of disgust. Rather, it was that familiar look of astonishment that was plastered across her entire face - eyes widened, brow raised, jaw hung, all in a dramatic fashion. That look lingered for a good three seconds at least, before she finally spoke. "Wow." "Okay. I'm not going to judge you for the choices that you make. It's your life, and I have no right to tell you what should work for you, and what not. What I can do, is offer you perspectives." "If you are asking me, the fact that you considered and accepted the invitation to dinner, tells me that you are not exactly satisfied with your existing relationship. What those issues are, trivial or not, I don't know. At least, I don't know you and your boyfriend well enough to form any kind of opinion." "Having said that, if you aren't satiated, it might actually not be a bad thing to just, you know, keep your options open? You're not lawfully bind by marriage. You're not even twenty. Wouldn't you want to make full use of your time now to find the one, rather than settle for someone whom you aren't that sure of?" "I reckon it's better to make the hard decisions now, then to make them after you have tied the knot. Shit gets a whole lot messier by then." "Loyalty is great and all. But if a man doesn't treat us like the princesses that we are, do they then deserve that? If a guy is truly my soul mate, I wouldn't be tempted to think of anyone else. And frankly, I think Jason is a diamond of a catch. I am envious, and happy for you at the same time!" Sabrina moved over to where Aliyah was sat, and plopped herself close beside her, arm leaning against arm. "You are a S-grade girl, Ali. Honest. Don't settle for anything less than perfect. But you know best yourself, who is perfect for you." "I think you should go on the date and broaden your horizon on the market of men." "Not boys, men." "Then, you decide for yourself when you've got options. You will meet both the good and the bad. But meeting the bad ones will make you appreciate the good ones better. I personally see more upsides to opening up yourself to meet a variety of guys, so you can then make an informed decision." "And, don't worry about what the other girls think of you. You've got to learn to be thick skinned to survive UCB. You do you. Almost every girl thinks every girl is a slut around here, so why bother trying to make an impression? If anything, the girls will find reasons to think that you are pretentious." "Gosh. I've really rattled on there, didn't I?" "Should we start dolling you up for the night already? You've got a first impression to make for the rugby captain. My entire wardrobe is yours, Sis. Yes. Including the lingerie."

 

[FickleVixen]

Listening to Sabrina's opinion gave Aliyah far more comfort than she had expected. She still felt guilty about sneaking behind Benji's back, but Sabrina made several good points. There was something in her current relationship that was lacking and unless she branched out she wouldn't ever be able to figure out what she felt like she really needed. “I guess my biggest issue is that fact that there isn't anything wrong with my boyfriend Benji. I mean, he's literally the sweetest guy I've ever met and has always been extremely supportive. It's not other girls whose opinion I'm concerned about, it's his. We've been together for basically the entirety of high school, so he knows me better than anyone else.” “I want to have fun while I can, but it just feels wrong because I'm hiding this from Benji.” She leaned slightly into Sabrina at her side, the solidity of the older girl helped to calm her, while Sabrina shrugged her shoulders. “I feel like that's a perfectly normal reaction to be having, but you just said it yourself. You want to have fun. So have fun. When everything is said and done, maybe this all will help you realize just how much you want to be with your boyfriend, in which case what is there to tell? But you're going to meet so many different people here that maybe you find someone who gives you that spark you need. At the end of the day wouldn't it be better to know that you are in the right relationship rather than just hoping it's right?” Sabrina gave Aliyah's knee a gentle pat before getting back on her feet, claiming Aliyah would have access to her entire wardrobe and not just the dresses. “I think I'll be fine with just a dress, it's not like he'll get to see what's underneath anyway.” Aliyah chuckled as Sabrina grabbed her wrist to pull her up so she could start passing over different outfits to her. “Never say never, Ali. If it were me, I'd be so willing to put on a show for that man.” Sabrina's wide variety of options was almost like having a personal boutique in her room. Though the dresses she attempted to hand to Aliyah to try on certainly showed far more skin than what she had ever been used to in the past. “Don't you have something that's a little… more fabric?” Aliyah held out the 'dress' that Sabrina had passed her, which was little more than strips of fabric that tied around her body, which would just barely cover her modesty. She wanted to look hot, but not like she was trying to be desperate. Sabrina snorted with a roll of her eyes. “Fine, fine. But the next time the two of us go out to a party, you're wearing what I pick, no complaints.” She turned back to her closet again before finally pulling out a red dress and handing it over. “Here. This one'll look perfect on you. What time are you supposed to be meeting with Jason?” Aliyah stripped down quickly to put the dress on, her and Sabrina had very similar figures so the dress fit perfectly. Sabrina stepped behind Aliyah to tie up the back as she glanced at her phone. “He said he'd pick me up at 7.” “Perfect, so we've got about 45 minutes to finish up your look before you need to get back in time.” Sabrina clapped her hands onto Aliyah's shoulders before spinning her around to quickly sweep her eyes along her body with a confident nod. “I still think you should go with the other one, but this one looks good too. I have a pair of black heels that'll go just right with it too, but you can grab those on the way out and put them on when you get back to your dorm so you're not walking around campus in them.” The two spent the next 30 minutes going back and forth on how to do her makeup. Sabrina insisted that she should go all out, but Aliyah felt like a more natural look would be better. After a few attempts, the two finally came to a middle ground, with Sabrina giving her a subtle smokey eye that helped draw out the blues and greens of her eyes, while Aliyah swiped on a nude gloss. The fastest thing they had been able to agree on was what to do with her hair. Aliyah had wanted to leave it down, while Sabrina suggested at least pinning half of it back to ensure nothing fell into her face while she was out. It was just coming up on 6:45pm by the time they had finished. “I hope you know, in exchange for the use of my clothes for tonight, I am expecting details in return.” Sabrina smiled as she handed Aliyah the heels and walked with her to her door before pausing as Aliyah opened it up to leave. “Just have fun tonight. Forget about everything else going on and just enjoy the moment. If not for you, then for me.” “Thanks, for everything, really. I'll be sure to let you know how it went later on tonight.” Aliyah felt far more confident now than she had when she first showed up to Sabrina's room. With her clothes and the shoes in her arms, she started to make her way back down the hall when Sabrina poked her head out of her room for one quip. “Hopefully you'll be too busy to text me tonight!” Her teasing laughter brought a smile to Aliyah's lips, even as she shook her head. With a bit of rushing she was able to make it back to her dorm just before 7, making quick work of changing her shoes and grabbing her purse, slipping her room key inside before double-checking, and then triple checking to make sure she still looked just right. She was oddly nervous about going out tonight, and yet the excitement she felt easily outweighed the nerves.

 

[Keith Logan]

"Comfort is an illusion, babe. It is through plights in life that really forces a person to adapt and learn more about one's self on another level." Sabrina beamed mirthfully with pride, as if she felt like she was some kind of an elder sage offering words of wisdom. It was especially strange coming from the petite figure that often exuded an aura of just... generally not treating things too seriously. "It's nice of you to be concerned about your boyfriend's wellbeing. But only you know how you can take care of yourself best. So my advice is for you to look out for yourself before you do so for others. If you wanna have fun, go have fun. If your boyfriend is sharp and compatible enough, he will know how and what to do to rein you back in. Otherwise, I reckon you should be questioning whether you're together with someone who truly knows what you need and want." "It's a girls' world, darling. Boys want us. Let them do the heavy lifting and pander to us." Sabrina added on, after reassuring that the emotion of guilt that Ali was experiencing wasn't much big of a deal as she thought it was, and laid out the silver lining that at the end of it all, it is only going to come good for all parties involved, in the grand scheme of things, eventually. "If you ever need your back covered, like with your boyfriend or whatsoever, let me know. I've got you, regardless of what choices you make." Sabrina casually offered. It felt exhilarating for her, that she was going to be part of an adventure that was enticingly scandalous. This was exactly what college life was supposed to be about. "I think I'll be fine with just a dress, it's not like he'll get to see what's underneath anyway." "Never say never Ali. If it were me I'd be so willing to put on a show for that man." ​ "Always... always, over prepare, for you can never know how things are going to pan out. Don't put yourself in a situation that you'll come to regret." "Don't you have something that's a little... more fabric?" "Fine, fine. But the next time the two of us go out to a party you're wearing what I pick, no complaints."​ "Looks like I'm dictating your everything the next time we hang out. Ooohh, exciting times, can't wait!" Sabrina's grin was as wide as a Cheshire cat, while her gleaming eyes momentarily stared out of her window as she dreamily wandered at the prospect. The red dress that she picked out for Ali was provocative, yet classy at the same time. Her eyes admired her brand new bestie's figure - if she had already qualified to be called one within just the span of over a week -, and the way her dress complemented her. "Gosh. Look at you. Jason is going to want you. I swear." Sabrina smirked, while her fingers adjusted her front such that her cleavage line and a generous hint of her inner boobs were well and truly exposed. "Are you a C or a D? Tits generally look bigger on girls of our size." The sophomore remarked randomly. Girl talks always excited her. "I still think you should go with the other one, but this one looks good too. I have a pair of black heels that'll go just right with it too, but you can grab those on the way out and put them on when you get back to your dorm so you're not walking around campus in them."​ "Just remember that you're wearing the strings with me on our next girl's night out. No questions asked." Sabrina teased and nudged her back gently from behind once she was done knotting her up. But her eyes were piercing through the mirror reflection, making it known that she had relented to Aliyah on numerous occasions already, and she wasn't going to be giving her the benefit forever. Before long, half an hour passed by them, and Sabrina bid Aliyah farewell once she looked to be in tip top condition, and wished that she wouldn't want to hear from her for the rest of the night so she could really focus on indulging on the prime male specimen she is about to head out for the night with, undisruptively. By the time Aliyah came down to the porch of her dormitory, a black Porsche was already awaiting. If not for the winded down window by the driver's seat, it would have been difficult to see that the person by the driver's seat was none other than Jason himself. The windows of the car were otherwise, heavily tinted on the outside, making it difficult to look inwards. Jason definitely belonged to a rich family. The captain got out of his seat after Aliyah began to descend down the porch's staircase, just in time for him to very chivalrously, open the door to the passenger seat on the other side. He was dress in a grey long sleeves, rolled up, with the top button unworked, revealing a glimpse of what looked to be a potentially deep chest line. His pants were form hugging, as the tone of his firm thighs and calves could be easily traced out from the way the fabric wrapped around them. And to top it off, he had a white dress shirt draped over his inner wear. "Thank you, for making the effort to dress up. You look absolutely stunning." He paused, before leaning in for a brief, but firm hug. His hands, unafraid to roam, but stayed within tasteful realm, with one palm pressing in on her upper back and the other, just under an inch above her rear, against her tail bone. His chest was... immensely solid. Broad and stupendously rock hard, they rested against her bosoms. After a good two seconds or so, he pulled away, and assisted her into his trusty drive. And then promptly, he proceeded back to his seat, as he began the smooth drive, with the destination being the regional coastal beach that evening as he had intended. "I'm glad we're doing this. This will certainly be very fruitful for our year ahead. We're effectively going to be colleagues." "Or perhaps, more than just that." Jason teased, with absolute nonchalance, but very calmly leaving the vagueness as it was, as much as it seemed like he was making his intentions known. But by not outrightly admitting, it would be easily to fault Aliyah for 'overthinking', like the way she was accused of assuming the date was romantic. Even up until then, Jason hadn't affirm what their date was exactly all about, and left that part hanging since the last time they left the conversation at that. "The cheer team works very closely with us, especially since we're one of the few clubs that are often raking in the trophies. So we'll be seeing each other very often." "You liking UCB so far?"

 

[FickleVixen]

Sabrina's enthusiasm and encouragement had been exactly what Aliyah needed. Her earlier concerns about losing out on a new friend had clearly been for nothing, as Sabrina not only refused to judge her, but offered her advice that was rather useful. As Sabrina helped her to get ready, the mood easily shifted to one Aliyah was much more used to. The playful banter between the two of them as they went back and forth over what she was going to wear, and Sabrina's compliments, were reminiscent of her friends from home. As she got older, dressing provocatively was something she had started doing on very rare occasions, usually when she would be going out on dates with Benji. She had no shame in her body, after all she took very good care of it and put a lot of work into maintaining her figure, but there had never been too many chances to branch out in her clothing. Sabrina's sudden attention on her breasts made her laugh, she was a D cup, just like Sabrina, which helped to explain why the dress fit her just as perfectly as it did the true owner of the fabric. The two flights of stairs Aliyah had to make her way down before getting to the front door gave her plenty of time to steady her heart. With classes starting up soon, the dorm was slowly filling up, but luckily there weren't too many people out as she stepped outside. The low purr of the engine quickly drew her attention and like someone had flipped a switch inside of her, the moment Jason stepped out of his car, all of her concerns and hesitations were forgotten about. This man looked divine. Her eyes took their time in looking him over as she stepped over to the passenger side, a soft smile curling at the corner of her lips. “I'm happy that the effort didn't go unnoticed, I suppose you don't look too bad yourself.” That was the understatement of the century, if there ever was one. Jason looked positively mouthwatering, but she wasn't about to say that. To her surprise, he leaned in for a hug, his arms wrapping around her slim body while she placed her hands at his shoulder blades. He had shaken her once yesterday, mainly from lack of preparedness, so she refused to be shaken again. All too soon, Jason pulled away from her, the solidity of his body had been far more comforting than any words of advice Sabrina could have offered her. Once she was seated in his car, she quickly pulled her phone out of her purse, making sure to put it on silent so she wouldn't have any distractions. As he slipped back into his own seat, she put her phone away, giving herself a chance to admire the interior of his Porsche. He was so clearly in a whole other world from her, it only made her feel more ridiculous to even think that he had invited her out in the expectations of this being a real date. “I have to admit, I haven't had a chance to leave campus yet since I got here, so it's nice to have a good excuse to get out.” She purposely chose not to respond to his teasing as quickly this time around. She had already let her mind wander once thanks to his teasing, and while she was happy to play along, she was being far more conscious of her choice of words this time. “Colleagues, acquaintances, friends. The possibilities are endless, really.” Aliyah turned her eyes out the front windshield. The sun was starting to creep towards the ocean, casting bits of orange into the previously bright blue, clear sky. Jason pointed out that the two of them would be seeing each other often thanks to the connection between the cheer team and rugby team. Something that could either be a blessing or a curse depending on how things played out between the two of them. “I haven't ever seen a rugby match before, so that'll be interesting for sure. I was pretty surprised at the load the cheer team has, but it's better to stay busy than just be idle.” On occasion, Aliyah would look back at Jason, taking the opportunity to admire his side profile as he drove while he asked about how she was liking UCB. “So far I am. For the most part everyone's been pretty helpful, and nice, so that's always a plus. The campus is huge, so I'm still trying to find my way around, but UCB and California in general are beautiful. I'm from Oregon, but the summer months there have nothing on the California heat. I'm honestly really looking forward to my time here.” “Are you from the area?”

 

[Keith Logan]

"I 'don't look too bad'?" Jason scoffed with a look of mild amusement. "Is that your competitive streak speaking? Because I see that it is becoming a bit of a trend here, of you constantly trying to put yourself ahead of me. That desperate to establish yourself a foothold against me?" The captain rebut with a mix of fire and playfulness in his voice. "Don't do this, really. Just, surrender yourself to me. I could only see that as a win for the both of us." It felt like they had known each other way longer than a day. He didn't feel worried that his aggressive advances might well backfire - he felt indescribably at ease, unafraid to let her know that he had the intention of vying for her, and that perhaps, she had been right at the beginning to assume that the date was more than a mere social event. He might have denied that the day before, but it was simply just his way of latching a hook on her. Now that she had agreed to turn up for the date, it served as an invitation to press on. He seemed to know what he wanted, and was clearly a go-getter. "I have to admit, I haven't had a chance to leave campus yet since I got here so it's nice to have a good excuse to get out."​ "Well, don't keep telling me that you need a day or two to figure out if you want to turn up for an invite or not, and you'll find yourself wasting less time, with a lot more opportunities to get out of campus." "I have an insatiable, spontaneous heart. I wouldn't rule out heading to the airport later in the evening, telling myself I want to see some other sides of the continent for the weekend. Maybe you'd end up being my travel companion in one of these trips that are sure to happen some time, as long as you promise to be nice to me. That includes, not telling me that I 'don't look too bad', because that is… not good enough for me." The tease came with a soft lob-sided grin. Or rather, it was not so much a grin than it was a smile. He has a knack for making things that might seem boyishly silly, seem titillating. "Colleagues, acquaintances, friends. The possibilities are endless really."​ Jason let out a titter when he heard her carefully curated answer. "So you're saying that you are friend zoning me?" If she was going to be deliberately avoiding his mischievous jabs, all the more it tempted him to want to tease and make it even more awkward for her, by doubling down to forcibly make her confront him, as his proverbial walls progressively closed down on her. "I haven't ever seen a rugby match before so that'll be interesting for sure. I was pretty surprised at the load the cheer team has but it's better to stay busy than just be idle."​ "Interesting, really? I don't hear that from girls often. Most of them come to the matches with other intentions in mind. I would think you would find the R&R that usually lasts for a day or two more entertaining for our away games. Everyone usually stay around for a bit longer, given how we would spend hours on the road, just to make the travel worthwhile." "So far I am. For the most part everyone's been pretty helpful, and nice so that's always a plus. The campus is huge so I'm still trying to find my way around, but UCB and California in general are beautiful. I'm from Oregon but the summer months there have nothing on the California heat. I'm honestly really looking forward to my time here."​ "Are you from Oregon, actually? We have Los Angeles, Oregon and Seattle lined up next for the Western Conference away matches, which I am sure the cheer team is most definitely coming along. It may help for you to know in advance, especially if you may wish to visit friends and family when you head to Oregon." "Glad that you are settling in well. Just don't get too complacent. No doubt there will be highs and lows in this fiercely competitive environment, and it's apparent nothing of the latter have surfaced yet for you." "It may be a good idea to spend more time with a man who happened to have established connections and, whom can possibly make your life a lot easier during your time here." The captain very casually hinted. "Networking is a life long skill worth mastering." "Are you from the area?"​ "No, actually. From Texas. My family's history and lineage was documented all the way back to the years of the gold rush. It was said that my forefathers were really involved during that period. And even up till today, we are kind of indirectly reaping off the efforts of them through shrewd investments made across the generations, funded by the initial harvest. We have them to thank. My family is very religious when it comes to paying respects to our ancestors. We would try our mightiest to set aside our schedules just to visit their graves on their death anniversaries. It is also a convenient means and excuse for our extended family to come together." After a third of the hour passed, they finally arrived by the coast. ​ Jason parked his drive by the open air lots, before he guided Aliyah down a wooden walk way. He chose to keep his hands to himself, rationing contact. At the same time, his arms were ever constantly brushing against hers as they walked side by side, sensually fanning that flicker of fire, if he had already started one in Aliyah. After about a good five minutes of further strolling, they found themselves venturing into more and more of a secluded part of the beach. They eventually arrived at stone built lectern that belonged to what was most definitely, the reception of the restaurant that Jason had reserved a table for the evening. The waiter was quick to direct the pair over to their spot, which offered close to complete privacy. It could be seen that the tables all seemed to be sparsely distributed, and carefully segmented away from one another through strategically placed, yet aesthetically pleasing shrubs, that blended in well with the surroundings. The unique eatery concept consisted of cushions instead of the conventional chairs, and the ambiance was both luxuriously cozy, yet casual at the same time. The waiter exchanged brief pleasantries, handed a menu to each of them, before politely dismissing himself to allow the pair a moment to assess their options. "This is an opportunity for you to milk me, if you so wish. For all your expenses for the night is being taken care of." "Cherish it. For I may well have to consider if I may be bringing you on a second date." Jason calmly teased, as he could not resist giving Aliyah a taste of her own medicine.

 

[FickleVixen]

“And end the fun so soon? You surprise me, Jason, you'd rather I simply surrender to you then have you put in a little work? And here I was thinking you didn't prefer the easy road. Are you afraid that a bit of a chase won't be rewarding in the end? Aliyah felt confident that it was her stubborn refusal to simply throw herself at him like others might've done in the past that had Jason so interested in her. She had no intention of simply becoming another notch in his bedpost, but even she didn't know what her real intentions were any longer. Her eyebrows rose in clear surprise as he mentioned his spontaneity. If his car hadn't made his money obvious enough, then his freedom clearly did. To be able to simply pack up and go on a trip on a whim rather than a long and drawn out plan was like a dream many people wished to be able to achieve. Yet Jason talked about it so casually, like it was the most normal idea for him. “In other words, if I want the opportunity to stay by your side on your little adventures, I simply need to lavish you with praise? I can definitely be nice, but let's see how tonight goes first, and you might earn a real compliment from me in the end. I'd hate for you to think I'm only doing so to get something out of it in return.” “I wouldn't say I'm friend zoning you exactly, but that's a safe place to start at, at least for now.” She shrugged her shoulders innocently, even with a hint of a smirk on her lips. Aliyah had realized it the day before during their brief interaction together, but it just came so naturally to poke and tease at him. He didn't shy away from her little jabs and even gave his own back in return. Neither one willing nor wanting to simply roll over, which only made her want to play around more rather than being up front about everything. Hearing that Oregon was on the docket for some of their away matches was exciting. While she had spent a lot of time looking into the campus itself and information about the cheer team as a whole prior to her arrival, she hadn't tried looking up any matches that would be played by the teams. It would be nice to have an opportunity to see her family and friends without anyone needing to travel all the way out to Berkeley just to do so. “I would hope by now you've realized I'm not really like 'most girls', if we're traveling for an away game we are there to do a job. Sure, when there's some downtime there's no harm in taking advantage of that, but ultimately we aren't really there to have fun. I don't know, maybe I take cheerleading a bit too seriously, but to me that is the fun. Getting to be there at the games, getting to be with everyone and be a part of something.” “Don't worry about me, complacent isn't a word in my vocabulary. But between you and Sabrina, you both almost make the competitive side of things sound bad. Competition can be healthy if it's used right, it's how we become better people.” She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the sound of slight concern. Sure, she might not be from a town that was as competitive as what a college was like, but that didn't mean she couldn't handle herself. “Luckily, I've already found one person who seems to have rather good connections, though the last time I checked, she most certainly wasn't a man.” Aliyah knew she could have easily insinuated that Jason could be the man she needed to make her time at UCB easier, but didn't want to give him an opportunity to tease her for thinking of him. “That's incredible really. I feel like there aren't many people left who know about their history like that. I'm definitely guilty of being one of those people.” Once they had reached their destination and Jason put the car in park, she wasted no time in getting out. The ocean had always been a favorite place of hers, growing up on the coast meant she was able to visit a lot, but this beach was different from any she could find in Oregon. The air coming off of the water back home was always so frigid, regardless of the time of year. But the slight breeze here had a much more soothing element to it. For the first time since she had moved, Aliyah felt a small twinge of homesickness, the smell, and sounds of the ocean made her miss her family. While Jason led the way down the walk way, Aliyah had thought that he might touch her again. A hand at her back, or arm around her waist, yet he kept his hands to himself like he was purposely trying to confuse or possibly even frustrate her. The subtle touch of their arms while they walked ensured his presence was never forgotten about, even as she kept her eyes glued on the horizon. There were plenty of other establishments Jason could have chosen to bring her too, and yet the one he chose made her earlier assumption at his meaning of the word date seem increasingly accurate. Being able to watch the sun set from their little alcove only made the atmosphere feel that much more romantic than she could have ever expected. Whether he was trying to impress her or not, he was doing so regardless. The spacing between each table as well as the shrubbery helped to reduce the possibility of overlapping chatter from other patrons, while the seclusion could make it easy to forget that there were even other people around. “Those are some dangerous words, if I was that kind of girl, I could certainly take you at your word and try to break your bank if I wanted to.” “Don't you worry, even if I don't have the honor of going on a second date with you, this will be one that sticks with me for a while. It's breathtaking here, I didn't even know there was a place like this, and so close by too.” She almost couldn't decide what was better to look at; their view, or Jason. After letting her eyes dance between the ocean, the menu, and him, she finally settled on him. She felt incredibly placed out of her element, the last time she had been out on a first date had been four years ago and even then she had known Benji prior to their date, so it wasn't like being out with a stranger. Add in the fact that it practically seemed like her and Jason came from two different worlds in terms of money and class just made her even more unsure of what his real intentions of bringing her out had been. “So why is it that a senior captain was willing to possibly be embarrassed by a freshman by asking me out tonight? I could've said no, and in front of all those people too. You didn't even hesitate, though.”

 

[Keith Logan]

"And end the fun so soon? You surprise me, Jason, you'd rather I simply surrender to you then have you put in a little work? And here I was thinking you didn't prefer the easy road. Are you afraid that a bit of a chase won't be rewarding in the end?" ​ "In other words, you're enjoying this. Is that a green light from you telling me that I have the license to press on with my chase?" "If you think the fun stops once the chase is over, you're myopic to what the whole game entails, sweetheart. The chase is but an appetiser. What comes after, is the real deal. Or have you not been swept away before by a man during a relationship to think that it is all bland?" Jason calmly retorted. The more she attempted to engage him in a banter that was not by any means platonic, the more he was convinced that she was showing interest. It was also a cue for him to up the ante whenever she gave him the confidence to engage without needing to worry about it backfiring - not that that would greatly hurt his ego if it did, for it would take more than that to get to a man with a level of self-esteem like his. The fact that Aliyah was motivated to entertain him, despite the fact that she had a boy waiting on her back at home, was putting all her beliefs about her prior stance on fidelity into question. Apart from her new found bestie who didn't even know how Aliyah was like in her former years, would anyone who knew Ali for who she was, believe that she was capable of committing adultery? Especially since everyone who knew her and Benji were convinced they make a power couple, from their display of how hopelessly in love they were for one another back in the days. "In other words, if I want the opportunity to stay by your side on your little adventures, I simply need to lavish you with praise? I can definitely be nice, but let's see how tonight goes first, and you might earn a real compliment from me in the end. I'd hate for you to think I'm only doing so to get something out of it in return."​ "You're not 'doing so to get something out of it in return', if I'm doing this willingly. I know what I want. The better question is, do you?" Ali just got the first direct taste of the mentality that the lad possessed that made him a serial winner. He always had clear objectives in mind. And oftentimes, what he wants, he gets, by being gritty, relentless and persistent with his every pursue. "I wouldn't say I'm friend zoning you exactly, but that's a safe place to start at, at least for now."​ "Good. I was afraid my efforts might already be futile from the get-go." If only Jason knew Aliyah wasn't technically supposed to be putting herself out in the market, that would have given him a tremendous ego boost, and a strong reason to press on and go for the proverbial kill. But as it stood, not knowing the fact that she was attached was essentially a fog of war for him, and he knew he still needed to thread cautiously, and play his every word and action with intricacy. "I would hope by now you've realized I'm not really like 'most girls', if we're traveling for an away game we are there to do a job. Sure, when there's some downtime there's no harm in taking advantage of that, but ultimately we aren't really there to have fun. I don't know, maybe I take cheerleading a bit too seriously, but to me that is the fun. Getting to be there at the games, getting to be with everyone and be a part of something."​ "I'm sure you'll have all the fun you crave for during the competitions. I get what you mean - the adrenaline rush. I live for that as well. But college is more than just about the sports and the academics. Tonight for instance." "You won't be able to find a time to hang out like that, stress free and without a care in the world, once you get inundated with the woes of adulting life. I've worked during summers in such high pressured environments, and the bills are always on your tail, threatening to burgeon if they aren't dealt with promptly. And let me tell you. It sucks. So enjoy this part of the college life while you can. You're here to build memories. At least, I feel that way, and trying my best to figure a balance." Jason offered his honest words of wisdom. There was a sense that the lad was well ahead of his peers in the terms of mental maturity. It also provided a glimpse into his personal life. Despite all that glitters coming from him, he was dealing with bills? Was he not handed a golden ticket? "Don't worry about me, complacent isn't a word in my vocabulary. But between you and Sabrina, you both almost make the competitive side of things sound bad. Competition can be healthy if it's used right, it's how we become better people."​ Jason couldn't help, but let out a chuckle. He didn't wish to come off as dismissive or condescending. But he felt that was naive from Aliyah. He was speaking from experience, and so was Sabrina. They had been in the arena long enough to form an opinion, whereas he wasn't quite sure how Aliyah had the confidence to seem so nonchalant, given that she hadn't actually got her hands down and dirty in the present world they were in yet. But he wasn't going to say that. Lessons were most effective when learned through pain. Instead, he opted to stroke her ego, part of his natural game of carefully complimenting her amidst their banter to get a healthy mix of tug and pull, like that of a game of cat and mouse. "I'm sure you'll adapt well. You give me the vibe that nothing could stand in your way. Just know that if you ever find yourself in a quagmire, you'll need the right people to help pull you through. You have my number." "It'll be an arduous road. But I've got your back in your bid to dethrone the current cheer lead, if that is your eventual aim." "Luckily I've already found one person who seems to have rather good connections, though the last time I checked, she most certainly wasn't a man."​ Again, that elicited a soft smirk from Jason. Aliyah was clearly having fun in their little feisty exchange. It's apparent that she was being true to her words about having a strong competitive nature in her, not giving him the opportunity to get ahead of her. And all the more, he relished that opportunity to take her down. "Shame. And I thought I was the best out there when it comes to that." Some fifteen minutes on, they found themselves settled down by their table and left alone for a moment to consider the menu, after the seemingly uneventful walk down the trail had been discreetly fanning the flames of passion. The irony, was that even though it resulted from a lack of touch that was nothing more than the mere grazing of their arms, which physically did so little, it promised a world of 'what ifs'. As much as he was trying to frustrate her, he was adapt at the game of hot and cold, by proceeding to mention that he was happy to shower her with a treat for the evening. "Those are some dangerous words, if I was that kind of girl I could certainly take you at your word and try to break your bank if I wanted to."​ "Try as you may. I think you deserve it. So think not about the consequences, and just live life for once." "Don't you worry, even if I don't have the honor of going on a second date with you, this will be one that sticks with me for a while. It's breathtaking here, I didn't even know there was a place like this, and so close by too."​ "Do you want to go on a second date with me? Or at least, are you edging towards the likelihood of it?" Jason was going to make Ali confront the question directly, no-nonsense, get to the point. He didn't believe in beating around the bushes and playing things in wishy washy manner. Plus, he found joy in putting Aliyah in the spot. There was something adorable in trying to make her flush from embarrassment, especially coming from a girl with such a seeming strong heart. "So why is it that a senior captain was willing to possibly be embarrassed by a freshman by asking me out tonight? I could've said no, and in front of all those people too. You didn't even hesitate though."​ "Indeed, you could have said no. But you didn't. And I had got a strong hunch right from the beginning that you were going to say yes, eventually." He paused, answering her with a coolness unparalleled, as he then helped himself to a bottle of Moscato chilled in a bucket of ice between them, popped the cork, pouring a glass for the young lady, before doing the same for himself. It seemed that he had came prepared, instructing for the bottle to be present even before they were seated. He had curated the evening down to the level of such detail, picking out a dessert wine beforehand that he believed from experience, was preferred by girls in general for its sweet profile. "And even if you did say no initially, I will keep trying to show you that you made an honest mistake, and have you change your mind. My plans are always clear. I would expect a person like you who knows what it takes to not give up, to understand." "And the reason I decided to ask you out? I've never met someone who was so unfazed, and have the capacity to match my energy. You sparked an impression. I wanted to see what you're about." "Fuck those silver spoon fed girls which many of them in the fraternity are. They have got it all wrong, I wouldn't even know how to begin to try to correct them. You seemed down to earth, different." Perhaps he was a skilled smooth talker, and his intention was to butter her up. But there was still truth in his words. For Jason, he was just merely using the weapon of truth to do the work for him, especially since it was clearly at his disposal. It was that time when the waiter returned to interrupt the pair, asking for their orders. Jason got himself a platter of ten fresh oysters for his starter, and then got himself a seafood platter that consisted a generous mix, with the Alaskan King Crab being the highlight of it. They were by the beach, and he figured it was the thematically fitting choice. The waiter then turned to Aliyah after, allowing her to register her choice for the evening.

 

[FickleVixen]

Aliyah didn't have a response to give this time around as he made a jab at what her previous relationships might've been like, at least, not one that was honest or didn't delve into her current relationship. Of course, she could admit to him that she was enjoying the effort he was putting in, but that felt like handing him a win far too easily given everything so far. When he questioned whether she knew what she wanted, she still didn't respond right away. She thought she did. Just a week ago she would've been far more confident in that feeling, but in just a matter of days her resolve and confidence was shaken. “I'm still trying to figure out what I want. There's no harm in that.” Her answer was vague, though she felt that Sabrina's own words of advice would work best here. There could be a bit of harm, but she really hadn't done anything that could truly warrant Benji getting hurt. That's what she told herself, anyway. Hearing Jason explain that he worked during the summer months due to bills was a surprise, a pleasant one, but a surprise nonetheless. She had expected him to be spoiled despite the hard-working and driven air he had portrayed thus far, but clearly that wasn't the case. Or not exactly, anyway. “Well, it seems like you've at least started to get that balance figured out, haven't you? I'm surprised that you're able to find any free time, really.” She knew she would have felt like she was drowning with so much on her plate. “I'm sure there will be something in my way eventually, that's just how it is. I'm not walking into this college thinking it'll be a breeze like high school was, there are people from all over the country here, and I have no doubt there will be plenty who are better than me in different ways. I wouldn't say I plan on coasting through my first couple of months here, but getting the lay of the land would probably be a better explanation. I had originally planned on avoiding causing any ripples until I was more comfortable, but I know there are plenty already looking to take me down a peg.” She couldn't help but grin when he mentioned her possibly taking over the cheer lead position. “If I didn't know any better, I would think I sent that text to the wrong person. That is the goal of course, I would have a hard time looking myself in the mirror if I didn't at least try. But that is something that'll come with time. I don't know the dynamics of this team yet, after all.” Aliyah knew Jason had backed her into a corner this time, there was no easy way to simply avoid answering him without giving him the same delay she had already given him once before. “I think it's safe to say that with the way things are going so far that a second date sounds appealing. You're surprisingly easy to talk to, so as of now I don't think I would mind spending more of my free time with you, of course things could always change.” Jason's confidence, which bordered so close to being outright cocky, was surprisingly attractive. Though she had no reason to believe his claim that a refusal from her wouldn't have deterred him, she did believe him. “You know, for most people if they hear 'no' they don't take it as a challenge. They simply accept the word at face value and move on.” It made her curious to know what his reaction might be if he came to find out that she was actually already taken. She couldn't imagine that his reaction would be good, she had been lucky enough to get a supportive one from Sabrina, but she was just a bystander. But if he found out with it change his opinion of her? The fact that she even cared was already saying a lot. Before she could give him another response, the waiter stopped by, letting Jason order first gave her an opportunity to take a slight sip of the wine to calm her steadily racing nerves. She wouldn't have thought it would be a drink someone like him was willing to have, but it went perfectly with the warmth and atmosphere. After ordering herself the tuna tartare to start with and the pappardelle pasta with shrimp as her main course, the waiter politely excused himself from the two. Though he had told her not to worry about the consequences, it was a habit to look at prices before ordering anything. She didn't choose the most expensive options, but she didn't shy away either. “It'll take more than one or two dates for you to really get to know me. You're only just starting to scratch the surface, after all. Whose to say I'm not just putting up a front that I think will draw you in even more? But I take being called down to earth as a compliment, so thank you for that. Hopefully if things go well this week you'll still see me that way, considering I'm supposed to be trying to get into one of those sororities at the insistence of Sabrina.” “But I want to know more about you, what made you want to leave Texas for California?” Aliyah leaned herself back comfortably into the cushions as she brought her wine glass back to her lips for another drink.

 

[Keith Logan]

"I'm still trying to figure out what I want. There's no harm in that."​ "That's cool. Just don't dwell on it for too long. College days are precious. Window of opportunities don't stay open forever for you in this pacey world we're in." Jason casually make known of his opinion. "Well it seems like you've at least started to get that balance figured out haven't you? I'm surprised that you're able to find any free time really."​ "I don't actually have any free time. I simply shuffle, if not, discard my schedule in favour of something else that I prioritize more than the others. Like how I was supposed to meet a potential customer this evening, until you decided to turn up in front of me yesterday." Inch by inch, the captain was letting her in more and more into his very busy, but rather discreet life. "If I didn't know any better I would think I sent that text to the wrong person. That is the goal of course, I would have a hard time looking myself in the mirror if I didn't at least try. But that is something that'll come with time. I don't know the dynamics of this team yet after all."​ "Mmmh, ambitious. Who have you actually told of your secret plans to usurp the throne?" It was a breath of fresh air listening to the girl talk about her mentality and aspiration. In some ways, he was starting to see how they might be more alike than he first thought, despite her rather deceiving outlook. She has the level maturity that surpassed most of his peers he had met along the way. It was a really attractive feature. And while he had very casually asked her on a date with the initial intention of just having fun, it was fast becoming more and more of an enticing idea to perhaps, get to the bottom of this very appealing personality that he was just starting to unravel. She was intelligent, composed, possessed a pretty face, and a gorgeously fit body worthy of working out in tandem with him beneath the sheets. And might he mention, that she was flaunting her assets oh-so-finely in her tight little red dress. He appreciated that she had dressed up herself for the occasion. And on that topic, he couldn't help, but bring up the teasing ante to the next notch. "You look really fit, I must say. I wonder, how long can you actually last in general." Jason left it vague at that, leaving Aliyah to come up with her own interpretation. "I think it's safe to say that with the way things are going so far that a second date sounds appealing. You're surprisingly easy to talk to, so as of now I don't think I would mind spending more of my free time with you, of course things could always change."​ "As you are. A greater majority of the girls around here are more interested in discussing about the up and coming Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert and the associated friendship bracelets. Not that I have anything against her music. But fawning over her? I can't. It's nice to talk to someone who is keen to exchange ideas about their future, for that is grounded in realism, and is what really matters." Even Jason, who was normally very composed, couldn't help but let out probably, one of his most obvious smirk that was laced with smugness by far. "You made a wise choice, my fair lady. I am confident your time spent with me will be nothing short of novel and extraordinary. That last bit of your sentence though - not necessary." Jason teased. "Why are you so bent on being so stingy with your compliments and the likes and insert caveats like that all the time?" "You know, for most people if they hear 'no' they don't take it as a challenge. They simply accept the word at face value and move on."​ "Ha! I don't take 'no' for an answer. If there is a will, there is a way. It's always been my motto. If you ever intend to use that with me, my sound advice would be, to remove that word from your vocabulary and save your breath, really." They were soon interrupted by the waiter, which Jason didn't really mind, for he was admittedly famished from having just finished a gym session earlier just before he picked Aliyah up for the evening. He spent most of the time fixating his attention onto Aliyah right after he made his order. The little things ranging from the way she picked up her wine glass, how she took a sip off it, to how she maintained a posture of feminine grace. It made him wonder how on earth was the girl still single? - or so he supposed. "It'll take more than one or two dates for you to really get to know me. You're only just starting to scratch the surface after all. Whose to say I'm not just putting up a front that I think will draw you in even more? But I take being called down to earth as a compliment so thank you for that. Hopefully if things go well this week you'll still see me that way, considering I'm supposed to be trying to get into one of those sororities at the insistence of Sabrina." "But I want to know more about you, what made you want to leave Texas for California?" "To address your first question, that's what dates are for. And as it stands you have my undivided attention right now. And I would think the fact that you might even be trying to put up a front, is a form of flattery. The effort itself is commendable." "And trying to get into a sorority you say? Which one? Not that it really matters much. I'm sure even the top frats would love to have you in their ranks. We do businesses with a few of them. Mutually beneficial. We need the sororities as our affiliates, as much as they need us in the sporting frat for our funds to sustain their lavish lifestyles." Jason paused. They had been talking none stop for quite a while now, and he needed to soothe his throat a bit with a good full mouthful of Moscato, before resuming. "I needed a bit of a breather from my family. Yes, college was initially funded by my parents. But I've already repaid them the debt in full by the end of my third year. I don't have the best of relationships with my mum and dad. And frankly, I'm just looking to have a clean break from them from now. Hence, my business start up that I do part time during the academic year, and almost full time during the breaks." "I don't think it is the best of idea to be talking about my strained past on our first date. But in short, out of courtesy to satisfy your curiosity, I was fucking motivated to make it big for myself, to prove them wrong, and that I don't need them. Perhaps that might give you a gist of how bad things are. The irony, is that if not for my disdain for them, I wouldn't be where I am today. So I have to thank them for the outstanding upbringing they had bestowed upon me." That was when the waiter returned to their table with each of their starter at hand. The young man was as quick to leave as he took to tuck in the food in front of the both of them. It was impeccable service. Jason began to spritz lemon over his oysters, along with a few drops of tabasco that he intricately placed on each of his ice-bathed mollusk delicacy. Once he was done seasoning them, he picked the first of the ten, holding it with one hand, before randomly putting forth a piece of information bite. "People say that these are natural aphrodisiacs. Also, apparently, consuming these things make a guy really potent. It's hearsay. Some think it works, some don't. I'm in the camp whereby I believe it does. Perhaps it's placebo. But I can honestly say that I could physically feel the difference in the times I consumed them." He paused, before he slipped the raw flesh into his mouth, his face looking like he was savouring the moment, before he picked up a second. "I've always been ordering these for a while now, whenever an opportunity presented itself." "Would you care for an oyster?" Jason asked. Or rather, it was more of a rhetorical question, as he was already shifting himself onto the territory of Aliyah's mat cushion. He dragged and then plopped himself right beside Aliyah, arm to arm like before, and now, thigh to thigh. The next moment, he pressed the edge of the shell against her lips ever so sensually, but insistently, as she was given a glimpse of his inherent dominant streak, as if he was implicitly demanding of her to accept his gift to her with a smile on his face, all ready to slip it in the moment she would allow her lips to part ways.

 

[FickleVixen]

Hearing that Jason had moved his original plans around to accommodate the sudden date was both flattering and worrying. She was a distraction from his work and even though he didn't seem to mind it didn't sit well with her. Aliyah never wanted to be the reason anyone failed, and cancelling or postponing a prior engagement quite suddenly, thanks to her delay in a response to him initially, was a failure in her eyes. Of course, it wasn't Jason's fault, and if she had known beforehand that he had something else lined up, she would have declined him then with the suggestion to reschedule their outing instead. When she mentioned sending a text of her goals to someone else, it was natural that it would bring up a bit of curiosity. It also served as a more acceptable segue way into the one person who had been creeping further and further from her focus the more she talked with Jason. “Someone I grew up with from home, who I don't have to worry about revealing all of my secret plans.” The word boyfriend had danced on her tongue, but she couldn't even bring herself to admit that it was a guy. There was a strong sense of guilt starting to creep its way back up, but as Jason teased her, that feeling diminished with the distraction. “How long can I last doing what?” Her question sounded purely innocent, as if she might have no idea what he could be insinuating, but in truth she simply wanted to put him in the same position he had put her in earlier. He had forced her to be direction when he questioned her, it was only fair that she try to do the same to him. “I'm not trying to be stingy with my compliments and such, I'm simply being honest. People and circumstances change all the time. I am just trying to remain realistic so expectations and hopes don't get out of control.” Aliyah shrugged her shoulders as she set her wine glass back down. He had managed to sneak in the last word before their waiter had arrived, but just as soon as he had left, she felt no issue with picking the conversation right back up where it had been left off. “God, you make me want to prove you wrong when you talk like that. I'll have you know, the word 'no' is most certainly in my vocabulary, though used sparingly. There could easily come a time when you get to hear it from me. I guess we'll have to see who has the most tenacity if that point arises.” She had rolled her eyes in a playful manner before she had asked about his move from one large state to another. “Alpha Chi Omega. I wasn't planning on joining one this year, but I was told that a good number of the cheer team is part of that chapter. I figured I could really let the opportunity slip by me if I stuck to my original plan, so it felt like a good way to gather more resources.” It was a relief to hear that Jason even had ties to the sorority houses as well, though that wasn't nearly as surprising to her. How could a man like him not? She wasn't prepared for her innocent question about his move to be one that could potentially dredge up a line of thoughts that Jason hadn't wanted to go down. She listened quietly as he briefly touched on it just enough to answer her curiosity and rather than letting the two sit in a bit of awkward silence, Aliyah pressed on. “What is the business you started up?” By the time the waiter returned with their starters, she was practically ravenous. Her anxiety levels had been through the roof all day long so she hadn't been able to eat earlier, but now with good company by her side she was finally able to indulge just a little bit. She sat up a bit straighter from her previously reclined position as she scooped a bit of her tartare onto her crispy wonton chip, not wanting to waste any time in finally getting a chance to actually eat when Jason spoke up again. Aliyah lifted her brows just the slightest bit as she popped the wonton into her mouth, unable to fully focus on the delicious blend of flavors as she listened to Jason talk about his oysters. She didn't mean to stare, but she couldn't help but watch as he ate the first morsel, her eyes drawn to his mouth naturally before he turned his attention back to her. She was quick to bring her eyes back up to his own, even as the familiar rosy tint was beginning to return to her cheeks as he offered one out to her. Rather than simply passing the mollusk to her, he moved, joining her on her cushion and so easily invading into her space. She loosed a sharp exhale of air, one that easily could have been taken for annoyance if the corner of her lip wasn't threatening to lift with a smile of amusement. Instead of declining his offer, or demanding that he simply let her feed herself, Aliyah cupped his hand gently as she parted her lips to help tilt the shell just right to let the oyster slip onto her tongue. She had kept her eyes on his until she released his hand, lowering her gaze back to the table where it felt safe to look as she ran her thumb across her lower lip to catch a stray drop of lemon juice. “I couldn't say if the whole aphrodisiac thing is real or not. But I can say that the biggest plus side to coming from a coastal area is the fact that the seafood is always so fresh, and so delicious too.” She let out a pleased sigh as she nodded her head in approval.

 

[Keith Logan]

7.48pm<Benji Boo >: Oh shit! 7.48pm<Benji Boo >: How?! This is a record.... 7.49pm<Benji Boo >: Looks like my sleep cycle is gonna be screwed for a bit... 7.49pm<Benji Boo >: I'm sorry babe. How was your day?? Had Jason got a reading into what was going through Aliyah's mind, he would have laughed at her. It was cute of her to think that having him canceled his work appointment in favour of her was seen as a 'failure'. Aliyah had no right to dictate what was deemed a success or failure in his life, especially with the ego of an alpha breed like he was. He deemed the date to be far more important than scoring another pay cheque. He could afford that, and also because he weighted Aliyah as a much bigger prize asset than a one-off superficial pay cheque. Scoring a date with Aliyah in his opinion, was a resounding success, one that would provide him with a better yield in the longer run. "Someone I grew up with from home, who I don't have to worry about revealing all of my secret plans."​ "Ha. Ideally, the same person will also hear the news of your equally important secret plan to 'putting up a front so that you'll draw in the rugby captain to you even more.'" Jason coolly quipped, paraphrasing one of her earlier sentence in the opportunistic moment. He had also assumed that the someone she was referring to, was likely some kind of a BFF, given she had gave zero indication thus far that she was well already taken by someone else. "How long can I last doing what?"​ "In bed, silly." By now, it should have becoming an obvious pattern that Jason was not one to back down nor shy away from a confrontation, challenge, or a debate or the likes. Perhaps Aliyah might truly be innocent, or perhaps she was feigning to be. Whatever it was, Jason wouldn't hesitate to turn up the heat, even if it was brazen. He loved watching Aliyah blush, or to make her squirm from his deliberate attempts to make her feel nervy in a mischievous sort of way. He thought them to be adorable. "Testosterones often carry over from the day and into the night. I wonder how that works with you, especially since you seemed to be one who would push herself to the physical limit. Must be a lot of penned up heat to release, I'd suspect." Jason spoke it like a matter of fact, as if that was not the slightest bit awkward or inappropriate to venture into such a personal topic. He made it seem like it was just like any other mundane conversational exchange of thoughts, and that it wasn't as big of a deal. "God, you make me want to prove you wrong when you talk like that. I'll have you know, the word 'no' is most certainly in my vocabulary, though used sparingly. There could easily come a time when you get to hear it from me. I guess we'll have to see who has the most tenacity if that point arises."​ "Challenge accepted." The captain spoke with a soft grin, raising his glass in the process as he offered a toast to the start of a competition between them just came out of nowhere. "We should even decide on a forfeit should one of us fail. I reckon this will be fun." He took a second mouthful form his glass after, before listening to her speak of her immediate near-term plan. "Alpha Chi Omega. I wasn't planning on joining one this year but I was told that a good number of the cheer team is part of that chapter. I figured I could really let the opportunity slip by me if I stuck to my original plan so it felt like a good way to gather more resources."​ "Look at you. Gunning for the top sorority. I'll help put in a good word for you to back your application, if you so wish. Alpha Chi Omega is demanding, from what I've heard and briefly seen. But I've no doubt you'll cruise pass your first year with ease with that mentality of yours." It was slowly coming full circle, as her next question was somehow, pertinent to the topic on her interest in expressing to join a sorority. But as it stood, she was still completely in the dark about that association, and what being in Alpha Chi Omega entailed. "What is the business you started up?"​ "It's.. complicated. But to put in brief, it's kind of like a bespoke, match making service. " Jason slowed down a little, as he chose to carefully curate his words. "I put two eligible and very complementary people, or groups together, and they go on with their merry lives. It goes beyond just purely romantic intentions. It takes a great deal of research and networking involved to be able to possess a pool of candidates big enough for a good match to happen. Sometimes, I need to fly. We're talking an international pool. You might be surprise how much this service is in demand, and the money people pay for it." There were parts about the business that Jason didn't feel he should reveal, yet. Not until he figured Aliyah was warmed up enough to the realities of the real world she was just about to embark into. But eventually, there will come a time. Jason chuckled, when he watched Aliyah trying her best not to show that she was devouring her food almost immediately after it arrived. But it was evident that she looked to be as starved as he was. "I'd be flattered if a girl showed the same kind of hunger for me." When he offered an oyster to Aliyah the first time round shortly after with her being wholeheartedly receptive to him, it gave him the confidence to press on. "I concur. Seafood by the shores are usually always the freshest." "But do you know what is looking more delicious to me?" Jason paused, picking up another one of the shelled flesh. He placed it against her lips to offer a second serving. But this time, he drew himself closer to her by kneeling close in front of her, point blank range. He even recruited the use of his left hand, using it to cup her chin in a firm V-shaped vice grip, tilting her head to have her look up into his eyes. The next moment, he slipped the ice cold meat down to her tongue, and watched it slide down into her throat. ".. your lips." Jason leaned down his head, until his forehead was just less than an inch away from hers. His hot breath could be felt softly gushing against her face. It almost looked like he was going to reach in for a kiss on her lips, until he diverted in the final second, to press his lips against another drip of lemon juice that was sneaking away down to the side of her cheek, to catch it in time before it managed to escape and stain her dress. Jason then pulled himself away from her to return her to her personal space, before he teased her with a tone, a tad lower and more sensuous, "You swallowed the oyster whole the first time without gagging. Impressive." At the same time, the waiter was already waiting from the near distant, looking slightly sheepish when the pair caught sight of him looking at them, as he awaited to serve the pair their main course... once they were done with whatever they were doing. "Is it too late for the princess that she needs to get home before it gets too dark? Or does she wish to hangout a little longer?" Jason smiled, once he was done with the last of the bits of his main course, and after he wiped the stain off his mouth with the napkin.

 

[FickleVixen]

Aliyah couldn't help but laugh softly as Jason poked at her 'secret plans'. “Actually no, the only person who knows about this plan, is Sabrina. Which, by this point, I'm starting to wrack up quite the debt between owing you for making you wait and owing her for helping me get ready. She's already told me what she wants in exchange, but you're still keeping me in the dark.” It didn't come as a surprise that Jason didn't dance his way around the topic, flat out admitting to her that he had been wondering how long she would last in bed. That didn't mean the flush to her cheeks didn't deepen, though. “At least you're starting to show that you really are like most guys now, I wonder how long you've been thinking about me in bed?” She didn't have enough experience to know just how different sex could be from what she did have. Benji usually let her feeling satisfied enough, it wasn't anything she could call a work-out, and there were times when she wanted more, but what they had was good, it was her norm. “I certainly won't turn down any help with getting into the sorority, I guess that would be just one more thing I'd owe you for, isn't it?” Aliyah grinned, her words only half joking. Even if he were to insist otherwise, she would practically feel obligated to owe him for helping her out. “You are absolutely full of surprises, you're serious, right? You're a matchmaker?” The disbelief was clear in her voice as she questioned him, with all of the apps and online sites she didn't think that matchmaking was even a business anymore. It was basically obsolete, but apparently not if that was how Jason had been making his money. Aliyah let out an inquisitive hum as Jason picked up another oyster, it wasn't a complete surprise when he offered it to her again, but what did surprise her was the way he took hold of her chin. He tilted her head back enough to silently encourage her to look at him before giving her a second helping. She was quick to swallow before he leaned in closer to her, not giving her a chance to look away from him as he engulfed her vision. Her eyes darted down to his lips for just a brief second before returning to his own. She wanted him to kiss her, but instead he captured a stray drop of lemon juice before pulling away and releasing her. She almost missed his teasing over the sound of her heart thundering in her ears while she quickly turned her attention back to the table. “It usually takes something a bit bigger to make me gag.” She spoke far quieter than she had before, as if she wasn't sure she actually wanted to let those words escape as she picked up her wine glass to quickly polish it off. Her face was on fire, and the chill from the wine helped soothe her just a bit. The pair ate in relative silence, and Aliyah was actually grateful for it. It gave her a moment to think clearly without any sort of teasing to distract her. Benji was sweet, warm, and loving. The security she felt with him made her feel like she could do no wrong, and even if she did, he would usually be the one to apologize just to put any disagreement to rest. He almost always caved to her whims, and rarely made a complaint when he did so. Jason on the other hand was hot, overly-confident, and all consuming. He seemed to enjoy toying with her even if it pushed her to a point of being uncomfortable and made it clear he would work to get what he wanted in the end. Jason didn't strike her as the kind of man who would be willing to cave, not unless it would work in his favor at least. When he asked if she would rather go back or continue to spend time together, Aliyah glanced over towards the ocean, the sun was more than halfway gone by now and even though she knew the smart answer would be to have him take her back, she hesitated. She didn't want to leave him just yet. After a moment, she looked back at him again, seeing his smile as he waited for her response was enough to make her heart skip a beat. “I probably should get back soon. I don't think my boyfriend would appreciate me being out so late with another guy.” Aliyah mumbled her response as she averted her gaze. She could have kept quiet about it, the topic had never come up so technically it wasn't as if she was lying to Jason about her relationship status, but he had toed a line earlier, and she knew it was because he thought she was single. But she hadn't been turning down his advances, in fact her teasing was probably helping to encourage him. She knew it was better to set the record straight now before things got out of hand between the two of them.

 

[Keith Logan]

"Actually no, the only person who knows about this plan, is Sabrina. Which, by this point, I'm starting to wrack up quite the debt between owing you for making you wait and owing her for helping me get ready. She's already told me what she wants in exchange, but you're still keeping me in the dark."​ "Well, serves you right for making me wait. And why would I be so keen to reclaim the debt that you owe me so soon, when I can sit on it and ride off the cumulating interest? Patience, young lady. When the time comes, I'll let you know what I want." Jason insisted on preserving his triumph card for the time being. "At least you're starting to show that you really are like most guys now, I wonder how long you've been thinking about me in bed?"​ "Would you be interested in dating a guy who has little interest of thinking about you in bed?" Jason once again, played his classic reverse. "And, I much prefer it to be done outside of the bedroom, to be honest. So I don't think about us in bed as often, if you wish to take it in the literal sense." He returned a cool smile, before she commented about owing him another for being her willing reference for her sorority application. "Indeed. My goal is to make you forever indebted to me. So you can't run away." If it wasn't already clear what his intentions were about her, and for them, the cumulation of blatant expression of his interest in taking them to the next level - however quick it seemed - was serious. They had been verbally sparring like they had known each other for a long time, it didn't feel like his aggressive approach was inappropriate, and that it all came so natural. "You are absolutely full of surprises, you're serious, right? You're a matchmaker?"​ "What? Do you not think I am a people's person? I am able to get a sense of people. Plus, physical matchmaking is a touch more personal, something that you cannot relate just by doing it through pixels." Jason defended. Oblivious to Aliyah, was the fact that his matchmaking business was not exactly like the traditional matchmaking services that she might be associating his business with. His had a modern touch to it, to satiate the changing needs of the society, which involved some of the darker trades like the pairing of a submissive to a dominant, to arranged gangbangs, to name a few. Obviously, he wasn't going to let the girl in on that side of his industry just yet. Then came their second moment of intimacy, which Jason found himself enjoying every second of it. He could see the way that her chest stopped heaving as he forced her eyes upon her, and when he closed himself in, only to then pull away to leave her seemingly wanting for more. He could see it in her eyes. It was a win. "It usually takes something a bit bigger to make me gag."​ She was clearly picking up on the game of exchanging sexual innuendos. And she certainly looked like she was keen to play along, albeit her tone quietening down a little as she replied half meekly. "Only just a bit bigger? I suppose you can just keep practising with one of those bigger bivalves, and you'll get a hang of it in no time." Jason returned the proverbial punch. The sitting throughout the main course was largely uneventful. But Jason was acutely aware that a lot was running through the girl's mind. And rightfully so. He was happy for her to mull over all that has happened between them thus far. He was fairly confident the date has gone on to be a resounding success.. until.. "I probably should get back soon. I don't think my boyfriend would appreciate me being out so late with another guy."​ The smile on his lips noticeably faded away, but not in a dramatic fashion, as he was quick enough to remind himself that he has a face to uphold. He took a few seconds to register what she had just barely vocalised. He couldn't quite believe it on the first instantiation. But then, he also realised that even if she had a boyfriend, like she just claimed, the fact that she agreed to the dinner invitation, along with all that had transpired between them over the last few hours, it had to count for something. She literally confessed that she had been attempting to draw his attention, to her best friend in Sabrina. She had to be interested beyond the platonic level to some extent for them to even arrive at the point they were at. And with that silver lining in mind, he replied. "Right." "But that doesn't mean you're not coming out on a second date with me, right?" Jason spoke in an almost nonchalant manner. With a hint of playfulness still in his voice. "You still owe me, after all. Unless you've decided to back out on your debt." She has a boyfriend? Fine. But that didn't mean he cannot continue to make an impression, to continue to show her what she might be missing out, to persuade her into alternative possibilities, however unlikely they might be. But he was willing to play the patient game. Aliyah was a catch. And she's worth it. And he needed to up his ante the next time round. "Well in any case, I've enjoyed myself. Thank you for coming along." "Come on now, I'll give you a lift back at your dorm." 8.44pm<Benji Boo >: You're alright sweetie? 8.51pm<Sab >: I know I shouldn't be interrupting but... I can't!!!! 8.51pm<Sab >: And I'm bored now so 8.52pm<Sab >: How did everything go??