The Adventures of Josie

Josie was in the room an hour before Jackie showed up. Her other two room mates were on work release at the moment so she hadn’t even met them yet.

“I just saw Brian outside and he told me to tell you to get your ass outside. What’s that about?” Jackie said.

“He called me fat this morning. I don’t eat breakfast and lunch didn’t look very appetizing so I skipped it and I guess now he’s deluded himself into thinking I’m starving myself to lose weight.”

“Anything is more appetizing than the skin soup, well nothing. So why is he outside?” Jackie asked.

“He wants to make sure I eat.” They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Jackie opened it to reveal a short Spanish girl.

“This Josie’s room? I’ve gone to five rooms being pointed in all different directions looking for it.”

“I’m Josie. What’s up?”

“Brian told me to tell you he’s waiting outside.”

“HEY THAT GIRL JOSIE LIVE IN THIS WING?!” a voice in the main hall yelled.

“YEA SHE’S IN THIS ROOM!” the Spanish girl yelled back. A tall thin girl ran up to the door. “Brian said to remind you he’s outside and he doesn’t like waiting.” she said.

“OKAY I’VE HEARD ENOUGH. EVERYBODY OUT!” Jackie yelled. She closed the door and turned to Josie. “You know what we need to do, right?”

“I haven’t the foggiest but I will NOT eat dinner with him.”

“And your not going to. We’ll sneak onto the elevator and go down to the first floor. We’ll go through the office door and come out on the opposite side of the building. Brian won’t even be able to see us since his view is blocked by the north and west wings. Piece of cake.”

“Its that easy? I’ve been hiding in my room so I won’t have to see him and I could have just snuck out the back?”

“Well, it’s not that easy. Elevator is for staff only so if we get caught we’ll probably get written up.”

“I don’t care as long as I get to eat in peace.”

“Well, dinner starts in a few. Shall we go?”

“Lets.” Josie said. They turned to walk out of the room when they heard someone yelling Josie’s name from outside. They looked out the window to see Brian.

“JOSIE! COME ON ITS ALMOST 5. I’LL MEET YOU AT THE DOOR.”

“I’LL BE RIGHT OUTSIDE.” Josie yelled back. “Lets go.” she told Jackie and they ran giggling to the elevator. They made it onto the elevator without getting caught and pushed the button to the first floor. It stopped on the second floor.


A tall, well built man in a nice suit got on the elevator. He was a few inches over 6 feet and had jet black hair and blue eyes. He looked to be in his late 20s and Josie could tell just by looking at him that he worked out.

“Afternoon ladies. There a reason why you’re in the staff elevator?” he asked, his voice full of authority.

“We were just going to dinner, Mr. K.” Jackie said.

“Names.”

“Josie Reynolds.”

“Jackie Montgomery.”

“Josie Reynolds.” he repeated. “Why does that sound familiar? Been in trouble lately?”

“Not that I know of. Its my second day, sir.” Josie replied.

“You might have heard it yelled on the other side of the building. Seems Brian’s obsessed with her.” Jackie said.

“As a matter of fact, that is where I heard it. Unfortunately there’s no rules against yelling between 3:30 and 10 pm so I can’t tell him to stop. I suppose you girls are sneaking out the back so he won’t see you?”

“Yes Mr. K.” Jackie answered.

“Well I won’t yell at you for avoiding Brian. He’s not such a bad guy but he can be unbearable at times. It seems our ride is over ladies. Enjoy your dinner.” Mr. K got off the elevator, unlocked a door and then disappeared down a hall. Jackie and Josie went outside and started following the road to the cafeteria.

“Who was that?” Josie asked when they got outside.

“That was the last person in the world we would have wanted to be caught on the elevator by.” Jackie replied. “Mr. K is in charge of disciplining students. He receives write ups and then decides your fate. Sometimes they make you pick up cigarette butts, other times he’ll make you clean the rec and sometimes they’ll kick you out. It all depends on what rules you break though. We’ll have to thank Brian for getting us out of trouble. Mr. K usually isn’t so lenient.” They arrived at the cafeteria, got plates of spaghetti with a wedge of hard bread on the side and sat down to eat. Jay and Chris joined them at the table and everyone was talking and laughing and enjoying themselves until Nick showed up. The only empty seat at the table was next to Josie and Nick promptly filled it.

“Brian is waiting for you outside the dorms.” he said.

“Yes I know.”

“He said you told him you’d be right out. He’s going to be pissed when he finds out you’re here.”

“I was right out. I just didn’t go through the door he thought I would. And he wont be pissed if he doesn’t find out.”

“He’ll find out.”

“Not if you don’t tell him.”

“It doesn’t matter if I tell him or not. He’ll hear it from someone. He keeps sending girls in looking for you. Pretty soon one of them is gonna tell him your not in there.”

“I suppose you’re right. I’m done eating anyways. Jackie can vouch for me. I’ll go talk to him.” Josie and Nick got up from the table and left the cafeteria. “Is there a reason why you’re following me?” Josie asked halfway back to the dorm.

“Yeah. I like you. You smell good. Want to come up to the art room in the rec and watch me draw?”

“I think I’d rather go talk to Brian.” Nick stopped moving. Josie kept walking.

“You know he’s going to give you hell right?”

“Yeah. I know.” Josie yelled back without turning. Nick made her uncomfortable. Josie continued on to the dorms. The entrance was on a hill. There were three paths, one was a set of stairs leading down the hill to the boys’ floor, the second was about 20 feet away; a handicapped ramp going down to the boys floor. The third was a walkway about 50 feet long leading from the top of the hill to the girls’ entrance. Brian was halfway across facing the door. Josie tip toed up behind him.

“Who are we waiting for?” she asked, hoping to at least startle him. He turned, unfazed and grabbed her arm.

“You’re a bitch.” he said leading her back towards the cafeteria. “You’re lucky there’s still time to eat.”

“I already ate.”

“I don’t care. I didn’t see you eat so your going to eat again.”

“But I have witnesses. Jay and Chris and Jackie were all sitting with me.”

“You missed two meals today. You can eat again.” he said, pulling her down a set of stairs leading to the cafeteria entrance.

“I should have took Nick up on his offer to watch him draw.”

“What?”

“Nick asked me if I wanted to go to the art room and watch him draw. I told him I’d rather talk to you because at the time it seemed more appealing.”

“Stay away from Nick.”

“Excuse me?” Brian held the door to the cafeteria open for Josie, and pulled her off to the side in the hallway, dropping her arm and turning to face her.

“You heard me. Just stay away from him. I swear he has mental problems. The guy is a fucking nut. The rec opens at 4:30 and closes at 9 and he stays in that art room the whole time making the weirdest shit… he showed me a picture he drew once of a dog fucking a woman. Nick’s not right and it would be better if you just avoided him.”

“For a minute there I thought you might be jealous of me spending time with another guy.” she said, sarcastically. “I thought you were friends with Nick.” Brian resumed his hold on her arm and led her to the line.

“Yeah like I’m friends with you and everyone else. And how could I be jealous? For one, I’d have to like you and in order to like you you’d have to be cute which goes back to losing weight and quitting smoking. And second, its Nick. Why and How could I ever be jealous of him?”

“Hey there’s nothing wrong with being a freak.”

“Not when your in your preteens trying to get back at mommy and daddy for getting a divorce. When you’re Nick’s age you shouldn’t be trying to exclude yourself from normal life anymore. He’s 19, an adult. He should be a man about life and spend time doing things other than drawing dog cock.”

“Makes sense when you put it like that.”

“How old are you?”

“16. Why?”

“I thought you were too young for him. I just wanted to know I was right.”

“How old are you?”

“Why?”

“I’m curious, you seem pretty old. I mean, telling me to stay away from Nick and being so concerned with my health and well being.”

“I can’t make you stay away from Nick, I’m just saying, if you were smart, you would stay away from him.”

“So I’d be stupid if I didn’t stay away from him?” I’m not stupid but I’ll do it just to spite you.

“Yes.” he said as he handed her a tray with a plate of spaghetti and the hard bread.

“You can’t expect me to eat more of this, can you?”

“Yes, you’re 16. You’re still little. A growing woman needs to eat.”

“Little? I’ve been this shape and size for years now. I don’t think I have any growing left to do.” she said, looking down at herself to make sure it was true. He led her to a booth and motioned for her to pick a side. She picked the right and slid in, and almost immediately he was sitting next to her, blocking her in. “Do you have to sit right next to me?”

“Yeah. Its so you can’t get out without eating.”

“What? No!”

“Just the spaghetti, not the bread.”

“Oh, that’s okay then. So what do you mean little?” she asked, and then took a huge bite of spaghetti.

“Mentally. How much do you know about sex and--” he got cut off as she momentarily choked. Josie swallowed, took a sip of water and leaned back to think a minute.

“I know they make it look better in the movies and in books. I know in porn 99% of the female orgasms are fake. I also know men love girls that swallow.”

“You‘re a virgin?“ he guessed, her reaction answering for her. “I actually believe you, and I also believe you to be the only one on campus. Try not to let anyone else find out. How about drugs? And fighting?”

“Try not to let anyone else find out? What does it matter if I’m a virgin or not? I smoke weed and that’s it. I never felt like trying anything else. I’m a lover, not a fighter. I’ve never even been in a fight.” she picked up her fork and continued eating.

“You’re going to get your ass kicked.” he said simply.

“What makes you say that?” Josie asked, genuinely curious.

“All girls get into a fight one time or another here. Being a real living virgin among a hundred and thirty something guys with raging hormones and being probably the only one is going to start a lot of shit. Guys love virgins and they’ll fight over you, girls will get jealous and start shit with you. You’re gonna fight sooner or later.”

“I don’t think I will.”

“Yeah like you can just decide not to make an enemy.”

“Exactly.”

“And I suppose if you wanted an enemy, you could pick who it would be?” he asked comically.

“Of course. I mean, the best way to become enemies would be to get on the chosen persons bad side, right? Seems pretty easy.”

“That actually made sense. So who would you choose?”

“You’ll find out eventually, I guess. You’re the one that seems to think I’ll get in a fight.” she ate the last few bites of spaghetti. “May I get up now?”

“No. I’m not done yet.” he said as he slid closer to her. Josie slid further back but reached the wall and he slid over more, his entire right side coming into contact with her left. “Uncomfortable?”

“Yes.”

“Good, get used to it. Life is full of uncomfortable moments.”

“There you go back to that old man wisdom. You never answered me, how old are you?”

“I’m not going to answer you. Don’t you know you shouldn’t ask a man his age or weight?”

“Funny.” Josie said following him as he slid from the booth.