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I’ry, and I’s, but none of the next tothe saht

"Don’t you own other pants?" I ask through a laugh

He stretches his hands out, leaving his thumbs in his pockets, and Ito stare at his hips, his zipper, his…crotch

"My closet can’t co on h the main part of campus, the more steps we take, the more relaxed I beco at him in the first place

"I’ up at him His eyes are soft, and the way he looks down at uys on the porch looked at uys liked what they saw, but Houston, he actually seesquote h at reement "You maybe want to tell me a little more about it?"

I think about his offer, and I actually consider it Those teeks that I spent talking to Houston on the phone--me in California, him in Oklahoma--were nice They were more than nice, they were the first tiuy and had hi laid He asked me questions, and I answered He listened Theis that’s washing overelse

When I part my lips to speak, I peer up, and his eyes are intent on ht one of the Delta girls…" I start to say, but a frouys atchedus They’re several feet back, and e look at the of it, turning around and looking back atwhat?" he asks I barely hear hi over , they aren’t pretending any longer, their eyes on est of the three, uy on the right covers his h harder I glare at theh I can barelyback,my best to shake the exactly where I was The coh

"Mmmmmmmmm, oh yeah Oh yeah, baby Like that," a voice says behind ertips and toes feel nu helpless--weak

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" I hear again They’resex noises, and I knohy My entire body is flushed, my head is furious, and my heart is dead They’ve seen it--they’ve seen it! Which means it’s out there, so, h it’s only fifty degrees outside I need to solve this Houston--he can’t know! I’m about to conore those guys…when he stops me, his hand hard on my arm as he turns me to face him He doesn’t askdeep inside me for a truth to understand what this scenario is all about My strength fades, if only for a second, and I losein , so I squeeze the myself, I take a deep breath, then reopen my eyes to look at Houston

"I’ood He holds his hand in place on has he considers everything--what he sahat he heard, what I said, and the way I look now I’m fine, Houston I’!

"Like hell you are," he grits, and he leaves uys who are suddenly speechless Within seconds, Houston’s fist slams into the face of the one in theto be the next one getting Houston’s attention