My Freshman Experience
by Joel Young
Chapter 24
The Last Hurrah at the Cabin
The reality of academic life slapped me in the face when I woke up on the Sunday after the Oberlin Day Celebration. There were only three more weeks of classes left in the semester before finals started. I had two term papers to finish as well as a presentation to prepare. Then of course, there was lots of reading to do before my exams. I focused on school work that entire day.
I had breakfast with Tom on Monday morning. We talked about how much fun we had during the Tug of War competition. We didn't say anything directly about our team's shower room activities, but we shared a knowing smile.
"What are you doing this summer?" Tom asked.
"My Mom got me an interview for a summer job at the hospital where she works," I said.
"What'cha gonna do?" Tom teased. "Empty bedpans?"
"Maybe," I said with a smirk. "Unless you happen to be one of the patients. I've already taken enough shit from you this year!"
"I guess I had that coming," Tom said. "Considering how I treated you before Christmas break."
"Water under the bridge," I said. "Do you have any plans for the summer?"
"Yeah," Tom said. "I'm going back to work for my uncle's landscaping business. I love being outdoors every day, and it pays pretty well. I'm going to miss Peter, but he's only an hour away from me. I guess that's not too bad."
The fact that Adam and I wouldn't be able to see each other over the summer had been slowly creeping into my thoughts. I was pleased that he could spend a couple of months with his family in Paris. At the same time, I knew I would miss him terribly. And, I was worried that he'd find some cute Parisian guy to replace me – or that he might decide not to return to Oberlin.
"You must be bummed-out that Adam will be in Europe all summer," Tom said sympathetically. "Maybe you could go visit him – with your bedpan money."
"Very funny," I said. "But please, no more 'bedpan talk' while we're eating!"
For the rest of the week, I continued to focus almost exclusively on classes and school work. I had done well on midterms that semester, and I didn't want to lose ground in the last few weeks of school.
Despite the pressure of end-of-the-year school work, I was feeling better about my life at Oberlin. My problems with Reverend McAllister and Reverend Stuart were over; winning the oratory contest resolved those issues. The police weren't investigating Adam and me for vandalism and theft anymore. With Sean no longer at Oberlin, I didn't have to worry about him trying to get revenge on me. And, I decided I had lost enough weight. People were starting to tell me that I was too thin. One of my professors even said I looked gaunt. So, I decided to eat a little more – regardless of my mother's hurtful comments.
Adam needed to spend most of his time studying, too. We barely saw each other that first week after the Oberlin Day Celebration. And when we did see each other, our pending separation for the summer was starting to hang over our heads.
On Friday of that week, I checked my mail. There was a note from the Financial Aid Office asking me to set up an appointment to discuss the scholarship I won in the oratory contest. I called and scheduled an appointment for the following Monday afternoon. I had no idea how much tuition assistance I would get, but I was looking forward to telling my parents that I would be able to pay for some of my college expenses next semester.
I finished my two term papers over the weekend, and I got a little more work done on my presentation. Adam and I went to dinner at a Chinese restaurant on Sunday night.
"I've missed spending time with you this week," Adam said to me. "If I don't see you every day, I get nervous – like I've got to make sure we're still okay with each other."
"You have nothing to worry about," I said. "I can't stand being away from you, either."
We looked at each other, realizing that our summer plans would separate us in a few short weeks. Adam reached across the table and placed his hands over mine. "We'll get through it, Joel," he said. "I promise. The summer will fly by, and then we'll both be back here at school – together."
I nodded, but I was still dreading our separation.
"I had an idea last night," Adam said. "How about we have one last weekend at the cabin – before summer break?"
"That would be wonderful!" I said. "But, what about school? There's so much work to do!"
"We can spare one weekend," Adam argued. "If we leave this coming Friday, we'd still have an entire week of classes before finals. Come on! What do ya' say?"
I knew I couldn't turn down a weekend with Adam at his cabin. "If you're serious, I'll agree on one condition," I said. "We have to spend all of our time this week studying. My presentation in Astronomy would be the day after we get back. That means I'd have to be fully prepared before I go."
"Deal!" Adam said. "But, we can still have dinner together, can't we?"
"Yeah. That would be okay," I said.
"And, could I walk you back to your dorm?" Adam asked.
"I suppose," I answered.
"And, you wouldn't deny me a good-night kiss, would you?" he asked.
"Probably not," I answered.
"Good," Adam said with a grin on his face. "And if I needed an hour or so just to get rid of any tensions I might have – so that I can concentrate on my studies, of course – that wouldn't be a problem – right?"
"Now you're pushing it," I said. "I mean it, Adam. I'll have to study all week, or I can't go."
"How about after you're done studying each night, I'll pick you up for a quickie in my car?" Adam suggested.
"How could anyone turn down an invitation like that?" I said with phony enthusiasm. "I mean, that's about the most romantic thing I've ever heard!"
Adam ignored my dramatic sarcasm. "Wonderful!" he said with a gleam in his eye. "Then, it's settled. Every night, I'll be in the Pilgrim Hall parking lot at midnight!"
"Better bring something to read," I deadpanned. "You're gonna' have a long wait!"
Fortunately, the waitress brought our food, and Adam quit trying to cajole me into a nightly 'quickie.'
"I had another idea about our weekend at the cabin," Adam said as we ate our dinner. "Maybe we could invite Peter and Tom to come with us."
"Yeah," I said. "If they have the time, that'd be great. I'm sure they'd enjoy getting away together. But, what about Mitch?"
"He'd be welcome," Adam said. "I just thought he might feel awkward; you know - like a 5th wheel."
"We could tell him he can bring Beth," I suggested. "She's totally open-minded, and we all like her."
"Fine with me," Adam said as he served himself another Crab Rangoon. "The cabin has three bedrooms, so we'd all have our privacy. Do you know if Mitch and Beth are sleeping together?"
"I assume so. I mean, they've been dating for a while now," I said.
"Well, go ahead and check with everybody," Adam said. "The more, the merrier – as long as I get you to myself at the end of the day."
Later that evening, I talked with Peter and Tom. They accepted the invitation immediately, and they seemed excited. Just like Adam and me, they said they'd buckle-down on school work all week so they could afford to take the weekend off.
Mitch seemed torn when I told him about the plans for the weekend at the cabin. I think he wanted to go, but he said he had too much work. I got the impression, however, that something else was holding him back.
"Fess-up, Ferris!" I said. "You're the most prepared student I've ever known. You could ace all of your exams tomorrow. Why won't you ask Beth to come with us to the cabin?"
Mitch said nothing, and he looked uncomfortable.
I realized that I had overstepped my boundaries, and I decided to back off. "I'm sorry, Mitch," I said as sincerely as I could. "That's none of my business. But if you change your mind, you're welcome – with or without Beth."
"She and I haven't gone all-the-way," Mitch said after a long pause. "I don't think she's ready to share a bed with me."
I wasn't sure what to say. Mitch seemed embarrassed, and I considered changing the subject. But, I didn't feel like I should say nothing and leave him hanging. I tried to step lightly so as not to make things more awkward than they already were.
"That's cool," I said. "It took me a while before I relaxed enough to be with Adam for the first time. He was so patient with me. He gave me plenty of time to think about it. I really appreciated that. And when I was ready, I knew he cared about my feelings."
"I'd like to ask her," Mitch said. "But, what if she thinks I'm pressuring her."
"Why don't you just tell her that we invited you guys," I suggested. "You could say that you turned us down. See how she reacts."
"I suppose I could do that," he said.
On Monday after classes, I went to my appointment at the Financial Aid Office. I met with Gary Hancock, one of the staff counselors. I saw my file on his desk as he invited me to sit down.
"Congratulations, Mr. Young," he said. "I heard you gave a rousing speech at the oratory competition."
"Thanks," I said.
"Reverend Stuart attached a copy of your speech with the judges' scores he sent to me," Mr. Hancock said. "Your ideas are quite - controversial, aren't they? I was surprised that the judges' decisions were unanimous."
"Really? I didn't know that," I said, referring to the unanimous decision.
"The Christian National Oratory Society's scholarship is very generous," Mr. Hancock said. "You've won an entire semester's tuition and books, as well as room and board. It even includes any commercial travel expenses between your home and your school."
I was astonished! I had no idea that such a large sum of money was involved. "Wow! That's amazing," I said. "I can't wait to tell my parents!"
"I'm sure they'll be very proud," Mr. Hancock said. "Now, I have just a few questions. Then, I'll need your signature acknowledging that you accept the terms and conditions of the scholarship. You are eighteen, aren't you?"
I nodded my head. "What terms and conditions?" I asked.
"Oh, nothing unusual. Just that you'll obey all the rules of the college you attend. Here at Oberlin, that means no illegal drugs; no underage drinking – that kind of thing," Mr. Hancock said. "Oh, and you can't participate in any premarital sex, of course."
I spoke without thinking. "What?!? You've got to be kidding!" I said.
"No," Mr. Hancock replied. "I'm definitely not kidding. Which of the scholarship's conditions might be a problem for you?"
"Well, I don't drink or take drugs," I said. "I did have some beer last semester, but I can certainly avoid that in the future."
"Ah," Mr. Hancock said. "So, two of the three conditions won't be an issue. I see."
I looked away from Mr. Hancock. I felt embarrassed, but I was also angry. I was tired of the staff at Oberlin sticking their noses into my personal business.
"What if I used the scholarship at another college?" I asked. "Whose rules would I have to follow?"
"Mr. Young, I certainly hope you wouldn't consider leaving Oberlin over some self-centered objection to our rules!" Mr. Hancock said. "You represented the university when you entered the oratory contest. I can't believe you'd embarrass us just to avoid … well … I mean … to indulge in whatever sinful pleasures you find tempting!"
Now, I was really mad! "Who the hell does this guy think he is?" I thought to myself. I couldn't hold back my instincts to be snarky and insulant. "What do the rules say about jerking-off?" I asked.
Mr. Hancock gave me a disgusted look. "The spirit of the rules would discourage any form of self-abuse," he said.
"I guess I can understand that," I said facetiously. "But, what about wet-dreams? I mean, guys can't really control those - can we?"
Mr. Hancock was clearly angered by my attitude, and he tried to end the meeting. "If you have no further questions," he said. "I think we're done."
"The only question I have is one that I've already asked," I said. "If I used the scholarship at another college, whose rules would I have to follow?"
"You'd have to follow the rules of the college you are attending while receiving the scholarship benefits," he said.
"Great," I announced. "I'm ready to sign."
The tone of the rest of the meeting remained contentious. Mr. Hancock asked me some very basic, but annoying, questions – the answers to which were already part of my university records. I signed the agreement and got up to leave.
"You'll have to make arrangements with the Registrar when you want to apply the scholarship to your tuition and expenses," Mr. Hancock said.
"Okay," I replied. "I'll be sure to talk to the Registrar – at whatever college I attend."
On my way back to Pilgrim Hall, I was pissed! At the same time, I knew I wasn't going to change schools, if for no other reason than to stay with Adam. "Besides," I thought to myself. "How would they even know if I have sex? Put cameras in my room?!?"
Mitch could tell that I was upset when I got back to our room. I told him about my meeting with Mr. Hancock. I thought Mitch's eyes would pop out of his head when I told him that I had won a full semester's tuition and expenses. "Damn!" he said. "You're so lucky! I'd do anything for a scholarship like that!"
I regretted sharing the details of the scholarship with Mitch. I hadn't even thought about how he was struggling with the costs of attending a private university.
"Well, it comes with a downside," I explained. "I had to sign a pledge that if I use the scholarship at Oberlin, I won't drink, take drugs – or have sex. Mr. Hancock even said that jerking-off would be against the spirit of the rules."
"What?!? That's ridiculous!" Mitch said. "I mean, the drinking and drug parts aren't bad, but no sex or jerking-off? There isn't a guy on this campus who could actually follow a rule like that!"
Mitch opened up his desk drawer and took out the university handbook. "I can't believe the college policy says that."
He read for a few minutes. "Ah hah!" he said before reading a section out loud. "As a Christian educational institution, the university expects all students to live their lives according to the teachings of the Bible and the laws of the State of Ohio and the United States of America. Underage drinking and the possession, use, or sale of all controlled substances are strictly forbidden. All forms of sexual behavior outside of marriage are discouraged."
Mitch looked up at me. "See," he said. "They only discourage it. The university knows they can't enforce a complete ban on sex for unmarried people. If they did, they wouldn't have enough students to keep the doors open!"
"So, you think I shouldn't worry about it?" I asked.
"What I think," Mitch said. "Is that Mr. Hancock is full of shit! I'd be so pissed if you went to some other college because of him. I was hoping we could room together again next year."
"Don't worry," I said while grinning at Mitch. "I'm not going anywhere. Besides, I have to room with you again next year so I can keep you out of trouble!"
"You'd keep me out of trouble?!?" Mitch balked. "Think again, Buddy! I'd be the one keeping you out of trouble!"
"Other way around, my friend!" I said. "You need me to watch out for you!"
"I do not!" Mitch said.
"Do too!" I insisted.
"Do not!" Mitch protested again.
"Do too!" I said in a mocking tone.
"Do not!" Mitch said as he gave me a playful push.
Then, we fell onto my bed and started wrestling. Mitch tried to pin my shoulders to the mattress, but I managed to pull away and grab him around the chest. I rolled over, and we fell onto the floor with me on top. Mitch started to tickle me, and I let go of him. Seizing the moment, he maneuvered out from underneath me, rolled me over on my stomach, and got on top of me. I struggled to throw him off my back. We giggled as our good-natured fight continued. When we were both tired and red in the face, I yelled, "I give!"
Mitch and I got up off the floor. We were both out of breath. We gave each other a high-five. I truly appreciated the close friendship that he and I had developed. In many ways, Mitch was like the brother I never had.
After classes on Tuesday, I ate dinner with Adam in the cafeteria. Mitch brought his tray of food over and sat down at our table. "Hey guys," he said. "How's it going?"
Adam and I complained about the pressures of all the homework we had to do before school let out for the summer. "I can't wait to take a break from it all and go to the cabin this weekend," Adam said.
"Am I still welcome to tag along?" Mitch asked.
"Of course!" Adam assured him. "Plymouth Rockers stick together!"
I looked at Mitch, wondering if Beth would be joining him. He looked me in the eye and shook his head. I frowned, letting him know that I understood and was disappointed.
Later, Mitch explained to me that Beth was relieved when he told her that he turned down the invitation to spend the weekend at the cabin. "She said that she doesn't judge others for their personal decisions, but she would never sleep with a guy unless they were married."
"How do you feel about that?" I asked.
"Well," Mitch answered. "I respect her decision. But, damn! She makes me so horny!"
"I'm glad you decided to come with us anyway," I said. "You'll have a room to yourself – in case that helps."
Mitch smiled at me. "You know it will," he said.
Peter, Tom, Mitch, Adam and I piled into my car late Friday afternoon to go to the cabin. The weather wasn't great, and the forecast predicted thunderstorms for the weekend. Still, we were all glad to get away from campus and excited about having a fun weekend together.
About half-way to Brewer Kentucky, it started raining. I saw a hitch-hiker up ahead. The guy was wearing a hooded jacket, and he was hunched over. I assumed he was trying to keep the rain out of his face. I guessed that he was cold and probably scared. The situation reminded me of how scary it was when I hitch-hiked to see Adam last semester.
"Anybody have a problem if I offer that guy a lift?" I asked. No one objected, so I pulled over to the side of the road.
"Oh, thank God!" the hitch-hiker said upon entering the backseat of the car with Peter and Tom. "I was scared to death that no one would stop and give me a ride!"
I think everyone in our group was surprised when we realized that the person we had just picked up was a girl! She was wearing an Oberlin hooded jacket.
"Where are you headed?" I asked her.
"Louisville," she answered.
"Were only going as far as Brewer," I said.
"That's fine," she responded. "I'm Danielle, by the way. Everybody calls me Danni."
Mitch was in the front seat with Adam and me. He introduced himself and the rest of us to Danni. "Don't worry about these guys," Mitch said. "I'll protect you if any of them get out of line."
"Thanks, but who's going to protect me from you?" Danni said with a hint of flirtation in her voice.
"So, you go to Oberlin?" Peter asked.
Danni explained that she was a senior, majoring in Business Management. "I'm graduating in two weeks. Then, I'm getting an apartment with my sister in Louisville. We're going to check out a few places this weekend. I'm hoping to find a job there."
Danni asked why we were going to Brewer, and we told her about our weekend plans. "That sounds so cool!" she said. "But, you're not bringing any girls with you?"
There was silence for a moment. Adam was sitting next to me, and he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "Nope," he said. "Not necessary."
"So, you're all gay?" Danni asked.
"I'm not!" Mitch said.
Danni smiled at Mitch and then turned to look at Peter and Tom. Peter took hold of Tom's hand and grinned at Danni.
"Awesome!" she said.
By the time we got near Brewer, the weather had become very bad. There was so much rain that I was having difficulty seeing the road. Then, we saw bolts of lightning just ahead of us.
"Brewer is the next exit," I told Danni. "Are you sure you want to get out and start hitch-hiking again?"
"If you want," Adam said. "You can spend the night at my cabin. I know we're strangers to you, but I think you'd be safer with us than out here by yourself."
"Yeah," I added. "Last fall, I hitch-hiked out here and got robbed!"
"Okay," Danni said. "I guess I should have checked the weather report before I left Oberlin." She paused and then asked, "Did you guys bring any beer?"
I told her that we didn't have any alcohol.
"If you want, we can stop and get some," she said. "I'm twenty-one and legal. And, it would be my way of saying thanks."
It crossed my mind that it might be legal for Danni to buy beer, but certainly not to buy it for minors.
We had not planned on drinking that weekend, but none of us wanted to seem like nerds. We got off the freeway and stopped at the only gas station/party store in Brewer. Dani asked Mitch to help her with the beer.
"You guys okay with her staying at the cabin with us?" Adam asked when Danni and Mitch were inside the store.
"Yeah," Peter said. "We can't leave her out on the freeway at night – in this weather!"
I had pulled up to the entrance to the party store so that Mitch and Danni wouldn't get drenched. Mitch carried out two 24-packs of beer to the car.
About ten minutes later, we turned onto Bangs Lake Road. The dirt road down to the lake was extremely muddy, but we made it to the cabin without getting stuck. Mitch and Adam got out of the front seat of the car. Adam grabbed his bag and ran to unlock the front door. The rest of us got our things and headed to the cabin as fast as we could to get out of the rain.
"Wow! This is beautiful!" Danni said when she came into the cabin and looked around.
Since I had been driving and Danni had been in the back seat, I had not gotten a good look at her. Now, I could see that she was about five foot seven inches tall. Her hair was medium brown and pulled into a pony-tail. She was thin and wore no makeup. For some reason, I thought she looked like an angry person.
Adam brought out some towels, and we all dried off as much as we could. Danni was drenched, so she went into the bathroom to change clothes. When we were all dried off, Adam led a tour of the cabin. "This is a great place for a weekend get-a-way!" Peter commented.
"I wish the weather were better," Adam said. "I'm afraid there's not much here to eat. I was planning on picking up some food for us in town. Hopefully, we'll be able to go tomorrow morning."
A few minutes later, Adam turned on the gas logs in the fireplace. We all settled in the living room.
"Who wants a beer?" Danni asked.
"I don't think anyone brought it in from the car?" Mitch said. "I'll go get it."
Adam went to see if there were any snack foods in the kitchen. "All we have is popcorn," he hollered. "I'll make some."
Soon, the cabin smelled of fresh popcorn. The sounds of beer cans being opened quickly followed as we all got comfortable by the fire. We could hear the pounding of the rain on the roof.
"Don't you want a beer, Adam?" Danni asked.
"I really can't," he explained. "It messes up some medication I take. But, you all enjoy yourselves."
"Oh yeah? What kind of drugs do you take?" Danni asked. "Good ones, I hope!"
I was very surprised that Danni would ask Adam such a personal question. And, her comment about 'good drugs' was disturbing. I was starting to think that Danni might have a wild streak in her. Before Adam had a chance to respond to her question, I changed the subject.
"How about some music?" I suggested. "Adam, is there a radio around here?"
Adam got up and went over to a stereo system at the other end of the large living room. "Rock, jazz or pop?" he asked the group.
"Something quiet and relaxing," I said.
"No!" Danni objected. "This is a party! Find some heavy-metal!"
"We only get one rock station out here," Adam said. "I'm afraid that'll have to do."
Ironically, the first song we heard was Alice Cooper's School's Out for Summer. Of course, we could all relate to that, and everyone sang along on the choruses.
I was still nursing my first beer when Danni, Peter, Tom, and Mitch each started on their second. I was having a good time, and I could have easily enjoyed another beer myself. But, I didn't want Adam to feel left out. I knew how important his medication was, and I was proud of him for not drinking. I cuddled up next to him, and he put his arm around me.
"Let's play a game!" Danni suggested. "Have you guys played 'Never Ever Have I Ever?" It's really cool!"
None of us knew anything about the game, so Danni explained how it's played. "We all sit on the floor and take turns saying, 'Never ever have I ever.' Then, we complete the sentence with something we've never actually done. If anyone of the rest of us has done that thing, we have to take a drink. If no one takes a drink, then the person who said 'Never ever have I ever' has to take a drink. Oh, and the topics have to be sexy; that's my rule!"
"How does somebody win?" Peter asked as he reached for some popcorn.
"It's not that kind of game. If you get drunk and have fun, you win!" Danni said. We all got down on the floor and formed a semi-circle in front of the fireplace.
"Here, I'll start," Danni offered. "Never ever have I ever … French-kissed a girl."
Tom, Mitch and I lifted our beer cans and took a drink. Adam and Peter didn't move. They looked embarrassed.
"Oh, we've got to fix that right now!" Danni said. She got up, went over to Adam, and planted her lips on his mouth. Then, she forced his mouth open with her tongue. She did the same to Peter. Adam looked angry, and Tom didn't look too pleased that Danni was kissing his boyfriend!
Danni returned to her place on the floor and told Mitch to go next. "Oh wow,' he said. 'I don't know what to say. Let's see. 'Never ever have I ever,' … mooned somebody."
Danni laughed and took a big drink. Then, Adam reached for my beer and took a sip.
"I don't believe it!" I said to Adam. "You actually pulled down your pants and showed off your butt to some stranger?!?"
"What's wrong with that?" Adam asked in a defensive tone. "Don't you think I've got a cute butt?"
"You've got a great butt. What I meant was why would you do something like that?"
"I had to," Adam said. "The guys on the school bus double-dog dared me!"
"Oh, my God!" I exclaimed. "How old were you?"
"Twelve," Adam replied. "The bus driver didn't catch me, but the guy in the car who saw me gave us the finger."
Mitch pointed at Adam. "Your turn," he said.
Just then, there was a loud clap of thunder. The lights flickered and then went out. Fortunately, the electricity came back on quickly. Danni looked nervous, and she snuggled up to Mitch. "I hate thunderstorms!" she said. Mitch put his arm around her.
"Okay, it's my turn," Adam said. "Never ever have I ever … had sex at a party."
Adrenalin shot through my system. I had told Adam that I had sex with the director of my high school play, but I had not mentioned that it was during our cast party. I wasn't sure how Adam would react, and I was nervous. But, I felt like I had to tell the truth.
Danni and I drank some beer.
Adam looked shocked. "Really?" he asked me. "You and Komiko did it at a party?!?"
"Look. I did something stupid," I said. "Let's move on, Moon-Man!"
Thankfully, Adam let it go, and I didn't have to admit that it was Ben with whom I had sex at a party. "It's your turn, Mister Party Animal!" Adam said.
Knowing that my turn would be coming up soon, I had already figured out something to say. "Never ever have I ever gone to a strip club."
I looked around, and no one seemed to be taking a drink. Then sheepishly, Tom took a quick drink from his can of beer.
"When was that?" Peter asked.
"Last summer," Tom said. "Some of the guys I worked with at my uncle's landscaping company took me to a place called, 'The College Inn.' It's in a pretty sleazy part of downtown Cincinnati."
Tom got a big grin on his face. "I think Miss Francesca liked me."
"What made you think that?" I asked.
"She pointed at me and blew kisses," Tom said. "She didn't do that to anybody else."
"Okay, Kiss Magnet," I teased. "It's your turn."
"Pass," Tom said. "I can't think of anything."
"You have to come up with something!" Danni insisted. "Otherwise, you have to take off a piece of clothing!"
"You didn't tell us about that rule!" Tom protested.
"That's because I just made it up!" Danni said.
"Never mind!" Tom said impatiently. "I'll think of something!"
"Take your time," Danni told him. "I'll get us all another beer."
Peter whispered something into Tom's ear. Tom smiled and nodded. Danni returned from the kitchen and offered everyone a beer. Adam declined, again
"Did you think of something?" Danni asked Tom.
Tom said, "Never ever have I ever gone skinny dipping." Adam took a tiny sip of my beer and handed it back to me. Danni and Mitch also took a drink. Peter and I did not.
"You have too gone skinny dipping!" Adam said to me.
"No, I haven't!" I protested.
"What do you call what we did in the hot tub?" Adam asked.
"Hot tubs count!" Danni announced. So, I took a drink, and everyone started clapping. It seemed to me that we were all getting buzzed from the beer. Well, except for Adam, of course.
"You're the only one who hasn't had a turn yet," Tom said to Peter.
"You already used mine!" Peter complained.
"I'll help you out," Danni said. She got up and whispered in Peter's ear. Then, she went back to her place next to Mitch.
Peter had a big smile on his face. "Never ever have I ever had sex outdoors."
"Is that true?" I asked Peter. "Or are you just repeating what Danni said?"
"I wish it weren't true," Peter said while making a frown face at Tom. "Sadly, I've never had the opportunity."
"The weekend isn't over," Tom said. Peter's frown turned into a cheesy grin.
Danni and Adam took a drink. I sat still.
Adam looked at me impatiently. "Joel," he said. "Remember behind the tennis courts? And, on the trails the first time we were here?"
"Oh, yeah!" I said. "I forgot." I took another drink.
"Okay, I'll start the next round," Danni said. We continued to drink, snack on the popcorn, and play the game until almost 1 o'clock in the morning. The later it got, and the more beer we drank, the raunchier things became.
Danni started the final round. "Never ever have I ever," she said sounding quite intoxicated. She paused and began again. "Never ever have I ever - been raped." Danni burped and went to the kitchen for another beer.
Nobody took a drink. Adam looked very upset. "I'm sure you haven't been raped, Danni," he said under his breath. "It's not rape when a trick picks you up off a street corner!"
Soon, Danni returned to the living room with her beer. She sat down next to Mitch again. Then, there was a huge clap of thunder. The cabin shook; the room went dark; and the music cut off. We all waited for the power to come back on, but it didn't.
"Damn it!" Adam said.
We still had the light from the gas logs in the fireplace, but the loss of power sort of killed the party mood. Danni chugged her beer.
"How often does the power go out like this," Tom asked.
"Not often," Adam said. "But if it goes out because of a downed power line, it takes a long time to get it working again. The outlying areas are the last to have service restored."
Danni wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "You mean we're stuck out here in the middle of fucking nowhere - with no food or power?" she complained. "This totally sucks!"
"Would you like me to drive you back to the main road so you can hitch-hike some more?" Adam asked. "I'm willing to risk it if you are."
Mitch chimed in. "Adam, do we still have running water?"
"Sorry," Adam said. "We have well water, but the main pump uses electricity. There's still a hand pump out back. We can get water to drink and fill buckets to flush the toilets."
"Oh, that sounds like lots of fun!" Danni said sarcastically.
"Would you prefer an outhouse?" Adam asked.
Danni made a face and mocked Adam. "Would you prefer an outhouse?" she repeated disrespectfully.
Mitch tried to change the subject. "I'll help fill some buckets," he said. He and Adam put on their coats and went out the back door.
Danni said she was going to the bathroom while there was still water in the toilet tank. "You'd think anybody who could afford a place like this would cough up the money for a damn generator!" she said as she left the room.
"She's sort of a Bitch, isn't she?" Tom said quietly
"Yeah," I said. "You'd think she'd be a little nicer about the situation – considering Adam was nice enough to let her stay."
"I'm sure she's just upset," Peter said.
"Or a mean drunk," I added.
"Things will be better in the morning," Peter said, trying to assure us that everything would be okay.
Adam and Mitch brought in three filled buckets; one for the bathroom off of the master bedroom and two for the main bathroom in the hall. "You only need half a bucket at a time," Adam advised.
Danni came back to the living room, and we all decided that it was time to go to bed. Mitch said he'd sleep on the sofa and let Danni have the bedroom. Danni went to her room without saying a word.
"I feel sorry for Danni," Mitch said. "I think she's scared."
Tom, Adam and I just looked at Mitch without saying a word. It was obvious that Mitch liked Danni, and he was giving her the benefit of the doubt. The rest of us didn't think she deserved it.
Adam got Mitch a pillow and blanket. He also got out three flashlights and gave one to Mitch as well as one to Peter and Tom.
Adam turned on the remaining flashlight. "Come on," he said to me. "Watch out for the table in the hallway."
"What about Danni?" Mitch asked. "Don't you have a flashlight for her?"
"She'll be fine," Adam said. "Bats have night vision."
Adam and I went into the master bedroom. I brushed my teeth, spending extra time to make sure I got rid of any popcorn hulls. I also used mouthwash so that I didn't go to bed with beer-breath. As I got in between the sheets, Adam went into the bathroom to get ready for bed.
Soon, Adam and I were snuggled in together. "Do you believe that girl?" Adam said. "She's such a Bitch! I was serious about taking her back to the main road. Let her try hitchhiking to Louisville in the middle of the night – in a thunderstorm! Geeze! It would serve her right!"
"She should have been thankful that you let her stay," I told Adam. "And, she didn't even thank Mitch for giving up his room!"
"She had no business kissing me like that either - or doing it to Peter!" Adam said. "I wanted to gag when she stuck her tongue down my throat! Yuck!"
Then, Adam got a strange look on his face. "Did you bring a condom?" he asked.
"Why," I said. "Do we need one?"
"No, you and I don't. But I think someone might," Adam replied.
"Are you having a premonition?" I asked.
"I think so," he said. "We'll have to see. Do you have one if I'm right?"
"I always keep a condom in my wallet – behind my ID card," I said. I decided to change the subject. I kissed his neck and began massaging him over his briefs. "Forget about everyone else," I said. "This is supposed to be a fun weekend; so let's have some fun!"
I tossed the blanket off of us. The room was totally dark and very cold. "Pull those back up!" Adam protested. "We can burrow under the covers to start the fun."
I grabbed the blanket and covered Adam up again. He maneuvered around under the sheets and took off his briefs. Then, I slid down and played with his manhood. My head was completely covered by the bedding.
I positioned myself so that my face was right next to his genitals. Slowly, I began running my tongue along his cock as I massaged his balls with one hand. I felt his erection growing. When he was fully hard, I came up for a quick breath of air and looked at Adam. He was frowning.
"Please, Sir," Adam begged. "May I have some more?"
I realized Adam was teasing me as if he were the title character from Charles Dickins' Oliver Twist.
"Oliver!" I said sternly. "Never before has a boy asked for more!"
"But, I'm still horny, Mr. Bumble!" Adam whined.
"Well, do you promise not to tell anyone?" I asked.
Adam gave me gleeful grin. "Cross my heart and hope to cum!"
"You'll owe me!" I cautioned.
"Tit for tat; and all of that!" Adam said.
"Now you sound like The Cat in the Hat!" I said. "But anyway, I'll give you more – this time!"
I slid back down under the covers and went to work. Adam was clearly enjoying his extra serving. Soon, his body went rigid, and he shot his load into my mouth. I came out from under the covers and reached for a tissue from the top of the nightstand. Just then, there was a soft knock on the door.
"I knew it!" Adam complained.
He found his flashlight and got out of bed. He walked to the door uncovered and still mostly erect. "Just a minute," he hollered. He set the flashlight down, picked up my wallet from the top of the dresser, and he found my condom. Removing it from behind my ID, he turned and opened the door.
Mitch was standing in the hall. "Can I speak to Joel?" he asked.
Adam held out the condom to Mitch. "Sure," Adam said. "If you still need to."
Mitch looked embarrassed, but he took the foil packet. "Thanks!" he said.
"Oh, my God!" I said. "He's going have sex with Danni!"
"Looks like it," Adam said. A few seconds later, he shuddered. "Ugh! That's so gross!"
Adam got back in bed. "Adam," I said. "Just the thought of that girl with Mitch is a real turn-off. Do you mind if we just go to sleep now."
Adam seemed disappointed. "Really?" he asked. "Are you sure?"
"Just being close to you is all I want right now," I said.
"I'll owe you," he told me.
When I woke up on Saturday morning, the sun was up. Adam wasn't in the bed. I tried to turn on a light just to check if the electricity had been restored. It was still out.
I went to the bathroom and got ready for the day as best I could without running water. Then, I looked around the cabin, but I saw no one. I heard Adam coming in the back door.
"Hey, Sleepyhead!" he said. He was carrying two buckets that he had refilled with water.
"What time is it?" I asked.
"Almost ten. Are you hungry?" Adam asked.
"Not really," I answered. "But I could use a cup of coffee."
"Anything for my guy!" Adam said. "Is instant okay?"
I nodded, and Adam dipped a small pan into one of the buckets of water. He turned on the gas stove in the kitchen. A few minutes later, I was enjoying a hot cup of coffee.
"As soon as everybody is up, we should try to get into town," Adam said. "Maybe, they have electricity."
A little later, Peter and Tom came out of their room and joined Adam and me in the kitchen. We all drank coffee while waiting for Mitch and Danni.
About 11:00 a.m., Mitch came in. "Danni will be out soon," he said. "Don't take it personally guys, but she's a little grouchy this morning."
I could tell that Adam was about to say something nasty, so I spoke up first and told Mitch that we were going into town.
Danni got up about half an hour later. After she finished getting ready in the bathroom, she came into the kitchen. "What's for breakfast?" she asked. "Wild berries and dandelion greens?"
I decided to call Danni out for her attitude before Adam's temper exploded. "We're all doing the best we can, Danni," I said. "Your snide remarks aren't helping. We're going into town to get some food. We'll all feel better after we've had something to eat."
"Whatever!" Danni said while rolling her eyes.
The ride into town was much easier than I expected. The rain had stopped, and the road was less muddy than it had been the previous night. But just like the cabin, Brewer had no electricity. The grocery store, gas station, and the party store were closed. Then, Adam noticed cars parked in front of Erma's restaurant. The electric sign in her window was on. "Yes!" Adam said. "Let's get some breakfast!"
I was surprised when we entered the restaurant and saw that it was full; there wasn't a single table that was empty. Erma was scurrying around trying to keep up with all of the orders. She turned toward the door and saw Adam. "God be praised!" she said. "Adam, help me!"
"Come on guys!" Adam said to us. "We need to help out."
"Can't we eat first?" Danni asked.
Adam went behind the counter and lifted the dome off of a pedestal cake plate. He took out a nutty donut and handed it to Danni. "Start waiting on tables when you're done," he said.
Adam headed toward the kitchen to help Erma. He told me to take the counter, and he asked Mitch and Peter to start waiting on the customers. "Tom, can you buss the tables?" he asked.
We all went to work, except for Danni. She sat on the last empty stool at the counter and slowly ate her donut.
I filled the coffee cups of the customers at the counter. I went into the kitchen when one customer asked for a glass of milk for her daughter. I heard Adam and Erma talking.
"I wish I'd never bought that damn generator," Erma complained. "I'm too old to serve a full house by myself. I haven't even been able to keep track of what all those people owe me!"
"Well, you're not alone anymore," Adam told her. "My friends and I will be here for as long as you need us."
"I'm closing at 4 o'clock," Erma said. "Can you stay 'til then?"
"For you? Of course!" Adam said with a smile.
I found a carton of milk in the refrigerator, and I filled my customer's order. A man and women were standing at the cash register at the end of my counter. "Can we get our check, please?" the man asked.
"I'm sorry," I said. It's been so busy that I don't think anyone has written out a check. I grabbed a menu. "What did you have?"
The couple told me what they had ordered, and I looked up the price of each item. I entered the amounts into the cash register. It was a fairly straightforward, old piece of equipment. I figured out how to use it pretty easily.
For the next four hours, we all worked our butts off! Even Danni pitched in. Come to find out, she had worked in several restaurants, and she was a good waitress.
Finally, the last customer left, and Erma turned off the "Open" sign. She sat down in the dining room, looking exhausted. I brought her a cup of coffee, and she added sugar and creamer. "Bless your heart!" she said to me. "You may be a picky eater, but you're a hard worker!"
"Who's hungry?" Adam asked. We all said that we were starving! "I'll see what's left in the kitchen. Is it okay if I just do my best?"
"Whatever you make will be fine," I said.
"Hey, where's Danni?" Mitch asked. We looked around, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Then, Peter said, "She left with some guy about half an hour ago."
"Figures!" Tom said. "No 'thank-you' for Adam; no 'good-byes' to us; and she didn't even tell Mitch she was leaving!"
"That girl has a mean-streak in her," Erma said. "I could tell just by looking at her."
"She's really not mean," Mitch said, trying to defend Danni. "The storm just scared her."
Erma snorted and said what the rest of us didn't have the heart to tell Mitch. "Look, Boy. Girls like that are users. Stay away from 'em!"
Adam brought out scrambled eggs, biscuits, and fried potatoes. We all devoured the delicious food, proving that the well-known adage is true; hunger is the best sauce!
After eating, we cleaned the tables, washed the dishes, mopped the kitchen floor, and vacuumed in the dining room. Tom even cleaned the restrooms. Erma tried to pay us, but we all refused to take her money. "Well, if you won't let me pay you, at least let me pack you up some sandwiches for later," she said.
"Erma's a sweetheart," Peter said on the ride back to the cabin. "It was fun helping her out."
"Yeah; she's great," Adam agreed. "She's got a gruff way of talking, but she has a heart of gold."
We pulled up to the cabin. Immediately, we noticed that the front door was wide open. "What the hell?!? Adam said.
We all got out of the car to see what was going on. The door looked like someone had kicked it in. Adam let loose with cuss words that I had never heard him use. "God Damn, Mother-Fucking, Son of a Bitch!" he yelled. Then, he turned to Mitch. "Your slutty whore just broke into my house!"
Mitch looked mortified!
I decided not to point out that Adam had broken into Sean's dorm room. After all, that was a totally different situation. Wasn't it?
We went into the cabin and looked around. Nothing seemed to be out of place. Adam went into the room where Danni had slept. "All of her things are gone," he yelled. "She better not have taken anything else, or I'm making sure her ass goes to jail!"
I accompanied Adam as he did a thorough inspection of the house. Fortunately, Adam couldn't identify any of his family's possessions that were missing, so we went back to the living room.
Peter, Tom, and Mitch were examining the front door. "I can piece this back together," Peter said. "I just need a hammer, a few short nails, and some glue. A couple of 'C Clamps' wouldn't hurt, either." Adam found the things Peter needed, and the guys went to work on repairing the door. They finished about an hour later.
"The glue should dry in a few hours. We'll need to use the back door until then," Peter said to Adam. "You'll probably need to replace the doorframe, but it should be good for now."
Adam thanked the guys for repairing the door. Then, he apologized to Mitch. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," Adam said. "You had nothing to do with Danni breaking into the cabin. I acted like an asshole."
"It's okay," Mitch said. "As long as we're still friends."
Adam went over to Mitch and hugged him. "Of course," Adam said. "Does that mean you'll forgive me?"
"Forgive you for what?" Mitch asked as if nothing had happened.
"Peter," Tom said. "Let's go for a walk."
"Now? We've been on our feet all afternoon!" Peter said.
Tom made an exaggerated frown face, and Peter quickly changed his mind. "Oh! Yeah. Ah, that actually sounds like a good idea." They went out of the back door saying they'd be back in an hour or so.
Mitch yawned. "I'm going to take a nap," he said. "Let me know if the power comes back on."
"A nap sounds good to me, too," I said. I took Adam's hand and led him to our room – even though I had no plans to go to sleep.
Soon, Adam and I were naked in his bed. It felt good to be held in his arms. I loved him so much, and I craved being close to him. Adam had not shaved that morning, and the stubble of his beard on my skin felt sexy. I ran a hand along his jaw as I kissed him.
"You're kisses are turning me on!" Adam said.
"Good," I replied. "That's what they're meant to do."
Making love with Adam that afternoon was wonderful! It was exciting and satisfying. I was devoted to Adam, and intimacy with him always made me happy.
When we came out of Adam's room, we decided to have some of Erma's sandwiches. We hadn't even taken the first bite when Mitch came into the kitchen. "I found the battery powered radio," he said. "There's another big storm coming in about an hour. They're saying that areas around the lakes are expected to flood. We're supposed to evacuate!"
"Jesus Christ!" Adam said. "This weekend is not what I hoped for!"
"Do you think we should leave?" I asked Adam.
"We have to leave," Adam explained. "It's too dangerous to stay. We could be stranded out here for days! The last time this happened, water came into the cabin through the front door!"
The three of us each wolfed-down a sandwich. After eating, we started packing up as quickly as we could.
"Should we go looking for Peter and Tom?" I asked. "They don't know about the storm."
"You and Mitch go," Adam said. "I'll stay here to get as much as I can up off the floor - in case the water comes in again."
Mitch and I got our coats and went out the back door. We headed toward the lake. There was only one trail off of the beach area, so we followed it. Storm clouds were starting to roll in, and it was windy. The path became more overgrown as we walked. "Do you think they came this way?" Mitch asked.
"I have no idea," I said. "Maybe we should turn back."
Just then, we heard something up ahead. We stopped and listened, and the noise continued periodically. It sounded like a distressed animal.
"Let's get out of here," I said.
"No, we should check it out," Mitch said as he slowly continued up the trail. Cautiously, I followed him. About twenty yards farther, Mitch stopped. He turned and grinned at me. He stepped aside and pointed at a small berm off to the side. There were Peter and Tom, partially dressed with their hard dicks sticking out. Peter was leaning against a tree, and Tom was down on his knees.
"Never ever have they ever!" Mitch chuckled.
"You mean having sex outdoors?" I grinned. "Yeah, they'll both have to take a drink if that ever comes up again."
"What should we do?" Mitch asked. "Interrupt, or let them finish? The storm looks like it's rolling in fast."
"I'm not going to interrupt them!" I said. "Let's give them a few minutes."
Mitch and I walked back down the trail a little. We could no longer see Peter and Tom, but we could still hear them.
"Oh, Tom!" Peter exclaimed. "That feels so good! Yeah. That's it! Use your tongue right there. Damn! That's so good!"
"Yeah? You like that?" Tom asked Peter.
"Awe, fuck!" Peter said. "It's driving me crazy! Lick my balls!"
I assumed that Tom did as he was requested because Peter started panting and moaning. "Oh yes! You make me feel so good!"
"Just returning the favor," Tom said.
"Suck me!" Peter begged. "Yeah! Just like that. Oh man, Tom! I can't believe you got so far down my cock! You're gonna' make me cum!"
A few moments later, Mitch and I heard grunting and then a big sigh. Then, Peter said, "Phew! That was really great, Tom! I love you so much!"
Mitch looked at me with a questioning expression. "Do you think they're done?" he asked.
"Close enough," I answered. I waited a minute before calling out as if we were still searching for them. "Peter! Tom! Can you hear me? Hello!"
"We're over here," Peter yelled. "Wait where you are!"
Soon, Mitch and I saw Peter and Tom coming down the path toward us. "What's going on?" Peter asked.
Mitch told them about the storm. "Adam is back at the cabin packing up. We've got to head back to Oberlin before we get stuck out here!"
"I'm sorry we have to cut the weekend short," I said as we walked back through the thick brush.
"That's all right," Peter said as he smiled at Tom. "I had fun!"
Tom looked at Peter. "Me too!" he said.
Adam was packing up my car when we got back to the cabin. "Get your things guys," he said. "It's starting to rain."
The drive back to the university was difficult. The storm moved in and made the roads slippery. Fortunately, we were driving out of the heavy weather, and we got back to campus safely.
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