SS(S)S - Endgame

You sit there undecided, heart racing. It’s a big choice, but you follow your feelings. Feeling as though you’re walking through a dream, you get off the bed and walk to the dresser to get your phone. You stop the recording and delete the video. As you put the phone down, Sal returns. She pauses at the sight of you just standing there. You’re both naked, but that’s not what’s causing this feeling.

Sal looks relieved.

“What is it?” you ask.

She smiles ruefully, then sits on the edge of the bed. “I actually thought that you might leave.”

“Because you’re doing stuff against CCL?” you ask, joining her. You take her hand and hold it gently. “But it’s not really you, is it? It’s the university.”

“I didn’t have to cave to them.”

“College student feels overwhelmed by the pressure of lots of responsibilities,” you say with a little eye roll. “More news at eleven.”

“You really aren’t grossed out?”

“Sal, you aren’t the only one who’s ever done something bad,” you tell her, trying not to laugh.

She falls silent, looking a little moved. “Thank you,” she says.

You think quickly, but interestingly, you’ve already planned this conversation. You just didn’t plan to be having it with Sal. You had hoped that it would be with Athena. There’s humor in that. You give Sal’s hand an extra squeeze.

“Sal, I’m not going to tell anyone what you’ve told me,” you tell her. “But I would like to make a suggestion. Is that OK?”

“Um, yes. Beautiful, non-judgmental girl who is weirdly nice to me and just gave me the best sex of my life,” Sal replies with a funny expression.

“I think that if you’re going to do something that’s going to stress you out, it might as well be the right thing,” you say.

“What do you mean?”

“CCL isn’t your enemy. These jerks at the school are. Why not work with us to find another way? You think Athena and CCL have any love for these regressive assholes?” you ask her frankly.

Sal frowns. “Probably not.”

“We can easily let the school think that you’re doing what they want. And I’m guessing we can also get the upper hand,” you go on, deep in thought. You have completely forgotten that you’re both naked.

“The school has a lot of pull on our costs. We’re hanging by a thread. That’s why they can make these demands,” Sal reminds you.

“I know. But what if there was a way for CGH and CCL to get on better financial footing? So we’re not so reliant?”

“They still have the final say.”

“Yeah, but what if we also had something on them,” you suggest.

“What are you, a secret agent?”

“You don’t know the half of it,” you giggle. “I’m getting there.”

“You really think something like that is possible?”

You nod. Something like this would be easy compared to what you pulled off today. A team effort with plenty of time for planning. A cakewalk. The school is full of bullies. They are not expecting resistance. This is not a pie-in-the-sky idea. It’s feasible.

“I do.”

“You think Athena would go for it? She must hate me,” Sal says, running her fingers through her hair worriedly.

“It doesn’t matter. It would look a little suspicious if you two were suddenly friendly anyway.” You let go of Sal’s hand and pat her bare leg. “That’s where I come in.”

Sal stares at you. She smiles finally. “Big talk,” she says after a moment.

“You aren’t convinced.”

“I’m intrigued.”

“I have a whole business plan.”

“Let’s talk about it, then.”

“OK, oh!” you say as she pushes you to the sheets and lies on top of you.

“This is how all conversations are in CCL, right?” she asks, gently stroking your cheek. Her hair tickles your face. The warm weight of her perfect, pale body on top of yours makes every inch of you tingle. “Especially important business.”

“Especially,” you echo, heart fluttering.

Not much business gets discussed after that as your intertwined bodies move together in the sheets. Not much studying, either; Sal isn’t shy about keeping her sorority sisters awake with the sounds of passion.

This is not what you planned, but as you melt in Sal’s smooth, strong arms, you are not complaining.

[ The End ]