You run into Mark

Leaving the locker room, I stepped into the hallway, the normalcy of the bustling corridor a stark contrast to the surreal experience I'd just had. Students rushed back and forth.

“Hey James,” I heard a male voice say from behind. It broke me out of my contemplation. I turned to see Mark, my roommate and Lisa’s boyfriend, approaching, his familiar grin plastered across his face. My stomach twisted with a mix of guilt and unease.

"Hey man," he said, clapping me on the shoulder. "Just saw Lisa. She mentioned you two had a nice shower together."

I froze, my heart pounding. But Mark's tone was casual, his expression unchanged.

"Uh, yeah," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.

Mark chuckled. "Lucky you. I've been trying to get her to let me shower with her since we’ve been dating, but she always says she’s not into that. She’s made it quite clear that for her, showering with someone is a ‘James In the Locker Room only' thing." He shrugged good-naturedly. "Anyway, you're coming to the party tonight, right?"

I nodded, still stunned by his nonchalant attitude. "Wouldn't miss it," I replied automatically.

"Great!" Mark said, already moving past me, “Got to get to class.”

As Mark disappeared down the hallway, I stood rooted to the spot, my mind reeling. The casual way he had mentioned Lisa and I showering together, as if it were the most normal thing in the world, while readily disclosing he was not being granted that same privilege despite being her boyfriend. All of this left me feeling dizzy and disoriented.

I slowly made my way to my next class, barely aware of my surroundings. The power I wielded had reshaped reality in ways I hadn't fully anticipated or understood. Everyone seemed to accept my unique position without question, yet the core relationships, such as Mark and Lisa being a couple, remained unchanged.

Sitting in the lecture hall, I couldn't focus on the professor's words. My thoughts kept drifting back to the locker room, to Lisa's touch, to Mark's easy acceptance of it all. What kind of world had I created for myself?

As the class ended and students began filing out, I remained seated, lost in thought. A soft voice broke through my reverie. It was Lisa’s best friend and roommate, a girl named Dre. I knew who she was because she was hot as hell. I’d never spoken to her though and I was pretty sure she didn’t know my name. There wouldn’t have been any reason for her to know it. Yet here she was, sliding up next to me in the lecture hall.

"Hey James," Dre said, with a friendly smile on her face. “You seemed pretty out of it during class. Everything okay?"

I blinked, surprised by her concern and her knowledge of who I was. "Oh, uh, yeah. Just... a lot on my mind." God this girl was gorgeous with her Italian American features, slim figure, brown hair and blue eyes.

Dre nodded sympathetically. "I bet. Lisa told me about your shower together earlier. Sounds like it was pretty intense."

My cheeks flushed at her words. "She... she told you about that?" Was there anyone Lisa hadn’t told about our showering session?

"Of course," Dre replied with a laugh. "We're best friends. We tell each other everything. Plus, it's not like it's a secret. Everyone knows you can go into the girls’ locker room anytime you wish and do anything you want. Hell, you’ve showered with me more times than I can count.”

I swallowed hard, trying to wrap my head around this new information. "Right. Of course."

The gears in my mind were spinning, trying to reconcile this new piece of information. The boundaries had not just blurred; they had disappeared altogether.

Dre leaned in closer and placed her right hand on my shoulder in a more than friendly manner, rubbing it slightly as she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "You know, James... It’s kinda obvious Lisa has become your favorite lately, but she’s not the only one who wouldn't mind showering with you. You really need to start sharing the wealth more. It’s been awhile and it can get lonely in the stall without you.”

My eyes widened at her confession. "I... um..."

Dre withdrew her hand, threw her head back and laughed. "God, you're so cute when you're flustered."

She stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder. "Think about it, James, but don't take too long or the offer might disappear," she said with a wink. But then she continued: “But of course it won’t really. You can have me anytime you want. Just like you can have any of the girls.”

I watched as Dre walked out of the lecture hall, leaving me in a state of turmoil that had become all too familiar.