They make an arrangement.

The plane sat on the tarmac for twenty-five minutes, long enough for me to replay my last conversation with Elizabeth a thousand times.

"Just to blow off steam. If we're still as committed to each other in four years, we know that we belong together. We'll be open about whatever experiences we have, and travel on breaks."

I had been a little scandalized at her suggestion. We both agreed that the long distance thing, for four whole years, would be misery. Even if we spent every penny flying to each other, we'd still only be together once a month, and then graduating with zero savings. Plus, there were obvious issues about trust. That was when Elizabeth suggested (shyly, of course, but with conviction) that we could open our relationship to others. No jealousy, no fear. Freedom to have the college experience and someone to share it with. She made it sound ordinary, but as the engines whirred I couldn't help wondering if it meant losing her, anyway.

Here I was, flying away from everyone I knew and loved. Why? Some scholarship? A chance at a good career? What would life be without Elizabeth?

Gratitude warmed me as the plane began taxiing toward the runway. A year ago, I had never even talked to a woman as beautiful as her. Now, I knew that after four years apart we could find each other again, all thanks these incredible women.

Corrine…

Talia…

Stephanie…

Amy…

And Elizabeth.

My bosom buddies.

Memories of that senior year would sustain me in my darkest hours, even though I made many more memories with the girls after that day, the day I flew far from home.

To my great surprise, it was Elizabeth who inaugurated our arrangement. The third weekend after classes began, I looked up from a dense technical manual to find a voicemail from Elizabeth. It was almost incomprehensible at first, so I had to listen a few times before I could understand her.

"Heeeeeeeey loverboy... jus' wanna to let you know tha' I have a guy here I an' I have been dancing all night an I'm suuuuper horny. I'm gonna... fuck him, okay? We're gonna fuck. Come 'ere."

After that, there was a 'thump' sound, fifteen seconds of muffled silence, and a 'click.' End of message.

I unmuted my phone, hoping that she would call back. Should I call her? Would she answer, or was she already humping this stranger in a drunken fit of lust? Images of Elizabeth dancing in my head, I decided to hit the sack and try and relieve some pressure.

Elizabeth called around noon the next morning. "So... last night..." all her bravado had evaporated with the dawn but she proceeded to tell me about spotting a guy at orientation, about finding which party he was headed to. "I had to drink my courage but I finally started dancing with him. I was wearing a skimpy cocktail dress, you know that black one?"

I knew the dress, and picturing it got my heart racing. Elizabeth, flushed, sweaty, exposed, grinding on a man she had been hunting... What was college doing to her?

"I got him back to my dorm room and that was when I called to... um... let you know. We'd both had a few too many. I wanted him to... I wanted sex really badly. But he was too drunk to get it up." She laughed nervously into the phone.

"Poor guy. So close to heaven and yet so far."

A small laugh. "Yeah, right? But I... I plan on seeing him again. It's not serious, obviously, but he seems decent and I'm really lonely out here. Fall break feels really far away."