Chapter 01
I was sitting in class listening to the literature teacher going over Sophocles’ play: Oedipus Rex. It was the middle of the semester and I had the best grades in class, so being the excellent student I am, I already read ahead of the curriculum. Oedipus… my goodness Oedipus… there are so many things about marrying your own mother and having children with her that seemed wrong to me. First, he didn’t question the idea that the woman was much older than him, and second, he still got married despite knowing the prophecy.
Not only that, what would he call the children? Was Antigone his sister or daughter? Was Jocasta the mother or grandmother? We always like to assign titles to others. Sophocles however mentioned nothing about the genetic defects of inbreeding though, so there isn’t much else to say.
At least Antigone didn’t come out badly with those defects, even though she ended up killing herself as well. Makes me wonder why the Greeks thought such a taboo was so horrific, though. They didn’t have the objective science to back it up. There are lots of questions that I don’t care to think about right now because I have a different focus.
The whole point of going to university is to meet girls my age. If it weren’t for that community college is good enough unless I’m planning to meet rich people’s children. Still it was hard because I wasn’t that tall or good-looking but I still had game. They say someone of my looks is playing the dating game on hard mode. Well, challenge accepted!
The professor gave us an assignment: “Write a paper on the themes in Oedipus, it is due the first class of next week and make sure to use MLA format, not APA.”
Class ended, and I got up off my seat. The most beautiful girl in class stood in front of me. She had clear blue eyes and long blond hair, much different from me, who had black hair and brown eyes.
“Hey Jordan, can you help me with the paper?” Lisa asked with a sweet and seductive smile.
She bent over so I could see the valleys in between her top. She stood close so I could smell the intoxicating perfume she was wearing, and she wiggled her hips as she slowly approached me. It was hard not to have my eyes drawn to her; it was hard not to stare at her. It was hard not to look at a girl more beautiful than most models.
However… it wasn’t hard to turn her down.
“Sorry I have my own papers to work on, why don’t you go ask Henson to help you.” I smiled and then walked away from her.
I know, people think I’m stupid when a girl that hot gives me attention, but what can I say? Henson was her boyfriend. Henson was the starting quarterback the scouts were looking for after his graduation where he would play American football. Henson was who she would prefer to be with, even if his brain was a literal pig skin. I was just there to help her with grades. Screw that. I will not be used, no matter how hot she is.
I need to look for some more average girls who would actually date me for a genuine relationship. Most modern women care about image, so I’ll go for my own striking zone. I know many people think I should be friendly with her so she might fall for me, but if Henson gets upset I wouldn’t put it past him to come and try to beat me up.
Lisa grabbed my hand.
“Please, Jordan? You have the best grades in class and you know Henson can’t help me with that.” She pleads with a smile. “I’ll invite you to the sorority parties? I’ll introduce you to all my friends!”
All your hot friends who wouldn’t be interested in me? That’s a blatant waste of time. I want to get married and have children. I need someone who would love me, cherish me and be willing to put me first, especially since I’d put her first as well.
“Sorry Lisa, as I said before, I don’t care. I’m not interested.”
“You’re straight right?” Lisa had a perplexed look on her face. “I mean, you like girls, right?”
“Who said I didn’t?” I’m really not sure how to answer. “I never said I didn’t like girls. I’m just not interested in you or your friends.”
“Are you sure you don’t prefer men?” Lisa seemed persistent.
“I’m sure I don’t prefer men.”
“What kind of p*** do you watch then?” Lisa now asked.
“What? I don’t watch p***, what are you talking about? I’m too busy taking care of school. P*** isn’t for me. I don’t watch that stuff okay! I really don’t. No way I watch that stuff. I’m not into p***!”
“The more you deny it the more I think you must watch something,” Lisa sighed. “I’m asking for a favor and giving you a favor in return. You get to hang out with all the most beautiful girls on campus if you help me and you’re turning it down. You must watch G** P***. I bet you’re G**. You just don’t know it yet, probably.”
This conversation was going nowhere, and I would no longer entertain the whims of a girl who was jilted and upset that I’m not going to help her.
“Believe whatever you want,” I said as I walked out.
“I’m not done talking to you yet!” Lisa yelled as I walked away.
People were staring. I looked at the eyes planted on me and just sighed. I guess I should let my grades slip a bit so I don’t get noticed by others. I really don’t want any of this. I just wanted to graduate in peace, find a simple job and raise my children. My parents were already gone from this world and I wanted a family again, even if I was going to be the parent.
—
A week went by and not much happened. I walked to class as usual. Even though I flatly denied p*** I still watched a niche genre of it. No, it wasn’t non-straight. I was a young healthy man; I needed something to release each day in order to stop fidgeting and focus on studying. I went to class, and I saw Lisa there, who had been glaring at me all week. There was another man near her today, blond hair and blue eyes just like hers. It wasn’t Henson, but I’ll admit he was a handsome man.
At the end of class, he approached me.
“Hi there Jordan, I’m Charles,” he said.
“Charles? I guess you should know Lisa is dating Henson, but I think you realized that.”
Charles laughed at what I said. “You’re an interesting man Jordan, the first thing you talk about is Henson. Listen, can we go somewhere private and talk?”
“Somewhere private?” Red flags, or is it death flags? “Why would I want to go somewhere private and talk to you? First off, who are you and why do I need to talk to you?”
“Me, I’m Charles. I’m Lisa’s older brother. Our father is the CEO of the tech giant in social media. I’m simply here because I took an interest in you after hearing about you from my little sister.”
Crap, did I offend someone I shouldn’t have?
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know who she was. I’ll help her do her assignments next time. Please, just let me off, I don’t want to get hurt or anything. If you want, I’ll lower my grades for the standard of the class. I don’t want to die. I just want to live my life in peace. Please… my parents are dead and I have no family, so I just want a chance to make my own and that’s why I’m here in university. Please.”
Hearing what I was saying, he put his hand on my shoulder. He was a head taller than me and very intimidating.
“Whoa, whoa, Jordan whoa… calm down. Look, we won’t do anything like that. Just come with me and we’ll talk. I promise it’s nothing bad. It’s nothing bad.”
He had a warm smile on him. It was a smile even I had to think was handsome. It’s like their family was not only rich but had the beauty gene as well. Sometimes I think the world is terribly unfair, though. I looked mediocre, lost my parents, and would eventually run out of the insurance money for the parents I dearly missed. Lisa and now Charles were not only good looking, they had parents who cared about them and seemed to be wealthy enough that they could just play around for several lifetimes if they wanted.
“Alright, I’ll go with you please just let me go.”
“I told you I’m not going to hurt you or use anything on you,” Charles insisted.
