Magan Vernon - The Only One

“Okay, the doctor will see you in a little bit, but first let’s just get your height, weight, and temperature.”

I stood on the scale and let her put a thermometer on my forehead. I thought she was going to leave after she did that, but instead she opened a drawer underneath the sink and tossed me a small hospital gown that smelled like moth balls.

“I’m going to need you to get undressed from the waist down and sit on the examination table.”

“Uh, okay.” I stared at the smelly material in my hand while she walked out, closing the door behind her.

“Usually someone has to try a lot harder to get me to take my pants off,” I muttered to myself.

I slid off my jeans and panties but kept my socks on. I don’t know why, but I felt a little better if I at least kept those on. Then I propped myself up on the table and waited, swinging my legs back and forth. With how quickly I was sent back to the room, I thought the doctor would get there immediately. Twenty minutes later by the time I thought I’d go insane from reading the same poster over and over, the doctor finally emerged.

“Hello Melanie!” She sprang in like a ball of fire, which she could have been with her mounds of curly red hair that surrounded her round face. Her beady little eyes lit up behind her glasses when she saw me sitting at the table, as if I was the Queen of England or something.

“Um, hi.”

“I’m Dr. Monroe,” she said, walking over to the table with the sink and setting down a file. “It looks like you are here for a pelvic exam and to talk birth control.”

“Yes. Yes I am.” I tried saying it confidently, but my voice squeaked with each word.

“Well, it’s good to see that you’re looking into protection. Are you practicing safe sex now?” She raised her eyebrows.

I rubbed the back of my neck. That seemed like a personal question to talk about with someone I just met, then again she would soon have her hand up my crotch so I guess formalities weren’t necessary. “Um, I’m not really having sex, but looking to be prepared.”

She nodded. “It never hurts to be prepared.” She sat on a small stool and wheeled it over to me. “Now are you thinking of oral contraceptives? An IUD?”

“Uh...I guess the oral ones?”

She folded her hands together on her lap. “We can definitely do that. There’s a wide variety of kinds to choose from. You’ll need to take them at the same time every day to prevent pregnancy and usually we do a combination of estrogen and progestin pills with the last week being sort of like a sugar pill for the week of your period and then you’ll start a new pack.” She pushed her glasses up. “But remember, birth control prevents pregnancy, not STDs. You’ll need condoms and we do offer those for free at the pharmacy.”

“Okay.” It sounded easy enough and I made a mental note to pick up some condoms. I was sure that John probably had them, but better safe than sorry.

“Let’s get this exam started then we can get your prescription and have you on your way!” She patted my knee, smiling like we were old friends. Old friends didn’t just stick their hands up their other friends’ lady bits. “Now just lie back and I’m going to take the stirrups out.”

I gulped, lying back and trying to think of anything else than what she was about to do. I counted the ceiling tiles and tried not to wince as she kept rambling on while she poked and prodded down there. It was the most awkward situation I’d ever been in and it didn’t help that she kept trying to make small talk as she worked. Finally, she pulled whatever instrument she had out, threw some stuff in the trash and instructed me to sit back up.

“Okay, Melanie, I’m just going to get you written up for a prescription and we’re just going to run some labs on your cultures. Since you aren’t sexually active you shouldn’t have anything to worry about and we’ll discreetly email you the results. If something does come up, we’ll give you a call.”

“All right.” I sat up, waiting for her to leave so I could get my pants on.

She handed me a small piece of paper with a prescription written on it. “You can just take this next door to the pharmacy and you should be on your way. Good luck.”

I let out a big puff of air when she left and stared at the piece of paper. Birth control. I took the plunge to get it without even really thinking about it. Sure, I was extremely attracted to John, but did he want me too? He left so fast after our kiss that I wasn’t sure what he wanted anymore. Or what I wanted.

I traced the edge of the paper. No guy had ever made me feel like he did. No one ever made me feel like I was more than some geek with a penchant for fantasy books. Not even Robby. Maybe there was something to John and maybe getting birth control was the first step to finding out more about the guy I couldn’t stop thinking about.

I had to work all weekend, since Betsy wasn’t pulling her weight. I wished I had the authority to fire her or even the balls to. I knew there were probably parties at the Alpha Mu house and John would definitely be there, but I didn’t know if I could function another day at work with only a few hours of sleep. Plus, I didn’t even know if I’d have a chance to be alone with him.

Monday he didn’t show up for class and my face fell each time a guy walked in and it wasn’t him. Maybe he was purposely ignoring me? He hadn’t messaged me all weekend either. Oh God, I probably scared him away and now he hated me. Why did I have to be so awkward? I was probably a bad kisser and he was trying to figure out a way to let me down gently. What was I supposed to do with a three month supply of birth control and a dozen condoms?

I went on with my day, hoping I was wrong. Hoping that I would see him again or somehow he would get my number and text me, but nothing. I couldn’t even work on homework without thinking about him. But I kept going. I couldn’t let one guy affect me that much. Especially a guy that had the reputation of a manwhore.

Well, I thought I could go on until he sauntered into class Wednesday morning. He wore a backwards hat, had a bit of stubble on his face, and looked like he’d just rolled out of bed. It was sexy in an unkempt way. I kept wondering where he was just a few minutes before and if he actually did wear those clothes to bed or nothing at all.

“Hey, Red.” His voice had a hint of rasp to it, making him even sexier. “Long time no see.”

“Well, I’ve been in class, I don’t know where you’ve been.” I tried to keep my eyes on my notebook, but my gaze kept flitting back to his lips. His oh so kissable lips.

“Yeah, it’s been a rough weekend. Maybe you can make it better and stop by tonight.”

My breath caught in my throat and I almost choked on it. I coughed slightly and patted my chest. A few people turned back to look at me and I smiled weakly. Good one, Melanie. “Um, what did you have in mind?”

He turned his hat around, pulling it low over his eyes so I could just see his smile. “It’s Whiskey Wednesday at the house, but you don’t have to drink if you don’t want to.” He leaned in, his breath hot on my ear. “We can just hang out.”

Remain calm, Melanie. He wants to actually hang out. But if I went to his house maybe it would lead to something more. “I-I-I can stop by for a little bit, I guess, if you want me to. You didn’t seem too into it the other night.”

I glanced up to see our professor walking into the room and then met John’s eyes, hooded by his hat. “That was before the Lib told me that if I didn’t lock you down soon, someone else would.”

I blinked hard, trying to focus. “I’m sure Monica didn’t say that.”

He laughed again, the smile spreading across his face. “Maybe not in those exact words, but let’s just say she made it very clear that she wasn’t exactly pleased about the idea, but there was nothing she could do to stop it, so she had to get used to it.”

John brushed his fingertips against my arm. “And it was getting harder and harder to ignore you, so I hope Monica wasn’t just bullshitting me and you’re coming by tonight.”

I stared at the front of the room, hoping my face wasn’t completely crimson because it felt like it was on fire. “I don’t know. You did go awhile without talking to me. Maybe I found someone else to help me occupy my time.”

His hand stayed on my arm, but he stopped moving it. “And did you?”

“Maybe, maybe not.” I tried to sound confident, but I my voice wavered. I was the put together girl. I couldn’t just keep turning into a puddle for some guy. Especially a guy that was always in control.

A laugh escaped through his nose. “Damn, you’re a hard one to crack, Red.” He leaned in, his breath a whisper on my cheek. “But I hope you give me the chance to try.”

“I-I-I’ll try to make it, then. Y-y-you know, if I have nothing else going on.”

He put his hand on my thigh, squeezing it gently. “Good.” He grabbed my phone that was sitting on my desk.

“Hey, what are you doing with that?”

He quickly taped a few keys and then set it back down on my desk. “Putting my number in there, so you don’t have an excuse not to text me when you’re coming over.”

He reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. “And now I have your number as well, so I can make sure not to be a dick again and let another guy occupy your time.”

* * *

I had absolutely nothing to wear to seduce the sexual God known as John Boy. My sweater collection was pretty impressive, but that didn’t exactly scream sexy. The only half-way sexy outfit I had was my Hermione costume and I couldn’t exactly walk in wearing that. It was also November and the temperature was dipping into the 30’s. There was no way I was walking across campus in a short skirt. After ripping through my closet a million times I finally settled on a long, blue sweater and a pair of black leggings. I really should have worn heels, considering I think John was more than a foot taller than me, but I couldn’t imagine trying to walk in them for very long.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, running my fingers through my hair and puckering my glossed lips. “Melanie Wilder, you are a catch. You’re going to walk in there and you’re not going to mess it up with your awkwardness this time.”

My shoulders slumped. “Or be that weird girl, alone in your apartment, talking to yourself.”

I picked up my purse from the table and shoved my phone inside before walking out the door and into the chilly night air. John messaged me to come over around six, so I basically stared at the clock every single minute that I wasn’t getting ready until it was time. To say I was excited was an understatement, and trying to hide my giddiness was pretty hard because I practically wanted to skip all the way to the Alpha Mu house.

I didn’t know the protocol for entering a fraternity house when there wasn’t a technical party. Did I knock on the front door? Text John? Flash one of the windows so someone would come get me? Luckily, when I got up to the house there was a guy standing outside smoking a cigarette.

“Hey, aren’t you that girl from the coffee shop?” he slurred. Looked like Whiskey Wednesday started early.

“Uh, yeah, I’m Melanie.”

A lazy smile crossed his lips as he took another drag of his cigarette. “That’s cool, you looking to party? We don’t have much going on, but I’m sure we could make room for you.” His pale eyes scanned my body and instantly I felt a gross chill fall over me.

“I’m here to see John Boy,” I practically shouted.

He shook his head, running his fingers through his spiky hair before tossing the butt of his cigarette aside. “Of course you are. They all are.”

He motioned me forward. “Come on, he’s in the common room.” Great. How many other girls were probably there for him? Was I being an idiot trying to go after him? God, I hoped the night wasn’t a waste of a matching bra and panties.

“Okay.” I nodded, following the off-kilter guy who slightly swayed as he walked up the few cement steps to the front door.

Opening the door, I was greeted by a cloud of smoke and the smell of stale alcohol. I scrunched up my nose and I must have been making quite a face because the guy that led me in laughed like a hyena when he looked back at me.

“Obviously you aren’t a regular, sweetheart.”

I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, hoping not to let any of the noxious smell into my lungs. “No. I guess not.”

When my eyes adjusted, I saw the large room crammed with guys on every surface, their eyes locked on a big screen TV that sat up against a paneled wall and drinks in their hands. Some of them flicked their gaze in my direction, but then turned right back to the TV. I guess I didn’t qualify for any extra attention. But there was one set of gorgeous blue eyes hidden underneath the brim of a White Sox hat that I wanted to acknowledge me.