Emiliano was in my class at college. It was a philosophy class, and he sat down behind me the first day. It seemed random.
I was a sophomore. My college is pretty big, and I wasn't sure that I had ever seen him before around campus. It could have been that he was a commuter and so I wouldn't have seen him in the dorms, and commuters generally used a different cafeteria.
I also figured he wasn't in liberal arts, or we would have had a class together by now.
Anyway, it was pretty odd how it all began. During our first class on Monday, he didn't even speak to me. On Wednesday, being territorial like most college students, we took the same seats.
But about twenty minutes into the lecture, I felt his foot hit my chair leg. He did it, a couple of more times. I was expecting a whispered "Sorry, dude" or that he would recognize he had over exceeded his boundary, but he never did. Some guys are that way.
With about ten minutes left in class, it started. A tapping against my chair leg. It could have been a nervous tick, or it could have been designed to drive someone crazy. It wasn't clear if he was being intentionally annoying or if he literally had no clue.
I finally half turned around, thinking I had the guts to say something to him. Before I could say anything, he flashed me this big smile, friendly and maybe just a hint of cocky to it too? He had very white, perfect teeth.
I couldn't help but smile back, just a little, but I felt stupid. He was annoying me and I was smiling about it? I should have said something but I didn't. Then the professor excused us and we all started to pack up. He moved past me and said "Later."
Something about this bothered me the rest of the day and evening. I'm not a wuss, but it felt weird, like I was violated, or unassertive. Yet I thought about him too. I remembered his name from roll call. Unusual. I couldn't recall his last name. He was about six foot two.
Friday came around and I decided to take another seat. I still felt vaguely creeped out and a little emasculated. Didn't he sit down next to me.
He threw his backpack on the floor and it hit my foot and leg. "Hey, it's you again" he said as the professor began calling the roll. His last name turned out to be Delgado. He smelled like body spray.
I just said "Hey" and opened my lap top. The professor was discussing the inability of some people to defer immediate gratification. He tapped away on his tablet, apparently taking notes.
He didn't invade my space for a half hour, but then he stretched and bumped me with his elbow. For good measure he pushed his textbook into my space so he could move his tablet. I finally managed to stand up for myself and said "Hey!". Expecting an "I'm sorry", instead I got a "Chill". Brusque, unfriendly, and dark.
I kept my eyes straight ahead. This didn't seem worth a fistfight. But I was fuming. As soon as the class ended, I slammed my lap top in my bag, and got up, bolting for the door and away from Emiliano. Who the fuck did he think he was, invading my space, bumping and kicking me, and then telling me to "chill"?
Maybe he was psycho. Nobody could be that clueless and rude. Then I remembered that he had apparently intentionally chosen to relocate next to me in my new seat. It no longer seemed random.
Was he a bully? Was he stalking me for some unknown reason? I'm not an easily frightened person, but I suddenly wondered what he was up to. I made a course for the cafeteria, in a black mood.
There I saw Cassidy. We'd had a couple of dates as frosh. I sat down with her and my tray of fish tacos and started to unload.
"Totally rude", she said. "Just ignore him. He wants attention." She suggested I enter class Monday late, and sit anywhere but near him.
"That seems like a pussy way out" I said. I wanted to have it out with him, and then I reminded myself that he was not only four inches taller, but probably weighed 190 to my 160. Yeah, a bully.
Cassidy and I promised that we would text each other over the weekend and maybe go see a movie or something.
I tried to put Emiliano out of my thoughts that night and much of Saturday. But it was hard. He was so confidant and cocksure. You wanted to hate him but you also respected him in some fucked up way and were fascinated by him. He was so different. Arrogant bastard.
Instead of a movie with Cassidy I decided to go to the football game Saturday night. The place was half empty. I went with my friend Trent, but he quickly ran into a girl he wanted to sleep with and they took off. I sat in the student section, in bleacher seats, nursing my third beer. My fake I.D. was good, my wallet a little light.
Suddenly who sits down next to me but Emiliano. He puts him arm around me like we were best buds. "Dude, I thought that was you!" He flashes the pearly whites and I felt his leg against mine.
"What are you doing here? I didn't figure you for a jock sniffer."
"I'm not. I mean, whatever that means. I just like football, ok?"
"Sure, little dude. No offense meant. They sure are getting their asses kicked again tonight, huh?"
He was looking right into my eyes, and I guess I was expected to say some pithy thing about our awful football team. Truth was I just wanted to get wasted and was jealous that Trent found a girl.
"Yeah, whatever" was all I could come up with. Another time out was called and the public address announcer mentioned for the fifth time that Arden Lexus was the official car dealer of the football program.
Emiliano just smiled at me. He smelled of beer and AXE. "So, want to get another beer? I'm out."
I pulled out my wallet to see how much I had left, and he reached in and took the last ten I had. "Just enough! I'll be right back."
I started to grab it from him but he just took off. Asshole! He fucking stole my last ten and smiled while he did it! I was going to follow him and make a scene but suddenly our team scored to pull within twenty-four points, and the students cheered derisively.
Five minutes later he was back and handed me the beer cup he had drunk from. The one he kept was full. I figured I had been smart not to fight him. Not only was he bigger, but he had impressive arms and shoulders. It was the first time I had seen him wear a tank top. Must be a weight lifter, I thought.
"So listen dude" he began, leaning in close. He was drunk. "You seem like you know what the fuck is going on in that class we're taking. The teacher really likes you and you have all the right answers. To me it's too fucking complicated."
"So?" I responded, wishing I could get away from him. But he leaned in closer.
"So I was thinking you could help me with that take home test. Tomorrow." He held up his phone which showed his number. "Call me so I have your number. We'll hook up tomorrow and you can help me."
Without thinking, I did as he told me. He finished his beer, grabbed mine, and drained it too, and then got up. Flexing his guns he said "Bud Light turns into muscle in this bod! I'll text you tomorrow when I'm ready."
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