Chapter 1: Opening Image
Jake jerked his head up at the sudden noise of keys jangling outside. "Huh?" He leaned towards the door to try and hear through the old, distorted wood. "Please let this be maintenance."
His laptop's screen illuminated the room around him, casting a pale glow onto the worn-out rug on the floor, the unmade bed, and the pile of unread books and empty cans—everything Jake preferred to ignore for another all-nighter.
He squinted at the time on the computer: 2:35 AM. Just great. Now he was hearing things.
Back at his computer, Jake paused his game and scooted his chair back a bit. Maybe there was someone else in the building searching for refuge from the storm, or perhaps it was the dorm manager, finally unlocking the doors to let everyone leave.
He waited for a moment, listening attentively. When nothing happened, he decided to check for himself. Jake stood and reluctantly moved towards the door, the floor creaking beneath his every step.
He pressed his ear against the cold wood, but all he could hear was the sound of the rain pelting against the window outside.
"Fuck," he muttered under his breath, slumping against the wall. He had his laptop charger, his phone charger, and a small collection of protein bars—that was about as prepared as he ever got for any emergencies.
He opened the door slowly, half expecting someone to pull a prank or jump out from behind it.
But there wasn't anyone in sight.
Just as Jake was about to close the door, he noticed the door opposite his room had been left ajar. He nudged it open wider, revealing the space within: a dorm room almost identical to his, down to the identical stained carpet and the same rain-spattered window.
But this room was different in one major way.
There, illuminated by the harsh florescent bulbs overhead, was a girl. A stunningly beautiful girl.
Long blonde hair that cascaded down her shoulders like a golden waterfall, large blue eyes that glinted under the harsh lighting, and a slender figure that seemed to defy gravity. The ECSTASY poster hanging above her head seemed to sum up the situation perfectly: "You could say she's hot... But that would be an understatement."
Jake's hand trembled as it clenched into a fist, his heart racing like a jackhammer in his chest.
This couldn't be real. Maybe it was a hallucination, a side-effect of the all-nighters he'd been pulling recently. But despite the logical part of his brain telling him to turn and run, another part of him was already stepping forward, powerless to resist the beautiful creature before him.
"I-is everything okay?" Jake stammered, willing his voice to come out stronger. "I heard some noise..."
The girl turned her head towards him, and Jake found himself drowning in those piercing blue eyes.
He hesitated for a moment, before taking a deep breath and stepping closer.
"I... I think I have the same problem as you," he said, only deepening his nervous ramble.
She raised one absently perfect eyebrow at him. "Really? You seem to have a couple more problems, if you ask me," she replied, her voice smooth and sultry.
"I... I don't understand. What do you mean?" Jake asked, his eyes wide with confusion.
That was when he noticed the way her gaze was lingering on his crotch, and suddenly, everything clicked into place.
Her perfect red lips curled up at the corners. "I think you have a very clear idea of what I mean, Jake," she purred, standing and sauntering forward, every movement a fluid and sensual dance.
Jake sucked in a sharp breath as he felt her fingers brush against his hip, moving down until they were grasping the hem of his shirt.
Her touch was electric, sending a jolt straight to his already-hardening dick. I didn't realize," he managed to stutter out, swallowing hard as her fingers inched upwards, tracing the contours of his abs and chest.