Lunch time arrived quietly on the Moon Lake College campus, and Nate and Alex found themselves being swamped as they made their way out of the Culinary Arts building and began to walk toward the Student Union building to get a lunch. Nate even had his hands in his pockets fingering a few dollar bills that would be needed to pay for the lunch. Nate was actually fairly quiet as he walked along and as both he and Alex tried to dodge college students as they rushed to either get to their next class on time or get to lunch and have it before they had to get to a class after that.
"Hey, stud, you okay?" Alex asked to him as they walked along.
"Yeah," Nate answered, "I'm okay... though... it's... I don't know... I felt kinda like a fifth wheel in there."
Which was fairly true. Alex had talked extensively with Ms. Adams on the college's culinary program, which included some introductory courses that would amount to a high school's home economics class, and Nate privately felt maybe taking one of those courses. He had helped his parents cook from time to time, but it had amounted to little more than fetching things for them or stirring something until told the stop. Outside of canned pasta or any "pre-cooked" meal that had written instructions on the box for warming it or essentially cooking it again, Nate really didn't know that much about cooking and didn't want to come off as though he was living off of Alex's ability in the kitchen... if their relationship went that far.
However, the conversation between Alex and Ms. Adams quickly left Nate's skill level in the dust as they got into some more of the details of the courses and what they helped allow for. At the same time, once they got into Ms. Adams' office and the mix of food scents wasn't masking her scent, Nate and Alex found that she was a were, a werecougar, and Nate found her growing rather aroused the longer she talked with Alex. Nate knew he'd never be able to match their cooking ability and didn't like the fact that a straight woman was getting turned on by HIS boyfriend.
"Come on it wasn't that bad," Alex answered
"She was aroused by you as you talked with her!" Nate answered, "I'd be surprised if she wasn't fingering herself behind her desk..."
"Are you jealous, stud?" Alex reached around Nate's shoulders and held Nate to him, "you know you needn't be. She may have had some interest... but you know you're the ONLY one who'll get a rise out of me."
Nate looked over to him as there was a certain tone of voice to Alex's answer that had a tone of voice had certain tones that attracted some attention from him.
"Tell you what," Alex smiled to him, "after the Skulk ceremony, why don't we go somewhere quiet and I'll show you just how much I'm interested in you and not in a werecougar."
"Promise?" Nate asked.
"Promise," Alex answered, "You're the one I'm interested in."
Nate felt reassured at that, though he really wasn't that concerned that Alex would suddenly have interest in Ms. Adams. They had been intimate with each other enough to know that Alex wouldn't have any interest in girls, no matter how pretty they were. The thing that had made him feel like a fifth wheel was more their mutual interest and cooking ability that left him in the dust.
"I'll hold you to it, handsome," Nate replied, but gave a sigh at the end.
"Something still wrong?" Alex asked.
"I guess more that you and her were so good or interested in things related to cooking and so on," Nate answered, "I really don't know that much... and well... I'd probably end up living on microwaveable TV dinners if I was left on my own. Nothing really came up where I could either give you encouragement that wouldn't sound like I was crying for help or comment on anything with any degree of intelligence."
"Ah... don't worry," Alex smiled, "I don't mind... and if we end up having our own happy ever after... I'd be MORE than happy to teach you what I've learned."
The two hugged and continued on their way.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Meanwhile, Ben and Kenya settled in a room in the Student Union building. They did pay a visit to the college's art department and picked up some further information on the college's art department. Ben found the information interesting that he got from the art department. They had some classes that would work with comics and with animation, though these were more on the high end classes for art majors and particularly with specific art majors which all required doing well in some of the introductory classes related to life, still objects, and so on. He also learned that the college did offer internship opportunities for some art majors to be "life models" for some of the art majors, though these opportunities also went to anyone on the college. It was all very interesting and gave Ben plenty to think about.
However, that really wasn't the big thing that he had really gone to the art department for, and why he and Kenya had come to a lounge area in the Student Union building. The student center had plenty of soft couches, a few pool tables, a dart board, a couple of newspapers and a lone television that was presently set to ESPN and doing their daily sports news report. Ben paid little attention to that and focused on the drawing that hung on the wall. It was done with cross-hatched colored pencils and was under a glass cover to protect it. It showed a picture with several people on it. One was a black haired man that Ben didn't recognize as well as a black haired woman that Ben didn't recognize, Jeff and Jen Decker when they were college students. One was of a man that looked like a younger version of his father according to the memories that Ben had, and one was also similar for his mother as well. The last two looked like younger versions of Frances and Samantha. Below the picture was the title: "College Friends Forever."
"The were all friends," Ben said softly as he looked to the picture, "both of my parents... birth parents and my moms."
"It is a good picture," Kenya commented, "showing the bond among college friends. I've seen it a couple of times... but... I've never thought to wonder who the artist was."
"It's okay," Ben gave a smile, "As I said... my memories of my parents is really limited more to just feelings and an occasional image. Beyond that, all I really know is what my moms told me. It's good to see that they were all friends when they were younger... along with the other two in the picture."
Kenya nodded and then rubbed his shoulder, "Why don't we get some lunch. My treat."
"You're sure?" Ben asked.
"Of course," Kenya answered, "young and aspiring artists need to eat to."
Ben chuckled, looked back to the picture and then calmly followed Kenya out. It didn't take too long to get up the line for the main cafeteria on the campus. The college did have options for more fast food restaurants and a small sort of deli that was available to students and faculty, but these were often apart from the standard meal plans given to students and since Kenya was also escorting Ben, though as a date and not because of any obligation to the college, she figured it would be easier to use the main cafeteria for lunch. It would give him a decent range of choices as a good atmosphere. Ben went along with it, as he figured that if Nate and Alex were still on the campus, that might be the way to meet with them.
They arrived in the line and went through it quietly. As they arrived, they ran into Nate and Alex as they came in.
"Ben?!" Nate spoke in surprise, not expecting to see his neighbor there.
"Come to check out the open house, too, eh?" Ben smiled to his friends and pack mates.
"Yeah," Nate answered, "Something to do before getting to the Skulk's induction ceremony tonight for my folks."
"What brings you here?" Alex asked.
"That would be Kenya," Ben gestured to his girlfriend, "we'd had the agreement to come in have lunch and tour the campus."
"And has made for an interesting chance meeting," Kenya commented with a smile as she remembered the conversation she'd had with the two werewolves before she and Ben left Tad's welcome to the pack. "What do you think of the campus?"
"It looks fun," Nate commented, "and very interesting... though with some things... I've been left in the dust there."
Kenya nodded but didn't say anything on Nate's comment on being left in the dust. She didn't know fully what he meant and since it didn't seem to trump Nate's interest in the campus, she decided to accept that he did have some interest in the campus.
"They do do a lot to help students learn and grow for careers, sharpen interests, and even provide some entertainment," Kenya answered, "even if you live on campus or commute to the school, like I do."
"It'll definitely be on the list of colleges to apply to next year," Nate nodded, "and might even be the only one... since my dad said that I'd get a discount because he's on the staff here."
"And that will surely be worth it," Kenya smiled and then offered her student ID card and paid for both her lunch and for Ben's lunch. Nate and Alex followed with Nate paying in cash. As they finished, Kenya spoke to them, "They offer plenty of choices. Some can be snack food like hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza, and some could be more of a "meal" type lunch of various kinds. And don't worry... it's better than what you'd probably get at the high school."
"Good to hear," Alex smiled and the group then broke up to pick out their lunches.
They did regroup and made their way into the dining area. They engaged in some small talk on some of the details of their college visit and what they had seen so far. Ben wasn't too surprised on Alex's interest in the school's culinary programs, though the idea for Nate to teach/write was also interesting. The biggest surprise was the commentary that Eric might be a were by now.
"You're sure of that?" Ben asked, after explaining to Kenya that Eric was Nate's younger brother and reminding her of photo of the drawing he had made.
"Well... dad said he's reaching a point with some pretty big decisions would have to be made," Nate answered, "and he's clearly crazy about her."
"Yeah... but that doesn't necessarily mean he's going to become a were today," Ben commented, "I don't know much about mer courtship... but unless Eric decides he wants it now... I doubt Julie would force the issue. So... if he decides to wait or something like that..."
"But what if he does?" Nate wondered, "how do we... uh... congratulate him if he has?"
"I'd suppose just to wish him well and wish him happiness with Julie and go from there," Ben replied, figuring that was the best that really could be done. It was Eric's choice to become a were or not, and no one else's.