It was his first semester in college, and Mike felt he had been adjusting well to the new life. His roommate was rarely ever in the room, giving him plenty of privacy. Classes weren’t tough, the weather was beautiful. The only thing that really bothered the guy was that he was single.
He’d never been a particularly muscular guy, so he’d taken to going to the gym on campus. He’d just come back from a quick workout, and was soaked in sweat, and tired. “I really hope this is worth it, I’m completely beat.” He shut the door to his room, threw his gym clothes on the floor and slipped on some sandals and a towel to go take a shower. The communal shower on his floor wasn’t as bad as he imagined. He was the only guy in it now since it was midday, so he wasn’t too embarrassed. After messing with the dial for a bit, the water came out. He got a bit in his mouth and coughed, “God, haven’t they heard of a water filter?”
A few hours went by uneventfully, other than some slight aching in his arms, legs and back, probably from the exercise. His stomach growled and he decided to head to the cafeteria for some dinner. Just as Mike opened the door, he walked into his roommate, Keith, almost knocking him over.
“Sorry about that. Uh, welcome back.”
“Thanks. Don’t worry about it. Where are you off to?”
”Just on may way to get some food, I’m famished.”
“Mind if I come with? There wasn’t any food on the plane ride”
Mike nodded and the two started walking. He noticed that Keith smelled really good, and made a note to borrow some of whatever that cologne was.
“Mike, nice hair,” says Keith, half joking. “ I go away for a weekend and you decide to go blonde? Your choice, I guess”
Mike stops short and looks up at his forehead and sees some blonde hairs at the top of his vision. What the hell? He decides to play it cool and not draw attention to himself.
“Oh yeah, well, y’know, just trying a new look at college. My folks would have killed me if I dyed it back home”
The awkward conversation ends as they walk in the door. Mike’s thrown back by everything he can smell in the cafeteria. Not only the food, but everyone is wearing a ton of perfume or something. He coughs a bit, but shakes it off. Looking at his choices for food, there’s not a whole lot. Mike goes for the plastic container of chicken? Beef? Whatever that thing is he took three of them, he wanted something meaty and filling. Keith looked at him like he was crazy, but the two paid and then focused on finding seats. The cafeteria’s almost full at this time.