Bad Connections

Doug lay down on his bed, then spoke slowly and carefully. "I had a very rough day today, Josh. Second day of my first round of college midterms. I have more classes tomorrow and I am very tired. Look, you do whatever you want with Kathleen, just turn out the lights and leave me out of it. I'm okay with sex, but not like this."

"Don't you like girls, Doug?" Kathleen teased him.

"I do, but I don't like you," Doug answered. "Josh likes you, that's okay. But I. Don't. Like. You." He did not look at her while speaking. He pulled the sheets over his clothed body for emphasis.

Kathleen did not answer him for a long moment. Then she spoke again. "Oh come on, Doug. I'm sexy and I'm into you. I like the way you talk and I like geeks like you, okay?" Her eyes were looking up and to the left, as though she were lying through her teeth. "Hey, if I come over there and hump you, is that okay?"

Doug did not answer her. He was a bit hard, had been so involuntarily since Kathleen had first mentioned masturbation. Maybe... no. I do not want her touching me. I'll push Kathleen away if she tries anything. I get the feeling she thinks she's entitled to any sex she wants, with anyone, no matter how she puts them down. I'm not into sex with people like her. I'm definitely not into sex in front of Josh either. I haven't had sex in the last three months. I might have accepted her if he wasn't part of things. If he left...

He considered asking Josh to leave now. No, Kathleen wasn't asking Josh to leave. Josh wasn't saying he would leave either. Try it, he decided.

"Josh, I might be okay with this if you weren't here. Thanks for inviting Kathleen over. Can you leave us alone now?"

"No way, man, this is my room and I want to see her fuck you!"

"He stays!" Kathleen added. "I want you both at the same time. We do this my way, or not at all!"

Could he go through with this? Doug wondered. Just service her with no regard for his own misgivings? Not care about Josh's presence and their mutual obvious disrespect for him? No, he could not. Or more properly, he should not.

Doug shook his head and made a dismissive gesture.

"Okay, whatever," Kathleen growled at him. Doug could hear her footsteps walking away a short distance. "Hey, Josh, why don't we fuck and if Doug wants to join us later, he can. You okay with that?"

"Sure, K. No problem! You want the lights on?"

"Nah, turn em off. I like the dark better."

The room's lights soon went out. Doug grimaced in the dark as he heard Kathleen joining Josh in his bed. The two of them were soon exchanging heavy breaths. "Let me take your clothes off, Josh," Kathleen called out her intentions. "I'm already naked and wet for you. I shaved my pussy for you. Like it?"

"You know it, K."

The dirty couple laughed in chorus, then started smacking each other loudly. Doug grabbed his pillow and pulled it over his head, trying to muffle the noise. He had headphones and a portable tape player in his backpack, but wasn't sure he could find them easily in his current circumstances. He didn't want to leave the room either. It was his room, never mind that Josh and Kathleen were not respecting his space. He didn't know anyone else in the dorm well enough to ask them if he could sleep over and be sure of an answer. Their floor was fully occupied with guys, like every odd numbered floor in the building above the first far as he knew. Girls lived on the even-numbered floors. He hadn't seen the need to fully explore the building beyond his floor and the cafe and lobby facilities on the first floor. There was the couch in the communal TV room, it was comfortable enough, but... I shouldn't have to sleep out there, Doug thought.

But his current location was increasingly uncomfortable.

Josh was clucking at Kathleen between their kisses. "You're missing some great fun, Doug!" he called out.

"You can come join in any time you change your mind!" Kathleen reminded him, laughing along. "Hey, Josh, stick your cock in me! It's so big!"

"You think so?"

"Yeah, baby! Hey Doug, you big too? Want to come show me?"

Doug had never measured his dick, but thought it was decent enough. The three girls he'd been intimate with before now had never complained. He said nothing to Kathleen, though, trying to block out her temptation.

"Fuck me, Josh!" she directed his roommate. "Fuck me!"

"You got it," Josh said. "Gonna fuck you hard just the way you like it!"

Doug could hear their bodies joining together, their lips smacking. They were both jerking and moaning, the bed shaking with their motions. Kathleen was being loud enough he could hear her, but not so much that it could be heard from outside the room. Josh was about the same volume. They were both clearly close to orgasm, to Doug's judgement. He could not tell in the dark for sure, but they were probably sweating, heaving, and clashing their bodies together. He thought about just giving in and going to join them. No, he didn't like them. And he would not be used.

But he couldn't just block out the events and fall asleep either. It was giving him a terrible headache. He tried to envision what was happening next to him, Kathleen's body wildly entangled with Josh's. Doug had watched a few movie sex scenes, and imagined a few from novels. He'd also watched Tanya and Jodie Lee make love with each other during their threesome. None of that had disturbed him. Even movies about uncomfortable relationships hadn't bothered him much. The movies had established the attraction between their couples, ensured the audience believed in it. But this... he had never expected to witness anything like this.

And yet... shit, he was hard.

He'd hoped his presence would dissuade Josh and Kathleen from coupling. He wasn't a prude, but he wasn't exactly projecting a welcoming attitude towards their activity either. Nevertheless, they were still humping against each other not ten feet away from him. His body was reacting to the stimuli too.

I have to take care of myself if I'm to sleep comfortably, he knew. They already said they wouldn't mind. Can they even see me in the dark? He decided to stroke his shaft to climax and see if that calmed him down, pretend this was just another story in his mind or something he was watching on TV. This was similar enough, right?

It was hot enough, he thought. It could excite him. He would jack off and then relax. He did not bother to listen to the noise or reflect on the people making it. Josh and Kathleen were replaced in his imagination by a random pair of attractive movie stars he liked. Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze in Ghost, or Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. Kathleen was Linda Hamilton in the Terminator. No, wait, Josh wasn't Michael Biehn. No loyalty, no chivalry. Block him out, Doug decided. Her too. They are not here. Just your need and your shaft. You can't leave the room in this state. You can't go to sleep. So take care of yourself. Without touching or thinking about the things you do not like.

He rejected the reality in the room, and substituted another. Kathleen and Josh were not present. Instead another couple was nearby, crying out and exchanging passion. This couple loved each other, knew Doug was watching them, and were okay with it. They were exhibiting their pleasure for him, and he was happy to witness it. They were his friends. They cared about him. He was not just a convenient idiot to be exploited. He rubbed his shaft as the cries in the room continued, pushing down his shorts and letting his underwear alone be a barrier for his spurting. He envisioned a better situation and went there.

A place he could see clearly, with people who cared about and respected him. Doug did not think about Josh and Kathleen. He thought about Tanya and Jodie Lee instead. Crying out in chorus for his appreciation, not just theirs. That was enough to bring him off.

He grunted softly, rubbed his cock, trying not to make a sound that would be overheard. He was not far, not far...

Pop. His fluid spurted. Not much, but enough to cause his organ to naturally deflate. Phew.

Yet the headache remained.

"Hey, Josh, you think he's asleep?"

"Who cares? I just brought him into this because no other guys I know were interested in you."

"What was their problem?"

"No idea, K. Hey, can I suck you?"

"Yes! Submit to your mistress, pig!"

Obscene gobbling noises ensued as Josh started snacking on Kathleen's cunt. That was what Doug could guess was happening anyway. Kathleen let out several more triumphant moans. Doug could hear her slapping herself- or perhaps being slapped by Josh?- as she twitched under Josh's attention.

"Suck me!" she shouted. "Yes! Ahh!!"

"You taste so good, K!"

"I do, don't I? Too bad your twerp roomie ain't interested! Some Austin Powers wannabe he is!"

That was it. Doug didn't need to be put down like this. He was leaving. He pulled himself out of the sheets, bundled them into a roll, and stood up. "I'm out of here! You two have fun! Bye!"

"Good bye, you limey poser!" Kathleen mocked. Josh did not even bother to respond.

Doug fled the room, their every moan a sting to his skin. He closed the door softly behind him, then looked about the hall. It was late. No doors were open. He made his way to the communal couch in the TV room, and there he was able to sleep at last.

***

In the morning, Doug realized he'd forgotten his wallet, keys, and phone in the dorm room. They had been in his jean pockets under the bed.

Shit, now he had to go back and face Josh and Kathleen.

There was no other way. He went back to his room, sighing in relief when he found they were not present.

But the door was locked.

And his keys were inside. Crap!

He pounded on the door, but no one answered. At least he was decently dressed.

Okay, what to do now? Well, the RA had a master key, right? Doug went to Ruben's door and knocked on it. No one answered there either. The guy in the room next to Ruben's had his door open and was playing videogames. "You seen Ruben?" Doug asked him.

"He might be down in the breakfast cafeteria. Not sure."

"Thanks." Doug headed down to the cafeteria.

There was no sign of Ruben anywhere. But he did recognize one familiar face. Ashley was sitting by herself, eating a bagel. On impulse, Doug walked over to her. "Hey Ashley."

Josh's nicer girlfriend looked up and smiled at him. "Hey, Josh's roommate! Dan, right?"

"Doug," he corrected.

"Sorry," she recovered. "What's up?"

"You seen Josh?" Doug asked her.

"It's eight- he has class till around eleven-thirty. We don't meet till lunch."

"Oh." Doug realized he had never asked about his roommate's schedule. Josh didn't know his either. "Well, he locked me out of our room."

"What? How did that happen?"

Doug felt angry at Josh. Before he could stop himself, he was telling Ashley everything.

"You and Josh on the rocks right now? Broken up? He have a hall pass or something?"

"What? No!" Ashley recoiled, her face showing mild disgust. "What are you talking about?"

"You know a girl named Kathleen Ansley?"

Ashley frowned. "Yeah, she's my roommate. Why?"

Suddenly a lot made sense. "Were you supposed to see Josh last night?"

"No. I told him I had to study. Midterms are this week."

That made sense too. And Doug needed to tell her the rest. Was it revenge on Josh? Yes, but also Ashley was a nice girl. She didn't deserve to be pushed aside like this.

"Josh brought Kathleen over to our room last night so they could hook up. They asked me to join them, but I wasn't interested. I left without my keys." The last part was followed by a sheepish sigh.

"That sounds... awful." Ashley did not seem surprised. "Sorry you had to go through that. Thanks for telling me."

The anger was growing in her pale blue eyes now. She looked away from Doug, setting down the bagel and standing up.

"Do you need me to help you?" Doug asked her. "I have a little free time this morning, and more this afternoon."

Ashley shook her head. "I'll be fine. You seem nice, but I'm not ready for another relationship right now. Thanks, but no thanks."

"That isn't what I mean," Doug insisted. He wasn't intending to hook up with Ashley. He wouldn't mind it, she was pretty, but under these circumstances... no, it wasn't right any more than he and Kathleen were. He could not treat this girl like Josh had treated her, or like Kathleen had treated him. He would not be able to respect himself if he tried that. "I just..."

But she was ignoring him and turning away. Clearly, trying to convince her his motives were otherwise than what she thought was pointless.

Ashley walked off, and he let her go.

Doug walked back to his room, hoping to find Ruben back by now. Or maybe there was another RA on their floor. The dorms had cleaning service also. Maybe...

Ruben's door was open. Yes! The RA looked up from a pile of papers at his desk. "Hi Doug! You look like hell."

"Josh locked me out," Doug replied, grimacing.

"Yeah, someone told me you slept on the couch last night. Sorry, I was over at my girlfriend's apartment. You leave your phone in the room too?"

"Yes. And I don't know anyone else here. Your number's in my phone but I don't have it memorized."

"Let me get my key for your room. What happened?"

Doug felt the need for further revenge on Josh- and maybe Kathleen as well. "Does this dorm have a policy against sexual harassment?"

"Yes..."

Doug spoke quickly before Ruben could make the wrong assumptions. "Josh brought a girl over to the room last night, tried to get me into something I didn't want. I left the room so they could get it on- without my key."

"I see." Ruben grimaced. "Do you want another room? We don't have any open, but another floor might."

"Uh, sure," Doug shrugged. He looked at the clock. "I got class in an hour and a half, though. Just enough time to clean myself up and pack but no more than that. And I don't know where else I can go."

Before Ruben could answer, a scornful voice called out. "You asshole!"

Doug turned to see Kathleen standing behind him, fire in her eyes. A large black bruise adorned her left cheek, the approximate shape of Ashley's hand.

"You told her everything, didn't you? Twerp!"

Doug could not lie to this woman. "Yes. She didn't deserve to just be pushed around like that. I didn't either." He smiled. "Look on the bright side- now you and Josh don't have to worry about her."

"That wasn't what I wanted, you moron!" Kathleen shook her finger at him. "I wanted both of them! Josh was going to get with Ashley in our room, then I would have moved in and gotten her too."

"Did you or Josh ask her about that?"

"Of course not! Then she would have said no! And now I don't have him either! He dumped me by text message right before Ashley stormed into our room, said he wanted Ashley and I was too nasty for him to keep, whatever that means! He thinks he can patch things up with her and you if he dumps me! You fucking narc... you've ruined everything! I may have to find a new room now too!"

Doug had not expected such action from Josh. "Uh, I'm sure you'll be fine, Kathleen." He tried to give her some sympathy. "Look, I'm in the same situation. I think we all fucked up."

"No!" Kathleen glared at him. "This is all your fault! You could have had me last night, you twerp! You could have avoided all this! Fuck you, Doug! Fuck you!"

How could he recover from this? Ruben was saying nothing and Doug was feeling lower than he thought was possible. Something his youngest aunt had said to one of her abusive ex-husbands once occurred to him. "No thank you, Kathleen. I know you want to fuck, but I don't."

Kathleen gaped at him. She drew back her hand.

Doug prepared himself to block her slap. He didn't like fighting women- he usually let them win in sparring matches- but he didn't know what else to do here. This situation was new for him and had hurt him enough. What was he supposed to do? Accept Kathleen's assault? Apologize? No, neither seemed right. He didn't want to fight Kathleen, but...

Ruben stepped between them. "Look, I don't know what happened here, but obviously mistakes were made. Can we all just reset?"

Kathleen lowered her hand, turned away instead and walked off muttering under her breath. Doug and Ruben grimaced at each other as they watched her leave.

"Was that the girl?" Ruben asked. "The one with Josh last night?"

"Yes," Doug admitted. "And she was right about everything."

"I don't blame you for rejecting that," Ruben said. "Look, how much stuff you got? I know some guys who can help you move. I can keep your stuff in my room while you're at class and I find a place for you."

"That'd be great," Doug replied after a moment of thought. "I just got three suitcases and my backpack. I can get it together in thirty minutes, no problem." Frequent travel had made him a fast packer.

"Good. I'll call Boris, another RA I know elsewhere in the dorm. I think he has rooms open. You can move onto his floor. This is a big place, people can stay hidden on the down low. We won't tell Josh where you went, obviously. You have any problems, let me or Boris know. We can alert security and help you. I can't punish Josh or that girl for this unless you have evidence of a legal crime, but I can get you away from the situation. Okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Ruben."

"No problem, man."

***

Five Months Later.

"You asked me for my most disturbing sexual experience," Doug said to his therapist slash new girlfriend. "That was it."

Lisa Coleman, a curvaceous redhead with deep blue eyes and lithe muscles, scratched a note on her yellow pad and sighed. "I don't see any winners in that situation. I would have done everything you did. My roommate seduced me, but she was a lot nicer about it."

"I'm still ashamed of myself for all of it," Doug replied.

"I don't see a reason why you should be. No reason to be ashamed of your body's natural reactions. And you had to take care of your arousal before stepping out of the room- no shame there. What else could you have done? Tried to get it up for that girl who wasn't respecting you?"

"No. I was tired and I didn't want her."

"Right. It wouldn't have been a great sexual experience for you even if you tried to go through the motions. And Josh could have let you have her and kept Ashley, but he didn't. Or he could have brought you your key the next day."

"Yeah. He didn't do any of that."

"Did you ever see him again?"

"Not since I left Jester. Ruben helped me move out that morning. I packed my stuff up, we put it in his room. Then I went to class, took the exam- did okay on it- and killed time at the arcade afterwards taking my anger out on games there. I had more classes that afternoon and got through them too. Went to the arcade again afterwards, then the gym. By that evening, I was okay. Ruben helped me move to another floor, I met Boris, and we connected."

***

"I've seen you in the Gregory Gym, right?" the large blonde man asked, smiling as he gave Doug a firm handshake. "On the rowing machines and hitting the boxing bags."

"I've seen you there too," Doug affirmed. "You lift weights, more than I can usually manage."

"I hit the bags sometimes too. You need a sparring partner? I haven't found one yet."

"Uh, I've never been up against someone your size before."

"I'll show you some tricks."

Doug was intrigued enough by the challenge to accept it. "Okay. Just don't make beating you easy for me please."

"Never. I know some clubs downtown too, I work in that area. Hey, you play Hackmaster?"

"I've heard of it, but haven't played it. Is it anything like D&D?"

"It's a parody fantasy role playing game. Some guys in this dorm get together on Sundays at a local pizza joint for it. I'm a Paladin in the group. We could use another player. Our GM, Zeck, is leaving for the Naval Academy at the end of the summer. Our Rogue Keith is the backup. We don't have a Wizard right now if you're interested."