Date: Sat, 17 Jun 2000 11:10:42 -0400 (EDT)
From: sliders21@iname.com
Subject: if-i-let-you-go-2 (college)

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If I Let You Go - 2
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	Ryan's Point of View:
	*********************

	"Jason, meet my step-brother Jack," I began to introduce the two
but noticed that they both looked at each other in surprise. "Jack, Jason
Brooks, my roommate."

	"Umm," Jason quickly stood up and looked at Jack and me
uncomfortably. "Jack and I sort of know each other already."

	"Yeah," Jack said after he cleared his throat.  I looked at him
quizzically and saw that he was as fidgety as Jason was. "Jason and I
met...umm...back in Nice some months ago."

	"Ohh," I didn't really know what to say. I knew they were something
they weren't telling me. They continue to look at each other. I saw Jack
shake his head in a subtle way to Jason.

	"Uhh," Jack finally spoke up after a minute of silence. "I was
going to treat Ryan to lunch today. Maybe you'd like to join us?"

	"Some other time," Jason just smiled at him weakly. "I really just
wanted to relax today."

	"Maybe we could get together sometime," I watched Jack take out a
calling card and gave it to Jason. "I just moved in the City a month
ago. Call me anytime your free, okay? Even just to say hello."

	"Ok," Jason smiled at Jack and strangely enough Jack smiled back at
Jason. I haven't seen Jack smile since moving at the City. We said goodbye
to Jason and proceeded to drive to the City.  Jack told me that he made
reservation at a steak house.

	"How's Jason as a roommate?" Jack finally brought up Jason. We
haven't talked about him since leaving the Campus. He was cutting his steak
as he talked to me. I got the feeling that he was really trying to avoid
looking at me when he asked that question.

	"Okay, I guess," I said vaguely. Now I could finally ask him just
what is going on. "Ummm...How did you and Jason meet?"

	"That's a funny story actually," Jack looked up at me and gave me a
sort of nervous laugh. "Tommy and I were vacationing in Nice for a week
last December. Jason was also spending his Holidays there and he showed us
around since he knew the town pretty well."

	"I see," I didn't know what to make of that story. If that's what
happened, why were they acting so strange?

***********

	I was talking to some of my new classmates, getting to know them
and things like that while we were waiting for our professor to come in. I
was kind of surprised to see Jason and Lisa come in the room.

	"Could everyone settle down?" Jason said loudly as he looked at
everyone in the room. He looked at my direction and gave me a smile before
looking at my other classmates.

	"We're from the University Student Board," Lisa spoke up. "I'm Lisa
Masters and this is Jason Brooks. We would like to officially welcome you
to the university."

	"As you might know by now," Jason grinned at us. "You'll have your
college orientation later this afternoon. Fortunately or unfortunately for
you guys, Lisa and I have been assigned to handle the orientation for this
college."

	"One of the events later would be a game show," Jason
added. "That's why we need a representative from you guys. Any volunteers?"
We all fell silent but no one raised his or her hands.

	"If no one will volunteer then I would have to pick one of you
guys," Jason said as he looked straight and me and gave me an impish smile.

	"Wonder who you will choose?" Lisa said with a laugh as she saw me
blushing slightly. No one still raised his or her hands. But everyone was
buzzing, wondering what Lisa and Jason was talking about.

	"Fine," Jason spoke up. "Ryan, you'll be your section's
representative later. And I really hope you won't get mad at me. This is
just work. No hard feelings." I just gave him a look of disbelief as he and
Lisa looked at me in amusement. The two made a few other announcements
before leaving.  Then the girl besides me, Anna quickly leaned over to my
side.

	"You know that guy?" Anna asked me quizzically.

	"We're roommates," I said to her, somehow feeling a little lucky
that I get to room with such a wonderful guy.

	"I thought you said you're in the freshman dorms?" The guy on my
back asked me quizzically.

	"There was some mix up and he was assigned a room at the dorms
instead of Maple Hall," I answered him, trying to look that I wasn't that
interested in talking about Jason. People might get the wrong idea. "But I
think he said that he's trying to fix it up."

*******

	I was chatting with Anna and some other guys while waiting for the
line to move. We were lining up in front of the auditorium to register and
get our ID's.  Then Jason suddenly showed up besides me.

	"Hey," Jason said as he put his arm around my shoulders
casually. "I already got you signed up. Here's your ID. You can go in the
auditorium anytime you want."

	"Umm," I was staring to feel a little queasy again. I didn't know
if it was from nervousness or from embarrassment since my classmates were
looking at us intently. "Thanks."

	"Anytime," Jason gave me his usual warm smile before heading back
to the side entrance of the auditorium.  I just resumed talking to my
classmates like nothing happened. But somewhere inside of me, I felt like I
wanted to jump with joy.

*********

	I was walking to the canteen of the Science building, making small
talk with my friends.  Anna was asking em a few questions about Jason. I
felt like she was trying to fish for information about my roommate. She
seemed to have developed a crush on him.

 	As I entered the canteen, I noticed that it was only half-full.  I
was going to walk to the counter when I saw two figures in a corner
table. It was Jason and Jack!


***************
To be continued
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Any comments are welcome at: sliders21@iname.com