College Fresh Meat - Part I
Part I - Orientation Turning into the entrance of the campus just around the cinder block wall, Kai felt the wind push against him, his map of the college nearly ripping from his paws.
"This place is huge!" he exclaimed under his breath, struggling to keep the map open against the wind. Today was student orientation for the freshmen. Kai gave up and messily folded the school map along its creases and stuffed it into a pocket of his jumper. He had already found where he had to go, and he'd been too excited about starting his first year of professionalism to put down the map since yesterday anyway.
"Look at all these freshmen," Kai muttered to himself as he admired everyone walking around the campus. Because he wasn't very muscular, his brownish-red fluffy fur compensating for his lack of meat, a lot of his time people watching was admiring their physique. He could barely tap the top of his head on a five-foot-six person's chin, so his standards for appearance were corrupted. Kai eventually stopped feeling sorry for his lack of everything and continued watching students walking up and down the college grounds. He saw otters, wolves and even another fox, chitchatting with other students, probably friends since high school. He didn't see anyone he noticed, though. He wasn't a very social person to begin with, and most of his high school classmates probably went to more prestigious institutions far away from home rather than a local college. "I'll make my own friends here soon enough," he said with a faint scoff. As much as Kai enjoyed his lonely independence, he didn't want to be eating lunch or studying all by himself during his first semester in college.
"I can't wait to see how many hot guys there are this year, too," Kai unknowingly told himself as he caught a glimpse of a burly gecko wearing a shirt obviously too small for his body. With a sting of embarrassment, his cheeks twitching as if he'd been smiling for too long, Kai slowly looked behind himself to see whether anyone had heard him. He sighed with relief as he saw everyone minding their own business, glancing his attention at the distancing entrance from where he'd nearly lost his map. Before bringing his head back forward, Kai felt a hard, warm something mush his cheek, forcing his balance backwards."Whoa, hey!" a deep voice grunted, the vibration tickling Kai's ear before he could lift his head."S--" Kai sputtered as he regained his balance, "Sorry!" Kai rubbed his cheek as he apologised several more times with a shiver in his voice. Starting a fight on the first day of school wasn't part of the plan today. The deep voice spoke again, now turning around. "Oh, no worries." It was too deep for Kai to distinguish disdain or disregard. Kai met eyes as the obstruction spun around. A grey-on-white wolf stood towering over him, with Kai's eyes meeting up to his chest. Kai observed the wolf's fairly formal attire, with the college's logo smoothly plastered on the left side of his chest, which strained against the polo shirt and the apparent muscles underneath."Good morning, little man," the wolf chimed, the pet name sending Kai's ears into a couple of flicks."Good morning," Kai managed to reply without a stutter. The wolf raised an eyebrow. Kai widened his eyes in confusion until he looked down, seeing that the wolf's paw was outstretched, requesting a handshake."Oh!" Kai exclaimed. He shot his arm up and grasped the wolf's paw. "Good morning," he said again, this time with the stutter. The wolf's grip was firm, but it didn't hurt Kai. The warmth of the wolf's paw made Kai's fur on his arm stand up, conveniently hidden beneath his jumper sleeve. The handshake took three bobs before the wolf finally spoke again."Where're you headed?""Oh, I'm--" Kai shook his mind focused again, "I'm headed to the orientation."Even though Kai had studied the school map enough to know where to go, he unknowingly continued with a question. "Do you know where the cafeteria is?" The wolf's muzzle stretched with a materialising smile. "Of course, little man! I'm one of the leaders in the mentoring program here.""Oh," Kai said genuinely. Before he could speak again, the wolf continued."I can take you there, if you'd
like.""Sure, that'd be great!" Kai responded with his own smile. "I'm Kai, by the way.""Jordan. Pleased to meet you, little Kai." I thought giving my name would have him stop calling me that, Kai thought to himself. Kai followed Jordan close behind. The wind blew the subtle body spray that Jordan was wearing into Kai's nose. He inhaled until his lungs were full of the wolf's unique musk. With the mixture of the wolf and the very appealing body spray, it made Kai groan with delight."Man, that's good," Kai spat out, gasping immediately after realising he spoke out loud."Hm?" the wolf asked turning his head, although not looking directly at him."Oh," Kai began to stammer, "The food. Man, that...smells good.""Wow." Jordan said blankly. "Your nose must be strong. The cafeteria's further in.""Yeah," Kai chortled nervously, "I guess so." Kai watched the wolf's head turn back around, frowning and shaking his head as he disappeared from the wolf's peripheral vision.Stupid, Kai scolded himself, feeling his body growing warm from embarrassment. As they finally made their way to the nearest door to the cafeteria, Kai could see a crowded mass of students walking around inside, the imminently loud chattering muffled by the glass windows.Jordan jogged a couple of steps to open the door. "Go on in and we'll start the orientation soon, okay?""Sure, thank you," Kai replied, making his way through the opened door, nodding his head in gratitude as he glided past him.Just before Kai passed through the doorway, he felt the wolf's paw land on his shoulder, the firm pads holding him in place."You'll love me as your mentor, little man," the wolf whispered with a playful growl, ending his words with a click of the tongue. Before Kai could reply, the wolf patted his shoulder, letting the door swing closed, forcing Kai out of the doorway and into the cafeteria filled with obnoxious freshmen.Click here to go to Part II >>