One weekend we had a frat party in the halls. Pete lived in the halls of residence on the other side of the campus and it was our turn to host the boys. Lynn had gone back to her village for the weekend. It was my first hall party and I had no idea what to expect. The posters said that it was a toga party so most people showed up draped in their bedsheets. There were kegs of beer, bottles of vodka, tequila and gin, and stacks of Old Dutch potato chips in all flavours. Hip-hop was blaring from someone’s CD player. The common room was full of people in various states of undress, making out.

Drinking was serious business in college, so when things got going, the guys got to it like soldiers on a dawn raid. A hose would be shoved into a willing mouth and then the whoops and cheers started. I sipped some white wine and stared at the mayhem unfolding in front of me. One by one, the guys started projectile-vomiting beer and half-digested chips. It was disgusting. I decided that I’d seen enough and turned to go back to my room down the hall.

Hey Del, where ya goin?

Pete’s toga had come undone. He had tucked the fabric into his pants and he struck a comical pose. I giggled. He took a gulp of beer and came right up to me.

His eyes were a light blue, and I could see yellow flecks.

Wanna make out?

I could smell the beer on his breath. He didn’t seem that drunk. I felt awkward.

Come on, Del, Del. It’d be swell.

He took my hand, kissed it gently and led me with a flourish to the end of the hallway. I opened my room door and thought in a panic. Were we going to have sex? I did not have condoms. Did he? What would we do if it came to that?

He kissed me gently, probing my mouth with his tongue. He tasted sweet. His chest was pressed into mine, it felt warm. I felt a strange thrill in my groin as his hands went up and down my back and then slowly into my bra. He tickled my nipples with his fingers, then guided me to the bed and pressed himself on top of me. His mouth was everywhere, my nose, eyes, ears, neck. Everything was wet. He lifted up my T-shirt and eased my bra off. His mouth was on my right nipple, then my left, then his hands went for my jeans. I turned my head and said, no. No, Pete. No.

Okay, Del. Sure.