That had to be it. There was no way in Hell that Riley character was being for real on the phone call yesterday. Thinking back on it, though, it became ever more apparent that the questions he posed seemed to line up perfectly with what I was experiencing now today. Then the panic seeped its way into my veins and the rush of euphoria I'd felt before became much sourer.
How long would I be this way? How did the compulsion work to make me do the things I did?
Then his exaggerated and taunting voice reverberated in my head as if to answer, "You calling to get some attention!?", a pause in my head where I'd pondered where the shoe might drop, "...a little commitment! That aint so bad, huh?!"
It had worked.
Not only was I getting attention, anyone around me that held even a morsel of interest I could sense. Their desire called to me in a way that I lost control of myself. Their interest compelled me to service them. The blood drained from my face as I recalled the predatory instinct that drove me to pursue Jackie so unapologetically and shamelessly. The real me would never have done that. The real me would have stopped myself at risk of being judged.
Was it the body I was in, or magic?
The desire had always been there, plus a general curiosity of the human body. It could be equally true that the new house I was in gave me the confidence I needed to do what I'd done. My head buzzed with confusion. I needed to find a way back and retrieve the card. If demons did exist, I figured they'd probably be thrilled to confirm my suspicions. The other issue I was faced with, however, was that time had not suddenly stopped, and I'd need to be in class in about fifteen minutes.
I had my paper that was due and I had all of my school supplies. Even if my attendance weren't logged, I might just have an opportunity to slip my assignment into the grading stack. If I could find a way to make it back to the BARBER, the Barbara H Higgins English Center, I could sneak my way into the last row seats of the classroom and turn in my assignment at the end of the lecture on everyone's way out. Afterward, I would have the time to get back to my room and call "Sex Extract Co." to investigate further.
I'd probably need to be careful on the way back. If what I thought about my situation was true, then anyone who would consent to extracurricular activities on their end would obligate me to supply them. I had to admit to myself that outside of the potential for failing the assignment and starting out the new school year on the low end playing catch up, I didn't really mind the idea of multiple partners. The only constraint that I had was one of academic quality.
There were so many wonderful people on the campus and sex between one another was just as much a part of the lifestyle as the parties, the assignments, the drinking, and the education. University was meant to be a process of discovery. Discovery of the sciences, of the arts, and of the self.
Students changed their degrees all the time halfway through them. In fact, it was quite common. Individuals who had initially started as movie and film majors sometimes found themselves in animation or gaming. Biology majors might develop a love and interest in Chemistry while they learned about life science. For me, an initial interest in Law and Justice had led way to the less black and white that was Philosophy.
My parents had never approved of the change. My father, a criminal prosecutor, had basically disowned me the moment I even tried to broach the conversation with him. My mother was confused and trying to understand, but the conflict that was born between my dad's declarations of its uselessness would send her into an emotional spiral, arguing back and forth amongst themselves before telling me I was no longer welcome in "his" home.
Lucky for them, and for me, I had secured a scholarship from a local benefactor and one of the institutions many donors. Between the full coverage tuition, lodging, and books, all I had to do was work part time to feed myself and provide disposable income for whatever it was my heart wanted to do. There was quite a freedom in this that I'd never experienced before and a privilege I knew I'd come to miss after I graduated.
I, on schedule, still had to meet with Mr. Yumara on a regular basis to discuss what I was learning about, what I was currently working on, and the details of my academic standing. It was kind of like having a school counselor, but much more personal with the added pressure of mutual accountability.
I was thankful not to have that meeting with him today. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have him, a man of prestige and many years of success come onto me. Not because there was anything inherently wrong with it, but the dynamics of our relationship might make it feel a bit quid pro quo rather than organic.
With my levels of cortisol subsiding and the stress of the prospective day alleviated, I furrowed my brows in determination and stood up. I slapped the embedded rocks from my plump ass and started out from the field toward BARBER.