Two Doms

Our meeting with Lucy was at 4, so I made sure we were outside her office at 3.30.

By 4.25, she still hadn't arrived.

"This is ridiculous, man," Nick said, "I have shit to do today."

"You're right," I said, "You need to pack."

Nick scowled and looked away. I glanced at Lucy's door nervously. For our past few meetings it had still read "Head of Student Accommodations — Dr Jordan Parker." Lucy had finally seen fit to correct the name, but it looked like she had done so with a strip of marking tape and a Sharpie. If you looked closely enough, you could still see the name of her disgraced predecessor underneath.

It didn't exactly inspire confidence.

"I coulda been at that protest right now," Nick huffed.

"You don't even know what the protest was about," I said.

"Did you see that girl yesterday?" Nick said, "I don't need to know what it's about. If she cares about it, I care about it."

"Ugh," I wrinkled my nose, "You're a pig."

"What the fuck?" said Nick, "A pig?"

I ignored him and checked my watch again. 4.27. Well, I couldn't say I was surprised. If Lucy was any good at organisation, we wouldn't even be in this mess.

A couple of students ran past us, clearly in a rush to get across campus. I watched them move. They didn't run as smoothly as Nick did. Their cheekbones weren't as well defined either.

I shook my head. I had to stop comparing every guy I saw to Nick. It felt like his body was burned into my brain, after spending so many mornings watching him run, and so many evenings trying to ignore him coming out of the shower. Hopefully I would shake the impulse soon. The last thing I wanted when I was experimenting with my sexuality was for Nick to pop into my head.

I smiled at the thought. Experimenting with my sexuality... it wouldn't be long now until I could actually do it.

Nick noticed me smiling and shot me a dirty look.

"You're real confident you're gonna win this thing, huh?" he said.

I looked up at him coolly, "I am."

"Well," Nick looked off, "...don't be."

"Good one," I said. Nick didn't respond. I followed his eyeline.

There were more students hurrying off in the same direction. Some of them had their phones out. I frowned.

"Is something going on today?" I said.

"Dunno," said Nick, "Maybe the protest?"

"Ugh," I said, "Can you stop thinking about that girl? For one second?"

Nick looked affronted, "What is your problem, man? You were acting like a fucking dick to her yesterday."

"No I wasn't!" I blushed, "And do you have to talk like that? In public?"

Nick pressed on, "You were, dude! I dunno what happened! We were having a nice fucking moment and then she showed up and you got all pissy."

I shrugged helplessly, "She was so pushy!"

"Because she wanted to help people!" Nick scowled, "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No!" I protested, "I like helping people! I'm a very generous person! I just don't see why that has to come at my expense!"

"How was it at your expense?" said Nick, "You just had to sign a petition. And you could have done that without totally killing the vibe."

"Well!" I said, flustered, "Maybe I don't want you... shoving your sexuality in my face. I mean, you were so obvious. Don't you have any shame?"

"Shame?" said Nick, "What the fuck?"

"You were trying to get in her pants!" I said, "Anyone could see that!"

"So what?" said Nick, "I'm a grown man. She's hot. She cares about politics. Of course I wanna fuck her."

"Oh my God!" I smacked his arm, "You can't say that!"

Nick jerked his arm away, "Fuck off, dude! Use your words!"

Another gaggle of students rushed by. I stepped away from Nick, trying to hide my face, which I could only assume was bright red. What was wrong with me? I was a good person. I was polite! Why was he so good at pushing my buttons?

In the babble of passing voices, I heard one of the students say the word "protest." I glanced up at Nick. He'd heard it too. His jaw clenched.

"I'm gonna text her," he said.

"I already tried that," I said, "She isn't answering her phone."

"Not Lucy," said Nick, "Miel."

"How?" I said, "You didn't get her number."

Nick shrugged, "I'll send her a DM. She can't be that hard to find. What are the chances Great Oaks has two Miels?"

"Yeah," I muttered, "That'd be ridiculous."

Nick dug his phone out of the pocket of his stupid grey hoodie and started tapping away. I watched the group of students disappear into the distance.

They definitely could've been heading to the protest. Miel had mentioned that it was taking place outside the Dean's office, and they were heading in the right direction. Maybe that was why Lucy was so late. Having to battle her way through the crowd of hippies.

I sighed. It figured that this would happen. Me getting my own room had already been delayed a week, then a month. Why not another hour?

"There she is," Nick murmured behind me.

This definitely wasn't helping ameliorate any of the resentment I may or may not have had towards Miel. Sure, be pushy. Sure, have terrible taste in men. But couldn't she have at least have held her protest on another day? There was already so much going on today. Our meeting with Lucy, Kermit Tsu's hearing...

Wait.

"Oh, fuck," said Nick.

I looked up at him. He was staring at his phone, face frozen in horror.

"Show me," I said, already certain what I was about to see.

He turned his phone towards me. On the screen was a photo of Miel, taken twenty minutes ago. She was at the protest, that was clear from the mob of students surrounding her. She was yelling something into a megaphone, and raising a fist in the air in outrage.

But the sight of a woman boldly expressing her political opinion wasn't what Nick was so horrified by. In the background behind Miel was a banner, being raised aloft by two students in ACORN t-shirts.

The banner read "Free Kermit Tsu."