We sat around seven desks away from each other. I further back, thankfully so my longing stares went unnoticed. His black fur darker than the ink I did my history homework in. From the front you could see several patches of dazzling white fur. I could daydream for hours about how that fur would feel against my muzzle. Unfortunately History 102 was only a one and a half hour class twice a week. This meant I didn’t get to see him nearly as much as I wanted to. I need to find out his name though. Everyone on campus is forced to have a FurBook account, and have to regularly check it to turn in assignments or take take-home tests. If I got his name I could search him and hopefully send a private message. In my mind it sounded like a good, simple idea, but to a non-infatuated mind it probably sounded pretty crazy.
Thursday came by slowly, Wednesday night dragged on forever, my eyes refusing to close. Finally the sun started shining through my blinds and I got up, tiptoeing to the bathroom past my sleeping roommate’s room. August, my roommate, is a bat. He stays up all night and sleeps all day. Pretty much the perfect roommate in every way. Very clean, does chores, chips in for food, utilities and rent and doesn’t bother me at all. We’ve maybe had a total of eight conversations in the year and a half I’ve lived with him.
I got ready in record time, halfassing everything. My hair half combed, teeth brushed but toothpaste on my cheek and wearing old wrinkly clothes that smelled faintly of musk. I was a total mess. Not approachable whatsoever.
After class the black wolf approached me.
“Hey there. Uh, I don’t know if you noticed but your hair is standing upright in the back. And your socks are totally mismatched…” He smirked at me. I reached up to my head to smooth down the hair, not doing the greatest job.
“Here, let me help you.” He reached his paw upwards and groomed the hair down until it rested in its usual place. The entire this was happening I couldn’t breathe. The chest fur I’ve wanted so badly was finally right there in front of me. I sniffed at the air and got a strong smell of clean soap and just a hint of musk which suddenly made my heart beat much faster. It was over with much too fast and my heartbeat went back to normal.
“T-thanks. I had a bit of a rough morning. Bit of a restless night too..”
“Oh I get that. I haven’t gotten a very good nights sleep in a while. Certainly not since I picked up some of these more advanced classes.” I nod and look at the ground, shuffling a bit uncomfortably.
“I don’t have class for another few hours. Would you want to hang out? I don’t really have many friends so things are usually pretty boring for me,” He meets my eyes, I see a shimmer in his eyes which makes me smile.
“Yeah, sure. That sounds great. I wasn’t even planning on going to any other classes today. Maybe I should stop by my apartment first and dress a bit better”
“Where is your apartment? I need to head home as well to drop off these books.”
“My apartment is just off of Jefferson.”
“Oh, really? Monteview Flats? I live there too! Apartment 6C.”
“I live in 2A. I haven’t seen you around there before.”
“I don’t hang out around there much. I stay at the library a lot. And when I do get home I try and go to straight to bed.” My mind is racing. He has been no more than a football fields length away from me all this time.