Sinful Purity (Sinful Series)

by K. A. Standen

  Room 420

  Thanks a lot. I’ll owe you one.

  - Caleb

  “Hey, Lucy. Do you know where Fischer Hall is?” I was still not all that familiar with the campus.

  “Oh, yeah. It’s the brand-new dorm on the edge of campus. Actually, it’s only like four buildings over from here. It’s also the only co-ed dorm on campus.” Lucy was way more informative than I had expected. But that was Lucy, talkative and informative. If she knew, she’d tell you.

  “Thanks. I didn’t realize there were more buildings on this side of campus. I thought that this science building was the last.”

  “Oh, no, honey. There are several more buildings. There’s the new library, that’s right next to us. Then there is the political science building. If you take the path down the hill it’ll drop you into a li’l valley. That’s where the sports fields are. Right beside those are the three new dorms, Bradford Hall, Keller Hall, and Fischer Hall. It’s the last one. The new dorms are really nice. They’re like a hotel—all dorm rooms, no classrooms or admin offices, just floor after floor of new larger, cleaner rooms. Caleb really lucked out.”

  “Wow, Lucy, you should be a tour guide.”

  “I know, right?” Lucy beamed, pleased with the compliment.

  “After class I’m going to run over there and drop off my notes for him. I just have to pick them up from my dorm room first. Do you want to come?”

  “Oh, I can’t,” Lucy said. “I have a meeting with the parking office. I’m trying to get a permit so I can park my car on campus.”

  “Well, good luck with that.”

  When class was over, I said goodbye to Lucy and hurried back to my room. I had Mass and confession tonight over at St. Matthew’s, so I didn’t have much time. It would take at least thirty-five minutes to walk from the school to St. Matthew’s, leaving twenty minutes to find Caleb’s dorm and go over the notes quickly. I figured if I hurried, I’d just make it in time.

  Lucy’s directions were perfect, but Caleb’s dorm was farther than I expected. I hoped he wouldn’t mind if I didn’t stay to look through the notes with him. I didn’t want to be late for church.

  When I got to Caleb’s room, I could hear music blaring from inside—heavy drums, electric guitars, and screaming. It sounded exactly like Caleb looked. At least I knew he was home. I knocked on the door but there was no answer. I knocked again, louder this time. I was running out of time and I knew he was never going to hear me over the noise. Out of time and out of patience, I lost it and kicked the door with my foot, making a large thud. Caleb must have heard me because he turned the music down. Regaining my composure, I knocked again.

  “Caleb?” I called.

  “Just a sec.”

  The door finally opened. I was ready to hand Caleb the notes and run. The only problem was it wasn’t Caleb. Standing before me taking up nearly the entire doorway was my arch nemesis, Bartlett.

  “Oh, I must have the wrong room,” I said, dismayed and more than a little aggravated by his presence.

  “Oooh, Queen Elizabeth. I’m so honored,” he mocked, falling into his tired routine.

  “Look, I don’t have time for this. And get some new jokes. They stink,” I retorted. Livid that I’d been forced to speak to him, I stormed off down the hallway.

  “Hey, wait. You’ve got the right room,” he called after me. I walked hastily, never slowing down to acknowledge him.

  “Hey, wait. This is stupid. I’m on the track team,” he yelled, running up behind me.

  “What, you’re going to run me down again?” I shouted, enraged by his insufferable attitude.

  “Hey, stop.” He grabbed my arm and yanked me around.

  “Get your hands off me!” I shrieked, anger rising up inside of me in a way I hadn’t felt since my early playground brawling days at the orphanage. I knew I was going to completely lose my temper at any moment.

  “Okay, okay. Easy. Look, Caleb told me you were coming. I just didn’t hear you over the music.” He spoke slowly and purposefully, trying to calm me. But I was too irate to be calmed.

  “Well, Caleb didn’t tell me about you!”

  “Come on, don’t be that way.”

  “Don’t you tell me how to be! Just give these to Caleb.” I remained rigid in my hatred as I tossed the notes at him.

  Papers were still fluttering to the floor as I shoved open the stairway door. Bartlett just stood in the hall, dumbfounded, as I stomped off.

  I won that one.

  I was certain it’d be a long time before he forgot that altercation. Maybe now he’d leave me alone and stop mocking me in class. I was still angry but it felt good. I felt empowered.

  On the long walk over to St. Matthew’s, I lost some of my fury. Concern and embarrassment replaced it. I had to go to confession tonight. Ugh, the thought that I was going to have to sit there and tell Father Brennigan about my childish outburst was unbearable. Anger was one of the seven deadly sins, sometimes referred to as mortal sins. I knew I would have to confess. I just didn’t want to. I blamed Bartlett.

  The next day was Thursday. Caleb was back in class. The religion test took the whole ninety minutes of class time, so I didn’t have a chance to ask him if his ass of a roommate had given him the notes. I finished a few minutes earlier than he did, so I waited. Every passing minute only enforced the idea that Bartlett had never given Caleb the notes. He’d probably sat there with his buddies cackling as he burned the papers. After about ten minutes, Caleb finally exited the class.

  “Hey, did you get my notes last night?” I asked, waiting for my worst fears to be affirmed.

  “Yeah, and I hear you had a run-in with my roommate.” Caleb laughed like it was the funniest thing ever.

  “Well, it’s your fault. You didn’t tell me you had a roommate or that you weren’t going to be there. You definitely didn’t tell me he was your roommate.” I felt the anger take hold of me again.

  “I know, I know. I should have warned you. I thought I would be back in time. And really there was no way for me to know how much you disliked him.”

  “I told you! I told you I hated him when we were sitting in the cafeteria. And you laughed at me.”

  “Okay, but I didn’t think you were serious. No girl hates Zack Bartlett. He’s kind of a big deal around here.” Caleb was smug, smirking at me and acting almost impressed at the thought of Bartlett’s reputation.

  “I’m a girl, aren’t I? And I’m telling you I hate him. He’s the biggest jerk in the world. Him and his muscle-bound followers.”

  “All right, I’m sorry. This is just a first, that’s all. No more Zack. I promise.” Caleb made a little cross-his-heart motion that was completely incongruent with his punked-out, lost-cause look.

  “Good. Let’s go get Lucy for lunch,” I said, changing the subject to something more pleasant.

  After lunch and anatomy, I went to western civilizations. I was actually looking forward to the class for a change. I was dying to know if Bartlett would have the nerve to make fun of me again after the lashing I’d given him last night. Mr. Jacarse called roll as usual, but this time there was no comment. Nothing could be heard but the sound of my voice acknowledging my attendance. Yes, I had won. I sat blissfully through the rest of the class, basking in my victory.

  When it was time to leave, I stood up and gathered my things. As I started to step into the aisle, Bartlett and his friends walked past me. I kept my gaze firmly fixed on my purpose. I wasn’t going to let my face give him anything. Once they had passed, I looked up, only to see Bartlett looking back at me with an understated smile. Why was he smiling at me? What gave him the right to do that? I was the one who’d won. He wasn’t allowed to smile at me. I could feel the loathing bubble up to the surface. I was so glad my day was over.

  Friday morning came and went. Lunchtime rolled around and Lucy, Caleb, and I were back at our usual table, enjoying our usual small talk. Suddenly Caleb straightened up and an excited look crossed his face.

&
nbsp; “What are you girls doing tonight?” he asked with anticipation.

  “I don’t have anythin’ on my calendar, darlin’. How ’bout you, Liz?” Lucy asked politely.

  “I was just going to study.”

  “You can’t study, it’s Friday night. There’s this pub I was thinking about going to tonight. Would you ladies like to join me?” Caleb offered with perfect manners. I was sure he was trying to impress Lucy.

  “Absolutely, darlin’. Well, Liz, it looks like we have our first evenin’ out.” Excitement filled Lucy’s voice.

  “I don’t know if I should go to a pub.”

  “Of course you should. Don’t worry, no one from St. Matthew’s will catch you,” Caleb assured as if he was giving me permission. “It’s not their type of place.”

  “That’s why I shouldn’t go,” I stated resolutely.

  “Honey, ya gotta live a li’l,” Lucy said.

  “Look, the pub’s called the Tripping Donkey,” Caleb said. “It’s not far from campus. A lot of people go there. We’ll go and get a bite to eat. If you don’t like it, we’ll leave, okay?” Apparently he had planned everything.

  “That sounds perfect,” Lucy said. “What do you think, Liz? I’ll even drive ya.” I could hear the pleading in her voice.

  I caved. “Okay.”

  “Great,” Caleb said. “I’ll meet you two lovely ladies there around eight. Sound good?”

  “Perfect, Caleb.” Lucy beamed and I could see the infatuation firmly take hold.

  When we got to the pub that night, it wasn’t at all what I expected. I’d imagined it dirty and sleazy, like something out of one of those TV crime dramas. I pictured beer bottles and trash littering the floor, the air thick with smoke, and half-naked girls making out with random strangers in the corner. It wasn’t anything like that. The walls of the long, narrow room were lined with rows of wooden booths with green vinyl seats. In the center of the room there were a few small, round bar tables with high stools. A massive wood bar ran along the length of the left side of the room. Behind the bar was a wall of mirrors and glass shelves holding a variety of liquors. The bartender, a short, thin, middle-aged man, stood there drying glasses with a rag. When someone placed an order, he flung the dishtowel up over his shoulder, leaving it there to rest while he served the drinks. There were miscellaneous sports memorabilia and some old black-and-white photos hanging from the walls. Music played over the speakers on the ceiling. It was loud but fun, not the kind of screaming that I’d heard emanating from Caleb’s dorm room. I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the place. It was comfortable, lively, and a whole new experience for me. If Kelly could see me now, I thought, she’d be so proud.

  Lucy and I grabbed a seat at one of the booths by the wall while Caleb went to get a couple of sodas from the bar. Caleb quickly made his way back to us. In his hands were three glasses and a large pitcher, full to the brim and sloshing over as he walked. He set the pitcher down on the table and dispersed the glasses among us.

  “For the ladies,” Caleb announced, filling our glasses.

  “Thank you,” I replied.

  “What a gentleman,” Lucy said, smiling.

  Caleb took a seat next to Lucy, across from where I sat. “So whatcha think of the place, Liz?” he inquired, as if my opinion made all the difference.

  I leaned closer to talk over the music. “It’s great. I really like it,” I admitted, excited by my new adventure.

  Even if I hadn’t liked the place, I probably wouldn’t have told them anyway. They were both thrilled by the idea of getting me out on the town. I thought it was sweet. And Lucy and Caleb always had a way of making me feel at ease in new situations. I liked and appreciated that greatly.

  “Yeah, I think it’s awesome,” Caleb agreed. “I come here a lot on the weekends to get away from the dorm.”

  “I’m sure you must need to get away from your roommate a lot,” I said with an edge to my voice.

  “Believe it or not, Liz, Zack Bartlett is a pretty good guy.”

  “I don’t believe it,” I said firmly. “If he’s so great, then why do you need to get away so often?” I was sure I was going to trap him into a confession.

  “He has a lot of company, that’s all. Sometimes I need my space.”

  “A lot of company? Who would want to spend time with him?” I asked snidely.

  “Girls!” answered Lucy, laughing. “Lots and lots of girls.”

  Caleb smirked, trying to contain his laughter. “She’s got a point. Girls do love that boy.”

  “Well, I can’t imagine why,” I said with a huff.

  The three of us sat quietly for a second, taking a sip of our sodas and looking around the pub. I was just about to start people-watching when something occurred to me. “Why do they call it the Tripping Donkey?”

  “Well, Liz, there’s a story—more a legend, really—about the how the pub got its name,” Caleb said.

  “Will ya tell it to us, darlin’?” begged Lucy, batting her long, dark eyelashes flirtatiously while she twirled her light blonde hair around her finger. She was really turning on all the charm tonight.

  “Okay. If I remember correctly, there was this penniless drunk. He spent all day at the bar drinking. When it came time for the bar to close, the barkeep asked to be paid. But being penniless, the guy had no money. So the barkeep picked him up from his bar stool by the back of his shirt and threw him out into the cold. This was way before they had cars. So the drunk got up and stumbled around the corner of the bar to the alley where he had left his donkey. The donkey was all he had, his one and only possession. The drunk tried to climb onto the donkey’s back so it could take him home. But as he threw his leg up to jump on, the drunk fell back and passed out. When he awoke hours later, he could feel sobriety starting to take hold. He decided to break into the back storage room of the bar and take some booze to go. He broke in easily enough, but instead of taking the liquor and leaving, he sat down to have a drink. He drank so much that he passed out again. While he was out, the donkey got into a barrel of whiskey. By the time the penniless drunk woke up, it was morning and the sun was coming up. Afraid he would be caught, the drunk quickly tried to get his donkey and go. But this time it was the donkey that was too drunk to walk. The drunk had to parade his drunken, stumbling donkey through town as all the townspeople watched, the donkey tripping the whole way. When the barkeep found that the bar had been broken into, it wasn’t too hard to find the culprit. The drunk got locked up and the donkey was sold to pay for damages. But legend has it that the donkey would break free almost every night come back to the bar and break into the whiskey barrels, tripping the whole way home in the morning. So the bar became known as the Tripping Donkey.”

  “So you’re trying to tell me that this pub is named after a drunk ass?” I commented sarcastically.

  “Yep, and the place has been full of them ever since,” Caleb laughed.

  “Speak for yourself, Caleb” came a voice from behind me.

  I turned around to see who it was. Before I had a chance to focus, Bartlett was standing in front of our table.

  “Hey, Zack,” Caleb acknowledged with a quick nod.

  “I don’t think we’ve met properly. I’m Zack Bartlett, Caleb’s roommate.” He put his hand out as if he wanted me to shake it.

  “I doubt there is anything proper about you,” I snapped.

  “Wow, Caleb. She’s feisty.” Zack chuckled. “I like it.”

  “I’m not feisty. I’m furious. I think you’re the biggest jerk ever.” Anger welled up inside me as I stormed off to the restroom.

  I waited inside the restroom for a while, hoping that when I exited Zack Bartlett would be gone. But every time I peeked out the restroom door, I could see him still standing there, leaning on the table all casual-like. He irritated me so much. But I couldn’t stop watching him. He really was good-looking. He was extremely tall, at least six-foot-four. He was very muscular but not in a bulky way. His muscles appeared long and lean. He
had very dark brown hair and eyes. His body movements exuded confidence. I hated that he was still having a good time while I was stuck here hiding out in the girls’ bathroom, but I couldn’t stop watching him. He did have a very nice smile and glistening, perfectly white teeth. I supposed I could see some girls being attracted to him. Very stupid girls.

  I mustered the courage to leave the restroom. I wasn’t going to spend all night in there. Otherwise I might become known as the “toilet girl,” and “Queen Elizabeth” was bad enough. I didn’t want to give a jerk like Zack Bartlett any new material. I began walking back to my table, and to my pleasant surprise it looked as though Zack Bartlett was walking away.

  “Yes!” I muttered to myself. Feeling largely relieved I took a deep breath, straightened my shirt, gathered my confidence and strode back to the booth where Caleb and Lucy were waiting. As I neared the table, I realized that Zack Bartlett wasn’t walking away. He was walking toward me. My heart sank. I had no place to run.

  “Liz, is it? I think we got off on the wrong foot. Let me apologize,” Zack began. He’d almost have sounded sincere, if it hadn’t been for the smug look on his face.

  Before I had a chance to say anything, a group of scantily clad, busty co-eds walked up behind Zack.

  “Oh, Zack,” they called, trying to be seductive and alluring while appearing altogether slutty. “Are you ready for us?”

  Ugh, I could puke. “It looks like your fans are waiting,” I announced crossly. I pushed past him and walked back to my table. I didn’t look back, but from the look on Caleb and Lucy’s faces I wished I had. They looked shocked.

  “Liz, Liz, Liz. What are we ever going to do with you? We just can’t have the two of you in the same room together, can we?” Caleb laughed, shaking his head.

  “I’m sorry but you just don’t understand. I hate him.”

  “I think I am beginning to understand,” Caleb remarked, still laughing.

  “Look, honey, Zack explained everythin’ while you were gone. He didn’t mean to knock ya down. As for the whole Queen Elizabeth thing, he’s sorry. He was just trying to be funny.”