Wicked Love

still have your spirit. I think that's likely what pulled you through the trauma. That's a totally non-medical assessment on my part. Are you still exercising, doing your stretches, and embracing some of the holistic yoga I recommended?"
"Um . . . yeah, sure I do. I mean when I have time. I'm carrying a pretty heavy load this semester to make up for missing most of last semester. Time is limited."
He gives me his crooked grin, showing his straight white teeth, and his dimple makes an appearance. "Like shit you are exercising, Princess," he replies with a chuckle. "How about I give you my card, stop by my clinic during my hours. I have a nice workout salon you're welcome to use. Free of charge. I'll be your P.T."
"Ohh no," I say, shaking my head but taking his card nonetheless, "I'm done with the torture of physical therapy."
He chuckles again, "No Princess, the 'P.T.' I'm referring to is as in 'Personal Trainer.' No torture, I promise. Scouts honor," he finishes, holding up two fingers.
"Yeah, as if you were ever a Boy Scout, Krew."
He gives me a hang-dog look, and I have to give up a smile. "Okay, okay, I will. But the first time something hurts, I'm outtie," I clarify.
"Deal," he says, finishing up the rest of his fruit. He grabs his plastic smoothie cup and slides out of the booth. "I promise I'm not into inflicting unnecessary pain. It was really good running into you, Princess. Now don't stand me up, or I swear, I'll come looking for you now that I know this is one of your hangouts." He gives me a wink, my heart does a bit of a pitter-patter, and then he's off.
I put his card into my backpack, knowing I won't let too much time go by before taking Krew up on his offer. It's time for me to start living again, one baby step at a time.

9 Missing in Action
The first thing on Monday morning before my first class, I take a detour over to the faculty office building, and specifically, make a stop at Professor’s Armentrout’s office.
As I expect, Kandace is still filling in this week for the absent-for-elective-surgery Diane Forester.
“Hi Kandace,” I greet cordially, “I was here-”
“Oh yeah," she cuts me off, "Carson Matthews, of course. I remember you. Dan isn’t in yet though. Did you have an appointment?” she asks, giving me a quizzical look.
“No, no,” I reply, “I was just trying to locate another one of Professor Armentrout’s students from our Communications class last semester. Well . . . we had sort’ve been working on a project together, and of course, I lost contact with her after my uh . . . accident.”
“Oh yes,” she replies, “I heard about that unfortunate incident from Dan. Such a horrible thing to happen. But I don’t understand? Don’t you have her cell number or address?”
“The thing is my cell phone has never been recovered. It’s not even traceable. And all of my contact information was stored in it naturally,” I reply, “You know, the digital age and all. Her name is Shelby Parker. I haven’t seen her around campus, but that doesn’t mean she’s not around somewhere. I just thought I might reach out to her. She’d be a senior.”
“Well,” Kandace replies, biting her lower lip, “I can look through Dan’s class roster for this semester to see if she’s in any of his classes. Hang on a sec.”
I wait while she starts tapping some keys on her desk computer. “Shelby Parker, Shelby Parker . . .” she repeats to herself. “Nope, none on any of this semester’s class rosters. Let me look at last semester’s grades. You say she was in Dan’s Communication class?”
“That’s right.”
She keys something else in and waits. “There she is. Shelby Parker, Communications 201. She got an 'I' last semester. That means ‘Incomplete’,” she clarifies. “Oh and down here under ‘Status Code’ there’s a ‘W’. That means she’s withdrawn from the university.”
“Withdrawn?” I repeat.
“Yes, apparently your friend dropped out of school. You see, if there was a Status Code ‘T’ that would mean she transferred. This simply is coded that she left Columbia. Now you may get further information at the Registrar’s Office, but this is all I have on Ms. Parker.”
“Thanks, Kandace,” I reply heading out. Next stop: Registrar’s Office.
As one might expect, the Registrar’s office was not permitted to divulge a student’s or former student’s record without express written permission which includes the last four digits of their social, birth date and Student I.D. number.
Fantastic.
I’m screwed in finding Shelby.
Maybe. Maybe not.
If Shelby left Columbia, that’s one thing. But if she’s still in the city, that’s quite another. But I'm going to need some help. Some trusted help, and I have just the person in mind.


10


Do Me a Solid
“Ohh, damn, that hurts. Please stop, you’re killing me for Chrissake, Krew!”
“What a wimp,” he teases, lowering the tension on the rowing machine. “You’ve only done ten minutes. I had you up to twenty-five when you were in P.T.”
I grab a towel, and wipe my face and neck. “What can I say, I backslid.”
“No doubt,” he replies, as I climb off and he takes my place. I admire his bulging biceps and quadriceps as he shows off his rowing skills. “See?” he asks, “This is how you build up muscles which give you strength, Princess.”
I roll my eyes and drop to the floor to sit and watch, while guzzling some of my bottled water. “Now you’re just showing off,” I quip.
“You’ll get there,” he says, continuing to punish his beautiful body like that. “Glad you took me up on my offer, although I didn’t expect to have to open up for you so late at night. What’s the hurry?”
I pause from slurping more water, wanting to make sure I word my request in such a way he won’t be inclined to refuse.
“I need you to go to a sex club with me.”
Way to go, Carson.
I