Starry Knight

Selena sat at her desk. Her laptop screen glowed brightly in the darkness of her dorm. She read and re-read the words on her Facebook screen. 'Meet me at the library at midnight.' She knew it was crazy to even consider it, but she had had a huge crush on Tyreese Jackson since the very first time she had seen him. It was the first day of summer school. She was taking a couple of classes at the local university as part of a gifted and talented program at her high school. She was seventeen and would be a senior when school started back.

Ty was the talk of the university and the town. His father was a former NBA great and it was said that Ty held even more potential than his All-Star Hall of Fame sire. Not that she had known that much about the sport, but it was hard to miss the tall and powerful young man. But it was not just his size, it was his presence. Although an average student, he was friendly to everyone and had a great sense of humour.

Selena had spent that summer three rows behind him; watching him almost as much as she was engrossed in the lectures about sociology. With just one more year to decide, she was torn between majors: English or sociology. Something about the ways that human society interacted with one another captivated her; especially the sub-cultures such as her own proud Latina heritage.

That had been almost eighteen months ago. Selena was now a freshman at the same university, although in complete honesty she would likely graduate in just three years thanks to the credits she received from the gifted and talented program. She had chosen sociology in the end, but minored in English; because she found the two subjects were often inseparable. The literature of a society often reflected and explored its greatest triumphs and most appalling failures.

The fact that Ty Jackson was also had a sociology major had absolutely nothing to do with her decision to attend this university or her major. She had though learned a great deal about the sport of basketball. The sad truth was that she knew her dream man saw her as nothing more than the smart study buddy and 'little sister.' Her fears had been confirmed a couple of weeks back when she gathered the courage to trade her customary jeans and t-shirt for a short skirt, printed top and even wedge sandals that had added almost four inches to her demure five foot two inch petite frame.

She had been invited to 'hang out' with Ty and a few other friends. She saw it as her chance to get his attention; but she should have known that her slim, almost flat chested young body that still made her look several years younger would have little chance to attract her dark god's attention with the stacked blonde hanger-on's that surrounded him constantly and offered far more experience. But when Ty had looked her from head to toe and politely said that she looked 'cute,' all her hopes were crushed. 'Cute' was not the adjective she had hoped for.

Of course, she had laughed it off and continued in her role as unofficial study buddy and tutor to Ty. It had been her unique position in his life since that first summer class. He had approached her after class one day after another of her inquisitive exchanges with the professor. He had begun complimenting her with a smile that she was the smartest in the class, and then he had asked if she would mind helping him with his studies from time to time. She had almost stammered her response; she was so surprised and pleased. That was the beginning of their friendship.

Straightening the papers on her desk, Selena looked at the red numbers on her clock: 11:45. If she was to obey, Ty's mysterious summons, then she should leave her dorm room soon. She had an eight o'clock class and should head to bed, but she knew she would instead traverse the campus to meet her friend. Although if he needed her to proof-read the paper that was due on Monday, it would have been far easier for him to simply email it.

She hoped that she was not being called upon once again to play confidant about the latest blonde bimbo in his life. Why did he always ask her what she thought of them anyway? It was not like she could actually tell the truth; 'She is stupid and just using you because she knows you will play professional basketball one day.'

Grabbing her sneakers from where they were neatly arranged by the door, she slipped them on as she grabbed the key from the hook. Thankful that one advantage to being part of the honors program at the university was that she was offered one of the prized single rooms; she did not have to cope with the clutter of another person. With a sigh, she closed the door and headed across the campus to meet the one man she feared she would always love...and never have.

***

Ty nervously paced back and forth in front of the university library. He was pretty sure that Selena would come, but he was not so certain what he would say when she did. How do you tell your best friend that you think something is changing? That you might be falling for her? Shaking his dark shaved head; 'might be falling' was not quite the truth. Ever since that night when she had shown up for pizza dressed like...well dressed like a woman...he could not get her out of his mind.

He had hoped that she would wear the outfit again, but in the couple of weeks since then it had been more of the same old jeans, t-shirts and ponytails. But he could not forget how she had looked that night. For a short girl, her legs had looked incredibly long when showcased in that short skirt and heels. Her small breasts had almost driven him to distraction that night. He had wanted several times to reach out and touch the tiny buds; to find out for himself if she were wearing a bra. Her hair too had looked so different when worn down. It flowed about her light bronze skin like a mahogany picture frame around a master piece.

Since that night, he could not sleep without dreams filled with her...and the things he wanted to do to her, to have her do to him, to do with her. It had shocked him a bit to realize that his best friend had become the one sure-fire fantasy to get him off when he masturbated. All he had to do was think about burying his hard cock inside of her as his hand moved up and down his shaft; he was soon cumming hard.

The truth was that he had to find out. He had to at least try to have more with this incredibly intelligent, funny and sexy young woman. But he was also scared to death. First of all, he was scared that in the end he might lose the most special thing of all: his best friend. If she did not see him the same way, then he was risking their friendship. It was the other thing that worried him more. The secret he hid from everyone: he had not actually been with a girl. He was a virgin. He cringed at the word.

Oh, he knew all the specifics. Who could not in these days of YouPorn and Redtube? He had watched his share of both. He had enjoyed an active masturbatory life since puberty. It was simply that his parents had drummed into his head not the idea of abstinence but of being selective. They had talked so often of how special it was to share the intimacy with someone special; not just anyone. It might seem old-fashioned but he knew that it was a lesson that his parents walked as well as talked. After all, they had been together since junior high school.

He had been tempted a couple of times. There were always plenty of girls that were more than willing. At first it was because his dad was so famous, but then lately he knew that it was more about hooking a rising star. In high school before all of the hoopla started, he had thought he might have found the one. But in her bedroom that afternoon as they began to kiss and undress, something just had not felt right. He still could not explain it, but he had known that it was not the right time or the special someone.

For the past couple of weeks though, he had been distracted. His coach was shocked that he had to assign him extra laps for 'day dreaming' during practice. But the truth was that his mind was filled with one question: was his best friend the one that he had been waiting for nineteen years. As he noticed the small figure walking towards him in the shadows cast by the fluorescent light, he thought 'now is your chance to find out.' He found he was actually holding his breath as she neared him with that adorably shy smile that lit her face and warmed his heart.

***

'Ty, why did you want to meet so late? If you need help with the paper for Professor Reynolds you should have just emailed me,' she began nervously. She had spent the ten minute walk convincing herself that she should turn back and go to bed. She could not jump every time Ty called. She was nothing more to him than his friend after all.

Ty fumbled for words. 'No papers, Selena.' Fumbling with his hands, he wished he had a ball at the moment it would give him something to do with his hands; although the thought of taking the scroungie from her ponytail and allowing her lovely hair to fall about her face and down her back one more held some promise as did running them beneath that t-shirt to find out once and for all if she wore a bra. But he knew that either action would shock her; she might even run off in anger, one thing he did not want to happen.

So instead he mumbled through the speech he had practiced in front of the mirror for the past three days. 'Selena, I need your advice about a personal problem.'

Selena was thankful for the shadows cast by the lights as she rolled her eyes and braced herself. 'Here it comes,' she thought: another inquiry about her opinion on the latest stacked blonde beauty.

Ty noticed her silence and for a moment thought he had even seen her rolling those expressive brown eyes that haunted his dreams. It made his stomach tighten even more; not even a championship game made him this nervous. But he simply had to continue. 'I think I have fallen for this girl, but she doesn't see me that way,' he stammered.

Selena's shoulders actually slumped at those words. Never before had he actually said that he was falling for someone. She felt the death kneel of her dreams. But Ty deserved happiness, so she gathered her courage and replied, 'Ty, any girl would be lucky to have you. I am sure that you are worried for nothing. Just ask her out.' Pretending to be sleepy although she knew she would not sleep at all that night, Selena stretched in a pretend yawn. 'If that is it, I need to get to bed.'

Ty reached out for the soft skin of her light bronze hand before it could drop back to her side; before she could escape forever without knowing the truth. 'Actually, Selena, that's not all.' Stepping forward so that there was only a few inches between them, his six-foot seven body towered over her. 'It's you, Selena. I'm falling for you. Hard,' he pushed the words out in a rush and waited for the judgment of fate: be it cruel or kind.

Selena thought she must have heard him wrong, because she swore that he said he was falling for her. But that was not possible. She was asleep and it was a dream that was the only explanation for it. She stared up at his dark face that was so beloved to her. Above his head twinkled an especially bright star, her reaction was that of a young child, 'Wish I may, wish might, wish upon the brightest star tonight,' she said as she closed her eyes. Her final thought was that she hoped she never woke up from this particular dream.

Ty was torn between laughing at Selena's curious behaviour that gave him no clue as to her feelings on the matter and between kissing those pink lips that were curved into a slight smile and lifted up towards him as an offering. Being a logical man, he chose the later. His head descended slowly until his lips brushed lightly against hers. It was not technically their first kiss; they had often hugged and kissed lightly in greeting or parting. But it was the first kiss they shared with deeper meaning.

He would have sworn that he actually heard his friend moan a moment before her lips parted just enough for him to slip his tongue inside and taste her sweetness completely. The shocked feeling that almost brought him to his knees reminded him of the time he and his dad were playing ball; he was about seven and his dad for the first time threw the ball not as he had in the past but with his full strength. It had knocked the wind out of a young Ty; just as the taste of this woman was doing now.

It was his turn to moan as he stepped closer until he had wrapped her completely in his embrace. Bending over was getting tiring and he could not touch and taste her as completely as he wanted, so he lifted her slowly. One of his large hands was around her firm bottom, holding her against him; while his other hand held the back of her head captive for what was rapidly becoming an assault on their senses.

He plunged his tongue deeper and was once again surprised when his friend met his offensive with her own; wrapping her tongue about his to tease and taunt him. Ty had kissed lots of girls, but no kiss had ever been like this. It was overpowering; she was overpowering. Reluctantly he pulled back from the caress of their tongues with a tender and reverent brush of his tongue along her bottom lip.

When he heard his Selena whimper at the abrupt conclusion of their love play, he almost shattered. He was fairly certain that in that moment a part of his heart was forever captured by the little sprite. His smile was broad as he lowered her to the ground.

Selena's head was spinning. She was disoriented in the best sort of way. A dream had never been so good. Her only response was a sighed, 'Wow.'

Ty did laugh then. His Selena had found the perfect word to describe his feelings. 'Yes, wow, Selena.' Taking her small hand in his much larger one, he brought it slowly to his lips like a knight of old. 'So...would you like to go to dinner and a movie tomorrow then?' he inquired. In spite of the soulful kiss, he was still nervous about her answer.

Selena was absolutely certain now that she was dreaming. Ty was asking her out on a real date, not studying over pizza or a group outing; but a real date. But she had wished that this dream never end, so she played along. Nodding her dark head, she whispered, 'Yes, please.'

Ty smiled and tugging her hand into the corner of his arm, 'Then let me walk you back to your room.'

The walk back to her room was in pleasant silence as they both stared up into the night sky at the stars; lost in their own thoughts. When they finally stood outside the locked lobby of her dorm, Ty bent once again for another taste of those sweet lips, but he kept this kiss light or he feared he would talk her into inviting him inside. Even if it was what they both wanted and he was beginning to believe his luck that his friend wanted him almost as much as he wanted her, but he wanted even more to do this right.

Bringing her hand once more to his lips, he whispered, 'Would you mind wearing your hair down like you did that other time?'

Selena giggled at his request and nodded. She would definitely wear her hair down and more. Thankful that their date was tomorrow; she did not think she could have handled the anticipation if the wait were much longer.

As it was neither of them got much sleep, instead staring out into the starry night and pondering the possibilities of this new special friendship.