I forgot to mention that the school was in Michigan. We actually had dorms with two guys to a room. The buildings were remodeled projects that the school had bought. They also had a cafeteria that served meals for breakfast and lunch. There were also vending machines they kept filled every day. They even served meals on weekends.
Our life was not all work and no play. We were within twenty miles of three major colleges. Close to towns, shopping malls, and theaters. Women were plentiful and we took advantage of the situations. There were dances or parties most every weekend somewhere. I began dating at least once or twice a month.
I began having sex about a month after I started dating. The college girls seemed to like sex as much as the guys did. I made sure I always wore condoms. The last thing I needed would be to get a girl pregnant. I didn’t feel love for any of the girls I dated but I did my best to make them feel special. My roommate and I would put a baseball cap on our door if we didn’t want to be disturbed. Some of our dates didn’t care one way or the other if the roommate was there.
I tried not to think about Amy but it was hard to do. I had to wonder if she was having sex at her college. I hadn’t been home in over six months. Our school wasn’t like a normal college. We went year around. The school basically employed us as assistant welders while they taught us and set up jobs for us.
I went home maybe one weekend every six months to see my family. Three times I drove by Amy’s place but she was away at school. I would talk to Mrs. Dillon and she would tell me a little about Amy.
At the end of my two years, my instructor told me I was more than ready to be on my own. He gave me my certificate and told me I had been his best student and would do well in my future.
* * * * Amy’s Side
Jerry and I grew up together. He was like my big brother and always looked after me. When my dad said we were moving I cried for days. I really missed my best friend. It took me the whole summer before I was somewhat back to normal. I started school and met a lot of new kids.
I joined the seventh grade cheerleader squad and made a lot of good friends. In fact, we stayed friends throughout high school and beyond. Like most girls, we always talked about boys. I didn’t date until I was in high school where I met Ray. He seemed to be the main jock that all the girls talked about. I later found out his dad was our high school principal.
We dated for about two and a half years. He was the only boy in high school that I ever had sex with. Even then, it was only twice, and after I turned eighteen. I thought I loved him but over time I found out I really didn’t. I lost my virginity to Ray and it hurt. It just seemed like something was missing. I now know it was love. I waited for months before we tried it again.
It was when I saw Jerry again that I really felt confused. I even tried to ignore him but I hurt inside when I did that. I swear I knew deep down that I loved him. We talked some but we had lost that closeness I always felt. When he started dating my friends, I felt jealous but it was my own fault.
My girlfriends said he was the nicest guy they ever dated. He never pushed them into anything and they felt protected when they were with him. He never asked any of them for sex but they loved making out with him.
I remember when all the cheerleaders wanted to go to the school’s first baseball game. We never cheered at baseball games before but we all wore our uniforms and cheered for our team for the first game. They seemed to cheer louder whenever Jerry was up to bat. When he walked his third time at bat and started running as fast as he could everyone was wondering what was happening.
I told the cheerleaders that he wasn’t going to stop at first but head to second. I remembered him doing it in grade school and surprised everyone. We were all yelling as the catcher threw the ball to second base but the second baseman wasn’t there and the ball rolled toward center field as Jerry headed for third with a stand up triple.
Everyone kept cheering when Ray hit a line drive to center field bringing Jerry in to home. After that game, our cheerleaders went to all the home baseball games. It was the best team our school had ever had.
In May was our prom. A few days before the prom all the students in the school voted for King and Queen. They chose me as Queen and Beth as runner up. They voted Ray as King with the runner up being Jerry. Of course, you had to attend the prom to be Royalty. Ray said his throat was bothering him and was having a hard time breathing. His dad took him to the doctor and he had to have his tonsils removed.
It meant he would miss the prom. I cried and told my mom I wasn’t going to go. She had already spent over three hundred dollars on my outfit since I was to be Queen. The cheerleaders all came to the house and told me that Jerry said he wasn’t going to the prom either. Brenda said she would ask him if he would take me.
“Why would he take me after the way I’ve treated him? I think he hates me now.”
“No he doesn’t. He has never said anything bad about you. Let Brenda talk to him. What have you got to lose?” Beth asked.
After Brenda talked to him, he came over to discuss it with my mother and me. He said it would be an honor to be my date for the prom. He picked me up on Saturday and we met the other couples at the Olive Garden and then went to the gym for the prom.
It just felt right being in his arms when we stepped on the dance floor for the royalty dance. As we were dancing, he kissed me passionately. He said he felt like we were at our wedding. I remember telling him I wish we were. At that moment, all I wanted was Jerry.
After the dance, we went back to our table and everything seemed somewhat normal. Most everyone asked me about the kiss and I didn’t know what to say. I just told them it was a spur of the moment thing. When he took me home, he kissed me again and told me he loved me. I was lost for words. I kissed him again and went into the house.
On Monday at school, the prom was the talk of the school. Ray came back on Wednesday and we had an argument about my kiss with Jerry. I told him it didn’t mean anything but he broke up with me anyway. What I didn’t know was Jerry heard what I said.
I thought for sure that Ray and Jerry were going to get into it big time, but Ray just told him he could have me, that I was used goods. Jerry didn’t say a word as Ray walked away. I barely talked to Jerry until graduation. He did stop by my house and wished me the best. He said he was going to Michigan in a couple of days but maybe he would see me around. I could tell by his voice that he was hurting as much as I was but we were both too stubborn to say anything.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with my life. I always loved cheerleading and I was good at it. Brenda, Beth and I decided to go to a cheerleading school that was in Texas. It was for young women who wanted to become professional cheerleaders. It could lead to being a model, dancer, or even a star.