"Wonderful still-life drawing."

Samantha turned to the person who owned the voice. His face is becoming too familiar for her since she always noticed him around whenever her class is out in the university grounds for their drawing session. She's taking up an Advertising course and she had art appreciation class which requires them to make some paintings of just about anything. She surveyed the man. He's attractive, in an exotic way. He must be one of the foreign students from South America, but the way he speaks tells her otherwise. He doesn't have an accent. She can tell that he has the genuine American dialect.

"Thanks," she replied.

"If you'll paint nude, will you take me as your model?" The man tried again. Samantha and Aileen, the woman beside her, chuckled.

"May I see your resume?" Samantha challenged. She and Aileen stopped what they're doing. The man got their full attention. Without any word, he takes off his buttoned polo shirt as well as his undershirt. Samantha silently nodded in approval. This man has a body to die for. "Nice abs," she commented.

"Thanks. That's only the top part. I can't strip all the way here. I may be charged for public scandal," he winked at them.

Samantha rolled her eyes. Aileen shakes her head. "Why are you doing this?" She asks.

"I'm bored with my life. I want to do this as a challenge. Paint me nude and I'll give each of you a hundred bucks."

Samantha and Aileen looked at each other. The offer is interesting. They need money to buy extra requirements in their class. This man is offering what they needed.

"So?" the man raised an eyebrow.

Samantha shrugged as she turned back to the man. "Alright. It's a deal, Mister..."

"Howie. Howie Dorough." They shook hands.



~~~



Samantha tightly clutched in her arms the set of presentation boards she needs for her project. It's her practical exam for her Marketing class and she devised a unique delivery for the assigned product she will be endorsing to her client, her professor. Quickly glancing at her watch, there are five minutes left before class. Her professor locks the door when classes already start. Unfortunate latecomers won't have the chance to attend the class by then. She had to hurry. She doesn't want to miss the class and get a lower grade. She started to run down the corridor.

"You're in a hurry."

Samantha didn't have to glance to check the person. It's Howie. It's been a week since she and Aileen painted him nude. She blushed at the memory. He's well-endowed and she realized at that time that she wanted him. But she tried not to show it. She won't let any distraction come her way to fulfill her dream to help her mother. Howie will be a distraction.

"I need to reach Judson's class or else, I'm doomed for life." She replies as Howie kept up the pace with her.

"Judson?" Howie chuckled. "Okay. Don't worry." With that, he turned away to go somewhere. Samantha ignored him and continued on her way. When she reached the classroom, the professor isn't there yet. She found her seat at the back and began preparing for her practical exam. It was until ten minutes later when she checked her watch and the professor is still not there. Other latecomers successfully made it in the classroom too.

"Where's Prof. Judson?" she asked her seatmate, a woman named Gina.

"I don't know. He's supposed to be here. Damn, the suspense is killing me. I need to get this over with, you know." Gina smiled at her.

"Yeah, I understand the feeling." She shakes her head. They turned when the door opened and the anticipated professor came in.

"Sorry for being late. Some pesky guy was in dire need of attention and I sent him to the discipline office first." Judson laughed. Samantha turned to the door, before the professor closes and locks it, and caught a glimpse of Howie standing outside and waving at her.

What does this guy wants from her?



~~~



Samantha went out of the classroom two hours later and saw Howie standing outside. Judson greeted him before the teacher went off down the corridor.

"How's the test?" Howie asked her.

"You distracted Judson?" Samantha shakes her head. "How creative. Thank you so much." Howie takes the materials from her hold and carried it with him. She lets him do it and together, they walked towards the school grounds.

"He's a friend of mine, my mentor when I was in my sophomore year here."

"You're a junior, right? What course are you taking up here?"

"Media Communications and Public Relations." Howie nodded in reply.

"That's too much, isn't it?"

Howie smiled and Samantha found it charming. He has this smile that she realized when she painted him nude that kind of hypnotizes her. "That's the only way to keep my father shut up." They looked at each other. "It's a long story and I don't want to indulge you more on about my family's unusual relationship. Sam? May I call you that?"

"Everyone calls me that."

"Well, I was thinking about inviting you for some decent dinner sometime. It gets pretty boring eating dorm food everyday. How about it?"

They stopped walking and faced each other. "Well, to return the big favor and to keep your mouth shut, yes. I'd like to go with you and venture the wonders of some food outside the confines of our dormitories." They laughed.

"Alright," Howie said as Samantha takes the books from him. "I'll pick you up later at seven. We'll go and have some food trip." He walks away. "It's a date."

"A date?" Samantha chuckled and watched him go. Howie takes a momentary glance and winks at her. She couldn't feel any lighter at that moment. This guy completes her day. She feels like floating as she walks off towards her next class.