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Part

By: Goatilocks



Being a huge fan of the late, great American artist Bill Ward and his gorgeous girlie art, I decided to pay homage to him by interpreting a few of his suggestive cartoons onto paper. 

Therefore, the following filth below is what I'd like to imagine occurred before the punchline of the cartoon. For best results, please don't skip to the end!

* * *

Saucily biting her bottom lip, the curvaceous young woman reached into the gentleman's open flies and delicately took hold of his growing erection. Gently taking the hot piece of flesh in hand she wrapped her fingers around it before drawing it into the open, her eyes widening approvingly as his gorgeous prick came into view.

"I like a girl who uses her initiative," the fellow said, slouched back in his plush, leatherette chair. A plaque on the wall to his right stated that his name was Freddy Goode. It boasted several achievements, of which not all could be proved. He adjusted his tie, loosing his shirt as he stared transfixed down upon the saucy young thing.

"You mean, you like a girl who uses her head, don't you?" she smiled, squeezing his now rigid flesh in her palm.

"Something like that," he mused, swiping a thick strand of silky-soft hair from her face. What was her name again? Betty? No, Becky, yeah, that was it. She was truly fucking hot, no matter her name. Her breasts were held hostage within a lacy, purple colored bra-cum-chemise, her swollen cleavage barely contained within. There was a hollowed out jeweled heart on a silver chain around her neck. The short piece of lingerie revealed much of her tummy; a tiny black plaid skirt was wrapped irresponsibly around her waist, a matching purple thong streaked up and across her hips, and for shoes the gorgeous young woman wore black and silver cowboy boots. Wallpaper-paste thick, red lipstick applied to her full lips was pursed just inches from the tip of his circumcised cock. He waited impatiently for her to engulf him. "Initiate away, babe,"

Becky let out a small giggle as she slowly ran her pink tongue across his purple dome, exploring the smooth mushroomed shape head. Freddy squirmed in her grip, his now-throbbing erection pulsating in her hand. She ran her tongue up the length of his engorged prick, circling his knob, leaving feather-soft licks there. She then kissed him, branding his cock with her lipstick. Not for the first time did Becky wonder how many times he had seen that in his lifetime?

"Suck it, babe," he told her, his hands resting on her head, entangling his fingers with her incredibly soft hair. "Suck that big cock!"

"Oh yeah," Becky replied, licking her lips, pulling on his thick shaft. "I'm gonna suck me some cock!" And so saying she lowered her mouth over Freddy's prick, wrapping her wet lips around his chunky cock and sucking hard. She felt him twitch deliciously in her mouth.

"Fuckin' nice ..." he groaned, releasing his grip on her hair to remove his unbuttoned shirt. He tugged on his tie and threw it onto the desk in front of him. He then unbuckled his belt, and with Becky now bobbing her head up and down in his lap Freddy opened the top button of his pants, he carefully wriggling out of them. She released him from her mouth and vigorously pulled on his cock as he lifted his ass off his seat and kicked off his pants. Becky groped his naked chest and tummy with her hand, admiring his naked body.

"Lick my balls," he told her, she obeying immediately, lowering her head between his thighs to ravish his recently shaved balls with her tongue. His exquisite testicles made her mouth water as she smothered them, he lifting his hips to allow her to suck upon them.

"Are you wet, slut?" Freddy asked her, noticing that Becky had reached between her legs and was busily fingering her clit.

"See for your self," she said, letting his erection rest across her cheek as she brought her fingers from her pussy to his cock. Becky layered his iron-clad cock with her honey, spreading her flowing honey over his saliva-sticky prick. She then lapped and sucked her excitement off of his erection.

You horny slut," he stated, once again taking hold of her head and, as she swallowed his erection into her mouth he held her fast, forcing her down onto him, she gagging and choking on his fat cock. Seconds later he let her up for air, she spitting out a tangy concoction of saliva and pre-cum that oozed from her lips onto the tip of his purple dome.

"Again," she told him, adding, "longer." She sucked him into her mouth again, Freddy placing his hands onto her head before pressing down. Becky slurped and gagged as her nose swam in his pubic hair, her cheeks were bloated, her face flushed as Freddy held her in place. His cock throbbed in her throat, she snorted through flared nostrils, the grip in her hair tightened. Freddy thrust upwards, now fucking her mouth, amazed at her throat-choking, cock-sucking ability. 

"Gaaaaaaaaarrggh!" Becky gasped, letting him fall from her lips, she breathing heavily, sweat forming on her brow. She licked her lips and composed herself, pulling on his big prick, and then greedily repeated the whole process again.

Fuck!" Freddy snorted, practically lifting Becky up off him. His cock had never penetrated a woman's throat so deep, or for so long before. He had to stop her; otherwise he'd never get to fuck this horny slut.

As if reading his mind, Becky rose to her feet, wiping her dribbling mouth with the back of her hand. "You gonna fuck me now with that thing, or what?" she asked him, cheekily. She slowly turned around, throwing her hair back and resting her hands on his desk, presenting her ass to him. Somehow, her black plaid skirt was entangled in her purple thong, the material damp, and the outline of her pussy lips pressed deliciously against it.

"I think that can be arranged," Freddy replied, getting to his feet, stroking his cock as he approached her. His hands found her ass, he caressing the smooth flesh of her buttocks, running his hand over the material of her thong. "But first ..." he said, sinking to his hunches and taking hold of the thin, purple fabric, "I wanna eat me a little pussy."

"Mmmm," Becky said, "I was wondering when you'd get around to it."

Untangling her skirt from her thong, Freddy pulled the plaid skirt from her waist, sliding it down her shapely thighs and over her cowboy boots, Becky then kicking it to one side. Freddy took hold of her thong and stretched it across her ass, revealing her wet slit and pert asshole. Her excitement filled his nostrils, her lips glistening with oozing honey. Steadying her erect with his open palm on her buttock Freddy struck out with his tongue at her treacly puss, feeling her shudder, her legs buckling to his touch. Parting her cheeks aside he drove his tongue deep between her wet slit, shoveling the soft folds of flesh with great strokes of his cock-like tongue, lapping and slurping her oozing cunt-juice which flowed from her. Becky moaned loudly, encouraging him to continue. 

"Lick me, God, yes, lick me," she purred, peering over her shoulder at him, jutting her ass towards him, making sure he could reach every last square inch of her dripping pussy. She felt him stab her anus, felt his tongue worm its way into her asshole, the fucking bastard! She adored having her asshole licked, and when he fingered her sopping cunt Becky came immediately, she crying aloud as her orgasm ripped through her voluptuous body like hellfire.

"Yeah, oh fuck, yeah!" she groaned through closed eyes, licking her pre-cum-coated lips, now wanting his cock deep inside her instead of his fingers. "Fuck me, Mr. Goode," she told him, her tone indicating that she would not take no for an answer.

"Sure, baby," he replied, getting to his feet and reaching into one of his desk draws. "Safety first." He pulled out a shiny-wrapped condom wrapper, and bit into the packaging. "Wanna put it on?"

Becky smiled, sinking to her knees in front of him as he handed the half-opened condom to her. Carefully slipping the condom from its wrapper, she took hold of his circumcised prick and placed the open end of the condom over his mushroom shaped dome. Becky then rolled the condom down his shaft, her mouth watering at the thoughts of this gorgeous cock fucking her. Once it covered the entire throbbing length, Becky bent her head forward to lash out at his balls with her tongue, pulling gently on the condom-smothered cock.

"At your convenience," she said, getting to her feet and presenting her ass to him. She felt him tug at her thong, felt him tug the material from her buttocks and down her hips. She lifted one cowboy-boot foot upwards, her panties falling into the open mouth of the other boot. Looking behind her she saw Freddy step into her, condom-covered cock in hand. Positioning his knob to her lips, he teased her momentarily before suddenly penetrating her, filling her puss with fat, rigid cock. 

"Oh fuck, yeah!" she gasped, her body tensing under his sudden barrage of fucking. His balls swung beneath him, slapping into the underside of her ass, Becky backing into him, wanting more and more of his big, beautiful cock. "God, I love it!" she groaned, sluttishly. 

Reaching around her Freddy clasped one of her wobbling breasts, feeling the taut nipple through the flimsy material of her top. Not for the first time did he imagine his cock sliding between those beauteous melons. "Horny slut!" he cried out, lost in the moment.

"Yeah, oh fuck yeah, I'm a horny slut!" Becky confirmed through deep, passionate moaning. She let out a gasp as Freddy tugged on her hair, pulling her head back towards him, exposing her supple, perfumed throat that he smothered with feverish kisses.

"And a hot slut at that," he commented, biting her smooth flesh, his tongue striking out at her ear. 

His words made her wet, it was simple as that. With his big prick fucking her, his hands kneading her jutting breasts and his lips on her flesh Becky's second orgasm was imminent. Closing her eyes and biting her bottom lip, she squeezed his prick with her pussy muscles, focusing solely on the thrust and sensitive area where his cock buried within her. It was fat, thick and long, and with an exasperated gasp her second climax over-powered her, she letting go a series of groans and squeals. How lucky she was, she thought, that it didn't take much to make her cum.

Becky lifted her right leg up onto the desk to allow Freddy deeper access. He took hold of her thigh to balance him self before accelerating his pace, now thumping into her deliciously tight puss. Her body shook from the sheer force of his fucking, he grunting through gritted teeth, she moaning in heated pants. 

And then he withdrew, taking Becky with him. He spun her round and helped her up onto the desk, she spreading and lifting her legs. Freddy stepped into her glistening puss once more and thrust forward, penetrating her sucking cunt as she wrapped her cowboy boots around his naked waist. 

"Fuck me!" she cooed, before they kissed, their tongue dancing frantically. Becky leant back, resting on her hands upon the desk, Freddy then freeing her breasts from her top. They were magnificent, and jutted wondrously in his palms. He pulled on her nipples, tweaked them between finger and thumb, all the while his cock jack-hammered in and out of her hot, wet puss.

"Yeah, oh yeah," Becky cried, the sensation of his fat prick grinding off her engorged clit too much to bear. She was going to cum for a third time and she didn't care who knew it. 

"I'm gonna cum, baby!" Freddy said, his hips quickening, his thigh muscles tightening. Sweat formed on his brow, his eyes fixated upon her heavy melons that wobbled and rippled over her purple top, thoughts of fucking those titties the mental image that would send him over the line.

"Cum for me, baby," Becky urged him "Fill that fucker for me!"

Freddy obliged. With a series of violent thrusts his orgasm shook him to his very soul, he snarling the ferocity of his climax, his seed spilling from him as it blasted the inside of the condom, splashing back against his twitching knob, his cock vibrating within Becky's squeezing puss.

"Yeah, oh Jesus, fuck yeah," he groaned, his breath coming in deep, heaving gasps. "You," he panted, "are a great fuck." 

"Right back atcha," Becky replied, smiling, throwing her hair behind her shoulders, before asking, "Are you gonna let me see how much cum I missed out on?"

Taking hold of his condom-sticky cock, Freddy withdrew from Becky's sopping puss. The condom was wrinkled and naturally well used, the bloated tip saggy with a pool of silver-white cum. "Who says you missed out? Lie down."

With Becky sprawled on her back upon Freddy's desk he climbed over her, squatting over her face, his balls sticky with pre-cum and honey. She reached up to lick at the glistening testicles as he unrolled the cum-heavy condom.

"Bottom's up," he said, offering the contents to Becky. She opened her mouth, licked her lips, and graciously accepted his gooey gift. His cum spilled like flowing mercury from the condom into her mouth, the creamy seed resting on her tongue. As it oozed forth, Freddy squeezed the contents dry as Becky licked her lips and swallowed the salty mouthful.

"Yummy!" she said, licking her fingers clean, reaching for his sticky cock and squeezing it.

"I thought you'd appreciate that," Freddy smiled. His fingers sought out her pussy, and while Becky played with his softening prick he gently frigged her wet slit. "Anyway," he continued, sighing deeply, "wanna get down to the real reason why you're here ..?"

*  *  *

She closed the office door behind her, 'Freddy Films Casting Agency' scrawled in plain script across the tinted window paneling. Becky sashayed into the waiting room where two, scantly-dressed young women sat cross-legged, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Did you get a part?" one of them asked her.

Becky smiled knowingly.

"A juicy part?" the other woman said. 

"Oh, I got a juicy part, all right," Becky replied, "and not just in a movie ..."

Part 01: A Mission for My slave



By sophiaslave dedicated to her Master, Brabazon

As morning sunlight filtered through the bedroom blinds, my slave still asleep, the chain attached to her ankle, I shook her gently awake.

She smiled, her face still a mask of sleepiness. She stretched, as she willed the lingering sleep to vanish, running a hand through her dark curly hair.

"It's going to be a big day for you, beloved one, so we need to get moving."

She looked at me, but was too well trained to ever question her Master. Depending on what was going to happen, sometimes I'd readily explain, but this particular morning that was not going to happen until just before departure time.

I unlocked the chain from the cuff, and rubbed her foot as the cuff was unfastened. As she did every morning, the ritual firmly established, she quickly went to the bathroom, into the oversized stall shower, sinking to her knees. I followed her, still naked as I'd slept, stood on the other side of the shower door and reached for my cock. Automatically, she raised her face, her tongue extended in wait for my first urination of the morning.

After I'd relieved myself and there was no doubt there would not be further sprays of golden fluid upon her, she begged permission to clean my cock. Still holding it in my hand I nodded, and she took into her mouth. Then as part of what is to happen every morning, she reached for the lips of her cunt, pulling them apart to give me the pleasure of watching her as her stream was released.

No matter how many times we did it this way, and it had been a long time, my heart never ceased to skip a beat as she knelt, body fluid flowing, her face and hair dripping with mine--the epitome of submission as I'd always hungered to have. 

The first time I tied her to a tree to be whipped, I bent my head to kiss her before it began, she whispered, "Show me no mercy, Master, I am yours". 

It was if she handed me the key to my Dominance, the darkest areas needing release--she, with her unfaltering submission, the key itself.

I stepped into the shower and turned on the jets. As she started to rise, I shook my head and my hands pressed down on hers. This was not necessarily part of the ritual, dependent on my mood. I was extraordinarily excited regarding what was to take place later, and desperately needed her mouth. As she sucked me with perfected technique, I guided her head. After she swallowed my cum, as usual, we lathered each other down, the warm jet spray pelting us as I passionately kissed her mouth.

Wearing thick terry robes, I sat at the table as she prepared breakfast, serving my food without setting a place for herself.

"May this slave join her Master at table?"

"By all means, little one, do eat today, not just your usual coffee."

She looked at me with sparkling eyes as she sat returned with her plate. She sensed today was not going to be the normal ordinary routine

"Today, slave, will be a day of reflection and training for You. I am taking You to a place, a secluded property owned by a friend of mine who runs it perhaps in a rather non-traditional way, but it's His property and He does as He likes. He consented to my request to have you there for the better part of half a day."

I hesitated, allowing my words to sink in, my dark eyes connected to hers, noting her face had slightly pallored.

'You will be placed in a yard where others walk freely, although they will be dressed, unlike you who will be totally naked. You will be, placed on a wooden horse that will dig into Your cunt, painfully so within a very short time, with a hood on Your head robbing you of sight. Your arms will be raised up and bowed reflecting your subservience which will be uncomfortable for you to maintain. There will be no restraints on you to further indicate all that keeps You there is your voluntary slavery to Your Master.

She nodded,"Yes, Master".

I bent forward and gently kissed her lips. I knew this was far more extreme than anything she ever experienced and saw the apprehension in her eyes.

"I do not do this with punishment in mind, beloved, but with recognition of my responsibility to you--slavery is such one must have some reinforcement where it is they are and who they are."

I placed my hand under her chin, leaning towards her, raising her face, and said gently, "Even one as perfect as you are needs to demonstrate her surrender in submission to her Master as a tool to keep it perpetually in place. My faith and trust in Your servitude is what directs me. Speak freely slave."

She inhaled deeply before speaking. "Thank You, Master, Your slave is grateful for the challenging opportunity You give her to push herself even further into surrender and demonstrate her unconditional devotion."

She spoke the words, and there was never any doubt she meant them. I knew the fear could not be detected in her voice, nor her facial expression, but it was there. 

It was not about the actuality of the fate that was about to befall her, but of the possibility of being unable to endure and fail her Master--she had already demonstrated to me, over and over again, she would rather die than that. 



Part 01: Lance - Matters of the Heart



Our story began the summer before our Sophomore year in High School. We grew up together. We lived in a small town in West Virginia known as Montgomery Town, named after the family that lived there years ago. Part of the family still exists today.  

*

I was in my room writing when my cellphone rang. I picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" 

"Are you coming up? It was Billy. Um . . . yes, I told him. I'm on my way. 

Okay, he followed and we hung up.

I slipped on my boots and headed for the door. Dad, can I borrow the Jeep? 

He looked at me. Where are you going? 

Billy's house. 

I still do not see why you will not join them, my mother said to me. She was referring to the band that my friends had started.

The truth is, I had been writing stories and cheesy poems ever since I could remember, and although I had a decent voice, I had no interest in singing.

I don't sing, I told her.

You used to sing in church, she reminded me.

That was a long time ago, I followed.

It wasn't that long ago."

Long enough. 

My father tossed me his car keys. Be careful with it, he warned.

Always I yelled before going out the door.

I hurried out to the Jeep and drove up the road to Billy's house. I pulled up to the garage where they held band practice. 

Everyone greeted me when I walked into the garage. I sat on the old couch and listened to the new song that Dalton had written. When it sounded good enough to Billy, he called a break. Billy was the one that was always in control of every situation, so everyone looked to him to make sure things were the way they were supposed to be. 

Lance, would you get us some drinks from the kitchen? Billy asked me.

I got up and went into the kitchen and took five sodas from the refrigerator. Dalton's song was still dancing in my head and I began to sing the chorus, aloud, to myself. Bad idea. When I turned back around, Billy was standing in the doorway, his mouth wide open.

I thought you said you couldn't sing, he said.

I never said that I couldn't, I told him. I just said that I wouldn't. 

I doubt that." He grabbed me by the arm and practically dragged me back into the garage. He shoved his microphone at me. We are going to do the chorus of Go Away, he explained to everyone. I want you to sing lead, he told me.

What? I almost shouted. Hell, no 

Come on, Lance, he pleaded.

No, I said firmly.

Don't tell us you're scared, Devon said.

I am not scared. 

Prove it, Billy challenged. Sing with us. 

No, I repeated.

Lance, you don't have to be shy around us, Dalton insisted.

I know, but . . . 

But what? 

Come on, Lance, Billy pleaded.

I looked at their pleading faces for a few seconds and then gave in. I took Billy's microphone and then the music began. My heart was racing, but when I began to sing, I felt myself relax. I felt as if I had been singing all my life. When the music faded away and all became quiet, I opened my eyes.

Wow, Devon said under his breath.

Damn, Billy, Dalton followed. He's almost better than you are. 

To my surprise, Billy nodded. Almost. He patted me on the back. Welcome to the band. 

We lived on Hummingbird Lane and only a couple houses away from each other. That was how we got to know each other so well. Billy Cole lived in the enormous house at the top of the hill. It always reminded me of a King's castle, watching over its Kingdom. His mother left him and his father when he was ten years old. From what I know, they have not seen or heard from her since, so it was just he and his father in that big house. His father was hardly ever home, so we could use his garage for band practice without complaints from all the noise.

Dalton Cole was Billy's cousin. He lived in the single story house at the bottom of the hill. His father and Billy's father were cousins, but they rarely spoke. Dalton lost his mother to cancer when he was six years old. He does not remember much about her. His father drove an eighteen wheeler for a company called JB Hunt, which meant that was gone six months out of the year. He would leave and be gone for two months and come home for two weeks and then he went back out on the road. I suppose the money was good, but it meant Dalton being alone for months at a time. Still, he had us to keep him from getting lonely. 

Three houses down the road was Devon Stone. His parents moved him here when we were just starting preschool. It was not long after that we all became friends. He was the tallest sixteen-year-old that I knew, standing at six feet tall. It was insane. He always wore his black cowboys' hat and very expensive snake skin cowboy boots. He loved horses. His parents owned many and they bred them and sold the colts for a pretty penny. Devon's parents, like mine, were business people, but my parents were usually home on the weekends. His parents would leave him along for weeks. They were always away on business trips to places like Chicago or New York City and even Seattle, Washington.

Right beside Devon lived Ronnie Short. His name fit him perfectly, considering that he stood only about 5'3. I stood 5'10, so there was not much difference, but his height never seemed to bother him. It was one of his many charms, he always said. It is what made him unique. Ronnie had somewhat of a normal family. His father worked for the local Fruit Farm and his mother was a Homemaker, taking care of the elderly in their homes.

Not too long after I had joined the band, we began to advertise. I guess Billy thought we were ready. We began to play at birthday parties and weddings. We even got invited to play at the Teen Civic Center. They built it years ago to keep kids out of trouble. When we arrived at the Civic Center, we unloaded the van that Devon's father had bought for us. It was the only thing big enough to haul all of our equipment. Once inside, we began to set up.

Hey, Lance, look who's here, Billy said to me in a low voice.

Who? I asked, without looking up.

Miranda, he replied and pointed her out.

I looked up and saw her standing by the pool table with her lifelong friend, Raven Jenkins.

Wow, Devon said. She really filled out, didn't she? 

I couldn't deny it. She was more beautiful than ever. Her blue eyes could make Satan fall in love with her. Her dark brown hair reached her lower back. The outfit that she wore left little to the imagination. She could make a Priest stop and take notice. She wore a shirt that read, Brunettes Have More Fun. The blue jeans she wore hugged her hips very well and my heart began to beat faster as I continued to check her out.

Lance, Devon said. Lance. 

What? I answered him.

You're staring, he said. 

I am not. 

You were. 

Okay. I was. Shut up about it. 

Do you like her? he asked me.

I looked at him. How can I like her? I barely know her anymore."

You don't have to know someone to like them, Billy spoke up.

I know that, I told him. But I don't. 

He and Devon exchanged glances. 

Uh-huh, said both of them.

Miranda Quinn was her name. I have known Miranda as long as I have known the guys. We were best friends throughout middle school. Seventh grade was when we drifted away from each other. She met knew people and that was the end of our friendship. It was that easy. That night was the first night I had really taken notice.

That evening went well. There were many requests from the audience for songs that we knew and some that we did not, but we sung them anyway. Later, after nearly everyone had gone, I was gathering up my equipment when I looked up and saw Miranda standing in front of me.

"Miranda," I said, aloud. "Uh, h-hi." I tripped over my words.

"Hi, Lance," she greeted. "I didn't know you could sing."

I smiled. "Neither did I."

"You sounded really good."

"Thanks." There was an awkward pause. "So, um, it has been a long time," I said, finally.

"I know," she replied.

I looked at her for another long moment. She stared back at me. My heart sped up. I didn't know what to say.

"I heard about your grandmother," I told her. "I'm sorry. I always liked her."

She smiled, faintly. "Thank you. That means a lot to me. I miss her."

I just nodded.

"Well, Raven is waiting, so . . . " 

"Yeah." She turned to leave. "Miranda?" It came out of my mouth before I could stop it. She turned back to face me. "Um, would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow?" I asked, slowly and uncertain.

She looked at me for a moment. So long, in fact, that I did not think she was going to respond. "Really?" she asked, finally.

"Yeah. Would you?"

She nodded. "Okay."

I smiled. "Awesome. I will pick you up at seven."

She returned my smile. "Okay. I will see you tomorrow."

"Okay."

She turned and walked out the door.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned to see my friends.

"Did I hear that correctly?" Billy asked me.

I just looked at him.

"Did you just ask Miranda Quinn out?" Dalton asked me.

"Uh, yeah," I replied. 

"She said yes?" Devon followed.

"Yeah."

"Wow," Ronnie said.

I chuckled. "I know."

The next evening at Billy's, we were rehearsing some new stuff for a concert the following weekend. I was so nervous that I could not stand still longer than a few minutes.

"Would you knock it off?" Billy demanded, obviously annoyed.

I took a deep breath and stood still for a moment. "I am sorry," I said and continued to pace the floor. "But I can't."

"Sit," he ordered.

"Woof," I quipped.

The guys laughed, but Billy just looked at me.

"Would you like a beer or something?" Billy asked me.

"What?"

"To calm your nerves."

"What? No," I said, quickly. "Billy, you know I don't drink."

"I was kidding, Lance. Relax."

I looked at him. "Relax? Miranda and I have not been in the same room together in nearly two years, much less spoken to one another. We ran out of things to say years ago. What are we supposed to talk about?"

"I am sure you will do just fine, Lance," Devon assured me.

"Oh," I groaned. "Why did I even ask her out? What was I thinking?"

"I don't think you were," Dalton answered.

"Huh?" said I, confused.

"We all saw the way you were looking at her last night," he explained. "Just go with it."

"Uh-huh. Easy for you to say," I told him.

When six-thirty rolled around, I got into my father's Jeep and went to pick up Miranda. I took her to Penny's, a local diner. I had forgotten that the place was so ritzy and wished I had brought more than fifty dollars.

"A table for two, please," I requested, when the waitress greeted us.

"Right this way, please." She led us to a booth in the back of the restaurant. "Here are your menus. What can I get you to drink?" she asked.

"Um, I will have a diet soda, please," Miranda said. "Anything is fine."

"Just a soda," I told her. "Mountain Dew."

"Okay. I will be back in a moment to take your order." She turned and left is alone for a few minutes.

Miranda looked around the restaurant, nervously. "Have you been here before?" she asked me.

"Yeah. I have been here a couple of times with my parents."

"Great. Any recommendations?"

"Well, are you a vegetarian? I forget."

She giggled. "Not at all. I will eat just about anything."

I raised me eyebrows. "Really?"

She looked at me for a moment and then smiled, reading my mind. "Don't get any ideas, Lance."

I just laughed. "Well, I personally like the pasta here. Also, I've heard good things about the steak. Also, there is this dinner salad, if that is what you're into."

"Ooh, steak. I love steak, especially the filet mignon. I like mine extra rare."

Yikes The filet mignon is very expensive. Maybe I should not have mentioned the steak. 

"Cool," I said. "I like a girl with a little bloodlust."

She just laughed.

The waitress came back.

"So, are we ready to order, or would you like to start with an appetizer?"

Argh, I thought. I am trying to conserve cash here. Stop trying to make me look bad 

"Miranda," I said. "Is there any particular appetizer you would like?"

"Hmm. I can go either way. I will let you decide."

"Okay. Get us the finger food variety platter, please."

"What would the young lady like for her entree?" the waitress asked.

"Um, I will try the pasta. I will go with the fettuccini Alfredo," Miranda told her.

"You, young man? What would you like?"

"I think I'll go with the spaghetti and meatballs."

"Thank you," said the waitress. "I will be back with your food in a little while." She turned and walked away.

"Did you see that awful uniform she was wearing?" Miranda asked me, after she was out of sight.

"I didn't really pay attention," I replied.

"Are you kidding? That poor girl. She should get hazard pay."

"I must have been looking at you the whole time . . . "

She giggled. "Save that kind of line for someone a little blonder."

I laughed.

Soon, the waitress returned with our food. We finished our meal in due course. Then she came back a little later with a dessert menu.

"I see you two have finished your meals. Did you save room for dessert?"

"I am stuffed, but you are welcome to order something," I told Miranda.

"Actually, I'm full too and I don't want to overstuff myself. Otherwise, we might not be able to walk out of here."

I laughed and looked at the waitress. "Could we just have the check, please?"

"Of course," she said. "Here you are."

Let's survey the damages, I thought and took the check from her. Hmm . . . thirty-seven dollars. I left a tip on the table.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah. Thanks for dinner," she told me.

"It was fun."

"Thank you, guys. Hope you enjoyed the meal," said the waitress as I paid.

We walked out to the Jeep. I opened the door for her and then closed it after she was in. I went around and climbed into the driver's seat.

"Thanks, Lance," She told me after we were on the road. "That was really special."

I smiled at her. "It was only special because you were there with me."

I could see her blush, even in the dark. "How can you say things like that and not expect me to kiss you?"

Surprised, I looked over at her. She leaned across the seat and kissed my lips. Keeping my left hand on the steering wheel and trying to keep my eyes on the road, I wrapped my other arm around her neck and kissed her back. I was thankful that it was nighttime and the road we were on was empty of traffic. I pulled off the road and onto a gravel driveway and put the Jeep in park. However, I left it running so that we would have the air conditioner to keep us cool.

Our kiss became very hot, so much in fact, that I was finding it hard to breathe. My left hand left the steering wheel and was traveling up her leg, under her skirt, and when I touched her panties, I felt her body go stiff. A second later, she relaxed again. Was that good or bad?

It wasn't until we climbed into the backseat and were nearly undressed that I realized what we were about to do. I should have stopped right then, but I didn't. I pressed forward, calling her name repeatedly until finally, it was over. Spent, I fell forward, my body over hers, my breathing as heavy and as fast as hers. For a few seconds, we did nothing else and we didn't say anything. I kissed her gently on the forehead and rose.

I looked down at her. Her eyes were still closed. "Are you all right?" I asked her, worried. "I didn't mean to be so . . . "

"I'm fine," she said, touching my lips with her fingers to quiet me.

A few minutes ticked by and then she raised herself on her elbows. I couldn't keep my eyes from looking at her, lying there as naked as the day she was born.

"Was that your first time?" she asked me, unexpectedly.

"Um . . . " I nodded. "Yeah."

She smiled. "Wow."

I looked at her for a moment. "You?"

She looked away for a moment and then she looked at me. "No."

I raised my eyebrows. "No?"

"No," she repeated. "I will explain later," she said and began to dress.

I looked at my watch. Twelve-thirty. "I guess I better get you home," I told her and began to dress. "I don't want to get you into trouble with your Mom."

She laughed. "That will be the day."

I just looked at her.

"Never mind," she said.

"Okay."

I climbed out of the backseat and got back into the driver's seat. Miranda climbed over the seat. Her father died before she was born and I did not know her mother all that well, because she was never around when we were kids.

A few minutes later, we arrived at Miranda's house. It was dark.

"My mother must be in bed already," she told me as I pulled into the driveway.

I walked her to the front door. 

"Thank you, Lance," she told me, again. "Tonight was . . . amazing."

I smiled and leaned in to kiss her. When I pulled back, we stared at each other for a long moment. I could not keep my heart from beating against my chest.

"Good night, Lance," she said.

"Sweet dreams, Miranda." She turned and went inside, leaving me stunned.

"Wow," I said to myself.

When I got home, I stumbled back the hallway to my bedroom, exhausted.

The next morning, I woke up hungrily, so I helped myself to a large breakfast, consisting if three fried eggs, a handful of bacon and three slices of toast.

My parents were leaving that morning to go to Miami, to some kind of conference held by their company. Neither one of them liked to fly and they liked to sight see on their trips, so naturally, they drove on all of their trips. My bedroom is full of out of state souvenirs.

My father left me his Jeep to use while they were gone. They were taking my mother's Cadillac. I stood on the front porch and watched them drive away, just as I had done countless times before. I turned to go back inside once they were out of sight, but the sound of Billy's mustang approaching caused me to turn back around in time to see him pull into the driveway. He turned off the engine and all four of my friends climbed out.

"Where are they headed this time?" Devon asked, walking up the sidewalk. He was talking about my parents.

"Miami," I said. "A conference. Two weeks, tops. Yours?"

He stopped a moment to think about it. "New York City?" he said, unsurely. "Or was it Chicago? I can't keep track anymore."

I just laughed.

"So," said Billy. "How was it?"

"How was what?" I asked him, although I knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Your date with Miranda," Devon replied. "How did it go?"

I knew that my face would give me away so I turned and went into the house and began to wash dishes.

"Well?" Billy asked, following me, with the guys trailing behind him, also curious.

"Well . . . I'm not sure," I told them.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Devon asked.

"Um . . . nothing. Never mind. It went fine."

"Cool," Ronnie said.

I almost told them what happened in the back of my father's Jeep. Yet. I decided to hold back. It was too soon.

Since it was Sunday, we did not do much of anything that day. We just hung around my house all day and then later, we decided to grill some cheeseburgers and hot dogs. I was just getting them started when we heard a car pull into the driveway.

"Lance," Ronnie said. "You have got company."

I looked up and saw Miranda getting out of her car. The sight of her caused my heart to skip a beat. I walked out to greet her.

"Hey," I greeted.

"Hi," she said. "I'm sorry that I didn't call. I just . . . I didn't know what to say."

"It's okay," I told her. "I wanted to call you, too, but . . . "

"I know." She looked at me for a moment. "Um . . . about last night . . . "

"Having regrets?"

She shook her head. "No. Not at all. Well, maybe a little. It's just that everything happened so fast. There wasn't much time to think. It didn't seem real."

"I know," I said. "But it did happen. It was real."

"I know."

She came forward and kissed me. I cupped her face and kissed her back. She pulled away and stepped back.




Part 01: Lance - Matters of the Heart



"Uh, are you hungry?" I asked her. "We've got plenty."

"Okay."

We ate and then we hung around my house for the rest of the evening. Billy was playing some tunes on his guitar and the guys were watching television and making fun of the actors and actresses. Miranda and I walked out onto the porch for some alone time. We sat on the porch swing. She was quiet.

"Are you all right?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Just thinking."

"What about?"

She was quiet for a minute. "Do you remember the Indecence Day party? At the river?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I missed it, though."

"I was there," she said. "There were some cute college guys there. Raven kept flirting with them."

I chuckled. "That figures." I was running my fingers through her silky hair.

"Well, I had been drinking," she continued. "Raven had disappeared. When one of those college guys offered to drive me home, I thought he was just being generous . . . " She began to cry.

"Miranda . . . "

"I tried to stop him," she went on. "I tried to fight him off, but . . . "

"Shh . . . " I pulled her to me and she cried into my shoulder. "I wish I had known. I would never have . . . I wouldn't have been so . . . "

She pulled away and looked at me. "No. Don't feel bad. That was nice. You made me feel . . . " she stopped, searching for the right words. "Well, you just made me feel. I have not felt much of anything for such a long time. Thank you."

We heard the front door open.

"Hey . . . " Billy said and then he noticed Miranda's tear streaked face. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Miranda told him. She got up and went inside.

Billy looked at me. "Is she all right?"

"Yeah," I told him. "She just . . . I didn't realize how much I've missed her."

"Wow," said Ronnie. "That is deep."

I laughed. "Shut up."

"Well, Lance, I have to get going," Billy said. "My father will freak if I'm not home when he gets home."

I looked at him. "Really?"

"Yeah," he said, looking as if he had just revealed a deep, dark secret. "I think it's the alcohol."

"Oh. Okay."

"You guys want a life?" Billy asked the others.

After they had left, I went inside and found Miranda in the family room, watching Lifetime Television. I sat beside her.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"Yeah."

"I am so sorry, Miranda," I said, sympathetically. "I wish I could do something." 

She smiled, softly. "Just hold me."

I pulled her closer and squeezed her gently.

"I love you, Miranda," I uttered impulsively.

She sat up and turned to look at me. "What?"

I looked into her eyes. "I love you. I have this feeling," I said, taking her hand and placing it over my racing heart, "right here. It get's stronger every time I see you. It's scaring the hell out of me."

"I think I'm feeling it, too," she told me.

"Really?"

She nodded. "I love you."

I placed my hand on the back of her neck and pulled her face to mine and kissed her. I gently eased my tongue into her mouth and anticipation swept through us like fire. I want her badly, but I did not rush it. Her lips never left mine, but I felt her hands move to my shirt and she began to unbutton the buttons. After she undid the last button, I felt her hands on my bare chest. Her lips left mine and traveled down my neck, to my chest and then to my stomach. Then, she kissed her way back up to my neck, where she kissed and nibbled until I was about to burst.

I gripped her shoulders with my hands and pulled her back up to face me and I kissed her lips again. We rose and I laid her on her back at the end of the couch. I pulled my shirt off and tossed it on the floor. She raised up and I pulled off her blouse, and threw it next to mine, revealing a light pink bra, which she removed next. I just stared at her for a long moment.

"You are so beautiful," I whispered to her.

I kissed her again and eased her backward. My lips left hers and traveled downward, taking each nipple into my mouth. My hands moved under her skirt and removed her panties. My fingers caressed her silky curls and then I eased one finger into her wetness. She moaned my name, sounding more like a plea.

"Tell me," I urged her, my voice low. "Tell me what you want, Miranda."

She did not make a sound. Yet she moaned and arched her back when I began to move my finger back and forth inside her.

"Lance," she pleaded. "Please."

I pulled my finger from her. She helped me out of my jeans, and then out of my boxer shorts, revealing myself to her. She smiled when she saw how badly I wanted her. I leaned down and kissed her, positioning myself at her opening. But this time, unlike before, I hesitated.

She felt my hesitation and smiled, reassuringly. "It's okay," she promised. "I'm on the pill."

My eyes widened. "Really?"

She nodded. "My mother made me. Just in case," she added.

I smiled and then kissed her, pressing forward. She inhaled sharply and I felt her long fingernails dig into my back and shoulders when I entered her. I began to move inside her. The sensation was so intense that I found myself holding my breath several times. She cried out with each thrust, her cries echoing throughout the small house. I felt her fingernails breaking my skin, but I was not ready to stop and complain. I felt her shudder beneath me right before I came inside her.

Our cries mingled as we came back down from our climax. We laid there, still entwined, for several minutes, before either of us spoke. I leaned up and looked into her flushed face. I kissed her. 

"I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied, breathlessly.

A few seconds later, there was a loud bang on the front door and both of us let out a sound of annoyance. I kissed her again and rose. She gathered up her clothes and went to the bathroom. I pulled on my jeans and went to open the door. It was my friends with two large pizzas and two big bottles of soda pop. I glared at them, clearly irritated.

"Are we celebrating?" I asked, dryly.

"Yes," Billy replied. 

"Yes? Celebrating what?"

"Are you going to let us in or what?" Devon asked.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Come in."

They followed me into the kitchen and put the stuff on the table.

"Hey, what happened to your back?" Ronnie asked me.

"Huh?"

"It looks like you've been attacked."

I almost laughed. "Um . . . " Before I could respond, Miranda walked into the kitchen.

"I am going to go," she said, kissing me.

"Okay."

I walked her to the door. She kissed me again. It was meant to be a quick kiss, but I held onto her and kissed her deeply. We pulled back and I hugged her, holding onto her a moment longer.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too."

I gave her a gentle squeeze and then released her. After she had left, I turned around to see my friends staring at me.

"What?"

"Did we interrupt something?" Dalton asked me.

I considered ignoring him, but instead, I said, "If you had been a few minutes earlier, you would have."

They exchanged glances and then began to hoot and holler. I felt myself blush. Billy came closer and patted me on my back.

"I am happy for you," he told me. "Really. Just be careful."

"Thanks, Billy, but her mother took precautions already."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Just in case," I said.

I stepped into the bathroom to examine my back. There were dozens of scratches, caused from Miranda's fingernails. "Damn," I said, under my breath. "I must have done something right."

"Beginners' luck," Ronnie said from behind me and we laughed.

I followed them back into the kitchen.

"So, what are we celebrating?" I asked them.

"Well," Billy said. "I got a call from the guy that owns the Roadhouse Pub. He wants us to play there in two weeks."

"The bar?" I asked and he nodded. "Really?"

"Yeah," he said. "So we should put in overtime at rehearsals."

"Awesome," said I.

"Yeah. He said that if we do well, he will give us a paying job, playing every weekend."

"That is awesome," I said, helping myself to the pizza.

I called Miranda later that night and told her about the audition.

"Are you nervous?" she asked me.

"Don't be surprised if I vomit on stage."

She laughed. "That bad, huh?"

"Still, if you come, it might not be so bad," I told her. 

"Really?"

"Yeah. So, will you come?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," she said.

"Terrific. I love you so much."

"I love you more," she replied. "Tonight was wonderful."

"Really? I was so nervous."

"I could not tell."

"I was."

She giggled. "Well, I am going to bed. I will see you tomorrow."

There was a dance at the Civic Center that Friday night and Miranda was my date. The guys rode in Billy's car, while Miranda and I followed in my father's Jeep. 

I could not take my eyes off Miranda that night. The dress she had on was the same shade of blue as her eyes and I thought she looked amazing. We pulled into the parking lot and lucked into a spot next to Billy's car. I turned the Jeep off and turned to look at her. I caressed her face with my hand.

"I can't believe how beautiful you look tonight," I told her, before I could stop myself.

She blushed. "Thank you."

I leaned in and kissed her, a little harder than I intended but she cupped my face and kissed me back. I pulled away, breaking our kiss.

"Come on," I told her. "If we keep this up, we'll never make it inside."

"Would that be so horrible?" she asked.

"No," I replied, kissing her again. "Not if I am with you."

I climbed out of the jeep and went around to open Miranda's door. She took my hand, when I offered it, and climbed out. She put her arms around my neck and kissed me, throwing off my balance and we fell against the Jeep. We laughed and went to go find my friends.

We danced the first dance that night, which was a fast paced one to get our blood pumping. Miranda and I danced every other dance after that, resting between. Halfway into the dance, Miranda excused herself and went to the girl's room with Raven. I went to our table and sat down to catch my breath.

"Everyone has been talking about you two," Billy informed me.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"You and Miranda have been the topic of conversation all night?" he said.

"Why?"

"I think people are just jealous," Devon told me. "I overheard people saying how much in love you and Miranda are."

"I do love her," I admitted. "I want to ask her to marry me."

"What?"

"Are you serious?" Billy followed.

I nodded. "I am."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring and placed it in front of them. Billy picked it up and opened it. He and Devon both whistled under their breath.

"Wow," said Devon. "That is nice."

"When are you going to ask her?" Billy asked me.

"Tonight," I told him. "If the timing is right."

He handed the ring back to me. "Good luck."

"Thanks."

Miranda and Raven came out of the bathroom and Miranda sat beside me, moving her chair closer to mine.

Ronnie came staggering over to our table. "Dude, I think someone put something in the punch," he said. "That's some good stuff."

"How much did you drink?" Billy asked him.

"Enough. I think I'm drunk."

"Don't drink anymore," I told him. "You don't want to get caught."

"Good idea," he said. "Ooh, I feel sick." He sat.

A slow song began and Miranda stood up and took my hand. 

"Dance with me," she requested and I got up. She led me out onto the dance floor and I held her close.

"I love you, Miranda. I cannot tell you enough."

When she looked up at me there was so much love in her eyes that it almost took my breath away. "I love you, too, Lance. My mother thinks we are moving too fast."

"What do you think?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I love you and, right now, that's all I need to know."

We kissed and then I pulled her close while we danced. When the song ended, we went back to our table. I looked at Ronnie when I sat down.

"How are you feeling?" I asked him.

"If I don't move, no one will notice," he replied.

"Let us hope that no one does anyway," Devon said. "These dances are held to keep us out of trouble."

Thankfully, no one got caught. We all danced the last dance and then we headed out the door.

"Do you all want to grab some pizza and go back to my house?" I asked everybody. "It's not late and I'm wired."

They agreed, so we stopped at the Pizza Palace on the way home and then went home.

"You look so beautiful tonight," I said to Miranda. "I almost can't keep my eyes off you."

She smiled at me. "Does it turn you on?"

I looked at her. "Yeah."

"Good," she said and smiled that beautiful smile that I loved so much.

When we pulled into my driveway, I turned off the engine and turned and looked at her for a moment. 

She looked at me. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing is wrong." I looked away for a moment and took a deep breath. I looked at her again. "What would you say if I asked you to marry me?"

Her eyes widened and she stared at me for a long moment. Her face softened. "Um . . . I think that I would probably say yes."

"Really?" 

She nodded. I remained quiet for a few minutes.

"Well, I am asking."

"What?"

"Will you marry me?" I stared into her eyes. "I don't mean now, or anytime soon. After graduation, or maybe college, but whenever you are ready. I know that asking seems crazy for me, but I love you and it hurts to leave your side. I almost want to cry whenever I take you home."

There were tears in her eyes and I hoped and prayed that it was a good sign. "Do you really love me that much?" she asked me.

"More than that, Miranda."

She smiled, then. "Yes."

I smiled. "Yeah?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring box. She gasped when I slid the ring onto her finger.

"Oh, my . . . " she whispered. "Lance. It is beautiful."

I kissed her lips, gently. "Come on. Let's go inside."

Ronnie was passed out on the couch when we walked in the door, but the guys were in the kitchen, talking about music and helping themselves to the pizza. I put on a movie and we gathered in the living room, trying not to disturb Ronnie. 

An hour through the movie, Miranda got up and went into the kitchen. A few seconds later, I got up and followed her. She was drinking a glass of milk when I entered the kitchen. I walked up behind her and put my arms around her waist. She leaned backward against me and I kissed her cheek.

"I love you," I whispered into her ear.

She turned to face me, putting her arms around my neck and kissing me. I felt her lounge in my mouth. If we had been alone in the house, I would have taken her right there, but I had to control myself, so I just continued to kiss her. My hand traveled upward until it found her breast. I could feel her nipple poking through the thin fabric of her dress and I teased it. She moaned, softly.

"I want you," I whispered. "I have been wanting you all night."

"I know." She rubbed herself against the front of my jeans and knew I was telling the truth. 

She began to kiss her way down my chest, unbuttoning my shirt along the way. I felt her unbuckle my jeans and then she unzipped them. When she freed me, I could not believe my eyes. She wrapped her hand around the shaft and when she teased it with her tongue, I gasped.

"M--Miranda," I stammered, when she took me into her mouth. "What if someone walks in?"

"So," was her reply. "Let them."

I kept my eyes on the doorway, but I was not about to stop her from doing what she was doing. My fingers clutched the counter top so tight that my knuckles were white. A few minutes later, I found myself seizing onto a handful of her hair with my fists, but she didn't complain, nor was she letting up.

"Miranda, I'm going to . . . " Before I could finish, I gushed into her mouth. I heard her swallow. A few seconds later, she stood up and smiled at me. I just stared at her in disbelief. I could not believe what just happened and with my friends in the very next room "Where did you learn how to do that?" I asked, quickly fixing my jeans.

She shrugged. "I read about it in a magazine once and wanted to try it."

My eyes widened. "Oh "

She smiled, kissed me, and then took a drink of her milk.

A few seconds later, Billy walked into the kitchen. Miranda and I looked at each other, wide eyed.

"Do you mind if I take a shower?" Miranda asked me.

"No. Go ahead."

She kissed me and left the room. I stood still for a moment, because my legs felt like jelly. Billy helped himself to a glass of iced tea and then he looked at me.

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

I looked at him. "Why?"

"Your face looks flushed, is all," he said. "I thought maybe you were sick or something."

"No. I am fine."

He and I walked back into the living room. 

When we sat down, Billy looked at me. "So," he said. "Did you do it?"

I looked at him. "What?" Then I remembered. "Oh, uh, yeah."

"What did you think I was talking about?" he asked, curiously.

"Never mind," I told him.

"So, you really asked her?" he asked me again.

"Asked who what?" Dalton butted in.

"Yes," I told Billy.

"What did she say?" 

I just smiled. 

He raised an eyebrow. "She said yes?" 

I nodded.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"What are you two talking about?" Dalton asked, impatiently.

I looked at him. "I asked Miranda to marry me."

"Whoa " he nearly shouted. "Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Awesome "

"You know," Devon said. "I saw this coming."

"Yeah?" said I.

"Yeah. Anyone could have. The way you are when you are with her."

Fifteen minutes later, Miranda came out of the bathroom wearing sweat pants and a spaghetti strap to that left little to the imagination. She sat beside me and I put my arm around her. Billy found a movie of the Science Fiction channel, but by the time it had ended, Miranda had fallen asleep in my arms.

"Lance," Devon said. "I think we might crash here tonight."

"Go ahead," I told him. "I would welcome the company."

"You don't mind?" Billy asked. 

"Of course not," I told him.

"She must really trust you to fall asleep on your arms," Dalton told me.

I smiled at him. "I sure hope so."

I moved a strand of hair from her face and looked at her for a moment. I could not believe how much more beautiful she had become since we were kids. It made me proud to know that she was mine. I tried to get up gently, so that I would not wake her, and then I cradled her in my arms and carried her back to my bedroom. After I laid her on my bed, I went back out and said good night to my friends. When I got back to my bedroom, I closed the door behind me and got undressed down to my boxer shorts and climbed into bed. I put my arm around her and kissed her neck softly. Soon, I fell asleep.

Everyone was awake when I got up the next morning, except Ronnie, who was sawing logs on the floor.

"Good morning," I greeted.

"Sleep well?" Billy asked me.

"Yeah," I replied. "Better than I have in a long time." He just grinned at me. "Are you guys hungry?"

"Yeah," Devon said.

"Starving," Dalton followed.

"You cook?" Billy asked me.

I chuckled. "Yeah. There are many things you guys do not know about me." 

I went into the kitchen and began to fry the bacon while I got the eggs ready to scramble. Billy came into the kitchen a few minutes later, his writing tablet in hand.

"Working on another song?" I asked him.

"Nah," he replied. "Just ideas."

"Cool," I said. "I woke up this morning and rolled over and when I saw Miranda lying there beside me, I had to smile. It just felt right, you know?"

"Yeah."

Dalton and Devon came in and sat at the kitchen table. Ronnie followed a few minutes later. 

"I have got a headache from hell," said Ronnie, holding his head with both hands, like it was about to roll off his shoulders.

"It must have been all that punch you drank last night," Devon joked.




Part 01: Lance - Matters of the Heart



"Shut up," Ronnie shot back.

We laughed at him.

I fix everybody a plate and then I sat and ate with them, since Miranda was still asleep.

Dalton looked at me. "You were right," he said. "There are a lot of things we don't know about you."

"This is good," Billy told me.

"Why, thank you, Sir," I said, using a British accent.

After I finished my breakfast, I got up and began to scramble some more eggs. 

"Now what are you doing?" Billy asked me.

"I am fixing Miranda some breakfast," I told him. "I am going to take it to her."

"You are so whipped," Ronnie told me.

I looked at him. "Shut up."

I fixed Miranda a plate that consisted of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and some strawberries, which I knew were her favorites. I put her plate on a television tray and placed a glass of orange juice beside the plate. I looked it over and felt like I was forgetting something. Then, I had an idea. I went out onto the front porch and picked off a red rose from my mother's rose bush. I went back into the kitchen and put the rose on the tray, beside the strawberries.

"I'll be right back."

I picked up the tray and headed back the hallway. When I entered my room, Miranda was still sound asleep. I set the tray on my night stand and watched her sleep for a few minutes. A slight smile was playing on her lips. Was this really happening to me? I wondered. I had known her all my life and it never occurred to me that I could ever fall in love with her. She must have sensed that I was there, because she opened her eyes and looked up at me. She smiled.

"Good morning, Beautiful," I said to her.

She stretched and then sat up and looked at the stray on the night stand. "What is this?" 

"Just a little treat."

"Breakfast in bed?"

I nodded and sat on the bed. She reached over and picked up the rose and brought it to her nose. "It is so beautiful," she said and looked into my eyes. "You are so good to me. Why?"

I shrugged. "I could not imagine it being any other way."

I leaned in and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me back. She leaned backward, pulling me down on top of her. We undressed each other and I lifted her legs over my shoulders and entered her, in one swift motion. She lifted her hips to meet my thrusts. At the moment of our simultaneous climax, I dropped her legs and covered her mouth with mine, muffling our cries.

When our breathing returned to normal, I lifted myself up and looked down at her. I kissed her nose and then her lips. She smiled up at me.

"I love you so much," I told her. "I hope you don't get tired of hearing that."

"Never," she said. "I love hearing you say that you love me. It gives me something to look forward to. My mother is never home anymore. I hate being alone."

"Well," I said. "I promise you that as long as I am around, you will never be alone again."

"Do you mean that?"

I nodded. "I never make a promise that I cannot keep." I kissed her. "Your food is getting cold."

"Uh-huh."

I chuckled and got up.

"So, what have you got planned for today?" I asked her, while we dressed.

"Raven and I are going shopping," she replied. "I'm supposed to pick her up."

"Sounds exciting."

"I know. Her birthday is Monday. I'm letting her pick out her gift."

"That's nice of you," I told her. "Wish her a happy birthday for me."

"I will."

I sat with her while she ate and when she went to take a shower, I went back out to sit with the guys. Billy had gone home, but the others hung around until I got ready to take Miranda home and then they went home, too.

As usual, Miranda's mother was not home. When I pulled into the driveway, I shut off the engine and went around to open her door. I walked her to her door and took her into my arms. I held her for a few minutes.

"I'd better go change my clothes," Miranda told me. "I'm supposed to pick up Raven at noon."

"Okay," I said, releasing her. "You two have fun and be careful."

"We will," she promised.

She turned and went inside. I got into the Jeep and backed out of the driveway, tapping the horn as I pulled away. I didn't know it then, but that would be the last time that I would ever be that happy.

Later that evening, we were at Billy's house. We had just finished a song when the phone rang. Billy picked up the phone in the garage. He listened for a moment and then turned to me.

"Lance, um, it's the hospital," he said. "Miranda and Raven were in an accident."

"What? Are they okay? Is Miranda okay?" I asked quickly.

He shook his head. "She didn't say."

"Well, let's go," I said, grabbing my keys.

We raced to the hospital in the Jeep. My mind was racing, expecting the worst. I parked the Jeep and we hurried inside. We found Miranda's mother in the waiting room. When I approached her, I saw that her face was streaked with tears. I sat beside her.

"Mrs. Quinn?" I said, gently.

No response.

"Sarah," I said, speaking her name. She looked at me. "Miranda? She is not . . . "

"She alive," she said and I let out the breath that I was holding. "However, she is critical," she went on. "She won't wake up. She has a concussion and a broken leg. She won't wake," she repeated. "The doctor said there is a slim chance that she will ever wake up."

I felt my heart began to pound. I could feel it pounding in my ears. I got up and started toward Miranda's room, but a nurse stopped me.

"I am sorry, Sir. Family only."

"It's okay," Sarah said, coming to my defense. "He is family."

The nurse gave me a knowing smile and let me pass. When I walked into the room, I thought I might turn and run back out. But I didn't. I took a deep breath and moved forward. It shocked me to see her lying there, so lifeless. Her leg was in a cast. There was a bandage on her forehead. I stood beside the bed for a moment and just looked at her. Even now, she was still so beautiful. I pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat, taking Miranda's hand into mine. I kissed the top of her hand.

"Miranda," I whispered. I did not know what to say. "Don't go," I pleaded. "I need you." 

I sat by her side until a nurse came into the room and made me leave.

"I'll be back," I said to Miranda, kissing her lips gently. 

When I walked back out to the waiting room, my friends were waiting for me.

"Hey," Billy greeted, cautiously.

"Hey." I looked around the waiting room. "Where is Sarah?"

"The doctor threatened to admit her if she didn't go home and get some rest," Dalton told me.

I just nodded. 

"How is she?" Billy asked me.

I shook my head. "I don't know. It's strange, seeing her that way."

"She'll be okay," Devon assured me. 

"I know," I said. "She'll be fine." It was more to convince myself than anyone else. "Come on. We should find Raven."

We found Raven's parents in the Family Waiting Room.

"Mrs. Jenkins?" I said. They stood up to greet us. "How is Raven?" I asked them.

"Oh, Lance " exclaimed Raven's mother, hugging me tightly.

"Hello, Lance," Mr. Jenkins greeted, calmly, when Mrs. Jenkins released me. "They said she was going to be fine."

"That's wonderful," said Dalton, who has always had a crush on Raven.

He nodded. "Yes. How is Miranda?"

I just shook my head. "I don't know."

For the next two weeks, I stayed by Miranda's side whenever I could. There was no change in her condition. It was Saturday and when I arrived at the hospital, Sarah was in the hallway. She ran to me.

"She's awake," she told me. "She has been asking for you."

I went into Miranda's room and my heart did a happy dance when I saw that she was awake. "Oh, thank God " I exclaimed. I hugged her to me and held onto her for so long. "I was so scared."

"I know," she said. "But it's okay. I'm okay now."

I pulled away and she smiled at me. Oh, I missed that beautiful smile 

"How are you feeling?"

"Tired. Weak."

I looked into her eyes for a long moment. "I love you so much. I don't know what I would've done if . . . "

"Shh . . . "

I kissed her lips for the first time in what felt like months.

"I kept thinking about you," she told me. "I . . . I felt like I was trapped. I wanted to wake up, but I couldn't."

I smiled. "All I did was think about you."

"We were never really apart, were we?"

My smile widened. "No. I guess not." 

Miranda's mother called me out into the hallway. The doctor was in the hallway.

"It is a very good sign that she is awake," he told us. "However, she is still not out of the woods yet."

"But she's awake," I reminded him. "She'll be okay now. Right?"

He looked at me for a long moment. "Let's hope so."

When I got home that evening, I saw that my parents had returned for their trip.

"Lance " my mother exclaimed when I walked in the front door.

"Hi, Mom."

"Hello, Son," said my father in his normally calm voice.

My mother hugged me gently and then pulled back and looked at me. "Lance, you don't look happy. What is the matter?"

I took a deep breath. "It's Miranda."

"Miranda Quinn?" my father asked.

I nodded. My parents exchanged glances and I quickly filled them in on what had happened while they were away. I finished by telling them about the accident.

"I am sorry, Son," my father said to me. 

"We will say a prayer for her, Lance," my mother told me.

"Thanks, Mom."

"So," my father said. "You and Miranda have gotten close again, huh?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I love her."

My mother smiled at me and my father patted me on the back.

Later at Billy's, I told the guys that Miranda was awake and what the doctor had said.

"She'll be okay now, won't she?" Dalton asked.

"Yeah," I said, trying to convince them as well as myself. "She was so happy. She was laughing and joking around. She will be out of there soon."

That was when the phone call came. My cellphone rang and I answered it.

"Hello?" I said into my phone. Silence greeted me. "Hello?"

"Hello," came a woman's voice. "Lance?"

"Yes."

"Um, this is Sarah," she told me. "I am calling you because, um . . . " she hesitated.

"Sarah?"

"It's Miranda, Lance. She's gone."

My breath caught. "Gone?"

My friends stopped what they were doing and looked at me.

"Miranda has passed away, Lance," she said. "It happened just a few minutes ago."

I felt my heart stop. Then it started to beat again, pounding so hard I thought I might have a heart attack.

"W--What?"

"She's gone. I am sorry."

I felt the blood drain from my face. "No," I said. "No. She was fine. She was awake. She was talking and laughing. What happened?" I demanded.

"I don't know. She just didn't wake up. I think . . . " her voice trailed away. "I think she was waiting for you. She really loved you, Lance."

I didn't reply. I dropped the phone and I stood still for a few minutes. My friends were staring at me.

"Lance?" Billy said.

"Are you okay?" Devon asked me.

I looked at them. "She's gone."

"What?" Dalton asked, getting to his feet.

"Miranda is . . . dead."

I guess that nobody knew what to say, because everyone just stood still, watching me. They must have been expecting a bigger reaction, but truthfully, I wasn't sure how I should have reacted.

"Are you all right?" Billy asked me.

I didn't answer him. I stood there until my legs gave out on me and I sat on the chair beside the phone. I sat there for a few minutes and then I got up and headed for the door.

"Lance," Billy spoke up, cautiously.

"I'm okay, Billy."

"But . . . "

"I'm fine," I insisted. "I just need to drive."

He looked at me for a moment. "Be careful."

I got into the jeep and pulled out of the driveway. I drove all night. It was near morning when I pulled into my own driveway. My mother was asleep on the couch when I walked in the door. I shook her gently. She sat up quickly when she realized it was me.

"Oh, thank goodness," she cried, standing up and hugging me. "Are you all right?"

I nodded. "I'm okay."

"Billy called earlier to check on you. He told me about Miranda. I am so sorry, Baby." I didn't say anything. "You should go to bed," she told me. "Get some rest."

She kissed my forehead and I went to my room and closed the door. I sat on my bed to take my shoes off and on my night stand was a picture of Miranda. I looked at it for a second and then I undressed and climbed in bed. I don't know how, but I managed to fall asleep quite easily.

I woke up the next morning to the aroma of my mother's cooking. I got up and got dressed and then made my way to the kitchen.

"Good morning, Son," my father greeted me.

My mother gave me a bright smile. "How did you sleep, Honey?"

"Okay."

My father looked at me for a moment. "I'm sorry about Miranda," he said. "I cannot imagine what you're feeling. If it had been your mother . . . " his voice trailed away when I looked at him. 

I had almost forgotten. Miranda was dead. I was never going to hold her or kiss her again. She was gone forever.

"I cannot imagine what Sarah must be going through," said my mother. "She is all alone in that big house now."

"She should be used to it," I said, dryly. "Miranda said her mother was never home. She hated to be alone."

I had lost my appetite. I excused myself from the table and walked outside. I sat on the porch swing and closed my eyes for a moment.

"Could you use some company?" I looked up and saw Billy, Devon, Ronnie and Dalton walking toward me. 

I smiled. My faithful friends, I thought. "Sure," I said.

Billy sat on the swing next to me, while the others leaned on the porch railing in front of us.

"How are you?" Devon asked me.

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. I had almost forgotten," I told them. "I almost forgot that she was gone. Until my parents reminded me." Nobody said anything. "It doesn't seem real," I went on. "I keep feeling like I am in the middle of a nightmare, but I can't wake up. It's not fair."

"Life never is, Lance," Billy told me.

We heard a vehicle pull into the driveway. I looked up and saw Miranda's mother. I got up and went out into the driveway to greet her. 

She gave me a gentle hug. "Hello, Lance." I just nodded, not sure how to respond. "Um," she said. "They gave this to me at the hospital. I thought you might like to have it." 

She handed me the blue ring box that I had given to Miranda the night of the dance at the Civic Center. I looked at the box and then I looked at Sarah. I took the box from her hand.

"Thank you."

"Look, Lance, don't be a stranger, okay? That big house is extremely quiet now."

I nodded. "I won't. I promise."

"I am glad that Miranda found you," she said. "You made her very happy. Thank you for that."

"I still love her. I think I always will."

"Good," she said. "Love is the one thing that Death cannot take away from us." I just nodded. "So, um, I will see you at the funeral?"

I looked at the ground and then back up at her. "I don't know if I'll be there, Sarah. I don't know if I can."

She looked at me for a long moment and then nodded with understanding. "Well, I'll be seeing you."

She hugged me and then got into her car and drove away. I went back up onto the porch and sat down beside Billy. I looked down at the ring box in my hand but didn't open it. I couldn't.

Miranda's funeral was Wednesday. I forced myself to go, but I avoided the casket. I did not want to remember her that way. I was outside the funeral home, on the porch, when my mother found me.

"Come on, Baby," she said. "You need to say goodbye."

I shook my head. "No. I can't, Mom."

"Come on, Lance," Billy said, coming up behind me. "We'll go with you."

Billy put his arm around my shoulder and led me inside. He practically forced me to the front of the room. When we reached the casket, my breath caught. I am not sure what I was expecting. Maybe I was expecting a smile from her. That didn't happen. I just stared at her. My heart began to pound.

"Are you okay?" Billy asked, when he saw my face go white.

I breathed in, deeply. "It looks like she's sleeping."

"She is," he said. "In a way, she is."

"But she won't wake up, ever again." My heart was pounding harder and faster now. I was having trouble catching my breath.

"What's wrong?" Billy asked me, quickly.

I couldn't respond. My hand was clutching my chest and I wondered if I were having a heart attack. 

"Guys " I heard Billy shout, and in a second, my friends were surrounding me. 

"Let's get him some air," Devon suggested and they helped me outside. 

I leaned over the railing, taking short, quick breaths. 

"Lance?" Raven Jenkins was coming up the steps. "Lance, focus. Find something to focus on."

I looked at her. "What?" I said, between breaths.

"Trust me," she said.

I looked around, desperately looking for something to focus my attention on. My eyes rested on two kids that were playing in the gravel parking lot. After a few seconds, my heart slowed to normal and I could take deep breaths until my breathing was back to normal. 

I straightened up and looked at Raven. "Thank you."

"What happened?" Ronnie asked me.

"Panic attack," Raven answered for me. She looked at me. "It happened to me the night my mother died."

"Thank you, Raven," I told her again.

She nodded and looked toward the entrance to the funeral home. "Care to try again?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Come on." She held out her hand. "We can lean on each other."

I looked at her for a moment and then she took my hand into hers and led me back inside. My friends followed. When we reached the casket, we didn't move. We just looked down at Miranda. She looked so peaceful. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring box that I had gotten back from Sarah. I took the ring out of the box and placed the box in the casket beside her. Then, I picked up Miranda's left hand and slid the ring back onto her finger. Raven looked at me. 

I looked at her. "It was hers," I told her. "She should have it."

She just smiled at me.

Later at the cemetery, I stood still, staring at the casket. It wasn't until they began to lower the casket that it began to sink in. This was it. I couldn't take anymore. I turned and walked across the cemetery toward the Jeep. I got in and drove away before anyone could stop me. I needed to be by myself. Somehow I found myself at the river, standing at the edge of the dock.

"How could this be happening?" I asked, aloud, looking upward at the sky. "Why are you doing this to me?"

I did not receive an answer and got back into the Jeep and drove home.

My parents left for New York City early the next morning and I welcomed the silence. I was glad to be left alone. I went back to bed after that had left and it was noon when I woke up. I walked into the kitchen to find myself some food, but when I opened the refrigerator door, my eyes settled on my father's bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey. I eyed the bottle for a long moment, tempted. I had gotten drunk once before and regretted it. 

I closed the refrigerator door and started away, only to turn back just as quickly. I opened the door again and, without hesitation, reached for the whiskey. I twisted off the cap and took a long drink, which burned my throat and chest, but it felt good. When I took a second drink, I felt my body relax. I tossed the cap into the sink and walked into the living room, where I sat in front of the television until the bottle was empty. I stumbled around the house, looking for more. When I didn't find anything, I picked up my car keys, intending to go find some. But when I walked out the door, Billy was walking up the sidewalk.

"Where are you going?" Billy asked me.

Silence. I couldn't remember where I was going. "Nowhere."

He stopped on the porch in front of me. He studied me. "Have you been drinking?"

"No " I exclaimed, a little too loudly and a little too quickly. "What makes you think that I've been drinking?"




Part 01: Lance - Matters of the Heart



"My father is an alcoholic," he reminded me. "I think I can recognize the signs." He looked at the keys in my hand. "You weren't planning on driving, were you?"

"Um . . . maybe."

"I don't think so," he said, reaching out and seizing the keys before I could stop him.

"Hey " I cried, reaching for the keys. He jerked them away. "Billy Come on, Man." I sounded like a child, begging for a piece of candy.

"No," he said. "Don't be stupid. You'll kill yourself. Now . . . sit before you fall down." He led me to a chair on the porch and I sat. He sat beside me. "Lance. Alcohol is not the answer."

"What do you expect me to do?" I demanded. "What would you do?"

"I don't know. But don't resort to this. You should have come to me if you needed to talk."

"What can you do? You can't bring Miranda back."

"I know, Lance. I wish the hell I could. I hate seeing you this way. All we can do is be here. We are not going anywhere."

"Sure," I said, dryly. "That's what I thought about Miranda. Do you believe in God?" I asked him.

"I don't know. Sometimes. Don't you?"

"No."

"How can you not?"

"How can you?" I demanded. "He took Miranda from me, and from Sarah. A real God wouldn't do that. If He is supposed to be all powerful, why would he take away the one thing that I had to be happy about?"

He shrugged. "I don't know."

"Everything happens for a reason," Dalton said, coming up onto the porch.

I looked at him. "Do you really believe that?"

"Yes. I always have," he said. "How are you?"

"Can't you tell?" Billy replied for me. "He's drunk."

"What?" he exclaimed, stunned. "How did that happen?"

Billy shrugged. "I don't know. He was about to leave when I showed up."

Dalton just shook his head at me.

"It should have been me," I said, not speaking to anyone.

"What?" Billy asked, looking at me.

I looked at him. "It should have been me," I repeated. "Not Miranda."

"Do not talk like that," Dalton said. 

"Why? I'm serious."

"I know you are," he said.

"Why Miranda? She was so . . . perfect. She was everything."

"Maybe the angels were jealous of her, because she was perfect," Billy said.

I looked at him. "You think so?"

"Yeah."

I thought about the possibility and then smiled. "Yeah. I guess that would make sense."

I must have passed out sometime after that because it was morning when I woke up. I had a splitting headache and when I rolled over, I hit the floor with a hard thud. I groaned loudly and got to my feet. I made my way to the bathroom and found some Aspirin. When walked toward the kitchen, I saw Billy sleeping on the couch. He woke up when I stumbled in.

"Hey, Lance," he greeted, sleepily.

"I didn't mean to wake you up. Why are you here?"

He yawned and sat up. "I stayed to make sure you didn't go anywhere."

"Thanks. I'm sorry about last night. I feel like an ass. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Don't apologize. You're grieving. I understand."

"Thanks, but . . . I don't feel sad," I said. "I feel . . . angry. All the time."

"That's normal. It's okay." I didn't say anything. "Well, I better go home before my father's realizes that I didn't come home last night," he said and stood up.

"Why are you scared of him?" I asked him.

He looked at me for a moment. "I'm not," he said and changed the subject. "Will you be at practice tonight?"

"I doubt it, Billy."

"You should come. It will take your mind off things."

"No," I told him. "I can't. I just . . . I don't want to sing any more."

"You don't have to sing," he said. "Just be there."

"I'll think about it," I told him, but I didn't go.

I didn't go to practice any more after that. I fell into a state of depression and refused to see anyone. I wanted to be left alone. I could not get Miranda out of my mind. I got angrier and angrier as the days passed. One after noon, when again I didn't show up at practice, it was not long until my friends show up.

"It's been weeks, Lance," Billy told me, clearly agitated. "You've got to let go and move on."

I remained silent, which irritated him more. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dalton give him something. Billy slammed a scrapbook down on the coffee table in front of me. I just stared at the blank cover until Billy reached down and opened the cover and there, on the front page, was a picture of Miranda's car. It was crushed. With trembling fingers, I reached down and turned the page. There it was, the article from the newspaper.

Sixteen year old Miranda Quinn

and sixteen year old Raven Jenkins

were on their way home from a 

shopping trip when a drunken driver

crossed the yellow line, sending 

Miranda's car over an embankment.

Raven escaped with minor injuries.

Miranda is in critical condition and 

not expected to survive . . . 

I closed my eyes tightly and took a deep breath to try to calm the fury that was building in my chest. Yet on the very next page was Miranda's obituary. Beside it was a picture of her, smiling that beautiful smile that I was missing so much. I stood up and hurled the book across the room, just missing Dalton. He ducked out of the way and everyone looked at me, shock by my outrage. 

I looked at Billy with fire in my eyes. "Why would you show me that?" I demanded.

"I thought it might help," he said. "We thought that it might encourage you to talk to us."

"I can't, Billy," I told him, my voice shaking. "Don't you think I would have by now if I could?"

"I don't know, Lance."

"It hurts too much," I told him.

"I know."

"No, you don't," I shot back. "It hurts to talk. It hurts to breathe, because I am so pissed off all the time. Do you have any idea how hard it is to wake up every morning, knowing that somehow I have to get through another day without her?"

Nobody responded. Without warning, the dam that was holding back my emotions broke and began to cry. I would have fallen if Billy had not rushed forward and caught me and held me up. I sobbed into his shoulder for several minutes. When I was finally able to control myself, Billy pulled away from me and I sat on the couch, feeling exhausted.

"Are you all right?" he asked me.

I nodded. "I'm sorry. I..."

"No," he said. "It's okay. It's good to let go sometimes."

"Being angry all the time just seemed easier," I told them. "Easier than being sad."

They hung around my house for the rest of the evening and then, after making sure that I was emotionally stable, they all went home. I picked up my keys and decided to go for a drive. Driving always made me feel relaxed. I went to the cemetery for the first time since Miranda's funeral. I stood over her grave for a good while, just looking down at it.

"Damn it, Miranda " I shouted, suddenly. "Damn you for hurting me like this. You should have been more careful. You should have fought harder. You should have . . . " my voice trailed away and I dropped to my knees and sobbed against the tombstone. "Miranda, I need you. I cannot do this any more."

"Then say goodbye."

I froze, almost stopped breathing. "Miranda?"

"Behind you."

I got to my feet and I whirled around. There she was, standing in a glow of white. I glanced at the tombstone behind me and then I looked back at her. I stared at her for the longest time, not knowing what to say or what to do. 

"How is this possible?" I asked her.

"You needed me," she said. "Here I am. But you must let me go. It's the only way to heal yourself."

"Miranda," I whispered, sounding more like a plea. "I can't. I don't know how."

"Let God help you."

"How?"

"You have t let him into your heart," she replied, stepping out of the light. Her body became solid, like she was real. In slow motion she brought her lips to mine, kissing me one last time. Then, just as quickly as she appeared, she was gone. I stood still for a moment, wondering if that had actually happened, but I could still feel her kiss and I knew it was real.

I dropped to my knees again and began to pray. "God, I need help. I need your help. I cannot live with this pain inside me anymore. I do not want to be angry anymore, but I cannot shake it away. I am not strong enough; only you can help me. I want peace. I want to feel good again and like myself again. Please, God. I am so scared."

I turned and sat down, leaning backward against Miranda's tombstone. I felt like her arms were around me, holding me again, like she used to. I crossed my arms over my knees and rested my head in my arms. I must have fallen asleep, because I woke up the next morning to someone shaking me.

"Raven?" I said, confused. "Hi."

"Have you been here all night?" she asked me.

I got to my feet and glanced around the cemetery. "I guess so. Why are you here so early?"

"Oh, um, I came to plant some flowers on Miranda's grave," she told me.

I smiled at her. "She would like that."

"Do you want to help me?"

I nodded. "Sure."

Raven had brought enough flower seeds to surround Miranda's grave. 

"They should come up next Spring," Raven told me. "It will be beautiful. I cannot wait to see them."

"Neither can I," I said.

"I know that you have been having a hard time," she told me, after a moment's silence. 

I nodded. "Yeah. I have. I keep feeling like I've been cheated. Miranda was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"I know what you mean," she said. "She was always there for me when no one else even bothered."

"I'm sorry that I never got to know you," I said to her.

She smiled at me. "It's okay," she said. "Maybe this is our chance."

"Maybe."

"I'm so sorry," she said.

"Sorry?" I asked, confused. "Why?"

"It was because of my birthday that we were out that night."

"No. Raven, do not blame yourself," I told her. "The accident was not your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault."

"I feel so bad all the time," she said, with tears in her eyes. "It was my birthday. I was the reason we were shopping in the first place."

I stepped forward and took her hands into mine. "Look at me, Raven." She looked up at me and looked into my eyes. "Listen," I said. "Miranda took you shopping because she loved you. That is just the kind of person she was."

She nodded. "Thank you, Lance. You are a good person." 

"Yeah." 

"Well," she said and began to gather up her things. "I better get going. My Dad will be looking for me."

"Okay. Take care, Raven," I told her. 

She started away, but then she turned back to me. "Um . . . can I call you sometime? If I ever need someone to talk to?"

I nodded. "Of course. Don't hesitate."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

"Bye," she said.

"Bye, Raven." 

After she drove away, I got into the Jeep and drove home. When I pulled into the drive way and got out of the vehicle, I saw my friends sitting on the front porch.

"Hi," I said to them, walking up onto the porch. 

Everyone stood up when they saw me.

"Where were you?" Billy asked me, obviously happy to see me.

"Um . . . why?"

"We have been looking everywhere for you," Dalton told me.

"Oh. Did you check the cemetery?" I asked them.

"The cemetery?" Devon followed.

"Yeah," I said. "Evidently, I fell asleep there last night. Raven woke me up this morning."

"Oh. Are you okay?" Devon asked me.

I looked at them for a moment. "Yeah," I said. "I think I will be okay." They exchanged glances. "What?"

"Nothing," Billy said. "We were just worried about you."

"I know," I said. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay, Man," Ronnie said, looking very tired. 

"Um . . . this is going to sound crazy," I said. "But Miranda came to me last night while I was in the cemetery."

"Miranda?" Billy said and they exchanged glances, again.

"Yeah. She helped me let go."

"Really?" Dalton asked.

"Yeah. She came and went so fast, I had to wonder if it had really happened, but I feel like this huge weight has been lifted off me," I told them.

"That's good," Devon said.

"Yeah," I said. "It doesn't hurt so much now."

I am not sure they really believed me, but they seemed satisfied. 

Miranda is just a memory now. She is a wonderful memory. Love is something that you leave behind when you die. It is that powerful. I can still feel her love, so she is not truly gone.



Part 01: My Owner's Embrace



Days passed and I still hadn't been punished for saying "no" to my Master... In the delirium of my slut training, the word just slipped out and I couldn't take it back. It hung there for a moment and faded. I wondered where it had gone. His reaction was only of mild shock and I realized how much I was his property; it made me happy that he truly never expected me to say that to him, especially at something I had experienced before under his care. Then again, in passion, I also bite my tongue against the inane "yes yes yes" that is not original enough to pay him tribute. I can't always keep that under control, either.

We were in bed and the heel of his hand was sliding along my dripping slit and moving between my ass cheeks; I shoved back into his groin while he held a switched off vibrator firmly in my cunt. I knew he was going to do something more to me—his sensuous fingers conspicuously out of range—what it would be was vague in my awareness, but my body tensed up and when his finger slipped inside my ass I said No. I regretted it immediately and forced myself not to suffer so much I'd ruin our afternoon. 

After that things were exactly the same between us, the days a delightful blur of kissing and stroking, hard sessions with the punishment implements, making love... But I still had not been punished, made to think about what I had done and pay for it with appropriate correction. One afternoon, my Master came to Our apartment for a surprise visit and, though he smiled that he was happy to see me, would not let me kiss him or run my hands over his chest the way I like to do as soon as I see him. I knew this was on purpose and what it was about. He could see by my guilty look he would not have to explain himself. He had caught my small hands at the wrists and deflected them like I was easy to refuse and I snapped to attention. 

I was wearing my black leggings I wear at home for exercise and a bra with a biting underwire that was moist with sweat. Once the front door was closed behind him, he told me to pull the leggings down to my knees and bend over the coffee table. This was not unusual, but I knew there would be more to it that would be difficult. Nothing worth having is easy and I wouldn't ever change that—I hadn't searched for him to make things easy for me.

He grabbed me hard my messy hair and told me to spread myself, which I did while fighting back a little rising shame at separating my damp buttocks with my hands. I am attuned to his wishes and understood his meaning without the explicit instructions he sometimes gives to arouse me. It wasn't a silent treatment, but he is less verbal when he's being strict with me. I picked up one hand, then the other so that I was bent at a right angle using my strength and his Dom grip to keep from falling. I spread my legs in a wider triangle to remain stable and felt my cunt open, cooler air entering, gravity drawing my fuck juice out... I wished I didn't get so wet at the sight of him. I wanted to ask him if I could close the curtains or take a shower first, but I knew the answer would be no. I need more discipline...

I heard a thoughtful sigh from my Master, close to my bare shoulder as if he had bent to kiss or bite me, and realized he had thought of something other than the use of my exposure I was ready for. I felt his breath on my skin when he told me in his stern whisper that I would have to prove I understood his Ownership of me. 

"You know you are mine, my possession, and I know you enough by now to Own you like you deserve to be Owned." That was such a kind thing to say and I remembered thinking how I love him, how I made him promise never to tell me if he did, no matter how I'd beg later.

With that, he took my wrist and pressed my hand into the cold glass table top, my right hand twitching helplessly at my lower back. Releasing my hair, he told me to wait; my head dropped and my heart started to pound.

He went to the corner where I had some basic video equipment in a heap with other souvenirs of projects on an extended pause. He began to speak to me while he stood before me across the table, telling me as he moved the couch a little, kicked the legs of a tripod into place, that my shyness was not doing either of us any good and that my punishments should be done with intent to improve me... I didn't want this and wished I had been good in the first place, wanted to rewind to that second in bed, because just allowing him access to my body would have been much easier, but I knew he was right. This might be what I needed and I began to breathe deep and focus on being calm and still... much the way I would if he were about to carve cherished endearments into my skin: 'possessed'; 'slave'... 

Occasionally, he had felt the urge to capture a moment, but only after I was tied down in a bondage position. He'd take a couple of snaps and it was back to the moment at hand. We have some unusual tastes in sexuality, but there are some kinky things that just don't make sense to us, like making videos of us to watch later. This, however, would serve a different purpose and probably not to arouse. The camera would only catch my face I could tell, and it would be me submitting, taking a punishment... that was the punishment. He would do what he wanted with me while I spread myself open and my reactions to it would all be recorded. I knew he would accept whatever the visual results were, but I could barely watch myself in a mirror when he stood behind me and Owned me with his exploring hands; at those times, I just watched him, which was a pleasure for me. He is a beautiful man.

"What do I do, Sir?' I meant, where do I look, what do I do with my gaze? A mirror is easier because you can adjust your natural reactions, even if you don't mean to act. I would be making a record without seeing either of us.

"You cum so pretty for me, my little pet, so don't run away from your Master." 

As he walked back around to return me to my hands free bent pose, I knew that this was a new chance to submit. It made sense that submission that veers from the sub's wants is necessary for her to relearn what 'submit' truly means. I hadn't realized that all this time he'd Dominated me, he'd been extremely forgiving. Maybe he didn't want to see me ugly, either.

The camera was already on and I imagined watching him later, striding around the table to possess me. That made me smile in sincere childish joy and I looked directly at the lens, thinking, 'If you record anything, get that.' I stopped looking at the camera and ducked my head just enough to taste the reassuring salt on my shoulder, then got in the pose my Master wanted.

He took off his shirt, I could hear and then feel when he bent to sink his teeth into my fragile neck, the fine hair of his body kissing my vertebrae awake. It caused me to stretch back into the pose of an animal springing forward.

My blood took off in my veins, my brain gave up, whatever would happen—this punishment—I would kneel down into the thick muddy purpose of it all. I was getting turned on by the touch of his body and at my own shame bursting open in the light of day like a hideous blister. It lay all around us in Our sunny apartment writhing through its death throes. I was terribly excited.

I wanted him more than anything, even enough to erase his whole image of me in my lust. This one elongated moment of him plunging into my cunt with the single point of three fingers I was dripping to take said everything about my love and pleasure and hope to become his slave even more so and also freer of my inhibitions so I did not turn my face. I would become a slave free enough to do anything to serve him with pleasure; this was a chance to get beyond myself and I stopped being nervous because I couldn't deny either of us.

With his hand my Master fucked me full to my straining capacity, but gently at the same time to force me to ask for more if I needed it. I did need and my body begged, swallowing his fingers with rhythmic inward squeezes. I felt him curl his fingertips to torment my greediest spot, the rough streak inside needing rough handling by someone who knows me inside out. Reserves of liquid I could never know released their subterranean river into the palm of his hand. He still held me by the hair and twisted it tighter around his fingers, sending an electric charge along my scalp. I imagined him delving into my brain and pressing some secret center to match what his left hand accomplished, making me growl and gush, turning me on and shutting down all my resistance. 

I slammed myself back on his fingers and he rewarded me with near punches to my cunt. It could have damaged me had I not been beyond ready to take it. In the back of my mind I felt a little concern about bruising his fingers or even burning him. I was that hot; the ooze of warm sweat when he found me, then the cold sweat in fear of my punishment had changed into abundant droplets of rain falling in reverse. Even my skin reminded me it's the largest organ of the body and spat lust. I thought of the foam you find when you take the saddle off and wondered...

I was out of my mind. I would like to say I whimpered and snarled, screamed and unleashed obscene entreaties—I think I must have, but don't remember. I feel sure they were there banging and resounding around that spot inside my head my Master can't literally touch, just gets to in imaginative scenic routes. At this point I held myself steady with one permitted hand on the edge of the glass and used it to brace and fuck. I reached my foot back impulsively to hook around the solid strength of his leg. 

"No, you keep your feet on the floor, my girl." 

That's what I was reaching for, the grounding that kept me connected to him while he Owned me by fingers filling me and torturing me with pleasure. I tried to keep my feet on the ground but one foot kept coming off. He laughed when he saw how quickly I corrected myself. 

My passion continued to build and I was starting to feel weak and desperate for stimulation that would bring me to orgasm. It just went on mercilessly, this arousal that kept spiking higher until I could think of nothing but him and my need. I didn't care anymore who I was or how I looked, how dirty I was. I forgot about all of that and my concern that someone could walk by Our first floor window. If someone had, I would have been helpless to stop throwing my hips back for more of his hand. 

Then he stopped without warning. I shuddered in disappointed agony, but knew this was not a time to object. I heard him unzipping and felt such relief, moaning my appreciation. My Owner stroked the cleft of my ass with his soaked fingers and then wrapped his arm around me. It was so nice to be close like this. I felt him pressing the tip of his cock against my tightest entrance and it was like I had never felt him before. I already belonged to him, but desired more than anything to give myself to him, make him know I understood that all of my body and my life was his for anything he wanted. 

When his cock head was inside of me it was obvious to both of us that this wasn't just what he wanted. It wasn't any distress that made me let out a little shriek: It was exhilaration that I hadn't said "no" again, but even more that he wanted me. He continued so slowly and deliberately I thought he would destroy me with sensation.

He was so much a person full of pulse and intuition—not just the hard manufactured things I had practiced on, just in case... As he slid in inch by slow second and inch, I did not feel full or fucked. I realized how exquisitely fucked I am; I am always hungry for him. My Master gave me pleasure and pain all along his path into me. My eyes stung from tears.

It did hurt at first, but now... He was deep inside me and it didn't hurt anymore. His cock was so firm inside me I was in disbelief that a person could create such an Ownership, touch that violent and encompassing without making a single thrust. We were still and yet he moved inside me by blood somehow until I sobbed quietly and without tears from how empty I was not being a slave each moment to him. 

I was inside his thoughts for a moment and saw that the sex slave he chose is what I would be. I picked up my hand and spat, reached back to surround the base of his cock and showed him, my Master: Fuck me. This time, he didn't brush my away my touch.

I was wet enough that staying still would be impossible, though all that moisture ran wastefully down my thighs. I wanted to make love and tricked him into it, or he let me think I did. I let the emotional shudders move me as subtly as I felt I was permitted, felt myself gliding back and forth along his impaling hard prick, exploring myself inside with the shape of him. I visualized the shape of his desire as it filled me and I got such a thrill that he lusted to Own me and it made him ferociously hard. I once read "the future" as some obscure slang for male cum, and I loved that. I did embrace the future as it crept up steadily. In the future I was his whore and everything else was a past life I threw away without looking back.

We still were barely moving, but every small motion was amplified. Having a new part of me possessed heightened my awareness of every part of both our bodies, down to his toe scraping my heel. I bent lower and arched my back to caress him inside me, bowing down and tilting upward. It was a gesture of affection and deep submission. His hands stroked my back and I could tell he was taking it in with his eyes. I felt the warmth of his gaze all over my bare back and then he lifted the clasp of my bra only to let it snap against my skin. I groaned to be free of it, to have him touch my sensitive tits and he bent down to trail his tongue along my shoulder blade, making my nipples tighten in a delicious pain. I whimpered a little—I wanted to let him know what I needed, knowing it would turn him on to see my helplessness in feeling I couldn't ask. But I could beg and hoped he would tell me to. Sex like this can be such a sweet dance. I love the rules, and that nothing is thoughtless, especially not animal passion.

"My poor suffering slave. This bra is starting to hurt you. Do you want your Master to help you?" He ran his fingertip along the the red friction marks under the elastic. 

"Yes, please, Sir." I had meant to sound demure, but my voice betrayed me and came out sounding throaty and wet. The things my Master does to me... Like unhooking my bra so it fell around my straining wrists. 

My breast poured into his hand that he let hover so lightly, just to tease me. His other arm was possessively across my hips like a metal bar; I had his cock clamped inside me, but I was captured so happily in the full embrace of his Dominant body. The clean smell of his skin and arousal made an aura around us that kept the rest of the world out of focus. 

I rolled my shoulders and neck, letting my head sway, relaxing into the disbelief of it all and dipping down to seek the touch of his hand that I craved on my breast. My Owner gave me a slap on the flank—either to praise my shameless display or give me a dose of discipline—and dug his nails into his property. It felt amazing, the way he raked my chest with his nails, twisted my nipples raw... Every jolt sent me bucking on his cock while trying to control myself. My attempts at self control were mostly residual—my body couldn't help but try to close against any anal penetration, but since he was already within me to the hilt I hoped the clenching could give him pleasure, like the ring I made of my fingers to stroke him in more innocent times. 

He noticed. "My fuck puppet," he purred, testing the theory with a vicious pinch, "you were just built for pleasure..." I raised myself as high as I could without letting go of the glass to listen to his obscene praise, catching that I was his pain whore, his good girl, his precious possession and slut and sister. His bite was so sharp behind the ear it made me scream. I just kept crying from the pleasure and we spurred each other, I think, because he abandoned his focus on my tits and moved to satisfy himself. His fingers on my breast flexed taught, flattening the sore flesh and then, when I was firmly held, he began to purely use me for pleasure and I was ecstatic. I lost my balance, but couldn't fall as he held me inescapably.

My legs trembled and he elevated me. He opened my teeth to wet his fingers, pulled my cheek back and my head followed, so he got a glimpse of my love for him as I sucked his fingers like I was trying to melt icicles. It was so hot suddenly that I needed refreshing and his fingertips entering my mouth cooled me somehow, produced more whorish drool for him to return to my backside. Oh, yes yes yes. That was enough and and my whole body shivered towards my Master to receive his complete his lesson in obedience. I had sucked his adored fingers until both his hands had to grip my hips to use me. 

I began to notice the pain I'd feel tomorrow—later today if I behaved—and I welcomed it in. I did everything to show him how much I adored him and longed to be a better slave to serve him. Even as I braced myself a hand was always reaching back to pull him in as he fucked me like I was built to surround him and receive his blessings. I knew he loved to be touched and he didn't scold me for it.

He stood so tall above me and then gathered me up to meet him. I felt weak and like I was treading water trying to stand upright with him, but knew his lust would hold me until I fell and trusted he would continue when I was too overwhelmed. Even though I knew it wasn't true about him, I liked how he made me feel that he wouldn't stop, that if I tried to say no again it would be useless. Already he was handling me rougher and I loved experiencing his enjoyment of his Ownership. 

I found myself grinning that this was really happening; he would tease me sometimes that he'd have to sodomize me for looking too provocative, but I'd thought it was just a dirty thing to say to get a reaction from me. "Oh, you're terrible, Sir!" I would giggle. But I had never considered what it might be like, could not have imagined how much erotic pleasure it would give me. The pressure of his cock against my emptiness flooded me with pure sexual love for him; I depended on each deep stroke and begged him for more. It felt limitless, what he could do to me, and in a physical way, it was because he could pound me without holding himself back. It thrilled me that he got to be that aggressive, began to fuck me like I was unbreakable. 

I half-opened my eyes and could see people sitting outside across the creek, but I knew that if they looked at our windows they would only see the light and pines reflected on the glass. It was the most beautiful day and that I hadn't opened the window was just luck. The rest of the world didn't really exist, all that mattered was the breath in my ear, that sweetly indescribable sigh my Master makes from pleasure—when I get too loud I miss out. When I heard it then, I twisted my body to try and give him as much friction as I could in my restrained position and he guided me down onto the floor without ever leaving me—I wouldn't release him, the last part of me to land was my hips.

"I think my slave girl likes her punishment too much. I'll have to think of something depraved to do to you." 

When I turned to see his mischievous look, a drop of his sweat dripped into my eye and I had to cum right then.

My forgotten greedy clit reminded me of her constant need when I'm with my Master, and I gave in, knowing I didn't have to ask permission. I ground down into the rough carpet with legs splayed wide and gave myself to my Master in authentic adolescent-style, life changing orgasm. It was the kind that always first shows itself with strong shivers deep in the ass before spreading heat through the whole body, and when my screams subsided into whimpers I knew my Master had been with me by the change in his breathing. I let myself pass out, but only lightly, enjoying his weight on my back. He was still pinning my hands into the floor, making me feel so safe and secure I felt I could fall into a deep sleep, but I wanted to stay with him.




Part 01: My Owner's Embrace



He stretched out on the floor next to me and gave me a kiss from his open mouth. His tongue was wet and delicious and slid all over mine like he was determined to turn me on again immediately, which worked. I hoped desperately that he was kissing me this way because he wanted to fuck me again. 

"You're spoiling me again, Sir."

"It's alright. A slave can be spoiled sometimes," he whispered. He sounded so sexy that it wasn't cooling me off at all. 

Then a dark thought occurred to me. "Are you really going to make me watch that?" I almost hated to even remind him about the video, but I had to know.

"I was waiting for you to ask me that," he said, satisfied that he can predict me so well. "I changed my mind about that, as is my privilege as your Owner. I know how critical you can be of yourself and would hate for that to do more harm than good. I want to keep you serving me like you did this afternoon."

"Thank you, Sir. You are so kind to me."

"Don't mention it. You were very brave, though. My good girl." He pulled me onto his chest where I rested my head and basked in his contentment.

"However. You know I have to spank you instead."

He always has the best ideas.



Part 01: Pet Crosses the Line



This first part was written by pet...I have made necessary changes for him, but W/we hope everyone enjoys what W/we have put together for you.

I woke up sandwiched on the bed between my wife "Miss Jenn" and our friend and lover Chuck. I was horny and sporting a rock hard cock, even after the night of fun and games. I looked at Miss Jenn's beautiful face and body and I wanted to wake her with me sliding my cock between her legs, but then I looked over at Chuck. 

Chuck is a handsome man with a very nice cock. My mind started to playback the events of the previous evening and since Miss Jenn was very much a tease to both Chuck and I, I decided to tease her this morning by having her wake to me pleasing Chuck.

I start by sliding down the bed and my first stop is at his chest. I first start kissing his nipples, then I take my tongue and start swirling it around his nipples and then lightly I suck on them. I hear Chuck's breathing change but he does not move. Next, I move down his body to his wonderful cock, that is semi erect. I begin by kissing the head and then move down his shaft, then my tongue starts licking up and down his growing shaft. Then I slowly slip the head into my mouth and slowly suck. I can taste Miss Jenn's cum that has dried on his cock and this drives me wild and I start to slide his cock deeper into my mouth. I know that Chuck is now awake because he has moved his hands to my head and is starting to fuck my mouth.

I look over and see that Miss Jenn is now awake and is finally starting to realize what had awoken her. Miss Jenn smiles and starts to move over to us. I remove Chuck's cock from my mouth and sternly say "Don't move! You are to lay there watching us. Also, you will put your hands above your head and stay like that until we are finished. IF you move to touch yourself, we will stop. DO you understand?"

Miss Jenn looks confused, but she looks into my eyes and sees that I am serious. Somehow, Chuck seems to know what I have in mind and when she looks at him, all he does is gives her a mischievous smile. She lays back and puts her arms above her head as instructed.

With that out of the way, I put Chuck's cock back into my mouth and start sucking again. Even with the little interruption, Chuck is still very close to cumming. He starts fucking my mouth harder and I am trying to breath threw my nose, so as not to gag. I can feel his ball sac tighten and know that he will be cumming any moment, so I pull him into my throat and create as much suction as I can. Chuck somehow sticks his cock in a little further and I start to gag but then he explodes into my throat. I am trying not to choke as he shoots his cum down the back of my throat. He knows that I am having trouble and tries to pull out but I hold him in my throat. 

As Miss Jenn's pet, I know that I need to learn to deal with this and I settle my mind and swallow the large load of cum. When I am done, I lift my head from his cock and look at Miss Jenn. Her hands are above her head but she has started to rub her thighs together. 

Sternly, I say "NO! Spread those legs"

She looks at me sadly because she had been close to cumming herself but she obeyed and spread her legs.

I look up at Chuck and we smile at each other. I return to Chucks cock and clean it up with my mouth. I rise to the head of the bed and Chuck and I kiss. I pull his body to mine and he feels my cock poking him. He grabs my cock and starts stoking it. I look over at Miss Jenn and see that she is enjoying the show but is also in agony because she can't join in nor can she touch herself to get herself off.

I whisper to Chuck, "Sir, did you enjoy your wake-up alarm and are you enjoying our little payback to Miss Jenn for the teasing she put both of us through last night?"

Chuck laughs and replies "Yes I did enjoy waking up to a good blow job. You are getting much better at it. As for Miss Jenn, I do like this little torture session. What else do you have in mind?"

I look back over at Miss Jenn and I chuckle to myself. Miss Jenn is trying to hear what we are saying but I can see that her body wants a release of the built up frustration.

I again whisper in his ear, "Well Sir, if I may be so bold as to ask permission to lick your ass then fuck you with my cock?"

Chuck looks at me then at Miss Jenn then back again before answering "Since you did such a good job this morning, I will permit this, not just for your pleasure but for the teasing affect we will have on Miss Jenn."

I look over at Miss Jenn with a devilish smile. I move down to the bottom of the bed, never taking my eyes off of Miss Jenn. Miss Jenn looks puzzled and then as Chuck moves up on to his knees with his ass in front of me, I see Miss Jenn's eyes grow wide. I smile as I put my face into his ass crack. I run my tongue from his spine down to his ball sac. He groans. One of my hands is playing with his sac, while the other hand gently spreads his ass cheeks. I keep glancing at Miss Jenn and with her eyes still wide, I see that she is inching her hand down to try and start playing with herself. Before I can say anything Chuck says "Put that arm back, because right now I don't want him to stop what he is doing." Miss Jenn puts her hand back above her head.

I have now zeroed in on Chucks tight asshole. I am assaulting it with my tongue. I get the outside all wet with my saliva and then I start to push my tongue in, slowly working my tongue into his ass. Farther and farther I stick my tongue in until I have no more tongue left. I start sliding my tongue in and out of his tight hole. Chuck is moaning with pleasure, my hand moves from his balls to his once again hard cock. I stroke a couple of times in rhythm of my tongue going in and out of his ass. I let go of his cock and pull my tongue out of his ass.

I look over at Miss Jenn but say "Sir. Do I have permission to continue?" The look on Miss Jenn's face is one of lust and wonderment of what is next. Chuck replies "You may."

I move up behind Chuck and take my cock and slide the head up and down his ass crack. The look on Miss Jenn's face is of shock. I put the head of my cock to his tight hole and start to apply pressure; slowly I inch into his tight ass until I am in all the way. I allow him to get used to my cock, just like he does for me, then I start slowly fucking his tight wonderful ass. I look over at Miss Jenn, she is obeying our orders of not touching herself, but I can see that her body is cumming just by her excitement of watching her two men getting it on. I am close to cumming in his ass and I feel that he has started stroking his own cock. 

I bend over and say to Chuck, "Sir, I am almost there. May I cum in your ass?" He replies "Yes". I say "Thank you, and Sir, why don't you wait on cumming yourself until you stick your nice hard cock up my ass."

"That is a very good idea. Now hurry up" Chuck replies.

I start fucking him harder and he starts clenching his ass making my cock feel wonderful. I make one more thrust and I hold my cock deeply in his ass as my cum spurts into his bowels. I look over at Miss Jenn as I cum and see that her eyes are locked on to us and that her body is jerking itself through an orgasm. Chuck and I look at each other and smile. I now move in front of Chuck with my ass up high, but this time, I have put my head on Miss Jenn's stomach, with my mouth just a few inches away from her beautiful, very wet shave pussy.

Chuck now sticks his cock into my ass that is still loose from the night before. He slides right in to the end and starts thrusting in and out. I am breathing hard and my breaths are reaching Miss Jenn's' pussy lips. As Chuck starts moaning that he is about to cum, I can feel that Miss Jenn is also about to cum again, and as Chuck explodes into my ass, pleasure emits through my body and Miss Jenn has another orgasm without being touched.

Chuck pulls out of my ass and we both move so that Miss Jenn is in between us. We take turns kissing Miss Jenn. I look over to Chuck and say "Do you think she has had enough, or do you think she needs more?" Miss Jenn starts to say something but both Chuck and I put out fingers over your lips.

Chuck, making sure that it is I who will get blamed for instigating this, says "I'm not sure what do you have in mind?" I look at him and then at Miss Jenn (knowing that if I continue Miss Jenn will probably take it out on my ass, but I cannot help myself), I say to Chuck, "I think we take these ropes and bind her. She loves to have the ropes tied around her breasts like a bra, and then we attach the ropes to the eye-bolts in the ceiling and suspend her 12 inches of the bed with her legs spread. This way she cannot go anywhere and it is her who is vulnerable."

Chuck looks at me then at Miss Jenn and smiles and says "Sounds like a plan". We both see in your face that she too liked the idea but tries to show the 'Tough and in-charge' Miss Jenn but we just laugh.

We start applying the ropes to Miss Jenn's' body but she keeps trying to interrupt us, so Chuck finds the "cock" gag and puts in her mouth. I tie the ropes tightly around her breasts and watch as her nipples grow hard as nails. I reach down and flick one nipple with my tongue and then suck on it. Chuck does the same to her other nipple and the moans coming around her gag makes both Chuck and I hard again. Once we have Miss Jenn suspended over the bed, we both stand in front of her and look at a job well done.

We are only a foot from Miss Jenn's head and she is eye level with our cocks. She sees that we are both hard again, and then she sees me take Chucks cock in my hand and start stroking it.

I stop and go over to Miss Jenn's "toy box". I rummage around until I find a vibrating butt plug that inflates and a "Rabbit" dildo. I hold them up for Chuck to see and he laughs and nods his head in approval.

I walk up behind Miss Jenn's suspended body and since her legs are spread I have no problem seeing her ass and pussy lips, which are just flowing like a faucet of her juices. Since Miss Jenn is so wet, I first take the butt plug and rub it against her pussy to get it sloppily wet. I then ease it into her ass and ever so slightly inflate it so she can't push it out. All this time you can hear Miss Jenn's moans of pleasure, then as I take the rabbit dildo and run it through her wet juices, Miss Jenn starts to shake her head as to try and say no. Chuck and I both laugh. I push the dildo into her pussy very slowly, knowing that her passage is slightly smaller due to the butt plug. I get the dildo all the way in and make sure that the "Rabbit ears" are touching her clit. I then turn on both the plug and the dildo. We see that the vibrations are already doing their job. The moans from behind the gag are very intense.

I move back around to Miss Jenn's head and stand next to Chuck. I remove Miss Jenn's gag and Chuck asks "Are you enjoying this?"

Miss Jenn tries to say yes but she is hit with an orgasm. She closes her eyes and then looks at both of us with eyes that just seem to scream with lust.

I grab Chucks cock and look at him. I then say "Would you like to join me in the shower?" Chuck doesn't say anything but looks at Miss Jenn and then grabs me by the cock and starts leading me to the bathroom.

Miss Jenn cannot believe that they are going to leave her here, but as she starts to say something her body is rocked by another (or maybe an ongoing) orgasm. She hears the shower and she yells to us but we just continue to soap each other up. We both know that if we ignore her too long that neither of us will enjoy her payback. So we clean ourselves up and help dry each other off. We come back into the room and see that Miss Jenn has started to cry because of the intensity of her orgasms. I walk around and shut off the vibrators and remove them from her body. Then we let her down and remove the ropes from her very over excited body, which seems to explode in orgasm just by us removing the ropes.

The three of us lie down on the bed with Miss Jenn between us and we just hold each other. After Miss Jenn regains her breath and composure, she looks at both of us and says "Thank You, but pet you know that you will be punished for this, don't you?" I lower my eyes and say "Yes ma'am, I do". Then she looks at Chuck and says "You too are in trouble, you went along with his plan". Chuck says with a smile "Yes Jenn I understand".

Miss Jenn continues to Chuck "I am not sure of your punishment yet but I will figure it out. For right now, please go downstairs and start breakfast, brunch or lunch, whatever the hell goes with the time, for I am starving." Chuck smiles and says yes ma'am and gets up and throws on some shorts and heads down stairs.

I know that I am in trouble with my wife and Mistress but I feel that she enjoyed herself and would not be too mad at me. She looks at me and smiles as she says "As your wife I need to tell you that I love you and that you are fantastic and I really enjoyed myself watching you and Chuck go at it and the way you took control, but as Miss Jenn, you know that I am going to punish you for misbehaving and for cumming without 'MY' permission."

I looked into her eyes and smiled, "I love you too and thank you for allowing me to experience this wonderful life of ours", then I took her into my arms and we kissed like lovers should. I helped my wife to the bathroom, since her legs were a little wobbly from the multiple orgasms that racked her body.

I helped her into the shower and asked her if she wanted me to bring her coffee to her. She said no. I left the bathroom and got dressed. I told her that I was going downstairs and did she want anything. No she stated but please is sure that her coffee and a cigarette was ready and waiting for her when she got downstairs. She knows that I don't like her smoking but after what I just put her through, I made sure to put out 2 cigarettes. I went downstairs and found Chuck just coming back from having a smoke on the porch. I walked up to him and kissed him, then I said "Thank you for being there for us, it makes us both happy". Chuck just smiled and nodded. I helped him finish making breakfast and I was just about to yell up that it was ready when you appeared. You smiled at both of your men. You grabbed the coffee and the cigarettes from my hand and head to the porch.



Part 01: With My Mouth



She imagines what it'd be like to pleasure you.

* * * * *

Click Here to listen. (9 min/mp3)

* * * * *



Part 02: A Mission for My slave



I had no intention of leaving her there that long, nor was I ever leaving the premises as I'd led her to believe. I stood nearby just observing the beauty of her magnificent display of submission, watching carefully for the first sign of real misery. I would let her be uncomfortable for a bit, but once it crossed the line to agony, it was over.

A Master straddles a fine line with a slave of that quality, especially this Master who needs a balance of submission and intimate familiarity. Much like a teacher is far more challenged with the gifted student than the average, so am I, and the longer into the M/s the more creative I must get in my effort. I need not only maintain what we have but push it along more intensely always aiming for the deeper plane.

I knew she would embrace the role and if I rescued her far sooner than expected, she would experience a sense of failure and be inconsolable.

Lovingly knowledgeable of every erotic button she has, and wanting to push as many of them at one time as i could, once I came up with a plan, I consulted our host-of-the-day, Sir Edward. His feudal-times BDSM theme Club was very popular within the lifestyle community. As I'd indicated to him--a secret surprise for my slave--I was seriously considering buying into membership, He was very receptive.

When I took her off the horse, she fell into my arms, and not surprisingly burst into tears. I removed the hood, whispering loving compliments into her ear assuring her how proud I was of her, and not to fret, there was more to come....

Allowing her to walk, but still holding her leash, I took her to an outdoor platform. A group of perhaps 30 men and women, thanks to Sir Edward, dressed in typical feudal costume had congregated to watch whatever was to happen on the stage.

On the platform, was a small pedestal, perhaps 8" high and square, the perfect size for a slave to go on all fours and impale herself with the vinyl dildo attached in an upward direction.

My slave stood motionless wearing nothing but her collar, blinking her eyes a bit as she stared at the audience that was staring at her. I whispered into her ear, they are waiting to see the circus act my dear, I am the Ringmaster, and you, little slave, are the trained circus animal." 

She smiled at me, taking my hand into hers and kissing the palm, as I spoke in a low voice, "Listen carefully, as most of the time I will address the crowd rather than you directly, but there is no doubt in my mind you will know what to do."

She nodded, trembling just a bit, a slight heave to her naked breasts that only I who knew her so well could detect, her brown velvet eyes aglow.

"Welcome ladies and gentleman, Dominants and submissives, to our circus show today, our main--and only--event (a bit of general chuckling from the audience) is our pet slave."

I reached into the bag at my feet and pulled out a butt plug, a lovely blonde horsetail attached to it, a string of five bells on a leather strand, and a crop, placing the crop and the tail on a small table at my side. I attached the bells to my slave's collar, as her eyes appropriately lowered.

Taking the crop into my hand, the lash more for show than for pain, at least at this point, and whipped it across her shoulder, barking, "All fours!" 

She immediately fell to the floor, bells jingling, her ass to the audience. I kicked her feet apart, before taking the tail, walking in front of her and inserting the plug into her mouth.

"Ah, such a well trained pet, I don't have to tell her what to do," as she sucked the butt plug, applying saliva with her tongue.

I walked behind her, first cracking her ass hard with the crop,and inserted the plug not stopping to ease it. I looked at my work addressing the audience, "My, is that not a pretty sight", and they applauded.

Pacing my timing for effect, "Our pet slave will impale herself on the dildo". My slave heard my words and moved, opening her cunt with her hands as she slowly knelt over the vinyl cock. 

"Faster, slave....we don't have all day," as the crop cracked across her back, "face to the floor, ass high!""

I faced the audience, my hand stroking my chin, "Hmmmm...we will see how well trained our little slut is. Such a wanton thing," I kicked her feet apart again and squatted downwards, inserting two fingers into her sopping slit then raising them to my lips and tasting them.

I stood, and sighed. " Already so wet, so needy, isn't that so, slave?"

"Yes, Master!"

"Show us what that dildo is for, but, under NO circumstances cum until I tell you to."

My slave quickly obeyed, her shapely ass bouncing, the bells jingling madly . I took the crop and cracked hard across her ass. As I trained her to do whenever in an exhibition,she spoke the words, "Thank You, Master, Your slave begs for another".

A mass gasp from the audience.

And thus it continued until the tenth lash, each one landing exactly where it was aimed, each lash harder than the last until her ass was a mass of angry red welts. At no time, as I often do, did I stop to caress my work between lashes, while she humped at the dildo inside her.

The audience clapped as I caught my breath, bending to finally apply a comforting hand to her tortured assflesh,and slowly withdrew the tail-plug from her anus. She was breathing long hard heavy breaths.

I stood, and queried the audience for a volunteer, which of course had been pre-arranged. A man raised His hand, and I called upon him to come to the stage. I instructed him in low tones, handing him from my bag an already lubed rubber glove.

I moved to where she faced and knelt before her as my volunteer inserted three fingers into her ass. I took her tearstained face into my hands and kissed her dry lips before standing, dropping my pants and returning to my knees. I whispered, so only she could hear, for it didn't matter anymore, this was the final intimacy meant only for Master and slave.

I caressed her hair, and smiled at the slave who has brought nothing but sheer joy to my life, asks nothing for herself except the privilege of service to me. "How many times, beloved one, have you told me of wanting all holes filled at once, but in your ass there will be three fingers only, no cock today, for it is my cock and my cock only that shall feel all that you are, the pleasure belonging only to me. Cum with Your Master, beloved slave."

She began to writhe, I could almost hear her cunt muscles tightly grasping the dildo, the fingers in her ass thrusting, the volunteer's other hand alternating cheeks with hard resounding slaps across her welted flesh. I slipped my cock into her mouth, my hands reaching for either side of her head, whispering, "I love you..."

All was silent except the jingling of the bells, the echoing of the slaps, her muffled grunts, and the sounds of impassioned lust roaring from me.



Part 02: Billy - The Hidden Truth



I will never forget the day that my mother left. I was ten years old the day I came home and found her gone. I still have the note that she left my father, telling him that she would be back in a few days to get me. That never happened. When my father came home and found her note, he took it out on the first person he saw . . . me. He nearly beat me to death. He said my mother left because of me. I was grateful that it was summer time and that I did not have to cut school to hide my injuries.

In those days, the slightest thing would set him off on a drunken rampage. I dealt with it the best way I knew how. I kept my mouth shut and braved it out until it was over. Yes, suicide had crossed my mind more than a few times, but I did not want to give my father the satisfaction. 

However, lucky for me, I was good at hiding what I was really feeling.

I was sitting at the kitchen table, eating dinner, when my father came home that evening, with the smell of cheap whiskey on his breath. He only glanced at me, as I did him, and he got into the refrigerator and got himself a cold beer. He twisted off the cap and leaned back against the counter, glaring at me. I felt my heart speed up as my body tensed up, waiting.

"What are you doing, Billy?" 

"What does it look like?" I muttered.

"What?"

"I'm eating."

"Did your chores?"

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Sir."

"Did you feel the wood box?"

"Not yet."

"Get to it."

"Yes, Sir."

"Now, Boy!" he shouted when I did not move fast enough.

I filled the wood box. Then I snuck out and went for a drive. My car was a 1983 Ford Mustang that I saved up for and bought for myself. I was very proud of that car. I drove to the Springfield Bridge and stopped on the side of the road. I walked to the edge of the bridge and looked down into the muddy waters of the Potomac River.

Was this God's plan for me? I wondered. What did I do to deserve this punishment?

I heard a car approaching and turned to see Lance in his father's Jeep. He stopped beside my car and climbed out. He walked up at stood beside me.

"Hey, Man," I said to him. "What are you going?"

He shook his head. "I just wanted to drive. Why are you down here so late?"

I shook my head. "Just thinking."

"What about?" When I didn't reply, he looked at me. "Billy, is everything okay?"

I looked at him. "Yeah. Why?"

"You just seem different, that's all."

"I'm okay. It's just my father," I told him. "He has been drinking more than usual lately. It just worries me."

"Well, if you ever need to talk, you know I will listen."

"I know. Thanks, Lance."

"Sure."

"Do you ever wish that you could fly?" I asked him.

He looked at me with an odd expression on his face. "Um . . . I don't know. Sometimes. Do you?"

"Every day," I replied and looked at him. "Sometimes I would like to fly away from this place and never look back."

"Really? I thought you loved it here."

"I do, but . . . " my voice trailed away. "Never mind."

"Oh. Well, I'm beat," he said, patting me lightly on my back. I had almost forgotten the bruises on my back and I sucked in my breath, sharply. Lance stared at me, clearly concerned. "Are you all right?"

I took a deep breath and nodded.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

I just nodded and he got into the Jeep. He turned around on the bridge and headed back up the mountain toward home.

My father was waiting for me when I walked in the door. 

"Where in the hell have you been?" he asked me, hatefully.

"I was talking to Lance," I told him.

"When you should have been at home, doing your chores?"

"I've already done them."

He backhanded me. I spun around, but I was able to keep my balance. "Don't talk back to me!" he shouted. "You are just like your mother! Mouthy!" He was still cursing me when he began to hit me. 

"Dad! Stop!" I shouted, pleading with him, but he punched my face again. 

I am not sure where I got the strength from, but I reared back and punched him in the face, knocking him backward. He did not fall. I guess a wiser man would have run for it, but wide eyed, I stared into his eyes. He stood still, frozen for a few seconds and then he punched me again, so hard that I blacked out.

It was morning when I woke up. I was still lying on the living room floor. The house was quiet, which usually meant that my father was not home. Normally, my father was very careful about not leaving visible bruises. But this time, he did not. Evidence of last night's beating was all over my face. It was my decision to stay home from school that day, because there was no way of hiding this from my friends. My cheeks burned, cut and bruised from my father's high school ring that he always wore. My left eye was black and blue. 

Around lunch time I went up to my room and laid down. I fell asleep after a few minutes. I was not asleep very long. I got out of bed and made my way downstairs, moving cautiously. I went into the kitchen and got something to eat. Afterward, I went into the living room, planning to watch some television. I turned on the television and then stretched out on the couch to relax my aching muscles. I laid there for a couple of hours and then got up to go to the bathroom. When I came walked back into the living room that was when my eyes settled on my father's liquor cabinet. It was normally locked, but he unlocked it.

I had never had an alcoholic drink in my life, mostly because I saw what it did to my father, but the temptation as unbearable. I walked up to the cabinet and opened the glass door. I scanned the different kinds of whiskey and then I settled on the half empty bottle of Jack Daniel's. I picked it up, looked at it for a moment and then I twisted off the cap. I took a small drink. It burned my throat, but warmed my insides. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. I took a larger drink the second time. I took the bottle back to the couch with me. 

Before I knew it, the bottle was empty and I realized that I was not feeling any pain and that realization just made me want more. When I stood up, the alcohol hit rock bottom and I stumbled back to the whiskey cabinet. I put the empty bottle back in its place and picked up the full bottle beside it. I went back to the couch and sat down. When the bottle was gone, my vision became blurred and I passed out. 

When my eyes opened again, I did not know where I was. I looked around the room and tried to sit up. A second later, my friends walked into the room. I fell back to the pillow.

"It's about time," Ronnie said.

"What do you mean?" I asked him. "Where am I?"

"The hospital," Lance told me.

"The hospital?" I was still confused. "What happened?"

"The doctor said it was alcohol poisoning," he told me.

I couldn't remember anything. Then my eyes widened and I looked at them. "You didn't call my father, did you?"

"Of course, we did," Dalton told me. "He'd want to know."

I groaned. "Oh, no," I said in a low voice.

"What happened to your face?" Dalton asked me.

"Nothing." 

Lance sat on the chair that was beside the bed. He studied me for a long moment.

I looked at him. "What?"

"Billy," he said. "Why would you drink?"

I looked at him as if he had just asked the dumbest question. Then I said, "Because it doesn't hurt."

He glanced at the others and then back at me. "What doesn't?"

I didn't answer.

"Billy, what doesn't hurt?" he asked me, again.

I looked at him and then looked away. "Never mind. Just forget it."

"How did you get the bruises, Billy?" Devon asked me, in his serious voice.

"I, um, I got into a fight with my dad," I lied. "It's nothing."

"Did Uncle Ray hit you?" Dalton asked me, surprised.

"Yeah, but it's okay," I assured them. "It's nothing compared to what I'll get when he gets me home."

"What?" Lance and Dalton chorused.

I had said too much. I bit my bottom lip to keep from saying anymore.

"I never thought I would see you drunk, Billy," Dalton told me. "You swore you'd never drink, because of your father. I don't believe this."

"Yeah? Well, shit happens, Cuz."

"I can see that."

My father walked into the room a few minutes later. I felt fear immediately and I felt my heart speed up. I felt my body tense up and I guess I was expecting the worst. Lance was looking at me with an odd expression.

"Billy," my father said to me. His voice was unnaturally calm. "What were you thinking?"

I just shook my head. "I don't know, Dad."

He looked at my friends. "Thank you, Boys," he told them. "For bringing him to the hospital."

"Anytime," Dalton said.

"He would have done the same for any of us," Lance said.

I met his eyes for a moment. His eyes told me that he knew my secret, but he didn't say anything.

The next day, my doctor released me from the hospital. My father was there to pick me up. Neither one of us spoke a word until we got home. When we walked into the front door, I went straight upstairs to my bedroom to change my clothes. When I came back down, I went into the kitchen to find some food. But my father was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a beer. He looked up at me when I walked into the kitchen and I stopped walking. He stood up and I took a step backward out of reflex.

"Did you think that I wasn't going to find out?" he asked and started toward me. "Did you?"

I didn't say anything. I just stared at him. Suddenly, he took me by my hair and bounced my head off the kitchen table. He let go of me and I fell on the floor. He went into the living room and returned a moment later. He grabbed a handful of my hair again and pulled me to my feet. My head was spinning and my eyes were out of focus.

"What the hell is this?" he asked, holding up an empty whiskey bottle.

I looked at it for a moment, trying to focus my vision, and then said, "It looks like an empty bottle to me."

He let go of my hair and backhanded me in one swift motion. I spun around and fell face down on the floor. I laid there for a moment. When I tried to get to my feet, his steel toe boot met my ribs and I fell back to the floor. I was clutching my ribs and groaning painfully. A few seconds later, I saw his boot coming at my face and then everything went black.

When I came to, the house was dark. I remained still, listening for any movement. When I didn't hear anything, I rolled over and slowly got to my feet. The pain in my head was almost unbearable, but I made my way to the bathroom off the kitchen and turned on the light. I didn't recognize my own face. My head was bleeding and my cheeks were swollen. I took small, short breaths because it hurt to breathe.

The doorbell rang and I looked at my watch. Six o'clock. That would be my friends, probably coming to check on me. I swore under my breath and went to answer the door. Lance's eyes widened when he saw me and I heard a chorus of gasps from the others.

"What the hell happened to you?" Dalton asked as they followed me into the kitchen.

"This is what happens when you get drunk at my house," I told him. "Come on in."

They exchanged glances, hesitating.

"It's okay," I assured them. "He always disappears after a beating."

They followed me into the kitchen. 

"What did you mean by 'after a beating'?" Lance asked me. "You mean that this has happened before?"

I didn't answer him. 

"What's going on, Billy?" he asked me.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

"Nothing is going on," I told him. "I'm fine."

"Are you?" he asked me. "That looks like one hell of a punishment for making one stupid mistake."

I looked at him and repeated myself more firmly, "I'm fine."

"I'm sorry, but we don't believe you, Billy," Devon said. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing is going on," I said, again, feeling myself getting angry.

"Billy," Dalton said. "You've never lied to us before. Please don't start now."

I looked at him and shook my head. "Dalton, I can't. He'll kill me."

"Who?" Ronnie asked.

"Uncle Ray?" Dalton followed. I nodded. "He told you that?"

I looked away for a moment and then back at him. "Yes, and he's got a temper that warns me not to disobey him."

"Billy, you know you can trust us," Devon told me.

"I know, Devon, but if he even suspected that I told anyone, he'd . . . " my voice faded away.

"Billy, you told me that Ray has been drinking more than usual. Does that have anything to do with it?"

I looked into his eyes. "That has something to do with it."

"What do you mean?"

I inhaled deeply. "My father has been drinking for a very long time. Dalton knows that."

Dalton just nodded. "I know."

"Yeah, well, he gets drunk and comes home. He'll get mad about something I did or didn't do and he takes it out on me."

"He hits you?" Ronnie spoke up. 

"He blames me because Mom left. He said she hated me. He said I was the ugliest child she'd ever laid eyes on."

"I'm sorry, Billy."

I turned and opened the refrigerator. It was my intention to grab a soda, but I reached for a beer instead. When I twisted off the cap and took a drink, everyone looked at me. Shocked, was my guess.

"Didn't you learn anything the first time?" Lance asked me.

I ignored him. "Come on," I told them. "Let's get out of here before he gets home."

We piled into Lance's jeep and he drove to his house. When I got out of the jeep, I must have twisted the wrong way, because a sharp pain shot through my ribs where my father had kicked me. I held my side and yelped, sounding like a wounded dog. I swore under my breath.

"Billy, are you all right?" Dalton asked me.

"Yeah," I groaned, leaning back against the Jeep. "I think my ribs are broken."

After we walked inside, Lance turned on the big light in his kitchen and he turned to me.

"Let me see it," he said and I lifted up my shirt.

"Jesus, Billy," Devon muttered, looking as if he were hurting as much as I was.

I chuckled. "This is what happens at my house when you forget to take out the trash. Ouch!" I cried when Lance touched my ribs.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I think they are broken. We need to get you to the hospital."

"No," I said, quickly. "They ask too many questions. I'll be fine. I just need to take it easy for a few days." 

I moved to the sofa and sat down with ease. 

Devon sat in one of the two chairs. "How do you do it, Billy? How can you be so calm about all this?"

I looked at him. "What? How do I live day after day knowing that he could kill me at any given time?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. I guess that I'm just used to it and I don't have the strength to fight back any more.

"How long has this been going on, Billy?" Dalton asked me.

I looked at him. "Since Mom left."

His eyes widened. "Six years? You're just now telling us?"

I grinned. "I guess I'm good at hiding the truth."

"Why don't you tell somebody what has been going on?" Lance asked me. "Get help before he does kill you." 

"Lance, you know I can't. I'll be all right."

"When?" he demanded, getting angry. "When he kills you?"

"If that's what it takes," I said, with a chuckle.

"Be serious, Billy."

"I am," I said. "My father kills me with his eyes every time he looks at me. Death seems very inviting when I think about the alternative. I have gotten to the point where I don't care either way." I swallowed and took a deep breath. "Sometimes, I'll pray to God to let him kill me and when he doesn't, I'm so disappointed that I would consider doing it myself," I told them. "But I wouldn't give my father the satisfaction."

"Don't you dare think that way?" Lance said, quickly.

"Why?" I asked him. "Just a few nights ago, I sat on the bathroom floor with my father's pistol in my hand," I confessed. They exchanged a worried glance. "For three hours, I tried pulling that trigger. When I finally got the balls to do it, the gun wouldn't fire, and the damn thing was loaded!"

"Guys, please," Ronnie pleaded. "Let's not fight. We have got enough to deal with."

There was a long silence.

"I'm sorry, Billy," Lance told me. "I'm just worried, is all."

"I know," I told him. "I would probably be worried if you weren't."

Two days later was Lance's birthday. He wanted more than anything to be a writer. Not for the money, but to get his name out there. I bought him four things that I thought a writer could use: the latest edition of The Writer's Handbook, a pack of pens, a pack of pencils, and two composition books. I was terrible at wrapping gifts, so I put the stuff in a gift back and headed down the road to Lance's house. 

I could relax a little bit more, now that my secret was out.

"Wow! Thanks, Billy!" Lance told me when he opened the gift that I had given him. He flipped through the book. "This is awesome."

"You're not going to hug me, are you?" I asked him, jokingly.

He looked at me and laughed. "I wouldn't dream of it."

We ate dinner at Lance's house and then had cake and ice cream and then we sat and relaxed for a little while, allowing our food to settle. Almost an hour went by when Lance's parents pushed us all out onto the front porch. Sitting in the front yard was a shiny black Chevrolet pickup truck. Lance's face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Yes!" he cried, taking the keys from his father's hand. "Yes!" he cried, again and then ran out into the yard, followed by Ronnie and Devon.

"Wow," I said, aloud. "I haven't seen him that happy since . . . " my voice trailed away.

"Since Miranda," Larry, Lance's father, finished for me.

I looked at him. "Yeah."

"He would never have survived if it had not been for you guys."

Dalton and I exchanged glances.

"So, Billy, how's Ray doing these days?" Larry suddenly asked me.

Dalton looked at me and I looked at Larry. "Um . . . " I did not know what to say. "I don't really know. I don't see him much any more."

"Oh." 

I was glad he left it at that, because I did not want to talk about my father.

My father was not home when I got home that night and I was grateful. I decided to watch some television before going to bed.

I didn't hear my father pull into the driveway and did not even notice him until he came through the front door. When he saw me, he rushed forward in a mad rage and grabbed me. He pulled me off the couch and slammed me up against the living room wall, knocking my mother's portrait off the wall. I heard it break. I stared into his wild looking eyes and suddenly, I was terrified! I had never seen that look in his eyes before. He began to punch me repeatedly until I was crumpled on the floor, my arms over my face, trying to shield myself from his fists.

"Dad!" I shouted, but he didn't hear me. "Dad! Stop!"

Then, he stopped and left the room. I sat there for what seemed like forever, listening for him to return. When he didn't, slowly and as quietly as possible, I got to my feet and began to make my way toward the door.

"Where the hell you going?" my father suddenly shouted, coming in from the kitchen. He grabbed my shoulder and spun me around to face him.

That was when I noticed the small pistol in his right hand. My eyes widened with panic when he raised it to my face. I spun back around and started to run for the door. I heard a loud pop and I fell face forward onto the carpet. I remained still when he stood over me. A second later, he turned and walked out the front door. I heard him start the truck, but I did not move until I heard him pull out of the driveway. I pulled myself into a sitting position and leaned back against the living room wall. I saw the blood before I felt any pain. Seconds passed and then minutes. There was a growing puddle of blood beneath me. I was bleeding to death.

I was beginning to feel tired and weak, but I knew I had to get help or I was going to bleed to death. So, with a great struggle, I somehow managed to get to my feet. I opened the front door and, taking baby steps, walked out onto the porch. When I took the first step, I lost my balance and fell backward, landing with a hard thud on the top step. I felt so tired. I decided to rest and, closing my eyes, rested my head against the porch railing.




Part 02: Billy - The Hidden Truth



"Billy!"

My eyes snapped open. "Lance?" I said, faintly.

He rushed forward and knelt beside me. "Billy, what happened?" he asked, when he saw the blood beneath me.

"My father. He shot me," I said. "The bastard actually shot me."

"What? Where?"

"My back . . . " my voice trailed away when Devon, Ronnie, and Dalton came up the sidewalk.

"What happened?" Dalton asked.

"He has been shot," Lance told him.

"What?" he exclaimed.

"I'll call 911," Devon said and went inside.

"Did Uncle Ray do this?" Dalton asked me. "Where is he?"

"I don't know. He left," I told him. "I feel so tired."

He looked at Lance, panicking. 

"Dalton. Ronnie. Help me," Lance said, taking off his shirt and tearing it. "Hold him still. We need to slow the bleeding or he'll die." With his shirt, Lance pressed down on my wound and I groaned painfully. "I'm sorry, Billy. I know it hurts, but I have to stop the bleeding. You have lost a lot already."

"The ambulance is on it's way," Devon said, coming out if the house.

"Wake up, Billy," Lance said, quickly, when he saw that I was beginning to drift away. "You have to stay awake. Talk to me."

I forced my eyes open and looked at him. "How . . . " I swallowed the lump that was in my throat. "How did you know?"

Everyone else looked at him, also curious. Lance glanced at them and then back at me.

"I don't know," he replied. "I just knew that something was wrong and I could feel it."

"Yeah," said Devon, kneeling down beside me. "I saw his truck fly by the house and I knew something was up."

My eyes fluttered shut.

"Billy," said Lance, sharply. "Talk to me. What happened here tonight?"

I tried to clear my throat again. "I don't know. I came home and he wasn't here. I was watching a movie when he came in. He just started to pound on me."

"I can tell," Dalton said.

I looked at him and grinned. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." He looked into my eyes, obviously terrified.

"Keep talking to us, Billy," Lance said.

I swallowed again. "He had this crazed look in his eyes, something I had never seen before. When he left the room, I thought it was over. But then he came back with the gun. I tried to run for it. That is when he shot me in the back."

They all exchanged glances. I could hear the sirens in the distance. Help was on the way, but I could not fight it any longer and I blacked out. 

When I woke up and the room came into focus, I realized that I was in the hospital again. Lance was still by my side. He heard my movement and looked at me.

"Billy!" he cried. "You're awake!"

"You sound surprised."

"I am. You lost a lot of blood. When you passed out, we thought . . . " 

I looked at him for a long moment and then I remembered. "I almost died?"

He nodded. "Yes."

I was quiet for a few seconds and then I looked away. "You should have left me."

He ignored my comment. "I'm so sorry, Billy."

I looked at him. "You're sorry? Why?"

"Because I could have done something," he said. "I knew and I did nothing."

"Lance. I should have done something. It is not your fault."

"But you could have died."

"But I didn't, thanks to you. It wasn't your problem to fix. It was mine. Anyway, I'm okay now."

He nodded. "I know."

A few seconds later, the same doctor I had before walked into the room. 

"Good morning, Billy. I am Doctor Kramer. Do you remember me?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Great. How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," I told her. "Just tired."

She nodded. "You will be for a few days."

Dalton, Devon, and Ronnie walked into the room.

"Hey, Cuz," Dalton greeted me.

"Hey."

"Lucky for you," Dr. Kramer said. "Your friends found you in time." She smiled at me. "You rest. I'll be back later."

"I just hope it wasn't for nothing," I said, after she had left the room.

My friends exchanged glances.

"Um," Lance began. "Your father is dead, Billy."

I stared at him. "What?"

He looked at Dalton, as did I, and he stepped forward. "Yeah," he said. "The police found his truck in the field behind your house. He shot himself."

I looked away from them and out the window. I did not know what to say, because I did not feel sad. I felt relieved.

"I called my dad," Dalton told me. "He didn't seem surprised when I told him what happened." 

I didn't say anything. 

"Um . . . anyway," he went on. "You are welcome to stay with us for as long as you want to. You can have the spare bedroom and, well, I would welcome the company."

I smiled. "Thanks, Dalton."

He nodded. "Sure."

After a week of physical therapy and the nurses teaching me how to walk with a limp, caused by a severed nerve, my doctor released me from the hospital. Lance picked me up in his new truck and took me by my house to get my things. When we walked through the front door, a stale odor hit us in the face and I almost gagged. The blood on the floor had not been touched and it was causing the stench. Lance was holding his hand over his mouth. 

Over by the kitchen door was a large stain where I almost bled to death and a spotted trail was leading out the front door. If it had not been for my friends, I probably would have died that day. I took a deep breath and tried to fight the need to throw up, but my attempt failed and I ran back out the front door, where I lost my breakfast.

Lance was by my side in a moment. "Are you okay?"

I nodded. "I'm fine. Everything came rushing back to me."

We stood there for a few seconds and then I turned and went back inside. This time we went straight upstairs to my bedroom. Lance and I loaded my bed onto the back of his truck and then I gathered some clothes and some personal things. I picked up my car keys before we walked out the door.

When we walked out the front door, Devon's van was pulling into the driveway. He climbed out of the van and walked up to us. "Hey, guys, my father said that we could use our basement for practice." He looked at me. "That is if you still want to."

I nodded. "Of course. Our music is what kept me going all these years. I cannot turn my back on it now."

"Awesome," he said.

We loaded up our band equipment into the van. I parked my car in Dalton's driveway and road to Devon's with Lance, while Dalton and Ronnie rode with Devon. After setting everything up in Devon's basement, I was feeling some pain in my back and decided to sit and rest.

"Are you all right?" Lance asked me.

"Yeah. It just hurts sometimes." I pulled out the pain medication that my doctor had given me and swallowed a couple of them.

"So," Lance said, sitting. "School starts next week."

"I know," I said. "Do you think everyone knows?"

"Yeah," he said. "I am quite sure that they probably do. You know how fast news spreads around here."

"Yeah."

He was right. When school started, it seemed like everyone knew what had happened to me. Even the teachers knew. Everywhere I looked, I got looks of sympathy. Everyone kept telling me how sorry they were to hear about my father. That just made me angry, because I didn't want to feel sorry for him. I wanted him to suffer for what he had done. My friends stayed close to me, as if to shield me from anything that might happen. 

After that first day, I fell into a routine. I would wake up, go to school, come home, eat dinner and go to bed. I did not go to practice most evenings. My heart was just not in it. Nightmares kept me awake at night. My father was chasing me, always chasing me. 

One night, I woke up to Dalton shaking me.

"Are you all right?" he asked me, after I was awake.

"Yeah. Thanks."

He sat on my desk chair. "Was it the same dream, again?"

I nodded. "Yes. He is still chasing me. He hasn't caught up to me yet, though. I always wake up before he gets the chance."

He grinned. "Thank God for that."

I got up and went to the kitchen and took a cold bottle of water out of the refrigerator. Dalton followed me.

"Maybe you should talk to somebody."

I took a drink of water. "Who?"

"I don't know. The school counselor? They are there for that."

I shook my head. "No. Talking about it just makes it worse."

The next day was Saturday, and although I was tired from the lack of sleep, Dalton talked me into going to practice with him. I had forgotten what it felt like to sing. I had forgotten how it made me feel inside and I let my emotions pass into my singing. But afterward, exhausted, I collapsed into the plush chair that was in the basement. I closed my eyes for a moment. 

"Are the nightmares keeping you awake?" Lance asked me.

I opened my eyes and looked at him. "Yeah." I was quiet for a moment and then I looked at him, again. "How did you do it?"

He looked at me. "What?"

"Miranda. How did you let go?"

Everyone looked at me, because that was a forbidden subject. Lance looked at me for so long that I didn't think he was going to answer. Then he said, "I haven't. It just got easier."

"How?"

He thought for a moment. "I prayed."

I laughed coldly and said, "I don't believe in that."

"You used to," Lance told me.

"I know. I stop believing when my father shot me."

I closed my eyes again. I must have dozed off, because I was dreaming. My father was chasing me again, only this time we were in a cemetery. I was running and running, until I heard him shout behind me, "I will get you, Billy! You can't keep running!" 

"Never!" I shouted back and I turned and started to run again, but I fell and hit my head on something hard. My eyes snapped open and I sat up. I must have cried out because my friends came down the stairs a few seconds later.

"Are you okay?" Devon asked me.

"What happened?" Dalton followed.

"Nothing," I said. "I must have been dreaming." I looked toward the window and saw that it was getting dark. "How long have I been out?"

"For a while," Lance told me and then he came closer.

"You should have woken up me."

"No. You wouldn't be sleeping if you didn't need it," he told me.

"I feel like I am losing my mind," I said, mostly to myself, than to anyone else. "I'm going home."

"Do you want a ride?" Lance asked me.

"No. I'll walk," I replied. "Thanks, though."

I said good night to them and then walked up the road toward home.

Monday, I was in my Language class when I got a call to come to the office for a visitor. Lance was in that class with me and he looked at me. I shrugged my shoulders and got up. When I got closer to the office, my steps became slower. I could not believe my eyes and I stopped a few feet away from her. She looked as she had the same as she did six years ago. She was my mother! 

I stood staring at her for a long time. "Mom?" I said, finally.

She took a step toward me. "Hello, Billy."

I stood there for a moment and then my anger rushed through me so fast that it scared me. "Why are you here?" I demanded.

She stared at me, suddenly unsure of herself. "I, uh, I just wanted to see you."

"Why?" I pressed for an answer.

"Well, your uncle called me. He told me what happened. Billy, I am so sorry."

"Don't," I demanded, harshly. "Don't do that. Don't stand there and tell me you are sorry."

"Billy . . . "

"No!" I shouted and the school's secretary turned my way. She stared for a moment.

"Billy, please," she pleaded. "I'm your mother."

"No," I told her. "You lost that right when you left me behind."

I started passed her and then I turned back around to face her. "Do you remember the note that you left?" I asked, without looking at her. "I remember you saying that you would be back in a couple of days to pick me up. What happened?"

"I am sorry," she said, again, tears filling her eyes. "It took a little longer than I had expected to get settled. Would you let me make it up to you?"

I laughed. "Six years? That's not possible."

"Billy, I know what I did was wrong, but I didn't have a choice."

"No choice?" I fired back. "You could have taken me with you when you left, but you chose to leave. Nobody forced you to leave."

The bell rang and the hallway started to fill with students, but I wasn't finished.

"He shot me. My own father shot me in the back. See this?" I asked her, showing my limp. "This happened because of you! He said that you left because you hated me."

"No. It was not because of you," she assured me. "But I don't blame you for hating me."

"I'm sorry, but I cannot hate a stranger."

I turned and stormed away. I was so furious that my chest hurt. I bumped into Lance when I rounded the next corner.

"What's wrong?" he asked, when he saw my face.

I ignored him and went to the Boy's bathroom. Lance followed me. He stood back and watched me, not knowing what to do. I leaned against the sink for a long moment and then, before he could stop me, I put my fist through the mirror. It shattered.

"Billy, what the hell?" he cried and rushed forward when he saw that my hand was bleeding.

I must have blacked out because when I woke up, I was on a cot in the nurse's office. Miss Dawson, the school nurse, got up from her desk when she saw that I was awake.

"Hello, Billy," she said to me.

"What happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me."

"I don't remember. How long have I been out?"

"A while," she said and looked at the clock on the wall. "It is almost three." 

That was when I noticed the bandage on my hand. "What happened?" I asked again.

"You punched a mirror that is what happened." 

I turned and saw Lance standing in the doorway. "Hey."

"You can go if you are feeling okay," Miss Dawson told me.

I nodded. "Thanks."

I got up and left the school with Lance. The guys were waiting at my car. No one spoke until we got back to Dalton's, which was my home now, too. I poured myself a glass of tea and went out onto the back patio, where the others had already gathered. I picked my guitar and sat on the swing. Music was my way of letting off steam. I began to play a tune of my guitar. 

I looked at Lance. "I'm sorry," I told him. "If I scared you today."

After Miranda, Lance had this nagging fear that he was going to lose one of us in the same way he had lost Miranda.

"Are you going to tell us what happened today?" he asked me. 

"Yeah," Devon said. "Who was your visitor?"

I looked at them. "It was . . . "

"Who?" Lance urged.

"My mother." I looked at Dalton. "Somehow I think you already knew, didn't you?"

He looked away guiltily. "My father called her and told her what happened. Are you mad?"

I smiled. "No. You could have warned me, though."

"I'm sorry. Dad told me not to."

I chuckled. "Gosh, I was so pissed. I wanted to punch her."

"You didn't, did you?" Lance asked me.

I looked at him. "No. But I wanted to."

"I'm glad you didn't."

"Yeah."

We hung out for a little while longer and then everyone went home. Dalton and I sat on the porch for a little while, talking about some ideas for some new songs. My back began to get stiff from sitting so long, so I decided to go for a walk. 

"Where are you headed?" Dalton asked me.

I shook my head. "Nowhere."

"Oh," he followed. "Well, would you like some company?"

I shrugged. "Sure."

He got up and walked beside me. "So, um, are you still having the bad dreams?"

"Yeah. I still have them," I told him. 

I was watching my feet as we walked, but when I looked up, we were standing in front of my father's house. I stopped walking and stared at it for a moment. Dalton stopped beside me. When I took a step forward, Dalton grabbed my shoulder.

"Whoa! What are you doing?" he asked.

I looked at him. "I'm not sure."

He looked at me. "You're not going in there, are you?"

"Why not?"

"I don't know," he said. "Won't it be a little weird?"

"It's just a house, Dalton."

"I know, but . . . "

"Come on."

He was a little hesitant but he followed me when I walked into the house. When we walked through the door, several pictures flashed in my mind. From the time my mother left until the day my father died. I stood still for a moment, looking around the quiet house. Then I went upstairs to my bedroom. Dalton was right behind me.

I went to my desk and pulled out a folder that contained some songs that I had been working on most of my life. Underneath, was a knife that I had been keeping in there. Dalton's eyes widened when he took it out of its leather casing.

"Where did you get that?" he asked me.

"It was a Christmas present from my father," I told. "He gave it to me before everything went to hell."

"Oh."

I put the knife away and picked up my folder. "Let's go."

We hurried down the stairs and when we got outside I took a deep breath, grateful to be out of there. We started back down the road toward Dalton's house.

"What's that?" Dalton asked me, nodding at the folder.

I handed him the folder. "They're just some songs that I've been working on."

He glanced over them. "These are really good, Billy. How come you never showed them to us?"

"They aren't ready," I told him. "And my mind wasn't in the right place when I wrote them."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, some are about what was going on in my life."

"You didn't want anyone to know," he said, catching on. "I wish you have told us sooner, Billy."

"I know," I told him. "You don't know how many times I tried."

I did not see my mother again until Saturday. I let myself sleep in a little longer than normal. Dalton came in and woke me up.

"Billy, your mother is here to see you," he told me.

I got up and got dressed. When I walked out of my room, Dalton told me that she was outside on the porch. It was mid-September. It was beginning to cool down, so I put on a light jacket and walked outside.

"Hi," I greeted her.

"Hello, Billy."

An awkward moment passed before I spoke again. "Look, um, I'm sorry about the other day. I was angry and . . . "

"I know," she said. "But it's okay. I understand. You had every right to be angry." She was quiet for a moment. "I'm so sorry, Billy," she apologized. "I never meant to leave you behind. I would like to have the chance to make it up to you. Why don't you come home with me and stay over Christmas break? I would love to have you." 

I thought about it for a second. "Where's home?"

"Florida," she replied. "We live in a place called Old Town. I have to go home and get back to work. However, I will fly back in a couple of months and we can fly back together."

"Fly?" I repeated. 

She smiled. "You have never been on a plane, have you?"

I shook my head. "No. I've never been out of West Virginia. But I would rather not fly."

She smiled. "Okay. I'll fly up, rent a car, and we can drive back. It'll be fun."

I thought about it for another second and then said, "Okay."

"Yeah?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Oh, good," she said, with a smile. I just smiled back at her. "Well, I have to head to the airport. I just wanted to see you before I left."

"Okay."

"I will call you when I get home," she promised, getting into her rental car.

I waved goodbye. When she was out of sight, I turned and went back inside and poured myself some coffee.

"Is everything all right?" Dalton asked me, sitting across from me at the kitchen table.

"Yeah," I told him. "She's wants me to go to Florida over Christmas break."

"Are you going to?"

"I guess," I replied. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to give her a chance."

"This sucks!" Ronnie cried later that day, when I told them about my plans for Christmas break.

I looked at him. "Why?"

"Because you'll get down there, and you won't want to come home," Devon replied.

"Not true," I said. "Of course I'll come back. This is my home. You guys are my family."

Later that evening, at Devon's, Lance found me out on the patio, watching the sun set. He sat beside me. 

"So, when are you leaving for Florida?" he asked me.

"Probably the day after school lets out for vacation," I told him.




Part 02: Billy - The Hidden Truth



He nodded. "Good."

I looked at him. "Why is that good?"

"Because," he said. "You are the only person who understands me these days."

"You have the guys."

"I know, but they don't understand."

"You think I do?"

"I know you do," he replied. "Now more than ever."

I saw Florida for the first time that winter. It was a fourteen-hour drive from West Virginia to Florida and I was shocked to find how warm it was, compared to back home. I had never seen anything so beautiful. Everywhere I looked, I saw expensive homes. My mother's home being just as beautiful. It was enormous. 

"What kind of work do you do, Mom?" I asked her, after we had walked inside. 

"I am an actress. Well, I'm trying to be," she corrected. "So far I've only gotten small parts, but the money is really good."

"Wow," I said, surprised at how nice the inside was. I looked at the pictures on the wall. I looked at my mother. "Did you remarry?"

"Yes," she replied. "I did."

"Are you happy?"

"Yes. I'm very happy. My husband, David, is a wonderful man. He has a daughter."

"A daughter?"

"Yes. She is fifteen and very headstrong. Her name is Lucy."

"Do they know about me?"

"Yes. I explained everything."

"Cool."

After a moment, she said, "Billy, I don't want you to think that I didn't love your father. I loved him very much."

"Then . . . why did you leave?"

"Your father was not very nice to me, either."

That was when I began to understand. "He hit you, too?"

She nodded. "There was one night. We were fighting. You probably don't remember, but he punched me in the throat, and it took me three hours to get back to breathing normally. It scared the hell out of me. The next day, I left. It was my intention to come back for you, but . . . " her voice trailed away.

"But what?"

"He said that he would kill you before he would ever let me take you."

My eyes widened. "He said that?"

She nodded. "Yes. That is why I never came back. I wanted to save you."

I chuckled. "He tried to kill me, anyway."

There were tears in her eyes. "I cannot tell you how sorry I am."

"I think I can forgive you," I told her.

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Sarah!" someone called from the other room. "Sarah!"

"In here, Lucy," my mother called back.

"Sarah, Daddy wants you to . . . " her voice trailed away when she came into the living room and saw me. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you had company."

"It's all right, Lucy," my mother told her. "This is my son that I was telling you about. Billy, this is my stepdaughter, Lucy."

Lucy smiled at me and greeted me shyly. "Hello."

"Hi."

I stared back into her hazel eyes. She had blond hair with dark streaks. She had a small build, but she was a beauty.

"Lucy, could you get your father for me?" my mother asked her. "I would like him to meet Billy."

"Sure."

She turned and left the room and a moment later, returned with a man that was much older than my father was.

"Hello, Billy," he said to me, extending his hand. "It is nice to meet you finally."

I shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you, too, Sir."

"Sir?" he said, looking offended. "You make me sound like an old man. Please, call me David."

"Of course. I'm sorry."

"No harm done," he said and looked at my mother. "Sarah, can I see you in my office for a moment?"

"Of course," my mother replied. "Lucy, would you mind showing Billy to his room?"

"Not at all," Lucy told her.

"Thanks." 

She and David left the room and I picked up my guitar and suitcase and followed Lucy up the stairs. When we entered the bedroom, I put my suitcase on the bed and leaned my guitar against the dresser. I glanced around the room and then began to unpack. Lucy sat down on the bed and looked at me for a moment.

"Sarah told me what happened to you," she said, after a moment of silence.

I look at her. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind."

"My therapist told me once that it was good to talk about your problems," she told me.

I chuckled. "That's a load of crap."

"I don't think so. It has seemed to help me," she said. "But I can't imagine what you must be feeling."

"I don't think anyone could," I told her. "Not unless they have been through it, too."

"Which I haven't," she said.

"So, how come you don't call her Mom?" I asked her, desperate to change the subject.

"Because she's not my mother," she replied. "Why don't you?"

I shrugged. "I guess because I don't really know her any more."

"Oh."

"Where's your mother?" 

"Dead."

I looked at her. "I'm sorry. How?"

"Cancer."

"I'm sorry," I said, again.

"It's okay. I was young. I don't remember much about her."

She stared for a moment and then she nodded at my guitar. 

"Do you play?"

"Uh, yeah," I told her. "My friends and I have a band back home."

"Awesome. What kind of music do you all play?"

"Nothing in particular. Anything we feel like playing. We've all got different styles, so we can't be too picky."

"Coolness."

I laughed and looked at her. "Coolness?"

"I heard it in a movie that I saw once."

I nodded. "Coolness."

She giggled.

Just when I thought the nightmares were over, it happened again. This time, I woke up to Lucy shaking me.

"Are you okay?" she asked me.

I stared up at her for a moment, obviously confused.

"You were dreaming," Lucy told me. She sat on the edge of the bed. "You were talking in your sleep."

I sat up and looked at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."

"You didn't," she assured me. "I was awake. Reading. I couldn't sleep, as usual." She looked at me for a moment. "I don't remember this, but my father told me that when my mother died, I had some weird dreams after the funeral. I was confused and sometimes terrified and thought that God was blaming me for her death. Everyone told me they would eventually go away on their own, but they didn't."

"What did you do?" I asked her.

She smiled. "I prayed."

I looked at her and then smiled. "That's what Lance told me."

"Who?"

"Um . . . a friend of mine," I explained. "He lost his girlfriend in a car accident over the summer. We all felt his pain. It was rough on all of us, because he was hurting and there wasn't anything we could do except be there. He said that Miranda visited him in the cemetery, where she was buried."

"Do you believe she really did?" 

I nodded. "I think so. Lance wouldn't lie about something like that. Anyway, he prayed that night. He's been a different person ever since."

She smiled. "Maybe that's what you should do. Pray."

I looked at her for a moment. "I'm not sure if I know how, Lucy."

"You will," she promised. "I'll help you." 

"I don't even know if I believe in it anymore."

"How can you not?" she asked me. "Why do you think you survived a gunshot to the back with just a limp?"

"Because my friends found me," I told her. "Lance said he felt like something was wrong."

"Who do you think sent him that message?" she asked me.

I thought about her question for a moment and then looked at her. "Do you mean . . .?"

She nodded. "God sent him that message."

I was amazed at the possibility that God really did care about me at a time when I thought no one else did. I looked at Lucy and she smiled. I leaned closer to her so that my hand could caress her cheek. She met me halfway and our lips met. It was a soft and gentle kiss. After a moment, I pulled away so that I could catch my breath. She smiled again and I couldn't help but kiss her again. 

Suddenly, she pulled away from me and stood up. "I'm sorry, Billy, I'm not ready for this."

Before I could say anything, she turned and left my room. I sighed and fell back against my pillow. To say the least, it took me forever to get back to sleep. 

When I woke up the next morning, there was a Bible on my night stand and a note was lying on top.

Billy,

I am sorry about last night. I just got scared. I hope you're 

not mad.

Lucy

I got up and got dressed. When I got downstairs, my mother and Lucy were in the kitchen, cooking breakfast.

"Smells good," I greeted.

"Scrambled eggs, bacon, and French toast," my mother replied. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah," I replied, and glanced at Lucy. "Better than I have in a long time."

"That is good," said my mother. "I hope you are hungry."

I nodded. "I am."

David had already left for work, but the three of us sat and ate breakfast together, like a normal family. It was a pleasant feeling to belong to a family. After we ate, Lucy helped my mother with the dishes and then my mother had to go to some audition, leaving Lucy and I by ourselves.

After my mother had left, I went upstairs to take a shower. When I came back down, Lucy was in the kitchen. She glanced at me and then looked away shyly, apparently remembering the night before. I took a can of soda out of the refrigerator and opened it. I leaned back against the counter, watching Lucy from behind. She had on short shorts and a tank top. She looked really good. I took a drink of my soda and then put it on the counter.

I stepped up behind her and she turned around to face me. We stared into each others eyes for what seemed like an eternity. I cupped her face with my hands, gently, and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I'm not mad," I told her, my voice almost a whisper. "I understand."

"You do?"

"Yes. I was afraid, too."

"You were? Why?"

"Because of how you make me feel."

She smiled. "How do I make you feel?"

"Happy," I told her. "Scared, and nervous. All at the same time."

"I feel that way, too, Billy."

I kissed her, softly. "I don't want to do anything to push you away, Lucy. I like you," I told her. "A lot."

"I like you, too."

I just laughed. "I sound like an emotional romance novel."

She laughed. "I like emotional romance novels."

I kissed her again and before I realized it, my kiss was becoming intense. It was like I could not control it, but she pulled away a moment later.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "I'm stopping."

"No," she said and looked into my eyes. "I want to."

I stared back into her eyes. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "Yes."

I took her hand and led her up the stairs to my bedroom, where I took her into my arms and kissed her. 

"I have never done this before," she confessed.

I chuckled. "That's good, because neither have I. Just relax," I whispered into her ear, more for my sake than hers. 

My heart was racing as we undressed each other and moved to the bed. Everything, even time, was moving in slow motion. We seemed to have melted into one another. When I entered her and felt the barrier break, tears fell from her eyes and I stopped moving. I laid still for a few minutes and allowed it to pass. When she urged me to continue, I began to move inside her. She held onto me tightly, crying out several times. She climaxed before I did and I kissed her, to smother her cries. Then, it was all over for me, too. We remained still for several minutes, still intertwined, catching our breath. I raised myself and looked down at her.

"Are you all right?" I asked, desperately. "If I hurt you . . . "

"Shh," she cut me off. "You didn't." She looked at the clock on the wall. "I should go take a shower before my father gets home," she said, beginning to rise.

I held her a moment and kissed her. "Go ahead," I told her. "I'll clean up here."

"Thanks."

"I love you, Lucy," I told her. I couldn't stop it. It just came out.

She stared at me for a long time before replying. "I love you, too, Billy."

We kissed again and then she left my room. I quickly changed the bed sheets and then washed them. 

The phone downstairs was ringing and I went to answer it. It was Lance.

"Hey!" I cried, happy to hear a familiar voice.

"Billy?" Lance said on the other end. "Is that you?"

"Of course it's me."

"You sound different," he said.

"How?"

"You sound . . . happy."

That was when I realized just how happy I was feeling. "I am," I told him. "You have no idea."

"Really?"

"Yeah. How are things back home?"

"Good," he replied. "Still, practice is not the same without you."

"I know. I'll be home soon," I promised.

"Um, your father's lawyer has been trying to reach you," he told me.

"Lawyer? I didn't know he had a lawyer."

"I just told him that you were visiting family and you would be back soon. He said he would talk to you when you got back. Something about a will."

"Will?"

"That's what he said."

"Oh, well," I told him. "I will deal with it when I get back."

"Yeah."

"Well, I should go. Say hi to the guys for me."

"I will," he promised. "I'll talk to you later."

I hung up the phone as Lucy was coming down the stairs. 

"Everything all right?" she asked me.

I smiled at her. "Everything is fine."

I took her into my arms and held her close. "I'm so happy right now."

"I'm happy, too, Billy."

Something in her voice made me pull back and I looked into her eyes. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," she said.

"Lucy?"

"You will be leaving soon," she reminded me.

"I know," I said. "But that won't change anything."

"It won't?"

"No. I'll still love you. I don't care how many miles we are apart."

"You say that now . . . "

"I promise you, Lucy and I don't make promises I cannot keep."

She just nodded, not seeming convinced.

The next day, my mother gave me the keys to her car and Lucy showed me some sights around town. She showed me how to get to the beach and I put my feet in the ocean for the first time. 

"This is great," I told Lucy. "I have never even seen the ocean before."

She smiled at me. "I have never seen anyone so excited to see the ocean. I guess people around here are used to it. They take it for granted."

I looked at her for a moment. 

She looked at me. "What?"

"You are so beautiful," I blurted out.

She stared at me, surprised at my outburst, and then she laughed. "I think you've gotten too much sun today. Come on."

It was late afternoon when we got back to the house. Our parents weren't home from work yet, so I made myself a sandwich. Lucy went upstairs to take a shower. I went upstairs to my bedroom and picked up my guitar. I was in the middle of a tune when my mother walked into my room.

"Hi," she greeted. "Sounding good."

I smiled up at her. "Thanks. Some day I could pay the bills with this thing," I said, lightly tapping my guitar.

"I wish you luck," she told me. "So how are you doing? Lucy told me that she woke you up from a bad dream last night."

I looked at her for a moment. "Yeah. She did."

"Have you been having them long?" 

I nodded. "Ever since . . . " my voice stopped searching for the right words. "Ever since he died."

She nodded. "Have you ever talked to anyone about them?"

"Not really," I replied. "Lucy and I talked a little bit last night. She told me I should pray."

"Maybe she is right."

"Maybe she's not."

"Maybe." There was a short pause. "So, how was the beach?"

"It was amazing," I said. "Like paradise."

"Yeah. That is how I felt the first time I saw the ocean, too."

"Really?"

She nodded. "See. You and I are not that different."

On Christmas morning, I was shocked to see a brand-new guitar under the large Christmas tree that was in the living room. Also, there was a laptop computer that I could use to record my music and make CDs.

"Oh, wow!" I gasped, picking up the guitar. "You shouldn't have."

"I wanted to," she told me. "That one of yours seems a little beat up."

"Yeah," I said. "It's been banged around a lot."

She just nodded. Lucy was happy, as well, for she got what she wanted.

Later that day, after our parents had gone out to visit friends and some of David's family, I gave Lucy my gift, which was a plain, sterling silver chain with the letter B in the middle. I walked into her room, where she was watching an old Christmas movie.

She gasped when I hung it around her neck. She smiled up at me. "B as in Billy?" she asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah."

She smiled and put her arms around my neck and kissed me. "I have something for you, too," she said, and walked around her bed and opened her desk drawer and pulled out a small gift box. 

It was a gold identification bracelet. Underneath, "With all my love, always, Lucy," was inscribed. 

I smiled, putting it on. "This means the world to me, Lucy," I said, kissing her on the lips. "Thank you."

The week after went by quicker than I had anticipated and it was New Year's Eve. My mother and David were holding a New Year's Eve party at the house, so Lucy and I had to be on our best behavior. My mother had rented me a suit and I felt weird with it on, but I wore it anyway. Lucy took my breath away that night. She wore a strapless, black velvet gown with a deep, sweetheart neckline. She was wearing the necklace that I had given her, drawing attention to her breasts and cleavage. 

After being introduced to everyone at least once, sometimes twice, Lucy and I were able to sneak away to the kitchen. 

I loosened my tie and then looked at Lucy. "You look amazing tonight."

She smiled. "You look very handsome, yourself." She poured herself a glass of wine and then offered me some. 

I shook my head. "No, thanks," I told her, politely. "I don't drink."

"Come on," she insisted. "Just one drink? We can't toast without it."

"What are we drinking to?"

She thought about it for a moment. "To everyone that we love."

I nodded and took the glass of wine from her hand. "To everyone that we love."

"Everyone who loves us," she added. 

I nodded and we took a drink. 

When my glass was empty, I took Lucy into my arms and kissed her softly on the lips. "I love you so much. It is going to be so hard to leave tomorrow."

She pulled back and looked at me. "You're really leaving?"

My smile faded. "Lucy, you knew I was."

"I know. I guess I was just hoping that you would change your mind."

"Lucy," I said, softly. "I have to go back. I have family back there, too."

She just nodded. "I know. I understand." She looked at me with tears in her eyes. "I'm just going to miss you so much."

"I know," I said and pulled her to me. "I'll miss you, too." 

She pulled away from me and ran out of the room.

"Lucy!" I started to go after her, but my mother walked through the door. "Mom," I said. "Hey."

"Looks like I am not the only one who will miss you when you leave."

"What do you mean?"

She smiled. "I am not dumb, you know. I have seen the way she looks at you, and I have seen the way you look at her, like you know a secret that we don't."

"You know?"

"Yes."

"But why haven't you said anything?"

"I didn't want to mess up a good thing," she said. "It's been nice seeing Lucy smile. I have never seen her so happy."

"She is wonderful, Mom," I told her. "I think she may have saved my life."

She looked confused. "How?"

"Because I didn't care," I told her. "I didn't care about anything or anyone, or even myself. But I love her and I think she's my angel."

"That's wonderful, Billy," she told me. "But David doesn't know and I don't think he would approve, so . . . "

I nodded. "I understand. Well, I'd better go find Lucy."

She just nodded and I fought my way through the crowded living room and went upstairs to Lucy's bedroom. When I opened the door, she was sitting on her bed. 

"Lucy?" I said, closing the door behind me.

She looked at me for a moment and then she got up and ran to me, throwing her arms around my neck and I held her close. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"It's all right," I whispered back.

We kissed and then both of us gazed at her bed. She pulled away and went to put on her small radio. I sat on her bed. I do not know why I was suddenly so nervous, but I was. I felt a quiver in my stomach. I was as if Lucy and I were on our first date. She finally settled on a station that was broadcasting from the grand ballroom of one of the downtown hotels. We could hear the excitement of the people dancing and the music. The announcer came over the radio to tell everyone how close we were to midnight. 




Part 02: Billy - The Hidden Truth



"Why is New Year's Eve so special?" I asked, thinking aloud.

She shrugged. "I suppose it gives people a chance to hope for better things."

"I suppose so. I hope next year is a better one."

She sat on the bed beside me. "So do I," she said. "For us both."

I stood up and pulled her toward me and she let herself fall against me, our lips meeting, my arms around her shoulders. Then, gently and gracefully, I pulled her toward the bed and we sat again. I turned her so that we were facing each other. I kissed her hair, her forehead, her eyes, the tip of her nose, before pressing my lips to hers. When our tongues touched, I felt my body loosen up.

"You smell so good," I told her. "I feel like I'm standing in the middle of a garden."

My hands dropped below her shoulders and found the zipper on her dress. As I lowered it and the garment became loose around her bosom, she moaned and let herself fall back on the pillow. I brought my lips to her chin and then moved over her throat and down the valley between her breasts.

"Billy, we're not being careful," she whispered, but she still held tightly to me, as if wanting to contradict herself.

"I know," I said. "We will," he promised, but I started to slip her dress over her shoulders and down her arms. It fell to her waist. I sat back and she stared up at me as I peeled off my sports jacket, loosened my tie, and unbuttoned my shirt. She closed her eyes and did not open then again until she felt me toying with her bra until I had it unfastened and then my lips were against her naked breasts, kissing each of them softly, until she pushed me away and pressed her lips to mine.

My hands were under her dress, groping for her panties. We should have stopped then, but instead I slipped her panties off. I moaned and whispered her name, as I brought myself to her opening.

"Billy," she cried, weakly.

"It's good, Lucy. It's beautiful and meant to be. Otherwise, we wouldn't love each other as much as we do."

She didn't resist. She let me enter her and touch her even more deeply than I had touched her before. I don't know how often she cried my name, but this time our love making was so intense, it brought tears to my eyes. She embraced me so tightly, one would have thought she was afraid of being thrown off the bed.

We reached our climaxes at the same time, ravishing each other with kisses, moving our lips over one another's faces like two people starving for affection. We smothered our cries against one another's neck and shoulders to prevent our parents from hearing anything. We wound ourselves down with deeps gasps, our hearts pounding against one another's, both of us so surprised at our passion we could only laugh.

"Feel this," I said, placing her palm over my heart.

"You feel mine."

We lay side by side, silent for a while, our heartbeats tapping against our hands. Then I sat up and leaned over her, gazing down at her.

"I love you," I said. "I can't say it enough."

"Will you love me forever and ever?"

"I can't see how I could stop," I said, and kissed her softly.

On the radio, the announcer, in a very excited voice, began a countdown. "Ten, nine, eight . . . "

Lucy took my hand and we recited the rest of the numbers together.

"Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one—HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

"Auld Lang Syne" began to play on the radio.

"Happy New Year, Lucy."

"Happy New Year, Billy."

We kissed each other, and for a few seconds it seemed like nothing in this world was strong enough to tear us apart. I hadn't felt this happy and contented for such a long time. It was a good feeling. I guess I needed it more than I had realized.

We got dresses, fixed our hair, and straightened ourselves up so that we looked almost as prim and neat as we had at the beginning of the evening. Then we left and went downstairs to join the party. It was a blur to me, because I could not take my eyes off Lucy. I was happier than I could ever remember being and I was terrified that it wouldn't last. 

At the end of the night, I stood at my mother's side and politely greeted everyone as they were on their way out. After all the guests were gone, I said a goodnight to my mother and went upstairs to pack my bags. After I had finished, I undressed down to my boxers and climbed into bed. 

A few minutes later, Lucy came to me. She opened and closed my door so quietly that I didn't know she was there until she lifted the blanket and climbed under the covers with me. I put my arms around her and pulled her close to me, kissing her forehead.

"I don't want you to leave," she whispered.

"I know," I said, my voice low, "but I'll be back when school lets out for the summer. I'll be yours for two whole months."

She smiled up at me. "All mine?"

"All yours," I repeated. 

We made love again that night, as if it would be our last night together. This time it was different, lasting three times as long as before. Then, she pushed me over until I was on my back and soon, she was riding me. Her cries were becoming louder and more intense. Afraid they might have heard us, I rolled her over and our lovemaking continued. 

When our lovemaking ended, we lay still, listening to each other's trembling breath, our hearts still pounding.

"Oh, my God!" I gasped. "Lucy."

She leaned up and looked down at me. "Something to remember me by," she said, smiling mischievously.

I grinned up at her. "I could never forget you anyway."

"I hope not, Billy."

I reached out and gently held the letter B that was hanging from her necklace. "This here is my promise, Lucy."

She nodded and then pressed her lips against my chest. Soon, we fell asleep in each others arms. That was the best feeling in the world. 

When I woke up the next morning, Lucy was gone. I got up and took a shower and then took my bags downstairs. David was gone, but I found my mother in the kitchen. Lucy was sitting at the table, eating a bowl of cereal. We exchanged smiles when I walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Sweetie," my mother greeting. "Are you all packed?"

"Yeah," I told her. 

She nodded. "Good." Then, she looked at me for a long moment. "I can't believe you're leaving today. Time flew by so fast."

"Usually does when you're having fun," I told her.

She glanced at Lucy and then back at me. She just smiled. 

"I can't believe you're making me fly back to West Virginia," I told her.

"I know. I would drive you, but I've gotta work."

"I know. I guess I'll forgive you this time, Mom."

She looked at me quickly. "That is the first time I have heard you call me Mom," she said.

"Oh," I said.

"Thank you," she said.

I just nodded.

Lucy rode to the airport with us. My mother gave me a goodbye hug. 

"I hope you come back for the summer," she told me. 

"I will," I promised. Lucy stood off to the side, with tears in her eyes. My heart plunged. I took her into my arms. "Please," I pleaded. "Don't cry."

"I can't help it," she said, her face buried in my chest.

I laughed, softly. "I love you. I'll be back."

She nodded. "I know. I love you."

"I love you more," I replied. She glanced at my mother when I began to lean in for a kiss. "It's okay," I promised. "She knows."

She nodded and then kissed me. "Don't forget," she said, toying with the identification bracelet she had given me for Christmas.

"I won't."

"Here," my mother said, handing me a cellphone.

I looked at her. "What is this?"

"It's a cellphone," she said. "So we can be in touch always."

"Awesome. Thanks, Mom."

"Call us when you get home," she said.

"I will."

I hugged them both again and then I boarded the plane. I was so nervous, but I relaxed once we were in the air. I slept most of the way and before I knew it, I was home. My friends were there to pick me up in Devon's van.

"Hey!" I cried when I saw them waiting at the gate.

"Welcome home," Lance said.

"It's good to be home."

It was an hour and a half drive to get back home. We stopped at a restaurant along the side of the road to get something to eat. After the waitress had taken our order, I took my cellphone out of my pocket and dialed my mother's number.

It rang twice and then someone picked up. "Hello?"

"Hi, Mom," I said. "Hey, I made it here safely," I told her.

"Oh, good," she said, and let out a breath.

"You weren't worried, were you?" I asked her.

"I wasn't," she replied. "But someone else was."

"Oh. Can I talk to Lucy?" I asked her.

My friends looked at me so fast, I thought they might have broken their necks.

"Who is Lucy?" Dalton asked me.

I ignored him and got up and walked outside. 

"Billy?" came Lucy's voice on the other end.

"Hey, Baby," I greeted. "It's so good to hear your voice."

"Yours, too. I'm missing you already."

"I know," I said, leaning against Lance's pickup. "Me, too."

"I think I might sleep on your bed tonight," she told me.

I smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah," she said. "I'll feel close to you that way."

"That's sweet," I told her. "Anyway, I better go. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too."

We hung up and I walked back into the restaurant and when I sat at the table, Lance and Dalton looked at me.

"What?" I asked them.

"What is that?" Dalton asked me.

"It was a Christmas gift from Lucy," I told him, remember the night she gave it to me.

"I know that look," Lance told me, recognizing the stupid smile that was on my face. "Very well." 

"Who is she?" Devon asked me.

"She is my mother's stepdaughter," I told them.

"Stepdaughter?" Dalton repeated. "She remarried?"

I nodded. "Yeah, but she seems happy."

"So . . . the girl?" Devon pressed.

"Her name is Lucy and I, uh, I think I fell in love with her," I told him.

"Wow," he said. "Really?"

"Yeah. I know it's probably wrong, but . . . " I looked at Lance. "I couldn't stop it any more than you could."

He didn't say anything, just looked away.

"Well, if there's no blood shared," Ronnie told me.

I looked at him. "That is true."

When we got home, I put my things in my bedroom and then I pulled out my new guitar that my mother had bought me. I left my old one in Florida, so I would not have to haul it back and fourth.

"Wow!" Lance exclaimed. "Where'd you get that?"

"My mother gave it to me for Christmas," I told him.

"Wow," he said, again.

"So," Devon said, when we gathered on the back patio. "You haven't said, and we've been dying to know. How did it go with your mother?"

"Um, surprisingly well, actually," I told him.

"Really?" Lance followed.

"Yeah," I replied. "Once I got to know her again, she turned out to be a really cool person. She is trying to be an actress. Her husband is some kind of business man."

"Is she loaded?" Ronnie asked me.

I laughed. "Yeah. Lucy and I tried to keep our relationship from our parents, because we didn't think our parents would approve. But my mother knew the whole time and she never said anything."

"That's cool," Ronnie told me. 

"How come she left like she did?" Dalton asked me.

I looked at him. "He beat her, too."

"Oh."

"How are you doing?" Lance asked me. "The nightmares, I mean."

"Well," I said, just realizing that I had not had one since my first night it Florida. "I haven't had any in a while, actually."

"Really?" Lance said. 

"How did you get them to stop?" Dalton asked me.

I looked at him. "I prayed." 

"Really?" Dalton said.

"I thought you didn't believe in that any more."

"I didn't think I did," I said. "But Lucy . . . she changed my mind."

"Oh, really?" Devon said.

"Yeah," I said and told them about what happened that night. "She gave me a Bible and, amazingly, I've actually been reading it."

"Prayer doesn't just change circumstances," Lance said. "It changes us. It's the main reason that I'm not so angry any more."

"Do you ever sit and wonder why all this has happened?" Dalton asked us.

"Every day," I told him.

"Yeah," Lance said. "I've always wondered if it was something I did. Maybe God blamed me for something that I did or didn't do. I mean, why would he bring Miranda into my life if I was only meant to lose her again?" 

My mind raced back to everything that had happened. Lance's word made me think. 

"Even He blamed me," I said, my voice low.

Lance looked at me. "What?"

"Even God blamed me," I repeated.

"For what?" asked Dalton.

"For Mom leaving," I told him. "He used my father to punish me."

"I don't believe that God would be that cruel, Billy," Lance told me.

"I think He's testing us," Devon spoke up.

"Testing us?" I said. "For what?"

"For life. Maybe he's trying to prepare us for something."

"No," Lance said. "God isn't doing this. I think it goes lower than him."

"Do you think there really is a devil?" Ronnie asked him.

He nodded. "I believe so."

My cellphone rang. It was Lucy. I smiled to myself and answered it. "Lucy," I said into the phone. "Hey, baby."

"Hey, Baby," Devon mocked behind me and the others laughed.

"Billy?" she said. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I told her. "We are just reminiscing."

"Oh."

I got up and walked out into the yard. "I miss you, Lucy," I told her when I was out of earshot.

"I miss you, too," she told me. "Do you wish you had stayed?"

"I am beginning to," I confessed.

She giggled. "I know I do." There was a short pause. "Well, I just called to tell you goodnight, so . . . goodnight, Billy. I love you."

"I love you, too, Lucy. Goodnight."

I hung the phone up and walked back up onto the porch. We hung out for a little while longer and then I went to bed.

The next morning, there was a phone call from my father's lawyer. He asked to come out to the house to talk to me. He was waiting for me when I got home from school that day.

"Hello," he greeted, extending his right hand. "I am Jimmy Maxwell."

"Hi," I said. Dalton was there beside me. "Is it okay of he's here?"

"That is entirely up to you, Billy," he told me. "Is there somewhere that we could sit and talk?"

"Sure," I told him and we walked up onto the porch.

"Now," he began. "About this will."

"Yeah," I said. "I didn't even know he had a will."

"Well, he wanted to be prepared," he told me. "He wanted to make sure you were taken care of."

"Taken care of?" I said. "He tried to kill me."

"Billy," Dalton said behind me.

I inhaled sharply. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Billy," he told me. "No forgiveness needed. Anyway, your father has left you everything."

"Everything?"

"Yes. The house, along with everything inside, and a very large amount of money," he said. 

"Money?" I repeated. I was not sure I had heard him correctly.

"Yes," he said. "Am I to understand that he never told you any of this?"

"He never said much of anything to me, Sir."

"I see," he said. "Well, there are exactly one hundred and seventy five-thousand dollars in a savings account at your father's bank."

Dalton and I exchanged glances. 

"He left all this to me?" I asked, stunned. "Why?"

"Your father was a very . . . complicated man, Billy."

"I'm beginning to see that."

"So, I just have some papers here that I need you to sign and I will get out of your way," he told me. 

"Okay," I said, and, after reading over the papers, signed them.

"If you have any questions, feel free to call me," he told me, handing me his business card.

"Thank you. I will," I told him.

After he had left, Dalton and I looked at each other.

"A hundred and seventy-five thousand?" Dalton said, aloud, looking just as shocked as I was.

"Yeah," was all I said, not sure how to respond.

Later that evening, before practice, Dalton and I told our friends about the inheritance. They were just as taken aback as we were.

"So, what are your plans now?" Devon asked me.

"Well," I said, sitting on the chair with my guitar. "I don't really have any. I just want to get on with my life and put everything behind me."

"That sounds like a plan to me," Lance said.

"It's strange how things happen, isn't it?" Ronnie said.

I nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I don't think I would ever have seen my mother again if my father hadn't . . . if he hadn't . . . " I couldn't bring myself to say it.

"If he hadn't tried to kill you?" Devon finished for me.

I looked at him. "Yeah. Thanks."

"Anytime."

"I probably would never have met Lucy and she has saved me in so many ways," I said. "I was happier than I had ever been. For a while, I almost forgot everything."

We were quiet for a moment.

"What about a recording studio," I said, aloud. Everybody looked at me.

"What?" Ronnie said.

"A recording studio," I repeated. "We could build a really nice one."

"You are crazy," Devon said.

"Probably," I agreed. "But it could work." I looked at Lance. "Since you are the computer nerd here."

"Hey," he cried, defensively. "I am not a nerd."

I laughed. "Okay," I agreed. "But you know computers better than any of us. Think about it, guys. We could make our own demos."

"This could work," Dalton said, and everyone else agreed.

"But . . . where would we build it?" Dalton asked. 

"Well," I replied. "I was thinking about remodeling my house and maybe we could add it on."

"Your house? Are you sure?" Lance asked.

"Yeah. I won't be moving into it for a while. It has to be changed. I would have nightmares."

"You don't need that again," Dalton told me.

Lucy and I wrote letters back and fourth for a few weeks, but then her letters stopped coming. I thought that maybe she had found someone closer to her. 

However, one night during a rehearsal, my cellphone rang. It was my mother, telling me that she and Lucy would be flying in for spring break.

"Is Lucy there?" I asked her.

"Yes," she told me after a short pause. "She's upstairs. She hasn't been feeling well."

"Is everything all right?" I asked her.

"Everything is fine," she told me.

"Oh," I said. "Okay. Well, can you tell her I love her."

"I will, Billy," she told me. "I'll see you in a few days."

I hung the phone up and stood there for a few minutes. I should have been happy, but I wasn't. Something was wrong. I could feel it.

"Is everything okay?" Lance asked me.

"I'm not sure," I replied.

"What's wrong?" Dalton asked.

"My mother and Lucy are flying in for spring break," I told them.

"But . . . isn't that a good thing?" Devon asked, confused.

"It should be," I said. "But something doesn't feel right."

"That's strange," Lance said.

"I'm sure everything is all right, Billy," Dalton said. "She would have told you, wouldn't she?"

"I guess so."

School let out a week later for Spring Break. Lance and I drove to the airport the next morning and waited for my mother's plane to land. When she came through the gate, I was surprised to see that Lucy was with her. My mother greeted me with a hug, but Lucy hung back, which stung my heart. I was nearly desperate for a hug from her.

When we got back home, Dalton fixed us something to eat, while we sat outside on the porch. 

"Mom?" I said, when no one said anything. "What's the matter?"

She looked at me with tears in her eyes. "My husband was, uh, killed in a car accident," she revealed.

My heart sank. "No. Mom, I am so sorry."

She just nodded. "It happened a couple of days after you left.

I looked at Lucy, who stood off to the side, looking as if she were ready to break. "I wish you had called me," I told them.

"I wanted to, Billy," my mother told me. "I tried so many times, but with the funeral and everything else . . . I just couldn't bring myself to pick up the phone."

Dalton poked his head out the door. "The food is ready if you all are hungry."

We went inside to eat, but I could not keep my eyes off Lucy, who just nibbled on her sandwich. Even sad, she was still so beautiful. Dalton noticed that I was staring at her and he just grinned at me. 




Part 02: Billy - The Hidden Truth



After we ate, I found Lucy outside on the porch, staring into nowhere, it seemed. I stood beside her.

"Lucy," I said, my voice low and gentle.

She glanced at me and then looked away again. "I'm sorry," she told me.

"Sorry?" 

She nodded. "For not writing to you. I just couldn't."

"You don't have to apologize. I understand," I told her.

Then she broke and began to cry. I took her into my arms and I held her until her sobs ended. 

"I love you, Lucy," I told her. "I'm sorry for thinking that you didn't care any more."

"I love you, Billy," she told me. "I never stopped caring about you."

I pulled back and looked at her. I held her face in my hands and brought my lips to hers. 

She pulled back and looked into my eyes. "I want to be alone with you."

I stared back at her. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I'm sure."

"Okay," I said and took her hand into mine. "I know where we can go."

We went across the road and then we ran through the field that was behind my house. We ran until we came to the woods. I led her to the clubhouse that Dalton and I had built years ago.

"I used to come here when I wanted to be alone," I told her as we approached the clubhouse, which looked more like a beat-up old shack now. "It was a good place to hide from my father, as well," I told her.

"It's beautiful," she told me.

"Do you want to know what my favorite part is?"

"What?"

"We're alone," I told her.

Once inside, I led her to a cot that was in the back of the clubhouse. I took her into my arms and kissed her with so much passion that it took our breath away. Soon, we were on the cot, kissing and fondling each other. I rose and we undressed each other. We made love like it was our first time. The air outside was cool, but inside the clubhouse that day, it felt like an oven. 

When it was over, I rolled off her and laid beside her. She wrapped her arms around me and she held me tight. That was the best feeling in the world.

"I've never been held before," I told her.

"Yeah?" she followed. "How is it?"

I smiled up at her. "It's nice."

We made love again.

Three hours passed before we dressed and headed back to the house. We were approaching my father's house.

"Is that your house?" Lucy asked me.

I nodded and looked at her. "Yeah."

"So that is where . . . " she stopped talking and looked at me.

"Where I almost bled to death," I told her. We stopped in the backyard and looked at it for a moment. "It seems like that happened a million years ago. It's like my old life doesn't exist any more." 

We took another step.

"But this limp," I went on, "reminds me every day."

She turned me to face her and then she threw her arms around my neck. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

I smiled and kissed her. "Thank you, Lucy, for being here," I told her. "I just wish it were under better circumstances."

"So do I," she said, "but life never asks us what we want."

"That's true."

We turned and walked down the road. When we walked into the yard, my friends were on the front porch. Lance and Devon were playing a game of chess.

"Hey, guys," I greeted.

"Hey," Dalton said. "Um, your mother went to the motel in town. The room number is by the phone."

"Was she mad?" Lucy asked him.

He shook his head. "No. We told her that you would be safe with Billy."

She smiled and looked at me. She excused herself and went to the bathroom. I stepped inside and picked up my guitar. There was tune playing in my head that I needed to get out. I pulled up a chair and sat down.

"Where were you?" Lance asked me.

I looked at Dalton. "At the clubhouse."

"Awww . . . you animal," Ronnie told me.

"I hope you are being careful," Lance told me.

"We are," I told him, but I didn't look him in the eye. "Trust me. I have got enough problems." 

I began to play the tune that was in my head. Lucy came out of the house and sat down on the porch swing, looking at me.

"That's beautiful," Lucy told me. "What is it?"

"I don't know yet," I told her.

"He does that often," Dalton told her. "With new tunes."

"Oh," she said. "Coolness."

I chuckled and looked at her. "Let me get my keys and I'll drive you to the motel."

"Okay."

I went inside and picked up my keys off the kitchen table and went back outside. "I'll be back," I told everyone.

I drove to the motel and after I turned off the engine, I looked at her. "I'm so sorry about your father, Lucy. I'm sorry that this happened to you, but . . . I'm glad you're here."

She smiled. "I'm glad, too."

I walked her to the door of their motel room and we said goodnight. I got into my car and headed back home. But on the way, I stopped at the cemetery and I found myself standing in front of my father's tombstone. It was the first time I had been there since he died. I did not even go to the funeral. I stood there, staring at it.

Raymond Allen Cole

September 1962 -- March 2001

Loving Father and Brother

I laughed when I read that last line. I wanted to say something to him, but nothing came to me. I turned away and started to walk toward my car.

"If you've got something to say, say it," I heard my father say behind me.

I whirled around and there he was, standing in front of his own tombstone. He looked real, not ghostly, like he should have. "Dad?" I said, aloud. "This can't be happening. You're dead."

My heart was pounding. I wanted to turn and run, but I couldn't. It was as if my feet her nailed to the ground.

"Your mother doesn't love you," he told me. "She's only here because she feels sorry for you. She hates you, just like she always has."

"No," I said. "She hated you. She left because of you. Not me."

He lunged forward and tried to grab me, but I turned around and started to run. However, I lost my footing and fell, hitting my head on something hard and I blacked out.

When I came to, it took a few minutes for my eyes to focus, but then I realized that I was in the hospital. Lance was pacing the floor.

"Lance?"

He stopped and looked at me. "Billy! Thank God!"

"What happened?" 

"I don't know," he told me. "When you didn't come home, I tried to call your cell, but it went straight to your voice mail. So we went looking for you and found you in the cemetery. When I couldn't wake you up, I panicked."

I thought for a moment, trying to remember something. "My father," I said, aloud.

"What?"

"I was running from my father," I told him. "I tripped on something."

"Your father? How?"

I looked at him. "He was there, Lance. In the cemetery. He was chasing me. I ran, just like in the dream. He was there," I said, again.

"I believe you, Billy," he told me.

"He told me that my mother hated me and that she was only here because she felt sorry for me."

"I don't believe that, Billy," he told me.

"Neither did I, and when I told him so, he came after me. That's when I tried to run and he came after me."

"Wow," he said. "Even dead, he haunts you."

I chuckled. "Yeah. What did I hit?"

He looked at me. "Miranda's tombstone. You're lucky it didn't kill you."

"Miranda's . . . " my voice faded. "I'm sorry."

He smiled. "It wasn't your fault, Billy."

When the guys showed up, I told them the same thing I had told Lance.

"You actually saw him?" Dalton asked me.

I looked at him. "Yeah. I know he couldn't have been alive, but he sure looked real. Sometimes I think I'm losing my mind, but he was there. I saw him."

"We believe you," Devon told me.

"I'm glad you all do," I told them. "Because I'm not sure if I believe it."

Doctor Kramer walked into my room. "Well," she said. "Either you have got some really bad luck, or you have fallen in love with me," she said, smiling.

I felt myself blush. "I think it's just bad luck."

She nodded. "I think so too," she said and looked at my chart. "Well, it seems you have got a minor concussion, but you will live. Just rest for a few days." She looked at Dalton. "Keep an eye on him," she told him. "Wake him up every couple of hours, just to be sure he is okay."

"All right," he told her.

They released me from the hospital a few hours later.

My mother and Lucy came by the house later that day. I was stretched out on the couch when Lucy came in.

"Are you okay?" she asked me. "Dalton told me what happened."

I nodded. "I'm fine." 

She leaned in and hugged me.

"I'm even better now," I said, and she laughed. I got up and walked out onto the porch where my mother was. 

She hugged me.

"I'm okay, Mom," I insisted.

We sat at the patio table and Lucy and my mother looked at me for a long moment.

"What's going on?" I asked them, looking back and fourth into their faces.

"Billy," my mother began. "Lucy and I have been talking and we have decided, if it's all right with you, that we would like to move to West Virginia, permanently."

I looked at them for a long moment. "Really?"

My mother nodded. "We have both agreed that it is time for a fresh start. We would like to move into your father's house, at least for a while."

I nodded. "Go ahead. I won't be using it anyway. It would be a shame for it to sit up there and go to waste."

"Well, I was thinking that we could fix it up," she said. "We could renovate it, so we could live in it together, as a family."

"Of course," I said, and then I laughed with excitement. "This is awesome."

"I didn't think you would mind," my mother told me.

"Well, we must fly back to Florida until the school year is out," my mother said. "We'll keep our house for a vacation home."

Lucy got up and went inside to the bathroom and I looked at my mother. "Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"He told me that . . . that you were only here because you felt sorry for me."

She stared at me. "Who told you that?"

"He did," I said, suggesting my father. "In the cemetery last night."

"Billy," she said. "I am sorry for leaving you and I am sorry for what happened to you, because I know that it was partly my fault. I know that but I don't feel sorry for you. She smiled. "You are my son and I love you very much."

I looked at my feet and then I smiled at her. "I love you, too, Mom."

I meant it.

Lucy walked out of the house and stood beside me. 

"Well," my mother said. "I'm going to head back to the motel and get some rest before we fly out tomorrow."

Lucy looked at me and then at my mother. "Do you mind if I stay?"

She looked at me and then back at Lucy. "No, Lucy," she said. "I don't mind. I'll see you later."

She kissed my cheek and then went and got into her rental car. When she pulled out of the driveway, I took Lucy into my arms and we went inside. Dalton was in the kitchen.

"Hey," he said. "I am going to Devon's. Are you coming?"

"I will be there later," I told him. I tossed him my keys. "Take my car."

"Really?" he asked, shocked. 

"Yeah."

After he had left, I looked at Lucy. 

"I wanted to be alone with you," I told her. 

She looked at me and smiled. "You do, huh?"

I nodded and kissed her. I took her hand and led her back the hallway to my bedroom. I opened the door and closed it again once we were inside. I took her into my arms and she brought her lips to mine. I unbuttoned my shirt and took it off, dropping it on the floor. Lucy took off her blouse and dropped it beside my shirt. I smiled and stepped forward to kiss her, my hands moving behind her back to undo her bra.

My heart was pounding.

I undid my pants and sat on the bed to take off my shoes and socks. She watched me with wide eyes as I took off my pants and dropped them on the floor.

The wind outside was picking up. We could hear thunder in the distance. A storm was rolling in, but all we heard was the thump of our own hearts. 

Lucy unzipped her skirt, slipped it down her legs and placed it over my pants. Then she took off her sandals and I rose to embrace her. We kissed again, and again it was a long, demanding kiss that took our breath away. I moved my hands to my waist and stepped out of my boxer shorts. I gently lowered her panties. She stepped out of them as if she were stepping into a warm bath.

For a long moment, we did not touch, we did not move. I stood back, staring at her beautiful body. I felt like I was in the middle if a dream and I was afraid that I was going to wake up anytime. In a few minutes, we were in my bed, our heads resting against the fluffy pillows, our bodies entwined under the cool sheets.

"Lucy," I whispered, as I brought myself to her.

She moaned, she cried, she grasped my hair so hard that I was feeling uncomfortable, but I did not resist or complain. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and when I felt them, I kissed them away. It was that intense. When it was over, we lay there, still entwined, both of us breathing hard.

When I was able to catch my breath, I raised myself and pressed my lips to her sweaty forehead. "I love you, Lucy," I told her, pressing my lips to hers.

"I love you, too, Billy. I don't want this night to end."

"Why?"

"Because we're leaving tomorrow."

"But not for good," I reminded her. 

"I know," she said. "I guess I am just afraid of something bad happening. It seems like every time I'm happy, something destroys it."

I looked into her eyes. "Nothing is going to destroy us, Lucy," I promised. "I won't let that happen."

She nodded and I kissed her.

We laid side by side for a long time and then we fell asleep. 

They flew back to Florida the next day. I hoped that I was right, that nothing would destroy us again. I had a future to look forward to and I prayed to God that nothing would get in the way. 



Part 02: Pet's Week After



Over the next few days Miss Jenn plans how to punish the two of them for their misbehaving. She has noticed that pet has become very attentive to her needs, more so than usual. From making sure her coffee is ready in the morning to cooking supper each night.

A few days later, Miss Jenn finally decides how to punish her two men for teasing her.

It is Wednesday and she sends her pet an email at work. This email is very short and to the point.

"Pet, I expect you home on time this evening. Miss Jenn" 

This meant, about 430. When he arrived he could smell supper cooking. They had a very nice dinner of Lasagna and garlic bread. Making small talk about the day and plans for the weekend, newspaper articles, it seemed like he brought up every possible topic, besides her plan for the evening. She could see that he was worried and had trouble looking into her eyes. This power she had over him excited her. 

When they had finished eating she smiled at him and said, "I cooked, you can clean up...when you are done, you may come upstairs. Please don't upset me by doing a half assed job." 

She took a cigarette, went outside, and then she went upstairs. 

She undressed herself and sat down on the edge of the bed. When he walked into the room, she spoke immediately "We need to talk sunshine, come, and sit here beside me."

He listened to what she had to say. "Pet, you are about to begin your punishment for your shenagans with Chuck the other day. My intent is to make sure that you have an opportunity to explore all the options available to you at this point. So, tonight my dear, you will be the one to be in charge. I expect you to play your part properly." With that she dropped to her knees and said "May I please suck your cock."

"No Miss Jenn...I don't want to, I mean, I would love you to suck my cock, but I don't want to play that part."

She stood up momentarily and glared at him..."I am going to say this one time and only one time. You may never have this opportunity again, if you had balls big enough the other day, your balls damn well better be big enough today."

That was all it took. "You want me to take charge, you little bitch. You've got it. Get back down on those knees."

She dropped to her knees and he stuffed his cock in her mouth and fucked her face. When he grew tired of that, he ordered her on to the bed and began to slap her ass. Each slap was accompanied by a light moan. When his hand got sore from slapping her ass, he took her by the hips and started to tease her by running his cock over her pussy lips and then only putting the head into her pussy then removing it. He could tell by her moans that she wanted his cock stuffed into her pussy. She started to play with her pussy but he slaps her ass and tells her that she did not ask for permission. He takes a paddle and starts hitting her ass with it. After 5 minutes, he stops and asks her if she was going to play with her pussy without permission again. She answered "No Sir". He then stuffed his cock inside her pussy and fucked her hard and fast. When she was ready she asked for permission to cum, and was granted that permission. He came in her pussy at the same time. While they were catching their breath, she slid down between his legs and looked up, "May I clean your cock, Sir."

"You may. When you have me hard again, I am going to fuck your ass." She drove that cock down her throat and sucked on it cleaning the two's cum off his cock. He rolled her over and slipped his cock into her ass and fucked her. When they had both gotten off, she was laying next to him. He whispered in her ear, "Miss Jenn, I am sorry I called you a bitch and I hope I did not hurt you."

She licked his earlobe and said, "It's ok I made you and no it did not hurt, it was wonderful." They fell asleep in each other's arms.

When they woke up Thursday morning, he was holding her in his arms. Her eyes opened and she looked up into his and smiled. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Miss Jenn, may I ask you something?"

"Of course you may, what is it?"

"Well, it's just the morning that we...teased you...after; you said thank you to me. I guess I am confused as to why I...no...yes...I am confused. Why am I being punished for something that you enjoyed?"

She smiled at him and said "Well, why don't you slide your head down there, between my legs, let your mouth show my pussy some love and I will explain it to you." As you began to lick and suck on my clit I started to explain. "I did thank you, my love, however I also told you that Miss Jenn was going to find a way to punish you, I may have only specified 'for cumming so many times without MY permission' but I also intended to punish you for teasing me as well. Do you trust me?"

He picked his head up only long enough to mumble, "Yes Mam."

"Then you trust that I would never do anything to hurt you, or to embarrass you?" 

Again he picked up his head just long enough to answer her, "Yes Mam."

"I was Miss Jenn, before I was your wife. In reality, the only reason I need, princess; is because it pleases me to punish you. Is that not correct?"

"Yes Mam, it is."

"Did I answer your question?"

"Yes Mam, may I make you cum, please?"

She nodded her consent and he began a relentless attack on her pussy with his mouth and it wasn't too long until she was cumming. Once her orgasm started to subside, she says "This is apt to be a long day for you, would you like to put your cock in my pussy before work?"

"Oh yes please, Miss Jenn." He worked his way up so he was able to slip his cock into her pussy. She pulled him down on top of her, and kissed him while he was pounding his cock in and out of her hot wet pussy. When he was ready to cum, he asked and she consented to him cumming. After each of them caught their breath, she asked if he wanted Chicken Breast for supper. He replied that he would prefer Steak, but if Chicken was what she wanted to cook that was fine too.

That evening when he arrived home she had cooked Steak and Baked Potatoes for supper; she had also invited Chuck for dinner. After everyone had eaten supper, she looked at Chuck and said "You may go down stairs and get ready as I instructed you."

"Yes Miss Jenn." As he walks away her attention is turned towards her pet.

"Pet, I bought you something; it is upstairs on my side of the bed. Go put it on and wait for me in the bedroom."

You got up and walked upstairs to the bedroom. You sat on the edge of the bed and opened the package on the bed. Inside was a leather collar with a leash. You put it around your neck and waited for me on your knees. 

When I entered the bedroom, I didn't speak at first, simply walked around like you weren't even there. A couple of minutes went by before I spoke. "Pet you remember what I said this morning, about why you were being punished."

"Yes Miss Jenn, for teasing you, but..."

"But what, pet."

"But...you said... never mind, I am sorry, you are right, I am being punished for teasing you."

"No pet, you are not just being punished for teasing me. You are also being punished for cumming without my permission. I think over the last few months, I have been too lenient with you and you need to be reminded who is in charge, and if this is where you really want to be. When you arrive home from work tomorrow, there will be a package waiting by the door, which is what I expect you to wear for me. You may use the bathroom downstairs each day to change. When I send you to your room for the evening, I expect you to be waiting right here for me, with this gift on (tugging at the collar and leash)...I expect that you will do as you are told or suffer my punishment." pausing for a moment, "Do you understand?"

"Yes mam, I understand"

"Good, tonight my pet, I would like you to enjoy some of the same torment you put me through. Go stand in front of the closet door facing the bed."

You get up and did as I said, but while you are standing there you looked like you want to say something, but you were not sure if you should.

I tie ropes to your wrists, and tell you to put your arms above your head, I then open the closet door and put the ropes over the door, run them down the floor and under the door again to your feet where I tie the ends to your ankles. When you are secured to the door, I smile at you and say "Pet, would you like to say something?"

"Miss Jenn, it's just that...well my daughter will be here after school on Friday."

"I know, when you arrive home on Friday, this can be put on hold until she goes home. When you arrive home from taking her to her mother, then you may pick up your package." 

"Thank you Miss Jenn, please continue with whatever you desire."

I smile at you and grab another rope, which already has a small hangman's noose on one end, the rope itself is only about 3 feet long...I slip the noose around your cock and balls and pull it tight, but not too tight. Then I take the other end of the rope, making sure there is tension on your cock, I growl "Open your mouth for me, pet." You did as I asked and I placed the rope between your teeth and told you to bite down and hold that for me. 

Then I walked away, laid down on the bed and picked up a small vibrator that I had placed under my pillow. I begin to play with my pussy with it, running it around my clit, making juices run out of my pussy, and drip down my ass. You close your eyes, for a minute and I speak up. "If I didn't want you to look at me, I would blindfold you. Now look at me."

Your eyes open, and you look into mine, I smile at you seductively as I cum from the vibrator. Just then Chuck walks in and climbs on the bed. He uses his hands to spread his ass cheeks apart and says quietly....."Miss Jenn, please punish my ass for teasing you."

I walk up behind him and begin to use my leather paddle on his ass. As he does not have a safe word, he begins to beg when his ass has endured enough. I listen to him beg with each smack and at some point I begin to take pity, and I stop. I take out my double headed dildo and insert one end in my pussy. I use the other end to slip into his ass, and begin to fuck his ass. He is moaning and really wanting to grab hold of his cock, but I reach from behind and grab his cock and pull so his cock is pointing towards my ass hole. I squeeze it and hold it while I am fucking his ass. When I have had enough, I let go of his cock and slide the dildo out of his ass. I then look over at you and say "If either one of you are going to cum tonight...you're going to do it for each other. I will untie you so that the two of you can take care of that." 

I walk over to you and untie you; of course I leave the rope in your mouth and make you walk over to the bed like that. "Chuck, lay here." and I pointed to the edge of the bed so his head was off the edge. I untied your cock and had you put your cock in his mouth, I also pushed your head down towards his cock. Hoping you would get the idea. You did, and you both sucked each other's cock until you each got off. When you were done I smile at you and told you that I am walking him out and that you may wait for me up here.

When I arrive back, I pointed to the foot of the bed and said "Good night pet." You looked sad, like a lost puppy dog, but you lay at the foot of my bed, without saying a word.

I shut the light off and climbed into bed. Just before I dozed off to sleep I heard you say "Miss Jenn, I am sorry and I love you."

"I love you too but I don't want you to be sorry I want you to be loving and respectful."

Friday morning when we woke up, I let you know that I had the day off and that I intended to pick up your daughter when she got here and take her to the city with me. You looked nervous when I said that, but when I asked you what was wrong and you told me there was nothing wrong.

All day while you were at work, I cleaned the house and made sure everything up in the bedroom was all set for what I had planned tonight. I got your package ready and put it in the closet for you; after your daughter goes home. When she arrived, I did just what I said I was going to do. The two of us went to JC Penney, and I bought her an outfit and got myself a couple of things, and when she wasn't looking I picked out a nice silky soft pair of underwear in your size. She and I had a nice afternoon together and when we arrived home, you were already there. 

You looked a little angry, that we had taken so long, but she ran up to you and gave you a big hug and told you all of what we had done this afternoon, and you didn't look so angry anymore, she had a good time. When she ran into the house, to try on her outfit and show her Daddy, you put your arms around me and kissed me deeply and then said "I love you." 

"I love you too. Go spend what time you have left tonight with her, I am sorry I took so long with her...I am going for a walk I will be back in a little while."

You headed into the house and I took a walk. When I was finished walking, the two of you were just getting ready to climb in the vehicle to leave. She ran up to me and gave me a great big hug and thanked me for a fun afternoon and she asked if we could do it again sometime. Which I agreed to, and laughed and said "But next time we better take Dad with us." She laughed and said "Yeah, did you see his face when we got here?" 

You were gone about an hour; it gave me just enough time to get everything ready. You open the door and find your package waiting for you by the door; you take it into the bathroom and open it. Inside you find the new pair of panties, a black satin skirt that comes just above the knee, and a red button up blouse that also was a satin material.

Once you were dressed you came into the living room, where I was standing in a black leather pair of pants and nothing on top except a rope bra that I tied myself. My nipples were hard as rocks and so was your cock. I smiled at you and said "Pet, tonight is going to be the worst part of your punishment; you know that I love you, and I am sure that you realize that I would save the best/worst for last. Follow me up stairs pet, so I can get you ready."

We walked up the stairs and I asked you to stand in front of the closet door. I tied your hands and feet just the way I had done the night before I stood up and kissed you hard on the mouth. Smiling I say, "Now pet, I am going to gag you because I know this is going to be difficult for you, and I don't want to hear you, just see you." I took a ball gag and placed it in your mouth. Out of my bathroom, came two men, one was Chuck and you didn't recognize the other one. The two of them climbed on the bed in front of you and began to suck each other's cock. I was watching your reaction as much as I was watching them. 

When I walked towards them and asked if I could join them, I heard you groan, but I pretended I didn't hear anything. The two of them were all over me, sucking on my nipples and pinching them. One of them reached for my pants and pulled them down. He started licking my ankles and working his way up my leg to my pussy. Chuck put his cock in my mouth and began to fuck my face. I almost forgot you were standing there; I was enjoying this so much. After a while, Chuck lay on his stomach and I straddled him, sitting on his cock. The other guy came at me from behind and slipped his cock into my ass. The two of them fucked me and made me cum several times. 

When both guys had gotten off inside me, the three of us got up and without looking in your direction went into the bathroom and took a quick shower. When I got out of the shower I peeked around the corner to check on you. You looked so sad, almost like you had been crying. I walked over to you and removed the ball gag and tried to wipe the tears from your eyes but you turned your head away from me. The guys came out of the bathroom and each of them grabbed your cock on the way out of the room, I could see that you refused to look at them and you wanted to say something but you held your tongue. I smiled at you and said I would be right back. 

When I returned, I untied you and told you that you could go in the bathroom and get undressed. Myself, I climbed into bed, and curled up like I was going to sleep. When you climbed into bed next to me, you reached across the bed and tried to play with my pussy. I slapped your hand, "No Pet, not tonight." You pulled your hand away and seemed quite angry...I could tell, so a moment later, I said "If you would prefer to spend the night downstairs you may." That did it, your eyes filled up with tears and you rolled over to your other side and I think you cried yourself to sleep.

In the morning, I woke you up to my mouth sucking your cock. Once you were awake, you reached across, and really helped me suck your cock, by holding both my ears and forcing your cock down my throat further I moaned into your cock, letting you know I was enjoying it. Then I climbed on top of you and placed your cock in my pussy. You fucked me hard and with everything you had, making me cum 10 times, and then asking for permission to cum yourself. Which I gave. While we were catching our breath I said "Honey, I need to talk to you. Over the last three days, I have provided you with options. The three options you have available to you at this point are: 1. you take control of our relationship. 2. I take control of our relationship. Or there is the third option, which I call the no sex option, like you endured last night...If we start acting like an old married couple, where nobody takes control, we'll eventually stop having sex. Don't ever forget how we started our relationship. I am not going without, you might, but I won't. So I am going to take a shower and when I come out I would like to know how you would like to proceed from here." I got up and walked away, climbing into the shower. I took a long hot shower and when I came out you were waiting at the door for me on your knees, with your collar around you neck.

"Miss Jenn, I am your pet...that means I am yours to do with as you see fit."

Miss Jenn lifts his head, so she could look into his eyes,"Thank you pet, let's find a way together, to handle when you are having control issues so that you do not get yourself into trouble. Oh and while I am dropping bomb shells, we won't be seeing Chuck anymore, I have informed him his services are no longer required, should we decide we require someone of his, shall we say sexual orientation, we will cross that bridge when we get to it."



Part 03



Somewhere warm, on holiday, I'll leave you to fill in where, we've been to the beach (wrote that bit and lost it) and now we are back at the apartment, when I'm getting the keys out of the bag, I look up at you and get a very good view up your sarong and get very turned on. As the patio of the apartment is not over looked, I lift you onto the table, wrap your legs around my shoulders and then go down on you for as much as you can stand. Then I take you indoors, strip you in the front room and take you to the shower, shedding my clothes on the way. I wash you, careful not to remove anything more than the sand, and I'm so excited by your body that I turn you around and gentle penetrate you, fucking you gently from behind, feeling my cock inside you, rubbing against the walls of your pussy, squeezing me into you.

We break apart and stand for a long moment, holding each other, letting the water flow over our bodies. We turn off the shower and step out - shaking water from ourselves, its too warm to need much of a towel. I wander outside, having collected a drink and a small bag and lie down on the sun lounger still naked. You are drying your hair and wander out, naked to the patio. I'm still aroused, very aroused and this is becoming noticeable again. You take pity on a poor man and are bent over caressing my cock with your mouth, with your arse towards me, so that I can touch you at the same time. After a little while I reach into the bag and pull out a bottle of lubricant, and gentle massage a handful into your arse, pulling you cheeks wide and penetrating the other place with my finger, so that you squirm and wriggle, with anticipation.

I pull you over the top of the lounger and over the top of me - facing my feet, so that as you sit down, my cock can ever so gently enter your arse, moving slowly to ease the initial pain, and gradually feeling you relax and take me inside you. I pull your body backwards down on top of mine, so that now you are lying on top of me,with me inside you, your pussy exposed to the sun and the gentle breeze, and your the back of your head, pretty much on my shoulder. With a turn I can kiss you, and reach your neck and smell the sun in your hair. I move slowly in you, feeling your body adjusting to mine.

I find your hands and wrap my left arm across your front and place your hands so that your are holding onto my arm, tight, so that when the ice and the cold water of my drink hit splash onto your belly, you have something to hold onto. I push you up slightly with my shoulder and pour some drink into your mouth and you understand what I want and turn to me and let the water flow from your mouth, into mine, over my face, cold and exhilarating. I use my right hand to play with the ice cubes, rubbing them down your body, across your breasts, down your tummy and your sides, just touching the very top of your pussy, down your thighs as far as I can reach. Each movement and touch of cold, makes your body surge and buck, and I experience the most wondrous feelings, still inside you. The final stage is to bring you to the top, and a final rummage in that little bag brings out a vibrator. I play it across your clit, down to your pussy, which is by now running wetness down and onto me - such that it feels like one glorious pool of moisture, covering my balls, my legs and downwards. I fuck you gently with the dildo, making you rise to reach it, and the pushing backwards as I penetrate you with it, in the process fucking back onto my cock. The combination is beyond anything I can cope with, and I find myself coming - hoping that you can feel my cock pulse in side you and my cum flooding into you arse. I've never felt an orgasm like this - something to do with the working up to it erotically, all day, and something to do with the sheer excitement of being with you. My orgasm brings on yours and you buck and twist, banging you head against mine, biting and whimpering as you come.

After we've lain for a while, we disentangle and limp to the bedroom to lie down, its to hot to do anything else and we are to damned tired, after that. I draw the curtains and slip under the sheet with you, pulling you to me, and holding you close, and we fall asleep in each others arms, sexually satisfied after a long morning.

I wake up later on, it must be after 6 because its cooler, you've rolled away from me and you are lying on your back, the sheet kicked off. I look at you and can't help but feel enormous feelings of love for you, so brave, so wonderful, so special. I pull you to me and you wriggle closer. I'm somewhat surprised a few minutes later, to find a hand stealing to my crotch, guess you were having pleasant dreams, but I'm never one to miss a hint, and kissing you softly, biting, licking, chewing and sucking, I work my way down your body, and bury my head between your thighs, loving the feeling as your legs grip mine and I feel you arching your hips towards me, forcing my face deeper into your cunt, fucking my face until you come again.

I take you from the bed and dress you, a simple summer dress, panties, no bra and shoes and take you for something to eat. I'd like to think that we end it with a bottle of champagne, sitting on the beach in the moon light, with your head on my shoulder, exhausted and satisfied by the day, talking until late, loving until early.



Part 03: Devon - Fallen Touch



I was hurrying to my last class of the day when I accidentally bumped into her. She dropped her books and I knelt to help her pick them up.

I apologized for my clumsiness. When I looked up into her face, I froze. It was Tamara Jensen. I couldn't believe my eyes. From a distance, she was frightening. I had never seen her up close before. Most people were afraid of her, because of the way she dressed and the black lipstick she wore, but I was never scared of her. She was a mystery to me. 

Tamara had a style that was all her own. She sometimes wore brown or navy blue, but her usual color was black.

"It's all right," she assured me as we stood up.

I stared at her for a moment and then I introduced myself. "I'm Devon."

"Tamara."

I nodded. "I know."

She grinned. "Of course you do."

I stared into her dark, mysterious eyes. She held my gaze and I couldn't look away. Something in her eyes was not allowing me to.

Well," she said, breaking eye contact. "I better get going. I'm already late."

I nodded. "So am I." But I didn't care. I wanted to keep admiring her unique beauty. 

She walked around me and started down the hallway. I turned and watched her a moment.

"Tamara." It came out before I could stop it. She turned and looked at me. "Um...will I see you again?"

She stared at me a moment. "Do you want to?"

"I'd like to."

"Maybe," she said her face expressionless. "Maybe not." She turned and continued down the hall. I watched her until she went into her classroom and then I turned and rushed to my own.

Forty-five minutes later, the final bell rang. I went to put my books in my locker and was on my way to my van when I spotted Tamara walking across the school parking lot. I ran to her side and slowed to a walk beside her.

"Hi."

She glanced at me. "Hello."

"Is it okay if I walk with you?"

"People might see."

"I don't care."

She sighed. "It's a free country. Do what you want."

"I don't want to be here unless I'm welcome."

She looked at me and forced a smile. "Fine. You're welcome to walk with me."

I looked at her for a long moment. "You are so pretty," I blurted.

She stopped walking and turned to me, abruptly. "Why are you even talking to me? Are you afraid your friends might see? Aren't you scared I might put a spell on you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Will you?

"You don't think of me as a freak?"

"No. I just think you've been misunderstood."

Her expression softened and she continued walking and I didn't say anything else. After a few minutes, she stopped walking again and looked at me. "Do you have to go home now?"

"No," I told her. "No one is home. My parents are both working."

"Can we go somewhere?"

"Where?"

She shrugged. "Anywhere but here."

I smiled. "I know a place."

We walked back to my van and I drove to a secluded spot along the river that not very many people knew about. We climbed out of the van and went to stand on the river bank. 

"I never knew this was here," she said.

"Most people don't," I told her. "My friends and I stumbled onto it a few years back. We play here sometimes...makes our music sound different than my basement does."

I sat down on the grass and she sat beside me, watching the river.

She looked at me. "I'm curious about something. Why me? I mean, why do you like me? People usually pity me."

"You're different from most people," I said. "And I don't pity you, Tamara. If people took the time to get to know you, I think they'd like you. They would understand you better."

"But you don't even know me."

"No. not yet. But I've been taught not to judge a book by its cover. I know it's cliché but that's what I believe. It's in the Bible."

"You read the Bible?"

"You sound surprised," I said. "I don't read it as much as I should, but that's one verse my parents drilled into me growing up."

She smiled. "I wish everything thought the way you do."

I looked at her. "So do I, Tamara."

When she looked at me, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. When I pulled back, our eyes met, her dark eyes caused my heart to speed up. 

"You are so beautiful," I told her.

"No, I'm not. I'm..."

"Beautiful," I finished for her. "Don't ever let anyone tell you any different. I don't know how I could have missed it."

"People judge first and ask questions later," she said. "You probably did the same."

I couldn't deny it, because she was right. I have judged her by her appearance.

"I'm sorry if I ever said anything to hurt you."

She was quiet, as if trying to remember. "I don't think you ever have."

We stared for another moment and then I leaned in and kissed her again. This time I kept kissing her, moving my lips down her neck. She closed her eyes and let her head rest against my shoulder. My hands moved along her ribs, over her dress, my fingers sliding over the material and then up to her breasts. She brought her hand to mine, as if to stop me, but the she let me continue.

I sensed her hesitation and then her quick surrender. That made me kiss her faster, harder, longer, my lips rushing over hers before going to her neck, while my hands lifted her breasts, my thumbs caressing her nipples.

A soft moan left her lips and I gently pushed her onto her back. I was over her. I didn't really know what I was doing. It was as if I was being guided by some unseen spirit. My fingers found the zipper behind her and carefully moved it down her back. She lifted her arms and I helped her fold the top of her dress to her waist. Her eyes were closed as my fingers continued to explore until they unfastened her bra.

"Wait," I heard her say, finally. "We're moving too fast, Devon. I've never...I'm scared."

I lifted myself from her and with my eyes closed; I took a deep breath and caught hold of the wild passion that was pulling me forward.

"You're right, Tamara," I told her. "I just couldn't stop myself."

"I know a lot of girls wouldn't stop you and I'm probably the last person you'd expect to. I understand if you're angry."

"No," I said smiling. "It's just the opposite. I don't want to do anything to push you away. I want us to be something special."

"You do?"

I nodded. "Yes. I want this to last."

She nodded and reached up for me again, but I shook my head.

"If we don't stop now, I won't be able to, Tamara," I confessed.

I sat up and then she sat up and fixed her clothes I had to help her with her dress zipper.

A few minutes later, I drove her home. No one said anything until I walked her to her front door. We looked at each other for a moment. We kissed.

"Um," she began. "I'm not sure if I want anyone knowing about this. Not yet."

"Why?"

"Because I think it will cause both of us more problems than we need right now. Your friends are just like everyone else.

"I can handle them."

"Devon," she said. "Please."

I nodded. "Okay. I won't tell anyone until you say so, but how is I going to go all day without talking to you?"

"Just leave a note in my locker."

"Okay."

"Good night, Devon."

"Sweet dreams, Tamara."

She nodded and went inside. I headed home quickly, knowing that I was already late for practice. When I got home, my friends were waiting for me on the front porch.

"Hey, guys, sorry I'm late."

"Where were you? We've been calling you," Billy told me.

"Oh, um, I had some things I needed to take care of," I lied and unlocked the front door. They couldn't know about Tamara yet. They wouldn't understand.

Lance was watching me curiously, like he already knew.

The next day, I didn't see Tamara until our lunch hour. She was sitting in the cafeteria with Raven. She glanced at me quickly before turning away. When Ronnie saw her, he gasped, like he always did when he saw her, and shouted, "Oh, no! It's Tamara! 

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Tamara.

"Don't look her in the eyes. She'll put a spell on you!" he shouted. 

Laughter filled the cafeteria and I was getting angry. "Ronnie, stop," I told him. My friends looked at me. "What?"

"What's with you?" Dalton asked me.

"Nothing. Just leave her alone."

"You never cared before," Ronnie stated.

I got up and walked away from them. I didn't want to say or do anything that I might regret later. I glanced at Tamara and walked out of the cafeteria. I went to my locker and took out the books that I needed for my next class. When I closed my door, Tamara was standing beside me.

"Hi," I said.

"You took up for me back there," she said. "Thanks."

"No problem."

I glanced around the hallway to see if we were alone. I didn't see anyone so leaned toward her and kissed her. She didn't pull away like I expected her to. Instead, she put her arms around me and kissed me back. When we pulled away from each other, she turned and walked away from me. I watched her until she was out of sight.

I went class, and anxiously waited for my last class to end. I found Tamara at her locker and we hurried outside to my van before anyone saw us together and I drove to her house.

"My mother isn't home," she told me. "She's probably with her boyfriend again."

"Are you here alone often?" I asked her.

"Most of the time," she said. "But I'm used to it. Besides, I've got Shadow," she said, indicating the black cat that came to greet us when we walked in the door. 

"We've got something in common, at least," I told her. "My parents are always working."

"That's not so bad, is it?" she asked. "I mean, you free to do what you want."

"Sometimes."

She smiled at me and took my hand. "Come on." She led me up the stairs and then to another set of stairs. "My room is up there," she said.

"In the attic?"

"Yeah. I like it that way," she said, leading me up the steps. "It's quiet, secluded, and all mine."

"It's so big," I said, as we entered the attic. The room was very dark. Her bedspread was black, all the way down to the sheets and pillow cases. "So, um, what's with all the black?"

She looked at me and smiled. "It's the color of my soul."

"Your soul is not black. If it were, how could you love?"

"I don't," she said. "At least, I didn't used to."

"What about now?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. Everyone I get close to has hurt me in one way or another. My mother hates me. I was just another one of her mistakes."

"You can't mean that."

"I do. My mother told me once during one of our many fights."

"oh." I was quiet for a moment. "So, all those witch rumors were..."

"Rumors," she said. "Well, not entirely rumors. I do believe in it, but I don't practice it. People tend to make up things to make their lives more interesting."

"I thought so. I didn't think you were evil."

"I never said I wasn't evil," she said and then smiled.

I laughed and walked toward her, pulling her into my arms. I hugged her to me. A moment later, I pulled back and looked into her teary eyes.

"Don't hurt me," she said, pleaded.

I looked into her eyes and swore that I would never hurt her. I kissed her. When we sat on her bed, she let herself fall backward. I lay down beside her, stroking her hair and kissing her cheeks.

"You were on my mind all night last night," I confessed. "I just wanted to be near you."

She smiled. "Really?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

I kissed her again, this time my hands moving over her shoulders. I brought my lips to her neck. When my lips touched her skin, she took my head into her hands and kissed my hair while my lips moved down, over her collarbone, unbuttoning the first and second buttons on her blouse, and then kissing the tops of her breasts, unbuttoning another button and then another until I was able to peel away her blouse.

She let me unfasten her bra and lift it away so I could bring my lips to her nipples. I moaned her name and moved my hands over her thighs and lifted her skirt so that I could press my palms to her thighs. She but her own hands over mine and held them there.

My heart was pounding. "Tamara," I whispered. It didn't even sound like my voice.

She let go of my hands and they moved to her panties. When my hands moved over her hipbone and down, she uttered a small cry. I brought my lips to her belly button and pressed my lips to her warm skin.

"Devon," she said, suddenly. "Devon, wait."

I pulled away and looked at her. "What's the matter?"

She sighed heavily and sat up, straightening her clothes.

I sat up straighter and looked at her. "Tamara?"

"This is exactly what everyone expects of me," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"When I was younger and read novels in which girls were seduced or went too far, I swore I would never be like them, no matter how much I thought I loved the boy."

"I'm sorry. I just thought..."

"Why? Because of what you've heard?"

I shook my head. "No, not at all. I just..."

"Despite what you might've heard, I'm more innocent than I look," she said, fixing her dress.

I smiled at her. "So am I."

"You could have fooled me."

"I'm sorry," I said, looking at her, suddenly feeling ashamed.

She looked at me for a moment and then stood up. "I think you should go."

I nodded and stood up. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

The next morning at school, my friends caught up with me at my locker. I was in a sour mood because of what happened the night before and she was avoiding me.

"Where were you last night?" Billy demanded. 

"We waited half the night for you," Ronne threw in.

"I know," I told them. "I should've call. I just got distracted. I'm sorry."

Tamara avoided me all morning. When lunchtime rolled around, I was becoming irritated with Tamara. I hated that she was so mad at me. I ate my lunch quickly and then went to look for her. When I found her at her locker, I walked up to her.

"Tamara," I said my voice low.

"Hello," she said, but continued to root through her locker.

"Tamara, please look at me."

"Not here. People can see."

"I don't really care," I told her. "I'm sorry about last night. I don't want you to think that's what I thought. It wasn't."

"It's okay," she said. "I'm used to how people feel about me."

"But I'm not them."

"I know. It's okay. Let's talk later."

"I don't want to talk later," I told her and seized her wrists and pulled her to me, pressing my lips to hers. When I pulled back, she looked into my eyes. "Tamara, I think I'm falling in love with you," I said, my voice so low only she could hear.

Her eyes widened as if I'd just frightened her. "No," she said. "You can't."

"I can't help it. I..." 

She turned and ran away from me.

"Tamara!" I shouted after her, but she didn't stop. "Dammit," I swore under my breath and started back toward the cafeteria when the bell rang. I had Math after lunch, it was my worst subject. Tamara shared that class with me, along with Ronnie and Lance. Toward the end of the period, Tamara passed me a note. I opened it and read it quickly.

Meet me after school. You know where. Tamara

I looked back at Tamara and nodded slightly.

"Devon, is that a note?" Mrs. Colman asked me and snatched it out of my hand before I could reply.

"Read it!" someone shouted behind me.

Panic shot up my spine. "No!"

But the class continued to yell and I covered my face while she read it. When she said Tamara's name, I heard some gasps from the class and Ronnie looked at me so fast I was sure he had broken his neck. Tamara snatched up her books and ran out of the classroom.

I stood up and looked at Mrs. Colman. "Thanks a lot," I told her and left to find Tamara. I went to the nearest restrooms and knocked on the door to the girls' room. I called her name softly, but loud enough for her to hear. When I didn't hear any response, I pushed the door open and went in. Tamara was standing by the window. I walked up and stood beside her. "I'm sorry for that," I apologized.

"It wasn't your fault," she said softly and looked at me. "Did they say anything?"

"Who?"

"Your friends."

"No," I told her. "I think Ronnie might have broken his neck, though." She laughed and I smiled at her. "That's better. I love it when you smile."

She turned to face me, her face serious. I stepped forward, pressing my lips to hers. My hands traveled down her ribs, over her hips, my fingers reaching the hem of her skirt.

"Devon, wait," she said. "Someone might walk in."

"So," I said. "I'm sure everyone already knows about us."

"I know, but..." her voice faded away and she inhaled sharply when my fingers began to lift her shirt. Her backside was bare and I realized that she was wearing thongs. My hands gripped her buttocks and I lifted her off the floor. She wrapped her legs around my waist and I carried her to the window sill, gently placing her on the cold surface.

As we continued to kiss, I felt her hands reach my jeans. She began to unbutton then when the bell rang, startling us both. I swore under my breath and rested my head on Tamara's shoulder, breathing deeply to calm myself. I heard her giggle and I laughed and pulled back to look at her.

She was smiling. "Can we get out of here?" she asked. "I don't want to face anyone right now."

I stepped back and smiled at her. "My parents won't be home tonight. We can go to my place."

She took my hand and we snuck out of the bathroom without being seen. Coming down the steps, I spotted my friends standing close to my locker, like they were waiting for me. Tamara and I stopped a few feet away from them and looked at each other. I handed her the keys to my van and kissed her cheek.

"Go ahead," I told her. "I'll catch up."

"Okay." She let go of my hand and walked outside. I took a deep breath and approached my friends.

"Is that where you've been all week?" Billy demanded, coming toward me and pointing his finger in Tamara's direction.

I looked at him. "Her name is Tamara."

"How in the hell did you manage to hook up with her?" Ronnie asked me.

"I don't know," I replied, with a shrug. "It just happened."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Dalton asked me.

"Tamara asked me not to," I told him. "She was afraid my friends wouldn't approve."

"I can't see why," Ronnie said, but I ignored him.

"We don't," Billy said.

"Speak for yourself," Lance spoke up.

I looked at Billy. "Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he replied.

"Man, Devon, why her?" Ronnie asked me. "You know what people are saying about her, don't you?"

"I don't care," I told him.

"I can see that. Everyone knows what Tamara Jensen is like."

"No, they don't. You don't even know her. I've taken the time to get to know her."

"Yeah? Did she show you her witchcraft, too?" Dalton asked.

"Those are just rumors. It isn't true."

"She's going to ruin you, Devon," Ronnie said. "If she hasn't already."

"Stop!" I shouted finally. "Stop this. What gives you the right to judge her? You don't know her. She doesn't deserve to be treated like some piece of trash." I turned around and started to walk away.

"Well, if the show fits..." 

He didn't have time to finish the sentence because I spun around and punched him. He stumbled and then landed on the floor. Billy and Dalton rushed to his side and helped him up. All activity in the hallway came to a halt and everyone stared. My friends were looking at me as if they'd never seen me before. I swore under my breath and walked out the door.

Tamara was waiting for me by my van. I stopped in front of her and kissed her gently. When we climbed into the van, I looked at her. "Are we going to my place?"

She looked at me and nodded. "Okay."

I started the van and pulled out of the parking lot. When we passed the city limit sign, Tamara leaned forward and turns the knob on the radio until we heard music. I was surprised when I heard her singing along with a country song.

"Wow," I said.

"What?" she asked when she saw the look on my face. "I'm not a total freak."




Part 03: Devon - Fallen Touch



"No," I said. "It's not that. Your voice."

"Is it that bad?"

I laughed. "No. It's beautiful. I didn't know you could sing."

"Most people don't," she replied. "It's not something I brag about."

I smiled and took her hand into mine. "You should."

When we got to my house, Tamara followed me to the front door. "It's so pretty out here."

"Yeah. I guess I probably take it for granted."

She followed me into the kitchen. I took an ice pack from the freezer and held it to my fist. She looked at me for a moment.

"What happened back there?"

I looked at her. "I punched Ronnie."

"You what?" she said, coming closer.

"Yeah. I've never hit anyone before. I shouldn't have done that," I said, suddenly feeling guilty.

"It's all my fault," she said.

"No," I said. I put the ice pack on the counter and pulled her close to me. "It isn't your fault. It's mine. I should've just kept walking."

She laid her head on my shoulder and I kissed her hair. She pulled away from me and looked into my eyes. "I love you," she said, her voice so low that I almost didn't hear her.

I smiled at her. I looked at her for the longest time and then I kissed her lips, pressing my lips to hers demandingly. I took her hand and led her to my bedroom. Entering the room, we were both so nervous that we couldn't speak. Standing in front if her, I pulled my shirt up over my head, dropping it on my desk chair. I saw Tamara's fingers went to her blouse and she undid each button. Slowly, she took off her blouse and let it drop beside mine on the chair. I smiled and stepped forward to kiss her, my hands moving behind her back to undo her bra.

My heart was pounding.

I undid my pants and sat on the bed to take off my shoes and socks. She watched me with wide eyes as I removed my pants and folded them over the back of the chair. She unzipped her skirt, slipped it down her legs, and placed it over my pants. Then she took off her sandals and I stood to embrace her. We kissed, and again, it was a long demanding kiss that almost took our breath away.

"Tamara," I whispered.

There was storm rolling it. I could hear the thunder, see the lighting through the curtain on my window, but all I really heard was the beating of my own heart and I could feel Tamara's heart pounding when we touched.

I moved my hands to my waist. She kept her eyes closed as I stepped out of my shorts and then gently lowered her panties, savoring the sight of her. She stepped out of them as if she were stepping into a tub of warm water.

In just a few minutes, we were in bed and my lips were on her stomach. I worked my way up, between her breasts, over them and then to her mouth as I moved between her legs. 

"Devon," she said, almost too weakly for me to hear.

"Don't worry," I whispered. "I'm prepared."

I entered her body, slowly, pressing forward, burying myself deep inside her. She moaned, she cried, she grasped my hair so hard that I should have been in pain, but I didn't resist or complain. When I felt tears streaming down her cheeks, I kissed them away.

When it was over, we lay there, still entwined, both of us breathing hard. Several minutes passed before either of us moved. When I rose up, she opened her eyes and looked up at me.

Then she gazed down and saw the blood on the bed sheet. 

"Oh, no, look," she said.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of that." I started to smile.

She pulled away from me, spinning around and pressing her face to the pillow.

"Tamara," I said, pressing the palm of my hand to her back. "Tamara, I love you." She was quiet for several minutes and I could sense that something was wrong. "Tamara, what's wrong?" I asked, softly.

"I don't know what came over me. Why...how..."

"We didn't do anything wrong. Don't start feeling guilty."

"Why shouldn't I feel guilty, Devon?" she snapped and got up to gather her clothes. "This is exactly what everyone would have thought would happen if I came here and spent the evening alone with you."

"But we didn't do anything wrong."

"I just feel like we went too far," she said. "Maybe you'd better take me home."

"Tamara..."

"Please, Devon. I just want to go home."

"You're punishing yourself unfairly," I said, rising. I started to dress.

Tamara dressed quickly and went downstairs before I finished dressing. When I went downstairs, Tamara was standing by the back door, watching the horses in the field. I pulled her into my arms and held her, stroking her hair.

"Tamara..." I began. "If I thought I'd made you unhappy..."

"I'm all right," she said, straightening. "Just take me home. I'll feel better after I get some sleep."

"That's right. Things always look better in the morning, don't they?"

"Not always," she responded.

We drove to her house in silence. When I stopped in front of her house, Tamara climbed out of the van and ran across the yard, not even giving me the change to walk her to the door. I sighed heavily and pulled away from the curb.

I drove back to my house in silence. I didn't know what to think. My mind was racing. I couldn't believe that I messed up so badly.

I was about fifteen minutes away from Montgomery Town when my head began to spin. I blinked my eyes rapidly, trying to focus. Then my van came to a sudden stop and I was jolted forward, smacking my head off the steering wheel. 

I hot something, I thought. I shook my head to keep from blacking out. I sat there for a few minutes, waiting for my head to stop spinning. 

Several minutes passed before I climbed out of the van. I closed the door and leaned back against the vehicle for a moment. I saw headlights approaching and I turned to see a pickup truck stopping behind my van. Someone got out and walked toward me.

"Devon?" It was Lance. "Are you all right?"

"Um...I think so," I replied, straightening up. "I think I hit something."

"It looks like you've hit a tree," he told me. "Your head is bleeding."

"It is?" I asked a little confused.

Lance was staring at me. "Are you sure you're okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm just a little, uh, confused."

"You must've hit your head pretty hard," he said.

"What happened?" Billy asked, coming up behind Lance. Dalton and Ronnie was there, too.

"I don't know," I replied. "My head started to spin and the next thing I knew..." I felt dizzy again and fell back against the van, holding both hands on my head, as if to stop it from spinning.

"We should call an ambulance," Lance suggested, rushing forward to steady me.

"No," I said. "I'm fine. Just take me home."

Ronnie climbed into the van and tried to start it, but it wouldn't turn over. "we'll have to tow it back to your house tomorrow," he told me.

I looked at him for a moment. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hit you."

He put his hand up and shook his head. "I shouldn't have said what I said. It's okay."

"No, it's not. I shouldn't have done that."

"Forget it, Devon."

"Let's get you home," Billy told me.



Part 1



Note: I wrote this for a good friend of mine. I am an 18-year-old virgin female. I have blonde wavy hair, I'm about 5', 36D, average weight, and very fair-skinned, and this is my fantasy...

You are sitting in an armchair in a hotel room. It is just before 8:00 pm, and you are waiting for a knock on the door. Only the lamp is on, and it is on low. A bucket of ice, a pitcher of water, and two glasses sit on the table next to you. Suddenly, there is a knock at the door. You ready yourself, knowing who it is, and go to open the door. As you open the door, you see me in the hall. I am wearing a form-fitting black sweater set and a slinky black skirt that goes just below my knees. I am looking at my Mary-Jane shoes, but, when you open the door, I look up at you with a wide-eyed innocence. You smile, saying, "You made it." and move to let me through the doorway.

I walk in slowly and meekly and stop a few feet inside the room, my hands clasped behind me. You shut the door and reach for my hand. As you do so, your hand brushes against my hip. I turn to you, blushing, and smile slightly. You lead me to the middle of the room and ask me if I would like some water. I accept, and you pour me some with lots of ice. We sit on the side of the bed, and you ask me how the trip was to get there. I tell you it went just fine, and take a sip of water. Once I finish my drink, you take the glass from my hand and set it on the nightstand. As your hand returns across me, you tilt my head up and give me a passionate kiss on the lips. I return the kiss and put my hands on your shoulders. As my hands wander up to entwine in your hair, your hands wander down to my sides. You lay me down on the bed and pull my legs up as you reposition yourself over me.

Your hands wander from my sides to the buttons on my sweater. You unbutton my sweater, toss it on the floor, and begin to pull my shirt up over my head. Once I am wearing nothing but my black silk panties and bra, I begin to work on your pants. I giggle as I have trouble, and you assist me, only too happy to quickly throw off all your clothes but your underwear. As you return to kissing me, my hands slip under the waist of your underwear and down the front of you. I reach your very hard member and begin to stroke it slightly.

You groan lightly into my mouth as you kiss me and begin to caress my breasts through my bra. I leave your instrument alone for a moment to slip your underwear over your ass and down to your knees as you remove my bra. At this point you kick your underwear off onto the floor with the rest of our clothes. I gasp at the sight of your huge member...keep in mind, I am a virgin. You hastily remove my panties as you lick my very hard, erect nipple. I moan a bit in pleasure, and you cover the sound with your mouth. As you kiss me, I spread my legs and wrap them around your waist, pulling you closer to me. I reach down and carefully grasp your rod, guiding you to my tiny slit. Once there, I return my hands to your shoulders.

You push lightly at first, but then you increase force. I wince a bit as you push the head into me, but I am so wet I hardly feel much pain. What little pain I do feel only enhances my pleasure. You move your hips rhythmically, pushing further into me bit by bit. Once you are halfway in, I moan for more. You become unable to control yourself and push into me to the hilt. I gasp deeply and my eyes open wide. You begin to pulse in and out of me, our hips grinding together. My muscles clench around you, pulling you in.

Just when I think I can't take any more of the powerful sensations, you push yourself into me and remain still as we climax. I feel you emptying yourself inside of me. I arch my back, pressing my chest against you as I try not to scream too loudly. You collapse on top of me and I lie under you, quivering, my arms out wide and my legs still around you, holding you in me. After a moment, you regain your composure, but stay inside me. You grab a piece of ice from my glass on the nightstand and let drops of water land on my chest between your breasts.

I inhale deeply at the cold, and the water trickles to my neck and over my shoulder onto the bed. You glide the ice cube down my stomach and let some of it pool in my navel. I giggle, as it tickles. Once the cube melts to nothing, you lean down and kiss me passionately for what seems like forever as we drift off to sleep.