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Final Breath

By: drteetho



AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my entry into the 2012 Halloween Erotic Story Contest. All characters engaged in sexual activity in my story are 18 years of age and older. Before reading I invite you to listen to the song "Final Breath" by Pelican, it's after this song that I got the title for my story, and the song plays a part in an important scene as you'll read below. You can Google it or find it on YouTube. You may like the song, you may hate it, but I hope you at least get a sense of why I had the thought that it would fit in well with a Halloween-themed story. I hope you enjoy the story, and please vote and/or leave comments, I would appreciate it very much. 

*

Some of my football teammates often wondered how I could ever be friends with her. At least one of them even went to great lengths to convince me to change my mind and refuse her invitation to the Halloween party she was hosting with her friends.

But I am getting ahead of myself.

The "her" in this case is Erin Callaghan, a right proper Irish name if there ever was one. Even at 18 years old, as she was going into Halloween, she was a little thing, just about five feet tall and, if I were to guess, lucky to break ninety-five pounds soaking wet. I was also 18 at the time, but I was well over six feet tall, so when she was standing next to me, we looked like a mismatched set. Maybe she wasn't your prototypical cheerleader with the stunning body to match, but she was definitely attractive.

Or, at least, I thought so.

My opinion was not shared by many at our high school, largely because she immersed herself so heavily into its goth scene.

Her hair had been dyed jet black for at least a couple of years or so, maybe longer. She wore plenty of black makeup and nail polish, though not quite as much as some of her peers, and she sometimes applied white foundation on her cheeks to make her pale skin look even... well, more pale. Her jewelry choices were interesting, to say the least; many pieces were shaped like a funky-looking cross (she later taught me this design was known as an ankh, a symbol of life in ancient Egyptian times), and when she really dressed to fit the goth part her centrepiece was a thick black, metal-studded collar she wore around her neck. And then there was the black clothing... seriously, I don't think she currently owned any clothing that wasn't at least almost totally black.

So Erin looked different than most of her peers, and definitely different from the "cool" kids. And that meant she would never be thought of as pretty by the high school population at large. No, the harsh truth of it was that most kids, if they thought of her at all, considered her a freak.

But I considered her to be beautiful.

And I had insight that few others had. Erin's family grew up next door to mine. I remembered what she originally looked like. Her hair was naturally blonde, and she wore it long for as long as I could remember; by the time she was eight or nine it had flowed all the way down to the small of her back. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with life. She had a smile that could charm the most heartless of men. With the little-boy innocence I had then, I thought she was very pretty.

Girls in general didn't interest me then. But Erin did. She was my playmate when we were very young and we grew to be great friends. I took some grief from my grade school mates about having a girl as such a close friend, but it didn't bother me a bit. We did everything together as kids. Our parents would host joint parties every summer because our July birthdays were only two days apart. She even had her parents sign her up for co-ed softball and soccer teams just so we could play together, even though she didn't care too much about sports. In return I played house and tea party with her more times than I can count. Even though I often complained out loud about how girly such games were, the secret truth was I enjoyed them because it meant more time together with Erin.

It broke my heart when, during the summer before we were to start sixth grade, Erin and her family moved to another city, one that was at least an eight hour drive away by car, on account of her father getting a promotion at work. The last night together before her move, Erin and I did little except hold on to each other and cry on each other's shoulder. My parents were concerned and tried to tell me that we could still write to each other, but otherwise I would make other friends and life would be just fine. My ten-going-on-eleven year old mind didn't have that kind of perspective, so at the time it felt like my world was collapsing around me.

But my mother and father, as good parents so often are, were eventually proven right. The rest of my grade school experience was nothing special, but that all changed with my transition to high school. I met a lot of new people in my freshman and sophomore years due to the varsity sports teams I joined, and soon enough I developed some great friendships. My burgeoning athletic abilities, aided in part by a significant growth spurt, and, if I may be so bold as to say it, casual good looks made me very popular in my new surroundings. I had my fair share of attention from girls and went out on quite a few dates, but nothing seemed to click, and as I was about to start my junior year I found myself without a steady girlfriend. I would have liked one, for sure, but at that point I felt I had no reason to panic.

Some people who didn't know me may have thought I was just a popular, dumb jock, but nothing could have been further from the truth. I was smart and worked hard in school to maintain a good average, just as my parents wished and demanded of me. That combined with my easy-going attitude allowed me to get along well with schoolmates of all kinds, the "nerds" and "outcasts" as well as the popular crowd.

As for Erin, we did write back and forth religiously for a while. Then one day the replies just stopped. She had seemingly dropped off the face of the earth, as far as I could tell. No more letters (we joked while writing them about how "old-school" we were being), no more e-mails, no more communication of any kind. Eventually I realized it had been several months since she last wrote to me. After thinking about it for a while, I supposed she had simply moved on with her life, so I figured I should do the same.

*********

So imagine my surprise when Erin showed up next to my locker at the end of a school day, just barely a week into that new junior year. Of course, I didn't recognize her at first. If I knew I was going to see her again I would have expected an older, more developed version of my childhood blonde best friend, not the mousy, nervous little creature dressed in black and with medium-length, black, wiry hair that I saw out of the corner of my eye. I thought nothing of her standing there when I opened the door and stuffed the books I needed to bring home in my backpack.

But when I snapped the lock shut, she was still there. She had an earnest look of concentration on her face that kind of unnerved me at the time, like she was trying to probe the depths of my mind. And despite her off-putting appearance, there was something vaguely familiar about her. Instead of saying excuse me, brushing by her and carrying on with my life, my curiosity got the best of me.

I turned to look at her and asked, "Hi, is there something I can help you with?"

She simply replied, "I remember you."

"Really? Because... I'm pretty sure I've never met you before." I'm still not exactly sure why I lied to her then. I may not have completely recognized her by her looks alone, but that voice... I knew it anywhere. I guess I was just being too damn proud to admit it right away.

Erin sensed I was lying... or maybe she just guessed, I'm not sure. Either way the world-weary pose she struck was unchanged. "Come on, Garrett. I know I must look a lot different now, but it's me, Erin."

"As in, Erin who used to be my best friend until she had to move away with her family? The Erin who had long blonde hair and loved to play with dolls?"

"I can't remember the last time my hair was blonde or when I last played with dolls. But yes, it's me."

"Wow." It wasn't the smoothest response in the world, but at that moment, it was all I could think of to say.

She gave me a quick motion with her head, indicating she wanted me to walk with her and keep her company. I took only a few steps before Billy Jordan, a junior like me but already the football team's two-year starting middle linebacker (at the time I had to settle for being the number two wide receiver), passed by. The permanent smirk he wore on his face widened, and he called out, "Hey Garrett, who's the freak?"

Before I could respond, he laughed and kept walking. Erin had stopped, and her expression became even darker. "That one of your friends?" she asked, the wounds from Billy's words evident in her voice.

"He's just an acquaintance, Erin. He's on the football team with me..."

She rolled her eyes. "So you're one of 'those' now, huh?"

"What? Hey, wait, let me explain..."

"Don't bother, Garrett. I guess I'm not the only one that's changed. I'll see you around."

With that, Erin fled the scene. I was upset that I didn't get a proper chance to defend myself, but what bothered me more was her cynical attitude. It pained me to see her that way. It was worlds away from the Erin I used to know. I sighed, figuring that was the last straw. My childhood girlfriend would never again be a regular part of my life, and that was that.

Except it wasn't.

Turns out this version of Erin had a special skill for surprising me. The very next day at the end of classes she was standing at my locker again and apologized to me for running off so hastily the day before. I smiled and forgave her, though it did little to outwardly improve her mood. There was no one to interrupt us this day, so we walked together, leaving the school and eventually wandering around a park in the centre of downtown. The walk was conducted mostly in silence, the couple attempts I made to start conversation failing miserably. I guessed she wasn't much for small talk anymore. Still, it felt good to be near her again. I snuck a few peeks at her and never noticed her looking back at me, so I couldn't read her expression and could only hope she felt the same way.

I had a million questions I wanted to ask and was about to go with one when she abruptly stopped walking. I halted myself and followed her eyes. A tall, thin male was purposefully striding towards us. He wore dark sunglasses, black Doc Marten boots and a long dark trench coat. When he reached us I could see that he looked about our age. I guessed he was a fellow student, though at that exact time, even if under oath, I would not have been able to identify or remember him. He slipped an arm around Erin's waist, which caused a sudden, inexplicable stab of jealousy in my heart.

"Hey Erin," he said. "I wondered where you were, we were all waiting for you at the coffee shop."

"Sorry Jackson. I lost track of time," she replied.

Jackson nodded his head towards me. "Is this pretty boy giving you any trouble?" I frowned but didn't say anything. But I was more than a little pleased when Erin snapped at him.

"He has a name, you know! He's Garrett. And he's harmless, by the way. I know him from before." She looked at me then, and I thought I caught just the smallest hint of a smile curling from her lips. "We were friends as young kids."

Jackson frowned at me before turning his attention back to Erin. "Well, you'll excuse me if I wait to judge for myself just how 'harmless' he is. Can we go now?"

"Give me a minute," she answered.

He looked irritated but he did at least step back a few paces to give Erin and I a modicum of privacy. I didn't like the mistrustful look that he had but I held my tongue.

In a soft whisper that I almost didn't hear, she said, "Garrett, we need to talk, just the two of us."

"Yes, I want that as well. I have so many questions, you know."

"I know. "

Erin and I exchanged cellphone numbers and said our goodbyes. I watched her walk away with Jackson, he tried to put his arm around her again but she brushed him aside. It wasn't a completely unfriendly gesture, but it still made me smile to see how easily and casually she resisted him. Still, as I watched her walk away in her extravagantly puffed out black skirt, I couldn't help but wonder who this version of Erin was, and what had she done to the sunny little blonde I knew so well from my childhood days.

**********

She called me later that night, and we agreed to meet on Saturday, at a coffee shop that she said she often frequented with her friends; presumably it was the same one she and Jackson went to earlier in the week. When I arrived I saw her sitting at one of the tables, looking lonely and impossibly small. My stomach churned. I was nervous about what we would talk about, and I was still confused and distressed over her radical change in personality. I didn't know how this could possibly be the same person I knew all those years ago.

I called out to her to announce my presence and sat across from her. She was silent at first, only stirring some sugar into her coffee. The look on her face suggested she was trying to figure out where to start, and was struggling mightily with that decision.

When she finally did decide on her conversation-opener, she dropped a bomb on me.

"Garrett? Do you think I'm a freak?"

It felt like all the air was sucked right out of me. After a moment I tried lightening the mood with humour.

"Hey, Erin, whatever happened to 'Hi, how are ya?'"

Her expression didn't change. Her stare burned a hole through my forehead.

So much for that approach.

I tried to re-compose myself and just said what was on my mind. "Erin, I would never go so far as to call you a freak. But I am very confused and very concerned about you. You seem so depressed all the time. You left a few years ago as a blonde happy-go-lucky young girl, and you've returned as... well, other than being totally dressed in black, I'm not sure what you are now. Please don't be too upset with me, but I have to ask, as a friend... what the hell happened to you?"

She reflected on my rambling speech for several moments, though it seemed like hours had passed. She started and stopped a few times. I was dying for her to just spit it out but I didn't want to push her. Finally she gave in to her frustrations and pounded on the table with a small clenched fist.

"I'm sorry Garrett," she said in a pained, quiet voice. "I just can't do it. I thought I was ready to tell you what happened, to tell you everything, but I just can't. It still hurts too much."

I swallowed back my disappointment and gnawing curiosity. "OK, Erin. It's OK. I don't want to force you to do anything you're not ready for."

She unclenched her fist and took hold of my hand. The touch was very unexpected. Those huge, expressive blue eyes focused on mine as she spoke. "I need you to promise me something, though. It's really important to me."

"What is it?"

"I want to be friends with you again. But I'm not the same person I was as a little girl. All this... my appearance, my attitude and outlook on life, the world, everything... this is who I am now. One day, I hope I'll have the strength to tell you everything, but right now I need you to accept me as I am. And I need you to accept my friends. Treat us as real people and accept us for who we are. Please."

I made sure my gaze on her didn't waver when I answered. "I can only promise I will do my best. I hope that is enough. It may take some time, because everything about you is just so different from what I remember. I hope you can be patient with me. I'm sure I will make mistakes and say dumb things, not because I want to hurt you but because I don't know any better. And I know it's easy for me to say it, but please give me the chance to prove myself. You have my word that I will respect who you are, I promise. And that goes for your friends too, even if that guy from a couple days ago..."

"Jackson?"

"Yeah, him... even if he seems to have it out for me already."

"He'll be fine. I'll try to make sure he goes easy on you. And for you, I'll be patient. Even if your friends look down on me like that thug did the other day."

"Don't even worry about him, Erin. He's certainly not my friend."

She considered this, and nodded. "OK. If you say so, then I trust you."

**********

So began the second phase of our friendship.

This phase wasn't natural, free and easy like it was when we were little kids. This was work. Work and effort and misunderstandings and the odd argument thrown in for good measure.

My initiation into Erin's new life included meeting her friends. There was Melanie, or Mel for short. But she certainly wasn't short... easily six feet tall and built, as my grandfather used to so eloquently say, like a brick shithouse. She certainly intimidated nearly all the girls in school, and probably half the guys too, come to think of it. The other girl in Erin's closest circle of goth friends was Scarlett. Whether that was a nickname given to her because of her fondness for dying her hair a shockingly bright red, or whether it was her real name... to this day I'm not sure which is the case.

As for the guys in the group, besides Jackson, there was Alejandro, or Al; his family had moved here from the Dominican Republic when he was ten. Amazingly enough, by the time I met him he spoke perfect English with only a hint of a Spanish accent. Last but not least were Kory and Kris, and yes, with names like that, they could only be twin brothers. Seeing someone dressed in goth gear when you're not accustomed to it can be strange enough; my initial reaction at seeing the twin brothers dressed like that was that it was downright fucking creepy.

It took some time for me to warm up to Erin's friends, and vice-versa. They weren't bad kids but were naturally mistrustful of anyone outside their circle, because many of those people rarely tried to understand them and instead went for the cheap jokes and insults. A lot of time in my first encounters with them was spent staring at the ceiling or the floor, with absolutely nothing to say.

And, of course, there was Jackson. He seemed especially hostile towards me in a passive-aggressive way. Nothing I ever did, whether for myself, Erin or someone else, ever seemed to be good enough in his opinion. He had no shortage of smart remarks and too often I was on the receiving end of his sharp tongue. His favourite term for me was 'pretty boy', and oh how I loathed him when he insulted me like that. I can't count how many times I wanted to kick his skinny ass, but because of Erin I resisted that particular temptation.

I introduced Erin to my friends in order to return the favour as she had done for me. Like my early experiences with hers, the results were mixed. My best friends were all on the football team. There were my fellow wide receivers, Torrey, Brandon and Ricky, and Jamie, the starting running back. He was the self-appointed ringleader of our crew, and for me at least, the best friend a guy could have.

Unfortunately, Erin was left with a terrible first impression of the guys when I introduced her to the group. Ricky, a really good guy but prone to occasionally making boneheaded comments, said something dumb about "goth kids"; I can't even remember what it was. In any case it was bad enough for Erin to tear him a new one and leave in a huff. I apologized on his behalf a number of times before she agreed to finally talk to him again; she was very reluctant to let it go. I guess I underestimated just how difficult it was for her to trust people she didn't know and how proudly she would fight and defend her and her friends' goth identities and lifestyle choices.


Final Breath



Of all the guys it was Jamie that Erin showed the most friendliness towards. His laid-back, easy-going demeanour meant he took to Erin better than any of the others did, and she responded in kind. She started to feel a little more comfortable around the rest of the guys as our junior year progressed but there was still some way to go for her to make the kind of connection with them I hoped would happen.

Predictably, all the difficulties we had in fitting in with the other's group of friends strained the relationship Erin and I had. There were times I accused her of not doing enough to vouch for me and help ease me into her group of friends. And there were times she accused me of not understanding her friends and not being willing enough to truly get to know them. She also claimed my friends and acquaintances had it out for her peer group, while I claimed she let a few jerks who really weren't my friends colour her impressions of the ones who were genuinely trying to understand and support Erin and I hanging out together.

All of these factors combined to make a potent brew, and it finally exploded into a huge blow-up argument in late June, just a few days after school let out for the summer. I said some things I still regret to this day. I cried myself to sleep that night, convinced I had tossed my friendship with Erin in the trash.

Thankfully, the bonds we had created were too strong to be ruined by one heated dispute. I called her the next day to apologize and we had a good talk over the phone. We continued to chat and rebuild our friendship over the next several days. Then before I knew it the calendar turned to a Saturday in mid-July. It was a very special day, my 18th birthday.

I was going to a big party my buddies had planned for me on Sunday night, but on that Saturday my parents had organized a small gathering for me to celebrate my actual birthday. Erin dutifully attended this gathering; I was pretty sure she would but I didn't take it for granted, I was very happy to have her there. Besides her I also invited Jamie and Cindy, a pretty young cheerleader who was a little shy but very friendly and more accepting of people than her cheer mates tended to be.

My parents prepared a wonderful barbecue cookout; my dad was a legend on the grill but this time he outdid himself. I had a great time with the closest and most important people in my life as I became a man, at least in the eyes of the law.

Two days later I got to return the favour and be one of Erin's guests at her 18th birthday party. Her mother had a tough job making dinner for all the attendees but she insisted on doing it without any help, and I must say she came through like a champ. Erin was enjoying the attention and the company but she was rather quiet and contemplative all night. I thought that perhaps turning 18 was a bigger deal to her than it had seemed to be for me.

At the end of the night Erin and I got a chance to sit alone on the back porch and talk some more, to say some things that needed to be said.

"Just wanted to apologize again," I started. "I said some terrible things the other day. I wish I could take them back."

"It's OK," Erin answered. "I've already forgiven you, remember? And I said a lot of awful things too. I'm very sorry."

I put an arm around her shoulder in a friendly gesture. "We'll consider it even, then."

"Yes. Let's do that."

We sat in companionable silence for a while. I snuck a few quick glances at Erin, like I had done many times in the past.

But this time, everything was different. It was as if I was looking at her with brand new eyes. It took me a moment to realize what this new feeling was, but when I did it hit me with the force of the proverbial ton of bricks.

'Erin is beautiful.'

That was the thought that kept ringing through my head, over and over. Somehow she developed into a sexy siren without me noticing. I'm not sure she even knew how beautiful she was, and that just made me covet her even more. I suddenly was having great difficulty trying to keep separate the pure intentions of the rational part of my mind and the lustful feelings in my libido.

After all, it wasn't going to happen. No way. I was surely in the "friend zone" with Erin. And everyone, even inexperienced 18-year-olds like we were, knows that once you step into the "friend zone", any thoughts or possibilities of love, lust, or even casual sex go flying out the window.

But even the passing thought of the word sex set my brain into overdrive. Visions of Erin naked popped up in my head, followed quickly by images of the two of us pleasing each other in various sexual positions. I daydreamed about what it would be like to kiss her, what it would feel like to have her lips wrapped around my...

"Garrett? You still with us?"

"Hmm?" I was so wrapped up in my thoughts and sexual fantasies that I didn't hear Erin at all.

"I said, my friends are starting to really take to you."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. They've told me that a couple times now. They're impressed with how you've stuck with this for so long. Most people in our school wouldn't have even tried, and the few who would probably would have given up by now. But not you. They respect you for that."

"Even Jackson?"

Her hemming and hawing gave away the answer. "Not yet. He can be a difficult person to get to know. Loyalty, trust and respect are very big with him. He thinks you haven't earned that yet. I'll keep trying to break him down, but in the meantime you need to stay patient with him."

Not much I could do except agree with her, though I did press my luck on one front. "Do you think you can at least convince him to stop calling me pretty boy?"

She shook her head in sympathy. "Believe me, I hate that he calls you that just as much as you do. I'll keep telling him until he listens."

"Thanks. And I really am glad to hear your other friends like me. It means a lot, especially since I know how much it means to you."

"That's very sweet of you to say, Garrett. Your friends are nice too. I think I might even be ready to forgive Ricky."

I shared a laugh with Erin. "They'll be happy to hear that."

We gave each other a hug before she left. I hoped she wasn't able to feel my cock awakening from its slumber as her warm little body pressed into me.

"Good night, old man," Erin teased, as she often did about my being a whopping two days older than she was.

I smiled at her sarcastic remark. "Good night to you, young whippersnapper."

**********

The real turning point came early in our senior year, during the week of Halloween, which fell on a Wednesday this year. The week also coincided with our high school's homecoming festivities. Our school had always held homecoming much later than any other in the area, though nobody could remember or adequately explain why.

One of the traditions of homecoming week was the Monday elections by the student body of a homecoming king and queen. A couple of weeks before, my friends and some other teammates congratulated me on being nominated by the homecoming committee, but I didn't give it too much thought. I didn't know who else was nominated but I had a pretty good idea, so I figured I was an outside bet at best to win the vote. Either way I wasn't going to let my ego be affected by the result, no matter what it was.

In fact, I didn't think about it at all until the Friday before homecoming week. Not until Erin approached me on that morning with a piece of paper in her outstretched hand and a dark scowl on her face.

"Do you know anything about this?!" she asked in an unsteady, quivering voice.

Puzzled, I took the sheet of paper and read it. It was a poster created by the homecoming committee listing all the nominees for king and queen. Besides my name there were the other usual suspects; popular kids, jocks, cheerleaders and the like. Except for two people.

One was Craig Crocker, one of the "nerd" group; a very intelligent kid but extremely socially awkward. The other was Erin.

Alarm bells rang loudly in my head. Something definitely did not seem right.

"No, Erin, I don't know what is going on here."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Geez, Gare, really? You'd think you'd notice since your name is on there too! And these damn things are plastered all over the place, it's not like you could miss them!"

"I swear, I never noticed them. Someone told me I was nominated and that was all I needed to know. Besides, it really doesn't matter to me if I'm named or not so I had no reason to look for these posters or know how many of them there are."

It took a while before I was sure she decided to believe me. Still, she was obviously worried, and had every right to be. Someone was certainly up to no good. 

"Gare, I don't know what to do!" she continued. "People have been asking me questions and looking at me funny all week! I never asked for this!"

"I know a couple of people on the committee. I'll ask them what's up," I said. I put an arm around her shoulder in a friendly, supportive way. As she sometimes did when she was upset, Erin remained silent. I knew I wouldn't see her over the weekend because she had to help her mother out with a few things. I hoped she wouldn't worry herself sick.

That night I went out to a house party with some cheerleaders and a bunch of guys from the football team. I wasn't real enthused about going but I was bored and didn't want to stay at home on a Friday night. Plus this might have been the best chance I had to uncover the mystery Erin confronted me with in the morning.

Sure enough, the conversation turned to homecoming in general, and specifically about the chances for the various candidates to be selected as king or queen.

"Of course, Gare here has almost no shot, he's way too ugly!" Brandon gleefully yelled. He always did love busting my chops.

"Much better chance than you, Brandon, your sorry ass didn't even get nominated!" Jamie high-fived me for that remark. I loved showing that I could dish it out as well as take it.

"But Brandon still has a better chance than that fuckin' nerd, Craig!" Dave Lewis said with a laugh. Dave was one of the starting cornerbacks on the team and was known to be terrible at keeping secrets. Interestingly enough, he was also on the homecoming committee.

"Yeah, what's with that anyway, Davey? Who nominated Craig in the first place?" I tried to play it casual with my question. I desperately wanted to ask the same thing about Erin but didn't want to tip my hand too soon.

Dave furtively looked around to make sure that no one else besides Brandon, Jamie and I were listening before turning his attention back to us. "OK guys, but listen, you can't tell anyone else about this, you swear?" he whispered conspiratorially. We all nodded in agreement and allowed him to spill the beans.

"Some of us on the committee were talking one night and we thought it would be funny to include a couple of gag nominees. You know, kids that would never have a shot and would be the worst possible choices. So the girls picked that little freakazoid in black, Erin what's-her-name, and me and the guys picked that sorry-assed nerd Craig!"

Brandon and Jamie both shot me a small sideways glance to make sure I didn't react when Dave said Erin's name. Thankfully Dave didn't seem to notice. I was still cool on the outside but inside I was furious and just this close to grabbing Dave by the throat and beating the hell out of him.

"But here's the best part, guys!" Dave could barely contain his glee while sharing the details of the plan. "At the assembly on Monday we'll have them go on stage last. They think they're going to do their speech or whatever but a bunch of us are going to yell at them, boo, insult them, make them feel like shit, all sorts of stuff like that! We'll just humiliate the shit out of them, and it will be so funny when everyone else at school starts in on them too! I'm telling you, it'll be hilarious!"

"Yeah, a real laugh-riot," Jamie said. He was a little too obvious with his sarcasm for me but I didn't have to worry. Once again, Dave was completely clueless.

At the end of the night the three of us met up with Torrey and Ricky and filled them in on what we heard.

"Man, that is messed up," Torrey said.

"Yeah, seriously messed up," Ricky concurred.

"What are you gonna do, Gare?" Brandon asked.

I shook my head. I had no idea. "Don't know, guys. I need to think about it."

"Well, if you need our help just say the word," Jamie said, and the others immediately agreed.

"Thanks guys." I was very appreciative of their support. We gave each other man hugs to say good night and went our separate ways.

The wheels were turning in my mind as I sought the right way to help Erin out of her predicament. It occupied my thoughts for the entire weekend, to the point that I had to apologize a couple of times to my parents for appearing so distracted while they were speaking to me.

Late Sunday night I finally landed on a plan that, while risky, had the best chance of getting Erin and Craig out of a difficult situation, while also achieving a couple of side objectives I had as well. With help from the guys I implemented the first phase of my plan. The rest of the morning was spent waiting for the noon-time assembly to take place so I could roll out phase two.

Everyone gathered in the gymnasium for the assembly, and there was a buzz in the air as most of the students discussed who they thought would, or should, win the titles of homecoming king and queen. I had not seen Erin all day. I was concerned for her and wanted to know how she was holding up. I was relieved to see her enter the room but before I could speak to her Jackson was there to guide her to the back with the rest of their group, and the stern look on his face warned me away from them for now.

So I sat with my friends and waited for my appointed turn to speak. It just so happened I was the last one scheduled before the unfortunate Craig and Erin. The speeches of the others ranged from earnest yet plodding to ridiculously self-promoting and vain.

The student council president, who was emceeing the assembly, finally announced my name. "Sit back and enjoy the show," I said to the guys. I made my way up to the stage, steeled myself against the podium and unleashed what I had to say to an unsuspecting audience.

"Good afternoon fellow students. I had some comments prepared for today, but I recently heard something very disturbing that has caused me to make some changes in my message to you. I learned that two of the candidates for king and queen nominated by the homecoming committee were never intended to be taken seriously. Instead, the goal was to bully and humiliate them. I find this to be deplorable, and the committee members should be ashamed of themselves for even thinking about treating their fellow students so poorly. I refuse to be associated with this election under these conditions, so I am withdrawing my name for consideration as homecoming king."

For a moment you could have heard a pin drop. Before the student body could recover from their collective shock, I gave a nod to Mr. Harvey, the school principal, who was sitting on stage observing the proceedings. He coolly and calmly stepped up to the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he intoned in a booming voice, "I confirm what this young man has just told you. He disclosed this situation to me this morning and a number of other students corroborated his story. I spoke to members of the homecoming committee, and eventually they came clean with the truth, that they had planned to act in the exact manner as this young man has outlined.

"I do not like to do this, but the actions of these members of the committee leave me no choice. As such I have disbanded the homecoming committee. The student council, in consultation with the teacher liaisons and myself, will perform the rest of the duties for homecoming, including selecting an appropriate king and queen from a list of approved candidates. We will notify everyone tomorrow during the morning announcements who the successful candidates are. This means, unfortunately, that the traditional vote for these positions will be cancelled this year. This decision is final. Thank you ladies and gentlemen, this assembly is now over."

The gymnasium erupted in an almighty din. Some students, particularly those with the "in" crowds, were irate that their fun traditions were being cancelled, but most everyone else was just surprised at how quickly things had unraveled right before their eyes. Several stares were aimed in my direction, some angry, a very few admiring, but most were curious. I suddenly felt very exposed and on display, so I made a break for it amidst the noise and confusion and headed for my locker.

I almost got there before I heard someone from behind yell, "Hey!" I turned around and saw Craig puffing for air as he ran to catch up to me. He stood there for the longest time, not knowing what to say, probably not quite believing that someone would stick up for him in this way.

Finally he gingerly offered his hand to me and I shook it. "Th-thanks," he stammered.

"Don't mention it," I replied. He then ran away from me, looking very much like he might throw up. 'Poor guy', I thought, and hoped that someday he could overcome his almost criminal shyness.

I turned back towards my locker and stopped, momentarily startled. Erin was there, surrounded by most of her friends. She was smiling, and at the same time looked almost ready to cry. The others looked at me in appreciation.

"That was a great and brave thing you did, Garrett," Scarlett said. "You should be proud of yourself."

"I don't know about that," I pleaded humbly.

"Oh, puh-LEEZE!" The unmistakeable sound of Jackson's sarcastic voice echoed through the hallway. "Don't tell me you're all falling for this crap!"

"Jackson, don't," Erin softly said, but he ignored her and kept going.

"Pretty boy here is a glory hog! If he wanted to he would have found a way to stop this quietly but that wouldn't have given him the spotlight he craves! Isn't that right, pretty boy?"

"No," I said in as calm a voice as I could manage. "You're wrong. I wanted to help Erin and Craig, and embarrass the idiots who came up with this dumb idea in the first place. This was the best way to do it."

"Liar! Helping them was a lucky break, just incidental to what your selfish goals were! You couldn't care less..."

"Jackson!! Shut up and stop this right now!!" Erin angrily and loudly yelled at her friend. "How many times do I have to tell you, Garrett's not like that! Grow up, already!"

Her words clearly wounded Jackson. He glowered and silently stormed off. Erin's friends looked at each other, perplexed and unsure what to do.

"Go ahead and catch up with him before he does something stupid," Erin told them. "I'll join up with you later."

Al, Kory and Kris left, but Scarlett and Mel remained. "The guys will be fine," Mel said. "Now, Erin, don't you have something you'd like to say to Garrett?"

The two girls stepped back a few paces. Erin tentatively stepped forward. She held my hand and held my gaze with her bright blue eyes. A hint of a smile crossed her lips and her face brightened and sparkled with life. Time seemed to stand still for a moment.

"GARRETT!!"

'Dammit! Now what?!" I thought angrily to myself. I looked over my shoulder towards the source of that voice.

Billy Jordan.

I groaned in exasperation. Whatever was going to happen between Erin and I, if anything, would have to wait. The moment had passed.

"Go on Erin. I'll talk to you later," I said, not knowing at the time I wouldn't get a chance to speak to her again until Halloween, two days from now.

She sighed and nodded. On her way past she, Scarlett and Mel all gave Billy a cold death stare. He didn't acknowledge their presence. Instead he marched directly in front of me and glared, apparently believing he could intimidate me.




Final Breath



"Think you're a cool guy, huh? Think you're this big hero saving your damsel in distress, are you? Well you're not, you're nothing but a goody-two-shoes, a traitor who turned his back on the people that count around here! Instead you cast your lot with the freaks! What the hell is your problem?!"

I knew instantly what a ridiculous speech that was. I was embarrassed to think that at one time I thought Billy was a cool guy. "Awww," I mocked him, "is poor little Billy sad because I ruined his fun little game? Poor baby!" I laughed out loud, happily noting how I had wiped the smug look off that bastard's face.

Billy got right in my face, close enough so I could see his slicked back hair and smell the cinnamon gum on his breath. "Say something funny again, asshole! I dare you!"

The sound of someone clearing his throat behind him broke Billy's concentration. He turned to see Jamie, followed closely behind by Ricky, Torrey and Brandon.

Billy, ever the smooth one, recovered his composure. "Good thing for you your little friends showed up just in time. But you'll get what's coming to you. All in good time. For now, remember this. You've made yourself an enemy today, and it will be the biggest mistake you've ever made. You've crossed the wrong motherfucker this time, Garrett!" And with that, he walked away, pleased with himself after his show of bravado.

"Sorry that you might end up being caught up in all this," I apologized to my friends, "but I have a feeling that the shit's soon going to hit the fan."

I had a feeling that the price for doing the right thing was going to be high. I just hoped the payoff would be greater.

**********

It all came to a head on Halloween day.

The day started with an early morning football practice. It was the last practice before we were to play our biggest rivalry game of the year on Friday so it was going to be an intense session. We started with a jog around the track to warm up. I fell in with Jamie, Torrey, Brandon and Ricky, as per usual. We were just starting to talk about our opponents for the next game and how badly we wanted to win, when I felt someone cuff me on the back of my head. I turned my head and saw Billy with a shit-eating grin on his face as he forced his way into our group to take his place next to me. Figures, I thought.

"Hey Gare!" he said in the most fake greeting in the history of fake greetings.

"What do you want?!" I yelled back. Meanwhile, for now my group of friends quietly gave me space to deal with Billy and stared straight ahead. It wasn't their deal so I didn't expect them to immediately step in. I told them after the Monday furore died down that it was only right that I try to handle any situations brought about from my actions. They agreed and offered to help if necessary, as good friends do for each other, but I didn't want them to feel obliged.

"You still going to that freak's Halloween party?" Billy sneered.

"Maybe," I retorted, trying to play it cool. "What's it to you?"

"God, Gare, you're a loser! How about ditching that bitch and hanging out at my party instead? If you're lucky, I may even forgive you for that little stunt you pulled the other day and hook you up with a cheerleader so you can get yourself some tonight!" 

"How about you shut your face and mind your own damn business?!"

"You've got a lot of nerve, talking to me like that!" Billy snarled. "You're gonna fucking regret it!"

"Get out of here, Billy, seriously!" Jamie piped up. Billy just smirked and accelerated to put distance between us.

"Asshole!" Jamie muttered under his breath.

Torrey looked at me and asked, "You're not gonna let that guy mess with your head, are ya?"

"Hell no!" I exclaimed. "I'm going to do what I had planned to do all along and go to Erin's party. If you think I'm going to change what I do just because that jackass says so, then you're crazy."

The head coach's shrill whistle blew and we all grabbed our helmets and formed a huddle around him at midfield. His Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses were his only concession to Halloween; his distaste for the holiday was well known. He didn't give us one of his famous motivational speeches this time; he was saving that for game day. After those speeches we felt like we could run through brick walls if Coach just said the word. But today he wanted us calm and focused so we could work on our game plan and the other fundamentals of the game we needed to successfully execute in order to win.

We did a great job working through our drills. Personally I was feeling good and the team as a whole was sharp, and it showed in our practice. We moved into position for our last drill. The quarterback would throw short out passes to the receivers while defensive players worked on form tackling; their part of the drill called for them to wrap up but not finish the tackle by bringing the player to the ground. The idea was to practice form, not hurt a teammate.

The first few cycles of this exercise passed by without incident. When my next turn came up, however, I heard Billy's voice pierce through the air. "Out of the way, rookie! I got this!"

A chilly pause came over the proceedings. I could clearly see the looks of concern on my friends' faces. I could see Jamie mouthing, "Don't do it!" and shaking his head. The backup quarterback raised his palms up in the air as if to ask what was going on. Coach, as good as he was at both inspiring his players and the X's and O's of the game, sometimes had trouble sensing danger in situations like this.

"Well, come on then, we've done so well, boys, don't stop now! Keep it going!" he barked.

Pride got the best of me. I saw the look of derision on Billy's face as he lined up across from me, ready to pounce at me like a caged lion, and I thought to myself 'I'll be damned if I let this asshole intimidate me!'

I gave the quarterback the nod to go ahead. I ran my short route as he lofted the ball in my direction. It was a little high, I had to jump and stretch my body to reach it, but I was going to catch it in my fingertips just perfectly.

CRACK!!

I felt Billy's helmet bury into my ribs. The impact sent me flying through the air. I had just enough time to think to myself, "Oh shit!" before landing hard on the ground on my back with a sickening thud. I was vaguely aware of the guys standing over me, yelling back and forth and maybe threatening to fight. I couldn't really make out too much what was happening; I was too worried about trying to get my breath back.

I never did find out where the damn ball went.

Finally, blessed relief as air flowed into my lungs again. I gingerly sat up straight, testing my physical reaction to movement, and waited for the bout of dizziness to fade. The commotion from everyone surrounding me seemed to fade; good thing too because the noise was giving me a pounding headache. I heard Coach bark out "Billy! Get the hell out of here! You're done for the day!"

Jamie, Torrey, Brandon and Ricky all knelt down beside me. I could see the looks of concern on their faces, and Jamie spoke for all of them. "Garrett! Holy shit, are you OK?"

"Been better," I groaned.

I was eventually able to stand up and watch the rest of the drill from the sideline. Coach asked if I was OK, and not wanting to appear that this experience bothered me too greatly, I nodded.

"Well, I still want to talk to you sometime before game time. I'll talk to Billy too but at a different time than you so there are no further blow-ups. I need to get both sides of the story and really get to the bottom of this. I don't want this distraction hanging over us before our biggest game of the year. In the meantime, if you start feeling worse, check in with the school nurse immediately, do you understand?"

"Yes, Coach."

He then issued two blasts of his whistle, mercifully calling time on this practice.

**********

I shuffled over to my locker, still sore and bruised from Billy's assault, but otherwise none the worse for wear. With showering and having some time to walk it off I was starting to feel better. Plus my mood was brightened from my Halloween costume.

And really, who wouldn't have a smile on their face after seeing me in my outfit? I was going as a medieval style court jester, complete with brightly coloured vest and three-pointed hat with bells at the end of each point. It drew laughs from all my friends, and I couldn't wait to see how everyone else reacted. Some of their costumes were pretty cool too, even if most of them went with the obvious and traditional vampires and zombies and such.

As I opened my locker door I saw Erin standing in her usual spot at the edge of my peripheral vision. She had made her way there and stood quietly without me noticing at first, as was her wont. Not for the first time, I wondered how in the hell she was able to sneak up on me like that all the time.

I turned toward her and saw her curiously eyeing me up and down. She looked no different than usual, but on a day like today she and her friends fit in perfectly instead of sticking out like a sore thumb.

"You know you look ridiculous, right?" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" I asked right back, making sure to shake my head slightly so the bells would jingle.

She just rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Garrett, if you wear this to my party tonight, I will personally kick your ass."

"Don't start something you can't finish, babe," I teased her, and she stuck her tongue out at me in response.

I laughed over the witty repartee Erin and I were sharing. I got what I needed for my first classes and was about to say something else to her. That is, until Vanessa, the head cheerleader, girlfriend to the one and only Billy Jordan, and a notoriously shameless flirt, rudely stood between the two of us, even though it was obvious we were having a conversation.

"Hi there, Garrett," Vanessa said. I'm sure she thought her 18-going-on-19-year-old self was being seductive. I just thought she was being annoying.

"Uh, yeah, hey Vanessa. Can you give me a minute, I was just talking to... oh." I was going to say I was talking to Erin, but instead of hanging around she gave the cheerleader a disdainful look and pressed a piece of paper in my hand before walking away. 

Vanessa's eyes shot daggers at the departing Erin. "Bitch," she grumbled under her breath. But still loud enough for me to hear.

I opened the paper and noted that it was the "official" invite to Erin's Halloween party. The type of little added touch she didn't need to do but wanted to do which made her so endearing. I nodded to myself and slipped the paper in my pocket. I was kind of enjoying letting Vanessa do a slow burn while she waited for me, but I guess I had to talk to her, even though it was the last thing I felt like doing.

"You know, Vanessa, if you want me to do something for you, at the very least you should never interrupt my friend and I when we are talking, or call her a bitch behind her back loudly enough for me to hear it," I lectured her. Not like it would do any good anyway. "Oh, and please inform your boyfriend that I didn't appreciate his attempt to impale me on his helmet in practice this morning. All of that is very rude, you know."

"Whatever, Gare." As I expected, she completely brushed off what I said. "Listen, let's talk about what's really important."

"And that would be?"

"Billy's party, of course! You're going, right?"

I groaned inwardly. I really had no desire to get in any sort of argument with her about this, so I tried hedging my answer. "Maybe, I'm not sure yet."

"Well, I think you should," she said, trying to turn on the charm, running a finger up and down my neck. "Who knows? If you're lucky, one of my friends can make it worth your while."

Did she just imply that she would whore one of her cheerleader teammates out to me as a reward for showing up to Billy's stupid party?! You stay classy, Vanessa.

"You know what? I think my schedule is going to be full tonight," I said.

"Don't be like that, Gare. I wouldn't want to have to make things difficult for you and your freaky little friend."

That was it. I slammed my locker door shut with a bang, making it known that, in no uncertain terms, this conversation was over.

"See you around, Vanessa," I said over my shoulder before booking it to my first class of the day.

Thankfully the rest of the school day passed without incident. It was fun to see all the costumes on display. They ran the whole gamut, from the aforementioned vampires and zombies, to sexy, slutty nurses, to cool superheroes, to ghosts and mummies that completely shielded the wearer's identity. The funniest was my crazy chemistry teacher, Mr. Dalla Costa, who fashioned a get-up made to look like he took an axe to his head.

As the final bell rang I was happy to see Jamie again. "Hey Batman," I called out, for that's who he was today, wearing the full costume, including the mask, pointed hood and hard plastic breastplate with the famous logo in the centre.

"Hey, clown," he retorted.

"Uh, that's jester, dumb-ass."

"Whatever, clown!" We cracked up in laughter.

"How are you feeling, Garrett? Not still in pain after practice?" Jamie asked.

"Well I wasn't thinking about it until you mentioned it. Thanks for the reminder, buddy."

"I'm serious, man. Billy really lit you up."

"I'm fine. I'll need to stretch out a bit the next couple days to make sure I don't get too sore, but I'm OK, really."

"Alright, just checking up on you, man. You know I got your back."

"And I got yours."

We performed our secret handshake after that exchange. It's a guy thing.

"So I take it you're not going to Billy's party?" Jamie asked, knowing full well my answer.

"Fuck no. How about you and Cindy?"

He sighed. "Probably. I really don't want to, and neither does she, but she's so worried about keeping up with appearances with the rest of the cheerleaders. She feels she needs to."

"And you're going to be the supportive boyfriend, I guess."

"Not boyfriend. Just friend."

"Shit, Jamie, I'm sorry dude." I was so wrapped up in my own problems that I forgot about Jamie and Cindy's issues. Jamie, who had turned 18 on New Year's Day, had been friendly with Cindy for quite a while, but it wasn't until her 18th birthday in August that they began secretly dating. You might reasonably wonder why they had to be secretive about their relationship. Well, the calendar may say it's the year 2012, but believe it or not there were elements among the school population that would be driven to anger at seeing Jamie, who is black, dating Cindy, who is white.

"Nah, man, it's all good. You've got enough on your plate without worrying about us. Anyway, I'm trying to convince her to go to this other party my cousin is hosting. We'll see."

"Good luck with that."

"Thanks man. So I'm guessing you're gonna hang out with Erin?"

"Yeah, her and her friends."

"That's cool. You like her don't you?"

"Well, we're friends, so yeah."

"That's not what I meant, Gare."

I shook my head. "Come on, man, it's not like that."

"Really? You sure? 'Cause your eyes light up whenever you talk about her. I'm not blind, man, I know the score."

He was right. Jamie and I were real tight, he was easily my best friend besides Erin, and we could read each other like a book. "All right, all right," I relented, "I do like her a lot. But she's not easy to read sometimes. I don't know if she likes me any more than just as a friend."

"Who knows, Gare? She could be madly in love with you, you big stud!"

"Ha, OK Jamie, we both know you're the man, attracting the eye of a cheerleader and all that!"

"Yeah, I know I'm good," he said, pretending to pop the collar of a shirt that his costume probably hid. "But so are you. What you did on Monday to stand up for her and that other kid was really awesome. You have a set of big brass ones, my friend!"

"Ah, it's nothing."

"Don't go all modest on me now!"

"I just did what I thought was right. You'd do the same if you were in my shoes."

"I hope so. Gare?"

"Yeah Jamie?"

"If you and Erin do hook up, that's cool with me. I'm not big on the whole goth thing, but you know her well and if you're cool with her then so am I."

"Thanks man, you're a great friend and always will be. Good luck with you and Cindy, both in doing your own thing tonight and... you know... nudge nudge, wink wink!"

We shared a little laugh before giving each other a big man hug.

"Man, get these bells outta my face!" he yelled with a goofy grin.

We bid each other goodbye. I walked home to get ready for Erin's party, wondering if something really would happen. I knew what I wanted, and I wanted it badly, but I couldn't quite convince myself that it would or even could happen. No, I decided it was best to not get my hopes up. Just go, accept the situation for what it is and try to have some fun with it, and be done with Halloween for another year.

**********

I got to Erin's place at about 7:00 that evening, right on time according to official invitation she prepared. Remembering that she wanted this to be a "come-as-you-are" Halloween party (i.e. no costume), but mostly remembering her earlier "threat" to cause me physical harm, I ditched the jester outfit and went with a simple pair of black jeans and light gray shirt. I rang the doorbell and smiled when she answered. She went easy on the makeup and wore a black blouse, skirt and stockings, plus a lacy black veil that covered the top half of her face for good measure. She looked pure and fresh.

We went inside and gathered in the small living room with the rest of her friends. Scarlett was sitting on Kory's lap in one chair, but otherwise everyone had their own seat. As usual, they were all just chilling, happy to be in each other's company. Erin insisted I take the only empty spot left, one on the couch next to Al. She plopped herself down on the floor and sat between my legs.

Everyone snacked on popcorn while Erin was deciding on which movie to load into the DVD player among the choices that were appropriately both Halloween and goth-themed. She eventually settled on The Crow. While the movie played I mostly listened to the conversation all around me, joining in where I could. Erin, as she usually did, included me in the flow of the discussion as much as possible. I loved that she was so thoughtful to do this for me.

With the obvious exception of Jackson, I knew Erin's friends were OK with me since she told me so on my 18th birthday. My challenge was to try and fit in and relate to them when I wasn't really one of them. I was not goth; I didn't look like them, I didn't think like them, I didn't fully share their interests.

Despite all that, I enjoyed sharing time with them. There were no expectations or peer pressure to live up to. I felt more free to be myself, and they accepted who I was without reservation, and I tried to do the same for them.

And, of course, being with them meant more time I could spend in Erin's company.

Which was both a blessing and a curse; a Halloween treat and trick, if you will. There was no doubt in my mind by now that I was physically attracted to her, and almost certainly falling in love with her as well. More and more often when I saw her I silently perved on her, which left me guilt-ridden and frustrated, because I never thought she would reciprocate my feelings for her. I convinced myself that if she knew I felt this way she would cut me out of her life forever

The movie finished playing, and there was a lull in the conversation. Jackson announced he was going outside for a smoke, and he asked me to join him.

"No, it's alright, you know I don't smoke," I replied.

"I know that. I wanted to talk to you for a minute."

"About what?"

He just gave me that look of impatience that I had seen many times before. I didn't know where this was going, but I joined him anyway.




Final Breath



Jackson shielded himself against the strengthening wind as the flame from his lighter leaped up to set fire to his cigarette. He took a long slow drag and exhaled a set of perfect smoke rings. I shifted nervously back and forth, my hands jammed deep into my pockets.

He set his eyes on mine. "You know, pretty boy, she's going to do it tonight."

"Do what?"

He laughed silently and shook his head. "What the hell, pretty boy? I thought you were supposed to be this real smart guy. You really don't have a clue, do you?"

"No, I don't. And I resent the tone your using..."

Jackson impatiently waived my complaint away with his hand, his lit cigarette flashing upwards in a small arc of orange light. He shook his head and chuckled again. "Erin's probably going to kill me if she finds out I'm telling you this, but yeah, I think she's going to tell you tonight."

"Tell me what?!"

"That she's in love with you!"

I let that statement sink in for a minute. All this time, with my attraction to her growing... and not once did I entertain the possibility that she felt the same way about me. Was I really that blind?

"How do you know this?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Just a feeling I have. It's not like that's something she'd announce to the world, you know?"

"But you and the others, you're all friends with her. Surely she'd tell someone."

"Maybe Scarlett and Mel, but not the guys. And especially not me. Anyway, it doesn't matter how I know what I know. That's not why I brought you out here."

"Then why did you?"

He moved closer to me until the smell of the smoke nearly overwhelmed my nostrils, and he focused his intense gaze on me. "I can't and won't tell you what to do. If you don't want to be with Erin, let her down gently. If you do want to be with her, then treat her like the goddess she is. But I'm warning you... don't hurt her."

"Dude... is that a threat?"

"No. It's a promise."

"I think you'd better back off, Jackson."

"I think you'd better watch what you say to me with your smartass mouth, pretty boy!"

I was sick of the attitude, the condescension in his voice, everything about him. I snapped. I got right up in his face and yelled "And what if I don't, huh?! Just what the fuck do you think you're going to do about it?!"

It happened in a flash.

One second I was standing upright, the next thing I knew Jackson had tossed me over his hip and flipped me over like a ragdoll. For the second time that Halloween day, I landed hard on my back with a crashing thump. I looked up at the night sky, trying to re-focus my vision, not quite able to speak or breathe just yet.

To his credit, Jackson's anger seemed to have flowed out of him. He reached down with a hand to help me up, and I stretched and dusted myself off before the pain could really set itself in. He sensed the look of confusion on my face and simply said, "Brown belt in judo."

"Impressive," I gasped out in reply.

"I needed to find some way to defend myself against bullies. Martial arts seemed the way to go."

"Well, for some reason I seem to be the target of everyone's aggression today."

"What do you mean?"

I related to Jackson how earlier today Billy had tried to tackle me into next week. He just shook his head and uttered another of his favourite insults. "Fucking Neanderthal." He then cast a glance my way and continued, "Unlike what just happened, that time clearly you were not at fault."

I gave him a strange look and he just kept staring back at me. Then we both broke up into fits of laughter. Of all the things to change the nature of this relationship, I later thought to myself.

I finally started to feel like myself again. I was sore as hell but thankful to survive two hard impacts fully intact, relatively speaking. I was ready to more calmly respond to Jackson's earlier statements.

"Look, Jackson, I'm no saint, but I have no intention of hurting Erin. I've known her for a long time and I think we have a special relationship. I won't lie, I've daydreamed about what it might be like to be more than friends with her, but I honestly had no idea she'd be interested in that, so I never made a move. And now you're telling me you think she's going to be the one to make a move on me tonight. This is a lot to take in all at once, you know?"

He nodded, stared off in the distance for a moment, took a final, long drag from his smoke and dropped the butt to the ground, crushing it under his boot heel. When he responded, he inadvertently threw me for a loop by calling me by my proper name for the first time ever.

"I'm sorry, Garrett. I haven't been friendly towards you, and I probably come off like a real jerk. I was too proud to tell you the truth that I've known for a while. You're a stand-up guy. I know you're not like some of those other Neanderthals on your football team, and I feel pretty confident you'll treat Erin right. I guess I'm just... hell, I don't know..."

"I appreciate you telling me that, Jackson. And I get it. You're her friend and you don't want to see her get hurt."

"It's more than that. I'm... shit man, I'm jealous of you."

"Really? Why?"

I thought I saw his eyes tear up, though it was now so dark I couldn't really tell, but the wavering quality of his voice was unmistakeable. "I love her, man. Like, I'm deeply, madly, crazily in love with her."

"Oh! Shit!" I exclaimed. I did not expect him to say that. "Hey, I'll back off if I need to. I don't want to steal her away from you. I'm not going to be that guy..."

"No. Don't turn her down just because of me. Hell, don't even let me enter into your thought process. It's not like that with her and me at all. I swear."

"Oh. OK. So you... you and her never..." I stammered as I tried to ask the question that just kept getting lodged in my throat.

"No. I asked her out the day after her 18th birthday, and she turned me down. I never told her this, but it was the worst day I've ever experienced in my almost 19 years on this godforsaken planet. She just wants to be friends with me. It's better than not having her in my life at all, but to be so close to her yet have my love for her go unrequited, do you know what kind of special hell that is?"

I just shook my head no. I had no idea how to respond to that.

"Garrett, I'm not telling you this to weird you out or anything. I understand my place with Erin. I know that she and I can never be. It hurts like hell, but I'll deal with it. I will be her friend and support and help her when she needs it, but otherwise I won't interfere in her personal life, and if you two become a couple I won't screw it up for you. I just want you to understand how important she is to me. So if you do hurt her..."

"You'll judo toss the shit out of me, right?"

A smile curled from his lips. "Right, and don't you forget it!"

We shared another laugh over that. Jackson was a complex guy but I think I was finally starting to understand him.

We both turned our heads at the same time at a sound from the house. The door opened and everyone that was inside, except for Erin, came out.

"Party's moving to my place," announced Scarlett. Then she turned her attention to me and gave me a love tap to the shoulder. "But not for you, big boy. Erin wants to talk to you first."

I swallowed hard as butterflies suddenly flew in formation in my gut. I saw the knowing, sad-eyed grin on Jackson's face. I thought he was going to warn me again, but instead he gave me a pat on the back and simply said, "Good luck."

Then he turned away and departed with everybody else.

As for me, I needed to take a few deep breaths to settle my racing heart.

**********

I found Erin sitting on the couch. Her head rested in her hands, and her elbows rested on her knees. Not for the first time, I thought she looked like a lost little girl, which, in some respects, I supposed she still was. She did give me one of her small crooked smiles as I sat next to her, so she wasn't completely lost in her little world. But she did look like she had something on her mind and was very unsure of how to proceed.

"Party break up early?" I asked.

She shrugged, trying to act all nonchalant and not quite succeeding. "They all wanted to go to Scarlett's house."

"But not you?"

"I didn't feel like going. I just wanted to stay here with you. That's OK, right?"

"Of course it is."

She scooted a little closer to me, held on to my hand and leaned her head on my shoulder. It felt nice. I was taking the approach that, whatever it was she was going to say or do, it was her that had to initiate it or else everything might be ruined. I also steeled myself to the possibility that what Erin needed to say wasn't exactly what Jackson, or anyone else, thought it would be. So I tried to wait patiently for the seemingly deafening silence to end, and for her to screw up the courage to begin.

"Garrett?" Her voice was so soft and delicate.

"Yes, Erin?" Well, here goes nothing, I thought.

"I have something I need to tell you."

"OK."

"I don't know how to say it though."

"Just start from the beginning. You don't have to worry, you can tell me anything. We're friends, remember?"

"I don't know if I can this time, Garrett. I'm afraid."

"It's OK, Erin. Really. Don't be afraid. Whatever it is, we'll get through it together."

Another brief silence ensued.

"Garrett?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe if I... show you?"

I leaned back to look at her better, and I raised one eyebrow in silent question. She returned her look to me but her blank expression did not change.

If I wasn't nervous before, I sure as hell was now.

She got up and flipped through some CDs before selecting one and loading it into the stereo system. She then turned to face me and take a couple of deep breaths to settle her growing nerves.

"This is going to sound weird..." she started.

"I should be used to that around you, though. Shouldn't I?" I retorted, hoping to keep the mood as light and fun as possible under the circumstances.

Again, that smallest hint of a smile, a look I had seen on her face quite a few times. "I guess so." She lowered her head and extended a small, delicate hand before speaking again. "But... uh, I was hoping... do you want to... um, slow-dance with me?" 

Now I was intrigued. This was an unusual request from Erin. "Really? Slow-dance?"

"Yeah. I'm serious about this. Deadly serious, even."

"Since it's Halloween and all, right?"

"Yeah."

"Hmmm. OK. Sure. I'd love to."

I took her hand and we moved to the centre of the room. She pressed play on the stereo remote control, tossed it on an empty chair, and immediately melted into my arms.

I had known for some time that Erin had very different and interesting tastes in music. Most of the time, I ended up liking her musical choices a lot. This instance was no different. The song rumbling through the speakers did have a slow tempo, but otherwise it sounded completely unlike any slow song I ever heard before.

The squalling, strangely-tuned guitars were gloomy, doom-filled, unrelenting. The bass and drums pounded a line that would have been in time with a lumbering Frankenstein. The vocals were buried so far under the sonic assault that I had a hard time deciphering them. The song was a crawling, slithering beast; it sounded like the ballad from Hell.

It was the perfect slow-dance song for a Halloween night. And I loved it.

What I loved more was Erin's tight, petite frame pressed into mine. She kept her head buried into my shoulder and she had a tight grip around my waist. Even through our clothing, I could feel her nipples harden and dig into my chest. I could also feel her body vibrating against me just a little bit. It gave me a sense of how nervous she must have been. In her own unique way, she was putting her heart on the line for me and I'm pretty sure she had no idea how I'd respond.

She was an intoxicating combination of anxiety and arousal. Part of me loved the feeling of power that reared up inside me as a result of holding this vulnerable creature in my arms. I had to keep that in check, however, for fear of completely ruining everything. It felt like something momentous was going to happen tonight and I needed to quickly search my heart to confirm my feelings and be sure what I would do when that moment came.

The song came to an end, but Erin didn't let go. She looked up at me with her huge, expressive eyes, and I saw that her cheeks were tear-stained. "Well?" she asked.

"Never heard that song before. It was really good."

There was just a hint of exasperation and quiet desperation in her reply. "That's not what I meant. It's a... love song."

Whew. OK. So it really was happening...

"Oh. Sorry," I apologized. "I couldn't really make out the words, it was kind of hard to understand what he was saying."

She thought for a moment before retreating to her bedroom. She came out holding a folded piece of paper and handed it to me. I took the paper, unfolded it and read the words on it in her own familiar handwriting.

Final Breath

My love is like a red, red rose

That's newly sprung in June

My love is like the melody

That's sweetly played in tune

So fair are you my dear

So deep in love am I

And I will love thee still, my dear

'til all the seas run dry

Until the rocks melt with the sun

And I will love thee still my dear

While the sands of life shall run

And I will come again my love

Though it were ten thousand miles

'til the seas run dry...

I was struck with the intensity and familiarity of these words. "These words, are they not based on..."

"... a poem by Robert Burns that we learned in last year's English class?" she finished my thought for me. "Yes, yes they are."

The moment of truth was at hand. I set the page on an end table, took a deep breath and looked at Erin. Her hands were clasped behind her back and her head was bowed low, making her look like she was throwing herself at the mercy of a judge, pleading for leniency.

"You played this song for me, and showed me the words... Erin, this is how you wanted to show me what you wanted to say to me, right?"

She nodded, keeping her head bowed down.

"Erin, look at me."

Slowly, she did as I asked.

"I want to hear you say it. Please?"

Her eyes met mine as I said that last word. I was hoping she could see the sincerity in my face and draw some strength from that.

"Garrett?"

"Yes, Erin?"

"I love you."

Finally, it was out in the open, without a shadow of a doubt. But before I could respond, she spoke again, the words tumbling out of her mouth in a passionate whirlwind.

"Oh my god, you don't know how long I've wanted to tell you this! I've known you were the love of my life since we were kids! When I moved away with my family it was the worst day of my life! I thought I'd never see you again. But then we moved back and I thought maybe I'd have a second chance, and I... I... my god Garrett, I love you so much!! Please feel the same way... if you don't, I don't know what I'll do... I would be just..."

The rest of her thoughts remained unsaid as she buried her head in her hands and sobbed. I had to think quickly. How sure was I that I wanted what I did? Was I just seeing an opportunity to take advantage of Erin with her crying and defenceless right in front of me, or did I REALLY want what my heart insisted I did with pure and noble intentions?

Then I smiled, and a sense of calm descended on me. I knew what I had to do.

I gently held Erin by the wrists and slowly pulled her arms down to her sides. I removed her veil, put my finger under her chin and softly lifted her head up so she could look at me. Her doe-like eyes were brimming with tears, but there was a tinge of hope in them that wasn't there before. It hit me once again just how beautiful she was. She was a real woman, very sexy and very desirable.

And very much mine.

I leaned down to kiss Erin for the first time. It was a soft kiss; our lips barely brushed against each other's, but it said so much. Our foreheads were touching as I smiled at her and caressed her cheek with my fingertips. I moved my hand to hold the back of her head to draw her in to me for another kiss.

Magic.

It started just as soft as the first. It grew in desire, but not wildly so. We were still experimenting, exploring the feel and taste of each other. It was still easily the best kiss of my life.

We broke for air. The look on Erin's face was priceless. She was breathing heavily and grinning in warmth and excitement. If she felt anything like I did then her heart was also pounding a mile a minute.

She initiated the next kiss. I felt her lower body tense up slightly as she reached on her tiptoes to put her lips on mine. Those lips were lush and soft, and her scent was pure and sweet and all woman. I could feel my manhood respond to our intimate actions.

Erin grew bolder after my response to her expression of love for me. She gently yet confidently pushed me backwards until my legs touched the couch. I sat down and she immediately straddled me. She held my face in her hands and I let my arms rest where they were comfortable, on her firm little butt.

"I didn't hear you say it yet," Erin murmured, which momentarily brushed aside my thoughts about her butt or any other part of her anatomy.

"Pardon me?"

"I said, I didn't hear you say it yet." This time I picked up her meaning. Despite the mild reproach she did not look unhappy. Far from it, in fact.

"That I love you? Because I do, you know. I love you, Erin."

Her face lit up in happiness. God, she looked so beautiful, smiling like that. It was a sight I hadn't seen nearly enough since she came back in my life.

We kissed again. Her hands traveled down from my face to rest on my chest, while my hands were filled with her rear end; my touching and groping it caused Erin to moan softly in appreciation. Her lips parted and she hesitatingly stuck out her tongue. I gratefully met it with my own.

Erin and I spent the next several minutes like this. Kissing, duelling tongues, tasting each other, hands softly touching and caressing each other. Soft sighs, moans of happiness, panting, heavy breaths, sounds of lips smacking on lips. Heat and arousal radiating from our bodies. Full of tenderness and passion. It felt right, sweet, natural.

She slipped her hands under my shirt and ran them over my bare chest. The touch was electric; I felt my erection grow harder and longer in response. She took hold of the bottom of my shirt and pulled up. I raised my arms to make it easier for her to remove it. She pulled the garment over my head and tossed it behind her. A soft sigh escaped her lips, and her fingers softly brushed my chest and abs.

"I may not like football," she whispered into my ear, "but I love what it's done to your body."

I was certain my face was bright red from blushing. "Thank you," I answered.

She pressed her hands a little harder into my sides. Unfortunately one of them pressed right into the spot where Billy hit me in practice. Even though her touch was gentle, it just hit the absolute wrong place, and I winced in pain. Concerned, she looked at my ribcage and surely saw the bruising there. She gasped loudly.

"My god! You poor thing. What happened?"

"Football practice this morning. Billy stepped out of line and tried to act like a tough guy. Hit me helmet first right here."

"Fucking bastard," she spat out.

"Yeah. I'm fine though."

Erin tenderly kissed my bruise. It was a special sign of how much she loved me and was concerned for me. I'll never forget that she did that for me for as long as I live.

"You sure you're OK?" she asked.

"Yes. Just don't kick me there and I'll be OK."

That made her smile, but there was sadness in her eyes. I think she was reflecting on how cruel some people could be for no good reason and the general unfairness of life. Or maybe that was just me projecting.




Final Breath



"Erin?"

"Mmhmm?"

"What are you thinking right now?"

"How much I'd like to see you beat the shit out of Billy."

I guess I wasn't projecting, after all.

"I want to give you something else to think about."

"Yeah?"

I engaged her in another kiss, one filled with love and desire and the promise of so much more.

With a satisfied sigh she breathed, "I like that thought much better."

"I thought you would."

"Garrett?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to do... more with you."

"Yeah. I really want to do more with you too."

"Yeah. But..."

"What?"

"I'm nervous."

"Why?"

"I've... never gone this far with anyone before."

I gulped, a little worried about how Erin would respond to what I had to say. "I can't lie to you, Erin. I'm not exactly experienced myself."

"Really? I thought for sure you would have... you know... because you're on the football team and cheerleaders and other girls were always around you and you're so popular and..."

I placed a finger on her lips to quiet her, and then shook my head. "I've never gone this far with anyone else either. I swear."

Erin's eyes grew wide as what I had said sunk in. "Oh god."

"Yeah."

"Garrett?"

"Yes Erin?"

"I just decided something."

"What's that?"

She kissed me hard. Her face was flush with passion. "I want you so much that I don't care about being nervous. I don't want to stop."

I patted her ass lovingly. "Good. I don't want to stop either. I was thinking..."

"Yes?"

"Maybe we could start with me seeing... more of you?"

Erin eased herself off my lap. She smiled seductively but there was still a naïve innocence to her as she disrobed. She unbuttoned her blouse, undid her skirt and let both pieces of clothing pool at her feet. My eyes widened and my breath caught in my throat as I beheld this gorgeous angel before me.

The colour of her lingerie was no surprise, but the lacy black bra and panties were accented with cute pink trim, embroidery and ribbons. The bra hid the swell of her breasts, which were better-than-average size for such a small woman. Her panties covered her most hallowed place just well enough... but, of course, too well for my current way of thinking. The contrast with her soft, creamy skin was obvious, but just the fact I could see so much more of that skin than I did before... well, let's just say my jeans were by now uncomfortably tight.

I stood up to touch her again. She nuzzled her face into my hand. "I like the pink," I said. "It's a nice touch."

"I wanted to look pretty for you, Garrett."

"You look more than pretty, Erin. You look stunningly beautiful."

"I don't know about that."

"Well I do know. You're gorgeous. I won't hear you say otherwise."

She was full-out blushing now. "Thank you. But you! You look so masculine, so strong and handsome. You're making me feel really warm all over."

I watched in awe as she stroked her pussy through her panties. "Especially down here," she purred.

I let out a low growl and held her in close to me. "God, you have no idea what you're doing to me right now!"

To my surprise and delight, I felt one of her hands fondle my erect cock through my jeans. I gasped and my body buzzed with excitement at her soft touch.

"Actually," she breathed, "I think I am starting to get a good idea."

She continued to massage my hard-on in slow, sensual circles. She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip, and at that moment, with her erotic actions and the subtle yet still noticeable increase in her confidence, I thought she couldn't look any sexier. I felt roughly a million times more turned on than ever before.

"Let me make love to you now, Gare."

I nodded, certain Erin could see the desperate need on my face.

She took my hand and wordlessly led me to her bedroom. A thought suddenly occurred to me. Of all the damn times, I thought... but at the same time it did need to be addressed.

"Will your Mom be home soon? I'd hate for her to interrupt us."

"Oh. I guess I forgot to mention it. She's visiting my aunt for a couple days. She won't be back until Saturday." She paused. "Your parents know you're staying out late, right?"

I smiled. "Yeah, I asked them if I could stay overnight and sleep on your couch so I could help you clean up tomorrow morning before school. They seemed OK with that. I'm a gentleman, you know."

She giggled, a musical sound if I ever heard one.

"Garrett?"

"Yes Erin?"

"Can we not talk about our parents now?"

"OK. Good idea."

"Good. I... want to try something now."

"OK."

Her lips and fingertips gently brushed down my chest and stomach with a feathery touch. Her hands stopped at my jeans. She undid my belt buckle and the jeans button, and unzipped the fly. She grasped my jeans and boxers with both hands. She raised her eyebrows to me as if to ask for permission to take them off.

Yeah, as if I was really gonna say no.

I gave her a slight nod, and in one fell swoop she pulled both garments down. I stepped out of them and sat on the edge of her bed. My cock was achingly hard and it stood up straight, begging for attention.

Erin stared at my hard-on in wonder. She dropped down to her knees and wrapped her delicate fingers around my cock. She studied it for a second and then started to stroke me, and it was all I could do to hold back from exploding right then and there.

"Oh god Erin!" I cried out.

"Does that feel good?"

"Hell yes!"

"It's so big... I don't know how it will fit inside me," she whispered, and my cock twitched at the sound of that.

"We'll figure that out when the time comes. OK?"

"OK. Garrett?"

"Yeah?"

"Am I doing this right?"

"You're doing amazing," I said between short, excited breaths. "If you want, though, I've heard that if you twist your wrist just like this, that it feels really good too." I showed her the motion I was talking about.

"Like this?" she asked and mimicked my instructions.

"Oh yeah, that's... uhhhhhhh!" I leaned my head back and groaned. The sensations Erin was giving me were amazing, almost unbearably so.

"I love how I'm making you feel so good," she said.

"Baby, you're incredible!" I replied, trying to control myself and make the pleasure last longer.

She became even more focused on stroking my throbbing cock. It looked like she was mesmerized by the sight of it. She reached her head forward and gave the head of my cock a short, almost experimental, lick. She must have liked, or at least not been turned off, by what she found, for she then dragged her tongue along the sensitive underside from stem to tip.

It was all too much for me. "Erin! FUCK! Gonna... cum!!" I shouted.

She didn't stop her ministrations. It just took a few more strokes and then I exploded and, surely, yelled loud enough to wake the dead. The first volleys of my seed fired straight up in the air and landed with soft splats on my thighs. More of it shot out and hit her shoulder, while the rest of it flowed out and covered Erin's hand until she milked all she could out of me.

"Wow," she breathed. "That was... intense."

I felt too euphoric to speak coherently. I just nodded.

"Did you like that?"

Another nod.

She giggled. "I guess it's true when they say men turn dumb when they think with this head," she said as she pumped my softening cock once, before rapping her knuckles on my temple, "instead of this head!"

Before I could think of a good wisecrack in response she dashed off to the bathroom and grabbed a towel to clean the mess off our bodies.

"Erin?"

"Yeah?"

"It's my turn. I want to make you feel good now. I hope I can."

"You will. Anything you do to me feels good."

"Are you ready?"

"I think so."

"You think so?"

"Yeah. I want you to make love to me, so bad. I'm still nervous though. No man has ever seen me naked."

I took her in my arms and kissed her deeply. "I'm honoured to be your first."

"I hope you think I'm pretty enough for you."

It surprised me a little that the self-assurance she showed earlier seemed to fade, but it just made me more determined to build her back up.

"Of course you are. You're so amazing, so beautiful. More beautiful than any other woman in the world."

"Really? You mean that?"

"Yes, absolutely. Because I know it in my heart. I love you, Erin. That's how I know."

"I... I love you too, Garrett."

Her eyes welled up with tears. One of them rolled down her cheek. I kissed it away. I left a trail of kisses from her face down to her neck. I kissed, tasted and suckled at her earlobe and supple neck flesh; she happily sighed in response.

My hands traveled to her bra-covered breasts. I cupped and massaged the pert orbs. "Can you take this off for me, baby?" I asked sweetly.

She undid the catch in the back and removed the bra, revealing her breasts in all their glory. They were perfect round handfuls, topped with small, beige areolae and pink nipples, which were now aroused and proudly extended forward.

"Oh Erin! God, they look incredible," I whispered. I touched her bare breasts, feeling the wondrous firm globes, visually giving them the love and reverence they deserved. I captured a nipple in my mouth, licked and teased the hard nub with my tongue and gently scraped it with my teeth.

"Ohhhhh yes!" Erin cried. Her legs grew weak from that touch alone. I caught her before she fell and sat her on my right thigh. I gasped at how hot her panty-covered mound felt on my leg. She was absolutely on fire down there.

I continued licking, kissing, tasting and suckling on her breasts. Anything I could think of that I thought would feel good for her, I tried. Her moans of encouragement were frequent and spurred me on further. I got a little careless though, and I bit down on a nipple a little too hard.

"Oh god!" she screamed.

"Sorry Erin! Did I hurt you? I'm so..."

The fiery look in her eyes stopped me in my tracks. "No! Do that again!"

Not the reaction I expected, but I wasn't about to argue. I bit and pulled at her other nub with my teeth, and she loudly squealed again. I kept up this treatment, eager to keep pleasing her. Her rapid, shallow breathing was hot in my ear. A soft sheen of sweat covered her pretty face, and she was now so turned on she was dry humping my leg and leaving a slick trail of wetness on my thigh. She smelled like sex and my hormones nearly raged out of control.

"Garrett?" Her voice was high-pitched and dripping with need.

"Mmmm?" I asked, my mouth currently filled with a perky breast.

"Please... more..."

She couldn't articulate what she wanted, but I had an idea that played in my head; I knew what I wanted to do next.

"Can you stand up for me?" I asked. She nodded, but didn't look too convinced that she was capable of such a simple action in her current state.

I eased her off my leg and set her on her feet, holding her by the waist in case she fell. I climbed off her bed and moved in behind her.

"I'm going to take your panties off now," I spoke in a husky whisper.

"Yes... please, Garrett..."

I slid the thin lacy garment down her smooth legs. The panties were sopping wet. Her musk filled my nostrils again and my cock was stirring to life once more.

Erin had placed her hands on the mattress to support herself and, whether she intended to or not, she presented her ass to me. It was just as beautiful as the rest of her. I kissed and licked both cheeks. It was exhilarating to feel and taste her soft yet firm body in such an intimate area. That exhilaration drove me to take a chance.

My hand cupped her mound and I drew my middle finger across her pussy, slowly, from top to bottom.

"OhmigodYES!" Erin squealed.

Exactly the response I was looking for.

I tasted the plentiful wetness on my finger. It was way better than I had ever dreamed of, more addictive than any narcotic I could find on the street. I had to have my fill, and more.

"Lie down on your bed for me."

With unsteady legs she did as I asked. I gazed at her most private place. Her mound was puffy and glistening with arousal. It was topped by a trim, downy thatch of blonde hair, which caught me off guard for a moment. I'd known her for so long with black hair I'd nearly forgotten she was an actual blonde.

"Erin?"

"Yeah?"

"You're so beautiful down there."

"Thank you..."

"I'm going to make you feel really good now."

" 'K. Hurry. Please."

She spread her legs wide to invite me in. I took hold of her under her thighs and dragged my tongue all across her pussy. Her lips parted open just enough to see her valley of pink. I tasted her love juices directly from the source. She was wriggling beneath me and cooing sounds of encouragement. I could tell she was enjoying what I was doing, how I was kissing, sucking and nibbling all over her pussy, but I hadn't quite found her real sweet spot, the area where, if touched, she would go off like a rocket. 

Then I did find it, though completely at random. "Ohgod ohgod!" she screamed.

'Shit!' I thought to myself, 'if only I could remember how I did that!" I resumed my quest yet again. Now, though, Erin was more aware of how her body would react what I was doing, and she leaned up on her elbows to get a better look and started directing me where to go.

"Oh Garrett, that's good... a little higher though... little higher...please lick me there..."

I could just make out the emergence of her clitoris poking out from its hood. Was that where she was directing me to? I gave that area a quick flick of my tongue.

"YES!"

I guess it was!

I kept licking her pussy all over but I made sure to give her the area around her clit plenty of attention too. She was now really squirming all over and I had to strengthen my grip on her to try and keep her in place. Her squeals and cries were growing in volume and intensity. She was so tantalizingly close now. My tongue rapidly flicking across her button brought her that much closer.

"Fuck! Garrett... my god... so good!"

"Ready to cum for me, Erin?"

"Yes! Pleeeeeease!!"

I was hungry for her orgasm now, eager for her to feel the same ecstasy she gave me earlier. I fed ravenously, my wet tongue a blur across her sex. Her legs wrapped around my neck in a desperate effort to draw me in even closer.

Then all at once Erin stiffened and her pussy contracted beneath me. She announced her orgasm with the loudest yet most adorable high pitched squeak I ever heard. She collapsed and fell limp on the bed as her climax gave way. Her body shuddered from the aftershocks and her chest rose quickly up and down with the deep breaths she was taking. A feeling of pride surged through me knowing that I could have that kind of effect on a woman.

I crawled up and lay beside her on my uninjured side to watch her recover. She tried to talk a couple of times but couldn't form the words. Only on the third attempt could she manage that feat.

"Holy shit, Garrett! Wow. Scarlett told me she loves it whenever Kory goes down on her and that I would love it when someone did it for me, but my god I had no idea! You were amazing!"

"Thanks, Erin. It was incredible watching you and listening to you cum."

She blushed brightly. "You mean that little squeaky thing I did? God that's so embarrassing..."

"Oh no. Don't you even think that. I loved it. I would do anything to hear you make that sound again and again."

"OK. As soon as I finish recovering, you just might get that chance."

We smiled and quietly enjoyed being naked with each other. Soft touches, caresses and kisses were all we needed for a while. But of course that didn't last. Our passion and desire re-ignited and our heated embraces only served to fan those flames.

"I'm ready, Gare. I want you inside me," she crooned between kisses.

I was elated. And sporting a massive erection.

Then one unbidden thought entered my mind which stopped me in my tracks. I buried my face in my hands.

"What's wrong?" Erin asked.

I forced myself to look at her. "I'm sorry Erin, I never expected that we'd go this far tonight. I'm unprepared... I don't have any protection, and I..."

With one look at her face any further words dissolved on my tongue. Instead of being upset, she gently smiled, placed a hand on my shoulder and tenderly kissed my cheek. She reached into a drawer of her night table and pulled out two items. She proudly presented them to me.

"Trick or treat!" she sang. It was a three-pack of condoms and a small bottle of water-based lube.

The realization momentarily stunned me, but not for long. I hungrily tongue-kissed Erin and heard her whimper in my mouth.

"Thank you baby, this will definitely be an amazing treat!" I said.

"They are Halloween gifts from Scarlett and Mel. You can thank them later."

"I will."

I unwrapped one of the three small square packages and wrapped my manhood in latex. She applied some lube to both my cock and her pussy to add to her natural lubrication, just to make sure my entry into her would be as easy and painless as possible.

"You're sure you want to do this?" I asked Erin.

"Yes, absolutely."

"How should we do this?"

"Can... can I be on top?"

"Of course. You're so cute when you're nervous, you know?"

She blushed and stuck her tongue out at me, which made me laugh. I laid on my back and let her climb on top of me. We gazed at each other with love in our eyes as she positioned her pussy just above my hard cock. She closed those big blue eyes and sank lower. I watched the condom-covered head stretch her outer labia before penetrating her no-longer-virgin pussy.

Oh god. Words could not describe, could never describe, this feeling.

Slowly and carefully, Erin eased herself further down my shaft. Half an inch here, quarter of an inch there. I was in no mood to rush her and was happy to let her control the pace. She stopped to rest, and to my amazement, nearly all of my cock was buried inside her.

"Wow," I whispered.

"Wow is right, Gare."

"Are you OK?"

"Yes. It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would for my first time."

"Good, I'm glad."

She wriggled to adjust her position which sent short bursts of intense pleasure through me.

"Just trying to get used to you inside me," Erin whispered. "You're so big. I feel so full."

"Does it feel good?"

"Incredible! How does it feel for you, Gare?"

"Amazing! You're so tight and hot, it's unbelievable. I just hope I can last long enough to make this night very special for you."

Erin leaned down, grasped my hands and laced our fingers together. Her angelic face hung just above mine; I rose up to kiss her.

"It's already special, because it's with you," she assured me.

"This is so much better than I even dreamed it would be, Erin, because it's with you." 

"I never wanted my first to be with anyone else but you, Gare."

"I love you, Erin."

"I love you too, Garrett."

It was almost imperceptible at first, but I eventually felt her move up and down my erect penis. The friction from even these small movements was heavenly. Her soft moans and sighs clearly indicated she was feeling the same way. I continued to let her dictate the tempo; in the back of my mind I was still concerned with hurting her, but by this point it was more about ensuring her pleasure.

She soon more actively sought that pleasure, increasing her speed and depth until she was quickly bouncing up and down my cock. I held her by her slim hips to help guide her movements.

"Oh god... really fucking you... so good!" she squealed.

Erin was the vision of sex. Eyes shut tight, strands of hair stuck to her sweaty forehead, firm breasts jiggling up and down, thighs tense and hard from exertion, whole body contorted in pleasure and ready for ultimate release. God she was so close now.

"Come on Erin, come for me baby!" I gritted through my teeth.





Final Breath Ch. 02



Thursday, November 1st, 2012, 7:30am

Sunlight streamed in through the window, warming my face and beating down hard through my closed eyelids. It soon left me no choice but to wake up. I opened my eyes and blinked at the unfamiliar surroundings. Then I remembered where I was, and what I was doing last night, and with whom. And I smiled the kind of smile that only young lovers can truly experience or understand.

Being careful not to move, I watched Erin sleep. Her head lay on my chest; I could feel her soft exhalations of breath on my skin. She held me tight in her arms, and one of her legs was curled around my thigh. A lock of her dark hair had fallen in front of her face, covering one of her eyes. I gently swept it behind her ear. Her white skin brightly shone in the sunlight.

God, she was beautiful.

I don't know how long I watched her sleep. Could have been five minutes, maybe longer. It didn't really matter at all. At that moment, time itself ceased to have much meaning to me.

I had built up in my mind what my "first time" experience with sex would be like. I believed, naturally, that it would be a spectacular event, and my belief only increased when Erin took the starring role in my fantasies. I knew it was nothing out of the ordinary to over-hype one's first time, to assume it would be earth-moving, world-shattering, or whatever other fantastical adjective you wanted to use to describe it. It seemed everyone I knew thought the same way. I also faintly suspected that it was a ridiculous notion in the first place. Whether it was due to the choice of partner, choice of location, unexpected interruptions... those and seemingly a million other possible reasons, in my lifetime more than a few people have told me their first time just wasn't what it was cracked up to be.

Yet somehow my experience was even better than I had imagined possible. The special moments Erin and I shared last night, when we each fought through our own nervous battles with ourselves and willingly gave our virginity to the other... it was truly special, in a way I won't ever be able to properly describe. I will never forget Halloween 2012 for the rest of my life.

Having closed my eyes as I was thinking back to last night, I opened them and watched Erin again. I found myself stroking her bare back, to my mild surprise, as I didn't recall actively choosing to do so. It must have been an unconscious decision on my part, a reaction to being naked in bed together, just me and my goth princess.

My goth princess.

Just the thought of those three words strung together was enough to spread a wide smile over my face. I recalled how she screamed that phrase to me last night as she implored me to come for her, to come hard inside her welcoming pussy. I was in the throes of ecstasy and of course only too willing to oblige her. The circumstances of the birth of that saying would be etched into my brain forever, and I knew 'my goth princess' would easily be my favourite term of affection for her.

Just then, Erin's eyes slowly fluttered open. She briefly inhaled sharply, perhaps momentarily confused by the presence of someone else in her bed. But when she looked up, her eyes misted over and she beamed at me. The look of warmth and contentment on her face made my heart leap. She stretched her lithe little body in a cat-like manner and then resumed her firm and loving hold on me.

"Hi," she said quietly.

"Hi, yourself," I replied.

We slipped back into a contented silence. She kept her grip on me and I continued to caress her soft skin. The look on her face when she later gazed back in my direction was enough to stop me, however. It looked like she had a serious question on her mind.

"Gare?"

"Yeah, Erin?"

"Last night... it was for real, right?"

"Well, yeah, of course it was. Either that or we took some wicked drugs last night..."

"No, Garrett, I'm serious!" The way she reacted to my attempted joke, the words she used, and the strength with which she gripped my arm made me nervous to the very pit of my stomach.

"I... I'm sorry Erin," I stuttered, not entirely sure what was happening. "But I... I don't understand what you're getting at. What are you trying to say?"

"I... I need to know that last night wasn't just a one-time thing for you. What we did, what we shared... it's everything to me. I need to know you feel the same way."

I paused for a few moments before answering, hoping I could sufficiently reassure her that this wasn't a one-night stand.

"Erin, we've been friends for a long time. So you should know that I'm not one to cut and run, right?"

"Yes, I know. It's just that... well... sex changes things sometimes. In a bad way."

She was right, of course. Even as young as I was, I understood that sex can ruin good relationships. But it didn't have to in our case. Not if I had anything to say about it.

"Come here," I whispered.

Erin crawled up closer to me. I captured her mouth in a kiss, attempting to pour all my love and emotion into the embrace as my tongue sought entry into her mouth. She sighed happily into my mouth, and our tongues twined together until we broke for air.

If I were a pessimist, I would have asked her how we were supposed to know what our individual futures would hold, let alone how much of those futures we'd spend together. Especially since we were only eighteen and not yet out of high school, with so much of our lives still ahead of us.

Luckily for us, I'm more of an optimist.

So what I did tell her was something I'm sure she wanted to hear. But, more importantly, I was equally sure that it was true. I knew it in my head, and I felt it in the depths of my heart.

"Erin, I love you. I want to be with you for as long as you'll have me."

Tears started to roll down her face. I carefully wiped them away with my thumbs. "I love you, Garrett," she said. "I don't ever want to let you go."

She then lowered her head. "I'm sorry if I offended you," she sighed into my chest. "I should have known you wouldn't just dump me after last night. But I really needed to hear you say you love me. I couldn't help but think that last night would all be a dream that would fade away into black nothingness unless you said it was all for real."

"It's OK, Erin. I forgive you. And these feelings, this love I have for you, they are real. Please don't ever doubt that."

"And my love for you is just as real, Garrett."

"Trust me, I believe you 100%," I told her.

She sighed before speaking again. "You know... being in love like this... it's so new for me. I've never felt this strongly about anything before, ever. I think it's making me crazy."

"You and me both, babe." I then smiled as this exchange randomly triggered something in my brain. "Just hold on loosely, but don't let go..." I sang tenderly.

She cringed a little, probably because my singing voice is, to be honest, pretty damned awful. "Uh... what?" she asked.

I shrugged. "It's from a song by one of those classic rock bands my Dad likes so much. I think it means it's better if we try not to be so intense about our relationship. Don't take us being together for granted, obviously, but don't be too clingy or too desperate because that might also drive a wedge between us and ruin everything."

"I'll try," she replied, "but I can't promise anything. I get intense about things I care about, you know that. It's as much a part of me as being goth is."

Clearly there were still plenty of potential land mines we'd have to navigate in order to make this relationship really work. But if, somehow, we failed in the end, it wouldn't be from lack of desire or passion on our part, which made me optimistic for our future.

I kissed the top of Erin's head. "Let's see what happens. We love each other and we're going to have a lot of good times together. But we're young and we're only human, so we'll make mistakes and say and do dumb things. Not to mention how everybody else will react to us being together..."

"I don't care about everybody else," she said with clear defiance in her voice.

"Neither do I," I answered, and kissed her again. "But we can't ignore it, either. Listen... no matter what, remember that we love each other and we'll find a way somehow to deal with whatever life throws at us. I love you, Erin."

"I love you too, Garrett."

We kissed briefly, and Erin rested her forehead on mine and gave me her sweetest smile.

I smiled right back at her. "You OK?" I asked.

"Yeah," she shrugged. "I still feel a bit guilty for doubting you, though."

"No worries, Erin. Really. Besides, you have a lot of time to make it up to me today."

"Oh, I will, Gare," she purred into my ear. "Count on it."

"Mmmm," I moaned happily into our latest hot embrace. But the rational part of my brain intruded again, reminding me of something we needed to do before we got too carried away.

"Erin, wait!" I told her. "We'd better call in our absence at school before they send out a search party for us!"

"Oh! Right!" she exclaimed. She leapt off the bed and found our cell phones, handing me mine before she stepped outside her bedroom to use hers.

I called the school and chose the option for reporting absences from the automated menu. A couple of rings later, I heard Coach's voice on the line.

"Attendance!" he barked.

I gave him the speech I practiced last night before finally falling asleep, not wanting to give him a chance to interrupt me. "Hey Coach, it's Garrett. I'm not feeling that well so I'm calling in sick today, but it's no big deal, I'll be there on Friday..." 

"What?! Not you too!" Coach groaned.

"What do you mean, not me too?"

"I just finished speaking to Jamie! Seems you've got whatever illness he's got! And I doubt it's the flu, if you catch my drift."

A lump formed in my throat. I hadn't expected my plan to fail at the first hurdle. "Uh, Coach... you see... I... uh..." I stammered.

Coach sighed, as if resigned to a decision he wasn't entirely sure he should make. "Listen, Garrett, I like you. You and Jamie are two of my best players, but more importantly you're good students and great kids. I'll make you the same deal as I gave him."

"Uh... sure Coach. What deal is that?"

"I record you as being sick today, no questions asked. In return, one, you show up to school on Friday so I don't have to bench you, two, you play your ass off during the game, and three, don't you dare breathe a word of this to anyone, because I'll deny it and then you'll be screwed! If either of you let me down, next practice you'll run stairs until you puke, and then you'll run stairs some more!"

I laughed, maybe a little too loudly, and felt a mixture of relief and nervousness. Relief that I'd get to spend the day with Erin after all, nervousness because I had no doubt Coach would follow through on his threats if I wasn't careful.

"Thanks Coach! I owe you one."

"Damn right you do!" he retorted with plenty of humour in his voice. "Get well soon, Garrett!" 

We said our goodbyes and hung up. Immediately my fingers started to dance across my smartphone's keyboard. I had to text Jamie to see what was up with him.

I entered "Jamie, where you at?" and pressed SEND. It didn't take long for him to answer.

"My cuz's pad. With Cindy. You?"

Atta boy, I thought to myself as I typed in my answer. "With Erin, at her place."

"Nice! Did you two...?"

I grinned at the 'unspoken' question. "Yeah. You?"

"Yeah. She's waking up now. Later!"

I acknowledged his latest response and shut off my phone, not wanting any further interruptions today. Erin walked back in, apparently finished with her arrangements as well. I took in the sight of her compact, lovely nude body again. I got out of her bed and bent down to hug her tightly. I needed to feel her pressed against me, to feel her hard little nipples rub delightfully against my chest, to palm the small, smooth, perfect hills of her ass in my hands.

She gave my own ass a squeeze as well and sighed as she felt the hard muscles underneath my skin. "Garrett?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"I want you."

"I want you too."

"Let's shower," she breathed in a seductive voice that vibrated into my body. Not that it would take much work for her to seduce me. "We'll get clean while we get dirty."

"Mmmm, Erin, I love it when you talk dirty to me."

She giggled and displayed herself before me in a playful pose, lightly biting one of her fingers. I took her small hand, folded it into mine, and let her lead the way to the bathroom so I could watch her hips sway sexily from side to side.

Erin stopped in front of the mirror when the sight of my bruised side caught her eye. When I saw it for myself I was both dismayed and amazed at how large and discoloured it was. It was a grisly rainbow splashed against my skin. Thankfully it didn't hurt as much as it did yesterday. It still felt stiff and sore, but I knew I'd be fully healed soon enough. And I'd have a hell of a story to tell.

She carefully examined the contusion, gingerly running her fingers over the damage. "Are you OK?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's better now. I'll be fine."

She kissed my side again, just like last night, and her trailing fingers were gentle, almost ticklish, over my skin.

"I've never seen a bruise like this before," she said breathily, almost... reverentially. "If I didn't know how you got this, I would almost think it was... beautiful."

She looked me directly in the eye. "Is that weird?"

I let out a small shocked laugh and shook my head. Even being somewhat used to her unusual perceptions of the world around her, not to mention the sometimes twisted outlook on life that her goth personality brought out of her, Erin's last comment still surprised me.

"It's different, I'll give you that," I finally managed to respond, just as I thought of something else naughty to say. "In fact, if I didn't want to fuck you so bad I'd say it's downright creepy."

She eyed me warily. "Careful, mister. You're lucky you're such a hottie, otherwise I'd have to hurt you."

Erin bent over to turn on the water, sticking her ass out to me like a gift. Too overcome with naughty temptation, I gave it a playfully hard smack. She yelped and stepped inside the shower. I quickly followed her inside and was enjoying the feeling of being enveloped by hot water until I felt her slap my ass.

"Ow! That stings!" I pretended to protest.

"Good!" she giggled. "Now we're even."

"Oh no!" I said, almost daring her. "We're just getting started!"

Before Erin could respond I picked her up and put her in front of me, directly in line with the shower's spray. In quick succession she squeaked in surprise, gasped as I groped her tenderly from behind and, last but not least, whimpered as I bombarded her neck and earlobe with licks and kisses.

"Ohhhhh Garrett!" she breathed.

She reached her arms up behind her and encircled them around my head, drawing it down so I could burrow deeper into her erogenous zones. One of my hands crept up towards her breasts.

"You have pretty little titties, you know that?" I growled in her ear as I fondled her left breast and played with her nipple. I teased and tugged at it a little roughly, just the way she liked it as I learned from last night. My free hand slid down to her pussy. I cupped her soft mound and my middle finger parted the valley of her lips. My efforts were rewarded with more high pitched squeals of delight from Erin, a sound that for me was becoming rapidly addictive.

I edged even closer behind her, ensuring my cock touched her soft skin and that she could feel its throbbing hardness. I rubbed myself against her and shivered at the delicious feelings the friction provided. My hard cock shifted until it lodged in the cleft of her ass.

"Gare?!" She sounded both highly aroused from this new sensation and just a little nervous about where I might go and what I might do once I got there.

"Shhh, don't worry, Erin. I'll be careful. I won't do anything you don't want me to do. If you're not comfortable with anything I'm doing, tell me and I'll stop. OK?"

"OK. I trust you."

That was all I needed to hear. I continued to masturbate my cock between her ass cheeks, taking the greatest care not to penetrate her. My body was screaming at me to take that last step, to bury myself in her without protection. But I wouldn't do that to her without her permission. I had too much love and respect for her to do otherwise. She had yet to indicate she was OK with crossing that last threshold, so I'd wait until she told me she was ready, and that was that. For now, these sensual acts were enough.

I switched my one hand over to play with her right breast while continuing to massage her mound and pussy with the middle finger of my other hand. Then I slowly pushed that finger forward to fully enter inside her soft and pouting lips. Her walls gripped my digit tightly. My thumb felt for, and found, her clit and I gently flicked it back and forth. She was so hot and wet down there, and it wasn't just from the water from the shower nozzle cascading all around us.

"Oh god!" she cried out.

She was putty in my hands, but she had the same effect on me. She moved her sweet body in rhythm with my grinding. It was so hot I couldn't stop the groans from escaping my mouth. I strained to hold my arms in place so I could keep pleasing her. It was a race to see who would reach orgasm first.

Erin won.

She yelped loudly and her legs shook, in fact she probably would have fallen if I didn't catch her. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing very heavily.

"Are you OK?" I asked.

She just opened her eyes and gave me a mischievous smile. Then almost before I realized it she turned, dropped on her knees and took me orally. A small hand cupped my shaft at the root while her mouth engulfed half of my length. Her head bobbed up and down and droplets of water flew back and forth off of her jet black hair as she sucked me in earnest.

It didn't take long before I could feel my orgasm threaten to rip through me. "Erin, I'm gonna cum!" I said through gritted teeth.

Instead of removing my cock from her mouth, however, she eagerly sucked me even quicker and harder. My eyes rolled up in my head as I came like a rocket. It was my turn for my knees to buckle. She tried to support my weight, to no avail. I fell down and landed on my ass with a thud and a small splash. Erin's mouth and tongue were talented and amazing. She continued to lovingly blow me all the way through, gamely swallowing what I was giving to her.

When she was finished we just stared at each other for a moment. Then we broke out in giddy laughter at our situation; our bodies tangled together on the bathtub floor with the water still streaming down all around us.

Erin kissed me and I kissed her back. I thought I tasted a bit of my residue on her tongue. I can't say I enjoyed the flavour but it certainly could have been worse.

"You taste delicious," she cooed. "I'll have to do that more often."

I smiled wide. "I'm going to love seeing you do that more. I'm going to hold you to that. As for my taste, I'll take your word for it."

She stuck her tongue out at me and I kissed her on the nose. We both giggled again before helping each other up and completing our shower. We finished washing each other, making sure each of our interesting parts were extra clean, just in time before the hot water ran out. Then we toweled each other down, taking good care that all those same interesting bits were thoroughly dry.

She took me out to the living room and had me sit down on a chair that happened to face a full-length mirror. "Wait here," she whispered. "I'll be right back." She turned and without a further word went into her bedroom. I waited with breathless anticipation for her return.




Final Breath Ch. 02



My patience was rewarded.

Erin showed me she knew how to make an entrance. She slowly, seductively, alluringly crawled towards me. She held one of the two condoms we had left with her teeth, just biting the edge of the packaging. When she reached me she quickly opened the package and discarded the small foil square. With one hand she lightly trailed her black-painted fingernails down the shaft of my member, up and down, up and down, until it stiffened with blood and lust. She used the other hand to roll the latex down until it covered up my cock. Sparks of desire jolted through me.

She climbed on to me, lined up her pretty little pussy and descended on my hard dick. Our moans of pleasure could be heard in stereo. I held on to her hips as she bounced up and down. The muscles of her hot, tight pussy gripped my hard cock in the most electric way; it was almost enough to lose my mind in the sensation.

Erin looked behind her at the mirror and smiled that cute little naughty smile I loved to see so much on her face. She left a trail of butterfly kisses from my cheek to my ear, when she then whispered, "How do we look together, Gare?"

I'm sure my mouth must have gaped wide open as I stared at the reflection of Erin's backside in the mirror. I drank in the sight of her hungry pussy repeatedly swallowing my cock. Her sweet ass had just the right hint of jiggle as it slapped down on the heels of her cute curled-up feet with each downward thrust.

"Baby," I growled, "that's the sexiest fucking thing I've ever seen."

Just to add to the visual stimulation, Erin narrowed her eyes, bit the corner of her lower lip and moaned like the young woman in heat that she was.

"Gare, you know what I want you to do now?" Her blue eyes now wide, her look hungry and fiery, as she posed her question.

"Tell me, Erin."

"I want you to really FUCK your goth princess!"

Her words certainly left no room for interpretation. My cock, tightly surrounded within Erin's white hot pussy, throbbed with need. We touched our foreheads together. Our breaths came in short, sharp pants as we stared holes into each other.

With a low growl, I stood up quickly, ignoring the twinge of pain in my bruised ribcage. Erin held on to me for dear life, her arms around my neck, her legs wrapped around my waist, her pussy still gripping my cock. I carried her across the way into her bedroom, laid her on her bed and, unable to hold back any longer, pounded into her with every ounce of strength I could find.

Part of me worried I was going to hurt her, but she was so wet and ready for me that those doubts immediately vanished. Her howls of ecstasy further confirmed it for me.

"YES! Yes, Garrett! Fuck me! Fuck me hard!!"

I obeyed her command. The room echoed with the sounds of our moans and groans and the slapping of skin on skin. Erin's limbs were locked around me so tightly, drawing me further inside her; it would have taken nothing less than an army for her to break that hold. I grunted with the repeated effort it took to thrust her into near submission. Beads of sweat dripped off my face and landed on her flat stomach in tiny splashes. We were both close, then... so close...

I reached forward to take one of Erin's breasts and gave the nipple a quick twist. She gasped and then actually copied my actions on her other breast. Her free hand flicked at her exposed clit. It all sent her over the edge.

"OhmigodFUCK!" she squealed in high pitched bliss. Her back arched and she bucked and writhed uncontrollably through an almost impossibly intense orgasm. The feel of her beneath me triggered my own release. I yelled loudly and torrents of my spunk surged out through my cock and quickly filled the latex tip.

After disposing of the condom, during which Erin again refused to leave my side (though at least I didn't have to carry her this time), we returned to her bed. She draped herself on top of me like a human blanket. It felt so natural and so perfect to hold her there. I never wanted to let her go, and better yet I knew the feeling was mutual.

Despite our youth and vitality, the release of our intense sexual energies took their toll on us. Quite simply, we were exhausted. Erin fell asleep on top of me. The last things I remembered were the feel of her hot breath on my skin and the scent of her, a fragrant mixture of her shampoo, sweat and sex. Then before I knew it, sleep overtook me as well.

Thursday, November 1st, 2012, 1:03pm

"Gare?"

I grunted, trying to figure out who would interrupt my sleep, and why that person would do something so cruel.

"Garrett? Wake up."

Her voice better pierced my consciousness this time. I half-opened one eye.

"Come on, sleepyhead! Wake up already!"

Erin giggled, kissed me on the cheek and stuck her tongue in my earhole. Yep, that did the trick.

In retaliation, I tickled her sides and under her arms. She shrieked and playfully pounded her fists on my shoulders. "Stop that, you jerk!" she yelled with pretend anger.

I had mercy on her and stopped. We laughed long and loudly together. That stopped when I gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Soon after we were in full make-out mode. We kissed fiercely and we sucked at and inhaled each other's tongues like we were starving for them. Erin had intoxicated me with love and lust, and I was starting to wonder what I'd do tonight when I'd be forced to be without her. Just a day and a half with Erin had already ruined the experience of sleeping alone for me forever.

She soon made it clear she felt the same way. "Gare?"

"Yeah?"

"I love everything about you, you know that? I love how you look at me and make me feel sexy. I love how it feels when you touch me. I love how you treat my friends and I like real people. I love how you're both athletic and smart. I love how strong your body is, how it's the right mix of hard and soft, and how safe I feel here in your arms."

"Erin, I love the way you look at me with those big, perfect blue eyes. I love how you are your own person and to hell with what anyone else thinks. I love your unique personality and outlook on things, it teaches me something new all the time. I love how pretty your scent is, and I love the softness of your skin. I love how it feels when you straddle me and lay on top of me, and how it gives me the chance to touch you all over. I..."

My stomach picked the most inopportune time possible to loudly growl and rumble. Then again I guess it did have a point.

"I am really hungry right now," I said, blushing with embarrassment as Erin covered her mouth to stifle a hearty laugh.

"Now that you mention it, so am I," she replied.

We walked hand-in-hand upstairs to the kitchen where we prepared and dined on sandwiches. She sat on my lap while we fed each other grapes. It kind of felt like we were feeding into all the trite stereotypes of eighteen-year-olds in 'puppy love', but at the same time it felt entirely proper and natural to do. I wouldn't have traded places with anyone else in the world; there was nowhere else I'd rather be than in that kitchen, spending my time and sharing my love with Erin. And it felt that much better that I knew she felt the same way about me.

We spent a few minutes cleaning up the kitchen before returning downstairs. I took my place on the couch and she sat next to me, laying her head on my shoulder. We didn't speak for a while. I thought it was just a comfortable silence, until I took a look at Erin and saw she had a real moody and contemplative look on her face.

"Erin?"

"Hmm?"

"What's on your mind?"

She sighed heavily. "I wish this day never had to end."

"I know. Me neither. Last night and today have been the best moments of my life. But everything will be OK tomorrow. Trust me."

"I just don't want to have to deal with those idiots at school and all their close-minded, judgmental bullshit!"

Confused at her statement, I brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear before gathering my thoughts. "I thought you didn't care about all that."

"I don't!" she hissed. Then all the bravado left her voice. "Doesn't mean I want to hear it, though. Or feel their eyes all over me..."

Man, girls are complex.

"Erin, look, they'll do what they do. To hell with them. And I'll be by your side, no matter what. Besides, not everyone will judge us. Our friends, the ones who really count, they will be happy for us."

"Yeah... I guess..."

"Did I tell you I talked to Jamie after school yesterday?"

"No."

"Well, he told me it was cool with him if we got together."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. And the rest of the guys will be OK too. If not, I'll make them be OK with it!"

I ended my last sentence with a smile, but I was serious, too. My budding relationship with Erin took precedence over anything and anyone else, even my other good friends. Good-natured teasing with and from them would be accepted, of course, but I wouldn't tolerate anything beyond that. I knew Torrey, Brandon and Ricky really well so I was sure they would be happy that Erin and I were now a couple just as much as Jamie was.

In any case, sharing these thoughts seemed to help Erin feel better. Her cute little smile lit up her face and gave me the courage to continue. "And of course we know your friends will be fine. I mean, if Scarlett and Mel aren't they have a strange way of showing it."

Erin giggled briefly but then grew quiet for a moment before replying. "You're right, Gare. My friends will be very happy for me. I'm not quite sure about Jackson, though. He won't be angry or anything like that, but... I should tell you... I think he has feelings for me. He asked me out a couple weeks ago. It was awkward but I had to turn him down. I only ever wanted to be with you."

"Thank you, Erin. And it's OK, I know about Jackson. When he brought me outside last night to talk, he told me he asked you out. For what it's worth, he said he wouldn't stand in the way of our being together. Of course, that came out after he judo tossed me..."

Oh crap. I was not supposed to say that last part. I froze and thought to myself, 'I am an IDIOT!'

Erin's eyes opened wide and her face flushed with fury. She yelled at the top of her lungs, "He did WHAT??!!"

"Erin, it's not nearly as bad as it sounds..."

"Really?! One of my friends, who for months has been arguing with and hating on my best friend and now lover, who oh by the way was already almost taken out by the biggest asshole in school earlier that same day, takes him and slams him to the ground, and it's NOT as bad as it sounds??!!!"

I shrugged. "It's... kind of hard to explain."

She scowled at me and folded her arms in front of her. "Try me!"

I closed my eyes and took in a big breath before I felt ready to start. "First off, it wasn't like he knew I was hurt. I didn't tell him about what Billy did until after he tossed me. And after he threw me... it was like... he was finally able to release all the anger he had towards me. He apologized, we laughed and joked a bit, and he even wished me good luck when he left with everyone else."

Her eyes narrowed as she weighed my words against my facial expression to see if I was pulling a fast one on her. I think she tried to convince herself that was the case. "Bullshit," she hissed. "You're bullshitting me."

"I'm not bullshitting you. Erin, I swear, it's the god's honest truth."

She couldn't think of anything to say in response. She slumped forward and pouted. "And you guys all say that girls are weird!" she finally said in a huff.

I watched Erin stew in silence, before having a thought that made me smile deviously. I slid beside her, lightly trailed my fingertips up and down her back and gently kissed the nape of her neck.

"Stop it, Gare," she whispered, but I could tell she didn't really mean it. She had gasped and arched her back at my ministrations, and her short little breaths told me she was becoming turned on all over again.

"Oh come on now, Erin, you don't really want me to stop," I said in a quiet, teasing snarl. "Do you?"

Her eyes were shut tight as she fought to stem the tide of her growing arousal. "God damn you, Gare!"

"Why? What's wrong?"

"You're making me all hot and horny again. I'm supposed to be mad at you right now. How the fuck can I be mad at you when I'm all hot and horny?!"

I chuckled throatily and kept up my sensual assault, even upping the ante by reaching over and tweaking one of her stiff little nipples. She squealed, wriggled free from my grip and bolted upright. She turned around, faced me and quickly straddled me. She leaned her forehead against mine, and I could feel how warm her reddened face was and how her breathing was coming in quick, shallow pants.

"Dammit, Gare, what am I going to do with you?!" she groaned in exasperation.

"I've got a few ideas," I replied. The lopsided grin I was sporting still hadn't left my face.

Erin closed her eyes as she made the sexiest little half-purr, half-growling sound. I gave her a big, loving kiss and she returned it with interest. I licked and gently chewed on her earlobe, listened to her gasp and squeak, and felt my aroused shaft grow even harder. I smiled and groaned happily, eager to taste her sweetness and hear her scream my name in pleasure all over again.

Thursday, November 1st, 2012, 4:45pm

"Erin?"

"Yeah?"

"My Mom's asking if you want to join us at our house for dinner. Do you want to?" My Mom was on the phone. I had her on hold while I asked Erin if she wanted to accept my parents' invitation.

"Sure. Tell your Mom thanks."

I spoke into my cell phone again. "Mom? Yeah, Erin will come over. She says thanks, by the way. What time should we get there?"

"Be here at about 6:00, dear," she told me. "Oh, and on the way home can you stop and get some milk? I'll pay you back when you get here. Thanks so much, Garrett! See you soon."

I said goodbye to Mom and hung up. I told Erin about her request, and what else I would do while fulfilling it, and we shared a little smile. The side trip to pick up milk would also allow me to buy condoms. That way, I'd be adequately prepared for future sessions of lovemaking with my goth princess.

Whenever, and wherever, they may be.

We quickly showered again... separately, this time (because we had to, not because we wanted to), got dressed (ditto) and walked hand-in-hand to the store. Even without the necessary side trip, it was a good half-hour walk back to my house. When we were growing up Erin and her family lived next door to me, but when she and her mother returned to town after their ill-fated move away it just wasn't possible for them to occupy the same house as before, for a number of reasons. Sometimes I wished things were just like the old days, but last night I realized that maybe there were some benefits to her living clear across town.

Erin and I didn't see anyone we knew along the way, which was just as well as far as we were concerned. I wanted to wait until tomorrow when we had the time and energy to deal with any reactions, positive or negative, to our being a couple, and when I mentioned this to Erin she was in full agreement.

Little did we know that our plan was soon about to go up in smoke.

Heading into the front door of my home, I gave my mother the milk while keeping my other hand in my pocket to hide my other purchase. I went to the living room with Erin but stopped short when I saw her eyes grow very wide. "Mom?!" she said in surprise.

I followed her eyes and was also surprised to see Erin's mother, otherwise known to me as Ms. Henderson due to her reverting to her maiden name after her divorce. Considering she wasn't supposed to return until Saturday, I started to wonder if something was up.

"Well, hello there," Ms. Henderson said to Erin. "Please, don't sound so happy to see me!"

"Sorry, Mom," Erin replied, giving her mother an awkward hug. "Of course I'm glad you're here. I'm just surprised, is all. I didn't expect to see you back for a couple days. Is Aunt Beth OK?"

"She got called away to a seminar for work that she said she couldn't miss. You know how important her career is to her." She just rolled her eyes at that before turning to me. "Hello Garrett. You look well."

"Thank you, Ms. Henderson..."

"Please, call me Alice."

"OK. I'll try to remember that."

Erin's mother had a look on her face I just couldn't read. My sense that something was about to happen only got stronger. I quickly ran upstairs to hide the condoms in my bedroom. I dashed back down just as my father asked me to set the table.

Dinner was an odd affair. Everyone was a lot quieter than usual. Both my parents and Erin's mother looked distracted. I shared a couple of nervous glances with Erin. I think she was just as suspicious as I was.

After we finished Erin's mother asked her daughter to join her in the living room. I was following behind when I felt my father gently grip my wrist. "Garrett, we need to talk," he said.

Uh-oh.

I felt my heart nearly lodge in my throat as I took my seat back at the kitchen table, across from Mom and Dad. He looked for a moment like he was debating how to begin, before launching into the first question.

"You didn't go to school at all today, did you?"

Actually it wasn't so much of a question as it was a statement. Both my parents appeared more disappointed than angry, which made it kind of worse. I tried to find something, anything, that would help me to lie my way out of this predicament, but I couldn't think of a damn thing.

"How did you know?" I finally asked, bowing my head in resignation.

"Partly a feeling your mother and I had this morning. Can't really explain it. I found out our intuition was bang on when I stopped to put gas in the car on the way home. I ran into your chemistry teacher... Mr. Dalla Costa, is it?" I nodded and allowed him to continue. "He said he missed you in class today and hoped you'd be back soon."

I could only sigh and inwardly curse my rotten luck.

"So, I guess it's safe to say you spent the day with Erin?" my Dad asked, and I nodded yes. He hesitated before asking his next question. "I don't want you to be upset with us for asking this, but we feel it's our duty as parents. Were you and Erin... intimate?"

My eyes narrowed as I looked at both of them suspiciously. Where were they going with this line of questioning? "Dad, you're asking me whether Erin and I had sex. Aren't you?"

"Garrett, before you say anything else, please just answer one question."

I took a deep breath and told him to go ahead.

"Were you safe? Did you use protection like I told you to?" Soon after my eighteenth birthday my Dad sat me down to have "the talk", so I knew where this question was coming from.

"Yes, I did, I swear. In fact, I wasn't going to go all the way because I hadn't expected things to progress that far, so I didn't have any... um, protection. But I guess Erin and her girlfriends knew something I didn't, because they made sure she was ready with proper... uh, supplies... where I wasn't."

He nodded in understanding. Both he and my mother looked at me a while. They didn't stare, and they didn't appear to be judging or condemning me. I think they were just trying to take in the fact that I really was a man now, in more ways than one.

"First things first," Dad finally spoke. "You realize that, for lying to us and skipping school, your mother and I will have to discipline you. We'll talk later about what form that will take."

I nodded and said, "OK," hoping that Dad would quit stalling and get on with it.

But Mom was the one who spoke next. "Garrett, sometimes it's difficult for us to remember, because we'll always see you as our little boy. But you're an adult in the eyes of the law, and you're going to want to explore and express yourself in all areas of your life, including sexually. And as long as you're respectful of us and our boundaries, and you're careful and use protection, we're OK with that."




Final Breath Ch. 02



"Thank you," I said, and meant it. My Mom and Dad annoyed me sometimes, as I imagine all parents do to their kids, but I knew I was one of the lucky ones who had parents who were both loving and pretty cool.

My parents shared a look before Mom went on. "You know, when you and Erin were growing up, we thought for sure you'd end up where you are now, falling in love and being a couple. Of course, I don't think anyone could have imagined it happening the way it did, with all that she and her poor mother went through. I guess what I'm trying to say, Garrett, is that we're so proud of you for being friends with her since they moved back. Even with this... what does she call it again?"

"Goth?"

"Right, yes... even with her goth... persona," and Mom shook her head, clearly still confused why 'a nice young girl' like Erin would adopt such a lifestyle. Still, in all that time I never heard my parents condemn her or say anything negative about her for this decision, and that made me very happy.

"Anyway," Mom went on, "like I said, we're proud of you, and now that you and Erin are together as a couple, we support that too and we're very happy for you both."

"Thank you, Mom and Dad. I'm glad you're OK with this; it's one less thing for Erin and me to worry about. Not to be rude, but if you didn't approve of us being together, we'd have said to hell with it and kept seeing each other anyway."

"I know. I can tell by how you two talk to each other, and by the way you both look at each other, that you're both really in love. And we wouldn't dream of standing in your way. She's always been a good kid. We were worried when she and her mother moved back and she looked like she did, but she opened our eyes and helped remove our prejudices. Underneath it all she's still the same sweet girl she's always been." Mom looked at Dad for support and he nodded in agreement.

"We like Erin a lot," Mom said. "She needs someone like you, Gare. Someone who sees past the outward appearance and appreciates her for the person she really is. She and her other goth friends don't have nearly enough of that, you know. Alice is always saying how difficult it is for her at school."

"Really?" I asked. "I didn't think she knew, and I know Erin doesn't say much to her about it."

"No, Erin doesn't say much about it to her mother," my Mom replied, "but you know what? A mother knows. A mother always knows her child. And I know you're a good young man, Garrett, and you'll do right by Erin, and... oh, my baby..."

Mom always became emotional easily; Dad and I would often joke that she would cry at the drop of a hat, and while she always protested when we said it she knew just as well as we did it was true. Tonight was no exception. She had tears rolling down her face but she was smiling at the same time, beaming with pride for me. Dad and I stood up and gave her a big hug. We were a close family, and moments like this just made our relationship even more special.

"Why don't you go and talk to Erin's mother," my Mom said, wiping her eyes dry. "I think she has something she wants to say to you."

As it turned out, I simply traded rooms with Erin. We smiled at each other as we passed by. I took a seat across from her mother. She was staring off in the distance with a wistful look on her face.

"Still hard for me to believe Erin's old enough to be sexually active," she said, probably to me, but possibly also to no one in particular. I wasn't sure how to respond, so I didn't.

Alice took one of my hands and folded it into hers. "But since my daughter is, and because she's chosen to share herself with someone that way, then I'm glad it's you," she said to me as she looked me right in the eye. "You're a fine young man, Garrett, and the only one I can think of who is deserving of the precious gift she gave to you. My Erin has always thought you were someone special. I don't know what she would be like if you had never been part of her life."

I shuddered a little at the intensity of her praise. It was nice to hear, it was just a lot to take in all at once. "Thank you," I quietly replied. "She's very special to me, too. Always has been."

"Promise me one thing, Garrett. Can you do that for me?"

"What's that?"

I stood up at her request and she pulled me into a powerful embrace. "Take care of my baby. Please. Erin... she's all I have left..."

I felt her tears drip on to my shirt. My stomach tied itself up tight in knots. While I appreciated the support my parents and Erin's mother were giving us, they were also unwittingly adding pressure on an already highly charged situation. It was asking a lot for two eighteen-year-olds to handle. I just hoped I didn't let anybody down.

To the relief of Erin and I, there was no further drama that evening. Erin and I kissed briefly yet sweetly before she and her mother said their goodbyes and went home. I turned in to bed early, totally drained from everything that had happened over the last two days. Even so, without the warmth of Erin at my side, without her there to talk and whisper sweet nothings to, without her body available to me to caress, to hold close to mine, it was a long time before I fell asleep.

Friday, November 2nd, 7:57am

I was back at school, standing in front of my locker, dressed according to the code laid down by Coach on game days; a crisp, clean white dress shirt, black dress pants, dress shoes and a royal blue tie, emblematic of our school colours. The butterflies were already flying in formation in my stomach, but having played big-time high school football for some years now I was used to this sensation. It was all a part of the game day rituals with which I was so familiar.

I slammed the locker door with a bang and, sure enough, Erin was there. Wearing a deep violet blouse which matched her eyeliner, nail polish and lipstick, a short plaid skirt with purple inlaid with the black and white pattern, sheer black stockings and short, high-heeled black boots, she looked like the gothic version of a Lolita-type schoolgirl. I was awestruck by the vision before me, and I was pretty sure I'd soon have a bulge in my pants that would show my appreciation.

"Wow, Erin," I said in quiet admiration. "You look incredible."

She moved in front of me and ran her hand up and down my tie. "Thank you, Gare. You look pretty great yourself. You're so handsome and sexy all dressed up."

"Thanks." After a moment's hesitation, I decided I really needed my curiosity satisfied. "Erin, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Erin took a step back and asked innocently.

"Don't play coy with me little girl!" I replied playfully. "How do you manage to show up at my locker all the time without me hearing you?"

She giggled and said in a sing-song voice, "I'll never tell!"

I laughed out loud, even though she wouldn't answer my question. Maybe one day.

"Come here, you," I told her. She did, and we kissed.

"Garrett?"

"Yeah?"

"I have something for you. I forgot to give it to you yesterday." Erin fished through her backpack until she found what she was looking for. She handed me a silver-coloured necklace that looked like small chain links hooked together, with a familiar design attached to the bottom of one link.

"This is called an ankh, right?"

"That's right, Gare. Look." Erin directed my attention to the pale skin of her neck and showed me the necklace she was sporting. It also featured an ankh, and it had the exact same pattern and design as the one she gave me.

"An ankh is a symbol of life," she explained, "so us having the same style of ankh is a sign of our new life together."

I was touched by her gift and proudly put the necklace on. Erin fingered it and smiled. "Thank you, I'll wear it always," I said. "I'm sorry I didn't get you anything."

"That's OK," she answered. "You've already given me so much."

"Even so, I need to make it up to you, and I will."

"I know."

She tilted her head upwards and I leaned down to kiss her tenderly. We held the kiss for a long time, so long that I forgot where I was. At least, until I heard a low voice rumble from behind me.

"Man, you two gotta get a room!"

Erin and I were momentarily startled, but when turned our heads and saw a grinning Jamie and Cindy, both of them standing close to each other and holding hands, we let out a nervous laugh of relief. Jamie had a well-developed fashion sense, much better than the average high school senior, and he looked typically sharp in his shirt, tie and dress pants ensemble. Cindy looked demure yet very pretty in a white blouse and blue knee-length skirt, which is what the female members of the cheerleader squad wore on game days.

I greeted Jamie with our customary secret handshake and asked if he was ready for tonight's big game.

"Gare, I was born ready!" he exclaimed.

Erin and Cindy stood to the side of us. Erin had a neutral expression on her face but Cindy's head was bowed and she looked guilty.

"I'm sorry, Erin," Cindy said quietly. "I used to think the other cheerleaders were cool, but I feel terrible that they make fun of you and your friends and treat you so badly, and I never did anything to stop them. I hope you can forgive me, but if you don't then I understand."

Erin smiled back at Cindy. "It's OK, Cindy, I do forgive you," she said. "I know you never did any of that stuff directly. And with Garrett's help I've gotten to know his friends. Jamie's a great guy and if he likes you then you must be a good person, too."

"Thank you," Cindy replied. "I hope we can become friends."

"I'd like that," Erin said.

"Awww, it's so beautiful!" Jamie said jokingly, and I pretended to cry right along with him. This earned both of us dirty looks and rabbit punches on the shoulder from our girlfriends. All was soon forgiven as I kissed Erin and Jamie kissed Cindy, and we walked together to hang out in the cafetorium before the first bell rang.

We met up with Brandon, Torrey and Ricky on the way, and no one protested when Erin subtly steered us to the table where all her friends -- Scarlett, Mel, Al, Kory, Kris and Jackson -- were already gathered. At first, my buddies and I were talking about our upcoming game tonight with Cindy quietly listening to us, while Erin and her friends talked about something else.

Then something interesting happened. Al was messing around with his smart phone and suddenly burst out in laughter. Ricky was sitting next to Al and asked his fellow Latino (their shared racial heritage was about the only thing that, on the surface, they had in common) what was up. Al showed him the viral video he was watching and Ricky laughed out loud. In turn everyone saw the video, either through borrowing Al's phone or checking their own, and we all joined in the laughter. Soon we were all engaged in a 'serious' discussion about the video, breaking it down piece by piece, debating whether it was real or staged, and how people we knew would react if they were in a similar scenario.

This might not seem like a big deal. But in our school, it was. It was a very clique-y place. And I used to contribute to that problem, until soon after I met Erin again and became closer with her friends, when I realized how stupid and petty this kind of behaviour was in the first place.

So it was obvious to me that seeing two seemingly disparate groups of kids all laughing and talking animatedly together, much less just sitting at the same table, was a strange sight to everyone else sitting at the other tables. I couldn't help but smile at some of the reactions I was seeing out of the corners of my eyes from some of my fellow students as I tried to keep up with the conversation. Disbelief, curiosity, amusement... they were all on display.

Unfortunately, it seems that good moments like this can never last. I soon noticed a contingent of cheerleaders, led by an angry-looking Vanessa, making a beeline towards our table. The first target of her wrath was Cindy.

"Well, Cindy," Vanessa said in a short, clipped tone, "you never told me your dream in life was to join the freak show!"

"Vanessa, stop it! I'm here with Jamie," Cindy replied firmly, making the point by kissing Jamie on the cheek. "I'm getting to know him and his friends, and if you don't like it that's too bad."

"Oh, no! Hell no!" came the shrill voice of Stacie. "You are so not going out with my man!"

Jamie sighed loudly. Stacie had designs on him for a long time but he wanted nothing to do with her brand of crazy. "Dammit, Stace, how many times do I have to tell you?! I'm not your man..."

Cindy interrupted him with what, apparently, for her was a very uncharacteristic outburst. "Back off, bitch!" she growled at Stacie.

This led to an intense shouting match between Cindy and Stacie, with Jamie stuck very uncomfortably in the middle. Smirking with satisfaction, Vanessa turned her attention to Erin in an attempt to unleash more chaos.

"Don't think I've forgotten about you, freak!" she yelled; the taunting, angry look on her face turned her usually attractive physical features truly ugly. "I'll be the first in line laughing in your face when Garrett gets tired of you and dumps you for a real woman!"

"Then you'll be waiting a long time, Vanessa," I said as calmly as I could before Erin could react with anger of her own. "I won't ever get tired of Erin. I love her."

I said my piece with total conviction, and I gave Erin a kiss for added emphasis. I turned our backs to Vanessa and hoped she would take the none-too-subtle hint.

No such luck.

She grabbed my shoulder and whirled me around. "I don't know what's happened to you, Garrett, but you've changed. You used to be cool, now you'd rather be a loser..."

"Shut up, bitch!" Erin yelled at Vanessa. "Don't talk to my boyfriend!"

"What are you gonna do about it, bitch?!" Vanessa disdainfully shot back.

It looked like Erin was about to pounce from her seat and go for Vanessa's jugular. The sound of someone clearing his throat behind me distracted her but the angry look on her face remained. I turned and stood up to come face-to-face with a smirking Billy Jordan.

"Ooh, Garrett, your little girl looks mad. Maybe you should control her." The sarcasm dripped from Billy's voice.

"Maybe Erin wouldn't have to get so mad if your girlfriend didn't act like a total and complete bitch," I replied.

"That's harsh, friend." The grin on Billy's face was wolfish. He punctuated it with a hard slap to my injured ribcage. I sucked in my breath but otherwise did all I could to not wince or show any pain or weakness; there was no way in hell I'd give him that kind of satisfaction. The bastard knew it hurt though, damn him.

"Billy, you wouldn't want me to beat the hell out of you with half the school watching, now, would you?" I didn't want to get in a situation where I had to fight him, but I had to stand up for myself.

He just smiled, and suddenly I noticed some of his friends gathering around him. Then I heard the sound of chairs and tables shuffling, and soon felt the presence of my friends having my back. My mind flashed back to last year's school production of West Side Story that Ricky got me to attend because he had what he called a starring role, which I later found to be at best a liberal interpretation of the truth. In any event I thought we might end up conducting our own real-life rumble scene.

That is, until we saw the tall and imposing figure of Mr. Harvey, our school's principal, striding in the cafetorium. He had a reputation as fair and friendly while also capable of being a strong disciplinarian, and his reputation clearly preceded him as students stepped aside to make room for him, until he was standing right in front of us.

"Hello, Billy. Hello, Garrett. Is there a problem, gentlemen?" Mr. Harvey asked.

"No sir," we replied in unison.

"Excellent!" he exclaimed in his loud booming voice. "Glad to hear it! I trust it will remain that way. Oh, and best of luck in your big game tonight, gentlemen."

Mr. Harvey left without another word, just as the first bell rang to signal five minutes until the start of the day's classes. With that, the situation was defused. At least for now.

Quietly, everyone started to scatter towards their classrooms. I said goodbye to all my friends and walked Erin towards her classroom. I was wishing more than ever that we shared even one class together during the day, but no such luck. But I did still have just enough time to ask her something.

"Erin?"

"Yes, Gare?"

"I won't be able to see you after school because of the game tonight. I know you don't really like sports much, but I'd like it a lot if you'd come and watch."

"OK. For you, I will."

"Thank you. If none of your friends want to go, I'll understand. You can sit with my parents if you want, so you're not by yourself. They can pick you up on their way."

"OK. Be careful tonight."

"I'll try," I said, though I wasn't sure if I could, knowing how I play and how important this game was to myself and a lot of other people.

"I love you, Gare."

"Love you too, Erin."

We kissed, and I watched Erin step into her classroom, turn and give me a little wave goodbye, which I returned with a smile. I broke into a jog and reached my first classroom just before the second bell rang.

Friday, November 2nd, 6:05pm

"Five-yard curls, followed by ten-yard outs. Ready... and hut!"

Our starting quarterback, Josh Brunswick, gave me and the other skill-position players the usual pre-game warm-up instructions. I started the drill standing third in line, behind Torrey and Jamie, ahead of Brandon and Ricky, impatiently waiting my turn.

It was still nearly a full hour before kickoff. Sixty long, drawn-out minutes before we could finally get down to business. We had all sat through interminably lengthy classes where we were surely too distracted to learn a damn thing, ate a pre-game meal conducted mostly in silence, trying to will our nervous stomachs not to return our food from whence it came, and tried to concentrate as our coaches went over last minute instructions from a game plan that we all knew... or, at least, should have known... like the backs of our hands.

By this time I was just too antsy and keyed up from all the waiting, all the anticipation, all the wishes of good luck and stuff said that wasn't meant to put pressure on but you totally knew it would anyway... I had enough of all that shit. I just wanted to play. Wanted nothing more than to get out on the field, play as well as I knew I could, and whip Central Tech's ass yet again.

We all started to loosen up and get more animated when we got to the locker room and started putting our equipment on. I had to make a quick detour to the trainer's table for an extra tape job and flak jacket fitting to better protect my bruised ribs. Billy had the perfect viewpoint to watch this from his spot in the room; he said nothing but the cocky asshole grin he wore did all the talking for him.

I did feel the extra padding impede my movement slightly during the course of the drills, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. In truth I wasn't thinking about that very much. I used this time to get into that mystical "zone" that athletes talk about all the time; a mental place where I would feel ready to perform at my best. I stretched and warmed up, got used to the feel of the grass field, saw the ball cutting through the sky and felt it land solidly in my hands each time.

We finished our drills. Jamie then ran into the end zone and, when he got there, motioned for us to follow. This was our own pre-game ritual; every other group of players, from the offensive line to the different defensive units, had their own method of pumping each other up for the game, and Jamie, Josh, Brandon, Torrey, Ricky and I were no different.




Final Breath Ch. 03



From Chapter 2:

I felt sleep finally come to claim me. As it did, one question occupied my mind. What did the future have in store for us? What else could possibly happen to us, good or bad, and how would we deal with these events? My mind reeled at all the possibilities and continued to pore over them until my eyelids, heavy with slumber, drew to a close and I could think no more.

Chapter 3

Turns out, for the next couple of months, nothing happened.

Well... mostly nothing.

Certainly, in terms of the looming showdowns I was expecting, the rest of 2012 offered up very little to report in terms of resolutions.

Much to my surprise.

I spoke with Jamie on Saturday, the day after the worst and heaviest defeat both of us have ever experienced at any level of our footballing lives. It gnawed at both of us like a raw toothache. I did have the solace of the night's spectacular ending with Erin, and in the course of our conversation Jamie told me Cindy generously did much the same for him. We both counted ourselves lucky to have girlfriends who loved us enough to give of themselves so selflessly in one of our darkest hours.

Which, of course, is a fancy way of saying thank god they were there to fuck our brains out.

Anyway, after some discussion and soul searching, we decided we'd visit Coach on Monday morning, declare ourselves in violation of the terms of the "offer" he gave that allowed us to play hooky the day after Halloween, and submit to a gruelling session of running stairs.

Why? Who knows? Maybe we were both gluttons for punishment.

Coach looked shocked to see us when we showed up at his office that morning but he certainly got into the spirit of things in a hurry.

"Well, what the hell are you waiting for?! Move it!" he barked.

About halfway through the run I debated my sanity and cursed my guilty conscience. I'm sure Jamie felt the same way. When Coach finally, mercifully, called time on our run, I spent several minutes doubled over at the waist and gasping for air. Even Jamie, who was the healthiest and fittest guy I've ever known, was exhausted, laid flat on his back and staring blankly up at the sky.

Later that day, at the weekly film session conducted after classes were done for the day, Coach took a moment to tell the rest of the team what Jamie and I did, praising us for our sacrifice and dedication to the team ideals. I squirmed in my seat. I kind of wished he hadn't done that, because it was awkward as hell to receive such accolades when I felt I didn't really do all that much to deserve them. The rest of the team stared at Jamie and I the whole time, only adding to the discomfort. I'm sure they wondered what the hell was wrong with us. I know I was certainly wondering the same thing. I looked at Jamie and read his expression, and I knew he was having similar feelings. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the sour, jealous look on Billy's face, and all of a sudden I didn't feel quite so bad.

As Coach had said, we were still in the playoffs, and we still had a chance to make it a special season. Ultimately, however, it was not to be.

We responded well at first and won our first playoff game; it wasn't a complete rout but we were never in danger. Problem was, our earlier loss to our rivals dropped us in the standings enough that it meant our second game was against the perennial powerhouse football program in our state. Sure we probably would have had to play them at some point anyway, but the way it worked meant the matchup came to soon for us to be really ready for it. We still put up a great fight, but they just had too much for us, and we lost by a late touchdown. The fact that they eventually rolled to another state title and that we had given them their toughest test along the way made for small consolation.

Billy, the dumb prick, hardly looked angry, upset, or even sad in any way. If the loss bothered him at all he got over it awfully quickly. He boasted that he had several coaches and scouts from big time college programs recruiting him, and he was glad to be done with us because we were holding him back from the true stardom he felt he deserved. I was so enraged I nearly took a swing at him, but my friends held me back and tried to calm me down.

"Don't do it, Gare," Jamie pleaded. "He ain't worth it."

Billy just laughed. "Your day is coming, Garrett!" he taunted. "I ain't forgotten about you!" He turned and walked out before I could say anything else.

We hardly saw him from then until after Christmas as he dove headfirst into the whole big-football-factory recruiting process... talking with coaches, campus visits where, according to the rumours he was spreading with glee, he got wined and dined by college presidents and pretty co-eds alike... the whole deal.

He was an asshole, but very talented so he could get away with it. Life just isn't fair sometimes.

It hit me hard soon after that near-altercation that it was the last high school football game I would ever play. Same went for all my friends -- our quarterback Josh, fellow receivers Torrey, Brandon and Ricky, and of course running back and my best friend Jamie. We were all seniors, so for us that game was the end of the line. The six of us gathered for our own after-party, along with our girlfriends.

It was very gratifying to have Erin there with me. I felt her support that night would be invaluable and I wanted her to be there no matter what. She had long since been accepted by the guys, and she and Cindy hit it off well, but I wondered how the other girls would react. Josh's girlfriend lived in his neighbourhood but went to a different school, so I didn't know her at all, and while I was acquainted with the girls Torrey, Brandon and Ricky had recently started dating I really didn't know them well enough before that night to get a sense of what they would be like around Erin.

Thankfully those three weren't part of the clique that included Vanessa, the other cheerleaders besides Cindy, and the other "cool kids" that held my girlfriend in so much disdain. They were friendly to Erin, and so was Josh's girlfriend. They all got along well that night and any other time we all happened to be together during the rest of the school year, and that made both Erin and I feel good. 

Erin sat on my lap and laid her head on my chest for most of that night. Cindy cuddled up next to Jamie, and the other four girlfriends stayed close to their man as well. They sometimes added to the conversation or had side discussions of their own, but for much of the time they quietly listened to my teammates and I and enjoyed observing the camaraderie and, yes, love we had for each other.

The guys and I spent the whole night alternating between laughter over recounting old stories and good memories, and contemplating our reaching the end of an era. It was doubly difficult since all of us had already made our decisions regarding college, each one of us choosing a different destination.

At the end of the night Jamie addressed us. "Guys, our high school football careers may be over, but we still have most of the school year left together before we go off and do our thing in college. So let's make it a good one." We all shook hands and hugged and pledged to do so.

Neither of us said much as I walked Erin home. I was too lost in my own thoughts to speak. When we reached her house she kissed me and asked if I was OK. That was when my emotional dam broke.

"Erin," I sighed. "I'm going to miss them so much! They're my brothers! We've been through so much together, but soon they're going to be... gone!"

I'm man enough to admit it... I broke down and cried. It was true when I said those guys were my brothers. I never had siblings of my own, being an only child. Erin filled that void until she had to move away, and when she came back our relationship was very different, though of course no less fulfilling and rewarding. In any case, throughout my high school years I really got to know Jamie, Josh, Torrey, Brandon and Ricky very well. I'd run through a wall for those guys, and I knew they'd do the same for me. They were the closest thing I had to brothers, and they probably always would be.

Erin held me tightly to her, comforting me with her touch. She didn't say anything, and I think she understood that nothing she could have said would have really helped much. Anyway, she didn't have to. The feel of her close to me was enough. She held me until I calmed down. We shared a long loving kiss before, reluctantly, we parted ways for the night.

As for Erin's issues with Vanessa and that crowd, they were apparently put on hold as well, though it didn't stop them from making several verbal taunts and the odd idle threat. First it was midterm exams and projects, and then it was Christmas getting closer that seemed to divert their attention. Erin tried not to worry about them but I could tell the issue was there, weighing on her, always in the back of her mind, nagging at her.

On a happier note, most of Erin's circle of goth friends were happy for us that we were now officially a couple. Scarlett and Mel were especially delighted and they told me how good I was for her. I wanted to thank them for their role in helping Erin and I consummate the new stage of our relationship but I didn't really know how. They told me if I continued to treat Erin well and make her happy then it would be reward enough. I smiled and happily told them I could definitely do that.

Jackson was a bit of a different story. Not that he was mean or hostile; on the contrary when we did talk to him directly he was friendly enough and generally his quirky self. But overall he was much more withdrawn and reserved with the whole group, and especially with Erin and me.

Admittedly it wasn't really a surprise. After all, it must have been brutal for Jackson to be around us knowing that he was in love with Erin but could do nothing about it since she couldn't return to him that same kind of love. She wanted to be friends with him but no more than that because, unfortunately for him, she knew for a long time that her heart belonged to me and only me, and was finally able to find the courage to act on those feelings. I didn't really know what to say to Jackson that wouldn't sound like I was shoving his misfortune in his face, and Erin didn't know how to handle it either. So, for better or for worse, we avoided talking to him about it altogether.

Our parents followed through on their promise to discipline us for skipping a day of school, and they did it in a way that was at least a little different than the usual "grounding" technique. For two consecutive weekends, first for my parents and the second for her mother, Erin and I did any and all tasks around the house that was requested of us, over and above what usual chores we did anyway. It meant a lot of work for both of us and we were both relieved when the punishment was over. Erin and I joked with them that we were little more than their indentured slaves for those weekends. They were good sports about it; in fact they gave it right back to us, joking that if we weren't careful they would be only too happy to mete out further discipline.

Erin made sure to know which colleges were recruiting me for football so she could apply to the same ones. That list was not long. I'm a very good high school receiver but not a great one. I do know my limitations. In any case her marks were good enough to get accepted anywhere she wanted, so for her it was just a matter of seeing where I'd go so she could choose the same school. I told her I hoped she wasn't short-changing herself by limiting her opportunities. She looked at me like I was crazy, I jokingly annoyed her when I said how cute she looked at that moment, at which she just rolled her eyes. She informed me very clearly that she was going wherever I went and she would hear no argument to the contrary. She also showed me the research she did that proved all the possible choices had good, well-respected English lit programs, her degree program of choice.

That was my goth princess in a nutshell. A beautiful, sometimes puzzling but always intriguing mix of fragility, determination and intelligence.

There was a lot on our minds in those weeks between Halloween and Christmas, with very little of it coming to any sort of conclusions. But even with all that, or maybe in part because of it, the love between Erin and I blossomed even further in that time. We spent nearly all of our spare time together, sharing the mornings before classes started and the lunch hours at school, and splitting any evenings we could be with each other between my friends and hers. When we weren't together we were inevitably on the phone, talking about anything and everything, whatever we could think of to prevent us from having to say goodbye.

Erin told me she especially loved that I fulfilled my promise to always wear the ankh necklace she gave to me, for it provided further proof and encouragement that I cherished and celebrated our new life. To her, our twin necklaces showed the world that I was hers and she was mine, that we were linked together forever, and whatever deity or life force you believe in help anyone who tried to mess with that reality. The look in her eyes when she said this to me was so intense that if I ever had any doubts about the sincerity of her feelings for me, they would have vanished in an instant.

The only thing for us that suffered in this time? Our sex life.

Neither of our parents traveled out of town or left the house long enough for us to safely get together and do the deed. We couldn't make use of Scarlett's house either, like we did after the rivalry game loss. After that night the only times we were up there were when Erin and I visited Scarlett and all their friends. For the few opportunities she felt she or anyone else could safely be alone long enough to be intimate, Scarlett needed that room to see to her and Kory's needs.

Neither of us had a car or enough money to afford to get a decent hotel room or some other kind of getaway that would allow us to be alone together, and we really didn't want to lower our standards to the point of going to the really skeezy "no-tell motel" on the edge of town. We were desperate, but not THAT desperate.

We fulfilled our need for physical contact by holding hands, hugging, touching each other all over our clothed bodies when no one was watching, and kissing. Lots and lots of kissing. All of which was great and satisfying in its own way.

But of course our urges to take things further grew too strong at times to be content with such relatively chaste behaviour. So we resorted to taking risks to steal away in our high school's hidden corners and private rooms together. One time I secreted her into the guys' locker room where she gave me a quick blowjob. Another time we snuck into the girls' washroom where I fingered her to orgasm. We were too rushed to fully enjoy the experiences, but it was better than nothing.

There was also the matter of Erin going on the pill. I wondered how long that would delay things. At that point I was too horny to care; I would have gladly used condoms if even a small window of time became available for us to take advantage of. But she told me I wouldn't have to worry. She started taking the pill right at the beginning of December, and her doctor assured her that she would be fully protected in as little as one week and definitely no longer than two. I wasn't about to argue with that kind of medical science. For me, that was one of the mysteries of women solved... only about a million more to go!

Christmas came around before we knew it. As had been the custom since they moved back in town, Erin and her mother spent the day with me and my parents. Erin and I exchanged small, simple gifts for each other, and we kissed sweetly as we did so, making our parents smile at the sight. When they were in the kitchen preparing the turkey dinner, Erin whispered in my ear that she had other "gifts" to give me.

"What are they?" I asked.

She just smiled, winked and said, "You'll see."

I thought it would be forever before I got that chance.

Fortunately, I was wrong.

********

"So, where are you guys going, again?" I asked my mother. I knew the answer but I wanted to hear it again.

She smiled and said, "Just a little getaway for a few days."

From the other room I heard dad yell, "Vegas, baby!"

Mom laughed and said, "He hasn't been this excited in years!"

I was starting to get excited too, but for entirely different reasons.

"You sure you'll be OK on your own, Gare?" Mom asked sweetly.

Dad walked in the room just as he heard that. He rolled his eyes and said, "For heaven's sakes, honey, he's 18 years old! I'm sure he can handle a week on his own just fine!"

"Yeah, I think I can manage," I said.

"Well I'm your mother and I'm going to worry about you anyway!"

"Yes Mom."

She just smiled and kissed me on the cheek. "There's plenty of food in the fridge and freezer for you so just help yourself. We'll be back after New Year's but before you have to start school again. Just remember one thing, Gare."

"What's that?"

"No wild parties while we're gone, OK?!"

"Fine Mom, whatever you say," I laughed. In truth, I didn't want any wild parties. There was only one person I wanted to have over while the parents were away.

The phone rang just then, and my dad answered it. He talked for a moment before handing the phone to me.

"It's for you," he said. "I'll give you three guesses who it is, and the first two don't count!"

I smiled and took the phone from him, dashing upstairs to take the call in some privacy.

"Hello?"

"Hey Gare," Erin said in a really sexy voice.

"Hey Erin, what's up?"

"Are your parents ready for their Las Vegas trip?" My mother and father planned their getaway at close to the last minute, but in just enough time for me to excitedly tell Erin the news last night.

"Oh yeah! They're all packed up and waiting."

"Perfect! My mom should be ready to leave in a half-hour." Soon after I told Erin about my parents' vacation plans, she was equally excited to tell me her mother was leaving for a well-deserved trip of her own at the very same time, to a singles-only retreat at an exclusive Caribbean resort, courtesy of a very generous Christmas gift from her sister Beth. Ms. Henderson (or Alice, I guess I should say since she insists I do so, even though I often feel impolite calling Erin's mother by her given first name) was picking up my parents and they were driving to the airport together, as their flights were scheduled to depart less than an hour apart.

"So... your place or mine?"

"Yours. We already did my place for Halloween, and I really, really want to do it in your bed!"

"Mmmm, that is music to my ears!"

She giggled. "I thought you might like that."

"So, I'll see you soon, Erin?"

"Yes Gare," she said breathily. "Very, very soon."

We said goodbye and I hung up the phone. I willed my erection to subside before I went back downstairs.

"So is Erin coming over to visit?" my mom asked.

"Yes," I replied, trying to play it as cool as possible. "Yes, she is."

"Well you two be careful while we're all away," she said, while looking ready to cry, naturally.

"And clean up after yourselves before we get back!" Dad said with a smirk on his face and a knowing wink in my direction. "I don't want the place to reek of sex when we get home!"

"Sebastian Muller!" my mortified mother gasped, using his full name as she always did when he drove her to distraction. "Watch what you're saying!"

"What?!" dad laughed. "The boy's girlfriend is coming over and they'll have the house to themselves for a whole week. Geez, Karen, what do you think's going to happen?!"





Final Breath Ch. 03



Mom squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. "Oh, I don't need to be thinking about this!" she exclaimed. Obviously my father was much more comfortable dealing with me being sexually active than my mother was.

Before long Erin and her mother arrived. I helped load my parents' luggage into the trunk of Alice's car and brought in Erin's overnight bag while she chatted with them. I asked Erin what was in the bag but she just smirked and said I'd find out soon enough.

Erin and I said goodbye to our parents and wished them all a safe and fun trip. "Take care of Erin while I'm away," Alice told me with a funny little smile that hinted she also had an idea what her daughter and I would be up to while she was away. I nodded and promised I would take very good care of her, trying to hide my own smile over my rather blatant double meaning.

Erin and I held hands, watched our parents drive away and waited a couple of minutes to make sure they didn't come back. When we were sure the coast was clear, we turned to gaze at each other and let naughty grins spread over our faces.

"So..." I said.

"So..." she echoed.

"One whole week, just the two of us, all alone, no parents, no school, no other interruptions. Does that sound about right, Erin?"

"It sounds more than right, Gare."

"Hmmm... whatever shall we do?"

"Do you have any... suggestions?"

I smirked, ran my hand through Erin's hair and kissed her forehead. "I might have a few ideas."

Now, considering what I said earlier about the two of us having limited opportunities for sexual liaisons for nearly two months, you'd have thought we'd have already torn all our clothes off and started rutting like wild beasts. But now that we had this incredible opportunity fall in our laps, the sense of urgency had lessened somewhat. When we spoke last night, we decided to do things right and turn tonight into a romantic evening.

Besides, I figured we'd probably end up rutting by tomorrow anyway.

So I led Erin to the living room and took a seat on the couch. She did what she usually did when we prepared to make out with each other, straddling me and wriggling in my lap until she was positioned exactly to her liking. We kissed a long time, alternating between soft and sweet caresses, and passionately red hot, tongue-twisting embraces. Finally we paused and looked at each other, breathing heavily all along the way. The intensity of our love felt real and palpable, and it was awesome.

"I so can't wait to ravish your hot little body tonight," I said.

"Mmmm, I can't wait to have my strong, sexy man ravish me," she cooed in reply.

"But first," I announced, "we eat!"

Erin squealed as I quickly lifted her up and carted her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I carried her to the dining room table where I sat her down and said to her in my best Gordon Ramsay impression, "Now sit and watch, my lady, as I prepare for you a feast fit for a goth princess!"

"I still can't believe you're making dinner!" she said. "Are you sure it's safe for me to eat your cooking?"

"Hey! I'll have you know that my cooking has not killed anyone yet!"

"Now there's a ringing endorsement! You should make that the slogan for your restaurant, you'll make millions!"

We laughed at our silliness. Erin wore a cute look of amusement on her face as I made dinner. The meal wasn't anything too fancy... I'm not exactly an Iron Chef or anything... just some whole wheat pasta with ground beef and vegetables in tomato sauce and a garden salad. But it went off without a hitch, and I beamed with pride when she appeared to be enjoying her dinner.

"So, did I score some points with you tonight?" I asked.

"Well, the meal was edible, and I haven't projectile vomited yet," she answered. "That should count for something!"

As I sighed and shook my head, she popped one last chunk of tomato into her mouth and kissed my cheek with her soft juicy lips. She looked at me for a moment and giggled.

"What?"

"You looked so cute while you were making dinner. You were all domestic and stuff."

"Oh sure, be that way, little miss jokey-pants! I welcome you in my house and slave away in the kitchen so I can make you a fantastic dinner, and this is the thanks I get?"

Erin put on her most adorable pouty face. "Awww, I'm sorry, Gare. Can you pleeeeease forgive me?" She batted her pretty blue eyes for good measure.

I affected an exasperated sigh. "Fine!" I said. "I guess. If I have to."

We just stared at each other, trying to play it straight. But we failed miserably and couldn't stifle our laughter. We were both having too much fun being ridiculous and flirty.

Quickly we rinsed off the few dishes and stacked them in the dishwasher, ensuring our cleanup was completed as fast as possible so we could get to the really fun part of the night. Then we melted together in another hot embrace, kissing passionately and wrestling tongues with each other. We both sighed in pleasurable longing when we were done.

I held her hand and guided her upstairs. I led her into my bedroom, where she inhaled deeply and smiled.

"I love being in here, Garrett," she said. "It smells like you."

I smiled as I recalled this preoccupation of hers. Erin told me more than once before tonight that she found my scent to be really sexy and a big turn-on. But she never made it out to be a dirty or gross thing. Not even close, in fact. As proof of this, she also shared with me a much more innocent reason behind her fixation. For her, there was just something about my scent that evoked in her both pleasant childhood memories and feelings of comfort, warmth and safety.

Erin asked me to undress, a request I was only too happy to comply with. She purred at the sight of my naked form and traced one hand over my chest and abs.

"Such a sexy body," she breathed.

I felt her using her other hand to enclose and stroke my rapidly stiffening dick.

"Mmmm, there's that big wonderful cock I've been waiting for," she said in her sultriest tone. I let her grab my arm and bend me at the waist so she could whisper these wonderful words in my ear.

"I'm so wet right now."

With passion rising inside me, I groaned and pulled her hard to me. She squeaked over the sudden movement, but the squeak soon turned to soft, sexy sighs as I laid a trail of kisses from one earlobe across to her cheek and down the tender hollow of her neck.

"It's not fair, Erin," I said, my voice vibrating against her body.

"What's not fair?"

"That I'm naked and you're not. I think you need to fix that, immediately."

She smiled and removed her black sweater and her even-more-black skirt. I had suspected Erin had gone braless but my eyes widened as the panties I expected to see her wearing were not there. I held her tight nude body against mine. No doubt we could both feel how aroused we were as my hard cock pressed into her while her diamond-stud-like nipples were poking me and the searing heat between her legs fairly sizzled against my skin.

"No underwear," I growled into her ear. "So naughty!"

She kissed me and nibbled and twisted my lip. "You haven't even seen naughty yet!"

"I can't wait until I do. But for tonight, I want something else."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I want to make love to my sexy goth princess."

Erin beamed, the most wonderful expression of joy on her face. Her eyes watered, and she shed a single tear that left a wet trail down her cheek. "Please do it, Gare. I can't wait any longer! Please, make love to me."

She laid down on my bed and spread her legs wide in invitation. I crawled in between those legs and looked down over my precious goth princess. Her porcelain skin and neatly trimmed light blonde bush contrasted wonderfully with her dark eye makeup and her head of jet black hair. She fixed me with a wide-eyed stare of longing and she was visibly quivering with anticipation.

We were both too amped up for any further foreplay. This was the moment, it couldn't wait any longer and we both knew it. I slid my hard cock up and down her slit, gathering moisture to make for an easier entrance. I guided myself so the tip was at her hallowed opening. I locked eyes with her and, slowly but surely, moved forward to sink myself into her molten core.

The feeling of my bare hard cock in direct contact with the inside of her bare, hot, wet and tight pussy was simply indescribable.

"Oh my god!" we screamed in ecstasy, at exactly the same time.

Erin was still so incredibly tight. Her pussy gripped my cock like a velvet vise. It took a few strokes in order to fully sheath myself inside her. I held myself there, deep in her precious pink treasure, wanting to fully savour the feelings and memorize every single detail of this amazing moment... and to keep it from ending way too soon.

Erin had her eyes shut and was biting her lower lip, moaning and looking lost in bliss. My heart ached with love for her. Slowly her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at me through tears of joy.

"How does my goth princess feel?" I whispered.

"Incredible!" she whispered back. "You feel so good inside me... so big!"

"You feel incredible too! So hot and tight around me!"

"I've wanted and dreamed about having you like this for so long. So long! I almost can't believe it's actually happening.

"I feel the same way, baby."

"I love you, Garrett."

"I love you too, Erin."

We shared more loving kisses. Erin wrapped her arms and legs around me to lock me into place. "I'm ready for more," she sighed. "I want it, Gare! Please give it to me."

I eased my cock out until just the tip remained in her pussy, and then I drove it back home, eliciting loud screams of delight from my goth princess. I repeated the motions, a little faster each time, and she responded in kind, meeting my thrusts with her own.

There was so much excitement and build-up to this moment that I, unfortunately, was never going to last as long as I wanted to. Already I could feel my orgasm threatening to rise to the surface. I needn't have worried, though; she was just as excited and close to climax as I was.

Erin tightened her grip on me and screamed, "Yes, Garrett! Oh I'm gonna cum!!" I shuddered, and with a loud yell I came inside her, painting her insides white. She let loose that adorable high-pitched squeal of hers whenever she reached orgasm, a sound I never, ever got tired of hearing. She came hard, her beautiful body shaking beneath me until the waves of pleasure released their grip on her. We inhaled large gulps of air, trying to recover our breath as we intimately shared the joy of the moment.

"Thank you Erin," I said. "You are wonderful."

"Garrett," she replied, "you are more wonderful. I don't have the words to describe to you how good that was! I felt you stretching me, touching my pussy everywhere, and I felt you shoot your cum inside me. It made me feel so sexy and desirable!"

"Well, you are very sexy and very, very desirable! Watching and listening to you cum is the hottest thing ever. I want to always make you feel that good."

She just smiled at me and I smiled back at her. I didn't think it was possible to love Erin any more than I already did, but there it was.

We kissed gently, barely brushing our lips against each other, again quietly expressing our boundless love for each other. Just then I became acutely aware of our combined juices leaking out of where we were still joined together. They bathed our inner thighs in wetness. The sensation turned me on all over again. Erin shared my wavelength and I could feel her arousal spike as well.

What started off as slow and sensual rapidly heated up. Our kissing became hungrier and more urgent. She whined as I broke the kiss but I made sure her disappointment didn't last long.

"Such pretty titties," I crooned to her. I caught a pointy nipple in my mouth and licked, nibbled and twisted it, then did the same to its twin.

"Ohhhh!" she yelped and re-tightened her already strong hold on me.

Even more quickly than I expected, we were both fully aroused and ready for more.

"Gare, baby?"

"Yeah, Erin?"

"I can feel you getting hard again inside me."

"You like that, my goth princess?!"

"God, yes! I need you again! Please!"

Her desperate plea sent a rush of power surging through my system. It was incredible knowing I had Erin in my complete thrall.

"I'd love to see you on top, riding me," I told her.

"Yes, Gare! Anything for you. Just..."

"Just what?"

"Just don't let go of me."

If we hadn't been in the midst of such sexual heat I might have seriously questioned what Erin really meant by that comment. As it was it seemed so much like a continuation of our bedroom talk that I didn't place any more significance on it.

It took some effort, but I flipped over on my back while she held on and snuggled herself into me. Now that she was on top she straightened and thrust her hips up and down, riding my hard cock.

"Oh, fuck that's good!" she cried.

She leaned down again to take my head in her hands and shower me in kisses. Her tongue licked my lips and sought entry inside. I opened my mouth wide to let our wet appendages dance together. I swallowed her cute moans of delight and they only further fueled my fire for her.

"Hang on," I told Erin as an idea came to me. She clutched me tightly again and I managed to sit up with my back against the headboard. I tilted her back at a different angle, held on to her hips and slammed her down on my cock, over and over and over again.

I must have hit all the right spots. She flung her head back and howled like a banshee. The sight of her body contorted in such a wantonly sexual state mesmerized me. I hadn't even realized I stopped moving until I heard her beg for more.

"No, don't stop!" she wailed, grinding her hips on me in a frantic effort to achieve release. "Please don't stop, Gare! Fuck me! Fuck your goth princess!"

Not for the first time, her words in the heat of passion drove me to action. I quickly and easily slid her up and down my length. In this position her pussy was massaging my cock in the most exquisite way. Sexy whimpers were forced from her pretty mouth on each down stroke of the continual pounding. Her hands had reached around to the back of my shoulders, and her fingernails were now digging small crescent-shaped dents into my skin. The look of pure pleasure on her face looked almost like pure pain. She never looked more beautiful.

"Erin," I whispered, "you're so beautiful. So perfect. So close! Come for me baby!"

"YES, GARRETT, FUCK ME!!" she screamed, unleashing those words at ear-piercing decibels. She shook and vibrated on top of me and her pussy tightened its already impressive grip on my cock, squeezing all of the cum out of me. I grunted and groaned loudly and fired copious rounds inside her.

I didn't have a lot of experience to go by, but it already felt like the best sexual experience of my life to date, and it would take a hell of a lot to top it, even though I was pretty confident we'd get a lot of chances to try and do just that. 

I tried to lie back and fully relax, but it was proving more difficult to do than I thought it would be. Erin had not relinquished her hold on me. Her face was buried into my chest, her arms wrapped tightly around my ribcage, and her thighs pinned my legs to my bed. If anything she was clutching me even more tightly than before. It was actually starting to hurt a little, and in any case the rising tension made it awkward as hell.

"Hey baby," I said jokingly, trying to keep the mood light, "ease up a little, would ya?"

She didn't respond, so I gently tugged at her arms to loosen her grip. She didn't like that at all.

"NO!" she whined. "No, Garrett, please! Don't leave me!"

'Don't leave me?!' I thought to myself. 'What is she talking about?' I thought about her earlier plea to not let her go and belatedly realized there was more meaning behind it than I had thought. Then I heard her hitching sobs and noticed her body trembling with emotion. Dear lord, was she crying?

"Erin?" I asked, my concern for her rising. "What's wrong?"

She didn't answer with words. Instead she cried louder and harder. I tried not to panic, but it was hard, so hard, not to. I didn't have the faintest idea what to do. I was way out of my element.

"Erin, please! Talk to me! You're really freaking me out!"

Still she said nothing. Instead of pushing her further when clearly she wasn't ready, I gently rocked her back and forth in hopes she'd soon ride the storm out and explain to me just what in the hell was actually happening here.

At long last she stopped crying. She sighed and looked up at me. Seeing her sad, tear-streaked face made my insides churn with worry and fear.

"Garrett?" she asked, in a voice so quiet I had to strain to hear it. "You're not going to leave me, right? You're not going to break up with me and break my heart. Are you?"

"No, Erin, of course not! Why would you even think that?"

After another long pause, she answered. "You know how much I love you and how amazing our new relationship has been. You do know that, right?"

"Yes, of course I do. I'm sorry if I haven't told you that clearly or often enough."

"No, no, it's not that. It's... there's a part of me that thinks it's almost been... too good."

"Too good? I... don't follow."

"Well... you know me well enough to know my mind goes to dark places sometimes. Lately it's been convincing me that bad things will happen soon, that it's inevitable, that my life has to turn to shit because I've had it too good with you for too long. It's also reminding me of how most of the good things in my life have been or will be taken away from me. Like when I lost you the first time when I had to move, how I lost my dad to alcohol, and how we'll lose our best friends because we're all going our separate ways after high school is done. So this stupid idea has lodged in my head and I... I... dammit, Garrett, I can't shake it!"

"What idea is that?" I asked, not at all sure that I really wanted to know.

"That history will repeat itself and I'll lose you for a second time. That, now that we've really gone all the way, you've got everything you wanted out of me, and so now you'll carelessly toss me aside, break up with me and leave me forever. And I don't have to tell you if I lost you again it would just crush me and take away my will to live.

"Trust me, Gare, I don't want to have these thoughts, especially not now. I didn't plan for it to happen. But I couldn't help it. The love-making we just shared was so wonderful and was making me so happy, and then that damned dark part of me decided to show up and throw all these thoughts back in my head. These competing emotions started fighting inside me, and I couldn't control it, I couldn't keep it together. It just all spilled over and out of me, and once I started I couldn't stop myself, and now I'm a wreck and I'm about to break down and cry again just talking to you about this, and..."

"And what?"

Her sad blue eyes met mine again. "I can't live without you in my life. I need you like the air I need to breathe. But you must think I'm totally fucked up. Why would someone who has it so together like you want to be with someone as fucked up as me?"

Erin bowed her head and more tears threatened to spill down her face. Her breath hitched, and she clung to me for dear life. My heart broke for her. She deserved to be happy and to enjoy how intimately we shared ourselves with each other. Instead she was sad and confused, torturing herself with dark, ugly thoughts, both of past events that had no bearing on today, and, even worse, things that hadn't happened yet.

Things that would never, ever happen, as long as I had anything to say about it.

"Oh, Erin," I said. "My sweet, beautiful, precious, complex goth princess."




Final Breath Ch. 03



I tipped her head up by her chin so I could look into her eyes. I cradled her in my hands and looked at her in what I hoped was a reassuring way. The outpouring of her emotions affected me greatly... how could they not? I felt my own eyes tear up as I wordlessly communicated my feelings towards her. Despite her sadness she gave me a small and tired smile at my loving gaze and the multiple terms of endearment I used to describe her.

"First of all," I said when I finally felt ready to speak, "you give me way too much credit. I don't have it together nearly as much as you think I do."

"Could have fooled me," came her reply.

I could only smile weakly to Erin, sad as I was for her and her fragile emotional state. I gently kissed her on the forehead. "Erin, I want you to listen to me," I told her. "It's really important to me that you understand what I'm about to say."

She nodded for me to continue.

"Am I perfect? No. Will I do something stupid in the future to make you cry or piss you off when I don't mean to? Almost certainly. But you need to believe me when I say this. I will never, EVER, intentionally do anything to hurt you. I love you so much, and it's absolutely tearing me to pieces inside to see you in such pain. I know what you are like, so I know you'll have a hard time with this. But please promise me you'll try not to let this dark side poison you with thoughts of things that aren't going to happen. Because I'll never want to break up with you, and I'll never want to leave you. I'd do anything to be together with you forever. The only way I'd leave you is if you told me to go, and considering what you've just shared with me I don't think that's ever going to happen."

Erin buried her head in my chest for a few moments. She then spoke, and her soft voice sent small vibrations through me. "You're right about two things, Gare. One, I never want you to leave me. I love you so much I can't bear the thought of you not being in my life. I want to be together with you forever, and I'll do whatever it takes, whatever you want, so that we will be. Two, it will be very, very hard for me to not be so negative. It goes against so much of my nature, of what I'm used to doing and feeling. But for you, I'll try."

"Good. I'm glad."

"But... in the meantime... if I talk myself on to the ledge again?"

"I'll talk you back down. Every time."

"Thank you, Garrett!" she cried. She was still desperately clinging to me. "I love you so much. I don't deserve to be with someone like you..."

"Erin! Stop it with that bullshit! I mean it!"

My tone of voice definitely shocked her. She leaned back and looked at me with wide, nervous eyes. I'm sure she was wondering just what the hell I was up to. But I was not to be deterred, and I moved forward with my blunt approach.

"I never want to hear you say you don't deserve me! And what you said earlier about losing your will to live? No more of that either, or anything else like that! Never again! That shit stops right now, do you hear me?"

"OK," she meekly replied. She looked smaller than ever, almost regressing to the little girl of our childhood.

I closed my eyes and counted to ten in an attempt to calm myself down. When I re-opened them I said, "I'm sorry for yelling at you. But I can't stand to hear you talk so poorly about yourself. I won't stand for it."

"I'm sorry."

I sighed. "You know what I wish for you?"

"What's that?" she asked.

"I wish you could see yourself the way I do. If you did, you'd know how beautiful a person you are. Very beautiful on the outside, of course, but more importantly you'd see how much inner beauty you have. If you could see that then I guarantee you'd be a happier person and I wouldn't have to beg you to not let your dark thoughts control you."

"So... does that mean you don't want me to be goth anymore? Because..."

"NO! Don't do that, please! That's not what I meant at all. I don't want you to change who you are. If you did that, you wouldn't be the person I fell in love with anymore. And it is you that I want and love, including everything about you that makes you goth. I don't want some cleaned-up, sanitized version of you. Only the real you will do."

I kissed her nose at this for emphasis. I breathed deep before ending with my final entreaty. "All I want for you is to accept and love who you are, just the same way I accept and love you."

Erin didn't visibly react. I hoped I hadn't made her upset all over again.

"It's OK," I told her. "Just try for me. Do your best. It's all I can ask, I don't have the right to ask more of you than that. I just want the best for you. You deserve that, and I'll always do everything in my power to help make that happen. I love you, Erin."

She smiled. This time, it was a big, genuinely happy smile, even though more tears spilled on to her cheeks. It warmed my heart.

"I love you, Garrett," she whispered. "I think I understand what you want from me. I'll need lots of help from you, if that's not too much to ask."

"No problem at all, Erin. I'll be only too happy to help."

"Then I'll be able to do anything you want me to do. I'll do it for you, baby. I promise. And thank you. For everything."

We shared a sweet kiss. "Hold me?" she asked.

"I already am holding you," I replied.

"I know. So don't stop, OK?"

"OK."

So I didn't stop. We held on to each other, both of us knowing there was nowhere else in the world either of us wanted to be. She sought sanctuary with me, and I gave it to her, for as long as she needed it.

Only fatigue could break up the moment. And soon enough, brought on by the emotional roller coaster we rode that day and night, that fatigue slammed into us like a wall, causing us both to yawn at the same time.

"I'm exhausted," she sighed. 

"Me too," I said. "Let's get some sleep."

**********

I awoke to find myself the big spoon to Erin's little spoon. She fit so naturally in my embrace. Her soft skin felt wonderful against me. I kissed the back of her neck and she softly squeezed my hand and kissed it to let me know she was awake.

"How is my goth princess this fine morning?" I asked.

"Much better now," she replied. "Thanks to you."

She rolled over to lie on top of me. "I love being here with you, like this," she whispered. I didn't complain. I loved her being there, too.

"What do you like about it?" I asked. I already knew the answer, but I loved hearing her say it.

"Everything," she answered, knowing my game. "Feeling your sexy body on mine. Being wrapped up in your strong arms. Hearing your heart beat, and being so close to your scent. I feel so safe and loved here."

"That's because you are safe and loved here."

She smiled and tenderly kissed me. We settled back into comfortable silence. With nowhere to go and a warm bed and warm body to nestle in, we were in no hurry to move.

Eventually, Erin decided for both of us that it was time to start the day.

"Garrett?"

"Yes, Erin?"

"For what you did for me last night, for all of it, I want to reward you."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. Really. To start, I want you to close your eyes. Don't open them until you hear me go downstairs. Then, wait ten minutes before you get ready, and then meet me in the kitchen."

"Uh... what?"

"Just do it. For me. It will be worth your while. I promise."

"OK. If you say so."

I closed my eyes and felt her extricate herself from my grip. I already missed her presence. I resisted the temptation to open my eyes when I heard what sounded like her rummaging around my closet. Apparently finding what she was looking for, she left my room. I heard the water run and figured she was having a shower. I pictured beads of water dripping from her naked body and casually stroked myself as the delicious images sent the blood rushing down below.

I opened my eyes when I finally heard her descend the stairs. I stared at my alarm clock for the full ten minutes. It seemed much, much longer than that.

Finally, time was up. I hurriedly took my own shower, put on a clean pair of boxers and raced downstairs, heading straight for the kitchen. When I got there... well, I was speechless.

Erin beamed at me, spatula in hand. She was making Western omelettes, one of my favourites, and that was pretty awesome.

Even more awesome? She was wearing an old football jersey of mine, one I wore while on the junior varsity practice squad, all the way back in grade 9. The jersey barely covered her tight little ass. Her nipples threatened to poke through the mesh fabric. I was about 99.99% sure she was wearing nothing else underneath. Quite simply, she looked fantastic.

'Damn!' I thought. 'How good is my life right now?'

She posed briefly and said, "You like?"

"Erin," I answered in a husky voice, "I never made that jersey look that good!"

She saw my awakening hard-on tenting my boxers and sexily bit her bottom lip. I pulled her into my arms and ground her ass against me so she could feel my excitement. Soft mewls escaped her throat as I showered her neck with kisses. With some effort she tore herself away from me.

"Garrett," she breathed, "before we both get carried away, let me finish making these. We need to eat and save our strength for later tonight. You won't regret it."

I made a show of pretending to be disappointed, which wasn't hard because I really was disappointed. Any opportunity I had to make love to my goth princess, I wanted to take.

"You swear?" I asked.

"Swear," she replied.

Resigned to my fate, I took my turn watching Erin cook, just as she watched me last night. She flashed several cute smiles as she watched me watching her. Her small stature added to her charm and the slim tightness of her sexy body, which my old jersey only highlighted instead of hiding it, aroused me to no end. Rarely did she look more adorable than when she had to stretch on to her tiptoes to reach the pepper. Her calf muscles and her pretty little feet flexed and strained deliciously. The jersey rode up while she stretched, allowing me a nice long glimpse of her sweet ass and pussy. She held her stretch for longer than she needed to. She looked over her shoulder at me and grinned before settling back down, and I couldn't help but laugh. That little temptress knew exactly what she was doing!

She looked even more gorgeous in those moments because she was exhibiting an inner confidence that she didn't always have but was strongly buoyed by our heart-to-heart talk last night. That and the security she felt in my presence allowed her to move with a lightness of being which she usually couldn't, or wouldn't, display. I found it to be very endearing.

We cleaned up after we finished breakfast and settled in to relax for a while. The football team that represented the university both Erin and I had decided we would attend next fall was involved in one of the myriad minor bowl games played during the holidays. The assistant coach who recruited me told me a couple of weeks ago that for various reasons he couldn't invite me or many of the other new recruits to travel and attend the game live. He regretted that fact, and I'm sure I was disappointed at the time, but now, the way things turned out, I couldn't have been happier. I did watch the game on TV with Erin's OK even though watching football really wasn't her thing. Except for when I was playing, of course. She took note of the school colours and told me she liked them and thought I'd look sexy wearing the uniform next year. That thought excited both my mind and my cock.

In return, when the game was done (in which our team, unfortunately, got blown out of the water) she chose a movie on demand for us to watch. It was a "cutting-edge alt-indie-action film", as the promo described it. It was one I hadn't heard of, but it was pretty entertaining and had a lot of cool explosions and car chases.

It also had quite a number of sex scenes. For a non-porn movie, some of them were rather... graphic.

I wondered if Erin knew this and thus chose this movie on purpose, or if it was just a happy coincidence. In any case I was soon squirming in my seat, aroused by the sexual acts displayed on the big-screen TV. When she noticed she smiled deviously and fed into my desire by becoming very vocal about what we were seeing.

"Do you like what he's doing to her?" she murmured at one point.

During another passage, "Ooh, that looks like fun, I'd love it if you tried that on me sometime!"

And finally, during the climactic scene (in more ways than one), her soft, hot breath tickled my ear as she whispered these words. "I'm picturing us in that position right now. It's making me very... very... horny!"

With those words the remaining few minutes of the movie were forgotten. Erin sat herself on my lap and planted kisses all over my chest. I gasped when I could feel her warm mound on me. I reached under my old jersey and heard her gasp as I palmed a small, firm breast, proving I was right about my suspicion that she wore nothing underneath. I drew her in closer and we shared a hungry kiss. We moaned into each other's mouths as our tongues dove forward in a frantic search for contact.

Before long, with our lust for each other surfacing with a vengeance, we ran back to my room.

"Wait here, don't move... and take this damned thing off!" she ordered with sudden intensity in her tone of voice, snapping the waistband of my boxers against my skin for emphasis.

Far be it from me to argue with her. The offending piece of clothing was cast aside in seconds. I sat on my bed and waited, just as she commanded. My impatience grew as five, then ten, then fifteen, then twenty minutes passed by, with no sign of her except the muted sounds of her preparing herself coming from another room.

Finally, she re-appeared. I was not prepared for what I saw. In truth, I don't think anything could have properly prepared me.

Erin was wearing a black corset that was cinched up tightly over her midsection. It did nothing to hide her small perky tits, her fine ass or her pretty pussy; they were all exposed for my viewing pleasure. She also sported her metal-studded black leather collar around her neck, and a pair of black high-heeled boots which reached to mid-calf, and which screamed "fuck me!" The makeup on her eyes and lips was all black and heavily applied. The expression she wore on her face looked decidedly feral. She looked less like a goth princess and more like a goth dominatrix.

I wanted her. Oh, how I wanted her.

She wanted me, too, but she was showing with her dress and actions that what was about to happen would be on her terms and her schedule. I wasn't sure if we'd let it flow that way all night but for now I was willing enough to sit back and let her take charge.

Erin smirked at the look of pure desire on my face. She slowly approached, putting much more strut in her walk than was strictly necessary, but enough to ensure I enjoyed the show. Her hand gripped the back of my head as she lured me in for a kiss. Her lips tasted of black licorice.

Then, at the flip of a switch... or, more accurately, like cranking the volume control all the way to eleven... her attitude changed even more. Her face contorted into an evil grimace. She pushed me on the bed and instinctively I shifted to lie in the middle. She climbed on and slunk forward slowly with feline grace. She scratched her long black-painted fingernails over my chest and stomach, then up and down my thighs. It wasn't a gentle scratch by any means. She tore some skin off, and it fucking hurt.

"Ow, ow, OW! Hey! What the hell?!" I yelled.

She completely ignored my cries. Instead, she eyed my cock and licked her lips. She enclosed one small soft hand on it and roughly squeezed. I gasped and twitched from the aggressive contact.

"I still have my last gift I promised for you," she growled, "but I don't think I should give it to you! You don't deserve it! I'm still pissed off at you!"

"What?! Why?!"

"Back in November, after your stupid football game, I told you something, and you doubted me. I'm pissed that you'd think I'm a fucking liar!"

"Dammit, Erin, you're not making any sense! What are you talking about?"

"I was giving you a blowjob... a fucking good one too! Still I knew I'd get better at it, and I told you so. But you didn't believe me, did you, you fucking bastard?!"

I finally realized what Erin was referring to. It also dawned on me that her hostile attitude was probably an act, a prelude to something that just might turn out to be spectacular. So I played along.

"Listen, babe," I shouted, "I didn't call you a liar! I said you were already so good I couldn't see how you'd do better. Big fucking difference! You should be happy I said that but instead you've lost your fucking mind!"

She still looked sour but my logic got to her. "Fine!" she said begrudgingly. She stared again at my cock, which was still in her hand, and was still hard and throbbing. "Let's see if you're man enough to handle this!!"

Her tongue licked trails all over the sensitive head of my hard-on. She took her hand off my cock, and her warm, wet mouth surrounded the first few inches, just as she had done the previous times she went down on me. It felt just as good as I remembered. I stacked pillows under my head and laid back to watch Erin work her magic on me.

She worked up a big load of saliva in her mouth and let it drip all over my shaft, which was different. Not that I was complaining. A wet, sloppy blowjob sounded great to me.

Then, to my absolute shock, she kept taking in more and more of my cock. Her pretty black lips slid ever downward, little by little, making my cock vanish down her throat, until she had the whole thing inside, right down to the root. Her lips pressed against the base of my shaft. And her gag reflex didn't kick in, not even once.

Erin was deep-throating my cock.

Just to emphasize that fact, she swallowed a couple of times, and the tightness of her throat constricting my cock showed me a world of pleasure I never knew even existed. I was speechless and had to remind myself to breathe, so consumed was I with these new thrills.

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, she pulled her head up, sucking hard on my cock on the way until it fell out of her mouth with a pop. Some of her lipstick had smeared on to my shaft; it was now covered with black streaks. Tendrils of spit connected her to me, and she was breathing heavily. The same evil grimace she had on her face before returned. She was devastating in her beauty.

"Now do you believe me?!" she asked.

"Yes!" I yelled in response. "Yes I believe you! I... OH MY GOD!!" Whatever else I was going to say evaporated in a haze as Erin ensured my cock disappeared down her throat again. Her tongue worked overdrive, lapping and flicking at my hardness. She swallowed with my cock in her throat, shook her head around it and hummed with it deep inside her. The various vibrations and sensations were driving me insane. She had me so close to orgasm, much closer than I wanted to be so soon into this new experience. But I was merely human, not some mythical porn superstar with endurance for days. And, really, only a dead man would have been able to resist her advances.

"Fuck, Erin, I'm gonna cum!" I yelled.

She immediately ripped her head off my aching cock and held it at the base in just such a way that I wouldn't release. "Not yet!" she shouted. "Don't you fucking dare cum yet!"

I shuddered, and I'm pretty sure at least one unmanly whimper escaped my lips. We stared at each other until Erin, apparently satisfied that I would follow her orders for now, dove back down and enclosed me around her tight mouth and throat. I groaned in blissful agony and my fists tore at my bed sheets.

Just as I reached the tipping point for a second time, she prevented me from going over, in the same way as she did the first time. A sneer curled from her lips and spread over her spit-shiny face. She was clearly enjoying her role as my sexual tormentor.