The Consequences and Rewards of Playing Hookey
Chapter 15
Obstacles and Choices
Derek walked hand-in-hand with Sandy into school. “What a difference a week makes,” he thought. The reason for this thought was all around him. Girls of all classes were checking him out. He even noticed one of his sister’s friends, a senior named Emelie, was checking him out. Over the years, she had always thought of him as nothing more than Laura’s pesky, younger brother. He smiled at her. “Hey Emelie! Were you able to see Laura on Friday?”
“Only for a few minutes,” admitted the dark haired beauty.
“Hey Ams,” greeted Sandra Turner in a friendly manner.
“So Sandra… it seems that you have turned our little Derek here into a stud.”
“I didn’t. He did it all on his own. I was just the first lucky girl to figure it out,” she laughed.
Derek blushed, but he couldn’t help but laugh. He felt Emelie’s emotions. She seemed to be transmitting a mixture of lust and jealousy. “Well, Emelie. You can’t say that you didn’t get a chance with me. After all, you used to be over my house all the time. You knew I had a crush on you, right?”
“No… Yes… I mean I wasn’t sure but I thought you might,” she stammered.
“I always thought you were beautiful,” he paused. “I still do,” he added with a wink, before walking with Sandy to her locker. As they walked Sandy started to giggle hysterically.
“What?” asked Derek.
Sandy tried her best to calm down, but some giggling persisted. “You’re so mean.”
“Hey, you should have seen how she and some of my sister’s other friends teased me. She had it coming.”
Sandy grinned. “You’ve learned your first rule of meanness, grasshopper. “
“And what would that be, Oh ‘Sensei of Meanness’?”
“Revenge can be fun,” she laughed.
Connie caught up to Brett in the hallway.
“Brett, I was hoping to see you last night, but I’m really glad you called instead,” husked Connie.
“I’m sorry. I’m just involved in an important project, so I had to attend a meeting.”
“I trust this project won’t interfere with us getting together soon,” she smiled, leaning into him.
“After the… end of the week…it shouldn’t,” he stammered before adding, “What’s really going on here, Connie?”
“What do you mean, sweetie?”
“I mean did you really mean what you said yesterday… I mean about us?”
Connie sighed. She looked around for teachers and when she saw none, she leaned in and gave Brett a deep, smoldering kiss. Soon their tongues were dueling. Since Brett was a novice, he let her control the kiss. He felt her hands on his ass, as her tongue explored the inside of his mouth. When she broke the kiss, she grinned at Brett’s goofy look. “Does that answer your question,” she asked with a smile.
All Brett could do was nod.
“So, do you want to hook up?”
“I... think I need to go…” he blurted as he ran toward his locker.
Connie smiled. She could tell that she had melted the poor boy’s brain. She knew he would come around. She had confidence in her looks and charm and she could fell Brett’s arousal during the kiss. She knew he was painfully shy and perhaps she had come on too strong. Anyway, she knew it was inevitable. He would be hers. His family was wealthy. He was smart, loyal and cute. “What more could I want?” she laughed to herself.
Unfortunately for Brett only moments earlier, Suzanne Rowan had come out of the girl’s room in time to see Brett and Connie kissing. She quickly ran back into the bathroom, got into a stall and began to cry. She sat there crying, as the bell rang. She had had a content life until Sandra Turner stepped in and messed it all up. First having feelings for Brett and then Sadie about to die, she cried for the next ten minutes before reporting to Homeroom late.
“Mr. Fitzwater, Derek Carson is here to see you,” said Mrs. Gunderson, one of the office secretaries.
“Does he have an appointment?”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
Roscoe Fitzwater was both concerned and intrigued as to why Derek would come to visit him. “Please send him in.”
When Derek got into the office, he saw the very large, gray haired man behind his desk. “Hello Mr. Fitzwater. I’m glad you were willing to see me on such short notice.”
“Well, Mr. Carson, to be honest I’m not sure why you are here. I don’t believe that you are one of my students this term.”
“No. I’m still with Mrs. Seales.”
“Then what brings you to see me?”
“Actually, I’m here for several reasons.”
“Well don’t just stand there, son. Please elaborate.”
Derek paused trying to sense the man’s mood. It was surprisingly confident, though it was tinged with some anxiety. “First of all, you may know that Sandra Turner and I are close friends… very close.”
“I was not aware of that. Of course I don’t tend to get involved with my student’s personal lives unless I have cause. Mr. Carson, should I have cause to get involved in Miss Turner’s personal life?” he both lied and threatened.
“No. In fact From now on you need not worry about Miss Turner at all. Miss Turner will be transferring to Mrs. Seales, effective immediately. I’ve already asked Mrs. Seales and she seemed to think you wouldn’t object.”
“Well, Mr. Carson, I would object. In fact I would and do object greatly. Miss Turner is a promising young student, but she is underperforming in school and needs the firm hand and continuity that I provide her,” he said, as his lip curled into a supercilious sneer.
“First of all, we both know that Miss Turner is one of the best students in the junior class. She is hovering around the top ten for class rank.”
“That may be so, but she has the intellect and knowledge to be in the top five. I would be thrilled if she could pull her marks up enough to get into an elite college.”
“Funny. That is not what she said about you.”
“What did she say?”
“She stated that you would write unfavorable letters to the Deans of Admission at several schools she is applying to.”
“She must have misunderstood. I said that I would not be able to write her a favorable letter if she didn’t bring her grades up,” he said before adding, “I really don’t think I should discuss Miss Turner’s business any further.”
Derek was impressed with the man’s story. He thought, “I guess you can’t be as big a pervert if you can’t find ways to cover your behavior.” He decided it was time to increase the anxiety that the guidance counselor felt. He found the thread of anxiety. He could try to increase it all at once, but he thought that doing it gradually would reduce the headache he was going to feel. It would also seem to be a more genuine anxiety increase. “Well, I appreciate your concerns, but the change is underway. In fact Sandra is meeting with Mrs. Seales as we speak.”
“Well, as the Head of Guidance here I will not allow this change to happen!” he yelled, as his increasing anxiety mixed with his anger at Derek.
“I thought you might say that. That’s why Sandra’s parents have made a request to the principal that this change be made.”
“Did they say on what grounds?” asked Fitzwater, barely hanging on to his composure.
“Why would they tell me? I’m only her boyfriend.”
“If they don’t have a valid reason, then I won’t allow the change.”
“You know, while I don’t know for sure, it does remind me of a question I’ve always wanted to ask you.”
“What?”
“Why do most of your students have big breasts?”
Derek saw the big man get really red in the face and he exploded, heaving his massive girth out of his chair, stumbling to his feet, with only his desk to keep him upright. “Get out of here!!!!” screamed the guidance counselor. “Go to the office now!!!!!!!”
“I’m leaving and I may get into some trouble for this visit, but I think you ought to know that I plan to sit down with my mother, Councilwoman Carson. She’s working with Mr. Seales, the chairman of the board of Ed. As you know, he is Mrs. Seales’ husband. Anyway they’re looking into why so much sexual abuse falls through the cracks at this school. After talking to you and my girlfriend, I think I know why,” threatened Derek, as he walked out the door. He went to the office and waited to be disciplined by the Vice Principal.
“A week’s detention?!” exclaimed Sandy, before she was shushed by the librarian.
“Yep. I volunteered to work it off in Fitzwater’s office. I don’t think they appreciated the irony,” laughed Derek. “Anyway, when they called home my Mom was ticked, so now she’s on the warpath. The Vice Principal is willing to delay the punishment until he’s had a chance to interview Fitzwater. My guess is the pervert will back down once he realizes that he could get into trouble himself.”
Sandy smiled sadly. “If he doesn’t?”
“We’ll deal with that then.”
“So, first baseball game, huh?”
“Yeah. It’s only really a scrimmage, but it is away, so you guys will need to take the bus home tonight.”
“OK… Derek?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry you got stuck with this.”
Derek looked around the library and then he pulled Sandy close and he kissed her hard on the mouth.
When he broke the kiss, he looked at her. “What happens to you happens to me. I’m not going to let some three-hundred pound tub of lard exploit the woman I love. If he gets in our way, I will take the son-of-a-bitch down.”
Suzanne hung around after school. Brett was in his prom committee meeting. When it wrapped up, Suzanne walked in and saw Brett and Connie talking. She had been miserable all day after witnessing the kiss. Now seeing the two of them together, something snapped.
“So please call me tonight. We have a lot to talk about,” said Connie.
“I do have that other project I was telling you about,” reminded Brett
Connie smiled. “Come on honey. Blow it off. For me?”
Suzanne strutted in and grabbed Brett’s arm. “Sorry. This week he’s busy. You can have him next week, but for now I need him!”
“Well aren’t we a ‘Bossy Betty’,” laughed Connie.
Suzanne flashed an angry expression. “You heard me. Leave him alone!”
“Suzanne…” started Brett.
“That’s OK, Brett. Your kid sister needs help with her homework. What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn’t let you help her,” laughed Connie.
“Connie!” yelled Brett, but it was too late. Suzanne burst out the room crying. Brett flashed Connie an angry look and then quickly followed Suzanne.
“Wait! Suzanne!” yelled Brett, as he caught up with her.
“Leave me alone!” she cried.
“Please. Listen to me.”
“Why should I?”
“Because, I’m your friend.”
All of a sudden his words began to resonate. Suzanne collapsed into his arms and started to cry. “I saw… you… kiss her.”
“Actually she kissed me,” corrected Brett. “But you told me I should go for it with Connie.”
“I know. I’m an idiot. I say a lot of things I don’t mean.”
“You’re not an idiot. But you sure were being foolish about me.”
“Why would you say that?”
Because you know how much I care for you. Now I know you feel the same.”
Suzanne’s eyes widened. “You do? You want me?”
“I do. But I need to know how you feel.”
“I… love you.” she blurted.
Brett took her head in his hands and engaged in the second French kiss of the day and for that matter, his life. Suzanne had her first.
Boys had tried to kiss Suzanne like that in the past, but she wouldn’t let them. Now Brett was taking her and her head began to swim. She felt heat and passion she never knew existed. It was like a damn of frozen water had thawed, leaving her completely vulnerable to her new feelings.
When Brett broke the kiss, she was grinning ear-to-ear, despite her tear stained face.
Brett smiled. “So… wanna be my real girlfriend?”
“Yes!” she screamed excitedly.
He smiled and took her hand. They walked to the front of the school and waited for his Mom to pick them up.
Connie saw her second prospective boyfriend being taken away from her and she just shook her head. “What’s the matter with me,” she murmured glumly.
The score was three to three with two outs in the last inning. Derek made an error on his first chance as he booted a grounder. Since then, he had played a stellar game in the field. He had a clean single up the middle on his first at bat followed by a ground out. Now he was looking down the line at third to see Jon Sizemore taking a lead off the bag. Jon had sharply singled to left and then advanced to third on two consecutive outs.
Derek saw the third base coach indicating for the runner to break on contact and Derek was a good contact hitter. With the count one ball and no strikes he got fooled on a change up and hit a slow chopper down the third baseline. Jon managed to avoid getting hit by the ball, as the ball deaden close to him in fair territory. He streaked down the line, as he got closer to the plate. It was obvious that there couldn’t be any kind of play on him. Everyone’s eyes were on Derek Carson, who was busting down the first base line. The third baseman was charging the ball and would have a tough play but managed to field the ball cleanly. He then made an off balance throw. While the throw appeared to be on line, the third basemen could not get a lot of velocity, because the throw had to be made across his body. At the last second, Derek sensed by the reactions around him that it would be close. He stretched out just as he was about to hit the bag.
He wound up beating the ball by a step. His infield hit allowed Wilson High to take the lead. When the next hitter struck out, Wilson High took the field hoping to preserve their one run lead. After Dean Flynn struck out the first two hitters, Derek robbed the King of Prussia batter of a single, as he caught a looping fly ball over his shoulder. Final score 4-3, Wilson High. As he ran off the field, he got a pat on the back from Jon Sizemore and was mobbed by a few of his teammates.
On the bus senior pitcher Dean Flynn asked Derek to sit next to him.
“Dude, I just wanted you to know that the team threatened to riot if the Coach didn’t reinstate you. Marco and I went into his office Friday and told him how screwed up our infield defense was without you. I just want to thank you for showing him we were right.”
“Well, not on my first chance,” laughed Derek.
“No, but you flashed some great leather after that. I probably wouldn’t have been much better than Costello if I had to play short.”
“Well, I’m just glad to be back. I missed you guys.”
“We just wanted you to know how much your hustle and effort mean to us. You aren’t the fastest guy around, but you busted your gut to beat out that winning hit. That kind of thing is inspirational. I know Sizemore doesn’t like you, but that’s his problem. The rest of us are glad you’re back,” he smiled.
“Thanks.”
“Well, at least one of my problems is out of the way.”
“You have problems?” laughed Derek.
“Yeah. Now that the team is fixed, I’ve got another problem,”
“What’s up?”
“I have to get a date for the senior prom.” he laughed.
“That shouldn’t be a problem for you. You got a baseball scholarship to Michigan, right?”
“Yeah. People don’t realize how brilliant I am,” he laughed. “I guess I’m a bit down. I was kind of going out with a Varsity cheerleader and she agreed to go to the Prom with me. This morning she said she couldn’t because she was going out with somebody else.”
“Well, you may have heard that I’m going out with Sandra Turner…”
“I know. I heard. I don’t know whether I should congratulate you or give you last rites.”
Derek laughed. “That was witty. I guess you are pretty smart.”
“See?”
“Well, Sandra isn’t as bad as Jon or the others let on.”
“Are you saying you tamed the ‘Queen of Mean’?”
“Nope. She just has a blind spot when it comes to me, I guess.”
“Well. I’m hoping she can tell me why Carlos Ruiz dumped Maya Ramirez to go out with Traci.”
“Traci Williams was your girl?”
“We had just started going out. I never figured she was that into me, but I was kind of counting on her to be my Prom date.”
Derek shook his head. Flynny was a good guy and it looked like “Operation Free Maya” had some unforeseen collateral damage. “Dude, I don’t know what to tell you.”
“You’re pretty tight with Maya now, right?”
“Yeah. But if you want me to put in a good word for you, I think it would probably be a waste. After what Carlos did to her, I’m about the only guy she won’t kill right now,” said Derek. “You know, I can talk to my girl and see if she can put out some feelers.”
“I’d appreciate it.”
“Why do you need help. You have everything going for you. You’re smart, popular…”
“Yeah, but believe it or not, I’m not exactly a lady’s man.”
“I’m not either…”
“Says the guy dating the hottest girl in school.”
“That’s no incredible feat. Based upon her reputation, I’m the only guy stupid enough to go out with her,” laughed Derek. “Seriously, we’ll figure something out.”
“Thanks Bro.”
“So still no word from your Dad?” asked Suzanne.
“He was hoping one of his clients, who is big on animal issues, might step up but he wasn’t sure.” replied Brett.
Carrie and Tom walked into Brett’s bedroom to join the others.
“Well, Carrie and I hung up some more posters,” announced Tom.
Carrie wore a glum expression like the others in the room. “We’ve also mentioned that we could take up a collection for the surgery. So far nobody is willing to contribute based upon her health.”
“She’s not going to make it is she, Brett?” said Suzanne, as a tear ran down her cheek.
“We can’t give up, honey. We’ll find a way.”
Suzanne smiled despite her tears. “I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I love you for everything you are doing and I’m so glad you are a part of my life.”
Brett hugged her. Carrie and Tom looked bemused. “Is something going on with you two?” asked Carrie.
Suzanne smiled brightly in Brett’s arms. “Yeah. I finally realized what an idiot I’ve been just before it was too late.”
“What?” asked Tom.
“Why don’t we show them, honey,” said Brett, as he leaned over and started a passionate kiss with Suzanne, who quickly began to return it.
Not to be outdone, Tom grinned at Carrie and she launched herself into his arms. Soon both twins were moaning into their girlfriends’ mouths.
“So I hear you were the star of the game,” grinned Sandra, as she pulled her sweatshirt and sports bra over her head.
Derek pulled off his jeans and boxers and sat on Sandy’s bed. “I wouldn’t say “star”. Flynny and Jon hit homers. I did make a few pivotal plays.”
“Don’t know if you heard the news. Guess who Brett is going out with?”
“Connie?”
“Ahhhhhhh,” laughed Sandy making an ‘incorrect answer’ noise while pulling off her sweat pants and panties in one motion.
“Suzanne?”
“Bingo. She admitted to him how much she cared for him. Now the ‘Ice Maiden of the freshman class’ is hot for our little friend.”
“Told you, so,” he grinned, as he pulled her naked form on top of his.
“You know, gloating is not an attractive characteristic in a man.”
“OK. Instead I’ll say, I alerted you to that fact.”
Sandy laughed. “Now that just sounds pompous.”
“Or I could say…”
Derek lost the voice to respond when Sandy affixed her mouth to his in a deep soul kiss, before guiding his shaft into her liquid core. “You may always be right, Derek Carson, but my hot pussy always wins.” she moaned into his mouth between kisses.
“I surrender to your hot pussy.” he moaned back, as she climbed on top of his supine form and began to ride him.
Derek marveled at the beautiful girl riding him. Despite technically being his slave, she was his equal and perfect mate in every sense of the word. He was sure to treat her that way. He was positive that the only reason she liked being his slave was that she was in love with him.
Soon she was a blur, frantically pushing and pulling her body up and down. “Oh!” she cried as her climax hit. Derek grabbed her hips and made her go even faster while he fired into her.
In the afterglow, Derek pillowed his head on Sandy’s sizable chest. “So we’re sure about Brett and Suzanne?”
“Yeah, Carrie called me and told me.”
“So that means Connie is at loose ends.”
“Again,” laughed Sandy.
“Very interesting.”
“What?”
“You know Flynny…Dean Flynn?”
“Yeah…the senior baseball player.”
“When we sicked Traci on Carlos, we kind of messed up Flynny.”
“How?”
“He was going out with Traci.”
“Oh… I guess she had just started going out with him because she didn’t tell me.”
“Do you think Connie would like him?”
“A handsome senior baseball player…”
“Not to mention a smart guy. Anyway, he’s looking for a date to the senior prom.”
“Well, I used to know Connie, but it looks like ‘Miss Prim and Proper’ is turning into a big slut. My guess is that she’s still overcompensating for losing you.”
“Well, you know she never really had a chance,” grinned Derek.
“So, do you want me to set them up?” asked Sandy.
“Yeah. Flynny is a good guy. I think he could go for Connie.”
“I’ll arrange it in the morning,” she said before kissing him, as they started to get dressed.
“It’s not Saturday night, hot stuff,” laughed Ilsa Nilsen as her husband fondled her large breasts in the afterglow of a rare, passionate midweek night.
“Who says I can’t make love to my beautiful, sexy wife every night,” smiled Sven, as he leaned in and kissed Ilsa.
“Well, I’m not complaining and I wouldn’t if we do this more frequently.”
Sven laughed. “Then it’s a date.”
“Well, as long as we don’t wake up the kids.”
A sad, pensive expression came over Sven’s face.
Ilsa seldom saw this expression on her husband’s face. Usually it was reserved for a problem he couldn’t work out or something he couldn’t fix. The reason Sven seldom wore the expression was because there were indeed few problems he couldn’t work out or things he couldn’t fix. “What’s wrong dear?”
“When you just mentioned the kids, I started thinking about Sadie.”
“The dog from the shelter?”
“Yeah. Tomorrow is the last day to find someone to take her before… ”
“I guess you weren’t able to place her with that client?”
“No. They felt the risks were too great to pay for the operations. It wasn’t the money so much as the possible suffering to the animal. There is one last possible client that I’m meeting with tomorrow; John Richardson.”
“The President of Erie Mutual?”
“Yes. Remember the party he and his wife threw last summer?”
“Yes. They were lovely people from what I recall.”
“His wife, Pamela, is involved in a number of philanthropic organizations. Among them are several pet rescue operations.
“Sven, is it wise to ask such a favor of one of your biggest clients? Would these groups be more willing to help than the one from today? Who would be willing to front the money?”
“All good questions,” he admitted. “First of all, it’s not so much the money that is the issue. The Carson’s and Turner’s would be willing to front forty percent of the cost each; if we can pick up the remaining twenty. I figured you wouldn’t mind.”
“Of course I don’t.”
“The problem is that both Rick Carson and Maggie Turner have dog allergies. Rick’s is pretty severe. I agree that John and Pamela are long shots. I think the only real chance for Sadie is…”
“Please don’t say it, Sven!”
“I won’t. I know so much of the household chores and responsibilities fall on you because I’m away so much. I know it’s not fair.”
“No, it’s not. We can’t turn out lives upside down for another dog. Couldn’t Ms. Endicott take care of her if our group agreed to cover the cost of the operation?”
“No. Suzanne told me that it would not be fair to Sadie in terms of quality of life, to be stuck for the rest of her days at the shelter. There is a chance that even if she survives, she might require medication that the shelter would not be able to cover.
Tears ran down Ilsa’s face. “Please don’t ask me… I can’t bear it… not again!”
Sven remembered what Ilsa was like after they adopted Shadow. The puppy was a real handful and nearly caused his wife to have a nervous breakdown. “Of course not, my love! We’ll find away. If not, then this is an important lesson for Brett to learn. I just feel sad for Suzanne. The dog seems to be one of the few constants in her life… well at least she has Brett now.”
“I’m so proud of him for sticking with Suzanne. I really like her, you know?” said Ilsa.
“I know. I do too. I think our boys have done very well for themselves with their new girlfriends,” he yawned, before lying down next to his wife and pulling her into his arms.
“Me too,” said Ilsa, as she lay there, eventually falling into a restless sleep.