Driving Lessons

Chapter 13

 

I took her in the mouth before we went back to the car, and again in the car, this time in her cunt. I don't know if she slept or what in the back seat. I parked near Piacevole's and joined her.

The blanket was over us, she naked, me with my pants down by my ankles. We did it slowly and went to sleep afterwards, me still in her.

We didn't bother with her needs, I wasn't concerned with giving her orgasms. I think we both wanted our relationship to take a new form. I used her like the others this weekend, though perhaps with a little more care and thought. For me, also, the ashes of my feelings for the girl colored how I wanted to act with Marianne. I'll never know if it was the right thing, to lose her and take back the girl below me. Too much had happened in that hallway for me to ignore our special affinity, even if it existed for only a moment.

I woke hard in Marianne and fucked her. I felt her wake under me and remembered her words about strangers at Joe's coming in her cabin when she was asleep and doing whatever they wanted. I was no different, except I had greater knowledge of both the body and its delights and the person who was fascinating to be with.

She wrapped her arms around me, thrusting against me. After I finished I could see she'd been crying, was smiling now. Back then I thought it was because of us but now I wonder if she ever saw her family again. If she was sure of the crazy decision she was making, especially knowing what idiots Paul and his cohorts were. They were powerful, from backgrounds enjoying more wealth than mine, graduating into a prosperous livelihood, marriage to a beautiful wife and having two good-looking kids. One of those kids maybe twenty years from now would end up being someone like Marianne, a special person with extraordinary desires that demanded satisfaction.

"Does Paul have a girlfriend?"

She nodded, hugged me closer then pushed me away. "Is Piacevole's open yet? Not really a girlfriend."

"That's the girl I traded you for."

"You're kidding me. I need to sit up. You're just saying that."

"So if Paul decides to trade you for the Sigmas' slut, what then?"

"He gets his girlfriend back. I'll make sure they won't ever do that. Not a permanent trade. Are they open?"

"The lights are on. It's early yet."

"Go see." She bent and searched for the bottle, twisted off the cap. "Go on."

I knocked on the window and the owner opened the door. "There's someone who needs to talk to you. Can you wait a second?"

He didn't say a word, held the door slightly open. I brought Marianne and he let us in. "Go on back."

"I need a thousand dollars," Marianne said. She held the blanket to her neck.

"Go on back." He locked the door and followed us to the kitchen. "I'm making dough so say it quick."

"I have a car parked in front. The rest, well," she lowered the blanket a bit. "I need the money by next Saturday. Not a loan. I'll work for it."

I said to him, "I'll stay with her until something's decided." He looked back at her.

"The car's in my name. Brian can show it to you."

"I know the car. Five hundred."

I noticed a viscous dollop rolling down her leg, a thin string attached somewhere above.

The owner took her and they were gone for fifteen minutes. He came back to the kitchen. "Okay, you. You're Candy's friend. That girl—"

"Marianne."

"That girl says you can drive. There's a job here, four to ten, sometimes later. Seven nights a week. I think you want to take it. Be here at four to start. If that girl gets the money she wants you'll drive her to where she wants to go, missing a day of work. No pay for that. You're back on Sunday, no fooling around. Understand? She could take a bus. Understand?"

"Thanks. I—"

He looked at his watch. "It's getting late. Take the car to school. Be back at four. No fooling around."

"Thanks."

"Do your parents know where you are?"

I shook my head.

He rolled his eyes, pointed to the phone on the wall. "Call them. You're a dumb kid, you know that?"

"Thanks."

"I'm too busy for thanks. Be ready to work at four."

I made my call. There was no yelling. Mom handed the phone to dad which surprised me. Dad and sixty others got laid off Friday. I was to come home for sure, no delay, after school. I told them I had a new job and had to be at work at four. There didn't seem to be much surprise there either. I didn't tell my parents I loved them, not ever. I didn't tell them then. I didn't realize, either, how worried they'd been, seeing the writing on the wall about the plant.

I made it to my first class without a detention and managed to stay awake. I could hardly wait for lunchtime and Candy.

Candy was waiting for me. She was dressed up and didn't have her books.

"Hi, Brian."

I sat beside her. "A sight for sore eyes."

"You heard? About the plant?"

"Your dad, too?"

She nodded, looked away, turned back to me. "There's a way for me to get money. Mom's sick about it but it's the best thing. I quit school."

I took her hand and she shook free of me. "No. Brian. I mean it. Listen. I can't see you any more."

"What do you mean? You're not—"

"At Piacevole's, no. I'm still a virgin and I have to stay that way and I can't have a boyfriend. Understand?"

"No."

"I didn't think you would. I shouldn't have come." She stood and backed away. "I wanted to see you one last time. No. Stay back. Don't touch me. Look." She held out her hand. "I've taken what I feel for you and closed it up tight." She curled her fingers. "Tight." She held up a fist. "And buried it deep in my heart." She thumped her chest. "Here. Where it's turning everything to stone, cold stone inside me. It's almost killing me. I had to tell you so you wouldn't think I'm happy somewhere, enjoying this. I'm not."

"Candy, don't—"

"But realize after a few minutes I won't ever think of you again. How—" She wiped her face. "I shouldn't be here. This isn't working as I planned. Did Jethro give you the job?"

"Jethro?"

"Piacevole's owner. You know."

"Yes. I start at four. I thought—"

"I won't be there. I hope never to see you again. I have to go now. Brian. Stop. Brian, take good care of Marianne. She likes you."

"She's—"

"Sit down. Please. I want to walk away without you following. Stop. If you touch me, I'll tear what's in my heart, I'll tear it out and it'll turn to ashes, we'll all be ashes. I'm not saying this right. Touch me and you'll be dead to me forever."

I sat. "Look, Candy. Maybe with this job?"

"You have a family, too. You'll meet some nice girls but Marianne's the nicest. Don't let her drink too much. It's not good for her. Do something, don't watch me. I—" She turned and walked away.

I watched her walk down the hall, turn the corner and disappear.

This is the part of the story, which like all stories, has endings mixed with beginnings. I was aware of the endings at those moments, not aware of the beginning that had already started. Perhaps more than most people's my life has been like this. I never settled down like Paul with his beautiful wife and two kids. I think what I've had has been much richer. Paul hates his wife. I've never hated any of them.

I skipped school the rest of the day, spent the afternoon before the first night of work with my parents. I'm glad I did but that's not part of this story.

When I got to work at four, the first thing I told Jethro was that I wanted ten percent of my pay to go to Marianne.

He gave a look of disgust, said, "Stupid kids," and that was that. I was paid each day, minus ten percent and I trust Jethro applied it to her thousand. Stupid kids is right.

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