Storiesonline.net ------- Spirals by Lellan McLemore Copyright© 2007 by Lellan McLemore ------- Description: Meet John Robinson, high school senior. He's ready to get out of his small town and move on. His senior year is full of challenges. Codes: mf Mult slow rom teen cons non-con het ------- ------- Chapter 1: Opening Salvoes I already regretted agreeing to help my big sister out. Being a waiter wasn't my favorite thing to begin with, and waiting tables at a fancy country club wedding like this one was even worse. However, an event like this was a big deal to Tracey, who was working hard to make her catering business a success. I also love my sister, so when she asked for my help, I said yes. That 'yes' had landed me here, working a gig for my sister among people who didn't even seem to see the help unless they needed another bottle of wine. So far things had gone relatively smoothly. Tracey had planned for a lot of 'what if's, so she was in good shape, even when groom told her that a dozen 'old friends' had agreed to come to the wedding at the last minute and would need to be fed. She'd even had cold bottles of beer ready when those same friends had derisively dismissed the offer of wine. I had just finished clearing the last of the dinner dishes when I heard the band begin to play for the bride and groom's first dance. Tracey smiled and told me I should take a break. I think she could tell that I was tired, restless, and bored. I wandered out back and sat down on one of the chairs around the pool. It was a humid August night and I loosened my bow tie to cool off a bit. I could feel myself falling asleep, but I was too tired to fight it; I had been up late the night before. The chair was too uncomfortable for me to really fall asleep, so I just sat there, buzzing in and out of awareness. I don't know how long I sat there dozing, but I came wide awake when I heard the doors to the reception open. I could hear two people whispering, hissing their remarks at one another. I turned towards them and could see a man and a woman silhouetted in the light from the reception. The conversation continued as the man closed the doors quietly. When he finished, he turned and grasped the woman by the arm, dragging her closer to me. I'm not sure why, but something about his manners, or rather lack of manners, had me quietly getting up out of the chair. "You'll do what you are told, young lady," the man hissed. "Don't think that you can tell me what to do! You may have married my mother, but you are not my father," the woman shot back, pulling her arm away from his. The two glared at one another. Well, I knew who they were now. The man was the groom, Charles Langley. He was a washed up baseball player who had come back to town and wooed the widow of one of the town's richest men, Annabelle Harmon. That meant the girl had to be Missy Harmon, Annabelle's only daughter. Everyone expected Missy to be head cheerleader and prom queen when school started back up in the fall. It would be our senior year at Ridgemont High. Me, I'm John Robinson. To say that Missy and I don't run in the same circles would be an understatement. In fact, I would have been surprised to find out that Missy even knew who I was. My sister, Tracey, and I were not exactly members of the elite of Ridgemont. "You'll heed me nonetheless, Missy. Now get back in there and dance with Junior Bishop." "I wouldn't dance with that octopus if he were the last man on earth." "Look, young lady. Tonight, you are going to dance with Mr. Bishop. Starting tomorrow, you are going to date Mr. Bishop and sometime next summer, you are going to agree to marry Mr. Bishop." "Not a chance, asshole." "This isn't up for discussion, Melissa Langley." "I will NEVER be Melissa Langley, asshole." Missy's head rocked sideways when Langley's hand connected loudly with her face. The veneer of civility left his voice. "You will learn not to mess with me, you little bitch! Compose yourself and get your ass back in there." Langley raised his hand again and I decided that I'd seen and heard enough. I grabbed the hand. "Enough, Mister. Go back to the party." Missy took the opportunity to run into the shadows, and I could hear her sobbing off to one side. "Get your hand off me, son. And get out of my business." "Yes, sir," I replied, letting go and moving between him and Missy, "but I think your business here is finished for now." Langley clenched his fist, but he nodded curtly and returned to the reception. When I was sure Langley was gone, I turned towards the sounds of Missy's sobs... I found her about twenty feet away, hidden in the deepest part of the shadows. "Are you okay?" I asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged, still sobbing with her back to me. Her shoulder was warm beneath my hand. The dress she wore was strapless and light purple, I remembered. I was sure there was a better word for the color, but I sure as heck didn't know it. I used my hand on her shoulder to gently turn her to face me, and I hugged her. Missy didn't resist, and she was soon crying openly in my arms. I knew a lot of guys at Ridgemont would have given anything to have Missy Harmon in their arms, but for whatever reason, I didn't even consider who she was at that moment. I wasn't sure what I was trying to accomplish here, or even what I wanted to accomplish, but Missy needed someone to comfort her. So I did, holding her, rubbing her back and whispering reassurance into her ear. Gradually, she stopped sobbing. "You need to get back in there, Missy. They are sure to miss the Maid of Honor eventually. Come on, there's a bathroom over here. You can fix up your makeup and stuff." "Thanks," she whispered, and after she was in the bathroom, I headed back to the kitchen. It would soon be time to serve the cake. I shook my head. This had been a long night, and the episode with Missy added a bit of unreality to it. The rest of the evening went without a hitch. A couple of other women who were interested in her catering service had approached Tracey, and she was overjoyed at the thought of another booking. Seeing Tracey smile made my efforts worth the hassle. Missy wore a smile the rest of the night, too, but hers was pasted on, and she adamantly refused to dance with anyone but the best man and her uncle. She never so much as glanced my way, at least not that I saw. I sighed to myself and shook my head. What had I expected? Missy had no idea who I was — she and I were from different worlds — and she probably thought that providing a shoulder to cry on was one of the things the hired help did. That made me laugh, and by the next day, things seemed to have returned to normal. ------- I was sweeping aisle seven, cursing the four year old who had tossed a bag of flour out of her mother's cart, when my broom ran into a tennis shoe. I looked up to see Missy Harmon standing in front of me. "I wanted to thank you for last night, John," she said, smiling when I looked up. "It was nothing, Missy," I replied, leaning on the broom a bit and wondering when the world had tilted off its axis. Missy Harmon actually did know something about me, even if it was just my name. "No, it wasn't. And I won't forget it." She leaned over and kissed my cheek. "I need to go. I'll see you around." "Yeah," I said, still shocked. As she walked away, I absently touched my hand to my cheek and wondered why it felt so hot. Missy Harmon had kissed me! I watched Missy with new eyes and more than a little interest as she walked away from me. She was an attractive girl, and the way her backside looked in those tight blue jeans made me wonder for just a moment what her backside looked like without those jeans. Then she was gone, and I gave myself a little shake, self consciously looking around to see if anyone else had noticed what had happened. The aisle was empty, thank God. There was no one else to see it, but I went back to work a little happier than I'd been a few minutes before. ------- Nothing terribly interesting happened the last couple of weeks of the summer. School started, and I was as ready as I could get for another boring year at Ridgemont High. I knew I was just biding time. I didn't have the 4.0 GPA some of the true geeks did, but my 3.74 was respectable. I'd taken the SAT in the spring and between my SAT score and my GPA, I was a lock to go to State. They already had my application and barring disasters, I would be accepted in the spring. I even had two scholarships lined up. Tracey dropped me off on her way to the country club. She had a meeting with one of those two prospective clients over breakfast. It was just another school day. Teenagers in all shapes and sizes made their way into the huge building in groups of twos, threes and fours. I ran into Bobby Sherwood and Ken Anthony on the way in, and we talked about our summers as we made our way to our first class. AP English wouldn't have been my first choice to start off the day, but it could have been worse. I was early, so I grabbed a seat near the middle of the class and watched as the usual suspects wandered in. I knew most of the kids and smiled and nodded as most of them greeted me when they came in. I wasn't really surprised when Missy Harmon walked in. On top of all else, she was a smart girl, and had been in many of the same classes as me the previous three years. After my two encounters with her, though, I looked at her a bit more closely than before. She wore her light brown hair in her usual ponytail. Her jeans were tight around her hips. She held her books in front of her and said hello to most of our fellow classmates. "Mind if I sit here, John," she asked, nodding toward the seat beside me. "Be my guest," I replied a little surprised. Missy usually sat with Gail Carson and Jackie Weathers, two of the other cheerleaders. Someone had certainly turned the world on its axis a bit two weeks ago, and apparently I had been wrong in thinking it had returned to normal. I guessed that maybe being nice to her at the wedding maybe did mean something to her after all. I knew it wasn't my good looks or charm. I didn't realize how much the world had skewed until lunch. Bobby sat down across from me and stared. Then he shook his head. Then he stared some more. "Okay, I give," he said finally. "What's up with you and Missy Harmon?" "What?" "Come on, she sat next to you in both English and World History." "So?" "John," he started laughing. "John. She didn't sit with Gail or Jackie in either class, and they were both there before her. So out of the blue she purposefully went and sat next to you." "I repeat, so?" Bobby shook his head again. "Okay, man, but something must be up. I mean, no offense, dude, but why would she want to sit next to you?" "Must be my good looks and charm." Bobby laughed. "Maybe it's just because he's a nice guy," Missy said, putting her tray down next to me. "Mind if I sit?" I shook my head and laughed. It was my turn. I think Bobby's eyes bugged out of their socket. Missy sat. "Are you going to the game this weekend, John?" Missy asked as she cut into the slab of tomato covered stuff the cafeteria had the audacity to call chicken parmesan. She managed to make it sound casual, like a question she asked me all the time. "Probably." I was a bit wary, I admit. "What about the dance afterward?" This time she focused on me. "I wish I could, but I doubt it. I have to be at work early Saturday." "That's too bad." The rest of lunch was filled with small talk. Missy talked to Bobby and Ken as well. It was usually just the three of us at lunch. I noticed a bunch of people staring at our table as if one of us had grown three more heads. Bobby and Ken hustled off to fifth period PE, leaving Missy and I alone for a moment. I took a deep breath and gathered my nerve. "So, what's going on, Missy?" "What do you mean?" "I mean why are you sitting here instead of with the rest of the cheerleaders? And what about English and History? I mean, despite what you heard me tell Bobby, I know it's not my good looks and charm." "Well," she stalled. "It could be. I mean you're not ugly and you are a nice guy." "Uh huh? And the questions about the game and the dance?" "Not too subtle, huh?" "Not really," I replied. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you, mostly just curious as to why the world is spinning a little differently this week." Missy gave me a long look that I couldn't interpret, and then she smiled. "Let's just say that you showed me something at the wedding, something I've never seen in the guys I've been around. I decided that you could be a good friend. And I think I'm going to need one this year. I hope you don't mind." "I don't mind at all. In fact, I'm flattered. I'd like to be a friend, but are you sure? I mean it's not like we really travel in the same circles." "No, you're right about that, and yes, I'm sure. Oops, time to go. Thanks for letting me join you for lunch. It was different and fun." She smiled and I remembered again how truly beautiful she was. "See you later, Missy." I watched her walk away, feeling really great. Missy Harmon not only knew my name, but actually wanted to spend time with me! I couldn't believe how much that meant to me, and I knew I was going to have to do some thinking about that. I felt good about myself, even more so because I hadn't clammed up like I usually do around girls. Missy was giving me a lot to think about, but for now, Calculus awaited, so off I went. I'd like to tell you that Missy pulled me into a Janitor's closet between sixth and seventh period for some mind blowing gymnastic sex, but that was only in my day dreams. Just the fact that Missy was now in those dreams made me shake my head. ------- Chapter 2 The rest of the week went by with no new incidents. Missy sat next to me in a few classes and even walked next to me between a few of them. People stopped commenting and accepted that Missy and I were now friends. At lunch, Missy went back to sitting with the rest of the cheerleaders. The world's axis tilted back toward what passed for normal around here. Friday came and went with little to recommend it. I showed up for the football game and sat with Bobby and our other friends. Some of us were glued to the game. Some of us spent a good portion of the game ogling the cheerleaders in their tight sweaters and short skirts. Even the oglers cheered for Junior Bishop, though, as he ran over the Loganville defense to score four touchdowns. Bobby was more excited by the game than I was. "Junior's gonna lead us to the title this year," he shouted over the crowd after the fourth touchdown. I just smiled. And after four years of college, Junior would be back here in Ridgemont selling cars, I knew. I also knew that I did not want to come back to Ridgemont after I graduated. What I really wanted was to find a job in a big town accounting firm or bank and to move up the corporate ladder with a wife and 2.5 kids, living the American dream. Well, maybe it was just my dream, but it was one I wanted to attain. The game was over quickly enough. Ridgemont won 34 to 16. I headed home to get some sleep. I needed to be at Hardesy's at 7. ------- The weekend was fairly humdrum, no more or less than the usual, at least for me. Ten minutes into the school day and it was obvious that it had been a momentous weekend for others, though. The whispering started before I got to English. I knew by the time lunch rolled around that the story would be incredible. I smiled as I listened to Ken relate what he'd heard. "No, really, Robinson. It's true; I heard it from Peter Hawkins. He was telling a bunch of people. Mary Jo Mason was one hot bitch at the Lake Friday night." Bobby interrupted, "Didn't you date Mary Jo a couple of years ago, Robinson?" Ken nodded. "Yeah, they went to the Spring Formal together." It was common knowledge. I nodded. "Yeah, we dated for about three months, sophomore year." "Yeah, I remember," Bobby said. "You dumped her after she was caught making out with Joe Norris in the boy's locker room." I shrugged. "Anyway," Ken continued. "Mary Jo did a striptease and then took on half the football team. She's still walking funny today." I tuned Bobby and Ken out when I saw Mary Jo walk into the cafeteria. She's still the same honey blonde fox she was sophomore year. I watched as three of the football players approached her. She didn't look happy. Heath Boardman, our middle linebacker chased those guys away. I watched as he talked at Mary Jo. It looked like she was searching for a friendly face. I caught her eye and smiled. Despite what Ken and Bobby said, Mary Jo and I had split amicably. We were still friends, sort of. I watched as Mary Jo shook her head at something Boardman said to her and then started toward our table. Bobby and Ken had their backs to Mary Jo and were still talking about the Lake party when she stopped in front of me. "Can I talk to you, John? Privately, I mean?" I looked at Bobby and Ken, who thankfully got the message. "We gotta go, anyway, Mary Jo. Gym class beckons. See ya, Robinson," Bobby said as he and Ken got up and headed out of the cafeteria. I gestured and Mary Jo sat, sighing. "Thanks, John. You don't know how much I needed you to smile at me. I guess you heard about Friday night?" "I'd have to be deaf not to, Mary Jo. Are you okay?" "You mean with Friday night? Yeah, it was fun. I could do without some of the whispering and the come ons, but I guess you have to take the bad with the good." "I wasn't surprised, in case you are wondering." "I didn't think you would be, John. You know me better than most. And don't think for a moment that I don't appreciate being able to sit here and talk to you without you trying to get in my pants." "Been there, done that," I joked. Mary Jo laughed. Hers was a hearty laugh not a giggle or a smirk. "So what's on your mind?" I asked. Mary Jo froze for a second and took a deep breath. "I was hoping you would take me on a date this Saturday night." I hadn't seen that one coming. I almost choked on my pop. Mary Jo didn't hesitate. She continued, "I know I told you I'm not the girl for you, John, and I still believe that. Right now, though, I need a friend to help me out, and I didn't think you were dating anyone at the moment." "I'm not." "Good. Look, I need someone to be my date this weekend because Heath Boardman is pushing for a repeat performance, and I'm really not interested in that. Once was fun and satisfied my curiosity. Twice would be stupid. So, are you free?" "For you, Mary Jo? Sure. What do you want to do? Dinner and a movie?" "That'd be great. I know Tracey's probably catering, so I'll pick you up about six?" "You got it, Mary Jo." "Thanks, John. I knew I could count on you. I gotta go. Talk to you later, okay?" I waved and headed for Calculus. ------- The whispers and gossip had pretty much settled down by lunch on Tuesday, replaced by whispers and gossip about some other 'scandal' involving a teacher. Ignoring the latest buzz, I was contemplating my lunch, a tomato based concoction that I'd promised Tracey I'd try for her, when Bobby plopped down at the table almost breathlessly. "You doing anything Friday night, John?" This was serious business if he was calling me John. "No, I've got a date for Saturday night, but I'm not doing anything Friday night. What do you have in mind?" "Betty Lou Carter finally agreed to go out with me, but I have to get Amy Sue a date. You like Amy Sue, right?" "Sure, she's cute. A little shy, but there's nothing wrong with that. Okay, I'm game. What's the plan?" "Thanks, John. You're the best. I'll let you know at lunch tomorrow. Any chance that you can drive?" "I'll check with Tracey tonight and let you know." Bobby nodded. He looked at me nervously and then over at Betty Lou. He had a serious case of like for that girl. "Go," I said. "You don't need to keep me company. I can handle eating lunch alone." Bobby looked at me once more, shot me a grateful smile, and then got up and headed for Betty Lou's table. ------- Things worked out in Bobby's favor. Betty Lou and Amy Sue agreed to the double date. Tracey had a date Friday night, so she said we could use the Bronco. It was definitely better than squeezing into Bobby's pickup. Bobby and I picked the Cooper twins up at six and headed for Toni's Pizza. Bobby and Betty Lou were soon lost in their own conversation. Amy Sue looked at me and smiled. Amy Sue Cooper will never win a beauty contest, but she has a beautiful smile. Drawing her into a conversation was hard work, but the smiles were worth it. By the time the pizza arrived, I knew that this was Amy Sue's second date. We talked about this and that, the dramas of high school life and what we wanted afterwards. Like me, she was set to go to college next year. Amy Sue wanted to be a research technician. The twin's mother was struggling with breast cancer and Amy Sue wanted to find the cure. I thought that was great. It earned me another smile. After the pizza was gone, we headed to the movie theatre. Unfortunately, there was nothing showing that interested anyone. After some discussion, we decided to go for a drive. Bobby suggested the Lake, but Betty Lou shook her head. I drove out to the overlook south of the Lake. We parked there. Bobby and Betty Lou whispered for a while. I looked over at Amy Sue and asked her if she'd like to go for a walk. She agreed. "Thanks, John," Amy Sue said as soon as we were away from the Bronco. "I figured we'd be in their way," I replied with a bit of a laugh as we sat down on a picnic table. "Yeah," she sighed wistfully. "Aren't you having a good time, Amy Sue?" "Yeah. I, um, just wasn't sure what to expect." "Really? You said you'd been on one date." "Well, it didn't go so well." "You don't have to say anything else, Amy Sue." "I know, but I know I can trust you, John." She sighed. "I, um, wasn't ready for the first date to get physical so quickly. I kinda panicked when he grabbed my boob and shoved his tongue down my throat. We weren't talking or anything, he just reached out and pulled me close and then kissed me and started grabbing." "I'm sorry it didn't go well. I promise there will be no grabbing tonight." "Somehow, John, I didn't think you'd grab. You, I mean, um. I, um..." It was dark, but I would have bet the farm that Amy Sue was blushing bright red. I decided to rescue her. "I don't think boobs should be grabbed, Amy Sue. Caressed, teased, licked and sucked, yes, but never grabbed." Amy Sue covered her mouth and laughed. "Mary Jo was right, you are definitely the sweetest guy in Ridgemont." Well, that answered a few questions. "Did she happen to mention that we are going out tomorrow night?" I asked. I didn't want Amy Sue to be surprised on Monday. There are several people who would happily tell her about my date with Mary Jo just because it might hurt Amy Sue or cause me problems. Some people seemed to live off other people's pain. "Yes, she did. I think it's sweet that you'd do that for her. I mean, everyone knows that she treated you badly sophomore year. I'm glad that you could get past that and help her out." I glanced down at my watch. It was getting close to time to head home. The girls and I had a ten o'clock curfew. "We need to get heading back to the Bronco in a minute or two. Is there anything you were hoping would happen tonight that didn't, Amy Sue?" She looked at me for a moment and swallowed. "I, I was hoping you'd, um, want to kiss me?" she said in a rush. I smiled and leaned forward. Our lips met in a soft kiss that held some promise. Her lips felt good as they moved against mine. There were no fireworks or explosions, just a nice warm feeling. "Like that," I whispered as we rested our foreheads against one another. "Mmmm, yeah. Thanks, John." We sat there for a moment and then headed back to the Bronco. Just before we got there, Amy Sue grabbed my hand and turned me to face her. "I, um, I'd like to do this again, John. Maybe without Betty Lou and Bobby?" "I'd like that too, Amy Sue. Next weekend?" "Friday night? I baby sit my cousins every Saturday night." "Sounds good. I'll talk to you at lunch on Monday." I said that very loudly. Amy Sue looked at me as if I'd suddenly grown an extra head. The Bronco shook and there was a rustling and whispered conversation as I opened the door for Amy Sue. Bobby and I walked the twins to their door and kissed our dates. The light came on quickly and we parted as the front door opened. Amy Sue and Betty Lou waved as their father ushered them inside. ------- Saturday's date was interesting to say the least. Heads turned everywhere we went. Trust me, they weren't looking at me. Mary Jo looked great in her short denim skirt and pink tank top. I found myself working hard not to stare at her chest. Other people didn't seem to care as much as I did; Mary Jo was definitely braless. She finally sighed and asked me if I minded skipping the movie. She drove out to the Overlook. "I can't believe people sometimes, John," she said as she put her Mustang in park. "I've either got Typhoid, or I'm the hottest drug on the planet. The girls treat me like I have Typhoid. Some of the guys do too. The other's think that I'm gonna drop and spread my legs if they ask." "Damn, you're not? Shoot and I was so hoping," I teased. "Oh, John!" she hissed. She slapped my shoulder. She turned back and stared out the windshield. "Hey, Mary Jo, I'm sorry! I thought you'd know I was just kidding. Are you okay, Mary Jo?" I asked. She turned in the seat. I looked down to see her bare thigh in the moonlight. She smiled when I looked back up at her face. "No, don't apologize, John. I'm the one who should apologize to you. I'm really sorry about how badly I treated you two years ago, John. You didn't deserve it. I know you said you forgave me, and that we're still friends, but I really could have handled things much better." I started to protest, but she held up a hand. "No, let me finish, John. You were the perfect first boyfriend. You were polite, considerate, loving, and attentive. You showed me how good things can be. I don't think I could ever thank you enough for that. But I knew that you and I would never work. You are going places, John. You're smart. You're good with people. You need a woman who can help you get to the places you are going. I couldn't. I still can't. When I figured that out, I should have told you straight out instead of jumping into bed with Andy. I was young and foolish, though, doubly so for what I did. Besides hurting you, well, boy was Andy a mistake." She chuckled for a moment. "Clueless?" I hinted. "Remember the line from that Bowie song you like? 'Wham, bam, thank you ma'am?" "Sufferegette City." "Yup, that was Andy. You really spoiled things for me for a while. You showed me how good sex could be. I've been struggling to find that again. Last weekend at the Lake was good and bad. Some of the sex was really good. I mean, I came more and harder than I ever have. But those six guys were clueless. Individually, they couldn't have gotten me off once. I'm just lucky that I talked Heath out of my anal cherry. I can't imagine doing that with him. It's not that he's big or anything, he just isn't gentle at all." "I'm not sure I really needed to know all that." "Maybe not, John, but I needed to talk about it. You are such a sweetheart. With you, I know I'm safe. You know me better than anyone. We shared so much in those three months. Despite what I feel, what I know, about how poor a match we'd ultimately be, I really miss that, really miss you. I know you're dating Amy Sue Cooper and I'm not going to between you. I just needed an excuse not to meet Heath tonight. I don't have any interest in repeating that." "I'm glad I was able to help," I replied smiling. Mary Jo reached out and touched my cheek. She leaned forward and soon our lips met. I remembered in an instant what it was like to kiss her, and for a moment it was easy to pretend it was sophomore year again. With a sigh, I knew that we were never again going to be more than friends, but damn that girl could kiss! My toes were tingling by the time she leaned back. Her hand dropped to my lap and I knew she could feel the growing hardness there. She looked in my eyes. "I talked to Amy Sue this morning. You are just what the doctor ordered for her. She's not ready for anything more than a few kisses and a caress or two. Thank you for being just what she needed last night." "I didn't know you two were such close friends." Mary Jo shrugged. "We're not, really. She is one of the few girls that even talks to me, though, and I am grateful to her for that." "The odd couple." "Yeah, sort of, but, you know, we aren't competing with each other. Neither of us have anything to fear from the other. You are probably the only thing we have in common." "You mean besides being two of the cutest seniors in Ridgemont?" "Flattery will get you nowhere, John." "Damn." I gave her a grin. Mary Jo stared at me for a moment, and then leaned forward and kissed me again. This time I could see the desire in her eyes when we parted. She sighed. "Damn, you can still get me horny just by kissing. Look, Amy Sue and I talked about this. I know we aren't going to be more than friends, and that you and Amy Sue are dating, but I need this. I need you. I need you to be with me. I need..." I needed to shut her up, she was babbling, so I kissed her, hard. I sighed again and hoped that Amy Sue would understand. Then I stopped thinking I let my little head do my thinking for me. I pulled Mary Jo out of the Mustang and grabbed the blanket she had in the back seat. She sighed as we lay down on the blanket. Neither of us said a word; our lips did our communicating for us. I caressed her back. She ran her bare foot up my calf and thigh. My hand dropped to her soft, bare thigh and slowly traced the soft curve up under her skirt to her lacy panties and back. Mary Jo leaned back and grabbed the hem of her tank top and lifted it out of the way, displaying her soft breasts and their hard nipples to me. I smiled and leaned down, licking first one and then the other. Mary Jo pulled at my shirt and then my belt as my hands roamed across her thighs, her ass, and her moistening panties. It wasn't long before we were both naked and panting. I reached over and pulled a condom out of my pants. Mary Jo nodded as I rolled it on. She rolled onto her back and spread her thighs. I knelt between them. I leaned down and whispered, "I thought you said you weren't going to spread your legs." "You didn't ask, I did," she hissed as I rubbed my cock between her moist lips. She moaned and grabbed at my ass, pulling me closer. My hips surged forward. Her hips raised to meet mine. And then I was lost in that age old rhythm. Our groans and moans filled the air around us as we drove each other slowly up toward the pinnacle and then over it. I collapsed beside her on the blanket, struggling to get control of my breathing. "Thank you, John. That is just what I needed." "Me too," I replied, kissing her nose. We lay there quietly for a while, just enjoying the quiet night. After a bit, we dressed and Mary Jo drove me back to my house. She pulled into my driveway and put the car in park. She grabbed my hand. "Thank you, John. This night was everything I'd hoped for and more. You are a special man." She kissed my lips softly and then drove away when I turned towards the house. ------- Chapter 3 It was Monday again, I was running late, again, and the masses were in an uproar about something, again. As late as I was, though, I didn't have time to find out what. I barely made it to English on time. Amy Sue smiled as I hurried past her to sit next to Missy. I made it through the morning classes without finding out anything more. Bobby and Ken were arguing about something when I reached our usual table. "Fuck off, Anthony!" Bobby said, grabbing his tray and heading out of the cafeteria. "What was that all about?" I asked a very startled Ken. "I was telling Bobby about the Lake party and he went off on me. I mean I agree that it's hard to believe that it was Betty Lou Cooper that took on the football team at the Lake, but I didn't think I deserved that." "You are sure about Betty Lou?" "Well, as sure as you can be about something like that. Hawkins was telling a bunch of guys about her before school started. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her today, and she's in my English class." "Lay off Bobby, Ken. Apologize if you see him. Trust me on this. Bobby and I went out with the Cooper twins on Friday. I think he's serious about Betty Lou." "Oh, crap! No wonder..." Ken frowned. "Damn, I better go find him. See ya later. Thanks, John." Ken left and I contemplated the tuna casserole in front of me. I heard someone lay a tray gently on the table and looked up. Amy Sue sat down in front of me. "Is it okay if I sit with you, John?" "Absolutely." Amy nodded and looked down at her lunch. She didn't say anything for a while. I looked around the cafeteria and noticed a bunch of stares and whispering. When I looked back at Amy Sue, she was looking at me. "You heard about Saturday," she said matter-of-factly. "Well, not really. Ken told me what this week's whispering is about, but he didn't go into any detail." "Betty Lou," Amy Sue said softly. When I nodded, she continued, "It's true, I guess. Betty Lou didn't come with me to our cousins. When I got back home yesterday, she asked me to leave her alone. She hasn't left the room since, not even for dinner last night. I talked to her a bit last night. She's having trouble dealing with what she did. And she's worried about Bobby and his reaction, especially after how their date went Friday. Betty Lou likes him, maybe more than likes him. I'm not sure she knows exactly. I don't know what she did Saturday night, or why, but it's tearing her apart. It's not like Betty Lou to do something like that. It's not like her to shut me out either. I'm so confused. I want to help, but I don't know what to do." I nodded. "I'll talk to Bobby some, but I think it would be best if Betty Lou talked to him. They need to get things straightened out between themselves. Maybe you could get Betty Lou to talk to Mary Jo Mason. She might be able to help with things." Amy Sue nodded. "Um, I, um, shoot. I'll understand if you don't want to go out with me now." I put my hand on Amy Sue's. She started and looked up at me. "I still want to go out with you Friday. Nothing your sister did would change that. Do you still want to go out?" Amy Sue smiled. "Yes, very much. Thank you, John." ------- Tuesday came and Bobby was still out of sorts. Ken had apologized, but Bobby was still pissed off. I wasn't able to talk to him before class, so I resolved to see what I could do at lunch. Mary Jo grabbed me right before lunch and pulled me outside. "What's up, Mary Jo?" I asked when the door closed. "Things are so screwed up, John. I talked to Betty Lou last night. She made a big mistake and it's eating her up." "Bobby isn't too pleased either." "That's the problem, John. Betty Lou is scared that Bobby won't like her now. She was on top of the world Saturday morning. I tried to tell her what going to the lake with Peter Hawkins meant, but she wouldn't listen. She's just lucky it was only the three of them. You know, Heath, Peter and Junior. The problem is they didn't treat her nice. She thought it would be fun, like Friday night with Bobby. Well, she found out different. She didn't come to school yesterday, not because of the whispering, but because she's got a couple of marks from the Lake." "What can I do? I'm not trying to hurt you, Mary Jo, but it sounds to me like she did to Bobby what you did to me two years ago. I know how he feels, and it's not too great. I don't know what they said to one another Friday, but I'd bet money that she didn't tell him about her plans for Saturday night." "We got past it." "Yeah, mostly because we both realized we weren't going to be a couple anyway. But it still hurt, bad, Mary Jo. Mainly I got past it because you made the first move, coming to apologize." "I think I can get Betty Lou to do that, but I need you to get Bobby to listen and not freak." "I'll do what I can. Is Betty Lou coming to school tomorrow?" "No, she's coming back Thursday." "Good. See if you can get her to come to the overlook after school today. I'll try to make sure Bobby is there." "You really are the best, John." Mary Jo kissed my cheek and hurried back into school. ------- School ended and I hurried out. I needed to catch up with Bobby. He wasn't out when I got to the parking lot. His pickup was there, so I waited. Tracey had a meeting today, so I expected to walk home. "Hey, Robinson," he said as he opened the door. "Missed you at lunch." "Yeah, I got pigeon-holed, sorry." "No big deal. Need a lift?" "Yeah, if you don't mind, but not home." "Sure thing, where?" "The overlook." "You meeting someone there?" "You could say that." We drove in silence. I tried to think of a good way to start this, but nothing came to mind. And then we were there. I could see Betty Lou sitting on the picnic table. So could Bobby. "What the fuck?" Bobby stomped on the brakes and turned toward me, angry. I put my hands up. "Just talk to her, Bobby. She knows she messed up, but she got hurt too, Bobby. She still likes you, and she's afraid she's going to lose the best thing she had. Trust me on this. I'm not asking you to do anything but listen and be nice, but you two need to talk. I'll walk on home. But trust me, even if you decide you don't want to see her again, listening to her is the right thing to do. That's all I ask, okay?" Bobby's jaw was clenched tight. I knew I was pushing our friendship to its limits. I opened the door and looked back in. "Think about it and what I said. I'm going to talk to Betty Lou for a minute and then I'm gone. I'll see you tomorrow." Bobby nodded and turned to look at Betty Lou. Betty Lou looked up as I walked toward her. I don't think I'd ever seen her this nervous. Her hands were shaking as she stood up and wiped them on the seat of her jeans. "You okay, Betty Lou?" She nodded. I opened my arms and she collapsed into my hug. "I don't know what to say, John," Betty Lou cried. I pushed her back and wiped the tear that trickled down her cheek. "The truth, all of it, even the parts that you are ashamed of. Bobby needs to hear it all from you. Anything short of that and he'll be gone. It may be too late already, but we won't know if you don't try. He is worth it, isn't he?" "God, yes," she whispered. Betty Lou nodded to herself and straightened up. "Thanks, John." I waved at Bobby as I walked away. ------- Wednesday came and with it some tranquility. Bobby and Betty Lou sat at the end of the table at lunch, talking and looking very much like they could work things out. Kenny and I gave them the space that they needed, feeling the need to needle Bobby only once or twice. Nothing remarkable happened on Thursday and Friday was heading that direction as well. Bobby and Betty Lou were smiling as they headed to the dance after the football game with Kenny and his date Janet Farmer. Amy Sue was quiet until we were seated in a booth at Toni's. She turned in the booth and got a serious look on her face. "John, I need to ask you something and I hope you won't be mad or anything." I nodded. "I really enjoyed going out with you last week and I'm having a good time tonight," she started. "But?" "But I, I'm not sure how to say this. I don't want to hurt you. You've been so nice to me and what you did for Betty Lou. I'll always be grateful for that." I smiled. "You don't need to thank me for that. I was happy to do it." "Mary Jo is right, you are the best, but I don't think you are my best. Wille Parker asked me to the game and the dance next week and I really want to go. I told him that I would tell him on Monday whether or not I will go with him. I wanted to tell you before you heard it from anyone else." I smiled. "Thank you, Amy Sue. Go to the dance with him if you want. I enjoy your company, but I won't hold you back." Amy Sue kissed my cheek. "Thanks for making that easy, John." ------- Monday rolled around again and like the past Monday's, this one was filled with whispers about the Lake party on Saturday. These whispers were worse. I didn't know the girl in question, Carly Marks, but the whispers had branded her a slut and whore, claiming she begged for more when the boys were exhausted. I didn't believe the whisperers for a moment, but it was apparent that most did. The morning classes flew by in a rush. Lunch was a big let down. Bobby and Betty Lou were wrapped in their own world. Kenny was off sick. Amy Sue and Willie Parker were playing footsie. I was bored, so I left the cafeteria behind and wandered through the halls. I was restless and I was sure I knew why. My friends were pairing up, preparing for that next step in life and I was, at the moment, by myself. I paused at the door to my Calculus class and was about to slide down the wall and wait for class to start when I heard a sob from other side of the hallway. I looked over and saw a small girl sitting on the floor with her hands around her legs and her head on her knees. She was quietly crying. I didn't sit down. I sighed and walked over to her side of the hallway, leaned back against the wall, and let myself slide down until I was sitting next to her. "Hi, I'm John Robinson," I said when she looked up at me. "I couldn't help but hear you crying. Is there anything I can do?" She shook her head so hard that the tip of her brown ponytail almost hit her face each time. "Are you okay? I mean you aren't hurt, physically, anyway?" She shook her head again. "So there's nothing I can do to make you feel better?" "C-c-can you t-t-turn b-b-back t-t-time?" "Not the last time I checked. And believe me I can think of a few times when it would have been handy." She smiled, sort of. It was a wry smile, but it was nice to see. I handed her my handkerchief. Mom had always told me to keep one handy. The girl nodded and wiped her face. "I don't remember seeing you around here? Are you new in town?" She nodded. "You wouldn't happen to have a name?" "C-c-carly M-m-marks." Well that explains a lot, I thought to myself. "I'm pleased to meet you, Carly." "S-s-sure. You just want..." That was as far as she got. The tears were back. I instinctively reached out and pulled her into a hug. I tried to soothe her. "Sshh, Carly. Yes, I've heard the whispers, but I have learned not to believe the story of the week..." Carly cried for a bit and then finally settled down. I looked at my watch. The bell would be ringing any minute. I stood up. "Come on," I said, holding my hand out to her. Carly looked at me nervously. "You don't look like you need to be in class this period. I know a spot where we can sit and talk, if you want. Sometimes it helps." "O-k-k-kay," she stammered, grasping my hand. I escorted her quietly outside and around the corner of the building. The air handlers and the two classroom buildings made for a quiet place where interruptions would be at a minimum. It could get dicey if the cheerleaders decided to just hang out in the shade, but for the most part it would be private. I slid down the building and dropped my books beside me. Carly frowned and slid down beside me. "So, Carly Marks, you are the new kid in town, so to speak. And if I believe the rumors about Saturday, you are a sophomore." Carly nodded. "And on Saturday you were introduced to a few of our local celebrities who treated you a bit less than hospitably?" Carly nodded. "And to make matters even worse, you have a speech impediment," I stated matter-of-factly. Sheer panic filled Carly's eyes. "Relax, Carly. I don't think any less of you because of it. But I'd bet the farm that your hosts on Saturday used it to ridicule you a bit." "Y-y-ou have a g-g-gift for understatement, John," Carly said with a little less stutter. "I take it the stutter is more pronounced when you are nervous?" Carly nodded. "Do you want to talk about Saturday night? Did they hurt you, physically?" Carly frowned and studied her shoes for a minute or two. The she took a deep breath. "I-I-I d-d-don't know why, but I trust you, John." She took my hand in hers and turned to face me. I turned as well. Her stutter all but disappeared as her story tumbled out. "I was so happy at Toni's on Saturday. I mean two boys actually noticed me and were talking to me. I couldn't believe it. I mean they were popular boys too." "Heath Boardman and Junior Bishop?" "No, Heath and Peter Hawkins. It was wonderful. Neither one said anything about my nervous stuttering. They said nice things, and I relaxed and didn't stutter any more. Then they invited me to a party. I called my mom, but she and Dad were out. I left a message. And we got into Heath's car. It was so neat sitting between them. Peter kept telling me how beautiful I was and he was caressing my thigh. I'd never been out with a boy and it was so new and exciting. I was tingling, especially, you know, d-d-down t-t-there." I squeezed her hand and she smiled sadly. "When we got to the lake, Peter kissed me and wow." "Fireworks?" "Yeah, and then some. We kissed for quite a while. I felt this tingling in my boobs, and when I glanced down, Heath's hands were on them, squeezing them. It felt good, kind of. I tried to push his hands away, but Peter caught my hands and pulled them to his butt. I was scared and my stuttering came back with a v-v-vengence. Peter laughed. Called me C-c-carly. I tried to pull away, but I couldn't; I was trapped between them. And then Heath unbuttoned my shirt and Peter began kissing my neck and I couldn't breathe. I was caught between them. They undressed me, well, I guess Heath did that while Peter kept kissing me and holding me close. And then Peter pulled back. I tried to yell, but it came out with the stutter and I don't think anyone could understand me. They laughed and said the stutter girl really wants us bad. Heath must have dropped his pants, because I felt his thing against my butt. Oh, God, I didn't want my first time to be like that." She collapsed into my arms in tears. "I t-t-tried to stop them. I t-t-tried to say n-n-no, b-b-but before I could say anything, Peter pulled my head down and jammed his thing in my m-m-mouth. I couldn't believe it. I mean I'd heard of oral sex and stuff, but I wasn't ready for any of that. And then the pain. I almost bit Peter's thing off when Heath pushed his thing in me. They laughed at me. Who would have believed that the dumb bitch was virgin. Dumb bitch, it was like a chant as they pushed in and out of me and then finally it was over. They pulled out and I dropped to the ground crying. The only thing going through my mind is that I was glad Mom had gotten me on the pill last year when my periods were so bad." She actually blushed when she said the last part. I felt my jaws clench as I listened to her story. Those two had raped this sweet girl. "D-d-don't be mad at me, John." "Carly, it isn't you I'm mad at. Those two raped you." She took a deep breath. "It was my fault. I know that. I let them take me somewhere and do that. I know better. It hurt and all and it was definitely rape, but it was my fault. I could say something, b-b-but they'd never get convicted." Carly frowned and stared into my eyes. "My sister was raped and killed in Tyler two years ago. There were witnesses and evidence and the boy still got off. The defense lawyer portrayed my sister as a whore because she wasn't a virgin. It worked for that asshole, and it will work for Heath and Peter. Karma will get them one day, John. Don't let it eat you up. I-I-I'm sure there is a special girl out there that will need you someday. Don't mess it up because of me." "Why the tears then?" "J-j-just because I've come to terms with things doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, especially the taunting and whispering. I talked with my counselor yesterday. She talked me through all this and I thought I was ready for what was coming today. I guess I wasn't." She put her hand on my cheek. "Thank you for just sitting there and listening and hugging me and not judging. You'll never know how much I needed that." She leaned forward and kissed my cheek. "N-n-now, I think we need to go to class. I'm not doing all that well in geometry." I nodded. "Are you sure about this, Carly?" She nodded. "Y-y-yes." "Why are you nervous now?" Carly blushed and looked at her feet. "Talk to me, Carly. I'd like to think that after all this, you can do that." "W-w-well, you are, I m-m-mean, you've b-b-been so nice, b-b-but what about when we go back in there and stuff." I shrugged. "I guess I will walk you to class and give you a hug before I go to mine." "Are you for real, John Robinson?" "Last time I checked." Carly smiled and put her arm through mine. She leaned against me as I walked her to Mr. Hughes' geometry classroom. ------- I wasn't a happy person on Thursday. Carly and her visit to the lake had plagued me all night. I knew for the most part that the girls who went to the lake went voluntarily, but it still didn't excuse Boardman and Hawkins raping Carly. I knew that Carly was right: they'd never get convicted of the rape, but that didn't keep the anger and hatred at bay. When did being a BMOC and football star become a license to hurt others with impunity? Those thoughts and others raced through my brain all morning. I barely paid attention in class. By the time I sat down to eat today's chemistry experiment, I think the menu called it Swedish meatballs, I was ready to explode. I was alone at the table when Missy sat down. Bobby and Betty Lou disappeared almost as soon as she sat down. "You seem to have a thing for strays, John," Missy said, when I acknowledged her presence. "Strays?" "What would you call them?" "Who?" "The girls you've been hanging around with. I mean come on, John. You can do better than Mary Jo Mason, Amy Sue Cooper and this week's slut, what's her name, the sophomore." "I'm going to guess that you mean Carly Marks." "I guess so. I mean they are all beneath you." "Why would you think that, Missy? Sure, they aren't in the popular crowd and their reputations are a little tainted, but they are cute and friendly." "But they are sluts!" "Are they?" "They went to the lake and willingly spread their legs for the football team. "I'm not sure that all the ladies who go to the lake are willing participants." "Oh, come on, John, everyone knows what goes on at the lake. Only a slut goes to the lake with those animals. They get what they deserve. And after that, they'll sleep with anything that walks." "Really? I doubt that. I happen to know that Amy Sue Cooper is still a virgin. I'm not sure she wants that to be common knowledge." "But her sister isn't." "So? What does that have to do with anything?" "Okay, maybe Amy Sue isn't a slut, but the others are." "Not everyone is pure as new fallen snow, Missy. I'm sure not perfect enough to throw stones. I like to think I keep an open mind and get to know someone before I shun them." "But now people will think badly of you, John!" "Who? My friends don't. Do you?" "Well, I didn't." "And if I continue to be friends with them will you stop being friendly with me?" "That's not the point." "It is precisely the point, Missy. Because if my spending time with Mary Jo Mason or Betty Lou Cooper or Carly Marks changes your mind about who I am, you are not the person I thought you were. I thought you were above that petty popularity bullshit." Missy let out a frustrated groan. "Maybe before you judge them, you should talk to them. You might find that things aren't quite what you think, Missy." Missy started to say something else, but Jesse Caldwell and his sister Jane approached. Missy sighed, turned on her heal, and stalked away. "Can I bug you for a minute, Robinson?" Jesse asked as he watched Missy walk away. "Sure, what's on your mind, Caldwell." "I'm having some problems with Algebra. I know you're taking Calc this year, so I was hoping you could help me out with some stuff." I motioned for him to sit. He did. Jane rocked back and forth looking over at a table of other sophomores. "Sit down, Jane. You remember my sister, Jane, right, John?" "Sure. I've seen her around. How are you, Jane?" "Fine. Can't I go sit with Tina and Margo, Jesse? I don't want to listen to your math stuff." "Well," Jesse said as he turned to look over at the table Jane was pointing toward. "Okay, but if someone bugs you, sing out." "I'll be fine, geez, Jesse." Jane left us in a huff. Jesse and I spent the rest of the lunch period going over his math homework. ------- Chapter 4 By lunch time on Friday, things had settled down once again. The conversations had turned to how badly Ridgemont was going to crush Bayside. Bobby sat down as I was unwrapping my lunch, but I noticed he had no food of his own. "No lunch today?" I asked. "Betty Lou isn't going to be around for the weekend, so when she gets here we're going to eat outside and talk." "So are you two are together?" Bobby looked away, as if was uncertain or as if he was trying to figure out what to say next, so I took a bite of my sandwich — another of Tracey's concoctions — and gave him a bit of time to think. He finally looked me in the eye and said, "Yeah. I think so. I'm not sure where it's going yet, but things are definitely better." "I'm glad you're back." He gave me a small grin, but shook his head. "Yeah. Sorry about that. I guess I have been a little crazy the last couple of days. I really shouldn't have taken it out on you and Kenny." "It's okay. We barely noticed," I said with a sarcastic smile. "Hi, John. Hi, Bobby." Betty Lou had a big smile on her face and a big sack in her hand when she appeared between us. They stared at each other for a moment with a goofy, love-sick smile on their faces. I couldn't help but smirk. "You ready, Bobby?" Bobby reached out and pulled her down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her. We both laughed as she shrieked in surprise and then wiggled her ass on his lap. Bobby's eyes bugged out. "Two can play at that game, Bobby Sherwood," Betty Lou giggled. She turned in his arms and planted a steamy kiss on his lips. I coughed after a few moments and they broke the kiss. "Ain't love grand," I said to no one in particular. Betty Lou grabbed Bobby's hands and hopped off his lap. And then startled me by planting a kiss on my cheek. "It's all your fault, John," she said smiling and pulling at Bobby's arm. "We gotta go." Bobby stood and let Betty Lou pull him toward the door. He paused for a moment and looked thoughtfully at me. "I owe you one, Robinson." "You don't owe me anything, Bobby. I'm just glad it's working out." "Yeah," he grinned, "I'll talk to you later, Robinson." I smiled at his retreating back, glad that I was back to being 'Robinson' to him. That was one of my mile markers to Bobby to being his normal happy self. I looked around for Kenny, and found him at the next table over trying to talk Lisa Foster into a date, so I was once again alone at our table when Missy dropped her tray on the table in front of me. "Hello, Missy. How are you doing today?" Missy didn't smile at first. "I, um, want to apologize for yesterday, John. I said some things that weren't very nice. I hope you'll still be my friend." "Well," I pretended to think about it. "I guess it would be okay," I said with a grin. "Oh, you." She threw a french fry at me. "Besides which I'm probably not the person you should apologize to." "Don't push it, John." "Why not?" Missy thought for a moment. "You gave me a lot to think about yesterday. I'm still not sure how I feel about some of it." I smiled and changed the subject. She was thinking and that was a step in the right direction. I wondered if she had ever been friends with anyone outside the popular clique before. All in all, it was a nice lunch. ------- With Betty Lou unavailable, Bobby talked me into going to the game and afterward, he turned to me and said, "It's still early, John. Let's hit the dance. Maybe we'll get lucky." I looked at my watch. It wasn't quite ten, so I shrugged and followed Bobby to the gym. I figured I could stay at the dance for about an hour before I needed to get home. The gym was pretty crowded when we got there. I hadn't been to a dance in a while, not since before my parents' accident, anyway. I knew a lot of the kids there, and Bobby and I wandered into a group of juniors and seniors. Junior Bishop's performance seemed to be the topic of the night, and I stayed out of most of the conversation. I did notice that most of the girls were watching for the football team to arrive. The band started to play and the first couple of tunes were good, so I turned to Jenny Johnson and asked her to dance. Jenny lived down the street. We'd even gone on a date or two. There hadn't been any kind of spark, so we'd parted amicably. She was a friend, and I knew she liked to dance. Her current boyfriend, Todd, was on the team, so I figured he wouldn't be here for a while. She smiled and agreed. We danced a couple of songs and then the gym erupted in applause as the cheerleaders and football team arrived. Todd smiled as he tapped me on the shoulder. He was a good guy, so we exchanged greetings and talked for a few minutes before I thanked Jenny, turned her over to her boyfriend and made my way to the side of the gym. I looked down at my watch. Maybe one or two more songs, I thought to myself. "So you did come to the dance. I thought you had to be up early tomorrow." I looked up to see Missy Harmon smiling at me. "I do. The game was over early, so I let Bobby talk me into coming." "Dance with me," she said firmly. I guess I must have looked confused, because she grabbed my hand and pulled me out toward the middle of the gym as the band started playing a popular ballad. Finally she stopped and I held out my hand. Missy placed her hand in mine and her other hand on my shoulder. We began to waltz. "What's going on, Missy?" Before she could answer, Junior Bishop and a couple of his friends from the team stopped beside us. "Why don't you go back to your side of the tracks, Robinson? I'll take care of Missy." I almost laughed. If Tracey and I were from the wrong side of the tracks in Ridgemont, then Junior and his family were too. His father was a mechanic at the Ford dealership, and his mother was a waitress. They lived just a couple of blocks from our house, and I'd known him, even if we were never friends, since we were kids. However, pissing Junior off when two of his offensive linemen were by his side wasn't a smart idea and I prided myself on making smart decisions. So, I smiled. "I promised Missy one dance before I left, Junior. I don't believe in breaking promises." I said, turning Missy and continuing the waltz. Junior didn't look happy, but his friends just nodded and stepped back. I hoped sanity would prevail and they would let us dance undisturbed. I spun Missy around and I could see Junior fuming, but Jesse Caldwell had his hand on Junior's shoulder. We were far enough away that Junior couldn't hear us, so I asked Missy what was going on. "Junior has decided that I am this year's arm candy and Langley seems to agree," she hissed in my ear. "Sorry," I whispered back. "Nothing you can do about it, John. Thanks for dancing with me." "That is definitely my pleasure, Missy. Are you going to be okay?" "Yeah, don't worry about me, John. I'm not getting deflowered until prom. Junior has a couple of conquests in mind for tonight, after he drops me off at home." I felt the helplessness Missy must be feeling — too young to leave home and no where to go in any case — and I felt angry. Missy, however, seemed resigned to her fate. She wasn't happy about it, but she seemed determined to make the best of a bad situation. I smiled and thanked her loudly for the dance, kissing her cheek as I said good night. Junior wasted no time in claiming her and pulling her roughly onto the dance floor. "Well played, Robinson," Jesse Caldwell said as he put his hand on my shoulder. "But I hope you aren't looking to beat Junior's time." "Missy's just a friend, Jesse. She likes to dance. I like to dance. No harm in that, is there?" "Not from where I'm sitting, but Junior doesn't exactly see it that way." "So Junior and Missy are going steady? I hadn't heard about it." "I don't think so, Robinson, but we can't have him getting all worked up about what his girl is doing." "His girl?" "Well, that's what Junior calls her. Just don't rock the boat, Robinson." "I thought you were smarter than that, Jesse." "Hey, you know Junior's my ticket to college. He plays well, some college scout notices who opened the holes for him, and I'll get a scholarship. I'm not like you or the rich kids. I'm not going to get anyone to give me money for my brains, and my old man can't afford for me to go to college. And college is the only way out of this town. If you don't back off, Junior will do something stupid, and then my scholarship is fucked. Junior's backup couldn't find the hole in his own behind." "So to make sure you get that scholarship, you're going to allow Junior to treat Missy like some harem slave? You'd keep Missy from having fun, keep her from making her own choice, and then look the other way while Junior has his fun knocking up a couple of sophomores at the Lake later?" "Something like that." "That's a hell of a price to pay for your scholarship, Jesse. I hope your sister isn't still planning to go to the lake tonight," I said before I could stop myself. I knew Jesse's sister was a sophomore and Jesse adored his little sister. Jesse took it in stride, luckily. "That was harsh, Robinson. Especially after I stood up for you back there." "Yeah, well think about that when you're holding off some other older or younger brothers at the lake." Jesse just turned away as we reached the door. I hoped I hadn't been too hard on Jesse. I liked him. He tried to be a good man. He wasn't the brightest kid in our class, but he wasn't stupid either. He wanted to be more than just a struggling farmer like his father, and he had recognized early on that there was only one way for him to get to college. Football was his only shot at getting there. I admired him for wanting more, but hated to see him latch his wagon to Junior's. However, that was not my fight. Just thinking about it took some of the fun out of the night. God, I couldn't wait to get the hell out of this town! ------- Chapter 5 The next morning went quickly. For most of it, Mr. Hardesy had me stocking canned goods, and I was actually surprised when he told me to go eat lunch at eleven. I grabbed my sack from my locker and sat down on some boxes behind the store. I hadn't been hungry until I'd known it was lunch time, but now I was more than ready to enjoy some turkey salad sandwiches that Tracey had put together for me. One bite, and I knew Tracey had a winner with this one. "Robinson," Jesse Caldwell came out the store's back door. "Mr. Hardesy told me I'd find you back here." "Hi, Jesse. Sorry about last night. I didn't mean to be..." "Don't worry about it," Jesse said. He was abrupt, not smiling, and obviously disturbed about something. "What's on your mind, Jesse?" "Last night at the Lake some things happened." That was disturbing news. "It wasn't Jane? Is she okay?" "No, no, it wasn't Jane. But it could have been. You were right on the money there, Robinson. It was her best friend Stacey." "Stacey Jackson?" Jesse nodded. "Is she okay?" "I don't really know." Jesse shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "She was in tears when Jane found her. Junior was passed out next to her. I let Jane take her home in my car. Man, Junior ripped her clothes bad. And there was blood on my front seat when we got home. I don't know what to do, John. You've always been a good guy. I guess I'm looking for some ideas." I was stunned. I didn't know what to do or say. Jesse was visibly shaken by last night's events. He'd even called me 'John, ' something he never did. I frowned and walked over to the trash can, tossing out the remains of my lunch; Tracey's wonderful turkey salad suddenly seemed much less appetizing. I sighed and turned back to Jesse. "I'm not sure what to say, Jesse. I guess, if I were you, I'd be looking for a way to stay away from the Lake and keep everyone you know away from there." Jesse nodded. I'd never seen him so visibly disturbed. "Have you tried talking to Jane and Stacey?" "I'm not high on their list of good guys right now, John. They see me and they think of Junior." "I'm sorry, but I need to get back to work, Jesse. Can you fix it so the four of us go out for dinner tonight? You, me, Jane and Stacey? Maybe we can talk things through then?" "I'll try. If not, could you maybe stop by after work? You know, talk to them, maybe help?" "I'm not sure how much help I'll be, but I'll do what I can, Jesse." "Thanks, John. I owe you, big time." Jesse shook my hand and walked away. His body language screamed sadness and dejection. I knew it wasn't the main reason Jesse was bummed, but I had to believe that it was at least partly because, for the first time, he was seeing his chance to get out of this town for the asshole he really was. After my talk with Carly Marks, I had known what really went on at Junior's Lake parties for quite a while. I was sure a lot of other people in town had known even longer. But, I guess like Jesse, until the reality hit close to home, it really hadn't bothered me. What if it had been someone like Jenny or Tracey or even Jane Caldwell? I didn't know Stacey Jackson well, but I did know Stacey's sister, Rebecca. Rebecca had dropped out of school last Christmas. She and Tommy Lee Morgan had had a kid over the summer. There was just too much coincidence in that for me. You didn't have to be a genius to count backwards from nine. ------- As I left the store, I called Tracey and told her I was going to be at the Caldwell's and then maybe out for dinner. She didn't really keep tabs on me that much, but I didn't want her to wonder. She had a wedding reception to cater anyway. Jesse was sitting on the hood of his pickup when I walked up his driveway. "Thanks for coming by, John." He gave me a humorless grin. "Jane and Stacey haven't said two words to me since I got back from Hardesy's, so I think the whole 'talking things through at dinner' idea is a long shot." He looked down and sighed, then looked back up at me. "Jane did say you could come by and they'd at least talk to you, though. She and Stacey are in the basement. Mom and Dad are off at the VFW for the monthly dinner dance. I think it would be better if I just sit out here." Jesse was obviously feeling guilty. I wanted to help him, but I had no idea what to say, especially since I thought he had reason to feel guilty. So I nodded and walked into the house. As I did, it occurred to me that I had no idea what I was going to say to Stacey, either, but I figured I could listen and play the rest by ear. I'd been to Jesse's before and headed down the stairs to the basement. I could hear Jane talking, so I knocked on the wall. "Jane, Stacey? It's John Robinson. May I come in?" "Come in, John," Jane called. Jane was sitting on the sofa the Caldwell's kept in the basement. She was cute in the girl-next-door fashion, freckled and blonde. I wondered why I hadn't really noticed that before. Jane had her arm around Stacey, who was bent over hugging her knees. Stacey looked up when I walked in, and, wiping her eyes, she pushed herself up into more of a sitting position. Her eyes were rimmed in red. She had obviously been crying. Her cheek was puffy and I wondered if that was just from crying. "Hi, Jane. Hi, Stacey. How are you feeling today?" "Oh, she's just peachy, asshole," Jane hissed. "Hey, Janey, put the claws back in," I said gently. "I only want to help, and I didn't mean anything by it." Jane frowned, and then sighed. "Okay, I know you didn't, but try to be a bit more sensitive, will you? I nodded. "Has she talked about last night?" Jane shook her head. "No, she just cries and curls up like this." "I take it she doesn't want to see her mother either." Jane shook her head. I motioned for Jane to come away from her friend. She looked down. Stacey was now lying on the couch all curled up, sobbing again. Jane grimaced, but got up. We walked through the doorway to the other room. "Have you told her family anything yet?" "Just that she spent last night here and that she's staying tonight. Why, what do you think I should do?" "Call Rebecca." "Her sister?" "Yeah. Think about it. She and Tommy Lee dropped out after Christmas. They had Timmy in July. Nine months back would be October. Tommy and Stacey didn't even start dating until the Christmas dance." "You think Junior..." I saw realization, and then anger, cross her face. "That's exactly what I think," I confirmed the unfinished thought. "Maybe Rebecca can help with Stacey. Go call her. I'll see if I can get Stacey to talk to me." "She didn't even like Dad much this morning," Jane warned. "I think we have to take the chance." Jane nodded and headed upstairs for the phone. ------- I walked back to the sofa and crouched down. "Stacey. It's me, John Robinson. Are you hurt?" Stacey just shook her head. "Bruises? Scratches?" She shook her head. "Has the bleeding stopped down there?" Stacey stopped sobbing and stared at me. "Jesse stopped by the store at lunch and told me how he and Jane found you, and that the front seat was bloody. If you have physical pains, we need to fix those first. Then we can work on the other pain." Stacey took a deep, shuddering breath. "It's not bleeding anymore. It hurts, but so does my cheek and my, um, um, boob." "Can I turn on a light and check your cheek?" Stacey nodded. The light turned on before I could get up. Jane was watching from the doorway. I cupped Stacey's chin and turned her face so the light hit her cheek. I lightly brushed the bottom of her cheek bone. She winced. "It's swollen a bit, but not too bad. Have you checked your breast?" "No. I..." Stacey started sobbing again. I opened my arms and she collapsed into them. I don't know what it is about me. Girls seem to trust me. Guys too, I guess. That didn't mean I knew what to do abut the girl crying in my arms. When I glanced helplessly at Jane, she looked shocked that Stacey would even let me touch her. I sighed and turned my attention back to Stacey. I didn't know if it would help or not, but it seemed Stacey needed comfort and a shoulder to cry on right now, so I simply knelt there, holding her. "Shhh, Stacey. It's okay," I said after a while. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but if you talk about it, maybe we can help. No one here is going to think bad about you or hurt you." "I... I know... It's just... I... I feel so dirty..." She was crying full tilt. now, her body wracked by the sobs. "Jane? Did she take a shower last night?" Jane nodded. "I think she ran us out of hot water." "Stacey, honey, you're not dirty. Now, settle a bit and talk to me, okay?" "Stacey!!??" Rebecca burst into the room. "Oh my God, not you too!" Rebecca virtually elbowed me out of the way and grabbed her little sister. Both sisters were crying now. I watched them for a moment and then saw that Tommy Lee and Jesse were watching too. Tommy Lee wasn't shocked. He looked angry. "You knew?" I asked Tommy Lee. "Becky told me after the Christmas dance," he said nodding. "I've been warned away from Junior, but someone's got to stop him." I grabbed Jane and I turned her away from Rebecca and Stacey. "If Junior or any one of his cronies even hints that you need to go to the Lake, you find me, or Jesse, or Tommy Lee. You understand?" Jane looked at me, astonished by my outburst and how vehement that outburst must have sounded. She shot a glance at Stacey and Rebecca, and looked scared. She turned to me and nodded. I turned to Rebecca. "If there's anything I can do..." "No, John. Thanks for being here. I'll take care of Stacey." I nodded and pulled Tommy Lee and Jesse out of there. One of the lines from history class was echoing in my head. "All that evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing." Well, I wasn't sure if I was a good man, but I was damn sure I was tired of doing nothing. "This has to stop. Right now. I don't know how, but it does. You have to tell Junior, Jesse." Jesse paled and nodded. "Is he partying at the lake tonight?" "I don't know," Jesse said. "I thought you were one of his henchmen." "Not after last night. Boardman told me to get lost after I lost my temper. I don't know what they are doing tonight." Tommy Lee looked at us both for a moment. Tommy had grown some in the last year. I guessed hard work on the farm would do that to you. He was definitely more muscular than he'd been a year ago. "What happens at these 'Lake Parties'?" "The boys usually go out to the lake around ten, drink some beer and talk about football and girls. Boardman shows up about eleven with some girl. She and Junior go off, and Boardman takes her home around midnight. Sometimes Boardman and Hawkins go with him and the girl." "So Jane showing up looking for Stacey threw a monkey wrench in things last night." "Yeah. Boardman and Hawkins were both pissed when Jane and I showed up. Junior was passed out. Oh, shit. Boardman and Hawkins got the girls too." "Well, you did say that Junior was passed out," I said. "I'm guessing that those two always stepped in after he got his." "That's why Boardman was so pissed when I sent Stacey home with Jane in my car!" "Yeah, he and Hawkins never got their turn. It's not like any of the girls would give Boardman the time of day otherwise. I guess we should count it as a blessing, though I doubt you can honestly say that being raped instead of gang raped is much of a blessing." Jesse and Tommy Lee stared at me, horror in their eyes. Someone had finally called it what it was. ------- Chapter 6 I left the Caldwell's hungry and annoyed. All-state running back or not, Junior Bishop should not be treated like a god. I thought about how best to put a crimp in his style. I knew one way to get his attention, so when I got home I went straight to the telephone. "Hello, Mrs. Langley. It's John Robinson. May I speak with Missy, please?" Missy came to the phone right away. "Hi, John. What's up?" "I'm hungry, I'm tired and I'm ticked at your boyfriend, Junior. Would you like to get something to eat with me? I know it's late, but..." "I'd love to, John. Junior called earlier. He's off to a party at the lake." "I can't afford much, Missy, but I could meet you at the Cafe. I don't have a car, so I can't come pick you up." "That's fine, John. Sure, I'll meet you there in twenty minutes or so?" "Great." I hurried to change out of my work clothes and made it to the Cafe with a few minutes to spare. As I'd hoped, Junior's mom was working. She led me to a booth and Missy joined me in a few minutes. "What's going on, John?" she asked as she slid into the booth. "I mean, you know Junior and I are dating." "Yeah, and that's exactly why I'm here." At Missy's puzzled look, I added, "Junior's off at the Lake again tonight harvesting another poor sophomore." Missy nodded. "He raped Stacey Jackson last night." "Come on, John. The girls he gets are all willing participants." I shook my head, leaning forward on my elbows. "Some maybe, but not all of them, Missy. Stacey certainly wasn't. She's sporting a swollen jaw and some other bruises today." Missy stared at me as if I had two heads. I decided to tell her the whole story. I could see her eyes tearing up as I finished. "That's not what Junior tells me, but I believe you, John. You're right. This needs to stop. No one should be hurt like that." "Why Missy Harmon," Mrs. Bishop was genuinely surprised when she brought our menus. "I thought you were going out with my boy." "Not tonight, Mrs. Bishop. Junior went to a party at the Lake without me." "Well, the boy needs some time to blow off steam. He's going places, that boy." Missy and I humored her, smiling but remaining silent about Junior, and Mrs. Bishop left after taking our orders. "You know that Junior's going to hear about this, John, either from Charles or from his mother." "I'm counting on it, Missy." Missy placed a hand on mine. "He won't be alone when he comes for you." She looked down and pulled her hand back, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed. I shrugged, purposely reaching out to pat her hand. "I'll worry about that Monday. He's not going skip the party at the lake to come chat with me." " It's not worth it, John. You'll get hurt and nothing will change." "Oh, I don't know, Missy. Junior and his friends are bullies, but I don't think they'll actually do anything physical. We'll chat and I'll try to get my point of view across and then apologize. I can act sufficiently awed by their muscles to keep things from getting out of hand." ------- I guess news travels faster than I thought it would. I paid Mrs. Bishop and walked Missy out the door to find Junior, Boardman, and Hawkins sitting on the hood of Missy's car. They stood as we walked out. "Hello, Missy, honey," Junior smiled, sidling up beside her and putting his arm around her waist. "Hello, Robinson." "Hi, Junior," Missy said quickly, flashing a look of fear towards me. "I thought you were going to be at the lake tonight." "Well, I was until I heard that my girlfriend was out on a date." "Date? I'm just had dinner with a friend, Junior. It was not a date! I'm not going to sit around my house and pine for you. If you don't want to spend the time with me, I will find someone who does." I couldn't believe anyone could move as fast as Junior did. His hand whipped around and connected with Missy's cheek before the words were completely out of her mouth. I could see a trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth. "My girl does not go out in public with another guy. I'm the only rooster in your yard, Missy," Junior snarled. "That's no way to treat a lady," I said, pulling Missy around behind me. "She's mine to treat anyway I please, Robinson." "Junior Bishop! I taught you better than that," Mrs. Bishop said as she stood watching from the door of the Cafe. "You apologize to Missy right now." "Stay out of this, Mom!" Junior said angrily. "It doesn't concern you." "Don't you take that tone with me, Ethan Morris Bishop," Mrs. Bishop said sternly, stepping up in front of him. "You aren't so big that I can't take a switch to you." Junior deflated a little. "Yes, Mom." "That's better. Now you apologize to Missy and let her get on home." "Yes'm." Junior turned to Missy. "I'm sorry I lost my temper like that Missy. I shouldn't have hit you." Missy nodded. Peter Hawkins stepped between Junior and his Mom. "Why don't you fix me and Junior a piece of that scrumptious peach pie, Mrs. Bishop?" Mrs. Bishop looked at Junior and Missy, decided things had been resolved, and followed Hawkins into the Cafe, leaving Missy and me with Junior and Boardman. "You go on home, Missy. We'll talk about this tomorrow," Junior said politely. "What about you, John?" Missy asked. "Don't worry about me. You just get home. Oh, and thanks for having dinner with me." Missy nodded, concern and doubt still on her face, but got into her car. Junior waved as she pulled out of the parking lot. "It's just you and me, now, Robinson," Junior sneered. I glanced at Boardman and wondered if the guy even understood he'd just been insulted. I crossed my arms across my chest and waited. "You made me lose face tonight, Robinson. I can't have a nobody like you hanging around my girl." He paused and I waited him out. "Ain't you gonna apologize to Junior, Robinson?" Heath Boardman asked. "For what? I had dinner with a friend and a classmate. Nobody asked, but we could have been discussing homework or our upcoming project in history for all you guys know. We do have some of the same classes." Junior frowned. Boardman laughed. "Yeah, right. And Johnson's prize pig will be flying by any minute now." "You just don't get it, do you, Robinson? You aren't shit in this town. This is MY town. Missy Harmon is MY girl and nothing you say or do will change that. You stay away from her. Got me?" I smiled. "I hear what you are saying, Junior. I don't necessarily agree with it, but I do understand what you are telling me. I don't believe this is your town. Your fifteen minutes of fame are going to come to a screeching halt if you and your henchmen don't start treating your party guests better. Most of the folks in this town have turned a blind eye to your antics at the Lake for sometime now, but after last night, I doubt that's going to continue." "Are you threatening me, Robinson?" Junior was getting agitated now. "I'm just stating facts, Junior," I said calmly. I took a breath and then said, "I spent some time with Stacy Jackson this afternoon." "Who is that?" Junior asked, unconcerned. "Stacy is the girl you partied with last night. She's got a bruise on her cheek, black and blue paw prints on her boob. Her skirt was covered in blood." "Why are you telling me about this?" Junior asked. I saw Boardman wince. "Jesse Caldwell and his sister, Jane, found her with you last night, Junior." Junior looked at Boardman, confused. Boardman shrugged. "It didn't happen, Robinson. You got me?" Boardman hissed. "You keep making trouble for Junior and we'll have to have another chat." "Sorry, Heath. It happened." I saw the blow too late. I dodged, but Boardman's hand connected with the side of my head. I saw stars. I dropped to my knees immediately. "Aw, shit. Robinson, you asshole," Boardman yelled, holding his hand. "You broke my hand." The cobwebs slowly cleared and I struggled to stand. Pain exploded in the back of my knee and I dropped back to the ground. I felt something connect with my ribs and I lashed out. I was rewarded by a groan and then things went black. ------- When I came to, I was sitting on the ground with my back against a tree. My head hurt. My chest hurt. My arms hurt. I think even my hair hurt. I opened my eyes and looked around. It was dark, but I could hear conversations off to my right. There was a bonfire or something bright in that direction. I grimaced as I stood and began walking toward the light. I was at the Lake. I could see a dozen or more of the football players sitting around a bonfire, drinking beer. This couldn't be good. I could see Junior. He looked uncomfortable sitting there. "Where is he!" a shout rang out. Hawkins stood up and I could see Boardman still holding his hand sitting next to Junior. I watched the edge of the light and a girl appeared through the trees. She didn't look like any of the girls that went to my school. Then it hit me. It was Tracey! Hawkins grabbed at her. "Let go of me," Tracey said as she shook Hawkins' hands from her arms. "Now where is John?" "John who?" "Don't you 'John who' me Peter Hawkins. I want to know where my brother John Robinson is. Mrs. Bishop saw you and your buddies put him in Junior's car." "Yeah. Did she tell you he broke my fucking hand?" Boardman hissed. "I don't give a shit about your hand. Where is John?" "Not so fast, Tracey. You and your brother owe me now." Tracey stared Boardman down. "And just what did you have in mind, Heath Boardman. I didn't come here to change your diaper. I came here because I was told that John was here and that he's hurt. Now take me to him so I can get him home." "You and me and Junior are gonna party first, babe." "Not a chance, Heath." "Back off, Boardman," I hissed, staggering into the light. "Take your best shot, but leave my sister alone." "Ah, the pathetic hero has arisen. Not gonna happen, Johnny. I'm gonna pound you into next week and make you watch while I pound your sister." "Hey, now wait a minute, Boardman," Tommy Parker said, standing and swaying. "I thought you said..." "Sit down, Parker. You'll get your shot at the slut too. All of us will." "Over my dead body," I hissed. "That can be arranged." I could see that Tracey had had enough. Tracey was a tough girl with a temper and Heath Boardman was about to find out a lot about her. "John," Tracey said through her clenched teeth. "My car is on the side of the highway. Go get in it." "Tracey..." "Now is not the time, John. Mr. Boardman and I have some things to discuss and then I will join you. Now get moving." I nodded and started toward her car, stopping when I reached the edge of the lit area. "I'm glad you came to your senses, Babe. Now, shuck them clothes and let's get down to it." "Ever the romantic," Tracey said smiling and walking toward him. "You just don't get one thing, Heath, baby." She suddenly swung and her hand connected with Boardman's jaw. "I decide who I have sex with." She swung again. Boardman weakly raised his sore hand and Tracey grabbed the hand, and squeezed. "I wouldn't let you touch me there if you were the last man on earth." Boardman collapsed to his knees. Tracey turned to the others. "Anyone else want to push the issue? No? Anyone want to tell me about John's face and his limp? Or do you want me to guess?" No one moved. "Then I guess you boys better gather up the garbage and get out of here before the Sheriff gets here. I will be calling him when I get John home." Tracey stalked away from the bonfire and grabbed my arm as she passed. "I can take care of myself, John," she said, obviously angry. With a shake of her head, her tone gentled. "I just wish I could say the same about you." ------- Chapter 7 Tracey drove straight to the hospital, but I didn't remember much of the rest of that night nor the next day. What the pain didn't obscure, the pain meds I'd gotten at the hospital did. Tracey had been unyielding about my taking the meds, too, watching until I had taken each dose. Even so, I was still sore when I limped into school. I guess I was lucky that I was just bruised. Missy gasped when she sat down next to me. "John, are you all right?" "Just a little bruised, Missy." Mr. Hayes spoke up, interrupting any further conversation. "Mr. Robinson, you are to report to the principal's office immediately." I nodded and gathered my stuff. The principal, Mr. Jefferson, and the head football coach, Mr. Keifer, were sitting in the office when I arrived. Mr. Jefferson waved at a chair and I sat. Mr. Keifer closed the door and then sat down beside me. "I'm at a loss, Mr. Robinson," Mr. Jefferson said, staring at me over his glasses. "Up till now, you have been an exemplary student. You have one of the highest GPAs in your class. I expected you to be graduating with honors in May. Now, I find that all of that may change." "And why is that, Mr. Jefferson?" I asked naively. "Because you single-handedly destroyed my football team, Mr. Robinson," Mr. Keifer exploded. "You injured my all state tailback and my middle linebacker. Neither of them will be playing this week. We'll be lucky if we make State thanks to you." I stared at him incredulously. Then I turned and looked at Mr. Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson frowned. "I have no choice but to expel you from the school, Mr. Robinson. You will not graduate. You will not go to State; they will rescind their scholarship offer." "What? You can't do this!" "You know the rules, Mr. Robinson. You were fighting, people were injured, that is automatic expulsion." "And Junior Bishop and Heath Boardman?" "They will be returning to class as soon as they can." "That's not fair! For one thing, none of this weekend's fighting happened on school grounds. For another, it was Heath Boardman, Peter Hawkins, and Junior Bishop that attacked me. I did not run into a door." I pointed to my head. "This bruise is where your precious linebacker hit me. I can't tell you anything about the bruised ribs or the knee that is swollen like a softball, because I was out of it at the time." "Be that as it may," Mr. Jefferson said. "You are hereby expelled from school. If you are on campus after nine, the police will be called and you will be arrested for trespassing." I shook my head. "It's nice to know that we have a fair and equitable system of justice, Mr. Jefferson. I have no intention of taking this lying down. Your precious football team and their extra-curricular activities will not rob me of my future. My lawyer will be in touch before the end of the day." "I wouldn't advise that, Mr. Robinson," Mr. Keifer said. "Oh, and why not?" "Well, your sister is rather pretty," he hinted. I laughed, the one reaction I don't think either was expecting. "Didn't Heath tell you who gave him that fat lip? No? Well it was my sister, after Heath invited her to strip and fuck him and the other dozen football players that were watching. He implied that if she didn't, he might have to hurt me worse. I'm afraid Tracey didn't find that amusing." Mr. Keifer and Mr. Jefferson stared at me for a moment. "That has nothing to do with this school," Mr. Jefferson said firmly. "And my beating did? My, you have some singular views on what concerns this school." "You couldn't just leave well enough alone." "Leave well enough alone? Did you see Stacey Jackson Saturday morning? She looked like she'd been through hell. The problem is, she had. You are going to be lucky if my lawyer is the only one you hear from today. You act like the football players are gods, and you and everyone else in town ignores the virgin sacrifices offered up to them so that we can win the state football championship. What a price for us to pay!" "You arrogant son-of-a-bitch!" Keifer exploded. "The people of this town are proud of their football team and the scholarships it brings their children." "Your superstars seem to like popping virgins. Well, what if it was your daughter, coach? She'll be a sophomore next year. Or maybe yours, Mr. Jefferson, she's got three years. Will you volunteer them for 'keep the star happy' duty? Some how, I doubt it." Mr. Keifer and Mr. Jefferson were quiet. I looked over Mr. Jefferson's head and saw that it was quarter to nine. "Time for me to go. I wouldn't want you to have to disturb the Sheriff on my account." ------- The Sheriff was disturbed anyway. By noon, I was down at his office. His deputy came by and issued an invitation I couldn't turn down. I spent the next two hours telling the Sheriff, his Deputy, and the town Attorney about my weekend. "Fascinating story, Mr. Robinson," the Sheriff said as I finished. "Not much truth to it, but fascinating nonetheless." I smiled. "You see, you sanctimonious pissant, I've talked to the witnesses. You broke Heath Boardman's hand with a ball bat when he tried to stop you from hitting Missy Harmon." The story he told was so ridiculous, I had to laugh. The three of them didn't think it was funny and stared at me until I stopped laughing. "What witnesses, Sheriff?" "Heath Boardman, Peter Hawkins, and Ethan Bishop." I chuckled again. "I don't suppose you talked to Mrs. Bishop, Missy Harmon, or Tracey Robinson?" "Why? Boardman said there were no other witnesses." "Well, if Missy didn't see anything, I couldn't have been trying to hit her." The Town Attorney, Mr. Larson, nodded. "You need to talk to the girl, too, Hank. Why Mrs. Bishop, son? "She was a tad annoyed when Junior hit Missy." Eyebrows rose. "Sit tight, Robinson. Jack, pick up the Bishop woman and Missy Harmon." "I would like to call my sister now," I said. The Sheriff looked at Mr. Larson. "He hasn't been allowed to call anyone?" "No, sir. I thought we could get this settled..." "You stupid son-of-a... ! Call her now, son." ------- An hour later there were two dozen people in the Sheriff's big room. Missy Harmon, her mother and her husband and their lawyer, Mrs. Bishop and Junior, Heath Boardman, Peter Hawkins, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Keifer, six other guys from the football team including Jesse Caldwell, Tracey, my lawyer, and I all sat around watching one another. Mr. Larson walked in the room and sat down. "Okay. I want to go through the events of the weekend and see if we can't get everything straightened out." Jesse was called on first to talk about Friday night. Boardman and Hawkins refuted his statements about what Jesse and Jane found at the Lake. Mr. Larson brushed that event aside. "We'll take that up when Miss Jackson is well enough to talk to us." Missy talked about Saturday night. Mrs. Bishop agreed that it had been Junior Bishop that hit Missy, and that she and Peter Hawkins had then gone inside to see about some pie. "So that leaves Mr. Robinson, Mr. Boardman, and Mr. Bishop alone in the parking lot. There is no evidence of a ball bat in anyone's possession," Mr. Larson said looking at Heath Boardman. "Do you want to change your story, Mr. Boardman?" "No, sir. John Robinson broke my hand. Then he kicked Junior in the nuts. He left the lot unhurt. How he got to the Lake with all those bruises is beyond me." "I'm sorry, Mr. Boardman, but your story just doesn't ring true," Mr. Larson said. "Mr. Robinson is what, six foot, one fifty?" I nodded. "You are listed in the school publicity papers as six-three and two hundred pounds. Junior Bishop is listed as six-one, two ten. How do you explain Mr. Robinson hurting both of you without getting a scratch?" "I can't, sir. He moved so fast it was just a blur." There were a couple of stifled snickers. "Mister Robinson, would you like to add anything?" "Heath, Junior and I were talking and then Heath swung and caught me upside the head, here," I said pointing to the bruise on my left cheek. "I don't remember much after that. I was dizzy and at some point I passed out." My lawyer, Gerald Haynes, handed Mr. Larson a couple of photos. "Those were taken at the emergency room Saturday night. It shows almost two dozen bruises." Mr. Larson stared at the photos for a moment and then walked to the end of the room. When he turned back, he started talking again. "Okay, after listening to everyone, here is what I think happened. John Robinson was annoyed with Bishop, Boardman and Hawkins and what happened to Miss Jackson on Friday night. He found out that there was another party planned for Saturday night. To provoke Mr. Bishop, he invited Miss Harmon to dinner. He either foolishly or deliberately chose the Cafe where Mrs. Bishop worked. Mrs. Bishop called her son who hurried over with his two friends. They confronted the couple. Mr. Bishop slapped Miss Harmon. Mr. Hawkins guided Mrs. Bishop back into the Cafe. Miss Harmon left. And then Mr. Boardman and Mr. Bishop decided to teach Mr. Robinson a lesson. Mr. Boardman broke his hand on the first blow and then when Mr. Robinson fell, kicked him, repeatedly. This all happened in public with no witnesses. Now, I agree that Mr. Robinson deliberately provoked Mr. Bishop and his friends, but there is no way that Mr. Robinson can be charged without charging Mr. Bishop and Mr. Boardman. And the same goes for his expulsion from school." The last statement was directed directly at Mr. Jefferson. "But..." Keifer blustered. "But nothing, Keifer. Your thugs have gotten out of control, and you can't just cover it up any more." "We'll see what the town council has to say about this, Larson." "I talked to both the town council and the school board before this shindig started, Mr. Keifer. They have both been informed of some things that I think the people of this town knew, but chose to ignore. They agreed to let me handle things." Mr. Keifer turned and gave a look filled with anger and hate. "This whole damned thing is your fault, you son of a bitch! Don't you think this is over!" My lawyer cut him off. "Mr. Keifer, are you threatening my client?" Keifer glowered at him, but remained silent. My lawyer turned to Mr. Larson. "I want it on the record that I am holding the city and the school responsible for anything else that may 'accidentally' happen to my client," he said. Mr. Larson shot Mr. Keifer an annoyed look. "I'm sure that there won't be any issues, counselor, but your comment is noted." My lawyer and Mr. Larson both nodded at one another, and then Mr. Larson wheeled and looked straight at Junior Bishop. "You, young man, and you, Mr. Boardman, are on borrowed time. The events leading up to this fiasco may yet come to haunt you. The Jackson family has already consulted with a lawyer. He was in my office earlier today. Right now, I am inclined not to press charges against you two, but that could change quickly. Don't be surprised if the Jackson's lawyer gets a court order to have blood drawn for DNA testing. You two may be involved in paternity suits in the near future. Mr. Hawkins, your name is on the same list. Also, you should know that from my discussions with Miss Jackson's attorney, I have learned that there may be more than one woman stepping forward to complain." I was feeling a bit of vindication when Mr. Larson turned and looked at me. "Mr. Robinson, you are not completely blameless in this whole thing. By deliberately provoking Messers Bishop, Boardman and Hawkins, you opened up a can of worms that is likely to stink up this town for some time to come. You are not going to be very popular here in town. Your plans to leave town, go to State and never return are probably for the best in the long run. Mr. Jefferson will have orders to reverse your expulsion and allow you to return to school in the morning." Mr. Jefferson squirmed in his seat. "There will be no retaliation against Mr. Robinson, officially or personally, by anyone connected with the school. Am I clear?" He stared at Jefferson and Keifer until both nodded. Mr. Keifer still looked angry, but there was no further discussion and soon everyone dispersed. ------- "I'm sorry, Tracey. I probably wrecked things for you here in Ridgemont." "Don't you worry about me, John. I wasn't planning on staying here forever." "But..." "John," she sighed. "The only reason I'm still in Ridgemont is because Mom and Dad wanted you to graduate from the same school they graduated from." "What?" "Little brother, once you graduate, we are both going to blow this town." ------- Chapter 8 I crashed as soon as we got back home. Tracey was up and dressed when I got up Tuesday morning, looking bright eyed and almost cheerful. I wanted to hate her, but she even had a big breakfast waiting for me. "Eat up, John. You'll need your strength today," she said as I walked into the kitchen. "Why's that?" "They'll be testing you today." I must have looked confused, so Tracey explained. "Boardman and company will be there when you get to school, probably with reinforcements." "Great," I grumped morosely. "It'll be okay, John." She laid a hand on my arm. "I'll always be here for you" I smiled my gratitude, and Tracey allowed me my own thoughts as we ate breakfast in silence. I helped Tracey clean up the dishes, and then she drove me to school. When she pulled into the parking lot, I could see a big crowd around the front door. Tracey had been right; half the football team was there. Tracey turned the car off and opened her door. "Come on, John. Let's get you to class." I turned and stared at Tracey, surprised at her actions. Then her words hit me. "Well, you didn't think I'd let you face the wolves alone, did you?" she asked as she stepped up beside me. "Thanks, Trace," I said softly. "Together, little brother, whatever comes," she replied. "We'll face it together." ------- The crowd began to buzz a bit as they spotted us walking towards the door, crowding more closely around Heath Boardman. "Well, well, Johnny boy. How's the knee?" Boardman taunted, blocking the path to the front door. "Hurt's like a son-of-a-bitch, Boardman. How's the hand?" "Strong enough to beat you to a pulp, Johnny boy." I smiled. "I thought you used your feet to do that." Boardman ignored my gibe and turned to Tracey. "Come to apologize, bitch? Well, get on your knees and suck my dick." I started forward, but Tracey held my arm. "I'm sorry, Heath," Tracey said sweetly. "I don't suck on things smaller than a straw." Boardman's face turned red and his jaw clenched. "Now, Heath, sweetie, why don't you get out of our way? I wouldn't want to have to beat you up twice in the same week," Tracey said softly, gently easing us past the seething linebacker. "It was nice of you to get everyone here to welcome John back, Heath." "You stupid bitch," Boardman hissed as he grabbed Tracey with his good hand. "I'm gonna beat you to a pulp and pass you around to all my friends." "You have friends. Why, Heath, I had no idea," Tracey said still smiling. The crowd had completely encircled us. There was no where to go. "You'll find out exactly how many friends I have after I've fucked you black and blue, bitch!" Tracey turned and faced Heath. Tracey was only a few inches shorter than Heath. She was wearing her high heeled boots. She stepped into his chest and grabbed the hand he had on her arm. "Yeah, that does seem to be the only way you're able to get laid, isn't it, Heath?." Boardman snarled and started to say something when Jesse Caldwell stepped up behind him and put his big paw on Boardman's shoulder. "It's nice to see John back in school, isn't it, Boardman?" Jesse said smiling. Someone jostled my shoulder, and I looked behind me to see Bobby, Kenny, Betty Lou, Amy Sue, and Jesse's sister, Jane step up behind and beside Tracey and me. Boardman looked over at Jesse and nodded, pushing his way through the crowd. Bobby nodded to Jesse and then turned to Tracey and me. "We got him covered, Tracey." "You need anything, you call, John. Understood?" Tracey said firmly. "Yes, Mom." Tracey smiled as she hugged me. "I meant what I said earlier, John," she whispered. And then she slipped back through the crowd. I nodded my thanks to Bobby and we headed off to my first class. ------- I had an entourage following me all morning. Boardman, Hawkins and Junior were all conspicuously absent from my path through the halls until lunch. As usual, I was the first one to the cafeteria. I sat down and opened the lunch that Tracey had fixed for me. "Well, if it isn't our friend John Robinson," Peter Hawkins said, pulling out the chair across from me and sitting down. Boardman and Junior dropped into the seats beside him. "Where's your entourage, Robinson?" Boardman sneered. "You got a problem, Boardman?" Kenny asked as he set his tray down beside me. "Now that you mention it, yes, Anthony. I have a problem with Robinson, here. He's been sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong." "Seems to me it was past time someone called you three on that, Heath," Missy said, dropping her tray on my other side. "Missy, you get away from that asshole!" Junior stood quickly, knocking over his chair. Missy frowned and sat down. "I choose my friends, Junior, not you." "I will not have my girl sitting with another guy at lunch, Missy Harmon. You get your sexy ass back over to the cheerleader table, now!" "Way to turn on the charm, Junior," Mary Jo Mason said as she grabbed the chair that Junior knocked over and sat down at the end of the table next to Missy. "You stay out of this, slut," Junior growled. "Oh, you're such a sweet talker," Betty Lou giggled as she sat down next to Boardman and Bobby sat down across from her next to Kenny. Boardman put his arm around Betty Lou and tried to pull her toward him. "How 'bout you and me blowing this Popsicle stand and finding someplace quiet, babe?" Bobby was half out of his seat when Kenny put his hand on Bobby's arm. Betty Lou didn't even look at Boardman. With her eyes firmly on Bobby's, she reached across herself and pulled Boardman's arm off her and dropped it in his lap. "Any one got some snake repellent?" Boardman snarled and stood. "Be careful, bitch!" "Or what?" Amy Sue said, pushing Heath out of the way with her soft backside and sitting in the seat he'd vacated. "You'll take me out to the lake and take turns raping me? I guess you could try that, but you're not nearly as tough or smart as you think you are, Heath. And there are a lot of things crawling in the dirt that are more appealing." Hawkins stood slowly, his face flushed in anger. "This ain't over, Robinson. Your pathetic posse can't protect you forever." Hawkins and Boardman turned and strode away as if they had come out on top. Junior held his hand out to Missy, but she ignored him, turning to say something to Amy Sue. Willie Parker stepped up to the seat that Hawkins vacated. He looked at me as if I controlled the chair. I nodded and he sat. Mary Jo maneuvered her chair back to where it belonged. I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. It was nice to have friends, I decided as I turned back to my sandwich. ------- The rest of Tuesday seemed to flow past without incident. My friends made a point to appear and escort me from class to class. By the end of the day, my entourage had grown to two or three dozen. I'd never realized I had so many friends who were willing to stand with me. I wondered how I'd ever be able to thank them all. Bobby and I were headed to his truck when someone shouted, "Catfight!" Betty Lou ran over to us. "Missy's in trouble," she panted. Bobby looked at me. "Go, help her. I'll be there as fast as I can." I hobbled after Bobby. When I reached the football field a huge crowd was standing on the outside of the fence, cheering. Lisa Carver was standing on the bleachers holding Missy's hair while Candy Lewis and Mary Stewart were pulling at her blouse. Missy was trying to fend them off, but was obviously unable to handle them both. Bobby was climbing the fence. I looked out onto the football field. Boardman, Hawkins and half the team were keeping Jesse and the other half of the team from coming to Missy's aid. Candy Lewis stood back and then swung and slapped Missy across the face. "Stop fighting it, bitch!" she yelled. "You deserve this!" I reached the fence and jumped as high as I could, pulling myself up to the top and launching myself over the top. My knee screamed as I landed next to Bobby. Mary Stewart stopped trying to pull Missy's blouse off and grabbed her shorts and pulled them to her ankles. Missy's panties came down at the same time. Missy shrieked as the crowd hooted and shouted. Missy kicked at Mary, but it wasn't long before Mary was holding the panties and shorts over her head. Candy swung again. "Put your hands down, Missy or I will just rip the shirt off." "I think you've done enough," I said, as I grabbed Candy's arm, spinning her away from Missy. Lisa Carver pulled on Missy's hair and then shrieked. Bobby had reached down and pulled her shorts and panties to her feet. Missy was free in an instant as Lisa grabbed for her own clothing. I pulled my shirt over my head and handed it to Missy, who wrapped it around her waist, covering most of the important parts. All hell broke loose on the football field as Jesse and Boardman started swinging at one another. Bobby and I used the chaos to lead Missy through the open gate on the other side of the field. We were in his truck in no time with Missy between us. Betty Lou nodded and waved as Bobby started the truck. ------- Missy was a wreck by the time we reached her house. Bobby let us off, and I helped the crying girl to her front door. Charles Langley opened the door as we approached. "You son-of-a-bitch! You let go of her. I already called the sheriff." "No!" Missy shrieked as Langley tried to pull her out of my arms. I pushed Missy behind me and turned on Langley. "You leave her alone!" I said heatedly. "Do you have any idea what your sadistic pals just put her through today? No? Well then stand aside and let her go inside and get some clothes on!" Langley's jaw dropped, but he stood aside and Missy sprinted into the house, pushing past her mother. "What the hell is going on, John Robinson?" Annabelle Harmon asked looking back and forth between Langley and me. "The cheerleaders tried to strip Missy on the field today, Mrs. Harmon, just because she stood against Junior and his friends at lunch," I told her. "I'm sorry, but they got her shorts and panties down before we could stop them." "This is all your fault, you punk. I'll see you run out of my town," Langley started. "Stop this, Charles. Missy is not a pawn in your games, and this is not your town. Your handpicked Lothario hurt my daughter. Call him off, now, or I will. I promise you won't like the way I handle it." "Don't you..." Langley raised his hand to strike his wife. "Finish that and you're out of here, Charles Langley. Permanently." Hatred burned in his eyes, but Langley dropped his arm and stormed into the house. Annabelle sighed. "Thank you for rescuing Missy and bringing her home, John," she said before she turned and closed the door behind her. ------- Chapter 9 News of the bared cheerleader backsides rocketed through the school Wednesday morning, possibly spurred on by the blurry photos of the two shapely asses that had been placed on every bulletin board in the school. I was not surprised when neither Missy nor Lisa showed up for English. There were no confrontations between my entourage and Junior's gang all day. Even Thursday passed with little more than a few barbs hurled across the cafeteria. School settled back into what passes for normal until lunch on Friday. The football team was playing their last two away games of the season and the week after the last away game was Homecoming. The cheerleaders opened sales of tickets to the Homecoming dance at lunch on Friday. Luckily, Mrs. Hinckley, the cheerleader coach, was sitting at the table when Bobby, Kenny and Willie decided to buy tickets. Candy Lewis tried to deny them tickets. "We don't need your kind at the dance. You don't support the team anyway." "Why, Candy Lewis, you know better than that! The dance is open to ALL students, Candy," Mrs. Hinckley said sternly. Bobby said Candy took their money and handed them the tickets, but was pretty unhappy about having to do so. I was glad I had given Bobby money for two tickets. I had no idea who to take, but I was sure I could sort that out in a week or so. Missy wasn't so lucky. Lisa Stewart and Candy Lewis were very vocal in their refusal to sell her tickets, and Mrs. Hinckley wasn't around to save her. In fact, Friday's big rumor was that Missy was no longer head cheerleader. In fact, the rumors said she was no longer a cheerleader at all. I knew how hurt Missy would be if it was true, so for the first time in my life, I felt that I had to find out if a school rumor was true. Missy wasn't talking to anyone, however, and after her confrontation with Lisa and Candy, seemed to disappear. ------- Monday rolled around. The bruises faded away over the weekend, and my knee was back to its normal shape. Life at Ridgemont had returned to normal. The football team managed to win without Junior and Boardman, and although the game had been closer than it might have been, a win was a win. There were no rumors of parties at the lake. All in all, the mood was upbeat. The only one who seemed down was Missy. She didn't smile when she sat down next to me for English and said little more than hello when I tried to talk to her. She walked between classes by herself, going out of her way to avoid everyone. By the time lunch rolled around, I was convinced that she hadn't said more than was absolutely required to anyone, not even a teacher. I had a sack filled with leftovers from Tracey's weekend parties, so I walked past the long line of people waiting for the chemistry experiment they were calling meatloaf. I sat down and opened the sack. "That definitely looks better than the meatloaf, Robinson," Bobby said as he put his tray down and sat opposite me. I smiled. Tracey's finger sandwiches were a little soggy, but they were definitely better than the institutional meatloaf. "So, who are you taking to Homecoming, John?" Betty Lou asked as she sat down beside Bobby. "I haven't decided yet," I answered honestly. "I'm not sure if I even really want to go." I knew I was going. I just felt the urge to tease Bobby a bit. Bobby stared at me. "No way, John!" he said firmly. This is our last Homecoming, and we need to make it special. We need to make some plans, Robinson!" I grinned at Bobby's enthusiasm and gave up any pretense of ambivalence. "Okay, Bobby, you're right. We have eight, right? You and Betty Lou, Willie and Amy Sue, Kenny and Lisa, and me and my date," I counted them off on my fingers. Bobby and Betty Lou nodded. "Any chance Mary Jo and I can horn in on this," Jesse Caldwell asked as he set his tray down next to me. "Mary Jo and you?" I asked, turning my face to a scowl. "That's new." "Yeah, well, I, umm, umm..." "Relax, Jesse," I laughed. "I've got no claim on Mary Jo. You're both welcome as far as I'm concerned." Jesse gave me a scowl of his own before joining my laughter. Kenny and Lisa had arrived about the same time as Jesse. I looked at Kenny. He nodded. Bobby and Betty Lou did as well. "Okay, we're ten. I talked to Tracey about this yesterday. She was willing to cater dinner at our place for eight. I'm sure two more won't be a problem. That is if you guys can stomach Tracey's cooking." Bobby shot me a look. "You talked to Tracey last night, Robinson? What happened to 'I'm not even sure I'm going to go'?" I couldn't help it, and I laughed out loud at the look on Bobby's face. "I'm sorry, Bobby," I told him. "I just couldn't resist. Did you really think I would miss out on our last Homecoming?" "You're a punk, Robinson," Bobby said, laughing back. Everyone else joined in the laughter. "So I am," I grinned. "But what about Tracey cooking for us?" "Sounds like a good plan, John. The Café, Parker's and Watson's are probably all booked up already. I really didn't want to drive to Oakville for dinner anyway," Bobby replied. "Tracey's going to want help setting things up and stuff," I added. "And we should pay her for the food, at least," Jesse said immediately. "Damn straight," Kenny added. The rest of lunch was filled with menu ideas and logistics. Getting ten people from my house to the gym took some horse trading, but by the time the bell rang, we were all set. Betty Lou put her hand on my arm as I started to get up. The rest of the gang wandered off. "Have you talked to Missy today?" she asked. I shook my head. "I tried, a bit, in English. Should I try harder?" "I haven't seen her say two words to anyone, and her 'friends' are shunning her." "She split out of English and World History before I could say more than 'Hi.' I don't have any more classes with her today." "She looked a little down in math last period, and I noticed she didn't even come in here for lunch." "Thanks for the heads up, Betty Lou. You're a good egg." Betty Lou smiled and headed off to her class. ------- "Missy, wait up," I yelled when I saw her headed toward the parking lot at the end of the last period. She turned and looked back at me. Then she turned around and continued on. I hurried and caught up with her before she could get to her car. "Are you okay, Missy?" I asked, trying to catch my breath. "I'm just fine, John," she said with a big sigh. "You've been uncharacteristically quiet today." "Yeah, well, talking hasn't been helping much." I must've looked puzzled because she continued with another deep sigh. "Why are you here, John? I mean, you got what you wanted. Junior's lake parties are over. I'm not going with Junior any more. My friends won't talk to me. I'm not even a cheerleader any more. I can't even go to homecoming." Missy yanked her keys out of bag. "Now if you don't mind I'm going to go home and pretend to study because it's all I have left to do. Thank you very much, John Robinson," she ended bitterly. Missy unlocked her door and started to open it. She looked at me expectantly as the door met my arm. "I'm sorry, Missy. I didn't mean for you to get caught in the crossfire. I should have left well enough alone, I guess." I started to turn away. I really hadn't meant for Missy to get hurt in all of this. "No, no, John," Missy said. She grabbed my arm. "Wait." She turned quickly and tossed her books into the car and closed the door. "I didn't mean it that way. Stopping Junior and his minions was important. You were right about that. I agreed then and I agree now. It's just so hard for me. My friends dropped me like a hot potato when I took your side against Junior." "Your friends stood by you when Lisa, Candy and Mary tried to turn you into Lady Godiva," I replied. "I'm sorry that standing up with us cost you so much, Missy." "It hurts, John. All of the friends I had for years won't even talk to me. Half of them won't even look at me when I'm in the same room. I haven't changed." "Yes, you have, Missy." Missy looked at me. "Would you have even talked to me last year, Missy?" Missy shrugged. I snorted. "You know you wouldn't have, Missy. As far as the hip crowd is concerned, I'm a nothing. I'm not rich. I'm not popular. I'm one of the masses. This summer after your mother's wedding you sought me out. You said you thought you'd need a friend this year. Well, unlike some others, I'm still here and I'm still your friend." Missy gave me a sad smile. "Yeah, but nothing is the way I thought it would be, John. Mom and I picked out my Homecoming and my prom dresses. I was supposed to be the head cheerleader, prom queen, and homecoming queen. And now, now I'm nothing." "You are not nothing, Missy Harmon!" I said vehemently. "You are a smart and beautiful young woman with a bright future. What were you planning to do after graduation?" Missy shrugged. "College?" "Maybe, Daddy set up a fund to pay for it, but we never talked about it. Momma wants me to find a husband and settle down like she did." "Okay, but is that what you want?" "I don't know. I never thought about it." "You never had to. Everyone else had your life planned for you. All you had to do was follow along." Missy stared at me as if I'd grown a third head. "Welcome to the real world, Missy Harmon," I said softly. "It's not always easy. It's not always fun, but it is generally better than the alternative." Missy frowned, but she nodded. "You have more friends than you think, Missy. Betty Lou is the one who suggested I talk to you. She's also the one who told Bobby and me about the catfight." "Really? I, um, I don't know what to say. I mean I know I said some things about her that weren't very nice." "Come sit with us at lunch tomorrow. We may not be the in crowd, but we're pretty loyal." "I'll think about it," Missy replied. "Thanks, John. I'll see you tomorrow." I opened her car door for her and waved as she drove off. ------- Tuesday had nothing much to recommend it until lunch. The gang and I were just sitting down when Missy came up and asked if she could sit with us. Mary Jo nudged Jesse and pointed at an empty chair at the next table as Betty Lou and Amy Sue slid their chairs sideways to make room. Missy was barely seated when Mary Jo turned to me. "So have you decided who to ask to Homecoming, John?" "Not yet, but I did talk to Tracey last night. We are all set. She said we have enough room for twelve, so if you guys know one other couple, we have room. She and I are going to finish up the arrangements tonight." "Are you going to Homecoming, Missy?" Amy Sue asked. Missy shook her head. "No one's asked." Mary Jo nudged me, but I purposefully turned to Bobby and asked if he could give me a ride home that afternoon. Mary Jo took the hint and she started talking with Betty Lou about their dresses, making sure to ask Missy for advice as well. I sat back and smiled as my friends not only accepted Missy's presence, but made her feel welcome. Mary Jo leaned over and whispered, "If you don't ask her to Homecoming, John Robinson, you're a damned fool." "Yeah, like she'd say yes," I mumbled back. "John, you have no clue about how others see you, you know?" "What are you too cooking up now?" Betty Lou asked, drawing attention to our whispered conversation. Mary Jo winked at Betty Lou, "Just trying to get John off the dime." Amy Sue snickered and pointed as I felt my face turn a little red. Bobby looked at his watch and before I could say a word, the gang split heading in their various directions. Missy put her hand on my arm and smiled. "You were right, John. Lunch was nice for a change. It was just what I needed." She turned and walked away. ------- "Did you really need a ride, Robinson?" "Nah, thanks, Bobby. I just needed to change the subject. I'm kinda waiting for someone." "Gotcha. See you tomorrow, John. Good luck." I wasn't sure if Bobby was making a lucky guess or if I was that obvious. "Good luck, John," Betty Lou said as she slid into Bobby's truck. I guess I was that obvious. I shook my head as I watched them drive away. Before I could turn back toward the school, a soft hand gripped my arm. I turned to see Missy smiling. "Hi, John. Waiting for someone?" "Yeah." Missy arched her eyebrow. "I, um, was waiting for you, Missy. I wanted to, um." I found myself tongue-tied at the prospect of asking her to the dance. "Yes, John?" "Um, would you go to the Homecoming dance with me, Missy?" I managed to ask. The lump in my throat was huge. Missy looked at me hard, as if searching for something. She didn't say a word for a long time. I took a deep breath and nodded. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then, Missy," I said, trying my best to hide my disappointment. "Wait, John. Are you sure you want to be seen at the dance with me after all that's happened?" "Why wouldn't I want to be seen at a dance with my friend who happens to be the best looking woman in the school?" "The rest of the cheerleaders made it clear that I'm not welcome." "So what? They don't make decisions for everyone. Certainly not for me." "If you're sure, then I'd be delighted to go to the dance with you, John." ------- Chapter 10 The two weeks before Homecoming flew past. The "in" crowd mostly ignored us. At least they did until lunch Homecoming Friday. The ten of us were eating and chatting when Candy Lewis and Lisa Carver stopped across from me, behind Missy. "I don't know how you and Missy got tickets to the dance tomorrow, John, but if I were you, I wouldn't show up," Lisa hinted. I didn't get a chance to even open my mouth. Mary Jo Mason looked around the table. "Did you hear something, Amy Sue? It kind of sounded like air blowing through someone's ears." "I think I did," Amy Sue said, barely stifling her giggle. Lisa's jaw clenched. "At least I keep my thighs closed unlike some people around here." "I seem to recall that someone was very proud of her splits," Missy chimed in. I looked around. The lunchroom was silent, watching to see if another catfight would break out. Candy frowned. "We don't need sluts at our dance," Lisa said. "Oh, so you aren't going either, Lisa?" Mary Jo asked sweetly. "I'm not the one that fucked half the football team, you fucking skank whore!" Mary Jo didn't even blink. "I know, dear; they told me that you didn't know how, and that they had to fuck you." I was convinced that the cat fight was about to commence when Betty Lou jumped in. "I think you're just afraid of the competition, Lisa. You wouldn't be homecoming queen if there was anyone else on the ballot," Betty Lou taunted. "We'll see about that," Lisa replied. "Peter and I are going to be the best looking couple at the dance." "P-p-peter Hawkins is a b-b-boil on a pig's ass," Carly Marks said, placing her tray on the table next to Mary Jo, "and g-g-given how often he's on your ass, I g-g-guess that makes you the pig!" "Don't you start on me, retard," Lisa snarled, spinning on Carly. I'd had enough. Picking on Carly for speech impediment was the last straw. "That was uncalled for, Lisa," I said as I stood. The rest of the table stood with me. "I used to believe that you were a nice person, but I guess I was wrong." I smiled at Carly and turned away from Lisa, heading for the exit. A smattering of applause broke out as we walked out of the cafeteria. I turned to Carly. "Be careful, Carly. We appreciate you standing with us, but you have a few more years to go at this school." "I'll be fine, John," she said with confidence. "I know who the good guys are. I'll see you at the dance tomorrow." She spun and headed off to class. "Wow, she's something," Missy said. I nodded. "All of the people I eat lunch with, are, Missy." Behind Missy, I saw Mary Jo roll her eyes at me before heading off. "Well, not all of us, maybe." Missy said, looking down. "I haven't been all that nice to a lot of those people." "Well, that may have been true in the past, Missy, but the girl who said some of those mean things isn't the girl I asked to go to the dance with me." I lifted her head. "I told you before; you've changed a lot the last month or so, and I really like the person you've become. All the people at that table are special, including you, and I'm very much looking forward to going to the dance with you tomorrow night." Missy looked up at me, her eyes filled with both doubt and hope. "Thanks, John," she said softly. "You're welcome, Missy. We'd better get to class, now, though, or we'll be late. We can talk more later if you'd like." ------- The guys arrived late Saturday afternoon without their dates. Jesse was perturbed. The team had lost a homecoming game for the first time in over ten years. I didn't go to the game, but Bobby was there and he said the team didn't look much like a team. Jesse agreed with him. "Boardman and Hawkins tried to blame the loss on Wally and me. Apparently we weren't opening up holes big enough for Junior to run through." "Boardman had no room to talk," Bobby replied. "He missed that easy tackle on the guy who scored the winning touchdown for Parkside." Jess shrugged, "Well, all I know is that it seems as if half the team is pissed off at the other half," he said, "and we aren't going to win many football games with that going on". Talk about the game and the team continued until the girls arrived twenty minutes later. Missy had arranged for all the girls to go get their hair and fingernails done before dinner, and they all looked great. Everyone came to our house in their jeans; deciding that none of them wanted to chance spilling food on their dresses, the girls had decided to dress after dinner. After the girls had talked to us, the guys had decided to do the same thing. Bobby and I had taken care of getting corsages for the girls, and they were keeping cool in the refrigerator. Tracey had treated our dinner like it was one of her catered affairs, and she had the house wonderfully decorated in our school colors, green and gold. Tracey had set the dining room table for ten, but Jesse glanced at the table and nudged me when he arrived. "Shouldn't there be eleven places, Robinson?" I looked at Jesse and smiled. "Now that is an excellent suggestion, my friend." Tracey looked up from the stove as Jesse and I walked into the kitchen. "What's wrong, John? Did you guys devour the Hors d'oeuvres already?" "Nope, there's still lots of food out there. It's the table; you're one place short, Trace." "What? I thought there were five couples?" "There are. You forgot to lay out a place setting for yourself, though." "No, I didn't, John. It's your party. I'm just the caterer." Jesse frowned. "You aren't just the caterer, Tracey Robinson." He nodded to me and I grabbed another place setting from the cupboards. "You were planning to eat here in the kitchen, right?" Tracey nodded. "Well, we've got a new plan," I said. "Bring that chair, Jesse." ------- We were all sitting back, sated by the wonderful dessert that had capped a delicious meal when Jesse looked at me and nodded. I banged my spoon against my glass. Everyone turned to look at me. I stood. "Tracey, you outdid yourself. That was without a doubt the best dinner I've had in a long while. Thank you." Everyone chimed in their agreement and appreciation. After a few moments, Jesse banged on his glass and the room got silent again. Bobby stood up and left the room. When he came back, he was carrying a large bouquet of Tracey's favorite flower, Yellow Roses. "You went to all this trouble for us, Tracey, and we wanted to get you something to show our appreciation," Bobby said as he handed the flowers to her. Kenny stood and walked over to her when Bobby sat down. He handed her a gift card for her favorite kitchen supply place. "Also, since you wouldn't let us pay you for dinner, we got you this too." "You guys are too much," Tracey sniffed. "Thank you. It really was my pleasure. And now even more so." Missy smiled at Jesse, Bobby, Kenny, Willie and me. "You guys are a class act," she said. I smiled back, but the other guys just looked uncomfortable with the compliment. We were all saved a response, however, when Missy noticed the time. "Show time, girls," she said pushing her chair back. All five girls headed back toward the guest bedroom, and Jesse and I started grabbing the dessert dishes. Kenny, Bobby and Willie joined us. "Hey, you guys don't have to do that," Tracey protested. "I've been well and truly paid. Clean up is part of my job." "Maybe, but no one said we couldn't make it easier," Willie said, smiling. "Besides," Jesse added, "The girls won't be ready for an hour. It will take us twenty minutes tops to dress." Tracey threw up her hands. "Okay, you win," She laughed. "Thank you for the help." I hugged Tracey. "Thank you, Sis. Dinner was perfect." We were all laughing and joking as we helped Tracey put away leftovers and rinse off the dishes. Thirty minutes later, Tracey chased us out of her kitchen to dress. She had a smile on her face, though. ------- We parked our three vehicles together and headed into the gym as a group. Before we left, we all checked to make sure we had our tickets. The girls looked like movie stars in their dresses. I couldn't keep my eyes off Missy for any length of time. The soft blue of her gown dipped just enough in front to draw my eyes to the shadow between her breasts. My heart was racing as she placed her hand on my elbow and allowed me to escort her into the gym. "We got your back, Robinson," Jesse whispered as he and Mary Jo stepped in behind us. We weren't late by any means, but we weren't the first ones there either. The gym got real quiet when Missy and I stepped in. I looked over at her and smiled. She nodded and we walked to the dance floor. The band was ready to start the next song by the time we reached the middle of the gym. They launched into a Frank Sinatra number that I knew. Missy smiled as we turned toward each other. I held out my hand and she placed hers into it. I put my other hand on her shoulder blade and we began to waltz. After a moment, she closed the distance between us. "Wow, you can dance too?" I nodded. "Really dance?" "Mom insisted." "Then let's show them how it's done, John. Don't hold back. I can follow if you lead." I smiled. I wasn't kidding. Mom insisted so I had taken two years of dance lessons at Madame Weygrand's studio in Mountain Vista. Tracey and I had danced last night to make sure I remembered the lessons. Before long, I was whirling Missy around the dance floor. I knew I wasn't Fred Astaire, but I was pretty sure I could dance better than most of my classmates. It was the perfect way to show off my beautiful partner. I smiled happily as I realized that Missy could dance, too. It was obvious that she enjoyed it. Her smile was radiant as I spun her at the end of the song. When I pulled her back into my arms, she blushed. "Wow, John. I don't think I've had this much fun at a dance in ages." The band was good. The singer even sounded a little like Sinatra. I heard a bunch of the guys grumbling about the band's choice in music, but I liked it. After three songs, I guided Missy to the table that Jesse and Bobby had commandeered for us. "T-that was s-something," Carly gushed as we approached. "John Robinson," I said, holding my hand out to Carly's escort. I didn't recognize him. "Jason Fellowes," he said, smiling. "I'm pleased to meet you finally. Carly's been talking about you for weeks." "Really?" Carly blushed. "Jason..." Before Missy could sit down, the band started up. Jesse looked at me for a moment and then turned to Missy, "May I have this dance?" he asked, holding out his hand. Missy looked at me a little nervously. I smiled. She nodded and allowed Jesse to guide her onto the floor. I turned to Carly. "May I?" Jason waved his hand toward the dance floor and Carly took my hand. "I don't know how to d-d-dance like that, John," she said as we reached the floor. "Just follow my lead," I replied confidently. That set the tone for the first two hours of the dance. Everyone danced with everyone. And everyone looked like they were having fun. Carly and Jason fit right in with us. Carly even stopped stuttering after a bit. The band announced their second break as Missy and I were dancing together. The music stopped and we did too. "Do you Tango, Missy?" "You Tango too, John?" "I didn't spend two years just learning to Waltz and Foxtrot." Missy smiled. I pulled her close and leaned down so that my lips were next to her ear. "You are so beautiful when you are smiling, Missy! Thank you so much for coming to the dance with me." She looked up at me. Her blue eyes were sparkling. It was like there were just the two of us in the room. I felt her fingers on my neck gently leading me to lean down again. I saw her lips part. And then our lips met. I'll admit to kissing a few girls, but this was different. Her lips felt perfect against mine. I didn't want the kiss to end. Someone cleared their throat next to me and we reluctantly unclenched. Mr. Hayes smiled, nodded, and then walked away. Mrs. Hinckley stepped up to the microphone and reminded everyone to vote for the king and queen of the dance. Several years ago, some one tried to stuff the ballot box, so Mrs. Hinckley had decided that everyone had to write their choice for king and queen on the back of their ticket and put that in the box. This also meant that anyone could become the king or queen of the dance. To no one's surprise, Lisa Stewart and Peter Hawkins had been crowned Homecoming King and Queen. I was sure they expected to be elected king and queen of the dance as well. I guess at some schools the homecoming king and queen are also the king and queen of the dance, but Ridgemont had a tradition of electing a king and queen at every dance. While the balloting was going on, I approached the band and asked them to play a tango. The leader smiled and agreed. "But you've got to dance to it." I agreed. "We don't get too many requests for this at high school dances, but we got one tonight. The band launched into the tango. Missy and I were ready. The tango started and we began to dance. I saw Jesse approaching us with a long stemmed red rose. "You can't dance the tango without one of these," he said, holding it out. I grabbed it in my teeth and continued to dance. Missy was still laughing as we danced. No one else joined us on the dance floor. ------- After the tango, we sat down for a drink. I found that I'd been drinking a little too much punch so I excused myself to head for the restroom. "Think you're hot stuff, don't you, Robinson?" Junior Bishop slurred as I walked out of the restroom. He and his buddies were weaving a little as they closed the distance between us. I counted six of them and was suddenly nervous. "I like to dance, Junior," I replied, looking for a way out before this got ugly. "Pansies like you usually do," Heath Boardman chimed in. I refused to be baited. I smiled. "You clean up nice, Heath." "Fuck off, Robinson, I ain't your type." I did my best not to smile. "Y-y-you g-g-guys leave J-j-john alone," Carly shouted from behind Heath. "Well, if it isn't our favorite d-d-dumb b-b-bitch," Heath said as the guys turned to see who it was. "I'm not your anything, Heath Boardman," Carly said without the hint of a stutter. Heath blustered for a moment. "Stay out of this, bitch. We're just having a talk with our buddy, John," Peter Hawkins said stepping up to my side and putting his hand on my shoulder. I felt the urge to shake his hand off, but decided against it. "Run along, bitch," one of the other football players said,. "Otherwise, maybe we'll decide you want to play too." Carly looked at me. I stared into her eyes and nodded. I wanted Carly out of the firing line. She spun and ran back toward the dance. "Shit, the bitch is gonna tell someone." "It's okay. I think we can finish this conversation before they get here," Hawkins said as his elbow connected with my stomach. I felt the air woosh out of me. I tried to double over, but two of the guys grabbed my arms and held me up. "You just don't get it, do you, Robinson?" We don't want you at OUR school. We don't want you dating OUR girls. We don't want you at OUR dances." Each of the OURs was punctuated by a fist to my gut. I collapsed to my knees when they let go. "No!" Some one shrieked. "You leave John alone!" I looked up to see Missy push herself between me and Junior's bunch. "Get the hell out of our way, Missy," Junior said grabbing her arm and pulling at her. "Leave me alone, Junior Bishop," she hissed trying to pull away from him. Junior lost his grip and Missy spun back against the wall. Her head hit the wall with a thud and she collapsed to the ground. "Shit," I hissed, crawling toward her. A foot caught me in the side, propelling me toward Missy and onto my side. "We ain't through with you yet, Robinson." "Missy's hurt, bad," I yelled, still not able to stand up. I reached her. "Nothing she didn't deserve," Junior said. "Butting into our business." When I looked over at him, I saw Jesse, Bobby and several other guys pushing their way between us. "Bobby, get an ambulance. Missy's hurt bad. She hit her head on the wall, "I yelled. Bobby scurried off as Mr. Jefferson, Mrs. Hinckley, Mr. Hughes and Mr, Keifer turned the corner. "Missy's hurt bad," he said to them. Mrs. Hinckley spun and she and Bobby ran for a phone. "Will someone tell me what is going on?" Peter Hawkins puffed his chest out and said, "Robinson was pulling Missy toward the restroom. We thought he was going to hurt her. He shoved her into the wall and started yelling at us." Kenny was helping me up while Peter was talking. I couldn't believe what I heard. I started laughing. "Something funny, Mr. Robinson," Mr. Keifer snarled. "I'm sorry, Mr. Keifer but that was the most ridiculous explanation Hawkins could have come up with." "Are you calling me a liar, Robinson?" "If h-h-he isn't, I w-w-will," Carly said, pushing herself through the crowd. She turned to Mr. Jefferson. "I saw J-j-junior B-b-bishop, P-p-peter Hawkins, and those other four pushing and threatening John. Missy was still at the table. When I told her about it, she ran here." "You aren't going to take the word of a retard, are you?" Junior Bishop said, staring at Mr. Jefferson. "That was uncalled for, Mr. Bishop," Mr. Hughes, Carly's math teacher added indignantly. "You're through now, Robinson. I'll see you expelled for this," Keifer blustered. "You can't do that, Mr. Keifer!" Bobby said. "Junior is the one who hurt Missy, not John!" "Bobby's right, Coach," Jesse said. "Junior is the one who pushed Missy into the wall. We turned the corner in time to see that. John knew immediately that she was hurt and sent Bobby to get help." "That's a pretty chicken shit thing to say, Jesse!" Junior snarled. "I think it's time for us to get a new left guard, Coach," Peter Hawkins said contemptuously. About that time, the paramedics arrived. Mrs. Hinckley led them in. "I called the Langley's," she told Mr. Jefferson. The paramedics checked Missy over and were gone in no time. Junior and his bunch were slowly pushing their way through the crowd. "Going somewhere, assholes?" Bobby asked when he noticed. Mr. Jefferson had seen enough. "Mr. Hughes take Mr. Robinson, Mr. Anthony, Mr. Caldwell, Mr. Sherwood, Mr. Parker and Ms. Marks and their dates to the teachers lounge. Mr. Keifer, take Mr. Bishop, Mr. Boardman, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Lemon, Mr. Hayes, Mr. King and their dates to the conference room. Mrs. Hinckley shut this dance down and send everyone else home." I'll say one thing for Mr. Jefferson, he has a commanding voice. Everyone hopped to it when he spoke. ------- Chapter 11 I groaned as I sat down on the couch in the teacher's lounge. "Are you okay, John?" Mary Jo asked. "My ribs hurt like hell," I said through my teeth. "Let me see them, John," Mr. Hughes said, concerned. Jesse and Bobby helped me remove my jacket while Mary Jo unbuttoned my shirt. "Oh, my God," Mary Jo said when the last button came undone. My right side was a nasty shade of purple. "Mr. Anthony, go get Mr. Jefferson," Mr. Hughes said as he reached for the phone. ------- My ribs were only bruised. Tracey arrived just as the doctor had finished bandaging them up. He told me to go home and rest. Tracey wanted to listen to what the doctor had said and take me straight home. "Trace, I hurt like hell, and there is nothing more that I'd like than to go home," I said tiredly, "but do you mind if we see how Missy is doing first? I know I didn't hurt her, but I am the one who took her to the dance, and she was trying to defend me when she got hurt." Tracey looked set to argue, but her face softened when she saw my concern. "I'm sorry, John. I didn't even think about Missy," she said. "Of course we should go see her, but only for a few minutes. You do need to get home and rest. I think we need to call the lawyer again, although that's probably going to have to wait till tomorrow, or even Monday." She touched a hand to my cheek. "We also need to talk about how to keep you alive till graduation," she said, her smile taking away some of the rebuke in the words. "Come on, let's go find Missy." One of the nurses told us how to find Missy's room. We just had to continue down the corridor, turn right and go to the fourth room on the left past the Nurse's Station. Tracey stopped and put her hand on my arm as we approached the end of the corridor. I started to ask her why she stopped, but she put her finger to my lips and pointed at the nurse's station. Missy's stepfather, Charles Langley was on his cell phone and was carrying on a loud conversation with someone. "Damn it! You really screwed up this time, meat head. We had this all planned out. All you had to do was date Missy until the Prom, and get her pregnant. Everything else would have fallen in our laps. The company would finally be back in the right hands." "No! Robinson was of no consequence! If you and your hot heads hadn't gone off half cocked, Missy would still be your girlfriend. Now I have to work something else out." "No, you idiot, just marrying Annabelle didn't get me a damned thing. Her fucking first husband screwed that. His will and the prenup made sure we couldn't get the company back that easily." "Don't 'cousin' me you jackass!. You got yourself in this legal mess. Relative or not, I can't afford to get you out of it. I don't have the funds." "Now you want to listen to me? Okay, well we need to lay low for a while, especially you. This will eventually blow over and then we can try something else." "Look, I've got to go, Junior. I need to go play the concerned parent to that bitch, Missy, and see if I can't try to fix the mess you've created." Langley hung up as he turned and saw us. We turned the corner and walked past him as if we'd heard nothing. "Just where do you think you are going, Robinson? You stay away from my daughter. This is all your fault," Langley shouted as he walked swiftly after us. "Go find your girl, John. I'll take care of this asshole," Tracey whispered and then turned back to Langley. I kept on going, ignoring the commotion behind me. I knocked softly on the door and then opened it. Missy was lying on the hospital bed. She was pale and her eyes were closed. Her mother smoothed an errant hair out of her face and then turned to see who had come in the room. "How is she, Mrs. Langley?" I asked quietly. "She's asleep, John. She was awake earlier. She has a concussion. They are keeping her here tonight." "I'm sorry she got hurt." "It wasn't your fault, John. Missy told me what she could remember." "Well, maybe I didn't toss her into the wall, but I did put her in harm's way." "No you didn't. Charles did. He and that idiot cousin of his." "Cousin?" "Junior Bishop is Charles' cousin. That's why he was so keen on Junior and Missy dating." I perked up. Things were starting to make some sense. "Mrs. Langley, I know this isn't really my business, but Tracey and I overheard your husband on the phone with Junior just before I came in here. He was talking about getting control of some company and how marrying you didn't do it, but Junior getting Missy pregnant would." "That sneaky son-of-a-bitch!" Just then the door opened and Charles walked in. Tracey followed him. "You get out of my daughter's room," he shouted pointing at me. "I won't allow you to get her hurt any more. Out! Damn it!" Annabelle stepped between us. "Shut up, Charles!" She spoke quietly but with a solid core of steel in her voice. "You can stop pretending to protect MY daughter. Forgetting everything else, if you really cared about her, you'd know better than to come into her hospital room and shout. Missy has been hurt, by your goon of a cousin, Junior, and she needs her rest. John's not the problem. You and Junior are. Now get the hell out of here." "Belle, baby," Charles lowered his voice and tried turning on the charm. "Don't 'Belle baby' me, Charles Langley. You and your family have done enough damage for one day. Get out of here, now. Missy and I will be home tomorrow, and then you and I are going to have a long and serious discussion." "Lissa, baby, don't be like this. You know I love you and Missy. I only want what's best for you two." "Save the theatrics, Charles. I know all about the company and your family's attempts to take it back. It's not going to work, Charles, so you can forget about any crazy plans you may be thinking up. Now get out." Langley puffed up and looked like he was going to say something else. Annabelle glared at him and he backed down and left. When the door closed behind him, Annabelle Langley deflated, looking tired and sad. Without thinking, I took two steps and put my arms around her, giving her a hug. My ribs immediately let me know it was a bad idea, but by then, Mrs. Langley was already hugging me back. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Langley," I said. She held the hug for only a few seconds, but then pushed back. "Thank you, John, but you have nothing to be sorry about. I made a mistake when I married Charles, but although I made this bed, I certainly have no intention of lying in it." She held my arm for a moment. I didn't know what to say to that, but Tracey rescued me by asking Mrs. Langley about Missy. After another few minutes, Tracey caught my eye and made it clear it was time for me to go home. We said goodbye to Mrs. Langley and Tracey took me home. By the time we got there, I was both angry and a bit depressed. The night definitely hadn't ended the way I had hoped. ------- The ride home was quiet. I began to ponder the events of the evening. Some things clicked, but others didn't make any sense. Tracey turned the car off. "Tracey, what was all that about a company? I'm beginning to think there's more going on than Junior and his lake parties." "It's got to be the factory, John. The company name is Harmon-Morris. Dad worked for Mr. Harmon before they both died. How the Bishops and Langleys fit into that I'm not sure. Langley did say something about getting the company back, but I thought the company had always been the Harmon's." I pondered that for a bit as I drifted off to sleep. ------- Chapter 12 The crack of dawn came early, my ribs still hurt, so with a sigh I rolled out of bed and into the shower. Rewrapping my ribs by myself afterwards was a bitch, but I managed, and after a quick bite, I headed for Hardesy's. I was almost there when I realized that Mr. Hardesy might be able to shed some light on things. His family had been the grocers in Ridgemont for generations. I was a few minutes early, but I didn't have to wait long till I saw Mr. Hardesy give me a wave as he turned the corner to park his car. A few minutes later and he was there. "Morning, John," he said as he unlocked the door. "How are the ribs?" I stared at Mr. Hardesy. I had no idea how he always seemed to know what was going on in town. "What? You didn't think I'd find out about the antics at the dance last night?" "Well, at least not that quickly, Mr. Hardesy," I replied. "My ribs will be fine, though, thanks. The doctor said they're just bruised." "You sure stuck your nose in a hornet's nest, John," Mr. Hardesy said as he guided me into his office. "Sit a moment." I sat and looked at my boss. I knew he was in his sixties and was getting ready to retire. He looked tired this morning. "Are you okay, Mr. Hardesy? You look tired." Mr. Hardesy waved my concern off. "Tom's finally back from Houston. We were up late talking." I knew that Mr. Hardesy wanted Tom to take over the store, but that Tom had resisted and they'd fought. It sounded like things were better between them. I took a deep breath. "It seems like you know everything that goes on in this town, Mr. Hardesy. I heard some things last night that have been bothering me. I was hoping you could clear some of them up." "Well, I don't know, John. What I know and what I tell can be entirely different. What exactly do you want to know?" "Well, I'm not asking you to break any confidences, Mr. Hardesy, but I was wondering about Harmon-Morris. Last night, I overheard Charles Langley talking to Junior Bishop about taking back control of some company. Mr. Langley also said that marrying Missy's mom wouldn't get them control, but that Junior getting Missy pregnant would. Tracey said that it had to be the Factory they were talking about, but she didn't know how the Langleys and Bishops fit into the picture." Mr. Hardesy smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Okay," he said slowly. "You've stumbled into Ridgemont's version of the Hatfields and the McCoys, or maybe it should be Montagues and the Capulets. As best I can tell the feud has been going on for four or five generations." "It all started back in the mid-1800s when Andrew Jackson Harmon and George Washington Morris got together and built a bakery here in Ridgemont. Andrew's son John married George's daughter Theresa. Andrew also had a daughter, and she married Ethan Bishop, the son of the local preacher. Ethan came to work in the bakery and he and John Harmon took over when the two founders retired. "The problems started when Ethan's son Andrew tried to woo John's daughter Theresa. They were first cousins and Andrew put the kibosh on the relationship. Depending on whose version of the story you hear, Theresa wasn't really interested in Andrew anyway and was glad that Daddy stepped in. She had her eye on your great-great granddad, apparently. "However, if you believe the Bishops, it was more like Romeo and Juliet, and Andrew and Theresa were deeply, madly in love. Regardless, whichever way it went, Theresa got pregnant. Your great-great-grandfather was off at college, so John assumed it was Andrew Bishop. Things were mighty intense for a while. Theresa died shortly after her son, John was born. Andrew Bishop claimed the child and raised him as his own. This just added fuel to the fire and when John Harmon wrote his will, he left Theresa and any of her offspring out of it. Ethan Bishop was forced out of Harmon-Morris. The Bishops cried foul, but they had no leg to stand on legally. For the past seventy or so years, the Bishops have tried to get back into Harmon-Morris. They nearly had an in twenty years ago when Robert Langley moved here from the West. He joined Harmon-Morris and moved up the ladder quickly, becoming a vice president and hoping for more. He married Susan Bishop and the Harmon's immediately shut him out. Robert was quite vocal about the unfairness of his dismissal, but then he had a heart attack about two months later and it became a moot point." Mr. Hardesy looked at me and shook his head. "And now, John, you've stuck your nose into the whole lake party mess and foiled the Bishops latest scheme." Mr. Hardesy told me more over the next hour or so. I was surprised at the lengths the Bishop family, well, more likely only some of the Bishop family, would go to just to get control of a big company like Harmon-Morris. "Don't be surprised, John. With control of the company comes power and money, potentially lots of money." ------- Monday was pretty quiet. Mr. Jefferson apparently came down hard on Junior, Boardman and the others. They were keeping a low profile. My friends and I were enjoying a boisterous lunch when Mr. Jefferson stopped next to our table. He had two boxes in his hands. "If I could have your attention please," He said loudly. The cafeteria quieted almost immediately. "I want to say that I regret that I had to end Saturday night's festivities early, and that circumstances forced us to end this weekend's dance without crowning a king and queen. Well, we didn't simply toss out the ballots, and Mrs. Hinckley finished tallying the votes this morning." When he paused, Lisa Carver and Peter Hawkins stood and walked toward him. "So," Mr. Jefferson said, turning to look at Missy. "Your queen of the dance, Missy Harmon," he announced opening one of the boxes and holding a tiara to Missy and motioning for her to stand. "No!" Lisa shrieked. "Sit down, please, Miss Carver," Mr. Jefferson said sternly. Lisa stopped and stared at him as if he had three heads. Mr. Jefferson stared at her until she and Peter sat at in the empty chairs at the next table. Then he gently placed the tiara on Missy's head. Mr. Jefferson surveyed the lunch room which began to buzz. With a glance, he silenced the whispers. "Your king of the dance," he paused, looking at Peter Hawkins long enough that Hawkins started to stand again, before turning back to me, "is John Robinson," he finished, as he motioned for me to join him. He handed Bobby the box and placed the crown on my head. Mr. Jefferson motioned toward the back of the room and the sound of a swing band filled the cafeteria. "You missed your dance as the king and queen," he said, motioning us toward the empty center of the room. I shrugged and held my hand out to Missy. With a smile, she placed hers in mine and I lead her around the room. The song ended as I spun Missy and caught her gently. The lunch room audience clapped enthusiastically. "Nicely done, Mr. Robinson, Miss Harmon," Mr. Jefferson said, applauding. We bowed graciously and returned to our seats. "I think Lisa's going to explode," Amy Sue whispered, nodding toward Lisa Carver. Mary Jo looked over and started giggling. Betty Lou, Amy Sue and Carly joined and pretty soon our whole table was laughing. Lisa leaned over and whispered something to Peter Hawkins. He leapt out of his seat and hustled over next to me. "Are you laughing at me, Robinson?" I got control of myself and shrugged. "Not this time, Hawkins." "Come to congratulate the king and queen, Peter?" Mary Jo said with a smirk. "They ain't king and queen of shit." "No, that would be you and Lisa," Mary Jo said softly. "Don't start with me, slut." "Bite me, Peter." "You'd like that. Come to think of it, you did like that." Jesse stood quickly, glaring at Hawkins. The sound of his chair hitting the floor echoed through the quiet lunch room. Mary Jo put her hand on his arm. "He isn't worth it, Jesse," she said quietly. "I'm not either," she said even more softly. Missy's eyes got huge, so I knew I wasn't the only one who heard it. Jesse turned quickly, completely ignoring Hawkins, and put his big paw on the side of Mary Jo's face, wiping a tear away with his thumb. "Don't say that, Mary Jo. Don't ever say that. I think you're worth everything!" "Don't you turn your back on me like that Caldwell!" "Give it a rest, Hawkins," I sighed. Luckily the bell rang and everyone scattered for class before anything more could happen. ------- Chapter 13 On Tuesday, the world came to an end for many in Ridgemont. There were no whispers this time. The news ricocheted through the school like a bouncing cannonball: Ethan Bishop and Heath Boardman had failed a mandatory drug test administered by the state athletic board. A huge amount of illegal steroids was found in their blood. Both players were immediately and indefinitely suspended from the team, and Coach Keifer was asked to resign. The news dwarfed all of the previous weeks' whispers. I was immediately worried about Jesse and went out of my way to find him. He was visibly shaken. "I can't believe it, John," he said. "Everything the team worked for is gone. They fucking ruined things for everyone. Joey Walton was all set to go be an Aggie. You know his parent's couldn't afford A&M, but the football scholarship would have made it possible. Now that's gone." "What about you, Jesse?" Jesse shrugged. "College is out," he said flatly. "I'm tainted with that same brush. The whole damn team is!" he said bitterly. "I just can't believe those assholes thought they could get away with it! They've ruined a lot of lives here." "So what happens next year?" "I'm not sure. Mary Jo and I have been talking about that for a couple of weeks." I quirked my eyebrow. "Oh, really?" "What, you think you're the only one who thinks ahead, Robinson?" I chuckled. "How is Mary Jo, Jesse? I heard what she said at lunch." Jesse nodded. "Yeah, scared the heck out of me too, John. I think she's okay, but that one came out of left field. We talked some last night. I think she's better today." "You need a thicker skin, Jesse. Hawkins isn't going to let that go now that he hit the target with the jibe." Jesse huffed out a frustrated sigh. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I mean, I know Mary Jo ain't pure as the driven snow, but that doesn't matter in the end. I'm not a saint either. If I was the worrying kind, I'd be more worried about you than Hawkins and his bunch." I raised an eyebrow and Jesse laughed. "Yeah, you, Mr. Spock. Mary Jo and I have talked about our pasts. She wanted everything out in the open. Man, did you get rave reviews. Hawkins and that bunch are just so much hot air." "You've got nothing to fear from me, Jesse," I said shaking my head. "Mary Jo and I are friends. And as long as she's dating you, that's all we'll ever be." Jesse gave my arm a gentle, slow motion punch. "I know that, John." "So what are you going to do next year, Jesse?" I asked, changing the subject. "Mary Jo's dad and I had a discussion last night. He's looking for a new helper. I kinda like the idea of building houses and stuff, so I'm going to try it out on weekends for a while." "Mary Jo's not going to like all those calluses on her soft spots," I teased. Jesse shook his head. "Well then I'll just have to use something else on those spots." He stuck his tongue out and we laughed as we split up heading for the next class. ------- Wednesday came and left again with nothing to recommend it. Thursday was looking just about as memorable until lunch. As usual, the gang all filtered in one by one and sat down, pulling out lunches or suspiciously examining the cafeteria food. After ten minutes, though, it became obvious that we were short one. Missy's seat was empty. I looked around the lunch room and found her sitting and talking with Gail Carson and Jackie Weathers. I smiled. "What's up with Missy," Mary Jo asked when I looked back to our table. "I guess she's patching things up with Gail and Jackie." Nothing more was said about it. I wasn't sure what it meant. Missy and I hadn't had many opportunities to talk since Monday. She'd been out when I'd called last night. ------- I was lost in my thoughts as I walked home, and I didn't notice Missy's car in our driveway until I almost walked into it. Missy was sitting on the hood, swinging her legs. "Hi, John," she said, jumping down in front of me. She was smiling and happy. "Hi, Missy. You look happy." "I am. Gail and Jackie and I are back to being friends, Momma sent Charles packing, and Junior hasn't come within a thousand feet of me since last weekend. Things are looking pretty good right now." I put my books down on the hood of her car and put my hands on her waist. "I'm glad you're happy." I got lost in her eyes for a moment. Everything was suddenly perfect with the world. She smiled and her lips parted. I felt myself drawn forward until my lips touched hers. It was like magic or fireworks or I don't know what. I lost all thought of anything except kissing Missy. We were both out of breath when she pulled away. Her eyes were still closed. Her chest rose and fell quickly as she tried to catch her breath. I kissed her forehead. "I, um," the kiss had wiped my brain clean. I had no idea what to say. Missy opened her eyes and smiled. "Yeah. I felt that too. Um, the reason I came here. Could we, you know, go on a real date this weekend?" "Real date?" "You know, dinner, the movies, bowling, parking, a real date." "Sure, Missy, I'd like that. Where did you want to go?" "I don't know, John. I'm not sure I've ever been on a real date." For some reason, that made me feel both sad and elated, but I pushed those feelings aside to examine later. "How 'bout if I pick you up at your place tomorrow night around six?" I asked. "We'll go to Toni's and then catch a movie. As far as parking goes, if you're still interested after the movie, I know a few places." "That sounds great, John! I'll see you tomorrow," Missy said with a smile. She leaned forward and gave me a kiss, before pulling me into a hug that left me breathless, and a bit turned on. Then she pushed me back and kissed me again before getting into her car and racing off down the street. I stood for the longest time just staring at her car and wondering what the heck had just happened. ------- Our date Friday was fun and interesting. Missy and I got into a discussion about whether or not it was our first date. I was adamant that the Homecoming Dance was our first date. Missy didn't agree. She said Homecoming had been more like a fantasy or going to a wedding, and therefore not a date. There was no heat in the argument, and I think it might have even sparked some of the passion that came out in the kisses that fogged up my windows at the Overlook. I was getting quite turned on by those kisses and let my fingers roam over her arms and back. Things got a little testy when my finger slipped down and began drawing lazy circles around her nipple. Missy grabbed my hand and gently pulled away from the kiss. "No, John. I, I'm not ready for you to do that. Please?" "I'm sorry, Missy. I guess I got carried away." "Don't apologize, John. I'm not upset. I just don't want to go there yet." I nodded and pulled away a little. "Okay, Missy, you set the pace and I'll follow your lead. Missy frowned, but she didn't let go of my hand. "You have very gentle hands, John. They make me feel good when you caress me. I'm looking forward to having them caress me again." I thought for a moment she was going to say more, but she remained silent. She shook her head as if she were arguing with herself, started to say something, stopped, and then just turned and smiled at me. "Missy?" She shook her head again, and laughed. "It's nothing, John" she reassured me. "I was just thinking about how the talks I have with you are so different than the ones I have with anyone else." "Oh, really?" I smiled. "Yeah, really, like, I've never told anyone else how much I enjoy their caresses." She looked embarrassed just saying that, although she looked me straight in the eye the whole time. "You've also never been afraid to tell me what you think, even when it's not something I want to hear. You said some things the other day, for example, that have me thinking more and more about the future. Momma and I have been talking a lot this week. I always knew my Daddy was well off, but I guess I really didn't understand how well off, or what that meant to me, until Momma and I talked. I never realized how many opportunities were available to me." I nodded and watched as her eyes danced in the moonlight. "I think I owe Charles a lot," she said. "I mean he's an asshole and all, but without him, I would have cruised through this year being Homecoming Queen and Prom Queen and probably settled down with Peter Hawkins or Ethan Bishop or maybe even Jimmy Marshall and been a country club mom. I guess my husband would run the Factory and I would be at home bored out of my skull, drinking and taking care of my kids." "Sounds pretty normal for the upper class around here." "Yeah, but it could be better. I figured out I want more, and that was because of you. Peter, Ethan and Jimmy are boring, one dimensional boys. And no matter what they do, they will never be more than that. Charles drove me into your arms at the wedding. You tilted my view of the world and the future one degree at a time. I'll be forever grateful for that. And the dancing at Homecoming! Wow! I always loved to dance. Daddy would dance with me at the country club like that. You brought that back into my life too." "Trust me; that was MY pleasure, Missy." She smiled. "But..." There's always a 'but', I thought to myself. "I'm not sure what the future brings, John. You and I are different in so many ways. I love the excitement of the dancing and the kissing, but I'm not sure that it overcomes those differences. I want to find out if it can, if there is more that we can share so that we can celebrate the differences, but until I do, I want to take things slowly, please." "I can do slowly, Missy. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. And I know you'll tell me if I get going too fast." Missy smiled and then pulled at my hand. Our lips were back together and the rest of the evening was spent just kissing. As we drove home that night, I thought to myself that with Missy Harmon, just kissing was more than enough for now. I was a lucky guy, and as Missy had said earlier, life was looking pretty good right now. ------- Chapter 14 The steroid scandal and the fall out from that had the school in turmoil. The "in" crowd was suddenly not so "In". Hawkins, Boardman and Bishop were suddenly pariahs, reviled by the same people that had lauded them as heroes just weeks earlier. The school was forced to forfeit any game they had been in, and the team finished the season with a 2-12 record, next to last in the region. Under suspicion by association, the school's basketball team had undergone intense scrutiny. Luckily, they'd all passed their wiz quiz. I watched as Missy gradually became the center of the new "in" crowd. She and her friends, Gail and Jackie, ate lunch together most of the time, although Missy still sat with me occasionally. Our little world's axis tilted a tiny bit back toward what had been normal. Missy and I continued to go out to dinner and the movies once a week. We had long, wonderful discussions about anything and everything, sharing our opinions, hopes and dreams and giving each other a bit more of our hearts every time. These talks were usually followed by intense make out sessions, but kissing was still as far as Missy wanted to go. All in all, though, I found myself more and more attracted to Missy, to the person living inside that gorgeous body. ------- December started out much the same, although the second week came with some good news: Monday's mail brought my acceptance letter from State and some of the details about what was and what wasn't covered by my scholarship. My future looked to be back on its proper path, the path I had always envisioned. Not too surprisingly, then, I was in a good mood when I sat down at lunch on Tuesday. "Did you swallow the canary or what, Robinson?" Bobby asked as he set his tray down. "Well, kind of, Bobby," I grinned. "I got my acceptance letter from State last night." "Oooh! Mr. College Boy! I suppose now you'll forget all about us lowly peons." "Not a chance, Bobby" I said straight faced. "Even if I had a lobotomy I couldn't forget you. You, my friend, are unforgettable." Bobby frowned, clearly unsure if he should take that as a compliment or an insult, but before he could say anything, Missy stepped up to the table. None of the other regulars had yet arrived. "Can I talk to John in private for a moment, Bobby?" "Sure thing, Missy. I need to get some more ketchup anyway." "What's on your mind, Missy?" I asked, suddenly nervous. She knew I had few secrets from Bobby, so the fact that she wanted to talk to me privately worried me. As dire thoughts raced through my brain, I realized with a start how important Missy had become to me. I was suddenly afraid that she was going to break — "Are you doing anything on the 22nd?" She asked, interrupting my thoughts. "A week from Saturday?" I blinked. While I'd had no idea what Missy wanted, that certainly wasn't what I feared, or expected. "Probably nothing much. I think I'm scheduled to work from 8 to 5 at Hardesy's but that should be it, why?" "Momma wants me to go to the Country Club's Winter Dance. She said something about a couple of people she could get to escort us, but I was hoping you could escort me. Please, John?" I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. "I'd be honored, Missy," I said without any hesitation. "It's a formal dance, so you will need a tux, John." "No problem, Missy. I'll get Tracey to take me to Lawton's tonight." "I'm sorry about the short notice. I didn't think we'd be going this year, but Momma insisted and I didn't want to go without an escort. I really don't want to deal with the octopi again this year." "I'll try to keep my other four arms to myself," I joked. "Oh, you," she smacked my shoulder lightly. "Thanks, John." She looked over at the condiment stand and nodded to Bobby who came back over and sat down. One by one, the rest of the gang joined us. "Long time, no see, Missy," Betty Lou said a little testily as she put her tray down next to Missy. I shot a questioning look at Betty Lou. What the heck had gotten a bee in her bonnet, I wondered. Mary Jo distracted me, though, as she smiled and sat down, asking Missy about their upcoming biology class. The rest of lunch was pretty normal. Missy and Mary Jo got up to go to Biology. I waved them on as they stopped and waited for me, taking my time dumping my trash. "Wasn't that nice, the queen deigned to join us for lunch," Betty Lou groused quietly to Bobby as they stepped behind me. "Give it a rest, Betty Lou." Bobby answered softly. "Why? We stood by her when no one else would, and now we're not good enough to have lunch with unless she needs John for something. I hope she's not planning to break his heart," she hissed. "Put the claws back in, Betty Lou," Bobby whispered. "Robinson can take care of himself." I turned around and started to say something, but Bobby just smiled and nodded as he guided Betty Lou toward her next class. ------- Things were a little chilly at the lunch table on Wednesday. Betty Lou purposefully made a show of sitting at the end of the table away from Bobby. Mary Jo cocked her eyebrow as she sat down. I shrugged. Betty Lou ignored Bobby's stare. "A little ice in paradise?" I leaned over and whispered. "So it seems," he replied. "You were right yesterday, Bobby. I can take care of myself. You don't need to get crosswise with Betty Lou to try and protect me." Bobby sighed, "I was hoping you hadn't heard us, John, though I was afraid you had." Then he shrugged. "I can take care of my heart too, Robinson," he said with a smile. "I've got this under control. Never fear." I nodded and looked over at Mary Jo. She was lost in conversation with Jesse. That made me smile even more. I looked beyond them and saw Missy smile at me and move her head toward the door. I nodded. "Anything I can do to help?" I asked Bobby as I stood. "Nah. I got it covered." "Okay, talk to everyone later." Betty Lou looked at me confused as I headed toward the door. She looked past me and then frowned. Missy put her arm in mine and we headed for her class. "What's up, Missy?" "Mary Jo told me I've been neglecting my girlfriend duties." "Girlfriend duties?" "Yeah, you know, walking to class with my boyfriend, having lunch with him occasionally, kissing him in the hallways before class." "Those are duties?" "Well, not really," she chuckled, "but I have been spending a lot of time with Gail and Jackie." "Hey, they're your friends. I don't mind. It's not like I own you," I joked. Missy didn't smile. "Maybe not, but some other people have noticed my lack of attention, too. Peter Hawkins had the nerve to ask me out to a movie on Friday. I told him we had a date." "We do?" "Well, I hope so. You haven't asked, but we have gone out for the last six Fridays in a row. It just wouldn't feel right not to see you on Friday night." "So are you free on Friday?" I asked. "What did you have in mind, Mr. Robinson?" she replied, quite seriously, as we reached the door of her Biology class. "A little groping, a little dinner, maybe a quick turn around the ice at the rink. Not necessarily in that order." "It appears that I am no longer free on Friday, then," she said finally giving me a smile. "Are you picking me up at six?" "Hey, I think it's your turn to drive, lady." "Okay," she said with a bigger smile. "Call me tonight?" "Of course." She kissed me and disappeared into the classroom. ------- The big chill was still on at lunch on Thursday. Betty Lou frowned as she watched Missy drop a note in my lap and then go sit with Gail and Jackie. I picked the note up and smiled. "John — I forgot to mention one other of my duties. Love notes. I'm not really very good at writing them, and I'm not even sure I'm in love, but I like spending time with you. So here is your first note from this girlfriend. I'm looking forward to picking you up on Friday!! Missy." She drew a little heart above the 'i' in her name. I smiled and looked over at Missy. She blew me a kiss. Bobby sat down, smiling. I turned and looked at him for a moment. "The ice doesn't appear to be thawing very fast." Bobby ignored the implied question, asking instead, "Are you and Missy still going skating tomorrow?" "Yes." "Can you two skate as well as you dance?" "Not really. We do all right, but it's not quite the same." "Amy Sue and Betty Lou are going skating with their family Friday night. I think seeing you two dancing on the ice and having fun will thaw the ice some." He smiled as I realized he hadn't really ignored my comment after all. "So that's why you suggested we go skating again?" Bobby just grinned. "Do you want me to say anything to her?" "I don't think you need to, John. Just be your usual self and make sure you skate with the twins. If that doesn't start the thaw, I go to plan P." "Don't you mean plan B?" "Nope. P as in Patty Long." "You, my friend, are playing with fire," I warned. Patty Long had been very vocal in her interest in Bobby ever since the Homecoming Dance. "What better way to melt the ice?" Bobby asked. Although he was smiling, he'd sounded just a bit sad. ------- Chapter 15 Bobby's words didn't exactly haunt me, although I couldn't forget them either. With the drama of Betty Lou and Bobby, and with Betty Lou's inexplicable, to me at least, anger towards Missy, I just knew that Friday night at the skating rink was going to be interesting. I hadn't told Missy what Betty Lou had said because I hadn't wanted to upset her. Turns out I really didn't need to tell her anything. Missy and I were holding hands, skating along lazily together and chatting about favorite movies as we glided across the ice, when I suddenly felt Missy tense up. "Oh, damn," she said under her breath, "and I was having such a good time, too." "What's the matter, honey?" I asked, immediately concerned. "Honey?" she asked, pulling us both to a stop. "You've never really called me anything but Missy before, John." "I don't know why that came out then, Missy. It seemed natural to me, it's the way I feel, but I won't call you that if it bothers you." She cocked her head. "No, I think I like it, John," she said, giving me a glorious smile. "My father used to call me that, and so did Junior, but I like the way you say it." Her smile was suddenly replaced by a grimace, and I saw her looking behind me. "Missy, what is wrong? She sighed and said, "The Coopers are here, John". I turned and spotted Amy Sue and Betty Lou and gave them a wave. "Do you have to encourage them, John?" Missy asked. At that moment, I knew that Missy knew. "They are my friends, Missy" I replied evenly. "I know, John," she sighed, turning away "I'm just not sure that they're mine, not Betty Lou, anyway." I spun her back around so that we were facing each other. "Did Betty Lou do something, honey? Do you have a problem with her?" "No, John, I don't have a problem with her. I think Betty Lou has a problem with me, though. She's been making snide remarks to my back for the last couple of weeks. Gail and Jackie mentioned it the other day. And Debby Durr told me that Betty Lou has been bad-mouthing me in some of the classes they share." "I'm sorry, Missy. I wasn't aware of all that." Missy shook her head and laughed. "John, you are one of the sweetest and smartest guys I know, but there are times when you are just clueless." The brief hug she gave me took any sting from her words. I started to say something but Missy stopped me with a firm shake of her head. "No, John, even though she's your friend, it's not your fault. Besides, she's being kind of sweet, actually. Misdirected, back stabbing and bitchy, but still sweet. She doesn't think I'm worthy of you, and all things considered, she's probably right. Even Gail was on my case the other day. I guess I'm really not that great a girlfriend." I was speechless, not knowing even how to respond to such a ridiculous statement. "Missy, honey, do you hear me complaining?" I asked finally. "No, I don't," Missy replied promptly, "but you're too nice a guy to complain, even when you probably should." "Complain?" I asked blankly. "What in the world would I complain about?" Missy rolled her eyes. "Well, as an example, Gail couldn't believe that I haven't let you do more when we park. After all, we have been dating for almost two months." She paused as if weighing something. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but when Jackie said that the reason you don't complain is that if I dumped you you'd go for weeks without a date, Gail just looked at her and laughed. Gail told both of us that she'd ask you out the minute I dropped you, and that it wouldn't take you two months to get into her panties. Then she told me that if I didn't get my head out of my ass, I was going to be the one going weeks without a date." You could have knocked me over with a feather. I had no idea that Gail Carson was interested in me. "But, Missy," I protested. "We've talked about this before. You don't have to..." Missy hugged me tightly and put her hands on both of my cheeks. "I know you keep saying that, John. And I believe you, but I'm not so sure that Gail isn't right." Amy Sue chose that moment to skate over to us and say hello, cutting off any further conversation. Missy gave her a genuine smile and asked Amy Sue how her mother was doing. "Betty Lou and I are giving her a break. We brought our brothers with us so Mom and Dad can relax tonight. She's going in for another round of treatment tomorrow." "How are her spirits holding up?" Missy asked. Amy Sue gave a sad little shrug. "I can tell it's hard for her," she said, "but she puts on an amazing front, trying to help keep our spirits up. It kills me to see her like that but it's obviously so important to her that we all go along with the act, pretending we're fooled. Dad tries, but I think she needs someone outside the family to talk to." "I'll make sure I stop in and see her on Sunday then," Missy said softly. "Maybe she'll talk to me." Amy Sue gave Missy a quick hug. "Thank you, Missy!" I could see tears in her eyes. I must have looked confused because Amy Sue smiled through the tears and put her hand on my arm. "Missy stops in to see Mom whenever she's in the hospital. You did know that your girlfriend volunteers at the hospital on Sundays and Wednesdays, didn't you John? You're a pretty lucky guy, John; your girlfriend is special." I had known that Missy did volunteer work at the hospital, but I'd never realized that might mean she'd know Mrs. Cooper. I smiled and nodded. "While there is a lot else I might not know, Amy Sue, I have always known that Missy is wonderful girlfriend, and very, very special." I said the last directly to Missy. "Well," Amy Sue laughed, "you two obviously don't need a third wheel, and Betty Lou is looking pretty annoyed, so I'd better go." She waved as she skated back towards her family. "Well," I told Missy as I started us skating again, "regardless of what is happening between you and Betty Lou, it certainly appears that you and Amy Sue are good friends." "I don't know about good friends," Missy replied, "but she is such a sweet girl. I really thought you two would be great together. You know, when you dated back in September." "No spark," I shrugged. "Yeah, that's what she said." I shook my head. We skated quietly, just enjoying each other's company for a while. Every time we passed Betty Lou, she looked daggers at Missy. I'm not sure Missy saw, but I sure did, and I was getting pretty damned annoyed. The deejay changed the music and Missy wanted to take a break. "I'm sorry, John. I'm a little tired. Why don't you go skate with one of the twins while I rest a bit." "Are you sure? I can sit with you for awhile." "No, it's okay. Go. I know how much you like to skate." She kissed me and then stepped off the ice. I looked over at the Coopers. Amy Sue saw me. She had both of her little brothers' hands and nodded toward Betty Lou who was sitting on a bench with a sour look on her face. I nodded and skated over to Betty Lou. "Care to join me, Betty Lou?" "Where's Little Miss Perfect?" she hissed. I frowned at her words and tone, but bit back my response. "Missy's taking a break," I said instead, holding my hand out. Betty Lou shrugged and grasped my hand. She was a good skater, and soon we were matching stride for stride. "So what's up with you and Bobby?" I asked, trying to break the ice. "Bobby's pissed because I said something about Miss Perfect. I think he expects me to apologize." "What do you have against Missy, Betty Lou?" I asked evenly. "I don't have anything against her." "Well, the sarcastic 'Miss Perfect' coming out of your mouth would seem to put a lie to your words, Betty Lou." Betty turned on her toe and pushed me to the side of the rink. "Okay, but just remember you asked for it, buster," she said angrily. "You want to know why I'm upset with her. How about because those two cheer bitches she's all buddy-buddy with right now didn't do shit for her when her ass was in a sling. We did. But now that everything's all rosy, their shit don't stink and ours does." Betty Lou was getting really angry, and I tried to calm her down. "Betty Lou," I began. She was having none of it, though, cutting me off before I could continue. "No!" she said loudly, before lowering her voice. "You wanted to know, John Robinson, so you're going to stand there and just listen to me!" "So we save her ass, but now that it's safe for her again, Little Miss Perfect Melissa Ann Harmon can't be caught dead sitting at our table for lunch unless she needs to make an appearance to get something from you. She's not good enough for you, John. I can't believe you spend your time with that Ice Princess." She gave me a look of disgust. "She probably won't even let you touch her, but she wiggles that skinny little ass of hers and you go glassy eyed and fall right in line. It's pathetic. Half the girls in our class would be here, buck naked, on their backs at center ice with their legs spread, if you asked them. Why the hell are you spending time with that frigid bitch?" "Are you finished?" I asked. I was surprised by how calm I sounded, given that I was more than a little shell-shocked. A small part of my brain wondered what Betty Lou would say if she knew that Jackie and Gail agreed with her, at least in part, about Missy. I shook my head. Why did everyone else feel they had the right tell Missy and me how far and how fast we should go physically? Betty Lou interrupted my thoughts. "I'm barely getting started, John." I sighed. I didn't like doing this, but Betty Lou was pushing things too far, even for a friend. "Okay, before you say anything more, let me set you straight, Miss Perfect. It wasn't so long ago that you weren't treating your boyfriend so nice. Or have you forgotten that?" Betty Lou looked like I had slapped her, and I almost relented. Almost. "Second, I like Missy. I'm having a good time dating her and getting to know her. Yeah, we're moving slowly, because we don't know where this is going yet. But we both know we want to find out. Third, I know where Missy is at lunch, and I don't mind. She and Gail and Jackie have been friends since the third grade. Whether they supported Missy is between Missy and them. Missy has forgiven them, so it is non issue to me." I was getting angry as I talked, and I looked away and took several breaths to calm down a little. I forced myself to think about whether to finish telling her how I felt or whether to leave it be, but out of both reason and anger, decided that Betty Lou needed to hear it. I looked back at her and said "Fourth, while I don't demand that all of my friends love her like I do, I do expect that my friends will at least try to accept her for my sake. Like I said, I have no idea where our relationship is going, but having you sniping at her isn't helping at all. Finally, as your friend, I will tell you that if you don't get your head out of your ass, you are going to lose a pretty special guy who cares a lot about you, and who forgave you when you were wrong." Betty Lou was still obviously angry, but she also looked like she was going to cry. When I sighed and tried to reach a hand out to her, she pushed my arm roughly away and skated off. Shaking my head at her retreating back, I sighed. I wished I'd been able to find a better way to handle that, and I wondered if I had lost a friend. Still, I couldn't regret what I had said, and I knew that I had had to say something. With yet another sigh, I headed over to Amy Sue and her brothers. Johnny was having trouble staying on his feet and threatening to take the other two down with him. I caught Johnny and grabbed his other hand, stabilizing the group and earning a smile of gratitude from Amy Sue. The four of us skated through a couple of songs, which helped me calm down completely, and then I headed back for Missy. We left shortly after that. Missy put her hand on my arm and said, "I don't want the evening to end just yet, John. Can we go to the Overlook?" "I'd like that, honey," I replied. Missy smiled happily and pulled me toward her car. Once she had parked the car, Missy slipped off her seat belt and turned to me. I unhooked mine and turned toward her. Missy sat on her knees and we were kissing in no time. In moments, my pants tightened and my heart was pounding. I put my hand on her shoulder and before I could move it, Missy put her hand on top of mine. She broke the kiss and put the index finger of her other hand on my lips. Slowly she guided my hand down her shoulder and over to the zipper on her jacket. Together we slowly lowered the zipper, and then she placed my hand inside the jacket and over her breast. The moment I cupped her breast she sighed and pushed her breast more firmly against my hand. "Missy?" I whispered. She didn't reply, but kissed me instead, a wonderful kiss filled with both passion and promise. Her hand never left mine, but it didn't interfere with my exploration of that soft sweater covered mound. Through bra, blouse and sweater, I could feel her nipple poking out, and Missy moaned softly into my mouth as I gently squeezed her nipple between my fingers. And then with one last flick of her tongue, she broke the kiss. "That feels so good, John," she sighed. I agreed. With another sigh, she pulled my hand out of her jacket and zipped it back up. I glanced at the clock and saw that it was time for us to go home. She kissed the palm of my hand before reaching for the seat belt. ------- Chapter 16 Monday rolled around and I was a little later than usual getting to the cafeteria. I pulled up short when I noticed that the group at our usual table had grown. Jesse and Bobby were moving a couple of chairs when I arrived, finding seats for the four new residents. Missy, Jackie and Gail were sitting at one end. As everyone settled in, I saw that there was an empty chair between Missy and Bobby, so I headed for that. Betty Lou was still in her self-imposed exile at the other end of the table. She was staring daggers at the fourth new face at the table, a pretty blonde girl sitting across from Bobby. "Hello, Patty," I said as I sat down. Missy turned toward me and our lips met in a short kiss. "Get a room," Jackie smirked. I turned to Bobby, pitching my voice low so that only he would hear me. "So we've moved onto plan P, then," I said. "A man can only take so much ice, Robinson." "Yeah, well, let's make sure that no one gets burned too badly," I replied, glancing at Patty. Patty smiled. "I'm just showing interest, John. I want to be ready just in case Betty Lou doesn't get a clue," she said before Bobby could reply. Bobby rolled his eyes and stared down the table at Betty Lou. With a frown, he turned back and asked Jesse something about Chemistry. Conversations flowed freely at our end of the table, and I considered how nice it was to have all of my friends at the one table for a change. I didn't know Patty Long very well, but she showed a quick wit and a great sense of humor, and even Jackie seemed to be enjoying herself. Missy grabbed my hand and pulled it onto her thigh and held it there. I was smiling and laughing at something Gail said when there was a crash at the other end of the table. Betty Lou had knocked her chair over. She stomped over behind Patty, staring long and hard at Bobby. She was obviously angry, but there was more than a touch of sadness there, too. "You can just go to hell, Bobby Sherwood," she said finally. Then she turned on her heel and stormed out of the cafeteria. Patty had a huge smile on her face. Bobby was frowning. I started to get up, but Missy held my hand tight. "I think it's my turn to talk to her, John," Missy said. She leaned behind me and tapped Bobby on the shoulder. "Are you really planning to dump Betty Lou for Patty?" she asked. He shook his head. "I really like her and I'm still hoping I don't have to," Bobby replied. "Why?" Missy just smiled. "Would you take care of my trash, John?" she asked. When I nodded, she kissed my cheek and headed out after Betty Lou. Missy refused to say anything about her conversation with Betty Lou when I talked to her between classes. She wouldn't talk about it on the phone that night either, but she told me not to worry. ------- I was standing at my locker Friday morning talking with Bobby when someone cleared their throat behind me. Bobby and I both turned to see Betty Lou standing there. I started to say something, but Betty Lou held up her hand. She gave Bobby a nervous glance, but then looked back at me. "John, I've been a real bitch lately, and I'm sorry." I smiled and held out my free arm. Betty Lou leaned into my hug. "Welcome back, Betty Lou. I'm glad you managed to get away from the aliens." "Oh, you. You're a fine one to talk; I don't have that Mr. Spock eyebrow thing down cold!" Bobby tried to sneak away while I had Betty Lou's attention, but she saw him make a move and grabbed his arm. "Please wait, Bobby," she pleaded, turning her back to me. "I'm even more sorry that I treated you so badly. You were right. I shouldn't have stuck my nose in John's love life. I should have listened to you. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to walk to class with you?" Betty Lou looked a little small as she waited anxiously for Bobby to say something. Finally, he shrugged and held out his hand. I watched as he and Betty Lou walked down the hallway holding hands, saying nothing. As they turned the corner, I saw Bobby give Betty Lou a smile. It wasn't going to be as quick and easy as that, of course, but when all was said and done, I figured that Patty Long was going to be the one who was disappointed. "Ain't love grand?" Missy said as her arm slipped through mine. "Yes, it is," I replied as we headed off toward English class. "And so are you, because whatever the hell you said to Betty Lou — and no I'm not asking again — there is no doubt that it saved their relationship." ------- I felt a little out of place when I climbed into the back of the huge Cadillac that Mrs. Harmon's escort, Dave Jensen, was driving. I smiled as I sat down next to Missy. "You look fantastic, Missy," I said as I handed her the corsage Tracey helped me pick out. "Thank you, John," she said, holding the corsage carefully. "You can pin this on me when we get to the dance." The rest of the ride to the country club was filled with small talk as Mrs. Harmon chatted with Mr. Jensen and I occasionally shared a word with Missy. Beyond saying hello, though, Mrs. Harmon didn't say anything else to me. The valet opened the door on my side of the car and I stepped out, offering my hand to Missy. She smiled and allowed me to help her out of the car. When we entered the clubhouse, I helped her out of her heavy coat and marveled at the devastatingly beautiful young woman that appeared. Her royal blue dress was strapless and exposed her soft shoulders and her graceful neck. With her hair up in a fancy hairdo, her neck was completely exposed and I had to struggle to resist latching onto it with my lips. We were fashionably late, and as soon as the corsage was pinned in place, Missy and I were onto the dance floor swirling with the other guests. I shook my head, remembering the last time that I was at the Club with Missy. I had thought Missy an unattainable fantasy for a guy who was bussing the tables. It felt just a bit strange to be dancing here as a guest, with that unattainable girl as my partner. I pushed those thoughts away, though, content now to just soak up the feeling of Missy in my arms and the wonder I felt when she smiled and looked deep into my eyes, I felt my heart race. It was as if we were alone on a cloud dancing to the soft music. A tap on my shoulder brought me back to the dance floor, and I turned to find a man I didn't recognize hold out his hand to Missy. Missy regarded him for a second and then nodded. I politely stepped aside and wandered off to the table where Mrs. Harmon and Mr. Jensen were sitting. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the music until the song ended and then I looked for Missy. The "gentleman" she had been dancing with tried to hold her onto the dance floor, but Missy was having none of that. She swept away from him toward me. I stood and held my hand out. Missy smiled and grasped my hand, allowing me to escort her back onto the dance floor. Her former partner glared at her but walked away, nonetheless. "You and Melissa dance wonderfully together, John," Mrs. Harmon said as we stood together watching Missy dance with some other guy. I'm sure I was frowning; I didn't know how Mrs. Harmon could tell if Missy and I danced well together or not. We hadn't had the opportunity to finish a single dance together. Someone was always cutting in. "I like dancing with Missy. I wish we could actually dance a whole song without someone cutting in on us." "Well, John, it's not like you two are engaged or anything. Now that Charles and Junior are out of the picture, Missy is going to be the focus of a lot of attention, and she is going to have to decide what she wants for her life." Mrs. Harmon gazed at the dance floor for a moment longer, and then turned to me with a smile, changing the subject. "Are you still going to State in the fall?" "Yes, ma'am. My acceptance letter came in the mail the other day." "Are you still happy about it? Is it everything you wanted?" I gave her a smile. "Oh, yes, ma'am. The offer was even more than I had hoped for." "Well, good for you, John.!" She said with genuine happiness. "I'm sure you can't wait leave this town and everyone in it behind you, and I am glad to hear that your future is set. Wherever you end up, I do hope it works out for you." She paused and gave me a long look. "I also want to thank you for the role you played in helping Missy get away from Junior Bishop. You've left her free to find her own happiness and to make her own life here in Ridgemont. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to talk to Mr. Stevens." I nodded and turned back to watch Missy dancing with yet another guy I didn't recognize. I pondered what Mrs. Harmon had said. It was almost as if she was dismissing my relationship with Missy, and implying that Missy and I were headed in different directions. I was troubled by the direction of my thoughts, but didn't know what to do about it. It was nearly midnight when I finally got to dance with Missy again. We'd barely started when someone tapped my shoulder again. I sighed. Missy frowned. I stopped dancing and started to turn toward the gentleman, but Missy didn't let me go. "That is more than enough, Henry," she said quietly but with some heat. "I came to this dance with John so that I could dance with John, but you and your friends have interrupted every single dance. Leave us be. I want to dance with John the rest of the night." Henry said nothing. He looked at Missy for a moment, gave me a dismissive sniff, and then walked off the dance floor. "I'm sorry, John," Missy said as we started dancing again. "I thought it would be different with you here." I debated whether I should share my earlier thoughts with Missy, but decided not to ruin the rest of her evening, so I kissed the top of her forehead instead. "Let's just enjoy the dance, honey." Missy snuggled in tight, laying her head on my shoulder and sighing. I loved the feel of her body against mine as we swayed to the music. I gave up any pretense at dancing and just held her close. The soft smell of her perfume and the touch of her body along mine soon had me hard as a rock. I shifted a bit to try to keep Missy from noticing, but she was having none of it. She held on tight. "I don't mind, John," she whispered, nibbling at my ear and then laying her head back down on my shoulder. We stayed like that through three more songs and then the dance was over. Our lips were locked together when I heard a throat clear behind me. "Dave and I are ready to leave," Mrs. Harmon said sternly. Her earlier warmth towards me was nowhere in sight. I started to say something, but Missy put her finger on my lips and shook her head. She grasped my arm and we walked out to get her coat. "I'm probably not going to see you again until after Christmas, am I?" I asked as we waited for the Cadillac to be brought up by the valet. "No, Momma and I are leaving in the morning for grandma's house," Missy replied. "Then I guess now would be the time to give you this." I pulled the gold locket out of my pocket and handed it to her. She held up the heart in the weak light. "Oh, John, it's beautiful. Thank you. You didn't..." She didn't bother finishing her train of thought. She kissed me again and then turned around, handing me the locket. I fastened it around her neck and felt momentarily envious as the heart disappeared into the valley between her breasts. ------- Chapter 17 Tracey and I spent nearly the entire Christmas weekend working. I was either at Hardesy's or waiting tables for Tracey. It wasn't the most fun I'd ever had over the Christmas holidays, but Tracey was very, very happy, as she must have catered a half dozen Christmas parties over the four day weekend. Plus, I knew Missy was going to be gone until school started again in January, so I made sure Mr. Hardesy knew I was willing to work as many hours as he would give me. I could see the finish line here at Ridgemont, and even though tuition and books were paid for at State, I wanted to save some money to help Tracey pay for our room and board in University Park. ------- "Incoming," someone shouted as I stepped out of the Bronco. A snowball burst into a shower of soft powder against the door. I saw Bobby smiling and grabbing another handful of snow. I closed the door and waved as Tracey pulled away. The next snowball hit in the middle of my back. Bobby's aim was improving. He saw me bend down to grab a handful of powder, and he ducked behind his truck. I launched the snowball so that it came down right on the front edge of his hood, showering him with powder. We shook hands and walked into the school laughing. Betty Lou and Amy Sue fell in beside us. Betty Lou grabbed Bobby's face and planted a steamy kiss on his lips. "Get a room," I said loudly. Bobby flipped me off without breaking the kiss, and then blew me a kiss of my own as the four of us broke up to head for our lockers. I looked around for Missy, but I didn't see her, so I headed for class. Missy was already in her seat, and she slipped a note into my hand as I sat down. I started to say something, but Mr. Hayes started in on his lecture, so I just gave her a smile and turned to pay attention. Missy disappeared out of class before I could even gather my books, and I sighed in frustration. Something was definitely wrong. I paused just outside of class and took a deep breath. I had a feeling the note Missy had given me would explain what was going on, but I was also sure I wasn't going to like what it said. I shook my head, sighed, and finally unfolded the note. "John — I'm sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know what else to say. Momma insisted that I go out with Henry Longmoore last weekend while we were at Grandma's house. I don't really like Henry, didn't want to go, and Momma and I wound up in a huge fight. The long and short of it is that she doesn't want me dating anyone exclusively. So I won't be able to go out with you on Fridays for a while. I don't know what to do. Momma wouldn't even let me call you so I could tell you personally. Please don't be mad. I'm sorry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Missy." There was no heart over the i this time. I rocked back against the wall. The fears I'd had at the dance had borne fruit; my buoyant mood was gone. ------- "What's up, Robinson," Bobby asked as he sat down across from me. "Well, you're in a good mood, Bobby." "As it should be," Betty Lou smiled and sat down next to Bobby. "Santa was good to Bobby," she said with a wink. "Oh, yeah," he said, beaming. The happy mood was pretty contagious as the rest of the gang wandered in and began the usual chatter. I looked over Betty Lou's head toward Missy, Gail and Jackie. Missy had her back to me and Jackie was chattering away. Gail, however, was staring at me. Suddenly, the cheerfulness was just too much, and I had to hustle out of the cafeteria. I saw Jesse and Mary Jo exchanging puzzled glances, and I heard Mary Jo call my name, but I didn't, couldn't, stop. I walked to the narrow strip of concrete behind the school that held the HVAC equipment. I sighed as I scraped the snow off the concrete and slid down the wall until my butt was on the cold concrete. Part of me wanted to scream and cry, another just to understand. I wiped away an unwanted tear, shaking my head with a sigh. I needed to figure this out, first. I could also cry later. I stared at the air handlers pondering Missy's note. Should I call her? Would her mother let me talk to her? Did Missy even want me to call her? It was obvious that she wasn't going to try to talk to me. Her behavior in class and at lunch made that plain. Was she even worth it? Was I tilting at windmills here? Damn, I had a lot of questions and not many answers. A little voice inside wondered if it was now time to scream and cry, but I couldn't even get up the energy for that. I felt numb. I'm not sure how long I sat there, staring at the fan blades spin in the air handlers, before I heard footsteps approaching. "I thought I'd find you here, John," Mary Jo said. "What's up? You bolted out lunch early, and Amy Sue said you skipped class seventh hour." I shrugged. "Come on, John. It's me, Mary Jo. I know something's bugging you. We saw you split out of lunch." I frowned and handed Mary Jo the note Missy gave me. She read the note and handed it back to me. "I'm sorry, John," she said gently. "You've always seemed to be there when I needed someone with all the right words to make things better. I wish I knew how to help you now." I sighed. "I do, too, Mary Jo, but I suspect that words won't help. I guess I just have to face the truth: the fantasy ride is over. I'm surprised it lasted this long. I actually let myself believe that we could have a life together, but she has to want it as much as I do, and that note doesn't sound like someone willing to fight for it." "The note leaves a lot of questions, John. Have you actually talked to Missy?" "She's pretty much ignoring me," I replied. "She practically ran out of class this morning, and she didn't even look at me during lunch." "Oh I don't know about that. I saw her watch you leave the cafeteria. She didn't look happy. Gail and Jackie were pretty much clustered around her, almost like they were supporting her. Missy skipped out on Biology too. I'm not sure she's any happier about this than you are." "I don't know what to do, Mary Jo." "Call her." I nodded, standing up. "Thanks, Mary Jo. You better get back." Mary Jo linked her arm in mine. "What about Jesse?" I asked. "John, for a super smart guy, you are an idiot sometimes. Jesse is your friend. He knows where I am and who I'm with. Who do you think suggested I look for you?" With that, she gently guided me back to my locker. The final bell rang before we got there and I saw Bobby and Jesse waiting. Jesse shot a concerned look our way, but I saw Mary Jo give him a shake of her head. Mary Jo held onto my arm until we reached them. Before I could figure out how to be social, Betty Lou came up and grabbed Bobby and they headed out. Mary Jo gave me a reassuring squeeze and then let go of my arm and smiled at me before she and Jesse left. I trudged home in the snow. ------- I called the Harmon house as soon as I got home. When Mrs. Harmon answered I almost hung up, but I decided to at least try. "Hello, Mrs. Harmon," I said. "This is John Robinson. May I speak with Missy, please?" Politely, but firmly, Mrs. Harmon said, "I'm sorry, John, but Melissa is not available to talk to you now, and will not be available for some time. Given that, I'll also have to ask you not to call again. Goodbye, John." The connection was severed with a very loud click. I stared at the phone for a while and then headed off to my room to think. I had too many questions. Was it Missy's mother or actually Missy that was putting distance between us? Missy's note had implied that it was her mother, and I got the same impression from the short phone conversation. But what if it was just a cover? What if it was really Missy who wanted to break it off? I was just John Robinson, broke high school senior. How could I compete with the Henry Longmoore's of the world? Henry was out of college and probably working for Harmon-Morris. He also clearly had money and connections, or he wouldn't have been at the dance at the Country Club to begin with. I shook my head in frustration. Mary Jo had been right. The note hadn't answered anything. I still had too many questions and not enough information. I needed to find a way to talk to Missy. ------- My Wednesday was looking as bleak as my Tuesday had been. Missy was keeping her distance from me, and the rest of the bulls in the pasture noticed. I guess the rumor mill in Ridgemont was just as effective as ever. I wondered what the break up story was. Apparently it wasn't just the bulls that noticed, either. "Well, hello there, John Robinson," a syrupy sweet voice said from behind me as I closed my locker after Math. I turned to see Cathy Kramer smiling at me. "Hi, Cathy. What's up?" "Could I walk to class with you?" she asked sweetly. I kept expecting her to bat her eyes. "Sure, why not? How are you, Cathy?" "Well, um, John, I assume you heard that I broke up with Henry?" Cathy and Henry Smith had been dating for a couple of months. I thought they made a good pair, but Henry was a little full of himself after the basketball team won the Fall tourney. He'd been pretty vocal when he cast Cathy aside before Christmas. "Yeah, Cathy, I did, and I thought it was a shame. I thought you two were perfect together." "Well, I was hoping that since you and I are now unattached..." Her voice made clear what the words didn't say. She wanted me to ask her out. I hadn't given up on Missy yet, though, and I wouldn't until I heard her tell me in person that there was no hope for us. However, if Missy and I were truly, irrevocably over, I knew I wasn't going to be ready to go out anyone else for a while. And even if I was, it wouldn't be Cathy Kramer. "I'm sorry, Cathy, but I'm not going to be dating for a while. I hope you understand." "Sure, John," she said... But if you change your mind..." Again, the implication was very plain. Luckily we reached class before I had to figure out how to respond. ------- Chapter 18 I had ducked out as soon as my last class was over, half afraid that Cathy would try to pick up the conversation where we had left it earlier. After Cathy, I was more determined than ever to talk to Missy. I just had no idea how to make that happen. Lost in thought, I didn't notice a driver blow through a stop sign. He nearly ran me over. I shook my head, and checked both directions before continuing on. I sure as heck didn't need to end up in the hospital again. And just like that, I suddenly knew how I could have that talk with Missy. It was Wednesday. I knew where Missy would be for the rest of the afternoon. And I was pretty sure that her mother wouldn't be there. I hurried home, and after a quick supper, I asked Tracey if she would drop me off at the hospital. She gave me a curious look, but didn't ask me why I wanted to go, simply reaching for her coat and keys. I gave her an appreciative smile. I was too keyed up to talk about it. I just told Tracey that I had to be at the hospital before 7:00, and she dropped me off with time to spare. I was sitting on the hood of Missy's car at 7 waiting. Missy volunteered at the hospital until 7:00 on Wednesdays, and unless she was going to walk home, she was going to have to talk to me before she got in the car. I knew Missy saw me when she opened the door. She stopped, stared at me uncertainly for a moment and then turned and took two steps back into the Hospital. She stopped again, then spun back around and walked quickly toward me. I hopped off the hood and waited. "Hello, John." I could feel my anxiety churning in my guts, and I took a breath before replying. "Hi, Missy. I was hoping we could talk while you drove me back to my house," I said as calmly as I could. "Um, I guess that would be okay," she said nervously. Seeing that she was nervous, too, actually helped to drain away some of my fear I climbed in the passenger seat and Missy got the car started. "So, Missy, what is going on?" Missy frowned and bit her lip. "I, um, oh, can we wait until we get to your house, John? I'm not sure I can talk about this when I'm driving." "As long as we talk when we get there," I replied firmly. Missy gave me a half hearted smile and nodded. We drove the rest of the way in silence. Missy put the car in park in front of my house. Then she turned toward me. She took a deep breath and looked away from me, staring out the window for a moment. Then I heard her sigh, and she turned and looked at me searching my face. "I'm so sorry, John," she said. "I know I'm not handling this particularly well." She took another deep breath. I could see her eyes glistening. "I probably won't say all of this right either, but I need to say it anyway, so please, don't say anything until I get it all out, okay?" I nodded, dreading what I was about to hear, but needing to hear it at the same time. "Um, so, we were at Grandma's house. Things were nice and calm until Momma got this call the day after Christmas," Missy started. "She was quiet all afternoon and then at dinner that evening, she lowered the boom. I was getting too serious about you and you were leaving in the fall. You were like all men, you'd wine and dine me and after I gave in you'd leave me barefoot and pregnant and you'd be in University Park. You'd made it plain that you wanted to leave Ridgemont and never return. I was too young. I needed perspective, and there were, after all, many more suitable matches." I felt myself getting angry, but remembering my promise to let Missy 'get it all out, ' I forced myself to keep my mouth shut. "I couldn't believe it!" Missy continued, a bit of heat now in her voice. We must have argued for hours. Grandma even agreed with Momma. You have to believe me, John. It didn't matter what I said. In the end, Momma said, 'as long as you are living under my roof, young lady, you will do what I say.'" I stared at her. A tear trickled down her cheek. "So what does this mean, Missy?" Missy gulped and her lower lip quivered. "I had a date to the New Year's party with Henry Longmoore. I have dates every weekend for the next two months with Henry and three other 'suitors'. Momma is convinced that I will like one of them, and I will start dating one I choose, exclusively. I don't know what to do, John! New Year's was horrible. Henry was the perfect gentleman at the party, but when he took me home, he got grabby." Tears were streaming down her face. She started to say something more and couldn't. I pulled her to me and hugged her. I could hear her sobbing into my coat, "I'm s-s-so s-s-sorry, J-j-john." I kissed the top of her head and held her. Finally she shuddered and stopped crying. I put my finger under her chin and brought her eyes to mine. I was completely pissed by now, but I knew I needed to stay calm. "Missy, look at me." I told her. Huge tears continued to roll down her cheeks, but she opened her eyes and looked at me. I asked the question at the heart of this all. "So none of this is your way of dumping me?" Missy shook her head. "Oh, God, no, John!" She sniffed and rubbed at her eyes. She tried to say something more and then closed her mouth. She unzipped her jacket and unbuttoned two of her blouse buttons. Bobbing in the opening was the heart I'd given her from Christmas. "Does this look like I want to dump you? I love the heart. And I wear it all the time. If I wanted to break up with you, I would give it back. Okay?" I nodded. She put her palm on my cheek and leaned forward. Our lips met in a soft salty kiss that ended way too soon. "I miss our time together so much, John," she whispered. I nodded, giving her a soft smile. "I miss my friend. I'm still your friend, Missy, and I will be here for you, at least until I have to leave in August. For now, you do what you have to, and I'll give you the time and space to do it. Go on the dates your mother set up." I shook my head and grimaced. "I won't enjoy that we're not together, but you need to the time to do it. At the end of that time, you'll have to make a choice, though. I will still be around then, waiting for you. If it's me you want, tell me." I looked away then, swallowing. It was hard to even voice the next part. "If it's not me, you need to tell me that, too." I turned back and stared into her eyes. "In the meantime, you are still my friend. You got pretty good at writing notes before Christmas. So write me notes. Sit with us at lunch sometimes. Call me. I'll do whatever I can to support you and help you through this. You need to decide what YOU are going to do with your life, though, Missy. We will live through this." "I know, John, but I don't think what I want is what Momma wants. I love my Momma, but I think..." Missy let her voice fade off and shook her head. "It's just so hard." "That is my problem when I'm around you, Missy," I joked. Missy exploded in laughter. She dried her eyes, and I kissed her once more, softly, and got out of the car. ------- I walked to school with much more resolve on Thursday. I tossed a carefully folded note into Missy's lap before taking my seat in English. She smiled and put the note in her purse. Reading notes in Mr. Hayes' class was just not done. Missy walked out of class, tossing me a smile, but not saying a word, and I realized again how much I missed just talking to her. I sighed. It was going to be a long two months, I thought as I headed toward my second period class. On the flip side, I was amazed by the number of rather blatant offers of company I was getting. I still scoffed at Betty Lou's comment about half the women being ready to spread their legs at center ice, but it was becoming obvious that the number of interested parties was significantly larger than I had ever imagined. "How are you holding up, John?" Gail asked as she stepped up beside me on the way to class. "Better today, Gail," I replied. "Thanks." "Missy told me she told you what I said about when she dumped you." "But she really didn't dump me," I replied. "Maybe not, but only a few of us know that." I shrugged, wondering where this was going. "I wanted you to know that I was serious about what I told Missy, John," she said, placing her hand on my arm and stopping outside the door to class. "About every word." "I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Gail." "I'm not either, John, but I think I'd like to try it anyway." "Gail, Missy is your friend," I said softly. "And she knows where I am and knows what I'm doing, John. I know some of your friends think Jackie and I are back stabbing bitches that flit wherever the popular wind is blowing, but it's not like that. I am Missy's friend and I will still be if you and I are dating. And I will be her friend if we stop dating and you two get back together in a couple of months. I've seen enough of what goes on around here to be curious about you. The Peter Hawkins of this town don't hold my interest at all. I'm looking for something more, something better." I wasn't sure what to say. "Well, you aren't shy," I said with a grin. "Think about it, please?" I agreed. We parted company. Mrs. Lofton launched into her lecture and I tuned her out. I wasn't sure what to think of Gail. One thing I was sure, though. I was going to have to write another note to Missy. This communicating by notes was getting complicated. ------- Lunch was boisterous at our table. It was even more so when Jackie Weathers came over and pretended to whisper in my ear as she dropped a note in my lap. "What was that all about, John?" Betty Lou asked. "Yeah, come to think of it, you've been pretty happy today," Jesse commented. "Something happen?" I smiled, not saying a word, just opening the note and placing it on the table in front of me. It said just three words. "Go for it." "Come on, John, spill it. You look like a cat that swallowed a canary," Amy Sue added. "Notes? From Jackie?" Betty Lou asked incredulously, reaching out for it. "When did this start?" She opened it, holding it so both she and Bobby could read it. "Go for it," Bobby read off. "Sounds like there is more to this story, Robinson, so give. What's up? What does it mean?" The bell rang. "All in good time, my friends," I said, smiling broadly as I stood and headed to class. "All in good time, John," I muttered to myself. It was going to be a long two months, but I had the germ of an idea about how to make the time pass just a little bit faster. ------- Chapter 19 Thursday brought more offers of companionship from a variety of very eager young ladies, some of them from quarters that I had never even considered. My friends hounded me for an explanation of the cryptic note that Jackie dumped on me. I maintained my silence until lunch. "Okay, Robinson, give," Bobby said as he and Betty Lou sat down. "Yeah, you're making the ladies crazy," Jesse said with a smile. "And not just the ones at this table," Mary Jo added. I put my sandwich down and surveyed the table. Everyone, even Willie Parker who seemed to be completely oblivious to school gossip, seemed to be waiting for me to spill my guts. "I am now in the market for a new girlfriend," I said, turning to look at each one of them as their jaws dropped. "And your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to help me find the most unlikely or inappropriate candidate possible." "What about -?" Carly started. "Inappropriate?" Mary Jo asked at the same time. I could see her eyes narrow and the wheels turn in her head. "There are a few guidelines," I started, ignoring Mary Jo and interrupting Carly before she could say anything about Missy. "My new girlfriend cannot be sitting at this table at the moment. She cannot be a cheerleader. She cannot be dating anyone exclusively. Any girl in this school that does not meet one of those criteria is fair game." "You are kidding, right?" Betty Lou asked. I shook my head solemnly. "Nope." Everyone stared at each other for a moment — except for Mary Jo, who continued to stare at me — and then Jesse broke the silence. "Well, if you're really serious, then there is only one choice, John," Jesse said. "Olivia Eastman." "Over Easy!" Bobby slapped his hand over his mouth as all the girls stared daggers at him. "Exactly," Jesse said. "There is no more inappropriate candidate to be John's girlfriend than her." "Well," Mary Jo said, sweetly, "John's sex life would certainly get a boost." When she saw a small grimace cross my face, I saw understanding dawn, and she gave me a quickly hidden grin. A glance around the table showed me no one else had a clue, yet. I should have known Mary Jo would figure it out first. She knew me better than anyone else at the table, including Bobby. "But... Come on, get serious," Amy Sue sputtered. Carly looked around the table. "I'm sure Olivia's a nice girl." "Carly, honey," Betty Lou said leaning over toward Carly. "Olivia hasn't been a nice girl since seventh grade." Jesse sat back and stared Betty Lou down. "Can you honestly think of anyone who would be more inappropriate or unlikely?" Betty Lou frowned and shook her head. The table split into a number of boisterous conversations. I sat back and smiled. Olivia Eastman was perfect. I knew my friends could find the answer quicker than I ever could have. "I love it when a plan comes together," I said to no one in particular. "Jesse, my friend, you are a genius." I clapped him on the shoulder as I stood and walked away from the table. ------- Olivia Eastman was the school bad girl. She smoked, rode her motorcycle to school, and, as any gossipmonger could tell you, slept with anyone and everyone she had ever dated. Olivia was the first girl in our class to develop boobs, and it didn't take the boys in her neighborhood long to notice. By the end of seventh grade, she was dating one of the Harrison boys. I couldn't remember if it was Bobby or Carl. All four of the Harrison boys were constantly in trouble with the law. Al was currently in the State Pen for armed robbery. Last I heard, Bobby was running with a biker gang in Travis. Davy was at the Boys Camp in Barlow after he was caught driving his fourth stolen car in four weeks. Only Carl had settled down after high school, and he was working as an auto mechanic over at Firestone. In short, Mrs. Harrison's boys were bad news. Regardless, whichever one it was that Olivia dated in seventh grade was the one that had given her the name, "Over Easy." However, I knew that like most of the gossip around Ridgemont, Olivia's reputation was overblown. Sure, she still rode a motorcycle and dressed in black leather, but she'd quit smoking six months ago after her grandmother passed away due to lung cancer. Most of the school didn't know that, but then most of the school also didn't know that Olivia worked for Tracey as a waitress to help her mom pay the bills. Because she worked with Tracey, I'd worked with Olivia, too, and I knew that Olivia cleaned up nicely and, despite her reputation, was a very easy going young woman. Before I looked up Olivia, though, there was someone else that I wanted to give a bit of advanced warning. Gail was Missy's friend, and she had been honest and direct with me. I could do no less than be just as honest and direct with her. I wanted her to know why I was doing what I was going to do. Unfortunately, Gail didn't give me a chance to explain anything. The moment she heard Olivia's name, she blew up. "You'd rather go out with that slut than with me?" she asked incredulously. "I thought you were different than all the other guys, but I guess I was wrong. Well, screw you, John Robinson! I hope she gives you the fucking clap!" She stormed off, unwilling to give me a chance to say another word. I sighed to myself. I probably hadn't done a great job trying to explain it to Gail, but at least I could console myself knowing that I'd tried. I turned away with a sigh, only to find Mary Jo standing a few feet away. "You saw the whole thing, I assume?" Mary Jo nodded, giving me a sympathetic grin as she walked up to me. "I guess you just wanted to verify that I am crazy, huh?" Mary Jo laughed. "Oh, yeah, I've verified it all right. You're crazy, John. Crazy like a fox." She briefly touched my cheek. "It's also nice to verify my opinion that you're a damned good man, John." She smiled, turned and walked away. I snorted to myself. It was good to know that someone thought I was a good guy. Within the next few days, Mary Jo was going to be part of a distinct minority holding that opinion. I shook my head and turned my mind back to Olivia Eastman. I thought about how and where to best approach her, and then smiled to myself over the obvious answer. I knew exactly where I could catch up with her after school, and I also knew that just being seen talking to Olivia would get the tongues wagging tomorrow. So, when the final bell rang, I wandered out to the bike racks and sat on the low wall beside them. After about ten minutes, Olivia came strutting out. "Hey, J.R.," she said as she put her books in her saddlebags. "Slumming?" "Not me, Liv. But if you've got a moment or two, I'd like to talk to you." "Why not," she said, resting her helmet on the seat of her black Honda bike and pushing herself up on the low wall beside me. "So, what's up? Does Tracey need something?" "No, but I have a favor to ask." "Well, it depends on the favor, of course, but are you sure you want to be seen with me? The upper crust bitches are already giving you the eye," she said, nodding toward the door. I glanced casually over at the group gather just outside the school doors. "Good." "What's going on, John? Seriously. I mean I know status don't mean shit to you, but it's not like you to seek me out here at school. Especially now that that stupid broad Missy dumped you, I hear you're the hottest ticket on the dating dance cards, and everyone's been talking about how the vultures are circling. Smart money is on that friend of Missy's, Gail Carson." "Yeah, that's kinda why I'm here, Liv. I need some air cover for a few weeks, maybe even till graduation, depending. I was hoping you were free tomorrow or Saturday. I can't remember Tracey's schedule." "I'm working Saturday, but I got nothing going tomorrow that can't be put off. Why?" "No date with your boyfriend?" "Nah. When Bubba Walker tossed me aside a couple weeks ago for Maggie Turner, I decided to take a break from boys for a while. What's on your mind?" "I'd like to take you out, maybe dinner and a movie?" "You're asking me for a date, John?" Liv was suddenly serious. "Absolutely." "Someone whop you upside the head or something?" "Not in a few weeks." "You're serious?" she asked staring at me. I nodded and she added. "My God, you are serious." "Yes, Olivia Eastman. I would like to take you out and treat you to dinner at Toni's and then take you to a movie of your choice at the theatre." She swallowed and looked around. "Okay, John, I'm not sure this is a great idea, but I'm going to go for it. If nothing else, watching everyone else at Toni's should be a trip." "Pick you up at six?" "Okay, John. Call me later tonight, please." "Drive safe, Liv." She hopped off the wall and stared at me for a moment and then put her helmet on and rode off. ------- As expected, many of my classmates stared at me incredulously as I waited for Olivia by the bike rack Friday morning. Liv smiled as she hopped off the bike and tucked her helmet under her arm. I held out my hand and she handed me her books. "Damn, a girl could get used to this kind of thing, J.R.," she said as we walked side by side into the school. She had a smile from ear to ear as books dropped or conversations stopped as we passed. She paused at the door to her Math class. "I'd sit with you at lunch, J.R., but I'm skipping out at ten. I gotta take care of some stuff before tonight." I raised my eyebrow. "Don't worry, J.R. I won't embarrass you too much tonight. See you at six." "I trust you, Liv. See you tonight." ------- I could feel the eyes of my classmates on me all the way from the cafeteria door to my usual table. I'd purposely waited at my locker so that I could make a grand entrance. "Damn, Robinson, when you jump off the deep end, you do it with both feet," Bobby said as I sat down in the empty chair between him and Mary Jo. "We thought you were just kidding around!" Betty Lou exclaimed. "Well, the look that Cathy Kramer gave you this morning was certainly no joke," Mary Jo interjected. "I'm surprised you didn't shrivel up into nothing. And if you don't duck, the daggers that are coming from Gail Carson's eyes are gonna be hitting hard between your shoulder blades," Mary Jo said, snickering. "Yeah, but Over Easy had a smile on her face you couldn't wipe off with hydrochloric acid," Jesse countered. He leaned across the table. "You're a good guy, Robinson," he added. I gave him a wink and a nod back. Mary Jo had obviously clued Jesse in. "You ain't seen nothing yet, my friends," I said, opening my lunch sack. "So, what is everyone else doing this weekend?" Willie Parker piped up for the first time in a while. "I guess that depends on what you are doing, John." "Well, anyone interested in seeing something interesting might want to be at Toni's around 6:15 tonight. But I wish you wouldn't let that be too generally known," I replied. "What do you say, Bobby? Double date with Mary Jo and me? Dinner and a movie?" Jesse asked. "What do you think, Betty Lou?" Bobby asked, turning to his girlfriend. "That sounds nice. Do you suppose we could ask Amy Sue and her boyfriend to join us too?" "Damn, I'm going to Justin's for dinner tonight," Carly mused. "You can't win them all, Carly," Mary Jo smiled. "Call me Saturday and I'll fill you in." I just smiled. ------- Chapter 20 I pulled into the driveway next to the Eastman's trailer at six. Mrs. Eastman opened the door, a smile bursting onto her face. "Hello, John!" she said, giving me a quick but crushing hug. "It is so good to see you. I was half convinced that Olivia was pulling my leg." I gave her a sincere smile. "It's nice to see you too, Mrs. Eastman. Is Liv ready?" She nodded at me, still smiling. "Olivia, your date is here!" she called back toward the hallway. Turning back she said, "I can't remember the last time Olivia's date actually came to the door, John." I didn't answer because at that moment my jaw hit the floor. I almost didn't recognize the young woman who stepped out of the hallway. The Liv that stood there nervously looked nothing like Ridgemont's Over Easy. The black eye shadow, black t-shirt and jeans were gone. Even when working for Tracey, the eye shadow was lightened, but still there, as were the black jeans. Tonight, however, Liv wore a tight red sweater and a black denim skirt that came to her knees. It was the first time I had ever seen her in a color other than black or Caterer White. I knew I was staring and I shook myself. "Hello, beautiful," I said as I recovered. "What have you done with Liv?" Liv smiled, shook her head and walked to me. She started to pull on her jacket and looked startled when I helped. "Don't wait up, Momma," Liv said. "We won't be late, but you have to be at work early tomorrow." "Have a good time, you two," Mrs. Eastman said, beaming as she ushered us out of the trailer. ------- "I hope I didn't ruin things for you, John, but I decided after we talked last night that this was my last chance to be something other than 'Over Easy' Eastman before we graduate. I mean, um, oh, shoot." I pulled the car to the side of the road. "Liv, let me be very clear about this; you didn't ruin anything for me. How could I possibly be upset? I'm flattered that you'd dress up to go out with me. Oh, and the only woman I'm out with tonight, or any night I'm with you, is Olivia Eastman, okay?" She gave me a huge smile. "Okay, and thanks, John. You know, it was fun, getting dolled up for a change," she admitted. I gave her a firm nod and pulled the car back into traffic. "Momma was floored when I showed up at the salon at one," Liv continued. "I think she'd just about given up on me finding a decent guy. I know I had." I must have visibly reacted to that somehow because she put her hand on my arm and added, "Don't worry, John. I knew it wasn't going to be serious from the get go; you asked me to help you by giving you some 'air cover for a few weeks.' I'm not sure I understand exactly why you asked me out to help you provide that cover, but I do understand that you and I are not going to be getting married or anything. We come from such different worlds that I realize we could probably never make that work, but I also recognize that this is my shot to show a few people that I'm more that just 'Over Easy'," We pulled into the parking lot at Toni's, and Liv went to reach for the door, staring at me in surprise when I hustled around the car to help her out. I opened the door to Toni's and guided Liv in. The looks on the faces of some of my classmates, and especially my friends, were priceless. Liv smiled and turned back to me, smiling as I put her hand in my elbow and walked her to a table. "You'd think they never saw a beautiful lady before," I whispered in her ear as I held her chair. Liv laughed and gave me a glorious smile. "Thank you for asking me out, J.R." She shook her head. "I'm not sure if I'm doing you a favor, or you're doing me one, though!" We chatted all through dinner and when we were finished, I asked Liv if she wanted to meet my friends. She looked uneasy about the idea, but then she shrugged, so I escorted her over to their table and introduced everyone to Olivia Eastman. Everyone mumbled a polite hello except for Mary Jo. "Damn, girl, you clean up nice," Mary Jo said with a smile. She stood up and whispered something in Liv's ear as she gave her a hug. The look on Jesse's face was priceless. Mary Jo sat down and looked at Jesse. "What? She's John's girlfriend. That makes her a friend of mine. You gotta problem with that, Jesse?" "No, ma'am," Jesse replied right away. "Good boy," Mary Jo said, patting his arm. Mary Jo's hug, and her offer of friendship, broke the ice and Jesse and Bobby grabbed two chairs as we sat down to chat for a while. Soon it was time to go to the movie. ------- We both enjoyed the movie and were laughing when I opened the door for her. She put her hand on mine. "Can we go somewhere quiet and talk for a while, John?" "Of course, Liv. Is the Overlook okay? It should be pretty quiet tonight." It was getting chilly, but the sky was clear and the stars would be out in force. Liv bit her lip, looking a bit uncertain, but nodded her head. "The Overlook would be fine, John." Liv was quiet all the way to the Overlook. When I put the Bronco in park, she turned to me and smiled. "I don't think I've had this much fun in years, John. I never realized what I'd missed. I owe you so much." She paused and looked out the other window. When she turned back I could see a tear trickle down her cheek. "John, I know we're here and all, but would you be terribly disappointed if you didn't get laid tonight? I know it's probably not fair to you, but I was hoping you wouldn't mind. Oh, damn. Look at me, I'm babbling like a ninny." She brushed a tear off her cheek and turned away from me. I put my hand on her chin and slowly pulled her toward me. Her eyes fluttered closed as my lips touched hers. We kissed for a bit and then I pulled back, keeping my hand on her cheek. "We aren't going to do anything you don't want to do, Liv. We can just talk if that's what you'd prefer." She shook her head and pressed her lips back against mine, and we proceeded to fog up the windows on the Chevy. She encouraged my hands to wander a bit, even opening her coat and placing my hand on her breast. She flinched, though, when I placed my hand on her knee to help me balance. When I pulled my hand away, she pulled back for a moment. "Please don't be disappointed in me or feel cheated, John. I promise you won't be disappointed next time. Just let me have the illusion of being a good girl tonight, please." "Relax, Liv. You don't have to pretend." I gave her a mischievous grin. "After all, you've always been a good girl with me. Do you think I should take you home now?" She smiled gratefully. "I think so, John," she said, "but are you going to be all right? I mean, oh crap. I don't want you to be uncomfortable. Maybe I should..." "Liv," I said, gently grabbing the hand that was reaching for my zipper. "I'll be fine. Really." I held both of her hands in mine and looked into her eyes. "I had a great time with you tonight. Dinner and the movie were fun, we got to know each other a little bit, and you got to meet some of my friends. Let me take you home now. We'll kiss some more on your doorstep. I'll be seeing you tomorrow night anyway." Liv leaned forward and gave me a gentle kiss on my lips, then leaned back into her seat. "Thanks, John," was all she said. I put the Bronco in reverse and Liv put her hand on my leg. I looked over and she was smiling. Her kisses on the doorstep held the promise of things to come, and I left looking forward to another date with her. ------- Monday morning, I was sitting on the hood of the Bronco, waiting, when Liv rode up on her motorcycle. "Are you sure you want to do this, John," she asked, tossing me a black helmet. "Absolutely, I've always wanted to ride on one of these things." "Okay, then, hop on and hold on, but don't get too frisky. I wouldn't want to put us on the ground just because you want a quick feel." I leaned over and said, "So I should do this now, before we get going?" I reached around her and grabbed a boob in each and gave it a light squeeze. Liv laughed, playfully slapping my hands away, and when my hands settled on her hips, she launched us down the street. I'm sure I was smiling from ear to ear when I stepped off her bike at school. I'd never realized that motorcycles were so much fun. Liv locked the bike up and grabbed the helmet from my hand, handing me her books. We walked into the school side by side. Liv put the helmets in a special locker and then leaned in close and whispered, "You really want to get tongues wagging, John?" "What do you have in mind, Liv?" "Put your left hand in my left back pocket." I did. I loved the feel of her soft butt against my hand. I almost jumped through the roof when she put her hand in my pocket too. We walked to class holding each other's ass. And she was right. It set tongues to wagging, big time. ------- Chapter 21 Third period ended and I knew that Liv's locker was nearby, so I hustled toward it. As I'd hoped, Liv was there, grabbing her books for her English class. Just as she closed her locker and turned around, I grabbed her hips and pushed her gently back against the lockers. I leaned down and kissed her hard, shoving my thigh between her legs. With a quick yank, I pulled her t shirt loose from her tight jeans and shoved my hand up under her bra and pinched her nipple. And then I pulled my hand loose and whispered, "See you at lunch." Liv's mouth looked like it couldn't decide whether to register shock or to laugh, but her eyes were smouldering as I pulled away. I knew that if our morning ass grab had gotten tongues wagging, this little display would have the gossip flying off the walls. I'd never dared be that aggressive with any of my other girlfriends, but I knew that Liv not only didn't mind, but rather actually encouraged such things. ------- Fourth period ended, and as I headed out, I could hear furtive whispers and a couple of gasps bubble around me. I smiled to myself, but otherwise ignored the storm I had created. I was headed for my locker when someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into an empty classroom. The door shut and I heard the lock click behind me. "Damn, John. I didn't know you had that in you," Liv said, backing me up against the wall out of view of the door's window. "You lit a fire in me, and I need you to put it out." Her lips were insistent and so were her fingers as the unbuttoned and unzipped my jeans. Her kiss took my breath away, and it was only when she pulled away that I noticed that my pants and briefs were down around my ankles. "Liv? I asked nervously. "You really think this is a good idea?" "Baby, good idea or not, I need this. You just lean back and enjoy," she purred as she sank to her knees. Her eyes never left mine as she engulfed my now very hard cock. Now, I'd had a couple of other girlfriends who were willing to suck my cock, but none of them were as eager as Liv. I struggled to move her off. "Liv," I protested, "I thought I was supposed to put your fire out!" She released my cock with a wet slurp, and looked up at me. "John? Shut up and let me put it out my way, okay?" I nodded dumbly, put my hands back against the wall and stared into her eyes as she resumed her attention to my cock. In an instant, the sensations rocketed from my groin to my brain. She reached up and put my hands on the side of her head and then rocked back and forth, sucking and licking for all she was worth. It wasn't long before I was ready to cum. I hissed a warning, but Liv simply redoubled her efforts, sending me over the brink. I felt pulse after pulse fire into her warm, wet mouth and then my knees tried to buckle. Liv pressed her hands against my thighs, keeping me upright as she milked every drop from my flagging member. She smiled and licked her lips. "That should keep the fire stoked for a while," she said as she pulled my briefs back up and lovingly tucked me into them. "Liv, let me return the favor..." "No time, but don't you worry, babe," she replied, buttoning my jeans. "I'll get mine. And don't you think for a minute that I didn't enjoy that. Now, let's get you to class before we both get stuck in detention. I'm frustrated enough having to wait till the end of seventh period to you alone." ------- Lunch was great fun. Betty Lou was all over me. "I can't believe you pinned her against the locker and copped a feel, John! That's just not your style! What the hell's come over you?" "I told you his sex life would get a boost," Mary Jo answered for me with a smirk. And then she looked directly at Jesse. "Don't you go getting ideas, Mister Caldwell. I don't like things quite as public as Ms. Eastman." Jesse smiled and raised his hands in surrender. Bobby sat down loudly. "You need to be careful, Robinson. Cathy Kramer was telling a bunch of girls that 'that slut dragged John Robinson into a classroom and did it.'" "She didn't!" Amy Sue looked shocked. "Cathy didn't or Olivia didn't?" Boby asked with a smile. "Well, never mind, I heard Cathy myself, though I can't speak about whether it is true of not." "I don't know if it is true or not, but, w-well, Liv did drag him into a classroom," Carly chipped in, blushing a bit. "No way! Not even Over Ea — uh, I mean Olivia, would dare have sex during school!" Willie Parker interjected. Everyone looked at me expectantly. I just smiled. "Liv is very affectionate." "Are you talking about me?" the aforementioned beauty asked, brushing a kiss to my ear and then sitting down next to me. "It seems that we have everyone's attention, my dear," I replied, leaning over to kiss her. ------- It was my turn to get pinned to the lockers between sixth and seventh period, only it wasn't Liv doing the pinning. It was Gail Carson. "I can not believe you actually did it. You actually turned me down for that whore! Damn you, John Robinson. How could you humiliate me like that? I all but told you I'd sleep with you!" "First, Gail, since I'm not paying Liv, I'll ask you nicely to please not call my girlfriend a whore. Second, as I tried to explain to you, although I am attracted to you, there are reasons why I can't date you. Liv is not Missy's best friend. And Liv is unlikely to be hurt if by some chance Missy decides that she wants to get back together with me." "Well, have no fear, mister. There is no way that Missy is going to get back together with you now, John. After news of today reaches her mom, Missy's gonna have to stay a hundred miles from you. I'm going to see to that." I sighed. Gail still didn't want to hear what I had to say. "You do what you have to do, Gail" I said calmly. "Count on it, asshole. When you get tired of playing pattycake with the class whore, there won't be a girl in this school who will go out with you." "I guess we'll have to see about that, Miss Carson. Now why don't you run along to class like a good girl and let me worry about me, hmmm?" "This isn't over, John Robinson." "Oh, but it is," I replied, grabbing her by the hips and physically moving her away from my locker. ------- I didn't even make it to my locker after the last period. Liv intercepted me on the way there, grabbed me by the arm and said, "I really hope you have all the stuff you need, John, 'cause we are leaving right now." She almost literally dragged me to the helmet locker and onto her bike. She didn't quite break the sound barrier, but in no time we were parked in her driveway. "Momma's working til five," she said, over her shoulder as she unlocked the door. Liv tossed her books on the chair and threw her arms around me. Her kiss was urgent, and there was no mistaking for what. She backed off and pulled her shirt over her head. Somewhere along the way she'd removed her bra. Her breasts were the perfect size for her body, and her nipples were rock hard and pointing right at me. I reached out for them, but she batted my hands out of the way. "No need for that, John. I've been ready since third period." She pushed her jeans down and stepped out of them. She turned around and wiggled her sexy ass at me and then leaned over the arm of her couch. "Gimme and gimme now, hard and fast, please, John," she literally begged. I didn't keep her waiting any longer than it took me to roll a condom onto my cock. Our coupling was nothing short of animalistic. Liv was more than ready. Her throaty moan as I slid into her spurred me on. She pushed back to meet every thrust. I finally got my hands on those beautiful tits, reaching around to hold them and rolling her nipples between my fingers. I could feel her shudder with desire, and I could feel each slap as her ass and my thighs met. It wasn't long before Liv let out a keening wail, and that was all it took. I could feel my sperm jetting into the condom. I collapsed onto her back. ------- Much later, Liv turned her bike off in our driveway and pulled her helmet off. She kissed me hard. "Damn, J.R.," she said, licking at her lips. "You still taste like me." Then she looked at me seriously. "No one's ever gone down on me, John, and I never knew I was missing something really great. Thank you for that. Thank you for today. I had such a great time today. You know we're gonna have to cool things down for a couple of days, don't you? We keep going like we did in school today, and one of us is going to get in some real trouble." "I know, Liv, but today was fun." "Yes it was. You pushed every one of my buttons, damn you. I can't believe how good it felt to suck you off in old man Watkins' classroom." I laughed, "That was certainly MY pleasure, Liv." She didn't respond to my laugh, but just shook her head. "No, you don't understand, John. I've done things like that before, but you let it be a gift from me. The other guys took control and turned it into a throat fuck, sometimes even past the point where it hurt. It was such a turn on to have you let me do it, not make me do it." I touched her gently. "I would never make you do anything, Liv. Unless you wanted me to, that is," I added with a leer. She finally gave me a smile. "Now there's a thought," she replied, kissing me and pushing me toward the door. "I gotta go. See you tomorrow, John." ------- Chapter 22 January dissolved into February. The school seemed to have finally accepted that Liv and I were a couple and that we would do something a little outrageous from time to time. It was fun. It was exciting. And it showed me a completely different side of sex. With my other girlfriends things were all about romance and affection. Liv enjoyed that side as much as any of the others, but she also showed me that a woman can enjoy sex just for the pure fun of it. It was Monday morning, and Liv had picked me up on the way to school, something that had become a pleasurable routine for us. Liv decided to break that routine for some reason, though, this morning and stopped the bike before we got to school. I took my helmet off when she did, tucking it under my arm and looking a question at her. She said nothing for a minute, and I saw a range of emotion, doubt, affection, indecision and finally regret, cross her face. "Liv," I said gently, "what do you want to say?" She laughed and looked up at the leaves of the tree under which we had stopped. "Want?" she asked. "I don't think so. Need to, though? Yup." She looked back down at me. "John," she said seriously. "I'm enjoying things with you, but if we're going to break this off, we need to do it soon. I'm starting to get addicted to it, you, us." I sighed, a bit sad now that the moment was here. I'd known this day was coming from the very beginning, but I had come to care for Liv, and this was harder than I'd expected. "I was afraid of that, Liv. I don't want to hurt you, but as much as I've enjoyed our time together, you were right when you said that we would never work long term." "Yeah, I know," she said, bright eyed. "Still, I hate it when I'm right. So when are you going to dump me?" "I'm not," I replied. "You're going to dump me." "What? No way! Why would I do that?" "Because there's someone else, obviously." "But there isn't, John." "There should be. Surely there's someone you like more than just a little bit that you haven't dated yet." "Well," she replied, someone obviously on her mind. "Who, Liv?" "It's silly." "It's never silly." "Wally Wallace." "Really?" "See, I told you, it's silly." I touched her face. "No, I think it's perfect. I think he's perfect for you. Wally's gunshy, though. You're going to have to ask him out." "Aw, hell, I don't know if I can do that, John. That's not exactly my rep." "Olivia Eastman has no rep, Liv. Besides, Sadie Hawkins dance tickets go on sale on Friday, and no one would find it unusual for you to ask Wally." Liv stared at me, a smile slowly breaking out on her face. Every February, the school held a Sadie Hawkins' Day dance. Tradition required that the girls had to ask the guys to the dance. "Ask him on Thursday," I suggested. "And then dump me after he says yes. Make it public and where Wally can see it." "I can't do that to you, John," she replied, shocked. "You have to, Liv, if you want Wally to really believe you're serious. It doesn't have to be bad if you don't want it to be." Liv leaned forward and gave me a chaste kiss on the lips. "Thank you, John. All along, you've made everything about us just seem so easy. Now you're even making breaking up easy, and giving me shot at someone I think could really be someone serious in my life." She didn't give me a chance to respond, but put her helmet back on and drove to school silently. As I said, I'd known this was coming, and I was counting on Missy now to make the timing work. When we reached the school, I gently guided Liv past Missy's locker. Using one of our now famous locker slam kisses to hide it, I slipped a note into Missy's locker. ------- The week slipped past quickly. Liv and I found chances each day to be alone. It was if we recognized that we were slowly saying goodbye to one another, letting the other move on to something better, but wanting to savor each moment we had, and trying to memorize each of them. Friday was coming quickly, and we wouldn't have many more moments to share. With that in mind, I turned my thoughts to the future. On Wednesday, I made sure I caught Jesse alone. "Jesse, does Wally have a girlfriend?" Jesse shook his head sadly. "No, John. He's kind of sworn off girls since Cathy Kramer dumped him after homecoming. That was one cold bitch." I nodded. I remembered that scene. It was one of the most unbelievably cruel two minutes I'd ever had the misfortune to watch. I think Cathy expected Wally to become one of Junior's minions and then she could hang with the "in" crowd. Wally hadn't been very vocal supporting me, but he was there. Cathy saw that as a betrayal of her goals and she blew up at lunch that next week. She told him in no uncertain terms that "his tiny prick and his tiny brain" were no longer welcome anywhere near her. Boardman had been especially vocal in calling Wally 'Tiny' ever since. "Anyone even on his radar screen?" Jesse shook his head. "Why the sudden interest, John?" "Just doing a little reconnaissance for a friend," I smiled. "Do you think he would say yes if he was asked to Sadie Hawkins." "Maybe, but you'd better tell her not to wait too long, John. Wally's been pretty depressed." ------- Thursday was going along fine until fourth period. Jackie Weathers was waiting by my locker. "I need a few minutes, John," she said firmly. "Can you be late for fourth hour?" "For you, I'd skip it." Jackie gave me an icy stare, so I shrugged, dumped my books in my locker and followed her to the newspaper room. Jackie was the senior editor of the paper. She unlocked the door and waved me in. I stood with my back against the wall. "What's on your mind, Jackie?" "Lord knows I'm not sure why I'm doing this. I don't even like you. Especially after how you treated Gail. You humiliated her. It was bad enough that she threw herself at you and that you rejected her. I think Gail could have accepted that in time. Did you have to rub salt in the wound by dating the single biggest slut in the school, though? I don't think Gail will ever forgive you for that." "I'm sorry to hear that, Jackie. I did what I thought was best. I tried to explain to Gail, but she wouldn't even hear me out. I simply wasn't going to put either Gail or Missy in a position where they'd have to choose the other or choose me. And if I had gone out with Gail, well, it was guaranteed that sooner or later one of them would have had to choose." "Okay, maybe I can see that," Jackie admitted grudgingly, "but Olivia Eastman?" "What is so wrong with Liv?" "She slept with half the school." "I think that might be a tad overblown, Jackie." She started to object, but I held up a hand. "Even if it's not, though, even Olivia Eastman deserves a chance to become more than her reputation." Jackie groaned. "Anyway, I didn't bring you here to discuss Olivia Eastman. Missy wants to meet you. Somewhere quiet and private. I'm not sure about you and her, but she is my friend and she says that this is important. Can you meet her after school?" "Absolutely. Where?" "The Overlook? Right after school?" "I'll be there. Thanks, Jackie." Jackie closed the distance between us and put her hand on my chest. "You break her heart and I'll cut yours out with a spoon. You hear me, John Robinson?" Jackie Weathers is not big or intimidating by any means, but I could plainly see the menace in her eyes and the seriousness in her voice. "If I do, I'll bring you the spoon. Deal?" Jackie searched my face and then nodded, and we cleared out of the newspaper room. ------- Liv collected me as school ended. "I need you to drop me off at the Overlook, Liv." "What's up, John?" "I'm meeting a friend." "Missy Harmon?" Liv guessed. I nodded. Liv frowned, but said nothing. "Did you talk to Wally?" I asked as she unlocked the bike. "Oh my God, John! He was so shocked when I pulled him into Old Man Watkins classroom. He was stuttering so badly I had to kiss him to get him to shut up. He did agree to go to the dance with me, though," she said with a laugh. "He also agreed to could keep things quiet until lunch tomorrow. Now let's get you to your princess, Prince Charming." It was a statement, but her inflection made it a question. "Please, Liv." "Okay, John." She kissed me and pulled her helmet on. We were the first to the Overlook. "Last time I'll ask; are you sure about this, John?" "As sure as I can be about anything. Thank you for an incredible four weeks, Olivia Eastman. I will never forget them." "Nor will I, John. I won't be picking you up tomorrow, so you'll have to find your own way to school. I will see you at lunch, though." She gave me one final lingering kiss and then rode off, leaving me in a cloud of dust. ------- I was sitting on the picnic table reading tomorrow's English assignment when Missy's car pulled in. I put my book down and stood as she walked toward me. She had a serious look on her face. "Hi, Missy." "Hello, John." "What's up?" "Can we sit for a minute?" I gestured at the picnic table and Missy took a seat. She stared off into the Lake for a moment and then turned and looked at me. She took a deep breath. "Momma and I had a long talk last night," Missy started. "I told her I was not going to be going on any more dates with her 'suitors'." Missy gave a humorless laugh. "I think you can imagine how that went over. I explained to her that I was tired of dating guys who were too quick to grab for my crotch or boobs, too self-centered, and too interested in being with me only so that they could become the boss at the Factory. Momma played the duty card, telling me that I had to marry someone that could run the Factory." Missy laughed again, this time with genuine amusement. "She was stunned when I asked her why I couldn't be the boss. I don't think she'd ever considered that. That shut her up long enough for me to tell her about my plans." "What are those, Missy?" I asked. My heart was pounding. In spite of everything, I still wasn't certain what Missy was going to do. Missy took a deep breath. "I've been accepted at State, John. I'm going to get a Business Administration degree, maybe even an MBA. I also told her I was getting tickets to the Sadie Hawkins dance and that I planned to ask you to go with me." I let out a breath I didn't even realize I had been holding. "Momma ragged long and hard on you. She was impressed when you didn't whine or continue to call after she told you not to, but she was really disappointed when you started dating Olivia. Speaking of Olivia, John, we need to talk about some things before I ask you to go to the dance." She paused and I smiled and gestured for her to go on. I felt a giddy relief, and was convinced Missy and I could solve any other problems. "I don't know if I can compete with Olivia, John," she said in a small voice. "I'm not that adventurous. Heck I don't even know how to do some of the things they say you two have done. I, um..." She ran out of steam there and dropped her eyes, staring at her shoes. I put my hand on her chin and gently pushed it up until we were eye to eye. I suddenly couldn't resist, and quickly leaned over the table and kissed her nose. She gave a startled giggle, and I sat back down. "You don't have to compete with Liv. Missy. You are a completely different person. Who knows, maybe after you've tried a few things, you might find you like them as much as Liv did. I do need to tell you this, though, honey. I had a lot of fun with Liv, and I'm certainly not willing to go back to keeping my hands completely to myself." I laughed at Missy troubled look. "I'm sorry, honey, but you looked a bit like a rabbit looking a hawk in the eye. Look, I don't plan on throwing you over my shoulder, dragging you to my bed and ravishing you, Missy, but if our relationship doesn't move forward, I will start getting bored. If I do, we will have to talk." "I will try, John," she said sadly, "but I just don't know if I can do what you want. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm not the Ice Princess after all. I didn't like any of my dates since Christmas. I'm simply not ready for someone to jam their tongue down my throat or their hand into my panties. I've dreamed about doing some of those things, but now I don't know considering the way it felt when Henry and Lou were trying them." "I'm not Henry or Lou, Missy" I said bluntly. "I am still me, the same guy who wouldn't force you do anything you didn't want to do. I'm not an octopus or an orangutan, and I still won't ever force myself on you. However, I will be pushing the limits a lot more." "I can deal with that, I hope." We were silent for a while. Then I took her hands in mine. "I'm proud of you, Missy. You've taken control of your life and decided what you want. I would be proud to be your escort at the Sadie Hawkins dance if you are still interested in asking me." Missy brushed a snowflake off her eyebrow and gave me a glorious smile. "I will get our tickets first thing tomorrow. I am so looking forward to being with you again, John!" "Me, too, honey, but don't say anything to anyone until after lunch, tomorrow. Liv and I haven't officially broken up, yet." She cocked an eyebrow. "You aren't going to dump her publicly are you, John? That would be cruel. Tell me you aren't!" "No, Missy," I laughed. "Liv is dumping me," I placed my hand theatrically over my heart and pretended to sob. "She's leaving me for another man." Missy shot me a curious and disbelieving look, and I laughed again. "I promise to provide you with all the details, you curious little cat, but right now we need to get out of here before it starts snowing more heavily and the snow gets too deep. I don't suppose you could drop me off somewhere close to home? I don't think Liv is going to come back for me, now." Missy just shook her head. "Hop in, John. You can explain your sad tale to me on the way back to your place." ------- Chapter 23 Friday morning slipped past quickly. With no real gossip to occupy the tongue waggers, the school was abuzz with curiosity of a simpler kind. Who would be asking who to Sadie Hawkins? Which couples would implode and which would explode onto the scene? I wasn't surprised when Cathy Kramer cornered me. I turned her down as gently as I could. I let Cathy assume that Liv had already asked me. There were another half dozen offers before lunch. "Trouble in paradise, Robinson?" Bobby asked as he and Betty Lou sat down across from me. "Not that I know of, Bobby. Why?" "Well..." Betty Lou started, and then she leaned forward, concern on her face. "You didn't ride in with Liv, John. After the entrances you guys make, that is something people notice and talk about. And according to that talk, the two of you haven't even been within twenty feet of one another all morning. Yet here you sit, calm as can be. Something's up." "You, my friend, have a vivid imagination," I said calmly. "Right, I'm the one with the — " Betty Lou's mouth snapped shut and her eyes widened as a soft hand descended on my shoulder. "John," Liv said softly. "I need to talk to you." Betty Lou and Bobby started to get up. "No," Liv said. "You both can stay. You might as well hear it from me." She sat down beside me and took a deep breath. "John, as much as I have enjoyed these last four weeks, I, oh, damn, I really hoped this was going to be easier than this." She wiped at a tear on her cheek and then took a breath. "I asked Wally to Sadie Hawkins, John. I will never forget you or the past four weeks, but we both know that you and I would never work long term. It still was a wonderful month, though. Thank you." With that she leaned over and kissed me, softly, but with just a bit of the heat I knew so well. I wiped a tear from her cheek as we broke apart. "Oh, no, Liv, it's me who should be thanking you," I replied gently. "I treasure the time I spent with you, Liv... Even if we are no longer lovers, we are still friends, so don't be a stranger. Now, go, show Wally just how much he means to you." I swatted her lightly on the ass and she shot me a smile filled with gratitude and a hint of love. I watched her swaying ass almost all the way to Wally. I saw his face light up when she tucked herself under his arm and pulled him out of the cafeteria. "So, we have vivid imaginations, huh, John?" Bobby asked. "Bobby! For heaven's sake, show some tact!" Betty Lou snapped. She turned to me. "Are you okay, John?" she asked, as the rest of the gang descended on the table, crowding around me. "Absolutely," I said firmly, addressing all my friends. "I'm going to miss Liv, but as she said, we both knew we weren't going to work out long term. We were more of a shelter from life for each other, a place to rest or heal." "Well, when she wandered over to Wally, your excuse for turning down invitations to the dance walked too, John," Mary Jo said. She'd seen me gently turning down a couple of girls earlier. "No, it didn't," I replied. "I do have a date for Sadie Hawkins." The gang stared at me, shock and curiosity warring for control, so I added, "I have had a date since yesterday afternoon. Everyone assumed it was Liv who asked, but I never said it was." "Oooh boy, the vultures are going to be circling, John. And some of them are not going to be happy," Mary Jo nodded toward Cathy Kramer who was steaming toward us. "You son-of-a-bitch!" Cathy sputtered. Before she could get off another sound, Missy nudged past her and sat down. "I've got our tickets, John," Missy said, giving me a smile and a kiss. Things were so quiet that you could have heard a feather drop after she said that. I looked past her to see a huge smile on Mary Jo's face. "But, but, you dumped him!" Cathy sputtered some more. "Not that it's any of your business," Missy said turning toward Cathy. "But I never dumped him. We agreed to put things on hold for a while at my mother's request. I asked John last night if we could get back together." Cathy turned on her heel and stalked away. The table erupted as the gang started peppering Missy and me with questions and began making plans for the dance. Jesse tapped me on the arm and leaned in close. "You knew about this when you asked me about Wally." I shrugged. "Well, I can tell you that Wally had a big smile on his face in Math today. He wouldn't tell me what was up, but I'll bet he will now," Jesse opined. "I love it when a plan comes together. Seriously, though, thanks for the encouragement about Wally. It was all Liv needed to go for him. And from the looks of things, Wally's gonna have an even bigger smile tomorrow." Jesse just shook his head and clapped me on the shoulder with a smile. "I have no idea how you managed to salvage Olivia's rep, pull Wally out of his funk, and get Missy back, John, and I think I'll just leave it that way." We both turned back to the table and joined in the chatter. ------- "John, I need help tomorrow night," Tracey said urgently as I walked in the door from school. "No problem, Trace. I've got nothing going." Tracey shook her head. "No, John, I mean lots of help. Ned Stevens from the Factory called. Their caterer bailed on them this morning. They need someone to cater their awards banquet tomorrow night. We're talking five hundred people, John! Even with you there, we'll be ten people short. I don't know what to do. This job is huge money, but I need to find a bunch more people who can wait and cook and, oh, crap." She thumped down into a chair, looking depressed. "What the heck am I thinking?" she asked the ceiling. "I can't find that many people that quickly. I guess I'll have to call him back and decline." "Relax, Tracey. Let me see what I can do." She bit her lip, but she nodded and went back to scribbling notes on her pad. As I was walking to the phone, she looked up and said, "I can probably find a couple of cooks. It's the wait staff I won't be able to get." I nodded and hit the phones. Betty Lou and Amy Sue were easy to convince. So was Mary Jo. Bobby, Kenny and Jesse were in; they still felt like we owed Tracey for the dinner she'd cooked for us before Homecoming. Mary Jo promised her younger sister. Amy Sue said Willie would want to come too. Bobby and Jesse volunteered their sisters and we had ten. Tracey took the job and the whole gang was at our house by noon on Saturday, getting a crash course on what to expect, how to carry plates, open wine bottles and the myriad other things they'd have to do. ------- The banquet was orchestrated chaos. Tracey was everywhere. Liv and I were directing our friends, all of whom seemed to be having a blast working the banquet. It was amazing and tiring all at the same time. By the time we cleared the last dessert dish, everyone was exhausted. Tracey got a bit teary eyed as she thanked the group for the help and handed out envelopes with checks in them for the night's work. My friends made me proud when they were surprised they were getting paid. There were hugs all around, and then Tracey chased us out. I wandered outside and slumped against the wall next to Liv. "Wow, John. I can't believe how tired I am." "Yeah, this was a bit more intense than normal. So, how are things with Wally?" "He's so sweet and so nervous, John. It's obvious someone really stomped on his heart good." "Cathy Kramer," I replied. Liv looked at me quizzically. "You didn't see her drop kick his heart into the next county after Homecoming?" "No, I must've missed that." "It was so bad that it hurt to watch. She badmouthed him, loudly and publicly, for nearly ten minutes. She was especially hard on his manhood. If I remember right, she compared it unfavorably with an inchworm." "What a bitch! Well that explains a bunch. He has so little confidence he's afraid to give me a kiss." "Yeah, after what I saw Cathy do to him, I can see that. You're probably going to have to lead for a while, Liv." She sighed. "Damn, I'm already missing those locker slams," she replied wistfully. "Me too!" I tried to leer, but my smile letting her know I was kidding. The door opened behind us and Mary Jo wandered out. "Everyone else is taking off," she said, sliding down beside me. "You're not going with Jesse?" "No. He's taking Jane home and crashing." "I know the feeling," Liv said softly. Mary Jo leaned across me. "Now that it's just us, Liv," she started. "Did you really drag John into Old Man Watkins' classroom and do it." Live smiled mischievously, "Depends on what you mean by 'do it', Mary Jo" Mary Jo blushed a bit, looked at me and then looked back to Liv. "Drop your pants and screw the daylights out of him," she whispered. "Nope, we didn't do that," Liv said smiling and winking at me. I felt myself harden as the memory of her on her knees flashed through my mind. "Ha!" Mary Jo laughed. "I didn't think you would, but..." Before Mary Jo could finish her thought, Liv leaned across me, put her hand on Mary Jo's arm, and whispered conspiratorially, "But I did drag John into Old Man Watkins's classroom, pull his pants down and suck him off." Mary Jo's eyes went wide. "Damn, girl, you've got guts! I don't think I could do that." "Oh, come on," Liv said. "John's not that big." She winked at me. Mary Jo smiled at the discomfort on my face. "Been there, done that. No, I mean in such a public place." "You had me worried, Mary Jo," Liv said. "I didn't think you were one of those prissy girls who wouldn't go down on her man." "Well, truth be told, it's not my favorite pastime, but it sure does get their attention." The girls giggled. It was weird sitting there listening to them talk about blowjobs. They let me off the hook, though and moved onto other topics. I tuned them out as I thought back on each of the half dozen girls I'd had sex with. Each one was different. Each one of them was special in her own way. I wondered how things would go with Missy. Would she ever be this comfortable with me and my past that she could sit like this and talk to Liv, or Mary Jo, or one of the other girls? ------- Chapter 24 Monday rolled around again, and as I walked to my locker to start the day I wondered what it would bring. I was just about to close my locker when a hand settled on my hip. I turned to see Missy standing there looking around nervously. "Hey good lookin'," I said, closing the locker and spinning the lock. "What's up?" Missy smiled. "Hi, John." She was still a little nervous about something. "What's the matter, honey?" I asked quietly. "I, um," she started and then she stopped, took a deep breath and started again. "I want to walk to class with you." "That's great," I said smiling and turning toward our class. Missy tugged on my belt loop. "No," she said firmly. "I want to walk with you to class like you did with Olivia last week. You know, hands in each other's pockets." I turned back toward her, smiling. "Okay, which alien are you and what did you do with Melissa Ann Harmon?" Missy blushed bright pink. "Please, John, don't tease me. This is hard enough for me as it is. Ever since our talk at the Outlook last week, I've been thinking about what you said. I really, really want to do things with you," she whispered, "but this is all so new to me. I kissed her lightly, instantly contrite. "I'm sorry, honey. It would be my pleasure to walk with you." I slid my hand into her pocket, sighing. Missy flinched a little when I squeezed lightly, but she put her hand in my pocket and we headed to class, bumping hips with every stride. Missy was still blushing when we reached Mr. Hayes' classroom. She pulled her hand out of my pocket and nudged me toward the wall beside the door. "Oh, my god," she whispered. "I had no idea something like that could feel so good." I kissed her nose and pushed her into the classroom as the bell rang. "I'm so glad you two decided to join us," Mr. Hayes exclaimed with light sarcasm, closing the door behind us. "Perhaps you would care to read the first part of today's poem, Mr. Robinson," he added as we sat down. I nodded and opened my book. ------- "Hey, Bobby," I called as I reached the cafeteria. He stopped and turned toward me. "Tell the gang that I'm not blowing them off, but I'm going to be sitting somewhere else today." "Going to the mountain, Mohammad?" "Something like that," I replied, smiling, knowing that Bobby knew the score. I could feel the nerves in my stomach tighten as I approached Missy. Jackie looked up, her eyes widening as she saw me. "Mind if I sit?" I asked when I reached the table. Missy looked up and smiled. She pushed her purse and books out of the way, and I sat down. Jackie shot Missy a nervous frown. "How are you, Jackie?" I asked after I kissed Missy. "I'm doing great, lover boy, thanks, but I'm really not sure this is a good idea, John," Jackie said nodding toward where Gail stood in the food line. Missy grabbed my hand and held it on the table between us. "John is my boyfriend, Jackie. You and Gail both told me that I should be spending more time with him when we were dating last year." "I know, Missy," Jackie replied. "But after the Olivia fiasco, do you..." "Hello, asshole," Gail said, placing her tray on the table, sitting opposite Missy, and giving me an icy stare. "Knock it off, Gail," Missy said firmly. "I want John to get to know my friends and spend time with us. Maybe after you get to know him better, you'll understand that he did the right thing." "Yeah, fine, great," Gail said, stabbing her chicken viciously. Jackie frowned, but resumed eating, keeping a wary eye on both Gail and me. I sighed to myself. Gail wasn't going to make this easy, but I was doing this for Missy, and for me, so I was going to do whatever I had to do, tough or not. "So, what are you ladies doing this weekend," I asked. Jackie was staring at her food, and I could see her visibly debating whether to answer me. Finally, she looked up and gave me a thin smile. "Lyle is taking me to see the symphony in University Park tomorrow afternoon," she said. "They are playing Tchaikovsky." Gail shot Jackie a look of angry betrayal, but said nothing, choosing instead to again turn her anger on her lunch. "Are they doing anything from 'Sleeping Beauty'?" I asked, ignoring Gail. "No, but they are doing 'Romeo and Juliet'. It's my favorite." "I'm kinda partial to the '1812 Overture' and 'The Nutcracker', myself," I replied. Missy smiled. "I didn't know you liked classical music, John." "I like a lot of different kinds of music." "I figured you for a Sinatra fan the way you dance," Jackie said, finally giving me a short, but genuine smile. Gail didn't join in, but neither did she make a scene, and the rest of the lunch conversation went well. As if by mutual agreement, we kept the topics of conversation firmly on the safe side, but the back and forth felt natural, not forced. Jackie seemed to warm to me a bit more, and I got to see a little of the private side of one of Missy's closest friends. Surprisingly, I didn't feel at all out of place eating with the 'in' crowd. Missy kept a grip on my hand the whole time, and the smile on her face made my effort worthwhile. All in all a success, I thought, as I walked out of the cafeteria. ------- Missy was staying after school to help Jackie with something for the school paper, so after a stop at my locker to pick up the books I'd need for homework that night, I was set to walk home. I had no more than taken than three steps out the front door of the school, though, when a big paw descended on my shoulder. I turned about and looked up to see Wally Wallace standing next to me looking decidedly nervous. Liv, I thought to myself. "John, can I walk a ways with you?" "Yeah, sure, Wally." We were headed in roughly the same direction anyway. We walked quietly for a while, and I waited for Wally to begin the conversation. "So what's on your mind, Wally?" I finally had to ask, once we'd reached the corner where we normally split up. Wally was staring off into the distance, but then he looked back down at me and sighed. "How did you do it, John?" "Do what, Wally?" "Keep up with Olivia." I laughed. "I didn't, Wally. It was like being on the back of her bike on the way to school; I mainly just tried to hang on and enjoy the ride." "Oh, come on, John. You know what I mean. Seems like half the school saw you slam her into the locker and cop a feel. Everyone knows that you two did it in Watkins' classroom." I shook my head at the thought of how little 'everyone' really knew. "Okay, Wally, seriously?" I asked. At his nod, I said, "The truth is that I wasn't trying to keep up with Liv, Wally, at least most of the time." The image of Liv driving herself up and down above me, riding me as her tits bounced, came to me. I shook the image away. "Most of the time I was setting the pace." I could see Wally thinking about what I'd said, and I could see he did not understand. "She didn't really dump you for me, did she? You dumped her, but let her do the dumping." On the other hand, I thought, maybe he did understand in a way. There was no way I could let that statement stand, however. "Nope, not even close, Wally," I said emphatically. "Liv and I split because we both knew it was the right thing to do. We had fun, but we both realized that we weren't suited for each other long term. We broke it off while we were both still friends, and before either of us could get hurt. No one dumped anyone. Now, really, what's bugging you, Wally?" Wally stared at me for a moment, and then looked down at his shoes. "I asked you how you kept up with her, John, because I'm not sure I can." He looked back up at me, anguish on his face. "I mean she's done so much and I, I guess I'm worried about boring her." "Wally, whatever else you may take from this conversation, remember this; she chose you." I stared at him till he reluctantly nodded his head, accepting what I'd said. "Liv didn't choose any of her other boyfriends, Wally. They chose her, and she just... went along. That's how she became 'Over Easy'. She went along. She liked it. She likes sex, in all its forms. Sure she's done it in a lot of different ways with a lot of different guys, but she's never done any of that with you, yet. And if she chose you, you can bet that means she wants to." "Well..." "Well, nothing," I said flatly. "If you aren't interested, tell her and move on, but trust me when I tell you this, Wally, she's interested in you. She picked you out. As far as I know, you are the first guy she's ever asked out. Talk to her, Wally. She's fun, she's friendly, and she likes you. You, my friend, have nothing to worry about." "I don't know, John. I'm not sure I can handle her." "Her or her reputation?" I asked bluntly. Wally sighed. "Damn, you don't pull any punches do you?" he asked. "Okay, her reputation. I mean she's done everyone in town!" "That's not true, and her rep is way overblown, Wally." "Maybe, maybe not, John, but everyone knows about it. Even my mom said something!" "So, you know what everyone else has to say, but have you talked to Liv about this?" "No way! It was all I could do to get up the nerve to talk to you, and even then, you had to give me a push." He threw his hands up in the air. "What am I supposed to say to Olivia? 'Honey, I don't know how to handle the idea that you've banged half the guys at school?' I can see that going over really well. I mean, how the hell do you talk to someone about this?" I frowned and pondered things for a moment. I knew that Liv wanted this to work. Did I really want to stick my nose in further than it already was? With a sigh, I made my decision. I kept saying Liv was my friend, so I asked, "If I get things started, can you carry the ball and talk to her?" Wally swallowed and paled. "God, if you do, I'll try my best, John." "It's safe to assume that you want this to work?" "Absolutely! I had a great time Friday night." Wally looked at me. "Get your mind out of the gutter, John. I was too nervous to try much of anything on our first date." I shook my head. I hadn't been thinking that at all, but it did tell me quite a bit about Wally's confidence. "Is your mom home?" I asked. "Probably." "Okay. My house it is then. Come on. Let's get you two talking." I called Liv as soon as I walked in the door. She hopped on her bike and was at my house in less than ten minutes. I sat Wally down at the kitchen counter and talked Tracey into fixing him a sandwich. When Liv knocked, I stepped outside. Before I could say a word, Liv put her gloved finger on my lips. "Wally is nervous about my rep, right?" "I think he's way past nervous, Liv. Look, I'm sorry. It's none of my business, and I don't want to be in the middle, but you two need to talk about this." "You are such a sweetie, John. I can't imagine anyone else even trying to help a slut like me." "Oh, no you don't, Olivia Mae Eastman," I replied sharply. "You are not a slut, so don't you dare spout off about how you don't deserve a guy like Wally! Take that crap to someone who doesn't know you. I know you are a good woman. I know you are friendly, fun and best of all, have a loving heart. You deserve to have a man who can appreciate all that you are. Wally could be that guy, Liv. I think he wants to be, but you're gonna have to convince him that you really do want to be his girl. He's so worried about keeping up with you and dealing with your reputation that he's ready to bail rather than look like a fool. So make your choice, Liv. He's in the kitchen sitting at the counter." Liv stared at me for a moment and then leaned in and kissed my cheek. "Thanks, John." She disappeared into the house. ------- Chapter 25 I alternated my lunch companions, sitting with Missy and her friends for lunch on Wednesday and Friday. Gail said almost nothing to anyone either day, although she continued to sit with us. Jackie appeared to warm to me a bit more, and I was a bit surprised to find myself enjoying her company as well. Her boyfriend Lyle was a freshman at State, and Jackie seemed to be handling the separation well. She was headed there in the fall to study Journalism. Missy was holding onto the belt loop in the middle of my back as we walked out of the cafeteria on Friday. "Gail hasn't had a boyfriend in a while, has she?" I asked once we were out of ear shot of the table. "No, not really," Missy replied. "She was dating Donny Morse last year and he's at Notre Dame. They were going to try to do the long distance relationship thing, but Donny found someone about three weeks into the fall term. Gail wasn't happy, but I think she knew it was coming. She went to Homecoming with Peter Childress, but they really didn't hit it off, and when he got caught in the steroids mess, she split. She's dated some since, but hasn't found anyone special yet." "That explains a lot." "What do you mean, John?" "She sits there at lunch and hears Jackie talking about how much she loves and misses Lyle, and you and I are there looking all lovey-dovey, and she has to face the fact that she's got no one. I don't think all of her piss and vinegar is because of Liv and me. I think she's lonely and, frankly, jealous of you and Jackie." Missy stopped and stared at me. "I'm always amazed at how well you read people, John. I never would have guessed that Gail was lonely. She's always doing something, but now that you mention it, she's almost always doing it alone, even when she's surrounded by other people." "Has she asked anyone to Sadie Hawkins?" "I don't think so. If she did, she hasn't said anything to me about it. She's been really quiet, especially this week, even on the days you haven't sat with us." I kissed Missy outside of her Biology class and wandered on to mine, wondering the entire way if there was a way to help Gail find some happiness. ------- I was closing my locker at the end of the day when I heard a squeal off to my left. I turned to see Jesse pressing Mary Jo against the lockers. Her feet weren't on the floor. I could see one big paw holding her up by the seat of her pants. Their lips were locked together, and Mary Jo was holding onto his neck. Their lips separated for a second and then Mary Jo tugged his face back to hers. Her legs lifted and settled around his hips. I saw Mr. Hayes walk up to them and tap Jesse on the shoulder. I didn't hear what he said, but I could imagine. Mary Jo blushed as Jesse lowered her to the floor. She grabbed his hand and headed out the door like someone had lit her ass on fire. Jesse had a huge smile on his face and winked when I smiled and gave him the thumbs up sign. "You are a setting a terrible example, Mr. Robinson," Missy said as she wrapped her arm around mine. "Why, Miss Harmon, what ever do you mean?" "Teaching those boys how to embarrass their girlfriends in public like that. I mean really." "Jealous, Missy?" A quick glance showed me that the hall was empty in both directions. Missy saw me looking and caught the gleam in my eye as I turned to her. "You wouldn't," she said, trying to pull away. I spun her quickly so that her back was against the lockers. She blushed furiously, but tilted her head and closed her eyes. The kiss was electric. Her books dropped to the floor as she forgot her embarrassment and flung her arms around my neck. I felt her wrap her foot around my leg as our tongues dueled. I was out of breath when our lips parted. Missy was staring into my eyes. Time seemed to stand still. Then, before I knew it, we were kissing again. "My God," Missy panted when we finally separated. She looked around nervously but calmed quickly when no one else seemed to be paying attention to us. I leaned down and picked up her books. She kept looking at me the whole way out the door. "Wow, John. I felt that in my toes." "I was hoping you felt it a little higher than that." Missy blushed. "Well," she whispered, pulling my head to her lips. "I don't think my nipples have ever been this hard." "That I'd like to see." "You are so bad, John Robinson," she said smiling, but she did open her coat. I could clearly see the hard points poking at me through her sweater. ------- The weekend was quiet but busy. In addition to my time at Hardesy's, I helped Tracey with two of her affairs on both Saturday night and Sunday; it appeared that her efforts for the Factory had not gone unnoticed, and she was in high demand. I was almost looking forward to heading back to school when Monday rolled around again. As I walked the hall to class, I noted that things had begun to settle down as the invitations to Sadie Hawkins were issued and accepted. I found myself counting the guys who had yet to be asked and mentally matching them to Gail Carson. 'When did I become a matchmaker?' I wondered as I sat down at Missy's usual table. Missy and Jackie were putting an article for the paper to bed and were going to be late. I wondered if Gail would be willing to join me before they got there. Gail scowled at me but set her tray down and took a seat. I was getting tired of Gail's attitude, but after talking to Missy, I felt the need to reach out to her, to try and be her friend. "Hello, Gail," I ventured. "How are you today?" She frowned but said nothing. "Did you have a good weekend?" "What do you care?" she snapped. "Let's just say I do and leave it at that," I replied calmly. Gail's fork stopped in mid air as she stared at me. She took a breath and put the bite of food in her mouth. "Are you going to Sadie Hawkins?" I asked. "I don't think so," she replied with a mix of sadness and anger, "and now you have something else to rub in my face!" She looked near tears. "I'd never rub that in your face, Gail," I told her gently, my heart reaching out to her. "In fact, it's too bad you're not going. I was hoping you and your date would join our little party." Gail frowned. She put her fork down. "Why?" she asked flatly. "You don't like me and I don't like you." "I don't dislike you, Gail. Missy is a friend of yours, and I would like to be your friend, too." Gail laughed, no trace of humor evident. "You have a hell of a way of showing it, John! If you wanted to be my friend, then why did you humiliate me like that?" Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Everyone saw me throw myself at you, and you chose HER over me. You chose a slut over me. You really have to hate someone to do that to them." It was my turn to frown, and I placed my hand gently on hers. She flinched but didn't pull away. "You honestly don't get it, do you, Gail?" She looked down to where my hand covered hers. "No, John, I really don't understand," she replied softly. "Gail, I didn't choose Liv because I hated you, but rather because I liked you a bit too much. You are everything a guy could want; you're beautiful, smart, funny, bold and caring. You don't think I was tempted when you came to me?" Gail looked up at me. "If that's true, then why, John? Why Olivia Eastman instead of me?" "Because whatever else you want to say about Liv, she had one thing going for her that you didn't, Gail: Liv was safe. I knew that we could go out, have fun, and neither of us would get hurt when we needed to break it off when Missy came back. On the other hand, if I had taken you up on your offer, Missy would never have gotten back together with me, for three reasons. First, she wouldn't have taken the chance that you would get hurt. Second, if I'd pushed her, a part of Missy would have been angry that I'd forced her to choose between me and her friendship with you, and you would be hurt and angry with both Missy and me. Third, even if you had willingly stepped aside so that Missy could get back together with me, Missy would always have wondered if I'd have preferred to be with her best friend. There was NO way I was ever going to try to get between you two. You've been friends a long time." Gail pulled her hand free, wiped her eyes with a napkin and began eating again, and I could see her thinking about what I had said. After a bit, she looked back up. "Maybe you're right, John, but it still hurt when you chose HER." "I'm sorry, Gail. I truly am, and I hope you'll find your way to forgiving me for the hurt I caused you," I replied earnestly. Gail was again quiet for a while. Jackie and Missy showed up and the lunch time conversation picked up. Missy and Jackie were surprised when Gail joined in, smiling and teasing me about the fancy catered leftovers in my lunch, and both shot me 'we're going to talk later' looks. I just hoped that I could help keep Gail smiling. ------- Chapter 26 Friday rolled around again, and at six I found myself walking up the walkway to the Harmon's door. Missy and I were joining the gang at Toni's for dinner. After that, the whole gang was headed to the ice rink, even Liv who was visibly worried about being on skates. I knocked firmly on the door. I hadn't expected Mrs. Harmon to be happy with me, but I still wasn't really prepared for the icy reception I received. Mrs. Harmon frowned. "Oh, it's you, John. Well, you might as well come in. Missy's just about ready." She stood aside and let me it. She didn't offer me a seat or anything else, so I stood there waiting with her in the foyer. The silence between us stretched out, and I could hear the ticking of a clock somewhere. "Why are you doing this, John Robinson?" Mrs. Harmon asked, breaking the silence and turning back to me. "Why are you so set on Melissa? I would think you had everything you needed in that Eastman girl." "Momma!" Missy was obviously appalled by her mother's belligerence. I held my hand up to forestall Missy saying something she might regret. "I like Missy, Mrs. Harmon. Missy and I share something intangible when we are together, and I believe that there is a chance for us to have more than just a high school romance. We have a lot in common, and we certainly enjoy each other's company." "Hah!" Mrs. Harmon scoffed. "I somehow don't think that that is the kind of company you want to enjoy, Mr. Robinson!" "So that is what you think this is about, Mrs. Harmon? Well, if it's your money or your precious Factory that you are worried about, Mrs. Harmon, let me reassure you on that point. I'm interested in Melissa Ann Harmon, the woman, not Melissa Ann Harmon, the heiress." Missy gave me a brilliant smile as I said this, but her mother was still had a skeptical frown on her face. "So if it's not her money, then she's just another notch on your bedpost, is that it?" "Mother!" "Not that it's any of your business, Mrs. Harmon, but Missy and I haven't even gotten much past first base." I looked at Missy. "I'm not with Missy to get into her pants, although if it happens, it will be to further our relationship, not end it." Missy looked both pleased and embarrassed at my words, and I gave her a smile before looking back at her mother. "In other words, I don't have a bedpost, Mrs. Harmon." "Don't get smart with me, Mr. Robinson. I know how boys like you think. You date them, get them to sleep with you and then you dump them." I sighed. The woman just didn't get it. "Damn, I told you I was doing something wrong, Missy. Why didn't you tell me I was supposed to dump them, honey?" Missy looked a bit horrified that I was being flip with her mother. "For your information, Mrs. Harmon, I have never dumped a girl," I said flatly. "Oh, sure, and you expect me to believe that that Eastman slut dumped you? You are full of shit, John Robinson. She'd never have dumped you, no matter how you prettied it up. She never had it so good." "So, I am at once the best thing that ever happened to Olivia and the worst that could ever befall Missy?" I shook my head in disbelief. "Well, believe what you want, Mrs. Harmon, since you obviously will anyway," I replied, looking over at Missy. "Are you ready, honey? We're supposed to meet the gang in ten." ------- "John," Missy said as I drove away from her house, "that was amazing, embarrassing, sweet and unbelievable. Did you really mean everything you said in there John?" I gave her a big smile. "Absolutely, Missy. I don't have a bedpost." She didn't laugh like I expected, saying, "No, I'm serious, John. I need to know." I glanced at her, and pulled the car over to the side of the road and put it in park. I turned and took her hands in mine. "I meant every word I said, Missy," I told her. "I want to know everything about you, do everything I can with you, explore the possibility of our future together with you." I shut my mouth, stunned by what I had almost added. I didn't know if I was ready to say that with the same sincerity, and I didn't want to cheapen the words. Still the fact that I almost had was something I knew I would have to think about. Missy had fumbled for a tissue from her purse, and was dabbing at her eyes. "Wow, John," she whispered. "I can't believe I wasted even one Friday night going on those stupid dates my mother arranged. I'm just so glad you waited for me, John. I'm sorry about everything my mother said, John." I used my thumb to wipe away a tear that had escaped her tissue, gave her a kiss, and then pulled back, putting the car in gear and pulling away from the curb. "You have nothing to apologize for, honey" I said. "Your mom is just looking out for you. Not everyone thinks that my interlude with Liv was the right thing to do." "I know, John," Missy replied. "But she could have been polite to you. I mean she's polite to obnoxious salesmen." I gave her a little laugh. "I suspect it's because that in her eyes I'm much worse than any salesman, no matter how obnoxious. I think she's worried that I might be right, Missy." "About what, that there's a chance that we could be more than a high school romance?" "Yup." "I sure hope so, John. When you grabbed me after lunch on Tuesday, I was expecting it to feel like the groping I got the last time I dated Henry Longmoore. Instead, it felt right. I don't know how to explain it. I looked around and saw that no one was in sight and I knew then that you didn't do it to create a scene or to embarrass me." "I wouldn't purposely embarrass you, honey," I replied, earnestly. "I know that, John. Momma and I are going to have to have another long talk," she said, frowning. I raised my eyebrow. I wasn't sure how to respond. Missy paused and I could feel her stare at me as if trying to decide something. "I know I can trust you, John, and that is really important to me. You've been upfront with me every step of the way and I really appreciate that. I think it's time for me to step up to the plate and be as honest with you. Can we be a little late to Toni's?" "Sure," I said, suddenly a little nervous. I pulled into the bank parking lot. When I put the car in park, Missy put her hand on my cheek and I found myself falling into those devastatingly deep brown eyes. "I want this to be more than just a high school romance that burns out when we go to college, John. I need it to be more than that. I'm falling for you hard and fast, John. I'm going to have to convince Momma to get me to the doctor. I want to go on the pill now." She paused, and I know she saw the surprise in my eyes. "I'm not ready for that yet, John. But when I am, I don't want to have to wait two months." "There are always condoms, honey." Missy smiled. "It's not happening tonight, John," she said lightly. "Oh, damn." I replied with a smile. "Poor baby, you've gone without for what, almost two weeks now? How will you survive," she joked. "It's hard," I said with a make believe pout. Missy snorted. "I should hope so." She smiled and pulled at my face. The kiss was soft and felt incredibly perfect. When she pulled back, she smiled again. "Let's go join our friends, John. I want to have some fun tonight." ------- Missy was as good as her word. I don't think I've ever seen her as happy and carefree. She flitted from one conversation to another, spending time with each of our friends. I found myself pulling back from the others and just watching her. "You've got it bad, John," Mary Jo said as she looped her arm in mine. Missy was skating with Wally, swirling around him as he wobbled on his skates. I looked around to see Jesse holding Liv up. The twins were skating with their boyfriends. "I think you're right, Mary Jo," I replied. I hesitated, then said, "I almost told her, tonight, Mary Jo, almost said the words." Mary Jo turned me towards her. "I've seen you with every one of your other girlfriends, John. The only time I saw this look was right before I dumped you sophomore year," she said somewhat sadly. "And the best part is she's got it just as bad. I'm really happy for you." She turned and moved to skate off. I smiled and spun Mary Jo around. I think she was really startled when I pushed her into the boards and kissed her. "No matter what, Mary Jo," I said staring into her eyes. "You will always have a place in my heart. You were my first love, and I will always be there if you need me. Now get out there and rescue your boyfriend from Liv. I think he's having trouble keeping his hands to himself." Mary Jo laughed as we watch Liv slip and Jesse grab at her ending up with a handful of Liv's ample chest. "I can see that." With a genuine smile, Mary Jo skated off to rescue her boyfriend. "Having fun," I said as I pulled up next to Wally and Missy. "I think your girlfriend is trying to put my ass on the ice, John," Wally said. "I think you're doing a good enough job of that by yourself, Wally Wallace," Missy replied, smiling. She let go of his hand and grabbed onto mine. "I think its time for me to head back to dry land," Wally said. We helped Wally make for the door, and he clomped off the ice and sat down on the bench watching as Jesse and Mary Jo skated with Liv. Missy spun us around for a second and then she took off quickly, looking over her shoulder to see if I was following. I waved and pulled up at the wall and looked over at Wally. "So, how are things with you and Liv?" "Better now, thanks, John. My God, that girl is incredible. I can't understand why you'd let her go, but damn, am I glad you did." Wally had a huge smile on his face. He looked out at the ice, where Missy was twirling around the twins. "Okay, maybe I do understand, but I'm still glad!" "How's your mom handling it? You said she made some comments." "It's amazing. Liv stopped by the house yesterday after school. She was already there when I got home. She and Mom were chatting like they'd known each other forever. Liv put her arms around me and kissed me, and Mom didn't say a word. She invited Liv and her mom to dinner on Sunday." "Uh oh," I said with a smile. "Yeah, I'm sunk." "You look pretty happy for a condemned man." Wally just nodded and then he stood. A body rammed into me from behind. I felt two hands grasping for anything they could. I reached back and got a soft and delightful handful of Liv. "Sorry, John," she said when I spun her around. "I'm not," I leered, pushing her by her hips to the doorway. "But I think you should be grabbing someone else." Wally literally pulled her up off the ice and onto the bench next to him. I looked around. Missy was skating with Amy Sue and Willie. They had their backs to me. I took off like a shot and grabbed for Missy's free hand. With a light yank, I separated her from Willie and pulled her along. Thankfully, Missy's an accomplished skater. She matched my pace for a moment and then she spun around so she was skating backwards. She didn't look behind her; she was staring into my eyes. I slowed the pace and gently guided her to the rail. As her butt hit the rail, I lowered my lips to hers and felt her drop my hands and put her arms around my neck. All thoughts flew out of my head as we kissed. ------- Chapter 27 "Hey, Robinson," Bobby shouted as Missy and I were headed for English. We waited as he waded through the crowd to us. "Have you seen Kenny today?" Bobby asked a little out of breath. "Nope, not since lunch on Friday," I replied, thinking back. "He and Lisa were off by themselves." "Yeah, well, Betty Lou and I saw Lisa on Saturday. She was kissing Heath Boardman." "No way," Missy hissed, completely shocked by the idea. "Yeah, well, we kinda had the same reaction. I tried to call Kenny yesterday. He wasn't home and didn't call me back." "We'll keep and eye out, Bobby, thanks for the heads up." Bobby nodded sadly, and we all headed for class. ------- With my locker right around the corner, I was the first of the gang to the lunchroom, as usual. I was watching for Kenny and Lisa. I spotted Lisa and Heath walking in together. Heath put his hands possessively on Lisa's hips as they got into the food line. "What's wrong, John?" Mary Jo asked as she sat down. I nodded toward the line. "Oh, shit!" she breathed. Where's Kenny?" "I haven't seen him yet, but I agree with your sentiment." "There he is," she pointed. "He's with Missy." She looked surprised. "Good, she found him," I said, relieved. "What's going on, John?" Mary Jo was visibly concerned. "Bobby and Betty Lou saw Lisa and Heath kissing on Saturday. Bobby told us about it first thing this morning. Missy, Bobby, Betty Lou and I have been looking for him ever since. He and Missy had class together last period." Missy gently guided Kenny over to the table and basically forced him to sit between Mary Jo and me. She kissed me and said she'd be right back. "How are you doing, Kenny?" I asked, sympathetically. "How the hell do you think I'm doing!" he snapped. He looked down and took a deep breath. Looking up at me, he said, "Oh, hell, John, I'm sorry. As you can guess, I'm not doing so good," he said miserably. "I mean, how could she do it? She didn't say anything about going out with someone else; she just called and said she couldn't go out on Saturday. I didn't think anything of it until I ran into Boardman between second and third period. He was all puffed up like the toad he is, and then Lisa walked up and kissed him. I almost swung at him. If Betty Lou hadn't grabbed my arm, I would have." "I'm sorry, Kenny." Mary Jo put her hand on his. "I know it hurts, Kenny, but if she prefers Heath, you are better off without her." "What really hurts is that she's been telling me she wanted to wait until she got married. Since I cared for her, I respected that. And then Boardman all but said he got there Saturday, and Lisa was just standing there smiling and making goo goo eyes at him." He lowered his head, staring at the table. "I'm so sorry, Kenny," Missy said as she put her tray down across from me and scooted a plate in front of him. He looked up at her. "You've got to eat, Kenny," Missy explained. Kenny nodded his thanks, and picked at his food. The rest of the gang showed up, and we did our best to cheer Kenny up. It didn't really work, and no one actually expected it to. He looked terribly deflated as he walked with Bobby to gym class. "That sucks," Jackie said as we watched them walk away. "I really thought better of Lisa." "I think we all did," Missy replied. "What a stupid bitch," Gail added, quietly but with surprising venom in her voice. I don't think anyone else caught it, but I did, and it started the gears turning. ------- Tuesday came and went and not much had changed. Kenny was back sitting with the gang and trying to be his usual chipper self. He was more upbeat at lunch on Wednesday. I was watching things and wasn't really surprised when Gail made a point to sit closer to Kenny and actually talk to him during lunch. I don't think Missy and Jackie noticed as they were all wrapped up in a conversation about the upcoming dance. Apparently Lyle was coming up from State to take Jackie. Missy made sure that I included them in the plans for dinner before the dance. I had been counting on one extra couple. I'd thought it would be Gail and a date, but with Kenny not going, there was still room for one more couple in our plans. I was mulling things over in my head and generally not paying attention when a hand snagged my arm as I headed back to my locker after sixth period. I was surprised to see that it was Gail Carson steering me away from my locker. "What's going on, Gail?" "Not here, please, John. Just come with me," she pleaded. I shrugged and followed along. I wasn't really surprised when she dragged me into the newspaper office. Jackie nodded and disappeared. "Okay, enough secret spy stuff, Gail Carson," I grinned. "What is going on?" Gail smiled but held her ground. "I need to talk to you, John." "Okay, so talk," I magnanimously waved at a chair and sat down. Gail looked very uncomfortable and seemed to be studying her hands as we sat in silence. "Come on, Gail. Unless you are trying to break Missy and me up, whatever is on your mind isn't going to make me unhappy." I was momentarily distracted as her chest expanded with a deep sigh. She really did have spectacular boobs. Gail frowned as she noticed that my attention was a little south of her face. "Down boy; you gave up your shot at those." I raised my eyes and smiled. "Yeah, I guess I did. Can't shoot a guy for appreciating beauty when he sees it, though." "Flatterer." "Simple truth, Miss Carson." She blushed. "Anyway, um. I wanted to talk to you about the Sadie Hawkins dance and dinner thing." I nodded. She continued. "If I were to get a date, does your offer of a place for us at your dinner party still stand?" "Of course." "No matter whom I decide to ask?" "I trust you not to pull a Lisa Foster on me." "Dear God, no! I don't think I'm that stupid." "I don't think you are stupid at all, Gail." Gail smiled, but seemed a bit distracted. "Okay, now for the hard part," she muttered. She took another deep breath, and I struggled to keep my eyes on her face. "I want; I was hoping, anyway, that, well maybe that I could ask you about Ken Anthony. I mean, would he, do you think, is it's too, shoot." She closed her eyes and took another breath, and then opened them. "I was wondering if you thought he would go to the Sadie Hawkins dance with me." I smiled to myself. Well, now my suspicions were confirmed, and what I watched happen the last couple of days made sense. "Well, I don't think he hates you or thinks you are ugly, Gail. I'm not sure if he's ready to start dating anyone seriously this soon. He was kind of hung up on Lisa." "So you don't think I should ask him?" She looked a bit dejected. "I didn't say that. Actually, either way, I think it would do him a world of good if a bright, beautiful, cheerleader babe asked. I really have no clue whether he'd say yes or not. Can you handle it if he says no? Or do you want me to find out more first?" Gail looked out the window for a bit. I could almost see the gears turning. She was cute as she struggled with those questions, biting her lip and closing her eyes. Finally, she turned back to me. "To be honest, John, I 'm not sure how I'd handle it if he said no. I mean the last time couple of times I put my heart out there, it got stomped. You stomped on it pretty good." She held up her hand to forestall my response. "No, John. It's okay. I had a long talk with Jackie, and she helped me see how bad it could have turned out. In any case, I guess, that if you don't mind, I'd like you to find out more before I put my heart out there again." "I'm sorry you got hurt, Gail. I really didn't want that to happen. If there'd been..." "No, John. It wasn't your fault. I know, now, that you did your best to keep me from getting hurt. I haven't said it, but I do forgive you, John. Missy is one lucky girl." "Tell you what, Gail. Let me see if I can talk to Kenny tonight. I'll let you know what I find out before English tomorrow, okay?" Gail smiled. "You really are a sweetheart, John. Thank you." She put her hand on my arm and kissed my cheek. We walked out of the newspaper office together. I was surprised to see Jackie smiling and standing against the wall talking to Missy. "Hello ladies," I said, hoping there wasn't trouble brewing. "Thanks for letting me borrow him for a moment, Missy," Gail said, releasing my arm. She smiled and headed off. Missy smiled and wrapped her arm around mine. Looking at me, she rubbed her thumb across my cheek. "Lipstick?" she laughed. Seems like I can't leave you alone with a pretty girl for five minutes," she teased. "I don't suppose you are ready to go home with your girl, John?" Missy asked. "I could be convinced that I was," I replied with a smile. "And what might that take?" she asked, waving at Jackie and guiding me toward the parking lot. "Oh, I don't know," I pretended to think about it. Missy stopped and pulled me close. She put her lips next to my ear and whispered, "Would an hour or two on your couch with me be enough to convince you?" "Yeah, I think that would do it," I replied with a huge smile. "Come to think of it, Tracey is in Westbend until late tonight." "I know," Missy replied with a sparkle in her eye. "Liv told me." ------- Chapter 28 "So, what brought this on, honey?" I asked as I unlocked the front door. Missy didn't reply, simply sweeping past me. She dropped her books on the kitchen counter, took off her coat and set it on the back of one of the counter stools. She had a nervous smile on her face as she walked toward me. Something was different. I wasn't sure what it was, but it was just a flitting thought that disappeared as soon as she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled my face toward hers. There was no mistaking the desire and passion in her kiss. Gradually, we made our way to the couch, and when her leg bumped against it, she pulled back from my lips and gently pushed me down. After I sat, she climbed onto my lap with her thighs straddling mine. Then she bore in for more kissing. My hands started their path up under her sweater, caressing the soft flesh along her back. Up and down her back they went. After about the third trip, it dawned on me what was different. There was no bra strap. Missy had ditched the bra sometime after lunch. She backed off and smiled. "I took it off while you were talking to Gail, John." I started to reach around for her unfettered breasts, but she put her hands on mine. Her eyes never left mine as she guided my hands to my side. She patted them and then let go. With a wiggle, she moved back on my lap, putting some distance between us. She continued to stare into my eyes. I felt her moving and then her sweater came between our eyes. She lifted it up over her head. When our eyes met again, I could see fear and trust warring in her eyes. I heard the sweater land on the couch. That and our breathing were the only sounds in the room. I leaned forward and latched onto her lips with mine. My hands caressed their way up her soft bare back. When they reached her shoulders, I moved my lips and kissed my way along her chin until I reached one ear. "You are so beautiful," I whispered. And then I leaned back and slowly let my eyes and fingers trace their way down from her collarbone over the gradual swell to two very hard nipples. Missy gasped as my fingers circled her small areolas. When her eyes fluttered closed, I leaned forward again and began kissing a path from her left earlobe slowly down her neck to her nipple. "Yesssss!" she hissed as I captured the hardened button between my lips and sucked lightly. Her hands buried themselves in my hair and pulled me into her chest. I felt her hips shift forward, rubbing across my now rock hard cock. I groaned as her warm center began to rhythmically rub across my lap. I reached down and tried to pin her hips into one place. "Oh, my God," she moaned. "So good." Her hips refused to settle. With a quick surge, I pulled Missy to the side and lay down on the couch with her on top of me. Her nipple popped out of my mouth when I did. Suddenly we were kissing again. I let my hands roam over her bare back. I gently rolled her over onto her back and latched onto her shoulder with my lips. She hissed again and then sighed when I cupped both of her breasts with my hands, kneading them softly. Her ass began to dance across my lap, threatening to make me let loose in my pants. She stilled instantly when my hand slipped off her breast and moved down to her waist band, right over the button on her jeans. Her hand dropped on mine and held it in place. "No, John," she said softly. "Please." She wiggled her hips again. "Then don't tease, honey, please," I pleaded. I was way too close to the edge. Missy rolled over and put her hands beside my head. She smiled and lowered her lips to mine. We kissed for a while longer, and then she sat up. Her hair was badly mussed. Her lips were swollen from the kisses. I watched as she worked her hands in her hair. I smiled and looked at her bared chest. Her breasts were definitely smaller than either Mary Jo's or Liv's. I reached up and cupped the one nearest me. I felt the nipple harden a bit and press into my palm. Missy stopped what she was doing and looked down at her breast in my hand. "I wish they were bigger," she said softly. "Sorry." "I'm not," I replied seriously. "They are perfect. Soft and responsive." Missy smiled. "I was afraid you'd be disappointed after Liv and Mary Jo." "Not at all, honey. They are just different. Just as you are different than either of them. I'm more interested in the whole girl, heart, soul, mind, and body." She leaned over and kissed me. I pulled her sweater out from under my butt and pretended to hand it to her. "John," she crossed her arms under her still bare boobs. I reached up and tweaked her nipple softly and then handed her the sweater. She stood up and I watched her walk toward the kitchen. There seemed to be a little extra sway in her hips. She pulled her bra out of her purse and headed back toward the bathroom. "Missy," I called when she reached the hallway. She turned. "I just wanted to see them one more time," I said softly. "Oh, you," she said with a sweet smile. We kissed some more when she came back out of the bathroom. And we kissed one more time when we reached the door of her car. She hesitated as she moved to unlock the car, and then she looked up at me, an unsure look on her face. "I know I'm being silly" she told me softly, "but I guess I need to hear you say it. Do you still respect me, John?" I pulled her to me and gave her a hug, searching for the words that would reassure her. I thought about the words I had almost said this past weekend and I laughed softly as I realized that I was the one being silly trying to deny how I felt. Missy pushed me back, fear and anger on her face, the hint of tears in her eyes. "You're laughing at me?" she asked. "Please don't tell me my mother was right, John. Please!" I pulled her to me and kissed her gently, then pushed her back. "I'm sorry, honey, but I wasn't laughing at you. I was laughing at myself. I'm an idiot, Missy." She looked at me, confusion now added to the fear and anger. "John, you're not being very reassuring right now," she said, just a bit crossly. "What the heck are you talking about?" "Missy, first let me answer your question: yes, I still respect you. Honey, my respect for you does not depend on whether I have seen you naked, worshipped your body with my hands and tongue, or even slept with you. I respect the person you are, not what you are willing to do with me behind closed doors." I took a deep breath. "In fact, I love you, Melissa Ann Harmon," I said simply, "and I'm an idiot for not telling you that sooner." I wanted to continue, to explain, but I suddenly had an armful of wiggling, squealing, crying, extremely happy girl in my arms, a girl plastered against me and kissing me everywhere her lips could reach. I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly, and she hugged me back, slowly calming. Eventually she pushed me away, and grabbing my head with both hands, stared into my eyes. I could see tears in hers, but I also saw a bright joy that could not be dimmed by the tears. "Oh, thank you, John!" she whispered. "I love you, too!" She pulled me into another hug, and I whispered in her ear. "I think I should be thanking you, honey. I am unaccountably blessed." She pushed me back one last time and opened the door to her car, tossing her purse inside. She got in, turned to me and smiled. "See you tomorrow." "Sweet dreams, Missy." ------- My euphoria didn't keep me from the mundane chores, such as laundry and homework, and I really did try to reach Kenny that night, but he was working until eleven. His boss didn't take kindly to personal calls, so I set my alarm extra early. "Kenny," I shouted as I saw him trudging ahead of me toward school. "Hi, John," he said, still a little down. "How are you holding up, buddy?" "Not too bad, I guess. I don't know what I'd do without all our friends." "That's what friends are for, Ken. You were there for me through the whole Junior mess. This isn't even in the same league." Kenny nodded. "So what're you doing on this side of school?" he asked, changing the subject. "Well, I was hoping to chat with you a bit before we get to school." "So, what's on your mind?" "Missy, mostly," I grinned, "but I was more interested in finding out where your head is at." "I'm doing okay, John. It hurts to be thrown aside like that. I just don't get it." "I know, Kenny," I said, remembering how I felt when Mary Jo left me. "But, Ken, if, and this is a big if, if there was a young lady out there who was interested in going to Sadie Hawkins with you..." "Man, I don't know, John," he replied doubtfully. "I'm not sure I'm ready to get back in the game just yet." "And if there were no expectations, just going to be going, you know, as friends out to have a good time with the rest of your friends?" Kenny was quiet for a moment and then he sighed. "I suppose it would depend on the girl, John," he said. "I'm not at liberty to tell you that, bud," I said. "I'm sorry, but I promised just to take your pulse and report back." "Well, just the fact that you are doing this tells me that you think it's a good idea." "We've been friends a long time, Ken. I wouldn't purposefully steer you wrong." "I know. Look," he took a deep breath and stopped walking. "Tell her that I'm flattered, and that if she's got the guts to ask, I will consider it. That's the best I can do. I promise not to be an asshole if I'm truly not interested, but otherwise; I will probably say 'Yes'." "I'll tell her." When we reached the school, we separated. Bobby and Betty Lou were waiting for Ken, and the three of them took off in a different direction towards their lockers. "So?" Gail asked breathlessly. I hadn't even seen her approach. "Good morning to you too, Gail," I smiled. "It's going to be another beautiful day, don't you think?" "Come on, John. Don't be a tease. Missy said you didn't want to be picked up this morning, and I saw you talking to Kenny." "Okay, Gail," I relented. "I honestly believe he'll say yes. His exact words were 'If she has the guts to ask, I promise not to be an asshole if I'm truly not interested, but otherwise; I will probably say 'Yes'. So, the ball is in your court, Miss Carson. Do you have the guts?" "I guess we'll find out, won't we?" she replied, smiling as we entered Mr. Hayes' classroom. I laughed as I thought of the surprise Kenny had coming, and Gail laughed right along with me. ------- Chapter 29 I was again first to lunch, and I was sitting in the cafeteria waiting for my friends as usual. I saw Kenny hurry into the room. He made a beeline for the table. "Pinch me, John," he said as he plopped into the chair next to me. "I must be dreaming." "Oh?" "Don't play the innocent with me, John Robinson," he laughed. "I guess that means that Miss Carson found some courage and you weren't an asshole, I laughed back." "Got it in one," he replied with a huge smile on his face. "Gail Carson! I couldn't believe it, I mean I know you are dating a cheerleader, but I never expected, I mean..." He paused for a minute. "How did we get so lucky, John? No offense, but neither of us is all that special. And Missy and Gail are the two best looking, and nicest, girls in our class." "That they are, my friend," I replied, clapping my hand on his shoulder. "And they aren't stupid, either. So they must see something in us they find at least remotely attractive." Kenny sobered for a moment and then frowned. "I don't get it, John. I mean, you I can see. You're the smart one in this crowd. You know where you want to go; you've got a plan to get there and the determination to make it happen. You are always there when any of your friends needs something. Me, I'm a drifter, not thinking too much about the future. Hell, I don't even know what I'm going to do come July." "Well, my friend, I can't help you with that one." Kenny nodded. "I will tell you this, however" I continued. "Gail put herself out there. She's shown her interest. The rest is up to you. If you get all puffed up and full of yourself because you are dating a cheerleader, you will crash and burn so fast that your head will spin. Remember who Gail's last two boyfriends were. Donny Morse strung her along until he found someone at Notre Dame, and then he sent her a 'Dear Gail' letter. Peter Childress got caught up in the steroid mess. Her asking you to the dance doesn't mean she's ready to go all the way after the dance." Kenny looked at me seriously. "I know better than to expect that, John. And to be honest, I'm not sure I'm ready to go there yet." I smiled. "One more piece of advice," I said. He nodded. "Ask her out for dinner Friday. Spend some time getting to know her before the dance on Saturday." "Now that, John Robinson, is one of the best ideas you've had in a while. Thanks." "What are you two plotting now, John?" Mary Jo asked with a smile as she and Jesse set their trays down. "If we tell you, we'd have to kill you," Kenny said with a smile. Then he stood, nodding toward the door. Jackie, Gail and Missy had just walked in and were getting in line for food. "Save a spot for Gail and me, John?" he asked as he walked away. "Gail and Kenny?" Mary Jo hissed, shocked. "When did this happen?" "Why don't you ask them?" Jesse asked. "I'm sure they'll be here eventually." He nodded toward the door. Kenny was steering Gail out the door. ------- Saturday evening arrived with the whole gang descending on our house again. The table was a little more crowded with the three additional couples, but Tracey handled it well, and we didn't have to argue with her this time about eating with us. The dinner was superb and everyone seemed genuinely happy. Tracey seemed much more at ease with the group this time around as she knew many from the first dinner and from having worked with some of them at the Factory party. Jackie's boyfriend Lyle seemed like a really good guy and meshed well with the rest of us, keeping us laughing with stories about some of the characters in his dorm at school. The dance had barely started when we arrived. I knew how hot I was going to get, and I quickly shed my suit jacket and guided Missy onto the dance floor. I recognized the band from one of Tracey's wedding gigs. They played mostly country and swing tunes. Missy smiled as I started to swing. It wasn't long before I began to spin and twirl her around. By the time the third number was done, Missy and I were breathing heavily, and I guided her back to the table so that we could rest for a few songs. "Damn, John," Wally said as we sat down. "That's something. I don't think I could dance like that." "You'd be surprised, Wally. It's really not that hard." "Oh, come on. I mean, how do you know when to do what you do? How do you know where your partner is going to be? It looks so complex." "How do you know where your quarterback is going to be? It's no more complex than some blocking schemes, Wally." Jesse perked up. "Really?" I sighed and looked at Missy. She was a little flushed, but she had a broad and happy smile on her face. "Really. Come on, grab your dates and we'll show you." The dance floor wasn't really crowded, so there was plenty of room for us to spread out a bit. Missy and I spent two songs showing our friends how to swing. The band slowed things down after that and I pulled Missy close. "I love dancing with you, John," she said softly. "But I really love it when we're like this." We were swaying to the music. Her head was on my chest, her arms were tight around my waist, holding us close together. I know she could feel my body's response to hers being this close. "I never thought I'd see you acting like such a slut, Missy," Lisa Carver hissed as Peter Hawkins guided them past us. "I doubt you could get a piece of paper between the two of you. And in public too." Missy smiled. "Don't knock it until you try it, Lisa," she said with absolutely no animosity in her voice. Lisa snorted and they danced away. I started to pull back and put some space between us. "Don't," Missy hissed. "We can waltz the next song. Please?" I kissed the top of her head and held her close for the rest of the song. The band continued with another waltz and Missy slipped back into the 'proper' dance position. "Make sure we dance circles around her," Missy said firmly, leaving no doubt about whom she meant. Missy was so light in my arms and so responsive to my leads that I had no trouble whirling her around the floor. I watched for Lisa Carver and Peter Hawkins. Peter was trying to show off, but his rhythm was off. Missy and I spun around them in almost perfect synchronization. As the song ended, I dipped Missy low and dropped my lips onto hers. "God you are such a slut, Missy Harmon," Lisa hissed as we walked past her. "Jealousy doesn't become you, Lisa," I replied softly. "In retrospect, I don't think showing them up was such a good idea, John. I'm not sure we should be fanning the flames," Missy said as we sat down with our friends. She smiled and dabbed at her forehead with a napkin. We spent the band's second set dancing with each other's dates. I chuckled watching Wally try to dance with Amy Sue. They probably made the oddest couple with Wally towering over her. Amy Sue's head didn't even reach his shoulders. ------- The band really slowed things down for their last set. Almost every number was a waltz. I was staring into Missy's eyes as we waltzed to a Sinatra tune when I felt a hand tap my shoulder. I stopped and turned. Peter Hawkins held his hand out to Missy, offering Lisa's with his other. I looked at Missy and she shrugged her willingness. Lisa frowned as I put my hand on her shoulder blade. I started to dance, but it was soon apparent that she was trying to lead. I leaned close. "It will work better if I lead, Lisa," I whispered. She looked at me wide eyed, but she took a deep breath and nodded. With that, we were off. She wasn't as accomplished a dancer as Missy, but she wasn't bad, and once she relaxed, we danced in near perfect precision. I think I startled her when I spun her out and back into my arms and then carried on without even a pause. The look of panic when I dipped her at the end of the song was very satisfying. I pulled her back to her feet and bowed. "Thank you, Lisa. You dance well." Lisa smiled a wry smile and nodded as I walked her over to Peter Hawkins. She'd said not a word to me the entire time. Missy wriggled quickly out of Peter's arms and sighed as I settled my hands on her hips in time for the last song of the night. We weren't dancing long when Missy pulled in close. "I'm back where I belong," she whispered as the vocalist sang the same line. The lights came up and Mary Jo and Jesse walked over to meet us as we came off the dance floor. "Lisa Carver can't keep her eyes off of you two," Mary Jo said as I helped Missy into her jacket. "I think John tilted her world view a bit," Missy said, grasping my arm tightly. "Peter, on the other hand, seemed to be trying to bruise my feet." Mary Jo laughed as we all made our way to our cars. ------- Chapter 30 Something occurred to me as we walked out of the dance. "You aren't jealous of Lisa Carver, are you, honey?" I asked as I opened the car door for Missy. "You don't mind that I agreed to dance with her?" "Not really, John. You know, I sort of expected to be jealous when you danced with Liv and Mary Jo, given your history with the two of them, but I was actually happy watching you guys smile and laugh and dance. I guess I figured out that they aren't competing for you, that they've moved on, like you have. They are our friends, and I can trust them as much as I trust you. Lisa, on the other hand, is just enough of a bitch to try to get her hooks into you now that you've gotten her attention." "Lisa has nothing I'm interested in." I said dismissively. "She has bigger boobs." I shrugged. "I like yours better. I like you better. As I told your mother earlier, it's the woman I'm interested in, and the woman the boobs belong to is more important than the boobs are." "Maybe," Missy smiled, "but I'll bet you'd get laid tonight if you were taking Lisa home." "Yeah, maybe," I agreed, suddenly no longer worried. "And maybe it would even be good. I'm really not that interested in finding out, though. I know that when we finally make love it will have been worth however long the wait." Missy gave me a quick but intense kiss. "You always seem to know the right thing to say, John. At first, you seemed too good to be real, and I wasn't sure I whether I could believe what you said, but you've never lied to me, and now I don't care anymore. I had a fabulous time tonight. I'm not going to let Lisa Carver spoil it." Missy grabbed my hand as I started the car, and she placed it on her thigh. I didn't feel her skirt under my hand. Missy smiled when I turned to look at her. Her hand dragged mine slowly up her thigh. My fingers tingled as they stroked across the silky stocking adorning her thigh. Missy's hand left mine, allowing mine to roam up and down her thigh as we drove toward her house. As I pulled into her driveway, she grasped my hand and pulled it even farther up her thigh. I could feel the damp heat as my hand brushed against her silky panties. Missy's eyes were focused on mine. I watched as they grew wide when we brushed against her panties. And then she pulled my hand to her lips and kissed it. "Soon," she whispered and then leaned toward me. The kisses that followed were filled with passion. I nearly jumped when a soft hand settled on my rock hard shaft. She stroked it softly, and then backed off, gently breaking the kiss. I lost track of time as we stared into each other's eyes. Missy blushed and closed her eyes. She smiled and opened them back up. Her brown orbs were sparkling. "John," she hesitated for a moment. "What?" "When the time comes, I don't want my first time to be in the backseat of a car." "I guess I can understand that." "It's just that, um," Missy hesitated. "What? Tell me. Tell me how you dreamed it would be," I whispered. "How? How did you know?" "Don't all girls dream about how their first time will be?" "Well probably," she sighed. "I just never thought that you would realize that." I just smiled. "So?" "I, um, don't know. I mean, it's weird. There's all this fog around, you know, like we're in the clouds or something. I can't really see much, but I know we are on a soft bed. It's so peaceful, and I think I can hear harps or something playing softly in the background. And then you touch me, and I wake up. I told you, it's weird. The only thing I'm sure of is that it is you there with me on a bed." I kissed her. "It is not weird. I don't know if I can make that dream come true, exactly, but I will do my level best to make it as close to that as I can." "I know you will. And I know it will be soon. I mean, when you kiss me, I can feel myself wanting it. It's hard. I want it, but I'm scared." "There's nothing to be afraid of, Missy. Despite what I said before, I'm not going to push you into doing something you'll regret; I can wait for you to be sure. When you're ready, you'll know, and then you'll just have to let me know." "Thank you, John. You're making this so easy for me." She kissed me one more time and then got out of the car, not waiting for me to open it for her. I walked her to the door. I could see Mrs. Harmon watching through the curtains beside the door. Part of me wanted to grab Missy and display my passion for her, stake my claim in front of her mother, but I knew that would embarrass Missy, and probably cause more problems than it would solve. So I settled for a quick and discrete feel of her ass as we kissed at the door. "I love you, John," Missy whispered as she slipped from my arms. ------- Even though Missy and I had sort of discussed it after the dance, I really didn't think anything would happen. Boy was I wrong. Monday started a little odd anyway. Missy told me Sunday night that she wouldn't be in school until mid morning. Tracey drove me to school for a change, and Lisa Carver was there when I walked into the building. "Hi, John," she simpered as I started toward my locker. "Hello, Lisa," I replied, aiming for that balance of polite disinterest. Her smile faltered a bit, but she turned and walked with me. "I wanted to thank you for dancing with me," she persevered. "No thanks are needed, Lisa. It was fun," I replied, wondering where she was going with this. "Where's Missy?" "She had something to do," I said carefully, "but she'll be here later." "Oh, well then, you won't mind if I walk with you to class," she assumed. I shrugged and grabbed my books. "We're in the same class, Lisa, so we're headed the same way." I saw Jackie and Gail glare at me as we entered the room. I shrugged my shoulders at them and took my seat. Lisa smiled and waved as she moved off to hers. Mr. Hayes was in good form. He was reading from "The Merchant of Venice". His love of Shakespeare's writing was obvious and I found myself listening as I glanced around the classroom. In just a couple of months about half of my fellow students would be in the working world, while the rest of us would scatter to a half dozen colleges. I was still woolgathering when the bell rang and I was sort of looking over at Gail, Jackie and Lisa when it went off. I watched as Jackie stood quickly and blocked Lisa from getting up. I wondered what was up, but I needed to get moving. "What the hell is wrong with you, John?" Gail hissed as she caught up with me. I had no idea what bee was in her bonnet, so I chose a rather flip answer. "I'm male?" Gail snorted. "Come on, John, male or not, you are not that clueless. How could you walk to class with Lisa Carver?" "Okay, first, she ambushed me at my locker. Second, my locker is only about a hundred and fifty feet from class, and third, she is in the same class with me. How do I not walk to class with her? Besides, for the sake of argument, what is wrong with walking next to a girl to class in the first place? I'm walking next to you to class right now." "Oh, come on, John. Even a dolt like Peter Hawkins could see what is going on. He was nearly purple when you two walked into English. He'll get it backwards and assume you are moving in on Lisa." "Move in on Lisa?" I snorted in disbelief. "Not in a million years!" "Yeah, but everyone else who saw it will assume the same thing Peter did." Gail suddenly stopped and her eyes opened wide. "That's what Lisa wants," she breathed. "She's making a move on you!" I stopped and I stared at her in shock. "That's crazy!" I exclaimed. "Does she really think I'd leave Missy for her?" "I have no idea what she's thinking," Gail replied. The halls were thinning out, and I grabbed Gail's arm to get her moving again. I thought about what she'd said. "What about you and me, Gail? Do those same gossipmongers see me walking with you and think that I'm trying to horn in on Kenny?" Gail laughed. "Hell, most of them haven't even realized that Ken and I went to the dance together. You're right, though, John. When's Missy due in? Fourth period?" "That's what she said last night," I replied. "Perfect," Gail said. "I have class with Peggy Johnson. I'll get her to walk with you between second and third period, and maybe Joy Farmer between third and fourth." "What are you up to, Gail?" I asked, a bit concerned at the smug look on her face. "Just keeping Lisa in line and tweaking some noses at the same time." "Any particular noses?" Gail just grinned and peeled off to head for her second period class. ------- "What the hell is going on, John?" Mary Jo asked, dropping her tray onto the table and sliding into the chair next to me. "What do you mean, Mary Jo?" "Well," she leaned in close, "there is a decided buzz that something in wrong in paradise. Opinions are all over the place. Did you dump Missy after the dance?" "Mary Jo," I sighed, "you were there with us at the end. Did it look remotely like I was going to do that?" "Well, no," she conceded, "but where you are concerned I never know. What I do know is that Missy's not here today, and you've been seen walking to class with Lisa Carver, Gail Carson, Peggy Johnson and Joy Farmer. Something is going on!" I laughed out loud. I immediately wondered if Mary Jo had been one of Gail's targets. "What's so funny, John?" Missy asked as she kissed my cheek and slipped into the chair on the other side of me. I couldn't help myself. I was still laughing. "Apparently, honey, I dumped you after the dance Saturday." Missy looked confused. "I certainly don't remember that," she answered, looking both confused but reassured by my use of the word 'honey.' "Neither do I, but then you know we aren't the experts." Missy got it and started to laugh. "That's what Gail was trying to tell me about." It was Mary Jo's turn to be confused. "John?" Missy smiled and leaned past me. "I had someplace I had to be this morning. Apparently Lisa Carver saw that as an opening. Gail and Jackie caught it and they arranged for John to have a different girl to walk with between classes all morning. The rest of the class was so busy trying to put two and two together that they got twelve. Gail was right." Mary Jo blushed. "And I fell into her trap." "Hook, line and sinker," Gail said, sitting down across from me. "I was actually betting on Betty Lou being the one to take John to task, but she saw Missy sit down next to John before she could get to him." Mary Jo tried to look pissed, but wasn't doing a very good job of it. Missy put her hand on Mary Jo's arm. "I think it's sweet of you to stick up for me, Mary Jo," she said gently, "even if it wasn't necessary." She gave Mary Jo a big grin. "Besides," she added, "Could you imagine John trying to deal with a harem?" All three of the girls dissolved into laughter. I just put a thoughtful look on my face, and eventually, Missy noticed. "John," she warned with a giggle. "Hey," I grinned, "it's an interesting idea, and you're the one who put that idea in my head!" She opened her mouth to retort, and I defended myself in the age old manner. I kissed her, and then whispered in her ear, "I don't need a harem, love, as long as I have you." Missy's only reply was to give me a kiss that got more than a few catcalls from those seated nearby. ------- Chapter 31 March came in like a lion with PMS as Lisa Carver did all she could to attract my attention, and Peter Hawkins, as Gail had warned me, had it all backwards. He threatened me several times, despite my assurances that I had no interest in his bottle blonde girlfriend. This madness only served to bring Missy and I closer together. We shared memories from our past. We shared our impatience with the present. We shared our hopes for the future. I told Missy about my dreams, and she told me about her fears. I did my best to allay those fears, and I was surprised at how easily I could do this. I realized that as we shared ourselves, our hearts, Missy's confidence in us was growing very strong. I found out later that Missy had gone to the doctor's office Monday morning. When I'd asked if there was anything wrong, she'd just smiled and said the doctor told her that there was nothing to worry about. She'd given me no other information, but her lack of concern reassured me, and I forgot about it. We fell back into our Friday night date routine throughout March. Each date ended with an intense but short groping session. My hands and lips were intimately familiar with every inch of her boobs. There were a few short forays below the waist but they were fended off swiftly. I was encouraged when Missy began to explore a little, too, moving from rubbing my erection through my jeans to sliding her hand into my underwear and onto my cock. I never actually removed my pants, and Missy never lingered there too long. For Missy, though, it was a big step. The arrival of April and some warmer weather was a relief to nearly everyone in town. March had proved a rainy month with little or no sunshine to warm the fields, and everyone was suffering from cabin fever and feeling just a bit water logged. I enjoyed the serendipitous changes that accompanied the warmer weather. Winter coats were replaced by windbreakers and vests. Bulky sweaters were replaced by thin silky blouses and light sweaters that seemed to cling and emphasize rather than disguise. The best part, however, was the appearance of skirts. It was like all of the girls at school grew legs all of the sudden. I mean the guys all knew they were there all along, but when the skirts sprouted in April, we no longer had to imagine, and it was a leg man's paradise. Missy was no exception. She appeared at my door early on that second Monday of April. Her light sweater was open, showing her white blouse. After a steamy kiss, I followed her off the porch to her car and recognized immediately that the blue jeans were not pants, but a skirt that ended just above the knee. "What?" she teased as I stared at her bare knees as she parked the car at school. "I like skirts," I replied. "Oh, and why is that?" she asked with a sly grin. "It's so easy to reach over and do this." I slipped my hand onto the inside of her knee and slowly slipped it upward until she closed her thighs, trapping my hand between them just shy of her panties. Her eyes were closed and she blushed, but she did not push my hand away. Instead, she sighed and then opened her eyes and smiled. "We need to get to class, John," she whispered huskily. ------- "We need to change our weekend plans, John," Missy said as she sat down next to me for lunch. "This is not an April Fool's joke, right?" "Besides being sophomoric, it's a couple days late for that," she pointed out reasonably. "No, Momma has decided that she is throwing me a big birthday bash this weekend. Momma's sisters and a few of her friends from school will be here, and I'm supposed to invite all of my friends from school." She laughed. You know, you've provided Momma a huge dilemma; this past year, Tracey has gained the reputation as the best caterer in town, but she is your sister. She isn't happy about it, but everyone's told her if she has it catered, she has to use Tracey." She shook her head and laughed again. "I didn't even have to say a thing." She suddenly sobered. "You did say Tracey had no plans this weekend, didn't you? I mean she's still available, right? That's why we were going out on Saturday." "Well, Tracey didn't have plans." I grinned. "Besides, even if she did, she'd change them, for you if not for your mother. How many people are we talking about?" "I'm not exactly sure. Besides my aunts and Momma's school friends, I guess she's inviting her other friends, too. Mr. Warren from the bank, Mr. Reynolds, our lawyer, and Mr. Perkins from the Factory are all going to be there. She also hinted that Daddy gave Mr. Reynolds something special to hold for me. You should probably have Tracey call her to get better numbers." "Okay, I'll call Antonio's and cancel, and then I'll call Trace." "Thanks, John. I sure hope Momma's not up to something. She's still not happy with us dating." "I guess she doesn't like you robbing the cradle," I joked. Missy giggled. "Yeah, right. You're what, two months younger than me? Robbing the cradle: next you'll be calling me an 'old maid'." "Well, if the shoe fits..." "Don't you even go there, John Robinson," she hissed with a grin. When the rest of the crowd got to the table, Missy told everyone else about the party, and the rest of lunch was filled with the girls all talking about what to wear. ------- The party on Saturday went well. Tracey had been excited about Missy's comment about being the best caterer in Ridgemont, and she set out to prove it, handling it with her usual ease despite the short notice and not having Liv or me available to help out. Liv was absolutely floored when Missy asked her and Wally to come as guests. Despite her mother's desire to have a big party, Missy only asked two dozen of her classmates and their dates to the party. I'd just closed the front door after saying goodbye to Mary Jo and Jesse, the last of our friends to leave, when I heard a commotion near the kitchen. "I don't want him there," I heard Mrs. Harmon say sharply. "Well, I do," I heard Missy reply with a bit of heat. "If this is about my future, it affects him too. He should be there." A calm male voice interrupted the argument to agree with Missy. "If what Melissa says is true, Annabelle, the boy should be there. It's what Morris would want." "I won't have it!" Mrs. Harmon said angrily. "I'm sorry, but as much as I love you, you don't have a say, mother," Missy said. "I'm eighteen. I get to decide these things for myself, now." "She's right, Annabelle. Bring him to the study, Melissa. I'll start when you get there." The man turned and walked down the hallway. Missy walked into the foyer and saw me still standing by the front door. She came to my side. "I guess you heard that." she frowned. "I'm sorry you had to hear Momma and I argue, but," she shrugged helplessly. "It's okay, Missy," I reassured her. "What's going on?" "Daddy left me something. Momma doesn't want you to know about whatever it is. Mr. Reynolds seems to think you should hear about it, though, and so do I." She guided me down the hall, holding onto my arm as if I were going to try to run away. ------- "Paul Reynolds," the man said, holding out his hand to me. "I remember your father. He was a good man," he added softly. "John Robinson," I replied, shaking his hand. "Thank you." There were two other men in the room. Mr. Reynolds introduced me to Adam Warren, the bank president, and Dave Perkins, president of the Factory. Mrs. Harmon glared at me and sat down on the other side of the room, putting as much space between us as possible. Mr. Reynolds moved behind the desk, motioning for everyone else to take a seat. "Now that we are all here," he said, opening his briefcase. "I have here the final requirement of the last will and testament of Morris Harmon IV. I'm here presenting it in the presence of witnesses." He motioned at the other two men and pointed at the tape recorder on the desk. "Adam Warren." "David Perkins." Mr. Reynolds continued, "Also present are Annabelle Harmon, Melissa Harmon and John Robinson. Pursuant to the Will in question, we are here to transfer 60% ownership in Harmon-Morris, Incorporated to Melissa Ann Harmon who has today reached her eighteenth birthday." He slid some papers across the desk toward Missy. "Oh my God!" she covered her face with her hands. "I..." "She's not ready for this Paul," Annabelle said. "Morris should not have done this. She's not even out of high school." "It's out of my hands, Annabelle," he shrugged. "You know that I suggested to him, argued with him, that he should wait till Missy was older, twenty-one or even twenty-five, but Morris wanted this more than anything else." He spread his hands face up. "In any case, there is nothing anyone can do to change this now. You, Annabelle, will, of course, still retain your 20% ownership." He looked over to Missy. "The employees own 20% of Harmon-Morris as well." "Yes," Missy replied. "I remember Daddy telling me that. But Momma's right. I'm not ready to become the owner of Harmon-Morris. I don't know anything about running a business." The three men and Mrs. Harmon began suggesting changes and tossing out names, ideas and cost and profit numbers. This quickly evolved into a discussion involving everyone in the room except Missy and me. Rather than helping Missy, however, it was obvious to me that it was just confusing her and making her feel useless. "Excuse me!" I interjected. Everyone stopped talking and turned to me. "How is Harmon-Morris run today?" I asked. "I mean, no offense, Mrs. Harmon, but I don't see you down at the Factory running things, and Mr. Perkins was introduced to me as president of Harmon-Morris." Mr. Reynolds smiled. "Mr. Morris set up a board of directors. Annabelle is nominally the chairman of the board. Dave, Adam, Tom Wallace, who represents the employees, and I are the rest of the board. We've been setting the policies by which Dave has been running the Factory." "Okay," I said, "so this system appears to have worked quite well for years now. Is there some reason why this can't continue, at least until Missy feels she is ready to take control or finds someone she wants to take control?" "I don't see why not," Mr. Warren said, nodding. "That's an obvious and sensible suggestion, John. Melissa should probably be added to the board," he added thoughtfully. "That would allow her to slowly learn about the business and gain an understanding of the people involved and the industry we are in." "She should join the board as chairman," I suggested. "Well," Mr. Perkins started to reject the idea. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that," Missy said, entering into the conversation. "But I think John has the right idea. If I am now the majority owner..." "You are as soon as you sign these papers," Mr. Reynolds said, pointing at the papers on the edge of the desk. "Then I should have a say in how it is being run," Missy said with her head up. "I don't know anything about running a business, yet, but I want to do my part. And I trust the men," she waved her hand at the three men in the room, "that Daddy chose to steward the company and advise Momma and me about things. I'd like you all to stay on the board. I promise not to interfere with business too much, but I do want to know what is going on, especially before any major decisions are made." Missy signed the papers and a lively discussion about how the company was run followed. Missy listened thoughtfully. I could see the gears turning in her mind as she absorbed what she could. Her mother was silent for a long time. "Speaking of major decisions, what about the offer from Nabisco?" Mrs. Harmon asked. Mr. Reynolds frowned. "That should be discussed in a meeting of the board, Annabelle." "Then get Tom Wallace and Louise over here and let's discuss it. You will excuse us while we discuss business, won't you, John?" she said with a condescending smile. I nodded and started to get up and leave the room. "That won't be necessary, Mom. I want John on the board." Everyone in the room started to say something, including me, but Missy waved us off. "In an advisory capacity only. He will have no vote. I trust his judgment, though, and until I'm up to speed or our relationship ends, I want him to help me." "But he's just a high school senior," Dave Perkins grumbled. "So am I, Mr. Perkins. You'll have to trust me. We don't have any interest in running the company, at least not yet." "She is the boss," Mr. Warren reminded everyone. The adults continued to discuss things for a few minutes. I put my finger on Missy's chin and dragged her attention to me. "Are you sure you want this? I don't want to get in the way." "Absolutely! You have an uncanny knack for reading people and seeing solutions to problems that no one else does, John." "Happy Birthday, honey," I whispered, kissing her cheek. She smiled sweetly at me, and then we turned our attention back to the discussion. ------- Chapter 32 "While we are waiting for Tom, there is one more thing that Morris wanted me to do today," Mr. Reynolds said, solemnly. He reached into his pocket and handed Missy a sealed envelope. I watched as Missy stared at the envelope. I could see that she recognized the writing on the outside. With a sad smile, she broke the seal and pulled a two page letter from the envelope, walking over to the sofa to sit and read her father's last message to her. A tear trickled down Missy's cheek as she read her father's words. She slumped into the sofa and held the letter to her chest. I walked over and sat down next to her, taking her hand in mine. She smiled at me and folded the letter back up, placing it in the envelope. She didn't say a word, but she put her head on my shoulder and snuggled in close, smiling even more when I put my arm around her shoulders. "So what did he say, Missy?" Mrs. Harmon asked, staring at me as if it would make me go away. Missy looked up at her mother. "It was just a happy birthday note, Momma. He passed on a little fatherly advice." She shot me a glance. "And he said he'd be watching you, John." "Morris mentioned John?" Mrs. Harmon was incredulous. "Well, not specifically, of course," Missy replied, smiling. "But he did say he was watching over me like he always did." ------- Mrs. Harmon called the board meeting to order after Mr. Wallace and the board's secretary, Laura Higgins, arrived. Missy and I were added to the board. Mr. Reynolds read some legalese into the record changing the ownership of the company. The board voted Mr. Warren chairman for the period of one year while Missy learned the ropes. Mr. Reynolds asked for the floor and Mr. Warren recognized him. I was beginning to catch on to this 'Parliamentary Procedure' stuff. "As you know," Mr. Reynolds began. "Up to now, this board has existed to advise Mrs. Annabelle Harmon on matters of business for the company. It was specifically charged to run the corporation until such time as Melissa Ann Harmon reached eighteen. No mergers or buyouts could be discussed until now. Nabisco, Inc. has made an offer to purchase Harmon Morris, Incorporated for a dollar and thirty five cents per share cash and three shares of Nabisco stock for one share of Harmon Morris stock. Now that Melissa is eighteen, Mrs. Harmon felt it was time for the Board to consider this offer." I raised my hand. "Question, John?" Mr. Reynolds asked. "I didn't know there were shares in Harmon Morris. How many shares? And what is Nabisco stock worth?" "There are one million nominal shares of stock in Harmon Morris, John. They are nominal shares as they cannot be traded publicly, and held for voting purposes only. Nabisco stock is worth about thirty dollars a share." "So Nabisco is offering about ninety million for the Company," I said as I did the calculations in my head. "A little more than that, but yes." "And Harmon Morris is worth?" "Book value of the shares is one hundred ten dollars, so about twenty million over that," Mr. Warren added. "We also have a huge balloon payment of fifteen million due in six months," Mrs. Harmon added. "We can handle the debt," Mr. Perkins said firmly. Missy chimed in. "If we sell, what will happen to the plant?" "They aren't sharing their plans with us. Chances are that they will come in and cut back on some things, maybe even close the plant and try to sell it." "I think we should sell. I don't have any interest in running the plant. Melissa is too young to run it. Profits are down. If we don't get out soon, we'll never get our money out of it," Mrs. Harmon said emphatically. "I'm not sure that's in the best interests of the town or the workers," Adam Warren said softly. "Too many plants are shutting down around us. Eastbridge lost Maytag last year. Things are really bad there right now. There's nothing else in town. If the Factory closes, two thousand families are on welfare for the foreseeable future." "Oh, don't be so doom and gloom, Adam," Mrs. Harmon said dismissively. "The employees' twenty percent would come out to more than eighteen million dollars, which should cushion the blow. Besides, my responsibility is to the family, Melissa and I. We need to get out of the bakery business and get on with our lives. I loved Morris, but his devotion to this town is what put him in the grave and its making it tough for me to continue to live here." "That eighteen million sounds impressive, Mrs. Harmon," Mr. Warren interjected, "but it only comes out to a little more than nine thousand dollars per family. That won't last long without a job." "I'm sorry," Missy said, "but I agree. Daddy loved this town, and he wouldn't want us to abandon it, Momma. His family has worked hard to get the Factory where it is. I don't think he'd want us to sell, especially for less than what it's worth." Mrs. Harmon looked very angry with Missy, though she said nothing. "Does anyone have anything else to add?" Mr. Warren asked. When no one spoke up, he asked, "Shall we vote on the issue, then?" Everyone nodded except Mrs. Harmon. "How are we doing this, Adam?" she asked. "Well," he replied. "As I understand it, John has no vote." He looked to Missy and she nodded. "Annabelle and Tom each vote their 20% and Paul, David, Melissa and I vote Melissa's 60%. They bylaws say that you must have a 2/3 majority to pass something like this. How do you want to split up your 60%, Melissa?" Paul Reynolds cleared his throat. "I'd like to step back to an advisory capacity like John. That would leave five equal votes." Adam again looked at Missy. She nodded. "Okay, then. It takes four 'yea' votes to agree to sell the company to Nabisco." Mrs. Harmon chimed in first. "Yea." Tom Wallace was equally quick with his 'Nay'. Adam and David both looked to Missy. "Sorry, Momma, but Nay," Missy said firmly. Mrs. Harmon frowned. "I don't suppose there is anyway to buy out my shares?" David Perkins frowned. "I'd love to say yes, Annabelle, but with that balloon sitting out there..." "The trust could perhaps buy out half of your share, Annabelle, but the whole thing is out of the question," Paul Reynolds added, with Adam Warren nodding behind him. "Even if the trust could afford it, I'm not sure I like the idea of an eighteen year old girl controlling seventy percent of the company," Tom Wallace said with some conviction. "As opposed to only sixty percent, Tom?" Adam asked, rhetorically. "I think we are all going to regret this decision," Mrs. Harmon said angrily, leaving the room. With Mrs. Harmon's departure, the meeting ended just as quickly as it started. The rest of the board members left. Missy and I sat down on her front steps. She was quiet for a while. "I know this was sudden, John. I hope it doesn't mess things up for us. I know you were planning to get out of this town forever. I'm don't think I can, now. I mean, I don't know what Daddy was thinking when he just dumped this awesome responsibility on my lap. Two thousand families now depend on me for their survival!" She shivered and hugged her knees to her chest. "It's almost overwhelming." "Well, honey," I said softly. "Don't let Mr. Wallace dump all of that on your lap. Sure, the decisions that you make regarding the Factory could affect a lot of people, but I doubt that their survival is at stake every time you make a decision." "What about us, though, John? I'd hate for this to come between us." "Well, I don't see that happening, at least not for a few years anyway. I still plan on going to State and getting my degree. I'll go out on a limb and say that I think you still plan on doing the same thing?" "Momma is probably going to argue with me about it, but yes, I need to go get my degree, too. It's even more important now than it was yesterday; I won't be much good to Harmon-Morris without it." "Well, that leaves us four or five years to make some decisions, decisions that we will be a lot more informed about then." "So Daddy's gift could still come between us in the future?" "I suppose it's possible. Besides, who's to say that you don't fall in love with someone else at State?" "I don't think that's going to happen, sweetie," she said seriously. "But it is very likely that I'm going to want to come back to Ridgemont after I finish at State. Can you handle that?" "It's not what I planned for, but then again, I never planned to be dating you, either. Any plans we had can be adjusted, honey." The conversation went round and round for a while. I wasn't sure where Missy was going with this. It was almost as if she was trying to put the Factory between us. Things started to get a little heated and I decided discretion was the better part of valor and, after distracting her with a dizzying kiss, beat a hasty retreat. ------- Chapter 33 Missy had been a popular girl before her birthday, but by Monday, the news about her inheritance was out. Everyone seemed to be vying for her time and attention. As the effective owner of the most critical business in Ridgemont, Missy now had power to go along with her money. As someone they went to school with, Missy was also far more accessible and much less intimidating than some impersonal HR form, and everyone was trying to gain access and make that approach, looking for an in with the new boss so that they could secure a job after school or just hoping to pick up scraps of the power Missy now held. I didn't think Missy had gotten a moment of peace on Monday. She finally gave up after lunch and went home. Things were better on Tuesday, but Missy was standoffish, a bit distant even with me. We ate lunch together on Tuesday and Wednesday, but on Tuesday, she didn't touch me once, and on Wednesday, she sat across from me, not by my side as usual. By Thursday, she didn't have any patience for anyone, including me. Other than to say hello, she didn't speak to me at all at lunch, spending the entire period talking to Jackie. I tried to put my hand in her back pocket as we were walking out of the cafeteria after lunch, and she pushed my hand and me away, angrily. "Is feeling me up at school all you can think about?" she yelled at me. Realizing the stares she had drawn in the suddenly silent cafeteria, she turned away from me, stalking off silently. By Friday things had gotten downright icy. Missy had bluntly suggested that I might be happier eating with my friends, and Missy and Jackie were off by themselves at a table for two. Gail frowned as she sat down next to Kenny. "What's going on, John?" Gail asked softly. "I wish I knew, Gail. She's not talking to me, although she did uninvited me to lunch today. We're supposed to have a date tonight, but after the freeze out I just received, I'm not even sure of that now." Mary Jo put her hand on my arm. "Things will calm down, John. Be patient with her. I don't think she was ready for this." Gail snorted. "I can't tell you how many times Jackie or I have had someone ask us if we can talk to Missy about getting them a job after graduation, and if we have been hounded, Missy's got to have been absolutely bombarded by them. It's weird. I mean, everyone had to know she was going to inherit the Factory, but they're all acting like it's the first day of deer season, and she's the only trophy buck in the woods. Half these people don't even want to remain in Ridgemont, to say nothing of working in the factory. It's mostly monkey see, monkey do, and Missy is at the center of that madness." "I can see that, Gail," Mary Jo added. "But John sure didn't deserve the public tongue lashing he got yesterday." "I know," Gail sighed. "I'm sorry, John, but she's not talking to me either. When I asked her how she was this morning, she told me to 'leave her the hell alone.' I think Jackie's the only one she's talking to, and I think that's only because Jackie's family has a lot of money, too, so Jackie is the only one that Missy can be sure isn't just another leech after her money." "I'm sorry you're getting caught in the middle, Gail," I sighed. "Don't worry about me, John. I'm where I want to be. I'm just sorry that this lunacy is keeping you from being where you want to be." She put her hand on mine and then turned to talk to Kenny. Bobby elbowed me. "Shark at nine o'clock," he whispered. Sure enough, Lisa Carver was steaming toward our table. I rolled my eyes. Could the day get any worse? "Hi, John," Lisa husked. "Do you have a minute to help me with our English assignment?" I heard Mary Jo whisper to Jesse, "Lord help us." I waved to the empty seat across from Mary Jo. Lisa hurried over to sit. She handed me her paper. "I don't think I really understand what Mr. Hayes wanted. Can you read this and see if it's right?" She even batted her eyes. I pulled the paper toward me with a sigh. Lisa might have thought she was fooling the people at the table, but she wasn't fooling me. I knew that she was only a couple of decimal points behind Hannah Mills in the race for valedictorian. Hell, Lisa was nearly a quarter of a point ahead of me. I didn't think many of our classmates realized exactly how smart Lisa really is. Maybe it was the bottle blonde hair. Whatever it was, the act was a good one. I glanced through the paper, knowing even before I started reading it that it was probably better than mine. After reading just the first paragraph, I knew I was wrong: it wasn't better than mine. It was much better than mine. Lisa could really write. I started over, reading it carefully. Given the quality of the writing, it was obvious that Lisa had purposely misspelled several words and even left a couple of punctuation marks off. The last paragraph was the clincher. It had nothing to do with the rest of the paper. 'If her highness' head is so high in the clouds that she's lost sight of whom is the best man in our class, be assured that I won't. You need but say the word and I will be there for you. There is NOTHING I won't do for you.' You can't get much plainer than that. I smiled and handed the paper back. "You misspelled five words and left out two commas. The last paragraph needs some work, however. I understand what you want to say, I don't think that you're correctly reading the emotional context." "Thank you, John," she said with a smile. "If you think of anything to add to the last paragraph, or can come up with another way to help me interpret it, you will let me know, right?" "Absolutely, Lisa." She smiled and got up and left quietly, knowing that she'd put her hook in the water. I wasn't ready to take her bait, but I had to admire her courage. Others, I'm sure, would have called it something else. I just sat back and looked over Jesse's shoulder at Missy. Intellectually, I understood the pressure she was facing, but emotionally, I was at a loss. I thought we'd already gotten past this when Missy had chosen me over the path her mother had picked out for her, and I thought Missy and I had formed a bond, built hour by hour as we discussed our lives, our fears and our hopes, and based on love and respect. I guess I had been wrong on both counts. Had I been wasting my time? Were money and position ultimately barriers between us that neither of us could overcome? Was it easier for me to feel like I could overcome those twin barriers because I lacked both money and position? Did I feel more for Missy than she did for me? I hadn't thought so just last Friday. How had things gotten so out of hand, so bad, so fast? I was so caught up in my thoughts that I almost missed the bell. ------- It was almost a relief when Jackie appeared beside me after the last class of the day. "How could you do that to her, John?" "I've done nothing, Jackie. I'm not giving you the spoon. You want to cut out my heart, stand in line. I'm just the confused boyfriend, probably soon to be ex-boyfriend." "Don't give me that bull, John. You know what she's going through and you still go and grab her ass. You embarrassed her. It wasn't appropriate the first time you did it and it was out of line yesterday." Jackie's words snapped something inside of me, and I got angry. "Why don't you climb down out of the clouds, Jackie, and join the rest of us mere mortals." I said heatedly. "In case you've forgotten, it was Missy's idea the first time. We've done it any number of times, and she told me she enjoyed it. I've got no clue why Missy feels as if she has the right to revise history to suit her moods. Unlike everyone else, I am not demanding anything from her. I'm not asking for money or a job, except maybe the job of boyfriend. I haven't changed. My feelings and intentions toward Missy haven't changed. My love for her, and my desire to be with her, hasn't changed." I realized I was beginning to shout, and I took several deep breaths and lowered my voice. "Missy has always been my goddess, Jackie, but the last couple of days I've learned that in order to worship a goddess, you have to be deemed worthy to enter the temple. If things have changed for the goddess, perhaps she could come down from Olympus and let us mortals know," I said, my sadness and bitterness seeping though. "Take that message back to her. Oh, and ask her to call me if we still have a date tonight. I would like to know whether or not to pick her up. That is if she will deign to speak to a mere mortal." I don't think Jackie expected me to unload like that. I slammed my locker closed and walked away, angry, but also fighting back tears frustration and loss. I knew it probably wasn't fair to Jackie, but I didn't care. As much as I did miss my goddess, I was getting mighty tired of the flighty ice princess act. ------- Tracey was standing by the door when I got home, a troubled look on her face. "I'm sorry, John. Jackie called a few minutes ago. She said that you do NOT have a date tonight. What's going on? I thought you were dating Missy again." I frowned. "I was. I guess I'm not any more. Jackie was just the messenger. I guess her highness still isn't speaking to me." "This isn't still about the ass grab," Tracey said firmly. "There's more to it than that. What's missing?" "I have no idea, Trace," I sighed in frustration. "I mean, I told you what she said Saturday. I'm sure that's part of it too. That and the whole class clamoring for a piece of her and showering her with compliments this past week." "I'm sorry, John. Maybe she just needs more time to remember who has been there for her this past year." "Maybe," I said dubiously. "Don't worry about it, Trace. One way or another, it's going to work out the way it's going to work out. There doesn't seem to be much I can do about it right now." I sighed and changed the subject. "You're all dressed up. Have you got a hot date?" "Tony's coming by." "Things getting serious?" "Maybe." "Don't you dare pass on something you want just to go with me to University Park. We've saved up enough for me to get into the dorms." Tracey gave me the exasperated Mom look. "Don't give me that look," I laughed, genuinely amused. "I know you're interested in Tony." I gave a sly grin, and then sobered and said, "I don't want you using me as an excuse not to go for what you want." I gave her a small grin. "I'll survive my high school romance crisis. You go live your life. You've given up enough of that life to watch out for me. It's not that I don't appreciate it, but you should be happy too." "You really are something, little brother," Tracey said, gathering me in for a hug. Tony's car pulled up beside the Bronco. He hopped out and headed for us. Tony was well dressed, too, sporting a suit, tab collar shirt and a snazzy tie. "Hi John," Tony said holding out his hand. "Are you ready to go, sweetheart?" I shook his hand, knowing that his attention was already focused on Tracey. "Go," I said firmly, pushing Tracey's hip. "Enjoy. Tony's definitely going to be better company tonight, and I'll be fine. I promise," I said with a smile. As I watched Tony's car pull out of the drive, I knew that only Missy could help me keep that promise. ------- Chapter 34 I spent the weekend quietly. I thought I had accepted that the ride was over and it was time for me to get off and get ready for the rest of my life. It wasn't a good feeling, but by Monday morning, I felt that I had come to terms with things. I found out I wasn't prepared for the pain, however, when Gail showed up at my locker before English. She had tears in her eyes as she reached out and handed me a heart shaped locket. I stared at it for a moment, blinking back tears that wanted to spring forth, and then turned Gail's hand and dropped the locket into it. I took a breath to make sure my voice was steady. "Gail, please take this back to Melissa and tell her that it was a gift from me, freely given, and I'd like her to keep it. Hopefully she will look back on our time together with some fondness. Tell her that I got her message loud and clear, though, and I won't be bothering her anymore." Gail said something, but I didn't hear as I turned, closed my locker and headed back out the door. I could feel the tears stinging my eyes as I wandered away from the school, and this time I made no effort to hold them back. I knew then that until the moment Gail had appeared with the locket, I'd still held out some hope that things would settle down and we would get back together. I guess I really hadn't accepted it over the weekend, after all. I ended up sitting on that picnic bench at the Overlook, staring out over the lake. I didn't much remember getting there, or how long I stared at the lake once I got there. I just kept replaying the last ten months that Missy and I had danced around our relationship, each moment sharp in my mind. After a while, I started walking back to town. With a glance at my watch, I realized that I would probably get back to school before classes ended. I stopped about a block from the school. I was pissed off. I mean throughout this whole break up, Missy had said not one word to me. I felt like after everything we'd been through together, she owed me that much, and in her place, I would have never used Gail and Jackie they way she had, never have put Gail or Jackie in the positions Missy had put them in. I struggled with an idea for a moment, and finally shrugged my shoulders. What did I have to lose? With a more purposeful stride I walked back into the school and went to my locker. None of the hall monitors saw me, and I made my way to the library unchallenged. I had about twenty minutes. I wrote furiously. It took about four pages, but I got my thoughts down and after reading through the message, I nodded. There were about five minutes of class remaining when I dropped the note in Missy's locker and headed out the door for home. ------- Tuesday morning, I made sure I was early to English. "I'd like to change my seat assignment, Mr. Hayes," I said as he looked up and acknowledged me. "Oh? Is there some reason for this capricious request, Mr. Robinson?" I considered my reply for a moment and then sighed. "Let's just say that Melissa Harmon may feel a little more comfortable sitting next to Jackie Weathers than me and leave it at that," I told him. Mr. Hayes nodded. "I think Mr. Shakespeare said it best, 'They do not love that do not show their love. The course of love never did run smooth. Love is a familiar. Love is a devil. There is no evil angel but Love.'" I nodded my head. "Yeah, something like that, Mr. Hayes. So is it okay if I swap with Jackie?" "Yes, Mr. Robinson that will be fine." "Thanks, Mr. Hayes." Jackie and Missy arrived shortly before the bell. Jackie stared at me, and nodded. Missy seemed oblivious to the switch, sat and turned immediately toward Mr. Hayes. Mr. Hayes launched into his lecture a moment after the bell. He opened his book as he wandered around the classroom. I was surprised when he stopped next to my desk. He put his book down in front of me. "Read through this passage a couple of times, Mr. Robinson," he said. "I will be asking you to read it in a moment." He walked back to his desk and picked up another book. He kept talking about Shakespeare's sonnets as he walked. I looked back down and read through the sonnet he had pointed to. The words were just what I had felt yesterday. I felt a tear sting my eye. Mr. Hayes had no mercy. I read the sonnet again, wondering how I was going to get through reading it aloud. Lost in the words, I didn't realize Mr. Hayes had stopped talking until I realized the class was quiet. I looked up to see Mr. Hayes with his arms grasped behind his back, looking at me. He'd dropped the other book off somewhere. "Sonnet 91, if you please, Mr. Robinson," he said quietly. I nodded, swallowed and took a breath, praying my voice would not break as I read. "Some glory in their birth, some in their skill, Some in their wealth, some in their bodies' force, Some in their garments, though new-fangled ill, Some in their hawks and hounds, some in their horse; And every humour hath his adjunct pleasure, Wherein it finds a joy above the rest: But these particulars are not my measure; All these I better in one general best. Thy love is better than high birth to me, Richer than wealth, prouder than garments' cost, Of more delight than hawks or horses be; And having thee, of all men's pride I boast: Wretched in this alone, that thou mayst take All this away and me most wretched make," I read. I felt the tears streaking down my cheeks. "Very good, Mr. Robinson. A very moving sonnet, wouldn't you say, Miss Harmon?" "Um, sure," I heard Missy reply. The bell rang before any further comment could be made. "Are you okay, John?" Gail asked as she stood beside me. I nodded and turned to walk out. "That sonnet was beautiful, John," Gail added, stepping up beside me. "It was as if Shakespeare was writing for you to Missy." "Oh, yeah," I agreed. ------- Jackie cornered me after Math. "That was low, John," she hissed, pressing me back against the lockers with a hand to my chest. "Getting Mr. Hayes involved after writing her that note last night. I hope you are happy. I've never seen Missy come unglued like that. You owe me a spoon." That was the last straw. I walked slowly toward Jackie, using her hand on my chest to push her back into the lockers behind her. "I'll give you the damned spoon if that is what you want, Jackie Weathers!" Jackie's eyes widened. "I have had enough." I spoke the words slowly, spacing them. "Don't bring me any more freaking messages from goddess Harmon. If she has something to say to me, she can say it herself. If she hasn't got the guts to do so, that's her problem, and I guess I don't need to hear it. Also, think what you want about Mr. Hayes, but I'd never seen the sonnet before this morning. If you've got a problem with it, take it up with him." With that, I turned and walked away from her. ------- Luckily, it was a nice day. I took my sack of leftover finger sandwiches out under a shady tree and sat down to eat by myself. I really didn't want to face the gang at the lunch table or anyone else, for that matter. "You can run, but you can't hide, John," Lisa Carver said, sitting down beside me and smoothing out her skirt. "Now is not a good time for your come ons, Lisa," I said listlessly. "Give me some credit, John. I'm not that crass, I hope," she said softly. "It is beautiful out today, don't you think? It's really the perfect weather for sitting out and relaxing in the shade of a tree." I wasn't sure where she was going with this, but I had to agree with her. Surprising me, she didn't say anything further, but just sat there quietly, enjoying the sunshine. After a while, I didn't mind the company. She pulled a paperback out of her purse and opened it. The bell rang much too soon and I groaned. With a deep frown, I stood. I turned and offered Lisa a hand up. She smiled sweetly and thanked me. She was still quiet when we reached my locker and then she put her hand on my arm. "Thank you for not chasing me away, John. I really enjoy sitting out in the fresh air and reading. See you later." Without waiting for a response she was gone. ------- "Are you out of your mind, John?" Mary Jo asked as I watched Lisa walk away. "Don't start, Mary Jo." "I can't believe you are thinking about getting together with Lisa." "Who says I am?" "Well, I did see you two sitting under the tree together." "One and one might not be two in this case, Mary Jo," I sighed. "She joined me; we sat quietly, both enjoying the nice day. Nothing more, nothing less. Besides, I'm not all that interested in any girl right now." "Okay," she replied. "Oh, and Miss Harmon and Miss Weathers had a quiet tiff while you were lounging with Lisa." "Oh?" "I don't think Missy liked what Jackie had to say. Unfortunately it was too quiet to hear what she said." "Come on, let's get to class," I said with the tiniest ray of hope in my heart. I wasn't sure exactly what it meant, but I was sure that Jackie and Missy fighting was good news. ------- Chapter 35 Something about what Jackie said stuck, and on Wednesday morning I was early to English once again. Mr. Hayes looked up as I entered his room. "Two days in a row, John Robinson? Soon you'll have me believing you actually care about English." I smiled. "We can't have that, now can we, Mr. Hayes. No, something a friend said has me curious. Why did you have me read Sonnet 91 yesterday?" "Would you believe quid pro quo?" "Not for a minute," I replied, still smiling. Mr. Hayes sighed. "I thought not. Okay, it was obvious from the way you asked to move that the trouble in paradise wasn't your choice. I happen to think that you and Miss Harmon are a very good couple. Good for each other and good for this town. I've been teaching here a long time, Mr. Robinson. Morris Harmon was one of my favorite pupils. After he graduated, he visited frequently. He was a lot like you. I knew Annabelle, as well. She was smart like her daughter, but she never applied herself. It was such a shame. I know Morris saw it too." He sat down on the edge of his desk, his eyes looking years into the past. "Then Melissa was born, and it was so obvious that she had inherited both beauty and brains from Morris and Annabelle. Morris was proud of Melissa and he tried to provide an atmosphere where her brains were as accepted as her other talents. I think he succeeded. I think you've helped. I've watched the relationship between you and Melissa blossom. I wasn't sure it would work, especially after the interlude with Miss Eastman, but somehow, beyond my understanding, it did. I'd like to think that Morris would approve of you. He's not here to keep his daughter on track, so I took my shot. I think Morris would approve. I know you agreed with Shakespeare. I saw it on your face after you finished reading. I think Melissa did too. She was watching and listening as you read." "You meddling bastard," a soft voice from the doorway said. Both Mr. Hayes and I turned to see Missy standing there with a tear streaming down her cheek. I felt my heart lurch into my throat. I didn't have a clue what to say. Mr. Hayes was smooth. "Good morning, Miss Harmon. To what do I owe the pleasure? You've never been early to my class." Missy brushed the tear off her cheek. "I came for the same reason John did. I wanted to know why Sonnet 91. I was sure it was John who picked it out. He took four pages to write what Shakespeare wrote in those few lines." Mr. Hayes smiled. "Old Willie sure had a way with words, didn't he?" I readily agreed and turned to take Jackie's seat. "Not today, Mr. Robinson," Mr. Hayes said. "You two disrupted my lesson yesterday, but no more. If you have a problem, solve it outside my classroom. Okay?" I shrugged and turned back toward my regular seat. "Thanks, Mr. Hayes." "Thank you, Mr. Hayes," Missy echoed. "We won't disrupt your class any more." I watched as she sat down beside me. "Can we talk later, John?" Missy asked. "At lunch, perhaps?" "I've been eating out by the oak tree," I replied. She nodded and the bell rang. ------- "I should hate you, John," Missy said as she tossed four pieces of paper at me. "Every damn word on these pages is the truth, isn't it?" "Of course," I replied, reaching for Missy's books. She sat down next to me gracefully. With our backs to the oak tree, we had to turn to see each other. With a sigh, Missy put her hand on my shoulder and turned, curling her legs underneath her. She took a deep breath and smacked me when she noticed that my eyes drifted downward. "You are such a guy, John Robinson. I don't know whether to kiss you or beat you." "Can't you do both?" I quipped. Missy frowned and took another deep breath. "You told me once that I tilted the world on its axis a little back in September when I spent time with you. I know now that your perspective was wrong; it wasn't me that tilted your world, it was you tilting mine. I'm so sorry, John. I've been a first class bitch to a lot to people for the last week or so, but especially to you. You never deserved it. You've been a rock. You were my rock. I didn't know how to handle things, so I tried to shove everything, everyone, away as a way to avoid the problems. While there might have been a lot of ways to handle what was happening, my way was probably the worst." I started to say something, but Missy put her finger on my lips. "I bailed on us instead of talking, John," she continued. "All I could see was that your dream and Daddy's weren't compatible. You want to leave Ridgemont and Daddy wanted me to stay. Even when you said that we didn't have to decide right now, all I could see was us, sooner or later, splitting up. I decided that I didn't want the heartache of having to choose between keeping the man I love and keeping Daddy's dream alive, so I bailed." She gestured to the pages scattered around us. "You were so right when you wrote that I didn't trust you enough to stick around and help forge a shared dream. That is what hurt the most. It's also the truth. Every man I've trusted to love me has left me. Daddy did. Uncle Henry did. Grandpa did. I knew you would too, especially when our dreams diverged. So when you grabbed my ass on Thursday, it was the excuse I was looking for. I blew it out of proportion hoping it would push you away. I'm sorry about what I said then too. You didn't deserve it, especially not to have me humiliate you by saying it so publicly. I'll understand if you can never forgive me," she sniffed, pulling my hand open and dropping the locket in. I put my free hand on her cheek, wiping at a tear with my thumb. "Dreams can change, Missy. Mine have. When I dreamed of leaving this town, you weren't in my life. And up until a week or so ago, you were all I dreamed about. My dream now is to simply end up with you, wherever that takes us, even if it takes us back here." I put my finger under her chin and slowly dragged her face up until our eyes met. We paused there, lost in each other for a moment. I knew then that this was right. "Why don't you turn around so I can put this back where it belongs?" Missy launched herself forward, knocking me onto my back. Her lips latched onto mine and nothing else seemed to matter. I'm not sure how long we rolled on the grass before Mary Jo cleared her throat. "You two are making quite a spectacle of yourselves," she said with a huge smile on her face. "Yeah, school probably isn't the best place for this, is it?" Missy said, reaching for her purse. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. "So why are you here, Mary Jo?" I asked. "I flipped Jackie for it. She lost. Well, not really. I think we all won unless this is a new way of fighting." "Well, we do still have a lot of things to talk about," Missy added. "But I think we're back on track." "There is one piece of unfinished business," I said with a gentle smile. Both of them looked at me, a question in their eyes. I stood up and offered Missy my hand. She took it and I helped her to her feet. I held the locket in my other hand where they both could see it. "Oh? Oh!" Missy said, finally getting it and turning around. I placed the locket on her lovely neck, kissing the bare skin beside the clasp. "John," Missy hissed. I just smiled. "Lucky damned locket." I grabbed our books and the remains of lunch and headed back toward the building holding Missy's hand. As we neared the building, I pulled Missy around and kissed her soundly. Missy flung her arms around my neck and held on until a loud applause broke out behind her. I opened my eyes to see half the kids in our class standing at the door, clapping and whistling. Missy turned bright red. She grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly, pulling me through the throng toward her class. ------- Chapter 36 By the time lunch came on Friday, it felt like everything was back to what passed for normal in my life. I grinned to myself as I considered the idea that anyone could think of the last twelve months as 'normal.' Maybe 'less turbulent' would be more accurate. Missy had called me Wednesday night, something that rarely happened before. She had picked me up and driven me to and from school. We'd walked to class talking about this and that, content just to be together. I had an epiphany, sitting there at the table, when I realized that neither 'normal' nor 'less turbulent' were exactly right. 'Happy, ' however, was the perfect word. I was happy once again. So I was smiling when Kenny walked up to the table. "Don't know why you're so happy, Robinson. We've been abandoned," Kenny said as he plopped down across from me at the lunch table. When I looked questioningly at him, he nodded over to his left, and I saw Mary Jo, Liv, Gail, Jackie, and Missy huddled together at a table. "That my friend is a prescription for disaster for one of us," Jesse said as he joined us. Wally agreed. "What's going on, John?" Bobby and Betty Lou asked as they joined us. "I have no clue, but it can't be good." The conversation flowed at the table, but I found my attention wandering to the other table. I wasn't the only one. I caught Kenny, Jesse and Wally all looking over there from time to time. Before the bell rang, the girls broke up their impromptu meeting and came to claim their boyfriends. Missy and I walked behind Jesse and Mary Jo toward their Biology class. "So what was that all about, honey?" I asked. Missy smiled and said dismissively, "Oh, just girl talk, John. It's kinda fun every once in a while." I shrugged, and when I glanced to my right, I noticed Jackie was walking with us and realized that I owed her an apology. After kissing Missy and pushing her into her class, I reached out and grabbed Jackie's arm. "John?" "I owe you an apology, Jackie. I said some very unflattering things the other day. I was angry, and I really didn't mean them. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said them or treated you like that. You've been a great friend to Missy through all this, and you didn't deserve to have me dump on you like that. Thank you for being Missy's friend." "It's okay, John. I understood then and I forgave you. I felt a little bit stuck in the middle to be honest, and Missy was more responsible for that than you. You may have heard that she and I had a few words. I had to tell her that although she was my best friend, I thought she was wrong. You two really do belong together, and it's great to see that you two could work it out." "I think those words may have provided the nudge Missy needed, Jackie. Thanks again," I said, giving her hand a brief squeeze before turning to head to my class. ------- "Hello, Mrs. Harmon," I said as she opened the door that evening. "Hi, John. Won't you come in?" Mrs. Harmon seemed surprisingly cordial. "Melissa's not quite ready. Where are you two headed tonight?" "Well, I had Tracey fix me a picnic dinner for two. I have a nice spot picked out. Missy and I still have a whole bunch of talking to do." "I imagine you do, John," Mrs. Harmon replied. She started to leave the room, but then turned back to me and sighed. "I am a proud, stubborn and headstrong woman, John, but I hope that I'm not too stubborn or proud to admit when I am wrong. I have only ever wanted the best of my daughter, and I admit I was never that keen on you as Melissa's suitor, at least not before this last blow up." She shook her head and motioned for me to have a seat. "Every time I thought I had you figured out, you'd turn around and surprise me. Take that whole mess with the Eastman girl. I was so sure I had you pegged. You were the typical high school guy. You only wanted one thing. You'd gotten bored with Olivia Eastman, and you had reset your sights on Melissa. You were going to work your way into her bed and then push her aside for yet another conquest." Mrs. Harmon stood and moved to sit next to me. "I'm not proud of this, John, but after Missy told me that she wasn't going on any further dates, and that she was going to resume dating you, I had a few people investigate what happened between you and the Eastman girl. Contrary to what I expected to hear, they told me that not only had you rehabilitated her reputation to a great extent, but that you had helped set her up with the young man she is now seeing." Mrs. Harmon looked away from me, staring out the window. "I was still unconvinced, and I continued to treat you badly at Melissa's birthday party. However, when Melissa came home in tears Tuesday, I found out just how wrong I was." She turned back to me and grabbed both my hands. "Missy showed me your note, John, and we talked for a long time. For the first time, I actually began to see the dreams, hopes and fears for the future inside the little girl. Between your note and that meddling old fool, Hayes, you had her tied up in knots. We cried together, something we'd never really done, not even when Harmon died. She spent nearly an hour sobbing about how she'd lost her rock, whatever that means. I'm not sure I helped much, but thanks to you, I actually got to know my daughter as a woman, and not just as the little girl I used to cuddle and tell bedtime stories to. I can see now how much you two care about one another, and I'm sorry that we've gotten off on the wrong foot. I hope you will give me another chance to get to know you." "It's water under the bridge, Mrs. Harmon," I replied, taking the high road. "I have always known that you care about Missy, that you love her, and maybe the fact that we have that in common can be a place for us to get to know each other." "I would enjoy that chance, Mr. Robinson." For the first time she smiled. "I hope you and Melissa can work out your differences. The only time I've seen her truly happy was while you two were dating. I'd like to see that again." "As would I, ma'am." Impulsively, I leaned forward and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She looked startled for a moment, but then smiled at me again. Missy wandered into the room at that moment, causing my thoughts to jam up. Mrs. Harmon let go of my hands, stood and walked briskly to her daughter. "Have a good time, Melissa," her mother said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Missy slipped her hand in mine and we walked out the door. "You and Momma seem to have made up," she said. "I'm glad." "Me too," I replied, as I opened the passenger door and held it for her. I still not quite able to believe the conversation I had just shared. ------- We sat on the blanket holding hands, the remnants of our picnic scattered around us and silently enjoying nature's spectacular sunset in all its crimson splendor. Missy had been pretty quiet other than to praise Tracey's cooking skills. "I'm not a very good cook, John," she said apologetically. "It's one of a long list of skills that I'm not very good at." She frowned as she said that. "You haven't exactly had a lot of opportunity to learn either," I said trying to soften her mood. She paused for a moment and turned to face me. The fading sunlight seemed to paint a halo around her. "I'm not a very good girlfriend either. I've put you off, neglected you, dumped you twice, and basically been a spoiled bitch for the last two weeks." "Yeah, but you sure can kiss," I said trying for a little levity. She shook her head impatiently. "I'm being serious, John," she said with another frown. "I'm really not sure what you see in me, because I'm not seeing much right now." I put my hand on hers and smiled. "Don't be so hard on yourself, honey. We've had some rough times. That was bound to happen. We are from two pretty different worlds." "Not so different as I used to think, John. You've grown up since your parents died. I obviously never really grew up after Daddy died. We both had the same thing, a home with one parent. Granted your parent was really a sibling, but it was the same environment." "Maybe so, Missy, but the difference in that you didn't have to grow up; you and your mother were sheltered by your family's money and position. Tracey and I both had to grow up quickly, or we'd have both been in trouble. But, you've blossomed in the past year, moving from the class princess who had no clue about the direction of her future to a thoughtful and mature business owner who wants to fulfill the dreams her father left for her. I know there've been a lot of bumps on the path, but you've weathered most of them well." "Not this last one." "Maybe not, but I think some of that is my fault." "What?" "Last week, I spent a lot of time looking for where things went wrong. I was angry and confused, and I wanted to blame you for everything, but I realized that your reaction towards me was my own damned fault. I should have been more supportive. You mentioned your fears about our divergent dreams, and I made light of them. I should have told you then that my dreams not only could change, but that they had changed. It might have saved us a bunch of grief." "You would change your dreams for me?" Missy asked softly. "No, but I would change my dreams for us," I said firmly. "I already had changed them, even before your birthday, although I'm not sure I had admitted that to myself. So let me make it clear to you now. I love you, Melissa Harmon. I want to spend my life loving you. Is that plain enough?" "Oh, John," she choked, pulling me close. The kiss was full of passion and promise. Her eyes were glistening as she pulled back. Her hand dropped to my thigh. She looked down. I watched as she took a deep breath and then moved her hand to my belt. Even in the fading light, the nervousness in her face was easy to see. I placed my hand on hers and she sighed. "I don't think tonight is a good time for that, honey," I said softly. Missy frowned. "I want to show you how much I love you, John. Damn, I wish I was as smooth and confident as Liv. We spent all of lunch talking about tonight. I'm sorry, John," her lips quivered. "I really want to be with you, now more than ever." "We'll get there, honey," I said softly, caressing her cheek. "I know, but sometimes I think my virginity is holding us back." "Don't sell your dreams short, honey. We'll both regret it if you do." Missy grinned. "Yeah, we have another week to go." I looked at her a little confused. She nodded, which only confused me even more. She shook her head and laughed softly. I had no idea what she was talking about, but I knew what I wanted at that moment. Missy stiffened a little when I reached for her, but she surrendered to my kiss, moaning into my mouth. ------- Chapter 37 Monday rolled around again and it was time to buy Prom tickets. Missy smiled when I dutifully asked, and I ponied up the money for our ticket. Unlike a previous dance I'd tried hard to forget, there was no issue whatever with Missy and I getting tickets this time around. A lot had changed in five or six months. Prom was the topic of choice all week at lunch and even between classes. Everyone asked me to once again set up dinner the night of the Prom, but Missy spoke up quickly. "I'd actually like to invite all of you to come to my house for dinner," she said. "My mom, Tracy and I have already been planning what we would like." As everyone eagerly accepted, I very happily stepped out of the middle. By the next Friday, I was tired of talk about Prom week and barely listened to the conversations at lunch. I was anxious to explore the future I could see unfolding in my life, and even with Missy now solidly in my life, quite frankly I was bored with high school. After a year of both school and personal drama, the day to day political crap was wearing on my nerves, and suddenly even classes I'd enjoyed were boring. I didn't even realize that I had been allowing my irritation to show until Friday night. Missy and I were sitting together in the Bronco at a stop light when she turned to me and asked, "Do you want to tell me what's been eating at you this week, John?" "What do you mean?" Missy gave a bark of disbelief. "In case no one has told you, honey, you wear your emotions on your face, although you were a bit more blatant than that this week. You just about took Betty Lou's head off yesterday. It was Jesse the day before. Heck, even Carly commented. Liv laughed it off and said you needed to get laid." I bit back a comment about hell freezing over first and just shrugged. Something in my expression must have given me away as Missy's eyes blazed. "Don't you dare use me as an excuse, John Michael Robinson!" I stared at her as I turned the ignition off in her driveway. Partly it was astonishment that Missy even knew my middle name, but mostly, it was that she was mad and I had no clue what was up. "Get me down off that pedestal you've stuck me on. I'm not the ice princess, or that damned goddess you accused me of being." At my look of surprise, Missy said, "Oh, yes, Jackie told me what you said. She said you wanted her to. That's the point, however. No matter how much you may think it, I am neither a goddess on Olympus trying to isolate myself, nor a goddess for you to worship. I have loved you, and I have been a bitch to you, but that simply proves that what I am above all is just a flesh and blood woman, a woman who has been trying for over a week to get you into her pants. Every time I reach for your zipper you stop me. How much more obvious do I need to get, John? I want to get past you fondling my tits and kissing. I'm ready. I've been ready for two weeks. And all you say is don't sell my dreams short. Screw my dreams, hell, for that matter, just screw me." I stared at her in shock. "You said you didn't want your first time to be in the back of the car," I protested weakly. "So, there's still a lot of things we can do short of that, aren't there?" "Well..." "Damn it, John, you're doing it again. Get me off that fucking pedestal! I don't want to be a "good girl". I want to be your girlfriend. If I were Liv, or Mary Jo, or even Gail you wouldn't hesitate. I mean, you didn't push Liv away when she blew you in the classroom. If that had been me would you have let me?" She stared at me. "The truth, John." I wasn't sure how to respond. I didn't think I had ever heard Missy drop the f-word, so I knew she was angry. Was she also right? Was I treating her differently than would treat Mary Jo or Liv? I turned away from her, not wanting to face her, to face the truth. When I heard her open the door and get out of the Bronco, I looked back over to the passenger side, but her door was already slamming shut. Then my door opened. Missy grabbed my hand and pulled. "Come on, John. Momma won't be home for at least an hour." I hesitated, and Missy dropped my hand and turned away. Then she whirled back and I could see fire in her eyes. "If that's the way you want it to be, then fine. I'm tired of being your princess. Call me when you're ready for me to be your girlfriend." With that she turned and ran to her front door. "Missy, wait!" She paused at the door and turned back toward me. She didn't move. I sighed and got out of the Bronco. How had things gotten this messed up? One thing I was sure of, heading home was not going to solve this problem. I strode quickly to her. She smiled as I reached her. She took my hand in hers and led me inside. "I'm not sure it's a good idea for me to be here, Missy. Your mother won't be very happy if she finds us here together." Missy turned back to me. "For once, I don't give a damn, John. If it really worries you, we don't have to do anything, but at the very least it sure as hell seems obvious that we need to talk." "Yeah, it does. I'm sorry, Missy." The words just tumbled out of my mouth. I knew that she'd been right earlier and I didn't like it. "I guess I have been treating you like a princess. After what happened when you pushed me away, I guess I've been working hard at not upsetting you and messing things up. I guess I worked so hard at it that I managed to do just that." Missy smiled a wry smile. "We seem to manage not to be on the same page a lot, don't we?" I chuckled. "Yeah, we do at that." I sighed. "Honey, how about if we stop trying to do what we think the other wants, and just try to work at figuring out what we both want?" Missy looked up at the clock. "Well, we have forty-five minutes to start working at that." "Are you sure you want to risk it?" Missy turned the tables on me. "Are you sure you want to miss this?" With that, she pulled her shirt up over her head and tossed it at me. By the time I caught it, her bra came flying at me. I snatched that out of the air as she pushed her skirt to the floor and stepped out of it and her panties. She turned on her heel and headed down the hall with a very sexy bare ass wiggle. Now, I've been accused of many things, but being slow on the uptake isn't usually one of them. I paused long enough to pick up her skirt and panties and followed her back to her bedroom. Missy was pulling the covers back on her bed when I reached the doorway. I paused to admire her curves as she bent over slightly. "You left some things behind," I said as I stepped up behind her and dropped the clothes between her and the bed. I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her bare shoulder. Missy shuddered and leaned back into me as I kissed and nibbled her neck and shoulders. Slowly, I reached up and cupped her breasts, feeling the rock hard nipples press into my palm. "Oh, yes, John," she sighed. Her hands covered mine. "God I love what your tongue does to me." She spun quickly and threw her arms around my neck. Her kiss was filled with passionate hunger. When she finally released my lips, she eased back and then reached down and grabbed the hem of my t-shirt. I let her pull it over my head. I heard it land behind me as she kissed my neck and then began to lick and nibble lower until she captured my nipple between her lips. And then as suddenly as they were there, her lips were gone. I looked down when I felt her tug on my belt. She looked up into my eyes. I could see the passion in her eyes and the silent plea. She wanted this and I nodded. Her smile grew as she undid the belt. Soon my pants and briefs joined her clothes on the floor. She gasped as my rock hard cock bobbed up, nearly hitting her chin. She stared at it for a moment and then reached out to touch it. I groaned as her fingers lightly caressed me. I was impossibly hard and her touch was so soft. She looked up at me again and I saw her jaw tighten as if she were gathering her nerve. Her eyes never left mine. Her soft hand began to move up and down my shaft. I closed my eyes as the sensations began to build. I could feel my seed begin to surge upward. I managed to open my eyes and then before I could say anything, Missy whispered, "Cum for me, John." I couldn't refuse. I felt the surge as it rocketed up my shaft. My knees nearly buckled. I felt each pulse. My eyes were still locked on hers. Missy's eyes were wide and I could see the passion and wonder battling in them. "Wow," she whispered, still gently stroking my softening dick. She was still holding my eyes with hers as she leaned forward and planted a kiss on the tip, causing me to gasp. Her tongue softly swiped the head and she made a soft sound as she let go and stood up. "You make quite a mess, John," she said, as her fingers played in the sticky fluid covering her chest. I finally caught my breath and pulled her to me. Her hard nipples pressed into my chest as I claimed her lips. She returned the kiss with equal passion as our tongues danced. Gently, I pushed her back onto the bed and watched as she leaned back and stretched like a cat, drawing my eyes to every curve on her. I reached out and began caressing her calves. She groaned as my fingers traced their way up her body. Her legs slowly spread, inviting me closer and closer to her core. I leaned down and placed a kiss on the inside of her knee. She hissed and moaned. "Oh, yes, John, please." How could I deny her? Slowly I kissed and licked my way up her thigh. Her outer lips were bare and I could see them starting to open. I licked my way past the lips, ignoring her most sensitive spots. Her soft dark hair tickled my cheek as my lips circled toward her navel. The spicy scent of her arousal drew me closer and closer to her core. I could hear her soft moans of pleasure grow as my lips edged closer to their target. "Please, John. No more teasing, please," she groaned as my lips grazed the barely open slit and then headed down her other thigh. "Oh, God, yes!" she moaned as I complied, licking straight up her slit. I felt it part before my tongue. I circled the hard nubbin at the top and Missy's hips rose and pressed her tighter against my face. "Yes, yes, yes," she chanted as her thighs trembled and then I felt them press tightly against my cheeks. With a final, "Yes!" her hips slumped back to the bed. I continued my assault until she grabbed my hair and pulled. "No more, please, too sensitive," she stuttered. I pulled myself up beside her and lay on my side, lazily circling her still hard nipple with my finger tip. "That was so much better than I ever dreamed, John. Thank you," she smiled as she caressed my cheek. Then she leaned forward and kissed me. "I taste better than you do," she whispered still holding my cheek in her palm. I chuckled. "No doubt." "It's back," she giggled as my hard shaft rubbed against her thigh. She reached down and lightly caressed it. I hissed as my hips rocked forward. "I don't think we have time for more, John," she said softly. "I wish..." "Its okay, Missy," I replied before she could say anything else. "Your mom will be home soon and we should probably clean up." Missy pulled me into her bathroom and we cleaned each other up, and when her mother came in we were sitting on the sofa holding hands and talking. I bid them both a good night and with a long, passionate kiss, I left the Harmon house. ------- Chapter 38 I was surprised to see Tony's car parked in the driveway when I got home. I didn't expect him and Tracey to be home this early. I smiled as I recalled the conversation I'd had with Tony yesterday. Tony had been sitting on the hood of his car, waiting for me to come home Thursday after school. He had looked visibly nervous when I walked up the driveway. "Hi, Tony," I called as I walked up to his car. "If you're waiting for Tracey, you've got a long wait. She's catering a party over in Cedarton." He slid off the hood of his car and held out his hand. "I know. That's why I figured it was a good time for the two of us to talk." I smiled at him and started walking towards the house. "Well, if you want to talk, come on in. Something to drink?" I'd asked over my shoulder. "Anything cold would be good, John." I pulled two glasses out of the cupboard and poured us both a glass of lemonade that Tracey had left in the fridge. I motioned to one of the chairs at the kitchen table and sat down across from him. "So what's on your mind, Tony?" Tony cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "John, you know Tracey and I have been dating for a while now." "Yeah, pretty much since right before school started in September." "Well, I, um." He closed his eyes and chuckled, then opened them again. "Look, the thing is, I wanted to ask your permission to marry her." "I think maybe you're asking the wrong Robinson." We both chuckled. "Yeah, well, since she doesn't have a father to ask, I figured I'd ask you. I figure after this it's going to be a heck of a lot easier to ask her, too." I grinned, held out my hand and when he grasped it, pulled him into a hug. "Assuming she says yes, I'd be proud to call you brother, Tony." ------- So, that had been yesterday, and the fact that Tony's car was here early made me cautious. I opened the front door noisily, just in case I was interrupting something they didn't want me to hear. The keys sounded impossibly loud as they bounced on the counter. But they were quiet compared to the moans of pleasure I could hear filtering down the hallway. I turned on the light and opened the fridge. I'd hidden a bottle of champagne in the back earlier today, and it appeared the two lovebirds had been too interested in other things to have noticed it. The bottle was still there, unopened. I banged a few cabinet doors as I pulled three champagne flutes out and set them on the counter. I'd barely gotten the aluminum foil cover off the cork when Tracey and Tony came down the hallway. Tony's shirt was buttoned wrong and Tracey's hair was a little mussed up. They both had sheepish, but satisfied grins on their faces. "I hope I didn't disturb the celebration," I teased, holding the bottle out toward Tony. "Oh, you," Tracey said as she pulled me into a hug. "You know?" "Well, your fiancé?" Tracey nodded. "Your fiancé is a traditional kind of guy. He asked for permission yesterday." "What did you tell him?" "That he was asking the wrong Robinson." The cork popped and Tony filled each of the flutes. I grabbed one and raised it in salute. "Congratulations. May you two have years filled with laughter and joy. And a child or two of your own to raise." Tracey punched my shoulder. Tony just smiled and joined in a group hug. I kissed Tracey's cheek and whispered in her ear. "Tony doesn't have to leave on my account, just have him put a pillow over your face. I do have to get up for work in the morning." "John!" Tracey shrieked as I headed back toward my bedroom. She grabbed my shoulder. "I, I didn't think you'd be home so soon." "Don't be embarrassed, Tracey. You and Tony have a GOOD night." I winked at Tony as I headed down the hallway. I didn't know until morning that he stayed. His car was still in the driveway when I left for work. ------- Tony's car was gone when I got home from work that afternoon. Tracey was humming to herself as she worked in the kitchen. "Hi, Trace, what's for dinner?" "Well, I thought I'd make you stale bread and rotten apples." "And here I thought you'd be in a good mood today." "Well, you see, I have this brother who lives to embarrass me." "Would you really want it any other way, sis?" "Not on your life. That's why you get to try my new pasta salad and grilled chicken. How was work?" I shrugged. "Have you and Tony set a date?" "Not really. I think sometime in late August. Um, I think I will take you up on the offer to stay here in Ridgemont, however. Tony and I are talking about opening a restaurant. His granddad owns that old hardware store over on 3rd Street. We're thinking we'd sell this place and use the money to turn the first floor into a restaurant and then fix up the apartments upstairs into a home for us." "What about the catering business?" "I'm not sure, yet," she replied. "We may continue to run it out of the restaurant, or I may go into business with Olivia, teaching her the business and letting her manage it while she and Wally buy it from me over time. Nothing is definite yet, though." "I'm sure that's exactly the kind of thing that Liv would love," I told her with a smile. "Are you sure that's what you want, though?" "Yes, it is. I hope that doesn't disappoint you, John?" "Nope. If you're happy with it, then I'm all for it." "Good. I was worried that you'd be unhappy with me changing the plans we've made for years." "Plans change, Trace." I got up and pulled her into a tight hug. "You were so great after Mom and Dad died, taking care of me, supporting me. Thank you for that, Tracey. I love you, you know." Tracey pulled back and looked into my eyes. I could see a film of tears in hers. "You never have to thank me for that, John. As much as I may have helped you, you helped me, too, giving me a reason to keep on going." She pulled me back into the hug and whispered, "I love you too, Johnny." She hadn't called me that in years. I held her for a moment longer, and then slowly broke the hug. "Well, as much as I appreciate what you've done for me all this time," I told her, "that time is just about up. Now there is someone else for you to share your life with. Besides," I grinned, "I'll probably end up back here in Ridgemont, as well." "Things are getting serious between you and Melissa Harmon," she stated. "I think so, yes." "If you have to think about it, then maybe they aren't that serious. The two of you haven't exactly had the smoothest of relationships." "No kidding," I laughed. "You are being careful, right?" "Don't panic, Mom. No grandkids are in offing any time soon. In fact, Missy's still a virgin." "And unless I miss my guess, she's getting tired of that condition," Tracey said with conviction. "Where would you get an idea like that?" "Oh, a little birdie told me." "Yeah, I'll bet." "You aren't planning on doing anything stupid are you, John?" "Stupid as in?" "As in having unprotected sex with Miss Harmon," she replied in her best Mom voice. "Well, that hasn't been a problem for a while, I understand." "The plot thickens," Tracey teased. "I'm not surprised. You've got one frustrated young lady on your hands, mister." "Yeah, no kidding." "Are you planning to put her out of her misery soon?" "Are you the same girl that was embarrassed last night when I suggested Tony needed to muffle you?" Tracey blushed. "Yeah, I guess I am. Look, John, I'm not trying to butt into your business. I'm glad we can talk about things like this." "Me too, sis." I hugged her. "And yes, I am planning to put her out of her misery soon." I thought for a moment. "You don't happen to know where I can get my hands on some dry ice, do you?" Tracey looked confused. "Trust me?" I said. Tracey sighed. "Of course. Um, dry ice. Yeah, I know where I can get my hands on some. How soon do you need it?" "Are you and Tony going out tonight?" "That was the plan. Why?" "Were you planning on coming back home?" Tracey blushed again. "Um, not really. I mean..." "Tracey Robinson! Sis, I love you. I don't think any less of you because you are enjoying sex with Tony Martin. I'd think a lot less of Tony if you weren't. You don't need to be embarrassed." Tracey smiled. "Tony and I were planning to spend the night at his place so we wouldn't disturb you. Do I need to change my plans and come home to make sure some virgin doesn't succumb to your charms?" "I'd prefer it if you didn't," I replied with a smile. "So what does dry ice have to do with this?" "Just an idea I have. Trust me?" "You've said that twice now. I'm starting to get worried." "Can you get it here in an hour or two?" "For you, John, yes." ------- Chapter 39 "Melissa's not here, John," Mrs. Harmon said as she opened the door. "She wasn't expecting you, was she?" "Not really, Mrs. Harmon. I knew she would still be at the hospital. I, um, actually came to talk to you for a moment, if I may?" "Come in," Mrs. Harmon waved me to the sofa in the living room, the same sofa on which Missy and I had been making out the previous evening. "Can I get you something to drink, John?" I shook my head. "No thanks," I told her. "Well then, what's on your mind, John? Is everything okay?" Mrs. Harmon asked as we sat down. I swallowed. This was not easy, but I'd known that it wouldn't be. It was the right thing to do, so I took a deep breath and ventured on. "I would like your permission to have Missy sleep at my house tonight." I expected an explosion, and had prepared myself for anger and dismissal. I had even spent some time preparing a rational argument about why Mrs. Harmon should agree to let this happen. I was not prepared, therefore, when Mrs. Harmon laughed. 'Ah, I've been wondering when this was going to happen. After last night, I wondered if it hadn't already." I must have looked confused. Mrs. Harmon laughed again. "I'm sorry, John. It's just that after you left last night I walked into Melissa's room to say good night. She was visibly nervous about me being there. Anyway, we had a wonderful talk. More like girlfriends than Mother/daughter." She paused and took a breath. "Part of me, the very large protective Mother part of me, isn't really sure that Melissa climbing into bed with you is the best thing for my little girl, but the rest of me knows that you didn't really need to come here, or ask my permission, to make that happen. And, to be brutally honest, given the Melissa I have been living with the past week, the sooner you do make it happen the better it will be for the rest of this world." She smiled at the incredulous look on my face and then we both broke up laughing. "Last night, Missy claimed that I needed to get laid because I'd been a bear to deal with all week," I said through the laughter. I suddenly stopped laughing as I realized what I had just said to Melissa's mother, but this just made her laugh even harder. "I'm sure that wouldn't hurt the world, John," Mrs. Harmon finally replied. "However, that daughter of mine is wound up tighter than a cheap watch. What you two did last night didn't really solve anything. In fact, it might have made things worse." "So you're saying I should do the world a favor and have sex with your daughter?" I asked, just a bit incredulously. Mrs. Harmon smiled and shook her head. "I'm saying that you have my permission to keep her at your house overnight tonight. Whatever happens there is between the two of you. I'll also tell you that I'm not ready to be a grandmother." She stared a hole through my chest to make her point. "Fair enough," I smiled. "I'm not ready to be a dad." And then I added, "yet." Mrs. Harmon searched my eyes and then gave a firm nod. "Take good care of my baby, John," she said softly. "I know she thinks she's ready to be a woman, but she's still my little girl and I don't want her to get hurt." I nodded. "I promise I will try to make tonight very special for her, Mrs. Harmon." I stood, and Mrs. Harmon stood as well. We said nothing as we walked to the door. I turned at the door and hugged her. I think she was surprised at first. "Can we meet somewhere for brunch tomorrow?" I asked as she opened the door. Mrs. Harmon considered the question for a moment. "Do you think it would embarrass Melissa too much if I showed up at your house with brunch? I could bring some clothes and stuff for her then, as well." "That sounds like a wonderful plan. See you tomorrow morning, Mom," I said as I hurried toward the Bronco. It wasn't till I was a few blocks away that I realized I had called Mrs. Harmon, 'Mom.' The implications behind that seemingly innocent slip were too overwhelming for me to think about now, and I pushed it into a corner, to be examined later. ------- Tracey and Tony dropped me off at the hospital with a few minutes to spare. I sat on the hood of Missy's car, staring into the evening sky as I waited for her to finish up. I just hoped that this wasn't another mistake. It seemed that I was making a lot of them lately, especially where Missy was concerned. The door opened and I saw Missy heading out. For a moment, I just watched as she walked toward me. I felt my heart rate pick up. "John! What are you doing here?" she shrieked when she saw me, hurrying toward the car. "I came to see if I could sweet talk an innocent volunteer into spending some time with me. Know any?" Missy smacked my shoulder. "I better be the only volunteer you try sweet talking, Mr. Robinson," she giggled. "Well, it seems that Tracey and Tony are celebrating at his place until late tomorrow, so, I was hoping you might let me entice you into my lair," I leered. "Mmmmm, now that sounds like an interesting proposal," she replied. "I should probably go home and shower first and let Momma know what is going on." I swallowed. "Um, I talked to your Mom already, Missy. She knows that I'm going to try to lure you to my house." Missy looked at me for a long moment. "What's going on, John?" "Nothing, honey. I want to spend some time with my GIRLFRIEND, alone. I thought you'd like that, especially after last night." "Well, yeah, but if you talked to Momma, there's more to it, isn't there? What aren't you telling me." "I asked your mother if you could spend the night at my house overnight. She said okay." "You told Momma!" "No, I asked your mother if you could spend the night. No more, no less." Missy was suddenly nervous and embarrassed. "So you mean that Momma knows that we, I mean, um, she said that we could, um, oh, I don't know, John. I don't, um." She stared down at her shoes. I dropped to my feet in front of her and grabbed her arms. I could see the fear and excitement warring in her eyes. "Look, Melissa Ann Harmon, nothing will happen tonight that you don't want to happen. If you just want to drop me off at home, I'll be disappointed, but that's all. I was hoping you were still as eager to spend time, alone, with me as I am to spend time with you." I put my finger under her chin and raised it. I kissed her lips softly. Just when I was about to back away, her purse thumped into my back as her arms came around my neck and she returned my kiss with a scorching passion. My hands dropped to her hips as she pushed them forward rubbing herself on the front of my jeans. There was no mistaking our passion for each other. "Get in," she hissed as she pulled away. Missy squealed the tires in her haste to get to my house. ------- Chapter 40 Despite what we both knew was going to happen, Missy and I walked calmly into the house. Still, there was a look in here eyes, and I'm sure there was an extra spring in my step. I spun her around and pinned her to the door as I closed it, kissing her hard. We were both panting when we broke the kiss. Missy dropped her purse on the kitchen counter and then turned to me. "I don't mean to put you off, John, but I need a shower," she said firmly. "Of course. Tracey thought you might want one. Take your time and pamper yourself. There are towels and stuff on the counter. I, um, kinda bought something for you to wear too." Missy turned the light on in the bathroom and stared at what I had gotten her. "It's beautiful, John, thank you," she said as she closed the bathroom door. I heard the shower start and hurried to my parents' bedroom. Tracey helped me transform the room into something that I hoped would match Missy's dream. Tracey got misty eyed when I told her what I needed. The sheets were soft and cool to my touch as I straightened them. I heard the shower turn off and turned on the dry ice machine. In no time, the bedroom filled with soft white clouds. I tossed my shirt and jeans aside and pulled on the silky white boxers I'd chosen for this night and then I lay back on the bed to await my angel. ------- I heard Missy gasp when she opened the bathroom door and saw the dry ice cloud filling the hallway. She looked like an angel as she walked slowly toward me. I could see her body outlined by the kitchen light. The soft white negligee blew gracefully behind her as she made her way toward me. "Oh, John," she sighed as she entered the bedroom. Two candles gave the room just enough light for her to see the bed resting on the clouds. "You remembered what I told you! I love you!" She glanced around the room. "It's perfect, so perfect," she said softly. She lay gently on the bed beside me. Before she could say another word, I leaned over and kissed her softly. Missy was having none of that. Her kiss was filled with passion and lust. She rolled over on top of me, grinding herself on my very hard cock. I let her squirm atop me for a moment and then wrapped my arms around her and rolled us over. She squealed in surprise, but then sighed when my lips began to roam over her neck and shoulders. The smell of gardenias and vanilla filled my nose as I kissed her behind her ears. I rolled off of her to let my hands roam over her silk covered body. She groaned as my hands passed over her hard nipples. Her back arched as they left as if trying to recapture their touch on her sensitive breasts. Downward my hands explored until they reached the hem of her nightgown. I pulled my lips from her shoulders and drifted downward until they reached her bare thigh. Missy moaned as I kissed her silky thigh. I felt her pull the hem of her nightgown from my hands and the bed shifted. I looked up as she tossed the nightgown onto the floor, baring her luscious body. I leaned up and whispered, "You are so beautiful it takes my breath away." Missy smiled and then moaned as my lips found her nipple. The pale nub hardened as I sucked on it gently. I was in hurry to explore every inch of her softness. I had to force myself to slow down and take my time. Missy murmured her approval with each new lick, bite or suck. Slowly I worked my way down her body past the slightly damp hair above her core. The scent of her arousal fueled my passion as I covered every inch of her mound with kisses. "Please, John, don't tease me," she hissed as my lips grazed her inner thigh. Her hands played in my hair as I let my lips roam. Her hips pressed upward as I licked along her slit. The soft aroma of her arousal spurred me on. Soon her grip on my hair tightened. Her moans grew more urgent as the motion of her hips grew more erratic. "Oh, God, yes," she moaned. "Yes, yes, yes." It was like a chant as her hips rocked to the beat of my tongue on her nub. As suddenly as the chant started, it stopped. Her hips locked in place pushing me upward. "John!" she shrieked and fell back to the bed, panting. Missy pulled at my hair, easing me upward from her sodden core. "Oh, my god, John," she panted. "Please, now, it's time." I reached over toward the nightstand. "Forget that thing and do it, John. I trust you." "I love you, Melissa Ann Harmon." "I love you too, John Michael Robinson. Now, damn it, would you please, take me!" I chuckled quietly as her hand swept across my stomach, lightly grasping my shaft and guiding it toward its goal. I felt the dampness as she centered it and then let go. "This might hurt, Missy." "It's okay, John. You already kissed it. It will feel better soon." I felt her hips push upward gently. There was nothing more to do, so I gave in to the urges and pushed downward. "Oh, God!" I felt velvety smoothness grip my rod as it slowly moved forward in the slick tunnel. There was a momentary resistance, and then with little more ado, it parted and our hips met. Missy gasped and I held still. "Are you okay, honey?" I whispered. "Yes," she whispered back. "I am now. Make love to me, sweetheart. Show me how good it can be." I smiled and kissed her. Her arms surrounded me. I felt her feet slip up over my calves as she hugged me with everything she had. I couldn't move much in her grip, but slowly we moved in that timeless dance of love. Her tongue dueled with mine as my shaft pistoned in her. I felt the passion rise as she pushed her lips from mine and began to chant again. I knew it wouldn't be much longer. And then it was time. She gripped me hard within her as her body surged up off the bed. And with a loud groan, she exploded. That was all it took. I felt the release within me as it spurted though me into her warm depths. I dropped onto her chest as all the energy drained out of me. After a moment, I shifted to the side and off of her chest. I looked over at her and she smiled. "Thank you, John. It was better than I'd ever dreamed." We kissed lightly again and then she shifted, curling her backside into me and pulling my arm over her. "Good night, my prince," she murmured, obviously drifting off toward sleep, "and before you ask, no, I really don't care about the wet spot right now." "Sweet dreams, honey," I whispered in return. ------- Chapter 41 Something soft and silky teased my nose and my eyes blinked open. The room was filled with the soft glow of the morning sun filtering through the lacy curtains. As soon as my eyes opened, I felt the prickly tingling of my left arm. A smile came quickly as I remembered why my arm ached and my nose itched. The soft body beside me stirred and rubbed against me, drawing all the blood toward my thickening shaft. A quick glance downward showed me that it was nestled between two of the best looking cheeks I had ever had the privilege to caress. I drew my right hand back toward me until it encountered the soft body beside me. A soft moan escaped my companion's lips as my fingers caressed her breast. Her nipple hardened instantly. Her hips pushed backward, softly rubbing against my now fully awakened member. I caressed down her tummy and pushed my leg between hers, lifting her upper leg to make room for my fingers to tease between her thighs. "Oh, yes," she sighed, pressing forward against my hand. Her lips were slick with her juices as I caressed them softly. I reached down between her legs and aligned myself at her entrance. "Yes," she moaned as her hips rocked again, seating me firmly inside her warm, moist tunnel. Our passion escalated quickly, filling the room with the soft slaps of her buns against my hips. "Oh, yes, John," she groaned. Our breath came in gasps as we climbed the pinnacle swiftly. I heard myself groan, "Oh, God, yes, Missy," as my hips slammed into her one last time, I felt each spurt as I emptied into her. Missy's hips rocked back and forth, milking me as she groaned and sighed. "Good morning, honey," I panted as we both stopped rocking into each other. "Morning," she murmured. I hugged her tightly. "I'll give you sixty years to stop waking me like this, John." "It would be my pleasure," I whispered, kissing her shoulder. "John?" "Yes, honey?" "Thanks for caring enough to make last night special for me. Not many guys would have remembered what I told them. You made it a fairy tale for me." I leaned up on an elbow and grinned down at her. "Ah, but I had to make it a fairy tale, my sweet." Missy looked at me quizzically. "My sweet? You had to?" "Well," I said, bending over to kiss her on the nose, "you only get happily ever after in fairy tales, so..." Missy gave me a look of pure disbelief. "That was so incredibly corny, John." "I know," I told her, giving her an impudent grin. She shook her head, smiling back at me. "I love you, John," she said softly. I lay back down and inhaled the scent of her hair. "I love you, too, honey." ------- I yawned, she yawned, and we both drifted off to sleep for a while after that. I woke up again when I heard someone knocking on the front door. I realized that I had actually been hearing the knock for a few minutes, but had thought it part of a fast fading dream. Missy must have heard it too, because she said sleepily, "John? I think someone's at the door." I glanced at the clock and realized we had overslept. "Probably your mother," I replied with a smile. "Momma? What's she doing here?" Missy shot upright, instantly wide awake and staring at me in panic. I pulled her to me and gave a quick hug of reassurance. "It's okay, honey. I invited her for brunch. We just slept a bit later than I thought." I pulled back and gave her a grin. "For some reason, I was awfully tired last night.' "Oh, my God, John! Not Momma!" She buried her face in my chest. "I'll be so embarrassed." "Last night embarrassed you?" "No, yes, I mean... my mother!" "Your mom knows more about what's going on than you give her credit for, Missy." I pushed her back. "Now, why don't you go jump in the shower. I think you'll feel better facing her afterwards. Meanwhile, I'll let your mom in, and we'll get started on brunch," I said. Without waiting for Missy to get out of bed, I slipped on the jeans I'd worn yesterday and headed for the front door. "Thank goodness," Mrs. Harmon said when I finally reached the door. "I was beginning to wonder if anyone was home." "Sorry, Mrs. Harmon, we slept later than I'd thought we would." She chucked softly and handed me a bag of groceries. "I'll take Melissa's bag to her." "She's in the shower, in the last bedroom down the hall and to the left." Mrs. Harmon wandered down the hall, and I took the groceries to the kitchen and began to get things sorted out for brunch. They were in the bedroom for about thirty minutes, and I had a feeling Missy and her mom were bonding a little bit more. I didn't begrudge them the time, using that time to squeeze some oranges for juice and cut up some cantaloupe and strawberries. By the time Missy and Mrs. Harmon made it to the kitchen, I also had hot water brewed for tea and the bacon was mostly cooked. "I'll take over, John. Why don't you get your shower?" Mrs. Harmon said. "That would be great, thanks," I replied. I headed back toward the shower after getting a kiss from Missy. She was a bit pink kissing me in front of her mother, but she didn't back away or try to turn it into a quick peck. When I made back it to the kitchen, Tracey and Tony were sitting at the table chatting easily with Missy and her mom. As I paused for a moment in the doorway, I could feel the huge smile on my face. It was almost like family. No it was like family. I wished my parents had been here to share it with us, but somehow, I knew that we had their blessing, and it made my contentment complete. I walked in, clapped Tony on the back and gave all the women a quick hug. That is, after all, what you do with family. Mrs. Harmon and Missy stayed into the late evening and had a great time helping Tracey with dinner. Me? I just enjoyed the rest of the day with my family. Life was good, I decided. ------- Chapter 42 I watched with a smile as Hannah Mills walked regally to the podium. When she started her speech I looked at the sea of green caps around me. Most of us had made it through all four years. The final four weeks of our senior year had rushed past with a flurry of activities. Prom was everything I'd hoped it would be. Missy was radiant in her teal gown and glowed with happiness and contentment. We danced the night away, lost in our own world. It was only later that I realized we had danced every dance together. None of our friends commented, except Liv. There was a tear trickling down her cheek as she hugged Missy on the stage. Missy had been elected Prom Queen and Liv was first runner-up. "You two are so perfect together it's scary," Liv had told her. Missy had a tear in her eye when she told me the story later. I wasn't paying much attention to Hannah's speech, although the bits I did catch seemed filled with the usual platitudes about taking hold of the future. Instead of listening, then, I spent the time looking through the classmates seated in front of me, reminiscing about the various times I'd had with each of them. When the school year started I could never have guessed that my senior year would be the roller coaster ride it had been. But with a smile, I knew that I wouldn't have changed a thing. Except maybe... I laughed to myself. No, it wouldn't have been right to date Gail Carson just to get a look inside her sweater. Some things would just have to remain a mystery. I had won a far greater prize, in any case. The sound of everyone around me clapping brought me out of my reverie, and I looked back up to the stage to see Hannah step away from the platform and Lisa Carver replace her. Lisa started her speech, and I started to zone it out and return to my reveries when she caught my attention by apologizing to the teachers and staff. Once she had my attention, she proceeded to tilt my world's axis. You would have thought that after the year I'd had, I'd have been used to it, but it threw me every time. As I listened to Lisa's words, I knew this time would be no different. "The person who taught me the most important thing I learned in the last four years was not a member of the faculty or staff. Rather, he started the year as another one of the masses of students at this school. In fact, he was a nobody. Or at least that was what those of us in the "in" crowd thought of him. He wasn't rich. He didn't play sports, play in a band or even act in the spring dramas. Also, while he was smart, he didn't have the grades to compete with Hannah and me. He stood out in no special way. In short, he was your average high school student. "But over the course of this last year, he changed so many of us in this class and this school. He showed us how one boy, no, how one MAN, with a conscience and a set of convictions could change what needed to be changed. "He showed me that the "in" crowd didn't know a thing about who the important people in this class were. He showed us that people that we thought were beneath us were really at least as good as we were, and many times, were better than we could ever hope to be. "This boy showed me that a girl I thought was no better than a common whore had more class in her little toe than I ever possessed. And he did it without hurting my feelings. He showed us all that the football stars we all idolized were nothing more than thugs who spent their time hurting others. He showed the courage that few of us would ever have dared to show. He fought for those we thought were less than the dust on our shoes. "He showed me what love looks like. I spent the whole evening of our Prom looking at it. I'm sure most of you saw it as well, if you watched him dance with his princess. I hope to someday see that same look in the eyes of my dance partner. I know that I will feel truly blessed that day to know someone loves me as completely and unreservedly as that. "He showed me the same respect he showed everyone else here, even though I was just a bottle-blonde cheerleader. He looked past that, and was probably the only one of you who knew that I would be standing up here speaking to you today. "So, thank you, John, for the lessons I'm sure you didn't set out to teach. Thank you for the hard things you did that helped so many of us. And whatever you do, John, please, don't ever forget the last paragraph of the paper you corrected for me in April." You could have knocked me over with a feather. The entire class stood and clapped as she stepped down from the podium. Mr. Jefferson stepped back up to the microphone and the class sat back down. "Thank you, Miss Mills and Miss Carson." "For the last twenty-five years, each graduating class has voted and selected one member of their class to be man or woman of the year. Their names are engraved on the scrolls in the front hallway of the school. Not surprisingly, several of the past men and women of the year are here with us today. They have gone on to become leaders of this community. In the past decade, however, the senior class has conveniently forgotten all of the characteristics described on the top of that scroll. I think this year's Senior class is the first in ten years that actually read the scroll before it voted. "It is my distinct pleasure to give this scroll to this year's recipient. Unlike Miss Carson, I think this person DID set out to teach me a lesson, a very hard lesson. I didn't think I could learn anything from a punk kid who tried to destroy this community's faith in its football heroes. I remember thinking to myself, 'how dare he put the lives of a few insignificant girls above the tokens of fame and fortune that a championship football team can bring to a school and its community?' To my own shame, that was the question many of us in this community had in our minds when instead we should have been asking, 'how dare they hurt our precious children?' Even when the light of the obvious was shown, many of us put on our sunglasses and ignored, or worse, ridiculed their pain." "This one punk kid dared, however, to rip away my sunglasses, and make me see what I did not want to see. He angered me, shamed me, taught me what it truly means to be a man of convictions, and then reminded me that as an educator, as a man, my true job was to be concerned with the children of the community entrusted to my care, the children who are truly one of the most important things in life. In doing so, he clearly showed himself to be, not a punk kid, but a far better man than me. "So, would you please stand and help me acknowledge this year's Man of the Year, John Michael Robinson." I sat there holding tightly to the chair I sat in, knowing that my world had gone completely upside down and I was about to fall off if I let go of that chair. The class stood as one with those to my left filing out of the row to make room for me to walk to the dais. Jeff Rogers elbowed me, motioning to the left. "You need to go that way, John," he grinned, pointing to the left. I looked left and saw Tracey standing at the end of the row, beckoning me with tears streaming down her cheeks. Tracey hugged me fiercely and whispered, "Mom and Dad would be so proud of you, John." The applause stopped when I reached the dais. Gail and Hannah both hugged me. Mr. Hayes stepped out of the crowd of standing teachers and shook my hand. Mr. Jefferson shook my hand, handed me a scroll, and motioned toward the microphone. I looked over the rows of classmates sitting before me as I tried to collect my thoughts. "I certainly don't feel like I have acted like a man this year. Mostly, it seemed to me like I had no idea what I was doing, and most of the time, I had no idea what I was going to say, either." I gave them all a big grin. "Right now is a great case in point. I don't know what to say. No, that's not right. Thank you. Mom always taught me to say thank you for any gift or honor even if I didn't feel I deserved it. I don't feel that I deserve this, but I do thank those of you that think I do." I held the scroll over my head, nodded once, and walked back down to my seat. The final half hour slipped away, and my high school career came to an end. I shook hands and took pictures with dozens of classmates, now former classmates, until Missy and I found each other in the crowd. The next step in my life was about to begin, assuming the sun still rose in the morning and water still ran downhill. After all the axis tilting this year, I wasn't sure of anything anymore. Missy slipped her arm in mine as we walked back to her car. Well, there was one thing I was pretty sure of, I thought with a smile. And this one thing was all I needed. ------- Epilogue I took a deep breath as I waited for her. I peeked around the corner and smiled at the large crowd. All of our friends were here. I saw Olivia Wallace glance over her shoulder and smile at me. I smiled back, Olivia's smile tickling a memory from long ago... All those memories flooded back through me in an instant, especially that magical Senior year. I felt myself frown as I realized that had been nearly thirty years ago. Time sure flies when you're having fun. Liv's eyes twinkled as our glances met. I smiled knowing how Liv had changed my life, and I hers, all those years ago. Ridgemont's 'Over Easy" had become a well-respected member of society. She and Wally had married right out of high school, immediately purchased Tracey's catering business, and with little more to their names than huge dreams, had taken it to new heights. I could see the confidence in Liv's smile. She had the reception under control. We just had to get to it. Tracey put her hand on my arm as she and Tony walked past me to take a seat. I had to remind myself that she was a grandmother. She didn't look like a grandmother to me. She would always just be my big sister. Tony shook my hand and smiled knowingly as he followed Tracey and the usher down the aisle. Mary Jo stopped momentarily and hugged me. "Remember to smile, John," she teased as she held out her arm to the best man, her son, Johnny. "Buck up, John," Jesse said as he shook my hand. "Remember you're not losing a daughter, you're gaining a son." I grinned as he wandered down the aisle behind Mary Jo. "She's ready," my love's voice whispered in my ear as she put her arm through mine. I turned to kiss Missy and laughed as she hissed, "Not on the lips." I kissed her cheek instead, and she teased softly, "I don't want to mess up my lipstick... Yet." I waggled my eyebrows at her, and she smiled as she grabbed a handful of my cheek. Then she held her hand out to Morris, our son. He nodded, took her arm and turned to escort his mother to her seat. I watched that familiar wiggle down the aisle for a moment, smiling, and then I turned and walked to the bride's room at the end of the hallway. All of the bridesmaids looked beautiful in their strapless black dresses. Each one smiled as I walked past them. Everyone was in place as I knocked on the door. "She's ready, Dad," Jo said, planting a kiss on my cheek as she eased past me to take her place with John Caldwell. I walked slowly over to the vision in white. The refection in the mirror could have been the twin to my own bride. Olivia looked just like her mother, sitting there in the gown Missy had worn twenty five years ago. It was uncanny and for a moment I felt like I'd fallen through a time tunnel. I was struck by the thought that weddings made parents look back in time while their children looked only towards the future. For just a moment, I couldn't speak. "Are you ready, Ollie?" I asked finally, with a catch in my throat. "Whenever you are, Stan," she replied turning and taking my hand with a huge smile on her face. We both chuckled at the long standing joke. She touched a hand to my face. "I love you, Dad," she said with a small grin, "but don't you dare steal the tears from me. Those are the bride's prerogative!" I gave her a chaste kiss in thanks, and nodded my head, afraid to say more. Wordlessly, then, we joined the lineup of bridesmaids and groomsmen, and I couldn't help but think back to that fateful year as I watched my friend's children walk down the aisle in front of me. Robert Sherwood looked a lot like his father had before he was killed in a car accident twenty years ago. Betty Lou missed Bobby, but she had done a great job raising their boys by herself. Angel Marks looked so sweet and innocent, much like her mother, Carly. But that sparkle in her eyes came from her dad, Ed Williams. Carly had met him in college and according to her, it was love at first sight. Steve Anthony walked stiffly beside his sister Jackie. Gail Anthony was running the library these days. Ken was the district attorney, and the voters had made it clear that the job was his as long as he wanted, although lately there were rumblings about the governor appointing him to an opening on the bench. Johnny Caldwell looked uncomfortable as he walked beside his wife, Gail, who is eight months pregnant. I smiled as I remembered Jackie whining to Missy that she wasn't old enough to be a grandmother. Morris and Jo turned and smiled as they headed down the aisle. For the first time I looked up on the dais to see Heath Boardman standing next to Jesse Junior. Heath was a living testament to the idea that a man could turn his life around, having straightened himself out shortly after we graduated. Today he was a well respected minister. I was actually sad to learn that his health was deteriorating fast, though. That last year of high school and the steroids and other stuff he did were beginning to take their toll on his body. The pipe organ started up and I turned to Olivia. "Is this truly what you want, Olivia?" I asked. "We can still leave if you're not sure." "Thank you, Daddy, but I've never been more sure of anything in my life," she said. I gave her a last kiss on the cheek, pulled her veil down over her face and took her arm. The walk down the aisle through all of my friends and family was calming. I watched Jesse Junior as he turned toward us. I knew the smile on his face and I knew the vision of beauty that caused it. It was the same smile that had been on my face twenty-five years ago, and Olivia, so much Missy's twin, was the same vision. I didn't really listen to Heath as he welcomed everyone. He smiled as he looked at me. "Who gives this woman to this man?" "Her mother and I do," I said calmly. I turned and raised Olivia's veil. I thought I heard a gasp behind me as I kissed her cheek. I gently placed her hand in Jesse's and patted them. Jesse's eyes were moist. I knew how he felt at that moment. His dreams were coming true. And as I sat down next to Missy and she slipped her hand in mine, I knew mine definitely had come true. I kissed the back of her hand and turned my attention back to the dais. Life was good. ------- The End ------- Posted: 2007-04-02 Last Modified: 2007-12-22 / 09:09:53 am ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------