radiotelegraphy
       an experiment in erotic communication









Angel


They did a few lines in Marcus' car before hitting the club. Already restless, Angel snorted hers quickly and fell back in her seat to wait for the burning sensation to fade.

"This is so eighties," she said, pinching her nose and sniffing.

Marcus smiled, flashing a row of perfect white teeth. "You said you wanted to ride high. By the way, that E should be kickin' in soon."

She watched his brown fingers move as he expertly packed and lit a ceramic pipe. He passed it over and Angel took a deep drag, holding it in for about ten seconds before slowly exhaling the sharp, pungent smoke. The weed was strong and she immediately felt her head start to spin.

He took a long puff of his own, exhaling out through his nose. "You ever dream about flying? In a few minutes that's how you're gonna feel."

She took a few more hits. Everything around her was becoming more vivid, more alive. Angel stared at her hand, the pale skin seeming to leave ghostly trails in the air as she raised it and flexed her fingers.

Marcus laughed. She looked over at him, absorbing every detail from his dark brown face and flawless fade to the thin line of beard that ran along his jaw. He was twenty-eight and thought she was nineteen and a college student, which was exactly what she wanted him to think.

He took her hand and kissed it, his warm, soft lips sending an electric shiver over her hypersensitive skin. He was right; this shit was coming on fast. She was tingling all over. Angel could feel her blood racing, her heart pumping rapidly as it filled her body with heat.

Marcus placed her hand on his lap. She could feel him through the front of his pants, warm and semi-hard. She gave his cock a lingering squeeze and pulled away with a teasing smile. Later she might fuck him, or she might not. The night was young and so was she.

Right about now her parents would be trading resentful insults as they got into their huge bed in their huge house, unaware that their darling sixteen-year-old daughter was two towns away and just starting her night.

"Let's go," Angel said, feeling an insane rush of energy. "I need to dance." She took a long pull from her water bottle and popped a stick of gum in her mouth.

Marcus smiled, checking himself in the rearview mirror. "You got it."

* * *

Marcus knew the guys at the door and got her in without being carded. The music thumped orgasmically, the bass hammering at her like a massive heartbeat. Strobes flashed like stuttered lightning over a wild sea of moving bodies. Angel waded in, feeling the heat coming off people's skin as she inhaled the spicy-sweet odors of cologne, sweat, and spilled drinks.

She went up to the mezzanine and found a place at the rail by a large group of girls. She danced, her body seeming to move on its own as it found the beat and rode it. Her blonde locks swept the air, her unrestrained breasts bounced under her loose black shirt. Her hips swayed, swishing her miniskirt around to give the occasional glimpse of naked skin beneath. Her body glowed with a light sheen of sweat. She could feel the vibrations coming from the young women around her, their energy pumping her up even further. The strobes combined with her hypertuned senses to create a stop-motion world where movement could only occur in the dark.

There was no time for thought, only action and reaction. Angel loved it. It was the only time she could really let go.

A college girl with short black hair came up to dance with her. Angel moved her eyes down the girl's tight, compact body, liking what she saw. She moved in closer until they were face to face, their thighs occasionally touching as they twisted and rolled to the music. They locked eyes and their lips came together. The other girl's mouth tasted like apples and vodka; her tongue was long and eager.

The kiss only lasted a few seconds before it brought an appreciative cheer from around them. The girl pulled away with an embarrassed smile but Angel caught her again, folding her arms behind her neck and kissing her long and deep, sucking on the girl's tongue like she wanted to take it home with her. The crowd around them went crazy. Finally Angel let go and broke away. A pair of cute hip-hop white boys immediately came up on her, one behind and the other in front.

Angel didn't mind being the meat in their sandwich. The kiss had gotten her hot; her skin literally ached to be touched. She bumped her ass against the one in back while the other stayed close in front of her, his hands alternately brushing up against her chest and hips. She felt a squeeze on her thigh; felt a cloth-covered erection rubbing against her bare butt as her mini rode up ever higher. A hand moved boldly up her inner thigh to cup the mound of her shaved pussy, the fingers slipping between the folds of her wet slit as she parted her legs further. The touch was like liquid fire, a pleasure so intense it was nearly pain.

It was a little too much too fast. She wriggled out from between them and moved away, wagging her finger at them before heading downstairs to lose them in the crowd. She caught a glimpse of Marcus talking to a light-skinned black girl at the bar. Angel ignored him and went over next to the DJ booth to dance, so hyped up that it felt like she'd die if she stopped moving.

After a while another man gravitated toward her, this time a strong-jawed guy with the looks and build of a Calvin Klein model, hot but almost too pretty with his pouty lips and dark guyliner. Angel bumped and teased, noticing a smallish bulge developing in his tight designer jeans. It figured. She backed in on him anyway and felt him up, discretely testing his bulge with an upward slide of her hand. He took her by the waist and put his lips to her ear.

"You're cute! Wanna fuck?"

Hot, but no brains. She reached back over her shoulder and raked her fingers slowly through his hair before shoving him away.

"How 'bout you go fuck yourself?" Angel shouted, showing him her middle finger before heading for the bathroom. She joined a dozen other girls in front of the mirror and checked her lip gloss, the loud babble of voices around her sounding shrill and discordant above the steady thump of the music. The frantic edge of the coke was fading a little, leaving the rolling bliss of the ecstasy going strong. She searched the faces in the bathroom for someone who looked like they might need a kiss. No one seemed interested so she headed back out to the floor.

The place was even more packed than when she'd left it. As she was sliding through the crowd someone's hand slipped under her skirt and momentarily palmed the bare cheek of her ass before falling away. Disappointed that it hadn't stayed longer, she made her way over to the platform by the DJ booth and took over one of the top steps. She danced slowly, feeling more chill now that the coke wasn't blasting so hard through her veins.

After a little while she drew the attention of a tall white guy on the floor nearby and smiled when he made eye contact. He was cute, dancing a little awkwardly like he hadn't had much practice. He slowly drifted over to her, looking up to where she stood. On the step she was about a foot and a half taller than he was; the perfect height to give him a show. She dropped into a stripper squat, moving her hips to the beat and letting her knees fall apart to give him a peek up her skirt. He was definitely looking, though he seemed a little shy and nervous doing it. Angel felt a flutter deep in the pit of her stomach as she stood and struck a slouching, spread-legged pose, gradually lifting her skirt to give him a better look at her pussy. He stared. A dozen or so other people were probably staring too, but that was fine by her.

Angel curled her tongue out in a slow flicking motion, hoping he'd get the idea. He did, ducking in and giving the front of her slit a slow, smooth lick that felt like heaven. Her legs shivered and she let him lick a few more times, his tongue gliding deliciously over her clit. Then the DJ whooped and said something about somebody getting a free meal, his voice barely audible over the shouts around them. She pushed the guy away and stepped down, grabbing his hand tightly as she led him across the floor. A free meal wasn't all he was gonna get.

They went upstairs, finding a dark corner where other couples were busy grinding on each other. Angel backed up against the wall and brought him with her. She touched the front of his khakis, feeling him grow fully hard as they moved together. She licked the side of his neck, tasting the salt of his sweat as she unzipped him with both hands and took out his cock. His face was flushed and he was thrusting gently but anxiously against her hand. Her pussy felt like it was melting as she leaned in and spoke in his ear.

"Can you lift me?"

He put his hands under her thighs and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, using her fingers to push his cock down between her labia and inside her. She was wet enough that he slid in almost effortlessly. He braced her against the wall and fucked her slowly, their mouths and tongues wrestling in frenzied lust.

He was feeling really good inside her. Angel felt like she might actually cum if he could hold out for a few minutes but he nutted in less than one, filling her with a pumping gush of warmth before lowering her down with shaky arms.

"Thanks," she said, kissing him lightly. He gave her a dazed-looking smile and moved off without saying a word.

Angel straightened her clothes and made her way down to the bathroom, walking carefully to keep his cum inside her. A warm trickle finally escaped to snake down the inside of her thigh just as she shouldered her way into an empty stall. She sat on the toilet and pushed, feeling him slowly drip out of her. She felt warm. Happy. She'd probably made that guy's night, maybe even given him a treat that he'd remember for years.

She sighed, then wiped up and flushed. Marcus found her on the way back to the dance floor.

"Having fun?" He asked.

"Always."

"Hey, Big D and his boys are heading up to the hotel. You're invited. Wanna go?"

"Fuck yeah," she answered. D and his crew were local rappers who she partied with from time to time. They were freaky but chill, and right now that was just what she needed.

The limo rolled up about ten minutes later. She, Marcus and the black girl he'd been talking to were waiting at the curb. The rear door opened, releasing the slow rolling beat of a rap song and the skunky scent of weed. Big D stepped out, all three hundred pounds of him. His bald head gleamed as he nodded to Angel.

"Yo, lil' lady. Glad you could join us."

They got in and made themselves comfortable. Angel slid in between two black guys and rested, leaning back against one and putting her legs over the lap of the other. They got rolling again, passing around a bong and few other things Angel wasn't interested in. She took a hit from the bong, feeling a hand move up under her shirt to slowly squeeze her breasts. Fingers stroked down her thigh, and someone even pulled her shoes off and started rubbing her feet. She relaxed, feeling very good. Very mellow.

Big D was smiling and talking to Marcus. "Ain't this the life, my nigga?"

Marcus said that it was indeed the life.

Angel had to agree.

* * *

Angel was thirteen when she began to realize that her parents were frauds. Around her they put up a good act, all smiles and kisses and silly jokes. They'd encouraged her to be pretty and popular, to try out for the cheerleading squad and run for class president. They fawned over her handsome jock boyfriend, beamed at how many friends their daughter was making. So proud, so happy.

Then Angel started to watch them when they thought she wasn't around. Her parents bickered constantly about everything. Her mother lived on whiskey and cigarettes and fat-burner pills, which were basically just low grade speed. Mom had been a cheerleader in high school, made class president three years running and ended it off by being elected prom queen. Her father was an ex-football star and Marine, now a thick-bellied city councilman who had three martinis with every meal and took frequent `business trips' which, judging by how he looked when he got back, was code for a drinking binge or a few days in a hotel room with a high-priced stripper.

Her parents were bitter and miserable. And they were grooming her to be just like them.

Fuck that.

Angel took their lies and gave them back with interest. As far as they were concerned she was the perfect daughter. She babysat, volunteered at homeless shelters and helped organize food drives, all while maintaining a solid 4.0. They always remarked on how responsible she was, how *mature* for her age.

They had no idea.

* * *

The suite was already jumping by the time they arrived. There were about thirty people or so. She saw a few girls and a handful of slim shady-wannabe white boys, but most were thuggish black dudes with gold chains and teeth. The music was loud, the voices were louder.

Angel found an empty corner and slid onto the couch. Someone pressed a drink into her hand and she sipped it, feeling stoned and horny. Men began to gravitate closer, circling around like they could smell her need, like they could sense the eager, anxious heat that radiated out from between her legs. But before anything could get started, Big D called everyone into the other room for some kind of announcement.

She stayed put, figuring it didn't concern her. The black girl from the club, Naomi, came and sat down in the seat across from her. She lit a cigarette then offered one to Angel, who politely declined. Cigarettes reminded her too much of her mother.

They sat looking each other over, with Angel feeling a bit intimidated and more than a little intrigued. Naomi's skin was light caramel; her hair was long and straight. She had delicate features with the sculpted cheekbones of a fashion model. Angel found herself wondering what she would taste like.

"I've heard about you," Naomi said as she blew smoke up towards the ceiling "You're pretty popular around here."

Angel shrugged. "I just like the scene."

"Yeah, I bet. How old are you, Goldilocks?"

She smiled. "None of your fucking business. That's how old I am."

Naomi smiled back. "Marcus tells me you're nineteen. Which is bullshit and he knows it. Most of the guys do too, they just play along so the fun doesn't stop."

Angel sighed. This was sounding like the start of a lecture. "Your point?"

"No point. Have a good time. Fuck around, get high. Just watch out for the big bad wolf. Sometimes he comes in a needle, sometimes as a scary motherfucker with a blade who likes to watch little girls bleed. You feel me, Goldie?"

Angel could have told her that Goldilocks was the one with the bears, not the wolf, but she didn't see the need to bring it up.

"Yeah, I feel you."

"Good."

Angel eyed the black woman's slender purse. "So, do you have a blade?"

Naomi laughed. "Actually, I do. But it's for cutting crazy-ass fools, not little white girls."

Marcus came back and slid in next to Naomi for a long, wet kiss. Feeling jealous, Angel finished off the last of her drink in one swallow. Her buzz was fading. Even the E seemed to be winding down.

"Hey." She bumped Marcus' leg with her foot. "I need a boost."

He fumbled in his pocket and handed her a baggie. She took it and found the bathroom, immediately measuring out a fat line on the counter. After a moment's consideration, she added another.

Two up, two down. She rubbed her nose, sniffling as she looked at herself in the mirror. Goldilocks? Fuck. Did anyone ever stop to think that maybe some girls went into the woods because they wanted the wolf to find them?

After a minute she felt better. A few minutes more and she was flying again. Back in the suite, D and several others had come into the room and were sitting in a circle with Marcus, passing blunts and drinking. Angel stretched out in a recliner on top of the guy who was already there. The guy didn't seem to mind. He put his hands around her waist and started nibbling on her ear, telling her some of the nastiest things she'd ever heard in a voice like dark honey. For a few minutes she sat there and listened to all the talk about bitches, record deals, bitches, money, bitches, and cars. It was incredibly boring.

"Fuck!" She threw her head back and shouted. "What's a girl gotta do to get a drink around here?"

They laughed, assuring her that they could come up with some ideas. A few seconds later she had a drink, something strong and green. She drank it, feeling her skin start to itch. The coke was slamming through her body and she realized that she needed to get fucked. Bad. She let her legs fall open, hoping someone would take the hint.

Most of the guys started looking. Big D grinned.

"Shit, girl. You got something there you wanna show us?"

Biting the tip of her finger, she spread her legs out all the way and tugged the hem of her skirt up, displaying her bare pussy to the whole room.

The guys approved, whistling and jeering. Marcus smiled and shook his head. Naomi smirked, though there was a flicker of interest on her face.

Big D was still grinning. "So whatchya gonna do with that, girl?"

Angel slid her fingers over her labia, teasing and parting them slightly. It felt surprisingly good. She started stroking herself, her pussy making soft wet sounds as she rubbed slow circles over her energized lips and clit. She was starting not to care if anyone touched her or not. She was in the zone.

The guy she was sitting on put his hands on her thighs, holding her legs wide open as she diddled herself in front of at least a dozen people.

"Aight, that's enough," D said, pointing to the floor at his feet." Bring that fine white ass on over here, girl."

Angel obeyed, crawling over and getting up on her knees in front of him. There was a large bulge in the front of his track pants. She reached for it but he grabbed her hand and stopped her.

"What you gonna do with that, girl?"

"I wanna suck it," she said, wetting her bottom lip.

"You wanna do what to my what?"

"I want to suck your fucking cock!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, starting to get impatient.

A few people laughed. D smiled and let go of her hand. She worked him out through his fly, releasing a large, heavy brown erection that reminded her of the end of a baseball bat. He wasn't called Big D for nothing; her fingers didn't even touch around it as she lifted it up and put her mouth on the head. She sucked on all she could, pausing only to run her tongue up and down the length of his shaft.

D groaned in appreciation. "Fuck yeah. Suck it, girl."

Angel did, wrapping both hands around his cock and tugging it towards her mouth as she sucked on the warm, fleshy knob. She could barely open her jaw wide enough to fit it in.

Suddenly D stood and lifted her up off her feet, tossing her over his shoulder like a sack.

"See y'all in a minute," he told his boys as he carried her off to one of the bedrooms. She went along for the ride willingly, breathing in his cologne and squealing as he tossed her down on the bed. He dragged her to the edge by her ankles, pushed her legs up and apart then started sucking on her pussy, laving it with broad strokes of his big tongue and sucking on her lips like he was trying to take the whole slit into his mouth.

"Mmm. You got a sweet pussy, lil girl."

Angel bit the comforter and moaned, her entire body spasming with each slurp of his tongue. She wondered if he could taste the traces of the guy she'd had at the club. If so, it didn't seem to be slowing him down.

After a minute he stopped and readied his cock, half-kneeling as he brought it up between her legs.

"You ready to take this big thing in that lil pussy?"

She squirmed eagerly, pulling her skirt up out of the way.

"I want it," she murmured. "Give it to me."

D spit on the head before nudging it up against her cunt. Slowly, impossibly, it slipped in, stretching and filling her beyond anything she'd ever imagined. D grunted as he bottomed out, breathing hard, his warm breath blowing over her hair.

"Motherfuck that's tight!"

He moved, gently at first then harder. Angel felt like she was having a constant orgasm that spiked higher with every thrust of his cock. Just when she was sure she'd pass out, D came inside her with an explosive spasm, the heat of his cum filling her like a warm flood. He pulled out shakily and stood, leaving her gasping and dripping on the bed.

"Goddamn!" he bellowed, walking back out to the party. "This bitch near broke my dick off! I think she needs a few more brothas to help her out!" He turned back and looked at her. "That about right, lil' lady?"

Angel nodded. It wasn't long before she had more company. Two guys at first, then more. Hands roamed over her body, lifted off her shirt, tugged down her mini. A mouth worked on each of her nipples as someone kissed her, his tongue entering her mouth at the same time a cock entered her pussy.

Everywhere there was a hand, a tongue, or a stiff penis rubbing her anxious skin. Angel accepted any cock that was given to her, white, black, or brown. Some of the men were stroking themselves impatiently as they waited their turn. She put her mouth over a large, almost coal-black cock right as it began to spurt, loving the feel of the broad, blunt head flaring powerfully between her lips as it sprayed its salty load out onto her tongue, the face of the man above contorting in pleasure as she sucked out the last drops and swallowed. He was soon replaced by a smaller, light-skinned guy who leaned over to slowly fuck her mouth as she took a free cock in each hand and began to work them up and down.

Her pussy was constantly full. The first man nutted quickly, squirting off deep inside her. Another took his place, sliding his erection up her well-lubed cunt and thrusting until he too shot his load. This process repeated until she lost track of how many men, how many cocks, how many loads she'd taken. Angel came repeatedly, feeling drunk on sexual energy.

At one point the man in her mouth and the guy in her pussy came at the same time, both cocks straining and spurting in unison--one down her throat and the other into her womb. Moments later a penis was thrust toward her face, splashing her nose and cheek with warm, jerking sprays of semen. It felt like she was practically swimming in cum. It constantly trickled down her ass to form a wet and sticky puddle on the bed. Her inner thighs were slick, her face streaked and glazed.

After what seemed like hours, the parade of cocks stopped and the last guy pumped his load in her and left. Angel lay dazed on the bed, feeling warm, sleepy, and content. She was fairly certain she'd taken on every guy at the party, many of them twice. She felt their gratitude inside her, all over her. And even if it was nothing more than lust, at least it was honest. Real. The sticky lust of one stranger was worth a thousand fake kisses over the breakfast table.

Her dreamy thoughts were interrupted by a sudden breath on her pussy. She looked down to see Naomi's face between her legs, those two soft brown eyes looking up at her as the black girl began to lick, slurping and sucking the last of the cum out of Angel's swollen slit.

A few quiet comments alerted her to the fact that they had an audience of about a dozen guys. Ignoring them, Angel shivered and spread her legs wider. Naomi's tongue felt wonderful after all that fucking, like a cool, soothing breeze on her overheated flesh. Naomi licked downward, flicking and probing her sticky butthole. Angel shivered, feeling like she could soak up that kind of attention forever.

Soon Marcus announced the show was over and ushered everyone out of the room. He came back to the bed, stripping down to reveal his brown, well-muscled body. Naomi joined him in shedding her clothes, kissing Marcus deeply as he lowered her to the bed. In a minute they were going at it right next to Angel, gasping and grunting as Marcus fucked the pretty brown girl with long, smooth strokes of his cock.

Angel had a good view of the action. Naomi's pussy was stretched wide around his thick shaft, the meaty lips of her cunt almost vanishing as he thrust in, then reappearing to cling to him as he pulled back. Angel watched them for a few minutes before she got up and staggered to the shower. She felt sticky and sweaty all over, and she sighed as she realized that there was probably jizz in her hair as well.

She stepped into the stall and stood under the hot spray, rinsing the all the men off her fit, slender body. Her skin tingled as she soaped it, reawakening somewhat under her hands and the steaming water. Angel spread her legs and gently washed her pussy, feeling the sore, swollen lips still oozing with cum. The tenderness extended all the way up inside her but it was a good kind of pain; soft and prickly, the souvenir of a good time.

The glass door of the shower slid open and Naomi stepped in, naked and gorgeous. Angel fell into the taller girl's arms, loving the soft, slippery sensation of Naomi's wet skin against hers as they kissed deeply under the cascading water. She felt the black girl's hands slide down over her ass and grip her firmly, pulling her in even closer. Dizzied by heat and arousal, Angel returned the gesture, exploring how resilient the other girl's buttocks were as she dug her fingers into the firm, rounded flesh.

Naomi bent down, sucking each of Angel's nipples between her lips and circling them with her tongue. Angel watched, swaying slightly as the girl knelt to place a long, wet, sucking kiss on her hairless mound, tickling and teasing the sensitive skin. Then Naomi slid back on her elbows, parted her knees, and beckoned.

The hot spray of the shower beat down on Angel's shoulders as she knelt down between those long outstretched legs, their caramel skin wet and inviting. The large outer lips of Naomi's pussy were parted to reveal the soft, alluring pink of the inner slit, and a moment later Angel was licking those lips, tasting them, enjoying the tender, yielding softness of female flesh that was so fascinating, so different from the straining rigidity of a man.

The shower door opened again and Marcus came in, naked and erect. Angel felt his hands massaging her ass as he moved down behind her, lifting her cheeks and parting them. Then there was a slick, thrilling touch on her anus and she realized that he was licking her, his tongue gently probing her asshole. Inspired, Angel sealed her mouth over the upper part of Naomi's pussy and sucked, drawing on the lips, hood, and clit, the delicate folds seeming to quiver as she bathed them with her tongue.

Naomi was laying back, her eyes half-closed, her wet breasts and skin shining with a soft diffuse glow in the steamy air. Angel rested her hands on the black girl's stomach, loving the contrast of her own pale skin against the light brown tones of Naomi's, picturing the wet strands of her light blonde hair spilling down over the caramel thighs pressed tight to either side of her head. Behind her the probing tongue was replaced by a finger, and Angel groaned as it slipped into her ass. It felt huge, but she had the feeling that something much bigger was on its way.

The finger turned and twisted inside her, and, distracted, she mouthed Naomi's warm, slippery slit as she felt Marcus opening her reluctant hole. Then the finger withdrew, and Angel dropped her head and groaned as something large and blunt was placed against the entrance to her ass, the well-lubed head slipping in as Marcus gently forced his cock into her. It hurt, but it was a pleasurable hurt--an intense stretching, filling sensation.

Angel whimpered and bit her lip, willing herself to relax even as she instinctively squirmed away from the large fleshy thing that was intruding into her body. Naomi sat up and held her by the shoulders, stroking her hair and whispering soothing words as Marcus continued to impale her with his penis, the muscles in her ass contracting in a vain effort to push him out. He groaned as she clenched at him, sliding deeper until he was in all the way with his hips pressed firmly against her ass. Angel groaned and panted, feeling like she was so full of cock that she was going to burst.

Marcus and Naomi kissed wetly as he started to move, fucking Angel's ass with slow, short strokes. The pleasure increased, then quickly spiraled out of control as Naomi slid down underneath Angel's body and into a sixty-nine, or as Angel pictured it, a yin-yang symbol with yang taking a cock in the butt. The delicate sensation of a tongue on her clit drove a deep shiver down her spine. Angel wrapped her arms around Naomi's legs, resting one cheek against the soft brown pillow of her pussy mound and groaning helplessly against the thrusting rhythm of Marcus's cock.

Then Marcus came, grunting and straining urgently as he throbbed inside her. Angel felt it all; the thick vein pulsing against her sensitive anus, the lurching shaft and the warm gushing spurts surging deep into her body, all while Naomi was sucking firmly on her clit. Angel finally did burst, an intensely powerful orgasm ripping through her young body. It centered on her throbbing clit and stuffed asshole, flowing outward like endlessly crashing tidal waves.

She collapsed as the waves slowly receded, feeling like she was in a warm, fluffy dream. She felt a twinge of pain as Marcus' cock withdrew from her but it seemed to be happening somewhere far away. The next thing she knew she was being wrapped in a towel and delivered onto the bed. Then she was left alone, the door to the room closing with a faint thump as she dozed away.

* * *

At fourteen, Angel was put ahead a year in school. She could have easily gone two but her parents disallowed it, afraid it would `hurt her social development.' Then she'd won a writing contest with a paper on high school cliques and been invited to read it at the state college. She'd practically flown home, grinning through her braces the whole time, sure her parents would be so impressed.

Her mother had not been pleased. Instead she'd given a worried sigh and sat Angel down for a talk.

"It's not that we aren't proud of you, Angie, but isn't it enough to be pretty? To have fun with your friends? Boys don't like a girl who's smarter than they are. It makes them feel intimidated."

Her father had at least pretended to be impressed, but he wasn't any more supportive than her mother had been. In the end Angel had gone alone, riding the bus for three hours then standing nervous and excited at the podium as she read The High School Hive in front of nearly three hundred people, all strangers. Her parents never even bothered to read it, and as far as she knew neither had any of her friends, which was ironic because they were the ones who had unknowingly inspired her to write it in the first place.

She could have handled criticism, even rejection. What hurt her was their complete indifference. If it wasn't related to popularity, cheerleading, or boys, they simply didn't care. Since then she'd lost the braces, but not the lesson that standing alone at one of the proudest moments of her young life had taught her; that when it came to anything that really mattered, she was going to be on her own.

* * *

Slowly, Angel came half-awake, hearing two quiet voices speaking somewhere nearby. Her head throbbed. She was starting to come down and to her groggy brain the words seemed to have no meaning.

"Yo dawg, I told you! I told you they had some fine white pussy up in here!"

"Shit, she look young...how old's the bitch?"

"Who cares? You wanna hit it or not?"

"Hell yeah I wanna hit it. I'm gonna break this bitch in half."

"Hold up dawg, gimme the two bills first. I found the bitch, `member?"

"Aight, now get your skinny white ass out so I can get to business."

"Cool, cool. Just keep it down. They gonna be next door for a minute, but jus' remember you ain't `sposed to be here, dawg."

"Fuck those niggas, I ain't scared of D or his punk-ass crew. Now get your ass gone fore I put my foot in it, bitch!"

There was a thump as the door closed again. Angel was drifting off when the bed shifted with someone's weight and she felt the towel being pulled away from her body.

"Damn," someone breathed. Then ungentle hands began to grope and squeeze, and Angel groaned in annoyance and tried to roll over. A sudden weight stopped her, and she opened her eyes to see a large black man laying over her, smelling strongly of ass and beer sweat as he pinned her to the bed.

"I'm closed," she muttered, trying weakly to push him off. "Wanna sleep."

The man smiled, revealing skuzzy gold teeth. "You'll open up for me, baby."

Angel watched in hazy disbelief as he lowered his already low-riding pants and pulled out his cock. It bent sharply downward and was nearly as big as D's, and she felt slightly nauseous as she tried to imagine him stuffing it into her. She was sore and not at all interested. She gave him another weak shove, hoping he would go away leave her alone.

He didn't. Instead he laughed and pried her legs apart, jamming his bent pole up against her slit. Angel wasn't wet anymore and it almost felt like something ripped inside her as the head started to bludgeon its way in.

"Stop it! Owww!"

He grabbed her roughly by the chin and yanked her face toward his, looking down at her with a cold gleam in his eyes.

"Listen bitch, you're gonna take it. We can do this hard or we can do it easy, your choice."

She glared up at him, wincing as he resumed battering his way inside her, the weight of his body crushing down on her. She was pinned, shaky and weak, barely able to move her arms. Then he shoved, hard, and this time something did tear. The pain was incredible. Angel screamed, kicking and bucking as she drove the palm of her hand up under his chin as hard as she could. His teeth clicked together loudly and he grunted.

"Fuckin' bitch!" He swayed and almost slid off, but recovered and came back down on her with his fist, slamming it right into her mouth.

A bolt of agony shot through her lips and she immediately tasted blood. Dazzled by the intensity of the pain, Angel lay stunned as she felt his large hand wrap around her throat and squeeze, cutting off most of her air as he jammed his giant cock further into her body, its progress aided by a new source of lubrication that she didn't really want to think about.

He began to fuck her, hammering away as he held her by the neck. It felt like he was ripping her open. Angel whimpered, her head banging repeatedly into the bedframe as he groaned and thrusted on top of her, his grip on her throat tightening with each stroke until she could barely breathe.

It was mesmerizing. She felt curiously detached, like all the pain and struggling belonged to someone else, someone who was being literally fucked to death while dozens of people were still partying someplace nearby, oblivious. It seemed fitting, almost funny.

It became less funny when her air was choked off completely. Angel felt her blood pounding in her face as she wrenched ineffectually at his arm, and as she stared up into her rapist's slack, sweat-shiny face, she decided that this wasn't how she wanted it to end.

I am not going to die tonight, she promised herself, her vision dimming as she fumbled beside her on the bed, feeling for the unknown object that was poking into her hip. As soon as her hand closed around it she knew what it was. Her dad had taught her to shoot when she was eight, and she'd done it often enough to know the shape of a Glock when she felt one. It must have fallen out of the man's pants in his hurry to get started.

He didn't seem to notice when she nudged the barrel up against his ribs. She tried to speak and choked instead. Black dots swam in her vision, and her head was tingling, going numb. Then her ears were ringing and she could breathe again, her throat raw, the sharp smell of cordite stinging her nose. The guy gave a wheezing grunt and rose up, staring at the dark stain spreading down the side of his shirt. He slid off her, staggered two steps with his pants around his ankles, then his legs gave out and he fell.

Angel dropped the gun and huddled up on the bed, hugging her knees and doing her best to ignore the bloodstained sheets and the wet, sticky pain between her legs. Her mouth ached and one of her front bottom teeth felt loose when she tested it with her tongue. All she could think about was that it would ruin three years of expensive orthodontic work if it fell out.

She was still sitting there a minute later when the door banged open and D came in with a gun in his hand, swearing softly when he saw Angel on the bed and the body on the floor. Marcus slipped through the door behind him and came up, lifting her chin and examining her with an anxious look on his face.

D went up to the man on the floor and gave him a sharp nudge with his foot.

"That is one dead motherfucker," he said, sounding impressed.

Marcus reached for her knees and started to pull them open. "You're bleeding."

"I'm ok," Angel said, pushing his hands away. Marcus didn't seem convinced. He took her into the shower and cleaned her up as Naomi arrived to help. Angel went limp and let them do what they wanted, feeling strangely aloof from it all.

"It's not bad," Naomi said. "The bleeding stopped." She'd parted Angel's legs and gently opened her to check the extent of her injuries. If she wasn't worried, Angel wasn't. Marcus had given her another line to help with the pain, and now she felt completely numb both inside and out.

Naomi helped her get dressed, giving her a long, sighing hug before walking her to the door. The dead man was gone but D was waiting for her, pressing his hand to the left side of his chest as she approached.

"Apologies, little lady. That motherfucker was not on the guest list." He gave her a gentle, almost tentative embrace. She breathed in his warm, spicy scent and let her head fall against his shoulder, wishing she could leave it there forever.

"Don't worry," he said, pressed a thick roll of something into her hand as he let her go. "It's taken care of. Tomorrow this'll be nothing but a bad dream."

Angel wasn't so sure about that, but she nodded anyway. "Thanks."

He grinned. "And remind me never to fuck with you. That was some gangsta shit."

* * *

Angel made her way up the steps of the bus, limping slightly, her neck bruised and bottom lip swollen. She got a few stares but she ignored them. The sun was coming up and she was coming down, hard. She had a headache, her lip throbbed, her pussy felt like it'd been drilled out by a mining machine and on top of that she was getting the shakes.

Overall, it had been an interesting night.

It wasn't until she'd gotten to Marcus's car that she checked to see what D had given her. It was a fat roll of bills, fifties and hundreds. Over two grand. She didn't know how to feel about it so she just tucked it into her purse.

Marcus had dropped her off at the bus station, her usual spot.

"You sure you'll be ok?" He asked, watching her as she got out with a wince.

"Yeah. I'm tough." She forced a smile.

He smiled back. "Maybe you should go easy for a while, take some time off."

She hadn't answered, just stood and watched as he drove away. But as she sat there on the bus shaking and hurting, it didn't seem like such a bad idea. Feeling empty, she stared out the window at the morning traffic and thought that if she would've been in one of those so-called `coming of age' movies, this would be the time when the melancholy pop song started and she suddenly had some kind of epiphany that would inspire her to sort out her life.

No such luck.

Angel got off the bus on the poor side of town, making her way to a small, run-down house at the end of the street. She'd popped a couple Vicodin on the bus and was feeling a little dreamy, her various pains pushed back to a distant irritation. Exhaustion was creeping up on her. She needed something to balance her out and there was only one person in town who she could trust to provide it quietly.

Hoping that he hadn't changed rooms, she went alongside the house and rapped lightly on a window. A few moments later a sleepy, brown haired and bare-chested teenage boy parted the blinds and stared out at her. They hadn't really spoken in over a year, and Angel wouldn't have been surprised if he'd shut the blinds in her face and gone back to bed. But he didn't. He opened the window and let her in.

She climbed in gingerly. The room was much the same as she remembered, with a few more half-naked girls and death metal bands plastering the cracked walls. It smelled like a boy, of stale weed and dirty socks.

"Hi Greg." She sat heavily down on his bed and took a good look at him. He was still pale and sorta skinny, but a little taller now, even a little cuter. He was staring at her bruises.

"You okay?"

"Long story. Long night too. Have anything that'll keep me going for a few more hours?"

"Maybe." Still shirtless, he started rummaging around under the bed. "What else you been taking?"

Angel began to deny it then changed her mind. "Coke. Some E last night. Painkillers."

He gave her a long look then pulled out a small baggie of white tablets. He took out a few then cut one in half and held it out to her.

"What, afraid I'll O.D.?" She stuck out her tongue and he set the pill on it, looking nervous.

"Yeah, actually." He sat down next to her as she swallowed it dry and lay back, pressing the heels of her palms to her temples.

"Now answer me this time," he said, watching her. "You okay?"

"Not really, no." She was too drained to lie, to herself or anyone else. She felt the tears starting and hated herself for it.

Then Greg--the shy, intense kid who'd she'd been friends with since third grade and tossed aside for the lure of high school popularity--slipped his arm under her shoulders, placed his other hand around her waist, and held her as everything came pouring out.

Finally it was over. She wiped her eyes and noticed he was staring down at her intently.

"What?" She sniffed, feeling self-conscious. She probably looked horrible.

He responded by kissing her on the forehead, then on each cheek, slowly, gently, his soft lips lingering on her skin. He'd never kissed her before. Her heart started to beat faster, and Angel was suddenly more afraid than she'd been all night. He kissed the corner of her mouth, taking care to avoid her hurt lip. She let him, not she sure what she was feeling or even why she was feeling it. Then she turned onto her side and snuggled in as he lay down and put his arms around her, spooning himself against her body. The fit was perfect, like she belonged there.

She dozed for a while until the speed made her restless, then she got out of bed without waking him, slipped two pills into her purse and tucked the fat wad of cash under his pillow, feeling like some drugged-out tooth fairy as she left through the window and headed home.

Her parents barely looked up as she walked into the kitchen. Her mom was busy with a crossword and her morning cigarette, her dad preoccupied with the stock pages.

Welcome home, kiddo," he said. "How was the sleepover? Anything exciting happen?"

"Nope," Angel replied, giving him a warm peck on the cheek. "Just the usual boring stuff."


The end. home

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