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Subject: Re: RP Orange County Babylon Part 06
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===================
Thats good
newyearduck #482269
Games that I like to play
<a href=http://www.gamestotal.com/>Multiplayer Online
Games</a> <a href=http://www.gamestotal.com/>Strategy
Games</a><br><a
href=http://uc.gamestotal.com/>Unification Wars</a> -
<a href=http://uc.gamestotal.com/>Massive Multiplayer
Online Games</a><br><a
href=http://gc.gamestotal.com/>Galactic Conquest</a> -
<a href=http://gc.gamestotal.com/>Strategy
Games</a><br><a
href=http://www.stephenyong.com/runescape.htm>Runescap
e</a><br><a
href=http://www.stephenyong.com/kingsofchaos.htm>Kings
of chaos</a><br>
oldmudrat wrote:
> Orange County Babylon
>
> PART SIX
> by
> Michael Dalton
>
>
>
>
> IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION
>
>
> If you have received this work in your e-mail box and do not know
> why, it is because your Internet service provider is forwarding posts
> from Usenet newsgroups to your account. It has *NOT* been e-mailed to
> you by the author. You must contact your ISP for help.
>
>
> This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real persons
> is unintentional and strictly coincidental. Although this story refers
> to many real places and organizations, such mention should not be taken
> to imply either a relationship or approval of any sort. This work
> contains explicit descriptions of sexual activity, and anyone offended
> by such things should read no further. If reception of this work is
> illegal due to your age or other repressive local regulations,
> liability for downloading it is your problem, not mine. This work is
> intended solely for the quiet and private enjoyment of adults, and any
> other use is a violation of the copyright.
>
>
> This work is Copyright 1998 by Michael...@aol.com and is
> protected by United States and other international copyright law.
> Reposting and archiving is permitted, except where a fee of any sort is
> required or earned for access, provided this disclaimer and note remain
> attached to the story. All other rights, specifically rights of
> commercial use, are reserved. Commercial use here is defined to
> include membership web sites, banner-funded web sites, and those
> protected by fee-based age validation methods (such as Adultcheck and
> Adultsights). However, exception is specifically made for web sites
> (such as DejaNews) that provide archiving and access to all Usenet
> posts in a particular group without editing or selection for content.
> No modifications may be made to this story without express permission
> from the author. Any questions regarding use of this work can be
> directed to the address above. Failure to contact the author prior to
> use is presumptive evidence of bad faith and may expose you to
> significant criminal and civil liability.
>
>
> AUTHOR'S NOTE
>
>
> This novel was first published in August, and has remained one of
> the most popular and most requested works I have written. From the
> vast amount of feedback I have gotten over it, I have been able to make
> some revisions and corrections that warranted a repost. This is still
> the same story, mind you--what I have changed were a number of factual
> and grammatical errors pointed out to me by my readers. In particular,
> I want to thank Neverless and Lee Vine for assistance in that regard.
>
>
> With eight or nine months of hindsight (I wrote the first draft
> of OCB in March), I have to say that I am not entirely happy with this
> thing. Among other problems, I think it starts too quickly and the
> behavior and personality of some of the characters in Part One are
> inconsistent with what occurs later. None of this appears to have
> dimmed the enthusiasm that has greeted the story, but it bears pointing
> out.
>
>
> If you haven't read this before, a few words of warning. This
> novel (and it *is* a novel--it runs to over 98,000 words) should not be
> taken too seriously. It is best described as a silly, sappy, high
> school soap opera. The protagonist has more good fortune and more wild
> experiences in one year than most people have in their entire lives. I
> don't just mean the sex, either. Although there is plenty of sex in
> this story, there are also long stretches of action where nothing
> remotely sexual occurs. This is because the story is supposed to be a
> full depiction of the protagonist's life, not simply a catalog of his
> sexual behavior. As in the real world, sexual activity has certain
> consequences, and that is what I have tried to accurately describe.
>
>
> The reader will note fairly quickly that this story appears to
> fall into one of the worst stereotypes of low-grade erotica: the
> football player and the cheerleaders. To this appearance, I freely
> confess--but there is a great deal else going on in here.
> Nevertheless, should you have a congenital allergy to football, you may
> want to skip this, as there is plenty of explicit sports to go with the
> explicit sex.
>
>
> Those of you familiar with Orange County, California, will note
> that I have taken certain liberties in my descriptions, particularly
> with the locations and athletic programs of area high schools. I did
> this solely out of laziness--I wasn't interested in researching the
> actual composition of the local high school football conferences.
>
>
> This work is, in many ways, a satire. The views expressed herein
> should not be taken as serious commentary on either the County of
> Orange, the Roman Catholic Church, or the United States Marine Corps.
> I make one exception to that disclaimer, however. My descriptions of
> the Orange County foster care system do not in any way resemble
> reality. The actual system is currently in very dire straits, and few,
> if any, children who go through it have experiences as easy and
> pleasant as the protagonist's. Sexual abuse of foster children is
> unfortunately not uncommon, and in real life, the consequences are far
> different from what I have described here.
>
>
> One last note: Please do NOT e-mail me for missing pieces. This
> is a very large file and mailing it is a pain. All the pieces of this
> story should be available in the ASSM archive, the address for which
> can be found in the header above.
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> XXX.
>
> Karen missed school on Monday and Tuesday but showed enough improvement to
> return Wednesday morning.
>
> "So you know now not to go swimming naked in the ocean in December?" Summer
> asked her at lunch.
>
> "Nope. I'd do it again. If you guys had come with me, I probably wouldn't
> have gotten sick."
>
> "I'm not sure I follow the logic in that," Jack said.
>
> "Don't even try," Becky said.
>
> "We should all go skinny dipping some time," Karen said. "Maybe in
> someone's pool if not the ocean."
>
> "I like that idea," Jack said.
>
> "Oh, I bet you would."
>
> "We could use Summer's pool," Becky said.
>
> "Yeah, and I'm sure my folks wouldn't care."
>
> "Do they ever go out of town?"
>
> "And leave me behind? Well, they go on the Marriage Encounter Weekends
> every year. But that's not until March. And there's still my brother. He'd
> suspect something if I tried to get him out of the house that weekend."
>
> "Damn."
>
> "Hey, I have an idea that might work. Although it wouldn't be entirely
> legal."
>
> "Ooo," Karen said. "What?"
>
> "There's a house on the cul-de-sac at the end of my street that's up for
> sale. The family has already moved out. They have a pool, and it backs up
> to a slope, so I don't think anyone would see us."
>
> "You mean sneak in there?"
>
> "Why not? Who would know? As long as we kept the lights off and didn't make
> noise."
>
> "Is the power on?" Jack asked. "Because otherwise the pool equipment will
> be off. Particularly the heater."
>
> Summer thought for a second.
>
> "I don't know. But I could check."
>
> "If it is on, you'd have to go over there the afternoon before we snuck in
> and turn on the heater. It will take a while to heat up. Because if they've
> moved out, there's no way the heater is still on."
>
> "Yeah. But that might work."
>
> "Sounds like an idea to me," Karen said.
>
> "After the game on Friday?" Becky asked.
>
> "I could sneak over that morning."
>
> "Everybody in on this?" Karen asked. The four of them glanced around at
> each other. "Going once? Going twice?"
>
> She grinned.
>
> "I guess it's on."
>
> Friday's game was the last game of the season. Sacred Heart had already
> qualified for the CIF Southern Section Division IX Playoffs by virtue of
> winning their conference, but this game could still affect their seeding in
> the bracket. It was also against their traditional rivals, Calvary Chapel,
> so no one suggested taking the weekend off. In any case, being 11-0, no one
> wanted to blow a shot at the school's first perfect season in about twenty
> years. That team had also finished the regular season 12-0, eventually
> losing in the semifinals.
>
> The game was being played at Calvary Chapel, so Jack rode the bus over with
> the team. The cheerleaders followed in another bus with the spirit squad
> and the band. The coach gave them a rousing pep talk about their shot at
> perfection and their potential playoff seeding before sending them out.
> Calvary Chapel was 6-5, and though on the face of it the game didn't look
> to be too close, like most long rivalries, nothing could be taken for
> granted.
>
> Cavalry Chapel got the opening kickoff, and drove to about midfield before
> having to punt. Jack had a couple of tackles and helped kill the drive with
> a sack. Sacred Heart took over on their twenty-five yard line, and Billy
> directed a crisp, quick drive down to the goal line. On second-and-goal, he
> dropped back to pass and flipped the ball out the sideline, where the
> receiver was waiting just over the goal line. Billy's vision was partially
> blocked, and he didn't see Calvary Chapel's cornerback racing over to the
> corner. The back stepped in front of the ball, picked it off, and raced
> untouched a hundred and one yards into the opposite end zone. Cavalry
> Chapel's stand went berserk, and a noticeable gloom settled over Sacred
> Heart.
>
> Billy's rhythm had been thrown off, and their next drive stalled on Cavalry
> Chapel's forty-yard line. The momentum remained with their opponents, and
> Calvary Chapel took the punt back down the field, eventually settling for a
> twenty-yard field goal. The first quarter ended with Sacred Heart down
> 10-0, and everyone smelling a potential upset.
>
> The coach screamed at them between quarters, and Billy seemed to get the
> message. Sacred Heart's next drive showed some of their usual precision,
> but Billy was unable to get them into the end zone. They kicked a field
> goal to cut the lead to seven.
>
> Hoping to turn things around, Jack and Randy managed to rouse the defense
> from its doldrums, and Calvary Chapel was unable to achieve a first down
> the rest of the half. With two minutes left in the first half, Jack lined
> up for a blitz on third-and-eight. Randy, as he usually did, broke open a
> hole in the line, and Jack darted through. The quarterback spun around,
> trying to evade him, but Jack got his arm around him, getting one hand on
> the ball. He pulled the quarterback down as the ball popped loose. Screams
> of "fumble!" erupted in the backfield, and players from both teams swarmed
> in, creating a large pile of bodies. Jack high-fived Randy, hoping they had
> created the game breaker. Then the referee pointed his arm down toward the
> wrong end zone. Calvary Chapel's running back had recovered the ball.
>
> Calvary Chapel punted, and on the next play, Billy completed a forty-two
> yard pass down to the three-yard line. But again, he was unable to get into
> the end zone, twice firing passes far over the heads of his receivers.
> Sacred Heart kicked another field goal, and the first half ended 10-6.
>
> Jack would have given a lot not to have had to sit through their coach's
> halftime tirade, but most of the criticism was justified. The opening
> interception and touchdown had thrown the whole team out of synch.
>
> Jack was determined not to blow their chance at a perfect season. Whatever
> he had to do, he was going to help win this game.
>
> Sacred Heart kicked off to open the second half. Jack raced down the field,
> watching the opposing players instead of the ball. He darted around several
> blockers, and found a clear lane right to the return man.
>
> When he was ten yards away, he saw the ball dropping down, into-- and
> through--the receiver's arms. The frantic player stopped his incipient
> charge up the field, bending down to grab the ball. Just as he got it, Jack
> slammed into him hard.
>
> The receiver, and the ball, went flying backwards. Jack watched it bouncing
> toward the end zone as Joe Dickson raced past him with two Cavalry Chapel
> players on his heels. Joe scooped up the ball as the two players crashed
> into him, and the three of them rolled into the end zone. The end judge put
> up his arms to signal the touchdown as Sacred Heart's fans finally had
> something to cheer about. Jack ran into the end zone to pile onto Joe with
> the other players.
>
> Sensing their upset slipping away from them, Cavalry Chapel was unable to
> do anything on the ensuing drive. Two plays after the punt, Billy hit their
> best receiver thirty yards over the middle, and he slipped and darted
> through Cavalry Chapel's backfield into the end zone, completing a
> seventy-one yard touchdown pass.
>
> After that, the rout seemed to be on. Calvary Chapel managed a brief drive,
> but Sacred Heart responded with another touchdown. With the score now
> 27-10, and with Cavalry Chapel beginning to look defeated, the coach began
> rotating in the substitutes.
>
> Jack remained in though, and on the next drive, he snatched the ball away
> from one of Cavalry Chapel's receivers and returned it to their twenty-five
> yard line. Two minutes later, Billy made it 34-10 on a two-yard run.
>
> Jack knew he already had the conference record for defensive
> touchdowns--now up to six--but he wanted to close the season with just one
> more. He mentioned to the coach, who agreed to keep him in for the rest of
> the game.
>
> His chance came late in the fourth quarter, with the score now 41-10. One
> third-and-nine, Jack broke past one of their offensive lineman to come up
> behind the quarterback, who had pulled back to pass. The quarterback cocked
> his arm into throwing position just as Jack reached him, but he didn't see
> Jack coming.
>
> Rather than simply tackle him, as he would normally have done, Jack did the
> selfish thing--he grabbed the ball right out of the quarterback's hand and
> took off for the end zone. No one came close to tackling him, and he scored
> his seventh and last touchdown of the regular season. He felt a little
> guilty about it, especially after seeing the dejected expressions on the
> other players' faces, and resolved to confess about it to Father Roberts.
> The game ended a few minutes later with the score 48-10.
>
> Summer found him on the sidelines.
>
> "Everything is ready to go. Just meet me after you change. We're all going
> to go over there together. My folks think we're just going to another
> party."
>
> "Okay."
>
> He found them waiting for him outside the locker room, and they rode the
> bus back to Sacred Heart. From there, they took Summer's car back to their
> neighborhood. They parked at Becky's and walked over to Summer's street.
>
> As they passed Summer's house, she shooed them along faster lest her
> parents see them. The end of the street was dark, and no one seemed to
> notice as they slipped into the backyard of the deserted house. It was on
> the top of a bluff overlooking the air base at El Toro, and between that
> and the landscaping, it didn't look like anyone could see them. Jack could
> hear the pool equipment going, and see steam rising off the spa, but all
> the lights were off.
>
> "I came over this morning," Summer said. "The stuff works just like ours.
> But you guys have to be quiet, okay? If someone hears us, or God forbid
> sees us, they'll probably call the cops."
>
> Glancing around nervously, they disrobed. Karen and Becky were the first
> ones in, giggling and splashing in the water. Jack watched Summer,
> wondering how anyone could be blessed with such a body, and followed her
> in.
>
> The air was cool, down in the fifties, but the water was warm enough. Jack
> swam around, watching three sets of breasts floating in the water.
>
> "This is so weird," Becky said. "I feel more naked than naked."
>
> "It turns me on," Karen said.
>
> "Well, so does practically everything."
>
> Jack leaned against the wall at the shallow end, and watched them swimming
> around for a few minutes. Karen floated over to him and leaned back,
> rubbing her butt against his crotch. He reached down, taking her buttocks
> in his hands. Becky swam over to them, followed by Summer. The two of them
> came up on either side, pressing themselves against him and kissing his
> neck. He groped at the bodies around him, fondling random breasts and
> buttocks.
>
> Karen turned around and reached down to grasp his stiffening penis.
>
> "We should get in the Jacuzzi."
>
> Becky and Summer scrambled over the wall into the spa, followed by Jack and
> Summer. He floated in the center, and the three girls surrounded him. Hands
> moved all over his body, and he turned around, kissing one of them after
> another.
>
> "Ooo," Summer said, "these bubbles really tickle."
>
> "I think I could come just sitting in here," Becky said.
>
> "Try humping a water jet," Karen said.
>
> Becky repositioned herself, leaning against the edge of the spa, and
> shivered.
>
> "Oh, wow."
>
> Giggling, Karen took the jet beside her. Summer continued to fondle him,
> but he stopped her.
>
> "You, too. See who can get off first."
>
> Karen and Becky both laughed, and Summer took the jet on Becky's other
> side. Jack got behind them, watching them working their hips around in the
> water. Moans and whimpers soon filled the air. Becky was soon whining
> through her nose, and then began to shake. She rode the jet for a few more
> seconds before leaning back against Jack.
>
> "Mmm . . ."
>
> She giggled contentedly, and Jack played with her breasts from behind. She
> reached between her legs, finding his stiff cock, and guided it into her.
> As she floated in the bubbly water, he rode her from behind, keeping his
> hands on her breasts.
>
> Karen and Summer reached orgasm about a minute later, almost within a
> second or two of each other. They turned around to see Becky rising up and
> down on Jack's erection.
>
> "Greedy cow," Karen muttered.
>
> "Get up on the edge of the spa," Becky said. "I'll make it up to you."
>
> Karen scooted up, and Becky floated forward. She spread Karen's thighs and
> leaned down to lick at her. Summer floated around behind Jack, pressing her
> breasts against his back, reaching under and between him and Becky to
> fondle them.
>
> Becky quickly brought Karen to another orgasm, and Karen slipped back into
> the water, complaining that she was cold. Becky slid off Jack's penis, and
> Summer moved to take her place. Karen and Becky floated on either side,
> tweaking and caressing all over them. Summer floated over Jack, legs around
> his waist, arms around his neck. He found that he could thrust in and out
> of her with almost no effort. The hot water and bubbling spa, not to
> mention Karen and Becky's assistance, brought them both off in a minute or
> two. Summer backed away, and Karen climbed on.
>
> Jack was only partially erect, but the whole body stimulation soon
> rearoused him. Karen rode him for a few minutes as Becky and Summer tweaked
> her nipples and kissed her in turn. She eventually reached a thrashing,
> clawing climax under their busy fingers. When Karen was finished, he pushed
> her off and grabbed Becky again. Giggling, she straddled him as Summer
> guided his cock into her.
>
> He stood up more now, relying less on the floatation and more on his own
> strength to thrust at her. She held on tightly and let him work. Karen
> floated behind her, holding both of Becky's breasts in her hands. Summer
> moved behind Jack, caressing him from behind. He turned around and kissed
> her deeply for a few seconds. He looked back to see Karen and Becky doing
> the same thing. A few more deep thrusts put an end to it, as he drained
> himself in her.
>
> They floated around for another twenty minutes, resting and relaxing,
> before finally climbing out and going home.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> XXXI.
>
> Finals, the football playoffs, and Christmas all seemed to arrive at once.
> Somehow, Jack found the time to devote enough attention to each. Sacred
> Heart played Estancia High in the quarterfinals, and after a tough game
> that was mainly a defensive battle, Sacred Heart prevailed 14-10. He
> completed his finals the next week, and felt good enough about them not to
> worry any more than he had to (since this was the last semester grades the
> Academy would see). Friday, he went Christmas shopping, getting a 14k gold
> heart-shaped locket for Summer, a charm bracelet for Becky, and a similar
> pair of earrings for Karen. He wanted to get them more, but anything more
> serious would raise questions. He just hoped they understood.
>
> That weekend, Sacred Heart went up against Irvine Woodbridge in the
> semifinals, and fell behind 14-7 at the half. The coach gave them another
> mid-game rant during halftime, and Jack helped lead the comeback with two
> second-half interceptions. The game ended 21-14, setting up a match in the
> finals with the defending Division IX champions, Santa Margarita.
>
> That Saturday was the Christmas Formal. They had decided amongst themselves
> that another three-way date like the Homecoming Dance would raise too many
> eyebrows, so Becky and Karen had accepted date requests from a couple of
> guys in their class, boys they were friendly enough with, but not so
> friendly that the dates would signify anything relationship-wise. They had
> all agreed to meet together before the dance to go out to dinner.
>
> Jack rented a tuxedo and arrived at Summer's house with a corsage and the
> locket.
>
> Her father let him in.
>
> "Jack, come in. Merry Christmas."
>
> "Merry Christmas, sir."
>
> "You look very spiffy. Summer will be impressed."
>
> "Thank you, sir."
>
> "So you boys are playing in the State Championship, huh?"
>
> "Yes, sir. I'm really looking forward to it. It's going to be a tough
> game."
>
> "Well, we'll all be out rooting for you. I'm sure you will boys will win."
>
> "I hope so, sir."
>
> Summer's mother came down the stairs.
>
> "Oh, don't you look just darling." She kissed him on the cheek. "Summer
> will be down in a moment. Let me go get the camera."
>
> She went off into the kitchen, and her father waved him into the living
> room.
>
> "Jack, have a seat. Any word from the Academy yet?"
>
> "No, sir. I probably won't hear for a couple of months."
>
> "I can't tell you how excited I am for you. That's such a great
> opportunity."
>
> "I'm just hoping Summer gets admitted to Georgetown too."
>
> "Well, so am I, but what's meant to be, will be. God knows what's best for
> us even we don't always know ourselves."
>
> "Yes, sir."
>
> Summer's mother came out with the camera, then called upstairs.
>
> "All right, honey, we're ready."
>
> Jack stood and looked up the stairs. Summer emerged from her room. She wore
> a long black velvet dress that hugged her from top to bottom. Though the
> fabric was thick enough not to expose too much, it was a more revealing
> dress than he would have expected her mother to tolerate. Her hair was
> straight, falling around her face. Watching her descend the stairs made him
> dizzy. She couldn't possibly be that beautiful.
>
> "Hi."
>
> She kissed him on the cheek.
>
> "Hi. You look great."
>
> "Thanks. So do you."
>
> He took out the corsage and pinned it to her chest.
>
> "Oh, you two look just wonderful," her mother said.
>
> He took a breath and handed her the box with the locket in it.
>
> "Merry Christmas."
>
> She looked at him and her parents nervously.
>
> "Should I open it now?"
>
> "Oh, go ahead and open it, honey," her mother said.
>
> "Yeah. Open it now."
>
> "Okay."
>
> She tore off the wrapping paper and took the top off the cardboard box
> under it. When she saw the velvet box inside, she gasped slightly. She took
> it out carefully, glancing at him, and opened it.
>
> "Oh, honey, that's beautiful."
>
> Her eyes began to water up, and she hugged him tightly.
>
> "Thank you," she squeaked.
>
> She let go of him and looked back the box, realizing then that it was a
> locket and not just a charm. She opened it with her thumbnail, seeing the
> two little pictures he had put inside. She gasped again and hugged him.
>
> "I love you," she whispered in his ear.
>
> "Why don't you put it on," her father said.
>
> "Oh, yes, let's see how it looks."
>
> She took it out and gave it to Jack. She lifted her hair and let him put it
> around her neck.
>
> "Oh, that is just gorgeous," her mother said.
>
> Summer laughed in embarrassment and wiped her eyes.
>
> "Let me get you a tissue," her mother said. "We don't want to ruin your
> makeup."
>
> She came back a moment later and fixed the damage. Then she had them pose
> around the room and shot off a roll of film. Only then did she let them go.
>
> Once out in the car, Summer hugged him again.
>
> "This is so beautiful. I hope it wasn't expensive."
>
> "You're worth it."
>
> "Oh, God. I got you something but nothing as nice as this."
>
> "It's all right. You're all the present I need."
>
> She pulled down the passenger side mirror and admired it again.
>
> "What did you get Karen and Becky?"
>
> "A bracelet for Becky and earrings for Karen. They look sort of the same. A
> necklace would have been too much like a boyfriend present."
>
> "Yeah. You're not going to give them to them tonight, though?"
>
> "No. I told them how I was going to do it. I'd give you that tonight, and
> then theirs later this weekend. I can't give them anything tonight."
>
> "Yeah. Their dates probably wouldn't like that."
>
> In truth, he was more worried about how Karen and Becky would react to
> Summer's gift. Karen could probably deal with it, but it was just the sort
> of thing that would trigger Becky's feelings of inferiority. He had called
> her the night before and spent an hour talking it over with her, assuring
> her that this date arrangement was a painful necessity, but that it didn't
> mean anything about how he felt about her. She professed to understand, but
> he wasn't convinced.
>
> They met the other two couples at a restaurant in Newport Beach. He
> noticed, though they tried to be discreet, jealous glances at Summer's
> necklace. There was nothing he could do at that point, so he tried to make
> sure he didn't ignore Karen and Becky during dinner.
>
> At the dance, he of necessity spent most of his time with Summer, although
> he danced with Karen and Becky several times.
>
> "Are you okay?" he asked Becky in between songs.
>
> "Yeah. This is hard, though."
>
> "I know. I'm sorry. You know I love you as much as her."
>
> "Yeah. I just wish everyone else could know it too. That's the problem."
>
> Karen was handling it better.
>
> "I'll live," she told him. "But you owe me big time when we get home
> tonight."
>
> He discreetly laid a hand on her butt. Per usual, she had no panties on.
>
> Summer came up to him a few minutes later.
>
> "I saw you grabbing Karen's butt."
>
> "It was a muscle spasm."
>
> "So you had to massage it out of her butt?"
>
> He stifled a laugh.
>
> "They're doing all right. Karen better than Becky, though."
>
> "This is going to happen again, at the Prom if not some other time."
>
> "I know."
>
> "Maybe we could break up, and you could be Becky's boyfriend for a while."
>
> He glanced at her, startled.
>
> "Are you serious?"
>
> "Well, it would be hard for me, but I could deal with it. I mean, it would
> only be for appearance's sake."
>
> He thought about that for a second.
>
> "Your folks won't like it."
>
> "Well, the hell with them. And we could get back together later. I guess we
> could draw straws to see who gets to go to the Prom with you."
>
> He stared into her eyes, not believing what he was hearing.
>
> "Are you really serious about this? You would do that for her?"
>
> "I love her. I hate what this is doing to her."
>
> He sighed.
>
> "You have to be the most selfless person I have ever known. If you thought
> I loved you before, it's nothing compared to now."
>
> Her eyes began to water, and he hugged her.
>
> "Should we do it now? We could take advantage of those tears."
>
> She laughed softly.
>
> "Okay. Let me work myself up a second." She took a deep breath. "Get ready.
> We're about to break up."
>
> She held him for a few seconds. Then she pushed herself sharply away from
> him.
>
> "What?" she cried out loud. "How can you say that to me?"
>
> Heads all around them shot around to stare. Her face was contorted by
> feigned grief, and tears were running down her face.
>
> "Summer--"
>
> "Oh, God!"
>
> She turned and ran away from him, sobbing. He watched her running out of
> the room and tried to look upset. It wasn't hard.
>
> Karen came running up to him a second later, grabbing his arm tightly.
>
> "What the hell?"
>
> He leaned over to whisper in her ear.
>
> "It's a ploy. Just play along with it. She's fine. Go after her."
>
> She glanced over to the door, then back to him. Then she ran out the door
> after Summer. He saw Becky looking at him in utter confusion, and then she
> went after Karen.
>
> He stood there for a few seconds looking conflicted, and then walked over
> to the refreshment table. Randy came up to him a few seconds later.
>
> "Dude, what happened?"
>
> "I think we may be breaking up."
>
> His eyebrows went up.
>
> "You and Summer? No way!"
>
> "Way. I don't want to get into it."
>
> "Oh, shit, man, that sucks."
>
> "Tell me about it."
>
> He milled around, not talking to anyone, waiting to see what would happen.
> He wasn't surprised when Becky came back into the room about ten minutes
> later. The torn look on her face didn't seem faked. She stopped to whisper
> something to her date, then walked over to Jack. He tried to appear upset
> and walked with her out another door of the ballroom. When they had the
> hall to themselves, he looked down at her and smiled.
>
> "Merry Christmas."
>
> "Oh, my God."
>
> She threw herself at him, hugging him tightly for close to a minute, crying
> against his shoulder.
>
> "I was as stunned as you are when Summer suggested this."
>
> "She's so wonderful. Oh, God, I can't believe this is happening. I thought
> you guys were really having a fight. I feel so bad about it now, but I
> actually hoped you were."
>
> "We didn't plan it. This evening just kind of precipitated it."
>
> He untangled himself from her arms.
>
> "We can't move quite this fast, though."
>
> "I know. I know. I'm going to being comforting you this week, then by next
> weekend, we'll go out somewhere. Summer and I aren't going to be friends
> for the next month or so, but then we'll make up. Let everyone gossip. I
> don't care."
>
> Summer went home by herself, and Jack rode home with Karen and her date.
>
> "So when do I get to be your girlfriend?" she asked him when they were
> inside.
>
> "One day. Don't get greedy."
>
> "I'm kidding. We should have thought of this before."
>
> "Can you call Summer? I can't do it now, and I just want to touch base with
> her."
>
> "Sure."
>
> She dialed Summer's number and talked to her for a few minutes, then gave
> him the phone.
>
> "Hi," she said.
>
> "I love you."
>
> "I know. I love you, too. I wasn't faking all my tears tonight. This is
> going to be hard for me. But Becky had to do it, so I can survive, too."
>
> "How did your folks take it?"
>
> "My mom cried, can you believe that? She wants me to try to make up with
> you. I'm going to have to be careful not to make you look too bad so they
> don't end up hating you for hurting me."
>
> "This is going to be quite a charade."
>
> "I know. But it will be fun. Becky and I can be witchy to each other for a
> month and then laugh about it when no one is around. But it's going to mean
> you and I can't see each other unless we're really, really careful."
>
> "The Three Mouseketeers are broken up for the time being."
>
> "Right. But we worked it out so Karen will be the peacemaker. She'll play
> the middle, and publicly convince us all to be friends again."
>
> "What are you going to do if someone asks you out?"
>
> "Oh, you'd like to know, wouldn't you?"
>
> She giggled.
>
> "I'm just going to tell them I'm too heartbroken for now. Then when we're
> friends again, it will be back to normal."
>
> "Okay. I know I said this, but I'll say it again. You're most wonderful
> person I know for doing this."
>
> "Thanks. I wish you were here to hug me. It does hurt. Now I understand
> what Becky was going through."
>
> "I'm sorry."
>
> "I'll be okay. I know you love me."
>
> "I do."
>
> "Okay. Goodnight. Don't let Karen keep you up too late."
>
> Marcia came into his room a few minutes later.
>
> "Jack?"
>
> "Yes, ma'am?"
>
> "I'm so sorry. Karen told me what happened."
>
> "I'll be okay."
>
> She came up and hugged him.
>
> "This is probably just a little lover's spat. Everyone goes through it."
>
> "I don't know. We said some pretty nasty things to each other tonight."
>
> "I'm sorry."
>
> "I'm just thinking, and I told her this, that it might be time for a
> break."
>
> She leaned back to look up at him.
>
> "Well, that's not necessarily bad. You're pretty young to have gotten this
> deep with her. Maybe a little time apart will make you appreciate each
> other more."
>
> "Maybe. I'm tired, though."
>
> "I'll let you get to bed."
>
> "Goodnight."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> XXXII.
>
> That week was Christmas, and as the girls had decided, Becky moved in to
> comfort Jack in his grief. When school started up again after New Years,
> and the arrangement became more obvious, Summer and Becky began hissing and
> spitting at each other like a pair of alley cats, generating a storm of
> gossip around the school. It was painful enough for Jack to watch that he
> spent several nights on the phone with Summer talking about it. But Becky
> was now quite obviously his girlfriend, and walking above the clouds about
> it.
>
> Wednesday night, he and Summer met in the park after dark. They held each
> other for a few minutes, before lying down on a blanket back amongst some
> trees.
>
> "I missed you."
>
> "Me too. This is harder than I thought. I can't wait for all of us to make
> up."
>
> "It will be over before you know it."
>
> "The three of us were talking about having some big emotional
> reconciliation in the middle of lunch one day."
>
> "That would be funny."
>
> "I know. But the gossip is just killing me. People are trashing Becky like
> you wouldn't believe. Pretty soon I'm going to be telling them to shut up
> about it, you know, that it's just too painful for me to listen to. Which
> it is."
>
> "I guess after the Homecoming Dance thing, it makes her look bad to swoop
> in as soon as you're gone."
>
> "That and more. Everyone knows we were best friends, and now they think she
> returned the favor by stealing my boyfriend. I wish we had thought this out
> a little better."
>
> "Yeah. But it's done now."
>
> "I know. Enough talking. Just hold me."
>
> He did. A little later, they made love, roughly the first time, then slower
> the second.
>
> "I have so much respect for Becky now," she said afterward. "I don't know
> how she managed four months of this."
>
> "It was hard."
>
> "I know."
>
> He and Becky were sitting together in the quad after lunch the next day. He
> leaned against a tree, and she lay back with her head in his lap, eyes
> closed, a contented smile on her face.
>
> "Are you happy?"
>
> "Yes. Though I'll be happier when this is over and we can be friends again.
> And I didn't think about the gossip."
>
> "Me neither. But it won't last."
>
> "God, I hate high school. This will be so much easier in college. No one
> will care."
>
> "Give it time."
>
> "But you don't know how wonderful it is to be able to kiss you, to hug you,
> without worrying about who sees us. To know everyone knows you're mine. No
> matter what they say about it. I wake up every morning having to remind
> myself of it."
>
> "Summer was saying she understands now what you were going through. She
> doesn't know how you did it."
>
> "I know. She said the same thing to me. I love her for it."
>
> "This gossip has got to hurt, though. I know it hurts me to hear people
> talking such trash about you."
>
> "It does. But it won't last forever. I'm willing to put up with it since it
> means I can have you."
>
> Friday night was the CIF Southern Section Division IX Championship game at
> Edison Field in Anaheim. Most of the school rode over in a convoy of buses,
> accompanied by carloads of families and alumni. The team moved into the
> locker rooms, and Jack tried not to think about all the professional
> players who had suited up in that room. The coach gave them a rousing pep
> talk and sent them out.
>
> Jack had been to a few big pro stadiums before, but things looked a lot
> bigger from down on the field. The stands weren't even a quarter full--he
> estimated the crowd at five or ten thousand, tops--but he was impressed
> just the same. Most of the other players seemed similarly intimidated
> despite the coach's attempts to prepare them. He wondered how the Santa
> Margarita players, who had won here the year before, were dealing with it.
>
> He got his answer on the opening drive. Sacred Heart kicked off, and Santa
> Margarita promptly drove down to the five-yard line. Jack, and the rest of
> the defense, had not yet found their equilibrium. On third-and-goal, Jack
> picked up the tight end on a slant pattern, but got faked out by a simple
> move he should have anticipated. The tight end broke past him and pulled
> down a pass for the touchdown. Jack swore to himself, hoping things weren't
> going to get any worse.
>
> Billy seemed to be handling the pressure better, but his receivers weren't.
> Sacred Heart's drive stalled at midfield after a series of dropped passes.
> Santa Margarita took the punt and a few minutes later connected on a
> thirty-five yard touchdown pass to go up 14-0. The first quarter ended with
> Sacred Heart having gained a total of twenty-four yards of offense and
> given up a hundred and thirty.
>
> But the first-quarter break seemed to give the team time to settle down.
> They had been behind more than once before, and had yet to lose. On Santa
> Margarita's next drive, Jack broke into the backfield and caught their
> halfback for a five-yard loss. Second down brought an incomplete pass,
> setting up third and fifteen. The coach called a blitz play known as 7-42,
> one on which Jack had accumulated most of his sacks.
>
> But Jack immediately noticed the quarterback reacting when Sacred Heart
> lined up on defense. The two of them locked eyes, and Jack realized he had
> recognized the play and expected Jack to come flying at him. He had called
> an audible and no doubt adjusted the play. Jack saw the tight end
> reposition himself, and thought he knew what was going to happen.
>
> When the ball was snapped, Sacred Heart's line charged in. Jack feinted,
> watching for the tight end to slip past them for the short bucket pass over
> the line that he expected to come. It did. When the other team had
> committed to the play, he suddenly dropped back in front of the tight end.
> The ball came flying at them, and Jack leaped up, catching the nose of the
> ball with the tips of his fingers, sending it spinning up in the air. He
> fell back against the tight end, and the ball came down close enough for
> him to snatch it away from the frantic player.
>
> Sacred Heart took over at the Santa Margarita forty-yard line as Jack
> accepted the back slapping and congratulations that greeted him on the
> sidelines. He looked over at the cheerleaders, and thought that the obvious
> tension didn't seem entirely forced.
>
> Billy completed two quick passes down to the ten-yard line, then their
> running back got them to the two. On third and goal, the back ran around
> the right side, pulling up the Santa Margarita defenders. But he stopped
> short and tossed the ball back the other direction to where Billy was
> waiting alone just over the goal line. He pulled down the pass and spiked
> it hard.
>
> Jack could finally feel their rhythm beginning to click. On the next
> defensive series, Sacred Heart stopped Santa Margarita after one first
> down. Billy took the punt and drove them slowly down the field, finally
> scoring on a three yard run around the left end to tie the score. Neither
> team could manage much more on offense after that, and the half ended
> 14-14.
>
> When the second half opened, Sacred Heart drove to about midfield before
> having to punt. On the first play, the Santa Margarita quarterback dropped
> back and heaved a long pass down the middle. As Jack watched, the receiver
> somehow pulled it down on the thirty-yard line. Three plays later, their
> running back broke a twenty-one yard run into the end zone to put them up
> 21-14.
>
> Sacred Heart's next drive moved quickly downfield, but then stalled at the
> Santa Margarita forty-yard line. Then the coach pulled Jack aside.
>
> "We're going with that play. Get in there."
>
> Two weeks before, the coach had come up with a trick play designed to take
> advantage of Jack's notoriety. Jack was big and able to run, so he could
> conceivably pass as a fullback. The hope was that putting him in would
> generate enough attention to affect the defense, and fool them long enough
> for what was really going to happen.
>
> When Jack went running in, he could see the other team reacting
> immediately. The Santa Margarita coach began yelling, and sent someone else
> in with another play. Billy called the play, and Jack lined up behind him
> as fullback. All the other players were lined up for a short yardage run,
> except for two token receivers out to the side. Billy snapped the ball, and
> handed it to Jack as he charged past. When he got to the line, Jack stopped
> short, spun around, and tossed the ball back to Billy. Billy set himself
> and fired downfield. The receiver had cut across in front of the
> cornerback, and pulled the ball down on the twenty-yard line. He
> high-stepped, untouched, into the end zone. As the other players
> celebrated, Jack glanced over at the sideline, seeing the Santa Margarita
> coach throwing his clipboard at the ground.
>
> Santa Margarita tried another long pass on the next drive, but this one
> fell short. They punted after three plays, and Sacred Heart took over on
> their forty-yard line. The drive started out well, but a couple of key
> passes got dropped, and they had to settle for a field goal. The third
> quarter ended with Sacred Heart up 24-21.
>
> But Santa Margarita wasn't about to give up. They were 12-0 as well, and
> hadn't lost a game in over two years, having gone undefeated in their
> championship run the year before. They took the next kickoff and drove
> steadily downfield to the five-yard line. Jack had had a couple of tackles,
> but they were clearly trying to avoid him. On third-and-goal, he broke into
> the backfield and chased the quarterback out of the pocket. He rolled out,
> and tossed the ball toward the end zone before Jack got close to him. Jack
> leaped, but the ball was too far over his head. He came down watch the ball
> drop into the hands of a Santa Margarita receiver.
>
> Jack was getting worried. Twenty-eight points were the most they had given
> up all season. They had closed out the last four games of the regular
> season without giving up that much combined. He was worried, but not
> surprised. This was the toughest and best-coordinated offense they had ever
> faced. Santa Margarita wasn't riding a thirty- game winning streak by
> accident.
>
> On the next drive, Billy drove downfield but again couldn't get into the
> end zone. Sacred Heart kicked another field goal to close the gap to one
> point. Jack managed to catch the Santa Margarita quarterback twice on their
> next drive, and they punted back to Sacred Heart. With five minutes left in
> their season, Billy set out to win the game.
>
> Two quick passes over the middle and couple of long runs put Sacred Heart
> on the Santa Margarita ten-yard line. On first down, Billy's pass went over
> the head of his receiver in the back of the end zone. On the next play, he
> handed off to their running back, who broke through the line and charged
> toward the goal. On the three-yard line, Santa Margarita's outside
> linebacker hit him hard from the side, and the ball popped loose. It
> bounced once amongst the frantic players before a pile descended onto it at
> the one-yard line.
>
> Everyone in the stadium went to their feet. Jack and the other players on
> the sideline crowded together to see who came up with it. A minute later, a
> cheer went up from the wrong side of the field. Santa Margarita had
> recovered with a minute to go in the game. Wanting to scream in
> frustration, Jack jogged out to the field with the other defenders.
>
> The coach yelled for them to come back. He circled them around him.
>
> "Listen to me. It's not over yet, all right? Two points are as good as six
> right now. They're on their one-yard line. I know you guys can do it. Just
> do what you've been doing all season. Now get out there and win this
> goddamned game!"
>
> The officials placed the ball just inside the one-yard line. There was no
> room to down the ball, so Santa Margarita had to run a conventional play to
> run out the clock. Sacred Heart's only chance was to catch them behind the
> goal line.
>
> The first play was a dive over the line. Randy read the run perfectly, and
> caught the fullback squarely in the air, dropping him back where he had
> started. Sacred Heart called timeout. The ball was now halfway between the
> one-yard hash mark and the goal line.
>
> Second down brought another dive and another timeout. The ball hadn't moved
> appreciably. Sacred Heart had only one timeout left, and Santa Margarita
> could just run another dive and then kick a short punt out of the end zone.
> That would put them twenty or thirty yards out with no timeouts and less
> than thirty seconds to go.
>
> The third down snap came, and Jack charged up to the line. When he got
> there, he found a slim hole and squirted through just in time to slam into
> the running back.
>
> For one infinite second, he and Jack struggled with every ounce of their
> strength. They forced each other up, groaning with the effort, standing
> together like a pyramid. Jack was reminded of many wrestling matches that
> had begun like this, and realized what he had to do.
>
> Holding tight on the running back, he twisted himself around. The back
> thought Jack had given in, and tried to launch himself forward. But Jack
> kept twisting, and swung the back off his feet and over him. The two of
> them landed together in a heap as half the players on the field piled onto
> them.
>
> He heard cheering all around them, but he kept his grip on the running
> back, though he struggled and tried to twist away from him. One by one, the
> officials pulled the players off them. Jack finally looked up to see one of
> them with his hands in a steeple over his head. He closed his eyes and let
> go of the running back. A second later, every Sacred Heart player on the
> field piled onto him.
>
> The safety had stopped the clock with thirty-five seconds left, but Santa
> Margarita now had to punt from their twenty-yard line. They tried a wobbly
> squib kick designed to precipitate a fumble, but Sacred Heart got the ball
> and sat on it. Two plays later, it was all over.
>
> Jack leapt around the field with the other ecstatic players and fans,
> hugging everyone he saw. He hugged Becky tightly, then Karen. And, not
> caring who saw, he hugged Summer, though she at first seemed to think she
> should hold back. But he let her go quickly lest they blow the charade.
>
> The celebration went on for a good half-hour, during which the CIF
> officials came down to present the Division IX trophy. Jack and Billy were
> voted the Most Valuable Players. Jack talked to a reporter from the
> Register for a few minutes, but was so excited he forgot afterward what he
> had said. They all drove back home and continued the party there. Jack
> didn't get to bed until after dawn.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> XXXIII.
>
> Two weeks later, Jack's elation over the championship was progressively
> dimmed by the ongoing "feud" between Becky and Summer. As much as he talked
> to them about it in private, it was difficult to watch. Summer told him one
> night that she had begun yelling at people who criticized Becky in her
> presence, complaining to them that she was sick of the whole routine. That
> much, at least, was true. The "reconciliation" was due any day now. Jack
> thought it couldn't come too soon for him.
>
> Jack was lying in bed with Karen that Thursday night.
>
> "I think I'm going to do it tomorrow at lunch. I'm just going to cause a
> big scene and yell at them both."
>
> "What do you need me to do?"
>
> "Nothing. You might offer to help, but I'll yell at you, too. It will help
> Becky if I can publicly spread the blame around more."
>
> She rolled over and laid her chin on his chest.
>
> "I can sort of understand what they're going through. If I couldn't have
> you like this here at home, I don't think I would be dealing with nearly as
> well."
>
> "Do you think Kelly knows what's going on?"
>
> "I told her, if for no other reason than to be sure she understands to stay
> out of it."
>
> "Okay. She's seemed okay about this lately."
>
> "She's doing better than I would have thought. I think it's because you
> helped get her a boyfriend. Now that she has Tommy Ryan to hang around
> with, she doesn't need to fixate on you so much."
>
> "On me?"
>
> "Oh, come on. Don't tell me you couldn't tell."
>
> He pondered for a minute about what to say. He knew what she meant, but he
> wasn't sure what the right reaction should be.
>
> "Tell what?"
>
> "That she had the world's biggest crush on you. It wasn't Mom's idea for
> you to tutor her in Math. Kelly suggested it when her teacher called Mom
> about her grades. It was going on most of this fall; you were just so
> wrapped up in me and Summer and Becky that you were oblivious to it. But
> now that she has a boyfriend, I think it's over."
>
> "Good. All I need is another girlfriend to worry about."
>
> Jack arrived at the cafeteria the next day wondering what was going to
> happen. The three of them had long eaten lunch together, until this
> episode. Now, Summer ate nearby with some of her other friends and Jack ate
> with Becky. Karen had been moving back and forth.
>
> He approached their spot to see Karen standing between the tables with an
> exasperated look on her face. Summer was saying something to Becky, but he
> was too far away to hear her.
>
> Karen turned and slammed her tray down on the table next to her.
>
> "That's it! I have had it with you two!"
>
> The din in the lunchroom immediately ebbed as people turned around to
> stare.
>
> "I am not going to go on listening to my two best friends behave like a
> couple of cats! This is not worth it! You two were best friends for four
> years and all of a sudden you're ready to scratch each other's eyes out? I
> don't care who this is about, no guy is worth this! The two of you have
> been trying to pull me in half, and I'm not going to put up with it
> anymore."
>
> Jack approached them, thinking this was a good time to intervene.
>
> "Karen--"
>
> She whirled around on him, pointing her finger straight out.
>
> "Stay out of this! This is your goddamned fault!"
>
> Hoots and applause greeted that remark, and Karen continued, looking back
> and forth between Summer and Becky.
>
> "Come on. Don't you remember all the nights we slept over at each other's
> houses? All the times we swore nothing was going to come between us? You
> can't ditch four years of friendship over something like this."
>
> "She stole Summer's boyfriend," Cordelia White said.
>
> "I did not!" Becky yelled.
>
> "Cordelia, shut up," Summer said.
>
> More cheers and clapping followed.
>
> "You guys can work this out somehow," Karen said. "I know you can. I can't
> go on watching you tear each other apart. I can't go on listening to all
> this awful gossip. Can you really tell me you're willing to forget all the
> good times we had because of who is dating who? Give me a break. I live
> with him and I know he's not worth this."
>
> Scattered laughter came in response to that, and Jack grinned in
> embarrassment. Someone thumped him on the back.
>
> "Can you two just make up? Please? For all our sakes? Don't make me choose
> who I have to be friends with. I can't do it. And I won't."
>
> She glanced back and forth at the two of them, regarding the sad looks on
> their faces. She reached down and took Summer's wrist and pulled her to her
> feet, then did the same to Becky. For a few awkward seconds, the three of
> them stood together. Then Becky and Summer looked up at each other, then
> came together in an embrace. Karen hugged them both. Someone started
> clapping, and slowly the students around them all began cheering and
> applauding. Jack stood there wondering what to do.
>
> Then Karen let go of them, and turned around. She reached out, pulling him
> to them. He put his arms around all three of them, and hugged them one by
> one. When he let them go, he saw Becky and Summer wiping tears out of their
> eyes. Summer had held onto his hand, and he hugged her again. No one seemed
> to care.
>
> "I love you," she whispered to him.
>
> "You, too."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Go To Part 7 -->