	Even though Larry was out of my life, things did not return to normal right away.  I spent the next two months under the constant fear of being pregnant.  Paulie and I hadn’t used protection but, with a whole lot of luck, I wound up dodging that bit of bad luck.
	The school year crept along and, for some reason, my mother was less annoying than normal. Maybe the way Larry had left her had woken her up to how crappy of a life she was leading.
	My fourteenth birthday came and went and things were getting back to normal.  That was until Mitch came into my life.
	Mitch had moved into our little town just after school had started and he had quickly become one of the town’s favorite sons.  There was nothing in football, basketball, or baseball he couldn’t do.  
	I didn’t really follow out sports teams but, taking one look at him, I could see why everyone was drooling over him.  He was 17 and six and a half feet tall. He kept his hair long and the way it framed his face made him look like a very young rock star.  The muscles of his arms and chest looked like they were sculpted from marble.  He could easily go on to a career of modeling for romance novel covers.
	I noticed him in passing, loving the way his pants looked when he walked away in the hall.  I didn’t delude myself into thinking I had a chance with him.  My reputation, because of Alan’s trial, kept most everyone away.  Except for the guys that just wanted to try and get into my pants.  My reputation kept most of the girls away too. Who wants to be seen hanging out with the town slut?
	I was pulling my books out of my locker when someone leaned against the locker next to me.  I looked over and nodded to my friend Julie.  She was one of the few people that would dare to be seen with me in public.  She was the best.
	“Check out what’s coming our way?” She said, looking past me.
	I looked and, sure enough, it was Mitch.  I could admit to admiring him but Julie did a little more than admire him.  She was obsessed with him. She had pictures of him in her locker. She even carried one around in her backpack.  She went so far as to have her mother drive past Mitch’s house whenever they went anyone on the off chance she might see him.  I loved the girl but she scared me a little.
	We both watched Mitch walk by, along with several other people.  When he was out of sight, Julie grabbed my arm and started giggling like a lunatic.  
	“You are so weird,” I told her.
	“Yeah, but you love me,” she replied.
	“Not as much as you love Mitch,” I said.
	Julie swooned and gave me a huge grin.
	“Like either of you would have a chance with him. Do you really think he goes for freaks or whores?” A voice asked behind us.
	I turned and gave Mandy a long glare. Mandy loved to go around pissing me off.  She loved to remind everyone how much of a cheap slut I was and he shit was getting real old.
	I took a step towards her, my fists balled.  I wanted to knock the smug look of her bitch face but Mrs. Jenkins came walking down the hall and saw the look on my face.
	“Ms. Carol, just what do you think you’re doing?” She asked.
	Mandy gave me a smug little smile before walking off down the hall.  I turned and faced Mrs. Jenkins.
	“I wasn’t doing anything,” I said, my voice trembling from the anger that I wanted to unleash on Mandy’s face.
	“Sure you weren’t,” she said.  “You just better watch yourself, young lady.  Mandy is a good girl and you should show her some respect.  You could learn a thing or two from her on how a lady’s supposed to act.”
	I bit my tongue and just barely managed to keep my mouth shut. I turned and stormed down the hall towards first period.
	Yup, things were back to normal alright.

*****

	AT lunch, I got my food and sat as far away from anyone as I could get.  I was still in a bad mood from this morning and people were on my list of things to avoid.  For once I was glad to have my reputation as a shield.
	“So how much for a quickie behind the gym, Lizzi?” A voice asked from behind me.
	I turned and found Todd and his idiot group of friends wandering up to my table.  So much for my reputation keeping people away.
	“Fuck off, Todd,” I said, trying to ignore them and hoping they would just go away.
	“Come on, baby, I’ve got twenty bucks. That should pay for a blowjob, right?”
	He and his friends laughed at his witty little joke. I grabbed my tray and was thinking about smacking him over the head with it when Mitch walked up.
	Todd and Mitch were both on the baseball team and, from what I’d seen, they were pretty good friends.  Great.  Now, to add insult to injury, I was going to have to get shit from the town hero.
	“First off, Toddy, I don’t think she’s going to blow you cause it would take to damn long to find that little dick of yours,” Mitch said.  “Second, I heard you like guys so why are you bugging a girl?”
	I don’t know who was more surprised, me or Todd.
	“Mitch, what the fuck?” Todd managed to squeak out.
	“Don’t like it do you?” Mitch asked.  “Why don’t you and your girlfriends here find somewhere else to be and leave her alone.”
	With a look of confusion etched on his face, Todd walked away, his little group of minions right behind him.
	I stared up at Mitch, knowing I was sitting there with a stupid look on my face but what was I supposed to do? Never in a million years had I expected a guy like him to stand up for me. Especially to some that I thought was his friend.
	“That guy’s kind of dick,” he said.  “Sorry about that.”
	“It’s okay,” I managed to say.
	“I’m Mitch, by the way.”
	“I’m Lizzi,” I said.
	“Yeah, I’ve heard of you,” he said.
	The little feeling of happiness that had been growing since he bit Todd’s head off suddenly wilted and died.  He’d heard of me. Yet again my reputation precedes me and makes my life a bitch.
	“Yeah,” I said bitterly, “I bet you’ve heard of me. Is that why you came over? To find out how much I charge for a quick fuck in the bathroom?”
	“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he said, raising his hand.  “That’s not what I meant.  I just meant I’ve heard people talking shit about you and I think it’s fucked up.”
	For the second time in as many minutes, my jaw dropped. Was he being nice to me? Why?
	“Well, people around here are assholes and should mind their own business,” I said.
	“Ain’t that the truth,” he mumbled.  “Look, I just wanted to say don’t let them get you down, okay? I know what it’s like to get shit on like that and it’s hell but you’ll get through it.”
	“Yeah,” I said, “I’m sure you know about getting shit on. Being Mr. Sports Guy, Mr. Popular and the guy most likely to get any chick he wants must be hard.”
	He gave me a small, sad smile and said, “My life hasn’t always been this good. And I’d think, out of everyone here, you’d be the last person to judge someone without hearing their side of things. It was nice meeting you, Lizzi.”
	He walked off before I could think of what to say next. I was angry he’d called me out like that but he’d been right.  Who the hell was I to judge anyone? 
	I spent the rest of the day trying to catch up to Mitch between classes but just couldn’t manage to do it.  When the last bell rang, I ran through the school and out to the parking lot.  I headed straight for his car and stood waiting for him.
	It wasn’t long before he came walking up, a small entourage walking with him.  One of his followers caught sight of me and pointed me out to him.  He said something that made them all look at him funny before walking the rest of the way to his car alone.
	“Hello again,” he said, stopping at the front of his car.
	I stood leaning against his driver’s side door, making sure he’d have to stop and hear me out.
	“Hi,” I said. “Look, I’m sorry about earlier.  I went full bitch on you after you were nice to me and you didn’t deserve that. I just… It’s rough sometimes dealing this shit.”
	“I know,” he said, stepping closer to me. “I know you don’t believe me but I really do know what you’re going through.  I just wanted you to know that.”
	“Thank you,” I said, hearing the waver in my voice and feeling tears stinging my eyes.
	He stepped closer and put his hand on my shoulder. Goosebumps sprung up under his touch and I could feel my heart start to race.
	“I better get going,” I said, my voice, like the rest of me, shaking badly.  “I don’t want to miss my bus.”
	“I could drive you if you want,” he offered.
	I turned and just stared at him.  He wanted to drive me home. The most popular guy in the damn city wanted to be seen with me in his car.  A small voice in my head reminded me he could be just screwing with me but I squashed that voice down.  What really mattered were how many people were going to be pissed when they did see me in his car.
	“Are you sure?” I asked.
	“Yeah,” he said. “Why not?”
	I walked around his car and he got in and unlocked my side.  I slid onto the passenger seat and closed the door.  The whole time I was expecting my alarm to go off any second and wake me up from this amazing dream.
	We pulled out of the parking lot and a ton of people saw me in his car and stared after us.  Tongues would be wagging about this tomorrow for sure.
	“Are you sure you want to be seen with me?” I asked.  “It might mess with your reputation.”
	He shrugged and said, “I’m more than just my stupid rep.  Kind of like you.”
	I looked out the window, trying to keep him from seeing the grin I had on my face.
	“They’re probably going to think you just drove me home to get some anyway,” I said, failing to keep the note of sadness out of my voice.
	“You know that’s not why I’m taking you home though, right?” He asked.
	“Yeah,” I said, not really knowing but hoping a lot.
	We spent the rest of the drive in silence as he drove me home. When we got to my place I got out and said, “Thanks for the lift.”
	“No problem,” he said.  “Hey.  If you ever want to talk or just hang or something, let me know. In addition to everything else I’m great at, I can be a great listener too.  I’m here if you need me.”
	I wanted to believe him. I wanted him to be a man like Alan had been. I wanted it so badly but I just couldn’t bring myself to completely believe him. After everything I’d been through I wasn’t about to risk being hurt again.
	“Thanks,” I said and headed into my house.
	The next day people were talking about him driving me home and everyone was sure he’d gotten some.  I expected it but it still hurt like hell.  Mitch made it all better by turning on one of his friends and screaming, “She’s not a whore and I didn’t fuck her! She’s just a human being and a better one than some of you assholes!”
	I walked to my locker, a smug smile of satisfaction on my face. I saw Julie and hurried over to tell her what had happened.  She saw me coming and gave me the most hateful glare I’d ever seen.  She slammed her locker and walked past me, never once saying a word.
	Mitch had been talking to me and not her.  He’d taken me home in his car and not her. He was standing up for me and not her.  In her mind, I’d stolen him from her.
	The next two weeks were more of the same. Mitch drove me home each day after school. We talked a little and I started to open up to him a little at a time. Julie wouldn’t say a word to me and now people were glaring at me because I might be defiling the reputation of our town’s wonder boy.
	It was right after Thanksgiving that Mitch was driving me home and I saw all the cars in front of my mother’s house.
	“Shit,” I said.
	“What’s wrong?” He asked.
	“The crack whore has all of her junky buddies over,” I said.  “Another fun night of avoiding getting groped and hiding in my room.”
	“You wanna go get a burger or something?” He asked.  “We could hang out for a while and maybe they’ll all be gone by the time we get back.”
	“I don’t have any money,” I said.
	He shrugged and said, “I do and I’ll pay.”
	I shook my head. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
	He laughed and said, “Lizzi, stop fighting me! You don’t want to go in there and I want to hang out with you some more. We both win!”
	I gave him a small smile, feeling something I hadn’t felt since Alan stir in my heart.  His kind words pierced the last of the defenses around my heart and made me feel better than I had in months.
	“Okay,” I said.
	We had a long dinner, spending most of it talking about school and the people we didn’t like. I was surprised when Mitch told me that Mandy was jealous of me.
	“She’s only jealous because you’re paying attention to me and not her,” I said.
	“Nope,” he said, “she was jealous of you before we started hanging out.  One of her friends told me she thinks Mandy’s jealous because you’re prettier.”
	I laughed and choked on my soda. 
	“Yeah, right!” I said between coughs.  “I’m not a cheerleader like Mandy. Every guy in school wants her and it’s not for her personality! She’s hot and I know that and it’s no big thing.”
	“She’s not as hot as you,” he said quietly.
	My face burned as I blushed a deep crimson.  I took another drink of my soda and looked anywhere but at Mitch. He couldn’t be faking it.  There was no way. This had to be real.  He really cared for me.  He had to.
	We talked a little longer and then I told him I needed to get home so I could get some homework done tonight.
	He drove me home and, when we got to my mother’s, all of the junkies had, thankfully, fled to somewhere else. 
	“Thanks for dinner,” I said, grabbing the door handle.
	“Any time,” he said.
	I sat there for a second, my hand on the door handle, ready to get out, but I couldn’t.
	I let go of the handle and turned to look at him.  He was watching me, a small frown creasing his brow. I loved that crease. I loved the way he was looking at me.  Go help me, I loved him.
	I scooted over to him and took his face in my hands. I stared into his eyes for a moment before I leaned forward and touched my lips to his. I opened my mouth and touched my tongue to his lips.  His mouth opened and I felt his tongue against mine. The kiss was long and slow and I wished it could last forever.
	Far too soon, our lips parted and I stared into his eyes.  A huge smile lit up his face. 
	“God, Lizzi, I’ve wanted to do that for weeks now,” he said.
	“Why didn’t you?” I asked.
	“Because I didn’t want you to think it was the only thing I wanted from you. I wanted you to know I wanted you for who you are,” he said.
	A tear slipped down my cheek and I kissed him again, harder and more hungrily this time.  When the kiss broke this time we were both panting for breath.
	I knew my mother wasn’t home. I knew she wouldn’t be for a while and I knew I could ask him to come in. I could show him how much his honesty and caring made me feel. I opened my mouth to speak and someone knocked on the window.
	I turned and saw my mother’s face staring in at us. I gritted my teeth and tried to keep from screaming. Damn it, why did she have to ruin everything!
	I grabbed the door handle and shoved the door open.
	“What?” I snapped at her.
	“Can your friend drive me over to Paulie’s?” She asked.
	“No!” I yelled. “Why didn’t you go with your junkie pals?”
	She looked at me for a second, probably confused by my anger, before she turned and walked back into the house.  I glared after her before turning to Mitch and saying, “I have to go."
	Mitch grabbed my hand before I could go and said, “Are you going to be okay?”
	I gave him a small smile and said, “Yeah, I’ll be fine.  She’s just so stupid and rotten and she ruins everything.”
	“She hasn’t ruined you,” he said.  “And I think you’re perfect.”
	I grinned and leaned back to give him one last quick kiss before going in.
	Friday night, when he brought me home the junkies were there again. It was the first time I’d ever been glad to see them. It meant I’d get to spend more time with him.
	We went to dinner again. Afterwards we wound up back at my mother’s. We kissed again and again, in his car sitting in front of my house. His hands slid up my stomach and onto my breasts. He squeezed them and I let out a low moan of pleasure.  I wanted him. I needed him and I was going to have him.
	I pushed away from him and slid towards the door.  He started to speak and I put my finger over his lips. “Wait here.”
	I rushed inside and checked the house. My mother was gone, probably over at Paulies and, more than likely, staying there for the night.
	Perfect.
	I ran back outside and asked Mitch if he wanted to come inside.
	“Are you sure?” He asked.  “I don’t want to get you in trouble with your mom.”
	I snorted a laugh and said, “Like she’d care.  She’s not here anyway. She’ll be over at her dealer’s so we have the house to ourselves.”
	An evil grin pulled his lips up and he said, “Us? All alone? That’s arecipe for trouble, you know?”
	“Duh,” I said.
	We laughed and headed into the house. I let him to my room and closed the door behind us.  I locked the deadbolt and chain that Paulie had had one of his clients install for me and, finally, I was alone with Mitch.
	He pulled me into his arms and we kissed.  I pushed at his jacket and he managed to slip it off while we kissed. I had to break the kiss to yank mine off.
	I pushed him onto the bed and lay down beside him. I kissed him and ran my hands over his chest and stomach, feeling the hard muscles underneath his shirt. I slid my hand down and pulled his shirt up so I could slide my hand under it. My fingers traced the lines of his hard abs I felt my need for him grow with every second.
	I sat up and tugged at his shirt.  He pulled it off and I got a close up look at his wonderful body. I pushed him back onto the bed and kissed him stomach. I licked my up to his neck where I nibbled and kissed my way back to his mouth.
	His hand slid under my shirt and onto my breast.  He squeezed and touched me, making me moan with pleasure. I sat up and pulled off my shirt. I hesitated, looking into his eyes, making sure we both wanted to do this. When he gave me a small nod, I reached back and undid my bra.
	I slid it off and watched his eyes widen as he took in my breasts.  The look of hunger on his face only turned me on even more.
	He pushed me back onto the bed this time.  He started by kissing my stomach and making his way up to my breasts.  He ran his tongue against my hard nipple and I grabbed his hair and pulled his face against my breast.
	He sucked my nipple into his mouth and flicked his tongue against it making me gasp with each touch of his tongue.
	I pulled his face away from my breast and mashed my lips against his. Our tongues danced as he held me close.  The heat of his bare skin against mine made me burn inside. He was perfect.
	His fingers slid down my stomach and between my legs.  He rubbed the crotch of my jeans and I moaned at his touch.  I ground myself against his fingers, little shivers of pleasure running up and down my spine.
	His fingers slid up and he unbuttoned my pants.  I reached down and helped him unzip them and quickly slid out of them.  He pulled my panties down and, at last, I was naked before him.
	He stared at me, taking in my whole body before leaning back to kiss me again.  His fingers slipped between my legs and rubbed up and down, brushing my swollen clit, touching my wet pussy.
	I slid my hand down onto his pants and felt the hard lump under his jeans.  I slid my hand up and down his hardness, enjoying his little gasps as I did.
	I unbuttoned his jeans and he had to lean back and help me get them off.  He pulled his underwear down and his hard cock stood, waiting for me.
	I made him lay on his back as I kissed my way from his soft lips, down the hard muscles of his chest and stomach and, finally, to his rock hard cock.
	I licked he tip of his cock, making him jump. I grinned up at him and did it again, loving the way he leapt at my touch.
	I took the head of his cock into my mouth, rubbing my tongue against the bottom of his cock.  He grabbed my hair and pressed my face down. I took as much of his cock into my mouth as I could before I pulled back. I slid his cock in and out of my mouth, listening to his moans, feeling myself getting even wetter.
	I slid his cock out of my mouth and looked up at him.  He was staring at me, his eyes wide, his breathing ragged.  
	“Do you have any protection?” I whispered to him.
	“Wallet,” he managed to say.
	I slid off of the bed and got his wallet out of his jeans.  I pulled the condom out of it and tore open the wrapper.  I crawled back into bed and took his cock in my hand.  I slid the condom onto him and then straddled him.
	Slowly, I eased the tip of his cock into my wet pussy.  Just a little at a time, I slipped his cock deeper into me until his length filly my pussy.
	I sat for a moment, enjoying the feel of him inside me, before I began to ride him. I set a slow pace at first, making sure my tight pussy was completely ready for his swollen cock.
	I put my hands against his chest and started to move my hips a little faster.  His hands came up and cupped my breasts.  He rubbed and kneaded them, my hard nipples scraping against the palms of his hands.  He took my nipples between his thumb and forefinger and squeezed, making my cry out.
	I rode him faster, gasping as his cock plunged in and out of me.  Our eyes locked and we watched the expressions of pleasure on each other’s faces.  
	His hands gripped my hips and he began to thrust faster and harder into me. I cried out as my orgasm took me.  I felt like my body was on fire, every nerve was crying out in pleasure along with me. 
	Mitch called out my name and thrust hard into me. I felt his cock spasm and he pressed himself deep inside me, his cock throbbing as he came.  My pussy quivered against his throbbing cock, making both of us cry out again and again.
	When he was finished, I slid off of him and collapsed against his side.  He kissed the top of my head and said, “Wow.”
	I looked up at him and grinned.  “Pretty good?”
	“The best,” he said.
	“Oh?” I asked.  “Mr. Perfect’s had more girls than little old me?”
	He smirked at me and said, “This town loves me in more ways than one.”
	I slapped him lightly on the chest and said, “Bad Mitch! Go to my room!”
	He laughed and said, “Umm… We’re already in your room, goofball.”
	“Well, stay here until I decide I’m done with you,” I said.
	“And just when will that be?” He asked.
	“Never,” I replied, leaning forward to kiss him.
	We made love twice more before he had to go home. I didn’t want him to go. I tried to convince him to call home and say he was staying the night at a friend’s but he had to be up early to help his dad and, with one last lingering kiss, he was gone.
	The weekend dragged on forever but, even so, I was in a great mood. I even managed to be nice to my mother for a change.
	Monday morning I was up and ready long before normal.  My only thoughts of seeing Mitch and just basking in his presence.
	I got to school and hurried down the hall. Some people were giving me weird looks but I ignored them. I had Mitch and everything was perfect.
	As I approached my locker I saw something painted on it in big red letters. My heart felt like it stopped when I saw the word.
	WHORE
	I stared at it, feeling my world start to slide apart. I looked down the hall and saw Mitch standing with his friends.  Mandy was there with him and so was Todd.  All of them were looking at me and laughing.
	My heart breaking in my chest, I stormed down the hall and up to them.  I stared into Mitch’s eyes, not seeing any of the love I’d thought I’d been seeing. All I saw was cruelty and laughter.
	“Why?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
	He shrugged and said, “It was either you or your friend Julie. We flipped a coin and you won.”
	I couldn’t believe the words I was hearing. He couldn’t mean it, not after all the time we’d spent together.
	“I thought you cared,” I said, tears running down my face.  “I thought you were different.”
	Their laughter had stopped and Mitch and his bastard friends all started to look uncomfortable. Somewhere, deep inside their cold hearts, they had to know what they’re done was beyond cruel.  Didn’t they?
	“Lizzi,” Mitch said, putting his hand on my shoulder.
	It was his touch that set me off.  A touch had brought me hope and happiness that now tore my heart right out of my chest.
	“Don’t you ever touch me again!” I screamed. I balled my fist and slammed it into his face.  I felt the crunch of bone under my fist and knew I’d broken his nose.
	As he fell backwards, Todd grabbed at me and I kicked him in the balls as hard as I could.  He let out a high pitched shriek as he collapsed to the floor.
	I grabbed at Mandy’s hair but she managed to elude my grasp.  I started kicking Todd and Mitch where the lay on the floor in front of me.  It took two teachers to finally pull me away.
	The cops were called and, in the end, the assholes got off with slap on the wrist and I got suspended for a week.  I spent the entire week in my room, trying to stop my tears and hating myself for crying over him.
	When I was allowed back at school, people still stared and whispered at me as I walked down the hall. I ignored them.
	When I got to my locker I saw the new coat of paint that had been put on, covering up the only word these people had for me.
	Someone leaned against the locker next to me and I turned to glare.  Julie withstood the force of my glare and said, “I took notes for you while you were gone.”
	I stared at her, not understanding.
	“If you want, after school, you can come over and I can help you with anything you missed. Especially mat, cause you suck at math,” she said.
	I stared at her for a second and, for the first time in a week, I laughed.  She laughed with me and, while everything wasn’t perfect it was just a little brighter thanks to her.

