Operation Rescue - The New Co-Ed; Chapter 22 free porn video

Operation Rescue: The New Co-Ed By ElrodW A young man gets in trouble and loses his scholarship. It looks like his dream of college to escape a poor future is doomed - until he sees an ad recruiting 'surrogates'. His life is about to change in ways that could redefine him in ways he could have never imagined. Chapter 22 - Springtime of Our Discontent Tommi continues to date, which mixes up her feelings. After having helped a troubled co-ed, Tommi gets involved with the girl's group, and finds some social issues with her dorm-mates and friends. The 'Operation Rescue' story universe and characters contained therein are copyright 2012 by ElrodW, all rights reserved. Use of the story universe or characters with the express written permission of the owner is a violation of copyright law. ********************************************************************** Her top still damp from sweat, Tommi strode wearily into her dorm room and tossed her gym bag on her bed before collapsing in her chair. "Good workout?" Katie asked without looking from her books. Tommi sighed. "It seems like they're pushing me a lot more than they did the first time." Katie shrugged. "What do you expect? You've shown that you're a good host mom, and your hormones don't have to adjust to a sex change this time." "That, and I had an ?clair for breakfast this morning, and Dr. Phillips noticed." "One ?clair?" Katie asked skeptically. "Okay," Tommi admitted sheepishly. "Jillian and I have been regulars at the coffee shop in the student union building. A few eclairs." "And donuts and sweet rolls and ..." "Okay!" Tommi said, exasperated. "So I've got a sweet tooth! I admit it!" "So your exercise is your penance," Katie concluded with a smug smile. "Sheesh! You're almost as bad as the staff at the clinic." Katie turned, a sweet smile on her face. "I'm just watching out for my little sister." She wrinkled her nose at something else Tommi had said. "Dr. Phillips again? I thought Dr. Tina was your primary." Tommi shrugged, but angst flitted briefly across her features. "My class schedule kind of dictates who I can see." Katie noticed the momentary troubled look on Tommi's face. "Rachel left a message that you missed another appointment." Katie frowned. "That's, what, three you missed in the last two weeks? She's going to start thinking that you're avoiding her." Tommi looked away from Katie quickly to hide her expression. "Can't be helped," she said, trying to keep her voice even. "I'm sweaty and stinky, so I'm going to go take a shower." She started to pry her tired body from her chair. "You had another phone call while you were out," Katie announced. "In fact, you had several calls." "Oh?" Tommi's eyebrows rose with her curiosity. "Who was it, and what did they want?" Katie shrugged. "Wouldn't say. Wouldn't leave a message, either." "Interesting." "The number is on your desk," Katie concluded. She turned back to her studies. Tommi turned and looked at the paper on her desk. "I'll call after I get done with my shower." She stood, grabbed a change of clothing and her shower kit, and walked wearily from the room. In a few minutes, Tommi was back. After hanging up her towel and gym clothes, she sat down again and lifted the phone receiver. Her fingers danced over the keypad, as she dialed the number from the note. "Hi," she said hesitantly into the phone. "I'm Tommi Sue Wilson. I was given a message that I should call this number." She paused to listen. "Oh, hi, Steph," she said. Another pause. "No, I'm pretty busy the rest of the evening. I've got a test to study for." Pause. "Sure, I can meet you tomorrow. About two?" More pause, this time longer. "No, really, it wasn't anything. I'm glad I could help." Tommi glanced at Katie when she wasn't talking, and she noticed that Katie's head was cocked slightly to one side to listen. "Sure, I can stop by the house. I mean, if it's okay." Tommi sounded hesitant, even uneasy, in her response. "Sure. See you around two." She hung up the phone. From what she'd overheard, Katie couldn't play innocent. "I take it that was Stephanie Harmon, right? What did _she_ want?" Katie's disdain for Stephanie and the Betas was undisguised. _Many_ girls on campus disliked the Betas. "Nothing much," Tommi replied with a shrug. "She said thanks for helping her, and she wanted me to come by her sorority house to talk." "Oh? About what?" Katie's intuition was in full suspicion mode. "I don't know," Tommi answered truthfully. "She just asked if I could meet her at their house." Katie shook her head. "Remember what it was like the last time you dealt with the Betas?" Tommi winced at the reminder. Right after the initial surgery that changed her from Tom into Tommi, the Betas had been downright vicious toward her with their harassment. "Yeah," she answered, "I was thinking about that." She shook her head slowly. "Maybe I'm being na?ve, but Stephanie sounded friendly, and I know she was grateful for me helping her last semester. I guess I'll find out tomorrow." "Are you sure you want to go?" Katie didn't try to hide her concern as she attempted to dissuade Tommi from visiting the Beta house. ********** Tommi gulped as she stepped to the door. The Beta sorority house, as she remembered from the time she'd been there with Stephanie, was one of the more ostentatious of the sorority houses. The sorority was home to a higher socio-economic class of girls, and they flaunted both their wealth and their disdain for those they considered beneath them. Tommi felt suddenly out of place. When she tentatively reached for the doorbell, the door opened, as if she were expected. This unnerved Tommi even more. The girl who stared at Tommi was the same girl who'd greeted her weeks before, when Tommi had taken Stephanie to the clinic. At the previous encounter, the girl's demeanor had matched the reputation of the Betas. Now, however, things were very different. "Hi," the girl said in a very pleasant, warm voice, extending her hand to Tommi. "I'm Traci. You must be Tommi Sue." Tommi took Traci's outstretched hand, politely shaking. "Yes, I'm Tommi." "It's a pleasure to meet you," Traci said with a smile, as if she'd never met Tommi before. "Won't you please come in? Stephanie is upstairs, but she'll be down in a moment." Nervously, Tommi followed Traci into the house. As she glanced around, she felt even more intimidated by the sorority. Other girls were coming and going, and Traci made sure that she introduced Tommi to each of them. It was a dizzying swirl of pleasantries from the girls, all of it unexpected. The parlor they entered almost took Tommi's breath away. The room was two stories high, so that a room-length balcony could look down on the parlor. A matched pair of sweeping curved staircases descended from each end of the balcony to the parlor. Overhead hung an ornate chandelier, almost comically stereotypical for the room, and the hardwood floor was partially covered with what appeared to be an expensive Oriental rug. Tommi knew it was genuine and expensive without having to ask. Following Traci's lead, Tommi sat down on the sofa, waiting for Stephanie. Tommi glanced around again, trying to make sense of the change in the girls' attitudes. The parlor was furnished and decorated in a display of exclusivity, wealth, and class. Immaculate matching sofas and wing chairs were clustered into several small conversation groups with various coffee and end tables and accent lamps. A massive grandfather clock stood prominently against one wall, and a polished baby grand piano sat on display in one corner of the large room. The fireplace mantle opposite the balcony was enormous, elaborately carved, and home to several marble busts. Paintings hung on the walls; Tommi guessed that they were founders or noteworthy alumni from the sorority, some by-gone achievements or historical importance preserved for posterity in oil and canvas within gilded frames. The girls bustling about matched the house in display of wealth. Tommi suspected that even the shabbiest outfit among them was designer clothing, and that the girls here wore only the most exclusive perfume. Their jewelry certainly wouldn't be of the cheap costume variety from Target. Had she been in the middle of a gathering of space aliens, Tommi wouldn't have felt as out of place as she did in this sorority house. "Hi, Tommi," Stephanie called from the balcony of the second floor. She waved happily as she pranced down the stairs to meet her guest. Tommi rose and found herself wrapped in an enthusiastic hug by Stephanie. She hesitantly returned the embrace. "I'm glad you could stop by," Stephanie said cheerfully. She took Tommi's hands, as both a gesture of friendship and to encourage Tommi to sit with her. "I wanted to say 'thank you' again," Stephanie continued. Tommi felt her cheeks warm; she knew she was blushing. "I was glad I could help," she said humbly. "How are you doing?" Stephanie bit her lip. "Mostly okay," she confessed softly. "But it's still hard." She shook her head sadly. "Father Bill said it would be. But at least I'm reconciled with the church, so I can take the sacraments again." Tommi's curiosity was piqued. "Are you going to be a host mother?" she asked. Stephanie shook her head, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "No, I'm not," she answered. "I didn't pass their tests, so I guess that wouldn't make a good host." Tommi paused, not sure what to say. On one hand, she was sorry, because she had thought that carrying a baby would help Stephanie heal psychologically. On the other hand, Tommi wasn't a trained counselor like Rachel, and Tommi wasn't even sure if Stephanie _wanted_ to carry a baby. Stephanie noted Tommi's hesitation. "It's okay. I'm going to continue as a volunteer," she offered with a smile, "and I'll keep working with the donor mothers." She shrugged. "I'm doing what I can." She had a wistful look in her eyes. "Part of me really wanted to ... make up for what I did ... by being a host mother, but I guess it wasn't meant to be." "I understand." Stephanie suddenly frowned. "Where are my manners? Can we get you something to drink or, perhaps, a snack? I think our cook just made a tea cake." Tommi glanced at the sofa involuntarily. She was nervous enough sitting on the fine furniture _without_ a drink or food. "Uh," she stammered quickly, "no, thank you. My doctor has me on a very strict diet and exercise program." Tommi patted the small bulge in her tummy. "They're _very_ particular about my fitness!" One of the other sorority girls nearby laughed. "Sounds like a good personal trainer," she commented. Tommi gulped again; it was obvious that the whole house was gathering for what _she_ thought was a private conversation with Stephanie. She suddenly felt on display. Nearly an hour later, after meeting _all_ the girls, Tommi was escorted by Stephanie back to her car. "I really appreciate your help," Stephanie said again. "And I know the girls were interested in the Morris Foundation. You know, our national chapter has some ties to the foundation, but we really never knew much about what it does." Stephanie gave Tommi another embrace before Tommi stepped into her car. "See you on Sunday afternoon?" Tommi nodded. "Yeah, Sunday, at three." She started her car and drove away from the sorority house as Stephanie stood and waved. Tommi was totally confused. The girls had been surprisingly nice, and they were interested in _her_. She expected that, after Stephanie's ordeal, the focus would be on the Morris Foundation, but instead, the conversation focused on Tommi's background, her life, her likes and dislikes, and such. It didn't make sense to Tommi; the Beta girls had it all - very nice cars, expensive clothes, rich families, friends in the "in crowd" - everything that Tommi didn't have. Why were they being so nice to her? *********** "Is Rachel in?" Tommi asked softly. She was uncomfortable to be asking for Rachel, and she sounded tentative and uncertain. Suzie glanced at her computer and shook her head. "She's meeting with some of the foundation board members. It's like a quarterly progress report." "Oh." Tommi sounded both relieved and disappointed. "I'll leave a message, if you'd like. She actually might like an excuse to duck out of the meetings to deal with a client," Suzie laughed. Tommi shook her head. "No, not really. It's not urgent, and I've got an appointment tomorrow. I just ... need to talk to somebody." "Well, if it's not professional, but just talking," Suzie replied easily, "how about you join Dee and I for lunch?" Tommi thought for a moment and nodded. "That sounds good." She felt genuinely relieved. She glanced at the clock on the wall behind Suzie's desk. "I've got a lab at one-thirty, though." "We'll be back in plenty of time." "I'll drive," Tommi offered quickly. She saw the smile spreading on Suzie's face. "That way I can make sure we're back in time." "Yeah, right!" Suzie scoffed. "You just like showing off your car." She locked her computer and grabbed her purse. "But I'm not going to complain," she added with a grin, "because it's more comfortable than _my_ car." Lunch was at a popular deli in the downtown area. Much to Tommi's delight, a car pulled out of a parking spot near the door at just the right time. "You are _so_ lucky!" Suzie complained as Tommi parked in the just-vacated space only yards from the deli. "I _never_ get a close parking spot!" "Except at the clinic," Tommi rebutted quickly. "I seem to recall that you have your own reserved spot!" "Dee should be here in a few minutes," Suzie changed the subject, as the girls walked into the deli. "She said we should go ahead and order in case she gets delayed a bit." The line wasn't too long, so they knew they wouldn't have much of a wait. They needn't have worried; by the time it was their turn to order, Dee walked in. Tommi waved at Dee and turned to the two men who were behind her and Suzie. "Our friend is a little late. Would you mind if she cut in line with us?" Her voice oozed charm, and she had a coy smile. The pair exchanged a quick glance before one smiled at Suzie and Tommi. "No, not at all." "Oh, thank you so much," Tommi purred in a sexy voice, batting her eyes as she did so. Suzie noticed and stifled a guffaw. As they sat, Suzie couldn't contain her mirth any longer. "You are _so_ bad!" she chortled. "What?" Tommi asked innocently. "What did I do?" Dee laughed. "You know what you did! You were using your feminine charms to get what you wanted from those old codgers." "Yeah. Have you been practicing a 'come hither' voice?" Suzie added. "I was just asking a favor," Tommi protested weakly. Dee glanced knowingly at Suzie. "If you say so." Tommi smiled sheepishly. "Okay, you're right. I _was_ practicing a bit." "So," Suzie changed the subject, "what do you want to talk about?" "Is it more about that boy you've been dating?" Dee asked bluntly. "Or is it that you're confused about whether you want to stay a girl?" Tommi shook her head. "You guys know me _too_ well!" she complained. "So which is it?" "Both," Tommi admitted sheepishly. "I take it you like Brian more than you want to?" Suzie prompted. "Yeah." "You told me you've gone out with him since the formal dance. How many dates _have_ you two been on? Three? Four?" Dee inquired before taking a bite of her sandwich. Tommi shrugged. "Six, counting last night." "And?" "And what? He's nice, and I had a good time. But I'm just not sure." "Since you wanted to talk to Rachel, I'm going to guess that you went a little further than just a good-night kiss, right?" Tommi's blush answered the question. "Second base? Third base? Home run?" Dee asked bluntly after quickly gulping down another mouthful of sandwich. "Second," Tommi said sheepishly. "But the funny thing is, I kind of wanted more." She looked directly at Suzie. "Does that mean I'm ... losing myself?" Suzie laughed. "No. It means you're curious, and your hormones are making you a bit ... excitable." "Happens a lot with pregnant women. You probably experienced it the first time around, but you were too scared to do anything. Are you going to go all the way with him?" Dee asked. Tommi shook her head. "I don't know," she admitted. "Part of me really wants to, and part of me is scared to death." Suzie noticed that Tommi didn't recoil in horror at the question. She smiled. "Maybe you're afraid that he'll think you're in-love serious, when you're really not in love?" "Yeah," Dee chimed in. "When you talk about him, you don't get that dreamy, head-over-heels-in-love look in your eyes. It's more like you're talking about a good friend that you like spending time with." "Maybe that's it," Tommi admitted. "I don't really feel like I _love_ him, but I do like spending time with him." "What about the other question - whether you stay a girl or not?" Suzie took a small bite of her salad. "I don't know." Tommi sounded confused. "I like being a girl. I'm not sure that I remember what it's like to be Tom." "If you had to decide right now, what would you do?" Dee asked. Tommi shook her head. "I don't know. A lot of people would be very happy if I did stay a girl." "But this isn't about making other people happy," Suzie reminded her. Tommi chuckled. "Fortunately, I have a few months before I have to face that question." "True, but you _are_ going to have to face it sooner or later," Dee cautioned. Tommi sighed. "I know." Dee sensed that Tommi had tired of the line of conversation. "I like your blouse," she commented, changing the subject abruptly. "It's cute." Tommi relaxed at the change in conversation. "Thanks. Sara helped me pick it out. I'll tell her it was a hit." The rest of the lunch was full of normal girl talk. Tommi had felt a bit like she was being cross-examined for a couple of minutes. Still, she knew the conversation was one she needed to have, although it was supposed to be with Rachel instead of with Dee and Suzie. After lunch, Tommi and Suzie drove back to the clinic. As Tommi pulled up outside the clinic, Suzie turned to her. "Thanks for lunch. It was fun." "Yeah, I enjoyed it, too." "But you know I _have_ to report the cheesecake to Dr. Tina," Suzie cautioned playfully. Tommi sighed. "Yeah, I know. It's just ... I really love desserts. I know I shouldn't have them; it's so _hard_ to keep from gaining weight." Suzie grinned. "Yeah, the curse of a nice figure. Anything that tastes good pours on the pounds. The key is moderation, followed by lots of abstinence and exercise." "And I should quit eating an ?clair every morning with Jillian," Tommi confessed. "I think Dr. Tina already knows about those. Besides, since I didn't see you eat any eclairs, it's just hearsay to me. See you later," Suzie said cheerfully. She gracefully swung her legs out and stood up. "One more thing," Suzie bent forward slightly to look at Tommi. "Have you and Rachel and Dr. Tina got things patched up?" "I think we're getting there ... slowly," Tommi whispered. "It ... still hurts." Suzie nodded sympathetically. "I know, but don't you suppose that it still hurts them, too? They think of you as more than a client. I probably shouldn't say this, but ... you're ... a friend ... to both of them. When you avoid them - which you _have_ been doing - it hurts them more than you know." She straightened, closed the door, and strode easily back to work, leaving Tommi wondering at her last words. ********** "Hey, Sara! Wait up!" Sara stopped and turned at the sound of her name being called. Immediately, she recognized the voice. "Hi, Brian. What's up?" Brian trotted beside her. "I was hoping you could tell me," he said between breaths. He'd run to catch up with Sara, and, judging from how out-of-breath he was, he'd run quite a ways. Sara frowned. "I don't understand." Brian sighed. "What's going on with your sister?" "Oh. I still don't understand. You're spending as much time with her as I am," Sara rebutted lightly. "_Was_ spending as much time," Brian replied, his voice tinged with frustration. "Was?" Sara's eyes widened with surprise. "It's like ... she's avoiding me," Brian finally confessed. Sara's brow furrowed. "That doesn't sound like Tommi," she said cautiously. "I know she's busy..." Brian shook his head. "Whenever I meet her between classes, or when I manage to find her at the student center, she's always too busy to talk. It's like she doesn't want to be seen with me," he explained, sounding hurt. "And she cancelled our date last night," he added bitterly, "at the last minute, and with no explanation." Sara's mouth dropped open in shock. "I didn't know ..." Brian was too busy venting his emotions and didn't hear Sara. "I mean, is she trying to dump me or something? Did she find someone else?" He shook his head slowly. "If she had, I'd try to understand. But I'd expect her to at least be honest with me about it." "She hasn't said _anything_ to me about anyone else," Sara replied, her voice somber. "I swear, I don't know of any other guys she's dating - or interested in." "Then it's got to be the Betas," Brian said acidly. Sara nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's what I was thinking." "Has she been ... stuck up ... around the girls in the dorm?" Brian asked tentatively. Sara started to rebut his absurd comment, but then she realized it wasn't so absurd. Brian had perfectly characterized Tommi's new attitude. Sara nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'm afraid so. And now that I think about it, it's getting worse." She glanced around at the throng of students rushing between classes. "You don't have a class this period, do you?" Brian shook his head. "No." "How about we go somewhere to sit and continue this ... discussion. Somewhere a little less public." "Coffee at the student union?" Brian suggested. "Sounds good." Sara sighed. "After those last two classes, I _need_ a big cup of coffee. I've got a _ton_ of homework tonight, and without a lot of caffeine, I'll never get through it." Brian and Sara walked in silence to the student union building, as if there was an unspoken agreement not to talk further about Tommi's situation in public. After they ordered and sat down in a relatively quiet corner of the coffee shop, Sara took a long sip of coffee and practically purred. "Ah, that's just what the doctor ordered." Brian sighed heavily. "I wish all _I_ needed was a cup of coffee. What I really need is to figure out how to get Tommi back." Sara looked evenly at him for a moment, trying to read the emotion in his eyes. "You're assuming that you had her to begin with." After a moment, her eyes widened. "Oh, God!" she exclaimed. "I didn't mean like _that_!" Brian shook his head slowly. "Nothing like that. I just really like her." "Despite everything?" Sara asked. "Sounds as if you more than 'like' her." Brian leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling for a moment. When he looked back at Sara, his expression was confident. "That doesn't matter! Tommi is a very beautiful, warm, charming, friendly, witty ... she's just such a wonderful girl." He stared at Sara for a moment before dropping his gaze to his steaming cup of coffee. "Yeah, I guess I _am_ falling in love with her." "Glad you could admit it. It _is_ kind of obvious," Sara noted wryly. "So why are _you_ interested in me and your sister being together?" Brian turned the tables, questioning Sara. Sara took a long sip of coffee. Still holding the cup in both hands, her elbows resting comfortably on the table, she smiled. "Because you're a nice guy. You're sweet, genuine, and caring. And _not_ a predator. You're the kind of guy that could make Tommi happy. I get the strong sense that you'd treat her like a queen. She deserves someone nice like you." "And maybe, if she fell in love with me, she'd decide to stay as your _sister_?" Brian speculated. Sara's mouth opened to deliver a denial, but the words fell short. As her mouth closed, she let her head drop until she was looking at her coffee cup, still clasped in both hands. She nodded. "Yeah, I guess that's part of it." Brian laughed lightly. "You obviously love her - as your sister. I'd guess that you two never really got along before she became your sister?" Sara shook her head. "No, we didn't." "And you don't want to lose that special relationship you've found, right?" Sara's eyes narrowed. "I thought this conversation was about you and Tommi, not me and Tommi!" Brian smiled. "Am I right?" Sara nodded again. "Yeah, I guess that's part of it." "Part?" "You're the kind of guy a girl would be lucky to find," Sara tried to change the subject from _her_ feelings toward Tommi. "I just want Tommi to be happy." The grin returned. "Sounds like you might be a little bit jealous," Brian said laughingly. "No!" Sara's denial was quick - too quick. She slowly realized that maybe she _was_ jealous of Tommi. Maybe just a little bit. "That's what I was wondering." "Look, can we keep this about Tommi?" Sara tried to change the direction of the conversation. It was clear that Brian had hit a nerve. "Okay. So how _do_ I deal with Tommi's new ... attitude?" Brian asked. Sara shook her head sadly. "I don't know," she confessed. "I really don't know. All I can say is that you're going to have to just hang in there and hope she realizes that she's pushing away a lot of people who care about her." "You mean, we're _both_ going to have to hang in there," Brian corrected somberly. Sara nodded. "Yeah. Everyone that cares about Tommi. All any of us can do is wait and see." ********** Tommi was leaving the bathroom without really looking, and if, Erica hadn't dodged, Tommi would have run headlong into her. Tommi's head jerked up. "Oh," she exclaimed, "sorry. I wasn't paying attention." She sounded a little impatient. Erica nodded, her expression strangely neutral. "No kidding." She shook her head. "You've been very distracted lately." "I _said_ I was sorry," Tommi apologized again, but her voice lacked sincerity. "I guess I was in a hurry. I've got to get ready for the social this afternoon." Erica's expression changed to disdain. "Oh. It's the _Betas_ again." From the tone of Erica's voice, Tommi knew that Erica disapproved of the Betas. "It's just a social get-together." She sounded defensive. Erica shook her head in disbelief. "Not with the Betas. I think they're checking you out, seeing if you can live up to their _high_ standards, so they can get you to join their sorority." Tommi laughed aloud. "I don't think that's it. Stephanie is just being nice after I helped her." "That's only one. What about the rest of them?" Tommi shrugged. "They're just being friendly - probably because the sorority has ties to the Morris Foundation." She frowned. "Now, if you're done criticizing my friends, I have to finish getting ready." With a dismissive tilt of her head, Tommi stepped around Erica and stomped down the hall to her room. Erica watched Tommi walk away. She shook her head slowly, and a tear formed in the corner of her eye. She was so engrossed in her private thoughts that she didn't hear Sara padding down the hall right behind her. Sara saw Tommi turn into her room. "I take it she's going to another one of _those_ parties," Sara observed. Erica jumped. "Oh! You startled me." "I take it you tried to have a conversation with her just now." Erica nodded slowly. "Not very successfully, though." "Another social event with the Betas? And she just _can't_ be late, right?" Sara sounded critical, even sarcastic, about her sister's plans. "Yeah." She sighed. "She's ... different lately. She's ..." Erica broke off, clearly unwilling to express her thoughts in Sara's presence. "She's turning into a Beta snob bitch. That's what you were thinking, isn't it?" Erica's jaw dropped open a bit. "Yeah," she replied hesitantly. Sara laughed hollowly. "You're not the only one who thinks that," she added. "I overheard Diane saying that, quote, she should move her sorry, snobby ass the fuck out of what _used_ to be a friendly floor, unquote." Her voice carried the sadness of a girl whose best friend had just moved far away. Erica nodded. "I've heard comments like that, too." She shook her head. "What's happening to her? Why is she changing so much?" Sara shrugged. "Maybe she's being seduced by the chance to fit into a higher class. You know, growing up, we never had _anything_ like what the Betas take for granted. Maybe it's feeling popular with the in-crowd girls. I don't know. But you don't know the half of how much she's changed." "Oh?" Sara bit her lip, wondering momentarily if she'd said too much, and if what she was about to say was really appropriate. "She cancelled a date with Brian the other night to go over to the Beta house." Erica's jaw dropped. She'd _hoped_ that Tommi would drop Brian - for her. But for a Beta sorority function? "You're kidding!" "Nope. And that's the _second_ date she cancelled. Last night was a co-ed mixer, but Tommi got the notion that Brian wasn't ... the right kind of company to bring to the sorority." She watched the shocked expression on Erica's face. "There's more. According to the rumor mill, she was dancing and having a good time with a couple of the Alphas who _were_ there." Erica's eyes were both watering. "We're losing her," she cried softly, "to a bunch of stuck-up sorority cunts!" Sara grimly nodded her agreement. "That's what I'm afraid of, too." ********** Out of habit, Tommi glanced around her as she stepped out of the classroom building. It wasn't that she was paranoid so much as she wanted to be prepared mentally for the crowds scurrying this way and that+,+ as they scrambled between classes. Tommi hadn't noticed Brian in the crowd, but he hadn't overlooked her. He knew the classes she had, and the path she usually took between them. He saw her start to walk rapidly, and he quickened his own pace. "Tommi, wait up!" he called. At the sound of her name, Tommi paused and turned, glancing around, and suspecting strongly that it was Brian. Indeed, it only took seconds for her to recognize him, now almost trotting to catch up with her. "Hey, Tommi," another voice called, this time female, close by, and friendly. Tommi turned again, and was surprised to see Stephanie, Traci, and Katarina, all members of the Beta Tau sorority, waiting at the edge of the sidewalk. "Got a minute?" Stephanie continued, smiling pleasantly. Tommi glanced once more over her shoulder, toward Brian, before she smiled at the girls and ducked through a line of students to the waiting girls. "I've got to get to Calculus, so I hope you don't think I'm rude if I can't talk long," Tommi explained quickly. "Oh, that's no problem," Traci answered, still smiling pleasantly. "We can walk with you." Tommi nodded, and the girls fell in line, Stephanie and Katarina to Tommi's left, and Traci to the right, moving in a deliberate but leisurely pace toward the mathematics building. "What's up?" Tommi asked, curious at the Cheshire-cat grin on all three girls' faces. When Brian saw Tommi join the Beta sorority girls, he stopped short. After staring for several seconds at the retreating girls, he sighed heavily and turned back toward the computer labs, his expression crestfallen. He knew that Tommi had noticed him, but she had chosen to talk with the Beta girls instead. "You know," Stephanie said, "we Betas have certain time-honored traditions. Among them are the rules for who we ask to join." Tommi's heart skipped a beat. She _hadn't_ been expecting anything like where the conversation seemed to be headed. "At least three girls have to propose a new member," Traci continued, sounding like she was reciting a traditional formula, "and those whom we would have join us must be unanimously approved by the membership in a secret vote." "Yeah," Tommi said hesitantly. "I'd heard that at the party the other day." "Some sororities have formal rush parties," Katarina spoke in turn, "where anyone who wants to be considered is met and evaluated. We choose not to do this, but instead, invite selected guests to social functions, where we can meet those prospective members in a less ... hectic setting." "Once a girl has been proposed and voted upon," Stephanie took her turn, "the three proposers meet the candidate and let her know that she's been invited to join our sorority." She stopped, took Tommi's hands, and looked her directly in the eyes. Traci and Katarina flanked Tommi, each with a hand on one of her shoulders. "We would be honored if you would join our sisterhood, the Beta Tau Sorority." After Traci's words, Tommi had suspected that the girls were going through the 'offering ritual', where they informed a candidate that she would be accepted into the sorority after Rush week. She was thoroughly startled by the offer, however, by Stephanie's offer. "I ... I don't know what to say!" she stammered. "This is so unexpected." Stephanie smiled. "It usually is a surprise," she explained, "and we like to keep it that way." She reached into her purse and placed a silver- colored envelope in Tommi's hands. "We can't take an answer now. It _is_ part of the tradition that you wait at least twenty-four hours before answering." Stephanie gave Tommi a kiss on the cheek, followed in the same manner by Traci and Katarina. "Think about our offer." With Tommi standing, stunned, in their wake, the three Beta girls walked off, their mission completed. For several seconds, Tommi stared alternately at the silver envelope and at the retreating Beta girls, who had so completely surprised her. ********** Rachel rose from her desk, smiling warmly as she reached out her hand toward Tommi. "How are you doing today?" she asked pleasantly. After momentarily grasping Tommi's hand, Rachel picked up a folder and moved from behind her desk toward the sofa and chairs in the less formal area of her office. She didn't even need to gesture; Tommi was already easing herself into one of the stuffed chairs. "Things are going okay, mostly," Tommi offered in a neutral voice. Despite her best efforts to hide her inner turmoil and her still uneasy feelings toward Rachel, her unease came through in her voice. Rachel smiled, but it was grim rather than warm. She opened Tommi's folder. "Tina says you're doing okay - though she hasn't had much chance to see you lately." Her words carried disapproval at Tommi's reluctance to see Tina more often. Tommi gulped; she hadn't expected Rachel to be so blunt, or to sound so critical of her reluctance to have Dr. Tina do her exams. "I'm feeling a lot better on this pregnancy," she said defensively. "Except for some issues with weight," Rachel observed. She sighed. "Guys will never know how hard it is for a woman, especially a pregnant woman, to stay trim." "I heard lots of complaints like that from girls when I was a guy, but I never guessed how true they were," Tommi laughed. "But you _are_ going to follow the doctors' orders, right?" Tommi nodded. "Yes, ma'am." "Dee said that you're rather distracted lately," Rachel got right to the point. "Anything I should be concerned about?" Tommi sighed. "I don't know," she began. "It's ... well, the girls in the dorm are treating me differently." "Define 'differently'." "Like I have the plague," Tommi blurted. "They're kind of, I don't know, rude?" She thought for a moment. "No, that's not it. It's like ... they're distant, almost cold." Rachel frowned. "I know you're very close to Katie, and Sara is in your dorm. What to _they_ think?" Tommi shook her head. "They're about as distant from me as any of the other girls." "So what's different? Has something new come up with the Dean? Or his daughter?" "No." Tommi leaned back, staring at a point high on the wall opposite her chair. "Even Jillian is kind of cold toward me these days." "Are you having issues with the young man who's interested in you?" Rachel pried further. She knew that Tommi relied on a good support group, and it seemed that she was losing it. "Brian? No, he's kind of ..." Tommi winced visibly, as she dropped her gaze back to Rachel. "I guess I really don't know. I haven't been seeing much of him for the past few weeks." "Oh?" Rachel's eyebrows shot up. "Yeah, well, I've been a bit occupied. Socially, I mean," Tommi hastened to add. "Stephanie - the girl I helped last semester - invited me to a couple of functions at the Beta Tau sorority." Rachel nodded slowly. "If I recall, isn't that the sorority that was kind of ... brutal with their harassment last year?" "Yeah, but they're really a nice group of girls, once you get to know them." Tommi sounded like she was defending the sorority. "And what do the other girls think of your ... newfound friends?" "Well," Tommi wrinkled her nose, "all the girls think that the Betas are a bunch of stuck-up rich girls." Her eyes widened suddenly. "They're all jealous," she exclaimed. "Why would the girls - including your sister - be jealous?" "Because Stephanie asked me to pledge!" Tommi declared. "The girls are jealous that I have new friends." Rachel shook her head slowly. "I'm pretty sure that's not it, Tommi," Rachel said firmly. "I may be guessing, but I'd venture that the girls think you're getting a bit stuck-up and snobbish from being around the Betas." Tommi started to deny Rachel's speculation, but she cut herself short. "Is that it?" she asked herself. "_Have_ I been getting a bit stuck-up?" "You tell me." Tommi thought for several seconds, her mouth opening wider and wider, as she considered the recent past. Finally, she dropped her head into her hands as she sighed again. "I guess I _have_ been paying more attention to the sorority than to my friends, or even to my sisters." She drew a deep breath. "Oh, God, I've screwed this up, too!" "Do you _want_ to join the sorority?" Rachel prompted. Tommi looked up suddenly. "Huh?" "Do you _want_ to join?" "Well, I guess I hadn't really thought about it," Tommi said. Her eyes widened again. "Oh, shit, _that's_ what Erica was trying to tell me!" "Erica was trying to tell you _what_?" "She said something like the Betas were scoping me out as a pledge candidate, but I told her she was wrong." Tommi shook her head. "She was right, though." "The question stands. Do you want to join?" Rachel pressed the issue. Tommi thought for a moment, her lips pressed firmly together and her eyes narrowed. She shook her head. "No, I don't think so. It's not my kind of thing." "But you were caught up in the popularity game, weren't you?" Tommi nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess I was," she answered in a small, meek voice. "Why do you think they asked you to join? I thought they were a very exclusive, rich girls' sorority." Tommi laughed. "They sure are." She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because Steph pressured them because she felt she owed me something?" "Or perhaps they were expecting better ties to the foundation if you were a member?" Rachel suggested. "The national organization does have some pretty deep ties, remember?" "Were they using me?" Tommi sounded suddenly angry at the sorority. Rachel shook her head. "That's not what I was suggesting. I don't know their motives. I _do_ know that you'd fit in the Beta Tau Sorority like a square peg in a round hole. You're not the type of person that would thrive in a sorority." Tommi chuckled. "More data from my psych test and profile?" It was Rachel's turn to laugh. "It's my _job_ to know you." "Sometimes, I wonder if you know me better than I know myself!" Tommi ventured with a grin. Rachel's smile masked her shock at Tommi's guess, which was far closer to the truth than Rachel was willing to let on. "So now what?" "I guess I owe my _friends_ a big apology," Tommi said simply. "I guess I _have_ been acting like a real snob with them, and I need to say I'm sorry." "Is that all?" Rachel prompted. Tommi shook her head. "No." Unexpectedly, she stood and walked over beside Rachel. Rachel stood as well, wondering if Tommi was about to abruptly end their conversation. Instead, she found herself wrapped in a tight embrace. Still not quite sure what was happening, she reciprocated the hug. "I need to tell you that I'm sorry, too," Tommi said, feeling her eyes moisten. "I haven't been fair to you, even though you've been here for me through everything." "Oh, Tommi," Rachel said, trying to sound nonchalant. "It's my job to be here for ..." "No, it's not like that," Tommi interrupted. "Through everything I've been through, you've been a good mentor _and_ a good friend. I didn't recognize that. I didn't see how rude I was being to you because _my_ feelings got hurt, and I didn't think about _your_ feelings. I'm sorry." "Oh, Tommi," Rachel said through her own tears, "thank you!" She tried to wipe at her cheeks and failed. "You've become very much my friend, and then I opened my mouth last year and hurt you so badly. You can't imagine how many times I wished I could take those words back, so that we could have the relationship we had." Tommi slowly released her hug. "I know," she said simply. A sudden chuckled seemed out of place. "Maybe I'm becoming too much a girl; I was hanging on to an old hurt, like you once told me girls do, instead of letting it go." Rachel held Tommi's hands and used that leverage to guide Tommi back to a seated position. "Maybe you'd have been more comfortable if we'd gone out and gotten rip-snorting drunk and buried the hatchet, like you claim guys do!" she laughed. "I guess I need to find Dr. Tina for a little talk, too," Tommi said softly. "But she's in the OR doing a procedure, so I won't have a chance today." "Well, the next time you come in for a checkup, ask Suzie to schedule an extra few minutes so you can talk to Tina. She's got a private office, and we also have the informal break rooms if you want." Tommi nodded. "I'll do that. Thanks." She stood. "I guess I've got a few things to do. I've got to tell Steph that I'm not going to accept their invitation, and I have a lot of people to apologize to." ********** Tommi sat on the wide marble ledge that surrounded the fountain, watching Stephanie walking toward her. She was still trying to figure out exactly what she was going to say to Stephanie, and, for a moment, she felt a surge of panic. She knew the conversation was going to be delicate, to say the least, and could turn ugly. But after a solid day of thinking, she still didn't know how she was going to handle it. "Hi, Tommi," Stephanie greeted her with a smile. She opened her arms, inviting an embrace. Tommi stood and exchanged hugs with Stephanie. "Hi, Steph," she echoed, trying to sound cheerful and confident. "How are things?" Steph backed out of the hug and sat down on the ledge. "I'm still working at the center with the abortion counseling." Tommi had noticed that even sitting was an act of feminine grace for Stephanie. She felt momentarily jealous that Stephanie and the Betas could be so poised, graceful, and elegant in seemingly _everything_ they did. "I've seen your car there sometimes when I go for a workout. I didn't know if you'd continue volunteering after you got the ... issue ... straightened out." Steph smiled modestly. "I suppose I could stop, but I feel obligated to try to help. Maybe all those Sunday Masses while I was growing up had an effect after all." "Rachel says that good volunteers are worth their weight in gold." Stephanie took Tommi's hand and looked directly into Tommi's eyes. "You didn't ask me here to chit-chat about the center, did you?" Tommi shook her head slowly. "No, I didn't." "It's about the pledge invitation, isn't it?" Tommi nodded. "I've got a question for you. I hope you don't get upset, but I have to know the answer before I can go any further." Stephanie nodded, suddenly somber. "Okay." "Why did you invite me to join? I don't exactly fit the Beta type. And, if you recall, the first time I met you girls, you were a little ... unkind." Stephanie blushed at the memory, and lowered her head in shame. "Yeah, I guess we were pretty nasty." "It doesn't make sense to me," Tommi continued. "I mean, I'm just a simple country girl." She laughed hollowly. "Even _that_ is a joke - until last year, I wasn't even a girl! You guys are ... well, you come from the right families, you all are pretty well-off. You're in the center of the social universe here, and I suspect that, at home], your families are, too." Stephanie started to answer, but paused. Everything Tommi said was true. Tommi didn't let Stephanie speak. "I have to know, Steph - does this have anything to do with, maybe, you feeling some kind of obligation toward me because I helped you last semester?" Stephanie's eyes slowly widened as she thought about Tommi's words. "I don't ... I don't think ...." She lowered her head, shaking it slowly. "I don't know. Maybe." Tommi clutched Stephanie's hand. "I couldn't help but wonder if that was the case." She took a quick deep breath. "Steph," she said firmly. Stephanie looked up at Tommi, her expression unreadable. "I didn't help you because I was expecting something in return. I helped you because you were hurting. I helped you because that's the way I was brought up - to help people just because they need it," Tommi explained softly. "I see," Stephanie said evenly, her words deliberate and controlled. "I'm not sure I understand..." "Steph," Tommi continued, "I'm really, really honored that you'd think enough of me to sponsor me for membership. But I can't accept, for a number of reasons." Stephanie looked stunned. Girls just _didn 't_ turn down membership in the Betas! "I'd always wonder if you pushed out of a sense of obligation or guilt or something like that," Tommi said. "Besides, you know my story. I'm not sure what I'm going to do once I finish this pregnancy. Can you imagine how awkward it would be if I joined and then decided to change back? I'm not sure you'd want me living in the house!" Stephanie's eyes widened at Tommi's logical argument, and then she sputtered and chuckled. "I guess I hadn't thought of that," she admitted. "But ... it's just that you seem so natural that it's hard to think of you as anything _but_ Tommi!" Tommi felt her cheeks reddening. "Thanks. Sometimes, it's a little difficult to think of _myself_ as anything but Tommi, but I am. There's more, though. I never have been a 'group' person. I've never tried to fit in. I've always been kind of a free spirit. It hasn't been as natural since my surgery; I had too much to learn. But it's still part of me." "Are you sure? You know what it would mean to turn down an invitation," Stephanie said, sounding cautious and still trying to persuade Tommi to join. Tommi _did_ know; turning down the Betas would be the social snub of the decade. It just _wasn't_ done. "Besides, I'm just a simple small-town country girl. The kinds of music and sports I like don't fit in with the Beta girls. Please don't take this wrong, but the average girl from the Beta house probably spends more on one party dress than I spend in my entire year's clothing budget. I'm not saying that you and the girls are rich snobs or anything," she added quickly, "but we're from different worlds." Tommi shook her head sadly. "I just wouldn't fit in." Stephanie stared at Tommi for several seconds, then simply nodded. "Yeah, I think I understand." "How much persuading did you have to do to get the girls to accept your proposal?" Tommi asked bluntly. Stephanie's mouth opened in protest. "I didn't ... it doesn't work like that ...." She shook her head and sighed heavily. "I'm lying to myself, aren't I?" she asked rhetorically. "I guess I did have to push some." "It wouldn't work," Tommi reiterated. "We're too different." Stephanie nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I _know_ you're right." She seemed saddened by the realization. Tommi noted Stephanie's mood shift. "Steph, I've gotten to know you, and I've gotten to like you. I'd like to be able to call you a friend, even if I can't join your sorority. We see each other at the clinic often enough; maybe we can go out for coffee once in a while." Stephanie smiled. "I'd like that." "So what are you going to tell the girls?" Tommi asked hesitantly. "I'll tell them the truth. I'll tell them that I made a mistake by pushing for membership for you because I felt like I owed you something. I'll tell them that we talked, and you realized what I'd done and knew that it would be a mistake." "Or you can tell them that I might change back into a guy, and then they'd have a _real_ problem on their hands," Tommi grinned. "I don't think I'll say that," Stephanie replied. "I know a couple of the girls that would take you up on the offer." ********** Tommi glanced around the room. Katie, Sara, Ashley, Erica, Diane, Jillian - all the girls were present, sitting on the chairs, on the beds, and on the carpeted floor. Tommi took a deep breath, as they watched with nervous anticipation. "I suppose you're all wondering why I asked you to come here tonight," she began. "Sheesh, this sounds like the reveal of a bad murder mystery," Ashley commented dryly. Erica gave her a sharp elbow in the ribs, but a few of the other girls giggled. "If you've been wondering what's been going on with me, I got an invitation from the Beta Tau sorority to pledge," Tommi said simply. She knew she was adding to the suspense, and she was, in a way, relishing in the role. Erica's heart sank. "I _thought_ that's what they were up to," she said glumly. "You were right," Tommi replied directly to Erica with an apologetic look in her eyes. She looked around the room at the girls. "I thought you needed to know, since you've all been such good friends." "So ... when do you move out?" Katie asked in a steely-cold voice that hid her emotions. "I'm not moving out," Tommi said simply. "What?" Katie and Sara asked at the same time. "What did you say?" "I'm not moving out." "But that means ..." Ashley started to say in astonishment. "I had a long talk with Stephanie today." Tommi explained. "We both decided that she was asking me to join for the wrong reasons, and that I didn't fit the Beta type." Erica practically leaped from the bed and wrapped Tommi in a very passionate embrace, crying on Tommi's shoulder as she hugged her. "You don't know how happy it makes me that you're not joining that group of ...." She left the rest of her comments unspoken; in any event, words weren't necessary, since her feelings about the Betas were only too well known. After a number of similar hugs and displays of emotion from the other girls, Tommi continued talking. "Please, I've got more that I need to say." The girls fell silent and stared at Tommi. "Rachel helped me realize that I've been acting kind of bitchy toward all of you," she continued softly. The words came hard to her. She looked down at the floor as she continued her apology. "I've been arrogant, condescending, snooty, snobbish, and just plain _being_ a Beta girl." Tommi bit her lip for a moment. "I'm very sorry. I was ... wrong. I hope that, in spite of the way I've been treating you all, you can accept my apology." Sara was the first to embrace Tommi. "You're my big sister," she began, "no matter how much of a bitch you are. I have to forgive you. Even when you're being such an ass." Katie was next, then the entire room of girls. Tommi was in tears before the hugs were done. "I don't know how I deserve such good friends," she sniffled. "You guys are the best." Sara gave Tommi another hug. "Welcome back to the gang," she whispered. "But you know, there's one person you owe an apology to. A big apology." Tommi stared at her, her brow wrinkled in confusion. "Who ...?" "Brian," Sara said softly, so the other girls couldn't hear. ********** "This _really_ isn't necessary," Brian told Tommi, as they waited in the lobby of the restaurant. Tommi smiled. "Yes, it is," she replied sweetly. She stood close to him, her arm around his and her hands lightly held in front of her, her body leaning slightly against him. It was as if she was afraid that he was going to run away, and she didn't want to let him. "But ... this is a _very_ expensive restaurant," Brian protested. "You know I'm just a simple guy." "I told you, it's my treat," Tommi insisted, still smiling. "So hush!" "This won't be good for your diet," Brian tried another avenue of protest. "You're getting as bad as Dr. Tina and Katie!" Tommi fussed. "I'll skip eclairs with Jillian for a few days and put in extra time in the gym! Now, would you just stop arguing and enjoy our date?" Brian sighed. "Okay, I give. I'll be a good boy and follow orders." The wait for their table was very short. The dinner conversation was cordial, but Brian was starting to sense that there was something Tommi wasn't telling him. It was as if Tommi's unspoken secret was a Damoclean sword hanging over him, ready to fall and pierce any enjoyment. Tommi, however, seemed to be very relaxed and amiable. The dinner, to Brian, seemed agonizingly slow as he waited fearfully for Tommi's secret. To Tommi, the time sped by only too fast. Once they were back in the car, Brian buckled his seatbelt, turned on the ignition, and looked at Tommi for whatever was next. "Back to the dorm?" he said suggested. He was driving Tommi's car, which was highly unusual. It was a display of trust and of her ceding the lead role for the date to him, even though it was her idea, her treat, and her car. It was highly unusual, and it added to Brian's nervousness. Tommi shook her head. "I'm not feeling like going back yet," she purred. "It's still early." Brian was confused. "Okay. Then what? Movie?" Tommi wrinkled her nose. "Nah. Not really in the mood." "We could go the park, but it's still a bit chilly." Tommi felt herself shiver. "It's still _too_ chilly!" she replied quickly. "Why don't we just go rent a nice older movie and relax." Brian gulped - Tommi was hinting that they go back to his place. Sure, they'd spent some time at his apartment before - like the disastrous date where he tried to cook a gourmet meal, and for a little couch-cuddling one evening when the movie theater lost power and they didn't have anything else to do. But this time, it was radically different. His roommate was on an interview trip, so they'd be alone in his apartment for the first time. "My mom sent me a few older movies," Brian suggested. "She does that once in a while, when she thinks I need to be reminded of family movie nights. You ever see HOPSCOTCH or HATARI or THE GREAT RACE?" Tommi smiled at him. "Those are some _really_ old movies!" she observed. "Sounds like a plan. If they aren't any good, we've always got your CDs to listen to." After a short drive, during which Tommi couldn't help smiling to herself at the way Brian was babying her car and being paranoid about other traffic, they pulled into the parking lot. Arm in arm, they walked to Brian's apartment. Without invitation, Tommi crossed to the sofa, sat down, and leaned back in a pose that was both confident and sexy. The DVDs of the three movies were on the coffee table. Tommi picked them up and began to read the descriptions. Brian watched her sit as he walked to the refrigerator. "Orange sparkling water?" he asked as he opened the door and took out a bottle. He got two glasses down from the [cupboard. "Don't tell me you keep a supply just because I like it?" Tommi teased. Brian smiled. "Never hurts to be prepared." He filled the glasses, closed the refrigerator, and walked to the sofa, sitting down next to Tommi. "Have you decided which movie?" Tommi took a sip of her drink and set it on the coffee table. "Before you put in a movie, I want to tell you a couple of things." Brian likewise set down his glass. "Okay," he said nervously. He didn't know what to expect from Tommi, especially given her erratic and even rude behavior for the past several weeks. Tommi bit her lip as she tried to choose her words. "You know that I've been spending time with Stephanie and the Betas," she decided to be blunt. Brian nodded. "Yeah." "And ... they invited me to join their sorority." Brian felt the floor drop from beneath him. He knew that he wasn't in the league of the typical Beta girl's boyfriend. They were rich snobs. "I see," he said carefully. Tommi shook her head. "No, you don't. I turned them down." "You _what_?" Brian asked in astonishment. He'd never heard of a girl turning down an invitation to join the most exclusive sorority on campus. "I said, 'no.' I had a long conversation with Rachel, and she helped me see that, by getting close to the Betas, I was hurting my friends. I was falling into the popularity trap and forgetting who I am inside." "That's ... interesting." Brian was being very careful with his words. "I spent a lot of time talking with the girls in the dorm. I owed them a huge apology for being rude and stuck-up to them." "How did that go?" Again, the caution in his voice. "We're friends. They forgave me," Tommi explained. Brian felt himself relax just a tiny bit. "That's good. I know how important your friends are to you." "Sara reminded me of something, though," Tommi continued. "Oh?" Tommi looked directly into Brian's eyes. She bit her lip again, as she struggled to find the right words. "I'm very, very sorry for how I treated you. I know you deserve better than the way I was acting." "That's okay," Brian replied. "No, it's not okay," Tommi interrupted. "I treated you like crap! I stood you up twice - and all because I was worried about what the Beta girls would think of you." She dropped her gaze, ashamed to look him in the eyes. "I'm very sorry." She shook her head slowly as she considered her actions. "I don't know how you can sit here beside me after the way I treated you." Brian reached to Tommi and lifted her chin, guiding her head until she was looking directly into his eyes. "It's okay," he said tenderly. "I know you're sorry. I'm just glad I've got back the Tommi I enjoy spending time with." He leaned forward toward her guided her lips toward his. ********** Tommi lifted her head from Brian's shoulder as the movie ended and the credits rolled. She felt his hand leap from her breast and smiled to herself at how she'd startled him. "I need to use the ladies' room," she said softly, standing up. In moments, she was back, and she stretched out against Brian again. Her head turned up toward him almost automatically, and as she began to kiss him, she found his hand and guided it back to her breast. She gave a purr of contentment, while they made out on the sofa. As Tommi ran her fingers through Brian's hair, and he tenderly caressed her breast, she found herself becoming warm with excitement. Slowly, she reached for his hand again, and, grasping it, began to push it down her belly toward her warm crotch. Brian halted mid-kiss, his eyes wide with surprise. "Are you sure?" he asked nervously. Tommi, however, aggressively resumed French kissing him, offering an open invitation for him to continue exploring her body. She felt his hand rubbing against her panties, and she felt an almost burning need. She knew that she was ready. Tommi's hand slipped down the front of Brian's shirt, across his belt, and began to rub against the bulge in his pants. Where she expected to be uneasy with what she was doing, she instead found herself feeling eager anticipation. Once more, Brian pulled back from the kiss. "We aren't moving too fast, aren't we?" Brian asked, but his voice was tentative and uncertain, his rationale thoughts slowly being subsumed by more primal instincts. Tommi continued to rub against Brian's erection, but she stared up at him. "I need you," she said in a husky, sexy voice. "I want you now." Brian needed no further urging. He stood slowly, disentangling himself from the aroused woman. He picked her up in his arms and carried her from the sofa to his bedroom. He laid her gently on the bed, and lay down beside her. His hands groped at the buttons of her blouse, as she undid his belt and trousers. ********** to be continued