How I Became The Baddest Girl In Clarksville Part 14 I Know You Know free porn video

How I became the Baddest Girl in Clarksville Part: 14 I Know You Know -I Like Bananas Because They Have No Bones- I thought my head would explode. How could I have been so stupid to not have caught on to what Brett was up to, hanging, back when Shelly and I were hauling things out to the car. I'd even walked in while she was zipping up her jacket to hide the Eden docs stuffed inside. And still, I hadn't caught on. Why hadn't I checked inside the manila envelop, instead of just hefting it, assuming the weight I felt was the original contents (and not my notebook). If I had, I could have confronted her and got them back. But I hadn't. I hadn't done any of that. Instead, I let her get away and now I was paying the price. My grandmother would have said I was crying over spilled milk. What was done was done. What it was was what it was. Brett had the Project Eden material and there was nothing I could do. What did she want? Finding out would be the place to start. If I could find something to offer her in trade, maybe I could get them back. The only alternative would be to go to my parents for help-- which would mean telling them everything: how I'd found the strongbox in the shed, picked the lock, and then hid the manila envelope in my room. This was something I wasn't keen on doing. They would want to know why the sudden interest in an uncle whose name was never uttered in our house. I'd be forced to confess what really happened at school, that it was Walter and not a stranger who confronted me and my brother. That afterward, things had just spun out of control. My parents response would be, "we can't trust you, Alex." This would be followed by yada, yada, yada, you're grounded for life, yada yada, blah blah blah.. Suddenly, striking a deal with Brett seemed like a no-brainer. I reached across my desk for my cell phone and tapped Brett's number, my fingers drumming nervously on the spiral note book while I counted off the rings. I didn't really expect her to pick up. I was surprised when she did. "Hi Adam," she said. "I wondered when you would call me back." "Brett, I want my stuff back," I said. "Stuff?" she laughed. "What stuff, Adam?" "The papers you took from my desk drawer. The ones in the big brown envelop." "Oh those," she paused, "Sorry, no can do." "You don't understand," I said, struggling not to scream. "It's not my stuff. It belongs to someone else and they want it back. If they don't get it, they're going to be really angry." "Then I'd say you're in for a shit load of trouble buddy-boy," Brett giggled. "Not my problem." "What do you want. Brett," I asked, cutting to the chase. "Who said I want something." "You must want something. Those papers aren't any good to you as they are." Brett laughed, it was sharp and dry. "Maybe I just want to show everyone who you really are." "I don't believe you," I said. "I think you took those papers for a reason. So quit fucking around and tell me." Brett went quiet, and for a moment I feared she'd hung up. Then I caught the faintest whisper of her breathing. "Let me ask you a question," she said, coming back on the line."You know the person in these letters, right? That Edwards guy." "Maybe," I said not wanting to reveal to much. "Now it's your turn to quit fucking around,"Brett said," Or I can just drop off right now and post everything on my facebook page. I've already got it all scanned onto my hard drive. Your choice Adam. What's it going to be. I'm going to count to ten." "Okay. Okay." I said, not daring to push her for fear she would. "Let's say I do. What about it." "Then maybe we can make a deal." "What kind of deal." "A minute ago, you asked me what I wanted. I'll tell you," Brett said. "I want to be you." "What do you mean you want to be me?" I asked, wondering if she'd lost it. "I want your friend to do the same thing to me that he did to you, except in my case it should work even better. I'm already a girl." "First of all he's not my friend. And secondly, what exactly do you think he did to me?" "Well, other than making you a girl, he made you pretty. You were a boy and he made you pretty. I want him to make me pretty. Do it and you get the papers back. Plus, I'll delete everything off my computer." "And if I can't ?" I asked. "Then everybody will know who, or maybe I should say, what you are. So, if you're smart, I'd get on it, Adam. Right now, the only person I've told is Chrissy and she doesn't know that much, only that I have some shit on you. I was going to trade the info I have for her making me a Deb. If I get what I want from you, then the Debs can go to hell." "Brett..." I hesitated, even if I could convince Walter to do what she wanted I wasn't sure this was wise. "I don't know." I said. "You're asking for a lot. I'm not sure the person you're talking about can do what you want. Even if he can, how will you explain it to your parents or anyone? This stuff is secret." "Let me worry about my parents. As for everyone else, he'll just have to figure all that out. Look, I only have a few minutes. My family is going out of town for Thanksgiving. We're leaving as soon as I finish packing. That's what I was doing when you called. We'll be back Saturday night. You have until then to take care of things." "Brett--" "Gotta go, Adam. Talk soon. Ciao." I laid my phone down and fell back in my chair. Even though the room was cold, almost freezing, I was sweating and I needed to catch my breath.. Brett's call had unnerved me that much. I sat for a long time staring into nothingness, my mind numb. What in the hell was I going to do? Brett wouldn't be back until Saturday. That should have given me six days to figure a way out of this but I was positive I would hear from Walter before then. So what should I tell him? What could I tell him except the truth-- that Brett was going to make everything public unless he cut a deal with her. I wasn't sure what she wanted was even possible. The virus worked on males but there was no evidence (I was aware of ) that it would work on females. Girls were missing the "y" chromosome and I was pretty certain the virus needed that to mutate. At the same time,Walter had offered to make me male again so maybe it was. There was only one way to find out. I'd have to call my uncle. I'd stashed the trac phone in the bottom drawer of my desk but I didn't reach for it right away. Once I made the call things might get ugly. Walter wouldn't be very happy when he learned Brett had his precious papers and was forcing him to bargain to get them back. I didn't want to see Brett hurt (if it came to that) but what choice did I have? Walter needed to know. If she released the Eden documents, the consequences could be a lot worse than being roughed up a little. I'd seen first hand what these people were capable of. We could all end up like Bradley Conrad, with our brains scrambled, locked away in some asylum while the government wiped away the last traces project Eden existed. I shook my head. Brett should have thought more carefully before taking things that didn't belong to her. I opened the drawer and removed the phone. I was still hesitant about making the call but Walter would need time to decide how to fix this. Taking a breath, I jabbed the 1 button, and then closed my eyes as I waited for my uncle to pick up. "Hello Catherine," said a voice. I'd only heard it once, yet I knew immediately to whom it belonged -- Dr. Charles Swanson. "You're not my Uncle," I said. "Where's my Uncle Walter." "Walter had a bad night, " said Swanson. "He's resting. It's good that you're calling so soon. His condition is deteriorating. I need the formula as quickly as we can make the exchange." My throat seemed to constrict, choking off any words I might try to utter. How could I tell him I had no formula to give him. "Catherine...you're awfully quiet." he ventured after a long moment of silence. "You do have the formula, don't you? Come out with it." I swallowed hard, regaining a little of my resolve. "I had it." I blurted. "It was in my desk until someone took it. They're going public with it unless they get what they want." "I see," Swanson said, his voice remarkably calm for what had to be disastrous news. "Who is this person. Obviously you know them, since you know they want to bargain." His voice was smooth, clinical, the way I remembered it at the hospital. It reminded me of the cobra in the Disney version of "The Jungle Book." "I don't want you to hurt her," I said, The words rushed out before I could stop them. "So it is a girl." Swanson exclaimed with delight. "Excellent. Why would I hurt her, Catherine?" "Walter says you like to hurt young girls." I heard a long sigh. "Walter says a lot of things, Catherine, not all of them true. I confess I do have a weakness for young er...ladies but anything I've done with them was mutually consensual. I never forced myself on them. I may have peculiar tastes but I also have principles." A wave of disgust swept over me. Playing touchy-feely with a twelve year old, even if she was okay with it (which I doubted), was sick, no matter how you tried to spin it. "Who is this girl." Swanson continued. "I'm guessing she is a friend of yours." " I wouldn't exactly call her a friend." I said, wanting this conversation to end. "Of course not," said Swanson."How stupid of me. She stole from you. Still, I need a name." "I think I've told you enough," I said. "I need to talk to my uncle." "I told you, Walter cannot be disturbed. He is a very sick man, growing more ill every moment. We are wasting time with this silly bant--" "Then I guess you better find a way to make him better," I cut in. "Because I've got nothing more to say to you." "Let me explain something to you, little girl." Swanson said, his voice uncharacteristically sharp. "If the Eden material was to go public it could be very bad for all of us. Very bad. Only a handful of trusted people knew about project Eden.. A few generals and pentagon officials plus my two colleagues." "The Rat Pack." I said, "Yes, how clever of you to have figured out our little name for ourselves. But no matter about that, no one in congress knew, nor the president, or his cabinet. Imagine Catherine, how upset they will be if they should find out what we were doing --did. What do you think they will do to your father, or your mother or you." "My parents didn't do anything wrong." I protested. " I was the one with documents. I'm the one that should get in trouble." "That is very noble of you, Catherine. Unfortunately the government will not see it that way. Your parents were in possession of the material in the beginning. Even if they were unaware of what the strongbox held, they could--or more likely would be prosecuted. Ignorance is not an excuse for breaking the law. He paused, giving me time to digest what he'd said. "All you have to do is give me the girl's name, and you and your family will be absolved of this entire mess. Your eh...past will remain a secret. No one will know you were ever anyone other than who you appear to be now. I'll handle everything from here. I give you my word. You will never hear from anyone involved with Project Eden again." "And you promise not to hurt "her"? " "If she cooperates, I promise no harm will come to her, or her family. I only want what rightfully belongs to me and my colleagues." "Her name is Brett Golding. She lives on--" "One moment..." said Swanson. I heard the click, click of a key board. "I have her address," Swanson said. I blinked. "How?" "You'd be surprised what I know about you and your recent activities, What does Ms. Golding want." "She wants to be me." "She wants to be you?" He sounded both puzzled and amused. "She wants...she wants you to do to her what Bradley did to me. She thinks it will change the way she looks, that it will make her pretty." "It is doubtful that would be the result.. The virus was designed to feed off the "Y' chromosome found in males. It was never tested on females. Because of the virus's nature.if a female could be infected the final stage would produce something far less than human. Irregardless, the remaining vials were destroyed when the project was shut down. This is why we need the formula. Miss Golding will have to settle for something more in reason, when I visit her this afternoon." "You can't," I said. "Excuse me," Swanson said, sounding irritated.. "I can and I will." "That's not what I meant." I said. "She's not home. She left, to go out of town with her family. And don't ask me where. She didn't tell me." "Now that I have her identity, it shouldn't pose a problem to find her, should that be necessary," Swanson said. "Thank you again, Catherine. You have been very helpful. I doubt you'll hear from me again, which is a shame. I would have loved to have gotten to know you "better". Good- Bye." The call ended. I laid the trac phone down and fell back in my chair. To say Brett had opened a can of worms would be an understatement. A better metaphor would be she'd opened a fifty -five gallon drum of cobras. I hoped for her sake that she and her family were on the road and that their destination was far away. I muddled around my room for most of the afternoon. It was hard to think about anything except how this would end. Dr. Swanson seemed confident he could get the documents back. I wasn't as certain. What if Brett changed her mind and posted the material before he caught up with her. I'd witnessed her mood swings, some of them verging on adolescent insanity. It was entirely possible this could happen. If she did, it would rock my world for sure. Even my friends like Shelly, who'd only known me as Alex, would look at me differently. Everyone would see me as a freak, some kind of scientific anomaly. Dad would probably lose his job at Myers Industries and Mom, hers at Just Girls. Reporters would swarm our house, trying to get the scoop on the boy that morphed into girl. We would be forced to appear at congressional hearings, or worse, hauled off to CIA interrogations, to answer questions of how something so unprecedented could have occurred, without their knowledge or approval. And then, there was the danger of rival nations, like Russia and China, wanting samples of my DNA, so they could back engineer how it was done. Playing out all of this in my head, I became less concerned about Brett and began to pull for Swanson to come through. He needed to get to Brett before she could do something stupid. I liked who I was and the Eden Documents were the last traces I had been anyone other than Alex. If Swanson did get the documents back and kept his word, I could finally settle into living my life like any other girl Around four o'clock, it began to snow. It started as a trickle, a few flakes, drifting leisurely toward the ground. Within and hour it had progressed into a thick white blanket whipped around by strong winds that rattled the bare branches of the elms. Their skeletal fingers tap tap tapped against my window pane when the howl of the wind didn't drown them out. Peeping through a crack in my blinds, I watched the storm roar and rage. After a while, I decided to go downstairs to check the weather channel. I wanted a better idea of what we were in for. When I reached the living room, I saw my dad had already switched over. A woman on the television ticked off a series of statistics, comparing the predicted snow fall for tonight with snow fall in past years. Everything was displayed on a giant screen behind her. Dad saw me and patted the sofa cushion with his hand. I hurried over and snuggled next to him, drinking in the clean smell of soap and aftershave. Pressed against my father, all my uncertainties and fears melted away. I must have dozed off because I woke up alone on the couch, covered with a blanket. The television had been switched off and I could hear the clinking of silverware, along with the soft drone of my parents voices, drifting from out of the dining room. I sat up and glanced at the grandfather clock. Its hands showed ten minutes to seven. I'd been asleep for nearly three hours. Dad ambled into the living room as I was untangling myself from the blanket. "Good, you're up," said my father. "Supper's almost ready." "I didn't mean to fall asleep," I said. "Well, it's understandable. You had a pretty busy day with your mother. Feel better?" "Yeah." All the stress over Brett and Dr. Swanson had vanished, at least for now. "Would you mind finding your bother and tell him its dinner time." "Sure," I said. Hoisting myself off the couch, I trotted up the stairs feeling a renewed optimism. Maybe things would be all right. Tyler's door was closed. I knocked and he called back he was coming. He opened the door standing in the space he created so his body blocked whatever he'd been dong. "Dad said come eat." I told him, my eye catching an open magazine lying on his bed, a copy of Hustler. 'Why are you so dressed up?" he asked. "Are we having company or something?" I glanced down and realized I was still wearing my skirt. I'd forgotten I had it on. "I just haven't changed from the mall." I said. "It's only us tonight. You, me Mom and Dad." 'Tell him I'll be down in a few," he said, closing the door leaving me alone in the hall. Abandoning Tyler to finish whatever disgusting thing he was doing, I headed back downstairs. I walked into the kitchen, to ask Mom what she'd fixed for tonight, when I noticed Dad on the phone. "Let me see," he was saying to whoever. "Its in the other room." He spotted me and mouthed "Mr. Myers", pointing with his free hand at the phone. Working past me and Mom, he slipped out of the kitchen and out of sight. "I hope you and Tyler are all right with casserole," Mom said when Dad left. "I wanted to use up as many fresh vegetable as I could. I'm saving the can goods for emergencies, in case we have a power outage." "Mom you don't know if we're going to lose power." I sad. "I think you're worrying way too much about everything. " "I'd rather be cautious than not, and regret it later." Mom said stoically. Before she could say more, Tyler burst in, saving me from a lecture on preparedness. "What's for supper?" he cried. "Mom's vegetable surprise," I answered dryly. 'Yuck," Tyler made a face "I hate that stuff." "Relax you two," Mom laughed, "It's broccoli and chicken. You both like that." "It's okay," Tyler admitted. "I'm glad you approve, Tyler." Mom said. She looked at me. "Alex would you help me set the table. We're eating in the dining room. By the time everything is set out dinner will be ready to serve." I'd found something comforting in doing little things around the kitchen and dining room. I wasn't sure if it was because I was a girl, or if I'd always been that way and just unaware. It didn't really matter, I was happy to help. I laid out the dinnerware, working around Tyler, who had already taken his place and watched me lazily as I worked. Mom came in cradling the still steaming casserole between thick pot holders. She placed it in the center of the table, filling the room with its savory aroma. "Something smells good," said Dad, coming into the dining room, as if drawn there by the odor of Mom's cooking. "Everything's ready, Steve," said Mom. "We were waiting for you." "Let me put this back on the cradle," Dad said, waving the cordless phone, He slipped into the kitchen, then popped back out to take his seat. Mom reached for Dad's plate, placed a serving of casserole on it and passed it back. She served me next, then Tyler and finally herself. We waited for Dad to take the first bite and then we all dove in. I had to admit, for a casserole. it was pretty good. "Delicious Ann." said my father. He took a sip of iced tea, paused and then faced me and my brother. "How do you kids feel about guests for Thanksgiving this year?" he asked. "You're not talking about some charity thing, are you," Tyler exclaimed. "Where you invite some homeless person off the street to eat turkey with you." "Tyler that's an awful thing to say." Mom cried "Many of those people need our help." Dad laughed. "No we're not taking in a homeless person. That was Mr. Myers on the phone. He was asking if he could come here for Thanksgiving. It wouldn't be such a big deal if his son wasn't home. He didn't want the two of them to spend Thanksgiving sitting at a counter, in a dinner. He asked if they could spend the holiday with us. I said of course." -John Wayne was a Nazi- Hearing Austin was back, I gulped down the bite of casserole I was chewing, swallowed wrong, and broke into a fit of coughing. Fumbling for my glass of iced tea I managed to wash down the chunk of food. "Are you okay, honey," Mom asked, alarmed. "Yeah," I croaked. "I ate too fast." "How can you eat this stuff fast?" Tyler asked. "I can barely eat it slow." "Take smaller bites," Mom cautioned, " This isn't a race." "Yes ma'am," I answered, dutifully. "Mr. Myers said you or Tyler might have met his son, Princess." Dad said. "He was a freshman at your school." "Yeah, I met him," said Tyler. "He's a dork. He tried to hit on Alex." I shot Tyler a dirty look. He grinned back. "You never told me that, Alex" said Mom. "What's his name? " "Uh...Austin," I said "He uh...asked me out a couple of times but I wasn't interested." 'Austin, yes," said Mom, her face lighting up, "Now I remember. Sandra Gartman, mentioned him. He was the boy you and Shelly had the falling out over." "Alex danced with him at the social. That's why Shelly got mad." Tyler said. "That's not how it happened," I protested. "He pulled me out in front of everybody so I had to dance with him. Mom, will you please tell Tyler to stop." My parents looked at each other and then at me, both of them grinning, obviously enjoying the way this was going. "I thought Austin was going to a private school, " I added, taking it upon myself to turn the conversation. "What's he doing back?" "The school is closed for the holidays." Dad said " Mr. Myers and Austin spent last Thanksgiving in Chicago with his sister. Unfortunately he couldn't do that his year because he and I have to fly to New York on Friday or as soon as something is available. We have to meet with the board before they adjourn. "Mr. Myers considered sending Austin to Chicago by himself but decided against it. Austin's mother, was killed in a bank robbery two years ago, a week before Thanksgiving. Austin was devastated.. He was afraid sending Austin off alone would be too much for him, that they needed to be together for Thanksgiving. He asked if they could come here." "That poor boy."Mom exclaimed. "Of course they should spend Thanksgiving with us." "I felt the same way" Dad continued. "That's why I said it was fine. Should I have said no, Princess?" I felt Mom's eye's boring into me waiting for my answer. ".Uh...no. You did the right thing." I said staring down at my plate. "How about you Tyler?" Dad asked. "Do you mind sharing Thanksgiving with Mr. Myers and his son?" Tyler shrugged. 'Well, I think it's wonderful, Steve," said Mom. "It will be nice to have guests for Thanksgiving. Alex, I want both you and Tyler to be nice to Austin while he's here. Do you understand ?" "Yes Ma'am." Tyler and I answered in unison. After dinner, as I helped Mom collect the dishes and put up the left over casserole, I wondered what the real reason was for Myers wanting to keep Austin here. I'd seen the fat bastard in action. Showing compassion for anyone, even his son, was not the Corbin Myers way. What was more concerning was how Mr. Myers' would react when he discovered I was the girl with Austin when his bike was stolen. There was a good chance my parents might get a more interesting Thanksgiving than they bargained for. A check out my bedroom window revealed the snow falling with an intensity. I doubted anyone would be able to travel in these conditions. Brett hadn't divulged her family's destination but considering the weather outside, I wasn't sure they would make it. I imagined them stranded on the highway, huddled together, trying to stay warm, while their car was gradually buried by snow. I'd seen a documentary sometime back about the Donner Party, a group of pioneers heading for California. Instead of taking a traditional route they decided to try a new one called the Hastings Cutoff. The idea was to shorten their travel time, but the rough conditions of the trail slowed progress so much, they found themselves high in the mountains, trapped by an early snow. When food supplies ran out, they were forced to eat their dead. The Donner party had high ideals when they set off, but bad luck and errors in judgment landed them in a situation that quickly spun out of control. Leaning back in my chair, away from my desk, I marveled at how my thoughts had done something similar, turned dark. I glanced back to the window and the storm. The wind shrieked, the tree branches rattled and the snow swirled in a frenzied dance. The fury outside evoked a feeling of helplessness within me, that harkened me back once again to the program on the History Channel of the men and women trapped in the mountains, watching their children die of hunger, eating their shoes, their clothing and finally each other. What if the same thing happened to us. What if the snow didn't stop falling until we were buried beneath it. Its weight, heaped against our doors, might trap us inside our house for days or weeks, until all the canned food was gone. Then what? And even if the food lasted, when the rescuers dug us out, would they find our bodies scattered around the house, victims of cabin fever ? "You're being stupid," I told myself. "You're living in the twenty-first century. The Donner Parry happen over a hundred years ago, before there were things like the National Guard and snow plows. You're in no danger and neither is Brett. What you need to be worrying about is Dr. Swanson. If he shows up on Brett's doorstep demanding the Eden Documents, how do you think her parents will react? I pictured this in my mind, Mr. Golding blocking the door to keep Swanson out while Mrs. Golding dialed 911, crying into the phone there was a crazed man trying to get in, shouting about something to do with Eden. When the police arrived, there would be questions that would lead to more questions until they knew everything. The possibility of this happening plunged me into panic mode. Snatching up my phone I scrolled through my contacts. When I reached Brett's name, I tapped the screen activating the call. She needed to know what was about to happen. Her phone rang several times and then switched to voice mail. I let the recording play through before deciding not to leave a message. Over the next two days I learned something. Other than putting weird thoughts in your head, snowstorms were boring as hell. The newness factor worn thin, I wanted the snow to go away and for the sun to come back. Looking out my bedroom window, between showers of white flakes, the drifts of snow were rising to scary heights. The roof and gables of the Barnes house, across the street, mimicked the irregular peaks of a snow capped mountain. Everyone found a way to occupy his or herself, as we waited out the storm, except me. Mom spent her time preparing our Thanksgiving dinner, churning out pounds of pie crust, skillets of cornbread for dressing, and dozens of cookies. More than we could possibly eat before they went stale. Dad remade the downstairs guest room into an office where he prepared his pitch to the Myers Industries' board of directors. Tyler stayed on the phone, talking to Randi, making plans for when the weather thawed. I spent my time shuffling down the stairs, to the living room, where the television seemed to always be on the weather channel and then back to my bedroom, where I would try to reach Brett, with no success, The frustration I was feeling made me want to scream. As much as I wanted to lose myself, like the rest of my family, by finding things to occupy my time, I couldn't. I was too busy worrying about why Brett hadn't returned my call, and why there was no ring tone when I pressed the number Walter had programed into the trac phone. I couldn't get any answers and it was driving me mad. Another thing lurking inside me was the uncomfortable knowledge Austin was back in town. After the initial shock at dinner, when my dad launched the news like a missile in a preemptive strike, worries over Brett and Swanson had pretty much buried it. Now it bobbed to the surface of my consciousness like an air filled balloon that someone submerged and then released. The balloon was heart shaped, and red, with a single question written across its face, in all caps. AUSTIN IS BACK IN CLARKSVILLE SO WHY IN THE HELL HASN'T HE CALLED ME??!! That he hadn't made me fear something in our relationship had changed. "Relationship? What do you think you had to start with?" asked Practical Alex. "Remember the last night you were together. He told you he was leaving, then got on his bike and rode away, without looking back.? I recalled thinking, by his not taking a final glance back that night, he was erasing our past together, treating it as something to be forgotten, something that had no value. The thought made me want to cry. If this was true, what would it be like on Thursday, when we were face to face? What would I say to him? I didn?t know. What I didn't want was for us to be staring coldly at each other over my mom's cornbread stuffing. I still had Austin's number in my phone. I could call him and maybe smooth over any hard feelings if that was the problem. But if he didn't want to talk to me did I really want to talk to him? What had I done that was so terrible he didn't want to see me or talk to me? One question triggered the next, and then the next, until I was sure Austin would just brush me off like flakes of dandruff on his shoulder, the way Ian had in front of his girlfriend. I remembered how humiliated I'd felt. ?Fuck that,? I said aloud, There was no way I was going to let Austin do that to me. If he wanted to play ?don't come near me it's over,? then fine. ?Bring it on, asshole.? I said. I was up for whatever. But for all my bravado and tough girl talk, I felt more hurt than anything. I spent the rest of the afternoon laying on my bed staring at the ceiling. Shelly called Tuesday afternoon, It was still snowing and Clarkville was now covered with a foot of the stuff and expecting more. We talked about the weather for a few minutes before I told her who was coming to dinner on Thursday. ?I thought you and Austin were over,? Shelly said, ?Didn?t you have a fight or something.? ?Something, but I didn't invite them, my dad did,? I said, ?The point is. I don't know how he feels about me now. I don?t know what to do.? ?Why are they even coming?? Shelly asked. ?Don?t they have their own family to eat with.? ?Yeah, but their family is in Chicago. Mr. Myers has to be here. He's flying to New York with my dad for some kind of meeting. My dad invited them to our house so they wouldn't be alone..? ?You have the craziest luck, Alex,? Shelly said with a laugh. ?It?s not funny. Mr. Myers is kind of crazy and he doesn't like me. My dad?s future with Myers Industries could be in jeopardy.? ?How does he even know you?? Shelly asked. ?He's like a billionaire or something. They don't mingle with regular people.? ?He gave me a ride home one afternoon,? I said. ?And I don't think he's that rich. He doesn't act like it.? ?You?ve met him!? Shelly cried with excitement. ?When was this.? ?I don?t know, a couple of weeks ago, maybe three.? ?What else haven?t you told me, Alex:? Shelly said sounding miffed. ?I thought we were friends.? ?I didn?t think it was a big deal,? I said, sorry I?d mentioned any of this. ?I missed my bus and Austin called his dad. They took me home. If it makes you feel any better I?d rather spend Thanksgiving at your house than here.? ?We?re having people over too,?said Shelly,? A bunch of old farts Grandma knew way back when. One of them is even in a wheel chair. Yuck! They?re in town for some reason. I don?t know how they made it through the snow. My big fear is if it doesn?t let up we're going to be stuck with them. I?m not looking forward to that.? We were quiet for a minute. I decided this would be a good time to ask what could have been the six-million dollar question. ?Do you know where Brett went for Thanksgiving?? ?Probably the same place they go every year,? Shelly said. ?Somewhere down south. Atlanta, I think. That?s where her mother is from. They have a lot of family there. Why?? ?I was trying to get in touch with her,? I said,?but she?s not answering her cell.? ?I?m nit surprised,? said Shelly, ?She keeps it switched off half the time. Her dad is a real ass- hole about how much data she uses.? ?You don?t know the number there or anything do you. Maybe the address.? ?Uh...nooooh. Gawd, Alex. What?s so important? She?ll be back by the weekend.? ?I...had something important to tell her. Something she should know.? ?Like what...or is it another one of your secrets.? ?She left something here,? I said quickly, ?A note... but it was... sealed... in an envelope. It looked like it might be an invitation. I thought she should know? ?Uh,,huh. What were you going to do, mail it to her? I think whatever it is will keep until she gets back.? Shelly?s tone was dismissive and it kind of pissed me off. ?Fine,? I said. ?I was just trying to be responsible. Forget it!? I took a breath. ?I?m sorry,? I said, realizing how harsh I?d sounded. ?This snow thing is making me crazy.? ?It?s okay,? Shelly said with more sympathy than I expected. ?It takes some getting used to. At least we haven?t lost power, yet. When that happens it?s a bitch.? We talked for a few minutes, managing to part friends. After exchanging good-byes I put my phone down thinking how fucked up everything was. I promised myself if I got out of this mess with limited damage (to myself or my family) I'd never go snooping again. I sealed it with a prayer to whoever might be listening above. Then I went downstairs to watch the weather channel and wait out the storm. The snow began to slacken just before dark and by the next morning -- the day before Thabnksgiving --it stopped altogether. The television said the storm had dumped a foot and a half of the stuff on Clarksville but they expected to have the roads clear by Thanksgiving day. We'd been lucky they said. The storm had moved through faster than expected. things could have been a lot worse. I didn't feel lucky at all. Any hope of the Myers' having to to spend the holiday at their place, instead of ours, was tossed out the window. Dad stayed glued to the local channel for news of when the airport would open in Pineville. If they could catch a flight by the weekend, they could still meet with be board of directors before they adjourned for the year. I spent the afternoon on my computer, trying to find a way to get in touch with Brett. After leaving the eleventh voice mail, begging her to call me, emphasizing how important it was, I gave up. Thinking I might be able to locate her through the Atlanta white pages--online-- I tried that. My search turned up a hundred-plus Goldings, many with unlisted numbers and way too many to deduce which Golding was hers. I sighed, I wasn?t even sure they were visiting a Golding. It could be anyone. Not wanting to give up, I thought about calling Abbie. She might know. She was closer to Brett than anyone. The problem with that was I wasn't up to another round of questions like with Shelly. Brett would just have to deal with Swanson on her own. She?d done this to herself, I told myself, but that fact didn?t console me. I still felt partially responsible. I just hoped things would work out so no one got hurt?especially me. -We Threw Gasoline On The Fire and Now We Have Stumps for Arms and No Eyebrows- Mr. Myers pulled up to our house an hour earlier than he should, on Thanksgiving Day. Peeping out the the same window I looked through the night I kissed Austin, and then ran inside, I followed his progress up the walk. Today, Mr. Myers wore a pair of gray slacks, a charcoal colored vest and a red tie; all of it buried under a heavy, brown coat he'd neglected to button. A lit cigarette hung from his protruding lower lip. Austin trailed behind his father, wearing what I guessed was his school uniform: tan trousers, white shirt, blue blazer and tie. I let the curtain fall back in place and yelled for help.?Moouumm, they?re here. You need to stop what you?re doing and let them in.? As soon as she appeared from the kitchen, I planned on making for the stairs before Mr. Myers saw me. I wasn't sure he'd remember me but I didn't want to take the chance. ?You let them in Alex,? my mother called back. ?I have my hands full of stuffing.? My heart seemed to sink to the bottom of my stomach, that was just my luck. I took a moment to smooth the front of my dress, needing something to do with my hands. I had a major case of nerves. The door bell sounded, I knew I should answer it but I couldn?t move, Maybe I thought, if I did nothing. they would go away. The bell sounded again. ?Alex, are you getting the door?? Mom called. Biting my lower lip, I opened the door to be confronted by Mr. Myers substantial mass His eyes swept past me as he took in our home then snapped back to where I stood. He scowled. ?I knew I?d been here before,? he growled staring down at me, ?You're the girl who was with my son the day his bike went missing. The girl--? ?You must be Mr. Myers? Mom?s voice said behind me. ?How nice of you to come have dinner with us today. I?m Ann Tetras.? Myers looked up, and his expression changed. I?d seen this look a dozen times on the faces of boys at school when they spotted a hot looking girl. In Myers case he was practically drooling. The old bastard was crushing on my mom. Mom did look hot. She wore a black skirt and a cream colored blouse that accented her figure. She?d unbound her hair so it fell to her shoulders and applied just enough makeup to bring out her eyes. ?Please call me Corbin,? said Myers, extending a hand, his eyes lustful. ?I must say Dr. Tetras has excellent tastes.? ?Uh... thank you, er...Corbin.? Mom said taking his hand. ?It?s...it?s uh... nice to meet you, You?ve already met my daughter Alex.? ?Yes,? Myers said, glancing down at me.. ?My son Tyler is somewhere around.? Mom went on, scanning the immediate area before emitting a mini laugh. ?I guess he?s wandered off. You know how boys are.? She shifted her attention to where Austin stood beside his dad. ?And speaking of boys, this must be yours. He?s so handsome.? She paused. Her lips pursed. Then her face lit as if she discovered something delightful. ?I know you,? she exclaimed. ?You?re the boy that was here that night for Alex. You had a homework question.? Myers ripped his eyes away from my mother with such a force I could almost hear the tear. He glared at his son, his lips twisted into a snarl. I braced myself, fearing he might blow. ?Mr. Myers,? said my dad coming up from behind. ?You made it. I was afraid the roads might be too bad to travel this soon.? Myers didn?t respond immediately his eyes shifted from Austin to me, searing me with the same angry glare. Then his face slowly relaxed as he forced a smile. ?Dr. Tetras,? he said cheerfully, turning his back to us, as if dismissing the whole matter. ?I was just about to ask if you were around. We?ve got a great deal of things to go over. There?s a hell of a lot riding on this venture.? ?We can get started immediately, ? said Dad. ?I have everything laid out on the coffee table, if you'd join me on the couch.? Myers nodded. He followed my dad over to the sofa. Dropping his bulk onto the cushions, the springs groaned under his weight. ?What can I get you to drink, Corbin,?? Mom asked, ?Coffee, tea, a soft drink? ? ?Coffee,? said Myers. ?Two sugars no cream.? ?Coffee it is. Please make your self comfortable and I?ll be right back Steve, coffee for you? ?Coffee?s fine, honey.? Myers ogled Mom?s backside as she set off toward the kitchen, his eyes bulging like they'd grown to big for their sockets. ?You?re a lucky man, Tetras,? he said ?Lucky as h--.? Noticing me watching, he broke off in mid- sentence. He looked annoyed. ?Get over here son,? Myers said to Austin who hadn't moved since entering our house. ?Where's your manners. Don't you see Alice standing there, waiting for you to say hello.? ?Her name is Alex, Dad.? Austin said. ?What ever. You two need to go for a walk or something. The weather's nice. She can show you the neighborhood. Dr. Tetras and I are going to be discussing the presentation to the board. I don't need you hanging around as a disraction.? ?It?s not much of a neighborhood,? I said. ?Just a street of empty houses...well except ours.? ?You'd be doing me a favor if you did, honey? said my dad. ?It's going to be a while before dinner's ready.? ?Fine,? I said making no attempt to keep the irritation out of my voice. ?I need to get my parka and change shoes.? I told Austin, ?They?re in my room. Wait here. I'll be back.? ?I'd rather come with you,? Austin said. ?Please?? ?Come on.? I said. Already angry, at.having to entertain someone who'd not bothered to say he was back, after I'd cried myself to sleep, over his leaving, I led Austin through the living room and up the stairs. By the time we reached the second floor landing, what had began as a slow burn now blazed into an inferno. Unable to hold it back any longer, I spun around to face him. ?Why in the hell didn't you call to tell me you were back.? I demanded. ?I had to find out from my dad.? Austin, taken by surprise stumbled backwards, frantically grabbing for the bannister to keep from tumbling down the stairs. Regaining his balance, he tired to take a step forward, away from the stairs to safer ground. But I stood firm. My arms crossed, I blocked his way, ?We were supposed to go to Chicago,? he began. ?I...? ?Forget it. I don't care why.? I said walking away from him, afraid I might cry. ?I've got to get my stuff. I have to take you on your precious tour.? ?Alex... I'm sorry.? Austin said from behind, ?I didn't call you because of my mom.? I'd reached the door to my bedroom, ready to go in.. At the mention of his mother my hand dropped from the knob. I turned to face him. The pain I saw in his eyes tore at my heart. ?I don't like to talk about it,? he said. He took a breath. ?I...I lost my mom just before Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. She went to the bank to make a deposit and walked into a robbery. They think she startled the robbers when she came in and that's why they shot her.? ?Oh, Austin.? I cried. My dad told me the story but hearing it from Austin, I only now sensed the true depth of the tragedy. ?Anyway, she's pretty much all I've thought about the last few days. I didn't know were coming here until this morning. I'm sorry I didn't call you. I wouldn't have been very good company if I had.? ?I'm the one that needs to apologize.? I sighed. ?I was being selfish and self-centered.? ?Then we're friends?? Austin ventured, his voice hopeful. ?Yeah.? I said. ?Friends.? I opened the door motioning him ahead of me. Austin stepped inside. Placing his hands on his hips he looked around taking everything in. ?This is your room?? ?It?s a work in progress,? I said, following him in. ?I...uh like the posters.? he said, fumbling for something to say.. ?Tiger Girl, huh.? ?Yeah, she?s out of a comic book.? I said, fishing my parka out of my closet. ?Cool.?Austin said, digesting the info. My converses lay where I?d left them at the head of my bed.. I plopped down on the bed, and began separating the shoe strings that had somehow tangled together when I kicked off my shi-tops. ?You can sit down if you want.? I said to Austin. ?This might take a minute.? Austin looked around not knowing where to park. ?The bed?s fairly comfortable,? I said. ?I'm pretty sure there?s room for us both.? ?You don?t mind? he asked, ?It?s fine.? Austin took his seat, settling on the opposite edge of the bed, keeping a polite distance between us. I slipped on my left shoe and begin lacing it up. When I glanced at Austin. He looked so uncomfortable I had to smile. How could I have felt so adverse toward him earlier. He was probably the sweetest, kindest boy there was. ?You look good in that dress,? he said, eying me watching him. ?I mean...nice...I mean...that dress looks nice on you...being green and all... that?s a good color.. I mean on you... I mean...? Struggling for a way to untangle his vocal fragments, he looked pleading at me for help. ?It?s okay, ? I said. ?I know what you meant. Actually the dress was my mother?s idea. She said today was a ?for-mahl occasion?. By the way, you look nice too.? Austin smiled in that lopsided way he had and seemed to relax. For a moment, I was swept away, carried back to the first time he showed up at my locker smiling that same way. ?It?s my school uniform,? he said, his voice bringing me back to the now. ?My dad made me wear it for the same reason your mom made you wear the dress.? We looked at each other and laughed. A moment passed and then another.neither of us saying anything. Austin?s head dropped and he stared at his feet while I looked at the ceiling. ?I guess we should go,? I said, breaking out of the reticent atmosphere we'd created. I stood, ?Mom will have dinner ready before too long.? I said,slipping on my coat. We trotted down the stairs, pausing at the front door long enough for Austin tn tell his dad we were leaving. ?Stay where I can see you? Myers said. dismissing us with a flip of his hand not bothering to look up from the typed papers spread before him. Austin opened the door and held it for me to exit first. The temperature outside was surprisingly mild and the blue sky was a welcomed sight after so many days filled with gray clouds. ?Well, this is our street,? I said extending my arm. ?There?s not much to it.? ?I wouldn?t say that,? said Austin brushing past me, skipping down the steps. He seemed excited. ?Come on,? he said, when he reached the bottom. ?I want to see something.? He started across our yard leaving me to hurry after him. He'd reached the horseshoe shaped driveway of the Barnes House before I caught him. ?It's so awesome.? he said, standing at the curb looking toward where the old Victorian rose up like some monstrous thing, towering above the waist high weeds. The house glared back at us, daring us to breech its sacred ground. ?It?s like a vampire or Dr. Frankenstein could live there.? Austin went on, ?I want to take a closer look.? He took a step forward, ?Austin. No!? I cried. Without thinking what I was doing, I grabbed his arm. ?What.? He stood rooted in place, studying my hand clamped on his bicep like an artist might study a face before he renders it in charcoal. Then he looked at me. ?Why not? What?s wrong?? ?I...? I hesitated. Releasing my grip on him, I let my hand drop to my side. ?I just think it?s... a bad idea. They?re doing work over there.? He laughed, ?I doubt they?re working today, it?s Thanksgiving.? ?Yeah but still. er...the city's posted signs all over the place. They may even have a camera...you know to make sure nobody trespasses on to the property.? ?You?re serious aren?t you,? he said, his blue- gray eyes hinting amusement. ?Alex, you?re scared of that place. I didn?t think you were afraid of anything but you?re afraid of that house.? ?I?m not afraid,? I said standing straight, jutting out my chin. ?I just think if we went over there we could get into trouble.? ?I don?t think the police are going to come and arrest us if we just look around for a few minutes. If you?re afraid, stay here and I?ll go by myself.? ?I?m not afraid, ?I repeated. ?And quit saying I am.? This brought a grin to Austin?s face. ?Then prove it. Come with me. I promise I only want a closer look and then we?ll leave.? ?Fine,? I said. As I followed Austin up the driveway, my eyes swept across the second floor windows for any sign we were not alone. Though I doubted Walter was anywhere around, I still worried. It was like the old saying --once bitten twice shy. Austin followed the driveway?s curve. When we reached the front, he stopped, put his hands on his hips while he took in what once was a majestic facade, now twisted and warped. ?This is so cool, Alex,? he said slipping his cell phone out of his jacket pocket. He aimed the phone at the house and snapped a picture. ?You?re taking pictures? ? I asked. ?Why?? ?For when I get back to school,? he said, snapping off another. ?There?s not much to do there. The other boys show each other pictures on their cell phones of... you know,,, xtuff some of the places where they're from... friends... things like that. I?m not from anywhere...I mean, I?ve moved around my whole life, never staying in one place very long. When we moved here I thought Clarksville would be where we settled down. It didn?t happen, but no one at school knows that. So I made up stories about growing up here and all the fun I had with my best friend... ?He shifted nervously. ?Alex.? My eyes narrowed. ?Me???!!!? ?Yeah.? He looked down at his feet, unwilling or unable to face me. ?I knew it was a lie but I couldn?t help it. I just wanted to fit in. Everybody else had these great storiess of things they did with their best friends, when they were kids. I've never had a best friend so I made up stuff about me and you. I don?t blame you if you hate me for it. I was going to tell you but I kept wimping out. That's the other reason I didn't I was back. I was too ashamed.? I paused to consider what he?d said. As Alex, I?d been through something similar/. Everything about me was made up. My birth certificate, my school records, everything was fake. Like Austin, Alex had no real past. Austin hadn't done anything I hadn't done myself. ?Take my picture,? I said. Austin?s head shot up his eyes locked on mine, his expression perplexed as if he wasn?t sure he?d heard right. ?Take your picture?! Are you serious?? ?Yeah,? I said. ?Then you?ll have something to back up the stories you?ve told. You know, growing up in Clarksville with your best friend,? He beamed a smile. ?Alex, you?re amazing.? ?Ain?t no thing but a chicken wing,? I said with a grin. ?What?? Austin stifled a laugh. ?Where did that come from?? ?Mr. Laritate, the principal at Tribeca Prep.? ?Who?' ?Wizards of Waverly Place. Selena Gomez, David Henrie.? ?Selena Gomez, I know. But that other stuff is new. Was it a TV show or something?? ?Yea-ah,? I said stretching the word for emphasis. ?On the Disney Channel. Selena played Alex Russo..? ?So she was an Alex, too? Austin said. ?Yeah, I think it's cool we sort of share the same name. It was a really neat show.? As John, I?d had a crush on Selena. I 'd watched Wizard's every time it aired even when it was a rerun just to see her. I was still a Selena fan but for a different reason now. I saw her as role model?a successful, independent young woman and I wanted to be like her. As we followed the driveway's curve back to the street, I wondered why I had stumbled over that fragment of John?s past. I probed at the memory like you might poke at the remnants of a fire, to see if you could still produce a flame, but it had grown cold.. Like so much about John, it was as if I'd remembered something someone had once told me. Any real connection was gone-- Alex, however, was vibrantly alive. When we reached the street, Austin had me pose so he could take the pictures. I stood facing our house, so the Barnes house would appear behind me in the picture..Snow still lay heavy on the ground. That, and the bright sun created a sort of glare. I didn?t notice Mr. Myers, standing on our porch, smoking, until Austin was almost done. Myers stared hard at me before tossing the butt of his cigarette down, grinding it out with his foot. Then he turned on his heel and went back inside. Unaware of any of this, Austin snapped the last few shots. ?Thanks again, Alex,? he said, dropping his phone in his jacket pocket. ?Sure, no problem. Besides, I owe you,? I said, thinking back on the day he rescued me. Austin frowned. He'd insisted he hadn't done anything special. ?We probably should be getting back.? I said, before he could point that out now. ?Mom's probably got everything about ready.? I avoiding mentioning the real reason for heading back, Mr. Myers on the porch. As we walked back to the house, I had to admit I was enjoying Austin?s company. The nervous, wishy-washy feelings I'd experienced around Austin were gone. Now it felt like I was hanging out with someone really special. A couple of times our hands brushed and I had to fight the urge to take his in mine. I studied his body out of the corner of my eye. He didn?t have the easy movements Ian displayed but he was almost as tall and his build was similar. What I loved most about him were those dreamy blue- gray eyes. ?You?re doing it again, Alex.? said Practical Alex popping up to settle on my shoulder. ?You?re setting yourself up for a another disaster, You?re either going to lead him on, just to dump him for the fourth of fifth time, or if he?s smart, he?ll remember all the times you dumped him and he?ll dump you. Either way you?re going to cry yourself to sleep tonight, like with Ian.? ?I am not,? I countered. ?I?m just thinking about what ifs.? ?That?s the way it always starts,? Practical Alex warned, ?And then you?re in over your head.? ?No it doesn?t.? ?Whatever. Just don?t say I didn?t warn you.? Practical Alex popped out. ?Is everything all right?? asked Austin. ?You?re awfully quiet.? ?Yeah. I?m fine.? I said, my mind returning to the cul-du-sac and Austin. ?I was just thinking.? ?About what?? Austin asked. ?You know..Just things.? We?d reached the steps leading up to the front door. I clambered up to the porch swiped my shoes across the door mat then hurried inside, leaving Austin to play catch-up. I wasn't sure of these new feelings and I didn't want to give anything away by (what I was sure was) a love sick expression on my face. I needed time to sort all of this out. The living room was empty but I could hear voices coming from beyond the archway leading to the dining room and kitchen. Austin came up beside me as I was shucking off my coat. He shot me a look that said ?what the hell is up with you? ?It sounds like they started without us,? I said, pretending to answer his puzzled look. ?I guess we need to join them.? We hung our coats on the coat rack and followed the conversation into the dining room where we found Mr. Myers seated at the table along with my dad and Tyler. Myers was looking at Tyler and laughing. Apparently my brother had said something Myers found funny. My father looked on amused ?You got a great kid here Tetras,? Myers said, ?Good head on his shoulders. There just might be a place at Myers Industries for him in a few years.? Mom appeared from out of the kitchen her hands sheathed with oven mittens carrying her traditional sweet potato casserole. ?There you are,? she said, smiling our way. ?I thought I might have to send Tyler to find you. We?re almost ready to eat. I just need to finish bringing out the food. I might need help with the turkey, Steve. You too Tyler you can help with the rolls.? Dad pushed back his chair. ?Help is on the way, honey.? he said jovially. ?Come on, Son.? When my parents and brother disappeared into the kitchen., Myers leaned across the table, his face uncomfortably close to Austin?s and mine. ?What were you two doing in the bushes across the street,? he said his tone dark, accusing. ?Did you lure my boy there?? This question was directed at me. ?It was my idea, Dad.? Austin said. ?Alex didn?t even want to go over there. I talked her into it, I wanted to get a closer look at that old house.? ?Is that why she was wiggling around like a whore in the middle of the street. And what were you doing filming her with your phone.? ?We were just playing around, Dad. It didn?t mean anything.? Myers considered this, his jaw twitching. He opened his mouth, intending to pass judgment then paused as if to reconsider. ?This isn't over.? he said. Dad reappeared with the turkey. My mother followed with a large pan of dressing, Tyler beside her carrying a basket of dinner rolls, looking miffed. He plopped them on the table and slid back into his seat. ?Here?s the bird,? Dad said placing it between Myers and myself. Mr. Myers leaned back and smiled at me. It was the most chilling smile I'd ever seen. ?I just need to bring out the cranberry sauce and we?ll be set,? said my mother dropping off her load, skipping off for the last of the grub. Dad took his seat at the head of the table and smiled over at where Austin and I sat. ?So did you guys have a nice walk?? he asked. ?Yeah,? I said. ?It was okay.? But Mr, Myers smile stayed with me. - ?Our lawyer made us change the name of this song so we wouldn?t get sued?? Other than the Myers? probe into what Austin and I were up to at the Barnes House, Thanksgiving dinner was pretty uneventful. The old bastard seemed to forget we existed. He focused on my dad, tossing out questions the board might have about their upcoming presentation, anxious how my father would respond. The interrogatory bursts were spaced between gigantic mouthfuls of food he chewed noisily and then washed down with voluminous and equally loud gulps of iced tea. These were followed by unapologetic belches. I watched all of this in fascination, wondering how something so disgusting as Myers could have produced someone as beautiful as Austin. After dinner Dad and Mr. Myers drifted into the living room to finalize their presentation over coffee. Mom busied herself putting away the uneaten turkey and fixings. Austin and I helped. As I scooped the last of the dressing into one of Mom's Tupperware containers, to put in the fridge, Austin asked me a question. ?Is there somewhere we can go to talk.? ?Yeah, ? I said, ?We can go up to my room. Why?? ?I...uh need to tell you some things.? He said, a soberness in his voice I'd not heard before. I followed Austin upstairs to my room. He went straight for the bed, settling on the mattress as if he was a wilting flower, folding in on its self. ?I?m selling my bike,? he said, blurting out the words as I dropped down beside him. ?Austin no! I cried, not believing what I'd heard. ?I don?t want to sell it. Dad says I have to. I can't have it at school and he thinks its in the way.? Austin loved that bike. It was part of who he was. I tried to imagine him without it. I couldn't. ?Dad said I can keep some of the money,? he made a sound between a snort and a laugh, ? I guess he thinks that will make me feel better. But what would I do with it even if it did ?which it won't. There's nothing to spend it on. We?re pretty isolated at Grayson?s School for Boys.? His fingers forming air quotes as he named the school. ? We?re not allowed to leave the campus, not even on weekends unless we have a chaperon. Not that there's anywhere to go. The school is surrounded by woods and cow pastures. There is a little town about five miles down the road if you can call a couple of streets with a gas station a town. That bike was one of the only good things in my life. It made me feel...I don't know...like I was free to make my own choices. I could go where I wanted to...? His voice dropped off. He looked so depressed I wanted to cry. ?It doesn?t matter,? he went on, after sucking in a long breath. ?Not anymore. I?ve kinda given up on everything. I mean...I probably deserve this anyway. Lets face it Alex, I?m a dork. I don?t fit in, I don?t deserve to have a bike or go to a regular school. I?m probably right where I should be, locked away from the rest of the world so I can?t fuck things up more than I already have.? ?Austin, don?t say that.? I cried. Austin was the kindest, most generous, most honest person I knew. If anyone didn?t deserve this it was him. And then it hit me. Everything I thought I?d found in Ian (and was crushed when I realized I hadn?t), was sitting across the bed from me. I took in Austin?s thick curly hair, his beautiful blue-gray eyes (super dreamy eyes) and the dorky way he smiled (but it was such a warm honest smile). I?d been such a fool. Austin would never hurt me. never lie to me. He would always have my back like my parents did each other. I?d pushed him away, holding him at arms length, partially because I was still learning who I was, partially because I'd been afraid. I wasn't afraid anymore. I'd been given a second chance and I wasn't going to blow it again. ?You?re the kindest most honest person I?ve ever met? I rushed on ?...and I...I don?t want you to go away again.? ?Huh?? Austin stared at me. His beautiful eyes filled with confusion and disbelief. ?I don?t understand what you?re saying.? ?Maybe this will help,? I said. Leaning forward I gave him a quick kiss. ?Alex, you did that before,? he said as we separated. ?If you were trying to make me feel better, thanks, but that doesn?t change anything.? ?Does this look like I?m just trying to make you feel better.? I grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled him to me, pressing my lips against his. As our lips touched, Austin stiffened and for a moment it felt like I was kissing a block of wood. Then he relaxed. His lip parted and his arms encircled me, cradling me against his chest. I yielded and let him take charge, parting my own lips as his tongue sought mine, sweeping me away in an ecstasy I?d never imagined possible. If this was what it was like for girls then I didn?t want to be anything else. Finally, we had to come up for air. we broke apart both of us gasping from the excitement of what just happened. Austin stared at me wide-eyed. ?You?re serious,? he said. I nodded. Then I kissed him again. This time he accepted my kiss with the same intensity it was delivered and again, I felt that crazily delicious turbulence inside. My nipples hardened and I felt a moist warmth between my legs. I clung to Austin my hands exploring up and down his back and then around to his chest. I was out of control but I couldn?t help myself. I wanted to rip off his clothes, devour his naked body. ?Whoa, What the hell?s going on here,? said a voice. Austin and I jerked apart. My eyes swept the room seeking the intruder. Tyler stood just inside the door wearing his trademark smirk. ?You little shit,? I cried, ?You-- ?Sorry to break up your little love fest, Sis? he said, cutting me off, ?but Austin?s dad is getting ready to leave. He said.uh... how did he put it? oh yeah...for you to get your as in gear and get downstairs.? He turned as if to go and then paused. ?Oh, and Alex,? he said, facing me again. ?You might want to check yourself out in a mirror. Your hair?s a mess.? I grabbed the brush off my dresser and pulled it through my hair. Austin was also on his feet straightening his tie and jacket. Neither of us spoke. ?I guess w