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 ï>¿The Trailer Park: The Fourth Year A Story in the Wynter/Trailer Park
Universe by Wizard CopyrightÂ(C) 2006 by Wizard

   Chapter 26

   "You want to fuck her, don't you?"

   I looked up at the stars.  I wondered if one of them was a deity I could
beseech.  "I know we've had this conversation before, but to refresh my
memory.  Who do I want to fuck?  And why?"

   "Allie.  You lived with her for five days."

   "One, I'm a teenaged boy.  I'm red-blooded and full of hormones.  Two,
Allie is a beautiful, athletic, and limber girl, plus she has red hair.  Of
course I want to fuck her."

   "That's okay.  I understand," Tami said without looking at me.

   "You don't, or we wouldn't be having this conversation." I didn't add,
'again.' "I like Allie a lot.  Physically, I'm attracted to her.  But
emotionally and spiritually, I'm attracted to you."

   Tami smiled.

   "If you want me to swear on the stars up there never to touch another
girl again, I will.  Though I do need a waiver for the play.  I have to
kiss three girls in it, or Robbie will hurt me."

   "No, that's not what I want.  And it's okay if you want to fuck Allie.
It's just..."

   "Tamarone Elizabeth Sharp!  If I ever go to jail it will be for
strangling the life out of you.  Lovingly, of course," I added with a grin.
"You are usually a smart, witty, self-confident person, but every now and
then you get full of self-doubt, and it drives me nuts."

   "I don't..."

   "You do.  You've been thinking about a beautiful redhead living in my
house, and you decided that I couldn't help myself and probably fucked her.
Then you decided that it was okay if I slipped.  Then you started this
conversation to let me know it was okay."

   "I...  how do you know me so well?"

   "My cock wants Allie.  Hell, Big Tony wants Darlene, Robbie, Diana, and
half-a-dozen others I can think of off the top of my head.  But my heart is
stubborn.  It wants you."

   "Tony, why do you put up with me?"

   "Like I said, my heart is stubborn.  No matter how much I tell it about
other fish in the sea and the grass is greener, it wants you.  Damn heart."

   Tami stopped walking and pulled me into a kiss

   "I don't know why you put up with me, but I know why I love you," she
said when we finished.

   We were nearing the front of the park, so I pulled her toward the front
lawn, and a minute later we settled on the swings.  "And why is that?" I
asked.

   "Cause you make me feel good.  You make me like being me."

   We started swinging.  Without trying, we swung together, side by side.
In sync.

   "You can, if you want?"

   "Can what?"

   "Fuck Allie.  And Darlene, and Diana.  And Paula, Alana, and anyone else
you want."

   "All at once?" I asked, being a smart ass.

   "If you want."

   "Tami..."

   "No, it's okay.  That's not my self-doubts talking.  It's...  it's...  I
don't want you to miss out on anything."

   We swung together for a while as I digested that.  Then I started
dragging my feet on the ground and came to a stop.  When Tami saw me
slowing down, she did too.  When she'd stopped, I reached over and pulled
her toward me.  She giggled and moved to my lap.

   "You know my sweet little chinchilla..."

   "Chinchilla?"

   "I've been thinking that I really don't have any pet-names for you.  I
was trying it on."

   "Did it fit?"

   I shrugged, "Not even close.  You know, Tami, if a meteor lands on my
house tonight and I wind up standing in front of St.  Peter or whoever
guards the gates upstairs, I can honestly tell him, her, or it that I
haven't missed out on anything."

   Tami looked skeptical.

   "You know, my little petunia," I said, pausing as Tami shook her head.
"There are guys who make it through four years of high school and never
even kiss a girl.  There are guys who go through their entire lives and
don't fall in love."

   "Well, my big strong mastodon..."

   "Mastodon?"

   Tami grinned.  "Even if you haven't missed out, I give you my permission
to fuck Allie."

   "If it will make you happy I'll go home, see if Mom will drive me over,
and plug Big Tony into her pussy right now.  I'll even let her mom watch.
Then we can stop by Darlene's, and since her step-dad doesn't like me
anyway, I can take her right on the coffee table."

   "And I'll be waiting here for you when you get back."

   "You're strange, woman."

   "I'm in love, man."

   I figured that was a cue for a kiss if ever there was one.  One of us
needed a breath mint.  Tami must have had something with onions for dinner,
but I didn't care.

   "You know, as I think about it," I said several minutes later, "Mom was
real tired after the game tonight.  Said something about screaming herself
raw.  She's probably not in the mood to drive me to Allie's."

   "That's too bad," Tami said and kissed me again.

   "And I got real horny talking about it." I sucked on her earlobe.

   Tami giggled.  "Sorry about that."

   "It's all your fault, too." I slipped my hand under her shirt and
massaged her breast through her bra.

   "I guess I should do something about that." She reached down and gave
the crotch of my jeans a squeeze.  Big Tony had only been about half hard,
but now jumped to attention.

   "Is your mom going to be home tomorrow?" I asked as I pushed the cup of
her bra up off her breast.

   "In the morning.  But she'll be gone in the afternoon."

   "Damn.  Well, in the afternoon we'll..."

   "In the afternoon, we have play practice at Robbie's house."

   "Damn play.  Who's idea was this anyway?"

   "Mine," Tami said with a little pout.

   "And a great idea it was.  What do you think your mom would do if I
showed up about nine and she heard moans and groans and bedspring noises
coming from your room?"

   Tami gave Big Tony another squeeze.  "Tony, just because she left us
alone in a hotel for an hour once..."

   I nodded.  "That's what I thought." I kissed her neck.

   "Can't you kids find a better place for that?" interrupted a voice from
the street.

   Mr.  Edders was walking his dog.  Nasty little mutt.  Only a couple of
pounds, all hair and teeth.  I love dogs, but that thing would make good
wolf bait.

   "Not at the moment.  Think we could use your bedroom?" Tami yelled,
surprising the hell out of me.  Edders grumbled something and walked away.
Tami looked at me staring at her, then laughed.  "I know.  I've been
hanging around Robbie too much."

   I was sitting on the porch, enjoying the sunshine.  It was a beautiful
day for the second day of October, but the forecast said it was supposed to
start raining this afternoon.  Then forty days and forty nights.  Actually,
I don't know about forty, but the long-range forecast said seven at least.

   I was thinking that it'd be a great day for a swim.  The wind was a
little cold, but with the sunshine, not too bad.  But I'd noticed last
night that the manager had drained the pool and locked it up.

   Tami walked up.  "Are you going to sit there all day?"

   "Maybe.  At least until my maniacal director makes me sing until my
throat is raw."

   "But Mikee's parents are gone."

   Apparently Tami had joined the neighborhood watch.

   "And Alana's at college..."

   She was good at it too.

   "And Peter's at soccer..."

   I wondered if she knew where Jimmy Hoffa and Amelia Earhart were.

   "And Kenny's on some highway doing community service..."

   "And your point is?"

   "You doofus!  There's an empty bed, and Mikee says we can use it."

   I jumped up.  "Why didn't you say so, instead of wasting all this time
on the Temple location report." I reached for her hand, and we started
walking toward Mikee's house.

   "Of course, she expects to get serviced too."

   "Serviced?"

   "Not her exact word, but close enough."

   "I feel so cheap," I complained.

   "You love it and you know it."

   I grinned and shrugged.  When she's right, she's right.

   "She says Danny just isn't as good."

   "Danny?  Danny who?"

   Tami shook her head.  "Danny Kessler.  They've been going together for a
month and a half.  Can't you keep up."

   "Apparently not.  I thought she liked Paul Tucker.  Isn't that why she
chose him for the play?"

   Tami giggled.  "I think he's the backup reserve."

   "Oh."

   "Yesssssssss?"

   "Just watching," Mikee giggled.  "It is my bed after all."

   I was lying in the middle of Mikee's queen bed while Tami rode me like
Annie Oakley.  A pair of bunk beds rested against the wall.  Kelly's was
the bottom.  When Alana came home from school she'd get the queen again,
and Kelly would get bumped to the top bunk.

   "Come here, my little cheerleader," I beckoned.

   Mikee came over and stood by the bed.  "I'm not a cheerleader anymore. I
didn't make it this year."

   I slipped my hand around her, cupping her denim-encased butt cheek. 
"They're fools.  But you'll always be my little cheerleader."

   "Aw, that's sweet," Tami said, with just a hint of sarcasm.  She stopped
bucking and sat on my hips, my cock embedded in her.

   "Ignore her," I told Mikee.  "Have I mentioned," I whispered loudly,
cupping my hand on the side of my mouth as if to keep a secret from Tami,
"that I have a thing for cheerleaders?  And ex-cheerleaders?" I squeezed
Mikee's cheek.

   "You know," Tami said, starting a slow forward-and-up, back-and-down
rhythm, "between your thing for cheerleaders, your thing for red-heads, and
your thing for anything female under the age of fifty, it's amazing that
Allie was safe."

   "I also have amazing self-control," I said modestly.

   I pulled Mikee to me and kissed her hard, my free had slipping under her
t-shirt to squeeze her small, firm tit.

   "I can see that," muttered Tami.  "You know, if I could figure out how
to cut you off without cutting me off..." she left the threat unfinished.

   Mikee looked nervously back at Tami, unsure of her place in this.

   Tami giggled.  "You might as well take your clothes off.  He's really
horny today.  It think it was living with Allie for a week."

   "I think you're right," I agreed, then lifted Mikee's shirt and fastened
my lips around one of her nipples.

   "It's okay, I'll share," Tami said and leaned down, took Mikee's face
gently in her hands, and kissed her.

   I didn't cum, I exploded.  No warning.  No building toward a climax. 
Just a massive rush of pleasure as I watched their lips meet.

   Tami giggled.  "I'm not sure what's left is worth sharing." She wiggled
off my hips and took my shriveled cock between her thumb and forefinger.

   Remind me to be insulted when I get my breath back.

   Mikee wiggled down the bed and gave the formerly Big Tony a lick.  Tami
giggled, then leaned down and licked the other side.  Then they licked
together.  They started at the bottom and licked up until their tongues met
at the top.  It was only an inch, maybe two, but it seemed to take forever.
The tips of their tongues came together and stayed as the girls rose up and
stared into each other's eyes.

   They stayed like that for hours.  Noses almost touching, tongues just
barely connected, not even breathing.  Then Tami's head tilted and she
pressed forward until their lips met.  Just before I lost sight of it, I
saw Tami's tongue dart into Mikee's mouth.

   As the two kissed, Big Tony started living up to his name.

   I couldn't believe what I saw.  I'd fantasized about Tami and Robbie. 
About Tami and Ashley.  About Tami and Allie.  About all four.  I'd even
dreamed of Mikee and Kelly together.  But I'd never pictured Tami and
Mikee.

   "Oh, God, where did you learn to kiss like that?" Mikee whispered when
they finally broke apart.

   "Him," Tami said, hooking her thumb at me.

   "And who taught you to kiss?" Mikee asked, almost suppressing a giggle.

   I thought about saying Kelly, just to tweak her, but I didn't want to
change the mood.  "Maryann Simpson.  Fourth grade."

   "Lucky girl," Tami said.  She reached down and grabbed the bottom of
Mikee's t-shirt and quickly pulled it over her head.  Mikee raised her arms
when she realized what was happening.

   "Where's Kelly?" I asked as I watched Tami fling the shirt off to the
side.

   "Mom and Dad took her to a gymnastics meet in Yakima."

   "Too bad.  She's the limber one in the family." Mikee glared at me.  So
much for not changing the mood.  Sometimes I just can't help myself.

   "Who needs him?" Tami said and reached for Mikee again.  She pulled her
forward, over my body.  Mikee's hand landed on Big Tony and pressed it to
my stomach as Tami's lips mashed against hers for the third time.  I
watched as their nipples came together in a dance, sometimes touching,
sometimes pulling away.

   Tami twisted, pulling Mikee over my body and onto her back, continuing
the kiss.  I rolled to my hands and knees and crawled to the bottom of the
bed.  I unfastened Mikee's jeans and pulled them and her underwear down her
legs and off.

   A small part of my mind wondered if Tami was doing this for me.  Part of
her campaign so that I 'wouldn't miss out'.  The rest of my mind was on
stand-by, all the blood having left for my other head.

   I scooted forward and leaned down to lick Mikee's cunt.  I heard her
moan into Tami's mouth.  Mikee's back arched, and she thrust her hips
toward my face as her first orgasm hit her.  I used my thumbs to separate
her lips as I pushed my tongue deep into her, trying to make it last.  From
the corner of my eye, I saw Tami's hand settle on one of Mikee's breasts
and her thumb start to tease her nipple.

   "Oh God, oh God, oh God, ohgodohgodohgaohgaohhhhh..." Mikee shuddered,
grabbed my ears, and tried to pull me deeper into her pussy.

   I stabbed my tongue deep one more time, then reached up and pulled
Mikee's hands away from my now-tender ears.  I crawled up alongside Mikee
and pressed my lips against both of theirs.  Tami's head turned enough so
that I was kissing both of them.

   I reached down and stroked Mikee's pussy, surprised to find Tami's hand
already there.  Our fingers played together, sometimes intertwining,
sometimes stroking Mikee's lips.  Almost simultaneously, our lips pulled
away from Mikee's mouth and we lowered ourselves to her nipples.  As my
mouth closed on Mikee's right nipple, Tami's hand slid on top of mine and
her middle finger guided mine into Mikee's pleasure cave.  Mikee's hips
surged forward as both our fingers penetrated her.

   "Oh fuck, fuck, fuc...  !" she shouted.  I hoped the neighbors,
especially Tami's mom, all had their TV's on.  Loud.

   Tami pulled her finger out of the girl and wrapped her hand around Big
Tony, and I almost yelled, too.  It felt so good I came, hard.  Four big
surges of creamy goo landed on Mikee's knee.

   "God damn, I can't take anymore!" Mikee almost screamed as my finger
kept plunging deep into her slit.  I felt her shudder again.

   As Mikee lay panting and glassy eyed, I crawled to Tami and lay on top
of her.  Big Tony, whose new name was Limp Tony, rubbed against her slit.

   "That was incredible," I whispered softly.

   "Should I lick her pussy now?" Tami whispered, sounding unsure.

   I looked at the near-comatose freshman.  "If you want to, save it for
next time.  If you don't, don't."

   "I didn't know what to do."

   "You did fine," I assured her.  "Sex isn't about what you're supposed to
do, it's about what you want to do.  I don't think Mikee has any
complaints. I know I don't."

   "So Tony finally got his threesome," Tami giggled.

   "My threesome?"

   "Robbie told me about your bet."

   "Robbie has a big mouth." I grinned.  "But then again, so do I." I slid
down her body and put my big mouth to good use.  And Tami had no complaints
either.



   Chapter 27

   "Thanks, Mom.  I really appreciate this," I said as the car rolled to a
stop.

   "Just remember this in a few months when you get your license and I ask
you to take Traci somewhere."

   I looked blank.  "Traci, Traci who?" I started to open the door.

   "It's a long walk to Robbie's from here."

   "Oh, Traci!  My beautiful, talented, loving sister.  Why didn't you say
so?" I grinned as I stepped out of the car.  The raindrop hit right in the
center of my head.  I looked up and a second drop landed in my eye.  Damn
forecasters were right.  "I should just be a minute."

   Mom nodded and opened the magazine that had been in our mail.

   Another drop landed on the back of my neck, and I raced toward the front
door and knocked.

   "Tony!  What a nice surprise.  How are you?"

   "Fine Mrs, uh, Reed." I almost called her Mrs.  Carter, which probably
wouldn't have gone over very well with her new husband.  "I just came to
pick up Darlene."

   "I'll see if she's ready.  Come in out of the rain."

   I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.

   "What are you doing here?" Darlene's step-dad asked, unpleasantly, from
the sofa.

   "Just picking up Darlene for play practice."

   He looked up at his wife as she and Darlene came into the room.  "Honey,
we have that dinner with the Jameson's tonight.  I thought Darlene was
going to watch the girls." Darlene had an eight-year-old sister and had
inherited a nine-year-old step-sister.

   "Mike can watch them," Darlene said quickly.

   "Can't, got plans," Mike said from his chair.

   "So do I.  What are you doing?"

   "Brian and I thought we might go to a movie."

   "Might!  Mike can watch them," Darlene said firmly.

   "Mike has plans," her step-dad said.  "You'll just have to stay home."

   "I've watched the brats the last five times you've gone out, cause Mike
always has plans.  If he can't change his plans, why don't you change
yours."

   Her step-dad exploded out of the sofa.  "I've had enough of your
attitude, young lady!  You can go to your room." Darlene started to speak,
"Now!"

   Darlene looked at me, her eyes starting to fill with tears.  I shrugged
and gave her a small smile.

   Her step-dad looked at me.  "Did you have something to say?"

   I bit my tongue.  Hard!

   "Madame director," I said, walking up to Robbie after Mom dropped me
off. "Darlene can't make it," I said softly.

   Robbie looked like she wanted to kick something.

   "That's just great.  First you skip out on a week of practice.  We
finally get you back, and now Darlene can't make it," she said
sarcastically.

   "Roberta!" Robbie had been looking down at a clipboard of notes.  Her
eyes snapped to me at the use of her full name.  "You can talk to me that
way all day, but you use that tone of voice on Darlene when she gets back,
and I'll take you over my knee."

   Robbie's nostrils flared.

   "I may get a lot of bruises doing it," I continued, "but sitting down
will not be a pleasant experience for awhile.  Darlene CAN'T make it.

   I watched her face as she processed what I'd said, both the threat and
the emphasis on can't.  The anger faded and she nodded.  "What's wrong?"

   I hesitated.  "She'll tell you if she wants you to know."

   Robbie nodded again.  "Okay, I can do my part and her part too.  But I
ain't kissin' ya."

   "Draft Kelly.  We're all using scripts anyway.  Kelly can read Darlene's
part."

   "You just want someone to kiss," Robbie challenged.

   I grinned.

   Mikee, Kelly and Tami were standing together, talking.  Paul Tucker,
Mikee's leading man, was standing just outside the group.  I nodded to him
as I walked up.  Mikee and Tami looked at me with Cheshire cat smiles.

   "You two know something I don't know," I accused.  I didn't know how. 
I'd just left them twenty minutes ago.  Kelly had just gotten home.  She'd
come in third in her meet.  She'd even shown me her medal, so that wasn't
it.

   "I know too," Kelly boasted.

   The only thing I could think of was that Robbie had a new boyfriend; but
then, she ought to be in a better mood.  I shrugged.

   "Fresh meat," Tami said.

   "Fresh meat?"

   Kelly giggled at my expression, then Mikee and Tami joined in.

   I grabbed Kelly, pulled her arms together in front of her, and held them
with one hand while my other hand slid into her armpit and I started
tickling.  "Talk!" I commanded as the younger girl squirmed.

   "New girl.  Just moved into the Martin's old trailer with her family. 
Tami said you'd think she was cute," Kelly reported breathlessly.  I
released her and she spun and stuck her tongue out at me.

   "Okay," I said, looking at Tami.  "Name, age, shoe size and what'd she
get on her last math test?"

   "Zoe, thirteen, nine, and an A."

   "You're making that up," I accused.

   Tami shrugged.  "Her names Zoe.  Zoe Morganthal.  She turned thirteen
two weeks ago, but she's a freshman cause she skipped a grade.  I'm pretty
sure about the shoe size, and I figured if she skipped a grade, she
probably gets A's on tests."

   I nodded.  My own little secret agent.  "And what...  ?"

   "I refuse to tell you her bra size," Tami interrupted proving yet again
that telepathy existed and she had it.

   "You know, it hasn't been a bad day," I mused to Tami as we left her
house.

   "You're just saying that cause you finally got your threesome."

   I reached over and slid my hand into the back pocket of her jeans and
gave her butt a squeeze.  It was just after nine and it had finally stopped
raining, so Tami and I were trying to get a walk in before it started
again.

   "Actually, it was a pretty good day even without sex.  The sex made it
great.  It was a beautiful morning, rehearsal went great, and I'm walking
with the bestest girl in the whole world."

   "Rehearsal did go pretty good.  Too bad Darlene couldn't come.  What
happened anyway?  You went over to get her."

   I started to give her the same answer I'd given Robbie, then changed my
mind.  I told her what it was like for Darlene living with her new family.

   "That poor girl," she said when I'd finished.

   "You want a sister, I'm pretty sure she'd love to get adopted."

   "I'll talk to Mom," she said, and I knew she was serious.  "And while
you're cataloging the day, don't forget the new girl.  You're going to
think she's cute."

   "And just how do you know I'll think she's cute?"

   "I know your tastes."

   "You do, don't you," I said with a grin she couldn't see in the dark. 
"After all, you sure liked Mikee.

   I didn't have to see her to know she was bright red.

   "Maybe we should invite the new girl for a walk.  Just to be
neighborly," I suggested.

   "Can't."

   "Why?"

   "She's going to be playing Monopoly with Mikee, Kelly and Peter in a few
minutes."

   "Oh."

   "At my house."

   "Oh."

   "And if you're good, I'll let you come."

   "And just what do I have to do to be good?"

   "Damn!  There's never a bed around when you need one," Tami complained.

   Zoe was cute.  No, Zoe was hot.  Silky black hair that hung to her
shoulders.  Large but firm breasts, about the size of cantaloupes.  Legs
that seemed to go on forever.

   Definitely a work of art to be admired.

   But I didn't like her.

   She and her family had just moved from New York, and she seemed to have
taken the New York City stereotype to heart.

   She was brash.

   She was loud.

   And she complained.  A lot.

   It rained too much.  We only had four screens at the local theater. 
There was no indoor ice skating rink.  The list went on.  And on.  I
decided that the only way I wanted her in my bed was with one of those
rubber ball gags I'd seen in S-and-M cartoons.

   And...

   She was lucky at Monopoly.  She creamed all of us.  Chapter 28

   "I will be so glad when this week is over," I moaned.

   Tami grinned and patted my arm.  "Poor baby."

   "You do know we have to go back in there."

   She picked up my wrist and looked at my watch.  "Not for another three
minutes we don't," she said firmly.  It was raining, but we were sitting on
a low wall near the side door getting some fresh air.

   October was almost gone.  In fact, Sunday was Halloween and the end of
the month, if I made it that far, cause everything had waited for this
week.

   Monday, yesterday, and today we had standardized testing.  The whole
sophomore class spread out at tables in the gym, taking tests from first
bell till the end of the day, with only a few breaks like this one to keep
us from cracking up.

   Then last night, Tommy Sands and his crew performed The Music Man and
did awesome.  A fact that even Robbie admitted, though I thought I'd have
to hold her down and tickle her before she would.  Tonight, Leslie Villers
and her group were doing Inherit the Wind, about the Scopes monkey trial,
then tomorrow we were up.

   Add to that, Friday night we played the Huskies, the toughest team on
our schedule.

   Then add to that waiting all weekend for the election on Monday when the
student body would decide which play got to enter the contest.

   Robbie walked up and stood behind us.  "I've got good news and I've got
bad news," she announced.  We turned to look at her.  "Which do you want
first?"

   "The good news.  I could use some good news," I said, and Tami nodded.

   "The quarterback from Goddard High in Vancouver was caught taking
steroids.  His team's been disqualified and we're in the Halloween Bowl."

   I looked at Tami, not knowing what to say.  Tami did.  "What's the bad
news?" she asked.

   "The quarterback from Goddard High in Vancouver was caught taking
steroids.  His team's been disqualified and we're in the Halloween Bowl."

   Tami looked confused, but I got it.  Maybe because I'd already been
thinking about Hell Week.

   "That means Friday night we play the Huskies, then win or lose, we jump
on a bus, ride half the night to Seattle, and play again Saturday morning
at ten," Robbie explained.

   "Wow," Tami said in understatement.

   "But we're the first school to ever send both a middle school team and a
high school team to the bowl," Robbie pointed out.

   "Big deal.  It's only the Halloween Bowl's third year." I was in no mood
to be happy.

   "Yeah, but we'll always be the first.  And the best part...  ?"

   "What?" I almost growled.

   "We've got about fifteen seconds to get back in the gym for more tests.

   "Everybody over here!" I yelled, then waited while the cast, crew, and
musicians slowly gathered.  "I've got a few things I want to say."

   "We don't have time.  We need..."

   "Ricky!" I interrupted.  Ricky Calloway stepped up behind Robbie.  Ricky
was running our sound system.  "If she talks again, gag her."

   "With pleasure," he said laying his hands on her shoulders.

   "When we started this, she promised I could talk at least once a week.
Since I haven't ever gotten my quota, I get to talk now," I explained.  The
group applauded and Robbie glared.  "It's been a hell of a month.  Robbie
worked us like slaves, but I don't think we could have made it without her.
Thanks, Madame Director." I stepped in front of her and kissed her.  Then
Paul Tucker, Daryl Tabler and Jimmy Martin, the other male actors all
thanked her and kissed her.  Then the guys in the band and crew all thanked
and kissed her.

   "The hell with the play, let's keep doing this," she said after Toby
Reyes was done.

   I grinned, then looked around the circle.  "You've all seen The Music
Man.  It was great.  And Inherit the Wind last night was out of this
world." Leslie Villers had taken a few liberties.  Instead of Clarence
Darrow, she played Clarice Darrow and should have gotten a Tony.

   "So we know this school will be sending a great production to the
contest, so we can relax and have fun.  Right, madame director?"

   "What he said.  Relax, have fun, and don't miss your cues."

   Basically, Tami and I had stolen It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas
Carol, rubbed off the serial numbers, and added music.

   Act 1, Scene 1:

   I played the man.  No name was ever given.  I was in a hospital just
before a surgery and lamenting my life and the fact that I'd never had a
love that lasted and that I'd ruined the lives of the loves that touched me
at all.  Tami was my nurse.  She fluffed my pillow a lot.

   When she left me alone I lay in my hospital bed and sang a very maudlin
version of When I Was Seventeen.  Tami came back and sat on the bed.  We
watched a movie on television.

   "I just love when love wins in the end," she said, dabbing her eyes with
Kleenex.

   "Love is a cruel joke perpetrated by a god with a mean sense of humor,"
I told her flatly.  In the original story I said 'Bah humbug!, ' but Robbie
said the serial numbers were etched too deep in that phrase.

   Tami looked at me and ran from the room.  I lay, staring after her.

   "She loves you, you know," came a voice from nowhere.

   "Then she's an idiot!"

   "Love makes idiots of wise men and wise men of idiots," came the voice.
I think I stole that line, but had no idea from where.

   "Why would anyone want to love me?" I asked and started looking around,
apparently just realizing that I was talking to thin air.  "Who are you? 
Where are you?"

   "Perhaps she's seen the real you," came the voice.  "And I am me.  And I
am everywhere.  And nowhere."

   "What the hell do you mean, the 'real me'?  And where are you?"

   Then my buddy Luke shined his spotlight into a conveniently placed
mirror which created a nice flash of light and Robbie was standing there.
She was dressed in a diaphanous pale blue gown.  "Now I am here.  You must
remember that inside you are many me's.  There is the me that your friends
know.  The me you show your co-workers.  The me you use for the babes you
pick up in bars."

   "But that nurse, she has seen the real you.  The you inside." Which was
a song cue if ever I heard one, and Robbie sang The You Inside, an original
creation, lyrics by me and music by Toby Reyes.

   "But how would she see the real me?" I asked when Robbie had finished,
to a hell of a lot more applause than I got for When I Was Seventeen.  Of
course, it was a more upbeat number.

   "She has seen you with the children, when you go down to their ward. 
They are scared, and you make them smile.  She has seen you with the old
ones as you listen to them telling you the same stories over and over.  She
has seen you with a mother outside the emergency room, waiting to hear if
her little one would live or die."

   "That's not the real me.  I was just bored.  I wandered around."

   "She has seen the real you."

   "Well, if she's seen the real me, and still loves me, she's a fool."

   "She may be a fool, but she's a fool in love.

   "I've destroyed everyone who's ever loved me."

   "You've destroyed no one."

   The lights went black, I jumped out of bed and stripped off my pajama
shirt, I was wearing a blue sport shirt underneath.

   Act 1, Scene 2:

   Mikee and I came on stage on the opposite set.  This one looked like a
living room.  We acted in love, then sang People Will Say We're in Love.  I
figured as long as we were doing a musical, I might as well steal, that is,
borrow some of the best songs from other musicals.  I wanted to, uh, borrow
I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General but just couldn't make it fit
in the plot.

   Mikee and I acted in love some more, including a couple of passionate
kisses, then I told her that I had a business trip, sang Leaving on a Jet
Plane, and left.

   Mikee sat and waited, then sang Please Mr.  Postman, then sat and waited
some more.

   "She's probably still waiting," said my disembodied voice as I changed
pants and shirts backstage.

   "No.  She stopped waiting long ago."

   On stage, Paul Tucker had joined Mikee.  He rubbed her stomach where she
had shoved a pillow under her shirt to make her look pregnant.

   Fade to black.

   Act 2, Scene 1:

   Back in my hospital bed, my pajama top on over my shirt again.  Tami
fluffed my pillow and hummed as she tidied up the room.

   I watched her as she smiled, waved, and left.

   "Wow, that was some dream," I said to myself.

   "A dream.  An illusion.  A mirage.  A half-remembered memory.  I am all
that and more," came Robbie's voice from everywhere.  Luke hit the mirror
with his spot again and Robbie appeared in a flash of light.

   "She's very happy, but she still thinks of you fondly and occasionally
wonders where you are and why you never came back."

   "Okay, Sabrina may be happy, but I ruined Carly's life."

   "You have learned nothing.

   Fade to black, as I jumped out of bed again, and got out of my pajama
top.

   Act 2, Scene 2:

   Darlene sat in the middle of the living room set.  The same pillow Mikee
had used was stuffed under her shirt.  I walked in the door, singing You're
Having My Baby.

   We talked of future plans and houses with white picket fences.  We
kissed.  Then I left.

   "And I never came back," I said into the microphone back stage as I
changed clothes again.  "I left her alone, no money, with a baby on the
way."

   Then Darlene sang I'm a Survivor.

   As she finished she walked to the window in the set and looked out.  She
smiled.  "Jeff!  Jeff come here."

   Daryl Tabler walked onto the set and crossed to the window.

   "Look at him," she said proudly.  "Isn't he just perfect?"

   Daryl put his arm around Darlene and kissed her.  "Of course he is. 
He's your son."

   Fade to black.

   Act 3, Scene 1:

   The lights came up on the hospital set again.  Tami came in and fluffed
my pillow.  She held my wrist while looking at her watch, wrote something
on the clipboard at the foot of my bed, and left.

   I watched her go.

   "Are you here?" I asked.

   "I am everywhere, and nowhere.  I am as light as a mountain and as heavy
as a thought."

   "Is Carly really happy?"

   "She has her son.  She has her husband.  She is content."

   "Does she ever remember me?"

   "Everyday.  She gave him your name."

   "What of Marie?"

   "Ah, Marie.  Your last love."

   Fade to black.

   Act 3, Scene 2:

   When the lights came up on the living room set, rearranged enough so
that it seemed a different room, I was sitting on the sofa, Diana Coleson
on my lap.  We sang Endless Love, then kissed.

   I moved to the desk and pretended to work on the computer there.  Diana
tried to talk to me, but I brushed her off, concentrating on work.  Then
she sang As Long as He Needs Me.  When she finished, I stood, gathered
papers into a briefcase, and left.

   Diana sang Hard Candy Christmas.

   The lights faded as she sang.  Jimmy Martin was supposed to do a scene
with her, but he'd managed to break his foot last week.

   "Is she happy?" I asked when she finished.

   "She has a new love just around the corner, besides Marie sees the
possibilities in life."

   "Does she ever..." my voice trailed off.

   "She thinks of you, and wonders what could have been."

   "Why are you showing me these things?"

   "Because I can." Then she launched into her second song, Where There is
Love, There Are Angels.  Sally Reyes wrote the music, and I did the words.

   Act 3; Scene 3

   As the lights came up on the hospital set, Tami was gently shaking me.
"How are you feeling?"

   "Like I've been sleeping a hundred years." I tried to sound groggy.

   "Well, Rip Van Winkle, the doctor says your surgery was a success. 
You've got a lot of years ahead of you.  Try not to sleep them away." Tami
walked away.

   "That was a hell of a dream," I said to myself.

   "It was a dream, wasn't it?" I asked the room.  "I knew it, things like
that just don't happen.  Must be the drugs."

   Tami came back in.  "Are you going to be feeling like dinner tonight?"
she asked as she stepped to the side of the bed.

   "No, I don't think so." I reached up, and pulled her down to me and
kissed her for almost a minute.

   "What the hell was that!" she blasted when I let her go.

   "I needed a reason to live."

   "A reason to live?"

   "Getting you to do that again." She giggled.  "And again, and again."

   The lights slowly faded as Tami sat on the edge of the bed and we
talked, as Robbie stood in a single spot in the other set and sang A Reason
to Love.  Music by Sally and Toby, words by yours truly.

   Ring down the curtain and send us our checks.

   Since it was a school night, we couldn't have a big cast party, but we
hung for awhile on the stage after the audience left.

   "I told you you'd better give me a couple of good songs," Robbie said as
she hugged me.  "You outdid yourself.  Especially the last one."

   "Don't thank me, thank Toby and Sally.  The words are the easy part."

   "I am so glad that's over and we can relax," Tami said, walking over and
putting her arms around both of us.  "Oh, wait.  Not all of us can relax.
You have games tomorrow and Saturday."

   It's always nice to know I can count on Tami for comfort.



   Chapter 28

   "The most beautiful quarterback in football has conveyed to me many
interesting things," I said as I walked up to Tami after the bell for
lunch. I was in too good a mood for a Monday.  I slipped my hand into her
back pocket, then pulled her around and gave her a quick kiss.

   "The most beautiful quarterback in football?"

   "Both American and European."

   Tami giggled.  "And what interesting things has this beautiful and I
assume red-headed quarterback conveyed to you?"

   "Well, she told me that our beloved coach has taken pity on our poor
bruised bodies and given us the day off.  No practice."

   "Ohhh, remind me to send the nice man some flowers.  I actually get my
boyfriend for awhile." Tami looked around and, seeing no authority figures,
returned my kiss.  With interest.

   "But there's more."

   "I can't wait."

   "You won't have to.  She has informed me that her father has gone back
to Tennessee til Friday and won't be home."

   Tami frowned.  "Does this mean she wants your bod?"

   "There's more, my love."

   "What?"

   "She told me that she will not be home until late." Tami smiled.  "And
she reminded me that I know where they hide the spare key."

   Tami grinned.  "I always liked that quarterback."

   "The coach wants to see us for a few minutes after school, then I'm all
yours."

   "What about?  Are you in trouble again?"

   I shrugged.  "I don't think so, but you never know.  I haven't been
suspended since March, you know."

   "And I'm so proud of you."

   I wish she'd stop taking sarcasm lessons from Robbie.

   It had been a hell of a weekend.

   Friday night the Huskies came to win, but we wanted it more.  Robbie
spent most of the night on the field, playing offense and defense.  When
the gun sounded at the end of the game, the Huskies knew why she was called
Monster Girl.  Three sacks and an interception on defense, and almost two
hundred yards rushing on offense.

   Mike was on fire too.  He threw pass after pass, right on target.  When
it was over, he'd accumulated just shy of four hundred yards in the air,
missing the state record by a dozen yards, and blasting the old school
record.

   Larry was the star.  Four sacks, five fumble recoveries and an
interception that he ran back eighty yards for a touchdown, missing the
state record for an interception return by a yard.

   We set five school records that night and sent the Huskies home with
their tails between their legs and a fifty-six to three loss in their score
book.

   Saturday should have been a disaster.  We didn't get to the hotel in
Seattle until after two in the morning and had to play at ten.  Then we
found out we'd been matched against Cougars out of Pasco.  The number one
ranked team in the state.  We were ranked eighth, but that was before we
crushed the Huskies.  The Cougars, knowing weeks ago they were in the bowl,
had played on Wednesday and were fresh.

   A lot of people having tickets for the Halloween Bowl didn't even show
up for our game.  They missed a hell of a contest.

   The Cougars won the coin toss and elected to receive.  Bart Hayes, the
running back being courted by every college in the country, caught the
kickoff and ran it all the way to our eight yard line before I brought him
down.

   With first down and eight yards to go, ten seconds into the game, it
looked like the blowout everyone predicted.

   "We get tough or we go home now and beat the rush," Robbie told us as we
took our places.  Then she showed us what she meant, by sacking the
Cougars' all-state quarterback.  Larry showed he understood by getting his
own sack on the second down.

   Being a little more show-offy, I intercepted their pass in the end zone
and ran it back twenty-three yards.

   They sacked Mike twice before a fumble on our thirty-five turned over
the ball again.

   That was the story of the first quarter.  We never got back across the
fifty yard line, but they never crossed our goal line.

   The second quarter moved the ball up and down the field.  And up and
down again.  Mike came out after the second play.  His arm must have felt
like Jell-O after yesterday.  Robbie and I split the QB duties.  She threw
for over a hundred yards in the second quarter, and I added sixty-five to
that, but we just couldn't move that damned ball over the goal line.  But
the good news was, neither could they.

   The half ended nothing to nothing.

   The coach got us in the locker room.  "I know you're tired after last
night, and that was a hell of a first half against the toughest high school
team I've ever seen." He took a breath and looked around the locker room.
"Let's call it a day and go home."

   Naturally we shouted him down.

   We charged back out on the field as if it were the first game of the
season.  Unfortunately, so did the Cougars.  By the end of the third
quarter, Robbie had racked up another hundred and twenty yards in the air
and fifty on the ground.  I'd gotten seventy rushing and thirty more
passing and we still hadn't passed the damned goal line.

   "I don't know about you guys, but I'm too damned tired to play
overtime," Robbie said between quarters.

   The fourth started like the third as the two teams danced up and down
the field.  With just over a minute left to play, we had the ball on the
Cougars' twenty on third down.  With a nothing to nothing ball game, it was
the perfect time to kick.  One problem.  None of us were any damned good at
it.

   Robbie stepped up to me, grabbed my face mask and said two words.

   I nodded.  I signaled the sidelines that I wanted Larry and he jogged
out, looking confused.  He almost never played offense.  I quickly
explained what was happening.

   We set up for the kick with me taking the hike and Robbie going for the
kick.

   I called out the numbers.  The ball was hiked.  I caught it and held it
for the kick.  Robbie ran forward, and just before the kick, I picked up
the ball and started running.  Larry moved in front of me and Robbie to the
side, and we were halfway to the goal before the shock wore off.

   The entire Cougars team seemed to be rushing at me, and I questioned
whether football was the sport for me, but then the Rebels caught on and
were picking them off one by one.  I was at the five, then the three,
something hit me, but I took another step, then one more, and lunged
forward.  I reached the ball in front of me as I went down, several bodies
landing on top of me.  I held onto the ball and waited for the whistle.

   When everyone climbed off of me, I saw my outstretched arms and the
ball, a good two feet past the goal line.  We scored.  I climbed slowly to
my feet, wondering if I had a muscle in my body that wasn't complaining. 
Robbie rushed up and gave me a half hug, half tackle.  I winced, but
enjoyed it.  Hugging Robbie was always fun, though hugging Robbie when
we're both in pads wasn't nearly as satisfying.

   "That was a hell of an idea," Larry congratulated me with a slap on the
back.

   "Robbie's idea.  She told me The Replacements.  We both liked that
movie."

   The Cougars were still in shock and we made the extra point when Robbie
fired a pass to Phil Barnes.

   We kicked off with forty-two seconds on the clock.  Their superstar
running back took the kick and ran it back to our forty.  Then they slowly
moved down the field.  They made two yards, then three.  Then five.  Always
running out of bounds to stop the clock.

   Twenty-two seconds with a first down on our twenty-three.  Robbie and I
watched from the sidelines.  We hadn't played defense since Mike had come
out and we took over the quarterbacking duties.  Their all-state
quarterback handed off to their superstar running back and suddenly he was
streaking down the field with nothing in front of him.  If I chewed my
fingernails, I'd be up to my elbows by now.

   He was at the five.  Where was the damn gun?  Larry came barreling at
him.

   He was at the three.  Where was the damn gun?  Larry was closing the
gap.

   He was at the one.  Where was the damn gun?  Larry launched himself and
hit him.

   He was down.  The ref came running up, then we saw the signal, less than
a foot to go.  I looked up at the clock, eight seconds.

   The cougars didn't huddle.  The clock was running.  They set up and
hiked the ball.  The quarterback took the hike and ran straight forward at
the line.  Their was a tangle of bodies.  Then a whistle.  We watched. 
Then the damn refs hands jerked up in the air.  Touchdown!

   It would all come down to the extra point.  If they made it, we went
into overtime, and looking around, I didn't think we had it in us to play
another quarter.  If they didn't, we won.

   Robbie was standing in front of the coach.  "Put us in." I realized she
was talking about me too, and right then, I'd rather be in the hot tub back
at the motel than in the game.  The coach considered, then shook his head.

   We watched as the teams lined up for the extra point.  The ball was
hiked, the quarterback faded back looking for a receiver, he faked a pass,
then handed off to the superstar.  The superstar took it and...

   And ran into a wall named Larry.

   Game, set and match.

   Yes, it had been a hell of a weekend.

   "Miss Tate, Mr.  Sims, come in," the coach's voice bellowed as we stood
in the door of his classroom.

   "Hi, Coach.  You wanted to see us?" Robbie asked as we stepped in.

   "Yes.  You're not going to miss the bus or anything?"

   "Uh, no Coach.  We have a ride coming." News to me.

   "I imagine you're not disappointed about no practice today," he
commented as he finished writing in his grade book.

   "No sir," we said together as I glanced at the window.  It was raining
so hard that I couldn't see the wood shop building that I knew was less
than a hundred feet away.

   The coach looked up at us, then quickly looked out the window himself.
He almost seemed embarrassed.

   "That was some game Saturday," I said to cover the silence.

   "That's what I wanted to talk to you about.  Uh..." The coach leaned
back in his chair and templed his fingers as he continued to stare at the
rain.  "I don't know if you were aware, but a friend of mine came to the
games this weekend."

   Somehow that didn't seem earth-shaking.  I wondered why the coach didn't
look at us.

   "Barry and I played ball together at Washington."

   Not even earth-trembling.

   "We roomed together."

   Not even earth-quivering.

   "Now he's an assistant coach at USC."

   I considered looking over my head to see if there was a lightbulb
hanging there.

   "He came to take a look at Mike."

   I can't say I was surprised.  Mike was good.  He was going to have a lot
of colleges looking at him.  But USC did impress me.

   "Mike was awesome Friday.  Did your friend draw up the schoolership
yet?" From the corner of my eye I saw Robbie jerk her head toward me.  She
knew how Mike and I felt about each other.

   The coach smiled, still not looking at us.  "He was impressed.  He said
he'll be keeping an eye on Mike the rest of this year, and then next year."

   'Good for Mike', I thought, but didn't understand why we were having
this conversation.

   "He was more impressed by the team as a whole.  He said we had a lot of
heart.  Barry's always been big about heart.  He still cries whenever he
watches Rudy."

   Cool!

   "He's going to be offering Larry a full ride."

   "That's great!" I said.

   "That's fantastic!" Robbie said at the same time.

   "That's not for publication.  Larry doesn't even know yet."

   I nodded, though the coach couldn't see.

   "Barry was also impressed by a couple other players.  He said he was
going to keep an eye on them the next two years."

   The next two years?  Oh!

   I looked at Robbie.  She was looking back at me.

   "Barry said neither of you has the arm that Mike has, but your instincts
are almost as good.  And he said you both know how to get the most out of
your team.  In his words, 'You make your team play better than they are.'"

   "I mentioned the stunt you pulled with the cheerleader, and the idiot
just shrugged and grinned at me.  I know that if Mike had tried it, most of
the team wouldn't have backed him." The coach swivelled around and looked
at me.  "They all backed you."

   "They backed Allie," I said.

   "You know son, you'll be a hell of a football player if you ever learn
to stop arguing with your coach."

   I nodded, not knowing what to say.

   "I just wanted to say, that old dogs sometimes learn new tricks.  I'm
proud to have both of you on my team.  Especially my last team."

   "Your last team?" I asked.  "You can't retire." I'd had my problems with
Coach Branson, but I knew he was a good coach.  Besides, I didn't want to
break in a new one.

   "I'm not retiring.  I've been offered a coaching job at Oregon State
next season.  And that's not for publication either.  Mr.  Mulino knows,
but otherwise I've been keeping it quiet."

   I looked at Robbie.  "We'll have to start thinking about a going away
present for him."

   "What do you think, a trophy about yay high?" Robbie held her hand about
three feet off the floor.

   "Sounds good to me," I said, grinning.

   "Get out of here," the coach growled.  "I've got work to do."

   "So what do you think?" I asked as we walked down the hall.  "USC or
Oregon State?"

   "How about, you take USC and I'll take OSU.  They're both Pac-10, we can
find out which one of us is better."

   "Sounds like a plan."

   "Yeah, I've never sacked a Pac-10 quarterback."

   "In your dreams, Monster Girl.  In your dreams."



   Chapter 29

   "Aren't you ready yet?" I said, walking into Tami's house.  "I have an
empty house just sitting there and a mother waiting to drive us."

   "I'm guessing that when you asked your mom to drive us to Robbie's
house, you forgot to mention that Robbie wouldn't be there."

   "Slipped my mind," I said with a grin.

   "You know," Tami said, as she loaded the dishwasher, "ever since you
told me that you were getting a day off, I've been thinking that I need to
burn some incense to the sports gods, to thank them for putting basketball
in between football and baseball.  I'll actually get to see you a little."

   "Uh Tami..."

   "You're NOT playing basketball!  You've never played basketball.  I've
never even seen you shoot a basket." She slammed the dishwasher closed,
turned it on, then stomped out into the living room until we were standing
face to face.  Tami glared at me.

   She was cute when she stomped, but I decided this wasn't the best time
to mention that.

   "I'm not playing basketball."

   Her face softened.  "Anthony Sims, you had me worried." She turned
around.  "I'll get my coat.  It's in my room."

   "Uh, Mr.  Reed came to see me today.  Sixth period."

   "Mr.  Reed?  What did he want?" echoed her voice down the hall.

   "The middle school is starting a gymnastics team."

   "Good," came the voice.  "That'll make Kelly happy." Tami started coming
down the hall.  "I don't understand why Mr.  Reed would come to tell you
about...  Tony, you didn't!" she exclaimed coming to a stop.

   "Miss Calloway is going to coach the team, but she needs some help, and
Kelly suggested me, and..." I shrugged.

   "What do you know about gymnastics?" Tami challenged, stomping toward me
again.

   "I can do a cartwheel," I said in my defense.  "And a headstand.  I won
the headstand contest in PE last year."

   "What do you know about coaching gymnastics?"

   "Not a thing," I cheerfully admitted.  "But Mr.  Reed said that Miss
Calloway thought I could help.  I guess she can show me some basic things."

   "I guess...  damn!"

   I wrapped my arms around her and pressed my nose against hers.  "You
know, love of my life, you could come help, too.  Helping to coach a middle
school sport will look good on your resume."

   Tami pulled her head back, then lunged forward and bite my nose.  "You
just want to see little girls in skimpy leotards."

   "Nah, I'm hoping if the team works out, the high school will start one,
and I'll have an in.  Then I can see big girls in skimpy leotards."

   Tami laughed.  "My boyfriend.  He may be a pig, but he's an honest pig."

   "You had kind of a funny look on your face when you got to my house. 
Before we got sidetracked by gymnastics." Tami said as I unlocked Robbie's
door and put back the spare key.

   "I was kinda surprised by something," I said, opening the door for Tami.

   "And?"

   "Well, Robbie had a ride home arranged after we talked to the coach."

   "So?"

   "It was Mike Rose."

   "The basketball player?" I nodded.  "He's a senior isn't he?"

   I nodded again.  "She drove off with him after they dropped me off."

   "Robbie and Mike Rose," Tami mused.

   "I know.  Somehow it just doesn't fit.

   "Well, whatever floats her boat.  I just want her to be happy."

   "Me too.  But Mike Rose?"

   "You know, she hasn't really gone out with anybody since she..."

   "Since she dumped me," I finished for her.  "You can say it.  I'm almost
over it.  My one true love," I said wistfully, tilting my head to the side.

   I really should have expected the fist in my stomach.

   I looked at her.  "I meant my other true love."

   Tami balled her fist again.

   "I meant that girl who meant absolutely nothing to me."

   Tami grinned and kissed me.  "I know you love her.  It's okay."

   I slipped my arm around her, and we started upstairs.  I wondered if any
teenager ever had a life as complicated as mine.  Maybe Romeo, and we all
know how he turned out.

   "Do you think," Tami started in a normal voice, "if I hadn't moved
here," she continued in a whisper, "that you and Robbie..."

   "You're slipping," I accused and kissed her cheek as we got to the top
of the stairs.

   "Slipping?"

   "Normally you ask your inconvenient questions right at the moment of
climax."

   Tami blushed and looked to the side.

   "Actually I've wondered about that," I admitted.

   "You have?" Tami seemed surprised.

   I opened Robbie's door, and we went inside.  I led Tami to the bed and
sat her down, then flipped on Robbie's stereo.  Frank Sinatra started
crooning.  Not my first choice, but not bad.  Robbie's musical tastes ran
the gamut.

   I stepped back to Tami, pushed her back, and lay beside her, my mouth
covering hers.

   Tami pushed me onto my back and mounted me, her hands on my shoulders,
holding me down.  "Just a minute buster.  You were telling me about
wondering about life without me."

   I grinned up at her.  "I like my life.  Hell, I love my life.  But,
sometimes, when I have a minute to myself, without football, plays,
sisters, parents, or you.  Or homework.  Or suspensions.  Or..."

   "I get the point."

   "Sometimes, I wonder what my life would be like if we hadn't moved from
California.  Or you hadn't moved from Colorado.  Or if..."

   "So would you and Robbie be an item?"

   "Definitely." I waited a second while she processed that.  "Definitely
yes and no."

   "Yes and no?"

   "I don't think that Robbie and I could ever be a forever-and-ever-amen
kind of couple.  Not like you and I.  But I think we'd be together.  Then
apart.  Then together."

   "Then apart," Tami finished.  Her eyes kind of glazed over while she
thought about it, then she nodded.  "Kind of a fire that burns real hot and
burns itself out, then smoulders until there's some new fuel.

   "Something like that."

   "And what did you decide your life would be like back in California?"

   "Ordinary."

   Tami grinned and nodded.

   I reached up, grabbed her arms, and rolled her onto her back.  She
giggled as I sat on her and held her down like she'd tried to do to me. 
"And you, milady.  Do you ever muse about life's other paths?"

   "'Life's other paths.' I like that.  You should be a writer."

   "Don't change the subject.  Besides, there's already one writer in the
family."

   "There is, who?"

   I stared down at her until she thought about it.

   "Oh."

   "So, do you ever think about the path not taken?  And I can't take
credit for that one.  I stole it somewhere."

   Tami turned her head and looked out the window.  The rain was still
pounding down.  "I do.  Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if I
hadn't been in such a hurry to grow up."

   "You lost me," I admitted.

   "If I hadn't wanted to go to a high school dance.  If...  Peter King."

   I reached down and put my finger on her chin and gently turned her head
until she was looking up at me.  "I really need to thank him someday."

   "Thank him?"

   "I think he helped make us what we are.  If not for him, we might have
gone out for awhile, then moved on to other people.  We might never have
realized what we had."

   "Allie other people?" Tami asked suspiciously.

   "Oh yeah," I said enthusiastically.

   "I hate you," she said, grinning, and without an ounce of spite.

   "I know." I leaned down and kissed her nose.  "Do you realize that two
hormonally-driven teenagers, a boy and a girl, I might add, are alone in a
house, totally unsupervised, and they're spending all their time talking?"

   "Seems wrong, doesn't it?'

   "Sick and wrong," I agreed.

   "What else can we do?" she asked innocently.

   "I'll think of something."



   Chapter 30

   "Ah, one of my main headaches."

   "I haven't even talked to Mr.  Parker in almost a month," I said
quickly, hold up my hands palms outward.  "I swear," I added.

   Mr.  Mulino smiled.  "Sorry, didn't mean to put you on the defensive."

   I'd been sitting on the brick half-wall outside one of the school's back
doors.  Mr.  Mulino settled himself on the opposite wall.  It was still
raining.  The forecast said it would all week, but it had lightened, and
there was enough overhang that I could enjoy the fresh air without getting
wet.

   "Not to put you on the defensive again, but aren't you supposed to be in
a class?"

   I nodded barely.  "I've got P.E.  this period, but I've got a monster
headache, so Mr.  Tolland said I could skip.  He seemed to think Coach
Branson would give me a workout this afternoon."

   "Do you want an aspirin or something?"

   "Thanks, but I don't take aspirin for anything less than a brain tumor."

   "Really?"

   "I think we're an over-medicated society.  Most people start popping
drugs at the first sniffle, so their immune systems never get stronger."

   "Interesting theory."

   "I figure a little fresh air and I'll be good as new."

   Mr.  Mulino nodded.

   "So what are you bummed about?" I asked.

   "What makes you think I'm bummed?"

   "You just have that look."

   He sighed.  "Just normal frustrations of running a school.  Though
you're not helping."

   "What did I do?  Like I said, I haven't even talked to Mr.  Parker in
almost a month."

   "Your play."

   "My play?  What happened?  Did Mr.  Parker complain about the pregnant
girls?"

   "No, he didn't.  And, actually, he was very impressed by what you put
together in a month."

   "You're kidding."

   "No, though he probably won't ever admit it."

   I laughed, then stopped quickly.  It made my head hurt.

   "So, if Mr.  Parker isn't complaining, what's the problem?" I asked.

   "Well..." he hesitated.  "I suppose it can't hurt to tell you.  We
counted up the votes in the election.  Two of the plays are tied for first,
and the third production is only four votes away."

   "You're kidding."

   "No.  Like I said, you're one of my headaches."

   "Let me guess: us and Inherit the Wind are tied?

   Mr.  Mulino hesitated again, then nodded.

   "You could use a Parker solution.  Expel me and Robbie, problem solved."

   "And after he said nice things about you." Mr.  Mulino said with mock
disappointment.

   "Sorry, force of habit."

   We sat and watched the rain.

   "Is it too late to change my vote?" I asked.

   "What?"

   "I voted for us, but I've thought about it, and I think I want to vote
for Inherit the Wind instead."

   "I don't know..."

   "If you change my vote, Inherit won by two," I pointed out.

   "Why would you do that?"

   I knew he was watching me, but I watched the grey sky.  There was one
patch that was darker and headed our way.

   "Except for Leslie, most of the people in Inherit are seniors.  Robby
and I can try again next year.  Besides, Leslie is super-serious about the
acting thing, I just did it for fun.  Besides, she's good."

   "You're sure?"

   I looked at him and nodded, then looked back at the dark patch of sky.

   "Okay, we'll announce that Inherit the Wind will be the school's
production."

   "Do me a favor though.  Don't let it out, how close the vote was.  As
competitive as Robbie is, she'll want to check for hanging chads."

   "I probably shouldn't mention that you changed your vote either?"

   "Not unless you want the janitors cleaning blood and guts off the
floor."

   I looked at the administrator and grinned.

   "Tell you what, I won't let it slip if you'll do me a little favor."

   "My own superintendent, a blackmailer."

   "You use the leverage you've got," he said with a smile.

   "I suppose you want me to be nice to Mr.  Parker?"

   "I said a favor, not a miracle."

   I grinned and nodded.  "What can I do for you?  I guess it never hurts
to get some points with the big boss.  Especially with March coming up."

   "March?  What's March got to do with anything?"

   I grinned again.  "I seem to have a habit of getting suspended in March.
I'm trying not to make it three years in a row."

   "Well, considering some of the stunts you pull, I can't make any
promises."

   "I'm planning to spend the entire month of March in the library studying
quietly."

   "That I'll believe when I see it."

   "You're pretty skeptical for someone who wants something.  What is it?"

   "Well, I've got this..."

   "Do you even know how to be a girl?"

   Tami and I stepped out of the lunch line holding our trays and into the
cafeteria.  Lunch today was chicken chow mein on rice, and I wasn't in that
much of a hurry.  I looked at the voice.  Kate Green and her band of clones
were standing around Robbie.

   I looked at Tami, then back at the confrontation.  Tami grabbed my arm
and pulled me toward an empty table.  We set our trays down, but didn't
sit.

   "Do you even own a skirt, or a dress?  All you ever wear are those
jeans. And I know you don't have a mom, but you could get someone to teach
you about makeup."

   I saw Robbie's hand jerked closed into a fist and then slowly, as if she
were struggling, open again.  Kate was the reigning queen of cool.  She was
a senior, and I don't think I'd ever seen her without her collection of
Kate wannabes surrounding her.

   I decided that I'd had enough confrontation to last me a lifetime. 
Besides, Robbie was a big girl, she could take care of herself.  I'd sit
down with the love of my life and try to choke down lunch.

   My feet had other ideas.  I was halfway across the cafeteria before I
realized what I was doing.  "When you're one of the two sexiest girls in
the school, you don't need to trowel on makeup," I said as I stepped next
to Robbie.

   Kate looked at me as if I was something scraped off the bottom of
someone's shoe.  "What would you know about anything?"

   "Well, since the other sexiest girl is my girlfriend..."

   "Her?" Kate said, glancing at Tami, then looking away as if Tami were
completely beneath her notice.  I felt my own fist clench, and forced it
flat again.  "You're one of her football buddies.  She thinks she's one of
the boys."

   "She know's she's not one of the boys.  She's all girl."

   "She doesn't look like it."

   "Just cause Robbie's got enough self-confidence to wear what she wants,
doesn't make her less of a girl.  Have you ever worn anything that wasn't
in a teen magazine first?"

   Kate's eyes blazed.  "Sophomores!" she spat, then spun and walked away.

   I looked at Robbie.  "What was that all...  ?"

   SLAP!

   Robbie's open hand almost took the top of my head off, it was a good
thing my headache was gone.

   "I didn't need your help." She spun and walked the opposite direction
from Kate.

   "That is a cool hand print," Tami cooed as I sat down.

   I tried to remember that I loved her and that strangulation wasn't
conducive to a lasting relationship.