Naked in School: Jacob and Tiffany - Monday
by Prof. Jack

Copyright 2004. All rights reserved by the author. Posted here with permission.


Chapter 1 Tiffany

Well, they called me to the office at last. The Program. I
knew it was coming because my family was way too
disorganized and stressed out to agree on signing anything.
Confused divorces can do that to a family. Anyhow, as I was
saying, they called me to the office for the program. Truth
be told, I was kind of ambivalent about it. I have my
faults, but I knew about them. About sex I knew a little
bit. My parents would say too much. Then it sunk in. I was
the only student in Mr. Bacon’s office.

Ms. Q. looked at her watch.

Just then the phone rang.

Mr. Bacon picked up the phone. “Yes?… I see. Jacob, are you
kidding me? You better be sure I’ll check out the window.”
He did.

Then Ms. Q. did.

Then I did too. If there is anything more curious than a
teenage female, I’ve never met it.

All three of our mouths dropped. What we all saw should not
have happened. And yet it did. Completely oblivious to those
watching it, a hovercraft landed by the sports fields. Then
somebody got out, acting as though what he did was as normal
as parking a Ford.

Tiffany recognized him. She should have known.

Five minutes later Jacob strode in wearing his customary
outfit. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes.”

“Mr. Shuman upset because I correct all his mistakes again?”

“Yes, but that’s not why you are here.”

“Then why?” Then he noticed Ms. Q. and me. “You mean? The
Program???”

“Correct.” Ms. Q. said.

“Why me? I know precisely who I am. What I am, where I am in
my life, this I know already.”

“We still think you can learn something from this.” The
principal said.

“And I have no choice.”

“None.”

I watched him strip then. I’ll give him that much. He
accepted his fate with clinical detachment. Then I caught
him looking at me. “What you looking at?” I snapped.

A look flashed over his face before it vanished. What he
said next surprised me. “I’m looking at a very sexy woman.
One I would never be bold enough to hope to see naked.”

O.K. I admit it. I was flattered. Here was a guy everybody
swore existed in a different world. I could not remember the
last time I caught him trying to get a girl. Then I took off
my clothes.

He gasped. I nearly blushed at that. I managed not to react.
Oh, I’m well aware that almost every other pairing in the
program resulted in a long term relationship. But no, I have
considered many things, but I never ever thought of dating
‘odd guys’.

Our clothes were gathered up by Ms. Q.

“OK you guys. Time to go.”


Chapter 2 Jacob

My name is Jacob Stone. I am quite probably the last person
anybody, and I mean ANYBODY, living or dead, would have
thought would be in the Program. I am a scrawny geek. My
glasses could be used to set fires. Just hold them between
the sun and combustible material and wait. A neat trick one
of about two dozen I can pull together from parts of my
outfit.

And now I’m going to walk naked around this school. Oh for
the love of all things existing. I admit it. This outfit and
my very bearing was shielding against my insecurities with
girls. When it came to shielding, the starship Enterprise
had less then I do. One associate claimed you could hit my
defenses with a Mack truck and the truck would implode on
impact. Precisely the effect I was going for.

And now all I had was my will power to keep up my defenses
against a school and student society that I could have bet
my hovercraft hated my un-cool existence. Well that’s ok, my
entire life has been a challenge to conventional reality. I
never had a habit of insulting the different, or striking
those who were different. I did not give a damn about
fashion. What I wore, I wore because it was comfortable. A
pair of jeans and a comfortable shirt. I had a trench coat
whose pockets were filled with all sorts of electronic odds
and ends. A lot of scientific equipment was stuck in them as
well. A person once bet ten dollars a car was in them. He
was right. God in his infinite wisdom knows why, but I had a
corvette in the left pocket. It was a matchbox car, but
still it was a car. And my crushable, waterproof outback
hat. That hat became part of my growing rep when some kids
on the football team grabbed it, then ran it over with their
car. I picked up, washed it off at home. The next day I wore
it into school. By the third period enough people saw the
hat was the same to be convinced. And I won another battle
against the bullies without lifting a finger.

Ok. This week is going to count as penance for any sins I’ve
committed during the 15 years I’ve been on this planet.

And now it was time.

I walked out of the principal’s office into solid wall of
laughter. Wall to wall, not one attempt to hide it. That
school was so lucky that my hovercraft had no weapons
attached.

The first assault on my shields had begun.

After three minutes it only got worse. You’d think Bob Hope
and Johnny Carson were performing from all the laughter.

Enough. By all that I sex I was probably not going to get,
this was way too much. “I see.”


Chapter 3 Tiffany

All that laughter as he left the office. I actually felt for
him. Don’t ask me why, just don’t. Just as I was going to
say something, he did.

“I see.”

Talk about cold tones. My freezer was warmer than that.
Silence reigned though. I’ll give him points for that. There
were few people I know who could silence a hallway of
laughing high school kids with two words. Then in a
completely even voice he let loose.

“All at once, eh? No lying in wait, no spreading it though
the halls, just all humiliate the odd guy seconds after he
leaves the office? This is cool behavior? Then thank Gods
I’m not cool.”

He said that last sentence with such feeling, it was as if
he was passing judgment.

In the shock Jacob strode though the crowd and off towards
his class.

No one moved.

And in that moment of shocked silence, I had to wonder if he
was right, if behavior like that gave him the right to feel
superior? And why was I giving so much thought to a guy who
probably never thought about my existence before today?

Then Diane came up. “Guess it’s your turn, eh?”

We started walking to our first class. We sat next to each
other in geometry class. The class filled up with the usual
people looking and staring. A few were even reaching out to
feel me up. How did I feel about that? Truth be told I did
not know. The touching was turning me on a bit, but not
everybody was a turn on. But only four people had touched
me. When Jacob lets loose, he really lets loose.

“Yes. Guess they wanted another cheerleader.”

She looked at me. “You sound unhappy.”

Bill sat down close enough to whisper. “Well, not since they
paired Bob and Megan did I see such a varied couple.”

I looked at him like he just announced water was wet. I mean
to say anything more obvious was not easy. “And I’d give ten
dollars to know what was going though their minds.”

“You are not the only one, I bet.” Bill said. “Possibly the
biggest nerd in school history is concentrating every spare
brain cell to figure it out.”

Diane looked thoughtful. “You sound like your father again.”

We all laughed.

The class had a sub who had have been from a non Program
district. He spent all period being flustered by me. I could
read his mind like a third grade book. He wished he could
touch me like the students. After about 10 minutes he
realized he was not going to be able to concentrate, so he
gave us busy work.

The teacher’s stares reminded me why the program was not my
idea of joy.

Megan and Bob moved themselves over as the students moved to
work with their friends.

Megan glanced at the teacher, then back at me. An evil look
started to form on her face, then she visibly got control of
herself. “Sorry. I still get those inspirations.”

Bob told her she’d get better. “Besides I think I know your
partner, Tiffany.”

“Everybody knows my partner.”

Bill spoke up. “Everybody does not know him. They are aware
of him. It’s not the same.”

“But who is he really?” Again with the curiosity? Why?
Tiffany would have given her mall money to learn that.

“Nobody knows. That is his problem.” Mike looked around at
the class as he said that.

Suzy looked at the group. “Bill’s father?” Bill’s father was
a guidance advisor and mental counselor has on him. He was
truly perceptive with social problems and determining the
mysteries of a student mind. The effect his father had on
Bill’s insights was scary at times.

They all thought.

Diane spoke up for all of them. “Could not hurt.”

Then they all looked at me.

Then it sunk in. They had to be kidding. They expected me to
tell Jacob to see Dr. Daring? They were in the same hallway
as I was this morning, weren’t they? I have trouble telling
kids like me they are wrong. How am I, how the hell was I
going to tell him he was wrong?


Chapter 4 Jacob

The trip though the hallways went a little better this time.
Actually, three people actually asked me to pose. And one
girl actually asked if she could touch me. Asked me, of all
people. There is a chance, a slim chance for me to enjoy
this.

And she actually turned me on. I thought sex had to be
something planned, special, the history of Suzy Clysdale
notwithstanding.

She actually turned me on.

Turns out we had the same class this period too.

Mrs. Atkins saw me as I entered. “In the program, are you,
Mr. Stone?”

I walk into a classroom naked and she has to put a question
mark on the end of her sentence? By what stretch of the
imagination can she conceive of any other reason that I,
Jacob Jehosophat Stone, would ever walk into a classroom
naked?

All I said was “It would appear so.”

“Would you like some relief. Your partner is in the class
after all.”

The class stared at Jacob. They wondered what he would do
next.

That was something I would have liked to know myself.

Then I surprised everybody, including myself. I accepted.

The collective shock in the room could have choked an
elephant.

Mrs. Atkins indicated the front of the room. “You have to
let people see you getting the relief. Tiffany can borrow
the pillow from my chair.”

Tiffany had a look on her face. Shock or surprise, I could
not be sure which.

Neither could anybody else.

Tiffany did not move or say anything for a few minutes. Her
mind was littered with should I or shouldn’t I arguments.

Finally, a girl in the rear raised her hand.

Oh great. It was Crystal. One of the few girls I thought I
had a chance with if ever I could ask her at right time. And
if I accepted her offer, it would seem in the future that
sex started it, and sex was all I wanted from her. Don’t get
me wrong. I’ve no hatred of sex at all. Indeed, I wish at
times I got a lot more of it. But still I never was one for
taking advantage, or treating people like sluts.

Crystal waited only a minute then got up without waiting for
anybody to say anything. She went over to where I was
standing, got on her knees and took me inside her mouth. She
started sucking with such skill that I had trouble holding
back. After a few minutes, I gave in. Crystal drank it all.
“You’ve a big one. Girls overlook a lot of flaws for that.”

I didn’t know what to say. I expected none of this. And
although nobody would ever believe it, I was incapable of
thought of any type. I barely made it back to my chair.

Luckily this class was community civics. I’d been playing
that game for two years now.

Peter leaned over. “She got you good, didn’t she?”

Lucy added “Fun, wasn’t it?”

I glared a little. I realize they did not mean anything bad
by it. But for the longest time, my life was my secret. If I
even thought about women as anything more than a fellow
student, I never wanted anybody to know my thoughts. Before
the gossiping started, I wanted to see if there was hope. It
was going to be a hard habit to change.

Peter and Lucy drew back. They had slightly hurt looks on
their faces.

Tiffany told them to relax. She said I’d spent so long
holding things in that it annoyed me to have anybody knowing
my feelings.

Ouch! Shields at 15%. External cloak must be malfunctioning!
Nobody was supposed to be reading me like that!!

It was only with the help of prayer that I did not react to
her comment.

Tiffany saw me as I built back my defenses. I put on a pose
of somebody deep in thought about the lesson. But I had a
feeling this girl saw through my act.

What that could mean I did not even want to think about.

The lunch bell sounded then.

I got up, headed into the hallway and watched.

Tiffany went down the hallway. The guys all followed her
like sheep. Several felt her up. She seemed to be getting in
to it. But she acted as though there was someone else she
wanted to be doing it.

I was all set to think about that when a pair of football
players gave me something else to think about.

My most interesting thoughts are always interrupted.

“What do you say we get her after school, Fred?”

He just laughed.

Kevin was at least twice my height and three times as good
looking. He never had trouble scoring. Normally I would not
concern myself with his plans for girls. I mean, lets be
real here. A choice between Kevin and myself could only have
one result. My self confidence survives so much because I do
not put it in impossible situations. OK, ok, self confidence
or ego, the principle still applies.

But this time two things disturbed me. The football player
used the words ‘get her’. Also he said ‘we’. I followed
them. What I heard next was worse .

Kevin was speaking now. “Get her? I say we fuck her, all of
us. Cheerleaders are eager for sex anyway. Plus she’s in the
Program. Means she’s fair game anyway. I’ll be waiting
behind the stands where the cheerleaders go to get to the
parking lot.”

I was so concerned that I did not even notice the three
girls that felt me up. Well, I noticed it enough, even
smiled and thanked them. But the enjoyment was gone. Tiffany
was my partner in this bloody program. No way I could let
them do this.

And curse the fates, I find myself thinking that she’d make
a good girlfriend too.

To dream the impossible dream, to fight the unbeatable foe…


Chapter 5 Tiffany

I admit it. This crazy program was working. I was starting
to examine feelings I would not have thought twice about
before. Hell, some of these thoughts, I would not have ever
thought once about.

But did I want to?

Did opposites really attract?

Or is my brain catching cold from the lack of clothing.

And I thought my research paper in advanced English was
going to give me a brain ache.

I went into the lunchroom. The crowd looked at me a minute,
and went back to their eating. Their thoughts were obvious
enough. First the lunches in front of them. Then me for
dessert.

The lunchroom was large and noisy. The lines moved at
various speeds. I picked my food and sat where I always did.
Usually I liked the view of the woods surrounding the
school. Today the dark sky and branches swinging in the wind
only served to remind me that fall had arrived. I know women
in the Program ended up wet by the end of the day, but I
doubt it was meant to be from a thunderstorm.

I got my food and took my seat by friends.

Diane, Megan, Lucy, Peter, Bill and Bob all were seated at
the usual table. Seated on the edge of the table area, they
could see and be seen by those they wanted to be seen by. At
least my friends were good people. Other end tables were
occupied by the worst snobs, the highest and mightiest of
the various school cliques. In a different time I’d expect
it to be just on the edge of gang warfare.

“Hi guys.” They all chorused hi back.

Then Lucy got right into it. “What do you think of your
partner choice?”

I still didn’t know what I thought of it. So I asked them.
“What do you guys think of him?”

Quiet. You’d think I asked them to join an orgy or
something..

Peter looked at me. “You still do not know, do you”

“Know what?” Diane asked.

Bill looked at her. “I love you a lot, but sometimes you
miss the most obvious things.”

Megan asked what we all were thinking. “Bill, what are you
talking about?”

“Program partners are selected by the staff.”

Old news I thought.

What he said next made me wonder if his father was sitting
at the table instead of him. “Most partner sets were chosen
to give complementary support mechanisms. They share at
least two classes, have some hobbies in common, and all in
all have the potential of being an excellent couple if
something was not standing in the way. The Program would
remove that barrier, that mental block or mindset that holds
back what both would want if only they would truly think
about it.”

Oh my God. My soup went cold in my mouth. They would not…
they could not… we should not… should we?

But why me? For him? We are not quite from different
planets, but damn close.

Peter saw my thoughts. Really, I must learn how Jacob keeps
such an impassive face. I’m not sure I like being an open
book. What he said next nearly had me slugging him.

“You Tiffany, are sexy and popular, plus you are a
cheerleader. You are comfortable with this. Your social life
is excellent, there are few parties or events you can go to
that you will not seem comfortable. You are the precise
example of a cool teenage girl. And to do this you are
resisting your natural intelligence. But I at least have
seen it slip though on occasion. Classes you keep a C
average in and you get an easy A on the final. Also I cannot
be the only one who has noticed how easily you seem to grasp
things. You’ve got probably more intelligence than anyone at
this table, but you have little clue how to use it
comfortably. You also are afraid that using it in public
will cost you your friends.” He paused to let that sink in.
“You should also know that your true friends, such as us
here at this table, will not shun you because of that. In
fact, a few of us could probably use some homework help.” He
let loose a small laugh to relieve the sting of his words.

There should be laws against men being that perceptive.

But still I was afraid to show interest in Jacob. Look I’ve
seen him around school. If there was ever a student more
certain of his place in this universe and exactly how he
felt about it, it was Jacob J. Stone.

Diane, both bless and curse her heart, did it for us. “Ok.
We now more about Tiffany then we probably should have. What
about her partner? Of all the intelligent men in this
school, why Jacob? Why him?”

All eyes turned to Bob.

Bob looked distinctly uncomfortable.

Finally I could not wait any longer. “Well?”

Bob looked sad. “I don’t know if I should. I’m one of the
few people he truly trusts around here.”

Bill put down his drink. “Okay, time for me to play my
father again. Bob, you would say that he has a good grasp of
possibilities, yes?”

“Yes.”

“And you would say that he would know who you’re friends
are?”

“He would.”

“Then what makes you think that he would not expect you to
release this information, if only to make it easier for
Tiffany to be his partner? Doesn’t that sound like the sort
of devious move he would make to save him effort he is too
shy to make himself?”

“Could be. But I refuse to try to figure a mind as
inexplicably complex as Jacob’s.”

Damn. The one source I had for information and he was
clamming up. I’ll say this much. The few friends he does
have are chosen well.

Just then Jacob walked by. Speak of the mystery, and he
shall appear.

Jacob was naked and was on his way to dump his trash. He had
no reason really to walk by this table and yet he did. “Is
everything going well, Tiffany?”

Tiffany was speechless.

“You seem surprised. At least in the program, we are
partners. I know you have no mental shields, not used to
this constant staring, everybody trying for something… I’m
here… always will be here for you.” He turned to leave. Then
he looked back, straight at Bob. “Your discretion I’m
grateful for, but I do think in this case you can tell them.
My observations of this group lead me to think it will be
safe.” He walked away.

I watched him walk away. How did he know?

Everybody looked at Bob again.

Damn him, he made me ask. “Bob, will you please tell me
about him?”

Bob looked around, and began. “You want me to tell you about
him, or explain him?

“Explain him.” I said without hesitation.

He looked around at us a bit sadly. “Not possible. Nobody
totally understands him. Each of his few friends has pieces
of the puzzle, but we’ve never sat down to try to put them
together.”

He must have seen my disappointed look, because he offered
to tell us what he could about him.

I nodded. Some information. I simply needed some more
information about Jacob.

“His full name is Jacob Jehosophat Stone. Nobody, and I
include his closest friends, knows the history of his middle
name. He only uses it when being very formal, or quite
emotional. And watch out when he stretches out the ‘ho’.
When he does that, the shit is not just about to hit the
fan, the shit is about to blow the fan away. When it comes
to engineering, he is frightening. Other sciences he is
brilliant in. He dabbles in politics. He has a grasp of what
could be, puts together future events from only couple of a
puzzle pieces. Mentally, he is very secure. You’ve seen his
defenses today. Physically, he is scrawny but he acts as
though he is the master of whatever situation he is in. And
often, whether those in the situation know it or not, he is.
He takes those clues, adds his knowledge of observations,
using them to accomplish what he chooses to. Trust me, he
notices more than you think. He dabbles in things partially
because of interest, partially because those actions put him
closer to girls he has interest in, but the girls never know
until he wants them to because is checking to see if in fact
a future is possible with her.” Bob paused dramatically.
“You see, this living legend has one great weakness. He is
shy. Nobody knows it cause they are so concerned with
exterior appearances in this place that they take his
unshakable appearance at face value. If you see an emotion,
it’s because he wants you to. He has true feelings, but very
few people ever know about them. His greatest regret is that
the women he really thinks are worth his effort, they are
taken. By that I mean he looks for women based on
personality, wisdom, wit. Looks are not the top reason.”

You’re stopping there?? How dare you stop there! Continue
talking this minute or naked or not, I’m going to leap on
you and beat the rest of it out of you!

Bob looked more uncomfortable then he did all lunch. “You
really sure you want to know? No, you are my friend. And I
am Jacob’s. Even if he so clearly knew this conversation was
coming, I cannot be the one to say it.”

I never wanted in my life to rip information from a man as I
did just then.

SLAM!!!

I looked where it came from. It was Jacob standing with a
baseball bat over a pair of football players. I did not know
their names, so I could only assume they were new.

I really tried to listen to what he said next. But I
couldn’t.

Bob’s eyebrows raised above his glasses. He said nothing
about knowing what was going on over there.

The football players pushed him back and said something
back.

Jacob’s hand gripped the bat tighter for a second, then he
just tossed the bat at the surprised kid who was holding it
five minutes ago.

Like nearly everybody else in that room I was dying to know
what was just said.

The lunchroom monitor wanted to know as well. Jacob said a
few words that the monitor obviously did not want to hear.
“A week’s detention, Mr. Stone. Now stay away from them.”

Jacob left the room as if nothing strange had happened. If
nothing else, I admired his ability to turn on and off his
feelings and emotions. Even if it was just an act.

I turned to Bill. “Can you tell me this great mystery?”

“I can, but I think this is something you need to learn
yourself.”

Would nobody tell me what I needed to know? I just knew I
had an anguished look on my face.

Megan looked where Jacob had just left. Then she looked at
me. “No. Not in ten million years. Just not possible. I’d
have noticed him if he did.”

Bob asked calmly. “Would you have?”

“Really?” Bill added.

“If somebody does not start explaining…” I started
menacingly.

Megan said “Ok. I will. Just remember, you wanted to know.
You were checked out in the past by Jacob Jehosophat Stone.”

Blanching and blushing should be hard to do at the same
time, but I managed it. “And???”

And you were considered too cool. Based on what I’ve heard
today, he looked you over, did some investigating, and
determined you had only one flaw, but it was a fatal one.
You were just too cool for him to think he had a chance.


Chapter 6 Jacob

My English teacher wants me to keep a journal of my
thoughts. Like I’d ever release an unedited version of my
innermost thoughts. To paraphrase a recent movie phase – you
can’t handle the truth!

Ok. Here goes.

Personal log, J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying Dutchman,
October 27th.

The day continues. After the initial assaults in my shields,
I stabilized my mental defenses. The worst attack was not
the laughter in the hallways as I left the principal’s
office. In the scheme of things, I expected something like
that anyway. I just passed judgment on the ‘behavior of
coolness’. The fact that so few people even looked like they
were interested in my body was something else I expected.
That hurt, this I will admit. Having them read me in the
class really was a shock, but one I recovered from.

No, the true attack on all my defenses, all my secure
thoughts and control of my fate in this was in my partner.
Miss Tiffany French. Of all the girls I ever wanted to have
as a girlfriend, the one truly worth the effort. Damn the
fates that she was so cool. But for that, I’d have tried.
And today I watched her undress in front of me. To say she
was sexy is like saying Siberia was cold. She was even more
than I expected, and these thick glasses I wear can
practically see though walls.

Must divert mind before I do something stupid, like expose
my heart to destruction by asking her out.

The Flying Dutchman worked perfectly. My usual ride could
not make it so I did a live test on my hovercraft.
Excellent. Thrilling. If the other features work half as
well, let’s just say that the social hell they inflict on me
at the high school will be worth it. Curiosity value might
even have let me get a date.

Well, it might have if not for the fact that I started the
Program today. If I understand it correctly, it is supposed
to expose all my secrets and quirks to and observant world.

I ask, “can this planet take this information”, or even
“does the world really care?”

Or is this more of what I’ve come to expect from those who
know of me? They use me, and cast me aside when I’ve served
my purpose.

Wait a minute. Let’s continue the tests on the Flying
Dutchman. Lets try out the remote signal reception.

NOTE TO TEACH… A FEW MINUTES LOST WHILE SWITCHING OVER. NONE
OF YOU ARE SMART ENOUGH TO GRASP THE HIGH SCIENCE INVOLVED
ANYWAY.

Personal log continues:

I obtained my lunch. To call this slop food should violate
the Fair Trade Description act. And serving it should
require an Environmental Protection Agency license.

When that was done I looked around. Tiffany was at her table
with her friends. How some people can find that many true
friends I truly would love to know. It took me a year to
find three people I trusted that much.

Hmm. Those friends of hers are no doubt going to play a big
part in this game fate has thrown me into. Why me, gods, why
me?

Note to self, run this by Bob for editing before releasing
this section to the teacher. To begin with, we will stick
with first names only.

First we will start with Diane. Girlfriend of Bill. Some
artistic skill, mainly musical. She is in the band part of
the time. Main claim to fame is being captain of the
cheerleaders. Diane is active in groups that set up school
dances too. Diane’s perception in choosing Bill as a
boyfriend shows that she’s the sort I could have loved. Once
again, a good one who is taken.

Next is her boyfriend, Bill. Getting her as a girlfriend,
considering he only plays golf, was quite a surprise. Maybe
she sees the effect of the fact his father is a guidance
advisor and mental counselor has on him. He is truly
perceptive, and possibly the only person, that given enough
information, would be able to understand me. Should he show
the same skills for a few more weeks, I might consider him
safe to be my fourth confidant.

Bob. One of my three confidants. He has high skills in
science and some skills in people understanding. Plays
soccer rather well and was responsible for convincing me to
try out. Results of that try out were expected, but oddly
enough, at least those athletes did not use my failure to
fuel their laughs. I accepted the manager’s position with
them. At least it will look like I had athletic interest.

Megan. Bob’s girlfriend, member of a few thinking clubs like
academic decathlon club, mock trail club and school
newspaper. I expect I should expect a visit from her over
the hovercraft.

Hey, I can’t be the only person to notice nothing written in
the rules about teens with hovercrafts.

Lucy. School yearbook and camera club. Keeps quiet and thus
gets the unexpected shots.

Better check to keep my nude shots out of there. Inside the
school is bad enough.

Peter. I’m still not sure about him. Seems to be all over,
in everything, but never is he truly given any credit. A
mysterious man. Could be asset or trouble. A good note about
him is he has no reputation as a gossip.

Ok pawns or pieces in this chess game. Time will tell.

Enough information. Time to act again.

On my way to dump my trash I decided to detour by Tiffany’s
lunch table. There I’ll say a few supportive words to the
girl who probably will never need my support. Better that
she live out the life in that fiction than let her realize
just how active I’ve been in her life. Women like to be the
players, not the pieces. Also spares me the danger of
revealing a crush on a girl I will never be cool enough to
have.

Time to make the moves needed.

I walked by her table as casually as possible. Hopefully she
never knew I usually left by the other door.

Ah, yes say it like that, and she can take it as she
pleases. Oh, for the love of all things lovable, why am I
doing this to myself? I know better and yet I cannot bring
myself to truly accept the truth. Always I leave an opening
in the futile hope that she will one day make a move. The
rock of Gibraltar is liable to start tap dancing first. I’ve
shattered the expectations of common science and I cannot
get that through my head. I truly need help while I’ve some
pretense to sanity left.

Of course she had no clue what was going on.

“Is everything going well, Tiffany?”

Tiffany was speechless.

“You seem surprised. At least in the program, we are
partners. I know you have no mental shields, not used to
this constant staring, everybody trying for something… I’m
here… always will be here for you.” He turned to leave. Then
he looked back, straight at Bob. “Your discretion I’m
grateful for, but I do think in this case you can tell them.
My observations of this group lead me to think it will be
safe.” I walked away.

One move down, one more to go. God save me from my quixotic
moments. On second thought, cancel that. Those are the only
moments I really feel like I’m accomplishing anything.

Next I walked over to those football players. The ones who
thought Tiffany would make a good sex toy. Look, she is sexy
as hell, but does not make her a toy for men. Even if the
program permitted such things, I certainly was not going to.

I went over to their table and stood there. Their friends
noticed me, pointed me out. The two players I was concerned
about ignored me. They talked about the latest game, the
drug scandals and whether a certain school really should be
punished for using sex to recruit players.

Being ignored by such people I was used to, but this time I
needed to provoke a reaction. “Excuse me gentlemen.”

“Fuck off.” Kevin said.

Fred just tried to push me away as somebody was walking by
with a baseball bat.

Executing dodge course… scan for useful tools… person
walking by within reach with a bat… grab for bat… bat
acquired… scanning for striking spot… target acquired…
aiming… firing now…

SLAM!!!

I do think I have their attention now.

“Gentleman, and I only use that term out of politeness, I
know what you are planning to do to Tiffany. I strongly
advise you two not to do it.”

They looked at me like I was filth.

“You are a scrawny little geek. Stay out of this and we
won’t break your bones.” Fred said.

Kevin followed Fred’s statement with “You are just upset
cause you’ll never get any, from her or anybody else. She’s
a cheerleader and she’s in the Program. Two reasons that
she’s there for our pleasure.”

Fred finished it off with “Now get away or we’ll beat you
right here.” He shoved me back a few feet.

I admit it. I was truly annoyed. No make that really pissed.

Targets in sight. Weapon ready. Select target. Left target
selected for first hit. Prepare to strike… COMMAND OVERIDE…
remember the plan… standing down…

I returned the bat to the surprised ball player who thought
he was holding it.

I then turned around. I figure I might as well sit on the
bench I usually do. Maybe I might get a few reasonable
requests if nobody else saw them asking. Only time I have
any hopes anyway is when nobody else is watching. Or is it
that the only time I’m brave enough?

“Excuse me Mr. Stone.”

I looked up and saw the lunchroom monitor. “Yes.” I sounded
as unconcerned as I could.

“Care to explain what just happened?”

You should have expected that, Jacob. Questions are always
asked before you are ready to give answers. Now is not the
time to release information. I will never make that mistake.
Hmm, lets try blunt truth. “What just happened was that I
just slammed a baseball bat into that table over there.”

“The entire lunchroom knows that. Why?”

“It pleased me to.”

The lunchroom monitor lowered his voice. “You are not that
stupid. Whatever you did, you had a reason. Just tell it to
me.”

Just my bloody luck that they start to have faith in my
judgment today. Well, as much as he deserves a reward for
his perception, I cannot imperil this project. “I do have my
reason.”

“Then tell it.”

“No.”

“You leave me no choice.” He whispered. Then he spoke in a
tone meant to carry. “A week’s detention, Mr. Stone. Now
stay away from them.”

Perfect. The game continues. And as far as I can see, the
talking has started up again as though it was just another
fight. Excellent. Very excellent. Mistakes are not to be
repeated and sorrows shall be spared me.

I left the room and went to my bench. I had something else
to think about. Tiffany. What I overheard while eating,
could it be true? Is the school playing games in which I am
the pawn? Does anybody really think there is hope for me to
ever have a relationship with somebody as good as her?

I watched the storm front approach with amusement.


Chapter 7 Tiffany

I think I just fulfilled the dreams of every male in this
gym class. I'll bet my country music collection that the
boys in this class have wanted to see me naked during class
since the semester started.

Boy, it was turning me on.

Today's sport helped us all out. That was possibly the most
fouled game of basketball in high school history. All the
boys kept bumping into me, rubbing me, often grabbing me
instead of the ball. Our teacher was not interfering much
either. I was soaked by the end of the game. And it wasn't
from sweat either.

Enough of this. My mother's morality lectures on the evil of
sex be damned. I needed it and I needed it bad. As soon as
the game was over I rushed to the men's shower room.
According to the program rules, I was to wash up here after
gym class.

Hell take me if that is what I'm thinking about.

Joe was first though the door and he made a beeline fore me.

I didn't even let him ask. I just grabbed his hand and
shoved it in my pussy. He was supposed to be making the
request and doing the action according to the rules. That
was the whole purpose to the reasonable request system. But
I could not help myself. I needed release and I needed it
now. I moved his hand in and out of my pussy as fast as I
could. I have been aching too long. In about 2 minutes I
came screaming.

Joe looked at his soaked hand as if he was surprised it had
not been torn off by my attack.

The other guys looked disappointed. They all wanted to be
the first to get me off this week. Even a blind man could
read it in their faces.

Lucky for them I was just getting started.

"Ok guys. We all know what we want. We only have time for
one. Decide, but don't keep me waiting."

Oh dear. I didn't mean to cause a fistfight. Either I was
far sexier than I was ever told, or they just wanted a fight
and I was the excuse of the hour. The teacher didn't care.
He gave the fighters detention, told me I'd be hearing about
this after he spoke with Ms. Q.

As if the fight ruining my chance to get laid was not bad
enough. I might just have to explain to my parents that due
to misbehavior, I have to spend another week naked. The same
parents who would probably go though the roofs. I was never
much for prayer, but I found myself praying for god to spare
me the fate of having to explain to two divorcing parents,
each of who think they and they alone have all the answers I
need. The problem is I am beginning to wonder if they really
know the questions.


Chapter 8 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying
Dutchman, October 27th.

Study hall. The school said I had to take one this year. I'm
still waiting for them to give me a good reason why. Look.
For school purposes, this is a complete waste of time. I'm
usually done with my homework almost before the teacher is
done assigning it.

You guys want to know what I do with this time? Why I'm
buried in papers if none of the papers has nothing to do
with schoolwork? All right, I'll tell you. I'm working on
plans for my hovercraft. Next you're going to tell me that
hovercraft in some form had existed since the seventies.
Don't waste your breath. What I did was take a scientific
curiosity and make something of it for my daily use. Now you
are probably going to ask "why?" Oh, you are all so
predictable. However can you all expect me to respect the
intelligence of people no more predictable then rats trapped
in a simple maze? I built the Flying Dutchman because there
are no traffic laws for driving hovercraft on the roads.
Give me another 6 months and I can have a model that your
six-year-old nephew could use legally. Make that 9 months
and I can have a model that anybody with basic language
skills can direct by voice power. That part was easy. The
part that took so long involved the density drive, don't ask
about that. Just don't. Sixteen months it would take me to
get you guys to grasp the extreme basics of the theory. The
rest of it was taking current and theoretical technology and
getting it to mate in ways few people outside the science
fiction field would even consider.

The preceding notations are for those who give a damn how I
get around.

Today, none of this mattered. What was important today was
that I was trying to find ways how I could enjoy the
program. First off, I figured that with a week of walking
around this school naked, even I should be able to get laid.
I'm probably the last virgin in this school anyway.

Enough background information.

Time to do something that the readers of the log will not be
falling sleep reviewing.

I looked around the class. Not too many girls in here, so it
usually was quiet on the flirting side. Hold on, how did I
miss this? Suzy Clysdale is in this class. For those even
more oblivious to the social scene then I act, she is the
school slut. To say she is easy is to over rate the concept
of easy. I have never heard of her turning down a man. And
given my sources and what I tend to learn, whether I care to
or not, that is saying something.

So I did something stupid. I went and asked her out.

Yes, you did read correctly.

I got up, went over to the desk of Miss Suzzette Clysdale,
and asked "Will you go out to dinner with me?" Basic line,
no exterior references, no bullshit, no nothing. Just a
simple request.

She laughed. In my face.

I just nodded and walked away. Remember what I said about
saying something. This really did say something. It said I
am worthless scum. No woman could possibly want me if I
can't even get the school slut to consider sex with me.

Lets be logical here. To decide against sex with me, she had
to consider it. I think that is really what hurts me. Not
that she refused, but that she refused so quickly. It was
that she seemed to think that there was nothing about me
that was worth thinking about.

The laughter did not help either.

Oh hell, who was I kidding? What blind presumption had I
that any girl would want me for sex? Look as they may at my
cock, but want to have sex with me?

Just because you are in the program, Jacob, does not
guarantee sex. It guarantees that you are exposed to the
eyes of all and sundry. It lets said all and sundry choose
to touch you. It lets them see if anything about you is
fantasy material. But the one thing it does not do is
guarantee sex.

Next period I had gym. We played volleyball. Oddly enough
this is one of the few sports at which I am not a complete
failure. I'm not that strong normally, so I cannot get into
a battle on the net. The other person would just beat it
back, right though me and into the floor. But serving, when
it comes to serving, there I shine. I can put the ball
anyplace I please. A 5 serve rule was instituted because I
was so able to put the ball in between the players of the
opposing team with frightening ease. So would anybody else
with a good grasp of the laws of physics and a good eye as
to who is paying attention. So all I had to do is let the
others hit the ball and stay out of the way.

This worked until Becky noticed me. Apparently a big cock
counted as distraction material. Apparently mine was big
enough. I was in the front row. She was across the net from
me. The way they had the ball coming, I had no choice. Bad
as I was, I had to try to make the return. I did. Barely. I
heard a gasp as I came down from the jump. The girl in front
of me was staring at my cock. Her teammates shouted at her
to hit the ball back. She managed to keep the ball in play.
She got her revenge though. She waited till I was ready to
serve again. "Hey Mr. Big."

Ok. I'm male. I just cannot ignore a sexy girl. Even if my
self taught mental training was up there with the Jedi. I
tried though.

"Tell me," she said next "have you ever serviced girls as
well as you service that volley ball?"

Oh I tried to ignore her. After last period I had no hope
I'd ever get sex in this school. Suzy was probably laughing
my failed attempt to pick her up to every friend she ever
had.

"Meet me in the shower after class and find out."

Not since this morning did I silence a crowd with my words.
But there are times that I am epically stupid.

Even as I said the words, I knew that this is the stupidest
thing I ever did. No computer existing can possibly measure
the sheer stupidity of my comment.

"Score this next point off me and you can score with me."
The silence deepened. We could hear the water in the pipes
behind the wall.

I should have let it go. I was only inviting more trouble.
But as I said, there are times I'm epically stupid. I
snapped "Agreed."

Everybody got into position. Her team was acting to protect
Becky from her words. My team was going to help me score.
Like they truly believed Becky would keep her promise.

I got the ball, looked around, and did some calculations. I
served.

For once everybody in the entire gym followed the ball from
my serve.

It went up… to within inches of the ceiling. If it hit the
ceiling, it would have been called a bad serve. Then it
fell.

"You blew it. It's going to land on your side of the net."
She said.

I smiled. I planned it to look that way from up there. But
there was just a slight angle to the down portion of the
serve. And the ball would be almost net level before they
noticed it. Thud. The ball hit the floor. On her side of the
net right in front of her.

The sound of jaws dropping should have reminded me of the
anvil chorus.

I said nothing about her dare. Whether she paid off or not,
that serve at least would prove that in this sport, you
should not challenge me.

Nobody said a word on the event.

The game ended 5 minutes later. I never got to serve again,
but I managed to keep from blowing any points. It was called
a tie with ten minutes left in the period. I guess the extra
shower time was supposed to be for Program benefits.

This should be amusing.

Now how to play this. Ah yes, standard unconcerned calm, as
if all that happened was some deep plot the lesser mortals
do not know.

I went in and showered. Dressing was not a problem so I
decided that I should not be the only person getting a show.
I turned to look when I heard someone behind me.

Becky. The tease.

I'll just put on a smile and see just how far she'll let
this go.

"I have a reasonable Request."

I nodded. "How can I help you?"

"Let me wash you."

Thank god for my self control. She will never know how much
I want this, or given how sexy she looks, her. "Agreed."

Becky was thorough. Especially when it came to my cock. The
way she touched it, the thoroughness she did it, I got hard
before I could help it.

I got another gasp. "It looked impressive before… but this…"
You know, the Program never said anything about what I was
or was not allowed to do to the person asking the reasonable
requests. Some rules were there on how far they could go as
far as pain and such things, and plenty of rules on how
cooperative I had to be with their wishes, but nothing about
the requesters. I wonder… I reached with my hands, felt her
chest. My hands went to her breasts. I started out gentle.
Some support plus a little rubbing.

She pressed them into me.

Ok, she did not slap me. Let's try the nipples.

Not so much a gasp this time as a moan.

The rest of the girls in the shower tried to look like they
were unconcerned. I didn't believe it. They were paying
attention, or I'm a drunk. But at this point I really was
not truly concerned about their acting or their acts.
Something far more interesting was at my fingertips.

The nipple work I kept up a bit longer then realized time
was passing. I maneuvered her against the wall and started
kissing. Shy and tentatively, but still kissing a sexy girl.
Becky kissed back.

We ground our bodies against each other.

Then I felt some moisture on my cock. It felt like I was
between her legs. Some more kissing and grinding, then it
was in her. I must have slipped my mask somehow because she
said, "It's good."

And she was tight.

By the way, did I mention before I was virgin. A virgin who
could not get a date with the school slut? Even my vast
imagination or my serious grasp on possible realities could
not have predicted me fucking.

Fucking is the only word for it. Because that's what she
told me to do next. "Fuck me. Just keep pushing it in me. To
hell with school."

Somewhere in the background the bell rang. Who cares?

Correction. I would not have cared if the building were
collapsing about my ears. I started to push in and out
faster. It just felt right.

Becky's body certainly agreed. "Fuck me! Fuck me harder.

"Yes, oh yes!" She screamed and came.

At least that is what I think she did.

I know I certainly did.

The sex over, reality sunk in. We did a quick shower and she
dressed. She seemed stressed about being late, so I told her
to take a pen and paper and write the following. "I made her
late giving into reasonable requests. As the Program guide
has no penalties listed for times spent in doing or
accepting reasonable requests, I trust she will not be
punished."

She did so with a curious look on her face. "Will this
work?"

"Trust me." I said as I scribbled my name. "Either it will
get both of us off the lateness hook, or it will put all the
trouble on me. Something incidentally that I have no trouble
with."

She left quickly.

Truth was utter confusion reigned in my head.

Thank god for my autopilot skill.

I went to my next period class with my best `don't question
me, I have my reasons' look.


Chapter 9 Tiffany.

Well, this is the class where the program students are used
to explain the lessons or be the tools for demonstrations of
lesson points.

Hold on.

Where is Jacob?

He'd never ducks a class. Not even this one, today. Jacob
just has no fear. Places angels fear to tread, he just does
not go there, Jacob sets up housekeeping.

Ms. Q. was curious as well. "Do you know where Stone is?"

"No." I had to admit.

After a few minutes, she decided to continue anyway. "Lets
begin. Jacob will just have to answer for his actions."

"He always has one," A comic said…

General laughter.

"Ok. Ok. Lets begin. Today we are going to talk about sexual
experiences."

Just then Becky came in. She handed a slightly moist note to
the teacher then took the empty chair next to me. Now only
Jacob was missing.

Ms. Q. read the note. "I'll just see about this. As I was
saying, today's class we will talk about sexual experiences.
Namely we will talk about the losing of a person's
virginity."

Jacob walked in at that point. He calmly nodded to Ms. Q.
and sat down in his usual seat.

How, how in the name of my Meatloaf CD collection can he do
such nervy things so calmly? A stranger would think he was
the teacher's equal. "Did I miss anything of interest?"

Ms. Q. gave him the sort of grin that usually drives men to
run for the hills.

Jacob did not even flinch.

I found myself wondering if he was just plain crazy. Even he
had to recognize that danger sign.

In a frighteningly sweet voice she asked, "Did you write
this note?"

"Note?"

"Becky's note."

Jacob did a brief look around the room. It was as if
something had escaped his notice.

It was kinda cute.

Then he looked straight into the teacher's eyes and said,
"Yes, I did. Any questions?"

"Just rest assured I'm going to study the booklet carefully
after class. This was a daring move, but rest assured you
will be punished if you are wrong."

Jacob just gave a self satisfied smile.

"Today we are going to tell about our first times. According
to that booklet you are so good at quoting, you have to
cooperate with the teacher's lesson plans."

I never saw a man's face change expressions so quickly. It
went from a semi smug smile to utter impassivity.

Ms. Q. gave a smile at that. "Ok. Tiffany. You start off."

I stopped smiling. In front of the man about whom my
feelings were really confused, I was asked to tell about my
first time.

I took my breath, and began, or tried to.

I mean I never thought this was the sort of thing you talked
about to the entire class. I could see telling my best
friend if the subject came up. A slumber party amongst close
friends perhaps. Some man at a party if I was drunk enough
to forget myself. But an entire high school classroom? Just
how much nerve do they think this teenage girl has?

Well, rules, at least for me, are rules. "My first time was
in the courtyard at my church. I thought we both were in
love. Turned out I was in love. He was in lust. Shortly
afterwards I found out he was sleeping with six other girls.
Including two of my friends." I never knew I could put such
venom into my voice.

I knew it was bad when Jacob had a look on concern on his
face as he came over. Lord help me, I think it was an honest
emotion too.

"You Ok?"

I couldn't say anything. I'd spent the last 9 months trying
to wipe the memory from my life. I convinced my parents to
change my high school, avoided the old crowd like the plague
and went on with my life. I even searched out other
boyfriends to have sex with so I could cover the memory of
that jerk completely.

Then he sat on my desk, ignored my body, ignored me
completely somehow and spoke to my pain. "You were hurt, but
he is just one man. Be grateful you met his type to start,
for now you can truly appreciate the men in your life that
are worth it. Such men do exist. Men that will care for your
feelings as much as they care to feel your body. They will
understand the sheer blessing it is to have you in their
life." Was that a tear on his face? "The type of man I'm
describing I know they exist. With the exception of looks
and being cool, I am such. One day you will have the man you
deserve. I can only pray he'll treat you as well as I want
to."

I could not help it.

I was seriously touched.

I cried. I cried and cried and cried.

There was some sort of snickering and laughter behind me,
but I just could not stop crying.

Jacob did another emotion change. He rounded on them. "Shut
the fuck up."

I never heard such anger in him before.

Neither did the teacher it seems. Ms. Q. rushed to get
between them.

"Listen to me closely. If you do not shut the fuck up here
and now, naked or not, I am going to come over there and
bloody damn well beat whatever brains you have out of the
pathetic excuses you have for heads."

I heard it twice that time. Curses. Jacob never used normal
curses. That he did that for me clinched it. To hell with
being cool. I had to have him as my boyfriend. No matter his
faults, no matter what flaws he has, I needed a man like
that in my life. Ms. Q. told Jacob in no uncertain terms to
go back to his seat. She made sure that she stayed between
Jacob and those who ticked him off. Very smart woman.

Jacob took the hint.

When he reached his seat, he sat down as though all his
energy was gone. He made no attempt to keep up the posture
of a man who knew it all, had all things in his presence
performing according to his plans.

For once he seemed like a high school kid.

Ms. Q. returned to the front of the classroom. "So a first
time can be both good and bad. We learn from this that the
partner does not always live up to the expectations we have.
Those in such a relationship must decide if the sex is worth
the effort."

The class thought about that.

"Jacob, your turn."

Jacob looked up. He shook his head.

"Come on. You have to tell us." The teacher pushed.

He sounded as though he was so spent with emotion that
speaking was almost beyond him.

Various other students either called out some encouragement
or some prodding.

"I cannot."

There was no emotion in his voice. No challenge. It was the
voice of a man who had tried to keep up an impossible image
and failed. I found myself muttering, "Who's going to sing
those songs, who's going to stand that tall, who's going the
fill his boots, who's going to tell the tale of the Wabash
Cannonball?" under my breath. Apparently I was not as quiet
as I thought I was. Jacob's mouth hung open. He gave me the
most surprised look I have ever seen.

"Can you tell me why?" The teacher asked.

"Because gentlemen do not kiss and tell. And Jacob
Jehosophat Stone is at the very least a gentleman."


Chapter 10 Jacob.

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying
Dutchman, October 27th.

What in the Hades just happened back there?

Cancel that question. I know precisely what just happened. A
girl let me touch her. Then we did it. We went all the way.

Jacob Jehosophat Stone just got laid.

Why hasn't the universe ended yet?

Talk about confusing. The school slut laughs in my face when
I suggested a date only. Next period a sexy girl lets me
have sex with her. What am I supposed to think? I know
Becky's behavior was Program influenced, but how am I
supposed to handle it the next time I see her?

Next class is here with Ms. Q. Her and her program. It will
either be hell or heaven in my opinion. Come to think of it,
today it has been both already.

Time to assume my usual persona. To Hades with never let
them see you sweat. I never want them to see anything of my
true self before I am certain it will not hurt me.

I walked in calmly to her class and moved to my seat. "Did I
miss anything of interest?"

Ms. Q. gave me the weirdest grin. She was plotting
something. Of that I was certain. I just looked back as
though absolutely nothing could be happening. In an odd
tone, she asked, "Did you write this note?"

"Note?" Only one note did I write, but she is not in this
class.

"Becky's note."

I did a brief look around the room. Becky grinned at me.

My mind went into overdrive with various responses and
strategies. I decided the blunt truth would serve best. I
looked straight into Ms. Q's eyes and said, "Yes, I did. Any
questions?"

"Just rest assured I'm going to study the booklet carefully
after class. This was a daring move, but rest assured you
will be punished if you are wrong."

I just gave a little self-satisfied smile. Perfect.

Either way, Becky will not get punished. No way I want her
to get any punishment from the pleasure she gave me. Then
again, am I being naive here? For all I know she might be
considering a relationship with me. What does she know about
me besides those ten minutes? And more importantly, what do
I really know about her? Ok Jacob. Something to think about
on the flight home.

"Today we are going to tell about our first times.

According to that booklet you are so good at quoting, you
have to cooperate with teacher's lesson plans."

No. Not just no, but hell no. Tell me she did not just say
what I think she said. Look fates, I don't think I've
annoyed you guys that much… have I?

Ms. Q. gave me a smile. "Ok. Tiffany. You start off."

I looked at Tiffany.

She did not look at all comfortable. Only reason for that
that I can see is that she is in love with some man in this
class. She seemed to have difficulty speaking. "My first
time was in the courtyard at my church. I thought we both
were in love. Turned out I was in love. He was in lust.
Shortly afterwards I found out he was sleeping with six
other girls. Including two of my friends." Such hatred in
her voice. Such hatred no person should ever feel at her
age. Time to be her partner.

I'd rather be her boyfriend, but we all know that the fates
would never let me be that happy.

Oh, cruk. Two sexy women haunting my mind, and the first day
of the program is not even finished. However is this
supposed to help me?

Priorities, Jacob. You can figure out the mysteries of the
universe later. First be a partner to Tiffany.

I got up and walked over to her seat. By the time I reached
her seat I was making no attempt to hide my concern. "You
Ok?" Tiffany said nothing. She didn't have to. Her pain was
obvious

And I hated it. I'm not much for watching people suffer if I
can help it, but God help me, I am actually falling in love
with Tiffany.

To hell with the consequences. I'll tell her the truth,
feelings and all. At least the sheer silliness of us being a
couple will get a smile on her face.

I went to her seat and sat on her desk. I looked at her, but
not at her body, her face or her tears. I did my best to
make it obvious I was speaking to her pain. I can only hope
she understands that. "You were hurt, but he is just one
man. Be grateful you met his type to start, for now you can
truly appreciate the men in your life that are worth it.
Such men do exist. Men that will care for your feelings as
much as they care to feel your body. They will understand
the sheer blessing it is to have you in their life." Wetness
on my face? Am I crying? "The type of man I'm describing I
know they exist. With the exception of looks and being cool,
I am such. One day you will have the man you deserve. I can
only pray he'll treat you as well as I want to." Those
reading this log will never believe the energy saying those
words took out of me. The most strenuous exercise program
the school ever forced me to do was far easier than this.
Then she started to cry. The memories that hurt her, or my
words, I could not tell which caused the tears.

I who twist the laws of physics like taffy still cannot
understand women.

I just sat on her desk looking concerned. I said all I could
say, all that I could think of that crying girl in her
circumstances needed to here. The girl seemed to still be in
pain and I had no clue what to do next. I truly hated this
feeling of helplessness. Then I was given a problem I could
deal with.

There was some sort of snickering and laughter behind her. I
rounded on them. "Shut the fuck up." I was so close to
losing the last vestiges of my self-control. Who cares if
they could beat me up easily? I certainly did not.

Ms. Q. rushed in between us.

Like I gave a damn about that. My attention was solely on
the annoying bastards a couple rows back. I let them know it
too. "Listen to me closely. If you do not shut the fuck up
here and now, naked or not, I am going to come over there
and bloody damn well beat whatever brains you have out of
the pathetic excuses you have for heads."

I admit it. I moved past the cold tones of restrained fury
and emotions were showing though.

"Jacob Stone, get to your seat and sit down this minute." I
held my spot for a moment, then nodded my submission. The
teacher stayed between the objects of my anger and me. Wise
woman.

But maybe not the wisest act on my part. Sitting in front of
Tiffany, I had my adrenaline going, I had a purpose, I had
reasons to act and get my mind off the confusions of the
last three periods. Now all I am is a spent hulk, all
feeling and energy gone. And I still had my operation
running. I hate to admit it, but I think I'm losing track of
where my emotional plots are going. And the program was
supposed to help me with this.

HA!

Ms. Q. returned to the front of the classroom. "So a first
time can be both good and bad. We learn from this that the
partner does not always live up to the expectations we have.
Those in such a relationship must decide if the sex is worth
the effort."

I thought about that.

"Jacob, your turn."

I looked up. I shook my head.

"Come on. You have to tell us." The teacher pushed. Various
other students shouted out some encouragement or some
prodding.

"I cannot."

There was no emotion in my voice. I was tired of putting up
the images the school expected. Who did they think I am that
I'm supposed to feel no pain, no sadness. What makes them
think that I am really above all that happens around me?
Have they no clue how much effort playing this living legend
involves? And what epic delusions lead them to think I want
to?

Who the hell am I trying to fool. I will never be permitted
to be just me.

Tiffany was muttering, "Who's going to sing those songs,
who's going to stand that tall, who's going the fill his
boots, who's going to tell the tale of the Wabash
Cannonball?" under her breath.

My mouth dropped open. The fates only know how surprised I
look. How in the name of all the imagined realities could
she understand me so well?

"Can you tell me why?" The teacher asked.

"Because gentlemen do not kiss and tell. And Jacob
Jehosophat Stone is at the very least a gentleman."

"You heard me make this a class action under the program.
You willing to get in trouble over this?"

"I have only been in the program for about 6 hours. My
ethics and beliefs about being a gentleman I've held far
longer."

Ms. Q. seemed surprised. "Consequences or not, I have to
respect your stand. Students, it is not often that you run
across a person willing to keep such secrets in a high
school. More often, male teenagers who have had sex are
willing to boast to all and sundry if only to look like a
bigger man on campus."

"Oh great. More feeding of a legend." I muttered under my
breath.

"You do not want to be praised?"

"No. For I no longer know any more whether it is the living
legend that is being praised or the male forced to play the
role by the expectations of everybody around him." He said
tiredly. "I am Jacob Jehosophat Stone. But none of you truly
know who that is. You know the legend. The person who seems
to play chess games with fate, who is a science nerd, who
grasps many things and expresses interest in more. You know
the man who goes out of the way to accomplish many things
for many people. You know the man who never does anything to
benefit himself alone. Some of this is the true me. Some of
this are things the true me can do easily enough to play a
role that will get him somewhat accepted. But everybody
judges people who are different. 26 minutes into my first
day I knew I had to do some act or I'd be so tormented by
those who call themselves cool that I'd get nothing done
that I truly wanted to." Nobody seemed to know what to say
to this. I finished it off with a question. "How many of you
really care about the true me?"

Becky raised her hand. "May I say something?"

The teacher called on her, glad for an excuse to move beyond
what was said. Ms. Q. wondered if the program was slowly
destroying Jacob.

Becky spoke up at that point. "Back to the lesson. Jacob. We
honestly are curious. You probably choose your dates more
carefully than anybody else in the school. Can't you tell us
something?"

"Very well. She is in this school."

Now Tiffany was curious.

"In this class?" Becky pressed.

"No comment."

Whatever is Becky trying to say?

"Well, if she is in this school, she knows of your legend.
And you can bet no girl would do anything with you if she
did not expect to be gossiped around."

I looked at her. Was she actually giving me permission to
tell about our fuck in the shower?

Becky took away my suspicions with her next statement. "She
would be honored that you acknowledged what happened. Even
if she thought she was just seducing a legend, she is proud
to be your first."

The tense changes made her point obvious. Permission was
being given.

The other girls in the room were looking at her. Ms. Q. took
the lead from Becky. Ten years teaching teenagers made it
easy for her to grip what was truly being said. "Well
Jacob?"

"Very well." I looked up at the clock. "I lost my virginity
about 30 minutes ago."

The room went so quiet that everybody could hear the ticking
of the clock.

Having started, I continued. "It happened in the girl's
shower area. Men in this high school dream of getting in
there while the girls are naked and showering. Thanks to the
Program, I am supposed to wash in there this week. It
started as a reasonable request, but I decided to experiment
with the rules a bit. There is nothing in the book that said
I could not try anything with the requesting girl. So I did.
Apparently what I did was right because she started to say
`fuck me'. I may be odd, but I'm not stupid. That's when it
happened."

The moist note on Ms. Q's desk made a lot more sense to her
now. "How did you feel about this?"

"Confused. I enjoyed it, and yet I was under no illusion
that it would have ever happened without this Program. Plus
I have find myself having quite… the word I think is crush…
yes quite a big crush on another girl."

Tiffany wondered if she was strong enough to act on her new
resolutions.


Chapter 11 Tiffany

Science class went as it usually did. Jacob and Mr. Schuman
got into a deep argument again on the fundamental
interactions of density as it related to forces within
reality. They went at it for ten minutes again, losing the
rest of us 3 minutes into the argument.

I did sit next to him though. I didn’t do anything else to
get his attention. I just watched him scribble the answers
to the science experiments in the lab book before Mr. Shuman
finished explaining.

In other words science class went as it usually did.

After class I headed to the doorway where our clothes were.

Diane caught up with me. “Ready for practice?”

“Yep. But those dark clouds out there have me worried. I
have to practice naked, you know.”

“Miss Asder will bring us inside if it starts to rain.
Program or not, she does not want her cheerleaders to get
sick. See you there.”

“Hold up. I forget, will my clothes be at the front door
box, or would they have it at the area we’ll be practicing
at?”

“They’ll be at the front door.”

I went to the front door. The crowd was a bit smaller than I
expected. I wondered why, while a couple of students asked
me to pose. The poses became lewder and lewder and a few of
the poses included hands between my legs and on my breasts.

The lack of a crowd could not have been because of Jacob’s
speech outside the principal’s office. The effect of that
speech on teenagers would have ended about lunchtime. And
the entire school was not in Ms. Q’s class when he dropped
his bombshells.

And there is no storm possible that would distract men from
wanting to see a naked cheerleader.

Something is up.

I took my usual shortcut to the stadium. I cut across the
track fields, past the soccer fields and ducked though the
area where the girders held up the stands.

There was a bit of rumbling in the sky. It looks like a
thunderstorm was about to start. Moment’s later rain started
to fall.

Then I started to fall.

Hands caught me.

“Thank you…” I started.

Two voices said “Your welcome.” They spoke in unison.

Oh no. I didn’t trip. I was tripped.

Kevin helped me up, and then he pushed me against the
support girder. It felt cool and stiff against my back.

Then he kissed me hard. No request, no look that seemed like
it was asking ‘may I?’

Two boys had been hiding behind the stadium where they knew
I would pass. One trips me right into the arms of the other,
who was already in position to catch me before I even knew I
was going to fall.

I was not too sure I liked this.

Then Fred spoke up. “Fuck the little slut hard. All cheer
leaders like it that way.”

Correction. I was certain I did not like this.

“No,” I protested. “No sex. I don’t have to go that far.
Even the Program rules say that.” I was terrified, barely
able to speak. I shook more then a bowl of jelly.

This could not be happening to me. Not here on school
grounds. When did I ever do something to deserve this?

Kevin bit one of my breasts with his teeth and put a finger
up my pussy. His weight pushed me uncomfortably into the
girder.


Chapter 12 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying
Dutchman, October 27th 2006.

If nothing else does it, this log entry will show that I’m
not the living legend people think I am. I nearly blew an
operation that could have cost me the woman I had fallen in
love with.

They say I always know what I’m doing.

They are right.

What they do not know is that this self-awareness does not
stop me from making mistakes. It just makes it so that I’m
far more aware of my mistakes.

Ignorance may not always be bliss, but comprehension can
certainly hurt.

Anyway, this log entry shall start with me sitting in
detention after school.

“Well Jacob, what are your plans for the dance this Friday?”
Mike asked.

Mike was another of my confidants. He was accepted by most
everybody and was possibly the most popular confidant I had.
As such he became both my friend and my information
pipeline. He would also talk me into the occasional school
function to help me feel like I had some high school life.
He wants to help me, but everything I did from simply being
there to what I said and did only fed the legend I was
rapidly growing to hate.

“I’ll help set things up, but I’m probably not going.”

“Why not?”

“You might say it is because I will have spent the week
doing the male version of Lady Godiva.”

“You are not to happy, are you?”

“I’m not sure anymore. I’ve two women on my mind. One I have
fucked, the other I’m falling in love with.”

Mike could not hide his surprise. “Fucked?? Falling in love
with??

To Mike’s surprise I leapt to my feet as he was finishing
his questions. “Damn it. And I nearly forgot!”

I started moving towards the door with the attitude of a man
who seriously expected the world to end if he did not get
where he had to in four minutes.

My world would end.

And it would be my fault.

The teacher monitoring the detention wanted to know where I
was going.

“To stop trouble.” was all I wasted time saying.

Damn this Program for getting me so distracted that I
couldn’t even keep track of one simple problem.

I was running now. Very fast. I was dodging people and
ignoring everything said at me. Only one thing mattered. And
if I had to give myself a heart attack getting to her I
would gladly do so. I was moving like a track star with
radar.

Somebody was opening the front door of the school.

I ran them over with absolutely no guilt whatsoever. As soon
as I cleared the stairs I started moving to where I parked
the hovercraft. Things like the cold, the starting
thunderstorm, and the other moving cars in the parking lot,
these did not attract my attention.

Stomach heaving, I entered my code into the door. It opened.
I raced in, threw myself into the command seat, and grabbed
the situational helmet and shoved it on my head. Overkill or
not, I had blundered this mission enough. I ignored the
preflight checklist completely as I activated the engines,
turned on the computer and slid up the power on the
hoverjets to maximum.

Both hands slammed on to the flight controls as I pulled out
of the spot I was parked in. I swerved in and around the
parking lot traffic with the same sort of disregard for
common traffic that I usually held for the rules of
normality.

As I was pulling around the stadium I heard a scream.

Her scream.

A knife to the lungs could not have hurt me more.

As I came around the corner I went to navigating with one
hand. The other hand was stretching for the engineering
panel. Then and there I realized something else I should
have done during lunch to set up for this. I hectically
rewrote the capability parameters to a pair of hoverjets to
convert a couple of them into high-powered air guns.

My left hand was still navigating by itself.

Note to the readers. Even if you built your transport from
the ground up, it’s not a wise thing to steer without even
looking at the controls. Steering by the force is something
out of fiction. Luke Skywalker I never claimed to be, but I
think I gave a passable imitation of his steering over those
fields.

As Tiffany and her attackers came into view, I switched my
attention fully to the situational helmet. I was most
certainly not going to blow this shot. I targeted the ship’s
new air guns at Fred first. He was standing clear and
therefore an easier shot.

Steady…. Steady… fire!

Fred flew back a foot.

Nowhere near enough. I upped the power to quarter strength.

Fred saw me by now. He had no idea apparently what was going
on and stood there like a deer in a trucker’s headlights.

Thank you Fred for making the shot easier.

I jabbed my finger on the appropriate button.

The air jet fired. Fred flew back about 15 feet.

I smiled beneath the helmet.

Then Tiffany pushed Kevin away. Then I saw her kick him a
little further away.

Perfect. A quick check of the numbers and angles showed he
had been pushed just far enough away.

I pushed my button again. The shot must have got him just
right, because he flew back about twenty feet.

Next I hit the exterior communications grid. Or speakers for
the non Dr Who/ Star Trek fans among you. “Tiffany, get your
sexy ass in here.” I hit the button to open the door.

Tiffany gave the hovercraft a befuddled look.

You’d think it was the first time she saw such a vehicle.

Kevin and Fred started to come after her.

Tiffany decided that the two angry would be rapists were far
more worrying then the odd craft in front of her. She
scurried through the door.

I hit the button again.

The two attackers got pushed back about 16 feet this time.
They picked themselves up as I spoke again. “Now might be a
wise time to run away… before I see what full power can do.”
I sounded quite conversational.

Even they were not that dense. They started to run away.

Tiffany started to relax. She had a sneaking suspicion that
she knew who the man under the helmet was. She even looked
around curiously.

I spun around in the chair. “Welcome to the Flying Dutchman,
Captain Jacob J. Stone commanding.” I switched the data
function to the various screens and pulled of my helmet off.

That helmet was not to be worn by a naked man.


Chapter 13 Tiffany

I screamed. Very, very loudly.

Kevin moved his hand from my breast to cover my mouth.

When my scream ended and my eyes opened I saw something I
never saw before outside of the movies.

Then Fred seemed to fall back. I could not see a reason why.

Suddenly there was a strong gust of wind.

Unnaturally strong.

Fred flew back a good distance.

Kevin slackened his grip as he turned to see what caused it.

I pushed with all my might. As soon as there was space
enough, I raised my foot to kick/shove him away. I started
running.

There was another strange burst of wind. When I got the
nerve to look back, Kevin had been pushed back a good
distance too.

Then I heard somebody say “Tiffany, get your sexy ass in
here.” A door opened in the side of the craft. The voice
seemed familiar, but I was just too stressed out to place
it. And I was not getting into anything that looked like it
escaped a science fiction movie.

I saw Kevin and Fred coming after me.

Suddenly leaping into an odd craft was not such a bad idea.
Especially when compared to those two guys coming after me.
I jumped though the door.

Then I stopped. I knew that I was in some craft at school
piloted by my rescuer. But I swear it looked like something
out of a science fiction show. There were buttons, knobs and
switches in patterns that made sense obviously to the guy
flying it. There were several screens that were blank, but
that did not seem important. The guy was wearing a large
helmet. He sounded like he was speaking into a microphone.
“Now might be a wise time to run away… before I see what
full power can do.” He sounded as though this was a
completely normal thing to say.

There was only one man I knew that could say something like
that and sound normal. And didn’t I see him park some sort
of hovercraft before school started?

I relaxed a little. I started to look around a little more.
They were right with what they said to me at lunch. I was
smart. Maybe I should start using my brains to do more than
just keeping my skull from imploding.

The man spun around in his chair. “Welcome to the Flying
Dutchman, Captain Jacob J. Stone commanding.” He flipped a
few switches and pulled off his helmet.

I really should have known.

“Did they hurt you?” he asked me.

“He would have had I been a virgin.” I tried to be flippant,
I really did.

I do not know why I wasted my time. He read me like a
textbook.

“You are not that good a liar. Sit down while I take this
thing to a parking space near the principal’s office. We
have to report this.”

I asked plaintively “Do I have to?”

“Yes, Tiffany, you do. If not, they will only get away with
it. Then they will think they can attack any woman they
want.”

Jacob steered the craft to a parking spot near the main
entrance. After shutting it down he helped me down to the
ground.

He looked around sadly. “A shame. All that just happened and
still it looks like a quiet country school. At my old school
by now there’d have been a crowd of people asking questions
and helping you.”

“Let’s go inside then.” I led him into the building and to
the principal’s office.

We walked into a meeting. The cheerleading and football
coaches were there, looking at the principal. So were Kevin
and Fred.

“The bully and his girl return.” Fred said.

Jacob had no expression on his face.

But I was learning to guess what was cooking in his head.
Despite the legend we all know, he is all too human.

The coach Koke, the school football coach glared at him.
“Say something. Is what my star players said true? You set
them up?”

Jacob just looked at him. His lip twitched slightly.

The football coach pressed him for a response. “You used the
fact that Tiffany was naked because of the program to lure
them out behind the stadium to attack them. They told me you
snuck up in that tribute to science fiction and attacked
them.”

I reached for Jacob’s hand. “I’m ok, remember.” I whispered.
“Let’s just deal with the reports and get on with our own
lives.”

He spoke evenly. I could feel his body trembling slightly,
but his voice was completely even. “Now why ever would I do
such a thing?”

Kevin told him it was because he was an un cool geek who
could not get a date normally, so when he got partnered with
a cheerleading slut, he saw a chance to get even with the
cool people of the school by setting up a trap to ruin them.

He just shook his head. “You are truly an ass.” He spoke in
the most even tone I’ve ever heard.

I really wanted to know how he was able to stay so calm.

Because suddenly I could not. All my suddenly discovered
love exploded into a need to defend Jacob. “Have you any
idea who you are challenging?”

Ms. Q. raised an eyebrow.

Mr. Bacon started to look stern.

Coach Koke glared and started to angrily retort.

Jacob held my hand, trying no doubt to calm me down.

He might as well have tried to calm an erupting volcano.

There was no way I could have stopped what was coming.

And you know what? I didn’t want to.

“This is Jacob Jehosophat Stone! His actions in the sciences
defy belief, the legend we forced him to live up to is
worthy of Hollywood. That he tolerated this much stupidity
in one meeting is a testament to the concept of patience. If
I were in his shoes I would have…”

Jacob put a finger on my mouth.

What the hell? I was just getting into it, defending him!

Then he showed me how such speeches should be done. “You
epic examples of stupidity. You dare question the methods by
which I, Jacob Jehoooooosophat Stone choose to act?” Then he
let his temper loose. “How dare you? With luck and a group
of MIT graduates the lot of you could possibly put together
a replicar kit, you think that the builder of the Flying
Dutchman is a fool? Does my reputation mean nothing to you,
Mr. Bacon, Ms. Q? My time as a political activist would not
have been possible if I had no ethics. And at least two
people in this office should know enough about my quixotic
nature to know I would never use a woman as bait in such a
clumsy plot. Damnation!! I fucking love her and you think
I’d just offer her up as enticement to an attack by those
pieces of shit? How can anything that stupid manage to
survive infancy?” He paced a bit. “A plan was under way.
I’ll grant you that. I overheard those two planning to
assault Tiffany after school. And I had to set this up! You
want to know why?” Jacob was shouting, his self-control gone
out the window, “Because of Debbie Kutzman. I do not know if
the lot of you remember her, but she was the last girl in
this school I fell in love with. I heard though my methods
of some kids plans to beat her because she got the part in
the school play that they wanted their friend to get. I told
Mr. Bacon, who promptly set up protection for her on school
grounds. So they went and attacked her at home. Beat Debbie
into a coma they did. Then they managed to disappear. Three
months on life support she spent just to spend the rest of
her life in assisted living because I made that mistake
before. Never again. Never fucking again. I admit I cut it
far closer than I wanted to, but now it will be much harder
for those two to escape the penalties. In this case, do not
question the actions of Jacob Jehoooosophat Stone.” He
stormed from the room.

My cheerleading coach moved to my side. “I should have
known. You go catch up with your new boyfriend.”

I went outside, caught up with him, and asked him if he’d
wait and give my coach and I a ride to our practice field.

He agreed. Jacob sat at the controls and set things up for
take off. Then he got up. “I’ll be right back.”

I was flabbergasted. He left me alone in here! Talk about
trust, I’ve known friends who would not let their
partner/significant other drive his or her car even after
they were married. And he left me alone in here, already.

He is a trusting fool. If I pushed the wrong buttons, nobody
knows the damage I could do. I decided to look around
anyway.

The ship had three seats. There was a center seat with
controls, that according to a post – it note, were to be
wired into the rest of the system to control the ship from
that seat. The right chair had buttons and what looked like
one of those squeezable toys you toss to your dog. The
screens had the exterior view, a map system down to little
symbols for traffic directions and one screen that had
current speed and such on it. To its right there was a bunch
of switches with controls labeled according to ground
flight, sub orbital flight and orbital flight. Also present
on this wall was something labeled communications.

Orbital flight? Maybe he is really crazy after all. I’ll
grant he can build a hovercraft. After all, I’ve ridden in
it. But how does he expect to have this thing reach space?

The left seat had a few more controls. Most of them seemed
to be labeled relating to engineering details. Environmental
controls were here as well. The sidewall had digital
readouts for multiple engines.

What’s this? Density drive? What in the name of NASCAR is a
density drive?

That’s it. At some point I’m going to demand a lot of
answers about this thing.

Jacob came back at the point. He was carrying our clothes.

“Why do you have them? We can’t get dressed yet. You have
soccer and I have cheerleading practice.”

He looked concerned. “They have friends. Are you really in
the mood to run any more of a gauntlet then you have to?”

“Good point. When is soccer practice going to be over?”

“Between four and four thirty.”

“Cheerleading ends at 5pm.”

“Then I’ll wait for you.”

“Good.” I smiled sexily at him. “Did you hear what my coach
called you?”

He smiled hesitantly. “I did. Words I never expected to hear
I heard her say.”

I saw him looking at me. It was as if he wanted to say
something, do something more. Just as he started to move, I
heard a knock on the outside.

“Damn.” he muttered as he reached over and flicked a switch.

My cheerleading coach was outside. She did not look happy.

“Come aboard.” Jacob said as he went to the controls.

Coach Cane, my cheerleading coach came aboard. She looked
around a bit.

Jacob told her to sit in the empty chair and touch nothing.
He then squeezed the ball with his right hand, and with the
left hand he started keying in things.

The hovercraft started moving. It was such a smooth ride
that I started thinking something very interesting.

For all our feelings, we still have not told each other
directly what we feel. I fell in love with him this
afternoon in Ms. Q’s class. He stopped trying to resist his
feelings for me this afternoon. We needed to talk. We both
are feeling the love, we just needed to tell each other.

As we arrived at the cheerleading fields, my coach looked
really uncomfortable.

Jacob parked as close to the building as he could. He
obviously did not want the worsening thunderstorm to get me
anymore wet then it had to. “How did it go?”

“Nothing happened.”

I beg your pardon?

Jacob echoed my thoughts in a shocked tone. “Nothing?”

“Nothing happened. Despite the evidence and all, that
football coach talked the principal out of suspension. It
seems they are vital to our attempts to winning the
championships.”

To tell you the truth I expected this. This school is so
sports proud that unless those two were caught over my dead
body with knives dripping blood, nothing would happen to
them.

Jacob seemed to have heard only a few of Coach Cane’s words.
“Suspension? It should have been expulsion. That they got
away with it makes me ashamed to be connected with any
sports program. But no matter. The school board meeting is
coming up this Thursday. I’ll let loose on this decision.
They are about to learn that I do not make good speeches
only to them.”

Cane looked at him. “What are you planning?”

“Simple. I’m going to attend the meeting with evidence and
all but destroy those two.”

“You can’t do that!” she gasped.

Poor fool. You really do not know him, do you? Only one day
into the program and he has done more things I’ve reserved
for Hollywood movies to doubt that he would do anything. I
cannot let her set him off. I doubt he’s got his control
back yet.

“Coach, I wouldn’t say that if I were you.”

“Why shouldn’t I?” my coach asked.

“Because I can.” There was a hint of warning in Jacob’s
voice.

I saw the two of them about to get head to head. “Please,
let me decide.” I begged. I figured that would prevent any
further fights.

Jacob parked the craft. “Would you like a ride home?”

“Certainly.”

Perfect. Gives us some talking time.


Chapter 14 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying
Dutchman, October 27th 2006.

I really hate those interruptions. I was so ready to take
her in my arms when her coach came back. Ah well. I just
have to arrange things so that we are alone sometime. I have
to find out whether she loves me, or do I write today off as
another quixotic episode in my growing legend.

I’ll tell you this much.

If I lose her, if I find out that I never truly had her, I’m
going to give up on love. I’ll make it sink though my thick
skull that no girl could every love me. I will also despise
my life.

Suicide, you readers ask?

It could be a course of action, except for several reasons.
One, it would be the easy way out. And I can count on one
hand the number of times I took the easy way out. Two, I
seem to be doing some good in politics. I used to think that
if only one person’s life had been improved, changed for the
better, then all the pain I’m going through was worth it.
Hmm. I just have to keep reminding myself of that. My
constant helping of various groups are giving others the
benefits and joys I do not permit myself. Why should I enjoy
my life? I’m only living it for the benefit of others
anyway. And now for the other reason I muddle on. I
seriously believe all the Gods got together and voted me too
annoying to die. They’d much rather torment me on this
earth.

Those who the gods would destroy, they first make lead my
life.

Enough with thoughts nobody gives a damn about anyway.

We left off with me parking the Flying Dutchman by the door
near the cheerleading field. I then walked to the soccer
field.

More proof that I had way too much on my mind. What student,
sane or otherwise would want to walk across three fields
completely naked?

I fully expected to see everybody had been sent inside. I
should have known better. What, in all that I’ve ever
overheard about sports makes me think they would be smart
enough to come in out of the rain during a thunderstorm?

At least Tiffany gets to be inside for practice. So long as
I’m inside something warm by 5:30pm, I should avoid being
sick.

“Afternoon, Coach Bromby.” I did my best to sound like I was
completely unconcerned to be standing naked in a heavy
thunderstorm.

“Where the hell were you, Stone?” he demanded.

That’s what I liked about him. He did not care if you were a
living legend or a pile of padding. Your skills mean less to
him then who you were, your development. Of all the adults
in the school, he was the one I truly trusted.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” I said as I looked at the crowd
of muddy soccer players. “There was an incident involving a
cheerleader, two football stars, and in the end also
including the principal, a football coach, the cheerleading
coach and Ms. Q.”

“Why can’t you have any small incidents?”

“Often I have asked myself that same question.” I responded.
“The gods seem to be amused by tormenting me.” The team
members went through their routines. As far as I could tell,
the fish in the river were dryer then these players.

Bromby looked at me. “Ok. Spill it. Why and what happened?”

I thought about telling him. I was no longer running it as a
quiet operation. In fact, with all the people involved, I’d
be surprised if it was not making the school gossip circuit
even now. What the hell? Maybe he would let slip some
information I can use. “Ok coach. It all started just before
lunch when I overheard Fred and Kevin talking about
assaulting and using Tiffany. They said that because she was
naked, in the program and a cheerleader, she was fair game
for fucking. I did not agree. But last time I ran to the
school staff for help, the villains just waited till they
could get her at home. I was not going to risk Tiffany
getting beaten into a coma, so I set them up. Problem is I
was so distracted by my increasing feelings for her that I
lost track of the time. I had to run out of detention naked,
race to my hovercraft, race to her, building a weapon with
almost no materials and using it to drive Fred and Kevin
back. Next we headed to the main office to report it. The
football players made it first and tried to accuse me of
setting a trap. Their coach backed them up. In the end, from
what’s her name, Cane, that’s it, coach Cane told us
afterward, the players got off without any punishment.”

“None?”

“None at all.” I had no energy left for anger. I did all I
could and it was not enough. I’m going to have to live with
the bitter results of that for some time.

Bromby seemed like he had something to say. He looked like
he was trying to find the words to tell somebody their
beloved pet was dying. Finally he shook his head. “I can’t.
I want to, but the rules prevent me. Please don’t ask me,
Jacob.”

Fair enough. What I need to know, I tend to find out in the
end.

I went over to where Bob and Megan were talking. In addition
to being my friend, Bob was an excellent goaltender. Even
slipping and sliding in the heavy rain, he was doing a great
job of stopping the shots.

Megan was the bookkeeper. She kept the records of the games,
the shots and angles and who scored what. She was standing
off to the side of the goal posts. “Hi Jacob.”

“Hi Megan.”

“What was the talk with coach about?”

The coach called a break at that point. Bob came over to
where we were standing. “What are you two talking about? Hi
Jacob.”

“He was just about to tell me what he and the coach spent so
long talking about over there.”

“I was?” I asked with some humor. Someday people will stop
being so confidant forecasting the unpredictable.

“You were.” She sounded unshakably certain.

Could it be that she sensed I was in a mood to talk? Could
it be that those in love lose their ability to hold secrets?
What will this do for my life as I know it? The hell with
it. Maybe they might be able to help. Something I must still
do about those two football players. But at the very least,
I’ll try to keep it like a quixotic game. I toned down the
importance of a few of the feelings and changed a couple
words, in the retelling of the rescue attempt.

Bob looked at me as though I was hiding something.

No surprise there. I do not choose my confidants because of
their stupidity. Roughly 18 other reasons, yes, but not
their stupidity.

All I said was “As it stands I’m not happy with the current
results.”

Megan looked at Bob. “Tell him.” She went off to give us
some privacy.

He watched his girlfriend walk off, then he looked at me.
“Look, I’m no expert with words, so I’m just going to have
to tell it straight. There are a lot of people around here
that think coach Koke sexually harasses his girl students.”

I looked at him calmly. More things were cooking in my head
now. Odd bits and pieces were starting to fall into place.
Still, it was not enough to do more than I had already done.
Hold on! Perhaps this is a chance. “Proof? You have proof,
please tell me you have proof?”

Bob heard the hope in my voice. “None good enough. He
attacked my sister’s best friend, Becky. Or as far as we
could prove, she talked to him. You see, the football
program is so important to this school that without major
independent evidence, nobody is going to act against him.
She said she was going to the police, then the next day she
asked us all to drop the matter. According to my sister,
they bought her off with a scholarship to the local 4-year
college and a promise never to put her in his classes again.

Damnation and hellfire. So much for it being easy. I guess
I’ll just have to do this the hard way. But those football
players would make a big enough mistake. Of that I was
certain. I just had to insure nobody got hurt. Well nobody I
cared about. No, I cannot be like that. Damn my ethics.

Megan gave me another look. “That is not the only thing
worrying you, is it?”

What, is my brain issuing press releases today?

“No. It is not.”

“Tell me. You know you can trust me.”

Did I know that? I know what I have observed, and that
Tiffany is her friend. That is probably reference enough for
now. “Ok. I’m falling for my program partner. So much so
that despite how I usually act, I have let it slip how I
feel about it. This I did despite knowing for a scientific
fact that I’m just too un cool to ever win somebody like
her. No matter how kind or caring, in this life it seems
looks are more important than romance. That’s even assuming
I’m good at romance anyway.”

“How would you put this…” Megan started “I have it. You
cannot possibly be that stupid. If a girl is worth winning,
looks will not be important to her. And you have more of a
romantic nature then most people I’ve ever met. Any girl you
truly deserve will see that.”

I looked at her. Such wisdom from a high school girl.
Frightening.


Chapter 15 Tiffany

I’d like to say cheerleading practice was fun, but today I
cannot. Ignoring the events of today, my chest bouncing
around like a pair of basketballs killed my balance quite
nicely. I would pay serious money to see whomever came up
with this program go through a couple of cheerleading
practice sessions. The activity might change their minds
about how wonderful an idea this is. Plus what else happened
this afternoon. I’d heard horror stories of stress and
breakdowns before, as the schools have learned, it became
rarer to have them. But assault. Nearly every year had about
5% assault or rape victims. It amazed us all that it was
even allowed to continue this long. Usually though, the
police are called in, expulsions followed. It did not make
up for the rapes of course, but the program people would
point to it and say justice was carried out. One spokesman
actually said that this was a good way to find out who would
be a sex criminal and remove him quicker from society. I
would love to know how he escaped being killed by any women
present.

Justice. Ha! I was assaulted and nothing happened to them.
Nothing. I know football is important around here. But is
winning games supposed to be more important then the law, or
more importantly, my health?

I went through the routines without killing myself, which is
always a plus.

Coach Cane told us to gather outside her office, she had a
couple of announcements. She then went in her office for a
moment.

I sat next to Diane.

“Well?” she asked.

There could only be one thing she is asking about.

I put on my best innocent look and asked back “Well what?”

“What do you think of him now?”

If only you knew. I just looked back at her with a curious
expression on my face.

“What do you think of him? Do you understand him better?”

I think of him more than I thought I ever would. And I
understand Jacob Stone better then he probably feels
comfortable with.

But what would others think? I know how he feels about me, I
know he loves me, and I’m starting to love him. So what if
he used me as part of a risky plan to trap my attackers? Men
I thought loved me have used me worse. All they ever wanted
from me was sex. At least he acts like there is more to me
than a body.

I asked her what she thought of him.

Diane smiled. “He is a man about to make the biggest mistake
of his life. He loves you, knows it, and if the rumors can
be believed, has even admitted it to you in front of an
entire class. But he also seriously thinks that he is not
good looking enough or cool enough to try dating you. If
somebody does not get it through his too smart head that he
is better in many regards then most women deserve, he’s
going to decide he was an idiot for saying what he did.”

“Are you saying I should tell the most self confident
student this school has ever seen that he is not being
confident enough?”

“If you think about him the way I suspect you do, yes.”

“What makes you think I have feelings for him?” Well, I do,
but I do not want the school to know about it until after I
talk to him.

“Hey, I’m not the one who broke into tears during class
after he showed his concern.”

“That’s gotten around?”

Diane smiled evilly. “Everywhere.”

The strange thing is, I wasn’t upset over it.

Coach Cane shouted for attention at that point. She
discussed the various routines we would be doing for the
game, the routines for School Spirit Day on Friday, and
possible ones for the homecoming game a week from Saturday.

What she said next embarrassed me.

“Speaking of football, that brings us to my next point.
Today Kevin and Fred tried to assault Tiffany. Jacob stopped
them in his usual dramatic manner. I cannot say much more,
but I ask you all to watch each other’s back. Because
football is so important to the school, the two were not
punished. I’m sure you all know that this is going to start
a feud between those two and Jacob. I ask you to do what you
can to keep those players you are dating from getting
involved. I also want you to support Tiffany. Some of you
will hesitate to help Jacob. Though wrong, I understand why.
Just keep an eye on Tiffany. She is one of us at least.”

Well, it’s even more out in the open then before. “Do not
worry about Jacob, he has this annoying habit of surviving
what fate throws against him,” I said. “Those with
boyfriends on the football team should warn them that Jacob
is not done.”

“What is he up to?” the coach demanded to know.

“He hasn’t told me anything, but think about who we are
talking about. Since when is he known for actually giving
up? Something is cooking in that head of his or I’m a beach
ball.”

“Well then, you try to keep him calm,” Cane said. “You are
cheerleaders. Everybody likes you. So use that to keep
everybody from going to war with each other. Ok. Practice is
over. Every body can go.”

Another cheerleader spoke up. Heather. She was dating the
quarterback. “Like anybody would stand up for that geek.”

As we headed to the door I heard a voice. “Underestimate me
all you want, Heather. Just keep your boyfriend from
crossing me on this.” Jacob was dressed and leaning against
the wall like it was his usual hangout.

Heather got right in his face. “So what if he does? He’s the
captain of the football team and you are just a geek. He can
do what he pleases to you.”

I waited for the explosion. Today’s events had pushed him
past his limits in several different ways. I doubted he had
the patience to deal with this girl giving him an attitude
right to his face.

He just gave a small grin. It seemed completely calm, as
though today was a typical day for him. “You amuse me. Tell
those people you favor that it is their choice if they
choose to cross me. But then, how I choose to react is my
choice, too.” He gave another of his grins that hinted of
plots underway.

Heather made as if to push him, then fell. Jacob is nimble
on his feet when he chooses. He moved out of her way before
her hands made contact to shove him.

Then Jacob offered to help her up.

I love him, but for a genius, he can be so dense about human
nature at times.

Heather took his hand and yanked hard.

He was yanked off his balance and fell into the wall.

Heather laughed.

He just stood back up. “You are not worth my time.” Then he
turned his back on her and came over to me. He pointed to a
bag he had put on the stands. “I brought your clothes. As
much as I enjoy seeing you naked, the thunderstorm is a bit
cool to go running around nude in.”

I went over to my clothes and found them neatly folded. I
really must teach him to at least some of the time act like
a normal teenager. I got dressed and walked with him to his
hovercraft.

Jacob opened his hovercraft, and then offered his hand.

Heather’s voice was heard behind me. “You crazy? Don’t get
in that thing. It won’t get you anywhere.”

Jacob just went to the controls and went though the
preflight checklist. I could tell from the way he was
hitting the keys that he didn’t like Heather’s attacks on
his craft.

“That thing can’t keep up with a brick on wheels.” Heather
said as she pulled up, gunning her engine suggestively.

I thought about it for a minute. Why not? I could use a few
laughs. “Jacob?” I asked in my sweetest voice.

“Yes?” He was nosing the hovercraft into position.

“Want to do me a favor?”

“Anything. What do you want?”

“Accept Heather’s challenge to a race.”

He was quiet for a minute. “Is she driving anything
impressive?”

“Just a Ford.”

“Ok. Set it up.”

I opened the hatch and shouted to Heather. “Rollings road
from the farm to the river?”

She looked at me like I was the one who had hit her head
against a wall. “You in that thing against me in this car?”

I smiled evilly. “Wanna bet?”

“What can you afford?”

“Loser has to suck Jacob’s cock before school, and tell
everybody why. Plus the loser must make him enjoy it.”

Jacob had a hard time staying quiet at this.

“Your crazy!” Heather spat. “No way. Just no way!”

“Afraid?” I asked.

Her look should have cracked the shell of Jacob’s craft. I
said before that if there was anything more curious than a
teenaged female, I’ve never met it. The same thing can be
said about our pride.

“You’re on,” she spat.

I directed Jacob to where the race would be. As we
maneuvered into position, I saw a crowd had showed up for
this.

“You sure this is safe… no police cars?” Jacob asked.

“This is a private road. Nobody but high school students
uses it.”

“Ok. Let me know when.”

When I turned around I saw that they let Heather start. They
were laughing about it.

“Go Jacob, go!!” I shouted. I grabbed something and held on.

He squeezed the sponge ball like thing, and slid a few
controls.

Heather was already a third of the way down the stretch. She
had the shit eating grin of somebody who knew she had
already won. Everybody was cheering her onThen I started to
smile. Without any feeling, I saw the distance decreasing. I
saw him ease up then. She pulled away. “What are you up to?”

“Relax,” he said confidently, “4… 3… 2… 1… NOW” He hit
several controls.

Heather knew she had won. She was planning to rub this in
for weeks. Another few minutes and… WHAT THE HELL? She
watched the hovercraft race right by her, making very little
noise and acting as if this was a piece of cake. She stopped
her car as soon as she could after passing the river bridge.

I told Jacob to go back. I wanted to rub this in.

Heather watched Jacob’s hovercraft simply turning as though
on a rod, and head back. She was pissed. When it stopped and
the hatch opened she shouted, “You cheated. I’m not paying
off.”

I heard some chuckles at that from behind me. “If your skill
in sex matches your driving skills, that’s no big loss.”

Heather looked like she wanted to shoot us.

I didn’t care. “At least he cares enough to indulge me.
Maybe I’ll talk him into a few more races.” I gave the crowd
of stunned and somewhat angry teenagers my best shit-eating
grin and told Jacob “Thanks for going lightly on them. Time
for us to head home.”

I gave him directions to my place. It was 25 miles deeper
into the middle of nowhere in a small place called Oldsman
Village.

He pulled up, let me off and handed me my bag. “I’ll see you
tomorrow, then.” It was obvious he had something to say.

Fair enough. I had a few things to say too.

“Care to come in?” I asked him.

He jumped at the chance.

I showed him around the house. He was polite about it, but I
could see he was holding back opinions about the mess caused
by my parent’s last fight.

“Want a soda?”

“Sure.”

I got him a soda, sat him on the couch and sat down next
him. Possibly closer than any girl had sat to him before.
“What you said earlier… did you mean it?”

Ok. So I will never win any awards for subtlety. After a
pause, he said, “Yes. I hope I have not upset you by saying
these things. I know you are too good for me.”

“No, that’s not true. Today I learned that there are great
men out there hiding in crowds I would never have thought to
look in. You are one. In fact you are the one I want. Nobody
ever went though the efforts you have on my behalf. We
should go out.”

Jacob had a lot feelings cooking in his head, but only
asked, “You want me?”

“I really want you.” I threw in a bit of suggestiveness for
good measure.

“But do you love me?”

I was all set to answer when I heard a voice from the
doorway. “Who are you to ask my daughter that?”


Chapter 16 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying
Dutchman, October 27th 2006.

I did something else I never did before. I waited after
school longer than I had to. Even more amazing, I was
waiting for sexy Tiffany.

Listening to what was being said in their little post
practice chat was most amusing. These people thought they
were going to successfully interfere in my plans? This
should be good for a laugh or two.

Then Heather spoke. She was another cheerleader, who was
dating the quarterback. “Like anybody would stand up for
that geek.”

What a perfect time to announce my presence.

“Underestimate me all you want, Heather. Just keep your
boyfriend from crossing me on this.” I was dressed and
leaning against the wall as if I did this every day at this
time.

Heather got right in my face. “So what if he does? He’s the
captain of the football team and you are just a geek. He can
do what he pleases to you.”

I just gave her one of my annoyingly calm grins.

“You amuse me. Tell those people you favor that it is their
choice if they choose to cross me. But then, how I choose to
react is my choice, too.”

Heather tried to push me. She fell when I stepped two feet
to the left.

I think I made my point.

I reached out to help her up.

Heather took my hand and yanked hard. That pulled me off
balance and I hit the wall.

Apparently I had not made my point.

Heather laughed.

I stood back up. “You are not worth my time.” I turned my
back on her and went over to Tiffany. I pointed to a bag I
had put on the stands. “I brought your clothes. As much as I
enjoy seeing you naked, the thunderstorm outside is a bit
cool to go running around nude in.”

Tiffany went over to the bag, got dressed and walked to my
hovercraft with me.

I opened the hovercraft, and then offered my hand.

I heard Heather’s voice from outside the Flying Dutchman.
“You crazy? Don’t get in that thing. It’s not going to get
you anywhere.”

I went to the controls and went though the preflight
checklist. Her comments must have annoyed me more than I
liked because I was hitting the buttons harder than I
needed.

“That thing can’t keep up with a brick on wheels.” Heather
said as she pulled up, gunning her engine suggestively.

She must be kidding me. Compared to this thing, she was
driving the brick.

Tiffany called back to me sweetly, “Jacob?”

“Yes?”

“Want to do me a favor?”

Stupid question. I would swim naked through a volcano for
her. “Anything. What do you want?”

“Accept Heather’s challenge to a race.”

“Is she driving anything impressive?”

“Just a Ford.”

“Ok. Set it up.” This might be amusing. Besides, if I want
to have any chance with her, I must indulge her wishes.

Tiffany shouted to Heather. “Rollings road from the farm to
the river?”

“You in that thing against me in this car?”

“Wanna bet?”

“What can you afford?”

“Loser has to suck Jacob’s cock before school, and tell
everybody why. Plus the loser must make him enjoy it.”

I did not just hear what I think I heard.

“Your crazy!” Heather spat. “No way. Just no way!”

“Afraid?” Tiffany asked.

“You’re on.” She said.

She gave me directions to where the race would be.

“You sure this is safe… no police cars?” I asked. Police
troubles I did not want to have to explain to my parents.

“This is a private road. Nobody but high school students use
it.”

“Ok. Let me know when.”

I looked back out the front to see Heather’s car go racing
ahead.


Chapter 17 Jacob

Personal log (voice), J. J. Stone, captain of the Flying
Dutchman, October 27th 2006.

“Go Jacob, go!!” Tiffany shouted.

I squeezed the activation release control and engaged the
primary engine at three quarters strength. As I watched, the
distance was decreasing rapidly.

Too fast. I was gaining too fast. I wanted to prove that if
I had to play their games, I would win as easily as I could.
I knocked the power down to 40% and let her pull away.

From behind me I heard Tiffany demand, “What are you up to?”

Really, she should have learned by now to trust me.

“Relax… 4… 3… 2… 1… NOW” I hit the thrust release control,
shoved everything up to maximum and sat there calmly as I
raced past her as if she was riding a turtle.

YES! That should please Tiffany.

If I were pressed, I would have had to admit that I rather
enjoyed it myself.

“Let’s go back.” She certainly sounded pleased.

I parked the Flying Dutchman 15 feet away from Heather’s
car. I opened the hatch and went to stand behind Tiffany.

Heather shouted, “You cheated. I’m not paying off”

Oh dear, she sounds annoyed. Tough. Treating people like
pawns because of who she is and whom she is dating.

Yes, yes, I know I do the same thing. But I do not do things
only for my ego. Others always benefit from my actions.

As for her cheating comment, time to deflate her.

I raised my voice so it would carry and chuckled slightly.
“If your skill in sex matches your driving skills, that’s no
big loss.”

I went back to the controls. My job was done here, but I’d
hang around until Tiffany was done with her statements. I’ve
learned long ago that you should never interrupt a teenage
female showing off. Such a thing is a very dangerous thing
to do.

She said what she wanted to say and told me “Thanks for
going lightly on them. Time for us to head home.”

Her directions lead me to a house in Oldsman Village. It was
a nice looking area to live in, even more country then
Riverpoint. Then again, I’m still having culture shock from
moving from Upper Darby, to as I humorously think of it, the
boondocks of civilization.

I drove up as close to a door as her driveway permitted. I’d
like to get her wet, but not by long exposure to a
thunderstorm. I helped her down, and handed Tiffany her bag.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” I had something to say, but
could not figure a way to say it. I’d gotten advice on the
subject all afternoon and still I was unsure how to go about
talking about it with her.

“Care to come in?” she asked me.

I jumped at the chance.

She showed me around her parent’s house. It was ok. It could
have been excellent if not for evidence of fights here and
there. A more frightening detail was the evidence of
fundamentalist religion though out the house. And those
family pictures. I have not met the father, but the mother…
now she looked familiar. Worryingly so.

She led me to a sofa and asked, “Want a soda?”

“Sure.”

Tiffany got me a soda, and sat next to me.

She was close enough to me that I could feel the heat of her
body. I hope that did not mean she was coming down with a
cold.

Then she asked me the most loaded question I had heard since
my parents were trying to find out what I knew about sex.
“What you said earlier… did you mean it?”

After a pause in which I gathered up all my nerve, I said,
“Yes. I hope I have not upset you by saying these things. I
know you are too good for me.”

To my surprise Tiffany looked softly at me. “No, that’s not
true. Today I learned that there are great men out there
hiding in crowds I would never have thought to look in. You
are one. In fact you are the one I want. Nobody ever went
though the efforts you have on my behalf. We should go out.”

Some of those things I’ve heard all too often.

But two of those sentences were new to me. I chose one of
those sentences and asked, “You really want me?”

“I really want you.”

Was that a hint of sexual suggestiveness I was hearing?

One final question needed to be asked. At least for me. But
then I was never a typical male to begin with.

As calmly as I could, I asked, “But do you love me?”

Tiffany started to respond when we heard a voice from the
doorway.

“Who are you to ask my daughter that?”

Damn, the spell was broken. I think parents have some built
– in ability to know the most inopportune moments to show
up. I turned to get a good look at Mrs. French.

Tiffany stood up to do the introductions. “Mom, this is
Jacob, Jacob, this is my mother.”

Mrs. French and I were staring at each other.

It was obvious that we both recognized each other.

“Oh no. By all that is democratic, no. I’ve not annoyed the
universe that much, have I?”

Mrs. French said, “I could ask the same thing.”

We both said “Tiffany…” then stopped.

I waved my hand in a ‘you go first’ gesture.

“Tiffany, of all the men outside our church, you had to
bring home the biggest pain in my side. This is Jacob
Jehosophat Stone, and he through political skill and nerve
has ruined many of my political actions. In the months since
he first showed up on the political scene, he has done more
to upset the status quo politically then any other person I
know. He acts to get things done, working with others to do
what he thinks is right. Unfortunately, politically, we do
not agree.”

I returned the favor. “Mrs. Rachael French. Possibly the
biggest political thorn I have in this county that is not in
any office. Your dedication and sincere beliefs make you
both my most respected and my most annoying opponent.”

The two of us glared at each other as often we did at
community meetings.

Tiffany stood between us. She said, “Mother, do you have
to?” and gave me a ‘please don’t’ look.

I stood down at once.

Her mother held her look for a couple minutes, and then she
said, “I suppose there were worst choices you could have
made.”

“That’s good, because I do love him.”

I offered a compromise. “How about while we are in Tiffany’s
presence, we avoid political fights?”

Her mother agreed.

“When is your father getting home?” I asked Tiffany.

“Get out!” her mother shouted. “Get out now!!”

Tiffany grabbed my arm as I went to get my coat. She then
told her mother, “He does not know.”

Her mother was still furious. “Just don’t ever mention him
when I’m in the house. The two of you can talk about him all
you want, but not when I’m in the house. Understood?”

I nodded. At least concerning the possibility of dating
Tiffany, I had to stay on her good side. Considering my
political dealings with her, this is going to be a real
challenge.

“So what did you do today in school?” Mrs. French asked.

“They put me in the Program.”

I didn’t say anything, but given the right wing
fundamentalism indicated by the stuff in the house, I was
thinking talking about her father would have been a safer
subject.


Chapter 18 Tiffany

I made the introductions. “Mom, this is Jacob, Jacob, this
is my mother.”

Why were my mother and Jacob looking at each other like a
pair of prizefighters?

“Oh no. By all that is democratic, no. I’ve not annoyed the
universe that much, have I?” Jacob spoke with the tone of
somebody who thought the fates stayed up nights coming up
with new ways to torture him.

My mother said, “I could ask the same thing.”

They both said “Tiffany…” then stopped.

Jacob indicated with a wave of his hand that my mother
should go first.

“Tiffany, of all the men outside our church, you had to
bring home the biggest pain in my side. This is Jacob
Jehosophat Stone, and he through political skill and nerve
has ruined many of my political actions. In the months since
he first showed up on the political scene, he has done more
to upset the status quo politically then any other person I
know. He acts to get things done, working with others to do
what he thinks is right. Unfortunately, politically, we do
not agree.”

Jacob went next. “Mrs. Rachael French. Possibly the biggest
political thorn I have in this county who is not in any
office. Your dedication and sincere beliefs make you both my
most respected and my most annoying opponent.”

The two of them glared at each other.

I moved between the two of them. I had a man worth keeping
and it would not help my home life much if my mother hated
him.

Then again, my home life has not been perfect either.

I asked, “Mother, do you have to?” and gave Jacob a ‘please
don’t’ look.

Jacob relaxed.

My mother stared at him a little longer and then she said,
“I suppose there were worst choices you could have made.”

“That’s good, because I do love him.”

Jacob offered a solution. “How about while we are in
Tiffany’s presence, we avoid political fights?”

My mother agreed.

“When is your father getting home?” he asked me.

Opps. Should have warned him about that subject.

“Get out!” my mother shouted. “Get out now!!”

He nodded respectfully and went to get his coat.

I grabbed Jacob’s arm as he passed me, stopping him.

I next told my mother, “He does not know.”

My mother was still furious. “Just don’t ever mention him
when I’m in the house. The two of you can talk about him all
you want, but not when I’m in the house. Understood?”

Jacob nodded his head.

“So what did you do today in school?” my mom asked.

“They put me in the Program.”

“The Program?”

“Yes. Both you and he who is to not be named in this house
both received the paperwork. Remember I handed you the
booklet for the Naked in School Program.”

“I remember it. I thought it was a very bad joke planned by
your boyfriend of the time. You cannot possibly mean they
made you walk around naked? And let people touch you without
hindering them? And wash in the men’s locker room?”

I kept my voice carefully neutral. “Yes. If you are so
against it, why did you not sign the exclusion form?”

She had no response for that. “Did they at least you give a
partner, since everything else about the Program turns out
to be true?”

“Yes.” I kept my voice carefully neutral. The two of them
seemed to about ready to blow at each other at a moment’s
notice.

“Do I know him?”

“You do now. More than I thought you did.”

My mother gave Jacob a look at that news.

He just nodded.

“You?”

“Me.”

“That explains your sudden interest in my daughter. You try
to have her yet?”

How DARE you, mother? Just because your relationship with
dad is a failure, you have to treat all men the same?

Jacob simply got up, looked at my mother, and got his coat.
“Never, not even in our rowdiest political battles, did I
think you could be so contemptible. I am ashamed to think I
could have ever thought to have any truce with you.”

My mother looked like she was going to explode.

Jacob ignored her. “See you tomorrow, Tiffany. I will be
thinking of you.”

I went to the door and gave him a tight hug. “I love you.”

If anybody had told me in Mr. Bacon’s office that I would be
saying this to him, I’d have shattered a lung laughing.

I watched him get in his hovercraft and drive off.

Then I did something else I had not done in a long time. I
spent 15 minutes telling my mother off for what she had just
done.

~Continued~

--
http://www.asstr.org/~arty