Chapter 17

Monday morning, football training resumed -- and so did track, coincidentally. As a result, Clint ran into Brenda during a break after running the bleachers, "Hey."

Brenda looked up from her bent position -- she had been doing sprints, and was catching her breath. "Hey."

"About Friday night..." Clint began.

Brenda waved it off. "Everybody says you have a beef with girls."

Clint frowned. "Everybody talks too much. Everybody says you're not much into guys."

Brenda frowned back. "You're right -- everybody talks too much." She walked away, heading over to where Bonita was sitting on the bleachers moping. When she got there, she resumed her bent-over stance, panting and looking back at Clint, who was walking slowly away.

"What was that about?" Bonita asked.

"I think he was going to apologize," Brenda replied. "Then I said something and he said something -- and I'm not sure... "

"What did you say?" Bonita asked, frowning.

"Something about him having a thing about girls." She shook her head. "Then he comes back with something about me and boys... Stupid. I didn't want to fight -- I just didn't want him to apologize."

"I wonder if either one of us is going to get anywhere," Bonita whined. "After Mama..."

"You shouldn't have called him in to take the heat, Nita -- that was dumb!" Brenda scolded.

"I know. After that... He didn't call Sunday. I wonder if I ruined it?"

"Why don't you ask him?" Brenda puffed. "Isn't that him coming?"

Clint had walked off toward the tunnel leading under the bleachers toward the locker room, wondering just what the fuck had possessed him to lash out at Brenda when he ran into Terence. "What's with the face, Man?" Terence asked.

"Been thinking about Friday. Brenda seems like a good shit. I went over to apologize for spanking her ass and she said something about me and girls and I pushed back about her lez tendencies -- like that's a problem..." Clint mumbled. "Pissed her off, I think."

"Nita says Brenda didn't mind the spanking -- maybe even got off on it. Leave that alone. That way, maybe if you both want to do it again..." Terence advised.

"It isn't right."

"That's between you and her. If you wanna do it and she wants you to, it's all cool. I told you -- some chicks dig it." He glanced off at the pair of girls, some distance away. "Brenda can kick a lot of guys' asses, on a race track, at least. Maybe she's looking for a guy who can stomp hers, you know? Someone who isn't afraid to take her on." He frowned. "You know, she DOES like guys -- it's just that she don't have much to offer. Combine that with her being competitive and she's shit out of luck -- as if she wasn't in the first place."

"Not much to offer?" Clint blinked.

"Well, you know, skinny, no tits to speak of..."

"She fucks okay. Better than okay from what I can see."

"You're probably right." Terence nodded. "Ain't really been any complaints -- and she gives pretty good head, from the sound of things."

"Is that why she's fucking us like this?" Clint asked. "Because she can't get laid any other way?"

Terence eyed him. "There is more to it than that, Man. I really don't want to go into it right now -- I need to go see Nita -- but it ain't just about her being a slut. There's shit you don't know." He broke away and headed off toward the girls. Clint, intrigued, followed.

"Hey," Terence opened things with Bonita.

"Hey," she returned cautiously, afraid to go too far. He was going to tell her to put it in a box, probably...

"How's your mama?"

"She's okay. She heard a lot of things she didn't want to. But then, she heard some that she did, too. She is very emotional, and things were intense..." Bonita said carefully. "You didn't call."

"I thought I might get your Papa," Terence made the excuse. Things had been pretty intense for him, too -- but seeing his round little girlfriend sitting here looking forlorn pretty much ended his plans to duck the whole thing. There was an unexplainable something about Bonita that just made her too cute...

"So..." Bonita tried not to look too hopeful.

"So I'm a day late," Terence replied -- then he was thankful for his football gear, given the speed at which she bounded off the bleachers and into his arms!

"I shouldn't have made you come!" Bonita babbled into his shoulder pads. "I was so afraid..."

Terence stroked her hair. "Well, it was some wild shit, but I survived."

"These pads..." Bonita groused.

"I gotta go back in a bit. There will be time, later," Terence told her, pulling her up onto the bleachers and seating himself beside her and draping an arm over her.

That left Clint standing in front of Brenda, somewhat confused. "Something happen?" Clint asked.

"I dropped Bonita off on Saturday, and her mama saw," Terence amplified. "She gave Nita the third degree, and Nita called me to ask me to help cover her ass. I went down there and it was... pretty tense."

"She didn't know Bonita was out with guys?" Clint asked.

"No. Excuse was that she was with Brenda and Rain Man's sister Alyssa. We didn't really hook up until Friday night," Terence explained.

"But you've been together before, right?" Clint asked.

Brenda giggled. "Yeah, and Terence wasn't safe from the night he took her cherry!"

"Brenda!" Bonita protested, embarrassed.

"What? He knows you fuck. He knows I fuck, too!" Brenda's eyes challenged Clint. "First hand."

"Maybe I'll chase you down again!" Clint retorted.

"If you can catch me!" Brenda teased. "Maybe I'll trip or something..."

Clint's hand was faster than a rattlesnake -- one snap and he had Brenda by the wrist! "Maybe you'll be slow out of the gate!" he crowed.

"Maybe..." Brenda's eyes danced while she tugged at her arm -- not very hard.

Clint knew the pulling was for show, too. He grinned and reeled her in. Brenda didn't have the mass to get clear, strong as she was. Kicking didn't work; she tried to knee him, but he turned aside. "I'm wearing a cup," he noted. Swatting at him was useless with him in his pads... "Is it really worth breaking something to get away?" he asked, holding her by both upper arms.

Brenda looked around. "I can't look easy..."

"Are you? Easy?" he teased.

"You fucked me, didn't you?" she retorted softly, looking into his eyes.

"You were racked," Clint pointed out. "I spanked you, too."

"So you got me -- now what?" Brenda teased.

"I'm gonna suck a big hickey on your neck -- not that it'll show..." Clint stopped, wondering if he'd stepped over a line.

Brenda just grinned. "It might -- if you look REAL CLOSE!" Then she jerked free, taking advantage of a momentary respite caused by Clint's pause and dashed off, laughing.

Terence blinked. "What was that?"

"Shit, I dunno," Clint grunted. "Seemed to work, though."

"Brenda seldom laughs," Bonita mused, drawing looks from both boys.

Bonita and Terence cuddled -- very visibly -- on the bleacher seats for a few minutes, talking to Clint. Brenda did not return; she was called away to return to practice. In a few minutes, Clint and Terence were, too. "When can we have that talk?" Clint asked, as they walked back to the scrimmage. "I need to know some things, it looks like."

"After practice," Terence promised.

In the meantime, Terence needed to talk to his brother and Toby. He collared them at lunch, pulling them away from a communal table for a conference. "Clint is looking at Brenda," he announced. "But things need -- I dunno -- deeper explanation, if you know what I mean. I want to let him in."

"We've got no hold on him," Damian noted. "We need something."

"We have it," Toby announced, turning to Terence, "Don't we?"

"Yeah." Terence nodded.

"Big Bro?" Damian eyed his brother.

"Clint, uh, goes both ways," Terence supplied. "In fact, Brenda is, um, kind of an experiment. Clint might be gay."

"And you know this, how?"

"We kinda like each other. It hasn't come out totally, because we've been using the booths, but..."

"You're still doin' that?" Damian asked, surprised. "What about Roly Poly?"

"That's different," Terence growled. "I like 'em both." He eyed his brother. "YOU were the one..."

"Yeah, yeah, okay, okay," Damian waved it off. As far as he was concerned, relying upon each other was ancient history. It had been a desperate measure -- one he had moved on from. Big Bro and Pa were apparently alike that way, though... "So, you let him in -- tell him how it is -- and we cover by letting him know WE know he likes guys..."

"Yeah." Terence nodded.

"We got any proof?"

"Yes," said Toby. "Booth One has video."

"What if he doesn't care?" Damian asked.

"He cares -- it's too much shit. I guarantee it," Terence asserted.

"I agree," said Toby. "I've been... helping... and he's been very slow and careful -- despite the fact that I can tell he wants more."

Damian grunted. "Tell Hank. See what HE says. If he's okay, we've got a majority." He turned and went back to the table. Big Bro and dicks... In fact, Damian DID feel some guilt for having opened up that can of worms. There was nothing he could do about it. Maybe old Roly Poly could break him of it -- or he'd get a little from Clint and decide it wasn't worth the trouble... Shrugging, he settled back in to eat.

Hank, who was half-aware, let it ride. "Go for it." That settled it -- the final sale was up to Terence. There was no need to put Clint's defenses up by running a big confrontation.

Terence collected Clint coming out of the showers, "Let's go for a ride." Clint nodded and they got in Terence's car and Terence headed for the Carpenter's -- the place that had generally come to be thought of a 'the playroom' or 'the clubhouse.' "So what do you think of Brenda?" Terence asked.

"She keeps surprising me," Clint replied. "She wasn't all over me after... On the other hand, she's kind of cool with me."

"You don't have to push yourself on her if you're not sure," Terence told him. "We're not trying to change things."

"We?" Clint asked cautiously.

"I know who was on the other side of the wall Friday," Terence said, then held up his hand, "and that last time you got sucked, it was me, okay?"

"Ahh, fuck!" Clint exclaimed. He flopped back in the seat, overcome. "What about the first time?"

"Huh? I dunno..." Terence blinked.

"Toby said..."

"What?"

"I'd never had a girl suck me."

"Oh." Terence got his own surprise. "Shit. Then I guess I know -- but I'd rather not tell you just yet. It's kinda embarrassing. I want to talk to Toby, first, too, to make sure."

"So..."

"Yeah. I like you and you like me -- am I right?"

"Yeah." Clint nodded tightly.

"Well, we both knew."

"Yeah, but..."

"Our little secret," Terence assured him. "Toby knows. Maybe a couple of others. But it's a tight group -- which is where Brenda comes in."

"I don't understand."

Terence pulled off the road so he could devote his attention to Clint. "The Booster Club didn't just appear, Man. There is a group behind it. I can tell you about the group -- I'm gonna ask you to be a member -- but it's secret. You have to understand that members all have some secret that the other members know about that keeps them from blabbing about it. In your case, that would be you and me."

"I dunno," Clint looked nervous. "Secrets get out."

"Not these -- believe me, we got worse," Terence assured him. "If you don't want to hear any more, that's fine -- but I can't tell you about Brenda -- and she can't, either."

"Well... You've got no evidence. It would be your word against mine."

"It wouldn't be me -- and what if there IS evidence?" Terence countered.

"I'll KILL HIM!" Clint erupted.

"Toby? Not a good idea, Man. For one thing, he's on your side. For another, you'd go to jail forever for it, and anything you said about the group wouldn't be believed. Right now, you don't know nothing, anyway."

"I know about you!"

"If you get stupid, I go down anyway -- it's what I get for fucking up and asking you!" Terence retorted. "Why don't you settle the fuck down? It's my ass, too! I'm only asking you because I think you're worth the risk!"

"Yeah." Clint got himself under control. "Okay. Sorry -- I don't have to tell you the kind of shit..."

"No, you don't. My ass is out there, too," Terence agreed.

"Is there evidence?"

"Yeah." Terence locked eyes with Clint. "Against both of us. But it means nothing if it ain't ever used."

"And it won't be?"

"It's to keep the BIG secret, not to fart around with, Man."

"Okay, I'm in. What's the BIG secret?"

"Are you sure?" Terence asked. "You might not like what you hear -- I dunno what you think of some of the stuff we do..."

"What do I get?"

"Answers about Brenda, for one thing. Support of the group, for another -- maybe you want something... And, well, then there is us -- you wanna do it, no sneakin' around, no walls and holes? Safe?"

"I -- this is scary, Man!"

"Your call," Terence waited.

"I'm in. Is it illegal?"

"Yeah, some ways. I mean, blackmail is illegal -- and that's just to keep the secret. Let's go to the clubhouse." Terence pulled out and resumed driving.

They got to the clubhouse and Terence led Clint downstairs and inside, then plopped on the couch. "Sit. I'm gonna give you the whole tale."

"Okay." Clint settled in a chair.

"Basically, the purpose of the club is to get laid -- but it probably ain't that simple. I'm not an original member, but Damian and I got a lot in common with the three guys that started the club -- they weren't getting laid -- and their mamas weren't getting laid."

"What?" Clint blinked.

"Yeah, you heard me. You see, guys hit their peaks at our age and over the next couple of years. Women don't -- they hit theirs when time starts to run out I guess -- about thirty-five or so. So, weird as it seems, guys our age and their mamas have something in common. Anyway, one of the guys saw an answer to the problem and he suggested that the original three make a pact -- each of them would help the other two get into his mother's panties. Everyone would be happy and nobody would end up doing his own mama. That was the plan."

"So what happened?"

Terence shrugged. "It's still out there -- but soon after Damian and I joined, an opportunity came along to collect some younger chicks -- AND more mamas, as it turned out. So now we got women running out our ears -- and that's one of the big reasons behind the Booster Club -- we don't have enough guys to go around!"

"So, what was this opportunity?"

"Somebody knew a girl who was fucking around with other girls -- and a dog. We got video -- and now we own seven or eight girls, basically -- they do what and who we tell them. Some of them we have to keep in line, one way or another -- and some we don't. Brenda and Bonita we don't -- this is the closest they've ever come to getting guys to look at them."

"So it's blackmail -- and white slavery..." Clint mused.

"Well, sort of. Some of the girls pretend they hate it, part of the time -- but I don't think anyone believes them any more. You see, they weren't getting any, either, or they wouldn't have been doing what they were doing. Brenda and Bonita are a prime example -- all they had was each other." Terence shrugged.

"So Brenda was here..."

"Because she had to be -- but it was an opportunity to meet guys for her, too," Terence finished. "You can play it either way, really."

"So what's up with you and Bonita?" Clint queried.

"Most of us have kinda taken on one particular chick," Terence explained. "The rules say that all of them are anybody's meat, but a bunch of the girls kinda hang with one guy. They pretend they're our girlfriends -- and we pretend we're pretending. In some ways, they're happier being just sluts, so we treat them that way in private -- and like girlfriends in public. Most of 'em kinda feel like they're working to earn girlfriend status. It keeps them out of trouble, and nobody has to take any shit from them." He settled back. "I have a harder time with the whole thing than some of the guys -- but it works, so I don't fuck with it."

"So, Bonita is your girlriend..." Clint mused.

"But in private, if you want a piece -- and you're a member -- she rolls over and lets you do her, no questions asked," Terence finished. "It's probably polite to ask me, but you don't HAVE to."

"And Brenda?"

"She ain't owned -- if you want her, you can have her. From what I've seen, she won't EVEN bitch about it," Terence grinned.

"Are there limits?"

"Technically? No. We own 'em. They fucked up, and if the video got out, they'd go to juvie. They know it. I don't think I'd bust one up -- that's just stupid -- but the ass-whipping you gave Brenda ain't even close to what has been dished out to a couple of them when they stepped out of line," Terence replied.

"So, how many chicks...?"

Terence thought about it. "Seven or eight. Seven or eight mamas, too. We've got one young chick who joined as a free woman -- and another who is owned, more or less. Both of 'em volunteered, basically, to get their boyfriends. I'd get permission before messing with them, but one of them was giving head Friday night."

"Did her old man know?"

"He put her in the booth," Terence grinned. "She's the owned one. Her guy is strict with her -- master/slave shit. He puts her out to keep her from getting ideas. And she likes it that way."

"No shit?" Clint was amazed.

"No shit." Terence shrugged. "Some chicks just don't get women's lib, you know? If you tried to lock me down the way we do them, I'd find some way of breaking out or die trying -- mostly, they don't even try."

"What about..." Clint gathered himself, "the other thing?"

"What other thing?" Terence asked.

Clint couldn't say 'us,' so he waved his hand between them.

Terence eyed him. "What happens here, stays here. It goes beyond that -- Nita won't say shit, for instance, but she knows -- I told her my end. She figures she has no right to pass judgment, as much time as she's spent with her nose in Brenda's crotch -- and vice versa. But if we want to be safe, this is the place."

"What about Brenda?"

"She'll put up with it -- she has no say, anyway -- but I figure it'll be like Bonita," Terence replied.

"So, does your mother...?" Clint asked, shying away from the possibility of the pair of them actually doing anything then and there.

"Fuck? Yeah. She was here Friday night, late. Her and Pa aren't getting along -- mostly Pa's fault -- so she gets hers in the group. Pa does, too, but he ain't a member..."

"I'd like to see MY Mom fucked -- by about twelve guys -- HARD!" Clint grated.

Terence cocked his head. "I figured something was up with her."

"She's..." Clint fumed a bit. "In the first place, she's no mother. In the second, she's a manipulative cunt. I've seen her fuck over so many guys..."

Terence grinned. "Maybe we could set something up and teach her a lesson -- it's happened before. Remember, it ain't just you -- it's the group. We've got..." Terence fumbled for a word, "resources."

"She's been living off men since before I was born," Clint huffed. "And too high! I'd like to see her living in a trailer park, spending all of her time with her legs open and black guys between them -- no offense -- that would just be the worst thing from her perspective..."

Terence snorted. "It's cool. The guys have done some wild shit to a couple of people -- they might be able to cook something up for her, if it seemed like a good idea." He smirked. "Maybe we could make her fuck a dog..."

"On video?" Clint fairly drooled.

"Yeah. After that, we'd own her. Maybe we could put her out in the 'hood to turn tricks or something..."

"Jesus! Don't tempt me!" Clint laughed.

"Hey, whatever -- just an idea." Terence stood. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." Both of them knew that they weren't going into any gay sex cold. Terence led them out.

On the way back, Clint said, "So that's it? I'm in? Who else is?"

"That's it," Terence agreed. "Like I told you -- we already have blackmail material. I don't know where, but I think there are cameras in all the booths. Toby told me there was video -- and he told me to tell you he was sorry if you took it hard, but the flip side is you're covered..."

"So, who else is a member?"

"Toby, my brother Damian, Hank, Rain Man Hayes, Lon Carpenter, Rick Flanders. There are a couple of older guys, too, but it might not be the time, yet, you know?"

"Hank's a member? What about Coach?"

"Nope. He can't be involved in anything like that..." But Terence was nodding his head yes and grinning.

"Oh. Yeah, I get it." Clint nodded. "What's with your Pa?"

"He ain't a member, but he's a guest," Terence told Clint. "We give him pussy in return for favors. He put the new bathroom in the clubhouse."

"Why isn't he a member?"

"It's the thing between him and Mama. It's his own fault, but Mama has him blackballed -- and they cooked up a couple of things over the summer..." Terence shuddered. "Mama has a couple of the guys busy fuckin' with him -- doin' shit to him, makin' him do shit. I stay out of it, but..." He paused, then, "If you was sucked by another guy, it was probably Pa."

"Really? How? Blackmail?" Clint was amazed.

"Yeah." Terence nodded, pensive. "Mostly, it's a case of makin' him do something he wants to do anyway, then rubbin' his nose in it, I think. We got a couple of guys who are pretty good at stickin' it to people. Pa's pretty two-faced about some things and he makes it easy for them..." He glanced at Clint, "I was serious about cookin' something up for your mama. We can probably come up with something REAL BAD..."

"That's a thought," Clint grinned. "You have no idea. She fucks over guys as a hobby -- and to bring in money. Some poor fuck is always paying for something; she let's them smell a little and suckers them..." Rage flickered in his eyes. "When I was a kid, people would give me things -- and she would take them and sell them for money for booze and fake jewelry and stuff. I was always in last place behind whatever else she wanted and was up to. I've been cooking my own meals for years -- it was do that or starve!" He shook his head. "I'm out, soon -- one way or another. Either I'll find a way on my own or she'll find a way to put me on the street..."

Terence shook his head. "If you want, we can find a way to fuck her up. Wouldn't you like to see her in that thing locked down like Brenda was?"

"Man, if I started, I couldn't stop!" Clint exclaimed.

"Maybe it would be more fun watching while someone else does it and she wonders who the fuck is getting even?" Terence suggested.

"Man, do NOT tempt me!" Clint laughed.

"I'm serious, Man -- it's out there. You want that dozen black guys -- I KNOW we can do it..." Terence insisted. "Better than that, we can hook her up so she ends up doing ALL KINDS of wild shit -- just to stay out of jail!"

"Let me think about it," Clint chuckled. "It's so tempting -- but it would probably make me as bad as she is."

"Not from the sound of things," Terence insisted. "It sounds like you'd be giving her a taste of her own medicine."

"Yeah, well..." Clint waved it off as Terence pulled up in the school parking lot. "It'll wait. I want to be out, first, anyway."

"Good plan," Terence grinned as Clint got out of the car. "She'll probably want to do some wild shit once you're not around -- it'll make things easier, I bet."

Clint laughed as he walked away. If nothing else, Terence had improved his mood. He'd gotten a lot of shit off his chest, and the doors were open for him to do basically whatever he wanted -- who knew what was next? Vistas were opening up...

Tabitha wandered down to Maddie's house; it had been over a week since she'd seen her girlfriend. Maddie's mother came to the door, though, and waved her off. "Maddie isn't feeling well," Mrs. Reyes told her, "She's still sick." Mrs. Reyes didn't look that good, either -- but it wasn't disease, it was bruises. Tabitha turned away, dejected -- but when she cleared the front of the house, there was a hiss -- and there was Maddie, in the window. Tabitha crept up to the window, "Hey, Maddie."

"Hey."

"So you're sick?"

"So I have a black eye -- can't you tell?" Maddie retorted. The ring of color around her eye was obviously several days old, but it was there.

"Yeah," Tabitha replied. "So that's it? Your Papa hit you again?"

"Yes." Maddie grimaced. "Pietro got into some trouble -- and Papa got mad..." Maddie's father's rages were mildly legendary to those in the know -- and Tabitha was one of that select group. "Pietro had to go to the emergency room. Mama tried to get in the way, and Papa just started lashing out..."

"So you're gonna stay in the rest of the summer?"

"Well..."

"Tell your mama you can cover it with makeup..."

"The eye isn't everything," Maddie related.

"Will clothes cover the rest?" Tabitha demanded.

"Yeah, but I'll look stupid..."

"Come on..." Tabitha wheedled.

"Okay, gimme a minute." It took considerably longer. First, Maddie had to endure a scolding from her mother for going behind her back. Then Tabitha was invited in while they worked to cover the eye. Maddie had bruises on her upper arms, her back, and other places that she wouldn't discuss with Tabitha in front of her mother -- but half-length sleeves and jeans covered them. Maddie's mother wasn't in any better shape.

Finally, they were ready. "Don't go anywhere too public!" Maddie's mother warned.

Maddie waved an acknowledgement as they set off down the street. "Thank God! I've been stuck inside for over a week!"

"I know," Tabitha related, "I've been by."

"Papa..." Maddie mused. "Sometimes I think he's completely insane. But Mama apologizes for him and he usually says something, after, about how we did wrong, or we shouldn't interfere..."

Tabitha had seen it all before. "Some guys just do that shit. The only thing you can do is get away. He's gonna kill somebody at this rate!"

"Well, Pietro made him VERY mad..."

"Okay, so what did YOU do?"

"Well, nothing..."

"See?"

"Where are we going?" Maddie changed the subject.

"Alyssa's."

"Does she know? Is Dirk there?"

"She don't know -- but we need a plan -- and Rain Man is probably around," Tabitha replied.

"Rain Man? We can't..."

Tabitha snorted. "You don't need Dirk! You need a guy!"

"A guy? I dunno..."

"I do! Dirk is bad news! Did you know that shit is illegal? Your papa would probably kill you if you got sent to jail for that shit!" Tabitha insisted.

"Well, okay -- but boys?" Wasn't that jumping from the frying pan into the fire?

"Yeah, boys! They're a LOT more fun -- and they're SUPPOSED to be in there!"

"Yeah, maybe -- but where are we gonna get any?"

"We've already GOT some -- you just don't know about it! C'mon -- Alyssa can explain it all..."

It was a different Alyssa who met the at the Hayes' front door -- that much was clear. She didn't try to establish her control over things -- she just let the pair of them in and led them upstairs when Tabitha told her, "Maddie needs to be read in -- and we need to do something to help her."

When they'd settled on Alyssa's bed, Maddie said, "So what's up? Tabitha is acting like there is some big secret involving boys..."

"There is." Alyssa looked hangdog. "I don't think I'm allowed to even tell you like this!" She got up and went to the door and yelled, "Brie!"

"Sissy?" Brie came running.

"Get Randy, will you -- tell him Maddie is here."

"Oh, boy!" Brie scampered off.

"What do we need Randy for?" Maddie wanted to know. "This is girl-talk, isn't it? We can't be talking about Dirk..."

"Well, we can, um, cover other things -- then I'll send him away," Alyssa lied. Tabitha opened her mouth, caught Alyssa's look, and shut it.

Brie bolted through the door, followed in a moment by Randy. "So what's up?" Randy asked.

"Tabitha has told Maddie that things have changed," Alyssa explained. "How far did you go, Tabitha?"

"I only told her that dogs were illegal and that she ought to play with boys," Tabitha replied.

"Tabitha!" Maddie erupted. How would they keep Randy from knowing anything with her big mouth?

But Randy was eyeing her. "I know all about that shit, Maddie. In fact, I've seen you. I've got video."

"Omigawd!" Maddie rocked back on the bed, shaken.

"It's like this, Maddie. You're in a jam. There are a bunch of us guys who know all about it -- and you're gonna do what we tell you to do, or we'll tell the cops!" Randy told her, more or less neutrally.

"All you'd have to do is tell her Papa," Tabitha interjected, "he'd kill her, most likely! You should see the bruises she's got now!"

"What?" Randy blinked.

"Show him, Maddie!"

"I won't!"

"You WILL!" Alyssa interjected. "Maddie, you don't get it yet, so I'm gonna help here. Getting naked for Randy wouldn't be anything big -- you're probably gonna end up fucking him, anyway."

"What?" Maddie shifted her focus to Randy.

Randy rubbed his face. "Look, usually, we do this as a group. I really don't feel like yelling and making threats and stuff, okay? But it's like this -- either you do what we tell you -- which includes fucking guys -- or we show somebody a video of you getting a tongue ride from Dirk and you go to Juvie -- or, from the sound of things, your pop kicks the shit out of you -- or probably both! Understand?"

"I... Sex?" Maddie sputtered.

"You'll never go back to dogs -- believe me!" Tabitha grinned. "Relax, Maddie! You KNOW you want to!"

"Not with just ANYBODY!"

"Why not?" Tabitha retorted. "It's experience!"

"How many guys have YOU fucked!" Maddie accused.

"Um..." Tabitha broke out her fingers. "About six, thus far. Three or four times, a couple of them. It's fun!"

Maddie's gaze slid to Alyssa. "Alyssa?"

"Three or four. Maybe more. I do what they tell me. It's not bad, usually..." Alyssa couldn't meet Maddie's eyes.

"I'll let Damian know he's doin' okay," Randy chuckled.

Alyssa's eyes took on some fire, "You KNOW HE is!"

Maddie shifted back and forth between Alyssa and Randy. "What? What's this?"

"Damian. Damian Carter. I... belong to him, sort of," Alyssa explained. Her eyes shifted to her brother, still fiery, "And I like it that way." Randy just grinned.

"Do you belong to somebody?" Maddie asked Tabitha.

"Nah. I'm kinda independent. I do whoever the guys want me to -- older guys, mostly. It's cool -- I get a lot more appreciation from older guys than I do from the guys at school," Tabitha related.

"Tabitha just likes to fuck," Randy grunted, amused. "It's hard to keep her supplied with enough dick to make her happy!"

"Randy!" Alyssa burst out, outraged.

"Let it go," Tabitha waved it off.

"I'm not in the mood for this," Randy announced. "I'm gonna go make some calls. Don't go anywhere, you guys." He gave them each a hard glance. Maddie, surprised, watched Alyssa knuckle under to her brother; Tabitha just nodded.

When he was gone, Maddie threw a significant glance at Brie, but Alyssa sighed, "Don't worry, she knows everything there is to know."

"What do we do?" Maddie asked.

"You run with it, Maddie," Alyssa advised. "There really isn't any other choice. I got stupid and bucked things -- and they made it VERY unpleasant for me! Tabitha just rolled over..."

"That's right," Tabitha agreed, "and it was the best thing I ever did!"

"Who else...?" Maddie asked.

"Brenda and Bonita and Trish and Sonya -- they got all of us," Alyssa told her.

"What are they doing?"

"They're fucking. Some of their mamas are, too!" Tabitha erupted. "What's the problem?"

"I'm scared!" Maddie flared.

"Nobody's been hurt bad," Tabitha insisted, "not like your Papa does to you!"

"That's right," Alyssa agreed. "I think I got it the worst -- and I was stupid about things. Your daddy beat you again?"

"Yeah... What's this about people's mamas?" Maddie shifted subjects.

"I know Sonya's mom is fucking -- and Trish's... And mine..." Alyssa couldn't meet Maddie's eyes again.

"How?"

"Partly, it's young guys. Some of the moms are divorced, you know?" Alyssa related. "Having a young guy have sex with you is a draw... Part of it is to keep them quiet about us. In Mama's case, it's Dirk, though, just like it is with us."

"How bad is the Dirk thing?" Maddie asked.

"Bad. I looked it up. It's called bestiality, and it's supposed to be banned on the Net, it's so illegal. It's up there with child molesting. I'm so sorry, Maddie!" Alyssa said, contrite.

"It's not the end of the world, Maddie! Relax! It's a chance to have a LOT of boys -- not just one -- and maybe you'll end up hooked up like Alyssa is!" Tabitha advised.

"I just don't know..." Maddie worried.

"It's not like you have a choice, believe me," Alyssa advised. "Better get used to the idea."