Chapter 10

Rick pulled up in front of Sonya's apartment. "Okay, see you later, Sonya."

"Why don't we all go in?" Teela asked. "We can watch TV for a while and relax -- it's early still."

Rick sighed. "Teela..."

"Oh, settle down, for God's sake!" Teela snapped. "We've already been through all of this and it's bullshit! Just come in and hang out -- don't you want to be with me? Are we done?"

That put considerable pressure on Rick. Avoiding Teela was turning out to be disastrous; Teela wasn't buckling under and shelving her wild ideas. Instead, it was driving a wedge between them -- and that wasn't good. Rick missed his little spitfire and did NOT want to lose her! "No, no, it's fine -- just let me park. Sonya, do you have reserved spots?"

Sonya did. Teela took over, running interference while they made microwave popcorn and picked a movie on pay-per-view and settled on the couch -- with Teela in the middle. "Okay, so, now what?" Rick asked.

"We relax and take things easy," Teela replied. "There's no reason for you to get all excited about Sonya -- it's not like she's going to be competing with me for your attention. In fact, it's probably the opposite, you know? Sonya's not all that big on boys -- but you have a track record with her, so she feels safer with you."

Rick ran his hand through his hair. "Okay, so..."

"You've been avoiding me for a week -- don't you think we ought to do something about catching up?" Teela asked archly.

"Yeah."

"Good." Teela leaned in to start a kiss.

The couple had been having sex regularly for a while, so things rolled from necking to petting to heavy petting pretty rapidly. Rick was kissing Teela with one hand tweaking a nipple and her other inside the legband of Teela's panties and Teela was jacking his cock when she gasped, "Let's open the couch..." and he remembered Sonya. He glanced up apologetically...

"Good idea -- you guys are crowding things," was Sonya's response.

They opened the couch and Sonya wedged herself on the left side with her back in the cushions and her feet stretched out while Rick and Teela entwined themselves on the right.

The next break in things was when clothing got too much in the way -- which really wasn't that much further down the line. Teela surged up and started throwing off her blouse and Rick flicked a glance at Sonya -- who was at least pretending to watch TV. Sonya seemed to sense it and looked back, shrugging. "It's not like we weren't both naked in that booth for a couple of hours. And I watched Teela blow you. And I've fucked BOTH of you..." This got a look of surprise from Rick. "Well, okay, we don't actually fuck..." Sonya amended, indicating Teela. Anyway, I'm going to go put on a nightie. Leave me a place to sit, but..." She waved an obvious 'Go ahead' signal and walked out.

"You two had sex?" Rick asked.

"Yeah. Girl stuff. Why not? There weren't any guys around..." Teela eyed him archly.

"Yeah, okay," Rick got it.

"So, you're jealous?"

"Should I be?"

Teela reached for Rick's cock. "Do you really think a tongue -- or even fingers -- is gonna replace THIS? Besides, you were off pouting, and she's gonna be around my place all the time anyway, and you KNOW I wanted to do it. Why not get a little fun in?"

Rick grinned. "Yeah, I guess."

"See? What's the problem?"

"Nothing. I get it."

"Good! Now get undressed and give it to me! I'm going NUTS!"

Things moved rapidly from there. Teela was astride Rick and impaling herself on his cock when Sonya returned from the bedroom in a pretty flimsy baby-doll. "Come here, Sis, and give us a kiss!" Teela puffed.

"I thought I wasn't playing?"

"Don't be a stick in the mud!"

Sonya leaned in to track Teela, who stopped in order to be easily reached. Teela pulled her in and didn't let her escape with a peck; Rick, having seen an unwanted halt in the action, had Teela reposition herself a bit up his shaft and started driving into her from below. Teela's kiss turned molten, sucking Sonya in; with her free hand, she collected one of Sonya's small cones to knead. "Umgh!" Sonya groaned into Teela's mouth.

Rick was in that Superman mode that only happens during sex; he was driving himself into Teela using what was basically pelvic lifts -- and while he couldn't have sustained them in gym class for the life of him, it wasn't an issue under these conditions. That left him a free hand and a front row seat for two girls doing serious kissing. His brain went out of the loop -- concerns about whether this or that was the right thing to do went by the wayside -- and he slid his hand up the inside of Sonya's thigh to the junction.

Sonya hadn't been unaffected by the couple's heavy petting -- but she avoided Teela's more or less artificial efforts to sew them all together, knowing that Rick wouldn't react well if she came in on Teela's side. This, however, had a more natural flow to it, so she let it happen, widening her stance so that Rick could have full access -- and was immediately rewarded with finger pressure on her itchy clit!

Sonya moaned into Teela's mouth; alerted, Teela broke the kiss to take stock and smiled. Rick smiled back. "Lick her!" Teela panted. Rick nodded and tugged at Sonya's crotch. Sonya got the idea and struggled up onto the couch and straddled Rick, who used both hands to position her for his tongue. Then she leaned in and resumed kissing Teela.

Rick was busy, so Teela resumed actively bouncing on his cock; the girls were bracing themselves on each other while fondling breasts, anyway, so Sonya could track her. Physically, aside from complexion, they were closely matched -- small, narrow, small-breasted girls with kitten hips -- but their sexual response was wildly different, as Teela proved by rapidly and loudly spinning up to an orgasm, breaking the kiss: "Oh! Ogod! Ogod, Lover! Fuck me! FUCK ME! AAIIIEEEE!!!" Then she settled back and sucked Sonya's tongue while the other girl whimpered softly into her mouth as her pussy pulsed around Rick's probing tongue to her own orgasm. Feedback rolled them quickly through a second cycle before Rick announced himself by starting to carry Teela from below -- a sure sign he was close! "Rick's gonna cum soon!" Teela announced; Sonya took it as her cure to roll off and watch the couple finish. Rick surged up into Teela again and again, and she responded by hammering herself down on him with bruising force, managing to shriek out an orgasm as Rick arched himself and exploded in her depths. Then Teela collapsed atop him, moaning "There's nothing like that -- nothing..." -- and dropped off to sleep.

Sonya, feeling a little left out, came up and rubbed her back. Rick looked up at her and mumbled, "I guess this works, sorta." He reached out to rub Sonya's flank.

Sonya smiled back, crookedly. "Sorta. I DO like the other thing..."

"We'll see. Teela doesn't get it -- I'm trying to avoid having her feel like she might have handed me off. I don't want her to wake up some morning jealous -- especially since I don't ever see her having any reason to be..."

"I can see that," Sonya replied. "I don't see us ever getting... romantic."

"What about you two?" Rick asked.

Sonya pursed her lips and shook her head. "No -- just friends." She bit her lip and looked away. "Do you remember that first time, how you...?"

"Yeah. Kneel up and I'll see what I can do." Rick's left hand was free; he slid it between Sonya's legs and tried to remember what he'd done to bring her off that time before he took her cherry.

There was something really satisfying about watching a girl shake and her eyeballs roll up from fingering her. Sonya did that twice, clutching his hand to her crotch the second time to make sure his hand didn't get tired and fall away at the critical moment. She was quiet; unlike Teela, who liked to raise the roof and inform the neighbors, Sonya let out tiny whines -- but there was no question about when she got off. When she'd finished getting her second release, she leaned in and kissed Rick. "Thanks -- I needed that."

Teela stirred. "Wha?" she murmured sleepily.

"Nothing, Love," Rick whispered. "Let's all go find a bed to sleep in."

"Okay." Unlike her usual self, Teela allowed herself to be led to Sonya's bed like a small child and was asleep again the moment her head hit the pillow. Rick cuddled up on one side, and Sonya on the other.

That's not how they woke up. Teela was the toss and turn type -- and Rick was more or less used to it, so he ended up shielding Sonya. Still, it all shook out, and by the time Rick left the girls Saturday morning the whole avoidance thing was over with and everyone was happy. "Well, THAT's handled," Teela announced, dusting her hands as Rick drove off.

Sonya eyed her in amusement. "You know why he's so reluctant?"

"He's afraid he doesn't have enough juice for both of us," Teela replied confidently.

"That might be part of it," Sonya told her, "but it isn't everything. He's afraid you'll wake up one day and decide we've done something to be jealous about. It would be all in your head because I don't have any romantic feelings for him and he hasn't got any for me, but that might not stop you."

"That would be stupid of me!" Teela erupted.

"Maybe, but stranger things have happened..." Sonya pointed out.

Randy showed up at Carpenter's to take some of the guys home, but they were already gone; Candace had delivered Tad and Louise had taken Alonzo and Pete. Everyone seemed fine with what had gone on the night before. At Carter's, Damian and Terence ran afoul of Fred -- but Fred, thoroughly burned from the Tabitha situation, behaved himself, basically pretending that they were expected; besides, the couples didn't do a lot sexually, having handled things thoroughly well before Fred got home from the bars the night before. They delivered the girls to their respective homes at about ten a.m.

Under instructions from Louise, Tabitha called Fred at about eleven -- in Louise's presence. "Fred? It's me, Tabitha. Hey, I'm gonna need somewhere to sleep tonight. I can't stay here..."

Fred rolled his eyes "Yeah, of course not..." 'That would be too easy,' he thought. "The boys aren't here -- I'll have to call you back when I can get one of them to help with arrangements, okay?"

"Don't leave me hanging -- this is scary, you know?" Tabitha poured it on. "Not knowing..."

"We'll figure out something," Fred told her. "Look, I gotta go..."

"No, please! Don't just hang up on me!"

"Really -- I gotta go!"

"Well, all right..."

Fred hung up - and Louise was waiting to waylay him. "Anything I can help with?"

"Uh, no, it's okay."

"How come the boys can help but I can't?" Louise pressed.

"It's one of their friends," Fred replied evasively.

"Oh? It sounded like a girl." Louise waited, crossing her arms. "Why would one of their girl friends call you? I'm thinking that this isn't the first time, either." She eyed him. "Fred, are you screwing some young girl?"

"What?" Fred was trying, but it was too close to the truth and he just wasn't prepared. "Why would I...?"

"Yes, Fred, why WOULD you?" Louise attacked. "Maybe because it was there? Maybe because we're not sleeping together because of your LAST six chickies? Jeezus, Fred? How old is she? Twelve? How low have you stooped?"

"Hey, it's not like that!" Fred said defensively. "The girl's in trouble..."

"Pregnant?"

"Fuck no! She got kicked out of her house!"

"And you took advantage of it! What did you have to do with THAT situation? Why are you involved?"

"I, uh, gave her a ride home," Fred said lamely.

"And?"

"And her mama got the wrong idea and kicked her out."

"What was wrong about it?" Louise stood there with her hands on her hips. "Don't fucking lie to me, Fred -- you were fucking her, weren't you?"

"Dammit! Where the fuck have YOU been? What am I supposed to fucking do when your pussy is sewed up tight?" Fred ranted.

"And why would THAT be, I wonder?" Louise snapped back. "It wouldn't have anything to do with your constant shit, would it? Or the bullshit you're giving me over Damian? Do you fucking remember whose bright idea it was for me to fuck Damian's father -- regularly? Just because it turned out differently than you planned, how is it his fault? Shit, how is it mine? But you act like I slept with him because I wanted to and it's all my fault!"

"Isn't it?" Fred demanded. "Who let their birth control slip?"

"Birth control is only 99% effective, you asshole!" Louise ranted. "How many kids do you have that I don't fucking know about?"

"None, goddammit!"

"Yeah, right! So, are you gonna tell me about this girl, or am I gonna get it from the boys?"

"Oh, yeah!" Fred sniped. "The boys! They're high and mighty! You know about their little club?"

"Yes, I know about their club!" Louise snarled.

"So you know it's a SEX club?" Fred pressed. "I did some work for the boys on their little clubhouse and they paid me off in pussy! THAT's how I know the girl!" Fred ranted.

"Yeah, I know about THAT, too!" Louise lowered the boom. "I didn't approve of it -- I wanted your fucking balls to explode -- but I know about it." Louise gathered herself. "I was gonna try to put this off for a while, but I pressed for this, too, so I must've just wanted it all out. I know all about the club, Fred! Where do you think I've been getting my dick?"

"What? You fucking cunt!"

"See?" Louise sneered. "Still the same -- it's okay for YOU to fuck around, but it's not okay for ME to, is it? Well, fucking tough! I want a divorce! I'm sick of your shit!"

"Good! I was plannin' on walkin' anyway! You ain't gonna get SHIT from me..." Fred declared.

"Oh, no, Fred! There's where you're wrong!" Louise replied, her voice dangerous. "There's where you're wrong! You're gonna pay me alimony for the rest of my life -- and be GLAD to -- because I've GOT your ass!"

"You ain't got shit!" Fred blustered -- but he knew Louise, and he knew that tone. What the fuck?

"Don't push me, Fred. Don't push me!" Louise warned.

"You don't know jack shit or we wouldn't have gotten into this!" Fred roared.

"That's where you're wrong, Fred!" Louise shot back. "I was just looking for an excuse! I know ALL ABOUT Tabitha -- and ALL ABOUT her cunt of a mother and ALL ABOUT the other girls you fucked..." Louise snarled, showing her teeth, "And I know all about the BOYS, too!"

Fred went grey. "Boys?"

"Boys, Fred. Men, too." Louise looked sly. "I've got some of the damnedest videos..."

"Videos?"

Louise shook her head. "You mean you didn't know? Just about everything you ever did in that place was recorded. I've got you raping underage girls -- both purely statutory and that poor girl in stocks. But even better, I've got you sucking cocks and fucking guys in the ass -- and I've got you being fucked, too -- and getting off on it! Your macho friends are gonna SHIT -- one in particular!"

Fred collapsed in a chair. "F--fuck!"

"Yes, Fred, the secret's out! I know you like dick -- I've known for some time! I know you go to those places with the glory holes and suck dick. I know ALL that shit! And I can prove it -- which is a damned sight more than YOU can do!" She turned and collected her purse. "Now I'm going to go pick up Tabitha and take her over to Horner's to live; you can stop worrying about her. Don't be here when I get back." She strode to the door, then turned. "On second thought, you can be here -- but you'd better plan on new rules and a new attitude, because the days when I put up with any shit from you are at an end -- TOTALLY!" She headed out.

The boys walked in on Fred still collapsed in the chair a half hour later. "When were y'all gonna tell me about the shit goin' down with your mama?" Fred asked dully.

"Shit," Terence grunted.

"Fuck," Damian agreed. He waited a moment, but Terence wasn't up for this. "Pa, we've known you've been fuckin' around forever -- and Mama's known that you were planning to walk out pretty soon. We know why, too -- all that history shit. We didn't want to get in the whole fucking thing, so we stayed out of it as much as possible -- but we know about it. Mama was drivin' and we did as little as we could to help -- and even undercut her some, with stuff like the whole bathroom gig. But you was gonna walk on US, too, you know? What do you expect?"

"What about the other thing?" Fred asked.

"What? Guys?" Damian asked. "Man, that's your business. By now you know Terence does that shit. I don't, generally, but when things was tight..." He shrugged. "Problem is, you been covering it with that macho shit -- and it's pissed people off and made shit harder for us. Dudes you hang out with are gonna hang you out to dry -- but you did that on purpose, didn't you? Well, now it's gonna bite you in the ass!"

"Hey, watch your fucking mouth!" Fred rasped.

"I can't help it if the truth burns!" Damian retorted. "I know how you feel about me -- what the fuck do YOU expect from ME, given the way you've been acting?"

"I feed you and I put a roof over your head!" Fred retorted.

"But you don't think I'm your son!" Damian shot back.

"What?" This was news to Terence. "What's that?"

"Mama and Pa used to swing," Damian provided the short version. "Pa thinks I'm somebody else's kid. Fuck, I've been in this house how long? If Pa ain't my dad, I don't have one!"

"Shit." Terence sat down on the couch. "This shit is ALL fucked up!"

"So what does your mama want, anyway?" Fred grunted.

"She wants a chunk of your ass, Pa. She took a lot of your shit and she wants to give some back!" Damian told him. "She wants to protect us and make sure if you hit the street that you pay for us to live and go to school -- but mostly, she wants to knock your dick in the dirt for treating us all like shit!"

"So what am I supposed to do?" Fred asked.

"I dunno -- suck it up?"

Adele threw the big birthday bash for Brie -- something she'd made difficult earlier in the week by insisting that it be coed. "You can't just invite one boy," Adele had pointed out when she learned that Brie wanted Pietro Reyes to attend. "I really don't know what effect that will have on the other girls, for that matter." But Brie had refused to be swayed, and through a convoluted series of relays, Gabriel Vasquez had also been invited.

Girls begged off in droves -- but Lillian Horner -- Trish's younger sister, and a friend for life to Brie -- hadn't, so there were four of them in two couples -- or not, as the case may be. Guys that age didn't trust girls, even though they had uses for them -- and vice-versa. In the end, Adele shrugged it off, took comfort in the reduced costs, and hoped for the best.

Phyllis sent Tabitha Hart -- newly absorbed in to the Horner family -- and Lillian's sister Trish to help -- and to keep an eye on the boys. It was great for setup, since it cost less, but a little too much pressure on the younger set, as it turned out. Despite the fact that Brie wanted a few minutes of alone time with Pietro in the worst way, there was way too much chaperonage, so the girls ended up gabbing with the older girls and the boys ended up testing Brie's new video games.

"I can't understand why you invited boys," Lillian muttered in an aside to Brie.

"Well, DUH, I like Pietro!" Brie replied.

"And Gabriel?"

Brie rolled her eyes. "I had to have more than one boy. Besides, they know each other."

"What were you going to do with Pietro?" Lillian wanted to know.

"Shh, not here -- between Sissy and Trish and Tabitha I'd NEVER be able to keep it a secret!" Brie hissed.

"Whoa! Not...that?" Lillian erupted. Lillian knew all about Brie's interest in boys, even if she wasn't party to the stuff going on with her sister.

"Well, not totally," Brie muttered. "But maybe something less..."

"Like what?"

"Ever suck one? Ever been licked?"

"Well, no, but Trish has, I'm pretty sure," Lillian opined.

"I KNOW Trish has!" Brie retorted. "Sissy has, too. They've BOTH gone all the way..."

"What?"

"Don't let on that you know," Brie pressed. "Someday it might help you get out of something, you know?"

"How do YOU know?"

"Sissy let it out," Brie was forced to lie a bit.

"What makes you think Pietro...?" Lillian asked.

"He stayed with us last week while his family had some problems. They still do, actually. Pietro's dad is in jail. Anyway, we got along pretty well, and, well, I'm pretty sure..."

"Pietro's dad is in jail?"

"Yeah, well, it's for the best. He used to beat Pietro and Maddie -- even their mom. Don't say anything."

"Wow! So what about Gabriel?"

"What about him?"

"Does he know anything?"

"I don't know. I was hoping to ask Pietro, but..." Brie shrugged.

"Yeah." Lillian looked as disgruntled as Brie. The three older girls were sitting there jabbering -- effectively cutting off anything in the way of private conversation with a boy.

"Why do you want to know?" Brie asked.

"Gabriel is kind of cute, you know..."

"Yeah, I guess he is. Let's see if we can at LEAST play games with them..." Brie suggested.

"Okay."

The boys had had their own conversation...

"This controller sucks," Gabriel complained.

"You're over-controlling," Pietro replied, focused.

"Why am I here, anyway?"

"I dunno. Something about only having one guy at the party," Pietro muttered. "It's stupid -- I stayed here for days last week. That's why I'M here -- Brie likes me."

"What's likes?"

"We get along. It's too early to date -- our parents would freak -- but we have fun together," Pietro amplified.

"What kind of fun?"

"Fun, fun," Pietro replied carefully.

"Well, if you were looking at her as a girlfriend, I thought maybe things went further than that," Gabriel said carefully. "Shit!" A car crash on screen interrupted things.

"Well, maybe, someday. Besides, if I told you we were doing girlfriend - boyfriend stuff, and it got out, she'd be pissed."

"Yeah, you're right -- if I was that stupid. I'm not," Gabriel declared.

"That's good to know."

"She's kind of skinny, though -- no..." He glanced around. "Tits."

"They'll come in. It's about attitude. I like hers. Everything else will get there, I bet."

"What do you know about Lillian? She's hot -- and she's GOT tits!" Gabriel muttered.

"Nothing. I guess they're friends." Pietro shrugged, nearly dumping his on-screen car in the ditch.

"It's probably too early to expect much..." Gabriel sighed.

"Like what?" Pietro asked, flicking Gabriel a glance.

"You know." Gabriel leaned close. "Sex."

"Full up? Yeah," Pietro agreed. "Lillian might be ripe but Brie isn't yet. Still, what would YOU know about it, anyway?"

"I've gotten blow jobs," Gabriel announced.

"Yeah? So have I," Pietro retorted.

"Bullshit."

"Don't bet on it."

"Who from?"

"You first."

"Can't."

"Ever eat it?" Pietro asked softly.

"Yuck!"

"It's not bad," Pietro said defensively, "and if you want a primo blowjob, you need to give up something in return, you know?"

Gabriel eyed him. "So you're not shitting me?"

"Nope."

"I'm not lying, either, but..." He looked around. "It was arranged, you know? I don't know who the girl was. I didn't get to feel her up or anything -- she just blew me."

"Wild, isn't it?" Pietro said softly.

"The best!" Gabriel agreed. "My connection is trying to get me laid."

"No shit? Cool!"

"Well, it hasn't happened -- but he DID come through on the blow job, so I have high hopes. In the meantime, there's Lillian..."

"Yeah," Pietro agreed. "A blow job might not be out of the question, if you handled it right."

"What was that?" a suspicious female voice asked from behind them.

"Huh?" Pietro spun to behold Brie's glare. "Nothing!"

"I heard something I'd better NOT have heard!" Brie rasped. "From who?"

"Not you! God!" Pietro had his hands up.

"Who else, then? Who else do you think you have control over?"

"Nobody! I don't have control over ANYBODY!" Pietro sputtered.

"Damned straight you don't!" Brie stood glaring.

"Hey, he didn't..." Gabriel started an attempt at defense.

"You know what it sounded like, right?" Lillian snarled.

"You've got it all wrong!" Gabriel insisted.

Brie settled next to Pietro. "I heard 'blow job' -- I KNOW I did!" she hissed, taking the controller from him. His car had long since crashed.

"It was guy talk!" Pietro replied in a stage whisper. "Neither of us mentioned any names..."

"What do either of you know about blow jobs?" Brie snapped quietly.

"Nothing!" Gabriel gulped.

"He's a liar, Lillian. Watch out!" Brie declared.

"Hey!"

"You two..." Brie waved a finger.

"What?" Pietro whined.

"Come clean -- right now!"

"What about?" Gabriel asked defensively.

"Were you talking about us? Were either of our names mentioned?" Brie demanded.

"Well, yeah -- we're here!" Gabriel said defensively. "But not in the same sentence with blow job!"

"Are you sure?" Lillian asked frigidly.

"Um, well..." What HAD he said? "I'm pretty sure."

"I AM sure!" Pietro interjected.

"I think we're mad at you two," Brie snapped. "You'd better shape up! Our sisters would eat you alive if they heard anything like that!" She fired up the game. "Give Lillian the controller, Gabriel."

The guys were in the doghouse for a while. Pietro waited five or ten minutes before whispering, "Brie, I really, really didn't..."

"You'd better not have!" Brie whispered back.

Pietro tentatively put a hand on her knee; Brie eyed him sidelong and he snatched it away. "Oh, put it back," she whispered. "I don't want Lillian getting any ideas."

"What kind of ideas?"

"You're mine, Pietro Reyes -- and don't you forget it!"

Gabriel was facing heavier weather. "I heard you, clearly. Pietro might not have said anything about Brie, but..."

"I didn't say you DID..."

"Well, I DON'T, Gabriel Vasquez -- and if I find out you said I DO..."

"I didn't! I won't!"

"Then exactly what DID..."

"I... Look, I screwed up, okay? I was kind of hoping..."

"That I would blow you?"

"Well, not like that! It was more a maybe we could date thing..."

"Until when? I got soft on you?" Lillian eyed him.

"Look, I screwed up, okay? There's no fixing it," Gabriel sighed. 'Shit,' he thought. 'She's so hot and I HAD to open my mouth...'

"What do you know about that stuff, anyway?"

Gabriel opened his mouth -- and shut it. Lillian cocked her head. "You DO know something!"

"I... might..." Gabriel eyed her sidelong.

"What do you know about the other thing?"

"Which other thing?"

"Licking."

"Nothing." Gabriel grimaced.

"You'd better learn -- if you think some girl is just going to suck you and not..." Lillian suddenly shut up.

"Jeezus, Lillian!" Brie handed her controller to Pietro. "Here!" She snatched Lillian's arm. Lillian handed her controller to Gabriel and the pair left the room.

"What do you think THAT's all about?" Gabriel asked.

"Let's not talk any more here, okay?" Pietro muttered, his voice pained.

"Yeah, good idea."

"Jeez, Lillian! You as much as asked him to lick you!" Brie hissed.

"I did not!"

"When he figures out what you DID say, he'll think so!"

"So what? The way you were acting with Pietro I bet you've done a lot more than play video games!" Lillian snapped. "You blew that one -- Gabriel is gonna figure it out if I did!"

"Yeah, well, what did Gabriel tell you?"

"I think he was just saying it would be nice," Lillian opined.

"Well, it probably would -- but would you have any reputation left? His brother..."

"I guess we'll see," Lillian grumped. "He's got plenty to go on to get us BOTH in trouble!"

"What's going on?" Alyssa asked, intervening.

"Boys!" Brie huffed.

"What about 'em?" Tabitha asked.

"They're always talking about sex!" Brie ranted.

"Yeah. Well, there's worse things. They're both kinda cute..." Tabitha opined.

"Hey!" Oddly, Lillian and Brie made a chorus.

"So how far did it go?" Trish asked.

"We're not sure, Lillian grumped. "They MIGHT have been talking about us..."

"Boys talk about sex," Trish told them. "Some boys BRAG about sex. Some boys LIE about sex. But they ALL TALK about sex -- and they ALL WANT sex. If they want sex with you, then you have to wonder if they're the bragging or lying type. THEN you have to decide if YOU want THEM! Sooner or later, you will..."

Alyssa laughed. "Brie does now!"

"I think she already has!" Lillian grumped.

"Not sex," Alyssa replied. "Not full-up. Other things..." She eyed her sister.

"I've done it," Brie admitted. "More than once. I like it, even."

"And Pietro?" Lillian demanded.

There was suddenly a lot of intensity among the older girls. "We're just friends," Brie lied.

Belief was extremely limited -- if it existed at all. There was a pregnant pause, and Alyssa said, "Good!" But she made a note to discuss Pietro with her mother...