The tour ended and we all milled out the front doors of the museum to board the bus back to school. I walked along beside Crystal as casually as could be, and none of her stuck-up friends said anything about it. They all looked at us strangely but kept quiet, and kept their distance. Crystal herself, who normally would have torn my head off if I'd even dared to come within ten feet of her, was as docile as a lamb. We boarded the bus and she actually sat next to me for some reason. There was a buzz of whispering about that for a few minutes but it soon died down into the usual bus ride rowdiness under which Crystal and I could have a semi-private conversation.

"So how do you feel?" I asked her.

"Feel?" she asked dully, as though her thoughts were on a thousand different things and I was interrupting her mental organization.

"Yeah," I said. "How do you feel about what happened back there?"

"I don't know," she replied. "Embarrassed. Shocked. Ashamed. Horny. Take your pick."

"I won't say nothing to anyone, don't worry."

"I was kinda hoping you wouldn't," she confessed. "I mean, I'm kind of in a tense spot here. I've been nothing but cruel to you for as long as I've known you, and now you've got this thing you could totally clobber me with, and there's nothing I can do about it."

"Don't worry about it. I'm cool, Chris. I won't say nothing."

"I-" she began. "I really am sorry about all that stuff. You must totally hate me," she sighed.

"I don't hate anyone," I answered. Though it sounded like a lie considering I was wishing she was dead not more than an hour ago, it was true at the time. I felt really peaceful right then and I really didn't hate anybody.

"But still," she continued. "I've been such a bitch."

"Yeah, that's kind of an understatement. But hey, you're not being a bitch right now, so no problem, right?"

"That's so cool of you," she said, looking into my eyes with great wonder and a new found respect for me.

"So how do you feel about what happened?" I asked again.

She looked around nervously, and then down at the floor.

"What do you mean? About the thing with Jackson, or about you watching?"

"Jackson? So you did end up getting his name after all," I joked.

She got a hurt look in her eye. I apologized.

"I swear to God, I'm not normally like that," she proclaimed desperately. "It was just... Well, he... I don't know."

"He seduced you," I told her.

"I guess," she replied. "It's not like he raped me or anything though. I was being a total slut."

I was careful not to add any comments to that.

"But then after it got going I felt like I wanted to stop. I only wanted to kiss him a little, and maybe get his phone number, but he started getting really aggressive. He was like, 'Come on, baby. Suck it' and I felt like I had to for some reason." "You gave him head?"

"Yeah," she said, looking a little flushed again. "A little. I mean, we were kissing and stuff in the hallway there, and then as soon as we got into the closet he had his dick out and was telling me to go for it. I don't know why I did it. I just felt like that's what I was supposed to do right then and there."

"Hmmm," I said. "I must have missed that part."

"I didn't do a very good job. I was so shocked by it all. It was all happening so fast. I only did it for like a minute and then I got back up again. Then he was kissing me all over and I started getting really hot for him. The next thing I know, you're standing there watching."

"The look on your face was priceless," I said with a smile.

"I'm sure it was. I was so embarrassed. I wanted to scream at you at first, but there was something about you that made me stop."

"What about me?" I inquired.

"You looked strange. Different somehow. I couldn't take my eyes off you. It was weird."

"I kinda noticed that."

"And then another part of me felt very calmed by you being there. It was like, I was suddenly glad you were there because I felt like you would protect me if anything went wrong. If he started getting too rough or something."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It was strange. Well the whole situation was strange, really. I mean, what the hell was I doing half naked in a closet with a complete stranger?"

"Giving head," I said. This time she smirked as well. She patted my arm affectionately.

"Yeah, sure. I suppose. Anyway, there was something else about you being there that was strange. I sort of got turned on by it after a while. I mean, after the initial shock wore off. And man! That guy was doing some really nice things to my body."

"Indeed," I agreed.

"So anyway I kept looking up at you, and for some strange reason you looked really sexy standing there. It was like I'd never even seen you before. You were making me all hot all the sudden. I can't put my finger on it. Something about you was just different all of the sudden."

It was the amulet.

"And that made you go all the way?" I asked her.

"I don't know," she said. "I don't think so. I mean, I was pretty horny already. I guess you could tell."

I nodded. She began softly stroking my arm as she talked.

"The next thing I knew we were fucking," she said quietly. "That's about it."

"That's not about it!" I argued. "You were awesome! Watching you was like a wet dream come true!"

She softly stroked my arm some more.

"I guess there was a little more to the story," she smiled. "But what do you want me to say? I'm embarrassed enough already."

"It was a sexy sight," I said. "You're boyfriend is a lucky guy."

"Oh, him," she frowned. "Whatever! I don't even fuck that guy. He's a total child."

"Really?" I asked incredulously.

"He's great to hang out with and everything, but when it comes to sex he's so immature."

"So you haven't done anything with him?"

"I gave him half a hand job once, and he was all 'Oh yeah, baby! Jerk that man-meat for all it's worth! Look at that big fat hard on! It's all for you!' What a dolt! I don't know what kind of two-bit porn stories he's been reading but it sure wasn't ringing my bell. I couldn't even finish. He was a total idiot about it all. I was gonna dump him one of these days. I need a real man."

"This Jackson guy was no better, apparently," I commented.

"Shit! Did you catch that stupid joke he made? I felt like smacking him in the nuts. What a loser!"

"I know what came over you. Me!" I mocked.

Crystal and I chuckled together. Then she sighed.

"One part of me wishes that had never happened at all, but another part of me was glad you were there. I sort of wished it was you, fucking me, Alfred. Not him."

Now normally I would have exploded into a mad panicked mental orgasm over a comment like this, and it felt a little strange not to be flipping out inside. The truth is though, I was completely calm about it all. I didn't even flinch. Somehow I just knew it was true, and somehow I accepted it calmly, as a matter of fact. Somehow I felt like her wanting to fuck me was the most normal thing in the world.

"Call me Gil," I said. It was my nick name from little league baseball and I'd always preferred it to Alfred.

"Ok, Gil," she said.

A moment passed between us. Perhaps a new friendship was born. Perhaps something more. I can't really explain it. It was this weird little moment where somehow our entire relationship changed just because she called me Gil instead of Alfred. Anyway I sat there through that moment looking into her eyes, and noticing for the first time how beautiful they were. It sounds stupid, I know, but you really had to be there. Have you ever looked into a girl's eyes and just felt dazzled by them? That's what I felt right then. Dazzled.

After that moment of silence between us she said, "You wanna come over tonight. You wanna maybe get together later?"

There was a special emphasis on the word 'together' that made my mind go gooey. I knew that what she really meant was that she perhaps wanted to get out pelvises together, and I couldn't think of a single reason why that wouldn't be the most beautiful thing on earth. My cock stirred in my pants and I felt a rush of energy go through me. I was invigorated by desire for her. But still I was as cool as ever.

"Sure thing, Chris," I said. "What time?"

"How about eight?"

"I'll be there," I said.

"You know where I live?" she asked.

"Sure. I used to deliver papers to you, remember?"

"Oh yeah, I remember," she beamed. "I used to make fun of you on the front porch with my girlfriends." Her bright tone trailed off again. She felt ashamed of herself once again.

"Well you're gonna have to make it up to me," I smirked casually, somehow forgetting the years of emotional torture I'd been through.

"I promise," she said, with a twinkle in her eye. I squirmed a little in my seat.

The bus arrived back at school and we went our separate ways. Crystal was immediately mobbed by her girlfriends who wanted to know what the hell was going on with her and me all of the sudden. And how come all of the sudden I was like, this total hottie. She led them away into the school and I headed home.

I had about four hours to pass before I was to head over to Crystal's, and perhaps lose my virginity to the hottest girl in school. Still I was calm though. It was uncanny.

I got home and looked at myself in my sister's bedroom mirror for the longest time, trying to see what the hell everyone was seeing in me all the sudden. I couldn't see anything different. I looked exactly the same as I had that morning. To be honest with you I actually thought I looked worse than I had that morning. Or perhaps it was that I just hadn't looked at myself at all, and now that I had, I began to really notice my imperfections.

I was kind of a dork actually. I had no hairstyle to speak of, and I was wearing this dumb looking purple T-shirt and black jeans. What the hell did everyone see in me? I sat on my sister's bed for a long time just staring at myself and thinking about the events of that weird and wonderful day. Normally I would have jerked off about three times already after seeing Crystal McCorrister getting fucked up against the wall of a museum supply closet. It was every young man's fantasy, I suppose, but for some reason I didn't feel the need to masturbate. In fact, I felt like that would be a waste of good come for what was to happen later on that night.

Confidence felt really wonderful.

I pulled the amulet out of my jeans pocket and looked at it once again. It was warm in my hand, the way it had been when I'd first touched it. It was no longer glowing the way it had been earlier that day, and I began to wonder if it had really been glowing at all. Perhaps it was just my mind playing tricks on me. The warmth of it was no illusion though.

I turned it around and around in my hand, studying it carefully, flipping it over and over. All of the sudden I felt it begin to heat up for no apparent reason. That's when my sister Caroline came home.

Normally I would have jumped up and made a mad dash for the door. Caroline hated having me in her room for any reason and always tore a strip off me whenever I set foot in her doorway. But this was indeed a strange day, and instead of running, I simply sat there feeling the heat of the amulet increase as she got closer.

"What the fuck are you doing in my room, Alfred?" she snarled from down the hall. "I swear to God I'm gonna kick your fuckin' a-"

She froze in her doorway when she saw me, and I watched the anger melt from her face as she stood there looking at me sitting on her bed. The amulet was hot now.

"What's up, sis?" I said calmly.

She didn't answer. She just stood there looking confused as if I had two heads or something. Her hand moved unconsciously to her stomach. She was wearing this little skirt and a crop top that allowed her belly button to peek out. She had a school bag over one shoulder that pulled the top tighter against her chest. Her breasts stood out nicely. Her lips were full and swollen looking, a deception of the make-up she wore, and her hair flowed radiantly down from her neck-

What the hell was I doing eyeing up my own sister?!? I gave my head a shake all of the sudden.

She didn't seem to notice however. I sort of got the feeling she was doing the same thing to me, which would account for the confused look on her face. I shoved the amulet into my pocket once again and felt it's heat burning against my leg.

"I just came in here to use your mirror," I said. "Sorry to intrude."

"Uh... Sure," she said, snapping out of the trance she had been in a moment before. She walked in a threw her backpack onto her beanbag chair. That's when I noticed she was not alone. Her boyfriend Stan was with her. He stood in the doorway behind her.

"S'up, bro?" he said. Normally I hated when he called me bro, but it didn't seem to bother me at the moment. He was looking at me strangely as well.

Suddenly the thought occurred to me that they had just finished a heavy petting session in his car and had come inside to finish what they started. I don't know how I knew this, but I could somehow tell by looking at them. It was a mere intuition that had dawned on me, but somehow I was certain that that it was the truth. I was shocked. I had never realized that Caroline was sexually active. Perhaps I'd just never considered the thought, but at the moment it seemed as natural as could be. At Sixteen, she was a hot young lady and he was a good looking young man of perhaps seventeen or eighteen I guess. They had been having full intercourse for a little over a month now, after much coaxing on his part. Somehow I just knew.

I got up and headed for the door. Stan stepped gratefully aside to let me pass.

"I need you to come to the mall with me later, sis," I said. "I wanna pick out some new clothes. Can you help me with that?"

"Absolutely," she said. Her tone of voice was pleasant surprise, as though she'd been wanting me to get with the style for some time. I headed for my room.

"Al?" she called to me.

"Huh?" I answered.

"Can you bang on the wall when mom gets home?"

"Sure thing," I said, holding back a knowing smile. "See you later."

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