Some Changes in Wade by PickFiction,PickFiction

All of my writing is fiction, and the characters are products of my imagination

The following is a story that has been in my mind for quite a long time, and it’s good to get it written down.

I hope you enjoy the story and will take a few seconds to rate it and leave a comment. They’re carefully reviewed and helpful in my writing.

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“Time out! Time out!” I heard someone creaming.

A quick look at the clock. Eight seconds left.

Then the scoreboard. Home 67 – Visitors 68.

“Here ya go, guys. Gather ’round here.” The crowd noise was so loud I could barely hear coach Wilcoxen. Coach was looking from player to player.

“I got it, coach,” I said, nodding.

“Okay,” he said and began diagramming on his clipboard. Coach knew I always wanted the ball when crunch time rolled around.

Back on the floor, I went to my spot, working to keep a neutral look on my face.

The whistle blew. I feinted left, then cut hard around the screen, and there was the ball, a perfect bounce pass from Nick. I grabbed it, went up into the air, and the shot was away.

The roar of the home crowd drowned out the lovely net-swish sound.

Back and butt slaps from my teammates as the scoreboard now read, Home 69 – Visitors 68.

Lots of laughing and celebrating in the locker room–I was three of four in last-second shots for the season. None of the other starters wanted that last shot. I always did.

I wanted the last-minute penalty kick in the soccer game, and I wanted to be at bat, last of the ninth, with the game on the line. It was just me and athletics. I always knew I could do it. I wasn’t one-hundred percent, but…

Finally dressed, I was ready to leave, something I wasn’t looking forward to. There’d be people waiting–mostly girls.

“Wade, great shot.”

I heard that over and over from the giggling girls.

“Hey, Wade.”

It was Mia, a pretty blond cheerleader. I hated it when I had to talk to her.

“Sonya is having a party since there’s no dance or anything…and it is Friday night.

“Well, i…yeah…I don’t know… I…probably need…should, you know, study…I should.”

“Don’t be silly. You have the whole weekend to study. There’s no game tomorrow, is there?”

“Um, no…not tomorrow. Stil…”

She took hold of my arm.

“Come on, you can ride with us.”

Everyone knew I walked to school, so I wouldn’t be driving anywhere.

“I…I don’t have, you know, a way home…after the party.” It was embarrassing to be in this position.

“You’re a hero tonight, Wade. We’ll get you home,” she said, winking at me.

I sure wasn’t a hero; I’d just made a shot. It’s what I did. I think Mia and a few others just liked to see me blush and hear me stammer.

“I guess,” I finally said.

“Hey, Wade is going to the party,” she squealed, and three more girls gathered around.

They were all pretty girls, cute at least, and I loved looking at them. The thought of having a date with one of those girls and having to think of things to say. It wasn’t going to happen. I trembled when I thought about that sort of thing.

We all piled into Sonya’s SUV, all being five girls and me. I knew there’d be other guys there, but it still made me nervous. I looked as we drove

There were three other cars already at Sonya’s, and lots of people anxious to get inside. Spring was approaching, but it was still cold.

The girls piled out, Mia waving at me to follow along. But none of them waited for me, which, somehow, didn’t surprise me and was a relief. I was almost ready to turn around and walk home…but it was too far and too cold.

I went inside.

It was loud, boisterous, and annoying, with lots of laughing, shouting, and horseplay. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, particularly Mia and the other cheerleaders, along with several of my teammates. Everyone except moi. That wasn’t unusual at functions with other students. I looked around, found the proverbial “chair in the corner,” and sat down, hoping some of the guys might stop by and talk for a while. I knew Mia wouldn’t be leaving for a while, so I was stuck.

I spotted a table with a bowl of Snickers bars and felt like a trick-or-treater when I grabbed a couple. If I’d been at home after the game, I’d have gobbled down a couple of crunchy peanut butter sandwiches and a big glass of V8. Snickers bars were good, but…

A couple of football players were there as well, and one had attached himself to Mia–not literally, of course, but he was never very far from her. More power to him.

“Hi, Wade.”

My head snapped around.

“Hi, um, Diana?”

She chuckled. “I’m surprised you know my name.”

“Mr. Schacht calls on you in physics class. I remember things.”

Two complete sentences talking to a girl. That didn’t happen often. I knew Diana was in my physics class–I saw her almost every day. I didn’t know her, and this was the first time I’d ever spoken to her

“I’ve never seen you at one of these parties,” she said with a cute little laugh. “Maybe that’s because I’m not at them very often either.”

“Um, my first,” I admitted.

“I was at the game.”

I blushed and didn’t know quite how to reply.

“I play softball here and club volleyball, so I know what, well, pressure is like. You killed it.”

She had a nice smile…when I could make myself look at her.

“Thanks…so much,” I said, enjoying her compliment, gIving her a quick glance.

But even in that glance, her eyes sparkled, just like the cheerleader’s did. But that was the end of the similarities. Diana was…plain, in a good sort of way. Brown hair and eyes, the hair in a simple ponytail, she wore what looked like a brown plaid flannel shirt and plain Levis, not those fancy and very tight jeans that most of the girls wore. Her shoes weren’t Nike or Adidas; I didn’t recognize the logo at all.

“Does it embarrass you when I compliment you like that?”Diana asked.

No one had ever asked a question like that before, and I glanced at her again…at the pleasant smile on her face. I thought about her question, but I knew the answer. It didn’t take much to embarrass me, particularly if it involved a girl. I suddenly realized I was still looking at her and quickly averted my gaze.

“I guess so,” I finally answered, staring at the Snickers bowl.

“Some of the guys brought some of their parent’s booze. You want some?”

“Um, no…don’t think so.” I’d never had alcohol, except for a few swallows of beer, and didn’t think I wanted to start at this party.

“I saw some Coke too. How about that?”

“Well, sure…but…I’m used to diet.”

“I’ll get some,” she said before I could protest.

I knew it should have been me who got the Coke, but I’d fumbled. I wondered how I could recover.

“Here ya go,” Diana said, handing me a very cold diet Coke.

“Thanks. And, um, sorry. I should have gotten it for you.”

“Why?” she asked, that smile on her face again.

It was getting easier to look at her.

I was the guy, that’s why. But what could I say?

“I knew where they were, and you didn’t. It made more sense for me to just grab them for us.”

A simple word she’d used there, but I heard it. Us. I mean, we weren’t US, but I did know who she was–she was in my physics class, and she’d said it, not me.

“Thanks,” I finally got out as the can gave that familiar hiss, followed by the same sound from her’s.

Then something occurred to me. Maybe my chance to recover.

“Would you like a Snickers?”

Another smile. “Are they those small ones?”

I nodded.

“Maybe one, then.”

I hurried to the bowl where the supply was quickly dwindling and grabbed three small bars.

I held out one of the small bars to Diana, and when she took it, her fingers brushed mine. Not much, but I enjoyed even that small touch. And I looked at her again.

“Thanks. This is perfect.”

I couldn’t see “her” very well with what she was wearing, but what little I could observe didn’t seem to indicate she needed to, well, watch her weight.

We both finished our two-bite bars. I actually smiled at her.

“I have another one,” I said, extending it toward her.

“So tempting,” she said, closing one eye as she looked at it. “Just this once,” she added, grabbing the Snickers and quickly devouring it.

My chance again. I’d spotted a wastebasket under the candy table.

She stuffed her wrappers into my extended hand, and when I closed on the paper, there were still fingers there. When she pulled them away, a paper went to the floor. We both bent to retrieve it with a gentle head bump.

Diana’s laughter was captivating, and I loved the sound of it. She held her hand up toward me, then bent and picked up the paper, stuffing it into my hand once again.

I wadded the papers and, after hitting the game-winner, hitting the wastebasket was a breeze, and it brought another smile from Diana.

“Hey, how’d you get here?”

I hated to admit it. “I rode with Mia.”

She frowned. I don’t think she cared much for Mia.

“I drove. If you want to, we can leave.”

Wait, what? Diana was inviting me to go with her? And Diana certainly wasn’t Mia. And what were we going to do after we’d left?

I shrugged, afraid to meet her eyes now. But, I’d quickly decided leaving with Diana would be…nice.

“If you want to, it’s fine,” I replied.

We got our coats, and I held the door for Diana…” I didn’t know her last name. I wanted to find out…maybe later.

She led me to her car–actually her mother’s car, and we climbed in.

“I love this car,” she said as she pulled away from the curb. It was a fairly new Honda Accord, and I was surprised how comfortable it was. My dad, and my mom too, wouldn’t be caught dead in a foreign car. My mom mostly because it was Dad’s pet peeve–all those foreign cars. I didn’t mention that, though.

“Do you get to use it much?”

“Eh, not too much. She decided it would be nice for me to go to this party.” Diana said, glancing over at me. “I don’t know why I wanted to go. Glad I did, though,” she added softly, and I thought it might be her turn to blush.

We talked a little more until we got to my house. I wanted one more look at her face before I went inside. I looked straight at her.

Diana, thanks so much for the ride.” I took a deep breath. “It was way better than riding with Mia and her friends.”

“You’re welcome. And I don’t enjoy riding by myself. Thanks for keeping me company. See you Monday in physics.”

“See you.”

I watched her drive away, a different feeling lingering after she was gone. I’d see her Monday in physics, but I’d forgotten to ask her last name. Maybe Monday.

“Where the hell have you been? I pay enough for that cell phone of yours.”

I’d forgotten to call, but… “I thought I called you.”

“No, you didn’t call. Where were you?:

“I went to a party, Dad, after the game.”

“Well, you can call. How’d the game go?”

“We won.”

“That’s good.”

Dad went to one of my games each year. That way, he couldn’t be accused of totally neglecting me. And after that one game, I got criticism for two or three days. I should have scored thirty…I should have gotten that steal…I should have stopped that drive, etc., etc. You’d have thought he was an All-American or a coach from the way he criticized me. Truth was, he’d never been involved in athletics of any kind. I didn’t miss him not being at the games.

“Hi, hon. Did I hear you say you went to a party?”

“Yeah, Mom, I did.”

“That’s nice. I hope you had a good time; you still got home early.”

That was an easy one. “Yeah, I had a good time.”

I climbed into bed and kept picturing Diana. Did she like me? Would she just laugh at me if I asked her for a date? Did I want to ask her for a date? Did I want to be normal for a change? I guess I’d find out soon.

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There was an unusual feeling in my body when I walked into the physics room–my heart was pounding. Not last-second basketball game pounding, but it was definitely beating. This was all new for me. I wasn’t sure yet whether I liked it. Shooting baskets at our garage had left me time to think…about those brown eyes and that gentle smile.

I took my seat and looked around, not sure of where Diana usually sat. I opened my notebook and had my pen at the ready when I saw her come in and sit down.

She smiled…right at me. I think I smiled back, but wasn’t sure. I think I was at basketball-pound now. She was sitting two rows further back, so I couldn’t look at her during the class. I worked to concentrate on my notes, mostly successful. We only had ten minutes between classes, but I hoped I could at least say hi.

I had my book closed and pen stowed before the bell rang. When it did, I was out in the hall and waiting.

“Hi,” she said. “Real quick, can you meet me at lunch? I have a question for you.”

“In the cafeteria?”

“Unless you have somewhere better.”

I bit my lip. “It’s warm outside. How about the stadium?”

The smile spread slowly across her face. “Cool. I brought my lunch sooo.” A questioning look.

“I’ll grab something and meet you outside.”

“Nice. I’m off to English.” A little wave and she scurried off down the hallway.

I grabbed a hot dog and a container of milk and headed outside at lunchtime.

“Is that all you’re going to eat?” she laughed.

I didn’t want to admit that I almost skipped getting any food in order to get out here faster.

“I don’t usually eat much lunch,” I sort of mumbled out, not sure I had convinced her.

She didn’t push it, and we went to the stadium. There, it was easy to sit where we wouldn’t be disturbed.

I watched her pull a sandwich from her bag.

“You like egg salad?”

“Love it.”

“Want half?” she asked, extending it toward me.

“No, no. Thanks, but that’s yours.”

“I’ll share. I have an apple too.” She chuckled. “I’m eating more than you are.”

“Um,” I said, gathering myself. “Are you teasing me?”

“A little,” Diana replied, lowering her eyes.

I took a big bite of my hot dog, enjoying what was happening. Just sitting here with Diana had me feeling…warm.

“So, did you have a question for me?”

“Oh, yeah, but first, did you understand all that stuff in physics?”

“Pretty much, yeah. Didn’t you?” As those words left my mouth, I wished I had them back. This wasn’t one of my teammates; this was…Diana. But she just smiled.

“That’s kind of what I wanted to ask you. You, um, get good grades in physics, don’t you?”

“Yeah, most of the time.” I had straight A’s in physics, but I wouldn’t tell that to Diana.”

I was surprised when she took a deep breath and looked worried.

“We have that giant test on Friday, you know.” Those big brown eyes met mine. “Is there any way you could help me study?”

I think half of my heart melted away. The look on her face…the tone of her voice…her body language. I’d never experienced anything like I was experiencing with Diana.

“Of course,” I answered. ” You should have said something before.”

“I didn’t know you before.”

But you know me now, I thought. And I want to get to know you better too. I thought it, but I could never say it.

“But you’ll really do it?”

“Yes. When do you want to start?”

“Your hot dog is getting cold, and your milk is getting warm. If you eat, I’ll think about it.”

The hot dog went in my mouth, and the milk washed it down. I was ready.

“You have basketball, and I don’t know what else, and I don’t want to, well, mess up anything.”

Diana still wore Levis and the un-brand shoes as well as the ponytail. She did have a striped blouse. Friday night, she had been plain but cute. Today she was, well, a word we’d talked about in English lit…enchanting.

“If I go home from practice and eat dinner…maybe seven-thirty. Would that be okay?”

“Anything would be okay with me.”

“You want to start tonight?”

“Really? You can do that?”

Now I had a problem. I was pretty sure that Dad would be upset with me using his truck and burning his gasoline. What the hell…I couldn’t tell Diana that.

“How about if I pick you up at seven-thirty?”

That smile again…those soft brown eyes that sparkled sometimes.

“I should be ready.” I looked away for a second. “Give me your cell number, so I can text you if something, you know, happens.” I’d said it, and I waited.

“Good idea.”

A sigh of relief as she recited her number, and I tapped it into my phone. I called the number, and she had mine.

“Uh oh. It’s time for class. See you at seven-thirty.” She smiled, jumped up, and headed for the far doors. I went to the other door, anxious for this evening.

◇-◇-◇-◇

“You sure are hurrying through your dinner,” Mom said.

“I have something I need to do this evening.”

“You’re not planning to use the truck, I hope,” Dad said, frowning at me. “What are you up to on a school night?”

“Going to study physics and help another student.”

“They can’t do their own studying?”

“They’re having trouble, and I think I can help.”

“You ain’t no teacher. How can you help.?”

“They asked me, so I guess they think I can help.”

“Stupid. You can play a little basketball, I guess. But you’re no… what subject?

“Physics.”

“Whatever. Don’t be too late.”

I gathered up my plate and dinnerware and headed for the kitchen, Mom right behind me.

“It’s awfully nice of you to help someone study.” She took my load and put it in the dishwasher. “Are you going to walk?”

“She’s picking me up.”

A huge smile filled Mom’s face. I realized I’d slipped, thank heaven, not to Dad.

“I hope you have fun.”

I shook my head. My mom was cool.

Dad was watching TV when I went out the front door–no comment from him. I had my physics book and notebook with me. I hoped I’d be able to help.

I hadn’t been outside long before I saw Diana’s Honda coming down the street.

Those brown eyes and that smile greeted me when I climbed in beside her.

“So, professor, you ready to teach me some physics?” she asked with a laugh as we pulled away.

“I hope. Thanks for, well, picking me up.”

“No problem. Just curious. What’s your dad’s car like?”

“It’s not really a car. It’s a Ford F-150 pickup truck.”

She looked at me for a moment. “Really. I’ve never ridden in a pickup truck.”

I could sure see the look of anticipation on her face. “I’ll borrow it one of these days, and we can go for a ride.”

“Listen,” she said, looking very serious. “I kinda watch you and listen to what you say. I…um…don’t want to get you into any trouble.”

Wow, that surprised me. She’d picked that up just from what I’d said…and hadn’t said.

“He’s just picky about the truck…and me driving it.” I sighed. “I’m just a dumb teenager…that I think he wishes he didn’t have.

“Wade, oh my gosh.” Diana’s eyes were wide as she looked over at me.

I don’t know why I’d said that, particularly to Diana. I was a jerk and figured that was the end of my time around her. Dumb mouth. It either said not enough…or too much.

“I’m sorry, Diana. I shouldn’t have said that. It’s not right that I dump on you that way.

She pulled to the curb and stopped, carefully turning to look at me. And there was no way I could look away from her.

“Wade Weber, since last Friday night and lunch today, I consider you a friend, and I hope you feel the same way about me. You’re not dumping on me when you share things like that. It’s what friends do, okay?”

When I didn’t reply, she asked again.

“Okay?”

“Okay,” I answered, not believing what I’d just heard. And when she reached out and took hold of my hand and said, “Then we’re friends, right?”

“Friends,” I answered and wondered. If she could read me so well about the truck, could she tell more about how I was thinking about her than I was willing to tell her?

Moving again, I couldn’t take my eyes off that face. I’d never really been comfortable looking people straight in the face and straight in the eye. Something was different about this one. When she turned her head and smiled at me, I smiled back, clinging to those brown eyes.

“You called me Wade Weber a minute ago. I don’t know your last name.”

“Kelly.”

“So, are you Irish then?”

Another chuckle. I don’t have red hair and freckles, but my dad has traced his family on that website, Ancestry. Big families, and he’s back to Cork County, Ireland. So, I guess I’m Irish. At least on my father’s side.”

“That’s neat. I’d like to find out about myself sometime.’

I got another look. “I can do that for you if you’d like, on Dad’s Ancestry membership.”

“Oh my gosh, you can?”

“Sure. Just get me your mother and fathers names and dates of birth, your grandparents too, and even further back if you can. You tutor, and I’ll do some research.”

We both laughed at that as she pulled into the driveway of a very nice-looking two-story house with a big front porch and two dormers jutting out of the roof. It was quite a bit larger than our small two-bedroom place.

“Pretty house, Diana.”

“Thanks. Come on in. I need to introduce my tutor to my parents.”

They were waiting inside the door.

“Mom and Dad, this is Wade Weber, my friend from physics class who’s going to help me do some studying. Wade, my mother, and father.”

“I know Wade Weber,” Mr. Kelly said before I had a chance to reply. “I was there Friday night and saw that shot. Nerves of steel.”

I could feel my face heating up.

“Mason, you’re embarrassing our guest.”

“I follow the basketball team, and this isn’t the first time you’ve done that, either. It’s a remarkable ability.”

So Mr. Kelly followed the team and knew about me. Diana had a huge smile on her face.

“Thank you, sir. I, well, I just like to have the ball at the end, you know.”

“That’s called confidence, young man. It’s a wonderful trait to have. You shot that ball, and I think you looked away. You knew it was going in, didn’t you?”

“It looked like it was, yes. But I was sure glad to see it in the net.”

“So was I,” he laughed.

“So, you two better get started on the studying. Where are you going to do it, Diana?”

“My room is easiest. Everything we need is there.” She looked at her mother. “We’ll leave the door open.”

I knew my face had to be even redder, but Diana was smiling warmly at me.

“I’ll surprise you with a snack later on, honey. Wade, what do you like?”

“I’m, uh, not fussy at all. Anything is fine.”

As we went up the stairs, Diana said, “My dad has been keeping track of you. He talks all the time about those last-second shots and how amazing it is to be able to do that.”

“No kidding.” Someone was keeping track of me?

“So, when I ended up with you at the party Friday, I knew you were in my physics class, but I knew you from hearing my father talk about you too.”

That smile again, and those eyes.

“I bet your dad is more proud of you than my dad is, for sure.

I snorted, and her eyes opened wide. She waited for me to explain.

“Dad doesn’t give a crap about my playing. He goes to one game a year.”

“Wade, that can’t be true.”

“He says that basketball, soccer, and baseball are my thing, and he has his things as well.” He doesn’t go to my games…and I don’t go to the bar to get drunk with him.”

I watched Diana’s hand go to her mouth. She shook her head, her eyes never leaving mine.

“If it helps, you can count on my parents being at every game to watch and cheer for you. Baseball might be more difficult, but we’ll cover it.”

“As long as you’re there…” I couldn’t finish and wondered how I’d even started.

She took my hand once more. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there, no matter what.”

There was a funny feeling in my throat that I wasn’t used to, and I had to look away. What the heck was happening?”

Diana squeezed the hand she was still holding. “Ready for physics?”

“Sure,” if studying physics meant I could be here with Diana.

She pulled off the sweatshirt she’d had on, revealing a Charlie Brown T-shirt…and a lot more of Diana than I was used to seeing. Well, actually, it was just her bare arms, but still.

There was a chair at the desk in her room, and she left for a few seconds, returning with a second chair which she slid in very close to the first one. She gestured, and we both sat down.

I began asking questions, and she answered when she could, and I quickly discovered that it was just certain details she wasn’t getting, but that was enough to keep her from getting the correct solutions to the problems.

We went to the questions at the end of the chapter in the physics book and worked our way through them, me supplying plenty of input at the beginning. Halfway through the questions, she was getting them on her own.

“How come Mr. Schacht doesn’t explain them like you do,” she said with a giggle.

“He may, but you’re just more ready to listen now.”

“Well, I’m feeling good about the test already.”

“I hope so. That’s what I want for sure.”

She peeked at me from the corner of her eye. “Can you smell my perfume?”

I’d been smelling it ever since I sat down beside her but didn’t want to mention it.

“I sure do. It’s, what, nice?” I had no idea how to describe or compliment perfume.

“Cool. My aunt gave it to me for my eighteenth birthday, and this is the first time I’ve used it. “Do you really like it?”

Couldn’t she tell that I liked everything about her…everything? “I do like it a lot.”

“I’m so glad.”

Why was she so glad that I liked it? What did it matter? As long as she liked it. That seemed the most important thing. Those brown eyes were looking at me again, and that smile. Something clicked. Why was that so important? I could think of one reason.

“I know I’m getting the physics now, but…but do you think we might be able to, well, study together the rest of this week. The physics, so I’ll get that good grade.” It seemed to be her turn to have trouble looking directly at me.

That clicked…her looking away…the perfume… It suddenly felt like eight seconds left, and I wanted the ball. Except not the ball this time.

I swallowed. “On one condition.” Now she was looking at me, and I hoped my voice didn’t tremble too badly. Last seconds, I said to myself. “On the condition that next Saturday night, when I don’t have a game, that you’ll go to the movies with me.”

“Wade, you just asked me for a date.”

Uh-oh. A deep breath. “I did.”

She grabbed my hand once more. “I’d love that. I really would.”

I felt like I was floating.

Mrs. Kelly brought hot chocolate and cookies, asked how we were doing, smiled broadly at Diana, and hurried away, leaving us alone again.

Diana pressed her arm against mine. “Want to study some more?”

We studied, and it was finally time for me to head home. I picked up my books and was ready to go downstairs when she took hold of my arm, glanced quickly at the door, rose up on tiptoes, and gave me a quick peck on the lips.

“You’re the first boy I’ve ever kissed,” she whispered.

“Same for me,” I whispered back. “I mean girl, not boy.”

I was so flustered I couldn’t do anything correctly, and we both laughed.

I followed her down the stairs, said good night to the Kellys, and wondered what she told them about why she had to pick me up. Maybe I’d ask soon.

We talked and laughed on the seven-minute drive to my house, and when I started to get out of the car, I turned and looked at Diana. She was nodding and smiling, so there was a second, very brief kiss.

“Till tomorrow in physics,” she said, “and lunch too, I hope.”

“For sure.”

Now I had something to look forward to besides basketball practice.

◇-◇-◇-◇

All week long, we eyed each other in physics class, talked, laughed, and took every chance we could to touch each other at lunch, and then had a warm and cozy time studying physics in her room. We still got snacks, but mom was announcing they were on the way as she came up the steps. Her parents were pretty cool, and I was enjoying spending time with them. Mr. Kelly often stopped me when I came through the door to review something about the last basketball game and questioned me about my plans for after graduation. I really didn’t have any and hadn’t thought much about it. Dad wasn’t interested, and Mom tried but didn’t seem to know the correct questions to ask.

On Thursday evening, Diana confronted me about that.

“So, Mr. Wade. One more regular season game, then the tournament. After that, baseball. And after that, graduation. What’s after that?”

I know I had a look of futility on my face, and I shook my head.

“I dunno. It’s not something I spend a lot of time thinking about.”

“Well, we’re going to spend some time thinking about it.”

I chuckled and hoped to change the subject. “We haven’t had our first date yet, and we have plenty of time.”

“I’ve already been accepted at two schools, and I have one more application in the works. You don’t have plenty of time if you want to be accepted.” She bit her lower lip. “Haven’t you gotten letters about basketball or baseball from some of the schools?”

“A couple from small schools. I checked with a couple of guys that graduated last year, and they got partial scholarships. I looked at the tuition for those schools, and no way will my dad pay that.”

“You’re a good student. There are grants and scholarships for that too.”

“I suppose, but I don’t know. It all seems complicated, and you have to know what you’re doing.”

“Mrs. O’Neil knows what she’s doing, and she can help you wade through all those complications.”

“You think?”

Now Diana had both of my hands and was looking at me from just a foot away.

“Wadey, you have to promise me you’ll talk to Mrs. O’Neil.”

Wadey? I wasn’t sure that Mrs. O’Neil could help, though.

“If I give you a nice kiss, will you promise?”

As difficult as it was to say, I said, “Diana, you don’t have to do that.”

I received a pouty look. “You don’t want me to kiss you.”

“I…you don’t have to…ugh…I’ll talk to Mrs. O’Neil.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

There was that smile again…and those lips that had touched mine more than once.

“I do, Diana. I really do, so much,” I nearly groaned.

So she did. A little longer this time, her perfume filling my nose, her lips clinging to mine, her arms around me, pulling me against her.

When she moved away, I think I would have agreed to anything she asked. Diana had me, and I hoped I had her as well.

We did manage to get some physics studied in between teasing, pokes, jabs, and just looking at each other. Being with Diana was better than…making that last-second shot. Way better.

Friday night, I scored nineteen points, six above my average, showing off for the four Kellys, I think. Diana’s older brother was home for the weekend and came to the game. They took me to get a burger and fries after the game. Big brother was as friendly as the rest of the family.

But Saturday was here, and it was date night. I decided to give it a try.

“Hey, Dad, I’ve got a date tonight with the girl I’ve been studying with. Can I use the truck?”

“Nice on the date, but I’m meeting Loy and Rufus at Bruno’s for a couple of beers and some basketball. Sorry.”

He didn’t look sorry. Maybe if the high school sold beer at the games, Dad might show up. Not to see me play, though.

I sent a text to Diana, and she replied no problem.

“Sorry, honey,” Mom consoled as I left. “I’d love to meet her, though.”

“You will.”

And she did. Dad was gone when Diana arrived, so I brought her inside to meet Mom. They hit it off from hello, and I promised to bring her home again.

“She’s so nice,” Diana said. She chuckled. “I see where you get it.”

When we got to the car, she grabbed my arm.

“I know you don’t drive much, but are you a good driver?”

I wondered if she was serious and why she’d asked.

“I think I am. I’ve never had an accident, or even close, really.”

“Okay, Mom said that if I trust you, you can drive the Honda tonight. She was afraid you might be embarrassed having me drive on a date.”

I didn’t know how to react to that. I wanted to give Diana’s mother a hug. Instead, I gave Diana a quick hug, closing my eyes as I did. I opened the door for her, then went around to the driver’s side and cautiously climbed in. Thirty seconds of instruction, and we were on our way…our very cautious way. It was fifteen minutes to the theater we’d chosen. Pull-in parking was a God-send–parallel parking would have thrown me.

I held her hand as we walked, bought the tickets, and went inside, holding her hand again. She’d had to remind me to let loose of her when I’d bought the tickets. When we found our seats, I saw it would be awkward to put my arm around her. I was more than content with her hand.

I held her hand in both of mine, it’s warmth and her holding on to my hand made it difficult to concentrate on the movie. She’d glance over at me occasionally with those tantalizing eyes and that smile, of course. I didn’t need a movie to entertain me.

When the movie was over, I suggested getting something to eat.

“Well, softball practice starts Monday, so I guess I can splurge. I’ll do a little extra running.”

If she could talk that way, so could I. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about along those lines, Diana.”

I got a very different look. “Do you really like the way I look, Wade?”

Was she kidding? Or was she that much like me?

“Diana, yes, I do.”

Her questioning look transformed to a wide smile. “Thanks,” she said, laying her head against my shoulder as we walked.

I wondered if she could hear my heart pounding.

The hamburgers were satisfying, and the milkshakes were too after I’d finally convinced Diana that her life wouldn’t end if she splurged one more time.

We drove to my house, and I parked under the big tree, out of the glow of the streetlight. We talked about the movie–I had little to contribute, and then about our activities. I had a game on Thursday, and if we won, a game on Saturday, too. I’d know more about times later in the week.

We drifted into silence, just looking at each other in the near-darkness.

“Kiss me,” she whispered.

I was planning on doing that, but her words had my blood heating instantaneously.

We leaned across the console, I put my hands on her cheeks, and our lips met. I heard a little sound from Diana, and her lips were pressing against mine with an ardor I hadn’t seen from her before. We separated for just a second before it was her turn to pull my lips to hers, the difference this time being her tongue pressing against my lips.

It was my turn to make the noise, and that only seemed to raise her to the next level, her tongue now probing my mouth and caressing my tongue. She seemed about ready to climb across the console to get closer…and she did, fighting the steering wheel to get onto my lap…until the horn sounded.

Diana squealed. “I’d better go in,” she said, her nose flaring with every breath, her eyes wide. This was a Diana I hadn’t seen before. I liked it and hoped I knew how to handle it…and her…and me.

I opened the door and squirmed out from under her. Diana followed me out the driver’s side door and grabbed me as I turned to face her.

“One more, Wade, and then I’d, well, better go.”

She threw her arms around me, pulled me against her, and gave me a kiss I don’t think I’ll ever forget. The feel of her body pressed against mine was intoxicating, and I hated it when she pulled away.

“Tomorrow? Please,” she said softly.

“I promise. I’ll call or text.

Wade,” she said, touching her hand to my cheek. After seconds, I got the tiptoe kiss once again. The familiarity of that simple thing was intensely warming…and intimate.

She smiled, climbed into her car, and drove away. I could see her waving through the rear window.

◇-◇-◇-◇

I lay in bed replaying the dream…and then replaying it once more. Diana. It wasn’t the first time she’d been in my dreams. But, wow, this was different. After last night and that kiss…and then the dream.

I jumped out of bed, remembering the “Tomorrow? Please,” that I’d heard, an urgency in her voice I’d never heard before.

I grabbed my phone and sent a text.

The reply was simple. will be there at 10

It was only nine-fifteen. I dressed and went to the kitchen, where I could hear things rattling.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Would you like some eggs, honey. I was just getting ready to fix some. for myself.”

“That would be good. Diana is picking me up at ten.”

“You haven’t known her long, but you’re spending lots of time with her.”

“I’ve never met a girl like her. Plus,” I chuckled, “she seems to like me too.”

The eggs were good, and I was ready for my day.

“Don’t leave me out,” she said as I went out the door. I’d have to remember that.

The Honda was there, waiting for me. When I climbed in, there was also a pair of lips waiting as well. It was not last night’s kiss, but it said that I was someone special. I hoped mine sent the same message.

“You’re driving. Where do we go?”

“Someplace we can be alone,” she replied, a serious look on her face.

“We could just go park in the back row of a shopping center lot.”

A puzzled look, almost a frown, from Diana.

“Better idea. You drive, and I’ll give directions as we go.”

We took off, heading out of town and toward the hills.

“How’d you do on the physics test?”

“I’m not totally sure, but I think Mr. Schacht will be surprised.”

.

“He’ll accuse you of cheating.”

“I’ll just tell him you helped me, and you’re a much better teacher than he is,” Diana said with a chuckle.

“Not wise,” I suggested with mock seriousness.

“But very true.”

“Thanks, Diana. More of the same this week?”

“The more we’re together, the better.”

“Where are we going?” Diana finally asked, obviously impatient with just getting my “turn here” directions.”

“Almost there,” I said, deflecting her concerns.

“Conkle’s Hollow,” she said as we pulled into the parking area. We joined four other cars.

“We can be alone…and be in an interesting place too.”

We started along the path, and we were soon swallowed by the high cliffs and rock walls of the hollow. At the very bottom, a few plants were beginning to show signs of life in the very early spring. Diana seemed to delight in pointing out all these things to me. Her excitement was quickly contagious, and we were in a competition to find the most new and fascinating things.

“There’s another level,” Diana said.

“I don’t understand.” I’d been here before, a couple of times, and there was just a path between the cliffs with a couple of side niches, and then you get to the end, turn around and head back.

“If we walk on a little further, there’s a place we can climb up, and it’s really nice up there.

“How do you know about that?”

“My brother. He explores caves, and he and some friends come here to practice their rappelling. I came with them once.”

We walked a little further.

“I think this is it.”

No one was around, so Diana started her climb, me close behind. I had to admit that her butt, even in Levis, was tantalizing in a manner I’d never experienced before. I’d seen cute butts, but Diane’s was different, I think because of my feelings for her.

Before long, we stepped out onto a large flat area with lots of bare bushes and another cliff rising fifty or sixty feet above where we were standing.

“Are you allowed to rappel up here?” I couldn’t imagine the state allowing that.

“Not any more, but they do it anyway. So far, so good.”

Diana had walked up to the cliff face and seemed to be studying the rock. She gestured to me.

“Look, back in that crack.”

I crouched and looked…a tiny flower was struggling to emerge.

“Even that small, isn’t it pretty?”

“It is. Let me pull it, and you can wear it in your hair.”

“No, no, no,” she said. “Let it grow, and one day it will be a beautiful flower.”

“But no one will be up here to see it.”

“Maybe,” she said, still gazing at the flower. Then she turned her head and looked at me. “I went caving with my brother once, and he took me to a place they’d just discovered. It was a room maybe ten-foot square and six feet tall. It was filled with beautiful formations, some pure white and some with different colors. He explained how it had taken hundreds of thousands of years for them to form…and they were still forming, even as we sat there admiring them. I was only the fourth person to ever see them after all those years.”

I thought she might be about to cry.

“And there are lots of other places like that that no one has seen…and they’ll never be seen. So there’s more to it than being seen.”

With her face so close and with what she was saying, I couldn’t keep from kissing her.

She smiled.

“It’s just life and the world we live in. The universe too. How many stars are there that have been born and died without being seen? It’s how creation works.”

Where had this Diana been hiding? But she was looking at me again.

“People, too,” she began. “Sometimes people exist but aren’t really seen. And then they’re seen for what they really are…and everything changes.”

Her words had my heart pumping, and I think I was seeing her in a new way as well. Like the little flower, Diana had been hidden, and even today, I was seeing her anew. The face, those eyes, and that smile. I’d seen them all before, but not the way I was seeing them right now.

“What are you thinking?” She asked.

“Things I’ve never thought before.”

“Care to share?”

“About that little flower and you.”

She turned her head, looking at the tiny flower, barely beyond a bud, then looked at me again.

“Go on.”

“I don’t know, sometimes. I’ve only known you a little over a week.”

“It’s been a packed full week, hasn’t it?”

“Hard to have gotten much more into it.”

“So it was a month squeezed into a week?”

“A pretty good description.”

“So, now that you’ve known me for a month, how am I like this little pinkish-red flower?”

“I’ve been alive about…two hundred and nineteen months, and I’ve known you for one–kind of. For me, you’re like that flower, beautiful and full of promise, and I want to watch you grow and bloom.”

Diana’s eyes looked “wet” as she stared at me. “This little flower will need warmth, water, and sunlight to grow. Things from the outside over which it has no control.”

“Do you have control over me?” I asked.

I received a long stare. “I don’t think it would be good if I controlled you.”

“Then I qualify.”

I wasn’t ready when she launched herself at me, arms around my neck, and we rolled over and over, the dead leaves, left over from autumn, crunching beneath us. Her lips found mind, her tongue probing, small moans escaping her throat as I squeezed her tightly against me.

The sun was bright, the air holding a touch of winter’s lingering chill as I clung to the subject of last night’s delightful dream. It was like a dream to have her here with me today. I lifted her face from mine and drank in the look of her.

“Do you like to kiss me?”

“Oh, lord, yes. And I love to dream about you too.” A small voice inside me said, “oops,” particularly knowing Diane as well as I already did.

“Wade, do you dream about me?”

“I did last night,” I admitted.

“Tell me.”

“Diana, you know what dreams can be, well, like,” I stammered.

“I do know,” she said, that huge smile on her face. “So tell me. I want to know.”

I’m not sure she was ready to know about this dream, but I knew she wouldn’t give up.

“We were, um, swimming, and you were in a…bikini.” A bit of an overstatement.

“You don’t know what I look like in a bikini.”

“The dream knew.”

“But you don’t know if the dream is right.”

“I guess.”

“You need to know.”

“Diana, what…”

She pushed me away and stood. I’m sure my mouth was hanging open as she pulled off her jacket, then the flannel shirt. Diana appeared to be shiver, standing in front of me in her plain white bra. The Levis were on their way down.

Now I was torn. She was shivering, but she was gorgeous, a sight I’d dreamed of seeing, but… I grabbed her and squeezed her against me.

“Diana, you’re just more…and to do this here and today… and you’re shivering.”

“I’m not sure it’s all from the cold,” she said against my neck.

“You’re killing me–I don’t know what to do.”

A kiss to my neck this time. “Good, then I’m in charge, right?”

“I want you to be warm and not shivering so hard.”

“But still, you’d like to see more, wouldn’t you?”

I’m an eighteen-year-old male. And I’m holding onto someone who’s worked their way into my heart. And there’s something happening inside my body that has my temperature rising, despite the cold air around me. Would I like to see more?

“You would, wouldn’t you?”

“Diana, what’s happening here? This is so…well…different.”

“I don’t know what’s happening…or why. But it is, and cold or not, I want it to happen.”

She stepped away from me and reached behind her, unclasping her bra. It hung loosely from her shoulders as she locked eyes with me, a very intense look on her face. It was up to me now.

As I reached for the straps, she smiled, and when I pulled them off her shoulders, her face turned to a look of anticipation. They weren’t huge–I knew that–but they were creamy smooth and flawless as far as I was concerned. The nipples were dark and hard, the areola crinkled from the cold. I knew how to warm them up.

When I took the right nipple into my mouth and sucked hard, my tongue caressing around and around the hard nub, a long moan escaped from the depths of Diana’s body. It filled my heart, and I moved to the other breast with a similar result. It was heaven, but I knew that, despite everything, she was still shivering.

I stooped and picked up the bra and shirt and handed them to Diana. She tossed the bra aside and put on the shirt, bending to pull up the Levis. The jacket quickly followed, and I squeezed her to me once more.

Can you fall in love with someone in one week? I’d read of love at first sight. We didn’t have that, but…

Diana picked up the bra and stuffed it in her jacket pocket.

“Last Saturday night, when you and I started talking, did you imagine that you’d have…kissed my bare breasts within a week?”

I just looked at her and chuckled, shaking my head. “It’s one day over a week,” I added. “And the answer is no, I didn’t. You’re…well, so much different than you were just a week ago. I’m enjoying it, I have to admit.”

“I feel so different now that you’re in my life. I want to do things, explore things. And I want to do all of it with you.”

“Remember this place,” I said, “because this summer, I want to come back here and see that little flower and find out how it’s doing.”

“Deal.”

We climbed down from the upper level and headed back toward the car, and just knowing that Diana was braless under that jacket and shirt gave a whole new feeling to walking along and holding her hand.

It wasn’t hard to fathom where my mind was on the ride back to my house. And Diana had thoughtfully taken off her jacket when she’d gotten into the car. While there wasn’t a lot to see, my imagination took care of filling in the blanks. The two blanks.

Diana had agreed to go shopping with her mother, so she was dropping me off at home, and we wouldn’t see each other again until Monday at school.

“Hey, Mom, how are you?” I asked as I came through the front door feeling like I was floating. But the look on my mother’s face deflated me quickly. “What’s wrong?”

She rolled her eyes and nodded toward Dad.

“Hey, Dad. What’s going on?”

“Hey, Wade. Well, nothing much…yet. I’m thinking of moving to Denver.”

It would have been nice if he’d at least looked at me when he said that

“Denver? Why would you want to move to Denver?”

” I was at Bruno’s, and several of the guys said that Denver was where it’s at. Lots of jobs with good pay, you know.”

“That’s it? Some guys said it’s great, and you’re ready to go.”

“Well, almost.”

“If it’s so good, how come your buddies aren’t heading there.”

“Dunno. They got their reasons, I guess. But here’s what I’ve got. I saved vacation, and I’ve got four weeks, so I think I’ll drive out to Denver and see what’s up.”

“Drive?” I said with a chuckle. “So what’s Mom supposed to do, walk to the store and other places?”

I received a frown for that comment. Dad didn’t think very far ahead sometimes.

“It’s a lot of money, but I guess I’ll fly then.” He shook his head and mumbled something about a freaking lot of money.

I shrugged and looked at Mom, who wore a defeated expression. She walked to me and whispered.

“I’m not moving to Denver at this stage of my life…and yours.”

“I suspect this will blow over, like all of his other schemes. It’s not like they’re waiting for him in Denver because of his multiple talents.

A half-smile from Mom, who hadn’t had an easy life, Dad providing just enough money that we didn’t starve. We had the house, and the truck was ten years old. And now he was going to fly to Denver to “see what’s up.”

I’d gone from floating on air to feeling like I was crawling in the mud. And I certainly wasn’t going to move to Denver, even if I had to drop out of school and get a job of some kind. And there was Diana.

Dad just sat there watching the television like everything was, well, normal.

It wasn’t.

And it wasn’t going to have a chance to be normal until he returned from Denver, having spent lots of our money just to find out his stupid drinking buddies were full of shit, and he wasn’t clever enough to see it.

I hugged Mom and went to my room, my phone in my hand.

is there any way I can see you

what’s wrong

long story

will pick you up in 10

at the corner

I needed to get out of the house. What would I really do if Dad said we were moving to Denver? It would totally screw up my life. I stomped along the sidewalk, trying to decide if I was disappointed, frustrated, or angry. Probably all of those. At the corner, I leaned against the light pole, kicking it absentmindedly as I waited.

I saw the Honda when it was a block away. It pulled up to where I was waiting, Mrs. Kelly was driving, and Diana was in the back seat, motioning for me to get in.

“I won’t listen if you want to talk now. Or we can park, and I’ll take a walk.”

Diana grabbed hold of my hand as I debated. I decided that Diana would probably share with her mother, so why not let her listen?

“It may not be that big a deal, and you might as well listen too.” I tried to smile, but Diana looked nervous.

“You two don’t know my dad, but, well, he gets a half-baked idea and doesn’t think about anything or anyone else.” I looked at Diana. “A couple of his drinking buddies told him Denver is a great place with lots of high-paying jobs. So he’s talking about moving there.”

Mom looked surprised, while Diana had a skeptical look.

“Are you serious?” Diana said.

“Yes…and no. He’s had crazy ideas before, but nothing ever came of them. He’s taking four weeks of vacation to “look around.”

I was enjoying Diana’s squeezing of my hand, but I was watching her mother’s changing expressions. I knew a little about their family, and I guessed she couldn’t imagine something like I was describing. I wondered what she might be thinking of saying. She finally looked at Diana and nodded.

“Wade, I just know that the young lady sitting beside you, who has never been interested in boys, is suddenly interested…in one particular boy. Based on her good judgment, Mason and I will do whatever we can to help out.” She smiled and looked at Diana. “Honey, we’ve been seeing Wade every day, and you guys have been together enough that I expect you’ve kissed at least once. I’ll turn my back. I’m sure he’d feel better if you…”

“Mom,” she said, blushing. But, once her mother turned her back, I got the kiss, and it somehow made me feel much better.

Having given Diana enough time to give me my kiss, Mrs. Kelly pulled to the curb, then turned and looked at me again.

“Wade, the last thing I want is for you to think I’m nosy and poking into something that doesn’t concern me, but…” she paused, looked at Diana, and chuckled nervously. “But, we have an interest in you and your family. So, don’t hesitate to call on us, okay?”

“I appreciate that so much, Mrs. Kelly. I don’t know what we might need, but I’ll remember.”

◇-◇-◇-◇

“You still pay all the bills, don’t you, Mom?”

“You know your dad never wanted to be bothered with details.”

“So, is his pay auto-deposit?”

“Yep, first thing every Friday.”

“Make sure you get hold of it as quickly as you can.”

“Don’t worry; your father has no idea how to do anything electronically, and he didn’t take any checks with him. He just has the money he took with him.”

I hugged my mother, who seemed surprisingly unaffected by what was going on.

“Thanks for your concern, Wade, but I’ve been through things like this before, although not quite this extreme. I’ll be surprised if he’s gone a week. I doubt if they’re paying big bucks in Denver for what your father can do. He’s a janitor and maintenance man, and he’s always made enough to take care of us, but he was always content with that. He had chances to take courses to, you know, improve and advance, but he never could be bothered.” She sighed.

I hugged her again. I was lucky to have a mother like this one. I had never realized all the things that were happening in the background of my life. That life had always been smooth and seemingly problem-free. I knew Dad wasn’t like lots of other dads since I saw them at the games where their sons were playing. It bothered me a little, I guess, but I’d never known anything different, so it seemed to be “normal.”

But now, I had people who would be coming to the games–coming especially to see me play. Basketball was nearly over, and I didn’t know what would happen with Diana playing softball. I could hardly wait.

◇-◇-◇-◇

Dad was back in four days complaining that his drinking buddies “didn’t know what the hell they were talking about.” There seemed to be similar jobs to his in Denver, but they paid similarly as well. Jobs that paid more required more than Dad could provide.

The only good thing that resulted from the little trip…well, the two good things actually were the conversation with Mrs. Kelly and Diana getting to ride in the truck. Actually, I think I forgot the most important thing–Mom and Diana got to see each other again, and they hit it off perfectly.

We lost the first game of the tournament by fifteen points, so there was no chance for a last-second shot. Life slipped back into the routine at home, except that I was gone a lot more, spending as much time as possible with Diana and with her family as well. They were so different from my parents. Actually, it was my father that was so different–Mother closely matched Mrs. Kelly. Diana’s parents laughed when they told us that, should both Diana and I have a game on the same day, one of them would go to each game.

I had met Diana at the party just five weeks ago, but I was feeling more and more a part of their family with each passing day. Plus, just being with Diana was…was…I couldn’t imagine not having that.

I’d seen Diana practicing softball one time, but our practice schedules collided, so we were usually practicing at the same time at opposite ends of the high school campus. But today, Saturday, she had her first game, and I didn’t have one, so I sat with the Kellys to watch her play.

By the third inning, my eyes were wide. I thought I was a good baseball player, but, relatively speaking, Diana was much better than I was. Every move she made was smooth, easy, and natural. It was fastpitch, and the other team’s pitcher was good, with a vicious rise-ball. But Diana was better, getting two hits and flying out to deep left field, missing a home run by about four feet. She played center field, and there was a reason for that. She could run. Her two stolen bases attested to that.

We won 3-2, and Diana had a big smile when she met us after the game.

“You didn’t tell me you were that good,” I teased.

“I don’t go two for three every game,” she answered, looking a tiny bit embarrassed.

“If you did, Oklahoma and UCLA would be camped on your front porch.”

“That’s not going to happen,” she said with a laugh.

“Too bad. A free education would be nice,” Mr. Kelly said, nudging Diana.

“I’ve been accepted at Ohio State and Otterbein, and I plan on going to one of them, depending on whether or not I want to play volleyball and softball.”

Both Kelly parents nodded their approval. I knew that they were such a close family that both Oklahoma and UCLA were off the table before they were ever on the table.

“Since we’re on the subject, sort of, I have an appointment next week with Mrs. O’Neil.”

The Kellys looked puzzled.

“She’s the guidance counselor at school. Wade’s going to talk to her about college possibilities.”

“Very nice,” Mason Kelly said. “And since both Blaine and I drove today, Diane, you’re welcome to the Honda if you and Wade would like to celebrate the win.”

I glanced at Diana, and the look on her face clearly told me her answer.

“I don’t have my key thingy with me,” she said.

Her mother obliged, and with a pair of goodbyes, we headed for the car, Diana still excited by the win and the success she’d had as well.

Once in the car, I received a smile and a kiss.

“So, what do you want to do, Miss two for three? Not to mention two stolen bases.”

“We have two or three hours of light, sooo let’s have a picnic.”

“Huh?” was the best I could come up with.

“We’ll stop at the market–they have picnic baskets made up, and we’ll go to the park.”

“Sounds like fun, but I only have a few bucks on me.”

“Wade, just because we’re dating doesn’t mean you have to support me. I have money too, and sometimes I get to treat you too.”

When I began a moderate protest, her hand reached across to shush me, but instead, it received a kiss.

It wasn’t the first time the subject of money had been broached. I had worked last summer instead of playing American Legion baseball, and I had saved three-thousand dollars, so I had money for dating. But Diana wanted to contribute, and she told me I was old-fashioned and conservative. Plus, I knew her dad was the General Manager of Acron Manufacturing and made lots of money. I’d relented a week or so ago.

We stopped and picked up a delicious-looking assortment of picnic supplies. We stopped by her house to grab a blanket, and there was no one there.

She came back to the car, tossed the blanket in the back seat, and climbed in.

“They love to go out to dinner. I bet they’re ordering steaks about now.”

Steaks. Sounded good to me. The few times I’d had steak, it was good. I looked at Diana, whose eyebrows were raised.

“Tell,” she said, her usual response when she caught me being a little pensive.

“Just thinking about steak,” I admitted.

In a moment, her face brightened. “When’s your nineteenth birthday again?”

“Three weeks or so. Why?”

Diana smiled. “Just wondered,” she answered with a wink.

Something special was going to happen…and I was already anxious.

It was another five minutes to the park, and I just looked at Diana as she drove. And each time I’d do that, I was once more dumbfounded that this sweet, attractive, and athletic young lady wanted to be with me. Going through the first three years of high school, there were no girls who wanted to be with me. At least none who acted like they did. Senior year had started the same way, and then I had let Mia talk me into going to that party. I’d thought it was a big mistake until I heard that voice say, “Hi, Wade.”

I was on the brink of totally accepting it; five or six years of just the opposite was the only thing holding me back. I knew it had been but a short time, but I was willing to admit to myself that I’d be content spending the rest of my life with her. That’s a big jump from where I’d been, but it was the way I was feeling. I wondered if she was having anything close to similar thoughts.

“So, tell,” she said again, having caught onto the fact that I was staring at her.

“I was just looking at you and thinking about how great it is to be with you and to have you with me.”

She was looking straight ahead, the heavy traffic holding her attention.

“Are you blushing?”

“A little, I guess. It’s still so hard for me to imagine having a girl like you be interested in me, you know?”

“If we weren’t in this traffic, I’d stop and show you how much I’m interested in you.”

Now it was one thing to say that, but she was nibbling her lower lip as she finished, which drove the point directly into my heart. Since that day she’d bared herself for me, she’d been a little different. Sweet and gentle until we began hugging and kissing, and then I could almost feel her body heating, her breathing speed up, and her hugs and kisses becoming more intense and…just wonderful.

Diana giggled. “I wish we were twenty-one and could have wine on our picnic. Have you had wine?”

“No wine. A few swallows of beer is all.”

“On special occasions, my parents let me have a very small glass of wine at the dinner table. It’s good.”

“I hope there isn’t any in our picnic basket.”

“Nope, we’re clear,” she laughed. “Some good food in there, though.”

She pulled into the park and parked–not too many people were here this early in the season, even though it was unusually warm. I grabbed the blanket and Diana the picnic supplies that were in a cardboard container rather than a basket.

“Shelter house or the grass?” she asked.

“A shelter house is for big groups. Picnics for two should be on the grass.”

“I agree,” she said, skipping away like someone from a Walt Disney movie, her ponytail bouncing with each skip.

I trotted behind, loving every second of her antics. At last, she stopped and set the container on the ground.

“In the car, I said I’d show you something except for the traffic. No traffic here,” she finished, walking up to me and throwing her arms around my neck.

There’s something about an outdoor kiss…at least one like Diana was giving me. I knew that, with her body pressed against me, she had to be able to feel my erection growing larger by the second.

“There, are you convinced?”

“There’s no way I could doubt that. It was, well…”

“I can see that,” she said with a giggle. “Now spread the blanket, and let’s eat.”

We did just that, Diana dipping into the container and distributing the largesse.

“Did you pick this, or was it a standard basket?”

“Yes,” she said with a giggle. “They allowed me to replace a couple of items.”

“This is great–everything I like.”

“I was hoping so.”

“You’re figuring me out, aren’t you?”

“I’m hoping so. And I hope you like apples. I subbed them for oranges.”

“Perfect,” I said, as I hated to peel oranges.

We finished the apples, and Diana had a devilish grin on her face.

“Do you like cheesecake?”

“Are you serious? Everyone likes cheesecake.” I could feel my mouth beginning to water.

Diana pulled a small box from the container and held it to her chest.

“I have it, and you don’t,” she teased.

When I reached toward her, she jumped up and moved away backward. When I started toward her, she jumped up and ran away from me.

I knew this wouldn’t be easy–Diana could run. I’d seen that at the softball game, but I wanted some cheesecake…and maybe some Diana as well. Each time I got close, she’d zig or zag, and I’d just miss her. She headed around some trees that gave me an advantage since she wouldn’t be able to dodge away in that direction. I closed in, anticipated correctly, and had her in my arms. Down we went.

“I want some cheesecake,” I said as I scrambled to grab it, Diana twisted and turned to keep it away from me. A good bit of my weight was on her now, and the cheesecake was taking a beating. I finally had it, and it went to Diana’s mouth. At first, she turned her head, then let me stuff it into her mouth. Of course, I wanted some of it too, so my mouth went to the cheesecake as well, and we were both eating, our lips and teeth coming together as we did.

It only took a few seconds for the cheesecake to be forgotten, the lips and tongues becoming much more important. I licked her face as she pulled me against her. I loved the sounds she was making, and almost before I realized it, my hand was under her shirt, her skin smooth and warm.

“Wade,” she gasped, pressing my hand to her breast.

No one could see us behind the trees…at least not at this moment, but there’d be other moments, and, as much as I’d like to pull her clothing off and let both our natures have their way, a tiny spec of reason remained.

“Diana, where can we go?” I whispered, still clutching her breast.

“I don’t know, but the car is better than this.”

We jumped up, returned to the blanket, threw everything into the container, and headed for the car. Diana had just started the car when her cell phone chimed.

“Go ahead and drive. I’ll get it.” I grabbed the phone. “Text message.”

Diana gave me her code, and I read the message from her mother.

“Hi, honey. Hope you’re having fun on your picnic. We just left the restaurant and are going to a movie. Love you.”

I looked at Diana and smiled. She smiled back, and we headed for a two-minute stop at the supermarket.

The garage door went up, and we were safely inside. Diane raced me to her bedroom, and the erotic tussle that had begun behind the trees began again. With both of us wanting the same thing, tussle was probably the wrong word, as clothing was shed in seconds.

Seeing Diana naked now was very different from my prior view. In my mind, she was perfect, and I prayed I could fulfill whatever she was expecting. I had no concerns about her taking care of me.

She wasn’t at all hesitant about being aggressive, which I loved. She pinned me to the bed with her body and her kisses, her tongue caressing mine over and over, her gasps and moans sending my arousal to new heights. Something more needed to happen.

I pressed my hand between us, then slid it between her legs. Her moans grew louder when I found a very hot and wet place. When my exploring finger found a swollen nub, she squealed. When I began touching it over and over, I began hearing my name repeated with each touch. The touching was becoming more difficult as her hips were in constant motion.

I rolled her off me and was on my hands and knees, looking down at her naked perfection. I’d seen her navel before, but when I slid my hand across her firm belly and probed that navel, she shivered and tensed those muscles. My hand slid lower and tugged at the curly hairs of her muff.

The heat and wetness of her womanhood was like a magnet to my hand, and when my fingers touched those puffy lips, I think both of us began to tremble. When one finger parted the lips and touched the pink and swollen nub once more, she jerked and moaned.

“Wade, you’re not…”

I was…and I did. And I knew that, despite her words, it was what she wanted. It was hard to keep from just looking, but we both wanted more than that. I buried my nose in her muff, and my tongue quickly found an inviting opening and pressed inside. The musky aroma was more enticing than any perfume, and Diana’s hands, locked in my hair and holding me against her, let me know I was doing something right.

I needed to explore that place my tongue had discovered, and my finger seemed to instinctively find it. Its slippery wetness seemed to be inviting me inside. It was hot and snug, and Diana’s moan lasted until my finger was entirely inside.

“Wade,” she groaned breathily. “I want to come.”

It was exactly what I wanted too, and I wondered what it would be like. I’d watched a couple of porn videos on the internet, but everyone told me they were all fake, so I had no idea what to expect. I could hardly wait to find out.

I used my lips now, sucking that nub between them, letting my tongue flick away at the tip inside my mouth. Diana’s reactions had me ready to explode as her hips were undulating up and down, with an occasional hard thrust against my face.

And the sounds.

The sounds.

My name mixed with low moans and occasional louder groans, the hip movements growing more intense with every passing second until…

A long and extended grown, her body pulsating over and over with shudders and spasms, my hair being pulled almost ferociously as she sought to keep me pressed against that wonderful pussy.

“Wade, I don’t know,” she gasped. “I’ve never…I mean, I’ve come before, but I’ve never…oh my gosh, I want that again. It was…just beyond.” She lifted my head so she could look at me. She was breathing hard, and her face was red. “I’m almost embarrassed. I never dreamed it would be like that.”

Her eyes bored into mine.

“Roll onto your back,” she said. “I want that…that cock of yours.”

The look on her face and the sound of those words made me feel like I might come just from that. But I could see she had other ideas.

“Once I saw it the other day, I pictured it over and over in two places.” I received another heart-melting look. “My mouth and my pussy. I don’t think I’ve ever said that out loud before. My pussy. You just had your face in my pussy, your lips and your tongue…and a finger two. Now,” she said, taking a deep breath, “now I’m going to suck your cock.”

She was there, her hand gripping it tightly, her lips parting, kissing it gently, then her tongue was rolling around and around the throbbing head. The lips parted, and the head was sliding between them. Slowly they moved along its length, the ridges and veins disappearing into that welcoming place. I could feel her tongue on the underside as she began working up and down, feelings like I’d never imagined swamping my body and brain.

I could barely breathe…and I knew I couldn’t last, but how could I stop the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to me, an ecstasy that I’d never imagined.

I couldn’t…and I didn’t.

“Gonna come,” I groaned, and Diana’s hand took over as stream after stream of milky fluid shot into the air and landed on my belly and Diana’s hand. My body jerked with each stream, and I hoped it would never end.

It ended in unison with the ringing of Diana’s cell phone.

“Ignore it,” I pleaded, her hand still lightly moving up and down on my erection.

She smiled at me. “It could be an emergency.”

“Can you answer without stopping what you’re doing?”

“If you get up and walk with me to get the phone.”

I watched her moving hand, not sure I could stand. “Answer it, but hurry back.”

With a reluctant look, she released me, rolled off the bed, and pulled the phone from her pants pocket. She looked sexy and alluring talking on the phone…naked. The conversation was brief.

“Mom doesn’t feel good, and they’ll be home in ten minutes.”

I grabbed my clothes and headed for the bathroom, Diana right behind me. A towel was put to good use, we scrambled into our clothing and headed downstairs.

“Turn on the TV and find a movie,” she said as she ran to the kitchen.

I fumbled with an unfamiliar remote but finally found a movie. A familiar aroma assailed my nose as Diana was back with a bowl of popcorn.

“Microwaves are wonderful,” she said as she plopped down on the couch and patted the other cushion. She took a deep breath. “Am I still flushed?”

“Deliciously so,” I replied, not the answer she wanted to hear.

“Guh. Is it really bad?”

“No, not at all,” I answered as I grabbed a handful of popcorn. “You’re pretty good in the clutch. The popcorn was like a last-second shot.”

“I don’t play basketball,” she said as we heard the garage door opening.

“Sorry to barge in on you guys like this, but all of a sudden, I felt awful. I gave it a few minutes, but it didn’t help. I’m just gonna go to bed.” She gave Diana a kiss on the cheek, then, totally surprising me, I received one as well.

I couldn’t suppress my smile, wondering if I’d have gotten the kiss if Mrs. Kelly knew what had gone on just minutes before she’d arrived home. She did look a little pale and uncomfortable as she headed for the stairs.

“Dad, would you like us to go to my room so you can have the TV?”

“Thanks, hon, but I’m going to the basement to maybe get an hour or two of work caught up.” Mr. Kelly disappeared down the basement steps.

Diana grabbed my hand and squeezed. “We were so close.”

“Maybe we could continue right here.”

“You’re not serious.” She looked horrified.

My breathing was changing just thinking about it. “No, I’m not. Even a high school student can be reasonable sometimes.”

Diana breathed a sigh of relief. If I’d wanted to, I think I could have talked her into it. Once her libido was energized, she was a different person. I was looking forward to exploring every bit of that; the possibilities were enticingly erotic.

She jumped up and ran upstairs; I thought to check on her mother. When she returned, she told me she had hidden our recent purchase just in case.

“You know,” she said, ” I think Mom called to warn us in case we were doing what we were doing.”

“Really? She’d do that?”

“She’s pretty cool.”

“But still. I mean, that’s pretty, well, open-minded, maybe?”

“Dad has a very responsible position, and Mom is involved in lots of things, but deep inside, I think they’d have been comfortable at Woodstock.”

“Really? That seems pretty wild.”

“They don’t say, but they hint that they were not inhibited at all when they were young.”

“Not inhibited?”

“They’d have been good hippies,” Diana added with a laugh.

I pictured my parents. My mom had always been content to do whatever Dad wanted, despite thinking he was wrong a lot of the time. She’d think things out, and he’d shoot from the hip, just like the moving to Denver thing. Not a lot of thought went into most of the things he did. It bothered me since I wondered how much of that DNA I had inherited.

I even wondered about the way I’d gotten with Diana. Just weeks ago, girls had terrified me. But since I’d met her at the party, she was the center of my life. Was this me not thinking things through and letting my new-found hormones take control? Was Diana right for me, or was I just overwhelmed because this was the first girl who had shown an interest in me?

And finally, was I overthinking what was happening?

It only took moments to decide. Up until a few weeks ago, I was most happy and content when I was playing basketball and baseball. Now, that had been replaced by what I had previously dreaded–a girl, and not just any girl, but the most wonderful person I could imagine. Right at the moment, she was perfect.

But there was that thing we had anticipated happening that was cut off just a mite short of what we both wanted, and more planning was certainly in order. When we talked about it that night, after her mom and dad had left, we decided we hadn’t planned what had just happened, and maybe we should just let nature take its course. No planning allowed.

It was strange. I’d always felt a certain warmth race through me whenever I saw Diana at school. Now, it was a heat that I’d never experienced that came from a new knowledge of her that I hadn’t had before. When we talked, she admitted having the same feelings.

One day she asked, “Did you ever see Mrs. O’Neil?”

“Crap, I was waiting to surprise you.”

“Surprise me with what? Tell, tell.”

“Well, I can go to Ohio State, and the grants I can get won’t cover the tuition, so I’d have to do student loans. That’s scary. But,” I said, a big smile filling my face, “Otterbein has a special kind of grant or scholarship so that it will cost less than a thousand dollars…for the whole four years. And, I can probably play basketball and baseball.”

Although the surprise hadn’t gone as planned, the hug and kiss I received more than made up for it.

We still studied together most nights, but we were usually tired after baseball and softball practices. There were a few times that we were able to watch each other play, and the ease with which Diana handled the intricacies of softball still fascinated me.

I had enrolled and been accepted at Otterbein…and so had she. It was kind of like a dream that it could happen as easily as it did. Diana’s parents were nearly ecstatic that I had gotten in–they so wanted me to go to college. My mother was equally happy. Dad was upset that it would cost two-hundred-fifty dollars a year to go, and when I told him that full tuition was nearly thirty-four thousand dollars, his only comment was that it couldn’t be worth that much.

It was a Thursday night, and since we had a game on Friday, coach had given the guys the day off. He said it made us more hungry for competition. Diana had a game on Saturday, so she’d had a hard practice. I was at her house to study ten minutes before she arrived, and I had a pleasant conversation with her mother. When Diane got there, she had a quick sandwich and an apple, promising to eat more later.

“Where’s Dad?”

“Business dinner. Big customer in town.”

“Ah, his favorite thing to do.” Both ladies chuckled.

“He hates PR,” Mrs. Kelly said in my direction. “He’d rather come home and relax after a hard day.”

“Good food, though, I bet,” I ventured.

“Sometimes, but always lots of calories.”

“Uh-oh.”

“Yeah, but listen, you two, if you come looking for me, I’ll be in the basement. I need to catch up on the laundry, and I have several dresses that need a little modification.”

“How much have you gained, Mom?”

“Would you believe five pounds?”

Diana smiled but didn’t respond.

“Ten pounds?”

“I won’t push it any further,” Diana said with a laugh.

“It’s actually eleven, but I’m not ready to invest in a new wardrobe. So, I’m exiled to the basement.

Mrs. Kelly headed down, and Diana and I headed up.

We dumped our books on her desk. She looked at me with a big smile.

“I need to take a shower. Want to watch?”

“Are you kidding?” She had already begun stripping off her clothes, so that answered my question. I took a step toward her.

“Stay away. I’m all sweaty from practice, and you don’t need to smell my B-O. If you want to get close, you’ll have to go with me while I shower.”

She was already naked, and I was reacting–her body, and everything else about her turned me on without her doing much. And the thought of watching her shower. That seemed just, well, wonderfully erotic. And we wouldn’t be interrupted…I hoped. When that thought hit my mind, it opened the door to all sorts of possibilities. I guessed that some of them had occurred to Diana as well.

The shower was a walk-in with a rain shower head and a clear glass door…perfect for watching. Diana didn’t wait and was quickly soaked, turning slowly as the water cascaded over her head and down her body. What I was seeing was spectacular–it was Diana. She wasn’t a Playboy model by any stretch, but she was Diana, firm, athletic…and perfect.

I watched her squirt the liquid soap on her chest, then spread it around, caressing her breasts, belly, and ass with the slippery suds. She was torturing me, her occasional glances telling me she was aware of what she was doing.

“Want to wash my back,” she said suggestively.

Yes, I thought, and everything else too. “Sure would,” I replied eagerly. But Diane was rinsing under the shower head and not moving closer to the door. “Are you going to come closer?”

“No.”

It only took an instant for me to understand, and as I unbuttoned my shirt, the look on her face told me this was part of her plan. Naked, I opened the door and stepped inside, immediately reaching for one of those firm and perky breasts.

She stepped away. “Wash me first, then we’ll see about…other things.”

Washing her was a very attractive alternative to what I’d had in mind. She helped by squirting my hands full of soap, and I began running those hands up her soft, smooth, and subtly muscular back. Of course, another part of her needed washed as well, and my hands dropped to her deliciously firm and squeezable butt. After rubbing and squeezing, I slid my finger between her cheeks and slowly moved from top to bottom.

“Wade,” Diana gasped as the finger touched that special place.

“I have to wash everywhere, Diana.”

“Yes, you do,” she said, and it seemed she extended that ass toward me.

Two or three more trips up and down, and my finger seemed to have a mind of its own and kept moving to between her legs. Diana groaned and spun around to face me. Her lips were on mine, her tongue probing, searching, as her hot and wet body pressed against mine. Her hand found my erection, and she pulled me out of the water, her eyes locked with mine.

Still clinging to me, she reached up to a shelf and handed me a small packet. We’d been interrupted the last time, and Mrs. Kelly was in the basement now. At least, I hoped she was still in the basement.

“Here?” I questioned. This was all new, and doing it in the shower had never crossed my mind.

“You’re naked, and I’m naked.” She dropped to her knees, and my cock found its way to her mouth.

It was a feeling like no other, and I bent at the waist, nearly collapsing.

“I’m ready,” I groaned.

She watched as I tore open the packet, then rolled it onto my erection, a look of anticipation on her face. I’m sure it matched mine. When I finished, she stood, put her hands against the wall, spread her legs…and waited. It was the butt I had just washed, but, leaning forward with her legs spread, I was seeing what I wanted to see…and wanted.

I stepped between her legs and grasped my erection, pressing it against her two pink and puffy lips. Pressing a little more firmly separated them, and the head was inside, and even that feeling was beyond description. It was just a tiny bit, but the little moan from Diana multiplied the ecstasy I was feeling. I took hold of her hips and pulled her against me, slipping deeper inside that warm, wet, and wonderfully snug place that I’d been yearning for.

“Oh, Wade, yesss,” Diana moaned, pressing that enchanting ass back against me, which filled her completely. I moved her away from me, then pulled her back again. The feelings were unbelievable, and, despite thinking I would take my time and make this last…forever if I could. But my body wasn’t listening and was moving faster and faster, the noise of the shower not able to drown out the loud slapping sounds of two bodies caught up in newfound ecstasy.

Far too soon, I felt my muscles tensing and the beginnings of the spasms in my groin. I groaned loudly with each spasm. When they ended, I reached around Diana, squeezed her breasts, and pulled her upright and again me.

“I was afraid it would never happen,” she whispered.

“You’re silly. It was going to happen–we just didn’t know when or where.” I kissed her neck. “And I never expected this.”

She turned, and we kissed like we’d never kissed before.

“And now for you.”

“Wade, I think we’d better not take any more chances. Let’s get dressed and study.”

That wasn’t exactly what I was looking forward to. “I’ll just lock the door, and we won’t be disturbed.” I received the look.

I wrapped the condom in toilet paper and flushed it. We dried, dressed, and scurried back to Diana’s room. The way my heart was still pounding was going to make studying difficult. We had just begun to chat and review what had just happened when there was a light tapping on the door…which was open.

“Got some clean clothes for you, honey. How’s the studying going?”

Mrs. Kelly always asked that. I think it was her way of teasing us.

“We have really learned a lot already today,” I said enthusiastically.

Diana rolled her eyes but took the clothing from her mother.

We were alone again, and the clean clothes were put away. I received a wary look from Diana.

“Wade, I don’t trust that look.”

“I like to always be ready.”

“And you think I should be ready too?”

I nodded. “Very loose or stretchy shorts…and no underwear.”

“Really?” she questioned, biting her lower lip.

I nodded again, wondering what her response would finally be. I didn’t expect it to happen so fast. She went to her dresser, pulled off her shorts and panties, her bare butt right in front of me. The shorts she pulled out from the bottom of one of the drawers were knit…and way too large for her.

“An Amazon mistake. They said to just keep them. I never dreamed they’d be…useful one day.” She chuckled nervously.

The book and notebook were opened, and we sat at the desk a little awkwardly, but this wouldn’t be a normal study session.

“Start reading aloud at section 8.2,” I instructed as I put my hand on her knee.

“Wade,” she said, almost pleading with me, but she began reading.

Her thigh was smooth and warm but not as warm as the place my exploring fingers discovered. When I found that slick and engorged nub, Diana’s body reacted, and so did her voice. It was one word at a time now, with gasps and moans punctuating each one. She’d spread her legs to help, and I watched her face as she struggled to keep her eyes open, finally losing the battle.

“Coming,” she said breathily, tiny moans accompanying each hard spasm. They continued for long seconds until Diana collapsed onto the desk, panting.

“Love these shorts,” I said, withdrawing my hand.

“I may wear them more often when we study,” she said without lifting her head.

Study sessions could certainly be getting more interesting.

I remembered that party that Mia had dragged me to, enjoying my embarrassment. I’d sunk the last-second shot and was the hero–except at the party where there were girls. I had no idea what to do…until Diana said hello. It wasn’t instantaneous, but a gradual process, and I loved both the process and the result.

A few days later, it was at our last baseball game, the league championship game, when I finally got my chance. It was 4-2 against us in the last inning. I came up to bat with two on base and hit a homerun. We won.

Mia ran up to me, and I got a big hug. “Great job, Wade,” she squealed.

I returned her hug with a big smile. “Thanks; I appreciate that coming from you.”

I received a puzzled look from Mia and an arm around my waist from Diana, followed by a high-five from Mr. Kelly. Diana stood on her tiptoes and whispered in my ear.

“You’re my hero, and I love you.”

I gave her a quick kiss…and received an amazed look from Mia.

“Want to do some studying?” Diana asked with a chuckle.

Since we were going to be attending college together, we’d probably be studying together. If so, I needed to get a pair of large, stretchy shorts so I could enjoy the full benefits of, well, learning together.

I could hardly wait for the next segment of my life…our lives. If it was anything like the past few months, it would be amazing.