Chapter 20: "Things Aren't Always What They Seem"

Fast forward several months later. Derek was sitting on his bed; staring at the door. He was waiting. He was praying. He was hoping beyond hope that he had been wrong. Now all he could do was wait.

The day after Ranna Preema's ill-fated date with Paul Prescott had been a busy one for Derek and his friends. It began quite pleasantly for Derek.

"Good Morning, sleepy head," grinned Sandy from her bed, looking at the man she was sharing it with.

"Hey yourself," he smiled. "Some night we had, huh?"

"It wasn't so bad. The results were everything we had hoped for."

"Despite not going to the movies," he laughed.

"Despite not going to the movies," she agreed. "The important thing is that we have Ranna and Rogesh back with the program."

"You were kind of rough with them."

"I know. I didn't like it, but I sensed that Ranna was going to be greatly affected by what almost happened to her. I didn't give that a chance to happen. I gave her something else to worry about that actually left her happy and grateful."

"What about the naked photos of Ranna?" asked Derek suspiciously.

"What? You want to see them?" she smirked.

"Well, she is a hot girl," he laughed. "Seriously, you can't just leave those on your phone.

"I didn't. I deleted them last night. There aren't any more copies."

"But Rogesh said..."

"That I e-mailed them to somebody? I lied," she laughed.

'That's a relief. I'd hate something like that getting out by mistake."

"Give me a little credit..." she started.

'I give you a lot of credit," he interrupted before kissing her. She gave him a bright smile.

"Still, eventually we'll need to tell Ranna."

"I will once I'm convinced that she and Rogesh are serious. I'll probably give it a month or so," smiled the blond.

"Well, they're off to a good start," laughed Derek." I was shocked by how affectionate they were when I drove them home last night. I had a hard time separating them when we got to her house."

"Good. I could tell Ranna was scared and pissed at me, but she did confess that she had treated Rogesh like shit. I think part of her is happy to be able to repay him for his kindness, loyalty and bravery."

"Even if it means sex?""

"Well, I'm not making them go all the way," complained Sandy. "Besides, you know how wonderful everything turned out with me, you Maya, Chantelle and Mindy. Maybe giving a little loving to Rogesh will be just what she needs to understand what it means to love somebody."

"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt," admitted Derek.

"Also, it looks like Kyle and Tara are getting close. I think they are almost ready to learn the truth. I may tell Tara today, but we should probably avoid telling Kyle for a bit longer."

"Speaking of Tara, we'll be meeting her and Kyle along with Chantelle, Maya and Mindy at St. Agnes in a couple of hours."

"And your friend too, right?"

"Apparently."

"Well, I think we might have time for a little fun," she husked.

"Maybe, but we have a quick errand to run on the way."

"Where?" she asked.

"It appeared that my careless teammate, Ryan seemed to have dropped his phone last night. Good thing I picked it up," he laughed.

Sandy cracked up before Derek pulled her into his arms. She then proceeded to kiss her boyfriend while her hand found his hardening member and rubbed it on her moistened pussy before inserting it into her.

Kyle answered his cell phone. "Tara! Are you OK this morning?"

"I'm fine Kyle. The question is: How are you and are you still on for this morning."

"We're still on and I am bit scraped and sore, but not too bad."

"Did your parents notice?"

"Yeah ... I told them I tripped on the curb. They believed me because I'm such a klutz," he laughed.

"You seemed pretty graceful and coordinated to me," she said with a smile he could feel and almost see.

Kyle blushed and got shy.

After an extended moment, she asked, "Kyle?"

"I'm here," he murmured.

"I was proud of how brave you were last night."

"I wasn't going to let anyone hurt you."

"I felt the same way about you," she smiled with her own blush.

There was dead air for a few seconds before she uttered a quick, "My folks and I will pick you up in about an hour and a half."

"OK," he said before the line went dead.

Tara sat on her bed and realized that she was having some feelings for Kyle that she didn't think she would be having. She wasn't a snob, but they certainly ran with different crowds. Still, lately she was hanging out with her fellow cheerleaders and Kyle's friends, as their groups had kind of merged. Three of her JV teammates were dating his friends and Sandra was dating Derek. Even Ranna was kind of dating Rogesh (sort of against her will). Strangely, Sandra had not demanded that Tara really date Kyle, like she had with the others. Tara was just to give the world that impression and let him escort her to his Prom as a friend. At the time she had been grateful, but now she was feeling sad. She thought that she was developing a crush on Kyle. Her confidence was improving as her appearance and figure improved. Kyle was becoming more and more physically attractive as he got in better shape.

Tara had had crushes in the past. She had even been hurt by boys who tricked her into believing they cared for her before either trying to embarrass her or trying to use her body for their own pleasure. Her parents had raised her not to be promiscuous and to be careful who she shared her treasures with, so they remained unshared. Kyle would not be like those boys. She knew he honestly cared for her.

Now, she felt it would be easy to consider dating Kyle, if he had not told her from the onset that he just wanted to be friends. She felt a tear run down her cheek, before wiping it away and walking down to breakfast.

When Derek and Sandy entered the fellowship hall at St. Agnes, they were greeted by an interesting sight. He saw Chantelle and Mindy looking on with concern. Derek's mind controlling "friend" had his arm around two women. One was a young, stunningly beautiful honey blond. She could have been a model or a movie actress based upon her beauty and curvaceous figure. The other girl was Derek's Maya. Both girls were smiling ear-to-ear, as was the man.

"Hello Derek. I see you made it," he smiled, before noticing his look of concern. "Don't worry. Maya here came up to me and gave me a big hug. Apparently she's grateful to me for giving her to you."

Maya picked that moment to break free from the stranger's arm and ran to give Sandy and Derek hugs. When she got to Derek, she whispered in his ear "I'm yours forever, Master."

Derek groaned inwardly, but hugged the Latin beauty back tightly.

"Looks like she's going to be with you for a long time," the man laughed. "Oh, how rude of me. I haven't introduced you to 'my Harmonica'," he said. Derek saw the woman rolled her eyes and break the man's grasp to hug the newcomers.

"Hi, my name is actually Harmony Monica Lewis," she said with a moderately heavy southern accent. "Joshua has told me so much about you."

Derek mouthed "Joshua?" and the man nodded. Derek then returned his attention to the beautiful woman talking to him. "It's nice to meet you, Harmony. So 'Harmonica'?"

"Yeah my parents either had a nasty sense of humor or were pathetically unaware," she laughed.

Derek marveled. Harmony did not seem like a slave; just a sweet, southern belle. "Well, your significant other has a good time with the name."

Harmony rolled her eyes yet again. "Tell me about it."

"C'mon hun, it's all in fun?" laughed Joshua.

"Uh ... Sugar?"

"Yes, dear?"

"You're rhyming again."

"Oops," he laughed, before turning to Derek. "Tara and your friend Kyle are already in the kitchen putting supplies away. I need two people to help them and the rest of you can sweep the hall and start getting tables ready for the lunch crowd. Harmony and I will check on the stew."

"OK, Maya and Sandy please go help in the kitchen. Chantelle, Mindy and I will start cleaning."

"OK, honey," smiled Sandy as she leaned in and kissed Derek. Not be outdone, Maya copied her.

When the four had left for the kitchen, Mindy and Chantelle ran to Derek. Mindy spoke first. "OK, Derek, what's going on here? We came in and that monster was here. He said his name was Joshua Smith and that he ran the soup kitchen."

"He's not really a monster. He's just a powerful guy with some impulse control issues. My advice is to be nice and respectful to him. Then he won't give you any problems."

Chantelle said, "Here's the thing. Ever since we got here Maya has been acting really strangely. When she saw him, she ran to him and gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. He put his arm around her for the five minutes before you got here. He whispered in her ear and she just kept nodding and smiling."

Derek frowned slightly. "Why don't you two get those brooms and start sweeping? I think I need to go in and check on Sandy."

Ranna Preema was sitting on her bed, lost in thought when her cell phone rang. She smiled when she saw who was calling.

"Hey Ranna. Just checking to see if you are OK." said Rogesh.

Ranna was still numb from last night. She had nearly lost her mind when Sandra had threatened to prostitute her to Ryan Costello. She felt her sanity was teetering on the very precipice of a bottomless pit. Then she saw the rope Sandra had tossed her. The rope's name was "Rogesh". The lifeline that had dangled before her was the young man whom her parents had admired and wanted for her. He was smart, sweet, loyal and even kind of cute. Her mind grasped that rope and held on for dear life. "Dear Rogesh ... sweet Rogesh ... loyal Rogesh ... brave Rogesh ... handsome Rogesh..." In that moment, his virtues flooded her trauma addled mind. Rogesh would be her savior. All she needed to do was to make him happy. She needed to touch him and to be touched, as she wanted to do with other boys. Was not kind, sweet, brave Rogesh as worthy as any man she had ever thought of in this way? Was not this a price she was not only willing to pay, but a payment she was longing to make?

Last night, after Sandra had left the room, Ranna had eagerly repaid Rogesh for everything he had done for her. In return, he repaid her with the pleasure of his touch. Once their awkward groping of each other became a bit more practiced, they realized that despite everything, they would find mutual happiness and pleasure in this arrangement. It was with this happiness, Ranna responded. "I'm fine. I'm just counting my blessings."

"Ranna ... about last night..."

Ranna grinned. "There is nothing to be said. I'm yours. Considering everything, that isn't such a bad thing."

"I'm just not happy how it all came about. Sandra is making me take advantage of you."

"Rogesh, honey. Listen to me. I'm not doing anything I don't want to do."

"You mean you wanted this to happen?"

"You defended me against Paul and you didn't give up even when I told you to go away."

"Derek told me he was working with a friend of his who is a state trooper to take care of Paul and his friends," reported Rogesh nervously trying to change the subject.

Unknown to Ranna and Rogesh, Derek had used his abilities on the miscreants to ensure that they were cocky enough to return to the "House Plant" that very night. Laura's new boyfriend, Liam, and several other troopers would be waiting to catch them in the act with their contraband of alcohol and underage girls.

Ranna sighed, realizing what he was trying to do. "Honey, that's good, but don't change the subject. You have constantly defended me. You even defended against Sandra. Anyway, I find all of that quite endearing. I think it's incredibly sexy too."

"Me sexy?"

"You're as cute as a button, but you were so brave too. I find that quite hot. Do you know what else I feel is sexy?"

"What?"

"That you care for me. I know you won't hurt me. My parents love you, so I know I can see as much of you as I want."

"I hope that's a lot."

"So do I, honey," she laughed.

Rogesh got serious. "But what about the photos?"

"I'm guessing that if Sandra really wanted to use them, she would have. I think she just wanted me to see what a stupid bitch I had been about you and she was right."

"You weren't a stupid bitch!" he defended.

Ranna laughed.

"What's so funny?" he responded.

"I'm just thinking about how lucky I am that you like me, because you're simply amazing!"

Rogesh and Ranna's bright smiles could not be seen by the other, but that did not make them any less real.

When Derek got into the kitchen he saw Kyle, Tara, Harmony and Maya putting away some recently purchased food. "Hi guys, where's Sandy?"

"Hi Derek, she's with Mr. Smith over there," smiled Tara. Derek turned and saw his girlfriend in the same position his sex slave was in just about five minutes ago. Mr. Smith had an arm wrapped around her waist and was whispering in her ear. Sandy was nodding with a big smile plastered to her face.

"Sandy!" yelled Derek.

"Hi Derek!" she cried. She pulled out of Joshua's arms and ran to Derek. She kissed him as if she hadn't seen him in a month.

Joshua Smith walked over to Derek and smiled. "Two down ... two to go..." he whispered.