Chapter 16: License and Registration

August 1980, Milford, Ohio

Late on Wednesday evening Dad met my flight at Greater Cincinnati airport. He let me drive home so he could be sure I was ready to take my driving test. When we arrived home, he told me he was satisfied with my driving and he would take me to the BMV on Friday. We talked about buying the car and he offered to co-sign a note for me, so I didn’t have to use all of my savings to buy the car. He figured that if I put down $3000, I’d have payments of about $130 a month for two years. That was something I could easily handle.

Dad also said that he had talked to his accountant, Ken Dugan, and they would set up a subchapter-S corporation for Beth and me to run our computer business. He asked what I wanted to name it and I told him to call it AP Software for our last names. We’d probably come up with something better later. Once they formed the corporation, we could open a bank account.

I went to the kitchen to grab something to eat and Stephanie came in to talk to me.

“So, how did things go?” she asked.

“Pretty good, though Katt’s changing, and that complicates things a bit.”

“Changing? How so?”

“I think she realized that she’s really lonely, and that she needs to balance her life a bit. She also changed her tune about waiting until she was thirty to have a serious relationship.”

“Didn’t you tell Jennifer it was going to end?”

“I did. That’s what I thought was going to happen. But I figured it would happen naturally over time. Now I’m not sure.”

“So what are you going to do, Big Bro?”

“If Jennifer were here, it would be different, but she’s not. So I’m going to go see Katt compete in Indianapolis at Thanksgiving. She also invited me to see her compete in Columbus around New Year’s, but I need to figure out if I can go to Seattle during Christmas break or not.”

“You have to go see Jennifer! You know it!” she said, suddenly worried.

“I know, but I have to talk to Jennifer about it. I don’t know what her family will be doing during Christmas break. I could go during Spring Break!” I teased.

“Only in a coffin, Steve,” she growled in a low voice. “I told you that before!”

“I’m just teasing, Squirt, you know that. I’m just afraid I won’t see Jennifer until next Summer.”

“Are you going back to Colorado?”

“Not anytime soon. It’s expensive. I’ll see Katt at Thanksgiving. Maybe three months apart will cause her to change how she feels.”

“How do you feel about her?”

“I really like her. She’s fun; and actually, she’s really devoted to me. She changed her practice routine in Sweden and canceled one in Colorado because of me. For her, that’s huge and according to Mikael and her parents, she’s never done anything like that for anyone before.”

“Are you thinking that she could replace Jennifer and Karin?”

“I’m not thinking that far into the future, Squirt. Right now, I’m taking things as they come. That’s what Jennifer told me to do, and she’s right. Whenever I think about long-term stuff, bad things happen or I get obsessed.”

“True. That is when you become a fucking idiot, Big Brother!” she giggled, winking she turned to walk away.

“Gee, thanks, Squirt,” I said to her back, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

I finished eating and went to my room. I pulled out my journal and tried to make sense of my feelings. After some thought, I realized that once Jennifer had left, I had more or less reverted to what I had been doing in Sweden. I was away from Jennifer there, and now I was away from her here. In Sweden, I had Katt and Pia. Now I had Katt again, though at a distance. What I was doing with Elyse, Joyce, and Kathy was looking for someone like Pia.

At this point, all I could do was talk with Jennifer on a regular basis and hope that I could see her before the Summer. We did need to agree on which cities we’d apply to colleges in. I had done a bit of research and Chicago and Boston seemed like good options — lots of different schools and plenty of choices. Even if we couldn’t find a single school to go to, we could at least be close. Of course, I would also apply to Dartmouth as my school of last resort, but I was sure that I could get into any college I wanted, so long as I did OK on the SAT and ACT tests.

I put the journal away and climbed into bed and fell asleep.

On Thursday, once it was late enough, I called Melanie and arranged to see her and Pete on Friday evening. They would be leaving on Sunday to head to Ohio State. I called Joyce to confirm our date on Saturday. Finally, I called Bethany and asked if she was busy for lunch. She told me to head over whenever I was ready. I told her I’d get my bike and head over right away.

Bethany greeted me with a hug and we went to sit on the deck in her backyard. We talked a bit about my relationships and my confusion about Jennifer and Katt, as well as Joyce, Elyse, and Kathy. She tried to keep it hidden, but I could tell she was uncomfortable. Perhaps Bethany, unlike Sofia, couldn’t maintain a platonic relationship with me.

It dawned on me that I might have miscalculated. It had been Sofia that had put an end to our sexual relationship, but in this case, it had been me. I had made a serious error in judgment and now I had to figure out what to do about it. I certainly wouldn’t be able to talk to Bethany about my relationship issues. That made it hard to consider her my best friend.

“You seem uncomfortable,” I said gently.

“It’s difficult to talk to you about stuff like this,” she said.

“I know. I guess I should have known before I shared all my relationship concerns with you.”

“It’s so hard to hear you talk about other girls when I want to be with you myself.”

“We talked about that.”

“I know,” she sighed. “I know you just want to be friends, but can’t we be friends and still have sex?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea! I can’t be what you want me to be. I don’t want to take advantage of your feelings for me.”

“I don’t see how you can think it’s taking advantage of me. Yes, I have feelings for you, I admit that. But you aren’t lying to me or trying to trick me or lead me on.”

“I know what you really want. I’m really afraid that if I have sex with you, you’ll hold out hope that in the end I’ll commit to you and we’ll be a couple, get engaged, get married, and have kids.”

“Isn’t it up to me to decide what I want to do?”

“This is something we both have to agree on,” I said gently.

“I have a question for you, and I want an honest answer,” Bethany said.

“Of course. I’ll always be honest with you.”

“Don’t you have sex with girls that you have no intention of ever having a relationship with?”

“Yes, but...”

She cut me off.

“In fact, don’t you have sex with almost any girl who asks, at least if she’s not involved with someone else?”

“I do, but...”

Again, Bethany cut me off with a wave of her hand.

“Didn’t you have a friendship and sex relationship with Melanie?”

“Yes,” I said, figuring that another question was coming.

“That’s what I want. An occasional thing like you had with her. Exactly like you had with her. I mean, everything you did with her, Steve Adams!”

“Do you even know what you’re asking for?”

“Yes, I most certainly do. And I’m asking you to take me upstairs right now and fuck me. I want you to fuck me with no commitments and no expectations. To fuck me just for fun.”

“Bethany!” I gasped.

“Did you hear me? Are you even listening to me? Take me upstairs and fuck me. Right this instant!”

I realized that no matter what I did, I ran the risk of losing a friend. In the end, it really was up to Bethany. I hadn’t misled her or lied to her. She knew exactly where we stood. I stood up and took her hand and led her into the house and up the stairs to her room.

I pulled her to me and we kissed, our tongues twisting and twirling around in her mouth. I broke the kiss and unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it off. I released the clasp of her purple satin bra and she let it fall away. I leaned down and sucked her nipple into my mouth, moving my hands to her jeans. I unbuttoned them and pushed them down, along with her purple satin panties. I released her nipple and helped her step out of them. I pushed her back onto the bed and spread her legs.

I put my hands behind her butt and lowered my face to her pussy, and gently licked it from bottom to top. I pressed my tongue deeply into her pussy and moved my tongue around. Bethany was moaning and started slowly moving her hips. I pressed my tongue directly on her clit and her body shook. Bethany groaned and arched her back to press her pussy hard against me.

I quickly took off my clothes and lifted her legs, placing her ankles on my shoulders. I pressed my dick against her dripping pussy and pushed hard, sinking deep into her in a single stroke. I began pounding her hard, slamming my body into her, ensuring my dick reached as deeply as possible with every stroke. Bethany grunted each time my pelvis hit her body. Her breathing quickly grew ragged. A few more hard thrusts and I felt her entire body go rigid and she let out a loud groan and her pussy spasmed hard. I continued thrusting into her through her orgasm and felt her clamp down hard on me. One more deep stroke and I fired jet after jet deep into her pussy.

I withdrew my dick and lowered Bethany’s legs. She sat up with a smile on her face.

“That was exactly what I asked for,” she said, standing up. “Now we can have lunch.”

I walked to the bathroom and used a washcloth to clean up, then went back to Bethany’s room and dressed. Bethany dressed, and we went down to the kitchen. She made sandwiches and set out some chips. She grabbed a couple bottles of Dr Pepper from the fridge and we sat down to eat.

“Are you sure about this? Do you really know what you’re asking for?”

“You told me everything you’ve done. I almost asked you before you went away, but chickened out at the last minute. Don’t you remember the conversation?”

“Yes, I do. I’m just not sure that’s the right thing for you.”

“Let me decide that! I want everything. If you want two or three girls at a time, I’ll set it up and participate! I want you to take my last cherry!”

“Where did this come from?”

“Can’t I just like sex? If you’re telling me the truth, Melanie and Jennifer liked it, and so does Katt. Why am I different?”

I stopped myself from saying it had to do with the fact that she was a rape victim. Her entire life was focused on being treated like a normal girl. The thing was, I didn’t really think this was a good idea. The only thing that gave me pause was that we did have something of a connection. But I couldn’t be who she needed me to be.

“I still think this is a really, really bad idea. It feels to me like you’re trying to be something you aren’t because you think that’s what I want. You’re wrong. You’re completely wrong,” I said, quite sternly.

She sat silently, just staring at me.

“I think it was wrong to go upstairs with you before,” I continued. “I should have said no! You don’t want to be like this. It’s not you and I’m positive you’re doing it all for the wrong reasons. So, no, I don’t want you to be like Melanie. I won’t do those things with you.”

She just stared at me as tears ran down her cheeks.

“It has nothing to do with treating you like a normal girl,” I said, “and everything to do with treating you like my friend. And that’s what we have to stay. I can never be what you want or need, Bethany. I know myself well enough. And you can’t be Melanie because you aren’t Melanie.”

Bethany got up from the table and ran upstairs to her room. I got up and followed her and found her face down on her bed, sobbing. I sat next to her and stroked her hair while she cried. It took about ten minutes for her to finish crying and regain her composure. She sat up and I hugged her. I released her and she turned so I could hold her in my arms.

“I’m so sorry. I made a huge mistake. Can you forgive me, please?”

“Of course. I made a huge mistake as well.”

“No, you didn’t. You did exactly what I asked you to. I liked it! And I would have liked all those other things, too, but you’re right, I would have done them for all the wrong reasons.”

“I still shouldn’t have done it. I should have better self-control.”

“Please don’t blame yourself. Let me be your friend. I promise to try to behave.”

“Good! Now, let’s go talk so I can get your advice.”

Bethany and I talked for a couple of hours. She expressed some concern about Katt, but thought I was right that the three months we’d be apart would help clarify things. She thought that Elyse and Joyce were smart to take things slow, and thought that was good for me as well. When we finished talking, we hugged and exchanged a quick peck on the lips and I headed home.

On Friday morning, Dad took me to the BMV to take my driving test. I passed the written test with a perfect score and I scored 95 out of 100 on the driving portion. I lost points for swerving around a garbage can that was in the street and crossing the center line without signaling. I thought that was bogus, but I wasn’t going to argue with the examiner. I walked out of the BMV with my license. Now all I needed was a car!

When I arrived home, I remembered that I needed to change my appointments with Doctor Mercer to a time after school. She had Mondays at 4:00pm open. We agreed on that time, but I said I’d miss a week because I wouldn’t be able to drive to school on Monday.

Late Friday afternoon, Pete and Melanie picked me up, and we headed to Pete’s favorite diner by Eastgate Mall. I was really happy for Pete and Melanie. Things were going well, and they were going to college together, just like I hoped Jennifer and I would be doing a year from now. Of course, we wouldn’t be engaged, but we’d take one step at a time.

“How are you holding up?” Melanie asked.

“Pretty well, actually. I’ve tried to put myself in the same mindset I had in Sweden. I’m not happy about being apart from Jennifer, but I have to find a way to deal with it. Of course, I’m not happy about being away from you, either!”

“We won’t be that far away. Aren’t you getting a car tomorrow?”

“Yes, that’s the plan. I’m buying the Trans Am, but probably with a normal V-8 rather than the Turbo. I just can’t justify the extra cost.”

“Then you’ll be able to come see us. It’s a short drive, really. I went up to see Pete a lot while you were gone.”

“I know, but school just won’t be the same without you and Jennifer.”

“You’ll be fine. You were fine in Sweden.”

We finished our meal and Pete drove us back to Melanie’s house. I was not surprised when Melanie suggested we go into the sauna. I also wasn’t surprised by her comments.

“Steve, can I get a goodbye present?” she giggled.

“Talk to your fiancé, Melanie. I won’t touch you without his express permission and he’s given permission for hugs and, because you’ve been kissing me, for kisses. Everything else is off limits, including your little fantasy!”

“You could give me a hug and a kiss right now!” she smirked.

“I could. And then Jennifer would have to fly back for my funeral after Pete killed me with his bare hands,” I chuckled.

“Petey, you wouldn’t kill Steve for hugging and kissing me right now, would you?”

“Melanie, you’re pushing it,” I said. “Look at Pete’s face. Back off!”

Melanie pouted, but Pete’s neutral face turned to a grin and he winked at me. After the near disaster of a few weeks before, I wasn’t going to give Melanie any wiggle room on this at all. Pete was not interested, and even if she somehow managed to convince him, I’d never be able to do what she asked.

When we were done in the sauna, we dressed and went downstairs to have some Cokes. After a couple of hours of conversation with some mild teasing, they drove me home. I shook Pete’s hand and gave Melanie a hug. I didn’t resist the searing French kiss she laid on me and saw Pete once again roll his eyes. It appeared that this was going to be something Melanie did for as long as I knew her. That kiss was a clear ‘I want to fuck you silly’ message and I think even Pete knew that, but he seemed OK with it.