Chapter 7

“You haven’t been staying up all night?” The best part of being elected Sheriff was having better control of her hours. Most mornings, there was reason enough for her husband to be out the door and to the hospital. It fell on Elizabeth to browbeat her children to school.

“She wasn’t in her bed when I had to pee last night,” Victoria said around a spoonful of Cheerios, the sugariest cereal in the Shannon household.

“I had a paper to finish,” Avery yawned, “I got it done.”

“You need sleep,” The Sheriff countered, “You can’t just pass it off on Curtis like your other chores.”

“Huh? What?” Curtis blinked up from staring emptily at the back of the cereal box.

“You look like death, Avery,” Elizabeth continued, “If you didn’t blush you’d be pale.”

“I’m practically see through anyway,” Avery pinched her fair skin on the back of her hand.

“Say something to your daughter, Luke,” The mother begged the father who was uncommonly drinking a morning cup at the table.

“Victoria, button your shirt up more,” He said lazily, “David’ll be here soon.”

“Yeah, no one needs to see your boobs,” Avery piled on with a smile. Victoria scowled and defiantly kept her cleavage up and out. Elizabeth squeezed her nose.

“Fine, but--”

“I made plans to go out with the girls tonight?” Avery asked quickly.

“That’s fine,” Elizabeth said, “Just finish your breakfast and stop leaving your papers to the last minute. I can’t spend all my time worrying about you three.”

“No worries,” Luke said and leaned over and squeezed Victoria’s shoulders, “I’ve got you one third of the way covered.”

The youngest Shannon laughed and pushed her dad off.

“In that case, I’ll probably head over David and--”

“You’re still grounded until the garage is cleaned up,” Elizabeth put her foot down.

“Call him over, he’ll help you,” Luke suggested, “It’ll go faster at least.”

“David’s busy tonight,” Avery interjected quickly.

“What? Why would you know that?” Victoria and Curtis voiced the same question. Curtis continued, “I thought he wasn’t going out with Leanne until tomorrow.”

Victoria ate more loudly. Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at her son. Victoria’s fuse seemed unlit. Small favors.

“I thought Leanne would be working,” Elizabeth questioned her daughter, “That was a nasty car accident last week. I know they’re busy this weekend.”

“Yeah,” Avery hurried through her words, “Curtis if you tell him, I’ll rip your throat out.”

“Avery,” Luke rebuked her.

“Sorry, yeah,” Avery rubbed her heels together when she lied. It made it difficult to do so standing up, with her feet out of sight under the table, it worked better, “The girls and I wanted to make sure David was good for Leanne.”

“Too good for her,” Victoria snorted. Elizabeth smiled, agreeing. Luke rubbed his youngest’s hair.

“Don’t tear him apart,” Luke laughed. He kissed his wife and looked over the table, “Do you know what this one’s friends did to me when I started dating her?”

“Tried to steal you,” Avery grinned happily.

“Place bets on how long it’d take her to chew you up and spit you out?” Curtis grinned.

“Only Ann and I left in that bet,” Elizabeth laughed and kissed her husband. Luke jumped with a butt squeeze as he headed out. He squeezed Curtis’s shoulder as he walked past. Avery returned the smile and wave.

“I’m going to take the bus with my friends this morning,” Victoria got up and carried her and her dad’s dishes to the dishwasher.

“You sure?” Curtis asked, “David’ll miss you.”

Victoria stomped out of the room and into her boots. She was out the front door before her father was.

“Don’t tease her like that,” Elizabeth sighed.

“She’ll get over it soon enough,” Curtis laughed, “Besides, do you really think David’s going to stay with Leanne all that long?”

“I think you might be surprised,” Avery refused to admit, she felt better that Curtis was betting against Leanne. She couldn’t wait for her wish to manifest. It seemed she had a bit of control on David so far. Maybe even a bit on her mother, getting gas money and all. She smiled and shoved her empty bowl over to Curtis. Her brother dutifully took hers and his to the dishwasher. Things were looking up.

Avery leaned over and squeezed David’s leg. He managed not to go red. He was still on a short fuse around her, but since he had lost his virginity with Kristi, who was now amusedly watching from behind Avery’s seat, David had been more comfortable around women. He should have been perfectly comfortable around Avery. She was his first friend. Since he had liked girls, he had been perpetually scared around her. That had gone, all of the good things had stayed. He thanked Kristi.

“I’ll probably go with Gia to get stuff and then I’ll swing by your place?”

“Sure,” David nodded, “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Or in Bio, or Chemistry, or Art,” Avery chuckled.

“Be careful David,” Curtis warned, “Avery said she was going to tear you apart with the girls tonight.”

“Fuck off, Curtis,” Avery was half slid out of the passenger seat, “I just told that to dad. David’s my DD tonight.”

“Are we invited?” Kristi leaned forward and grinned at Avery. Before the bake sale, Kristi had felt nothing but good vibes from Avery. Right now she was looking into Leanne level hate.

“I wouldn’t want to go,” Curtis shrugged, “Even if I wasn’t grounded. I can’t stand Josh and them.”

“The hockey player?”

“Yeah, he’s greasy,” Avery grinned, “I was roped in to looking after Gia, but with David there, I know I’ll get home safe.”

Kristi caught the look Avery gave David, even if the boys didn’t getting out of the Mazda. Kristis smirked. She needed to tone down last night’s crazy. She had to be the cool best friend with the love of sex. She was that. She wanted David and Curtis all the time now. She reached for her door.

“You heard her David,” Kristi beamed, “Anything happens to the third hottest Shannon sister, I’ll be pissed.”

“You’re a twit,” Avery relaxed, “And it’s second hottest clearly. I’ve still got a year or two before Victoria catches up.”

“Keep dreaming number three,” Curtis grinned. Avery waved, primarily to David but regnally to the whole carload.

Curtis waited, David walked around to open and to lock Avery’s door. The passengers in the back had proven a bit more aware. Kristi hummed, waiting, as the boys noticed how her schoolbag straps squeezed and thrust out her breasts. She wanted to laugh. Boys were always boys, even when they were sweet and caring or blind and stupid.

“So do you guys want to come tonight,” David asked, “I think I’m only driving Avery and maybe Gia.”

“Grounded,” Curtis shrugged.

“I think I’ll leave you to it,” Kristi tapped her lip, “But, I’m calling it right now. Sunday, you’re both mine. So you get the hell ungrounded.”

“I’ll probably be good for tomorrow,” Curtis stroked his hair, “Hey, can I get some one on one time while David does his Leanne stuff.”

“Yeah,” Kristi agreed, “I don’t like leaving you out.”

“She gets squirrelly,” David grinned.

“Better than batshit,” Curtis laughed, “Besides she’s been falling way under the crazy vs hot line.”

“Way under,” David agreed.

“Thanks guys,” Kristi blushed as she smiled, “I’m really sorry about getting all weird yesterday.”

“Sunday,” David declared, “We’ll talk Sunday.”

“Oh thank God!” Curtis quietly exclaimed. There were students nearly everywhere and because of the magic and liking each other, they had hammered in a keep it to ourselves volume at school, “I was worried I was going to have to spend all tomorrow getting gabbed at.”

“You want the silent treatment?” Kristi fake threatened.

“Hell no,” Curtis beamed, “I want the loud but wordless treatment.”

“Yeah,” Kristi nodded, “I want that too.”

“I’ll see you guys at lunch,” David promised.

“Yeah, or whenever,” Curtis agreed, “Hey what do you got first?”

“It’s day four?” Kristi asked the question to jumpstart her brain, asking and she knew the answer, “English. You?”

“P.E,” Curtis nodded, “See you in Computer Science then.”

“Are we just going to play emulators all class again?” Kristi hoped.

“Sure, because I can pass anything that he throws our way. I don’t mind ensuring you get your F,” Curtis grinned smugly.

“Fair enough,” Kristi bumped him with his hip, “Now, get to class.”

Kristi slipped into English class a heartbeat before the bell. She hurried to her desk where Eiko was already waiting with her binder open and her fingering her collection of colored pens. Kristi dropped her supergirl notebook and opened her classbook over top of it. She closed her eyes. David was below her. A Blossoming Beauty lasted for about two weeks. A Charming Prince lasted until the next orgasm. Eiko bumped her.

Sorry about last night. How’s Dee?

Kristi looked over Eiko. The Japanese girl looked way too pretty for the mess she was. Her hair was every which way, but like a photographer was trying to capture a false candid picture. Her eye makeup was muted but still perfect. Her lips had a bit of a shine as she frowned. She had bought a new bra at least. That was apparent. She hadn’t been supported much the last few days.

Yeah, I freaked out but I don’t get girl time often, so I was a bit crazy yesterday, I wanna say Sorry too, but I’m just a little possessive and I’m having a bit of trouble really saying what I mean, you know?

Eiko kicked Kristi’s shoe with her toe. She’d have bumped her knee but there were two metal table legs between them.

OK, I was worried. How’s Dee?

Kristi smiled. She looked up, pretending to give a shit about subjects and predicates. She knew what a simple sentence was.

Do you like her?

I think so.

Kristi and Eiko popped their eyes forward. Their teacher’s voice had lifted like a question. Mindy was answering. The girls eyes fell back down to their notebooks.

I’ll talk to Dee.

Give her my number?

Kristi smirked. She wrote down Eiko’s number on the paper at the bottom of her page. This was interesting. She would have to talk to Curtis and David. She had gotten way too possessive when Dee had made a move on Eiko. She had to look into the other side of things. Maybe, getting her a girlfriend would let them experiment in some new ways, though she figured Eiko and Shannon should get on better. Kristi might even have been cooler about things if Shannon had seduced another girl. That added up.

I will.

Don’t let her call during dinner. 6 to 7 30. Mom finds that really rude.

And you don’t want to answer questions.

Kristi watched Eiko’s complexion redden. She smirked. She looked up. She got called on.

“Because a dependent clause needs an independent clause.” She answered.

“Yes,” The teacher lost a bit of hope in her eyes, “That’s not wrong.”

Leanne carried her tray to the table in the corner. The one without the windows. They had a good corner of the cafeteria but they weren’t the in-crowd. Sloane and her brother had the brightly lit corner and were clustered together and happy.