Best Friends Forever
Chapter 3

 

Class went on as usual. Afterwards, with the classroom empty, Becky and I walked up to Mrs. Rosenlieb. As has been the standard, when we got to the personal questions, she balked.

“People have been answering these ... questions?” she said.

“Yes ma’am, we have 87 sets of responses so far. We were hoping for a few more and thought of you and your husband. It’s OK if you wish to refuse to answer, we understand?” I said. “We can find another couple!”

“How many people have you asked to answer these questions exactly?” she asked.

“Close to 400 couples, Mrs. Rosenlieb,” Becky answered.

“My answer to the final question, is eighteen – I expect you two to have one of the more interesting Projects at the end of the month. Let me get my husband in here.”

“Thank you,” I said.

In less than five minutes, Mr. Rosenlieb walked into the classroom. Becky and I introduced ourselves, and after excusing Mrs. Rosenlieb, we gave him the Five Questions.

The next morning, we were once again asked to visit with the Principal. We walked in together and sat down.

“Today, I wish to speak to Miss Knowles, if that’s all right with you, Mr. Summers?” he said.

“Do you wish me to step out, Sir?”

“No reason, Becky – are you and Mr. Summers a couple?” he started.

“As a matter of fact, we are sir,” she responded. I expected him to ask this at some point.

“Were you before this ‘Project’ started?”

“Yes, sir – we have known each other since 4th Grade, we have become a ‘couple’ only recently,” she answered.

“Who exactly came up with the verbiage to your,” he looked down at a piece of paper, “Question number Five?”

“My mother, Sir,” Becky said, enjoying the fact he hadn’t expected that answer.

“Your ... mother?” He was rattled.

“May I, Sir?” I intervened. “The original question was, ‘How old were you the first time you had sex?’ Mrs. Knowles explained the generality of that, and its pitfalls, so it evolved to the question it is now.”

“Thank you, Mr. Summers – that’s quite enlightening. You two may go,” he said.

We got our late cards, kissed and went off to class.


After school, we walked hand in hand and discussed how to proceed on this ‘Project’ of ours.

We heard a honk and saw my sister Tiffany in the car, and she took us both to our house. After calling her mother to tell her where she was, Becky and I went to my room.

I turned on some music, and we started making out a little. There was a knock on the open door.

“Come in, Mom,” I said, recognizing ‘her knock.’

“Hello Becky, would you like to stay for dinner?” she asked.

“Sure, thank you, Mrs. Summers,” Becky said.

“Call me Sarah, Becky -- It’s OK with me.”

“All right, thanks Sarah. Don’t worry about us in here, I’m a good girl – I’ll just cut off his ... hands if he tries anything too stupid,” Becky said.

Mom chuckled as she left the door open -- Wide open.

We got fifteen more sets of responses, and then started to graph and extrapolate the data. How we present this will be important. Becky had a better printer at her house, so we printed out our information.


Two weeks later, at the presentation of our Projects in class, Becky and I both got an A+ on our Science Project, insuring us a place at the High School Science Fair.

Being fourteen, we expected only to get a participation ribbon at that, but two weeks later, we came in Second Place there. All of our parents and siblings were there and were as astounded as we were.

After everyone gave us pats on the back, Mr. Knowles came up to me and pulled me aside.

“Ricky, you have got quite the head on your shoulders. We have an intern position at Google this summer, would you be interested?” he asked.

“Just a minute, sir,” I said walking over to Becky. I told her what her father had just asked, and she gave me a great big kiss.

“Well, young man – it looks like you are off on the ride of your life. Fourteen years old, I barely recall being fourteen,” he said.

“Sir, in 1978, when you turned fourteen, the spacecraft Soyuz was launched; China lifted a longtime ban on the teachings of Aristotle, Shakespeare, and Dickens; and First-Class Postage went from thirteen to fifteen cents,” I said.

“How long ago did you memorize that, Ricky?” Mr. Knowles chuckled.

“Sir, I didn’t ‘memorize’ it, I just know it, because I read about it once, a couple of years ago. I have always enjoyed reading and learning facts like that. I was not trying to sound impertinent, sir?”

“Ricky, 1968, please?”

“The USS Pueblo was captured by the North Koreans; Andy Warhol is shot to death, and Apollo 7 is launched,” I said.

“One more please, Ricky – 1947?”

“William Dawson becomes the first black to head a US Congressional Committee; the largest group of sunspots ever recorded to that time occurred; and there were reports of an UFO crash landing in Roswell, New Mexico,” I replied. “I don’t necessarily believe that last one, Sir.”

“And you knew this, all because you read it ... once?” Mr. Knowles asked.

“Yes sir – is that important?”

“It could be, young man – it could be.”

Becky smiled as a crowd had gathered around us.

I saw our parents huddle up and talk in quiet tones.

“Ricky,” Mr. Knowles said, “Instead of that Intern Position, I would like to offer you a paid position for the summer, at Google. You’ll be making $500 a week, each week for the summer. I know a young lady, who has expensive tastes. Your parents approve, how about it?”

 
There is more of this chapter...

To read this story you need a Registration + Premier Membership
If you have an account, then please Log In or Register (Why register?)

Close
 

WARNING! ADULT CONTENT...

Storiesonline is for adult entertainment only. By accessing this site you declare that you are of legal age and that you agree with our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.