Chapter 33: A Time To Be Thankful

November 18, 1980

This was a first. None of us took a nap.

We were all feeling the pressure. Exams this week, before we got a break for Thanksgiving. Then a couple weeks of class and more pressure. Finals. It’d hit all of us that a blown final could undermine every bit of what we’d accomplished.

Just like me, most of the group had been lackadaisical at studying in junior high. We were, or had been, ‘brains’, ‘nerds’, and so forth. Yes, the girls too. Angie, Debbie, and Mel were the least in that category, because they’d been toned-down versions of Janet Collins — cute, fairly popular, and social. That they were also kicking ass on tests was easy to miss. Janet kicked ass on tests, too, but that’s not what people saw first.

Each of us hadn’t had to study all that much. A quick review had been fine. Homework had been a quick affair. And most of them could’ve done that in high school, if they’d tolerate a problematic class or two. Spanish for me. Biology for Candice. World Geography for Mark and Morty. And so forth.

But we weren’t willing to tolerate a damn thing anymore. Spanish? Fuck getting a poor grade. I could learn what I needed.

Anyway, right now we needed to study more than we needed sex. Everyone was a bit pouty about it, especially Candice, but even she had made it clear she wanted her ass at a study table, not naked in a bed.

November 21, 1980

Bi-District championship game (aka, ‘District’). Mercifully, not as cold as Halloween. Candice looked like an Eskimo anyway, bundled up head to toe. We all had a red and white outfit. Almost everyone on our side of the field did.

Hopes of victory seemed realistic. Our opponent was a school we’d already beaten back in September, albeit on a last-minute field goal, back when many people thought that might be the high point of the season.

So, that game was nearly a coin-flip. We expected a tight game. The winner would be in the Astrodome in two weeks for Regionals; the loser, sitting at home.

The place was rocking by halftime. We were up 21-0. 250 yards offense for Memorial. -20 for Madison. Yes. Negative 20. Four sacks and two big penalties wiped out the meager positive yards they’d gotten. I felt sorry for them — but not that sorry, remembering our first half on Halloween. Let’s see if the ineptitude would continue.

I’d spotted Mel going into the game. I had no idea who she was with, if anyone. But she was here, somewhere. Not with us.

Then she was with us. She popped up at halftime.

“Hi y’all!”

“Hi Mel!” “Hey!” “Hi!” “Yo, sis!” (twice)

We exchanged hugs. Then she came over to me.

“Guess what?” She wasn’t whispering, so I figured it was news for everyone.

“What?”

“Remember those assholes at the Halloween dance?”

I nodded. Who could forget?

“Expelled. All four of them, the guys. Three of them are eighteen and are being charged with reckless endangerment, providing alcohol to minors, trespassing, and some other stuff.”

“Damn! I thought it’d be a slap on the wrist.”

“I hear there are priors. Maybe juvie? I have no idea. Anyway, they’re out. They put a couple girls on probation, too, but not expelled, and no charges if they don’t mess up again.”

I shook my head. “Some people are idiots. From a damn good high school diploma and a decent college to a record and jail. All for an idiotic prank.”

She smiled. “I just wanted to tell you. Just in case, you know. Watch your back. I don’t think there’s any way they know what happened, but, those three would hate your guts if they knew.”

“Yeah. I’ll remember. Thanks, Mel.”

She gave me a hug. “Gotta run! See y’all soon!”

And there it was, what I’d contemplated before. I took an action; they expelled four kids. Four kids who probably were never expelled the first go-round. I’d done the right thing, no question, but the world was different because of me. Just a little difference in the world at large, but little differences are sometimes not so little as we think they are. And a huge difference for the guys who they’d expelled.

Madison didn’t stay as inept in the second half. The game ended 31-14. Madison had a couple hundred yards of offense. Didn’t matter. Two weeks from today, we were playing in the Astrodome for Regionals!

Angie, 10:40pm

“That was surprising, Mel showing up.”

I knew Angie had been happy about it. “Really nice of her to let us know. I’d been wondering what happened to them. Figured we’d never find out.”

“Wonder where she was sitting?”

I smiled. “You didn’t notice?” This was twice in a week I was ahead of Angie on Mel-watching. She was letting the girl-talk team down.

And she knew it. “What? How are you paying attention to this stuff?!”

I laughed. “I watched her walk back to her group. Wasn’t easy, but I had a good idea what her hat looked like.”

“Wish I knew who was in that group.”

I grinned. “Not sure. There were a bunch of girls, couldn’t tell who most of them were.”

“Most?” Growl! “That means you know something! Spill it!”

“Nearly everyone on our side was in red and white, Ang.”

She nodded. And looked about ready to bite me.

“Who’d go to that game wearing pink?”

“I don’t... “ Her mouth dropped open. “She was in a group with Janet Collins?! After that whole thing a few weeks ago? What the fuck?!”

I nodded. “What the fuck, indeed. She wasn’t right next to Janet. But I’m pretty sure they were in a group together. And not standoffish.”

“She’s ... in a group ... including sophomores ... one of whom she was ready to cat-fight, then was very upset about misjudging. What. The. Fuck? It’d make sense if Janet was on the social committee. Not much sense, but sense. But Janet’s not on the committee. She’s not in student government at all.” Angie shook her head. “She gives us the answer to one mystery and starts another. That girl!”

I yawned. “Gotta sleep, sis.” I yawned again, and then she kissed me in the middle of a third. We both giggled.

“Night, big brother.”

“Night, little sister.”

“Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

“Forever.” “Forever.”

November 23, 1980

“NNNNUUUGGGGHHH!”

Candice shuddered her way through her third orgasm as I took her. She’d gotten me to hold her hands over her head and was struggling, ineffectively. The whole thing was getting to her in a big way.

“C ... can’t ... can’t ... too strong ... gah ... fuck...”

I pressed down and filled the condom, spurting, groaning. She shuddered. “NNNGGGAAAHHH!”

I collapsed on her, knowing she liked that, and kissed her.

“OoohhhhhhhhSteve. My god. Yes!” She hugged me. Tight.

This was my third; one in her mouth, then once doggie-style. That was becoming her real favorite, it seemed like. I didn’t mind - it was good for me, too, and, hey, I’m a pushover. If it pleased Candice, that was more than enough reason for me to like it.

I finally rolled off of her. “We need to get back.”

“Yeah.”

“Shower first?”

She giggled. “Oh, hell yeah!”

The shower might have run long. She had a tasty snack for me. Finger lickin’ good.

Since I was, after all, the de facto leader, I interrupted everyone. We still had an hour to go.

“Hey y’all. I think we should talk about the holidays tonight. Get our plans for study group in order. Maybe wrap up and talk in half an hour.”

“Yeah.” “Good idea.” Heads were nodding.

Half an hour later, I called things to order. Well, what passed for order.

“OK. So. First things first. Obviously, no meeting next Sunday.” It was the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I already knew Mike would be out of town. I figured others would be, too.

Mike confirmed it. “Yeah. We’re not getting back from Dallas until dinnertime.”

“Yeah, us, too.” “Tuesday to Sunday for us.” “Just Wednesday to Saturday.”

Candice squeezed my hand. “Wednesday to Sunday for me. Visiting Aunt Carol and Uncle Larry out near Beaumont.” From the tightness of the squeeze, I didn’t think she liked them.

“Do we want to meet Tuesday?” Heads were shaking. Half the group would be out of town. We were off from Wednesday through Friday, but a lot of kids ditched Tuesday for extended family trips. Or just because, hey, a free holiday! By 2020, I knew that a lot of schools decided to just make the week a holiday.

“OK, so, that’s a week off. Then we meet every Tuesday and Sunday until Finals. But do we want to meet the 16^th? That’s in the middle of Finals.”

Sarah piped up. “I vote yes. Then we can cover whatever we need to. I also vote no naps.”

There were groans.

“Hey! Pipe down! I’m not done! Mike and I have been talking with Rita. It turns out that Rita and Mike’s dad are going out to a Christmas party that Friday night. Rita says it’s cool if we have a party of our own that night.”

“Huh. Is she still going to say we’re supervised?”

“Pretty sure, yes.”

“Well, OK then. Study Group holiday party the 19^th?”

I got nods except for Mark and Morty. “We can’t, we’re out of here like a shot after the last final Thursday.” Friday was a school holiday. “Big trip, California.”

Emily frowned. “Oh, pooh!”

Sarah giggled. “Amendment. One nap allowed on the 16^th.”

“Am I that bad?” Emily giggled.

“Yes!” shouted everyone. Including Mark and Morty. Who added: “And we” “love you for it”.

“Fine! Be that way!” Emily pretended to pout, but couldn’t stop giggling. She gave up after a second and went to hug Mark and Morty.

I went on. “So, nothing the 23^rd or 28^th.” Lots of nodding.

Mark piped up. “I’ll have a...” Morty joined in and they harmonized, “blue balls Christmas without youuuuuuu...” Emily smacked them both on the arm, giggling.

Mike waved. “I may — may — be able to swing a New Year’s thing. I don’t know if we can have it run until midnight. Same deal as the other party; if they’re out they’ll let us use the house.”

Candice frowned. “We’re gone from the 26^th to the 2^nd. Skiing in Colorado.” Several others had conflicts, but it looked like we’d have a group for New Year’s.

“Restart the group Sunday the 4^th? Monday’s a holiday, so school starts on the 6^th. Group again then?”

Everyone liked that idea.

“OK then, we’ve got a plan. Mark and Morty have a point...”

“which are both mine,” Emily smirked.

“ ... but we can’t meet when there’s no studying to do and obviously not when Mike’s out of town or when it’d be weird.”

I’d figured she wasn’t coming by tonight, but I was wrong. I popped open my eyes as I felt her weight settled on the bed. I must have missed the door opening.

“Hi, bro. Sleeping?”

Yawn. “Not really, not yet.”

“Are you going to be ok with being cut off half the time?” she giggled.

“I’m still best friends with my hand. Together we’ll be fine.”

“I’ll be rekindling my relationship with mine. I bet the spark is there again.”

“La la la, can’t hear you.”