Chapter 29

RUMORS HAD SHIFTED at school and Dennis began to get some sidelong looks. The first was that the whole ‘Gang of Three’ had been gunned down. As far as that went, it was true. But the idea that one was shot by DEA agents, one by a drug dealer, and one by Will Enders, had been missed. The story that bothered Dennis was that it was his father who had the shootout with the whole gang and had then attempted suicide, and that somehow Dennis was responsible for it all.

It had been one thing to be considered invisible and simply never acknowledged at school and quite something different to be actively shunned. Students crowded to the other side of the hall when he passed them between classes. Other than his team, everyone sat at least a table away from him in the cafeteria. And that fueled more rumors. Dennis must have been the dealer in the drug ring and had used drugs and hypnotism to capture the entire girls’ basketball team as his girlfriends. How else could a myopic runt ever get so many girls? Or even one? Rumors of wild drug-induced orgies abounded.

His team clustered around him and he was seldom in a hallway without at least one of them accompanying him. That only added heat to the flames that were blazing.

“How can I become one of your girls,” a voice whispered behind him on his way to the locker room to tape Diane’s ankle again. He’d become convinced at practice yesterday that she actually needed the support and there was no horseplay involved in getting her taped up. He spun where he was to see Debbie Stackhouse, the class goth girl.

“What?”

“Do I have to join the basketball team? I know everyone says differently, but I’m still a virgin. You could have my cherry. What do I need to do?”

In some schools—larger ones—the goth girl might have been an outcast. Debbie, on the other hand, was fairly popular in Dennis’s class. She had her clique of friends but was the only one among them who got away with painting her nails black and wearing black Victorian or Steampunk dresses to school. Dennis remembered a time when they were much younger that Debbie’s hair had been blonde and not its current black.

“There’s no ... um ... test,” Dennis mumbled. “I just manage the basketball team. It isn’t like I’m collecting girls.”

“Come on, Dennis,” Debbie whined. “I could bring some other girls with me. I bet you’d love to fuck Sara Steinbeck. Every boy wants her. I could bring her to you. She isn’t cherry, but you could still have fun fucking her.”

“Debbie, why would you want to hang out with me? I’m just the dweeb who sits in the front row so he can see,” Dennis said. “You’ve never even spoken to me before.”

“That might be, but you’re the coolest thing around now. You got rid of the Gang of Three. You’ve got like a dozen girlfriends...”

“Nine,” Dennis corrected automatically.

“See? I could bring a couple more and make it an even dozen. Like Jesus and the twelve disciples.” She dropped her voice until he could barely hear her. “I want some of the good drugs you give the other girls.”

Debbie’s tightly corseted bosom was heaving as she talked herself into an erotic frenzy. Dennis edged along the hall toward the locker room.

“Um ... No ... Not now, Debbie ... I have all I can handle. I don’t want more girlfriends!” He reached the locker room door, opened it and slipped in. He leaned against it trying to catch his breath from the adrenalin rush the frightening girl had given him. There was a gasp behind him because he entered so rapidly and without his usual announcement of arrival. He sagged against the door and breathed, “Sorry. I’m here to do Diane’s ankle.” It was only then that he opened his eyes and saw the girls in their various stages of getting ready for the game. Brenda was just pushing her usual thong off to don her game panties. Natalie and Rosie were just pulling theirs on. Judith and Leanne were completely naked while everyone but Diane was topless. After their initial reaction, the girls all relaxed and just proceeded with getting ready. “Sorry,” Dennis repeated.

Natalie approached and gave him a big hug, pressing her naked breasts against him. Since she’d joined this team ... since she’d given her first blowjob, she had become a bit of an exhibitionist and made sure that she pulled back far enough for Dennis to clearly see her boobs.

“What has you in a panic?” she asked. “We were just surprised because you usually knock and let us know you’re coming in. It isn’t really necessary, though. You’ve seen us all naked before and I promise you will again.”

“Nat, Debbie just trapped me in the hall and said she wanted to be one of my girls. She said she could bring two more so it would be an even dozen like Jesus and the apostles. She’s never even said hello to me before!” He kissed Natalie’s offered lips and Brenda joined them She had her shorts and socks on, but had not yet put her bra on.

“Please don’t bring a bunch of other girls in with us,” Brenda said. “We’re your Angelines and we’d get jealous. If there’s someone you really really want, I guess we’d try to make her welcome, but don’t just take all the girls in the school who suddenly want you. There isn’t enough room in the locker room for us all to get naked with you.”

“I don’t want anyone else! I love you. You’re my Angelines. I don’t understand why Debbie, of all people, would find me in the hall and offer me her virginity if I’d let her have the good drugs,” Dennis sighed. The girls all moved to finish dressing while Diane sat at the end of the bench to get her ankle taped.

“It’s all the rumors going around,” she whispered to Dennis. “I swear none of us started them, but someone knew we all spent the night with you after the game Saturday. They might be watching to see who spends the night with you every night from now on. At least for a while. And tonight, it will be Judith and me.”

“You’re going to spend the night?”

“We’re all taking turns. Two or three at a time, but never just one. If we added more, your mom wouldn’t be happy at all.”

“Diane, I don’t need a babysitter. I’m okay by myself,” Dennis said. He would miss having a girl or two with him. But it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

“It’s something we want to do because we care for you. And your family,” Diane said. “When you’re in danger, we all feel in danger. And when you’re hurting, we all hurt with you. Please let us continue to be your girlfriends.”

Dennis smiled at her and nodded his head as he finished the taping. He cautiously looked out the door before he left the locker room to go greet the scorers and timekeeper. He introduced himself to the Livingston Wildcats’ team manager and made sure she had practice balls and that everyone knew where the guest locker room was. When the buzzer blew at half an hour before game time, his Angelines took the floor and he went out to lead warmups.

The girls were so familiar with the routine now that they could do the warmups with any one of them leading. But they all liked having Dennis come on the court with them. It was part of their pre-game ritual, they said. And Dennis enjoyed being included. He shouted encouragement and passed balls all through the shooting drills and then the buzzer sounded and the team came off the court. The teams were introduced, the anthem played, and they lined up to take the tip.

The game was rough. Dennis thought for a minute that Carol Reston must have joined the Wildcats’ team. They played a lot like her aggressive style and didn’t seem to be drawing as many fouls as Dennis felt he would be calling. Even so, the Angelines were staying in the game with their deadly foul shooting. At the half, the score was tied at thirty. Ten of the home team’s points had come from the foul line.

“If that number seventeen hacks at me again, I’m going to start beating some blue ass,” Daniella grouched as the entered the locker room and Dennis passed out water bottles. Several of the girls stripped off their shirts and waved them around to try to dry some of the sweat.

“Listen, Babe,” Dennis said to her, putting his arm around Daniella’s waist. “There’s no reason for someone else’s play to change the way we play. Playing them the way they play us makes us no better than they are. You’re five for five at the free throw line. You’re already making them pay for their aggression. Don’t give them the opportunity for free points.”

Daniella looked like she was going to argue and then like she’d pout. Finally, she put her head on Dennis’s and hugged him back.

“Thanks, Team Manager,” she said. “You’re right. We play clean no matter how they play.” She rubbed her arm where she’d been hit by the opposing center. She didn’t like it, but she wouldn’t let her emotions run away from her. Not in front of Dennis.

Ultimately, Livingston outscored Bartley from the field, but the foul shots spelled the difference and Bartley left the court with their seventh win in eight starts.