Chapter 1

Jefferson High

Crystal slid up alongside of Jennifer as she was opening her book locker. Her own locker was 50 feet away.

"Jennifer, lean so that your shoulder touches. Yeah, like that." Crystal touched her shoulder to Jennifer's then reached over to tweak her nipple. "God, Jennifer, I love touching you. If we were alone, I'd suck your tonsils out."

"Careful, Crystal, I am not a lesbian like you. I don't want my reputation damaged. If anyone ever finds out about you, I'll stand around and look as surprised as they are and claim I didn't know."

"OK. I can wait until this weekend. I love you, you know that. And, by the way, congratulations on being voted the most beautiful girl in school. Have you found out the downside of that, yet."

"Yeah, I was just informed by the Dean. He even apologized when he found out that I didn't know. Mentioned all the tradition shit and the need to make the freshman class feel good about themselves, or something like that."

"Well, Jennifer, it is only one night. And, think of how much fun it will be making the freshman boys pant and the girls drool in envy. I just conned an ugly freshman boy into inviting me to the same dance so I can watch. Then maybe afterwards we'll be able to get together. Anyway it's over three months from now."

"Hmm. Maybe. At least I hope he'll be cute."

"Best bet is not to hope for anything. The last two years, the girls who got stuck with the kiddies, spent two weeks with a sour look on their faces after their one night. They just walked around making the thumbs down sign to everyone they met, including other freshman. I don't know why they insist on doing this stupid thing anyway. But like I said, it's only one night. After the freshman assembly this afternoon, you'll know who it will be anyway. You're sure to be disappointed."

I didn't appreciate missing my study hall class. In that one hour period, I usually managed to get all of my homework done. Now, I was going to have to do it at home which would cut into my computer time. Mom didn't allow me to keep it on past 10:00 at night. Well, it couldn't be helped. I arrived at the assembly hall doors and looked around. Willy was waving frantically from the middle of the auditorium. I fought my way through the crowded aisle and then past all the scowling people in Willy's row to get to the empty seat he had saved. Willy was an all right kid the same age as me but a little on the dense side.

"I was afraid you were going to miss the big event, Edward. Did you hear who the prize is? Wow, wow, wow. It's Jennifer that knock-out junior who transferred in from some California school late last year. Everyone has been drooling ever since."

"Except me maybe. I don't think I've ever seen her. What's the prize bit anyway?"

"Oh, shit. I keep forgetting that you just started here. Some freshman, whoever wins the drawing, gets to take her to the Freshman Hop. OK, I see the blank stare. It's a dance they have for freshmen and their dates and its about three months from now. But, wait til you see this babe, Edward. And, this is the best part, the tradition is for the freshman to bed the most beautiful girl in the whole school. Impressive, huh. Like I said, wait til you see her, you'll envy the prize winner."

The Principal was starting to tap his gavel on the lectern. It suddenly turned quiet. He took his time explaining the long standing tradition of voting for the most beautiful high school girl. Then the tradition of randomly selecting a freshman boy to escort her to the Freshman Hop.

"Some of the freshman girls last year complained that there should be an equivalent contest for the cutest boy in school and a drawing for a freshman girl that he could take to the same dance. Unfortunately, we couldn't get it done for this year. So, maybe that will start next year."

There were a few hisses and boo's from the more vocal girls and not just a little laughter from the boys who were nervously waiting for the drawing. "OK, freshman class, now it's time to introduce you to this year's runner-up in the popular voting." He pulled a card out of his pocket, then turned to the side of the stage and said, "Miss Ellen Bradford."

"Jesus," I murmured, "thats my sister." Willy turned and looked at me, stunned.

"OH, my God, she beautiful. Why didn't you tell me?"

"It didn't occur to me, Willy. She's just my sister."

"Just my sister, shit. Thanks a lot, Edward. Now I know why you never invite me over. Keeping her to yourself, ain't ya?"

Based on what Willy had just said, I tried to take a more detached look at my own half sister. Light brown hair, green eyes, peaches and cream complexion, and cupid lips. The body was nicely curved and plumped in all the right places. She was about 3 inches shorter than me at 5'7". Yep, I think Willy has a good eye for beauty. Our hair and eye color is the same but I'm sure that I don't have cupid lips or the feminine complexion. And, unfortunately, I was too slim while she was just perfect.

Everyone was clapping as Ellen smiled and waved. Then she stood to the side and watched the other side of the stage along with the principal. "And, ladies and gentlemen, I would now like to introduce the girl voted the most beautiful at Jefferson High, Miss Jennifer Terry."

A very beautiful girl that I had not seen before stepped out from the side and walked to where the principal was standing. But she wasn't smiling as my sister had been. The look was defiant and she was not a happy person. I thought some poor freshman was going to have the longest night of his life with that girl. When she got to the principal's side, she turned to the audience and cocked her hip. Then I swear to God she made eye contact with every male in the auditorium. Her look said, 'You're not worthy of recognition.'

I think the principal was even taken back by her actions. Then he got his composure back and said, "Miss Terry, would you be good enough to draw your winning date from this bucket."

She rummaged around in the bucket, taking her time. Then she reached as far down as she could go and pulled out a small square of paper. She was supposed to hand it to the principal for him to read with a lot of fan-faire, but she was not having any part of that. She stepped to the microphone.

"From literally the bottom of the barrel, we have Edward Bradford, Jr." Then she handed it to the principal. He looked at it, then walked over to Ellen.

"Tell me this isn't your brother, please. It looks fixed." She took the square and tried to read anything into it but what was there.

Jennifer was back at the microphone again. "Will my Freshman Hop date please stand up so I can see who he is? Mr. Eddie Bradford, junior, whoever you are, please show yourself."

I hadn't taken a breath since she'd read off my name. I was hoping against hope that there was another of the 400 freshman boys who had my name. I looked around but no one stood up. It must be me. Ellen had looked at the paper and just shook her head in disbelief. So, on wobbly legs, I stood up. Almost 800 people in that auditorium cranked their necks to look at the sorry guy that was going to be traumatized and terrorized by the girl standing on the stage.

"You know, Eddie Dear, you can refuse to go."

I felt a surge of anger. I hadn't asked for this either. The anger subsided as quickly as it had come and was replaced by a deadly calm I didn't know I could summon. "I wouldn't dream of missing the opportunity to take you to the dance, Jennie."

I slowly sat back down as the principal scrambled to get back in control of the stage. I don't think I heard another word he said. Thanks, I told myself. In front of all these people, I've committed to taking her to the dance. I was brainless. If I had of just shut the hell up and called her on the phone, we could have both gotten out of it. But that beautiful bitch just had to make it into a challenge.

Bradford house

It was three o'clock in the morning and I'd gotten very little sleep last night. Life with my dad had been a lot more pleasant than this shit. Christ, I am a loner. I've always known that. Dad was the same way, more or less. He and mom had divorced over five years ago. They were incompatible according to both mom and dad. So, mom had taken Ellen and dad had taken me. Mom had Ellen by an earlier and very short marriage but dad had adopted her readily when he married mom.

And, I had spent my summers every year with mom and Ellen. Dad had thought it would be better for me to socialize and stay away from the computer for a while each year. Dad had his own computer technology and programming company. I even had a part-time job there, giving the writers of those dense instruction manuals a user's perspective rather than an expert's. I got very good at red-lining texts and annotating the understanding problems. My dad thought it made a better manual and I'm sure it did based on the number of confusing parts I had corrected.

When dad died in an accident I was adrift. I went to live with mom. Fortunately, dad had taken the company public the previous year. So the board of directors found someone as good as Dad to run it. Mom was trustee for 40% of the stock left to me by Dad in his will. She was also trustee for another 11% of the stock left to her and Ellen. So Mom controlled 51% of the company's stock. While she did have a seat on the board of directors, she let the experts run it. She did watch what was going on in the company.

The stock was locked away and the money from the initial public offering of the stock was in conservative stock and bond funds. All dividends were re-invested. I had a five dollar a week allowance, just like Ellen did. We both knew that we were living on Mom's labors until we were 21. We didn't argue about it, it was the way it was. We both understood why and neither of us ever mentioned it to others outside of the family.