Chapter 2

The young girl -- fourteen, freckled-faced, and with a surprisingly mature body for one her age -- was dressed in skin-tight white shorts and was braless beneath her powder blue blouse. She lay 'crosswise on the bed, and stared up at an older girl who was standing before a mirror and running a comb through long blonde hair.

"But aren't you excited?" Marylou asked, shivering in vicarious enjoyment. "I mean... I would be! After all, your wedding is only two days away, and then you and Dick go to that groovy castle place in Ireland for your honeymoon. Why, you must be excited."

"Of course I am, silly." Sue's voice was patient with her cousin. "I'm happy and excited. But I'm also calm." That last statement was a lie, but Marylou couldn't know it. The younger girl couldn't see the turmoil Sue felt, the oppressive feeling of apprehension that bordered on fear.

"It must be wonderful to be really in love and be old enough to get married... and wake up in bed next to your husband." Marylou put a hand to her mouth and giggled. "I mean my husband. If I had a husband."

"Marylou?" Sue's voice had just a bit of shock in it; she gazed in mock severity at the girl and began weaving a thick braid into her hair.

Marylou's face was cupped in her hands; elbows were planted on the bedspread. The girl obviously decided to throw all caution to the winds with her next remark. "Well, isn't a bed better than a back seat?"

"Marylou!" Sue threw down the comb and spun around to face the girl. "What are you talking about?"

"What else? Sex?"

Marylou had the bit in her teeth and was not to be denied. She abruptly sat up and curled her bare legs beneath her -- sitting buddha- like on the bed. "If I tell you something, will you keep it a secret?"

"I don't want to hear it," Sue said, emphatically. She was pretty sure of the drift of the conversation; this was nothing to discuss with a girl only fourteen. She hadn't even talked to her mother about it, even though the older woman had hinted broadly that they must have a conversation before the wedding.

Marylou looked toward the closed door of the bedroom as if suspecting someone were lurking outside at the keyhole. Then she lowered her voice and said, "I know you won't snitch." She grinned conspiratorially. "I'm not a virgin, you know."

The news momentarily shocked Sue, although if she were really honest with herself, the information did not come as a surprise. Marylou showed all the signs of becoming a swinger, and she already had the build of a 22-year-old bikini model.

The girl continued almost proudly, "I haven't been one for almost a year. It was Petey Barnard. After the final football game last October... after he was appointed head cheerleader. We had a bottle of beer and it made me dizzy, and then he... began feeling me. And, ah... asked me to feel him. Then he got in the backseat of his car and... ah..."

"I don't want to hear another word." Sue's voice brooked no disobedience. "Not another word." She shook her head in dismay. "I'm shocked at you, Marylou, really shocked. You're either fibbing or you just blithely gave away your virginity. Just like that," she snapped her fingers. "Just like you were giving away old clothes or something. I think you'd have more respect for yourself."

Marylou merely shrugged and her breasts jiggled with the motion. She replied, somewhat defiantly, "It was fun. It felt good. And I've let him do it five other times, too. We're going steady. We love each other. And everyone in school does it. Why not?"

"Why not? Well, I'll tell you why not. What does a fourteen year old know about love? What if your parents found out? What if the police discovered you and Petey in the back seat when you were... you were? What if you get pregnant as a result of it?

Marylou snorted. "Oh, poo! I won't get pregnant. I'm not that dumb. Why, I wouldn't have let him do it the first time if he hadn't been wearing a rubber."

Sue held up both hands commandingly. "I said before I don't want to hear anymore. I mean it."

The younger girl shrugged again. "Okay. Okay." She critically inspected Sue, then cocked her head to one side and bit her lower lip in indecision. "You're a cool chick... real cool. But I wouldn't be surprised if you're still a virgin, even though Dick looks to me like he's the impatient type. He's probably snorting and pawing the stable floor." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Sue strode to the door and angrily opened it. "Out," she commanded.

Marylou insolently got up from the bed and stuck her feet into her sandals. Smirking knowingly, she walked across the room and stopped in the archway of the door. "I wouldn't have believed it -- a girl as beautiful, as well built as you, a girl who has been engaged for over a year -- still a virgin. Like wow!"

"Yes, damnit. I am still a virgin... and I am proud of it. Not that it's any of your business."

Marylou held out her hands beseechingly, "Okay... okay. Don't get mad. I was just curious. I never have seen a 20-year-old virgin before." She was grinning impudently as Sue closed the door in her face.

Impertinent little snip, Sue thought; My God, what are these high school kids coming too! She knew Marylou wasn't putting her on; the girl was telling the truth about Petey. A moment later, though Sue's inherent common sense took over and she realized that only a strong will power had kept her, too, from losing her virginity. Marylou had been right about Dick, he was the "impatient" type... but he was also understanding. He had proved that time and time again.

She and Dick had gone steady for almost two years before their engagement; and they had been engaged for almost twelve months now. While they were going steady, they had necked -- some really passionate kissing had come about, but when Dick had begun fumbling for her breasts, she had managed to stop him each time. Since their engagement was announced and she received her ring, there had been some petting -- at least on his part. She had permitted him the possession of her breasts and, three or four times, he had been allowed to touch that sacred area which would be completely his only after the marriage ceremony. Sue had been forced to put a stop to his eager odysseys down there because of an underlying fear that she, herself, would lose all control. It did feel wonderful; that, at least, she could admit. Unfortunately, after these episodes, she would lie awake all night feeling the restless pounding of her heart being echoed deep within her womb. One night -- for the first and only time -- the throbbing had become so painfully intense that she had touched herself there with one finger. She moved it cautiously, and her lonely vagina cried out in ecstasy. A second finger joined the first, the two of them gently rubbing back and forth on the now damp slit. The motions had become less tender -- more rapid! She had continued this for almost fifteen minutes, but aside from her vagina becoming too tender to touch, nothing happened. She hadn't even come close to that elusive realm of physical release mentioned in various books. She tossed and turned all night -- sleeping fitfully. The next morning she awakened to a deep sense of shame -- a feeling that still came back with the full force of its guilty intensity each time she thought about it.

But now all that is past, she thought, as she finished braiding her hair. A moment later, she slipped on a blue cardigan sweater to match her muted blue-plaid mini-skirt, and started downstairs. Marylou, bright-eyed and undaunted, met her at the landing. "Like, wow! You're really getting some groovy loot," she said. "There must be a couple of tons of crap in there."

Sue laughed in spite of herself, "Marylou, you are hopeless."

"Come on, let's see the stuff that came this morning." Marylou eagerly led the way to the living room where the already opened wedding gifts were piled atop each table as though they were luxury items on display in a small department store. Other gifts -- unopened -- were stacked on the floor. Marylou picked up one and shook it. "Try this one -- from the Wilsons."

It was impossible not to laugh at the girl: she was as excited as a four year old under a Christmas tree. Sue cautiously unwrapped the gift, taking care not to ruin the white satin ribbon, and saving the paper.

"Holy Donovan! A Waring blender. Neat-o!" Marylou's exuberance was contagious. She grinned and affectionately put her arms around her cousin. "Come on," she said, "you can help me open them. But keep the ribbon, and the paper... and the boxes. And don't get the cards mixed up. Better write down what the gift is on each of the cards, so I can write thank you letters later."

The two girls had been working almost an hour opening and recording the new gifts when the telephone rang.

Sue, thinking it was Dick, answered it on the second ring.

"Sue... this is Peggy Martini. Your gown's ready for final fitting. When can you try it on?"

"I'll come right over... if that's convenient for you."

"Come ahead, dear. I think you're going to be very pleased with it."

"Oh, I'm sure I will be," Sue said ecstatically; then, as the doorbell rang, she shouted over her shoulder, "Marylou, get that, will you?"

"Be sure and bring the undergarments you're going to wear at the wedding," Mrs. Martini added. "We want the gown to be just right."

"I'll be there in about five minutes." Sue said, hanging up, and looking toward the door where the deliveryman from Holman's Department Store and Marylou were both carrying in additional gifts. Three different trips were made between the front door and the truck. Sue signed the delivery slips while Marylou was busy counting and shaking packages.

"Golly, seventeen more gifts... and this one weighs about thirty pounds," Marylou's excited voice reported. "Shall we open them?"

"I can't right now. Mrs. Martini wants to do the final fitting." Sue saw the disappointed look on the girl's face. "Hey, why not come along to Mrs. Martini's with me?"

"Oh... I'd like to, but Petey and I are going swimming. He's picking me up here in about twenty minutes or so. How long will you be? Will you be back before he comes?"

"I doubt it. The fitting probably will take at least an hour."

Marylou looked down at the rug and traced an abstract pattern with her big toe. "I don't suppose you'll change your mind about the hayride tonight?" she asked hopefully. "Petey and I wouldn't bother anyone. Honest. I promise!"

"I'm sorry, chicken. No. There will be liquor and, besides, everyone there will be in their twenties. We'll be just a bunch of old fogeys."

"Okay... of you don't want us."

"Look," Sue said in an effort to make the girl feel better, "I'll save some packages for you to open tomorrow. Okay?"

"Ummm... I suppose so." It was said listlessly.

Sue picked up her purse. "I've got to go. Be sure and lock up before you leave."

Five minutes later, Sue was in a dressing room at Mrs. Martini's. She quickly slipped on the blue lacy garter belt and her hose. "Now, dear, lift your hands straight up," Mrs. Martini ordered. "No quick moves; the gown is just tacked. We don't want it falling apart." Sue felt the rich nylon garment slip down over her arms and bead. She looked at herself in the mirror. The gown clung to her like a second skin. Mrs. Martini zipped up the long zipper in back then stood away to inspect her work. "Beautiful. Just beautiful!" Mrs. Martini's face grinned over Sue's shoulder in the mirror. "You like?" she asked, fitting a veil over Sue's blonde hair.

"Oh, yes!" the girl answered sincerely. "It's... it's just..." She closed her eyes, unable to think of the appropriate phrase. It is so beautiful, she thought; Dick will love me in it.

The older woman smiled in understanding. "Well, that's all then. We'll sew it up this afternoon; I'll deliver it on Sunday around one."

"You mean... that's all? Nothing more for me to do?"

"Nothing," she said airily. "All you have to do is step into it Sunday at three, and then walk down the aisle."

Mrs. Martini helped her out of the gown, and Sue dressed again in her blue sweater and plaid skirt. She glanced at her watch and was surprised to see that only ten minutes had elapsed. "Maybe Marylou will get to open some more packages after all," she said to herself.

It was a pleasant day, Sue noted, as she walked the two blocks back to her home. Sue felt like skipping, and she did... for a second or two until she remembered to be ladylike. She hoped the clear warm weather would hold until Sunday at least. She hoped it would be nice weather in Ireland. She hoped so many things, "But mainly I hope Dick and I will be happy together." She was humming a tune when she turned the corner and saw Petey's car in the driveway. Her step faltered; she abruptly remembered Marylou's candid confession about being intimate with the cheerleader. The boy was only fifteen, he might even be fourteen -- not yet handsome, but fairly good-looking, with a pleasing personality. He had a certain poise; Marylou had undoubtedly helped to bring part of that about. During the Spring semester, he played shortstop on the high school baseball team -- was too small of stature and build for football -- and had earned his letter. Marylou and he made a rather attractive couple of teenagers, Sue thought. Still, though, they were teenagers and should not have been physically intimate.

Knowing what she did, Sue was sure that she would be unable to hide her mixed emotions if she faced the boy, so she walked around the side of the house and came quietly in the back way. She had planned to stay in the kitchen until he and Marylou left to go swimming. Obviously, they would have to be leaving in a minute or two.

The house was quiet -- too quiet, she thought. Surely the young couple had left. For a moment, Sue deliberated calling Marylou's name, then decided she would just walk in unannounced. After all, it was her home! Sue left the kitchen and went through the alcove next to the living room. She was about to slide the doors open when she heard what sounded like a low cry of pain. Puzzled, she peered through the crack and then froze in shock and amazement. There, stretched out full length on the couch, were Petey and Marylou. The girl's white gym shorts had been unzipped and -- together with her white nylon panties -- were down about her knees. Her blouse was open all the way, and Petey's mouth was glued to her right breast. Even as Sue watched Marylou groaned again -- and Sue realized it was not a cry of pain, but of delight. The boy's middle finger was sawing away in maniacal fury at the junction of Marylou's widely outspread legs. Her young pelvis was moving up and down in an effort to capture and hold on to the elusive digit. From her vantage point, Sue could even see the enlarged pink clitoris almost as large as an infant's penis.

Sue knew she should go away -- go back to the kitchen -- and perhaps slam a door as if she had just entered. Then she could call out Marylou's name; that would give the boy and girl a chance to get into their clothes. But then she also knew that she wouldn't be able to face either one of them after what she was viewing now. Her attention snapped back to the front room as Marylou arched her back up off the sofa and began to pant hoarsely. "I'm cumming, Petey," she cried once, then fell back, her face twisted in a lewd expression of delight and her legs beating against the leather couch.

After her movements had slowed, Petey took his finger away and lifted his mouth from her breast. He slid one knee over her thigh, as he began fumbling with his zipper. "Put it in for me, huh?" he requested.

"No! I told you no." Marylou said. In spite of the fact that her eyes were closed in satiation, there was no mistaking her adamant tone of voice.

"Please!" It was a frantic plea from the boy.

Marylou sighed in exasperation and opened her eyes. "I told you before you started messing around. It's the dangerous time of the month for me, and even if it wasn't, you'd still have to have protection. You know that!"

"Oh, God. I'm dying," the boy wailed.

Marylou sat up on one box. She had a very patient expression on her face. "Lie on your back," she ordered, and turned on her side to give him more room.

Petey did as he was told. She suddenly realized that Marylou knew exactly what to do... had probably done this many times before. Even as she watched, Marylou expertly unfastened the boy's belt, undid the waistband hook, and then unzipped the trousers. His jockey shorts were bulging. Marylou's hand slipped in the opening and withdrew the penis.

She was frozen; she couldn't have moved now even if the house had been hit by an earthquake. She had never seen anything like this before, although she knew it must happen all the time between some boys and girls. It had almost happened with her and Dick. That didn't change the situation; it was still lewd, dangerous, and wicked. Marylou's hand encircled the virile instrument at a point just below the head of the organ. She began moving her hand up and down, up and down. Petey lay back with a blissful look on his face, his eyelids fluttering, and his breath coming rapidly.

"Let me know," Marylou said.

"Yeh... yeh..." it was a hoarse grunt.

Less than thirty seconds later, Petey raised his buttocks off the couch and his face twisted in a grimace, "Ahh... ahhh," was all he said, but the communication was obviously effective for Marylou quickly used her other hand to pull up the jockey shorts just as the first white spurts of the boy's sperm came flooding through the subterranean channels of his penis. Marylou continued to stroke him -- more gently now -- and on her face was an unfathomable look that might have been either pleasure or satisfaction. Finally her hand motions stopped. She grinned down at the boy. "Feel better, sugar?" Sue asked softly.

"Ummm. God, yes," Petey sighed. "It's not as good as the real thing -- like fucking inside of you... but it's better than nothing."

Marylou laughed, "And better than doing it yourself?"

"Hey now. I don't..."

"You do," and she hit him playfully, "doesn't everyone?"

After a moment, Marylou brought her hand out from beneath his jockey shorts. Sue could see the hand was all wet; it glistened in the reflected light. Marylou calmly wiped her hand on the tail of his tee shirt. Petey turned his head toward her; Marylou's breast was only three inches away from his mouth. He parted his lips, his tongue came out and licked the erect brown nipple.

With a look of rapture on her face, Marylou put her hand behind his head and pulled him closer to her. His mouth opened all the way as he seemingly attempted to devour the entire breast. "Ummm... that's wonderful." Then, abruptly, she pulled away from him and was very businesslike. "That's enough," she said in mock sternness. "We'd better get going. Sue will be back in a few minutes. Come on... get up, lazy." She prodded him with her knee.

Reluctantly, Petey stood up and faced the alcove door behind which Sue was hiding. His levis were down around his knees, and he stood straddle-legged to keep them from slipping down any further. In an attempt to straighten out his sopping wet jockey shorts, he was forced to lower them to about mid-thigh. Sue saw his cum-covered penis, flaccid now and only about two and a half inches long. He used the lower part of his tee shirt to dry it, and the vigorous drying motions started the organ swelling and elongating again. Marylou unconcernedly got off the couch, and Sue was able to see sparse young triangle of pubic hair before the white nylon panties and tight white gym shorts hid it from sight. Casually, the girl buttoned up her blouse, all the while smiling affectionately at the boy. A moment later, arm in arm and giggling, they left; this was followed by the sound of Petey's car starting up.

Sue suddenly realized that she was debilitated -- so weak that her legs were almost unable to support her weight. She felt shame at having acted as a "Peeping Tom", but more than that, she could feel a sense of forbidden excitement that raged like a wild fire in her own loins and brought a hot fevered dampness between her thighs. For a moment, when the boy and girl had been petting, it seemed almost as if Sue herself were being fondled. Woodenly, she slid the door open and walked to the couch. She reached out one trembling hand and touched the leather. No, it hadn't been a dream. The leather was still warm from the heat of their bodies and, in one place where Marylou had lain with her bare buttocks pressed against the sofa. She could feel dampness where the girl's love juices had flowed down between her legs to the couch itself.

She sat down and thought about what she had seen. The performance of the two teenagers was wrong. Not only wrong, but sinful and dangerous. Yet, on the other hand, it had seemed such a natural thing and so very enjoyable! She had no doubt that the real act of sexual intercourse between Petey and Marylou would be just as natural -- accepted just as calmly. And her thoughts moved on to her relationship with Dick. When she permitted Dick to fondle her, she had known excitement... at least for a few happy, beautiful moments. Always, though, she had become frightened as she felt her senses drifting away leaving her body helpless to any onslaught. And so, she had tightened up each time. As for touching Dick's penis... no matter how much Dick wanted her to caress him, she couldn't bring herself to do it. His male organ frightened her. Even though she had never seen it, she knew it was much, much larger than Petey's.

Sue picked up a wedding gift. "Everything will be much better after the wedding," she said aloud, and felt immediate depression because she was pretty sure it wouldn't be that much better. She forced herself to grin and began ripping the paper off the package. "I am just having prewedding jitters. Every bride has them. Don't they?" And she laughed humorlessly with the realization she was talking to herself. More than once during the next hour her eyes fastened on the couch, and she found herself wondering what it would be like if she and Dick...

Five hours later, when Dick came to pick her up for the traditional "final date" before marriage, the combination of perturbation and forbidden excitement still racked her body. She met Dick at the door, threw her arms around his waist, and kissed him warmly. As she pressed her body in close to him, she could sense his surprise at her uninhibited welcome. Her mouth opened to receive his tongue and her own tongue quivered and played effusively with his.

Dick, delighted with the greeting, drew back and asked, "What gives here?"

"I can kiss my husband-to-be, can't I?" she said, grinning in what she hoped was a wicked manner.

"Anytime, baby. Anyway!" They clenched again, then drew quickly apart as Sue's mother banged a door at the top of the stairs and came down.

"Good evening, Richard," she said, primly, not smiling.

"Hello, Mrs. Ogden. How are you this evening?"

"Not very well, thank you. I have a headache." Silence settled over the group. Sue finally broke it by taking Dick's arm and saying, "Don't wait up, Mother. It'll probably be after midnight before we get back from the hayride."

Mrs. Ogden stared at Sue, then nodded. "Have a good time," she said, and it was obvious the statement was made perfunctorily.

Dick opened the door for Sue and led the way to his side of the convertible. She slid in, showing more thigh than she usually showed, and didn't bother to pull down her skirt when Dick got behind the wheel. His mind was on something else, it seemed. "Brrr," he said, shivering as though he were freezing. "It was a bit cold in there tonight."

Sue quickly put her hand over his. "Mother means well."

"Sure," he answered, starting the car and backing out of the driveway. "Just like last week when I told her to cheer up; that she wasn't losing a, daughter, she was gaining a son. She looked at me like I was something that had crawled out of the apple pie and said, 'I am losing a daughter.'"

"Everything will be all right," Sue said, moving over until her hip was touching his.

Dick looked down at her legs and breasts, grinned, and said, "Everything is perfect already."

She dimpled and replied, "Thank you, kind sir," and felt the happiness well up in her.

Dick drove quickly -- surely -- driving with one hand, with his other arm around her shoulders. His tape deck was playing something soft -- something for people in love. Neither of them spoke as they drove out of town, heading toward the farm where the haywagon ride was to originate. They were the last to arrive. Other couples were already in the wagon, and shouting impatiently for the evening to begin. Several bottles of hard liquor were in evidence, being passed around to be drunk straight. Sue had a mouthful of straight bourbon and coughed as it burned its way down her throat to her empty stomach.

Someone began singing as the two horses pulled the wagon across the countryside. With the coming of darkness, the various couples began snuggling down into the sweet--smelling hay. There were muffled giggles from the girls and occasional barks of laughter from the boys. Sue knew all of the others on the ride -- most of them had been friends since kindergarten. They were a nice bunch of kids, she thought.

Dick pulled her down deeper into the hay, and she found herself almost buried in it, and lying full-length and pressed against him. The image of Petey and Marylou came to her at once, but she forced it out of her mind by asking, "Happy?"

"Uh-huh. You?"

In reply, she kissed him and found his mouth partially open: without volition, her tongue swam into his mouth. He savagely returned the kiss, and the excitement Sue had felt earlier began creeping back again. Now Dick's hands cautiously touched her breasts. Even through the sweater and blouse and slip and brassiere, she had felt the electricity between them.

The spell was momentarily broken when from the other side of the wagon, Sally Miller, the pert little redhead who was to serve as bridesmaid on Sunday, said very loudly, "Harvey Johnson. You stop that. You just behave yourself. You hear?" The remark was followed by ribald laughter from all the boys, including Dick. Even the driver, a 70-year- old coloured man, doubled up in laughter.

A second later, Dick began kissing her again. Their two tongues sparred, and she felt his hands becoming more sure of themselves when she did not protest. Lying as they were, face to face, Sue was also becoming very aware of the hard bulge beneath his trousers, which confessed his desire. She wanted to reach down there and caress him the way Marylou had caressed Petey; she was steeling herself to do it when his hands moved beneath her sweater and his knee moved between her thighs, separating them.

She made no effort to halt his fumbling efforts to unfasten the bra clasp, trusting him and herself. His movements, concealed by the straw and the night, were successful. A delicious moment later, his bare hand was on her naked breast; his fingers played over the nipple and he lovingly squeezed the firm, full mound of flesh. Never before had it felt so delightful to her. His tongue had become imperative, his movements almost frantic. His hips buffeted against her pelvis. She found herself panting -- wanting him to stop, yet deep inside wanting him to go ahead forever. She wanted him to kiss and bite her breasts the way Petey had with Marylou. She was only vaguely aware of the clopping of the horses' hooves and the murmuring sounds of other couples who had also buried themselves in the anonymity of the hay. No doubt everyone was necking furiously, she thought. Suddenly, the breath went right out of her body. With one unhesitating smooth motion, Dick's hand slid up her thigh, dug itself under the thin elastic leg band of her panties, and touched the hot, moist lips of her now fevered vagina. Oh, God! She had been dying for him to do this... and now she didn't want him to. Immediately she dropped her arm and tried to pull his hand away; she also attempted to move her mouth from his. She was helpless, so weak. She was almost beside herself as he began massaging the hot throbbing passage between her legs. Once, his thumb and forefinger tweaked the sensuously tingling clitoris and a shower of ecstasy sparked through her groin. He began using his other arm to force her hand down toward the awesome bulge in his pants. She could feel reason leaving her; it was insane. "No... no!" she cried aloud and struggled upright. No one noticed her.

Sue saw him looking at her, wild-eyed and trembling. Finally he seemed to gain control of himself and nodded that it was safe to come back into his arms. She did so, trembling like a person afflicted with epilepsy, and kissed him gently on the lips. The bulge in his trousers felt even larger now, and she could feel it beating like a second heart against her bare thigh.

She had almost decided she would do something about relieving him, when the driver shouted to someone, and Sue heard Sally Miller's voice, "Hey, everybody, we're here!" The wagon made a half circle and stopped at the bank of a river. A huge bonfire was scattering sparks to the night. The smell of broiling steaks came on the wind. A keg of beer was tapped as one of the farm hands began playing a guitar. Dinner was followed by a round of singing as the bonfire slowly died down. One by one, the couples began drifting into the perimeter's darkness.