Part 1: Monday

Chapter 1: Lily

Shit, hell, and damnation.

I had come into school on the Monday of my most important week since I came to Westport High, and I got called down to the office.

And I knew what it was. The Goddamn Program.

I'm Lily Woodard. I had only been in Westport since Christmas-and it was the end of March, so it hadn't been that long. We moved here from the Boston area-where, at my school, I had been Big Chick On Campus. Being uprooted in the middle of my junior year was no fun, but Dad got a great job opportunity here that he couldn't turn down. I understood.

But I was a nobody here at Westport. You move in mid-year, and nobody knows you. The friendships and the little clubs and the cliques had all been formed, and you were on the outside looking in.

That was fine. I knew who I was, what I was capable of. I knew I'd have my chance to shine. And that chance started this week. But not if I was going into The Program!

Look, I have nothing against The Program. When I came to Westport, and heard about it, and read the brochures, I thought it was a neat idea. We didn't have anything like it in my old school. Now, don't misunderstand me, Boston's always been a pretty liberal place, and with the recent loosening of society's mores, it's a really liberal place. Walking past two people fucking on Boston Common in the middle of the afternoon isn't unheard of. And you'd occasionally stumble past a mad boinking on the grounds of my old school. But they didn't have anything specifically like The Program there.

And, like I said, I thought it was a great idea. I'd seen how it worked. I had the program director, Ms. T, for biology first period, so any time we had a participant in class, I'd see how it worked. I even got asked to give one of my classmates some relief one morning, which I gladly did, and thought it was fun. I'm not a prude, nor am I ashamed of my body. I've had sex, enjoyed it, and can't wait to do it again. And I wouldn't mind at all participating in The Program.

But not this week.

Which is what I tried to explain to Mr. Tilling, the principal.

"Look, Mr. Tilling, I'm not asking to get out of this, at all! I want to do The Program-just not this week! All I'm asking for is a postponement."

"Lily, the only acceptable excuses for postponement are illness, or something important that's going to keep you out of school for most or all of the week."

"What about a very important school activity that I can't do in the nude?"

"What can't you do in the nude?" he asked.

"Throw a baseball. Tryouts are this week for the team. I'm planning on trying out. I'm a pitcher. And I've never tried to pitch in the nude, and I don't see how I can do it with these things flapping around!" I poked at my boobs.

"Baseball? You? A girl has never played baseball at Westport High."

"So, I'll be the first. I pitched for my old school. Varsity. Both years, that includes freshman year. I'm good, and I aim to prove it. But I can't see how I can do that if I can't at least wear a sports bra during tryouts to retain these things."

"Sorry, Lily. No sports bras. Look, this is a high-level baseball team. The competition in our conference is incredible. Why don't you try softball, instead? That's next week."

"Because I don't play softball, I play baseball!"

Just then, the door opened. A guy walked in. I didn't know him, but I'd seen him around school. "Hey, Mr. Tilling," he said. "Don't tell me, let me guess. The Program?"

"The Program. And this is your partner. Lily Woodard, Mike Kirkland." He came over to me, big smile, and shook my hand. I forced a smile and shook back.

"OK, you two. Let's go. Off with everything."

Damn. He wasn't going to let me off the hook. Damn his stupid rules-and damn his prejudices. This was because I was a girl.

Look, I didn't expect smooth sailing. I knew there'd be resistance. I was lucky-the guys on my old school's team were largely guys I'd played with since Little League. I didn't have to prove anything to them, because we moved right up the ladder together. But girls playing baseball past Little League-especially with the explosion in softball programs-was a novelty. But I figured I'd prove myself. Until this.

I stripped off my clothes in a huff, rolled them in a ball. I practically threw them at Mr. Tilling. I stormed out of his office. The other kid-Mike-was right behind me.

The usual crowd of gawkers was out in the halls, clapping and cheering. I knew the rules. They were going to watch. If they were going to grope, I had to let them. But the crowd must have picked up the waves of frustration rolling off me, because they pretty much kept their distance.

Mike caught up with me. "Hey, you seem really upset with this."

"It just completely fucked up my life."

"Ah, it's not so bad. I think it might even be fun."

"Easy for you to say," I snorted.

"Look, if there's anything I can do..."

"You want to do something? Fine. Can you rustle me up a damn catcher?"

"A catcher."

"Yeah, a catcher. You know, baseball?" I said snidely. "I have to try out tomorrow, and now, because Mr. Tilling is an asshole, I have to do it in the nude. And I've never pitched in the nude before, and I need to practice it, tonight, because I have no idea if I'm going to be able to snap off my slider with these fucking things bouncing around!"

I could see his eyes bouncing rapidly from my face to my boobs. "Yeah, I can see why that might be a problem. They're not... er... insubstantial," he stammered. OK, I admit it, I stifled a giggle. It was cute.

"Anyhow," he continued-eyes now locked right on my face, which was cuter-"I have the answer to your problem. Starting catcher, varsity, and that's last year, too. For a Sophomore, around here, that's quite a coup. I can catch you."

"Really?" It was the first thing that had gone right since I had gotten out of bed.

"Really. We can do it after school."

"Oh, Mike, that's great. Thank you. Shit, I don't know if I want to do it here, though. If I'm having trouble, I'd rather not do so out on the field, before tryouts, where there might be people watching. Word gets around. And I'm going to face enough prejudice."

"Prejudice?"

"As I was just informed, a girl has never played baseball at Westport High."

"Ah. Well, anyway, the field is no problem. We can do it at my house. I've got the whole set up, regulation mound, plate sixty feet six inches away, the whole bit. We've even got lights if it gets dark. All the guys come over to my place to throw."

"Really? Oh, that'd be great."

"Sure. How do you get here? My place is in walking distance, that's how I get here."

"Oh, I drive. We live a couple miles away. I'm in Lot C. We can head over there after we meet at the entrance."

"Sounds good. Got your glove?"

"I'm a baseball player, what do you think?" We both laughed. "It's in my locker."

"Great. See you after school, then."

Chapter 2: Mike

Going into the program was no surprise. I looked forward to it.

Now, it wasn't the greatest week for me, either. Though I didn't have to try out, I did have to be there at tryouts to catch the pitchers. Well, at least I could wear the cup, shinpads, chest pads, and mask. Those are "protective equipment," not clothes, so they're allowed. Plus, we had a game Friday night, so I'd have to be nude for that, too.

So, I could use my little session with Lily to try catching with no clothes on, so that worked out. I was guessing the chest protector was going to itch like hell. Ah, well.

Lily. I thought about her quite a bit that day. A chick pitcher, huh? Well, she obviously thought she could throw. We'd find out. She seemed quite serious about this.

Shit, though, she didn't look like any pitcher I'd ever caught. She was gorgeous. She had dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, a cute little pug nose. She was tall-had a couple inches on me, actually. And she was built. Oh, yeah, her bust, of course-but not just that. I noticed when she was walking nude in front of me that her thighs were like tree trunks. And her ass had a woman's curves-but I saw the muscles clench up in it and they were prominent. From the waist up, she was all girl-except for her right arm, which did look like it had hurled a few fastballs.

And, OK, yeah, she had boobs. Rather large ones.

Anyhow, I went through the day. It was fine. I got groped a little, that was fine. I didn't have to ask for relief, because I was pretty mellow about the whole thing. Didn't mind doing so if I ever felt the need, but I was OK. All right, I admit it-somebody in the girls' locker room at gym jerked me off to an orgasm. Which might have been one of the reasons I didn't have to ask for relief.

The day got through, and I went to the exit where Lily and I were supposed to meet and put our clothes back on. She was there waiting for me, glove and clothes in hand. "Hey," I said.

"Hey. Ready to go?"

"Just let me get my clothes." I did-and had to catch up with her, as she was already heading for her car.

We got in and I gave her directions to my place. She drove, not saying a word. Halfway there, I realized she had been moving so fast that I never did actually get dressed. Ah, well, whatever. I did say I was mellow about the whole Program. I was raised pretty liberally, never had any problems with nudity or sex or any of that. So, you know, whatever. It was fine.

"This is it," I told her. She pulled up front. "Come on in. I've got to go get some equipment. Come on in, meet my Mom."

She smiled, rather blankly, then it hit her. "Your Mom! Oh, shit, I'm sorry, Mike-I was in such a hurry I didn't even give us a chance to get dressed. Here, let's throw this stuff on before we go in."

"What's the point?" I laughed. "You're just going to have to strip before you pitch, aren't you? And I will, too, because I have to catch at tryouts and want to practice, since I have to be naked this week, too. Forget the clothes."

"But... your Mom..."

"My Mom is cool," I laughed. "She's a child psychologist. Has her office right in the house, see that other entrance over to the side? That's her office. She schedules her appointments so she's done before I get off school. Anyhow, Mom says that, because of her job, she has seen everything and anything, and at least twice. And she says the worst thing you can pass off on a kid is repression and guilt. This is a very open-minded house. She won't get fazed in the least about us walking in like this."

"Well, OK. If you say so." We got out, and went in.

"Mikey, is that you?"

"Yeah, Mom. Come on out and meet my friend." She came on out, and I introduced them. "Mom, Lily Woodard. Lily, Elsbeth Kirkland."

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Kirkland."

"Please, call me Ellie." Mom looked at me. "So, I take it The Program hit this week? What, do they make you come home from school naked, too?"

"Nah." I explained the situation.

"Oh, yeah, I can see where that might be a problem," Mom said. "So, you guys want some Coke or something before you head out there?"

"Yeah, that'd be great," I told her. We sat down at the dining room table.

"Yes, please," Lily said.

Mom went to get the stuff, and Marina came down stairs. She walked over and gave me a kiss.

"Hey, Mikey. You looking pretty good."

"I bet you say that to all the guys," I teased her. "Marina, this is Lily. Lily, Marina."

"Nice to meet you." They shook hands. She asked what was up, so we told her what was going on. "Cool. Well, Lily, you're in good hands-this boy can catch. Have fun. Mikey, where's your mother?" she asked me.

"Kitchen," I told her. Marina went to find her. "Marina is Mom's partner," I told Lily.

"Oh. Your mother is gay?"

"Well, technically, she's bi. I was actually created in the traditional way," I laughed, "by your basic man-and-woman rutting. Though Mom and my father were never married, and he disappeared shortly after the 'blessed event'. So she's bi, and says she can love men and women, but I think she's happier with women. I've seen both, and she's happier with women. And it's been a while since I've seen her with a guy, because she and Marina have actually been together six years now. Marina's great, she really is a second Mom-and they're great together. If this ass-backwards state ever got around to legalizing gay marriage, I think they'd consider it."

Just then, Mom and Marina came back in with the cokes. We sipped them for a while, chatting about nothing in particular. Then I said, "Well, we should get out there soon. Let me go upstairs and strap on the ol' tools, and grab my mitt. Be back down. Entertain her, eh?" I asked Mom and Marina. They just chuckled. And I headed upstairs to get my stuff.

Chapter 3: Lily

So, there I was, sitting stark naked chatting to two women I didn't know. Two gay women, mind you. Was I uncomfortable?

No, I wasn't, actually. I was raised pretty open-mindedly myself. I like to think I'm open-minded. Every so often, though, you find yourself being tested.

The thing is, I liked them instantly, especially Mike's mom, Ellie.

"So, you play baseball?" she asked.

"Yeah, played at my old school. We just moved here a few months ago from Boston. I really want to make the team here. I'm encountering prejudice already, and now I'm at a disadvantage."

"We know all about prejudice," Ellie said. "Marina and I, you see, are together."

"Yeah, Mike told me," I smiled at them.

"And even in this newfangled, sexual freedom, no inhibitions, everything's great world-it still exists. It's better, but it still exists. People take the whole 'whatever makes you happy' attitude, or so they say, but it still creeps in, especially when it comes to assumptions."

"The one she gets," Marina said, "is that a lesbian can't possibly raise a son. I mean, a son needs a man, right?"

"I always say that I can relate to my son as well as any guy," Ellie replied. "I mean, what do fathers talk about with their teenaged sons, anyway? Girls, right? I can do that!" I cracked up laughing at that.

"The one I get is the exact opposite," I told them. "Because I'm in a sport that is traditionally and overwhelmingly male, I must be a complete butch lesbian, right?"

Ellie giggled. "I take it you're not."

"No, I'm straight," I told them. "But girls who play guy's sports can't be straight. Especially if they're good at them."

"I take it you're good," Ellie said.