Chapter 1 -- Sherry Jordan

Look out now, 'cause she'll break your heart again
No one sees what the years have failed to mend, yeh.
Standin' there beneath the streetlights.
Telling secrets in the darkest night.
Heaven's just a stolen kiss away.

--Nothin's Gonna Stop Us Now (Chicago)

Since the beginning of my sophomore school year, I found myself the object of attention from a few of the girls in my class. This was a new situation for me--I had rarely attracted any notice from members of the opposite sex before.

The thing that was different this year, of course, was that I was now dating Kristen Swift, my little blonde Goddess. Kristen was a senior, had a long mane of lovely blonde hair, blue eyes, and a killer body. Her family was rich, and I was definitely from the "other side of town." For some reason, Kristen attended public high school, and I had known of her for a few years, mistakenly thinking that she was responsible for my losing the friendship of somebody that I had once been close to.

Kristen was also eighteen months older than I was. That in itself was unusual in high school. Usually, it was older boys that dated younger girls. Girls seemed to look for maturity in the guys they dated, and they associated maturity with age. The fact that Kristen and I were going steady was atypical to say the least.

Apparently, this new situation seemed to make some girls give me more than a casual glance as dating material. After all, if somebody like Kristen found me interesting, there might be more to me than was immediately apparent. The level of my perceived maturity rose proportionately due to the fact that Kristen thought I was dating material. Kristen was no longer the leader of her own clique of girls at school, but she was well known enough that my stature in school naturally rose until I was pretty much known on sight by just about everybody.

Being naive, I didn't know exactly how to handle this new attention from the girls, so I simply tried to ignore it. Some girls saw my reaction and set their sights elsewhere. A couple of girls saw my reluctance as a personal challenge. Somehow attracted by my attitude, they went on crusades to ensnare me.

One of these crusaders was Sherry Jordan, a sophomore like me that I had known since seventh grade. Sherry's brown hair was very curly and was so fine as to look fragile. Her breasts were on the smallish side. She wasn't the most beautiful girl in the world, and I always thought of her as a shy girl in junior high. Every time I saw her, she looked like she was concentrating on something or other, a look that I guess I associated with studiousness. Like most of the girls at that time, Kristen being the notable exception, Sherry wore what I thought was too much makeup--heavy on mascara and eye shadow.

I discussed the attention I was receiving from Sherry with my good friend Patty, who was a senior at the school. Patty was a red-headed friend that I introduced to Kristen. Patty was mildly amused about the way I described Sherry's actions, understanding that the girls my age were still going through emotional changes themselves. She explained to me how they were just trying out their new wings, so to speak, and how the air of sexual permissiveness of the mid-1970s probably had a lot to do with their attitudes as well.

It was nice having somebody like Patty to talk to. I found her to be a remarkable source of insight into other people's feelings. What Patty told me made a lot of sense. In fact, in the past year or so, I had seen some of my male acquaintances start to notice members of the opposite sex, a complete 180 degree reversal from their previous attitudes.

However, as I mentioned, I already had a girlfriend, and I was very much in love with Kristen. I had no desire whatsoever of doing anything that would jeopardize my relationship with her. Therefore, I found myself getting into the habit of trying to avoid Sherry's attentions.

Of course, this only seemed to make Sherry more determined in her targeting of me.

I was therefore a bit nervous when I saw Sherry approach me in history class, one of three classes that we had together. After all, as I said, Sherry was one of those girls that didn't give up their pursuit of me very easily.

"Hey, Jim!" Sherry said, batting her painted eyes.

"Um... hi ya, Sherry," I answered, looking at her the way that Superman would eye a bar of Kryptonite.

Sherry continued to bat her mascara-covered eyes, and pushed out her smallish breasts just a little. "You ready for the quiz tomorrow?"

"The homework was easy enough," I said noncommittally.

"I can't get it, though," Sherry said. "All of those dates." She shuddered at the thought of actually having to remember something. "Maybe you could help me?"

"I'm going out after school..." I said. "With Kristen," I added, to emphasize my loyalties.

I saw a strange look pass in her eyes briefly. "That's all right. We both have fourth period lunch. We'll meet then." Without giving me time to object, Sherry gave me a sweet smile and walked away toward her desk, wiggling her ass a bit more than I had ever seen her do before.

"Wow, man. That chick's hot!" a classmate of mine named Fred offered to me.

"Yeah," I agreed, thinking if something is hot enough, it will burn somebody eventually.

I figured that fourth period lunch would be a good time to deal with Sherry. After all, both Kristen and Patty also had lunch during that period, and I usually ate with the two of them. Sherry would find me surrounded by two twelfth grade girls. I snickered to myself, congratulating myself for having gotten away from Sherry yet again.

As I walked from third period music to the lunchroom, I smiled in anticipation of Sherry having to deal with Patty and Kristen in order to talk with me at lunch.

Suddenly, I felt somebody tap my shoulder.

I turned around and my heart dropped as I saw Sherry standing behind me. "Hey, Jim!"

"Um... you wanted to meet at lunch, right?" I asked.

"Oh, the lunchroom is so noisy. The music room is empty this period and I've heard that Mr. Proilet has allowed you free rein to come and go into that room as you please. Isn't that right?"

"Well..."

"I brought my history book," Sherry continued, holding the book in her hand. "We could discuss tomorrow's quiz in relative quiet."

"I don't know..."

"Oh, come on!" Sherry said, tugging my arm back toward the music room.

Oh, fuck. Kristen and Patty were definitely going to notice my absence in the lunchroom. Moreover, on more than one occasion, Kristen and I met in that music room for a little rendezvous during lunch period. It wouldn't be unlike Kristen at all to check on that room to see if I was just spending time working on arrangements for the jazz band.

"This isn't a good idea," I said to Sherry who simply ignored me, continuing to pull me into the music room.

Sherry wasn't a member of the band, but she seemed to know the layout of the music room. As we entered the room, she found the Do Not Disturb switch that connected to a red light outside the room, indicating that nobody should enter the room.

This confirmed to me that Sherry's intentions had nothing whatsoever to do with History.

"Sherry, I don't think you should have..."

"Oh, shut up, Jim," Sherry said, exasperated. Now inside the room with the door shut, she simply turned around and pulled my head down to hers.

Sherry's kiss surprised me. I attempted to say something, but she kept my face on hers, and as I opened my lips, she simply slipped her tongue into my mouth.

Despite my not being a willing participant in this action, I found Sherry's actions were making me aroused. I was more than a little surprised when I felt one of her hands leave my neck, quickly moving to my crotch.

Sherry cooed as she felt my erection, and she started to lower my zipper. I tried to muster all my will power to say "NO!" to her, and finally wiggled away from her.

"STOP!" I said, rather forcefully.

Sherry looked at me, dumbfounded. Apparently, it didn't occur to her that I would really refuse her affections. Boys just didn't do that!

The two of us were breathing heavily. I saw frustration in Sherry's eyes, as she contemplated her next move.

I had to move fast, so I did.

Luckily, I had my attach case with me. I fumbled with it and hastily opened it and pulled out a ticket from my ever-present roll, handing it to Sherry.

Sherry looked confused, but took the ticket, and intoned the words, "You have one wish."

I pointed to one of the practice rooms, and said, "Go into that room, and don't make any noise. Wait patiently for me to return."

"Your wish is my command," Sherry intoned, and she obediently moved to the practice room.

Whew. That was close. Now, what should I do with her?

I needed to talk with Patty. She already knew about Sherry, although she had doubted that Sherry would actually get as explicit or as obvious as she had just acted. I needed Patty's ideas right now. I walked out of the music room, and headed for the lunchroom.

I heard a familiar voice call out, "Jim!"

I looked up and saw both Kristen and Patty. "Um... I was looking for you two."

Kristen looked beyond me and saw the Do Not Disturb light was on. "Oh?" Kristen asked, knowingly. "Both of us?"

I sighed. Kristen thought that I had planned a little rendezvous for the two of us.

Apparently, Patty thought the same thing, and started to excuse herself.

"No, Patty. Wait."

Both girls looked at me in surprise.

"Come into the music room. I need to talk with the two of you."

We entered the room. I saw Sherry's book on one of the seats, reminding me that she was still waiting patiently for me in one of the practice rooms.

"What's this about?" Kristen asked.

I turned to Patty. "Patty, remember when I told you about the girls in my classes and how their feelings toward me have changed recently?"

Patty nodded, confused.

Kristen also looked confused. I hadn't told her about this--I hadn't wanted to get her upset. I now realized that I didn't have much choice.

"Kris, I only told Patty so I could get advice," I explained. "Since the beginning of school this year, girls seem to be more interested in me. Patty and I worked it out that because you seem interested in me, and that Wendy, Patty, and Patrice also hang out with me, that I might be somebody worth looking into."

Patty nodded, remembering our conversation.

"You're not thinking of leaving me, are you?" Kristen asked. I saw from her amused expression that she didn't seem upset at this revelation.

"No, Kris," I assured my love, "you're my one and only."

"So, what's this about?" Patty asked.

"Well, there's one girl that has been a bit more persistent than the others; one that doesn't want to take 'no' for an answer."

"And you want advice?" Patty asked.

"Or do you want me to kill her?" Kristen asked, still not completely serious.

"No," I answered, "I just want you to understand."

"Understand what?" Kristen asked. She sounded as if she was getting a bit exasperated.

"Give me a second," I said, sighing. I took my attach case and went into the room where Sherry was still waiting.

The two girls watched me enter the practice room. I saw Sherry simply waiting there. She went to say something as I handed her another ticket.

"You have one wish."

I exited the closet, pulling Sherry behind me.

Kristen's bemused expression turned dark. "You have a girl in there?"

"Wait, Kristen," Patty said. "Look at her."

"He's got her in the power of a ticket!" Kristen spat.

I turned to Kristen and said, "Trust me, Kris."

Kristen's expression didn't soften, but her mouth closed.

I returned my attention to Sherry and said, "Until I say the phrase 'Truth serum off, ' you are obligated to tell me the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. You will simply stand there and answer my questions, ignoring everything else."

"Your wish is my command."

Turning my attention back to the two seniors, I said, "You both know that she cannot lie right now. I'll ask her right now if I have betrayed you, Kristen. Or do you trust me?"

Kristen looked me in the eyes, and her expression finally softened. "I trust you, Jim."

"I was thinking about using a ticket to take her mind off me, but I wanted Patty's advice--and yours--before I did so. You both know how tricky these tickets are."

Both girls nodded.

"Anyway," I said, turning back to Sherry. "I still want to set the record straight. Sherry, why did you come into this room today?"

"I came here to kiss you, Jim," Sherry intoned. "I was going to fondle you and make you shoot off. If I had to, I would give you a hand job."

"But why?" I asked, almost automatically.

"My cousin said she'd pay me a hundred dollars if I did that here in the music room."

"Your cousin? Here in the music room?" I asked, not understanding.

"I saw you come in here last week with Kristen," Sherry explained, still using her monotone voice. "I put my ear to the door and heard what you two were doing in here. I told my cousin, and she dared me to do it with you. She even told me that she'd pay me another hundred dollars if Kristen walks in and you're naked. If not, she wanted me to steal you away from her, and I could use the hand job as blackmail material to make you leave Kristen."

"Why would your cousin want that?" Patty asked.

Sherry didn't answer. My wish had only been for Sherry to answer my questions, and to ignore everything else.

I turned to the other two girls and saw a look of shock on Kristen's face.

"Kris, I didn't know how far she was willing to go. This thing about Sherry's cousin has thrown me for a loop." I turned back to Sherry. "Who is your cousin?"

"Dale Hardy," Sherry answered.

"Oh, shit!" Kristen said, and ran out of the room.

I looked at Patty in shock at Kristen's outburst. "What just happened?"

"Dale Hardy was the girl that Kristen got kicked out of high school, Jim."

"Oh, fuck!"

"Jim, I need to talk with Kristen. I'm afraid she'll do something drastic."

I nodded dumbly at Patty.

Patty went to leave and said, "You'll need to get Sherry out of here. Um... make her think she failed, that you don't seem to like girls that come on too strong. Have her forget what happened in here."

"OK," I said, but Patty was already out of the room. "So," I asked, turning to Sherry knowing that the two of us were alone, "do you love me, or were you just putting me on?"

"I love you, Jim," Sherry said, her voice losing its monotone and becoming more animated. "I've wanted you to be my first boyfriend, my first lover. I'd have come with you in here even if Dale hadn't offered me money. Dale just gave me the idea."

"Love me?" I asked, surprised. "You hardly know me!"

"Not true," Sherry said. "I've watched you in earth science and English last year. You didn't notice, but I liked you. I saw you playing the piano here at the high school for 'Annie Get Your Gun' last year. I bought a ticket for every performance. I think I've been in love with you since seventh grade."

Oh, shit. I didn't need another person falling in love with me.

However, there was something about Sherry, and the fact that I knew that there was no way that she could be lying to me, that made me consider what she said.

"So, why am I getting the attention now? Because of Dale?"

"I saw that you were going with Kristen," Sherry spat. "I hate her! She has everything in the world! She fucked over my cousin! Now, she's taken the one boy that I always wanted! You didn't seem interested in anybody last year, but now you're going out with her, probably because of all her money."

I looked at Sherry, stunned by her venomous remarks. Did she truly think that I was only interested in Kristen's money? Is that what other people thought?

I sat quietly, looking at Sherry standing with her tear stained face. Somehow, I would need to clean up this mess, and I had no idea how to do so.

"Truth serum off," I said.

Sherry shook her head and looked at me. "Did... did what just happen... really happen?"

I sighed, and handed Sherry another ticket.

"You have one wish," Sherry intoned.

"I wish that you will forget what happened in this room," I said, remembering Patty's instructions. "Instead remember that you tried to kiss me, but found that I was repulsed by your heavy handed tactics. And..." I let my words drop off, keeping Sherry from "finalizing" the wish.

I paused, thinking about what Sherry just told me. Had she really been infatuated with me for all that time? I never noticed it if she had.

I realized that Dale probably knew about Sherry's infatuation and simply used it to get to Kristen. Sherry wasn't really the one at fault here. There was something else. I couldn't let Sherry think of herself as a failure. She seemed so... so vulnerable.

"And," I continued, "as you leave this room, you will turn and give me a tender kiss. It won't last too long and it will just be our lips touching." I felt that I had to give Sherry something for baring her feelings to me the way she had done.

"Your wish is my command."

Sherry blinked again, and said, "Um... I'm embarrassed. I'm sorry I touched you like that..."

"Don't worry about it," I said, feeling like I had somehow done something wrong to bring this problem on myself.

"I... I think I should leave," Sherry said, quietly.

I nodded.

Sherry moved toward the door, but stopped as she walked next to me. She moved upward and pursed her lips for a kiss.

I looked at Sherry for a couple of seconds, and realized that my wish was preventing her from actually touching me with her hands. I needed to bend down to kiss Sherry.

I did so.

It was not a very romantic kiss. There were no tongues, and no touching of either of us, except for our lips.

Nevertheless, the kiss moved me.

After Sherry left, I sat alone in the music room for a few minutes and pondered the situation.

When I returned to the lunchroom, neither Patty nor Kristen were there. That worried me a bit. I knew that Kristen could easily go off the deep end and do something stupid. Knowing that Patty was with her (at least, I hoped she was) gave me a bit of hope, since I knew that Patty had a good head on her shoulders.

I was somewhat surprised to see Camille in the lunchroom. Camille was a lovely cheerleader in twelfth grade and was one of Patty's closest friends. I knew that she didn't have fourth period lunch. Camille saw me and started heading right for me.

"Jim!" Camille said.

"Cammy, what are you doing here?"

"I've got a substitute teacher in physics class," Camille explained. "My National Honor Society card allows me to go to the library. I wanted to talk with Patty at lunch, but when I saw her, she was with Kristen. She told me that I should talk with you."

I hadn't known that Camille was in the honor society. After all, I knew her predilection for skipping class. She was also a cheerleader to boot. National Honor Society material? I was a bit amazed. "Talk about what?" I asked her.

"Patty said something about a girl named Sherry. In addition, I noticed that Kristen looked furious at the mention of her name. Can you tell me what's going on?"

I sighed. "Do you know Sherry Jordan?"

"She's a small girl, the brunette with the permanent perm?" Camille asked.

Camille's description brought a quick smile to my lips. "Yeah, that's her."

"Isn't her cousin Dale Hardy?" Camille asked, her eyes getting wide. "Uh, oh... I think I'm beginning to get the picture."

Camille led me to a set of tables that were empty so we could sit and talk in relative privacy.

I brought Camille up to date. "Sherry's been in love with me since seventh grade, she told me. Dale offered her money for her to get me into a compromising situation with her and have Kristen find out. She even told Sherry to try to blackmail me into dumping Kristen for Sherry."

Camille whistled. "Shit. Dale doesn't take prisoners. Dale and Kristen used to be close, though. What's going on with them?"

"Kristen's dad got Dale thrown out of school," I explained. "I think he arranged for her to attend St. Jude's Catholic school on a 'scholarship' in order to get her out of here. I thought she was no longer an issue."

"Dale doesn't forget, Jim," Camille pointed out. "Dale was a friend of my sister's, you know."

Actually, I hadn't known that. Ages before, when I was quite younger, Camille's sister Debbie used to baby sit me, although I couldn't really remember much about that. "I'll take your word for that. Anyway, Sherry's in the middle. She really has feelings for me. Moreover, she hates Kristen because of what she did to Dale, and because Kris and I are going together. On top of all that, she thinks that I'm only in love with Kristen for her money."

Camille was silent for a minute.

"How do you know how she feels? Did she tell you? Could it be she was just telling you in order to get you to go along with her?"

I shook my head. "Camille, you know that I can be very persuasive when I want to know something. What she said is the truth, without a doubt."

Camille looked at me solemnly and after a few moments, she nodded her head. I didn't think she knew about the tickets, although she had once been under their influence. I figured that she simply considered me a very persuasive person, a thought that I didn't try to discourage. Camille continued to think silently, and I waited patiently.

The expression on Camille's face showed that she just had an idea. "What do you know about Sherry? Did she do any sports in junior high? I think I remember her doing something like gymnastics."

"Yeah," I said. "She was pretty good on the gym team. The school came in third in the regional tournament--almost good enough to qualify for the All State tournament. I think she did floor exercises."

Camille's face turned into a grin. "I think I can handle Sherry for you, but we'll need to talk with Patty."

"What's your idea?" I asked.

"It's just the germ of an idea now, Jim. Let me think on this a bit."

"I guess," I said, a bit disappointed that Camille didn't want to confide in me.

"Oh, you!" Camille said, playfully rubbing the hair on my head. "OK. Let's say Sherry has two problems: her unrequited love for you, and her hatred of Kristen."

"All right."

"You have a problem with Sherry. You seem to think you're responsible for her feelings." Camille looked up at me, sharply. "Um, Jim... you aren't, are you?"