Episode 15

Chapter 42

Karl

8:53am

Somebody must have seriously lost their minds. Either it was me shortly after I walked in to the office and I'm dreaming what I just heard, or it was the school staff.

"Why me?" I was flabbergasted. "Remember what happened the last time you guys put somebody 'different' through the Program? Don't you guys know what will happen the moment I show my scrawny ass naked in that hallway? Wasn't last week bad enough?" I looked at them like they were experiments that had escaped from some lab. "Oh, hi Krissy."

Mr. Bacon heard me out. "I'm sorry Karl, but we have two weeks to save this Program, and a committee thought you and Krissy would be the best choices."

I plopped into a seat. "Then whatever guidelines that committee used needs some serious reworking. Look at me. I control no groups. There are those who think I'm too smart. There are others who think I'm too athletic. No girl would be caught dead in a serious relationship with me. I'm about as unimpressive as you can get."

"Correction. You are as middle of the road as you can get. According to the school psychologist, you have done your best to take no risks. Besides, the smart kids respect you in many ways, and the sports crowd knows that you can hold your own in volleyball. So they respect you too."

"Ok, ok. I can see I'm trapped here. But remember I warned you when the shit hits the fan. And it will. If not from me, then from Krissy here. Have you any idea what will happen if she's in it? Come on, you can't be that stupid. Even I remember what happened the time the wrestler ran his hand on her ass to show off for his macho friends. That guy reportedly wrote left handedly for a month. I wouldn't mess with her unless I was sitting inside one of Stones's superships."

Krissy laughed. "I'm not that bad... all of the time. Only when I get really pissed off. Although I usually save the lesser rages for home. I go in the back yard and attack the weeds there."

I'm not an idiot. That was almost word for word what PuckPusher3000 told me in an IM last weekend. I wonder if she's put the clues together yet or not.

"Ok guys, time to strip."

Ms. Q. brought out the boxes.

I took off my clothes matter of factly. There was nothing there that impressive anyway. No use being dramatic about it.

Krissy on the other hand was another story. She was, is, and probably will always be really sexy. She is in fact, all that and more. Her chest was large, but not huge. Her legs were slender. Her ass was attractive. She was what any sane teenager would want in a girlfriend's looks.

But is that all to her? I suddenly realized I did not know her too well. I had a few clues. But I had nowhere near enough information to be sure.

Krissy looked up and down my body. Her eyes lingered on a scar on my left arm.

"I got it from a bad fall during a game." I told her defensively.

Opps. I told Puckpusher3000 that a few weeks ago.

Will she make the connection?

Will she care?

Will she notice the erection she is giving me?

Ms. Q. put the box on the side table. "Your clothes will be here at the end of the day. Due to the increasing chill in the air, you will be allowed to wear long johns for outside events. We will provide flesh colored ones to keep in the spirit of the Program." She showed them to us. "One other thing. You have each been assigned Guardian Angels. You will not know that they are there until they act. But if they act, those who cause it will regret it seriously. Be warned. They were chosen because they were good at sneaking around. You do not need to know who they are. You just need to know that they are there."

Mr. Bacon added, "I will tell you this much. Jacob Stone has an interest in the social aspects of the Program experiment. He has put the word out that he will be watching. Him or his friends."

Krissy gave a 'trouble is brewing' smile. "What makes you think I need protection?"

"In your case," I went on, "I bet it's to save the asses of anybody stupid enough to mess with you."

Krissy laughed and left.

I heard a bunch of catcalls and whistles and lewd comments. Then they recognized her. A few bolder ones continued. But they seemed like they were choosing their comments carefully.

I started to follow her when Ms. Q. put a hand on my shoulder.

"Karl, we're not done with you yet."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Karl, meet Julia."

I looked over at a girl in a cheerleader's outfit. "Hi."

She didn't say anything.

"Julia..." Ms. Q. said warningly.

Julia kept her lips pressed together.

"Ok. Have it your way. I'll start on the expulsion papers. Karl, you're dismissed."

I left. I was curious about the whole thing, though.

"No, wait!" It was Julia.

I turned and looked back. "What's going on here?"

"Tell him, Julia."

Julia looked like she'd rather hang herself off of the ceiling light. "It's simple. That bitch Tiffany turned down my cousin when he asked her out. Said she was going with Jacob. That was just WRONG! No girl, no matter how desperate, should ever want to date Jacob Stone."