Chapter 11

"You have detention?" asked Jason incredulously. "Already? How the hell did you manage that?"

Richie flipped the dial on the lock and yanked his locker door open. He turned his head and gave Jason a smirk. "I'm just the da man, that's all there is."

Jason rolled his eyes. "You sound like you're proud of that."

"Well, if saggy-seeger was right, then I broke the old record."

"Seems to me you set the old record as well."

Richie gave Jason a cheesy grin. "Then I am still da champ. No one will unseat me! I am undefeated! I am the detention superstar of Haven!"

Jason shook his head. "I give up."

"Good. Gettin' tired of you trying to make me into a better person, or whatever the fuck it was you were doin'. Just leave it be, 'kay?"

"So how'd you get into detention, anyway? Wait, you didn't finish an assignment, right?"

"Boy, nothin' gets past you, genius," Richie said with a smirk. He shoved his books unceremoniously into the locker in no particular rhyme or reason. With all the other junk he had in there, this meant a lot of shoving and grunting to get the door closed again.

"So are you coming to lunch?" asked Jason. "Or do you need to maybe actually stack those neatly so you can close your locker before it's time for you to graduate?"

"Oh, listen to the funny man here. No improving me means no comments on my locker either, got it?"

"Yes, sir," Jason said with a mock salute. "Well, I want to get going, I'll just meet you there."

Richie uttered a curse and slammed his locker door as hard as he could. It just bounced back, now with a new dent dimpling it from the inside. "Uh, yeah, I'll be another minute."

Richie waited until Jason was a fair distance away from him. He then opened the locker door wide and began to rearrange the books exactly as Jason had suggested.

"Hello, Richie."

Richie was so surprised to hear a voice with such a husky cadence to it that he took a moment to lift his head and look. He was even more surprised to see Cassie Kendall standing there.

Cassie gave him a sultry smile.

"Oh, it's you," Richie started with a small sigh. "I thought after the other day you'd never want to... uh..."

His eyes widened and his heart leapt into his throat.

Faint, twisty tendrils of black swirled around Cassie's frame. They hovered lightly over her body, around her shoulders and arms and down her back, writhing and snaking around her waist and bodice, then down her hips and around her legs. It was as if she were wearing a gown woven from darkness.

Richie's eyes darted around her body, as if still trying to convince him that they were indeed seeing what he was perceiving in his mind.

"Richie," Cassie said softly.

"Huh?" His eyes snapped up to hers and were transfixed.

Cassie's eyes seemed to have new life to them. They glistened with renewed vitality and smoldered with a faint touch of desire. Her lips even appeared more full and red that he remembered them. She had a few of the top buttons of her blouse undone, drawing attention to the faint cleft between her petite mounds.

Richie blinked a few times. Suddenly the aura around her was barely there. He could see only occasional wisps of it. He was not sure he was really seeing it anymore. He relaxed somewhat.

"I want to apologize to you, Richie," Cassie said.

"Huh? Apologize... for what?"

"For the way I yelled at you in the hall the other day." She took a step closer to him. "That was very... naughty... of me."

Richie felt a small shudder pass through him. For some reason, he found that one word, uttered as she had, extremely exciting. "Oh, um... it's okay, really... uh..."

Cassie giggled. Richie slowly smiled as well, unable to help himself. As he continued to look into her eyes, the aura vanished completely from his sight. Now he believed it must never have been there in the first place.

"Perhaps... there's something you wish to say to me as well?" Cassie asked sweetly.

Richie swallowed. "Something... uh... I-I don't understand..."

Cassie glanced off to the side, as if checking to see if anyone were listening. Richie invariably did so as well, and when he turned his eyes back to her, he flinched slightly when he found she had stepped right up to him. He gazed directly into her deep, blue-gray eyes. It was like looking into an endless ocean under a twilight sky.

"Remember, Richie," Cassie said in a whisper. "I wasn't the only one of us that was a little naughty."

"Huh? Oh... Uh... you mean... last semester... the notebook pages?"

"Mm-hmm."

Richie felt his heart pounding. He had no idea why. "Uh... well... yeah, I'm sorry for that, Cassie, I..."

"Maybe you want to make it up to me?"

"I... make it up... uh, well, I guess." Richie paused a moment, his mind racing. He heard a faint noise. It was Cassie; she was panting lightly through barely-parted lips. Richie suddenly felt very warm. "You, uh... want to go to lunch with me?"

"Actually... I was hoping for something a little more... private."

Richie drew in a breath. "P-private? Why?"

Cassie giggled. To Richie, that particular sound coming from Cassie was highly erotic. He felt a stirring in his crotch.

"You don't want to... apologize... to me in front of everyone, now do you?" Cassie cooed.

"Oh, uh, yeah, I suppose not."

"Yes, you want to keep up that image, don't you?"

"Er... what image?"

"The image of the big... strong... powerful man that everyone thinks you are. You wouldn't want them seeing you apologize to a girl, now would you? That's just not right."

Richie swallowed. He now knew exactly what the words "raging hard-on" meant. He just didn't understand why he could apply the words to himself now. Part of him was yelling that this was so very wrong. This was Cassie, of all people! "O-Okay... then what do you want to do?"

She giggled again. "Meet me after school?"

"After school? Sure, I... oh, wait, I can't."

Cassie pouted. "Why not?"

"I have detention. I have to stay after."

Cassie paused a moment. "Where are you having detention, Richie?"

"Where? Uh, I don't know, they..."

"Who would know?"

"Um... y-you can check with the adminstrative office, I guess..."

She nodded. "In that case, I'll see you later."

"See me later? But..."

"And in the meantime... just keep thinking about how you need to make it up to me for being so mean to me."

The normal protest that would flow so easily to Richie's lips after hearing such a thing stopped before it was even half-formed. Instead, Cassie's thought pushed it back, and now her words flowed through his mind instead.

"Are you thinking about it, Richie?"

He simply nodded at her.

Cassie smiled again and stepped back, keeping her gaze locked on his for a few more moments before finally turning and walking away. Her hips swung a bit with her steps.

Richie blinked a few times and let go with a deep, resonant sigh. He had to pause a moment until his cock was not so rock-hard in his pants. "What the hell just happened?" he muttered softly to himself.

Yet in part of his mind, he already knew. It could do nothing, however, against the part that now housed Cassie's thoughts and desires.

He quietly finished rearranging his locker and went off to lunch.

James Nells' life sucked.

He had a lousy summer. Richie Gardner's goddamn team kept beating his in baseball; he got a case of poison ivy in a rather embarrassing place and had to admit to his parents and the doctor that he skinny-dipped in the Haven river on a dare; his girlfriend dumped him when he tried to get past first base with her and go for the home run (and he was convinced that it was her that had led him on in the first place).

And now he had to see some stupid nurse for a stupid physical at this stupid high school in a stupid nowhere town like Haven. No, his life could not possibly suck any worse, and he saw no prospects for it getting better.

He opened the door to the nurse's station.

"Hello, James," said Nyssa cheerfully. She thrust one slim, bare leg forward. "I've been expecting you."

James' mouth dropped open. He swallowed and cracked a very small smile.

Well... maybe he could amend that last part.

"Marcie."

There was a mad scramble from the reception area before Marcie poked her head around the side of the door frame. A single lock of hair fell out of her bun and over one eye. "Yes, Miss Bendon?"

Laura leaned back in her seat. "I need a favor from you."

Marcie smiled and stepped around the side of the door and more fully into the office. "Yes, Miss Bendon, what may I do for you?" she asked eagerly.

Laura paused and allowed herself a small smile. "I wish to give you a new assignment this semester."

Marcie's eyes widened along with her smile. "Really? What is it?"

"I would like to put you in charge of overseeing detention this year."

Marcie's smile faded. "Er... detention, Miss Bendon?"

"Detention, Marcie, yes."

Marcie paused a long moment, her eyes darting off to the side for a moment, her head shaking as if answering "no" to some unspoken question. "Um... I thought... I thought Mr. Seeger..."

"He is tired of doing it year in and year out." Laura smirked. "And seeing the same faces there as well."

"But... but Miss Bendon..."

Laura leaned forward and folded her hands before her. She flashed her subordinate a gentle smile. "Is there a problem, Marcie?"

"Problem?... Oh, um, yes, Miss Bendon," Marcie said sheepishly. "I'm... I-I'm just not good with children, Miss Bendon, is the thing..."

"Oh, come now, Marcie, these are hardly children. They're in their teens."

Marcie cringed. "Yes, I know," she said in a tiny voice. "That's even worse."

There was a long silence. Marcie swallowed, looking flustered, shying away from her boss' gaze.

"Marcie, please look at me when I am speaking to you."

Marcie blinked and immediately snapped her gaze to Laura's, eyes wide. "Sorry, Miss Bendon."

"Marcie, you want to do a good job, don't you?"

"What? Why, yes, Miss Bendon!" Marcie gushed. "You know I do! I do everything you tell me to do."

"This is no different. This is a task I need you to do."

Marcie paused. Her eyes remained locked with Laura's as she nodded slowly.

"And you'll do it for me because that's what you want to do."

She nodded again. "Yes, Miss Bendon, of course."

"And if you do a good job, Marcie, I'll make sure to give you a reward."

"Huh? A reward? You mean... a raise? A bonus?"

"Not quite. But I promise it will be something nice. Something to show my appreciation for being such a good receptionist."

Marcie slowly smiled. "You really think I do a good job for you, Miss Bendon?"

"Indeed, I do. But if you want to keep doing a good job..."

"Of course I do!"

"Then you'll do this task for me. Starting today."

Marcie hesitated, but slowly nodded again. "Of course, Miss Bendon."

Laura smiled. "Make me proud of you, Marcie. Convince me you want to be good."

"I will, Miss Bendon. I won't disappoint you, I promise! Thank you!"

Still smiling, she turned to leave, only to bump against the door frame. She giggled sheepishly, cheeks pink, and ducked out of the office.

Laura leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Her pussy burned hot, and she could smell her own arousal, as intense as it was. Rather than consummate it, she let the flames of her desire wane slowly. She would not cum now. Only for Nyssa, and no one else. This was just her own intense excitement over the future.

She opened her eyes and let her breath out slowly. She had done what Nyssa wanted of her. She would receive a very nice reward later. She shuddered at the thought of the pleasure it would bring her.

It was all she had now. Each day, the feeling grew inside her that this is all she would ever have, even after she was released from Nyssa's thrall. She could not see herself going back to the old Laura Bendon.

By that time, the old Laura would simply wish to have no part of what she had become, and would be gone to her forever.

For Kathy Galton, there was one saving grace in being pulled out of her class to go see the nurse. She didn't have to keep listening to Irene Miller telling all those lies about her.

Kathy sighed and pushed her glasses up her nose. She wished she knew why Irene was so mean to her. All Kathy wanted to do was be friends with her. For so long Kathy looked up to her in elementary school. Irene was so pretty, and so smart, too. That was a rare combination in Kathy's peers. Kathy was intelligent as well, and she thought she had found a kindred spirit.

Instead, all she got from Irene was whispered derision and put-downs, often spoken right behind her in class, just loud enough for her to hear, but not enough for the teacher to notice.

Kathy wished she could get herself to be angry with Irene. But all she could do was despair over it. All she had to comfort her were her own fantasies about what it might be like to have Irene as a friend. As a really close friend, one that would do anything for her.

She shuddered and shook her head, feeling her cheeks grow warm. No, she couldn't let herself go there. Not now. Not ever.

She opened the door to the nurse's station, and all her depressed thoughts were forgotten when her eyes fell upon Nyssa.

Nyssa smiled softly and stepped up to her. Kathy stared up into Nyssa's eyes and uttered a very small moan when Nyssa touched her cheek.

"We have a great deal to talk about, you and I," said Nyssa. "And I promise you... you'll be feeling so much better about things when we're done."

Melinda stomped to her locker with a sullen look on her face.

Her day was not going well. The one chance she got to see Jason for a short while, right after his lunch period and just before her own, might well have never happened. Jason was obviously upset about something, which made Melinda nervous. Then when he simply lamented that he had no one to talk to at lunch since Richie had been rather quiet and Frank had been upset about something he wouldn't talk about, Melinda blew up at him.

"Oh, yeah, my heart bleeds," she had retorted angrily. "I haven't made any new friends yet so I eat alone every freaking day!"

That had left neither one of them in a good mood after that. Her thoughts about her sister were not pleasant, either. If Heather had not kept brooding like the end of the world was nigh, Melinda's temper would not have been on such a hair-trigger.

And if that were not bad enough, her math teacher had just given her a ton of homework. Now she had to do that on top of playing hostess to Cassie again. She wouldn't have any time to herself all day or evening.

Melinda crammed her books from the previous class into her locker and grabbed the ones for her next. In her anger she failed to see the flaw in the ordering of her actions and sent several books tumbling to the floor.

Out of the extreme corner of her eye, she spotted someone approaching her just as she was bending down to pick up the books, so she was not startled when she heard the voice.

"Melinda? Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, Cassie, just a moment." She straightened up and turned. "I just had to..."

Melinda uttered a short shriek, her books falling to the floor again.

Cassie looked at Melinda oddly. "Something the matter?"

Melinda's heart hammered and her chest felt tight. For a horrible moment she felt she could not breathe.

She saw it far more detail than Richie ever had. To her it look exactly like a gown, woven from thin, delicate strands of black, yet writhing around Cassie's body like a living thing. It was translucent, nothing at all like the thick miasma that surrounded the principal. She could see right through it and every detail of Cassie body beneath it.

"Melinda?"

Melinda forced herself to take a deep breath, but shuddered visibly as she let it go. "N-no, I'm fine," she said in a terribly strained voice. She swallowed hard. "Just f-fine. What... what did you want?"

Cassie smiled. There was something about it that chilled Melinda to the bone. "I can't make it to your house today," she explained. In a softer voice she added, "I've made other plans."

"You have? Good! I-I mean... I..."

Cassie giggled and cupped a hand around one of Melinda's cheeks. Melinda gasped loudly, her eyes wide in fear. Yet the next moment, she inexplicably felt a tiny tremor of pleasure radiate through her body. The juxtaposition was almost too much for her to bear.

"Actually, it is good," said Cassie. "I'm going to be doing something I've always wanted."

Melinda nodded, too stricken to speak. She felt faint little tingles in places she knew she should not be. She was sure it would drive her insane if it continued much longer.

Cassie lowered her hand. Melinda let out a ragged sigh. "You look a little tense, Melinda. Are you all right?"

Melinda nodded, her eyes darting everywhere. She could not get herself to focus on her eyes. It was simply too disturbing for her. "Just... a-a bad day, that's all."

"Do you want to talk about it? Are you having dreams as well you want to share?"

"No, Cassie, th-that's okay, I..."

"I could stop by your house when I'm done later."

"No!" Melinda exploded. "I-I mean, no, that's okay. It'll be too late by then anyway."

Cassie giggled at the term "too late", though she was not sure why. "Okay, Melinda. I'll see you tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day." She smiled, her voice dropping into a husky cadence that made Melinda shiver. "I know it will be for me."

She turned and headed down the hallway. Her ethereal gown trailed inky darkness behind her.

Richie did not bother stopping by his locker. He simply went right from his last class to the faculty administration offices. At this school they never had him do schoolwork during detention. Instead, he was given some menial task to do, like sorting papers, or cleaning whiteboards, or restacking and cataloging books in the school library.