Chapter 13: Settling Down

MARCH 2002, SENIOR YEAR

"Hey, Ben!"

I turned and managed a weary smile. "Oh, hey, Allie."

Allison Sanders frowned, folding her arms over her chest and evaluating me with furrowed eyebrows. "You don't seem so excited to see me."

"Sorry, sorry. I just didn't get much sleep last night."

"You didn't forget that we've got a date tonight, did you?" She looked rather nervous.

"No, no, of course not. I've just had a lot on my mind the last couple days."

Allie nodded and leaned forward, touching my arm. "Anything to do with a certain ex-girlfriend attacking you and screaming 'rape' during lunch on Wednesday?"

I sighed. "Something like that."

"You know, we can cancel if you need," Allie began, biting her lip.

"No, no. We're still on," I interrupted, recognizing the crestfallen look on her face. "Believe me, I've been looking forward to this as much as you have."

Allie smirked, twisting slightly in almost the same way Helene McGregory did when she was feeling a little aroused. "Somehow, I doubt that."

I smiled. "No, really. My life's been so crazy the last few weeks, Allie. I'd really love to spend some time with such a good friend."

"MORE than a good friend, Ben," Allie husked, sliding forward and touching my chest. And looking down into the cute brunette's soft golden brown eyes, I felt a little warmth returning into my loins. I hadn't felt aroused for days, not being in the mood after leaving Candy's apartment with Lynne on Wednesday and then turning down Marina Santos' invitation on Thursday because I was still feeling out of it.

But with Allie I didn't feel my usual raw lust. I didn't have the urge to bend her over and fuck her within an inch of her life like I'd been doing lately with Helene and company. Instead, I felt a yearning to push myself inside her and then just hold her tenderly, lovingly. I wanted to feel whole again. So I pulled Allie into my arms, hugging her firmly and even letting a hand slide down to pat her firm little ass.

She giggled and then stepped back. "See you tonight?"

"I'll be there."

Allie spun and walked away, a little skip in her step. I fondly looked after her while idly fantasizing about what she looked like naked before inhaling and turning to walk the other way towards my own class...

... and abruptly came to a halt. Standing ten feet in front of me over by a pole was Adrienne, a cool expression in her eyes. Then without another word, she turned and strode away.

I was two minutes early to the Sanders house. I didn't want to give Allie any reason to believe I wasn't committed to making this night special for her. And to my utter and complete surprise, Kenny Doyle opened the door.

"'Sup, dude." He gave me the usual head nod and fist bump.

"Hey ... what are you doing here?"

Kenny grinned. "With Allie out of the house and the parents gone, Abbie and I can finally use the girls' bedroom without feeling all awkward about it!" Ah, Kenny: still a sex-obsessed teen at heart.

Well, so was I. But anyways ... I just nodded and then walked in. Abbie came down the stairs. "Hi, Ben!"

"Hey, Abbie," I nodded, double-checking to verify I had the right twin.

She smiled and glanced up the stairs. "Allie will be right down. She's just a little nervous and wants to make sure she looks perfect."

I nodded and headed into the living room after Abbie. The three of us then chit- chatted while I almost jealously looked at Kenny and Abbie snuggling together so happily. But I didn't have to wait long. Kenny's eyes traveled up the stairs and the wide-eyed expression on his face told me that Allie had arrived.

I turned and let out a whistle, "Wow..."

Allie blushed halfway up the stairs and then continued the rest of the way down. Her hair and makeup transformed the cute but somewhat plain 17-year-old brunette into a short but sexy young woman who could have passed for early 20s. The twins had both lost some extra baby fat around their faces in the past year, and her hair styling and improved posture displayed Allie's new confidence and poise.

And then there was the dress, a very familiar little black cocktail dress. I glanced up at Allie and asked, "Is that the same... ?"

She blushed and nodded her head. "Haven't worn it since that day."

I whistled again. The same little black dress Allie had worn almost a year ago on our first date still fit her ... mostly. Allie had filled out some in the chest and hips since then and what was once modestly cute was now tight-fitting and more than a little slinky.

Kenny elbowed Abbie. "How come I never see YOU in an outfit like that?"

"Hush," Abbie snarked. "Or you won't be getting' any tonight."

Kenny shut up.

I stepped forward and took Allie's hands into my own. "You look beautiful."

"Even after all the tall, gorgeous women you've been with?" she asked a little hesitantly.

I stepped a little closer, looked Allie in the eyes, and repeated warmly, "You look beautiful."

I was a bad liar. Everyone knew this. So Allie looked into my eyes and saw that I meant it, and her jaw started quivering as she seemed on the verge of crying happy tears.

"Oh, no!" Abbie rushed forward, fanning her hands at Allie's eyes. "We JUST finished your makeup!"

Allie sniffled and smiled even bigger, breaking into cute peals of laughter. And then she slipped her arm around mine and said, "Let's go."

Dinner was really, really nice. Eh, the food was okay. I'd picked the restaurant based on Megan's recommendation and the fact that it was built on the edge of a man-made lake in Orange County, with nice evening views. But then I should have remembered that Megan and I never had the same taste in cuisine.

Still, the conversation was outstanding. It flowed easily, as if Allie and I were just sitting together at the usual lunch table instead of out on a date. And without the usual male posturing or female gossiping, we actually managed to get more deeply personal than ever before.

Allie talked about being the 'younger' twin even though it was only two minutes by C-section. She joked that if it had been her turn to be the fetus towards the bottom, she would have been the 'older' one. And yet somehow everyone in the family always treated her like the baby. At first, she'd enjoyed the extra-special attention. But as she'd grown older, she resented the condescension and patronizing tone, even from Abbie.

From the way I responded to her, Allie said I understood in a way few others did. I chalked it up to living with a set of twin sisters myself, with Eden and Emma forming a similar dynamic.

In the last year or so she'd become much more assertive and independent while I'd been busy with my Dawn and Adrienne drama. And as I listened to Allie, I thought back to something Keira once said: that I'd thought of the Sanders twins as 'them', instead of as individual girls. Now that it was just me and Allie, getting to know her more personally, I was realizing just how different the two really could be, the same way I knew Eden and Emma were almost as different as Brandi and Brooke.

We didn't talk much about me. I spent most of my time just being a good listener, letting Allie talk and laugh and giggle. I interjected little comments here and there, but I sensed that Allie really wanted to let loose with some of these thoughts inside and I let her do her thing.

Even when we left the restaurant, we went for a stroll around the lake while Allie rambled on. And we got about halfway before Allie took a deep breath and realized just how much chattering she'd done. "Now I've gone and talked your ear off, Ben! Not exactly the sexiest thing I could have done."

I smirked. "No worries. Boys are easy, Allie. All you have to say is, 'Wanna fuck?', and we'll think you're sexy as hell."

"Wanna fuck?" Allie giggled.

"Well, maybe not here," I laughed, squeezing her hand tighter in my palm as I kept us walking on our way.

When we'd completed a full circuit around the lake, I found that we were still in the middle of our conversation, this time about politics of all things. I was pretty apolitical, not giving a rat's ass what was going on as long as I could get laid sometime in the near future; but Allie was going off about illegal immigration, California's dependence on cheap labor to turn higher profits and boost the economy, and basic human rights for the common man. I barely understood half the things she was saying, but I was enraptured by the passion in Allie's words. She really believed in something, and somehow that quality was absolutely intoxicating.

So I didn't interrupt her and just kept walking, Allie not realizing this until we were a third of the way around the lake again. "Oh, I'm sorry. I keep delaying us," she apologized.

"Don't be sorry," I replied warmly. "I love listening to you talk."

"Really? Because Abbie is sick to DEATH of me going on and on about this stuff."

"Really," I nodded. Then I changed gears. "But whether the state economy is benefiting or not, shouldn't we be more stringent on border control just on principle? Illegal is against the law, period. They don't pay taxes, do they?"

Allie blushed and then kept going. "No, they don't. But I guess the question for you is: Do you do things just on principle? Even if they ultimately lead to YOU having to pay higher prices or have less luxury goods? Which is better for you? Do the ends justify the means?"

"Well ... uh ... I guess that would depend," I hedged.

Allie's smile lit up the evening brighter than the moon. "Tell me."

I don't know how many times we walked around that lake. I do know that we were out long enough for both of us to get cold, despite both of us wearing warm jackets. Finally we decided to head for my car and I wrapped her up in my peacoat, ignoring her girlish protests.

Then we just sat in my car for another hour talking, and only a slightly panicked cell phone call from Abbie spurred us into finally returning Allie to her home.

We were still talking when I finally got Allie to her front door, and all of a sudden she seemed to remember our original purpose for this date. Her jaw dropped and she stuttered for a few seconds before starting, "Ben, I, uh ... I know I asked to go out with you for a very specific reason. But, uh..."

"Now that we're here you're not sure that's what you want?" I ventured.

"Oh, HELL no! I want! I want!" Allie put in quickly with fresh nervousness on her face. "But I..." she winced, not sure how to complete what was in her head.

I decided to take charge. I stepped forward, wrapped Allie up in my arms, and then bent down to kiss her. She squeaked and then sagged into my embrace, moaning happily as her tongue came out to play with mine. I sensed happiness and warmth in her kiss, even a little arousal. But not yet ... We didn't need to have sex again ... yet.

And almost as suddenly as I kissed her, I pulled away. I held her shoulders and looked down into her eyes while she melted against my chest, and then I said softly, "I had a wonderful evening, Allison Sanders."

"Me, too," she sighed happily.

"We should go out again, sometime."

"I'd like that." She smiled.

"Then we will," I said firmly. "Next Friday?"

"Oh, it feels like forever," Allie breathed.

"I'll still see you at school."

"There's that at least."

"Goodbye, Allison."

"Goodbye, Ben." She tilted her head, acknowledging the end of our evening, even if it wasn't finishing the way we'd first planned. And from the radiant smile on her face, she wouldn't have it any other way.

I waited until she turned and opened the door, slipping inside. Just before she closed the door again, she gave me a cute little wave.

I sighed. I was going to have to go home and jerk off now.

Allie was still floating on air come Monday. She met me outside my locker and slid towards me for a cute peck on the lips. "Heyyy, Ben."

"Hi, Allie," I greeted warmly.

She scanned my eyes for a moment, searching for something. "Any regrets?"

"About our date? No, of course not."

"Not even..." Her voice trailed off as she arched her eyebrows and waggled her head, making her intention clear.

I chuckled. "Contrary to popular belief, I don't HAVE to sleep with every girl I go on a date with."

"Really?" Allie stuck her tongue out while smiling. "When was the last time you didn't get laid after a date?"

"Well I ... I ... uh..."

"Can't remember?"

"No, I can't." I shrugged. "Maybe Megan."

Allie giggled. "I don't know whether to feel proud or pity you."

"Well, I still have hopes for our next date," I smiled.

"That's easy," Allie swept her arm out to the side dramatically, twisting as if dancing at a ball. "Treat me like a princess and I'll reward you like a prince," she giggled.

We chatted for a few more minutes until the first warning bell sounded off. Then Allie twirled away to head for her first period while I went in the other direction.

And then lo and behold, there was Adrienne perhaps twenty feet away, leaning against a wall and staring at me. Lynne was right beside her, saying something while Adrienne nodded and nodded then shook her head, obviously disagreeing with something. And then Adrienne turned and strode away.

Adrienne caught up to me after lunch, not too far from the spot where she'd shoved me into the lockers and started screaming about rape. The instant she approached me, I could actually HEAR the hush of conversations going silent around us while people turned to see what would happen.

Quietly, Adrienne asked, "You went out with Allie Sanders last Friday?"

I nodded. While not widespread knowledge, all of my inner crew of friends knew and we weren't working hard to keep it a secret or anything.

Adrienne fidgeted and looked away for a second before turning back to me. "I've been observing her." For some reason, the way Adrienne said it was a tad bit creepy.

Arching an eyebrow, I fought the urge to feel offended. "Your point?"

Adrienne didn't answer, instead asking, "Did you sleep with her?"

I stood up straight and said honestly, "No."

Adrienne took two steps forward, looking me straight in the eyes. The hazel had turned to a sharp gray as her irises clicked back and forth, left and right, searching and searching for the truth.

I just held her gaze until Adrienne backed up. She swallowed and then nodded slowly. "Okay ... I didn't think so. She didn't, ah, have that look. It was ... different..."

Her task done, Adrienne started to turn away but for some reason, some impulse for complete transparency, I spoke up saying, "That might change, Adrienne. We have another date coming up."

Without looking at me, Adrienne digested that for a moment before cocking her head. "Another date?"

"Yeah." I fidgeted before nervously asking, "Is that a problem?" I mentally kicked myself. What? Like I needed Adrienne's permission?

"No, no problem," she said quickly. And then glancing at me for the briefest of moments, she actually seemed to smile as she said, "Good luck." And then she turned and strode away.

I was more confused than ever.

A couple of girls flirting with me asked about Allie. They'd noticed how the petite brunette had been rather more affectionate with me over the course of the day and they wanted to know if it was anything serious.

I took only a second to think about it before answering, "Yes." I'd made my decision. I was settling down. I was going to show Adrienne that I wasn't a predator, attacking and bedding any girl I could. And there was such conviction in my voice that the two girls almost immediately dropped their jaws and then sort of nervously backed away.

I then went in search of Helene McGregory. She was with Anh Lee and a bit surprised I was approaching them during school hours, but both girls flirted happily and made reference to hooking up that afternoon.

"No, no," I interrupted. "I wanted to tell you that I'm out. I want to get a little more serious with a girl."

Helene looked at me like a beanstalk had just grown out of my forehead. "What? You and Adrienne getting back together?"

"No, no," I shrugged. "Uh, Allison Sanders. We've been friends for a long time and now ... well ... I don't know."

"You serious?" Anh frowned in utter confusion. She knew Allie very well. They'd been friends since grade school.

"Yeah," I nodded.

Helene sighed sadly and frowned cutely. "Well, I can't say I'm happy about it. I WAS looking forward to a few more incredible fucks; but I understand."

"That's sweet," Anh added, smiling at the idea of me and Allie.

Then out of the blue, Helene suddenly grabbed me and planted a fierce kiss on my lips, cramming her tongue down my throat before abruptly pulling away and smacking her lips. "Sorry. Just had to do that one last time," she said with a grin.

And while I was still reeling from the passion and intensity of that kiss, Helene walked past me, patting my butt and pecking my cheek. "See ya around, Ben. Call me if you change your mind before leaving for college."

Anh just giggled and walked past.

I touched my cheek where Helene had kissed me, rubbing off the trace of lipstick that I'd rather Allie not find. And when I turned to look after the girls, instead I caught Adrienne staring at me from across the courtyard. Good freakin' lord. Was she everywhere?

Then Adrienne turned and strode away.

[thump] [thump] [thump]

I palmed the basketball, turning it over in my hand and then trapping it against my waist. I nodded my head back and stared down Daniel Chen. "You ready for this?"

He snorted. "I can school your rusty ass any day of the week. I'll bet you're out of shape after being out for a few weeks."

"Rusty?" I arched my eyebrow. True, I hadn't played basketball since the Adrienne meltdown, but that didn't mean I was out of shape. Hey, fucking improves muscle tone, and I'd certainly done quite a bit of that. I checked the ball forward to Daniel, and then got set waiting for him to bounce it back. "I'll show you rusty."

Bounce, step, bounce, bounce... [clang]. Shit.

"Told ya you'd be rusty!" Daniel cheered over his shoulder as he raced the other way. Sung Joon grabbed the rebound of my pathetic shot and chucked it downcourt, where Daniel settled under it for an easy lay-up while I ran futilely after him.

I sighed as Kaito inbounded the ball into me to go back the other way. "1-oh. This isn't over yet."

Later that night I fell into a deep sleep, pleasantly exhausted from sports exercise for once. And I felt a kind of quiet peace settling over me. It had felt good to get on the court again. Life just seemed so much simpler when it was just the ball, the hoop, and your teammates.

It was lunchtime on Wednesday when for some strange reason, the girls got into a spirited debate over the merits of their various boyfriends ... mostly right in front of us. It went back and forth over various topics before eventually arriving at...

"Come on, Daniel's the smartest guy here!" Elaine Fukuhara insisted.

"Only because Cameron doesn't go to this school, "Cassidy interjected.

"Well if he's so smart, how come you've dumped him twice in the past four months?" Stephanie laughed while Cassidy made a face at her.

"Actually, James here has a perfect 4.0, higher if you count his three A.P. courses," Megan threw in. Kaito blushed beet red and tried to hide underneath his lunch.

"Who needs brains?" Stephanie scoffed right back. "Sung could kick Kaito's ass."

"Oh, really?" Megan laughed and then tapped her boyfriend on the shoulder. "Go on, James. Take him out." Kaito just sunk further into his seat, clearly embarrassed and yet strangely amused by the attention.

"Your boy won't even talk," Abbie put in. "Kenny'll gab circles around any of your guys."

"Oh, really?" Allie nudged her sister in the ribs. "Hey Ben, why don't you explain to Kenny the merits of a state economic policy that runs on the backs of illegal immigrant workers?"

"No! No!" Abbie protested, laughing and waving her arms frantically.

"Hey!" Cassidy jumped in. "What gives YOU the right to throw Ben's name in there, Allie? Is there something you two aren't telling us? Hmm?"

Now it was Allie's turn to blush beet red.

Megan tapped me on the back. "C'mon, Ben. Sounded like Allie just claimed territory over you. You gonna stand for that?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure."

"Whoaaaa!" Three or four people around the table hooted at my response, several of the others trading mischievous glances.

"Sooo ... one date and you two are an item now?" Daniel nodded at me.

"Allie must be wilder in the sack than we thought!" Cassidy giggled while slapping Megan's shoulder.

"We haven't slept together, Freckles," I said in a quiet voice, my eyes leveled at my ex-girlfriend. "And I'll thank you not to spread rumors about Allie."

THAT shut everyone up. The calm intensity of my tone hushed the table in a millisecond. We were too closely spaced for anyone to mumble a hushed conversation to someone else without everyone hearing so and everyone just started looking at each other again, waiting to see what would happen next.

Megan found her voice first. "So Allie. What did it take to tame the beast?"

Allie was just as in shock by the turn of events as anybody else. She just looked wide-eyed at everyone and blushed. "Uh, nothing. I didn't do anything."

I slid my left arm protectively around her, pulling her against my side while I glanced down and smiled. "And you'll never have to."

Everyone gave us a few weird looks, and then the conversation quickly turned to other, more mundane topics.

Friday night crept up on me faster than I would have expected. Literally, one moment I was just getting home and sagging in front of the TV to fry some brain after a day of classes, the next I was scrambling to get dressed in time to make it to Allie's house.

She greeted me at the door. "What? One date and you think I'll just twiddle my thumbs waiting for you? You're ten minutes late and Kenny already left with Abbie."

The grin on Allie's face and the lack of any heat in her voice just made my chuckle as I made my apologies. "I'm sorry. How can I make it up to you?"

Allie just stretched an arm up the doorjamb and leaned cutely against her raised shoulder. "Kiss me and make it all better."

My kiss more than made it better. And I'd lifted Allie's light body halfway up the doorjamb and palmed her ass while she wrapped her legs around my waist before I remembered that we were still out in the open and I was supposed to be keeping my lustful urges under wraps. It wasn't my fault I was so horny. I hadn't gotten laid since Tuesday.

Even then, it had just been Brooke and me, blowing off some steam. Kady had come in to drop Brooke off but she just patted my ass and then turned to wiggle hers at me. She'd apologized, saying that the novelty had worn off a bit. And while that didn't mean she'd never want to fuck me again down the road, for now she'd satisfied her curiosity.

So even though Allie could feel my three-day-old erection rubbing against her through her panties, and even though I could see the heat in her eyes telling me I could throw her on the floor and fuck her if I really wanted to, I pecked her nose and gently set her down to the floor.

Allie seemed mildly disappointed, but nodded agreeably that we were taking the better course of action. So when I proffered my elbow and asked, "Ready to go?" she latched on and followed me out the door.

This time, I suggested a slightly more social dining location where Allie and I would more likely be seen by some of the High School crowd, instead of the more upscale restaurant we'd been to last time. As soon as I asked, Allie looked at me with a mixture of curiosity and excitement. She realized the implications. After all the rumors swirling about us at school, to step out with her like this on a Friday night would be confirmation that yes, we were an 'item'.

"Why are you doing this, Ben?" Allie asked me while we were driving out.

"Do you not want to?"

"No, no. I do, I do want to," she answered quickly. "I just..." She took a deep breath. "We're friends, right, Ben?"

"Right."

"Just friends?"

"Well ... I'll admit there's a little bit beyond friendship I'd like to do with you ... or TO you if you like it better that way," I grinned. "I thought you did, too. Wasn't that the original point?"

"Yes, but you could have sex with me without all this," Allie waved her hand around. "You don't have to actually date me, Ben."

"But I want to."

"Why? I'm not exactly your type."

"I don't have a type."

Allie snorted. "Sure you do. Tall, beautiful, and with big tits. I think Megan's the only one I've seen you with that DIDN'T fit that description."

"Megan's beautiful," I frowned.

"But she's 5'4" and an A-cup."

"I don't have a type," I insisted.

"Really? Name one girl you've been with under 5'8" and less than a C-cup, if not a 'D' or bigger."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't name names, Allie. You never saw me throwing your name around last summer, and I'd like to think that nobody outside our closest friends even knows that you, me, and your sister ever boinked."

"Well," Allie grinned. "There WAS that time at Elaine's end-of-the-year party. EVERYONE knows what's up when they go inside to borrow a guest bedroom."

"Hey, that one wasn't my fault. And half the people we know just went in there to make out."

Allie snorted again. "When we were like fourteen, yeah. We're Seniors now, Ben. Everyone knows they're going in there to get laid." Then she gave me a strange look. "You're just distracting me away from my original question."

I shrugged. "What do you want me to say, Allie? You're not my usual type? Sure, maybe, whatever. The point is, I LIKE being with you, okay? This isn't a ruse. I'm not trying to manipulate you. But that date we went on was different from almost every other date I've been on for ... for I can't remember how long. My life has been such a mess lately and my mind is running around in circles and for some reason, my brain doesn't feel so cluttered when I'm with you. Fair enough?"

Allie was rolling her face in a little circle just trying to keep up with my rambling, but after a second she stopped and grinned. "Okay." Then she leaned across the center console and kissed my cheek. "Okay."

Brooke came into my bedroom late on Saturday morning. She pulled back the covers and slid herself half-onto me, her head on my shoulder with one arm stretched over my chest, and one leg kicked over the top of mine. I cinched my arm around her back to hold my sister more tightly to me as I came awake and then glanced over at the clock. It was after 11am.

"You're sleeping in late," Brooke smiled at me when I finally looked over at her.

I stretched my neck out. "Didn't sleep so well last night."

"You used to sleep great on Friday nights."

I sighed. "That's because I used to get laid on Friday nights. It's always easy to sleep after three or four orgasms."

"Aww, Allie still won't let you into her panties?"

"It's not that. She'll let me. But we're having such a great time that I don't want to spoil it with sex. I'm learning so much more about her without the physical stuff getting in the way." I sighed. "But it CAN be a little frustrating."

"Poor baby." Brooke brushed my forehead with her hand before getting a wicked grin on her face. Then she started sliding down my body to take the waistband of my shorts in her hands. "Let me relieve the pressure."

"Brooke..." I cautioned, thinking of the time.

"Relax. The 'rents took the twins out for the day. We have all the time in the world, and since you didn't pop off at all last night, I want at least four rounds out of you today. Got it?" And then my little sister bent over and took most of my cock into her mouth on the first go. She'd been practicing deep-throating for a while now, and she was maybe two inches short of completion. I just let my head roll back and enjoyed the beauty of morning.

Where would I be if I didn't have Brooke?

"You still haven't slept with her?"

I jumped out of my skin, completely startled by the sudden voice behind me. I spun in front of my locker and turned to look at Adrienne, who had her arms folded across her chest, this time her books obscuring any possible view of her cleavage.

I shook my head. "That's none of your business, Adrienne."

She stared into my eyes. "That's a 'no', then."

"That's a 'none of your business'," I repeated indignantly.

Adrienne just waved me off and started to leave. But she stopped and came back to me. "Why are you doing this, Ben?"