Chapter 30

"For the last time, Melinda, I'm all right," Jason said in a tired voice as he closed his locker door. "I figured it out during second period. It was a stupid idea to begin with, and I'm sorry I ever did it."

Melinda hesitated, torn between wanting to rant and the impulse to stop someone from badmouthing her boyfriend, even if it were said boyfriend himself. "It wasn't that bad an idea. I mean, we had to find out somehow, right?"

Jason paused and sighed. "Yeah, I guess. It did tell us one thing, though. This power that Doctor Mann has is different from what we've seen before. It's almost like it's viral in nature."

"Viral? Meaning you can catch it like a cold?"

"Something like that. It's like Diane was given a concept rather than an actual command, and it sort of spilled over into me. And then I did it to you and Richie."

"We managed to shake it off after you left."

"And I got over it about halfway through class. It seems to get weaker the more people it has to go through. It explains what's happening to Heather in Ms. Hollis' class."

Melinda let out a noisy sigh and rattled the lockers as she fell against them. "And I don't think I've recovered enough to help her this time."

"I'm not sure I have either, but..." Jason trailed off as he looked up.

"What now? Is ... oh!"

She turned her head just as Heather ran up to them, her free hand clenched into a fist as the other one held onto the handle of the bag containing the fake Book with the same tension. She stopped just a foot from Jason and jabbed a finger hard enough into his chest to make him grunt.

"Don't you ever, ever get the idea to use Diane like that again without informing her first!" Heather snarled. "I don't care what stupid reason you have for it."

Melinda rattled the lockers again as she leapt forward and shoved Heather back. "Hey, back off, bubblehead! She's not the only one that got messed with. Jason had us use the--"

"Stop it, enough already!" Jason cried, throwing up his hands. "Heather, is Diane okay?"

"She's really upset right now, Jason," Heather replied. "She figgered out during second period that she had the fake Book all along and put two and two together. Do you realize how bad she feels when she thinks she can't do anything to help the group?"

"Yes, I know, I know! I'm sorry I ever thought up this plan."

"Heather, give him a break, okay?" Melinda said. "What else were we supposed to do? The counselor was going to go after her again anyway!"

Heather slammed her fist into a nearby locker. She held it there for a few seconds before slowly unclenching it.

"All right, new rule," Jason said. "No one does anything unless they know what they're getting into."

"Oh yeah, that's great, Jason, but it still doesn't help Diane now," said Heather. "She's freaking out that Victor will take control of her and make her enslave the rest of us."

"I don't think his power works that way."

"You think?"

"Because he would have done it by now!" Melinda said, giving Heather another shove. "God! And you were telling me to grow up this morning!"

Heather's eyes blazed. She was about to let loose another retort when Richie strolled up to them. "Hey."

"What do you want?" Melinda snapped at him before she could catch herself.

"Oh, now that's no way to talk to the object of your lust, now is it?" Heather said in a sweet voice.

Richie just stared. Jason looked on in confusion. Melinda's cheeks flared red. "Heather, don't you dare--!"

Heather leaned towards Richie and stage-whispered to him, "Ask her what she did this morning in the shower when she was thinking about you."

Richie's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

Melinda was too stunned to speak. Her eyes darted between Heather and Richie, and then lingered on Jason. She cringed when Jason looked back at her.

Jason was at a loss. Was she seeking permission from him? A blessing? He felt that no matter what he said, it would come out wrong. He turned his head and found Richie looking at him now as well. That expression he understood. Richie wanted to know if this upset Jason at all before he responded.

Jason had no idea.

"Listen, I have to go," said Heather. "I want to see if I can find Ned before I head into third period hell so I can give this back to him." She lifted the bag for a second.

"Why don't you go boink him right there in the hall while you're at it," Melinda said, her voice icy. "Like you told me you want to."

"Nice try, runt, but I've already accepted this. He'll know I want to fuck him sooner or later. See ya."

As Melinda and Richie watched Heather leave, Jason took the moment to extricate himself. He hated stranding Melinda and knew he would take flak for it later, but it was the least of multiple evils. "I have to get to class, too. I'll see you all later."

Melinda was shaken out of her shock only after he dashed down the hall. "No, Jason, wait!"

"Talk to you later, Melinda, I'm sorry," Jason called back.

Melinda gave his retreating back a stricken look, then stamped one foot and folded her arms. She regretted it immediately. The movement of her leg reminded her how much her pussy ached, and her arms squeezed her stiffening nipples against her bra.

Richie sidled up to her. "So what were you doin' in the shower this morning?" he drawled with a smirk.

Melinda's head jerked towards him. "Nothing you'll ever see," she snapped, but her voice quavered and robbed it of its hostility. "And don't you dare touch me, or I swear I'll scream, I don't care how I feel."

"So how do you feel?"

Melinda didn't reply. She squeezed her arms around herself despite how it plumped her breasts. Richie's gaze flicked over them, making Melinda tremble. "Stop it."

"Hey, you're the one bustin' out all over. Fuck, you musta gone up, what, a full cup since the summer?"

Melinda hesitated, then said in a low voice, "Two."

"Really? Wow."

Her arms loosened. "They're not that big."

Richie shrugged. "Don't have to be huge to look nice."

Melinda huffed, but it was weak. "Yeah, and I'll bet you'd like to see them, huh?"

Richie smirked. "I kinda have already, ya know?"

"But you want a closer look."

"You offerin'?"

Melinda opened her mouth to retort, but nothing came out.

Richie glanced at the emptying hallway. "Listen, I gotta go. Catch ya later."

He started away. Melinda looked nonplussed for a moment, then frowned and called out, "What, that's it?"

Richie spun around. "What? Whatcha expect from me, huh? If you ain't offerin', I ain't just gonna take it. I don't work that way no more."

Melinda stared. Her gaze slid downward, towards the distinct bulge in the crotch of his jeans. She swallowed and shuddered.

Richie shook his head and turned away. Melinda had to resist the urge to run after him.

The forced awareness of her pace meant Gina could hear her own footsteps against the floor tiles of the hallway despite the general din of rattling lockers and avid conversation. She became more conscious of the looks she received from some of the boys, many of whom had never given her a second look.

She glanced down at her legs, slim and lanky atop high heels. Her skirt swished around her thighs, the material sliding across her skin in a light caress. On each fourth or fifth step, her foot wobbled, breaking the smoothness of her otherwise sexy stride. It did nothing to stop the looks.

She drew in a deep breath. Her chest swelled against her blouse and tugged at the buttons that were already stretched across her pushed-up bosom. She released it as a husky sigh, heat suffusing her nether regions as she considered what the boys were thinking of her.

As she turned a corner and headed towards Terri Hollis' class, a boy gave her a look of undisguised lust. It triggered Victor's teaching to her that morning. Gina smiled at him, her nipples hardening against the bra and her pussy tingling. Her smile faded as she went past, but the arousal did not, her body now primed for sex.

"That's what this outfit does, Gina," Victor had told her that morning. "It is a means of constant presentation, as good as nudity in a place where such may not be considered appropriate."

More boys paused to stare at her and whisper explicit comments to each other. She occasionally overheard one as she passed, and her pussy became warm and moist in response.

"Presenting should be pleasant," Victor had told her. "Presenting should be arousing. It should come naturally to you, something you don't even need to think about."

At first, she had trouble reaching that point. Her steps had remained measured. Some of the nagging doubts had returned to her overnight despite dreams so erotic that they had left her throbbing in orgasm as she awoke. The clothing was alien to her at first, as if a stranger were looking back at her in the mirror.

She improved upon arriving at the school. The constant scrutiny warmed her pussy and chased away her misgivings as she craved more of the soft, wet pleasure. Walking became a joy as her body moved in ways to which she had never given thought, such as the sway of her hips or the jiggle of her breasts. Once she had become used to walking in heels, the picture would be complete and perfect.

"It is a total experience, Gina," Victor had said. "Not just a duty. It will become you, as it had your mother."

Gina turned into the doorway to Ms. Hollis' class. Her shoes sounded louder in there, drawing more attention to herself and sending a tiny shiver through her body. She stepped up to the teacher's desk. Her own instructor's gaze appeared to slide down her body and back, lingering on her breasts before returning to her eyes. "Yes?"

"I would like to be moved to a seat closer to the rear, please," said Gina.

Ms. Hollis propped her head up with her arm, fingers perched along the side of her head. "Hmm. Really, now?"

"Yes, ma'am, if it's not too much trouble."

"And is there any logical reason for this?"

"Victor believes it would be better for me," said Gina. She added in a softer voice, "So the others can see me better."

Ms. Hollis paused, as if considering denying the request. She let out a small, tired sigh. "Very well." She called out the name of another student. A boy about two thirds of the way towards the back lifted his head. "You are changing seats with Miss Caligano."

The boy gave the teacher a confused look, but shrugged and picked up his belongings. Ms. Hollis turned to Gina and gestured to the vacating seat.

"Thank you, Ms. Hollis," said Gina. She started down the aisle as soon as the boy had settled into Gina's old seat, and not without a lingering look at Gina.

Gina slipped into her new seat, stowing her book-bag between her feet, forcing her to part her thighs. She pulled on the skirt, bunching it further up her thighs and allowing a glimpse of her bright pink panties. She slid her hips forward until the panties tugged into her mound, presenting her labia in relief against the stretchy fabric. One boy had noticed already and now outright gawked at her.

Gina shivered, and her sex seemed to swell further against the panties in her rising excitement.

Cassie surveyed her surroundings with a wary eye as she exchanged her books at the locker. She had thought to double-up before first period so she could avoid going to her locker now. But she felt a need to be here and confront her fear of a dead girl.

She almost greeted Ned with disappointment when he arrived first. She shook her head in response to his inquisitive look. "She didn't show up this time," Cassie said. "The one time that maybe I wanted her to show up and--"

She stopped as Ned counted off on his fingers and mumbled to himself. "Today's Saturday in 1984, so no wonder she's not here."

"I don't know what to think about that."

"Mebbe it means yer right about it not being a ghost. I mean, would a spook really care what day of the week it was?" Ned had no idea if his statement was correct. He was more concerned with assuaging her fears.

"Stephanie believes its the year 1984, so I think she would care about it. But I'm not going to get upset over it. It doesn't tell me anything either way."

Ned rubbed the back of his neck. "I gotta admit, I kinda draw the line myself at dead spooks. I'd sooner believe someone's time machine's gone on the fritz."

Cassie smiled and draped her hand over his arm. "I doubt it's that, but thank you. I'm trying to remain calm until we can sort this out. I need to know more about this girl, but I don't want to burden Jason any more than he already is."

"Who says we gotta? He ain't the only one that knows something about computers."

"Oh, I didn't mean that, Ned, but it's bad enough we have one ha ... um ... what he does ... in the group."

Ned grinned. "Not if ya call Google a hacking tool. I jus' wanna see what I can dig up about this girl. Uh, no pun intended."

"I have the same question I did before: what if you find a grave at the end of that search?"

"Well ... uh ... we visit it, I guess."

Cassie's clutched her books to her bosom. "What?"

"Why not? You don't hafta go if it gives ya the willies, but--"

"No, I mean why do it? What do you think it will tell you?"

"I was kinda thinkin' mebbe Richie might wanna come along. You know, jus' in case he, well, senses something."

"You want him to look into the body?" she said in a shocked whisper.

Ned sighed. "Babe, look, I wanna know 'bout anything connected to this Mann dude. Ya said yerself ya think it was him in the dream with Stephanie."

"But if it was the same person, and she's dead, what could he possibly have to do with it? That was twenty-one years ago. Jason said he was thirty-two. That would make him only eleven back then."

Ned tapped his nose. "With a schnozz like this, if it leads me, I gotta follow. And the Nose says we gotta look inta this. Now, I'm gonna skip out on lunch and go down ta the PCs in the school library and do some surfin'. If I finish in time, I'll come ta the lunchroom and fill ya all in."

Cassie didn't like this. Even if it had nothing to do with Victor, Jason had said that Stephanie had died in a horrible fire. She did not want to subject Richie to the psychic memories of the terrible throes of burning death.

"All right, Ned, but two things," Cassie said. "First, you make sure that Richie knows what you want him to do and he's okay with it. Second, I'm coming along no matter what."

Ned nodded. "Done and done."

Cassie sighed. "This is too much like a real Halloween scare for my tastes. I keep hoping we'll find a way to get Heather out of her punishment with Ms. Hollis just so we don't have to go to this silly party."

"I hear ya, babe, I was never much fer the party scene myself." He peered past Cassie. "Speakin' of the devilette herself..."

Cassie turned as Heather rushed up to them.

"Whassup, Heather?" Ned drawled. "Oh, ya didn't hafta bring back the fake Book now, I coulda--"

"I wanted to talk to you for a moment, Ned," Heather said. Her eyes darted to Cassie. "Alone."

"I have to get to class now anyway," Cassie said. "Not to be a pest, but you two should also, if you don't want Seeger coming after you."

"This won't take long."

"I'll seeya later, babe," Ned said.

Cassie nodded and headed away.

Ned's gaze lingered on his girlfriend for a few seconds before turning back to Heather. He recoiled when she was suddenly close enough to feel her breath on his face.

"Uh ... what can I does ya fer?" Ned said.

Heather smiled. "It's more what I can do for you."

"Huh. Not sure I like the tone of yer voice."

Heather looked surprised. "I thought I was being sultry."

"Ah, that's what I mean."

Heather giggled. "I think I know what Cassie means about your sense of humor now."

"Yeah, and about Cassie, I--"

Heather drew closer, forcing Ned back towards the lockers. "Stop worrying about her, Ned." She lay a hand on his side. "She joined in last time, remember? So did you." She smiled, her voice turning husky. "You both accepted it."

Ned cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah, so why the seduction act now?"

Heather slid her hand down and over his hip. "You never got a chance to do it with me, did you?"

Ned tried to take another step back but found that his legs did not want to move, nor did other parts stirring in his nether regions. "Wait, yer not just gettin' inta my head and--"

Heather's gaze flicked down. "I don't think I really need to."

"That's jus' kinda automatic, jus' like--"

"Ned, stop it."

Ned fell silent.

"We have to do this. We have to keep this going. I'm not the only one getting urges, Ned. Even Cassie will."

Ned frowned. "Yeah, I know."

Heather leaned closer and pressed her body to his. The breath he had held blew out as a ragged sigh. The soft warmth of her breasts spread across his chest, and her crotch brushed against his. "Soon as Jason gets us a place, I want to fuck you."

Ned swallowed. His cock strained against his briefs.

"We can do it any way you want. But we have to do it. It's going to keep happening to all of us, Ned. I decided to stop denying it."

Ned's cock was so hard that it ached. His mouth opened to voice his final defeat and acceptance of her sexual overture.

"Miss Sovert!"

Heather sprang backwards. Ned looked up at the source of the voice and rubbed his eye. "Thanks fer takin' a shot at it, Heather, but Cassie couldn't find the sty in there neither. I know ya looked real hard for it by standin' so close to me that someone might get the wrong idea, but--"

"No, Mr. Lussander," said Seeger.

Ned lowered his hand and smiled. "Can't blame me fer tryin'."

"Yes, I most certainly can, but it would be wasted effort. Get to class."

"Ah, okay. Oh, but what about--"

"Get. To. Class."

Ned saluted and started running backwards. "Getting! To! Class! Sir!"

Heather covered her eyes with her hand, but guessed that Ned had tried to redirect Seeger's scrutiny to himself. Her lips curled into a small smile before she turned to face Seeger. She looked up into his glowering face with what she hoped was a properly meek expression despite her lingering arousal. "I'm sorry, Mr. Seeger."