Candy was an honor student at Broadfield, an exclusive boarding school tucked in the piney hills of New England. She was extraordinarily gifted and qualified in many fields of academics and the Arts. Her recent invitation to join the schools violin quartet was the icing on the cake for this success-minded young woman whose fair skin, tall, thin body, long brown locks and lovely brown eyes set her beauty far above any other girls in the school. And for her upcoming sixteenth birthday, her father Russell had promised her a thoroughbred horse, which he would deliver personally to the school, leaving his post on Wall street for the trip.

Her boyfriend Daniel was a sweet, promising senior who had been accepted at Dartmouth. Over their two years of dating, they would spend long hours walking the sprawling grounds of the school, lazing beside the swan pond, and cuddling together on cold nights. At times they had got close to going the distance, but Daniel had always restrained himself, waiting for the right moment for this young woman he was enamored with. That suited Candy fine as she was cherishing her virginity.

All was well at Broadfield until one Autumn day when a new lad named Jay Whistler suddenly showed up, (a late enrollee or perhaps transferred from another school?).Nobody really knew. As everyone was settled in their social circles, he went unapproached for the first few weeks.

Then one day on a spontaneous shopping run into Laketown, the nearest populated area, Chad Westbrooke the school quarterback, the tall blonde stallion and social powerhouse of the school ran into Jay at Hanson's Drugstore. Jay was browsing some magazines and greeted Chad friendly as he brushed by him in the aisle. Chad was a sociable fellow and fell into talking with Jay. The pair hit it off well and within a short time were chumming together like best pals at school. The social air had suddenly changed and Chad's social circle had been wrestling with how to respond to this new upstart Jay Whistler.

The truth about Jay never came out at Broadfield, for he was a clever inventor of tales and a master manipulator of others. Jay had been sent away from Chesterdale, another exclusive school in a distant corner of New England, for allegedly organising a large-scale scam to sell secret information about the college assessment tests that stressed all the upper classmen at testing time each year. He had also been suspected of prostituting some of the girls among the lower classmen, but nobody had ever been able to establish that. At any rate, for the test scam he had been expelled, and he had searched extensively for a similar school far away where he could re-surface as a new individual to weave his webs of deceit once again. He had found just that at Broadfield.

Jay quickly penetrated Chads inner circle and was soon acting as the unseen undercurrent which conducted the social life of the school. He tightened his grip around the most powerful and socially placed people, and began to set his eyes on the beauty standouts here and there around the school. His first choice, and foremost target was, and had from the start, been Candice Ackerley, the untouchable elite girl, so prim and upright, and always clinging to her pathetic boyfriend Daniel Hanes.

Candy had few close friends, but one of them was Jane Etters, a short, blond, and very sociable girl who was connected into one of the social circles Jay was now toying with. Jay made it his goal to reach Candy through Jane. He slowly pulled Jane into his game through use of drugs and trickery, and soon Jane was taking part in some of the dark, late night co-ed rituals that Jay had set into play.

When asked about Candy, Jane insisted that she was a good girl and was sincerely in love with Daniel. She said it would take an army to sway her away from him, that they were set on the storybook course for marriage, white picket fences and a long, prosperous life together. They had not calculated, however on one thing: Jay Whistler.

Jay had approached Candy at various times since his debut at Broadfield, but had at best received a lukewarm reception. Candy seemed to have a sixth sense that helped her understand about the nastiness which lay behind Jay's cold, penetrating eyes. She would always find a way to slip away from the conversation quickly.

One evening as she returned after a long stroll with Daniel back to her dormitory, she encountered Jane Etters by chance at the dormitory mailbox area.

"Hi Candy! How was your afternoon?"inquired Jane.

"Great! We were walking all over looking at the gorgeous fall colors." said Candy.

"Oh Cool. That sounds sooo romantic!" Jane exclaimed with a giggle.

"Yeah it was" answered Candy quite frankly.

"Listen, I was wondering," said Jane "Some friends of mine are having this get together later on and I was kinda hoping you could come along. Im a little nervous walking the campus alone at night"

"Umm. I really dont think I'd better tonight. I've got to get on top of my trig for next weeks trimester test." said Candy, feeling Janes baby blue eyes upon her.

"Awwww, come on! You never have any fun! Just this once, come with me! I promise we'll be back in our dorm by midnight" she said, convincingly.

Candy felt cornered. It was not her custom to socialize at night and certainly not outside the company of Daniel.

"Well, let me call Daniel and see if he can make it out", she retorted.

"Oh no no noo", said Jane in an soft, underhanded voice, "tonight is girls night only" she finished with a wink.

"Candy felt pressured, but at least if there were no guys there was little risk of a flurry of rumours that might get back to Daniel.

"Okay. Well only if you promise back by midnight" she said, grudgingly.

"Back by midnight Baby!" said Jane as she gave Candy a peck on the cheek. "Ill knock on your door in an hour". With that, Jane disappeared outside onto the school lawns.

The party was not what Candy had expected at all. Located at the old boathouse on the north edge of campus, it had taken a cold, fifteen minute walk through the dark to arrive. The upstairs room of the boathouse could be seen from outside, lit up by a tall lamp by the window. As they approached, Candy peered up apprehensively, and slowed down her pace as she heard laughing voices inside.

"Come on hunnybun! Lets get going" pressed Jane. She was a year Candy's senior and had the edge on her in a motherly-type way. The door creaked open and the two girls walked up the stairs hand in hand. When the door opened, what Candy saw was miles from what she had anticipated through Jane's description. The air was heavy with smoke and goth metal music was playing at high volume. There was a sofa, but about five people were situated in a circle on the floor sitting indian style or with legs sprawled. As she got in closer and the smoke cleared, she realized that among them was not a single girl. She felt Jane's hand come around her arm from behind.

"What's going on here, Jane?" she said in a panicked voice. "This is not how you told me it would be. Not at all!!"

"Just relax you little prude. Okay, so I lied a little to get you here. I'm sorry about that" she said snidely, "But now that we've come all the way out here we might as well have some fun. Just chill for a change, girl. Get your stress out!" She uttered the words with conviction and Candy was soon to be wooed over into the circle.

She sat down with great unease, and quickly a cold beer can was snapped open with a pop and pressed into her hand. Across the smoky circle she spied the devious eyes of Jay Whistler. Jay had his eyes fixated on the long silky white legs that were coming out of the hem of Candy's purple silk dress.

With the intake of alcohol, the fun and banter escalated, and soon Candy gave in to the flow of the party, laughing along with the others at the silly and ridiculous humour of Jay and his right-hand man, Seth Lewis. In time, beer changed to wine, first red, then white. The clock ticked away and Candy lost track of time. She neglected, too, her handyphone, which was quietly buzzing away in her bag nearby, Daniel calling desperately again and again.