Chapter 11

The last weekend in July was baking and cleaning the club was airless and unbearable. The mini-heatwave had exploded into sweltering conditions and I was tempted to clean the club naked. Mum didn't object to me doing it topless and Susie, the tattooed barmaid blew me kisses as I finished on Saturday.

I was not joined by Abi at all during the weekend, she was having some quiet time with Angela and I didn't want to invade her space by turning up at her flat unannounced. Sarah was doing family things and I couldn't reach Ray so was stuck in the flat with Rhea.

Rhea had recently applied for a paper round and had been out at the newsagents for an "interview," which consisted of them trying to work out if she was reliable and honest. I could have saved them the trouble if they were allowed to ask siblings, but strangely this was not a selection technique they employed.

Although she denied it, Mum went on a date. She made sure we were OK on Saturday night, got dressed up and tried to slip out of the flat unseen but both Rhea and I saw her. She didn't mention it the following day and I didn't bring it up, although Rhea made a few rather pointed comments that were not responded to.

I don't quite know what I expected. I presumed that they ended up at the club for a drink but as neither Abi or Angela were working I could not ask to find out. It was, however, none of my business and I resolved myself with addressing the things that were – namely Sarah and our orgasms.

Sarah was not convinced that she should tell her mother that we had messed around with each other, and even I was not convinced myself but I reasoned that we were trusted and it could be viewed that we did break that trust, of sorts. I knew that it would come out eventually and wanted to discuss the matter on our terms. (Well, my terms.)

Sarah was rather embarrassed about the idea of confessing to her parents that she was sexually active with one of her friends and even joked about it on the phone, but Monday came and I travelled to Wendover. There was no other way, and Sarah should not be doing this on her own. She grumbled about my insistence but knew I was right deep-down.

Sarah met me at the door and we kissed briefly and nervously. "You ready?" I asked and she looked at me exasperated.

"Still insistent on telling her?" she asked me and I nodded. "We could just forget it and go for a walk to Wendover," she suggested with a sultry look but I shook my head.

"It's the best way. They need to know," I told her and she looked nervous. We had planned to travel back afterwards and tell my Mum the same thing but now that we were about to do the deed, our plans seemed scary.

She shook her head. "But they might stop me from seeing you," Sarah wailed and looked at me with big puppy-dog eyes. "You know what they said about Kev."

"I don't think so" I replied, dismissively but this was a thought that had crossed my mind. I led her towards the hall to the lounge and we knocked on the door. "Kevin is different, there's deceit and mind-control there."

Sarah's mum was working from home, as she did most Mondays, and had two piles of papers in front of her. She looked up as we came in and loitered near the doorway.

"Mum," Sarah called and Angela looked up. "There's something we need to tell you."

Angela dropped her pen onto her lap and stared at her daughter for a moment, her eyes flickering with concern. "You better not be pregnant."

"No I am not pregnant," Sarah answered indignantly. "Why does everyone keep thinking I am pregnant?" she asked and I shrugged. "Am I really putting on weight?" I gave a nervous laugh and squeezed her hand in reassurance. Angela apologised. "Andy and I ... we ... we fooled around when I stayed at his house," Sarah blurted out, looking at the floor.

Angela smirked. "I know. Grace told me."

"How?" I asked instinctively.

"On the phone," Angela joked and I stared at her.

"I mean, I never told her."

Angela smiled and gestured for us to sit down on the sofa opposite. "You didn't need to tell her, she knew."

"We weren't that loud, were we?" Sarah asked me and her mother laughed.

"When you have children you will understand. Now, I presume you are both OK as you are both here telling me with silly looks on your faces."

Sarah nodded and gripped my hand."Yeah, I'm fine."

Angela looked at me for an answer as well and I nodded.

"And what about Kevin?" her Mum asked and Sarah winced slightly.

Her voice went cold, "what about him?" Her mum raised her eyebrows. "When he can behave like my boyfriend, I'll behave like his girlfriend" Sarah told her and she smirked.

"And Andy, what about Abi?"

"She isn't my girlfriend," I replied a bit too quickly and she raised her eyebrows at me.

"Well, as long as it is what you both want and you are being careful," she told us and looked back down at her work.

"We didn't have sex," Sarah replied and her mum smiled.

"I know, Grace told me." I sighed in exasperation. Angela put her work down again and leant forward to speak to us. "Grace and I have chatted about you two. We are both a bit surprised as it has both come of out of nowhere. Sarah, you had or have Kevin and Andy you were chasing Abi. So we don't know what's made it happen but you seem happy in each others' company but..."

Sarah looked at me and smiled. "We are."

" ... but you both need to decide what you want. Sarah, either you want to be with Kevin or not, and if not you need to tell him and if you do, you need to tell Andy. And you need to tell Kevin what's gone on between you."

Sarah looked at her mother. "I sort of want both of them but they both have big flaws, so as much as I like them, I dunno." Her mother asked her daughter to elaborate. "Andy is too aggressive when he rows with people. He just loses it and it scares me. I've asked him to calm down but he, umm, won't, but he makes me happy. Really happy. Kev doesn't so much, well not any more. And he doesn't treat me with any dignity or respect but he is my first love and has always meant so much to me. But you've banned me from seeing him."

Her mother looked at Sarah for a moment and then me. "I have not said you can't see him, I have said you can't see him until you can be trusted. And Andy, who is it, Sarah or Abi?"

I shrugged, still digesting what Sarah had just said. "Well as neither of them want to be with me I don't have a choice."

Angela pursed her lips at me and raised her eyebrows but I felt nervous; I felt as though I had given the wrong answer but she rubbed her temples as she thought. "Oh really. Grace told me quite a little story about you and Abi. Unless you two decide what you want, one or both of you will get hurt as well as Abi and Kevin."

"We are just friends," Sarah implored and her Mum waved her hand at us.

"So the other day when Andy came around to apologise with the flowers, what happened? I know something did Sarah because your duvet was washed and pegged out to dry!" Sarah and I both looked sheepish and her mum snorted. "So you are not just friends and Sarah you are cheating on your boyfriend. How would you feel if he did that to you?"

Sarah sighed and her mum told us to think about what she had just said. As Sarah and I left the room, she thanked us for telling her. "What just happened?" Sarah asked as I closed the door behind me.

I shook my head. "Out of everything I thought might happen. That wasn't it," I admitted and gave Sarah a brief kiss.

Sarah and I chatted in her kitchen as Sarah made herself lunch and then ate it. Sarah was a little annoyed that I still hadn't made the effort to see Ray and I gave my dismissive Gallic shrug of the shoulders when I was being told something I didn't want to hear.

It seems that Donna had told Sarah that she was never going to be in my company again, which seemed a little melodramatic and extremely petty and unless I made some sort of amends with Ray, Sarah thought I would end up losing a friendship.

I wasn't so sure, Ray and I had been friends for years and I knew it would take something a bit more than a row with his girlfriend to change that but I was busy with Abi, Sarah and Zoe at the moment and Ray had Donna to occupy him. It would change when we were in College and in the same classes but any moves to establish cordial relations could wait until September.

"Mum," I called as I entered the dimly-lit club and she poked her head out from the bar. "How did you know what Sarah and I were up to the other night?" I asked and she smirked.

"I was sixteen once you know," she said as I walked up to her closing a till and then picking up a laminated card.

"Yes I know that but why did you tell Angela if you knew? Sarah and I were going to do it, but you had already beaten us to it."

"I know. Angela just told me. She rang me an hour ago."

"Ahhhhh," I cried as I buried my head in my hands. "Why?"

"Because she thought it was quite cute that you both turned up to tell her hand-in-hand and then seemed genuinely shocked that I knew what my child and his girlfriend were up to."

I hummed and spluttered. "She is not my girlfriend and we were discreet. You weren't supposed to know."

Mum grinned. "You weren't discreet Andy; when you play with her she is definitely not quiet and even Rhea knew what you were up to. No wonder you waited for Angela to leave her house the other day."

"I give up," I said theatrically and turned to leave.

"So, by the way, was I not going to get told by you and Sarah holding hands with silly grins?" Mum teased. "I was looking forward to that."

"Yes, after we had told Angela. But you knew so there didn't seem much point in Sarah travelling to Aylesbury. Well I thought we should tell you after that chat we had the other day."

Mum hummed at me and gave a weak smile. "Well it is a bit late if Angela or I objected to you two messing around and I am not totally comfortable with Sarah staying just so you could get your end away."

"It wasn't like that! But it would have seemed a bit silly if Sarah and I had turned up naked downstairs in front of Oliver's parents and I asked for permission if I could go down on her?" I said facetiously.

Mum laughed. "I suppose so. But Angela is right, you two need to make up your minds what you both want or someone will get hurt."

I nodded. "I know but it is not up to me. Neither Sarah or Abi want to date me so I can't do anything. And anyway, the only person who would get hurt at the moment would be Kevin, and to be honest, I don't care too much about that."

Mum's smile evaporated and she looked at me. "So you think that Kevin and Sarah having problems or splitting up won't hurt Sarah and you won't feel guilty?" I stammered a little. "As I said, face up to all the consequences or learn to behave yourself. There are always consequences to every action you make. Don't forget that, either of you."

I ambled over to the playing fields the following day after dinner to meet Sarah. She was changed into the red and black football kit that she wore and blew me a kiss.

"Hey Andy," a voice from behind me called and I looked up to see a face from the past come running over.

"Oh, hiya Mark. How's things?" I asked. He gave me a weird handshake and asked after Rhea, Mum and myself.

"You see that girl over there, with the long ponytail," Mark said pointing over to a girl sprinting past everyone. "I live with her mother. Amy she is, and she's got a cracking pass on her."

I gave a grin. Mark didn't appear to be the sort of guy who could settle down and have children, I think he liked the idea of a ready-made family, but one where there were no ties. It seemed an almost futile existence and looking at him as a sixteen year old, he didn't look anything like the same guy who was in our flat four years previous.

"You local?" I asked and he grinned.

"Still got the same boozer as before."

"And the car?"

"Traded that. Got a Jaguar now." He pointed to a flash red car in the car park.

"Nice. And you letting Amy with her muddy boots get in your car?" I asked and he chuckled.

"Hell no. She's taking 'em off. Anyway where is Rhea?"

"I'm not here for Rhea. I'm here for Sarah," I admitted and he gave me a sly grin as I pointed out my friend do a slide tackle on Jodie.

"I thought that girl next door was your bird last time I heard?"

"She moved to Bournemouth," I answered quickly and not correcting him about Sarah.

"Shame."

We chatted for a bit and I kept looking away to watch Sarah. It seemed weird to talk to him again but before too long Sarah had finished and she changed into her trainers and she walked back to the flat with her overnight bag, her clothes full of mud. Sarah asked who I was talking to and I explained about Mark as she seemed genuinely interested.

She smirked as I insisted that she disengage herself from her muddy kit in the lobby at the bottom of the stairs, and had left a plastic bag by the front door in readiness.

She grinned at me and released her wavy hair from a hairband. "I suppose you better strip now as well?"

"I'm not sure my Mum would want to see it," I reasoned. "And anyway, we are supposed to be deciding what we want not making them worry about us even more."

"Well have you decided then, what do you want?" Sarah asked, her head cocked to one side and peering at me.

"I got rejected," I told her. "So what I want doesn't matter, does it?" I replied quickly and with a touch of resentment in my voice. "It's what you and Abi want. You hold the aces."

Sarah's playful look disappeared immediately and I felt guilty. "You don't..."

"Go on. Go get in the shower," I interrupted the muddy, barefoot girl and she trooped upstairs while I put her dirty clothes in the bag and carried them into the lounge.

I felt guilty again. Why did I respond to Sarah like that? I suppose it was up to her to make a decision what she wanted and I couldn't come between Kevin and her, but it was clear to me that Kevin didn't love or respect her. Why flog a dead horse? But while my metaphorical Shergar was getting its rear whipped, I was left hanging, unsure of what I should do or feel towards her or anyone.

I couldn't be angry at Sarah for long; I knew that I stood no chance of being with her unless Kevin and her split up. I poured her a lemonade and dug out a lemon to add a slice, filled the glass with ice-cubes and put the last Vanilla Slice on a plate for her.

This caused my consternation from Rhea who, not only had wanted the cake, but the fact I had made so much effort. "Giving her my cake and a fancy lemonade isn't going to make her suck your..."

"Yes thank you Rhea," I said cutting across her as Sarah came down the stairs in a nightie and dressing gown.

"Hey, princess. Andy is seducing you with a Vanilla Slice. Although that's not the last creamy..."

I tickled Rhea to stop her mid-sentence and she puffed at me. "I am not ticklish," she warned and I stuck my tongue out at her and then resumed tickling her.

Rhea was strong and nifty for her age. She was agile and had soon squirmed her way out of my tickling and disappeared upstairs. It was what I wanted, to be alone with Sarah, but our peace was shattered after an hour on the PlayStation when Mum returned and sent us to bed, in separate rooms.

Oh, the injustice.

We got up at a reasonable hour; I was travelling with Zoe to Cambridge at 1pm and had to do the club first. I went into the guest bedroom and Sarah treated me to a wonderful, deep blow job and smiled as my sticky semen dribbled out of her mouth. In return I feasted on her clitoris, and stroked her G-Spot, and after a couple of climaxes, Sarah and I cleaned up and went downstairs.

Rhea gave us dirty looks as we entered the lounge and made a pointed comment that drew a sharp rebuke from Mum. Sarah was happy to talk to me as I cleaned the club and even polished a few tables for me after I cleaned them. We ambled back up the stairs at just gone midday and Mum fixed us some lunch in the flat.

Sarah seemed to be a little distant as we got ready to leave; I wondered if she had wanted to come with us to Cambridge. Zoe had originally asked her before asking me and I suspected that she was feeling jealous.

Zoe knocked and was holding a pink rucksack in the lounge when I came downstairs holding mine.

"Got everything?" Mum asked and I grinned.

"No, I thought I'd leave everything behind and take an empty bag," I replied and Mum shot me a dirty look. "Yeah I got everything."

"Be good, both of you," she said and gestured me over for an unreasonable display of parental affection.

Sarah followed us down to the station and caught the same train to Wendover but she didn't say much, apart from wishing us a good trip as she got off.

Zoe and I sat opposite each other on the train. I had brought a book with me as I guessed Zoe would have done the same, but I didn't read it and instead we just made idle chat.

Zoe was relaxed and chatty, and I learnt quite a lot about her family that I didn't know previously, including why her Uncle Neil was ostracised from the family. She had often mentioned him as she was growing up as a threat her Mum would use ("if you keep doing that you'll end up like your Uncle Neil") but it was only recently she found out what her mothers' brother had done.

He worked in pornography, and had done so since he was eighteen producing hardcore material. In the 1980s he was arrested for obscenity and Zoe thought he did some jail time but wasn't certain. I chuckled at this but Zoe was not amused by him, and instead of talking about him like he was a black sheep, she thought of him as a pariah.

Zoe's mother grew up in a vicarage and her grandfather was vicar in London, so it was no surprise they found the work Neil did so abhorrent. I couldn't help but suppress a grin when I considered what the Matheson's would really make of everything that went on inside the nightclub.

We arrived at Cambridge station and walked through the town towards our accommodation for the night. I had copied a rough map from the road atlas and after only two wrong turnings and three pleas from strangers for help, we arrived at the small hotel.

The receptionist was an old gentleman and smiled the moment he saw me. "You must be Mr and Mrs Williams," he said and I gave Zoe a squeeze of the hand before she could correct him. I certainly didn't look old enough to be married, but it suited us for them to believe it especially with the alcohol I had ordered.

"How did you know?" Zoe asked, almost confirming the "marriage" in his mind and he smiled.

"We have sixteen rooms but only two arrivals scheduled for today. The other couple arrived twenty minutes ago so you must be Mr and Mrs Williams," he explained and Zoe gave a tentative nod. "I see the room has been paid for, but I need to swipe a credit card for the bar."

"We aren't using the bar," I replied quickly and Zoe nodded but the man hummed. "And I don't have a credit card with me."

"Well I will need a deposit of £100 then. We will return that to you but it is in our booking terms and conditions."

I sighed and Zoe squeezed my hand. I felt that I was being railroaded into handing out money to the hotel. I took my wallet out and looked at him. "I will get this back tomorrow?" I asked and he nodded. I told Zoe to sit down on the chairs in the lobby while I sorted payment.

I passed my Solo card to him and he looked at his screen. "Also sir, the wine you ordered is not available, so I will have to charge an additional five pounds for the replacement. It's a three year old vintage sir, very fruity, and it is the one litre bottle."

I groaned at him and asked him to ensure that the wine was chilled and in my room at 9.30pm with two glasses, before allowing him to charge £105 onto my debit card. This took money direct from my bank account but there was more than enough to cover it and I would get it back a few hours later anyway.

Zoe and I walked up to room five that had a nice view over a park and was spacious. We had a little en-suite peach bathroom on our right as we entered the room and a small wardrobe directly opposite, that we would not use and a large desk. Two single beds, no more than a foot apart was over a picture of a black horse galloping through some marshland.

"So I'm married now?" Zoe asked as I put my rucksack down on the bed nearest the door.

"I booked it as Mr Williams," I replied defensively and Zoe was grinning. "I never said I was married."

"I won't tell Mum what they have called us, she might just do one," she warned and commented on the artwork above us as beautiful.

Zoe and I had showers, separately, and got changed. I had brought with me just some jeans and T-Shirt with a black shirt to cover my arms if it was cold.

Zoe wore a light gray vest top with short pale denim dungarees and I gave her a grin as she put a lightweight coat over her. "What?"

"Oh nothing," I answered her dismissively. I did not want to tell Zoe that she looked sexy, she would be embarrassed, but there was a genuine authentic look that oozed "girl next door" and made me lick my lips. I shuddered; two months ago I would have never have thought of Zoe as sexy, what were my hormones doing?

We got a burger each from the fast food restaurant a few doors down from the hotel, and then made the few minutes walk to the venue – a large hall belonging to one of the newer Colleges – that was alive with garish posters. It was a reasonably modern building and my expectations of an imposing Tudor building with black timbered struts, a grand fireplace and battle-scarred gatehouse were somewhat inaccurate.

Zoe held my hand as we walked up the long drive, and the music and noise grew louder. We presented our tickets to a young gentleman in a bright yellow T-Shirt who returned our stub. There was a handful of people queueing alongside us and a few groups of teenagers on the other side of the temporary fencing that had been erected for the event.

"Anyone you know," I said somewhat facetiously but Zoe surveyed the crowd.

"Possibly, I went on a camp last year, you know the one in Stevenage, and I reckon Sandra and Evie would definitely be interested. You'd like Sandra, she big boobs for a fourteen year old and was very much like Sarah."

I groaned. "I have not come to Cambridge to find a girlfriend," I told her and she grimaced before holding my hand again. We walked past the groups of people and outside tables and chairs to the foyer of the hall. It was busy, but not packed, a couple of hundred teenagers milling around the stands and displays.

I noticed that the proportion of female to male attendees was around three to one in my favour, and was particularly taken by a lovely black-haired girl wearing a floral dress. Zoe read my mind and tickled my side. "I thought you weren't looking."

Unfortunately, half of the girls dressed very conservatively, that did little to enhance or accentuate their figures. While I did not come to a Christian event to admire and ogle it seemed almost wasteful for good looking girls to be so covered up.

A large stall had the initials WWJD over the top and I asked Zoe what this meant. He was selling bracelets and pendants with the initials and seemed to be attracting a large crowd. "What would Jesus do?" Zoe replied and I stared at her for a moment, comprehending her response.

"Pardon?"

"It's a question, what would Jesus do? It's to remind you to make the correct choices in life." I hummed. "Obviously you would know nothing about that!"

"Have you brought me here to lecture me?" I asked and she spluttered a denial. "Well don't then!"

We walked past the "Glad not to be gay!" merchandise stall, although the overwhelming majority of the vendors were not peddling questionable goods, and I was almost pleased to notice that the more extreme elements attracted the least amount of custom.

The band on stage consisted of one Gothic-looking girl on the vocals and a couple of long-haired guys behind and they struck out an upbeat and up tempo rhythmic song that echoed around the hall. Zoe stayed close to me but bounced along the music.

The Gothic band turned into a pop duo and then a weird Operatic ensemble before Zoe wanted to go to the toilet. Why she needed me to go outside the hall with her, I will never know!

"Are you part of the queue?" A soft, female voice asked from behind me. I looked around and replied that I wasn't and was awaiting for my "partner" to rejoin me from the toilets, the correct word escaping from my thoughts as I daydreamed.

"I saw her, she is very pretty," the girl replied and I turned around completely to face her. She stood leaning against the wall, her head cocked to one side. She had soft facial features, her smile framed by long, straight hair that glided to the top of her breasts.

"She is, but is only a friend," I replied and looked at her soft eyes, which she averted and looked down at my clothes. I took the opportunity to admire her body, she had a well-developed bosom and was wearing a short, very short brown summer dress with pastel green and white flowers. "And you're not so bad, yourself."

She smiled and flashed her teeth before stammering, "My boyfriend never saw it that way."

"Why?"

She shrugged. "I guess I wasn't his type. We got tickets together but he hasn't bothered to show up. We said we'd remain friends, but I don't know." I sensed a despair and disappointment in her voice that and felt sorry for her. She crossed her arms and looked down at the floor for a moment.

"You on your own then?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I was hoping I'd meet someone else that I know but there isn't so I might go home soon."

"You local?" I asked

"Waterbeach." I stared at her blankly and she chuckled. "You're not local then. It's five mile up the road."

"Aylesbury. It's fifty-five mile in that direction," I said waving into the corner of the room and she grinned. "We are staying over in a hotel."

"I knew you'd be up to something," a familiar voice said and put her arm around my shoulder.

"Oh hi, this is..." I paused, I hadn't actually asked her name.

"Laura."

"Andy. Zoe."

Zoe put her hand to shake Laura's hand and grinned. "He's nice, but does think with his trousers."

"I do not," I told her, slightly annoyed.

"Abi," Zoe replied instantly and I shook my head smirking.

"She is just a friend. And a special case." Zoe gave Laura a meaningful glance and I didn't pursue my attempts at clearing the unjustified slur on my good name, but explained to Zoe about Laura being alone. Zoe shot me a glance.

"You want to stay with us?" Zoe asked, and Laura looked at Zoe and my blank expression.

"That'll be great," she replied enthusiastically and then queued up to buy the drink she was going to do earlier.

"Put your eyes back in," Zoe whispered as I watched her ass wiggle to the front of the queue. "You are so predictable."

Zoe, Laura and myself went back into the hall and a more upbeat act started. I enjoyed watching Laura jumping and dancing, her large breasts bounced seductively but Zoe kept shooting me furtive glances. I found the following musical acts much better to listen to, there were less evangelical messages and I am sure some of them were not singing or displaying a religious message at all.

The room started to get warmer as the evening progressed and by 9pm Zoe was ready to leave. The last act had been quite hardcore heavy metal and this was not what either of us were into. We went to bid Laura goodbye, but she said she would walk with us towards the station as the music was not to her taste either.

"So, who is Abi?" Laura asked as we cleared the main gate. "Zoe mentioned her earlier."

I chortled at her and Zoe smirked at me, knowingly. "She is a friend. Just a special friend."

Zoe nudged me in the back and Laura grinned. "How special?"

"Pretty special."

"Am I not special?" Zoe asked and I nodded.

"Oh yeah, you're special, but Abi..."

"She hides bits of your anatomy in her?" Laura teased and Zoe laughed.

"Yes," answered Zoe for me. "And it's immoral."

"Zoe," I told her exasperatedly. "Mum owns and runs a lap dancing joint, where I work and my friend works as a stripper. Immorality is not my number one concern!"

Laura cooed in appreciation. "Wow! You don't strike me as your average Christian Rock fan."

"It's me that's the fan. Andy is here to escort me."

"Like me and Stu. He is the fan and we were supposed to meet. I'm, well, not the most devout of followers."

I smiled but Zoe noticed and didn't return it. "It's our hotel," she said as we rounded a corner.

Laura looked at her watch and sighed. "Just going to miss it," she moaned and I invited her to the hotel room for a drink. She hesitated and Zoe rolled her eyes, but Laura declined, although Zoe did swap e-mail addresses with her.