Chapter 26

It didn't take very long on Monday morning for Steve and Gwen to realize their lives had changed dramatically. Classmates Gwen had known since first grade asked for her autograph. Girls flirted shamelessly with Steve. Jordan had been a celebrity when she first attended Sparta, but her stock had risen even higher.

Ms. Walker summoned Gwen, Jordan, and Steve to her desk when they entered the homeroom. "Correct me if I'm wrong. The fact that CBC aired your benefit concert last night meant that they were invoking the option they had for two more shows. That would mean that the hospital fund should be receiving another million dollars for last night and another million when you do another show for them. Is that accurate?"

"It sure sounds pretty close. I'm not the genius going to Stanford next year, but she's here, so let's ask her," responded Steve as Gwen prepared to answer Ms. Walker's question.

"Hey, Charlotte! We have a math question for you," called Steve to Charlotte, just before Gwen balled up her fist and smacked Steve's chest.

"You're doing your best to keep me grounded, aren't you?" laughed Gwen. "I never saw that one coming, but I should have. Go ahead and have Charlotte do the math for us."

"Guys, we have a problem with the prom and it's all your fault," interrupted Tyler as he entered the room. "The gym isn't going to be big enough to fit all the people that want to attend. You know that every kid in high school has always been allowed to go to the prom if they buy the ten dollar ticket that covers them and a date. If kids had trouble getting the money, no one ever cared and they were let in whether they had a ticket or not. Very few underclassmen ever went. When they did, it was usually girls that dated upper classmen.

"The problem now is every kid wants to go, whether they have dates or not. They want to see and hear you three perform. I heard some of the freshmen boys are going to bring their mothers as dates, because their moms insisted! Some are bringing cousins, aunts, sisters, almost any kind of female that can breathe.

"It isn't a lot better with the younger girls. Some have fathers that will attend with them, but most have suddenly become popular and have kids from other schools asking them if they can go to our prom with them. Charlotte, you're the math whiz. If every student attends and brings a date, how many people will that be, allowing for the ones that actually date another kid from our school."

"Suddenly Charlotte's the math whiz? Okay, she's good at math. I admit it. What's the answer, Genius?" demanded Gwen.

"Well, I'd estimate that there'll be about a hundred couples from the school. That would leave almost a thousand kids that would be free to bring a guest from outside the school. A few won't show up regardless of who's doing the music. No offense, Gwen. I'm thinking we'll have around two thousand kids, moms, sisters, cousins, clowns, and jokers. Don't they also allow any and all parents and grandparents of seniors that want to act as chaperones? Usually, they have to beg to get at least ten parents there. Then any faculty that wants to chaperone is allowed to attend. Again, it often requires bribes and threats from the administration to force some faculty to volunteer, but probably not this year. Added all together, it comes out to exactly a crap-load," concluded Charlotte.

"That's the same answer I came up with!" agreed Tyler. "If the bleachers are out and we have the stage set up for the band, most of the crap-load will not be able to get onto the dance floor. The bleachers will hold around two thousand if they all have small asses and we know some of these mothers and cousins will be amply assed. If the bleachers are rolled back against the walls, like they usually are for the prom, we'll have room for several hundred very crowded dancers and wallflowers, not to mention a riot created by the folks that can't get inside."

"That's the math of a genius?" marveled Gwen. "A crap-load? That's your best estimate? To think I was going to rely on Charlotte to help me get through the math courses at Stanford! I am so screwed."

"You don't have to keep telling us! Wasn't last night on national TV enough? Have you no shame?" questioned Charlotte. "You keep bragging about that hunk and some girl might want to take him for a test drive and see what the fuss is all about. Her initials might even be C-H-A-R-L-O-T-T-E."

"Enough about the highly publicized sex lives of our valedictorian and her football star boyfriend. How're the other guys in the senior class going to get laid if the prom is cancelled because it's too crowded?" worried Tyler.

"Uh-oh! We have a bigger problem, Steve. Tyler is taking Stephanie to the prom and he's expecting to 'get laid', as he put it! Can you handle this or should I ask Uncle Will to give Tyler a talking to, like Dad did to you?"

"I could probably hurt him bad enough so he won't be able to have sex for a few weeks, but Steph would be all over me for injuring her date. I think this is a job best suited for her father. After that comment by Tyler, I think Will can legally have him whacked, or maybe use his shotgun on him," added Steve.

"Gwen! It was just a figure of speech. Don't say anything to Stephanie, or her dad! I know we won't be having sex that night. I've just barely talked her into holding my hand on dates. I really like her. Please don't say anything!"

"Well, okay, as long as you promise her virtue will remain intact," replied Gwen. "She's like a sister to me and I don't want anything bad to happen to her. That reminds me. Tyler, have you heard if Kate's going to the prom with anyone? I've been so busy I haven't been talking to her as much as I should."

"Stephanie said that some guy from Middletown asked Kate last weekend and she accepted. I don't know what school he goes to or anything about him. You'll have to talk to her if you want to know more," responded Tyler.

"Now, back to the overcrowding issues created by our rock star student performers," continued Tyler. "My dad's bank had to take that huge warehouse by the river back when the corporation that built it went under. It's never even been used. The economy went south about the time they completed it. They never managed to rent any of it.

"My Dad said that the bank would allow us to use it if we thought it would work. I was wondering if you guys would go with me to see it this afternoon? Dad said he'd meet us there at five. The bank would have it insured and make sure all utilities were working, especially the bathrooms, if we decided to have the prom there."

"That's a great solution, Tyler!" exclaimed Gwen. "Small wonder you were made chairman of the prom committee. You always get results, except with Stephanie, of course."

"We'll see you there at five," agreed Steve as Tyler blushed at Gwen's remark. "I consider Steph to be like a sister, so I want her to have a great time, but within reason. I know you'll take good care of her."

Gwen invited Charlotte and Billy to accompany her and Steve to look at the warehouse they were considering for the prom. Tyler and his father were there when they arrived. After touring the building, the kids were very enthusiastic.

"This looks perfect, Mr. Smith!" enthused Steve. "It's big, has great lighting, lots of electrical outlets, plenty of parking, it's clean, and the price is right. Thanks for all the help."

"I thought you kids would be impressed. The bank is hoping that the exposure from the prom will help raise awareness of all the building has to offer, and maybe get us a buyer. I'll contact the school board and the principal and give them a tour as soon as possible. If they agree, you can start advertising the location for the prom immediately. After watching that great show you kids put on last night, it's a safe bet that they'll be an awful lot of people here for your prom."

Gradually, school returned to a new normal. Jordan, Gwen, and Steve had been elevated another notch or two from their previous lofty position. They made every effort to be friendly with other students and respectful to their teachers. Jordan's lessons of the past were not lost on them.

On Wednesday, Gwen's gym class was playing softball when a sudden downpour drenched all the girls. They were sent to the locker room to get dried off and changed although the period was only half over. With the extra time, some of the girls began asking Gwen about her sex life.

"Did it hurt very much the first time?" asked Dani, a small red head. "I know Steve is a big guy. Were you nervous about it?"

"It really hurt very little. It was more like a slight burning sensation that went away quickly. Steve was very patient and spent a lot of time getting me ready."

"How did he get you ready, as you call it?" questioned Barb, a big blonde girl. "Your hymen is either there or it isn't. You can't lose it a little at a time. My first time hurt a lot. My boyfriend had to push real hard to break it."

"A boy can do a lot of foreplay and be sure that you're well lubricated before he tries to enter you. That helps a lot," replied Gwen.

"My boyfriend told me that if I sucked him for a while, he'd be wetter and would slide in easier. I told him to forget it. Did Steve make you put his thing in your mouth?"

"Sex isn't about 'being made do anything'. It's about wanting to do things to please your partner. Steve would never insist that I suck him like that."

"I knew you wouldn't suck on his cock!" laughed Barb. "We all know that 'The Lady in Red' would never suck cock! That's too gross."

"Using that expression is what's too gross," replied Gwen calmly. "I said that Steve would never insist that I do it. I never said that I wouldn't, or haven't."

"So you did do it!" exclaimed Dani. "Was it awful? Did he cum in your mouth?"

"I think we're approaching this from the wrong angle," responded Gwen uncomfortably. "Everyone is different. You may like something that I don't. Good sex happens when both parties want to please their partner. That's what it's all about. I'll do almost anything if I think it'll give Steve pleasure. He feels the same way about me. That's why sex is best when the people love each other."

"Does Steve use his mouth on you?" asked a mousy girl standing behind Barb. "Most guys don't like to do that. They say it's gross."

"I repeat. Steve will do almost anything to give me pleasure. He loves me and everything about me. It took me a while to accept that, but I know it to be the truth."

"So that means that he does go down on you! You're so lucky to have such a great boyfriend! I bet he's really good in bed," guessed Dani.

"I didn't say he did, or didn't. This discussion should be about sex in general and not about my sex life in particular," responded a blushing Gwen.

"But Gwen," replied Dani with a smile, "you're the one dating Steve Hammer, and having sex with him. He's the one we want to know about. Who cares about sex in general? We want to know what Steve likes, what he does, what he doesn't do, and if he's as big as some of the guys on the football team claim he is."

Stunned, Gwen had trouble initiating speech. "I don't know what other players on the team say. I don't have any experience with size differences. I do know that I'm now very uncomfortable with this conversation. I've just discovered why ladies don't discuss their personal lives. I'm sorry, girls. I'm done with this conversation," stated Gwen as she left the locker room.

Steve was settling in for his last class of the day when Jared slapped him on the shoulder. "I hear you like to dine at the Y, you dog."

"What exactly are you talking about, Jared? I know what the expression means, but why are you saying it?" asked a puzzled Steve.

"My girlfriend, Jade, heard some girls talking in the hallway. They were saying that Gwen told them that you like to munch her carpet. I thought you should know about it. I was a little worried about how to bring it up, so I went for the direct approach."

"I don't think Gwen would tell people something like that. Even with our decision to be more open and honest with the public, it doesn't seem like the type of thing she'd tell. Would you think less of me if it were true?" asked Steve with a grin.

"You already know the answer to that one!" laughed Jared. "Gwen's a beauty. I'd think less of you if it weren't true!"

By the time Steve met up with Gwen after school, several girls had made veiled comments about his appetite and dining habits. He was extremely curious to hear what Gwen would be able to tell him.

"Gwen, have you been telling people that I like to go down on you? That seems to be the rumor, although it doesn't sound like something you'd be telling everyone."

"I told them I didn't care to comment on it one way or the other! A girl asked me about it in the locker room. I just told her that we'd do almost anything to please and satisfy each other. She insisted that meant that you would feast on Ms. Kitty now and then. By that time, I was in so deep, I didn't know what to say, so I told them I wouldn't discuss it anymore."

"You're absolutely beautiful and extremely smart, but sometimes you still act like a high school girl. You can't discuss your sex life with any sort of group. You even have to be careful with good friends," explained Steve. "We were lucky that Billy and Charlotte never mentioned you screaming out that morning they stopped in before school and we were so embarrassed. They're friends and we can trust them.

"Jordan never told anyone. Kate didn't give us away. Then you felt the need to answer a few 'harmless' questions by girls in a group in the locker room? Now I'm going to be known all over school as an eater of prime pussy."

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean for that to happen. Please forgive me. What are we going to do now? How can we handle this embarrassing situation? I've already shown I can't be trusted to make good decisions about it."

"Luckily, I have a plan, so don't worry about it," revealed Steve.

"You do? Already? I should've known that you'd come up with something. What's your plan?" asked a relieved Gwen.

"Every time anyone implies, or infers, that I eat pussy, either in general, or your pussy in particular, I'm going to grin and arch my eyebrows like this."

Gwen stared at Steve like he had two heads. "That's your plan? How can that stupid grin help? They're going to think you're proud of it, that you like eating pussy. Oh! This must be a man thing!"

"That's right, Gwen. You sure didn't hurt my reputation any. You should see how the girls are looking at me now. And there isn't a guy out there that would blame me for munching on Gwen Anderson's little kitty every chance I get, with the possible exception of your dad."

"So you're just going to smile and act happy that you have the opportunity to do a little muff diving on me? That's the whole solution?" asked a skeptical Gwen.

"Yep, that's pretty much it. Now we need to get back to your place and see if the screenplay for our movie is in. We need to learn our lines pretty fast. Clyde said he'd have them delivered to your folks' place."

"Wow! You really aren't worried about being known as a pussy eater, are you? It's a good thing, I guess. You could be very upset with me. Here comes Jordan and Kate. Let's head for home."

"Sis, some of the girls in my class told me that you said you like to give Steve blowjobs. I told them you'd never say that, and would never do it, either," stated Kate as soon as she joined the group.

Gwen looked dismayed for a few seconds. Then she grinned at Kate and arched her eyebrows. "Holy cow! It's true! You admit you like to do that to Steve! That's so cool. You're the sexiest valedictorian this school has ever seen!"

Jordan was laughing so hard tears ran down her cheeks. Steve was standing next to her with a look of shock on his face. Then he began laughing.

"You talked to those girls for quite a while, didn't you?" prodded Steve as he took Gwen into his arms. "I hope you learned something from that. Most guys that know anything at all about what's good for them, never talk about what they do with their girlfriends. They don't want to lose access to that little triangle that they love so dearly."

"Well, the grin worked with Jordan and Kate. I guess I'll just have to use your solution to an embarrassing situation. By not being embarrassed when you normally would be, you take the sting out of any barbed comments that may come your way. This being totally honest is a great concept," admitted Gwen.

"Did you also tell everyone that Steve had a real big ... ah, 'thing'?" asked Kate hesitantly.

"Oh, crap!" exclaimed Gwen as she once again looked at Steve for his reaction. "I didn't actually say that. I think they heard it from the football team. I didn't disagree or anything. I just said I didn't have anything to compare, so I didn't know."

"Once again, Gwen, you're not hurting my feelings!" stated Steve. "It just seems to me that this is not something that should be discussed with other girls, especially ones that aren't your real good friends."

"He's right, Gwen. You're among friends now, so tell Kate and me all about this big problem you're having ... quite often!" teased Jordan.

On the ride home, Gwen made a point of asking Kate about her prom date. "He's just a guy I met at the mall. It wasn't all romantic like when Steve and you met. He just started talking to me and we got along pretty good. When he heard I was from Sparta, he asked if he could take me to the prom. I think he wanted to see Gwen Anderson and Jordan Quick sing. I was just his opportunity to get in."

"Did you tell him that we're sisters? That Jordan lives with us? Did he mention Steve at all? Did he say he was only asking so he could see us sing?"

"No, I didn't even tell him my last name. I don't think he knew you're my sister. He didn't actually tell me that he was asking because he wanted to see you guys, but I know that was it. He's not as good looking as Steve, but he's fairly hot and he's a junior at Middletown High. Why would he ask me, if not to see you and Jordan?"

"You're telling us that this kid is blind? That he couldn't tell how beautiful you are?" asked Steve. "Kate, any guy would be happy to take you to the prom. Can I meet this guy? What's his name?"

"Mom and Dad told me to tell him he had to stop in Sunday evening after dinner to meet them, before he would be allowed to take me to the prom next week. I guess you'll be able to meet him then. He's coming over around seven for the 'talking to'. I warned him about it, without mentioning your name, and he laughed. He thought Dad sounded pretty cool.

"He's not a football hero and he's not as big and strong as you, Steve. I doubt if he sings or dances real well. It's not going to be anything like your first date, Gwen," admitted Kate somewhat dejectedly.

"Wait! You're trying to compare this boy to Steve? That isn't fair to him. He'll have his own personality and skills. You don't want a Steve clone. You want a living, thinking individual that you learn about as time goes on. You know that you have a somewhat inflated opinion of Steve and no one can match what you've created in your mind. This boy may not be the one for you, but no one will ever be if you expect them to be exactly like Steve," reasoned Gwen.

"Well Lisa found Jason, didn't she? He's almost as big and strong as Steve. He's a cadet at West Point. He's handsome and brave and smart. Am I going to be the sister that winds up with the runt of the litter? How can I compete with such amazing sisters? You guys are beautiful and talented and have great looking guys. I'm just me."

"Steve, I think it's time you had a talk with my little sister," insisted Gwen to a surprised Steve.

Thinking it over quickly, Steve pulled the car to the side of the road, parked, and stepped out. "It's only half a mile from here. Gwen, you drive the car home. Kate and I will walk the rest of the way now that the rain has stopped."

When Gwen and Jordan entered the Anderson home, Paula met them in the kitchen. "Where's Kate? Didn't she ride home with you? Isn't Steve coming in?"

"They're walking the last half mile, Mom. Kate is having some low self esteem issues. She feels that she's competing with Lisa and me, and that she's losing. Her date for the prom sounds like a normal kid and she seems to feel she has to apologize for that. I asked Steve to talk to her. If anyone can build up her confidence, it's Steve. You know how she idolizes him. I hope he can make her see it's not a competition."

"She has been pretty quiet for a sophomore that was asked to the prom by a boy from another school. That used to be very cool in my day," recalled Paula. "You're right. If anyone can bring her around, it'll be Steve."

A short time later, Steve walked into the house carrying Kate in his arms. She was smiling and had her arms wrapped around Steve's neck. "The neighbors saw me kissing your boyfriend and honked their horn as they drove past us. They'll probably tell everyone that your gorgeous little sister stole your boyfriend."

"Steve! Are you dumping me for Kate? I knew I shouldn't have left you two alone. Is it the blonde hair? The perfect complexion? Her athletic build? Her sense of humor? How can I compete with her?" demanded Gwen.

"We're not competing, Sis. We're all working together to help everyone in the family have a better life. You'll always have Steve, but so will I. He won't forget me, ever. He's my protector. He'll play with my kids and watch them grow up. He'll always be there for all of us in the family, just like Jason will and just like the guy I settle on will. That's the kind of guys we Anderson girls attract and fall in love with," beamed Kate as she kissed Steve soundly on the lips. "He's your boyfriend, but it's okay if I love him, and he loves me, isn't it?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" managed Gwen as she brushed back a tear.

"That is the sweetest thing I've ever seen," blubbered Jordan. "Can I ask to be included in that deal? I know he's your guy and I've found a pretty good one of my own, but I need to know that you're good with me loving your guy. I want him to always be my friend and play with my kids, too. I want all the Andersons and their husbands, boyfriends, and significant others to be included in my life from now on. I guess I 'm asking to be part of your family!"

"Oh! That's so touching. Of course you'll always be part of us. We all love you, and we're so proud to be your friends. I hope you realize that this means that Charlie will be like a brother to Kate, Lisa, and me. We sisters are pretty nice to our brothers, as you can see by the way Kate's treating Steve. We're sisters now, Jordan!"

The group finally remembered the screenplay that was supposed to be awaiting them. Before Gwen could look at hers, the phone rang and she answered it.

"Hi, Lisa! We haven't heard from you lately. Mom says you're really busy with the modeling. She said you did a cover for 'Shape' magazine and it'll be out in July. I can't wait to see it."

"Never mind me, Gwen! I finally had the chance to watch your special this afternoon. My roommate taped it. It was great, but that was some interview! You and Steve have finally made love! I'm so happy for you, Sis. You've got the best guy in the world, so take care of him."

"I know it, Lisa. I also have the best sisters, including Jordan, and parents. We're just getting ready to look over the screenplay for the movie we'll be making soon. I wish you were here with us, but you're a top model now. How's everything with Jason?"

"We talk all the time. He's asked me to his graduation. I think it's getting pretty serious, considering we hardly ever get to see each other. Be warned. When Steve goes into the Naval Academy, he won't have a lot of spare time for you. They keep them pretty busy. I'm so proud of Jason! He's an officer, and a gentleman, and he seems to love me. I think he's a keeper."

"I bet he's real proud of you, too! His girlfriend is a beautiful model that appears on magazine covers. She's also a year away from getting her degree in accounting, so she's pretty smart. We're all proud of you!"