Chapter 3: Making Progress

Football season and school progressed as did my relationship with Jeryl. I maintained the straight A average I had always had in school, but this time with a fraction of the effort I had previously put into classes. My cousins and I butchered our cattle and sold the beef for a tidy profit before re-investing our earnings in more feed steers for the next year.

My car slowly took shape as I mounted the electrically driven wheels with their individual motors and started wiring the controls to the microprocessors that would eventually steer them. I had to get John and Ryan’s help to mount the new, smaller engine and its attached generator to the chassis. I really wanted a turbine generator, but knew that would have to wait for the second iteration.

I had no more training visits with Jordan, though she was always cordial and had a warm smile for me. Jeryl and I dated most weekends, either doubling with one of her sisters or one of my cousins. John worked up the courage to ask Ann out and seemed to be dating her more than the one or two times she seemed to go out with prior beaus. Ryan had actually started dating Kris. We gave him grief about cradle robbing, but he actually took it with good grace. They made a cute couple.

I knew neither of my cousins had dated those girls the first time through, and wondered what it meant. I finally decided not to worry about it and just live my second life as fully as possible.

My troubles started around the beginning of October when Jeryl told me she could not go to the homecoming dance with me, even though I had asked her a week before.

“What changed?” I asked as we sat outside the movie we were supposed to be seeing. Ryan and Kris were inside. Jeryl had pulled me out as soon as the show started.

“Nothing, but I can’t go. Kay is having a party and I promised her I would go before I realized what day it was.”

“We can go to Kay’s party after the dance,” I said, but she shook her head.

“It’s only girls. It’s special. It’s her birthday. We do it every year. I just lost track of the time. If I don’t go, she’ll hate me and we’ve been friends forever. She already feels that I spend too much time with you.” Tears streaked her cheeks so I kissed them away.

“It’s alright, kitten.” I kissed her again. “You go to Kay’s. It will be alright.” Even as I said it, I felt I was lying to myself.

Unfortunately, I was right.

I decided to skip the dance. Without Jeryl, I just didn’t feel like going. I chided myself that I should not be tied down like an old man as a freshman, but could not get in the mood to go stag. Instead I spent the evening working on the schematics for my car’s steering system.

I spent the next day in the machine shed, wiring the generator to the drive motors. Finally, after cleaning up from a long day, I decided to give Jeryl a call and see if she at least had fun at Kay’s. Jordan answered the phone on the third ring.

“Salaway’s, this is Jordan.”

“It’s Paul,” I said. “Is Jeryl home?”

Silence. Then, “Paul, don’t call for a few days. Something happened. I’ll try to call you later this week.”

“What happened? Is Jeryl alright? Why can’t I call?”

Jordan spoke softly, as if not wanting anyone at her house to overhear. “A couple of guys showed up at Kay’s party. Jeryl is fine, but she is pretty shaken up. She kneed a guy in the balls to keep him from raping her. I don’t think you should see her for a little while.”

“Oh my god, Jordan. Is she really alright?”

“Yes, but she keeps crying and telling Mom and Dad nothing would have happened if she had gone with you instead. They think maybe she is too young to date now. It’s weird over here.”

“Okay, Jordan. I’ll trust you. Tell Jeryl I’m thinking of her and to call me when she feels up to it.”

I hung up the phone. For the first time since the explosion, I felt my entire sixty-five years old.

That night, I thought about how I had been acting. I was an old man, running around thinking of screwing a fourteen-year-old, while having screwed an eighteen-year-old. I made myself sick as I tossed in my bed.

Forget the fact that I had the body and hormones of a teenager as well. My mind was old. My soul was old. Sleep eluded me.

I finally got up and pulled on my running clothes around five AM. If I wasn’t sleeping, I might as well get some exercise, I thought.

My feet led me on a familiar path. I turned away from the road leading to the Salaway’s, running south instead of west. My mind struggled as my body plodded on. Three right hand turns later, I realized I had run around the Salaway’s section and was now going to go right past Jeryl’s house. I shrugged to myself and kept running. It was just after dawn as I approached their home.

I was surprised to see Mr. Salaway outside. He waved me up to the house. I slowed by the porch and then stopped. “Good morning, sir. Is Jeryl alright?” I blurted. I did not know if Jordan had told them I had called or not, but I wanted to know that the young woman I had come to care deeply about was well.

Jerry Salaway nodded. Then waved me to a seat on the steps. “Have a seat, Paul, please.” I sat. I had not had many conversations with Mr. Salaway.

“Jordan told us you called yesterday. I don’t know how much she told you.”

“Just that someone tried to attack Jeryl. Is she going to be alright?”

“She’ll be fine, in time. A couple of boys from her school showed up at Kay’s while Kay’s folks were in town. The boys had been drinking, evidently and thought a bunch of girls at a teenage birthday party would be impressed by them. Maybe they were. I don’t know. Somehow, things got out of hand, and at least one boy tried to force his attentions on a girl. Jeryl was that girl. She fought him off, but was pretty shaken up by the whole thing.”

He paused and looked at the sky.

“Sir,” I said. “I hope you know that I would never try to force Jeryl to do anything.”

He nodded his head. “I know you wouldn’t, Paul, but her mother and I think it might be best if she stopped dating for a while. I know you care a lot for her, but it’s those young feelings that can lead to trouble. Why don’t we see how you are both feeling in the spring?”

He said it to sound hopeful, but I could taste ash in my mouth. I stood up as I chose my words carefully. “Mr. Salaway, sir, it is your right to set limits on your daughter. You know I make her happy and would protect her from anything and that she feels the same way about me. I hope you realize that by trying to protect her, you’re actually punishing her unfairly, and myself as well, by keeping her away from someone who could comfort her and help her through this. I hope you don’t come to regret your decision, sir. But I will abide by it.” Without another word, I turned and started to jog away. I felt hot tears on my face as I turned back on the road.

Lisa seemed to know something was wrong as soon as she saw me at lunch on Monday. She and Jim had been slowly growing closer though Jim always acted like Coach Miller was just around the corner when he was with Lisa.

“What happened, Paul?” She asked as she and Jim sat down near me.

I shook my head. “Jeryl and I broke up, I guess.”

“What happened?” Jim asked.

I told them at least part of the story. I left out anything about near rape. It did not feel like my story to tell. I ended with the decision of her parents that she could not date until the spring.

“That sucks, man,” Jim said.

Lisa was silent, but patted my arm. The next day at lunch, several of Lisa’s friends joined us. They were all sophomores and a couple of juniors. Cheerleaders mostly. They were cute, and happy, and full of stories as they tried to draw me out. I pretended to be interested, but really was not myself. Finally, after three days of this, one older girl seemed to take charge.

Her name was Wendy and she had dirty blond hair and a curvy figure on a short frame. She was a junior and on the cheerleading squad, but I knew she also played volleyball and liked to ride horses.

“Okay, you harpies, let the guy alone,” she said at lunch on Thursday. “He has a game to get ready for tonight. If you distract him with all your chirping and questions, he’s liable to get hurt.”

The other girls, including Lisa fell silent. Wendy pulled my arm and I followed her from the cafeteria. As soon as we were out of sight around a corner, she stopped and turned to me.

“Smack!” she slapped me across the face. I was shocked.

“Do I have your attention now?” I nodded. “Good. Stop pouting like a spoiled brat. Do you think you’re the first guy who got dumped? Some people in this school have had to deal with real problems. I’ve even had a few. You don’t see me moping around do you?”

Her green eyes were cute when she was angry, I thought as I shook my head.

“Then I want you to stop moping as well.” She reached up and grabbed my ears and pulled my head down to hers. With her lips right by my ear, she whispered. “You get your head in the game today and if you play well, I’ll let you take me out tomorrow. Deal?” She did not give me a chance to answer before planting a quick kiss on my lips and letting go of my ears.

I watched her cute sashaying hips as she strolled down the hall. Just before turning the corner, she looked back at me with a grin and blew me a kiss. I stood there befuddled until the bell rang.

That night I had the best game of my season.

Wendy saw me in the hall before PE, my last class before lunch. “Good game, Paul. I’ll meet you after the game tonight,” she said with a smile.

I shook my head and headed for the locker room.

“Taylor,” I heard coach bellow as I passed his office on the way into the gym.

“Yes, coach?”

“Put this in your locker and be ready to play tonight,” he said as he threw a blue jersey at me. It was a varsity shirt.

“Coach?”

His scowl deepened. “Simons got hurt yesterday in practice.” Simons was a senior linebacker. “Sprained ankle. He’s out for tonight. You’ll suit up so we have a backup incase something happens to Peterson.” Jared Peterson was a second string linebacker on the varsity.

“Yes, coach!” I said as I jogged back to my locker. Looked like I would get a chance to suit up on the varsity team as a freshman.

Jim was excited when I told him at lunch. Wendy just grinned and slapped me on the back. I shook my head and spent the afternoon in a slight daze. By the time I dressed for the game, I had convinced myself I would sit on the bench, just filling out the roster.

I was wrong.

“Taylor, get in there!” Coach Johnson yelled half way through the first quarter. Coach J as we called him was the defensive coordinator for the varsity team. “And make something good happen.”

We were already down by ten in the first quarter following a strong scoring drive and then a fumble by our offense. I ran onto the field and took up my usual spot at outside linebacker. Our opponents were a well balanced team, mixing runs and passes almost fifty-fifty. The defensive play was a passing blitz, but a shift in the backfield made me rethink that call. As the ball was snapped, I back peddled and kept my eyes on the QB. He faked a handoff, and then drifted back as the line released their blocks and then reformed a line. It was a screen.

I rushed the still reforming line and shouldered past them just as the fullback turned to take the screen pass. I dodged in front of him and grabbed the ball. He was too surprised to stop me as I dropped my head and hit a full sprint. I was forty yards from the goal and only the QB stood a chance of catching me. He was too far away, as I stretched out and high-stepped into the end-zone. The home fans went wild.

“Good job, Taylor!”

“Way to go Paul!”

Everyone on the sidelines was energized by my pick and the kicking team stormed the field for the extra point. Just like that, we were only three down.

Coach J grabbed my face mask. “Excellent work, Taylor. Be ready to do it again. You are back out there with the defense next series. Okay?”

“Yes, coach!”

We kicked-off and had them down the ball for a touchback. I trotted back out on the field. They must have thought I was a fluke, because they started running the ball right at me for the next three plays. I stopped them each time. Twice for a loss of yardage. They punted the ball back to us and I headed to the side for a break.

“Keep it up, Taylor.” Was all the coach had to say.

We managed to put together a solid offensive drive and at the end of the quarter, it was fourteen-ten in our favor.

They got a little crisper executing their passing game in the second quarter, and managed to put together a string of first downs, advancing the ball to just past mid field. It was third and short when I got another feeling. I kept a close eye on the tight-end as the ball was snapped and he started a shallow slant. I moved closer to jostle him and watched the QB look away to a wide receiver on the other side of the field. Just as I was about to break off coverage, the QB came back to the tight-end. He fired the ball over the middle as I stepped in to swat it away.

The crowd cheered as the visiting kicking team came back on the field to punt the ball back to us. I was congratulated again as I grabbed some water on the sideline. “Good eyes and hands, Taylor.” Coach J said.

We headed into the locker room still up by three. The coaches made some adjustments during the half. Peterson, the guy I had replaced at outside linebacker pulled me aside. “Listen up, frosh. These guys always adjust at half. They’re going to realize you are green and keep testing you in the second half. You’ve got to show them that you are game, got it?”

“Got it,” I said. I was surprised a hard-core jock like Peterson would give me advice when I was taking his position. Maybe I had misjudged the breed again.

We took the field at the second half and mentally braced for whatever changes they showed us. Their defense was tighter and we went three and out on the first series. I buckled my chin strap and got out on the field. On the first play, Coach J called for a blitz. As soon as the ball was snapped, I raced past the tight end and saw the fullback pulling away from me to block another blitzer on the far side. The QB was rolling my way but had not seen me yet. I centered on his numbers and wrapped him up after a crushing hit. He landed hard with me on top of him.

I climbed up and offered him a hand up, but he was lying there dazed. I waved the official over and then cleared out as the official waved to the far sideline. I was worried I had over done it until I saw the quarterback sit up and then finally stand. All the fans gave him an ovation as he left the field.

Coach J slapped me on the back. “That was a good hit, Taylor. You go out and do that again to the back up QB and this game will be all ours. Got it?”

“Got it, coach.” I yelled as I headed back onto the field. I did not get a chance to blitz again until the forth quarter.

This time it was a run blitz as they tried to pull a sweep toward me. The fullback had me in his sights as the halfback tucked in behind him with the ball. I dipped and rose, trying to knock him back and to the side, but he was too big and had too much of a head of steam to be floored as I had opponents in the past. We slammed together and I tried to keep my feet moving as he turned me away from the back he was screening. I dropped my shoulder and hit him again, but then people were past us and I released my block to turn to follow the play. Moments later, the ball was blown dead as the safety made a clean tackle.

I hustled back to the huddle and then to the line. They lined up the same way again. It was almost like deja vu, as the play unfolded exactly the same. But this time, I was a step ahead. I was past the first blocker before he was set and saw the halfback take the handoff as the fullback turned toward me. I knocked him aside and focused on the halfback’s numbers. I made the same numbing hit and wrapped him up to take him to the ground as I had with the quarterback. This time, the ball squirted loose, and I released my tackle to fall on the ball.

Bodies piled onto me as they tried to pull my hands from my arms and the ball from my hands. I held on well after the whistle blew and waited until I was sure it was a referee reaching for the ball. It was the first fumble I had recovered all season. The crowd sounded insane.

Our offense took the field and marched down to their goal line for another touchdown. The fight seemed to go out of the opposing team. The clock wound down and the final whistle blew with us winning twenty-one to ten.

I was honored with a game ball by the coaches in the locker room after the game, and pleasantly surprised at how proud I was of my play. Most of the defensive players congratulated me personally. It felt great to be part of something, even if intellectually I knew it was just a high-school football team.

I was surprised when Wendy met me outside the locker room doors with a flying hug and kiss. “You played wonderfully, Paul,” she gushed. I blushed as I saw the other varsity cheerleaders clapping at her performance, or for mine. Either reason was worth a blush, I decided.

“Thanks. I guess your little pep talk inspired me,” I quipped.

She kissed me again and then pulled me through the crowd. While I was unsure where we were going, she made a beeline for my mother. “Good evening. Madame Taylor. What time should I have this young man home to you by?” she asked. I blushed more as my mother laughed and replied in French. Wendy did not miss a beat but responded the same with an occasional glance at me. When she realized I was not following the conversation, she broke out laughing.

“I’ve been in your Mom’s French class since eighth grade. I thought you knew that much.”

“Sorry, I’m a little slow. I must have gotten hit harder than I thought.” They both looked concerned until they realized it was my poor attempt at humor. I smiled and faced my mother. “Mom, is it alright if I go out with Wendy this evening?” I asked formally.

Mom smiled and nodded. “Yes, but Wendy, please try to have him home by midnight.”

We all nodded and then headed to the parking lot. Wendy drove a small land yacht known as a Chevy Impala. It was a full-sized car with a full sized engine. It was not what I expected a bubbly blonde cheerleader to have. We piled in, and she pulled me close on the front bench seat. She was not shy about planting another smoldering kiss on me as the crowd continued to thin out from the game.

“Are you hungry? I am.” She said before I could answer. She started the car and carefully backed out of the parking lot and headed to the drive in. I bought her a burger and fries along with one for myself and we ate in relative silence. She kept looking across the seat and grinning at me. Finally, I couldn’t stand it any longer.

“What has you grinning so much?” I asked. Her smile was infectious, and I could not help but grin back at her.

“I just keep thinking about you moping around this week until Thursday, and how easily I could motivate you to focus once again.”

“Well, I guess you could call this taking you out, but I had planned on asking you to the game, not just having you pick me up afterward.”

She laughed and collected our trash and put it on the tray outside her window. “Well, that would have been a normal date and I don’t like normal anymore. That’s why I decided to ask you out instead.”

“Really? Why? Don’t you think I’m normal?”

“Nope.” She started the car and pulled out of the drive-in. Soon we were headed out of town. “I think you are far from normal,” she said as the lights of town faded behind us. “Normal freshmen don’t date cute girls from other schools and bring them to our games. Normal freshmen don’t play on the varsity team and single-handedly turn the game around. Normal freshmen football players aren’t in honors English, algebra and geometry.”

“Thank goodness,” I said in mock relief. “For a minute there, I thought you were only after my body. It’s good to know my mind matters.”

Wendy laughed at me and the slowed the car to turn into a narrow, hidden lane. She pulled in far enough not to be easily noticed from the blacktop road we had been travelling down. She turned off the car and then scooted closer to me.

“I like you, Paul,” she said before kissing me. Her lips were full and soft and moist.

“I like you too, Wendy.” I kissed her back. She swung her leg around and over my lap to sit facing me. Her hands wrapped around my neck and pulled me into her tightly. We explored each other’s lips, and mouths and neck and ears for many minutes before she finally pulled back.

Her hands found the buttons of my shirt and began undoing them. “I want to feel your skin against mine,” she whispered.

I took the hint and dropped my hands to the waist of her cheerleading sweater and slowly started lifting it up her lean body as she pulled my shirt free from my pants. I paused at her bra and ran my fingers lightly over the clasp before pinching it quickly and releasing it. She kissed me again.

“Normal freshmen don’t know how to do that without fumbling a bit. What else is abnormal about you?” She asked as she ground her groin against mine. I pushed her back a little and then lifted her sweater and bra free. Her glorious c-cups were right in front of me and I could not resist leaning down to flick her nipples with my tongue. She moaned and then crushed them against my chest and resumed kissing me passionately.

I ran my finger tips up and down her sides and along the curve of her spine. I was delighted by a small squirm when I touched lightly just below her ribs. She was ticklish.

I teased her sides until she broke our kiss.

“You have no idea what that does to me,” she said breathlessly. I grinned and tickled her again and she ground her self against my obvious hard on.

“I’ve got a pretty good idea, actually.” I pulled her to me again and captured a nipple in my mouth. Slowly I licked, sucked, and kissed my way from one to the other and back again. She locked her lips to mine as I let my hands wonder lower and cup her ass through the tights under her uniform skirt.

“Oh, god,” she moaned. “I cannot believe a freshman is doing this to me. You are making me so hot.”

I squeezed her ass again and then ran my hands along her calves. She pushed back from me and opened the passenger door. “Get in back,” she demanded as she herself climbed over the seat back. I hurried out of the car and opened the back door to see her lying on the backseat, pointing a white tennis shoed toe at me while covering her breasts with her hands. Her smile was inviting.

I caught her foot and lifted it to me as I pulled off her shoe. Her sock followed it to the floor and I gently sucked her big toe into my mouth.

“Oh, shit,” she moaned. I repeated my sucking and then moved to kiss her ankle. Slowly, my kisses moved up her leg. As I passed her knee, I let my hands slide up to her hips and gently tug at the waistband of her skirt. She needed no more hints and quickly lifted her hips and slid the skirt, tights and her soaking panties down her legs.

I smiled at her trim blonde bush and resumed my slow kissing. By the time I reached her pussy, I could smell her desire. Instead of giving her what she was begging for, I worked my way slowly down her other leg, until I could slip off her other shoe and suck on her other big toe.

“I never knew my toes were tied into my pussy like that,” she said as her hands grabbed my head and guided it back up her body. I was more than happy to spread her beneath me and lick her thoroughly. She screamed her orgasm into the night and held my head against her. As she relaxed a little, I slipped a finger inside her and resumed licking her gently. She was soon panting again and bucking against my face and hand.

“Oh god, oh god, oh god!” She screamed again and bucked against me before falling silent. I slid on up her body and kissed her neck. Her eyes fluttered and then she smiled at me. “Please tell me you have a condom.”

My face must have fallen. I shook my head. “Sorry, I didn’t really plan this,” I said.

She laughed and kissed me. “I did. I’m on the pill, but I like to be sure. Let’s get your pants off and live a little dangerously.”

Soon I was naked on top of her. She shifted me around to get on top of me and then proceeded to inch her way down my body. As I felt her breath on my dick, I made a valiant attempt to be a gentleman. “You don’t need to do...” was as far as I got before she engulfed me in her hot, wet mouth.

She was good. Very good. She seemed to know exactly what turned me on as she ran her tongue along the bottom of my shaft and sucked me deep into her. I could feel the back of her throat as she tried to take me deeper, then she would pull back while increasing the suction, as if I was straw with her favorite drink. Soon, I felt my balls begin to tighten.

“I’m coming, Wendy.” It seemed to make her suck harder. At the first spurt, she pulled off and grabbed my dick with her hand. She pumped me softly and dipped her head down to lick the cum from her hand and the head of my penis. It was an incredibly erotic sight in the dim moonlight.

Once she had me relatively clean, she dropped her head to engulf me fully and return me to full hardness. As soon as she felt I was ready, she scooted up my body and slipped me between her nether lips. We slid together smoothly and she ground her clit against my pubic bone.

I pulled her down for a kiss and then held her up with my hands firmly holding her breasts. She slowly moved her hips in a small circle and moaned with pleasure. “You feel incredible inside me,” she said.

Her movements picked up speed until she was soon bouncing on top of me. I grabbed her hips to keep her from falling off and started lifting my own hips to meet her thrusts. She collapsed on my chest in an orgasm just as I felt my balls begin to boil again. Her grasping cunt brought me to the brink and then I was shooting into her. She pushed down on me in response.

“Oh Paul, fill me up good!” I tried my best to comply, spurting into her. As we both relaxed in the afterglow, she collapsed back on my chest. “God, that felt good,” she said as she snuggled into me.

We both must have dosed off, because a cool wet feeling on my balls woke me up. Wendy was still on top of me, almost purring.

“Hey beautiful, we had better get up,” I whispered.

Her eyes opened and she smiled before kissing me. “You are beautiful, too,” she said. “And you are definitely not normal. No one has made me feel that good ever.”

“Thank you,” I said. “You made me feel great too.”

The next week was our last game. Autumn had flown by. I found I had more spring in my step after Wendy’s attitude adjustment and reward. She made it very clear on the drive home that we were not boyfriend-girlfriend. She was careful to explain it was not the fact I was a freshman or that she did not like me, but that she did not want to be tied down right now. There was something going on in her life, but I was too emotionally dense to guess what it was.

She did like to surprise me in playful ways. She would sneak up on me in the hallway and pinch my ass, then skip away laughing. She picked me up from my last practice and gave me a ride home on Wednesday, along with a fabulous hand-job. I returned the favor before she dropped me off and got several passionate kisses as well.

All was silent on the Salaway front. No one had tried to call me. I was disappointed, but resigned to the fact that fate seemed determined to keep me from Jeryl.

I focused on school and my car as my sports season wound down. Chores on the farm were constant, but I did them almost on autopilot. School took very little time outside of the actual class room. I had covered all of the topics before. I did have to be careful to match my answers to the level of the books and classes. Even there, tricks I had learned in college and grad school served me well. Several times, I couched answers to be closer to the teacher’s opinions than my own. It felt a little bit intellectually dishonest, but I rationalized that it was only high-school.

The car came along slowly, but steadily. I had mapped out a plan to be ready for a test drive in the spring and was progressing nicely. I was to the point of testing my drive-by-wire system and was very pleased when my test sequence was able to move all four gimbaled motors and wheels in groups and independently. The beast, as I had taken to calling the car, was still mostly a frame with motors and wheels attached to it, but I could begin to see the body shape I had in my mind.

I knew I wanted a sleek look. The original body had been boxy, but I would remake it with a lower profile and gentler curves instead of sharp angles. I was actually considering making it a convertible since they weren’t in vogue with Detroit right now, but wasn’t sure I wanted to mess with the hydraulics needed for a power top. If I got the power and steering systems right, it would drive like a dream. I was actually looking forward to getting it on the road.

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