Chapter 13

At the end of the week, we had Prom. I'd bought a nice suit that I could use for work instead of renting a tux. Dan wore a tux to make Christy happy. We went from one house to another, so all the parents could take pictures. Earlier in the day, Dan had followed me, so I could drop off my truck at the Park Plaza hotel. The limo picked us up, and we went to dinner at Enzo's on the lake before going down to the dance. It was great with all the girls getting along, and enjoying the group. Dan and I just went along with the plan, and made sure the girls were all having fun.

I took turns with the girls dancing. We danced the fast songs in a group of three. The girls danced one slow number together since it was the end of the school year, and they didn't care what anyone said any more. A cute girl named Lauren Lentz was holding up the wall. She was shy, but a nice girl. I asked her to dance, and we took a place next to Rhonda and Susan if anyone wanted to say anything or do anything rude. Lauren felt good, and her smile at the end of the dance drew my lips in to give her a kiss.

After the dance, we climbed back into the limo. The girls were horny, and Susan got down, and gave me a blowjob on the way to the hotel. As I said, I just wanted to make sure that they were happy, so I went along. Although this caught Dan and Christy by surprise, the display, but also turned them on, and they started to make out, taking breaks to glance back at Susan. I saw Dan playing with Christy's breasts through her dress, and the look on her face lead me to believe she wanted more.

The gymnastics at the hotel was similar to our other times together, but just in a different place. I wanted to bring up the trip to Vero Beach with Rhonda's parents, but didn't want to ruin their Prom if it turned into an argument. In the morning, we were lazy, so we shared a continental breakfast on the balcony over-looking the park. We checked out, and I drove them to Rhonda's home.

Dan was home when I walked in. Mom was working, and Dad was playing golf. He mentioned that a bunch of kids were going to the beach for the week after graduation, and wanted to know if I wanted to go.

"My condo won't be ready for another month or, so, but we can rent a place. Where's everyone staying?"

"There are a bunch of kids getting condos for the week up in new Smyrna Beach."

"Is it just me and you or did you invite other guys to crash at our place?"

"It's just me and you bro, but you never know."

"Can you take care of getting it reserved, and I'll pay whatever we need to pay."

"I'll take care of it."

I let Rhonda know the name of the condos where we'd be staying, and she said that she wanted to stay with me. I told her to call Christy, and figure out where she could stay. It could be with Dan and me or Christy could help her find a place, but I didn't want Christy pissed off, because there were girls in our condo.

I'd had enough drama at home, so I was happy to return to work. Stick had hired a person to staff the north Florida area, as a sales associate, and they were all coming down in a month for training. It was the week after beach week, so that would work out well for everyone. I told Stick that even though I'd brought in Rhonda and Susan, they both worked for him, and he should make sure that they did their job. It was the right thing to do for Jim, Stick and me, as well. He appreciated the verbal confirmation. I talked to him about going after some HVAC contractors with my brother over the summer to increase business, but also to give him some commission income while he was in college.

"You're a good brother. What you're doing is making the sale, and giving him the commission. It might help on your taxes, but it will still cost you."

"I know. I'll still take my cut, but I gave you forty percent. Why not help out a poor student with the same deal?"

"You gave me forty percent huh? What happened to the great mentor that you owe your life in sales to?"

"I forgot oh great and mighty OZ. Might I sacrifice more money to you?"

"I can take it from you on the course, and not have to pay taxes on it."

"I think you've been sandbagging your handicap when you play with people besides me or I bring out the best in you, I'm not sure which."

"Go try to do something productive."

I went down to bother Jim instead. I said, "Jim, how's it going?"

"Hey Don, what can I do for you?"

"I think that after beach week that I want to take Dan on a road trip to close some accounts. I'll give him a split of the commissions, and it will help with his college and med school."

"Sign up, as many, as you can. We can use the business."

"Are we OK?"

"When I bought this last plant, I bought the best equipment that existed. It can do almost twice the capacity, as the machines in Florida and Texas. I didn't want anyone to catch me flat-footed again as they did in Texas. The machines cost a bunch, and now with the smaller orders from the box stores I might have to close the factory here in Florida, and just use the two larger plants."

"How long do I have to make this happen? I don't want you to lay people off or close a factory."

"Let's see how we do through the summer, and then we can forecast for the other seasons. I'm fine financially, but it has tightened things up."

"If you need my help or we need to look at my commissions, let me know."

"Thanks Don. I'll keep you informed."

The rest of the week, I went up to Gainesville, and checked on the remodel of the apartments, and the work looked like it was on schedule. I also went down to check on the condo in Cocoa Beach. The high quality of materials between the jobs was night and day. One was linoleum and carpet, and the other was marble and cherry floors.

Graduation came, and I was, so happy that I didn't have to study for finals. They allowed me to walk across the stage with the rest of my classmates. I let Dan walk in front of me since I'm such a nice guy, and all that alphabetical stuff. We both went to a party at our friend Joel's house and it was like a reunion for me since I'd been gone the last eighteen weeks.

The next day we drove over to the beach, and checked into the condo. It was a three-bedroom condo on the top or tenth floor. I got the master bedroom, and Dan took one of the others. He had a friend named Paul in the third room. Surprise, surprise, when I told Susan and Rhonda that they could share my room they moved right in. Christy was officially down stairs, but walked in with a suitcase for some reason. Paul's girlfriend, Lisa, came in with a suitcase, as well. I was just about to kick my feet up, turn the TV on, and look at a basketball game when they told me that we had to go shopping for food.

I told them that I wasn't hungry, and we could go later. They wanted to go now, but I told them to go without me. Dan said that he'd go with them, but I think everyone was broke except for me. I grabbed my wallet, and asked how much. Since none of them knew how much groceries would cost, I simply counted seven heads for six days, and gave Dan five hundred dollars. I told him that he could hold on to the change for when we ran out of something.

They all piled into Lisa's station wagon, and went in search of a Publix. Paul stayed behind, and said, "I'll watch the game with you. Do you want to smoke some weed first?"

It was a week to forget about responsibilities, and since he'd be eating my food all week, I figured I could smoke his pot. We went out on the balcony, and shared a joint. I felt great, and sat down to watch the game. Larry Bird had an awesome game.

The rest of the gang came back, and I wasn't sure if they had purchased more beer or food. I just stayed out-of-the-way and, Dan came in he sat down with us after he took the luggage cart back down to the lobby. Paul asked Dan if he wanted to smoke also, and Dan looked at me. I said, "Dan, I'm not your mommy, and I'm not a tattle tale. You can do anything you want, and I'll let you know if I think you're fucking up. You can do the same for me, but I'm going to take Paul up on getting high because, I feel good now."

We went out on the balcony, and then the girls came out to join us. Paul had to roll two more, but it looked like he had enough to last a month. We came back in, and each picked up a cold beer. I said, "Dan and I paid for the condo, and the food. Paul supplied the weed. What're you girls putting into the pot for the week of fun?"

Rhonda reached behind her neck, and undid the tie that held her bikini top in place. She looked to Susan, and she followed Rhonda's lead. Lisa had some melons, and shed her top. It was a great view. Christy had been reluctant to smoke, but she did. She was reluctant to grab a beer, but she did anyways, and she was reluctant to shed her top. I held up my hand, and said, "I'd like to make some rules for this week. We're going to have seven people in this condo. I don't want anyone to trash this place or make anyone a permanent maid, so if you finish a beer take it to the trash. Pick up your shit, and we'll all enjoy our stay. If the trash bag is full put in a new one, and I volunteer to handle the garbage, as 'trash boy', and will take it to the dumpster."

Lisa said, "There's a garbage chute across from the elevator."

"Lisa, I was sounding all helpful, and now you make me feel like a scammer. Thanks for busting me. The other thing that I have to say is that this weekend could become different things for different people. If you want to do something or try something, and it doesn't bother anyone else, you're free to do it. If you want to shoot heroine, it would bother me, so we could talk, and one of us could leave or you could pass on that activity. That goes for drinking, smoking, nudity, sex, or leaving the toilet seat up. If it bothers you don't do it or talk to someone. If you want to do it, go for it unless someone talks to you. If it looks as if there will be a disagreement about something that you can't be happy with, please ask a couple of others to decide for you, and live with it. I thought that Dan and I would be the only one's there when we booked this place, but along the way, we added five more. Please don't get me wrong, I'm happy to have you, and hope you have fun. Christy, I'm sorry if I interrupted you. I'd love to see those beautiful tits of yours, but you looked like you were doing it, because everyone else was doing it. I want you to do it, because you want to."

She smiled at me, and said, "Don thanks for thinking of me. I'd add that if you take beers out of the fridge; add some more, so they have time to become cold. This week, I want to do some things that will take me out of my comfort zone. I drank, because I wanted to try it. I smoked, because I wanted to try it, and I'm taking off my top, because I want to try it. Tomorrow, I might do it all again or never again, but I'll take it one-step at a time. That doesn't mean that I'm not scared, nervous, or hesitant."

Lisa said, "I can live by those rules. We have seven people here, so we should think about others."

I said, "Paul thanks for thinking of me when you invited me to share the joint."

"No problem. You're all welcome to smoke it this week, but I don't want to run out, because we're supplying the building. Just blame it on me, and tell them to find their own shit."

There was a knock at the door, and I went to see who it was. I looked out the peephole, and saw two high school girls. I opened the door, and they looked at me standing there wearing just a pair of shorts with a beer in my hand. They asked if Lisa was here. I stepped aside, and they walked past. I threw away my empty, and asked if anyone needed a refill. Paul raised his can, so I grabbed two, and walked back. I sat Paul's new beer down, and took his empty.

I asked the two new girls if they wanted a beer, and they both did. So I took the one in my hand cracked it open, and passed it to the girl in the chair. I went back for two more, and added four more cans to the left side of the fridge shelf, before I walked back. I set down the beers on the table next to the couch. Without saying anything, I took the black-haired girls hand, and got her to stand. She was watching me, as I stepped in between her, and the couch. When I sat down, I pulled her on my lap, cracked open her beer, and handed it to her. Then I cracked mine, took a sip, and left my hand on her leg, while she settled back against my chest.

This girl felt good on my lap, and I finally said, "I'm Don by the way."

"Cadence, It's nice to meet you Don. Thanks for the beer. Do you go to Winter Park with Lisa?"

"I graduated with her. I didn't see you there."

"We graduated from Lake Highland. We live on the same street, as Lisa."

"Congratulations. Are you staying here in this building?"

"Yes, it isn't, as big, but we're down on the third floor. There is a bunch of kids from Winter Park scattered around the building. Tony Simms and about fifteen other guys have a two bedroom down on the fourth floor. I don't know that they'll have enough room for all the sleeping bags they brought."

"They'll never have cold beer, hot water, or dry towels. Sounds like a fun week. Don't tell him where my room is."

"Good idea."

That got a good laugh, and some people wanted to go out, and explore, so I grabbed some flip-flops, and a plastic cup. I filled it with beer, tossed the empty, and I asked if anyone wanted to go to the beach. I started to move out to my truck to retrieve my skim board. Everyone, but Dan and Christy wanted to go, and I think that Dan just wanted to play with those naked breasts.

We took turns on the skim board. I was spinning, and doing flips into the surf. Paul, Rhonda, and Susan did well while Lisa, Cadence, and Kari tried, but didn't do, so, as well. Other Kids stopped by, but if any asked me my room number, I'd just point at the building. Lauren Lentz from the dance came by, and she looked cute in her bikini. She was a bright girl, close to being the valedictorian, she played in the band, and she'd received a full scholarship to Georgia Tech's Engineering College. I said hello, and saw that she had a beer. I think that she was taking the same approach to the week that Christy was.

She asked me if I was going out to a club that night. I said, "I wasn't planning on it. If you want to go out to a club one night, I'll go with you, but I just want to hang out around here tonight."

When she asked me my room number, I whispered it in her ear, so others wouldn't hear. I wasn't sure what it was about her, but she was drawing me to her. She was small and innocent looking. The beers were letting her relax for the first time since her parents started demanding good grades in preschool if I had to guess.

Susan and Rhonda looked like they couldn't care less, so I didn't worry about it. We were getting hungry, so we headed up to the condo. We stopped to rinse off the board and ourselves at the shower by the pool., as we moved closer to the building, I could see and hear the guys on the fourth floor. To say that I was glad that I wasn't sleeping there is an understatement, but I was wrong about the cold beer, because they had two kegs on ice out on the balcony.

When I walked in to our condo, the girls were trying to schedule meals. I told them that I'd cook for the first day after I got back. When I looked in the fridge and the freezer, I told them that I needed one more thing, and then I'd fix everyone dinner. I grabbed my wallet, and headed out. After I drove a mile, and found a pizza place, I ordered five large pizzas to go. Forty minutes later, I walked in, and said, "Dinner is served." When the people saw what I had, they gave me pats on the back from the guys along with hugs and kisses from the girls. We polished off three of the five. When I looked in the fridge, I found room for one box so I took the last one, and I walked down to the fourth floor just to see how bad the place was.

I knocked, but then just walked in. I made it about ten steps before the box was empty one or two pieces at a time. Since I knew most of the guys, I was not surprised that even though we hadn't been there one night yet someone had already trashed the place. Todd had passed out, but they'd moved him against the wall, so no one could step on him. There were guys playing drinking games, and some other guys' playing cards. They offered me a beer, but I passed, and made it back to my room. When I related the scene to the rest of our group, Dan and Paul wanted to go buy another pizza, and try it out. It was like buying food to feed the ducks at the park.

Lisa and Paul were going out with Kari and Cadence to some club. Rhonda and Susan wanted to go, but wanted me to take them. I wasn't in the mood, so I told them to go without me. Rhonda asked if she could borrow some money since she hadn't had a chance to go to the bank. I loaned her forty bucks, and they took off after spending a half hour getting pretty. It was an hour until dark when I looked out to see the waves picking up, as the tide came in. I told Dan where I was going, and after putting on my bathing suit and some flip-flops, I went to pick up my board from my truck. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I dropped the flip-flops, and watched the waves, as I walked down the beach.