Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 OK everyone, here's what up.  * This is not a stroke story, though it does
get closer at the end of the chapter.  If you don't like that, stop
reading. * This story concentrates on the feelings of the main character.
If you don't like that, stop reading.  * All descriptions in this story are
completely made up, none of it is real.  If you want a confession, stop
reading.  * I like stories where the right people end up together at the
end.  If you want heartache and pain, stop reading.

   If you are still here, I hope you enjoy.  But remember all rights are
reserved for the author who claims exclusive use.  Permission to repost or
print for profit is not granted.  Please contact the author with any
questions.

   Always With Me

   Chapter 7: As One Love Ends, Another Begins By Secret DC Guy

   (rom, m-solo, f-solo, mf-mutual, squirt)

   * * *

   As I sat quietly at a table in the pancake house listening to Jim Parker
drone on about how great it was going to be to attend school at a small
liberal arts college in Ohio, I knew something had to give.  For the past
two years, he had been dating my best friend Jenny Jenkins, who I had come
to realized I loved.  It would have been one thing for them to know from a
distance that they were happy together.  However, the worst part was that I
was almost always with them.  Jenny still wanted me around as her best
friend, and Jim was always excited to have me there.  His attitude almost
made me sick.

   What was really unfair, though, was that it seemed that the little
snippets of something more than friendship Jenny and I had, childhood
experimentation, a tender kiss on the lips when we were 10, and our first
real kiss two years ago, were still more than Jenny and Jim had ever done.
In my time with them, I never saw them fight, but had never seen them hold
hands either.  In fact, even tonight people would mistake Jenny and me for
the couple, as we were the ones sitting together in the booth.  Jim on the
other hand was sitting opposite us with a buddy of his named Pete from some
other school.  Half the time it seemed as if they completely ignored us.

   Jenny seemed almost as bored as I was, but didn't seem to want to let me
know that she didn't find every word her boyfriend uttered to be
scintillating.  So she concentrated hard on what he was saying as if
waiting for a cue to say something important.  Finally, she blurted out,
"So you are definitely going to Oberlin?"

   "Sure am, JJ," Jim beamed.  "Pete here's going with me.  It's going to
be great to get out of this town." The other guy gave a shy smile, but
beamed as well.

   "Well, I heard from the University of Virginia," Jenny said.  "I got
into the architecture school, so I'm headed down there.  It was great to
grow up here, but I think I'm ready for a change."

   With that the atmosphere at the table changed.  Jenny looked at me
sadly, and then quietly said, "I wish you had applied there too." I knew
she really wanted to ask if I had forgotten my promise to always be with
her.

   In truth, I hadn't forgotten it.  It was just a promise that I could not
keep.  Since I had lost Jenny to Jim, if I had ever even had her, my life
had gotten off track.  I had earned my Eagle Scout badge, but lost interest
in the Boy Scouts after that.  My grades had slipped.  Not only was I
having nightmares about Julia again, but now they were complimented with
night terrors about snakes and that night on the cliff at Boy Scout camp.
When it was time to apply for college, I didn't stand a chance of going to
a school the caliber of any school Jenny applied to.  My only salvation was
Amos Jones, Jenny's father's old black construction foreman and silent
business partner.  He had family in Washington, DC, and a nephew that
worked for The Capitol University.  In his usual way, he had pulled strings
and manipulated people so that I could get my application past the first
rejection cut.  I had been waitlisted, but he assured me that I would get
in.  I still hadn't heard anything though.

   Trying to change the subject, I asked if anyone had any schools left to
hear from.  Both Jim and Pete said they didn't.  Jenny's reaction surprised
me.  Quickly, she looked away from me and said no.  Then she started
crying. Finally, after about five minutes of bawling, she asked me to take
her home.  It was strange that Jim had never even made the offer.

   After goodbyes, Jenny and I got into her car.  As she was still trying
to compose herself, I drove.  It was a Friday night in early spring. 
Cheerleading was done for the year and I wasn't in any activities anymore,
so we really had nowhere to be.  However, as the blocks of our town went
by, the car was pulling us home.  I wished I could be anywhere with Jenny
that night, but there was something fitting about us driving home
together-a finality to the evening, like the one I saw coming to our
friendship.

   Neither of us said anything of substance as we drove.  By the time I
parked the car in front of our houses we weren't even trying to make small
talk.  Instead, we got out of the car, hugged, and walked silently to our
respective houses.

   When I got to the front porch, I noticed that the mail was spilling out
of the box.  Apparently, my father was still at work and my mother was out
with Mrs.  Jenkins, getting into trouble no doubt.  As I got the mail from
the box, I noticed a very large envelope.  When I looked at it, I saw the
blue and grey logo for The Capitol University.  The big envelope!  I got
in!

   I looked across to Jenny's porch, hoping to yell something to her before
she went inside.  What I saw puzzled me.  Jenny was standing there looking
at a large envelope as well.  Just a little while earlier she had told me
that she had gotten into everywhere she applied.  Now it seemed as if she
had another acceptance.  Looking over towards my porch, she got a horrified
look on her face and bolted through the door.

   I was frozen on the porch, stunned with confusion when I heard a voice
behind me.  "Well young sir, I'd be opening that if I were you," Amos
Jones's deep mellow voice floated from the far end of the porch.  I would
have felt bad about not seeing him, but noticing where he was sitting, I
could tell he was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.  I opened the
door and asked him to come inside.

   A few minutes later, we were sitting at the kitchen table with a glass
of homemade lemonade in front of each of us.  My acceptance letter was in
front of me along with the next steps to register.  It also stated that my
orientation would begin on Sunday June 14, just days after my high school
graduation.  Part of me felt excited that I would be going to a good
college in a big city, but I also knew that accepting the offer would be
the final nail in the coffin of any hope I would have to a future with
Jenny.  Realistically, there had been no chance we would be going to
college together, but accepting an offer somewhere else made it official.

   "Now, son," Amos Jones addressed me, "there are five things every man
needs to know.  Most men don't know these things, but Amos Jones does.  So
Amos Jones is going to tell them to you.  First, don't trust a man who
can't polish his own shoes or sew on a button.  If a man can't take care of
his clothes, he can't take care of his business.  Second, fast cars and
fast women are fun at the time, but they burn out fast.  Then you end up
with an ugly thing on blocks in the front yard.  Third, treat every man as
if he were a king.  Kings can help you or they can break you.  You want a
man to do the former.  Fourth, if you someday fall in love, never give up
hope.  No matter how hard you work, you may never get the love you want
back, but a man without hope is a dead man.  You're too young to be a dead
man.  Amos Jones knows this."

   The room was silent.  I knew that the man across from me was not just
trying to convey some basic wisdom, but he was also trying to give me a
message.  It was as if he knew something I didn't.  The last piece of
advice talked about falling in love and hoping beyond hope that you can get
love back, but this was a man who was with many women and never seemed to
care.  In fact, he seemed to enjoy playing with their affections as much as
the sex itself.  What did he know about love?  I had to know, so I asked
"Mr.  Jones, have you ever been in love?"

   At first Amos Jones chuckled, "You're a college man now Mr.  Brian, you
don't have to call me mister, you can call me Amos." He continued, "Amos
Jones knows if Amos Jones has been in love."

   "When did you stop hoping, Amos?" I asked, not really considering my
words.

   The man laughed again, "I said a man without hope is a dead man.  Amos
Jones might be old, but Amos Jones is certainly no dead man."

   At that moment, I understood that no matter what he did with other
women, how he might use one on one day and forget her the next, there was
someone out there that he loved.  Something told me that this was not the
time to ask.  Instead, I asked what the fifth thing a man needed to know.
He responded, "Every man needs to know how to make a fine glass of lemonade
and to have his own recipe.  See Amos Jones adds a little bit of basil.  It
brings out the lemon."

   We laughed for several hours just joking about stuff.  Eventually, my
father came home and I told him the good news.  We each had another glass
of lemonade to celebrate.  Finally, at about nine o'clock, Amos Jones
excused himself and said he needed to talk to Mr.  Jenkins.  I talked with
my father some more, then went up to bed.

   Jenny was at the window, obviously wanting to tell me something.  Before
I could even turn my light on she called across.  "Brian, I know you
remember your promise."

   "Yeah," I said.  The joy of being accepted to a college I couldn't have
dreamed of going to was gone.  I had never felt like such a failure in my
life.  "I'm sorry."

   "Don't be sorry," Jenny said.  "It was a childhood promise that I never
should have expected you to keep.  I know you love me, Brian.  And I know
you had every intention of keeping the promise.  But I guess sometimes life
gets in the way.  We really can't ask people to make promises to us.  We
can only make promises for ourselves of our own free will.  A promise asked
for isn't really a promise from the heart." She seemed sad, but not in a
way I would have expected.  Instead, of lamenting the death of the promise
that sustained us through our childhood together, it felt like she was
ashamed of having asked for it.

   I wanted to say something.  I wanted to tell her that the promise was
something I wanted and would make it again tonight if I could.  However,
before I could say anything Jenny started again.  "Brian, I need to say
something to you, but I need you to agree to something.  When I'm done, we
are both going to close our blinds.  We both need to think about what I'm
going to say.  Do you agree to that?"

   When I agreed she continued, "Brian, no matter what happens, how far
apart we are, whoever else comes into our lives, I promise you that I will
always be with you.  I will be there when you need me and when you don't
need me.  I will be there when you don't know that you need me.  I will
always be with you.  I promise you that."

   * * *

   Over the next few weeks, neither Jenny nor I spoke about what she had
promised.  For a few days I had considered what she might mean, but I gave
up when I was confronted with a more pressing issue-the prom.

   Because I had been so focused on Jenny, I had never dated anyone, at
least not since April and I had broken up.  Now it was a three weeks before
the prom and I didn't have a date.  My friends, led by Jenny, insisted that
I needed to go, so I tried to find someone.  In fact, she was so insistent
that I go, Jenny even dragged me to the tuxedo rental place and helped me
pick one out.  However, most people already had dates by that point, and
those who didn't seemed to find them really quickly.  Every time I asked
Jenny what she thought about a certain girl, she was supportive, but told
me to sleep on it.  However, the next day when I asked the girl, she had
remarkably gotten a date with someone from another school.  Finally, there
was no one left.

   Of all people though, it was Jim Parker who came to my rescue. 
Obviously, he was going with Jenny.  However, his buddy Pete was going with
one of Jenny's friends from the cheerleading squad, Meghan.  Pete happened
to have a friend, Amy, who knew Meghan and would love to hang out with her
for the evening.  I might be a third wheel, but at least I'd be going.

   We had decided that all six of us would go as a group, so on prom night
Jenny and I were waiting together as a limo pulled up.  She looked radiant
in a shimmering blue gown, her face glowing from makeup she never wore.  I
wanted to kiss her so badly it made me want to cry.  I was standing next to
the girl I loved, but she was waiting for another man.

   When the driver opened the limo door, things seemed weird.  Jim and Pete
were sitting next to each other in the back.  They wore matching tuxes, and
seemed to be having the greatest time.  Meghan and Amy sat next to each
other, but were more restrained.  They seemed to be getting reacquainted
after not seeing each other for a while.  I realized that these were the
groups of friends, but I also thought that on prom night they should have
at least made the attempt at being couples.  I shrugged to myself and took
my place next to Jenny.

   The prom was a lot of fun.  The six of us danced both as our own group
and as part of larger groups.  I even got to dance some slow songs with
Jenny.  Neither Jim nor Amy seemed to mind.  Again though, things were
weird.  First, many of the football players avoided Jim.  It didn't seem to
bother him at all, but the team did usually stick together.  One of them
even nodded toward me and made the observation, loud enough so I could hear
it, the he was glad to see that Jenny had brought a guy.  The cheerleaders
on the other hand were also happy that I had brought Amy, and that I had to
have made Meghan happy to have her friend there.  The weirdness aside, it
was a great night.

   Though there were many parties going on that night.  Jenny had declared
that the six of us would do something as a group.  Pete and Amy were from a
school just over the mountain where it was more rural and there was really
nice lake, where Jim's parents had a summer house on the lake.  We had
decided to go out there.  Our evening would be no alcohol and no drugs, but
everyone agreed we would have a great time.

   Everyone would but me that was.  I had no idea where I would fit into
the equation.  Jim and Jenny would probably be doing some couple things,
though again, I had never even seen them hold hands.  Amy and Meghan would
probably want to catch up some more, and though we got along, Amy didn't
seem to have any real interest in me.  That would leave me and Pete to hang
out.  That didn't seem like a good time to me.

   When we got to the house, Pete grabbed everyone's overnight bags and
took them upstairs.  The rest of us went out onto the dock and sat at a
table with some sodas talking about the night.  There were five chairs. 
Amy and Meghan took two next to each other and pulled them together,
leaning close to avoid a chill in the air.  Jenny sat next to me without a
second thought.  However, when Pete came out, I figured that she would sit
on Jim lap.

   Suddenly, the weirdness of the past two years began to make sense
because when Pete came outside, Jenny stayed seated next to me.  Instead,
Pete sat on Jim's lap and kissed him.  My jaw just must have hit the ground
hard enough to cause a small earthquake because suddenly everyone was
staring at me.

   "Dude," Jim said.  "I know that JJ and I agreed we wouldn't tell you,
but you should have figured it out by now.  Have you ever even seen us hold
hands?  And why do you think we had you around all the time?  And it should
have been obvious because Pete and I are going away to school together!"

   Confused, I looked at Jenny for an answer to what was going on.  She had
apparently been dating a gay guy for two years and had never told me.  The
look of shame I had seen on her face several weeks ago returned.  "Let's
take a walk," she said getting up from the table.  I followed.

   As we walked along the pebble beach of the lake Jenny explained
everything to me.  At some point, I wasn't clear when, she had figured out
that Jim was gay.  She had come up with a plan to pretend to be his
girlfriend so that no one would question why he wasn't dating.  Meghan had
spread the rumor that Amos Jones had threatened Jim with unmentionable
things if he touched Jenny, so they never even held hands.  It was a great
plan.  Jim could be the quintessential jock with the cheerleader
girlfriend. Jenny wouldn't be asked out by any guys.

   The only issue was me.  Jenny did really like me, but after I dated
April and then I refused to kiss her at the Scout camp, she didn't feel
like she could trust me.  If I were going to break her heart, she wanted it
to be when high school was over, so she could run away from the
humiliation. Of course, the problem was that she couldn't stand the thought
of me dating someone else.  So Jim decided that he would be the cool
boyfriend and invite me around all the time.  He calculated correctly that
I would do anything to be around Jenny.  The final touch was torpedoing
everyone I might ask to the prom.  I would ask Jenny for advice, she would
tell Jim, who would then get one of Pete's classmates to go with the girl.

   I was livid.  I knew that I had screwed up almost three years before,
but I didn't see that as a reason to be tortured for the past two and a
half years having to play the third wheel to her and Jim.  It seemed that
at every turn Jenny had some plan to keep me around, when all she needed to
do was ask me.  But for some reason, she felt that she needed to put on an
elaborate scheme to get things to work out just the way she wanted at just
the right time.  I didn't have much experience in life, but I knew that's
not the way the world really was.  I needed some time to work out my
feelings, so I turned to walk away.

   However, I realized that Jenny could tell how angry I was when she
started crying and sunk to the ground.  There, on the pebble beach, she
held her knees to her chest and sobbed.  Through the tears she kept
repeating, "I don't deserve you, Brian." I couldn't leave her like that. 
Since we were children, it was Jenny and I who picked each other up when
the other cried like this.  No matter what either of us did, the other was
there unconditionally.  That's the reason I loved her.  Instead of walking
away, I sat down behind her, her back to my chest and let her cry.

   Jenny seemed legitimately surprised that I hadn't walked away.  Several
times she turned and tried to say something, but usually snorted while
trying to breathe in after crying.  Eventually, we both started to laugh.
Nothing was resolved, but at least we were together.

   We talked for a long time on the beach.  We talked about our parents and
their screwed up relationships.  We talked about my Scout Camp and the guy
Jenny took to her room.  We talked about how Jenny felt like she needed to
manipulate people and how I just sat back and let life happen, not ready to
tell people what I wanted.  We talked about every little detail of life
from the past two years, reinterpreting them in light of our new feelings.
The only thing we didn't talk about was the future-that would have been too
painful for the evening.

   Soon enough Jenny and I were walking side-by-side back towards the
house, holding hands.  The moment was perfect, after all the years as
friends we were now together as a couple-where we both wanted to be.  Then
suddenly, she stopped.  "Don't you see," Jenny said turning and looking
into my eyes.  "This is the way it was always going to end up.  It was
always going to be you here with me." With that she hung her arms around my
neck and kissed me with passion that they can't convey in movies.  Our
mouths opened immediately and our tongues darted in an out of each other's
mouths.  Then Jenny's hands were running through my hair and my hand was
caressing the back of her dress.  "Let's go inside," she suggested.

   As we walked past the dock, Jim and Pete were out of sight.  However, I
could see Meghan and Amy softly and lovingly kissing at the table.  Jenny
teased me about staring and led me into the house.  Pete had set up a room
for Jenny and me to share expecting the night to end this way.  I had never
been happier.

   After we closed the door, Jenny sat on the bed.  Her mood had changed,
and she seemed serious.  "I love you too, Brian," she said.  "But we're not
going to do it tonight, not here, not like this.  We need to discuss
something before anything in our lives goes any further.  Brian, are you
willing to accept my promise."

   If I had seen the question coming and had more time to prepare, I would
have had something profound to say.  Instead, I just smiled and said,
"Yes."

   The answer must have been good enough for Jenny because she kissed me
again.  We kissed for I don't know how long, and every moment of it was
amazing.  Finally, we decided it was time for bed.  Jenny insisted I change
into my pajamas first and watched me every second.  When she changed I was
disappointed to see that she put on an adult diaper.  She hadn't had an
accident that I knew about for years, but she said she was nervous about
sharing a bed with me and didn't want to take the risk.

   We drifted off to sleep together.  I didn't have any nightmares and
Jenny didn't have an accident.

   * * *

   The next Monday at school, it was a scandal.  Jim Parker had broken up
with JJ Jenkins just because they were going to college in different
states-and right after prom on top of that.  But it was OK, because I had
been there for Jenny to turn to and I was good enough not to take advantage
of her.  I hadn't even tried to kiss her.  Or at least that's the rumor
that was going around.  I suddenly became popular-the 'good guy'.  Several
people even said that Jenny and I should have been a couple all along.

   While I enjoyed being Jenny's boyfriend, publicly, little had actually
changed.  We still hung out all the time, still talked at our windows every
night, and didn't make out at all.  The last part was really disappointing.
There was also a bitter feeling though.  For two years when Jenny and I
could have been enjoying our time together, I was being needlessly hurt. 
And because of that hurt, my life had gotten to the point where we could
not be together for more than one summer.  Sure, we would start college as
a distance couple, but how long do those things last?

   Two weeks after prom, I decided that I needed to take Jenny on a real
date.  So on Thursday at the window, I asked if I could take her to a
concert.  She told me that she wished I had asked her sooner, but that she
needed to go down to Virginia for the weekend.  She had to visit her uncle
the minister for some reason.  I was disappointed but tried not to take it
personally.

   The next evening as she headed for Amos Jones's car, he had business to
take care of in DC, Jenny hugged me and gave me a massive kiss.  As they
started to pull away, she jumped back out and called me over.  Apparently,
she was going to apply for some program at UVA and needed my signature on a
personal reference form.  She pulled it out of the envelop enough for me to
see a line for my signature and date, and the seal of the Commonwealth of
Virginia.  I trusted that Jenny wouldn't write anything untrue, so I saw no
need to read it before I signed it.

   * * *

   High school graduation is supposed to be one of the happiest days of
your life, but I couldn't help but be upset as I got home from school.  I
wasn't actually coming directly from school, Jim Parker wanted to take me
out for coffee to say thank you, but as I came into my house I just wanted
to get up to my room and think before I changed for the ceremony.  However,
before I could hit the stairs my mother stopped me.  Apparently, Jenny was
in my room and didn't want to be disturbed.  Though I thought it was
complete bull, I agreed to wait downstairs until she was done.

   Finally after a few minutes, Jenny called down to my mother that she was
done, which I took as my cue to come upstairs.  As I opened the door, I
heard a thud and saw Jenny was leaning out the window.  It looked as if she
had dropped something.  Pulling herself back inside, she seemed only mildly
surprised to see me.  She walked across the room and gave me a hug.

   We sat on my bed together.  There was an unspoken agreement that this
was not a time to make out, so we just talked.  "You know, Brian," Jenny
sighed.  "This is the first time I've ever been in your room." She didn't
follow up the comment and I didn't say anything anyway.  After a while, she
suggested that she go home so we could both get dressed.  She also asked me
if I had my overnight bag packed so she could put it in her car, as we were
going to hit some parties that night.

   After Jenny left, I decided that I would go all out for the ceremony and
wear my suit.  It was a really expensive one my mother had bought for me on
one of her trips to New York with Jenny's mom.  However, when I tried to
find it in my closet, it was missing.  It was odd, but I guessed my mother
must have taken it to the cleaners or something.  So I put on a pair of
dress slacks and grabbed a sport coat for the evening.

   After a little more preparation, I met Jenny by her car.  She gave me
the keys and we were off to graduation.  In all the bustle, I forgot that
it was also our birthday.

   * * *

   "Congratulations and happy birthday!" Mr.  Jenkins said as we exited the
restaurant where our families had our post-graduation dinner.  In front of
us was a blue Cabriolet with a bow around it.  My parents had bought me a
Rolex for graduation, but a car for Jenny was wholly unexpected.

   "It's perfect, daddy," Jenny said, wrapping her arms around him. 
"Brian, we have to go test it out!"

   "Miss Jenny, Amos Jones already switched your bags," Amos Jones said
with a big smile.  "Have a great time tonight kids."

   It was about 7:30 when we pulled out of the restaurant parking lot. 
Though I usually did the driving for us, I let Jenny take the first turn in
her new car.  We drove out of the restaurant down the boulevard.  After a
few miles we turned and took one of the bridges over the river to the city
on the other side.  Jenny drove us through the downtown, the
discombobulating neon lights of restaurants, bars, and night clubs dancing
around us.  Eventually, at the other side we climbed up a hill to the mall.


   We parked at the edge of the parking lot looking over the city, the
river, and our town on the other side.  As we got out of the car and sat on
the hood I noticed that the orange light of late evening was descending
over the mountain at the other side.  The lights left behind in the valley
seemed both dim and bright at the same time.  Something had ended that day,
but it also seemed like something new might have started.  We were out of
high school and our relationship was probably going to hit a dead end, but
at the very least here, tonight, we were together.  The moment was tender
and meaningful.  We did not kiss, but only held hands.

   "How long have we been friends?" Jenny quietly asked.

   "Since we were six," I replied.

   "And you're not tired of me yet?" Jenny teased.

   I laughed, but it was forced.  I didn't know if I could ever be tired of
the beautiful green eyed girl sitting next to me, but I did know that I
didn't want to lose her to the distance of different schools at the end of
the summer.  Unfortunately, I couldn't think of a good way to tell her
that.

   Suddenly, Jenny's voice had a different tone.  "Seriously, Brian.  I
meant what I said back after prom night, I don't deserve you.  You have
always been the best friend anyone could ever want.  And I've always known
what you wanted, but I was always too scared to give it to you even though
it's what I wanted too.  So I just manipulated you to get it.  I'm a
manipulative bitch, Brian.  Are you willing to put up with that?" Then she
began to cry.

   My heart melted, for all of Jenny's faults, I knew she was doing the
best she could.  She might not be loving me the way I wanted her to, but
that didn't mean she wasn't loving me the best she could.  Putting my arm
around her and pulling her tight, I said, "Jenny, I know you're doing the
best you can.  The past twelve years haven't been easy for either of us,
and the years before those were even worse.  But you've always been there
when I needed you.  You're not perfect, but there's no one I'd rather have
been on that adventure with, just you."

   A smile broke out on Jenny's face.  "Well, would you like to start
another adventure right now?" she asked.

   "I'm always with you," I answered.

   "Then let's see what this can do on the highway," Jenny said handing the
keys to me.

   I was only slightly surprised that Jenny might have something else in
mind for the evening.  However, I still asked about the parties we were
supposed to go to, but she simply shrugged and said we'd eventually get
where we were supposed to be.  Not wanting the feeling to end, I got in the
driver seat and pulled out.  In a moment we were on the highway heading
south.

   We drove through the darkening night, me at the wheel and Jenny
contorted over the shifter so she could cuddle me.  As the highway rose
onto a mountain then ran for miles along the ridge, Jenny never said we
should go back and I wasn't about to suggest it either.  So we drove
further south with the dim lights of old coal towns in the valleys to each
side of us.  Above us the stars and moon were bright, lighting our way to
no particular destination.

   After an hour and a half we pulled into a gas station outside of
Harrisburg.  I was exhausted from driving, but also was wondering if people
at the party were missing us.  As I filled the tank, Jenny had gone inside
to use the ladies' room and change.  When she got back she was wearing a
pair of jeans that seemed just a little too beat up for a party and a
t-shirt she wore when she was lounging around.  I was a little offended
that she didn't want to look her best at the parties since it would be our
first public night out as a real couple.  In her hands were two cups of
coffee.  Smiling she said, "We've come this far.  Let's go a little bit
further."

   I looked at my watch and it was already 9:30.  At this point the parties
had been going on for a few hours, and there was no chance we would be
there before most people left.  I was disappointed, but I was with Jenny
and somehow that seemed enough.  I said what the heck, and went inside to
take care of my business and change into shorts and a t-shirt.

   When I came back from the men's room, Jenny was in the driver seat.  As
I slid in shotgun, she started to apologize for adjusting the driver's
seat. It was strange.  She acted like I had some claim to the car that her
father had given to her.  I was grateful not to have to drive further, so I
reclined the seat back a bit and enjoyed the soft thumping of the
Pennsylvania highways.

   * * *

   We drove past Harrisburg, further into the Pennsylvania night.  The
roads were empty except for 18-wheelers speeding along their ways, trying
to make their schedules.  The stars above were as bright as summer stars
could be in the Northern Hemisphere.  From them I could tell we were headed
southeast.  I had never been on this stretch of road before.  There had
been no need.  We passed towns that I had never been to-Carlisle,
Shippensburg-places I had only heard of from college advertisements.

   Eventually, we passed a sign saying welcome to Maryland.  Now I knew we
would not be going to any of the parties, but again, driving along with
Jenny, I felt that this was where I needed to be.  Though I was getting
tired, coffee kept me awake.  For a while we talked, but then our fatigue
took over and we drove in silence, not even music playing.

   Eventually we stopped in a place called Hagerstown to get some Cokes. 
It was a small city at the beginning of the Maryland Panhandle nestled
between two mountains.  It looked like the picturesque little place you
would see on a postcard, but doubted actually existed.

   It was now 11:00 PM, and we were at least three hours from home.  As
there was now no chance we could make the parties, I realized that Jenny
never had any intention of going to them.  We were going to drive
somewhere-where I didn't know.  I thought that maybe her intention was to
drive all night and make a special memory, something we could remember when
we went our separate ways this fall.  I was no longer disappointed about
missing the parties; I knew this is where Jenny needed me to be, so tonight
I knew I would follow her anywhere.

   * * *

   It felt as if we had just gotten back on the road when we crossed a
bridge marked for the Potomac River.  On the other side a sign said
"Welcome to Virginia".  Though she might have spent most of her childhood
in my town, I knew that this was Jenny's real home turf.  After all, she
still had family here.  I didn't know the why, but for some reason she must
have wanted to be in charge of the night.  Now, I wasn't just with her, I
had turned over control to her.  I began to get a little anxious about
where she was taking me, but I kept reminding myself that if I could trust
anyone in this world it was Jenny.  I put my fears aside and tried to enjoy
the ride.

   It was almost midnight as we pulled off the highway near Winchester,
Virginia.  Jenny explained that she was tired and needed to get some sleep.
When we pulled into a motel, Jenny jumped out to see if they had any rooms.
As tired as I was I knew I could make it to a parking spot, so I hopped in
the driver's seat and waited.  In a few minutes, Jenny came back out
holding a room key and directed me to the back of the building.  As we got
out of the car, Jenny suddenly said, "It's illegal for unmarried couples to
share a room here.  If anyone asks, we just eloped."

   Suddenly, I was scared.  As much as I loved Jenny and had even
fantasized about marrying her, I had never thought about doing it now.  I
had literally just turned 18.  I had college to finish, and a life ahead of
me.  However, there was nowhere else to go tonight and I couldn't afford a
room on my own, so I simply nodded.

   When I opened the trunk of the car, I was shocked.  Besides our
overnight bags, there was a single large suitcase-one I had seen Mr. 
Jenkins put into their car when Jenny's family was about to travel.  When I
turned and asked Jenny what it was doing there her answer surprised me.  In
the most serious voice I had ever heard from her, she answered, "I have no
intention of going back." Then she turned and walked to the door.  I
followed in stunned silence.

   The room wasn't the nicest, but it wasn't bad by any stretch of the
imagination.  It would do for the night.  As we started to get settled in,
I wasn't really afraid of what our parents would think as they were
expecting us to stay at the parties all night.  However, I was wondering
how I would get home if Jenny really had no intention of going back.  I
should have been angry looking at her settling into the room, but something
told me that it was better not to argue.  Jenny had another scheme in mind
and I didn't know how I fit in, but at the moment there was really nothing
I could do.  Tomorrow, though, there had to be some way I could get home
while still letting Jenny get to where she needed to be.  Luckily, I was
hungry so I told Jenny I was going to the front desk to see if anything was
open.  She smiled and told me to come back soon.

   At the desk, I asked the night manager if there was a bus out of the
town.  Rhetorically, he asked if I was having second thoughts.  After a
snicker, he said that bus service had stopped a few years ago.  Everyone
had a car, so it wasn't profitable anymore.  Then he told me I was stuck.
When I asked about food nearby, he laughed hysterically, and asked me if I
knew where I was.  There was nothing open except for a seedy truck stop up
the road-one that I shouldn't take my pretty little wife to.  He finished
up by saying, "Boy, looks like she got her claws into you but good." Though
it should have bothered me, what he said actually felt kind of good.

   Back at the room, Jenny was sitting at the small table munching on a
granola bar.  She smiled and said that she probably should have told me
that in this part of Virginia there was nothing open this late at night. 
Exhaustion and frustration set in and I was about to lose it, but suddenly
I noticed that Jenny was wearing one of my t-shirts that was just a little
too short to be a night shirt.  It didn't cover her panties at all.  I
gaped at her, and she stopped chewing; after swallowing she asked me what I
was looking at.  When I didn't answer, she looked down at herself.  "Oh
this," she said, "I always liked this shirt." At first, I wondered how she
got it, but then I realized that while my mother had kept me out of my room
before commencement, Jenny must have raided my drawers.

   I felt myself getting hard under my shorts.  Jenny seemed to notice and
grinned, saying she was glad that she had that effect on me.  She stood up
and came to me.  We stood face to face and looked into each other's eyes.
In hers, I saw love.  Not the teenage love that I held for her, but a
mature love.  I could tell that she would have no problem being called Mrs.
Brian Schaffer for real.

   Before I could fully comprehend the moment, her arms were around my
neck. She kissed me with passion and love.  There was no sadness in her
kiss, and I could tell that she meant her promise when she said she would
always be with me.  There was hope-hope against all hope that somehow the
little girl and little boy who had made a childhood promise years ago would
fulfill that promise and always be together.  And there was faith-faith
that two people who had found solace from their pain in each other, who had
supported each other through everything, would make it through the next
trial-being apart.

   With the agility of a cheerleader, Jenny turned us so that her back was
to the foot of the bed.  She continued to kiss me, but I knew that she was
waiting-waiting for me to take charge.  So I slowly lowered her onto the
bed and lay on top of her.  I know that teenagers are supposed to be
awkward their first time, but for us everything seemed to work out.  We
ground ourselves together, moving in a silent rhythm that somehow both of
us knew.

   I could tell I was getting close, but I wanted to wait and cum inside of
Jenny.  I wanted to consummate our love the way adults did.  Without even
trying to feel her breasts, I lowered my hands to push off her panties. 
However, the moment I touched them, Jenny pushed me up.  "Not so fast,
buster!" she exclaimed, as she pulled herself back.  "We're not doing that
tonight.  Not here.  Not like this."

   My disappointment turned to confusion when Jenny slid back towards the
pillows and took off her shirt.  Without a word she slipped her panties off
and threw them on the floor.  I had seen her naked through the window many
times before and in the room the night of prom.  However, something was
different this time.  The light hair around her pussy was wet and matted.
She was as turned on as I was.  I held out hope that she might give in.

   After reminding me not to touch, she winked and knelt in front of me. 
As she kissed me she slipped my shirt over her head.  Then she pushed my
briefs to my knees.  Somehow I worked my way out of them, and pulled her
close.

   Jenny pivoted us so that my back was to the pillows.  I knew this was a
cue for me to lay back.  As I did, my cock grazed her pussy.  I hoped it
would slip in, but Jenny was so wet it just slid through, popping out
between our lower hair.  With an "Uh uh...", she sat back.

   "Now, we can't have you excited all night, can we?" Jenny teased.  "I
think you need to take care of that."

   For a moment I was confused.  Then Jenny told me that through our
windows she had seen me do it enough and knew I thought about her when I
did it, so I should just go ahead.  I was a little disappointed that I
would have to take care of myself, but for her I would do it.  Gently I
grasped my cock and started to slowly stroke it.  I closed my eyes for a
second to enjoy the feeling.  When I opened them, I saw Jenny lovingly
smiling at me as she sat with her legs open and slowly stroked her fingers
up and down her pussy.  I knew we would not have sex that night, but I knew
Jenny was giving me as much intimacy as she could.

   I started to jack myself harder alternating my gaze between Jenny's face
and her body.  I could see that she was going harder too.  Precum
lubricated my shaft as I stroked myself harder than I could ever remember.
It had only been a few minutes, but I could already feel myself about to
cum.  As I grit my teeth and tried to hold back, I could hear Jenny
breathing harder.  Though I had never heard her have an orgasm before, I
somehow knew she was about to cum.

   I was coming, so I gritted my teeth as hard as I could and let cum shoot
out of me.  I came so hard that it coated my stomach and chest, splattered
on my face, and even hit the wall behind me.

   Just after I came, Jenny let out a loud grunt and threw herself back. 
As she did, something shot out of her.  To my horror, as it was hitting my
chest I realized that she had flipped backward off the bed.  Whatever was
coming out of her shot in an arc through the air.

   Before I could I could get across the bed to her, Jenny's head popped
up. With a grin on her face she held up a finger saying, "I'm OK!" As she
pulled herself up next to me she continued, "That'll be one to tell the
grandkids.  And oh yes, there will be grandkids." I knew Jenny was talking
about our grandchildren and I should have been scared again, but at this
point I was on such a high that I just wasn't.

   When I tried to kiss Jenny again, she slid her tongue out of her mouth
and playfully licked my face.  "Yum...  It tastes better than I thought it
would," she giggled.  She had licked off the cum that had hit my face.

   I was hoping to have another round but Jenny got up and walked to the
bathroom.  I heard her pee, which was strange since I assumed that she had
just done that.  As I heard the sink running, I ran my finger over the
stuff she had shot over me and smelled it.  It wasn't pee.  Instead, it
smelled musky.  It was something else.

   I got off the bed so I could clean up and ask Jenny what it was.  When I
got to the bathroom door she was squatting in front of the sink washing off
her pussy with a washcloth.  "Well this is sexy," she chuckled as she
looked up at me.  I didn't think it was a good time to tell her that in a
way it was.

   She stood up, rewet the washcloth, and started to clean me up.  While
she did it, I asked if she had peed.  After saying, "thank God, no," she
told me that she had squirted.  Apparently, she thought it was something
that only sluts did.  However, she said, "give it a little while and I'll
be your own personal slut anytime you want."

   After she dried both of us off, I followed Jenny back to the bed.  Back
at her overnight bag she pulled out a pair of pink cotton panties.  I was
confused when she told me that it was probably the last time she would wear
them.  I pulled a t-shirt and pajama bottoms from my bag, but when I turned
towards Jenny, she was holding a pair of boxer shorts telling me I was
going to wear them from now on.  To say the least, I was really confused.
Apparently, to Jenny this was not a one night thing.

   As I went to lie down on the bed we had almost made love on, Jenny put
her hand on my shoulder and gently stopped me.  Smiling she asked me if I
was ready to sleep in a wet spot.  Then I noticed that where she had been
sitting the bottom of the bed was soaked, apparently from her squirting.

   As we lay down on the other bed and cuddled, there were so many
questions that I wanted to ask Jenny.  But at this point it was after
midnight and exhaustion was quickly over taking me.  I lay on my back with
Jenny a few inches away from me with her face on the pillow next to mine.
As I closed my eyes I heard her say, "Sleep well my prince.  For tomorrow
you may be king."

   I was too tired to consider what she meant.  Instead, I drifted off into
a thankfully dreamless sleep.

   -- end chapter 7-

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