by Bailey Hull
“Oh my god Brandon you’re huge! You’re like a friggin’ iron rod!”
Oh my god that’s it! This is beyond decency. “Hush baby.” Brandon hisses. “My sister’s gonna hear.”
“Who cares about her?” Katie replies. “She’s probably lying there right now jealous that she can’t have your massive co-”
Thankfully he muffles the rest of her words so I don’t have to suffer needlessly. But sadly she hit the nail on the head. I am lying here jealous and ashamed of my jealousy. How can a sane¸ normal, good girl feel what I am feeling? I should be locked up, that’s what should happen. That would hardly be worse than having to go to school every day.
A sudden thud followed by a rhythmic thumping announces to everyone in the house not deaf that Brandon and Katie are doin’ it. At least the bitch shut her mouth. Maybe he’s duct taped it shut. And with that happier thought I cover my head with my pillow and try my best to get some sleep.
Just when I’m finally dropping off I hear a soft knocking on my door. I freeze. It has to be either my dad wondering if Brandon is keeping me awake or if it’s Brandon wondering if Katie is keeping me awake. Neither is compelling enough reasons for me to get out of my warm bed and unlock my door so I remain snuggled up. That is until the knocking becomes louder, more insistent. Finally I can’t stand it anymore so I swallow my impulse to shout ‘go to hell’, and instead unlock and open my door.
Brandon is standing in my doorway wearing nothing but a pair of mid-thigh length white briefs! I catch my breath, gulping like a fish out of water. I can’t help myself. My eyes immediately drop past his smooth muscular chest, slide down his ripped abs, and to the top of his briefs, stopping for an instant before my own lust takes me farther south. My eyes just about explode from my skull as they fall on his bulging erection. I can almost see his shaft pulsing with every heartbeat, pushing his throbbing head up to the waistband of his Haines. Without a word he takes my hand in his and presses my palm against his cock and the wet spot spreading beneath my fingertips. I can’t believe this is happening! Without any more encouragement I press my palm against his manhood, massaging up and down until I get a steady stream of moans from his full dark lips. Suddenly his hands slip around my waist, then between my pajamas and my heated skin. My breath comes in ragged gasps and he grabs my ass and pulls me into him, forcing my aching sex against his inflamed cock. He mashes up against me, grinding up and down along my slit and vibrating button. Suddenly his mouth is on mine. I can feel the staccato bursts of his breath from his nose as he tries to breathe without breaking contact from my own mouth. Our tongues collide in a torrid dance of hot, wet love.
More knocking on my door causes us both to freeze.
“Oh my god, it’s my dad!” I gasp against his open mouth. “What’ll we do?”
“Jordan…Jordan.” Brandon calls out.
“Hush… he’s gonna hear us.”
“Jordan?”
Abruptly my eyes fly open and I’m lying in my bed alone, in the dark. Then I become aware of my hand between my legs and I jerk it out guiltily, looking for something to wipe with. I can smell my own sex on my fingers as I use a tissue to wipe with. I force myself to breathe normally and listen for more knocking or name calling but all I hear is my own ragged breath. Gradually I settle down and begin to relax. Just before closing my eyes I glance at my clock. It’s almost four in the morning. I do my best to sleep, but with a head full of guilty thoughts and my face still burning with shame sleep escapes me for the remainder of the morning. When 6:15 finally arrives I jump into the shower eager to wash away any traces of my guilt last night. This is going to be another long day at school. But first thing’s first. I really don’t feel like having breakfast with Brandon so I put my getting ready routine into overdrive and my 6:55 I’m walking into the kitchen to have a nice quiet toast all by my lonesome. So imagine my surprise when Brandon walks in, a half hour earlier than is his normal routine.
“Morning sis.” He says with a sly smile.
I nod and take a bite of toast so I don’t have to carry on a conversation.
“You look tired Jordy; did you not sleep well last night?”
I flash him my, if looks could kill you’d be leaving in bucket this morning, look and take another bite from my toast. But he continues on blithely.
“Well I slept like a baby.” He says cheerily.
Just then my father walks in dressed in jeans and a tee shirt.
“Not working today?” I ask.
“Ms. Taylor is feeling a little under the weather.” Dad replies. “So I thought I’d stay home and look after her.”
Brandon looks up alarmed. “Is she really that sick?” He asks.
“Oh no, she’ll be fine. I just want to be supportive.”
I know what’s going on here. Before my mom died she began getting sick like this. She started missing work because she was feeling a little under the weather. Then the migraines started and it wasn’t long before she was diagnosed with a tumor that was inoperable. She didn’t last a year after that so my dad is a little paranoid, but not without a good reason.
“Maybe she didn’t sleep well last night.” I say. “Maybe something kept her up.” I continue, with a sideways glance at Brandon.
He shoots me a shut your mouth look.
“I know I didn’t sleep last night.” I say to dad.
“Why couldn’t you sleep honey?” Dad asks.
“Maybe she had a rough day at school yesterday.” Brandon says.
“Kept hearing a knocking…or was it bumping noise…” I smirk at Brandon, careful that my dad doesn’t see me but he seems too preoccupied at the moment.
“Maybe it was that branch that knocks up against that side of the house by our windows.” Brandon replies. He shoots me an angry glance.
“Doesn’t explain the moaning or the occasional squeal.” I say, driving the last nail home in Brandon’s coffin.
“And that would have been the wind that was making the branches knock up against your window sis.”
“Something up with you two?” My dad asks, finally catching the tension between the two of us.
“Nothing that a good night’s sleep won’t cure.” I begin. “I swear some nights it sounds like the neighbor cats are doing their stuff except I think that time of the year has passed for them hasn’t it?”
“Oh look sis, it’s time to go.” Brandon says, looking up at the clock.
“It’s not even eight.” I complain.
“And we don’t want to miss that early assembly do we?” He asks.
“You’ve got an early assembly?” Dad asks. “What’s the reason this time?”
“Oh there just having a guest speaker coming in to talk to us about fiscal responsibility and stuff like that.”
Oh…Brandon’s smart. He knows my dad is this financial guru and anything to do with money or investing or using your wealth wisely interests him. He’ll make sure we get there in time.
“That sound’s fascinating.” Dad says.
“It is.” I reply. “You know dad, they’ve invited parents to attend this morning I just forgot to mention it with all that’s going on.”
“I’d love to go.” He replies immediately. “It’s just for an hour right?”
“From 7:30 to 8:30” I reply. I know there’s no way he’ll go given that his new fiancée is sick. “Of course you can go.”
“Sure he can.” Brandon says, then gets a serious look on his handsome features. “Mom…she’d be fine right?” He asks. “She hates being alone when she’s sick but it’s only an hour right? Well, 40 minutes more if we’re counting travel.”
“No you’re right Brandon. I should be with your mom. I can always go to another assembly. We’ve got all year haven’t we?”
Nothing like a little early morning sparring I think it’s called. If Brandon is going to keep up this girl every night routine it’s gonna kill me. Not only is it no fun listening to someone else get some, it’s especially bad when it�
�s your brother that’s doing the getting some. And then It’s even worse when you wish it was you that was getting some with your stepbrother as gross as that may sound to some; or to all. I don’t know.
After dropping Brandon off at Pete’s coffee I continue on to my usual spot where most of the seniors park. I was hoping that some of the fervor would have died down over night and as people got to know Brandon but it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen. The first indication I see a pair of students posted on either side of the main doors handing out bright multicolored flyers. As I pass by a girl I don’t know hands me one of the flyers. I look it over as I walk in. It’s for a new on campus club called Eastside Pride. It’s full of colorful little slogans urging students to be proud of where you live. Proud of your territory. Have pride in the East side. While it doesn’t say anything about the west side of the town or anything derogatory about those living west of the St. Lawrence River it’s obvious what’s going on here. Pretty soon everyone who goes to Lincoln and lives west of the St. Lawrence will have to start wearing a yellow star on their clothing just like the Jews had to in the beginning when Hitler was just getting going. While most people at Lincoln live on the East of the St. Lawrence about 15% of the population are here on scholarships and live west of the river. In some ways I can’t believe this is happening and in other ways I’m not surprised this didn’t happen sooner.
The second I see Megan I know who is behind Eastside Pride. It’s written all over her guilty face. How can she do this? It’s time the two of us had a serious heart to heart before what’s left of our friendship is destroyed beyond repair.
“Megan, we need to talk.” I say as she walks up with a pile of flyers in her hands.
“Hey don’t sweat it.” She says. “He’s your brother and he lives on the East side so he can join.”
“What?”
“I guess you thought he’d be barred from membership. But don’t worry, as long as two officers allow it, a Westsider can join and since I am an officer and you are if you want to be, then Brandon gets membership.”
I am appalled! What the hell has gotten into her?
“Tell me Meg, what’s the first thing on our agenda? I mean as an officer I should know right?”
“So you’re in then?” She asks with a huge smile on her face.
“Of course, how could I not participate in my best friend’s club?”
She gives me a spontaneous hug and a peck on the cheek.
“I’m so happy!” She bubbles. “With how it’s been between us I was afraid you wouldn’t want to be a part of the club.”
“That was just petty squabbles. But this, this is important stuff. So when’s the first meeting?”
“Friday after school. Everybody who wants to join will bring their school ID with their address and sign the bylaws sheet and their in just like that. Then we’ll vote in officers. But it’s a done deal. I’m president, for now and Kelly Emerson is the VP and-”
“Wait a second, how did Kelly get to be the VP?”
“Sorry Jordy, but we came up with the idea over the weekend and wrote all the bylaws and stuff so I had to make her vice president. But you get to be Sargent at arms. That’s the number three position.”
“What’s the Sargent at Arms do?”
“You’ll have probably the most powerful position because you control everyone. You enforce the rules and dole out any punishments if needed. You’ll have a group of…of soldiers under your command to help you of course so you don’t have to do it all on your own. I’m sorry about the VP thing. Next term we can vote you or VP then if you don’t like being the Sargent.”
“No…I think I’ll like it. I’ll see you Friday then.”
“Later…oh wait. These are for you to pass out.” She says, handing me a stack of fliers. “But don’t give them to anyone you don’t think will be a good fit. And you’ll notice I left off the time and place of the first meeting. Don’t give that to anyone unless they’re really behind this and want to join.”
“Only the zealous are wanted. Got it.”
As she walks away I feel the sudden need to vomit so I head for the closest bathroom just in case. Once in there I chuck the whole lot of flyers into the trash except for one which I shove in my back pocket. I can’t believe this is happening to our school. This is discrimination. I don’t understand how the school can let this thing happen. Then it occurs to me. The meeting is at Megan’s house after school so it’s not required to uphold school rules regarding student clubs and organizations. It makes me wonder if some adult has been coaching her on how to stay under the schools radar. Nice of them to put me in a position of power though. This way I can keep tabs on them and be in a position to steer the club in the right direction. Guess I’m gonna be playing undercover cop for the foreseeable future.
As I walk into my homeroom class I realize I have made a mistake. I see Megan with a bunch of flyers and I see a guy named Ray with a stack and then there’s me with none. What’s my excuse then? Think…think...think… I look around the room to see if there are any stashed but I don’t see any. I catch Melissa in her usual place in the back of the room watching me intently. I turn around and Megan and Ray and walking towards me.
“Where’s your fliers?” Megan asks. “You can’t have gotten rid of them that fast.”
“You know that giant of a girl that hates me… Mary…something. We kinda got into it yesterday so today when she sees me handing out my fliers she grabs the whole stack and runs into the bathroom.”
“What? Are you kidding?” Megan asks.
“Totally serious.” I reply. “I went into the bathroom after she left and they were all shoved in the trash. Sorry but I’m not digging through some nasty trash for fliers. You gotta have more in your locker right?”
“Course I do. I’ll send one of my girls out to get more.”
Megan turns to one of her new bright-eyed new accolades, Christine I think, and beckons her. When she walks up Megan turns to her.
“Go to the art department and look in my cubby. There’s a stack of fliers there. Take a half inch stack and give them to Jordan here.”
With eyes shining reverently Christine slips out the door and off to the art department. Megan busies herself with instructions for passing out fliers and contacting people interested in joining Eastside Pride. She even introduces me as Sargent at Arms to a doe eyed sophomore girl named Amber. This new club is taking the school by storm. I wonder how much it would dampen people’s enthusiasm if there was a rematch between the boys and if Brandon won this time. I bet people wouldn’t be so interested in joining. Right now I think people want to be a part of Eastside Pride because of Chase’s star power. It also doesn’t hurt that there are rumors of Chase and Megan being an item. I think that’s probably not true yet and Megs would have told me the instant that happened.
A few minutes later Christine returns with the flyers and an accusing look in her eyes when she walks up to me and Megan.
“Jordan’s lying.” She accuses.
“What the hell?” I ask. I better get in front of this. “Did you think to check the bathroom at the end of the front hall?” I ask her.
“Oh they’re there alright but it wasn’t Marry that put them there.”
“You’re so full of shit Christine!” Melissa the Goth girl hollers from across the room.
Everyone turns around to look at her. Melissa never gets involved with other people’s problems. She’s far too wrapped up in her own trauma to notice others.
“What are you talking about Goth?” Megan asks.
“Mary’s just saying that because she hates Jordan.” Melissa replies. “They got into a dustup yesterday and your girl here gave scary Mary a shiner. She’ll say anything to hurt Jordan.”
Wow! That I did not expect. Why is she lying for me? She’s from the west side of the river and clearly I’m from the east and I’m promoting the Eastside Pride club; technically I should be her enemy.
“It’s true.
” Some other girl says, coming to my defense. They got into a fight just before the fire alarm. I saw Mary knock her on her ass. If it hadn’t been for the alarm your girl would be in the hospital. Nobody punches out Mary.”
“Christine give Jordan the fliers.” Megan commands.
Christine hands me my stack of fliers. This time I’ll be more careful what I do with them. I won’t make the same mistake twice. After that homeroom period settles down and people start playing catchup on homework they failed to do the night before. I’m looking forward to third period so I can catch up with Melissa and find out why she vouched for me. I’ll feel out the situation, but I’m thinking of telling her I’m in her camp on the whole Eastside Pride thing. I have to be careful about who I tell though. It could get dangerous.
Chapter Eight
The Proposal
I need to accomplish two things during third period. I need to have a heart to heart with Melissa and Brandon. It suddenly occurs to me that I could actually have that talk with the both of them at the same time. I’m not sure I want the whole class watching us though. That could arouse too many suspicions. I know what to do. I use the excuse I have to go back to homeroom and my locker before third period so I leave five minutes before the bell. That way I get to the class before Brandon and Melissa. Melissa is always first so she can be sure and get the last seat in the corner. I’m guessing she doesn’t want to get to class after everyone else because then everyone can watch her go in and walk through class to the corner. She’s shy.
“What’re you doing so early?” She asks as she walks up.
“We need to talk.” I say to her.
“What, my covering for you wasn’t enough?”
“Thanks for that by the way and this has nothing to do with that. Well, kinda but you just gotta hear me out. I need to talk to Brandon too.”
I look around until I catch his eye. When he looks over at me I motion him to join us.
“What’s up?” He asks as he walks up.
“Follow me. We’re going to be late for class. Is that going to be a problem for either of you?”