"I can't believe it, either." Charlie could still feel his heart pounding.
"It's fine. We're fine. He saw us, but he decided to leave us alone. I knew he would." Michelle peeked at the window again. "Where do you think he went?"
"I have no idea. How long was he there? It seemed like he watched for a while."
"Oh my God. Did he?" Michelle waved at the computer. "Can you turn on your camera again?"
Charlie reached over and opened the window. The camera showed an empty hallway.
"I wish you had those all over," she said. "We have no idea where he is."
Charlie's phone chirped from where it sat on the desk. Michelle jumped at the sound then giggled at her reaction. She picked up the phone and glanced at the screen.
"You have a text. It's him!" She passed the phone to Charlie. "He's at the front T."
Charlie read the message:
NEED TO TALK. MEET ME BY THE FRONT T.
He winced. So much for the idea that Daryl would pretend he hadn't seen anything. Charlie hoped he wasn't in too much trouble. He hoped he wouldn't have to give up his key to the school.
"I'd better go," he told Michelle, who hadn't made any move to get off his lap even though she'd read the message.
"You're going to leave me here naked?"
He wasn't sure if she was being serious or playful. "I'll get your clothes. You can get dressed here while I talk to Daryl." He pushed her gently, and she reluctantly climbed out of his lap.
Charlie stood, feeling unsteady. He gazed at Michelle, standing so close to him, and couldn't resist putting his arms around her and squeezing her. He kissed her again, letting his hands slide down her back to rest on her bare ass. His erection was crushed between their bodies, pressing against her stomach.
For a moment, he reveled in the feel and scent of her. But Daryl was waiting, so he had to release her. "Be right back."
He walked quickly to his car. Just as she had said, his back window was slightly open, and her clothes were in a pile on his back seat. He unlocked the car and retrieved the garments. A shimmering blue bra with matching thong panties, a tiny black skirt, a diaphanous black blouse. She had come to the school that day in a very sexy outfit. And then she had stripped off even that, choosing instead to greet him completely naked.
"She's crazy," he muttered to himself. But he felt foolishly pleased that she had apparently dressed up for him, even if he hadn't seen it.
He returned to the AV room and found Michelle sitting in the editing chair. "Here." He thrust the clothes at her. "Get dressed. I'm going to see what Daryl wants." He turned and walked away.
As he stepped into the hallway, he knew he was losing her again. She would be gone when he returned, and on Monday she would walk by him in the halls like she didn't know him. It almost made him turn around to get one last precious taste of her. But instead he kept walking, following the corridor, turning towards the front T.
Daryl waited, slouching against the glass window of the office, facing the front doors of the school. His face was expressionless as he watched Charlie approach. Charlie's stomach clinched in dread.
Then Daryl broke into an enormous smile and he held up a hand for a high five. "Goddamn! My man Charlie! I just peeked in on you and I couldn't believe what I saw. You got a girl in there?"
Charlie clasped the guard's hand, still feeling awkward. "Yeah... sorry. Um, we thought you weren't around..."
Daryl laughed. "It's cool. You looked pretty distracted there. Since when you had a girlfriend? She go to Pine Hills?"
"She's not really my girlfriend..." Charlie started, and that made Daryl laugh again, even harder. "Yeah, she goes here. She's a senior. Michelle Santos?"
Daryl pretended to stagger backwards in astonishment. "Michelle Santos? I know the one. Damn! Cheerleader, right? She's a pretty one. I underestimated you, Charlie. You got some game!"
"I don't know..." Charlie looked down, trying to decide how much he could say. "I didn't really do anything. You know that weekend you were in Miami?"
"Yeah?"
"I came to the school to do some editing, and she was here. She..." Charlie hesitated. "I mean, we kind of got to know each other. She hung out in the AV room. We walked around the school. She liked that we could be here while it was empty. She has some... crazy thoughts...I can't really figure her out, to be honest..."
"Sure, sure." Daryl nodded.
"Like just now." The words rushed out of Charlie, and he realized how long he'd wanted someone he could talk to about Michelle. "I told her, let's go someplace private. I told her that you were at the school, and you stopped by the AV room all the time. I said, we're going to get caught. And she didn't want to stop. She didn't seem to care..." He hesitated. "Like the danger of it turned her on." He hoped he wasn't betraying her secret.
"Aha. So she's one of those?" Daryl grinned. "I've dated a few. It's always the ones that seem shy, right?"
"I don't know." Charlie frowned. "But here's the other thing. I thought... after that first weekend... we'd hang out more... eat lunch together and stuff... but at school she won't even talk to me. And then she shows up here on the weekend, and she's all over me again, acting crazy again..."
"Like multiple personalities?"
"Yeah! Exactly. Like two completely different girls. I just don't understand her."
"Charlie..." Daryl shook his head, smiling. "You gotta be careful not to overthink it. Every girl you meet is gonna be like that. Different when she's alone with you than when she's with her friends. One day she's one way, the next day she's acting the opposite. All women are like that. You can't try to figure it out. You just gotta go with it."
"But at school, she doesn't even talk to me!"
"So? Maybe you're a secret for her right now. Maybe she's not ready for everyone to know. You really worried about that? If she didn't like you, she wouldn't be here right now. Probably waiting for your dumb ass to get back to where you left her in the editing room."
Charlie shook his head. "I think she probably left already."
Daryl chuckled. "You deserve it if she did. This is your idea of a fun time for your girl? Watching you edit film at the school like you do every Saturday?"
"I told you, she just showed up..."
"Right, right. Michelle Santos. When I think about it, she's on the list... she got a key. She's allowed to be here." Daryl shrugged. "If you two want to hang out here, spend time together, I don't got a problem with it. Both of you got keys. You just gotta give me a heads up. Introduce her to me when she comes in. I don't mind giving you two a little privacy. Just warn me where you're going to be, all right? So I know when to look the other way."
"Okay. Uh...thanks."
"Now, let me tell you what I'm gonna do right now. I'm going to take a twenty minute break or so, drink another Pepsi by the benches outside the cafeteria. Twenty minutes. You and her got that much time to get yourselves straightened. Then I'm resuming normal patrol, and you can't act surprised when I come by. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Twenty minutes." The guard grinned. "That should give you enough time, young folk like you. More than enough time." He clapped Charlie on the shoulder. "Go on back, and if she's not there, I'll give you ten bucks." He laughed as he turned in the direction of the cafeteria.
Charlie returned to the AV room. He could immediately see that he wouldn't be claiming any ten bucks from Daryl. The chair had its back to the door, but he could see Michelle's arms on the armrests, and the tip of her dark hair poking above the back of the chair. He came closer and abruptly stopped. Did it really surprise him that she was still naked? Her clothes, still bundled into a tiny ball of fabric, sat next to the computer.
"What did he say?" she asked, rotating the chair to face him. He gazed at her nude body slouching in the chair and felt his erection swell.
Twenty minutes. Could they have sex in twenty minutes? Of course they could. The way that he felt, he'd have tro
uble even lasting thirty seconds.
Here? In the editing bay? In the chair?
Why not?
Twenty minutes. Twenty minutes to have sex with her, get her dressed, send her out into the world. Sure, that was enough time. Plenty of time.
Then, on Monday, she would be a stranger again, passing him in the hallway without a look. Maybe that was just how it went. Standing in front of her, looking down at her, it definitely seemed worth it.
"He said he saw us. He wasn't mad. We're not in trouble." He crouched in front of her.
"Did he know it was me?" she asked anxiously. "Could he tell I wasn't wearing anything?"
"He knows its you. He said you had permission to be here, so it was okay. He was just surprised. He told me to give him some warning next time. I don't think he could tell you were naked. He didn't say anything about it." He glanced at her clothes. "You didn't want to get dressed?"
"Well..." She smiled. "I didn't think we were done yet."
Charlie put his hands on her knees and leaned forward to kiss her. She met him halfway, her arms tangling around his neck. While they kissed, he slid his hands up her thighs, enjoying the smooth silkiness of her legs, until his palms rested on her hips.
They broke the kiss. "Here?" Michelle asked breathlessly. "Or somewhere else? The AV closet?"
Charlie opened his mouth to answer, intending to simply say "Here." But then, a thought whispered in his mind, a scandalous thought, and he couldn't speak for a moment, stunned that he could even consider what he was thinking.
No. No way.
She would hate him.
Or would she?
Where was the line for her? How far was she willing to go?
She might not talk to him ever again.
But then, based on the last few weeks, she might not talk to him ever again anyway.
"I know a place," he told her. "I'll show you."
"Where?"
"It's near the cafeteria. By the benches."
"Outside?"
"No. Inside. But we need to go outside for a minute to get there."
"Okay," she said. "But where's Daryl now?"
Charlie looked away. "Um... he said he was going on a break for twenty minutes."
"Okay. Let's hurry then." She stood.
He hesitated. "Do you want to get dressed before we walk there?" Offering her one last chance.
She smiled. "Do you want me to get dressed?"
Charlie didn't answer. He could barely breath as he offered her his hand. She slipped her fingers into his, and timidly followed him as he led her out into the hallway, her clothes still tangled in a ball on the editing bay desk.
He peeked at her out of the corner of his eye. Her nervousness was palpable, her eyes in constant motion, scanning for any signs of movement. Her hand was pressed against her bare leg, sliding up and down. "I can't believe I'm doing this again..." she whispered. He couldn't tell if she was talking to him or to herself.
It wasn't the same. Before, he'd been unsure where the limits of her fantasy lay. But this time, she'd all but acknowledged they were looking for a place to have sex. He abruptly pulled her to a stop.
"What?" she asked uncertainly.
"I want to feel how wet you are," he told her, and put his hand between her legs, letting his fingers push into her slick pussy.
"Charlie!" she gasped in surprise, but didn't stop him as he fingered her in the middle of the hallway. Her eyes darted back and forth, on constant guard for unexpected watchers. Despite her paranoia, he noticed she moved her feet further apart.
He leaned forward and kissed her while he stroked her between her legs. She held onto his shoulders, wobbling against him as he pressed his thumb against her clitoris. He could scarcely believe the way she surrendered herself to his touch. Just a few days ago, she had walked by him in this same hallway, acting as if she didn't know him. Now she was naked and he was free to touch her wherever he wanted. He could put her against the wall and fuck her, and had no doubt she would let him.
"Let's go," he said, taking hold of her hand again. He could feel her stickiness on his fingers. They walked down the hallway, and maybe he'd reminded her she didn't need to restrain herself, because the hand that once stroked her upper thigh was between her legs.
They reached the hallway that led to the cafeteria. Charlie turned in that direction. It was a wide hallway with a bulletin board on the left, where flyers and proclamations were posted. The only doors in the hallway were on the right, just before the cafeteria, two brown doors marked with the symbols for boy and girl bathrooms. The doors that led into the cafeteria were glass, and they could see the empty tables inside.
"It might be locked," Michelle said, and when they tried the doors, the left one was locked. The right one opened.
For a moment, Charlie paused, holding the door. He quivered with anticipation, and wanted to ask her again if she should get dressed. Maybe put an extra emphasis on it, a warning. Didn't she REALLY want to get dressed, wasn't that a REALLY good idea? Because there might be a REALLY good chance she was about to get caught? But she slid right through the open door, and now she pulled him along by the hand, into the empty cafeteria.
The food area of the cafeteria was sealed away by a lowered metal barrier, which was locked, so they only had access to the rows of empty tables. Michelle stopped and gazed at him. "Wouldn't it be crazy to do it in the cafeteria?" she breathed.
He wanted to. The way she looked at him made his heart race. He came close to seizing her and pushing her down onto one of the tables. But he held himself back. "Not yet," he told her. "Come outside with me first."
"It's still daylight..."
"It was daylight when you dropped your clothes through my car window." He pulled her hand. "Come on."
They walked to a silver door with the word "EXIT" glowing above it. Charlie pushed it open. A warm breeze entered the cafeteria. "You have your keys, right?" Michelle asked as she stepped out after him. "Because if we get locked out..."
That was as far as she got. Daryl was outside, leaning on one of the tables, a half-full Pepsi sitting next to him. He had raised his head curiously to see who was coming out, and did a visible double-take when he saw Michelle. Michelle froze in place. Her hand clutched Charlie's hand tightly, her fingernails cutting into his skin.
Daryl straightened, staring at her. His eyes travelled up and down her naked body. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but couldn't seem to find his words.
Charlie glanced at Michelle, seeing her as Daryl did, as if for the first time. She stood completely still, too shocked to think of even covering herself up with her hands. Her perfect body was on clear display. Her eyes were wide. She almost seemed to be holding her breath.
Charlie forced a casual smile, doing his best to act as if this situation was perfectly normal. "Hey, Daryl," he greeted the guard. "You said I should introduce my girlfriend to you, right? This is Michelle. Michelle, have you met Daryl before?"
"...no..." Michelle's voice was barely audible.
"Michelle, this is Daryl. He's been the security guard at this school for... what? Fifteen years, right? Daryl, meet Michelle. My girlfriend. She's head of the spirit squad. Maybe you've seen her come by the school on the weekends before."
Daryl had quickly overcome his initial shock, and now struggled not to smile. He went along with the charade that this was normal. “Yes, I’ve seen her. Hi, Michelle. Pleased to meet you." He put out his hand for her to shake.
Michelle automatically reached out to take his hand. Then she froze and flinched her hand back. Charlie remembered she'd been touching herself between her legs and her fingers were coated in her scent.
Unable to resist, he spoke up, "Michelle doesn't shake hands. She's a hugger."
Daryl raised his eyebrows, and Charlie expected Michelle to glare at him, but she didn't. Instead, she took a deep breath then opened her arms. She took a step towards Daryl and wrapped her arm
s around him in a tight hug, pressing her body against his. Daryl looked astonished. After a moment, he returned the hug, lightly hovering his palms over her bare back like he was afraid to touch her.
Michelle released the stunned security guard and stepped back to stand beside Charlie, taking his hand. "Nice to meet you, Daryl," she said.
Daryl shook his head incredulously and laughed. "Goddamn." He smiled at Michelle. "Charlie's a lucky guy. I been telling him he should go out and find himself a woman. Have to say, I didn't expect he'd find one half as lovely as you."
"Thank you," Michelle said shyly. "I like Charlie a lot. I would do anything for him."
"I guess you would." Daryl's eyes flickered down to her body again.
Feeling reckless, Charlie said, "We're on our way to the athletic building. Are you okay with that? Michelle has a key." He squeezed her hand. "I thought I'd take her there and have sex with her."
Michelle's eyes darted in his direction, startled by his blunt words. She squirmed as Daryl shifted his gaze to her. She didn't deny or protest Charlie's statement.
"You know what..." Daryl said slowly, "I didn't just hear that. In fact, I didn't see you at all. I'm going to go back on patrol. I'm going to check everything real careful and slow, and the last place I'm going to check is the athletic building. All right?" He met Charlie's eyes to convey that he was serious. "So don't be there when I get there. All right?"
"All right." Charlie prayed that he hadn't gone too far.
"Nice to meet you, Michelle," Daryl said.
Michelle let go of Charlie's hand. "Bye, Daryl. It was nice to meet you, too." She slipped in close to the guard, sliding her arms around him again in another tight hug. This time, she lifted her head and pressed a kiss on Daryl's lips as she held him. He was clearly surprised, but happily returned her kiss. His hands weren't as reluctant this time, sliding down her back and sliding over her bare ass.
Michelle wriggled free of Daryl's embrace and stepped back beside Charlie, taking his hand again. She stood calmly, with her other hand tucked behind her back and her left hip jutting out. Her wide eyes blinked in deliberate nonchalance as she gazed at Daryl, as if challenging him to suggest that what she had just done was anything other than a normal goodbye.
Saturday Night School: The Cheerleader's Secret Page 6