Dance, Dance, Dance

Full Moon

Chapter Four ~ Bearing Gifts

By Jo Dora Webster

Will Denise be able to deal with Richard's arrival?

 

Part Four - Bearing Gifts

[Tuesday Day Three of the Enchantment]

I awoke to the sound of the alarm which I had set an hour earlier than what Momma had suggested. I had the challenge of the disappearing 'training wheels' which would happen just when any fair weather friends would be disappearing since the cheerleader competition would have been over.

I decided that the best thing to do was to make sure I could get ready in the morning. Shortly after I was out of bed and had my robe on over my nightie, I heard a knock on my bedroom door. I walked over and let Momma in to give me a good morning hug.

"Hey Kiddo! I bet I know what you are doing getting up early. Are you testing yourself that you know the skills so you won't have to rely on the training wheels?"

"You know me too well. At least most of the performance and movement skills that I would have learned growing up as a girl, I can learn for real. Basic activities of daily living should be easy to list and learn even though a girl has much more on the list than a boy does. I just hope I'm lucky enough to cover all the bases."

"Good luck follows careful preparation, Bad luck follows sloppy preparation. You already learned a lot of movement skills in your time as Amy which your mimicking ability allows you to absorb unconsciously."

"When you put it that way, that makes things a bit easier for me since I've already learned moving like a girl so I won't have to worry about that leaving me when that part of the majick ends."

"You've been observant while you've relaxed and let yourself do things automatically. You can test yourself on skills by not letting go and completing the task and letting yourself go to see if you correct what you did on automatic."

"How did you get to be so smart Momma?"

"That started when I became your mother. Join me downstairs for breakfast when you are ready, kiddo. Have a good shower, sweetie!"

In the extra hour I was able to get ready myself without relying on the training wheels and I had a sense of satisfaction with that. I guessed that it came so easy for me with my ability to duplicate another 's performance. I'd have to work more on getting ready for other things besides school. I hoped that I would have a chance to cover most things before those 'training wheels' went away.

Finally, I was satisfied with my reflection in the mirror, and so was the 'automatic' me. I gathered everything I would need for school and walked down the stairs and met Momma in the kitchen. She already had a wonderful breakfast laid out for both of us and she encouraged me to sit and enjoy.

"You look beautiful this morning, kiddo! Come enjoy your breakfast. How does the learning go?"

"I'm making less mistakes as I am getting used to my body and how I can look my best. I am concerned with when the 'automatic' me goes away while I am still a girl. I move like a girl already and I have plenty of practice doing that."

"You have no problem moving as a girl, Kiddo. In fact it should be better for you since you are a girl 24/7 instead of switching into being a girl during your Amy and cheerleading time. With you learning girl skills the way that you did this morning, You should be well rounded in girl skills by the time you are on your own for them."

"You are right that I should have the movement and skills internalized by the time that part of the spell leaves me. What I am most worried about is losing the ability to ask myself for girl information and have the answer pop into my head, Momma."

"Kiddo, you'll have the knowledge that you already have to call on. I'm going to do my best for you to have a broad base of experience and learned knowledge to draw upon. Hopefully you'll have enough knowledge to get by and you can ask Alicia or I anything to fill in any gaps. Just think of it as practice in improvisation, my young actress."

"What about the sense of wrongness that I should have once the spell ends? I guess it will be like what a trans-boy knows. But what if that wrongness is not there?

"You really won't be bothered with that until the end of the month since with you being so well adapted that you'll go on inertia. You'll have a continuing self interest to maintain your feminine persona, so when that sense of self incongruity asserts itself the change will be imminent."

"What if I turn out to not be uncomfortable with being a girl?"

"Then you won't have long to worry, Denise. If you stay a girl then reality will be rewritten so that you will have always have been a girl. Even in losing who you are now, the love remains and in being totally congruent you'll have a chance of total happiness."

"That still seems scary, Momma. I'll trust that our parent child love will remain no matter what the future holds for me."

"Don't worry, Kiddo. 'There are always possibilities!' Anything else on your mind?"

"Momma, where did all my male clothes go and where did all those female clothes that I have been wearing come from?"

"It was part of the spell to change your clothes to something appropriate for the new you and those displaced your male clothes. The same thing actually happened with your room as well. When the spell is over then either things will revert to the way they were or things will be in keeping with the new reality that will reset everything."

"It must be weird for you to be going through this again with me after it happened at college. You must have been able to compare notes with her since you were both pregnant at about the same time. I counted back and that must have been about the same time that you realized that you were pregnant with me and Daddy enlisted in the Air Force. It must have been a stressful time."

"I had you, Sweetheart, and that made all the stress go away for me. You were my little miracle then and my big miracle now and the other extraordinary things in my life pale in comparison to the miracle that you are, Denise."

I noticed that she did not say anything about the girl who got pregnant as a result of the spell that Rebecca's circle accomplished. I wonder why that's something that she won't talk about voluntarily. I know she won't lie to me if I ask her a direct question, but do I dare?

"Aww, Momma, you have to say that!" I blushed with embarrassment over being made such a fuss over.

"That doesn't make it any less true."

We finished and Momma hurried me out to the Minivan. Momma had to pick up all the girls in the Minivan to go to our session before school. Since it was Tuesday, after the teacher work day yesterday, then we were about to go to LA Fitness and take a strength conditioning class

We picked up Kendra and Star who lived next door to each other and went to Hailey and Chelsea 's house to pick them up. Hailey and Chelsea's mother, Brittany, seemed as vivacious and giggly as her daughters as if she had lost ten years overnight. If I had not known that she was their mother, I might have mistook her for a twenty something not long out of college instead of the thirty-eight that she celebrated at her last birthday. I made a mental note to get Alicia to check on Brittany to find out what was going on with her. Was a Dryad going around giving kisses that left people ten years younger?

Brittany 's appearance and musing on that took me out of the conversation that was playfully going on around with whispers and giggles galore. We pulled into Bally's parking lot and off loaded. Then Momma led us into the class area and registered us. Of the other girls waiting for the class, I saw both Veronica and Sabrina from the circle. It looked like "The Club" was all here except Jenna who seemed to have escaped the influence of the malevolent power which wanted to ruin my life.

Part of the idea behind getting cheerleaders together for classes was to mix and get to know one another better. Fortunately for me, we were each wearing name tags. That made it easier for me to walk up to a total stranger and strike up a conversation. I wanted to get to know both Veronica and Sabrina better.

"Hi Veronica, I'm Denise Russell. I'm a freshman transfer student and a new cheerleader for Lamur Institute."

"Hi Denise, I'm glad to meet you. I would recognize a Lamur Institute girl right off. Don't you just hate wearing those plaid skirts and awful shoes. I'm glad my high school doesn't have a uniform. You do get to wear your cheerleader uniforms on game days though?"

"Yes, I'm very glad of that. I wish I could really make an impression by the way I dress. There is very little creativity that can be shown with these school uniforms."

"How are you adjusting to life here? I wondered about you right off since we tend to know everyone who is a cheerleader in the other schools, if not personally, at least by reputation."

"It's been interesting to say the least. Haven't we met before, say early Sunday morning?" I whispered to her so that no one else could hear. She replied in a whisper as well so we could talk freely.

"Oh, you are going by Denise now? You turned out very nicely. You are a good sport to help your friends since Jenna left. I was glad to help as part of the circle. I hope your team does well in the competition. We are working on something that I hope will make us the Regional representative in the competition next year."

"Thanks for the well wishes. Thanks for your part in helping me. How long have you been a Wiccan?"

"About three years ago, I joined when the circle first formed to help Kendra. I had no dealing with Wicca before then. I have no real interest in it but I felt compelled then to do it and now it has become a habit. I don't really practice Wicca or anything like it. My family is Jewish and that is my real religion."

"How can you get into things like the circle without feeling it?"

"I do what I've been told and it's worked out. Both you and Kendra are proof of that."

"I'm still getting used to this girl thing and I can't talk about it with just anyone and there are some things that I am embarrassed to ask the girls I see everyday. Could we get together and talk sometime?"

"I'd like that Denise. Guess we should hush since the class is starting."

"Okay and thanks."

We did hush as the instructors started explaining the circuit training regime to us and the proper way to use the machines. Each of us got to start on a different machine. It was fun to work a while on one machine and then time was called and we would work again on something different.

We'd gotten through one cycle when a break was called. While we were on break, I got a chance to talk to Sabrina. It was weird because our conversation went word for word almost like when I was talking to Veronica. I learned that she did not consider herself Wiccan either and she was Jewish too. I got a similar agreement to get together with her to talk sometime.

I found out from Veronica that they both attended the same temple and she invited me to attend sometime and find out more about their religion. I was raised Christian so this would be a chance to broaden my horizons. I found it strange that both were compelled to join the circle around the time that Kendra was helped. Could majick be at work here?

Close to the end of the second circuit and the end of our time, I noticed a lady with a son speaking to Momma. They both stepped outside leaving the young man behind. He had a very athletic build to him like a baseball player. I checked out the size of his hands. You know what they say about the size of hands and the size of another part of a man's body.

There was something about him that got me all hot and bothered. Did I believe in love at first sight with a total stranger? Well I guess I had to believe in lust at first sight. I was kinda amazed but I decided to go with the flow. It was official, now in this female body, I was attracted to this young man.

He came over to me and I began to melt. I composed myself and gave him a big smile.

"Hi Denise, I'm Richard. Our mothers know each other so I thought I would introduce myself."

"Oh! Richard! My mother said that your mother took an assignment here and that you would be attending Lamur Institute now. From your reputation as an athlete, our Baseball team should be better now. I'm glad because its is always nicer to cheer when our team is winning."

"I'm looking forward to being able to help out the team. You know you could help me out right now, Denise."

"I'm willing to do anything to help."

"You are my kind of girl!" He took me in his arms forcefully and just as forcefully kissed me full on the mouth lingering there for an eternity before he released me. I was stunned not knowing what to do and before I could decide he took my arm and led me off into a closet and closed the door.

"Richard?" I gasped still not registering what had happened.

"Denise, I'm sorry that I did that without warning. My mother recruited me to help with your situation. I was given this talisman." He pulled out a triskeliion made of Celtic knot work and very old by the look of it.

"This protects me from the compulsion of a love spell but I can tell when one is placed on me. Just before I kissed you, I was hit by a very powerful spell. The idea that my mother had was to play along with it with public displays of affection. If the person who cast this thought that it was working then they might not send someone against you who was not protected and might even rape you. I can pose as your new boyfriend too and you wouldn't have to worry about from the normal advances of hormonal boys."

"That works for me Richard and thanks for your help. And Richard?"

"Yes Denise?"

"I can be a very good actress. Please, no more surprises!"

"Okay, I promise, Denise. Anything else?"

"How do you really feel about me? You do know that I have a spell on me and that until very recently, I was a boy myself."

"I never knew you as a boy so this is what matters. You are very attractive to me. I hope that we can be friends spell or no spell."

"I'd like that Richard. One can't have too many friends and I need all I can get especially now. I guess we had better come out of the closet before they break the door down. Get ready for some real acting."

I mussed my clothes and makeup as if we had just had an intensive make out session. Richard opened the door and I made my grand entrance into the room.

"Richard, I believe you show real potential. After what I can teach you, you'll never want another woman again. I guess you'll do as my boyfriend for now."

Richard had a stunned look on his face and was spared further embarrassment by my mother leading him away outside. With the adults away, the other cheerleaders in the room voiced their approval.

Mother gathered us together after coming back in and told us," Girls we have to go back to school. Richard's mother asked me to give him a ride to school and he has promised to behave so he's waiting in the minivan for us. Now let's go!"

I was first into the minivan and took the seat beside Richard with a big grin on my face as I was unaffected by the look that my Mother was giving me. Since she didn't say anything, I figured that I was alright for now.

I had to remember nonetheless that Mother was driving and I wanted to get to school in one piece. Richard and I did nothing more than hold hands and talk in whispers while the Minivan was moving. And the Minivan was moving very quickly and we were at the school in record time.

I believe that I did a pretty good acting job because all the girls were envious of me for landing the new hunk before any of them got a chance at him. However, as we offloaded at the school entrance I felt more and more alone as the juniors and seniors peeled off down other halls and left only Chelsea and me going to homeroom together.

I was about to find out how really good an actress that I was because I had to convince them all that I was my own sister instead of the Dexter Jacob they all knew. I guess that I was about to find out a little of how people really felt about me. Chelsea promised to help if I painted myself into a corner but I hoped that I would not do anything that would lead anyone to believe that I was someone other than who I seemed to be.

I stopped and held the door open for Chelsea as we came to the homeroom door and quickly realized what I had done and scooted in quickly behind her as though we were both entering at the same time.

I thought to myself, "Ladies first doesn't work anymore because I am a lady now." Having gotten my faux pas out of the way first thing allowed me to relax and get into the role of being Denise with everyone there. Chelsea and I found two seats in a row empty and I sat down in the desk behind Chelsea.

"Class, please welcome Chelsea Dooley and Denise Russell," Mr. Nestle said. He was not only our homeroom teacher, but he happened to be Kendra's father as well.

Applause and cheers rang through the classroom as we received a warm welcome. When things had quieted down a bit, Mr. Nestle continued speaking.

"Chelsea was promoted from middle school early and will be finishing the term with us here. Denise had been living with her father overseas and has finally made her way home after her father was killed in action in Iraq. You may all remember her brother Dee Jay who was a student here but was offered the chance to finish the term in an exclusive boarding school."

It looked like our cover story was holding up okay. I guess it would have been easier if reality had changed but I did not want Dee Jay's existence to be removed completely since I was planning to go back to being Dee Jay in a month. I was not going to be doing anything to prevent that from occurring. Alicia was watching over me to make sure I didn't run into some additional spell that would change the rules of the spell I was under now.

If I did what I was supposed to do then the only way I would end up being Denise at the end of the month was if I was already Denise in my brain. If things had proceeded without this spell being put on me, I would know my own mind better and know the answer to whether I was really Denise or Dexter. I was totally devoted to the cause of winning the competition so I would find out in less than a month the answer to that burning question.

Homeroom went okay and so did my morning classes. Chelsea and I enjoyed being together and I reveled in the new attention that I was getting from my classmates. I was getting envious looks from the girls that I had transferred in and landed a spot immediately on the cheerleading squad. I was getting lustful looks from the boys focused on my bust, butt or legs.

However, the word soon spread that I was already claimed by the new star of the baseball team, which was destined to bring Lamur the pennant this year. The boys followed the code and they did not mess with another boy's girlfriend. I was safe for the moment. I wondered what might happen when that malevolent force found out that Richard and I were not building up to having sex. I hoped that I would be ready and that someone would be near to help out.

Francine West, Freshman Class President and Julie Newman, Freshman Class Vice President flagged Chelsea and I down and we sat together at our table at lunch. The freshmen and seniors had the first lunch period and the sophomores and juniors had the second. Because of that there wasn't a cheerleader table and for lunch Hailey was eating with her senior friends.

Even if Chelsea and I were both cheerleaders, being freshmen outweighed that. Since we had not gotten a better offer, Chelsea sat on the other side of Francine leaving a chair for me between her and Francine. I wondered why she chose to sit in line with them instead of opposite them but she told me later that she wanted to keep watch over the senior table. We managed to chat easily in spite of the arrangement.They wanted to get to know us and I was curious on how they would react to me. They really had not seemed to notice me when I was Dexter.

"Hi, Chelsea and Denise! Welcome to the Freshman class here! Thanks for accepting our invitation to eat lunch together." Francine greeted us with a smile.

I hoped that my performance was good as I spoke to Francine as though I did not know her. "It's my pleasure, Francine. My life has been so much up in the air recently and I am glad to be back home with Mother."

Julie spoke immediately, who I knew more from church where she was in my Sunday School class. "We were so sorry to hear about your dad's passing and we grieved with Dee Jay over it. It is so like our government to get something as simple as sending a daughter home to her mother and brother into a complicated thing."

Chelsea wanted to help and she interjected. "Part of her trouble was because of a silly old local law in Saudi Arabia, where her Daddy had been stationed and that they had made their home off base, that treats female children like property and as such they had annulled Denise's US citizenship for as long as the property that her father had owned was still in limbo."

That seems very backward, couldn't the US Embassy help?"

"The American Embassy did its best but since Denise was caught at home and off base when her Daddy died, they would have had to kidnap her from the authorities and they thought Denise might be hurt or killed in the attempt. What the authorities really wanted was for the property to pass out of her father's estate and into the hands of one of their citizens."

"What would happen then?"

"At that point when the property was sold, the odd law no longer applied and she became just another foreign national. Once they no longer considered Denise a citizen of their country, then her American citizenship took control again. They turned her over to the American embassy which got her on the next plane to the US before they changed their minds."

I was glad that Chelsea had mastered our complicated cover story and it was my time to agree and hope that answered their questions.

"That's it mostly. I had a governess looking after me when Daddy was on duty or assignment away. The government provided a place for the two of us to stay together. They had a driver who was really a guard assigned to us also, since they wanted to be sure that I stayed off base or out of the embassy. It meant that I couldn't go to the American school and had to go to one of their schools."

Julie asked, "Dee Jay never spoke about you at all, what is up with that. Until you showed up here today I didn't know that Dee Jay had a sister?"

I was briefed on this part so I hoped that the cover story would hold even though I knew it was patently false.

"Momma and Daddy had a falling out over his volunteering for a status in the military that made everything about his work classified. They split over it even though they did not get divorced. Each of them took one of us in the separation. Dee Jay seemed like he needed Momma and I was a Daddy's girl. After years of living apart, it became easier just to ignore that the other existed.

"That must have been tough being separated from Dee Jay."

"Most of the time we lived in a communications blackout so word on us just couldn't get through to the states. As much as I hate it that Daddy has died, at least this gives me a chance to know my mother. I'm disappointed that Dee Jay is gone but maybe it will give him a chance to get over things in his own way. Maybe when he gets over his issues then we can be a real family again."

Francine added, "Well we hope that Dee Jay will be doing well wherever he is now. I don't know but it seems to be off all the maps on the internet search that I did."

I asked, "What does it matter where he is if he's happy there?"

Francine blushed and said," I had a crush on your brother and hoped he would ask me out. He always was hanging around with the cheerleaders even though I have no clue why they would want to hang out with him. No offence to you both, you seem like nice down to earth girls and no offence to your sister either Chelsea. I guess that it's more of a status thing and that status is pretty difficult to compete with. The rumor mill says that Dee Jay was our secret mascot and now we have another one."

I tried not to let show what was going on in my mind show on my face. Francine is a really nice girl. I guess I missed out being with a simply wonderful girl, just by being obsessed with working with the cheerleaders. Well I could spend time with her now but as long as I am a girl there will be no romance. At least I could have another friend.

"Sometimes boys can be so blind! I'm sorry that he missed out on being with you Francine. From what I could tell, Dee Jay had lots of friends but no girlfriend. And on the other thing, neither Chelsea or I were on the cheerleaders then so we have no way of knowing who was the secret mascot. As for now, we are both sworn to uphold the school's tradition of secrecy. Sorry girls."

Julie responded, "That's alright, girls. We wouldn't want you to break your promise. It's just fun to guess about since it is a mystery, but knowing would take all the fun out of it."

Francine added, "I am so glad they have wised up and created a cheerleader alternate position as part of the squad and I know that you will do well Chelsea. We were so lucky that you came out of nowhere and were able to pick up all the routines flawlessly or we would have been in big trouble when Jenna got called away. With this being a military town, it's something that could happen again."

"I am so lucky to be with the squad," Chelsea said. "I think that part of it is because I am Hailey's sister and she knows what I am capable of and partly because being so bright and skipping grades I think that they want to be sure I keep busy and out of trouble."

Francine said, "We count our Freshman class so lucky to have you both aboard when we need you most. I hope that both of you are planning on coming to the Sadie Hawkins celebration dance that is being held this Saturday. It's our Freshman class project and we need all of our prominent freshmen to participate for it to be a success."

I spoke, "I don't know how to say this but my mother, the new coach, has made a rule against dating until after the competition. Is this a girls ask the guys dance?"

Francine answered, "Yes it is and we are encouraging the girls not to ask their regular boyfriends just to mix it up a little and make it more exciting for everyone."

Chelsea replied, "We'll ask her about it at practice today. Maybe if she made it mandatory for the cheerleaders not to ask anyone who we've dated before and for our dates to meet us and part at the dance when it is over then it would be like a group date that she said would be okay. That would make it even better because all of the cheerleaders and not just us two would want to attend."

I added, "Momma is reasonable and if we explain it just that way then perhaps things will work out for all of us. If you want to meet us for lunch tomorrow, we'll let you know what she decided."

The bell rang warning us to get our plates put up because lunch period was just about over. The four of us shared our gladness over getting to know each other a little better and promised to meet back for lunch regularly. Chelsea and I put our plates up and got a move on to our classes. In the back of my mind I considered that Richard and I had not had a date yet and that meant that it would be within the rules for me to ask him to the dance if Mother approved of the plan to turn it into a group date.

The classes went quickly and finally we had our freshman girls' P.E. class. Chelsea and I were surprised to find in entering the girls locker room, Hailey was there waiting for us.

Hailey said, "There has been a change. Since we have a coach now, we get to have part of our practice during P.E. Coach Russell talked it over with the Headmistress and set it up for all of us. The rest of us found out last period when we were going to have P.E. and we got our last two period classes swapped. We all know that Coach Russell was only going to be with us a month but since the end of term was just a couple of added weeks, the company that she works for agreed to let her be off on leave until the end of the term. Coach Russell said for all of us to change into our workout uniforms instead of gym clothes."

I was glad to know I would have my mother's undivided attention for a little longer. It would not mean as much if reality changed at the end of the month if I were staying a girl. But if I returned to being a boy after this experience, I knew that even if it were a transformation that I wanted I would have a bit of adjusting to do and it would be good to have her close to me. I snapped out of my daydream and got busy changing as I saw Star and Kendra enter as well but they knew why they were there having had it explained to them last period.

We all got dressed and Hailey led us out on the baseball field where Coach Nestle was putting the baseball team through its paces. They were having batting practice and Richard was at the plate hitting everything that was thrown to him over the fence in deep center field. Momma, I mean Coach was there waiting for us and we gathered around her to hear what she had to say.

"I'm glad to have you all with me for PE for the rest of the term. I believe that the added time will be very useful to get ready for the competition. After the competition, we might have all the practice time we need just in the P.E. class. We'll see if we can do that as a reward for all the hard work that we are going to be doing in the time we have left.

"Speaking of rewards, as a reward for all the hard work that I am going to put you all through, I believe with just a restriction or two we can turn the Sadie Hawkins Celebration Dance that the Freshman Class is sponsoring into a group date on Saturday. If you all agree to the restrictions then we will put it on our schedule.

"Restriction number one is that you meet your dates at the dance and say goodbye to them at the dance and that your parents provide your transportation to and from the dance.

"Restriction number two is that since you girls will be asking your dates out, that it cannot be a person that either you or any of the present cheerleaders have been on a date with. And I expect that you girls will be polite and spend 75% of your time at the dance with the person who you asked. That other 25% can be with your regular boyfriends or whoever. I hope that your boyfriends will come and I hope that they will spend that same 75% with their dates, but since they are not under my jurisdiction, I can't dictate that they not be jerks. I hope you will use your influence so that they won't be in this case.

"If you all agree then it will be a group date and if not then it will be off limits for all of you even if you have agreed to the restrictions. All in favor of the restrictions, raise your hand."

All of our hands were enthusiastically raised. I was so glad because if even a minority of the school followed our example, then the dance would be a huge success. I would be curious to find out who Francine's choice would be with Dee Jay out of the picture. I wondered what would have happened if the dance had occurred before Jenna had left.

Momma, I mean Coach, continued. "I am so glad that you all have agreed to the conditions so we will make this a group date on Saturday. This also lets me announce our first team building activity which will precede the dance on Saturday. I've arranged with a local salon for us to have it all to ourselves with their staff for three hours on Saturday before the dance. You will all be getting ready for the dance, but the catch is that you yourself will have no say in what is done to you. However, you will have a say in what is done to each of your teammates. I will have the right to veto any plan that is too radical so keep that in mind when you make your plans. You have between now and then to come up with what you feel will do best for each of your teammates to bring out their beauty in a way that they will really shine bright at the dance."

That started wheels turning in each of our heads as we thought of things that would be nice but was something that had not been tried by our friends.

"Lastly, we are out on the baseball field because our baseball team has several home games before the competition and we will be cheering at those games. I wanted us to have a chance to go over our game cheers again because rumor has it that with the team's new addition that they may make it to the state championship this year.Hailey, go put the girls through their paces. Chelsea, join the other girls in line."

We all took the field including Chelsea who was to join us as a fifth cheerleader instead of doing the mascot routines. Our field cheers could add a fifth member easily. Momma had her doing that to protect her secret with her being without her costume. As it was with me, she was our backup cheerleader so it was good for her to practice our routines too.

"You gotta Go to Fight!

You gotta Fight to Win!

You gotta Go, Fight, Win!

You gotta Go to Fight!

You gotta Fight to Win!

You gotta Go, Fight, Win!

Go!"

As we went through our paces, the baseball team on the field was going through a simulated game and Richard was pitching. I noticed something curious going on as the shortstop or second baseman would flash the sign to the batter that indicated the pitch that Richard was going to throw. Even with that advantage to the batter knowing what pitch that he was going to throw, Richard was pitching a no hitter against the split squad and Richard was pitching for the second string. Richard hit a home run each time he got up to bat and his teammates had managed to put people on base before each one so the second string was rolling over the first string handily.

I could have watched the baseball team practice, that is watched Richard, all afternoon long but Coach blew the whistle and sent us in. School was over and the gym was now ours exclusively. Chelsea was able to change into her mascot outfit and we began to run through all the routines again for the competition. Hailey put us through our paces as Coach watched and made notes on our progress.

I was in the zone and was flowing with the rest of the girls through the routines. When the whistle blew for us to stop, it was more of an interruption than a relief. Coach told us all that she was proud of the way we worked today and sent us off to the showers. As I showered, I wondered what I was about to hear from Momma about Richard and I. I said my goodbyes to Chelsea and Hailey as Mrs. Dooley came to pick them up. I was wondering at how young she appeared, as she seemed to be younger than when I last saw her.

Momma waited to escort me to the minivan until all the rest of the parents had taken their children home. I had noticed that the baseball practice had broken up at about the same time ours had since Coach Nestle had taken Kendra home.

"Lucy, you've got some 'splaining to do!" Momma began in a not too good imitation of Ricky Ricardo from 'I Love Lucy.'

"Momma, it wasn't my fault, I didn't know..."

"That's okay Sweetheart. I had a very long talk with Jennifer about this morning. I had no idea that she had a son three years before you were born. I wonder when she had time for it. Sometimes you don't know someone as well as you believe. Anyway, she told me that Rebecca had asked Richard to keep an eye on you and gave him some protection in case the malevolent force that had it in for you in the circle wanted to make sure that you got pregnant. I feel safe with you both to be together. It might be a good idea for you to ask him to the dance so he can help keep you out of trouble. The four of us are going to have dinner together tonight and talk over things."

"Momma, I am so glad you understand. After that look that you gave me, I thought that I was going to be in real trouble."

"That was acting, after the performance Richard gave there was no way that a parent would react in any other way. I could tell Richard took you by surprise since even you are not that good an actress. Why did Richard introduce himself in that manner?"

"Oh Momma, Richard knew the force was pulling on him to deflower me so he put on a show for the benefit of the one who we are looking for. The entire circle was gathered in that room so it could still be any one of them except Rebecca of course."

"That explains it. Richard is very quick thinking and mature for a boy his age. Well, dinner will allow us all to be on the same page and see how we plan to deal with this from this point."

"I'll be very glad to see Richard again. There is something about him that I can't put my finger on that makes him very welcome to be around." I smiled and added, "And I will ask him to the dance both at dinner and then at school so it will be known for sure that we are a couple."

"I'm glad Sweetie that you like Richard since it looks like you will be spending a lot of time with him over the next few days."

We both got ready for dinner and Momma drove us to the restaurant where Richard's mother and Richard were meeting us.

Jennifer, Richard's Mother seemed very apologetic when she spoke to Momma and I, "I am so sorry this happened this way without us being able to get on the same page. It was more about introducing you both to Richard as quickly as possible than needing Richard to ride with you all to school. I had no way of knowing that something would happen that quickly against Denise. I'm glad it was Richard that was the subject of the first spell since it hasn't affected him as intended."

Momma wanted to calm her. "You could not have known that the fiend would strike that quickly and I am so glad it was our decoy who got hit with the first one since that buys us some time to figure out who it is that is doing this and how to deal with them."

"Rebecca did send some more gifts besides the trinket that Richard is wearing. She sent seven crystals which turn from white to black in the presence of someone in the influence of evil. She also sent seven necklaces to use to break the hold that the evil one has on any of the circle that may be affected."

"How do you suggest they be used?" Mother asked

"Denise should take the crystals and expose them to one of the girls when none of the rest of them are around and preferably when she is alone with them so we can be absolutely sure that it is the girl tested that turned the stone. She should keep them in the box that they are in now since that box keeps them from being affected while the box is closed. If for some chance one of them are turned without knowing who did it, the crystal can be returned to being white by going under Denise's pillow before she goes to sleep and then returning it to the box when she wakes in the morning. Here is the box, Denise."

"Thank you," I said as I took the box and placed it in my bag.

"Denise, I will keep the necklaces safe while you find out how many, if any, are affected. If there is only one, then we will have determined who the culprit is already. When we know, we should meet again and decide on the order and the best way for the necklaces to be used. Until we find out who it is, you and Richard should make out when ever you get the chance if observed by anyone from your school so that Richard's cover isn't blown and someone else is set against you."

I grinned at Richard and said," That will be a tough acting job but I guess I can bring myself to do that. Richard, would you like to go to the dance with me?"

"I would be very honored to go with you, Denise. I accept"

"Great! I'd like for you to manage to meet me long enough at my lunch time so I can invite you in front of the whole freshman class."

"I could manage anything for you, Denise. I'll be there," Richard said confidently. Spell or no spell, I believed him. This could be fun. There was some other small talk with Momma and Jennifer catching up but nothing eventful. Soon I was home doing my homework and after that Momma tucked me into bed.

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