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Part 9

I am not going to go into my therapy sessions with you, sorry. There's only so much I'm gonna share with the general public. Besides, I don't think you are prepared for twelve hours of psychiatric babble. Six hours on Saturday and Six on Sunday. I think my brain is half the size it was on Friday. Consider it properly shrunk. Hey, you go through the equivalent of three months of therapy in two days and see if you're any more forthcoming.

Chloe gave me the silent treatment on the way to school Monday morning. Not the bad type, the type that is asking well, spill the beans, I want to know the really juicy stuff, kind of silent treatment. She spent the majority of time just grinning in anticipation of what insanity my life has become in the two days since we last talked.

As I pulled into the school parking lot she couldn't take anymore of my steely resolve not to open my big fat mouth and bubble forth blatherings.

"You suck!"

"What? I didn't do anything!" I replied.

"You haven't called for two days! What happened on your date with Mark? What happened with your mystery girl? Who is your mystery girl? What about the thing with your doctor?" She threw up her hands in mock frustration. "These and other exciting questions wait with unanswered angst by your adoring fans!"

I gave her my best arched eyebrow. "Fans?"

She stilled, but just for a second. "I'm not saying there is or anything, but how would you feel if someone started a Facebook page on you and your adventures?"

I actually dropped my keys after I pulled them out of the ignition. "Chloe… you didn't."

Her hand went right to her chest. "Me, no. I'd never do that to you. I know how much you value your privacy. But you've got to admit, some things are better dealt with out in the open." She shrugged and turned away before opening the door. "I mean some rumors need to be nipped in the bud right away."

She was out of the car a split second right after. I grabbed my keys and backpack before almost falling out of the Beetle in a panicked rush to catch up. "Chloe!"

She stopped at the next row of cars and waited for me to catch up.

"Do I have a Facebook page?"

Chloe adjusted her backpack on her shoulder. "If I had to make an educated guess, I think it's Jerry Greene's."

My stomach clinched. "You're kidding. Please tell me you're kidding."

She shook her head. "I found it last night. Susan emailed me asking if it was you and I checked it out."

Panic started creeping its way through me. "It doesn't… I mean the old me… it's not on there?"

Realization dropped over her face. "Oh no," she assured me. "It's a fan page or whatever."

I'm not an Internet newbie. I know what fan pages are and they usually surround popular people. I am most definitely not popular. "Chlo, I just started school here, I can't be popular."

A sly grin was returned. "You're brand new. Favorite flavor of the week, but whoever it is has a lot of material on you already."

I grabbed her upper arm and stopped our progress to the front doors. "What kind of material."

"Pictures, school schedule, extra-curricular stuff, nothing like address or anything."

"Pictures?"

She nodded. "Cell phone stuff mostly, although there are a couple of really good ones."

"Green," I cursed.

"I said I think it's Jerry. I don't know for sure."

My teeth were starting to grind as I was thinking of how much it would please me to whack him in the nose once more.

"There were only a couple of people that knew you and Ted split, me, Jerry, and Ted."

Still distracted in thought I supplied another name. "Denise knew too." Then I realized what I said.

Chloe's eyes lit up and a grin revealed her teeth, gums, maybe Mount Rushmore, it was so wide. "Denise!" Then everything fell apart in confusion. "Denise who?"

I flushed in shame. "Chloe, you can't say anything. She's not out of the closet."

She bounced on the balls of her feet. "Denise who?!"

That's it. I'm buying a roll of duct tape and sealing my mouth shut. It's the only way to stop the endless amount of trouble it's caused. I mean if it was duct taped shut I'd never been able to say anything to Jerry that day in Homeroom, and Ted would have never had to pound him. I'd never have the chance to kiss Ted, or Denise for that matter.

Chloe's right. She'd make thousands on a betting pool about what disaster would happen next. It was turning into a daily thing! The bad part was that each occurrence was getting worse and worse. Maybe I was cursed.

"I need a computer."

She shook her head. "School's out. They block Facebook."

Blast! Seven more hours until I can even see the damn thing!

We walked into Homeroom and sat while I seethed and plotted very evil plotting things. I thought of finding out where Jerry lived and dumping fifty pound bags of Gravy Train dog food all over his yard the night of a good rain.

Nah, his parents really didn't do anything. Plus, I'd get my hair wet.

Maybe we'd have spaghetti and cheese broccoli for lunch today and I'd spill it on him.

Nah, that's not even original.

All thoughts ran out of my head when I heard his voice out in the hall. I jumped up out of my chair and made my way to the door right when he walked through.

"Hey, Casidhe… Oww!"

I grabbed him by the earlobe and swiveled around to see Mr. Walsh about to get up out of his seat behind the desk. I held up a finger. "We'll be right back. I promise that he won't be bleeding." I turned around and pulled him out with me. "Much."

Right before I released him about ten feet down the hall I dug my thumbnail into his lobe. "What have you been doing on Facebook?" I snapped off in a harsh whisper that spoke of Iron Maidens, Cat-of-nine-tails, The Rack, Thumbscrews, and not the fun kind either.

He stopped rubbing at his ear and he paled. "Uh."

My special X-Men Mutant power was obviously not fiery beams of energy that come from my eyes. If it were, then Jerry would be a smoking crater of ash right then. "Uhhhhh, what, Jerry Greene!"

"It's not bad," he whined. "Honest."

I spotted Mr. Walsh standing at the door to the classroom and grimaced, then leaned in. "Announcing that Ted and I have broken up is somewhat personal. Don't you think?"

He cringed just a little bit. "It's not like people won't find out today."

Something occurred to me and I was about to grab him by the ear again, but he swerved out of the way. "Did you out me?"

He shook his head in quick response. "Nuh-uh. I wouldn't do that."

The warning bell sounded right then and I pointed my finger at him. "Be very careful with what you post, Jerry. You really don't want me as an enemy. I will destroy you so effectively that no girl will ever go near you again."

With a final scathing look I walked back into class. Mr. Walsh stopped me as I passed. "Anything I should know about, Casidhe?"

I frowned and shook my head. "No sir."

Chloe was giving me an inquiring look as I made my way back to my seat. I pursed my lips. "It was him."

She covered her mouth to hide her grin. "You should have seen Mr. Walsh when you fingered him back to his seat. I thought he was going to pout." A light chuckle later brought more wisdom from my friend. "You make High School so much fun, Cas. You really do."

I shook my head as I pulled out my notebook and sat back. I don't know why, but I looked to the side and saw Ted sitting there in his seat, two rows over. He glanced my way with a slightly confused look on his face, like he was trying to figure something out but was failing. I gave him an apologetic smile. I really didn't know what else to do.

~O~

On the way to English I had to make a pit stop at the girls room. Chloe had to stop by her locker so I waved her on. Unlike genetic girls, it is possible for me to urinate all by myself. Maybe I got a pass from the bladder fairy?

After I came out of the stall I slammed on the brakes. Guess who was touching up her lipstick at the sinks? Lisa. I set my backpack on the ground under the sink and washed my hands.

"Hello, little Freshman."

I grabbed a couple of paper towels and dried my hands. I wasn't in the mood, and that may have triggered what I said next. "Hello, idiot upperclassman. I told you before, I'm a Sophomore."

She smiled sweetly. I guess if the sugar was laced with strychnine it would be considered sweet. "Oh, I remember. Just like I remembered to tell you to stay away from Mark."

I didn't even blink.

"Which leads me to wonder why I see a picture of you two in my email when I woke up this morning all cozy at some restaurant."

I shrugged with a silly grin on my face. "Hmm, guess Mark may have wised up and picked someone that wasn't grubbing for his money. Then again we might have been in a tutoring session like you already knew about? Maybe we even behaved like adults and nothing happened beyond studying."

Looks like she was trying for that X-Men eye beam thingy as well. I couldn't let it go. Like I said before, maybe duct tape is the answer to all of my problems. "There's that memory thing again, Lisa. Maybe you ought to try some St. Johns Wart."

The warning bell sounded and I bent over to grab my backpack. I really didn't have time for this crap. That's when she struck, the cowardly bitch. She grabbed the back of my hair and swung me around like a stupid rag doll, right into the closest stall. My balance was totally thrown off as I slammed into the side of the stall. I've got to give it to the little twit, she's quick and nimble.

She had a hold of my hair again. That really hurt, by the way. I was halfway to the toilet when I caught myself with one hand on the bowl and reached back with the other trying to push her away.

Ever been rabbit punched? There's two types: the head blow, which is located between the skull and the first vertebrae, or a blow to the kidney. If used hard enough the first could crack your spine and kill you on the spot, the second could injure your kidney and you could die from internal bleeding fairly quickly. That's why they are illegal in boxing.

I seriously doubted Lisa even knew what a rabbit was, much less a rabbit punch. I got the neck one.

My head bounced off the toilet bowl and I saw stars, which in turn brought me to my knees and ultimately into the water. I didn't even have the sense to struggle, but was held there until the inevitable flush where I received my first and only swirly.

The noise and cold water rushing over my face brought me back from whatever lala land I was visiting and I elbowed backward. The sound of Lisa's breath wooshing outward let me know that I hit her in the solar plexus.

I dropped to my butt because of the water and scrambled to get back up before she came at me again, but she was standing there bent over trying her best to breathe. It wasn't really working. Instead I pushed her into the wall and ripped off her little, 'Lisa Stratford: Student Aide' name tag that she wears, grabbed my bag and headed to the office.

On the way out I pulled my Blackberry and called the police. Screw the school dealing with it. I'm calling in the big guns.

When they answered I went into a measured rant. "My name is Casidhe O'Connor. I'm a student at Desmond High. I was just assaulted by a Senior by the name of Lisa Stratford. I need the police here immediately. I may need medical care too. I'll be in the office."

By the time they got my information I pulled open the door to the office, went in and slammed the name badge on the counter. My heart was pounding and I had a nasty headache starting from the front and back.

"Principal, now."

The uber-cheerful receptionist that greeted me on my first day was all agog. I'm sure her life was an empty pit of cheerful despair until I came along. She grabbed her phone and fumbled at the buttons when Lovely Little Lisa made an appearance.

"She hit me!" the annoying bitch screamed.

I spun and saw her at the door. Her hair was disheveled and then something blinded my left eye. I reached up and wiped it away then looked at my hand. Oh, crap. Blackness started to squeeze in around me and little fireworks started shooting off in my eyes. I gripped her name badge on the counter and dropped to my knees. That's all I really remembered before the hospital.

~O~

A really loud whomp-whomping is what woke me. Before I was even able to move a little voice came through the speaker by my ear. "Casidhe. I need you to stay very still. You're at the hospital right now and we're taking some pictures of your head. So don't move, okay."

My head was pounding worse than any headache I'd ever had before. I groaned a little. I didn't think I could do anything else without throwing up.

After about a billion years later they took me out of the MRI machine and two big burly guys moved me over to a bed on wheels. I knew it had wheels because I immediately got motion sick. I won't really go into the details. You really don't need to know what I had for breakfast.

There was some stupid thing on my neck that held my head in place. Great, apparently my head fell off somewhere at school and someone attempted to glue it back on.

"Chloe? Where's my backpack?"

Don't ask? I was delirious.

The pounding was back again, stronger than ever. So I mercifully passed out again.

~O~

Round two was a little bit better, sorta. I woke up in a nice little private room. The shades were drawn, thankfully. I really don't know if I could take sunlight at this point. I was at a slightly inclined position on the bed. You're wondering about the sorta part?

Remember Sam Sebastian, my lawyer? He's on the top of my To Call in the Event of an Emergency list in my school file. Well he was sitting in the corner with his cell phone glued to his ear sounding supremely pissed off. He was nice enough to keep it to a whisper.

The ache in my head had stopped its pounding and dulled out. I reached up to feel a bandage near my temple at my forehead. That's when he caught sight of me.

"Carrie, I'll have to call you back. Casidhe is awake."

He flicked his thumb on the end button and stashed his phone in his jacket.

"Hey Sam," I rasped. Ugh. "Can I have some water?"

He was already on his feet and beside the bed when he grabbed a miniature pitcher and poured a little in the cup. Securing the lid he twirled the straw toward me and held it to my lips. Ahhhh.

"Thanks."

He nodded and I saw the grim look on his face. "So, when did you grow breasts?"

Oh, did I forget to mention that I am the proud owner of two new artificial breasts? Very realistic. I picked them up Saturday after my meeting with the shrink. They're the stick on kind. I like'um.

"What? No hug?" I countered.

"Casidhe," he warned.

"Long story, Sam. Can I tell it to you later?"

He didn't really look placated, but considering I'm the one in the hospital bed he let it go for the time being.

"How do you feel?"

I closed my eyes and tried to stretch my neck, but it was too sore to really move well.

"Achy. Like someone rabbit punched me, and slammed my head into a toilet."

He nodded. "This classmate of yours, Lisa Stratford?"

"Yeah." As a second thought I asked, "Police come?"

Sam stuffed his hands in his pants pockets. "She spent the day in jail. That call was Carrie letting me know that she made bail."

That made me raise my eyebrows and then immediately regret it. Ouch. "So what's the scoop?"

"Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon upon a minor."

A toilet was a deadly weapon? Oookay.

He saw my confusion. "In this state using anything that causes serious injury on someone is considered a deadly weapon. Plus she's eighteen and a adult, even if she's still in school."

Sweet. Bitch is going down. But with my luck she'll wind up getting probation. Like a month or something stupid.

"What's she likely gonna get?"

He tilted his head to the side a little. "Depends on you really."

At my inquiring look he asked me, "Have you come out publicly about…" He didn't complete the sentence, only gestured at my breasts.

I shook my head.

"Well, I can guarantee that if this goes to trial then it will come out. It won't be admissible because it has nothing to do with the case, but it will come out."

I frowned. "What options do I have?"

He didn't waste any time. "Do you want this to go to trial?"

I didn't know the right thing to do, but I did know that I didn't want my personal life made public no matter what the cost. "No."

He nodded. "Then I would suggest that we make a deal with Lisa that she serve voluntary time in community service, take anger management courses, and pay your medical bills. In return, you'll drop the charges as long as she behaves herself until the statute of limitations runs out. I've already filed a restraining order against her.

It just didn't seem like it was enough. "Fine."

"I thought you'd also like to know that she's been expelled from Desmond."

Ah, much better. I grinned a little. The only person I was worried about making a connection between the male and female me is finally out of my life. Lemons to lemonade, baby.

On to other issues. "How long am I in here for?"

Sam's eyes flipped to my bandage. "You've got yourself a nice little concussion there. They said if you make it through today without a problem then they'll let you go tomorrow morning." Then as a little addendum he added, "Unless you plan on the sex change operation as well. That might take a few more days."

I closed my eyes and cringed.

"Are you seeing a doctor about this?"

I nodded.

"What's he, or she say?"

"He," I offered. "He's pretty well convinced I was meant to be a girl, but I'm still working on him."

Sam gave me a mild snort and then retrieved a chair. "Tell me about this girl that I've apparently missed all of your life?"

~O~

It wasn't until six O'clock that I had any other visitors. The door opened and a light knock sounded.

"Hey girl."

I grabbed the TV remote and lowered the volume. "Hey Chloe."

She looked really worried. "I take it back. I don't want to know what happens next."

After setting her purse down she eased up and gave me a hug. When she pulled back she gave me a weird look and then felt me up. I smacked her hand. "Leave my fake breasts alone."

Chloe ran her hands over her face. "The artificial ones. I thought you'd gone and had it done for real."

That brought a mild chuckle from me. "Ah well, I thought, what the hell, while I was here…"

All I got from her was a mild smile. "Are you okay?"

I nodded. "It's a concussion. I'll be out of here tomorrow morning."

I could see the relief on her face. "Cas, the rumor mill was in overdrive today. I've heard everything from you being knifed to you putting the smackdown on Lisa Stratford, and everything in between." She twisted her hands together in a nervous gesture. "I got to the office right after they took you away and saw the blood."

I pointed at my bandage. "Head wound. I guess it was bleeding more than I thought."

"What happened?"

I sighed. "Lisa happened. She got all jealous that I was tutoring Mark. She thought it was more than that and went postal on me. Tried to give me a swirly and I resisted, so she bounced my head off the toilet."

Throughout the short tale Chloe's mouth opened further and further until the end. Then her face went red. "I'll kill her," she whispered. I could tell that she wasn't serious. Maybe a little payback was in order, but by her tone she was more in disbelief than anything.

"That explains the police being there. They are going to put her away for this right?"

I shook my head. "I can't chance it getting out about me. But Sam has plans for her. She won't do any jail time, but she'll pay." Then I gave her a wide smile. "And on the plus side, they kicked her butt out of school."

Chloe's eyes went wide. "Permanently?"

"Ayup."

"Excellent!"

Another soft knock on the door revealed someone I'd never seen before. He wheeled in a cart full of flowers. "Hi Casidhe. Delivery for you."

Chloe ran around to the other side of the bed and helped the delivery guy pull vases off the cart.

"How many…"

"All of them," the guy replied.

"Who…"

"They have cards."

Okay, would I get a chance to actually complete a single sentence here?

Chloe was pulling cards, in order, so I wouldn't get them mixed up. There were several vases and a couple of potted plants that lined the window sill. Yes, flowers make you feel good. I felt like I was loved!

The Faculty of Desmond High: Get well, we miss you!

That was nice.

Mr. Walsh: Get well, I can't run this place without you.

Giggle.

Mark: I heard. I'm, sorry. She's an idiot and gone. Get well. I won't know what to do without you to get me through Poly Sci.

Mark's had an actual get well card with little flowers on it. His arrangement was obviously the most expensive as well. I know what exotic flowers cost in the middle of winter. Not to mention the teddy bear that was attached. Chloe untied it and laid it on the pillow next to me. She's silly that way.

Five of these people I didn't even know. Then I got to someone that I wasn't expecting.

Ted: I hope you are feeling better. I was upset when I found out what happened. I'll find out what's going on from Chloe. I want to see you. I miss you.

I passed the card to Chloe and she nodded. "Ted freaked when he found out. His mom had to come get him." She shrugged. "My mom had to come get me too."

I reached out and took her hand. "Chloe." My voice was barely audible.

She reached in again and hugged me tight. "Don't you do this to me again, Cas. I couldn't take it if you disappeared from my life." She choked a little on a sob. "I just got to know you and poof off you go to the hospital."

~O~

I scooched over and made room for Chloe and we chatted for the longest time about all the rumors while she played with Mr. Poodles the Bear. She named him, I didn't. Want to know something? I think Mark spritzed Mr. Poodles the Bear with some of his cologne, because I don't think that companies did that with stuffed bears. It smelled really good, so I didn't mind at all.

About seven I received another visitor.

Denise came in and shyly noted Chloe in bed with me. Of course Chloe was happy as a clam to finally see who the mysterious girl was that like to leave hickies on my neck.

"You have got to be Denise." She hopped up and patted the bed beside me. "I've kept your place nice and warm for you."

My semi-girlfriend blushed from head to toe. "Thanks."

With a measured look she found her way around the bed, gave me a hug, and then with a final glance back at Chloe she kissed me. It was just as soft as I remembered, which made me warm, fuzzy and tingly all in one moment.

With a very happy grin Chloe excused herself with a Coke run excuse to give us a little time alone. Denise looked at my bandage with a worried expression. "How are you feeling, sweetie?"

I leaned up and kissed her again. "Tons better now that you're here."

That brought a smile to her face. "I was so worried about you. Mom, wouldn't bring me up here until after dinner. So she's at the top of my shit list right now."

I giggled a little at that. I watched her eyes as they dropped to my chest and then back up to my shoulders. Her brow crinkled a little as she was trying to work out what was different about me. I took her hand and placed it on my breast. You should have seen her eyes.

"Oh my god, you've got breasts!" she said in an excited whisper. Her eyes flicked to mine in wonder. "Did they do that here?"

I shook my head trying not to laugh. She was so happy for me, after all. "They're not part of me yet. They're the same kind they give to women that have to have them removed."

Understanding fell over her face. "Ahhh. Well I love them. They feel so real."

"Well, hopefully in a few months I'll have some of my own."

She looked hopeful. "Therapy going good then?"

I nodded, and then watched as she got kind of quiet.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I fingered a strand of hair behind her ear.

She shrugged a little as she laced her fingers through mine. "I want to come out. I want the whole world to know how I feel about you."

I hitched a little in my chest.

"I nearly went crazy in class today when I heard about what happened and everyone was wondering why I was upset." She paused for a second and then looked me in the eye. "Right then I knew it didn't matter what people thought about me liking girls."

She leaned down and kissed me so softly again, but stuck around, close in. "Do you care?"

I felt my face relax and my body vibrate with need at having her so close. "I do." But before she misunderstood I also added, "I want them to know that I'm a lesbian too. Think you might be up to helping me a little with that?"

Denise actually shivered at that. "I want you to be my girlfriend, Casidhe."

"Only if you kiss me."

She smiled seductively at me. "Deal."

We sealed the deal for a couple of minutes and Denise leaned back to look at my left hand. She took off one of her rings on her right hand and slipped it over my ring finger. "There. You're mine now. I've got another just like it and we can match."

I was grinning like an idiot. "Does this mean that you're taking the more masculine role in our relationship?"

She nodded without a second thought. "Yeah, I mean you're way too girlie. I'm taller, and you'll fit just right under my arm."

I giggled. "Sounds perfect to me."

Chloe, as always had perfect timing. I flashed my new ring at her. "Look we got married while you were gone."

My best friend stopped and looked stunned, just for a second, before rolling her eyes. "I said no more surprises, Cas. Don't even think about getting married without me right beside you. I claim Maid of Honor privileges."

She sidled up beside me and gave me a hug, and a Coke! I told you she was my best friend. She held out her hand to Denise. "I'm Chloe."

My girlfriend took her hand in return. "Denise."

Then Chloe leaned in and hugged her. "I'm happy for you two."

I could see Denise relax into her embrace and then pat her back. "Thanks."

Seven-thirty rolled around and the nurse kicked my girls out. *pout* Chloe left me in charge of Mr. Poodles the Bear, and I actually had really nice dreams. Nice dreams filled with me dressed in a very frilly white gown, with Chloe standing by holding my hand being very happy for me.

I remember the scene switching to the bedroom where I was dressed in a white corset and stockings with matching heels, and Denise coming into the bedroom wearing a dressing robe and looking very sexy. I closed my eyes and felt her get into bed to make me feel like a natural woman.

Then I opened my eyes and something was all wrong. It was still Denise's head, but it was Mark's body, and that was right as she/he sank into me.

I woke in the middle of the night breathing kind of hard.

"Okay, I'm sure that dream didn't mean anything awkward."

~O~

When your doctor says that you're going to be released the next morning, what he really means is at 11:59 a.m. he'll start the release paperwork. You'll actually be lucky to leave by three. Sam came by and gave me and my bazillions of flowers a ride back to the house. I was really curious as to how the Beetle made it back to the garage, but didn't look a gift horse in the butt. Who cares what its mouth looks like. It's that butt you have to be careful of.

After making sure I was settled, I received a nice hug, and was told to take it easy for the rest of the day.

I immediately went upstairs and pulled the bandage off to see a knot on my head topped of with two stitches right at the hairline. I replaced it with a big band-aid and made sure it was secured so that I could wash my hair.

I really hate going a day without a bath. I just feel icky when I do that. Not to mention that I'm sure I smelled like toilet water.

After shaving my legs and underarms I almost felt normal again while I soaked away the last two days.

~O~

At 5:15 the phone rang. I check the caller ID. It was Steve. Tutoring. I had forgotten. Which reminded me to call Joanne and set up an alternate time to do hers during the week.

"Hello?"

"Hey babe! You alive?"

"Hello, Steve. No, Lisa didn't kill me. Just a couple of stitches."

"No shit?"

"I shit you not." Wasn't that a pleasant mental image?

"Are we on for tonight or do you want to do it another time?"

What the hell. It really didn't make a difference. "Sure, come on over."

"Cool, I'll be a couple of minutes late. I got to change."

"That's fine." I needed to change too. I didn't really think Steve should see me in my satin pj's.

"Oh, hey. Hold on, Mark wants to say something."

Hmm.

"Casidhe?"

Damn, he sounded like a freaking god over the phone. Luckily I have a new steady girlfriend, so it didn't affect me in any way, shape, or form.

"Hi, Mark. Thanks for the flowers they are beautiful. Oh, and the bear and the card too. It was very thoughtful."

He chuckled. "It was my pleasure. How are you feeling?"

I shrugged. Yeah I know he couldn't see it. It's a reflex. "A little headachy, but I'm good."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that. You had a lot of us worried. I saw them load you up in the ambulance yesterday."

"It wasn't my proudest moment."

He laughed good naturedly. "It was a proud moment for me. You opened my eyes to what a psycho bitch I was dating. Thanks for that."

I grinned. "That was my good deed for yesterday. I'm a Girl Scout at heart."

The air between up was silent for a moment, like Mark was contemplating something. "Would you mind if I came over a little later to talk."

"What about?" It just came out of my mouth. I have no idea why.

"Nothing earth-shattering." He chuckled. "I promise to be good. I know you just got out of the hospital."

Okay, now I was giggling. "Alright, but fair warning, I'm still achy from yesterday and I'm not going to look my best."

"Oh really?" He sounded concerned. "What hurts?"

I wondered if he had a pencil and paper. "Uh, knees, thighs, arms, are just sore. My neck is still stiff and I have a knot on my head the size of a walnut."

"Ouch." He thought for a second. "I'll bring something that might make you feel better."

"Thanks for the thought, Mark, but I've got some nice prescriptions from the doctor."

A bark of laughter followed. "Not drugs. Trust me. You'll thank me later."

I heard Steve in the background. "Dude, quit flirting with my tutor and give me my phone. I gotta bolt."

I giggled. "Tell Steve to mind his own business."

"See you about seven?" Mark asked.

"Sure. Bye Mark."

~O~

Steve wasn't pleased with the ending of Macbeth. "Why is it that the lead character always dies in these things?"

"That's Shakespeare for ya." I leaned back on the couch, stretched my arms, and propped my bare feet on the coffee table. "There are two kinds of plays he writes. Comedies and Tragedies. Comedies are when the lead actually lives."

"They were weird back then."

I nodded. "Just like we'll be weird a few hundred years from now. I mean can you see some future generation finding a Paris Hilton movie collection and confusing it with the prose of this time?"

He took offense. "Hey, Paris is hot."

I laughed at that. "She's a twig! Brain and body alike. You just like her because she gives head and posts it on the internet."

Steve's eyes bugged then he thought about it. "Well, yeah. So?"

It was already 6:45 I noticed by the wall clock. "Get out of here, nutball. Go have your girlfriend relieve some pressure or something."

He tossed his book in his backpack. "You're pretty cool, Casidhe."

I waved my toes at him. "Bye, Steve."

I went and took my evening medicine, antibiotics and pain reliever. That's when the doorbell rang. Stopping at the mirror to check my hair I straightened a turned strap on my cami, and twisted my short shorts a little so they were on straight. There's no need in scaring the poor boy. Then I made my way to the door.

Upon opening it wide for him he passed me a single white rose. "For you."

I don't care how many flowers I receive, I always smile when I see more. "Thank you, Mark. That was sweet." White means purity, like me.

Quit laughing.

He checked out the living room again and then the big gigantic coffee table in front of the couch. I gave him an inquiring look. He pointed at the couch and put his hand on the small of my back.

"Have a seat and put your feet up."

I did as instructed and gave him a curious grin at the same time as I tried to figure out what he was up to. He sat down on the coffee table, with my feet between his legs, and set a paper bag next to him.

"What are you up to?"

He pulled out a box and inside the box was a flexible bag filled with red gel. Mark bent it in half and sloshed the jell around inside. "Put this on your neck where it hurts."

Oh, it was very warm. Cool! I leaned forward and set it to were I was comfortable then leaned back again. While he sorted a tall bottle of something. He pulled out a hand towel and set it to the side and then poured something in his hand from the bottle.

I almost jumped when he picked up my right foot and started rubbing it. He spread the gel around my foot and up my calf as he dug his thumb under the arch of my foot.

I instantly turned to pudding. He knew exactly the right buttons to press to make me utter weird girlie noises from somewhere deep inside.

Eventually he worked his way upward to my calves. I hadn't really realized how good a massage feels. He was halfway up my thighs when I realized my eyes were closed and I snapped them open.

I know I jerked a little bit, because he was on his knees in front of me, between my legs. His attention was totally on my right thigh when he felt the jerk. He froze and looked up at me.

"Uh, sorry. Maybe it's just a little too personal in that area."

God, I couldn't tell if he was actually just trying to make me feel good or if her was going for broke because he was psycho free.

He slid back on the table and patted in front of him. "Turn around and sit here. I'll do your neck."

Okay. If it wasn't so sore I'd probably call an end to the evening, but I really wanted a neck rub. I followed his instruction. He lubed up his hands and was about to put them on my neck when I stopped him.

"Hold on." I moved my straps off the shoulder and tugged my back down a little. "I don't want to stain my cami. It's new."

"I'll be careful."

Magic hands did their stuff and I went back to moaning as he worked around the knots in my upper back and neck.

"You have beautiful skin, Casidhe. I thought all redheads were supposed to be loaded down with freckles."

I shook my head slightly. "I have to take special care when I go out in the sun. I do have a few on my face, but not nearly as bad as I've seen on some people."

He measured down on the pressure he was using, and just ran his fingertips down my spine sending a shiver right back up.

"How does that feel now."

"Nice. Thank you. I'm gonna sleep like a baby tonight."

I stood and took his wrist. "I'll show you where you can wash up."

In my bare feet, Mark was even taller. There was no doubt that standing beside him made feel very much like a real girl. I led him into the downstairs bathroom, and then leaned on the door jamb while he washed his hands. I compared everything I saw against him. His hands were almost twice as big as mine, and his arms were firm, muscled, but not bulky. Shapely I think would be a better word.

It was then that I noticed that he didn't have any hair on his arms. He was wearing jeans, so I couldn't tell if his legs were shaved or not.

"Like what you see?"

Oh my god! I must have looked like I was seriously checking him out. My hand went to my mouth and I blushed hotly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to… I wasn't…"

He laughed lightheartedly. "It's okay. Guys do it too."

"Oh my god, I'm so embarrassed, Mark." I backed away and wasn't watching where I was going. There's an umbrella stand I set by the bathroom with Gramps' selection of canes he used before he died. I lost my footing, but Mark lunged forward and slipped his arm around my back, catching me before I fell.

Don't they write this sort of scene in romantic movies? The beautiful girl slips and falls, and the hunky hero catches her, they gaze into each others eyes and kiss, fall deeply in love, and have babies?

Well there was so much wrong with that scenario I really didn't want to go into it.

However he did catch me. I grabbed onto his upper arms and yes they were just as firm as they looked. I did look up, and he gazed into my eyes. But then he straightened me out and bent down to pick up the fallen umbrella stand.

"Thanks," I said. "You just saved me another trip to the hospital."

He was bent at one knee and his head was level with my belly, which was currently showing because my cami was riding up after the save. His eyes flicked to my navel and he smiled. "No belly ring?"

My hand went to the cami and I pulled it down. "Sorry, never really had the chance."

After setting the stand right he looked up at me. "You should think about it. They're very sexy."

I swallowed. "Okay." Your stupid IQ is dropping Casidhe!

I turned and made a hasty retreat. "I have a girlfriend."

I stopped in the middle of the living room and spun around. Mark looked at me, kind of shocked, but not the appalled kind of shock. "Oh, okay."

He walked over to the coffee table and picked up his lotion, stuffed it into the bag.

"Mark, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on."

He shook his head. "Hey, it's no big thing. It's okay to be lesbian."

I shrugged a little. "Bisexual really."

He stopped and looked at me. "So if I wasn't so late in getting to you…"

I nodded. Maybe I did it to make him feel better, but I knew better. Oh yeah, I would have been all over him.

His confidence seemed to come back. "Well then. Maybe we'll see later on in the year. Let me know?"

I stepped over to him and went up on the balls of my feet to reach his cheek for a nice platonic kiss. "Thank you, Mark. You really make a girl feel special."

His face kind of reddened a little. "Well I better be going then."

I escorted him to the door, but at the last second he turned around and with the quickest moves I've probably ever seen, he wrapped one hand to the small of my back and the other bracing my neck, spun me around and did the whole romantic leaned back kiss thing.

Before I knew it I was returned to my feet and blinking away the shock.

"Sorry, I just wanted to give you something to think about."

Photo Credit: Olga http://mgpg.wordpress.com/2006/09/25/olga-super-red/

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To Be Continued...