Stupid Boy: Senior Year - Spring 02

Chapter 2 -- Too Big

Saturday January 21

Brook's parents had moved into an attractive three-bedroom home across the street from her grandmother's place. Cassidy slept in Brook's room while I was in the next room over. I snuck into Brook's bedroom before her parents had awoken.

I found Brook awake, and she smiled at me. She put her finger over her mouth and pointed to Cassidy, sleeping beside her like a baby. We'd been up late with Brook's cousins and the rest of her relatives. I learned that Brook wasn't the only prankster in the family as they told stories of what they'd done to each other growing up.

I think that last night put me in the mindset to have a little fun myself. Cassidy sleeping gave me the perfect opportunity. I also owed her because she'd gotten a little too comfortable bossing me around.

It never bothered me because I knew that Cassidy didn't have a mean bone in her body. Yes, she could make a boy squeal in pain, but that was because she felt she was righting a wrong. Cassidy never did anything more than some light teasing.

There were two reasons she was bossy with me. First, she knew I was a softy and would do absolutely anything for her. I'd made it clear that if there was anything I could do for her, all she had to do was ask.

Unlike my other friends--Wolf and Pam were good examples--she took me at my word and would just let me know what she wanted. Wolf had grown up without much and didn't ever want to accept what he considered charity. I hoped that on our last trip, he'd started to get past that attitude.

Pam liked to get my attention, so we played a cute game in which she came to me with requests for my son. I sometimes had to reject her requests because she liked seeing how far I would go.

The second reason Cassidy was bossy was that she was trying to find a balance between her job as my security and our close friendship. I knew that once she figured that out, things would be easier for her ... and me.

Brook's eyes got big when I stripped off and slid into bed behind Cassidy. She was sleeping in a flannel pajama set that kept her toasty warm. My well-thought-out plan was for her to wake up when I snuggled up to her. She just kept lightly snoring. I decided to up the ante and slipped my hand inside her top and put my palm on her tummy. When she still didn't wake up, I pulled her tight against me.

I was lucky that Mr. Happy was being well-behaved. He seemed to know that Cassidy was a no-go zone for multiple reasons. I decided to wait Cassidy out.

---

I woke to Cassidy looking me in the eyes. She leaned forward and kissed my nose.

"As enjoyable as it would be to have you in my arms all day, we need to get up soon," she said, smiling. "And you better take your hand off my butt."

Yep. Somehow, my hand had found its way under her pajamas, and I had a handful. I just left it there.

"We should talk," Cassidy said.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Brook is having some problems with the girls at her school, two in particular. They're implying that she's a slut because that would be the only way she could land you as a boyfriend."

"What am I supposed to do about it?" I asked.

"I don't think she wants you to do anything, but we're going to a party they're throwing tonight. You should be aware in case she gets mad and takes them out," Cassidy warned.

"Destiny Crown learned the hard way not to mess with Brook," I said with a little smile at the memory. "I can't really see her doing that at an all-girls boarding school."

"No, she probably won't. You can help her by being Mr. Charming and winning over her classmates."

"That I can do," I agreed.

"There's something else. Brook doesn't want to have sex with you this weekend."

I stuck my bottom lip out and pouted. Cassidy patted my cheek.

"It'll be okay. She doesn't want to make leaving you any harder than it already is. She misses you," Cassidy explained.

"Her cousins are cute," I said, perking up as dirty thoughts of a threesome ran through my head.

Cassidy glanced down because someone decided to poke her in her stomach.

"You do that, and I'll snap your little friend off," Cassidy advised.

It was like magic; my swelling went away. Next time I had a problem at school, I would go find Cassidy and have her threaten to rip my manhood off. Who was I kidding? That would be a terrible idea. She might take me at my word.

---

We had breakfast at Grace's, across the street. I fully understood why. Her cook had prepared a small buffet. I discovered something I'd never eaten before. There was a cheese doughnut that was split and made into a sandwich filled with peanut butter, a soft Italian cream cheese called mascarpone, and banana, and then grilled. I probably shouldn't have eaten three of them, but they were too damned good to resist.

Over breakfast, I was able to watch Ian and Ava more closely. He was trying to mend fences, but she was still not happy. If it ended up being anything like my parents' case, they would have to work on rebuilding their trust.

After breakfast, Brook's cousin Chelsea got my attention.

"Grab your coat. I want to show you something."

She wanted to talk, so I did as she asked. Brook eyed her but didn't interfere. We stepped out the back, and I discovered how special Grace's home really was. It was built on a bluff overlooking the Ohio River, with the courtyard and two-story section of the house on the same level as the road.

When you walked out the back door, you stepped down a level to a semi-enclosed, covered patio that ran the length of the house. From there, you had a spectacular view of the river and skyline. From the terrace, you could walk down the hill to another level that was surrounded by trees and shrubs, and sported at least a ten-person in-ground hot tub. The next level down from that was where the pool was.

"Gram was confused as to why you and Brook broke up. She said you two were perfect for each other," Chelsea said, getting right to the point.

I appreciated her direct approach, if only because it was in the mid-30s today. It was a little too cold for small talk.

"What did Brook say?" I asked to stall, and if need be, to back up Brook's story.

"She's not talking, which is unlike her. When we were growing up, we shared everything."

I pondered what to say for a moment. It wasn't my place to share Brook's family business and the real reason they'd moved, so I decided on the indirect approach and explained the breakup itself.

"I'll make you a deal. First, you tell me about the girls bullying her, and then I'll tell you what I know," I said, and looked around. "If I do tell you, you have to promise not to share it with anybody."

I'd pulled out my acting skills and was playing the nervous teenage boy. I'd gotten better at acting and could do the drowning puppy and get sympathy. The act would have never worked if Chelsea had known me better because I was usually confident.

She shoved her hands into her pockets and got closer to me so we could be coconspirators.

"Kaia Chamberlin is the one who sets the tone at our school. She and Brook clashed when they first met because Brook didn't know she was supposed to kowtow to Kaia's royal status. Kaia has nicknamed Brook 'New Girl' and gotten everyone to use it. She has also said some nasty things about you breaking up with Brook, and that Brook has loose morals," Chelsea said to enlighten me.

Sometimes, I forget that I lived in a fishbowl and people knew who I dated. One of the reasons I decided to pick Brook as my girlfriend was that she could handle the public scrutiny. Some tabloid must have said something unkind. Frankly, one reason I loved my hometown was that I never had to deal with that kind of BS.

"Brook and I knew our relationship would change at the end of high school. We agreed that when she went to college, and I left to film movies, we would end it ... for now. Brook's a great girl, and I admit I still love her, maybe even more than she loves me. If anything, she dumped me," I said, telling her the truth.

Chelsea pondered what I said and nodded.

"So, you didn't dump her?"

"No," I said, and then Evil David appeared, and I put the insecure teen boy act into full swing. "There was one other problem."

I nailed the little quiver in my voice and the darting eyes--there would be multiple Oscars in my future. I had Chelsea's full attention.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I shouldn't have said anything," I said, shaking my head as if I'd changed my mind. "It's too personal. I'll let Brook tell you."

Blood. Water. Teenage gossip hound in the role of a shark.

"You have to tell me. I promise not to say anything," she said, pouncing on the bait.

I bit my lower lip and looked at my shoes like Dare would have as I sucked in my breath. Then I let it out slowly, and our eyes locked. She reached out and grabbed my hand.

"Brook is hurting. I just want to be there for her," Chelsea added.

I almost believed her. If she hadn't had a little quiver like Duke had when you put a treat on his nose and told him he couldn't have it yet, I might have fallen for it.

"Brook can't be a slut because we've never had sex," I blurted.

Chelsea blinked several times. I think my declaration caused her brain to malfunction. She stepped to the balcony's edge and looked up at the sky.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

She held up a finger.

"Hold on--I'm checking to see if pigs are flying."

I almost broke character when she called me on my bullshit. Then I had an inspiration.

"It's really my problem," I said.

"You can't get it up?" she asked.

What was it that Tami always told me? Never go with my first thought. Oops.

"No. Nothing like that. I'm, well ... how do I say this?" I wondered. "I'm well-endowed."

"You're good," she said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Hold up your hand," I ordered her.

She did, and I put our palms together to show her how big my hand was. Her eyes got big, and she sucked in her breath when she saw that my hand dwarfed hers. I think everyone knew that if you had big hands, you had big other things ... or so the old wives' tale said.

"It's getting cold out here," Chelsea said, bolting for the back door.

Uh oh. I'd better find Brook and warn her. I might have stepped in it.

---

Cassidy figured out that something was up when Chelsea hurried in and grabbed Breanne. Combine that with my look of guilt, and there was no way I would ever get rid of her to talk to Brook alone, so I just told them.

"You said you're ... uh ... too big?" Brook asked in disbelief.

"As much as it pains me to say this, he might have solved your problem," Cassidy said to defend me.

"You amaze me sometimes," Brook said, not letting this go. "I'm surprised you didn't announce that you're so good in bed that I wasn't able to satisfy you on my own."

"See, that right there is why I love you. I should have talked to you first. That's a much better explanation," I said to play it off.

Cassidy jabbed me under the arm.

"Ow!"

"Quit being a 'stupid boy' and shut up," Cassidy told me.

"So, I'm supposed to confirm that you're too big down there?" Brook asked.

I looked at Cassidy for some help. She tapped out when I made my hasty comment, so I was on my own.

"I don't think you'll have to say anything. I bet that your cousins will take care of that for you. All you have to say is it's none of anyone's business why we're no longer dating."

"He's probably right. If I had that kind of juicy gossip, I would share it with you," Cassidy admitted.

"Have you seen my dick?" I said with a big smile.

"Ow! Stop doing that," I said when she jabbed me again.

---

The girls made me fold myself almost in half to get in the back seat of Brook's new car. I was being punished for telling Brook's cousins why we'd broken up. At the time, I thought I'd devised a genius excuse, but Brook wasn't on board.

I'd received a long lecture about what I was and wasn't allowed to talk about with her new classmates at the party. Specifically, I couldn't talk about my impressive 'tackle,' as Gwen had called it.

Brook drove us over the bridge to an affluent neighborhood. The home where the party was being held was located on a golf course. I was appalled when I saw several people parked on the fairway. My dad would probably shoot them if they did that to his golf course.

As we walked to the house, I noticed the cars were much more upscale than I'd seen at any party I'd gone to back home. Brook's Porsche fit right in.

When I rang the doorbell, the door was opened by a stunning blonde. My first thought was that she had to be a model. She was accompanied by a girl and a guy who looked like people you would imagine seeing in the Hamptons. I chuckled because I recognized that the guy was wearing last season's Abercrombie. If you wanted to play the über-rich playboy, you didn't wear last year's clothes.

"New Girl!" the blonde said a little too excitedly.

Cassidy rolled her eyes when the blonde did the fake-cheek-kiss bit to Brook. She might have pulled off that they were frenemies if Brook hadn't stiffened. You could tell Brook really disliked this girl, and she had no plans to play the fake-friend part. The blonde then turned her gaze on me.

"David A. Dawson! I must introduce you around," she said, grabbed my arm, and pulled me inside.

I glanced over my shoulder, and Cassidy looked like she was about to take the girl down. It was rather rude to ignore her completely.

Unlike her minion, I had worn a sports jacket from Dakora that was from this year's winter line and an Abercrombie tall, fitted, button-up poplin shirt. I was also wearing my vintage jeans and the oxblood-red leather tennis shoes I'd bought while playing baseball for Team USA in Houston.

Brook had asked that I bring and wear what she termed my 'model clothes.' The whole effect made me look like I was ready for a photo shoot. I especially liked the blond highlights I'd received for my role as an American surfer-dude type in the J-drama.

I confirmed that the ringleader was Kaia Chamberlin, and her two friends were Spencer Rhee and Sabrina Shiroma. Sabrina was the other girl who'd been talking trash about Brook. Spencer looked to be a typical preppie, although I found it odd that Kaia would have a male friend. She didn't seem the type.

As we made the rounds, people seemed hesitant around Kaia and her entourage. At first, they assumed I was just a recent addition and were standoffish. I made a point to turn on the Dawson charm, trying to put them at ease. It was only partially effective because they'd been conditioned to be wary of Kaia's catty remarks.

We walked into a game room, and over the fireplace was a portrait of a very familiar woman.

"Is that ...?" I asked.

"Yes. That's my mom, formerly Claudia Müller. Everyone says I look just like her," Kaia said, fishing for a compliment.

I looked at Kaia more closely. Before I was born, Claudia Müller was famous for posing in a red one-piece swimsuit. In my dad's youth, her poster adorned the bedroom walls of most teen males. I'd seen the poster in old photos of my dad and uncle in one of their bedrooms.

While Kaia had model looks, she was not on a par with her mother. Claudia was stunning.

"Thanks for introducing me around. I should get back to my friends," I said to dodge the comparison and to rid myself of Kaia.

"You should hang out with us. People with similar interests should stick together," Kaia tried. "Don't you agree?"

Her minions dutifully nodded as they all turned to me.

Several comments came to mind. This girl made me think of the first time I'd met Lexi. What was it with teen girls who thought they had to be mean to be the top of the heap? Lexi had changed, so I figured Kaia could too, at some point. Then again, she probably would turn out like one of those reality-TV 'real housewives' my mom liked to watch.

"I'm not going anywhere, but I'm not abandoning my friends, either. I'm sure we'll have a chance to talk later," I assured them--NOT.

Kaia kept her mouthy opinion to herself as I flashed my best smile. Adrienne had taught me how to look my best, and I could tell that Kaia had big plans for me. I would have to hide from her later.

I found Brook with her cousins, looking put out, and Cassidy with an amused expression. Next to Brook was another girl who looked like one of my fantasies, the naughty librarian. She had the requisite long, dark hair and glasses. My fantasy girl looked at me and smiled.

"So, your dick's too big," she blurted and then turned red.

I got a shocked look on my face and put my hand over my mouth like I was mortified. I glared at Chelsea, who had the common sense to look away.

Cassidy and Brook both barked out laughs as I scampered off. Maybe there were awards bigger than the Oscars. That performance surely would earn me a lifetime-achievement one.

The real reason I left was that I realized that I'd been at a party for nearly an hour and needed a drink. If this kept up, I would need something stronger than the Coke I planned to have. When I came back, Brook's cousins were missing.

"David, Makayla wants to dance," Brook said.

I didn't have to be asked twice. I took Brook's friend--my fantasy naughty librarian--out and began to shake what God gave me. Makayla was a total free spirit; there was no rhyme or reason for her dance moves. I was having fun. The music slowed down, so I took her into my arms.

"You've gotten Brook's cousins in a tizzy. It won't be long before everyone knows of your giant dick. Brook and Cassidy think it's funny," Makayla said, to let me know she knew the truth.

"That I have a giant dick?" I asked for clarification.

Makayla laughed.

"You're fun. I can see why Brook dated you."

I sighed.

"And I can tell neither of you was ready for it to end," Makayla said.

I nodded my agreement.

---

Without the 'Mean Girl' around, the partygoers got brave and wanted to meet me and get to know Brook better. I counted my trip as a win when I saw her in an animated conversation with five other girls. She was going to be okay.

I'd had enough of the festivities. It wasn't my scene. Everyone was posturing to see who was the richest and most connected. I'd learned that if someone had to play the one-upmanship game, they were a poser.

People who had achieved something didn't feel the need to act like most of these kids were. I had a bad feeling that this would be typical of parties when I was older. Back home, I was used to people just being themselves and not trying to put on airs.

I went in search of a bathroom and made the executive decision to go upstairs when I saw the line. It turned out to be the right call.

When I came out, I got curious and did a little exploring. I found an upstairs library, and a girl there curled up under an afghan, reading her tablet. One look told me she had to be Kaia's older sister. I sat in the chair on the other side of the fireplace and stretched my long legs out to get comfortable.

"You're not supposed to be up here," she said without looking up.

"I'm hiding from your sister."

That admission caused her to look up; she recognized me and smiled.

"You're the actor my sister plans to hook up with."

She laughed when I let my face show what I thought of her sister's plan. She set her tablet down and considered me with an intensity that made me a little nervous. I held up my hands.

"I just got out of a relationship."

"What makes you think I'd be interested?" she asked.

I gave her my best sexy smile.

"You're interested."

"You're a little young to have that much confidence. I hate to break it to you, but I'm really not. I'm looking for a real man, not a cute boy."

"David," I said to introduce myself.

"Lila."

"Do you have a 'man' in mind?" I asked.

I caught the look of frustration on her face.

"He's not interested?" I guessed.

"He just doesn't know he's interested yet," she clarified.

"Now, who's confident?" I teased.

"My sister needs someone like you. It would do her a world of good," Lila said.

"You're not a fan?" I asked.

"Let's just say that my sister and I are polar opposites. She was the one who got all the attention when we were growing up, while I had to be responsible and look after her. Neither of our parents was around much," she explained.

"Tell me about this 'man' who doesn't know he's interested yet," I said to change the subject.

I didn't want to talk about her sister.

"He plays hockey where I go to school ..."

Lila started and then was off telling me all about this guy. She was going to school at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. Something like 200 alumni all played professional hockey, making the hockey players the big men on campus.

Lila had a class with him and didn't know how to get his attention. I began to suspect that she didn't date much because, let's face it, with her looks, the guy would have to be an idiot not to want to date her.

"Actually, the more I think about it, the more I believe you need to practice," I said.

"Practice? What does that mean?" Lila asked.

"I play football and baseball. We would never go into a game without practicing. It's the same with dating. You can't expect to snag this McSkatey without practicing," I explained.

"This isn't a stupid football game," she said. "And don't call him that."

I had no plan to quit making fun of the guy because I'd started to have ulterior motives with Lila. I also liked how she looked when she got fired up defending her 'man' because her eyes would flare, and her cheeks flushed with color.

"Talking to you, I get the impression that you don't have a lot of experience. I think that if you want to win McSkatey's heart, you need to at least practice kissing," I gambled.

"There's no way that is happening," she said as her eyes narrowed toward me.

"I'm offering my service as a one-time thing," I said and then smiled. "Don't you want to kiss me?"

Her eyes flared again, and her mouth opened in a mix of outrage and disgust.

"Like I said, not happening."

"I get it, you're probably terrible at it," I said with a straight face.

"For your information, I'm an excellent kisser," she said as she crossed her arms.

"Really?" I asked skeptically.

"Yes, really."

I could see the seed of doubt seeping in.

"Show me," I said as I pulled out all the stops, using my best sexy voice and look.

---

Looking back, I'm not sure how it happened. One moment, the sexual tension had risen to an almost unbearable level. At the time, I wasn't sure if Lila would punch or kiss me. In a blur, we somehow ended up in her bedroom.

As soon as the door was closed, I started to lose clothes. I pulled them off and threw them on the floor behind me. Lila was taking too much time. She still wore her panties, so I came forward and yanked them off of her. Lila backed up, and her legs touched the edge of the bed. I advanced on her, and she hopped up and scooted back while looking at me the whole time.

I got on the bed and was soon atop her. Lila's legs spread, and I found her warm sex against Mr. Happy. I shifted my hips, which caused my length to slide along her slick folds. As soon as they parted, the scent of an aroused woman hit me.

"You do have quite a package," Lila said.

"You heard about that?" I asked.

"Oh, yes. I just figured you were acting like all men and exaggerating."

I shifted my hips again, and she moaned. Lila pushed back and began to add her own hip motions as she ground against me. She was about to awaken the sexual beast inside of me as she did wonderful things to my friend. Before I could plan my next move, Lila slipped her legs around my hips.

I sensed that she thought she was in control. Time to dissuade her from that notion. I reached down, grabbed her hips, and flipped her over onto her stomach. Lila made a startled sound as I smacked her butt.

"Condoms?" I asked.

"In my nightstand," she said, pointing.

I got up and proceeded to put one on. Lila watched, and I could see the moment of hesitation touch her eyes. I was there with her. Was this the right thing to do or not? She got herself to her knees and presented me with her magnificent backside. I could clearly see that her sex was aroused. I decided that it was the thing to do. No regrets, right?

I came up behind Lila and pressed into her thighs as my member slid upwards between the cheeks of her firm, round bottom. My arousal increased as my balls tightened. She wiggled her butt to force me into action. Instead, I gave her another swat to let her know I was in charge. Lila looked back, and I could see that I'd taken the right tack.

"I had no idea. You're not a little boy, are you? You're all man. I was also wrong about you being right for my sister. She wouldn't know what to do with you. I'm starting to wonder if you're too much for me."

I lightly touched the skin on her back, which caused her to twitch in anticipation, and my erection throbbed. Then I realized that I didn't just want a quick romp, I wanted to make her scream my name. I wanted to possess her. I had to taste her.

Before I did that, I ran the head of my dick up and down Lila's folds and found her clit. Her warm juices coated my tip, and I saw them paint her lips. She let out a low moan.

When my head dipped down, and my mouth latched onto her sex, Lila yelped.

"What are you doing? No one has ever ..." was all she got out before she moaned.

I turned my head and kissed her smooth inner thigh. I could hear her heavy breathing as I got a better angle, so I could lick her where she needed me to. Closing my eyes, I inhaled Lila's scent. There was something special about her, something that made me want to ravage her, yet protect her with everything I had. But I concentrated on helping her reach her first one. I wanted her to be more than ready for the main event.

I was rewarded by Lila moaning my name. She tasted so good, I wanted to feast on her. I drilled my tongue deep inside, again and again. That was when she made the sound you wait for, the one that told you that she was yours. A satisfied grin touched my lips.

Then I decided to up my game. I pulled my tongue out of Lila's depths and found her swollen little soldier. I pushed two fingers into that fantastic sheath where my tongue had just been, searching for that small, rough patch that was her G-spot. When I found it, her slick channel gripped my digits. I aggressively stimulated Lila with my fingers as I ran my tongue over her nubbin. She pushed back to increase the contact. Lila was almost there.

Then she exploded. At first, I thought by her cries of passion that Lila might have watched too much porn. I chuckled when she shuddered and flopped onto her side. I knew it wasn't an act when she drooled. No woman drools when she's trying to play at being a porn star. It was one of the sexiest sights I'd ever seen.

I didn't give her a chance to recover, but got on my knees and lined up with her sex. Lila gave a little jerk when she felt the tip and gasped when I thrust Mr. Happy in to the hilt with a fast, hard push. She was still spasming inside, and it felt like her core was trying to pull me in deeper.

Lila felt so very good. I gave her two quick thrusts to make sure she could handle it before I got serious.

When she moaned my name again, I knew I was golden. She was a treat. Her sex kept throbbing around my length as I plundered her hot core.

"You're a big boy," Lila said as she shook her head. "Please, do me hard."

We were on the same page. Lila screeched when I went to pound town. That was when the door flew open, and in stormed Kaia. She had wild, crazy eyes.

"You bitch, how could you?"

"Get the hell out," Lila said.

"You knew I wanted him!" Kaia wailed and then stormed out, leaving the door open.

She left her posse rooted at the door, looking scandalized.

"Shut the door," I commanded.

What the fuck? The girl and the guy stepped in and closed the door behind them. For a split second, I wondered if they watched Kaia when she had sex. I decided to ignore them and got back to what I was doing. Lila didn't seem to care that we had an audience. It didn't take long for either of us to get there.

When Lila came to her senses, she kicked them out.

"What was that about?" I asked.

"I have no idea, but I think Kaia's guy-friend, Spencer, is into you," she teased.

I'd picked up on a few tells that made me wonder about his sexuality, but I honestly didn't want to think about it. I got up, took a quick shower, and found Lila gone. As I walked down the hall, I saw her in the library, reaming her sister out. I didn't want any part of that, so I walked downstairs to find Brook and Cassidy.

"You are such a slut," Cassidy said when she saw me.

Spencer and Sabrina must have said something. I looked at Cassidy and shrugged; I couldn't argue with what she'd just said.

---

Sunday January 22

This morning, Brook found her way into my bed. I pulled her into my arms, and she lay her head on my chest.

"I knew you would stir things up if I took you to Kaia's party last night. But I had no idea you would bang her sister," Brook said.

I checked to see if she was pissed, but her little smile told me she was amused.

"Probably not my best idea," I offered.

"No, it was frickin' brilliant. You have no idea how much everyone hates Kaia. I don't think anyone has ever been brave enough to say 'no' to her. Then you pile it on by sleeping with her sister. Because of you, I made a few good friends last night."

"I did it all for you," I said to show how humble I was.

She slugged me.

"You're such a dork."

"I didn't set out to let her sister seduce me. That just sort of happened."

"You were thinking with your dick," Brook said as if it was the most natural and obvious thing in the world, and I had to agree.

We got quiet as we both lay there in our own thoughts. Finally, she began to talk.

"I'm sorry I left. I know we'd planned differently, but I had to leave for my parents. It almost killed me when I decided. I know it isn't fair to you. You have to know that I never intended to hurt you."

"I knew that from the beginning, babe. Family comes first. It just happened sooner than we wanted."

"Can you do me a favor? Can you not come to visit me?" she asked.

I had to admit that she was probably right. Coming here this weekend made me want to continue seeing her. It would be hard, but we could find ways to visit each other now that we had our pilot's licenses. I knew I needed to get my instrument certification and would do that even if I didn't come back to visit Brook.

Then I thought about what I'd done with Lila. I wondered if subconsciously, I had tried to sabotage my desire to continue seeing Brook. If it had been almost anyone other than Brook, banging another girl so publicly would be the last nail in the coffin.

"I shouldn't have done what I did last night," I said to apologize.

"Actually, I'm fine with that. I took it as a sign that you would be able to carry on. I don't want you sitting at home, worried about what I think. We need to make it a clean break so I can focus on school and my parents' drama.

"If I have to face my feelings about how much I love you, it'll be more than I can bear. If we can get past this and handle college, who knows what will happen in the future?" she said.

I was instantly transported to my conversation about 'someday' with Tami. If I hadn't lived through that, I would have been shattered by Brook's pronouncement. While it hurt, I knew that it was for the best. I was nowhere near ready to settle down.

Luckily, Brook had seen that before I had and given me a reality check about our relationship while we were in LA. If she hadn't done that, I would have been blindsided, and this would have been way too hard to face.

"I'll leave it to you to deal with everything as you think best. Just know that I love you and probably always will. If you ever need anything, let me know," I said.

"I love you, too."

---

Once Brook and I had some closure, we both felt better. It still sucked that she had moved.

We walked over to her grandmother's house for brunch. All of Brook's extended family who lived close enough came each week for Sunday brunch. It was a nice tradition.

Her grandmother's cook put on another excellent spread. Everyone encouraged me to try the Cincinnati chili. At first glance, I wasn't too sure I wanted any. It was made with some unique spices not found in regular chili, including cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, bay leaves, and dark chocolate. It was served over spaghetti, topped with raw onion, and smothered in cheese. When I first tasted it, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. I think I expected it to taste like regular chili.

"It was brought here by Macedonian immigrants," Grace explained.

Once I grasped that it wasn't the version I was used to, I was able to appreciate it. I might not go out of my way to order it, but I ate a large helping nonetheless.

After brunch, Ava and Grace wanted a moment to talk about our business. We went to Grace's home office for some privacy.

"The transition is going well, and we'll be ready to expand in a few months. I wanted to pick your brain about who you know might be candidates to be brought on board as wealth-management clients," Grace said to explain the meeting.

"Are you expecting a list, or do you need me to talk to them?"

"I think if you gave us a list with your permission to mention your name, that might be enough. Would it be okay to have them call you for your honest opinion?" Ava asked.

"Would I have to disclose my ownership interest?" I asked.

Ava and Grace looked at each other. I knew that in my mom's real estate business, they had rules that basically assured no harm to clients. To that end, she always said it was important to disclose everything that might impact a customer's decision.

Knowing I would make money because I owned part of the company might be important. It would, at the very least, let them know of my potential bias, even if I were sincere.

"Let us get back to you on that," Grace said.

"You know, the person you should talk to is my grandmother. She has many more connections than I do. I suspect that she already has a list of potential donors and contacts if I ever run for office. They would be ideal candidates for what you plan to offer."

"That's an excellent idea for phase two. We want to control the growth in the beginning while we work out any surprises. The next phase will be to expand quickly," Ava shared.

"Have you contacted your family?" I asked to see their commitment level.

"Already done, and they all signed up," Grace said to assure me.

"I can see I made the right decision in selling the business. I'll do whatever you need, within reason," I said with the added qualifier.

Right now, I still didn't see myself getting involved in a business venture.

"Can I ask you something off topic?" I asked.

"Sure," Grace said.

"I have a friend who might be onto an invention. He's modifying a drone to be super-quiet so it can be used as part of my security. I don't want anyone to steal his idea, and I'd like to help him make some money off it. Do you know who I should have him contact and how he should go about it?" I asked.

"I don't, off the top of my head, but I have people who would know. Did you want to make money on this, too?" Grace asked.

"Not really. I want to get my investment back and maybe have access to purchase his inventions at cost. I could see buying several drones to help act as automated watchdogs for my properties. He programmed my old drone to follow me around. My security people love it," I said to give them a little background.

She called in the security guy I'd met the first night, who'd taken the keys to Brook's car. Grace had me tell him what the drone could do and how we used it. From his reaction, it sounded like Dare might be onto something. With his endorsement, Grace said she would start making inquiries on Monday.

---

Brook took us back to the airport. I was back in her good graces, and she allowed me to drive her new car. This time, without the state trooper following us, I was able to have some fun. Her Porsche was a sweet little sports car.

We'd just entered the lobby of the Cincinnati Jet Center when I spotted Lila Chamberlin. Cassidy saw her coming and gave me some privacy.

"Hey," I said in greeting.

"David, I promise I'm not stalking you. I've booked a private flight back to school," she explained.

"I just got my pilot's license, and we rented a plane to visit my friend Brook Davis," I said.

"Last night was out of character for me," Lila said, acting a little nervous.

"You'll have to update me on your quest to snare McSkatey. If you need any advice or want to practice ..." I offered.

"Okay, thanks, oh wise one. There's just one flaw in that."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Only one?"

"I don't care how much my little sister wants you, I couldn't in good conscience let her have you. She needs to grow up before dealing with the likes of you," Lila said.

"Does that mean you want to keep me for yourself?" I asked and did an excited little hop.

"I'd better leave before I kidnap you and drag you back to school with me," she said.

"Seriously, Lila, call me. I'm not looking for more than friends right now, but I can tell that I'd like you to be one."

"That sounds like a plan," Lila said.

I hugged her and then had to go. I hoped I'd see her again.

---

Monday January 23

Cassidy and I had started our instrument training at the flight school. When I got home, my mom ambushed me.

"I need your help. Darius and I used the drone on Sunday to video the farm I just listed on Clark Road. Can you do your magic and turn it into a visual tour?" she asked.

"Why don't I show you some tricks so you don't have to get me to do it all the time?" I suggested.

"Someone's cranky," Dad said, coming in from the living room. "Did you forget to feed him?"

"Melanie left you some food in the oven, and there's a salad in the fridge," Mom said.

I grabbed the food and followed my mom to her office. I made her handle the keyboard because I knew she would never learn if I didn't. Mom absorbed information best by doing.

She and Dare had done well in capturing everything. The problem was that it was almost thirty minutes worth of video.

"Let me see the photos you took," I said.

Mom ran through them for me. Again, she had way too many.

"We need to cut this down, probably more than you're thinking. You always told me that you need to give them just enough information to contact you," I said. "What if you created something like a trailer for a movie? Maybe two minutes max, and offer them a link to a longer video if they give you their contact information."

Mom agreed to my suggestion, so I left her to figure out what pictures and portions of the video would have the most impact on buyers. I found my dad watching a reality show.

"Where are Peggy and the boys?" I asked.

"She took them to Pam's to go swimming. She mentioned something about them planning your demise."

Pam lived in the same building as my other two baby mamas, Ashley and Scarlet. While I was glad they spent time together, I was worried about my dad's 'demise' comment. Surely, I hadn't done anything to have them irritated with me.

"I've been thinking," I said to change the topic.

Dad reached over and felt my forehead.

"Just checking to see if you were sick."

Dad thought he was a comedian. I didn't even reward him with an eye roll; that would only encourage him.

"Remember when we all got together because I wanted to leave a legacy of excellence, and we laid out our plans to make Lincoln High special?" I asked.

"Yes."

"I think we've put a lot of the plan in place, like the Field House. We also talked about building a legacy that would continue after I graduate. I've got an idea for the older guys to act as mentors, sort of like all the ones I've been lucky enough to have. I'd like to see us pass down our insights to the younger boys with the idea that they would do the same when they became seniors."

"Like a big-brother type of arrangement?" Dad asked.

"I plan to work with Phil and Trent and share my knowledge on how to play quarterback, for example."

Dad got thoughtful for a moment.

"I think it might be a good time to get more people involved to help you plan this. We haven't looked beyond what we've put in place already. It's time we plan what's next. Do you want me to set it up?" he asked.

Sometimes, I didn't fully appreciate my dad. He'd heard tidbits of my idea and had already taken it and was running with it. When he mentioned getting others involved, I realized that I needed to open my mouth more often. I had to share what I was thinking because I didn't always have all the answers.

Did I just think that? That couldn't be right because my mom pointed out on more than one occasion that I thought I knew everything. As a teenager, I had to acknowledge that my mom was right on that count.

"That would be great. I'm sure they might have more ideas," I said.

Mom came in to get me. She'd picked out photos and the part of the drone video she liked. I helped her cut that down by about half, and we made the video for her website. It turned out we only used a small portion of the drone footage. We used it as an intro to show the farm, and then it soared over the house and captured a glimpse of all the outbuildings and the land behind it.

The rest of the video was comprised of the still photos my mom had taken. I had her add some introductory graphics, and then showed her how to do the soundtrack. At the end, there was a call to action. Once we were done, Mom was happy.

Before we finished, I showed her where she could learn more about the movie software. There were online videos that people had put together that presented step-by-step how to accomplish different tasks. I left her watching a video on adding her voice so she could describe the property in her own words.

---

Tuesday January 24

"Question," Tim said when he saw me at lunch.

"Answer," I replied instantly.

"I haven't asked the question yet, asshole."

Wolf's phone chirped, and he looked at it.

"Will you two dumbasses shut up? I just got a message from my mom. She says I got a letter from the NCAA telling me they're putting my eligibility on hold until they complete their investigation," Wolf said.

I said something I can't repeat.

"Yeah, I agree with David. I bet we all got them today," Tim said.

"Fuck it, I'm hungry. Let's figure this out after we eat," Wolf said, making way too much sense.

The three of us got into line. It was another mystery-meat day. Today's offering had a bit of a green shimmer when the light hit it just right. My stomach threatened to revolt.

"What would it cost me for you to make us sandwiches?" I asked the lunch lady.

I flashed her a twenty, and she snatched it from my hand and walked into the kitchen.

"He's handy, sometimes," Tim said to Wolf.

She returned with ham and cheese subs with a side of potato salad for each of us. Yuri was three people behind us.

"How do they rate?" he complained.

I ignored him, and the three of us made our way to the table.

"You three look about as happy as a vegan at a steakhouse," Gina said as we sat down.

Cassidy and Dare looked at our lunches and then down at what they'd been served. I didn't even explain, I just handed her money.

"Come on, Dare. Let's get something edible," Cassidy said.

"What's going on?" Gina asked.

I let Wolf explain that we had a slight snag with the NCAA and that I would get it fixed. I was happy he didn't tell her about the money or any details.

Dare was back, and he looked uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

He pointed to Cassidy. She caught my eye, held up her hand, and made the sign that she needed more money. I peeled off a large bill, and Dare grabbed it and hurried over to Cassidy. They returned ten minutes later with various subs and a giant tub of potato salad. They'd gotten enough for the whole table and then some.

After I ate, I left the lunchroom to find an empty classroom so I could make some calls.

My first call was to my dad, but he was with a club member, so I called Ms. Dixon, my lawyer.

"I wanted to give you a heads-up. Wolf's mom messaged him saying he received a letter putting his eligibility on hold."

"I'm assuming that you and Tim got something similar?"

"I haven't been home to check the mail, but if Wolf got one, I'm sure Tim and I will, too."

"When you get home, scan it and send it to Mr. Morris and me. I'll get started on what we planned to do in response."

"Please do. I've played along with Stewart's games long enough. It's time to end this. Do whatever it takes, and let me know when and where, and I'll be there," I said.

"Okay. Let me be the scary lawyer you hired me to be. I'll let you know when I have the meeting set," Ms. Dixon assured me.

I hoped this didn't mean we were going to war with the NCAA, but I wouldn't let that derail my plans.

---

After school, I suffered through another workout geared to jump-start my physical development since Ms. Marshall was worried I'd plateaued. Then Cassidy made me wear my weighted vest and ran everyone through sixty minutes of hell for good measure. Between the two of them, they were going to kill me.

After I'd finished, I drove to Dare's. He was done with the drone and wanted to show it off. When I knocked at his door, he opened it and showed me he had the drone and controller ready. He pushed past me so we could go outside.

"Did you have any extra parts?" I asked.

"I did at first, but I figured out where they went," Dare admitted.

"Are you happy with how it turned out?"

He just smiled in response.

Dare went into the middle of the parking lot and put the drone on the ground. He stood back, messed with the controller, and started its electric motors. The first change I noticed was that the blades were bigger, which allowed them to spin slower than my other drone, but it was still loud. I started to have doubts until it rose above my head, and the noise level dropped significantly. As it continued to rise, to about twenty feet, the noise faded to where I could barely hear it.

Dare started to tell me all he'd done.

"Hang on. I want to video you lifting it off again and then explaining it. There are a few people I need to show this to," I said, thinking of Fritz and Grace.

I didn't want to get Dare's hopes up that he might earn money from this before I knew if he had something.

He explained how the rotor design and the sound-dampening material around the blades sent the sound upwards into the sky. With the new blades he obtained, he could slow the rotation speed, further reducing the noise. He'd also added dampeners to minimize vibration noise.

"When can I start using it?" I asked.

"Give me until this weekend. I still have to program it so it'll link with your Bluetooth and send a live feed to your security people."

"I want you to know that I'm impressed. It turned out better than I expected."

I didn't expect him to hug me. The poor kid was starved for positive attention. I gave him a fierce hug back. Then, in typical Dare fashion, he was done with me. He had a drone to go work on.

---

On my way home, my phone chirped with an incoming call from a good friend. I punched it on and was about to say something, but an excited voice beat me to it.

"Ohmygod, David!" Halle James squeaked. "Did you see the news?"

"Uh ..." was my brilliant response.

"The Academy just put out their announcement of the Oscar nominees. Both your films got nominated," she said in rapid fire and then took a deep breath, "and you've been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for The Royal Palm!"

I didn't need a video chat to see how excited she was. I let her ramble on with the news, even while my phone showed incoming calls from Ari, Frank, and Kent.

It turned out The Royal Palm had been nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Picture, and Laurent Vance had been nominated for Best Director. My other film, The Secret Circle, had been nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Visual Effects. I was somewhat shocked that none of the other cast had received a nomination.

What puzzled me was that I hadn't heard a peep after the initial media discussions that I would be up for awards for my role in The Royal Palm. I hadn't been nominated for any of the film festivals or other awards to this point.

I'd put it down to the likelihood that the Hollywood movie industry was shunning me for my part in what I privately thought of as 'The Zander Debacle.'

My only real concern had been whether anyone would try to sabotage my roles in my upcoming films in the Star Academy and Bond franchises. I'd been assured that wouldn't happen, and those assurances seemed to have panned out.

Privately, my thought was that I seemed to be an up-and-coming 'bankable' actor who made the studios money, and money always trumped attempted blackballs.

Regardless, I had other fish to fry, namely the NCAA and the FBI so that I couldn't get too worked up about it right then.

"Halle," I said to cut off her enthusiastic babbling, "that's wonderful news, and if I can attend, I'd like you to be my escort if you're willing."

"If you can attend ...?" she started before I cut her off.

"Baseball season is about to start, so I have to clear it with the coach, and I have some other matters I'm handling. I promise I'll check with my coach and have an answer for you tonight."

"You're the most exasperating and 'stupid boy' I've ever met. Of course I'll go with you!"

I had to smile at her excitement.

"Let me get everything worked out, and I'll call you back when I'm sure I can go."

"Hmph!" I heard before the line went dead.

With that, I smiled and scrolled down to call Moose. I got the expected grumbling and mutterings about the need to focus on what was important, but he gave me permission to go, as I'd pretty much thought he would. What high school coach would prevent a guy from going to the Academy Awards and maybe getting an Oscar?

My next call was to Lexi.

"I was just about to call you," Lexi said as she answered.

"Halle beat you to it."

"She would be the perfect person for you to take," Lexi said.

"Already taken care of. Could you coordinate everything?"

"That's what I do," Lexi said, sounding happy to be doing something other than grunt work for Kent.

"Ari, Frank, and Kent have all called me, and I need to return those calls. I'll send them your way to keep them off my back. I trust you can keep them in line."

"Thanks," she said, not sounding nearly as happy.

The problem child was going to be Ari. I hoped that between Lexi and Kent, they would act as a buffer when he wanted to push me into doing more roles now that I'd been nominated.

After I hung up with Lexi, I took a moment before I called anyone else. Even if I didn't win, I would always be referred to as an Academy Award Nominee. That was a big frickin' deal.

---

I came home to find Coby and Carol in the mudroom, engaged in a death match over a toy. Those two were going to make me old before my time. Neither one ever backed down.

I was about to swat some butts when Duke slowly walked into the fray, snatched the toy in question, and took off with it. Both little ones looked around to see what had happened. Then Carol grabbed Coby and kissed his cheek, making me laugh. I worried that if they ever teamed up, the other three would be toast.

I picked them up, which earned me kisses. We'd been working on that. I gave them each a kiss and found all the baby mamas in my kitchen.

"It looks like you lost these two," I said.

"Duke would come tell me if they were up to anything," Peggy assured me.

I didn't quite buy it. Duke had assisted Coby in his great escape when he climbed the baby gate and managed to go down a flight of stairs. I had a feeling that Duke only went to get Peggy if one of them started to cry. Otherwise, he seemed to be in the middle of their trouble.

While I grabbed my dinner, I caught up with the girls. After I shared my news, Pam filled me in on Tracy's move to State. That reminded me that I'd promised to visit her. I mentally put that on my to-do list.

Ashley had sold another house and picked up several good listings. Scarlet was adjusting to being in charge of the businesses I'd retained from the merger, and Peggy had started her classes at State.

After I ate, I asked Scarlet to come with me to my apartment for a private word. I had her sit next to me on the couch.

"What happened with Chuck?" I asked. "I thought you two had hit it off."

"I did, too," she admitted.

It was apparent that this was bothering her. I put my arm around her and pulled her tight. Scarlet looked so vulnerable that it broke my heart.

"Do I need to kick his butt?" I asked.

"Things were going well. He was the perfect gentleman, and we'd gone out on a few dates. He was also good with Carol, so I decided it might be time to see if there could be more," she explained.

I took that to be code for sex.

"Ashley took the kids and gave me the place to myself. I made him dinner, and everything was going well. I asked him to do something for me, and he changed. It was like he thought I was disgusting, and he told me that I needed to seek help. I have never been so humiliated in my life."

I could see that Scarlet was on the verge of crying.

"It's his loss. You're better off knowing now than later how he felt. As far as what turns you on, there's nothing wrong with that. We all have different tastes," I said.

"That's what Ash said. It's just that I'm starting to think that there isn't anyone around here who likes what I like. I've been thinking I need to move or something because I'm about to explode," she said and then blushed.

I took a deep breath. While I didn't want to complicate my relationship with my baby mamas, I didn't want Scarlet to have to move to find someone who would provide what she needed.

"I learned something new when I was in LA. Well, it's not really new, but it was something I never saw myself doing. It's called hooking up. It's no-strings, no-guilt fun. Maybe you've heard of this," I teased.

"Are you worried that if you helped me with my problem, I would latch on to you?" she asked.

"Was I that obvious?" I asked.

Scarlet gave me a hug and kissed my cheek.

"You're sweet. You're actually everything Ashley needs."

"I have handcuffs," I said as I waggled my eyebrows.

I felt her stiffen. Until just then, I'd danced around what her 'special request' had been. I could tell Scarlet wasn't sure what to do. I decided to push this forward.

"Young lady!" I barked. "Get your ass in the bedroom, right now."

"But ... yes, Sir," she said, and did as she was told.

Scarlet just stood there as I slowly undressed her and then positioned her on the bed. I got the cuffs out and put them on her, then stepped over to my closet and found one of my ties that I could use as a blindfold.

My goal was to get her off. I didn't have all night because Ashley would want to take the kids home soon, so I didn't bother to get undressed. I reached between Scarlet's legs and found that she was turned-on. Rather than the lovemaking I would otherwise do, I used my hand to pleasure her. I figured it was like when I needed a good hand job. I could do the same for her.

Apparently, girls are like guys in that when Scarlet finally got off, she soaked my comforter. She had a severe buildup of pressure I'd released. I now had a similar problem, but I thought of Cassidy's threat to rip Mr. Happy off, and that curbed my 'growing' problem.

"Better?" I asked when I took the blindfold off.

Scarlet gave me a sheepish smile and nodded. That smile was not coming off soon.

---

As soon as we got back downstairs, Ashley took one look at her friend and smiled.

"Slut," she accused.

Pam's eyes locked with mine. Oh, crud. I should have thought this through. If I weren't careful, I would have all of them wanting sex from me. I shook my head because I couldn't believe it, which worried me. What guy didn't want sex with multiple girls?

"We need to go," Scarlet said to head off an explanation as she blushed and smiled at the same time. Uh oh ...

Pam caught a ride, and that left Peggy with me.

"Help me put the boys to bed."

And so it began.

---

Wednesday January 25

I did the walk of shame in the morning. My parents were at the kitchen table.

"I think he was wearing that yesterday," Mom commented.

"I think you're right. David, do you need to do laundry or something? Or is this how big stars act?" Dad asked.

I gave them a one-finger salute and trudged up to my apartment to shower and change.

---

I'd also received a letter about my eligibility being put on hold. Dad assured me he would talk to everyone and get the ball rolling. By now, I was to the point that I wanted to lay waste to Stewart Chadwick. I didn't like a bully, and he was sorely mistaken if he thought I would just roll over and comply with his wishes.

Stewart had bragged that the NCAA wasn't the organization I wanted to butt heads with. He was right. If I went in making threats, they would show me the door, and I would never play college ball. This would take some finesse, and I hoped common sense would prevail.

On the way to school, I called Coach Haber at Michigan.

"How's our future starting quarterback doing?" he asked.

"I've been better. I need to give you a heads-up. The NCAA is giving me fits, and they've temporarily pulled my eligibility. I wanted to let you know before you found out from another source."

"Is it just you?" he asked, suddenly getting serious.

"Both Tim and Wolf got the same letter. I hope that this gets resolved quickly."

"May I ask what it's about?" Coach Haber asked.

I gave him a quick rundown of the drama surrounding Southwest Central State and how I'd provided information to the NCAA. I explained how the NCAA's investigator had wanted me to continue helping in the investigation and how. Coach Haber wasn't happy.

"Do you need us to provide any kind of support?" he asked.

"Not as of now. I plan to go to the people in charge and provide them with the evidence of what Stewart Chadwick has been doing in their name, and hope they do what's right. When I was at their offices last year, I found they're good people. It looks to me like this investigator is just trying to make a name for himself," I shared.

"I think you're right. I often worry that someone at the university will do something to hurt the football program. It just takes one mistake to create a mess. Do me a favor and keep me in the loop. We do have someone who can help get things done if need be," he shared.

I remembered that one of the people I met at the NCAA headed a committee and was either the president or athletic director for Michigan. I didn't think this would get to a point where we needed him, but it was encouraging to know that Coach Haber would speak on my behalf.

"As soon as I know something, I'll let you know."

"Obviously, I want to wish you good luck, but somehow I doubt you'll need it. If you get a chance, you have an open invitation to come visit. I'd love to get you here to see spring practice," Coach Haber suggested.

"I'll put it on my to-do list. But I have to warn you, that list is starting to get long," I said.

---

Dad had invited Tim and Wolf's families over for dinner. Mr. Morris had scheduled a meeting with the NCAA for Friday. We had a quick conference call with Mr. Morris, Ms. Dixon, and Maddie Addison, my criminal lawyer who'd been handling the FBI contacts.

"Who all do you think should be in the meeting?" Mr. Tams asked.

"I think we should keep it small. Our goal is to get the investigator off our backs. We don't want to go in with guns blazing right off the bat," Mr. Morris said. "I would suggest that David, Rob, and myself go with either Ms. Dixon or Ms. Addison there as well."

"I know that we hammered out my amateurism issues during the last meeting. It took care of all the issues they had concerning what I'd done and what I would be doing in high school. Do we want to handle the issues that'll be coming up when I go to college?" I asked.

"What are you talking about?" Mom asked.

Mr. Morris jumped in.

"The way I see it, David will have two problems when he goes to college. The first concerns the movies he will film before he goes to school. NCAA regulations, section 12.5.1.3 is titled 'Continuation of Modeling and Other Nonathletically Related Promotional Activities After Enrollment.' According to that section, bullet point 'd' states that David can't endorse the product. In this case, it would be the films.

"We need to get a waiver due to David's unique situation. They've given them out in the past, so I don't expect it to be something that'll be hard to get," he shared.

"What's the other problem?" Mom asked.

"This is trickier. David has created an image unrelated to football and baseball that potentially has a huge monetary value. He needs to protect that image from the collegiate vultures. Part of the paperwork you sign to play ball at a university gives them the rights to your likeness, et cetera.

"They do that so they can get away with showing a student-athlete's image on TV without paying them for it. We need to draft a document that strikes a balance between the university being able to show him in games and his need to safeguard his image. It must protect him in case they decide to misuse his image or to harm it in some way.

"I would suggest wording that allows him to veto his image being used in ways that might harm him, and a specific carve-out with respect to his non-football and baseball image," Mr. Morris explained.

"Does he need a waiver from the NCAA for that, too?" Dad asked.

"If he did have one, it would help to get the same from, say, Michigan. We might also need to get a waiver from the conference since they have their own TV network. I could see them wanting to film a documentary similar to what David endured during the fall," Mr. Morris said.

That had my full attention. I hadn't really ever thought about it until now. All it would take was an unguarded moment being filmed where I thought I was 'safe' and could have a problem.

"Let's talk to them about both of those when we meet," I said.

"As long as we don't specifically link the Stewart issue with a demand for them to do this, we should be fine," Mr. Morris said.

I nodded as if I were satisfied. I could tell this was going to be a mess.

---