Stupid Boy: Senior Year - Spring 06

Chapter 6 -- Birthday Boys

Monday February 6

Cassidy had avoided me all day. When she didn't want to talk to me during flight training, I started to think it was more than her usual snit about something. I knew it was serious when Cassidy handed me the keys to the Demon to drive home. Maybe she was sick.

"Did I say or do something to make you mad?" I finally asked.

"No," she grumped.

"Then why are you acting like I just announced I was going on tour as a Christian comedian, and you have to be my security?" I asked.

Her eyebrows went together as she tried to imagine that.

"That would be less funny than Wolf already is."

"I've been practicing my material," I said proudly, and then launched into my routine. "God always answers kneel-mail ... funny, right?"

She wasn't buying it.

"Okay, I'm not going to hit all of them out of the park on the first try. I'll work on that one. How about this one? Seven days without prayer makes one weak," I said. "Weak spelled W E A K ... get it?"

"David, it's not funny if you have to spell it for your audience."

"Good point. I know you'll like this one. No time to pray makes you easy prey," I said hopefully.

She groaned.

"I don't know why you're not rolling around on the floor laughing. Coby loves my jokes," I complained.

"Coby's a little giggle-box."

"That he is. I know ... you'll like this one ..." I started to tell her my best one.

"Stop! I'll tell you already," she said, and then hung her head. "Brook warned me. Tami told me that I made a horrible mistake. But I have to come clean."

"You ate my cookies that were over the fridge in my apartment?"

I noticed they were gone, and I'd accused my mom. She'd denied it, so it had to be Cassidy.

"That's not it ... but yeah, I ate them," she said, giving me her pouty face.

No wonder no one ever bought my drowned puppy look.

"So, what's so terrible?"

"I owe you a favor," she said so fast I almost didn't catch it.

I all but ran off the road when I figured out what she was talking about.

"The bet!" I yelled as I started to bounce up and down. "Tell me everything. Did Dare lose his virginity?"

"No!" Cassidy scowled. "I couldn't make out with Don with Dare in the car. I'm afraid Don wants to break up with me."

"Did he get to third base at least ... OW! Don't hit me."

"'Stupid Boy'! Darius was a gentleman. He did get a sweet goodnight kiss."

"What did Chrissy think of it? Did he slip her the tongue?" I asked as I blocked her jab.

"I'm pretty sure she liked it. More might have happened, but her dad started flashing the porch lights when they went on forever."

I smiled because I imagined Dare remembered me telling everyone at lunch last fall how to kiss a girl goodnight after a date.

"I can't believe he didn't tell me," I complained, suddenly realizing this was the first I was hearing of this.

"What was the first rule your brother taught you?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah. Why didn't Chrissy say something? I thought girls were the ones who blabbed."

"She did. We girls don't always share everything with the boys," Cassidy said smugly.

"Gina always makes me talk. Why does Chrissy not get the same treatment?" I asked.

"Do you really need to ask that?"

"I guess not," I grumped and then smiled. "So, you owe me a favor."

"Just ask it. I don't need this to drag out."

"Hmmm ... nope. I think I like you owing me a favor."

Cassidy smacked her palm against her forehead and groaned. I wondered if she was getting a migraine. My mom seemed to get those in situations like this.

---

I dragged Cassidy up to my apartment so I could dress for dinner. Miss Joey Marshall, my hottie-hot-hot trainer, had relented and was coming to dinner tonight. I stripped down to my underwear and was rifling through my closet. By the look Cassidy gave me, she was enjoying the show.

"Covered or uncovered?" I asked.

"What?"

"Covered," I said as I pointed at my booty. "... or uncovered?"

I pulled my underwear up like it was a thong so my best asset showed. Going to my tippy-toes like I was wearing high heels made Cassidy laugh. I had to pick my underwear out of my butt to get it back to normal.

"Or should I go with the old standby: silk boxers?"

"Show me again?" Cassidy asked.

"Covered ... or ... HEY! No pictures," I complained.

Cassidy shrieked when I lunged for her phone. She was quick as she rolled off the bed, rocketed through the living room, and darted down the stairs. My little ninja screamed when she saw I wasn't going to stop just because I was only wearing my underwear. She only made it through the back door of the house because I almost killed myself on the ice on the driveway.

Cassidy tried to lock me out, but I pushed the door open. She darted into the kitchen with me in hot pursuit. Cassidy ran behind my dad, and I came to a stuttering stop when I found my whole family in the kitchen, talking to Joey.

"This is new," Mom announced to the amusement of everyone.

"You need to get in here and see this!" Angie called out.

That was when I found Peggy, Ashley, and Scarlet all at the door separating the living room and kitchen, gawking at my state of undress.

"Why do I never have my phone when I need it?" Melanie, our cook, complained.

I scrambled to make a quick retreat when everyone started digging for their phones. Yep, my butt was still hanging out as I sprinted out the back door.

---

I debated what to wear and decided I would go with the Jersey Shore look. I put on camo pants; a black, instead of white, wife-beater shirt--the black option to give it a touch of class; and my Lincoln High baseball cap, which was put on backward, of course. Joey needed to see the guns to help erase the memory of my butt hanging out.

When I walked in the back door, my brother was waiting for me. He took one look at me and burst out laughing.

"Should I go change?" I asked.

"Oh, hell no," he said as he pushed me into the kitchen.

When I stumbled into the kitchen, all conversation stopped as they turned to see my outfit. Angie got up and put me in a bear hug.

"I've missed you," she said, and then let me go.

Duke growled at me. I'd forgotten that my hats freaked him out. I took it off so he could see I wasn't there to steal his toys.

Coach Hope picked that moment to walk in our back door. He took one look at me and stopped.

"What are you supposed to be?"

"Is dinner about ready?" I asked to change the subject.

Frick! Joey was going to know I was a total freak. I had no idea why she made me act like a love-sick puppy. Then I glanced over at her, and it all came flooding back. I was such an idiot.

---

The reason my family was all here was that Allen and Dawson, my twins, were birthday boys today. They had no idea what was going on. My mom had made cupcakes to minimize the damage the kids could do to a cake. The boys did like the singing and cupcake smashing. Greg's little ones, being older, were more excited than the younger crowd. Mac was sure there had to be a pony since it was a birthday party. I stayed out of it this time.

Inviting Joey to eat tonight wasn't my brightest idea. Angie, Peggy, Ashley, and Scarlet dominated her time, as they had become friends since they were all around the same age. Greg pulled me aside to talk.

"You realize you have zero chance with her?"

"What? I have no idea what you're implying."

"I could tell by the way you were looking at her."

"How was I looking at her?" I asked.

"The way every guy in the room was looking at her--like you wished you had a few minutes alone with her, pants optional," Greg said.

My eyes got big in mock horror.

"I was not."

"Okay, sure. Whatever."

We both laughed.

"I wasn't obvious, was I?" I asked.

"Dude! You bust in the back door with your butt hanging out, and then you come back dressed like a muscle-bound douche. Yeah, it was obvious. My only problem is now my wife will be on me to go to the gym more," Greg complained.

"You are getting a little puffy," I teased.

"Angie tells me that there's just more of me to love."

"Dude, not in a good way," I assured him.

"If I had Joey training me ..." he trailed off.

"You don't want that. Joey's an evil bitch when it comes to training. She is seriously kicking my butt to get me ready for baseball."

"I'd die happy."

My brother and I were too much alike as far as our taste in women went. I'd dated several of his exes.

He then filled me in on his kids. Kyle was done riding ponies. One of them had nipped him. Mac was still crazy about them and was getting good at riding alone. Nate was happy spending grandma time when they went for riding lessons. Greg said they had several of Nate's masterpieces that he'd colored on the refrigerator.

I caught him up on what had happened with Brook and what Uncle John had told me. He perked up when I said I was going to talk to everyone about their goals and see if there was anything I could help with.

"I need help at the massage studio during the day. I'm in class, and Jill and Becky are busy at the high school."

Greg had hired our trainers over the summer so they could make some extra money.

"I could ask Scarlet to help you screen applicants before you interview them," I suggested.

"That would be a big help."

I wanted to say that he should have Angie do it, but bit my tongue. Scarlet and my mom kept her busy helping them whenever she wasn't in class or studying. If Angie worked for Greg, he would have to pay her, and they'd suffer a net reduction in their household income.

The primary purpose of having her work for me was to supplement their income, allowing them to get by and have a flexible work schedule. Greg knew that I wouldn't bill him for Scarlet's time. Besides, I'd promised Greg that I would keep Angie employed through college. If it weren't for that, I would have fired her by now.

---

Coach Hope and Cassidy walked Joey out. I would have to take it slow with her. Then something my brother told me once leaped into my mind. 'Only people who don't like you want to take it slow ...' Frick! I had to get over this infatuation.

Somehow, I was volunteered to clean up after dinner. I'd thought that was why we'd hired Melanie, but she left after dinner was served, leaving a mess. I had a sneaking suspicion my mom was involved somehow. Just as I finished loading the dishwasher, Ashley touched my arm.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Scarlet wants to talk to you alone for a minute. She's in your apartment," Ashley said, and then handed me an envelope. "Cindy wrote you a letter. Scarlet said to read it once you get upstairs."

"That doesn't sound ominous at all," I commented.

Ashley gave me a coy smirk.

"I think you'll be okay with what's in it," she said and pointed to the back door.

I didn't think Ashley or Scarlet had any evil intent, so I trotted up the stairs to my apartment and opened the letter from Cindy. Scarlet was nowhere to be seen, so I assumed she was using my bathroom.

David,

First of all, I would like to apologize for what the graduate students did. I heard what you said to Dean Lloyd about the limited perspectives of those who teach, as opposed to the broader frame of reference of those who actually do. At the time, it irritated him, but after the stunt those two grad students tried to pull, he admitted that you might have been right. If it weren't for Mr. Mass checking on the project for you, I don't think it would have been caught before some pics or videos got out, and that would have been a disaster for everyone.

I want to talk to you at some point about moving forward on your other properties. I'm not sure I want the university involved. I'll call you and share my ideas once I've fleshed them out more.

Now, to completely change the topic, I spent time with Scarlet and Lexi this weekend. To say it was eye-opening would be an understatement. First of all, be cautious around Lexi. That's a smart girl who is accustomed to getting her way. She is very good at figuring out what people desire and how to give it to them, so she gets what she wants--just my observation. I don't think that's bad, but you need to be aware.

Scarlet was a surprise. She and I talked, and I found out she's into fantasy role-playing. She shared with me how you first met and the game you played. Scarlet has a little kink to her, but she needs someone she can trust to make sure the games don't go too far.

I spoke with Ashley because she has been helping Scarlet up to this point. Ashley is a great friend, but this is not her scene.

Scarlet trusts you, but she's worried you'll think poorly of her. To that end, I need you to do something. I've instructed Scarlet to give you a surprise. Please don't reject her, and please do have fun.

Thank you for being my friend.

Love,

Cindy

I took a moment to ponder what I'd read. While I had a good idea what Cindy had planned for my surprise, I wasn't sure whether or not I should go along with it. I knew that she'd added the part at the end to guilt me into helping. While I was willing to help Scarlet, I hated being manipulated. Ask any teen, and they will tell you that they would prefer something to be their idea rather than being told. Then again, say to any teen boy that he might get to have sex, and he will ten out of ten times do just about anything for it.

I decided to check my bedroom to see what Scarlet had in store for me.

Oh! My! Goodness!

I discovered Scarlet in a black corset that accentuated her curves. It exaggerated her already sexy body by pushing up her breasts and squeezing her middle to give her a perfect hourglass figure. She wore a black leather collar, and at her waist, she had on a garter belt that held up her black stockings. Six-inch hooker heels finished the whole ensemble.

The overall effect was made even sexier by the fact that she was kneeling, and I could see she was sans underwear. I could tell she was nervous because her face began to turn pink.

I watched as the flush deepened and slowly spread down to the top of her corset. Scarlet was either turned on or embarrassed, or my best guess--both. For my part, Mr. Happy did his best impersonation of the Alien as he tried to rip through my jeans.

"You did all this for me?" I asked, somewhat in awe.

"I wanted to play a little dress-up and be a very naughty girl," Scarlet said hesitantly.

I reached down and stroked her cheek.

"You are my naughty girl, aren't you?" I asked with affection.

She blinked and licked her lips, and then it was like the sun suddenly came out as her face lit up. She figured out that I wasn't going to judge her for wanting to play sexual games.

"Yes, yes, I am," she beamed.

I took a deep breath because the sexual beast inside me had all kinds of deviant ideas flashing through my mind. While he distracted the big brain, Mr. Happy wrenched control of the body. My hands undid my pants, and my jeans and underwear were suddenly around my thighs. Scarlet looked like a largemouth bass as she inhaled my member.

I pulled back, and she groaned in disappointment when my cock was suddenly freed. I leaned down and kissed her. When I broke the kiss, I tilted her head up and looked her in the eyes.

"Scarlet, I just want you to be happy. Even if this isn't what I'm used to, the end result for me is your happiness."

"I want to suck you now, I just want to please you, any way I can!" Scarlet pleaded, and then she got shy. "I'm feeling extra naughty tonight."

Scarlet's absolute need was embodied in the expression on her beautiful face.

I reached down, slid my hands inside the top of her corset, and pulled her breasts up until they popped out. Scarlet's chest was utterly flushed, and her nipples were diamond-hard. I bet she was dripping wet for me right now. What I saw before me was every guy's fantasy.

I reached down, grasped her head, and pulled her back to my cock. Scarlet eagerly opened her mouth as I pushed forward. As excited as I was, I needed to remember that I was responsible for her safety. I could envision getting overly rambunctious and choking her, or worse, as I drilled her face. I began to slowly move my hips back and forth until I learned how much she could comfortably take. Then I started to test her limits every few strokes. She would gasp when I finally pulled back.

As I used her for my pleasure, I began to talk to her.

"You need to up your game. I need to hear that you're enjoying this," I said.

Scarlet moaned in response.

I focused on my pleasure. My cock felt like it was made of steel. Scarlet was giving me the sloppiest blowjob I'd ever had as she literally drooled all over my balls. Once she got started moaning, she sounded like my own personal porn star.

I saw Scarlet wince when I went especially deep. I had a feeling her jaw was getting sore. Since I wanted this to be pleasurable for her, too, I pulled out of her mouth. Scarlet looked up at me, confused as to why I stopped. I reached down under her arms, lifted her so she could stand, and spun her towards the bed as I pushed her face down on the comforter. Before Scarlet could even think, I fisted my dick, rubbed it up and down her sex, and filled her tight little pussy.

"Oh, sweet baby Jesus on a unicorn!" she shrieked as I began to pound her from behind.

---

We were both a sweaty mess once we finally finished.

"That was fun," I admitted.

Her head was resting on my chest, and she glanced up at me, then away.

"You okay?" I asked.

"You think I'm a freak," Scarlet whispered her greatest fear.

"Oh, Honey, I don't think that at all," I said, which caused her to look back up at me and search my eyes.

"You had fun?" she asked.

"Yes."

Scarlet snuggled back down against my side and sighed contentedly.

I squeezed her shoulder to get her attention.

"Being different is what makes you special. At least you're brave enough to go after what you want," I assured her.

"You think so?" she asked, looking me in the eyes again.

"Yes, I think so."

"Thanks for understanding."

Scarlet blinked a few times, and I saw tears forming. Ah, crud!

"Finding out I was pregnant was both the worst and the best thing that ever happened to me. It turned my world upside down, but it gave me Carol, and I would never give her up. It also gave me you. I don't know anyone who would have been so supportive at your age. The boys back home would have disappeared if they found they'd gotten a girl in a family way.

"Even most of the college guys I know would have left me high and dry. You were more into Ashley than me, and I blindsided you when we got together. If I were you back then, I would have told myself I was on my own. It wasn't as though we had a history or anything. I guess I've been wondering why you've been so good to me," she said.

"I agree with most of what you've said," I admitted. "At first, I was hesitant and not at all sure about you. Initially, it was all about Carol and ensuring my daughter was well cared for. We didn't know each other."

"You wouldn't be doing all this just for Carol. You could have thrown money at me and told me to go away. Instead, you gave me a place to live, a job, and a family."

I could see she was confused.

"That's all true. When you first came home with us, I kept you at arm's length. But as I've gotten to know you, I've found a capable woman that I truly care for. Last fall, I would never have allowed you in my bed. I didn't want to muddy the water with sex. Since then, I've become comfortable enough that you're with me now," I explained.

"I feel the same," Scarlet said, and then went quiet for a moment. "Thank you for not taking advantage. When I came here, I would have done just about anything to get out of what I was facing. You're a kind man, David."

"Scarlet, I don't want you to read too much into this, but I do love you. I don't see us being life partners or anything, but I do see us being close and raising that little girl together. I hope you know I would do anything you asked of me that I could do. And I feel the same way with Ashley," I said.

A little smirk touched her lips.

"Ashley told me that you wore her out. She needed you," Scarlet said as she shared probably too much information.

"Well, I probably needed it as much as she did," I said to deflect.

Scarlet had to take care of our little girl. She went to take a shower, and I could hear her singing to herself. I closed my eyes and let the afterglow of what we just did put me to sleep.

---

Tuesday February 7

"Do you have any idea how early it is?" Cindy complained.

"You're back in Ohio, right?" I asked.

"Next year, you'll be a college kid and understand. No calls before ten."

I just ignored her complaint.

"Did you talk to Scarlet?" I asked.

"Yes. You did and said exactly the right things," she assured me.

I sighed.

"I hope so, but I think she needs to find a boyfriend," I admitted.

"If you aren't careful, Scarlet'll latch onto you," Cindy warned me.

"I get it. And you're right, I don't have time to be more than I already am with her right now."

"I have another question for you. Are you only into older women?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Do I need to go through the list?" Cindy asked, and when I didn't respond right away, she started to enumerate them. "I mean, there was Beth, Suzanne, and me. When you were in LA, there was that crazy stalker actress, then the Baywatch girl with big boobs and her little friend you called Groper. Then I hear you've spent time with Peggy, Ashley, and some college girl from back East."

Someone had been talking. My best guesses were Brook and Scarlet. Why should it surprise me that Cindy would know the roster?

"Older girls are less drama," I tried.

"That may be true, but the old David I knew would be plotting to lay waste to the female population of Lincoln High. You have a legacy to uphold," Cindy teased.

"What, by getting married as soon as I graduate?" I asked.

"Your brother was a dumbass," Cindy admitted. "I'm just suggesting that you slow it down and date someone. Go out with one of your classmates and act like a teenager. You have the rest of your life to grow up."

"Shit. You sound like my parents," I complained.

I heard laughter through the phone. I'd momentarily forgotten that my mom was working with Cindy on my LA home. Of all the leaks, she was the one who made me want to get mad. I thought we'd worked this out when Tami and I were at each other's throats, and my mom kept interfering.

I shook myself and remembered something Uncle John had taught me. We have control over how we react to something. Was it worth getting worked up about? Maybe, but I decided to let it slide ... for now.

"Can we talk about anything else right now?" I asked.

"I talked to Caryn and your mom about your place in Canada. Are you looking just to use it for a vacation spot, or do you think you want to fix it up better?" she asked.

Whistler Blackcomb was one of the best ski destinations in North America. I'd fallen in love with snowboarding when I'd done my photo shoots for Range Sports. The condo had four bedrooms, and, according to Caryn, a shuttle bus took you to and from the resort. I could see letting my friends and family borrow it when I wasn't using it.

My mom had mentioned that I might want to offer it as a short-term rental. She explained that it would be cheaper for a family to rent my condo than get hotel rooms for everyone. Her thinking was that it could pay for all the costs of owning it and make a little extra. It was something I was kicking around for my other properties in New York, Monaco, and Greece.

"I can't see living there, but I can see someday using it as a place to take my whole family. If I'm going to do that, I would like to make it look better than the pictures Caryn sent me. Caryn said the skiing was fantastic."

"I've got some ideas for maximizing sleeping arrangements. One furniture company makes a queen-size bunk bed with a trundle bed that can be pulled out. We could put two each in two of the bedrooms, a queen in the smallest bedroom, and a California king in the master. The bunk rooms wouldn't be ideal, but you are on vacation. You would only use them to sleep."

I did a quick calculation in my head, and we could comfortably accommodate all the little rug rats plus some.

"The only problem I see is having enough bathroom space for that many people. I'm not worried about the boys," I said, and then slowed down because I remembered what a pain it was to share a bathroom with my brother. "I can see it being a source of conflict if someone hogs it."

"I'll work on a solution."

"You might have to look at the kitchen too."

We'd had to beef up the kitchen in my Malibu home. From what I could tell, I suspected that we could run a small restaurant out of the one my mom and Cindy had designed.

"Why don't you send me up there to look at it in detail? You could also buy a ticket for Kevin," Cindy suggested.

"I'm not sure how much work you'd get done if you take your boyfriend."

"He's been complaining I don't spend time with him. This would solve that plus give me an excuse to spend a weekend skiing."

"I see," I said.

"I am also a poor college girl," she hinted.

Cindy was full of it; her family had money. But if she was working for me, I should do what was right. I realized she probably didn't want to go to her parents with her hand out all the time.

"Call Megan. Have her book the tickets for the flight and ski lifts. Also, tell her that I authorized you to have a debit card. Just know that Megan tracks everything. It's for when you travel for me," I said.

"I had another thought," Cindy said, sounding shy all of a sudden.

"What's that?"

"Our spring breaks are the same week. Could we go to New York, Monaco, and Greece to check out your other properties?"

"You know, that's not a bad idea. I had planned to do something similar with Brook ... before we broke up. Without her coming, I bet I can get out of having to let my parents tag along," I said to agree.

If Brook had gone with me, there had been rumblings that our parents would go. Not that it wouldn't have been fun. We'd survived last spring break sailing the Caribbean. Then I had a thought.

"You should invite Kevin."

"He has his spring football game the week before, and he and most of the defense are going to Daytona Beach that week. I've been looking for an excuse to skip that," Cindy admitted.

From the tone of her voice, I decided not to press her for details as to why she didn't want to spend spring break with her boyfriend and all his football buddies. I figured I probably didn't need to know.

Then I looked at the clock. I hadn't planned to hang on the phone this long. I'd missed my time to run.

"Hey, I hate to do this, but I have to go to school. Call Megan," I said and paused. "And thanks for helping Scarlet. I could tell she wasn't happy, and I had no idea what to do for her."

"It's all good. I'll talk to you later," Cindy said and hung up.

---

I walked into lunch to find Gina glaring at Wolf. Now what?

"Aren't we supposed to be all open and crap with girls?"

I snorted as I sat down.

"Yes, the first sign of a good relationship is being open and crap," Gina shot back.

"What are you two fighting about now?" I asked.

"Gina is trying to give me relationship advice," Wolf said as if that explained it.

I just did the one-eyebrow look and let it go.

Tim joined us and pulled out his phone.

"You have to see the video of Wolf's cat, Misery," he said as he played me the clip.

Wolf had taken one of Bandit and Precious's kittens because he wanted a 'guard cat.' The problem was that he turned out to be a complete klutz and scared of his own shadow.

The video showed his cat on the kitchen table. It suddenly leaped to the counter, where it slid and knocked off the toaster as it tumbled out of sight over the other edge. You could hear Wolf's mom say a bad word when she saw the damage.

"Misery?" Gina asked. "Why would you name a cat Misery?"

Wolf shrugged.

"Because he loves company."

A collective groan arose from the table. That only encouraged my friend.

"I'm going to break up with Sarah," Wolf announced.

"Why would you do that? You can't do any better than her," I advised him.

"I'm not sure if that was a compliment or a backhanded slam," Gina said.

"Slam," Dare chimed in.

"Valentine's Day is a week away, and he doesn't want to spend money on her," Tim reasoned.

"He is a cheap bastard," Gina offered.

"Bite me, Princess," Wolf said to Gina.

"When did Wolf and Gina start dating?" I asked Tim, who burst out laughing.

Both Wolf and Gina glared at me.

"Tell me it's not just me. You all see it, don't you?" I asked.

"That they bicker like an old married couple?" Tim asked, volunteering to be my straight man.

"Exactly!" I spouted with a wide grin.

"So, Dare, tell us about your new drones," Gina said to change the subject.

Tim and I both rolled our eyes when we noticed that Wolf gave her a relieved look. Dare was off describing his newest invention.

"David posed an interesting scenario for his security drones. I programmed them to recognize movement and investigate. David suggested that he could fool them by throwing something to attract their attention and then sneak in once the drone left its designated area. So, I called Hunter, and he had some ideas," Dare shared.

"Who's Hunter?" Tim asked.

"He's this older guy that helps Dare out," I supplied to keep the kid on task.

I'd noticed that Hunter had been the catalyst for several of Dare's ideas. He seemed to turn up when Dare got stuck. I would have to investigate that more at some point.

"Hunter suggested I create what he called a 'flock of drones.' It's a group of drones with one that helps control the others. He also suggested that I not rely solely on a Wi-Fi connection to the drones. Hunter said that if someone wanted to break in or cause harm, they would figure out how to jam the signals that control them. It's how some of the military drones have been taken down in the past.

"His solution was programming them to continue on task if jammed and to communicate with each other via lasers," Dare explained.

I blinked a few times because this suddenly started to sound expensive.

"How much is all this costing me?" I asked.

Dare gave me a sheepish look.

"Not too much more than I originally told you," he said and then sat up a little straighter. "Megan approved it and gave me the bitcoins to buy everything."

At first, I was shocked because Megan wouldn't just cave to Dare's begging for money. She stood up to all the people with their hands out for charities and the like. If she didn't open up the bank for starving puppies, she wouldn't hesitate to shut Dare down. He must have made a rational case for her to approve the expenditures.

Then I had another thought. Dare had mentioned bitcoins.

"Did you buy more stuff from the Russians or Chinese?" I asked.

"Hunter suggested the Russians," Dare admitted.

I had visions of someone from the government showing up because Dare had purchased classified military-grade materials and technology. What he was describing had far-reaching implications. I envisioned a flock of drones attacking a military base. Even if the military jammed them, the drones would continue on target. I would need to discuss this with someone. The programming alone had to be something that shouldn't be floating around in my backyard.

"I think I'd better see all this and maybe have a talk with Hunter," I said to Dare.

"They're not ready yet. Give me till the weekend," he said as the bell rang.

Yep. Darius and I needed to talk.

---

During after-school workouts, Cassidy held up my phone. I put her in charge of it so I wouldn't get distracted while I exercised. Joey was currently torturing me on the rowing machine.

"It's Magic. Do you want to take it?" she asked as she pulled it away from her ear and gave me a questioning look.

I couldn't imagine what my former teammate would want. Plus, I was starting to feel my left leg cramp up, so I held out my hand.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I wanted to give you a heads-up. We're having a Valentine's party for all the singles. Word is your girl dumped you."

I shook my head because I couldn't see how my love life would be of any interest to football players at State.

"I'm in training for baseball, and I don't need to go to one of your bashes. Last time I did, my date puked her guts up from all the Jell-O shots she had," I complained.

"I understand, but you need to show up. Luke was talking to some Chi Omegas and mentioned you might be here. They told him that if you showed up, we would be swimming in pussy. You owe us," he tried.

"Owe you?"

"Dude, we carried your butt freshman year. If Kevin hadn't toughened you up, and I hadn't volunteered to be your seven-on-seven coach, where would you be today?" Magic asked.

"Whatever," I said to dismiss his attempt to guilt me. "I promised my guys that I would go to Wesleyan, where there would be more age-appropriate women. Besides, I've recently been told I need to quit banging older girls."

"I'll be sure to tell Luke. I think he's still jealous over all the older trim you snagged when we were in school," Magic said and then went in for the kill. "Can you put it out on your social media that you 'might' swing by? That should be enough."

"Can I send some of my teammates to the party?" I asked.

"Absolutely! You're the man," Magic said and hung up on me before I could put any more conditions on my help.

I handed my phone back to Cassidy. Lily had changed my social media passwords again because I was 'reckless.' What she didn't know was that my buddy Cassidy was the one who'd posted my butt pic from the other night.

"Send out a message that I'm thinking about going to Magic, Luke, and Kevin's place at State for their singles Valentine's party."

"I thought you were going to Wesleyan?" Cassidy asked.

"That's why I said 'thinking about going.'"

I was getting better at phrasing my statements so I wouldn't break my word when I gave it. Cassidy wasn't impressed.

"You sure that's a good idea?" she asked.

She did have a point; they might get swamped with fans. I shrugged. It would serve them right for trying to draw in sorority girls with my celebrity. Cassidy decided to go ahead and tapped out the message and sent it. Well, we would see what trouble that caused.

Joey was glaring at me. That didn't bode well.

---

When I got home, Uncle John was waiting for me. I wanted to flesh out my plan to help others as a way to distract myself from Brook leaving to be with her parents while they worked out their problems. We went to the office, and he handed me a sheet of paper. I looked up at him and shook my head when I started to read it.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Part of making this work is you keeping your own goals up to date."

I hated to admit he was right. I read through them and saw how they had changed over time, as he had told me they would.

1. Financial Stability

a. Comfortable Life

b. Good Education

2. Physically Fit

3. Solid Moral Foundation

a. Religion / Faith

b. Man of Integrity (Man of my word)

c. No Gossip

d. Think before saying 'yes'

e. Learn to say 'no'

4. Healthy Sex Life

5. No Regrets

6. Make a Difference

7. Be a Great Dad

I read through them all, and I still felt they applied, and I told my uncle that.

"We haven't addressed your fame," he prodded.

"We've talked about this. You had me create my circles of trust and discussed how people react to me. That was a big help, by the way," I said to throw him a bone.

Uncle John was as good as my mom at reading me. He rolled his eyes and then ruined my day.

"These are your goals. How has your popularity changed you? Better yet, how do you want to have it affect you?" he asked.

"I think I've handled it pretty well."

He gave me the 'you're a goofy teenager' look that told me I was missing the point. Next, he would say that when I got older, I would understand. What sucked was he was usually right.

"Tami already had a talk with me about this," I said. "She told me that I had to realize that I wasn't special just because I was a football savant or movie star. She made it clear that it would be a bad idea, long-term, for me to do stuff like jump a line just because I could."

Tami had called me out on a lot more stuff. She'd pointed out how I was bragging about what I was doing and how that looked. It was one of the more uncomfortable conversations I'd ever had. No one wants to have to look in the mirror and admit they were too full of themselves. Worse yet was having to recognize what a jerk you looked like when you did it. This conversation wasn't quite as bad; it fell on the scale somewhere between discussing your feelings after two dates or having a perfectly good tooth removed.

"Look, David, people think they want to be popular. You'll soon find out that popularity is overrated. I look back and laugh at how the thought of being popular was the end goal of almost everyone in high school, myself included."

"That may be true, but that's exactly how I make a big chunk of my living right now," I reminded him.

"You're missing the point. I'm talking about you right now, not David A. Dawson, the actor. I think we can agree that that version of yourself is not who you are. It's just a persona you have to put on. When you realize that, you will be able to consciously take it off to interact with your family and friends. It's like what your mom has to do to sell houses. Even she knows that she couldn't be her true self, or she would never sell anything," Uncle John said.

That sparked a lengthy discussion, which I somehow managed to survive with my dignity intact. We had a frank conversation about how I used and abused being popular. Before I began to hate myself, he explained it was okay to have people like me and want to do stuff for me, as long as I understood where to draw the line. From that, I created a new life goal.

8. Be True to Who I Am

The way Uncle John explained it was that I knew deep down what was right and wrong, and I should look at a situation and bounce it off this goal. By doing, accepting something, or whatever ... how did I feel about myself if I did it? Was I okay with the consequences?

He pointed out that I might not be a small-town boy anymore. I'd made changes to my life, like security and advisors. I might even fly on private jets or sit in first class when I travel. Uncle John just wanted me always to remember who I really was.

Personally, this was the stuff that I hated to do. But my uncle was right. A good example was sending out that message for Magic's party. I knew in my bones that there would be unintended consequences, like several thousand people showing up, but I did it anyway. Looking at it right now, that wasn't the person I wanted to be.

We then spent time brainstorming about what I might possibly do to help people in my inner circle to achieve their goals. I told him what I'd done for Cindy, Scarlet, and Greg. He was a little amused by the Scarlet revelation but kept his comments to himself.

Afterward, I felt mentally exhausted. As much as I disliked these talks, they prompted me to dig deep and examine myself. I hated to think about what this would cost me if I were to go to therapy. All I knew was that my uncle had my best interests at heart and helped me discover my truths. I knew it sounded all new-age, but it was much better than him just telling me what I should do.

---

Once I returned to my apartment, I noticed I had a text from Pam that said she wanted me to call her.

"How's my favorite baby mama doing?" I asked when she answered.

"I've had better days."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Devin served Cora divorce papers today."

I bit back the response that jumped into my head. While it had taken longer than I predicted, everyone had seen this coming. I needed to bear in mind that Cora was Pam's sister. When I thought about how I would feel if Angie did that to Greg, it gave me a different perspective.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked.

"She's talking about coming here to stay until she gets on her feet," Pam revealed.

Just the thought of her being in the same town as us made me feel like something was clawing at my guts, kind of like a cat in a wet bag. She was the kind of trouble I didn't need.

"You can't be serious," I said.

"Mom told her we only had a two-bedroom, and she would have to stay with me. That ended it, I hope."

"I can't see Cora sharing a room with you. I'd wager you'd end up on the couch."

"Sadly, you're probably right. Suddenly, I don't feel so sorry for her," Pam admitted.

"Devin won't just put her out on the street. That's not who he is," I assured her.

"It depends on why he's divorcing her," Pam hedged.

"Did she say?" I asked.

"He finally had enough of her BS."

"Cora said that?" I asked, shocked.

"No, but I can read between the lines. She was talking about redecorating his house, and Devin has been resisting."

I thought about the gorgeous log home he lived in and couldn't imagine it any different. If she'd decided to drywall over the exposed wood, it would have been a crime.

"I thought she'd decided to get pregnant," I suddenly remembered.

Pam all but choked.

"She made it abundantly clear when I was pregnant that she was never going to let a baby wreck her body. I never believed the baby scam for a moment," Pam shared.

That did sound like something Cora would say.

"Want me to send Cassidy out to kick her butt for being mean to you?" I offered.

"If it ever comes to that, I plan on doing it myself."

Pam had hung around Tracy long enough that I did not doubt that she could handle herself if things got physical with her sister. Heck, if it all went south on her, she had a Taser. Cora would be in for the shock of her life, so to speak, if she ever pushed Pam too far.

"Let me know if you ever decide to do it. I want to capture it on video."

"Thanks, I think."

"You'll need the video evidence to prove she provoked you. Plus, I want it so I can sell it to Sandy. She would pay big bucks for that one."

I finally heard Pam chuckle. I knew I'd goofed around enough to get her out of her funk.

"David."

"Yes."

"I love you."

"I love you, too," I said.

---