I spotted them ahead of me in the park, when I was on my way home from school. Two guys on motorbikes. They circled a young boy carrying a rucksack and a pile of papers, which went flying when they pushed him from behind.

"HEY!" I shouted. "Get lost!" I knew those losers. They were always in trouble, but never picked on anybody their own size. Sighing I shouldered my own rucksack, and made long strides towards them.

The boy was sure no match for the two guys on bikes, and they knew that. When I walked closer and they recognised me, one of them waved, a deceptively friendly gesture, which I returned. But as they sped off, they made a special effort to spoil as many papers as possible, by riding over them.

"Parker!" one of them growled when I had almost had reached them. He then pushed the boy backwards, sending him sprawling on his butt, losing his baseball cap in the process.

When I got a closer look, I was mildly surprised. The boy with baggy clothes and a baseball cap wasn't a boy at all, but a girl of about my age. Where I was 5"8 with long dark hair, she was a good head shorter than me, with short blonde hair, and bangs that fell into her eyes.

They hurried away and the blonde started to pick up her papers. Though they were all but destroyed by the wet grass and the tyre damage.

Without thinking twice, I started helping her, by collecting the few papers that came flying my way.

It was then that I realised that, I knew her. He class was just one year behind mine, and situated right next to my own. As always, gossip spread fast in enclosed environments, and our school was no exception. She was quite wealthy, or so the grapevine said. Her father supposedly owned a big factory somewhere on the outskirts of town.

"Thanks." she said, and took the proffered papers from my hand.

"Welcome." I answered just as abruptly, and started walking.

"Great!" I heard her curse again and smiled. The girl had fire, I could hear it in her voice.

"That's my exam busted!" She said, and threw most of the unreadable papers into the next garbage can in disgust.

I was walking a little slower than usual, so we were still quite close to each other.

"Those notes from Ms. Graf's math lessons?" I asked when she walked up, without turning fully around.

She sighed and looked up from under her bangs, her hat stuffed in the back-pocket of her pants. "Yeah. I was supposed to work through them today."

"I've still got mine from last year, if that would help."

"Really?" She asked jogging up to me, so we could walk side by side.

"I'm Chris Chambers, by the way." she whipped her dirty hand on her pants and offered it to me.

"Andy Parker." I replied, shaking her much smaller hand.

"I know." She said grinning. "You're hard to miss." She actually winked at me.

I started to blush. "Where are you heading? I've never seen you around here?" I asked in an effort to hide my embarrassment.

"Buses are on strike, I gotta walk home." She said, putting her cap back on just as small raindrops started to fall from the autumn sky.

"I heard about it. Sucks, huh?" I pulled up the hood from my sweatshirt, and we walked a little faster.

"I live just behind the park. If you wait, I can give you my notes." I said when we reached the block where my dad and I lived.

"Sure. Then at least I'll have some chance of passing the exam tomorrow." She started to talk, never seeming to pause for breath, which amused me. We didn't even know each other, and she talked to me like we'd be old friends.

"I've been home the last three days and missed the most important stuff. Not that I would have understood it if I had been there mind you , but still." she chatted while I held the door to the elevator open for her to enter.

I pressed the button to the 16th floor and up we went. Standing opposite in the small stall with mirrored walls gave me a good opportunity to study her unobtrusively. She seemed to do the same to me.

"Why do you walk around dressed as a boy?" I asked and surprised myself. Usually I'm not one for small-talk, or talk in general come to that, preferring to keep to myself. After school and the job at the Wayword Inn that is. Well, I have no choice but to be sociable there.

"Because that usually saves me from getting hit on, not literally this time." she smirked. I thought she looked incredibly cute with those short blonde bangs, and the wrinkle on her nose.

The door opened and one of my neighbours squeezed in with us, so now we stood shoulder to shoulder facing the door. She really was small compared to me. But somehow I gained the impression that she had lots of energy, even just standing still beside me.


Finally we stepped out of the elevator, and I walked ahead to open the door to the small apartment. I was relieved to find that my dad was still at work, or elsewhere, at least not home.

I went to my room and searched for last year's notes while she was standing in the doorway, looking at the photo' next to the door.

"Is that you?" she asked and pointed at one of the few pictures I had of myself and my mom. I was two and she was bathing me naked in a small bathtub.

"Yeah." I mumbled and she grinned.

"You were pretty cute." she said and eyed the woman in the other pictures. My mother had died when I was only five.

"You've got your mom's hair." she said, and frowned when she saw the look on my face.

"Sorry. Did I say something wrong?" she walked closer to me, and I clutched the folder with the notes like a shield to my chest.

"No, it's just ... ... she died."

"Oh God! I'm so sorry. I always talk so much and I shouldn't be so nosy." She excused herself and I felt  awful for making her feel so bad.

"Hey. It's okay. I just don't talk about her very often. My dad never mentions her and my grandparents live too far away.î I paused. "Here's my math notes. You can keep them as long as you need. I hope you can read my hand writing though." I grinned, and hoped it would ease the tension.

"Thanks!" she smiled at me, and took off her rucksack to put the folder inside.

"Did you paint that?" she asked and pointed at the creatively designed plastic cover.

I nodded. "It gets boring sometimes, so I start to paint."

"You get bored in math? Huh! I wish I could say the same. I have a hard time keeping up with Ms. Graf." She said, as she tied the rucksack   closed and shouldered it again.

"What can I say?" I shrugged. "But you should see me in PE. I'm a klutz." I put my hands in my back pockets and looked at my boots.

"You're kidding, right?" she frowned and there was that cute wrinkling of her nose again.

"No, why?"

"But you ......" she stopped and blushed.

"I what?" I grinned and urged her to go on while I balanced on my feet, leaning back and forth a little.

"You don't look like a klutz." she said and fiddled with the hem or her sweatshirt.

"I don't have the best co-ordination. And we do gymnastics this year, which I'm not at all keen on. The boys are lucky, at least they get to play hockey. But we're not allowed to." I pouted.

Her laughter was truly generous. "Well, maybe we should switch. You do my math and I'll pass your gym class." she said, and then developed a half serious expression on her face.

"Erm, I know it's a bit much for me to ask after all you've done for me today, but would you ..." she hesitated, "... help me pass my exam tomorrow? I really need help. If I don't pass this one I'll have do this class again."

"That bad?" I asked and she cringed.

"I've been given two E's and one F so far."

"Ouch!"

"Yeah! Ouch! And my dad won't like it one bit. I haven't shown him the other grades so far, but in two months everything is too late."

"You didn't fake a signature, did you?" I winked at her and she shrugged.

"What can I do?"

"Chris, you're something else!" I laughed and guided her out of my room. I grabbed my other bag on the way out, and soon we were in the elevator again.

"Erm, Andy, where are you going? You don't have to walk me down." she laughed and I grinned.

"As much as I'd love you to think I have manners, I'm afraid I don't. I am on my way to work." I lifted my eyebrow and waited for her reaction. She just chuckled.

"So you don't have time to tutor me, huh?" she asked and sounded pretty disappointed.

Actually I didn't have the time, but she looked like a little puppy, and who can tell a small puppy no? I certainly can't.

I found myself saying "Listen, I work from 2 pm to 6 pm, and I still have to do homework, but I think I could squeeze you in somewhere in between.

Her face lit up like the rising  sun. "Where do you work?"

"Out of town, there's the Waywaord Inn. You know it?"

"Yeah, that's actually on my way. We live a little further down the road."

"I think I know where. That small road to the right? With the giant oak trees?" I've been there a few times on my bike. Just further on there's a lovely spot in the woods with a lake, ducks and all. I go there often in the summer, just to relax.

Down in the hallway I opened the door to the bicycle garage and Chris held the door open for me while she waited.

"You go on a bike?" she asked and I shrugged, pushing the bike outside.

"Sure. It's the cheapest way to travel, and besides, the bus doesn't go that far anyway."

"Tell me about it!" she laughed and walked beside me on the main road.

"Hop on the back and I give you a lift to the Inn." I said and she did. It was a little hard to steer with a passenger, but we managed to arrive in one piece. Unfortunately, it wasn't so unstable that she had to get a hold onto me, or better still, clutch onto my waist.


"Thanks! For everything!" Chris beamed at me when we stopped at the Wayword Inn and she hopped off the back of my bike.

"No big deal." I waved it off with my hand.

"So you know how to get to my house?" she asked and I nodded. Their house was hidden behind a giant park, but you still couldn't miss it.

"Just tell them you have a date with me if anyone else answers the door, okay?" Chris still beamed and I wasn't sure if she was putting too much hope into me.

"Will do. Now I have to hurry. My shift started five minutes ago." I rushed up the stairs two at a time and waved a short goodbye to Chris.

"Bye ëtil later!"



Inside the Wayword Inn, Bailey was cleaning classes, grinning at me.

"Who's your friend?" he taunted as I stuck my tongue out and hurried off to get changed into black jeans and a white blouse.

Bailey was the best boss I could have had. He gave me the job when I went to buy an ice cream in the summer, and applied for the staff vacancy advertised on the door. Usually his sister helped him, but she was in Ireland with their parents for a year.

After a few questions and a short test, the job was mine, which was almost six months ago.

"Well, who's your boyfriend? And why were you giving him a ride?" Bailey shouted over. The Inn was still empty and he enjoyed teasing me.

"Chris is hardly my boyfriend." I laughed and Bailey cast a look  at the door again.

"This Chris is not Christine Chambers by any chance?" Bailey's forehead wrinkled.

"Why yes? We go to the same school." I shrugged and started to make fresh coffee.

"Andy, do you know who she is?" Bailey walked up to me and helped me clean parts of the big coffee-machine.

"What do you mean?" I laughed and he shook his head.

"Doesn't she have a chauffeur to bring her to school with a Bentley or something?"

"No?" I replied, raising an eyebrow.

"I guess you didn't read latest report in ìThe Timesî about her father's company then?"

"Why should I?"

"Because he's one of the richest people in this county."

"And?"

"And? Usually those people don't mix with us mere mortals."

"Bailey, you're so full of shit." I laughed and patted his shoulder to give me space to work.

"She's a normal person like you and me."

"Yeah, but they probably have more money in their pockets than we will ever have in our lifetimes."

"Like you're such a poor guy!" I looked compassionately at him and we both grinned.


"Is she nice?" he asked after a while.

"Yes." I replied and hoped he wouldn't start again.

"Just watch out, kiddo!" he said and then went to the kitchen.

Watch out for what? Okay, they're rich, so what? I shrugged.

I don't like people discriminating, not for being poor ... or for being rich. Chris seems just as normal as anybody else. Why should I treat her differently?


That same day, almost five hours later, dressed again in faded jeans and a warm sweatshirt, I approached the huge iron gates of the Chambers mansion on my bike. I pressed the bell and waited. After a moment, a disembodied voice enquired who I was and why I was calling.

"Andy Parker. I have a date with Chris." I said and frowned when I heard how it sounded. But no matter what, the door zoomed open, and I slowly drove up to the house. The closer I got the more I asked myself if going there was a smart move, but then decided it was too late to change my mind anyway, so I got off my bike, and leant it against a small wall next to the steps.

Just when I was about to press the heavy metal bell, the door opened and a butler in a suit eyed me curiously. He wasn't as tall as I am, and I adopted the smuggest look I could muster.

"Yes, 'ma'am?" he asked, his glove covered hand holding the door ajar.

"I'm here to see Chris." I replied, at which point, he stepped aside to let me in.

"Please wait here. I will announce your arrival." he went to the ëphone and dialled a number.

"Miss Parker is here to see you, Miss Chambers." he spoke softly and then nodded while I eyed the hallway I was waiting in.

Everything was covered with dark wood, oak I presumed but I could be wrong. The hall had three exits. Two doors left and right and the stairs which lead to the next level. There were several expensive looking paintings, and very nice flower arrangements here and there. On the marble floor was a thick, modern looking carpet, as well as a plain deep red carpet covering the stairs.


"Miss Chambers will be here ..." he was cut off as fast footsteps were heard, and Chris appeared on the top stair.

"Andy, come upstairs." she called and grinned at me.

I smiled at the butler who, to my surprise, smiled back, and I climbed the stairs.

"I'm glad you came!" she said and showed me the way.

"I said I would." I shrugged and let me eyes wander first over the antique looking furniture here and there, and then over Chris who was walking a few paces ahead. She looked funny with her baggy pants and barefoot. But pretty darn cute. Her tight long-sleeved shirt showed that I was right when I thought she wasn't as tiny as I assumed at first. Her shoulders  and arms were nicely and toned,  and very pleasing on the eye.

"Quite a home!" I said in awe. The windows were huge and had a gorgeous view over the grounds behind the house. I could also see that the house was built in an L shape. I was obviously taking too long though, as Chris laughed and grabbed hold of my hand to pull me along.

"Hey! I'm the one with a big problem here. I promise I'll give you the nickel-tour when I think I have a fighting chance of passing my test tomorrow."

I chuckled and followed, wondering if she had noticed me checking her out.

Chris lead me to the right and then to the left, where we reached a glass roofed hallway to the extra wing which formed the L.

"This is my part of the house." She opened the door and led me inside.

I was speechless. We entered a giant room, where half of the ceiling was clear glass, and the main part of the room was below ground level. There was a large couch, two chairs, a glass topped table and an entertainment centre with everything you could wish for on the wall. Speakers were positioned strategically in the room for maximum effect. In one corner, three steps up again, was a king sized bed, a panoramic  window facing the backyard, and a door presumably leading to the bathroom. In another corner was a small office with a desk, computer, and a long shelf covered in a variety of books, not just for studying, but covering a whole range of subjects.

"Wow!" I finally managed to say but Chris cringed like she was ashamed.

Not knowing what to make of it, I thought we'd better get down to the matter at hand.

"Where should we sit down?" I asked, adjusting my rucksack a little.

"On the sofa?" Chris asked and motioned for me to go ahead, while she went to her desk and grabbed a few things.

"Would you like something to drink? Are you hungry?" she asked, and I smiled at how sweet she was.

"No thanks. Maybe later." I declined and waited for her to sit next to me.


I soon recognised her main problem with maths, and started from the beginning. When she passed a few easy calculations with my guidance, she beamed and we soon progressed to the harder ones.

"Boy! Why didn't we come across each other sooner. You would have saved me so much worry!î Chris sighed as she flipped her pen between her fingers.

"Well, that's usually what the teacher is for." I replied and she laughed.

"Ha! I can't follow her. I try and try but nothing."

We sat there for a good two hours before my stomach grumbled, and I looked at the time.

"Shit!" I jumped a little. "It's that late already?"

"What?" Chris stared at her own watch in disbelief. "I don't believe we were at it so long." she shook her head.

"Can I make a call? I should tell my dad I'll be late. If it's not too late to tell him by now." I sighed. Chris got up and handed me a cordless phone.

"Dial zero first." she said and then politely walked a few steps away.


My dad was not too happy, but he was glad I'd called and let him know I would be late. He told me he would be heading out again soon, so I should not leave the key in the lock later. Huh! Like that was a surprise. I couldn't remember a night when he'd been home in months.

And I didn't like the friends he hung out with at all. I knew that at least one of them had a criminal record, and I only hoped they didn't do anything illegal.

My dad was not a real criminal, but sometimes he stepped very close to the line. Actually he was a private investigator, but the job title was way too grand for what he did. He guarded companies at night with a few colleagues, and during the day he worked in supermarkets as a store detective.

I hung up and cleared my throat to signal Chris I was ready.

"Everything okay?" she asked. Her hands were stuffed in her baggy pants and she eyed me curiously.

Sometime during her lesson, she had taken off her sweatshirt and was now left wearing only a tight black tank top, which showed that she was no foreigner to sports. Her shoulders were strong as well as her arms. I couldn't tell about her legs, but I'd put money on her not needing to hide them behind baggy pants.

Not that it didn't look cute. I shrugged mentally and smiled. "Everything's okay."

"So, you need to go?" she asked a little disappointed. I quickly calculated how much time I needed for homework, and decided it was nothing I couldn't scribble down before the lesson tomorrow.

"Well, let's do those few remaining ones you had trouble with again, and then we'll see." I said. I was glad I did because the smile she gave me was gorgeous. She was gorgeous.

I wondered if she'd be interested in me. I hadn't seen her with anybody at school, but that didn't mean anything.

Deciding not to jump to conclusions, we focused on maths again until Chris finally threw down her pen, and sank back into the soft cushions of the couch.

"You think I'll make it?" she asked, eyeing me curiously when I leant back as well.

"Why not?"

She raised an eyebrow, "Why not? Because I haven't achieved a good grade in maths in ages."

"Yeah, but you seem to understand it now, don't you? Just remember the basics I explained to you. It might take you a little longer if you start there, but you will be solve them."

"I really hope so. I don't know what I could tell my parents if I don't make it. They arranged an exchange program for me to got to Australia next year."

"You don't sound so enthusiastic." I stated.

"No. Well, that's because I don't really want to go. Though I suppose if I do go, I could finally meet my grandparents again. But live there?" Chris crossed her arms over her chest, and, for a moment, I found my eyes drifting to her breasts.

When she caught me staring, she didn't say a word. We sat there in silence, until she asked me again if I was hungry.

"Actually, I'm starving." and my stomach made a point  of grumbling loudly.

"Don't tell me you haven't eaten anything yet?"

"Well, I got a slice of cake at the Inn." I actually felt guilty, but didn't know why.

"You stay put and I'll go and fix us some sandwiches." Chris jumped up and went to a corner I hadn't noticed before. It was a small kitchen, where she took some supplies out of the fridge and I heard her pottering around.

Minutes later, we had cleared the books away and where tucking into two plates of sandwiches.

When I left Chris' house that night, I was confused. After we'd had a snack, we'd sat together and just chatted until I really had to get going.

We talked about anything and nothing, and I was surprised at how much we had in common. Well, perhaps not actually in common, but we agreed on many things. My biggest surprise was that we shared the same  eclectic taste in music. We had similar CD's and she even got a few imported ones I'd  been looking for forever.

And Chris promised to help me with gymnastics, though I still wasn't thrilled about them. To say I hate it was the under statement of the year. But Chris being Chris, talked me into joining her that weekend.


But I couldn't wait that long to see her again. I knew her exams were in the first and second lessons, so I waited outside during break until I finally caught sight of the diminutive blonde coming out of the main door. I excused myself from the people I had been talking to, and strolled over to her. She smiled when she saw me as she said something I couldn't hear to the girl with her, and then walked towards me.

"And?" I asked, stuffing the last piece of my sandwich in my mouth.

"Not so bad." she shrugged. "I think I might even get a C." she now grinned and so did I.

"Hey, not bad for just one day of preparation. When do you get your grades back?" I eyed a few people around us and then focused back on the blonde.

"Probably Monday. Oh shit! I forgot to give you back your notes." Chris cursed and I frowned and smiled.

"And? It's not like I need them anytime soon. You should keep them, and maybe I can help you a bit more so you might actually graduate." I winked at her and she poked my ribs.

"Har! Har! Very funny!"


During the next small break, I strolled down the corridor. Not that I usually did that.

Normally I would sit at my desk and do my homework for the next day. That gained me lots of time. But today I seemed not to be able to concentrate, finding I'd much rather cast a look in the classroom next to ours.

And who could blame me?


Saturday morning I got ready for my shift at the Inn, and I told my dad that I would getting back late or stay over at a friends house. Being Saturday he didn't say much about it, and told me that he would be working most of the time anyway.

That settled I drove to work and later to Chris.


I raised one eyebrow, and she chuckled at me as she sent me to the bathroom to change. She was already dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. "Can't wait, huh?"

"So you got Bully-Bauer in PE?" she shouted, and I called back while I donned a t-shirt and shorts myself.

"He's a prick! And he hates women."

"Well, everyone knows that. That's why you gotta practice. Now come on out. How long do you take?" she called.

"Hey, it's already been a long day for me, while you seemed just to have only just staggered out of bed!" I pointed at her ruffled hair and she stuck her tongue out at me.

"I got up at one." she winked and I shook my head.

"What is it you need to learn?" she asked, as she motioned for me to follow.

"Some shit like flip flops and other bone breakers." I groaned.

"Okay, we can do that. Come on, let's go to the garage."

"Garage?" I frowned.

"My dad set up a small studio there. And there's a lot more room than here."




Two hours later, we were both soaked and I was exhausted. Chris had worked me relentlessly, and I could feel every single aching bone in my body. I thought my arms would reach the floor when we walked back to her room.

We did a full circuit workout, and then we started with simple things like hand stands, and cart wheels. I felt so embarrassed. When Chris showed me the exercise it looked so simple. And I usually ended on my butt.

Okay, we did have fun, lots of it, but still. My ego was bruised. Badly!

Where I did one cart wheel, Chris did three. But she told me that she'd been doing that for a year now, and that I shouldn't be so hard on myself. I only needed practice.

"You know, I can say I had a real good time." Chris closed the door behind me and then gently pushed me towards the bathroom.

"Yeah, it was fun. And I gotta thank you for helping me. I didn't tell you that this pig could ruin my average this year. If he gives me anything worst than C, I won't be able to get a scholarship."

"Really?" Chris looked disturbed and handed me a big towel. "Well, we can't have him doing that, now can we? Now go and take a shower, you stinky poo."

I raised first one eyebrow, then another. "Stinky Poo?" but then I took a whiff and decided she had every right to call me that.

"I'll go upstairs to the guest-bathroom. So take your time." Chris waited until I started to lift my t-shirt and left, but not before she winked at me.

What signals was she giving me? I began to wonder. She had noticed the way I stared at her when she had taken off her t-shirt and was left in her sports-bra during work-out. But she hadn't batted an eyelid.

Then, when she was assisting me with the weights, and I was not able to push any more after the second set, she leaned close to me and asked, seductively, if I couldn't do just one more.

She had grinned at me triumphantly when I did, in fact, push one more.

I wondered if she knew about my reputation.

Probably.



Later we were both sitting on her couch, my hair was blow-dried and hers still a little damp with a bottle of water on our laps, and I was trying to stop my shaking muscles. Chris laughed and told me to put the bottle down.

She kneeled beside me and took one of my arms and laid it on her shoulder. Then she began to slowly rub them up and down. It felt too good.

"I hope I didn't drill you too hard today, did I?" Chris looked a little guilty.

"It's okay, I guess." I had my eyes closed and let her work my tired muscles.


"What are you gonna do tonight?" she asked and motioned for me to turn around so she could work the other arm.

"I dunno. The others will probably go clubbing. But I'm afraid I can't even ride my bike home now." I laughed and had trouble stopping myself from relaxing so much, that I would fall asleep with her sweet treatment. "How about you?"

"I had planned to go to the new movie with a friend, but she called this morning. She's got to baby-sit her little brother."

"That sucks, huh?" I replied and then purred, almost yelping when Chris sat close to my feet and began working her massage up my legs, starting at my calves.

"So, should James give you a ride?"

I had learned that the butler's name was Horst, but Chris thought it would suit him better to call him James.

"No, I think I will manage. But only if you don't turn all my muscles into jelly." I chuckled and she slapped my butt.

I turned around and looked at her. She had such a sparkle in her eyes.


I was beginning to wonder why I had never talked to her before. We'd been in the same school so long, and yet I'd never exchanged a single word with her. That unwritten rule about not mixing with the younger students needed to be re-written.


"How about I order us a pizza later and we hang out here? Only if you want, that is?" she added, suddenly sounding insecure.

"Sounds great. Then keep going. I don't mind muscles like jelly." I chuckled, laid my head back and sighed contentedly.

"Do you need to call your dad?" Chris asked and I tensed. She noticed and started to manipulate my body again.

"No. I told him I might not come home until late, or sleep over at a buddy's."

"Well, you're always welcome to sleep over here. It's not like we're lacking space." Chris laughed and patted my butt one last time.

"All done. Feel better?" she asked, and I was so happy I thought I'd push my luck a little further.

So I leaned on my elbows and whined that my back was soooo tense.

She gave me one fake hard look and pointed on the floor.

"What?" I asked and she pulled me up and lead me to the thick carpet between her bed and the couch.

"You don't think I'd destroy your back by pushing all the wrong ways on the couch do you?" She said, as she fetched something from the bathroom. When she came back with a bottle of baby-oil and a towel, I began to wonder if, perhaps, I'd pushed it a little far.

I cleared my throat and asked where she learned all that.

"I had a good teacher." she shrugged,  throwing the towel my way and waiting for me to lie down.

"My dad hired a trainer last year to teach us. She was good." I thought I heard an undertone in her voice but didn't ask.

Then I waited and nothing happened. I looked behind me where she kneeled beside me, one eyebrow lifted.

"Well, where d'you think I'm gonna put the oil Smarty pants?" she motioned for me to remove my shirt. "Nothing I haven't seen before." she winked at me again.

Not wanting to play modest, I did.

I didn't look back before I lay down, because I didn't know if I was blushing, and if I was, I certainly didn't want Chris to see.


And then I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. She warmed the oil a little in her hands to slowly rub it  across my back. I think I actually fell asleep once during her thorough backrub. I wasn't really experienced, but it felt damn good.



When we sat on her couch, a carton of pizza laying on our laps and a DVD playing I thought about the last two days. Was it only two days?

Sitting here with Chris was like ... ... like we'd always done that. I glanced over at her and she smiled, casting her eyes back to the screen.

I had asked her earlier if her parents were home, since I haven't seen them once, and Chris had shrugged. She said they'd probably be somewhere around. But her dad worked late, and her mother was out with her chicky-micky friends all the time.

Because she didn't liked to be pampered by James, her room was a restricted area.


Not knowing how to ask, I tiptoed around the subject for a while, until I finally mustered up the courage to enquire whether she was seeing anyone.

Chris laughed but shook her head. "Andy, I swear, you're too cute! Why didn't you ask before now? Are you?" she asked back.

"Nope." I answered her honestly and she frowned a little.

"I thought you'd be with this Anna or something."

So she knew. I was surprised. It had been big gossip about me and Anna some time ago.

"That was only gossip. We'd been only fooling around on a party last year. Somebody caught us kissing and spread the photo's."

"You don't sound like you care much?" Chris sounded surprised.

"Why should I? It wasn't anything serious. I was drunk and she's still got a boyfriend. I kicked the guy who spread the photo's in his balls and we were even."

Chris laughed and took the last slice of pizza, after offering it to me first.

"Didn't you get into trouble with your dad or anything?"

"I don't think he ever heard about it. Besides, as long as my grades are good, he never asks about school."


I had told her a little about my mom, and what my dad does for a living earlier.

ìDoes it bother you?î I asked' and turned a little towards her. I hadn't been following much of the movie anyway.

ìWhy, no.î

And that was all we said about that subject. I didn't really feel the need to know more. So we sat and watched the rest of the movie. When it was over, I let my head fall back on the sofa, and noticed for the first time how brilliant her room design was.

We were sitting under the moonlit sky. The glass rooftop allowed a perfect view of the stars sparkling in the dark of the light.

ìWonderful, isn't it?î Chris asked after she had turned off the TV, and we sat in silence.

ìDo you want to listen to some music or do you want to go to sleep yet?î she asked, and I requested one of the CD's I'd seen earlier.

Soft tunes enveloped the room through all the speakers, and I kept staring at the stars.

ìI often stay awake just to watch the stars at night. Some cool music, and you can totally forget the rest of the world.î

ìDo you need to do that often?î I asked and turned my head to watch her next to me. She had a sad look on her face now and I felt bad for just asking.

ìIt hasn't been easy. But you know how it goes. We gotta learn lots of lessons as we grow up.î

Once someone told me that she'd had an older brother, who had died a few years ago, but I wasn't sure how much of that was true, and I didn't feel I had the right to ask.

But she began to tell me herself. She just turned around on the couch and lay her head in my lap. At first I was so surprised, that I didn't knew what to do with my hands, but when she began to tell me about her family and her brother, Jona, I put one of my hands on her shoulder and ran the other slowly through her blonde hair. It felt like it was the most natural thing in the world to do. And yet, only three days ago she had been a total stranger to me.

She closed her eyes at the memory.

ìI was thirteen and we'd just moved here. Jona's room and mine were next to each other on the upper level, and it was a habit that, when I got home, I would pop into his room and we'd play a round of table football. I usually lost, but sometimes he let me win.î She smiled at the memory.

I caressed one tear away with me thumb and she swallowed hard, biting her lower lip.

ìYou don't have to talk about it.î I said softly, but she shook her head.

ìI went into his room but he wasn't there. I knew that he should have been. It was a Wednesday, and I had extra gymnastics classes until three. Then I went to search for my parents but only James was there. I asked him where they were, and he told me they'd be back soon.î

ìWhat he didn't tell me was, that my parents were in hospital because Jona had been in an accident in the garden.î

Chris was crying now, tears running freely down her cheeks but I didn't stop her.

ìHe was running and playing with Jessie, that was our terrier dog, when he stumbled and felt onto a stake of wood, which penetrated his lungs. Later I heard he'd died before they even made it to the hospital.î

ìI'm sorry.î I said, and she opened her eyes and looked into mine. She bit her lower lip again and nodded.

The smile she gave me was the most wonderful I had ever seen.

Chris sat up and grabbed a tissue from the table to clean her face, before she turned back to me.

ìWell, after all that, our family was never the same. We didn't talk about Jona. Ever. We were all too afraid to hurt each other. It reached a point where I just couldn't stand to have my room up there next to his anymore, so I asked to move down here.î

ìI'm really sorry.î I put my hand on her cheek again and she held it with her own, turning and placing a gentle kiss into my palm. I couldn't help but close my eyes at the contact of her soft lips to my skin.

I willed my rapidly beating heart to slow down, since it might only be a friendly gesture, but when she looked at me and kissed my wrist my heart started hammering.

ìIs this okay?î she asked softly and all I could do was nod. Hell, of course it was okay. Or was it? Then she scooted closer and almost sat in my lap, and I stopped asking myself that question.

I closed my eyes and we leaned towards each other, and for the second time that day, I had heaven on earth. But this time was much, much better.

Our lips gently caressed at first and we parted again. She looked at me with those big, grey eyes and if I hadn't known better, I'd have said that I'd just fallen in love. But that was one of the last coherent thoughts before she moved even closer into my arms.

Our kisses grew deeper and more hungry as we explored each other's mouth. There was no feuding for dominance, it was more of an exquisite exploration. A longing to discover each and every nook and cranny that was accessible. .

A small groan escaped my lips as she sucked at the pulse point in the hollow of my neck. She began to gently bite me as her fingers trailed down towards my breasts. I felt my breathing increase as my desire to reciprocate almost overwhelmed me.

I tried to turn her over, but she was much stronger than she looked, and I found myself, being ravished. I don't remember her removing my top, all I became aware of was her hot lips teasing my nipple. Then she lowered her mouth, and began to suck my left breast through my bra, whilst paying equal attention to my other one by gently squeezing the nipple between her finger and thumb.

ìOhhhhh!î I heard myself groan. ìTAKE IT OFF!î I begged urgently. She didn't need to be asked twice. The feel of her hot mouth on my naked flesh was almost too much to bear, and I growled loudly.

This seemed to be all the encouragement she needed, as her hand slid down my body to my pants, and she removed them, complete with underwear, in one swift movement. I lay before her completely naked, and urgently in need of attention. Her face was flushed and her pupils were dilated as she looked at me, and I knew I looked the same.

ìYou are just so beautiful.î She said as she bent down to engulf as much of my breast into her mouth as possible. At the same time, she continued to caress my other breast, whilst her other hand made its way down my body to the area in most need. I raised my hips in response to her caresses, desperate to convey the urgency of my need.

ìChris, pleeease! I need you NOW!!î I begged, but she just smiled, and took her time, arousing me beyond anything I had ever experienced before.

Torturously slowly, her hand continued its exploration of my body, until she began to gently massage my inner thighs. I thought I would explode as an audible gasp escaped my lips. My centre was throbbing with need. Then I became delirious with arousal as her tongue began to follow the same path her hands had previously travelled, stopping this time, to dip her tongue into my navel. It caused a massive jolt to my groin. I placed my hand on her head, gently coaxing her towards the area I needed her most, and she complied.

ìOh Sweet JesusYESSSS!î. She ran her tongue the full length of my labia, and I almost screamed. I thrust upwards, but she held me firmly with both hands on my hips. Finally, she raised both of my legs up, and draped them over her shoulders. I was now totally accessible, and she made the most of everything before her. I heard her groan as she inhaled my scent.

ìDelicious!î She said. She looked at me with a ravenous hunger in her eyes, and then dipped her head. When her tongue finally touched my clit for the first time, it was like an electric shock, and my body jolted. I was throbbing beyond anything I had ever experienced, and only she could satisfy my need. ìPleease!î ìMmmmmm! Pleeeease!î

That was all the encouragement she needed as he tongue entered me insistently, and she began to drink my essence insatiably. I was groaning continuously by now. ìYessss!î ìOhhh. Yesss!î Her tongue entered me with increasing pressure, but soon, I needed more.

She sensed my need, and began to enter me, first with one finger, then two, I thought I would die of ecstasy, I didn't believe I could take any more when suddenly, she entered me with three fingers, whilst caressing my clit at the same time with her tongue, I had reached the apex of my passion, and heard myself calling her name as I experienced an orgasm so powerful that its violence shook me.

She stayed inside me throughout the aftershocks, and then began to arouse me again. Her tongue and mouth alternately licking, nipping and gently biting my clit, while her hand began to pump again. My second orgasm was, so intense that my body lifted us both off the bed.

Still she held onto me to help prolong the exquisite delight for as long as possible. Finally, when I was sated, she crawled back up my body and kissed me again. I could taste myself on her lips, and found myself becoming aroused again. Her hands began to move again.
ìOh please, no more. Not yet!î

ìYou're killing me woman!î She looked up into my eyes and gave the most delicious laugh.

ìSoon, my sweet. I shall have my revenge very soon!î I said.

Her eyes sparkled. ìOooo! Promises, promises! First, my little hot stuff, you should rest for a few minutes, you're gonna need every single bit of strength you've got!!î

We made love continuously throughout the following 4 hours, finally dozing off in each others arms, blissfully satiated.



When I awoke some time in the middle of the night, we were both lying securely under the warm blanket of her bed, beneath the stars.

I pulled her closer to me and closed my eyes again.


The next morning was a little awkward because I woke around ten, which was late for me, while Chris was still far away in lala-land.

The sun had risen long ago and lit the whole room,  the sun's rays  warmed my nose ,bathing everything in yellow and orange colours. I wondered how on earth she could still sleep.

I couldn't resist running my fingertips slowly up and down her arm, and then over her half exposed back. She sighed and then purred. A low, deep purr with a sleepy voice.

I'd never heard anything more sexy in my short life.

Stretching languidly, like a cat, Chris opened finally one eye and then the other to smile sensually at me.

ìGood morning.î She made one move and was laying on top of me. Not that I minded. Not at all. Our good morning kiss grew a little out of hand and we finally made it out of bed at around noon.

Just in time for her phone to buzz.

She picked it up and answered mono syllabically. ìYes. No. Maybe.î

When I looked questioningly at her, she shrugged. ìMy mom. She asks if we want to have lunch with them.î

ìUm,î I wasn't sure if it was such a good idea to face her parents. Okay, we were both old enough, but still, parents are always embarrassing. And I didn't even knew if her parents knew anything about her preferences.

She seemed to read my mind though, as she walked over to me and slipped her hands around my waist.

ìWe really don't have to. And no, I haven't told them anything yet. There wasn't really any reason to. Yet.î She kissed me harder than I expected but very much to my liking.

ìI hope you don't think I bring home gorgeous babes all the time.î She joked and poked my ribs.

ìGorgeous?î I raised one eyebrow and we shared a laugh. ìNo, I don't see you as that type.î

ìOh? So, what type do you see me then?î she walked into the bathroom and left the door open.

ìYou seem like a very generous, warm and loving person to me. Not really like the Wham-Bam-Thank-You-Ma'am kind.î

She laughed aloud at my remark. ìSo, are you gonna stand there all day or don't you want to take a shower?î she called out.

ìYou mean I stink?î I walked over to her and felt a little shy. Sharing a bed was one thing, but sharing the shower? I've never done that before. But then again, I've never been to a shower big enough for at least four of us before either.




ìHey!î my father greeted me when I got home late on Saturday afternoon. I had left a note on the answering machine I would stay at a friends house over the weekend, and he now asked me where that was.

ìA friend.î

ìYou said that. But who?î

ìDad, I'm almost eighteen. Can't I say with whom I like?î It wasn't that I was ashamed to tell him Chris' name, but her family name might be a problem. I knew my father and he got dollar signs in his eyes if he got so much as a whiff of money. And Chris' family had money painted in big letters.

ìChris. Happy now?î

ìHave you eaten yet?î He asked and actually seemed to let it drop.




Monday morning found me on the way to school making a small detour to wait at Chris's bus stop. While I waited, I finished my homework which I'd had no interest in the day before. All I could think of was the cute blonde, who had been lying in my arms not so long ago. She had called again and we spent a good three hours talking, until my dad called to use the phone.

I sighed and stuffed the papers back into my backpack when I saw her bus arrive.

She beamed at me and we waited for the crowed to head off towards school until I greeted her, with a huge bear hug.

ìBig day today?î I asked. Around noon we would know if my tutoring had been any good for her math test.



So after the fifth lesson. I left my classroom and poked my head around the corner. Chris was still sitting at her desk when I whistled. She looked up and grinned from one ear to another.

Because the teacher was still inside she waited, but held up three fingers. C ñ not bad! I held up my thumb. I mouthed ìlaterî and hurried back to my room as our next teacher arrived.


Some days later, I head my dad talk to one of his buddies when he probably thought I was already asleep. Something had obviously gone wrong, and they were almost hitting each other. I caught fragments of their ìconversationî which was something about cars, the cops and lots of money. I heard him say that he will get the money but would need some more time.

After that I put on my headset and prayed to whoever was listening that he wouldn't do something stupid.

Only a little longer and hopefully I would get a scholarship and could move out. It wasn't like we'd been a family after all. The man I used to call dad was merely a stranger to me now. The last personal talk we'd had was the first time he got called to school where I had some trouble with another guy, who wanted to steal my money. He ended in the emergency room and I ended up with the rector.

That was over three years ago.


I didn't want to think about it anymore, and would much rather imagine I'd still be with Chris.


After my shift was over at the Inn we'd usually hang out at her place, sometimes we'd go to town or just go walking through the woods until I had to go home.


And in all these weeks, I didn't see her mother more than twice and her dad only once. They were nice to me but didn't really ask much. They didn't even question why I spent every weekend at their house.


Everything went pretty smoothly. Chris passed her math exams and would surely make it into the next class, and I was finally getting a hang on gymnastics, which wasn't nearly as bad when I could train with Chris.

Well, almost everything went smoothly. Except for my own dad. Last I saw him he had a black eye and moved like he had a few sore ribs too. He told me not to worry and I didn't see him again for a few days. The only evidence he was still living in our apartment were the dirty dishes and clothes in the basket.


I hadn't realised he'd found out who Chris really was, Christine Chambers, daughter of one of the richest families around.


Not until the day I went to Chris' house after work, and instead of being led to Chris' room some undercover cops took me to the main living-room where her parents were sitting. Her mother was crying and her father had an expressionless face.

James told me that Chris had been kidnapped after school and I felt like throwing up.

ìWe just got a call. Until an hour ago we thought she might be with you. Or at least that's what I thought. But please, come with me, the officers have questions they want to ask you.î He gestured for me to sit down on one of the chairs.

ìMs Parker?î One of the older cops asked, and I nodded. ìAndrea Parker, right?î

And I nodded again. I glanced over at Chris' parents.

ìMs. Parker. We need to ask you a couple of questions. It appears that you were the last person to talk to Christine today. When was that?î

ìI ... ..î. I tried to think and remember, but my mind was completely blank.

ìWe left school around one thirty today. I gave her a ride to Wayword Inn where we arrived about twenty minutes later. We said goodbye and she walked home.î I knew I was talking but it felt strange to hear myself.

ìSo that was,î the cop cast a look at his watch, ìa little over 4 hours ago.î

ìDid you see anything unusual, anyone hanging around who didn't belong?î The second cop asked, and I shook my head. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

ìJames told us you've spent a lot of time together lately. Is there anything you think is worth mentioning?î The first cop asked and I shook my head again.

ìNo, nothing.î

ìDo you know if she had any enemies?î

ìThere were the usual kids at school, but they terrorise anybody.î I shrugged and started to shake.

They didn't tell me anything after they finished questioning me. James took me aside and informed me that the caller asked for 1 Million EURO or they'd kill Chris.î

Kill! I felt sick. My stomach was a knot and James put a gentle hand on my shoulder. He seemed the only one here who knew what Chris meant to me. He gave me a squeeze and went back to the living room, when Mrs. Chambers called for him.

I didn't know what to do. I didn't feel up to going home but I had to get out of there. I gave James my cell phone number and asked him to call me if there was any news. and hopped on my bike to go back to Bailey at the Inn. The Irish' recognised something was wrong right away, and took me to the kitchen, where I broke down.

He held me, and I think he got what I was saying between sobs.

He mumbled soothing things to me until I finally calmed down enough to talk again.

The hours passed and it was pure torture. Though Bailey stayed with me most of the time, I still felt empty and so alone. I wished I could do something. Anything.

Later, he fixed me a room and told me to get some rest. Ha! Like I could sleep.

A thousand thoughts ran through my mind.

Why didn't I tell you how much I love her?

But he brought some tea with a shot later on, and I fell  into a restless sleep for  a few hours, till I woke up from a nightmare only to recognise it wasn't a dream after all.

The whole next day went by in slow motion. I kept staring on my cell phone, willing James to call me. But nothing.


When I was sitting with Bailey again, we talked some more and I started from the beginning. I doubt he really understood everything I said between sobs yesterday.


He got a serious look on his face. ìAndy!î he started very slowly. ìI know, it's only a guess, and I might be jumping to conclusions, but didn't you tell me your father had trouble?î he asked and then it hit me.

Dad! Could it be? Could it be he had spied on me, and maybe knew who I was seeing? He might have thought this was the golden duck that he just had to go and get.

I closed my eyes. No, it couldn't be, could it? I was mortified at the thought that my own father could do such a thing.

Half an hour later Bailey accompanied me, and we went back to the Chambers.

I told the cops everything I knew. My voice as emotionless as it could be. Bailey was with me all the time, and filled in what I couldn't say or didn't want to.

I had told him pretty much everything about my life while we were working together, and I was glad I could call him a friend.



What happened next I can't really say. All I know is that the cops left after my statement, and some other cops took Bailey and me to the police station.


Then they brought in my dad and the guy he had been talking to some time ago in our apartment.

It was like slow-motion when he was led past the room we were sitting in. We starred at each other and I was so disappointed that I couldn't see at least some emotions on his face.

Bailey gave my shoulder a squeeze to let me know I wasn't alone and I was grateful.

That much I remember, but afterwards I would only remember James calling my cell, and telling me they had taken Chris to the hospital for a check up, but that she was fine.

I felt like a huge weight had been taken off my shoulders, and I began to cry again.


The next few hours remain blurry. I had to stay at the police station to sign a statement, and then I had to wait for a social worker because I was still underage, and my dad was charged with kidnapping. But Bailey was a sweetheart and filled out the guardianship papers until I turned eighteen.

I don't remember how I got to the hospital, but I finally made it there after Chris had already been examined by the doctors, and got a clean bill of heath.

When she came out into the hallway, and I stood only a few feet away my fear hit me. What if she hated me now. After all, it was my father who had kidnapped her. Could she forgive me? I'd had nothing to do with the kidnapping, but even so, I felt racked with guilt. For a moment I felt like running. But my feelings for her were far too deep for that, so, tears in my eyes, I watched as she approached me.

I needn't have worried. I'd forgotten for a moment what a beautiful spirit she had. As soon as she saw me, she ran and jumped into my arms. Her parents, Bailey, the doctors, all of them were standing there watching, but she didn't care a jot, and neither did I.

I was just so happy to have her back.

When they finally separated us, we tried to leave, but the hospital's exits were already crowded with the news media.

But Chris dad wouldn't be who he is if he couldn't arrange a safe exit within a couple of minutes. And that's just what he did. We were led down into the car pool where a limousine with black windows was waiting for us.

I had hugged Bailey goodbye and promised we'd drop by soon. When he left through the main exit, not so much of a glimmer of interest was shown in him by the press.

That night, I spend at Chris' place, and we sat on the sofa until late into the night, talking about what had happened. She told me how they had grabbed her just before the gate, and taken her to an old factory, where they'd locked her into a small room. Her eyes and mouth were taped shut.

And she told me how she prayed that to be able to see me again, just one more time.

We were both crying. She scooted over and pressed me back on the couch. Holding my face between her hands she asked me if I knew how much she loved me. I nodded and told her how much as I loved her too, that she was my very life. That was the last thing we said that night.

We went to bed in silence and made love. Real love. Like we'd been given a second chance, and we used it.



School was out a few weeks later, and it was a relief. Reporters still congregated outside the school gates, and we could no longer travel home on my bike, but had to go with a chauffeur sent by Chris' dad.

The press was so persistent, we couldn't go anywhere anymore. But the worse things was that Chris had to have her beautiful glass roof covered, because some conniving reporter had chartered a helicopter and tried to take photos through a telescopic lens.

It was all getting too just about much for us, when Chris had an idea. Her parents still wanted to send her away to her grandparents for a year and she asked why I didn't try to get a scholarship for Melbourne's university. So, with a few phone calls things were arranged.


Now we share a small apartment between the university and Chris' college. And nobody cares who we are at all. They just laugh about our accent.

All of which is just fine with us. We can go out, hang around the beach on the long weekends or go shopping in the mall anytime we like. Secure in our surroundings, and in our love for each other.

The End



Authors Note:

Anybody think I am a hopeless romantic? Well, I can't help it <g>

If you recognise some names from other shows, drop me a line, I'm curious if anybody noticed.

And here again a BIG THANK YOU to my trusty beta Diane!

Please feed the bard! I only know how others feel about my storie from feedback. Want to tell me how much you liked it or that I royally suck? Feel free to drop me a line Mindwalker78@yahoo.de

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