PART ONE c – the Party

  "Now then. Is someone going to tell me, why my room looks like it does?"

  "Me and him cleaned it. Are you mad?"

  "No. Am I not a zy whore? What would I care if someone does free work for me, when I'm out and about. I'm just worried what I now owe for this service. Do… I have to buy pizza? I kinda already owe Wizzy here some pizza, for putting that smile on your face. Or, do I have to pay for it in trade, huh? Sure I can come up with something, if I put my head to it."

  "Free of charge. Maybe it'll be a little easier to keep it clean, now that we got it that way for a start."

  "Hmm. We'll see how that goes, I guess. Now. Wizzy? I can do more with my mouth than just make wise ass comments, and give great head. I'm kind of the townhouse shotgun champion. Want a sample of my award winning work?"

  "Ask Hurry for permission. I don't want whipped with the washrag again. A nice guy like me? Can only take so much abuse, you know."

  "Yeah. Judging by all the bite marks and scratches all over you? You can take quite a bit. Gd you had fun. Do you know what a shotgun is?"

  "I assume this isn't going to be performed with a 12 gauge."

  "No. If we had firearms in the townhouse? We'd probably string Little Miss Moody up and use her for target practice, when she acts up. Hurry? Your permission to give a shotgun…"

  "Go on. You can't see anything serious down in the water anyways, with the jets on."

  She lit the joint, and blew it out and wiggled it to get a nice little cherry going. She put it in her mouth, but backwards. Just the tip you normally smoke out of, peeking out of her mouth. She grabbed the back of his head, and drew him in, as if for a kiss. I felt him tense up. I whispered in his ear to go on, it was okay. He finally rexed, and it was like she barely kissed him for a few seconds. When she let him go, he cpped his hands over his mouth, then finally lost the battle and blew out the cloud of smoke.

  "Not bad… one for me…"

  She hit it normally, then eventually exhaled.

  "Your turn, sis…"

  I leaned over, and it would have looked like we were kissing, but not once you noticed our lips barely made contact, and there was no motion whatsoever. Its just a smoke proof seal. I finally exhaled down his back, so he could smell it billow around him.

  "Wizzy up…"

  He got another one, and this time managed to hold it in without choking to death. She went around and we each got our turn, until it was down to a roach.

  "Professional courtesy applies, kids…"

  She dropped the roach into the bong and finished it off.

  "Do you wonder why everyone likes shotguns, Wiz?"

  "Because… your lips get to touch a pretty girl's lips, while you do it?"

  "Hmm. Maybe for you, you're a guy. You notice, your girlfriend likes it too, and she's not a lesbian. So…"

  "Then I don't know."

  "They say, the smoke gets filtered and isn't as hot as normal, doing it this way. If you tried to hit it this light like normal? It goes out. But since I'm blowing through the cherry? The tiniest bit of wind keeps it lit. End result? Colder smoke, bigger hit, less choking. You like?"

  "If my girlfriend doesn't get mad at me, its okay with me."

  "Hurry? Am I allowed to practice my specialty on him?"

  "As long as I'm in the room? Yes. If I'm not home and any other girls are here? Yes. If you two are alone? Well, even a big sister's love, has limits."

  "Oh. So basically, we're allowed to have our lips touch, but only if you get to watch? I get it. So, little Wizzy. Maybe, you could help poor little me out, with a teeny little problem I'm experiencing, hmm?"

  "Depends. Like everything else? I will direct all questions, to my boss. She's management material, I just work here. My name's not on the lease, and if I get into trouble? My ass is homeless. The boss, is sitting right behind me."

  "Well. Good answer. Hurry? You have this one litter trained very thoroughly. I'm impressed. You'll have to share your techniques with me. I could have used them the st couple days. My normal powers of persuasion that I've come to rely on? Failed me, in a clutch moment."

  "Pretty simple. You just beat them senseless? Then give them sweet hugs and kisses. They give up and do whatever you say, after enough times. Doesn't take long."

  "Hmm. Doesn't work on number three."

  "You have to tug on their wiener, while you use both techniques. She cks a penis, so I can't train her."

  "Hmm. If I'd known you were such an expert, I could have switched boyfriends for a weekend, and see what you could have done with mine. Which brings us back to Wizzy and his help. Hurry, am I allowed to ask Wizzy for his opinions?"

  "Talking is allowed."

  She was bending over the tub again and might as well take her shirt off, that might make it less obvious. But I told her on the sly to have fun, so she's vamping it up to enjoy making him squirm.

  "Wizzy, Wizzy, Wizzy. I want the low down on… your Army buddies. I'm obviously not used to dealing with nice guys, and… I'm not used to coming up short like this. Any advice or help you can give."

  "I… don't know how girls rete to one another. I only know the guy rules and etiquette, Light. I'll try to help any way I can, and not viote the sanctity of the man club. I'm in your debt, for several services you've previously rendered, to make my life so… enjoyable. If? After we're done, you promise to talk about you, when you were growing up some. I never saw this side of you, and I'm all curious."

  "What side, my boob side? Yes, I put them on the dispy rack. In case you haven't figured out, you're allowed to look. Your girlfriend isn't spping you, for looking."

  "So you say. What happens to me ter on down the line? Is another matter."

  "Good god, are you squeezing his nuts under the water? I've never known a guy to be this polite before."

  "Do we have a deal?"

  "Deal, Wizzy. You first."

  "What do you want, what do you need."

  "Hmm. We'll smoke some more, while we talk… cool?"

  "Do your thing."

  "Yeah… doing my thing failed me, and I wanna know why, and I wanna know how to fix it."

  "Direct questions, will get you direct answers. Vague questions, will get you vague answers. Less useful, I would imagine."

  "Well. Wizzy? I can imagine what you think of me. I'm another slut running around campus. How was that? Helping to burn Rome down, while we all py cock instead of a fiddle, more or less."

  "Something like that."

  "Wizzy? You were in the service. Let me ask you something. There's things in the service, that just are. If you wanna be there, you have to follow the guidelines. Now… when its lunch time, you just follow the crowd to the chow hall, right? You get fed that way."

  "Sure."

  "Well? Regardless of what you think of me, its really not my fault that I act the way I do. The way most of the other girls around campus act. When its chow time, and you want to eat? You follow the crowd, or you don't get din din. I can tell by the look on your face, when I describe how "the game" gets pyed. Back in high school, here on campus… but I didn't make it that way, Wiz. I wasn't asked my opinion when the rules were being written, nor was I asked every year as the rules slowly changed."

  "Go on."

  "Okay. In the… Air Force, you were on a… base, right?"

  "It's called an Airbase. Yeah. Lacknd Air Force Base, most of the time, when I wasn't sent around to other bases."

  "Service life. You had to wear a uniform, you had to wear your hair a certain way. You had to shave. They served food, at a certain time, and in a certain pce. If you didn't wear the uniform, get the haircut, shave. Report to the right pce, and at the right time? You didn't get to eat, did you."

  "Nope. You're right. We have a saying in the service, through all the branches. There's the right way, the wrong way? And then there's the United States military way. And right or wrong, that's how its going to be. Period."

  "Wizzy? The games you see us girls pying… that you hate so much. You and Hurry both. We didn't make the game, we didn't write the rules. You go fishing?"

  "Some."

  "The boys taught me and Right. If you see people catching fish? Just do what they do. Go where they go, make your line and hook and sinker, look like they're doing it. Use their bait or their lure. Throw in the same pce, let it sit like they let it sit, reel it in like they reel it in. Because if they're catching fish, and you're not? Imitating a person catching a fish, is the only way to get one yourself."

  "Oh, hell yeah."

  "Well. If the girls around me, are getting more dates than I am, and I want a date too? I have to do what they do, if I expect to nd a boy. Look how I'm dressed. I look… cute, right?"

  "If I don't get a red hot poker up my ass ter on for saying so? Tentatively, yes."

  "Well, this is how other girls dress, that nd boys. I can choose to wear a garbage bag, and poke my arms out the sides, but… if I don't get any dates that way, I might think about trying something else. Hence, my clothes you see and admit look cute. Fishing? I noticed the lures have bright dots and shiny things on them. Its designed to get bites and nibbles. I'm a girl. I want bites and nibbles, too. Why am I to be crucified, for wanting boys to notice me."

  "I can see where this is going, Light. When we're done, I'll tell you my take on it all, but, I'm not sure you're going to like my expnation. But for now, let's keep it simple and direct. I don't… hate you. Not personally. The system we have going though? This… game, as you call it? Its a race to the bottom. You people, men and women both… have now got it to the point, where evolution is working in reverse. We're all going backwards, instead of forwards. Because someone tweaked the game? And ruined the natural order of things. No, its not your fault. And I can appreciate where you're coming from. The other girls get dates, dressing cute. So? You want the same bait they use. Because you want a fish too. I get that."

  "Thanks, Wizzy. I always kinda thought you hated me for… acting like a slut. But, I can't be the only nun here, and expect to get id."

  "Okay. Quid pro quo. Hurry here. Sitting right behind me. My tongue rolled out at her, and she was wearing combat boots, regur jeans, regur T shirt, and a fnnel shirt. I get excited for her, not for what she's wearing. Yeah, you could stick her in a potato sack? I still can't wait to get a peek under the potato sack. To me? That's love. I love the person… you? Are describing lust. Not love. I spent the st four years of high school? As the show boyfriend. I spent the next four years in the service? Being the bad boy, even though I wasn't trying to be one."

  "I know."

  "Neither one, got me what I really wanted. A girl, to just love me, for being me. She's sitting right behind me, but… ask anyone. I speak the exact same way when she's not around, and I don't think it would get back to her. This is not some… rehearsed, nice guy speech. Its just the truth. Your… game? Is designed to get you id. My game? Is designed to find me a mate, that I love, and loves me back. You? Want to catch more fish. I? Just want to nd the big, perfect fish. I'm willing to wait for it, and you weren't willing to wait. So, years down the road… when we're all pushing 50 years old. You? Will have a stack of photos, of all those fish you caught. Look, I won the game. I caught 100 fish. I'll just take out a couple photos, then the one framed photo. Of that perfect, big, trophy fish."

  "Maybe this… is a guy and girl thing."

  "It could be, but I don't think so. Do I do what the other guys do? No. They all have it where they're the show boyfriend, and the girl's running around fucking everyone else but them, or… they're another bad boy, acting like a jackass, and they can't buy a retionship. Not one worth a fuck, anyhow. Its not just the girls, its the boys too. You're all acting like a bunch of idiots, all doing the same things, then wondering why you're all getting the same results."

  "Can you tell me, why the Army guys… are acting so different? From all the other guys on campus. It freaked me out."

  "Oh. Now that? I can tell you why."

  "Please."

  "Okay. We were all in the service. They let women in the service now. The women in the service? Are the biggest turbo-whores, you ever saw in your life. They put you girls here on campus? To fucking shame. They're surrounded by all these young, fit, macho guys. And they go fucking nuts. They like to try to maintain this sweet public image, but… they run around and let guys fuck them, one two and three at a time, every night of the week. The girlfriends, and the wives that aren't wearing uniforms? Are goddamn worse yet. Ask anyone ever been in the service. "

  "Really?"

  "Definitely, ask anyone telling the truth. If you get deployed? Its open season on your wife or girlfriend, and its game on, turbo-whore's open for business. All your buddies, all your enemies, even your sergeant gets a piece. Just light her cigarette, and bend her over the pool table. Everyone ughs. Everyone fucks her. When you get home, that's if you make it home alive, mind you. Everyone's showing you cell phone videos of her in action. Its the most disgusting thing you ever saw."

  "Holy shit. I had no idea."

  "Even for young guys, who you would think that this sounds like a sexy deal? Its just too much. After four or more years of it? We wanna throw up. We can't wait to get back to the real world, where the girls are only slightly better. And not by much, mind you. After a four year tour of Sodom and Gomorrah? Even a horny young man, is looking for something, as you would say… more like what you call a nun. Yeah, a girl like Hurry. Jeans, T shirt, and only one guy every year. You know, what normal women used to be like, before real life turned into a porno movie."

  "You're telling me, I'd still be dating the guy I liked, if I would have worn sweatpants and T shirts that weren't cut off, and didn't show off how good I can be in bed."

  "When I showed the boys videos, of you girls practicing? The boys came running. Tomboys. In shape. You girls were quiet and polite when you met the boys here, for the BBQ and I arranged a little fresh meat fighting practice. So you could see they're tough guys, like you girls like so much. Didn't you notice the boys were drooling over you girls? They were on their best behavior. Opening doors for you. Pulling your chair out. Standing up every time you sat down or stood up. Asking me, asking Hurry here, for permission to take you out on a date. Hell, your guy? I heard him promise Hurry here, that he'd have you home at a respectable time."

  "So, I did what works best on all the guys on campus, and… I accidentally did the exact opposite of the right thing."

  "Yeah. You think those guys can't get id? They can. They want quality, not quantity. You know how here on campus, the guy brags the wilder the sex is, to his buddies. Yo, dude… st weekend, you wouldn't believe it. My girlfriend? Brought her room mate over. I swear to god. She actually taught her how to give a blow job. All weekend, both of them. On my dick! Dude, that shit was so cash, you have no idea."

  "Young boys, like young girls. No mystery there."

  "Well, here I guess. You know how you brag in the service?"

  "I'm afraid to ask, now that you mention it."

  "Dude, you remember that girl I met at the chili contest? Yeah, what about her. You got id. Big deal. Well, I did, but… she was scared to try anything. She just id there, and looked up at me, like she didn't know what she was doing. It was like my first time, back home, when I was 14. Then? Your buddies all go crazy. You never bring her around, you never leave her number ying around. She's too precious a commodity near an Airbase."

  "Wizzy? This is so unfair. Did you enjoy it, when Hurry used my carrot instructions, and you loved it?"

  "Um… she calls it the wet sloppy. I about die when she does it, ask her if I'm lying. I follow her around like a puppy dog. Why, I bet if she put a leash on me? She could walk me around and make me py fetch for her, and beg."

  I touched his dick, under the swirling water, to let him know how turned on I was, admitting it openly. Even if it was on the sly like he was doing it.

  "I only know about two guys I can verify she slept with, in two years she's been here. And you're number two, Wizzy. Who do you think made that happen for you? Me. The slut, with experience."

  "Little Lightning? Thank you. I am forever in your debt, and… anything you can talk my girlfriend into allowing me to do to pay you back? Get her to name it, and I'll do it. I owe you."

  "She was worried, she wouldn't… she asked me how to handle that date you went away on. I told her, make sure the guy knows that's the designated night. So he has something to look forward to. Did she show you her boobs? I told her to show you what you'd be getting, so you'd be all… mesmerized and want her."

  I gave him a couple little tugs on his interest meter, and I felt his interest rise. In secret, under the churning water. While he was staring at the pole vaulter of his dreams, who had gotten so engrossed in the conversation that she forgot he was getting an eyeful.

  "Again? I'll do anything I can, to make you feel better, Lightning. She… that was all you? She showed me more than her boobies. I got quite a show. She told me I was her boyfriend, and I was going to live with her, and probably marry her… before I even got past first base. I had a heart attack, when I saw her muscles. I would have knelt at her feet, if she would have asked."

  I was in heaven. Here I am, the practically a nun room mate. The inexperienced farm girl, asking for pointers on how to act like I know what I'm doing on my second college boyfriend. And my "every guy wants her" best friend? Is about to cry. I feel rotten, but oh so deliciously desirable and gorgeous right now.

  I poked his tight little bum with another hidden finger, in secret, while I gave him another couple tugs. Just to let him know how much I approved, how wet he was making me. And when he openly described kneeling at my dominant feet, and begging me to do more to him, anything my naughty compulsion craved, right before I did it to him? Yum. Even if he did say it in code, he still said it. If I get any wetter, any quicker? The water level is going to rise slightly.

  "Christ guys. I can't believe this. You, Hurry… you have limited experience in these matters, and you attract your soul mate, for the love of god. You followed all my advice, and it worked wonders. For you. On a service guy. Me? I find a guy I really liked, and was thinking about I could actually have a decent boyfriend for once. And… everything that should work? Backfired. The hell do I do now. Can I watch you guys fuck, so I can learn how to do it properly? So a nice guy will like me too? I don't believe this."

  "Lightning? Hurry kind of… I mean, I've never had anything like this before. We moved the furniture around, all over the townhouse while you girls were gone. I swear I thought I was going to die one time, she knocked something loose. Was that all your ideas too?"

  "Kitchen?"

  "Oh yeah. More then once."

  "Yeah, Wizzy. The kitchen? Is kinda my trademark. I don't know what about it, is so sexy about what I call… cooking in the kitchen? But… its so romantic, and I don't even know why. Please tell me, the kitchen got cleaned afterwards, that's all I ask…"

  "Um, we cleaned the kitchen, and we cleaned your room, too. It was on… cleaning day."

  "Gee. That's great. Before or after, living room. That's my other big advice. Something dirty, about doing it in what's normally a public space. Feels like you're going to get caught at any moment, when you know you're not. Makes it more exciting."

  "Yeah. Thanks."

  "Hurry! You farm slut. Wizzy? You were basically fucking me, in your girlfriend's body. She used my whole py book on you. Hope you had fun with me."

  We both ughed at the way she put it.

  "Little Lightning? You… were fantastic."

  "Thanks, Wizzy. I guess. This whole conversation is a little weird, but what the hell. Let's have another joint. You guys mind me hanging out with you? I don't wanna weird you out."

  "Light, we shower together all season long. I'm fine."

  "Yeah, but I don't wanna freak out your monk here. Him and his Army buddies, they're scared of any girl that knows how to fuck."

  "Light? I'm all scratched and bit up. I got worked over for days. You could jump in the tub with us right now, I might not even notice. She woke me up out of a sound sleep at night? Used me like a rape victim. I need counseling, I think."

  "Actually honey, I'm a psych major. I could give you the counseling you need for that."

  "Oh really. I'm not sure the rapist, is supposed to be the one that does the counseling. I felt so cheap and used. Like a piece of meat."

  Lightning blew out a giant bong hit, then went back to rolling the joint.

  "I know the feeling, Wizzy. Usually? That's me. Feels pretty good, to get ridden hard and put away wet and crying, doesn't it."

  "Hurry told me I'm a dirty little slut now."

  "Talking dirty. I taught her that one, too. If you need counseling, Wizzy, and I feel bad for you, really, you have no idea. My room is right around the corner. Feel free to stop in anytime. I'll give you all the counseling you need, so you can get through it."

  "Well. I would, but… I'm not allowed to set foot in your room, or… I'm a dead man."

  She lit the joint, a big one. Wiggled it and took a big hit, and passed it.

  "I thought you cleaned my room while I was gone, Wizzy. You need to get your story straight."

  "He's only allowed in your room, if I'm there with him. Under fear for his life. Nothing personal, Light. The other girl's rooms carry the same penalty."

  "Oh, well. There you go, Wiz. You have to bring the rapist down, to watch my rape counseling. Then? You're not in any trouble. Problem, solution."

  She handed me the hand towel so I wouldn't fuck the joint up with wet fingers.

  "So… how does your rape counseling go, little sister. I'd like to compare it to my Psych css on the subject."

  "Well, I have a new technique. I rape the ever loving shit out of the rape victim? Then, that way… they get over it. Then, I send them back to the rapist, and? Its no longer a problem."

  "Oh. Yeah, pretty much what the Psych professor said to do. And how did you learn this advanced technique?"

  "Practice. Lots of practice."

  I've actually got him sitting here, looking at her perfect little boobs out on dispy. While making jokes about me, watching him, get raped by her. Down in her room. He's enjoying the ironic comedy, and I can feel his hard on. I feel so dirty, and its feeling so damn deliciously good. Poor Little Lightning? Is feeling down, for feeling dirty. The irony is so thick, I could cut it with a hard dick. Which I have my hand wrapped around, while I hold the thick joint for him to suck on. After I passed it back, I used my wet hand under the water to switch around to his back end, and tease him that I was going to poke him in his rear.

  His next act? Was to ask, all innocently of course, what the champagne story was. I almost choked on my next hit, and Lightning almost doubled over in ughter.

  "Wizzy? That's a story for another night, I think. Suffice to say? Its not the story of champagne, its more like the story of the champagne bottle. Lets just say its part of my rape counseling css? And leave it at that, for now. Okay?"

  "Whatever you say, Little Lightning. I owe you big time."

  "Yes. For whoring up your farm girl soul mate for you. So you enjoy her more. Which should have turned you off, like your Army buddy? And didn't. Wizzy? If you keep trying to make me feel better like this? I'm going to beat you with a hockey stick."

  "If it'll make you feel better, Light. Anything for you."

  She giggled, and dunked his head under water suddenly. She had to use her other hand that was still dry, to hit the joint now. She held her hand out, and he dutifully dried it for her.

  "Told you. I'll do anything for you, Light."

  "Thanks, Wizzy. So… what was my part of the bargain? I had to tell you about growing up for me, huh? Great. What do you need to know."

  "Anything. I don't know anything about you, other than you're a soccer star, and you're my girlfriend's best friend."

  "Hmm. I'm half German, half Swedish, of all things. I'm actually not that tall, for a Swedish girl. I guess cause I'm only half Swedish. My real dad? A full blooded Swedish welder. He would go on site, to weld… farm equipment and factory equipment. When the thing to get welded is too big, you bring the welder to the work, not drag the work to the welding shop."

  "Swedish people are tall?"

  "Yeah. Countries with mountains, where the Vikings came from? Being over six foot tall, is nothing. My dad was about as tall as Hurry's dad. My mom, is German. There's a couple different kinds of German girls. Some are big thick girls, some have narrow hips and a compact body. So, I'm tall and big boned for a girl, on account of having a full Swedish dad. My mom, gave me the slender hips and body. Its why I look like I look."

  "You said you don't have your mom and dad together."

  "No. I don't. My mom is… Mom? Is a pretty German woman. But… she uses men like financial toilet paper."

  "Sorry for your luck, there."

  "Thanks, Wizzy. No big deal, I'm not the only girl my age, that has daddy issues. And got raised by a string of guys mom drags home to py daddy."

  "And you love soccer."

  "My mom hates soccer. My mom likes union men, and by likes union men, I guess I mean to say she likes their paychecks. In a small mid western town like mine? There's a few business owners, and a bunch of farmers around the outskirts… and a bunch of businesses, all blue colr, that pay decent to service all the farm stuff and businesses. Factories, too. If you want to nd a decent husband there? You hook a guy with a union job. Mom wasn't dumb in that department."

  "Why does mom hate soccer?"

  "Mom hates anything, that doesn't teach me how to attract men with big paychecks. I'm sure she thinks she's doing me a great service, teaching me how to succeed in the marriage divorce game. Mate, bleed them dry, divorce and clean them out. Rinse and repeat until you're too old to py the game anymore. By that time? You should have your ducks all in a row, financially."

  "Soccer doesn't attract guys with big paychecks?"

  "I'm tall, slender hips. Long legs with muscle. I'm kind of built to be a dancer. Mom had me doing gymnastics and dancing, when I was little. I guess she figured that pretty girls that can wiggle around for men? Get better ones. I eventually hated dancing, even though I was okay at it. I insisted on pying sports. I was a sprinter for the girls track team, and pyed soccer. Mom hated every minute of me doing it."

  "Your life didn't sound that bad, Light."

  "Yeah. I'm skipping one or two things. One of these days, I'll let Hurry… counsel me, I guess. I don't wanna talk to anyone about it, that doesn't know me, love me, and understand me. I hate my home."

  "Anything you hate about it, you can tell me?"

  "Yeah. My mom cares about houses, cars, furniture. Going out to nice restaurants, and impressing everyone with her keen business acumen, by which I naturally mean her ability to rook men for all they're worth. My mom would leapfrog, from man to man. With a string of boyfriends all in between each one, till she had a live one on the hook. I mean, most of them were great guys, or at least trying hard. But… that was mom's main focus. Dating. Not spending time with me. Taking me clothes shopping? Is my mom's idea of spending quality time with me. What else would make any girl happy, but a trip to the mall for some more sexy outfits, right?"

  "Is that where all… you're cute outfits come from then?"

  "Yes. I was basically ignored most of my life, except to be taken out to eat, or shop for clothes. Without dancing, to teach me to attract a rich man to want to fuck me and marry me? My mom thinks buying me clothes to make me more attractive to boys will help."

  "Is she happy you're getting an education, and can provide for yourself one day?"

  "Yes and no. Mom's excited I'm at a giant university? So I can snag a doctor or an engineer to get married to. That's all college is good for, to my mom. Everything in life, to a girl? Should revolve around one thing, and one thing only. Landing rich guys, and getting them to marry you. Nothing else in life, could possibly make any woman happy."

  "I'm going to compliment you, Little Lightning. In your own way, you developed what you thought was morality. I have never, seen you be a gold digger, or seem like you use men for money. That, is a rare thing, and goes to your credit. Coming from me? That's high praise."

  "Huh. Thanks, Wizzy. That means something to me. There, you finally made me feel better. I'm a turbo-slut, but I have financial morality. That's something, I suppose. No, I don't want a boy’s money. I'm pretty sure, I have massive daddy issues. And no… I don't use boys for money and presents. I want their attention. I guess, I'm an attention whore. When I found out I could be a sports star? I got the first, real, positive attention I ever got. And getting recruited here? Well. Its the only thing good in my life. Pying soccer and trying to be the best."

  "Hmm. You like something more than just attention from boys. Call it a hunch."

  "Yeah. You noticed. Sex feels good, and you get attention from boys at the same time."

  "None of how you are? Is your fault, Lightning. It all falls squarely on your mom's gold digging shoulders. She gave you… a really warped view, of humanity and society."

  "You're telling me. You ever see a pretty older woman with a little girl, but the little girl's all dressed sexy, like a much older girl should be? That was me. You know what my mom did when she caught me starting to kiss boys? I was 11 or 12, by the way. I was still innocent that way, until then."

  "Spanked your little bottom blue, and forbid you to shave your legs until you were 30?"

  "No. Mom went the other way with it. Had a little talk with me. Honey, its wonderful you like boys. But, can't you try to kiss older boys? You'll be the first girl with a boyfriend that owns his own car, and has a good job. She started buying me sexy clothes, instead of the respectable designer clothes she'd been dressing me in, up until then. She bought me all the tiny, skin showing clothes any high school girl would normally not be allowed to wear, and made me wear it. I was trying to dress like the other girls on the soccer team. I was trying, I guess, to look more like your precious Hurry dressed. Nope. I had to change out of hooker boots and tiny miniskirts, to get into my soccer uniform in junior high."

  "That's just… bizarre. She was trying to make you every teenage boy's fantasy."

  "Teenage, hell. She lectured me constantly, to always date older boys. Boys that had more going for them, as she always put it. You know. Nicer car. Better job."

  "Christ. Most moms that age, are checking their daughter's purse for condoms and the pill. Your mom was buying you rubbers."

  "Oh. Funny story. You know how all the teenage girls, usually get the don't get pregnant lecture?"

  "Duh."

  "I was told to go to the drive in. Go to parties. Stay out all night on the weekends. Its okay to get in the family way, honey. Just make sure its to a boy that has something going for him. Never get knocked up by some loser. Always pick quality, clothes or men, and you'll never go wrong. That was the great life advice my mom gave me, every day of my life. In high school? She wanted me to date college boys, and boys that had union jobs from working where their father worked. You know. Men of quality."

  "Your mom? Makes me wanna puke."

  "Join the club, Wizzy. I'm gonna have to marry a psychologist, just so I can get all the therapy I need. I'm kidding. But… when Hurry thinks she has enough csses under her belt? I want her to try it out on me."

  "Something is missing from the picture, and I'm trying to put my finger on it…"

  "Wizzy? You're smart. Real smart. Maybe too smart, for your own good. Just… don't, okay? Please. I'm begging you. I'm okay with it, just… let it go. I meant it. I trust Hurry. I love her. She's like my big sister, and my guard dog. When she's ready, I'll do it with her. No one else, okay?"

  "I'm sorry, Light. And… for the record? I think you turned out great, considering what your mom put into you. And, you and Hurry both? I honestly can't wait to see you girls in real practice, let alone in games. I used to watch the women's Olympics, and… I think the real irony here? Is that all the dancing lessons, you're putting them to a better use, trying to nail down a championship."

  Lightning smiled. Genuine, too.