Harley's Choice Read online

  “Yeah I remember that crazy SOB, he was good, but officially psycho in my book.”

  I couldn’t stand it, I wanted to know what they were talking about, and I wanted to see facial expressions, so I opened the door. “I’m ready if you two are.”

  Two sets of eyes locked on to me and all conversation ceased.

  The three of us just stood looking at each other. I was looking at them for a couple of reasons. One: Kyle had on a white shirt and a tie and looked a bit like a professional business man. His hair looked a mess but it worked for him, curls: I sympathized, never really do what you want them to do when you want them to do it. Two: Carson was wearing a blue shirt and a tie also, but he had put on vest making him look a little like a pit boss, if it weren’t for those damn glasses again.

  I giggled. Then chuckled, and then roared out a full boisterous laugh. “W-what’s with the glasses, you were wearing them this morning too. As far as I can remember you had perfect vision.”

  “Don’t laugh. Believe it or not a pair of glasses hides my identity better than a wig and an over coat.”

  I laughed even harder with that picture rolling in my head. “Really kitten he’s not lying, the populous does not often look twice at a man in glasses.

  “Well you both clean up very nicely, who would have thunk it.” I must be getting used to seeing them because I wasn’t focusing on their bodies…much. Each looked really scrumptious and I was ravenous. Of course thinking of any verb, noun or adjective that could be used to describe food or hunger always set my stomach rumbling.

  Carson laughed. “Come on Hars let’s get food into you.” He extended his arm and I walked on, “I’m still very angry with you for that stunt you pulled this afternoon.”

  “I was having an off day and needed to blow off steam, I told you I did martial arts. Can you ever forgive me?” I batted my eyelashes as I looked up in his eyes all while I was seducing his mind and body into my frame of mind. His body tightened and leaned toward me and his eyes went glassy and a little goofy smile teased his lips.

  I reached up and pulled him down to my lips.

  “Kitten that dress looks amazing on you. Or I should say you look amazing in that dress.” Kyle said around laughter at Carson, but breaking the spell of our bodies.

  “Thanks Kyle. It took a bit to get into.” It was one of my favorite dresses; in fact I have it in three different colors in two different materials and two different lengths. It’s an infinity dress, to be able to worn multiple ways. Right now I had it wrapped over one shoulder and full covered back. “I was going to wear it with an opened back but I changed my mind at last minute." I had picked up a few bruises from this morning and this afternoon, but I wasn't telling anyone that.

  I stood in front of the mirror after I had wrapped myself up in a backless version and thought I looked pretty good, until I turned around and saw a bruise from landing on my back at the gym and one that I would swear was the same width as Kyle's forearm.

  I sighed and set to rewrapping. I also switched out my bag for a clasp that was just big enough for my lip stick and room key.

  "Well you look amazing." Kyle said as he kissed my cheek, but it was Carson's eyes that held my attention; they seem to be devouring me alive. Kyle placed his hand across my back and led me off down the hallway sufficiently cutting me off from Carson, "don't pout kitten, if I had allowed you two to keep it up, you wouldn’t have made it at all."

  I just nodded the look in Carson's eyes still warming my body and to add the way the dress swayed with my hips and with the thigh holster in place I just felt sexy. The color is red and the material is jersey cotton, a power color and flirty material. My hips rolled and swayed and I knew there was a slight spring in my step.

  We walked to the elevator and rode down in silence the three of us staying in our own little bubble, not speaking, not looking. There was something thick in the air and I was pretty sure it was my fault.

  Suddenly we were tossed out into the squabble that was the hotel lobby. There were people milling about everywhere and most in some sort of nice dress, so we followed them to Ball Room #2 where we were stopped at the door by Becky and Betsy, two out of the six girls who tormented me in school. “Hello! Welcome to the reunion! Go Lynx!”

  I heard one of the guys chuckle but I couldn’t tell who, I was busy biting my lip to keep from laughing myself. “Hello.” I said they focused on my face without comprehension. Not surprising. Though they still looked exactly alike in the face Becky, (or was it Betsy, I couldn't tell) had added a bit of weight to her entire frame, the other had pageboy cut but they were there, in my mind, laughing as Rebecca threw another insult my way.

  “Hiya! You need to locate your badge and please make sure you keep it on so that everyone knows who you were.”

  “Um thanks.” I looked over the badges and found mine. I quickly grabbed and palmed my badge and stepped out of the way so the guys could get their IDs and as we walked into the dining room I realized that this was the last place I wanted to be.

  After I got back from the gym, besides locking the doors, I also had showered then curled up on the bed and realized, painfully how I now had nothing to go back home to and cried myself to sleep. I slept fitfully for about an hour and awoke with red rimmed eyes and very sad. Captain was my life. He was protective and loving. I was going to miss him intensely.

  So now I was here in this room with about a hundred people I couldn’t tell you their names and only two that I liked. This was going to be a long night. I took stock of the exits and the layout of the room as I walked around. I looked at the ‘Remembrance Board’ and noticed there were five people who wouldn’t be here tonight and then moved on. “So it looks like we are sitting alphabetically tonight.” Kyle whispered in my ear.

  “Are you going to be ok?” Carson asked.

  “Hey I’ll be fine. They’re going to feed me remember.”

  “Hey kitten you want to blow this off and go get pizza?”

  Oh boy did I! “No I have to do this. A good portion of my life was spent with these people; I need to face them now.” And maybe a poison or few…no, no I knew better. So I would be a good Harley tonight and just rub it into their faces.

  “Ok well looks like things are going to be starting.” Kyle said just as a bald man on stage said. “Welcome graduates of 2001. If everyone could take their seats we have a few speakers before dinner is served.”

  “Damn.” I said and Carson chuckled and sent me on my way with a pat on the bum. I jumped slightly and looked at him over my shoulder; his eyes were still extremely intense. I hope that promised fantastic orgasms later.

  Corn lily, what was going on with me?

  I found my table and seat and waited impatiently for the bald man to finish his speech.

  “Hello all graduates. I’m Mr. Simons I was Principal from 81 to 2001 and I watched all you grow into the people you are today. It gives me great joy to know that you all grew under my care and teachings and nothing gives me greater pleasure than to introduce to you your class president and friend to all, Rebecca Morrison, or as you may remember her Rebecca Stanley.” Applause rippled across the room as Rebecca took center stage, a place she’s always enjoyed, and apparently still does.

  Cyanide she still looks good!

  She looks like the girl I met that first day, but older and more…woman.

  “Hello class of 2001, welcome home!” she waited for the applause to die down. “Now I know some of you never left the area, and some of us have traversed the world and I want to say thanks for all those who have come and a moment of reflection for those who will never make it home.” She pointed to the Remembrance Board and then continued. “Tonight’s dinner will be for us to say hello and see old friends. Tomorrow are the classes, please make sure you have your schedules so you know where to go.

  Now for the important stuff; we went to school together longer than most high schools, we were privileged in that we got to form deeper friendships and were able to
keep those friends through the ups and downs through the last ten years…” I tuned out the rest she just continued to talk about her achievements in a vague way that everyone thought she was talking about them. I looked around and realized that I really didn’t know a single person here. Oh sure I could remember just about all of them, but to tell you their names I would be at a loss. There were only a few that I would never forget; Rebecca, the Twin B’s, Stephanie, Marcy and Tiffany.

  Oh there’s Tiffany now with a very pregnant stomach. My throat closed as I thought what it would be like to be a mother…someday I suppose, then again maybe not I couldn’t even keep my dog protected there was no way I would bring a child into this life I lead.

  I glanced around to find the next one. Stephanie, oh, Stephanie where are you…I couldn’t find – oh never mind there she is. She got fat. I smiled despite myself, now I’m not one to judge on the weight of someone, they could be healthy just big, but her, no, no way. She had to be three times her size from high school and she was pasty and seemed to have trouble breathing. Ok so that was an exaggeration…she was only twice her old size, but despite her pallor she was smiling at a man that was sitting next to her. I noticed a ring and felt a pang of jealously that she was married. Again if I loved someone so much that I wanted to marry them, I’d soon as kill them than marry them.

  Finally I located Marcy. Marcy looked to be the least changed out of the all, next to Rebecca that is. Her blonde hair was cut short now in that pixie style that can destroy a many woman’s looks but on her it looked good. Her heart shaped face was brought out by the hair style and made her large round blue eyes look innocent. In this room of people who pissed on me in school and pissed me off, she was the most sympathetic of the lot. She would smile sadly as the latest torment was over but never did anything about it.

  I knew her secret but never told. I could have used a companion down on the bottom rung but I let it slide, that and I was selfish when it came to my knights. But looking at her now I was truly jealous. She had a natural beauty to her and she seemed to know it. I couldn't blame her one bit.

  I focused on other things instead of the Pussy Posse. I took a better look of the decorations, the tables were draped in white linen and the plates were square and brightly colored. The center pieces were of our mascot, the lynx, or a toy version of him holding balloons and a sash saying class of 2001, okay so those were rather cheesy, but it somehow fit with the overall décor. I saw more balloons and streamers and the floor sprinkled with confetti. The main colors were the blue and silver of our school and there were secondary colors of a pale yellow and a muted orange and deep red. All in all I’d have to say Rebecca did a good job, but I’d never say it.

  I focused back in on the speech just to hear her say “So to all those here I say let’s eat!” Now that was something I could applaud too. The side doors opened and in walked servers with food carrying at least four plates each and started walking around and placing plates in what seemed a sporadic pattern, but I soon realized they were placing the steak dinners to those who ordered them. My brilliant mind put this together shortly after a plate appeared in front of me and Rebecca sneered at me as she sat down. “Red meat is so bad for you.” she adjusted her dress and laid her purse on the table, "I'm Rebecca Stanley and you are?"

  “Um…ok, thanks for the heads up.” I replied as I cut into the still bleeding piece of meat, trying not to throw who I was in her face. I had already slipped my name plate into my thigh holster so I couldn't be identified. Then added, “I happen to think the protein is good for you.”

  “Eating meat is bad for your body period.” She sneered again at my food and then I realized why she looked so good, she had to have a very good surgeon on retainer. Her face did not match the mood she was in. When she sneered her face remained passive. I wondered briefly when the word was done.

  I cut into my steak and stuck a piece into my mouth and the flavor came alive, it had so many under tones and over tones that it danced a tango on my tongue. I closed my eyes and moaned, it was good and I was famished.

  I sat up closer to my plate and dug in, I didn’t care who saw or watched I was starved. I did stop momentarily when I noticed that Rebecca got the chicken plate. “Um…” Nope, not going there. I shook at my head. Wow I was so glad that I now knew chicken was not meat.

  I finished well before anyone at my table did, and I was still hungry. I sat back and watched people as they focused on their food; some eating similar to how I eat (mostly men) and some just picking at their food like they weren’t really hungry (most of the woman). So now that I knew where the nasty people were I focused on finding the two that are the most important. I decided that pizza was sounding good too, so got up and wandered to find them.

  “Hello?”

  OH MY RICIN! I jumped. My dad would take me over the coals if he found out someone had snuck up on me. I turned. Hello died on my lips, it was Donny the Quarterback. “Um, hello.”

  “I was just wondering if you are in the right place. It is my responsibility to make sure that everyone is wearing their name tags, and I don’t see yours anywhere.” I shivered and not in the good way as he ogled my breasts. Eww, what a creep.

  I took my name tag out of my purse and pinned it to my breast. “Oh, gee, can you see it now?” I fluttered around my breast and spoke in an innocent way.

  I practically saw him drooling. “Yes, I see it now.” He glanced at my name and tried to place me. Considering he either has his tongue down Rebecca’s throat or laughing so hard while one of his boys tormented me I wasn’t surprised that he couldn’t place me. “I’m sorry I don’t remember you, and I’m sure I knew all the pretty girls in school.”

  I swayed up to him and placed my hand against his chest and leaned up and whispered in his ear making sure my chest was pressed against his. “I was known as Hairy Skeleton.” His jaw drop and with my nail I lifted his jaw up and sashayed away. Oh, wonderful power.

  I found Carson first and took a good look at him, how anyone could mistake him for something he wasn’t was beyond my comprehension. But it seemed the glasses worked, and the fact that he shaved off his stubble leaving only a mustache didn’t hurt either.

  He was laughing like a buffoon and I was hooked. Sitting there like he was reminded me of how young we were when I left. I wanted those years back. I wanted to go back and not leave, I wanted to stay, but I knew that by me leaving has made us into the people we are today, and for that I have no regrets. He caught my eye and smiled at me and I knew that I had to tell them the truth about who I was.

  And hope they would stay.

  Next I found Kyle, he, without a disguise went unnoticed by most. There were a few that braved the masses and asked for an autograph, or said something that made him smile. His smile though ten years older was still the same easy going, carefree smile he’d always had.

  God, how much I loved these two. I caught his eye and his smile increased and I placed a hand to my stomach and rubbed. He got the message and stood. He dominated a room, when he was in it and I couldn’t see why no one else noticed. I watched him walk, an easy hip rolling glide that matched the rest of his body. He was the willow tree, not for thinness no, but for the strength and ‘go with the wind’ attitude he possesses. As he tapped Carson on the shoulder he said something to him and they both looked at me and I repeated my previous sign for ‘feed me’. Carson smiled and stood.

  Carson’s walk was different. He had a gait to him that one could easily compare to a predator, he was a silent walker and it showed as he walked through the room without disturbing a single person. He was the mighty oak – strong and unbendable, sturdy and dependable. He was someone who would make the wind bend around him. I wanted to tap into that strength and keep it as my own.

  I smiled as they approached, "let’s get out of here, the food was good but nowhere enough and I think there's still some pizza in my room.” They both saluted me and followed me out of the banquet room.

  Chapter five:


  My room was a sanctuary of sorts. Yes we were free from the crowds and mindless chatter, but now we were face to face with a huge white elephant that somehow made a home in what seems to have ended up being the gathering space, my fault again, I was going to have to confess.

  My stomach rumbled and was presented with a piece of pizza "Oh, thanks” I ate as my mind thought through all the things that could go wrong when I told them, but I knew I needed to say something.

  I was no longer hungry, as the worry and fear ate at me.

  I dropped my half eaten slice in the garbage and grabbed my jammies out of my bag, “I’m going to get into my pjs and curl up in bed and watch a movie if you care to join I’ll be out in five.” I walked into the bathroom and firmly shut the door and resisted the urge to open it. I didn’t care if they both stayed or if one or even neither stayed. I meant what I said. I changed and washed my face and put my hair in a braid. As I stepped out and just before I turned the corner I wondered if they would both be there.

  Carson.

  He sat on my bed like he belonged there and smiled like he knew it. “Hello Hars. I hope you don’t mind I have come to watch a movie with you?”

  “Nope don’t mind at all. Anything good on?” I avoided starring too long at his naked chest and opted to climb into bed, fully clothed, and slip under the covers. He watched me the entire time.

  When I was finally, somewhat (not at all), comfortable he looked down at me and smiled. “Hars you act like you’re scared.”

  “Nope not me, so what’s on the TV?”

  “I have absolutely no idea.” He reached over and turned off the lamp and rolled toward me. The only light was filtering under the heavy curtains but it was enough to see the intensity of his gaze. I didn’t even need to see it, I felt it. It stripped me naked and raw. “Tell me something Harley. Who are you?”