Sandy's Saga
Chapter 10
Natural
* * *
"I won't be long, just need to get out of these oil stained rags." Soda kissed me and headed down the hall, leaving me standing alone - in the middle of … chaos.
I barely heard him as he had to yell over the noise, Ponyboy and Johnny had the television up loud while making a house of cards in front of it, Darry in the kitchen with pots and pans covering every burner.
"Hey Sandy, you want something to drink?" Darry offered, glancing my way.
"No, thanks," I answered.
"We need another deck, hold on, I'll … aww shoot!"
I tried to hide my smile when the house of cards came down just as Ponyboy went to stand up. There had to be at least two decks already on the floor.
"Guess we don't need that other deck, huh Ponyboy?" Johnny asked.
"No, guess not."
"They'll keep at it, just you watch." Darry said, siding up next to me. It was hard not to notice the contours of his arm muscles through his shirt. Soda's were well defined too, but not like Darry's. I put it out of my mind.
"How long have they been working on it already?" I asked, hoping I wouldn't have to shout.
He looked at the clock. "Maybe an hour. It's already collapsed twice on them, but they never give up."
"Okay, sweets... I'm ready. Darry, I'll be back eventually."
"Midnight, Sodapop. No later. Have a good time, you two."
"Bye Soda... Sandy," Ponyboy said without looking up. "Put that card there, Johnny...."
He opened the truck door for me then got in his side, started it and headed off. "Is that aftershave?" The scent was faint, but present.
He smiled. "Yeah. It's Darry's though. You like it?"
"It's different. I didn't know you were gonna get all fancy for me." I teased.
"Even changed my socks too, just for you."
I laughed, then scrunched my nose. "I didn't need to know those details, Sodapop!"
He tugged and I slid over closer to him, letting him put his arm around me. "So where to?"
I looked at the selection... as if the strip ever changes. "I'm sort of in the mood for barbecue. You?"
"Sure thing, babe. Mind if we walk though?"
"Not at all." He parked the truck and we set out on foot. I had a feeling I knew why he wanted to park.... the strip was busy and I noticed the gas gauge was hovering on the other side of half. Soda got to use the truck, but I knew it was Darry's and despite working for the DX, the gas wasn't free. I really didn't mind walking, the weather was mild and the sky clear, stars shining above.
He held me close as we walked along the strip, heading for the Bar-B-Q Hut, one of the better places for Texas style barbecue.
"Ready for fall?" I asked. The fall and winter can be rather brutal around here.
"Bout as ready as I'll ever be. Business is picking up at the station, lots of people wanting to get their cars ready for the bad weather."
"I bet Darry'll be glad to get off those hot roofs for a change."
He nodded with a grin. "Yeah, but when the weather gets cold, building slows down."
My smile faded. I'd forgotten that part. I studied Soda's face, wondering if they'd really be okay. He looked at me, grinning.
"Don't worry... he's always got a back-up plan. We'll be fine. Here, let's eat."
He opened the door, the tangy sweet smell of barbecue flooding the air. A waitress led us to a booth and handed us some greasy coated menus. I was absorbed in mine when a voice called my name.
"Hey Sandy, surprise meeting you here!"
I looked up, Scott was sitting at the counter not three feet away.
"Scott! Hi!" My mind went blank as to what I was to do. Soda was looking intrigued as to who Scott was, and I wasn't sure what to say or how to introduce them. But, I had to say something....
"Scott, this is Sodapop, Sodapop - Scott...."
Scott reached over and shook Soda's hand. "Hey. So you're Sandy's boyfriend, huh?"
"Yes, she's my lady. Sorry, didn't catch...."
"Sorry. I did some yardwork for Sandy's parents a few weeks back. She showed me around her house, stuff like where her mother's flowers were so I wouldn't mow them over. You know how women are about their flowers, right?"
"Yeah, I do." Soda nodded with a faint grin. I knew there weren't any flowers blooming at his place, his parents being gone and all – a bunch of guys wouldn't care about outside decoration. They were always stampeding over the little grass they had playing football or basketball.
"Well," he said, grabbing his take out order, "I guess I'd better head out. Sandy, if you need any more help managing those problems, let me know." He got up and left, while I tried not to die right there.
"Problems?" Soda asked, sucking down his Coke the waitress had brought.
"You know those dandelions, they just won't go away." I managed to say. "Can I have some of your Coke?" I asked, my throat suddenly dry.
"Sure Sandy. Here," he slid his drink to me, I gulped it greedily.
Later, despite being with Soda in the most public of places, the strip, I had only one thought on my mind.
"You're awful quiet. Something wrong?" he asked.
I blushed, wondering how I was supposed to tell him. He smiled, looking at me as my skin warmed.
"Sandy?"
"I'm in the mood for pecans."
He looked at me confused, then his eyebrow went up as he understood.
"Now ain't that a strange coincidence. Me too."
The truck was where he'd parked it, and wasted no time heading away from the lights and traffic of town. I tried to pay attention to where we were going, then recognized the place as one he'd taken me to before – Bryler Park. It was just as abandoned as before, dark and quiet.
He was kissing me even before getting the truck in park, not that I really noticed as I was running my fingers over his chest right through the buttons on his shirt.
"Not in here..." he muttered, slipping kisses down my neck.
"What?" I asked, breathing hard trying to make sense of what he was saying.
"Not.... here....." he repeated, opening his door. Tucked under the seat he pulled a folded up blanket and kissed my hand, then came to my side of the truck, helping me out. He led me to a clearing by the lake, spread the blanket and took my hand again, pulling me down in its center.
We undressed each other, clothes falling around us as the heady rush to feel his skin on mine intensified. I lay back, feeling his hands on my hips, his fingers wandering in my coarse hair.
"I love you, Sandy," he mumbled as I felt him brush against my leg.
"I love you too, Sodapop," I returned, reaching for him, running my fingers up his shaft then teasing him with a gentle grip in my fist, sliding up and down his length. He moaned. "I take it you like that?" I asked with desire in my tone. He had no idea how bad I wanted him right then.
"Oh baby... damn what you do to me."
Even in the moonlight, I could see his eyes were closed, his hips thrusting against my grip. I guided him to me, letting his tip touch my hair, my body hungry for his.
"Wait..." he said, his body stopping as he froze.
I looked at him, confused, then he leaned back, grabbed his jeans and pulled out his wallet. As he fished the condom out of the package, I wondered about something.
"Do they make different types of those?"
"Huh?"
Clearly he wasn't thinking about anything besides what we were doing, but I wanted to know. A woman's mind can obviously process many more things at once over a man's.
"The store you get those from – they sell any others? Like... something more natural?"
He looked at me as if I'd asked him to recite the Gettysburg Address. The results of having him think about something else were visible.
"Sandy, what?"
I gave up, rubbing his thigh with my foot to get things going again. "I was only wondering. Never mind." I sat up and kissed him, pushing my tongue in his mouth as he finally let my words go. He kissed me back as his hands rubbed my breasts, then trailed down to my waist, and back to my hips again. He gently pushed me back until he was against me, rolled on the condom and began to make love to me.
As he thrust deep inside me, I tried to push Soda even deeper, lifting my hips against his thrust. My itch was screaming to be scratched, burning even, desperate to be scraped raw. I dug into his back, not wanting him to stop. I was almost there... I could feel it building... then....
"God! Oh God!" He moaned loudly, his body going rigid as he froze deep inside me. He pulled and thrust again, "Sandy... baby...." he panted then relaxed. He gently lay against me, his body cool to the touch thanks to a thin sheen of sweat. I moved my hips, trying to get something more from him, but he was already limp. I wanted to cry from the injustice of it all.
As disappointed as I was, his kisses after his orgasm were tender and thorough. He pushed my hair back from my eyes and let his fingers trail down to my breasts where he played with my nipples.
"I really do love you, Sandy. I hope you know that."
I smiled, trying not to look … disappointed. "I know you do. I love you too."
We lay there; not moving, letting the moonlight bathe us in a nighttime glow, until he slapped his side.
"Stupid mosquitoes," he mumbled. I couldn't help it, I started laughing.
"Oh sure, laugh it up. I don't want to explain why my bare butt has mosquito bites on it."
"You let others see your bare butt?" I asked teasingly as we fumbled for our clothes.
"Sandy.. I live with my brothers. Of course somebody's going to see my butt!"
"Just tell them a mosquito bit you, it'll be the truth!"
He handed me my shoes and started folding the blanket. "That's a truth that's a little hard to believe."
As we got in the truck and turned the heat on, he looked at me. "What was all that about the condoms earlier?"
I felt my skin blush. "I was just wondering if, well, if you could find a different type. One that's … more natural."
He was quiet as my request settled. "I don't think they make anything 'more natural.' I could ask Darry, but.. that's gonna be one weird conversation."
I almost swallowed my tongue. "Don't you dare ask your brother! I don't want him knowing what we're doing! He doesn't know, does he?"
Soda gave me a quirky look, which told me he did.
"Sodapop!"
He smiled. "Relax, Sandy. He's twenty years old and ain't stupid. He's the one getting them for me in the first place. Rather, he buys them and puts them in my dresser, I don't even have to ask. He knows the score. I don't exactly know how to bug him about being selective, though. Shoot, those things are a 'one is just as good as another' kind of thing, I think. Why?"
I didn't know what to say. I knew what I wasn't going to say... that someone else had gotten me over the pinnacle while he left me begging for more. "I was just wondering - just wanting to spice things up for us."
He grinned and pulled me closer. "You are the best spice out there. Nothing could be better."
If only he knew how untrue that was.
He let me out at my house, walking me to my door and kissing me goodnight. The light came on and the door opened, Dad there with a forced smile.
"Evening, Sodapop. I trust your dinner was good?"
"Yes sir. Well, I enjoyed it. I let Sandy pick the place, she chose the Bar-B-Que Hut. I like their stuff too."
"That's nice, son. Well, it's getting late. She has school tomorrow, so you'd better be off. Night Sodapop."
I rolled my eyes, knowing that was a jab at Soda for dropping out. We all knew it was a school night, Dad was just being a pain.
I went to shower, feeling my tenderness down there. Soda had been thrusting hard, my whole lower half could still feel it. Still, behind the closed and locked bathroom door, within the small confines of the shower and with the spray raining down, I fingered myself, feeling the thickened tissues of my inner body. I tried to rub myself – wishing I could take myself over the pinnacle like Scott had taken me, but all I ended up doing was irritating my already sore body.
As I stood and washed my hair, I grumbled.. men had it so easy!
* * *
"So you did what?" Jane was asking me for the tenth time today.
"I told you already, we went to eat and hung out. You didn't see us? Hell, we were all over the strip!"
She was giving me a ride from the shopping center. I was expecting my monthly any time now and was running very low on supplies. I could have had Mom get me some stuff, but she always got the wrong size, and this was something I'd rather not have my father pick out for me. So, I asked Jane for a lift. It was either ask her, Miranda or Sodapop.. and as expected, Jane was more than willing. She loved driving out here, the college was close and she loved ogling the men.
"Well, I didn't see you. Not that I was looking, Jim was sort of keeping me occupied!"
I rolled my eyes. That was her current guy. She'd been out with more guys than I could count. "You need a steady, not a guy of the week," I scolded.
She laughed. "When I find one that seems good enough for two weeks, I'll let you know."
"Stop!" I said, suddenly recognizing a truck. She hit the brakes, earning a stern honking by the car behind her.
"Sandra – have you lost your mind?" she screamed.
I fumbled with the door, getting out. "Keep my stuff in the car, I'll get it back from you at school tomorrow. And don't tell my parents you left me here – I'll catch a bus home! I'll be fine!"
"You've got to be kidding me! Sandy, get back in this car!"
The car behind us honked again, twice, the driver getting angrier.
"Go, Jane. I'll explain later. Just – don't tell anyone about this. Please?"
She looked at me, knowing she had no choice. "You'd better be careful. I hope you know what you're doing. Call me later!"
I pushed the door shut and she drove off, the driver of the car behind us giving me a look that would send me to Hades if possible. I turned, heading to the truck.
In the back were some rakes, a ladder, and a bucket full of gardening tools. The cab of the truck was as I remembered it. I tried the door, but it was locked. I looked around but didn't see him anywhere. Nearby was a bench, so I went and sat down, hoping wherever he was, he wasn't going to be long.
An hour later, he came over the grassy hill, heading for his truck.
"Scott!"
He looked over, smiling. "Hey Sandy. You come to apply already?"
I grinned. "No, I was... I was hoping we could talk."
"Sure, jump in. I've got to go to my place and change anyway, I'm planting bushes for a lady this afternoon."
He started the truck, lowering the window so the heat in the cab could escape. He put his hand over mine, gently squeezing my fingers. I felt flushed, not expecting that, and moved my hand away.
"You okay?" he asked, looking at me.
I nodded. "I wanted to ask you something, something personal. I just don't know how to ask."
His finger rubbed his chin, an amused yet curious look in his eyes. "Well, the only way I know to deal with that is for you to just ask and let me deal with any uncomfortableness."
I looked out at the passing scenery, trying to summon courage.
"You and .. Sodapop, was it? You two have a good time last night?"
By the look on his face, I could tell he wasn't just talking about dinner. I blushed. "Yeah." Still, I said nothing, just gripped the edge of the seat.
"But he still ain't doing it for you, is he?"
I was stunned. I shook my head in silence. He pulled into the familiar apartment complex and led me upstairs.
"Is he not... equipped right?"
"Oh yeah, he's equipped," I nodded, seeing in my mind's eye how well he was equipped, then I saw Scott. He had taken off his everyday shirt and was reaching for another in his closet. His rippled abs were breathtaking, and I caught myself staring. He caught me too and sidled next to me.
"Does he make you feel like I made you feel?" he asked huskily, his body so close I could see the fine hairs on his otherwise bare chest.
I shook my head. This really wasn't what I came here for. I came here for something else. I wanted to ask him … something.
"You want to feel like that again, don't you?"
Oh God, this was just so unfair. Yes, I screamed in my head. No, I screamed in echo to the first answer. I love Soda! I want to be with Soda! But his arms, his body, his touch was too tempting. My head nodded, deceiving me. Betraying me, betraying Soda.
"I love him," I managed as he nuzzled my neck.
"And you'll still love him. He's been with other women, they meant nothing to him either. Let me help you," he whispered to me. I felt his chest, his chiseled muscles. I ached. I itched. I screamed to be touched.
He took me to his room and started kissing me. My shirt came off, my bra next. His hands were lifting, pressing and massaging my breasts again. My skirt was gone, I fumbled with his pants. They, too, were gone. I felt him against me and again, I closed my eyes, seeing Sodapop's face over me, saw his body on top of me, felt his pressure as he entered me. It was heaven. It was bliss.
I heard his grunts, but they were muffled with my own. We moved as one, pushing, pulling, each groping the other's body. Then, the climb began, the climb up the mountain. Oh God, that mountain!
"Don't stop...!" I begged.
"Take it, baby. Take it." he answered, his voice gruff, his motion never ending.
He didn't stop, and as I arched my back, the scream from my body was as big as the shock wave ripping through me. I felt him pulsing too, his body and mine clenching and releasing as one, each begging the other not to let go.
Yet, as I lay there catching my breath, watching the stars in my vision shoot around then fade, I remembered my question. He had already gotten up and was toweling himself off. "Be right back, gonna go shower. I can't show up at work smelling like sex."
I, too, had that smell. His scent was all over me. I wondered if he had Soda's – or rather Darry's aftershave. There was none on his dresser. Nor on his nightstand. I went to the bathroom and looked around, but all I saw was his toothpaste, deodorant, shaving cream and assorted other bathroom stuff.
"Whacha looking for?" he asked from behind the shower curtain.
"Aftershave."
"Aftershave? For yourself?"
I chuckled. "No. I was just wondering if you had any."
"Sorry. Don't use it."
"Oh, okay." I went back to the bedroom, getting dressed. Then it hit me, while he was in the shower I could find his condoms, maybe getting the label and asking Soda to get them. I looked again on the nightstand but there wasn't anything. Nor was there anything on the dresser. This, I didn't expect. Maybe he had one in his wallet.. that where Soda kept his. I piked it up and quickly looked, but there wasn't anything there but some cash and a few ID's.
"If you need some money..." he started, catching me in the act and scaring the bejesus out of me.
"No, I uh... I'm sorry. I wasn't snooping. I was just..."
"Sandy, what is it? What are you looking for?"
I blushed, but now I'd rather just be embarrassed than be thought of as a thief. "I wasn't stealing, honest! I was just looking for the type of rubbers you use. I'm sorry, Scott. Really, I wasn't stealing or nothing!"
"Calm down. I never accused you of stealing."
I looked at him, relieved that he wasn't upset.
"Thanks. I'm glad you believe me."
"Aside from gardening tools, I have very little to steal. And speaking of gardening, I have to go or I'll lose this job. I don't think the lady hiring me would understand a mid-day romp in the sack as a good enough reason why I was late. Want a ride back to your house?"
"Yeah, that would be great. But drop me off a block away. I don't want them..."
"I understand," he insisted, waving me off. "It's okay. Let's go."
He drove me almost home, the radio breaking the silence between us. As we neared my street, he pulled over.
"Scott? Before I forget, could you tell me, please?"
"Tell you what?" he asked.
"The type you use? I want to get them, somehow, for me and Soda to use."
He grinned. "Sorry babe. I'm all natural. I find the use of rubbers hinders the feeling. Probably why you and your man ain't in synch with each other. Have him lose the sheath and things just might work out better for you."
"Nothing?" I looked at him stunned. "You … you used nothing? You didn't tell me!"
"I thought you were on the pill, like just about every other woman around. Sandy, it's no big deal. You wanted to get there, I got you there. Just go to the clinic and get on the pill. No worries. You ain't late or nothing, are you?"
"No," I answered shakily.
"Fine. Get the pill and start taking it. I'm surprised your mother didn't tell you any of this. Look," he said, looking at his watch, "I have to split. If I lose this gig, I'll be short with my rent. Good luck. Come see me later, if you need more 'help.' And Sandy, get the pill!"
I got out of his truck and watched as he drove down the street, turning and leaving my sight. All the way back to my house, I tried to do the math in my head. When was my last period? When did the cramping usually start? Was it the tenth or the fifteenth? Or was it the seventh? I never write this stuff down!
"Sandra, did you...." Mom started as she came out of the living room, papers in hand. "Sandra, honey, are you okay?"
I smiled and nodded. "Yes. Sorry I'm a bit late. Couldn't find what I needed, they were out. Gonna have to go back later."
"Okay. Well, best go get a start on your homework. You know your father will want that done before you go to sleep."
"Yes ma'am." I nodded, heading up the stairs. Nothing, however, was going to get me to even consider my homework that night.
Tomorrow, right after school, I was going to the clinic. Alone.
* * *
Calla Lilly Rose