Author's Note: some parts of this chapter are rated M. If you don't like reading that sort of stuff, then please skip over it. The beginning and end of the M rated part will be marked with a bold asterisk. Apologies if this bothers anyone.

I waved goodbye to the girls as they all got into their separate cars, honking happily at me before they drove away. We'd all woken up around the same time, and then had poached eggs for breakfast, courtesy of Kelsi. I had to have her teach me how to make those. So good.

I'd not heard from Troy since his late night phone call. He was probably hungover, and it was only noon, so I figured he was probably just sleeping it off. I realised when I woke up that I couldn't just be mad at Troy for what he said last night. Everyone had faults, and one of his (the one I know so far) is that he can be a little obnoxious when he's drunk. Which really, now that I think about it, is not that bad. It could be a lot worse; plus, it's not like I know whether this is how Troy always is.

Sunday meant homework day for me, so whether I wanted to or not, I marched myself up to my room and worked for about 3 hours. I finished random pieces of homework, did more research on Macbeth, and a little SAT prep before I decided to go for a run. As I pulled on my spandex shorts, I contemplated how much had changed in a matter of days. I had a boyfriend, some friends, a social life. It was incredible, but also a little overwhelming. I was definitely in need of just listening to some music for an hour while I ran, and shutting out the rest of the world.

I set off at a slower pace than usual, just relaxing instead of trying to push myself. I worked up to my normal pace, then started to push myself on the last stretch of my run. It was invigorating. A rush. And with just that word, I was suddenly transported to way back when.

"Mama, I'm home." I called out, walking through to the kitchen to grab some food. No response. I shrugged as I opened the fridge, only to find it stocked solely with healthy foods. Not a single piece of chocolate or cake to be seen, which is what I'd been craving. I settled on some strawberries, grabbing the Tupperware before I started towards the stairs.

"Mom, can we please just have some form of junk food in the house? I'm on my period," I whined as I trudged up to the second floor of our house. Still, no response. I started to get worried, finding myself checking her room, then mine, then the bathroom. Nothing. But her car was here, so she should be here.

The guest room was all that was left, and I prayed to God mama was in there. She was. But unconscious. I screamed and ran to her, thinking she was dead.

"Mama! Come on, wake up," I sobbed, scared to death. My other hand was quickly dialing 911. "Please mama, I need you to wake up." It was then that I saw the needle still poking out of her arm, and a box that read pethadine near her.

"911, what's your emergency?" I heard the smooth voice of an operator through the receiver.

"Yes, I need an ambulance. My mom is unconscious. Please, help me!" I cried hysterically.

"Ok ma'am, I need you to be calm. What's your address?" I recited it to her mindlessly, my eyes still trained on that stupid needle. What did she take? I guess I'd find out soon enough.

After that, ambulances arrived and the hospital called my father, who rushed back from a business trip. It was all a blur, except for when I asked my mom why she took prescription drugs in the first place. She smiled faintly at me.
"It's a rush." She said. "An absolute rush, doing something I shouldn't be doing. Doing something that takes me somewhere else, knocks me out. Just an incredible, amazing, rush."

I shuddered at her facial expression, scared that this wouldn't be the last time I found my mom doing something she shouldn't and being someone she wasn't. And it wasn't. It wasn't the last time.

I rounded the corner onto my house, lost in that memory, but brought back to the present when I saw Troy's white truck parked by the curb, he in the driver's seat. He was wearing his sunglasses, even though it was a little cloudy out, and he was paler, not his usual tan. He saw me, and jumped out of his Ford quickly to greet sweaty old me.

"Don't come closer," I warned. "I'm sweaty and gross."

A look of relief crossed his face; I think relieved to know that I was talking to him after last night's call, if he remembers it at all.

"I don't care."

"I do." I countered. Ew. There is no way he's touching me. I smell awful.

"Fine, I'll hold off until after you shower." He said. "Can I, uh, come in?"

"Yeah, come on." We walked in, and I immediately excused myself to go shower. Troy settled onto the couch before I sprinted up the stairs. I stripped myself quickly, and stood under the soothing warm water before I did the usual shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and shave routine. I enjoyed the feeling of the water running over my skin for a few brief moments before I got out and into my bathrobe, then changing into a pair of boyfriend jeans (because I'm with my boyfriend!) and a white Calvin Klein cropped t-shirt. I contemplated applying some makeup, but didn't want to seem like I was overdoing it. so I just piled my hair into a messy bun on the top of my head and went downstairs.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I took a long time."

"Nah," he said, waving off my apology. "It's fine. You really didn't take that long. Like, 20 minutes, max." oh, that's good. I plopped down next to him, snuggling into his side. Instinctively, he wrapped an arm around me, and I admired the muscles that flexed as he did it. So hot.

"Now I get to kiss you," he said, leaning down to press a firm kiss to my lips, then my cheeks, my forehead, and then my nose.

"So many kisses," I said, laughing. Then I got up and did the same to him, kissing his face everywhere I could. Oh god, we were being that couple. The annoyingly cute couple that everyone hates. Am I supposed to care? I know I should, but I am just too damn excited when I see him to care.

"So, um, I called you last night." Troy plays with my fingers, refusing to meet my eye.

"I know." I replied, not wanting to pry and make him say something.

"Brie, I'm so sorry." He started. "I mean, we just started dating, and yesterday I probably made you feel like shit, tried to push myself on you. God, I am so sorry." He looked me in the eye now.

"Wait, what?" I turned to face him. "Troy, you didn't really do any of that. You mentioned how you missed me, and how you missed, uh, certain parts of me." He looked at me skeptically. "Don't get me wrong, some of those parts you missed were a little vulgar, but that's it. I swear."

"Well, I'm still sorry." He continued to apologize, and I eventually shut him up by moving into his lap and kissing him. Obviously, being the guy he was, he responded immediately. We tried to lie down, but it was just too uncomfortable.

"Baby," Troy murmured against my lips. "Let's go to your room. Trust me, you'll be more comfortable on the bed." My pills were all hidden in my panties drawer. So the room was safe.

"Okay," I breathed, moving up away from him. "Let's go." I led him up the stairs nervously. What if he hated my room? What if he thought it was boring?

"I'm excited to see this," Troy said, grinning at me.

"I'm not much of a designer," I told him as we reached my door. I had turned the doorknob, but hadn't pushed open my door yet. "My taste is super simple, so don't judge." I said.

"No judging. I promise to still like you even if I don't end up liking your room." He teased me.

I pushed open the white door, and Troy walked in, surveying the room. It really was pretty simple.

A four-poster bed lay on one side, and there was a small white and blue lace canopy above it. I had my initials, GCM, monogrammed on the white bedding in the same blue, and there were grey borders to match the big shams I'd gotten. My stuffed elephant, Boo, held pride of place in the center of all the pillows. Bedside tables flanked the beds, each with a glass lamp.

My desk was a crisp white, but with glass drawers, and overlooking the window. It was pretty neat, with my laptop on the center and a calendar to its left. The bookshelf was there, piled with textbooks on the first two shelves, and then normal books on the bottom two.

My dresser was there too, in the same white and glass design, with my makeup in neat boxes on it, and my jewelry box as well. Some pictures hung around the room of me with my family, but other than that, that was it. Like I said, simple.

I looked to Troy anxiously.

"Well?" I prompted him.

"I like it. It's simple, but I do like it." He told me, holding my hand now. My shoulders sagged slightly in relief. Thank god. "What, did you think I was going to break up with you if I didn't like your room. Come on, Brie." He nudged me playfully, and I blushed.

"Now that that's done, come here." He tugged me, and suddenly we were both sitting on the bed. My hands made it into his soft brown hair of their own volition, and then we were kissing. Troy slowly rolled me over so that he was on top of me, but held his weight on his elbows; idly, I wondered how boys don't get tired of holding that position. Eventually, Troy moved off me, again adjusting himself.

This is ridiculous, I thought. He's embarrassed of a totally natural reaction, and it made me so frustrated at him. Suddenly, I had a thought. I could do something about it for him; I mean, I know it's been no time at all really, only a couple of days of being official, but I wanted to do this for Troy.

"Troy, please," I pleaded with him to face me, and he did, cheeks slightly red. I sighed, caressing his face. He leaned into my touch, still looking at me with those inquisitive blue eyes of his.

"Let me help you with that," I said, moving nearer to him, my hand nervously reaching for his jeans button. He backed away immediately.

"What? No, Gabriella. I told you on Friday I'm not pushing you into anything you don't want to do. No." He was adamant.

"But that's the thing Troy, I do want to." I said, hoping he heard the candor in my voice. "Really, I do. I want to do this, I swear. So, please, teach me. And let me do this for you." I begged, silently hating that I had to ask him to teach me. Again with the whole inexperience thing.

Troy was wracked with indecision, I could tell. There was, I'm sure, the male instinct part of him that told him to just go for it; then there was the Troy I usually saw, trying to do things the right way, and not push me. Right now, I hoped his male instincts would override all his other emotions.

"Fine," he said finally. Yes! "But if you feel uncomfortable, then promise to tell me." He looked me in the eye, waiting for my promise. I nodded to him. That seems fair. I looked down to see that Troy's bulge was far larger than it was earlier, and I gaped. How did that ever… fit anywhere?

"Brie, look at me," Troy said softly. "There's nothing to be afraid of. I don't bite. And we're gonna go as slow as you want, ok?" I nodded. "Just don't think about it." he said, and kissed me. The kiss was slow, languorous. I moaned as Troy's tongue snaked its way into my mouth, and his hands moved towards my waist. Slowly, his hands started inching their way under my shirt, slowly pulling it up. He broke away briefly, looking at me.

"Is this ok?" He asked me for permission, his voice gravelly. I nodded, and he gently pulled my shirt over my head, leaving me in my lacy white bra; I then pulled my hair free from the confines of the hairtie, and looked nervously at Troy.
"So goddamn beautiful," he said, reaching over and running a finger over my bra strap. I shivered at his touch, and leaned over to start kissing him again. He grabbed my hands and put them on his waist, guiding me on what to do. I rubbed circles there the way he did with me, and he made a happy sound at the back of his throat. After a little while, I moved my hands down towards his thighs, feeling the hard substantial ridge along his right thigh. Troy made a guttural sound, and then resumed kissing me, this time a little more harshly, consumed by need. My fingers crept up to the button on his jeans, and I fumbled for a second before I manage to unbutton his jeans. He lifted his hips and let me pull the jeans down, and took off his own shirt too, leaving him in just boxers. I admired his sculpted chest for a second before I looked down.
"Brie, we can stop here," he said quietly. "This is enough for now, really."

"Nuh uh," I breathed, trembling next to him. "I want to do this." The tremor in my voice betrayed my nerves, and Troy sat up pulling me nearer to him, if that was possible.

"Don't be nervous. Guys have this saying, that any blowjob is better than none," he joked. "I know it's crude, but I'm saying it to let you know that even what you might think is bad, is not actually bad. I promise." He said, bumping his forehead against mine. I nodded, and kissed him, before slowly but surely pulling his boxers down.

** Troy's dick sprung free, and I gasped. This was my first time seeing a penis; it was nothing like I expected. It was like, a mass of contradictions; steel encased in velvet, hard but soft. It was a different colour to the rest of Troy's body, more reddish pink.

"What do I do?" I said, looking at Troy. He was already breathing a little harshly. Clearly, he didn't need much to get him going.

"Wrap your hand around it, babe," he told me. I did as I was told, wrapping my tiny hand around his dick, grasping it tightly, but hopefully not too tightly.

"Fuck," Troy swore. "Now, just move your hand up and down, Brie. Oh yeahh," he groaned, his head falling back against my pillows. I picked up the speed a little, and tried to see what Troy liked most from his facial expressions. I was slowly gaining confidence, and after a little bit, I leaned down and pressed a kiss to the head of Troy's penis, tasting his precum on my lips.

"Fuck!" Troy swore more loudly this time. "God, that's good." I kissed again, and then licked him all the way from the base to the head. "Play with my balls," he instructed, his voice harsh and low with need. "That's it, baby, now just take as much of me as you can into your mouth." he managed to pant out.

I hesitated briefly, and then I enveloped Troy into my mouth, my jaw stretching wide to accommodate him. When I felt him hit the back of my throat, I recoiled a little, surprised at how much I'd done; but then I realised I hadn't gagged, and kept going further until I felt the faint tickle of his pubic hair against my chin. Then I kept at it, until suddenly I heard Troy formulate a sentence in between groans.

"Brie, baby, I'm gonna…" He stopped to moan. "I'm gonna come, babe. If you don't want me to do it in your mouth, pull back now." Well, where else is he gonna come? All over my bed? I don't think so, that's cleanup I don't want. Besides, how bad could it taste?

"Mmmph" was all I could get out before I felt spurts of something warm jet down my throat. I instinctively swallowed the couple of rounds of Troy's cum, before I looked up at him shyly, licking my lips. **

"That was incredible." He said, eyes shining. I looked down to see his dick, shiny from my spit and now significantly smaller than before. Troy kissed me lightly before he went to the bathroom to clean himself up a little. I watched him as he moved naked around my room after that, comfortable enough in front of me to be fine with total nudity. I was obviously fine with it too, considering how great he was to look at.

"See? It wasn't so bad letting me do something." I said, smiling at him playfully.

"No, but when do I get to reciprocate?" He countered, in equal playfulness.

"I don't think I'm ready for that," I said cautiously. Oh no, what if he thinks that now that I gave him head, he can do the same with me. No way, I'm too nervous.

"All the time in the world, baby. We don't have to do anything right now." He reassured me, and I smiled gratefully.

The rest of the evening was spent joking around and talking about random stuff while we lay on my bed. Eventually though, my eyes started to droop and I yawned.

"I should get going, but I'll pick you up for school tomorrow, okay?" Troy said, getting up. I moved to get up with him, as I had to lock the door anyway.

"Bye, baby." Troy gave me one last final kiss, before he went on his way, leaving me with the promise of tomorrow morning.