Chapter 20
A/N: Thankfully, I took a lot less time between Chapter 19 and 20 than I did between 18 and 19. This chapter was actually written entirely by me, as I started on my own initiative before AM83220 could send me one of his excellent narrative summaries. I did reference a list he sent me of events to feature in the story before the end, however, so this chapter was nonetheless inspired by AM83220's creative mind and excellent writing ability.
The weeks passed by pleasantly as Arianna continued to attend Madison Prep in the mornings and spent her time around Bunker Hill in the afternoons. Mr. Travis drove her back and forth as he always did, and she was comfortably ensconced in a vintage Rolls-Royce as she always was. Simon continued to court her, and Arianna continued to be cool but receptive enough to his advances.
It was so much fun! After all this time, Arianna was finally getting to live out her dream. She was the beautiful princess, Simon the handsome prince. He offered her courtesy and quiet strength, and she responded with regal dignity and grace.
Admittedly, playing the role was difficult sometimes. She disliked admitting that she was a teenager, just a girl who liked boys with tight abs, amazing suntans and great asses, but occasionally Arianna Lovejoy, the 16-year-old girl, slipped through. She delighted in switching between the personas, seeing the confusion on Simon's face as he tried to figure out what was going on. It was the best kind of entertainment possible.
Out in public on their 'official' dates, Arianna and Simon did no more than kissing and holding hands. They had been to many movies together, and only the finest restaurants would do. Simon was careful, considerate, and respectful. He had to be coached into making moves on his own, even for a kiss, because he was so set on waiting for Arianna to do something.
In private, on the other hand… things were getting more and more exciting.
The day Arianna had worked up the nerve to kiss Simon had been a turning point. She was getting the courage to be bolder now, to even order the tall, well-muscled Simon around. He would obediently strip to his underwear anytime she told him to, cuddle with the couch on her anytime she told him to. He was ten times better-looking than Jack, but he quickly obeyed her every order, giving her a thrill every time she saw him barely dressed, knowing she'd commanded it.
Two weeks ago, Arianna had undressed alongside Simon when they went up to her room to make out, stunning him with another sight of her black designer underwear, and the slender, tan beauty of Arianna herself. He was awed and didn't try to hide it, because she had ordered him not to when they were in private. Alone, they could stare all they wanted at each other.
Arianna's favorite was cuddling with Simon on the couch, his muscular bulk against her sleek, lean form. They made quite the pair, comfortably snuggled up together in their underwear. Simon wanted more and Arianna could feel it whenever they did that, and when he left and she retreated to her bathroom for a shower, she thought about them doing more… but she needed to work up a lot more nerve to try that. To let Simon do that.
Despite her general disinterest in athletics herself, Arianna had always preferred the boys who participated constantly, and the more the better. The most physically active of them enjoyed making trips to the pool, where sometimes they'd hang around for hours, not one of them wearing a shirt, all of them pale and handsome and strong…
Boy-Watching at the Pool, then, was Arianna's favorite sport and she did it whenever she could. This afternoon, she'd positioned herself in the mostly-empty stands overlooking the Olympic-sized pool in the hopes of seeing Simon sometime. Boys with hope in their eyes had come by to bother her, as usual, and Arianna had blown them off, as usual. She wanted to smugly tell them how she was taken, how they were wasting their time more than ever, but it was better having a secret. A suntanned, buff, hunky secret.
Around three-thirty in the afternoon Simon walked out onto the pool deck clad in his bright blue swimming trunks, followed by two other extremely hunky boys. The one featured golden blond hair, the other auburn, and the two of them following Simon was enough to make Arianna's heart stop. She gawked at the sight from her bench, aware she was doing so, and not even caring if somebody saw her. She didn't even blink for at least a minute, afraid she'd miss an especially good view.
Oh, hello. Yes, I'll take some chiseled-from-stone boy muscles, please. The Simon Special. Yes, he's the one with the perfect everything. Him right there. Thanks, that's all I needed. Just give me a good look and make sure it lasts as long as possible. A nice, long look.
There were plenty of those while her boyfriend and his two hunky buddies hung around at the pool. They swam laps with a speed and aggressiveness that made the other boys around stop and stare. They talked, laughed at things they said, told stories and playfully splashed each other. The blond eagerly followed Simon around, nodding and smiling and laughing at things that Simon said. Obviously, Simon had picked up a follower.
But the other boy, the tall and really handsome one, he was more independent. The way he and Simon talked and looked at each other said they clearly were good friends, but as equals. Arianna found herself staring at every inch of exposed skin on the tall, handsome boy before realizing he wasn't Simon, and wondering with more than a little guilt how long it had been. She'd forgotten to glance at her watch for a long while.
Simon was more than good enough, though. The other boy was hunky, but Simon had a cool, understated confidence that Arianna greatly admired. He'd been bold enough to try courting her from their first meeting. He wanted her and didn't mind giving her signs that he did. Arianna enjoyed that. She didn't know this other boy. He certainly had the looks she demanded, and so did the blond come to think of it, but she'd chosen Simon and couldn't imagine it any other way.
The guilt Arianna felt for admiring the tall boy faded gradually after she'd stared at Simon for a while, then the blond, then the tall one some more. The Hunky Trio seemed almost to respond to Arianna's will as they lounged around by the poolside during breaks from swimming, sunlight from the windows pouring in and making their chiseled-from-stone muscles gleam like polished glass.
Occupied as they were with their boyish games and their boyish egos, the other two boys never seemed to notice that Arianna was watching them at all, let alone so intently. After over an hour of watching with a kind of awe, however, and just before they left some ten minutes later, Simon looked up while he was leaned back against the side of the pool, both elbows propped up on the concrete. His eyes found hers and he gave her a knowing smile.
It wasn't cocky or smug. It wasn't needlessly proud or arrogant. It was just wholesome, earnest and friendly, just like Simon.
ΩΩΩΩΩ
After putting up with Gabriel for some twenty or thirty minutes at the library, Ralph left further studying for another day and went to his room, wanting to just lie down and fantasize about the fun he'd had after coming home over the summer, the things he'd gotten to do then. And now, thanks to his regular visits to the whorehouse near the school.
It wasn't just the pleasure of sex that Ralph wanted and needed. It was the feeling of power. Getting to fuck someone else all he wanted with them left to just lie there and take it. Even if he never used his strength to turn it into a rape, just knowing that he could do that, at any second, made it all far more enjoyable.
Ralph was still thinking about that, thinking about how aggressive he was going to be the next time he had Tracy alone in her room, when he almost ran into someone. Cursing as he stumbled in the hallway and turned around, Ralph recognized Robert Patterson.
"Sorry about that, man," Patterson told him.
"Yeah, whatever," Ralph snapped. He thought of having Tracy just the way he liked and closed his eyes a moment, and the urge to make Patterson pay for his clumsiness faded somewhat.
"Doing all right?" Patterson asked, a little cautiously.
"Of course," Ralph shot back. "Don't worry about me."
"Sure."
Ralph lowered his voice. "When do we go next?"
Patterson grinned. "I knew you'd want to hear about that."
"Well?"
"Soon. The end of this week, probably. I'm pitching in with the money so it isn't so much for Steve to come up with."
"That's fine. As long as I go with you."
"That's not a problem. We like having you with us."
"Don't get between me and Tracy. I want her."
"I've got my own girl," Patterson smiled. "No worries."
"Do whatever you want to her. It's not like I care." Ralph sighed. "I've gotta go, man. I'll see you around."
"Ralph, hold on a second-"
"What?" Ralph barked, his temper flaring at the interruption.
"What's with you and Simon?"
"Don't you mention him," Ralph hissed, growing furious. He stepped closer. "I don't wanna hear about him. You understand me?"
"Sure, Ralph, I get you."
"Good. You better."
"I do. Promise."
"Fine." Ralph turned and went on his way, filling his mind with all the memories he could of him having sex just the way he wanted to. The sweat, the pleasure, the power. Enough thinking of all that and by the time he reached his room, Ralph was calm again.
ΩΩΩΩΩ
Patterson stared after Ralph as the other tall, buff boy headed off down the hall and up the nearest stairwell. Something was definitely going on. One way or another Ralph's increased aggression and shortened temper was not only far more exaggerated than that of Steve, Patterson, Simon or Gabriel, but he and Simon were no longer friends. On the island, before everything had started, Simon had barely talked to anyone except Ralph, who had clearly trusted and liked him.
How had it gone from that to this? How could Ralph have changed so drastically that he now hated a boy he'd once greatly appreciated?
Sure, Simon had changed. He had grown vastly due to the berries, now resembling an extremely fit sixteen-year-old. He had lost his virginity at twelve to a young woman who he had said believed he was in his late teens or early twenties. He was now an avid gym-goer and athlete, and had emerged as quite a ladies' man and leader despite his continued modesty and unassuming nature.
But that didn't explain why Ralph hated him now. The old Ralph would have just appreciated the fact that Simon's fundamental character was unchanged and worked to guide him and mentor him as he was suddenly forced into adolescence early. The Ralph around today loathed Simon and wouldn't tell anyone why.
Patterson was grateful that some tenuous links remained between Ralph and Gabriel, and that he at least tolerated Steve and himself. He gruffly met up with Steve and Patterson whenever they let him know it was time for a trip to Desele's, and he was always calmer, more relaxed afterwards. They didn't press him about Simon, because they wanted to keep as much of a truce with Ralph as possible.
But Patterson had a bad feeling that sooner or later, Ralph's anger was going to be too much to contain that delicately. More than that, he wanted to help Ralph. No matter what was going on in his head, no matter how he was dealing with things from the island, Ralph was and always had been a good guy. Had anyone else among the survivors wound up with so much anger to wrestle with instead, Ralph would have wanted to help them, too.
Making a mental note to try and talk to Simon and Steve about it for a start, then Gabriel later tomorrow, Patterson started to head on his way again.
As he passed by a stairwell, he heard voices, looked down out of idle curiosity, and saw Gabriel, no longer fat at all but just broad and stocky, walking with a slim, short cadet whose nametag read SIKORSKI. The younger boy was repeating a few strange-sounding words and Gabriel was repeating them. After a pause, Gabriel asked what they meant, and Sikorski rattled off a string of vulgarities any cadet was used to hearing in English. Then he laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world.
ΩΩΩΩΩ
Simon left the showers late in the afternoon after a long, long workout with Steve and Patterson. He had to not only stay as buff as he was, he had to become even more fit if he could, as much as he could, for Arianna. Simon wanted her more than ever, and now that he was as far as stripping down to his underwear in front of her, she had to be impressed with what she saw.
The fact that she already was only meant so much. Of course that was good, but Simon wanted her to remain impressed. He wanted to improve himself for her, if he could. She seemed to delight in playing games and tricking him, ordering him around with her imperious, regal manner, but Simon was okay with that. He wanted Arianna any way he could have her, and if she enjoyed bossing him around amidst her acting like a princess, Simon was plenty willing to play along.
After dressing in PT uniform in his room, Simon headed up to Patterson's room and knocked on the door. Steve was already inside when Patterson answered. The both of them were bare-chested and sweaty, and there were palm-prints on the tiled floor.
"You guys cheated on me," Simon observed as he closed the door behind him. "Why'd you do that?"
"Oh, don't worry, Chief," Steve grinned. He dropped to the "front leaning rest position."
"Don't worry, what?"
"We were just warming up. Now that you're here, it's time for the contest."
"Contest?"
"Yeah, who can do the most pushups in a minute: go!"
Simon hit the floor on both hands without even thinking about it, but paused to pull off his shirt and throw it aside. He lost a few seconds for that, but gained in not having a sweaty t-shirt to walk back to his room in. The contest was extremely close. All three boys had strong, well-developed chest muscles and could bench over 500 pounds each. They practiced and trained and worked out endlessly. And they were all fiercely competitive, not despite their mutual friendship but because of it.
Nobody was there to keep track with a stopwatch, and in their excitement, the three boys got carried away. They knocked out pushups furiously, chests bumping the floor, and Simon's young heart sang with joy as he passed one, then two, then three, then four hundred pushups without stopping. Sweat began to drip off him and still he kept going, just like his best friends. When somebody finally called it quits and checked his watch, they found it had been almost five minutes.
All three boys managed to sit down, lean against something, and just gasp like fish for a minute, each one valiantly pretending he was doing no such thing.
"So Simon," Steve said finally.
"Yes?"
"I'm really glad I'm on the soccer team, man."
"That was all you."
"I was so nervous. I wouldn't have talked Coach into it myself. Thanks."
"Sure thing."
Steve sighed, smiling to himself. "Man, you have gotta come fuck some girls with us next time we go to Desele's. They make men out of boys there."
"I thought we did that here at Bunker Hill."
"Yeah, well- I mean, think about fucking your first, dude. On the cruise ship back. Didn't that make you just feel fucking manly as hell?"
"It did, yeah."
"So go with us next time! And don't worry about Ralph. Once we get him into that room with Tracy for a while, even he'll chill out. Maybe that'll bring a truce, you know, so you can be friends. Whores and money from a man named Steve."
Patterson laughed. "It's not gonna be quite that easy, dude."
"Hey, let me have my dreams."
"No dreams, Steve. Only gyms and girls."
"Oh, lemme tell you about gyms and girls," Steve grinned, sitting up. "Okay, boys. So, I met this babe at the Y near my house, like, first weekend of August. We start talking and things are going pretty good. I say to her, let's go by my place, my parents are renting this cabin for the weekend and I told them I could handle myself. And, I got this little private gym in the basement now, lots of shit." Steve laughed. "We fucked on every station, like, every machine down there. I had to wipe down the whole room the next day. It was a goddamn mess in there. She loved it, guys. She loved every second of it."
"Nice," Patterson commented.
"Very nice," Simon added.
Steve frowned. "Listen to you guys. Sound like you're commenting on a fuckin' book about tax law."
"How do you know about tax law?" Simon asked.
"Well, because- well, because-" Steve sputtered.
"Man, I guess there is room for something in that tiny brain besides workouts and fucking," Patterson laughed.
"Hey!" Steve exclaimed, sitting up. He started to swear but suddenly winced and sat back against the frame of Patterson's spare bed. "Oh, my abs. Man that hurts." He slid down until he was laid out on the floor and sighed. "Ah. That's better."
"How're things with the Princess and Prince Charming?" Patteron asked, turning to Simon.
"Better than ever," Simon replied honestly. "She drives me crazy, man. I have to run to the bathroom sometimes while I'm over there. She's too much." He sighed, grinning happily. "She's perfect."
"Honestly, from the way you say she's been acting, the stuff you two're doing…" Patterson paused a moment. "I think you won't need any trips to Desele's before long, anyway."
"You really think so?" Simon asked hopefully. Oh, how he wanted that…
"Yeah. I do. Just keep being who you are and let Arianna decide when she's ready."
"Okay. Sure." Simon nodded, thinking it over. "Yeah. I can do that."
"You still should come with us next time," Steve said from the floor. "It's cool that you wanna be so faithful to her, but think about how good it'll feel. She doesn't have to know."
"I'll know," Simon said. "That's enough."
"Listen to Prince Charming!"
"Steve," Patterson said reprovingly, "don't make fun of Simon because he's being faithful."
"Okay. Sorry, man, I was just kidding and all." Steve hesitated, then sat up and looked at Simon. "You're not mad at me, are you?" He sounded worried.
"It's fine," Simon assured him. "Go back to lying on the floor."
"Okay, Chief." Steve laid back down. "Ah… cold floor. Feels so good after two years in the gym." He paused, then said, "Simon."
"Yes?"
"How do you stay sane? You haven't fucked a babe in weeks. I start going crazy after a few days."
"I love Arianna more," Simon replied simply. He paused, then admitted, "That, and I jerk off a lot."
"You think about Arianna at all?"
"Most days, yes, every time," Simon admitted. His face reddened as he said it; he felt like he was running the risk of disrespecting Arianna by saying that about her. But thinking of her in those moments was a natural and understandable thing, Patterson said, just something that guys did. It was because he wanted her, and he wanted her because he was biologically wired to.
It wasn't like Simon was telling graphic, exaggerated stories about her to the entire barracks. Some boys would have delighted in doing so if they'd had the chance. Jack and Roger certainly would have, had Arianna deigned to let either of them come near her. But she'd chosen Simon. He was the one she wanted.
"Hey, it makes sense," Steve said.
"Perfect sense," Patterson agreed.
"I know she's manipulating me a lot lately," Simon reflected. He grinned suddenly. "But I love it, and I'll do anything she tells me."
"Listen to him," Steve sighed. "He's a goner, man."
"It's just good luck," Patterson said reasonably. "He's found love."
"But she manipulates him."
"Into cuddling with her in his underwear, or making out in his underwear, while she's in her underwear," Patterson added.
"I can't even imagine," Steve said wistfully. He looked at Simon. "Be honest. Is she as beautiful as everybody says?"
"More."
"Really?"
"Yes. The stories don't even get halfway there." Simon hesitated, searching for the right words. "She's not just pretty. She's beautiful. Stunning. You see her just in her underwear, you… you get to see a lot. And it's all better than anyone ever said."
"When you get to fuck her, please tell me everything. Please," Steve begged. "I gotta know what it's like."
"I don't want to go embarrassing her."
"But can't you just share with the two of us?" Steve asked. "I just wanna hear it from Mr. Cross-Country when he finally gives the Princess her first."
"Maybe I'll tell you," Simon allowed. "Maybe. But if I share any of that, man, you better not blab. If you embarrass her-"
"I won't, I promise!" Steve said quickly. "I just like hearing dirty stories. Fucking's all I can think about half the time."
"Teenagers," Patterson laughed.
"Listen, Muscles, you got so much pussy over the summer you probably set a world fuckin' record, so, I don't even wanna hear it!"
"But you did wanna hear it. I told you story after story. Graphically. Because you wouldn't stop asking."
"I can't even do this," Steve grumbled. "That's it. I give up."
"You give up?"
"Yes. I renounce all sex forthwith."
"'Forthwith'? What the hell have you been reading?" Patterson demanded.
"Shakespeare. I wanted to learn some fancy words."
Patterson and Simon both laughed appreciatively.
"Guys, seriously, what is going on with Ralph?" Steve asked. "Why's he so mad all the time? Even getting him over to Desele's regularly doesn't do that much."
"I don't know," Simon replied. "I want to ask, but he won't talk to me."
"I've tried, too," Patterson said. "He'll talk to me as long as I don't ask about Simon. If I do, he just gets mad and won't say why. I saw Gabriel in the library the other day, and he said it's even the same for him."
"Well, how're we supposed to help at all if that's the way he wants to be?"
"I don't know," Patterson sighed. "All we can do is stick with what we're doing. Hopefully, he'll talk about… whatever it is he's mad at Simon for… when he wants to."
ΩΩΩΩΩ
With Cross Country scheduling meets until early November, Simon was able to not only get added to the roster but participate the way he'd wanted to. He loved the challenge, loved the exertion of long-distance running, and the way it tested both his body and his mind, enabling him to improve and strengthen both.
Today was a 10K, and a tough one, too. Simon knew the course; it started with a lap around the 400-meter outdoor track at Bunker Hill, headed out across the main quad in front of Black Hall and on into the numerous untamed acres behind the primary school grounds. It was a kind of private park out there, disturbed only by a few dirt roads, trails, and obstacle courses. The course headed all the way out to the school's old grass airstrip, ran the length of it, then followed more trails all the way back.
There was no way of attending this meet and going out with Arianna on the same day, especially since Lieutenant Colonel Lovejoy had nothing to keep him out of the house this weekend. But Arianna, pleading for a chance to go out for a run again, had been allowed enough time to come to the meet. She was there as Simon stepped up to the starting line alongside Zabka and the other elite distance runners on the Bunker Hill team. Dressed in tight-fitting designer khakis and a gorgeous emerald sweater she'd gotten on a trip to New York City's Fifth Avenue, she broke character with the haughty, imperious Princess enough to smile and wave.
Simon smiled happily and waved back, feeling his heart skip a beat and start thumping faster. She wasn't just the girl of his dreams. She was the girl of any guy's dreams. Yesterday, Arianna had ordered Simon out of even his underwear while they were up in her room. Dressed only in a stunning white bra and panties, Arianna had pinned wrists to the wall over his head. Gazing into his eyes from an inch away, Arianna had said that "Prince Charming is going to win tomorrow. He can get as sweaty as he wants. Then he has to answer to his Princess. Understand?"
There wasn't much Simon had understood with his heart racing and his head swimming like that, and after making out with Arianna for almost twenty minutes, still pinned to that corner between her dresser and a window, Simon hadn't been sure which way was up. But among his various replies was an agreement. He never disobeyed Arianna.
As Zabka spoke some final words of encouragement to the other boys around him, the starting whistle blew, and the runners sprang forward as one. Simon quickly established himself out front, challenged only by Zabka and a few boys from the visiting schools.
This wasn't a bad start to the weekend, really. Simon smiled to himself, enjoying the run already. No, not a bad start to the weekend at all.
ΩΩΩΩΩ
Arianna adjusted her fine scarf around her neck, keeping her head high and ignoring her many admirers among the crowd of boys around her. It was getting chilly out now- it was an afternoon in early October, after all- but she felt comfortable, safe and warm beneath the scarf and her magnificent emerald sweater.
The khakis were thin but warm, specially designed to stress the extraordinary beauty of the wearer. It resulted in lots of boys sneaking peeks at her ass while she stood at the fence waiting anxiously for the runners to come back downhill from the quad and hit the track for a final lap, but they got a lot more careful about it after Arianna turned around and leveled her iron gaze at them.
It was just like she liked telling Simon; they were dumb, sweaty boys, and they didn't know any better. But as much as she disliked being stared at that way, Arianna secretly took pride in it. Moments like this were reminders of her exceptional beauty, proof that she really was as desirable as she believed.
The boys around her, nearly all of whom had teammates to support, suddenly broke into excited chattering, then cheers as they sighted their friends. Simon was near the front, his handsome face marred by a frown of fierce concentration. Some other Bunker Hill boys were near him and just one, a lean blond, was ahead, with boys from the visiting academies close behind.
In spite of the chill in the air, Simon was sweating and breathing hard, pressing to get past his blond teammate before the end. The sunlight made the sweat on his face shine, and his handsome green eyes looked only towards the meters ahead. He sped right by the low fence lining the track and moved toward the inside lanes as the lead runners began the lap that would end the race. Arianna was a little disappointed, but he'd told her he'd have to concentrate on the run above anything else, and she understood. It was thrilling to see him like this- so focused, so absolutely focused on getting something done. Not to mention there was a terrific view of his ass after he passed by.
As Simon and the other lead runners circled the track, one boy in an all-white uniform pushed forward, going headlong into a sprint, and Arianna whooped for joy as she saw Simon had done the same. He was pulling ahead of his blond teammate, visibly fighting to go faster still, when the boy in white got so close that for a moment, it looked like they were occupying the same space on the track.
Arianna didn't see what happened but a shout of surprise and a cry of pain went up as the boy in white and Simon fell. Simon rolled quickly, sprang to his feet and made to sprint ahead, but stopped short and turned back. The runner who'd been trying to pass him had not gotten up and was struggling to get out of the way, to pull himself off the track before he was run over. Simon knelt and said something to him. They seemed to argue for a moment before the boy in white finally nodded. Simon put the other boy's right arm around his broad shoulders and stood up, then began walking steadily toward the finish line, moving to the outside lanes as numerous other runners passed them both.
The act of chivalry earned increasing cheers and applause as what Simon was doing became apparent to the spectators, but Simon did not acknowledge them. He just pressed forward, practically carrying the boy in white, who limped along on his left leg only, bending his right back to keep it off the ground. They both lost over a minute but still finished in the upper third of runners, and boys from both teams circled around them as they crossed the line.
Only after getting the injured runner to his team's bench and speaking to him did Simon come back. He shook hands with the boy in white and several of his teammates, then rejoined his own team and coach. The crowd began to disperse as the last runners crossed the line, and finally, some ten minutes later, Simon, still looking sweaty and tired, found Arianna's eyes and gave her a smile.
Arianna slipped through the thinning crowd, made it to her hunky boyfriend, and just as she'd hoped he would, he swept her into his powerful arms and kissed her deeply. Arianna threw her arms around his neck and closed her eyes, relishing her choice more than ever. When they finally broke the kiss after almost a minute, Arianna looked up at Simon fondly, enjoying not just the sight of him, not just the way heat and strength seemed to radiate out from him, but even the smell of him, the mix of his cologne, sweat, and all those dry leaves in the autumn air.
"Don't take a shower," Arianna told him suddenly, keeping her voice low. "Let's go to my house. Now."
"But you said I have to shower," Simon replied, frowning in confusion. "Don't I have to-"
"I get to have my date," Arianna almost hissed at him, startling him. "You're not going to say no, are you?"
"No, ma'am- no, Miss- um- no, Arianna." Simon blushed as she kissed him again, then smiled, looking almost dazed. "Can we do that again?"
Arianna obliged him, pressing her lips against his, marveling at how even his lips were a perfect indication of Simon, being soft, yet firm, strong and confident, yet gentle and modest.
"Prince Charming," Arianna said, smiling up at him. "My Prince Charming."
"Yes, Miss Arianna."
"Simon?"
"Er- yes, Arianna."
"Better. Now, let's go."
"Arianna, I thought your dad was-"
"Maybe I tricked you," Arianna admitted. "Maybe I lied. Maybe Daddy was always going to present at this big Air Force conference in Philadelphia before he comes back tomorrow morning."
"Can we hold hands?"
"Prince Charming is expected to hold hands with his Princess," Arianna said arrogantly, as if this went without saying.
"Okay," Simon said eagerly, and he gently took Arianna's hand in his. They walked side by side for a while, headed away from the track, out to the cover of the trees and from there to Faculty Row.
"You're so sweaty," Arianna said, making a face at him as they neared the back door of the house. It was already getting dark, and Arianna was glad. She didn't need prying eyes bothering her at any time, and especially not today.
"I just ran-" Simon started to protest, but Arianna turned him to face her as they stood on the back porch. She kissed him again and Prince Charming gave up his protests.
"You're nothing but a sweaty, muscular boy," Arianna told him.
"Yes, Arianna."
"And you don't know any better."
"No, I don't."
ΩΩΩΩΩ
With her heart pounding, Arianna led Simon by the hand upstairs, still dressed in that amazing Bunker Hill Cross Country uniform, still sweaty and hunky and sporting an amazing tan. She got him into her room and wordlessly helped him peel his shirt off, then his shorts. When he hesitated to remove his underwear, looking at her, Arianna reached for the elastic band herself. Simon was big- huge, actually- but Arianna didn't let herself flinch or look away as she helped pull his underwear down to his ankles. She got him out of his shoes and socks and then that was it; he was just the way she wanted him now.
Undressing herself wasn't as easy, especially with the hunkiest boy in history standing naked right in front of her, but Simon moved closer and his gentle hands helped with her scarf, sweater, long-sleeve shirt, then her khakis. Simon hesitated briefly but expertly removed her bra after she gave him a curt nod, and mimicking her, he helped slide her panties down to her ankles and take off her socks and shoes.
Naturally, before she could think about what she was doing, what was happening, Arianna had to pin Simon to that terrific corner created by her dresser, that space of wall between the dresser and the window. All the curtains were drawn, of course, and a couple of lamps lit the room wonderfully. Arianna pinned Simon's wrists above his head at first, taking all the kisses she wanted, planting more on his neck, his chest, but when she let him go, his hands, so firm and gentle, went right to the small of her back. He drew her in and their tongues met, dancing around. He smelled of sweat and hints of cologne, but he tasted of mints.
After a long, long time getting adventurous and bold with him, even grabbing his firm, muscular ass towards the end, Arianna turned and led Simon over to her bed. He climbed on, looking at her with those kind, wise eyes of his. Arianna lay on her back, head against the pillows, heart racing faster than ever.
"I don't want to do this," Simon said quietly. "Not unless you do."
"Don't be so stupid," Arianna hissed, almost angry at him.
"All right." He nodded. He crawled closer to her, so close she could see the smallest details of his stone-hard abs, smell him better than ever. He took one hand and positioned himself, then slowly, gently entered her. He was massive and Arianna squeaked nervously as he put her calves up on his shoulders.
"Simon."
"Yes?" Simon asked, pausing. "Are you okay?"
"Okay," Arianna nodded tersely. "I'm okay."
"I love you."
"I love you more," Arianna managed to insist.
"Let me show you," Simon told her earnestly. He started thrusting. The tactile sensations were unbelievable, fantastic. Arianna had never done this, never let a boy have her before, but she could see now why the older girls at Madison all made it out to be such a big deal. Because it was. It was a big deal. It was also frightening, at least for her. Arianna lay there for almost a minute before Simon pulled out. At first she was disappointed, thinking he was done already, but he leaned down and gently kissed both sides of her chest, then her lips.
"Have you- done- this before?" Arianna managed to ask.
"Lots of times," Simon told her. "Relax. This won't hurt. It'll be fun. I promise."
"Okay." She nodded. "Okay, Prince Charming."
Simon smiled. "As you say, Princess."
ΩΩΩΩΩ
Patterson was just coming back from a late-night shower, daydreaming again about meeting some beautiful girl in Clifton Forge or at the park during Thanksgiving break in November, when someone started knocking on his door.
"Oh, jeez," Patterson muttered, hoping it wasn't anything important. He went to the door, still dressed only in the towel around his waist, and reluctantly opened it.
"Hi," Simon said in a quiet voice. "Can- can I come in?"
"Sure," Patterson replied, stepping back to admit his friend. He might have wanted to lay around and do nothing right about now, but he always made time for the people he valued most.
Simon took the spare bed, but he got up after sitting there only a minute. He pulled his shirt over his head, dropped to the floor, and frantically began knocking out pushups. As Simon passed one hundred, Patterson decided to set aside the towel and pulled on a pair of PT shorts, then returned to watch Simon from his own bed.
"Is everything all right?" Patterson asked as Simon rapidly passed two hundred pushups, starting to sweat now.
Only after he'd raced non-stop to three hundred and fifty pushups did Simon reply. He stood, pacing the room nervously, running his hands through his short, neatly-cut hair.
"Patters- Rob, Rob- I-I don't- I don't know how to explain..."
"Just start at the beginning."
"It happened, it finally happened and I-I just can't think…"
"Slow down a little. What finally happened?"
"I- Arianna and- we-"
"You what?"
"I went to her house and-" Simon paused, looking confused.
Patterson waited a few moments, then prompted him. "You went to Arianna's house, with her, and?"
"We fucked," Simon breathed, sounding and looking as if he couldn't quite believe it. "I-I had sex with Arianna, man."
Something in Patterson's stomach sank. Even now, he'd held out some secret hope that Arianna might still be available one of these days, that he could somehow catch her eye after all, but if the famously-choosy Arianna Lovejoy had finally deigned to have sex with a boy for the first time, then she must have liked that boy a great deal. A great deal.
I'll never get to ask her out now. The ship's sailed. The dream's over for good. I need to just let it go. Look for someone else.
But Patterson wasn't selfish enough to let any of his private envy or disappointment show. Instead he got up and gently put one well-muscled arm around Simon's broad shoulders and guided him to the spare bed. He sat there and talked to Simon, worked to help calm him down.
"I bet that was a lot of fun," Patterson told him.
"I-I can't believe it," Simon stammered. "I- I don't know how I actually did it."
"Same as any other girl."
"But-but-but that- it was- that's Arianna," Simon insisted. "She's… beautiful isn't… it's not even close."
Patterson laughed, trying to ease some of the tension in Simon's mind. "So I'm guessing you had a good time."
Simon let out a long sigh. "Best time of my life."
"You know Steve's gonna want to hear about it. Every detail."
"I'll only talk in here, with you guys," Simon said.
"I can arrange that tomorrow."
"Okay." Simon leaned his head against Patterson's left shoulder and once again the older boy was reminded of the role he had to play. He was the big brother at home- now, more than ever, with the way his brothers marveled at his size and strength- and at school, with many of the younger boys in his company, especially Steve and Simon.
"So what's worrying you?" Patterson asked. "This really stirred you up that much?"
"Not then," Simon replied. "I wasn't thinking about it. I just did what she told me to. Go home with her, take my clothes off, I just do what she says because- I won't do anything she doesn't want. So I wait for her to tell me. And when she wanted me to do that… with her… I couldn't… I just didn't think about it then."
"What do you think about it now?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?" Patterson asked curiously.
"I mean, I feel- I feel great," Simon went on. "It was amazing. I never felt so good. She was scared at first, but I helped show her it's not so bad, and she was having a lot of fun by the third time."
"Makes sense," Patterson told him. "But what was bothering you so much that you had to come see me right now? You seemed really worried when you came in."
"She's everybody's dream girl," Simon replied. "I was just naked in her bed for… hours. We fucked, lay there and talked, fucked, lay there and talked. The things she said to me… I just hoped I could date her, and I just had sex with her. I didn't think it would happen. I don't know what to do now."
"Just keep dating her, and enjoy whatever happens next," Patterson told him. "If she wants to have sex with you again, have fun. She obviously likes you more than ever. Just enjoy it. Sounds like you've found love."
"At twelve?" Simon whispered. "I had sex with the girl of my dreams and found love at twelve?"
"Is that a bad thing if you did?"
"N-no," Simon said hesitantly, "I just didn't think it would happen that way."
Patterson hugged Simon, feeling a rush of affection for his surrogate younger brother. "Don't worry. That's life."
"But what do I do now? I did that to her because I wanted to. She'll see right through me now and she'll think I just want to fuck her."
"Simon, I think she wants you to fuck her. Just relax. Go out with her when she wants to and fuck her when she wants you to. Be her Prince Charming any way she wants. Be the good guy we both know you are. And have fun. That's all you gotta do."
"Seriously? That's it?"
"Yes. Don't overthink this, man. This was her choice as much as yours, if not more her choice. She wanted to have sex with you. You were her first. She decided that. Arianna's a smart girl and we both know she wouldn't have done that with just anybody. She chose you for a reason."
"Like what?" Simon asked, almost pleadingly.
"She likes you. You're the prince and she's the princess. You look and act the way she wants. Take your pick."
"Wow," Simon sighed. "Um… I'm gonna need pills. Because I don't have anything to wear?"
"I can get you anything you need," Patterson assured him. "I've got plenty of friends who won't ask any questions."
"Thanks. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"How's it feel, though? Now that you're over some of the shock, Simon, how's it feel to be the first guy to ever get laid with Arianna Lovejoy?"
Simon sighed blissfully and laughed, sounding more at ease than he had in weeks.
Patterson grinned. "I think that says enough. Didn't I tell you it wasn't gonna be long before you didn't need trips to Desele's?"
ΩΩΩΩΩ
Mid-October saw Arianna inviting Simon over more and more often. They still went out on dates for the weekend, but constantly during the week, she'd find a way to sneak him in and bring him upstairs. Teenage hormones then ruled supreme as they had sex almost on a daily basis, happily going one round after another as Arianna gradually became used to it. Simon, already used to it, was patient and understanding, and he taught Arianna techniques and positions during his visits.
Simon knew a lot, unsurprisingly, so there were a lot of things for him to teach. Arianna called it 'experimenting' and it was the only time she really let herself just be Arianna. When the door was closed and she and Simon were having sex, they were just two teens in love, just boyfriend and girlfriend. Simon was incredibly gentle, yet passionate and amazing. Arianna felt excited in ways she couldn't express in words when she thought of him now. She'd never felt so alive.
Getting out of the house and back to the barracks without being caught was never a problem, not for Simon. He seemed to enjoy it, in fact, darting out of the back door when Colonel Lovejoy was busy elsewhere in the home, or otherwise just climbing down the side of the house with his bare hands, making incredible use of the clapboard siding and the sun going down earlier in the day.
Today, another pleasant Saturday afternoon, Simon had been quite happy with lying there on his back while Arianna had straddled his waist, taking her first turns at being in charge. By the smile on his face after their second round, Arianna figured she had done pretty well.
"Enjoy it?" Arianna asked.
"Always," Simon replied honestly.
"You know," Arianna said, "I think sooner or later… we might have to tell Dad about us."
"I guess we might," Simon replied. "We might get caught sooner or later."
"Yeah, like having sex upstairs?" Arianna asked, giggling to herself.
Here I am, naked with my also-naked, super-hunky Prince Charming, and we're talking about possibly "getting caught." This is hilarious.
"No, we should leave that out," Simon answered logically. "He wouldn't like hearing about it."
"Aren't you glad we've been doing this?"
"Yes."
"Would you like more?"
"Of course."
"Okay," Arianna laughed. "Your turn."
"All right." Simon rolled off his back, positioned himself and started. Arianna drew in a breath and sighed, letting it out slowly, enjoying herself already. Simon had helped her get over her early fear and nervousness. It was actually a great deal of fun. It was also hot and sweaty, given Simon's strength and prowess, so Arianna was grateful she'd thought to push her covers off to the side.
Five or six heavenly minutes in, Simon froze mid-thrust as the front door opened downstairs.
"Arianna!" Dad called. "I'm home!"
Shit!
"Er-" Arianna squeaked. She pushed up at Simon's chest, felt the thickly-muscled pectorals and wanted to melt into his arms, but in desperation she just pushed again.
"I better hide," Simon told her.
"HiDad!" Arianna managed to call out, sounding as strained and worried as she felt. Oh, man this was not good.
Simon pulled out and suddenly disappeared over the side of the bed. Incredibly there was no heavy thud as Simon hit the floor; he just vanished, and after a moment Arianna heard some slight shifting from the metal frame of her bed.
He must be hiding under there somehow.
Footsteps on the stairs; Arianna's panic went up a notch as she looked down at her sleek, sweaty body, at the imprints she and Simon had made with their fun this afternoon.
Nonononono I can't get caught, not like this, not now!
"Arianna?" Dad called, coming down the hall now.
Arianna froze, wondering how she was going to explain being naked and sweaty on her bed in the middle of the afternoon. Without even thinking, she grabbed the comforter she'd left off to the side and yanked it over herself just as Dad reached for the door handle.
ΩΩΩΩΩ
Warren B. Lovejoy was used to calling out a greeting and hearing one in return when he came home; it was a little courtesy he and his daughter used most of the time. It helped identify who had just come in, and it was a way of politely saying hello. Like so many things in Warren Lovejoy's life, it was orderly and correct.
Today, though, his daughter's voice had seemed faint, even as he'd come to the upstairs hallway to ensure he could hear her better. As he opened the door to her bedroom, Arianna's head turned his way, the only thing showing above her white comforter.
"Hey, Dad," she said, sounding slightly out of breath.
"Arianna," Lovejoy said as he took in her sweaty face, especially her forehead, "are you feeling all right?"
"I'm- fine, Dad," Arianna said, but still she sounded oddly tired, like she'd just been at the gym or running a race. But that was impossible. She was just lying here in bed. She should've sounded perfectly at rest, and with those beads of sweat rolling down her face, and even her all-important hair looking oddly messy, Warren Lovejoy quickly realized what was really going on.
"You've been coming down with something today," he pronounced.
"Aw, Dad-"
"None of that, miss. Mr. Travis will be making an appointment with your doctor, and you'll be staying right here while I get you some things."
In short order, Lovejoy brought Arianna her favorite silk bathrobe, a tall glass of water, another of orange juice, and some vitamins for her to take. He wanted to give her some medicine out of the cabinet, but hesitated to with only a high temperature known to him. Arianna protested and complained, but she always did that whenever she didn't get exactly her way. She was a pleasant and well-intentioned girl, but also a proud and fussy one.
Unable to sit still with Arianna looking and feeling so flustered and out of sorts, Warren Lovejoy checked on his daughter every half-hour and sometimes more often than that for the rest of the afternoon. She said he was fussing over her, but his only child didn't have the full scope, the perspective that Warren Lovejoy did. He let his daughter fuss to her heart's content, but he continued to check in on her. Only much later, when she seemed to have cooled off completely, did he agree to let her rest for at least an hour without interruption.
"But if you need anything, anything at all, don't hesitate," he told his daughter. "I'm right downstairs. You call me if you need me."
ΩΩΩΩΩ
A few minutes after Lieutenant Colonel Lovejoy closed the door, Simon finally- finally- let himself down from the bedframe. He had been motionless for hours, held in place by the near-limitless strength of his biceps, triceps and shoulders, as well as his core. Even with his incredible level of fitness, that had been a crucible, and Simon gratefully sighed as the cool, luxurious carpeted floor met with his back, shoulders and ass for the first time in forever.
Then he crawled out from under the bed, stood, and climbed back onto the bed with Arianna, with his girl. She was naked underneath the covers, naked and breathtakingly beautiful. Simon grew hard after only a second of looking. He put a finger to his lips as he crawled over to her. As he entered her, they lay belly to belly, just looking at each other. Then Simon started thrusting, going slow for now.
Arianna's eyes widened, and after he kissed her, she let her head fall back against the pillows. Her blooming chest bounced a little every time Simon thrust in again, and he laughed softly, briefly amused by the sight. His hands moved to her chest, then slid over to her ribs, caressing her sides.
Then he started tickling her.
"Oh!" Arianna exclaimed, giggling immediately. "Ooh! Stop it!"
"Shh, we need to be quiet," Simon admonished her, still thrusting, still tickling her.
"Ha- ha! I said- no- ha ha ha! Knock it off!"
Simon planted a gentle kiss on her lips. "We need to be quiet or he'll come back."
"Yeah, so- ha ha- hee- knock it- ha! Stop that!"
Rarely had Simon ever been in a playful mood in his life, but becoming sexually active so young had taught him some things. Sex was fun, and girls liked enjoying themselves as much as guys did. So he teased her, played with her, kept up his little game even as Arianna grew hot and sweaty again, and his own skin became coated in sweat.
After waiting more than two hours, Simon enjoyed himself immensely, and he made sure Arianna did, too. When he finished, she was gleaming with sweat. He kissed his way down from her lips to her belly, taking his time. She was gasping, panting, but she was also grinning.
ΩΩΩΩΩ
Arianna left the covers off her even after Simon got a towel, cleaned up the mess he'd left on her inner left thigh, then tossed it into her laundry hamper in her closet. She needed to cool off. It felt like an oven in here. Simon dressed in his PTs and headed for the window, then stopped and turned back. He came over to her bedside, leaned down, and cupped her chin with one hand.
He kissed her on the lips, softly and gently as always. Arianna sighed, feeling a rush of satisfaction at her choice in boys yet again. Her Prince Charming, the one and only Simon. She couldn't imagine being this close, this intimate, with any other boy in the world. Not even his hunky friends could compare in the end. There was only Simon.
"I love you," Simon told her in a quiet voice. Then he headed for the left window, opened it enough to get out, then pulled it shut and dropped out of sight. Arianna wasn't sure how he did it, but he managed it fine. She was just lying back against the pillows when she heard Dad coming back early.
Damn it!
Dad came in just after Arianna threw the comforter over herself. She tried to act normal, but she was still out of breath, thanks to Simon, and sweaty, thanks to Simon.
"Arianna," Dad said with concern, "you're sweaty again. And you feel like your forehead's burning up."
"Oh, Dad-"
"No, no. You get some rest, Arianna. Mr. Travis will get you to your doctor tomorrow."
"But I'm fine."
"Let me be the judge of that, sweetheart," Dad said. "You might think you are, but you're out of breath and you're sweating again. Something's trying to come back."
"Dad, I'll be okay, really."
"Then you get to sleep so we can be sure of that," Dad told her. "You get all the rest you need. Don't worry about when you should get up. Just rest. Okay?"
Arianna sighed. Well, Simon did have a way of tiring her out. The older girls at Madison had never said how exhausting sex could be.
Well, Arianna thought smugly, probably because none of them are having sex with a hunk like Simon. The one and only Prince Charming.
But all Arianna said was, "All right, Dad."
"You stay in bed unless you have to use the bathroom, sweetheart. Get the rest we both know you need. Hopefully, it'll all clear up by tomorrow."
"Thanks, Dad."
"Just doing my job, honey. Rest. I'll see you in the morning."
Arianna breathed a deep sigh of relief when the door closed again. That had been fun, but also too close. She'd been more right than she'd even realized. The sneaking around on dates, and sneaking Simon in and out of the house so they could have sex… it was never going to get old, of course. It was always fun. But the risk of getting caught was never going away, and today only further illustrated how real that risk was.
It's okay, Arianna assured herself. We'll be fine. We'll figure it out. She had faith in Simon, and he had faith in her. They'd always been completely honest with each other, so the entire relationship was built not just on their powerful mutual physical attraction, but on shared respect and trust.
With that on their side, there wasn't a single problem Arianna and Prince Charming couldn't overcome.
A/N: 8-23-2020.
Completed another chapter, moving some things along with Arianna and Simon in particular. Simon has at last gotten what he'd long hoped he might from Arianna, but she still thinks he's fifteen, just a year younger than her. He's actually eleven, turning twelve soon, which is quite a difference from Arianna's sixteen. She idolizes Simon more than ever now, and he her, but it remains to be seen if that will be enough when Arianna finds out Simon's real age. And given the nature of things at a private boarding school- a vastly smaller world than public schools, with their hundreds or even thousands of students- it really is not if, but when.
AM83220 deserves much praise and thanks and so on and so forth, he's a smashing good chap and all that. Really, though, I highly recommend looking at his work if you like any of mine. He did request that I write this story in the first place, admittedly, but his support for it is admirable and appreciated all the same.