After the last bell rings, Sam Beckett walks to the bike rack near the front of the school, where many of the junior high students are already unfastening their bikes.
"Listen, Joey," says Jimmy La Palma as he unlocks his own bike. "I've got to go home. Dad doesn't have to work late tonight, so he'll be there. Got to study."
"Yeah. I remember how my mom and...insisted I study instead of going outside to play."
Jimmy hops onto his bike and rides off.
"There you are," a female voice says.
Leaper and observer turn their heads to see Miss Brown.
"I'm still inviting you," she says. "Are you in?"
Sam glances towards Al Calavicci. "Yes," she says.
"Careful, Sam,," says Al. "She's cute, but remember that you look 13 years old to the people of this time."
Minutes later, Sam follows the teacher into the classroom where he had been hours ago. Miss Brown shuts the door and locks it. She then draws down the blinds on the windows.
"I did enjoy that you're interested in quantum mechanics," says the teacher.
"Thanks, Miss Brown," replies the leaper.
"Katie," she says. "It's always Katie when we're alone."
"Okay, Katie."
She stands before Sam and places her arms on his shoulders. "Now to teach you sex ed."
"Uh, no.."
she looks into the leaper's eyes. "I can tell something's wrong."
Her voice sounds soothing.
"It's just that Gooshie died," says Sam.
"Sam," warns Al.
"Gooshie? Was this Gooshie a student."
"A family friend. He didn't go to school here, but we were close. He battled melanoma- cancer- for two years and he lost." Grief overtakes Sam's mind and he sobs. "God, I miss him."
Katie Brown gives him a hug. "I wish I could make you feel better," she says, hugging him.
Sam, welcomes her embrace, feeling as if it diminishes the grief, knowing that when he leaps home, Gooshie will not be there to greet him.
And then she kisses him, and Sam kisses her back. The kiss feels like a salve on the festering wound of grief.
Miss Brown starts to unbutton her blouse and soon it falls on the floor. She places her hands under Sam's clothes.
Sam pushes back. "No," he says. "This isn't right."
"You never refused before," says the teacher, most of the pale skin above her waist laid bare, with only her bra covering her breasts. She unhooks her bra and lets it drop to the floor, fully exposing her boobs. "Remember when he started school this winter. That first day after school, you took me right on that desk, right from behind."
"It was wrong. I'm not going any further."
"Very well, then," Miss Brown replies, refastening her bra. "No means no. It applies to boys as well as girls."
"It was wrong for you to accept my yes," says Sam. "I'm only thirteen. You exploit underage boys. You need to go down for this."
"I went down on you and you liked it."
"It was still wrong."
"I suppose you will waltz on over to the principal's office and tell him that you've been drilling my vagina."
"I wouldn't put it in those words, but yes."
"And they'd believe you? You have a a permanent record here, Joey. You were a bad boy. No one would believe you,. And I am certain you'll be expelled for lying about a teacher."
"Telling the principal now won't do anything," says Al.
"What you're doing is wrong, and you will go down for this."
Miss Brown fastens the last button on her white blouse. "We are down here, young Schultz."
"See you tomorrow, Miss Brown," says the leaper.
He then leaves the classroom.
Just a few meters away, Jimmy looks as he sees the man who appears to be his friend walks away from the classroom.
Miss Brown walks out into the hallway.
"Hi, Jimmy," she says. "Staying after school? I have extracurricular activities."
oooooooooo
At the "y", which is the intersection of Emerald Bay Road and Lake Tahoe Boulevard, is a McDonald's restaurant, catering to both locals and tourists. Among the diners is this restaurant is a quantum physicist from the future.
Sam sits at a table, eating french fries, purchased along with a hamburger with the seven dollars Joey's mom gave him.
Al looks around at the place, which looks like pretty much every McDonald's the observer has ever been through. He recalls the time Sam ate at the very first McDonald's in history.
"I was thinking," says the leaper. "I wonder if Jimmy really killed- will kill- Joey. When I spoke to him at lunch, he had absolutely no problems with me- with Joey."
Al punches buttons on the handlink. "Well, there an eighty percent chance Joey gets stabbed to death."
"Eighty?"
"Well, it;s better than a hundred."
"I mean, I was thinking. What if Jimmy was wrongfully convicted?"
"Several witnesses did identify Jimmy as the killer. It happened at school, many witnesses"
"I guess we find the truth on Friday, May 4th. I can sort of understand why Joey would fall to the teacher's seductions. I mean, his mom is basically neglecting him. Joey wanted a parent figure, and Katie Brown provided it."
"I understand. When I was in seventh grade, I had this cute teacher with nice boobs. She was nice, cared about her students. I was an orphan, my sister was in a mental institution. If I had a chance with her, I would have taken it. I was a very lucky boy."
"You and her?" asks the leaper.
"She kept things professional," answers the observer. "That's how I was lucky, Sam. I was lucky not to have been exploited by some predator teacher. Joey wasn't so lucky."
"Okay." Sam eats another french fry. "How's the funeral arrangements?"
"Finalizing the arrangements. I also have to arrange for a new backup observer. Gooshie excelled in that role in the two times he did that."
Sam sips the last of his Coke. "I'd better head home- I mean, Joey's home.
Al opens the Imaging Chamber door. "I'll follow up on Gooshie's funeral."
He leaves the chamber. Sam gets on Joey's bike and soon bikes along Emerald Bay Road. After about twenty minutes, he enters the Schultz apartment.
Once again, Sam looks at the pictures of Katie Brown. She is a rather attractive young woman.
Then grief rises to the top of his mind, and the leaper sobs.
