Revenge Of The Nerd

[pradeep8715]

Revenge Of The Nerd

Originally Written By:rpsuch



Chapter-16


I checked the local events and found something I knew he would like: a concert called "The Fifths." Beethoven's Fifth Symphony for the first half, and Tchaikovsky's Fifth for the second.

He hadn't seemed all that enthused when I suggested we get together on Friday, but when I told him about the tickets he sounded like a little boy going to the circus.

He stopped by for me after dinner.

We shared a lovely kiss.

"Thank you so much for finding this concert. I know everybody knows Beethoven's Fifth, but I love the Tchaikovsky." He bubbled with excitement.

"I know how you can thank me."

A nice long kiss.

"Dinner at the dorm was vile tonight, but it is paid for."

"That's the curse of the food pass," I said

"I think they must have a special school to learn how to make food that bad. I've royally screwed up recipes that wound up tasting better than that."

"Well tomorrow we'll get you a respite."

"You sure know how to take care of a guy."

Yes, I did. I had no idea how I knew because I'd never gone out of my way to do it before. Maybe it's just instinct. Maybe I was finding a part of myself I never knew existed.

I got the tickets for Jeff. I knew he would love it, so I could endure it. I would be more inclined to go to a concert that featured metal instead of brass.

The Beethoven was familiar. I think it was made into some popular song a while ago. But the Tchaikovsky really got to me. It was passionate and energetic and every time I thought it was over, it kept on going. I hadn't the remotest idea I would like classical music.

Jeff was humming along and bouncing up and down in his seat. My friends, I gave in and used the closest word, would have found it worthy of ridicule. I found it endearing. I found it arousing. I took him home and had my way with him.

For the first time in my life, I had a man stay the night. I awoke to find him sleeping peacefully. I was assaulted by the intensity of the feelings I had for him.

This had to be infatuation. It was far too intense to be love.

I snuggled up against him and waited for him to wake up.

It didn't take long and I had my first encounter with what I had only been told about by the girls - early morning tumescence. I put it to good use.

I made us eggs and bacon. Wasn't I the little homemaker?

Jeff told me he had to go so he could study. He seemed uneasy, but I couldn't put my finger on what exactly it was I was feeling from him.

"See you later," I said.

"Yeah."

Enough with the "Yeah."

I picked him up at his dorm Saturday evening. God, he looked good.

No, he didn't. He didn't look bad but, objectively, he wasn't going to blow anyone away. But he looked good to me, and that was more than enough. Then again, maybe he did look good but suffered by comparison to the museum-quality specimens I had dated before.

We had reservations at The Brass Rail. It would have been quite expensive for Jeff. For me, it was cheaper than McDonald's.

"Nice place."

He was looking around as if he was a little surprised that a place like this existed in a college town and a little uncomfortable to be in it.

"Probably not what I would have picked" he said in a charming bit of understatement.

"That's the advantage of having different backgrounds. We get to share each other's knowledge and experience."

A waiter approached.

"Nice to see you, Miss Fine."

He put down a small Caesar Salad in front of each of us.

"Thank you, Arnault." He retreated.

"Do they give everybody a Caesar no matter what they order?"

"No. I took the liberty. I know your tastes so I would like you to give me the opportunity to take you through this experience the way you have taken me through, other experiences."

He smiled.

I smiled.

Arnault would have smiled had he still been here.

Most of the men, boys, I knew would not have smiled. They would not be content to let a woman take charge like that.

"It's very good Caesar Salad," said Jeff.

Arnault cleared and came back with orange sorbet.

Jeff giggled. This was clearly one of those times when no words were necessary. We just sat there and ate and enjoyed being together.

A busgirl cleared and Arnault returned with a soup.

"Roasted acorn squash soup with duck rillette and fried sage."

Jeff leaned in and whispered. "Do you think his name is really Arnault? His accent does sound French."

"I think his name is Harry and he went to French accent school."

Jeff didn't seem to realize I was joking.

"Do you really think so?"

I laughed.

"I have no idea."

"Aaaaah," Jeff said as he took his first spoonful.

"It's a good thing we're sitting across from each other or people would think I'm fondling you."

"You have a wicked sense of humor. I love it," he said.

I love you would have been better, but I was too happy to quibble.

"This is so good. I'm going to have to leave myself in your hands more often."

He bowed ever so slightly and lowered his head in a gesture of appreciation.

One busgirl later, Arnault returned with lemon sorbet.

Jeff didn't giggle this time, he laughed. People looked. I didn't care.

"You have to savor a good meal," I said. "You wouldn't want to rush through the appetizers so you could slam down the burger."

"Is that what I'm having, a burger?"

"Patience, young sir. Each course is to be savored. Fine dining is a journey, not a destination."

"I bow to your wisdom."

"Ashley knows a thing or two about foreplay."

"I've never heard anyone refer to herself in the third person in such a charming way," he said.

"Geeze, if anybody is listening to us this must be sickening," I said.

I suspect he was as uncomfortable and inexperienced at this as I was.

Arnault appeared with Filet Mignon with Bernaise sauce on the side for Jeff with broccoli and baby carrots, lightly buttered. Fine dining tends to be expensive in calories as well as money. He placed sesame crusted salmon with garlic couscous in front of me.

"I know how to make that. Sam taught me."

God, I loved his boyish enthusiasm, among other things. He cut into the filet.

"Just to the rare side of medium rare."

He put down his fork, reached across the table and squeezed my hand.

"Ashley, this is so amazingly thoughtful. Thank you."

Ashley, you're so beautiful. Ashley, you're so incredibly hot. What can I get you? Where can I take you? Ashley, you're amazing. That's what I was used to hearing. That had been the reward I reaped for playing my role and being my beautiful self.

Compared to what Jeff had just said, it was the emotional equivalent of, "Please pass the salt."

I got chills. I almost got dizzy. I might even have swooned, if I were sure exactly what a swoon was. I was so giddy I was unable to form a response. I just smiled stupidly. Well, it felt stupid. I'm sure he interpreted it as something else.

Jeff ate and he looked at me. It wasn't the look I was used to. It wasn't the she's-so-gorgeous-I-have-to-take-in-all-I-can look. It was a she's-wonderful look. I hadn't seen it before, but I recognized it. This dinner was the absolute best moment of my life to this point. I seemed to be having a lot of those.

Dessert for me was raspberries, kiwi, blueberries, cantaloupe and cherries with whipped cream. Arnault brought Jeff a chocolate mousse. He tasted it and simply said, "Oh, my," and closed his eyes.

Arnault brought me the check and I paid with my credit card. This portion of the foreplay was over. I drove us back to my place.

I led Jeff to the living room by the hand and started kissing him. I slipped off his jacket. I resumed kissing and loosened his tie. He reached for the zipper on my dress. I slapped his hand away.

"Patience, young sir. Each course is to be savored. Fine dining is a journey, not a destination."

I pulled off his tie and tossed it somewhere. My arms moved over his shoulders and behind his neck. I caught his upper lip between my teeth and squeezed too lightly to cause any damage.

I unbuttoned his shirt, his white, dress shirt with a button down collar. He had learned a lot from Sunny, but it clearly did not include how to dress. It didn't matter to me. I wasn't putting together a spread for GQ.

I pushed his arms down and let his shirt slip to the floor. He wore no undershirt. I lightly scratched his pecs. He was pressing against me to get me to move, almost like he was leading a dance stop. His destination seemed to be the bedroom.

"What's the hurry?" I asked. "Do you have somewhere to go?"

I caressed his face as I kissed him. My hands ran down his back and past the belt. I squeezed those adorable cheeks through his pants.

He pushed again. I resisted.

He laughed. How sexy was that?

I grabbed the front of his belt with my hand, as if to lead him away to the bedroom.

"When is your first final?" I asked.

"Uh, a week from Monday. Can we talk about that later?"

"Intermezzo." But my tone was seductive.

"You're a remarkable woman."

"That I am." Then I led him to the bedroom.

I unzipped my basic black dress and brushed the spaghetti straps from my shoulders. It floated to the floor. I stepped out of my heels, took his hands and sat him down on the bed. I got behind him and started to massage his shoulders.

"Oh, my."

Oh, my indeed. Soon the massage turned in to a caress. I kissed him between his shoulder blades and skimmed my hands down his arms.

"Oh, my." He moaned.

I removed my pantyhose and walked around in front of him. I took his head in my hands and drew it in against my stomach and held him there, savoring his aroma, feeling his heat.

Finally, I tilted his head up to face me and he stood. We kissed and our hands started to roam. At last his pace matched mine. There was no rush, no urgency. What was important was the journey.

Clothing came off at a leisurely pace. Caresses lingered and teased. Even the kiss had no urgency. It was both gentle and transcendent.

We settled on the bed and explored. There was no technique, no planning, just expressions of our emotions. He moved on top of me, inside me until we both achieved ecstatic release. And then every muscle in my body relaxed.

I had not been promiscuous, but I'd had my share of college sex. This was the first time I had made love. It astonished me how different they were.

I smiled. Every cell in my body was at peace. And I slept.

We had shifted during the night. The covers were gone. My first sight in the morning was that adorable ass. I wanted to bite it, but I wasn't sure he would understand.

I tossed on a silk robe, to the extent that you can toss on silk, and went into the kitchen for some Cheerios and milk. Jeff followed shortly and he had some too.

He glanced at the clock. "God, I have to leave. I have a tutoring session."

I kissed him and gave him a dreamy, "Bye."

His was more perfunctory..........................(16)


To Be Cont................

[pradeep8715]

Revenge Of The Nerd

Originally Written By:rpsuch



Chapter-17


I called in the afternoon to see when we could get together that night, but he wasn't there. I left a message. It struck me as curious, but I had enough work to keep me busy that I didn't give it much thought.

I called that night and left a message. I couldn't imagine where he could be, but I had countless pages in front of me and speculating on his whereabouts was not going to get me through them.

Monday: no answer, message, no return. I was starting to panic. Had something happened to him? Had I done something to scare him away? Or, worse yet, had all this been an elaborate setup to get his revenge on me?

I know it sounds ridiculous, especially given the way his family had treated me. That would have taken one huge, whopping conspiracy.

Jeff had introduced me to yet another new emotion - insecurity. I didn't like it.

Tuesday, no Jeff. I got his roommate. He didn't know where Jeff was. No call. Clearly, something was going on but I had no idea what.

I heard nothing on Wednesday. It was like he had disappeared from the face of the earth. For a very brief moment I considered calling the FBI until I realized how completely ridiculous that would be.

The ache of not knowing where he was, of just not being with him, was overwhelming. Was this the price of love or infatuation or whatever it was? I wasn't sure I was willing to pay it.

On the other hand, how do I avoid paying it? How do I stop feeling the need to be with him? How do I give up the excitement of anticipating that I'm going to be with him?

The steps I had taken to get into this situation had been voluntary, but now that I was here, it didn't seem voluntary at all. We weren't exactly at the point where I could say I had a life with him, but the thought of a life without him was too painful to contemplate.

Finals would be starting next week and I had no more classes. The best thing I could do to maximize my studying would be to find out what was going on with Jeff.

Since I couldn't manage to contact him, I tried the next best thing, someone I thought of as a friend - his Mother. I tracked her down Thursday morning at the U of P. I started calling a little before 8:00 so I wouldn't have to wait to talk to her until her classes were finished. She got in around quarter to nine.

"What's wrong, Ashley?"

"Nothing. It's, I just wanted to talk."

"You don't sound like it's nothing. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm, I'm fine."

"Great. Well, it was nice talking to you."

"No." I said it with just a little too much urgency.

"My last class ends at one. We can talk then."

"Can I come in there to talk?"

"All the way from school?"

"Yes."

"Sure. I'm glad nothing is wrong." Biting wits those Goldbergs.

She gave me directions to find her office and I packed up some books for study. I could read them in her office.

I felt terrible. This is why you don't get emotionally involved with anyone. It hurts. It sucks.

I cranked up the music on my radio and sang along with gusto. It kept my mind off my problem, some of the time. I couldn't think of any way to approach it. I couldn't think of any reason it was happening. All I could do was hurt.

I persuaded Sunny's secretary to let me wait in her office. It was kind of neat, except there were books everywhere. Maybe the University's office furniture code only allowed a tenured professor a desk, some chairs, a filing cabinet and as many bookshelves as she wanted.

I forced myself to study. I was taking time away from it with this trip, and I thought I better get in as much as I could. Funny, I didn't recall being this serious about finals in the past. Jeff was a bad influence.

Sunny breezed in a little after one, in a bright print dress that looked more like summer fun than a history professor.

"Ashley, you don't look so good, sweetie. What's wrong?" She closed the door and sat at her desk. She looked almost unbearably perky. "Did something happen with you and Jeff?"

"I don't know what's happened with me and Jeff." My voice was shaky.

I didn't know how to proceed. I'd never had this kind of conversation before. I had never even conceived of this kind of conversation.

"Tell me about it. Did you guys have a fight on the way back?"

"No. I thought everything was great. We got together every night. He even slept over twice. I took him to a concert Friday night and Saturday night I took him to dinner. It was like Cinderella and Prince Charming."

Sunny laughed. "I could buy you as Cinderella, but you have to admit, Jeff as Prince Charming is pretty funny."

That drew out my first smile in days.

"Well, it was wonderful. It was romantic. He came back to my place and we, uh, had a wonderful time. He left after breakfast to go to a tutoring job and I haven't heard from him since.

"His roommate won't tell me where he is. He doesn't return my messages. I don't understand what's happening."

"Would I be correct in assuming that this is your first real relationship? Is Jeff the first guy you've really liked?"

"Yeah. I didn't think about it that way. I went with guys, but it was like, really no big deal. They did what I wanted; I was always in charge. But I really like Jeff."

"Have you guys talked about your relationship?"

"No. Are we supposed to?"

She answered that with a laugh. "Did Jeff tell you anything about his relationship history?"

"No. I really didn't think about it."

"Ah."

She reached across her desk and grasped my hand in a gesture of caring and then released it.

"I'll, have to think about what I can tell you. Jeff has talked to me and I'm not sure I should say anything about that.

"On the other hand, I've lived with him and there are things I've observed that probably wouldn't be wrong to talk about. If I talk to Jeff, can I tell him anything we talk about?"

"I don't know. I guess it depends on what we talk about."

"Fair enough. After you rejected him, Jeff was pretty shaken up. He lost his confidence. He had confidence in who he was, not how he related to girls, because he never had. He just thought of them as people with different anatomical characteristics.

"He figured it was just another thing he could do. He didn't go on his first date until he was a senior, and she asked him to her prom. I don't know if he's changed enough to talk about it now, but he was a recluse with girls."

"Oh, God, I feel terrible" I said.

"You weren't being malicious. You were just being who you were, not who you are now."

Sunny had a generous heart. It still made me sad to hear it.

"A little later in his senior year he had the courage to ask someone to his prom and she accepted.

"That's it. That's his entire dating history before college. Neither of you had any romantic experience, but at least you knew all about dating, the rules, the moves. He was clueless. When he went off to college, he, well ..."

She decided not to continue with the thought. He was a virgin when he went to college? How could he learn so much so quickly? Just from books?

"Anyway, we talked about it. He was nervous. You can't imagine how it feels to be able to talk to your kid like that."

Yes, I could. I could hear it in her voice. If she thought I was going to harm Jeff, she could easily have buried an axe in my skull.

If someone were going to harm me, my Mother would see if she could have somebody look into it.

"I told him nobody in college would know about him. If he acted confident, like he knew what he was doing, people would accept that as the truth. It was a new group of people, a new experience and he could be whoever he decided he was.

"And it worked. He said he was having a great time and people accepted him for who he had decided to be - confident. You realize that's just over three months?"

"Three months? That's, that doesn't seem possible. He had the confidence not to put up with any of my crap. How did he do that so fast?"

"He knew intuitively he didn't deserve to be mistreated. And, Jeff learns very quickly."

"I noticed. Wow."

"Yeah, that's why it might be better if you had a girlfriend who was a contemporary to talk to."

"Are you where Jeff learned to talk like that?"

"Well, yes and no. He started reading before he was two. We weren't around enough to read all the stories he wanted to hear so he taught himself to read and when we weren't available, he read.

"He wasn't reading that internet IOW or IMO language, but real books. So that's where he learned to talk the way he does."

"I haven't developed any contemporary girlfriends," I confirmed.

"Anyway, I can't say for certain that in those three short months he hasn't had any girlfriends, but I'm pretty sure you're the first," said Sunny.

"He said I was his girlfriend?" That was exciting.

"No. But it's obvious from both of you."

"So, why is he avoiding me? This, I thought this was supposed to be a good thing. I mean, if I knew it could be this bad, I don't think I would have started anything with him."

Sunny just sat there, giving me the opportunity to think.

"Yes, I would. He just, got under my skin so fast. It feels so good and it feels so rotten. What do I do?"

"This is a little awkward. Isn't there anyone else you can talk with? A friend?"

I hung my head. I didn't want to lie and I was desperate.

"No, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. It would just be nice if you had a best friend."

"I've thought about that. I was too shallow to let that happen."

"You're a remarkable girl, really."

"Jeff said that too."

She smiled, understanding and sympathetic. "So this is the first guy you've really cared for and it's wonderful."

I nodded.

"Is it at all scary?"

"Like crazy."

"And we figure you're the first girl Jeff really cared for. Do you think he might be scared?" Sunny asked.

"I didn't give him any reason to be. I see him all the time and I, care so much for him."

"You see him all the time and this is his first experience with that. So you've arranged it so that he doesn't have time to see anyone else, to make a decision about this?"

"No. That's not it at all. I want to see him. I want to be with him."

"Might he see it as being too confining? Might he see it as you two didn't talk about it; you just presented him with a fait accompli? Maybe he thinks he needs more dating experience before he can figure out what to do."

"Is that how he sees it?" I asked.

"I don't know. There's only one way to find out."

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Talk to him."

"Oh, yeah. But I can't talk to him; he won't take my calls or get back to me."

"At least now you know what to talk about. You're a pretty assertive girl, --"

"That's a nice way to put it," I interrupted.

"go to his room. Intimidate his roommate and wait there until he comes back. Is that something you could do?"

"In my sleep", I said.

"Be honest with him. Tell him how you feel. Tell him you're scared. Tell him what he needs to know to understand. He'll respond by being honest. It's what he's learned at home. It's all he knows.

"I like you, Ashley, and I'll do whatever I can to help you as long as there's no conflict of interest, but you know where my loyalties lie."

"Mine too." I started to gather up my books. "I better get back. I don't want to miss his roommate and have to wait just to get into the room."

Sunny came around the desk and gave me a demonstrative hug.

Hugs don't have any words and can be used in a variety of ways. Many guys like them because they get to feel your breasts. I read this one as saying, "I like you. I wish you well and I think you're good for my son."

I added, "Thank you," to the demonstrative message of my end of the hug.

"Good luck with Bill, shit," she said! "I've been so good about remembering to call him Jeff."

I laughed. I don't know why, but somehow it lightened my heart. Then I left and headed back to school..........................(17)


To Be Cont....................

[pradeep8715]

Revenge Of The Nerd

Originally Written By:rpsuch



Chapter-18


"Who is it?"

"Ashley Fine."

"Jeff isn't here."

"Open up, I want to talk."

"Jeff isn't here. I have to study."

"Open the door."

"I can't."

"Now!" I said it with the authority of a police detective armed with a warrant. I heard the click of the lock and the turning of the knob before the door swung open.

"I don't know where he is."

He was a little taller than Jeff, though not quite as lean. He had the frightened look of a plebe, anticipating the random hazing of upperclassmen.

I brushed past him.

"That's okay. I brought my books. I'll wait."

"You can't. I don't know when he'll be back." Jeff had coached him.

I could break him but it wasn't really necessary.

"However long it takes, I'm staying. I hope you can sleep with the lights on."

He had been coached, but not prepared for this. His shoulders slumped in defeat, he went to his desk to study. I sat on the couch and opened a book.

He gave a sigh of resignation. What could I do, Jeff? She forced her way in and wouldn't leave. And that would be accurate, because I wasn't going anywhere until Jeff showed up.

I ordered in a pizza for dinner. I had occupied the high ground and I wasn't going to desert it due to lack of supplies. Sun Tzu says, well, I have no idea what Sun Tzu said, but I'm sure must have said not to desert the high ground.

At around 11:30 there was a key fumbling in the lock. Roger looked like he wanted to utter a warning, but I gave him a withering stare and he dropped his gaze back to his book.

"Ash ley." Two words. I had surprised him.

"We need to talk," I said. The words every man longs to hear from his woman.

"I've just been -"

"Cut the crap. We really need to talk. Roger, go stretch your legs."

There was no doubt about my authority. He got up quickly and mumbled, "I'm going to take a walk. I'll be back later."

He scurried out of the room like he was afraid of police brutality.

I closed the door behind him.

"How did you get him to let you in?"

"Except for you, there are two kinds of guys. One type stares at me and, even though they know I can see them, they just can't help themselves, they have to look.

"The second kind can't look for too long. It's like they are looking at something forbidden and dangerous and they can only look briefly before they have to turn away or something terrible will happen."

"Remedios The Beauty," he said with awe.

"You've read One Hundred Years of Solitude? I've got to give you points for that."

"You needn't sound so surprised. I read voraciously," he said.

"I thought you read science and history and non-fiction. That's heavy duty literature."

"Yes, and, okay, I'll confess I'm a little surprised to hear you've read it too. I guess you get some points yourself. Speaking of which, how many of those thousands of guys you've gone out with have even heard of it?"

"You. Roger was the second type. I told him to let me in. I told him I was staying and he couldn't even look at me, so how could he argue with me?"

Jeff nodded. After that exchange, he didn't seem to know how to get this started. No problem. I could take the lead.

"This is the first relationship I've been in with someone I really care about, Jeff. Who'd have believed it?

"I've dated a lot and I have a lot of experience going out with guys. I've even dated a couple of guys who would have been justified in believing they were my boyfriend except that if I'd lost them, well, there was never any real possibility I'd lose them, it wouldn't have mattered to me at all. It would have had all the emotional impact of oh, it's raining, let me get an umbrella.

"But I don't have any experience doing this. It scared the hell out of me, and that made me want to spend as much time with you as I could. I don't know why, but it seemed like that would help.

"I would have wanted to spend the time with you anyway because I love to be with you. I guess I'm doing all the talking and I don't even know what you think or if that's what's bothering you. I'll just shut up."

"You talked with my Mother, didn't you?"

"How did you know that?" I asked.

"That's her style: honest, sincere, direct. You did it very well." His voice softened. "You're a revelation."

"I can't tell whether you mean that good or bad."

"When I got here, I'd had two dates in my entire life, in my senior year. I decided to exude confidence and it worked. People thought I was confident so I was accepted as being of value to associate with. It's amazing what you can accomplish with confidence and what you can't without it. But I digress."

"You digress a lot. It's one of the things I like about you. It's often more interesting when you're on a tangent," I said.

"Don't encourage me; it's bad enough already. So, pretty much all my dating experience came in the just over two months before we met again. I've never gone with anyone so I don't have a very good idea of how to do it.

"You're pretty much on the money with what got me worried. If I'm exclusively with you, I won't get any more dating experience. I'm not looking for variety in women, I just wanted to learn how to do it."

Do it? What's "it?"

"Date?" I asked.

"Yes, date."

How do I answer that?

"And there's another thing. Mom always encourages straightforward, honest communication. But, there was something I was embarrassed to talk about. It's obvious you're a different person from when I knew you before. I think maybe most of the change is since we met again. It's obviously qualities you already had, but just wouldn't let come out."

I raised my eyebrows. "That's a compliment? I always suppressed my good qualities?"

He stammered.

"I'm just giving you a hard time, Jeff, which you deserve for taking off on me without giving me a clue what was wrong."

And I could give him a hard time because of the incredible relief I felt that it wasn't over.

"I was a coward. Anyway, I had the scary thought that what if the old Ashley shows up and dumps me. I know it's not fair because you're not her and you know you're, I really …"

He was waving his hands around as if words would materialize into them from the air and he could finish his thought..

"You trying to say you're sweet on me?" I asked.

"Where did you get that, My Antonia? But, yes, that's what I was trying to say."

"My God, your face is bright red; you're so embarrassed. That's okay. I'm sweet on you too."

"Gee, do you want to go down to the Rexall and get a soda pop?" he asked.

"You'll be surprised at how much of a reader I've been. I read My Antonia, too, so that cancels out your points for that. I'll bet I can match you anachronism for anachronism. Will we talk about going steady?"

"You really know how to talk sexy."

"How long do you think Roger will be gone?"

"Not nearly long enough," he said.

So, we talked about our feelings about what had happened and our relationship.

After all the intense time we spent together, culminating in the concert, the seductive dinner and the seductive seduction, he was scared it was too good to be true, so he bolted.

We agreed not to let that happen again. We promised to talk if either of us had a problem.

Great, I've known him a month and a half and we're in couple's therapy. Those promises are much easier to make than to keep.

Neither of us was anxious to put a name to what we felt for each other. "Sweet on you," was helpful in avoiding it.

Nobody wanted to sound stupid by calling it love if it was just infatuation, although "just" is pathetically inadequate when used to describe the intensity of infatuation.

Whichever it was, it was a journey not to be missed......................(18)


To Be Cont................

[pradeep8715]

Revenge Of The Nerd

Originally Written By:rpsuch



Chapter-19



We compromised on the togetherness - he didn't stay over every night.

It turned out to be helpful because it gave me time to think about what I was going to do for Chanukah presents for Jeff's family.

My family was easy: spend some money on things they could have bought for themselves.

But after seeing how excited Jeff was at the tickets for the "Fifths" concert, I really wanted to get his family gifts based on what interested them, not how much money I could spend without feeling any discomfort.

I had much more fun than ever getting gifts. The only possible downside was how upset I would feel if they weren't thrilled with my choices.

I got in more and better quality studying than I ever had before. Jeff wouldn't hear of going out for some fun during finals despite the fact that he didn't seem to be working very hard himself. He actually read a few novels instead of devoting all of his time to his courses.

I thought it was rude, almost flaunting in my face how easy it was for him. But he was available whenever I needed any help so I let him off the hook.

During breaks I tried to pump him for information about his family.

"Are there any utensils Sam has always craved and not been able to get? Any cookbooks he's missing?"

"Doing a report?" he asked.

"Smartass. I'm just trying to get to know your family better. I think Sam's a dear. I'd love to get him something he'd really appreciate. Does he have any hobbies?"

"As a matter of fact he's an American History buff. His focus is the southwest, especially the migration and settlement of the west."

"Is that where your mom got it from?"

"Uh huh. But she didn't focus on the southwest."

"What about Harri, how did they meet?"

"They ought to tell you that. They met in college under pretty unusual circumstances."

His look told me it was quite a story.

"Oh, no. You can't do that to me. You don't tell me there is a wonderful story and refuse to tell it."

"I can't. I don't want to spoil it for them," he said.

"I'll show surprise, amusement, whatever the situation calls for. They'll never know you said a thing."

"No can do."

I pounced. I grabbed him from behind and moved my hands up to his armpits.

"You better hope you're not ticklish."

"No! Please, I can't say anything," Jeff implored.

I flexed my fingers just a bit and his body jolted like he was having a seizure.

"Stop, stop! I'll tell you. But you can't let them know I did. You play really unfair."

"They'll never know. And, yes, I do play unfair. I'm used to getting my way."

"Not by physical force."

I had the feeling he didn't like being whipped by a girl. If it had been just a question of strength, I wouldn't have stood a chance.

"Stop stalling. Get on with it, Mr. Ticklish," I said.

"Harri was an artistic soul from the time she was a little girl. She painted, did charcoal drawings, worked with clay, leaves, chocolate, anything that was available she tried.

"So she was an art major at college. Sam was kind of a hunk. Not a body-builder hunk, but trim, good looking."

"I can still see that. He's a major cutie."

"Sam didn't have enough academic interest in high school to get a scholarship and his family didn't have a lot of money so he had to work to get through.

"Well, it seems that one of the better paying jobs at the school, and one for which you really didn't have to have any skills …"

When the pause became unacceptably long, I intervened.

"Don't make me suffer. What did he do?"

"You deserve to suffer for tickling me," he said.

I stuck out my tongue.

"He signed up to model for a life drawing class."

I was a little slow on the uptake, but not that slow.

"So the first time she saw him, she really saw him?" I laughed.

"Oh, much worse than that. He saw her. He was interested; he thought she was really hot."

He waited to see if I could fill in the story, but I wasn't there yet.

"He's sitting there, the nude model for this class, he sees this incredibly hot girl, and he starts to get aroused."

Thank God I didn't have anything in my mouth; I would have sprayed it with the explosive laugh that burst out of me. I finally settled down a bit.

"Oh, my God, that must have been hilarious and so embarrassing."

Jeff looked upwards and shook his head a bit.

"Sam realized what was happening and, quick thinker that he was, he started coughing. He doubled over coughing to cover it up."

I couldn't control the laughter at that mental picture. I damn near peed myself.

"He rushed off, managing only to get out 'drink' before he ran. He grabbed some water, eased back on the coughing and tried to imagine William Howard Taft, all 300 pounds of him, naked. That solved his immediate problem.

"When he came back, he avoided looking at her or anyone else for that matter and made it through the class.

"She was waiting outside. She was impressed with him, and don't say it, that was not what impressed her. It was his looks and his quick thinking. She asked him out and they've pretty much been together since then."

"Ooooh." It sounded almost like a moan.

"She picked up his historical interest in the southwest and they wound up in a commune in Arizona after they graduated. Sam learned to cook authentic, old-west meals and Harri got interested in jewelry. Then came Mom."

"That's so romantic. What are you going to tell our grandchildren? That you tutored me and I dumped you or that you didn't take any crap from me and I humped you?

"Don't give me that look, I'm not lobbying for anything, it's just hypothetical. After hearing Sam and Harri's story, how could I not think of it?"

"You have a very sassy sense of humor, my tormentor," he said.

"Oh, yeah? Take this."

I had him on his back as I moved up on top of him. I attacked his mouth with mine. His romantic tale had aroused me and I knew a very good way to take care of that.

He pulled his mouth away briefly.

"I suppose you mean to have your way with me, you cad-ette."

"I do."

"Then have at it."

I did...........................(19)


To Be Cont...................

[pradeep8715]

Revenge Of The Nerd

Originally Written By:rpsuch



Chapter-20


I knew enough about Sandy to figure out what to get her and I knew Sunny pretty well, though I didn't have anything in mind yet. I didn't know Louis at all.

"Tell me about your Dad."

"What do you want to know?"

"Well, I've met everyone else and gotten to know them a bit, but other than seeing him when we left, I have no clue about your Dad."

"He's a really sweet guy, and very smart. He has all kinds of interests. He knows things about almost everything. Of course, he does wander off into space every once in a while."

"Does he know he's a nerd?"

It was his turn to laugh.

"Yeah. He'd have to be pretty obtuse not to notice. But he doesn't care. He's happy being him."

"Do you know you're a nerd?"

He smiled, put his arms around me and pulled me in.

"Yeah. And I'm happy being me."

He squeezed me as he said this. I don't know who had the bigger smile, Jeff or I.

"Tell me more." I snuggled against him. "Does he have a sense of humor?"

"He has a great sense of humor. Sometimes he can get a little cheesy, but he can see the humor in almost anything."

I knew what I was getting Louis.

"What about his parents?" I asked. "I haven't heard a word about either of them."

"Car accident." He didn't sound upset.

"Sorry."

"It was a while ago. The thing that makes me sad is that I don't remember much about them. Sandy has almost no memory of them at all."

"That's a shame."

I kissed his cheek. I kissed his neck. I kissed behind his ear. This had nothing to do with sex. I just wanted to be as close to him as I possibly could.

He ran his hand lightly through my hair. I didn't ever want this to end.

Finals were over and I loaded the car to head home. I had never felt so positive about how I had done. I had also never been so well prepared.

I turned on the radio before heading to Jeff's dorm. Counting Crows was reminding me of Sam and I couldn't help but smile.

"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got 'till it's gone? They paved paradise, put up a parking lot."

Was this an omen?

Was paradise the girl I had been, always in control, getting whatever I set my mind to? Or was it the girl I had always been inside according to Jeff, the girl I was meant to become, the girl who had captivated him?

Or was this just a song that happened to turn up on the radio when I got into the car?

Jeff piled his stuff in and we were off. So was the radio. I would rather talk with Jeff than listen to anything the radio could provide.

Before I got a chance to steer the conversation, Jeff had something he wanted to talk about.

"I don't know anything about your parents. You've barely said a word, except that you don't want me to meet them."

I took the statement for the question it was.

"I don't like to talk about them."

"So?"

This was just the beginning. I knew Jeff. He wasn't going to give up.

"You're a very difficult man," I said.

"I thought I was a young fellow of just eighteen."

"You're a very difficult boy."

I paused to see if we had changed the subject.

"Perhaps. You were going to tell me about your parents."

"I'm, like a character to them, not a person. I have a role to play. I have lines. I'm expected to follow the script."

"Who's your character?" he asked.

"The proper young lady. Knows all the right people, dates all the right people. Marries into the right family. Dazzlingly beautiful. No personal accomplishments required."

"That's sad. You were playing it perfectly until I interfered."

"No. I was doing it my own way. I was in control of every situation."

"With all the right people. Dazzlingly beautiful. No personal accomplishments except keeping the guys in line."

"No. Oh, God, yes. No." Could this be true? "I thought I was rebelling. I was going to create my own wealth and power."

"By marrying it?" Jeff asked.

"That sounds stupid."

"I'm sorry. If you're going to cry, pull over and let me drive."

I did. Had my whole life been a sham? Was I just fooling myself?

Jeff reached over and took my hand and just held it. He handled the steering wheel with his left. He didn't say anything. I didn't know whether it was because he had no idea what to say or because he thought it was best not to say anything right now. Whatever the reason, it was the right thing not to say.

We drove for a while in silence. Finally I said, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"How did you know?" I asked.

"Instinct, I guess."

"You continue to surprise me. It amazes me that you can be so incredibly perceptive."

"Go ahead, finish. And so clueless at other times."

I don't know if it was any good, but it I tried my best Bette Davis impersonation.

"It's going to be a bumpy ride."

He laughed at the reference. So, he watches movies in addition to reading books.

Was I going to have to go to therapy over this? That would fit my role.

We might be well-bred and quite proper, but we Fines could certainly be complex enough to require years or even decades of therapy, at least the women.

So, my parents tried to mold me and never saw me as an individual. And I responded by never developing a strong identity except as a beauty. Was that it? Or had I heard so much psychobabble I was as full of shit as everyone else?

Maybe I should see a therapist.

No!

Why hadn't he been content to leave me in my comfort zone?

I hadn't been in my comfort zone since I met him. I think I was being rewarded by being happier than I had ever been. But he made me work awfully damn hard for it..........................(20)


To Be Cont..................

[pradeep8715]

Merry Christmas!

[pradeep8715]

Merry Christmas...!!!

[schmoe128]

LOOOOOVE THIS STORY!!! Can't wait for more

[RAYDAN]

any updates to story

[pradeep8715]

Revenge Of The Nerd

Originally Written By:rpsuch



Chapter-21



It's more difficult when you have almost unlimited money to spend on gifts. It can rob you of your imagination and distract your focus from what the recipient will really appreciate to how much you can acquire.

I made a conscious effort not to think of gifts in terms of money. For my family I would tap the bank account. But for Jeff's family I would tap my imagination.

At my house, we lit the Chanukah candles, whipped through the prayers and tore into the gifts. No sentimentality was wasted on this holiday.

My gift was in a very small package. It was a sizeable gift certificate to Bloomingdale's. However thrilled I might have been, and I wasn't, it wouldn't do to show too much enthusiasm.

"Thank you. How thoughtful."

There was no possibility whatsoever that they would suspect irony. I lacked the depth.

I left as quickly as I could and headed over to Jeff's.

I was bubbling over. I had never been so excited to give gifts.

I don't even think it would be spoiled for me if they weren't perfect because I had put so much thought into them that I would be the beneficiary of my giving.

I got hugs from everyone, even Louis. Sandy attacked me again.

Jeff gave me a yummy kiss and he wasn't even embarrassed to be doing it in front of his family, at least until they started making noises. Then he blushed.

They had waited for my arrival to light the candles.

Sam stood with his arm over Harri's shoulder. Her arm was around his waist.

Sandy leaned against Jeff, her arm around his waist. The body language was, "This is my big brother and he is the greatest." It made me want to hug them.

We sang the same prayers, but this felt more in the moment, part of the celebration of the holiday, not some activity to be gotten out of the way so we could move on to better things.

"I want to go first."

I was like a kid on Christmas morning, making a beeline for the tree, except there was no tree.

"Louis, I know you the least well of this family, but I hope you'll get a kick out of this."

I handed him a small package.

He tore off the paper.

"A DVD. My favorite movie?"

"I don't think so," I said.

"Revenge of The Nerds." He laughed. Yes! "I don't think I've ever seen it, although my kids tell me it is an important part of my education. Thank you, Ashley."

He kissed me on the cheek, reserved even in his excitement.

"Sunny and Sandy, you two are joining me for a day at the spa."

Sandy squealed. Sunny had a big smile. I don't know whether it was because she was delighted with the gift or delighted that Sandy was so delighted with the gift, but she was obviously happy.

"Harri and Sam," I handed them a brochure.

"Oh, my God," said Harri. "She's given us a Wagon Train vacation at the Harbaugh Ranch in Montana. How did you even think of this? Oh, My God. I didn't even know there was such a thing."

Sam was pawing at the brochure. "That is going to be so much fun," he said.

"It's a three-day minimum, but you can go longer if you want," I said.

"I hope the cooking is authentic. I could learn so much," said Sam. "Look, the train goes to neighboring ranches and we help them brand their calves. We can sleep in tents if we want." He said it with wonder.

"Not a chance," said Harri with no wonder at all.

Jeff just stood there with his mouth open.

"I finally found a way to shut you up," I told him. He just shook his head slowly forgetting to shut his mouth. "Jeff, I'm afraid I didn't spend anything on you." I reached into my purse, withdrew a card and handed it to him.

"You registered to vote. She registered to vote." Tears were dripping down his cheeks. "You're incredible."

He wrapped his arms around me and it didn't feel like he ever intended to let go, which was fine with me, but he eventually recognized this was not a position we could maintain forever.

I had been excited about this, but I was also relieved. This gift had been a big risk. I had put my heart into it, but there was always the possibility I could be viewed as cheap and my gift interpreted, therefore, as thoughtless. I had gambled big and I had won big.

Sunny came over, ran her hand over my hair and gave me a long kiss on the cheek. "You're very special."

"Yes, she is," said Harri, who came in for a kiss of her own.

"You're a real sweetheart," said Sam.

Louis just beamed. Sandy had a big smile and she was fidgeting, barely able to contain her enthusiasm.

I was floating.

Sunny stepped back, put her arm around Louis and leaned against him. Sam and Harri leaned into a passionate kiss. I guess it wasn't that out of the ordinary here.

"Get a room, you two," said Sandy. They broke apart.

"You, wow, I still can't believe it," said Jeff.

"You were very difficult to get a gift for, Ashley.

"You don't seem to have any hobbies or passions. You can afford anything you want. You can go places. You can buy things.

"We spent a lot of time talking about it and, especially after what's happened here, I think we made a good decision.

"One of the special things we've noticed about you is you seem to like to do nice things for people." He glanced at Sandy.

"You got us the tickets to the Fifths, even though you thought you wouldn't like it. You took me to that dinner where, uh, that wonderful dinner."

Don't be bashful, Jeff. Tell the whole family about my night of foreplay and seduction.

"And these gifts tonight prove you have an immense capacity for caring and giving. So we got you the gift of giving."

Come on, be a little more cryptic, you're making it too easy. What the hell was he talking about?

"Sam and Harri and Mom and Dad each got you a nanny goat from Heifer International."

"What?"

"They got nanny goats in your name to be donated to two desperately poor families in a village where most families don't have enough to eat, let alone go to school or build a life.

"I have information from Heifer International you can look at to understand the incredible effects this will have for the two families and the whole village.

"I got you a billy goat for the same village, so he can knock up the nannies at the right time."

"Jeff." Sunny glanced at Sandy.

"How much of a child do you think I am?" Sandy wasn't taking any crap.

"Sorry, mom," he said. "I was just having a little fun.

"The nanny goats have been bred to produce a lot of milk the families can drink and sell.

"When they get together with my billy goat, the families will give the offspring to other families in the village.

"I know it's not a lot, but we thought you would appreciate making a start at helping some people get out of extreme poverty."

"I got you bees," said Sandy. She was beaming. "Heifer will see that the recipient gets trained and he can earn a living from the honey and from bringing in his bees to fertilize the crops."

Now I had tears dripping down my face. It wasn't because I appreciated their gifts to me of helping other people, though I certainly did appreciate them.

It was that they thought so highly of me; they were absolutely convinced I would receive the most satisfaction from helping somebody else.

They had complete faith in me. I had nowhere near that kind of faith in myself. It was a priceless gift.

They had put themselves on the line, just as I had. They were willing to risk being thought badly of, to get me gifts they thought I would most appreciate.

"Gee, I hope those tears aren't because you think our gifts sucked," said Jeff.

I smacked him in the chest and buried myself in his arms. I was incapable of speaking without blubbering.

When the kids are younger, families often give smaller gifts and stretch them out over the entire eight days to maintain the anticipation and the interest. When you're giving goats and bees and covered wagons, it's okay to do it all at once.

I maneuvered away from the others and spoke to him in a very low voice, almost a whisper. "Did you really like my gift? I was a little afraid not to spend any money on you."

"You spent some Ashley on me. That's far more valuable."

Maybe he had a little social savant in him after all. Probably it was how he felt, which was even better.

The family sat down for dinner. I included myself in that concept. Perhaps it was presumptuous, but that's how I felt.

Okay, I was family and a guest. When we finished, Louis, Sandy and Jeff were assigned to clear, clean and do the dishes since they had no part in preparation. As a guest, I was spared.

Harri and Sam went off to look up the covered wagon trip online. Sunny and I wandered into the living room.

"We expect a lot from you and still you continue to surprise," she said. There was much more affection in her voice than I had ever heard from a family member.

I think I blushed. I had received so many compliments about superficial things, but this said I was a valuable person and that was not from any obvious visual inspection. It was new, and I liked it, but I was not yet comfortable with it.

"Well, it, I just, I don't know, I wanted to get things that fit." Aw, shucks, ma'am. I am so articulate.

"You are a paradox. When someone tells you you're beautiful, what do you say?"

"Thank you."

"This was just another compliment. You didn't need to explain; I understood why you did it. That was what impressed me.

"I'm sorry. It's the teacher in me. I'm always approaching situations like they are lessons. I just wanted to say you already know how to handle a compliment."

"Thank you." That wasn't hard at all.

"Louis really liked your gift. He appreciated the combination of the sense of humor and that you feel comfortable enough to do it because of your relationship with Jeff.

"I figured I better tell you because it can take years to get to know Louis. He has so much depth, but often it's silent. It took my friends years to understand what I saw in him.

"You affected him. I saw it in his eyes."

Harri wandered in to join us.

"He gets so carried away when he's online. He wants to know about every blade of grass." She waved it off. "I caught the tail end of that. Sunshine, you have a good man with a kind heart and a generous spirit."

Sunny sighed. "Thanks, Mom. I knew you understood."

"It's funny how much you say without words. The way you called her 'Sunshine' expressed volumes about your relationship and the depth of your feelings for each other," I said. "It was beautiful."

Harri pinched my cheek. "This one's a keeper."

It wasn't long before Jeff and Sandy drifted in from the kitchen. They said Louis was finishing up and they were in the way.

Harri left to find Sam and Sunny and Sandy left to, well, probably to leave us alone.

Jeff and I could have gone to my house and enjoyed a wonderful evening full of naked enjoyment. But I preferred to remain here on the couch in his parents' living room, snuggled tightly against him, my arms around him, my cheek against his chest, feeling it move up and down as he breathed, feeling his heartbeat, his warmth, inhaling his aroma. I felt safe, content, where I was meant to be.

We talked and cuddled for a long time, mostly cuddled.

It was too long. I had time to start to think. I started to worry.

This was too good. People can't stay this happy, can they? What would happen to screw this up?

It's funny. A short time back I thought I was happy. I thought I had it all and never worried that something could happen to mess it up.

Looking back, I realized I wasn't happy, just content, or more likely, complacent.

But at the time I thought I had it all. And when I thought I had it all, I didn't worry that anything would happen to jeopardize it.

Now I was truly happy, or was I? Would I look back on this, too, and realize I was just misinterpreting the situation again?

Now that I might be truly happy, as I thought I was before, why should there be any greater chance of losing it?

Why, oh, be still. Breathe in his scent. Just enjoy being where you want most in the world to be, with the person you most want to be with. So I did.............................(21)



To Be Cont.............

[pradeep8715]

Revenge Of The Nerd

Originally Written By:rpsuch



Chapter-22



We strolled into Indulgences like a mom and her two daughters, Sunny with her arm around my waist and over Sandy's shoulder.

We were escorted to our own private group room.

We undressed and changed into spa robes. I didn't know how Sandy felt about her body, but she recognized it as part of the culture and did a credible job of looking casual.

"You know, when we come in here with a bridesmaid's party, we talk about our guy, and guys in general," I said.

Sandy giggled.

"We're not doing that today. I'm not getting married and we're not a typical group."

Sandy moaned.

"We're going to talk about our guys and how we met them."

"I don't have a guy," said Sandy.

"You can talk about who you want to meet," I said. "Sunny, tell us how you met Louis. Was it very romantic?"

Sunny laughed. "Oh, it was about as romantic as you can possibly imagine."

The tone of her voice was not quite ironic, but there was little doubt her story would not sound like anything I had ever read in a romance novel.

She paused for dramatic effect and said in a breathy voice, "We met at a Mensa meeting."

I howled, and when I finished, I said, "No way."

"Way," said Sunny.

Sandy was looking at her mother with her mouth wide open in surprise. She had obviously never heard this story.

The door opened and Angelica, like that was really her name, greeted us.

"I'm glad you're having such a good time, ladies. Could you possibly keep it down just a little bit? Some of our other guests asked if we would speak with you."

I snorted, but managed to suppress a full out laugh. Sandy began to giggle and Sunny started to titter.

Angelica cleared her throat. Perhaps she had allergies.

We were all laughing but managed to keep it soft.

Angelica raised her eyebrows, tilted her head and left the room.

That occasioned more giggling which we quickly got under control.

When we settled, I urged Sunny, "Go on. You have to give us more than that."

"Patience," she said. "Though the movement was long over, I was a hippie, straight from the commune."

"In Mensa?" I asked with incredulity.

"I was a guest," said Sunny. "A friend asked me to come along with her to what passed for a party. I reluctantly agreed.

"After all, if you can't supply an IQ test, you have to take one, and hippies aren't exactly fond of being part of the orthodoxy. I'd never had an IQ test because Harri and Sam thought they were subversive."

That brought another round of laughter.

"Anyway," Sunny continued, but that was all she got to say.

Angelica came through the door and said, "We're ready for you, Miss Fine."

"No, I've got to hear the rest of the story," I argued.

Angelica stood immobile, a patronizing smile pasted on her face.

Suitably chastened, I groaned and followed her out the door.

Monique, she could have been a Monique, gave me two small towels to cover up and averted her eyes as I got on the table and arranged them.

She started me with a salt glow with Indulgences' proprietary blend of oils which included orange, lemon and lime as well as a secret ingredient. I wouldn't be surprised if it came from the flower of the Pretention plant.

I rolled over so she could do the other side. She had soft, gentle hands.

When she finished, she turned on the Vichy shower and adjusted the temperature before rinsing me off on the table. If she had used lavender I probably would have been asleep by then.

I tossed the wet towels, optional, so she could proceed with my shea butter wrap. This seemed like a more relaxing choice than something designed to help eliminate cellulite, which I don't think any of us had.

Monique wrapped me in a thermal blanket festooned with Indulgences' logo.

As I lay there she massaged my scalp. She wasn't as good as Jeff, but it was delicious nonetheless.

It ended with another Vichy shower and I dried off, put on my spa robe and slippers and Angelica magically appeared to escort me back to our room.

Sunny followed a few minutes later.

"I hope Sandy will be back soon," I said. "I've got to hear the rest of your story."

"I didn't think it was that interesting," said Sunny in a tone that let me know it was, even if it could not top Harri and Sam's first meeting.

Since I had chosen for our treatments to be in the same order it was no surprise when Angelica appeared with Sandy a few minutes later.

"Okay, let's hear the rest of the story," I said.

"Yeah, Mom, you've been holding out," said Sandy.

Sunny held up her hands.

"I wouldn't be much of a story teller if I gave you the whole thing at once. You've obviously enjoyed the introduction, but I think I should drag it out a little, savor it."

This elicited groans from both of us.

"Why don't you start to tell us how you met Jeff, Ashley?" she asked.

"Yes. I want to hear that," said Sandy.

I hadn't thought this far in advance. While it seemed like a good idea to find out Sunny's story, I didn't realize I would have to come up with a G-rated story for this company.

Well, Jeff's mom and little sister, I agreed to go out with him because I heard he was a great fuck.

"No, no. I think it's better to finish one story at a time."

"Why don't we vote?" asked Sunny. "I vote for Ashley's story."

"Me, too," said Sandy. I want to hear about Jeff."

I stalled for time.

"Well, you know I met Jeff when I was back in high school, but his name was Bill then."

"We know that," said Sandy. "We want to know what happened this time."

"No, high school is important to know if you want to understand what happened this time."

They seemed content to give me a chance to demonstrate that.

"As you know, Jeff helped me with school work. He tutored me. He even helped me anticipate what questions would be asked on the tests and what answers that teacher would prefer."

I spoke slowly. Perhaps Angelica would return and rescue me so I'd have more time to throw together an appropriate spin.

"He was really helpful. But one day he decided to ask me out. Really, guys, he was too young. Would you have let him take me out if I had said yes, Sunny?"

"I don't know," she said. "It didn't come up."

"Well," I continued, "I turned him down and I have to admit, I was pretty much a bitch the way I did it. I wasn't trying to hurt him. He wasn't even in the equation; it was all about me.

"So all these years later, I'm a college junior.

"I see a friend one day and she looks really happy. So I ask her what's going on, what's making her happy. And she tells me she's been seeing a guy. It's not really serious, but he treats her great, she has a wonderful time with him and he's about the best thing in her life.

"Obviously I get curious and she says I should meet him.

"Going along with your principle of telling the story in parts for dramatic impact, Sunny, shouldn't you get back to your story? I don't want to tell this all in one big gulp."

"Yeah, Mom," said Sandy. This is getting really exciting. Please."

"Alright," said Sunny.

"I'm walking around at the party and, frankly, the guys weren't that much to look at. I'm listening to conversations, trying to find something interesting so I can join in.

"Louis is one of the guys and he's in a conversation with two other guys about the realism, or lack of it, in the construction design of the bridge in the movie Bridge Over The River Kwai.

"They're actually talking about the engineering and whether it fit with accepted principles of engineering at the time and how much load it looked like it could take. Could the train they showed later cross the bridge without destroying it?

"And they were so enthusiastic it was like listening to three cheerleaders talking about the hottest guys on the football team.

"I chuckled because I was thinking of them as the three wise men. They were so smart to be talking about this. And I was also thinking of them as the three nerds because it was so goofy to be talking about this."

I started laughing thinking about Sunny calling them the three wise nerd men, or however she put it together. Sandy joined in.

"I looked around the party for a while, trying to see if I could find somebody interesting, but a little less goofy. And," Sunny paused, "it's time for a commercial break. We now hear from our sponsor. Take it away Ashley."

Sandy thought this was the biggest hoot. I could see how it could be from her point of view.

"Alright, where …"

The door opened and a bleach blonde sauntered in full of attitude; she was all that.

She was very attractive and had an outstanding body. Then she looked at me.

I was wearing a terry cloth robe, with almost no makeup, and her look changed. She was second best in the room, not the whole spa, or the Delaware Valley, or Pennsylvania, the room. She quickly recovered.

"Hi, I'm Chloe. I'm here for Ashley."

She took me to a room and left me on my own to enter.

"Hi, I'm Tawny."

And she was indeed.

I eased back in the chair and she started to massage my face with a solution designed to do a gentle peel.

"You have great skin," she said.

"Thank you."

"Actually, you have pretty great everything."

"Thank you." I was practicing my skills.

She let it sit for around five minutes then removed it with a soft cloth.

Tawny wrapped my face with a warm towel. My cares melted away. I know that because I couldn't remember what they were.

After wiping my face again, Tawny applied a proprietary Indulgences' moisturizing mask. This, too, was covered with a moist, warm towel.

If there were a way to do this to all of mankind simultaneously it would put an end to warfare.

When she removed the towel and cleaned my face I was so relaxed I would have preferred a gurney to take me back, rather than have to get up and walk on my own.

Despite having left first, I was the last one back. The skin on both their faces glowed.

It was approaching 1:00 and I was pretty hungry.

Fortunately, our experience included ameliorating our hunger.

Chloe gave us our choices for lunch and left to get them for us.

"This is wonderful," sighed Sunny, "but I don't think I could take too much of it. The downtime is nice but I need to be doing things even if it's only visiting with my family."

"Well, Mom, you've got the best of both worlds. You have the relaxation and you're with family."

"And it's lovely," said Sunny. "Now I think Ashley owes us some more of her story."

I'd had an hour to come up with my best spin. I could tell a compelling, though unflattering, story without any mention of ice cubes and nerve pathways.

"I may have neglected to mention that my friend told me Jeff was an incredible kisser."

"Eeew," said Sandy. "I don't know if that's revolting or intriguing."

I rolled my eyes.

"It gets better, or worse."

Fortunately, I was temporarily saved by Chloe's entrance with the food.

It was only temporary and as we finished up our lunch they both pressed me for more.

"He walked me home and I was getting uncomfortable. Every guy I ever dated was kind of hunky or even better.

"Most of them were older. All of them were smoother. And Jeff was two years younger and a freshman for God's sake.

"He hadn't said anything about it, but I was thinking where does he get off thinking he's such a great kisser.

"I know it was my own doubts and insecurities in a situation I wasn't used to, but I started to get angry at Jeff. I told him to show me this great kissing I'd heard so much about.

"I know. Once again I was a real bitch.

"And do you know what he said? He said I had seemed nice but my behavior was terrible. He said with my attitude no kiss would have been any good. And then he just walked away.

"And that, ladies, was how I met Jeff."

"But you still know Jeff," said Sandy, "so there must be more to the story, though it's really hard to see why he ever went out with you again, no offense."

I laughed. "None taken.

"It must be hard to imagine why he would agree to see someone who treated him that badly. I'll admit I kind of groveled. I gave him what I thought was my reason.

"But you guys know why he did it. He's Jeff.

"He said in your family, you admit the mistake, you have remorse, that's enough. He is so special."

"Well, we know that," said Sunny. "There's obviously more, but you've upheld your end of the bargain, so I'll tell you more of my story.

"There was nothing much going on as far as guys I'd be interested in dating at the party, although there were interesting guys, like the nerd trio.

"At some point I hear a piano playing some show tune and there were people singing along. So I followed the sound to the piano, and there on the piano seat, playing his heart out, was Louis.

"And I could tell from his demeanor and his body language he wasn't doing it to be the life of the party. He wasn't trying to make himself appealing to the girls. He was just having fun; being himself. At that point I knew I wanted to get to know him."

"Wow," said Sandy, in awe.

"I'm not done," said Sunny. "The singing and playing eventually came to an end. People thanked him for playing and he blushed.

" People started to wander away from the piano and I started to move towards him.

"And then for nobody but himself he started to play again.

"He started to play a traditional, but not show style, version of Someone To Watch Over Me. Slow. Soulful. With so much emotion I couldn't believe the other girls weren't rushing him.

"But after the first time through it got even more amazing. He started to do a jazz version. Still slow, but he was taking it places. I didn't know if he had worked on it or if he was improvising, but from the way he played and the way it sounded, it was clearly his.

"I sat down on the bench next to him and he was startled, but kept playing.

"You know I dressed kind of hippy, so he changed what he was expressing with the music to acknowledge me.

"That's when I knew that if he wasn't a secret serial killer or something equally vile, this was the guy I wanted to spend my life with."

"Oh. My. God," said Sandy.

Her head didn't move, but her shoulders sank away from her head as her eyes slowly closed.

We just sat there silently, enjoying the after effects of the story.

I felt like I had just closed the last page of a good romance novel.

This was way more romantic than let's see what makes you such a great kisser and get your hands off my tits. Not as adventuresome, but definitely romantic.

Our reverie was broken by Chloe, there to start the next round of our spa adventure.

I was treated to a Swedish massage, firm, but certainly not a deep-tissue massage.

Candace had strong hands. She was very professional until I told her how good it felt when she was working on the back of my thighs.

"I can do things to make you feel good that no guy has ever thought of."

"Not unless you read as extensively as my guy."

"Read?"

"It's the only way to go."

I moaned when she did my feet. It was good, but she was no Jeff.

We all got back at around the same time. As we sat back and relaxed, Sunny started again.

"I know you liked the story, but the night isn't over. When he finished, I put my hand on his arm and told him it was wonderful and how much I loved it.

"I tried to get a conversation going, but he was having a tough time. He could answer my questions, but he had trouble taking the conversation anywhere himself. He was interesting. It was just hard getting it out of him.

"I stuck with him for the rest of the party and he seemed pretty willing. I don't think he'd been on that many dates and I'm sure nobody had ever pursued him the way I did. He seemed to enjoy it.

"Then came the end of the party and I told him how much I had enjoyed talking and being with him and he really liked that. His face just beamed. He told me he had enjoyed it too.

"He stood around for a while and then said he guessed it was time to go.

"He didn't know what he was supposed to do, so I rescued him.

"I asked him where he lived and told him where I lived and before he could try to walk off again I asked if he would like to walk me home and he said he would.

"I held his hand and took my time walking back.

"When we got to my dorm, he verbally fumbled around. He couldn't figure out what to say so finally he held out his hand to shake.

"I took it but I didn't let go. I brought my hand back to my body along with his.

"He stepped closer to maintain his balance. He had that scared look on his face that said, 'What do I do now?'

"I leaned in and kissed him on the lips. It wasn't the hot kind Ashley didn't have with Jeff."

She smiled at me with a playfully wicked gleam in her eyes.

"It was sweet and I lingered because I wanted him to know this was not just some polite goodnight kiss.

"I told him I had a wonderful time in my dreamy voice. I used his name.

"He told me he had a great time too. Then he didn't know what to do again so he told me he'd better get going.

"I said, 'You don't want to leave without my number, do you?'

"He was flustered and said he forgot to ask. I told him I was going to get something out of my purse to write it down.

"He said I didn't have to, he remembered numbers very well, especially when they had a relationship to what he referred to as a key. He said 'Sunny' was his key.

"I said, 'Perhaps it will help even more if you use "Sunshine" as the key.'

"He smiled and said it was a wonderful name and there was no chance he would ever forget me or the number."

Sandy sighed.

I sighed.

"I told him my number and he nervously leaned in and kissed me on the lips. He didn't hold it very long and he blushed when he did it. But he did it.

"He said, 'Bye. I'll call you tomorrow,' and he left with a bounce in his step that was close to skipping.

"And that's how I met Louis."

We just sat there and absorbed the story.

Sandy sighed again. I did too.

We heard another sound.

Chloe was standing there looking dreamily at Sunny, sighing.

She had been standing there long enough to hear a good bit of the story and she had been enthralled as well.

She noticed us all looking at her.

"I knocked, honestly, but nobody answered. And when I heard the story I kind of forgot where I was. Really."

I smiled at her. I saw Sunny and Sandy smiling too.

Chloe finally got herself together and started giving us instructions on where to go.

"By the way," said Sunny, "I know it's not part of the story of how we met, but trust a nerd; if he tells you he's calling tomorrow, he's calling tomorrow unless he's in a coma.

"He finally started chasing me until I let him catch me."

Again Chloe was captivated and had to snap herself out of it. She told us we had around ten minutes until we would go for our pedicures and manicures.

"Unless there's any more to the story," she said with a smile. "I could tell them we're running a little late."

We laughed and Sunny told her that was as much of the story any of us were going to get.

"Do you have anything else to tell us, Ashley?" Sunny asked.

"I suppose I shouldn't leave you completely hanging.

"Jeff graciously agreed to go out with me again. He took me to see the wrestling team."

I paused for effect. If you haven't been there, you probably have no idea why anyone would go.

"There they were, these hunky, muscled guys who were wearing hardly anything, all sweaty and grunting."

I drew it out and made them sound delicious.

"Okay, not the point of the story.

"Anyway, we got back to my place and I was kind of in the mood so I thought why not show him what I think hot kissing is.

"So I tried. But he kind of took over and it was amazing; it was so hot!

"He was really getting me worked up and I grabbed his belt and pulled him inside and took him to my …" Sunny cleared her throat. "sofa. We were both getting so into it."

I paused for dramatic effect.

"Oh, my," said Sandy with awe.

Sunny was giving me looks and gesturing with her head towards Sandy.

"And then, I don't want to go into details, but something got me upset and I yelled for him to stop and I think I started smacking at him and he stammered something as he got up and left as quickly as somebody running from the police.

"This time I wasn't a complete bitch. I was just startled."

"Did you ever see him again?" Sandy quickly asked, her voice completely sincere.

"Sandy, she's talking about Jeff," said Sunny.

"Oh my God," said Sandy. "I got so caught up in the story I completely forgot it was Jeff."

We all started laughing again, except for Chloe, who stood by the door with her mouth open.

"Are you guys some kind of improvisational group?" she asked. "These stories aren't real are they?"

"That wasn't even the last time I chased him off," I said. "I scared him off one more time before we had a chance to really get together," I looked directly at Sunny, "and talk."

Sandy raised her right hand and said, "That's my big brother, Jeff," with a big smile on her face.

Sunny raised her right hand and said, "That's my son, Jeff."

"My boyfriend," I said.

Chloe laughed, shook her head and took us to a room where we could all be pampered at the same time.........................(22)


To Be Cont............

[pradeep8715]

Revenge Of The Nerd

Originally Written By:rpsuch



Chapter-23


I pulled up to the house to let them out. It had been quite a day.

"Ashley, come in and join us for dinner."

I was prepared to decline though Sunny told me it was the least she could do.

It was, after all, a gift and I was happy to do it.

But then she said, "You're part of the family and we like to have you with us."

How do you say no to that?

"Okay."

"Goodie," said Sandy. "You can visit in my room while Mom makes dinner."

"That's a lovely idea," said Sunny.

Jeff's room had not been at all like I had expected. It was not that of a typical teenage boy.

Sandy's room could have come out of a teen magazine.

She plopped on the bed, propped her head on her hands and bent her knees so that her feet were in the air. She looked like Sandra Dee in a Gidget movie. It was Sandra Dee, right? The little blonde?

"Do you love Jeff?"

She would never have gotten away with that if Sunny were here. But I had no protection.

"I don't, I don't really know."

"Why not?"

"I've never been in love before. I'm not sure what it feels like."

"He's not cute enough?"

"Oh, no. That has nothing to do with it."

"I don't think he's really cute."

"Trust me, he is. There's just something about him."

"I want somebody really gorgeous, you know? Like you're really gorgeous, amazing."

The speed at which she said it made it sound like, "Iwantsomebodyreallygorgeousyouknow? Likeyou'rereallygorgeousamazing."

She didn't lack for enthusiasm.

It took my brain a few seconds to decode it.

"Thanks, Sandy. You're very pretty yourself."

"No. I know I'm nothing special."

"Did you look at yourself in the mirror when they finished working on you? Come look at yourself in the mirror now. You really look very pretty."

I felt almost like Glinda handing Elphaba the mirror during Popular.

She blushed and rolled her head.

"Okay. I'm just not used to it. Do you think I can get a really gorgeous guy?"

I laughed. "There are going to be a lot of guys interested in you."

"Yeah, nerds."

"Why Sandy, I do believe you're shallow. There are way more important things than how a guy looks."

Oh, my God. Was it me saying that?

"I know. Jeff isn't that cute, but he's the nicest guy I know. He's so nice to me and I'm his annoying little sister.

"My friends have brothers around his age and they torture them. Even the nicest ones give their sisters a hard time. But Jeff is so sweet and helpful. And he never says anything mean. I don't think anybody ever had a better brother."

"Even if he isn't cute?"

"Even if he isn't cute. Beast was wonderful to Belle."

"That's a fairy tale."

"But it's an allegory. And I understand the concept."

Whoa, allegory? "You're fifteen?"

"Yep. Beast is the thin guy, the shy guy, the Goth, the nerd, the beat-up used car; all the things that lead us to make judgments based on impressions without learning the reality of the situation."

"Allegory? Some guys are going to love that mind of yours."

Most impressive was the list she threw together and her analysis of the lesson.

"Yeah, the nerds."

"Beast."

"Okay, so maybe it's not so bad. Like you said, I'm fifteen.

"So what don't you like about Jeff? Why don't you love him?"

"I didn't say that. I just don't know yet. I, don't think there's anything I don't like about Jeff. The only thing that annoys me a little is how fast he grasps things. Give me a chance to catch up, why don't you?"

"Yeah, that gets to me too sometimes.

"So what is it you like about Jeff?" she asked dreamily,.

Did I hear Sunny calling for help? Please.

Well, he's amazing in bed. Probably not something I should mention to her.

"Well, you're right. He's as nice as they come. But so is your Mom."

"Yeah, she's great."

"He's patient and it's hard to get him angry. But what I like best is the way he makes me feel about myself. He treats me like I'm a so much better person than I think I am.

"Sometimes I think I don't deserve it, but he doesn't agree."

"I think you do love him. I heard something special in your voice when you said that about him."

I laughed. "You could be right. It would sound special because he is special."

"Oooh. Now you're getting mushy. So what do I do to get a guy?"

"You're fifteen."

"We covered that. You know how to get any guy you want. How do you do it?

"How did you get Jeff after that disastrous start?"

I thought the parents are supposed to interrogate you, not the little sister.

That's how the afternoon went.

It was difficult, but at least we were talking about Jeff, a topic I enjoyed.

Finally, Sunny rescued me. She called us down to set the table.

Shortly after that Jeff and his dad returned. They had been spending quality time together.

What, I wondered, do a nerd father and son do together. It didn't take long to find out.

"How did you do?" Sunny asked.

"Great," said Jeff. "Dad averaged 216 and I averaged 204. I did beat him one game with a 256, but I had trouble with the spares in the other games."

He turned to me.

"Dad is a really good bowler. And would you believe, he learned to bowl from a book he got out of the library?"

I snorted. Of course I would believe it.

How else would a nerd learn a sport other than from a book? But hey, they were my nerds.

I smiled. My guy's a jock. Bowling does take some athletic skill, doesn't it, even though a lot of the guys you see down at the lanes are shaped like the ball?

"Could you guys hold dinner for me? I'm planning on running a marathon so I need to get a book on it at the library."

Jeff gave me a nasty look, but I could tell he was proud.

"Ashley and I had a fabulous day at the spa and then we talked in my room."

Sandy was effervescent.

I wasn't sure that what I had with Jeff was romantic love, whatever that is, but there was no doubt I loved Sandy and Sunny as well.

After dinner Sunny led me to the living room while the other three handled cleanup.

"You know, at some point you're not going to be a guest and you'll have to pitch in."

"I'm looking forward to that."

"I think you are."

She paused to collect her thoughts.

"I can't tell you how much I appreciate everything you've done with Sandy. She's gained so much confidence. She's really starting to blossom."

"What is it with this family and flowers?"

Sunny laughed.

"Seriously, it's been my pleasure. I love spending time with Sandy, except when she's grilling me about Jeff and me."

"Oh, I'm going to have to talk to her about that" said Sunny.

"No, don't. It's over and I get a kick out of her intensity."

"You know, we give everybody the benefit of the doubt. We assume the best. In your case, you've exceeded all expectations. If you were my daughter, I'd be proud."

I blushed. Talk about exceeding expectations.

She gripped my hand and squeezed. We sat there and smiled. Finally, I leaned in and hugged her. This was a moment to remember.

Jeff came in while she was asking me about school.

"I'm pretty sure I had my best semester ever. I learned more than ever before."

"That's wonderful. Well, if you two will excuse me, I have a lot of things that need attending to," she said.

I'm sure it had nothing to do with wanting to leave us alone.

I snuggled up against him on the couch. We could have gone to my house to be alone for more intensely intimate interpersonal communication, Yeah, it's a euphemism.

But it felt too good to be wrapped in his big, strong, well, his arms, to leave.

We didn't have to do anything. We didn't have to say anything. This was the perfect end to a perfect day.................................(23)


To Be Cont................

[pradeep8715]

Revenge Of The Nerd

Originally Written By:rpsuch



Chapter-24


I saw a lot of the Goldbergs during winter break.

Sandy was back in school, but Jeff and I didn't have to be back until the 16th. It seemed like I was at their house all the time.

We also spent some quality time in my bedroom.

You might have thought my parents would notice my comings and goings. But they were as oblivious as if I had been a transient in their hotel.

I carefully avoided having them meet Jeff and they seemed to avoid it too, although I suspect it took very little effort on their part.

I didn't know exactly what the criteria were, but whatever they were, I was pretty sure Jeff would not meet the lofty requirements to be adjudged a "fine young man." I think it was code for it would be okay for their family and our family to associate together.

I enjoyed the vacation. I welcomed the opportunity to renew old relationships, acquaintances, whatever they were.

I loved my time with Jeff's family. Louis had a quirky sense of humor and I enjoyed it almost as much as he did.

I had a couple opportunities to share in phone calls from Sam and Harri.

Life was sweet. And then it was time to return to school.

Jeff seemed more relaxed about spending so much time with me. Of course, he had a logical explanation.

"I could probably benefit from dating a variety of people. That part of my education is deficient.

"But I realized I have no experience in a serious relationship either and I'm going to have to do it eventually, so this seems as good a time as any."

"You silver-tongued devil. You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet."

"Well it is logical, isn't it?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

I knew what he meant and I knew how he felt, fortunately for him, or I would have tossed him out on his ear long ago.

Don't get me wrong. He didn't come up with the grand gestures women wax poetic about. I didn't get a pearl necklace. I got a goat.

He came up with the meat and potatoes of romance. He noticed and appreciated everything I did for him. He supported everything I wanted to do and went out of his way to try to make my life easier.

If this was how Louis acted with Sunny, she was the lucky one, not him, and I considered him very lucky.

It would have been nice if Jeff had at least a little flirtation in him, but he was so painfully earnest about honesty and understanding in relationships he forgot what an amazing sense of humor he has.

I asked him about it.

"I barely talked to girls about anything except academic and political topics until just a few months ago.

"Even when I started meeting girls at school, I had no idea about using any lines. I was just sincere. It seemed to be enough."

"I gotta get some movies to educate you," I said.

"You want me to flirt? I have you."

"You could flirt with me. It's fun. Loosen up. Flirt with other girls. Show them what I have."

"I could do it if I wrote it in a letter."

He could see my obvious confusion.

"I helped mom with research one summer. I read some scorching letters from Thomas Jefferson. He was after a married woman. He tried to get her to come over from France and travel with him.

"Franklin was a hell of a flirt, too."

"I bet you didn't even notice it when girls were flirting with you."

His brow furrowed.

"Who flirted with me?"

I shook my head. Then I had a sudden inspiration.

Can you have an elongated inspiration? Is sudden inspiration redundant, like extremely unique?

Anyway, I did have an inspiration.

"Have you ever read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?"

"Yeah, when I was four."

He said it casually; no big deal.

"Fourth grade?"

He shook his head in disagreement.

I shook mine in disbelief.

"Gee, I'm not going to win the books-I-read contest, am I?

"Okay, have you watched any of the old Saturday Night Live reruns?"

"Again, yes."

"Did you ever see any of the Mr. Bill segments?"

"Yes. And I didn't much care for them."

"I'm sorry to hear that, because after you were so completely clueless that you were being flirted with, I realized, William Jefferson Goldberg, there is only one thing I can possibly call you when I'm not using Jeff."

"I'm pretty sure I don't want to hear it."

"I'm pretty sure you don't. But every time I say it, it will remind me of how much I love you, Dr. Goldberg and Mr. Bill."

"Oh, God, no." It was definitely a groan.

"Dr. Goldberg is the savant. Yes, they were flirting with you like crazy at that party after Thanksgiving, Mr. Bill."

"Oi. Why were they flirting with me? What did I do?"

"You were with me. You're such a virgin."

"Figuratively?" he asked.

I nodded, and smiled. "Four?"

"You had to be there.

"I was a celebrity with the librarians. I started reading at home on my own at around three, real books, but soon I needed more to read.

"So we'd go to the library and I'd bring the books up to the desk, barely able to get them on the desktop.

"And a librarian who hadn't met me would tell Mom what a good choice she'd made for a book to read to me, or maybe that it was too advanced for me to understand.

"And Mom would tell them nobody reads to me. And the librarian would look at her like she'd said I flew in from the planet Zepton."

"Where?" I asked.

"It's just a concept."

I nodded.

"Even after they'd met me a few times some of them were pretty skeptical.

"But I started asking questions about the author, whether there were similar works in the genre, or, sometimes if I was interested in what influenced or inspired the author to write it, where could I find those materials?

"And they decided, no, we weren't playing some elaborate joke on them.

"Maybe they were my first love interest. They'd give me recommendations and we'd argue about the books. Reading and talking with them are some of the best times I remember as a kid."

"You were never a kid," I said.



Jeff tried to teach me ballroom dancing.

He had a difficult time because the concept of following was so alien to me. I had been in charge of every relationship in my life, except for my parents.

In dancing, I was supposed to do whatever he wanted.

I kept trying to lead.

In the end, we succeeded because I was so determined to learn what he was so generously offering.

Okay, that's the spin I gave Jeff. The truth was I absolutely adored being held confidently in his arms and I would have endured almost anything to be able to keep doing it.

I got to be pretty good. I also discovered it was another method of intense, non-verbal communication, not unlike making love.

We didn't neglect that either.

As difficult as it was at first, the learning itself was a delight. My great grandfather had been a young man in the era of the big bands. Ballroom dancing was what they did and I had the good fortune to dance with him when I was young.

He danced like he was born doing it, but I guess that's what practice will do for you.

I knew some waltz, fox trot, swing. But I didn't understand it the way Jeff did and at first I had little concept of leading and following.

He cleared that up quickly. I was used to doing a box in waltz. So, when he led, I went back, side, close and expected to go forward next.

I couldn't.

He was already moving forward, forcing me back before I could try to complete what I thought we were doing. It wasn't just that he was stronger than me, which clearly he was, it was that he beat me to it.

How could I go forward when his body was already encroaching on my space? I had to get out of his way or he would have been tromping on my feet.

When he wanted to change the direction we were facing, he wouldn't just turn, I could feel the arm around my back almost muscling me into the position he wanted. It was not subtle. It was assertive yet not quite coercive, except for the fact that it always happened before I could let him know what I wanted to do.

The assertiveness and anticipation disconcerted me and I found I needed to concentrate too much on what he was asking to attempt to lead myself.

As I concentrated on following, his lead became more subtle.

Instead of pulling me with the arm around my back when he wanted me to turn left, he would push my right hand with his left to move me away from him. I use the word "push," but it was actually very light, yet clear.

The few times it wasn't enough to get my attention, he compensated with that hand around my back. But the more subtle it was, the more fun it was.

When we eventually became proficient together, the suggestion of a turn like that would be accomplished with a barely perceptible pressure from his left hand, too slight to even rumple a rose petal.

At the end of that first session he told me I had been wonderful. And I had. I had learned to listen to his requests. I thought of them as requests because I hate to be told what to do.

And from the firm way he held me with his right arm around my back, the gentle way he held my right hand in his left, the confidence with which he led and let me know in advance what he wanted, I know it was just dancing, but I felt I could relinquish all control to him and he would make sure everything was all right.

That's how I felt each time we danced.

And all the while we danced, he smiled and looked at me with eyes that said there was nothing he would rather be doing and no one he would rather be doing it with.........................(24)


To Be Cont..............

[pradeep8715]

Revenge Of The Nerd

Originally Written By:rpsuch



Chapter-25


Jeff was over my apartment so often we agreed he should just pack up his stuff and move in. He never returned to his room.

There was no discussion about how this fit into our long-term plans. We didn't have long-term plans. This wasn't we're going to get engaged so this is a logical step.

We just wanted to be together, so we were.

One day he returned to find me in a state of deep melancholy. I had no idea why. It may have been hormone related. Nothing I could think of worked to break me out of it. Nothing he could say would bring me out of it, until he said it.

He lifted my chin and smoothed his fingers over my cheek and said, "Come on, Fifths, cheer up."

"What did you say?"

"Come on, Fifths, cheer up."

It all melted away with the nickname that told me more than how much he appreciated my thoughtfulness. I squeezed my arms around him.

"I love you so much, Jeff."

"I know. I love you too. It amazes me how much."

That was our first time. First times can be difficult and awkward. This was as natural as breathing.

I hadn't noticed how much work Jeff was doing. He didn't seem to do anything but study and spend time with me. And he was studying more, like it was actually taking an effort on his part, which seemed unusual.

I didn't realize it until he warned me he might not have much time for me during finals. Last semester, finals had seemed easy, almost casual for him. Now he seemed to be working with single-minded devotion. I asked for an explanation.

"The university agreed to give me credits for some of the things I placed out of. They also agreed to give me credits for the rest of them if I do better than a 3.6 this semester. Altogether, I'll be getting credit for a little more than a year."

"So what's the problem? Have you ever gotten anything other than an A?"

"Yeah, in Art. I'm basically hopeless," he said.

"But you're not taking Art now."

"No. But I'm taking a massive load and it could be difficult to perform to my usual standards."

"What's massive? You took a heavy load last semester."

"Really massive."

He was unusually quiet. Maybe it wasn't unusual; he was always reticent.

"Come on, out with it. How much pressure did you decide to put on yourself?"

"If I do better than 3.6, I'm graduating," he answered.

"What?"

It must have sounded like the reaction to his confessing he'd been cheating on me with my best friend, if I had one. I was incredulous. I was furious.

"When were you going to tell me? We have this great year and you're gone? How could you?"

Then I started to cry. I hated it. It was a sign of weakness.

"No, Fifths, I'm not leaving."

He put his arms around me. I sobbed against him.

"I'm not going anywhere. I start grad school in the fall."

When I calmed down, I hit him, pretty hard this time.

"How could you let me think that, even for a moment? That's cruel."

"I didn't, I had, I didn't realize you'd hear it that way. It never crossed my mind for a second to go anywhere without you. How could you think that?"

Now he sounded incredulous.

"I don't know. It just sounded like, I have no idea. I'm sure there's a good reason in there somewhere, but I don't have a clue what it is. Maybe I'm just insecure. I've never done this before.

"You know lots of people are in love and then they're not."

"Not going to happen, Fifths. You've saturated me so completely, you've become part of my DNA."

"That's probably very romantic in the nerdiest way possible.

"I think I know, maybe I just want to hear it, but you've started calling me 'Fifths' lately and I was wondering why."

"When I think of you, it's your most defining characteristic. You so want to do things to make other people, me, happy, that you're willing to sublimate what you want."

"You so don't know me," I said.

"You so don't know you" he responded.

Could he be right? I hoped so because it said something about me I would really like to be true, and also because it would mean I was worth continuing to love.

Interestingly, for the first time in my life, my defining characteristic was not my beauty.

"Graduate school? Are you going to have a Ph.D. before I graduate?"

"Don't be silly," he said. "I couldn't possibly get one before that."

"Before that? You could really get one that fast?"

"We haven't worked out the details."

"Wow, this is your last summer of freedom."

I knew there was more from the look on his face. I asked with my own look.

"I've got a job. It's actually part of a whole package."

I waited for more but there was none.

"That's it? That's the end of what you're telling me?

"You really are my idiot savant.

"You're so smart it sounds like you have almost your whole future assured before you finish your first year of college.

"And you're such an idiot you won't tell the woman you love about it. How did you get like this?"

"Practice, practice, practice."

"I know how you got to be a smartass. Why don't you want to tell me?"

"I'm embarrassed."

"About?"

"I don't know. It feels like I'm bragging if I talk about it," he said.

"It feels like you're keeping it from me if you don't."

"I didn't do anything to get these brains. They just showed up."

He shrugged.

"One day I was self aware and there they were. It seems really immodest to have pride in something you didn't do anything to earn."

"I, gee, that actually makes some sense.

"But there are other people involved when you decide to keep something to yourself. Think of how it makes me feel when you don't tell me this kind of stuff.

"Besides, it's not the brains you were given that's impressive, well, it is that anybody gets them, it's what you do with them."

"I'm sorry. I wrote a paper for a class and it got published in a journal. It intrigued some people at Second Foundation Biomed. They contacted me and the school, and put together this deal so I could start working for them sooner, rather than later.

"If I have a degree, they'll feel more comfortable paying me a real salary instead of what they'd pay an intern."

I waited. It was clear from his look that there was more. He had more reluctance than I had patience.

"And?" My voice was starting to get louder.

"They're paying for grad school. They set it up as a scholarship. And I'll be working for them for part of the breaks. The scholarship covers the Ph.D. After that, I have a five-year contract with them.

"It's like locking up a basketball player with a long-term contract coming right out of high school before he gets to be so expensive later they won't be able to afford to keep him."

Nice analogy. I was a little surprised he knew about that.

Still, "When were you going to tell me all this?"

"When the time was right."

"And when would that be?" I asked.

"I have no idea. It kind of overwhelmed me. I didn't know what to say."

He could hear the emotion, the pain in my voice. I made no effort to hide it. Tears were forming in my eyes.

"I thought it never crossed your mind to go anywhere without me. Where does this leave us?"

"My first year of grad school is here. That might be all it takes. But I can go anywhere after that; wherever you work, wherever you're going to school. I just have to be near Radnor during the summers before I finish school.

"It happened so fast, and you know I don't like to talk about myself, and, I didn't know what to say."

"My guy. Well, at least you'll be able to take me out sometimes now."

There was that look again.

"They are paying you, aren't they?"

"Yeah, they're paying me."

It wasn't a simple statement. There was an air of mystery to it.

"Are they paying you a decent amount?"

After all, I could be living with him for the entire length of the contract. I certainly hoped so.

"Well, I've got a minimum guarantee through the life of the contract, but we expect to renegotiate when the five years starts."

"Oddly enough, that's not an amount."

Now I understood what Jen had meant about pulling teeth.

"Are you contractually forbidden to tell me what you're making?"

"Would you believe that?" he asked.

"Do I look that stupid?"

"Couldn't you just be gullible?"

"Why don't you just tell me?"

Just a little more hestitation. His eyes drifted downward and voice got lower.

"$240,000."

"Holy shit! Per year? Every year? To start?"

He blushed and nodded.

I thought I was the basketball player. Had there been a sudden bout of inflation since the last time I went to the bathroom?

Nobody should be paid that kind of money unless they did something really important for society, like recording music or playing sports.

"They must really want you," I said.

He took a deep breath. There was more?

"There was a little bit of a bidding war. Another company got wind of the negotiations and things got kind of hectic."

"Gee, I'm surprised they didn't give you a piece of the company."

He had that look again.

"No way."

He tried to suppress it, but he started to laugh.

"I just wanted to have a little fun with you."

"Shut up. I may have to upgrade my opinion of you. So how much are you really making?"

"$240,000. I was just kidding about getting a piece of the company."

"When you exceed your 3.6, you owe me dinner at a very exclusive restaurant."

"It will be my pleasure."

I decided this would be a good time to have some pleasure of my own so I took his hand and led him to the bedroom........................(25)


To Be Cont..............

[pradeep8715]

Revenge Of The Nerd

Originally Written By:rpsuch



Chapter-26


I ran into Jen on campus. It was inevitable.

"Ashley Fine, I can't believe how good you look. I mean you always look fabulous, but you have a kind of glow that makes you look unreal. It's gotta be a guy."

She reached out and touched my arm. A look of astonishment took over her face.

"No, not Jeff."

I must have let out some of the inner glow.

"Jeff."

"You lucky girl."

"Maybe he's a lucky guy," I said.

"I think you have changed. You said 'maybe.'"

I giggled but I felt ambivalent. I was doing that a lot lately.

Here was someone who knew Jeff, someone I could talk to about him, who would understand the magic I was seeing in him.

On the other hand, here was someone who knew Jeff, or at least had known him, who would understand the magic I was seeing in him.

I didn't like the idea of having to share him, but that was in the past. The chance to talk with someone other than his mother about him was irresistible.

"He says I've changed. His mom says I've changed," I said.

"You've met his family?"

"Lots of times."

I win.

"This must be serious." She had a smile that let me know it was part tease. "Have you taken him home to meet your parents?"

"I'm planning to do that on our 50th anniversary."

"Yeah, I guess you didn't get the way you were by accident."

"How was I?"

Oops, she'd forgotten who she was talking to and momentarily lapsed into candor.

"Self-assured." Self-centered.

"Poised." Aloof.

"In control." Controlling.

"You shouldn't be an English major, Jen, you should be training for the diplomatic service. You could sell shit and position it as organic fertilizer, or plant food."

She didn't feel the need to respond.

"I have changed. Jeff says it was there all along. The stuff I cared so much about six months ago just doesn't seem that important anymore."

"I know exactly what you mean. I changed a lot, too, after I met Jeff. He makes you question the reasons you do things."

"I know exactly what you mean. He acts strange sometimes and you come to find out he's actually doing it for a reason."

"And he's so supportive," said Jen.

Would that it were my parents saying this.

"Yeah, but the best thing, and maybe the worst, well, one of the best, I don't know. Anyway, he believes in me, more than I believe in myself. It's scary.

"I feel like I have to work to make sure I don't let him down. But I know that even if I do, he'll keep believing in me."

"Wow." I knew that tone; it was awe.

"Do you want to get some coffee and talk? My treat," I said.

"Who are you and what have you done with Ashley Fine?"

We had engaged in banter before, but this was a genuinely friendly exchange. I was drawn to her.

I had been doing that a lot lately: Sunny, Sandy, Harri, Sam. Was I just trying to score a friend other than Sunny, or was this a real connection?

I had been doing a lot of that lately, too: questioning why I did things.

I never used to do that before. What did it matter why as long as I got what I wanted? Now that wasn't enough.

We walked to Starbucks. I had a vente café mocha with a double shot of espresso. Jennifer had a vente skim caramel macchiato. We could drink until we needed to pee.

"What about you, Jen, do you have somebody special?"

"Not at the moment. I'm looking, but I don't feel any pressure to grab someone up just to have him. I'm also not into that thing we were into with guys who have or will have money. I'd rather have a guy who can add to my life to make me happy."

"Someone like Jeff?" I asked.

"Someone not Jeff, but kind of like Jeff. He's too, Jeff.

"Jeff, is a strange combination. He has amazing emotional maturity in a lot of ways, not even considering how young he is. But in some emotional aspects he's almost clueless.

"And socially, he's damn near lost. He's going to be incredible. He is incredible, but he's just going to keep getting better, you know?"

"Yeah, I know", I said. "I know it's not the real definition, but I tell him he's an idiot savant. And I never know which one is going to show up. But I love them both."

Dr. Goldberg and Mr. Bill I was saving for Jeff and me.

"Love?"

I shrugged.

"Yeah. Love. Imagine that.

"Hey, you're not going to believe this, well maybe you will, it looks like Jeff is going to graduate."

"What? This year? How can he do that?"

"I don't know, but he's planning on starting a Ph.D. program here in the fall."

"Damn."

She took a sip.

"Damn. So, are you teaching him how to get around in your social circles?"

That could be taken as catty, but I decided to be generous and view it as naïve.

"That's in his idiot zone. I'm sure he could learn it if he wanted, but there's no chance at all he'd ever be interested. He thinks it's like, crazy. Just imagine him talking to Buffy about her wardrobe at a party."

"Who's Buffy?"

"A metaphor," I said.

She laughed.

"You're a lot more fun that you used to be. I think you're happier too."

"Thanks. You're not so bad yourself. Any big plans for the summer?"

"Small plans. I'm working in a pilot reading program associated with the Free Library of Philadelphia."

"I thought you were an English major."

"Just a slight change of plans. I think I want to teach so I've been taking enough education credits to graduate on time if I decide that's what I want.

"The job isn't so much for the money, it better not be on what they're paying. It's to find out if it's something I can do and like. Are you still doing the business thing?"

"I've been thinking about it. I have lots of contacts and I do well with people so it would seem to be a good fit. I'm just not excited about the prospect."

I took a sip. Drinking seemed to make the pace more leisurely.

"Is that part of the new you? Did it excite you before?" asked Jen.

I'd been asking myself more and more questions and the conclusions were pretty harsh.

"I don't think I did a lot of reflecting before. I had no doubts about anything, but I don't think that was because I was confident in my choices.

"I'm not sure I made choices. There's stuff you do and stuff you have to do and you do it, you know? Is this making any sense?"

"I'm not sure," said Jen.

Try it another way. Like Jeff says, one on one you get to try everything until you find something that works.

"Hot girl. Guys do what you want. So do most other girls. I know how to play politics. My family has money. You'd think I could do anything I want.

"But all of that pointed me in very few directions and it's like I did the only thing I could. Not just academic either."

Well, here it was. Did I want to take the risk?

What could I possibly gain from sincerity? Maybe a friend?

I didn't have to let it all out at once.

"I never put my feelings on the line. I never cared about anybody. I think it was because that way they couldn't hurt me. If I don't care, what difference does it make how people act towards me? I'm not sure about this, by the way; it's just a theory."

"Interesting theory. I wonder if it applies to me, too."

"You're a hot girl," I said.

Sipping isn't the same as thinking, but it gives you time to think, to consider what you want to say. Jen was sipping a lot and it didn't seem like she was just thirsty.

"So you're saying Jeff could hurt you? You're really?" She shrugged.

"Big time. And I worry about it. What happens when he finds out I'm not this great person he thinks I am? He's so young and smart and a little bit hot. He could get almost anybody."

"Yeah, and he picked you. Jeff's really smart and he's perceptive too. If he thinks you're special, he's probably right."

She reached across the table and squeezed my hand. I still wasn't convinced. I wasn't sure she was either.

Pouring out some of your heart, is this how you develop friends? It's a scary process.

"You know, your summer program sounds interesting. I've always been a voracious reader."

"You're kidding," she said.

"Why doesn't anybody believe I can read?"

"We know you can; nobody thought you actually did."

I laughed.

I didn't suppose it was important to correct the misperception.

Finals were right around the corner, I told Jen I'd give her a call when I got back home.................(26)


To Be Cont............