Forever Mason, page 8
“That’s pretty cool. Okay, now I have a confession.”
Katelyn nods and waits for what I have to say. I clear my throat and look everywhere but at her. “I noticed you like on the first or second day of school but didn’t think you’d talk to a freshman.” While this feels stupid to say, it feels right.
“That’s crazy,” she says.
“Why’s that? You’re cute.”
She shrugs. “Because you have so many girls hanging around you all the time, I never thought you’d look at a freshman.”
It’s my turn to shrug. “Those girls want Liam, not me.” Katelyn eyes me warily, making me wonder what’s going through her mind. I know there are rumors about Liam, but I wonder if there are any about me. “I’m going to do another cannonball.” I get out of the pool and speed walk to the driving board. Katelyn is on the far end, waiting for me to jump. I do, and after I come up for air, she’s clapping.
“Seriously, awesome.”
“They’re so fun. You should try one.” Katelyn shakes her head. “Why? Are you a chicken or something?”
“Be nice, Mason Powell. I’m not a chicken. If I do one, my top will fall off and . . .” Katelyn does this awkward arm thing where she’s trying to cover herself. But all I can think about is boobies in the flesh. Her boobs, for that matter.
“Uh . . . I need to get out for a minute.” Instead of using the steps, I climb up the side ladder and rush to the chair where my towel is. I sit down and cover my shorts instantly. Katelyn comes over and lays back on the lounger. She raises one leg, and all I can see are water droplets moving over her skin. One tiny ball connects with another, and then another, to create a stream heading right for . . .
“I gotta go.” I jump up and rush to the door before she notices the issue in my shorts. Why does this have to happen to me? “I’ll call you later,” I yell without looking at her. In my haste, I leave my flip flops there.
I don’t look to see if she’s watching me pull away, and I don’t go home right away because I don’t want to have to talk to her on the phone. I need to figure this issue out because it’s becoming quite troublesome. I wish Liam were here. Maybe he’s going through the same thing I am and could give me some advice. No, that’s just stupid. He’s not interested in girls. I am. Like I really am. I blame my mother. If she stopped talking about sex, I wouldn’t think about it all the time.
As I drive around, I’m stuck with these questions and have no one to ask:
How do I kiss a girl? Because I really want to kiss Katelyn. Or any girl, for that matter. I want to know what it feels like.
If I want to touch her boob, do I just put my hand there? Katelyn has a nice rack.
What if I want her to touch me? Hell, I want to touch myself. It’s the only relief I can get!
How does sex work? Who teaches this? Is there a course we take in school? If so, I need to sign up because my hips have a mind of their own right now.
How does my body know what to do? It’s like the female body is a beacon for the tent maker in my shorts.
It’s times like these that I need a big brother!
I have to pull over because these thoughts are making the problem in my shorts worse. My dick, cock, unit? What are teenage boys supposed to call their penis?
Penis is too formal. “Hey, meet my penis.” That’s ridiculous.
Thing? Troublemaker? Thinker? I need help!
I look down and want to cry. He, who has no name, wants to be rubbed. He wants relief. I want relief. “Why is this my life right now?”
I’m a couple of blocks away from Willy’s, and that’s where I head. There’s a bathroom there, and no one will suspect anything because Willy is pretty sure people go in there to have sex while their car is getting washed.
Tally, a girl who graduated this year, sits behind the receptionist desk. She smiles, and boom. Yep, I’m going to be stuck like this.
“Hey, Mase.”
I try to keep everything as normal as possible, from the way I walk to my voice. “Hi,” I reply, but of course, it comes out in a squeak. It’s like my growing manhood is determined to mock me because it waves hi to Tally. What the hell?
Tally giggles.
That’s great!
I walk past her desk, and she says, “Have fun in there.”
I’m going to die.
In the bathroom, I pace. I tell myself that this is natural, but there has to be some way of flipping a switch. I can’t have a stiffy every day for the rest of my life. It’s not like I can raise my hand and ask my teacher if I can go to the bathroom so I can rub one out. That’s what I need to do right now. As much as I don’t want to, I have no choice. I need this to go away. And preferably not come back until I’m twenty-five or something.
There is no way I can watch what I’m about to do. I rest my forearm against the wall and lean on my arm, covering my eyes. My other hand has a mind of its own and is already gripping my shaft. Shit, that feels good. I don’t know how many pumps it takes, but when I’m close, I push my shorts down and grab some toilet paper to catch the outcome.
Did I really just jack off in the bathroom at work?
“You need help, Mason,” I mutter.
After cleaning up and leaving the bathroom, I find Tally waiting in the hallway. “Did you have fun in there?”
I shrug.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t tease you. We’ve all been there,” she says.
“I doubt it.”
“Believe me, Mase. Girls get aroused just as easily as guys do.”
I refuse to believe her. Besides, there’s zero evidence of it. With guys, you can see it.
“I was in your shoes, and I get it. If you have questions, let me know. I’ll help. There’s nothing worse than being afraid of your body and the changes it’s going through.”
“Okay.”
“And, if you need a lesson in how to kiss a girl properly. I’ll teach you.”
“You’d do that?”
Tally nods. “It’s for the greater good of all females. Besides, I’ve seen some of the vultures hanging around you and your friend at school. If I don’t teach you, they will.”
On my way home, I swing by Katelyn’s to apologize and pick up my flip flops. This time, I knock on the door, and she answers. “I’m sorry about earlier,” I say. “Would you like to go out for pizza tonight? We can walk from here.”
“I’d like that,” she says. “Hang on.”
Katelyn leaves me standing on her front step and when she returns, she has my shoes in her hand.
“Thanks,” I say, as I take them and slip them on. “Okay, I’ll be back around six. Does that work?”
“See you then, Mason.” Katelyn gives me a little wave and then shuts the door. I like her a lot and don’t want to come off as a jerk. Taking her for pizza is the least I can do for her inviting me over.
Thirteen
When I arrive at Katelyn’s, she’s sitting on her front stoop. Her house is sort of like mine with two stories, but where hers is white, mine is blue. Her house has shutters, and mine doesn’t, and while mine has a big, wraparound porch with a swing, Katelyn’s house just has a brick porch that isn’t big enough to do anything on. I figure she’s going to meet me on the sidewalk but stays sitting until I reach her.
“Do you want to meet my parents?” she asks. I don’t know, do I?
“I’ve met your mom, right?”
Katelyn nods. “Yes, but my dad is home. I didn’t know if you wanted to meet him.” I find her question to be odd. If her dad wanted to meet me, surely he’d come outside, or Katelyn would wait inside for me to knock. Right? I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say. I’m hungry and would like to go get pizza, and since Katelyn can’t ride in my truck, we have to walk. I should’ve asked my mom or dad to take us but didn’t think that far ahead.
“Maybe next time?”
Katelyn nods and stands. She goes to her front door, opens it, and yells, “I’m leaving.” Then, she pulls it shut and walks down the two steps. Damn, when I left, my mom wiped my face with her dishtowel and told me to go wash my hands because they had boy germs on them. Not sure what boy germs are, exactly, but I did what she said. And then she lingered by the door while I put my shoes on, and I thought for sure we were going to have another sex talk. Not sure where she thought Katelyn and I would have sex since she can’t ride in my truck, and I think public nudity and fornication are against the law. I may be wrong, though.
We fall in step next to each other when we reach the sidewalk. Katelyn holds a sweater over her clasped hands, and I keep my hands in my pocket. We walk in silence. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say to her, and things feel awkward.
“So, do you like cheerleading?” I ask. I grimace after the words come out of my mouth because she must like it or wouldn’t do it.
“Yes,” she says. “This year is going to be different, though.”
“How’s that?”
“Well, normally, the squad doesn’t take freshmen, but because Josie, Candy, and I have gone to so many camps, the coach took us on the team. The older girls were not happy, but whatever. We worked hard to make the team last year. However, because coach took three freshman we will have a lot of girls on the team, so the coach told us at the end of year that when football starts in the fall, we all won’t cheer unless it’s a really big game.”
“Every game we play is big,” I tell her.
She gives me a sideways glance. “Like the away games. Some of us won’t travel to them. So we’ll send a smaller squad but have a full squad when you play at home.”
“Oh, I get it.” That’s a bummer she won’t be at all my games, cheering for me. But, whatever.
Katelyn shrugs. “Josie and I hope some girls will quit shortly after the season starts.”
“What makes a junior or senior quit?”
She looks at me oddly. “Last year, three girls got pregnant.”
My mouth makes the ‘Oh’ shape, but nothing comes out. This is probably why mom is worried about me having sex. “I must live in a bubble. I didn’t hear about any of this.”
“Wow, really?” She looks over at me. “Do you know Brian Williams?”
I nod. “Man, he hates Liam.” He loathes my friend because Liam made varsity as a freshman and took his starting job away from him. It’s not Liam’s fault he’s better than Brian. Liam’s a natural when it comes to throwing the pigskin down the field.
“He’s one of the fathers,” Katelyn says. “I think the baby is due anytime now.”
“Wait, what? This girl got knocked up by three dudes?”
Katelyn rolls her eyes and shakes her head. Clearly, I’m lost. “No, three cheerleaders are pregnant.”
“Oh, okay. So, Brian, who’s his girlfriend?”
“Taylor Brown, but they’re not together anymore.”
“How come?”
“I don’t think they were actually together when the deed happened.”
“That sucks.”
“She invited me to her baby shower, but my mom wouldn’t let me go.”
“How come?”
“My mom thinks I’ll want to have a baby or something. One of her best friends in high school had a baby during their senior year. At first, everyone doted on her friend, but then, things changed. She missed a lot of school and couldn’t hang out with anyone. No one wanted to be friends with the girl anymore, and she pretty much became an outcast.”
“I don’t get it,” I tell her.
“Honestly, me neither.” Katelyn sighs. “My mom is very overprotective. She shelters me because she thinks I won’t get into trouble if she doesn’t allow me to get into a potential situation. She even makes me watch afternoon specials about teenage pregnancy, the perils of drinking, and how boys only want one thing.”
“Pizza,” I say, hoping to change the direction of this conversation. Unfortunately, this subject makes me feel like I’m talking with my mom, and I’d rather not think of Katelyn and my mom as the same.
“Really, is that what you think about?”
I nod and point to the sign up ahead. “Do you think when they started their business, they couldn’t decide on a name, so they just went with pizza?”
Katelyn laughs. “Maybe. I don’t think I ever realized that they don’t have a real name.”
“Nope, just Pizza Parlor. At least that’s what the window and menus say.” I hold the door open for Katelyn and follow behind. She leads us to a booth, away from the door. The vinyl on the seat is torn and cracked. The booth offers some privacy in the sense that people sitting on either side of us can’t see us. I prefer to sit by the window when I come here, but this is fine too. It dawns on me that I should've asked if she wanted to go somewhere else since we’ve already been here, but I like pizza a lot. “Do you want to go someplace else?”
She shakes her head. “We can’t.”
“Sure, we can. There are other places.” I motion over my shoulder as if she can see out the door or window.
“It’s not that,” she says. “My parents know I’m here. So, if they show up or drive by and I’m not here, I’ll get grounded.”
“Seriously?”
She nods. “Overprotective, remember?”
“That seems excessive. What if this place was closed or so busy we couldn’t get a table?”
Katelyn inhales deeply. “I could call, but my mom would ask a lot of questions. Honestly, I’m good with pizza.”
“Okay, do you want pepperoni?”
Her eyes light up. “You remembered.”
I shrug. “It was easy to remember.” I wink. I don’t add that the reason I remember is that I liked watching her pick the pieces off her slices. At first, I found it odd. Why order a pizza with a topping if you’re going to pick them off and then eat the cheese slice? Then, I figured it’s just the way she likes to eat, and who am I to judge? I make my way to the counter and place our order. Right off, the clerk hands me a pitcher full of root beer, with two full glasses, on a tray. As steady as possible, I carry the tray over and set it down, and Katelyn moves the drinks to the table so I can take the tray back.
“So, what else have you been doing this summer?” she asks.
“Well, I’ve been working at Willy’s, but the hours haven’t been that great. Sometimes, I have to be there at six a.m., and I hate getting up early. He was supposed to give me full-time hours, but right now, it’s just part-time. What about you?”
“Reading. I’m trying to finish our summer reading list.”
I slap my head to my forehead. “Crap, I forgot all about that. I think I threw the little blue book away. I don’t understand why we have to work over the summer. It’s our time just to relax and do whatever we want.”
Katelyn chuckles. “I don’t mind reading. I like it a lot.”
“What kind of stories do you read?” I ask.
“Mostly Sweet Valley High novels.”
“I don’t remember seeing those on the list. Is the author the same as To Kill a Mockingbird?”
Katelyn chuckles. “No,” she says. “These are not on our reading list, but please don’t tell my mom I told you.”
Why would I tell her mom?
“I wouldn’t, but why not?”
“Because I have to hide them from her. She’d never approve. The content can be risqué.”
Katelyn reads questionable stories. Is it porn? I’m not sure how I feel about that. Liam and I found a magazine in my garage, but before we could look at it, my dad came in, and we had to pretend we never saw it. I’ve thought about going out when he’s not home and taking a peek, but I’m afraid of getting caught. And with the way my mom has been acting, that’s the last thing I need.
“How do you get them?” I ask.
“Josie gets them for me from the library. She checks out a few and shares them with me.”
Our pizza arrives, and our focus turns to our food. We each take a slice from the hot tray, and while I stick the food in my mouth, Katelyn sets her piece on a plate and uses her knife and fork.
“Are you going to play varsity football?” she asks.
I look at her and feel my brows furrow at her question. “I’m already on varsity.”
“Yeah, but don’t you have to try out every year?”
“Not when you’re as good as I am.”
Her mouth drops open. Thankfully, there isn’t any food in there, or I’d likely make a face, and that would embarrass her. “My mom says boys like you are cocky.” Her face reddens, and I’m guessing it’s because of what she said.
“I’m not cocky. I’m that good.” She says nothing, so I continue. “I’ve spent all but five years of my life competing with Liam, who is probably the best quarterback in the state already at only fifteen. I’ve played with him every year and have had to elevate my game to keep up with him. He’s naturally talented, whereas I have to work at it. Normally, we spend the summers at the park, throwing the football and running routes, but his dad sent him to some fancy camp this year. I fully expect Liam to come back and completely dominate every team we face, and I’ll be on his left, just like I have been from the first day, catching the ball and running through people. If that makes me cocky, well, I guess I am.”
I sit back and act like I just gave the best speech of my life. Katelyn stares at me and then takes another piece of pizza. She doesn’t say anything for a long time and then finally looks at me. “Do you know that you can’t mention football without mentioning Liam’s name?”
I didn’t know, but I do now. I shrug and reach for my own slice. “As I said, we’ve been playing together for most of our lives. Where I go, he goes.”
“But you don’t always go where he goes.”
I’m not sure what to do with that statement. I don’t want to get into the nitty-gritty of finances with her. I’m hoping that I can go to camp with Liam next year, but it’s unlikely. I’m not foolish enough to think we’ll go to the same college and play together until he goes to the NFL. And honestly, if we end up at the same college, that would be amazing, but it’s also unlikely. Big schools are going to come after Liam. They’re going to wine and dine him until he decides on where he’s taking his talent. I’ll be lucky for a mid-major unless something changes, and I become a huge star.
