A Game of Consequences Ch. 03

"You know what you can do, Richard!" Leah said with mock indignation. "I'm sure you realise that your 'girlfriend' is on the end of your right arm, as you seem to be out of luck with us 'scrubbers'." The rest of the group laughed.

I was about to shoot back a rather rude retort but got a look from Jill. "Ladies - if I can use that expression - please be a little genteel," she said with a smile. "Now," she looked around and counted the members of our party in the lobby, "it looks like we're all here. Richard, would you please find Mr Palmer and tell him we're ready to go?"

Mr Palmer and I walked along at the head of the group, with Jill and her gaggle of girlies bringing up the rear. "Glad to see you're keeping your distance at the moment," Mr Palmer said, without specifying from whom. "Try not to make it obvious."

"Thanks, sir. I don't suppose you've had any luck?" It was a slightly mischievous question, but I did feel for the old codger in his lonely bed when it seemed that everyone, including his colleague, was busy shagging one another.

"An impertinent question, Mr Watson."

"Sorry sir. I just feel that you ought to be enjoying yourself too," I added.

"Oh, I'm enjoying myself. The City itself is stimulating enough; the history, the architecture, the food, the atmosphere. So don't concern yourself with me. Just remember what I told you and make sure you don't embarrass anyone."

Jill and her girlies arrived several minutes after the main party. My female classmates were in something of a giggly mood and kept whispering to one another and sniggering during the meal. After the dessert, I went outside for a cigarette, and Jill joined me.

"What's got into them?" I asked her as we enjoyed our first puffs.

Jill smiled. "It's more what's going to get into them. One of them - no names, you understand - confided to me that one of the boys was keen to have sex with her, and she wanted to as well, but she was terrified of getting pregnant or catching something nasty. I said that she had to insist that he wore a condom - to tell him 'That's not coming in without a jacket'. She was concerned that the boy might not have any and he might try to insist on unprotected sex. So I agreed to buy some condoms on her behalf. The next thing I know, I've got a bulk order! Fortunately, I'm not embarrassed about going into a chemist's and asking for condoms in Italian; my Italian is actually quite good. Now every one of that little group has two or three each. Oh, and I have some spares." Her look said it all.

I glanced in at our group, all smiling slyly at one another and sharing the joke. They'd now begun to mingle with their intended partners for the night, clearly feeling that there was no point in subterfuge if their teacher had just equipped them with contraceptives. Jason Hopkins had his arm around Carrie Booker, a slim, very cute girl I'd fancied for some time but had failed dismally to get near. Jason was a rugby player. He had long sideburns, chest hair and above all, lots of muscles. I wasn't exactly a weed - swimming had seen to that - but Jason seemed to be all shoulders and attitude. I'd never liked him, and I liked him even less now.

But then I realised that I had something that almost all of the boys wanted and couldn't have, and I smiled. I just had to be discreet about it.

The restaurant door opened and Pete Lambert slipped outside. "Hi Richie - oh, hi Miss! Richie, I don't suppose you could spare a fag, could you?" I reached in my pocket for my Sobranis, but Jill beat me to it, offering Pete a Silk Cut from the packet in her handbag. "Wow - thanks, Miss!" he said, clearly impressed to be given a cigarette by someone who, at school, would have given him a detention for smoking.

"Are you enjoying the meal?" Jill said by way of conversation.

"Oh yeah. Very nice, Miss. The waiter's a bit fruity, don't you think? I saw him eyeing up young Richie here. If you're missing Steph, there's always that one for you, I'm sure." Pete could be relied upon to be tasteless.

"Mr Lambert, if you don't mind! I give you a cigarette and all you can do is make scurrilous remarks." I could tell by the twinkle in her eye that Jill wasn't really offended but was just teasing poor Pete who, at five foot four with curly red hair, spots and glasses would probably win the 'least likely to get laid' prize.

"Yeah, Pete. And you shouldn't smoke. It'll stunt your growth," I added, a little cruelly.

"Up yours, Richie. In the nicest possible way, of course."

We finished our cigarettes and went back inside. The dessert was zabaglione, and the girls seemed to find it hilarious. I saw Lynne nudge Jasmine Fisher, a girl widely regarded by the boys as about a nine and three-quarters on the 'highly shaggable' scale, and say "Here, Jas - what does this remind you of?" Lynne let a small amount of the warm custard dribble out of the corner of her mouth, and both girls then dissolved in shrieks of laughter.

I noticed Jill in an animated conversation with the waiter but paid little attention. I was more fascinated by the girls in my class, behaving like outrageous tarts. But I didn't mind that none of them seemed to want me at the moment. I was looking forward to something that every boy in the class would kill for.

On the walk back, Pete cadged another ciggie - this time, one of my Sobranis, which made him cough. He insisted on walking alongside Jill and me all the way back to the hotel, which made it difficult for us to make arrangements. When we got back, he suggested we have a drink in the bar, but I wanted rid of him so I could sneak up to Jill's room. At that moment, Jill asked for another Sobrani, took the packet and headed out to the terrace, giving me a look that said I should stick around. So I let Pete buy drinks for Jill and me, and then we both strolled outside.

Jill was leaning on the parapet, and I got the usual stirring in my groin looking at her pert, nicely-curved arse. As we approached, I had an overwhelming urge to stroke it but, fortunately, both hands were full of drinks. I handed her the white wine that Pete had bought and sipped my Peroni. She handed me back my Sobranis with another knowing look, and I pocketed them as I watched her smoke hers while the three of us chatted about the trip. Then she finished her cigarette, stubbed it out and said "Right, boys. It's time I turned in. Goodnight." With a smile, she picked up her unfinished wine, bent to kiss both of us on the cheek and swayed sexily back into the hotel.

Pete and I watched her disappear into the building, and then Pete spoke. "Fucking Hell, Richie. A kiss from Mrs Dawson! Christ, that's almost as good as a shag with Jasmine!"

"That's something neither of us is likely to experience any time soon, so be grateful for what you do get. And now, buddy, I think I'm off to my bed. I don't know about you, but all that walking around today has left me knackered." I swigged the remains of my Peroni, said goodnight and left Pete on his own on the terrace.