A Jock in the Machine Ch. 09

Chapter 9: Early Bird Gets the Worm

Disclaimer: All characters mentioned in the story are over eighteen years old. Most of the main cast is exactly 18, but none are younger than that.

'Don't worry, mom, I'll be fine!'

Damn, was Tim regretting those words now.

His day had started like any other. Well, that was a lie. After the last two days he'd had to endure, starting his Wednesday at home, in his own bed, was the biggest gift he could ever ask for. And no alarm to wake him up even. Or worse, Helen. The memory of her was still vivid in his thoughts, even though he tried his utmost best to bury it. As much as he didn't like it, he knew it would take time for him to get over it.

At least time was something he'd now have lots of. His mom had told him when they'd gotten home the previous night that she'd be taking him out of school for the time being while he recovered. He'd never object to that, no matter the circumstances. A few weeks of playing games and staying in bed sounded like heaven. Except, he'd be doing none of that. A month ago, Tim would've killed to be alone and unbothered for a few weeks, but now, now there was one person he wanted to be with in that time: Cassie.

It was weird. He could swear he'd hated her a couple days ago. You know, the cheating and stuff. But that kinda seemed to pale in comparison to being a tortured slave. And according to all accounts, Cassie had been the one to ask Terry's little brother for help, and that led to Tim getting discovered. If it had been just Cassie or Lara telling him that, Tim for certain would have doubted them, even if he didn't wish to. But his mom had also confirmed their story, and he knew she'd never lie to him. So as far as he was aware, Cassie had rescued him when he'd tried, admittedly under pressure, to push her away. He'd even joked with her the night before that she was now his shining knight. And she'd finally admitted that, yes, that nickname was incredibly stupid.

Tim had managed to completely miss breakfast, too exhausted and in need of good rest to even hope of getting up on time. Instead, by the time he had walked down the stairs, his mom was already waiting for him with a big lunch ready. The lunch went by almost normally, if you discount his mom hugging him tightly almost the entire time. He'd have gotten annoyed at that a few days prior. But not anymore.

And then after he'd eaten his first real meal in three days, Tim had learned of the one thing that could spoil his day. Jessica had told him the night before that he'd be taking time off from school. She hadn't told him that they still needed to go there to get any stuff he might have left in his locker. It made sense, of course. Tim just really dreaded the idea of the crowds of schoolgoers gossiping all around him. Still, his mom insisted they go, and he just couldn't tell her no.

As Jessica had promised him, the two had gone into school in the middle of classes, so the hallways were almost desolate. The few lone people they'd met on the way to Tim's locker still shot him a quick glance, but didn't utter a word. Just as he'd gotten the last of his stuff from his locker, Tim had felt that terrible unquenchable need that grips people in the strangest of times and begs to be relieved: he had to pee. Bad. And despite his mom's best attempts to just escort him to the bathroom, he'd vehemently denied her.

'Don't worry, mom, I'll be fine!'

He'd already been halfway down the hall by the time he'd said that. Then down another hall, and to the right and, boom, toilets, and sweet relief. All the stress and tension had evaporated in an instant once he'd broken the seal and the pressure had flown out of him. Yet his relaxation wouldn't last, and in fact it would crumble the second he walked out the door of the stall. For in front of him was the one person that had caused all of the recent turmoil with a single ill timed call: Eric.

Emotions twirled up inside Tim. Rage was at the forefront, wanting nothing more than to just punch his stupid face for ruining everything he'd had with Cassie, and then Helen to torture him like she'd done. But there was also sadness, for a small part of Tim knew Eric hadn't ruined things - he'd simply brought them to light. Yet another-

'Hey, Tim, you okay?' Eric's voice snapped Tim out of his daze for just a moment. He barely registered what he'd heard before looking him straight in the eyes.

'Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, just... in a hurry.' Tim didn't want to be in that toilet anymore. Another tiny moment passed, but inside him the whirlwind of emotions had picked up speed and was once again fluctuating. Defeat took the lead for nary an instant as Tim remembered the voicemail, but it was quickly pushed down and out of the spotlight by resolve. He wouldn't let Eric or anyone else break him again.

'Sure, sure, I just wanted to tell you something. Can I?' Once again Eric's voice interrupted Tim's racing thoughts, snapping him back into just wanting to leave on the spot. Though he figured it'd be easier to just let Eric speak his stupid mind quickly and forget about it.

'Yeah, of course you can, go ahead.' Tim didn't really care. He had more important things to do. This was just a small hurdle and...

'Look, everybody's heard what happened and I just want you to know that if you need anything, we're all here.'

What? Surely Tim had misheard. Except, he knew he hadn't. He didn't dare look Eric in the eye for fear there might be the sight of a sarcastic smile there.

'Thanks, uh, that means a lot.'

No reply came. Eric just moved past him, tapping him on the shoulder as he left, Tim staying behind in the toilet, completely stunned.

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Tim's heart raced. He was nearing Cassie's house for the first time in half a week. A very eventful half a week. It felt much like the first time he'd gone there when she'd come back, and yet it felt completely new all the same.

He'd even bought her flowers this time. The old lady that sold them to him had teased him about making a pretty girl happy with them. He hoped that would be the case.

After coming back from his stunning encounter in school, Tim had learned from his mom that Lara would be staying with some friends for the night. Although Jessica had tried to play it off like she hadn't been supposed to let Tim know, it was just a play, both parents wanting their kids to finally relax a bit. Plus, as it turned out, Lara had been telling the truth, as just as Tim turned the corner to Cassie's house, he met her mom getting out of a car in their driveway. There were others in the car, but Tim couldn't quite make out who they were.

Cassie's mom gave him a teasing pout when she saw Tim, monologuing in fake annoyance at how bad Jessica was at keeping secrets. Tim blushed the second she mentioned the flowers, but, almost uncharacteristically, she didn't press him further about them. As he found out, she had been just coming home from work and needed to get a few things from the house, so she offered to let him in, surprise Cassie even more instead of just ringing the doorbell. Tim wholeheartedly agreed. And then, when the key turned and the door opened, he regretted that choice, and every other choice he'd made before. His heart sank just as the flowers fell out of his hand. Next to him, Lara gasped and yelled:

'Cassandra! What the hell are you doing!'

10 minutes earlier...

Cassie nearly fell over as she practically sprinted down the stairs. There had been a knock on the door. The back door. Only people that used that one were her mom and... She'd quickly put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, but she just couldn't wait, especially with her mom out. Still, she made sure to compose herself for a moment right by the door, though her excitement just took over immediately after. She opened the door with such glee and then...

'The fuck are you doing here?' Her smile disintegrated instantly. That was definitely not who she wanted to see. She tried to slam the door quickly but a foot stopped the door a few inches off the frame.

'Wait, please, I just want to talk.' Eric said as he pushed the door open and went in, not even waiting for an answer from Cassie. It made her even more pissed off at him, how he entered like it was his own home. After everything he'd done, and how he'd screwed everything up for her and Tim, he just walked around like he owned the place.

'Give me one reason I shouldn't just call the police right now.' She looked him dead in the eye as she said it. It wasn't even a threat. The moment he did something she didn't agree with he was done fore. But still, he was an imposing guy, and she was at a disadvantage, even in her own home.

'Look, I just wanted to ask if you'd, you know...' Eric looked down. Cassie knew what was going on immediately. She was very adept at reading people. He was trying to find the words. Which meant whatever it was he wanted to say, Cassie would definitely not like. 'Given my offer any though? You know, if you'd, uhh...' His voice lowered. 'Fuck me again.'

Cassie was right. She did not like that. But instead of getting angrier, just the sheer thought of him having such audacity to come to her house and ask her that woke something up in Cassie. And it came rushing out, fast.

'Ahahahahahahaha!' Cassie burst out, laughing at the top of her lungs, her voice resonating within the house. It wasn't just a small burst either, as she continued laughing and laughing as the seconds turned into a minute and then kept going further. She started moving around the kitchen, still chuckling. Hell, her ribs started hurting, and she could barely take a breath in. All the while, Eric's eyes followed her. 'You... want me to...' She said in between gasps for air as the laughing finally started to die down. 'You came here to... I can't! Ahahahaha!' And suddenly it was back again. Oh God, she might just die from laughter right then and there.

'Hey come on, it's not that funny.' Eric finally had had enough, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he leaned back on the door. 'I even talked to your boyfriend about it and everything.'

The laughter died down instantly. The echoes of it still hadn't dissipated before Cassie struck Eric with a look of what could only be described as pure rage.

'You... talked with Tim about it?' She said under her breath as she began closing the distance to Eric. She'd wound up on the far side of the house, having left the kitchen to go into the living room to laugh it off. But now she wasn't laughing. Now she just wanted to hurt him.

'Woah, woah, woah, relax!' She was coming in, fast. 'I swear, i just asked if he was fine with it!' Oh no, that wasn't the right thing to say, she was getting faster. 'He said it's fine, honest!'

Cassie stopped in her tracks, having just entered the kitchen. In front of her Eric looked ready to soil his pants in fear.

'Bullshit. You're lying!'

'It's true I swear! I can prove it! Here.' Eric rummaged his pocket for a second before he pulled out his phone. He clicked a few things on it that Cassie couldn't see and then handed it to her. It was a recorded message. 'Play it, you'll see!'

Cassie took the phone in hand. More like she snapped it out of Eric's. She had half a mind to just throw it at him and hopefully break it in his face. But she was at the very least a bit curious. Would Tim really have agreed to this? Surely not. But Eric had to know what a mistake lying to her would be. So why would he...

'You sure you have no problem with this?' That was Eric's voice. Cassie knew it. Was he about to try and imitate Tim's voice to try and fool her? He was a bigger idiot than she thou-

'Yeah, yeah, I'm fine.' Wait a minute. Wait a fucking minute. That wasn't Eric trying to sound like Tim. That was, without a doubt, Tim's voice! She paused for a brief moment, looking up at Eric in disbelief, who just waved for her to continue. So she did, as this made absolutely no sense to her. Did Eric actually tell the truth? Had Tim...

'So I can really ask your girlfriend to fuck me again?' No way. There's no way Tim would've agreed to such a request. Hell, there's no way he would've answered at all, Cassie was certain of it!

'Yeah, of course you can, go ahead.' Surely she'd misheard. She had to have, yet she knew she hadn't. That was definitely Tim's voice. And that was definitely Tim agreeing to Eric's request. Why wouldn't he warn her then? What was going on?

'Thanks, dude, I just wanted to check in with you to make sure you're fine with it.' The words that Eric had spoken went in one ear and out the other. Cassie only cared about what followed them.

'Thanks, that means a lot.' No. Fucking. Way.

That was it. The message ended. Cassie stood in shocked silence.

'See, told you I had proof! Now, whaddaya say?' Eric relaxed a bit, enough at least to stretch his arms out.

'Say I believe you.' Cassie finally came out of her stunned haze. She was still uncertain of what to think. 'What makes you think I even want to fuck you again? Do you think I care what you want? You were a toy, nothing more!'

'Come on, we both know you enjoyed it. What else do you want me to say to convince you?' Eric quickly turned to his old, pleading tone. If Cassie hadn't been unnerved by the message, she'd clearly hear the desperation in his tone. 'I even bought one of your toys! But it's just not the same as the real thing, you know! So won't you please...'

'You bought my toy?' Cassie piqued up at him. She was looking him straight in the eyes. He had no clue what she might be thinking or what to say to her.

So he simply nodded.

'And you've been... using it?'

He nodded again. That seemed to work.

'Show me.'

Without waiting for him to nod, Cassie turned towards the basement door and went downstairs. Eric needed a beat to put things together, but when he did, he knew he had scored. Now all he needed to do was play his part and soon he'd have what he wanted. What he needed.

Cassie came back up just about a minute later, holding a dildo of ludicrous size. In her haste, she hadn't really bothered to check if it was one of hers, or her mom's. It didn't matter much. As she came out of the basement, she'd half expected to find Eric gone, having just stolen something. Instead, she found him completely naked, on his knees on the floor. Just like an obedient dog. Huh, he remembered what she and her mom had made him do the previous week.

'Here.' She kneeled down in front of him and planted the dildo on the ground. A suction cup on its end made sure it stuck to the cold wooden floor and towered up above it. 'Prove it.'

Cassie took a step back, still uncertain of what was about to happen. Or what had been happening up until then, really. That was all the incentive Eric needed. He stood up swiftly, once again towering over Cassie with his 7 foot frame to her 5 foot 1, yet he was completely subservient to her. Stepping forward until he was hovering just above the dildo, he squatted down with absolutely no hesitation. And much to Cassie's surprise, he squatted down to the base of the dildo in one swift motion. The rubbery object was completely unlubed, she'd made sure of it. Yet he took it all in one go. She could even see how his pathetically small by comparison dick throbbed as he was going down on it.

'Cassandra! What the hell are you doing?'

Shit! That was her mom! Cassie's turned her head almost instantly to face her and then suddenly stuck in place. In total, complete fear. It wasn't just her mom that had come into the house. It was...

The flowers fell out of Tim's hands. By the time they'd finished their short journey to the floor, his eyes had darted from Cassie to Eric and vice versa countless times. His heart might as well have stopped beating. Not that it really mattered if it beat or not, as it instantly shattered into a million, billion, trillion pieces.

'Tim...' It was all that Cassie could mutter as her eyes filled with tears. It broke the silence like a knife through butter, and it pierced into Tim's mind. He didn't respond. He didn't even blink. All he did was turn around, and run out as fast as he could. 'No!' Cassie ran through the room towards the door. She wanted to chase after him, to talk, to explain! But she couldn't. Her mom had slammed the door behind her and was blocking the way.

'Cassandra, what the hell?!'

'Mom, I can--'

'No, not even what the hell, what the absolute fuck!' Lara wasn't even attempting to listen to her daughter. How Cassie could fuck up in such a spectacular fashion was so incomprehensible to her. She just needed to vent her... her... she wasn't even sure what she was feeling at the moment, she just needed to let it out.

'Mom, pleas-'

'Why is he here? Why is he naked? What the fuck were you two...' Lara paced around the room frantically.

'Please just lis-'

'Why would you even...' Lara stopped in place, cupping her hands in front of her face as she took a deep breath. As she exhaled, she looked directly at her daughter who was all teared up and shivering. 'Do you no have a brain? Or a heart?!'

'Mom, I-'

Cassie once again could not finish her sentence. Behind her, the front door slammed forcefully open as both of Eric's parents rushed in, much to Cassie's surprise.

'Is everything okay?' Jane spoke up in a worried tone. 'We were waiting in the car when we saw Tim run away, and then you slammed the door and-'

'Mom? Dad?' Eric's eyes went wide as he saw his parents make their entrance.

'Eric! What are you doing here?' Jane was startled upon the realization that her son was also in the room. Then his current situation clicked in her head. 'Why are you naked? What's going on here?'

'That's what I want to know as well!' Lara joined in. And just like that, all eyes in the room were on Cassie. Not that she could see them, with the tears blocking her view. 'What did you two do? And why?'

'Mom, I swear, I didn't do anything!' Cassie barely stammered out in-between sobs. 'He, he came here himself. Asked for me to... to...'

'To what?' Lara's tone wasn't one of curiosity. This wasn't a question. It was a demand.

'Fuck him. He said he talked to Tim and he'd agreed and that he had proof and...'

'What! What proof? And you believ-'

Lara's yelling at her daughter was interrupted by Eric swiftly getting up from his squat. The sound the dildo made coming out of him had everyone turning around to watch, only now realizing the full extent of what the situation was. He seemed almost nonchalant about it, however, like it was something usual. He quickly went over to the kitchen counter where he'd left his phone, and just like earlier, presented it to Lara.

'This is your proof? A message?' She looked at Cassie, completely stunned. She played it nevertheless.

The instant Cassie heard Eric's voice on the message, she quickly brought her hands up to her ears as she slumped down, landing on the stairs in defeat. She did not want to hear it again. It had caused all this. That message and her being just so...

A hand gripped Cassie's shoulder. She looked up and was met with her mom looking directly at her. But this time, there was concern in her stare.

'Cassandra, dear, did you actually believe this?' Lara said in complete shock. Cassie could only nod in response. She really had. After all, it was Tim's voice, it definitely was. 'Honey, this is obviously fake.'

'What? No! It can't be fake! That's Tim's voice, you can hear it! He'd never lie abo-'

'Was that why you believed it? You heard his voice and didn't listen to the rest of the message at all?' Lara cupped a hand in front of her mouth as she took yet another deep breath. 'You can clearly hear where it cuts. Someone edited this.'

Cassie's tears stopped flowing. Her eyes were still packed full with them, but they were at least no longer coming. Her mom's words cut through her. The message was edited, and she'd missed it? She HAD been lied to and she'd failed to notice? All because she heard Tim's voice and then she... let... her... guard...