A Working Man Pt. 02

NOTE: Everyone depicted having sexual relations in this story is 18 or over, whether explicitly stated or not. Also, this part of the story contains non-sensual sex. If that offends you, please don't read it. In addition, this section became VERY long at 56 word pages. It has some redundancy with part 1, particularly when the same scene is being shown from someone else's point of view.

Thanks to Dani, Renni, Rydian and Spear from proofreading, editing and beta reading.

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Chapter 5

I fell in love with Phillip Anderson when I was six years old, and my family moved into a house three doors down from him. His mother had shown up with a welcome package, and Phillip in tow behind her. I could tell he didn't want to be there, but he was sweet, and as our mothers enjoyed tea, he and I explored the woods behind our houses with the innocent naiveté of children. He was shy and nervous, but gradually I was able to get him to open up to me.

"Girls aren't usually allowed, but if you promise not to bring any other girls, I'll show you my secret place," he said as we jumped over a little creek.

"I promise!" I assured him.

He led me to a giant, old oak with a wide trunk, twisty roots and a vast canopy overhead. He pointed up, and I giggled when I spied the most fantastic treehouse I'd ever seen.

"I built it!" Phillip declared. "I mean, me and my Dad built it. Come on up. Grab the rope if you need help."

He started his way up. There were wood boards nailed into the tree, forming a makeshift ladder. A thick rope hung down from an opening in the floor of the treehouse. I grabbed the first rungs and climbed after him.

When I reached the top, Phillip helped pull me through the trapdoor, then closed it. "So you don't fall out," he explained. The treehouse had one main room, with two windows that looked out over the nearby woods. Through one, you could see our houses and our backyards. It was cozy, with sleeping bags and cushions to sit on. He pulled some comic books out of a shoebox and handed me one.

"Here," he said, as he offered it to me, "I don't have anything for girls, so I don't know if you'll like this."

It was Spiderman. I loved it. That day when I got home, I told my mother, "I'm going to marry Phillip Anderson."

She laughed and said, "Ok, but not until you graduate high school."

"How long is that?" I asked innocently.

"Twelve years."

"Twelve years?" I cried out. "I'll be ancient by then! That's not fair!"

The treehouse became our regular thing that summer before first grade. That is until the bulldozers came. One morning I was in my bedroom when I heard the loud sound of engines and terrible crunching noises. I stared out my window and, in shock, watched as the trees behind my house shook and then fell over.

I ran downstairs and told my mother. She didn't seem troubled.

"Oh, they started today?" she asked. "I knew they were going to be clearing out the woods to put a trailer park in, but I didn't realize they were starting so soon.

"Are they tearing down all the trees?" I asked.

"I don't know, honey," Mom replied. "I think they'll leave as many as they can. They just want to make lots for trailers. Mr. Daniels, who owns all this land, has been planning to put a trailer park there for years. He just got approval last week at the County Commissioners meeting."

"I have to tell Phillip!" I shouted as I ran out of the house and down the street. Five minutes later, Phillip and I stood, watching, as our special place was ripped apart and crashed to Earth.

He looked like he was going to cry, so I took his hand and said, "It's ok, Phillip. We can hang out at my house."

He turned to me and said, "I have work to do," then walked away.

Over the next few days, I saw him working in his backyard. His father had a big vegetable garden, and Phillip was often in it weeding, raking, running lines for plants to grow on, and other tasks that kept him well occupied. I tried to talk to him through the fence, but he kept telling me he was busy and had work to do.

It was about a week later that the first of the trailers appeared. After a couple of days, there were twenty of them, lined up from the corner of the new dirt road, back behind Phillip's house, then just past mine, with ten on each side. The old creek had been dug up and turned into a ditch and culvert that separated our back yards from the trailer park.

About a week later, Teresa Meyer moved into one of the trailers behind my place. She and I became instant best friends. I brought her over to Phillip's house and introduced them. I could tell right away that she liked him too much. I was jealous and tried to make it clear that Phillip belonged to me. So, I wasn't too disappointed when he declined to join us on our trip to the Little Giant store to trade bottles in and buy candy.

Teresa lived with her younger sister and her mother. Her father had run out on them when she was little, but her mom always seemed to have a new boyfriend shacking up with her. I could tell Teresa hated being home, especially when her mom and the boyfriend du jour drank.

A week before the start of school, Jesse Milner moved in behind Phillip's house. Teresa met him first and brought him to my house. We had a pool, so everyone liked to hang out there. Jesse was always cocky and a smart ass. He had three older brothers and a military father who ruled the Milner household with an iron fist.

When nobody was around, I'd go down to Phillip's house and sit in his backyard and watch him work. He was always doing something. I asked him why he had so many chores. He replied, "Somebody has to do it. My Dad works all day and on weekends, and Mom is always busy. So, that leaves me. Plus, idle hands are the Devil's play-things."

Actually, Phillip's mother was a drunk. I never saw her do much work around the house. She always sat in a chair, listening to classical music with a glass of sherry. Phillip did the laundry and most of the cleaning. He even cooked more often than not. I felt sorry for him. It wasn't right that a kid had to do so many chores. He rarely had time for just having fun.

I made it my mission to try to ensure that Phillip had some fun in his life. I would drag Teresa and Jesse with me to visit him, or I would force Phillip to come down to my house to use the pool. I wouldn't take no for an answer and would harass him until he relented. He would stay for a while, then make his exit. Some time with him was better than no time, so I took what I could get. Teresa enjoyed it too, as she had a major crush on Phillip. Jesse hated it, though. He thought Phillip was boring and too straight-laced. He just wanted to hang out with Teresa and me.

As the years passed, we changed, and our group dynamic did as well. I remember one time Jesse brought cigarettes and a lighter. We all tried it, except Phillip. He refused. He said both of his parents were chain smokers, and he often had to clean the disgusting ashtrays that would pile up. Jesse called him a pussy, and Phillip went home, upset. I felt bad for him.

I knew Phillip wasn't a pussy. He was just different.

Another time, the four of us were together out back by the patio, and Teresa suggested we play spin-the-bottle. I wanted to kiss Phillip but had absolutely no interest in kissing Jesse. I went along with it, in the hopes that my spin landed on Phillip, but before we started, Jesse decided to one-up things. Instead of just spin-the-bottle, he suggested we play seven minutes in heaven.

None of us knew what it was, so he explained. "You spin the bottle, and then instead of just kissing, you go into the dark storage room with the person, keeping the light off, for seven minutes. You do whatever you want, and someone outside keeps time."

"I don't know about that," Phillip protested. "I really should go home. I have work to do."

"Just for a few minutes, Phillip," I urged him. "Please?"

Reluctantly, he agreed.

"Me first!" Shouted Teresa. She grabbed the bottle, spun it, and watched with anticipation as it slowed. I was silently willing it to point at anyone, but Phillip. I could tell she wanted it to land on him because each time it went past him, she seemed to pout. It came to rest, pointing at me.

"Spin again," demanded Jesse.

She did, and it landed on him. I felt relief and glanced at Phillip, who was staring at me with an odd look on his face.

"Alright!" exclaimed Jesse as he stood up and pulled on Teresa's hands. I could tell she was disappointed. Jesse practically dragged her over to the storage room, then pushed her inside and closed the door.

Phillip and I just sat there, nervously. After a minute or so, I remembered we were supposed to be timing them. "Oh, shoot," I said, then checked my watch. "I guess we should give them another six minutes. What do you think?"

"I guess so," he replied.

When the time was up, I got up and banged on the door. A few seconds later, the door opened, and Teresa came out, looking flustered and quickly sat back down.

"Spin Phillip," she said.

I noticed Jesse was taking longer to come out. When he did, he had a shit-eating grin on his face and sat down, looking very sure of himself.

"I really should go. I've got," Phillip started to speak, but Teresa cut him off.

"Yeah, we know, you have work to do. You promised, dammit! Now spin!"

He reached out and twisted the bottle. It went round and round.

"Not Teresa," I thought. "Please, not Teresa!"

It landed on me. I jumped up, smiling. Phillip was blushing, but I took him by the hands and led him to the storage room. We went in and sat down on the edge of the workbench, then closed the door. It was pitch black.

"Where are you?" I whispered.

"Right here," he whispered back.

I reached out and found him then pulled him closer to me. My hands went up to his face, and I leaned over. We shared our first kiss, and everything I had felt up to that point about Phillip was confirmed. I would marry him!

I don't know how long it went on, but it seemed like it was just a few seconds. Suddenly someone banged on the door.

"Time's up!" Jesse shouted. I looked at my watch. I could have sworn we had only been in there for three minutes. Jesse jerked the door open, and Phillip quickly exited. I followed him and sat back down.

Just then, Jesse spun, and my worst nightmare came true. It pointed at me. "I quit," I said.

"What?" Teresa asked.

"You can't quit!" Jesse snapped. "I haven't gone yet. That's not fair!"

"Yeah, Maggie," Teresa quipped. "You have to go! I did it!"

I looked at Phillip for help, but he didn't say anything. He just stared at me.

"Come on, Maggie," Jesse said as he held his hand out for me.

I hesitated, then placed my hand in his and followed him into the storage closet. As soon as the door closed, he grabbed my face in his hands and kissed me. I didn't want to kiss him back, so I kept my lips tightly sealed. Then, Jesse did something that shocked me and crossed the line. I told him to stop, but when he didn't, I kneed him as hard as I could in the balls. He collapsed on the floor in the dark. I threw open the door and burst out of the room. Teresa gave me a knowing look as if to imply, Jesse had treated her in much the same way. I glanced around frantically.

Phillip was gone.

"He left," she said.

Chapter 6

"What are you going to do?" I asked Teresa as we sat under the bleachers before homeroom. She wiped the tears off her cheeks and shook her head.

"I don't know," she said. "I don't know."

"Do you know whose it is? Is it Jesse's?" I asked, suspecting it already.

Teresa shrugged. "It could be, but maybe not."

"Who else have you been sleeping with?" I asked my best friend. I knew she wasn't a virgin, but I didn't think she slept around. She had told me about getting drunk at Malorie Miller's party and doing it with Jesse, but that's all I knew.

"I mean, it could be, you know, he's always around," she was avoiding looking me in the eye. Oh shit.

"Your mom's boyfriend?" I asked, trying hard to control the volume of my voice.

Teresa nodded and stared at the ground. "It started the day I turned 18. I didn't want to, I mean, not exactly."

"He raped you?"

"Not exactly," Teresa replied.

"Teresa, it's either rape, or it isn't!"

"I mean," she said, fighting back more tears, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have only had on a t-shirt and panties. I shouldn't have flirted with him. I shouldn't have let him kiss me. I tried to tell him, no, to get him to stop, but he wouldn't."

"Just one time?" I asked.

She covered her face with her hands and started sobbing. "No!" she cried out.

I put my arms around her. "I'm sorry, Teresa. I have an idea. Do you remember my cousin Dixie? She got knocked up last summer, and she got an abortion. It's this guy that used to be a doctor, but he lost his license. It cost her two-hundred dollars, though. I have some money saved up from my job at Mo's. I could lend it to you."

She looked up at me with hope in her eyes. "You'd do that for me?"

"Of course, I would," I told her as I hugged her. The bell rang, reminding us we had to get to class.

We walked, arm in arm, and she seemed in better spirits. "What if it is Jesse's, though," she asked me.

"I don't know, would you want to marry him?"

"Marry Jesse?" she laughed, "You must be kidding me. There's only one man I want to marry, but you stole him from me in first grade."

"I don't know about that," I said. "I've been trying to get him to be my boyfriend for twelve years. Prom is right around the corner, and he still hasn't asked me."

"You should ask him," Teresa responded. "If you don't hurry up, I may do it."

"I think you have more important things on your mind, right now, Teresa," I said softly. "I'll talk to Dixie tonight and see if I can get the number for that doctor."

"Thank you, Maggie," she said, hugging me. "You're my best friend."

We split up. Teresa went to her class and I to mine. As I walked in, Jesse came hurrying over and plopped down in the chair beside me. "Hey, Mags, what's shaking?"

"Not much, Jesse. Teresa was looking for you this morning."

"Yeah, I know. Kind of been avoiding her. She's been all clingy since Malorie's party. I think she thinks we're a couple now."

"You mean since you seduced her?"

He gave me a fake, pained look. "Is that what Teresa told you?" he asked. "Let me tell you, she started it. She was all over me. Who am I to deny a woman the pleasure of Jesse Milner if she wants it that badly."

"Ugh, please," I said, sounding disgusted. "Don't talk about yourself in the third person."

"Anyways," he said, "I got bigger plans than that. What say we go to prom? I know that dumbass Phillip hasn't asked you yet. I doubt he has the guts to do it. He might be gay."

"Phillip is not gay," I retorted. "He's just busy."

"Yeah, always. So, fuck him, or rather, don't fuck him. Let's you and me go to prom. I'll show you a good time."

"I'm going with Phillip," I informed him.

"He hasn't asked you."

"Doesn't matter."

"He isn't going to ask you."

"Doesn't matter. I'll ask him."

"Are you that delusional? You know you could have any guy in school, hell, you can even have me. I'd stop dating all the other girls and go steady with you if you'd have me. You know that, don't you."

"Jesse," I began. He and I had been over this many times through the years. "I told you. I love Phillip. I'm marrying Phillip. That means prom, prom night, and my virginity all belong to him."

"Fucking loser."

"He's not a loser. He's brilliant. He's going somewhere, and he's going to take me with him. He just doesn't know it yet."

"Yeah, whatever. You two deserve each other. A pair of nerds."

I took that as a compliment.

Chapter 7

I was furious. I had tried for weeks to get Phillip to ask me to prom. This was Senior Prom. We had to go. I've waited all my life for that night, and I was going to lose my virginity to Phillip. Everything depended on that happening. Then, he would realize how much he loves me, and we would get married. But, so far, he hadn't taken any of the hints.

So, today, I had enough. I came out and asked Phillip point-blank.

"Phillip, are you going to ask me to the Prom?" I asked him. You would have thought I shot him or something. He looked like he was in pain. At first, he tried to act like he didn't know what prom was, then made continual excuses as to why he couldn't go.

Why was the man that I loved so obtuse?

I finally gave him an ultimatum. Take me to prom, or I would go with someone else. He didn't budge. He had to work.

Ok, fine. If that's how Phillip felt about it, then I would go with someone who wanted to spend time with me instead of doing inventory.

Inventory!

I wasn't more important to Phillip than inventory!

I stomped away angrily, and crossed the street. I was going to go to prom with Jesse. I knew that meant Jesse would expect to have sex with me and take my virginity. I wasn't up for that. I wanted to make Phillip jealous, not give myself to Jesse. I'd have to figure out a way to use Jesse to get Phillip to wake up, but avoid having to sleep with him.

I tried one last time. When Phillip asked me where I was going, I told him, "I have to go find Jesse before he changes his mind and asks somebody else to prom." I figured that Phillip would run after me. He would stop me and beg me to go with him to the prom.

Phillip didn't move. He didn't speak. He simply let me walk away.

I felt crushed. Ok, then, fine! If that's what he wants, knowing what Senior Prom means, then maybe I would give my virginity to Jesse! The thought made me almost vomit.

I was crying, but I didn't want Phillip to see it. I yelled out, "It could have been you, Phillip Anderson!" and walked away.

Chapter 8

When I went back to Jesse, I felt humiliated.

"I told you that dumbass wouldn't ask you," Jesse said before I even opened my mouth. "Was I right?"

I nodded, unable to bring myself to admit it and ask him to take me.

"Now, you come back to me, thinking I'm just going to take Phillip's leftovers and ask you to prom?"

My humiliation rose to an all-time high. I couldn't respond.

"Well, it's too late. I asked Teresa. She said yes."

Damn, now even my sure backup plan was a failure. Maybe I would just skip prom and stay home playing Monopoly with my mother and kid sister.

"Oh, ok, nevermind." I turned to walk away, but he grabbed my arm.

"I'm kidding. I'm not going with Teresa. I'll take you, but I have a couple of prerequisites."

"Prerequisites?"

"Yeah, things you have to do before I agree to take you to prom."

"I know what a prerequisite is," I told him. "I just meant what are the prerequisites you want?"

"Well, for one," he said, giving me a devious smile, "until prom, you will act like my girlfriend. I know you won't be, but everybody else needs to think you are."

Ugh. That would suck.

"Even, Phillip."

Ok, that would really suck.

"Ok, I can do that," I figured it might make Phillip jealous enough to fight for me. "What else?"

"I know you don't want to give me your virginity," he stated it, matter-of-factly. He was right. I wouldn't. If that were a prerequisite, he could forget the whole thing.

"So, I'm ok with that. But it's my Senior Prom, too."

"Right."

"So, I want something special from you that night."

"What do you want, Jesse?"

"I want you to give me a blowjob in the backseat of my car, at the Roadhouse after prom. That's all."

"A blowjob?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Just a blowjob?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Nothing more?"

"I promise."

I'd never given a blowjob to anyone before. I'd never even touched a penis. But, Jesse had a point. It was his prom, too. He was making a sacrifice by going with me. He could take a girl who would let him have sex with her.