Angels and Guardians Pt. 04

The girls walked in and his mom shifted gears nicely, asking what their plans were for the evening. Jill said, "Actually, we were wondering if you'd help us with our college applications."

Joe's dad bailed at that mention. "Sounds like work. I've had enough of that today. See ya Joe, night ladies!" He climbed the stairs to his room after enduring the parade of hugs from Joe's girls.

His mom looked at the girls sternly. "With Kim just getting here, you're gonna do college apps instead?"

"I brought mine, too," Kim said brightly, pulling out some folders and laptop from her bag.

Joe's mom sighed, "Go get your things, girls." The other three clamored up the stairs to retrieve their files and laptops from their bags. "Joe, would you bring Kim's bag to her room?"

"Sure thing, Mom!"

"Oh, and start on your homework or something in your room." Joe looked at her, questioning why she suddenly turned more 'mom-ish' in telling him what to do. "I don't want you down here distracting them. I'd like to go to bed before too long."

"I understand Mom. Good night." He gave her a kiss, took Kim's bags to the guest room, and retreated to his own, glancing through his subjects for the upcoming tests.

"Isn't Joe gonna do his, too?" asked Ashley.

His mom responded, "he worked on his during the summer. They've already replied."

Jill was surprised. "They have? Who's accepted him?"

"Well, all, actually."

"Where's he going?" asked Ashley.

"He's said he wanted to see which school wants him on their team most. I know scouts were at your last game. Anyway, you all wanna get started? Geez, even when he's not here, Joe's a distraction to y'all." Mrs. Smith smiled, though, as she said this.

Soon, the den's lighting turned an eerie blue from all the laptop screens. Joe's mom started out giving general guidelines on what colleges are looking for. On hearing these, Kim deleted her essay outright, and hit Ctrl+N for a new document. The girls heard the keystroke that was accompanied by a heavy sigh, and laughed. The girls presented their applications in turn to his mom, who looked them over, and the essay they kept on their laptop. She gave them each a few pointers, like attention to detail on the application, and how to add or make changes to their essay so that it was in line with their declared major. She would ask each as they came to her what their passion was, and what their major was.

Jill was first. When asked what her passion was, she said arguing. The others laughed, but knew it to be true. When asked what she was majoring in, she didn't have an answer. Joe's mom asked her what she liked to argue about and the answer was an immediate "sex." More giggles, but the mentor told the group that it was a very valid answer. She asked Jill if she liked relationships, or more specifically, if she liked giving advice about them. The group answered for her, "YES!" So, Joe's mom pointed out that if she liked arguing, Jill might consider becoming a trial attorney, or a debate coach. Attorney appealed to Jill, so Joe's mom explained that Law schools look more at grades and devotion than the major's title. If Jill liked to argue about sex or give advice on relationships, a major choice might be psychology.

"Look, girls," she explained. "You have to pick something you like, not something you think you're 'supposed to take.' If you do that, you'll lose interest quickly and hate school. But, if you love the subject as a whole, you'll do well and love school."

This and other advice tidbits caused some mad typing, but before too long, she had everyone's application polished to where they were happy with them. It was a little after midnight when she told them that if they would polish and print their essays, and have their application packages on the kitchen counter, she would mail them from work. "Having the Carter Electronics metered mail postage might help impress the application boards." They all agreed. Then, she handed each of them a CD with their name on it. "You might want to open and print what is on that CD. It is a reference letter I wrote for each of you last week, in case you needed it for a job, or for college." They swarmed and thanked her profusely for her above and beyond help. Then, she ascended the stairs for the night.

The girls raced to open the file on the CDs and read them. To their amazement, this was not just a glowing form letter with their name inserted. Joe's mom had written a new letter of reference for each girl, describing perfectly her personality and doing so in an absolutely glowing light.

Ashley ended up crying. When asked what was wrong, she answered, "I've only really known Mrs. Smith for two months, yet she describes me so well. I can't believe that she did this for me!"

Kim noticed the bonus first. She was so shocked, she almost couldn't find her voice to tell the others. "Guys...did you open the other folder on the disc?"

The girls scrambled to their own laptop to see what she was talking about. There was a folder named "recommendation." Inside it were two files, titled "Dear (their name)" and "Employment Recommendation." The Dear Jane file was a personal letter from Mr. Smith to them. It explained how each of them has been employed by his company. Maybe not in a traditional sense, but whether it was helping host recruiting parties (Jill and Kim), clean the recruiting facility (meaning the house for Jasmine), or chauffeuring company employees (in Ashley's case, the employee was Joe), they each were in effect working for him. The compensation was generous gifts in lieu of wages. It said that under this guideline, the letter is completely legitimate and they should not feel guilt or unease in handing it to a prospective employer or school. Now that he explained what he considered was their employment, they would be able to easily and confidently verify in detail what their job description was without having to make anything up in an interview.

The Employment file was a letter of recommendation from Mr. Smith to Whom It May Concern. The letter urged whoever reviewed their application to hire or admit them. It gave a paragraph on what she was like on a personal level, and a few paragraphs on her work habits. The way it was written, combined with the credibility of the writer, it generally guaranteed the desired result.

All the girls had tears of joy by the time they finished reading everything. There was no doubt that Joe's parents had spent the better part of a day to write all the letters. They all agreed they would have to do something special soon to thank the Smiths for their generosity. One by one the girls printed the files they needed for all the applications each were sending. They could hear Ashley's networked printer laboring away in her room. Jill and Jasmine were the first to put away their laptops, retrieve their printouts from Ashley's room and assemble their packages. They said goodbye to Ashley and Kim, and received a warm hug from each. Ashley asked Kim how she was doing, as she was still typing. Kim told her that she was on her final edit and wouldn't be long. Ashley went up, assembled her four applications, and returned downstairs to place them on the counter next to Jill and Jasmine's. She asked Kim if she wanted a drink, which Kim declined. Ashley told her she was heading to bed, but Kim could just walk in and get her stuff off the printer whenever she finished, and not to worry about waking her, she wouldn't mind. Kim thanked her, promising it wouldn't be too much later.

About a half hour later, Kim padded up the stairs, finding Ashley in bed. She set about grabbing her printouts, trying to be silent. Ashley startled her, "I said you didn't have to be quiet."

Kim, recovering from her jump said, "I thought you were asleep."

Ashley clicked on the nightstand light. "When you come back up, would you bring me a glass of water?"

Kim nodded and headed to the kitchen to assemble the last of the envelopes. She fixed a glass of ice water, taking a sip for herself and returned to Ashley's room. Her breath caught in her throat as she walked in.

Ashley was sitting on the edge of the bed topless, facing the doorway. Her only apparel was a pair of white cotton panties with pink flowers printed on them. They sat loosely bunched at her hips, not over-sized, but loose enough to hint at easy access for a hand to slip under. She looked delicious. "Thanks for the water," she said, holding her hand out to receive the glass. Kim took the bait and stepped across the room to hand the water to Ashley. Ashley brought the glass to her lips and paused. "I know you came down hoping for some nookie. Don't worry, I'd have done the same. But I interrupted your plans and I feel bad about that."

"Don't feel bad. How could you know I was coming down, or that you were going to fall in love? I can't blame you for falling for Joe. He was available, and he's a great guy. I wish I hadn't let him go." Kim's face fell a bit. "But, I knew...still know...that it just wouldn't work over that distance. Besides, he's happier now with you than he ever was with me. So it's fine, believe me. I can entertain myself."

"Yeah, about that," Ashley began. She took a planned, sloppy drink from the glass, gulping half the water down, and allowing the rest to spill around her mouth. The cold liquid traced under her chin, down her neck, and around her breasts, ultimately getting wicked up by her panties. The act had the desired effect, as Kim's eyes followed the water all the way to the now wet underwear. Ashley finished gulping and continued her thought. "I still feel bad about interrupting your plans with Joe...would you let me be a substitute?" With that, she grabbed Kim's hand and looked in her eyes. "Oops, I've spilled my drink all over me, would you help dry me off?"

Kim's sexual frustration won her interior debate and she leaned forward, licking the water up between Ashley's breasts. Ashley laid back, taking Kim with her. Kim licked up the water over her stomach, but stopped to look at Ashley when her chin touched the waterlogged panties. Ashley nodded, and Kim bent down, sucking and drinking the water that had pooled in the material.

Chapter 17

Clubbing

The week flew by, and Kim used the time the others were in school to head to the beach or haunt the malls. Ashley offered to let her drive the Z3 while she was in town, so that Kim wouldn't be stuck at Joe's place being bored to tears. She would meet them after school, and participated in the cheerleading practice, giving pointers and teaching cheers she learned at her new school. At night, Kim, Ashley, and Joe usually found themselves lying together on Joe's bed, watching TV. Kim noticed how Joe had taken up the habit of toying with Ashley's hair whenever she laid her head on his chest, yet Ashley seemed to flip her head when she laid on him as if asking him to do so. Kim gave a small body shiver, knowing if anyone toyed with her hair it would drive her nuts enough to slap them. Oh well, she thought, to each his own. When the evening grew late, Joe would drift off, his hands stopping their play. Ashley and Kim would kiss him good night and retreat to their rooms.

The second night Kim was there, she vowed to herself that sleeping with Ashley was a one-time thing. However after lying alone for only a few minutes, she found herself walking to Ashley's room. She closed the door, then walked over to straddle her new best friend on the bed, smothering her in kisses. The routine was repeated nearly every night she was there.

Tuesday, Joe called his dad's secretary and explained how Kim decided to change her return flight. She took the ticket information, and said she'd work on it. Joe let her know that he would pay any difference there might be in changing it, even if it meant buying a new one. She told him no problem, and if there was a difference, she'd pay it out of the petty cash account, and he could pay it back.

Later that afternoon, she called Joe, telling him everything was taken care of. She'd have a courier pick up the amended ticket from the airport and deliver it to his house.

"Any charges?" he asked.

She replied, "only if I were less persuasive."

Joe kidded her, "you always were the sweet talker! Thanks a bunch. I owe you."

"Yeah, you do," she laughed as she hung up.

Wednesday, Ashley and Joe came home to find Kim waiting at the door. "These pictures are amazing!" she exclaimed in greeting. "I love this one of Ashley lying her head in your lap, Joe. With the crowns on your heads, it's like a private moment after a royal ball." They dropped their stuff and pored over the Homecoming photos that had arrived in the mail. Joe had to admit that the photographer knew what he was doing. They were all good, but the one he loved most was the first picture, with Ashley sticking her tongue out at him. The irreverence contrasted nicely with their prim and proper attire. It displayed the teenager side of Ashley's normally over-mature personality in public.

Ashley distributed the wallet photos the next day at school, along with all the other girls who received theirs the night before as well. The school was impressed with all the photographs that were taken, but hers were the subject of almost all the conversations. Jill and Jasmine came over for dinner, and Joe asked Jill about her date with Rob the previous night. Jill didn't say much, "it was nice and sweet, but only friendly. Just no sparks."

That night, Ashley had her hand in Kim's panties while sucking gently on her neck. She stopped her kisses, but not her pleasuring hand when she asked, "Don't you want to be with Joe?" Kim sighed heavily at the weight of the question, and at Ashley stimulating a specific spot. She told Ashley through pants that she loved both Ashley and Joe, and really did not want to interfere. Ashley removed her hand from her friend's delicate underwear and pulled Kim up, taking her by the hand to lead her out of the room. Kim asked what they were doing and Ashley responded, "I'm gonna give you to Joe." For a brief second, Kim was tempted, but planted her feet firmly. "What's wrong?" Ashley asked.

"No, I'm not going to." Kim's voice was firm. "I said to you that you could trust any of us as you trust yourself, and I'm holding to that promise."

"But I'm giving you to him...you have my permission," Ashley protested.

"And, I'm not yours to give away," Kim admonished. "Can you look me in the eye and tell me that whenever you have sex, you don't feel at least a little emotional attachment?" Ashley shook her head. Kim continued while pulling Ashley down to sit next to her on the bed. "I love Joe, that's true, but over the last few days, I've grown to love you, too. I'm not going to tempt fate and risk emotions getting the best of either Joe or I. I care too much about you to risk your relationship with Joe over a romp in the hay."

Ashley's eyes were moist. "You love me?"

"Well, not as a life-partner, but yeah. I love you dearly."

Ashley understood, as she felt the exact same. "You're a wonderful friend! I love you too." Then she gave Kim an open-mouthed kiss of passion.

They tumbled and squirmed to the stimulations they provided each other for a while. After Ashley masturbated Kim to a heady climax, Kim said to her, "Actually what I said earlier wasn't entirely true." Ashley picked up her head, puzzled. Kim resumed, "I AM yours to give away...I just didn't want you to give me away too easily." Ashley kissed her and they drifted off to sleep.

The game the next night was entertaining. Normally, the pre-game ceremonies included only the player introductions, invocation, and the national anthem. However, tonight was Senior Night, held in the middle of the season this year, because the rest of the games were away. The premise of the ceremony was as each senior team member was called, he or she would walk to the principal under the arch, meet their parents there, receive flowers from their mothers, receive their varsity letter pin from Sister K., pose for picture, and head to sideline. This was done for members of all the fall sports, starting with swimming.

When the cheerleaders were next, Joe had seen Ashley fidgeting a bit. He jogged over to the parents' line and fell in behind Jasmine's parents and occupied the space where Ashley's parents should have been. She didn't notice until her name was called and walking up to meet her with the flowers was Joe. He gave her a similar hug and peck that the other parents were giving their children, and Ashley's eyes welled up. She took the pin from Sister K, and they posed for the picture. As they were walking back toward the sideline, he asked why she started to cry. She said that first off, her parents missed yet another event of hers, but mostly, she was just so happy that he spared her from embarrassment of receiving flowers from a teacher.

He returned to the football senior line and fell in his appointed place. He knew a lot about the "parent stand-in" routine, as his parents were often out of town. By now, it was expected and he didn't think anything of receiving flowers from the math teacher anymore. Tonight was going to be another of those, as his parents had a late night of meetings planned. The teammate before him was called, and he heard a spattering of "aww's" in the crowd. From this point, he couldn't see the parents' line. As he started walking when his name was called, the stadium started cheering madly. He was first thinking that he didn't know he was that popular to evoke such a stir for this mundane ceremony, but then he saw who was walking up to hand him the flowers. It was Ashley. When she handed him the flowers and gave him a polite kiss, the cheer turned into a very long ovation. On the sideline, a newspaper reporter asked one of the teachers, "was that planned?" Her response was, "not in the least. I was supposed to present him the flowers." He started scribbling on a notepad caption ideas for the photo shot he just took.

The makeshift stage was cleared, and Fr. John gave the invocation from the press box. The crowd expected the usual national anthem. Either a cheap recording, or a female student dressed up, nervously squawking out the "Star Spangled Banner" to music that was too loud. The PA directed their attention to midfield, and announced who was performing the anthem. Standing at midfield was Joe in his uniform, complete with pads. On either side was Jill and Ashley, in their cheerleader uniforms. At first, the crowd thought they were going to lip-synch to a recording. Then, Joe pulled a wireless microphone from behind his back. He dipped the mic four times slowly, giving the others the count. Jill and Ashley moved to either side of the microphone, forming a tight semicircle. Joe sang first, "Oh say can you see?" Ashley sang, "By the dawn's early light." Jill followed with, "What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming." The group broke out with a three part harmony, "Who's broad stripes and bright stars.." None of the three were nervous. In fact, they sang as if they enjoyed performing. The crowd went berserk as the trio sang the final bar. They hugged each other, and Joe handed Ashley the microphone to be returned to the sideline. He stayed at midfield to meet his opposing captain and referees for the coin toss.

Earlier in the week, Joe accepted the challenge from his friend for the starting position. Joe easily won most of the drills, and kept his spot. The visiting team was a couple of classes higher than theirs, in that it was a much larger school. The score was close the whole game. In the second half, Joe returned to playing both sides of the ball, giving the defense help as a defensive back. Late in the third quarter, he intercepted a pass, returning the ball brilliantly. Breaking tackles and navigating the ever changing maze of bodies the whole way, he ran into the endzone. It was an electrifying play that changed the game. In the fourth quarter, he threw two more touchdown passes as they pulled away.