Choices Pt. 02: The Tryout

Rob had started to move forward to take a look when he saw Deana's blonde head through the group. She made it to the front, stayed for a few moments, and then started making her way back. Rob changed directions and intercepted her moments later.

"Hey, sis! What's the word?"

When he saw her face, he knew the answer. She looked disappointed, sad even, as she shook her head. "I wasn't good enough," she said, "but life goes on. Thanks for all you did to help me."

Rob took her in his arms and gave her a big hug. "Sorry, kiddo, but I like your attitude about it. It's the start of the school year and you'll find plenty to keep you busy. And you're quite welcome for my help, and Jen's too, I'm sure. It was really nice getting to know you."

She wiped her eyes of the mistiness that had threatened to cloud them. "It was really nice to have a big brother while it lasted, too."

He took a step back, holding his arms in his hands as he looked at her. "Now that's a problem."

"What do you mean?"

"Big brother while it lasted? That's a lousy attitude and shows a basic misunderstanding of the whole concept of big brothering. Once you're a big brother, it doesn't end just because cheer tryouts are over. I think somewhere in the fine print it even explains that it's a lifetime office, as long as there aren't any serious objections from the little sibling. There aren't any, I hope?"

She grinned before giving him a big hug. "I love you, big brother. You've got my number. Thanks again." She gave him another quick hug and then melted away into the crowd.

"Rob! Rob!" he heard Erin call out even before he saw her. When he turn, she jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'm a cheerleader!"

Her lips pressed against his and her tongue slipped into his mouth. Time seemed to stop and the noise of the crowd faded as he lost focus on anything other than her. He felt himself becoming aroused as she pressed herself against him and it quickly got worse as she didn't let up. He finally had to practically push her away to get her to let up and stand on her own.

"Congratulations, sweetheart! I knew you could do it. I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks for believing in me, Rob. I couldn't have done it without you."

"No, Erin. It was all you. I just did what I could to help."

In comparison to the past couple of days, she was happy, even exuberant, with none of the concern that had seemed plastered to her face. She leaned up and whispered in his ear, "Me, you, whatever. Let's go to your room and celebrate."

His breath caught as he looked at her. "Erin. I hate to spoil the mood, but what about our problem? Your Donnie?"

She had a look of melancholy as she sighed. "He's not my Donnie any more. I sent him packing after the tryout today. He wasn't the least bit happy about it, but it's for the best for both of us. And," she said looking him in the eyes, "the two of us."

"So you're going to keep seeing me?"

She looked at him like he was crazy. "Am I missing something? I just dumped my old boyfriend to be with you. Of course I'm going to keep seeing you."

He kissed her again as all of the tension and concern he'd been feeling melted away. Afterward, he asked, "So. Will you be my girlfriend? And do you really wanna' come to my place for a while?"

"Yes, silly! I thought I already was on the first part and can't wait for the second. Let's get out of here."

* * *

It was the best week of Rob's life as he and Erin spent at least part of each day or evening together. The varsity and new JV squads had three practices together that week to get ready for the Friday night pep rally and the home football opener on Saturday, and Erin went back to Rob's place for a while after each to talk and make out before he would drive her home to her dorm. Each day they grew closer, and the attraction Rob felt became more and more compelling.

On Thursday night, Rob returned to the apartment after taking Erin home around midnight to find Mike sitting on the sofa in the living room with books and papers spread out around him.

"Did you and Erin have a nice evening, Rob?" asked Mike with a smirk.

Rob turned bright red, realizing that with the walls being practically paper thin, Mike had probably heard more than he should. While they hadn't gone past second base, Rob had discovered that Erin's nipples were as sensitive as her breasts were beautiful.

'Very," agreed Rob, deciding to not deny anything but to not volunteer anything, either. "Mike, I know it's probably way too soon, but I'm feeling things for Erin that I never expected. It's a lot like it was with Katie, only better and so much stronger. Erin's all I can think about, even when I'm in lecture and am supposed to be concentrating on what the prof's saying and writing on the board. I was looking at my lecture notes during dinner tonight and found Erin's name written like nine times. I think I'm in love."

Mike laughed. "Love, maybe. Based on what I heard earlier, lust, definitely." His expression became more serious. "Rob, listen, I don't want to play big brother or Father Confessor, but I know what you've told me about your beliefs and the way you were raised. I envy you, in a way—though not nearly enough to want to make a change, I must admit—but I need to tell you something. You hold these beliefs but sometimes, things happen that we don't expect. If something does, just be careful. Please. Protect yourself and protect Erin. Here. Take these."

Rob looked at the foil wrappers Mike had handed him. "No, Mike, I can't."

"Yes, you can. Just stick one in your wallet and the other one in your drawer. You don't have to use them unless something happens and you decide you need them. If that's the case, for Christ's sake, use one instead of being sorry later that you didn't."

"Mike, but Erin doesn't—"

"Rob, Erin's a really beautiful young lady, but that makes her a woman. You know what they say about women?"

Rob shook his head, not knowing where Mike was going with it.

"They say changing her mind is a woman's prerogative. Women, and especially young women, change their minds all the fucking time. Particularly about that topic. Better safe than sorry. Okay?"

* * *

With a late-fourth quarter field goal under the lights, they won the football game that Saturday evening. When the game was over, Rob found Erin on the field milling around with the rest of the JV squad and the happy players.

"Want to come back to my place for a while? Mike and Marci are going to her place for the night so we'll have the TV to ourselves. I can drive you back to your dorm later after the traffic dies down, too."

She almost had to shout her reply. "I was going to suggest that if you didn't ask! This is crazy. Let's get out of here."

Rob's heart raced all the way back to his campus apartment as they walked holding hands or sometimes linking arms. When they got to the building, she demanded that they take the elevator, despite its slowness, rather than taking the stairs. Rob found out why when the elevator finally arrived. She quickly pressed the door closed button and then pushed him up against the wall, sliding one of her legs between his and then starting to rub against him while seemingly checking how far her tongue would go into his mouth. He became worried about how he was going to be able to walk down the corridor as the cab made its slow climb up to fifth floor.

"Erin, please."

She grinned. "I'm definitely trying to."

He grimaced. "You are, really pleasing, but this is going to be even more embarrassing in a few seconds than it already is. We need to take a break for a second—"

"Nope," she whispered, nuzzling his ear. "I'm proud of it. If anyone sees, they'll know that's for me."

He looked at her, confused, but had no time to react further before the kissing continued heatedly. The elevator dinged when they reached their stop, with the door opening to reveal two people outside. The pair staggered into the elevator as Rob and Erin exited, but Rob turned his body to, he hoped, avoid any stares. They got into the apartment without further incident.

"Want something to drink?" he asked before she pushed him down the short hall into the bedroom, closed the door, and started pulling off his cheer jersey.

"Erin? What's going on?"

"Rob, I've changed more in the past two weeks since I met you than I changed through most of high school. We're adults now and we get to make our own decisions, our own choices. Just because my parents felt one way about something, that doesn't mean I have to think the same way. I've had a lot on my mind getting settled in here, but I've realized that I needed most to think about what I really want versus what I'm supposed to want or do. I've been coming to recognize that for a while. Even when we had our talk about the V-word, I was halfway hoping you'd have some brilliant argument against it, but you sounded like you were more in favor of it than I'd ever been. Talk about a mood killer."

"Sorry," he said. "I knew something was wrong after that but didn't know what. See, I thought it was what you wanted. True, it was the way I was raised, but I recognized a long time ago that if I'm ever with someone I really care about and the time is right, that will be the right time rather than waiting for some time someone else arbitrarily sets. And you know, if that happens, I'm not going to lose a bit of sleep over it."

"Sounds like we're even more alike than I thought. So-o?" Her eyebrow shot up as she awaited his answer.

"So? You don't mean..."

She nodded slowly. "I've made my choice; I really like you a lot, Rob, and I'm ready to take the next step. Now, I hope you'll choose me like I've chosen you."

"You're serious? Now?" When she nodded again, this time with a hint of irritation, he nodded, too. "I care so much about you, Erin. You're all I can think about. I don't know if it's love—"

"Shh! What we have is enough for now; that will come later. Now, make love to me, Rob."

Her pleated cheer skirt, being pushed down past her hips, suddenly released and fell to the floor. She was smiling as he helped remove her cheer top and then struggled in vain to find the clasp on her athletic bra. Grinning, she grasped the band and pulled it up, releasing her small but perfect breasts as he stood taking in her beauty. Stepping forward into his arms and mashing herself against him, she slipped her thumbs into his waistband and started to push down.

Moments later, he picked her up and carried her two or so feet to the bed, putting her down gently as he silently thanked God and Mike for the condom he hadn't wanted in his dresser.

* * *

The next few weeks were blissful for the young lovers. They learned the ways of love together as they grew to know each other better and experimented and learned the other's body. They thought they would be together forever. Despite what they thought, though, what they had wasn't enough. In later years when he had a bit more maturity and wisdom, Rob would come to believe that they'd moved too far, too fast, and when they hit that rough patch, they didn't have the foundation and trust they needed to weather it.

At the time, Rob didn't understand why Erin would even accept a call from Donnie, much less continue talking to him, and Erin wasn't happy that Rob wanted Donnie completely out of her life. Happy with her newfound sexuality and displeased with Rob for not understanding, Erin saw Donnie at home one weekend and, despite initial intentions otherwise, things went too far. From there, though, she wasn't sure what to do, so she told Rob the truth about what had happened.

Rob, hurting at her betrayal, told her that he forgave her, but that she had a decision to make: "Him or me."

"Is that an ultimatum, Rob?"

"I guess you could consider it that but I call it a choice. Erin, while it hurts, I can forgive you for the past, but I can't be with someone who has two lovers now and you can't be with me if you're with him. As much as I want to make you be with me, I'm not a caveman. I won't bash you over the head with a club to make you do what I want, since it's not my choice to make. It's yours. Just remember, when you make the choice, you have to live with the consequences."

In the end, Erin blamed Rob for being so rigid in his ideals and Rob blamed her for her 'wanderlust.' As the problems and their distrust deepened, they both refused to talk. It was a recipe for disaster and the result was exactly what one would expect: the breakup wasn't a pleasant one.

Deana was the dutiful little sister, trying to help keep them together for Rob's sake. She even tried to reason with Erin, but that seemed to make matters worse, particularly when Rob found out; he wouldn't speak to her for days afterward, but as things settled down, he apologized and resumed his role as adopted big brother. When she broke up with her OSU boyfriend late that semester, Rob returned the favor, playing the part of big brother to a tee. They remained good friends through graduation, but eventually lost track of each other shortly after she graduated from college.

As for Erin and Rob, they never had another meaningful conversation after the breakup. Rob heard from a friend on the JV squad that Erin Parker wasn't happy cheering and that she got back together with Donnie for good at Thanksgiving. Rob never saw her the following year and assumed that she'd transferred, probably to State to be with Donnie.

With encouragement from Marci and Jen, Rob went to a Christmas party with one of Marci's sorority sisters a few weeks later. It was a nice date, but nothing special and they didn't go out again; however, it showed Rob one important point.

If one lets it, the pain of even a bad breakup eventually subsides and life goes on.

End of Part 2

Next time: Thirty-plus years later...