D-Cup Blues

"Well, thank you!" Dave looked shyly down at his plate, where Caryn noticed he'd hurriedly eaten all his vegetables first, just the way she had done when she was younger.

"David, I'll tell you right now," Gordon said, "Don't act embarrassed when women say anything nice about you. Soon you'll be wishing they would, my friend."

Caryn swallowed hard to keep her mouth shut. Mom didn't. "Don't listen to him, David. Gordon, that's a terrible attitude."

"The sooner a man learns how to handle women the better," Gordon replied. "I'm just saying. And speaking of which, David, it's as good a time as any to tell you, Caryn got a new dress for the dance yesterday. I expect her to come home with that dress looking just like it was when you get here, understood?"

"Gordon!" Caryn snapped.

"Gordon, that's enough!" Mom added. "David is a gentleman, and he's known Caryn since they were children!"

"I'm a gentleman, too, but I was eighteen once," Gordon said, giving Dave a knowing glare.

"Mom!" Caryn looked at her mother in outrage.

"Caryn, don't start," Mom said. "Gordon, I mean it, enough!"

Through all this, Caryn noted that Dave kept a straight face and kept on eating. She followed his lead, and they looked at one another and did their best to tune out Mom and Gordon's increasingly heated argument.

Mom had bought a cake for the occasion, but as soon as Caryn had finished her chicken and rice, she stood up. "Dave, want to go work on math?" she suggested.

"I'd love to," Dave said, wondering but not caring if she knew he hadn't brought his math book.

"Leave the bedroom door open!" Gordon called after them. Neither paid him any mind, although Caryn did leave the door open -- it was Mom's rule anyway, and ever since Rick it felt safer that way.

"I am so sorry!" Caryn said as soon as they were alone and she had the radio turned on for some background noise. "Gordon is such an asshole, and..."

"Does he know about Rick?" Dave asked.

Caryn shook her head. "But he never talked to Rick like that either. Probably afraid of him. He just loves throwing his weight around with anyone smaller than him, that's all. And the things he told you not to do..."

"He hasn't done them, has he?"

"Not yet," Caryn grumbled. "Six months to college, and maybe I won't have to beat him up in the meantime. But if he ever touches me..."

"Then he'll get what he deserves," Dave reassured her. He turned to make sure they couldn't be seen from the dining room and, seeing they couldn't, he offered her a hug. Caryn eagerly reciprocated, drawing a sigh of appreciation from Dave. "Yeah, you could definitely take him," he said with a chuckle. "Every time you hold me, I'm glad you're on my side!"

"Oh, not that again!" Caryn said. "You never really thought I'd hurt you, did you?"

"Not as long as I never gave you any reason to," Dave admitted.

Caryn laughed. "Thanks, I think. Oh, speaking of hurting people, did you get Rick's flyer in your locker?"

"No," Dave said. "He must know I'm not going to vote for him anyway."

"Well, me neither!" Caryn said. Then she cringed. "He must have made a point of putting it in mine just to get under my skin. And it worked." She let go of Dave and opened her backpack. "Here, you've got to see this." She pulled out the sheet of red paper and handed it to him.

Dave took the paper and held it up close to his eyes. "Shorter classes, reinstating rights for people who've been suspended, a smoking lounge off the cafeteria...does anyone believe he can do that? Come on!"

"It's Rick," Caryn said, flopping down on her bed. "What do you expect? I'm surprised he didn't just say, hey, I'm Rick, vote for me because I'm Rick." They both laughed, but Caryn was curious about the way Dave was holding the paper. "Can't you see that okay?" she asked. "The print isn't that small, is it?"

"Oh, of course not!" Dave pulled the paper back to a more reasonable distance. "I guess I'm just tired. Friday night, you know."

"Too tired to study math, no doubt," Caryn said. Sensing that her question had made him uncomfortable, she patted the spot next to her seductively. "Come here, Dave."

Dave gladly tossed Rick's flyer in the wastebasket, and joined Caryn on the bed. With the sound of Mom and Gordon still fighting at a safe distance down the hall, they were free to kiss and cuddle to their hearts' content. The close contact brought the neon back to full blast, but of course Dave was too much the gentleman to touch her breasts. Given the painful open secret of their largesse, Caryn finally began to wish he would play with them. She had to be content with his chest brushing up against them each time they kissed, but that sensation was pleasant enough to almost put out the neon. Almost.

They necked until the fighting died down out in the living room and they were no longer sure of remaining undetected. "Guess I'd better go hit the books," he said, giving her one last daring kiss on the lips as he got up from the bed.

"Me too," Caryn said, her regret tempered by her growing hunger to get her vibrator out. No point in trying to talk Dave into bed when they couldn't even shut the door, and she had a feeling he'd say no anyway. Which did give her ideas for where they might get away for a bit after the dance.

She walked Dave to the door, where Mom and Gordon both said a cordial good night from opposite ends of the couch, and was then back off like a shot to her room before either of them could say a word to her. "Caryn!" Mom called.

"Gotta study!" Caryn called back over her shoulder, hoping against hope that'd be the end of it as she shut the door and unbuttoned her jeans. Her panties were drenched and she was all set to tear them away...but it wasn't to be, as Mom rapped at the door.

"Caryn, let me in." She said it in that not-to-be-trifled-with tone Caryn knew all too well. Reluctantly she buttoned her jeans back up and stood glaring at Mom as she let herself in. "Honey, we need to talk," she said, helping herself to a seat on Caryn's bed.

"About what?" Caryn asked, plopping down resentfully. "I think Dave handled everything like a gentleman, and --"

"He did, Caryn, and you too. Thank you, and I'm sorry Gordon was such a louse tonight."

"Not just tonight, Mom."

"That's enough!" Mom took a deep breath and shook her head in annoyance, but let that subject drop. "Caryn, listen, I just want to know, if you and David are going together now -- don't interrupt, honey, you've got nothing to be embarrassed about here, and you know I think the world of David. But listen, if you'd like to go on the Pill -"

"Mother!" Caryn stood up, her fists clenched.

"Caryn, stop that! I'm saying this because you're a woman now and I trust you to handle this maturely, but you're making me think twice about that!"

"Sorry." Caryn sat back down. "It's just -- how can you think I'd..."

"I can because I was your age once and I remember," Mom said. "And believe me, I wish my mother had had this discussion with me."

"You wouldn't feel that way if she had," Caryn grumbled.

Mom laughed. "You're probably right about that, dear. But would you like to talk to Dr. Kreidler about birth control?"

Caryn felt like her skin must be six shades of red all at once. But she finally got it out: "Yes, please."

She let Mom hug her before she let herself out and left Caryn blissfully alone at last. Caryn once again unbuttoned her jeans and this time she took them off, and retrieved the shoebox from under her bed. But she found her arousal had vanished in the embarrassing haze of Mom's offer. Mom's words -- "you're a woman now" -- roared again and again through her mind, and with each repetition the "I WEAR A 38-D", back in full force ever since Mom had said it, grew brighter still. Caryn was surprised the entire room wasn't glowing with it.

But the memory of Dave pressed up tenderly against her breasts brought about a bit of relief. Hadn't that felt lovely? Hadn't she wanted him to rub them, caress them, play with them? Wasn't he sure to be delighted whenever the opportunity arrived? Wasn't she looking forward to that as well?

The neon didn't die down, but for the first time it didn't feel entirely unwelcome.

Caryn got up gingerly from her bed and locked the door, and even more gingerly she pulled her top off. The world didn't screech to a halt, so she walked over to her dresser and took a long, forgiving look at herself in her bra and panties. Imagining her own hands were Dave's, she drew them up to her breasts and ran her fingers gently over them. It felt good, she had to admit, and there was no doubt it would feel better when Dave did it for real. Where she'd seen two dumpy, unwelcome burdens before, now she saw elegant curves and subtle pleasure and the welcome chance of intimacy with her old friend. Or at least she was confident that was what Dave would see, and it eased her way into appreciating the view more as well.

Caryn pulled her panties down, but left the bra on -- as much as she hated to admit it, the support was nice -- and lay back on her bed and switched the vibrator on. She resumed teasing her breasts with her left hand while working herself into a lather of arousal with the toy. Working her way just close enough to her clit for just long enough to not quite come again and again, she envisioned Dave undressing her, gazing in wonder at the big breasts she now loved for the moment at least, her own hands teasing his hard cock until he couldn't even stand still and pushed her back onto the bed, and now she felt herself enveloping him in the most welcome of intimate embraces.

With her intense longing for that feeling, she didn't move her vibrator away this time, and came with a joyous yelp.

After a deep breath and a moment to savor the afterglow, Caryn got up and finally took her bra off. She put her bathrobe on for a walk to the bathroom to brush her teeth, and then it would be study time if she could possibly concentrate on anything but what lay in store with Dave.

The moment she opened the door, her joy was shattered as she saw Gordon loitering a few feet away. "Caryn," he said with what she was certain was a knowing grin. "Dave seems nice."

"He is nice, Gordon." Caryn avoided eye contact with Gordon and tried to walk past him, but he stepped into her way.

"He does seem that way. But I know guys, Caryn, and I want you to know, if he tries anything inappropriate with you..."

"I'm bigger than him, aren't I?" Caryn snapped. "Besides, I've known him since we were kids and he's harmless!"

"I think you ought to let me talk to him, Caryn."

"He doesn't need to hear anything from you!" she snapped. She saw just in time that Gordon was reaching out a hand to put on her shoulder, and she swatted it away. "Don't touch me!"

"There's no need to be that way," Gordon purred.

To Caryn's relief, Mom opened her bedroom door at that moment. To her disgust, she snapped, "Caryn! Gordon's only trying to help."

"He can help by leaving me alone!" Caryn said. "I didn't ask for his help!"

"Gordon, maybe you'd better come to bed," Mom said. "Caryn clearly isn't in the mood to discuss this with you."

Caryn stormed down the hall to the bathroom, as she didn't want either of them to see her tears of rage. But she couldn't get there before Gordon added, "Just remember I'm here if you need a man to teach him some respect, Caryn."

One thing Gordon couldn't destroy was Caryn's growing acceptance of her breasts. But she still wasn't quite ready to let the secret out at school, so the next day found her in a loose-fitting sweater as she and Dave strolled hand in hand to the assembly for the student council candidates. The hallway was strewn with pink and red decorations for the upcoming dance, and for once Caryn welcomed the sight. "You guys seen Maureen?" Valerie asked as she and Audrey tagged along behind Caryn and Dave.

"No, and we know why," Dave confessed.

"She's with Scott, of course," Caryn said.

"You really never even want to speak to him again, Dave?" Audrey asked. "It's not like you'll ever have to see him again after June, you know."

"Don't remind me!" Caryn said, squeezing Dave's hand.

"Sorry!" Audrey said. "It's just, it's too bad if Maureen feels she has to keep her distance."

"It's her choice, not mine," Dave said.

"That's right," Caryn added. "She found out that's the only reason he said yes when she asked him to the dance, you know, to get close to Dave."

"I'm not surprised," Valerie said. "But good for her."

"Don't tell me Tom forgot to put up that sign you guys made for him!" Dave said as they settled themselves in seats halfway or so back from the stage.

"It's right there!" all three girls said in unison, pointing at the wall just to the left of the stage.

Dave squinted at the spot they were pointing to. "Oh, okay," he said.

"Are you having problems with your eyes, Dave?" Audrey asked. "You've been doing that a lot lately."

"Doing what?" Dave asked nervously, looking straight ahead rather than at Audrey.

Before any of them could reply, Principal Kendall shushed the crowd with a stern bang of the gavel. "Silence!" she ordered. "Welcome, everyone, to the student council speech assembly." A titter ran through the crowd at the unwieldy name of the event, but the principal paid no mind to that. "We're very proud to have four excellent candidates to lead our community next year."

"Doug and who else?!" called out a fearless voice from down front.

"Mister Denoncourt, I'll see you in detention!" Ms. Kendall declared, ignoring the round of applause the heckler had inspired. "Let's have a warm welcome for all four candidates, and may the best man win!" Showing no second thoughts about her choice of words, she turned and nodded for the first candidate to enter from stage left. "Kelly Oswald!"

A predictable round of boos from the goths and potheads was drowned out by the squeals and whistles of Kelly's friends and her many crushes as she stepped out onto the stage in a flashy dress that none too subtly tempted the limits of the school dress code. She shot Principal Kendall a dirty look for her comment about "the best man", and then turned on her best cheerleader's grin as a far corner of the audience broke out in chants of "What the hell, vote for Kel! What the hell, vote for Kel!"

"That's enough!" Principal Kendall snapped, as Kelly took her seat just behind the candidates' podium. "Any more of that and it's detention for the whole school!" She swallowed hard and turned back to welcome out the next candidate. "Now then. Doug Corman!"

There were no identifiably rude chants this time, but the cheers were louder than they had been for Kelly as Doug bounded out across the stage in a garish print shirt and a yellow tie that clashed with it, waving and blowing kisses to all. He flopped down, none too dignified, beside Kelly and whispered something to her that made her break her composure and giggle, which caught on with the crowd.

"Next up, Rick Murphy." Caryn was sure Principal Kendall was struggling to be diplomatic as she said his name and watched him stroll out onto the stage, pumping his fist in the air at the cheers that at least equaled Doug's. Rick had given her as much reason to dislike him over the years as Caryn and Dave did. Neither of them joined in the applause, but no one close enough to see them was surprised at that.

"And last but certainly not least..." That brought on another round of laughs, which Principal Kendall shot down with another firm "That's enough!" With silence reigning however momentarily, she repeated, "Last but not least, Tom Ciseros!" There was nothing she could do to disguise the weak applause and the easily audible boos and laughs as Tom set off across the stage, his face set in a smile.

"God, that takes guts," Dave said.

"I'm so proud of him," Valerie said. Dave and Caryn only looked at one another in bemused silence -- no need to remind Valerie that she'd never been any great friend of Tom's. They, of course, were proud of him as well, in any event.

Kelly's speech featured every cliché Caryn could think of, from "building the community" to "applying my leadership skills", and she got a thunderous applause from the popular crowd who of course had the front center rows to themselves. Doug followed, declaring himself "the man...with a plan" and drawing squeals from the girls after nearly every sentence.

"So what's he actually planning to do?" Audrey asked as he took his seat to loud hoots and cheers from the jocks.

"Flirt with the girls and sass the teachers," Dave said. "But that's just what they love about him.

Rick took the podium next. "I'll keep this short and sweet for y'all," he declared. "We all know the student council is a joke. But there are a lot of us jocks here, and we're tired of being treated like criminals just for being who we are. If I'm elected, I'll make damn sure we get respect."

"Watch your mouth," Principal Kendall said from the sidelines. But no one heard, for the jocks in the audience were cheering even louder than they had done for Doug. Rick, clearly satisfied with this, nodded and grinned and retook his seat, punching Tom in the thigh as he did.

Rick's fans were still cheering him on when Tom took the podium. "They'll drown him out!" Valerie worried.

"Nah, it's a good thing so far," Dave said. "There were probably some boos, but he can't hear them. Probably no one else either."

"God, you're such a politician," Caryn laughed. But she squeezed Dave's hand affectionately, and pleasant memories of last night washed over her as she waited for Tom to begin.

"Thank you," Tom said to no one in particular. "I'm running for you all. I got into the race because, like a lot of you, I know what it's like to be picked on. I've had enough, and I'm sure you have, too." Despite Principal Kendall's dirty looks, heckles and catcalls sprang up from all over the audience. But Tom soldiered on through them. "If I am elected, I'll establish an anti-bullying committee and a peer-helping club, so help will be available for everyone. I'll also lobby for reinstating library access for the freshmen." That line brought his first genuine round of cheers, but also an accompanying boo from the popular kids, who lived to put freshmen in their place. "I want to be everyone's student council president!" Tom soldiered on. "Not just the jocks, not just the nerds, everyone. Thank you, and please feel free to stop me around school if you have any questions!"

Dave, Caryn, Audrey and Valerie clapped and cheered their hearts out, and they were encouraged at the sound of the same coming from elsewhere amidst the namecalling and hoots.

On the other side of the auditorium, Maureen was among the few others who cheered out loud. Scott wasn't. "God, that poor kid is gonna get his ass kicked," he said.

"At least he's standing up for everyone!" Maureen said. "Haven't you ever been bullied, Scott?"

"You know I have!" Scott said. "But I coped with it and got on with my life. If I can do it, so can everyone else."

"Wonderful attitude!" Maureen snapped.

"Hey, I didn't say I wouldn't vote for him," Scott said. "He's the only one up there who hasn't bullied me."

Maureen felt like getting up and walking away. But she thought of Dave and Caryn together, and she gave Scott a conciliatory look and squeezed his hand.

After they had waited by the stage door to congratulate Tom and wish him luck, Caryn pulled Dave aside. "Listen, can I come over after school?" she asked.

"Sure," he said. "I'm sorry about, you know, the situation with your mom and that guy."

"How'd you know that was it?" Caryn asked.

"I didn't, but after last night, you know, it seemed like the most likely thing."

Caryn nearly wept tears of gratitude as she threw her arms around him. "I ought to be spending more time with my date anyway, shouldn't I?" she quipped.