Melissa

"Missing something?" she giggled, as my face turned a bright shade of red.

"I thought you were asleep," I squeaked, embarrassed to no end, "It's not nice to spy on people ya know."

"I wasn't spying," she softly replied, "I was on my way to the refrigerator when I saw that you were out were. I didn't know that you were naked though.

"Would you mind turning your back" I asked, "So I can at least wrap a towel around myself?"

"Sure," she giggled, turning her back with my towel still in her hand, and me not realizing that she could see my full reflection in the glass door that led to the living room.

After I climbed out of the pool, I took my towel from her and then wrapped it around my naked body; then I sat down in one of the patio chairs and said, "Okay, you can look now."

"Aw sucks," she giggled, teasing me, "I guess I should've come out here a lot sooner than I did."

"Yeah, right," I chuckled.

"Tommy, I need to ask you something," she told me, "And you can tell me it's none of my business if you want to, I promise not to get mad about it."

"Sure," I happily replied, "Ask me anything you want."

"Are you seriously dating Sherilyn Hawkins and Jenny Rodgers?" she quietly asked, "I don't know Jenny at all, but, I need to warn you about Sherilyn. She's trouble with a capitol "T".

"Why do you say that," I unknowingly asked, "She's not that bad, is she?"

"Please believe me, Tommy," Melissa told, almost sounding as if she were afraid of her, "She's headed for trouble, and if you don't stop seeing her, she'll end up taking you down with her."

"I'm not trying to say that I don't believe you," I reassured her, "But I'm going to need an explanation before I make any hasty decisions, okay?"

"Alright then, here it is," she began, "Last year she was suspended from school for a whole two weeks for her association with a guy that was supposedly selling marijuana on school grounds, but that isn't the worst of it. That same guy, who was supposedly her boyfriend, went to jail because of her and her bullshit. She lied to the police and made it look like he was the one who was selling the pot, when everybody knew that she was the one who was really the one who was doing the dealing...she basically set him up."

"Why didn't someone speak up for him?" I candidly asked her, "Surely the police knew better, didn't they?"

"Of course they did," Melissa explained, "But they had no proof, and like I said before, she set him up...and nobody knows for sure, but rumor has it that she was the one who called the cops on him, but that's only a rumor."

"She sounds like bad news to me," I replied, "I guess I'd best figure out a way to break up with them."

"Them?" Melissa giggled, "Jeez, Tommy, you sound like Hugh Hefner, or somebody like that."

"Huh," I stupidly chuckled, "What do you mean, I sound like Hugh Hefner?"

"You know," she continued to giggle, "The Playboy bunnies...all the girls."

"Yeah, Yeah," I teasingly mocked her, "Gimme a break, why don't you?"

"You're very good looking, and you're very sweetly charming," she impishly replied, "But you're not that charming."

"You really think I'm good looking?"

"Of course," she sweetly smiled, "I thought you were gorgeous the first time I saw you."

"And I thought you were the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," I replied, "As a matter-of-fact, I still think so."

"Do you really?" she wistfully asked, placing her soft palm against my cheek.

"Yes," I told her, "Hasn't anyone ever told you that before?"

"Yes," she sadly replied, her face cast down, "But only from guys that were trying to get into my panties."

"I'm really sorry about that," I said, gently placing my hand upon hers, "Not all guys are like that, Melissa...at least I'm not anyway."

"I know you're not, Tommy," she softly smiled, "Actually, you're a really sweet guy, one of the sweetest, if not the sweetest guy I've ever known."

"I come by it honestly," I quietly replied, "Dad says that I get it from my Mom, not to mention that I look like her, too. She was as beautiful as she was sweet, and I loved her very much."

"If you look like her then she was definitely very beautiful," Melissa sweetly smiled, "But tell me, Tommy, what was she like?"

"Well, let's see," I began smiling, "She was drop dead gorgeous pretty, like you," making Melissa endearingly smile at me and rest her hand on mine, leaving it there as I continued, "She was very smart, a genius with a one-sixty-seven I.Q. yet, she was as down to earth as they come; and when I began studying martial arts, it was Mom that always reminded me to be gentle and kind to everyone, using my skills only as a last, and I do mean a very last resort...I really miss her."

Suddenly I felt a soft hand tenderly wiping the tears from my cheeks that I hadn't even realized were there. And then as she dreamily gazed into my eyes, Melissa sweetly smiled at me and said, "There is so much I can learn from you if only you'll teach me. Would you, Tommy....teach me how to be more like you, I mean?"

I took her hand into mine, and after gently kissing the back of it, I smiled and told, "The only person who can be me is me, but I'll teach you how to let go of the torment that I can see in your eyes."

Suddenly and for no reason whatsoever, she began to cry, and said, "I wish I could, let go, I mean..."

"It's not as difficult as you think, Melissa," I gently replied, returning the favor and wiping the tears from her cheek, "All you have to do is try."

"Yeah, well, sometimes it's easier said than done," she sniffled, "Besides, I was deeply hurt by someone I trusted, and it still hurts," and then she began to bitterly weep again.

I did the only thing I knew to do, and that was to pull her into my arms and hold her as closely as was humanly possible.

"Shh," I quietly said, "It's going to be okay, sweetie, I promise."

It started with me giving her a simple kiss on the forehead, and then before I knew it, our lips were joined, and shortly thereafter our tongues began the dance that was older than time itself.

"Oh, Tommy," she breathed, kissing me again, "Hold me and never let go," and then continued to kiss me.

And by the time I realized what was happening between us, I no longer cared as I kissed her in earnest and with everything I had. However, she pulled away from me briefly, and looking into my eyes, said, "What're we doing? We're not supposed to be kissing..."

"I don't care," I said, holding onto her tightly now, the both of us no longer giving a shit about what Dad had said earlier, or, for that matter, what anyone thought.

"I don't care anymore either, Tommy," she softly replied, "I think I'm falling in love with you."

"I'm not real sure about what I'm feeling," I told her, "But I don't care anymore either, Melissa. I can't live without you."

"Oh, Tommy," she sniffled, "What're we going to do now?"

"I don't know yet," I smiled, "But we'll figure something out, I swear we will."

~~~~~~

I stood up from where we'd been sitting, and while I still had the towel wrapped around me, it did not, nor could it hide the excitement that Melissa's kisses had brought forth from me, as was evident in the fact that I could no longer hide the hard on that was showing itself loud and clear.

"Ooo, Tommy," Melissa giggled, "Somebody else doesn't care either."

"Oh, hush," I replied, embarrassed to no end, "That's not nice."

"Yes it is," she purred, hotly breathing into my ear, pulling me tightly against her, front-to-front, "I love you, my sweet."

~~~~~~

I might've gone to sleep that night with a smile on my face, but the ache in my heart, because sooner or later, I was going to have to face not only Dad, but Linda, too, once our secret eventually revealed itself to the rest of the world, wouldn't let me rest. However, little did I know that it wasn't going to be as bad as I thought?

~~~~~~

Chapter Five

On my way to school the next day I was dreading the fact that I was going to have to face Sherilyn and Jenny and tell them that I no longer wanted to see them on an intimate basis, because of what Melissa had warned me about the night before.

~~~~~~

"Hi, baby," Sherilyn said, as she and Jenny were waiting for me in the senior parking lot at school, "We missed you, and why didn't you call us?"

"Look, we need to talk," I told them, as I got out of my car, "This thing between us has got to stop."

"Why?" Sherilyn asked, "What have we done?"

"It's nothing either one of you have done," I gently replied, trying to be as nice as was possible, "It's just that I don't feel comfortable with the way things are."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sherilyn snapped, almost growling, "So, what, are you breaking up with us? Is that it?"

This whole time Jenny hadn't said a single word until she told Sherilyn, "You're making it sound a whole lot worse than it really is, Sher, maybe he just doesn't..."

"Shut up, bitch," Sherilyn hatefully spat, interrupting her, "Nobody asked you, now, did they?"

"That's enough," I suddenly and firmly replied, "If you're going to act like a child, then I believe that this conversation is over with," and then I turned and walked away.

"This isn't over with, Tommy," she ranted, "You wait and see, asshole."

The very first thing I did when I got into the school building was to find Melissa. I knew that she was already there because I knew that she'd left earlier than me, because she had an errand to run before school, otherwise she would've ridden with me.

"Hey," I smiled, as soon as I found her, "I need your help."

"Let me guess," she giggled, "Sherilyn Hawkins and Jenny Rodgers weren't too thrilled about you breaking up with them."

"Actually, Jenny didn't seem to have a problem with it," I chuckled, "Sherilyn, on the other hand, went completely off, and told me, or I should say that she warned me that it wasn't over, and that I should wait and see."

"I don't think we're going to have to worry about her anymore, Tommy."

"But what about that guy that you said she set up," I asked, "And didn't you tell me last night that Sherilyn was nothing but trouble?"

"That was before I spoke to a friend of mine's father, who just happens to be a judge, and he told me not be worried about anything where Sherilyn was concerned," she giggled, and then because of the questioning look on my face, "That's the errand I needed to run this morning."

"But why," I tenderly smiled, "Why would you do that?"

Because we were standing where no one could see us, she leaned over and quickly but softly kissed my lips and said, "I did this because I love you," as she gently touched my hand, "Besides, I take care of my guy."

"Oh, so, now I'm your guy, now?" I teased.

"Yeah," she delightfully giggled, "And don't ever forget it."

~~~~~~

Although Melissa had reassured me that everything would be fine, I still sat on pins and needles, waiting for the axe to fall at any moment. Surprisingly, I saw neither Sherilyn, nor Jenny for the rest of that day, which thoroughly surprised me, to say the very least. And neither of them showed up for the one class that we all three shared, either. I felt that something bad was about to happen, but I wasn't quite sure

The best part of that whole day was when I came home to find Melissa waiting for me at the front door with open arms and the most beautiful smile that I'd ever seen. And that was also the day that I finally admitted to myself that I loved her...and there would never be another, as far as I was concerned...not ever. However, before she could speak, I swept her into my arms, deeply kissing her, feeling her soul become a part of mine the moment the front door was closed...

~~~~~~

"Oh, my God, Tommy," she beautifully smiled, once the kiss was broken, "What brought that on?"

"I love you, Melissa," I said, drowning in the depths of her soul, no longer caring whether I lived or died, "And I don't care who knows it either."

"Is that right?" she smiled, beginning to cry, "Well, it's about time..."

As opposed to kissing me, she laid her palm to my cheek, and then after locking the front door, softly said, "We've got at least an hour and a half before the parents get here..." then she began to giggle, "You and I aren't blood related, but it sounds so naughty to say that, doesn't it?"

"I think you've got a naughty side to you that nobody knows about," I replied laughing.

"Oh, you hush your mouth," she giggled, her face turning a bright color of pink, "That's not a very nice thing to say to your woman."

"Maybe not," I teased, "But I can tell that I was right by the blush on your cheeks."

"You're such a shit," she giggled, "Come, kiss me, my love," and I proceeded to do just that.

~~~~~~

Melissa and I walked on into the den and sat down together on the couch, where we simply looked at each other silently holding hands. I guess for me, it was because that I'd never encountered a girl as beautiful as her, and to be honest; I was somewhat dumbfounded at first.

I didn't find out until later that for Melissa, it was the very first time ever in her life that she felt completely safe. It was then that I realized that I could never let this girl go, and that she and I were soul mates; God, how I love her.

"There's something I need to tell you before this goes any further, Tommy," she began, "And I don't know how you're going to react to this once I tell you."

"It can't be that bad," I softly replied, kissing her hands as I held them in mine, "Now, can it?"

Before she spoke I witnessed a form of pain in her eyes that I'd never seen before in a human being, and tears began to pour down her cheeks, as she began, "When I was fifteen I went to stay with my paternal grandparents for the summer; where I met this boy that lived down the road from Nana and Poppy. We became good friends and I trusted him completely. Then the night before I was to leave to come back home, I suck out of the house to meet him so that I could tell him goodbye."

I saw this one coming as she further explained, "I thought that we were just good friends, but he thought that we were boyfriend and girlfriend. And when he tried to kiss me, I fought him off for a while until he forced me down onto the ground," and then she began to violently weep.

And when I tried to hold her, Melissa gently pushed me away and said, "Please, Tommy, sweetie, this is the part that you really need to hear. He tore my dress and ripped my panties off of me, then raped me, but he came as soon as he got his tiny dick into me. He broke my hymen on the way in so, when we do make love, I want you to know why I'm not a virgin."

"I don't care whether or not you're a virgin, Melissa," I tenderly told her, pulling her to me, and holding her closely, "All I care about is you...just as you are."

"Really," she wistfully asked, "You mean, you don't think of me as damaged goods?"

"Why would I ever think that?" I softly asked her, "I love you, and I'll never stop...and that's all that will ever matter to me."

"Oh, Tommy," she softly wept into my chest, "I don't deserve to have a guy like you."

"Are you nuts?" I chuckled, "It's me that doesn't deserve you."

"Now, why on earth would you think that?" she lifted her head and asked, looking me in the eyes, "You're handsome, built great, and last but not least, you're the gentlest, sweetest, and the kindest boy I've ever known," and the she giggled and said, "And you've got the cutest ass I've seen," continuing to giggle as she tried to pinch my ass.

"See," I laughed, hugging her tightly, "I told you that you had a naughty side to you that nobody knows about, didn't I?"

"Now you know," she softly whispered, "But it's you and only you, baby."

"I love you, Melissa Hanson," I softly replied, "I love you with all my heart."

"And I love you, Tommy Blake," she hotly breathed into my ear, "Until my heart beats its last beat..."

~~~~~~

Melissa decided that she wanted to start dinner for us so that it would be ready to eat when Dad and Linda got home. So, knowing we needed to go to the store; and after begging me to let her drive, I handed Melissa the keys to my car, and off we went.

We acted just like a couple while we were there, and to the people that we, well, Melissa actually, knew and had run into at the store, nothing was out of place in their eyes. I guess what I'm trying to say is, no one gave us grief for openly displaying our affection for one another, almost like our dating one another had been predetermined and that it was expected of us to do so.

At first it felt kind of weird, because it was common knowledge that Melissa's mother was married to my father, but then when we ran into two of Melissa's friends that I'd not yet had the opportunity to meet, a beautiful green eyed, blonde haired girl, named Daphne Morris, and another, also beautiful, blonde haired girl, but with blue eyes, named, Gabriella Laponte; they both gave Melissa the "High Five" and smiling, told her, "Way to go, girl. You finally got him."

But before she could introduce me to her friends, I looked at Melissa grinning, and asked, "Am I missing something here, my love?"

"I guess it's time to confess," she giggled, turning red around her ears and neck, "Please promise me that you won't get mad at me, Tommy, please?"

"Alright," I cautiously agreed, "I promise that I won't get mad, but this had better be good."

"Let's pay for the groceries and load them into the car," she quietly said, "There's a coffee shop next door, and we'll talk about it there where we can sit down, okay, Tommy?"

"I hope you two don't mind, girl," Gabriella said to Melissa, "But I don't want to miss this."

"I'm with you, Gabs," Daphne giggled, "I don't want to miss it either."

"Wait a minute," I began to say...

"It's okay, Tommy," Melissa soothed, "We can trust them to keep their mouths shut," then she began to giggle, too, and said, "They just don't want to miss the chance to see me eating crow, that's all.

"Uh huh," I suspiciously chuckled, "We'll see, won't we?"

Melissa just winked at me as we made our way to the front of the store to check out.

~~~~~~

After loading the few groceries e needed to make dinner that night, me, and Melissa, accompanied by Daphne, with Gabriella tagging along, all managed to get a table at the quaint little coffee shop.

"Okay," I said, smiling at Melissa, pretty much already knowing what she was gong to say, "Out with it...and I want the truth."

Alright, Tommy," Melissa smiled, "When I met you at Mom's and Jack's wedding, I thought you were the most beautiful boy I'd ever seen, but I knew that I couldn't have you and it pissed me off to no end."

"Yeah," Gabriella giggled, "And you should've heard the language that she was using, too."

"I know, Gabi," Daphne giggled right along with her, "She was doing some serious cussing, wasn't she?"

"Be quiet, you two," Melissa grinned, "Let me finish...The funny thing about it, was Mom already knew how I felt about you before I did. Tommy, do you remember that night when I was being a terrible bitch to you, and you lit into me for it?"

I simply nodded my head, smiling, and said, "How could ever I forget?"

"Well," she continued, "Mom came into my room when she got home from work that night, and for the fist time since my father died, we really talked; and you know what?"

"No," I smiled, "What?"

"She told me that it was okay to love you," my beautiful Melissa smiled, "And that's when I told these two," referring to Daphne and Gabriella, "About my plan to get you to fall in love with me."

"So what," I derisively asked, "You lied to me then?"

"NO, baby," she quickly replied, "I've never once lied to you; and I'm not about to start now. Everything I told you about Sherilyn Hawkins was the truth...tell him, girls."