Melissa

"That's true," Daphne said, "Sherilyn Hawkins has always been trouble for the whole time we've all known her."

"Yes," Gabriella added, "And that goes all the way back to the third grade."

"Every time she gets involved with a guy," Daphne said, "The guy is the one that gets into serious trouble."

"That's right," Gabriella viciously growled, "And that bitch always walks away from it looking squeaky clean and as free as a bird."

"Seriously, I don't know how she does it," Melissa replied, holding my hand, "She's always had an affinity for stepping in shit; and then coming out of it smelling like a rose."

"I don't know how I know this," Gabriella mischievously giggled, "But I have a feeling that her luck is about to run out."

"Oh, man," Melissa hopefully grinned, "Wouldn't that be great?"

"I don't know," I replied, remembering my last encounter with Sherilyn, "She was on some different shit the last time I saw her...she was acting a little scary."

"She'd better leave my man alone," Melissa strongly growled, protectively throwing both arms around me from behind, "I'll get Tommy to teach me how to kick her ass. You two do know that he holds a Black Belt in Karate, don't you?"

"No," both girls simultaneously answered.

"That is so cool," Daphne gasped, patting my hand and looking at me as if I were some kind of rock star, or something.

"Yes, it is," Gabriella purred, rubbing my shoulder, "A girl would feel very safe around a man like you, Tommy."

"Hey," Melissa loudly announced, "You two bitches need to take your dick skinners off of my man this instant."

"Oh, my," Gabriella teased, "If I didn't know better, I'd say she was jealous. What do you think, Daph?"

"Most definitely," Daphne played along, "She's looking like the "Green-Eyed Monster" alright."

"Bullshit," Melissa giggled, "You two are the ones who're jealous, not me."

"Shit," Daphne giggled, "It looks like she's got us there, Gabi. It's time to head out..."

"You're right, "Gabriella teased, as she stood up, "These two love-birds need their space."

Before they left, though, both girls made it a point to tell me how much they approved of mine and Melissa's relationship, and especially how happy they were that Melissa had found a guy like me, whatever that meant."

~~~~~~

That night when Dad and Linda came home from work, they were pleased to be able to sit down to a meal of fresh, Filleted, Pan-Fried, Yellow-Tail Snapper, homemade Hush-Puppies, and last, but certainly not least, Fresh Tomatoes, stuffed with a homemade Bay Shrimp Salad. All in all it was quite tasty, but the best part came when Melissa brought out the Key Lime pie, which she'd made from scratch, for dessert.

"Goodness," Linda contentedly smiled, once she'd finished eating, "This has to be one of the best meals I've had in a long time. You two did a great job, and I'm so very proud of the both of you."

"Don't look at me, all I did was drive her to the store," I chuckled, "The rest was all Melissa's doing."

"I believe you," Dad laughed, "Because I know for a fact that you can't cook this good."

"Don't let him fool you," Melissa sweetly purred, placing her hand atop of mine, and in front of Linda and Dad, too, "Tommy helped me with everything, and he was just much a part of preparing this meal as I was," and then she leaned over and openly kissed me in front of her mother and my father."

"Is there something you two would like to tell us?" Linda knowingly smiled, "Because it's okay if so."

"Yes," Melissa finally told them, "I love Tommy very much, and I know that he loves me," and then she began to giggle, "He's just afraid that you two will get mad at him if he admits it."

"Tommy, sweetie, if you two are in love with one another, it's fine by me," Linda smiled, "Because I can't think of a better man for my daughter than you...isn't that right, Jack?"

"Yeah," Dad chuckled, totally shocking the hell out of me, "But forgive me for taking a while to get used to it." Then he looked at me and firmly added, "Do I make myself clear, Tommy?"

"Yes sir," I respectfully replied, "Crystal clear."

"Good," Dad said, "Then the four of us need to sit down and have a nice long talk before this goes any further."

~~~~~~

We went into the den to have our coffee, as well as "our long talk" that Dad wanted to have. Melissa sat next to me with a proud and happy smile on her face, and the fingers of her left hand intertwined with the fingers of my right hand, with our palms clasped tightly together.

"Okay," Dad began, "Linda and I have talked about this at length, and this is what we've come up with. It seems that you two are bound and determined to go through with this so; if you want to be together and live in this house, there are a few rules that we expect you to follow. Number one: you both will, at all times, treat one another with nothing but the utmost respect."

"Puh-leez, that's easy," Melissa playfully giggled, making Dad grin, "Come on, Jack, give us something more difficult."

"Okay, you asked for it, Miss Smarty Pants," Dad chuckled, then turned serious, and to me, said, "Number two: you two will not have sex in this house...and I'm not kidding either."

When I heard Melissa quietly say "We'll just have to see about that," under her breath, I knew that that rule would be either ignored or abolished, I'd just have to wait and see how things turned out.

"And last, but most certainly not least," Dad continued, "If you want to ask Melissa out on a date, Tommy, you will have to ask for either mine, or Linda's permission first, okay?"

"That's another easy one Dad," I grinned at him, then turned to Linda, "Linda, can I have your permission to take Melissa out every weekend until we both go to college?"

"Of course, handsome," Linda sweetly replied, kissing me on the cheek, "You have my permission to take my daughter out any time you want."

"Smart assed kid," Dad laughed, shaking his head, "What am I going to do with you, boy?"

"That's easy," I seriously replied, looking him right in the eyes, "I want you to be as happy for me for having a beautiful girlfriend, as I am for you, for having such a beautiful wife...because one day, Melissa will be my wife... that is, if she'll have me."

Suddenly I heard Melissa sniffling beside me, and the moment I turned my head, she softly placed her lips against mine, openly kissing me, then with happy tears in her eyes, she sniffled again, and then tenderly told me, "I love you, Tommy Blake."

"I love you, too," I gently replied, "With all my heart."

~~~~~~

So, that's how things came to begin. We, Melissa and I, came to an understanding with Linda and Dad that night, and after Dad and Linda had retired to bed, we sat upon the couch and watched a little T.V.; me with my head in Melissa's lap, while she gently wrapped her fingers in my hair and played with it, while every so often, she would lean down and tenderly kiss me, usually followed by an "I love you.".

~~~~~~

"Can I ride with you today, Tommy," Melissa sweetly asked me, the next morning before school.

"You know that you can," I laughed, "And I suppose you'll want to drive, too."

"Well, now that you mention it, that would be nice of you, my love," she giggled, kissing my lips, as I stood in front of my bathroom mirror, brushing my hair.

~~~~~~

As opposed to parking where I normally did, Melissa drove us to where she and her friends parked, and needless to say, "Gabriella and Daphne were there, waiting for us the moment we pulled in off.

"Hey, you two," Daphne grinned, as Melissa took my car out of gear, and then turned it off, "How's it going this morning?"

"We're just fine," Melissa happily replied, after we'd gotten out of, and locked the car, "And getting better all the time."

All of a sudden I heard a male voice behind me calling my name. However, before I could turn around to see who it was, I felt a couple of arms quickly wrapping around me and lifting my body completely off the ground before gently setting me back down.

I turned around to find Johnny Banks standing there with another guy, a friend I assumed, and both of them grinning and laughing, as Johnny firmly patted me on the arm.

"How are ya, man?" Johnny grinned, "You're making it a habit."

"What habit," I chuckled," What're you talking about?"

"I'm talking about that habit you've got of saving my ass...again," he gently smiled, extending his hand, "Ms. Carter told me what you said to get me out of detention, and I'm damn grateful, dude."

"Hell, Johnny," I smiled, shaking his hand, "Think nothing of it, bro."

Then he turned to the guy that had been standing there, and to me, said, "Tommy, I'd like you to meet my friend, Rick Sanders," and then, to Rick, Johnny grinned and said, "This is the dude I've been telling you about."

"Hell, yeah," Rick heartily smiled, greeting me with a warm handshake, "It's great to meet the guy that whipped Johnny Banks' ass. He's been needing to come down off that high horse of his for a while now."

"Aw, come on, Rick," Johnny chuckled, "Quit bustin my balls, man."

"Ricky Sanders is right," Gabriella suddenly spoke up, "You've needed your whipped for some time, now."

"What is this?" Johnny harshly asked, "Fuck with Johnny Banks day?"

"It's okay, Johnny," Melissa said, taking his arm, which calmed him down, "The reason Gabi said that is because she's had a crush on you ever since the end of sophomore year."

"MELISSA!!" Gabriella screeched, "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT," and then she quickly took off to class, her face red with embarrassment.

"What're you doing, Johnny?" Melissa urged him smiling, "Go after her, now," and then Johnny was gone, hot on Gabi's heels.

"Damn, Melissa, you ought to be ashamed of yourself," I told her laughing, "You embarrassed that poor girl to death."

"Bull shit," Daphne giggled, "All we've heard for the past two and-a-half years is, "Johnny Banks did this, or Johnny Banks did that," and we're sick to death of it. I hope he catches her so she can finally get some."

Rick and I simply laughed and shook our heads, while I took Melissa's hand as we walked to class, the first morning bell beginning to ring.

~~~~~~

Chapter Six

The whole morning passed and I hadn't seen hide or hair of neither Sherilyn, nor Jenny; and after Sherilyn's last comment to me when I "broke up with her and Jenny"; I was beginning to get a little concerned. Then when the lunch bell rang and I was on my way to the parking lot to meet Melissa at my car, with Johnny and Gabriella walking with me, Jenny suddenly appeared in the hallway, and meekly asked, "Tommy, I'm not trying to cause you any trouble, but can I talk to you, please? You can bring your friends along if that will make you feel more comfortable."

~~~~~~

"Okay, Jenny," I informed her, once we were all away from prying eyes, as it were, "I'm listening, what is it that you want to talk to me about?"

"It's Sherilyn," Jenny fearfully replied, "She's crazy, and I think she's going to try to hurt either you, Melissa, or God forbid, both of you. I just thought you should know, Tommy."

"Oh, really," I suspiciously asked her, "If that's the case, then why would you put yourself at risk by being seen talking to me?"

"No shit," she agreed, and then she agitatedly added, "Jeez, guys can be so thick headed sometimes," and then she turned to walk away, before I gently grabbed her arm, making her stop to turn back and look at me.

"Thanks, Jenny," I sincerely told her, "You don't know how much I really appreciate this."

She very sweetly smiled at me, and then after placing her hand upon my shoulder, she softly replied, "Melissa is a very beautiful girl. You deserve someone like her, and vice versa...good luck, Tommy," and then she stood on her tip-toes, gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, and the turned and walked away without looking back, leaving me with an ominous feeling of something dark on the not so distant horizon..

"Hmph," Melissa hatefully spat, "I wouldn't trust that bitch as far as I could throw her skinny ass."

"I don't know, sweetheart," I suspiciously replied, "I've got a bad feeling about Sherilyn, all of a sudden."

"Baby, you don't need to feel bad about anything," she softly told me, gently kissing my lips, "If Sherilyn Hawkins comes anywhere near you, I'll thrash her ass; and she knows it!"

"I hope she doesn't put you to the test," I warned her, taking her hand, "Come on, we're going to be late for class."

~~~~~~

"Well, good morning, Mister Blake," Miss Sarah Matthews, smiled, when I arrived late to class, just after the second, or tardy, bell, "We're glad you could join us."

"I'm sorry I'm late, ma'am," I respectfully replied, "It won't happen again."

"It better not," she told me, in a gentle tone of voice, but with a look in her eyes that indicated that she meant what she'd said, "Take a seat and get out your notebook."

"Yes, ma'am," I replied, "Thank you."

~~~~~~

Lunch time came and it was apparent that Johnny must've finally caught up with Gabriella earlier that morning, because they were definitely making goo-goo eyes at one another all through out lunch.

"Good for Johnny," I told Melissa and Daphne, as we ate, "I think they look good together."

"She'll be good for him," Melissa smiled, "He's a good guy, he just needs direction in his life, that's all......speaking of which, I'm sorry about sending him to pick a fight with you that day, Tommy."

"Forget about it, sweetie," I smiled, kissing her lips, "I already have."

"Damn," Daphne complained to Melissa, "I wish there were more guys like him around, Lys."

"Sorry about that," Melissa possessively teased, "He's mine so; hands off, bitch."

"Yeah, right," Daphne grinned, "Like I stand a chance to begin with."

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself," I said, "You're as pretty as you can be, and don't ever let anyone even try to tell you otherwise, Daphne. You just need to stop looking, that's all."

"Oh really," she asked, as I nodded my head, "You want to explain it to me, then?"

"Sure," I told her, "My Mom told ma a long time ago, before she died, that when you're looking for love, you don't, and most of the time, won't find it. She said that it was when you weren't looking for love, was when it would usually sneak up on you and bite you in the ass when you least expect it."

"Hmm," she seductively, giggled, "I like that part about being bitten on the ass."

"Jeez, don't listen to her, Tommy," Melissa teased, "She's a kinky bitch, and she always has been."

"Oh, you shut up, Lys," Daphne giggled, "You've got a lot of room to talk. Hey, Tommy, has Melissa shown you her lingerie collection, yet?"

"Huh?" I asked, not having paid attention to their conversation.

"Never mind, baby," Melissa quickly interjected, blushing slightly, "She's just be facetious. Shut up, Daphne..."

~~~~~~

My last class that afternoon government class, the one that I shared with both Jenny and Sherilyn, turned into a confrontation the moment I walked into the room. I had just crossed the threshold of the door when I was met with a hard and blinding punch, which, after knocking me senseless, left me lying on the floor, unconscious.

~~~~~~

When I next opened my eyes, I was lying on a cot in the nurse's station, with an ice-pack over my left eye.

"Where am I?" I asked, after having just come to, "What's going on?"

"Take it easy, baby," I heard Melissa's voice say, then I felt her touching my right hand, "You got sucker punched when Garrett Martin blindsided you, and knocked you out."

"What," I asked, my head killing me, and my vision blurred, "Who in the hell is Garrett Martin?"

"He's a local guy, a wannabe badass that is a chicken-shit coward, as you can plainly see," she told me, "And he's also Sherilyn Hawkins' new boyfriend."

"Damn," I laughed, albeit painfully, "She changes boyfriends like I change underwear."

"How can that be?" Melissa quietly giggled, "You don't wear underwear."

"Oh, yeah," I arrogantly asked, my face still blushing a bright red color, "And just how would you know that?"

"I know a lot more about you than you think I do, Thomas Jackson Blake, Junior," she teased, kissing me, "So; I'd be careful if I were you."

"Is that a threat?" I chuckled

"Nope," she giggled, kissing me again, "It's a warning, buster," and then she reached down, making sure she wouldn't be seen, and lightly rubbed her hand across my crotch, eliciting a quiet moan, which emanated from deep within me.

"See what I mean," she wantonly whispered, into my ear, "I want you inside me as soon as you're better, okay, baby?"

"Mmm, hmm," I quietly responded.

However, Nurse Cora Bracket, our school nurse, must've heard me, because she immediately came over to where I lay, Melissa sitting in a chair beside me, and said, "Well, well, Mister Blake, you look like you're feeling better."

"Yes, Ma'am," I replied, attempting to sit up in the cot, until my head began to spin like a top, the moment I sat up. Melissa could tell that I wasn't quite right, but still, God love her, she looked at Nurse Bracket, and smiling, said, "He looks okay to me. I can drive him home."

"How do you feel, Tommy?" the nurse asked me.

"I'm fine," I lied, "I'll be okay once I get home."

"Okay, you wait here for a minute," she replied, "I've got some paperwork that needs Miss Hanson's signature if you want me to release her to you."

~~~~~~

"Are you sure you're alright, Tommy," Melissa worriedly asked, the moment Nurse Bracket was out of sight, "Maybe you ought to see a doctor."

"I'll be alright," I told her, "Just get me to my room. I've got something there that is better that anything a doctor could ever give me."

"I don't know, baby," she fearfully replied, "I love you, and I don't want to see anything bad happen to you."

"I know you love me, and I love you, too," I smiled, trying to put her at ease, "If you love me, then I'm asking you to blindly trust me, okay?"

"Well...okay," she finally relented, "But you'd better be right."

"Trust me, baby," I smiled...

~~~~~~

The moment we got back home, Daphne had followed us, I sent Melissa downstairs, into the medicine cabinet in my bathroom; where she retrieved a brown, pint-sized bottled, labeled; "PsuedoGensing Root".

"What're you going to do with this?" she frightfully asked, "Are you going to smoke it?"

After slowly reaching over and gently patting her beautiful tight ass, something I'd not done up until now, I looked deeply into those beautiful blue eyes of hers, and smiling, softly told her, "You said you trusted me, remember?"

"Yes," she weakly agreed, "But I'm still afraid for you, Tommy."

"Don't worry, my love," I replied smiling, kissing her soft lips, "Everything's going to be alright, I promise."

I reached into the cabinet where I knew Linda kept, for the purpose of freshly grinding up her spices, a mortar and pestle. I then took a nice sized piece of the dried up root out of the bottle, dropped into the mortar with a small piece of Japanese Peppermint, and then proceeded to grind it all into a coarse powder not too dissimilar to coffee grounds.

Once that was done, I took the powder and dumped it into a perforated metal brewing cup, keeping it there until the small pot of water that I had set on the stove, when I'd sent Melissa downstairs, was ready to boil.

After the water came to a boil, I set the metal brewing cup into the water raising and lowering it back and forth into the boiling water until the root began to brew. I gave it six minutes to boil, and then dumped it into a small hard plastic Tupperware™ pitcher, with the metal cup to finish brewing in the kitchen window, while cooling it down enough to drink in a few minutes.

"I'm going to change clothes," I told Melissa and Daphne, "I'll be back in a few minutes," and then I disappeared downstairs.