Preludes Ch. 09: Oral Reports

But as she looked at the boy staring back at her, she reconsidered for some reason. "Zachary" wasn't exactly a boy she'd remember if she ran into him. He was squarely the nerdy type, a description that applied to everything from his choice in clothes to the way he walked and talked. He wasn't cute and he was a bit on the pudgy side. His hair was kind of messy, but not in a cool 'I don't care' kind of way. Even his name. Zachary. Rachel wondered why didn't just go by "Zach" or something like other boys.

Regardless, something about him seemed kind of safe. He clearly wasn't the type to even attempt to speak to girls like her, and given how low and unworthy Rachel had been feeling lately, a little boost to her ego by talking to a boy who likely thought of her as some fantasy goddess didn't seem like the worst thing in the world.

"Yeah, just hate these ridiculous lab reports. Aren't they the worst?" She grinned at him warmly and rolled her eyes.

Zachary nodded almost immediately with perhaps a touch too much enthusiasm.

"Oh yeah. I agree. They are the worst! Totally the worst."

Rachel giggled slightly at his awkwardness and was about to find a polite way to excuse herself from the conversation when Zachary suddenly spoke again.

"Actually, that's what I was meaning to, um, ask you about." He cleared his throat and steadied himself as he attempted to continue with a casual tone. "Um, did you have a partner for this one yet?"

Rachel paused and cocked her head. She hadn't expected him to ask her that. In fact, she realized she hadn't really considered who was going to be her partner at all. She studied his hopeful expression and considered whether she wanted to do it with him. He seemed like he was really smart so that would probably help. But she also didn't know him at all and it might be kind of awkward.

"I, uh, I don't actually. I was probably going to do it with-."

Zachary jumped in quickly before his door closed and shook his head.

"Cause I'd be happy to do it with you. In fact..." He paused again, again appearing to steel himself for his next words. "Um, I could, like, do the whole thing for you even. You wouldn't have to do anything."

Rachel raised her eyebrows and took a breath in through her nose. A confused grin slipped out and she cocked her head at him.

"Do the whole thing? Wow, that's pretty, um-. I mean, that would be really sweet of you but why would you want to do all that work?"

Zachary swallowed and took a step closer to her. Rachel noticed his one hand was twitching nervously at his side. She crinkled her brow. He must be so nervous talking to her. It would've been kind of cute if she was attracted to him in any way.

Finally he mustered the strength to get out the words.

"Well, like, maybe I could do that for you and then, um, you know, maybe it could be, like, a trade or something."

Rachel raised her eyebrow again and tightened her jaw.

"A 'trade'?" She licked her lips. "What kind of trade?"

Zachary felt his heart begin to beat faster, and for a moment, he considered pulling the plug on the whole crazy thing. It was insane anyway. There was no way a girl like Rachel would.-

The thought made him surge with excitement and it gave him the strength to forge ahead.

"You know, like an exchange. Like, I'd do that for you and then you'd, um, do something for me."

Rachel began to feel a mild shiver form in her bones as she began to wonder just exactly what was going on. She'd assumed Zachary's overt nervousness was just due to him not being comfortable talking to pretty girls. Or any girls even. She'd assumed his offer was a way to get in her good graces for some unknown reason. But it appeared he was intending to be a lot more specific.

With a disarming laugh, she attempted to keep things from getting any more intense.

" 'Do something' for you? What do you want me to do?"

Zachary felt his stomach clench as he realized it was now or never. He was almost as terrified to even say the words as he was of her potential reaction. She might flip out or slap him or something. Or she'd tell everyone about what he'd said and make him seem like a huge loser. He dug his nail into his flesh to steady himself. Despite all the fears, if there was even the slightest chance that girl like Rachel might-.

"Um, well, sorry, I-." He stepped in closer and lowered his voice.

"Like maybe a blowjob?"

Every sensor in Rachel's brain lit up and her face twisted into an incredulous scowl. Without even thinking, she fired back with an unexpected surge of anger.

"A bl-? Ex-CUSE me? Oh my God! Why would you possibly think that I'd do that?"

Zachary's face (already of a pale complexion) turned ghostly white with scary speed. Completely rattled, he tried desperately to backtrack and deflect Rachel's intensity.

"N-no, I'm sorry! I didn't mean anyth-. Look, I just, um-. Forget it! That was stupid. I-."

But Rachel stayed on him like a pit bull.

"Oh no you don't. Tell me. Why would you even ask that?"

Zachary looked back at her like a scared animal as he tried to keep his head from spinning.

"I just thought that, um, you know. Like, people talk about how you-."

"How I what? What people? What are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you all mad! Just that people talk about how you, like, I don't know. Like, you do it a lot."

Rachel snarled in disgust. "That I 'do it a lot'?? What does that mean? What, you think I'm just, like, a huge slut who throws myself at anyone who offers to do my homework? Is that what you're saying?"

Zachary was drowning. "No! No I don't think that at all! I've never said you were a slut or anything. I'm not the one who-. I don't say those things! I've just heard other people talking! People around here say thing like you give guys blowjobs during lunch and stuff. Look, it's stupid. I knew it wasn't true and just people spreading dumb rumors. I'm sorry! I should never have even..."

Rachel's scalding glare continued to wilt Zachary as he mumbled and trailed off. Her heart beat hard in her chest and her anger boiled. It wasn't that anything Zachary had said was untrue. It had just been so unexpected that someone like him would so boldly bring it up as a way to talk her into it as well. It was truly an indictment on what her reputation had become. She scoffed as she looked Zachary up and down. He was clearly terrified of her. She was probably the prettiest girl he'd had a conversation with all semester. And yet even he had had the fortitude to proposition her based on the wild things he'd heard.

She considered his proposal with another derisive snort. It actually wasn't the worst idea to perhaps try to get some help in class. But a blowjob? Hell, she could probably just show him her boobs (maybe even just her bra) and have him do her work for the rest of the year. Where did he get off starting the "negotiation" with getting his dick sucked? Had he ever even gotten a blowjob before? She doubted it.

As her pulse began to slow, she finally let her expression soften. Zachary looked desperate to run away from the awful mistake he'd made but it was clear that he was too paralyzed with fear to move a muscle. She realized she had probably traumatized the poor boy. Yeah, he'd been completely out of line but he obviously hadn't known any better. He'd probably worked himself up into a lather just summoning the courage to approach her. Maybe she hadn't needed to tee off like she had.

"Look, you can't believe everything you hear, okay? I'm not just going to-." She sighed and started to turn to walk past him. "Just forget this whole discussion. Sorry I screamed at you."

Zachary remained still but managed a meek nod as Rachel began to pass by. As she moved down the hall away from him, he finally shook free and called out.

"Hey! Rachel, I'm sorry again. Really. I didn't mean to act like a jerk. I just-. I just thought I could help you too."

Rachel stopped cold as she felt his words burrow deep into her brain. She thought again about the report she'd just been assigned as well as the one due tomorrow. She was so far behind and if she didn't start making a little headway, she was surely going to fail the class. She didn't know who she was going to partner up with anyway. It was possible that another "zero" was on her horizon. Her ability to control her destiny was slipping away.

An unexpected tremor rolled through her stomach and she sucked in a deep breath. She wasn't actually going to consider-.

Feeling like someone else was controlling her body, she spun around on her heels and faced Zachary head on. She watched him for a moment and then licked her lips and spoke.

" 'Help me' huh?" She sucked in a breath and trembled at what she was about to say. "Let's pretend for a second that I'm not completely insulted by this whole thing. What exactly am I getting out of this?"

Zachary almost lost his balance and he was sure his heart skipped at least two beats. Standing fifteen feet away was one of the hottest girls in his class. She had a soft pretty face that he looked forward to seeing every morning. Sparkling green eyes that matched her bright smile. Sandy-blonde hair that flowed like silk just below her shoulders. And a body that had been the object of his fantasies all year long.

And suddenly, she wasn't saying "no."

Seizing his chance to turn his wildest dreams into an incomprehensible reality, Zachary spoke.

"Oh, um, well like I said. We can be lab partners and I'll do the entire thing. You won't have to lift a finger. I swear to God."

Rachel swallowed and took a few steps back towards him. She could physically feel the terrified desire coursing through his body and making him twitch.

"Mmm-hmm. And, like, what kind of grade are we going to get?" She stopped in front of him and smirked. "I'm not really interested in a 'trade' for a 'C'..."

Zachary shivered as he breathed in the sweet smell of her perfume. This was the closest she'd ever stood to him. And never for any reason like this.

"Oh my God, no. Oh, I'll get you an 'A.' It won't be a problem."

Rachel watched his wild expression and nodded in agreement. Shivering herself, she swallowed and moved to the meat of the deal.

"Okay. And for doing all that, you want me to-." She paused as her jaw tightened involuntarily at the thought of actually saying the words out loud.

"You want me to give you a blowjob?"

Zachary felt the air squeeze from his lungs as his pants tightened painfully. He tried to speak but his voice simply didn't work. So he nodded rapidly, his eyes fixed on Rachel's.

Rachel smirked and took a step back. She couldn't believe she was contemplating it, but beyond the desperate need she had for help, a strange shameful sense of arousal was also nudging her forward. This was so wrong and self-demeaning that it was actually perversely enticing. But she suddenly realized that there was a little problem.

"Well, here's the thing. The report isn't due until next Thursday. And I'm certainly not about to do that until you turn it in."

Zachary furrowed his brow as he understood her meaning. She wasn't going to get on her knees for him without assurance that he'd actually come through. And as he considered it, he realized that he was equally as nervous about her reneging once the report was done and turned in. What bargaining power would he have then?

He swallowed hard as his pulse banged hard in his temples. Could he risk her going back on her word? His mind raced in a desperate attempt to come up with a solution.

"Um, yeah I understand. Well, maybe, um-."

He stopped. He couldn't think of the answer and he began to panic that he might blow the whole thing. He couldn't let this lottery ticket moment slip away. He was about to surrender and offer to do the report first when Rachel suddenly spoke again, her eyes bright.

"Actually, hang on. I think I have an idea." She grinned as Zachary looked at her with confusion. Her eyes sparkled and she touched his arm gently.

"Here, walk with me."

***

Rachel adjusted her tank top and pulled on the corners of her light sweater as she walked down the hallway. Clutching an orange folder marked "CHEM" in her hand, she turned a corner and strode confidently towards a door across the way. She knocked gently as she approached before turning the knob and pushing it open. As she entered the room, she smiled warmly at the woman sitting by her desk.

"Rachel. What are you doing here? Our class isn't until after lunch today."

Rachel grinned as she approached the desk and shrugged casually.

"Hey Mrs. Potter. I know. I just wanted to make sure I got you my report on time."

She opened the orange folder and pulled out a neatly stapled stack of papers and set them on her teacher's desk. Taking a step back, she closed the folder and smiled again.

"Thanks again for giving me the extension. I know I probably didn't deserve it."

Mrs. Potter looked at Rachel and then down at the papers on her desk. An impressed smile crossed her face. She hadn't been very confident in Rachel's chances of pulling it off. Perhaps she had underestimated her. But yet, something still seemed off.

"Thank you, Rachel. And wait. Are you on break? Stay for a minute. I just want to talk about-."

Rachel smiled politely but cut her off with a wave of her hand. She turned back towards the door and opened it halfway.

"I'm sorry, but I can't right now. I'm actually meeting someone. And I'm late."

Mrs. Potter studied Rachel's expression and nodded. She still felt something was wrong but she couldn't force her to stay on her free time.

"Okay, dear. Well, I'll see you in class."

Rachel nodded a final time and slipped out the door. As it closed behind her, she turned down a different hallway and picked up her pace.

When she reached the locker area, she saw Zachary was already there. He noticed her immediately and his eyes widened as they went directly to her chest. Unlike the crew-neck shirt she'd been wearing the day before, her current tank-top/sweater cover-up combo provided a much more enticing view of the assets that drew the most attention. It was actually a pretty standard outfit for Rachel. And it was like an open flame to the moths of the hallways.

Zachary stiffened suddenly as he realized he was staring hard. This was all new territory to him and he had no idea how to act. With an awkward smile, he spoke.

"Did you turn it in?"

Rachel watched his wandering eyes with a combination of amusement and shame. She hadn't had to dress this way today. But something about making a boy lust for her to the maximum levels was an enticement that she could never resist. No matter who it was or what the context, when it came down to it, Rachel ached to please. And in this specific case, she was sure that the amount of pleasure she'd be delivering might just cause an overload in Zachary's circuits.

"Yup. All good. Thanks again."

Zachary nodded.

"Yeah, you know, um, of course." He fidgeted nervously as he again stole a look down her deep cleavage. "So, does that mean we're going to-?"

Rachel shushed him with a raising of her hand as she indicated to the clock. Break would be over in a few minutes, and since they both had a free period next, that would be the safer time for their planned activity.

"We'll go after break. I promise." She smiled at him politely and rolled her eyes as she looked him up and down and took in his state of complete agitation and nervousness.

Zachary comprehended Rachel's look, but there was nothing he could do. Of course he was worked up. While it seemed like a dream that he was surely going to wake up from at any moment, it appeared that one of the most attractive girls he'd ever spoken to was about to take him into a bathroom and perform a sexual act on him. It was surreal.

He thought back to their conversation from the previous day and how it had initially blown up in his face. Rachel had been so angry and insulted. But then in an instant, she had done a total about-face. It was like a switch had been flipped. She'd coyly probed him about his offer and it had appeared that she was going to agree. The only snag was how they'd work it out without either of them risking being left holding the bag.

But then Rachel had solved that one, too. Taking him by the arm and walking with him down the hall, she'd explained how she was actually also behind on a different lab report. One that had been due a week or so back. She'd gotten an extension but then done nothing and now she was in grave danger of blowing it again.

So she'd made the suggestion that he do that report for her and the report that had just been assigned. On her end, once he finished the first one, she'd give him the blowjob that he so desperately coveted. And once he finished the current assignment, if he made her grade go up, she'd once again consider going down...

And now here they were. He'd easily completed the late report the night before and he'd given it to her when they first got to school. She'd told him she'd turn it in at break and meet him back at the lockers when she was done. His heart beat harder than it ever had. He simply couldn't believe any of it was real.

A touch on his arm shook him from his thoughts and he stiffened as he saw Rachel smile casually at him and indicate again to the clock. His throat drying rapidly, he watched as Rachel picked up her backpack and began to walk down the hall. This is it, Zachary. This is it. You can do it.

Rachel felt the buzzing in her senses grow steadily as she led her trade partner down the hallway and towards the restrooms. While it was surely more surreal for Zachary, it was still a pretty unbelievable moment for her as well. She'd done a lot of questionable things in this arena, but purchasing a grade with her mouth seemed like it crossed a new line. It felt dirty. And a different kind of dirty. She wasn't sure if she hated it or if it turned her on. Probably a little bit of both.

As the hallways thinned out and students slowly disappeared into classrooms, Rachel periodically glanced back at Zachary to check on his demeanor. His body language made her stomach flutter as she realized just how different this was from all the other times she'd gone with a boy to the bathroom during school. In those instances, she'd always been the one who was being led. She'd be the one walking a pace or two behind, wondering just how she'd been talked into it.

But now, she was the leader. And that made the shameful excitement of it all grow stronger. Zachary certainly wouldn't even challenge her if she suddenly turned on her heel and told him the whole thing had been a joke. Sure, he'd be disappointed and maybe even angry, but he'd also have to have known that he'd been living in a fantasy world anyway. A blowjob? From her? For simply doing some of her homework? It was beyond unreasonable to trust that this was actually going to happen.

However, Rachel didn't do any of that. She simply kept walking and leading her trembling classmate to their destination. As they finally reached the restrooms, she turned back and did a quick check to make sure no one was watching. She indicated that Zachary pop his head in and make sure the boys room was unoccupied.

Zachary seemed barely able to handle even that task. It was clear that his nerves were firmly in their most agitated state, just as it was clear that he had no idea how to play his part in this scenario. He was a like a child, looking to a parent for guidance every step of the way.

Rachel narrowed her eyes and indicated more emphatically for him to check. Her expression finally shook Zachary into action and he swallowed hard as he prepared to do his job. Stepping past her, her entered the bathroom and let the door shut behind him.