Saturday Night School Ch. 10

They didn't talk very much on the drive back to Pine Hills. The radio was on and the road was dark except for the long reach of the headlights stretching ahead of them. Sometimes he heard Michelle singing along to the music, her voice a low whisper under the vocals. She still wore her grey shirt with nothing underneath. Standing next to his car in the parking lot, he'd played with the idea of pulling that grey shirt off her and making her ride the whole way home naked. She had met his gaze, waiting for him to open the car door for her, and he suspected that she had known what he was thinking. Maybe she even wanted him to do it.

But he just pulled the door open and she climbed into his car. He closed the door behind her. Why hadn't he stripped her? He considered the question as he walked around to the driver's side. His heart was beating fast and his cock was more than halfway erect. He wanted her to be naked. So why didn't he strip her?

He pulled onto the highway, thinking that he still could. He could ask her to take her shirt off, and she most likely would. His cock was now close to fully erect. If he asked, she would toss her shirt in the back seat and ride all the way home naked. She would even let him reach over and feel her body while he drove.

So why didn't he tell her to take off her shirt?

Because of that look in her eyes. That look she gave him as he walked to her side of the car, the look that urged him to do something reckless. That look that said she was ready and willing to play. He had seen that look in her eyes and he had reacted to it, and in fact, he was playing with her. He was playing with her by making her behave. He would make her keep her clothes on for now.

It would make it even sweeter when he finally did strip her.

They passed through Pebelton. Four miles back to Pine Hills, and then what? Her car was by the school, but he didn't want to fool around with her there. Not with Daryl still on duty. Greenholt Gardens was off limits since Nick didn't work on Saturday. Maybe he could take her home? Sneak her in again and make love in his bedroom? He mulled it over and although it seemed a little tame, he couldn't think of a better idea.

"I want to show you someplace," Michelle said.

"Where?"

"I'll give you directions when we get close. It's a place I like to go."

"Okay."

She didn't offer anything more, and he didn't ask any questions, only followed the road patiently to Pine Hills. A mile away from the city limits, she spoke again, "Take the next right."

He slowed. Ahead, he saw a turn branch off from the highway and curve to the right. He put on his blinker and followed it.

"When we get to the bottom, turn right."

The road they were on intersected a second road. Charlie turned right. It took him a minute to remember when he'd been on this road before. He recalled that it drove up a bit, then down, curving left and right, until it reached a small lake with a campground. He had gone camping there a few times when he was in elementary school.

But Michelle wasn't interested in driving to the campground. After a couple minutes of uphill driving, she said, "Take the next right turn."

Charlie saw a light pole on the corner of the next intersection, illuminating his next turn. He turned right. He saw another light pole in the distance, and as he travelled around the next curve, he could see a line of lights going up the hill, marking the path of the road. They passed through a dense forest of pine trees, following the road as it slowly curved to the left and then to the right. Through a break in the trees, Charlie could see a long, narrow bridge ahead, crossing over a shallow ravine. The bridge had lights leaning over the span, with a light pole about every twenty feet. Charlie could see a slow river passing underneath. On the other side of the bridge, the road disappeared around another curve, heading further uphill.

"Here we are," Michelle said. She pointed to the left, just before they reached the bridge. "You can park there, on the side. It doesn't look like you can, but people park there."

"Okay." No one was parked there now. Charlie pulled off the road onto a flat stretch of dirt. The car bounced on the uneven surface. He pulled in front of a tall tree and put the car in park, leaving the engine running.

"Have you ever been here before?" Michelle asked.

"I don't think so."

"It's called the Hanson Bridge. This road is Hanson Road."

"You come here?" he asked.

"Uh-huh."

"When? In the day?"

"No," she said. "Mostly at night. I like the way it's all lit up."

"You come here by yourself?"

"Uh-huh. Don't worry. I don't usually get out of my car. I just drive over the bridge, and look at it. Honestly, I'm pretty obsessed with it."

"Really?" Charlie leaned back and looked at the bridge through a gap in the tree. "There is something striking about it, isn't there. It's so long and thin. And the lighting is interesting. I wonder why they decided to use those smaller kinds of lights?" Charlie thought it would make a good location to film a scene. A young couple, taking an evening walk from one side of the bridge to the other. Stopping in the middle to lean against the railing and look down at the river. He thought it would make a great setting. The camera would love it. But what film would it be in? "I wonder why they built a fancy bridge like this way out here?"

"I guess someone was inspired. Anyways, people come out here to hike along the river. There's a trail. They park right here."

"Have you done that? Hiked along the river?"

"Uh-huh. That's how I first found out about the bridge. I came here a couple times with Kyle."

"Who's Kyle?"

"My ex. He graduated last year."

"Oh." The only thing Charlie could think to respond. Kyle? Who was Kyle? Had she ever mentioned him before? Charlie couldn't put a face to the name. A senior the year before. His picture would be in the yearbook. Charlie would almost certainly look him up later.

Why did he feel so surprised? Of course Michelle had ex-boyfriends. She was Michelle. Guys chased after her, guys asked her out. Just because they hadn't talked about any of the other guys she'd dated, it didn't mean there weren't any. She hadn't been a virgin when he'd first made love to her. For that matter, he hadn't been a virgin either.

A low rumble in the distance announced an approaching truck, and a moment later Charlie saw it through the trees, coming downhill towards the bridge. It towed a wide trailer with an open top. Charlie couldn't tell what it was hauling. The semi-truck rumbled across the bridge and passed loudly behind them.

"This road leads to a quarry or something," Michelle said. "Trucks are always going back and forth, hauling rocks. One time, we got stuck behind one of those trucks, and a rock popped out of the back and hit Kyle's windshield. It made a crack like a bullet hit the glass. Kyle was so mad."

Charlie had already formed an image of Kyle. Tall, blonde, driving an expensive car. A gleaming white BMW convertible, something like that. "Did the quarry pay to replace his windshield?" Charlie asked.

"Mm. I don't know." Michelle shrugged, flicking her hair back. "Do you want to take a closer look at the bridge? I mean, like walk over it?"

"Sure."

Charlie turned off the engine and stepped out of the car. He could hear the buzzing and chirping of insects from the trees around them. Michelle didn't wait for him to open her door; she was already out, and Charlie watched her gently close the door behind her. Maybe she did it quietly out of respect to the forest. He closed his own door the same way, so that it didn't make a sound as it latched.

Michelle led the way, gracefully managing her heels on the bumpy ground. They reached the road and Charlie took her hand as they walked along the side of the road towards the bridge. Gradually they found themselves drifting towards the center of the road, as if the asphalt path existed just for them. The night was so quiet that Charlie felt he would hear the sound of an approaching vehicle long before it reached them.

They crossed the threshold of the bridge, the line where the railings began and the glowing overhead lights formed an archway of smoldering orange. Michelle drifted towards the railing now, and Charlie followed her, still holding her hand. She touched the railing with her fingers, peeking over to look at the water. "I've seen deer before," she remarked. "I've seen them coming up to this river to drink. And one time, when I was driving on the road to get here, I had to slow down almost to a stop, because three deer were standing right in the road. A daddy deer, a mommy deer, and a baby deer. They didn't even care that I was driving at them. They walked just as slow as they wanted to."

"I guess this place belongs to them more than it does us."

Michelle smiled and nodded. "You're right." She traced the railing with her fingers as they walked. The bridge had a gradual arc; a car was unlikely to even notice it, but Charlie felt the uphill climb. The cool night air felt good in his lungs and he took a deep breath.

At the midpoint of the bridge, Michelle stopped and leaned against the railing, looking down at the water flowing underneath them. The dim light of the bridge glimmered against the water surface. Charlie leaned next to her, following the path of the water until it disappeared outside of the bridge's glow. He could see pine trees leaning over the water in the distance like silent sentries.

"Isn't it pretty?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"I haven't crossed this bridge at night in a while." She squeezed his hand. "It's not something I'd do alone."

"Not since Kyle?" Charlie ventured.

"Oh, it hasn't been that long. I think I came up here with Vanessa a few months ago. Vanessa and some others." Michelle turned to face him. She still held his hand in one of hers, and now, with her other hand, she reached down and caught the bottom of her shirt. She tugged her shirt up, rolling the fabric in her hand as she went, until she'd pulled it up past her breasts. She pulled her arms free of the sleeves and let the shirt hang from her neck like a scarf, leaving her body completely exposed. She lifted Charlie's hand and pressed it to her bare breast, an invitation he gladly accepted. He squeezed gently, feeling her hard nipple poking between his fingers.

One hand quickly became two and Michelle swayed in place as he squeezed and fondled her breasts. "Do you know, I've always wanted to walk across this bridge naked," she whispered dreamily. "From one side to the other, with nothing on. It's one of my fantasies."

"You're naked right now," Charlie murmured.

She smiled. "Not all the way. I still have my shirt on."

Charlie regarded the flimsy grey cloth circling her neck. He reached for it, intending to pull it over her head, but she quickly caught it and held it in place.

"No, don't take it off!" she said. "Not now. Don't you hear?"

He frowned, listening. Now that she'd pointed it out, he could hear a distant sound, a low rumble. The tone changed slightly, now higher. A shift of gears. Another truck coming, from the same direction as the first.

Michelle was already putting her arms back in her sleeves, although she wasn't in any rush. "They pass back and forth constantly," she said. "No matter what time, day or night. I don't think I've ever crossed this bridge without one of those trucks going by." She tugged the dress into place.

When the truck rumbled over the bridge half a minute later, Michelle stood leaning against the railing and Charlie stood just behind her, partially blocking the view of her with his body. Michelle didn't look at the truck, but chose instead to gaze wistfully at the river. Charlie couldn't help himself; he glanced up as it passed, trying to see the driver. He couldn't see through the light reflected on the windshield. The driver didn't see them either, or at least didn't react to them. The truck shot by without slowing, causing the bridge to vibrate. The clamor as it passed was deafening, but the noise quickly faded into the distance.

"See?" Michelle said. "That's why I can't... oh!" She was caught by surprise as Charlie immediately pulled her dress back up and cupped her pussy from behind.

"Sorry," he said. "But it sounds like we don't have a lot of time until that next truck comes." He pulled her hips away from the railing with one hand while he undid his zipper with the other. His fingers found his cock and pulled it free. He bent his knees, guiding the head of his cock towards Michelle's waiting pussy, pushing into her, filling her. She let out a long, low gasp, pushing back against him, urging him deeper. She leaned against the railing on one elbow, and as he began to move inside her, she used her other hand to pull her shirt over her head. She tossed it to the sidewalk.

Charlie clutched her hips, thrusting into her, and her body matched his motion, meeting every thrust. They found a rhythm, pulling apart and coming together, pulling apart, coming together, again and again. Michelle didn't restrain herself; her cries of pleasure rang out across the river and echoed through the trees.

Charlie ran his hands over her bare back, intoxicated by the feel of her skin. They moved to a rhythm that beat faster and faster, and each time he pushed deep inside her, in that brief moment when he felt her warmth clutching his throbbing cock, he felt himself ascending, nearing that peak of ecstasy. So close. He was so close.

They heard the distant growl of an approaching truck at the same time. It was louder than before, and had undoubtedly been audible for a short time, but they'd been too distracted to notice. Michelle immediately pulled off of him and scrambled to pick up her discarded shirt. Charlie tried to shove his erection back down his jeans.

The truck turned the corner just as Michelle finished pulling her shirt down her body, and Charlie and Michelle quickly moved into their 'innocent' pose, standing side by side at the railing, pretending to look at the river. Like the first two trucks, this truck was hauling a heavy load, and the bridge shook as it passed. Once again, the driver didn't appear to take any notice of them. The truck disappeared down the road.

Charlie was already reaching for her shirt, even while the reek of oil and gasoline still lingered around them. He pulled it up and over her head, then let it drop by their feet. This time he pushed Michelle up towards one of the light posts, putting her back to it. She reached up and gripped the light post with both hands. He lifted one of her legs, holding it to the side, and quickly freed his cock. Kissing her deeply, he slid his cock back into her.

They barely had two minutes before they heard the next truck. This one was coming from the other direction. Charlie was close to climaxing again, and even after he heard the truck, he continued to thrust into her several more times. Michelle always talked about the thrill of Not-Caring, and at that moment, he wanted to Not-Care, to keep fucking her even while the truck passed by. Michelle made no move to pull away from him, and he thought she was probably considering the same thing. Or maybe she was leaving the choice up to him.

Reluctantly, he pulled out of her and stepped away. Michelle reached for her shirt, and Charlie tucked his erection back in his jeans. They stood at the railing until the truck rumbled by. "Frustrating," he muttered to her.

"I know." She took his hand. "Come on. I know somewhere else we can go."

"Where?"

"I'll show you."

They walked back across the bridge towards the car, and Charlie expected they would get in and drive somewhere. Instead, Michelle led him into the trees, onto a trail that followed the river as it flowed downstream. The trail was smooth and showed evidence of frequent use, so that even in the dim light they had no difficulty finding their way.

They heard another truck coming, and turned to watch. The bridge was visible through the line of trees that separated the trail from the river. After a half a minute, the truck roared past, its lights flashing as it crossed the bridge. It was headed downhill. They could hear the sound of it fading into the distance.

Charlie turned to face Michelle, considering her in her loose grey shirt. They were hidden by the trees, and far enough away from the road that passing vehicles had little chance of seeing them. Given those facts, it seemed silly for Michelle to still be wearing clothes. He stepped towards her, and she must have had the same thought, because she raised her arms in the air. He slipped her shirt up and over her head, leaving her naked except for her heels. They left the shirt hanging from a tree branch as they continued down the trail.

After a short distance, the trail opened onto a clearing. The river curved to the right, and the sandy sediment deposited by the water over time had formed a crescent of gradually sloping shoreline lined with sticks and branches. Instead of pine trees, the clearing was filled with scraggly green grass.

They stepped out into the open space of the clearing. Charlie looked up at the stars, which shone brightly in the darkness. He could even see the cloudy streak that was the milky way. Michelle held his hand as they walked to the water's edge, where the river lapped against the shore. Charlie looked upriver, confirming that the bridge was still visible in the distance. He imagined standing where he was, looking at the bridge and seeing the Charlie and Michelle from fifteen minutes earlier, with Michelle naked and clutching the railing, and Charlie just behind her, fucking her. How much would he have been able to see?

Probably not much. He could have guessed what was happening, but they were too far away to make out any details. He wouldn't have been able to make out the faces. At least, he didn't think so.

He reached for Michelle, embracing her and kissing her. His hands slid over her nude body as he pulled her close.

"This is a good place, isn't it?" she murmured.

"Yeah." He touched her breast, fondling it. She kissed him as her hands moved to the front of his pants, undoing the zipper.

Another truck drove over the bridge, but neither of them paid any attention to it. Charlie pressed his fingers against her pussy, finding her still very wet. He slid his finger deep inside her as he kissed her.

"Have you ever been naked here before?" he asked softly, wondering if Kyle had introduced her to this place.

Michelle didn't answer for a moment. "I lost my virginity here," she admitted.

Her virginity? With who? With Kyle? Charlie wanted to ask more questions. But Michelle was stroking his cock, coaxing it into an enormous erection, and he decided questions could wait. They moved away from the water, towards the grass, and Charlie discarded his own clothing as they went. He lay down in the grass, pulling Michelle on top of him, and she happily lowered herself onto his cock. Finally, they were able to finish what they had started on the bridge, making love slowly, trying to make it last as long as possible. When she reached her climax, he surrendered to his as well; her sweaty body collapsed trembling on top of him while his cock pulsed inside her, filling her.

After they disentangled themselves, they walked to the edge of the river and washed themselves in the cold water. Michelle showed Charlie a flat rock where they could both sit, and they huddled together, keeping each other warm as the night air dried them off. Michelle wore Charlie's shirt draped over her shoulders and he had his arm around her waist. They could see the bridge in the distance and counted the trucks that rumbled back and forth.

***

Darren Mickels was in Charlie's Theater Tech class, and it was easy for Charlie and Ronni to pull him aside after the class was dismissed. Charlie had worked on several productions where Darren had a role, and knew that Darren took acting very seriously. Darren had short, dark hair and a smile that was close to a smirk. He was thin and had an easy stride when he walked, as if he never had to hurry.