The Troublemaker

"It's going to be fine, Shannon," Officer Carlson tried to reassure her.

"Thanks Steve."

We both watched the officer take away the two public disturbers, and then I stood watching her. She stood there examining her feet. I could tell that she was afraid of what I would say.

I sighed. "If you can explain to me what just happened, I'll try to understand," I promised.

She slumped a little in relief. "Do you want to talk about it here, or in the car?"

"In the car," I answered.

She nodded, and we both silently got in her car. I noticed that there were now a lot of people watching us. Nosy busy bodies! I shook my head in disapproval, and they dispersed as Shannon started up her car.

We were out of town well before noon, and we rode in silence for at least half the trip. We approached the place that she had pulled over to blow me yesterday, and I stared at her intently. I really wanted to know what was going on.

Shannon sighed. "Did you bring your phone?"

"No, it was low on battery, so I left it behind," I answered.

"Good." She smiled at me, and I frowned in return. Her smiled faded, and she looked away. "You see... I'm cursed. Every time I hear a bell, I have an overwhelming urge to blow a guy. It's impossible to fight, and the more I try to fight it, the stronger the urge gets until I attack the first guy I see. It doesn't always end well..."

I thought back to when I first saw her. I'd been admiring her ass, and then my phone rang, which sounded like a bell. Aha... So that explains it, and here I thought I was just lucky.

I felt a strange urge to cry, and turned my head so she couldn't see my face. Shannon didn't really want me after all. No wonder she walked away like nothing had happened. She probably had lots of guys mistake her curse for actual interest.

"Why did you bring me home with you?" I wondered.

"I know what it's like to get kicked out... kinda. My parents brought me to the farm when I..." Shannon stopped her car in front of her mail box, and used the opportunity to look away from me as she muttered, "sucked a guy off in front of everyone in church."

Part of me wanted to laugh at that, but the bigger part realized something. I had been right to begin with. She only pitied me. She didn't actually like me.

"I'll try to find somewhere else to stay, so don't worry about me," I informed her. She had already tossed her mail on the seat, and now she slumped against her steering wheel.

"So it's true. No guy wants me after they find out about my curse."

Wait! What??? That sounded like she wanted me to stick around. I just couldn't figure her out!

She drove up her driveway, and neither one of us knew what to say. I went to my room to think, and she disappeared to do chores. I paced for at least ten minutes as I thought. I really had nowhere else to go, but I didn't want to be a burden on her.

Wait, if I really didn't want to be a burden on her, then why was I just sitting here? I should be doing something to help her out, but what? I could take a look at her car. I'm sure she'd appreciate it if she didn't have to worry about it breaking down and stranding her all the way out here.

Ten minutes later, she noticed me working under the hood of her car. I'm sure she wondered what I was doing, but she just stood there; her arms crossed, and her weight on one hip. I wiped my hands off on a rag.

"Listen, I can fix your car." I mentally debated going into detail, but decided that doing so wasn't very important right now. "It'll be how I pay rent, and then I'll find a job as soon as possible. If I can pay you money in exchange for room and board... will you let me stay?"

"You want to stay?" Shannon asked me.

"Yeah, I do," I confessed.

She smiled hesitantly. "What about my curse?"

I inhaled deeply and held my breath a moment. I wasn't exactly comfortable trying to get into a relationship with a girl who put any guy fortunate enough to be near her when a bell rang in her mouth, but... I could kind of see things from her point of view. She didn't seem to have a choice in the matter. I'm sure if she did, she'd choose not to. I hope.

A serious thought occurred to me, and I let out my breath. "Well, without your curse, we would never have met, and I'd have literally nowhere to go. So, I guess it's not such a bad thing."

"You mean that?" Shannon asked hopefully.

"Yeah... and maybe I could help you with it," I suggested.

She laughed at that. "I suppose, if you always happen to be with me when I hear a bell..."

I must have looked like a goofy-eyed zombie for a minute there as I contemplated the consequences of that particular suggestion. I blinked to try to shake off the images, and my mouth opened and closed a couple of times. I totally blushed, and my heart was racing. I cleared my throat.

"Um, I could do that," I said, trying to sound cool. Another thought occurred to me, "But only if I get to pay you back when we get home."

She laughed so hard that I thought she was about to tell me to go fuck myself. I felt crushed. "I was hoping you'd say that! I'm 18 now, and I haven't gotten laid by anyone other than you since the first time... which was when I got cursed, but anyway!" Shannon grinned and held out her hand.

I smiled, and took her hand in mine. Now was an excellent time to kiss her, and she must have thought so too for she leaned in to kiss me at the same time. Already, I couldn't imagine life without her.

End for now, maybe I'll finish the rest later...

"All my chores are done for the moment, so... Do you want to eat lunch or do you want to have sex?"

Did she really think I'd consider eating lunch when my other option was sex? "Se-" I was interrupted by my phone -- which I had plugged in and turned on early.

"Heh heh heh heh," Shannon leered at me.

Even knowing what was going to happen in response to the bell -- caller be damned! -- I was still surprised when she roughly pushed me onto my back, and tore off my pants. I couldn't tell if I was dazed from the new bump on my head or by how awesome she was, but I was betting it was her. Wow!

I swear she just keeps getting better and better! I may not be perfect, and I may not be her Mr. Right, but I do know that I haven't yelled at or fought with her once in the almost 24 hours that we'd known each other, and that was a record. Maybe just maybe she could help me learn how not to be a screw up, and in return I could help her with her curse.

I will totally admit that I was getting the better end of the stick here, but hey! Who knows? Maybe we would actually be good for each other. Maybe it could work out for the best. I sure hoped so!

When she was done, I placed a hand over my heart to try to calm the thumping, and stared at her like she was a goddess incarnate. My phone rang again and I paled. I gulped nervously, and then gasped as she started over.

Ohgod,ohgod,ohgod! I think I might die from this curse of hers, and if I don't remember to change my damn ringer after this, someone please shoot me!

By the time she was done with me this time, I was a totally gelatinous pile of goo, and I was fairly sure I'd had a heart attack. I couldn't move, but she immediately raced into the house. I half expected my phone to ring again, and the thought made me realize just exactly what I had agreed to. This curse of hers really might kill me!

But... on the other hand, it would be the best death ever! I relaxed, and watched her come back out of the house. I'd completely forgotten that I was lying on the cold ground without my pants, and stared at her with a goofy grin on my face.

"I switched your phone to vibrate only, and just in time. Here!" She tossed me my phone, and I answered it.

"Dude, are you okay? I've been calling and calling you!" Chris exclaimed in concern.

"Yeah man, I'm..." Great? Excellent? Awesome? Wonderful? Totally blown away? All of the above? "uh fine."

"I'm glad because you weren't answering and you -- Oh! Uh-huh, I'm an idiot, aren't I? You didn't answer the phone because you live with a weird and kinky girl now and you two were busy, right?"

I chuckled. "Yeah... you could say that." I was grateful that Shannon had walked away to give me a bit of privacy, but I wasn't taking any chances. I whispered, "I think I'm in love!"

"That would be the sex talking," Chris laughed.

"Maybe," I shrugged, "But I don't think so."

"Really?" Chris asked incredulously.

"I don't know, man, but I'm willing to find out."

"I want to meet this girl!" Chris insisted. He knew that I have never even wondered if I was in love before. He would totally want to meet the miracle worker.

Chris made plans to come visit, but I didn't hear a word. I was too busy watching Shannon walk around her yard petting her animals. Her every step made me realize all over again that she was awesome, and gorgeous, and just plain old amazing!

She looked at me, and saw me watching her. I don't really know what my expression was, but it was enough to get her to tilt her head to the side, and try to figure me out. Yep, I think I'm in too deep. I've got it bad! I love her so much, and I don't even care that we just met or that she's cursed.

If she lets me, I will never leave her side!

The next day, I talked to my cousin, and I didn't yell once. The day after that, I talked to my aunt. Again, I kept my temper and didn't shoot off my mouth. Finally, I talked to my mom... That was the real test, and I passed it.

I guess the key to not being a screw up is having a reason to want to be good. I pulled Shannon close, and held her tight. She snuggled into me, and moaned against my neck. I put my hand on the back of her neck, and we kissed. I felt my heart race and my head spin. I could kiss her all day!

Nope, never. I'm never going to let her go!