When Denzil Met Tanya

"Too right ... Brad can slap me around any time he likes!" from a girl called Jill Nardino, and they all giggled.

Brenda was thoroughly enjoying being the centre of attention, something which didn't happen too often. "And you guys shoulda seen the way she was carrying on before Brad lost his temper. Always said Tanya Richardson was a grade A bitch, didn't I?"

"You actually SAW the whole thing then, Bren?" asked Jill.

Brenda nodded. "I was even doing their drinks. Listen, she actually got this other guy, who she was flirting with, to sit at their table ... you know, after they'd finished with the slow dancing and stuff ... and then the two of them, Tanya and this other guy, started kinda making out with each other right there at the table. Tanya was all over him. With poor Brad just sat there having to watch. Jeez!"

"So did Brad beat the other guy up?" chirped Angela Price.

"Nah. Think he was too upset with Tans. When he slapped her, the other guy looked like he might start something but he didn't ... think he could see Brad woulda half killed him, so he just slunk off back to his cronies. Then Tanya pulled the stunt with the beer and ran out, and Brad just sat there with his head in his hands for, like, a few minutes, and then he left."

"Poor Brad," said Angela.

"Yeah, and poor Tans," giggled Jill. "Bet she's feeling just terrible."

"Well, looks like she's bunked off today so, you know, draw your own conclusions," sniggered Brenda.

"Hey the prom's next Saturday, d'y'all think Brad might go with me now?" joked another giggling girl.

"Join the queue, girlfriend," giggled Angela.

"Don't you just KNOW that bitch, Jennifer Clark, will be straight in there. Bet she drops Paul like a hot cake if she knows Brad's free," said someone.

Jill Nardino shook her head. "Mmm, don't think so. I ran into Mickey and he says Brad's so upset he's not even GOING to the prom now."

"What about Tans?" mused Brenda. "Hey, girls, can you imagine? Tanya Richardson with no date for the prom ... isn't that just soooo sad!"

Chorus of sniggers.

"Guess we'll find out when she finally shows up," said Jill.

Brenda was thinking back to the countless times that Tanya Richardson had made fun of her ... humiliated her ... both around school and down at the Rocket Bar. As the group of girls finally dispersed, she was positively beaming.

******

So the DH consensus, as people drifted away for the weekend, was that next week would be very interesting. Most people were betting on Jennifer Clark dumping her boyfriend, Paul Serrafini, and making a big play for Brad before the prom. Sure, Brad had told some of the guys he wasn't going but Jennifer Clark (although no Tanya) was a hottie and some of the girls gave her a sporting chance.

What actually happened took everyone by surprise.

Firstly, Brad took the whole week off sick, so any plans Jennifer may have had in that regard went down the pan. He played the football game on the Sunday, the final fixture of the season ... played very well by all accounts ... but then announced to the Coach that he was feeling a bit off and could he be excused the post game celebrations? "No problem," said the Coach to his star quarterback. "Whatever you want, man."

Turned out what Brad wanted was a week off school and his doctor duly obliged with the necessary note.

Tanya Richardson didn't return to school until the Thursday and when she arrived she looked great, as always, but she looked different. She wore dark glasses to hide her eyes ... "from all the crying" she told people ... and she was dressed far more demurely than usual. Below the knee, not particularly clingy skirt ... sensible blouse, buttoned all the way up ... flat shoes, no lipstick ... hair tied back ... it was a whole new Tanya!

People pretty much left her alone. They could see she was kind of in mourning and they respected that. Even the plain girls (Brenda Gonzales, Angela Price and the like) didn't gloat too much. They actually felt a little sorry for her. As for the boys ... not a single one of them tried it on with her, the whole day. It really was THAT clear that she wouldn't be interested. Tanya didn't talk to any of the boys either ... proof, if proof were needed, that she wasn't feeling herself.

Well she did talk to ONE boy, although nobody saw her do it. If they had, they'd have been rubbing their eyes because the boy Tanya spoke to was Denzil Harris! And it wasn't just to tease and make fun of him either ... a proper conversation is what it was. Amazing.

Lying in bed that night, Denzil still could hardly believe it. Had it really happened? Had the goddess Tanya Richardson really sneaked him that note asking him to meet her after school? Had she really been waiting for him, as the note said, in that room in the annex out back where no-one usually went?

And had she really, truly, greeted him with such a warm and friendly smile when he walked in?

"Oh Denzil, thanks so much for coming!"

"S'okay Tanya," he'd replied, heart thumping. Sitting there on a chair, she looked as gorgeous as ever, Denzil thought, perhaps more so if anything ... her beauty enhanced by the sad aura surrounding her ... the dark glasses, which hid her eyes, adding an air of mystery.

"Sorry about the shades, Denzil," said Tanya. "Just that my eyes are a mess. You don't mind if I keep them on, do you sweetie?"

He shook his head.

Sweetie!

Hearing her call him that, Denzil felt a surge of joy. He'd been both excited and afraid of meeting her but the fear had gone now. And the excitement had increased considerably.

Tanya smiled and just observed him for a while without saying anything. So far so good, she thought. The eyes behind the dark lenses were cool and amused.

She indicated the chair next to her. "Come sit here, sweetie," she said.

Denzil did so. He went and sat next to Tanya.

Tanya fell silent again for a while. She seemed to be trying to pluck up courage to say something. Denzil was dying to hear what she wanted to tell him but felt he shouldn't try and hurry her in any way.

"Suppose you heard about me and Brad?" she said, finally.

"Um, I guess," he replied.

"So what do you think about it?" she asked.

"Dunno. That he's stupid and crazy, I suppose."

Which he DID of course. Any guy who let himself lose a girlfriend like Tanya Richardson was stupid and crazy and a million other things besides, all of them bad.

Tanya smiled. "You heard he slapped me?"

"Bbbastard!" Denzil spat. He found he was shaking a little ... the combination of thinking about Brad Phelps, and of being alone and having an intimate conversation with Tanya Richardson.

Tanya seemed to understand. She leant forward and rested her hand lightly on his knee. The gesture had the effect of turning Denzil's insides into mush. It was like he was dreaming this. He HAD dreamt this, let's face it ... every day and every night for about as long as he could remember.

"He IS a bastard, isn't he?" said Tanya.

"Bastard!" repeated Denzil.

"Certainly taught me a lesson, anyway," she continued. "I'm finished with guys like that. I know how he's always torturing you as well, sweetie. God he was always going on about the horrible things him and Mickey do to you. Seemed to get a big kick out of telling me all about it even though I didn't wanna hear. Can you believe that?"

The thought of Tanya knowing all the details of his various humiliations at the hands of Brad Phelps and Mickey Roberts was intensely embarrassing to poor Denzil and he looked down at the floor, his mood lowered by this turn in the conversation. He desperately hoped that Tanya would sense this and not go on about it.

"Yeah, SO cruel to you, aren't they? Poor baby. Brad told me everything, you know. Absolutely everything. Like just last week, they tied you up, didn't they? And then they took turns to ..."

"I hate them, Tanya!" yelled Denzil, cutting her off.

"Aw, I know baby. And I do too," said Tanya, moving a little closer to Denzil, gently squeezing his knee now. "Oh, and to think I joined in that time too. You remember? When I made you pretend to be a dog?"

Denzil nodded. He didn't want to talk about it.

"What was I thinking? ... helping them torment you like that. So wicked of me. Do you forgive me, Denzil?"

"Cccourse Tanya," he mumbled, feeling uncomfortable at the memory. What he remembered most of all about that episode was not the dog thing, or being kicked around by Brad and Mickey, or even the nightmare which followed ... Mickey's ass, the cupboard, Jennifer Clark's photos, all that ... no, it was kissing Tanya's foot, her pretty painted toes, the way her short skirt had showed off her sexy legs. He didn't find it hard to forgive her.

"You're a darling," said Tanya. "Darling Denzil ... doesn't that sound nice? Do you like me calling you darling Denzil, Denzil?"

He nodded, blushing furiously.

"So does darling Denzil like Tanya now?" she pouted.

"You're gggreat, Tanya," gushed Denzil. Oh how he wished he could stop stuttering. Oh how he wished he had the self confidence to reach out and squeeze Tanya's knee the way she was squeezing his.

"I'm just glad I'm rid of Brad, to be honest," Tanya grinned. "I mean, he's good looking and all but a girl needs more than that ... don't you think, Denz?" She gave his knee another squeeze, then took her hand away.

"Don't you think, sweetie?" she prodded.

"You should find someone who really appreciates you, Tans," said Denzil, drawing an unusual (for him) confidence from the sweet way she was talking to him.

Tanya somehow kept the serene smile on her face despite the fact that, inwardly, she was in hysterics. "Anyway there are different sorts of "good looking" when it comes to boys, I always think," she said.

"Really?" said Denzil. This was something he'd never heard before and he liked the sound of it. He tried to stop himself thinking that she might mean what he thought she might.

"There's cute little boys like you, for example."

"Um, thanks Tanya," he mumbled, face bright red now.

"Don't thank me Denzil, it's true. I think you're VERY cute. Hey and you know what, sweetie?"

"What?"

"Well I have no date for the prom on Saturday now, do I?"

"Guess not."

Oh this couldn't be!

Could it?

She grinned and placed her hand back on his knee. Reached out with her other hand and started to stroke his cheek. She licked her lips in a suggestive way that made Denzil want more than anything in the world to kiss her.

Tanya was pouting again now, speaking in a soft baby girl voice. "So, if a certain boy who I've just said is very cute were to ... you know ... ask if he could take me to the prom? ..."

"Yes Tanya. Oh yes!"

"Yes what, Denzil?" she laughed. Teasing him ... but in a nice way.

"Please Tanya. Please can I take you to the prom?"

"Yes Denzil. Yes sweetie. Yes you can."

"I can?"

"Sure baby, I'd LOVE to be your date for the prom. And not just that either. Afterwards, after the prom's all over and forgotten, I'm going to be your girlfriend. I want to go steady with you."

"Oh Tanya!" exclaimed Denzil.

"Oh Denzil!" giggled Tanya, really enjoying herself. Oh god, this was hilarious ... even funnier than she'd imagined it would be. Look at the pathetic expression on the poor boy's face! "Oh and sugar, let's keep this hush hush okay? Don't tell a soul about it. Not at school and not even at home. Our little secret, okay? Until Saturday anyway ... then everyone's gonna know of course, aren't they? Can you imagine, sugar? Can you imagine how jealous all the boys will be when you walk into the party with me on your arm? When we start smooching on the dance floor and all the other boys are wishing they were you!"

Denzil COULD imagine that. He WAS imagining that. Much as he'd like to tell the world immediately ... to scream it from the rooftops! ... he reckoned he could keep schtum for forty eight hours.

"Sure, Tans," he nodded.

"Have you got a nice dinner suit to wear?" Tanya asked him.

"Um, not really," mumbled Denzil.

"Can you buy one on Saturday then, maybe? I want my date to look smart, you know."

"Course, Tans," he said quickly. "I'll go and buy one."

He wondered briefly where he'd get the money for that but his concern didn't last long. He'd get it somehow. No way he'd let something like lack of a dinner suit get in the way of him taking the gorgeous Tanya Richardson, the hottest girl in school, to the prom.

Because Denzil's heart was bursting. Should he pinch himself? ... Tanya Richardson's date for the senior prom! ... Tanya Richardson as his steady girlfriend!

He felt happier than he thought anyone in the history of this world, or any other world, had ever felt before and, in his reverie, he'd stopped listening to Tanya who was still talking.

"... not a date but just so we can kinda get to know each other a bit better ... you know what I mean, baby?"

"Denzil, you listening?" she said. Sounded a little sharp and impatient suddenly, and Denzil snapped out of it.

"Sssorry Tanya, what was that?" asked Denzil, stutter making an unwelcome reappearance.

Tanya giggled. "Tomorrow night sweetie, Friday. Day before the prom, remember?"

"Tomorrow night?"

"Yes, sugar. Like I say, come round to my house at seven o'clock and we can spend the evening together. My parents are away so it'll be just me and you. Maybe we can, you know, fool around a little bit," Tanya was grinning rather wickedly now.

"So is that okay, sweetie?"

"Oh yes, Tanya! Seven tomorrow. I'll be there."

The mention of "fooling around" and the way Tanya was licking her lips again, and pouting at him, had stirred Denzil up. He had an erection now although with the size (or lack of it, rather) of his dick, the bulge in his pants was hard to make out. Tanya was looking down at it, however, and it was obvious she could tell what was happening because of the knowing smile on her face.

"Oooo, looks like you've already started thinking about fooling around with me, haven't you, Denzil sweetie?" she giggled.

She slid her hand up over his thigh until it reached his groin. Then she felt his little erection through his jeans, started squeezing it.

"Oh Tanya!" Denzil groaned.

He badly wanted her to keep doing what she was doing but, on the other hand, he didn't want to make a mess inside his trousers. He felt completely out of control. Oh god.

As it turned out, Tanya carried on for a while but she seemed to know EXACTLY when he was on the verge of exploding because she stopped feeling him up just before that happened. Pulled her hand away and left poor Denzil panting in his chair.

Suddenly very businesslike, Tanya stood up and looked at her watch. "Sorry Denz, gotta shoot ... seven tomorrow yeah?"

"Right," said Denzil, still thinking about what her hand had been doing seconds before.

"And don't talk to me tomorrow at school, okay?"

"No Tans, I won't."

"And stay here for at least an hour after I've gone, so nobody can even guess we were talking."

"An hour?"

"Yeah sweetie. One hour."

"Okay Tanya."

"Oh and one other thing, sweetie. I want you to be all, you know, HORNY for me when you come round tomorrow ... so no jerking yourself off between now and then."

"Um, okay Tans," said Denzil, thinking that might be difficult. He normally jacked off, thinking about Tanya Richardson, both last thing at night and first thing in the morning (and sometimes at other times too!) so how was he meant to NOT do it now? After this!

"Cos I'll be able to tell, Denzil," she said, looking and sounding rather stern. "And if I think you've gone and done that ... if I even SUSPECT you might have done it ... I won't go to the prom with you and I won't be your girlfriend."

She was moving off now and Denzil jumped to his feet and tried clumsily to kiss her.

Tanya, giggling, fended him off and walked off towards the door, gesturing that he should stay right where he was. "I might let you kiss me tomorrow evening, sugar. My place. Seven o'clock. Don't be late."

"See you Tans," said Denzil to her departing back.

Lying in bed now, hours after it had all happened, Denzil remembered how her hips and her bum had swayed sexily from side to side as she walked away. How exquisite it had felt when she played with his erection through his jeans ... and how FRUSTRATING it was when she stopped just before he came. He pictured how she'd turned and pouted and blown him a kiss as she disappeared out the door. How he'd sat there for an hour thinking about her, fantasising about all the sexy stuff he was going to get to do. All the stuff he'd dreamed about doing but never thought he'd get to do with any girl, let alone the luscious creature that was Tanya Richardson.

Tomorrow evening at her place ... well today now, strictly speaking. Just the two of them! God he could hardly wait. Especially because, once he really thought about it, he reckoned he'd better not take a chance on doing the thing that Tanya had told him not to. Maybe she WOULD be able to tell that he'd done it. Maybe girls could do that.

He really wanted to do it, though. He was DYING to do it. He tried manfully to think of boring, mundane things but it was no use. He'd force his mind to start on something like that, but within seconds he'd be back tormenting himself with sexy images of Tanya Richardson, of his girlfriend! It was as if he'd been hijacked. He was consumed by lust for her. His fevered imagination ran wild as he tossed around in bed with a permanent hard on. He felt unable to risk even touching himself down there in case it sent him over the edge. Okay, maybe Tanya would let him off if it was an "accident" but he didn't want to find out.

At around four thirty in the morning, after hours of self torture, Denzil Harris finally fell asleep.

******

Tanya's phone had bleeped a few minutes after she'd got home. Incoming text. Brad.

HOW DID IT GO, BABY?

Tanya smiled as she punched a reply. INSECT IN A JAR!

Brad again, a few seconds later. OK ... MISS U TANS.

ME 2 SUGAR! ... SEE U SAT.

HAVE FUN BABY!

Tanya giggled at that before answering. YEAH!

******

Friday. The day before the prom. Denton High fairly hummed with excitement.

For Denzil Harris, due round at Tanya Richardson's house that evening, the day couldn't go quickly enough. Because of that it dragged, of course. He was under strict instructions not to talk to Tanya and so he didn't. He saw plenty of her though. Tanya seemed back to her old self and Denzil liked to think that was due to the chat they'd had yesterday ... and to the fact that she was seeing him later on, and that he was taking her to the prom tomorrow. It was a very nice thought and it gave Denzil a lovely, warm feeling all over.

Speaking of lovely, Tanya's rather more demure look of the day before had been dispensed with. The dark glasses had gone and she was wearing a clingy (and very short) skirt with a skimpy, low cut top. She was back to driving the boys berserk and looked to be enjoying every minute of it. She also seemed to make a point of flirting madly with other boys right in front of Denzil ... perhaps it was just her way of communicating with him (given they couldn't speak) but he rather wished she wouldn't. He found it uncomfortable, in truth, particularly when she let Paul Serrafini kiss her on the lips ... something which Denzil himself was DYING to do and hadn't yet been able to.

God, he really couldn't wait for seven o'clock!

Thankfully, being the eve of prom, it was a short school day and everyone was let out at three thirty. Some people hung around after that, chatting and horsing around, but Denzil wasted no time. He positively flew home.

******

Less than two hours later, Dressed in his best jeans and his favourite shirt, Denzil Harris set off for Tanya's house. It was way over in the smart part of town, where the rich folks lived, and Denzil didn't have a car so he allowed plenty of time for the journey. It was part bus part walk ... he figured maybe an hour ... but the idea of being late for Tanya just didn't bear thinking about and he gave himself nearly double that.