*Defiance is not common because to rebel is to become friendless*
(Yes, this tale is supposed to be somewhat humorous and outrageous too. While not always comedic I'd like to think it is mostly a good-natured romp.)
*
I shared my 'solo' shower time with nine girls, with the good fortune that most of them only expected peripheral moments with me, not real sexual attention. Opal and Brigit, my original shower buddies, were joined by a few others plus my compadres, Iona and Rio. This morning, Brigit got a full-body scrubbing but I spared a few moments for my two closest friends.
"I'm surprised to see you here, Iona," I confessed to her as I ran my hands over her slender shoulders.
"I came here for an education," she smiled up at me. I arched an eyebrow and she flushed in embarrassment. "I mean, I came to school for an education -- honest, that's what I meant."
"I know," I calmed her. "I knew what you meant."
I'd have been happier with the way things were going if I hadn't caught Rio and Opal huddled together giving me conspiratorial looks. Catching my suspicious glare, Rio sauntered over to Iona and me.
"So, Teacher, are you going to give me any education time?" she teased Iona and me both.
"I think you and I are on the other end of the Teacher-Student curve, Rio. Unfortunately, your lessons always involve some sort of pain and/or humiliation on my part," I pointed out.
"Don't be such a baby, Zane. I do what I do out of love...okay, out of the love of watching you squirm, but that's love too, right?" Rio smiled sweetly.
"Stop being so mean to him." Iona became upset and clutched me tightly.
"Maybe if he took me out on a date, like he did Heaven, or spent more quality time with me like he does with Barbie Lynn," Rio snickered, "I'd be too tired to pick on him."
"We went out on a date," I countered.
"When?" Rio questioned.
"Last Wednesday; we went out for ice cream," I reminded her.
"Sorry. If this vagina doesn't get penetrated, it isn't a date," Rio scoffed and Iona blushed. "Rio, I thought our friendship could withstand Saturday night but I'm not going to be someone you pass the empty hours with. I'm your friend and if you think you and Iona are no different than anyone else I know here, you are sorely mistaken," I declared before Iona could have an outburst of her own.
"I don't need you, Zane," Rio shot back after a moment.
"I never said you did. In fact, I need you more than you might need me," I related to her. Rio fidgeted for another instant, then turned and left. Seeing that Rio had left her shower kit behind, Iona gathered their things up and followed her.
I made my way to exit from this embarrassing episode when Opal grabbed my arm.
"If we aren't friends, what are we?" she inquired.
"Infinitely memorable," I answered with a sly grin. That earned me an appreciative look.
"I'll take that," she smiled and let me go on my way.
The Sparks of Rebellion
Considering what our previous few mornings at school had been like, this morning was downright sedate. Rio joined Iona and I as we made our way to breakfast, where we were even permitted to sit together, and Assembly, where we did the same. Had it not been for the final announcement by the Chancellor Melrose Bass...
"Christina Buchanan has stepped down as Senior Class Body President. She has been replaced by Rhaine Ritchie," she announced. There was some stirring; for me, the look I had received from Christina the night before now made sense. They'd stripped her of her position because she's decided to not persecute me, becoming my friend instead. Well, to hell with that. I totally missed Iona's furious activities, though I would value them later.
Rio and I made it easy for them, though we wished Iona hadn't tagged along. I had no real plan until she stepped up to confront me and then the first step of the operation fell into place.
"Zane Braxton, I require your services," the girl with shoulder-length reddish-brown hair smirked at me. She'd brought along three playmates -- how interesting.
"Who is this?" I asked Iona calmly.
"Rhaine Ritchie," Iona informed me, at which point I shouldered past Rhaine, a move Rio instantly followed.
"Wait...what..." Rhaine squawked. "You can't do this," she emphasized by grabbing my shoulder. "If you don't do as I tell you, you will be expelled," she threatened.
Power comes from the belief in authority's ability to influence you. If I did what they wanted, I'd be expelled eventually. If I fought back, I'd still go down, but what the hell, everything ends. In my case, I no longer cared what the Administration had planned for me, I'd fight them standing up on my own terms.
"Lady, I don't know who you are," I lied, "but if you don't step off I'm going to put you over my knee and spank you in front of God and all these students." Our eyes locked and she saw that I was ready, willing, and eager to follow through on my threat. Rhaine let go and took a step back. I turned and left without further comment; that would ruin the whole 'ignore her' effect.
Rio caught up and nudged me.
"What's the plan, Kemosabe?" she inquired.
"I'm making this up as I go along," I confessed. Rio laughed loudly while Iona gulped.
"Don't worry, I'll think of something; I always do," which caused Rio to laugh louder.
English came and went but ended with Ms. Goodswell calling me aside.
"You will be meeting with Ms. Lane at one," she informed me. I nodded before she continued. "Zane, is it impossible for you to do the right thing or are you making my life special on purpose?"
"Virginia," I replied, "if my only concern was to make you happy, I would do it. Unfortunately, I have to live with myself too and I can't stomach what's being done to my friends here. You must know that if I'd been left alone, I'd have done my time here and earned an education," I tried to get her to understand. Virginia reached out and placed one of her hands on mine.
"I know, Zane, and I am doing what I can for you," she sighed.
"Can you do something for Rio too?" I asked.
"Zane," she chuckled bitterly, "I'm bailing out the Titanic with a thimble. I'm not sure what I can do for her. Mrs. Short wants her gone as much as the Chancellor does," Virginia answered. Mrs. Short was Rio's spiritual advisor.
Our spiritual advisors were supposed to help us out at school, both academically and psychologically. I didn't doubt that Virginia had been doing her best to see that I wasn't booted out during my first week at FFU. Rio didn't have that backstop; all she had was Iona and me.
I barely caught Virginia's gaze wander toward the door where a Rhaine-clone was standing.
I hoisted my backpack and made for the girl at the door. It turned out we were far from alone, my confrontation with Rhaine having already made the news.
"Listen, Zane, I'm not intim-..." she got out before I slipped past her extended arm (palm outward), slipped into contact with her, and twirled us around.
She had barely enough time to gasp before I spun free and made my way down the hall.
"Zane!" she called out in frustration behind me. I heard the giggles from the other girls as she took up the pursuit. I found Rio waiting inside the door while Rhaine and a clone waited for her to emerge.
"Sorry, bitches," Rio gloated, "but my ride's here." Before they could react, I knelt and yanked down their skirts, one in each hand. The seniors squealed in surprise and tried to cover up as Rio shoved past them and joined me. She caught sight of my personal tormentor coming so she pulled me down the hall as we made our getaway.
They waited for us coming out of Biblical Archeology with the added bonus of Ms. Gorman, Dean of Athletics, Head of Security, and Coach to several sports including Karate. They smiled, we smiled, and then we slammed the door and locked it. Rio looked at me with a piratical gleam in her eyes as we simultaneously made for the windows and flung ourselves outside.
We took the fall from the second floor and bolted like mad for our next classes. Had I heard (I claimed to be lost in thought) Ms. Gorman calling my name, I would have been forced to stop and face some sort of pointless and painful task, but I made it to Biology safely. A text from Rio told me she'd made it to her class too.
Of course, they could still keep coming, and getting to lunch proved impossible without confronting the new regime. Rhaine waited outside my door with a half dozen other ladies plus Ms. Gorman, who looked absolutely furious.
"I believe you are familiar with traveling on your knees, Mr. Braxton. This time you get to do so with me on your back, my own personal beast of burden," she gloated.
I looked through her, took in the other girls, then made my way to shoulder past them.
"If you ignore this command," Gorman warned me, "that is grounds for dismissal."
"Did someone give me an order?" I asked innocently.
"Rhaine did," Gorman pointed out.
"Who?" I inquired.
