Darlas Games Day 14

I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock. I stretched out in my HUGE FREAKING BED. (God I love saying that) and rolled over to turn it off. It didn't take too long to get dressed. Even though the clock wasn't running on Darla's games today, I still didn't own any underwear. I thought about borrowing some from Kelly, but that would require explanation and be kind of weird.

So, I went into my bathroom and enjoyed a nice hot shower. I shaved everything out of habit. I went to my room, dressed in the longest denim skirt I could find and the thickest polo shirt. Then I slipped on some strapped two inch heels and, grabbing my new cell phone, headed down to breakfast. I had the old one too, and hoped to return that to Darla.

Dad and Kelly were there eating breakfast and I joined them happily. They had a really nice spread, but I had a piece of unbuttered toast and a banana and some orange juice and they questioned my dietary habits. "Dad, I'm not going to get fat to keep you happy." I laughed.

Everything was kind of good. It was weird. I should have felt miserable, I had hated this constant threat of sending me here for years. And now, it really wasn't so bad at all.

"Carrie, a few things." My dad said as he finished his second cup of coffee. "Cars need gas, so you are going to have to get a part time job if you don't want to switch schools."

I cringed. Okay, here is where things are going to start getting tough. I have to get a job?!

"Here is forty dollars, that should get you through the weekend." He handed me two twenty dollar bills. "While you are here, you need to come straight home from school unless you have my permission to do otherwise. I will tell you now, cheerleading is done. The school already took it away, it wasn't me so don't give me that look. Maybe they will let you back on the squad if you get your grades back up."

"As to going out, you are allowed to go out with Julie and I will want verification that you are with her if you decide to do so. I heard about you lying to your mom." He acknowledged my groan. "Sorry young lady, you are eighteen and it's time to learn some responsibility. Kelly is not a maid and neither am I. You will help with the laundry and dishes and keep your own room clean. Nobody picks up after anyone else around here."

"As far as dating goes, it is okay if they come here and we meet them. Carrie, stop groaning. I want the who's, where's and how longs every time, no excuses. The first time I don't know where you are and who you are with is the last time. You lose the car. And you will show me or Kelly your homework every night before bed. Your cell phone is not unlimited, don't abuse it."

"Now, go have a great day." He smiled.

I smiled back and gave him a hug and a kiss. I looked at Kelly and decided what the hell and gave her a hug too on my way out to my BRAND NEW CAR!!!! One thing I never really learned about was rush hour. I never had my own car and I could get to school through back roads. So, it surprised me to be sitting in traffic on the highway. I was glad I got an early start so Julie and I could cruise around for awhile before school. But, it ended up I just got there in time after an hour and a half on the road.

I pulled in front of Julie's house and honked the horn. I thought of going to the door, but I thought this would be more dramatic. I honked and honked and honked like an idiot. People were looking at me, but I didn't really care. Finally, Julie and her mom came to the door to see what all the commotion was and I opened the door and stood next to the car and smiled like a Cheshire cat.

They looked annoyed until they saw me and then Mrs Petrili laughed and went back inside and Julie ran her cute ass over to me and we grabbed each other's arms and jumped up and down like fools.

"No fucking way!" Julie yelled.

"MINE!" I screamed.

"No fucking way!" Julie screamed louder.

"Get your ass in my car bitch!" I laughed.

"Let me grab my bag." Julie ran into the house and came out in a few seconds with her book bag and threw it in the back seat.

"Too cold for the top down I guess." Julie smiled.

"Yeah, besides, it would mess up our hair." I grinned back.

"Want to skip school?" Julie asked wide eyed.

"Oh my God! Now you want to skip school?" I laughed. "I would, but my dad would pull the car in a second."

"Buckle up babe, this thing is fast." I warned and put it in reverse and checking both ways, squealed wheels and slid the front of the car a little when I backed up. Then I put it in first and left tread marks in front of Julie's house. I hoped her mom wouldn't be mad.

"Slow down you crazy bitch, you are going to get a ticket or something." Julie laughed.

I was careful not to speed too much. I mean, I couldn't really help it on the long straight of ways where I could clearly see no sign of police cars, but for the most part, I kept it under sixty on the thirty mile per hour roads. "So, I guess living with dad has its perks." Julie said.

"Yeah, you have to come see my bedroom Jules. My bed is like a California King or something. It's huge."

"Umm, are you propositioning me slut?" Julie giggled.

I blushed, I hadn't even been thinking about ... that.

"I'm totally fucking with you Carrie. Jesus whore, get a hold of yourself."

I laughed. "So, about yesterday."

"Yeah. Look, I know it was rough on you, but damn Carrie, I didn't know if you had been kidnapped or killed, just a little courtesy call next time okay?"

"Yeah, I know, that was kind of shitty. I didn't even think about my phone until I was on my way to my dad's house and it just didn't seem like the right time to call."

It got quiet for a minute. "I'm going to miss you." I started crying.

"Carrie, stop, you are going to wreck your new car. You aren't going to miss me. I mean, you aren't going to switch schools or something stupid like that are you?"

"I don't know. I don't know what is going to happen or how long. I am totally out of control and have no say in what is going on."

"Carrie. Your dad is not going to pull you out of school in your senior year. Nobody is that big of a dick. Stop crying Carrie, seriously, pull over!"

I pulled to the side of the road and wiped my eyes. "Sorry. I love the car, but hate ... well, you can't ever tell my mom this, but Kelly is kinda cool."

"So, what's the problem then?" Julie asked.

"I am not home! Yeah, its great, their house is bigger, my bed is huge, this car is incredible. But, it's like the first time I haven't had you within a block of me. And, well, I hoped to not have this until next fall and it's starting to hit me."

"Oh my God Carrie, you are a fucking idiot!" Julie screamed at me. "So, what do you think, after high school we are never going to see each other again? You think once we go to different colleges we won't ever speak? You think once we graduate and get jobs we won't have lunches together? You think once we marry and have kids we won't get them together to play? You are growing old with me you stupid whore. We always planned that! I will hunt your dumb ass down if you try to change it."

I started laughing. Julie started laughing. And I cleaned my face a little and we headed to school.

"God Carrie you really are mental sometimes. But I love you." Julie said as we pulled into the parking lot.

"Where you going to park?" Julie asked as we drove up front to show off.

"As close as possible." I smiled and honked my horn a lot.

For the next few minutes, Julie and I were the closest thing to celebrities. We were in the hottest car at school and it was MINE. Julie and I leaned against it and posed for pictures. The cheerleaders went absolutely nuts. Our friends screamed like they were at a rock concert. It was the longest fifteen seconds of fame I had ever had.

Finally, we had to park and we moved the car to the lot, carefully placing it out of door range of the neighboring vehicles. We got out and strutted, yes my bitches, we strutted across the parking lot.

I felt awesome. It was way overdue for me to feel this good.

Not only this, but there would be no Darla's games today. I could be me for the first time in way too long.

Julie and I strutted to class. We had the hottest car in school and our celebrity status continued in the hallway when people were congratulating me on my new car.

We walked into class and it was like I never became a cheerleader. Gina, Cat, Sarah and Jen all crowded around for the details on how I got the car and Julie was every bit as much in the spotlight as I was. It was like this nightmare had never happened and life was back to normal. We started planning senior week, like the last two weeks never happened. I was happy. I should have known better.

When the bell rang and our teacher told us for the second time to take our seats, we were all smiles and laughs. That was when my first cell phone buzzed. I looked at the phone and it was a message from Darla.

I KNOW SOMETHING WENT DOWN LAST NIGHT I NEED TO KNOW WHAT NO GAMES TODAY GLAD ABOUT THAT SINCE YOU GOT NINE OFF YESTERDAY YOUR 24 HOUR REPRIEVE ENDS AT THE END OF SCHOOL TODAY MEET ME OUTSIDE AT YOUR NEW CAR -- DARLA

Damn, thought I had the whole day off. Well, at least this school day was going to rock. I paid attention in class for the first time in so long I nearly wept at the joy of it.

At the end of first period, Julie grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "You so deserve this Carrie. See you in Social Studies."

We left the classroom together and left on our separate ways. When I went into the math class, the cheerleaders all squealed and ran up to me and we jumped up and down together. I was so happy.

When the bell rang and we finally took our seats, Courtney was on my right, Farin on my left. Courtney tuned towards me and spread her thighs wide and pointedly looked down at her crotch. I laughed at her. "Not today Court, I got the day off."

She leaned into me and whispered into my ear. "I thought you owed me?"

I looked at her. She smiled. I whispered, "Court, please, cut me some slack today, I'll make it up to you. I just really need this one day."

She stopped smiling for a second. Then she smiled again. "Yeah, go ahead, have your day."

I squeezed her hand and whispered "Thank you."

And the day was wonderful. No games. No torments. Even Rebecca left me alone.

I made every class on time and I participated and I felt normal.

After gym, I reluctantly went to see Mrs Lane, as I had been instructed. She was waiting for me and gave me a few moments to settle down into my seat before beginning to shrink my head.

"I understand you had a great deal of change in your life last night Carrie." The pretty blonde began.

I guess I was smiling, because she gave me a smile in acknowledgement. "Well, yes. Some good, some bad. It was like I told you it would be, my mom sent me to live with my dad."

"I see. And your father gave you the new car that everyone is so excited about?" Mrs. Lane pressed.

"Well, yes. Apparently..." and I realized, I was about to open up to this woman. How could she have gotten me here this easily? Better make her work for it or she'd be writing a book about how talented she is at getting teens to talk.

"What I mean to say is, I like the car, but I had to move out of my mother's house. I had to move an hour away from school and my best friend. Dad and Kelly have been very nice, I guess making up for the last six years. It's great to have the car and the nice bedroom, but it still sucks. A lot." I finished, hoping to make her feel bad for forcing this on me. She showed no sign of getting my intended anger.

"I understand you made it to all your classes on time and looked more relaxed today than you have seemed in awhile. According to your teachers that I spoke to." Mrs. Lane said. If she only knew the reason I was so relaxed was that I didn't have to play any of Darla's games today.

"Yeah, so can I go back to art class now?" I don't know why I felt like being pissy about it, I was actually in a pretty great mood.

"Let's see how the rest of the week goes." Mrs. Lane suggested. "How do you like school Carrie?"

I actually always did like school before I met Darla and had Rebecca and Courtney to contend with. "I like it." I offered.

"How do you like this school?" she asked.

With the emphasis on this like she had just done, I was rather fish mouthed for a moment. You know, like opening and closing my lips for a few seconds, like a fish trying to breathe water when it is pulled up into air. "I love this school Mrs. Lane. Please don't try to make me switch schools." I did become a bit more polite with that comment. I wasn't sure if she had the power to make me change schools, but I knew I didn't want to do it.

"I have no intention of making you switch schools Carrie, I just wanted to make sure there are no problems with any of the students here that is detracting from your enjoyment of school." She assured me. "However, it is a reality that transferring would significantly lower your driving time and I'm sure you would make new friends at a new school quite easily."

I started breathing faster. I could feel my chest rising and falling and the blood pumping into my ears. I looked Mrs. Lane in the eyes to beg her. "Please don't Mrs. Lane. All my friends are here. My whole life is here. I do not want to switch schools. It's my senior year!"

Mrs. Lane studied me silently for a moment and then offered a nice smile. "Carrie, I was only making a suggestion. I'm not trying to push you to decide either way. You are right, it is your senior year and I think it best you stay and deal with your situation." Mrs. Lane said kindly.

"Would you like to talk about your current situation?" Mrs. Lane then added.

"Wh-what situation?" I asked, a bit confused and concerned about what she might be implying.

"Well, let's start with what happened to change your attitude at school. Was it just discovering that you might be interested in women as opposed to men or was there something else that initiated these recent changes?"

"I..." did she know something? I couldn't imagine she did or she would be a bit more forthcoming. Who knows? Maybe she would call the cops and get me out of this mess. I thought about opening up, but that would just bring too many follow up questions and what the hell would Darla do to me then? Jill said she could make people disappear, I didn't want to find out if that was true. I guess the concern on my face showed and Mrs. Lane broke the long silence.

"Carrie, anything you say to me is confidential. Nobody would ever know. Is there someone coercing you into doing things you don't want to do? Are you afraid of someone? Your parents and I are here to help you. We want to help you."

"What are you talking about?!" I said a bit louder than I felt. I needed to get this woman off the track she was on. "Look, I don't know what you think, but my relationship with Fa..." I caught myself before I gave her Farin's name. "My relationship is completely consensual. Sure, we have had problems, but who doesn't? There is no coercion or fear or whatever it is you are thinking. I love her and she wants me to be open about it and I'm not ready to be the school's gossip by coming out in public. I am fine. I was fine. I will be fine. I don't need or want this conversation with you." Maybe a bit over the edge there, but I was starting to feel backed into a corner and needed to create some space.

"I see." Mrs. Lane answered. "Well, Carrie, I know how difficult it must be for you right now, particularly if your girlfriend is pressuring you to come out with her to the whole school. Is she publicly lesbian? Does the school populous know about her preferences for women?"

"I don't know. Some people do. And some people know about me too. I told my best friend and she flipped out on me when I told her. If she reacted like that, can you imagine what other people would say about me?"

"Yes, I suppose I can imagine that. Carrie, you shouldn't feel pressured to tell the world about your sexual preferences. It is certainly true that it is nobody's business but your own and as long as you and your girlfriend are happy, then that is all that matters. High school is a tough place to be different, I understand that. And it is only for another eight months and you will find college and the rest of your life to be much more open and accepting of differences in behavior. However, I really do think it would be good for you and even your girlfriend to attend some group counseling meetings with other gay and lesbian high school students. I can get you in for next Wednesday evening if you like."

"I don't want to. I don't want to go professing my sexual preferences to a bunch of ... strangers." I almost said something derogatory, but gladly caught myself.

"I'll tell you what Carrie. If you agree to go to these meetings on Wednesdays, I'll let you go back on the cheer squad." Mrs. Lane bribed me.

"Wow. So you are going to use extortion now?" I shot back at her.

"It isn't extortion Carrie. You can still get back on the squad without these meetings, I'm simply providing you with an option to escalate the timing." Mrs. Lane looked at the clock on the wall. "Unfortunately, we are out of time for today. We can talk about it some more tomorrow, give it a thought tonight."

"This really ISN'T helping Mrs. Lane!" I shot as I gathered myself up and headed for the door.

The bell rang as I exited the counselor's office and I went to my locker to deposit what I didn't need for homework tonight and retrieve the books that I would need. I jockeyed through the normal bustling students and felt the occasional brush of a hand against my ass as I worked my way out the front doors.

I walked outside and Darla was there, waiting by my car and I pondered the leniency of security here at my school. I walked up and she smiled and told me to get in, she wanted to see how it handled.

Once we were inside the car, she asked, "So, what happened. And most importantly, what did you tell them. I know Jill said to say whatever you needed to say, I just want to know what to expect. Are the police coming for me?"

I looked at her completely confused and she laughed. "Blackmail is illegal you know?"

"Oh hell Darla, I didn't say anything about that. But, apparently several of my teachers are upset with me showing late to class and being distracted all the time and they complained to the school counselor. I'm off the cheerleading squad for awhile and my mom sent me to live with my dad."

"I told him I'm just going through lesbian stuff and he seemed okay with that. He really seems happy to have me living with him."

She smiled and exhaled loudly. "You did good little girl. You want to end the game or go for it again tomorrow?"

I looked at her. "I have a choice?"

She laughed. "No, I was just hoping you'd say go for it to ease my conscience over your trouble at school. Now, we have an issue. I know you are supposed to pick Julie up after practice, but there is the little matter of the pencils that have to go up your ass right about now." She grinned.

My face dropped instantly. Darla laughed when she saw it.

"Turn left up here." She pointed out an upcoming road. All of the joy of this formerly perfect day was drawn out of me and I suddenly felt miserable.

"W-where are we going?" I stammered.

"Well, we are going to see your good friend Linda." Darla answered with a smirk. She waited through the following silence for my expected follow up question.

"Who is Linda?" I asked.

"Why, Linda is the girl who took those pencils for you. Now she would like to see you suffer the same." Darla said with a bright smile.

"Oh." I turned left and drove down the next block to a stop sign. Darla said nothing, so I continued on straight.