Spontaneous Combustion!

Potential readers, please note, this story is long and there is little sex.

If that is what you are after, there are many good stories of that nature on this site.

If you decide to read it, I hope you do like it.

Many thanks to Pat for his help, assistance and friendship.

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Spontaneous Combustion

I first knew of Tanner Bishop playing youth league basketball. He went to a different grade school than I did. Our teams met at the Boys Club on a Saturday. He was one of those kids that matured early and he was five or six inches taller than the rest of us.

On reflection I thought that my team actually did pretty well against Tanner's team. There was an obvious talent gap. I also noticed that once Tanner's team got way up on us, he started goofing around, showboating, behind the back passes, three point shots, etc. We came back, and though the ultimate result was never in doubt we made it slightly more competitive than it really should have been.

We ended up at the same high school and were both out for freshmen football. That is when I formally met Tanner. Like my initial observation, Tanner was big, athletic and popular out on the football field. Naturally he was the quarterback.

I was trying out for running back. Our coach ran a dual back system. There was a kid named Nat Whitfield that was the fastest kid on our team at one running back. I was the other. I wasn't nearly as fast as Nat, but I blocked well, protected Tanner when he passed, was a decent runner, and could catch a pass coming out of the backfield.

Where Tanner was flashy, I was steady. On defense, Tanner was the middle linebacker and I played safety. There were more than a few times while we were playing defense where he tried for the spectacular sack and I would need to cover for him coming up from my safety position. We were pretty good and I started hanging out with a group of the football players. Of course Tanner was the center of this particular clique.

They say opposites attract, and though Tanner and I had a lot in common, personality wise we were close to opposite. He was the loud, popular outgoing kid. I in contrast was slightly introverted, steady, and certainly not flamboyant.

Somehow we became good friends.

Tanner was smart, but didn't pay attention all the time. Many an occasion I was sharing my class notes or doing a last minute tutoring session to help him with an upcoming test. Normally the reason for his lack of attention in class was some girl.

The payback I got for my scholastic assistance was to be in Tanner's solar system socially. After school, at lunch, at a high school dance - there always seems to be a crowd of girls and guys near Tanner. I was tight in that social circle. Don't get me wrong I was no nerd but compared to Tanner we all looked a little paler. Through this association I became a member of the popular crowd.

During the first few years of high school neither of us had a girlfriend. We did all the socially coed things that happen in high school, but no permanent companions. That all changed junior year.

Out of the blue, and I'm still not sure how it started Tanner had a girlfriend, Anna Marie Dubois. Anna went to Saint Cecilia's, the Catholic High School across town. The fact that she did not go to our school and she was from a Catholic school created a local exoticness to her. Her looks contributed to that exotic persona.

Anna was medium tall about 5'7. She had dark, nearly black hair. Her skin was olive and she had an attractive heart shaped face. Slightly almond shaped eyes and full lips. Very pretty, but it was her body that impressed me. Shapely, with a trim waist and athletic firm physique.

The Homecoming dance was coming up and Tanner was obviously taking the beautiful Anna. I did not have a date. One day, a week or so before the dance, Tanner and I were in the cafeteria.

"Got a date for the dance next week Max?" Tanner asked me.

I sensed he had an agenda. Though I did consider him a close friend, perhaps my best friend, his interest in my well-being was seldom verbalized. It was a bit unusual for him to inquire about my status for the dance.

"No, nothing yet." I told him. There were a lot of great girls we went to high school with, but no one had specifically stuck out for me.

"In that case, Anna's got this friend, Mia. She's really cute and she's not dating anyone now." Tanner told me.

"Tanner, I don't know her, I've never seen her, she doesn't know me," I told him, "but what does she look like?" I asked. I guess I was interested.

Turns out Mia Battle was also a junior at Saint Cecilia's. Where Anna was athletically built and taller, Mia was petite. Where Anna was a gorgeous babe, Mia would likely be considered "cute". Petite, shapely, and cute.

We first met at a McDonalds. Tanner and I came together. Mia came with Anna. I guess physically I passed some kind of test with Mia and she certainly did for me too. We went to homecoming the following Saturday double dating with Tanner and Anna.

That night after the dance I told Mia I'd had a good time. She said she did too. I liked her. She was fun and funny and the fact that she went to a different school gave her a certain mysterious standing at our high school. Through Tanner I learned that she liked me too. We began to date.

Saint Cecilia's had a Christmas Formal. I guess since it was a religious school they could get away with saying "Christmas". In our politically correct high school any December pageantry had to be labeled "Winter".

Nonetheless this was a big deal at Saint Cecilia's and both Tanner and I were asked to go by our respective dates. This dance was not in some crappy high school gymnasium, this was at the ballroom of the Hilton downtown.

We entered the ballroom, Tanner, Anna, Mia and I, and I was unprepared for the hostility from the male Saint Cecilia's attendees. We were treated as if we were raiding marauders from a different village intent on stealing their women. There were some comments as we walked through and not a friendly male face did I see.

I was dancing with Mia and this kid, dark haired and stocky, cut into my dance. I politely relinquished Mia for the dance. After two dances she joined me at our table. Later we were dancing again, and the same kid tried to cut in again.

"Michael, I'm dancing with my date, Max," she said. "I already danced with you."

"Just one more dance Mi," he asks and tried to move in, bumping me a bit, while staring at Mia.

"Hey" I said and shoved him away. "She doesn't want to dance with you." I told him.

With that, Michael, turned on me with anger and malice in his eyes and hit me square on the chin. I saw stars for a second but didn't go down. Before he could hit me again I had tackled him bringing him to the ground. Mia is screaming at both of us and Michael's buddies get involved. I felt hands grab me and pull me off. He got in one good kick as I was pulled away from him.

Now two of Michael's buddies had me by the arms and he still had that same angry look in his eyes as he moved toward me. Just then Tanner stepped in. I described how Tanner was one of the bigger kids in middle school, he still is big and has that authoritative presence. He shoved Michael away forcefully and commanded Michael's buddies to let me go. One of the chaperones arrived at this moment also. The fight, if you could call it that, was officially over.

The chaperones consulted and I noticed one of Michael's buddies talking to one of the chaperones, likely a parent. The adult is nodding, as if in agreement. The net upshot of the incident: Tanner and I are kicked out of the dance. Any protests we tried to make are quickly shut down. They have the home field advantage.

Mia and Anna graciously exit with us.

As I walk out I hear Michael say, "See you later tough guy."

We make eye contact as the four of us leave the ballroom.

I'm not used to having enemies. Even on the sports fields I try to be a good sport and shake my opponent's hand no matter how acrimonious the games become. This is a new experience.

Tanner and Anna laugh as we exit. Mia is clinging proprietarily to me as we all leave the Hilton.

"It's still early, and we didn't get much food at the dance" Tanner proclaims, "Let's go to Bernie's Cafe." He says.

We pile into a booth at the cafe and we talk a little about the dance.

"Max, thank you for protecting me," Mia told me as she hugged me.

Tanner and Anna were laughing about the "fight".

"You really showed them, Tiger," Tanner laughingly commented. "Who was that asshole anyway?" He asked.

"Just some guy," Mia said.

"A little more than just SOME GUY." Anna added. And then she gave us the whole story.

The guy, Michael Ameche, had been Mia's boyfriend most of her sophomore year. Over the summer she caught him hanging around with some other girl and they broke up. He has been trying to get Mia back ever since the summer.

"Let's not talk about Michael," Mia interjected. "You're my boyfriend now." Mia proclaimed as she snuggled up next to me on the bench in the cafe.

Boyfriend! Apparently all it took was to push some guy around, take a punch and now my status changed from 'dating' to 'boyfriend'..

It seems like the confrontation with Michael Ameche impressed Mia, she was more attentive and seemed happier to be with me.

We sat around for a while eating our food and chatting. I had not spent all that much time around Anna before. I noticed that beyond her looks she was a nice and considerate person too. She wanted to know if I was hurt from the 'fight' and seemed concerned. I assured her all was fine.

We ended up having a pretty good time after all. Despite the fact that we got kicked out of the dance, we still had fun.

I also was discovering how much I liked Mia. I saw a different side of her that night. A good side. Perhaps I was starting to fall in love with her. And I also could tell her feelings for me were growing too.

I know, I know, just an innocent high school romance, but to me it was deeper than that. As the weeks passed I quickly realized the times with Mia were the best moments.

Beyond the fun of hanging out with Mia our relationship evolved too. I got to know her family and she mine. We did normal relationship things. Dinner with her family, events with mine, double dating with Tanner and Anna, and lots of fun, normal relationship activities.

We also talked of the future. Junior year was when you started getting ready for college. SAT's, applications and campus tours. In my mind our relationship was an ongoing part of the future. Perhaps for Mia these thoughts weren't quite so strong.

— — — — — — — — — —

I was an only child. My parents and I were pretty close. Ours was not a large teaming family. My Dad had one sister who lived near us. My Mom's family was from the Midwest, we didn't see them often.

My Dad had his own insurance agency, John Early Insurance. This summer I began working in his office from 8 AM to noon three days per week. The other two days of the work week I helped at my Aunt Helen's house.

Aunt Helen had never married and lived in my grandparent's old house with a huge lot in what was once the suburbs. The urban growth boundary had passed Helen's property years ago. All around her there were newer neighborhoods. Her house stood in the center of the large multi acre lot. Many developers had inquired about this ever valuable piece of land. Helen had no intention of selling it.

I was close to Aunt Helen but she was odd. She was constantly - I'm not sure if you'd call it whispering or humming, but this noise was always emanating from her under her breath. I got used to it but it was kind of weird.

With all this land there was always something to do. When I would show up to help she would hand me my list of chores for that particular day. She was always nice, pleasant and I could tell she liked me, but she never paid me a dime and she never thanked me when I had finished. She always gave me an ice cream sandwich before I left. That was it.

One day after returning from Aunt Helen's I said to my Dad. "She never pays me anything."

"Don't worry, you'll get paid." My Dad told me.

I wondered what he meant.

Between my work at my dad's office, helping Aunt Helen and working out on my own for football, my summer was busy. I still had time for Mia. I would try to see her every night if possible, but it normally worked out to a few times a week. In retrospect things were good between Mia and I, they just weren't progressing.

At the end of the summer, before football practice started, my family took a two week road trip to California. We took a trip every year somewhere. I was less excited about it this year. I would miss Mia.

Once back from the vacation, football practice started. Tanner and I would drive to practice together and I realized that I had not seen much of him over the summer.

"How's Anna?" I asked him driving home on Monday.

"She's history." Tanner casually told me.

"WHAT!?" I replied. "When did this happen, how come you didn't tell me, why?" I peppered him with questions. I was shocked at all this.

"Easy, Max," Tanner chuckled at my consternation. "Hey, we're going to be seniors, I didn't want to be tied down my last year of high school." He explained.

"But, jeez Tanner," I said. "Anna's beautiful and so nice. She's perfect." I proclaimed.

"Whoa," He said. "Sounds like Max has a little crush on Anna?" He looked over and smiled at me.

"Tanner!" I said. "It's not like that, it's just you guys seemed perfect together. I thought that this was long term for you and Anna." I told him.

"Max, we're in high school." He said. "These high school things don't last. There's a lot of girls out there. Sure, Anna is great, but we're way too young to settle down. Ten years from now, maybe. But not now." He explained.

I silently thought about what he said as we drove home. I thought about Tanner and all these girls. I thought about Mia and our future. And I also thought about the beautiful Anna.

I picked up Mia Saturday evening after the first full week of football. I had not had alone time with her since before the trip to California with my parents. I was eager to spend some time with her.

Mia seemed happy to see me, just a little reserved. Probably a small adjustment after being apart I thought. We drove around and chatted about my vacation and back to school stuff. Pretty innocent.

After I took her back to her home, I couldn't help but think that things were a little off. Maybe we had just been apart too long. Could be a slight adjustment, I thought.

The following week I called and tried to bring our relationship back to the comfortable normalcy of earlier. Something was still off. I asked her what was up?

"I've just been busy, back to school and everything," she said. "My mom's been driving me crazy." She added.

"Got it." I said, but I still could tell something else was up. "So are we good for Saturday night?" I asked, trying to firm up our standing date.

"Um, I don't know," she said "I think so, I'll let you know." And that was that.

Before I had a chance to ask any more questions she made some sort of excuse and got off the phone. We definitely were not back to normal.

Saturday morning and I still had not heard back from Mia. I called once, no reply. I decided that I would go directly to her house at our normal time.

Her Mom answered the door. I had always gotten along with Mrs. Battle. She looked at me with a puzzled look on her face.

"Max?" She said.

"Hi, Mrs Battle." I said.

"Mia's not home Max." She told me.

She had a confused look on her face and it was like she wanted to tell me something, thought about it, and decided to stay silent.

"I'll tell Mia you stopped by." And with that she shut the door.

I did not miss the pitying expression on her face as the door was closing.

During Mia and my relationship one thing we always did well was communicate. If I texted her, she would reply quickly. When we would talk about issues, challenges, small problems, that kind of thing, we always talked through them. This was different. She was shutting me out.

For a few moments I just sat in my car. The Mia I knew and had become so close to would not be treating me like this. We had talked of the future. We had talked of coordinating our college plans. On a few occasions we also spoke of the future together after college. Careers, houses, marriage and even children. Obviously something was changing. I just did not know what.

I finally left and went home. I was numb. One thing I told myself I would not do was call her over and over. As much as I wanted to know what was going on I would not be some pathetic, desperate boyfriend who sacrificed his masculinity. I told myself I would not contact her unless I heard from her first.

I thought through all her actions, the signs, the unspoken feelings. Unfortunately the logical conclusion was that we were breaking up, she just hadn't had the decency to formalize the split.

Our first football game was Friday against Roosevelt. During practice that week I was in a fog. I wasn't concentrating, I did not play aggressively, I was on the verge of being benched. Somehow I summoned up enough energy to continue starting. But barely.

We won the game but it was a lot closer than it should have been. Roosevelt was not very good. I definitely did not play well. I was supposed to be the brains of the defense. Poor execution on my part contributed to the closeness of the game.

During the following week I received minimal communication from Mia. I grew weary of asking "what's going on", "are you upset", etc. One thing I promised myself was that I was not going to get whiny, or beg her to talk to me. She just insisted that she was busy.

The following week we lost our football game to Regis. We should have beaten them by two touchdowns. In fact last year we had beaten them 34-10. Anyway I analyzed the game, my poor play contributed to the loss.

Our next opponent was none other than Saint Cecilia's. The Saint Cecilia Crusaders were a known sports powerhouse. It was a private school and they recruited talent. Our team, Washington, had a bit of a rivalry with the Crusaders. I wondered if Mia would be at the game. Our communication had virtually stopped over the past week.

We kicked off and they scored almost immediately. But then we scored 7-7 at the end of the first quarter. Their offense was led by their all-league quarterback, Gabriel Dante. Their bruising running back was Michael Ameche. The same guy that I got into it with at the Christmas Formal. Ameche was a muscular, straight forward power runner.

The Crusaders scored early in the second quarter. Our offense could not get any traction against the tough Crusader defense. The quarter was winding down and the Crusaders offense was driving.

It was first and goal at our nine yard line. We all thought Dante was going to pass, instead it was a draw play to Ameche. They double teamed Tanner, so he was out of the play. I saw the handoff to Ameche. I moved to fill the hole with a bit of hesitancy. Ameche dipped his head as we met and ran right over me for the touchdown. As I was lying on the turf, the jubilant Ameche ran over and stood above me trash talking.

"Hey tough guy," he smacked, "not so tough now. Nice tackle. I'm sure Mia loved watching that play, huh, tough guy." He laughingly added as his teammates surrounded him.

Mia, I thought. What does this have to do with Mia?

Halftime in the locker room and we're down 21-7. Tanner stood up and addressed the team.

"WE PLAYED LIKE SHIT IN THE FIRST HALF!" He proclaimed. "WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS. THAT TEAM IS NOT THAT GOOD. FOCUS AND WE WILL WIN." He went on. "DO NOT LET THIS TEAM RUN OVER US!"