Chapter 1 - The Johnson's
My parents moved to a new town when I was 12 during the summer between my 6th and 7th grades. It was a bad time for me. My hormones were just starting kick in, so I started noticing girls, but was really awkward around them. Being the new kid didn't help with that as I had no friends to talk to about it. One good thing was my next door neighbor. Jocelyn Johnson was in my same grade and I was instantly smitten. The Johnson's were a nice family made up of mom, Heather, and dad, Dan, plus Jocelyn and kid brother Jason, 7. My kid brother Kenny was just a year younger than Jason, so he and Jason started playing together right away.
Jocelyn had dark hair and pale skin and a pouty upturned nose that was super cute. I had hoped that, since Jason and Kenny were playing so much together, I would have some time to get to know Jocelyn. Unfortunately, she wanted nothing to do with me. The few get togethers we had as neighbors those first couple of months she either completely ignored me or just didn't show.
What I hoped was just a short bitchy phase for her lasted for most of high school. I suppose she got a little more friendly over time, but we weren't friends at all. She, of course, didn't know how I obsessed over her. I would steal looks at her in her bikini if she was at her pool. My second room bedroom window could get a decent view into the Johnson's backyard and their pool so I could ogle her from a distance. I rubbed one out standing at my window when Jocelyn was sunbathing more than once in my teenage years.
I suppose we were just in different circles. I was in band and admittedly a bit geeky; she was kind of emo and had a small clique of friends. I was also tall and lanky and didn't grow into my 6'2" frame until the second half of my senior year. That did get me some new looks from girls who never noticed me before, but still nothing from Jocelyn. I dated a few girls in high school, but I was still pretty clumsy around girls for the majority of high school.
Senior year zipped by and soon I was receiving my diploma: Ben Thompson, High School Graduate. Class of 2021.
Soon I was off to college and my first year was good to me. I completed filling out and topped it off with getting to the gym on a regular basis at college. None of the girls knew me as an awkward band geek, so I had my share of dates and finally started to figure out what to do with them sexually. I wouldn't say I was a stud in bed, but my confidence grew throughout the year. In fact, I was feeling pretty confident come May and set a goal for myself for the summer: to bed Jocelyn Johnson.
I planned out a nice routine once back at my parents house. I went back to work at the local hardware store I worked at in high school, about 30 hours a week. Enough to keep busy, but plenty of time to do other things I wanted to do. Ken (he didn't go by Kenny anymore) was 13 now, but, unfortunately, he and Jason weren't really friends anymore. They were still friendly, but just had different interests. So, how would I get things started up with Jocelyn?
Soon after I got back, an opportunity presented itself. I was getting out of my car after getting home from work and Mrs. Johnson was getting out of her car. She was wearing shorts and I tried not to notice how good she looked in them. She went around to the back of the car where she started to grab a bag of groceries.
"Hey, Mrs. Johnson," I called out, "Let me help you." I walked over and grabbed a bag.
"Oh, I can manage, Ben. It's fine," Heather Johnson implored.
"I already got it," I said as I started towards her house. She followed. After another trip to the car, this time with me following her, we had all the bags inside her house. I had never thought about Mrs. Johnson much in my high school years. She was always nice (something that couldn't be said for her daughter), but she was a mom, so she was just kind of "there." Taking a closer look now, I realized where Jocelyn got her good looks. Heather Johnson's hair was not nearly as dark as her daughter's and, of course, her body was more mid-40s appropriate, but really she was quite good looking.
I then helped get the bags from the foyer to the kitchen. Setting down the last bag on the counter, I exclaimed, "Boy, it sure is hot today."
Heather agreed. "It sure is. Would you like something cool to drink? It's the least I could do." After agreeing, she pointed to the bar stool near the counter, "Have a seat. Will water do?"
"Sure. Water's fine."
She poured us two glasses of iced water and set mine in front of me. Taking a seat next to me, she said, "So, how was college this year?"
"Oh, great, Mrs. Johnson. Just great."
"Good, good," she says. "I wish I could say the same for Jocelyn."
Raising an eyebrow, I asked, "Oh yeah? Why is that?"
She paused a moment and said, "Well, it's just, um, Jocelyn has been dealing with a lot of things lately and she wasn't able to concentrate on school very well. A lot of it is her lousy boyfriend."
"Wait? She isn't still seeing Rick, is she?" Rick was the older jerk she started to date her senior year. He clearly didn't treat her well, but she stayed with him until I went off to college at least. I figured she would break it off when she left for school.
"Unfortunately, yes," Heather started. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be sharing all this with you."
"I don't mind. In fact, I was going to ask you how Jocelyn was doing anyway. Well, I was until you just told me she is still with that jerk."
Heather patted me on the leg, "Well, I wish she was with someone nice like you, but Rick has this magnetic hold on her. Honestly I can't figure it out. From ages 12-16, she was an emotional wreck and just when we were coming out of that and she was pseudo-happy and acting normal again, she started to date Rick. She's kind of been up and down since. Mostly down. I've talked to her again and again and tried to get her to break up with him, but, of course, the more I try, the more she resists."
"That sucks, I was really hoping to...", searching for the right word, I finally settled on "...see her this summer."
As if an idea bulb appeared above her head, Heather jumped up and touched my shoulder, "You know, you could help me. The direct approach hasn't worked. But maybe if a cute, muscular guy was around the house, she might lose interest in Rick. You could do little chores and stuff and I'll pay you of course for the actual work. I'm sure a young guy like you could always use a little more money."
I couldn't believe that Mrs. Johnson said I was cute (or that she noticed my muscles). Reddening a bit, I started, "Well, maybe, I guess..."
"You guess? Look, Ben, I'm no dummy. I've seen the way you have looked at Jocelyn all these years. I'm offering to help you out. And you would be helping me out. I know you were, shall we say, awkward in high school, but," she looked me up and down, "You sure as hell have grown out of that stage now."
Struggling to not turn beet red, I said, "Sure, I can come over to help with chores, but won't she get suspicious?"
"I've got an easy answer to that." Heather said, "Dan is gone all week every week for work now. I could use your help cleaning the pool, mowing the lawn, that kind of thing. So, you'll just be here and it will be, you know, organic. So, will you do it?"
I thought about it for a moment or two. What the hell. Why not?
"Sure," I said, thinking that maybe this will work out. She is so excited that she gives me a big hug and I could feel her big breasts push into me. I felt a little embarrassed at the effect it had on me.
Frazzled, I stammered out, "Well, I...I better get going. Here's my number. Text me when you want me to come over. I'm working at the hardware store over the summer, but I should have plenty of time to help out."
I quickly got out of there and spent the rest of the day thinking about how my plan in getting closer to Jocelyn was moving way faster than I thought it would. I also had an additional thing to think about: why did I get excited when Mrs. Johnson hugged me? She's old enough to be my mom!
-------------------------
Chapter 2 - Pool and Lawn Boy