Jason reached his room and shut the door behind him, breathing heavily. He couldn't believe that had happened, that he had done that. He leaned his back against the door and slowly slid down until he was sitting. He looked at his hand, at the ring he wore on his finger.
It was true. It wasn't a joke or some sort of hoax. Everything that the card had said was true.
Jason looked over at the box, still open on his bed. His eyes widened, and he scrambled to his feet and ran over to it. He closed the lid and looked around wildly, searching for a hiding spot. He went to his wardrobe, and put it in an old bag on the top shelf. Short notice, but it would have to do. He couldn't leave it lying around, what if his mother found it?
What was he going to do, he couldn't use this, could he? He looked down at the hand that had just been groping his aunt Sarah. He could do that again, and more...
He shook himself, trying to banish the thought. No, he couldn't.
He hated his aunt. He was sure someone would notice if he was suddenly spending time with her, let alone...
No, he would have to leave it. If he didn't reinforce his aunt with any further behaviour, the effects would supposedly fade. It wouldn't be that hard to avoid her anyway, he thought wryly. He pretty much did that as a matter of course.
Jason thought of how she had looked - fresh out of the shower, in that skimpy robe, and had a twinge of regret but he quickly quashed it. This was the right thing to do.
Resolute, he took hold of his ring and tried to take it off. He pulled even harder than he had the first time, but it didn't budge at all. He frowned at it, and twisted it gently; it turned on his finger smoothly without catching on anything. It wasn't stuck, it just didn't want to come off. Maybe it wouldn't come off while someone was wearing the silver band? Jason looked at the coloured gems curiously. At least they would be a good indicator of how long he would have to avoid Sarah.
"Jason! Are you home?" His mother called from downstairs.
He decided he better go downstairs and greet her. Jason took a few deep breaths, shaking off the last remnants of earlier, then left his room.
"There you are." Helen smiled at him as he came down the stairs. "How was your day?"
"Not bad." Jason mumbled back, not entirely up to normal conversation.
"That's good." Helen said cheerily, placing some bags on the kitchen counter. "Have you had dinner yet?"
"Not yet."
"I suppose Sarah was too busy again." Helen sighed. "Is she home?"
"Upstairs I think." Jason said briefly. He busied himself at the counter, not really doing anything, just trying to appear busy; normal. He had thought he could do it, come downstairs and act like nothing had happened. But it was hard, he had so many different things on his mind. He heard his mother pause behind him and walk over.
"Jason?" She asked him softly. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Jason said, thinking quickly. "Just, you know. School."
"Hmm." She murmured. "Well, make sure you come to me if something is bothering you. Okay?"
Jason nodded quickly, not trusting himself to be able to say anything that wouldn't give his mother further cause for worry. Just then, Sarah came down the stairs to join them. It was probably the first time in his life that he had been glad to see his aunt.
"Hey sis." Sarah said, perhaps more subdued than she normally was, but not overly noticeable. She had changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. She went to the kitchen table and flopped herself down on one of the chairs.
"Sarah." Helen frowned at her younger sister slightly. "I asked you to make sure Jason had dinner tonight didn't I?"
"Sorry. I -" Sarah paused, and flushed slightly. To his horror, she actually glanced up at Jason, a beseeching look on her face. To say that was out of character for her was an understatement.
"It's alright." Jason said hurriedly. "I got home late anyway. Lost track of time."
Helen looked at them both thoughtfully. Jason realised he had actually stood up for his aunt - certainly something he had never done before!
"I see." Helen said, a quizzical note in her voice. "Anyway, I brought home some stir-fry."
Helen unpacked the dinner she had brought home and placed it on the table. It wasn't the first time she had just assumed that her sister wouldn't have done as she had asked, and looked after her son. Soon they were all sitting around the table eating.
It was a quiet meal, the conversation muted, with only Helen trying to keep Jason and Sarah talking. Jason tried for his mothers sake, but couldn't really seem to muster up anything other than simple answers.
Suddenly, Jason felt something brush his leg. He jumped, covering it with a cough when his mother looked at him. He felt it again, and looked across at his aunt; she had her head down, but she was glancing up at him frequently. It happened once again, but this time it stayed, moving up and down his leg. He couldn't believe it, she was rubbing his leg with her foot, right there at the table with his mother sitting next to them!
Jason glared across at his aunt when his mother looked away. Sarah's eyes widened at his dark expression, and the movement of her foot paused. Then she bit her bottom lip, and started up again, this time her foot going higher, reaching his inner thigh.
Jason sat there rigid, panicking. His mother was surely going to notice any second. Sarah's foot had reached his crotch, and once there she let it rest.
"You alright hun?" Helen asked Jason.
