Valerie Hates Dan

He walked me to my car and then followed me home. I don't know where he expected me to go, or what he thought would make me stay at home once he left. I half expected him to take away my car keys once we got to my house, but he didn't. He didn't walk me to my door either, which was probably just as well since 'Ris was waiting to pounce. As were my parents.

"So is it true? That nice boy Daniel McAllister saved your life?" My mother never understood why I hadn't liked him.

"I thought you weren't friends," My dad pointed out.

"What happened to you?" 'Ris wanted to know, pointing at my pants.

"I-uh- spilled something," I lied. My sister didn't look convinced, but my mother was too busy extolling Daniel's virtues to my father who was now totally uninterested since the Flyer's Game had started. 'Ris was still eyeing me. Thankfully, my mother started in on a comparison of John and Daniel. According to my mother, they were both excellent, but my sister kept insisting that John was way better. She even told mother to ask ME which areas Daniel beat John, but mother just waved her hand and I made my escape to bed. I was too tired.

I woke up refreshed and invigorated, but still stumped over what to do. Maybe I should confront 'Ris if nothing else. About John. Maybe Daniel's threat was empty- but could I take that chance? And maybe I could forget how it felt to actually be aroused and caressed and tortured.

Daniel had told me I had to be at his place before work, but he didn't say how much earlier, so I decided to take the spare time I had to talk to 'Ris. If she believed me, maybe she could help me figure everything out. She had as much-if not more- social sway than Dan. If she didn't believe me... well, life couldn't be too much worse than it already was, could it?

'Ris was exactly where I expected- in her own bathroom, doing whatever morning beauty rituals she felt were necessary to stay beautiful. I never understood the makeup stiff. 'Ris was gorgeous without it, just like she was skinny without all the weird diets she tried out. But 'Ris insisted that she needed her foundation, blush, eye shadow, eye liner, mascara, lipstick and lip liner before she felt ready for the day. Sometimes she tried to do my face; I usually escaped. My idea of makeup was some lip gloss.

"Hey, 'Ris," I said hesitantly as I watched her apply mascara to her left eye.

"Yeah?" She asked, glancing at me. Only one eye was done so far.

"Can we talk?" I half hoped she would say no. My palms were sweaty and I had some major butterflies.

"Sure," she replied. She sounded friendly enough this morning.

"I stayed in the doorway in case she grew claws and fangs and I needed to make a hasty getaway.

"'Ris, I have something to tell you. And... it's not easy, but I SWEAR I'm telling the truth and that I had nothing to do with it." I caught a glance of my face I the mirror. My eyes were wide with pleading and sincerity.

"What?" She asked, still applying her makeup.

"The other day when I was walking home from work, I ran into John. And... he... John kissed me." Silence. I waited. Silence. And then her eyes narrowed.

"MY John?" Her tone was disbelieving, but she didn't sound upset or shocked.

"Yes."

"I can't believe it," she turned towards me and I got ready to comfort her, but it turns out she wasn't upset about him, "Is this why you're dating that SCUM Dan? My John rejected you and you had to get the first guy you found? Are you THAT jealous of me? That desperate that you need MY boyfriend?!"

'Ris," I pleaded, "I'm telling the truth."

"What- You couldn't have him so I can't either? Is that it?"

"I'm not interest-"

"Forget it, Valerie! Get OUT of my bathroom and go have fun with Dan McAllister!" She shoved me out of her bathroom and slammed to door in my face. I heard the click of the lock a second later. I dragged myself, defeated, downstairs and glanced at the clock. Ten minutes until work! Where had the time gone? According to my watch, I'd have to teleport there. I could make it ti my job at eleven on the dot, but there was no way I had time to stop at Daniel's.

Oh well, I had no time to worry about it either. I got to work with a minute to spare and tried to push Daniel out of my mind as I rang up customers and helped people find what they were looking for.

I was in aisle six A, straightening out the bottles of Ruffino Chianti when I turned around, face to face with Mr. McAllister. I blinked and he stared at me coldly. With a slight gasp, I dropped my gaze to the beige tiled floors.

"You're alive," he stated dryly, "I figured when you disobeyed direct orders so deliberately, you were dead. Or fatally ill." I kept my eyes aimed on the floor and didn't speak.

I saw two pairs of feet approaching. I glanced up for only a second to confirm that the shoes belonged to Daniel and Gloria. Both were looking at me just as angrily as Mr. McAllister and I felt like crying.

"Do you have an explanation?" Daniel asked in a clipped tone.

"Not a good one, Sir. I lost track of time," he sighed, displeased.

"Is there a problem here?" My favorite manager Bryan asked from behind me. Thank Goodness for cameras!

"No, we were just looking for a nice chianti. How's the Ruffino?"

"It's decent. If you follow me, I can show you some nicer ones." Mr. McAllister indicated that Bryan should show him the way and Gloria followed him, leaving me all alone with Daniel.

I don't think I'd ever seen him look quite so angry.

"Give me your keys," Terrified, I handed them over.

"I'll pick you up after work."

"Yes, Sir," I mumbled. He pocketed my keys and with one last ice cold stare that sent shivers down my spine, he turned and walked away. I was in deep, deep trouble.

I couldn't really concentrate on work much after that. I pointed a lady the wrong way to Yellow Tail Shiraz, dropped a bottle of Menage A Trois Merlot and accidentally rang up a guy for a case of Grey Goose when in fact, he only bought one bottle. I would've missed that mistake too if the customer hadn't brought up that $363 seemed steep for one bottle. Luckily, he wasn't too angry.

After that little incident, Bryan pulled me aside.

"Vals, are you okay? Your work has been off all day, and you're usually one of our best part-timers."

"I'm not feeling great," I said truthfully.

"Do you want to go home?" He sounded concerned. "I'm sure Jackie or Vanessa can cover you. Or Jay, he's always eager for extra hours."

"No, I'm okay."

"Are you sure? You look a little pale." I'm sure I did.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I'm sorry for being a little distracted. I'll pay more attention," I promised. The last thing I wanted to do was cut my work day short.

At seven PM, I clocked out and Daniel's car was waiting for me right outside. I got in the car.

"How was work?" He asked with a smirk.

"Fine, Sir," I lied. He made a derisive noise, but offered up no further comment. I waited to see if I was in for another scolding, but he said nothing.

My car was parked in front of his house. Once inside, we proceeded up to his room.

"Sit," he ordered pointing to the desk. I made my way over. Above the desk was hanging a white board. This was new. It was divided into three columns that were labeled L,M, and S respectively. Under the 'M' was one tally mark. The other two columns were devoid of any marks.

"Do you like my new board?" He asked. "It's a record of the punishments you have coming to you. You have one medium one. Do you know what it's for?"

"Forgetting to-"

"We'll discuss that later. This is from yesterday!"

"For kicking you and struggling, Sir?"

"Very good. Now, I have that punishment all planned out, but it will have to come a little later. Please grab your backpack and meet me at the bed," I got up to get it when he said, "No. Crawl there. Grab the backpack with your teeth and crawl to the bed." I dropped at once to my hands and knees and crawled over to the backpack. I grabbed it gingerly with my teeth and brought it to the bed.

"Drop." I let it go and it fell on the floor with a soft thump.

"Good girl," he said and patted me once on the head. It took me by surprise to find that I actually enjoyed his praise and meaningless reward of a kind touch.

He then picked up the backpack to pull out the ball gag. I opened up before he could even ask me to, desperate to avoid pain and somewhat eager for more approval. He nodded his head at me and again I couldn't help but be a little proud, but that all disappeared when he told me to lay on the bed naked. Still, I started to undress, removing my shirt, my bra and my pants. After all, he'd seen all those parts, why hide? I knew I had promised myself to be stronger today, but once I was actually in his presence, it was different. One part of me was terrified to displease him, the other part of me sort of wanted to obey.

"I said naked," he reminded me when he saw me hesitating with my panties. He pulled out his knife and I discarded them without another quibble. I laid down like he asked, acutely self-conscious.

"You don't shave," he noted. I knew where he meant and I shook my head, mute. He motioned for me to follow him and with another look, I knew he meant for me to crawl after him. He stopped at the bathroom and ordered me to sit on the bath ledge.

Then he came at me with a razor and shaving cream. I reared back, slipping and hitting my head against the bath tub floor with a 'Crack!'