Then he went silent for a long time and sighed.
"Also, I held back money for booze that should have been used to give you a better life."
That it seemed, was pretty much all. So about a thousand times better than anyone else had done for her. At least until recently. Darla had helped her a lot, and Keeley had put in time, but Mike had been there for years. Day in and day out. Drunk or not.
She smiled and finished her coffee, standing. Instead of answering what he said directly, since she still couldn't see it as his fault, she put her cup away, as he clearly waited for a response.
"I'm really proud of you. Doing this. It's the right thing to do."
She couldn't think of anything else to say, so just left, hoping it was enough for now. She doubted it, but she could hope.
So, armed with that bit of information, Becky expected the rest of the day to be a bore. After all, that Mike was trying to stop drinking, and was serious enough about it to try and get help, that was huge. It was the kind of thing she would have never have even thought about. But here it was, right in front of her, leaving her unbalanced. Still, school was school and it didn't change that much.
Not until lunch, when several things took place all at once. All of them odd and strangely pressing on her, in one way or another.
First, and it was kind of a big deal to her, Marty Simmons stalked over to their table, his eyes looking upset. Not just a little, but like he was about to cry, which was really out of place on the large football player.
"Darla, tell everyone about what really happened at Darren's party! They all think I was with some guy." There was anger there, but also fear, as he looked around, thinking that he knew the real truth.
After all, there
had
been that note. Becky had seen it. So, very clearly, had Marty.
Darla just shrugged.
"You want everyone to really know what happened? Are you sure?" It was a bit wicked of her. More than a little. Worse, she turned to Becky and winked. That got everyone to snicker, for one reason or another.
Then before she could say anything at all, Sue walked up behind him, her right fist clenched. She was dressed like everyone else was, except for Darla and Barb. T-shirts and jeans. There were a few sweaters around, but Marty seemed surprised when the tough looking girl punched his arm.
"I can tell you what happened you jerk! I passed out and you nearly raped me on the sofa. If these girls hadn't saved me I'd be a laughing stock. Worse than that.
That's
what happened." Then she punched him again, and some of the guys laughed.
It wasn't a good thing though. It was the kind of sound that boys made when they thought that girls sort of deserved to be raped. A chuckle that was dark and made it seem like someone that couldn't say no was fair game. That people at the table she was sitting at were the ones doing it made Becky more than a little mad herself.
It was enough for her to run with the plan, which she did, trying to fight the anger out of her voice.
"Right, so we got him to the little back room and left him with that guy. Marty passed out and then we had to leave." It was the truth, minus the fact that there hadn't been anyone there with them.
Darla nodded.
"After that, we have no clue what happened. Why?
Did
something happen? I can flat out tell everyone that you weren't going to be able to do anything. You were just out."
That was true enough, so Becky nodded. He really wouldn't have been up to much.
Marty shook his head.
"No. No. I was just making out with Sue and then you came... I'd only had a few beers, not enough to make me pass out. Someone must have drugged me."
There was a gasp from down the table and Eve covered her mouth in shock and Keeley looked like she'd seen a ghost or something along those lines.
She spoke, her voice horrified. It sounded good too. Real.
"Marty... That guy then, with the red hair... He wasn't doing that to you with your permission? We thought, I mean, you know, that you
wanted
it. You were just sitting there..." That got Hally to seem really freaked out too, but she didn't say anything as Marty made a pretty big mistake.
"What was he doing?"
Keeley blushed and looked away, which meant Eve stepped in. The girl had no sense of shame after all. It was one of her better traits, Becky decided, since it meant she didn't crack up when she spoke, not even a little bit.
"He was blowing you. Really going to town too. I mean, I watched for a bit, since it was
kind
of a turn on. I got some technical pointers too. You just looked into it though. Kicked back and sprawled, you know how guys get. The whole eyes rolling back thing?" Her own eyes seemed nearly black in the dim florescent lighting, making her seem a bit otherworldly for a moment.
Instead of denying it, he just looked a bit sick and ran out, which changed the tone in the room, a lot. Other people had seen it after all and Sue was in shock.
"He was raped? I..." She didn't laugh or pretend it was funny at all, just following him.
The others all looked too shocked by the whole thing. Including the ones that Becky knew for a fact were in on it. Poor Marty.
Then again he really had been about to do much the same thing to Sue. Only for real. There was a kind of justice to it. More, it might help him learn not to let himself get too drunk, which was the real plan.
Before they could recover, as a group, Mitch walked up, standing behind her, sort of hovering over Maria, who was next to her, gamely trying to eat her sandwich. When Becky looked over he didn't glare, just glancing at her. Then Keeley. There was still longing in his eyes, but he looked away from the dark haired girl, his face blank for a bit.
"Hey, Becky, I was wondering if I could have a word with you?" He looked around and then smiled, a little sheepishly. "Alone I mean?"
She didn't have anything to pack up, food having not been on the menu much for her anyway. Standing she waved at everyone else, her face fighting a grin. After all, Keeley had told her to be ready for this to happen. She blushed a little, since she'd also told her to let him know that she'd be willing to do stuff with him, if they went out. It...
Well, it was time for her to grow up a bit, wasn't it? She had at least some experience now, thanks to Kyle and knew that sex could be fun, without meaning she was pure evil or going to drink constantly. She decided to give it a try, as they walked out the front door of the cafeteria and out into the lawn in front of Raintree. There were a few people there, so they kept going. They weren't alone, strictly speaking, but got past the end of the building, so that no one would be able to hear them.
Mitch grinned at her, which sent a thrill through her middle.
"I heard what you all were saying, is that true?"
"What?"
"About Marty Simmons, that... You and Darla Gibson didn't take turns giving him head at that party?"
"Oh, yeah, you thought it was true? I mean, why?"
That got him to blush a bit and then shrug himself.
"I was kind of hoping that you'd both do me next. It sounds like fun. Maybe you could come over to my place, after school? My parents won't be home until five. I... Well, if you aren't doing things like that though..."
Becky nearly just said yes, and only her new job and busy schedule stopped her. It wasn't until a few seconds later that she caught something in what he'd said. It wasn't an invitation out on a date, or to go steady, or even just come and watch television, so they might have a chance to do something like that. He'd flat out asked her to come over to
blow
him. Just because the idea had come into his head, and he thought that she just
would
. Because she was only Becky.
"Wait... so, you couldn't be bothered to do more than see me once a week for months, to use my discount at work, but you hear a rumor that I
might
put out and you want in on it?
That's
the way to make a girl feel loved." She wasn't showing how upset she was yet. It was going to happen though.
Mitch was
supposed
to have been being better than that.
"What? We're friends, I just meant, if you wanted, I wouldn't say no." There was a lack of charm, and he seemed awkward and ungainly suddenly. His loud shirt not nearly as counter-trendy as she used to think, and his stupid camo pants just looking like he didn't care, not like he was making a statement.
"Ah. So, what about asking me out? Dating? If I blow you, will you want to date? I can't believe that everyone was right about you. You really
are
kind of a prick. You know what's worse? I really was going to do it. I was going to ask you out and suck you off, just so that you'd finally
like
me. You know what? Forget it. I'm worth more than that. You haven't seen that in me for years, and it isn't going to change now is it? I really liked you too. I mean really." She wished that she could have said that he'd changed, but that wasn't true.
She
had. Somewhere in the last weeks she'd actually grown a spine, at least when it came to him.
"I... Becky, I don't know what you're talking about. We hung out occasionally, but it wasn't anything more than that. I didn't do anything to make you think that I liked you more than as a friend, did I?"
"No... That's true. Really, you barely did even that much. I'm done with this. You know what?" She turned to walk away, but then smiled and spun in place. Facing him again. "Thank you."
The boy rubbed at his slightly messy hair. It was short, but like everything about him, it was just a bit unkempt. Clean, but not as tidy as she liked. It was like she could finally see him now for what he was. A person that had never really cared for her much at all.
"For what?" At least he sounded baffled enough for her to feel good about.
"Um, well, for showing me who you really were. This was all my fault. I let you treat me like I wasn't important, just there to do things for you. Yeah, you were the one that took advantage of me, but
I
let it happen, and it's my responsibility to not let people abuse me like that. So, yeah, I'm not coming over to blow you. You really should have asked two years ago, before I learned all this. Self-esteem, who knew?"
Then she walked away. Not stalking, not even feeling bad about it. To tell the truth, it was like a weight had lifted from her shoulders. She was... Free.
For years she'd been locked in a prison of her own making, carrying Mitch behind her constantly, like a ball and chain, and now she just wasn't. It hadn't been instant, but even though it hurt, knowing that he didn't like her that way, it was better, somehow. Like she could move on now.
The bell rang about then, so she headed off to her next class. Wondering what the rest of the day would bring. The people in the hallway all seemed so young suddenly. Not like children, but like people that would let themselves be carried away by emotions, without trying to manage them at all. From her lofty position of being free from that, for a whole... It must have been a minute by that point, she smiled.
Then she got to work, heading to class. After all, worked up or not, she had things to do. Grades to keep up, and then work after school. She kept her head down in class, but paid attention and did what she was supposed to, wondering what would happen after school. It was sort of her first day of work at Coretechs after all. She vaguely knew where the office building was downtown. It was a huge thing, being the national headquarters.
It turned out that she didn't need to bother with that at all, since a very good looking man who seemed to be about forty, and was wearing a gray suit, with shiny black shoes. It looked expensive and out of place there. He waited for her on her own doorstep, up a flight of stairs.
"Becky? I don't know if you remember me? We met at my daughter's house on Christmas? Dan Carmichael." The hand came out smoothly, to shake. "Mrs. Gibson assigned you to me for the next few months. Mainly so that you can use one of our scholarships. Today we have some paperwork to go over. Shall we go in?"
Becky wasn't certain that was a good idea at all, not knowing what would happen inside, but the place wasn't trashed, and if not tidy, didn't reek of booze for once. Probably because it was all gone. Mike may have dumped it, she realized. Her mother was on the one good chair though, sober herself for once. Blinking at them tiredly as they walked through the door.
"Hey sweetie? Who's your friend?"
Becky nearly froze, but it wasn't a bad question, was it? She hadn't asked if this was her new sugar daddy, or suggested that they could close the door on her bedroom. Yet. Then, sizing the man up, Becky could actually see herself doing that with him. He was good looking. In a way she could see how Keeley turned out so well, between Dan and Sherri. It wasn't
happening
, since he was too old for her, but given her mother's life, that would be a thought that probably had to be entertained.
"This is Dan Carmichael. I got a job at Coretechs, and he's my boss. My friend Darla Gibson got her grandmother to give it to me, so that I have a shot at a scholarship. Darla is her granddaughter, so, you know, strings were pulled."
"Oh? What are you going to be doing there?"
Becky still didn't really have a clue at all. She looked at Dan, who smiled professionally, putting his nice brown briefcase on the tiny table near the kitchen.
"Public relations. Since the job itself takes several years of training to really do, Becky will be shadowing me. Call it a glorified gopher's position. Fetching coffee and making phone calls to hotels to make arrangements for guests. That sort of thing."
Her mother, never one to let a chance to ruin Becky's life for her gave the man a sly look.
"Like an intern? But she gets paid?"