Dismissal at Homestead Elementary

Chloe laughed with her classmates as they stood outside the school waiting for their parents to pick them up. Her friend Lisa spotted Rylan and Maya in the parking lot.

“Chloe, who’s that girl walking with your brother? She’s so pretty!” said Lisa.

Chloe spun around.

“Eeeh? Oh ya, that's Leif’s sister Maya. She’s awesome too, but she’s always serious,” said Chloe.

“Oh? She looks like she’s happy today. Is she your brother’s girlfriend?”

Chloe paused with her finger on her lip.

“Hmm, she does look happy today, but no they’re more like husband and wife, hee hee!” she chuckled and ran toward Rylan and Maya, “Bye Lisa!”

“Bye Chloe! See you tomorrow!”

Thespians

Chloe dashed top speed and jumped on Rylan with her arms around his neck, pulling him down.

“Hi Rylan, Hi Maya!”

“Oww, Chloe you’re heavy-”

“Stop crying Rylan and explain to Chloe that we’re all going to the city fair on Saturday.”

Chloe’s eyes widened.

“Really? We’re going to the fair?”

“We sure are,” answered Maya, “Because we have to go! It’s part of the conditions your brother agreed to, to keep his mistress happy!” she said shooting an evil smile at Rylan.

“Eh? What’s a mistress?” asked Chloe

Rylan, red faced, took control of the conversation.

“Chloe don’t listen to Maya, she’s just mad because she has to compete with Rebecca Li for the princess part in the school play.”

“You mean make friends with Rebecca Li, don't you Rylan?” said Maya, she then turned to Chloe, “You see Chloe, if Rylan wants the money for his school festival play, Rebecca Li and I have to prove a documented friendship before we can compete for the princess part,” said Maya with a fake smile.

Chloe laughed while she climbed in the car.

“You guys are silly! And I know Rebecca Li. She was in Rylan's seventh grade play in junior high!” blabbed Chloe.

Maya’s smile grew.

“Ooooh? Is that right? So Rebecca’s worked with your brother on stage before?” she turned to Rylan, “Which means you and her have a history together, how interesting.”

“I mean, you know, small town and all,” Rylan mumbled averting his eyes.

Chloe interrupted.

“So we're going with Rebecca to the fair? I like her, she’s nice to me. And Maya, you should be friends with her, she’s smart and pretty like you!”

“Eh?” blushed Maya, not prepared for the direct compliment from Chloe.

“I mean if you have to compete for the princess part in the play, that’s going to be hard because you both look like princesses, hmm..” she paused, “But who’s going to play the knight?”

Maya chuckled and glanced over at Rylan, who turned to Chloe with a purple face.

“Uhh...as part of the financing conditions...I have to play the part of the knight,” he trailed off.

Maya burst out laughing while speeding down the street, but Chloe figured it all out.

“Wait, so Maya and Rebecca have to become friends and then they have to compete to be the princess in a play?...Where they can kiss Rylan?”

“Um..I mean..in a roundabout way,” said Rylan squinting and avoiding eye contact with Maya.

“Roundabout? Oh you are in denial! Haha!” laughed Maya.

Rylan tried to defend himself, but even Chloe laughed at him in the back seat.

“I have no friends,” he frowned.

“No, you don’t! But you do have an evil mistress hell bent on causing trouble for you in school!” said Maya.

“What? Anya’s not my mistre-”

“I’m sorry, I meant your lover!”

Chloe lit up.

“Eh? Rylan has a lover?”

“No Chloe, I don’t have-”

“-The good sense to say ‘no’ to that woman is what you don’t have!” huffed Maya. “And your friend Rebecca, just as bad as you, falls for Anya’s plastic ‘girl talk’ and ‘we should be friends’ because we’re science nerds-”

Rylan shot a hard glare at Maya.

“Well at least Rebecca’s making an attempt, and all you’re doing is mocking her,” he said, dead serious.

Maya stopped talking, and kept her eyes on the road. An uncomfortable silence befell the car.

“Maya...I’m sorry I didn’t mean-”

“No, Rylan..you’re right...I seem to be the only one...mad about everything,” said Maya.

More silence in the car, before.

“....Maya..”

“Yes?”

Rylan paused and faced her.

“You...you agreed to these terms with Rebecca to compete for the part...Why?...I mean, you don’t really have to do any of this.”

Maya’s face grew somber.

“I know, but I want to,” she slowed the car down, “Because I read your play and I...I liked it a lot, that’s all.”

Rylan hid the pride swelling in his face.

“...Really? Thank you..I worked hard writing it, and I really want to present it,” he said in a low calm voice.

“I know you do Rylan...so do I.”

She smiled with her eyes on the road.

The Next Day- Friday

Leif slipped out of his morning math class early and dashed for the second floor. As he walked the hallway the bell rang and he casually waited outside of a juniors’ English class for a student named Evan.

As Evan exited the class Leif spotted him and tapped his shoulder.

“Manager Evan~” he smiled.

Evan turned, surprised.

“L-Leif?...What are you doing here dude?”

“Hi, I have tickets to the county fair and I think we should go!”

Evan blushed.

“The fair? Oh...I don’t know,” he said turning and walking away.

Leif chased him.

“Evan, wait..you did not speak to me at practice yesterday..are you still upset with me?”

“No, not at all...you know how it is Leif, you’re an awesome athlete so you don’t need much instruction from me,” said Evan, slowing down his hurried pace.

“But Manager Evan, that’s not true at all? I’m still new to football and..”

Evan squinted.

“Then..I don’t know what to tell you Lief.”

He tried to speed off, but Lief grabbed his bicep and stopped him, cold.

“Evan, when I see you around other teammates and students you’re always a leader amongst them...but when you speak to me...it is, ‘I don’t know’ and ‘can’t’...and I don’t understand why?"

Evan pulled his arm away and kept his back to Leif.

“Leif?”

“Yes Evan?”

Evan turned halfway.

“I’m free Saturday.”

Evan said no more and walked away. Leif smiled, but remained calm, and strolled the other direction with a hop in his step.

“Cool~”

Terms

Before lunch Rylan headed for an empty chemistry lab on the fourth floor. He had a quick appointment with Anya and knew if he didn’t meet her she would only corner him later.

What kind of nonsense is Anya going to get me into?

He opened the classroom door and found her sitting by the front desk correcting papers.

“Uhh..Ms. Cesar?”

“Come here Rylan, and lock the door behind you,” she said not turning away from her papers.

He flipped the latch and walked toward her. She stood and greeted him, pushing her glasses up.

“Hello sweetie, I won’t keep you, I’m just gonna tell you what’s gonna happen.” She paused, “..You didn’t tell Maya about meeting me today did you?”

“No! And only because I’m curious what you have to say,” he answered.

Anya’s eyes narrowed as she moved closer to him.

“Baby...In a week or so the ampsediun in your yard should be replenished enough to open a gate. Now when that gate opens those two brats are going to want to haul me away, and collect a bounty on me...and I can’t have that.”

I see now. You're making plans.

“Anya..From what I understand you’re a criminal and capturing you is the twins’ prerogative-”

Anya grabbed his face.

“Rylan...you do understand that I can kill Maya and Leif and take you and your sister any time I want? That must be clear to you at this point.”

Rylan hid all fear.

“Well, from how I saw Maya handle her sword against you-”

Before Rylan could blink, Anya shifted her sword hilt to a handgun and stuck the barrel in his face.

“Oh shit!”

He stumbled back and Anya holstered the weapon.

“The twins have no ammunition and I destroyed their useless sentinels, and your sweet Maya...is no sword fighter.”

Rylan called her bluff.

“If that’s the case then why haven’t you killed them yet?” he barked.

“Kill the twins? Haha! Sweet Rylan, if I kill them now you’d be uncontrollable. But if I use them as leverage and spare them,” she stared deep in his eyes, “...and I leave your sister alone, I gather you’ll be more accommodating of me.”

Rylan glared.

“You would threaten my sister?”

“Hee hee, I don’t have to. All I’d do is call child services and have them ask why a nine year old girl is living in a house full of unsupervised minors.”

A cold sweat ran through Rylan. The truth laid out before him.

Anya is a sociopath with nothing to lose and I have everything to lose..Damn..

Anya pulled him close, her lips grazing his.

“Listen to me pretty boy, I need to do some less-than-legal things in an around this town, and for my own reasons...I’m going to need you to accompany me.”

Rylan balked at her request.

“Accompany you?...How would I get away from Maya-”

“I don’t give a damn, she’s not my girlfriend! You just make sure she keeps her pretty nose out of your business or I’ll cut it off!” growled Anya.

She's serious.

“Ok...and if I accompany you...and help you do these things..what happens when the gate opens?”

Anya calmed herself and pulled him close.

“Baby...then I’m going to take what I intended from this world and I’m going to leave,” she pulled his face to hers, “...And you’ll never see me again!”

She kissed him.

“Mmph!”

He tried to resist, but she held him down, and unfastened his belt.

“..Anya.. wait!”

“Shut up!”

Rylan learned just how strong Anya was, as she pinned him on the lab desk and lowered his briefs.

“Anya, please..I .I”

“Ssh, you be quiet boy!” she growled in his ear, as she exposed him, grabbed him, and gently stroked him.

“..Ah..”

“Oh look who’s awake now, mmm? You like that don’t you baby? Yeah, come on!” She gripped him tighter and stroked faster.

“Anya..Ah!..”

“That’s right Rylan, say my name, spill it out for me..”

She kissed his face and neck, and stroked harder. After a moment.

“Aaaaahhh...oohh….oh!..”

“Yaaas! There’s my stud, all empty like a good boy,” she leaned into him. “Now don’t you feel better after momma gave you a tug..hee hee,” she cackled.

Rylan, breathing heavy, pulled his pants up and sat back, depleted.

“Please don’t ever do that again...” he said.

“Eh? Why baby? Are you over me already? Then I was just a fling, hmph!”

She reached across the table and tossed him a roll of paper towels.

“Clean yourself up. And here’s the deal. Sunday, the second half of the high school football game you and me are going to split early. We have an appointment with someone in town.”

Rylan said nothing as he fastened himself and gathered his things. Without saying goodbye he stepped out the door.

“Rylan?”

He paused and faced her.

“Yes?”

“I’m an experienced woman. And I can do terrible things to you to bring you pleasure and pain..” she stared in his eyes.. “But if you cross me...just imagine what I’ll do to Maya..”

Rylan gulped and kept eye contact.

“..I understand,” he said.

“Of course you do Rylan, I knew you would..”

Rylan turned away and exited the classroom, shutting the door behind him.

...