Seff and Daisy: First date So, Mackay had just had his first, extended, date with Jenny and Carmen. Although the word 'date' is being stretched well past its normal breaking point here. The day before, on Saturday afternoon, Seff had his first date with Daisy. Dasiy: "Mum, I'm going for a long walk to get my exercise." "Ok. I'll soon be going to start my cleaning jobs. Your dad won't be home until late." Daisy's mother did not bother to look up from her meal preparations. She left the house and walked towards the shopping complex. At the entrance, she met Seff. They sat in the dark in the movie theatre; Seff had guided them to a location as far back and away from other people as possible. Seff: Seff was getting excited. He was sitting next to a pretty girl in a pretty dress. She put her hand on the seat rest, and he covered it with his. Oh, wow, she's got such warm soft skin. He did not pay much attention to the movie, it was something about a man who discovers he has a super power, and he goes around saving people and impressing a whole bunch of beautiful women. Daisy: Daisy let him put his hand on hers. This feels nice to be wanted, to have someone cherish her. It's also somewhat scary, can I really trust him? She did not pay much attention to the movie, although she did notice that the hero never seemed to be able to make a choice between all of the ladies who threw themselves at him. After the movie, they had ice creams while sitting on a park bench. "What do your parents do?" said Seff. "Mum's a cleaner, she does lots of part time cleaning jobs, and is out for the rest of the day. Dad runs an import export business; he has to work all the time to keep things going." It's nice to have someone take an interest in me. Seff: It's nice to get her talking - wait, did she just imply that there's no one home at her place now? "Why don't I walk you home now?" he said. When they got to her place, he said: "I've really enjoyed myself so far - ah..." She hesitated, then ended up inviting him in. They ended up sitting on her bed. By now, Seff was really excited. And also extremely embarrassed. This is the first time I've sat on a girl's bed with her! Perhaps she'll let me kiss her! But will she want to? "Huh, Da-Daisy, ca-can we, ah, k-k-kiss?" he said, starting to stammer. Daisy: Daisy was getting really agitated. And a little scared. Should I have let him in, let alone let him sit on my bed? When Seff began to stammer she was touched. He's getting all anxious and nervous. He's really a nice boy, after all. "Ah, this is going too fast, ah, perhaps we don't kiss yet, ah..." she said. He ignored this minor refusal, put his arm around her back and leant his face closer to her. Daisy promptly freaked out. She started shaking and saying "No, no, no, I don't want to!" She slid off the bed and landed on her knees on the floor, holding her head in her hands and crying and trembling. Seff: Seff looked at her in total amazement. Did I do that? But this seems completely out of proportion. What's going on? He knelt beside her and, in some trepidation, patted her back. "Daisy, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you like that. Ah, what's going on?" Daisy: Daisy was having a very bad flashback: She is walking through a school corridor, after studying late at the library. From behind a man's hand wrapping itself around her mouth, preventing her from crying out. Being dragged into a classroom. Powerless to resist, his strength completely overwhelming hers. Having her face slammed against the top of a desk. A hand lifting her skirt. Pain, terror, confusion. And when he had finished; shame, embarrassment, anguish, debasement, fear. His hand still clutching her hair, his other hand placing a piece of paper in front of her. Reading the letters on it: "If you tell anyone, I will kill you." Trembling and crying as she lay in the classroom, alone, with no one to comfort her. Thinking that she did not want to die. Thinking that her parents would only blame her if they found out. When Seff patted her back, she broke completely. She wailed and sobbed, and, between sobs, told Seff the whole story. Seff: Oh. Bloody hell. What do I do now? Since she was leaning against him anyway, he extended his arms and hugged her. She calmed down and stopped crying, instead just sniffing as she tried to stop her nose running. Daisy: "I haven't told anyone. You're the first. Please hold me." It's so nice to be held and have him express his concern for me. Seff: This is a lot more than I bargained for. But, on the other hand, I am now hugging her. Perhaps I can still kiss her? "Ah, yes, ah, that is bad news." he said. And as he did so, he leant forward and lightly kissed her on the lips. She let him. Figuring that was far enough for one day, he remained by her side, arms around her, as she regained her composure. Daisy: "It's so nice to tell someone about that. You're not going to reject me, now, are you?" she asked. "No, no, of course not. I'll support you." he said. She felt warm and safe in his arms. Such a contrast, so nice to share my pain. Eventually Daisy remembered that her parents would soon be coming home, so they said their goodbyes and Seff left. Seff: Seff walked home. Wow, I got to kiss a girl! Although that rape thing is pretty bad. I suppose if I don't bring it up again, then maybe things will be ok? Handel: Also meets a girl. And, strangely enough, that same weekend Handel also met a girl. He was at the local shopping centre, to buy two packets of wholemeal crumpets, as per his mother's orders. He searched along the aisles until he found what he wanted, then reached out to grab them. Only to have his hands collide with someone else doing exactly the same thing. "Oh, sorry!" he said, as he looked up. Oh, shit! It's one of the girls from my class! Ah, what's her name? The girl looked back. "Sorry - err, have I seen you somewhere before?" "Yeah - we're in the same class at school." "Oh, that's right. You're friends with Seff and that Mackay boy." she said. She did not look all that impressed. In fact, she had a look of barely concealed disgust on her face. "Hey, there's no need to be like that, I think my friends are perfectly fine!" "Ah, right, ah, fine. Sorry, I wasn't deliberately out to criticize them, you know." There was a moment of embarrassment, they were both obviously longing to escape from this awkward and unwanted social encounter, but they just could not quite get over the feeling that it would be rude to quit and run right now. That was not very nice of her, to imply that Seff and Mackay are not worth anything. "So, what do you have against those two anyway, if I may ask?" said Handel. "What? Well, I suppose nothing really. I mean, all three of you spend all your time playing those computer console game thingies, or talking amongst yourselves. And looking at the girls and probably making lewd comments about them." This is unfortunate - after all that is exactly we do. Except that, I don't look at the girls, of course. Ah, but the other two do. He sat one row behind both of them, and he remembered a few scenes where he was sure that one or the other of them were perving at the girl's skirts as they got in or out of their seats. "Oh, really, they're not all that bad..." "Actually Daisy said she was going to date Seff, so I suppose if she thinks he is worthwhile, then he maybe is. But I bet that both you and Mackay do, in fact, spend all of your time fantasizing about having a harem of girls from our class..." Bingo! She has me there. Well, except - "In actual fact, I don't dream of harems. I don't have inappropriate thoughts about any of the girls." "Sorry, are you implying you're not attracted to girls?" "That's right." "So you go for boys?" "Oh, bloody hell, why must everybody make that assumption? No, I do not go for boys either. I've being searching on the web, and have found that the word that describes me is 'asexual'. As in, I don't have any attraction to anyone." "No attraction to anyone? That's weird." She backed off slightly, as if to remove herself from the presence of such outright wrongness, in case she became corrupted also. "Sorry, but it's not contagious, you know. And I'm perfectly capable of loving my parents, and having friends. I'm not a defective piece of goods!" She looked as if she was having contrary thoughts to this. She backed off a bit more, and started to turn to make her escape. And then she came to a complete halt. "Wait a minute, does that mean you can do platonic friendships with girls?" "Of course. Exactly as I said, I am not physically attracted to girls at all! Nor to boys. Platonic friendships are the only ones I'm capable of." She was obviously having an epiphany about something or other. She turned back to him and moved towards him, ending at a safe social distance in front of him. "That's really interesting. I've, hmm, let's just say I've had certain problems with boys who are unable to follow through with platonic friendships. So, perhaps at the times when we meet at school, we can occasionally have a talk?" "Ah, sure! In that case, my name is Handel." "Mine's Harmony." And with that, they finally made their escape from each other. That's a relief, to get away from her. And, are we really going to have a talk the next time we meet? At least that is the third person I've come out to. I suppose I'll have to do my parents next. Mackay: His new sleeping arrangements On Sunday late afternoon, Mackay presented himself, at the agreed upon time, at Jenny's house. He was dropped off by his parents. "You sure you're fine from now on?" said Mary. "Yes, yes, I can manage." Mackay was getting embarrassed again, and definitely did not want his parents hanging around to see it. His sister had wanted to come also, but he managed to convince his parents to leave her home. He waved them off and pressed the front door bell. He was carrying a duffel bag with his school clothes and books, his school backpack, and full-length cotton pyjamas. This last had cost him some considerable mental exertion. Normally I just wear my worn out shorts and that T-shirt which is almost falling apart. But, if I wear something like that here, I'll end up being attacked with the nearest blunt instruments by two enraged girls." He thought of something else that could go horribly wrong. Oh, shit, what if I get a... He resolved to definitely be wearing underpants beneath his pyjamas. By the time Janet opened the door, he was mumbling "Price to pay. Price to pay. Price to pay." to himself. "Oh, right." said Janet. "Anyway, please come in." Two girls, plus all of their parents, were sitting in the main lounge room. The parents, being mature adults, well, most of the time, were able to affably greet Mackay and invite him in. The two girls - not so much. "Hi." said Carmen. Without much enthusiasm. Jenny looked at him, and then looked back at her mother. "Ah, hello." said Mackay. "Ah, so, what do your, err, battery gauges, say?" "About half an hour left in the green." said Carmen. "Humph" said Jenny. "Well, girls, I guess you should sit on the sofa with Mackay in the middle, Ok?" said Catalina. With a bright cheery voice, the one reserved for coaxing a toddler to eat her greens. "I suppose." said Carmen. Fortunately, it was a long sofa. The three of them could sit on it without touching each other. Three out of sorts, awkward looking, uncomfortable teenagers, all in a row. The obligatory high school social dance, with every student compelled to get up and join in, was nothing compared to this. They sat there for five minutes in silence. Think! Think! What can we do? I'm supposed to be responsible for these two. And the burning eyes of an Angel of Death are scorching the back of my neck, as she waits for me to stuff up. "Ah, are you two intending going to school tomorrow?" "Yeah" said Carmen. "We feel that there is no reason why they can't, and they have to get along with their life as best as they can, so..." said Janet. "But don't you dare breathe a word of our situation to anyone! Understand!" said Carmen. "Yes! Don't say a thing!" said Jenny. "Ah, Ok, yes, not a word." said Mackay. "Well, anyway, it so happens that I brought my notes for the last two weeks since, well, I thought you could do with some revision?" "That's a brilliant idea!" Obviously, this was not one of the girls. It was Charlie, hoping to keep the social interaction ball rolling. So they moved to the dining room table, and for the next two hours, they sat side by side while Mackay walked the girls through some of the notes. He started with mathematics. "It's Sunday afternoon and you want us to do mathematics? Why?" said Carmen. "Well, why not. No particular reason. Perhaps because our maths teacher is so cute?" said Mackay. This attempt at humour got a withering glare from Carmen. It did not get much from Jenny, mainly because she wasn't giving out much at all. But with the encouragement of various adults, the girls managed to make up for the missing two weeks. At least in this one subject. Teatime. They sat on one side of the table. Unfortunately the table was not quite long enough to accommodate them all, with their preferred spacing. "You keep nudging me." said Jenny. "Ah, sorry." said Mackay. "But don't try moving away from her, you're only end up shoving me!" said Carmen. "Err, sorry." "Some more stew?" said Janet, projecting an image of calmness and quiet contentment. Even if she did not feel it. Afterwards. "You have a big house." said Mackay. "Yeah, he had an inheritance, and decided to buy what used to be a small board and lodging." said Janet. "It's a good investment." said Jiro. "It's a pain to clean, but never mind." said Janet. "Anyway, apart from the main house and the normal set of rooms, there is a wing with eight bedrooms in it. So this is where you lot will be sleeping." said Jiro. "We have already set it up." said Janet, she and her husband led the rest on a tour. "This middle bedroom, which is the biggest, will be your combined bedroom. Since we didn't have any furniture for these rooms, Jiro has spent a busy day buying three single beds plus mattresses plus lots of new linen. And I and Jenny spent the day setting it all up." "And this bedroom, on the opposite side, will be Mackay's bedroom. You know, where he keeps his clothes, and where he changes and what have you. He has an ensuite, the only bedroom that does." said Jiro. "And these two, opposite each other and next to the middle, will be Jenny's and Carmen's. They will have to share the toilet and bathroom at the end of the corridor. So, you will be relieved to know, the girls don't have to share it with a boy." "Thank God for that." said Carmen. "And of the remaining four bedrooms, we have decided to equip two of them with double size beds which can be used by visiting parents, as need be." said Janet. "Which I had to also buy. Fortunately the local thrift shops had everything we needed." said Jiro. "You've gone to a lot of trouble, plus expense." said Charlie. "Thanks" said Catalina, "We need to talk about financial arrangements soon..." "We sure do." said Jiro. The three teenagers were silent. They were looking through the door at the crowded bedroom. They went to their own personal rooms, changed into pyjamas, and came back. Only to suffer more embarrassment. Mackay was wearing his full-length pyjamas, but he did not know what the girls were wearing, since they both had full-length dressing gowns. Carmen took a stance, arms akimbo, and laid down the law: "Right, Mackay, you get into bed first and close your eyes, then us girls will take off our gowns and get into bed. OK? There's no way I'm letting you see me in just my pyjamas." Jenny seemed to agree fully with this declaration. Mackay meekly did as he was told. Soon they were lying in their respective beds, silent and awkward from the embarrassment of it all. "Promise you will sleep next to me." said Jenny to her mother. "Yes, I will. Although, after you have all gone safely to sleep, I will need to talk with the others for a little." said Janet. Sigh. "Ok, but always leave the door open!" Carmen made the same arrangement with her mother. Yeah, they need protection from horrible little old me. He was going to keep on complaining to himself, but then he remembered the unsettling little fact the Esmeralda could read his mind. Ok, Ok, I'll concede that this is real strain for both of them also. Within three minutes, they were fast asleep. Janet: "You know, their ability to drop off like that is almost a miracle in its own right." said Janet. "Maybe this Esmeralda angel that Mackay talks about is arranging it like that, just to save them some extra trouble?" said Jiro. The adults went back to the dining room, carefully leaving doors open, and set to discussing mundane things like payments for rent and food and so on. "Ok, so Charlie and Catalina provide the cost of food for Carmen and a small amount for lodging, plus half again for Mackay. And we'll cover the rest of Mackay's costs." said Jiro. "Agreed. It's only fair that Mackay's expenses are paid by us." said Charlie, "I'll email his parents about the arrangements." Eventually Catalina and Janet reappeared, in their pyjamas, at the bedroom and carefully got under the blankets, next to their respective daughters. Charlie, for this first time, was sleeping in the extra bedroom that was assigned to him and his wife. "If I make a wish to Esmeralda for us to go to sleep straight away, do you think she will oblige?" said Janet. "Well, let's see, if according to Mackay, she only grants wishes in very special and rare situations, then, I guess, maybe not." said Catalina. "Bother." But perhaps Esmeralda considered this wish to be part and parcel of her overall intervention. Very soon after, the two mothers were also asleep. Mackay: Mackay woke in the middle of the night. And he realised that he had a problem. In fact, you could truthfully call it a big problem. But his own private bedroom was just across the corridor. So all he needed to do was creep out of bed and get to it, and he could deal with the situation. Shouldn't even take all that long. Right? OK, if I get up carefully, I can tip toe around Jenny's bed... He managed, with much trepidation, to do so, and was ready to make a dash for the door and thus the corridor when Jenny, no doubt subconsciously noticing the lack of healing power, woke up and saw the silhouette of him, in his pyjamas, against the night light. She screamed. "Mum, wake up, he's got an erection, he really is going to rape me!" Mackay came to a sudden halt and froze. Janet woke up and looked around, trying to work out why Jenny was shaking her. "Arrest him! Arrest him! Before he can rape me." Mackay collapsed onto his knees on the floor and put his head in his arms, trying to block off reality. "Uh, ah." Janet looked at the spot in the bed where Mackay would normally lay. Then at his current location, half way to the door. Then out of the door, where his bedroom door could be seen. "Jenny, I don't think he was trying to do anything." By now Jiro and Charlie had arrived. They stood just inside from the door, working out what was happening. Carmen and Catalina were also awake and sitting up in bed. "He was! He was! I saw him." plus lots of sobbing as she wrapped her arms around her mother and put her head on her shoulder. "Jenny, take a deep breath." "Ok" "Now, tell us, what exactly you saw." "He was creeping across the carpet towards the door, and I could clearly see that he had an erection under his pyjamas." "So, in other words, he was going away from you. In fact, towards his own, private, bedroom?" "Yes, ah, ah, yes." Jenny slowed right down and became quiet. "Ah, does that mean he wasn't trying to rape me?" "Quite possibly. Why not ask him what he was doing?" Everyone looked at Mackay, who they could see was trembling. In the subsequent silence, they could also hear that he was crying. "Honestly, I wasn't going to do anything to you. I was trying to sneak out to my room. And yes, yes, I was going to masturbate, God damn it! I'm a teenage boy! I was doing my best not to let anyone know. And no, I don't fantasize about you two girls. Even in my fantasies, I don't rape. And all I get is to be screamed at! This is all too much, why do I have to pay such a price to save you?" He wailed some more. "I apologise to everyone. I'm terrible! Just handcuff and chain me to the bed in future." More sobs. Jenny moved away slightly from her mother and turned to look at him. "I, err..." At this point, Jiro and Charlie looked at each other, and then they knelt down on either side of Mackay. Charlie patted Mackay's back. "It's fine, Mackay, you're doing well." "Yes, we all realise that this isn't the easiest of situations to be in." said Jiro. He took his turn to pat Mackay's back. "You're taking his side?" said Jenny. "Well, obviously I love you, but in this case, I do believe that he was innocent of any evil intentions." said Jiro. "Well, Ah" said Jenny. Carmen at last spoke. "Jenny, you're really going overboard here. I mean, I think he's disgusting, and I hate having to lie in a bed next to his, for heaven's sake, just to maintain my health. But, you know, I'm reasonably sure that he's doing his best to look after us. And it must be trying to him also, after all." Silence for a bit as Jenny calmed down. "Perhaps, dear, in future when Mackay tries to get out of bed without disturbing anyone and sneak away to his room, we could all just pretend that nothing is happening. After all, he might just be going to the toilet, anyway." said Janet. "Pretend that nothing is happening." said Jenny. "Yeah, pretend that nothing is happening," said Carmen, "I find it all so revoltingly gross, but, I suppose, that's what happens when we are forced to share a life with boy." "So if we can possibly have a good night's sleep?" continued Carmen, "I wish you wouldn't get so worked up about him raping you. Anyone would think that you have already ... been ... raped ... oh." All adults went silent and waited. Mackay looked up. "Oh, right, you have been, haven't you?" said Carmen. Jenny wrapped her arms around Janet again. After a little while, she said: "Yes" Carmen got out of her bed, shuffled over, and hugged Jenny from behind. "Sorry, I didn't know. "It was at school, it was the last day of the term. He grabbed me from behind and pushed me into an empty classroom." said Jenny. "It was so horrible!" "I never saw him. And he put a note in front of me saying not to tell anyone or he would kill me." More tears. "But my parents realised straight away that something was wrong." Silence. "So this must have been last year, when none of us were in the same class." said Carmen. "Yes." More silence. "Well, how about we all go back to sleep?" said Janet, hopefully. As they were getting back, Mackay took the opportunity to very briefly pat Jenny's hand. "Sorry, I'm sorry to hear about all of that." Jenny managed to look at him, make full eye contact, for just a moment. "Ok" Janet: The teenagers settled in. Everyone politely made no reference to the fact that now Mackay was not making any more efforts to go to his room. Apparently, he no longer had any need to. Five minutes later, they were sound asleep. The adults looked at each other. "Bloody hell," said Charlie. "This is going to be tough on everyone." said Janet. Agreement all around.