Invisible Girl - An Erotic Romance Pt. 05

Chapter Twenty-Three

As Jane rode her bike to school the next day she was more than a little tired, not only from the events of the day before but because she had stayed up late trying to study for finals—she had to face one today—and complete her other schoolwork.

So she failed to notice Peter sitting under their usual tree and would have ridden right by him if he hadn't called her name. She quickly braked and hopped off her bike, then walked it back to where he was standing.

After a quick hug and a kiss she asked him what he was doing there, though she thought she knew. He smiled at her and said, "I just wanted to see how you were doing—you were pretty upset yesterday."

Jane thought he looked even more tired than she was. "I'm all right," she said, reaching up to caress the side of his face, "but poor you... You look exhausted."

He leaned into her touch and nodded, his eyes closed. Jane continued, "Was it okay that I called you? I know we were keeping everything secret for a while, but I thought..."

He opened his eyes to look at her and said, "Oh no, it's fine. That was just when we, you know, didn't really know each other."

"Good."

Jane slipped her arm around his waist and, holding her bike up with the other, began walking towards the school with him.

"Peter," she asked, "who was it that answered the phone yesterday/"

Peter gave her a sideways glance, sighed, and said, "Her name's Paulette. She's my father's...girlfriend, I guess."

He walked along in morose silence for a moment, then continued. "She doesn't live with us, but she acts like she does." He walked along for a few steps, then said, "She wants Dad to divorce Mom, so they can get married, but Dad won't do it." Another few steps. "Not yet, anyway." He shook his head slowly back and forth and sighed again.

"Don't you like her?"

"I dunno...she's okay, I guess. Except when she starts thinking she's my mother. And I'm glad Dad has someone; Mom's been gone so long. I'm just afraid that if he marries Paulette, Mom'll get forgotten."

He kicked at a stone in front of him and scowled. "I don't know why I care. I told you, I haven't seen her in, I dunno, fourteen years or something. She probably doesn't even remember me."

Jane tightened her arm around his waist for a moment and then asked, "Have you ever wanted to go see her?"

Peter's expression turned even more haggard. "I've thought about it. Dad still goes out to see her sometimes..." He fell silent again for a moment. "I guess I...I just don't want to see her like that."

Jane said nothing, but held him tightly again and leaned her head against his shoulder as they walked.

After a while, when they had nearly reached the school, Jane began telling him about the conversation she'd had with her mother after their phone call. She told him everything except the doctor's appointment. She wanted to surprise him later.

When she was finished Peter's face was a mask of astonishment. "So she knows we've been..." Jane nodded. "...And she's not mad or anything?"

"Nope."

Jane thought about how to express what she thought her mother had been feeling. "She was upset at first—you know, because she thinks I'm too young. But I told her that you're always really careful..." she looked shyly over at him before finishing, "and I told her that you really...love me."

It felt strange to be saying it that way, even though she knew it was true, and she suddenly felt a little afraid of how he would react.

He stopped and turned to her. "You told her that?"

She nodded, barely able to meet his eyes.

Then he smiled. "Well, it's a good thing it's true, then, isn't it?" Then he kissed her lightly on the lips before starting to walk again.

"She wants to meet you."

He stopped again. "She does?" He took a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh. "Well, that makes sense, I guess. You sure she's not gonna kill me?"

Jane pretended to think about it. "Well...pretty sure," she said with mock seriousness, then smiled and nudged him with her hip. "Of course she's not going to kill you, you jerk."

They started walking again. Then, unable to resist, she added, "Of course, my Dad might, if he ever finds out." When he stopped again she put her hand in the middle of his back and pushed him onwards, saying, "He's not going to find out, unless you want to tell him. Mom's certainly not going to."

He gave her a sidelong glance and said, "You don't happen to know where I could pick up a bullet-proof vest, do you?"

They'd reached the school's parking lot by then. Peter waited while she parked her bike, and then, putting their arms around each other's waists, they walked toward the main doors, not caring anymore who saw them together.

Until they saw Chrissy waiting inside, looking at them.

Jane had to fight the sudden urge to disentangle herself from Peter and pretend she was just walking next to him. She made herself pretend that everything was perfectly normal and she hoped Peter was doing the same.

As she pulled open the glass door with her left hand, she casually dropped her arm from Peter's waist and went through ahead of him, saying, "Hi, Chrissy. How are you?", simultaneously telling herself, she doesn't know anything, she doesn't know anything...

Chrissy returned her greeting cheerfully enough, if a little distractedly, looking over Jane's shoulder as Peter followed her through the door. Jane said, "Oh! Do you know my friend Peter? Peter, this is Chrissy."

Peter, apparently terrified that Chrissy would recognize his voice, didn't trust himself to speak. But he managed to give Chrissy what might pass for a friendly nod and smile before turning to Jane and waving a quick—and equally silent—goodbye and hurrying off.

Leaving her stranded with Chrissy, who was now looking at her somewhat accusingly, Jane thought.

"I thought you said your boyfriend lives in another town," said Chrissy, moving closer to her.

Jane thought quickly. "Oh, he does. Peter and I are just friends."

Chrissy raised an eyebrow to show what she thought of that after what she'd just seen, then appeared to drop the matter. She took Jane by the elbow and pulled her into a corner where they wouldn't be as noticeable.

She looked around to make sure they weren't being observed, then opened her purse and pulled out the blue sleep-mask. She handed it to Jane and whispered, "I guess I walked off with this by mistake yesterday."

Jane saw that it had been thoroughly cleaned and tried not to smile. She whispered back, "I was wondering where that went. Thanks." She tucked it into her bag. Then she turned back to Chrissy. "So? How are you feeling today?"

Chrissy smiled. "Good. Really good. I think he really helped me a lot."

"That's great." Jane smiled and started to say goodbye before heading off to class, but Chrissy stopped her."

"I was just wondering...do you still have that number to get in touch with him? " Chrissy started to blush, then broke off eye contact and looked down. "I mean, in case I have any questions or anything."

Score one for Peter, thought Jane—he was right. Then she turned her attention back to Chrissy, thinking, Not on your life, honey. I'm not sharing him with anyone again.

She smiled and said, "Sure," and pretended to rummage in her purse. Then, as if suddenly remembering, looked up and said, "Oh, I forgot. He won't be there. Remember, I told you he moves around a lot?"

Chrissy's face fell. "Oh, that's right. Darn."

She looked so disappointed that Jane, without thinking, said, "If you like, I can leave a message to have them let me know when he's coming back."

Chrissy immediately brightened. "Oh, would you? That'd be great. Thanks!" And she gave Jane a quick hug.

Jane guiltily hoped that Chrissy would lose interest after a few weeks went by with no response. She again started to take her leave, then suddenly remembered something she wanted to ask.

"Oh, Chrissy? Where did you get those thigh-highs you were wearing?"

Chrissy smiled enthusiastically. "Aren't they nice? My mother got them for me in Boston. I think the store's called 'Ruffles' or something like that. I really..." Her voice trailed off and a look of confusion appeared on her face. "How did you know I was wearing thigh-highs?" she asked.

Jane's mind froze solid for several seconds. Idiot, she told herself. How could you know if you hadn't seen her with her dress off?

She thought desperately, then said, "You told me you were going to wear them, remember? In the lunchroom that day?"

Chrissy nodded, doubtfully, and Jane rushed on, "I just thought they looked really nice, what I could see of them, and I thought I might like to get some. Thanks! Well, I've got to get to class. Talk to you soon..."

And then she hurried off, not daring to look back to see if Chrissy had believed her.

Chapter Twenty-Four

The rest of that day and all of the next three days were a blur of names and dates, facts and figures-and exhaustion. Peter still met Jane after school at their usual place and walked her home but neither of them said much beyond reporting the trials and tribulations of that particular day and what still awaited them. They held hands, they kissed and hugged affectionately when they parted, but neither had the time or energy for anything beyond that.

But finally Thursday afternoon came and it was finished. School was over. Peter would be graduating next Friday, assuming he'd passed everything, which Peter didn't seem concerned about, so that was okay. It was a warm sunny day and they were free. They trudged along, tired but happy, towards Jane's house.

Jane's feelings of release were somewhat marred by the fact that she had begun getting her monthly cramps the night before. Usually they weren't overly painful but this time they were, possibly because of the stress and fatigue of the last several days.

This was bad enough in itself, especially since it had made it harder to concentrate on her last exams, but she had been hoping Peter would want to make love to her by way of celebration and now that wouldn't be possible. And tomorrow she and her mother were going to Boston to see her mother's gynecologist—though she had told Peter she was just going shopping—so they wouldn't be able to see each other then either.

Monday they would be beginning their summer jobs, and didn't know what their schedules would be: both would be working nights sometimes and their days off would change from week to week.

Oh well, thought Jane, sighing to herself, we'll find time. She steadfastly refused to think about the fact that the beginning of summer meant that the end of summer, when Peter would be going away to his new college in Ohio, was that much closer.

Usually Peter turned back when they reached the end of the driveway, but today he came along to the house. As they climbed the porch steps Jane said, "Peter, you can come in if you want, but we can't... I'm getting my...you know, my..." She blushed and looked down.

"Visit from your friend?" Peter supplied, smiling, his eyes sympathetic. "You poor thing."

He held the screen door open as she unlocked the door, then followed her in, saying, "Actually, I think we both need a nap more than anything else at this point."

They went upstairs without another word and paused only long enough to kick off their shoes before collapsing onto her bed. Jane lay on her back, looking up at Peter, who lay on his side, supporting his head on his hand.

"Ohhh...god, I feel awful," Jane said, crossing her eyes comically to show her discomfort. She snuggled closer to Peter. "But thank goodness it's all over."

"Amen," replied Peter, blowing out his breath in a huge sigh of relief.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead, then gently placed his free hand on her stomach and began to massage it in a slow circular motion. It was wonderfully warm and soothing and Jane could sense the knots in her stomach beginning to loosen almost immediately. She took a deep, relaxing breath and closed her eyes. "Mmmmmmm...thank you," she murmured sleepily.

Peter lay his head down in the crook of his elbow as he continued to soothe her. He yawned. "Maybe..." He yawned again. "...we should set an alarm...or something." Another yawn. "I really...don't want to be here...when...your folks..."

...And then they were both asleep.

It was Jane's mother who found them, fortunately.

They had been too tired to even close the door behind them and were so deeply asleep that neither of them heard her car as it approached or her footsteps on the stairs.

She glanced through the open doorway just to see if Jane was home and saw the two of them, now nestled like spoons on Jane's bed. Peter's arm hung loosely around Jane's waist, his hand still pressed to her stomach, held there by both of Jane's.

She watched them in silence for a long time. She looked at Peter especially, as though trying to divine from his sleeping form what sort of boy he was. Something about the tenderness with which he was holding Jane, and Jane's apparently total trust in him, must have reassured her, at least somewhat, because she allowed herself a wistful smile to go along with her sigh.

She started to close the door, then stopped and glanced at her watch. Looked back at the two sleepers and sighed again. Opened the door again, and knocked lightly on it, saying softly, "Kids? I think it's time to wake up."

There was a moment of sleepy stirring and slow disentanglement. Then Peter 's eyes flew open and he sat bolt upright on the bed, followed, more slowly, by Jane, who said, "Hi, Mom."

Jane was startled but not upset, although this was not the moment she would have chosen for her mother to meet Peter. At least we have our clothes on, she thought with relief.

Jane's mother immediately tried to put Peter at ease by stepping forward and offering her hand, saying, "You must be Peter. I'm Jane's mother."

Peter had enough presence of mind to take the offered hand and respond, "Hello, Mrs. Harkin." He knew that she'd already known about him and Jane, but still it was a disconcerting way to wake up.

"You're welcome to stay for dinner, Peter," said Jane's mother, "but Jane's father is due any second and it would be better if you were downstairs when he gets here."

Dinner went well, despite Peter's initial nervousness at meeting her father.

Jane had been no less anxious. But Jane's father seemed to accept Peter's presence as just one more of the changes his daughter was going through and Peter, performer that he was, went out of his way to be entertaining, telling stories of disasters and near-disasters from the plays he'd been in. This in turn inspired Jane's father to recall anecdotes of his own performances in his early days as a trial-lawyer.

Jane, despite still feeling fairly wretched, was gratified and relieved to see that Peter was making a good impression, and it made her especially happy when her mother, watching Peter in animated discussion with Jane's father, turned to her and, quirking her lips and raising her eyebrows as if to say, 'Not bad!', gave her an approving nod.

Jane's smile in return would have melted an iceberg.

After dinner Peter stayed long enough to help with the dishes. Then, pleading exhaustion, he thanked Jane's parents and got ready to leave.

Jane walked him out to the porch. Her friend Suzy's parents were hosting an end-of-school party on Saturday night and Peter said he'd try to borrow the car and pick her up. Then, made self-conscious by the fact that her parents were nearby, he gave her only a quick hug and a chaste peck on the lips, though he couldn't resist leaning close afterwards and whispering, "Gee—weren't you naked the last time we did this?" before turning and heading off down the driveway, calling, "Have a good time in Boston, see you Saturday!" over his shoulder.

Jane was still smiling as she went back inside but wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed with a good book until she fell asleep again, which she suspected wouldn't be long.

She headed for the kitchen to tell her parents she was going upstairs. And as she did so she overheard her father saying, "...certainly seems all right. I can't believe our little girl is so grown up."

There was a pause, then: "Have you discussed the birds and the bees with her?"

Her mother replied, "Um-hm." And then, as though joking, "I learned quite a lot."

Chapter Twenty-Five

Not surprisingly, Jane slept late the next morning and when she awoke she found herself feeling much better. Her appointment was at eleven, and it was more than an hour's drive to the city, so she hurried to get showered and dressed.

When she came downstairs she saw that her mother had put out fruit and muffins for her. Her mother was already dressed and ready to go, so Jane quickly sat down to eat.

Next to her place-mat was an envelope with her name on it in her father's handwriting, and inside it were two twenty-dollar bills. She looked up questioningly at her mother.

"I told him we were going shopping," she said, "and now I guess we'd better. I have to do a couple of errands after your appointment anyway. Maybe you'd like to shop by yourself for a while after we have lunch?"

Jane wrinkled her nose and said, "It'd be more fun with you. Anyway, I don't know my way around the city. I'd get lost or something."

Her mother came over and gave her a quick hug. "You're right, it would be more fun that way. How about if I drop you off somewhere and come back for you? Maybe a record store?"

Jane thought for a moment and shrugged. "Sure."

"Well, you don't have to decide this minute. Are you about ready to go?"

Jane nodded, stuffing the last piece of muffin into her mouth. "All right, I'll just go up and get my purse."

Her mother had hardly left the room when an idea suddenly struck Jane and she dashed over to one of the kitchen drawers and pulled out a Boston phone book.

She quickly found what she was looking for and wrote the information down on a scrap of paper and stuffed it into her pocket, along with the money her father had left for her. Then she hurried to clean up the breakfast remains and pay a last visit to the bathroom.

When she came out her mother was waiting and they locked up the house and got in the car and drove to Boston.

Jane was more than a little nervous about meeting with the gynecologist, who was an old college friend of her mother's. She wondered if the doctor would ask her all kinds of personal questions about her sexual experiences. She certainly hoped not, especially if her mother was going to be in the room with them.

She needn't have worried. Doctor Weissman, a woman about the same age as Jane's mother, but with prematurely gray hair and a calm, no-nonsense manner, let Jane's mother stay in the examining room only long enough to fill out the necessary legal paperwork while Jane was being given a cursory physical examination. Then she shooed her outside to wait.

When they were alone, Doctor Weissman drew up a stool and asked Jane a few questions about her menstrual cycle and gave her a short lecture on preventing disease before explaining how birth-control pills worked and the importance of taking them regularly. Jane asked how soon they would start working after she began taking them.

"I usually tell people to wait at least seven days." Doctor Weissman smiled and continued, "Why? Are you in a hurry? When did you have your last period?"

When Jane explained that she was just finishing, the doctor said, "Well then, you're lucky: there's really no chance of your getting pregnant for several days after your period ends. I'd still recommend using some protection though, just for the sake of disease prevention—unless you're absolutely sure the boy you're going to sleep with isn't sleeping with anyone else."