Rob and Mickey

"The same in everything?"

"Yeah, you know; do you kiss the same and make out the same way."

"Do we?"

"No."

"Which one of us is better."

Bev giggled and said, "I'll never tell."

I didn't press it because for one thing I really didn't care and for another I wanted to stay on her good side. She was keeping me up to date on what Mickey was doing which was pretty much what I was doing. Every time Mickey called Bev she asked if I was staying true and every time Bev gleefully lied and said that I was. She got me the guys name and told me that it was the same guy that Mickey had gone with on her last trip to Cartersville.

Two days before Mickey was due to come home Bev and I had our last date and she told me that she was sorry that it had to stop.

"I've kind of gotten used to you."

"I can always break up with Mickey."

"Yes, but then I couldn't date you without hurting my friendship with Mick."

"Well there is always Christmas break if she goes back to visit."

"I don't think so. We have been lucky so far in keeping what we are doing from every one else. I don't think I want to chance it again."

"Well it was fun while it lasted and I'm not sorry one little bit that we did it."

"I'm not either."

Mickey called me the day she got back and I went over to see her. The first thing she asked me was did I miss her and I assured her that I did and then I asked her the same question and then listened as she lied to me and told me that she had missed me terribly. She told me that it had been pure hell being stuck at her grandparent's with nothing to do. I don't know why I didn't laugh at her, tell her that I knew she was lying and go on home.

No, that's not true. I do know why I didn't. She was still the best looking girl around and I was hung up on her. I guess I couldn't blame her for finding something to do when she visited her grandparents, but why was she so insistent that I do nothing when she was gone. I doubted that I would ever know the answer to that question.

++++++++++++++

When school started and football got going I made varsity and Mickey promptly claimed my letter sweater. It was around that time that I decided that I wasn't going to go to college. It may seem like the eleventh grade is a little early to be thinking like that, but I didn't like school and I didn't see the relevance of half of what I was being made to learn when you applied it to the real world. I didn't think college would be any different. Even though I'd made the decision I kept it to myself.

When Christmas break came Mickey told me that she was again going to her grandparent's for a week and she asked me if I was going to behave while she was gone. I thought for a moment and then said:

"Probably not."

She got a shocked look on her face and she said, "You would go out on me?"

"I'm thinking on it."

She looked like she was going to cry and I said, "We are almost to graduation and some of our classmates are already planning for married life after graduation. You haven't indicated that you are interested in anything other than a high school romance so I'm thinking that maybe it's time for me to start looking for someone for the long haul."

There were actually tears running down her face when she said, "I thought you knew I was yours and always intended to be yours."

I almost laughed and said, "Except when you are out of town" but I didn't. Her tears and her statement actually got to me and I said:

"I didn't realize that you felt that strongly about it. Given that I of course will behave myself while you are gone."

She threw her arms around me and said, "I love you Rob."

That was the first time that she had ever said that to me and I hugged her and told her that I loved her too. And it was true. I did and I always had, but I never realized that it was returned.

If it really was.

There was a question mark in my mind. If it was really true what was with the out of town boyfriend?

++++++++++++++++++++

Mickey left and I gave Bev a call. "Are we still buds?"

"Of course."

"Can you do me a huge favor?"

"If I can."

"Mickey is off to Cartersville again and I'm guessing that she asked you to keep an eye on me again. Can I ask you to keep me up to date on what she tells you?"

"She's my friend Rob and I love her to death, but even so I have to ask you why you don't dump her. I know things always seem fine when she's here, but if she really cared for you she wouldn't do what she does when she goes out to the farm."

"I know and I'm thinking about it. Back to the question I asked. Are you my watcher again?"

"Yes Rob; I've got the duty again."

"You know that the best way to keep an eye on me is to spend time with me. That way you will know everything that I'm doing."

"I don't think so Rob. We got away with it last time and I don't think I want to tempt fate."

"Why don't I come over and we can talk about it?"

"I can't tonight. How about tomorrow night?"

"I'll be there. Six good for you?"

"That will work."

I got there at six and after she let me in she told me that her parents had gone away for the weekend so we could talk freely.

"I don't really want to talk" I said. She looked me in the eye and said, "Neither do I" and she stepped forward and I took her in my arms. We were on the couch making out when the phone rang. It was Mickey. Bev held the phone so I could hear and after exchanging greetings Bev asked:

"How are things going? Have you hooked up with Ryan yet?"

"No and I'm not going to."

"He do something to upset you?"

"No. I'm going to behave this trip. At least I'm going to try to."

"Why? What's different this time?"

"I had a talk with Rob before I left. From what he said I think he wants to take things from going steady to engaged. I think I want that too so I'm going to try and be a one man woman. I still want you to keep an eye on him for me."

"No problem."

There was some girl talk after that about nothing that interested me. When Bev hung up she asked:

"Was she right? Are you seriously considering getting engaged?"

"I honestly don't know." I told her about my telling Mickey that I probably would date when she was gone and then I told Bev what had happened after I had made that statement. "But I have my doubts about her. That's why I want to know what she does on this trip. If she goes out with this Ryan guy after telling me what she told me I'll know that I'll never be able to trust her."

Bev shrugged and we went back to making out. When it was time for me to leave Bev told me that her parents wouldn't be home until late Sunday night.

"If you come over there won't be any chance of someone seeing us together since we won't be going out where anyone could see us. What do you think?"

"Like I said; the best way to keep an eye on me is to keep me close."

I was with Bev on Sunday when Mickey called again and again Bev held the phone so I could hear Mickey's side of the conversation. After Bev told Mickey I was behaving she asked:

"How are you and Ryan getting along?"

"We aren't. He has called me a couple of times, but I told him that I can't see him any more. He's a nice guy and dating him was okay until I found out how serious Rob was about us. I think Rob is going places so I'm going to stick with him."

"Going places?"

"Oh yeah. My dad is friends with Coach Robinson and the coach told my dad that there are a couple of colleges really interested in Rob and he thinks Rob has a really good shot at being recruited and then drafted into the pros. Pro football players make big money."

"That's it? You are sticking with Rob because he is going to make big money?"

"No silly; I really do love the guy, but it is nice to be in love with someone who is going places. How about you? Your love life getting any better?"

"I'm dating some, but I don't have anything going with anyone particular." She smiled at me as she said that and then went on, "Nothing has changed since you've been gone."

"Well hang in there girlfriend. Your guy will turn up one of these days."

"I hope so."

There was more but none of it concerned me. When the call was over Bev said:

"I guess she's yours Rob. Now that you know maybe you should leave."

"Oh no. I'm here and I'm not forgetting that she is one up on me."

"One up on you?"

"The last time she was doing it with that Ryan guy I was here with you, but the first time, the summer she met him, I stayed true to her so she's one up on me."

"Well okay, but this is our last time. Now that I know how she feels about you we have to end it."

I had plenty to think about as I headed home. It was news to me that my playing had gotten the interest of college coaches and that they were interested in recruiting me, but I had already decided that college wasn't in my future and not because my parents couldn't afford to send me because they could. I just didn't like school enough to want to go. There was also the fact that I liked playing football, but it was only a game to me and not a job. I wasn't the least bit interested in playing football for a living. Besides, I'd seen and read about too many pro football players who ended up with career ending injuries and a lot of that happened in their first year before they even got going good. No thank you!

That thought prompted another thought. Would Mickey still be interested in me when she found out that high school was going to be the end of my educational phase? No matter. I'd find out sooner or later.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Mickey came back the day after Christmas and gave me a call. We got together that night and made out as she kept telling me how much she missed me. The big surprise for me was when we went to a New Year's Eve party. Ten minutes after Mickey and I got there Rich showed up with his date. It was Bev. About an hour into the party I asked her to dance and when she was in my arms I said:

"I guess I got the answer to my question."

"What question was that?"

"Back when we first dated I asked you why you changed your mind after saying no. You told me that it was because you were curious about what might be the differences between me and Rick. When I asked which one of us was better you laughed and said that you would never tell."

"And I never will."

"You just did. You are here with Rich."

"Don't read anything into that baby. I didn't have a date for tonight and he asked."

There were some changes after we started back to school. I got a part time job as an apprentice mechanic at the local Ford dealership and it cut into my dating time. Mickey wasn't too happy about it, but on the plus side she did seem to enjoy the things we did now that I had a steady supply of spending money.

Bev and Rich did become a couple again and they double dated with us a time or two. Maybe six weeks before summer vacation started Mick started asking me what I was going to do after college and asked:

"Are we going to get married after graduation or wait until after college?"

"I'm not sure that I'm going to college. When I finish the apprentice program I might just stay there. Mechanics make real good money. As far as getting married is concerned I'm fine with getting married right after graduation. Mickey's facial expression changed, but I couldn't read it.

The rest of the school year was going to school, work and spend every free minute with Mickey. When summer vacation came and Mickey went on her annual trip to Cartersville I was secure enough in my relationship with Mickey that I didn't bother to ask Bev to keep me up to date.

During the summer I worked full time at the dealership and banked my money to buy a car. The week Mick was due home she called me and told me that her visit was going to run a little longer. Her grandmother had fallen and broken her hip and she was going to stay and help out. She might not be back until time for school to start. I told her that I missed her and that I was behaving myself and she laughed and said:

"You had better be. You're mine baby and I don't believe in sharing."

The week before school started the general manager of the dealership took me aside and offered me one hell of a deal on a pretty clean 1984 Mustang. I had just enough in savings to swing the deal and pay for plates and insurance. All of a sudden girls who had never paid any attention to me were saying:

"Hi Rob. When do I get a ride in your car?"

I was under no illusions that I was suddenly a great catch. It was that I was one of a few guys my age that had a car. If I wasn't behaving myself and keeping myself for Mickey I would have been in hog heaven. One of those girls was the third member of the triumvirate; the 'tri' being Mickey, Bev and Nancy Wilde. Knowing how tight Mick, Bev and Nancy were I guessed that she was just being friendly, but also I had the thought that she might be my 'watcher' this year and she was under orders to test me. Whatever the reason it didn't matter because I was being good. I did take Nancy on a couple of rides and on one of them I saw her watching me with a pensive look on her face and I wondered what was up with that.

Mick came home three days before school began and called me.

"Are we going to celebrate?"

I knew just what she was asking. We had both turned eighteen while she was at Cartersville and we had agreed that we would both wait until we were eighteen to make love. I asked her what time I should pick her up and we agreed on six. I rang her doorbell right at six. She opened the door, embraced me and gave me a monster of a kiss.

"God baby; I missed you so much" she said after she broke the kiss.

"Not as much as I missed you."

"I hope you mean that. Where are we going?"

"Anywhere you want."

"I want to drive out to Steven's Point and start making up for not seeing you all summer."

As I drove toward the point Mickey said, "A little birdie told me that I'm not the first girl to ride in this car."

Bev or Nancy? I'd probably never know.

"You weren't, but the little birdie should have also told you that the only thing that those other girls got was a ride."

"Yeah. She told me that too, but I'm still just a tad pissed I wasn't the first."

"You'll never know how close I came to making the six hour drive to Cartersville just so you could be the first."

When I said that I thought I saw something come over her face. It looked something like fear or maybe relief and I wondered about that. Once at the Point the hot, steamy make out session and what followed drove all other thoughts out of my mind.

DESC++++++++++++++++

As we were putting ourselves back together I said, "I've been thinking. I'd like to get married right after graduation. What do you think?"

"You mean it? You really mean it?"

"You bet I do."

"I'll have to talk to my parents to see if they will want to do a big wedding. Oh God, this is great" and we ended up going at it again.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

School started, football season opened and I did get scouted. I had a great year catching sixty-seven passes and turning twenty-one of them into touchdowns. When it came time to sign the letter of intent Mickey asked me where I was going.

"I'm going to State and it will be so cool to have you there with me."

"State was one of the schools interested in me, but I had already made up my mind that I wasn't going to go to college and I guessed it was time to let Mickey know.

"I'm not going to go to college Mickey. I'm going full time at the dealership when I graduate. It's a very good job, pays well and it has the benefit of security. No matter how things go with the economy there will always be the need for someone to work on vehicles. Cars are always going to be around and even in bad times people will need their cars running so they can get to work or look for work."

She was not happy to hear that, but she didn't make a big issue out of it.

The first weekend in December Mickey called me and cancelled our date for the next night.

"My grandmother is in bad shape and I need to go to the farm and take care of her while grandpa is away on business. I should only be gone a week or so."

She was gone a month. She called me the day she got back and that night and I picked her up and we went out for dinner. She waited until we were seated in the restaurant before saying:

"I have bad news. We can't get married right after graduation."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not going to graduate with you. I missed too much school while I was at the farm. I'm going to have to go to summer school to make up the time I missed. I don't want to be a married woman going to high school."

"So we will just have to wait until after summer school. A few more months won't kill us."

"We going to the point after dinner?"

"No."

She gave me a hurt look and asked, "Why not?"

"I can afford a motel room now."

She broke out in a thousand watt smile that lit up the room. She did her best to reduce me to ruin.

DESC++++++++++++++++

I lay there trying to catch my breath and she said, "We have to make up for a whole month."

"At one time?" I wheezed.

"You saying that you want to quit" she asked as she took my limp cock in her hand. It twitched and I pulled her down on me.

++++++++++++++++++++++

The rest of the school year went on. I could only afford a motel room maybe once every two weeks, but we managed to find places to play. We doubled with Rich and Bev and one night as I was dancing with Bev she asked me how I was going to like her as a sister in law.

"Rich has asked me to marry him."

"You going to?"

"Yeah, I am."

"I'm happy for you."

"We going to be all right? Considering our past and all?"

"It might be difficult for me at times when I look at you and remember that past. I do have fond memories of it you know."

"I would hope so."

"When?"

"When what?"

"When are you getting hitched?"

"Sometime after graduation."

"May be you and Rich can hold off until after summer school is over. Maybe we can make it a double wedding."

A strange look came over her face and then she said, "That would be nice."

The rest of the school year flew by. There was prom and parties and then I graduated and started full time at the dealership. The last day of summer school I asked Mickey if she was ready to set a date for the wedding and she looked away from me for a moment and then she said:

"I've been dreading this, but I guess it is time to get it out. My parents have talked me into not getting married until I finish college. They say that if I get married I'll end up not finishing."

"I don't see how that makes sense. We get up in the morning and I go off to work and you go off to school. End of the day we both come home."

"I'm going to State Rob. That's three hours away. A six hour commute every day? I don't think so."

"So don't go to State. EU is right here in town."

"EU doesn't have the program I want. Besides, all my scholarships are to State and my parents can't afford to send me to college without the scholarships to help. We will just have to wait. It won't be so bad. I'll be home most weekends."

"So we will get married and you will come home on weekends."

"No Rob; it won't work. I said most weekends, maybe three out of every five or maybe six. I'll have to stay at school to have access to the library and the labs on weekends to work on assignments and projects. Even when I'm home on weekends I'll have to spend time studying. We will get married, but I won't be until I graduate and have my degree."

I had a bad feeling about it, but I could see that I wasn't going to change her mind so I dropped it. The third week in August Mickey was Bev's Maid of Honor when Bev and Rich were married. As they left for their honeymoon I watched the limo disappear down the road and felt sorry for myself because it wasn't Mickey and me.