What The Future Holds

"I know that your upset, and maybe you have a right to be, but if you wish to continue to speak to me I must ask that you reframe from using any more profanity." His Principal said.

Well you won't have to worry about my foul language, because after today I am leaving Michaels. I don't care if I ever see this town or anyone in it ever again! Jamie said.

"Your parents still live here." reminded Principal Olson.

"And they are one of the reasons I'm leaving!" Jamie replied as he exited his Principal's office for what he hoped would be the last time.

Jamie waited around until it was almost time to leave for the graduation ceremony before returning home. Although he had no intention of attending himself he wasn't about to tell that to his parents.

"Where have you been?" His Mother asked as he walked through the door.

"I was just out talking to a guy about my plans after graduation." Jamie replied.

"Are you ok son?" She asked.

"I will be." He replied.

"Well I just wanted to say" she started before being interrupted by her son.

"Mom I don't want to talk about it, especially not today. Why don't you and Dad take off so you can get a good seat. I am obviously not ready to leave just yet." He said heading for his room.

"Alright, but do try and hurry, you wouldn't want to miss your own graduation" She said.

Jamie did not respond to her statement, for he had every intention of being gone by the time they returned.

Carol Dawson was just getting in her car to leave for the graduation ceremony. She placed a box of ink pins that had class of 20xx behind her seat in the back. They weren't much, just a memento to express her congratulations to the senior class. As she drove her thoughts went back to Jamie. She hoped that he would accept her token without causing a scene. Carol had previously purchased a much nicer gift for him, in hopes of delivering it at his party tonight. She doubts now that she would still be welcome after what transpired between them two days ago. After finding a parking place in the already crowded lot, she reached back to retrieve her pins, but the box slipped out of her hands spilling its content all over her back seat. "Shit!" Carol thought as she crawled in the back of her car to collect her gifts. As her hand went behind the passenger seat of her car it wasn't a pin she felt, but a folder of some sort. Remembering that she had just cleaned out her car a couple of weeks ago, Carol now had a good idea of what she was holding. With trembling hands, she opened the folder to reveal the top of the title page which read William Shakespeare his life and legacy and at the bottom were the haunting words Written By Jamie Mantle.

"DEAR GOD NO!" She said out loud as tears begun to swell up in her eyes causing her makeup to smear and cloud her vision. Her memory was all too clear now. She had left school that evening placing the stack of papers on her front seat, and made the long drive to her boyfriend's house with news she felt should only be delivered in person. Her intent was to surprise her former professor, make passionate love, and then in the morning let him know that he was going to be a father. The house was dark when she pulled into the drive and after killing her engine she used her key to gain entry. Her plan was to slip seductively into bed with him, but as she opened the bedroom door it was her that got the surprise.

"What the Hell!!!" She screamed as she saw the sight before her eyes. There on the bed lies her former professor, the father of her unborn baby with his dick half way sticking out of some tramps twat, and his face buried between the folds of her breast.

"Carol! What are you doing here?" asked her stunned lover.

"What am I doing here? I think the question is who are you doing here? Carol spat angrily.

"Carol you really should have called, this is not a good time." He said.

"Funny it looked like you were having a good time to me!" She replied.

"Carol this is Tiffany one of my students. She came to me asking for help a few weeks ago, and well one thing led to another." His voice taped off.

"Well Tiffany I sure hope you were smarter then I was and used birth control, otherwise he might have another kid on the way besides the one he implanted in me!" Carol retorted addressing her now ex-boyfriend through his lover.

"You're pregnant!!!" He replied completely bewildered.

"Yes asshole I am, and I'm so glad that I decided to make the trip to tell you in person, rather than relying on just a impersonal phone call. This is so much more intimate don't you think? She sneered.

"Carol we need to talk." He stated.

"Oh no! Not tonight! Why I wouldn't dream of coming between you and Barbie's study time. I'll just go and you can call me when you get done with your um tutoring session." then turning to his lover she replied " You really are a fortunate young woman you know. He is quite dedicated to his students, and you're in very capable hands." She spat.

"Yes I am, replied the girl smugly, and by the way my name is Tiffany, not Barbie" She leered.

"Oh believe me I know that dear!" Carol coldly replied before turning to leave.

She was already backing out of the driveway when Brian came out of the house still shirtless to try and flag her down. Carol was too quick for him, however and pealed out of the farmhouse leaving a trail of dust and the squeal of tires that echoed her cries in the night.

How she made it home that night God only knows, but standing there next to her car Carol remembered that she had to reach between her passenger door to retrieve some of the reports that had been scattered due to her reckless driving. When she noticed that Jamie's report was not among her pile Carol did check the front passenger side of her car, but it never occurred to her that one of the folders could have fallen behind the back seat. Now that she thought about it Jamie did mention that his report was on the top of the pile, so she should have reasoned that this could be possible.

Forgetting about her box of graduation mementos Carol raced into the school with his report in hand and frantically combed through the rows of seniors. Jamie was not among them. Next she turned to the crowded seats of the gymnasium and anxiously scanned each section until she finally spotted her neighbors.

"Carol, My God honey What's wrong?" Asked Jamie's mother.

"Where is Jamie" She asked in a panic.

"He should be on his way I hope. He was not ready when we left, but I think that was just an excuse not to ride with us. He has always been a quiet person, but I have never seen him act like this before. Just what went on with the two of you anyhow?" Sherry asked.

"Oh Sherry I screwed up big time. I Was just now getting something out of my back seat and look at what I found!" She said.

"Is that what I think it is? Sherry asked with a sickening look on her face.

"Yes! It's Jamie's report. The one that he swore he turned in, the one I accused him of lying about, the one I punished him for!!!" Carol sobbed.

"No wonder he is acting so strangely. Jamie had always had this thing about injustice. When he was younger if he did something wrong, which wasn't very often, he would be the first to own up to it, but if he felt he was innocent he would fight with every fiber of his being to be exonerated. I guess I forgot about that." Sherry stated.

"He hates me doesn't he?" Carol asked meekly.

"Right now I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't hate us all. Joe and I blew him off when he came to us swearing that he handed in the assignment. We felt that you wouldn't have accused him unless you were sure, so we figured he was just going through some teenage rebellion phase." Sherry stated.

"I should have believed Jamie, but instead I not only accused him of lying, I accused him of tampering with the dates on his computer to backup his lie. I have to go find him! I have to apologize and beg him to forgive me! OH God, he said before I spanked him that he would never forgive me! What if he meant it?" Carol asked to no one in particular.

"Carol calm down!" Joe said. "I'm not sure that going to him right now is the best idea. In fact I don't think you should tell him you found his report at all!" Joe stated to a bewilderment of the two ladies.

"Joe are you insane we have to tell him!" Sherry said.

"No we don't! Now before you go crazy just hear me out. If you tell him that you found his report he will be like see I told you so, and constantly throw it back in our faces that we were wrong for not trusting him, however if you tell him that you decided not to punish him twice, and let him turn in a makeup report to change his grade, you come out looking like the gracious party!" Joe exclaimed.

"Joe I did find his report! How could I possibly look him in the eye and tell him I didn't, especially after what I did to him. Joe I spanked him far worse than the situation called for. I was mad because I thought he was lying to me, and I took his punishment way too far." Carol replied.

"Look Carol, he is a teenage boy. If he didn't do this I am sure he did something bad that he got away with. All teenagers do. If you tell him that you found his report we will never hear the end of how he was right and we were wrong!" Joe said.

"Joe is that all you care about? You had better listen and listen good, I am going to tell Jamie I am sorry for not believing in him, and if you don't want to take up permanent residence on the couch you had better do the same." Sherry stated ending the argument.

"Where is he?" Sherry asked. He should have been here by now. She said

"I am going to go find him." Carol stated.

"You can't! The ceremony is set to begin in less than half an hour!" Sherry exclaimed.

"I don't care I have to find him! Carol replied heading towards the door.

Jamie had been planning to leave earlier, but being injured had inhibited his mobility, and made packing all that much more difficult. He had just closed his last suit case and was dragging it to the foyer when the door bell rang.

"Shit!" Jamie thought. Who could that be?" He wondered looking out the peep hole to find his worst nightmare standing on the porch.

"I know that you're in there Jamie. Please open the door." Carol begged.

Running over the scenarios in his mind Jamie concluded that the fastest way to make Carol leave was to face her.

"Mom and Dad aren't here." Jamie said with the door cracked just enough to see out of.

"I came to see you." Carol replied.

"You are the last person I want to see! Jamie stated.

"I know, but please let me in anyway. I did come to apologize. She said.

"Please just leave me alone Miss. Dawson. I don't need to have to deal with you today on top of everything else." Jamie replied.

"Look I have to talk to you and I am not leaving until I do so." Carol stated.

Throwing his hands in the air in frustration, Jamie finally relented and let her in. As she walked through the door Jamie noticed the red report folder clutched in her hand.

"Can I assume that the folder your caring is my missing report?" Jamie asked coldly.

"Yes! she said meekly. I found it today in the back of my car. It must have fallen off the stack and slid under the seat." she said.

"I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am. I feel absolutely terrible for what I put you through. I know I don't deserve it, but is there any way you can find it in your heart to forgive me!" She asked tears streaming down her face.

"I believe I have already addressed that question Miss Dawson, and my answer has not changed!" Jamie stated.

"Please call me Carol?" she asked in a low voice.

"No I don't think so! The Carol I knew is dead, if she ever actually existed in the first place. Her replacement is some evil bitch that gets her jollies from beating her students and ruining their lives." He shouted.

"Jamie please, I know I hurt you, but I didn't ruin your life." she replied.

Instead of saying anything else, Jamie just handed her a printout of the email that Mr. Bruster had sent him after they talked yesterday. It confirmed him losing the scholarship and why.

When Carol finished reading the letter she was open sobbing.

"Oh God! What have I done?" She asked looking upward. "I'll fix this! I'll make it right! First thing Monday morning I will call this Mr. Bruster and tell him it was a mistake! I will tell him that it was all my fault. I'll make him listen! I'll change your grade in the records I'll" She started to say but was interrupted by Jamie.

"Enough! Jamie yelled getting her attention. He already gave the scholarship to another student. It's too late!" Jamie said as a tear rolled down his own cheek as well.

Feeling that he said all that was needed Jamie picked up one of his suitcases and headed towards the door.

"Wait a minute, where are you going, and why aren't you dressed for graduation?" Carol asked finally noticing his attire.

Where I am going is away from this damn town and everybody in it. As for graduation, I am not going." Jamie said.

"You have to go. You need to get your diploma." Carol replied.

"I did that four hours ago." Jamie said.

"What are you talking about?" Carol asked.

"I went to Principal Olson's office first thing this morning and picked up my diploma." he said.

"But why would you do that? You deserve to graduate with your class. She said.

Oh really! So let me get this straight. After everything else that I have been through you want me to go sit on a hard bench for two hours listening to boring speeches my ass on fire the entire time, and then I am suppose to get up stiff as a board and try to make my way up to the podium while struggling to look as normal as possible while doing so, and attempting to dodge the so called well wishers, who knowing what you did to me will be trying to give me congratulatory slaps on the ass to see if they can make me jump or actually cry out in pain. Just what the hell did I do to deserve that?" Jamie screamed.

"But your parents will be devastated if you don't show up." Carol whispered.

"Oh yes my loving parents! I went to them begging for their help, and do you know what they said? My Mom told me that she knew you, and if you said that I didn't turn in my report then I must not have. I have been a near perfect son to them. A straight A student from day one. They have never once had to come to the school because I was in trouble. I am mature and level headed. I have won countless awards and before this little disaster took place I had secured a scholarship at one of the finest universities in the country, and yet she chose to believe a woman whom she's only known all of about four years over her own son. Dad was even worse. He said that he believed you, but on the slim chance that I was telling the truth, I probably deserved to be punished anyway for getting away with some imaginary offence that I was never caught doing. You can probably see why I am not concerned about my parents feelings." Jamie replied. "Besides they would have had to be at the ceremony anyway, that idiot cousin of mine is finally graduating." he said as an afterthought.

Desperate to get him not to leave Carol tried to come up with solution.

"Look I have an idea. Go put on your cap and gown and I will drive you to school. If we hurry we might just make it." She stated.

"I already told you I'm not going to graduation!" Jamie yelled.

"Please just hear me out. I will slip your diploma back in its proper order, and your parents will never know that you ever had it. If you do this for me I will give you a graduation present that you won't ever forget!" Carol said seductively.

"You already did that!" Jamie said rubbing his sore ass.

"This gift I am sure you will enjoy!" Carol said with a wink.

"What makes you think I want anything from you?" Jamie asked starting to get her meaning.

"Oh you'll want this! You have for a long time!" Carol said smiling.

"Maybe my desires have changed!" Jamie replied.

"Oh I doubt it! Carol said, though she was beginning to think otherwise when she noticed that a certain part of him had not rose to the occasion.

"Just so there is no confusion, what exactly are you offering? Jamie asked.

"Myself. A full access pass if you will. After your party tonight tell your parents that you are going to a friend's house for the night. Drive around the block and pull into my garage and shut down the door. I will be waiting to rock your world. I'll even kiss your poor little butt and make it feel all better." She answered smiling.

"Not interested! Jamie said.

But why? She asked.

Instead of answering Jamie came back with his own question.

"Before this mess happened is this the graduation present you had intended to give me? he asked.

"Well no, but after all I put you through I felt you deserved something special." Carol stated still stunned that he hadn't jumped at the chance to have her.

"I would rather pay for my first time then to have it be a mercy fuck!" Jamie replied picking up his suitcase and heading for his car.

A distraught Carol watched as Jamie loaded the rest of his things into his car. Next he entered the kitchen where he proceeded to removed his house key from its ring and place it next to his graduation cake. Finally Jamie took an envelope from his pocket and placed it next to his key on the table.

"Time for me to leave Miss. Dawson!" Jamie stated. "Do lock up on your way out." He asked before getting in his car and driving away.

Carol assumed that Jamie had at least left his parents a goodbye letter, but later would learn that it was nothing more than a printout of the dictionary definition of the word betrayal.

It had been a few years since anyone had seen or heard from Jamie. Carol gave birth to Timothy about 8 months after Jamie's disappearance. She still lived in the same house, and has stayed close friends with the Mantles almost to the point of being family. Carol was busy doing up some dinner dishes, as a news bulletin interrupted the cartoon that her son Timmy was watching. It seems that there was an attempted bombing of an embassy building that the Vice President was at that evening. Reporters got word that the terrorist plot was foiled by Sergeant James Mantle of the US Marine Corp, who had been wounded during the attack. More information would follow as it was learned.

Carol Jumped up and grabbed the phone. With trembling hands she finally managed to dial the Mantle residence.

"Hi Carol! It's about time you gave us a call. Joe and I were starting to wonder if you and that God son of our fell off the face of the earth." She said not giving Carol a chance to get a word in edgewise.

"Sherry quick turn on your TV to a news channel" She yelled into the phone.

"Why? What's wrong?" She asked.

"Just do it!" She exclaimed.

Sherry actually dropped the phone when she saw her son's name flash across the television screen, and while sinking onto the couch screamed for her husband. When Joe entered the room his wife who was at the moment unable to form a coherent sentence only pointed in horror to the TV screen. Through stunned Joe had noticed the phone laying on the floor, and the muffled voice coming from it.

"Hello!" "Yes, we see it too." "No I had no idea he was in the Marines!" "Yes if you can get another neighbor to watch Timmy I'm sure that Sherrie could use your support. "Thanks Carol, we'll see you soon, goodbye" Joe said.

After letting Carol in, and regaining some of his composure, Joe decided to call Frank Miller, a friend of his who retired from the military a couple of years ago. Joe knew that Frank was once pretty far up the chain of command, and hoped that he still had enough clout to get the information the Mantles required.

"Frank I swear to you I had no idea he joined the marines. We had a bit of a falling out and I haven't seen or heard from him since he graduated." "Ok, thanks Frank! Bye" Joe said into the phone.