The kiss with Camille lasted about thirty seconds, and it was quite a kiss. I could feel my heart start to race in reaction. One thing was obvious: Camille certainly knew how to kiss. It wasn’t one of Kristen’s erection specials, but it was damned close!
Finally, Camille let me go, and I saw that the other cheerleaders were all back in their little bunch where they were before.
“Sherry, you can join the other girls. Thanks again for helping us out, Jim, and if you ever find yourself in need of a cheerleader, you’ll find twenty volunteers in our group!”
“Thank you,” Sherry and I said together.
Sherry and Camille joined the other cheerleaders, and Camille took me by the hand and led me over to them.
Lynette turned her attention to the other three people. “Ah, now we get to our late arrivals.” Once again, she slapped the paddle on her hand menacingly.
Danny saw this and protested. “Wait, Lynette. Jackie is late because of me. If anybody deserves to be punished, it’s me.”
Lynette looked at Danny. “You are willing to take her punishment?”
“Yes,” Danny answered, his eyes nervously following the paddle in Lynette’s hand.
“Do you wish for Danny to take your punishment, Jackie?”
Jackie looked at Danny, and then over to where we were standing (probably looking for Camille, her cousin), and then said, “No, Lynette. It wasn’t entirely his fault.”
Lynette smiled. “Danny Strong, you have a nice heart. Jackie is lucky to have somebody like you to be with her. Jackie, you are brave, too. However, I only have this paddle here for ceremonial purposes. Jackie, just remember not to be late next time and we’ll avoid any punishments.”
A bunch of the cheerleaders giggled at Lynette’s comment, and I could see Jackie’s face look much relieved, especially as Lynette threw the paddle toward the girl with the sports bag.
Lynette said, “Alright, Maria. It’s time for you do the honors for Jackie.”
Maria grinned and brought Jackie and Danny to where Lynette was standing. “Lynette Robbins, I certify that Jackie Lombardi has passed her initiation.”
Lynette nodded and said, “Jackie Lombardi, you showed courage in deciding to take your own punishment. I would like to be the first person to welcome you as an official member of the cheerleading squad.”
Lynette kissed Jackie, and then approached Danny. “Danny Strong, thank you for sticking up for Jackie. We don’t believe in inflicting pain on any of our participants, but you may not have known that. Jackie is very lucky to have you as her friend.”
Danny received a kiss from Lynette, and the other girls moved over once again to kiss Jackie and Danny. Camille urged Sherry to go, telling her “You’re now an official cheerleader. Congratulate them!”
Sherry left, leaving just Camille and me behind. “I promised you, Jim.”
“I’m sorry I doubted you,” I said. “Aren’t you going to congratulate your cousin?”
“Yeah,” Camille smiled, and went to the end of the line.
Overall, it was a memorable day.
It was getting close to noon. My mother wanted me home that particular Saturday since we would be visiting my grandmother (on her side) that afternoon, and have supper with her. Camille dropped me off at my house with plenty of time to spare.
I went to my room to straighten it up a little (things started to pile up), and realized that I promised to give Kristen a call when I got home from the initiation.
I went downstairs into the study and picked up the phone. I called Kristen’s house, and told her that I just got home.
“That’s funny,” Kristen replied. “Sherry’s been here for five minutes.”
“Sherry’s there?” I asked.
“Yeah. She wanted to tell me about what happened. Since I didn’t have a date today, I’m inviting her to Vaughn’s. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Nope. I’ll be thinking of you… both of you.”
“Say ‘hi’ to your grandmother for me,” Kristen said.
“All right. I really wish I could see you today.”
“What time are you getting back?”
“Late. Nine o’clock or so.”
“Give me a call when you get back.”
“All right.”
I was already in a better mood. I was happy that I would get a chance to talk with Kristen later on tonight.
I spent the day with my family at my grandmother’s house. She lived about an hour away, and I found myself thinking of Kristen most of the entire day.
When we got home, I remembered my promise to call Kristen, and I was surprised when she answered directly. Usually, one of the household staff answers the phone, but Kristen set it up so that the phone rang through, waiting for my call.
“Hi, Jim!” Kristen said.
“Hello, my fair Goddess!”
“Only fair?” Kristen said, pretending to be insulted.
“None are fairer than you,” I said, smiling at the phone.
“So, are you interested in fucking tonight?” Kristen asked, looking for shock value.
I frowned. I didn’t think my parents would let me visit Kristen so late, despite the fact that I was regularly spending the night with her on weekends. “I don’t know if my mom…”
“Ask her,” Kristen said.
I knew Kristen enough that if she got an idea into her head, she wanted to do it now. “Sure,” I said, and went into the living room where my mother and step-father were watching television.
“Mom?” I asked.
“Yes, Jim?”
“May I go over to Kristen’s?”
“Now? This time of night?” my mother seemed a bit shocked.
“I haven’t seen her all day.”
“Poor baby. You can’t spend one night in your own bedroom?”
“Come on, mom…”
My mother sighed. “Is she going to pick you up?”
“If you say ‘yes.’”
“She’s not already on her way?”
I smiled. “Not unless she has a car phone. She’s on the phone right now.”
My mother smiled. “All right, Jim. You did visit Mom with us today, although your mind was almost a hundred miles away.”
“Thanks, Mom! You’re the greatest!” I ran to the phone and told Kristen the good news.
“Great. I’ll be right there.”
I was astounded when the doorbell rang about two minutes later.
“Who is that at this hour?” my mother said.
“Don’t know. Kristen just got off the phone.”
I opened the front door, and there was Kristen. “Kris! How did you…?”
“I borrowed my dad’s car. I thought I’d surprise you.”
“But I just called you at home!”
Kristen smiled. “The phone call was transferred to my father’s car. It’s neat. My dad does it all the time. I figured you’d call my personal number, and if you didn’t, the staff would have forwarded the call manually.”
“You’re something else,” I laughed. “Come on in. You worried my mother.”
“Sure.”
I took Kristen into the living room. “I’m afraid I was mistaken. She was on her father’s car phone.”
“I’m sorry if I surprised you, Mrs. Cummings.”
“Well, Jim told me that you were on the phone.”
“Dad tells me he’ll get me a car phone when I get my MBA.”
“What’s an MBA?” I asked.
“It’s short for Master of Business Administration. It’s a degree you get in a place like Harvard Business School.”