Scent of a Girl 40 Scent of a Girl - Episode 40 "I'm Not Having Delusions"
Written by: TVM (mrtvm@mrtvm.com)
Archive: www.asstr.org/~TheVertManArchive/Stories/Scent/Index.html
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/\ {* ~ *} /\ SHELBY'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (~ (OLIVER-STANTON HALL, MINTZ SUITE) ~) ~
"Hi Max" Laney said as I laid on my bed reading a new novel and she watched TV with a sleeping Dakota on one side of her and Cindy relaxing against the front of the couch and watching an old movie on Turner Classic Movies. I heard the bathroom door close on the other side of the bathroom and knew Maxie was indeed home. I jumped up and looked to see she had already closed the door and for some reason it just seemed weird to me.
"Maxie just come in?" I asked Laney.
"Uh huh" Laney said. "I said hi but she didn't say anything back. Think she's mad at me?"
"You worry to much" I said as she grinned and groaned when I pulled her up and along with me as we went into the other bedroom and found that the place was now deserted. "Where did she go?"
"Beats me" I said. "You sure she came in?"
"I'm not having delusions" Laney said as I laughed. "She seemed upset."
"You're a pretty good read of people's emotions" I noted as I checked the closet on the far end of the bedroom by the window just in case. "This is weird."
"Why is my suitcase pulled into the floor" Laney asked as I joined her. "Someone took my bottle of wine."
"You sure?" I asked as I joined her and saw that the space it used to occupy in the corner of the suitcase was now gone. "It is gone."
"Why would someone steal that for?" Laney asked with a hurt look.
"Maxie seemed upset?" I asked Laney as she stood.
"Yeah why?"
"Somethings happened and she's back to her old tricks" I said as Laney seemed confused. "When something goes wrong in her life she gets shit face drunk to drown the pain."
"She didn't have to steal it all she had to do was ask" Laney said.
"She's in pain I bet and she'll be sorry when she sobers up" I said as I hugged Laney. "Don't be too mad at her?"
"OK."
"I'll buy you some booze back you little alcoholic" I said as I pushed her playfully down on the bed. She laughed and jumped up to chase me as Cindy came into the bedroom with her movie now off. I quickly swung behind Cindy and grinned victoriously as she stopped Laney with a finger point warning. "Ha ha!"
"You'll pay for that Lucy" Laney said as my mouth dropped open in shock at her using of my middle name. Cindy obviously had told her.
"I love Lucy" Cindy giggled as I glared at both of them and walked off in protest and had just gotten back into the living room when I heard the giggling and looked back just as they crashed to the floor and jerked down my pants. They went to my ankles as I squealed, covering my thong-clad butt as quick as I could and turned around to bend over and jerk them back up. Not knowing that the all the giggling had woken up Dakota and bending down to jerk my shorts up had given her eye an full as she opened her eyes. "FULL MOON TONIGHT!"
"I'm gonna kill both of you" I said with a finger point and hearing a loud whistle from Dakota behind me.
"Shel you have the cutest butt," Dakota said as she sat up. "It's almost as good as Mindy's."
"Mindy?" Cindy asked as she jumped up from the floor and pulled a still giggling Laney up to. "Why are you talking about Mindy when you've been chasing Bre all over campus for weeks now?"
"Might it have something to do with her helping you home the other night?" Laney asked with a teasing tone.
"No it does not," Dakota said in an overly defensive manner. "I still like Bre."
"Like?" Cindy asked.
"You've been chasing her for like two months now and you haven't gotten beyond the like stage?" I asked.
"She's been acting weird since I got kicked off the team," Dakota admitted. "But she is coming over tonight so no jokes about me and Mindy?"
"Why not work that angle and try and get a threesome?" I asked.
"Why don't you three have one?" Dakota asked. "Those two might as well be dating and you'd love that cause you could use that strap-on you keep hidden under your bed."
"OHMIGOD" Laney giggled as I blushed and smacked Dakota's leg in protest.
"Wanna trade some more shots?" Dakota asked as the phone rang.
"You win" I said as she raised her arms victoriously and I went to answer the phone. "Hello?"
"Shelby?" Sarah asked from the other end of the phone.
"Yeah this is her."
"Please tell me Maxie is there," Sarah said.
"She was but she came in and left before anybody talked to her," I said. "And I think she took some wine from the bedroom."
"We got the news that her Mom died" Sarah informed me. "You think she's gonna get drunk?"
"Her Mom was a drunk and I'm afraid she will be too" I said.
"You might be right," Sarah said. "If she comes back keep her there please?"
"I'll do that!"
/\ {* ~ *} /\ MOLLY'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (~ (KELLER-MONTGOMERY HALL, MOLLY'S ROOM) ~) ~
"So cool to have a cell phone of my own," I said as I came back into Keller-Montgomery Hall and stopped for a moment in the lobby. "Who else can I call?"
"How about me?" Courtney asked as she walked out of the office to the right of the main entrance with a bandana on her head and work gloves on her hands. "You got a new phone huh?"
"Sure do," I said as I showed her my Samsung Eternity. "Touch screen and everything."
"Those are nice," She said.
"What's going on with the office?" I asked.
"Not sure but I got drafted into helping clean it out," Courtney said. "I guess someone is gonna be living here because they're putting in a bathroom with a shower and a small bedroom from what I can tell."
"And you've got time to do this, your homework and spend time with Mindy?" I asked.
"Nope," She said. "But since you hate me you'll be glad to know it's most likely over with Mindy anyway."
"I do not hate you," I said firmly. "I did at first because of the way you terrorized Bre for no reason. But you apologized and won Mindy's heart and you've done a couple of good things for me and Chloe so I cooled to you. And you haven't fucked up with Mindy, yet, so I guess you say we're not quite friends but I don't hate you. Hell I don't even dislike you any more."
"WOW! I did something right," Courtney smiled.
"Wait! You said it's over with Mindy?"
"My Dad called and said he might have to pull me out of school," Courtney said. "He does this shit all the time to keep me upset."
"And you told Mindy and she over reacted?" I asked.
"Major league," Courtney confirmed. "Now she won't even talk to me. But she doesn't mind helping her ex-girlfriend."
"What do you mean?"
"We fought about the thing my dad said the night of Dakota's last game," Courtney said. "And Mindy ran off crying. So I hung around and about 15 minutes later I saw her leaving with Dakota."
"That is weird," I said.
"Talk to her for me?" Courtney asked. "You like me that much?"
"Not really" I said with a playful push as she grinned. "Not a problem."
"Thanks," She said as I walked off and went thundering up the steps thinking to myself how this place had become so much like home in just the few short months I had been here, It did make me wonder though, as I reached my floor, what my plans would look like this summer cause the school year was winding down fast and I had to figure something out.
"Mindy?" I asked as I tapped on her door and heard some Jazz music playing lightly on the other side so I knew someone was in there. "Come on open up, Scooby."
"Fine then you selfish little five year old," I spat under my breath. "Acts like a spoiled brat sometimes."
"Lucy I'm home..." I said as I came into my room and found Chloe lounging on my bed and crying. Not an all together unusual sight really. "OK, what's wrong this time? The Twins lose in extra innings?"
"Bite me," She said as I laughed and crawled up behind her on the bed as she scooted back into my arms. "Seriously wanna know?"
"Of course I do girl who has my heart" I said as she grinned. "What's bugging you?"
"My dad called and said I could come home this summer if I wanted to," She said as my stomach kind of fell out at that announcement. "I wasn't sure he even wanted me home."
"Of course he does," I said as I sat up behind her. "He loves you."
"I told him about the school's option to stay on campus program and how I might do that," Chloe said. "I told him I didn't wanna leave you."
"And he doesn't think you're crazy?" I asked as my spirits soared despite the uncertainty and Chloe's laughing.
"No he doesn't think I'm crazy," Chloe said. "He said if he met someone like you he wouldn't wanna leave them either."
"So he's into 15 year old girls?" I asked as Chloe burst out laughing.
"NOOOO!" She screamed in a giggle. "It's impossible to stay depressed around you."
"MMMMMM brownie points" I said as I leaned down and kissed her.
"Do I get rolling thunder points for choosing you?"
"No you don't," I said as she moved her head to across my thighs and gave me a pooched lip pout. "You can have that as often and as much as you like."
"I soooo love when you say that," She cooed. A long soft kiss followed as she gently massaged her tongue against mine in a wonderful soul soothing dance that left me wanting to stick my tongue some place else. "MMMMMMM!"
"Indeed my little glowy," I said as she smiled.
"So what are your plans for the summer?"
"Was planning to stay on campus," I said as Chloe nodded. "But how about..."
"How about what?" Chloe asked when I trailed off and she followed my eyes to the muted TV on the desk and a colorful commercial about tourism in Kansas City (Chloe's hometown). It showed open fields with a hot air balloon flying above it, a shot of the Kansas City Royals baseball team, some downtown night clubs and some of the famous tourism stops of the city. Sparking an idea that neither of us had thought of. "Molly, my girl, hello?"
"How about me and you go and hang out in the Paris of the Plains for a few weeks" I suggested as I pointed to the ad.
"You mean you wanna come back to Kansas City with me?" She asked in surprise.
"I got no reason to stay here," I said.
"You have a sister here?"
"Who I can barely tolerate," I said. "I'd much rather be with you."
"So you think this sister is gonna let you go 743 miles away by just you asking?"
"And since when do you know it's exactly 743 miles?" I asked as Chloe giggled knowingly.
"Since I looked it up on Google maps about an hour ago," She announced. I rolled my eyes and knew now I'd been set up.
"OK very funny" I said as she raised her arms in victory. "So the waterworks were for show?"
"No, I was thinking about my mom and stuff after Dad called," Chloe said. "Time for a good cry I guess."
"Want me to hold you for a while now?" I asked as she eagerly sat up and slid back into my welcoming arms. "This is better."
"MMM HMMMM" She said simply. "So talk to Holly about Kansas City?"
"You talked to your Dad?" I asked in reply.
"My Grandpa Max actually" Chloe said. "We'll be staying with him most of the time. My dad still goes out on the road 4 or 5 days a week."
"And what about your sisters? UMMMMM, Mackenzie, Hayden and Carly?" I asked.
"You'll get to meet them" Chloe said. "My Grandma Evie lives across town in a retirement home and you can meet her to. She's a pistol."
"I am so looking forward to that," I said as I kissed her cheek. "You know I love you?"
"I love you too," She said simply.
/\ {* ~ *} /\ SARAH'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (FAST EDDIE'S EATS) ~
"I'm gonna go check my place again," I said to Eddie as we sat in the front booth and hoped that Maxie would come through the door any moment.
"Call if she shows up," Eddie said as I exited the place and saw off in the distance that someone appeared to be sitting in front of the apartment door. I slowed when I saw that mop of blond hair and said a small prayer that she had finally come back. I slowly walked closer and was surprised by her reaction as she looked up and said in a slightly slurred speech, "Sarah Rae you're a sore for sight eyes."
"Do what Tay?" I asked as she scrambled to her feet with a bottle of wine in her hand.
"I said you're a sight for sore eyes" Maxie said with a grin. "Where you been for the last 16 hours?"
"You're the one that went missing, I've been at Eddie's," I said pointedly as I unlocked my door and dragged her by the hand inside and closed it behind me. "Now where the hell have you been?"
"I don't know," Maxie said and then pointed to me and asked, "Where the hell have you been?"
"I've been with all the people who love you and worried sick," I said as Maxie leaned against the back of the door and took another long drink of wine.
"Those people bore me," Maxie slurred. "But you, I love you, you're hot."
"Tay please give me the wine?" I asked.
"No, I'm not done with it," She said as she held on to it protectively when I tried to pull it away.
"Tay you're drunk..."
"...as a skunk," Maxie finished for me as I laughed.
"Please? For me?" I begged as she released the bottle and I saw it was nearly empty. A moment later I poured it out in the sink and put on a pot of coffee as Maxie hugged me from behind and started slobbering all over my neck. "Tay stop it."
"Why? You love me," Maxie said. "And I know why."
"Tell me miss drunk as a skunk, why do you think I love you?" I asked as she sat down in the chair by the fridge.
"Because I look like Avril Lavigne," Maxie said with a proud smile. I laughed so hard at that I had to hang onto the counter.
"No you don't Tay," I said with a finger point. "Because if you did I'd have laid you months ago and I wouldn't be living in this crummy shit hole."
"You're right this place is a shit hole," Maxie said defiantly. "Let's burn the mother fucker to the ground."
"No Tay, no fire tonight," I said calmly.
"Good cause I'd be dangerous around open flames," Maxie said. "One burp and BAM! the Thief River Falls fire would be all my fault. Thousands of people and millions of cock roaches would die."
"Stop Tay!" I said as I was again laughing so hard my sides hurt. "You're killing me."
"Why are you laughing so much?" Maxie asked in wonder.
"Never mind" I said as I sat down opposite her and pushed some coffee into her hand. "Why did you run away for? And no more happy drunk jokes."
"My Mom died," Maxie said. "And I hate her."
"Will you please tell me why you hate her?" I asked.
"You'll laugh," She said defensively.
"I love you and you love me so no I won't" I said as I literally got on my knees in front of her and moved up to her so my stomach was touching the seat she was sitting in. "Please Tay?"
"OK!" She said and I could see some of the fog clearing as she said the following words, "She let people touch me."
"Oh god," I said with a hand over my mouth in shock. "Sexually?"
"Yeah," She said in a suddenly sober voice. "They did things to me when I was sleeping or even awake."
"How old?" I asked as tears of anger flooded down my cheeks.
"9 or 10" Maxie said. "I stopped it by kicking one guy in the balls."
"You've always been tough, huh?" I asked.
"Till I met you," Maxie said with a slight slur still remaining in her voice. "Now all I want is to be happy...and love you the way you deserve. Now I'm screwing that up."
"No, you are not Maxine Taylor Bradlidge," I said as I hugged her and she hugged me back.
"I love you Sarah" Maxie said into my ear. "Please don't be mad at me and stop loving me."
"Never" I said as I touched my forehead to hers. "Never ever will I stop loving you."
"UMMMMMMMMM..." Maxie stammered. "If I promise to be good...will you..."
"What?"
"Will you hold me tonight?" Maxie asked as I smiled. "I promise I won't try anything."
"That is an invite I can't resist, Avril" I said as she laughed and still staggered a bit as she stood up.
I called Eddie a few moments later and filled him in on the happenings as Maxie lay on the bed resting. He was none to happy but trusting me the way he does he quickly agreed to let me have the space to deal with this the way I felt was best. I hung up and was about to go into the bedroom when the phone once again began to ring. I checked the caller ID and expected it to be from Darlene or Eddie but it wasn't. It was my lovely mother, Phylicia, again. I simply clicked the button on the phone that turns off the ringer and laughed as I walked into the bedroom. Knowing my mother would spend all night letting it ring thinking it would drive me crazy. Boy was she wrong.
/\ {* ~ *} /\ DAKOTA'S PERSPECTIVE /\ {* ~ *} /\
~ (~ (OLIVER-STANTON HALL, MINTZ SUITE) ~) ~
So I admit I've been thinking a lot about Mindy the couple of days since our whole "do you still love me?" convo and then the stuff after I was kicked off the softball team (mostly why I'm sitting in the hallway waiting on Bre). I mean look at it from my perspective, she was my first girlfriend and I loved her sooo much. And when she dumped me for Courtney it nearly killed me. But now that she's basically admitted she still has feelings for me...I've been wondering if I do for her too. I don't want too, honestly. But the situation with the softball team and Bre has gotten weird and that affected our relationship.
"Sometimes I wish I could just go home and never come back here," I said a bit too loud.
"You and me both!"
"Huh?" I asked as I looked to the right and saw a pair of stunning legs that were tanned dark. Following them up over an equally tanned, flat stomach to a pair of perfectly rounded boobies to a cute Asian face that I could get lost in for days. It was Hana Peterson our next door neighbor. "Oh hey, Hana."
"You guys busy?" Hana asked. "Lisa and Patty..."
"Are driving you nuts, I know," I said as she giggled. "Go on in."
"No that's weird" She said as I stood to join her. "Walk in with me?"
"Why don't we go somewhere and be alone?" I asked as she gave me a questioning look.
"You're hitting on me?" She asked as I shrugged.
"I sure am," I said with a smile.
"I already know you and Bre are an item and she would kill me if I even flirted back," Hana said.
"I would never do anything like that anyway," I said.
"By the way I'm sorry about what Coach did to you."
"I forged my parents signature so it was my fault," I said. "I really hope you guys win the league though."
"Thanks!" Hana said. "You think Cindy is about packed?"
"Packed?"
"We got a three game weekend trip?" Hana asked. "It's the rematch with Bemidji and last time we kicked them around pretty good."
"I remember," I said as she giggled.
"There's your girl," Hana said as she pointed out Bre who was just coming down the hallway from the opposite way. A bag slung over her shoulder. "OK, if I check on Cindy?"
"Go ahead," I said as Hana slipped inside the door. "Hey there."
"Hi," Bre said as she dropped her bag by the one Hana had with her when she came out of her own room. "How you doing?"
"The knee is feeling better," I said. "Still wish I could play."
"Me too," Bre said as she slipped in beside me. "This trip is gonna be lonely without you."
"You're gonna miss me when I'm gone?" I asked and referencing yet another Brooks and Dunn song as Bre grinned.
"Missing you," Bre said simply as she met my gaze and moved closer.
"Before you go why don't you, rock my world little country girl?" I asked as she smiled and slid closer. "You're going too, huh?"
"HMMMMMM...," Bre murmured before she leaned in and kissed my lips softly. "MMMMMMMM. Maybe!"
"Damn!" I said as Bre nodded and this time I kissed her and suddenly all thoughts of Mindy left my mind completely as Bre slipped into my arms and we made out in the hallway for...I'm not sure how long it was. "Well that certainly changed things."
"Did it ever," Bre said with a dreamy look in her eyes. "You are a great kisser."
"So are you," I said quietly. "Why did you just kiss me for? That kinda came out of nowhere."
"I wanted to see if we had that spark," Bre said. "And boy do we ever."
"You know I really do like you," I said.
"Like? I thought you were falling in love with me?"
"I thought I was too but with all the drama the last few weeks we've sorta moved sideways," I said.
"I know," Bre said. "But when I get back I'm gonna concentrate on you and you only."
"Seriously?" I asked with a huge smile.
"Meet me Sunday night in my room and I'll show you," Bre said and following it with a sizzling kiss that made me weak in the knees.