Renewal 3 - Your Basic Swiss Family by Jf Perkins Read Free Book Online

today, Jeffry told me it was a miracle I even lived through the dance.”
    “He did not. Jeffry loves me,” she said, wearing a glorious pout.
    “Yeah, your dad probably pays him extra to be your friend.”
    “We call it ‘hazard pay’.”
    Terry laughed out loud, and watched her pout some more.
    Sally slowed down and pulled the truck off the road next to a square patch of fir trees that looked like an old, overgrown tree farm. It was almost full darkness, and the moon was peeking through the tops of the trees directly ahead.
    “This about as close as we can get,” she said. “You’ll have to ride your bike the rest of the way. The highway is a hundred yards straight ahead, and the high school is left about half a mile.”
    Terry knew exactly where he was, but didn’t mention it. He was clever enough to let Sally keep the upper hand. “Ok, well thanks for the ride. It was my first, you know.”
    “You know, there’s no one watching us now,” she said, turning to face Terry.
    He felt cornered somehow. In a very short time, she had become important to him, and that was entirely different than sneaking kisses from girls behind the high school. The building was no longer used, which made it perfect for all kinds of sneaking. He ignored his pounding heart, leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
    She looked shocked. “That was pathetic, Terry Shelton!”
    That was a go-signal, if ever there was one. He leaned back in and placed a soft kiss right on her lips. He backed up just far enough to see that her eyes were closed, and went back in for a real kiss, one that went on long enough that they both forgot to breathe and pulled away gasping. Terry touched his fingers to his own lips.
    “Hey! They’re still there,” he said.
    Sally punched him square in the chest, and his breath rushed out in a whoof.
    “Get out!” she yelled, looking half happy and half outraged.
    Terry got out of the truck, walked around the back, and hoisted the bike out. He wheeled it up to her window. “Thanks again for the ride. Can I still have my supper?”
    “Only if you give me another kiss,” she said.
    “Be happy to...” Terry approached and almost made contact when she bit him, hard, on the lower lip. He wasn’t really surprised. He grabbed the back of her neck with his left hand and slid his fingers up into her hair, pulling her in for a serious kiss. She would only have the upper hand for so long. When he was satisfied that she was no longer fighting him, he released her and leaned back, wiping a bit of blood from his lips with the back of his hand. He enjoyed her face, appearing feral and slightly desperate with his blood on her chin, and gave her a long intense look.
    After what felt like a very long frozen moment, she shuddered, and turned to pick the bag off the seat. She held it out to him in a manner that suggested it was full of dead cats. As soon as he took it, Sally started the truck and drove away.
     
    Chapter 3 - 5
    The morning was humid, filled with a barely golden mist that promised another hot, sunny day. Terry pedaled slowly down the highway, using the time to wake up. His parents had reacted with amazement at the fried chicken and biscuits that Sally had given him. For them, it was a holiday feast. When they had eaten their fill, they started in with the questions. Usually, that kind of food was only available for those who were willing to risk the work gangs to steal it. Terry had simply reminded them that he had a job now, and that it was something he could afford from time to time. They had not believed him.
    He passed the empty lots approaching downtown, where the fallen building had been stripped for materials long since. He made the left turn on Hillsboro Boulevard, and cruised through the rebuilt part of town, where proprietors cleaned their shops in anticipation of a day that would attract some customers. Most of them were willing to work on a barter system. If they demanded new dollars or even county