BAG OF SUGAR by marchpisces92
RetiredSummary:

The typical bag of sugar experiment in 11th Grade made Aurora "Rory" Campbell realize that she liked her friend Sean Sullivan as more than just a friend. (Working Summary)


Categories: Original Fiction Characters: None
Classification: None
Genre: Friendship
Story Status: Active
Pairings: None
Warnings: Work in Progress
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 7 Completed: No Word count: 17139 Read: 32313 Published: February 05 2017 Updated: November 19 2017

1. DECEMBER 2016: HIS RORY by marchpisces92

2. DECEMBER 2016: HIS RORY II by marchpisces92

3. SEPTEMBER 1992: PICTURE DAY by marchpisces92

4. DECEMBER 2016: HIS RORY III by marchpisces92

5. OCTOBER 1997 HALLOWEEN MISCHIEF by marchpisces92

6. DECEMBER 2016: HIS RORY IV by marchpisces92

7. MAY 2000: THE BIRDS AND THE BEES AND WHAT?!? by marchpisces92

DECEMBER 2016: HIS RORY by marchpisces92
Author's Notes:

 

 

 

DECEMBER 2016: HIS RORY

"Oh my god aren't you Sean Sullivan?"

It took a lot of effort for thirty-year-old Sean Patrick Sullivan not to roll his eyes; instead he offered a smirk to the scantily clad red headed waitress.

"Here" he said giving her a crisp fifty-dollar bill "we can keep that between the two of us alright sweets?"

"Okay" the waitress, said happily "is there anything I can get you Mr. Sullivan?"

"Yuengling" Sean replied "on the rocks"

"Coming right up"

Sean could only hope that the giddy young waitress didn't go blabber to her co-workers that he was at this particular strip club on a rainy Friday evening. He leaned back in his chair as he waited for the show to start.

Here he was at square one he supposed back where he started. Back in his hometown and the first thing he wanted to do was drool at some ass and titties.

Sean knew eventually he would have to go see his parents since this was a small town people would talk.

His mother would find out from gossiping ladies at church during mass service on Sunday, his father would find out from the guys at the construction site, and his very self centered twin sister would find out through all of her friends who either crushed on him or lusted after him.

Sean was willing to bet that his ex girlfriend/fuck buddy Lauren Fisher would be hunting him down soon too. Not because she missed him more like she missed his cock.

Speaking of his cock Sean looked up when he heard some of the men around him begin to jeer as the ladies made their way on stage. It would only be a matter of minutes that the washed up football player could forget about his worries and have one of those ladies show his erection no mercy.

So far Sean wasn't really impressed. Most of these women looked just like the women he used to bed while on the road; sure they were pretty but they were your stereotypical blondes and brunettes.

The names of the strippers were cliché as well. Sean heard names like Bambi, Crystal, Amber, Brandy, Lola, Angel, and Candy the list went on and on. Sean was considering closing his tab and calling it a night when the announcer called the next stripper to the stage.

"Alright gentlemen give up for our final girl of the evening Aurora!"

"Yeah bring that chocolate beauty out here!"

"Damn look at her ass!"

The name sure sounded familiar and all of the other strippers were white so this one certainly stuck out to him. The stripper had her back turned to her audience hence why all the men were going crazy over her gluteus maximus. Sean had to admit it was a breath of fresh air as opposed to looking at all of the pancake butts and stick figures.

The thong she had on certainly didn't do a good job covering her ass anyway with the cheeks spilling out of the thin fabric material

She was all curves dipped in milk chocolate syrup.  A sugar rush waiting to happen to everyone in the room who had a sweet tooth for her. Her hair in long weave down her shoulders as if teasing your eyes to gaze on her body more.

The stripper turned around to reveal her face and Sean's heart got caught in his throat. No wonder the name sounded familiar.

Aurora Jolie Campbell otherwise known as Rory.

His Rory.

Aurora strutted down the walk way shimming her shoulders making her breasts jiggle and Sean swore one of them almost popped out of that flimsy thing she called a bra. 

Eventually Aurora did unfasten her bra for breasts to be let free and loose for all the guys to say hello.

Sean felt a weird mix of emotions of being both aroused by his childhood friend and angry with her too. He knew he was being a huge hypocrite since he was just checking out the other strippers before her. 

Sean was angry because he knew that Aurora was better than this.

Unaware that Sean was in the crowd Aurora continued to perform and except for her thong she was already pretty much naked. Wrapping her leg around the pole Aurora shook her ass for her audience, which earned her dollar bills being thrown up on the stage at her.

Aurora crawled on the stage to collect the money very seductively. She teased her audience by rubbing the bills on her breasts and even dug some of her fingers in the crotch of her thong too.

At this point Sean wasn't even aroused anymore he was disgusted. Aurora was masturbating for all of these men who were strangers to her; while they in turn begged her to take her thong off.  One of the men even had the balls to reach out and tug at one of the straps of her thong attempting to pull it off.

Aurora slapped his hand away and gave him a stink look, which did amuse Sean a little, but nonetheless he was going to have a word with her. His Rory was much more than a stripper and she knew it.

 

Aurora licked her finger to quickly count all of her bills and counted up six hundred dollars. With the extra two hundred she made the previous night at home she had enough for rent this month so she breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm sure you can make the same amount of money in a more productive way"

Startled Aurora looked up to see a face she hadn't seen in years

"Sean?"

"Rory"

Aurora zipped up her pea coat over her skintight dress making sure her cleavage was out of view. She was just practically naked a few minutes ago but Sean somehow made her feel even more exposed.

"I go by Aurora now"

"Do you?"

"Yes" she said firmly "it's my given name and you know that besides I'm not a tomboy anymore"

Sean gave her a hard look as if she were lying to him.

"You sure about that Rory?"

"Fuck you"

"You don't mean that"

"Yes I do now please move"

Sean blocked the doorway with his tall and solid frame

"Where are you going?"

"To catch the bus"

"It's two in the morning kind of late to be catching a bus"

"I'll be fine"

"Rory---"

"Aurora" she argued with him "now if you'll please excuse me---"

"This guy bothering you Aurora?"

Sean turned to see the beefy strip club owner whose beady eyes focused on Aurora, which Sean didn't like.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm the owner and you better watch what you say to me" he said, "you're bothering my employee---"

"Everything's fine Mitch" Aurora spoke up for Sean's defense "he's my friend"

This Mitch guy snorted at Sean and Aurora held back his fist

"Anyway Aurora I'm closing up in a few be here same time tomorrow"

"Alright Mitch I will" Aurora replied "see you tomorrow"

Once the two of them stepped outside in the cold December air Sean gave Aurora a frown of disapproval

"What?"

"Are you fucking him Rory?"

Aurora crossed her arms over her chest and bit her lower lip but she wasn't about to let Sean fucking Sullivan of all people feel like shit for her choices in life.

"That's none of your business---"

"Come on Rory you're better than that"

"Why do you care?"

"Don't you care? What did he threaten to fire you if you didn't?" Sean pried "it doesn't help that you're the only black woman working for him so essentially you're just a plaything to him"

"You sound like a huge hypocrite right now" Aurora spat back at him "I'm sure you've bedded plenty of women that are nothing but playthings to you"

Sean knew that Aurora wasn't lying but this was a different situation. She wasn't just some random chick that he would fuck for a few days and forget her name in the morning. She was Rory more specifically she was his Rory.

"Anything more you'd like to know about my sex life which isn't any of your damn business now?"

"I missed you too Rory" Sean said sarcastically with a bit of a smug smirk

Aurora rolled her eyes and much to her annoyance as soon as she turned around the bus that she was supposed to catch went rolling right by.

"Shit!" she hissed "that was the last bus tonight!"

"Like I said it's too late to be riding the bus " Sean said "you aren't dressed for this weather anyway I'll give you a ride"

"Haven't you been drinking?"

"Do I look drunk to you?"

Aurora rolled her eyes the sarcasm that Sean had since they were kids was still very strong

"I'd rather not---"

"You don't have a choice I already decided for you" Sean said "you can spend the night at my place and go home in the morning"

 

Sean periodically stole some glances over at Aurora in the passenger's side but she didn't return the glance instead she kept her head turned to the window.

Stubborn as ever just like he remembered some things never change.

"Mitch ever offer you a ride home out of the goodness of his heart?" he asked breaking the silence

"You don't know when to call it quits do you?"

"I'll take that as a no then"

Aurora didn't answer

"How long have you been stripping?"

"Seven years"

"So right out of college then?"

"Student loans don't pay themselves Mr. Football Scholarship"

"What about your dream to get a career in STEM?"

Aurora shrugged

"Come on Rory----"

"I gave that up a long time ago" she admitted "nobody wants to see a black woman in STEM but they sure as well want to see her shake her ass"

"You've always played to the beat of your own drum though"

"I grew the fuck up Sean; things aren't always so damn black and white"

"You're right the world is a shithole" Sean said "polar ice caps melting, global warming, overpopulation, not to mention we just voted for a pussy grabbing Cheeto to be our president elect and we're going to hell in a hand basket"

"Speak for yourself I didn't vote for that fucking bastard"

"Neither did I" he chuckled a little "the point I'm trying to make is life is too short so why not go after what you want in life? Because it's obvious you don't like stripping"

"I don't like being broke either"

"Like I said earlier you could be making an honest living doing something you like"

"Nobody wants an educated black woman with a career"

"So you go from confident headstrong tomboy to stripper?" Sean asked trying to question her logic "seems like a huge 180 to me"

Sean knew he struck a nerve when Aurora bit her lower lip and said softly

"I saw how you slapped that one guy's hand away"

"So?"

"So I think that says that deep down you still have a level of respect for yourself"

"You're reading too much into it" Aurora said wanting to dismiss it "I simply have a look but no touch policy on stage"

"If you say so," Sean said "you hungry? I can make you some pancakes before we go to sleep"

"Pancakes at two-thirty in the morning?"

"Why not? I could fry up a couple of bacon slices too I've got a taste for them right now what do you say?"

"Fine" she said, "I could use a little something to eat"

 

Aurora sat at the island table in a t-shirt and pair of sweatpants that Sean let her borrow as she watched him flip another pancake. Watching somebody cook breakfast food shouldn't be this distracting but it sure as hell was when it was Sean in some sweatpants and a damn wife beater.

Football certainly had been good to him his body was a tall glass of water then again Sean had always been attractive. Old feelings came crawling up from a place that Aurora thought she had abandoned so long ago.

Sean placed two plates of heaping pancakes and bacon on the table between them

"What do you want to drink?" he asked breaking her from her thoughts "I've got milk, orange juice, apple juice, fruit punch"

"Orange juice is fine"

Aurora began to cut into some of her pancakes when she noticed a sweet treat

"You put chocolate chips in?"

"Yup just like my Mom made when we were kids" Sean smiled as he sat across from her "I know how much you loved them when you used to sleep over with Sarah"

"Thanks"

"I also figured since you're a lady now your cheeks won't be smeared with syrup and you'll chew with your mouth closed" he teased

"I was five or six" Aurora said "don't hold that against me"

Sean chuckled as he bit off a piece of bacon. The two of them ate in silence and after they were finished Sean gathered the dishes to clean.

"Thanks didn't realize how hungry I was"

"Dancing pratically naked on stage tends to work up an appetite"

"So you're going back to work tomorrow night?"

"Sean please---"

"If you're really struggling Rory I can help you out until you get a job in your field"

"Are you going to help all the other strippers too because if you're not your hypocrisy is showing again"

"I don't give a damn about those other women I care about you Rory" Sean said firmly "because I know you're better than that"

"I'm not a fucking nun Sean," she said "I actually have a sex drive"

"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it"

Aurora put her fork down and made her way around the table to Sean and wheeled him around towards her.

To Sean's surprise Aurora then proceeded to push his knees apart and nestled herself between them.

"Rory---"

Aurora slipped her hands underneath the waistband of Sean's sweatpants and boldly grabbed a hold of his cock through his boxers.

"Let's fuck" she said "isn't that why you brought me here?"

"Rory---"

"Don't Rory me" she cut him off as she began stroking his cock which was growing harder and harder by the minute

"You're hard as a damn rock you want this"

"Aurora" Sean said firmly using her full name now "I said no"

He took both of her hands away his body leaving her confusing

"Why not?"

"Because I said so," he said, "I don't want to hurt you"

Aurora gave Sean a look of disbelief and once that wore off her eyes got misty with tears.

"You don't want me?"

"Rory no...it's not like that..."

"But I'm a woman now" she cried "don't you think you I'm pretty? I'm not a tomboy anymore"

"Aurora look at me"

Sean lifted Aurora's face up to meet his and began to wipe away some of her tears with his thumbs

"You're gorgeous" he said sincerely "you really are"

"Then why don't you want to fuck me?"

Sean had many women throw themselves all the time begging him to fuck them. However it sounded dirty and wrong coming from Aurora so cold and detached.

Looking in her eyes Sean could see still see the insecure tomboy who wanted to desperately be seen as feminize and desirable by her male peers. Those eyes were used to rejection.

Sean didn't just want to "fuck" Aurora she deserved more than that but at the same time he wasn't going to make love to her right now either. Not in this distressed state.

"Please Sean I want you" Aurora insisted, "I promise I'll make you feel good"

Sean fought with Aurora's fumbling hands still tugging at his waistband as she kept repeating about making him feel good.

It was well past three in the morning at this point she was probably tired too as her words became incomprehensible it just sounded like a mix of crying and begging. Like a toddler arguing that she wasn't ready for bed but clearly she was.

"Let's go lay down okay?"

"No I want...I want you"

Sean ignored Aurora's pleas and picked her up cradling her in his arms. He turned the kitchen light off and made his way to his bedroom.

"Rest" Sean whispered as he laid Aurora down on the bed "go to sleep"

"Sean..."

"Shh"

He tossed the covers over her and climbed in the bed beside her just like when they were little kids. Sean wrapped his arm around her and listened to her whispers as she fell asleep.

"Please...Sean....please..."

"Sleep Rory"

Aurora's eyelids began to droop and once they did her soft even breathing followed suit. Once she fell asleep Sean studied her face for a bit and saw that she was still the same Rory.

His Rory.

 

DECEMBER 2016: HIS RORY II by marchpisces92

DECEMBER 2016: HIS RORY II

Aurora stretched and rolled over to find out that this wasn't her bed. She jerked her head up and read the bedside clock 1PM in bright red numbers.

The clothes she wore weren't hers either for sure.

"Nice of you to finally arose from your slumber Sleeping Beauty"

"Sean?"

Aurora looked up to see Sean in the doorframe of the bedroom with a smirk

"I brought you here last night remember?"

Embarrassment washed over her as she now remembered how much of a bitch in heat she acted like.

"...sorry"

"Hey you're not first female to throw themselves at me"

"I'm probably the first you turned away though"

"Rory" he said gently but seriously now and sat down on the bed next to her "you know why I said no"

"Whatever" Aurora said getting up wishing she hadn't made her feelings so vulnerable "I need to go home now where's my dress?"

"I'll drive you home and you some clothes to go home in" Sean insisted "you're not going home in that piece of cloth you call a dress"

"Are you hungry?" he went on to say, "I can make some more pancakes"

"No"

"You need something in your stomach" he ignored her "you can wash up and get dressed the food should be ready"

 

Sean just got finished flipping the last pancake when he heard his doorbell ring.

It was Saturday so he wasn't sure who was at his door plus he had only been back in town for less than a week. He wasn't ready to see anyone yet.

"Well, well, well look who's back in town"

"Lauren what the hell are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing big boy" she flirted with him "aren't you supposed to be on the road with your team?"

The last person Sean wanted to see right now was Lauren fucking Fisher now everybody would know that he was home if she opened her big mouth.

"None of your damn business" he said sternly trying to close the door but Lauren managed to shove her way through the door anyway.

"Smells like your famous pancakes" she said "having a late breakfast? I'd be happy to join you"

"Didn't invite you to"

"Oh Sean don't be that way" Lauren said as she wrapped her arms around his waist "you sound frustrated have you been going through a dry spell because I can help with that"

"Damn I forgot how hot you were" she went on to say, "tell me are you still good at making my eyes roll back into my head"

Sean tried pushing Lauren off of him but she just kept persisting. When Sean finally grabbed a hold of her wrists he led her to the door to kick her out.

"What the hell---"

"Goodbye Lauren"

"Sean?"

Silence fell when Aurora came into the living room and looked confused at the interaction between them.

"Rory..."

"Oh my god are you fucking kidding me?" Lauren laughed harshly "you're fucking that black dyke from high school now?"

"Lauren!"

"No" Aurora said gently but firmly "it's okay Sean I'll go"

"I'm giving you a ride home Rory---"

"I can catch the bus" she cut him off "and don't you tell me no it's one in the afternoon"

"Rory---"

"Goodbye Sean"

With that said Aurora left without another word. Sean stood in the same spot looking at his front door as if Aurora would change her mind and come back in but clearly that wasn't the case.

"Finally she's gone" Lauren said flipping her long blonde hair "I thought she'd just stare at us the whole time c'mon Sean let's eat these pancakes before they get cold---"

"Out"

"What?"

"You heard me Lauren I said out"

"Nobody puts me out----"

"I just fucking did Lauren get out!"

"Fine but I know you Sean Patrick Sullivan you'll be calling me back before long"

"LEAVE!"

Lauren stuck her nose up in the air and made her way out the door and Sean slammed it behind her.

Sean grabbed his keys to his car and his coat to go after Aurora.

 

Wiping her tears away Aurora was mad at herself for even crying over him. The bus pulled up and she dug into her purse to get out the change that she needed and climbed aboard.

What the hell was wrong with her? It had been over ten years since she seen Sean.

He was her friend however walking in on both him and Lauren she realized that was all she'd ever be. Just a friend.

Aurora shook her head at the silly notion she wasn't sixteen anymore she was twenty-nine going on thirty. She knew that just because she really liked Sean at some point didn't mean he was going to like her back. 

At the same time it still hurt while she did appreciate that he let her stay the night she also had to remind herself that was all that was.

Sean wasn't interested in her he was no different than the other young men she had gone to high school with; but what pained her was that he wasn't always like that. In fact it was their senior year of high school that the two of them strayed away.

Senior year Lauren Fisher had entered the picture.

Once Aurora got to her apartment she saw that she had a few hours before she had to go into work. She had to change and get ready but realized that she was wearing Sean's clothes which meant she would still have to see him again.

Aurora looked at the old battered marked up bag of sugar from eleventh grade on her dresser she still had after all these years. The sugar was probably expired too. Truth be told no matter how much she denied it she never really got over Sean Sullivan and the candle had been rekindled.  

 

Sean had checked almost every if not all of the bus stops around town and did not see Aurora and he had been looking for over an hour now. Fuck Lauren. Who the hell did she think she was?

Sean had cut Lauren off well into the second half of his college career as soon as she found out he was serious about his NFL career plans. All Lauren cared about was dollar signs and being a trophy girlfriend to be wife on his arm; that and the constant sex they had.

He felt like an idiot because she had been his off and on girlfriend since he was at least seventeen. It was the last straw when Lauren openly mocked Aurora in front of her face.

Sean sighed he figured since Aurora was wearing some of his clothes she'd eventually come back and return them. Not that he cared about the clothes since they could be replaced but Aurora was irreplaceable.

As he pulled into his drive way his phone buzzed and saw that he had multiple text messages. All of them from his twin sister Sarah from the looks of it Lauren must have ran to her to tell her what happened.

Of course since Sarah couldn't stand Aurora she ate up whatever bullshit Lauren most likely told her. Scrolling down he saw that his mother had also texted him and his father. His mother Carol sounded concerned and worried while his father Hugh sounded annoyed.

The phone rang

"Hello?"

"Sean sweetie is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine Mom"

"No son everything isn't fine" Carol Sullivan said "I haven't heard from you in months and now Sarah is telling me you're having women trouble how long have you been back home anyway?"

"Two weeks"

"Sean Patrick Sullivan" his mother scolded, "you've been home two weeks and you haven't called or stopped by the house?"

"I've got a lot on mind Mom"

"Why are you back home anyway I thought you'd be away for the season"

"I'm on suspension for the rest of the season---"

"What? Oh my god Sean what happened?"

"Mom calm down it's not that serious---"

"Yes it is Sean you worked too hard for this to be thrown away"

"It's just for the rest of the season I didn't permanently get kicked off the team"

"One suspension is pretty close to getting fired to me"

"Are you going to tell me why you got suspended?"

"Physical altercation with one of the security guards"

"Sean you can't be serious"

"I am Mom"

Carol sighed on the other end of the phone. It was true though and with good reason too.

This was three months ago Sean had just finished doing an interview with a young sports journalist who had to be about twenty-two or twenty-three. He was impressed with her she was very professional and didn't try to flirt with him like the other journalists did. She was a good kid.

Sean showed her the way out to leave before he went to the locker room to go change. When he was leaving himself Sean caught one of the security guards pinning the young woman to a wall and his hand was snaking up her skirt.

That was all Sean needed to see was that pig sexually assaulting this young woman and he gave him the ultimate beat down. The beat down resulted in his suspension and the journalist felt guilty and she even tried to plead with the coaches to reconsider their decision.

Sean knew what he did was right if he hadn't the bodyguard would have actually raped the young journalist; so he didn't feel ashamed at all. Hell Sean wouldn't be surprised if the bastard voted for the Cheeto since he felt so entitled to grab this young woman by the pussy.

"Are you going to tell me why?"

"Maybe another time Mom"

"Just as stubborn as your father"

"Your sister told me that Lauren called her to get in contact with you" Carol said disgusted since she couldn't stand her "you two had an argument earlier today"

"Mom I think you'd be pretty pissed too if your ex kept popping back into your life"

"True" she agreed "though I can't say that I didn't warn you about her numerous times before I never did like that girl"

"Yeah I know Mom" Sean replied wishing he had followed her advice years ago.

"Sean" Carol said softly now "Sarah also mentioned your old friend Aurora is she okay?"

"I don't know Mom," he said honestly "what did Sarah say about her you know she never liked Rory"

"I know that doesn't change the fact that you two used to be two peas in a pod"

"Yeah" Sean said wondering where she was now "we were"

 

Aurora took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in"

"Mitch"

"Aurora" Mitch smiled "you're here pretty early your shift doesn't start for another hour"

"I wanted to talk to you"

"Sure baby come sit right here" Mitch said patting his knee. For the first time since Aurora had worked for him she felt weird out by his invitation to sit on his lap.

"I'm fine"

Mitch frowned at that

"You always sit that fine ass of yours on my lap why are you acting brand new all of a sudden?

"Look Mitch I don't think I'm going to be able to work tonight" she admitted "I have a lot on my mind right now"

"So you'll be back tomorrow night then?"

"Well I'm not entirely sure"

"What?"

Aurora bit her lower lip as Mitch stood up and her legs trembled a little at how strong his voice came off now.

"You aren't thinking of leaving are you?"

"Well I've been thinking---"

"You've been thinking what?"

"I'll be thirty in a few months" she said, "I went to school for stem it might be time for me to move on from this"

Mitch chuckled "Are you fucking kidding me? You're really going to walk away from all this money?"

"Mitch---"

"You like all the attention these men give you remember?" he said "don't you like being seen as a woman isn't that the reason why you started stripping tomboy?"

That last bit he said was meant to insult her and Aurora tried not to let it get to her.

"I know that I'm a woman" she replied "but I'm also educated too aren't you a high school dropout?"

Mitch's face grew mean and cold now

"Who the fuck do you think you're talking to like that?" he demanded "don't forget bitch I made you who you are today"

"Mitch please---"

"No!" he barked now gripping her wrists "who put these ideas in your head anyway? Was it your little friend you had in here the other night"

"Mitch stop!" Aurora kicked him "you're hurting me!"

Mitch drew Aurora close to him and drew a huge whiff from her body and looked in her eyes once more.

"You smell like him" he accused "did you fuck him? he's got you dick whipped or something?"

"It's none of your business---"

"It is my business!" he cut her off "you can shake your ass all you want for your clients all you want but you don't fuck them understand you fuck me and me only"

"I don't need you---"

"You wouldn't be shit without me and you know it!"

Mitch slapped Aurora so hard she fell backwards and she got a huge cut on the side of her face.

"Mitch..."

Touching the side of her face Aurora took her hand away to see blood and the white-hot pain set in from the open cut.

"Get up!" he snorted, "it's not that bad!"

When Aurora didn't get up fast enough Mitch yanked her up harshly by her arm forcing her to get up.

"You wash all that blood off and you get ready for work you hear me!?!"

Aurora still held her hand to her face and shook her head at Mitch and left without a word.

"YOU GET BACK HERE YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE BITCH!"

It was all Aurora needed to hear to know she had made the right decision.

 

Sarah: I'm coming over in the morning so we can talk about what you did to Lauren

Me: I didn't do anything to her. All I told her was to get lost.

Sarah: She's a nice girl I don't know why you and Mom don't like her

Sean snorted at Sarah's last text he loved his twin sister very much but damn she was persistent about Lauren or any other girl that she would like to see him with. What part of no did she not understand?

Sean also had not told his mother why he was suspended but he could see that his mother wasted no time informing his father about it send he was now blowing up his phone too.

It was only seven in the evening and he felt drained between Lauren ratting him out and wondering where Aurora was he was tired. Sean was about to dig in his fridge for a beer and go lay down when he heard the door bell ring.

Now who the hell could that be?

Hopefully it wasn't Sarah it was bad enough he would have to deal with her tomorrow morning.

"Rory?"

"Hey Sean"

"Rory come inside" Sean said "it's cold out here I don't know what you're wearing but that's not even a coat"

"What's wrong with your face?"

"No" Sean said firmly but gently as pulled her inside from the cold air "let me see your face Rory"

"......."

Ignoring her Sean pulled Aurora's hood off to see that she had a nasty huge cut from the bottom of her eye to her lower lip.

"Shit! Rory what happened?"

"Rory I can't help you unless you tell me what happened" Sean said "you're bleeding and you'll probably need stitches too"

"....He hit me" she finally said "he hit me and I fell"

"Who hit you?"

It felt like pulling teeth at this point but Sean needed to know who did this to his Rory

"I guess I was asking for it" Aurora said "what I said did piss him off---"

"Bullshit" Sean said cutting her off "I don't care what you said Rory whatever you said you didn't deserve this"

"Tell me who did this to you Rory" said giving her a warm wet washcloth to put on her cut. Tears now rolled down her cheeks and she whispered

"Mitch"

That was all she needed to say and Sean went to his closet and got an extra coat

"Sean?"

"We're going to the hospital you need stitches"

"I don't have any insurance" Aurora said "I can't afford it the money I have is for my rent and food"

"I'll cover it" Sean promised "Rory I've got you okay?"

"Okay"

Even if Sean never liked her back at least Aurora knew that somewhere deep inside she knew that he was still her best friend.

SEPTEMBER 1992: PICTURE DAY by marchpisces92

SEPTEMBER 1992: PICTURE DAY

"Aurora Jolie don't go tugging at your dress like that" Jacquelyn Campbell scolded her daughter gently at breakfast "you want to get it messed up for picture day?"

"Yeah Rory you look as pretty as a picture"

The boys giggled at how annoyed and uncomfortable their little sister was

"Alright boys don't tease your sister" Victor Campbell said, "your mother's right Rory it's just for one day---"

"But Daddy I have to wear this dress all day" five-year-old Aurora said "it's not Sunday"

"C'mon now Rory" Victor tried to explain to her "you want to look pretty for picture day don't you? Your brothers are dressed up too"

Aurora still stubbornly pushed around her lukewarm oatmeal with her spoon and Jacquelyn knew her daughter wasn't pleased at all. She had managed to get the little girl to sit still long enough to braid her hair and put bright yellow ribbons in it to match her orange and yellow sundress.

Jacquelyn was praying that Aurora would come home from school without a smudge of dirt, juice, or grease on her and not a hair would be out of place. In a few weeks time she'd get some lovely school pictures from all four of her children.

Aurora was their youngest child and only daughter after three boys so their household wasn't exactly the most feminine. Even while pregnant her husband Victor joked with the luck they had it was probably another boy so Aurora was definitely a surprise.

Her first name literally meant dawn while her middle name Jolie meant pretty such a perfect flowery name for a little girl. In other words her full name literally meant "pretty dawn" At the same time it was a very ironic name.

Aurora Jolie Campbell was a tomboy.

Jacquelyn supposed it was going to be inevitable with having three older brothers who loved her very much. At five years old it really wasn't much of a concern right now but she often wondered how her daughter's future would turn out because of it.

Victor told Jacquelyn not worry about it so much in fact he joked about having a fourth son all the time. The nickname he lovingly gave his daughter stuck like clue since she started to learn to talk and her brothers used it as well.

Whenever Aurora was called by her full name she'd scrunch her little nose up and say "Call me Rory!"

So she was Rory most if not all the time and Jacquelyn figured the more boyish her nickname was the more she liked it.

Not everyone in their family was kind to their little girl though. For Aurora's fifth birthday back in April two of her aunts got her Malibu Barbie dolls along with a workout tape to go along with it.

Aurora took no interest in the silly plastic dolls instead she loved the Michelangelo Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figure that her uncle gave her instead. Jacquelyn tried to explain to her sisters that Aurora didn't like Barbies but appreciated the thought.

"Little dyke" one of the aunts spat, as they stood outside for a cigarette "what little girl doesn't like Barbie That's a black Barbie too you know how much them things cost?"

"You could be right about the dyke part with the way she going Jackie going to be having her come out the closet one of these days" the other aunt said "shit she probably likes girls now"

Jacquelyn didn't need her sisters' nasty attitude around her daughter or any of her children for that matter. Needless to say they hadn't been over ever since.

"Alright now the bus will be here in a few minutes" Victor said "you kids start making your way outside"

"Victor" Jacquelyn kissed her oldest son as he made his way out the door

"Alright Mom" he laughed "I'm in seventh grade"

"Calvin" she kissed her second son who was two years younger than Victor Jr

"Maurice" the eight-year-old got a kiss too much to his dismay

Aurora quickly grabbed her Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle book bag which looked like an oxymoron with the dress that her mother made her wear today hoping she could slip out the door too.

"Aurora come here young lady" her mother said before she could follow her brothers out the door.

Jacquelyn kneeled down to meet her daughter's eyes at her level and was amused by the little pout that she had.

"Mommy I don't like it when you call me Aurora" she said, "I like Rory"

"Well" her mother said "that's what your daddy and I named you Rory is just a nickname your full name is Aurora"

"Oh sweetie don't be that way" Jacquelyn smiled "you look so pretty today---"

"I don't want to look pretty though"

"You know some day you're going to care about looking pretty"

"Not me"

Jacquelyn decided to let that go for now and said "Can you try to stay pretty for Mommy today?"

"Yes Mommy"

"Good girl that's all I'm asking"

 

Miss Penny recounted her students for what seemed like the billionth time now it was time for their class to take pictures. First the class was going to take single portraits and then there was going to be a large class photo of all of them together.

However rangaling up a group of rambunctious five and six-year-old kindergarteners weren't always easy. Of course she also had some students that needed to be reminded to keep in line.

"Aurora"

The little girl didn't hear her name at first she was too busy showing her best friends her Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figure.

"That's so cool Rory" Sean Sullivan said "I don't have Michelangelo yet I'm getting him for my birthday though"

"Aurora"

"We could play with him at recess" their other friend Luther Jenkins said

"Aurora"

The three of them laughed agreeing that it was going to be fun when suddenly a hand came between all of them and took Raphael away.

"Aurora" Miss Penny said "didn't you hear me calling you?"

"Sorry Miss Penny"

"You can have this back at the end of the day" her teacher said "and the girls line is over there"

Aurora looked over to where her teacher was pointing and saw the other girls laughing at her.

"Yes Miss Penny"

Sean and Luther looked just as equally upset to see Aurora go over to the girls' line where she belonged. Sometimes they forgot that she was a girl most of the time because she acted so much like a boy.

Aurora walked along the line of to the end and her female peers snickered at her.

"Do you think you're a boy or something?" Sarah Sullivan who was Sean's twin sister teased which caused the other little girls to laugh.

"Settle down class" Miss Penny said "the sooner your pictures are taken the sooner you can go to recess"

 

Since Miss Penny had taken away Aurora's Michelangelo action figure the three friends decided to play in the sandbox for recess. However Aurora then remembered her promise to her mother about staying pretty for picture day.

"I told my mommy I wouldn't get dirty on picture day"

"But we already took pictures" Luther pointed out

"Yeah" Sean said, "come on Rory"

Her friends did have a point plus Aurora didn't recall her mother saying she couldn't play at recess or have fun. Climbing into the sandbox she took a shovel and joined them.

It didn't take long for Aurora's dress to get dirty as the three of them started to get busy in the sand to build a castle before recess was over.

"Tomorrow I won't have to wear a silly old dress," she said and Sean laughed

"You should have been a boy Rory you're the only girl I know who doesn't like dresses"

"They're awful" her little face scrunched up in disgust "you can't even get on the swings with them and you have to always keep your legs crossed"

"Glad I'm not a girl then" Luther said as he put another shovelful of sand on the castle they were building.

Sarah and some of the other little girls were walking by the sandbox on their way to play hopscotch. They were all admiring Sarah's pretty pink dress and curly auburn curls.

"You'll probably have the prettiest picture Sarah"

"I know who will have the ugliest picture," she said and Aurora knew she was talking about her. Sean was her best friend but she couldn't stand his stuck up mean twin sister; she often wondered how they were twins in the first place.

"Go away Sarah" Sean said defending Aurora

"She will though" Sarah said "just because she has on a dress today doesn't mean she's pretty she isn't pretty at all"

The other girls laughed and teased Aurora and she could feel herself very angry. Why couldn't she just be herself without being called ugly or a tomboy? She was simply a girl who happened to like things geared towards boys.

Why was being pretty so heavily associated with girls anyway? Aurora didn't really care if she was pretty or not but she didn't like being mocked for it.

Aurora took a handful of sand and threw it at Sarah who shrieked in disgust

"My dress!" she cried "look what you did to my dress---"

Sarah didn't get a chance to finish her sentence when Aurora pounced on her and started throwing fists and the two of them started fighting. Needless to say Aurora was sent home on the bus with her brothers and a notepaper clipped to her book bag.

 

"I am so sorry Mrs. Sullivan" Jacquelyn apologized for what seemed like the billionth time now. She was very disappointed with her daughter for not only coming home dirty and messy on picture day but also getting in a fight with her classmate.

Jacquelyn saw Aurora roll her eyes as she moved around noodles of spaghetti on her plate; even though she was on the phone she still gave her daughter a warning look.

"It's fine Mrs. Campbell" Carol said from the other line "from what my son is saying Sarah was egging her on I've been trying to tell my husband that he's spoiling her don't feel bad she usually gets away with murder"

"Still my daughter shouldn't have reacted the way she did" Jacquelyn said as she pinched Aurora on the shoulder for trying to feed the family dog her broccoli.

Aurora could hear Sarah through the phone crying about the sand and how she got her butt whooped and she smirked. What a baby.

"I can assure you Mrs. Sullivan I don't raise any of my children to be that way and Aurora knows better"

"Please call me Carol" she insisted "if anything your daughter taught mine to put her money where her mouth is. Not a lot of girls know how to stand up for themselves Mrs. Campbell you should proud your daughter does"

"Well I can assure you that her father and I will have a stern talk with her" Jacquelyn said "good evening to you too Mrs. Sullivan"

Hanging up the phone Jacquelyn turned her attention over to her five year old who grinned sheepishly at her.

"You know you're in trouble right?" she said "didn't I ask you to stay neat and pretty and be good today?"

"But Mommy I stayed nice for the pictures though"

"That's not the point for just one day I simply asked you not to get messy" her mother said "if your brothers can do that you should be able to do it too"

Aurora rolled her eyes

"Aurora Jolie don't you roll your eyes at me again or I'll give you something to roll your eyes about"

"Yes Mommy"

"I just got off the phone with Sean and Sarah's mother what you did today was uncalled for---"

"But Mommy she started it" she argued, "Sarah gets on my nerves and she did on purpose"

"Now Rory your mother has a point" Victor said "if you had been your brother Victor Junior's age you would have gotten a suspension"

"Yes Daddy"

"Alright now Miss Missy no TV for the weekend---"

"But Mommy the new episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comes on Saturday morning" she said, "Miss Penny already took away my Michelangelo"

"Serves you right" her mother said "you should have thought about that before you punched Sarah and I've already told you about sneaking your toys to school"

"But what am I going to do on Saturday?"

"You're coming with me while I run my errands"

"That's boring though"

"Hey now look at me Rory" Victor said gently "you know your mother and I still love you right?"

"I know Daddy"

"Give me a kiss"

Aurora kissed Victor's cheek and he in return gave her a raspberry kiss on her cheek causing her to giggle.

"Go get ready for your bath" Jacquelyn said "it will be time for bed soon"

"Yes Mommy"

As soon as their daughter was out of earshot Victor chuckled and Jacquelyn rolled her eyes at how soft her was about Aurora and shook her head smirking.

"You think she hit her with the one two?"

"Victor!"

"What?" he said, "I don't raise any of my kids to be punks"

"You know what?" Jacquelyn said, "that's your daughter otherwise known as your unofficial fourth son"

"That she is" he chuckled "and she's yours too"

"After pushing for almost eighteen hours you're damn right she is"

 

When Aurora got to school the next day she felt a little better since her mother allowed her to wear her regular jeans and t-shirt with her light fall jacket.

As she made her way to her cubby Sarah saw her and stuck her nose up at her.

Aurora rolled her eyes as Sarah went to her assigned table with the crayons she needed to do the activity that Miss Penny assigned. Sarah wasn't even being punished and she was still mad at her.

"Rory!" Sean called Aurora over to their table "look Luther got a new Ninja Turtles coloring book!"

"Cool!"

Luther tore out a page for Aurora to color and to her delight it was a page of Michelangelo eating a slice of pizza.

"My mommy said that I have to tell you and Sarah that I'm sorry but I'm not," she said frankly scribbling a green crayon on the turtle

"Aw that's okay" Sean brushed it off as he took a crayon too "I know she's my sister but Sarah is a crybaby about a lot of things she'll be okay"

"It was funny how Sarah got mad though" Luther chuckled "she looked like Angelica from Rugrats"

The three little kids laughed. Even if none of the other girls in her class understood her at least Aurora had Sean and Luther who did. And they were her very best friends too.

 

 

 

 

End Notes:

I KNOW YOU'RE ALL WONDERING WHERE LUTHER JENKINS IS IN PRESENT DAY.

I'LL GET TO THAT EVENTUALLY IN THE MEAN TIME SHOULD LUTHER BE WHITE OR BLACK?

I'M SEEING HIM AS BLACK BECAUSE OF HIS LAST NAME AND THE STORY LINE THAT I'M THINKING OF FOR HIM.

DECEMBER 2016: HIS RORY III by marchpisces92

DECEMBER 2016 HIS RORY III

Sean was by Aurora's side the whole time her stitches were being done.

"You're going to have to press charges Rory"

"I know"

"Hey" Sean said, "you'll be doing the right thing"

"I guess so"

Sean didn't like how small, weak, and scared Aurora sounded. What the hell did Mitch put in her head all of these years because he never heard her sound like that before.

"Aurora listen to me"

She looked up at him almost scared to do so. Aurora wasn't that much younger than him but her face was so youthful she still looked like the seventeen-year-old girl he grew apart from instead of a woman who was nearing thirty.

"I'm on your side"

"Sean" she whispered "I can't...it's...Mitch isn't going to like me leaving"

"Who fucking cares about what he likes" he said "this isn't about him Rory this is about you and you're well being he's killing you"

"I know...I know I'm just scared"

Sean realized that he had rose his voice a little bit and it startled her. He looked at the stitches on her face and he reached out to gently graze them with his fingers. One of her tears ended up rolling onto his fingers.

"I know you're scared" Sean said "but you don't have to be Rory I'm here with you"

"You don't have to---"

"Still just as stubborn like when we were kids" he chuckled gently "I'm here Rory and I don't plan on leaving you anytime soon"

Aurora simply nodded refusing to look Sean in the eye she felt ashamed that she had allowed herself to sink this low.

"Besides he'll have to go through me first"

When Aurora did look back up at Sean again to see him give her a little smile

"I've got you Rory" he promised, "I've got you"

"I...can't go back home"

"What do you mean you can't go back home?"

"I don't talk to my family anymore" she confessed "I never wanted them to be ashamed of me so I decided to cut ties with them"

"Rory you haven't talked to your parents or your brothers in seven years?"

"No" she whispered "Mitch has been my family he---"

"That bastard isn't your family Rory"

"I know but my family isn't going to want to see me again not like this"

"Maybe not like this" Sean agreed "but Rory they'll want to see you eventually"

 Aurora shook her head in denial "Sean you don't understand I'm not the same person that I used to be my parents didn't raise a stripper"

"Rory you're their daughter they love you no matter what"

"I don't know Sean..."

Sean hated seeing Rory this way and could not understand why she isolated herself from her family let alone him. It was probably Mitch who crawled in her head and fed her all that crap.

"It's late" Sean said, "we'll go back to my place and we'll figure out things from there okay?"

"Okay"

 

When they got back to his house Aurora wanted to take a shower and change into some fresh clothes for the evening. By fresh clothes that meant all of Sean's pajamas that would be too big for her.

An oversized long sleeved t-shirt, huge plaid pants that barely hung onto her hips, and a pair of his old boxers. Sean made a mental note that they would have to go to her place and get some of her clothes the next day.

Hell he was considering getting her on his lease and having her live with him for a while her behavior for the past few days concerned him and he was worried about her. Mitch was going to get these charges and he was going to permanently be removed from Aurora's life.

As Aurora showered Sean dug into a box of some of his old things and pulled out his old elementary school directory book with all of his classmates names and phone numbers in it.

Sean smirked when he saw the school year was printed as 1997-1998 almost twenty years ago. With the Internet and social media being the way it was now phonebooks like this one were obsolete; students now could have contact with their classmates at the touch of a button now.

1997-1998 they had been in 5th grade that year and Sean smiled at all of the memories that they had. It was a blast. Just him, Aurora, and Luther. Sean hadn't thought about Luther Jenkins in a long time and his eyes got a little misty seeing his name and phone number listed.

He couldn't call Luther it had been impossible for almost thirteen years now.

Sean found Aurora's name and phone number and took out his cell phone to dial that number.

It was a complete shot in the dark the Campbell probably didn't even live at this address anymore let alone have this number anymore. However Sean was going to at least try to get in contact with them again for Aurora's sake.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Hello?"

"Hello Mrs. Campbell?"

"This is she" Aurora's mother Jacquelyn said "who is this?"

"Mrs. Campbell you might not remember me but it's Sean"

"Sean?!?" she gasped "is that really you? Lord how many years as it been?"

"I'd say a little over a decade now; Rory and I graduated high school back in 2005" he chuckled at her excitement

Just as Sean feared Jacquelyn grew silent and there was a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Sean if you're calling for Aurora I won't be able to help you" she said sadly "I don't know where she is I haven't seen or spoke to my daughter in seven years"

"I may be able to change that Mrs. Campbell"

"What are you talking about?"

"I found Rory she's with me" he said, "she's safe"

Sean smiled a little when he heard Jacquelyn breathe a sigh of relief and shrieked with a cry of joy. This was probably better than any Christmas present she'd open under the tree in a few weeks.

"My baby girl....Thank God" Jacquelyn laughed and cried, "Bless you Sean. Bless You"

 

 

OCTOBER 1997 HALLOWEEN MISCHIEF by marchpisces92
Author's Notes:

HERE ARE OUR HALLOWEEN HEROES OF 1997

1. AURORA "RORY" COSTUME GENGAR

2. SEAN COSTUME BATMAN

3. LUTHER COSTUME GHOSTFACE

123

 

OCTOBER 1997 HALLOWEEN MISCHIEF

"I win!" ten-year-old Aurora exclaimed as Luther groaned "I get to keep my Gengar!"

"No fair!" Luther laughed, "your Charizard beat my Venusaur too easily"

"Grass type is weak against fire you know that Luther" Aurora said, "I'm not trading my Gengar"

"Aw man!"

"Don't worry Luther when I cream her with my Blastoise she'll have to trade with me" Sean said trying to get his Gameboy Color to connect with Aurora's. It was a lazy fall Saturday afternoon in October and the three fifth graders had rode their bikes over to their place in the park.

All three of them sat under a large maple tree in the cool grass playing Pokémon Red and Blue for what seemed like hours on end and so far Aurora seemed to be the only one winning all the battles.

"Oh gee" Aurora laughed, "what do you know? gotta go!"

She kicked up her kickstand and hopped on her bike and laughed as she rode off but it wasn't long until Sean and Luther were right behind her.

The three fifth graders spent almost every weekend together like this with out a care in the world.

"We're going to get you Rory!" Luther said

"Nope I'm too fast!" Aurora replied peddling faster causing some of the fall leaves to fly up from under the wheels of her bike.

This of course caused Sean and Luther to peddle their bikes faster too but they were no match for road master Aurora. She was a true bike kid she even boasted about how her father Victor was going to let her get a dirt bike in three years when she turns thirteen.

"Rory look out!" Luther called out after her

"Nice try Luther!" Aurora replied

"No really Rory look out!"

Aurora turned around to see their neighbor Mr. Clark step out his van with two big cans of purple paint. Aurora couldn't seem to reach for the breaks, fast enough which caused and domino effect. Since she couldn't stop both Sean and Luther crashed into her and the three of them crashed into Mr. Clark.

A half-hour later Jacquelyn Campbell opened her front door to see her ten year old daughter smiling up at her covered in blotches of purple paint along with the boys. Behind them stood Mr. Clark with his arms folded crossly since he was the one covered in most of the paint.

 

"Hey Rory stop that!" Luther said giggling wiping off the bit of paint she flicked at him and had landed on his glasses. Aurora snickered and Sean laughed out loud.

"Alright now you three how about getting more of that paint on the fence?" Mr. Clark said as he watched the three youngsters as he sat on the porch.

If there was a female version of Tom Sawyer then Aurora was it. She had on a dirty pair of overalls and her thick hair was sticking out from a battered baseball cap as she served her punishment.

The punishment was painting the fence that Mr. Clark was going to paint when they crashed into him last week. The fence had to be painted by the last weekend before Halloween or all of their parents agreed that the three of them wouldn't be allowed to go trick or treating.

This news of course didn't sit well with Aurora so she was determined to get the fence done even if she didn't go about it in the neatest way like Sean and Luther were doing.

"Rory you're getting paint all over the place" Sean chuckled

"We have to get this done" Aurora said determined "this is going to be the best Halloween yet"

"Oh yeah and why is that?" Luther asked pushing his glasses back on his face

"I'm going to be Gengar," she said proudly and Sean and Luther chuckled.

"What's so funny? Gengar is a ghost type and he's my favorite"

"That's not a Pokémon a girl would be" Luther explained "why not Clefairy or Jigglypuff?"

"Yuck!" Aurora scrunched up her nose "they're both pink I hate pink what are you going to be Mr. Know It All?"

"Ghostface" Luther replied excitedly "my dad got me the mask that bleeds and everything"

"No way my dad won't even let me watch Scream" Aurora said

"That's because you'd probably be too chicken Rory" Sean snickered "remember how you kept turning away when we watched Gremlins?"

"Those little bugged things were actually scary though" Aurora pointed out "Sean what are you going to be?"

"Batman" Sean replied confidently "I'm already going to be a millionaire one day anyway from playing for the Miami Dolphins"

"Yeah if you learn to throw the ball right butterfingers" Luther snickered.

"Sounds like you three have been doing an awful lot of giggling for having big plans for Halloween"

Mr. Clark came up to inspect the work that the youngsters were doing.

"We already know all the houses were going to," Aurora boasted

"Is that so?" Mr. Clark chuckled

"Yup all the houses that give out full size candy bars" Aurora went on to say "plus I'm going to have the best costume"

"You just be careful about which houses you go to" Mr. Clark said

"What do you mean Mr. Clark?" Luther asked

"You see that house up there?"

The kids all turned around to see the old neglected house that stood at the end of the block. It looked like Freddy Kruguers house from Nightmare on Elm Street. Dreary and run down.

"Blind Man Solomon lives there"

"Blind Man Solomon?"

"He's pretty much harmless if he's not bothered"

"What if somebody does bother him?" Aurora asked curious

"He's crazy as bat that's what" Mr. Clark warned "folks say he accidently killed his mother by pushing him down a flight of steps and once when he was cutting the paper he cut his scissors in his father's leg and went back to cutting the paper like it was nothing"

"How could he do that if he was blind?" Sean pointed out

"That's the thing" Mr. Clark went on to say "the man's not blind at all folks gave him that nickname on account of how he's always either squinting those beady eyes of his or just not paying attention to what he's doing"

"So he lives by himself now?" Luther asked

"Yup his father died long before any of you kids were thought of back in 1979" Mr. Clark replied "needless to say he's been living in that house by himself for almost twenty years"

The three kids stared in awe at the house and Mr. Clark chuckled "Of course most of those are just rumors and urban legends but if you kids know what's best for you you best stay clear of that house"

 

The doorbell rung on the Campbell house door on Halloween at five-thirty it was still light out but it was slowly getting dark. Aurora jumped up with excitedly to answer it.

"Slow down there tiger" Victor chuckled as he caught his daughter zoom past him at the corner of his eye from the dining room table

"Dad I'm not a tiger" Aurora said raising her arms to pose "I'm Gengar the Shadow Ghost Pokémon"

"Oh how many of those Pokeman are there?"

"Pokémon Dad" she corrected "not Pokeman how come grownups have such a hard time remembering that? There are 150 of them"

"Funny how you can remember that but you can't seem to remember your times tables" Victor smirked at her "but you do look ready for Halloween and probably more tricks than treats"

Aurora gave her most sinister grin just like the fictional pocket monster. She made the costume all on her own with all of her allowance money with her mother's help of course.

A large dark purple blanket stitched together and red make up around her eyes to mimic the eyes. Her mother helped to brush her thick hair into different parts of spikes just like the Pokémon.

This was certainly an emotional Halloween for the Campbell parents since it would probably be the last one when one of their children needed help getting ready.

Victor Jr, Calvin, and Maurice were older and in high school so they already had their Halloween festivities planned and were going out to parties. Now Aurora was old enough to go trick or treating with a group of friends with a curfew of course.

Jacquelyn never would have guessed that one day she'd be making a costume like this for her daughter. Most little girls wanted to be a princess, a fairy, or a witch for Halloween but not her little girl. Jacquelyn had to say she did admire Aurora's originality.

"Alright then my little Pokémon go get the door those are probably your friends now" Jacquelyn said as she stood next to Victor.

"Okay!"

"Trick or treat!" Luther greeted as he pulled up his Ghostface mask to talk "wow Rory you weren't kidding about Gengar"

"I told you," she laughed dumping some candy into his pillowcase "what's wrong with you Sean can't say trick or treat?"

"I am vengeance" Sean replied moving his cape dramatically "I am the night"

"Alright I guess Batman doesn't want any candy," Aurora teased putting the bowl back

"Trick or treat!"

"That's what I thought" she smirked dumping candy into his pillowcase too

"You ready Rory?"

"Yeah let me get my pillowcase"

"Hold on now I need my yearly picture of the three Musketeers" Victor chuckled getting his Polaroid camera together "alright now nobody's going to mess with these three tonight"

The kids laughed at all of Victor's corny dad jokes as Jacquelyn gave out some general safety rules and made sure they all had working flashlights.

"What time are you to be back home Aurora Jolie?"

"Nine" she said reluctantly

"That's right"

"But Mom it's Friday" she tried to reason "it's not like there's school tomorrow plus my brothers are staying out later"

"Your brothers are older than all three of you" Victor said "just be grateful because I actually wanted you home by eight"

"Yes" Jacquelyn added "plus Sean and Luther's parents will be back here at that time looking to take them home so the rule extends to them too"

"Yes Mom"

"Alright now you kids have fun," Victor said as they all made their way out the door

And off they went to have their Halloween adventure

 

By eight-thirty the kids' pillowcases were already halfway full with all kinds of candies and delicious goodies. All of which had to be searched by their parents once they got home.

"One candy bar can't hurt" Aurora said as she ripped open a Kit Kat bar and broke off a piece for each of them to share. The three of them sat on a bus bench stop taking a break.

It was looking like a pretty festive Halloween so far and everyone commented on how creative Aurora's costume was and the three of them looked pretty good. Even Mr. Clark was impressed and gave them candy apples.

Then of course some mean seventh graders dampened all their fun. The kind of kids who only pick on kids just because they were only a grade or two younger and these boys were no exception.

"Hey guys look at the puny little fifth graders" one of them said "and look all the candy they got for us too"

"This is our candy Ed you can't have any" Aurora said firmly

Twelve-year-old Ed Warner smirked "Who says? What are you supposed to be anyway? A scary Pokémon?"

"Ohh I'm so scared and who are your friends scary Pokémon? Batman and Ghoulface?"

"That's Ghostface to you" Luther spoke up between bites of his Kit Kat

"Somebody's being sassy huh guys"

The boys snickered along with Ed and then turned their attention to Sean

"You got anything to say Batman?"

"I am the night" Sean replied both seriously and sarcastically to which both Aurora and Luther chuckled.

"Aren't you that same squirt whose football we took?" Ed said ignoring how Sean made him feel dumb for a minute "don't play tough guy now"

Aurora saw Sean bite his lower lip a little they never did get his football back. It was a special one too that he had gotten for his birthday.

"Yeah you wouldn't mind if we took some of your candy" one of the boys said as he reached out to grab Sean's pillowcase

"No you can't have Sean's candy" Aurora spoke up sternly

"Can't the wimpy little white boy speak up for himself?" the boy Jared Jones asked "he's Batman after all"

Sean balled up his fists as much as he liked hanging out with Aurora and Luther this part of the neighborhood was still predominantly black. Often times Sean was picked on for sticking out like a sore thumb.

"If that's the case we're taking all your candy then" Ed proclaimed

"Hey!"

The boys proceeded to yank all three of the pillowcases from their grasp, which resulted in a bit of tug of war going on between them. Of course with them being bigger and slightly older they of course won and darted off down the street.

"C'mon on!" Aurora said pulling both Sean and Luther to their feet "we're not going to let them get away with our candy!"

"Rory wait!"

It was a chase down the street light lit sidewalk between the candy snatchers and the kids who got their candy snatched. Aurora was in the lead after them closely followed by Sean and Luther.

After what seemed like a long run Ed and the boys turned around surprised to see that the little fifth graders were still after them.

"You babies still want your candy back?"

"Yeah you big jerk!" Aurora "get your own candy!"

"Alright then go get it!"

The kids gasped as Ed and the boys threw all three of their pillowcases on to the porch of the house belonging to Blind Man Solomon.

"Say hi to Old Solomon for us too"

Ed and his friends laughed as they ran off to go terrorize some other kids.

Aurora balled her fists in frustration as she started at porch where their pillowcase candies lay.

"Let's go back and home and get new pillowcases" Luther suggested "we still have two hours left to get more candy---"

"No" Aurora cut him off "I'm not going to let Ed and his stupid friend do this to us"

"Rory---"

"We're getting our candy back"

"But you remember what Mr. Clark said about Solomon" Sean said

"It won't take long" Aurora said pushing open the front gate "we'll just take our candy and go kick Ed's butt"

Sean and Luther looked at each other a little uneasy since Aurora made it sound like a walk in the park.

"C'mon Blind Man Solomon won't even know that we're here," she said already going up the walk way to the house.

The wind whistled a little and sent a breeze through the tree branches and the leaves. Some of those branches happened to tap on the window screens that were on the second floor of the house

"Ed is going to get when I get him," Aurora grumbled as they stepped on the porch "half of our candy got out the cases"

"Let's just take what's left in the cases then" Luther insisted

"I'm getting all my candy" Aurora insisted stubbornly already picking up a few pieces and bars

"Did you guys hear that?" Sean jumped a little

"Hear what?"

"Shh!"

Sure enough there was a creak coming from inside the house behind the door. Suddenly the front door knob began to jiggle and that was it. Sean and Luther both scrambled behind Aurora but this point even she was trembling.

The front door did open a bit but then shut again. Opened and then shut again.

It opened and shut for a third time.

"What are we waiting for?" Luther urged, "come let's go"

"Wait" Aurora said as she went in closer to the door "you think he's in there?"

"Of course he's in their Rory let's go," Sean said

"What if all that stuff about him isn't true though?" she pointed out "more than likely it probably isn't"

Aurora pushed open the door and went inside the gloomy home leaving Sean and Luther no choice but to follow her. The living room looked like it was caked with decades of dust and smelled like the inside pages of an old library book.

"Hello?" she called out "Mr. Solomon? We're just here to get our candy back"

No answer

"Mr. Solomon?"

No answer

"Welp nobody's home" Luther said, "let's go before someone is"

Aurora made her way further into the house and flicked on her flashlight; the boys sighed and crossed their fingers that nothing would happen as they followed her

"Mr. Solomon"

"Maybe he wants to be left alone" Sean said "he would have came out by now"

"What if something's wrong with him?"

"With Blind Man Solomon?" Luther said in disbelief "he's fine Mr. Clark said he's been living here since forever remember?"

Suddenly a chair knocked over in the dining room and a painful moan sounded out.

"What was that?" Luther jumped "I'm scared let's leave already!"

"Luther calm down" Aurora insisted as she quickly used her flashlight "let's go see exactly what it is okay?"

To their surprise when the kids turned the corner into the dining room there was the notorious old man on the ground howling in pain and crying. This was Blind Man Solomon? This was the old man that everyone in the neighborhood stood clear of?

"Mr. Solomon?" Aurora reached out to him "Mr. Solomon are you alright?"

"Ahhh!"

Solomon swatted at Aurora in response obviously scared and not wanting her to come any closer

"Mr. Solomon we're not going to hurt you"

"Rory look" Sean pointed out "there's something stuck in his leg"

Sure enough there was a huge splint of wood that dug deep into the skin of Solomon's leg and blood was leaking down his pant leg. No wonder he was in so much pain.

"He needs to go to the hospital" Luther said "that looks pretty bad"

"We have to call our parents they'll know what to do" Aurora said "Mr. Solomon do you have a telephone?"

Solomon nodded pointing to the landline on the wall; he wasn't a man of much words.

"We're going to get you some help okay?"

"C'mon Mr. Solomon" Sean said as he and Luther gently helped him to an available chair "you'll feel better if we put your leg up"

Solomon of course had a much older phone the kind where you had to loop your finger with every number and wait for the circle to dial back.

"Mom?"

"Aurora Jolie Campbell" Jacquelyn scolded her from the other side of the phone line "where are you? You and the boys were supposed to be back almost twenty minutes ago---"

"Mom we need you to dial 911 it's an emergency!" Aurora cut off her mother urgently

"Aurora sweetie are you and the boys okay?"

"We're fine Mom it's for Mr. Solomon" she explained, "he's really bad and needs to go to the hospital"

"Solomon on Vernon Street? What are you doing there? Nobody messes with that crazy old man---"

"He's not crazy Mom he needs help!" she insisted, "please could you call the ambulance and come get us?"

Jacquelyn felt a little embarrassed that she went off the superstitions that the neighborhood had about the lonely old man. In that moment her ten-year-old daughter sounded more like an adult than she did.

"You kids hold tight I'll call an ambulance and we'll be there as fast as we can"

 

About an hour later Aurora, Sean, and Luther found themselves in the waiting room of the local hospital as the paramedics had quickly rushed Solomon to the be treated right away.

They managed to get their candy back too and their parents allowed them to have a few pieces of candy too.

"I wonder if he's okay" Sean said between bites of his Milky Way

"Dad is Mr. Solomon okay?" Aurora asked

"The doctors are tending his leg right now" Victor explained "they'll let us know as soon as they can or if it gets too late they'll let us know in the morning"

"You kids did the right thing" Hugh Sullivan Sean's father said "who knows how long that old man has been up in that house by himself"

"Yes an it looks like that infection on his leg was going to get worse too" Brenda Jenkins Luther's mother added

"Sean and I can't take the credit" Luther said "if Rory hadn't insisted on getting our candy back after Ed and his friends stole it from us we wouldn't stumbled on Mr. Solomon"

Jacquelyn smiled and Aurora smiled back at her as she leaned down to her eye level

"Well my little Pokémon it look like you, Batman, and Ghostface saved the day"

"I'm sorry I cut you off on the phone Mom" Aurora said, "I know I'm not supposed to do that"

"We'll make any exception this time since you were helping somebody"

"Mom I think Mr. Solomon could be a nice man he's just shy" Aurora said "everyone thinks he's crazy because he likes to keep to himself"

"Yes well come that maybe because his father abused him"

"Why would his father abuse him though Mrs. Campbell?" Sean asked

"There are some people in this world that are like that unfortunately" Jacquelyn replied

"Well his father is long dead so he doesn't have to worry about him any more" Luther Jenkins Sr. said "but he can't stay in that house by himself he can't take care of himself"

"Where will he go?" Aurora asked

"A senior assisted home where he'll be loved and taken care of" Victor reassured "and you kids will be able to visit him any time you like"

 

Two weeks later the whole neighborhood pitched in to help Solomon move out of his dreary old house into Sunrise Senior Assisted Living; where he was doing much better. The kids visited him almost everyday after school too

"Mr. Solomon looks like your visitors are here"

Solomon leaned up in his seat by his window and gave a little smile when the three fifth graders who were the first ones in years to save him entered the room.

"Hi Mr. Solomon" Aurora greeted as she and the boys came to his bedside "how are you feeling today?"

Sean never forgot how Solomon's whole face brightened when Aurora greeted him.

Solomon softly replied

"Much better young lady"

 

 

DECEMBER 2016: HIS RORY IV by marchpisces92

DECEMBER 2016 HIS RORY IV

"Feeling better?"

"Much"

Aurora came back into the living room in a pair of pajamas that Sean had left out for her. Of course Sean's shirt hung on her like a dress she probably didn't even need the pants but she wore them anyway.

"What are you looking at?" she asked joining him back on the couch "whoa you still have these? I have seen these pictures in years"

Sean chuckled as he shared the photo album with her. The next picture they were looking at happened to be from Halloween 1997.

"I wonder who that Pokémon is?" Sean teased pointing to the picture of Aurora with her arms raised in her makeshift costume.

Aurora blushed as she tried to turn the page but Sean stopped her and gave her playful grin.

"Gengar still your favorite ghost type?"

"Sean" she giggled, "Gengar was my favorite Pokémon period still is you know that"

"Oh trust me I know judging by the way you refused to trade yours"

"You were going to trade me a Mr. Mime" Aurora reminded him "you're still quite the comedian Sean Patrick Sullivan"

"As much as I try to be I think Luther rightfully earned that title"

"I miss him" Aurora said softly "he probably would have actually been a comedian by now"

There was another picture of the Halloween buddies with Sean and Aurora laughing at a joke Luther was telling.

"You think he's laughing with Mr. Solomon right now?" Aurora asked innocently

"Of course" Sean replied she was referring to their elderly neighbor that they helped that Halloween night "why wouldn't he be?"

Aurora gave a little smile at that wishing that they could have those days once more.

Due to his age through Solomon Brown passed away two years later and Sean remembered how hard Aurora took it. Then Luther was a whole different story.

Sean watched Aurora turn the pages of the photo album and her whole face lit up it was then he realized how much he had really missed her. A whole decade had gone by since he last saw her and people change a lot between age seventeen to almost thirty.

What had Mitch done to her? Aurora could have been killed by that slime ball and Sean wouldn't put it past him to do something like that.

"Sean you kept this?"

It was a picture of Aurora at her tenth birthday party she was smiling in front of her cake with her parents on each side as well as her brothers. Her eyes got a little misty as if she were about to cry

"Yes I did"

"That's nice"

Aurora closed the photo album and passed it back to him and got up to look outside the window at the snow falling outside. No more beating around the bush

"I called your mother Rory" Sean said, "she really misses you---"

"You did what?!?"

"Rory calm down---"

"I'm an adult she doesn't need to know where I am"

"Yes you are an adult but you'll always be her child" Sean tried reasoning with her "don't you think she was waiting for you to come back all these years she probably thought you were dead"

"I don't care" Aurora said stubbornly

"Yes you do"

"No I don't!" she barked back sounding childish "my mother doesn't need me!"

"How could you even think that Rory? She sounded so relieved when I told her that I found you"

"You make me sound like a lost puppy or something" she retorted, "she has my brothers she doesn't need me"

"Your brothers aren't you Rory you know that"

"You don't understand" Aurora went on to say "I was never the daughter that my mother wanted. I was a tomboy you and I both know that Sean I was never a girly girl"

"My mother had caught a lot of hell because of me" tears now falling down her face "folks even family would always say shit to her about me. ‘She going through a phase?' ‘She don't have any girl clothes?' ‘How come I never see her in a dress?'

‘Your girl a lesbian or something?' ‘How she supposed to get married and have kids one day?'"

"Hell I hung out with my father more than I did with her" she continued "she never got to go to any mother daughter events without me sulking the whole time the only two times my mother and I connected was when I was going through late puberty and getting ready for prom"

"Now what am I supposed to do?" Aurora asked trying to stop her tears "show up at my parents door for Christmas and have them accept me have almost a decade or stripping?"

"Yes Aurora Jolie" Sean said seriously "that's exactly what you're going to do and I'm going to be right there with you. Don't you think your mother can see past all that negative stuff you just mentioned? If she did for the past almost thirty years of your life she can still see past that"

Aurora shook her head in denial "But I'm a whore now---"

"No Rory you're everything but that. Your mother loves you. You hear me? she loves you and she always has. She wants you to come back"

"And I know you love her too"

More tears rolled down her face and she turned around to look out the window again.

Sean got up from the couch and gently turned her around to make her look at him. Being the stubborn person that Sean had always known her to be Aurora tried to push him away; but she ultimately lost that battle.

 

Sean was going to see fit that Aurora wasn't going to be pushing anyone away anymore.

MAY 2000: THE BIRDS AND THE BEES AND WHAT?!? by marchpisces92

MAY 2000: THE BIRDS AND THE BEES AND WHAT?!?

"Bye Mom! Bye Dad!"

"Whoa slow down there Speed Racer!" Victor chuckled "where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"To the park" Aurora said with her helmet under her arm "Sean and Luther are waiting we're going to take turns riding my dirt bike"

"Are all your chores done?" Jacquelyn asked looking up from her coffee and stack of bills and other mail she was going through

"Yes Mom"

"That room of yours nice and tidy? Clothes washed?"

"Yes Mom" Aurora said a little impatiently "I told Sean and Luther I'd meet them at two it's almost three now"

"Yes and what time are you supposed to be home?"

"Nine even though it's Saturday"

"We have to be at church tomorrow that's why" Jacquelyn said, "your nephew is getting baptized"

"Oh" Aurora said as her mother was referring to her oldest brother Victor Jr's son

"Does that ‘oh' tell me that you haven't ironed your dress yet?"

"Mom do I have to?"

"Yes you do Aurora we're going to church" her mother said "you've known about that for weeks now"

"Dad please?"

"Your mother is right Rory" Victor said "as soon as you get home tonight you iron that dress"

"Yes Dad"

"Alright sweet pea have fun"

"Bye!"

Jacquelyn looked over at her husband and he smiled to which she shook her head

"Of all the presents she got for her birthday last month that dirt bike you got her always takes the cake"

"She's a good kid" Victor said, "she deserves it"

"Yes well she's thirteen now" Jacquelyn pointed out "you're going to have to be a little more stern with her she'll be a teenager for the next six years now after all"

"We've been through the teen years before" Victor said "are you forgetting our oldest child is now twenty-one with a child of his own making us grandparents already?"

"Yes but this our first time dealing with a teenage daughter that's a whole different ball park you know" Jacquelyn replied "I know you still think of her as our ‘fourth son' but she's getting older now"

As soon as Jacquelyn said this she came across a letter from Aurora's school addressed to her parent and or guardian.

"What's that?" Victor asked watching his wife open the letter "Rory's not in trouble is she?"

"I don't think so" she replied "it's a permission slip it was addressed on Aurora's birthday a few weeks ago too"

"For what?"

 

April 30th, 2000

Dear Parent/Guardian of Aurora Campbell

As a part of the seventh grade health education curriculum your child will soon receive a unit of lessons on sex education and puberty during the week of May 15th through May 19th, 2000.

The purpose of this upcoming unit is to provide knowledge and understanding of physical and emotional changes that occur during puberty.  The program will educate them on the role of the endocrine glands during puberty, male and female anatomy and the normal physical changes that occur in both genders, and good health habits. 

 

Each gender's class emphasizes same-gender information, but also includes factual information about the opposite gender.  Throughout the class and video presentation students are encouraged to talk to a "trusted adult" during adolescence to answer their questions.  

 

The students are encouraged to continue discussion at home.  The class is designed to make your child aware of and comfortable with the changes that are occurring to his or her body.

 

Parental permission must be granted for student participation in dealing with sex and puberty education.  Students not participating will work on activities in another area.  We ask that you sign and return the portion below by May 8th if you approve participation.  No student will be permitted to attend unless written parent permission is received. Return permission form to your child's teacher by May 8th 2000.

 

Thank you for your continued interest and support in your child's activities.

 

 

_______________(Child's name) may take part in the Sex Education/Puberty Program. 

 

_______________(Child's name) may not take part in the Sex Education/Puberty Program.

 

 

Parent/Guardian Signature        

 

"Nope" Victor said immediately going into over protective father mode

"Victor you can't be serious" Jacquelyn said giving her husband an amused look

"I am serious she's not old enough" he said

"But she's old enough to have a dirt bike" she said "she's probably already going through puberty you know girls develop earlier than boys"

"Speaking of boys I guess I have to watch Sean and Luther now"

"Oh Victor stop that" Jacquelyn chuckled "those three have been friends since kindergarten if there are any boys you can trust it's those two"

"So I guess that means you're going to sign yes?"

"I am" Jacquelyn replied "and if our daughter has any questions and I mean any she can talk to either one of us.

 

"Get me off this thing!"

"You got it Luther!" Aurora called out to her friend

"Where are the breaks?"

"On the handles!"

Luther then came to a screeching halt and practically wobbled his way off of the dirt bike as Aurora and Sean chuckled.

"You have fun man?" Sean asked as he took off the helmet

"I'll stick to football" Luther replied, "at least I have control of my body doing that"

"I know this bike like the back of my hand" Aurora boasted "and I've only had for two weeks"

"Yeah well I like my own bike just two wheels no gas petal just fine" Luther insisted

They all laughed

"How about we come out here tomorrow afternoon?" Sean suggested, "Luther and I will bring out bikes and we'll see who's faster"

"We already know that I am" Aurora boasted "oh wait---actually I can't I forgot my nephew is getting baptized tomorrow at church"

"Yeah but church is in the morning" Luther pointed out

"I know but my mom is going to make a huge deal about it" Aurora said "we'll probably have food and family at our house afterwards she goes all out for her precious grandchild"

"How old is your nephew anyway?"

"Six months" Aurora replied "I don't think he's so special he's just like any other baby all he does is cry, poop, sleep, and eat. Adults are so weird about babies they're so boring. My sister-in-law acts likes she the only woman to ever give birth"

"I know what you mean" Luther said "my older cousin just had a baby and that's all he does too but apparently she's a woman now"

"That's so dumb" Aurora rolled her eyes "why does having a baby suddenly make you a woman?"

"Beats me" Luther replied, "I'm not a girl I wouldn't know"

"Aw shucks Rory why do you care anyway?" Sean chuckled "you keep saying you should have been a boy in the first place"

Aurora smiled at that

"You're right how about we come back out here next Saturday?"

"Deal"

 

"Victor Anthony Campbell III, I baptize you in the name of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Family"

By the way her nephew was screeching when the reverend flicked water on his little face; Aurora was sure he didn't want to be baptized in the name of anything.

Yet she, her brothers including Victor Jr and his wife Kimberly, and their parents all stood around in the altar to watch the scared ceremony.

"Shh it's alright little man," Kimberly whispered kissing little Victor on the cheek.

"Mom can we sit back down now?" Aurora whispered

"Shh just a little longer" Jacquelyn replied

Aurora bit her lower lip because she knew if she rolled her eyes she'd get in trouble

"I'd like to welcome Brother Victor Antony Campbell III into our church family" the reverend chuckled "judging by the name trend I'm sure he won't be the last Victor Anthony either"

The congregation laughed as they appauled the Campbell family. Aurora hoped that this would be a signal for them to sit back down. She could already see the girls from the youth group pew laughing at her because of the dress she had on today.

Aurora hated those girls between them and girls in her class at school she didn't have any female friends her age. They always made fun of her and how she didn't like all the things that girls traditionally like.

The service was long enough already and just like she had predicted her mother was inviting people back to their house to celebrate Victor III's baptism right after service. It also didn't help that it was Mother's Day as well so Aurora was pretty much doomed to wear her light green sun dress for the remainder of the day.

"Ohh Jackie let me get a look at that grandbaby!" one of the church ladies squealed coming over to Jacquelyn and Kimberly

"Isn't he precious?"

"He sure is" Jacquelyn said proudly "he's the first of many grandchildren I'm sure since Calvin is engaged too"

"Little Calvin?" she asked shocked "no way isn't he only nineteen?"

"Yes he's only two years after Victor Jr which is why his engagement is going to be a little longer" Jacquelyn replied

"And Maurice?"

"He's still in high school" Jacquelyn chuckled "I can't let all my babies fly the nest at once"

"And your baby girl? Where is she? You know she should wear dresses more often it's very becoming of her"

"Oh well Aurora has always been free spirited it comes with having three older brothers and a nephew now"

"There she is!" the church lady Ms Fowler called out to Aurora who was standing next to her father "come here child!"

"Dad..."

"Go on Rory" Victor said as he continued to talk to the men on the deacon board "you know you're supposed to respect the church ladies"

"Yes Dad"

"Aurora Campbell I do declare you look very beautiful this morning that dress just gorgeous" Ms. Fowler beamed. Aurora looked at Jacquelyn like the woman was crazy and her mother gave her a stern look.

"Thank you Ms. Fowler" Aurora said reluctantly

"You're becoming a lady that's for sure how old are you now?"

"Thirteen"

"I guess that means no more running around like a little boy"

"I call it having fun Ms. Fowler," she said as politely as she could

"Honey how are you going to get married and have a baby one day like your beautiful sister in law?" Ms. Fowler asked, "young men aren't looking for rowdy little tomboys to marry; you'll have to be ladylike eventually"

"Maybe I don't want to get married or have a baby," Aurora said simply and Jacquelyn pinched her arm for being rude

"You'll change your mind one of these days all little tomboys do"

"Not me"

 

"Aurora you're grounded" Jacquelyn said later that night as Aurora was reading one of her X-Men comics "no dirt bike riding for the next week"

"Why?"

"Because you were rude to Ms. Fowler when it wasn't needed"

"I don't like that old witch anyway" Aurora grumbled "why can't she mind her own business? Who does she think she is anyway?"

"She's a church elder and you are to talk to her with respect"

"But Mom---"

"No buts young lady" her mother said firmly "you may not agree with everything Ms. Fowler says and that's fine but you are to respect her understand?"

"Yes Mom"

"Also make sure you give this to your teacher tomorrow" Jacquelyn said giving her daughter the signed permission slip

"Aw Mom you didn't sign this did you?"

"Yes I did"

"But Mom those lessons are during gym class" Aurora argued "I'm not missing basketball time to talk about sex; I already know what that is"

"Do you?"

"Yes" Aurora said grossed out "it's how Victor Jr got Kimberly pregnant with little Victor"

"You say that like it's a bad thing" Jacquelyn said "sex is normal Aurora it's how you came to be too"

"I like to think that I was conceived like Jesus" Aurora said sarcastically

"Well I can assure you that you were conceived the regular way----"

"Ew! Not listening!"

"Lord if you aren't your father's child" Jacquelyn chuckled "you know your father didn't want you to participate in the class"

"Good" Aurora said, "that means Dad knows gym class is important"

"Yes gym class is important but so is this; you're growing up Aurora physically as well as mentally" her mother patiently explained "and sex is a bit more complex than you think"

"I guess" Aurora said wanting to get back to her comic book

"Remember how I took you to get your first bra a year ago? You're already going through changes now"

"I don't like it" she said "it's bad enough I have to wear those things now I have hair growing in weird places"

"You're transitioning from a child Aurora it's normal"

"Unless I'm becoming a new mutant recruit for X-Men I'm not interested" she said stubbornly "I don't ever want to have sex or fall in love or have a baby or whatever"

"Tell you what let's just focus on finishing seventh grade" Jacquelyn chuckled "all of those other things will come with time"

"Can ride my dirt bike again?"

"The following week yes; you're still grounded remember?"

"Yes Mom"

 

"No fair Rory!" Luther called Aurora out as she dribbled past him "pass the ball!"

"You're too slow Luther you're going to have to move faster than that!"

"I got her Luther!" Sean called out

Aurora dodged Sean trying to take the ball too and jumped to toss the ball in the hoop. All the other boys groaned too but Aurora just laughed, as it was the sixth game of one on one she won in a row.

"Nothing but net!"

"Yeah okay Michael Jordan lucky shot" Sean laughed  catching his breath

"You mean lucky six shots"

"Aurora Campbell!"

Aurora froze when she heard the Health Education teacher call her name

"Yes Miss Jacobs?"

"What are you doing here?" she asked "you know you were supposed to report to the Health room right now with the rest of the girls"

"Aw c'mon Miss Jacobs" Luther joked tossing the ball at her, "you know Rory is one of the guys"

The boys all laughed but Miss Jacobs didn't find anything funny and tossed the ball back at them

"Young lady unless you want detention you follow me right now" Miss Jacobs said gently but firmly

"Yes Miss Jacobs"

Aurora looked back at Sean and Luther and the rest of the boys sadly; puberty was going to be a trying time if it was already separating her from her best friends.

 

"Any questions girls? How many of you have started to get your periods?"

Miss Jacobs turned off the video and flicked the lights on. Aurora was already bored and was itching to go finish creaming all the boys on the basketball court; she was not at all interested about how the female body bled each month.

Aurora looked around almost all the girls raised their hands

"What's the matter Aurora?" one of the girls teased, "you're not a woman yet?"

"Of course not the way she runs around the boys all the time she probably forgot she's a girl" Sean's bitchy twin sister Sarah added

The girls snickered as Aurora rolled her eyes at Sarah

"If bleeding every month makes me a woman count me out," she replied "I don't know what's more gross this or sex; I hope it never happens"

"I can assure you Aurora there is nothing wrong with you and there's nothing gross about it" Miss Jacobs reassured "you can have your first cycle anywhere between ages nine to sixteen; so you may happen to be a late bloomer"

"I don't want it to happen"

"Well biology says you don't have a choice young lady"

"Miss Jacobs I got my period when I was eleven" Sarah said arrogantly "my mom told me girls that already have their periods are women now isn't that true?"

Aurora rolled her eyes again; ever since kindergarten Sarah always tried to one up her it was pathetic.

"You most certainly are on your way to becoming a woman though I don't think thirteen is grown up Sarah" Miss Jacobs said "physically once you girls start your cycles your body is mature enough to have a baby; that doesn't mean you are ready mentally and emotionally at your age though"

"Miss Jacobs don't boys like girls that have their periods though?" Sarah went on to say "that means she can have his babies"

"Babies aren't everything" Aurora said annoyed

"You're just jealous because no boy would ever dream of having a baby with you"

The girls laughed as Aurora balled her fist and Miss Jacobs quickly put a stop to it

"Miss Sullivan that's something you can worry about when you're a bit older okay"

The bell rung and Miss Jacobs dismissed the class reminding them that tomorrow we would be going into to detail about reproduction and conception; much to Aurora's dismay.

 

"How's the girls' session going for sex and puberty and stuff?" Sean asked as three of them sat in the their tree house the following Saturday; since they couldn't ride bikes

"Boring" Aurora, replied as she tossed a baseball up and down "everyone talks about how they bleed every twenty-eight days and how they'll all have babies and blah blah"

"What do you mean bleed every twenty eight days?" Luther asked

"Trust me you don't want to know I'm glad it's over after Monday" Aurora replied, "what about the boys' session? I'm sure yours is more interesting"

"We just talk about how tall we're getting and how deep all of our voice will get soon" Sean replied "I think Andre's voice is already starting to drop"

"That and he's growing a mustache" Luther added "next he's going to start going around telling everyone how he even has chest hair which I'm not buying"

"Yeah I'm not buying that either" Sean agreed "he said something about a wet dream too"

"A wet dream?" Aurora asked confused "what's that?"

"You don't want to know it's a guy thing" Luther said a little embarrassed

"Are either of you growing hair in weird places?" Aurora asked curiously

"A little" Sean admitted, "that happens to girls too? that's weird"

"Everything is weird now" Aurora said " but no matter how weird it gets we'll always be friends right?"

"Right" the boys agreed

"Hey let's go see that new X-Men movie" Aurora suggested "we're all thirteen now they can't turn us a way from a PG-13 movie"

"Yeah!"

"Last one down the ladder has to buy popcorn!" Luther claimed and the three newly aged teenagers laughed as they all made their way down the ladder enjoying the spring day.

Puberty changes many things but it never changes true friendship

This story archived at https://www.valentchamber.com/viewstory.php?sid=3578