My first task of the day was to send another anonymous email to Ramon, which I really should've done the previous night. I let him know the coast was clear, and he can bring his mother home. I still felt really bad about that, and I wanted to apologize to him in person, man to man, but I knew doing that would just make thigns worse. I also briefly considered finding a way to make his mother a citizen, but hacking federal databases is a federal crime, and it would only put me, Ramon, and his mother in jail.
So I started with something safe. I calculated how much Ramon had spent on the motel outside of town, around $300 total. Then I left an envelope of cash for twice that amount at his house. I figured it was the least I could do.
I checked the police records for the others. Johnny was being charged with everything I brought against him, including assault on me and on Becky. But what was more interesting was T-Dog's charges. I had placed baggies of meth and crack under his seats. It wasn't a lot, but about 3-4 sample sizes. Certainly illegal, but not enough for distribution purposes. What I hadn't known was that he had a lot of weed in his trunk. A lot of weed. Definitely enough for distribution. He was trying to plea bargain, saying he could flip on his suppliers. I smiled. Even with that, he'd still do at least a month in prison, since he was being charged as an adult. Prissy white boys who think they're "gangsta" don't do well in prison with actual criminals.
--
Rachel got straight A's on her final exams, of course. Becky was worried, since her grades had dropped a bit in the last couple weeks. But with Rachel and I helping her study, she pulled out three A's and three B's. However, her B grade in math was about an 89.8, which she and I both declared to be bullshit. So I hacked the school's grading site and fudged a number or two, bringing her average to 90.4. Magically, one of the B's became an A, and Becky made honor roll with a 3.5 GPA.
I still felt bad about Ramon's situation, so I also bumped his grades up. His 2.6 GPA became a 2.8, making him eligible for a handful of scholarships requiring a 2.75. I made sure he got literature for those scholarships in the mail. I would hear later that he would be attending the local community college for almost free. I considered my debt paid at that point.
I attended the girls' graduation, and cheered loudly for both of them as a dutiful brother and boyfriend. My parents already liked Becky, so they were thrilled when we told them we were now dating. They were a little curious about why Rachel tagged along on all of our dates throughout the summer, but we said it was just because they were best friends who'd miss each other in the fall when they went to different schools.
While the girls seemed completely comfortable sharing me as a boyfriend, they never proposed a full-out threesome. Neither did I - I was still baffled that they were comfortable with the situation, so I didn't push it. The closest I got was one night, in the back seat of my car, where they took turns licking my cock like a popsicle.
When summer ended, college started. For me, it meant moving back into the house I shared with my friends. I helped Becky move into the freshman dorm. She joined the cheerleading squad, and made new female friends in the dorm and in her psychology classes.
My friends, who were geeks like me, were stunned that I was suddenly dating a hot, blonde cheerleader. Even moreso when I started attending the school's athletic events to support Becky's cheerleading. But she also came over to hang out with me and my friends. She got good at video games pretty quickly. She even tried playing D&D with us, and even though her character was a hit, she admitted later it wasn't her favorite thing.
Rachel's college was only an hour away, so we'd see her on most weekends. I would occasionally drive to see her, but more often than not, she'd drive over to see me. Since our school was in town and hers was in the middle of a corn field, there was more to do closer to us anyway. Becky tagged along occasionally, but preferred to give us our space.
While my friends liked Rachel just fine, I couldn't very well have sex my sister at the house. So we'd plan around days when Becky's roommate had left for the weekend, so Becky could let us make use of the dorm room.
--
It was just before Thanksgiving break when we finally heard news about Johnny's case. Becky, Rachel, and I were all being summoned to testify. We were all thankful that we had the week off from classes so we weren't missing school for it.
The attorney sitting next to Johnny in the courtroom that day wasn't the one I'd met before. I guessed the first one quit when he figured out he couldn't win this case. Or maybe he was fired by Johnny's wealthy parents.
The case only took the one day. I talked the jury through the video evidence I'd recovered, showing them timestamps and other details. Becky described her former relationship with Johnny and his assault on her. Rachel described the fight right before the prom, and we showed the videos of the fight, complete with audio. But what really helped were the parents of the other girls, especially Natalie's parents. Word had gotten around the high school that poor little Natalie was a slut, and she had to transfer schools to get away. I felt bad about that, but it wasn't really my fault. Really, I considered everyone lucky that Johnny hadn't knocked up any of those girls.
In the end, Johnny was sent to prison for 5 years. 3 years with good behavior. With the way he was screaming and flailing as the guards carried him away, I was betting on the former.
--
When school ended for the holiday break, I started to puzzle myself over Christmas gifts. As Becky was my public girlfriend, the assumption of my parents would be that I'd get her something very nice, and something not-quite-as-nice for my step-sister. But Rachel was my real, private girlfriend, so I wanted to get her something just as nice, if not nicer, that whatever I got Becky. To be honest, it was more mentally taxing than my semester exams.
In the end, I got them both reasonably-priced bracelets. Rachel's had red gemstones, and Becky's had pink. I think they understood my dilemma. My dad noticed the bracelets, but didn't say anything. If he did, I'd just say I got them on a two-for-one sale or something.
My step-mom was the one who pulled me aside later that day, into the den, away from the Christmas festivities. "I couldn't help but notice you got the girls the same bracelet," she said.
"Yeah, I thought they were pretty, with the different colors," I started to ramble.
"Stop," she said, cutting me off. "I think there's something going on here." Then she laid out her evidence, counting on her fingers. "First, you go to prom with Becky, but bring Rachel too. Then, you yelled at us about how great Rachel is."
"I did apologize for that."
"Next, she goes on all your dates with Becky. Then at school, you two visit all the time, and Rachel isn't seeing any guys at college. Then you get her a nice bracelet, the same one you got your girlfriend."
"It's not that nice, I got it on sale..."
She cut me off again, "It's not a sweater, Kevin. It's jewelry. Guys don't get jewelry for girls unless... Oh." She stopped, putting her hand over her mouth.
"Oh?" I said.
"You're... You and her... You've been..." She kept starting and stopping. By the look on her face, I knew she'd figured it out.
"Please don't tell Dad," was all I could say.
She snapped at me. "I can't not tell your father!" She sat down, and we sat in silence for a minute. Then she finally asked me, "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why her?"
"Because she's amazing. You know how amazing she is, she's your daughter. I love her. She loves me."
"She's your sister!" she pointed out.
"Only by marriage. We're not blood relatives."
My step-mom sighed. "You're right. And you're both adults." She looked at me. "And I love you. I want you both to be happy. I can't say I agree with this, but I can't fight it."
Another silent pause, with only Christmas music faintly wafted in from the next room. "Are you still going to tell my Dad?" I asked tentatively.
"You're going to tell him," she said. "It's your mess, you clean it up." She stood up. "In the meantime, I'm going to talk to my daughter."
--
So I told my Dad. His face turned red. I think he wanted to hit me, but thankfully he restrained himself. He did thank me for telling him, man to man. "I want to be clear, I don't support this," he told me.
"I understand."
"But it's your decision. And maybe, one day, I'll come around," he said.
I was shocked. This could have been a lot worse. "Thank you." I hugged him, and he hugged me back.
When we went back into the living room, Rachel and her mom were coming out of the kitchen. Tears were in both their eyes. Rachel saw me and smiled. She ran across the room, into my arms. I held her for what seemed like forever. We didn't exactly have consent, but we didn't have to lie to our parents anymore, and that felt like a huge weight lifted from us.
--
We went to Becky's house the next day, and she understood when we told her. She too was tired of lying to her mom. We all told her mother together. I could tell her mother was a little disappointed - she'd been hoping that Becky and I would continue a long-term relationship - but she was thankful we told her the truth. She was also a little disappointed in Becky regarding the "friends with benefits" relationship, but she knew she couldn't do much to stop consenting adults from fraternizing.
When we returned to school, I told my friends that Becky and I had broken up, but we still saw each other occasionally for sex. As weird as it sounds, it was almost theraputic for her. After the abuse and assault of a bad boyfriend, she was rebuilding her self esteem and sexual appetites with a good boyfriend.
Rachel and I visited each other when we could, but throughout the semester, it wasn't very often. I was starting to see the effects of the long-term relationship, and it got me worried.
--
Around spring time, I was getting ready for a mid-week dinner with Becky. She had become a close friend, despite our obvious differences. Maybe opposites do attract. The occasional sex also helped. I still thought it was weird that Rachel was okay with that part.
I thought back to when I'd first asked her out, and she'd rejected me flat. Even if she'd said yes, it never would have worked at the time. High school is stupid, and we would've both been too stupid and immature. It stinks that it took the trauma of Johnny Monroe to mature us, but after all of that, it worked out for the best.
Just then, my phone rang. It was Rachel. "Hi, babe, what's up?" I knew that by calling her that, I was signalling I was alone and could talk freely.
"Hi yourself," she said. "I have some news."
"Good news, I hope."
She said, "A little of both. Bad news first. My program here isn't what I hoped it would be." Rae was majoring in pre-law, of course. My perfect step-sister-girlfriend, selecting one of the hardest majors out there. "The professors are all older guys, with older understandings of the law. No room for modernization or change."
"Hmm, that's not very good," I said. "But there's good news?"
I could almost feel her smile from through the phone. "I'm transferring to State in the fall."
"You're kidding. That's great!" I beamed. "We can stop with the long-distance."
"Right!" she replied. "But I'll need a place to stay. I don't fancy moving into the dorms."
My brain immediately came up with an idea. I had realized a few days ago that some of my roommates were graduating or moving out for other reasons, so if I wanted to keep that house we stayed in, I'd need new roommates. But at the time, I couldn't think of anyone I wanted to room with. Now I wouldn't have to.
"Live with me," I said, more like a command than I meant it to.
"In that old house with those geeky guys?" she laughed.
"No. Let's get an apartment. You and me."
She wasn't sold yet. She sighed, "I would love to live with you, but can we really afford it?"
She was right, money would be tight with just the two of us. "What if we get Becky to move in? Rent will be easier if it's split three ways. I can talk to her about it. I'm having dinner with her later anyway."
"Yes, definitely. Sounds like fun. I can't wait!"
--
I picked Becky up at her dorm. "Hey, Bex," I called. She allowed me to call her that, since she gave me dirty looks for calling her Rebecca.
"Hi Kevin. Where are we going?" she asked, getting in the car.
"How does pizza at Bruno's sound?"
"Sounds good, but isn't Bruno's that way?" she said, as we missed the turn.
"It is, but I wanted to make a stop first," I told her.
We pulled up at an apartment building and stopped in the parking lot. "Who lives here?" she asked.
"I was hoping we would," I replied. Then I told her about Rachel transferring. "We're going to get an apartment in the fall, and you're welcome to join us if you want."
Her eyes got really wide as she smiled. "I'd love to, but I don't want to intrude on your personal space."
I shrugged. "You'll have a separate bedroom and bathroom. It'll be like living in the dorms, but with people you actually like." I aimed the last comment at her current roommate in the freshman dorm. They'd gotten along ok at first, but they had started getting on each other's nerves over the last month or so.
She grinned. "I'm sold. And maybe when Rachel's out, I can still get the occasional friendly fuck."
"Sure," I said. "But why wait? We can do that now." I started to kiss down her neck.
She pushed me away. "Down, boy, down. First, dinner. Feed me first, then fuck me."
"Yes ma'am." I put the car in gear and drove on.
--
Epilogue:
After I graduated, I stuck around at State for a couple more years, waiting for Rachel to graduate. I worked part-time as a TA and took a couple of grad-level classes, but mostly I worked free-lance as a white-hat hacker. My dream job.
Becky had moved out after living with us for a year, and into the apartment next door. She found a boyfriend of her own, a friend of mine from a web design class, that I had introduced to her. Rob was athletic - a swimmer - and he and Becky liked to work out together. She also reported to me that he was almost as good in bed as I was. Needless to say, she didn't need my services anymore. She also didn't need me to hack her grades, as she was doing just fine on her own.
Rachel was finishing her last finals this week. Of course, she was getting straight A's. She was still trying to decide where to go for law school. Probably somewhere on the east coast.
I was waiting in our apartment for her to get back from her last exam. When she walked in, she went directly into the office (what had been Becky's room) to drop off her book bag. "All done," she called to me from there. "I also finally picked a law school."
"Really?" I said. "Where?"
"University of..." As she came back into the living room, she trailed off, as she finally saw me sitting there on the couch, dressed in my suit and my best tie. "Umm, hi. What's going on, Kevin?"
Then she saw the tiny black box on the table in front of me. Her eyes got wide, and she stepped backwards. Before she could speak, I grabbed it and knelt in front of her. "Rachel, you are my world, my perfect love. Wherever you go in the fall, and beyond, I want to be there with you. Will you be my wife?" I opened the box, showing the glittering diamond ring inside. A single tear ran down her left cheek.
"Yes," she whispered, barely audible.
"What was that?" I grinned.
"YES!" She yelled. "Yes. I love you." She tossed herself at me, wrapping me in her arms.
"I love you too." When she finally let me go, I slipped the ring out of the box and onto her finger. She kissed me, and even though her tears smeared on my cheek, it was one of my favorite kisses of all time.
The apartment door opened behind Rachel, just a crack. "Did she say yes yet?" came Becky's voice.
Rachel laughed. "Yes. You can come in now," I told her.
Becky barged in and wrapped both of us in a big hug. "I'm so happy for you guys!" Rob came in too, holding four glasses of champagne in his fingers. I chuckled that Becky was using him as a drink tray.
Rachel was crying happy tears. "You'd better be. You're my maid of honor."
"I was hoping you'd say that," said Becky, hugging us tighter.
When the hug broke up, we all grabbed the champagne from Rob. Becky held her glass up. "Four years ago, my best friend stole my prom date, and I couldn't be happier. Cheers to you guys!"