Chapter 1 Change Begins

Mary Louise walked into the living room of her family?s home and immediately knew something was different. The day had been pretty much like every other one of her senior year in high school. Graduation was just a few months away and she had already turned eighteen. She wanted to go to college, but she would have to sit the first year out and work.

That had been the first big surprise this year. Her father was co-owner of the main industry in their small town and she had assumed her parents would pay for her to go to college. But it appeared finances were tighter than her folks were letting on and it had been arranged for her to work as secretary in the offices the week after school ended.

She had dealt with the disappointment, but as the time drew near, it saddened her to hear her friends talking excitedly about their summer vacation plans and then the big changes the fall would bring to their lives as they went away to school. Of course, some were hanging around to attend the local city college, and even that would have been okay for Mary Louise.

?Hello, Mary Louise,? her mother called out to her.

She saw her parents were both in the living room, which was a little strange by itself. ?Hi Mom, Dad.? She greeted them with a smile, slinging her book bag onto the sofa while she perched on the overstuffed arm. She was dressed as many others in her class dressed: blue jeans, sneakers and cotton t-shirt or top. Some of the kids of executives at the plant liked to wear expensive clothes to lord it over the plant staff?s offspring, but Mary Louise wore what she felt comfortable in.

?You?re a little late, aren?t you dear?? Jeanine Walters asked as she looked out the bay window, which overlooked the front lawn. ?Yeah, Mom. Barry and I stopped for a soda after school. He is still pretty excited about the scholarship he got to State.?

Bob Walters nodded his head. ?He?s a lucky boy.?

Mary Louise knew what her father really meant. Barry was lucky for a kid whose father worked the production line in the factory. He was also really smart and had always worked hard. She was glad when he started paying attention to her. They hadn?t done any real dating yet, just in a group, but she was hopeful.

?Yes, well, your father and I need to talk to you about something. It?s good news, actually.? Her mother turned and walked towards her. She took a seat beside her husband, in one of the two chairs that faced the sofa.

As if they were a tag team, her father took over. ?Frank Davis and his family are back in town.?

Mary Louise looked from one parent to the other. The snooty Davis? had never been people her family consorted with other than her father?s business relationship with the father. They had one son, Rowdy, and he was good looking, according to what others said, but he was also seven years older than she was. Nodding her head, she replied, ?That?s nice.?

Her mother nodded her own head briskly. ?Yes, dear, and I knew you would agree.?

?Agree to what, Mom??

?Your father has arranged a blind date for you tonight. Isn?t that exciting??

Mary Louise frowned, looking from one parent to the other. Had they gone crazy? Parents didn?t do stuff like that anymore.

?Date? But I??

Jeanine spoke quickly. ?We really want you to go out with him, dear. He is such a nice boy and it?s only dinner. But I think you will have a good time.?

She looked at her father, but he was looking at the floor. Finally she nodded her head slowly. ?Just the blind date??

?Of course, sweetheart. But I just know that you will have fun. Now, we have to hurry for you to get ready on time.? Jeanine hopped up and grabbed her daughter?s hand, pulling her upstairs. They went into her parents? room first and Mary Louise knew with a sinking feeling what was going to happen.

For the last few months, ever since she had gone with her mother to see the plant doctor, her mother had been giving her vitamin shots. She hated them and thought they were a waste of time, but her mother insisted they follow the doctor?s prescribed regimen. There were several bottles and the ones each day varied slightly. Mary Louise didn?t know which was for what and so on, because her mother kept track.

?Couldn?t we skip this tonight, Mom?? she asked while she watched her mother begin automatically checking the papers and then begin drawing up the correct dosage.

?No, darling. The regimen is quite strict and for your benefit. Now lower your jeans and bend over the bed. I?m ready.?

Mary Louise did as asked and soon felt the sting of a needle in each hip. Pulling her jeans and panties back up, she sat on the bed. ?I guess I?ll shower and clean up in a little while.?

Jeanine looked over her shoulder at her daughter. ?I have everything scheduled, darling. I thought you would enjoy some pampering so we are going to Aunt Lou?s as soon as you get out of the shower. So go scoot. Don?t bother washing your hair.?

A short time later she walked into her aunt?s hair salon, which was also the town?s barbershop because Mary Louise?s uncle, Lou?s husband, was also the city?s only barber. Her Aunt Lou smiled a greeting.

?I?m already for Mary Louise. Jeanine you can set the garment bag in the back.? Lou was picking up her cape, and gesturing to the chair for Mary Louise.

Slowly she got into the chair, feeling the cape settle around her and then her aunt talking to her again. ?Scoop up your hair, sweetie.?

Mary Louise slowly pulled her waist-length, dark, rich auburn hair out. Her aunt had trimmed her hair a few times before, but this was a surprise. She felt Lou fixing the paper around her neck like they did for men?s haircuts when she came with her dad. That was strange. Then Lou turned the chair away from the mirror, and she was facing her mother.

Jeanine smiled. ?This is very exciting, isn?t it, Mary Louise??

?Uhm, I guess so.? She should tell her aunt that she only want half an inch at the absolute most taken off. The long rich, red fall of hair was going to look beautiful against her white gown at graduation.

?Also, as another treat, I bought you a new outfit to wear. It?s a little more grown-up than what you are used to, but your father and I are sure you are mature enough to wear it.?

Mary Louise was focused on her mother?s words. Mature clothing? They bought it for her! This couldn’t be real, she argued silently.

Distracted by her mother and not facing the mirror, she didn?t see her aunt lifting her long, very sharp scissors. The first cut, and the most deadly was made before she even knew it was happening. A three-inch wide swathe of her hair had been sliced off above her ear. As the hair slid down the cape, Mary Louise saw it and screamed.

?Oh my God! Aunt Lou! What have you done?? Her hand flew to the side of her head that had just been shorn and she felt the cut, slightly uneven hairs right above her ear. This had to be a nightmare. Her mother loved her long hair. So did her aunt, or she was always saying how beautiful it was. ?What are you doing??

Jeanine pulled her hand back down and then she held both of Mary Louise?s hands tight to the arms of the chair. ?Hush, dear. Aunt Lou is giving you a surprise haircut. We just know you will love it when it is all done and you see it for the first time.?

?You mean I can?t see it until then?? She asked in disbelief. She felt her aunt slicing more hair off, and again.

Aunt Lou spoke even as she sliced another two inches of hair from her niece?s head. ?No, sweetie. Your mom and I agreed it was best to wait until the end. We don?t want you getting any wrong ideas before you see the finished style, all primped and perfect.?

As she finished speaking, the scissors closed over the last long swathe of hair on Mary Louise?s head. Even though she couldn’t see, it was almost too easy to imagine how awful her hair had to look?half of it stopped above her ear, and the other half was hanging in long, much thinner tendrils like before.

?There you go. Now I pin this part up, and we?ll get rid of all that undercut.?

Before Mary Louise could think, the shears zoomed around cutting those strands to the length of an ear-tip bobbed style, but it didn?t feel straight or neat. She felt shocked and numb as to what to do. What had her aunt said? Undercut? What is that? Then she realized that her mother was still clamping her hands to the chair and there was little that she could do.

A few seconds later she heard a clicking sound, which was followed by a loud humming noise. Then Lou was pushing her head forward.

?Chin to chest dear!?

A moment later, Mary Louise felt the cold apparatus at the nape of her neck and zooming upwards. Since her aunt had drawn a line three inches above her ear and pulled the hair above into a clip, Mary Louise realized that the clippers were quickly eating away everything below that line.

Dear God! She yelled silently. My own family is scalping me.

She tried to think?clippers. They use those on men?s haircuts. I?ve seen them before. They rest against the head and cut the hair?oh no! In the past, the hair had always been super-short, like half an inch, or even shorter! She remembered the hair would sometimes lay flat afterwards, but usually it stuck straight out, too short for anything else.

Lou did the entire back of her head, and then folded one ear down and quickly demolished the hair at her temple and over her ear. As quick as possible, she did both sides. Then to Mary Louise?s surprise her mother released her hands. Were they done? Let me think. Aunt Lou cut just above my ears so if she evens that out?She?d have one of those chili bowl cuts, or step cuts. How horrible! Still, it would be three inches longer than what was clipped up?a moment later the clamped hair was released.

?Now we get to the fun part!? Aunt Lou announced, pulling over a cart that Mary Louise recognized as being used to give permanent waves. ?Jeanine, you can hand me the papers and we?ll go a lot faster.?

Mary Louise saw her aunt pick up the smallest roller on the cart. It hit her like a ton of bricks what they were doing to her hair. She was being given one of those super-short ?poodle? cuts, which she?d seen many older women wear. In disbelief she watched as her mother her handed aunt paper after paper, and she felt one tight curl, and then another being placed on her head. Soon her aunt was threading a skinny rod through certain rows.

?This makes the curls nice and straight and uniform. This is the difference usually between a home job and a professional. It?s like we always say isn?t it, Jeanine? Quality always tells!?

As her aunt and mother both applied several bottles of solution, Mary Louise fought against mental images of herself with a ?poodle perm.? God! She?d be the laughing stock of her school. There had been other kids, over the years, which had suddenly radical haircuts, usually not their own choice. One girl was sent to camp for the summer and returned a one-inch pixie style cut. Mary Louise heard from others upon arrival, everyone, boys and girls received a crew cut. The most recent was a girl returning from reform school. Her hair had been super short all over except the top, where it was longer, but straight across. Someone had said it was a ?flattop.? This was all she needed after the changes her body had decided to make all of a sudden.

Like a second puberty spurt, her body had begun to change. Her breasts had gone from a 34 B to a 36 D, and her hips seemed wider. As if that wasn?t bad enough, looking in the mirror, she had developed an impressive ?booty.? These changes had not gone unnoticed by the senior boys. Guys who had never given her the time of day had been trying to talk to her lately. So far Barry hadn?t said anything, or tried anything either, but she would have been surprised if he had not taken note of the dramatic changes.

Her girlfriends were jealous and some girls at school had even chided her about getting fat all of a sudden. She had tried to talk to her mother, but each time Jeanine had merely shaken her head, telling her softly.

?Young girls bodies all change at different time clocks. Yours is on a different schedule and soon everything will be fine.?

Great! Now she could be the busty grandmother of the senior class. That is just what she needed, along with being stuck working at the plant, even if it was in the office.

Her aunt had placed cotton around her face and now she covered it all with plastic. ?Come over here and have a seat under the dryer for a bit.?

With the dryer running, Mary Louise had a hard time hearing what the older women were talking about.

?The heat intensifies?the manufacturer says it lasts over a year or more this way.?

?How much shorter?specified one to two inches.?

And lastly she heard her aunt say, ?I?ll take the bottom to skin?razor?blending with clippers.?

Mary Louise heard nothing to make her feel better. Before too much longer, they were applying the neutralizer, and then out came the curlers.

Aunt Lou was running her hands through the super tight curls. ?Oh, it?s perfect!?

Mary Louise felt her mother touching it lightly, but to her it mostly felt like her mother?s hand, held flat, was bouncing off the super coiled curls. ?It?s what the letter said?the curls are really tight, aren?t they??

?That?s the beauty of it, Jeanine. When she is too busy with?well, this kind of hair is no mess, no fuss upkeep. Wash, lightly towel dry and pick it out with a comb. It air dries and you?re done. If you want height and volume, you can brush or pick it out dry.?

?Yes, I know. Well, let?s get it done.?

Mary Louise could tell her mother didn?t like it. That didn?t surprise her because her entire life her mother had adored her long, dark auburn hair. She?d spend hours combing and brushing it, putting beautiful, expensive ribbons and barrettes in it. Even her father?

Oh God! What would her father think of this nightmare? He had always raved over her hair. At night, he would stroke it until she fell asleep.

Who wants to stroke a bristly poodle? It might be soft, like lamb?s wool, but it wasn?t the heavy, warm weight like silk.

Suddenly she remembered the added roundness her face had taken on lately. She had thought the long, straight wings had made it look more slender. What was this going to make her face look like with a curly, tightly woven bird?s nest on top of her head?

The clippers were running over her head once more and she realized it was being cut even shorter. They moved much faster this time, and tiny little hairs seemed to fly out and land on her cape, sliding down slowly. And then her aunt took out a smaller clipper and ran it over the lower two-inches of her nape and one-inch over her ears.

?There you go, dear. I?m just blending it from smooth to one-quarter inch to the undercut at three-eighths inch, which extends about one inch into the curls. That will let the curls poof out like a mushroom cap. The short hair stands up and pushes the curls up from below, giving it the extra lift.?

That is exactly the description Mary Louise had been thinking, a big fluffy, round mushroom cap on the top of her head. It sounded so attractive she was sure Barry would just love it. Then she remembered her blind date tonight. Well, this cut should put Rowdy Davis off her, and that was one good thing.

Soon Aunt Lou?s scissors were moving over her hair and little curls were dropping everywhere. Some seemed to be complete circles and two inches long, or more. It was hard to tell, but it felt like Lou was taking the hair between her fingers, and cutting it close. Hopefully she was cutting off most of the curl!

?See Jeanine. See how nice and tight it still curls. I think this new solution curled it right to the root.?

Mary Louise closed her eyes and prayed this ordeal would soon end.

A whirring sound caught her attention and then she felt something warm being lightly rubbed along her hairline and over her ears. A second later there was a scraping sound, follow by a rush of cool air.

Shaved! Her aunt was shaving her neck and over her ears just like a man would get at the barber?s. She?d seen her father and other men get the smooth finish of the straight razor, but they only did that if the hair was super short. Tears leaked out from her closed eyes. Why? Why did they do this to her?

?All done!? Lou announced and she began pulling off the cape the rest of the way.

Mary Louise felt the chair turned around and knew she was facing the mirror. She didn?t want to look.

?It looks just like you described, Lou. You did a wonderful job. Mary Louise, open your eyes and look.? Her mother prodded her shoulder. ?Come on now, dear. You?re a young woman. Don?t be a baby, Mary Louise. Thank Aunt Lou for giving you such a wonderful short cut.?

?Why, Mom??

?You are growing up and it is time for a woman?s haircut. You?ve outgrown long hair and childish ways. Soon you?ll be graduating, and working in the adult world. We don?t have time for temper tantrums,? she added tersely as Mary Louise resisted looking.

Finally Mary Louise opened her eyes. That couldn’t be her, she told herself. She looked older, and she?d been right in her guestimate. It was exactly like the typical old ladies? style, but it was even shorter! There was no hair at the sides to catch with your fingers, nothing to slide fingers through.

?Now, we?ll do your makeup for you,? Jeanine spoke softly and pulled out a stuffed makeup bag.

Foundation was applied, which Mary Louise never used, followed by blush and powder to set it. Her mother outlined her eyes, and applied several shades of shadow, blending them to accent her eyes. As her mother began putting on the first of several layers of mascara, Lou made a suggestion.

?I have one of those lip enhancers left. Should we use that??

?That?s a good idea. How does it work??

Lou pulled out a small package. ?I apply these fake lips over hers, and then using the blow-dryer for heat, the medicine is released.?

Mary Louise was told to stay perfectly still and then her mother and aunt applied pads over her mouth. Soon the heat was directed at it and she could literally feel it warming up.

?Ow! Mom, it?s getting warm!?

?Hush, dear. It?s supposed to heat up to work. Focus on something else. How long does it last??

Lou stopped and reread the directions. ?If we can leave it on for thirty minutes, she?ll absorb the full dose. Wow! It will last a year.?

Mary Louise couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

?Open your eyes, sweetheart. I need to apply more mascara. You need to accent your eyes with this short cut.?

Time passed and Lou announced her lips were done. The patches were pulled off and Jeanine and Lou gasped. Mary Louise leaned around her mother and saw her lips looked a deeper, richer color and slightly swollen, or bee-stung.

?Oh, no!?

?Shh, Mary Louise. Don?t fret. It?s very popular, getting Botox and collagen injections.? Jeanine told her daughter quickly.

Lou, who was dabbing and cleaning all the medicine off, added, ?That?s quite true, Mary Louise, and men really like full, pouting lips on a woman.?

?Lou!? Jeanine snapped, but abruptly smiled at Mary Louise. ?You?ll look just more beautiful, dear. Okay, time for lipstick and then you can get dressed.?

Minutes later Mary Louise was in the clock room, removing her clothes. Her mother walked in as she was standing in her underwear.

?Mom!?

?Don?t fuss, dear. Now you need to remove your underwear. We have new everything, sweetheart.?

Mary Louise gasped when her mother handed her a lacy pink French cut panty to put on. After that she was given a skirt that came to just below her knees, but had a discrete, partially concealed slit in the front and a pleat at the back to make walking easy. The waist was elastic and had no belt. Her mother handed her a silky white short-sleeved blouse to put on and it buttoned up the front. The bottom was straight-edged, ending just below her waistline, but above her hips. If she stretched or reached for something, her bare midriff would show.

?Where?s the bra, Mom??

?You?re a big girl now, honey. You can wear this shirt without. In fact, from now on, I think it is okay for you to go without a bra, even to school.?

?Mom! I can?t do that!? Mary Louise protested, especially since she?d gotten so much larger recently.

?Of course, you can.? Her mother fastened the buttons up to her neck. She then looped a cardigan sweater, in the same pale yellow as the skirt, around her shoulders. ?Your father and I approve, and that is all that really matters. There, you look lovely. Here is a nice pair of black flats. It is easier to walk in that kind of skirt this way.?

Mary Louise looked at her reflection in the mirror, but it had to be someone other than the girl she?d known all her life.

?Almost perfect, Mary Louise. Take your earrings out.?

Mary Louise shook her head automatically. The one-inch gold hoops had been a present to her from her parents last year. Plus they were the only things about her that looked feminine in her opinion.

?Don?t argue, Mary Louise. I have a new pair. Put these in now.?

Mary Louise removed the hoops and inserted very small single pearl balls into each ear. She didn?t think her mother could have picked a more ?grandmotherly? style even if she?d tried. A moment later she heard her mother announce,

?Let?s show Lou, and then we need to scoot.?

Mary Louise pulled the cardigan sides down, covering her breasts and then followed her mother.

***** Her mother?s car stopped in front of the Davis? mansion. ?I thought he would pick me up at the house, Mom.?

?We decided this would be more convenient. Now hop out and have a good time.?

?Wait, Mom! I don?t have a purse, or any money.?

?You don?t need it dear. You are on a date and he pays for everything, silly goose. We?ll be home so there is no need for a key. Now go on, he?ll be waiting.?

Fifteen minutes later Mary Louise was seated next to the handsome Rowdy Davis. His light-brown hair was sun streaked to several shades lighter than normal. His tan made his blue eyes stand out more than usual, and Mary Louise had noted his muscular physique beneath his sports jacket and dress shirt.

His parents had been almost sickening sweet and polite to her, and she had sipped a cocktail with them first. She could feel her head swimming a little from the alcohol.

?I made reservations at Il Travatori. Do you like Italian food??

Mary Louise had to clear her throat to answer. ?Yes, yes I do. But all I?ve ever really had are spaghetti and lasagna.?

Rowdy smiled as he expertly steered the expensive large sedan-style car. Mary Louise had been surprised at seeing the sedate, silvery-gray vehicle and Rowdy had laughed.

?It?s my dad?s car. I drive a Ferrari usually, but my parents thought this would be better for a first date.?

?Oh, okay. Well, it?s a nice car.?

?Yeah. I?ll show you some of the cool stuff later.?

?All right,? Mary Louise murmured, accepting him at his word.

Dinner passed pleasantly. They were seated at a rounded booth, and Rowdy had the place settings put side by side with her at the middle of the ?C? and he was right next to her. He helped her order and they had wine with their food.

Mary Louise was a little surprised no one checked her I.D. She realized that the haircut and clothes must really make her look older, and that didn?t help her feel better in the least.

Rowdy kept the conversation flowing between them and she was surprised at how well traveled and educated he was. She assumed the gossip about him from years earlier, his high school time, must have been exaggerated or completely false. He complimented her appearance.

?You know most girls your age are still running around with long hair in their face and faded jeans. But you Mary Louise look quite mature and grown up with your hairstyle and makeup. Your dress style resembles the clothes a college girl, or a young working woman would choose.?

Mary Louise felt a flush move up her neck and across her cheeks. With her neck completely bare now, there was no way at all to hide it. She murmured a thank you, but didn?t tell him the style was new as of today.

Several times during dinner she felt his leg brush hers and move away. She tried not to act like a skittish, nervous schoolgirl. Finally, his leg settled against hers and didn?t shift away. She half-expected him to do something else, but he didn?t. The wine glass seemed to be refilled constantly, unlike her water glass.

Partway through dinner he did ask her to do something. He requested her to sit straight, if she could, away from the bench seat. ?It makes your neck and shoulders look so elegant. Do you mind??

?No, uhm, not at all.?

Mary Louise scooted forward a little, and then had to remove the sweater so it wouldn’t hit the table. It wasn?t until they had finished dinner and she was eating dessert while he sipped a brandy she realized what was happening. When she sat like this, each time she leaned forward, her nipples rubbed against the edge of the table. By the time she was partway through the chocolate cake, her nipples were quite hard and weren?t relaxing once she sat up. Embarrassed she didn?t move for a few seconds, and then she realized that this wasn?t good. Now her breasts were resting on the table, as if it was a shelf for them. Quickly she pushed her cake away and reached for her sweater.

Mary Louise didn?t see Rowdy?s shrug as he realized she?d figured it out. This evening was a hundred times better than he had anticipated. The idea of what his parents wanted him to do, with this small town chickadee, had blown him away at first. Now he could see there were perks to every deal, even this one.

First of all, he?d been surprised that she?d shown up dressed according to the specifications, including the hairdo. That had to have happened fast. What he had not expected was the amazing tits the girl had. He?d have to get hold of them to be sure, but he would guess she was a 36 C, at least. The little game with the table had come to him when he saw her body brush the table a few times accidentally. Observing her for a few moments, he knew how to make it happen every time. The last half of the meal and dessert had been delightful. Her hard nipples now poked out three-quarters of an inch, at least, against her demure white shirt. And when her boobs plopped onto the table and just rested there every now and then, he thought he was in heaven.

?Are you done already?? he asked politely

Mary Louise nodded her head once, shifting her sweating and trying to pull the sides further forward.

He signaled for the bill and within minutes they were in the car. ?It?s still early and I want to have you home by eleven, since tomorrow is a school day. We have time for a short drive if you like.?

?All right,? Mary Louise told him.

?How about going to a movie tomorrow night?? he asked her a few seconds later.

She was caught completely off guard. She was still surprised and pleased that he remembered she would have school in the morning. What was she supposed to say to his question? Her parents had promised her it was just the one date. Feeling his eyes on her, she nodded her head. ?All right.?

?Great!? Rowdy told her.

A few minutes later he pulled off the road and drove to edge of the hillside, where a barrier protected cars from going over. There were several other cars there and she realized they were at the local ?Lovers? Lane.?

The radio started playing and it was soft and romantic songs. She could feel the heater running as he spoke.

?You can slip your sweater off if you want. The heater should be warm enough.?

Mary Louise nodded and then Rowdy tossed it onto the back seat.

?Now, here are some of the toys my dad had installed.? Rowdy pressed a button and the roof opened, revealing a still enclosed, but glass covering.

?Ooh, a moon roof!? Mary Louise said, tilting her head back to see.

?Which is always better viewed in this position!? As he touched something else, she heard a whir and felt something move. The seat behind her slid back into a recumbent position. She sort of dropped back even as she heard Rowdy?s lowering it as well. A second later he had shifted over and was directly beside her.

?Over there is the Orion belt. And this one is the Big Dipper,? Rowdy pointed with his left hand. ?Follow the path with your eyes.?

Mary Louise was tracing the so-called route with her eyes when she saw his arm come down on the far side of her body. Before she could question his accuracy, the arm was moving across her. Rowdy?s hand fell onto her shoulder and pressed her flat to the leather.

?Rowdy, please.?

?Exactly what I was thinking, pretty girl,? he told her quickly. Rowdy loomed over her and then he kissed her.

Mary Louise relaxed a little as he continued to kiss her. He hadn?t gone any further. After a few seconds, he pulled back just a little.

?Have you ever been kissed before??

?Of course,? Mary Louise replied quickly, affronted at his thinking she was a novice. She was just that, but she didn?t like other people assuming it about her. That was something else entirely!

Rowdy smiled. ?Relax, Mary Louise. Part your lips and I?m going to teach you how to kiss a man, not a boy.? Leaning down, he just continued to kiss her lips until her mouth opened. His tongue delved inside quickly. She was shocked at how easily he over came her resistance. The kisses kept on. Then he started lightly sucking on her lips, biting them gently, and then sucking more. Her lips started feeling tender and swollen, but she figured it was only due to the enhancer product her aunt had used earlier.

She lost track of how long this continued when suddenly he moved away and sat up. The seats whirred quietly back to their upright positions. All she could think of was how tender her mouth felt. What with the weird treatment earlier and now Rowdy?s aggressive kissing made them feel twice as big. Feeling hot, she reached for the automatic window control and lowered the window. Without thinking, she stuck her face out into the cool night air.

?Mary Louise! Is that you??

Opening her eyes she saw that while Rowdy had been kissing her, the area had filled with more cars. A lot of the occupants were standing around the front and side of the car right next to Rowdy?s. The girl calling her name was from her class.

Someone else noticed as well.

?Hey, Barry? Isn?t that your new girl, Mary Louise??

Before she could do anything, Barry walked over and saw that it was indeed she. In the darkness, he seemed to not notice the change in her hair. Suddenly she heard the other car door open and Rowdy stood up.

?Mary Louise and I are going to the diner for a soda. Any of you want to join us? My treat.? Several people agreed quickly?free food! ?Great! We?ll see you there.?

Mary Louise watched in horror as Rowdy started the car and backed out. He started driving, but then she thought he was lost because he was going in the opposite direction of the well-known teen hangout. By the time they arrived, there were quite a few cars already there. He came around and held her door as she got out.

?Looks like quite a few of your friends decided to join us. I thought you might enjoy spending some time with them before we head home.?

He sounded so nice about it that she felt like she couldn’t object. She started walking towards the entrance. He stopped when they were but a few feet away.

?Just a second, Mary Louise.? He stepped close behind her, brushing his fingers across the nape of her neck. She didn?t feel him unbutton the top two buttons. She took the first step up when suddenly he stumbled and fell against her. Gasping she fell a little forward, but Rowdy?s hands stopped her. The problem was his hands were covering her breasts and before he released her, he squeezed her breasts hard, three times, and then tweaked her nipples as he released her. ?God! I?m sorry, Mary Louise,? he mumbled a second later. ?I?m not usually such a clumsy jerk.?

?No, no, it?s all right. Luckily we didn?t fall down.? She pushed the door open and walked into the brightly lit diner. Quickly she saw that enough people had come along to fill nearly four tables. They were occupying two adjacent booths and pulled two tables close together. Obviously they were keeping the waitresses busy with their orders.

Mary Louise noticed they all fell quiet as they approached. Behind her Rowdy spoke, ?Sorry we?re late. I must have taken a wrong turn.?

?Over here, Mary Louise. I saved you a seat.? Her friend, Karen, was waving, pointing to an empty booth seat.

?Thanks,? Rowdy replied, gently pushing Mary Louise forward. ?We?ll just push in, if that?s all right.? As soon as she was seated, he sat beside her. Turning to the waitress, he ordered. ?We?ll have two coffees, please, and I?m picking up the tab for this ?wild bunch.??

The guys all laughed at his joke.

Mary Louise sat quietly, listening to everyone chatting back and forth. She knew that she responded a few times and was intensely aware that once they were served their drinks, of which she?d never had coffee before in her life, Rowdy put his arm around her shoulders.

?There,? he added with a smile. ?This gives a bit more room.?

Mary Louise heard Karen and her boyfriend laugh.

?I didn?t know you drank coffee, Mary Louise,? Karen commented a moment later.

She opened her mouth to reply, but Rowdy reacted more quickly.

?This is the new, all-grown up Mary Louise. She even enjoyed wine with our dinner tonight. Hopefully she won?t have a hangover during class in the morning.?

She tried to sip the hot coffee, but it made her more aware of her tender, swollen lips. Soon she became aware that Rowdy?s hand had slid down from her shoulder and was idly resting just over her breast. She?d often seen other couples sit like this, but she was intensely aware of precisely how close he was to accidentally touching her breast, and more specifically her nipple.

The first touch happened when someone asked her to pass the extra spoon so they could share a milk shake. Leaning back afterwards, his fingers had seemed to randomly drag across the taut nipple. Already tender, it budded up tight and hard once more. The next time was when Rowdy shifted to pull his wallet from his pocket without removing that arm. As he moved again, his hand cupped her nipple for a few seconds. When his hand moved away, her breast was released and jiggled from the slight drop.

Mary Louise was quite glad when Karen asked her to go to Ladies Room with her. As she started to walk away, Rowdy called out.

?Don?t be too long, honey. I have to have you home before eleven.?

Inside the bathroom, Karen stared at her. ?What are you doing? Are you crazy? I thought you liked Barry. He?s been staring at you since you arrived. And your hair! My God, Mary Louise!?

Tears filled her eyes and she turned to grab some paper towels. ?I know, Karen. It was my mother?s idea. The haircut is awful, isn?t it??

Both girls turned to stare into the mirror. Her friend?s hair had been almost identical to hers in everything except color. Karen was shaking her head.

?It?s a poodle cut,? Karen explained. ?That?s what my grandmother calls it and all her friends have the same thing.? She pushed against the curls. ?It?s so tight.? She pulled on one curl. ?Oh my God! Mary Louise it?s so short. I thought maybe it was just curled round.?

Mary Louise dabbed at the mascara that had run just a bit. ?I know. I hate it.?

Karen nodded in agreement. ?Who is this guy??

?Rowdy Davis. My father apparently set me up on a blind date with him.?

?But he?s older!?

?He?s 25, and they don?t seem to care.? She turned and walked into one of the stalls. ?I need to pee,? she said, but didn?t close the door. It was hard getting the slim skirt up but she finally managed and sat down.

?Why are you wearing that skirt? And those shoes??

?My mother was so excited?she bought me this as a new outfit for my date. I think they both have gone bonkers.?

Karen laughed. ?I guess so. My parents would kill me if I dated a guy that old.?

?That?s what I thought too.? Finished, she struggled to get the skirt back down and then washed her hands. Staring into the mirror, looked at her hair, and then for the first time she reached up and felt it. The curls were tight and crisp feeling. That was probably due to the gel or mousse she saw her aunt using. Reluctantly she rubbed her fingers over the clipped sides. ?Oh, Karen. It?s so short!?

She slid her fingers up into the curls. ?Oh no! Look, it?s cut up underneath the curls too.?

Karen helped pull the curls up and they both saw the clipped area went up another inch. ?I don?t know why they did that. I don?t think Grandma?s hair is like that.?

?My aunt said something about the undercut, which is what that is, and it would support the curls.? She dabbed at her lips again. ?Well, we better go, I guess.?

As they walked back to the table, Mary Louise realized that she should have let Karen go first. She noticed almost immediately that quite a few people stared at her jiggling breasts as she walked past. She was grateful that Rowdy stood as she neared. She bid everyone a quick goodnight and almost ran out of the diner.

On the drive to her house, Rowdy talked of the people he?d met this evening. Hearing him talk about some of them, made her realize how childish some of them still were. She started to open the door as soon as the car stopped, but realized it was locked.

?We still have ten minutes before you have to be in, Mary Louise. That?s lots of time,? he murmured as he slid towards her. His strong arms pulled her close and he started kissing her once more, almost immediately sucking her lips in between regular kisses. She stiffened when she felt his hand touch her bare midriff. ?Relax, honey. It?s all right. I just want a chance to feel these luscious titties of yours I?ve been drooling over all evening.?

Mary Louise struggled and tried to push at his hand, but he was too strong. A moment later he closed his hand over her furthest breast. He pressed the nipple against his palm, rotating it around and then just squeezing. His mouth slid to the side of her neck, just below her earlobe and he started sucking on her skin.

?You have incredible boobies, babe. I should imagine you?re real popular with all the boys.?

Mary Louise couldn’t believe how he was talking to her. ?No?no, I?m not. I?ve never dated before. No one?s ever touched me??

?Aah,? his sigh stopped her. ?That?s good to know.?

He gave one last hard, stinging suck on the tender skin on her neck, two firm squeezes to her breast, and then a quick, firm tweak to her nipple, and then moved away from her. ?I had fun tonight, Mary Louise. I?ll pick you up tomorrow let?s say seven-thirty. We?ll have dinner and see a movie.?

The door unlatched and Mary Louise fumbled with the handle. She stumbled up the stairs and into the front door of her home. Leaning back against the door, she couldn’t believe that she was finally back home. This whole night had been a nightmare. She?d been thrown head first down a rabbit hole!

?Mary Louise, darling! We?re in the living room. Come in and let your father see how nice you looked for your big date tonight!?

Mary Louise walked into the living room slowly, realizing that it had only been seven hours since she?d last been in here, but it seemed more like a lifetime ago. She felt her father staring at her for what felt like an hour when her mother prompted him again.

?Isn?t she lovely, Bob? Our little baby has grown to be a woman almost overnight.?

Her father looked away as he replied. ?Yes, she does, real nice, Jeanine.?

Her mother came over and hugged her. ?See dear, I told you daddy would love your new short haircut. You look just darling. Now it?s getting late and you have school tomorrow.?

Feeling defeated, Mary Louise went upstairs to her room. In the dresser mirror she saw for the first time what her parents had seen. Her lips were all swollen again, and her hair was messed up. It was puffy in some places and not others, as if fingers had run through it. Looking at her shirt she realized that Rowdy?s accident earlier had caused wrinkles in her blouse, but only over her breasts. And now, the breast he had given his attention to in the car had a hard, taut nipple, which poked out more than half an inch defiantly beneath the lightweight fabric. She looked like a slut.

Crying softly, she pulled her clothes off and tossed them on the floor. Crawling in bed, she soon fell asleep.