Don't Say My Name (Tam & Truth)

[Tammika]

"Do you think that will be okay?" Shin was holding his fist, that was gradually swelling. Talking to David turned a little more physical than either of them planned and if they got caught it could jeopardize the swim team.

"Coach will be pissed if he finds out and .. just.. no one needs to know this. Yes, it will be okay. Not pressing charges on some petty shit like that as opposed to a man losing a job and possibly up rooting his family and dealing with drama, media.. uh yeah. It's a fine trade for me." Kevin wasn't concerned about his car all that much. Stuff like this ruined peoples careers and lives. No way in hell anyone was going to do that to his Professor prick. If anyone was going to torture him it would be him, not some homophobic lying punk named David.

"Yeah, but you didn't almost break your hand on his face."

"No one told you to go all fung fu crazy on him."

"I punched him twice. How the hell is that kung fu? Besides kung fu is Chinese, I'm Japanese."

[TruthSayer]

Jon looked at the missive in his hand with brows drawn together in a tight frown, one foot tapping lightly on the scuffed linoleum floor in agitation. It wasn't unusual for his grandfather to summon him to his office, but this was usually done through email, or a phone call, or even a text message when Veckors was feeling modern enough to fight with his simple cell phone to send one; but never before had Veckors sent this request by the hands of his office aide. It was too formal, too business-like, and Veckors was far from business-like when it came to his favorite great-grandson. Even the official stamp of the Dean of Administrations was on the bottom of the sheet, black DoA in curlicue script that stood out like an accusation against the stark white of the paper upon which it was imprinted.

Jon's foot kept tapping, an erratic staccato that made his office mate glance up at him in curious irritation, although whether or not it was because of the noise he was making, or the fact that Jon still had one foot in the hall, door propped open against his shoulder, briefcase hanging haphazardly from his shoulder, Jon wasn't sure, and didn't really care. What Jon did care about was that niggle of apprehensive suspicion in his gut, the one he'd felt since childhood anytime he thought he might possibly in trouble. Visions of Veckor, a man that Jon could recall from his earliest memories as someone huge and strong and damn good with a switch, loomed in his mind's eye, making him shudder.

In trouble? Possibly. But for what?

[Tammika]

It was the second most terrifying experience in his life. Kevin thought for sure he was going to kiss his scholarship goodbye, by getting kicked off the swim team for fighting. Then his dad would kick his ass and drag him home, his mother would send him on a guilty trip for two with Shin riding along and he wouldn't be able to dress like he waned to anymore unless he wanted to get jumped on a daily basis. Moving to California came to mind but he wouldn't have the money for that. His worry was overkill, but the talk with the dean was still mind blowing.

Shin came out of the office first and then Kevin followed. "Be glad that is the nicest dean on the planet, because we could have so had our asses handed to us. You think your dad would be mad? I'd be disowned. Banished from my family for dishonor." His dad was not that traditional but he probably would give him some money and tell him to just go.

"Yeah...I know Shin." Kevin mumbled to him self, still a little worried even though for the most part it was over. They did hurt another student so that received the tongue lashing of a lifetime, but in the end the dean respected the spirit in which they 'took care' of business.

Either way, Kevin found it hard to meet Jon's eyes, especially after begging the dean and getting his promise not to tell Jon about the 'deal' he made with David.

[TruthSayer]

"What can I say, son?" Veckors muttered, not unkindly as he favored his great-grandson with an expression that was placed carefully far away from pity. "Dead dogs don't stay dead for long, and now they've got that goddamn world wide web thing. Information doesn't just go away anymore."

Jon sat across from the Dean on the other side of his wide desk, one leg thrown loosely over the knee of the other, one arm draped across his lap, the other with its elbow against the plush arm of the leather chair as he rubbed the stubble on his chin lightly with his index and middle finger. The expression he could feel on his face was a calm one, his eyes blinking regularly as though he were entirely unperturbed by the information Veckors had just passed on him as he watched dust motes slide through bright strips of sunlight that filtered through high windows along two walls in the large office.

He'd seen Kevin and Shin in the hall leading to the administrations offices, and had wondered momentarily at the looks on their faces. They had looked pale, rarely reserved, as though they had just dodged a major bullet, leading Jon to wonder if the reason behind his visit to the Dean's office was because of the two of them. A niggle of worried suspicion ate at him, mind's eye flashing to Kevin's car, and the disgusting word spray painted onto it, the implications and future problems that may arise from it. For a split second, Jon worried about Kevin's 'Karen' persona, and the issues that might come from that should the wrong people find out about it. But Kevin had looked unhurt, as did Shin, so it was unlikely there had been an altercation because of it. Why the hell Veckors would call him into his office because of anything involving Kevin was a mystery, though.

Never, in his worst nightmares, had he even contemplated this.

"So they know?" he muttered, the tone making it a question, though he hadn't meant it to be one. Headlines nearly eight years old flashed in front of his eyes like the blinding report of a reporter's camera, dark and accusing and life-ruining. Demanding questions and accusations assailed his ears, pounding through his mind like the slamming of a judge's gavlin.

"Is it true, Mr. Avery, that you had sexual relations with that student?!"

"What response do you have to the accusations against you, Mr. Avery?"

"If you don't answer our questions, Mr. Avery, the public will think you're guilty of the charges."

"A little boy! You monster, he was just a little boy!"

"Shit..." Jon whispered, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees, hands rubbing at his face harshly.

"I have their word they will not speak of it," Veckors rumbled sympathetically.

"And you believe them?" Jon scoffed, casting a bitter glance at the old man across from him.

Veckors splayed his hands out on top of his desk like a placation. "They were the ones who shut down the website defaming you. I doubt they'd go to that trouble just to spread rumors."

Jon snorted, a quiet sound through his nose as he felt his chest clench. "Defaming me?" he asked, an ugly little look crossing his face before his expression smoothed. "I'm already defamed, Pops. The only difference is that what I did wasn't public knowledge in Florida."

Veckors frowned, deep crevasses appearing between his thick brows. "You didn't do a goddamn thin-"

"Tell that to the Iowa Board of Education," Jon bit back, an angry snarl distorting his mouth.

Veckors leveled him with a flat, disapproving gaze. "Never once, Johnny boy, was I ever as disappointed in you as I am right now. Never once did I ever expect you to run from lies and heresy that was proved in a court of law as libel and-"

"Well, I guess I'm not the man you thought I was," Jon shot back, a flash of hurt going through him. He knew Veckors was right, but he also knew that at the same time, Veckors didn't have a goddamn clue. He stood, stirring up the dust motes into chaotic cyclones that whipped and spun through the air.

"Where are you going?" Veckors demanded. "You still have a class to teach-"

"Teach it yourself," Jon shot over his shoulder as he yanked the door open and slammed it closed behind him hard enough to crack the frosted glass front. He wasn't certain what the expression on his face was as he strode down the hallway to his office to grab his keys and briefcase, but it was frightening enough to make one young lady squeak at the sight of him and plaster herself to the wall as he passed. He wasn't certain where he would go from here - if he would start looking for another position at another college now, or wait to see where the gathering storm broke, but he did know one thing.

Kevin Jacobs and his little friend Shin would never keep quiet about Jonathan Avery's secret shame.

[Tammika]

"What the hell David? First you avoid us and now a fucking transfer? So you are dropping baseball completely? Or just us? Huh? And what the fuck does that damn fag Kevin have to do with this, I saw you. Did you get in a fight with a fag and ruin the teams chance at finals. You are shit David." James didn't give David a chance to say a word, not that he would say anything anyway. He grabbed what was left in his gym locker and left for good.

********

The next few days went by so slow , Kevin felt as though he was swimming everywhere he went. He felt he had done the right thing, for Avery, but had lost so much sleep over it he was dragging. Shin was better off than him since he had left early for break. Kevin lingered around for his exams results since he decided to work the whole week at O'Charley's. He dreaded going into the classroom without Shin but he really wanted his results. He knew he had aced it, but how much of an A he got was tenths of his average. yeah he was obsessed with remaining well above the required GPA.

"Yo, Tara is professor in there?"

"Umm he was but I think he went into his office, the tests are by his podium though. I know you passed. I so hate you." She jokingly shoved him and he shoved back as she walked off. Nodding at another student that rolled his eyes at him he walked up to the small table be side the podium and looked for the folder with his name. Finding it he did a little dance when he saw he had scored higher than he thought. reading over the notations he didn't notice anyone else enter the room.

[TruthSayer]

Jon had spent three days at home. Three days of alternating between flicking through the internet ads for college professors, cleaning and re-cleaning the house, and watching bad daytime television. He did not pick up his phone, and refused to answer the door when the bell rang, even going to so far as to have Sarah stay at her mother's. One door away, but Jon felt his daughter's absence as though it were miles.

He was hiding, he knew, just as Veckors accused of him. Afraid. Jittery and attempting to plan his next move in a situation that had no boundaries, no clear cut rules by which he could play. All he knew was that the opposing team played hard, and he wasn't up to fending off its nastiness.

But the white envelopes and the bills they contained that were slowly but surely piling up on his kitchen table would not let him remain in hiding for long. Spring break was next week, and he could figure out what to do then.

Friday morning, he packed his briefcase, piled into his car, and headed to work. The morning was calm, blessedly quiet as most of the classes he taught had already been released for vacation and most students had decided to hit the beaches in Cancun early, leaving the school a virtual ghost town. Those that did stay were antsy with barely contained energy, prompting Jon to end his Friday morning classes five minutes into them. He spent most of his time in his office, clearing a vast amount of emails, mostly from Veckor, without even reading them. He left to his class only to post grades and lay out exams, twitchy as he passed through the halls, eyes scanning over clustered groups of remaining students with trepidation and suspicion. His ears remained pricked, but so far, he had heard nothing, seen nothing that would lead him to believe that Kevin or his friend had said anything.

Until he passed by a group of basketball players, their voices loud enough in their anger that Jon caught every word.

"What do you think that was about?" one was saying, tall enough that he would have to duck through doorways to avoid hitting his head on the lintel.

"Probably off sucking cock together," another muttered, arms crossed mutinously over his chest.

Jon automatically slowed his stride.

A mean chuckle went through the group, the sort that had the power to start a lynch mob. "That makes perfect sense, the fucking fags!" hissed the first. "A fucking lover's quarrel!"

"Why else would he leave?" chimed in a third. "Skipping school for three days then just showing up today? Looking like shit and not talking to anyone? Coming back to back finish shit at school, then pack up and leave? What else could it be?"

Jon's ears thundered, blocking out the rest of the conversation. Or maybe that was the way he was pounding down the hallway, feet slamming into the scuffed linoleum with enough force to cause shooting pains through his ankles. Students gasped and flattened themselves against walls. Teachers dropped folders, papers flying out into the air, swirling in Jon's wake as he ran toward his classroom, anger blurring his vision, the bitter gall of painful justification burning in his throat as he spotted the door to his classroom and came to a halt.

It wouldn't do for word to get to Veckors that his great-grandson was spotted running down the halls, face lit like an avenging angel as he sought after a certain student to murder in cold blood.

He took a deep breath, not releasing it until the pulse throbbing behind his eyes lessened to a minor twitch at the edge of his consciousness. Only then did he step forward, normal grace overtaken by jerking strides that he couldn't quite rid himself of as he passed through the threshold of his classroom, eyes scanning until they landed on Kevin Jacobs standing beside his podium, bent over his test as he reviewed Jon's remarks written in bright red pen on it. He reached blindly for the door, closing it near silently behind him, glad that he'd long ago blocked out the small window in it with black paper to prevent prying eyes from gazing into his room while he was trying to teach, and felt anger surge through him again, a hot pulse that pounded at the back of his eyes.

"I hope you're fucking happy," he whispered, voice deadly quiet.

[Tammika]

Kevin froze. He was confused at the question but the tone sent chills down his spine. His brain normally quick witted, was to tired and dull to figure out the meaning behind the ..veiled threat? He did the worst thing possible, spouted the truth..the ignorant truth.

"Happy about what? My test, yes I am..?" It was an A, but he was sure that wasn't what he was talking about. Did the dean tell.. No, he gave me his word. "But..what the hell are you talking about?" he didn't realized he was doing it but he backed away from the professor slowly. His mood wreaked death.

[TruthSayer]

Jon was, overall, a pacifist. The view went against what many of the men in his family believed, and served in the military proving, but Jon was his own man, and lived by his own rules. He did not believe in violence, in solving one's problems with one's fists. In high school, he had been the captain of the debate team, able to win an argument with flawless reasoning and logic alone. He didn't even like watching violence on television dramas, and hated watching the news for the same reason.

But as he looked at Kevin Jacobs, looking nervous and innocent and backing away from him, Jon wanting nothing more than to wrap his hands around his neck.

He settled for strangling the door knob, both hands gripping it hard enough to rub blisters into his palms as his knuckles jabbed painfully into the small of his back. His body thrummed, shaking with an anger he had not felt in years.

"How dare you..." he whispered, lips barely moving, face feeling paralyzed with fury. "You think it's okay to spread rumors? You think it's fine and dandy to ruin someone's career? Their livelihood? You think it's funny?!" The last word burst out of him like the report from a gun, echoing around the room as Jon released the door, hands feeling numb and tingling as he advanced, closing the distance between he and Kevin in a few short strides that placed him right in Kevin's face. "How dare you?!"

[Tammika]

One minute there was space for him to dart out the door, the thought raced in his brain repeatedly, but confusion and pride left him back pedaling until h was back against the wall. The next minute there was barely breathing room and his back was firmly pressed against the wall with the pressure of the professor and inch form his face.

"What ...the hell are you talking about?!" He dropped his test and his bag slipped off his shoulder falling to the floor and landing with a loud thud. It felt the same in his chest, mind racing as to how he came to the conclusion that the ..website was his. Is that what this is about? "I don't know where the fuck you get your info, but being a part of rumors is the last thing on my mind. You, of all people, should know that" Kevin feared rumors like the plague, he hated them, despised them.. They were the main reason he got his ass kicked repeatedly back home. Rumors wildly exaggerated about the 'gay kid'...

[TruthSayer]

"You honestly expect me to believe that you don't have anything to do with what I just heard in the hall?" Jon demanded, incredulous as he turned slightly to point toward the closed door for emphasis. "Who else then, Kevin?! Maybe your little fuck buddy Shin. Maybe I should get him in here and kick his ass instead of yours! Because before I get fired for this, or am forced to voluntarily leave my position with my head down in shame, I'm at least going to make it worth it first!"

[Tammika]

The only other time Kevin had felt as conflicted as he did now was the first time he left his room dressed completely as a girl. Not because it was bad or wrong, but because of what others would think despite how comfortable and normal it felt for him. He hated the feeling of what other thought controlling everything he did. So Professor prick was going to dump all this on him, maybe even quit because of it. Great. He risked loosing his scholarship to get treated like this? Hell no.

Kevin knew he most likely would never get another chance at what his mind decided to do at that moment. There as pain in Jon's words, a deep seated hurt that didn't heal well and left a raised scar that brushed against everything, constantly irritating but making him feel helpless. Whatthefuckever. Kevin lifted up on his toes slightly, lean forward and slammed his mouth against Jon's in one quick movement. He even had the gall to whimper slightly at the first taste of Jon's mouth. He wasn't sure how long the kiss was but when he pulled away he could barely breath. "You talk too much and don't listen. I didn't say a word and made sure no one else would either. And yeah you can thank my fuck buddy too he did most of the work. believe that or not, but get the fuck out of my face with your halfassed accusations."

[TruthSayer]

The scene was one played in movies dozens of times, read about in books a thousand more. The surprise kiss. Instant slow motion as the world around the unsuspecting victim froze as coherent thought and anger gave way to shock and... Jon refused to admit that the second sensation had anything to do with arousal.

His hands raised to shoulder height as though to ward off impending doom, no part of his body touching Kevin's other than his lips. His ears filled of the sudden thundering of his pulse and the amazingly loud roar of murmuring incoherent voices on the other side of the classroom door that screamed of discovery. But in the split second the kiss lasted, Jon came to the realization of two seemingly important and extremely stupid things. The first was that it had been nearly nine years since he'd last kissed a man; last felt the hard press of a male body against his own; last spent any amount of time physically worshiping the angles and plains and soft hidden valleys of the male physique, and his body was instantly very angry with him over that fact. The second was that Kevin smelled, inexplicably, like strawberries and creme, the scent slamming into Jon with all the force of a 747.

When the kiss broke, as suddenly as it has begun, and the blood in his body rushed back from the places to which it had ran, he could feel Kevin's arms beneath his hands, his fingers digging into Kevin's upper arms and trembling as though his body was unsure of whether or not to pull him closer or push him away. There had been no tongue in the kiss, just the brutal slam of two mouths together with all the ferocity of the anger Jon, and obviously now, Kevin, had been feeling, but Jon's body thrummed, tendrils of shock warring with tendrils of need, anger, and a justification he still tenuously felt.

"Why..." he breathed through his teeth, eyes locked to Kevin's- seeing the flush to his cheeks and the slight swelling of his lips from the sudden brutality of the kiss, distracting and annoying and alluring. "Why the hell would you care?" Jon's face took on a hardened expression, the smile that tilted up one corner of his mouth as sharp as a knife and no where near reaching his eyes. "Jon Avery, resident Professor Prick of Miami U, remember? I would have thought you'd love to see me gone."

The smile turned contemplative, Jon's head tilting just a fraction to the side as a thought occurred to him. "Or is this your way of saying goodbye?" he whispered, moving closer as his hands dropped to his sides, the entire front of his body from chest to thighs just brushing against Kevin's. "If so, you're doing a piss poor job of it, Karen."

[Tammika]

Kevin licked his lips. "Why?...want you gone?..what the fuuuck?" He echoed Jon's 'why' and mumbled along with some of what he was saying but finally tilted his head to look straight up. Kevin could barely get a word in he was so out of breath...still. Jon was talking, but all that would register was his lips..were.. moving, but when what he was saying finally pierced his blood deprived brain he blinked then crinkled his face in frustrated confusion. "Oh God. I never make things easy for myself, of all the hot, yet slightly mental people in the world it had to be you.."

He paused in his very audible yet brief rant to himself and directed his gaze from the ceiling to Jon's eyes. "One. Quit calling me Karen..in school..." His eyes shifted uneasily, he liked it a little too much when he called him Karen, but didn't want to tell him that. Kevin felt if Jon wasn't so pissed right now he would notice it anyway. "Two. Do you live in a little moldy hut with mushrooms growing on it with a sign that says 'woe is me'? Seriously?" He pressed his finger tips to the sides of his head, surprised to notice that his eyes were watering up. "And three. According to what logic do people give up the right to prosecute in exchange for saving their hard headed, depressed, slightly psychotic yet incredibly sexy professor's career, then turn around and ruin it, then turn around one last idiotic time and kiss them? It isn't even that fucked up on tv dramas!" Huffing out a large sigh he turned his head ot the left, still very aware of how close they were standing.

"God! I don't know whether to just ..like kick you right now or shove my tongue down your throat. You are so fucking scary you know that? You see? Now I'm not making any sense." Somehow in all that rambling he had gripped Jon's arm. Upon realizing this, he still didn't let go. Though he felt for sure, his mouthy ranting would not be believed and he would just leave anyway, despite the 'farewell kiss'.

[TruthSayer]

Jon didn't catch more than half of what Kevin had said, the words too rushed, too low and run-together to properly pick out what he wanted to chew him out for first. But he did know one thing.

"Shut your fucking mouth, Karen, and listen," Jon snarled, hands going to Kevin's arms as he lifted him away from the wall just far enough to shove him back against it. They still stood close, Kevin's chest brushing Jon's with each rapid breath he took, far too close for Jon's comfort, but he would not step away. There was attraction there that Jon had every intention of ignoring, yes, but it was Kevin who started it, and if Kevin wanted to play this game, in Jon's frame of mind he was up to par.

Scary? Yes, Jon was scary. Liked being scary. Had worked years to become so to his students.

"Shove your tongue down my throat?" Jon hissed, fingers digging into Kevin's arms with a gentle increase of pressure that at the end of it left his knuckles straining stark white against his skin. "Under no circumstances are you ever allowed to shove anything down my throat. You think that kissing me will make this go away? You think that will make me believe you? Your innocence? Well, fuck you, princess. I'm not the type to believe liars, and right now that's all you are. A rotten little liar. You want me to think differently? Then here's what you do."

He tilted his head down, nose trailing along Kevin's jaw up to his ear as his hands trailed down Kevin's arms, found his hips, and gripped him almost lovingly there. "Prove it," he whispered. "Prove to me that you're not the lowlife little shit I think you are, and I won't kick you out of my class with a failing grade. Prove to me that you're not the type to spread nasty rumors, and I won't report you to the office for sexual harassment against a staff member." He shifted, pulling his head back as the fingers of one hand gripped Kevin's chin with all the gentleness of a lover as he tilted Kevin's head back, noses brushing. "Prove those things to me," he muttered, lips barely moving though his eyes blazed with fury, "and I won't make your life a living hell by revealing your little secret... Karen..."

[Tammika]

Kevin mentally scratched all that and wondered whether or not Jon was going to seriously make him wet his pants.. either uncontrollable fluid release from his nether region was possible. The confusion remained..painfully there in front of him, in the form of his professor who had apparently ..snapped.

He ignored the touch of his skin on his face...

But still, he was mocking him right? he loved the way he said Karen but still a small part of him was wanting ..something else that didn't seem to be there. Kevin just stared with wide eyes as Jon snarled at him and gasped softly when he finished with the most evil and gentle tone.

He fought to remain still as his warm breath caressed his neck...

Kevin narrowed his eyes. "Go ahead. Flunk me. We will see who wins that fight. That way, you will find out the hard way how much of a 'liar' I am. I don't have to prove shit to you. I tried to explain it, you are the ass that won't listen. And as far as Karen.."

he whimpered through clenched teeth and the hands on his hips...

"Why would I do something like that to you knowing how much you know about me. No.. I'm not a professor with a career on the line, but do you think I want to go through that shit again?! Getting my ass kicked every fucking day because I'm supposedly too cute to be a guy? Hiding what I like to do because it's not normal?! What the hell do you know? Let go of me asshole." His last words lacked any strength what so ever and the tears were no longer threatening, they were flowing down his chin. "I don't really give a fuck whether or not you believe me...just move.. let me go..." Kevin's chest was hurting so bad he was afraid he would scream if Jon didn't let him move. he wanted to hide, he wanted to talk to Shin, somebody anybody, and be far away from Jon... and at the same time he wanted to drop to his knees and plead that he believe him.

[TruthSayer]

A tendril of guilt wormed through Jon's gut at the sight of Kevin's tears, the harsh whisper of You fucking bastard echoing distantly at the back of his mind, enough to make his body still, his breathing even out, his fingers twitch against Kevin's chin and hip.

Crocodile tears? Jon had seen enough of them from Sarah in her short lifetime to recognize them, and the bitter part of him latched onto the thought with glee. Anything to keep from feeling guilty, from thawing toward one of his students that he'd worked so hard to keep far, far away from him, from showing that Professor Prick had anything close to human emotions.

"I don't give a shit about your life, Kevin," he whispered with a snort, nothing more than a breath as he stared down at him with a blank expression, willing himself not to see the tears, the nakedness in his eyes that was pleading for something Jon couldn't name. Crocodile tears, Johnny. Nothing more than crocodile tears. "I don't care if you were picked on as a kid because you like to wear skirts and frilly little bras stuffed with toilet paper and socks. You're a boy. Act like one. And rule number one about being a boy? Boy's don't cry, so dry your fucking tears."

He pushed away from Kevin, grip on his chin crushingly hard for a moment before he released him completely and turned his back on him, walking toward the door. He unlocked it and twisted the nob, looking over his shoulder before he opened it completely. "And with my history with the dean, do you honestly think he'd take your word over mine?" Not that anyone, staff included, knew of his personal history with Dean Veckers. "Sexual harassment alone is enough to get you kicked out of this university, let alone this class, and you kissed me first," he said with a mean little smirk he didn't really feel as he yanked the door open and stepped over the threshold, slamming it shut behind him.

[Tammika]

Being pressed against the wall made the elastic holding back his thick hair slide around and the shorter strands fell in his face, sticking to the tears. He turned so he wouldn't have to look at Jon, "Think whatever you want. I. Don't. Lie. Now...just shut up and let me go.." His voice was faint and he spoke through gritted teeth, choking back the sobs.

Kevin slid down to the floor when Jon walked away, his knees unable to do their job any longer. He wasn't sure how long he stayed there but when he finally left he made beeline for his car. He actually had his hair down now, but mostly to hide his face. It was so unlike Kevin to be seen this way that the few friends he still had made a wide path around him and he made it to his car without anyone stopping him.

[TruthSayer]

Arthur was Mommy's husband, and Sarah loved it when he helped her build sand castles Sandcastles were always better then; bigger, taller, and mommy made the best flags out of the tiny twigs and leaves she found laying around on the beach. This one, Arthur said, needed sea shells for windows, and sea weed for doors, and hhe'd sent her off with her pink bucket to bring some back.

"Stay where I can see you!" her mommy, laying on her beach towel with wide white rimmed sunglasses, shouted after her, and Sarah turned and grinned and waved at her. Silly Mommy, she thought. I can always see you!

She was not allowed down by the water by herself, and so she trailed the dunes, digging her pink painted toes into the dirt and giggling when they disappeared, and giggling when she found the shard of a sand dollar and put it carefully into her bucket.

There were not many sea shells here, and no sea weed. Certainly Arthur wouldn't mind if she went a little farther? Sarah looked over her shoulder, saw Arthur talking with another man she didn't know, and thought that no, he wouldn't mind; he wanted sea shells, after all, and it was her job to find them.

She trudged off over the dune, slipping once on the loose sand, and onto the other side where the beach opened up from the private resort water fronts to the local piers, the white sand filled with people that laughed and played loud music and played Frisbee with their dogs. She found three more shells, and a long string of slightly dry sea weed that she placed into her bucket. She glanced up from her bucket to search the sand again, wondering with a small hand on her hip if she'd found enough shells yet, and saw someone she recognized.

Sarah glanced over her shoulder, eyes searching for Arthur, and saw just the top of his head over the rise of the sand. She grinned and turned, feet kicking up sand as she ran toward the pretty woman who had come to her birthday party, laughing excitedly as she shouted, "Karen! Hi, Karen!"

--

Arthur grinned and nodded a farewell to Johan Valshitz, the man a colleague here with his son and wife.

"Nice to see Johan," Melissa said from her place on the towel, lifting herself up on her elbows as she smiled up at him. "I hadn't realized his son had grown so big!"

"Junior High next year," Arthur said with a nod, and glanced around, searching for a tiny girl with bouncing brown curls and pink bathing suit. When he did not immediately see her, he frowned, worry niggling like sharp glass in his gut. He looked at the water, fear immediate in his eyes as he searched the waterline and out into the gentle undulation of waves, but did not see her.

"Sarah!" He called, cupping his hands to his mouth to amplify his voice. Around him, several couples who had been lounging, nearly asleep on the sand, lifting their heads to glare at him. He paid them no attention as he started off in the direction he'd last seen her go, worry growing into frantic fear when he did not hear her answer.

Melissa frowned up at him and scrambled to her feet, taking her sunglasses off as she shielded her hands with her eyes. "Oh, God, Arthur, I don't see her," she breathed, then shouted, "Sarah! Answer Mommy!"

"SARAH!" Arthur bellowed, and took Melissa's arm with a shaking hand. "You go that way, I'll go this way." He took off running toward the resorts without waiting for her answer, as Melissa ran toward the dunes.

[Tammika]

It was windy, so he was justified in the thin white shrug he wore over a light blue tee and denim shorts. He had to cover up the bruises on his arms but he wasn't about to let them ruin his relaxing me time at the beach. He could be with friends, but he really wanted to be alone, and think. He sat with his feet tucked under him at a table on the canteen deck, headphones in his ears, a half read novel on the table. Kevin couldn't hear her but he saw the flash of bouncing pink. His heart sank. ... Daddy would be close by... or maybe mommy. Please God let it be mommy.

Kevin stood up and jogged down to meet her half way. He came down the stairs quickly and scooped her up. "What are you doing here sweetie? It's good to see you but where is momma or daddy?" He looked around as he spoke scanning for her parents and frowning some when he couldn't see either of them.

[TruthSayer]

Sarah's legs automatically wrapped around Kevin's waist when she lifted her, one arm going around her neck as she cradled the bucket carefully against her stomach.

"Mommy and Arthur are over there," Sarah explained, waving her hand in a vague direction that could have meant East or North.

"Look what I found!" She showed Kevin her bucket proudly, poking through its contents and lifting each one up for him to see. "I found a sand dollar, and sea shell that's pink inside, and a sea weed- Aurthur says mermaids have sea weed hair, but I don't think so. Ariel doesn't have sea weed hair, her hair is red." Sarah gave Kevin a serious look. "What do you think, Karen?"