The Adventures of Josie

Josie wiped a tear off her face as she walked. Brian was right, she was uninformed and inexperienced. No matter how much she knew about protection and STDs, she didn’t know about the act of sex itself or even just fooling around. And her lack of experience had disgusted him. She walked, and walked and walked. It had felt like hours at the speed her thoughts were flying through her head but it had only been minutes. She ended up on the road to the football field and once she made it to the field she walked across to the woods. Chris had taken her in once or twice and while she didn’t know the woods well she knew that if she got lost or wandered in to far, if she just kept walking she’d eventually reach a fence that she could follow back to civilization. She decided she wasn’t going to class today. If her teacher was as bad today as he had been yesterday, she’d lose it.

Brian scanned the hill from his bench for what seemed like the millionth time in minutes. Still no Josie and it was nearing 8. Brian knew she had academics this week and she should be right there on the hill ready to go in when the bell rang, but she wasn’t.

Josie walked until she was completely surrounded by trees. She couldn’t see out so she figured no one could see in. She climbed onto a low branch to sit and lit a cigarette. Brian thought she was a slut; she could see it in his face. She hadn’t meant to be so submissive; to just give in, but she couldn’t help it. Brian hadn’t pushed her and he made her feel alive. Josie didn’t think she’d let anyone else on center touch her like that but then again, she didn’t like anyone else on center.

The bell had rang and everyone went in. Maybe she’s at the nurses station to get out of class he thought. He hoped. Mr. K could be lenient at times but usually not usually with people that skipped class.

Hours later Josie was still trying to figure it out. She didn’t like anyone else on center? Did she like Brian? The past few days were fun but he didn’t want anything serious with her. And that was before this morning Josie thought; he wouldn’t want anything with me now. Josie felt her heart sink at the thought. God, she really did like Brian.

“No.” she said aloud, trying to convince herself that she felt nothing for him. “Brian is good looking and that’s it. I don’t even really know him. I can’t like someone I don’t know.”

“Sure you can.” someone said startling Josie so much she fell out of the tree.

“I’m okay!” she said quickly getting to her feet. She looked at her watch and saw that it was only 11:15. “Mr. K, aren’t you here a little early today?” usually, Mr. K worked the afternoon or overnight depending on the day. Either he’d stayed late or came in early today.

“Mr. Jacobs broke his leg so I was called in to comb the forest for you while he does desk work. Come on.” Mr. Jacobs was day shift security.

“What made you so sure I’d be here?”

“After a month and a half I think I know you at least a little. Miss Reynolds, I don’t think you’d be the type to jump a 8 foot fence to go into a city you don’t know all alone.”

“How’d you know I was alone?”

“Everyone else was accounted for.”

“I didn’t know they’d call you. I’m sorry Mr. K I just had a rough morning.”

“Actually, I wasn’t called in to look for you. I just decided since I was here and you were missing I might as well try to find you.”

“Mr. Jacobs didn’t break his leg?” Josie asked.

“Oh he broke his leg alright. Fell down a set of stairs last night so he’s pretty much confined to his office.”

“If you weren’t called in to find me then why were you called in?” Josie said, following him out of the woods and across the football field.

“We had a bit of a situation with Brian but now its been handled.”

“What?” Josie stopped in her tracks. She hadn’t expected that.

“It wasn’t anything too bad; he just kind of went on strike.”

“What?” Josie asked again.

“He refused to leave his bench and go to class. Mr. Jacobs couldn’t make him and other staff refused to help because it either wasn’t their job or they knew how Brian can get. If I wasn’t head of security I wouldn’t want to deal with Brian like that either. And god, I‘ve never seen Brian in the kind of mood he was in.”

“He wouldn’t leave the bench?” Josie asked, still confused.

“I know it sounds odd but believe me, when Brian is mad usually the best thing to do is run for the hills.”

“Its my fault. I’m sorry Mr. K. I kind of screwed up this morning.”

“I doubt it was you. Is that why you were hiding in the woods?”

“I wasn’t really hiding; I really just wanted to be alone. Its hard to be alone when you’re constantly surrounded by staff and students.”

“So you ran crying into the woods?”

“Who said that?!” Josie said, she didn’t think anyone had seen her and she hadn’t run.

“Nobody. I can tell by your make up.”

“I didn’t run.”

“Okay so I was wrong about that. So, how’d you screw up?”

“I’m not sure you’re the one I should be talking to about this sort of thing.” Josie said.

“Brian talked to me about it.” he said matter-of-factly.

“What did he say?”

“Not my place to say but I enjoy hearing both sides of the story.”

“For so long I thought he hated me. These past few days were surprisingly good until I ruined it this morning.”

“Oh?”

“I always thought he hated me because I’d stopped talking to him because he kept interfering in my life. I was only trying to do what was best for myself but knowing he at least disliked me bothered me. The past few days were great because even though we didn’t let anyone know what was going on and we acted the same as always in company when we were alone he was Brian and I was Josie. We talked and actually had good conversations and neither of us would get mad at the other. When we were alone I honestly felt that he liked me, that he wanted me. Today I briefly became uncomfortable and he stopped, he actually stopped without me verbally telling him to. When I told him to keep going he pulled away and he looked disgusted in me. I told him I was sorry and here we are.”

“Interesting.”

“Is it?”

“Better than a soap opera. So you think because you told him to continue, that he became disgusted with you?”

“Yes of course. I sounded like a slut begging him for more.”

“Josie,” he said stopping. He put his hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eye. “you have a lot to learn.” Josie was momentarily stunned. Mr. K had never called her by her first name.

“So I’ve been told. What do you think I was trying to do this morning?”

“I didn’t mean you needed to learn about physical relationships; I meant about men.”

“I guess so. I always thought they likes eager women.”

“Most do, but I’m sure you’ve got it wrong.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“I think you should talk to Brian.” he said walking her into his office.

“Not bringing me to class?”

“I have to punish you for cutting class so I’m putting you on center detail.”

“Mr. K, you are awesome.” Josie said. Students were put on center detail their third week. They had to report to the guard shack and from there they were told where to go and what to do. When Josie had been on center detail before she was kept at the guard shack to “clean, organize and assist”; she ended up sitting in a comfy swivel chair talking to the security guards the entire time with a 2 hour lunch break on a few of the days. Sure, once they’d made her put a few files in the filing cabinets and make a fresh pot of coffee every so often but other than that she spent the time listening to stories of Mr. Maxwell’s younger days. Mr. K picked up his radio and called down to the guard shack to see where they wanted her and Josie wasn’t surprised when good ol max said he needed her to put away some files. Mr. K took a blank write up from his desk and filled out the name, date, offense and punishment before signing it and having Josie sign it and adding it to a file with her name on it. He escorted her to the guard shack where Maxwell told her the files were on the desk in the back room so she went to work on them while Mr. K stayed a moment to talk to Mr. Maxwell. Of course, there were no files so Josie used the bathroom and made a new pot of coffee while waiting for Mr. K to leave. Soon, he was gone.