(Usual Disclaimer Time: All the characters in this story are 18 years old or older, and since we're living in the wide wonderful world of porno-land here, where clichΓ©s roam free and things might get a little unrealistic from time to time, please remember it's all in good fun.)
(Author's Note: This story requires a little explanation before we get too deep into it. Book Club Memories is a much-requested spin-off tale from my vaguely epic story Senior Year Memories, taking place between chapters 40 and 41 of that tale. All of you who have read that far in the story will hopefully enjoy the continuation of various storylines, but as for the rest of you, I want to let you know now that it is NOT necessary to be a Senior Year Memories expert to enjoy this story. I'm doing my best to write it as both a continuation, and a story that will stand on its own for your reading pleasure. I hope you all enjoy!
Further, I would like to thank the readers whose votes helped determine some of the action of this story, as well as helping create the character of Mrs. Cassandra Pruitt. As always, I want to give special thanks to fellow Literotica author Lil_kitty for her excellent work as my editor and acting as a second set of eyes on this chapter, and for letting me know what did and didn't work; if you get a chance, please check out her work and drop some stars if you enjoyed, she writes some very hot and fun stories.)
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FRIDAY
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We'd been on the road for about an hour and a half, and by the reckoning of Lauren's GPS, we'd nearly reached our destination. The suburban landscape of Regan Hills, California had given way a while back to that empty sort of infill you get once you get out of the bigger cities in SoCal, with outlet malls, big box stores and highways as far as the eye could see. A while past that came some semblance of rolling hills and a forest's edge, with small towns and family farms our new landscape.
Where we were now, though, was just forest, plain and simple.
"Looks like the kind of place you'd film a horror movie," I mused, looking out the window to see the late afternoon light still somewhat filtering through the evergreen trees. "You know, the kind where a bunch of nubile camp counselors looking to get laid are stalked by a masked psycho from behind the trees with something sharp in one hand and a whole lot of Freudian excuses in the other? I'm not saying that's definitely going to happen or anything, I'm just noting that... well, that it looks like it *could*."
"You've got one hell of an imagination," Lauren said.
"I've had this accusation thrown at me before," I admitted.
"And more than that... you need to get out more, Ryan," she continued, flashing her brilliant, toothy smile. "The world's not out to get you, and there's more out there than just city, you know."
I grinned. "I'd have to convince my dad to buy me a car first."
My dad had nothing against me driving, and I did already have my license, but he said he wanted to wait for the right moment before getting me a car. I didn't know what that right moment might be, but, it felt like it was still a ways off.
"Have you thought about getting an afterschool job? Getting a car on your own?" Lauren suggested.
"I have, but with schoolwork and finals up ahead and the school newspaper... I don't know where I'd find the time these days," I admitted.
Lauren smirked. "And those are the *only* reasons you don't have time?"
I laughed. "I mean, my social calendar was a lot fuller this year than I had expected."
"I'd bet. Mine has also been unexpectedly busy... and I think I have you to blame for some of that," she said.
"I haven't heard you complain," I said, looking at her.
Lauren kept her eyes on the road, but her smile broadened ever so slightly more. "Oh... I would never complain about your attention, Ryan... but let me know if you want help convincing your dad on the car situation. I could always bust some heads, put the screws to him for you."
"I'm sure you would... but I'll be fine. I'll get my car when I get my car," I said.
"Alright," she shrugged, "But if you change your mind, again, head busting, I can do it; I'm stronger than I look!"
I smiled, knowing well that she could. Mrs. Lauren McNeil was an old family friend, as she was my best friend, Tori's, mother, and since Tori and I were pretty well attached at the hip as kids, she was pretty well almost always there for the ride. I'd looked up to her as a surrogate mother figure of sorts at first, in those years after my own mom died, and later she might well have been one of my first crushes. I always knew her as a strong woman, capable of doing anything she wanted to no matter the opposition, and I didn't doubt she could "bust some heads" if she really wanted to.
At 5'11" (taller when she wore her heels, as she usually did), and very fit for a woman in her early 40s, Lauren was a fairly imposing woman on physicality alone, but when you looked at her and took in her beauty... she could be downright intimidating. Her youthful, gorgeous face with its high cheekbones and porcelain skin could easily light up with her bright smile, or easily break you with one harsh look from her cool, blue-green eyes. Her hair, long, straight and shimmering red, so soft you wanted to run your fingers through it, fell to her mid-back, and was currently tied back with a simple hair tie. As a woman who generally favored casual clothing, or corporate chic, it was interesting to see her wearing something in between these two styles today, with a light blue, knee-length skirt, and a pale yellow, short-sleeved button-up blouse that positively strained over her ample chest.
Yeah, it was hard not looking at her throughout the ride, but given the smiles she shot my way periodically, I knew she liked these glances.
We'd made it for most of the ride like this with small talk and listening to the radio, but now that we were getting closer, it felt like it might be time for some more pointed discussion.