The Last Promise Part 1
 By Aldric
 
 Copyright 2005 by Aldric, all rights reserved.
 
*****
 This story is intended for ADULTS ONLY.  It contains
 depictions of sexual activity involving minors. If you are
 not of a legal age in your locality to view such material or
 if such material does not appeal to you, do not read
 further, and do not save this story.
 
 Comments may be made to [email protected]
 *****
   
 This story follows the adventures of Jared, which began in
 the series "I Promise" and continued in "I Promise Again."
 I plan to conclude the story line with this series.  Hope
 you enjoy!
 *****
 
 The Last Promise Part 1
 
 After playing a captured Tarzan to yet another humiliation,
 Jared decided to walk home instead of taking the bus.  He
 was in no great hurry to get home, and realized the best
 route home took him close to where Ken lived.  He had a
 pledge card that his sister had mandated he give to Ken as a
 means for revenge, since Ken had suffered though a very
 humiliating task after losing a bet involving Jared.  Jared
 decided to try and find which house Ken lived in to see if
 he was home from school yet.
 
 Jared was in luck, for as he walked past the area where he
 knew Ken lived, a school bus stopped and Ken, along with his
 friends Devin and Peter, got off.  They saw Jared and turned
 towards him, laughing at something Peter had said.  Devin
 and Peter turned off toward their houses as Ken walked up to
 Jared.
 
 "I heard I get a chance to pay you back for what happened to
 me" Ken began.  "I've been wondering how long it would be
 before you showed up around here again."
 
 Jared remembered that Ken had to do part of what the girls
 had made Jared do; stand naked outside a convenience store
 until his friends called him on a pay phone.  Jared didn't
 know what payback Ken might have in mind, but knew it would
 be bad.
 
 "Yeah, well here I am" Jared said, handing a card to Ken.
 What do you have in mind for me?"
 
 "Oh, hell, I don't know.  At first, I was so pissed that
 everything I came up with would have been really crude.
 After that, I just didn't have any ideas.  What do you think
 I should make you do?"
 
 That was a switch; Jared hadn't been asked to name his own
 task before.  Even his best friend Shawn had come up with a
 plan without asking for input from Jared.  "I don't know,
 I've had to do so much stuff.  Maybe we could do something
 with just you and Devin and Pete?"
 
 "Naw.  I mean, they'll be around, but I want to do something
 big, something people will remember."
 
 Jared didn't like the sound of that, but remained quiet.
 
 "Why don't you give me some time to come up with something,
 and check back with me in a week or two?"
 
 "Well, I'd really like to get this over with if we could,"
 Jared said, staring at the ground again.
 
 "What's up with that, are you in a hurry to do this?"
 
 Jared nodded his answer.
 
 "Look, you want a drink or something?  Come on in, and tell
 me everything that's been done, and maybe I'll get some
 inspiration from that."  Ken pulled out his key and opened
 the front door, holding it open for Jared.
 
 Jared told Ken everything he could remember, surprised that
 Ken didn't know it all already.  When he got to the part
 about getting off the bus wearing only a shirt, Ken's eyes
 changed; when he told Ken about the play, Ken smiled and
 began asking a few questions.  After getting the answers, he
 sat and thought for a few seconds before asking, "and you
 have to do whatever I say, no chickening out?"
 
 "Yeah, if I want to get the card back, I have to; but please
 Ken; it wasn't my fault you bet against me.  You don't have
 to try to think up the worst thing; I've been through a lot
 already," Jared pleaded.
 
 "Oh stop bawling, it won't be that bad.  Can you get to the
 shopping center tomorrow?"  Jared said he could.
 
 "Then get there at noon, wearing nothing but a shirt or
 sweater and gym shoes.  You're going to want something you
 can run in, because if I ask you for the shirt, I expect you
 to toss it to me.  And it's a pretty safe bet that I'll ask
 for it.  Once you give it to me, you're on your own, but
 you'll have earned the card back as far as I'm concerned."
 
 Jared continued his walk home thinking about the stunt.  He
 had one advantage, he knew what was going to happen, but
 that didn't help much.  However, the shopping center was not
 much of a kids' hangout, there was a grocery store, a
 hardware store, some hair stylist places, a dentist office,
 and other small shops.  Jared didn't know why Ken had picked
 it; he figured it must have been the only place Ken could
 think of on short notice.
 
 The next day, Jared headed over early.  Ken had said to be
 there with nothing on but a shirt, but he didn't say he had
 to travel that way.  Once he was close, he started looking
 for a place he could stash his pants and a second shirt.  He
 found a good spot, one where it was unlikely anyone would
 find them.  He started to leave his house key and wallet,
 but decided that would be too dangerous if someone did find
 his clothes.  He knew it would slow him down, but he crammed
 them into the sides of his shoes.
 
 He had a long sweater, not appropriate for the temperature,
 but it gave him a lot of protection where he needed it.
 Making one last check to make sure he was covered, he
 completed his trip to the center.
 
 As he arrived, he found out why Ken had chosen this spot.
 All around were signs marking this as 'talent day tryouts'
 for students.  At least the sweater didn't stand out so much
 now because there were several students dressed in costumes
 for whatever acts they performed.  Jared saw Ken, along with
 his friends, near the center stage and headed that way.
 
 Then he saw Liz, Liz's little brother, and several girls
 from Jared's school.  They hadn't spotted him yet, so he
 took a different route to avoid them.  He knew they were
 here because Ken had told tome to come, but still, he didn't
 want to let Liz get started on him before Ken asked for the
 sweater.
 
 It didn't take long, Ken saw him coming and said something
 to another kid with a microphone.  He was directed up to the
 stage where he was introduced by the boy with the microphone
 as 'Jared, for Seven Oaks Middle School.'  As soon as Jared
 got on the stage, the boy asked "and what talent do you have
 to show us today?"
 
 Jared looked at Ken, who mouthed the words "give me the
 sweater" while mimicking the action.  Jared, knowing that he
 had to do it anyway, didn't waste a second.  He pulled the
 sweater over his head saying "just this" as he jumped off
 the stage and down the runway heading back out as quickly as
 he could towards his clothes.
 
 But he only got to the edge of the crowd before two police
 officers stepped in front of him and grabbed him.  "Okay,
 young man, hold it right there," said a female voice from
 behind him.  As the crowd cheered, he felt handcuffs being
 slapped across his wrists.
 
 "At least you don't need to search him," the male officer
 said, laughing.  "I don't think he has anything to hide."
 They walked Jared over to a patrol car and pushed him in the
 backseat, then fastened the seat belt around him.  Jared
 thought she was going to leave him exposed, but the female
 officer opened the trunk and came back with a blanket which
 she tucked around his waist.  Then she got in the front.
 
 "What's your name and address son?" she asked.  When Jared
 told her, she typed it into a computer keyboard and stared
 at the screen for a few seconds.  "Okay" she said at last,
 "you don't have any prior arrests on record here, which
 gives me more choices."
 
 She turned around to face him and said "Let's start with why
 you did such a stupid thing."
 
 Jared shrugged his shoulders.  "It seemed like a lot better
 idea when I started.  It was just a dumb prank.  My friends
 dared me, and I just had to do it to show them I wasn't
 chicken."
 
 "Well, I could take you in and book you, but I'd rather just
 take you home and let your parents deal with this.  As long
 as the school and the store owners don't press charges, this
 can be handled outside the law."
 
 Jared was slightly relieved, but then the officer continued.
 "However, there have been complaints of streakers all around
 town this summer.  I realize that streaking is becoming
 popular, but it's still against the law. Any chance any of
 the reports could have been you?"
 
 Jared didn't know which was worse, the truth or a lie.  A
 lot depended on how much she knew.  People were walking by
 staring at him sitting naked in the back of the car.  He
 decided to try and stall hoping to avoid answering the
 question.  "Can you go and recover my clothes?  They're not
 far away.  People are staring at me."
 
 "No, I think this will have a lot bigger affect on your
 parents if they see first hand how their son was behaving.
 Now, what about the streaker reports?"
 
 Jared decided to admit to one event that occurred closest to
 home.  "My friends and I sometimes skinny dip in the river
 south of town.  They hid my clothes one time, and I think
 some cars may have seen me when I was looking for them."
 
 "I figured you probably had done this before, I'm glad you
 decided to come clean."  She turned around and started the
 engine.  "But if you're brave enough to expose yourself in
 front of hundreds of your peers, being seen by your parents
 shouldn't bother you too bad."  She put the car in gear and
 headed towards his house.
 
 When they arrived, his sister Ashley was home, and their
 next-door neighbor Lois was visiting as well, but their
 parents hadn't returned home from work yet.  They acted
 surprised when the police car pulled in the driveway, but
 Liz had called them as soon as she saw Jared get caught, so
 they were prepared.
 
 "He did what?" Ashley yelled, giggling a little as she said
 it.  "Boy, Jared, dad is going to kill you.  I'll bet you
 get grounded until after Christmas."
 
 "Well, that's just it, when exactly will your parents be
 home?" the officer asked.
 
 "Not until about five" Ashley said.  "Why, do you have to
 release him to an adult?  Lois's mother is home if you need
 her."
 
 "No, for right now I'm not going to charge him.  But I need
 to hear from your parents tonight or first thing tomorrow
 morning," the officer said, handing Ashley a business card.
 "I go off duty at four, so have them call this number as
 soon as they get back."  She took the handcuffs off Jared's
 wrists.  "And as for you, I expect you to tell them what you
 did so that I don't have to.  Go get dressed and bring my
 blanket back here."
 
 Jared came back a few minutes later dressed in shorts and a
 shirt.  He handed the blanket to the officer, staring at the
 ground.
 
 "I expect you to stay here in the house until I hear from
 your parents.  If I see you outside playing I will change my
 mind about arresting you.  Do you understand?"  She lifted
 his chin with her finger as she spoke.
 
 "Yes, I understand.  I'll stay inside."
 
 The girls waited a few minutes after the car pulled out of
 the driveway before escorting Jared out to the back house
 where he and Ashley had their rooms.  "Remember the rules
 for being here," Ashley said when Jared remained dressed.
 
 Blushing, even though they had both seen him naked dozens of
 time by now, Jared removed the clothing he had put on when
 the officer was here.  "You know, I could have told the cop
 everything you've done to me."
 
 "Don't even pretend to be brave enough to threaten me, big
 brother.  You don't have a shred of proof; it would just be
 groundless accusations.  Besides, if you were going to tell,
 why didn't you?  But here's your big chance - go and tell
 mommy everything us mean girls have made you do.  Is that
 what you're thinking of doing?"
 
 Jared knew she was right, he couldn't prove anything.  And
 they all had alibis.  Jared shuddered remembering what
 happened last time he refused to play along with the
 humiliations.  "No, I know you won't let me quit, even if I
 tell the police."
 
 "Smart boy" Lois said, smirking.
 
 "Now, tell us everything she asked you and everything you
 said," Ashley said as she and Lois sat on the couch.
 
 Jared told her the story, leaving nothing out.  He had
 already guessed that Liz had called and told her anyway.
 
 "But we still have to deal with mom and dad.  But I hear
 you're an actor now, starring in a big play and everything,
 is that right?"
 
 Jared nodded his head.  "So you are going to act some more.
 When mom and dad come out, you need to convince them that
 you're a sick child that needs constant attention in order
 to get better.  You need to go with the plan that I'm going
 to tell them.  Act like nothing else has happened except for
 what you told the police.  I'm going to tell them about a
 third episode, and you are going to deny it until I offer
 proof.  That ought to seal your fate."
 
 Ashley and Lois got up from the couch and went over to the
 computer.  "We've got a lot of work to finish, so you can go
 get dressed again.  Then, put the door back on your room,
 and hang the curtain rods over the windows again."
 
 Jared looked confused.  "You need to make sure about whether
 you want to tell on me or support me.  I hope you make the
 right choice," was all Ashley said.