Part 1- The beginning

Chapter 1 - Jonathon

My life was about to change and I didn't like it.  I finished
loading the last of my things into the back of my truck, snapped the
cover in place, and went to the front.  My mom was already sitting in
the passenger seat, staring out the windshield.

I twisted the key and we were on our way to Florida.  This wasn't a
trip I was looking forward to.  

Two days earlier, the police brought me home for the third time in a
month and Mom was pissed.  I'd been hanging with my friends and
smoking a little weed.  The cops caught us and took us home. 
Normally, kids my age would have been arrested, but because my dad
was a cop, they cut us some slack.

Dad had been killed in the line of duty when I was twelve and I
guess I never got over it.  I can still remember the night the
captain came to our front door and told Mom the bad news.  The next
few days were filled with the preparations for the funeral and the
funeral itself.  Like most cop funerals, Dad's was a big one.  There
were cops from almost every state and dignitaries from our state's
capital.

Mom was an attorney so money wasn't a problem.  Dad had a lot of
insurance and there was a fund from the department to help out. 
After Dad was gone, I started to act up.

At first it wasn't anything serious, but my grades began to slip and
by the time I was fourteen, I was barely passing.  Part of it was my
anger.  I was mad at the world and most people in it.  I started
hanging with a tough group of guys and then the real trouble surfaced.

I was a loner except for a few friends.  There were five guys in our
group and none of us ventured very far from the others.  At fifteen,
we were all smoking and hanging around one of the local fast food
restaurants.

Mom bought me the truck when I promised to start behaving and work
on getting better grades.  I buckled down and brought my grades up to
a three-point average.  I was careful not to get caught smoking and
stayed out of trouble.  That is until I had the truck.

When I turned seventeen, the age I am now, I stopped listening to
Mom and ran wild.  I picked up a few tickets, started drinking and
smoking weed.  This was like the previous times I was picked up for
smoking, the cops were taking me home instead of to jail, but that
was going to stop.

The officer that took me home told Mom it would be the last time
they would show me any preferential treatment.  The next time I got
caught doing anything, I was going to jail.  Mom thanked the officer
and started in on me.

I sat and listened to an hour-long diatribe about my lack of
responsibility, how I was ruining my and my mom's life, and how
things were going to change.  I thought I was going to lose my truck
and be grounded for a while, but I was sorely mistaken.  Mom sent me
to my room, telling me she didn't want to look at me.

The next morning, Mom woke me up and told me to pack my things.  I
was dumbfounded!

When I asked what she was doing, she explained I was going to live
with my uncle in Florida.  Mom's older brother, Uncle Jason, lived in
a town north of Tampa with my Aunt Andrea and my two cousins.  Uncle
Jason was the superintendent of the public school system in the town
and my aunt was a teacher.

I hadn't seen them since the funeral.  I remembered one of my
cousins, Jackie, was the same age as me.  Her younger sister, Mo,
short for Moraine, was two years younger.  As hard as I tried, I
couldn't remember what they looked like.

It took threats of me running away to get Mom and Uncle Jason to
agree to let me bring my truck to Florida.  I was told I would lose
my driving privileges the first time I stepped out of line.

Packing didn't take long.  I only had a half dozen pairs of black
jeans, about twenty tee shirts, all of them dark, and most with some
hard-rock band's name printed on them.  I also had a pair of dress
pants and a good white shirt and tie.  A few pairs of shoes, my
leather jacket, and my wardrobe was complete.  I also took my
collection of music and several magazines I read at night, in the
privacy of my room.

I begged Mom to change her mind, but she was steadfast with her
decision.  So, we were on our way south.

Mom didn't say a word for the first two hours of the trip.  We were
past Toledo Ohio, heading down I 75.  The trip would take about
twenty-four hours and I was beginning to think I would be given the
silent treatment for the entire journey.

"You know, Jonathon, I'm doing this for your own good."  I groaned
when I heard my mom say that.  Mom knew I hated to be called
Jonathon.  I went by JR.  Not like junior, but the initials of my
first and middle name, Jonathon Robert.

"How can you say making me leave my friends and our home is for my
own good, Mom?  I just screwed up a little."

"Its more than a little, Jonathon.  You're doing drugs, smoking
cigarettes and drinking.  The boys you hang around are troublemakers.
I asked you to find new friends, but you insisted on hanging around
with your, what did you call them?"

"My crew."  When I said it, it really sounded lame.  I thought it
was cool that we were referred to as the crew, but to say it to mom…

"Whatever-they're trouble."  Mom stopped talking and looked out the
side window.

I pulled off the interstate just north of the Kentucky border for
gas.  While I filled the tank, Mom went into the station and bought
sodas.  She put two bottles into the small cooler we had in the
backseat and the ones we were going to drink into cup holders.

When the tank was full and my bladder empty, we left and got back on
the road.

"Can't we try to work this out, Mom?"  I figured I'd try to change
her mind again, but her answer was the same as it had been.

"No."  Mom looked at me and shook her head as she replied.  "I want
you to finish high school and go to college.  I just feel that you
won't make it if things stayed the way they were.  Uncle Jason will
be able to give you some of the guidance I don't seem to be able to."

"You mean like a father?"

"Please don't think I'm trying to replace your father, Jonathon, I'm
not.  I just feel that having an adult male in your life will help. 
Jason can give you some of the things I can't."

We stopped for dinner in a small restaurant in Georgia.  It had been
just over ten hours since we left Michigan.  While Mom ordered, I
excused myself and slipped out for a smoke.  It was still hot out and
I could feel sweat forming on my forehead.  I wiped my face with my
tee shirt, finished the cigarette, and went back into the building.

"I wish you'd quit smoking, Jonathon.  You know it's bad for you."

I think Mom could smell smoke outdoors in a windstorm.  I didn't
smoke in front of her, but I didn't really hide the fact I smoked. 
At first she threw out my smokes when she found them, but she stopped
when I turned seventeen.

Dinner was good.  I had a salad, a steak and baked potato.  Mom had
chicken and rice.  After dinner, we left and Mom took a turn behind
the wheel.  I put my head against the door and dozed.

When I woke up, I told Mom I needed to stop.

"I'll stop at the next rest area."  Mom told me.

Mom had the radio on and country music filled the cab of my truck. 
I really like most kinds of music, but country wasn't on my list.  I
pressed the scan button several times looking for something I could
stand to listen too.

Instead of stopping at a rest area, Mom pulled off the interstate. 
She decided it was time for breakfast.  We ate in relative silence. 
After breakfast, filling the truck with gas, and getting coffee, we
were on our way again.  I drove while Mom napped in the backseat. 
When I picked out the truck, I chose a Ford F-150 four-by-four with a
crew cab.  I wanted a pick-up, but I also wanted something my friends
could fit in.

While I drove, I tried to think about what lay ahead.  I would be
going to a new school, a school where I wouldn't know a sole.  I was
scared.  It wasn't easy for me to meet people because if my shyness,
something I tried to hide by dressing and acting tough.  At my
previous school, my friends and I weren't respected, but we weren't
messed with either. In the early morning hours, I began to plan how I
was going to get back to Michigan.

Chapter 2 - Jackie

Two days ago my parents held one of their famous family meetings.  I
sat at the dinner table with Mom, Dad, and my sister, Mo.  After the
usual "how's school going" talk, Dad dropped the bomb.

"Girls, Mom, and I have agreed to let your cousin, Jonathon, live
with us for a while," Dad said.  "He and your Aunt Sarah will be here
on Saturday."

I was stunned!  Why was my cousin, someone I didn't really know,
going to be moving in with us?  Just as I was about to pose the
question, Dad answered it for me.

"JR has had some trouble and your aunt thinks it will be helpful if
he gets away from his friends for a little while."

"What kind of trouble?" Mo asked.

"Nothing real serious, but serious enough that my sister wants to
try to nip it in the bud.  JR has had trouble since Uncle Bob was
killed.  His grades aren't where they should be and he's been running
with a rough crowd.  Aunt Sarah asked if we could help."

Great, I thought, we're going to be living with a hood.  How could
things get any worse?  Well, they did.

"Jackie, you and Mo are going to have to share a bedroom for now,"
Mom said.  "I know this is disruptive, but we have no choice if we're
going to help Aunt Sarah and Jonathon."

I was about to go ballistic, but I took a deep breath and calmed
down.  My sister and I had been brought up to think of others as well
as ourselves.  Mo and I were adopted when we were infants.  We
weren't blood sisters, but we were as close as any two sisters could
be.  Our parents told us about the adoption when we were younger.  I
never resented the fact my parents weren't my real parents and loved
them dearly.

"Which room are we going to have?" Mo asked.

"You and Jackie will move into Jackie's room.  It's the largest one."

Our house was nice.  It was a split ranch with the master bedroom on
one end and three bedrooms on the other.  Mom and Dad's bedroom had a
bathroom in it.  The three bedrooms on the other end of the house
shared two bathrooms.  My room and my sister's room shared one of the
bathrooms.  Each of the rooms had a door into the bathroom.  The
third bath was accessed through the hallway.  The third bedroom
served as an office.  It had a futon that was made into a bed when we
had an overnight guest.

Between the bedrooms, there was a great room with a sliding glass
door that led to the backyard.  We had a covered patio and a pool. 
The kitchen and dinning area, along with the great room, separated
the three bedrooms on one end from my parents' bedroom.  From the
kitchen, there was a door to the garage and laundry area.

"Are we going to have to share Jackie's bed?" my sister asked.

"No, we're going out today to buy another bed.  Dad measured the
room and we can make it work.  We can rearrange the room a bit so
there is room for you two girls," Mom said.

Mom and Dad told us what they knew about the trouble my cousin had
been in.  They asked my sister and me to try to understand and to
make JR feel welcome.  After our meeting, my Mom and Dad thanked Mo
and me for being considerate of the situation.

The four of us spent Saturday rearranging my room.  Dad went to the
furniture store and came back with a new bed.  Once we were finished,
I decided it wouldn't be that bad.  Mo and I cleaned her room and
made sure we had everything moved.

I changed into my bathing suit and hit the pool.  I was on the
swimming team and practiced every day.  Our pool was long enough to
swim laps.  Mo came out and swam with me.  After my workout, I
climbed out to relax in the sun.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Mo asked me.

"If you're asking if I'm happy, no, not really.  I am okay with it
though.  You know it's the right thing to do, don't you?" I said.

"Yes, but I really liked having my own room."

"Me too, Mo.  Look, this is going to take some adjustment for both
of us."  I glanced at my sister and giggled.  "I'll try not to make
too much noise when I play with myself if you try too."

I giggled again when Mo's face turned red.  "What-I don't do that!"
she said indignantly.

"You are such a liar!  I've heard you when I was in the bathroom. 
It's no big deal, everyone does it."

Mo continued to blush, covering her face with both hands.

"I've been doing it since I was like twelve," I admitted, trying to
make my sister feel better.

Mo uncovered her face and looked at me.  "Really?  I've only been
doing it for about a year.  Have you ever done anything with a boy?"

"I've kissed and stuff," I said.

Mo giggled and asked, "What kind of stuff?"

"You have to promise you'll never tell anyone, Okay?"

Mo nodded.

"I let Jeff Crammer feel me up once."

"Wow, under your top?"

"No!  It was at a party.  We played truth or dare and I took a dare.
Karen dared me to let Jeff touch my boobs."

"What was it like?"

"He squeezed too hard and it hurt!"

"Now about Marcus, have you let him?"

Shaking my head, I said, "No, but he has tried."  Marcus was a guy
I'd been dating for a month.

"Why haven't you let him?"

"Because he has a big mouth!  When he was dating Wendy, everyone on
the swim team knew what they did together.  I like him, but I don't
want to get a reputation like Wendy has."

"I heard Wendy went all the way with a guy," Mo said.

"Where did you hear that?"

"I know her sister, she told me.  Lorie said Wendy and Marcus did it
in Wendy's room and she caught them."

"That jerk!  He told me he never did anything with Wendy except for
feeling her up."

Mo dropped her eyes.  "Jackie, it was like a week ago.  Are you
going to break up with him now?"

"I don't know.  It makes me wonder what else he's lied about
though," I said.  My anger began to grow and I told Mo I was going to
break up with Marcus.  I clamed down and realized I really didn't
care-not anymore. 

Mom came out to tell us we had to get dressed because our aunt and
cousin were going to be there in an hour.  She said my aunt called to
tell her they were close.  Mo and I went to our new shared room.  We
took turns in the shower and then dressed.  I picked out a mini skirt
and tank top.  Mo put on shorts and a tee.

We went to the living room to watch television and wait for our new
houseguest.

When the doorbell rang, Dad answered it.  I sat up straight while I
waited for Dad to show my aunt and cousin into the house.  I could
see into the foyer and I smiled when Dad hugged Aunt Sarah.  With his
arm around her waist, he led her into the living room.

I greeted my aunt, but kept looking for Jonathon.  Mo and Mom hugged
Aunt Sarah, telling her they were glad to see her.  Mo and I didn't
really know her well, the last time we saw our aunt was at our
uncle's funeral.

Aunt Sarah went to the front door and called for Jonathon.  When he
finally came in, Dad shook his hand.  Mom gave him a hug and pulled
him into the living room.

"Moraine, Jackie, this is your cousin Jonathon," Mom said.

"Hi, Jonathon," Mo and I said at the same time.

"Um, hi.  I like to be called JR," he said.

"Everyone calls me Mo," my sister said.

"Are you and JR hungry?" Mom asked my aunt.  "I'll fix something for
dinner."

"That would be great, Andrea, we haven't had anything since lunch,"
Aunt Sarah told her.

"Why don't you girls show JR his room and help him move his things?"
Dad said.

Mo hooked her arm through JR's arm.  She pulled him toward the
bedrooms while I followed.

"This is your room, it used to be mine, but I'm in Jackie's room
now.  I cleared everything out of the closet so you'll have room for
your clothes.  Mom and Dad let us hang things on the wall if you want
to," Mo babbled.

"I'm sorry you lost your room, Mo.  If I had my way, you wouldn't
have-I wouldn't be here," JR said.

"Don't worry about it, Mo and I will be fine.  Want to get your
stuff?" I said.

The three of us went outside to get JR's things.  He pointed to his
truck and said, "My things are in the back of my truck."

"This is your truck!" I said.  "Wow, it's great!"

I saw JR smile.  "You like trucks?"

"No, I LOVE trucks!  I have my license, but I have to drive Mom's
car-when she isn't using it.  This is the bomb!" I said.

JR opened the cover so we could take the boxes out of the bed of the
truck.  Dad came out and we moved all of JR's things into his room. 
Mo and I started to help him unpack and put his clothes away.

Chapter 3 - Jonathon

I hung my jeans in the closet while my cousins helped.  They made
faces while they unpacked the boxes, but didn't say anything.  Once
we had broken down the empty boxes and put them in the garage, it was
time to eat.

Aunt Andrea put a platter of pork chops on the table while Mom put
bowls of mashed potatoes and green beans next to the platter.  We
passed the food around, each of us filling our plates.

"I guess now is as good a time as any to talk about the rules,"
Uncle Jason said.  "First of all, we are very happy to have you here,
JR.  I know it's hard for all of you kids, but I think we can make
things work as long as we're all willing to try.

"The rules are pretty simple around here.  If you have any
questions, JR, you can ask the girls, your aunt, or me.  In our
house, trust and honesty are key.  We respect each other's privacy. 
If a door is closed, knock before opening it.

"On school nights, the curfew is eleven o'clock for you and Jackie. 
Mo's curfew is ten.  If there is something going on, we can talk
about the time you have to be home.  On the weekends, you can stay
out until midnight, but that is also contingent on what's going on.

"There is no smoking in the house.  I would prefer you didn't smoke
at all, but if you feel you have to, do it outside.  Homework must be
finished after school.  No one goes out until it is done."  Uncle
Jason smiled and said, "Any questions?"

I shook my head.  The rules weren't bad, in fact they were more
liberal than what I was used to.

"Good, now, if you break the rules, there are consequences.  If you
break curfew, you can't go out after school for a week.  The second
time, you lose your driving privileges.  Your father's status as a
police officer has no weight down here.  If you get caught drinking
or doing drugs, you'll go to jail.

"We want you to have fun while you're living with us.  We also want
you to be part of the family.  JR, you are being given a fresh start
and you can do what you want with it.  You might want to try
changing.  If you don't like it, you can always go back to doing the
things you used to do, but you can't do them here," my uncle said.

Mom looked right at me.  I could tell she was concerned about me and
how I would act.  While driving down, I had a lot of time to think. 
I could try to be sent back to Michigan and hurt my mom, or I could
do like my uncle said and make a fresh start.

"I will do what I have to to make this work," I said humbly.  "I
want to thank you for letting me live here and I want to apologize
for the inconvenience I'm causing."

Mom had tears in her eyes, but she was smiling.

"Mom, I'm sorry for getting into trouble."

"Do you like to swim?" Jackie asked, changing the mood.

"Yeah, I love to swim," I replied.

"Cool, we have a pool in the backyard.  I'm on the swim team at
school.  Were you in any sports?" Jackie asked.

"Not at school.  I took karate after my dad was killed.  Mom said it
would help me with my self-confidence."

"Did it?" Mo asked me.

"I didn't get messed with at school.  I was in one fight and that
was it."

"When?" Mom asked.

"In the tenth grade.  One of the jocks started picking on me and I
decked him before he knew what happened.  His buddies tried to beat
me up, but I took them out too.  After that, no one bothered me," I
said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Mom wanted to know.

"It wasn't important.  I did what I had to do and that was that.  I
didn't hurt anyone, I didn't have to."

Jackie smiled at me and said, "JR, don't take this wrong, but you
really need to go shopping.  You'll die in those black clothes of
yours.  It gets hot down here."

"I like my clothes," I said.  I thought about what I had said about
making a fresh start and decided it was time to begin.  "Do you think
you could go with me?  I don't know what the kids wear down here."

"Sure, we can go tomorrow if you want to.  We have a couple of malls
close by," Jackie said.

Mom said she thought it would be a good idea.  She said she would
pay for whatever I needed.

After dinner, Jackie and Mo cleared the table.  Mom gave me one of
her glances and I got up to help.  While we cleaned up, Mom, Aunt
Sarah, and Uncle went outside.

"What else do you like to do, besides beating up people?" Mo asked.

I laughed and began to tell my cousins about some of the things I
did with my friends.  While I talked, I realized I didn't do much of
anything that didn't include trouble.

Jackie told me about her swim team and the events she swam.  I
learned Mo was in band and played the clarinet.  After finishing the
dishes, we went out to sit with our parents.  I left and went to my
truck to have a smoke, Jackie followed me.

"Why do you smoke?" Jackie asked.

"I don't know, all of my friends smoke so I do too," I replied,
realizing how dumb it sounded.

"None of my friends smoke, not that I know of anyway.  What's it
like?"

I thought about it for a moment.  Why did I smoke?  I started when I
started hanging around with my friends, but I didn't really know why-
because I wanted to belong I guessed.  Looking at the cigarette, I
shrugged my shoulders.  I took a drag and then dropped the smoke on
the driveway.  After crushing it out, I looked at Jackie.

"To be honest, I don't really know.  I guess I just do it because my
friends did.  I think I'm going to try to quit."

That night while in my new bed, I thought about what lay ahead.  I
knew my living with my relatives was something my mom wanted.  I also
knew she was doing it for my good and not hers.  After my dad was
killed I rebelled.  I was hurt and lost.  My mom did her best, but I
didn't really give her much of a chance.  I decided I was going to
make her proud of me and show her I could be the man she wanted me to
be.

The next morning I got up and staggered to the bathroom.  I tried
the door, finding it locked.  Leaving my new room, I went to the
other bathroom to relieve the pressure in bladder.

At the breakfast table, Mom asked me how I slept.  I told her I was
so tired I could have slept on the ground and I would have been fine.
After the chuckles stopped, we talked about the plans for the day.

Mom gave me a credit card with my name on it.  She told me that I
could use it for the things I needed, but I could only spend one
hundred dollars a month on things like going out and gas.

After doing the dishes with my cousins, we went shopping.  It was a
bit of a culture shock for me, but I let Jackie and Mo pick out new
clothing for me.  By the time we were ready to head home, I had more
clothes than I knew what to do with.

"Want to drive?" I asked Jackie as we headed for the truck.

"Really?  Sure, I'd love to drive.  I can take you by our school and
stuff if you want me to."

I gave Jackie the keys.  Mo got in the backseat and we were off. 
Jackie drove to the school and told me about the different doors and
other things.  We got out so we could walk around.

After leaving the school, Jackie drove to one of her friend's house.
She parked in the drive and told me to get out.  She grabbed my arm
and pulled me to the front door.

"Kim, this is my cousin, JR," Jackie told a cute blonde that
answered the door.  "He's living with us now."

After telling me hello, Kim said, "Why is he living with you?"

I felt my body tense.  Jackie said, "Because he wanted to see what
Florida was like.  Mom and Dad invited him down to stay with us for a
while."

"Cool, I hope you like it hot and muggy, that's what it's like most
of the year," Kim said.  "What grade are you in?"

"I'm a junior," I said, glancing at Jackie.  I couldn't believe she
didn't tell her friend why I was really there.

"Cool, maybe we'll have some of the same classes.  Jackie and I will
introduce you to the gang tomorrow.  You are going to school
tomorrow, aren't you?" Kim said.

"Um, yeah, I guess so," I replied.

We chatted for a few moments before we left.  Kim grinned at Jackie,
holding her thumb and finger to her ear like a telephone.  Jackie
giggled and nodded.

"Kim is one of my best friends.  She's on the swim team too," Jackie
said as she climbed behind the wheel of my truck.

When we got back to the house, Jackie and Mo showed my mom and their
parents what they had picked out for me.  I don't remember owning
shorts and now I had several pairs.  Mom made a few comments about
the light colors, kaki pants, and collared pull over shirts.  Each
time she did, she glanced at me.

"I think the clothes are nice," I told mom, trying to put her mind
at ease.

Jackie told me she was going swimming and asked if I wanted to join
her.  I changed into the trunks I'd bought that day and went outside.
Jackie came out a few minutes later in her racing suit.  Mo also came
out of the house, but she was in a bikini.

I couldn't keep my eyes off my two cousins, especially Jackie.  She
was tall and her body looked great in the tight navy blue suit.  I
tried not to stare at her breasts, but found it hard not to.  When
she smiled at me, I blushed.  Mo noticed and giggled.

Jackie jumped into the water.  She began swimming laps, making
underwater turns at each end.  I jumped in and tried to keep up with
her.  We were swimming freestyle and I was able to gain on her until
she made a turn.  After several laps, Jackie stopped and then stopped
me.

"You need to learn to turn and push off," Jackie told me.  "I'll
teach you if you want me to."

I learned how to turn and time the turns so I could get the maximum
thrust from my legs.  At first I felt awkward, but by the time we
took a break, I was able to make the turns fairly well.

"You're a strong swimmer, JR.  You should try out for the swim team
at school," Jackie said while we toweled ourselves.

"I don't know, maybe.  I've never been into sports," I said.

"You've never lived in Florida either."

"What's that got to do with anything?" I asked.

"It's change, something different.  If you don't like it, you don't
have to do it.  If you don't try, you'll never know whether you like
it or not.  Most of the kids on the team are really nice-it would
help you make new friends," Jackie said.

I told her I would think about it.  We sat on the patio for a while,
talking about music and other things we liked.  Mo sat with us,
adding her two cents when she could.

When we finally went to bed that night, I was feeling much better
about the move.

Chapter 4 - Jackie

I showered after Mo on Monday morning.  When I was finished, I
knocked on the door to JR's room, using the signal we had agreed on
while sitting on the patio the evening before.  I left the bathroom
to dress, listening to make sure he was up.

"Good morning," JR said when he came into the kitchen.  He stood
with his arms at his side wearing one of the new outfits I had picked
out for him.  "Well, do I look presentable?"

I couldn't believe how good he looked!  "Yes, you look fine," I said.

Mo snickered.  We had talked about JR before going to sleep.  I
mentioned how buff he looked and Mo started teasing me.

"You look very nice, JR," Aunt Sarah told him.

We ate breakfast with my aunt.  My parents had already left.  Dad
was always the first one at the administration building and Mom had
to be at school before the students arrived.

After telling Aunt Sarah goodbye, Mo, JR, and I left for school.  On
our way from the parking lot to the building, I introduced him to
some of my friends.  When we got inside, I led him to the offices.

"Why are all these kids waiting outside the office?" JR asked me.

"Just wait, you'll see," I told him.

A few minutes later, we heard an announcement over the paging
system.  The page requested students, Kim Bradley and Jim Ferguson,
juniors like me.  They also called the names of two sophomores, and
two seniors, to report to the office.  There was cheering from the
other kids when Kim went into the office.  A few minutes later, Jim
went in too.

"Isn't that your friend?" JR asked me.

"Yup, sure is."

"What's going on here?"

"I'll tell you about it in a few minutes, JR," I said and then I
giggled.

When Kim and Jim came out of the office, JR said, "What the FUCK!"

"It's called The Program.  My dad heard about it last year when he
was at a conference in Boston.  He put The Program in place here this
year," I said.

Kim came over to where JR and I were standing.  She giggled and
said, "I got picked!"

"Really, I thought you just liked running around naked," I said.

"We'll find out this week, won't we?" Kim said.

Giggling, I said, "You will!"

Kim said she had to go.  I watched her walking away and I watched
the guys copping feels of her breasts.

"Okay, you can close your mouth now," I told JR.

"Um, oh, ah sorry," he stammered, making me laugh again.

"I'll tell you all about it later.  In short, students have to spend
a week naked in school.  Two students from each grade are picked
every Monday morning.  You'll get a pamphlet that explains
everything," I told JR.

I took JR into the office to meet our principal, Mr. Shaw.  I waited
while JR went into the office to fill out his forms.  When he came
out, I took my cousin to his first class.  Dad had arranged it so JR
and I were in the same classes for the term.

Our first hour was English.  I took JR in and introduced him to the
teacher, Mr. Wilcox.  Kim was in my English class.  She sat in her
normal seat, next to where Mr. Wilcox told JR to sit.

During our third hour math class, Jim Ferguson asked for relief.  I
watched JR's face turn red as Amber went up front to help Jim out. 
She began by rubbing him, but then she knelt and gave Jim a blowjob. 
Amber was known for her oral skills and made no secret that she liked
doing it.

By the time we got to lunch, I thought JR was going to take off.  He
had seen Amber relieve Jim and watched many guys fondle Kim.  I went
through the line with JR and then led him to a table.

"Are you okay?" I asked JR.

Chapter 5 - Jonathon

"Am I okay?  What do you think?  I was uprooted from my home and
friends and now I find out kids go naked in school!  Hell no, I'm not
okay!" I said.

"I can see how it might be upsetting.  I guess I should have told
you about it before we got here this morning.  I'm sorry, I thought
you'd be surprised and like what you saw," Jackie said with a giggle.

"It's not your fault, but it would have been nice if I would have
known about it.  I was going to ask what your parents think, but I
guess I already know the answer to that," I told Jackie.

"The Program is supposed to help kids, not hurt them.  It isn't done
for punishment or anything like that.  My dad said some of the other
schools have had great results because of it."

"Does everyone have to go through it or do you have a choice?" I
asked.

"You can be opted out if your parents sign a paper.  Parents can
also make a request for their kid to go through it.  A few weeks ago,
Molly Lombardi went through The Program.  She had a problem with the
way she thought she looked.  After her week, she was a changed person-
for the better."

"How about you, have you asked to be excluded?"

"No, my dad wouldn't let me if I asked.  How would it look if he
made the other kids go through it and not me?"

"Yeah, I can see how that might cause some trouble.  I haven't read
the pamphlet yet.  What are the rules?"

Jackie told me about the basics of The Program.  She told me when a
student was naked they couldn't refuse any reasonable request. 
Jackie said that you couldn't penetrate a girl unless she said it was
okay.  I also learned that The Program extended to all school
activities even if they were after normal school hours.

"It's all about becoming comfortable with your body and sexuality,"
Jackie said.

Kim came over to our table.  She sat next to Jackie, looked at me,
and grinned.

"Kind of shocking, JR?" Kim asked.

"To say the least.  I've never heard anything about The Program
until this morning."  I looked at Jackie and grinned.  "Someone
wanted to surprise me-and she did."

Kim and Jackie giggled.

"I hear Ms Hoover took care of Jim this morning," Kim said.

"She sure did and she bragged about it when she was finished,"
Jackie said.  "I think Amber should invest in a set of knee pads."

I blushed, something I seemed to be doing a lot of lately, while
Jackie and Kim talked about Amber.  While sitting there, I did my
best to keep my eyes off Kim's chest, but found it very hard to do. 
She didn't seem to mind that I was looking at her though.

"Well, we better get going.  PE is next and you don't want to be
late unless you like running laps," Jackie said.

The three of us got up, took care of our trays, and headed for the
gym.  I told Jackie I would see her later before going into the
locker room.  I had bought a jockstrap while shopping with my
cousins.  The PE teacher issued me a lock for my basket, along with
shorts and a tank tee shirt.  After dressing, I went to the gym.

I talked with Mr. Reynolds about the weight room.  He said it was
available for students when the school was open, including during
practice for the sports teams.  When I was taking karate, I got into
weight training too.  I hadn't been working out much, but decided I
would go back to it.

After class, I went to the locker room.  While I was getting ready
to shower, Kim walked up to me.  She glanced down, grinned and said,
"Come on, you can wash my back for me."

"What are you doing in here?" I asked, trying to conceal my
stiffening cock.

"While in The Program girls have to shower with the guys and the
guys have to shower with the girls," Kim said.

Kim and I went to the shower room.  I was trying to control my cock,
but wasn't very successful.  Kim handed me a bar of soap, turned
around, and asked me to do her back.  I washed her, but avoided going
too low.  I did get a good look at her ass though.

"I'm finished," I squeaked out.

Kim turned around, put her hands behind her head, and said, "Want to
do the front now?"

Handing her the soap, I said, "Um, I don't think so."

A couple guys that had been close took the soap and began rubbing it
over Kim's breasts.  She glanced at me, winked, and then turned to
the guys washing her.  I got out of the shower, dressed, and went out
into the hall.

I met Jackie and told her what had happened.  She giggled and said,
"Why didn't you wash her boobs for her?  I'm sure both of you would
have liked it."

"Well, I, um, I have never touched a girl before.  Shit, I've never
been out with a girl," I admitted.

"Whatever, if Kim didn't want you to do it, she wouldn't have
asked," Jackie told me.

We went to our next class.  After our classes ended, I went to the
pool to watch Jackie practice.  Mo had band practice and Jackie said
she would be finished at the same time she was.  I sat in the
bleachers watching the team workout.  I noticed how much taller my
cousin was than the other girls on the team.  During a break, Jackie
introduced me to Mr. Rosin, the swimming coach.

"Nice to meet you, JR.  Jackie tells me you're a pretty good
swimmer," Mr. Rosin said to me.

"I'm nowhere close to Jackie, I can't turn like she can," I said.

"Turning takes practice.  Why don't you try out for the team?  We
need someone to swim the butterfly and breaststroke.  You look like
you have good upper body tone."

"Thanks, I'll think about it," I said.

"Great, I'll meet you here during your PE class.  I'll clear it with
Larry Reynolds."

"Um that doesn't give me much of a chance to think about it, Sir."

 "I know.  Thinking can be overrated.  Doing is what counts," Mr.
Rosin said.

"Lorie got picked," Mo said.  "Her partner is Mike Parker."

"Isn't that her boyfriend?" Jackie asked.

"Yeah, funny isn't it.  He's never gotten past first base with her
and now he gets to feel her up all he wants to."

"I wouldn't want that to happen to me," Jackie said.  "I wouldn't
want the first time my boyfriend saw me to be in The Program."

"I guess you better get moving.  Marcus might get picked soon-you
might be picked too," Mo said.

"That won't be a problem, Marcus is history!" Jackie said.

"Did you talk to him?" Mo asked.

"No, I talked to Wendy.  I knew she wouldn't lie to me."

"What's this all about?" I asked.

"I was dating Marcus.  I found out he was getting what I wouldn't
give him from Wendy, a girl that puts out on the second date from
what I've heard," Jackie said.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," I said.

"No biggie.  He didn't seem to care one way or the other.  Are all
guys like that?" Jackie asked.

"I don't know all the guys, but I have-I mean had, some friends that
would embellish what they did with the girls they went out with."

"Why don't guys get it?  If they could learn to keep their mouths
shut, girls might be willing to fool around with them.  Some girls,
like Wendy and Amber, don't care, but most of the girls I know don't
want it spread around school."

"There must be some guys that don't talk," I said.

"There are-they all have girlfriends," Jackie said and then she
giggled.

We went home and did our homework before dinner.  Mom asked me about
school and I told her about The Program.  When I asked if she knew
about it, she smiled.

"Yes, I knew about The Program.  Uncle Jason told me about it some
time ago," Mom said.

"What do you think about it?" I asked.

"Well, things are sure different than they were when I went to
school.  As far as The Program goes, I think it could be a good thing
as long as it was administered properly."

"You don't think it makes kids want to have sex?"

"No, hormones make kids, and adults, want to have sex, JR.  You have
to understand there is a big difference between having sex and being
naked."

I chuckled and said, "Don't you have to be naked to have sex?"

"No, and you don't have to have sex because you're naked."  Mom
flashed a smile at me and then asked about my classes.

When I saw Kim the next day I realized that it wasn't the same as
the day before.  She was still naked, but I wasn't as obsessed with
her nudity.  I went to meet the swimming coach during PE and he asked
me to join the team after watching me swim.  He told me I needed a
lot of work, but I was built like a swimmer and it wouldn't take long
for me to learn what I needed to learn.

After school, I was given a suit and went out to practice with the
team.  Jackie introduced me to some of the guys on the team before
going to workout with the other girls.  Ted, a guy that swam the
butterfly, worked with me for the entire practice.  I learned some
useful techniques that helped with my speed and my turns.

The rest of the week when we got home from school, Jackie and I
would do our homework.  As soon as we finished our school work, we
hit the pool, practicing until it was time for dinner.

Mom left on Sunday morning.  She told me to behave and that she
would see me in a couple weeks.  Mom said she was going to come down
for my first swim meet even though I didn't know whether or not I'd
be swimming.

Things sort of just fell into place for me.  After several weeks I
had made a few friends, joined the swim team, was doing well in
class, and I had quit smoking.  Jackie and Mo were great, helping me
whenever I asked.  My aunt and uncle gave me a wide berth, letting me
make decisions for myself.  All and all, things couldn't be much
better.

Sharing a bathroom with two girls was different for me.  My cousins
had a habit of leaving their bras hanging on the doorknob to their
room.  Being curious, I checked the garments out.  I found the tags
on the strap and read the sizes.  There would be one with a tag that
said thirty-two B and one with twenty-eight A.  Using my hand as a
gauge, I determined the B was larger than the A.  I also figured that
the larger of the two belonged to Jackie.  When I hooked and unhooked
one of Jackie's bras, I blushed.

My cousins didn't seem to pay much attention to how they sat when
they wore skirts.  I was often treated to a glimpse of their panties.
They would bend over while wearing shirts that gave me a view of
their bra covered breasts too.  I tried to be discreet, but was
caught a few times.  Whenever Jackie or Mo noticed I was trying to
catch a peek, they would ignore it.

For the first two weeks, I called my mom every night.  She would ask
how I was doing and I would ask if she knew what was going on with my
friends.  Our calls slowed to once every few days after I had been in
Florida for a month.