Guarding Light (3 page)

   Tasha laughed and kissed Catlyn. Catlyn winced bringing a hand to cup her jaw and lips.

   Tasha reached behind her and turned the light in the hall up. It was then that Jack realized it was a dimmer and it had been on its lowest setting. Light shone brightly now.

   Tasha gasped as she pulled Catlyn's hand away and saw her face. "What happened?"

   Catlyn pulled away, shaking her head. "It's nothing."

   Tasha put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Catlyn. "It was that J.T. asshole, right?"

   Jack was shocked. How did Tasha know J.T. "What makes you say that?"

   Tasha looked at Jack but this time her look was hostile. "Like you don't know, bastard?"

   Jack had never felt so insulted. "Look, Tasha, I don't know you but I can tell you love your friend." He looked at Catlyn. "I happen to like her too."

   "Jack its nothing." Catlyn said as she started up the steps.

   Tasha pulled her back down the two steps she had walked. "Hell nah! You gonna tell him what that white boy has been doing to you right now or I am."

   Catlyn wrapped her arms around herself and the tears began to fall.

   What the hell was going on? Jack was confused. But he responded to the feelings going through him. Putting his arms around Catlyn's shoulders he kissed the side of her temple and whispered. "Baby, tell me."

   Jack forgot that Tasha stood there as his hands began to caress Catlyn's arms soothingly. "Please, sweetheart."

   Catlyn just shuddered and cried harder. Jack took her more fully in his arms. She laid her head against his chest, her hands gripping his shirt. He rocked her, rubbing her back. "Catlyn, what is it?"

   Tasha looked at Jack over Catlyn's head. "I'll tell you. He's been messing with her."

   Jack looked at Tasha. Her look was direct, clear and determined. "Go on Tasha."

   Catlyn shook her head against his chest. They both ignored her.

   "Well, when she was twelve he pulled her in a boys' bathroom, told her to get gone that they didn't want any little niggers dirtying up their honor's class." Tasha stared at Jack as she continued. "When she ignored him, a few weeks after that he pulled her into another boys' bathroom, this time a bunch of his friends were there."

   Tasha's tone and hostile stare drilled him as she asked with her eyes. Jack pulled Catlyn closer to him as he felt her tremble. "I wasn't one of them. I had no idea."

   Tasha stared him down until she seemed satisfied by what she saw and continued. "He pulled her panties down and told his friends to get a good look at a nigger girl." Tasha's voice grew quiet. "I think some of them touched her."

   Catlyn cried out as she pulled out of Jack's arms and ran up the stairs. When Tasha would have followed Jack put his arm out to block her. "Let her have some time alone. I want to hear the rest."

   Tasha stepped back. "Are you for real?" She looked up at him with something close to disbelief but not quite.

   Jack felt his jaw clench tight. "I've never been more real."

   Tasha nodded as though she came to a decision. "Ok, Jack. I will trust a white boy for the first time in my life." She sat on one of the steps and waved him to another. Jack sat and looked at her.

   "Well, he's been doin' it for years, ever since she been at that school." Tasha leaned her elbows on the step behind her. "He's been getting her alone, feelin' her up when he can." She sighed sadly. "Some real sad, sick shit too. He has even showed her his dick. Told her to get ready to be sucking it like the nigger whore she is."

   Jack sat stupefied and then he felt his bile rise in his throat. "D-do you know if he has-". He trailed off. He couldn't even say the words.

   "Has that pig raped her?" Tasha bluntly asked.

   Jack nodded.

   "Nah. Not yet. Besides he says it's all leading up to their graduation 'party' where he will take what is his. Sick bastard."

   He quickly looked at her. Her words put a fear deep in his gut for Catlyn. Why wouldn't she have told someone, at the very least, Sam and Sara?

   "Kitty Cat is still a virgin." Tasha sat forward and shook her head. "Probably gonna stay one too. After everything that bastard has done."

   Jack voiced the question most on his mind. "Why didn't she tell anyone? If what you say is true, they are crimes. He could be charged."

   Tasha moved so fast Jack barely had a second to put a hand up to block the hit coming towards his face. His arm blocked her hand from connecting with his cheek.

   Their arms remained crossed as they stared angrily at each other.

"What the hell?" Jack clenched his teeth.

   "If? If? It's true that bastard has terrorized her since she has entered that school, scaring her, leaving sick pictures in her locker with notes saying that's what he is gonna do to her. She doesn't want to be kicked out of the accelerated program. She is shooting for a full academic scholarship. All she talks about is leaving Newburgh and becoming a reporter. And, she did tell someone. Me!"

   Jack let his arm fall and asked, "Pictures? What kind of pictures?"

   "Porn mostly ", Tasha was direct in her answer, "White guys doing some master-slave type of crap to black girls."

   "Jesus!" Jack ran a hand through his hair.

   "Jesus ain't got nothing to do with the pictures she showed me." Tasha smirked.

   Jack ran a hand through his hair again, agitated. He could not believe one of his closest friends since first grade was a sick deviant. And he had been terrorizing a child right under his nose.

   "Do you still have some of the stuff he gave her?" Jack wanted to know.

   "Nah, they made Cat so sick I threw them away." Tasha shrugged. "She is only happy when she is home reading one of her books, hanging with Sara and Sam and me."

   "Man, this explains so much about her behavior." Jack sighed as he continued sadly, "And unfortunately it also explains so much of J.T.'s behavior too."

   "So, are you gonna be white is always right and stick with your boy or are you gonna do what is really right?"

   Jack was so surprised at the question he just stared at Tasha in disbelief. "You can't think I would allow this to continue now that I know about it?"

   Tasha just quirked an eyebrow at him and patted her afro. "Yes I do!"

   Jack's jaw clenched. "Well, think again! I am not into harassing little girls or threatening them with rape!"

   Jack got up and started for the door. "Tell Catlyn she has nothing to worry about anymore."

   Jack slammed out of the building so angry he didn't take notice of the satisfied gleam in Tasha's eyes.

   ****

   Jack was true to his word. At the party he single mindedly hunt down J.T. He found him in a back bedroom of Hamilton's mansion, a half-drunk cheerleader vigorously riding him, one of his little groupies. Jack recalled now how at another party this same coed was ordered by J.T. to give the entire team head. Jack had bowed out not really wanting to know if she would do it. Then he had turned his back on his friend's obvious sexually deviant actions. He didn't think it was harmful as long as the girl was willing. But now he wasn't sure if the girl was willing. What if J.T. had threatened her too without his knowing? The very idea made Jack physically ill, his stomach queasy.

   He gently tapped the coed on the shoulder. "Excuse us, Tammy!"

   Tammy looked over her shoulder, then shrugged and quietly got off J.T. and just as quietly left the room, pulling on her clothes as she did.

   "Hey man, what gives?" J.T. slurred his words as he sat up throwing the sheet over his lap. "I would have given you a taste when I was finished."

   Jack snapped. He lunged at J.T., slamming his head against the sturdy wooden headboard, his hand going around his throat.

   J.T.'s eyes went wide as the pressure on his neck increased and Jack planted his knee in his chest. He pulled at Jack's hand at his throat to no avail. He began to gasps for air, struggling to breathe.

   Jack shook him by his neck. "Pay attention J.T. 'cause I am only going to warn you this once." Jack did not continue until J.T. stopped struggling, dropping his hands to the bed and was looking into Jack's eyes. "You twisted piece of shit, stay away from Catlyn, in school, out in the streets, everywhere! You see her coming you go the other way." Jack squeezed harder and raised his knee then rammed it back down. J.T. tried to cough but it came out as a weak sputter. "Your torture of Catlyn ends today or so help me God you are going to live to regret it. Catlyn is now under my protection! Do you hear me scum? She's mine now and I protect what's mine!"

   Jack suddenly released J.T., who sat up and struggled for breath. He coughed and spit onto the floor. As Jack turned to the door J.T. began to weakly laugh. "So our virgin nigger has given it up to the super hero quarterback with the ten inch pole." J.T. rubbed at his sore throat as he continued to rasp his poison. "So how was Catlyn's pussy? Tight, hot, wet? Did you make her bleed and come all over your cock?

   Jack turned back and looked at J.T. in pity. "You're sicker than I thought."

   "Right, like you haven't wanted to see and suck those black tits and fuck that nigger pussy since the day she walked into our honor's class." J.T. spat.

   Horrified Jack stepped toward the bed. "Do you fucking hear yourself? Catlyn was a little kid when she came to our class. Twelve years old for Christ's sake!!"

   "If the bitch bleeds then she can be plucked, sucked and fucked!" J.T. tossed the sheet aside and began to dress as he continued. "You come in here with your Hero bullshit, spouting dire warnings when in reality you just came from doing what I've been trying to do since the bitch got here." J.T. sat down as he put on his sneakers. "Who knew she preferred brown hair to blonde, green eyes to blue and a ten inch cock to a six inch one?"

   Jack sadly shook his head at J.T. "I don't know what the hell is wrong with your brain but I strongly suggest you seek psychiatric help and fast!" Jack went to the door and opened it, looking over his shoulder, he gave one last warning. "This is the last time I am going to talk to you. Stay away from me and mine or I am going do more than talk."

   Jack quietly left the bedroom once again missing a look thrown in his direction. This one was laced with hatred, meanness and something not quite sane.

THE MIDDLE

Chapter 1

   Catlyn paced the circular track on the school field, waiting and wondering why Sara had asked her to meet her here so late. Sara had sounded so happily excited. If she had to guess Catlyn would say that Sara and Jack had finally gotten together, officially. Catlyn smiled at the thought. Jack was the perfect guy for Sara. He was smart, even tempered and GORGEOUS. His six-two, sexily muscled, brown hair, green eyed frame stirred all the girls' hearts. Catlyn's included. And he had a Hero-Complex a mile wide. He was always protecting those weaker and smaller than him. She had never understood the friendship between J.T. and Jack. They were so vastly different. One kind and one mean. One considerate and one thoughtless. They were complete polar opposites.

   Catlyn liked Jack a lot, even had a crush on him (her first crush), but knew that he viewed her as too young for him. Besides her best friend was crazy over him and had been talking about Jack ever since they had become friends. If she couldn't have Jack for herself then she was glad someone as wonderful as Sara was going to be his girl. Jack Gard was one hell of a guy. People often teased that he took his last name too seriously. Either way Catlyn knew he was her protector and because he decided to defend her, her senior year had been awesome so far.

   The Monday after she'd been punched by J.T. Jack had pulled her aside near the lockers. He had told her that he had taken care of J.T. Jack made sure that J.T. would no longer bother her and said that if J.T. did approach her she was to come get him right away. He had ended that good piece of news with a peck on the cheek.

   From that day on J.T. had kept his distance, never so much as giving her a look. At first it seemed too good to be true. But as the weeks and months passed Catlyn became more carefree. She attended more parties, left campus for lunch; an honor for the senior class that she had never exercised until Jack had stepped in to make her life better. She spent even more time with Sara after school but the very best plus was that everyday she spent more time with Jack. He sat next to her at lunch or took her and Sara out to lunch at the local deli. He drove her home a lot now and spent time with her waiting until her mom came home.

   It was during these times that she and Jack really got to know one another. She told him about her dreams to become a journalist and he told her of his to be in law enforcement. He teased her about her obsession with chocolate. And she teased him about being a jock. A really, smart jock.

   He had started calling her Kitten. When Catlyn had asked why he kept calling her that when everyone called her Catlyn or Cat, he had simply answered, 'You're not quite a Cat yet. You're a little Kitten, a baby.' Catlyn didn't mind. It made her feel special. He was the only one who called her Kitten.

   Sometimes when her mom wouldn't be back until midnight, Jack would come by with dinner and a rented video to watch in the VCR. The first time he showed at night when her mother wasn't home it had been to return her keys which had been left in his car after he had given her a ride home. When he realized she was alone he said he'd keep her company. Catlyn had told him it wasn't necessary that she was alone three nights a week and she was used to it and if she was really scared or worried she could go upstairs to hang with Tasha. Jack ignored her and stayed. And then, he proceeded to show up on all the nights her mom was out until midnight. He came bearing dinner and a movie.

   Jack was a horror movie buff and Catlyn liked romantic comedies. Jack had sighed a deep put upon sigh as he graciously said, "We'll take turns with my horror and action films and your chick-flicks." Catlyn had laughed as she agreed to put up with his yucky movies if he was willing to sit through her tear-jerkers and happily-ever-afters.