Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 180

Darlene got in and closed the door, then took a good look at the driver. Her blouse was opened far enough to expose a large portion of her left tit. It was white, too white for someone with jet black hair. "I'm Darlene."

"Yes, you are." The woman extended her hand. "Very nice to meet you, Darlene," she said in a voice that dripped with honey. "I'm Style, Style Pioneer."

Does she know me, Darlene wondered and shook the woman's hand. It was strong and held on too long for a hello handshake. "Nice to meet you, too. Style Pioneer's eyes were hazel with a blue ring around the iris, like a snake's eyes.

Style said, "You have the most beautiful eyes."

Darlene realized her hand was now hanging in midair between them. Thank you." She took a deep breath, then released it along with all of the relief she had felt about being picked up by a woman. She knew how to handle horny guys, but this Style Pioneer made her nervous. Darlene thought she could feel her, if that was possible without touching.

The wornan asked, "Where you going?" but the car was already moving to the entrance ramp for the interstate.

Darlene said, "Sunny Haven-"

"Really? Today is your lucky day," Style said. "I live out that way. Have to go right past it."

They talked for twenty minutes. Style was friendly and had a girlish smile. She won Darlene's trust even though she rarely trusted adults. When the woman asked if she wanted to see her new house, Darlene ignored the hairs tingling on the back of her neck and agreed.

When the car turned and started down the long driveway, Darlene thought, this is how psycho killer movies start. What choice did she have now?

"Welcome to my castle,' Ms. Style said.

Darlene got out of the car and turned in a circle. The house was huge and had a presence like the woman who owned it. Something was jingling. Darlene tumed and saw a giant black dog coming towards her. She looked over the car with questioning eyes. The goth looking woman smiled and said, "Don't worry,

Sweetheart, he's friendly."

The massive dog stared up at her. Darlene cautiously held out her hand. The dog ignored it and shoved his snout between her legs and sniffed. Instead of preventing what she knew was coming next, Darlene shivered as the tongue shot out and dragged across her crotch. Too bad she was wearing panties.

"Brutus," Ms. Style said and pulled him back. 'I'm sorry."

Darlene felt something twisting deep inside her body. Her cheeks flushed, and she realized she was leaning against the car. If her new friend wasn't there, she would have yanked her underwear off and spread her legs. "It's okay," she said, "he's just being a dog."

"I know, but that's not the first impression I wanted you to have of my house."

The crappy old mattress creaked and jerked Darlene out of her reminiscing. She was disappointed to find herself in the trailer where she lived, not at Ms. Style's where she always wanted to be.

Evan wasn't sure why he didn't tell Jason about Darlene, but after they were off the phone, he told himself it wasn't important compared to being grounded. The truth was, Evan didn't want to share Darlene with Jason. She had been his challenge before Becky started bringing Darlene over to Jason's house.

He had to go home now and talk to his mother, but he was driving grandmother slow. He was afraid to face her, afraid to look into her eyes; the eyes that had shown terror. Would there still be red marks on her neck?

Evan's thoughts went back to imagining what his father might have put Candy through, then he mentally shifted gears to Deana. She would ask questions, and he would lie. Wouldn't she know he wasn't being honest? Deana would be upset, maybe mad at him for causing their mother pain. Man up he told himself, and pressed the accelerator to the floor, just making it through the yellow light.

Evan felt relieved when he didn't see his mother's car in the driveway. That feeling was immediately followed by shame. It was bad enough he got her involved and couldn't protect her, now he didn't have the balls to talk to her.

When he got in the house, he went to Gloria's room and asked, "You drawing more porn?"

"Nol"

"What is it then?"

Gloria turned around on her chair, and her eyes widened. "I knew something happened to you."

"Huh?"

"Dahah, your eye, in my dream something happened, a fight or something."

"You and your dreams," he said. "It was a big bad rake I was fighting with. I stepped on it and pow, right in the eye."

"Oh."

"Oh? Are you disappointed I didn't get beat up?"

"No, you didn't, you kick some ass in my dream. See. She picked up the pad and shoved it in his face.

Evan took a step backward so he could take in the whole drawing. The degree of detail was astonishing. The shirtless medieval warrior was pointing a club at the sky. Every muscle on his body rippled, and his foot was on the neck of an incapacitated giant. Evan swallowed hard, wishing he had lived up to his sister's expectation. "Seriously," he said and pointed at the long ridge up the front of the caricature's shorts.

Gloria's shrug and head flip said, yes, seriously, so he moved on. "Where's mom?"

"Her and Miss Tonya are up to something, Gloria said.

"Up to something? What does that mean?"

"You know, doing whatever adults do when they don't want kids around."

Evan thought for a long time before asking, "How do you know?"

"She dropped me off and went to Miss Tonya's house. Jayda is at Alex's

"Oh," he said. "Deana?"