It's Still Rock and Roll to Me
It's Still Rock and Roll to Me
A Story by: Ebon Jackal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was 1988. The start of my senior year in high school. Still a little fuzzy on the exact date, but that doesn't matter much. All that matters is her. That perfect girl that everyfur wanted and nofur could have. Nofur, except a total outcast. Me.
My name is Rick Maxwell. I'm a pureborn red fox with black-tipped ears, white fur on my tail and stomach, and hazel eyes. My usual clothes were kinda in style, but I never followed the crowd completely. Most days, I'd wear a Corona Beach Club T-shirt with a pair of white Converse All-Stars, dark bullethole jeans, a bright pink and orange Billabong jacket, and a black fedora on my head. My friends all said I was nuts for trying to mix styles, but I didn't much care. Clothes were clothes, and I never really payed much attention to what other furs thought of me anyway. That is, until she came around.
I remember that moment like it only just happened. I was just walking down the hallway one day, not paying any attention to anyone, everyone returning my indifference. I turned my face to look at the rows of locker doors going by, and watching them became a little hypnotic. WHAM! I had smashed right into somefur, and we both landed on our tails as she dropped her books. I moved to pick them up, muttering "Sorry, sorry..." Then, her paw brushed over mine, and I looked at her for the first time.
She was obviously one of the popular girls; she had the unmistakable aura that protrudes from furs that everyone likes. It was odd, though. She had to be a hybrid, as she had the look of a canine with tiger stripes all over her face. Most hybrids were shunned by the popular kids, but those orange and black stripes actually made her look kinda cute. I didn't get a good look at her clothes because I was lost in her eyes. Those deep, sparkling emerald eyes. I couldn't really tell, but I thought that, from the look in her eyes, she had the same problem.
After a few moments of this, she blinked quickly and started to pick up her books again. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you."
"No, that was my fault." I replied, handing her the rest of what she had dropped. "I need to be a little more careful. I was distracted."
"I'm the same way today. Don't feel bad." She looked at me again, then flicked her head to toss her hair out of her eyes. "What's your name?"
"I'm Rick." I answered, bowing and removing my fedora. "And you are?"
She giggled timidly. "Ellen. Ellen Jarvis."
The bell rang. Five minutes to get to class. "Nice to meet ya, Ellen. Hope I see ya soon."
"Maybe you will." she said, then gave me a small wave goodbye and began to walk down the hall again. As she passed, I got a whiff of her perfume. Smelled expensive, very rich. It was... pleasant, in a way. I just stood there and watched her walk away, still recovering from her beauty.
A painful clap on my back brought me spiraling back to my senses. "OW!" I cried, turning around to find a rocker lion standing right behind me.
"Nice play, Shakespeare." he said jokingly, giving me a smile. The lion was my old friend, a metalhead called Johnny Berkwood. It was never hard to find him in a crowd, he was a perfect Axl Rose lookalike. He had long hair, which he wore a sock hat on top of. With that, he had a pair of acid washed jeans, a Hard Rock Café T-shirt and shell toe Adidas sneaks. Johnny was the drummer in a local garage band, and he always carried his drumsticks in his back pocket.
"Johnny, ya gotta warn me when ya wanna break my back." I said, rubbing the point of impact.
"Sorry. Couldn't help it." he said apologetically. "Saw ya talking to the hybrid girl."
"So?"
"She tell ya her name?" I nodded, and Johnny's smile morphed into a broad grin. "Bitchin!"
"What? So what if she's a cute one?"
"You've never seen her before?" I shook my head. "Dude, where have you been lately? She's the most popular babe in the school! All the jocks have been going after her for years! Everyfur in this place has been trying to date her, but she's still available."
"Get out!" Johnny shook his head to show that he wasn't kidding. "And she'd actually stop to talk to the biggest outcast here?"
"She might not've known." The second bell rang. "Damn! Late again! Oh well, see ya! Remember, skate park after school. Bobby's meeting us there."
"Solid." I turned to walk away. "See ya, Johnny." I walked toward my home room, thinking about what Johnny had told me. A babe like Ellen, talking to a loser like me? Couldn't say that it was a bad thing, but I wouldn't have seen it coming, not in a million years. I started to wonder if I really would see her again. Something deep inside me suddenly whispered "I hope so."
*****
I met with up Johnny down by the skate park gates at about 3 'o clock. "Hey, Johnny." I said to the lion, who was leaning casually against the fence.
"Yo."
"Where's Bobby?"
"Already skating. He got 'board' waiting for us." Johnny let out a little laugh.
"Ha, ha." I said sarcastically. "Funny one, pal."
"Sorry. Sounded cool in my head."
"Come on, let's get inside and see if we can find Bobby." The two of us entered the skate park and starting looking around. There was a small crowd around, only about five skaters. The search would be quick, then.
Quicker than we thought. No sooner had we stepped up to the center bowl than Bobby shot into the air right in front of us! I could tell it was him from the gigantic "Wahoo!" that came out of his mouth as he sailed through the air on his board. He stayed there for a few seconds, then fell back into the bowl and stopped. He turned around to face us with a smile of excitement on his face.
Bobby was Johnny's twin brother, and they got along like one of those unconventional pairs of siblings. In other words, they actually got along nicely! Unlike his brother, however, Bobby wasn't much for music. No, he was a skater through and through, a wannabe Lord of Dogtown. He was wearing something new today. A bomber jacket, camos and army boots, to be exact. "What's with the new ensemble?" I asked him.
"Belongs to my old man. He's back from the war, and he let me have his clothes." He flicked the white lining on his jacket. "'Cept for this. That's mine."
"I see." I answered.
"How's it look?" Bobby asked.
"Stellar!" I said. "Why didn't you wanna wear that, Johnny?"
"Who said I didn't?" Johnny replied. "Course, it looks better on him, so I figured 'What the hell? I can go without it.'"
I nodded. "So, why's your pops back from the war?"
"Bullet in the leg." Bobby explained.
"Ooh! Heavy." I said sympathetically.
"Yeah." Johnny said. "It's not too bad, he just can't walk without limping, so he was no good in a fight."
"That's good." I beckoned Bobby up to us, and he performed a quick move and joined us on the higher ground. The lion picked up his board and tucked it under his arm. "Come on, guys. Let's walk a while."
We started to walk out of the park. As soon as we were outside of the gates, Bobby spoke up. "So, anything cool happen today?"
"Actually, yeah!" Johnny said, smirking a bit. "Ya know Ellen Jarvis?"
"The sexy hybrid girl, right?" Bobby answered. "Yeah, I've seen her a few times. Why?"
"Guess who got to know her today."
"Who?" Johnny pointed to me, and Bobby's face turned to total disbelief. "No way!"
"Way!" I said, barely able to hide my smile.
"Tripendicular, dude!" We exchanged a high five. "How'd that happen?"
"I just kinda bumped into her in the hall." Bobby gave me a look that seemed to say that he didn't buy it. "No, really. I mean I literally bumped into her."
Johnny scoffed. "Smooth move." he said.
"Jealous." I shot back. "Anyway, I just stopped to help her pick up her books, and we got to talking. The rest is history."
"Alright. Good start." Johnny said. "So, what now?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.
"Well, ya gonna try to get her for yourself, or are ya just gonna let her slip through your paws?" Bobby queried.
I had to think about that. Sure, Ellen was pretty and all, but what chance did a loser like me have with a doll like her? On the other paw, it'd be killer to have a girl like that to love. I decided to answer as honestly as I could.
"Dunno." I replied, shrugging.
"You don't know?" the Berkwood twins gasped in stereo, turning their faces to me to show their simultaneous shock.
My composure stayed the same. "That's right, I dunno. Call the five-o's on me, why don'tcha?" I looked down the street a little ways and saw my escape route from the inevitable barrage of advice and quips coming my way; the music shop. "I think I'll check out the music store for a while." I turned to the Berkwoods. "You two wanna come in?"
"Nah."
"Nope."
"OK, suit yourselves." I treaded toward the double doors of the shop as Johnny and Bobby walked on ahead, probably going home. So much the better, I would soon find out. If they would've been there to see what happened next, I would never have heard the end of it.
I stepped inside and walked onto the multi-colored carpets of the store. It was kinda like stepping into my home away from home. I loved music. It was probably my favorite thing in the whole world. I listened to almost anything that came out, and I could rap and sing pretty well myself. Johnny had actually tried to talk me into doing the vocals for his band a few times, but I wasn't too proud of my talent.
Looking around the room, I saw the familiar rows of vinyl records and CD's that beckoned me to them with silent voices. I had a record player at home still, but most of the really good tunes were out on CD now, so that's where I headed first. My eyes strolled along the line as I read off band after band. The Cure, Tears for Fears, U2, Guns 'n Roses, every hit was in this store. It was kinda like those lockers at school all over again. Watching the columns of CD's going by became more like a hypnotist trick.
WHAM! For the second time that day, I had smashed into somefur. "Bogus!" I muttered. "Sorry."
"That's alright. It's not your... wait, Rick?" I looked up at the other fur, and I nearly fainted from surprise. Not only had I smashed into somefur twice that day, it was the same fur both times!
"Ellen?" I breathed, hardly able to believe my own eyes.
"Yes, I am." She looked at me with a smile on her striped face. "What're you doing here?"
"I like coming in here sometimes. Music's my thing, ya know?" I said without hesitation. Odd. Normally, I'd be frozen stiff trying to talk to a girl that I hardly knew. "What're you doing here?"
"Same as you are. I thought I'd look through all of the music here."
"You like music, too?"
"Duh!" she said. "Who doesn't?"
"You'd be surprised." I answered. "So, what kinda bands do ya listen to?"
"Almost anything. I still listen to all of the old stuff, like Styx and Pink Floyd. I don't really like most of the new bands that've started popping up as much, but I guess that's just me."
"Why don'tcha like them?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going.
"I dunno. It's just not the same kinda music as the old rockers played."
"How so? Anyway, rock's always changing. It'll never stay the same for too long, so ya may as well go with it."
Ellen shrugged. "To each his own."
"I'll give ya one thing, though. The old hits are still golden."
"You think so, too?"
"Sure. I mean, without them, rock wouldn't be where it is today!"
"Maybe so." Ellen looked away for a second. "By the way, sorry for bumping into you again."
"It's not your fault." I said. "Besides, it's not such a bad thing." I stopped cold. Had I actually just said that? Had that just come outta MY mouth?
Ellen gazed quizzically at me. "What?"
I swallowed hard. Oh, boy. What had I gotten myself into? Still, I had to speak. "It's not a bad thing. Sure, there's a few furs I'd never wanna run into, just for what they might do to me. Now, you, on the other paw... well, let's just say I'd rather run into you if I had to run into anyone." Mentally, I was kicking myself for that last sentence. "God, you stupid dork!" I thought.
Ellen blinked rapidly, then her questioning frown turned to a warm smile. "That's sweet of you, Rick. A little awkward, but I'm sure you just haven't had much practice wooing girls."
I blushed a little. "You're right, I haven't."
"Nothing shameful about that." Ellen said, then moved a little closer and took my by the paws. "I think I'm starting to like you, Rick. Maybe we should get together sometime."
I almost gasped in shock, but I somehow managed to keep my cool. "Ya mean that?"
"I do." She let go of my paws and passed by me again. Once more, the smell of her perfume flowed into my nostrils. I would've been lost in its scent, but something happened that completely dragged me out of it. "Oh, and I need to give you something before I go."
"What's that?" I asked, then I felt her lips press against my cheek. My eyes grew wide with surprise, and I could feel a kind of electricity shoot through my body. It lasted for only a second or two, but I would remember that for a long time after it happened.
Ellen quickly withdrew, then smiled cutely. "Keep it up, Rick, and you'll be getting a lot more of those!" She turned away again and walked out of the store.
I stood there, totally dumbfounded and more than pleased. I rubbed over the spot where she had planted her kiss. I still couldn't believe it. Had I been hallucinating, or was that really Ellen Jarvis who had just graced me with that little gift? "Wow." I whispered to myself "Suddenly, life's looking up!"
-The Next Day-
"Impossible!" Johnny couldn't disguise his grin as I told him about my encounter with Ellen in the music store.
"No lie! I swear, she just kissed me and left!"
"Awesome!"
"No shit, Sherlock!" Johnny and I exchanged an air guitar lick, then a high five. "Now, the only problem is how I'm gonna make sure I can keep her. I just don't know what to do." I turned to the lion and tried to put on a pleading look. "Ideas?"
Johnny glanced around quickly, then his face lit up like he'd just found the Holy Grail. "One." he answered, pulling out a drumstick and pointing to a poster on the wall. It read:
SCHOOL DANCE
Saturday, November 5th
Gymnasium - 6:00 PM to Midnight
Bring along your date and your dancing' shoes!
"Wait a second! Ya don't think I should-"
"I do!" Johnny stopped me "Ask her out! I mean, she's obviously got a thing for ya! Try it!"
"I dunno, Johnny." I put my paws in my pockets and hung my head. "I mean-"
"Come on, coward!" Johnny slapped me on the back with his mighty paw, nearly knocking my fedora off. "Besides, what's the worst that can happen? She can say 'no'. That's it!"
"Yeah, and that would be really damn embarrassing!"
"Dude, you're a walking embarrassment already!"
I laughed a little. Johnny was always giving me playful insults, ever since we were in grade school. "True." I sighed in defeat. "Fine, Johnny. I'll do it! It's not like I'm gonna find a way out of it."
"Good." Johnny replied, patting me gently on the head.
"But, I'm not gonna do it just yet."
"Why wait?"
"I only just met Ellen. I think I'd better take a little time to get to know her more. Ya know, slowly creep up to the question. I've got a few weeks until the dance, so I'll ask her when I think the time's right."
Johnny shrugged and smiled. "Alright, Rick. She's your girl. I'm not gonna tell ya how to do your thing." Johnny looked down the hall and suddenly grabbed me by the shoulder. "Speak of the devil." Johnny pointed down the hall with his drumstick at a big wolf jock named Chris Duggard, who was leaning against a locker with one paw and talking to somefur near him.
"So?" I asked, not able to see who was talking to the buff wolf.
"Look who's trying to steal your thunder." Johnny answered, directing my gaze to a girl near Chris. Then, I realized what was happening. It was Ellen!
"Oh, hell no!" I thought. "Sorry, buddy, but you aren't taking her. Not if I have anything to say about it!" A sudden fire sparked inside of me, and I walked down the hall to confront Ellen's guest. Suddenly, I didn't even care that Chris could deck me if I ticked him off. I was determined to get Ellen away from him. I wasn't gonna just give her away without a word!
I eventually got close enough to hear the conversation. It was the jock's turn to speak. "Come on, baby doll! I'm just asking ya to-"
"I know what you're asking me, Chris, and the answer is no!" Ellen shot back angrily. I hung back a bit. It looked like she could handle this fur herself.
"Ellen, ya know ya want me!" He moved his paw to try and grab her canine tail. Fortunately, I was faster.
"Funny." I said suddenly, which made the wolf stop and look at me. "Sounds to me like she's telling ya to stay away!"
Ellen looked at me and smiled happily. "Rick!" she sighed as she walked over and wrapped her arms around me.
Chris looked at me with sudden anger. "I take it she's yours, fox?"
"Yeah." I imitated his glare and wrapped a protective arm around the hybrid. "Why, is that a problem?"
"I'll say it is!" Chris clenched his fists tightly. "A girl as pretty as her oughta be mine. A loser like you doesn't deserve her!"
"Back off, Chris!" Ellen cried out suddenly, before laying her head against my shoulder. "Maybe if you could be a little more like Rick, you'd actually have a shot at me!"
"How can you say that, Ellen?" I could hear how wounded the wolf was, though he tried to hide it.
"The same way I can say this; buzz off and drop dead!" she replied.
Chris growled in utter rage. I probably should've found it terrifying, but I was actually struggling to hold back a laugh. "You heard the lady." I said coldly. "Buzz off, meathead!"
Chris let out another quiet growl, then turned sharply and walked down the hallway.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Ellen breathed out in relief and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks a lot, Rick! I thought he'd never leave!"
"You're lucky I got here when I did." I replied. "I dunno if ya saw it or not, but he was making a move."
She gave me a quizzical look. "What?" I twiddled the ends of her tail with my finger. "Oh. In that case, I owe you a little more than a peck on the cheek."
"Ya do?"
"Sure." Ellen wrapped her paws behind my head and forced it forward, pressing our lips together for a moment. I quietly moaned in pleasant surprise at the sensation. She might as well have held me there for days, nothing would ever replace the feelings I had at that moment.
Just as quickly as she began the kiss, she silently broke away. "How's that?"
"Wicked." I answered, smiling broadly. "I bet Chris'd kill me if he caught us doing that! Which reminds me, how'd you stand up to him like that?"
"Why do you ask?"
"No girl's ever resisted him. He just says one word, and they melt like butter on a stove!"
"I dunno. He's just so... grodie!" Ellen stuck out her tongue in disgust. Definitely feline; it was short and rough. Man, was she a mixed-up creature! Damn pretty, but way blended. I'd have to ask her about her folks sometime.
"No arguments here!" I said, chuckling a little.
"So, what brought you over here, anyway?"
"I was... wondering if you'd like to meet up after school or something." I lied. Sure, I'd planned to ask her out eventually, but not so soon.
Ellen seemed to consider the question for a moment, then she looked into my eyes and smiled softly. "Where will you be at 3:30?"
"Waiting for ya on Hartman's Hill. That is, if ya don't mind meeting me there."
The five-minute bell rang. "It's a date." Ellen answered, releasing me from her embrace and waving. I returned the wave, then turned to walk back toward my home room. Johnny walked up to me as I approached the edge of the hall.
"Having fun, Ricky?" he chided, smiling.
"Watched the whole thing, didn'tcha?" I asked. Johnny nodded. "Don'tcha wish that was you getting sugar from her?"
"Duh!" Johnny gave me a gentle - yes, a gentle - pat on the back. "Good job, man."
"Thanks." I replied, then waved goodbye and continued walking down the hall.
*****
There I sat on Hartman's Hill, waiting in my car with the top down and listening to AC/DC on the radio. I was more than a little anxious, but somehow I wasn't really sweating what was about to happen. Just thinking about Ellen was making things a little easier for me to take. I didn't even think about the fact that this was my first actual date, let alone that it was with the most bodacious girl in school!
Just as I was turning off the radio to enjoy a few seconds of silence, someone spoke up from near the car. "AC/DC, huh?" the voice said, making me jump. "You've got pretty decent taste." I looked over to the large oak tree only a foot and a half away, and down from the branches came Ellen.
"How long have ya been up there?" I asked as she approached the car.
"Oh, I'd guess about twenty minutes or so." she answered. "In any case, I was here before you arrived."
"So you've been spying on me, then?" I joked, smiling a bit.
"I'd rather call it observing." she replied.
"Observing?"
"Sure. I wanted to see how nervous you were about... well, this."
In my rear view mirror, I could see my face change from a smile to a questioning, yet eager frown. "Why's that?"
Ellen let her head droop a bit, as though she was afraid to say what was on her mind. "Rick, ever since I met you, I've been feeling something odd. Nothing bad, just something a little new. It took me a while to figure it out, but I think it's... love."
I swear, if I wouldn't have willed myself not to, I would've fainted of pure happy shock at that second. I had to test her on that. "How can ya be sure, Ellen? We only met yesterday!"
"Come on, Rick. Don't you believe in love at first sight?"
"Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time."
Ellen giggled. "Neat, a Beatles fan. You must be relaxed if you can make jokes like that."
"Hate to be rude, but you still didn't answer my question."
"You're right. I do owe you an explanation." Ellen eased toward me a little more, and a sincere yet wanting tone flowed into my ears as she spoke. "Ever since that second we first locked eyes, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. I wasn't sure what it was, until now."
"Okay, what was it, then?"
"You had a kind of vibe about you. I found out a little afterward what it really was. You're the first honestly nice fur I've met. Most other guys would look me over then try to beg for sex, but you just looked me in the eyes and didn't even say a thing. I didn't know it right at that moment, but after we talked in the music store, I understood the kinda fox you are. You really proved it to me after how you stood up to Chris today! You didn't just want me for my body, you really cared for me as another fur. Am I right?"
"Yes." I answered, my smile returning.
"I thought so." Ellen leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "So, I thought you deserved a reward."
"A reward? Whatcha mean?"
Ellen smiled sweetly and crossed to the other side of the car. When she finally reached the passenger side door, she jumped over the side and landed in the seat. Acrobatic, definitely a trait from her feline side. If I hadn't been so stunned from her beauty up close, I would've payed more mind to it. Sure, I'd seen her this close before. Hell, I'd seen her this close earlier that day! Her hotness seemed... well, even greater than it already was. I wasn't sure, but I thought it was that way because of some kinda deep desire she had. "You'll find out." she said, knocking me out of my trance. "Just stay relaxed and do whatever comes to your mind."
Oh, lord. Whatever came to my mind? If I were any other kinda fur, I would've tore her plaid skirt off and made love to her without any second thought. Maybe I'm just stupid like that, but something inside me wanted to take it a little slower, mostly so I could milk every second for all it was worth. After all, I had all day to do whatever I wished with her. And, boy, did I have plans!
I turned my body toward her as I leaned in, closing my eyes. Almost instantly, I felt our mouths make contact. Her lips parted after a few seconds and I instinctively slid my tongue in. Everything was happening without my control. I swear, I had no idea what I was even doing. My feelings and actions blended and blurred together into absolute heaven. I wasn't even aware that my paw was slowly straying to her skirt.
That is, I wasn't aware at first. A kind of alarm went off in my brain as soon as it caught me, as if to say "Do not touch!". I suddenly jumped back and broke both the kiss and the bliss. Ellen was stunned for a second or so, and she seemed a little disappointed. Maybe a little afraid, too. "What's wrong, Rick?" she asked.
"I... I'm sorry, Ellen." I whispered, turning away and hanging my head. "I can't do this."
"Why?"
"I'm... not too sure." I answered.
I turned back to notice tears welling up in Ellen's once sparkling eyes. She was doing a good job of holding back, considering what I'd just done. I'd pretty much just shot her down, along with myself. Suddenly, I felt a big punch of regret. "Ellen, I-"
Before I could finish, Ellen had jumped back out of the car and started to bolt down the hill. I turned and watched her go. She was hardly able to hold back the cry of pain and surprise that I caused. How bad did I feel at that second? Take the worst you've ever felt, and increase that about thirty fold. Yeah, it hurt that bad. I'd just sent the only girl I'd ever really felt anything for running away in pain. "Smooth, Rick Maxwell. Real smooth." I whispered to myself, a single tear escaping my eye.
--The Next Day-
School was out for the day, and I still hadn't gotten rid of the bogus feeling that I'd had since what I said to Ellen on Hartman's Hill. I was heading out to my car when I noticed somefur leaning against the driver side door. From how far away I was, I couldn't really tell who it was. I decided to just get up close and see.
No sooner had I approached then I noticed the plaid skirt and the striped bushy tail. I felt like such a doofus. I should've seen it coming! "Hey, Ellen." I said casually.
Ellen turned around to look at me. She didn't look worried or upset. That was a good sign. Maybe she'd gotten over yesterday a bit better than I had. "Hi, Rick." she answered.
"What brings you here?" I asked.
"I... wanted to talk to you about yesterday." she said quietly.
"Drat, I figured." I said. "Look, I'm really-"
Ellen silenced me with a quick kiss. She withdrew quickly and stared at me with those sparkling green eyes. "Rick, you don't have to say anything. Don't feel bad about what happened. It was all my fault."
"No, it wasn't. I-"
"Please, just listen." Ellen pleaded. "I shouldn't have tempted you like that. You were a little unprepared for what you were about to do."
"Whatcha mean?"
"I bet it didn't feel quite right to you, did it? You never meant to nearly tear off my clothes, much less yiff me right then and there." Ellen smiled. She was totally relaxed. "You're a little too nice to try something like that after only a day. That's why you did what you did. I just over-reacted. So, I guess the best way to say it is just... I'm sorry, Rick."
I stood there, shocked but satisfied. Not only did she forgive me, but she took all the blows for it! Suddenly, I liked the girl even more than I had already (as if that was possible). I got an idea. "Well, now that that's over with, guess what I've gotta say is cake."
"Go ahead."
"Are ya free right now?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Wanna give it all another try?"
Ellen's eyes widened, but then she smiled and wrapped her arms around me. "Sure. Why not?"
"Alright. Jump on in and we'll go back to the hill!" I walked over to the other side of the car, unlocked the door and opened it up, ushering the hybrid inside.
*****
We were up on Hartman's Hill once more, the car top down and a soft rock tune playing quietly on the radio. After a few seconds, I tried to spark a little conversation. "So, Ellen, can I ask ya something?"
"Sure. What do you want to know?"
"What are your folks like?"
Ellen leaned back and drew in a breath. "Well, my mom's a tigress and my dad's an arctic fox, first off."
"Okay, that explains what you're mixed from. What do they do for a living?"
"Mom's a nurse."
"And your pops?"
"He's a construction worker."
"Neat!"
"What about yours?"
"Mom's a writer. My old man's a letter carrier." I smiled. "Not nearly as cool as yours."
"I bet they're nice."
"Yeah, they are. They can be pretty harsh when they punish me, but when they're not like that, they're really okay. For parents, anyway."
Ellen chuckled. "Did they buy you this car?"
"Yep. It was a birthday present after I got my learner's permit. Took quite a bit of money, and they made me promise to take good care of it, but I haven't let them down."
"That's cool."
The radio went silent for a second, then a soft piano intro started playing. I recognized it right away. Obviously, Ellen did, too. "Wow." she said. "They're still playing Billy Joel on this station?"
I smiled, and something started welling up inside me as Billy's lyrics began to flow forth.
"_She's got a way about her.
Don't know what it is,
But I know that I can't live without her._ "
"She's got a way of pleasin'.
I don't know what it is,
But there doesn't have to be a reason, anyway."
"Rick!" Ellen exclaimed. "Was that you?"
I blushed. Great, I'd been singing along and I didn't even notice it. "Not too pretty, was it?" I said.
"No, it was actually pretty good." she said.
I looked at her. "Really?"
"Really." she nodded. "That's neat. I didn't know you could sing."
"I don't think I'm all that good."
"Trust me, you're not bad at all." Ellen suddenly lit up as though she had an idea. "I wonder, if you can sing, how well can you dance?"
"Dunno." I smiled again and opened my door, turning the radio up a little louder. "Why don't we find out?" Ellen jumped out and joined me near the oak tree. As Billy Joel's song continued in the background I presented my paw to her. She took hold of it, and we started slowly swaying back and forth in a slow dance, staring at each other more lovingly with each step we made.
"_She comes to me when I'm feeling down,
Inspires me without a sound.
She touches me, and I get turned around.
She's got a way of showin'
How I make her feel,
And I find the strength to keep on goin'.
She's got a light around her,
And everywhere she goes
A million dreams of love surround her everywhere.
She comes to me when I'm feeling down,
Inspires me without a sound.
She touches me, and I get turned around.
She's got a smile that heals me.
I don't why it is,
But I have to laugh when she reveals me.
She's got a way about her.
Don't know what it is,
But I know that I can't live without her, anyway._ "
The song ended, and Ellen pulled up close and kissed me softly. "You're pretty good on your feet." she said.
"You, too." I replied. "I'd like to do that again sometime."
"Why can't you?"
I looked quizzically at her. "Whatcha mean?"
"Look, I've been wanting to ask you this for some time, I just couldn't find the right moment. That is, until now."
"What is it?"
Ellen pulled me even closer, close enough to feel our hearts thumping against each other. Hers was pounding like a jackhammer, but why? She leaned her muzzle against my shoulder and whispered into my ear "Rick, would you be my date to the dance?"
I went wide-eyed and gasped. I couldn't believe it! She'd actually asked me? Ellen looked at me sadly. "What's wrong, Rick?" she asked. "Do you not want to-?"
"Wait!" I said. "Yes. I'd love to."
Ellen smiled happily and kissed me passionately. The way she was treating me at that moment, I could've sworn I'd just told her she was entering Heaven. Maybe I had, I sure knew I was there! We stayed on the hill for another couple of hours, talking and listening to music. Soon, I had to drive her home and get back home myself.
--The Next Day-
"No way!" Johnny and Bobby said in stereo, both of their faces turning to pure shock.
"Way!" I responded, grinning ear to ear. We were walking down to the skate park, and I had just gotten finished telling them about my time spent with Ellen the day before. From the beginning, they were totally captivated. By the time I got to telling them about her offer, they were in complete disbelief.
"Damn it, Rick, how do you get so lucky with the ladies?" Bobby asked.
"Dunno." I answered.
"Lucky? This is his first one, Bob." Johnny added.
"Maybe, but she's a good one!" Bobby said.
"Too true, my friend, too true." I whispered. By that time, we were standing outside the skate park gates. "So, you two going to the dance?"
"I am." Johnny replied. "Roped Millie Peterson into it."
"Good to hear." I commented. "How 'bout you, Bobby?"
"Nah. Couldn't find a date, but I wasn't really wanting to go too badly, anyway."
"Fine. Your choice." I said, turning away.
"Wait a sec! Where do ya think you're going?" Johnny called after me as I walked away.
"I'm heading for the music store. See ya later, dudes!" I took off jogging. I had a sudden urge to go find a new CD to listen to and a bit of money from my folks burning a hole in my pocket. As I got closer to my destination, I slowed down to a brisk walk. I wasn't tired at all, I just didn't feel like running.
It was a good thing, I soon found out. Just before I entered the familiar doors of the store, I looked across the street to a lesser known clothing shop called Monroe & Dean. I'd seen it quite a bit, but I never really payed it any mind. That was all because I never really had a reason to look at it too closely. This time around, things were a little different. As I was just about to turn back toward the music store entrance, I noticed a striped face looking at one the clothed mannequins in the front window. I stopped and stared a little longer, and I suddenly recognized the face. Without thinking, I took my paw off the door to the music store and crossed the street to go and meet up with the hybrid of my affection.
I opened the glass door to M&D and stepped inside. I'd never seen the interior before, and I had to admit it looked kinda nice. The carpeted floors were a soft bluish green, the walls and ceiling were made of polished wood, and the racks of clothes were seemingly endless. There was a small men's section on the wall to my right, but it was mostly women's dresses. I started to pretend to peruse the shop, hoping I'd catch a glimpse of Ellen. I walked over to the men's section after a short while, thumbing the fabric on a few of the tuxedos.
After a few more moments of feigning interest in the formal wear, I turned toward the back of the store, where a large rosewood counter with three cash registers sat. At the far end, at the last register in the row, stood the fur I'd come to find. She was leaning on the counter and talking to the cashier in a low, quiet voice. I snuck up a little closer to the counter, then ducked behind one of the clothing racks near Ellen's position.
"Alright. Thanks for your help." Ellen said to the cashier, a middle-aged female parrot.
"Always happy to help a girl in need, darling." the cashier squawked, smiling and waving goodbye.
"I'll be back soon!" Ellen returned the wave and turned away to walk out. Fortunately, she also came right by the rack I was hiding behind. While her back was turned to the rack, I jumped out quietly and began to follow her out of the store. She got as far as the glass door, and then she saw my reflection approaching. From her own reflection, I saw her smile softly with that lovely sparkle in her eyes. She spun around and wrapped her arms around my middle in a warm embrace. "How long have you been there, Rick?" she asked.
"Not very long." I answered, putting my arms around her and unconsciously pulling her closer. "What were you doing in here?"
"Looking at dresses. I'd seen a few here that I really liked, and their pretty cheap here too! Now, I should be asking why you were here."
"Saw ya in the window, thought I'd drop in and see you. Why, was it a bad idea?"
"No, not at all." she said.
"Now that I think about it, why would ya buy your clothes here? There's much bigger stores out there."
"True, but they're all a little overpriced, considering the only real difference between most other shops and this place is the name."
I nodded. Ellen was a sensible girl. "So, did ya find anything here?" I asked.
"Yes, actually!" Ellen pointed to a rack in the back of the room. "See that green dress with the pink sequins over there?" I looked back to the rack closest to the counter, and there hung a beautiful emerald dress, the same shade as Ellen's eyes. I could easily imagine her wearing that dress. God, how positively stunning!
"I'm sure you'll look nice in it." I said calmly, smiling at her.
"I hope so. I'd hate to be an eyesore for such a nice fox!" Ellen returned my smile, then gave a quick kiss. "So, what about you?"
"I... haven't really looked yet. Although..."
"What?"
"Oh, nothing. Hey, ya want me to walk with ya a bit?"
"No, that's alright." I tried to look sad, but Ellen just giggled and said "Don't worry, Rick. You'll see plenty of me between now and the dance!"
"I guess you're right." I pulled her in for a parting kiss, then released her from my embrace. "See ya tomorrow, Ellen!"
"Later, Rick!" Ellen waved goodbye and left through the door. I watched her leave through the glass, then I went to the counter in the back. Inspiration had suddenly struck me.
As I stepped up to the counter, the parrot woman greeted me with a smile. "So, you must the fox that hybrid girl was telling me about."
"I guess I could be." I said jokingly, smiling back. She must've been watching the whole show. "So, did she point out any dresses she liked?"
"Yes, the same one she showed you. Why?"
"Have any advice on a look that would compliment that?"
-Several Weeks Later-
As hard as it was to believe, it was finally November 5, 1988, 5:55 PM. There I stood, wearing the tux I'd rented from M&D and holding matching white bouteneirs in my paws. Ignoring how nervous I was, I rang the doorbell, then waited for somefur to appear in the doorway.
I took the time I had to go over the events of the last few weeks in my head. In just a short time, I'd done so much with Ellen. We'd gone on a few small dates, we'd talked about what we planned to do at the dance, but I stayed secretive about what I was wearing. I'd even met her parents. I was worried at first what they might think of me, but they ended up being very accepting furs.
That's probably the event that I remembered best. I had gone to her house for dinner because she said her parents refused to let me take her to the dance unless they got to know me. So, I drove her home after school that day and walked inside, paw in paw with her. The dinner was nice, and her parents warmed up to me really quickly. Mr. Jarvis even said that he'd never seen Ellen happier than since she met me. "You should hear how much she talks about you, Rick." he had said. "And how affectionately, at that! As far as I'm concerned, she's all yours. When the day rolls around, I hope you two have fun!"
My memories got interrupted as the front door opened, and I straightened up and adjusted my lapels. Standing in the doorway was Mr. Jarvis, a young-looking arctic fox with a considerably well built form, considering his species.
"Wait a moment." he said, looking me over. He seemed to take in every detail of my attire; the black tux, the white vest, the green shirt and the pink bow tie. He looked me in the eyes and gave a friendly smile. "You're not Rick Maxwell. What have you done with him?"
I gave a laugh. I didn't know Mr. Jarvis very well yet, but he was already treating me like an old friend. "It's me, I'm just in disguise." I answered.
"You clean up pretty well, kid." Mr. Jarvis commented. I gave a respectful nod, and he stepped aside. "Would you care to come in?"
"No, thanks. It's kinda cool out tonight. I'll just wait for her out here."
"Fine. She's upstairs getting her dress on. It won't be too long." Mr. Jarvis looked around quickly like he was checking to make sure no one else was listening, then he beckoned me forward. He lowered his voice and said "Between you and me, Rick, there's something I wanted to mention."
"Yeah?"
"See, during Ellen's last relationship, she got a little intimate with her guy. She didn't get impregnated, thank God, and the guy got dumped after a few more weeks for being drunk too often. Ellen was down in the dumps for a long time after that, but then you came along and she was back to her old self." Mr. Jarvis's smile widened. "Her mother and I agree on this. We trust you to stick with her, Rick. Whatever you two do tonight, we won't interfere or advise her."
I looked at the white fox with growing happiness, but not without confusion. "How can you be like that with her? I thought parents were supposed to protect their kids!"
Mr. Jarvis chuckled. "Rick, we don't have to protect her from you. She told us all about what happened the first time you went to the hill. I started seeing you with friendly eyes from that day, despite the fact that I'd never met you personally. Now, if that event's anything to go on, then you'll be able to control yourself well enough. Besides, it's not like she's gonna be under our jurisdiction much longer. She's going off into the world after this year. All we really want is for her to be happy, and you've definitely helped with that!"
"So, then, you're saying that-"
"I'm saying that we hope you keep it like that. She's more than willing to stay with you, if you're willing to stay with her."
"Does Ellen know how you feel?"
"We haven't really talked with her about it, but I bet she has her suspicions." I heard a door open and close somewhere in the house. "Ah, speaking of Ellen..."
Mr. Jarvis stepped away from the door, and out from that door came the same heavenly hybrid girl I'd seen so often. She was wearing the same dress she'd pointed out to me in M&D, and it really helped to bring out the color of her shining green eyes. I looked over her form, drinking in how much more incredible she was now that I saw her in a different way. I didn't just see her as a girl I could really get to know well, I saw her as something much more. After everything her pops had told me, I knew she felt something much stronger than I had thought at first. Now, for the first time since ever, I realized I actually felt the same.
"Better close your mouth, Rick." Ellen said lightly as I stood gaping. "Your tounge'll get dusty."
I blushed and shut my muzzle. "Oops."
"Hey, are those for me?" Ellen asked, looking at the bouteneirs I had brought.
"Well, one of them is." I presented her the one with a hair clip attached. She took it slowly and placed it in her ebony locks while I put mine in the slot cut into my tux lapel.
Mr. Jarvis ushered Ellen further out the door. "You two had better get going, unless you wanna be late to the fling."
I took Ellen by the paw. "Would my sweet princess like an escort to her carriage?" I said, kissing her paw tenderly.
Ellen blushed and replied "Yes, my handsome prince. I would."
We began to walk side by side down the walkway toward my car. As we got farther away, I looked back at Mr. Jarvis, who winked at me as if to say "Have fun, kid." I winked back knowingly, then opened the door for Ellen.
*****
The dance was kickin, and I was driving Ellen home at about 11:30 PM. At least, that's what I let her think. We drove near Hartman's Hill, since it was on the way back to her abode. As we got to the turnoff, I took it and drove up to the top of the hill. No other's cars were there. Perfect, we were alone.
"Rick? What're we doing here?" Ellen asked, a little confused.
"I thought you'd like to talk. You don't gotta be home for a while, do ya?"
"No."
"Okay, then." I parked the car and turned it off. "So, how'd ya like it?"
"It was really nice." Ellen relaxed and smiled. "You danced well, Rick."
"You weren't half bad yourself. Ya know, I could really get used to dancing with you."
"Thanks."
"Ellen..." I hesitated. I wasn't sure if I should ask her what was on my mind. Quickly, I decided now was as good a time as any. "Ellen, do you... well, love me?"
Ellen stared at me with a questioning look in her eyes. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, your pops said he thought you had a thing for me. You've been treating me pretty well, anyways." I looked at her softly. "Look, I realized for the first time tonight that I really feel something for you. Most other furs besides the Berkwoods never really payed me any mind, and I never payed anyone any of my own. You were something different. You accepted me straight away, and I felt so right with you. I wasn't sure if it was love or not, but now I'm sure of it. We're meant for each other. Even your parents think that."
Ellen gasped. "My parents?"
"Yep. Your dad told me so himself." I leaned in a little closer. "If I got it all right, then he only wants you to be happy, and he wants me to make sure that you are. That is, if you'll let me."
Ellen seemed to ponder the offer for a moment, then she leaned into me and started another deep kiss, just like the ones we'd shared so many other times. After a few seconds, Ellen broke away and pulled me forward a bit, nuzzling into my chest. "Do whatever comes to your mind, Rick."
I nodded, then climbed into the backseat. When Ellen started to playfully hesitate, I patted the place next to me. "Come on, don't be like that."
Ellen giggled, then climbed back and joined me. We embraced tightly and kissed again. Slowly, we sank down until she was lying on her back with me on top of her. I was feeling a little warm, so I tore off my tux and threw it into the front seat. This was getting better by the second. My paws started to stray toward her shoulder straps, and she didn't resist me at all.
"Go on, Rick." she whispered through the kiss. "Take it off me!"
"Patience, Ellen." I slowly pulled the straps off of her, then tugged the top of her dress down to expose her braless breasts. I moved my paws to her ribs, and she shivered and giggled from my touch.
"Wait a second." I said, breaking the kiss. "Are you ticklish?"
"Mm-mm." she said, shaking her head.
"Ya sure?" I started flitting her chest with my fingers. She burst out laughing instantly.
"Hey, that's not fair!" she managed to say between laughs.
"All's fair in love, Ellen." I kept it up for a while longer, then I stopped and slid my paws down to the bottom of her dress. Reaching up inside of it, I gently pulled on her cotton panties. Ellen knew what I wanted and picked her rump off the seat so I could remove her undergarments.
"So, this is what it would've been like, Rick?" she cooed dreamily.
"For now."
"For now? What does that mean?" I didn't answer, but instead I lifted the dress a little and curled my tail down until its furry tip was barely touching her nether lips.
"I wonder if you're just as ticklish all over." I said, grinning devilishly. I started to rapidly swing my tail's end up and down, brushing against her moistening pussy.
"Rick, what made you... ooh... think of doing... mmm... this?"
"I'll explain in a minute. Right now, just lay still and enjoy it." Ellen nodded and closed her eyes. She almost looked like she was waiting for me to continue. I didn't need her to give me another reason. I moved my tail faster and faster as I went, and I went back to kissing her and occasionally tickling her stomach through her dress. Her laughs and moans only served to deepen the kiss, and I used more of my tail than before, still increasing its speed.
"Rick... Rick..." Ellen managed to gasp out.
"Yes?"
"I can't... hold it much... longer."
"Okay, I'd better quit, then. Don't wanna ruin that dress." I started to move my tail away, but Ellen suddenly pushed her cunt against it again.
"No, I don't want you to stop. I didn't really plan to use this dress again, anyway." I nodded and started to tease her clit again. I didn't have to keep it up very long. I felt heat and a bit of wetness against my fur, and she breathed out in ecstacy.
I got off of her, and she sat back up, pulling her shoulder straps back on. "Now, why didn't you use your dick?" she asked.
"Didn't wanna make ya carry any pups. That is, not until we're hitched." I smiled and let her rest her head against my shoulder. "Besides, this was just for you. I didn't nee anything out of it. It's enough for me to know that I helped you feel good."
"Trust me, you've done that all along." Ellen brought her face back and looked at me with her beaming green eyes. I could see something deeper in them this time. It looked like thanks and pure joy. "I love you, Rick Maxwell."
"I love you too, Ellen Jarvis." We stayed on the hill for a few more moments, not speaking a word and letting our eyes tell each other over and over how much we cared for one another.
I got Ellen home at about 12:05. I walked her up to the front door and opened it to find Mr. Jarvis standing there. "Welcome home, Ellen." he said.
"Hi, Dad." Ellen turned to me and gave a quick goodbye kiss. "So long, Rick. See ya soon!"
"Of course you will." I replied. As soon as Ellen had ascended the stairs, Mr. Jarvis asked "So, how was your night with your new lover?"
"Mint, Mr. Jarvis." I answered. We exchanged a knowing smile, then I walked back to my car. I looked in the back floorboard to find that Ellen had left her panties by accident. I shrugged it off, it was sure to happen a lot from now on. I turned on the radio, and Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' came through. I'd tuned in just as it started.
"Kinda ironic." I thought as I drove home. "Right now, I feel like nothing can stop me!" I started singing along, the memories of Ellen flooding into my head. Before I got to sleep that night, the thought occurred to me that these were only the beginnings of the memories I was gonna be building. With that in mind, I drifted into a more pleasant sleep than I had ever had before.
-OVER-