[vended]

I hate the idea of these stories getting lost, so here's some repost now that they can't be properly found on a website.

PART 1

"You know those things are nothing but pure sugar," Ann stated in her usual matter-of-fact tone.

Sherry continued sipping her raspberry icy without showing a hint of concern. "Mmmmmm, hmmmmm, they sure are..." she replied a moment later, exaggerating her enjoyment of the experience.

"Like literally," Ann went on, "there's nothing else in there."

"Not true, there's ice." Sherry stirred the cup with her straw so Ann could hear it swishing.

"I'm being serious. There's no way that's good for you. You know we're already past the age where metabolism starts slowing down. You're gonna have to start thinking more about your health at some point."

Sherry rolled her eyes in mock disgust. Really though, she was more amused by Ann's uptight behavior than anything else. "Gee, thanks mom." "She hates it when I say that..." she thought, quietly smiling to herself.

"Ugh, I hate it when you call me that." Ann huffed.

"Well, that's who you sound like. 'Sherry, you know you need to watch your diet. Sherry, you're not staying out too late are you? Sherry, you really shouldn't offer blowjobs on every single date..."

"Sherry!" Ann gasped in a hushed voice.

"Well, she doesn't put it quite like that, but she'd still be pretty pissed. Man, if she how much cock I'd actually had in my mouth..."

"Stop it! There's other people eating here! They can hear you, you know!"

Sherry gasped loudly, clutching her hand over her heart as her eyes widened. "Oh... oh my god... do you mean...?" Now it was Ann rolling her eyes, in response to Sherry's pretend concern. "People... people might hear me say sex?!?!"

"Oh good lord!" Ann blushed deeply, shielding her face with her hand while also trying to look around the burger joint to see if anyone was watching. There were only a few other patrons, what with it being afternoon on a weekday. Still she was sure someone must have heard.

"Wow... you are so much fun to mess with." Sherry laughed, relishing her best friends discomfort. After four years of friendship, she knew just the right way to push Ann's buttons to get the reaction she wanted. She also knew when to back off though, for the most part. She didn't want to piss Ann off really, just tweak her a little. Liven things up a for her. God knows she needed it.


__________

They'd known each other ever since Ann's family moved to Sherry's town during their tenth grade year. They didn't talk much at first. In fact, Ann rarely talked to anyone at all. Sherry didn't like her, she seemed too goody-goody. Always getting the answers right when called on in class. Always one of the first to have her book turned to the right page, as if there were a race to see who could be the fastest tool. And apparently she was too stuck-up to talk to anybody. That was Sherry's first impression at least.

Sherry was the complete opposite. Always in trouble for one reason or another. She had already earned something of a bad-girl reputation by the end of freshmen year. She wasn't really trying to be that way, she just didn't care much for rules. She lived by the motto that if other people would just stop coming up with so many rules, she wouldn't seem like such a bad person.

So naturally, she didn't care much for little rule-abiding Ann at first. But she wouldn't bother Ann if she didn't bother her. That was another creed she'd learned to live by. And in Ann's case, it proved not to be a problem whatsoever. A few weeks went by, and Ann not only didn't bother her, she didn't bother anyone. And that's when Sherry started getting pissed.

It wasn't Ann she was pissed at, though. It was other things she saw, other things she heard. It started off simply enough. People laughing and mocking, making fun of the new girl. It became the "in" thing among the popular crowd. They needed someone to make themselves feel superior, and Ann was perfect for the job. She saw it happen in her classes once or twice, and had witnessed Ann's reaction. Over the next couple of weeks, it started to dawn on Sherry: Ann wasn't trying to be a stuck-up bitch. The poor girl was just shy as hell. Almost to the point of terror. And these assholes weren't helping that at all.

“What the fuck is wrong with them? She's not bothering anybody, just leave her alone if you don't like her.” Apparently, that wasn't possible with some people, not when the rules of high school dictated otherwise. And if there was one thing Sherry didn't handle well, it was rules.

It came to a head one day during lunch period. Ann was sitting by herself, actually reading a book while her food went virtually untouched. Whatever she was reading, it had her full attention. Sherry sat one table over, with an unobstructed view of Ann's activity. She wasn't really trying to watch Ann, she just happened to be in Sherry's field of vision. Hell, there wasn't really anything to watch. She was just sitting there reading, and occasionally fidgeting every so often as if she was uncomfortable. Sherry noticed the book jacket seemed to be missing from the cover. "Heh, she's one of those 'oh my god, I can't get it wrinkled' types. God forbid something be out of place. Or even worse... dirty! That girl really needs loosen up."

She shook her head to herself, promptly deciding not to bother dwelling on her conservative little classmate. “It's a shame, she's actually kinda pretty. Bet she could get whatever guy she wanted if she'd just try a little. Oh well, if she wants to spend her time with her nose in a book instead of getting some, that's her business. More cock for me...”

Unfortunately, Sherry wasn't the only one who'd noticed Ann reading. She'd caught someone else's attention, someone not as willing to give the girl her space.

Beth Harper. If there was a more fitting stereotype for stuck-up, popular bitch, one would be hard-pressed to find it. Ann didn't even notice as the girl strolled toward her from behind, her nose high enough in the air to pose a threat to air traffic. "Oh shit..." Sherry thought quietly, tensing up as she saw where this was heading. "Here we go..."

Ann was jerked from her mental solitude as Beth snatched the book from her hand in one quick motion. "Watcha reading there, Poindexter?"

It took Ann a second to figure out what was going on, she'd been so absorbed in her world of words. "Oh... hey! Please give it back! Please?"

"'Please?!' To hell with 'please' girl!" Sherry scowled to herself. "She jerks it out of your hand like that and you ask politely? Don't say 'please' you powderpuff, knock her on her ass!"

"Let's see what we got here." Beth casually flipped to the front of the book, expecting to see something nerdy. Something that would reinforce the "brainiac" image and give her more ammo to unload. Maybe a book of poetry, or an autobiography on the life of the man who invented the pocket protector. Or probably something like that 'Jane Eyre' thing they'd been forced to read in English class.

"Oh-hoh... my... god!" A gleefully mischievous smile crept over Beth's lips as her eyes rested on the title page. It was even better than she'd hoped.

"No! Please let me have it!" Ann stood from her chair reaching for the book, but Beth easily kept it from her. The quiet girl was clearly getting flustered. "Ugh, there's that 'please' word again! She's not into manners girl..."

Beth laughed almost manically. "This is too good!" She pushed Ann away again as she reached one more time, and then, in a condescendingly lustful tone, read the title aloud to the entire cafeteria.

"'On the Edge of Hunger!' Oooooohhh, steamy!" The entire cafeteria erupted in a cacophony of braying laughter and mocking "WOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ann turned beat red as she scanned the crowd of hooting, hollering teenagers, a look of morbid shock frozen on her face. Sherry watched on in silence, a burning anger rising in her chest. "Oh, what a bitch..."

"Let's see what we've got in here..." Beth opened right to the page Ann had been on, thanks to the bookmark still tucked inside, her smile widening. Her task of humiliating this poor girl couldn't have been any easier. She began to read aloud from the page.

"She felt his hot breath on the nape of her neck, their bodies pressed together as one of his hands moved gently up her thigh."

More "woooos" rose from the crowd as Ann looked on in horror.

"Clara could feel his enormous manhood pressed against her leg through his jeans. 'Oh my' she thought, 'is he really that big?' She was so inexperienced, could she really handle all of that?"

The laughter reached a fever pitch, freezing Ann in place. She was too stunned and mortified to even try to take her book back now. The damage was already done. She felt like her darkest secrets were being exposed to everyone, and Sherry watched as tears began to stream down the poor girl's face.

"'Please,' Clara moaned, 'please, take them off. I... I need you... now...'" Ann hung her head in shame, preparing to bolt from the cafeteria...

"Beth, shut the fuck up and give the girl her book back, you stupid twat!" Sherry jumped up from her seat, overcome with fury. She'd had enough. She didn't like getting involved in other people's shit, but this was just too much. The sharks were on a feeding frenzy, and Ann was being used as chum. There was no excuse for this.

A hushed murmuring fell over the entire cafeteria as this new drama unfolded, the onlookers watching eagerly to see how this would play out. The crowd had been quite enthralled with “story time.” Yet now, they anticipated an even better show.

"What... the hell did you say to me bitch?!" "

“Oh hell, it's on now..." and other such mumblings echoed through the room. The gauntlet had been thrown.

"I said... give the girl her book back... or I'll shove it down your throat," stated Sherry calmly as she stepped around the table, closing the distance between them. Soon she was standing face to face with Beth, glaring right into her eyes.

"Then again, I've heard you like things going down your throat..."

Nobody was certain who threw the first punch after that, or even the last. But by the time the slow-responding staff had pulled the scrapping girls apart, it was pretty clear Sherry had thrown the most. Ann watched as both girls were hauled away from the scene as the staff began to reinforce order amongst the chaos. They'd caused such a ruckus that by the time things had settled down, everyone was more interested in the fight than they were in Ann's book, or her 'dirty' secret.

Several uneventful weeks went by as both girls served their suspensions, but eventually Sherry returned to school. She hadn't really given the incident much thought. It wasn't the first time she'd been suspended for a fight, after all. She hadn't seen much of Beth since the incident, and really didn't give a shit. Whatever she was up to now, she hadn't bothered Ann again. So it seemed she'd gotten the message.

Sherry had almost forgotten the whole thing, until one day, when she was approached by the most unlikely person. She'd been rambling through her locker for a textbook that she used for doodling more than studying. When she turned around, there was Ann, just standing there, staring awkwardly.

"Hey... um...." she'd stammered, clearly nervous about actually being to one to start a conversation. "I just... wanted to say... thanks... you know... for what you did a few weeks ago... for not laughing... and you know... what you did with Beth...

"You mean kicking her ass?" Sherry said with a joking smile, trying to ease the shy girls nerves.

Ann laughed a little. "Yeah... that. Well... I'll leave you alone, you know... just wanted to say thanks and everything. I'll see you around." Ann was preparing to bolt now. Sherry realized it had probably taken all the girls courage to initiate even this small bit of social interaction. She called to her as she started to step away.

"Hey..." Ann stopped, waiting nervously for whatever Sherry was about to say.

"...You mind if I borrow that book you were reading?"

The rest, as they say, was history.



__________

Four years later, Ann and Sherry's friendship had never been stronger. They'd helped each other out through the tumultuous high school years in more ways than either could remember. Sherry talked with Ann about things she didn't talk about with most. Things such as what she might want to do with her life, even though they seemed far fetched. Most people told her she was crazy for wanting to go into the veterinary field, even people in her own family. Her mom always told her she should find something more "practical." Like receptionist work. Ann encouraged her to go after what she wanted, even offered to help her figure out how. Sherry's grades were never very good, but with Ann's help, they improved.

Now, they were both in college, and Sherry was pursuing her dream. That is, when she wasn't pursuing a fling. Ann tried to keep her friend on the straight and narrow as best she could, but Sherry had maintained one distinct characteristic from her high school days: she still didn't like rules.

As for Ann, Sherry's watchful eye had ensured that no more incidents like the one in the cafeteria ever occurred again. She'd been painfully shy, and for the most part, she still was. But Sherry helped her work through it somewhat, building the girls confidence and helping her break ever-so-slightly out of that shell she'd made. She no longer dreaded every moment of meeting someone new. She'd even managed to go on a few dates here and there, at Sherry's urging, of course. Nothing had really taken off, but it had at least been a step in the right direction.

Indeed they were an odd pair, each apparently needing the other to help them submit to control, or let it go. As they sat finishing up their fast-food lunch that day, they had no idea they were both about to get exactly what they needed, in the most unexpected way.

"Would you lighten up already? All I said was sex. Everybody does it."

"Sherry, come on, is that all you think about?"

"Not the only thing, just the main thing. Don't act like you don't think about it too! I know there's a caged animal in there, just waiting for some lucky guy to let it out!"

"Sherry..."

"Mark my words, we're gonna get you laid..."

"Stop!"

An older couple shuffled by them... a husband and wife, apparently... having just stood from their booth after finishing their meal. Sherry caught the woman giving her the strangest look. She couldn't tell if it was surprise or amusement, but she knew the reason for it. Clearly they'd overheard the conversation. Sherry smiled cheerfully as they passed by, seeing yet another opportunity for mischief.

"Hi! We're talking about sex!" Sherry chirped happily. The woman's eyes went wide for a moment, the husband grunting deeply without even glancing toward them, and then they continued on their way.

Ann buried her face in her hands. "Oh my god Sherry, I can't believe you just did that."

As they moved further away, Ann could hear the woman muttering something to her husband and they continued walking to the door... “Dear, did you hear that girl...? Do you think she should also...” the rest was inaudible, but the husband nodded in agreement with whatever had been said.

“God Sherry, don't you have any tact at all?

"Hey, you hear that?" Sherry held her hand to her ear, as if she'd just heard something unusual. Ann started to say something, but Sherry shushed her quickly. "Yeah, that sound right there! You know what that is? That's the sound of the world not ending!"

"God, you're embarrassing me. You know I don't like talking about this stuff in public."

"Nah... just reading about it."

Ann's face went from embarrassment, to outright scorn in three seconds flat. “Oops... too far...”

"Hey, I didn't mean anything..."

"You KNOW I don't like talking about that!" Ann's face turned that familiar shade of red as she relived her most humiliating moment, every detail flooding back into her mind. "You of all people... I don't need you making fun of me too..."

"I'm not making fun! I swear! I'm trying to get you to understand that it's not a big deal. I mean, so you wanted to read about sex? So what? We ALL like sex! Those assholes were all of bunch of hypocrites for laughing at you for something they all like too!"

Ann had started to calm down. She couldn't stay mad at Sherry for long. Deep down she knew she didn't mean to hurt her with that remark, it was just her knee-jerk reaction to that memory. The flush of embarrassment remained on her face though. "Yeah... well... I guess I shouldn't have had been reading that in public. That was stupid."

"Pfft, you were just reading. Jeff Miller got caught jackin' off to porn in the computer lab."

"Not so loud!" Ann scolded, before her face took on a more curious expression. "Really?!"

"Yup," Sherry continued. "And he was one of the ones laughing the loudest. So who gives a shit what they think? Who cares what anyone thinks? We all like sex. Hell, the whole damn world likes it. People, dogs, birds, cats, horses, chickens, frogs..."

“Would you stop...?”

“'Of course, frogs are kind of weird about the way they do it. So I guess they're not the best example. But dogs, now that's a critter that knows what it's about! They don't give shit what anybody thinks. When they wanna hump, they hump...”

"Geez, why are you so obsessed with animals?"

"Come on, loosen up! I'm just teasing. Besides, I think it's a good analogy. Especially for you, when the right fellow comes along...”

“Sherry...”

“I can see it building up in there. Come on, I see the way you check 'em out on the sly. Don't act like you ain't been looking. All you need's a good, hard rut...”

"Sherry!" Ann knew where this was going, and she'd heard this comparison more times than she cared to.

“You keeping it all bottled up... you gotta let it out at some point. Otherwise, one of these days you'll be walking down the street, you'll see some stud-muffin, and you won't even know what hit ya. You'll just be hunching on his leg like a dog in heat.”

“For god's sake, Sherry!”

“And I ain't coming to bail you out when they have to drag you off. I'll just be like 'yeah, I told her she was gonna lose control one day...”

"Knock it off! Quit talking like we're animals, alright... that's not me.”

"Oh really? What was the name of that book again? 'The Edge of Hunger?' Sounds pretty primal to me..."

"Can we talk about something else already?"

"You know, I read that, and I never figured out how someone can be on the "edge" of hunger. I mean, you're either hungry or you're not, you know?"

"I don't think that was the point..."

"Yeah, I mean, I know they weren't talking about food, they were talking about..."

"Can we PLEASE talk about something else?!"

"I've done told you before about using that word..."

Sherry smiled, trying to get her friend to loosen up. “Geez Ann, you're being such a pill today...” She was thinking of her next outrageous thing to say... something to nudge Ann just little more from her comfort zone... when she noticed Ann gazing off into the distance.

"Huh, that's weird," Ann stated bluntly. "That old couple's just been standing by the door for the last couple of minutes. I think they're looking at us."

Sherry turned around, seeing the same couple she'd engaged a minute ago watching them intently.

"Creeeeepy..."

“Yeah well... you've been putting on quite a show for them, you know.”

After a moment, they turned and nodded to each other, and then exited the restaurant. Sherry turned back to her friend, shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh well... at least they got their money's worth..."



__________

After a few more minutes, Ann and Sherry finished up their meal and were ready to continue on with the rest of their day. Sherry needed to get ready for an intern position she'd managed to snag at a nearby veterinary clinic. Ann, for the most part, had the evening off, though she would probably spend at least part of it studying.

They loaded up into Sherry's car, but lingered just a moment while Sherry checked her phone for messages. She always seemed to have a dozen or so.

"Hey, you want to swing by that bookstore real fast? I bet they got some more of those steamy books you like," suggested Sherry, getting ready to put her phone away finally.

"Knock it off," replied Ann. "I gotta get home and check on Bumper anyway."

"Yeah... hey you need to see about getting him neutered pretty soon. He's about four and a half months now, right?"

"Ah, he's still just a baby."

"That's why he's pissing all over the place, you know. He's marking territory. That means he's about to start humping anything he can. I'm telling you, that's what they do..."

"Ugh, I just don't have the money right now. Things are getting expensive."

"Yeah, well, don't wait too much longer. Trust me, I know about these things."

Ann couldn't help but chuckle just a little at Sherry's words. She'd really taken this vet thing by the reigns, and was making something of herself, in spite of what everyone in high school had thought of her.

"Yeah, I guess you do. You'll make a great veterinarian. Really."

Sherry's warm smile indicated she was about to respond, when they were interrupted by a knock on the drivers side window. They both jumped, startled to see the old woman from the restaurant staring through the window at them, a broad grin on her face.

Sherry looked back at Ann for just a moment, shrugged her shoulders, then cautiously rolled down her window halfway.

"Um... Can I help you?" she asked, politely but also sternly. Ann glanced at the surrounding area, wondering if the husband was still around as well. She spotted him in an older model car a few spaces down, gazing at their them with a cold stare. His expression gave her chills.

The old woman began to speak in a purposeful, but cheerful, tone. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help but notice what you girls were discussing in there. You have quite an interest in sex, don't you?"

Ann's embarrassment started to return. This had happened before, someone trying to reprimand Sherry for her "loose language." She knew all too well just how Sherry would respond. This probably wasn't going to end well.

Sherry maintained her cool. She loved messing with prudes who treated sex like some forbidden land of crime and cooties. "Yeah, we were talking about it. We actually like doing it sometimes, too. How 'bout you?" She smiled the biggest smile she could manage, then looked over to give Ann a playful wink. She spotted the old lady's husband watching them intently.

Sherry turned back to the woman, then gestured with her head towards her husband. "I bet you and him like to get pretty freaky now and then, eh?"

The old woman smiled wider, not seeming the least bit angry or annoyed. "I absolutely love you're attitude, dear. I think it's perfect. No need to be shy about something in our nature!"

Sherry's eyes widened a bit. She hadn't expected that, but, she wasn't going to argue when someone called her perfect.

"Well, thanks, I guess..."

"Oh no, thank you. I'm thrilled to see there are still souls like you, not willing to be trampled underfoot by society's unnatural restrictions.”

“Oh... well, alright then! Yeah, hooray for sex!” Sherry laughed a bit. She couldn't decide if this old woman was being serious, poking fun... or just completely off her rocker. Whatever the case, at least she was getting a kick out of this.

“You're friend would do well to listen to your advice. There's much wisdom in what you say.” Sherry stifled a laugh in her throat. Of all the things she'd expected to be called... wise was certainly not on the list. But again, she wasn't going to argue.

“Well, thank you... it's about time someone recognized my genius...” Sherry couldn't help but chuckle. “You know, it's refreshing not to be called a slut or something just because I like sex. I appreciate that, miss.”

She turned and playfully punched Ann on the shoulder. “You hear that... I got some wisdom going on over here!”

Ann turned toward her friend for a moment... “Yeah, I guess...” She turned away again, her eyes fixed on the woman's elderly husband. Something about the way he was watching them was unsettling. She couldn't put her finger on it...

Sherry turned back to the woman, unaware of Ann's concern's. “Well, it's been great talking with you, miss...”

“Cerina, dear. My name's Cerina.”

“Miss Cerina... well, it's been great to meet you. I'm gonna have to run though. Gotta whole wide world to 'share my wisdom' with. But you keep tellin' people how it is, alright?”

“Of course, dear. It was such a pleasure to meet you. Before you go, sweetheart... I think... yes, it's decided. My husband and I have a gift to share with you. Something from which you'll both greatly benefit.”

“Oh... well, okay... that sounds cool... maybe...”

“Hmmm... well, dear. I'd say there's more 'heat' to it than 'cool.'” She winked at Sherry as she spoke. For the first time in her life, Sherry was a little put off by the sexual undertone is someone else's words. “What the hell's she getting at...?”

“I think you're friend will benefit the most. But you dear... I think you'll find this to be quite a blessing as well. Yes... this will be exactly what you both need...”

“Hey... sounds... sounds swell, I guess. Sooo...” Sherry, was getting a bit confused at this point, trying to figure out what she had stumbled into... “Ummm... is this like, some kind of invitation to a sex club or something? 'Cause... I can barely get her to watch an NC-17 film with other people...”

“Dogs in heat...”

“Wha... haaat?”A warm thrill sparked between Sherry's thighs abruptly, as a cold chill shot up her spine. Her voice pitched oddly from the unexpected... but not unpleasant... sensations. She heard Ann inhale sharply, but was too distracted to realize that the same kind of tremor had bolted through her as well.

“Yes, dogs in heat. I think that's absolutely perfect.”

The old woman, Cerina, began to walk away, but turned back briefly, a soft smile curling her lips.

“Your gift will shortly manifest. If there's anything you wish to say, do so now, while language is an option. By the end of this day, you both shall have exactly what you've always truly wanted. You have my word on this.”

And with that, she was gone, waddling over to her car where her husband waited patiently.

The couple drove away, leaving Ann and Sherry to themselves. They both sat for a moment, trembling, trying to both comprehend and recover from what had just happened. They each suspected that the other had felt something, but neither one was sure if they'd felt that same... thrill. And frankly, neither one of them felt comfortable enough to ask. Not even Sherry.

After a few more awkward seconds, Sherry finally broke the silence. "Boy, that old bag really gave me the heebee-jeebees."

Ann nodded in agreement, trying to ignore the hot, flushed feeling that still lingered. "Yeah..." she rasped. "What was that about?"

After that, neither girl spoke much as Sherry cranked her car and exited the parking lot.