Pushing the Envelope: A Prequel from "The Barter System" World Read Free

climax the second time, laughingly screamed “Princess Leia” when he came, and then took her for pancakes.

Chapter Three
     
    May 2003
    Driving back from Arnie’s place, Tawny sang along to Stacy’s Mom and wondered if it was finally time to tell Riya that they’d been secretly dating since the day he took her virginity.  Like, exclusively and shit.
    At first, she’d kept it to herself to see if it would last.  It was easy to do since he was two years older and had already graduated.  He worked in a call center and they didn’t hang out with the same people. 
    Then it became a habit. 
    Every part of her life was shared with Riya who had a room in her house just as she did in the O’Connell home.  They got up at the crack of ass to attend Nova High half an hour away.  They were going to the same college now that were almost done with the utter joys of high school. 
    She’d lost count of the number of fights she’d not started but been more than happy to finish .  It would be great to finally be done with the breeding ground of fools.  All of them could kiss her ass.
    Graduation was in a few weeks but they’d already gotten all their pats on the back for outstanding academic achievement.  Riya, they expected.  Tawny was a shock.
    There was no doubt in her mind that the teachers and administrators checked their data several times before accepting that their “problem student” was smart.
    She’d tried to tell them.  Damn. 
    Use the guys’ bathroom to avoid the hairspray fumes or knock some cheerleader’s tooth out and you got labeled .
    All that was left were finals and walking the stage in a hideous cap and gown that did nothing for her figure. 
    Boring.
    Back to the topic at hand.  She knew everything there was to know about her best friend, down to every sordid detail about the asshole she recently dumped. 
    Riya had finally gotten an interest in losing her damn cherry and that motherfucker took off the second he was done to play football with his friends . 
    Her girl got even on her terms, earning her props since Tawny didn’t think she had it in her.  She recorded the moment for posterity and high-fived her in hysterics until Riya’s hand went numb. 
    The truth was that Tawny kept so many secrets that it bordered on pathological.  As the person closest to her heart, she often felt weird about keeping information from Riya but she couldn’t seem to help it.
    At the start of their senior year, she’d started a web-based business that focused on computer training. 
    After winter break, with an investment in better equipment, she started doing self-help videos. 
    Both were shockingly low start-up, high return, and completely legal.  They generated money while she slept because the internet was awesome.  She had a feeling it was only going to get better and she had tons of ideas.
    No one in the real world had a clue.
    They planned to spend the summer on the beach.  Riya would toast up beautifully and Tawny would go through four gallons of natural sunscreen by the time their classes started in the fall. 
    She prepared to turn into the driveway of the O’Connell house and was surprised to see a police car turn in just ahead of her. 
    Following behind it, her stomach knotted as the cruiser parked and two policemen stepped out. 
    Had she done anything illegal lately? 
    Racking her brain and coming up empty on anything that could be proven, she cut the engine, got out, and approached them carefully.  “Can I help you, officers?”
    “Do you live here, miss?”
    “It’s my best friend’s house.” 
    The taller man nodded.  “We need to talk to the family who lives here.  It’s important.  Can you get them?” 
    There was an expression on his face, a tone in his voice, that sent terror skittering down her spine. 
    She turned and ran for the front door. 
    “Riya!” she screamed from the foyer as she slammed inside and left the entry wide open. 
    At the end of the