CHAPTER 3

Hutch pulled up in front of the little burger joint around 9:15. Cassie was still working behind the counter and so he decided to go in to talk to her for a minute. The smell of food in the air was making him hungry but the thought of a greasy hamburger didn’t really appeal to him…he had prepared dinner for her already and it was waiting for them at home. As he strolled
up to the counter she noticed him and smiled.

“Hi…I guess you got babysitting duty tonight.” She told him.

“Well…I wouldn’t exactly call you a baby.” He told her with a grin.

“In that case…do you mind enlightening you’re partner?” She told him still smiling. “He seems to think so.”

“No he doesn’t Cas…” He said with a soft voice. “He just needs some space.”

She knew why he wanted her out of the way and felt the urge to speak her mind but she was still behind the counter and so she changed the subject for the moment.

“Give me about 10 more minutes…” She told him and turned to wait on a young couple who had just walked up to her.

“Can I help you?” She asked them as Hutch walked back through the door and slid himself into the driver’s seat to wait for her.

She finished her shift and went into the back to grab her book bag, which she had filled with her clothes and toothbrush. She punched the time clock and waved goodnight to the manager.

“Goodnight Cassie.” He called to her as she walked out the door.

She found Hutch reading the paper as she opened the passenger door and slid in. He folded his paper and sat it down on the seat between them as he started his car and put it in reverse. She was unusually quiet on the ride home and Hutch had a feeling that something was bothering her.

“You got any homework in there?” He asked referring to the book bag she had sat on the floorboard.

“No it’s Christmas vacation…I put my clothes in it.” She told him.

That was the end of the conversation until he pulled into the drive. It wasn’t like her to be so evasive with him…and it was causing him to feel a little uneasy.

Hutch grabbed his paper and they walked up to the door… He unlocked it for her…then they made their way inside and she sat her book bag on the couch and turned on the radio as he worked in the kitchen. She flipped through the stations until she found one playing soft music…not at all what she normally listened to and Hutch found it strange.

“What about the Bee Gee’s…I didn’t know you liked classical.” He asked.

“I figured you’d like it.” She replied as she sat down at the table.

He brought a couple of plates and sets of silverware to the table and went back to the kitchen to grab the dinner he had prepared out of the oven. He put on a pair of oven mitts and slid the heavy casserole dish out and brought it to the table. It was a chicken concoction with vegetables and rice. Hutch was such a great cook… at least they would have a good meal.

She walked over to the cabinet and pulled down a couple of glasses and reached into the fridge to grab the milk and poured them both a glass. Then she put the milk away and sat the glasses on the table.

He picked up her plate and retrieved some of it for her as she waited. Then he made his own plate and brought a forkful to his mouth as he looked at her. She picked at it for a second before placing a small amount in her mouth…thinking about Starsky as she let her mind wander. He couldn’t stand it any longer and so he confronted her.

“Alright…Let’s have it…what’s bugging you?” He asked insistently.

“Nothing…” She lied as she put another forkful in her mouth.

“Well…I’m not gonna spend the rest of the night watching you sulk.” He told her. “So if you don’t want to talk about it…forget it.”

“I’m sorry Hutch…I guess I’m just a little bummed.” She told him.

“About what?” He asked as he took another bite of his dinner.

“Hutch…how does it feel?” she asked curiously as she looked into his face. He would probably be able to tell her.

“How does what feel?” He prompted as he took a sip of his milk.

“Sex?” She asked in an innocent voice.

With that he began to cough…spitting his milk all over the floor and gagging on the bit of food he was attempting to swallow.

She got up and made her way over to him quickly…patting him on the back and speaking to him with concern.

“Hutch…are you alright?” She asked as she continued to pat his back.

“Warn me before you ask a question like that!” He said still coughing but now managing to speak.

“I’m sorry…but you wanted to know what I was thinking.” She told him as she sat back down.

“What brings this up all of a sudden?” Hutch asked. “I mean…why?”

“I’m not stupid Hutch…I know why Dave wanted me to disappear.” She said to him. “I know what he’s doing.”

“Well…what he does…I mean he’s a grown man…and it’s none of you’re  business.” He told her.

“I just wanted to know what it was like…” She told him sensing the disapproval of the subject in his voice. “I’m not a little kid. Why can’t you talk to me about it?”

“Because I’m not the one you need to be talking to.” He said sternly.

“All my friends have already done it…I’m the only virgin in school.” She told him. “Who else can I talk to? Dave…I can’t talk to him.”

She had a point…Starsky would just brush the subject off. She didn’t have a mother and she really shouldn’t get it from her friends at school. There’s no telling what she’ll learn from them. It’s best she gets her questions answered by someone who cares about her.  So he gave in.

“Alright…what do you want to know.” He said softly as he braced himself for the obvious…

“Well…I want my first time to be special.” She said as she twirled her fork around in her food. “I’m almost seventeen…but I’m scared.”

“Well then don’t let anybody pressure you…take your time.” He told her with a smile. “There’s no rush.”

“The reason why I can’t keep a boyfriend for more than a couple of weeks is because they expect to…and when I wont…they move on.” She tells him with sadness in her voice. “Why can’t they just like me for who I am?”

“I don’t know…boys at that age have a one track mind.” He said. “I guess I never thought about it much.”

“So…how does it feel?” She asked as she stared at him. “You never answered the question.”

“Well…it’s good if you’re with the right person.” He told her…trying to be as honest as he could without going into detail.

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately.” She admitted as she got up from the table and walked over to the sliding glass doors.

He followed her knowing she wasn’t ready to end the conversation just yet. He put his hands on her shoulders as she stared out through the window towards the pond.

“You got somebody in mind…if you’re thinking about it…you must.” He asked her.

“Well…I think it should be somebody older…ya know…with experience.” She told him as she turned to face him. The look in her eyes frightened him a little.

“How much older?” He asked as he swallowed hard.

“Oh much older…somebody who I can trust…ya know.” She told him as she peered into his eyes.

“I think maybe we should go to bed…I mean…I think we should…I…I’ll take the couch.” He finally managed to get out as his face turned a bright red.

“Oh Hutch…I didn’t mean you silly.” She said as she laughed at him.

Hutch blew a sigh of relief and then looked at her with a smile. “Go get ready for bed while I clean up the kitchen…its getting late.”

“Thanks Hutch…” She said as she reached her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “You’re a good friend.”

“I try.” He said as he released her and smiled.

He watched as she walked over to the table and took a final sip of her milk before picking up her book bag and heading into the bathroom.

He began to make his way into the kitchen when a thought suddenly struck his mind.

Starsky?…she was talking about Starsky! He thought as he stopped dead in his tracks and looked in the direction of the bathroom. Oh Shit!

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  Chapter 4
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