CHAPTER 9 The Spa
This story contains sex between minor boys and teen-agers. If such things offend you, or you are not at least 18 years of age, then please don't read on. This story is not true, but who knows, maybe some day it will be.
Friday morning breakfast seemed to come real soon. Braden skipped breakfast. Travis got snagged by Felicia and Carmen. Jordan and Matthew ended up at the same table. Robert Charles and Lisa sat at a nearby table. In another dining hall Jeremy, Ryan, Douglas, Scooter, Mike, Jim, and Stevie sat at a table. Alex had a bad night's sleep and skipped breakfast to sleep in.
"I'm so glad you're running, Douglas," Scooter said.
"I'm not so sure I'm happy about it.. The only reason I'm running is that he is making me so mad. RC I mean."
Douglas was still kind of mad that he was even on this space ship, but one thing for sure was, the guys around him were making it seem a whole lot better. Especially the blonde boy next to him.
"I think you're going to do great," Mike said. Mike always loved saying good things to his friends. And he knew Douglas would need some encouragement, especially when he made his announcement in class this morning.
Douglas noticed Mike and Jeremy not paying much attention to each other. He figured one person he would have to win over was Jeremy. And if he got Jeremy he probably would get Braden. That would probably give him a win. And suddenly he almost felt himself actually caring.
On the way to class Robert Charles stopped Jordan to talk. Matthew was hanging close and could hear them talk.
"Did you find out who is running against me?"
"Yeah. Douglas is."
Robert Charles started laughing hard. "That wimp? I thought it would be somebody with balls, like Alex or Jeremy. Even that asshole Mike has some guts. Douglas sits around and looks bored half the time. Why did they pick him? He's nobody."
"Everybody seems to like him and they think he will be good."
"Well, he's not going to win. I'll tell you that right now."
The boys got to class. It started filling up fast, and pretty soon all the upper students were there.
Mr. Z. walked in smiling. "Good morning, everyone. Before we get into our computer lessons we need to do some other things. First, has anyone decided to run against Robert Charles for class leader?" Without even pausing he said, "No? Good...."
"Uh...Mr..... Z."
The teacher turned around to see who was talking. He saw Douglas's hand up. "Yes, Douglas?"
"I plan on running."
"You? You're joking of course."
Douglas turned red. "No, I'm not joking, and why would you think that, sir?" Douglas made sure he heard the "sir".
"You told all of is this place bored you. That you didn't want to be here. That you didn't care."
"I do now, sir. My friends have asked me to run. So I'm running." Douglas made sure he heard the word "friends".
"Well, then you should be complimented for your decision. As long as you are serious about this. Robert Charles has a lot of experience and I have every confidence in the job he will do. You have to earn that same confidence from me."
Douglas felt like saying, You dumbshit, I was the Student Body President of my school. What makes you think I can't lead a class of 17 kids? But before he could say anything he heard a sweet voice.
"Douglas was the president of his school." Douglas knew it was Scooter speaking up. "We all think he should be able to do this."
"Well, Scooter, let me tell you this," Mr. Z. said. "Being a student body president is running student government. And that means running it the way you're told. I expect my student leaders to lead and take charge. And if you want the truth, I don't think Douglas is as ready to do that as Robert Charles is. And that is nothing against Douglas. It's a matter of age and experience. Robert Charles will be 15 soon. He has been trained to lead since he was little. And he has shown me what he can do. If you want to run, Douglas, that's great. But I think you will have to work real hard to convince everybody that you're the best choice."
Douglas felt humiliated. This was not working out like he thought at all. His teachers on Earth encouraged him to do things. Mr. Z. seemed to be unhappy that he was running against his pet. Oh well, he thought, Mr. Z. doesn't vote.
Robert Charles looked at Douglas. "Good luck, dude. May the best man win." And to himself he said, and we all know who that is.
Mr. Z. then started the class with a discussion of the history of space exploration. They got as far as the Apollo program when he said it was time for a break and then for their computer studies.
Groups met and talked during the break. Scooter was meeting with Jeremy and Braden. They talked about Douglas and Mike. Jeremy wondered if Douglas believed Mike when he said he wasn't the one who hit Ryan. Scooter said he believed it and was sure Douglas did. Jeremy wasn't so sure. And he wasn't so sure he would vote for Douglas because of that.
"Maybe you should talk to your roommate," Scooter said. "Then make up your mind. It seems your making judgments without knowing everything."
In another corner Robert Charles, Jordan, and Lisa were talking.
"That little dumbshit will not win," Robert Charles said. "I told you it was war and it is. After the little incident in the spa, which he is for sure going to try to take credit for, let's meet in one of our rooms and make plans. How do you see the votes right now?"
Jordan did some figuring. "I figure six votes for us for sure. With no doubt." He looked right at Matthew who again was just standing there listening.
"And for them?"
Jordan figured some more. "I figure six."
"So that makes five who aren't sure. And we need three of them. Or...we need to split off some of the sure ones. Let's meet and make war plans this afternoon."
Carmen and Felicia were talking too....talking about the boys. And how Douglas never paid any attention to them, and Robert Charles did, and so did Travis. If Douglas wasn't going to talk to them why should they vote for him? Michelle sat by herself being quiet.
Mr. Z. got everybody to their computers and they did their computer lessons until lunch time. Scooter and Douglas sat next to each other.
"Thanks for standing up for me, Scooter."
"He was being unfair to you. I don't think what he said was fair at all. I don't know why he likes Robert Charles so much. Anybody with half a brain can tell he is a big jerk."
"Well, he has some people fooled Scooter. We both know he has some votes. I figure at least six unless we can get some girls on our side."
"Do we really need them?"
Douglas looked at Scooter and smiled. He hoped that meant what he thought it meant. "For this election, we just might. We need to meet and talk about this after our time in the spa."
The afternoon went quickly. The big topic at break was whether they were going to be naked in the spa. Only Braden, Matthew, and Michelle seemed against it. Braden and Michelle said they weren't going, but Douglas said if it was being naked that was keeping them away then they would all wear clothes. Braden liked hearing that but said he was tired and wasn't going to go anyway. Michelle didn't think her parents would let her because they didn't even let her go to the games room.
Matthew told Jordan he wasn't going to the spa that he didn't want to be naked in front of all the big boys and in front of girls. Jordan glared at him.
"Remember, you promised to do whatever I asked you to. And I'm asking you to do this. You don't want all those big boys knowing what you like to do. Right?"
Matthew looked down at the floor. "Yeah, right," he said quietly.
Jordan smiled and told him he was a good friend and he would see him at the spa.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The ship had five spas. They each could sit twenty people. Douglas had spa #4 reserved from after school until dinner time. It was a sauna with dry heat. When Douglas had asked why there were no swimming pool or any hot tubs he was told because even with The "Starkeeper" being so big, water was crucial. The ship couldn't afford to waste all that water in a pool. Since water was scarce on almost all the outer planets the ship needed enough water for over 4 months. Even showers were restricted and had timers on them. Making dry heat was something the ship could do anytime so they put in the saunas. There was an exercise room and showers in each spa and one spa, the one Douglas reserved, did have a small pool that was good for wading in after the sauna. It wasn't much, but to a kid on a long trip, any kind of pool sounded great. But a passenger had to punch in his number to use the pool and it came out of his shower rations. That was one reason why kids were rarely ever able to have a spa by themselves.
Jeremy and Ryan were the first ones to arrive. The door to the spa was locked. They figured somebody was going to come along soon to unlock it. Mike, Alex, and Stevie walked up next followed by Carmen and Felicia. They all figured out when Douglas got there he would have the combination to get them in.
Robert Charles and Jordan were next. They had come from the opposite direction. Lisa was with Robert Charles, who was holding her hand. Jim, Travis, Scooter, and Douglas came up next. Douglas got out a piece of paper with numbers on it. He punched the numbers into the keypad on the door. Nothing happened. He looked at the slip again. Punched the numbers in one more time. Nothing happened this time.
"Hmmmmmmmm. I know I punched the right numbers in." Robert Charles stood there smirking. Douglas tried one more time. Nothing.
"Having a problem, Douglas?"
"Yeah. This number won't work. I'm sure I wrote it down right."
"Here, let me try it," Robert Charles offered. He took the slip and punched the numbers in. Nothing happened. "Seems like these numbers don't work."
"I'm sure I wrote them down right. Just like the Director told me."
"Are you sure he gave you the current numbers, Douglas?"
"Well, I think so. I mean why would he give me old ones?"
Robert Charles looked straight at Douglas. "Or.....maybe he didn't give you the numbers at all. Maybe you really didn't get this room because you don't have any power. Maybe....maybe...you decided a while ago to run. And maybe you thought this little bit of make believe would fool us poor kids."
Douglas was turning beet red. "Maybe you might want to ask him. I was right there in his office."
"You're on," Robert Charles said. Jordan carried a crew communicator with him. He punched in a number and handed the phone to Robert Charles. Robert Charles talked into the phone about Douglas's numbers not working. He nodded his head. Then he laughed. He handed the phone to Douglas.
Douglas listened some. Then he said, "I was right in your office. You reserved the sauna. You gave me the numbers." He listened some more. "No sir, I'm not calling you a liar. But it seems like you're calling me one." Another pause. "No sir, I don't want to be restricted to my cabin........Yes, sir.........I'm sorry, sir."
Douglas handed the communicator to Jordan. The whole class was looking at him. Tears were forming in his eyes. He had never in his life felt so humiliated. He turned and ran down the hall.
Scooter watched him go and turned to the group. "Excuse me." He took off after Douglas.
In the Recreation Director's office the new Colonial Governor for Alpha Orion IV was sitting in a chair across from the RD.
"Thank you," he said. "I won't forget this. I told you this could help your career a lot. And you know I will carry through on my promise."
The RD looked at the Governor. "It was hard on that kid."
"He's a kid. He'll get over it. He needs to learn life is unfair. It's a good lesson for him if he wants to be in politics. And it was a great help to my son. And believe me when I say he is the best choice to lead the kids here and keep them under control for you."
Except for Douglas and Scooter the kids were still standing in the hallway in front of the sauna.
"Looks like some of you are backing a big phony," Robert Charles said. He pulled out a sheet of paper. "I just want you to know I have the code numbers for tomorrow. Right from the RD himself. See you all here right at ten o'clock." He couldn't help but say one more thing. "And maybe Mr. Wannabe leader might show up. But I doubt it." He held up the code sheet. "Just remember who got you guys the real thing."
Douglas was waiting for the elevator when he heard footsteps running toward him. He was wishing he had a place to hide. He begged the elevator to hurry up. Tears were streaming down his face.
Scooter came up beside him. Douglas wouldn't look at him. The elevator door opened. Both boys got in. Douglas turned away from Scooter trying to hide his tears.
"You probably hate me now like all the rest. You think I'm a big fucking phony liar." He was shaking with sobs now.
Scooter didn't say a word. He put an arm on Douglas's shoulder, turned him hard to face him, and gave him a big hard super tight hug.
Next: Chapter 10 The Election
Constructive comments are welcome. E-mail me at TheHakaanen@Hotmail.com. Douglas DD