The Arrangement

by Beaverhunt

©Copyright 2020 by Beaverhunt

Introduction by ahorsewithnoname: Beaverhunt was a member of my writing website for a number of years. My understanding is that he encountered serious health problems. He hasn't been seen in over three years. As per the site rules, we're publishing some of his work here. We hope for the best for him.

Chapter 1

Aaron

Marcus and I have been best friends for as long as either of us can remember. We’ve both heard no end to the racially charged comments of assholes, which lead to more than a few fights. Some fights have left us beaten on the ground, but most ended with us still on our feet.

Had it not been for our father’s shared occupation of long haulers, perhaps our friendship might have collapsed long ago, or never got started to begin with. We don’t know anyone else whose father does what ours does and it puts us in a unique category in the neighborhood. Our mothers had to raise us practically alone, but isn’t the same as having no fathers in our lives at all. Plenty of kids at school come from homes with only a mother to raise them, but for vastly different reasons than theirs.

For those who really don’t know us, which is just about everyone, we should have nothing in common at all. The expectation of self-segregation throughout school had been high, but neither cared about what others wanted. All that matters to us is our friendship has endured.

The barbs of race and religion didn’t sever the ties as the assholes had wished. For every assault came a tightening of bonds, which slowly formed into something closer to brotherhood. We have been told countless times that a white Jew and black Christian are supposed to hate each other, but have never accepted the shit spewed by the assholes of the world.

Had it not been for my name, no one would have believed I was Jewish, since I look more Irish than anything. We started out Irish Catholic on my mother’s side, but at some point, someone on her side converted. But I never really cared about who or why. I was not raised in a religious household and the last time I went to synagogue was for my bar mitzvah a little over three years ago.

Our mothers fully supported us, which gives us something to hold on to beyond friendship. Despite their strong support, the two women never really developed anything other than a cordial relationship. The differences between Batya Moskowitz and Chantise Prince are just too great and nothing’s ever going to change that.

My mother dresses and carries herself in a conservative demeanor. She keeps her red hair pulled back tightly and doesn’t bother with makeup at all. Her marriage means the world to her, and she isn’t about to dress in any way to give the wrong impression to anyone. Everything she does is based on family and she’s made certain to shut down men quickly who ignored all the signs of her marriage.

Chantise dresses far more sexy than Batya would ever dare. She lets her straighten hair fall free, which adds greatly to the appeal of her mocha flesh. My mother does everything she can to cover her body, but Marius’ mother almost goes out of her way to show off. She would never cheat on her husband anymore than my mother would, but she doesn’t mind leading men on a little.

I’ve tried not to think of Marius’ mother in any way that isn’t appropriate to our friendship, but can’t help himself. She’s the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen and I often pleasure myself with thoughts of her body. In my mind, there’s nothing we haven’t done, but I’ll never let Marius in on any of my fantasies.

We’re playing ball at the abandoned court we discovered earlier this year in the woods and it’s the only place we can really get away and be by ourselves. It has taken a lot of work to clear the broken glass that littered the cracked blacktop, but the effort has paid off. Neither of us has an explanation as to how it got here, but we’re taking full advantage of it.

The blaring sun is merciless today as the light shines off the glass in a way that reminds me of pictures of the ocean during a sunrise. There’s no breeze to be felt at all as sweat drips down from my hair. My eyes burn a little as I try to press through, but it’s costing me the game. Marius seems to be impervious to the sweltering heat, but I’m not surprised in the least.

A slight echo can be heard as the ball bounces on the court as Marius drives towards the backdrop that had once held some colors that weren’t rust. The scent of sweat seems to permeate the air, but I don’t take much notice considering it’s better than the smell of piss we’ve never been able to get rid of.

Marius lines up his shot as sweat drips from his dark body and just beats my incoming hand. The ball sails through the air and sinks to sounds of a rusty chain clinging against itself. Aaron shakes his head as he breathes heavily and more stings of sweat reach my eyes. I don’t need to turn around to know exactly what that sound means, since I’ve heard it too many times before.

Marius grins and white teeth glow from out of his sweat lined face due to the reflection of the sun and he should be doing much more than grinning after the win, but he’s oddly quiet about his victory. The only sound I hear is our heavy breathing and the ball bouncing behind me. There’s something going on with him, since he’s been acting odd all day.

Marius runs over to get the ball, which never happens. I’m always the one to go after the ball and wish he would say something. We’re in the woods and not like anyone’s going to hear a word either of us says. The only sounds I hear that aren’t us are from nature, which is going to change a little too quick for my taste.

I ignore my tired body as I run after him and catch his shoulder before he has a chance to reach down for the ball. “What gives?” He tries to turn his dark eyes away, but I’m not having any of it. “What is it?”

Marius shakes his head and forces his shoulder away in order to pick up the ball. “It’s nothing.”

I wait until he’s standing with the ball in hand. “Bullshit. Something’s been on your mind all day.”

His dark lips crack in the corners as he holds my eyes. “You’re right. Mom’s pissed I didn’t spend time with you on your birthday.”

I shake my head as beads of sweat dripped down from my hair. “Your dad was home. Tell her not to worry about it. I’m not exactly losing sleep over it.”

His voice holds a note I’m quite familiar with, one that tells me he’s holding something back. “I told her, but you know mom. She blames herself and wants to make it up to you.”

I want to press for more details, but he knows my friend too well. “She doesn’t need to get me shit.”

Marius smiles a little. “She’s got her mind set. Come over tonight, unless you’ve got other plans.”

I smile as I say, “I’m a 16-year-old single guy just beating the girls off, but I think I can clear my schedule. Just tell her she doesn’t have to go out of her way for me.”

Marius laughs as he says, “I think you mean beating off to the girls.” I shrug as his tone became a little more serious. “Bring a change of clothes.”

Marius turns away and the conversation changes to the things normal 16-year-olds discuss, which is bragging about their sexual conquests that have never happened. I may not be a virgin any more than Marius is, but that’s not the best comparison to make. My experience has been very limited to just one girl, but I know he’s more sexually active than he lets on. I’ve never pushed for the details, since it’s not my place to pry.

Our feet carry us down the old trail and I almost trip over a raised root, which isn’t the first time it’s happened. Most times I catch myself before I tumbled and end up face first in the dirt, which has happened occasionally. This is one of the better ones, since it doesn’t result in Marius laughing his ass off.

The trees break the light of the sun and sweat continues to pour out of my body as we get closer to the city. Our place of security is starting to vanish as sounds of humanity press away the more pleasant sounds of nature. The shaded walk is a little more comfortable than the open court as far as the sun goes, but at least it’s free of assholes.

A gentle breeze starts to press through the widening path and I can smell the layer of dust being lifted slightly off the ground. It always reminds me of the way it smells just before it rains, which gives a sense of familiarity to this moment. The dust dances within the beams of light as we continue towards the hated city.

I make it home without running into many assholes and almost stopped to deal with one rather nasty piece of shit. The comments were adolescent at best and not particularly creative, which means I was able to shrug it off without resorting to a fist in his face. They may have been meanspirited, but nothing I haven’t heard countless times growing up. My skin has thickened over time and no longer needs to fight every asshole out there.

The humidity’s causing a fresh layer of sweat to build over what has dried as the sun continued to blaze in the sky. The warm breeze is enough to keep me moving towards home as it helps to stir the thick air and carry scents of grilling. I picked up an appetite after playing ball with Marius and the smells from my neighborhood aren’t helping.

I unlock the door and enter to see ma doing something in the kitchen, but there’s no smell of food cooking. She turns and smiles with yellow gloves on her hand and I pick up a hint of lemons, which means she’s in the process of cleaning something. There’s something comforting in the sight of her red hair pulled back tightly, since it brings a sense of the right kind of familiarity in a world that needs far more of it.

I close the door and call out, “I’m home, ma.”

The cool air feels good on my body as I walk towards the kitchen and rummage through the fridge. She’s lost in her own little world at the moment and hasn’t heard a thing, but that doesn’t really stop her from noticing the scent interrupting the lemons. This is another of those pleasant familiarities in my life and wish I didn’t need to interrupt her at all.

With my hunger staved off for the moment, I reach out for her and recognize the grimace. I must smell pretty bad to have her pale face look at me like that. Normally, my odor can be tolerated for short periods of time, but between playing ball and the walk back, I must have added a few degrees of stench.

Her voice calls out with disgust as I get close to her with a smile. “Get away from me. You stink.”

I laugh at her words and halt my steps. “I’m going to shower, ma. Just wanted to tell you I’m not staying for dinner.”

She nods with a smile and steps back to find some air not filled with my stench. “Marius?” I nod in response to a question that needs nothing more than his name. “You told me, now go before I get the hose.”

I turn away from her and she goes back to the business of cleaning. A quick stop to my room is needed to grab a change of clothes and go about the business of washing away the unpleasant scents the day has brought. The temptation to take care of other business is there, but fight off the urge to fantasize about the only girl, no woman, I ever think about these days.

There’s going to be time for that other kind of business later, but for the moment, I have to focus on getting to his house before it gets too late. Assholes are already out in ever-growing numbers and I don’t want the groups to gather any more. Marius doesn’t live far and the walk would be pleasant, except for the dodging of people I’m going to have to face along the way.

My hands wipe away the steam blocking my tanned reflection and start to brush my red hair. I keep it short, since it’s easier to deal with than anything longer. It’s always a pain when it’s time for a haircut, since I hate the sensation of hair getting in my eyes almost as much as sweat.

Before leaving, I had back to my bedroom as a little water drips down from my hair and has a pleasant coolness about it. I grab my overnight bag and begin randomly tossing stuff in. I’m not one who cares about wrinkle free anything and all that matter is having everything I need for spending the night.

I leave with the bag slightly digging into my shoulder and phone in hand as I kiss ma on her warm cheek and tasted a little sweat through the toothpaste. She was in the process of starting to clean the table and a few strands of red have pulled free, which is another reminder of the pleasant familiarity of home. Her green eyes glance to the bag with a knowing thought crossing her pale face, since this isn’t the first time this has happened.

Her voice is gentle and motherly as she says, “Call me when you get there.”

My hand shakes the phone a little. “I will, ma.”

I leave the safety of my house and close the door as I send a text to Marius to tell him I’m on my way. Seeing the acknowledgment from him is the last time I’m going to look at my phone until I get there. I’ve learned from an unpleasant experience just how dangerous it is to keep my eyes on anything other than his surroundings.

The breeze feels pleasant on my face as a few strands of hair get blown past my ears, which sends a tickling sensation to my body. My fingers absentmindedly press them back as the sun continues to shine brightly in the sky. Smells of the city can be found with every step I take and wish I lived a little closer to the forest, since there would be fewer assholes to run into.

Had I not been walking to Marius’ house right now, ma would be interrogating me about my lack of a girlfriend. She keeps threatening to set me up with the daughter of a friend, but know there must be a reason why a 16-year-old girl would be single. Perhaps, if the girlfriend drought continues much longer, I may actually let her do what she’s been threatening to do for the past couple of years, but I would have to become very desperate first.

My eyes scan a small group of assholes and turn down a familiar alley to bypass them. The scent of stale piss is unpleasant as I pass through and my foot catches the tip of an empty bottle partially broken. The sound of glass tinkling against the walls always makes me smile, but the strong scent of uncleaned everything makes the sound impossible to enjoy.

I stop at the end of the alley to look for other assholes and find myself a little too close to the rust touched bin that used to be blue. My eyes water from the powerful stenches that seem to press against my sweat stained body, but I won’t allow the discomfort of the moment to force any action. It looks clear, but looks can be deceiving.

I leave the alley with the urge to run, but running’s always a mistake. Some assholes look for me to do just that, and it’s better to keep my wits about me. The scent of the alley seems to stick to me as I walk across the street without harassment.

There’s a small group of assholes on the side I just crossed over from, but these are the verbal barbed type, which means I won’t receive any fresh bruises from them. My head’s focused on what lies ahead and ignore the comments with only one clear thought running through my mind, which is to get to Marius’ house without serious incident.

I turn down the last street with the comments coming at a rapid pace and send a text. The temptation to say something is strong, but that would turn the verbal into something physical. It’s better to keep walking and arrive safely, rather than attempt to take on the small group alone.

I call ma as Marius opens the door and lets me in with a smile on his face. The door closes just as the call ends, since I don’t want to give ma any reason to grill me over anything. I hear the locks moving into place as the bag digs in deeply, but had been too focused on my surroundings to even notice just how heavy it had gotten during the short walk. Mom isn’t anywhere to be found, which is odd, to say the least. His friend’s mother has always greeted him at the door and I wondered if she was out getting dinner for them.

I feel the bag lighten as Marius starts to take it from me. “I’ve got this. Mom’s in her bedroom with your present.”

She must be bringing whatever it was out to him, which isn’t necessary in the least. Neither family has a lot of money and I hate the thought of her spending any on him. She’s like a second mother to me and could never ask for anything more than their closeness.

Marius looks at me with that odd smile he always gets when he knows something I don’t. “Don’t wait for me. Food is going to be here soon.”

My eyes open a little with understanding of where I’m supposed to go, but also confusion as to the reason for being sent to her bedroom. “She’s planning to kill me?” A smile parts my lips as I softly laugh at the look on his face. “That’s it. That’s the gift. I’m a bad influence on you and she wants to off me.”

Marius smiles a little wider as he nods. “That’s it, but not for me. Ma wants it done.”

I roll my eyes with a grin. “Sure, blame my death on ma.”

He sets the bag down and brings them back to the subject. “Go on. Mom’s waiting. Whatever happens, I’m cool with it.”

I shake my head as I continue to laugh softly. “I see how it is.”

I turn towards the hall with a little trepidation and start to walk towards the only room I’ve ever been barred entry. Ma had made it clear no one was allowed in under any circumstances and it’s strange she would be waiting in there. Whatever she got me, surely she could bring it out.

Sweat has left an unpleasant scent on my clothes as the cool air keeps any further beads from pressing through. Ma never seemed to mind the odor as much as mom does, but that doesn’t mean I like the idea of going in smelling like this. The more I try to ignore the scent flowing off my body, the more it seems to permeate everything.

I stop before the familiar door and rap my knuckles lightly. Marius wouldn’t lie to me about something like this, but it’s still a strange thing to be standing here. Movement can be heard from the other side and recognize the sound of pressure being released on a mattress.

Mom’s voice calls out just loud enough for me to hear. “Come in, Aaron.”

A part of me kind of expects this whole thing to be a joke, and it wasn’t going to be her at all, but I can’t deny it’s her voice. My fingers have a slight tremble as I test the knob to find her door unlocked. My fingers grip it a little tighter due to the cold metal slipping back and see a little more determination this time. I’m breathing a little rapidly as I open her door with a little difficulty due to the amount of times I’ve been told not to do exactly what I’m doing now.

The white door opens to show her standing before him wearing a tight robe, or at least something I think is a robe. It’s white and almost transparent as her mocha flesh teases the clouds. Hard nipples press through the material and can’t pull my eyes away from just how amazing they look. They appear black against the sea of white and brown, which is just how I fantasized about them so many times.

I shouldn’t be staring like this, but just can’t stop himself. The robe she’s wearing reveals more of her mocha flesh than I’ve ever seen before and I find myself lost in the flesh between the opening of the robe. Her tits press together to form a wonderful line of darkness, and I need to do something that doesn’t involve staring at her body.

She moves closer to me and for a moment I remember I’m standing in the hall of Marius’ house and he’s very much aware that I’m here. I back up to collect my senses, but feel the cold wall press into my back, which prevents me from going anywhere. Her eyes glance at the building bulge of my dick pressing painfully against my underwear, and I’m vaguely aware of a wet spot slowly spreading through my jeans.

The scent of flowers fills the air and I wish the scents drifting off me were a little more pleasant. Beads of sweat pressed through as her eyes move up to his face and watch as she creeps ever closer. There’s an internal battle raging within me as I fight to look away, since this isn’t just some girl. This is the mother of my best and only friend in the world and he could catch us at any moment.

The movement of her body is purposeful in every way as her nipples bounce with each step she takes. Her scent gets a little stronger as she reaches me and I feel her hands touch mine with a tenderness I’ve never known. She slowly caresses my fingers as she allows my eyes to devour the dark nipples pressing through the cloudlike fabric a little more.

She softly takes my hands in hers as she asks in a voice of familiarity, “Do you like what you see?”

My mouth goes dry as my mind tries to make sense of the question. I feel my heart hammering within as I try to find some moisture from somewhere. Her hands cause pleasant sensations to course through my body and feel my hard dick press a little more against the confines of my clothing.

I force my eyes to travel up her slender neck and continue upward until they settled on hers. I’ve seen her brown eyes countless times, but never with this look in them. There’s a hunger there unlike anything I’ve ever seen on any other girl or woman in my life, which leaves me further struggling to find any words.

She smiles a little as her tone remains very much the motherly voice she has used for years. “That’s alright, Aaron. You don’t have to answer. I know you’ve been checking me out.”

My eyes widen at her accusatory words, but her voice didn’t sound as if I’d done anything wrong. “I haven’t.”

Her voice sounds soothing and calm. “You don’t have to lie to your mom. I know you have, just like I know you’ve been fantasizing about me. Jerking off to thoughts of my body bringing you pleasure. Can I tell you a secret?”

I nod as my face reddens and struggle to find the ability to speak. “Yes.”

She smiles a little wider as her voice remains every bit as motherly as it always has. “I’ve been fantasizing about you.”