MAJOR/minor SPECIAL: Don’t Call my Name

The houses moved by in a blur as the landscaped slowly changed from the suburbs of Winton Heights to more open road. Slowly the distance between structures increased and Izzellah counted the seconds between them to distract herself. She breathed into the glass and drew a frowny face in the fogged reflection.

“Don’t be like that.” Sabrina said from a seat over. “This will be a fun trip!”

“The fact that you’re even hear means it won’t.” Izzellah mumbled still looking out the window. It had been fifteen seconds since a house had passed and maybe it would break the reco-. Nope! They just passed an outlet mall.

“What’s your issue?” Sabrina scrunched her eyebrows, clearly offended.

“I’m in a car seat for one!” Izzellah fumed. She was in the right passenger seat of Gloria’s full sized Lexus not at all made to accommodate minors despite that being a selling point. It folded right out the regular seat, and that was a feature! What a load! A real car built for minors, like her Mustang, wouldn’t need them at all. It made her feel like a child, but what truly irked her was the need for the Lexus at all. The two unwanted guests for what was supposed to be an exclusive father/daughter outing. Gloria sat contently in the passenger seat in front of her. How had the giant bitch managed to weasel her way into this trip? Was she that good in bed?! Was her father so completely enthralled by her seductive charms that he’d lost all his common sense? She had to come to grips with the fact that this could be her new reality. Her father was such an idealistic sweetheart. He was actually giving this a real try. She would kill Gloria if she broke his heart.

“It’s not what you think.” Sabrina said. “My mom’s not trying to introduce on what you and your dad have. She’s not trying to replace anybody!”

Izzellah was silent. She didn’t trust herself to come up with a even and rational response.

“I think she’s just trying to….love you.” Sabrina continued.

Izzellah let out a low groan in disgust. She wasn’t asking for some strange woman’s love.

“You could give her a chance.” Sabrina said. “Like you gave me.”

“Any ‘chances” your mom had flew out the window when I found her half naked in my kitchen! It’s about respect and she has none for me.”

Sabrina leaned over until her larger body brushed against Izzellah. She lowered her head down until her lips were nearly touching Izzellah’s ear. The minor could feel the hot breath on her neck and smell the stale scent of maple syrup.

“You think I haven’t seen a little too much of your dad?” Sabrina whispered into the minors ear. “I caught him trying to sneak out of my mom’s room in his boxers once. I HEAR them sometimes!.....I don’t hold it against him.”

Izzellah’s face turned red and she didn’t know if it was from Sabrina’s sudden closeness or the image of her dad in boxers that had just flooded her mind.

“Well than I guess you’re a better person than I am!” Izzellah said a she pressed a gloved hand into the side of Sabrina’s cheek. “More mentally mature, or developed. Good for you!”

“It’ll be fine.” Sabrina assured. “The place we’re going is probably nice at least.”

“We’ll see.” Izzellah said sardonically. What kind of place was “Old Creek” anyway?

 

---

 

Old Creek turned out to be a quaint and small town secluded away from the heavy metropolitan city of L.A. Izzellah understood why her father chose a place like this to spend the weekend. It reminded him of her mother. Her father was from Mexico and her mother technically from Australia, but lived most of her life moving around America. She didn’t know how their fate led them to meeting in California but it did. Her mother Sheila always wanted to live in a small cozy town where they could know everyone in the neighborhood. They eventually compromised with Winton Heights to give their daughter “her” a decent place to learn and grow up. Still Izzellah and her papa would occasionally spend weekends he wasn’t working driving to scenic places in the country her mom might’ve liked. Old Creek seemed like one of those towns.

The Lexus came to a stop. They were at the hotel. Her dad yawned and turned to smile back at her. She could see a sign in the corner of the window that read “Minor by the Sea.”

“This is the place!” he announced to her.

“It seems lovely!” Gloria chirped in. “I bet Sheila would’ve loved it here!”

Izzellah gagged. She still didn’t believe this woman knew a damn thing about her mom. She felt a small stun to her temple. Sabrina had tapped the side of her head in disapproval.

“Beh.” Izzellah went dismissed it and unbuckled her car seat. She would give this place a once over herself and see if her  mom would actually like this place. Izzellah hopped out the Lexus which was an actual jump since the vehicle was built for MAJOR stature. She went to the trunk where her father was already at work unpacking.

“Like this place!” He beamed. “Lots of trees!” he handed her a suitcase that was more a makeup purse in his hands. Izzellah took it graciously. She had packed light for this trip. Just her computer and a few clothes and essential. The Rodriguez’s on the other hand seemed to pack their whole house! “I wonder why they call it “Minor by the sea.” I don’t see any water?”

“Same reason they call it “Old Creek” even though I haven’t seen a one.” Izzellah said dryly with made her father chuckle.

“True.” he said as he hefted a large suitcase that looked almost her size out the car.

“We did pass the ocean a few times on the way here.” Gloria said appearing from behind. “Maybe we’re closer to the ocean than it seems.”

Izzellah turned to walk away but found her hand taken.

“Come on, little miss. Let’s go check in.” Gloria said towing her away from her father. She turned to him and he gave her a cheesy thumbs up. She furrowed her brow. How dare that giant, conniving moron!?

“Papa!”

“I’ll find the room in a bit, Izzy!” He smiled and continued unpacking.

Luckily she had a reprieve. Sabrina! Her guardian angel! Her friend who everyday was becoming closer to a step sister than either of them wanted stepped in line next to her. She could just talk to Sabrina and completely ignore her mother!

“I think Ignacio needs help unpacking.” Gloria said to her daughter.

“But?”

“Don’t be rude, mija.” Gloria spoke evenly, but their was clear subtext in her tone.

“.....Yes mama.” Sabrina relented instantly cowed by a few words and the slightest of looks. As much as she bragged she was her mother’s little girl at heart. Izzellah had no allies. “Sorry.” she whispered back.

Izzellah had to laugh at the utter nonsense of the situation she’d just witnessed. She didn’t know what was funnier, Gloria’s flimsy excuse or Sabrina’s submissiveness. Her papa was tall and built like an ox. He could carry ALL their luggage up twenty flights of stairs without breaking a sweat, and Sabrina! Hah! At school she was a budding alpha but Mabel would mock the poor girl if she ever saw this.

“Glad to see you’re enjoying yourself.” Gloria said down to her.

“Bleh.” Izzellah huffed as her brief moment of levity vanished.

“Oh, hush.” Gloria said. She seized her potential step daughter and brought her up to her face. “I’m not a bad woman.” She cradled Izzellah close to her chest and walked into the quiet hotel against the protests of the irate minor.

“Three rooms under the names Ivory and Rodriguez.” Gloria said to the hotel clerk, a teenaged MAJOR with straight black hair cut behind her ears and freckles. She had on dark eyeliner and black lipstick. She seemed incredibly displeased to be there.  

“You have rooms 428, 429, and 444 masters suite.” She droned.

“Tough day huh?” Izzellah said down to the clerk. She twisted about in Gloria’s grasp to get a better view.

“Oh! Not at all!” The clerk said instantly more perky at Izzellah’s reveal. “I can show you to your rooms if you like!”

“That won’t be necessary.” Gloria informed and the clerk seemed crestfallen. “But two more are with us. A tall man and my daughter. If you could please escort them.”

“Of course!” The clerk said with a bit of renewed enthusiasm. She handed over the key cards to their rooms.

Gloria turned toward the elevator. “It’s truly amazing to see how having just one minor with you changes everything.” She mused.

“Glad I could be useful.” Izzellah seethed. “You can put me down at any time.”

“You should enjoy the effect you have on people.” Gloria said ignoring Izzellah’s request. She pressed the button and the elevator doors opened. She walked in with her angry luggage in hand. “This is a small town. I wouldn’t be surprised if they only had one, maybe two minors in the whole community. If any at all. You might’ve been the first that girl’s ever seen in her entire life.”

“It’s annoying.” Izzellah hissed. “Being treated like that. I’m not so special, and I hate being carried!”

“You are though.” Gloria said. “Whether you want it or not. It’s something you’ll have to come to terms with. You’re a minor, most people are going to look at you differently regardless of how you feel. Own it…...Oh! And your mother loved being carried.”

“Don’t talk about her.” Izzellah warned. “You don’t know what she liked.”

“Oh she did!” Gloria grinned malevolently. “I’ve probably known her longer than you sadly. And she loved being carried! Especially when she was sad. I’d squeeze her close like this!” She held Izzellah close to her neck and hugged her. “Of course it never compared to your father’s strong arms…..and I never compared to her.” She sighed.

Izzellah was quiet. She did enjoy the warmth of being held but she would never admit it to herself and most definitely not Gloria! The evil woman was talking out her ass!

“We don’t have to be enemies.” Gloria said. She let Izzellah go and placed her on her feet in the elevator. “But any new relationship is based on respect and I need to give you yours.” She handed over one of the card keys. “And I’m doing that by giving you your space.” The elevator doors opened and they both walked out onto the fourth floor and to their rooms.

“Room 428 is all yours. This hotel as minor accomodations if the name didn’t give it away.”

“Really? A whole room to myself.”

“All the space you need!” Gloria smiled. “And no more cooking in your house half naked.”

“Thanks I guess.” Izzellah mumbled.

Gloria lowered herself down as close to Izzellah as possible. “But I’ll always be around if you need to talk about anything. Even if it’s something you can’t say to your father. The big assed bitch seducing him will give you a sympathetic ear.”

“Hrmph.”

“And I am seducing him.” Gloria smiled wickedly. “I’m making that clear now. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself with a younger sibling in a few years!” she cackled.

“You wouldn’t-!”

“LOVE you, mija!” Gloria taunted before instantly disappearing behind the door of her and her papa’s shared master suite! It was crystal clear there was another reason Izzellah had her own room this weekend.

 

---

 

Sabrina burst into her room with her bags in hand. She wasn’t particularly happy with herself just giving in to her mom’s will but she wasn’t sure what to do. Her mom was not a woman to be trifled with and she was the one who would have to pay for it when they got back home not Izzellah. She turned to the clerk who had escorted her.  A completely disinterested goth lady who only seemed willing to do her job when Ignacio had mentioned Izzellah. The clerk waited at the door expectantly.

“So what? Do you want a tip or something?” Sabrina offered. She might have a dollar for the clerk if she had to. More than worth it to get her to leave.

“Oh no!” The clerk denied clearly searching for the minor that wasn’t there. “Just wondering….if...maybe you...needed anything els-”

“NOPE!” Sabrina said slamming the door in her face. Maybe a little rude but she didn’t care. It had been a long trip and as excited as Sabrina was to have her own room and explore the town with Izzellah she had an urging need to attend to. She hurried to the bathroom.

The amenities were immaculate. Everything was clean and made to size, but Sabrina didn’t have time to give it a good once over. She went straight to the toilet, pulled down her pants, and relieved herself. They’d been stuck in that car for hours. With the stream flowing and her resolve unburdened Sabrina looked around. There was a huge tub in the corner of the room. It was pearl with a tiny mural of a mermaid holding a sailor in her hands on the wall. What was odd were the two sets of faucets on it. A taller one and a shorter one much farther beneath it. That seemed strange. Not only that but the sink she was sitting next to sloped at an angle. With her deed long past over she sat up from her seat to see a smaller sink down at the end of the slope and a much smaller toilet, but even more shocking than that was a tiny Izzellah Ivory humming to herself on said toilet with a set of headphones over her ears. The minor looked up at that precise moment and shrieked.

The startled Sabrina fell backwards on her ass.

“Who designs a bathroom this way?!” She heard followed by a flush. Then to Sabrina’s horror the minor walked over to check on her and got a special surprise viewing. Sabrina hadn’t pulled her pants up.

“So we have an agreement then?” Izzellah said.

“Yes.” Sabrina nodded. “We tell each other when using the bathroom before hand.”

“And?”

“Always knock first regardless of whether you know the other person is there or not.”

“Yes.” Izzellah said. “And just for backup we have these signs.” She showed two pieces of paper with the words “OCCUPIED” and “VACANT” written in big red marker on either sides. “We hang these up on both doors.”

Sabrina nodded.

“What pervert designs a shared bathroom?” Izzellah griped.

“Maybe it’s a safety thing?” Sabrina suggested. “Some minors might not be comfortable using the bathroom alone.”

“That’s stupid!” Izzellah said.

“It was just a guess.” Sabrina shrugged. “Maybe this used to be a couples suite like the one “they’re” sharing.” Sabrina stuck her tongue out at the implication.

Just then there was a buzz at the door. They were both in Izzellah’s room. Overall it was the same size as Sabrina’s but the furniture was smaller and more spread out. There was also a mini fridge although it lacked the modest kitchen Sabrina’s had. Izzellah went to answer the door while Sabrina leaned against the queen sized bed that was more like a twin for her. The gloomy clerk was there completely shed of her former apathetic demeanor.

“I bought those hooks you asked for!” She beamed with a room brightening smile.

“Um..thanks.” Izzellah said up to her.

“They have little suction cups on them!”

“I see that.” Izzellah forced a smile.

“My name’s Cherry by the way!” The clerk informed. “I kinda run the day to day stuff around here. So if you need anything you can just ask for me our my cousin Chip.”

“CHIP!” She shouted and suddenly a MAJOR young man came over. He looked like the boy version of Cherry with dark hair and freckles. They were almost indistinguishable except for Cherry’s obvious female curves and Chip’s much shorter hair. He seemed very awkward next to Cherry. It was obvious who was in charge.

“Just let one of us know and we’ll BOTH come right over!” Cherry said. “For anything. And I do anything.” Cherry repeated. Without warning she gave Izzellah a light hug. “Thank you for choosing Minor by the Sea!”

“I’ll remember that.” Izzellah strained a smile to keep from groaning. She wanted this conversation over. “Chip and Cherry. Easy enough even I can remember.” She finally closed the door as the two “twin?” cousins waved at her.

“I think she was propositioning you.” Sabrina snickered. “You gonna go for it?”

“Ugh! No!” Izzellah denied. “Even if the idea of some weird twincestuous three-way appealed to me. I wouldn’t risk something like that with my dad only a few rooms over, or you being right next door for that matter.”

“Don’t let me spoil your fun.” Sabrina teased. “I can make myself scarce. Cherry and Chip might be a once in a lifetime opportunity for you.”

“Enough!” Izzellah bellowed and Sabrina broke out laughing. This was going to be a fun weekend!

 

---

 

Izzellah walked step to step with her father down the road of Old Creek park. The path before them was lined with trees blooming in pleasant air that came with the end of the spring season. There were even a few cherry blossoms peppering the landscape with shades of pink bursting from the field of deep green. They weren’t truly walking step for step. Her father was too tall for all that so instead he would walk a few paces then wait for her, or let her get ahead they make a big production about catching up in one long stride. It was wacky and unnecessary, but that was him most of the time. Izzellah knew that if it weren’t for him in her life she would’ve given into depression long ago, perhaps become the typical dependent and oblivious minor that was still common. Even though his shortsightedness may have turned her into a different kind of ignorant mess. Her father was a dope. She’d learned that in her last year at Winton High. It was clear her mother had been in charge of most the planning in the family and with her gone he was lost. That was the only explanation for the secrets he’d kept that’d she could believe and it more than explained his interest in a dominating woman like Gloria.

“You think it’s safe to eat these?” Her papa asked after popping another marble sized under ripened apple into his mouth. He’d already picked and eaten three before even asking.

“Maybe for you!” Izzellah giggled as he shovelled in a small handful.

“Try one!” He tossed her an apple from the new stash he was stockpiling. They would need to move on soon or that tree would be bare in moments.

She looked at her apple. It was tiny even for her. These were regular apple trees planted for aesthetics and not harvesting. Not the genetically modified super foods invaluable for feeding a MAJOR population this size. She marvelled at its smallness and the fun fact that at one point in time an apple this small was enough for a MAJOR. That was one of many things she’d learned in her past year at “real” school. One of the many differences in the time before and after the Dark Age. MAJORS weren’t the otherworldly giants they were now. Still large, still dominant, but not twelve fucking feet tall or more! If you could even imagine that? She bit into her apple. It was sour like a Granny Smith even though it had  blushes of red skin that previewed its fully ripe color. It still needed more time. Time it wouldn’t get because Izzellah decided it was still good enough to finish off.

“Not bad eh?” her papa said. He had must have nearly picked the tree dry because he was sporting close to an armful now. “Juicy! Maybe we can get Gloria to whip us up a pie when we get home!” He stashed his cargo in one of his large pockets.

“You eat too many sweets as it is!” Izzellah grinned. “Besides I won’t be asking that woman for anything.” She turned her head back to see mother and daughter walking together a few yards behind them. They shared a laugh about something before Gloria swatted Sabrina in the back of the head, then they both laughed again.

“You really don’t like her huh?” her papa observed.

“It doesn’t matter. You like her. That’s enough I guess.”

“Very mature.” he noted. “My little girl is growing up huh? Realizing things aren’t always the way she wants. Maybe letting you go to school wasn’t a mistake.”

“You thought it was?” Izzellah gasped.

“Yeah.” Her father admitted. “I mean I was gonna let you go anyway, but I thought you’d come home crying after the first week. Tell me you got snatched up by the first teenager with no self control and then I’d have to kill some poor confused child. But thankfully that didn’t happen.”

“Thankfully!” Izzellah exclaimed. “You have a really dark imagination papa!”

“No matter what happens with me and Gloria I’ll always be grateful to her for helping make you happy.”

“You give her too much credit.” Izzellah groaned.

“She really went out on a limb for you kiddo. She practically threatened Gladston in that meeting, but I’m not gonna try to make you change your mind about her. You’re almost an adult now.”

“I AM an adult now.” Izzellah corrected. “And anything she did for me was just to get to you.”

“Eh?” her papa shrugged. “I’m surprised she hasn’t gotten bored with your old man yet.”

“She’s crazy about you papa!” Izzellah insisted. “Mom, now Gloria. What kind of casanova where you back then?!”

“No woman can resist this!” Her father bragged. He flexed both his impressive biceps then nearly stumbled over himself.”

“Pffft!” Izzellah nearly spit. “Seriously though admitted that she wants a baby. That’s not happening is it?”

“She told you that!?” her papa shrieked.

“Papa?” Izzellah gave him a stare.

“She was just teasing kiddo!” he panicked.

“Papaaaaa!” Izzellah growled. “How could you not tell me!?”

“We don’t know for sure!” he revealed. “Is this is not a conversation a parent should have with his child!” he tried desperately to hold a shred of authority in his voice but there was none.

“I’m disappointed in you!” Izzellah shook her head.

“Okay, okay.” her papa said picking her up. “I’m…….95 percent sure you have nothing to worry about yet. Your papa’s not a COMPLETE idiot.”

“Only a partial one.” Izzellah informed.

“Won’t you cut your poor father some slack? He’s old and confused! His bones ache everyday from the worry he carries with him. His daughter is a rebellious free spirit who wants to do crazy things like “live on her own’ and “go to school” and-” he breathed in deep. “Drive!”

“I’m not changing any diapers!” Izzellah huffed. He put her down and they stopped as the came to the crosswalk at the end of the road. They waited for Gloria and Sabrina to catch up so they could go shopping for knick-knacks at the Old Creek mall. Izzellah was surprised a town this small even had one.

“You wanna come?” Her papa asked down to her as he pressed the button to cross.

“No.” She refused. “I think I’ll walk around a bit and think about that 5 percent a little. I have my cell.”

“Okay.” he relented with a blush. “But Sabrina comes with you.”

“What?!”

“No exceptions!” He said with and uncharacteristic amount of base in his voice. He was serious. “I’ve heard some rumors about an incident in this town. I don’t want you stolen by some Old Creek Strangler or something.”

“Fine.” Izzellah knew better than to argue with her papa about her safety. It was the only thing that really mattered to him in life.

She walked back into the park as the two groups departed.

“Old Creek Strangler?” Sabrina inquired as she caught up.

“He’s insane.” Izzellah informed.

 

---

 

Izzellah walked through Old Creek park “by herself” even though Sabrina was still keeping an eye on her. She insisted on at least the illusion of solitude so she could think for a bit and Sabrina was decided to make a game out of tailing her without being seen. She saw a rustle in some branches above her that gave the hiding MAJOR away. To Sabrina’s credit she had somehow managed to get up there without her noticing.

“You’re in the tree.” Izzellah said.

“Dammit!” Sabrina cursed as she fell to the ground. “What gave me away?”

‘If I can’t notice someone over seven feet squirming in a tree then everything a MAJOR thinks about minors is true and I’ll let you carry me around all day! Now try again.”

“Deal!” Sabrina said. “No weaseling out of it either!” She sped off to hide again.

Izzellah was going to note that they hadn’t actually set any rules and she hadn’t agreed to anything, but no point in ruining her fun. She continued to stroll about on the lookout for a amazon preteen in hiding.

With her freetime Izzellah contemplated. At the forefront of her mind was the potential for a sibling. She’d never been an older sister. Sabrina didn’t count it was important to Izzellah that distinction was made in her head. Regardless of what happened with Gloria and her dad Sabrina would never be her sister, but the possibility of one was still apparently up for grabs. If her father’s continued union with his horrible girlfriend yielded fruit there would be a little half Ivory half Rodriguez running around, and odds are it would be a MAJOR. Was she ready for that? A little boy are girl that was superior to her virtually from the day she was born. Chances were even with her drive for independence the reality was she would still be living with her papa for a few years more at least. Could she handle living with a tiny titan in the house. A child that would outsize and outmuscle her before they’d lost all their baby teeth. Technically it could be another minor but the odds a two MAJORS having a minor child were astronomically low. Maybe her father had it in him to hit the jackpot twice, but her mother had been a minor which almost guaranteed her birth results. Maybe it would be an opportunity. The chance to groom a MAJOR untainted by the conventions of modern society. Mold a fresh mind with the power of a MAJOR in her image!

Izzellah laughed at her thoughts. She sounded like a supervillain. More than likely the superior brat would start questioning why they had to take orders from someone, smaller, weaker, and presumably dumber than they were and she’d be run over. Still the possibility of having a MAJOR little brother or sister who might actually look up her seemed nice enough. She’d have to make a good example for the potential brat. Even if this time was just a 5 percent chance it was only a matter of time. Those two idiots were in love. Ugh! Gloria as her stepmother was almost assuredly her future!

Speaking of her future. What would she do with her life. She was at the point where that was becoming a serious question and not a fantasy. It would be easy to just rest on her laurels and settle for being a minor of above average intelligence. She could sit back and wait for a suitor to come calling. The past of least resistance dictated Sabrina as her easiest option. They liked each other. Izzellah could admit it to herself, and Sabrina seemed groomed for success in anything she put her mind to. She could cling to her as she travelled the world on tour in an orchestra or something if the MAJOR chose to lean in to her musical talents. Although Sabrina seemed to have the drive for athletics. Maybe they’d attend the olympics together! It was a longshot even for a MAJOR but Sabrina had the passion for it…..but that wasn’t good enough.

What happened between her and Sabrina, or anyone for that matter was still a mystery but what wasn’t was her fate. She would build something of her own. Even if she didn’t change the world just having something she can say she made was enough. Still she wanted to uplift her species. Prove minors were more than glorified pets or ditzy celebrities. She would be an inventory, a creator, an artist, a scientist! Something future generations could look up to. And she would own an auto shop. That was a promise!

She leaned against a tree and continued to let her thoughts swarm. She unconsciously scouted for Sabrina’s new hiding spot. She didn’t want to give that MAJOR any ammunition against her. Even if she didn’t uphold their “deal” Sabrina would torment her relentlessly for it. Best to just outright avoid that outcome. That’s when she heard the muffled sound a rock music in the corner of her ear. She turned toward it and saw a figure with headphones sitting against a tree a few yards away from her. It was a small figure. A minor figure.

Curiosity got the best of her. She had to approach this minor. At least she thought it was a minor. It could easily be a MAJOR but it was worth the risk.

“Hello!” greeted from afar to make her presence known.

The figure didn’t respond. Was their music up to loud.

“Hello!” Izzellah tried again as she stepped closer. She started to notice some features. The look of an adult. Not a MAJOR child.

“Hello?” she said again and the figure turned to regard her. It was a man. A young man. He had tanned skin and a short scruffy beard. He regarded her in astonishment.

Izzellah waved at him.

He backed up against the tree and struggled to get to his feet. He seemed shaky and unstable. Izzellah stepped up and offered her hand to help but he didn’t take it.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Fine!” he blurted and tumbled down.

Izzellah wasn’t quite sure what to make of this guy. Something seemed a little off. What was a minor doing in the park by himself? He had to have a MAJOR with him somewhere and Izzellah felt like slapping herself for even thinking that. Minors should be able to do what they wanted unsupervised. This was a small town. Maybe minors had more freedom here.

“Do you need help?” She asked noticing his continued struggles to get to his feet. He leaned against his right hand and pushed off the ground with it to stand at his full height. He was taller than her.

“I’m…..fine.” he said gawking at her. He removed his headphones.

“My name’s Izzellah. Izzellah Ivory.” She introduced presenting her left hand for a shake. He took it in his right.

“Alejandro Ferrand.” He said back.

 

---

 

“Nice to meet you, Alejandro.” Izzellah said. “I must admit it’s a little surprising to see another minor out and about.”

“Are you really her?” Alejandro said. “Are you really THE Izzellah Ivory?”

“Yes?” Izzellah answered. “Is that odd somehow?”

“I’ve read about you!” He stated. “You go to Winton HIgh...unbonded!”

“It’s on the internet! All over the minor blogs! The school practically boasts about it!”

“Well you seem to know me.” Izzellah said. She took her hand back finding it strange he held it in his right. “But I don’t know you.”

“Sorry!” Alejandro blushed. “I’m just a little excited. I’d never thought the first minor I met would be someone I’ve read about.”

“First minor?”

“This is a small town.” Alejandro smiled. “As far as I know I’ve been the only one around for as long as I’ve lived.”

“You never went to a minor school? No other minors in your family?” Even Izzellah had a minor relative she knew of. A cousin on her mother’s side she absolutely hated.

“Nope.” Alejandro revealed holding his grin. “I’ve uh, had an interesting life.”

“Is that why they let you walk around alone?” Izzellah asked. “Because you’re the only one. Do you have a family at all?”

“Of course!” He exclaimed. “And I’m not alone. My twin’s around here somewhere. My family’s picnicking with some friends from out of town. I should ask you why you’re walking around unattended!”

“I can take care of myself!” Izzellah insisted.

“Hah!” he laughed. “I don’t doubt it.”

“Besides. I have a shadow too.” she said. That’s when she noticed it. What was off about this minor. His right. “Oh my god!” She put her hands to her mouth.

Alejandro was confused. Things seemed to be going okay? Then he remembered. It had been so long now sometimes he didn’t notice when it wasn’t itching.

“Don’t worry it’s just-”

“Did the Strangler do that to you!?” Izzellah wanted to hug this poor man.

“Strangler?” Alejandro was worried for this poor confused girl. Maybe she wasn’t all there.

“The Old Creek Strangler! I thought my papa was lying!”  

Alejandro broke. “There is no Old Creek Strangler!” He laughed. “This happened to me years ago, miss. Although I can understand why it might be a legend now.”

“I’m so sorry.” Izzellah said. “I didn’t mean to-”

“Don’t be.” Alejandro interrupted. “I’ve decided not to let it hold me back.”

Izzellah didn’t know what to say.

“You should come eat with us!” Alejandro broke.

 

---

 

Sabrina watched the two minors converse from her perch in a tree a bit of the ways away. Her superior eyes were more than enough discern them. If he made a move she would be on them in an instant. Until then she wouldn’t spoil her hiding spot and chance to carry Izzellah around for an entire day. Plus it was insanely cute.

“What are you doing?” She heard from below. She peered down to see a young MAJOR man glaring at her. He had an uncanny resemblance to the minor with Izzellah except he was of course a MAJOR and he had a wicked scar across his face.

“Go away!” She hissed. “You’ll give away my position.”

“Not a chance.” the interloper said. “It’s my duty to keep an eye out for my brother when weirdo’s are creeping on him.”

“Creeping on him?!” Sabrina scoffed. “No one’s interested in your dumb, crippled, little brother. He’s creeping on Izzy!”

“What?!” The MAJOR kicked the tree Sabrina was in and it swayed under his might.

“Stop it!”

“Take back what you said!” The MAJOR bellowed.

“Fuck you!” Sabrina spat at him.

He sidestepped her loogie and kicked the tree again dislodging her.

“That’s it, asshole!” Sabrina leapfrogged off her ass and put up her hands to fight. “Get ready!”

“WHOA! Hold up!” The MAJOR man said putting his hands in front of him. “I’m not  beating up a kid. I’m not going to jail!”

“Afraid to have your ass kicked by a girl?” Sabrina taunted. She leaped at him and gave him a right cross to his dumb scarred face. He stepped back but didn’t fall.

“Are you serious, girl?!”

“I’ve decided I don’t trust you!” Sabrina declared. Truthfully she just wanted to scrap. She’d had the itch for a while and Mabel wasn’t there. “So get fighting or get lost and take your pervy brother with you!”

“Stop insulting him!” he roared. “Fine! You asked for this!”

 

---

 

“I’m sure my family would love to meet you!” Alejandro said. “My twin, Alaric would lose his mind.”

“I don’t see why no-” Izzellah heard a horrible crunching sound then a loud thud. Both minors looked towards the origin to the thunderous commotion and saw a MAJOR flying towards them. A girl. Sabrina!

“AHHHH!” She shrieked. She landed roughly into the grass and upheaved the soil beneath as she skidded to a halt in front of them. “Ouch.” She groaned.

“Sabrina!” Izzellah went to the aid of her close friend and guardian. “What happened?”

“Maybe picking a fight with a guy that size was a mistake.” she muttered.

Izzellah wasn’t sure what had just happened but she looked up to see  a tree completely cut in half and Alejandro shouting at a MAJOR! Izzellah tried as best she could to pull Sabrina to her feet. How would she explain this to her papa? Oh I let your girlfriend’s daughter get punched through a tree! Real smart! Sabrina stood up and remarkably seemed okay. She was covered in dirt and a little woozy but otherwise no worse for wear. These MAJORS were made of something tough.

“What the hell were you thinking?!” Alejandro bellowed to his brother. The titular Alaric who had just sent Sabrina flying.

“She insulted you!” He defended.

“That’s not a reason!” Alejandro continued his beratement. “What would mom or dad say if they saw that?! What kind of example is that for Lindsey!? Brawling in the park with some random girl over a few bitter words.”

“I just-”

“Shape up, dumbass!”

Izzellah was amazed at the courage this minor had. Alejandro. His brother seemed almost afraid of his fury. The MAJOR lumbered over to them.

“Sorry.” Alaric apologized.

“You should be!” Sabrina said as she wiped some dirt of her coat. Both girls were in matching coats Gloria had bought them. Izzellah’s was blue and Sabrina’s was off pink.

“Sabrina!” Izzellah chastised.

“I mean sorry…..I guess.” Sabrina said with no sincerity.

“I hope this doesn’t spoil my invitation?” Alejandro checked.

“Not at all.” Izzellah nodded. “I just have to-” the ground shook. Small rhythmic tremors that grew slowly in intensity. There was a figure headed toward them a massive one. Another MAJOR. As she grew closer so did her size and Izzellah took a step back in instinctive fear. To her chagrin she clung to Sabrina for protection. This was the biggest MAJOR she’d ever seen. A woman to boot!

“I heard a commotion.” She said looking to Alejandro. “What happened.”

“Just two idiots blowing off steam.” Alejandro dismissed he nodded toward Sabrina and the living giant regarded her...and the tiny hiding behind her.

“Oh my!” She said.

Izzellah peeked around Sabrina and made eye contact with the gigantic being. How was that even possible? This woman was taller than her papa!

The MAJOR woman went down to a crouch but was still taller than Sabrina standing.

“Hello little one.” she said.

Izzellah recognized her from the news. She knew who this olympian was.

“My name is-”

“Shannon Mathewson.” Izzellah gasped.

 

MAJOR/minor SPECIAL: I’m Not Your Babe

Her heartbeat quickened and her blood went cold as she looked up at the human giant known as Shannon Matthewson. Izzellah Ivory couldn’t believe she was afraid. She was always wary of MAJORS, to not be respectful of the immense power they held was plain foolish, but this was different. This was constricting, immobilizing, suffocating fear. She had thought her father was tall but Shannon was completely out of his league. She wasn’t just “tall” she was big. That was the word, Shannon was “bigger” than her father. Her features and proportions just seemed made for a completely different scale and it activated and instinctive fear in the minor and Izzellah hated herself for it. It was ridiculous! She’d been around MAJORS all her life. She was no longer a frightened child who cried every time a MAJOR came near her, yet she found herself cowering behind Sabrina nonetheless.

“What’s wrong?” Sabrina whispered to her and to her worth the MAJOR did not try to comfort her.

“Nothing.” Izzellah mumbled. She took a deep breath and stepped out from behind her MAJOR. She took in the massive MAJOR before her. Shannon Matthewson. She’d seen this physically impressive MAJOR on TV. Even more daunting then her size was her resume. A billionaire already and she wasn’t that much older than Izzy herself. Proof what a MAJOR could do in this world if they applied themselves even a little. Izzellah only knew so much about the nature of business Shannon was in but she remembered seeing this woman shaking the hands of a much older gentleman in front of a building in New York. Whatever that deal might have been was deemed worthy enough to be considered breaking news. She made mergers and dealt in new technologies. Shannon was a mover and shaker both literally and figuratively. What was she doing in a backwater town like Old Creek and why was she in this park specifically? With them? With…..Alejandro!

“Who’s this little one, Al?” She asked confirming what must have been obvious.

What impressed her was how calm Alejandro was. He didn’t seem fazed at all by Shannon’s encompassing presence. While Izzy? He damn hands were shaking!

She gripped the sleeve of Sabrina’s jacket so hard it hurt. She looked up and faced the MAJOR who dwarfed every other MAJOR there while crouching. “Izzellah Ivory. Not “Little One””

“Hah!” Alejandro looked up at Shannon with a telling grin. “See! Minors don’t like being called cute nicknames!”

The MAJOR actually appeared ashamed at her actions or at least Alejandro’s taunt. It made Izzellah wonder what their relationship was. It would be fair to say they were bonded, but for her own sake she refused to assume it.

“I hope none of this spoils my invitation?” Alejandro said to her.

Izzellah almost jumped. So lost in her own sudden fear she’d nearly forgotten! “M-maybe for a little bit.” She said relaxing her grip just a little. “But I have to call my papa first.”

“Yes!” Shannon clapped. “I hope you and your girlfriend join us!”

“Pfft! She wishes!” Izzellah heard in stereo. Izzellah looked up to meet Sabrina. She had a dumb look on her face at there sudden jinx. She looked at Izzellah’s tiny hand still clutching her sleeve for dear life and smirked.

Izzellah sneered and released her MAJOR. Her hand had stopped shaking anyway. She turned her back to the entire group and part of her just wanted to walk away. This was starting to become just a bit more than she’d bargained for. What started as a simple conversation with a fellow minor had transformed into a lunch with Shannon Matthewson and presumably Alejandro’s entire MAJOR family at the very least. Sure she’d spent the last year virtually surrounded by MAJORS at school but this was different. She didn’t really know Alejandro or his family. She really wished her papa was here, and even Gloria in a moment of clarity that genuinely surprised her. She fished out her cell phone. Her father was at the top of a very exclusive contact list.

 

---

 

Ignacio Ivory strode through the Old Creek mall with his girlfriend. He wondered to himself. “What had he done to be so lucky in life?” He’d had the fortune of falling in love with the girl of his dreams. Sheila. She’d given him her heart and a daughter to remember her by. He knew she would die before him. They both did, but it happened to early and he wasn’t ready. If it weren’t for Izzellah...heh he’d probably be dead or in jail by now. But then Gloria came back into his life and god bless her she was helping him through it. Helping him cope through life without Sheila and life with a minor daughter, and everyday reminding him why they were so hot in college. It would be perfect if only Izz-. His phone rang. Speak of the devil.

“Izzy?” he heard her tiny voice through the distorted audio of the phone. “Uhuh. Really? Where?.....He’s not a strangler is he? No I’m not messing with you!.....Sure! See you soon kiddo!”

He hung up. Gloria looked up at him.

“The girls made some new friends!”  

“Really?” Gloria smiled at him. “Good for them.”

“Apparently Izzy met some minor boy and get this, Shannon Matthewson!”

“Hmm, that’s interesting.” Gloria said nonchalantly.

“And Sabrina got punched through a tree.”  

“Of course she did.” Gloria facepalmed. “I don’t know where I went wrong with her. Too much like her damned father!”

Ignacio winced at that. Gloria’s mood always soured when thinking of Sabrina’s father. David Marco. That was an inevitable fight he wasn’t looking forward to. Time for a distraction.

“We should bring something!” He blurted.

“Huh?”

“Apparently this “Alejandro” invited the girls to a picnic in the park with his family. We should bring something! It’s only polite.”

“Polite?”....”Really?”

“What?”

“Since when have you cared about being polite, Iggy?”

“Since I’ve gained the opportunity to meet and greet another family with a minor.” He grinned.

“Do you really think that?” Gloria asked. “That we’re family?”

“Of course I do.” He leaned in and gave her a kiss. “Not that my opinion means much. It’s Izzy you have to convince.”

“Well then you’ll never make an honest woman out of me!” She weeped. “What will I say to my mother?! She’ll never approve of a child out of wedlock! I’ll be disowned!”

“You can live with me HotRod!” Ignacio assured. “I’ll quit school. Get a job in the city. My grandfather works in construction. It will be hard but we can make it work.”

“Your mother HATES me! She would never allow it!”

“My mother is...HEY!” Ignacio snapped, breaking character.

Gloria laughed out loud.

“That’s not funny.” Ignacio insisted.

“Sometimes I wonder who the MAJOR and who the minor is!” she giggled. They walked into a store called “On the Small Side”. It was a well known store that sold clothes and appliances for minors. Why a small town like this had one was beyond them both.

“It wouldn’t be so bad if you didn’t tease her so much!” Ignacio griefed. “I’m the one who has to face her wrath at home.”

“Wrath!?” Gloria roared alive with laughter that echoed throughout the store. “Ignacio Ivory is afraid of his seventeen year old,minor daughter!” She picked out a pair of green heavy duty overalls. “You think she’d like this?”

“You haven’t seen her when she’s angry. Sometimes she throws things! She’s a lot like-”

“Sheila.” Gloria sighed.

“...Yeah.” He nodded. They were both quiet for a moment. They had both loved Sheila in life.

“But that’s why it’s so fun to mess with her!” Gloria spoke first. “I love watching her little nose scrunch up the way Sheila’s would.”

“Did you have to tell her about...y’know?”

“The scare.” Gloria said. It was cute that Ignacio got so sheepish about these things. “As opposed to not telling her? She’s not a idiot, Iggy. She would have figured it out when I started showing. Besides a scare is all it was.”

“You mean?” Ignacio asked.

Gloria nodded and for just a moment he felt heartbroken. He was surprised by it, but even the possibility that Gloria was pregnant had awoken a desire within him. He wanted another child. He knew it was selfish. He thought it meant that Izzy wasn’t enough, even though she was more than he’d ever hoped for. The truth was that he wanted someone to share her memory with. Someone who would cherish her as much as he did, someone who would remember her when he was gone, because the sad fact was as much as he loved his daughter he couldn’t change biology. He was still young and chances were...he would outlive her.

“It will happen.” Gloria said. “And it will be when we want it to.”

“Different color.” Ignacio said and Gloria put them back. “And you can’t tell her you bought them for her or she’ll just cut them up and use em as a grease rag.”

“Well at least she’d use them! I can’t seem to find anything for Sabrina to wear beyond shorts.” Gloria dragged her lover out of the store. “C’mon! I want to see if I can find Sabrina a dress.”

 

---

 

There were more eyes on her than she expected. Alejandro came from a big family and that was something Izzellah wasn’t used to. It was always just her and her parents...just her and her papa now. He had siblings and she had countless cousins but she was only around them once or twice a year. This was different. It was Alejandro, his brother and sister, mother and father, and alone that would have been enough, but Shannon’s parents and brother were also there. A casually massive group of strangers all staring at the new minor. Especially his sister Lindsey. She had elected to sit right next to her. This put a damper on her plan to sit next to Alejandro. She wanted to talk with him, find out his perspective on things. It was rare to find a minor like him, like her. How did he cope with all this? Of course that plan was hopeless to begin with as he had elected to stay close to Shannon Matthewson and there was no way she would come within arms reach of that living landscape.

“So tell us about yourself.” said Alejandro’s mother. A dignified woman named Ofelia. In one word Izzellah could only define her as refined. Most MAJORS used size and strength to prove their superiority but Ofelia seemed different. From the way she sat to the way she nibbled at her shrimp or drank from her glass, to the foreign accent that only enhanced her words instead of detracting from them, just oozed that she was better than you. Not the arrogant and boisterous chest pounding she’d become accustomed to either. It was elegance personified.

“I’m from Winton Heights.” Izzellah found her voice softer than she expected. She was shy around these people. “I just finished my first year of school.”

“So you really do go to school unbonded!” Lindsey asked. Izzellah inspected the large girl next to her. She looked like her mother, an alluring sort of exotic quality to her complexion. Ofelia but younger, closer to Sabrina’s age, Maybe older? She had almost a foot on Sabrina. She also had an accent. The whole family did, but the kids seemed to having a stronger tinge of American English to it, but it was clear they were all at least bilingual. “Alejandro said you did but I didn’t believe him.” She scooted a little closer while trying her best to respect Izzellah’s space, but her intentions were still seen. “So...you’re unbonded right now?”

“Umm...” Izzellah wasn’t sure what to say. It didn’t seem right to lie but she could feel the tension building in the air. Little sparks of crackling electricity flowing between Lindsey and Sabrina. The MAJOR was quite blatantly staring daggers at Lindsey from that question. It made sense in a way. No matter how brief the encounter Lindsey was a direct rival to her. MAJORS were naturally competitive almost by design. Lindsey was closer in height and age. Someone Sabrina could actually fight. Even if her question was purely innocent in nature the implied subtext was enough to incite contempt and more importantly competition!

“Lindsey!” Alejandro shouted. “Don’t be rude!”

“But I wasn’t-!” She went to defend.

“Your brother’s right!” The father said. Izzellah had not gotten his name yet but his voice was authoritative and educated. “You shouldn’t just ask someone that. I’m sure she has her reasons, and I’d very much prefer you not get into a fist fight with a guest.”

Lindsey whined something in a language she couldn’t understand. It sounded like French and her father responded back in kind. Then she uttered something under her breath and to Izzellah’s astonishment Sabrina replied in the foreign language.

“You speak French?!” Izzellah exclaimed.

“No.” Sabrina stated evenly. “Mais ce n'est pas difficile à ramasser.” she flashed a cocksure smile at Lindsey. The MAJOR rival turned away fuming.  

“Huh?” Izzellah wasn’t sure what had just happened but it seemed like Sabrina had won. Had she been learning a new language just by listening to a few off handed comments? These feats didn’t surprise her anymore. “You speak any other languages wonder girl?”

“Solo español.” Sabrina cheesed.

“ Por supuesto.” Izzellah groaned.

“What is WInton High like?” Ofelia asked gracefully detracting from the two girls growing animosity. “I’ve heard many rumors about the school and its reputation speaks for itself but I’d rather like a minor’s perspective. We might consider sending Alejandro there if he ever has the drive for higher learning.”

Alejandro grimaced at that and Izzellah wasn’t sure why. Without fully knowing his situation he seemed independent enough and his family fairly well off. Was education a priority for him? She wouldn’t expect it to be, she knew she was an oddity for that desire alone.

“It’s a very big school. Very fancy.” Izzellah stated. “Lots of top tier MAJORS there. Everyone seems to be rich in some way or the other. It’s a school for grooming the elite.”

“It’s a public school.” Sabrina added. “But they have a pretty strict screening process and you have to pay tuition or get a scholarship to transfer into their university.”

“They have an agenda though.” Izzellah revealed. “More minors. They have special classes for us and everything. Alejandro would get in easily.”

That seemed to strike a nerve with him. The minor stood up and left the bench without saying a word.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No darling.” Ofelia assured. “It’s just something he’ll have to get over himself. He just needs time.”

 

---

 

Alejandro took a deep breath. He knew it was rude to just leave when he had invited Izzellah in the first place but, her words. His left arm was itching for the first time in months. He remembered a name, a gun, a bang, and pain. He was over this! He had to be over this. He heard steps behind him. They weren’t loud enough to be Shannon’s. It was probably Lindsey, she was overprotective of him. Sometimes the girl found herself sliding into a big sister role and he’d often have to remind her the truth was the exact opposite.

“It’s not your job to worry about me Lin.” he said.

“I didn’t mean to offend you.” He heard. It wasn’t Lindsey. He looked behind him to see Izzellah Ivory standing alone.

“I-.....you didn’t offend me.” He said. “It’s the reverse. I’m….my life could’ve been so different. You just remind me of what I’ve lost.”

“Can you tell me about it.” Izzellah tried. “If it’s not to much to ask.”

Alejandro beckoned her. “Let’s take a walk. They’ll leave me alone for awhile.” He pointed towards his family. “I’ll tell you about Joseph Mac Ferlan.”

“That’s awful!” Izzellah said and she found herself crying. Bond raped! He lost his arm, was forced to kill a man! How did he manage to even stay sane?! She couldn’t even imagine. “I’m so sorry!”

“Easy.’ Alejandro comforted. “I wasn’t trying to make you upset. Now I feel bad.”

“Of course you wouldn’t want to go to school! You probably don’t even like leaving the house! I’m such an idiot!”

“NO!” Alejandro gripped the shoulder of the distraught young woman. “In a way I’m grateful for it. It’s only made me stronger. I wouldn’t be the person I am now without it. I might even be one of the little piglets most of our people have become.”

Izzellah had to stifle a giggle that came out despite the tears.

“Yes! You understand!” Alejandro laughed with her. “I’ve learned some things. I can read and write. I even make my own equipment sometimes. It’s just...sometimes it’s hard to forget what’s been taken for me.”

“I never thought of going to school as a privilege.” Izzellah said wiping away some tears.

“And you shouldn’t.” Alejandro affirmed. He pumped his arm and formed a fist. “It’s a good thing you’re doing. It’s a good step for all of us.”

“It’s not that big a deal really.” Izzellah denied. “Honestly it just feels selfish. I cried to my papa about it and he didn’t say no. I’m as spoiled as any minor.”

“It’s impossible not to be.” Alejandro waved his left arm. “Imagine living with them for ten years after this! Sometimes I feel like a king and other times they look at me like I’m made of glass. If I so much as trip going up the stairs at least one of them is there in a second! It’s ridiculous!”

They both laughed as they continued to walk and share experiences. Izzellah was blown away that Alejandro had such skill with tools despite his handicap and he was equally impressed by her talent with cars.

“You can drive!?” He roared.

“I don’t have my license yet, but my dad’s started teaching me. I might make more trips here. I’ve grown to like Old Creek.”

“It’s okay.” Alejandro shrugged.

“I do have a question though.” Izzellah brought up. “Why is the hotel here called. “Minor by the Sea.”

Alejandro flashed a cheshire grin. “Let me tell you a story, Izzellah Ivory.”

“No way that story’s true!” Izzellah insisted!

“One hundred percent!” Alejandro smiled and Izzellah could swear she saw his teeth glint. “Some say her ghost still haunts our sleepy little town.”

“Superstitious nonsense!” Izzellah declared. “Minors were still around back then! She couldn’t have just-”

“Where you there Ivory?!” Alejandro argued. “Does your fancy car double as a time machine!?”

“No.”

“Then you have no idea do you?”

“....No.” Izzellah admitted.

“I win.” Alejandro raised his arm in victory and they both felt the tremors. “Well I knew this wouldn’t last long.”

“Shannon Matthewson.” Izzellah trembled.

“Are you afraid of her or something?”

“How are you not?!” Izzellah shrieked. “She’s huge! Larger than my papa even!”

“Well she’s kind of my-” A shadow was cast over them both as Shannon came closer. Her tight jeans and loose tank top seemed slightly inappropriate in the morning chill of the season. The last gasp of spring before the oppressive summer heat. Of course weather probably didn’t matter as much to a MAJOR, especially not one of her stature.

‘I was just coming to che-”

“Hover over me as usual!” Alejandro teased.

“I was not!” Shannon stomped her foot and a mini earthquake shook Izzellah and caused her to fall on her but.

“Be careful!” Alejandro snapped. “Not everyone is used to your clumsy stomping!”

Izzellah stood up and collected herself. She willed herself to actually look at Shannon this time and what a sight it was. She truly was huge in more ways than one. Her curves alone put most MAJORS to shame. She also seemed heavier, more solid, not the lean muscle most MAJORS never had to work for. She almost seemed chunky. And she had what could only be described as a lion’s mane of hair, dark and wild. How did a woman like this even exist? She was intimidating to watch on television where she often loomed over other minors, but unfiltered, in real life, with her mere presence eclipsing the sun! It was too much for her to handle.

“Relax.” Alejandro said. He actually wrapped his arm around Izzellah in a hug. “She would never ever hurt a minor. Trust me on this. To us she’s a mouse.”

“I’m okay.” Izzellah assured. “But I think I’ll keep my distance all the same.”

“See that! You whale! She’s afraid of you!” Alejandro said. “Go back and rule amongst your own kind ogress! The little people have no use for you!”

“Al!” Shannon fumed.

Izzellah continued to be astounded by this relationship. How did Alejandro a one armed minor have so much sway over a giant among giants. A billionaire!

“How are you?” Izzellah was accustomed to sassing MAJORS but her own brand of defiance usually fell on deaf ears. She was often dismissed or placated like most minors.

“She’s my girlfriend.” Alejandro revealed.

Izzellah felt like she was in the twilight zone. Shannon Matthewson was probably one of the few MAJORS in this world where the rarity of minors was a non factor. She was so rich and powerful that Izzellah had to imagine she had access to the litter. There were even rumors that the elite had connections to blackmarket trading. Minors smuggled in from third world countries where her people were still treated as commodities. Bred and sold in a live of pampered slavery. Surely she’d want someone more…..submissive. The living mountain went to her knees and Izzellah instinctively took a step back.

“Please don’t be afraid.” She pleaded. “I just wanted to talk.”

“About what?” Izzellah raised an eyebrow. What could billionaire goddess Shannon Matthewson want with some random minor of meager fame from Golden Coast?

“I-I have a proposition for you.”

“No.” Izzellah said after hearing Shannon’s sales pitch. The larger than life MAJOR wanted to feature her in a story as part of some campaign to uplift minor society. #minorthingsmattertoo.

“Why not?” Shannon said. The stunned look on her face was almost worth rejecting her by itself.

“It’s actually not complete nonsense.” Alejandro added to backup his girlfriend.

“For one the name’s really stupid.” Izzellah said. “Of course minor things matter! MAJORS know that! They CHOOSE to reject it! You choose to ignore it. You all think we’re satisfied with a full stomach and a nap! You think we’re idiots, pets, property. You think you’re better than us.” Izzellah was shocked by her own words. They jump started her temper. She believe them. She didn’t have a choice.

“It’s not like that.” Alejandro insisted. “I’ve already grilled her. It’s not just some puff piece for cheap publicity. She’s followed through. Shannon actually wants to help.”

“It’s not just that.” Izzellah informed. “I don’t trust her specifically. I don’t trust you, Shannon Matthewson. I’m not a complete idiot. I know who you are.”

Shannon hesitated.

“She’s a shark Al!” Izzellah revealed. “She’s gutted companies for sport! She’s ruthless! I have no plans on being another casualty!”

Shannon had no words to defend herself. Izzellah Ivory was right. How a minor knew anything about her business was astounding, but it was all true. It was a different game the world of corporations and innovation. Mix MAJORS with vast sums of money and power and you had to be a predator. The superior race thrived on destroying each other anyway they could. In modern “civilized” society only the weapons had changed but not the game. It was bloodsport. If even one of them smelled blood in the water, sensed just a shred of weakness? She would be ruined. And fuck it! She was good at it! Izzellah Ivory wouldn’t understand. Shannon found herself envious of that. Sometimes she craved the peace so inherent in just being a minor. Maybe all MAJORS did. It was a desire never spoken. It might even be why they were so hungry for the bond although they’d never admit it.

“She would never-!” Alejandro started in a rare fit of anger.

“She’s right Al.” Shannon said. “Don’t be angry with her. You of all people know what I’ve done. What I continue to do. I won’t apologize for it.”

Izzellah sighed. She hadn’t snapped like that in a while. She was prone to episodes like this. Sometimes the frustration with her life just got to her. “Here.” She handed her phone to Shannon. “Put in your contact information. I’ll call you. We’ll talk.”

“Really?!” Shannon face went alight.

“But I make no promises. Minorthingsmattertoo is a horrible name!”

Shannon took the cellular but there were some logistical problems that immediately became present. Izzellah’s small hunk of plastic was the size of mint in the hands of the giantess. It was physically impossible to put her number in or do anything without crushing it.

“Here let me.” Alejandro said taking the phone. “I’m pretty good with these for a dude with one hand. I don’t have a cell but I’ll put my home number in and give you my email. They let me have a computer if you can believe.”

“I’ll follow up on that.” Izzellah promised and she meant it. She liked Alejandro. He reminded her of her papa in some ways and he was easy on the eyes. Too bad he was taken. She knew she couldn’t compare to one of the MAJORS and Shannon Matthewson to boot. Hah! What were the odds she’d meet a cute, independent minor and he’d already have a girlfriend. Pretty high honestly. It wouldn’t workout anyway. He was too good looking, and too arrogant! His family was clearly rich. She wasn’t exactly poor but the daughter of a construction worker wouldn’t fit in with that haughty crowd of bilingual aristocracy, plus Sabrina would probably murder him. Izzellah caught herself. Damn that MAJOR had already dug some claws in her!

“She would return before the biggies blow a gasket?” Izzellah proposed.

“Two minors walking by themselves!” Alejandro exaggerated. “Someone call the police! They must be lost!”

Both minors laughed but Shannon didn’t seem nearly as amused by the humor.

“I know you’re joking, but that is kind of dangerous.” She said. “It’s every MAJOR’s responsibility to help a lost minor in need.”

The two minors laughed even harder.

“It’s not funny!” Shannon whined. They all heard a scream and something collided into her prodigious rear. Shannon turned around to see the MAJOR girl with Izzellah collapsed on the ground.

“Soft landing.” She mumbled.

“Is this becoming a habit?” Izzellah asked down to her.

“That bitch!” Sabrina leaped up off the ground and charged toward Lindsey Ferrand. For her own worth Alejandro’s sister was up and standing ready for a fight.

“Ay for fucks sake!” Alejandro spat. “Can’t keep it together for five minutes!”

 

---

 

“I hate her!” Sabrina shouted. Izzellah watched the MAJOR pace the floor of her room in the midst of yet another rant about Lindsey Ferrand. “Oh I”m Lindsey! I can speak three languages. I’m twelve but already eight feet tall! By the way are you bonded?! Let’s ditch these losers and go fuck!”

Izzellah nearly spit out her cocoa graciously delivered by Cherry who made it clear she was “always” ready to serve. “She didn’t say that!”

“She might as well have!” Sabrina raged. “You’re a minor, you don’t get it!”

“I get that you’re pissed you lost!” Izzellah said.

“I’m not pissed!” Sabrina lied. “I’m annoyed!”

“Because you lost.” Izzellah smirked as she bit the corner of a melted marshmallow that floated in her drink.

“It was unfair!” Sabrina gripped one of the pillows off the mattress and shredded it in her hands. Fluff and down scattered across the room. Izzellah sighed. She’d have to phone Cherry for some room service. “Her dumb brother had just punched me through a tree!”

“You’re the one who challenged her.” Izzellah stated. “And now you’re mad because you embarrassed yourself in front of a group of strangers and your mom! I don’t blame you. I’d be angry too.”

“I’m not ANGRY!” Sabrina roared as she eviscerated another pillow.

Izzellah stood up from her bed. She walked over to Sabrina and pressed a hand against her abdomen. Fuck she could feel the abs underneath! This might get a little dangerous. She pushed against Sabrina urging the irate MAJOR to step backwards. She complied and fell back into a large easy chair too big for a minor. It was honestly too big for Sabrina which led Izzellah to believe it might be for couples. Maybe their rooms were once joined together.

“Relax okay.” Izzellah said. “I don’t like her.” She went back and fetched her hot cocoa, laptop, and a large blanket off the bed.. “Lindsey’s cute but she’s annoying. Like Mabel. And I don’t think less of you for being a dumb hothead who picks fights she can’t win.” Izzellah sat in the chair next to Sabrina and leaned into the larger girl. She nestled comfortably into her budding chest and reached for Sabrina’s arm to wrap around her.

“What are you-” The stunned MAJOR started.

“Do you mind?” Izzellah pointed to the blanket. She giggled as Sabrina jumped from her request. She wrapped the blanket around them both and the minor nestled in deeper in a warm snuggle. She took a sip of her drink and then handed it to the confused teen. “Hold this for me?”

Sabrina took the tiny mug. She couldn’t believe what was happening but didn’t want to question it.

“Lindsey shouldn’t have disrespected you like that right?” Izzellah spoke up as she turned on her computer. “She’s not your friend. Just us being together should have been a sign to back off, but what do you expect from a small town rich girl who’s probably never seen another minor besides her brother? You got pissed and acted like an idiot and you lost. Twice in one day! That’s gotta hurt.”

Sabrina didn’t speak.

“But I guess my opinion doesn’t matter right.” Izzellah began typing on her laptop. “God the wifi sucks.” She really needed to call Cherry now. They had to have a better signal.

“What?”

“I mean I’m just a minor right? I can’t make my own decisions. Maybe I liked Lindsey. She does have a pretty tight ass. Apparently it’s okay for me to objectify a twelve year old. Maybe I could’ve gotten her up her. I could invite Cherry and Chip to join in. Have a party. Free bonds for everyone!”

“That’s-”
“But NO!” Izzellah elbowed Sabrina in the side. “Sabrina Rodriguez has already staked this claim! Hands off her booty!...and off mine!” Izzellah grinned.

“I didn’t mean to.”

“I know what you didn’t mean!” Izzellah snapped. “Doesn’t make it right. Although watching two schoolgirls fight over me will never get boring.”

“I’m…..sorry.” Sabrina said.

“It’s what you MAJORS do to each other. It’s some archaic survival of the fittest thing. I get it. I know having me around isn’t easy for you. Having an a hot unbonded minor around that you can’t touch. Well you’re touching me now.”

“Izzellah I-”

“Hush, slave!” Izzellah silenced. “You lost. You got your ass kicked.” Izzellah sat up and touched a bruise that was forming under Sabrina’s left eye. “She got under your skin, but you have me under your arm. I think that means you won today.” She gave Sabrina a light kiss to her sore. “It’s sweet really.”

“Does this mean?” Sabrina felt her heart skip.

“Slow down.” Izzellah said flatly. “It means I’m in a good mood today. I got to meet an interesting minor and a celebrity, but my best friend got beat up by two rich kids for it. So maybe you deserve a win. That’s all.”  

“Soooo this is pity?” Sabrina noted.

“Does that bother you?” Izzellah said snuggling in closer. “I can go back to my mattress.”

“No!” Sabrina blurted.

“Then help me research this whole “minorthingsmattertoo” crap and maybe I’ll find you comfortable enough to fall asleep on.” Izzellah yawned.

“Deal!”

 

MAJOR/minor SPECIAL: minor girl/BIG EASY

 

                It all started with an unexpected email. Izzy had kept contact with Alejandro through text and email after her trip to Old Creek over a year ago. Mostly just idle chit chat and how are you’s, occasionally talking about hobbies and the like. He’d built himself a new workout bench. He never said what happened to the old one, but apparently it was quite the achievement of engineering and his new one was even better. He’d texted her a picture of him next to it with his new smart phone, a holiday gift from his parents. He was sweaty and shirtless, clearly having just finished using it, chest defined and pumped, arm swelling with his impressive minor muscle.  Izzellah still kept that picture. Alejandro Ferrand was an impossibility for her and astronomically better as a friend, but….that wouldn’t stop her from her fantasies. “Jandro” reminded her of her father in the best ways, strong, earnest, and chances were she was smarter than him!

                Things had been changing for him in the last year or so. He’d decided to go to school and while initial prospects were leaning toward him coming to Winton, Shannon Matthewson had enticed him to New Orleans with promises of a free scholarship not just for him, but his little sister too. Truly a master stroke only capable from someone with Shannon’s nearly cartoonish level of money and influence, and that’s where the email came in.

                The notorious Ms. Matthewson had not forgotten her or the ridiculously named campaign #minorthingsmattertoo. Izzellah had made the most noncommittal of promises to “maybe” be an ambassador for her if the idea ever got off the ground as more than an empty promise from a billionaire to get some minor ass. It wasn’t. Even now as Izzellah researched for minor accommodating hotels in the Big Easy she saw a comment or the East Wing resort berating their substandard guardrails. They were apparently far above a minors height and the width of separation between bars was enough for any minor to squeeze through easily. She had a young minor son who had nearly plummeted three stories to his death. The paragraph long tirade had ended with that damned hashtag. Izzellah decided she would not be staying at the East Wing. The campaign had blown up, either by the power of being the brainchild of one of if not the most influential women in America, possibly one of the most powerful MAJORS of all time, or that it was just a sign that times were changing. Everyone wanted to be on the bandwagon, even celebrities were wearing the hashtag, and actual talks for minor civil right were happening at national level. Nothing world changing yet, but short term bills for more minor accessible public transportation, or diverting a bit of funding to minor education was a decent enough start..

                When Izzellah got the email, she knew it would be downright foolish not to at least hear Shannon out. Of course how that mammoth of a MAJOR had gotten her contact information was another thing. She’d given Shannon her number sure, but not her email! She’d actually called Alejandro that day and chewed him out for over twenty minutes. He’d offered her dinner if she ever made it to Louisiana. Only two weeks after Izzellah had responded she’d found not one, not two, but four first class tickets to New Orleans, round trip, to be used anytime within the next year. Shannon had even offered to come down and pick them up on her private jet, but Izzellah hard passed on that one. She hated flying, and couldn’t stomach being trapped in a giant metal box with that huge woman. No one someone Shannon’s size was meant to be in the air! Clearly the tickets were meant for her, her papa, and the Rodriguez’ but to the surprise of no one, Gloria was pregnant, with a girl! She could still fly, but pregnancy made her irritable and she didn’t want to. Ignacio being a good man wouldn’t dare leave his pregnant fiancé’s side! This meant Izzellah and Sabrina were going alone. There had been a discussion at first, but Sabrina was old enough now to travel by herself and Izzy’s papa trusted them both. This of course still left two tickets. Izzellah’s choice was easy. Lisa Watermeine. She needed another minor with her and Lisa had proven to be great support, and possibly her best friend. To Izzellah’s pure ire, Sabrina had also chosen her best friend……...Mabel Hawthorne.

                “You find a place yet?” Sabrina asked from the corner of her room at Izzellah’s house. In the last six months they had become roommates at her house. With Gloria’s pregnancy her papa was spending all his time down the street at the Rodriguez household. There had been talks of moving to either house but Izzellah wasn’t abandoning the home her mother lived in, plus the Rodriguez’ did not have minor installations. It would cost money no one wanted to spend to retrofit the home. So Izzellah was living by herself. She actually enjoyed it. Her papa checked on her multiple times a day and slept there three nights a week. They even rotated where dinner was. In a way it felt like her own bachelorette pad, until Sabrina had accidentally walked in on their parents banging in HER shower.

                “The upstairs one was clogged.” and “They didn’t expect her home so early.” Sabrina had ranted the afternoon Izzellah found the horrified MAJOR standing outside her door with an overnight sleeping bag. Thus the arrangement for Sabrina to sleep in the guest bedroom was made. Izzellah had initially fought it, but she could see the relief it gave her father and eventually gave in.

                “You know Shannon will probably just put us up in a penthouse or something right?” Sabrina assumed as she stripped out of her gym uniform.

                “I don’t want to rely on her for anything.” Izzellah said.

                “It’s better than spending all this time trying to find the perfect hotel. We should be in the air right now.”

                “The tickets aren’t going anywhere!” Izzellah snapped. Sabrina was too eager to take a vacation. She worked hard at school that year, deciding to join the girls’ volleyball team and became a key factor in getting them to the finals. They didn’t win and Sabrina had taken it especially hard. She needed to relieve the stress. Izzellah turned to Sabrina and blushed as the half-naked titaness lingered at the front of her closet in nothing but her panties and sports top. The extra exercise plus the advent of puberty was making her increasingly hard to live with. Not just because of the extra foot in height she’d gained with no showing of slowing down, or the extra curves she’d been genetically gifted from her mother that made Izzellah’s eyes linger just a little too long on a girl who wasn’t even fifteen yet. No it was her attitude. Sabrina was becoming a horny teenager, more aggressive, more flirtatious, and more violent. It was clear why MAJORS were usually sexually active at thirteen. They needed the stress relief! She was becoming snippy with other MAJORS often exchanging in verbal jousts. She regularly got in fist fights, mostly with Mabel, but they were real fist fights with blood and bruises. The two of them regularly “sparred” on weekends. Izzellah had the pleasure of sitting in on it once and it clearly wasn’t sparring, more like a death match! Even more impressive was that Sabrina could hang with Mabel at all considering the youngest Hawthorne actual studied martial arts. Izzellah wasn’t sure how they remained friends.

                Apparently this was not rare at all. Sabrina had often gotten off with little more than a reprimand and even her own mother was more interested if she’d won the fights than actually punishing her for it. Izzellah had asked her papa about it and he’d told her a story about once going to jail for a night in high school for putting a man’s head through his own car’s windshield. He’d gotten off with a misdemeanor and community service. Interestingly enough, Sabrina’s newfound emotional imbalance was never directed toward her. In fact if anything Izzellah was the only one Sabrina listened to. It was a tad concerning. Sabrina had made her intentions towards Izzellah known many times over at this point, but Izzellah had rejected her. That first year had been one of the toughest of her entire life. School was what was important right now, not romance. Especially since it would be so easy for her to get caught up in a MAJOR and possibly even pregnant! Izzellah was keenly aware of her own existence and as much as she loved her mother she was determined not to follow in her footsteps.

                She tried her best not to string Sabrina along. She hadn’t even gotten upset when she walked in on her making out hard with Lisa’s “little” brother Romeo Watermiene. She kept the image of them both caught in a lip lock, pants down, either at the start or end of something more than just kissing. It was good imagery. Still Sabrina had broken down to tears at her feet that evening, whining like a little bitch about how she’d gotten to engrossed in the moment and didn’t mean it! Izzellah was merciful to the MAJOR. She truly did not care, it was actually pretty hot. Still Sabrina Rodriguez insisted her goal was still Izzellah Ivory, which meant the larger than life teenager would never risk crossing her.

                Izzellah felt a pressure on her shoulder and two prominent bumps press against her back. Unfortunately it also meant dealing with Sabrina’s advances on an almost daily basis. She felt Sabrina’s head rest on her shoulder.

                “Still nothing?” the MAJOR asked.

                “Nope.” Izzellah groaned. “I swear it’s like they don’t even expect a minor to check into their own hotel room!”

                “They don’t.” Sabrina stated. “Why would you even want to? Shannon’s a billionaire! Her place is probably fancier than anything you could find online and you wouldn’t have to pay for it.”

                “I’m not giving up that easily.” Izzellah said determined. “If we stay at her place that lets her control everything. Where we sleep, what we eat, when we leave. It’s too much.”

                “You’re overthinking it.” Sabrina said leaning in closer and letting her chest press firmly into Izzellah’s back. She giggled when Izzellah flinched at her teasing. “The whole point of her campaign is to promote minor independence. What you’re saying contradicts her own philosophy.”

                “Never trust a billionaire to keep their word.” Izzellah warned.

                “Who said that?”

                “I did.” Izzellah informed as she continued her search for a suitable hotel.

---

 

                “Slow down girlfriend!” Lisa said sprinting after Izzellah Ivory down the sidewalk of LAX. For such a small minor she could be fast when she wanted to be. Even being over a foot taller and the increased stride her halfsie stature gave her she was finding it hard to keep up.

                “We’re late!” Izzellah screamed back. She dipped and dodged between the forest of legs in the crowded airport lobby. As she continued to move more MAJORS noticed that she was in fact a minor and spread out of her path. That was until one of the security officers intercepted her. Lisa came to a stop behind Izzellah as she looked up toward the MAJOR security guard. Lisa took in a few breaths of much needed air. She needed to start exercising more. She wasn’t fat or even slightly chunky like most minors, mostly due to her height, but she was out of shape. Her tummy had a small bump and she could feel “bits of squish” as he mom called it squeezing out the side of her bra. She’d need to do more if she wanted to keep up with the little spitfire that had become her best friend.

                “You’re in our way!” Izzellah barked to the much larger officer. A hulking bear of a man with a scraggly beard. He looked like he should be out chopping down pine trees and fighting wolves!

                “Hold on little lady.” He said with his hands up in defense. He seemed startled by the minor’s fire. “Do you have a MAJOR with you today?”

                “NO!” Izzellah seethed. “What’s it matter?!”

                “Well I have to do my job.” He informed. “It’s not uncommon for minors to get lost or kidnapped. I’m afraid I’ll have to process you.”

                “We’ve already been processed!” Izzellah shrieked.

                Lisa had to giggle at her frustration. Izzellah had not enjoyed being stripped down and searched for contraband and identification purposes.

                “Perhaps.” The guard agreed. “But. That was probably with a MAJOR correct.”

                Izzellah begrudgingly nodded at him.

                “If you’re trying to travel by yourself I’m afraid an entirely different protocol must be set.” He informed.

                “What?!”

                “I apologize for the inconvenience, but it is an extreme safety concern for us. If something happened to either of you this airport would be held responsible.”

                “That’s not my problem!” Izzellah said.

                “If you’d show me your tickets I can try and move the process along as quickly as possible.” He informed with a smile. Izzellah handed over the ticket and his eyes flared with the spark of knowledge.

                “See these aren’t even the right tickets.” He said. “Minors travelling alone fly on a special airline with heightened security.”

                “That’s bullshit!” Izzellah said.

                “It’s the law.” He said evenly. Lisa was impressed by the MAJORS composure. He seemed experienced in handling minors.

                “We’re not travelling alone.” Lisa spoke up before Izzellah could roar at him. “My mother checked us in and we will be travelling with two MAJOR friends on Golden Coast Express. Our plane leaves in ten minutes which is why we’re rushing.”

                “Oh! Well then I’d be happy to give you two fine ladies an escort.” He offered.

                “We’d be there already if you-“

                Lisa up her hand in front of Izzellah’s mouth before the tiny could insult the man.

                “We’d be grateful for it!” Lisa smiled.

---

 

                “I’m gonna miss you sweetie!” Linda said as she squished her daughter’s head between her mammaries in a possessive hug.

                “It’s only for a few weeks tops.” Lisa said as she poked her head out from between her mother’s cleavage. “I’ll call you all the time.”

                “Oh honey!” Her mother cried and reaffirmed the tight embrace.

 

                Izzelllah watched on in amusement as Lisa struggled to prevent her overprotective mother from smothering her to death in her boobs. Not the worst way to go.

                “You know you didn’t have to run.” Her papa chuckled down to her. “No way was this plane taking off without half their minor passengers.”

                “I don’t want to be responsible for other people being late.” Izzellah said. “I don’t deserve…we don’t deserve special treatment.”

                “But you are special.” He said down to her. “Not just because you’re a minor either.”

                “Papaaaa.” Izzellah groaned. She put her arms up for him to lift her. He did and gave her a tight hug. “I AM going to miss you!”

                “You’ll be fine.” He comforted. “That is if the plane doesn’t crash killing you in a horrible fiery death!”
                “Don’t even joke about that!” Izzellah shivered.

                “It’ll be fine.” Ignacio insisted. “Flying’s the safest way to travel.”

                “I still don’t see why you couldn’t come along.” Izzellah sneered as Gloria as she said her goodbyes to Sabrina.

                “You’ll understand when you find someone you care about.” He said.

                “Bah!” Izzellah grimaced. “She better be worth it.”

                “She is.” Ignacio smirked putting her down. “But you know that don’t you?”

                “She better not corrupt MY little sister!” Izzellah said.

                “I’ll guess you’ll be around to make sure she doesn’t.”

                “Hmph.” Izzellah turned her head. “Thank you for letting me do this.”

                “You’re welcome, kiddo.”

                “….And I guess you can thank Gloria for letting Sabrina come along.”

                “Sure.” He said with a knowing smile.

                “You ready?” Sabrina asked stepping up beside her papa. “I already checked your bags.”

                “Yeah.” Izzellah said. She hopped from her papa’s arms onto the ground. “Let’s go grab Lisa before she suffocates to death.”

                “I’m so hyped for this!” Izzellah heard in that hyper voice that grated her very soul.

                “Ugh.” She groaned as Mabel Hawthorne stepped in line next to them. “This is gonna be a long trip.”

                “I look forward to it…..Izzellah Ivory.”

                Izzellah froze. That voice. Soft, angelic, with just the hint of Japanese accent. She knew exactly who it belonged to. Her first ever….It couldn’t be!? The entire group turned to see the infamous MAJOR standing behind them. She was dressed in a black coat with long dark stocking and a red ribbon in her coal colored hair. It was Mei Masumoto.

                “I think this will be a fun trip for all of us.” She smiled.

 

 

 

 

MAJOR/minor SPECIAL: Arrival and Rival.

 

 

Lisa collapsed onto the stone ground in front of Alejandro’s new home.

“This door’s fuckin heavy!” she wheezed in an exhausted heap. Her endurance sapped away from overexertion and the humid New Orleans air. Even her halfsie strength wasn’t enough to budge the front door of Alejandro’s impressive manor. “She’s lying! This door is locked!”

Izzellah checked her text from Lindsey Ferrand. “I’ll leave the door open for you! ;)” it read.

“It’s not locked, just bullshit.” Izzellah seethed. “Some asinine security measure I’m sure.” She gestured for Sabrina to open it, but Mabel rushed in front of her and pushed the door open so fast it made the hinges squeak.

The foursome waked into an ornate and empty entranceway. The floors were clean and shiny marble with intricate diamond patterns in the stone. There was a grand staircase that led to one of the upper levels and there were many doors leading to halls and a sunken living area right next to the front door.

“This place is amazing!” Mabel said.

“So what do we just pick a room?” Lisa asked.

“We are not staying here.” Izzellah insisted.

“Why not!?” Lisa questioned. “This place is almost as big as my house and apparently there are only three people living here! You know they have enough space!”

“And a front door minors can’t open!” Izzellah shot. “I’m not spending a single night in Ms. Matthewson’s glorified cage.”

“He has a pool!” Mabel’s voice echoed from somewhere. Her bags had already been abandoned and the excited MAJOR was nowhere in sight.

“Someone’s already making themselves at home.” Sabrina smirked.

“We. Are not. Staying here.” Izzellah repeated.

“Give it a chance.” Izzellah heard in an unfamiliar voice.

She looked around, but couldn’t find its origin.

“We have all the minor amenities you could want. Beds, showers, chairs, dishware, bathrooms, and even a chef on call.”

The stairs. Izzellah turned and her jaw dropped at what she saw. LIndsey Ferrand slowly making her way down the flight of stairs in nothing but a tight fitting, midriff exposing, sports top and probably the shortest, tightest pair of bottoms she could imagine. While the labels for such items probably read “Sports wear” the fact was it was probably more accurately described as underwear at best.

“And I’m sure there are other “perks” you could find.” Lindsey cooed.

‘How much time did you spend in the mirror rehearsing that one?” Sabrina quipped.

Lindsey ignored it in favor of further enticing her crush. She’d just finished lifting moments before and had a sufficient pump that made her muscles bust outward and shine with a thin gloss of sweat.

“You look incredible.” Izzy observed.

“I’ve been working out.” Lindsey smirked, as she nonchalantly flexed her abdominal muscles. They had just started showing and the timing couldn’t be anymore perfect for it.

“Barely.” Sabrina groaned. “Your arms are pathetic.”

LIndsey choked down a tinge of rage at Sabrina’s inflammatory comment. She’d been working especially hard on improving her arms. Working with Sam, lifting more everyday. Maybe they weren’t showing as much as she liked but she was still growing. She had to remember Alejandro’s advice and not fall for Sabrina’s taunts. It was important to stay civil and not alienate Izzy. Besides Sabrina didn’t look like she’d improved much in comparison. She was already stronger and taller than her the last time they’d-, she saw them. Mounds on Sabrina’s chest of not insignificant size. The insufferable MAJOR even had the gall to lean onto Izzellah’s shoulder’s and cheekily press them into the back of the minor’s head. The bitch smirked at her!

“Do you mind.” Izzellah seethed. “You are very heavy.”

“Sorry.” Sabrina grinned. She took her time raising back up to her full height never breaking eye contact with Lindsey.

Lindsey felt her hands slowly glide across her chest. Her completely flat chest. She’d been working so hard to obtain an advantage and all the while Sabrina had been playing a different game! Damn that Rodriguez!

“Where’s Al?” Izzellah asked.

“California.” Lindsey answered.

“What?!” Izzellah gasped. “He convinced me to fly all the way to New Orleans only to fuck off to California!”

“Oh! You mean “Al” as in “Alejandro”.” Lindsey realized. “Sorry. Everyone in my family calls my brother “Alaric”, “Al”. You know Alaric. The guy who punched Sabrina through a tree.”

Sabrina grit her teeth as Lindsey.

“So where’s Alejandro.” Izzellah clarified. “First he sends some bouncer to drive us and then he no shows when we get here.”

Lindsey silently thanked her brother for taking this bullet for her. He wanted to be there and knew Izzellah wanted to see him, but he purposefully delegated his responsibility and delayed his arrival as a personal favor.

“He’ll be here in a bit.” Lindsey informed. “But in the meantime I can show you to your rooms.”

“So we are staying!” Lisa beamed. She ran up eagerly, catching the half naked MAJOR off guard. LIndsey seemed genuinely shocked at the presence of another minor. Especially one so tall, and close to her, and..bright.  “Where’s my room?”

“We are NOT staying here!” Izzellah shouted!

 

 

---

 

 

 

They were staying there. Izzellah was livid at the revelation that her hotel reservation had been taken by a sudden high priority guest. The whole thing was suspicious as hell! Exactly how many “high priority” guests needed minor accommodations? Where was Al and his billionaire girlfriend anyway? Something smelled wrong and after almost twenty minutes of chewing out the hotel management she had received a full refund and gratuity, but no answer.

“This can be your room.” Lindsey said showcasing a bedroom. It was massive, larger than her own room and comparative in size to a small apartment. There was a luxury four poster bed in the center with a silken canopy, a minor sized nightstand, seats and automans of different sizes and comforts, and a balcony overlooking the pool. Izzellah stepped out and witnessed Mabel already swimming.

“Unbelievable.” Sabrina sighed. “We’re guests here!”

“This pool is heated!” Mabel shouted back before diving underwater. “Come swimming! It’s great!”

“Sorry.” Izzellah apologized.

“Don’t worry.” Lindsey dismissed. “Our home is your home! I’m positive Rando wouldn’t mind. You can take a dip as well if you want.”

“So I can get an eyeful of you in a swimsuit.” Sabrina mocked in a faux imitation of Lindsey’s slight accent.

“Here we go.” Izzellah whispered.

“And MY room is right next door if you need anything.” Lindsey said ignoring Sabrina’s jab.

“Of course it is.” Sabrina groaned.

“I’m taking this one!” Lisa chimed in. She squeezed between the two MAJORS and leaped onto the bed with a bounce. She giggled as she ruffled the comforter and pillows.

“No!” Lindsey yelped, but Lisa was already unpacking. The minor haphazardly discarded her clothes in heaps onto the floor in search of something.

“I mean, wouldn’t you prefer the master bedroom?” Lindsey suggested, checking her frustration. “It’s much nicer and right down the hall.”

“No this one’s fine.” Lisa said instantly. She cheered as she found the garments she was looking for. A flattering red and white polka dot bikini. She started disrobing.

“Lisa!” Izzellah shrieked.

“What?!” Lisa snapped back already naked and slipping on her bottoms. “We’re all girls here!” In a flash her top was already on and Izzellah was wondering why she even bothered at all. It was a cute number that made her look like an old fashioned 1950’s pin up model. The kind of girl you’d see smiling on a towel with a glass bottle of Coca Cola.

“I’m going swimming.” Lisa stated. She raised her mirrored sunglasses to look Izzellah in the eyes. “Be down there. Soon.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Izzellah mumbled. She would honor her agreement.

With that Lisa skittered down the stairs with a towel over her shoulder.

“Wow.” Lindsey said staring in the direction Lisa had went.

“That’s, Lisa.” Izzellah shrugged. “I guess I’ll take the master bedroom then?”

“RIght this way.” Lindsey fake smiled.

“Oomph. Too bad.” Sabrina said wickedly.

 

The master was wide and empty. It was slightly bigger than the other guest room and had its own bathroom facilities with minor installs. There was only a mattress in the corner. No desk or chairs, or anything really.

“We haven’t had much time to get furniture.” Lindsey explained. “Shannon still has people delivering stuff all the time though.”

“You or Al didn’t take the master?”

‘He took the other one…..right across from yours.” Lindsey forced out. “I wanted to be closer to the gym.” In that moment she looked like she’d regretted that decision.

“It’s fine.” Izzy said. “I don’t need much. The bathrooms enough.” She placed down her things and pushed a hand against the back of the two MAJORS. She of course didn’t possess even a fraction of the power to move them but the two titan class teenagers got the message to move their feet out the door.

“If you’ll excuse me for a moment.” Izzellah smiled and slammed the door in both their faces. A small mechanical click of the locking mechanism was heard.

 

There was a cold silence as both MAJOR teens sized each other up. Neither impressed with the other, both just barely resisting the intense, hormone encourage, jealousy motivated, urge to physically destroy each other.

“Nice try, with the show, but it looks like it didn’t work.” Sabrina mused. “Was that really your plan? Pump up a little and have Izzy drooling all over your gross man body.”

“Jealous?”

“Hardly.” Sabrina chuckled. “Looking like a boy won’t help you. Take it from personal experience, Izzy like something soft to hold onto.”

“Soft and her sister.” Lindsey noted.

Sabrina clenched a fist. “Where do I sleep?” She seethed.

“Downstairs.” Lindsey smiled.

Sabrina looked down the hall. There were three more doors they had walked past to get from Lisa’s room to Izzellah’s.

“Gym, office, bathroom.” Lindsey informed.

Sabrina opened one of the doors and sure enough it was a MAJOR sized bathroom with some of Lindsey’s clothes and toiletries scattered about. She huffed and stomped towards another door to find a modest sized room with weights and a treadmill, all of which was obviously too small and light to present a challenge for Lindsey. Some equipment wasn’t even set up and still in boxes.

“You work out in here?”

“Rando does.” Lindsey lied. “It’s common sense that he can’t use most of the stuff in the downstairs gym.” A half truth at best. Alejandro preferred his equipment in his room but just hadn’t moved it in yet.

Sabrina opened the third door. It was empty except for one mattress similar to the one in Izzellah’s room. Not as big as Lisa’s or the master’s but more than enough space. Most likely an exact copy of the room Lindsey was in.

“An office huh?”

“Yes.” Lindsey said. “An office. Sorry.”

Sabrina narrowed her eyes.

“There’s plenty of room downstairs.” Lindsey grinned.  

 

 

---

 

 

Izzellah laid back in an oversized inner tube and floated gently in the shallow end of the Ferrand’s pool. It was indeed heated a felt warm enough to dive in, yet cool enough to be refreshing. She felt the water on the bottom half of her body as the sun baked her top half. She took a deep breath and stared at the sky through the yellow tinted reflection of her shades. This was nice. Maybe staying here wouldn’t be so bad. She could avoid Shannon if she tried. She’d just have to notice when the earth started shaking or she heard the sound of thunder. Izzellah chuckled at her slightly mean thought. Shannon probably wasn’t a bad person, she was launching the most popular minor equal rights movement of this generation after all. What she was though was too BIG and too rich. She couldn’t possibly understand the struggles of a minor, she was literally the antithesis of one in almost every conceivable way! Izzellah groaned. She’d have to figure this out and give that mammoth woman a chance. She had three weeks.

A wayward splash hit Izzellah tickling her heated belly with cool water.

“You just gonna lounge around?” Lisa asked.

“You gotta problem with that?” Izzy spat.

“It’s a pool! You should swim!”

“You’re the one who’s been hounding me to relax. Besides...I...barely know how to swim.” Izzellah mumbled.

“You don’t know how to swim!?” Lisa gasped loudly. Suddenly every MAJOR eye was on her. Notably Lindsey and Sabrina who were probably itching now, although Mabel wasn’t being left behind.

“Shhhhhut it.” Izzellah hissed. “What do you expect. I don’t have a pool at home! The last time I went to the beach I was thirteen and my papa was afraid I’d drown!”

“Do you know how to swim at all.”

“My papa taught me some and so did my mom, but I’m not exactly a fish. Plus i kind of freak out a little in deep water. But it doesn’t matter. I have this nice inner tube and I’m sure these MAJORS won’t let anything bad happen to me.”

“So Izzellah Ivory is such a little girl that she’d let the big kind MAJORS take care of her?” Lisa taunted.

“That’s not gonna work.” Izzellah said. “There’s a difference between being stubborn and being dumb and I’m not either.”

“I’d be happy to teach you to swim!” Lindsey floated by on her back, possibly flexing her tight abs to seem more appealing. “It’s real easy. I helped teach Rando.”

“YOU taught Alejandro to swim?” Sabrina probed. “Isn’t he like eighteen and you twelve.”

“So?”

“So I don’t see a toddler, even a MAJOR one teaching anyone how to swim.” Sabrina calle out. “You’re lying to impress Izzy. Admit it!”

“I’m not lying!” Lindsey argued standing up and wadding over to Sabrina. “You’re just being petty and jealous I asked Izzy first!” She tried to loom over Sabrina, but unfortunately the MAJOR had caught up in height during her time away. Lindsey was still taller but only barely.

“Jealous! More like annoyed by all your blatant flirting! It hasn’t even been an hour and your following Izzy like a sick puppy. If you knew what kind of year she’s had you’d know she doesn’t like that shit!”

“Suddenly you speak for Izzy? Suddenly you’re the Izzy expert? Or do you just know what all minors want in general.”

“No but I know when I see a phony!”

“Phony!” Lindsey snapped and smacked Sabrina hard across the cheek. Sabrina recoiled for a moment just letting the shock of the situation sit in.

“Big mistake.” Sabrina said evenly. Then Lindsey was hit, closed fisted in the side of the head.

“Whoa! Calm down!” Mabel said strangely being the voice of reason for once.

“Whose side are you on?!” Sabrina roared. Before Mabel could answer Sabrina was dunked below the water by Lindsey. The two swirled under water so violently they were creating waves.

Minutes passed with them both wrestling underwater.

“Are they going to drown?” Izzellah asked firmly seated in the shallows. She was becoming more terrified of the water by the moment.

“Not likely.” Mabel stated. “I can hold my breath for ten minutes easy.”

Lindsey rose first shortly followed by Sabrina.

“You didn’t teach him how to swim!” Sabriina splashed Lindsey.

“Yes I did!” Lindsey splashed Sabrina back more violently.

“Liar!” Sabrina grabbed a handful of Lindsey’s hair and they were at each other’s throats again.

“I’m afraid she’s right.” they heard in a masculine voice. Izzellah recognized it.

“Al?” She turned around and saw him. Tall, tan, and handsome. He was wearing a open up beach shirt with trunks and his chest exposed. He had a prosthetic on with steel joints showing.

“Al!” Izzellah shrieked so loud it caused the two girls to stop their tussle. The minor rushed up to her friend and embraced him tightly. He wrapped his good arm around her in a hug. A sudden surge of emotions flooded them both. For Izzellah it felt too right to be held like this. Embraced in the strong but gentle hug of a peer. Plus his body felt nice when she’d unintentionally touched his chest. Alejandro was forced to appreciate his first contact with the female body of someone smaller than him. Soft, curvaceous, dangerous. He flinched backward before he got himself in trouble.

“She’s not lying.” Alejandro told the two brawling MAJORS. “Although she’s omitting the whole truth. I didn’t learn to swim until I was twelve for…..obvious reasons.” Alejandro blushed. “She taught me, along with Alaric, while instructed heavily by my mom, with my dad overwatching everything in a series of visits to a special gym they rented out. I was too scared. It didn't really work out. Actually it was Shannon who helped me get over that hurdle!”

Izzy frowned slightly at the mention of Shannon. 

Lindsey dunked her head under the water.

“So I guess in a way youc can thank both of them. Somehow I’ve managed to learn to not drown!” he laughed.

“Are you good enough at not drowning to give a few pointers?” Izzellah asked. It was completely innocent, but it somehow sounded seductive to Alejandro.

“I’m sure he can.” Izzellah heard and her heart stopped. She felt the ground move. “And I’d love to be a part of it…..If you’d have me.”

Izzellah froze as he vital organ struggled to jumpstart back into functioning order as the shadow of the colossus known as Shannon draped her in its visage. Her body started to tremble as she stared up at a living goddess. Somehow she’d gotten even bigger! Three weeks wasn’t long enough.

 

 

 

 

MAJOR/minor SPECIAL: One Little Moment

 

“I stay out too late!” Izzellah sang it time with the song. “Got nothing in my brain!” She swivelled around and flip the pancake in the griddle. She’d overcooked it on one side. She huffed at her failure and tossed the flapjack into the trash bin and poured another one. She’d almost made enough good ones in the last twenty minutes to pass for a meal but she needed one more. “That’s what people say mmm hmmmm!”

 

“Taylor Swift?” Said a voice with the slightest accent.

 

Izzellah jumped and turned to see someone unexpected. Lindsey Ferrand. She was dressed a white top that exposed the lines of her abs through the fabric and some loose fitting sweat pants. Like all MAJORS she looked amazing to the point Izzy felt self conscious in her “Amazing Amy” shirt and large shorts that were a hand me down child’s clothes from a MAJOR cousin.  

 

“I didn’t take you for a Swift fan.” LIndsey chuckled.

 

“She does occasionally put out a good one.” Izzellah admitted.

 

“I guess all her bragging on twitter isn’t unfounded.”

 

“I wouldn’t know.” Izzellah said. “Truthfully I just like anything you can dance to.”

 

“Swift is apparently very popular with minor’s if you are to believe what she spouts online. Although lots of singers brag about that. I’m sure you’ve read some ridiculous stuff from the celebs you follow right?”

 

“Uh I don’t...tweet.” Izzellah said. “I’m not really online at all. I barely know how to use my phone.”

 

“You don’t have like a facebook page?” Lindsey probed.

 

Izzellah shook her head.

 

“Instagram, tumblr, anything?”

 

Izzellah continued to shake her head as the embarrassment grew inside her. “I know I’m a little behind the times, but Lisa’s been coaching me through how my phone works. I can text now and stuff like that.”

 

“That’s probably gonna change soon.” Lindsey noted. “If you participate in Shannon’s campaign.” She clarified. “People will want to know who you are, what you like, the life you live.”

 

Izzellah was quiet for a moment. She was aware of how her life would change. It was one of many factors she would have to consider before accepting Shannon’s initiative.

 

“I-I didn’t mean to-”

 

“No, you didn’t do anything.” Izzy cut off. “It’s just a little intimidating to think about.”

 

“Can I see your phone?” Lindsey asked. She walked up to the minor and extended a hand.

 

“Uh, why?” Izzellah asked.

 

“You should at least have a facebook account.” Lindsey informed. “I can set one up for you.”

 

“Social media only serves as an unnecessary distraction from real life.” Izzellah stated while contradictorily handing over her smartphone.

 

Lindsey smiled as she took the delicate device in her hand. She bent down to Izzellah could see what she was doing which also had the added benefit of letting her be close to Izzellah. Things were going smoothly so far.

 

“It does.” Lindsey agreed as she used her pinky to scroll through the simplified interface of Izzellah’s minor made smartphone. It had bigger icons and a rudimentary selection of choices that gave only two options. “Call” and “Text”. Lindsey found herself actually having to go into the advanced settings to find the internet browser or her contact list. A contact list with only five numbers in it. Lindsey had to choke down her temptation.

 

“The best thing about facebook is that you get to choose your friends.” Lindsey informed as Izzellah leaned on her shoulder to get a better look at her phone.

 

“You can already do that in real life.” Izzellah commented.

 

“Yes but do you constantly get updated with what your friends are doing?”

 

“Why would you want to?” Izzellah asked. “That sounds horrible.”

 

“Trust me you’ll want to.” Lindsey encouraged. “First I need a password.”

 

Izzellah went to work and for the next few moments Lindsey was in the clouds. She couldn’t believe her good fortunes in the simple fact that Izzellah was an early riser. It was common knowledge that minors liked to sleep in, a stereotype even her brother seemed fine with on more than one occasion like this very morning. Now she was sharing an intimate moment with Izzellah just because she’d decided to squeak in a morning jog. Not only that but she was about to be Izzellah’s first facebook friend, an honor even Sabrina wouldn’t have over her especially with how private Izzellah seemed.

 

“My papa’s on here!” Izzellah peeped. “Ooh! He will be my first friend!” the minor pressed away as her phone beeped with the jingle of a sent friend request. It was accepted almost immediately. “Hah he posts pictures of cars!......Raul had a baby?!”

 

Well fathers didn’t count. She would be Izzellah’s first actual friend.

 

“You’re on facebook now.” came a groggy voice. Lisa strolled up in shoulder exposing half shirt and panties. Her hair was a mess. She yawned.

 

“How do you know that already?” Izzellah asked.

 

“You appeared on my recommended list.” Lisa answered. “It’s like a thing facebook does to find you more friends based on your mutual friends.”

 

“What mutual friends could we possibly have?” Izzellah scoffed. “I only have one friend and it’s my…….Why are you friends with my papa?!” Izzellah snapped suddenly. That’s when she smelt it. The burning. “Dammit!”

 

Her most recent pancake attempt had burnt completely black on one side. Izzellah let out a bitter curse and tossed it. She poured the last of her batter into the smoking skillet.

 

“You’re cooking?” Lisa asked. “Why?”

 

“I couldn’t help myself.” Izzellah replied. “Look at this setup! Stoves that don’t tower five feet above my head!” She gestured at the stove she was currently using, “An oven that I’m not afraid to accidentally fall into!” She opened the oven and pulled out a pan of maple pork sausage that was steaming and crackling with heat. “Well at least these aren’t burnt.” Izzellah took the sausage links and quickly wrapped them in the pancakes she had prepared. “The key is to wrap them fast while they’re hot so the skin fuses with the cake.” she said more to herself than anyone.

 

“Delicious.” Lisa said having already scarfed down one in the time it had taken Izzellah to finish preparing her meal. “Can I get some oj with this please?”

 

“Lisa!?” Izzellah shrieked as the halfsie poached her breakfast.

 

“You’d make a good wife, Izz.” Lisa said with a mouthful of food. She’d already eaten over half Izzy’s meal in a less than a minute. “Can I get that drink though? I’m choking here!”

 

“Get it your fucking self!” Izzy shrieked. “And while you’re at  it try cooking for yourself too!” Izzellah snatched back her plate but there were only two pigs in a blanket left out of the seven she had made.

 

“Cook for myself?!” Lisa gasped. “What a nightmare!” She reached for Izzellah’s plate again only to be jabbed in the gut. The halfsie shrugged it off to embrace Izzellah and snatch yet another morsel. She looked at her fellow minor with pleading eyes even as her cheeks were full of more pancake and sausage. “I need you Izz! I can’t feed myself!”

 

“You don’t get the last one!” Izzellah roared as her friend embraced her. “.....but I guess I’ll make some more.”

 

“Yes!” Lisa beamed even going so far as to smooch Izzellah on the cheek.

 

Lindsey couldn’t quite believe what she was witnessing. There was a certain calm over the minors that just didn’t exist for her kind. If any MAJOR, even her own brother had poached her breakfast fists would’ve been thrown. It was a sign of disrespect and a direct challenge to their own authority that had to be met, and yet...Izzellah was giggling and happily mixing more batter while Lisa rummaged through the fridge. There was no lingering animosity between them. This was what others didn’t understand about them, her friends and peers at school didn’t see this side. The calming effect minors had. She could even feel it in the air. Suddenly most of the fights she’d been in her entire life seemed incredibly petty.

 

Lindsey focused on Izzellah as the tiny minor moved about the smaller side of the kitchen. She felt a sense of pride that Izzellah would be the first one to use it. To her shame she even found herself leering at her crushes backside. The minor seemed to busy to notice.

 

“Pretty cute huh?”

 

Lindsey shuttered. Lisa was suddenly right next to her! She was so close it flirted with the boundaries of appropriateness. How had she?!

 

“I can admit her ass is better than mine.” Lisa said as her cheek grazed against Lindsey’s. Flirtation over. “I think she does squats.”

 

“I-I...you think?” Lindsey squeaked out. Somehow this taller than average minor was making her nervous.

 

“Oh yeah!” Lisa grinned. “She jogs too! Can you imagine that? So tiring……..You should fuck her!”

 

Lindsey’s tongue went dry.

 

“She came here for business y’know.” Lisa whispered into her ear. “She took a vacation to New Orleans….for business! Minorthingsmattertoo or whatever that huge chick is doing. So boring.”

 

“It’s important.” Lindsey rasped out as she tried to shake the haze of steamy thoughts Lisa had placed on her mind.

 

“It’s dumb.” Lisa said. “I made her promise me she’d have some fun instead of arguing with a giant and pining for your bro.”

 

“Alejandro’s a good guy.” Lindsey found herself saying. Her urge to defend him superseded her own desires. She was slightly surprised in herself for that.  

 

“He’s engaged!” Lisa snickered. “Chasing a taken man isn’t fun. Y’know what is? Having a hot fling with the local bombshell.”

 

Lindsey went silent.

 

“You should rush up and grab her from behind.” Lisa teased. “Spin her around and press your lips into hers. Slowly travel lower, to her neck, her chest, her navel, her……”

 

Lindsey’s phone beeped. There was a message. “Izzellah Ivory has accepted your friend request.” Then there was another beep. A new message. “Don’t listen to that little pervert.”

 

“You were supposed to accept my request first!” Lisa whined as she peeked Lindsey’s phone.

 

“I hear what you’re doing back there, Lis!”

 

“I’m not doing nothin!” Lisa lied.

 

“Then make yourself useful and finish mixing this!” Izzellah ordered. “Don’t tell me you can’t stir a spoon!”

 

“But!”

 

“No buts!” Izzellah denied.

 

The halfsie relented with a pout on her face which freed up Izzellah to prep more sausages. She scurried about searching for something she vanished underneath the sunken countertop levels lower than the one Lindsey had been leaning against. She then popped up just as quickly.

 

“Can you help me find a pan?” Izzellah asked.

 

“What?!” Lindsey started. She hadn’t realized Izzellah was actually talking to her. She was still trying to sort out the mental fuzz of what Lisa had just done to her.

 

“I need a bigger pan if I’m going to make enough food for everyone. Lisa eats almost as much as a MAJOR.”

 

“OH! Of course!” Lindsey jumped up creating a slight tremor that jostled the minor near her. “I think we have some pans in….” Her mind went blank. She didn’t cook much either. Not that she couldn’t but they had a chef and….”The upper shelves!” She remembered. They had pans in the upper shelves placed far out of the reach of minors. “Oh uh?”

 

“Give me a boost.” Izzellah requested.

 

“Whuh?”

 

“A boost.” Izzellah repeated. “To reach the pans. C’mon?”

Lindsey’s heart skipped. Was this actually happening. She’d be touching Izzellah! So easily! So…

 

“C’mon!” Izzellah snapped.

 

Lindsey’s hands reacted without her, seizing Izzellah’s tiny body by the waist. She was surprisingly….delicate. She’d held Alejandro countless times since they were both young sometimes even against his wishes. He was tiny in her arms since she was old enough to walk but he’d never felt fragile. As he got older and put on muscle he’d even felt sturdy, but Izzellah had no such trait. She was light, seemingly a feather in her hands. Weighing nothing and felt moldable, controllable, she had complete power over this minor. It was almost too much to bare...and it didn’t help that she smelled amazing. Like vanilla and flowers. This was too much pressure!

 

Izzellah for her part was completely unfazed as she casually paroused the cabinets for her bounty. “Found it!” She chirped as she claimed a metal pan almost the length of her body. However she overestimated the weight of the pan made for MAJOR proportions and fell backward accidentally dropping it.

 

Lindsey reacted without thinking. She closed her eyes and retracted her arms as the pan fell hard to the floor with a loud *CLANG*. She felt something tiny and soft press against her bottom lip. When she opened her eyes there was Izzellah staring back at her with a light blush on her face. Had they just? It coudn’t be true!....They had just.

 

Izzellah started giggling. “You can put me down now.”  

 

“I-I didn’t mean to-”

 

“Relax “Little Lind”.” Izzellah mused. “No harm done.”

 

She didn’t just say that! Hearing her nickname come from this adorable sprite made her heart sprout wings and float away. This shouldn’t be possible. Was this girl even aware of what she was doing? How could someone so small be so dangerous?!

 

“So are you going to put me down?” Izzellah asked.

 

“Ah! Of course!” Lindsey blurted. She placed Izzellah down but could feel her fingers linger on the minor’s tiny frame. The minor immediately went to work retrieving the large pan and hefting it onto the table. A feat the was significantly impressive as the pan was not made for a minor to lift. She went about prepping the sausage and whispering with Lisa who wore the largest shit eating grin Lindsey had ever seen.

 

Lindsey could only stand there and watch. Izzellah eventually started coaching Lisa on some other aspect of cooking but Lindsey was in another world. It had happened. She could still feel the tingling. It was quick, innocent, possibly even an accident, but it had happened. She had kissed Izzellah Ivory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MAJOR/minor SPECIAL: Chapter 6: Breakfast Banter

A banquet was prepared. Izzellah found herself sitting in an extended booster seat at the end of a large luncheon table. Before her was a spread of brunch food that bordered on the extravagant. They were outside, next to the pool which had its water runoff cycling into a small stream built into it for ambiance. The morning air was still cool even though it was closer to ten than nine and the sun was rising over the house which help cast a shadow over the bruncheon table. Overall the mood was calm as the residents of the new Ferrand manor shuffled about the table. A generally pleasant morning. Too bad that did nothing to calm Izzellah’s unease.

It had only been a few hours since she’d prepared her own breakfast and in that time as the rest of the house wakened, the idea of brunch was suggested and enacted with little word from her that mattered. Lindsey had went for her jog, Lisa had gotten dressed, and she’d showered herself. She wanted to be out of the house by now, out exploring New Orleans, seeing the sites, but she’d been overruled by the will of the MAJORS. One MAJOR in particular. Shannon Mathewson. One suggestion from her and it seemed almost law. No one spoke to object, not even Alejandro who hadn’t eaten yet. She couldn’t really blame him even though she wanted to. Shannon was his girlfriend if not more, why would he go against her on something so petty. As for the rest of the “MAJORS”, they were more than eager for food, even Sabrina who Izzellah thought was on her side seemed enticed by a good meal. That or they were all too afraid to challenge Shannon. Izzellah couldn’t really blame anyone for that either. Everyone was a minor to Shannon.

And such was Izzellah left to pick at a plate of freshly prepared shrimp scampi courtesy of Mabel. It was seasoned expertly and just a hint spicy, overall delicious work, but Izzellah didn’t have much of an appetite. Not that anyone could eat under the watch of Shannon Mathewson. The “MAJOR” class MAJOR was currently taking up almost half the table side opposite of Izzellah. Despite the absurd amount of food in front of her including a whole chicken Mabel had prepared Shannon took surprisingly dainty bites. They were quick and efficient, she occasionally stopped to try and feed Alejandro, but he usually protested her babying behavior. He was huddled over his own meal like he was in prison and someone would steal it. Izzellah had to wonder what experiences made him act that way. He seemed to fumble his food sometimes with his one arm. Was it possibly embarrassment. She wanted to comfort him. It was incredible that someone who’d experienced what  he’d been through even tolerated group meals. That’s when Shannon looked her way. She gave a pleasant enough smile, but Izzellah still froze under her scrutiny.

“Enjoying your food?” Shannon asked.

“It’s fine.” Izzellah mumbled. She spoke low and with such an extreme height difference between them she couldn’t be sure Shannon heard her, but she wouldn’t give anything else. Just talking around Shannon took effort. How exactly was she supposed to negotiate with her again?

“Everything okay?” Alejandro asked.

Izzellah jolted out of her own head. “Everything’s great!” She spoke up. She even took a bite of shrimp to show she was easy. She couldn’t let her own sour mood ruin his morning.

“She’s tired.” Sabrina said taking a seat next to Izzellah. She was dressed in a tight fitting sleeveless top that stretched tight over her chest. It bared the emblem of Winton High on it. One of her volleyball uniforms. She had a plate of assorted fruit including oranges, grapes, and a large wedge of watermelon. As well as large stack of scrambled eggs and some light fluffy crepe like dish. “And she’s probably eaten already.”

“Don’t speak for me.” Izzellah stated. She didn’t need Sabrina to interpret for her, not in front of Al at least.

“It’s true though isn’t it?” Sabrina asked. She shoved a large bite of eggs in her mouth. “You don’t need to put on airs. If you wanna take a nap just do it.”

“Will you shut up.” Izzellah whispered.

“What’s with you?” Sabrina probed defensively. She looked around the table. She spotted Alejandro who was occasionally glancing at them between eating. “Oh. Trying to impress your boyfriend?”

Izzellah never wanted to hurt someone more in that very moment. Sabrina was developing quite the little attitude lately.

“Please.” Sabrina scoffed. “He slept in until almost nine. I doubt he could judge you.”

“I’m not tired.” Izzellah denied. She wasn’t really. Any fatigue she was feeling was more from frustration than exhaustion. “Just...fucking eat your breakfast okay.”

“You shouldn’t be so uptight.” Sabrina said. She leaned close to Izzellah and wrapped an arm around her. “Relax, Izzy. We’re on vacation.” Sabrina even dared to give her a slick kiss to the lips. Where had that boldness come from?!

“What are you doing?” Izzellah asked confused, but not quite upset. This wasn’t the first time Sabrina had made an advance on her and wouldn’t be the last. She never thought the MAJOR would have the courage to pull a move in front of other people though.

“I was awake this morning.” Sabrina mused and took a bite of her breakfast.

Izzellah flinched at that comment but nothing more was said. Sabrina was more than content to continue her breakfast with a coy smile. One that only grew as Lindsey sat down at the edge of the table. Right across from her brother and right next to Izzellah.

“Oh, what the hell?!” Lisa exclaimed as she approached the table. She was carrying a tray twice her size filled with appetizers over her head. “Why’re all the good spots taken!?”

She basically threw the platter which crashed onto the table and remarkable landed with everything on it in tact. Whether that was intentional could only be guessed but it impressed. “Why am I stuck doing all the grunt work?!” Lisa continued to gripe.

“Because you insisted on taste testing everything that came out the oven.” Mabel said coming right behind her carrying two equal sized plates of entrees. “When you’re in the kitchen if you wanna eat you have to work!”

“Slave driver!”

“Creten~”

Lisa finally sat down as Mabel presented the rest of the food. There were seasoned cabobs that were still sizzling, an assortment of baked mini cakes with icing. Tortilla wraps filled with cooked meat and lettuce, a whole pizza with pepperoni and lobster the diameter of a car tire, sausage with toothpicks skewered through them and a stack of pancakes the size of a mountain. That plus what was already on the table made for a culinary accomplishment that betrayed the decadence of the Ferrands food stores as well as Mabel’s competence in the kitchen. She’d prepared all this in less than 3 hours!

“You didn’t hold back did you, Mabel?” Izzellah observed.

Mabel snickered and few other MAJORS chuckled as well.

“This food will be gone in an hour.” Lindsey informed.

“Four and a half MAJORS here.” Sabrina also informed with a sideways glance to Lindsey. “”More like six with Shannon. All with increased nutritional demands. I’m sure Shannon alone could probably eat most of what’s here by herself.”

“I don’t eat that much!” Mathewson insisted.

“You kind of do, babe.” Alejandro spoke. “Don’t be embarrassed, your almost twenty feet tall.”

“I’m just a growing girl.”

“Still?!” Izzellah shrieked. All eyes pointed to her outburst.

“Doctor says I could be the first woman to break twenty feet.” Shannon revealed.

Izzellah was barely able to choke down a bite of food. No one spoke as she gagged and managed to swallow. Then there was dead air as Izzellah couldn’t bare to continue any adequate conversation. Not with this living giant right across from her. Twenty feet? That was over three times her size. She was dining across from someone who could casually crush her without even a hint of effort. Plus that same person was dating, possible engaged to the only person, the only man she’d ever shown true interest in. Fuck.

“Well this is awkward.” Lisa spoke with her mouth full. “Sooooooo……...How many people here have a crush on Izzy? Show of hands!” Lisa raised hers as example.

 

---

 

Izzellah had finished her breakfast. Truthfully she had finished eating hours ago when she’d made her own breakfast. She didn’t possess the bottomless stomach of those with even a little MAJOR dna. She might of been a bit peckish but the abundance of food more than satisfied that. Instead what she needed was fresh air, which she got by excusing herself from the table and sequestering herself in the shallow end of the pool where she could dip her feet and brood. What had she even come her for? To see Alejandro was the answer she knew in her heart, but he was attached to Shannon’s hip and she could barely speak around the mini giantess.

“Is she doing okay?” Lindsey asked. She was moments away from leaving the table to check on her.

“I should talk to her.” Sabrina insisted instead. “Her coming here is a big deal believe it or not. She won’t say it but I’m sure it freaks her out to be so far away from her dad. This is the farthest she’s ever been from home.”

“I’ll talk to her.” Alejandro said. Before anyone could object he was already out of his seat jumping completely off the raised high chair and landing with perfect balance.

“Rando?” Lindsey probed. She had multiple reasons to be worried.

“No worries, Lind.” He smiled. “This won’t take long.”

He jogged over to Izzellah and as soon as he was out of earshot Lisa smiled grew wide to show a significant amount of teeth. Her eyes narrowed and she started to cackle.

“They’re gonna makeout.” She laughed. “Now can a girl get a slice of pizza?”

“Oh no.” Izzellah gasped as Alejandro dropped his feet roughly into the cold water creating a splash. A few drops hit her in the face, but that wasn’t why she was upset. “I must have fucked up bad.”

“You think so?” Alejandro smiled. “It’s not hard for them to worry about you.”

“I don’t care about them.” Izzellah stated. “You walked out on breakfast.”

“I was getting full anyway.” Alejandro said. “Let the behemoths feast.”

Izzellah suppressed a smile. Alejandro made being charming seem so easy.

“Still I feel bad now.” Izzellah informed. “I didn’t want to ruin anything just because of my dumb feelings.”

“Miss your family.” Alejandro stated.

“.......Yes.” Izzellah revealed. “I’ve called my papa three times since I got here. It’s stupid. I feel stupid for even feeling homesick with all these people around.”

“You know I hate crowds sometimes.” Alejandro revealed. “It’s because of well….this.” He wiggled his arm stump. He’d chosen to forgo his prosthetic this morning.

“M-m-macferlan.” Izzellah stuttered.

Alejandro chuckled. “You don’t have to be nervous about it. It’s ancient history now.” He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. “I was with friends when he took me.” Alejandro revealed. “A group, young, barely even kids really but still a group, but he took me anyway. It didn’t matter, and for awhile I didn’t feel safe around people.”

Izzellah just listened intently as Alejandro so calmly, impossibly recounted such a traumatic event with complete composure. He seemed almost jovial, like he could laugh at the situation.

“He just….took me.” Alejandro smiled. “And they let him. Afterward. I just didn’t go outside. When my family went out to eat, even fast food, someone usually Alaric had to stay at home with me. Shopping, family functions, we could never go anywhere. My mom claimed it was for years, but I don’t believe that. Even in a group with people who love and protect me I just couldn’t feel comfortable. And you want to know a secret?” Alejandro leaned in so close to Izzellah she started to sweat.

“I still don’t.” He said so softly it made Izzellah tremble. She could feel his warm breath in her ear. “Don’t tell anyone.”

“Really?” Izzellah asked.

“Of course.” Alejandro smiled. “I’m almost a country away from my parents, my brother. Don’t tell Lindsey but sometimes it just doesn’t feel right without Al hovering over me. He was with me y’know? During the incident. I don’t wanna brag but, I saved his life! Lind’s really jealous about it! Can you believe that? Girl’s jealous she wasn’t kidnapped and nearly killed by a psychopath. Sometimes I think she won’t be satisfied until she earns a face scar.”

“So why did you fly out here? Why do you stay out here.”

“I don’t know.” Alejandro said. “Maybe because I love my sister. She’s honestly one of the smartest people I know. She deserves a free ride to do whatever she wants and BF is as great a school as Winton. Maybe it’s because of Shannon, a billionaire love whisking you away to live a life of luxury is an enticing proposal.”

“You really like her huh?” Izzellah sighed.

“She’s an angel.” Alejandro swooned. “She rescued me, but I don’t think they make wings strong enough to lift her.”

Izzellah grimaced.

“Or maybe it’s because a certain girl inspired me to move on with my life. To believe that change was a good thing and not stew around in Old Creek forever!” He grinned.

“Al.” Izzellah turned her head. “You’re making me blush.”

“It’s that easy huh?” He laughed.

“Jerk.” Izzellah grinned and found herself slipping into his shoulder. Leaning against his strong body. His arm was firm yet gentle as he rested it on her shoulder. “I’m really glad I know you Alejandro Ferrand.” Izzellah mewed.

“Heh.” Alejandro hugged her. “Me too.” For a moment they just sat there. Two people with their feet in the water staring at the pool, at nothing really. Just a moment to themselves.

“Well.” Alejandro said first. “I better head back before Lindsey’s head explodes. She’s already stressed enough.”

“She’s crushing pretty hard on me isn’t she?” Izzellah observed. “I thought her heart would explode when I kissed her.”

“Oh!” Alejandro raised his eyebrows in mock astonishment. “Putting moves on my little sis are we?”

“It was an accident.” Izzellah informed. “She knows that but, I don’t think it helps.”

“Don’t break her heart.” Alejandro warned. “I’d have to stop liking you. And I don’t want to stop liking you, Izzellah Ivory.” Alejandro smile that most winning smile he had and strolled back to the table.

Izzellah stayed by the pool a moment longer. She was being silly. She was here for a reason. Alejandro had just given her some much needed context. He’d lifted her spirits to boot, still she wasn’t in a rush to join the group anytime soon. Let them all stew for awhile. She just needed time to get lost in her own world and figure out something important. At least she knew what to do next.

 

---

 

“And then he said “Are you okay little girl.”” Lisa imitated the man’s deeper voice in the story she was telling. “I was already fifteen by this point by the way.” She continued.

“Yeah, sometimes when I’m out it feels like I’m always five years old.” Alejandro added.

“So anyway I started crying.” Lisa winked. “Then a crowd formed. I think someone even dialed 911.” She started grinning almost proud of that fact. “The guy asked why I’d climbed to the top? What an idiot! It was a fricken jungle gym!”

“A “MAJOR” jungle gym.” Shannon said. “That was very dangerous.”

“And irresponsible.” Lindsey added.

“It’s easier to just call her stupid.” Sabrina quipped.

“And that’s why I can get into almost any waterpark in California for free!” Lisa beamed. This made all three minors at the table laugh. “Which is what inspired me to suggest this. New Orleans water adventure!”

‘Nnnnnnooooope.” Izzellah rejected. “I can’t swim, Al only has one arm, and you want to get in even deeper water!”

“Plus the gators.” Linsey informed.

“Gators!?” Izzy shrieked.

“Huge ones!” Alejandro boomed. “Size of a bear! I ran into one already.”

“And I punted it into the river!” Lindsey boasted.

“Mankillers.” Jandro whispered.

“No water!” Izzellah shouted. “And I think I hate New Orleans.”

“We’re going, girlfriend.” Lisa assured. “Even if I have to drag you! You promised me fun, this is a vacation.”

“A vacation I don’t want to die on.”

“I would actually like to see a gator.” Sabrina chimed in. “It kinda sounds like fun.”

“It’s not a game, Rodriguez.” Lindsey spat. “This town actually grows its gators as part of a wildlife conservation act passed in the late 90’s. Some of the larger ones can be as strong as we are. It’s not a game of volleyball. You need the proper physical training.”

“What are you implying?”

“That you can’t handle it. Obviously. Especially with those weak arms.” Lindsey flexed an impressive bicep considering both her age and size. “You have to get your hands around their mouth. Gators have a lot of bite strength. You can’t be a pussy out there or you’ll lose a hand, or worse. Plus you have to be certified.”

“Bullshit!”” Sabrina seethed.

Lindsey produced a plastic I.D. card with a flattering picture of her on it. It read. “Official wildlife relocation expert with a New Orleans county authority seal on it.

“It’s real.” Alejandro sighed. “I had to volunteer for her evaluation exercise. With “real” alligators! In plus 100 degree weather! On a weekend!’

“I’m getting certified.” Sabrina announced. “Izzy?”

“No.” Izzellah said instantly.

“I’ll go!” Lisa volunteered. “That’s sounds exciting!”

“Lisa don’t be drag into this.” Izzellah spoke. “She’s gonna have that license for all of three weeks. For what? To show up Lindsey? That’s asinine.”

“That’s fun.” Lisa emphasized with a hard look. “How are you having trouble with that concept.”

“I don’t find possible being eaten by a bear sized lizard fun, Lisa.”

“Then what do you think is fun?” Lisa asked.

“I-I….I wanna see the school. Ben Franklin. I wanna visit. See what makes is so great.”

“Nerd!” Lisa cried.

“That actually sounds like a decent idea.” Alejandro said. “I or maybe Lindsey could show you around.”

“Of course the boy toy agrees.” Lisa seethed.

“I’d be up for that.” Lindsey said with a little too much eagerness.

“You wanna come too?” Alejandro asked up to his large, lady, love.

“Oh!, Ummm, I’d love to.” Shannon peeped almost surprised to be offered. “But I actually have a business meeting today.”

“You want me to come with?” Alejandro offered.

Izzellah’s through dried out at the chance of losing Alejandro. She knew it was dumb to be jealous of a taken man, but she couldn’t help it.

“No, no, no.” Shannon denied. “Entertain our guests. It’s just a quick meeting with a freelance contractor. It won’t take too long and then we can all meet up for lunch and see the sights!”

“Uh, sure.” Alejandro said but gave his lover an knowing glance Izzellah couldn’t understand. Was the great Mathewson planning something?

“Well then it’s settled.” Lisa groaned. “We’re all going to school on our vacation. This fucking blows!”

 

---

 

The New Orlean’s weather was warm. Too warm for business dress or even business casual, but Mei Matsumoto tolerated it. Anything to make a good first impression. Not that she cared, but she was duty bound to see this meeting through. Truthfully it was worth it just to share a flight with Izzellah...and all that it implied. She momentarily distracted herself with a brief memory. The recollection of inner peace. Bonding a minor was something easily recalled with pleasantness....... That was enough. She checked the watch on her phone. It was 10:30. She’d arrived early but her family’s potential client was nearly late. Although she surmised with the amount of power and influence this person casually threw around you could afford to keep people waiting.

Mei felt a shift in the air. She could feel her coming, even if her steps couldn’t be heard. The woman’s mind projected power, an aura that probably intimidated most before they’d even laid eyes on her.

“Are you the representative of the Matsumoto design firm. I was expecting a man.” Shannon Mathewson greeted Mei with an extended hand. Mei took it and squeezed as firm as she could. This didn’t have the slightest chance of hurting the literal business titan, but she would know if Mei held back. The power struggle in even a simple greeting was expected, if immature and narrow sighted.

“My mother took ill.” Mei informed. “She’s a minor and prone to fevers. She couldn’t fly and my father wouldn’t dare to leave her side. I have the design blueprints and data as agreed upon.”

“Well then this should be quick.” Shannon smiled as she took a seat across from Mei. Her long hair was done up in a massive bun that fell down behind her and she wore a blood red business dress. Mei presented a briefcase, she opened it to reveal a series of papers and a thumb drive. Shannon took the papers first and gave them a once over. “It seems these meet the specifications we agreed upon. Good.”

“I believe they actually greatly exceed the requirements.” Mei informed.

“Of course they do. Your father is quite the visionary. Now I just need the data and-”

Mei pulled the briefcase back before Shannon could move for the thumbdrive.

“Is there a problem?” Shannon asked.

“Unfortunately we can’t finish this transaction until the price is renegotiated.” Mei stated flatly.

“The price was already agreed upon by your father.” Shannon informed.

“Yes. My father is a visionary, but he is also an artist and greatly undervalues his own work. After looking it over anyone with even basic business acumen could see this initial price is an insult. Especially from someone of your abundant wealth.”

“Your father may be a visionary but he is not the only designer in existence. My abundant wealth as you put it affords me the opportunity to shop around.”

“If that is your decision.” Mei bowed as Shannon stood up to leave the table. “I do doubt however you will find anyone capable of meeting your rather unique energy containment requirements outside of Japan, or for that matter a designer as capable of handling such difficult materials….anywhere.”

Shannon stopped. “Are you sure you want to do this?” She turned and sat back down bearing a predatory smile. Like a shark spotting a wounded seal.

“I’m afraid this meeting might not be as short as you originally intended.” Mei smiled back.

 

MAJOR/minor SPECIAL: With friends like these

Izzellah stared up at the visage of noted historical figure Benjamin Franklin rendered in bronze. He stood proudly with a scroll in his left hand, head looking toward the sky, toward the future he could only imagine.

“You think he was a MAJOR or a minor?” Izzellah asked to herself.

“Who knows.” Alejandro responded. “The size difference wasn’t so noticeable back then. Records were often exaggerated if not outright faked. Most say he was a MAJOR but he could have been a halfsie or a minor of great significance.”

“I’d like to think he was a minor.”

“He’s definitely fat enough to be a minor.” Lisa chuckled noting the ponch of his gut. She casually pulled out and unfolded a hundred dollar bill. “Look at this double chin! No self respecting MAJOR would allow that.”

“You realize of course of a century of hypercharged evolution, social, and technoligical advancement significantly changes what was considered the average body type right?” Izzellah asked.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“She’s saying MAJORS were probably fatter when Benjamin Franklin was alive.” Alejandro translated.

“Hah!”

The three minors lingered by the bronze statue in the muggy afternoon sun. It was just hot enough to dress light and justify Lisa’s shortest of short shorts that bordered on scandalizing her. Izzellah opted for a flattering sundress with floral prints and black leggings. Alejandro wore a nice open buttoned shirt that would look better without the Hanes brand wife beater underneath. The metallic joints of his prosthetic glinted in high sun’s rays.

“So you gonna show me around this place or what?” Izzellah asked leaning in close to Alejandro and locking her big brown eyes with his.

“I-I’d love to!” He stuttered at the sudden closeness. “But I think some people are a little more eager.” He tipped his head toward the small group glancing at them from the fountains. Their MAJORS. Lindsey, Mabel, and Sabrina had tagged along for this weekend excursion to school. Mabel was doing her best to try and diffuse the sparks of tension the other two teens shared. She stood between them and was struggling to juggle a conversation with both of them at the same time. Izzellah could tell that all three were just chomping at the bit to join them. It showed a remarkable amount of restraint that they hadn’t already.

“You’re so caring.” Izzellah remarked.

“It’s kind of a turn on.” Lisa giggled. “Charming, protective, “big” brother. Looking out for his awkward little sis and her first crush.”

As a halfsie Lisa did have a few inches even on Alejandro and used that to her advantage as she let her cleavage drip onto his shoulder. The tank top she was wearing was low cut revealing a pleasant crease where her breasts pressed together and gave Alejandro a glimpse at the black lace of her bra.

“I have a younger sibling too y’know.” She whispered. “He’s a MAJOR as well. I know what you go through. I could….introduce the two of them. Maybe we can setup a little playdate, and while they play..so can we.” Lisa cooed into Alejandro’s ear as the minor boy trembled under her contact. “Izzellah could come too..in more ways than one.”

“Enough.” Izzellah pressed her hand into Lisa and gave her a light shove. “You’re gonna make his head explode.”

“That’s the point.” Lisa said with a coy smile.

“Does everything have to be about sex with you?!” Izzellah snapped.

“It would be the same for you if you bothered to get yourself laid.” Lisa cheesed. “Which I’m trying to make happen.” She gestured toward Alejandro with open hands. “A nice prime minor cut of man meat right here waiting and you snap at me when I make a move for you!”

“He’s got a fiance!”

“Oh, please!” Lisa dismissed. “You think Shannon wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to have not one but TWO minors joining her in her oversized sheets. Get real! She’s probably already made plans for it!” She gave Alejandro a look.

He turned his head.

“Maybe we should just get started with the tour.” he mumbled trying to recover from the conversation and the attention of two minor girls. It was unique to say the least. He was used to being ogled and teased by women far superior to him in height. It let him detach himself from it, like they weren’t truly there. This was somehow more intimate. Even Lisa who had a few inches on him seemed obtainable, alluring, like a woman he could hold and embrace. Someone he wouldn’t have to crawl over and be dominated by.

“Thank you, Al.” Izzellah said. “It’s nice to have a minor around who doesn’t think with their libido all the time.”

“I swear I don’t know why you just listen to her so easily.” Mabel spoke toward Sabrina. “You just bend over and take it at every little request.”

“Good luck finding a minor to date with that attitude.” Sabrina retorted.

“Please. I know you live in some delusional world where minors want to be respected and treated as equals, but I know the truth. Deep down under all the tough, independent woman act, Izzellah wants someone to pin her down and take control. All minors do. It’s genetic. Right?”

Mabel looked toward Lindsey expectantly.

“Don’t look at me.” She huffed. “Rando’s not like that. If you actually lived with a minor you’d know they’re just like any other person...for the most part.”

“For the most part?” Sabrina jeered. “Hmph.”

“Don’t judge me for what you don’t understand Rodriguez!” Lindsey seethed. “I love and respect my brother, but you’ve seen him. He can be as free as he wants but he does need to be protected. I wasn’t there once and he paid the price for it.”

“Wasn’t he a kid when that happened. Which means you were a toddler. Do you actually think you could’ve done anything. You would’ve just gotten yourself killed. Mabel’s wrong about who’s really delusional here.”

“You want me to kick your ass?!” Lindsey snapped.

“Try it!” Sabrina taunted. “You’ll find I’m a lot tougher when you’re brother isn’t here to soften me up first!”

“Woah! Okay!” Mabel said stepping in between them. “Let’s calm down. I’m all for a brawl but not in public, and in front of the small ones.”

Both girls turned their head down towards their shorter, weaker companions. Alejandro wore a disappointed look and Izzellah just shook her head. Lisa at least seemed quite entertained.

“You gonna kill each other?” she asked.

“Let’s not.” Izzellah sighed. “I’d rather not explain that to Gloria.”

 

---

 

They chose to start outside and work their way in. The football field was the starting point. The school wasn’t in session during the weekend but some of the facilities were still open for club activities such as football tryouts. The group sat on the bleachers and witnessed a young MAJOR man in full gear get planted into the turf by a larger man. The coach blew the whistle and the robust tackler pulled his helmet off.

“You get em baby!” cooed a young dark skinned boy with long dreads. He had a remarkably soft voice despite his robust size. Izzellah felt like he recognized him but couldn’t remember from where or what. He was large but not quite as fat as the typical minor. He was just stocky, significant, robust. He noticed them and waved.

“Hey, Alejandro!” he smiled and beckoned them to sit next to him.

“That was a hard hit.” Alejandro commented taking a seat next to the minor.

“That’s nothing!” The minor boy beamed. “Derrik’s the best athlete around this school. Baseball, basketball, football, golf. He can do it all! He’s guaranteed to make the team!.”

“Derrick, Derrick..?” Izzellah scrunched her face. She looked at the strong young man as she jogged his way over. “Shannon’s brother!?”

“Hey.” He smiled down to the minor. “You see that?” He lifted his lover and gave him a kiss. “You impressed?”

“Very.” The minor chuckled.

“Who are your friends?”

“Well you already know Al and Lindsey….I have no idea who the rest are.”

“Izzellah Ivory.” She introduced as Derrick lowered his boyfriend.

“The Izzellah Ivory!” he gasped and took her in a surprise hug. “I’ve heard so much about you! I’m Joshua.”

They sat for a few minutes as Derrick finished his tryouts. He made more than a few impressive tackles and nearly got in a brawl with the team’s quarterback when he hit him so hard he spun in midair. The coach stopped the fight but Derrick still walked away with a jersey in his hands.

“We’d love to show you around the school.” Joshua said. “Ben Franklin has some amazing facilities.”

“It better to be the school that poached Al away from Winton.” Izzellah huffed. “But it has yet to prove itself to me.”

“Wow, you’re so boring.” Lisa griped. “Who cares what school has what? We all know  moved to New Orleans so he could motorboat the world’s largest set of tits. A decision I can respect.” She grinned at Alejandro all teeth.

“A-actually I came here for Lindsey.” Alejandro stated defensively.

“Relax, Al. We’re all friends here.”

“It’s a pleasant surprise to meet another minor here.” Izzellah said saving all from Lisa’s line of conversation. “I don’t have that much luck at Winton.”

“There are minors at Winton.” Lisa said pointing at herself. “You just don’t like any of the ones you met. You should try talking to Lee sometimes. He’s pretty cool.”

“Minors at Winton not as outgoing as you are?” Josh asked.

“Dreadfully so.” Izzellah replied.

“Well you might not find what you’re looking for here.” Joshua said. “I for one respectfully pass on the minor rights thing.”

“Someone’s not drinking the kool-aid.” Lisa snickered.

“How so?”
“I’m not against it but I can’t say I don’t like when Derrick...takes charge on occasion. And you’ll find I’m just an impartial observer. Some students are more radical in their beliefs.”

Alejandro’s mind immediately went to Shawna Beaulic. Hopefully Izzellah would never meet her. She’d ruffled his feathers the first time they’d met, he doubted it would go smoother with a staunch minor rights supporter like Izzellah. He shivered at the very idea.

“Honestly I’m a little on the fence myself.” Izzellah revealed. “At least with  this publicity stunt Shannon’s created. But I do believe every minor has the right to well….have rights. Own property, travel without being forced to bond, go outside unescorted, make choices. You choose to enjoy your relationship with Derrick but what if you didn’t? Would he allow that?”

“I’d do whatever makes you happy!” Derrick chimed in having eavesdropped on the whole conversation. Practice was over and he had removed his helmet and shoulder pads. He cut a nice form with huge muscles and a strong jawline that blended nicely with his darker skin tone. Massive in all things like all that shared Shannon’s blood seemed to be. “I respect you!”

“Calm down, honey we’re just having a thoughtful conversation. Minors can have educated, philosophical discussions every now and then.”

“I didn’t mean to-”

“I’m just teasing babe.” Joshua cut off with a kiss to his lovers chest. “Now calm down and let’s be good representatives of Benjamin Franklin and show them around. We can’t leave Alejandro alone with this responsibility. He’s only been a student here a week.”

“Oh, thank you for that!” Alejandro smiled. “I honestly had no idea where we should go next!”

“I have an idea!” Lindsey peeped at the opportunity. All eyes were on here. “I-I uh think I know a good place to visit.”

 

---

 

Lindsey of course chose the gym. She walked next to Izzellah more than eager to show off her training and the results of it in motion for her appeal. They walked down the hallway toward the MMA teams special and exclusive center to the door leading inside.

“You ready to see where it all goes down?” Lindsey asked brightley. Izzellah had to admit she was more than charmed by the girls enthusiasm. Lindsey was nearly glowing with passion. Izzellah admired that. That’s when it hit her. An unyielding pressure in her skull. Probing fingers on the edge of her mind.

“Holy shit!” Lisa exclaimed.

“What?” Sabrina looked at the minors worried.

Even Alejandro started looking just a little strained and off kilter.

“There’s a tier 3 around.” Mabel said.

“Are you sure?” Sabrina questioned.

“Sometimes I forget you’re literally brain dead.” Mabel snarked. “I live with a tier 3. I can tell. They can tell.” She pointed to the minors.

“She’s here isn’t she?” Alejandro asked.

“I guess so.” Lindsey said. Half embarrassed. She didn’t plan for anyone to be at the gym on the weekend but if anyone was prone to sneaking it extra workouts it was probably Samantha. “We can go somewhere else.”

“No it’s fine.” izzellah said. “You wanted to show off for me right?” Izzellah smiled up an the younger Ferrand sibling.

Lindsey nearly melted. “Yes!”

They went inside.

Samantha was working the heavy bag. Pressing her fists into the material with astonishing speed and force and it swung in the air from the impact. It reverberated to fiercely it almost appeared to be in two places at once. The chains holding it rattled as they struggled to do their job under the unrelenting assault. Then *SNAP*. The chain gave and the bag flew into the wall and exploded into a cloud of sand. Shrapnel of fabric splayed into the air before floating to the ground like scraps of tissue paper.

“That poor bag!” Lisa shouted. “It had a family!”

Samantha snapped out of her workout trance. She gawked open mouthed at the small crowd she couldn’t anticipate would be there.

“Uh...hallo?”

“Hey, Sam!” Alejandro greeted.

Lindsey was more welcoming and ran up to give Samantha a hug and whisper something in her ear. The blonde MAJOR then toward and glanced at Izzellah. She walked over and Izzellah could finally appreciate her size and build. Muscles sculpted out of marble, not just for show, but designed for efficiency and hurting people. She wasn’t a bodybuilder she was a fighter and it showed.

“So yur da Ivory gurl huh? Cunt ‘magine whuh all the hypes bout? You don look suh special.”

“Did she just say cunt?” Lisa giggled.

“Well nice to meet you too.” Izzellah said with ire. “Is this how you normally greet people you just met?”

Izzellah noticed Lindsey rub her forehead. Perhaps this wasn’t how she expected this to go down.

“Be nice, Sam!” said another voice.

“I am be’n nice!” Sam roared.

A girl with spiky blue hair emerged from around a corner. She was carrying a clipboard and towels. She was dressed in a tight onesie that exposed her legs past her thighs and a white lab coat. Her hair was blue and spiked, pushed back with a hair band, It looked like a current of electricity had ran through it.

“Anc can you at least try not to destroy the equipment?! We don’t get new requisition orders until next semester.”

“Bullshit.” Samantha dismissed. “I bring in suh many meduls to dis schul. Tey shuld pay me!”

“Don’t mind her.” Jenny said. “She gets full of herself after destroying a bag. Thinks she’s hot shit or something.” Jenny was remarkably short for a MAJOR, barely eight feet if that. She gave Izzellah a lustful gaze before turning her attention to Lisa with a dirty smile, then Mabel, then finally Sabrina. “Ooh look at you!” She cooed at her.

“Who are these people?” Izzellah asked restraining her growing frustration.

“This is Sam Paolini. She’s Jim’s daughter...and an MMA fighter.”

“Jim?...You mean the goon you sent to pick me up!” Izzellah glared at Alejandro.

“Dat’s my dad! He ain’t no goon!” Samantha hissed.

“He’ didn’t take me to my hotel like I asked him too!” Izzellah said. “That’s basically kidnapping!”

“He was doin his job!” Samantha snapped. “Protekkin your spoiled ass!”

“Spoiled!” Izzellah started.

“News flash, princess. Da wurld don’t cater tuh yuhs jus cus yur a minah!”

“Someone’s got a chip on their shoulder.” Izzellah shot. “What’s the deal? You got some sort of tier 3 god complex? Think minors are beneath you and your superior genes? Or maybe you’re just compensating for the fact you can never attract a minor despite literally evolving to do just that!”

“Listun ere yuh lil-”

“Sorry I can’t hear you!” Izzellah sassed. “Try not speaking like a toddler for five minutes and maybe I’d understand or did someone knock all your teeth out in a match you lost!”

“I cud MAKE you shut that dusrespetin mouf!”

“Just try it! You wouldn’t be the first!”

“Woah!” Lindsey said stepping between the girls.

“Let’s start over.” Alejandro said joining his sister. “Izzy, Sam’s okay. She saved me once from…” Alejandro thought back to his encounter with Helena Beaulac. “An awkward situation. She’s my first real MAJOR friend.”

Izzellah caught herself. This was unlike her….well maybe not entirely but she usually had a lid on her temper. She gave same a look that the tier 3 matched. They both knew they had escalated too quickly.

“Sorry.” Izzellah mumbled.

“Tch me too.” Sam huffed.

“So you’re a fighter!” Mabel beamed interjecting herself into the conversation. In an instant she was way too close to Sam with stars in her eyes. “We have to spar! Like right now!”

“I uh, doin’ fight kids.” Sam replied.

“Please!” Mabel begged. “I’m not a kid, plus you barely look older than I do. I can fight to I might surprise you! You have a ring here right?”

“Mabel calm down.” Sabrina said reeling in her friend. “She just finished a workout. It wouldn’t be fair. Besides we’re not here to fight. We’re here to watch Lindsey show off.”

Little Lind shot daggers at Sabrina. She took a deep breath and turned toward Izzellah. “Can I- uh..” She froze. The situation had already went to a place she hadn’t intended and she felt ashamed for even bringing Izzellah here. The moment was dead before it had even started.

“Go ahead.” Izzellah smiled. “I wanna see how hard you work.”

“Okay.” Lindsey said her spirit rekindling. “Okay!”

“And this is a standard amr drag into an arm bar.” Lindsey said. She then slowly demonstrated the move, twisting Samantha’s arm and throwing her to the mat before clutching her arm in a hold with her legs.

“Wow!” Izzellah said in awe. “You have to teach me that.

Lindsey released and incredibly patient Sam and went to Izzy.

“Not bad.” Sam said. “Your excution needs wurk.” She rose only to see Lindsey completely distracted with coaching Izzellah.

“Thanks for that.” Alejandro said.
“No big, bud.” Sam waved off. “She wunts’ta impress her gurl. I get it.” They both looked at Lindsey who struggled to contain herself as she touched Izzy and molded her body into a proper fighting stance. “Wut’s her deal anywhays? She’s all sass.”

“Izzy? She’s had a few tough spots too.” Alejandro said. “She’s pretty sheltered actually.”

“She say sumthin about me not being the first time or such?”

“I-I uhh I’m not sure I should say.”

“Talk, Al.”

“She’s had bad experiences with tier 3’s before.” was all Alejandro dared to speak on the subject. “So she’s probably really nervous around you.”

“Well now uh feel like an ass.” Sam said.

“Yeah ya kinda blew it.” Alejandro grinned.
“She was shit talkun muh daddy!” Samantha said. “If she knew whuh he’s been through.”

“Well maybe next time talk about it instead of showing your ass and we can all get along fine.”

“You got a mouf on ya don’t you?” Sam smirked.

“You’re finally catching on!” Alejandro smirked back.

Mabel was growing evermore frustrated as she passively watched Izzellah train with Lisa in the ring. Lindsey instructing the two minor and even her brother in some fighting poses. They were having so much fun and her and Sabrina could only observe. In fact Lindsey insisted upon it mostly as a blatant middle finger to Sabrina. “Minor only.” She had said. Bullshit.

“We can’t just sit here.” Mabel said to her friend. “We should be in there.”

“Relax.” Sabrina said. “Let her have her little fun. It won’t matter.”

“What is with you?” Mabel asked. “You’re surprisingly zen about all of this. Normally you’re jumping down that Ferrand girl’s throat. Now you don’t care that she’s playing grab ass with Izzellah.” Mabel pointed at Lindsey whose hands were stroking Izzellah’s leg under the pretense of adjusting her foot positioning for a kick.”

“No matter what Lindsey does, Izzy is coming home with us.” Sabrina noted. “It’s as simple as that. No way she gets farther than second base before we fly back to California either. Izzellah’s not losing her virginity on a three week vacation to someone she barely knows.”

“Oh!” Mabel nodded in understanding. “We should still kick her ass. And that Sam girl too! You and me. The two of them! It’s a perfect setup.”

“You really think you can take a professional MMA fighter?”

“You know I can!” Mabel smiled. “You know WE can. Lindsey’s all talk. She’s an amateur. That takedown was a sloppy as your jabs!”

“Shut up!” Sabrina laughed. “We can’t. Izzellah likes fighting but hates violence. She’d be pissed if we started something.”

“So we pretend we’re sparring. She won’t care if it’s organized.”

“She’s not an idiot Mabel. She knows I hate Lindsey.”

“She is a minor.” Mabel noted. “Like for once use that. She’s not infallible. If two MAJORS can’t get away with lying to one minor, society as we know it would collapse.”

“You really want this don’t you?!”

“More than anything.” Mabel said. “Do me a personal favor!”

“........Maybe.” Sabrina relented. “But if Izzellah objects or wants us to stop we do.”

“You’re just her bitch aren’t you?” Mabel grinned.

“Do you want me to fight YOU, Red!” Sabrina snapped.

“Yes!” Mabel whined. “I mean….no. It would be better to fight Samantha. We can brawl anytime.”

“You need help, Mabel.”

“That’s what I’ve been asking you for!” Mabel griped.

Alejandro took a break on a bench next to Derrick and Joshua who had been more absorbed with each other to care about the girl’s drama.

“I should thank you guys for tagging along.” Alejandro said. “It’s nice to be around other guys for a change.”

“Isn’t sharing a house with a group of girls a fantasy?” Derrick asked.

“Not these girls. You already know how Shannon is.” Alejandro sighed.

“Sis a little too much woman for ya?” Derrick joked.

“Sometimes I worry about her. She really enjoys dominating people. I mean this one time she actually brought a student into our-” Alejandro paused and thought better of revealing Shannon’s sexual domination of another MAJOR to her brother. Chances were he was keenly aware of her habits anyway. Best not to stir the pot.

“Sometimes I think your family is crazy.” he decided to say.

“You don’t know the half of it. Be thankful my cousin’s not here."

“Helena or Shawna?” Alejandro asked.

“Both!” Joshua laughed. “That would not go down well.

Then the door opened. Everyone turned to see who had entered. It was a larger than life woman with dark skin. She was incredibly tall especially for a girl and built like a tank. There was a smaller girl on her shoulder with caramel colored skin and an afro.

“You fucking jinxed us Joshy!’ Derrick said.

 

 

MAJOR/minor SPECIAL: minor debateable

 

Izzy had never hated anyone before. Not her former friends who had fought over her like a toy, not even Darren who had used her as such. Her mother had told her that to let hate in your heart was to narrow your mind and close yourself off to both love and understanding. You couldn’t love everyone, you shouldn’t love everyone, but you should try to understand them. If you could do that then the entire world would be open to you. Her mother was a romantic, she was also wrong. Izzellah Ivory hated Shawna Beaulac!

 

Izzellah had “hated” lots of people, lots of things. She hated her papa a few times. Like when he’d crushed her tricycle playing football when she was five, or when she found out he was dating “Gloria”. Come to think of it she hated Gloria most of the time too! This was different. This was a loathing and resentment she could feel in the pit of her chest, it only grew as the girl spoke some of the most vile, ignorant, anti-minor propaganda she had ever heard.

 

“This “movement” is only going to get minors killed.” Shawna said. Izzellah wasn’t even sure how this conversation had even started. She’d went to meet them, “friends” of Lindsey or at least Helena was. Both cousins of the giant Matthewson and it showed. Helena was very much a giant among MAJORS and the tallest person in the room. Shawna possibly the shortest but she still had the genetic curves of the family although they were significantly less than anything MAJOR. It started off harmless enough. A simple handshake soon to devolve into this.

 

“Are you insane!?” Izzellah shouted. She was shouting?! Dammit, she’d lost control so easily, but Shawna had this smug smile! Like she’d already won somehow. They’d just started talking. Perhaps it was easy to feel vindicated when you were coddled like a prized pet with the luxury of not even having to read, or think. “How could you even say that?! You’re a minor.”

“Exactly.” Shawna said. “So I know what I’m talking about. We’re small, weak, our place is by our MAJORS side. Supporting, them, encouraging them, so they can love and protect us. Not out driving where can easily get runover, voting in elections we have no business in, forcing MAJORS to look upon us with ire. Not everyone wants to live independent from MAJORS.”

“Then don’t!” Izzellah snapped. “That doesn’t mean the rest of us don’t have that right. The right to choose. That’s all I want.”

“The right to choose is the right to disobey. Disobedience to MAJORS is a sin. An afront to god’s will, but I don’t expect someone without faith to understand.”

“Faith?!” Izzellah gasped. “How dare you?!” She moved forward but felt herself be pulled back by Sabrina.

“Put me down!” Izzellah shrieked.

“And now you’ve lost your temper.” Shawna huffed. “It’s to be expected. You obviously haven’t had a competent MAJOR around to teach you how to act in polite society.”

Izzellah saw red. She wanted to scratch this girls eyes out or knock the teeth from her throat. Is this how MAJORS felt all the time? It was awful. Her blood was pumping so fast she thought it would spout from her veins.

“Shawna that’s enough.” Helena said. “You’re being rude.”

“Sorry.” the minor replied rather delicately. Suddenly she was seemed ashamed and demour like a scolded puppy.

Izzellah could almost be thankful of the MAJOR’s intervention if it didn’t stink of the hypocrisy Shawna had just praised. It took an enlightened and superior MAJOR to contain her, to silence Shawna. They’d been talking for less than five minutes. The smug smile Helena wore the whole time added to her salt. It was clear where she stood on the minor rights debate as well. It was almost ironic that Shannon had some of the most staunch detractors among her blood relatives. Perhaps it was even indicative of the MAJORS disposition toward rivalry in general.

“Put me down.” Izzellah said more calmly.

“Are you-”

“Please.” She whispered. She was disappointed in herself. She was terrible at debating in general. Her perspective seemed so natural she expected people to agree with her. It caught her off guard that it was not the case and the words were lost on her. Not that it would help with someone like Shawna. She barely knew this girl but could recognize she was stalwart in her convictions. It might have even earned the fro wearing minor a kernel of her begrudging respect. That only made her hate Shawna more. Such a tiny person was capable of creating such rage inside her so quickly.

Sabrina relented. Izzellah knew she was looking for some sort of follow up, a small sign of reassurance but Izzellah couldn’t give it to her. How would that look? After spouting off like that checking in with her MAJOR to show that she was “okay”. Izzellah sulked away into an empty corner to brood alone.

 

 

---

 

 

“She really lost it, didn’t she?” Mabel chuckled.

“That’s not something to laugh about.” Sabrina seethed eyeing Izzellah from the corner of her eye. The minor was half heartedly punching out her frustration into a punching bag so high she could barely reach it.

“Why not? It’s funny.” Mabel grinned. “She deserved to be taken down a peg anyway. Maybe it’ll teach the little princess a little humility. I mean that afro puff wasn’t even using logic!”

“You really disappoint me sometimes.” Sabrina said.

“It goes both ways.” Mabel said. “You should’ve stepped in as soon as Izzellah voice rose above a whisper. It would’ve saved her pride.”

Sabrina bit her tongue. She didn’t know Shawna, but the minor’s beliefs were as easy to read as a children’s book even to a dim bulb like her. She could only imagine what a MAJOR with actual acuity could skim from her. Mabel probably knew as soon as the minor had walked into the room and of course she’d done nothing. Of course that was the risk of Izzellah’s precious freedom. You were equally free to make an ass of yourself.

“And my disappointment of you continues.” Mabel teased. She leaned her head over toward the Izzellah Ivory pity party where a new member was trying to crash it. Lindsey Ferrand. Of course the lovesick pre-teen wouldn’t leave her crush to wallow. “You just gonna let that one slip by you?”

“No.” Sabrina said. “Eye’s up. You might get that fight you want sooner than later.J”

Mabel grinned.

 

Lindsey quieted down the anger boiling inside her. She didn’t have time to be frustrated with Helena for just letting “that” happen. It wasn’t her place to stop either Shawna or Izzellah’s brief verbal joust and the it added to the irritation. Still there was an opportunity before her she wouldn’t miss. Izzellah could use some comfort and she was primed to provide it. Refocus this visit back to the positive. Teach Izzellah a few more moves, maybe help her with some starting weights, they probably had some light enough for a minor in the storage, maybe she could hold her a little and-.

“Stop.” Sabrina said pulling her back roughly by the shoulder.

“What!?” Lindsey snapped.

“Leave her be.” Sabrina more ordered than suggested.

“Don’t touch me.” Lindsey hissed. “I’ll do as I please.”

“She doesn’t want to talk to you.”
“You don’t know that.”

“She doesn’t want to talk to anyone.” Sabrina insisted. “Let alone you, you’re friends with those two neanderthals.”

Lindsey bit her lip. “You have one second to remove your hand before I deck you.” Lindsey warned.

To her surprise Sabrina actually removed her hand. She was at least smart enough not to cause a scene. Then Sabrina pushed her fist hard into Lindsey’s shoulder. To anyone observing it probably looked playful, but it hurt too much for that. ]

“You bit-”

“Calm down.” Sabrina grinned. “Izzellah’s right there. If she sees you throw the first punch this is over.”

“You think I’m gonna let this slide, Rodriguez.”

“You better.” Sabrina continued. “We have round trip tickets. We can be on a plane tonight. Let. This. Go.”

“You are not getting away with this.”

“I know.” Sabrina said calmly. “But for now, give Izzy her space.”

Lindsey narrowed her eyes. It was almost worth Izzy’s anger to smack her stepsis once across the mouth. Almost. She reversed her direction and walked toward her brother but made sure to give Sabrina a hard bump as she did.

 

Alejandro had seen the whole exchange. Everyone had, but he at least had enought tact to leave Izzellah alone for a few moments. Having your pride crushed wasn’t fun and an experience he’d known first hand.

“Can you go talk to her?” Lindsey asked rushing up to him.

“Weren’t you?” he smiled coyly. He hadn’t missed that exchange either.

“Please?” Lindsey begged. “That bitch won’t let me go near her. I should punch her through another tree.”

“Relax, Lind.” Alejandro said. “It shouldn’t be this hard to keep you in line.” he teased. “What would are parents think if they saw you this easily agitated? That blowback will fall on me! I don’t want mom and dad chewing me out!”

“They wouldn’t!” Linsey started.

Alejandro had to stop himself from laughing. Lindsey was so easily baited and the cusp of puberty was making it easier. “I’ll go talk to her. Your big bro will bail you out of another disaster!”

 

 

“Go away, Al.” Izzellah muttered. “I don’t want to talk.”

“I don’t blame you.” Alejandro said. “I’d thought you forgotten how watching that display.”

“Well thanks for having my back.” Izzellah said sarcastically.

“I wouldn’t have been much help even if you’d actually wanted it.” Alejandro said. “I can’t convince her either. I barely stand talking to her sometimes. Be thankful you don’t share a class with her.”

“That must be terrible!” Izzellah laughed.

“There’s a smile!” Alejandro beamed. “That was easy.”

“Only for you, Al!”

“Oooh, careful. I can’t have Lindsey hearing you talk like that. I have to live with her when you leave.”

“Don’t pretend like she’s not the reason you’re here.” Izzellah said. “You’d have to be blind to miss what just happened.”

“They’re gonna try to kill each other.” Alejandro said. “It’s our job to make sure they don’t.”

“Sabrina knows me too well.” Izzellah said with a wistful expression briefly lost in thought. “I’ve been unfair to her most of all.”

“She loves you.”

“And I love her.”

“Then why don’t you go for it?”

“I’m not worth it.” Izzellah said. “I’m just a spoiled as they say I am.”

“Well thanks for the warning.” Alejandro grinned. “I’ll warn little Lind not to waste her time and I won’t either!’

“You dick!” Izzellah laughed. “You’re just as spoiled as I am!”

“I’m roguish and charming!” Alejandro said. “And look I’ve got you laughing and feeling better I hope.”

“Yeah.” Izzellah said. “Just...tired. I’m such a baby. This trip was a mistake. I must look so bad.”

“You could never look bad.” Alejandro winked.

“Stop!” Izzellah was laughing loud now. “I swear I don’t know if you’re trying to be a wingman for your sister or get into my pants yourself!”

Alejandro blushed.

“And...now I’ve went to far.” Izzellah stopped. “Sorry. I know you’re with Shannon. I shouldn’t tease you.”

“You’re..not wrong, Izzy.” Alejandro admitted.

Now Izzellah was the one blushing.

There was silence between them.

“You wanna get out of here?” Alejandro suggested.

“Just you and me?” Izzellah asked.

“If...you wanted to.”

“I don’t think we could get away with that.”

“We’ve established that we’re both incredibly spoiled minors!” Alejandro noted. “We can get away with anything!”

Izzellah was sorely tempted. Alone with Alejandro. Anything could happen then. The baser parts of her were getting the better of her rationality, but rationality won out….this time.

“Yes, let’s leave.” Izzellah agreed. “But not alone.”

“Smart.” Alejandro said although the disappointment on his face was palpable. Izzellah felt the same thing, but loosing her virginity in an empty classroom might be spontaneous but it was hardly romantic and she’d only been in New Orleans a day. If they could even realistically slip away unnoticed, but this wouldn’t be the end of it. They still had weeks left of this trip.

 

 

---

 

 

 

‘We’re leaving.” Lisa heard. She turned her head to see Izzellah and Alejandro close to her with his arm around her shoulder.

“Oh, finally!” Lisa beamed. “Of course, I’m down for this!” Lisa eagerly embraced them both with a tight hug that pressed their faces against her chest. “I figured you’d be nervous to your first time out, Izz.”

Izzellah let out a muffled grunt against the strength of Lisa’s grip.

“We’ll start out slow, I got a few techniques I can demonstrate, I know Al will be “up” for that. Then we can ease into the rest. You got an empty classroom for this, slot machine? Preferably with something soft to lay back on.”

“Slot machine!?” Alejandro choked at her casual dig towards his handicap.

“Lisa take a cold shower!” Izzellah snapped. “He’s giving us a tour! Joshua’s coming too!”

“I mean I’m down for it if you are but I don’t think Derrick would be okay with that.”

“It’s not a sex thing, Lisa!”

“Pffff boring!” Lisa sighed. “Then I pass.”

“You’re are truly my best friend.” Izzellah deadpanned.

“And don’t you forget it!” Lisa agreed. “You’re gonna have to offer more than some boring tour for me to pass up on Sabby and Lind throwdown again. There might be blood this time.”

“Lisa!” Izzellah hissed.

“Izzellah!” She hissed back.

“I NEED you on this!” Izzellah admitted. “Is that what you want to here?! I. NEED. YOU.”

“Why?” Lisa asked.

“B-because you’re my best friend, and I don’t want to be alone on a campus I don’t know, I don’t want to….be alone with Al.” Izzellah admitted. “Please, I could use your support.”

“Really?” Lisa grinned sheepishly. “I mean if you’re gonna beg. Of course I got your back! What are we doing?”

“We’re ditching these MAJOR pain in the asses!” Izzellah said.

“Hey! You’re talking about my sister too!” Alejandro defended.

Izzellah raised an eyebrow.

Alejandro turned his head.

 

 

“No thanks.” Joshua said. He was perfectly comfortable cuddled in the lap of Derrick.

“C’mon please!” Izzy pleaded. “We need to be united on this.”

“No, offense but this has actually gotten kinda dull. Me and Derrick were gonna head home and get this sweat off him.”

Joshua squeezed his beau’s muscular arm. “He doesn’t smell too good either.”

“You like it.” Derrick smirked and both young men laughed.

“As you can see my schedule’s rapidly filled up. Maybe we can retry the whole tour thing another day?” Joshua offered.

Izzellah took a deep breath. She peered right into Joshua. “Listen, this is important. A step toward independence. With only three we will be ignored, but as four minors united we can stand strong in the face of our MAJOR oppressors.”

Derrick expression soured at that. He was a MAJOR and he was pretty certain he’d never oppressed anyone.

“If we don’t take this step now, we’ll never be seen as anything more than pets, slaves. Break your shackles, Josh! Seize your freedom, your rights, your respect!”

“Wow!” Josh said with widened eyes. “You’re really serious about ditching aren’t you?”

“Wouldn’t it be cool to be on your own for just a little bit?”

Joshua scrunched his face. “Fine.” he relented. “But only for a little while, then I’m coming right back to my Derrick.”

“Baby?”  

“Relax.” Joshua said. “You’re a big man. Trust me I know. You can live without me for a few minutes.”

 

 

Getting to the door was easy enough. Everyone had sort of separated into their own spaces after Izzellah and Shawna’s altercation. The MAJORS seemed happy enough to give the minors a few moments of their own. Except for Shawna who was happy enough to hang near Helena as her MAJOR worked out with Samantha. Sabrina and Mabel were chatting and Lindsey was working out her frustration on the same heavy bag Izzellah had been futilely attempting to assault. The difference was obvious as the chain rattled from the momentum of her punches.

“So what? We just walk out?” Lisa asked.

“If we’re casual enough about it no one will notice until we’re out the door.

“And if they follow?”

“That’s where Josh comes in.” Izzellah said. “You know this school right? We just need to turn the right corners and they’ll be searching for needles in an academic hay stack.”

“You make this sound to easy, Izzy.” Alejandro stated. “But fuck it! Let’s go!”

‘Go where?”

The minors jumped.

It was the blue haired MAJOR. She looked like Sonic the hedgehog with her hair combed back and spiked. Izzellah hadn’t even noticed her and couldn’t remember her name.

“Ditching?” She whispered.

“Yes.” Izzellah answered.

“Can I come?” She grinned back.

“No.” Izzellah shot down. “You must be under eight feet for this ride.”

“I am under eight feet.” She grinned wider! The girl removed her shoes shrinking down ever so slightly. She was still much taller than the minor four. Even Lisa by a least a foot but more like two.

“Bullshit you are.” Izzellah hissed.

“Minors only!” Lisa backed her up.

“Back off!” Alejandro added.

Joshua said nothing more occupied with the cuffs of his button up.

The girls eyes lit up and she snickered like she was in on some secret they weren’t aware of.

“Trust me I’m more qualified for this than you think.”

“Why would you want to hangout with a bunch of inferior minors anyway?!” Izzellah grilled. “We’re small, weak, boring. We’re just looking for a place to take a quick nap. These days can really get to ya and the gym’s too noisy for our delicate ears.”

“Any other MAJOR might actually believe that.” The girl said. “But not me. Now let me join you guys or I’ll make a scene and your shrinking window of opportunity closes.”

Izzellah surveyed the room. Lindsey was still deep in her bag. Derrick was fiddling with his phone. Suddenly Joshua’s phone buzzed with a text. Sam and Helena and….”Shawna” were otherwise occupied as well. That left Sabrina and Mabel who were still chatting away. Sabrina was eyeing Lindsey up and down with utter contempt. Then she turned and spotted them. Izzellah froze.

Sabrina raised an eyebrow.

Izzellah shrugged.

Sabrina sighed and just as Mabel was about to turn her head and see what her bff was looking at Sabrina re-directed her to look at Samantha Paolini.

Now Izzellah owed her.

“Fuck.” She sighed quietly. “Whatever. Let’s just do this.”

Alejandro reached for door. It was a little too heavy for him to open with his one arm. The blue haired girl took the handle from him.

“My name’s Jenny by the way.”

“I don’t give a fuck.” Izzellah hissed. Jenny opened the door for them and they were out and free...for few moments at least.

 

 

---

 

 

 

“They finally gone?” Mabel asked.

“Tch. Yeah.” Sabrina replied.

“It’s almost cute that they think they’re sneaky.” Mabel chuckled. “You ready to do this or what?”

“Yeah.” Sabrina nodded. “You take Paolini and I got Ferrand. We clear?”

“Crystal.” Mabel cackled and cracked her knuckles. They broke ways.

 

“Hey.” Mabel said to Samantha who was spotting for Helena.

“Go easy on the weight.” Sam said without a hint of that childish accent she had adopted.

“Why?” Helena grunted back pushing up another rep.

“You know why.” Samantha stated as Helena set the bar.

“So you can talk normal.” Mabel said.

Samantha peered at her.

“You know I saw you on T.V.” Mabel stated. “That exhibition in Florida. You were on the midcard against Ramona Sanchez. Made her tap in the first round.”

“You a fan?” Samantha asked.

“I guess you could say that.” Mabel smiled. “I always thought your right was a little weak.”

“Hmmph. Sanchez didn’t think so.”

“Sanchez was coming off 12 months of maternity leave. I’m pretty sure she was still breastfeeding when you fought her. Not really an achievement I’d brag about.”

“You trying to start something?”

“Trying?” Mabel laughed. She decked Samantha right on the jaw. “It’s already started. You know that.”

Samantha spat out a bit of blood. “You’ve been eyeing me since you walked in the room. Playing innocent when ya knew exactly who I was. Surprised you managed to control yourself around the minors.”

Mabel removed her top so she was just down to her sports bra. Her toned abdomen was on full display. “Still sure you don’t fight kids?”

“I’d be a shame to crush someone with so much energy.”

“You’ll find I’m not as easy as you’d think. Don’t think being a tier 3 will help either.”

Samantha took a deep breath.

Mabel flinched as a wave a pure emotion overtook her. A tidal wave she’d been all too familiar with. A leviathan so unique yet at daunting as the one she lived with, only this one was terribly focused.

Shawna screamed then passed out. Helena rose from the bench and went to cuddle her cousin and lover. “You could warn somebody first Sam!” She roared.

“You’re making a mistake.” Samantha said. “Little girl.”

Mabel smiled. “I sure hope so!”

 

Lindsey continued to pummel the bag as she felt Sabrina walk up behind her. This had went horribly and now Izzellah was gone. She’d blown it on her first real chance. The bag flew backward as the chain snapped. Sabrina’s fist held in the air next to her temple. Well at least there was a silver lining.

“You. Me. Ring. Now.” Sabrina said.

“Finally.” Lindsey grunted.

 

 

 

 

MAJOR/minor SPECIAL: Catch and Release/TENSION

*CRACK*..Something broke. A bone, maybe her nose, maybe her cheek. Sabrina Rodriguez hit hard. Lindsey didn’t have time to feel it, before she ducked another blow to her face. She moved forward and tried to tackle Sabrina to the ground but the girl had leverage and she was forced down to a knee.

Lindsey grit her teeth as Sabrina’s knee connected with the bottom of her chin. If she weren’t a MAJOR she’d have probably lost a few teeth, hell most MAJORS probably would have anyway.

Lindsey spat blood.

“Fuck this.” She cursed and took hold of Sabrina’s leg. She tucked it into her chest and twisted, forcing the leg straight. Sabrina wobbled.

Lindsey smiled. This leg was now hers and Sabrina had no foundation. She plummeted to the ground and landed hard on her back.

Lindsey tightened her leg lock.

“Give up or I break it!” She yelled.

“Fricken!” Sabrina strained.

Lindsey could feel the tendons in her captive’s leg stretch and expand with blood as Sabrina tried to muscle her way out of the lock. Lindsey grinned with bloodied teeth. That wouldn’t work. She hadn’t spent all that time in the gym for nothing. She tightened.

“Ahh!” Sabrina screamed out in pain.

“I’m not kidding here, Rodriguez!” Lindsey barked. “I hope you enjoy spending the next week in a cast!”

She twisted harder.

Sabrina shrieked out loud enough anyone still on campus probably heard it.

Lindsey knew her adversary was near the breaking point. Even if Sabrina wouldn’t give up there was no way she could continue this fight with a broken leg. Then Lindsey would be the winner and they both would know it. The next few weeks would just be her and-.

“Cute.” she heard.

A hard elbow hit her square in the forehead and she saw darkness.

She’d forgotten. This wasn’t a one on one fight.

 

---

 

“Did you hear that?” Alejandro asked.

“No what?” Izzellah answered.

“Sounded like someone was screaming.”

“Probably your two idiot sisters beating the shit out of each other.” Lisa commented dryly. “They were literally waiting for us to leave. Broadcasting their bloodlust….So who do you think’s gonna win?”

Both older siblings stared at the halfsy not amused.

There was a moment in the air.

“Lindsey!”

“Sabrina!”

They turned their gazes toward each other. Whether related by blood or circumstance both had unfaltering loyalty toward their younger family.

“You don’t honestly think-” Izzellah started.

“LIndsey actually knows how to fight.” Alejandro said. “She’s took self defense classes in elementary school. Standard for anyone with a minor sibling, she’s in an MMA club!”

“Sabrina HATES Lindsey!” Izzellah informed. “Like actually hates her, plus she’s been brawling with Mabel for just as long.”

“Brawling is hardly trained fighting.” Alejandro scoffed.”

“Training is nothing compared to actually being in a real fight!” Izzellah snapped.

“Wow!” Lisa laughed.

“What!?” They both yelled at her.

“Your first fight!” Lisa beamed. “It’s so cute!”

“Precious.” Joshua commented.

“Adorable.” Added. Jenny.

Izzellah and Alejandro shared a blush.

“Is one of you Izzellah Ivory?” Someone asked.

The group turned around to see a MAJOR standing in the doorway of Ben Franklin’s minor classroom. It was quite the nice room if a little childish with its bright pastel colors and motivational posters.

The MAJOR was dressed in a red uniform with the words “Pizza Hut” on it.

“I’m Izzellah Ivory.” She said raising up from the cushioned sleeping area in the corner of the room.

“No I’ll pay.” Alejandro insisted. “Save your money.”

“No I insist!” Izzellah said. “I’m the one who ordered it.”

No I-”

Jenny and Joshua acted first.

“Surely you wouldn’t charge a bunch of innocent minors?”

The MAJOR shivered. She was a lanky thing with freckles and auburn hair. She smiled awkwardly revealing braces, a true rarity among MAJORS.

“Well I-?” She lisped. “I mean I could maybe, but I mean I’d get in trouble if-”

Our MAJOR friend left and had to go take care of some business.” Jenny said. “He’ll be gone for HOURS...we were hungry and didn’t know what else to do.”

“Aren’t you a-” The delivery girl asked. “Although I guess you are rather short for a MAJOR.”

“Please look the other way?” Joshua asked putting on the puppy dog eyes.

“I suppose I could charge it to the school instead.” The MAJOR girl suggested.

“That would be great!” Lisa added, joining the trio. “My daddy’s donated so much money to this school I’d practically be paying or it anyway!”

“Okay then!” The delivery girl said, before imputing the details of the charge onto a tablet. “Enjoy your pizza!”

The pizza delivery woman turned and walked away only to pause.

“Although to be frank, I...do feel rather guilty to just leave a group of minors alone and unattended.”

Of course she would.

Izzellah groaned internally.

“We’ll be fine.” Lisa insisted.

“Nonsense!” The pizza-girl smiled. “I’m can stay for a few hours. Share some of this free pizza and make sure you’re all safe until your MAJOR comes back!”

“Actually I think-” Joshua started.

“My name’s Abigail by the way.” The MAJOR said sitting down in the sleeping corner right between Izzellah and Alejandro. She took a slice of pizza which was MAJOR sized and nibbled at it.

Then her phone buzzed.

“Hello?” she answered.

Lisa sat down and took a slice. The group funneled in and each starting picking at the pizza and working on slices of their own. They were comically large for everyone, even Jenny the MAJOR intruder who was someone beneath the pizza-girl’s suspicion. Izzellah wasn’t sure of what her game was just yet. Why join a group of three minors and a halfsy?

“Look what you  did?!” Izzellah whispered to the blue haired girl.

“I was just following his lead!” She said nodding toward Joshua.

He shrugged, one handful of pizza the other with his phone one-handed texting most likely with Derrick.

Izzellah wanted to be made at him, but his pure indifference was kind of endearing and he had a unique charm to him. He could see why Derrick would go for him.

“Doesn’t change the situation we’re in!” She hissed to Jenny as the MAJOR continued her phone call.

“But-I.” the MAJOR started. “You don’t understand there are mi-”....”Please! FINE!” she yelled.

“Sorry guys!” Abigail apologized. “Work!...But my shifts almost over. Here’s my contact information if you ever need anything!” She handed Alejandro a card with her name and address on it. “Call me!”

With that she left although very begrudgingly making sure to blow them all a kiss upon exit.

“You sure she’s gone?” Lisa asked.

“I think so.” Alejandro said, he’d followed her to the door and was now looking down the hall as the she rounded the corner.

They all breathed a sigh of relief.

Then started laughing.

“That was terrible!” Izzellah exclaimed.

“Hey free pizza.” Alejandro smiled.

“Not my first time.” Lisa chimed in.

“Me neither.” Joshua added.

Jenny laughed and observed. This was worth her time more than any of them could know. She’d second guessed forcing herself into their group but she might be starting to gain their trust. And gaining the trust of minors could only lead to opportunity.

 

---

 

Samantha shoved her shoulder back into its socket. She didn’t grunt or even flinch at the pain.

“These two are proving to be quite the pains in the ass.” She growled at her junior.

Lindsey was looking a lot worse for wear. Blood stained her face from a severe injury to her right eye where Mabel’s elbow had connected. They had to pause the match so Helena could patch her up. The sight was so grizzly that Shawna’s minor constitution couldn’t handle it and she’d passed out from just a glimpse.

She’d repaid Mabel for that in kind. The redhead’s left eye was completely swollen shut and her lip was cut.She’d even spit out a tooth she claimed was a surgical implant, although she’d never heard of a MAJOR losing teeth before.

Sabrina was also barely holding on. She’d regained her footing thanks to her annoying friend but hadn’t escaped unscathed. Her leg was red and almost double its size. She moved with a limp her kicks neutralized.

Still the two put up a good fight. Lindsey might even enjoy it if it were anyone other than Izzellahs bitch of a soon to be half sister.

Mabel was way more adept a fighter than she’d appeared to be. She knew martial arts and her skill might be on par with Samantha if not eclipsing it outright. She was some kind of prodigy and a maniac to boot. Hitting her only made her smile and Samantha’s advantage at as a tier 3 was turned into a liability.

It physically hurt to be near Sam when she was like this. Frustration had long since set in and she wasn’t controlling her ability. If Shawna wasn’t already unconscious from the grotesque barbarism she would’ve passed out from Sam, such was a tier 3’s power.

Mabel was unfazed. In fact she seemed to enjoy it. She was doing much of the heavy lifting in this-

Lindsey had to duck a roundhouse kick from the redheaded menace, but dodging lefte her open.

Sabrina was good at picking opportunities and she took this one by shoulder charging Lindsey right in the gut. The momentum forced them both off balance and onto the floor.

Lindsey was mounted.

“Goddammit!” Sam shouted with a hint of her accent slipping out. She tried to aid, but Mabel had pounced on her. A flurry of back and forth jabs were exchanged between them.

“I’m so tired of looking at you!” Sabrina said before reaching out with a right cross. A vicious ground and pound commences and Lindsey was forced to guard.

“You’re not the only one, bitch!” Lindsey swore as a punch it her cheek. She grabbed the fist and twisted using her left to hit a cross counter. “I’ve been sick of you since we first met!”

She remembered vividly that day over a year ago. Meeting Izzellah Ivory in that brisk day. Seeing some obnoxious brat of a girl pick a fight with her older brother and earn a trip through a tree for it. Getting in her way when she was just trying to have a conversation with one of the few minors she’d ever seen that wasn’t her brother! Thinking she knew everything! She’d never even lived with a minor before! And now she was more awful than ever. Criticizing her, body shaming her, rubbing those overgrown orbs in her face and Izzellah’s! Lindsey wished she could dominate this girl as casually as Shannon did. She had mixed feelings about her brother’s mate, but one thing she admired was the respect she commanded just by existing. Lindsey only hoped she could achieve a fraction of that power. Then Rodriguez could never mess with her again.

Never challenge her like this again. She was the only one who ever did. Too many people saw her as an angel. Her family, her friends, her brother. Sabrina saw her as a person. Saw her flaws. Saw her....and made her pay for it. Rodriguez just woudln't stop! She never did! It was almost reassuring. Lindsey needed someone to hate. Sabrina was happy to oblige. Lindsey found someone capable of dishing out as much as she could and take the same. 

“I hate you!” She seethed.

“I hate you too!” Rodriguez spat back. “You think your so much better than everyone else. Having a minor brother doesn’t make you special. Being rich doesn’t make you interesting! It just makes you spoiled and entitled. The world doesn’t owe you any favors. You can’t just walk into someone else’s life and try to take what’s theirs’

“Jealous because she kissed me before you!” Lindsey taunted.

That didn’t help things. Sabrina went into a rage throwing out an unorganized onslaught of blows. But anger made her sloppy. The punches were hard, but lose, uneducated, unrefined. Lindsey was able to feint a jab that put Sabrina on guard. She pressed her knuckle into Sabrina’s ear and shook her equilibrium.

Sabrina lost leverage.

With an injured leg and no sense of up or down she had no hope of keeping Lindsey pinned. The young Ferrand reversed the position and mounted Sabrina. A moment later she’d struck her rival right in the throat crushing her windpipe and precious supply of oxygen.

“You have no idea what a minor thinks.” Lindsey said. “You claim you have her best interests at heart with one breath and claim she’s yours with another. She made a choice Rodriguez, and she chose me. That was the only choice. Only a perverse freak like you would get off on their sister.”

Sabrina closed her eyes and cried. She couldn’t talk, she could barely breathe. Not that she wanted to with Ferrand picking at every one of her insecurities. Why did she have to be right? Why did she have to be so perfect? Her mind sharp and witty. Her body, tight and perfect. She was kind, considerate, and knew what minors wanted. No wonder Izzellah had kissed her, even if only for a moment. It was a moment more than she’d ever had. Sabrina knew she couldn’t compete. She didn’t come from the insane amount of money Lindsey did, didn’t have the same pedigree and definitely didn’t spend all her life living with a minor. She could only imagine what insight Lindsey had. It wasn’t fair and it made her despise Lindsey all the more. Especially because part of her hatred, was respect.

But she wouldn’t give up. Her mother didn’t raise a quitter and her father would disown her. If spending over a decade fighting with Mabel taught her one thing it was how to take a punch to the throat.

Sabrina breathed in deep forcing air through her windpipe and into her lungs. It hurt like hell but MAJORS were made of something stronger.

She bent up and headbutted Ferrand right in her fucking face!

She fell back and snstched Sabrina up with her. They both tumbled.

What had formerly been a brutal fist fight devolved into a childish wrestling match to see who could be on top. Their bodies squeezed into each other and they unconsciously ground together as they struggled with each other for dominance.

“What’s your problem?!” Lindsey screeched.

“What’s your problem?!” Sabrina parroted.

“I’m staring at the huge tits, of a spanish whore!” Linsey insulted.

“At least I’m not some kind of toned up muscle freak!” Sabrina insulted back.

“Fuck you!” Lindsey said.

“Fuck you!” Sabrina shot back.

Lindsey spat in her face.

Sabrina returned.

They grunted and groaned face to face, Eyes close, Mouths inches apart from each other.

Sabrina heaved. Her breath was hot.

Lindsey spasmed as her arms started to weaken.

Sabrina was on top.

Then Lindsey.

Sabrina.

Lindsey.

Sabrina.

Pause.

There lips touched.

TENSION/released.

 

MAJOR/minor SPECIAL: Intimate Domain

Izzellah woke in a cold sweat. Her surroundings were unfamiliar to her. Then she remembered she wasn’t at her home but hundreds of miles away in an entirely different state.

She rubbed her legs together and felt them bare. She was naked. That was strange. She didn’t even have her underwear on. Then she felt the warmth of another set of legs intertwine with hers.

“You wake up early.” Lisa said.

Izzellah’s eyes snapped open. It had happened! Her eyes adjusted to the dimmed light of the ceiling lamp. A light breeze touched her skin from the ornate fan it was attached to. She was laying on something soft and giving. A small bit of flesh protruded into her cheek. She blushed as the realization that it was Lisa’s nipple.

Had she fallen asleep like this or had Lisa positioned her this way? They were cuddled together like lovers, her resting while Lisa sat up resting against the backboard with her hair tied up and glasses on?

Izzellah had forgotten she even wore them. She was reading.

“Oh my god!” Izzellah gasped. “We-”

“Like the couple of horny high schoolers we are!” Lisa smirked. “You really get into it for a sheltered virgin...well former virgin.”

“This isn’t a joke, Lisa.”

“Of course not.” She said with an air of seriousness. She touched a strand of hair in Izzellah’s face and brushed it past her ear. “I’m truly honored.”

Her hand held the back of Izzellah’s head and she was brought into a gentle kiss. Her lips tingled which sent a shiver down her spine and to her legs where a sudden jolt of recalled pleasure quaked subtly inside her.

“Did you enjoy it?” Lisa asked.

“...Yes.” Izzellah admitted. “Thank you.”

“Good.” Lisa commented. She reclined back to her book. “Maybe you’ll finally start to relax for a change. You’ve been a bundle of nerves since we got here.”

“No I haven-.” Izzellah stopped herself. “Was it that obvious?”

“To everyone.” Lisa said. She licked her finger and turned the page. “Shannon right?”

Izzellah gave a half hearted knod.

“Why?” Lisa asked. “She’s not a bad person Izz. I looked into it for you….personally.”

“Meaning you slept with her.” Izzy commented.

“Meaning I bonded with her.” Lisa corrected. “And slept with her...it’s called multitasking. Trust me. She’s at a least genuine. She really wants to help us.”

“She’s a liar.” Izzellah hissed. “A hypocrite.”

“You sure you’re not scared because she’s huge?” Lisa cocked an eyebrow at her and pierced her with her discerning eyes. Maybe it was the glasses or her hair tied up but she seemed more authoritative, more imposing. It almost reminded Izzy of her mother.

“It’s because she’s huge!” Izzellah insisted. “Someone like that doesn’t see us as equals. She talks a big game but she thinks everyone’s beneath her, because they literally are.”

“Izzy.” Lisa took her head and pressed their foreheads together. She tried to resist at first but Lisa was too strong to fight without this escalating. Her halfsy strength made a difference. “Just relax...bond with me.”

“Lisa I-”

“Let it happen. Open yourself up. You’ll understand.”

Izzellah closed her eyes.

She breathed in and….

Let herself go.

The void of her mind.

Silence.

……

……

……

“Izzy!”

Her eyes opened and she saw the off pink form of Lisa. Not the real Lisa but one a little taller, a little more toned, her stomach was flat instead of the minor bulges from her lax lifestyle, her face a little thinner than normal, her hair much, much longer, It flowed like a cape around her radiating in amber.

“Lisa.” Izzellah looked at her hand to find it turned purple her skin covered in a small layer of fur. That could only mean one thing.

“Bunny ears.” Lisa smiled.

“Couldn’t you just tell me?” Izzy sighed. “This is so embarrassing.”

“Are you like a furry or something?” Lisa asked. “I don’t judge I’m just curious.”

“Why did we have to bond for this?” Izzellah asked, dodging Lisa question.

“Because I can’t describe emotions.” Lisa said. “Just relax and feel okay.”

 

---

 

“They don’t understand!”

“They never will!”

“Too stubborn! Too violent! Too stupid!”

“Yes MAJORS ARE STUPID!”

“Too arrogant to admit it.”

“ANOTHER FLAW!”

“They hurt him! So much! He’s scarred for life! SCARED for life!”

“MacFerlan!”

“Wish I could’ve killed him myself!”

“I can’t fix that! I can fix them!”

“They don’t know what true superiority is!”

“Genetically superior! The next step in evolution. Above even MAJORS.”

“It’s only natural!”

“Fix it!”

“Better! Stronger! Smarter!”

“More compassionate!’

“MAJORS lack empathy!”

“I have it in spades!”

“Course correct the world!”

“For him!...For all of them.”

“She doesn’t know any better. I admire her for trying anyway.”

“Then why am I jealous of her? Scared of her!”

“She has something I don’t.”

“Vulnerability...just like him.”

“Distract her. Control her. For her own good. For everyone’s own good.”

“Help them all.”

“Save them all.”

 

---

 

“What was that?” Izzellah asked shaking away the bond migraine.

“Shannon.” Lisa said going back to her book. “At least what I could get from her. Probably not much more than what she wanted, I’d like to think I sneaked away with a little extra though but who can tell?’

Izzellah didn’t speak.

“You see? She’s genuine. She wants to help uplift minors.”

“She wants to control everyone! Even other MAJORS!” Izzellah exclaimed. “She brought in Mei just to distract me.”

“That’s a pretty fun distraction.” Lisa grinned. Then she started laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Izzellah asked. “This is horrible. Shannon’s trying to manipulate me.”

“No. I was just thinking of how jealous Mei’s gonna be that I have your V-card!” She formed a rectangle with both her thumbs and index fingers. “That’s like winning the lottery!”

Izzellah let a giggle slip out.

Lisa pulled her in close and pecked her lips and squeezed her ass. “You’re a nice little package Ivory.” She smiled with a disarming amount of charm. “I can see why all these girls are so wet for you. You’re making me all squishy too. A girl could fall in love.”

“Lisa I didn’t.. I mean I don’t-”

“Calm down, Izz.” Lisa cooed. “You’re lacking a certain bit of equipment I value. That’s kind of a deal breaker, and you’re too boring to let me invite an interested third party.”

“I never knew you were this-”

“Ravishing? Beautiful? Generous in bed?” Lisa tried to finish.

‘Cool.” Izzellah said. It felt nice to be in Lisa’s hold. Her strength although tempered by being a minor, mattered. Izzellah wanted this. Someone she could make a life with and felt just a hint of regret in her heart at Lisa’s rejection.

“You’ve never had sex with me before.” Lisa winked.

Izzellah kissed Lisa hard on the lips. They shared a moment as Izzellah moaned into her mouth. They broke leaving a string of saliva between them.

“You want another round?” Lisa proposed.

“I love you.” Izzellah said. She rose from her bed giving Lisa a salivating view of her naked rear. “Now pack your shit, we’re leaving.”

 

---

 

Sabrina limped down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her leg still hurt like hell but at least she was moving. Her lip was still tender but a list the spit had healed up. By tomorrow she doubted it would even be noticeable. The benefits of enhanced healing. Now if all her other injuries healed up as quickly she could be back to running by the end of the week!

When she got to the kitchen she didn’t like what she saw. The very culprit responsible for her crippled state. Lindsey Ferrand. Her sweat soaked and toned back covered by a the stapes of a sports top, contorted with motion as she blended some sort of after workout drink.

At least she could workout! The vice she’d put her leg in made it virtually impossible for Sabrina to move at all and she felt all the weaker for it.

Sabrina strolled up beside her and found a glass. Without asking she poured herself a serving of Lisa’s blended smoothie. The distinctive taste of protein supplement and fruit hit her tongue as she swallowed.

Lindsey grimaced but didn’t say a word.

Sabrina smiled as the large swollen welt above her left eye which was only slightly open and completely discolored. She was proud that she’d fractured something with that one. She wouldn’t be healing from that anytime soon. Good! She shouldn’t be the only one who had to suffer.

Lindsey poured herself a glass with the rest of the protein smoothie and they both drank in silence staring death at each other.

“So.. we going to talk about it?” Sabrina started.

“Talk about what. You kissing me?” she shrugged. “I’m flattered really but you’re too much of a bitch for me.”

“Me kissing you. Hah!” Sabrina scoffed. “You were moaning and practically force fed me your tongue, Lind!”

“You’re imagining things!” Lindsey said stepping up into Sabrina’s personal space.

Eye to eye.

Grill to grill.

They paused.

Something was off.

Sabrina noticed first and laughed. “You’re not wearing shoes are you?”

“No!” Lindsey gasped. She was taller than Sabrina by almost an inch. A complete reverse of height since the start of this vacation barely two days ago.”

“Congratulations!” Sabrina said sarcastically before downing a swig of smoothie. “Look who finally hit puberty! Better late than never! Maybe next time you’ll actually win our fight.”

“I did win!” Lindsey insisted.

“That shiner says otherwise.” Sabrina shot, pointing out Lindsey’s swollen eye.

“Which one of us is walking, Sab?” Lindsey returned. “That looks like a victory to me!”

“I only need one leg to kick your ass!” Sabrina exclaimed.

“Bring it on!” LIndsey returned.

They both stepped up again.

Face to face.

Breath to breath.

Their lips touch.

“Ah.” Lindsey moaned as she took Sabrina’s hand and tried to force her to the counter.”

“Fuck!” Sabrina moaned back as they continued to liplock. Lindsey lifted her legs and hefted her onto the counter cupping her butt with on hand while groping Sabrina’s right breast with the other.

“Why are these so nice?” She whined lifting Sabrina’s shirt and letting her plump breasts fall out. Significant for someone her own age. A tinge of jealousy flowed through her, but she could punish Sabrina for being impudent enough to develop before her. She licked her rivals nipple until it went pert then bit down.

“Harder, pussy!” Sabrina demanded gripping a handful of Lindsey’s hair and forcing her face into her chest. She scratched at Lindsey’s back with the other.

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Lindsey hissed biting down harder to hear Sabrina moan. Force that uppity brat to feel pleasure. It must burn her up to know she’s getting off right now. That she’s doing it to her!’

Sabrina forced her head up and Lindsey gasped.

They stared daggers of hate and lust at each other.

“Nice eye.” Sabrina smirked.

“Nice lip.” Lindsey smiled back.

They both grinned evilly before kissing anew.

“I-I can carry you...upstairs.” Lindsey offered with a surprising sincerity.

“Too far!” Sabrina gasped. “The...the gym!” she sparked.

“Yes!” Lindsey agreed. “You’re so in for it now!”

“Don’t disappoint me!” Sabrina beamed.

They both laughed and kissed again.

“Ahem!” Izzellah coughed.

They both jumped causing the counter to rumble. Sabrina nearly fell.

“Uh!” they both panicked.

“I can-...We can-” Sabrina started.

“She kissed m-...we-..Please don’t be-..!”

Izzellah didn’t smile, or frown. Her face was unreadable.

“Start packing your suitcase.” She said to Sabrina. “After you finish fucking Lindsey of course.”

 

---

 

It was a novelty to say the least. Having two MAJORS on their knees before. Trying to lower themselves beneath you even though that was an impossibility. Literally begging.

“I’m sorry!” Sabrina cried. “I didn’t mean to!”

“Please, don’t let this come between us!” Lindsey pleaded. “It was a mistake I swear!”

Izzellah broke her stern facade and started laughing. “You two need to relax.”

“You’re not upset?” Sabrina asked shocked. She rose to her feet with a quizzical look. “Why not?”

“I still have a chance?” Lindsey said. “For something to happen between us?”

“No.” Izzellah rejected. “Because there was never a chance for anything to happen between us.”

She could see LIndsey physically deflate at the heartbreak. It was painful but Izzellah had to be honest.

“What did I do?” Lindsey asked. “I’m sorry for fighting! I really I am! I won’t do it anymore I promise!”

“It’s not the fighting.” Izzellah sighed. “Although I don’t approve of that either. It’s that you’re thirteen.”

“But-!”

“No. Let me talk.” Izzellah interrupted. “I don’t care if a MAJORS age of consent is thirteen, I don’t care what doctors say, or brain scans, or society. I was raised to consider that rape. I can’t allow that between us, yet.”

“Yet?”

“You’re a cute girl.” Izzellah said. “Smart, beautiful, and trust me what you’re doing in the gym really works for me.”

Sabrina grimaced.  

“And I love you, Sabrina.” Izzellah said. “There. I’ve said it! But...for now we’re just sisters. I’ve been trying hard not to string you along. Our parents are about to get married and we share a sibling for fucks sake!”

“That’s not fair!” Sabrina snapped. “And I”m sure mom and dad wouldn’t mind if.”

“You just called my father “Dad” Sabby!” Izzellah informed.

Sabrina blushed. She hadn’t even realized she’d started thinking that.

“We all need way more time to sort this mess out okay?” Izzellah said. “So enjoy yourselves for now. Relax. Let time figure things out for you. I’m definitely coming back to New Orleans. Although if you want to bone down you better hurry, because I’m gonna start booking a flight.

“Why?!” They both asked in unison.

“Because Shannon’s playing me!” Izzellah snapped. “She’s trying to manipulate me and I’m not gonna be her puppet! Because-”

“Because I’m here.” Mei said, stepping up out of the shadows of the downstairs hallway.

“Of course.” Sabrina seethed.

“You want to leave?” Mei asked/ She lifted Izzellah up to her face. “A shame since I only just arrived.”

“I have to leave.” Izzellah said. “You have a few hours to get your stuff ready.” She addressed to Sabrina.

“You can try.” Mei smiled before pecking Izzellah on her lips and releasing her.

Izzellah wiped the kiss of her mouth and cursed softly.

“Be ready!” She snapped storming off leaving Sabrina and LIndsey confused and slightly frustrated.

Mei went to the kitchen to prepare a meal with a content smile.

“......So…..the gym then?” Sabrina proposed.

“....I got some soft tumbling mats in there.” LIndsey informed.

“We don’t have much time!” Sabrina said moving to limp down the hall. She tripped but Lindsey caught her.

“You sure you can handle me, crippled?” Lindsey teased.

“You sure you can see what you’re doing?” Sabrina shot back.

“Bring it!” Lindsey challenged.

She scurried off hauling Sabrina close behind.