He made it well known that he stole her from me, intimating that I hadn't been man enough for Shelia. Most everyone knew that was bullshit, even the k...ds in his snobby clique. Shelia's behavior during all this was strange too. She hung all over Tony and openly made out with him in public. She didn't even seem to mind that his hands were always on her possessively.It was about the middle of January when I had my first cause to be alarmed about Shelia. I was sitting alone in my truck one morning. I was five foot ten and although Allan Winton was bigger than me I was not anxious. In my teens I had gone to a segregated school for boys where battle to be top dog was accepted. I had learned that showing fear was worse than the pain of fighting. I had fought, suffered pain but administered it myself in equal measure."Ooh. What are we going to do? Going to fight me, punch the nasty man on the nose. Who and whose army are going to do that, eh?" Allan Winton taunted. John and I reached him at. I'm going to enjoy sampling it."He then loosened his grip and allowed her to slip free. She rushed into the hall and began banging on her parents' door, but nothing she could do would ever wake them. She then ran to Sophie's room and saw her on the floor, naked like herself and with the collar glowing."Run, Marian!"More terrified than ever in her life, she sprinted downstairs and outside, not even bothering to put her shoes on. Xavier stepped out the front door and watched her run, the. He left the store, and found a public ladies room. He rushed into astall, and quickly slipped into the underwear. The mirrors in the restroom did not really show how well the stockings looked, but he sawenough to be satisfied. He went back to the mall to see if he couldsurprise Tom.Tom was seated on the bench they had occupied before going off inseparate directions. The way his face lit up when he saw Sam in his newpurchase confirmed that he had used Tom's money wisely.Tom stood, and they went.