Hot and Cold

Hot and Cold

Zack was standing with Madison by the grill at the back of the house. He had planned to cook this BBQ from the beginning, only under different circumstances. His mood had improved over the day and now he found himself using tongs to turn over the spread in front of him, Beef Ribs, Babyback ribs, Flat Iron Steaks, and Chuck Eye Steaks. He also had a spread of hotdogs, sausages, and the chicken thighs that Ashely had asked him to make for her and the girls.

It was a lot more than what he expected everyone to eat tonight and their plan was to use the leftovers for tomorrow's hike. He was slowly grilling the meat the way Roy McRose had taught him, searing the meat to keep the juices inside and slowly cooking it over a low flame. Instead of using charcoal, he was using wood, mainly Hickory, with a few pieces of Cherrywood and Applewood to give it a rich, smokey flavor he was sure everyone would like, besides getting his own clothes impregnated with the rich smokey scent.

The main surprise for Zack was Madison. Not only had she helped him prepare the barbeque sauce he was carefully applying but she had also insisted on changing just a few of the ingredients. Madison added a bit more black pepper to the mix, with some caramelized garlic and diced onions and a few more little changes, and she definitely put her foot down and insisted they have separate sauces for the meat, pork, and chicken, each with its own recipe she promised would make things tastier.

Now Zack saw exactly what she meant as he cut a small sliver of meat and tasted the heavenly rich juicy flavor that exploded in his mouth. It was much better than he expected it would be. He cut off another slice for Madison and offered it to her. Instead, of taking the fork, Madison took his hand and leaned in to taste it, looking up at Zack she let her tongue flicker out to test the slice. Zack watched her tongue briefly brush the hot meat, tasting it before her lips engulfed it and she moaned in delight. Zack felt his cock twitch in his pants. He picked a sausage and offered it to her. Madison repeated it again. Zack watched mesmerized as her tongue danced around the sausage before her lips engulfed the sausage. Zack felt his cock stiffen in his pants as his brain imagined her lips and tongue sliding over his cock and her moan of delight. Madison pulled away to chew on the piece of sausage and Zack seemed to remember that he had to breathe as he watched her smile at him.

"This is delicious!" Madison praised Zack, "Where did you learn to grill like this?"

Zack explained how Roy had taught him how to cook a barbeque while he watched Madison play with her hair and fiddle with the string bracelets around her wrist. His voice started to waiver as he wondered if she was really sending him the signals Peter had told him to look out for in a girl.

"So the type of wood really goes into the flavor but you got to watch the fire and the coals, the grill has to be hot enough to cook, but not burn it," Zack said trying to keep his breath under control.

"And it is hot enough?" Madison asked trying to make her voice sound sultry while she waved her hand too close over the grill. "OUCH!" Madison cried out pulling her hand back from the heat.

"Are you ok!" Zack cried out grabbing her hand and looking to see if she had gotten burned.

"I think I'm okay," Madison said hesitantly as Zack held her hand. 'He took my hand! He took my hand!' her mind screamed at her while she looked up at him. Zack looked over at her hand in the dim light to see if she had been burned by the flames or a random spark but he found nothing.

"It looks ok" Zack said "How does it feel?"

She took a step closer and looked up at him, her hazel eyes meeting his icy-blue eyes and she couldn't look away, "It... it feels..." she suddenly felt like her tongue was twisted in a knot in her mouth as her heart pounded in her chest like a jackhammer. She hadn't been able to get this close, this alone with her crush all year and she was finally with him, right next to a warm fire, a bit smoky but she didn't care right now.

Zack was also feeling a similar sensation as butterflies did backflips in his stomach, she looked at him just like Vicky did last night and he wondered if she really wanted him to kiss her or... Madison started drifting towards Zack, he leaned in a bit, unsure of what to do. Madison stood up on her toes, her lips brushing hesitantly against his when they both heard a familiar voice cry out from inside the cabin "I told you he was hurt!"

Madison quickly backed away from Zack. "Fucking hell!!!" she huffed through her gritted teeth at the impending interruption.

******

"I told you he was hurt!" Chloe berated Taylor and Hannah when Ashley told them about Zack's morning fall and injury while he tried to help Peter walk back to the cabin. Gavin watched as Chloe and Taylor quickly marched through the cabin and out the back to where Zack was with Madison grilling a BBQ for everyone.

Hannah and Meagan walked over to Gavin and dropped their shopping bags while they watched Taylor drag Zack back into the cabin to change his bandages. Gavin had been busy telling Heather and Peter what he had found and now he started repeating everything for Hannah and Meagan. He hoped he didn't have to repeat it all again. Brandon, Trent, and Kurt were busy watching the football game on the giant screen TV while Ashley and Victoria sat nearby and ignored the arrival of their friends.

"So what else really happened?" Hannah purred into Gavin's ear as she winked at Meagan. Gavin felt a little nervous at having Hannah tease him, pressing her full breast into his back as she looked over his shoulder. He swallowed and tried to stay calm. He knew Hannah was just teasing him, maybe a little flirty but at least, with him, it was nowhere near to what Hannah would say and do to Zack, and for that he was grateful and it was something that let him be more at ease with Hannah than Zack would have been.

Hannah knew she wouldn't get a rise out of Gavin like she could with Zack. Part of the thrill of teasing Zack wasn't just his reaction, which she always enjoyed, but she also delighted in the way it always rilled up Taylor. Hannah would tease Zack until Taylor was almost at the breaking point before she backed off. To her, it was almost more fun to see Taylor's reaction than Zack's. Both of their moms, Sarah and Monica, also found it entertaining to watch the interaction between the teens. She never could get the same rise out of Gavin or his mother, which quickly made it boring for her.

"Not much," Gavin shrugged against her breast, "Heather had me working here to help Zack."

"How is he?" Hannah interrupted him as she watched Taylor bring Zack back into the kitchen followed by Chloe and Madison. "Wait?! Has she been following him around?" she said seriously her hand gripping Gavin's shoulder as they watched Taylor change the dressing on Zack's arm for a much smaller and lighter one while Chloe and Madison hovered around him.

"Madison? A little I guess," Gavin said, "Ashley and Heather had her make him breakfast and lunch and she's been helping Zack with the barbeque and-"

"Has she been out there alone with Zack?" she asked him.

Gavin nodded in confusion, "well, yeah I guess,"

Hannah's eyes kept scanning the room as she caught Ashley and Madison trading glances from across the room and instantly recognized Ashley's matchmaking at play. 'Damm it!' Hannah cursed, Ashley was going to throw a wrench into her plans. She was going to have to put things in motion much faster than she expected and she didn't know if she could actually pull it off. Ashley already had a whole day's head start on her plans.

Ashley could think she knew who was a good match for Zack or even Madison but Hannah knew exactly who would be better for Zack as his next girlfriend, especially after last night. Hannah knew that Zack needed to rebuild his confidence after last night. It would be even better if he also got laid fast. What Zack did not need was to be set up to fight Brandon. Sure, Madison could be a good match for Zack later, but not now. 'You still need to learn' Hannah thought about her little sister's matchmaking skills. The only problem Hannah saw was that this might be much harder than setting up Taylor with Peter. At least with those two, she could play the long game.

"That's great Gavin," Hannah said starting to take in all the interaction going on around the room, "Hey, did something happen between Peter and Heather!" Hannah interrupted Gavin again when she saw her ex-boyfriend standing a little too close to her favorite protegee. Hannah, and her mother, had been the ones to inspire both Ashley and Heather to become cheerleaders and although they had only had a few years together on the team they had stayed in touch even after Hannah left school.

"I... I... I guess" Gavin said.

"Spill it Gav," Hannah said. and Gavin told her that he thought they had hooked up but when Hannah stared at him he quickly folded.

"Yes," he whispered "They... did it, upstairs. But don't tell anyone, Heather told me she would kill me if I did and-"

"-That's okay Gav," she said patting him on the shoulder. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear. And I think you deserve a reward for that," Hannah said "Don't you agree Meagan?"

Meagan giggled while Gavin blushed as he tried to stammer an answer. "Heather said she would-"

"Oh I'm sure she will," Hannah said picking up the bags with the stuff they had bought at the mall "And I'll make sure she doesn't forget about it." she closed the lid on Gavin's laptop and added "But for now I want you to stop working. You're here to have fun so go out there and help Zack with the barbeque. It's a lot of meat that's getting waayy too hot for him to handle all alone. Go help him."

"But Heather-" Gavin started to say.

"Don't worry about Heather, You've done enough for her today." Hannah scoffed and waved her hand dismissively, "I'll take care of her, but I want you to help Zack with the barbeque, he's hurt and needs help, and maybe you can talk to Madison, I'm sure Ashley will keep Brandon distracted for you."

Gavin opened his mouth to protest but then realized that it really was useless to argue with either one of the cheerleaders. Gavin decided that no matter what he did, he was going to lose. He shrugged and took off to join Zack, at least he would spend some time with his best friend.

"C'mon Meagan, we need to plan some things pretty fast," Hannah said once Gavin left to help Zack. "We don't have much time, what do you think about...."

Taylor re-bandaged Zack's arm, reassuring him that it was nothing serious having already scabbed and that in a day or two it would fall off. Zack had returned to the grill with Madison and Gavin to finish the grill. It was a bit awkward at first, Zack and Madison both wanted to see if they could restart the moment but Gavin's presence frustrated them both. Eventually, Gavin's questions about the pond and the conditions of the water pump brought them both out to tell how their afternoon had gone. Gavin retold all he had found so far with the cameras at the mall and with Meechie's. It was something that caught both their attention and they soon found themselves asking more questions about what else Gavin had found. The three of them were soon brainstorming who else they might find at the mall and even Madison looked up what TattleRock had written about that time of the year hoping to find something else they might find.

*************

With the barbeque ready Zack and Gavin piled the steamy hot meat onto a couple of deep trays they carried inside. Zack sat at one end of the table flanked by Gavin on his left and Chloe on his right. The rest of the teens settled down with Taylor next to Gavin followed by Peter, Heather, Kurt, and Victoria, Meagan sat next to Chloe followed by Hannah, Trent, Madison, and Brandon with Ashley at the other end of the table.

(Dinner Sitting)

Dinner was delicious. Everyone praised Zack for the barbeque, he bashfully accepted the praise and reminded everyone that Madison had also helped him, especially with the barbeque sauce, earning both of them a round of applause. The teens dug into the barbeque and salads talking and laughing as they shared stories and joked among themselves. One of them even mentioned that since Zack knew how to cook he was almost ready to be married off which made them all laugh again.

Yet even though the food was delicious and the company was fantastic the teens were mostly oblivious to the different tensions running across, and beneath, the table. It started when Madison tried to sit close to Zack but Brandon had her sit next to him and Trent. Not wanting to make a scene and ruin her chance with Zack she sat down while she scowled at Brandon, who ignored her as usual.

Chloe and Vicky glared at each other, almost daring each other to start something, each one for their own reasons. Chloe could sense the tension within Zack, the way his knee bounced under the table, the tension in his jaw, and the way his ears seemed to want to twitch, all signs she had come to recognize in her friend. She put her hand on his arm to let him know she was there to support him and felt his tension ease. A gesture that wasn't lost on Victoria and others.

Next to Chloe, Meagan couldn't stop grinning as she sat next to Hannah and found herself rubbing her leg and wishing everyone would hurry up and finish eating so she could her part and go a second round with the blonde bombshell she never expected to hook up with. She only hoped she wouldn't have to change her panties first, she didn't what Hannah to know how **** she was.

Hannah ate contently as she watched the interactions around her. Looking across the table she saw Peter in a close whisper with Heather and she hoped he didn't get too many feelings for her, she would have hated to screw over a fellow cheerleader. She felt both Meagan and Trent slight brush their legs against her and her thoughts started to wander. She wondered if she could entice Meagan for a threesome with Trent but decided she really didn't have the time and energy for that. It would have to be one of the other girls, but which one? She looked around the table for a moment 'unless.... maybe I can make it work.' she thought

Zack continued to talk with Gavin, Chloe, and Taylor and he nervously tapped his feet under the table as he tried to keep up with the conversation while he thought about what that brief kiss meant if it meant anything at all. He glanced every once in a while at Madison and was confused by the expressions on her face, He'd look at her and see a hint of a smile on her lips, but the next time she seemed annoyed. It confused him and he wished he could ask Peter for some advice.

Madison kept trying to catch Zack's sight while she tried to make sure Brandon didn't see her. At the same time, she would feel Trent brush is hand or leg over her thigh and she cursed herself again for giving in earlier as she tried to brush his hand off without creating a scene and possibly ruining her chances with Zack. She might have to tell him off or threaten to show Brandon the picture of him eating her out earlier. Still, she couldn't help feeling aroused at knowing what they had done behind Brandon's back and how exciting it was to go behind his back. It had been so easy she wondered why she hadn't thought about it earlier.

Taylor sat between Peter and Gavin. She had been surprised by Peter hooking up with Heather so fast. No one had told her but she knew her friend well enough to know he had had sex. He had 'that' look in his eyes. Looking across the table she could almost see the gears turning inside Hannah's head. Taylor would bet Hannah was thinking about what other sexual romp she could get into. 'Probably thinking about another way to fuck with Meagan' Taylor thought. Sometimes she wished she could let go like her friend but then she remembered that she had to maintain an image if she wanted to succeed as a doctor. Still... It would have been great to have a boyfriend right now to unwind with or even to give her a foot massage, her feet were killing her after walking all day. She felt bad about leaving Zack alone for the day but he had Peter, and he needed a guy to help him, not his sister. Damm it if Chloe wasn't a tough one to crack. Still, looking over at Chloe she felt proud of what she had accomplished.

Heather found herself sitting in between Peter and Kurt. She found herself enjoying the day with Peter and it wasn't just that he had been better in bed than she expected, he was also smart, and someone who could talk about something other than sports, cars, and music. Peter kept dropping his hand to caress her legs, promising more fun for later. She suddenly felt another hand on her other leg. Kurt and Peter's hands both drifted across her legs. Heather felt a sudden heat burn inside her loins as both boys touched her. She had always suspected that she would have a threesome at some point but she had always thought it would be with one of her cheer sisters and a guy, maybe on a dare or a sorority pledge. She had even thought about it has a birthday gift for Andrew Nordstein and only later maybe have one with two guys. Has she felt their warm fingers drift further up her legs she realized they would soon touch each other's hands. She didn't want Peter to know about Kurt's hand on her other leg. She spread her legs under the table to keep their hands from meeting and just then realized she had invited them to take their hands further up her legs, and that got her pussy wetter at the thought of what could happen.

Victoria was wondering where her relationship with Kurt would go. He would briefly touch her legs and lightly squeeze her knee under the table. She was excited to see what would happen after dinner. She didn't know what would happen but she knew she wanted to be kissed again and she wanted to feel his fingers between her legs again and... she blushed again at all the lewd thoughts that kept running through her mind. All the things she knew she shouldn't be thinking about, especially with someone she barely knew. At least Kurt was a true gentleman.

Ashley had been keeping her eye on Zack and was glad he seemed to be bouncing back and also noticed some of the other things going around the table. She had hinted at Madison to sit close to Zack but then Brandon had upended her plan forcing Madison to sit next to him. She wondered if she should try and talk with Brandon about it but didn't want to come between the siblings. For the moment she would try to keep Brandon distracted from Madison, now she had to think of how to keep Trent distracted. Heather would have been her first choice, Victoria might have worked if not for last night. Not many options left all around. It only left her with Hannah, Taylor, and Chloe, well really only Hannah and Taylor. 'ok maybe just Hannah....crap'