Becca and Jay use Protection

"Are you sure these will work?"

Becca fingered the little silver necklace doubtfully.

“As sure as I was about the purification ritual and the devil’s matchsticks, which is to say about fifty fifty.”

“Great…I really don’t want a repeat of last time.”

Jay sighed and stared down at his shoes.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Kissing me was the most embarrassing, mortifying thing you’ve ever done. You don’t have to keep saying it.”

Becca shot a sharp look at the boy, “that’s not why I’m upset!”

“Look, I understand. A popular girl kissing a freak like me, it’s traumatizing.”

Becca felt a surge of anger overcome her. She grabbed the boy and shoved him down on his bed.

“Not everything is about you, you jerk!”

“Then what is it about?”

“I was about to have sex with you, all because some demon was messing with my head!”

“Oh, so you aren’t ashamed of kissing me, you’re ashamed that you almost had sex with me. So much better!”

“Don’t you get it? I’ve never had sex with anyone before!”

This clearly puzzled Jay, “really?! You haven’t.”

“Don’t act so surprised! It’s not like I’m the school slut!”

“It’s just that you’re one of the most popular girls in the school! You’re gorgeous, you’re social, you basically soak up all the attention in a room. I just figured that…you know.”

Becca crossed her arms over her chest, “that I would spread my legs for anyone?”

“No! I just figured it would have happened for you by now.”

“I’ve had a few boyfriends. We’ve kissed and messed around, but none of them were worth losing my virginity over.”

Jay sat uncomfortably in the silence that followed. Becca seemed on edge, ready to snap again if he said anything wrong.

“I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have assumed anything.”

Another long silence. Jay half expected Becca to storm out of his room.

“Jay?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for stopping me.”

“Oh…uh…sure thing.”

More silence.

“Jay?”

Becca swallowed hard.

“Of all the boys I’ve kissed, you were one of the best.”

Jay turned bright red. He remembered Becca’s scent — that sweet strawberry smell. He tried to pretend he hadn’t stolen glances at the girl for years. He thought he had buried that crush long ago, but it was now coming back with such intensity! He knew what her lips felt like. What her breasts felt like. He knew her scent.

“Thanks, Becca…you’re the only girl I’ve kissed, but even so, you were incredible.”

Then they both blushed.

“So what’s the plan, Stan?”

Jay took a deep breath, thankful for the out, and pulled out his notebook.

“Starting tomorrow, we start clearing out as many rooms as we possibly can with purification rituals, sigils, and other wards. We do this together, to prevent ourselves from getting picked off by the demon.”

“What about Mary? This task seems like it’s going to take forever.”

“The best we can do is to try to stave off the demon’s influence. We can use this until we’ve banished the demon.”

Jay held up a small pendant on a silver chain.

“As long as this is on Mary’s person, the demon will have trouble connecting with her. I recommend slipping it into her backpack since she’s liable to have it on her everywhere at school.”

Becca held up the pendant to the light, “so pretty!”

Jay felt the strongest urge to kiss the girl. God, why did this afternoon have to happen? A girl this beautiful would never be with him under normal circumstances.

“Alrighty, are we good with this plan?”

“Oh yeah, we’re good. Let’s kick some demon butt!”