The Groundskeeper, My Mentor

I still remember the summer before my sophomore year in high school like it was yesterday. That’s when I met Dale, although I didn’t actually meet her then, I just saw her. My family had moved to Hamilton Co. from Wilson at the end of my freshman year, and I was pretty bored with myself, not knowing anyone in the new town.

I decided to apply for a part-time job as a groundskeeper at the local high school, mainly because I needed something to do during the summer break and it would be a good way to earn some money. As it turned out, I was the only one who applied for the job, so I was hired on the spot.

My boss, Mr. Reynolds, or “Bob” as he liked to be called, was a pretty cool guy. My main responsibilities were to mow the grass, trim the hedges, and do some painting here and there. Because Bob was busy with maintenance work inside the school, I was pretty much left to my own supervision.

The school was a fairly new building, with a state-of-the-art gymnasium, locker rooms, and showers for both boys and girls. It also had an indoor Olympic-sized swimming pool, which I was allowed to use after I finished my work for the day. It was a great way to cool off on hot summer afternoons.

The first time I saw Dale, I was trimming the hedges by the infield bleacher on the football field. She was running around the track, and I didn’t think much of it, assuming she was a guy from a distance. I had a lot to do and was trying to get the job done as quickly as possible.

As I was working, I had to take a break to relieve myself, and I didn’t want to walk all the way back to the school, so I decided to just let go in the hedge. I didn’t think anyone would see me, but as fate would have it, Dale was coming around the turn closest to me at that exact moment. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but I would soon find out that Dale was indeed a girl, and not just any girl, but a girl who would become a very important part of my life.

Bob came over to check on my progress about 20 minutes later and saw Dale running around the track. He shook his head, clearly concerned about her. “Who’s that?” I asked him, putting down my shears and picking up my water jug.

“Her name is Dale,” he said, shaking his head again. “She’s trying out for the track team again this spring, but I don’t think she’s got a chance.” I watched Dale as she ran, taking note of her awkward running style and her slender but strong legs.

“Too bad,” I said, feeling a bit sorry for her. Bob smiled sadly and said, “Yeah, she tries hard, but she just isn’t cut out for track and field.” I was about to ask him why he thought that, but he just nodded and walked away.

As the summer went on, I would see Dale around school, but we never really talked. I would wave to her, and she would wave back, but we didn’t seem to have much in common. I was too busy with my own stuff to really notice her, and besides, I thought she was a guy from a distance.

But all of that changed when I saw her at the hospital, helping me with my sprained ankle. She was a trainer for the school’s athletic team, and she was really good at her job. I was impressed by her kindness and her knowledge of first aid.

“What seems to be the problem?” she asked, looking down at my ankle.

“I think I sprained it,” I said, grimacing in pain.

“Okay, hop over to the table and we’ll get that shoe off and have a look,” she said, smiling at me.

I hopped over to the table and plopped down, trying not to yelp in pain as she gently probed my ankle.

“Sorry,” I said, rubbing my noggin after our heads collided as we both bent over to untie my shoe.

“I think I can manage untying your shoe,” she said, laughing and smiling at me.

“Yeah, I saw you this summer working for Mr. Reynolds,” she said, untying my shoe and easing it off.

“Yeah, I did some landscaping and maintenance work around the school,” I replied, wincing in pain as she pulled my sock off.

“I’ve been trying to get on the girls track team since I was a freshman,” she said, distractedly, “but I just haven’t been fast enough the past two years. Hopefully next spring I will be.”

“Two years? Then you are a junior this year,” I said, gritting my teeth in pain.

“Yeah,” she said, smiling at me. “It’s all right to let me know if it hurts or not. Otherwise I’m going to keep poking and turning till you do.”

“Yes!” I gasped out at last. “It hurts! It hurts! All right?” I was holding the edge of the table so tight that my knuckles were turning white and so was my face.

“Yep! Looks like it’s sprained to me,” she said, standing up to get an ice pack from the cabinet.

“Let’s go to the hospital,” she said, jangling her car keys. “We need to get that ankle looked at by Doc Willis.”

“You think you can hop out the door to Coach’s car?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Uh… I guess so,” I replied, feeling a bit silly.

At the hospital, the doctor looked at my ankle and ordered some X-rays done. He told me that I probably wouldn’t be playing for the first part of the season, which was a bit of a bummer. But he also told me that if I stayed off of it for a while and let it heal, I might be able to make a few games before the end of the season. He wrapped my ankle up in ace bandages and sent me and Dale on our way.

“Bummer about the season huh?” she asked, smiling at me as we pulled out of the parking lot.

“Yeah, I guess so,” I replied, feeling a bit down.

“Maybe you can be a trainer too until the ankle gets better?” she added, looking at me with a bright smile.

“I suppose,” I said, feeling a bit more optimistic.

As it turned out, I didn’t become a trainer, but I did see a lot of Dale over the next few weeks. I was on crutches, and she would help me get around the school, carrying my books and whatnot. I started to appreciate her kindness and her help, and I began to notice her in a different way.

Dale’s dad gave her his old car when he got a new one that summer, and she started driving me to school every morning. I’d pay for lunch, and she’d let me ride with her until practice started. We’d grab something to eat, and I’d head back to the field. She was a great friend, and I enjoyed her company. I’d catch glimpses of her filling out, but I didn’t think of her as anything more than a friend.

As the summer turned into fall, school started, and so did football season. I was on the Varsity team, and Dale was our trainer, or rather, our water girl. She’d bring water out to us on the field, and sometimes, she’d spray me in the face, just for fun. I’d get frustrated, but my teammates would tease me, saying she was trying to get my attention.

“Hey, man, cool it would ya?” one of them said. “The girl likes you, didn’t you know that?”

That revelation caught me off guard. I’d never thought of Dale as anything other than a friend, and the idea that she might be interested in me was absurd. I was younger than her, and I didn’t think I had a chance.

As the season progressed, my ankle started to bother me. I’d sprained it the year before, and the doctor said I needed to wrap it before every practice and game. I went to the trainer’s room to get it done, and Dale was waiting for me. She looked at my leg and raised an eyebrow.

“You didn’t shave your leg?”

“Of course not, what do I look like, a girl?” I replied, feeling a bit defensive.

Dale just smiled and shook her head. “Okay, but I bet you’ll want to next time.” She taped my ankle up, and it felt great during practice, but little did I know, she had a surprise in store for me.

After practice, Dale came at me with scissors, cutting the tape along my leg. “Why don’t you put your other foot under your knee and hang onto the edge of the table?” she said with a mischievous grin.

I did as she said, and she started peeling back the tape, pulling out my leg hair in the process. I winced in pain, and Dale just giggled.

“This is going to hurt a little, so don’t kick me or anything,” she said, still smiling. I tried to warn her, but she just yanked the tape down, and I let out a string of curses.

Dale was laughing so hard she had to cover her mouth, and I was hopping around on one foot, holding the other in agony. “Thanks,” I said, not very grateful.

Dale finally stopped laughing and asked me if I thought I’d shave my leg next time. I shouted back, “WHAT HAIRS? YOU PULLED THEM ALL OUT!” and squirted her with a water bottle. She ducked and ran out of the room, giggling, and I chased after her, only to run into our coach in the hallway.

“Uh, Tim, the showers are in the other direction… you want to go use them?” he said, trying to stifle a grin. I nodded quickly and took off towards the showers, still red-faced.

Dale poked her head out of the coach’s office and said, “I’ll bet he shaves next time!” and yelped again as I threatened to squirt her.

Over the next few days, I kept thinking about Dale’s prank, and how she’d laughed at me. But I also found myself looking forward to getting my ankle wrapped, just so I could see her smile. Little did I know, things were about to get a lot more complicated.

The following Monday, I went to get my ankle wrapped again, and this time, I made sure to shave my leg. Dale helped me, and as she shaved, I felt a strange sensation. Her hands were gentle, and she didn’t cut me, but I couldn’t help feeling a flutter in my chest.

When she finished, she dried my leg off and ran her hands over the smooth skin, sending shivers down my spine. She looked up at me and smiled, a little self-consciously, and blushed. I felt my face heat up, and I knew I was in trouble.

“You’d better go warm up and loosen up all those tight muscles before practice,” she said, still grinning, and turned away to fill the water bottles. I retreated, feeling embarrassed, but also a little excited.

As I looked back at her, I knew things would never be the same between us. We’d always been friends, but now, I wasn’t so sure. And Dale, well, she was smiling at me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what she was thinking.

Over the next few weeks, Dale continued to wrap my ankle, and I found myself looking forward to it more and more. She’d apply talc and tape, and I’d feel a rush of excitement, not just from the pain of the tape, but from the way she touched me.

But it wasn’t until the Homecoming game, when I nearly broke my ankle, that things came to a head. Dale helped me off the field, and as we sat in the trainer’s room, she apologized for not doing a better job with the tape.

“I’m sorry, Tim… I knew you wanted to go to the dance and all,” she said quietly. “Does it hurt much now?”

I shook my head, still feeling the pain, but also a sense of sadness. I’d planned to go to the dance with someone, but now, I wasn’t sure. And as I looked at Dale, I realized that I might have feelings for her, feelings that went way beyond friendship.

But what did she feel? And what would happen if I confessed my feelings to her? Only time would tell.

I stared blankly into the swirling water, my ankle still throbbing from the game. “No…it does feel better,” I replied vacantly, trying to process the events of the evening.

“You need a ride home?” she asked hesitantly, her voice a gentle whisper in the quiet locker room. I had planned on getting a ride with one of the guys, but now I was stuck.

“Yeah…” I replied, and then added, “But aren’t you going to the dance?” She turned her head away, and I realized why she was hesitant.

“No…I didn’t want to go to the stupid dance anyway!” she said, her voice laced with a hint of bitterness. I felt a pang of guilt for not noticing her feelings earlier.

How could I be so dense? I thought to myself, and then blurted out, “What’sa matter…nobody ask you or something?”

She turned to me with a cold, baleful look, and I realized my mistake. “Just drop it, okay?” she said venomously, and then tossed me a towel.

I hobbled to the dressing room, my ankle throbbing in protest. On the drive home, I tried to smooth things over, talking about the game and thanking her for helping me off the field.

But she stayed quiet, and I was running out of things to say. That’s when I realized I had to take a chance. “Dale?” I said hesitantly, my heart pounding in my chest.

“I know I’m only a junior, and you probably aren’t even interested in me or anything,” I stumbled on, my face burning with embarrassment.

“Would you…would you go to the Prom with me?” I finished, my voice barely above a whisper. The silence that followed was deafening.

Then, to my surprise, she turned to me and smiled. “Of course I will!” she said, her voice choked with emotion.

“You will?” I replied, still in shock. “I mean…great! Uh…but I don’t dance too well.” I added, trying to sound nonchalant.

She giggled and squeezed my hand in delight. “Well, if you keep on the way you’re going, you probably won’t even be able to walk!” she teased, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Uh…Dale?” I said awkwardly, as we pulled into my driveway. “Yeah?” she replied, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

“I need a ride to school on Monday, too,” I said, hoping she would say yes. And to my relief, she did.

As I got out of the car, she grabbed my hand again and kissed me. It was a real kiss, on the lips, and I was caught off guard.

But as I stood there in the driveway, I realized I was okay with it. I was actually thrilled. Then the porch light came on, and I snapped back to reality.

The next few weeks flew by in a blur. What with school and weight training and soaks in the whirlpool, I was busy. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that Dale was different now.

She still teased me in the training room, and we had our usual water fights, but there was something more there, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

The rest of the guys on the team sensed it too, I could tell. They didn’t talk down about “that girl trainer” anymore, at least not around me.

As for the coach, he seemed to treat her with a bit more respect, too. Or maybe it was all in my head? I didn’t know, even now.

We never kissed or anything in front of anyone, but there were times when we pulled over to the side of the road, coming home from practice or going to school.

I was learning how to kiss, and some things just came naturally, at least with Dale they did. We became closer in those few weeks than I had ever been with her before.

We were still pretty innocent, mostly because I was afraid to take it further. But sometimes, when we were “playing” and stopped for a breather, she’d have this little gleam in her eye.

It was as if she was waiting for something, something I didn’t quite understand. But that’s life, I guess?

Three weeks flew by, and I was ready to take to the field again. It was the last home game of the season, and things were going fantastic for our team.

I was feeling great, too, making several good tackles and feeling like I was on top of the world. But then it happened.

A play went wrong, and I was hit from behind. The next thing I knew, I was lying on the ground, my world spinning out of control.

I came to with a black and white blur hovering over me. As my vision cleared, I saw a referee standing over me, talking to someone else. Then Dale’s face appeared in front of mine.

She was worried, and I could see the concern etched on her face. But then her face vanished, and the coach’s and the team doctor’s appeared in her place.

“Can you walk off the field?” they were asking me, but I was still in shock. “What happened?” I tried to ask, but my voice was barely above a whisper.

They were asking me questions, but I couldn’t process anything. I was in a daze, and my mind was foggy.

Then I remembered the pain. I remembered the feeling of my leg snapping, and the sound of my own scream.

“Leg snapped?” I thought in horror. “Is my leg broken?” I wondered, and that’s when I tried to sit up. But I was strapped to the gurney, and I couldn’t move.

Two nurses came in and started to roll me down the hall, taking me to the x-ray room. I was in a daze, but I could feel the pain starting to set in.

As they positioned the machine, I looked at my knee, and it looked awful. It was swollen, and it was turning colors – blue and purple, and black.

One of the nurses grabbed my leg to turn it for the X-ray, and I felt a surge of anger. If she had been within arm’s reach, I would have strangled her with my bare hands.

But I passed out again, and when I woke up, I was warm. I didn’t feel any pain, and I was just starting to think it might have been a bad dream.

But then I saw the white ceiling above me, and I knew I was in the hospital. I looked down and saw that I was in a hospital bed, with a huge ugly lump under the blanket where my right knee would have been.

I pulled back the covers and saw a mound of ace bandages and pillows. My leg was still there, but it didn’t look like a leg. I touched it gingerly at first, and then prodded some more when I didn’t feel any pain.

As I lay there, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my world had been turned upside down. I had no idea what the future held, but I knew one thing – my life would never be the same again.

As I lay in the hospital bed, I was startled by Dale’s voice coming from the left side. “They doped you up silly… of course it doesn’t hurt!” she said, her words filled with a mix of concern and amusement. I hadn’t noticed her there, and her puffy eyes and stained cheeks told me she’d been crying.

“What happened?” I asked, trying to piece together the events of the past few hours. Dale explained that the X-rays showed nothing was broken, but that I had severely strained my knee, separating almost every tendon and ligament in my joint. The doctors were still puzzled as to why my leg hadn’t just broken, and I would likely be on crutches for the rest of the school year.

As I absorbed the news, Dale’s words hung in the air, and I felt a pang of disappointment. “Well…so much for the rest of the season,” I mumbled, already dreading the long road to recovery ahead.

“Dale… About the dance… I,” I started to say, but her hand flew to my mouth, stopping my words. Her eyes brimmed over with tears again, and she smiled weakly, shaking her head. Then she leaned over and kissed me, the salt of her tears on her lips a reminder of the pain she was feeling.

We sat there in silence for a while, the only sound the beeping of the machines surrounding me. I must have drifted off to sleep, because the next thing I knew, the hospital room was filled with the sound of my mom and dad, the Coach, and of course Dale, all chatting and laughing.

As they wheeled me out of the hospital, I winced in pain, but Dale’s presence was a comfort. She walked beside me, her hand on my shoulder, and I felt a sense of gratitude towards her.

Two weeks of sitting at home, watching TV, and feeling bored out of my head had finally come to an end. I was ready to try and limp to school on my crutches, and Dale would be there to help me every step of the way.

As we sat in the whirlpool, doing our homework and chatting, Dale suddenly got up and left the room. I was puzzled, but I continued to work on my books, wondering what she was up to.

She returned a few minutes later, wearing a tiny one-piece bathing suit, and my jaw dropped in surprise. “What?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. She grinned mischievously and said, “I’ll be right back,” before leaving the room again.

She returned a few minutes later, and I was taken aback by her boldness. She did a little pirouette, and I felt my heart racing with excitement. She hopped up onto the edge of the tub, and swung her legs over the side, before sliding into the water beside me.

“Mmmm… Feels good,” she said, her voice dreamy and seductive. I couldn’t help but move closer to her, and soon we were kissing, our tongues entwined as we explored each other’s bodies.

Dale’s hands were everywhere, tracing the contours of my body, and I felt myself becoming excited. I didn’t know if I should say something, but before I could, she pulled back and smiled at me.

“Problem Tim?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. I blushed, feeling my heart racing with excitement, and she reached down to take my hands in hers.

She guided my hands along the outsides of her legs, and I felt a jolt of electricity run through my body. She pulled them to the soft underside between her legs, and I felt a surge of pleasure.

Dale closed her eyes, and gave a little gasp, as I explored her body. She shivered, and then opened her eyes, smiling at me. She leaned over and kissed me again, our tongues dancing together as we gasped for breath.

I felt my hands on her chest, and could feel the knots under the thin material of her bathing suit. Dale was panting, and I could feel her body pressed against mine.

“Huh?” I thought, as she reached down to take my hand and pull it towards her hotspot. She pulled aside the material of her suit, and I felt a surge of electricity run through my body.

Dale looked into my eyes, and grinned, before smothering my mouth with hers. I felt myself becoming lost in the moment, as our bodies merged together in a swirl of pleasure and excitement.

As we sat there, wrapped in each other’s arms, I felt a sense of connection I’d never felt before. It was as if our bodies were speaking a language all their own, a language of pleasure and desire.

Dale’s hand was still wrapped around mine, and I could feel her heartbeat pounding against my chest. I knew in that moment, that I was falling deeply in love with her.

I slid my hand around her waist, feeling the warmth of her skin, as we continued to kiss. My fingers danced across her curves, tracing the outline of her lips, the delicate folds within.

“Mmm,” she breathed, her body responding to my touch. I delved deeper, my finger slipping into her entrance, and she gasped, her hips pressing against mine.

Dale’s hands were tangled in my hair, her fingers pulling me closer as I teased her, probing and touching. I could feel her tension building, her body primed for release.

Finally, I couldn’t resist any longer. I was standing at full attention, my body straining with need. Dale pulled back, her face flushed, her eyes sparkling with desire.

“Are you going to help or what?” she teased, her voice husky with anticipation.

I raised my hips, allowing her to pull down my shorts. She pushed me back onto the seat, her hand on my abdomen, guiding me back into position.

Dale edged closer, her body hovering above mine, the heat emanating from her skin driving me mad with desire. She wrapped her hand around me, guiding me into her soft, warm folds, and I felt myself slipping deeper.

Slowly, she lowered herself, her body gliding down mine, until she was seated, her feet on either side of my rear end, her knees up by my armpits. She grasped my shoulder, her eyes locked on mine, as she began to rise and fall, her body moving in rhythmic motion.

I was lost in the sensation, my breath coming in short gasps, as she picked up speed, the water splashing over the sides of the whirlpool. Her backside slapped against mine, the sound echoing through the air.

I could feel my time running out, my body tensing, my muscles coiling with anticipation. Dale’s eyes went wide, her face contorted in a mixture of pleasure and pain, as she reached her climax.

I arched my back, my body spasmming in release, as Dale’s contractions wracked her body. We were joined in a moment of pure ecstasy, our bodies moving in tandem, our hearts pounding in unison.

After what felt like an eternity, Dale collapsed onto me, her legs apart, her body limp. I held her close, my arms wrapped around her, as we caught our breath, our bodies still joined.

“Don’t… please,” she whispered in my ear, her voice husky with desire. “I like the way it feels now too. Don’t hurry… please.”

“How come we’ve waited this long, Tim?” she breathed, her voice barely audible.

“I don’t know, babe,” I replied, my voice equally soft.

“I’m glad we finally did,” she said, her voice filled with emotion.

As I began to move, Dale’s hand on my shoulder stopped me. “Wait,” she said, her voice husky with desire. “I like this.”

I froze, my body still joined with hers, as she continued to move, her body rising and falling in rhythmic motion. I was lost in the sensation, my body responding to her touch, as we moved in perfect harmony.

Finally, with a reluctant groan, I slipped out of her, my body feeling spent. Dale smiled, her eyes sparkling with desire, as she pulled her face around to mine, her lips brushing against mine in a tender kiss.

“I wish it wasn’t over,” she whispered, her voice husky with desire. “I don’t want to stop… Are you hungry?”

“I am… I’m starving!” I replied, my voice equally husky.

“Yeah… I have to go to the bathroom now anyway,” she said, her voice filled with amusement.

As we parted, I couldn’t help but look at her, my eyes drawn to her bare skin, the whiteness of her thighs, the reddened folds of her inner lips. I felt a pang of desire, as I looked at her, my body still reeling from our encounter.

“You’d better pull up your shorts before you try to get out,” she said, her voice teasing, as she giggled and swung her legs over the side of the whirlpool.

She came back a few minutes later, dressed, but still flushed, her smile still sparkling with desire. I followed her out of the building, my crutches aching, my body feeling spent, but my heart still racing with desire.

“Huh?” she said, turning to me, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Uh… I said what a figure!” I lied, my voice filled with laughter.

Dale gave a little bubbly laugh, tossing her hips, as she opened the car door for me. “Let’s go get something to eat,” she said, her voice husky with desire.

“Yeah, I’m starving,” I replied, my voice equally husky, as we drove off into the sunset, our bodies still reeling from our encounter.