STh Krhth kai sth Mani

                It was a glorious time on this particular day in Cleveland.  For it was Christmas day in 2001.  There was some snow on the ground that was left from Late December 23^rd snow.  Whether it was a white Christmas or not is only in the eyes of the beholder.  Larry had spent his Christmas, from 3:00PM-8: 30PM at his grandmother’s house in Strongsville, Larry lived in Lakewood, which is about a half hour away from Strongsville. Larry was getting rather bored when he arrived home.  At 10:30 he was still bored so he decided to go for a drive.  He had no particular destination in mind but just to drive.  Although he was a second generation Greek, his patriotism for his country of descent was unfiltered.  Both his parents draw their roots from their parents, (Larry’s grandparents) from Mani, Greece.  This makes Larry 100% Maniatis. 

                Dimitra Petrakis also spent Christmas with her family as most families did.  Hers was unique because in the morning she had to work with her father at his restaurant in Rocky River, Ohio, which was also the city she lived in.  The restaurant was named after Dimitra’s father Michael.  He had emigrated from Crete to America and raised a family and opened a restaurant.  It was met with a lot of success.  Dimitra’s mother was also from Crete originally, making Dimitra 100% Cretan.  As almost all Greeks she was extremely proud of her heritage.  At around 9:00PM she was at home.  Christmas was over and now it was just a regular night.  She was getting kind of bored at around 10:15PM so she decided to go somewhere.  She took her little sister Xrisoula so she could have some company.  They were driving around Rocky River.  She was shooting the breeze with Xrisoula as they tried to find something to do.  After randomly driving for about a half-hour, she realized she was by her house again.  She looked down at the gas tank and realized it was low.  She pulled into a gas station near her house and began pumping.  Xrisoula went inside to get some snacks.  Dimitra stood watching the number of gallons rise rapidly.  She never looked at the price because she just charged it to her father’s gas card.  Xrisoula came back before the gas nozzle shut off.  As soon as it did, Dimitra returned it to its place and refused the receipt.  She got back into her car and had every intention of driving through Rocky River toward Lakewood, (she lived on the western most part of Rocky River, and Lakewood was the next city east of it).  Suddenly someone jumped from the backseat.  Nobody had seen him go in because he had entered when Xrisoula was inside and Dimitra was staring at the gas pump.  He held a knife to Dimitra’s throat and scooted into the middle section between the driver seat and the passenger seat.  He turned to Xrisoula, surprised to see someone else in the car.  He told Dimitra to keep driving, and Xrisoula to get out.  Xrisoula looked out the window to see the trees and sidewalks fly by.  The car was going forty miles-per-hour.  She looked back at the man horrified and confused what to do.  The man then reached across, pulled the handle to open the door and shoved Xrisoula out of the car into the street.  He then sat in the passenger seat and removed the knife from Dimitra’s neck.  He told her to keep driving; it was 10:45 now.  Dimitra obeyed and drove waiting for him to tell her where to go.  She was stopped at a red light and could see in her passenger side mirror that Xrisoula got up, she was relieved Xrisoula was okay, but she was unaware of her own status.

As Xrisoula was thrown out, a car immediately pulled over.  The driver got out and ran to help her.  Xrisoula got up slowly and when the driver grabbed her and asked if she was okay, she recognized the voice.  She looked up and saw the face of someone that went to her church and had seen him at Greek functions.  It was Larry Rozakis.  Larry and Xrisoula had not talked too much but they definitely knew what each other looked like.  Larry had seen Xrisoula thrown from the car but couldn’t make out her face, now that he knew, he was shocked.  He asked her what happened.  Xrisoula said, “Some guy hid in the car, took Dimitra hostage and threw me out, he’s at the red light now.”

Larry knew which car it was and also knew that he didn’t have much time before the light turned green.  He said while going toward his car  “Okay, go home I’m going to get your sister back.”

  Xrisoula was a little shocked but knew that Larry was known for his temper.  Still, she didn’t think Larry could get back her sister.  Larry jumped into his car and started it.  He then merged back into traffic with his eye on the car.  He was stopped three cars behind Dimitra’s at the light.  The light turned green and Larry was in pursuit.  He maneuvered between lanes until he was behind Dimitra’s car.  It didn’t take long, but he was being a very aggressive driver.  He followed the car always looking at the two figures in the front to see if one was trying to hurt the other.  Dimitra was still driving. 

                  Dimitra said to the man, “Who are you and what do you want with me?”

                  “Do you really want to know that?”

                  “Kind of, but I’m afraid of the answer.”

                  “You should be, but I’ll be honest with you, do you think you can handle the truth?”

                  Dimitra was scared out of her mind.  She wasn’t sure if she could hear that her fears were true but she still managed a faint “Yes.”

                  “Well you’re a very good looking girl, it’s Christmas, the time of giving, so I decided I’d give you a sexual experience.”

                  “So you’re going to rape me.”

                  “Not unless you let me fuck you.”

                  “Will you kill me afterwards.”

                  “If you give me a reason to.”

                  Dimitra was now scared and didn’t want this conversation to go on.  She was trying to think whether there was a point to resist.  She would only get hurt.  Then she realized that she would get hurt emotionally anyway and that was much worse than physically.  She had wished she stayed home bored now.  Dimitra drove in silence holding the steering wheel extremely tightly.  The man saw this and was amused by it.  He said to her, “So what’s your name?”

                  “You don’t know my name, and you’re raping me.”

                  “Why is that so hard to believe?  Why would you rape someone you know? Then they can recognize you and that would be bad.”

                  “But, why me?”

                  “I saw you at the gas station, and you looked hot, and I thought it would be great to fuck you.”

                  “Can’t you be like normal guys and just come up to me and talk to me, get my number, and go from there.”

                  “That takes an extremely large amount of time, this way, I got what I want with none of the commitment bullshit.”

                  Dimitra was disgusted, she felt defenseless, and there was nothing she could do.  She drove on and the man directed her to a place in the Metroparks (forest in Cleveland).  This place was unusual because it was not on the paved roads of the Metroparks but off in a path worn down by various bikers, and now cars. 

                  Larry contemplated turning off his lights when he saw the car turn onto a dirt path, but there are no streetlights in the Metroparks, and the moon was not bright.  Had he turned his off, he may hit the car, and that would blow his cover and possibly injure all three members. 

Dimitra noticed the headlights and sensed hope but then wondered skeptically whether it was just wishful thinking.  The guy only stared at Dimitra and thought about how he was going to force himself inside of her.  There was an old abandoned building that could be mistaken as a house at the end of the path.  The man told Dimitra to stop the car in front of the house.

Larry noticed the brake lights of Dimitra’s car and then turned his lights and car off and slammed his brakes taking his car to a rapid halt.  He wanted distance between him and Dimitra’s car so that when the man exited he wouldn’t immediately see Larry.  He slipped out of his car and barely shut the door minimizing the sound.  Had the car been on it would have complained that the door was ajar because it was not completely shut.  Larry inched forward waiting for the man to get out of his car.  He saw the passenger door open and the man walk out.  The man shut the door and headed toward the back of the car to circle around it.  Suddenly a body nailed him from the side and onto the car.  Larry had made his presence known.  He couldn’t see that well so Larry relied on moving figures.  Larry punched him in the nose and slammed his head into the car.  The man’s head bounced off and on to the ground.  Dimitra did not recognize who her protector was since it was dark.  She didn’t bother to stare while he was following because she didn’t want to reveal anything to the man by staring too long.  The man got up and moved away from Larry.  He had lost him now.  Larry walked around cautiously.  Dimitra had gotten out of the car, so he knew where she was.  All of a sudden he saw a figure moving at him and tackling him to the ground.  The kid began punching at Larry’s face.  Larry turned him around and threw down some punches at his face.  Both men had bloody noses now.  Larry got up and went to Dimitra, Dimitra had lost track of who was who, and the person approaching scared her.  The figure placed something into her hands and said, “Go into my car, start it, and turn the brights on by pulling the left knob in.”

Dimitra knew this was the protector, she also recognized the voice but was having difficulty putting a face with it.  Larry was tackled from behind.  He shot right back up and faced the figure.  Larry punched the man in the stomach and then threw him to the ground.  He was set to deliver more punches in the face when he felt a sharp whip in the side of the head.  The man took a stick and nailed Larry with it.  Suddenly there was light.  Dimitra had gotten into Larry’s car, started it and turned the high beams on.  Larry was happy the car was started because his battery died very quickly and this fight could last a while.  The man was fazed by the new change in environment since he was looking toward it, Larry was on the ground and when he arose, the light was behind him so he had the clear advantage.  He charged at the figure and kneed him in the stomach.  He put him in a headlock and was set to drive his head into his knees to create more damage to his face but the figure took out Larry’s legs and tripped him to the ground.

Dimitra had decided to remain inside of the car, just in case her protector lost.  She realized almost immediately when she put the high beams on that Larry was her protector.  She locked the doors and watched. 

The man began to stomp Larry.  He was very angry; Larry was ruining his plans to rape Dimitra.  He helped Larry to his feet and threw him into Dimitra’s car.  He slammed his head repeatedly into it.  The man picked Larry up over his shoulder and slammed him on the hood.  He dragged Larry to the top of the car.  He helped him up to a bent over position, stuck Larry’s head between his legs and lifted Larry’s chest so that he flipped over and his legs were on either side of his head and threw him off his shoulders on to the ground below.  He jumped off the car and landed stomach to chest on Larry.  The wind left Larry’s body as hope left Dimitra’s mind.  The man kicked Larry in the side a few more times.  He already felt he won this fight, now he just wanted to punish Larry.  Dimitra couldn’t help but watch.  The man stomped at Larry’s thighs just in case he did find the strength to stand.  He helped Larry to his feet again and punched him in the stomach.  He then drove him back and nailed him against the car.  He then alternated from punching him in the stomach and when Larry bent down, snapping his head back into the car.  The back of Larry’s head was now bleeding.  After a few sets of these he punched Larry across the face and watched him fall.  His knuckles hurt from it, and he rubbed them.  He then made his way toward Dimitra, she was about to put the car in reverse and attempt to drive backwards in a dirt trail when he saw the man collapse down.  Larry was not unconscious.  He tackled the man from behind and got up immediately.  Larry raised his arms taunting him to get him and face him.  The man got up and looked at Larry with shock, anger and frustration all mixed in.  He ran at Larry, Larry ducked down, as he approached he wrapped his arms around both the man’s legs, and lifted up simultaneously, catapulting the man over his shoulder doing a half flip and landing on his back.  The man was shocked for he was unaware how he ended up on the ground.  He had been taken completely by surprise.  Larry came over and stomped at his chest, solar plexus and stomach.  Larry lifted him up and punched him in the face knocking him down.  The man got up and shoved Larry into a tree.  He then threw a hard punch at Larry’s face but Larry moved his head and the fist nailed the tree cracking his knuckles on his pointer and middle fingers.  He grabbed his hand yelling in pain.  Larry punched him in the kidneys and tripped him.  Larry then stomped on his thighs.  He helped him up and held him against a tree by his left hand putting pressure on the man’s neck.  Larry delivered a punch squarely on the nose.  The man brought his arm under and punched Larry.  Larry shook it off quickly and punched the man back in the stomach.  Then he grabbed his head and snapped it back into the tree as the man had done to him on the car earlier.  Larry lifted him up over his shoulder and slammed him on to a log.  The man grabbed at his back.  Larry stomped on his stomach and as the man raised his head Larry kicked him in the face.  The man kicked Larry’s knee and watched as Larry fell.  He reached over and grabbed a small log.  They both got up at the same time but the man swung his log and cracked Larry on the side of the head knocking him down.  He then threw the log on to Larry’s solar plexus.  He searched for some more weapons.  He picked up a large stick and came at Larry.  Larry was up and he had the log.  He tossed the log toward him.  The man dropped the stick and caught the log.  After he threw it, Larry came running and jumped into the air and kicked the log with both feet as the man caught it.  The log flew back and nailed the man’s neck, knocking him over and then the log fell on to his forehead.  It had made it bleed.  Larry was also cut from the blow he sustained to the side of the head.  He went over and helped the man to his feet.  He contorted his body so that he leaned to the side and his left arm went around the left side of the man’s stomach and his right hand was on the man’s right side.  He then lifted up and rested the man on his shoulders parallel with the floor with the man’s head protruding past Larry’s body.  Larry then ran with him on his shoulders toward the house.  He slammed the man’s body threw a window of the house face first.  The man was instantly knocked unconscious.  Larry found some vines and ripped them off the plants and used them to tie the limbs of the man.  Dimitra exited the car as soon as she saw Larry drive him through the window.  She helped him gather the vines and tie him up. 

After they had tied up the man, Dimitra gave Larry a hug.  She squeezed very tightly and laid her head on Larry’s chest.  Larry hugged back warily for the fight had taken a lot out of him.  Blood was getting on Dimitra but she didn’t care at the moment.  She let go and said, “We need to clean you up Larry.” 

They found a bathroom but there was no soap or anything.  She thought Larry needed rubbing alcohol or hydro peroxide because logs in the woods are not exactly clean.  She asked Larry if he could drive.  Larry said he could, but doubted it himself.  Dimitra took off the man’s shirt, only untying the vines to get it off then immediately retying them.  The man was still unconscious.  Dimitra told Larry to lean his head back against that so that he didn’t get blood in his car.  Larry agreed but admitted he would need help setting it.  Dimitra placed the shirt just right and just told him to hold it there with his head.  She got into her car and started it.  Larry used his mirrors to go back to the main road.  He was surprised he succeeded but he did.  Dimitra followed and had to stop a few times and pull up.  Larry waited for Dimitra for about two minutes and then she came out.  Larry followed Dimitra back to her house. 

                While she was driving she was hoping Larry would be okay.  When she got on to the main road she called Xrisoula’s cell phone.  Xrisoula picked up and she said, “Xrisoula, it’s Dimitra, look, leave the door unlocked, I’m coming home with a guy, and I don’t want mom and dad to find out.”

“Is it Larry?”

“Yea how did you know?”

“He saw me be thrown out of the car and then he came to check on me.  When he realized who I was he asked what happened, I told him and pointed out your car, he got in his car and tried to follow."

“Yea he did follow very well, I’ll tell you all about it when I get home, just keep the door unlocked.”

“Okay.”

Dimitra got to her house, as she was about to turn into her driveway, she signaled so Larry would know, then shut off her lights and signal as she was making the turn into the driveway.  She hoped Larry would do the same, and he did.  Larry parked his car and stayed there resting.  He was still using some adrenaline to drive back, but now that driving was over he sat there with the pain of the fight that he had held back all hitting him at once.  He felt weak; Dimitra went over to him and helped him out of the car.  He put his arm around her neck and walked him inside.  The door was unlocked, and Xrisoula was waiting for them.  They went to a bathroom to clean Larry up.  Larry sat there half-conscious while Dimitra nursed his cuts and told Xrisoula the story.  She cleaned out the cuts and then bandaged them since they had long since stopped bleeding.  Part of the problem was some of the blood had dried and was black.  This made this not a pretty job.  Larry looked fine now, and all that blood was reduced to just one cut on the side of the head from the log.  Dimitra looked at Larry’s eyes, and then leaned in and kissed him on the mouth.  She went back again, more forcefully, Larry tilted his head to the side and opened his mouth.  They then French kissed.  Xrisoula felt awkward since she saw the whole thing.  Dimitra said to Xrisoula, “I’m sorry, he just saved me from being raped; I don’t know what came over me.”

“I do, he just took a beating to help you and he saved you from being raped like you said.”

“Yea you have a point.”

“I’ll give you two some privacy.”

Dimitra was about to protest but then she looked at Larry in a way she never had before.  She saw a protector, someone that put his body on the line for the sole purpose to help her.  He helped Larry to her bedroom and shoved him on the bed.  She kind of enjoyed that Larry was weak from battle and therefore easy to throw around.  She stripped him to his boxers, Larry did not appear to mind, and he didn’t at all.  Dimitra then stripped herself and put on a thong to stimulate Larry.  It worked, he was very turned on by it.  Larry looked up and smiled, he decided to say something stupid, “qeleis na pame sth Krhth kai sth Mani?” 

Dimitra smiled and said, “wraia tragoudi.”

“Egw nomizw, xereis to tragoudi?”

“nai”

Dimitra then lied on top of Larry and began kissing him.  They made out profusely.  Larry was still very weak but that didn’t matter now.  He turned her over so that he was now on top.  He began caressing her breasts with his hands and subsequently maneuvering his mouth around her breasts.  Dimitra brought her legs, which were already around Larry, higher up on his waist so it was at his midsection.  Larry then caressed her smooth shaven legs with both hands.  Dimitra turned Larry back around; they were trying not to make too much noise because if Dimitra’s parents woke up they would be very angry.  Larry moved his hands down to her butt and squeezed it while making out with her.  She got up and Larry sat up as well.  He was disappointed but realized that this was just spur of the moment and she probably thought it was a mistake.  Before he could express his thoughts, Dimitra straddled Larry and sat on his thighs so that her breasts were level with Larry’s face.  She pulled him close while thrusting her pelvis forward.  With each one Larry sucked her breast.  She bent back, and Larry maneuvered his hand all over her chest and stomach.  She really was a good-looking girl.  They both lied down on their sides facing each other.  Larry slipped his hand into her underwear and massaged around a bit.  Dimitra then slipped her hand into Larry’s boxers and began fondling Larry’s genitals.  Not too long after, Larry stuck his middle finger inside of her vagina.  He immediately went for the clitoris.  After a couple minutes went by, Dimitra had an orgasm.  She covered her mouth with a pillow so as to minimize the sound.  Larry immediately stopped.  Dimitra also removed her hand from his boxers.  She embraced Larry in her arms and they began to alternate pelvic thrusts as Larry’s penis rubbed against Dimitra’s vagina.  After a little while, Larry achieved orgasm.  Then they had to stop; the semen was in his boxers so none of it got on the bed.  They were both worn out, Larry more so since he started worn out.  They lied down and were going to go to sleep.  Then Dimitra said, “Oh shit, your car is in the driveway, my dad will see it.” 

“What time does your dad wake up?”

“About 6:00”

It was 3:00AM now, Larry was used to only getting three hours of sleep but after a big fight and an experience sexual in nature, he didn’t know if he could do it.  Besides he would have to make it out earlier so Dimitra’s dad wouldn’t notice.  Larry said that he’d move his car to the street.  Dimitra wanted to protest but didn’t.  There was no way Larry could drive home, he was much too worn out.  He backed his car up and parked it in the street.  He went back into the house taking long blinks because he was so exhausted.  He shuffled up the stairs trying not to make too much noise.  He entered Dimitra’s room and lied down on the same spot he was on before.  Dimitra was already asleep when he came in.  She woke up when he situated himself in the bed.  She said warily and half asleep, “Thank you for saving me today.”

“Thank you for the reward”

They both smiled and went to sleep.  Larry woke up at 6:30.  He heard footsteps downstairs, so he didn’t leave.  He just got dressed.  Dimitra was still asleep.  He wondered if she would be mad if he left without saying good bye, but thought she would be mad if he woke her up. At 6:45 he heard a door slam.  Five minutes passed and the noise was gone.  He left the room and went downstairs.  He saw a car leave the driveway and head off.  He knew they were gone.  When they turned the corner, he left the house and got in his car and drove home.  He entered his house and went on as if it were a normal day; the whole house was sleeping when he arrived. 

Larry felt good that he saved someone and about the reward, Christmas had been good for Larry.  Dimitra and Larry remained friends with benefits but they didn’t hook up with anyone else so they were unofficially going out.  Both their parents never knew that Larry had spent the night that night, but both parents approved of their going out, after all both were 100% Greek and both sets of parents wanted their offspring to date and marry Greeks.  They were allowed to date non-Greeks but Greeks were always encouraged.  Xrisoula knew that Larry slept over but never snitched on her sister.  They never heard what happened to the guy in the Metroparks but still they refused to go back.    Soon afterwards they all forgot about the event because after all, the only thing that happened was a fight and the beginning of a relationship.