Culture Shock Ch. 11

Elaine was suddenly attacked by a severe case of hyperventilation. Her heart rate skyrocketed and her chest tightened, making her fight for air. I just wanted to know ‘hypothetically’, not ‘actually’! her mind screamed as she typed desperately. “I’m sorry! That’s not what I meant!”

A second later, Gary messaged her back. “Let’s pause for a moment.”   Sitting back in her chair, Elaine closed her eyes as smaller and smaller butterflies attacked her stomach. The grip on her chest slowly loosened, and though her hands continued to tremble, she was able to breathe. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Gary had sent her a message.   “You meant, ‘if’.”   Getting a tentative hold on herself, Elaine moved her chair back in and recommitted to following the advice she’d read. “Yes. I didn’t want the ‘actual’ number. I just wanted to know if you were willing to offer someone like Nica as the person I might call. I wanted to know whether you would backtrack, I guess,” she typed, blushing hard. “I mean, despite my fantasies, I’m still just curious. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, and I don’t want to get hurt either.” Elaine hoped the double meaning she intended was obvious. “And there’s a lot about me I haven’t told you.”   He waited a moment then replied, “I know. And I apologise if you felt pressured. That wasn’t my intent. I just wanted you to have the option, and I wanted you to see that I am quite willing to provide references… There are many questions I want to ask you, Elaine. Hundreds. But I don’t want to push you too hard. I want you to be comfortable with the pace we are moving, and I want you to choose that pace. Giving you Nica’s number gives you the choice of what pace is right for you.” He was typing again, so Elaine waited. “Elaine, I want to meet you. You are on my mind a lot. I won’t lie about that. The only reason I’m admitting that is to be honest with you. Not to pressure you. You don’t need to respond.”   Elaine didn’t. It wouldn’t have been wise. Instead she kept safe. “Thank you for being honest with me.”   “Welcome. Look, go get a pen and write down the number, okay? I’ll call Nica tomorrow and let her know you ‘might’ call one day. No pressure.”   Elaine breathed a bit harder, but stayed in control. “All right. I’ll be right back.” Retrieving her diary and a pen from the pocket of her backpack, it dawned on her that Gary was taking a risk too. She could be anyone, but for some reason he trusted her. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Elaine asked.   “I’m sure.”   “Okay, shoot,” she typed, her hands still shaking as she picked up the pen.   Gary recited Nica’s number and needlessly explained why he would ring her first thing in the morning. “Otherwise she might think you are some crazy person,” Gary typed, following his message with a wink.   “Do you get many of those?” Elaine asked.   “Crazy people?”   “Yes.”   “Not lately. Over the years it’s mostly been subs that weren’t right for me. They come in all shapes and sizes, and some are quite pushy.”   Where did he meet them? Elaine wondered. “Something just occurred to me.”   “Fire away.”   “Well, I hope this doesn’t sound rude, but I remember you saying that you weren’t looking for anyone on the ‘net… that you didn’t think you’d find anyone.”   “Yes.”   “But you also said that originally you hooked up with people in the lifestyle through the ‘net, and just a moment ago you said there have been subs after you.” Remembering more of the advice she had been given, she opened up the question. “Can you explain that?” Elaine wondered if she’d crossed a line.   “Sure. But first I’d like to mention that you are asking all the right questions. Ten out of ten.” He sent a smile before continuing. “At first I was quite enthusiastic about the Internet. It seemed to answer most of my prayers. Admittedly I romanticised the lifestyle in my head for two years after Anita moved on, but the ‘net provided me with a way into it, and I guess as a result I was overly fond of it for a while. Anyway, back then, finding someone on the Internet seemed to simply be a matter of time.”   “What happened?”   “I met my ex-fiancé.”   “Oh.” That explains it.   “Yeah. Her name was Leah, and the best, or worst, thing about meeting her was that we both went about it the right way. She was an experienced sub. We chatted for months before we actually met. She wanted to ‘make sure that the potential I had was real’, or something like that. Everything seemed perfect and when we finally did meet, we hit it off straight away. She taught me a great deal. We were a model couple and others on the ‘net would refer to Leah and I as examples of how things could work. We were living proof that the Internet could lead to a successful relationship, and everyone loved us.”   “And the failure of that relationship put you off the ‘net?”   “Not exactly. We were into each other from the start, spending time alone, together like you and I are now, on Messenger. Once we hooked up in real life and moved in together, we occasionally went online, just to touch base, but mostly we had been doing our own thing. Apart from emailing our real life friends, we had little time for the Internet. Six years later, when it all collapsed on our wedding day, well… It was pretty traumatic and for a long time I didn’t want to face the whole ‘what happened?’ scenario in the chat room. That was over a year ago. Since I returned I’ve promised myself I’ll just be an advice giver.”   “It must have been surreal. I can certainly understand why you’d have no faith in the ‘net.”   “As far as I was concerned, the chances of meeting someone were nil.”   Elaine bit her lip. “What changed? Why me?”   “Well, let’s see. I could say almost anything here. I could say it was your sparkling personality. I could say it was your manner and your obvious effort to be respectful and pleasant. I could say it was your honesty and your innocence. I could say it’s because I want to teach you. Or, I could say it was because I want to corrupt you… I could even say it was your picture.” Gary shot off a smile with its tongue poking out. “All of which is true. But none of it really explains what is happening in my head. I think the biggest reason was… you had the ability to change my mind.”   “I’m not sure if I understand.”   “What I mean is, until you came along, I wasn’t interested. You had the capacity to change my mind and become interested again. That’s a very powerful thing… Look, logically I knew someone special could do it. I didn’t know how, and I certainly wasn’t expecting it. But it was instinct that told me you were right for me. Over the years, if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s to listen to my instincts. And anyway, how does one describe the phenomenon of ‘connecting’ with another person? Or of attraction? And um… I better stop talking like this…”   “Gary?”   “Yes, Elaine?”   She started typing.   “The good thing about connecting with someone is that there are some things you don’t have to explain. Please don’t worry, Sir. I feel the same way. Or at least I feel like we definitely connect. And um, I think if you look anything like your picture, I can confidently say I will find you very attractive. There are no hurdles in front of me at this point. Apart from unmitigated terror, of course.”   “Chuckles. Thank you. It’s comforting to know I’m not making a complete fool of myself… I think…” Another wink popped up. After a moment, he continued. “When you type something, I can hear your voice in my head… Okay, now I sound either needy or psycho. I’m neither. I’m just excited.”   “I get excited every time I see you. I find that a bit scary.”   “I didn’t mean sexually excited, Elaine. Though I can’t say I’m not pleased to hear it.”   “Blushes!”   “It’s all right.” He grinned again. “If you weren’t excited, I’d be worried. But what I meant was, I just have a good feeling about this. I don’t want it to stop, and I want to do it right. And somehow, I want to know that you are right for me too.”   Elaine’s breath caught in her throat. Prising her thighs apart from their clenched position, she sat up straight, reading his words a second time. She wanted to ask, ‘How?’ but she recognised the answer would be too hypothetical. Finally she took a deep breath and amazed herself by typing, “We are going to meet each other, aren’t we?”   Barely a second of hesitation passed before Gary typed, “Yes.”   “I’m really scared.”   “So am I.”   That halted Elaine’s spiralling imagination. She swallowed. “You are?”   “Yes. Because I’m afraid I’ll fuck this up. And at the same time, I hope I’m not making a huge mistake.”   “Me too.”   “Nods softly. Being nervous is normal. You will be meeting someone you haven’t met before, just as I am. If I had my way, we would expect little from our first meeting. It would be kept short, perhaps one hour. Somewhere public. Somewhere accessible and well lit where you can park close by. These would be my plans. I have no need for you to accept them, I’m just telling you how I would do it.”   “I get that. And I appreciate it. I’m interested in what you are saying. Please go on.”   “Okay. I understand the fear of the unknown, and I understand the fear of failure. Rest assured that I would take your fears into consideration with every choice I made. Know that I would NOT ask you to submit to me when we first met. I would like us to meet as equals, two, maybe three times; each time confirming our continued desire to move forward. We would develop a friendship first, before we became anything more. And there’s something else you should know…”   “Yes, Sir?”   “Your submission to me must be by your own free will. You will offer it to me. I will never request nor expect it. Ever. Your submission will always be contingent on how I act. Outside of a ‘scene’, I will never demand your submission. I don’t want a doormat, Elaine, and I don’t want someone who feels obligated. I want someone who submits because she wants to.”   Elaine realised she’d been holding her breath and she sucked in air. “Thank you, Sir.”   “If I screw up again, let me know.”   “I will.”   “We are going to take our time, Elaine. That’s my decision, and it is final.”   Why the fuck am I crying? Elaine wondered. “Yes,” she typed. “I want that too.” Elaine could hardly believe the conversation they’d been having. She resolved to copy it before it disappeared into the ether. Later she’d read it over. Maybe even twice. Somewhat reassured, she smiled softly to herself.   Is it possible he just ‘knows what to say’?   Almost right on time, he changed the subject, while not changing it at all. “Have you completed your BDSM checklist?”   “Yes. As much as I can.”   “I imagine you have a few items you’d like me to explain.”   “Um… about twenty? Maybe twenty-five?”   “Chuckles. That’s okay. Can you send me the list of queries?”   “I will. And I want to say I’m sorry in advance. I’m completely inexperienced in most of this, Sir.”   “Never apologise for who you are, Elaine.”   His words stopped her and she thought them over. “You’re right. I won’t. I’m proud of who I am.”   “Good.”   As another thought occurred to her, her heart fell. I am going to have to face telling him things about me before I meet him. He should know I’m a ‘virgin’. “Sir, I’ve…” She paused, not quite believing what she was about to tell him. “I’ve never been with a man.”   Seconds passed. Elaine stared at the screen, willing Gary to respond.   Please, please, please…   At last he did. “You are full of surprises, Elaine.”   She wanted to apologise but didn’t. “I still have a few up my sleeve.” She thought her response was so clever, she almost giggled.   “I’m glad,” he typed, sending a grin too. “If you are trying to make me less excited, it’s not working. Wait a minute. Don’t answer that.” Then he winked.   “A girl’s gotta keep some mystery.”   “Absolutely!”   Sweet relief flooded her veins, intoxicating her. “Thank you for being patient with me, Sir,” she typed, drying her eyes. “I really do appreciate it.”   “There is no other way.”   “Nods a little and looks up at you.”   “Smiles down on you. It’s getting late. Time for bed, I think.”   “Yes, Sir,” Elaine replied, glancing at the clock. “I really enjoyed our conversation.” There was still so much she hadn’t told him!   “So did I.”   “Smiles softly. Good night, Sir.”   “Good night, Elaine.”   She watched as he disappeared. Momentarily, she felt drained. Without warning, a surge of adrenalin swamped her exhaustion, leaving her shaking, fingers trembling as she directed the mouse to close down the computer. For a moment she had to sit back in her chair, just to get her bearings. Her heart was beating wildly, and she was almost gasping for breath again. She wasn’t certain whether her legs would carry her to the bathroom to brush her teeth.   My God. He knows I’m a virgin!   Panting quietly, she leaned her elbows on her knees and hung her head.   She was absolutely soaked.   This is getting ridiculous. I better take an Ambien.   ***********************   For the second night in a row Elaine slept naked. It felt nice. Kind of free and decadent at the same time. The pleasure she felt at the discovery didn’t last long. Getting ready for class, pulling her ridiculous skirt up her bare legs made her feel self-conscious. Two simple buttons at the front kept it clinging to her hips. The light cotton garment hugged her for a couple of inches, then the skirt part had extra material that flounced outward. Swallowing, Elaine opened her window to check the ‘breeze situation’ and was pleased to see it was windless. She turned on her radio, hoping to catch the weather report.   Then she remembered her promise to check Kendra’s bag. I’m going to need Chelsea there, Elaine thought as she pulled her bright pink ‘Betty Boop’ t-shirt over her head. The screen-printed image on the front would camouflage her nipples, even if the colour screamed at people to look.   The skirt though was another matter entirely. Not only did the two items barely match, Elaine didn’t wear little girl stuff like this. Not outside. It was a ‘kick around the house and watch T.V.’ kind of skirt, not a ‘wear to class’ skirt. She would never have contemplated wearing the flimsy thing outside the front door, even if someone paid her. Looking at herself in the mirror, she realised her cheeks were burning and she was getting excited again.   I can’t believe I’m going out in this.   Tugging a little forlornly at the hem, Elaine chose her off-white, over-the-shoulder cloth bag rather than her backpack. If putting on her backpack had somehow caught the skirt and lifted it without her knowing, she’d have died.   I look kind of cute. Maybe I should wear heels? God, could I? Oh, I have to, at least out to the kitchen! The girls will freak! Imagine their faces!   Rummaging in her wardrobe, Elaine grinned when she ‘accidentally on purpose’ took a quick look at her toys. The latex pink dildo matched her t-shirt almost perfectly. She couldn’t wait to use it. If it didn’t look exactly like a guy’s six-inch cock she could have used it to accessorise! Elaine’s giggle didn’t last long when she realised she was on her haunches with her knees spread apart.   I better not squat like this in company , she reminded herself as her thighs snapped together. Grabbing the off-white pumps her mother had bought for her cousin’s wedding, she shivered when she stood in front of the mirror again for ‘one last look’.   How do girls wear stuff like this? Elaine wondered, sizing up her smooth shapely legs. She wished she’d spent at least a little time sun tanning. She wouldn’t get a chance till she went home at the end of semester. After working some gel into her hair and applying glossy lip protection, she was ready. The light pink lipstick she had planned on wearing would have been too much. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her bag and headed to the kitchen. As Elaine went about making a fresh pot of coffee, she hoped her roommates would soon emerge.   She had woken early to be certain to catch them, and she was already on her third cup of coffee before they finally made an appearance. When they did, Elaine was surprised to see that her outfit was risqué, but Kendra’s was positively scandalous.   “What are you looking at?” Kendra hissed as she dumped her purse and folder on the kitchen table, slumping in a chair. Elaine went back to stirring the three new cups she’d made as Kendra spoke to Chelsea, though much more softly. “I can’t believe you’re going to make me do this.”   “They’re the rules.”   “What’s going on?” Elaine asked. Kendra rolled her eyes and didn’t say a word, so Elaine looked at Chelsea. Chelsea looked like the cat that ate the cream.   “Kendra dropped pizza on herself last night. She was wearing her clothes for today. I won’t let her wear them ‘cause she wouldn’t normally. That’s all she has left.”   “No way,” said Elaine, covering a laugh.   “Oh, shut up. You don’t look much better.”   Chelsea looked Elaine up and down and said, “I think she looks hot. Never better, Elaine.”   “Thanks.” Elaine tried not to blush but it was too late.   “And I look like a fucking hooker, right?” Kendra snapped then pouted.   “I hope those double knots hold,” giggled Chelsea, pulling at the bikini string tied behind Kendra’s neck. “Wouldn’t want any guys to be able to cause accidents.”   Kendra slapped Chelsea’s hands away. “Stop it!” she whined.   Elaine leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping her cup of coffee. She couldn’t help herself. “Love the skirt. Isn’t it the one you wear dancing?” Elaine asked, barely containing a giggle.   “Yes. Satisfied?”   Elaine figured Kendra deserved a bit of teasing. “No, I’m not. Stand up and lift your hem. I have to check you’re not cheating. God knows I would if I was wearing that!” Elaine exploded into giggles and so did Chelsea.   “Chelsea already checked,” said Kendra, her pout accentuating.   “That was half an hour ago, before you went to the bathroom. You could have slipped some knickers on in there.”   “Oh, for fucks sake.” Kendra abruptly stood and peeled the hem of her shiny gold skirt almost up to the wide white belt that encircled her hips. “Happy now?”   Elaine just stared. The sight of Kendra revealing her pussy in such a short, tight skirt, coupled with her bobbing breasts barely held in a bikini top she’d normally only wear to the beach, was breathtaking.   “You won’t make it,” said Elaine.   “That’s what I said,” agreed Chelsea.   Fixing her skirt and sitting back down, Kendra looked daggers at Elaine. “Your turn.”   Elaine knew this was coming, sooner or later. Putting down her cup, she reached for her skirt as Chelsea reached for Kendra’s purse, saying, “Hey, can I borrow five buck-“   Utterly distracted from Elaine’s impending show, Kendra snatched her purse from Chelsea, screaming, “Don’t!”   “What the hell?” said Chelsea, looking at Elaine. They both looked at Kendra, then at the purse in her hands. “Hand it over,” said Chelsea.   “I’ll get it,” said Kendra, blushing like Elaine had never seen before.   “I said hand it over. That reaction was uncalled for. I’m not after money now. You’re hiding something.”   “Fuck,” said Kendra, pulling from her purse a pair of clean white bikini panties. Elaine’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t believe it. Kendra’s shoulders slumped. “All right. I lose. I’ll do the damned stairs.”   “What about the Brazilian?”   “I’m bare. It’s pointless.”   Chelsea was relentless. “You would have held Elaine or I to it, so I think you should have to pay a different penance.” By this time she was looking for an ally.   “Oh, yeah,” agreed Elaine, still giggling. “Something at least as bad.”   Kendra just shook her head. “Anything. Just don’t make me go out like this.”   “That’s it!” cried Chelsea.   “What?” laughed Elaine.   Turning to Kendra, Chelsea said, “Your punishment is you have to wear what you are wearing right now, until tonight!”   “No! That’s not fair! I lost. This bet is over.”   Elaine bit her lip, wondering what Chelsea would say.   “It’s over after you streak down the stairs and back up again. And unless you want to do it in broad daylight, you’re stuck in those clothes till after eight tonight. Right, Elaine?”   “Right. Two against one.” Elaine was surprised at how good it felt to turn the tables.   “Guys, please. I just put them in my purse, ‘in case’. I was only going to wear them if the teasing was unbearable.”   “Bullshit,” said Chelsea. “You said yourself you only have two classes today. You could do it standing on your head.”   Kendra sighed and visibly swallowed. For a moment Elaine felt sorry for her and it occurred to her that, while it was a technicality, Kendra hadn’t actually put them on. She was about to mention it when Kendra took a different tack.   “Since it’s not over till I streak the stairs, it’s only fair if you guys can’t change either. Or wear panties.”   “Deal,” said Chelsea. Of course Chelsea was immaculately dressed.   Elaine’s jaw dropped again. She hadn’t realised how relieved she was that she hadn’t lost. “Hey, wait a minute!” she interrupted. “It’s Kendra’s penance, not mine. I’m putting undies on right now.”   “She’s got a point,” said Chelsea, looking to Kendra for her reaction.   “Oh for Christ’s sake,” said Kendra. “Whatever. I need to go to the bathroom. I’m scared shitless now. Thanks.”   As she watched Kendra’s back, Elaine couldn’t believe it. It was all over. Turning to rinse her cup, she was joined by Chelsea at the sink, standing elbow to elbow. “You do look really good, you know,” she said. “You should put on a thong and think about keeping the outfit as it is anyway.”   “I don’t think so,” scoffed Elaine.   “I guess you don’t get off on it like Kendra does.”   “What do you mean?”   “I think she lost on purpose. How else do you explain why she didn’t argue like crazy? Under the façade, she’s enjoying being a show-off. She’s probably been flashing half the school and getting off on it. She wanted to lose, I bet.”   Chelsea’s theory would haunt Elaine all day. As did her own reaction, which was to do exactly as Chelsea suggested and slip on a thong while keeping the rest of her outfit intact. She surprised herself with how easily she made the decision, though she wasn’t sure why.   She knew how though. It was the dull throbbing in her frustrated loins. Either that or it was the silky, skin-coloured thong hugging her pussy. It always made her feel sexy, and this was no exception. That she might choose to dress like this, somehow gave Elaine a sense of how Kendra might have felt, at least if what Chelsea had said was true. The clothes she wore exhibited her body, and after the trauma of yesterday’s initiation, wearing them didn’t seem quite as frightening, even though she’d still look naked if her skirt flipped up at the back. Her nipples tingled, tightening at the thought.   Within minutes all three of the girls had stepped out the front door.   *************************   “Are you ready?” Chelsea squealed. “You have to make sure she goes right down to the bottom!”   “Yes. I’m at the bottom of the stairs!” replied Elaine into her mobile phone. She had to shout over the voices of the crowd around her. Elaine had left her roommates at the top of the stairs, with Kendra wrapped in nothing but a bath towel. Giggling into the phone, Elaine said, “I can’t believe you told your whole Education class!”   As she stood at the foot of the stairs, with upturned faces all around her, Elaine watched as, with a flourish, Chelsea whipped off Kendra’s bath towel, and the crowd roared!   They must have brought their friends too! thought Elaine, glancing around again and laughing. If Kendra hadn’t been such a good sport about the whole thing, saying she was determined to enjoy it and that it was something she’d never have the chance to do again, then the whole situation might have been less, well… public at least. Elaine just couldn’t believe she was witnessing it.   Kendra didn’t run. She’d already told Elaine and Chelsea that she wasn’t going to look like a complete idiot with her tits flopping all over the place while she scrambled down and back up the stairs. She said she was going to walk slowly and confidently, with her head held high. That was when Chelsea suggested she borrow Elaine’s pumps.   Elaine had started giggling again when Kendra replied, “Why not? In fact, why don’t you invite your whole class?”   “Okay, I will,” Chelsea had replied, reaching for her phone. Kendra hadn’t even protested! When she finally retired to her room, Elaine had the bizarre thought that Kendra was going to masturbate. Elaine had chastised herself, immediately extinguishing the lewd image that had thrust itself into her mind.   Compared to that, the sight of Kendra slowly walking down the stairs almost completely naked, was artistic. Looking up at the sight of Kendra, her body glowing orange in the setting sun with her hand lightly holding the handrail, Elaine thought she looked beautiful. Kendra was smiling the whole time, her teeth flashing as she looked out over the sea of faces, swinging her hips slowly as she basked in the experience.   The whistling and shouting died down in moments and an intimate hush came over the crowd. Silently we witnessed Kendra’s beauty in its most natural state, and Elaine thought she could have heard a pin drop. Now and then Kendra would giggle or make a comment, like, ‘This is intense!’ while murmurs of agreement rolled around.   Inside a minute Kendra was leaning on Elaine’s shoulder and slipping off the pumps. “Not my size,” she said, then winked and started back up the stairs. When she stood at the top and Chelsea held out the towel for her, Kendra refused, instead turning back to the crowd below, waving both hands over her head. Good-natured cheering and applauding spontaneously broke out, building suddenly in intensity. Carrying the high heels, Elaine ran back up the stairs, laughing and taking two steps at a time.   “Oh! My! God!” they’d chorused as the front door closed behind them. Even from inside their apartment all three could still hear the clapping, and they cracked up in nervous, adrenaline-charged laughter. Kendra took off for her room, returning five minutes later to sheepishly grin and announce she was having a shower. Chelsea and Elaine sat on the sofa with the radio on in the background while they giggled and shook their heads.   Elaine wasn’t sure what to say or even think! While she could imagine herself sneaking down and up the stairs sometime after midnight with barely a soul around, what she’d just witnessed Kendra do was staggering. And she actually seemed to enjoy it! There was no way Elaine could have paraded naked like that in front of a crowd. No way!   Still, the idea of doing what Kendra had done sent a shockwave of pleasure through her stomach and down her quivering thighs. Elaine crossed her fingers in her mind, hoping her roommates were going out. Checking her watch, she smiled to herself. In fifteen minutes Gary would be coming online. She hoped. Her hands started to tremble and she gripped the arms of the chair, making to get to her feet. “Are you guys going anywhere tonight?”   “We’re going to the Spotlight, then to a party. I wouldn’t expect us home before sun up. Do you want to come with us?” Chelsea asked.   “Maybe next time,” Elaine replied honestly, thinking it might actually be fun. Standing and preparing to head for the sanctuary of her bedroom, she said, “I have a few things I want to do tonight.”