A week into the semester I asked my creative writing class if a shopping list could be a story, and after a discussion, I told them to use the remaining half hour of the period to write a one-page story, true or made up, about a shopping trip. It could be for food or clothing or anything, even a fancy sports car. “Make it more than a shopping list,” I told them. “Make it personal.” The class, seventeen juniors and seniors, finished their stories and handed them in at the end of the period. It was the last class of the day, so I stayed at my desk to grade the papers. One of the stories, Amanda’s, was called Swedish Fish. It was very short.

I went to the store. I bought a package of Swedish Fish. On the way home I ate them all. They were good. Greedy me!

On the back of Amanda’s paper there was some writing, but not in English. Swedish, I presumed, since Amanda was Swedish.

jag skulle vilja att du hämtade mig i min säng ... bar mig in till ert sovrum ... ni skulle tyst kl’ av mig min t-shirt ... och hon skulle ta sin hand i mitt hår, och styra min mun mot din kuk ... och hon skulle lära mig suga sig...

§

“Sorry I’m late,” I said to Laura when I got home. “I was grading papers and...” I showed Amanda’s paper to Laura.

“What’s this on the back?” she asked.

“Swedish,” I said. “I google translated it on my phone. It took me about an hour to type it in. That’s why I’m late.” I opened my phone to the translation.

“My goodness,” Laura said.

“Right,” I said. “What should I do?”

Laura shrugged. “Invite her over to spend the night.”

“Seriously, what should I do?”

“Let me think about it,” Laura said.

Later, as we got into bed, I asked Laura if she’d given any more thought to Amanda’s paper.”

“Yes, I’ve been thinking about it,” she told me.

“And... ?

Laura switched off the light. “This is how it happens,” she said.

“You find Amanda in her bed. You lean over her and she opens her arms. You pick her up. You carry her back to our bedroom. She is beguilingly light. Innocently, wantonly warm. Her little body snuggles against yours. You set her on the bed next to me. ‘Lift your arms,’ I tell her. Amanda lifts her arms over her head, and I draw off her tee shirt. Her little breasts are so beautiful. Your eyes go from her nipples to her eyes. You can see her desires. Her excitement. Maybe a touch of fear. I put my hands on her head and bring her head to your cock. ‘Open, little one,’ I tell her. ‘Open your mouth and suck him.’ Her mouth opens. Her lips touch your cock. She is looking up into your eyes. Her eyes are at once innocent and lewd. ‘Suck his big cock,’ I say. Gently I help the girl fit her mouth over your cock. ‘Suck him very slowly,’ I say. ‘There’s no rush. I’m going to finger your little asshole while you suck him. I’m going to touch you until you come.’”

“Amanda sucks your cock, slow gentle sucking, while I finger her. You can tell from her eyes that she is becoming more and more excited. ‘She’s about to come,’ I tell you. ‘Her asshole is really hot. I’ve got my finger most of the way in. Yes, she’s coming now.’ You didn’t need me to tell you that. You could see it in Amanda’s eyes and in the shudder of her body. ‘Yes, Amanda,’ I say. ‘Yes, Sweetie. Make him come now. Suck his cock and pump his cum into your mouth.’ You come into her mouth in huge jolts. You try to hold steady throughout, but you aren’t entirely successful. You and Amanda are both lost to your orgasms. She turns to look at me, her mouth filled with your cum. ‘Good job, little one,’ I tell her. I kiss her. I push my tongue into her cum-filled mouth. She sucks my tongue, nursing on it, swallowing the cum. After a time, you pick her up. You carry her back to her bed and tuck her in. ‘She’s asleep,’ you report to me. And I’m ready to be fucked now.”

§

In the morning I woke to Laura sucking me. She paused and gave me a big grin. “Did you like my story last night?” she asked.

“I loved it,” I said. “You get an A. An A plus.” She lay back and opened her legs.

§

“But what do I do about Amanda? About her little story?” I asked, as we lay side by side, recovering from our good morning fuck. “I have to leave for school in ten minutes. No time for coffee or a shower.”

“Right, that Swedish Fish thing,” Laura said. “Tell her the dog ate it.”