Chapter 2

Nikki was leaning against the wall of the school just outside the gates, watching the traffic coming up the hill from the bus stop. As Lauren approached, Nikki smiled and started to walk slowly down the hill waiting for Lauren to catch up. From behind, Nikki looked like another average schoolgirl, with flat black shoes and socks that should have been pulled up to her knees. Her legs had more shape than Lauren’s, but were shorter, giving Lauren a height advantage of a couple of inches. Nikki’s blonde hair was parted in the middle with a fringe over her eyes, falling loosely either side of her head and down to her shoulder blades. As Lauren caught up with her, she noted that Nikki’s breasts were at least a couple of inches larger than her own, and could recall that the last time they had been in the showers they certainly wobbled a little. Her face was impish, cute and rounded with a small nose and bright blue eyes. And in a similar fashion to Lauren, she was only average in the beauty stakes.

“What kept you, I thought you were just behind me?” said Nikki loudly.

“Hey Nik, you’ll never guess what, it was so weird” whispered Lauren, looking furtively about her.

“Tell me, tell me” said Nikki, genuinely excited. Given Lauren’s usual inability to be the harbinger of gossip, this had to be world-class. And so Lauren recounted the story of Ruth and Alysia in the showers (although she would only say at first that it was two girls until Nikki demanded the truth), and mentioned that it seemed that they were enjoying themselves. Lauren continued the story with the arrival of Anke, and explained that there had been some misunderstanding about her washing herself.

“Hey, what’s the big deal? So you did it in the showers, everyone’s doing it somewhere or other, stupid!” said Nikki treating her expose as an enormous joke. Lauren didn’t try and argue that it was a misunderstanding; Nikki knew her too well and Lauren realised that there was no sense prolonging the facade, so she just turned to Nikki and grinned wickedly at her. Nikki smiled and nudged her in the ribs like a fellow conspirator as they turned to walk side by side to the bus stop.

Lauren felt a mixture of relief and excitement. She was surprised that not only did Nikki confirm that she played with herself, but that she thought everyone else did as well. On balance she felt that more experimentation in the bath tonight was called for in the name of self-awareness. As she reflected on the nature of the conversation with Nikki and her light treatment of the subject, she couldn’t help wondering why she hadn’t talked to Nikki about it before, if it wasn’t such a big deal. It would certainly be easier to talk to her than her mother. On balance, she considered herself very lucky to have such a vivacious and mischievous friend as Nikki.

“Oh, and I think I have some of my clothes on inside out, I feel strange” mentioned Lauren as they arrived at the newsagents. “Hang on, I need to get a mag for my mum, come on”, she said, pulling Nikki into the shop.

“Where do you feel strange? Perhaps you’ve got your period” said Nikki, taking down a men’s magazine from the shelf behind the stationery and books.

“It was last week. Hey, you can’t look at that!” squealed Lauren, grabbing the magazine. She reached up to replace it on the shelf, causing four or five others to fall from the top shelf to the floor. Hurriedly, she gathered them together as she blushed profusely, feeling the eyes of other shoppers on her as she squatted on the floor. She stood, showed a copy of “Metrofile” to the curious girl beyond the counter and offered her the correct money.

Leaving the shop, they crossed the road and leaned against the bus stop. The daily ritual of traveling by bus meant that they only had two minutes to wait and then a twenty minute ride as the bus looped around the village before crossing the valley and heading back up the hill to where both Lauren and Nikki lived.

They boarded the bus and made their way to the back seat as usual, sat down and flicked through the magazine until they found the problem page. Silence reigned as the two girls read about a woman whose husband wanted her to invite friends to their house to watch them have sex. One paragraph that received prolonged attention was concerned with how her husband wished his wife to masturbate him, including orally. Lauren and Nikki were delighted that the letter contained graphic detail of what the husband wanted her to do.

“Can you imagine, having sex while people are holding you? I wonder what it’s like?” whispered Nikki, rhetorically.

“Come on, next, next!” answered Lauren, turning the page. The next letter was a long one from a young girl in university who wanted to know why she had started her course a virgin and now felt it was compulsory to have sex with as many different boys as possible. The girl was sure that her requirements were abnormal and went on to say that she didn’t think she ever orgasmed.

“Did you orgasm in the showers?” inquired Nikki nonchalantly.

“Of course not, I told you”.

“Hey, relax, you would know if you have. I know I haven’t ever, not if it’s like it is in the films.”

Now this was news to Lauren which needed investigating, but today was getting out of hand and making Lauren nervous. Her calm little world of day-dreaming had been shattered by revelations and conversations that were both graphic and personal. On the one hand, she felt uneasy with herself and on the other she felt reassured that Nikki was there to defend her emotions as required. The warm glow from between her legs convinced her that further investigation was warranted.

“What are you talking about now?” asked Lauren nervously, staring at the magazine.

“I was helping Dad clear up after a convention had rented out most of the hotel, and I found a dirty film in one of the VCR’s that the guests can rent. I’ve seen it.” Nikki mimicked one of the actors by licking her lips and squeezing her breasts together.

“Tell me. Now!” insisted Lauren, giggling at Nikki’s acting as she shook her arm. For the remainder of the journey, Nikki related the contents of the film in almost the right order, leaving out some of the action that she found difficult to explain or where she thought that Lauren wouldn’t believe her. At the end of the ride, Lauren’s knickers had a tell-tale damp patch as a measure of the potency of Nikki’s narrative.

The bus pulled up about one hundred meters from Lauren’s chalet-style house, and the girls walked up the hill. The house stood back from the road, with a line of fir trees forming a border around the side of the ornate garden. The roof overhung the three floors by several feet, with its ornately carved and gaily painted woodwork typical of the area. A wooden balcony stretched around two sides of the house on the uppermost floor. The red-framed windows had contrasting black and white wooden shutters either side. A small pathway led from the low garden gate up the back door on the right hand side of the building.

By this time, Lauren had decided that she had to get out of these clothes and find out what was annoying her as the feeling was becoming a nuisance. She opened the back door with her key and passed through the kitchen into the stone-floored hallway. Traditional carvings hung on the facing wall with a large formal mirror at head height. The wood-covered walls made the room dark and the large light hanging from the ceiling was required most of the day. To the left of the hallway were the stairs to the bedrooms, bathroom and toilet while further at the end was the entrance to the lounge.

Visitors could hardly miss the ornate gilt-framed photographs on the hallway walls of Lauren and Mike from early ages, playing on the mountainside and paddling in the freezing cold lakes. Lauren wished they could be exchanged for something, even more recent ones. But her mother always said that they were both such sweeties at that age, and the photos were her treasures.

Lauren bellowed “Mum” at the top of her voice making Nikki jump. They received no reply.

“Good, should be a note from her about tea somewhere. Whenever they collect Mike at the end of term they’re always really late”, said Lauren looking around.

Both girls dumped their schoolbags on the floor, and went back into the kitchen. Lauren left the magazine on the table for Nikki to read and found her mother’s note stuck on the `fridge. In summary, it warned against opening the door to strangers, had emergency phone numbers, return times that night, and finally a request to take something from the freezer and heat it in the microwave. Lauren left the note with Nikki and went upstairs. Nikki filled the kettle and plugged it into the wall socket. She could hear Lauren walking along the landing above and into her bedroom. Just as Nikki flicked the switch on the wall, an almighty scream filled the house, followed by another and another. Then sobbing.

Nikki raced out of the kitchen and bounded up the stairs three at a time. She burst into Lauren’s bedroom to find her face down on her yellow bedspread, sobbing into her pillow. Nikki noted that she had all her clothes on (minus her shoes) and there seemed to be no obvious reason for her bewildered state. Nikki looked across the bed and noted that the yellow curtains round the window were open. The white dressing table, desk and bookcase around the room were all in order. The top drawer of her four drawer chest was open, revealing her collection of underwear.

“Lori, what the hell’s wrong? Speak to me!”

“Claudette” was the only response in between sobs. Nikki could see tears running down Lauren’s cheek. She sat down on the edge of the bed and put her hand on Lauren’s back. Nikki knew only too well of the simmering feud between the two girls, but didn’t understand how Claudette could have hurt her in her own bedroom. She looked down at the pale pink carpet around the bed as if expecting a letter, or a dead cat or some other token of her affection, but there was nothing except scattered make- up, magazines and a couple of T-shirts. There was apparently nothing unusual to be seen at all although Nikki had often joked that some of the posters of pop groups on the walls could have been changed for this year’s.

Nikki’s hand gently brushed her cheek. The sobbing subsided slowly as she ran her hand through Lauren’s hair. Lauren raised her head and rested it on Nikki’s lap, allowing a tide of tears to trickle onto her skirt.

“The little shit put gum in my knickers, it’s everywhere!” moaned Lauren. Nikki looked down to Lauren’s skirt and couldn’t see anything. “I can’t get my knickers off because of the stupid gum. That cow is going to die for this.” screamed Lauren. Nikki had never seen her so angry, and maintained a look of grave concern on her face. Inwardly, she thought it was a clever prank that she would have to remember.

“What are you going to do? You’ll have to get cleaned up somehow. How much is there?” said Nikki hoping to get a rational answer.

“How much can she get in her fat mouth? It’s the size of the goddamn Eiger!” shouted Lauren. And with that, the clouds lifted and the tears slowly subsided to a drizzle - at least enough for Lauren to look up at Nikki and smile.

“Is it really everywhere? I mean, is it on your blouse and skirt as well?”.

“No, I don’t think so” said Lauren as she looked down at her clothes. “I hate that fat bitch! I really, really hate her!”

“OK, so take off your other clothes before it gets on them as well. Then we’ll think about your knickers”.

Lauren was suprised by Nikki’s authoritative tone and the assumption that this was going to be a joint venture. However, there was some logic to what she said and there was nothing new in being half dressed in front of Nikki. Lauren sat up on the bed and undid the buttons on her blouse and let it fall, making no attempt to cover her naked breasts from the gaze of Nikki who remained sitting on the edge of the bed. As she sniffed loudly, she knelt on the bed and unzipped her skirt, rolling onto her back so she could get it down her legs and off. She then sat up again with her legs curled under her and looked at Nikki.

“Now what, then?”

“I don’t know, let’s have a look. Stand up” said Nikki, as she sat with both legs over the side of the bed with Lauren between her knees. Nikki took hold of the elastic waistband of her little friend’s knickers and slowly pulled down. Whining sounds and the look on Lauren’s face confirmed that the gum had well and truly stuck to her knickers and the small patch of pubic hair just above her pussy. Nikki looked up at Lauren knowingly.

“We’ll have to cut the material off, then get rid of the gum with a razor. Let’s go to the bathroom, there must be something there that your Dad uses” said Nikki, getting up off the bed.

“Are you crazy? cried Lauren in astonishment. She shook her head and looked down at Nikki, thinking hard about the suggestion. Again, there was logic in the idea, but having someone, even Nikki, so close to her pussy, not just touching, smelling and probing but being able to see inside and change the appearance of her most personal and private place was the most outrageous proposal.

Lauren thought quickly, hoping that there was a more palatable solution to her dilemma. Eventually, Nikki’s obvious care and concern for her friend persuaded Lauren that on balance, she should agree - at least until it became too embarrassing. As she arrived at the conclusion, a genuine warmth was born inside Lauren for her friend, and she looked on her with a new degree of friendship. The image of schoolgirl chum and giggling little classmate diminished as one of companion and fellow teenager of the world took its place. Lauren wanted to hug Nikki, but chose to refrain, at least until this was over.

“Any better ideas? Perhaps your Mum could do it, or maybe your Dad?” joked Nikki, taking her hand as she moved towards the bathroom. “Come on, I’ve used a razor before on my armpits, it’s no sweat” said Nikki, confidently marching out of the room. Lauren followed reluctantly, pleased to have had the decision made for her but apprehensive about Nikki’s ability with a razor. “Where do you keep the scissors, and what about your Dad’s shaving cream?”.

“The scissors will be in the kitchen” replied Lauren as she reached the top of the stairs. “I’ll get them and bring the coffee up. My Dad uses an electric razor so he doesn’t have shaving cream, but I think he’s got some razors for emergencies in the bathroom cabinet. Have a look”

“Lori, try and find some cream then down there” shouted Nikki as Lauren disappeared down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Lauren had to search a couple of drawers before she found the large blue scissors that were kept for domestic use. She remembered there were some nail scissors in the bathroom if they needed them as well. Lauren took two cups off the hooks under the cupboard and switched the kettle on again to make coffee. The chewing gum was beginning to hurt now, and was no doubt responsible for the itch between her legs. Lauren sat on one of the kitchen bar stools while waiting for the kettle to boil, one foot dangling towards the floor while the other was pulled up onto the chair, giving her a good view of the problem area and some room to scratch. She leaned back onto the kitchen worktop and rubbed her vagina with her hand through her knickers, trying to reduce the itching. She concluded after a minute or two that it was only rubbing the gum deeper into her pubic hair, so she crossed her legs tightly and tried to forget about it. She ran her hands over her breasts, feeling the tightness of the young nipples that perked up in response to her attention. She smiled naughtily as she ran her finger lightly around each breast, noting the warm feeling inside as she massaged the little mounds.

She hadn’t really thought about wandering around the kitchen in just her knickers in broad daylight. She glanced out into the back garden to confirm that nobody was there, and looked through the backdoor window. She wondered if she had seen a curtain move in the Renzer’s house, but there was certainly nobody was there now. That would have given the neighbours something to talk about, seeing a teenage girl with only her knickers and socks on in the kitchen apparently playing with herself. She hoped to see the children next door, Rebecca and Stefan, during the summer holidays because they had a pool in their garden which she had enjoyed when the previous owners lived there last year. Mum and Dad kept saying that they should make an effort to get to know the neighbours once they have settled in.

Lauren opened the fridge and took out a can of pressurized cream just as the kettle clicked off. She returned to the bathroom with two cups of coffee, the scissors and the cold can of cream to find Nikki sitting on the edge of the bath. She had placed a towel on the woodwork that surrounded the half-full basin, and had obviously found two or three disposable razors as they were floating aimlessly waiting for action. Nikki directed Lauren to sit up next to the basin, and positioned her so that her right leg dangled over the edge, and the other (after some experimentation) was pulled up onto the woodwork, much like the position she had adopted in the kitchen earlier. Nikki took the scissors, and after exchanging glances, cut the material at its thinnest points at her hips, allowing the underwear to fly apart, leaving a small heap of cloth in Lauren’s lap.

“I hate her, you know. I’m going to get her back for this!” said Lauren, the words hissing between her clenched teeth.

It was now easy to see the way that the gum had adhered to the inside of her knickers and her dusky pubic hair. Tugging gently at the material, Nikki was able to pull another inch away from Lauren’s vagina before Lauren’s hand on her shoulder told her that this was becoming too painful for her friend.

Chapter 3 »