Chapter 1: The View From Above

"What in the world is that!" Kim was peeping out a window into Bob's backyard. Bob's gaze was fixed on Kim's long, tanned legs and her lovely, rounded ass just barely covered by a stretchy little black skirt. Bob was particularly intrigued by the faint hint that underneath Kim was wearing a thong. What a great weekend this is going to be, Bob thought with a smile.

It had been a stressful mid-term for Bob and his four college friends. The freshman year is always a tough one, so the only way to ease the pressures and anxieties seemed to be a long weekend road trip. Bob's parents were vacationing in Europe, so what better place to go and relax on the cheap than a large, comfortable, empty house. The trip was made all the more exciting by the fact that none of the five freshmen had ever slipped away without telling parents, friends, or school officials. For most, it would have been no big deal, but for each of them it was a slightly clandestine, deliciously naughty adventure.

"Oh, that monstrosity is my old treehouse," said Bob whose attention had shifted to Kim's long, luxurious, dark hair that cascaded down her shapely back.

"Oh, lemme see!" giggled Heather. She sprang across the room to join Kim. Heather "sprang" everywhere. She was a cute, petite, blond bundle of energy who was a bit on the ditsy side. Everything was extreme for her. The simplest joys were major ecstasy and any small dilemma was a major crisis for Heather. Subtle was not a word anyone used in describing her. She had chosen to wear a low slung pair of tight jeans and a cropped top that showed her trim, muscular tummy complete with her newly pierced belly button about which her parents knew nothing. Piercing was about the naughtiest thing she had ever been brave enough to do. Heather bounded across the room and peaked through the blinds.

"Wow, look at that," she exclaimed. "That's amazing, Bob! Did you actually build that yourself? Dude, it is way up there!"

"Not really. My father is an engineer and super anal about everything, so when my friends and I started building a small treehouse, he decided to 'help' us. Our little platform with a few boards nailed to the tree for a ladder became the 'Tree Top Hilton' when my father got involved. My friends and I pretty much sat around and watched the Frank Lloyd Wright of treehouses build the thing. It's cool though. I spent a lot of time up there during junior high and high school."

Bob's father's treehouse was magnificent. It had three levels all large enough for people to stretch out in sleeping bags, electricity, protection from wind and rain, toy storage bins, lockable trap doors and windows, all embraced in the bosom of a giant, majestic live oak tree with huge sprawling branches. A flood of memories came back to Bob as he joined the girls at the window. He had masturbated for the first time in that treehouse, smoked his first cigarette there, and had seen his first real naked woman by peeking into the next door neighbors' window from that lofty perch. Ah, fond memories.

"That is the coolest treehouse that I have ever seen," said Jack. Jack was Bob's roommate and newly found friend. Jack was the tall, strong, quiet type. He could be unnoticed in a room full of people or he could be the center of attention when he tried. He just didn't try often. He was painfully shy and didn't realize how frequently girls noticed his broad shoulders, trim ass, and wonderful smile.

The fifth member of this small band of adventurers sat and watched the entire scene from the den couch. Sarah was Heather's roommate. She didn't feel right about this whole weekend. Cutting Friday classes made her nervous. She had been taught to never go to a guy's house without having parents there. All of her upbringing had been very conservative, as were her clothes and everything else about her.

Kim and Heather were both really skinny, but Sarah was more substantial--not fat, by any means, but simply a large girl. She wore loose fitting sweaters or shirts most of the time to keep from accentuating her large breasts and was always well groomed. Proper young ladies did that. She probably would have stayed at the dorm alone for this weekend, but Heather had talked her into coming along and she secretly liked being around Jack a lot. Now she was very uncomfortable, but it was too late to do anything about it.

"Well let's go climb up," squealed Heather. "I like never went in a guy's treehouse before. Did you like have a secret club too? Huh, did you? I bet you did. Come on, you guys. Don't be party-poopers. Let's go play in Bob's treehouse."

Heather continued the constant flow of words while everyone else looked at one another.

"Sure," said Bob finally. "I haven't been up there for a good while, but it should be in good shape. For going up there is a chain ladder; for coming down there's a sliding pole. Jack, when you get up there, lower the basket that's on a rope and I'll get us some snacks to put in it. You guys climb on up while I get the electricity turned on."

Everyone was giddy as they made their way out into the backyard. The giggles stopped, however, when they took a close look at the long ladder made out of chain with wooden steps. It made its way to the first level of the treehouse, a good twenty feet above the ground.

"That looks pretty scary," said Sarah quietly. "I don't know about this." She unconsciously chewed on her lip.

"Oh, my gosh. I forgot I had on a skirt. This going to be a rather... uh... revealing climb. Jack you go first... ah... to help, of course," blushed Kim.

Jack made his way up the shaky ladder followed by Heather who giggled and squealed all the way. Getting from the last wrung of the ladder up through the trap door took some athleticism. Jack finally just lifted Heather the final distance and she ended up in his strong arms.

"My goodness," she said uncharacteristically quietly. Her firm breasts grazed Jack's chest, a moment that didn't go unnoticed by Jack.

Sarah climbed the ladder with ease and pulled herself up at the end. Then it was Kim's turn. Just a she was about three-fourths up the ladder, Bob returned carrying an armload of drinks and snacks, including a large bottle of Tequila which was an afterthought. He was shocked when he looked up at Kim's lovely panties shining in the subdued light. He started to turn away just as Kim looked down and saw him.

"Hide your eyes, Bob Martin!" Kim tugged to no avail at her short skirt. Bob looked down quickly. He could feel the blush spread up his face to his ears. Kim reached the top and, as Jack helped her into the door, Bob could not keep from quickly looking up. Kim's legs were spread apart and the shiny black material of her panties was clearly visible again.

Bob was still looking upward after Kim cleared the door. She peered down over the edge. "You didn't look, did you, Bob?" she said with exaggerated concern and a slight grin.

"Of course not! Gentlemen don't look!" said Bob as he began to load the groceries into the basket.

The treehouse was furnished with a bunch of beanbag chairs into which everyone found their places. Bob broke open the tequila. "I'm sorry, but I don't have a blender or anything, so we'll just have to pass around the bottle." He lifted the bottle. "Here's to a great time away from school with great friends."

The tequila passed from lip to lip until it reached Sarah. She paused, thought for a minute, seemed to say, "what the hell," and she took a long swig. "Yak," she cried. The tangy liquid burned as it slid down her throat. Everyone laughed, except Sarah.

"So, what did you guys do up here, Bob? Did you do, like, you know, guy things... like looking at dirty magazines and doing... uh... well... guy things. I have two brothers so I know about... uh... those things." Kim's cute little nose wrinkled every time she said, "guy things." She continued to tug at her tiny skirt while adjusting to her beanbag chair. Her long legs seemed to dominate the small space.

"What's up there?" said Heather interrupting Bob's response.

"Just another level. We called that the "observation deck" because you can see the whole neighborhood from there, including the next door neighbors--one of my high school coaches and his wife," Bob said with a nonchalant smile.

"You spied on your neighbors?" exclaimed Kim. "Bob, you naughty little perve, you!"

"Hey, I couldn't help it if the window up there looks right into the upper windows-the one's without curtains-at Coach's house," argued Bob futilely. "And, I can't help it if Mrs. Smith walks around naked sometimes either."

"Come on, Sarah, let's go take a look," said Heather. She scampered up the stairs to the next level. Bob and Jack watched as Heather's jean-covered ass wiggled into the semi-darkness. Sarah followed dutifully after taking another big hit on the tequila bottle.

"Look in the toy chest up there... there should be some binoculars and I don't know what else. Help yourself," said Bob.