Chapter 16: Monday, Morning

(The most shocking incident of all ... Anzu puts her clothes back on!!)

I'm back in school, walking through the hall to my next class. I see Devon, and she's naked. Well, her week had to come sooner or later. Then I see Elijah, and he's naked too. Two Program kids from the same Homeroom? The warning bell rings, and the hall is filled with students, all of them naked. Even the teachers are naked. Everybody's naked...

Except me. I'm not allowed to be naked. I feel a deep shame come over me. What have I done to deserve this? I walk faster, wanting to get away. I don't want them to see me like this. Why do I have wear clothes? It isn't fair.

I think maybe it's because I've got my mama's style but I'm yesterday's child. Have I become jaded? I think that's where it's at but is that where it's 'sposed to be?

I woke up, and the song on the clock was by a band called "Aerosmith," whatever that is. Somebody who makes aerospace hardware, maybe?

I noted with glee that I was indeed naked, but my smile faded as I realized that I'd be putting my clothes back on as soon as I got to school. But that's silly. Everybody else will be dressed, too. Everybody except this week's Program kids.

A couple of minutes in the bathroom, a shower, refresh the shave, brush the teeth, floss, and don't forget what I'm taking with me today. I reminded myself that I needed to leave a bit early so I could get to Takahashi's office before the new Program kids started showing up.

I went downstairs and joined Dad for breakfast. Bacon and eggs were waiting for me, and he held up a slice of toast in one hand and pointed to a selection of jams with the other.

"The guava looks great," I told him as I took my seat.

"Guava it is," Dad chirped as he slid the jar over to me.

We ate, and talked about my weekend at Holly-Kon and about the Nude Walk. Dad hinted that he might be concerned about whether or not I'd used too many psychtives, out of stress, and I hinted that no, I'd been fine, and only used a little, and that it wasn't that stressful. Then of course he asked me how I felt about the fact that I would be getting dressed.

"Sometimes it's nice to be the center of attention," I admitted, "but not all the time. It'll be nice to be able to fade into the crowd again."

Dad nodded. Then he scratched his nose, which he does sometimes when he's thinking over something.

"Anzu," he started, "I don't pretend to understand what you've been going through this week. I mean, I imagine what it would be like for me, or what it would've been like for me at your age, but I don't really know."

"Thanks," I told him. "It's really annoying when somebody says," I switched to a falsetto, " 'I know JUST how you feel!' " I resumed my normal voice. "Oh no you do not. So thanks for not saying it."

Dad chuckled before asking, "Is there anything you're going to miss about being in the Program?"

Ah, so that's what he was getting at.

"Yes," I admitted, "a few things. I'll have to dress each morning and won't get down in time to have breakfast with you. And it was kind of exciting, being able to do things that would normally get me branded the Great Whore of Babylon, but it's OK because hey, the Program. I'm going to have to go back to being a good girl again. Well..." I took a bite of egg. "Mostly a good girl. I've got two lovers now, and I ain't giving either one up."

"I'll drink to that," Dad laughed, raising his glass of acai juice.

I raised my own glass, and we drained the juice together.

"Another thing," Dad continued, "is exactly how much running around naked are you going to do now that your week is over?"

"I'll skinnydip if others are doing it. I don't mind being seen; I just don't want to be the only nekkid chick around." I ate the last of my toast. "And," I added, "I'm going to find or start a nude rave. It's just too fantastic." I polished off the bacon. "Oh, and each Sunday I'm going to be nude for tutoring."

"Steve'll like that!" Dad laughed. We talked about nothing much as we finished breakfast, and again I helped him gather dishes. I was almost out the door when he called out, "Figured out which way you swing?"

I knew he was going to bring that up. I'd almost decided he wouldn't, but then he did.

"I'm amphibious," I called back, "and not just of the body, but of the heart. Botilda isn't just a friend or somebody to scratch my itch; we're in love. Like you and Mom are in love."

I was actually taking my first step out the door when he called, "What about Bret?"

"Bret..." I hesitated, and looked around before answering, though there was no reason to expect Bret to be there, and of course he wasn't. "I really like him, Dad. He's a good guy, and he turns me on, and I get fluttery around him."

I could feel myself getting fluttery. I needed to finish this and get going.

"I'm crushing, that's for sure. But I don't know if I love him. Botilda I love."

"That's cool, Anzu," Dad shouted from the other room. "Just remember to think it through when you get fluttery. Before you say something like 'I love you Bret.' Now get to school."

Yeah, to school. As I got on my bike I thought it was going to be strange wearing clothes. And then I thought how strange it was that I thought it would be strange to NOT be naked in school. Last Thursday Botilda had asked me if I'd take another week in the Program if Takahashi offered it to me. I'd said no, but would I? I wasn't sure.

No more RRs. I'd really started liking those. And no more men's locker room. Ah, what a view!

On the other hand, I wouldn't always be in front of the class, and I wouldn't be expected to put out for anybody who wanted to squeeze a tit or rub a pussy. I wasn't always in a mood to be groped, and it might be nice not to be expected to be groped. And I could still be naked outside of school.

And sex. I wouldn't be having it in school, but with a girlfriend and a boyfriend, both of whom thought I was much hotter than I really am, I wasn't going to be doing without sex. Of course there would be Program participants, and I could do a bit of in-school stuff with them. I needed to take it easy, though, and remember how it was for me when my week started.

I arrived at school, clicked my bike into the rack, grabbed the item I was bringing, and walked into school, right past the sign.

GERARD O'NEILL HIGH SCHOOL

PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

PLEASE REPORT TO

PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE TO

STRIP OR DRESS

GO ROCKETS BEAT GODDARD!!

We probably would beat Robert Goddard High School (in Shunyi, I2 B122) in this weekend's game. That would be boys' basketball. I was more worried about girls' spoccer, where I wasn't sure we'd beat anybody. Well OK, maybe O'Neill from Perth.

As soon as I got in the door, RRs started coming. I granted them of course; this would be my last chance. I just soaked up all the hands on my body: the squeezing of a breast, the stroke of my butt, and I took the risk of being late to let a cute guy finger me a little.

I wasn't the only one getting this kind of attention, though. I saw Bridget, kissing Elmin while two guys I didn't know fingered and carressed her. I caught a glimpse of Marsha bent over with her hands on the wall, getting it hard and fast from Mbwana Olsen, who was sometimes mistaken for a girl when dressed. It was the clear, pale skin, rounded face, and platinum blond hair almost to the shoulders that did it. Well, nobody could think he was a girl now.

Then I saw something that almost made me come, just seeing it. You can probably guess: it was Jeness, and she was surrounded by women. Naked ones. They were all pressed against her, touching her, rubbing her, and they took turns kissing her, deep and with lots of tongue. Jeness was crying, her face flushed and the tears just streaming. The women around her were giggling.

I wanted to just stand there and watch, but they started to pull her into a room. I started to follow, then stopped, then took half a step and just froze, not knowing what to do. I wanted to get in on this, but knew that would be wrong.

Jeness saw me, and our eyes locked. She moved her mouth as she was pulled into the room. I'm no lip reader, but the look in her eyes was enough that, even from five metres away, I could tell what she was trying to say to me: "Please. Help."

I knew I should do something. These women were going to make Jeness do things she didn't want to do. To rape her, in a sense. It wouldn't be rape in any legal sense, and it wouldn't get the women doing it to her in any trouble. Jeness was consenting, to everything. Her tormentors were immune to punishment.

Which brought up the question: exactly what could I do? Stalk into the room, plant my hands on my hips and command: "STOP RIGHT THERE!" or something like that? And suppose they didn't care to stop, then what? Threaten to rat on them? Rat on them for what? Again, Jeness was consenting to everything.

Should I intervene physically? There were a few many for that; even if none of them had fight training or experience. In movies a woman my size might beat up a whole room full of trained, ruthless men twice her size. But this wasn't a movie, and I'm not an action hero.

Why should I save her ass anyway? I don't even like Jeness. After everything she's done to me...

But nothing she'd done to me was this bad. She'd made me late for class a few times, embarrassed me a few times, and made me look stupid a few times. And she'd said some really ugly, mean things to me. But none of it was the equal to this. And I had been the one who started it, when I warped her psyche or whatever Tuesday.

I walked to the door, and put my ear to the ceramic (wood is expensive, ceramic is cheap, school doors are made of ceramic). I could hear giggling, and a voice saying, "Now suck the other one. Good girl," and another voice added, "When it's my turn she's gonna lick more than my nipples. Aw, look at those tears!"

Again I felt myself juicing up. Again I considered walking into the room to join in on this gang-not-quite-rape. I shook my head, like a dog shaking off water. There really is a difference between right and wrong, and that would be wrong. I made a fist and knocked loudly.

"Jeness!" I yelled, trying to sound commanding, "Jeness! Get out here! Takahashi's waiting for us. Jeness? Come out now or I'm going without you!"

A couple of seconds later the door opened and Jeness, shaking and sobbing, stepped out into the hall. A hand drifted from behind and landed on her shoulder and pulled, no, more guided Jeness backwards, back into the room. I wrapped both arms around Jeness' waist and lifted her off of her feet, carrying her bodily into the hall. I didn't stop walking with her until we were in line for Takahashi's office.

"You go in first," I told her. "I don't want you out of my sight until you're dressed."

"Y ... y ... yes," she stammered. "Do ... do you want me to ... to kiss you or something?"

She looked so pathetic just then, and her whole manner was just so weird, that I didn't even feel turned on.

"No, I don't want you to kiss me," I snarled. "I want you stay in line, refuse all Reasonable Requests, and put your God-damned clothes on as soon as you can."

She hung her head and sniffled, and I realized that my voice had been a bit harsh. Well, maybe it needed to be. She did turn down two RRs though, and I turned down one.