Friendship's Edge - Part 3 (Patreon)

Friday 7:30 AM - Chase

She was late… again.

Leaning back in my chair, staring at the ceiling, I let the sounds of Grind N Go Coffee wash over me. The fans overhead spun slowly. The chrome duct work crisscrossed the ceiling like an intricate maze my eyes were trying to follow and find a way out. Like I was stuck here. Trapped.

The image of Melody wouldn’t leave my head. The picture of her, standing in front of a mirror that wasn’t hers. Seeing her bare ass in the reflection. That playful smile she was giving me, as if she were letting me know she was having a fucking good time. Emphasis on the fucking.

I sat forward, putting my elbows down hard on the table and grabbed hold of my coffee. My erection was straining against my jeans and the last thing I wanted was someone to walk by and see me pitching a tent.

Fuck.

That picture!

Smiling at me like it was just another day. A goofy little image. A selfie sent to a friend.

But it was easy to see the flushed look on her face. Hair a mess. Her ass pink from repeated smacks or slaps. Was someone spanking her? Was KURT spanking her? Fucking her? Was that his apartment or some other random man Mel had run into on the way home?

I stared into my coffee, watching the steam twist and tangle in the air. Why was the image of Melody’s amazing, beautiful, perfect fucking ass burning itself into my brain? It was making it impossible to concentrate. To calm down. It was like the sun spots you got in your vision if you looked at the sun. But it wasn’t fading with time.

Melody was a fucking temptress. I couldn’t get her out of my head. I scrubbed my hands through my hair and pressed my face into my palms. “Why do I have to love her?” I muttered. Tears threatened to leak from my closed eyes, but I pressed them down. I pressed it all down.

Melody had sent me a selfie of herself at another man’s apartment. After clearly having been fucked. Probably going to do it again. I suppose I should have felt special that she thought of me at that moment, in the middle of being ravaged. Clearly, I wasn’t forgotten. But I wasn’t sure what was worse. Being remembered while another man was having his way with her or for her to just space out completely and forget that I existed.

I glanced at the time again. 7:40 AM. She’d never been this late before, except when she’d had the flu. When that happened, she’d sent me a text begging me to bring her soup. This morning, besides that selfie, I’d gotten nothing.

I guess I’d been forgotten after all.

My phone buzzed. I pulled it out with a sigh, expecting Melody to be texting me some excuse as to why she was late. Instead, it was a text from Lori. “Wanna get coffee?”

I stared at the words, glanced at the coffee I already had on the table, then back to that little blue bubble with those three words.

Maybe it was time to change things. I was always waiting for Melody. And there was no doubt Melody was worth waiting for, but… I was tired. So tired.

My thumbs typed quickly before I could let my brain second guess my heart. “Sure. Where?”

I was out of my seat, bag over my arm, and walking out the door as I texted. We worked out where to meet, a coffee place that was actually just a couple blocks from my office and only a few down from hers. I waved down a cab and slipped in, telling the driver where to go. I didn’t look back as he drove away.

— —

Friday 7:50 AM - Melody

Melody was out of breath as she rushed into Grind N’ Go. Fuck was she late. She’d sent out an email and set up the call tree to let her students know that classes were cancelled for the day, but she’d still planned on meeting Chase for coffee. She couldn’t skip that. It’d be like skipping the Second Coming. But after last night's marathon sexcapade she’d basically been dead to the world when morning came. Had she taken her phone back into the apartment, her alarm would have woken her up, but she’d left it in the bathroom after sending Chase her selfie. So she’d essentially fucked everything up while getting fucked up.

When the sun finally made her wake up, glaring into her eyes from Kurt’s large windows, things had quickly gone from groggy, morning stretching, to messy morning sex. She’d woken up laying next to Kurt, while Raven lay on his other side, and Kurt’s morning wood was standing tall and proud. Still awash from the chemicals in her bloodstream from all the feel good things she’d done last night, Melody went straight to going down on him. 

Raven woke up shortly after and quickly joined. Kurt lay back with a cocky grin, letting them service him, making his cock a throbbing, dripping, spit-covered mess until he took hold of their heads and brought their mouths around his head to catch his shooting cum. Thick and warm and so much of it that Raven and Melody shared it back and forth, making out and licking and spitting, becoming a mess of saliva and cum dripping all over their chests and faces.

After Kurt’s eruption of cum and the messy makeout session, Mel finally heard her phone alarm ringing distantly in the bathroom. One glance at the clock on the stove and she realized she was late!

She took a quick shower, threw her clothes on and was out Kurt’s door within ten minutes. Even so, she was still going to be so so so fucking late! She was the fucking white rabbit from Wonderland. I’m late for a very important date!

Date?

That thought made her pause at the door for a second.

Appointment. Not a date. An appointment. It was like she was trying to convince herself, but she didn’t know why.

She took a parting look over her shoulder, seeing Raven on her back with Kurt between her legs. Usually she would have felt envious, but all she felt right now was guilt. She needed to get going.

It didn’t occur to her to text Chase to let him know she was on her way as she rushed out of the building and grabbed a cab. He’d be waiting for her. He was always waiting for her. It was the one truly constant thing in her life. His smiling face and listening ear. Chase was always there.

But when Melody rushed into the cafe and marched to their table… he wasn’t there.

Melody stared at the abandoned coffee cup, still half full. It still looked warm. A barista came over, a girl with short blonde hair and a blue lipsticked smile, and grabbed the cup. “Here. Let me clear that for you.” She said simply, holding the cup, taking out a rag from her apron and wiping down the table quickly before nodding to the seat and stepping away.

She’d wiped clean any evidence that Chase had been there.

Something sank inside her. Her stomach felt like she was on one of those bungee cord rides. Her body was flying, but her stomach was still on the ground. She sat in the chair opposite the one that Chase had been in, probably just a few minutes ago. Why did an empty chair feel so… so scary?

Pulling out her phone, she quickly shot off a text. “Sorry I was late. I think I just missed you.”

She waited with bated breath for Chase to respond. It took longer than usual. Most times he would answer her within seconds, unless he was in a meeting or asleep.

“It’s okay. Had a meeting anyway.” Simple. To the point.

Something about the curt reply kept Melody’s stomach twisting. Maybe she should call. Explain… Explain what? That she’d been up all night having sex, and this morning she’d been too busy giving a double blowjob that she’d missed her alarm? That was a story for another time. Right now, she needed to make sure he forgave her for missing their date.

Appointment! Not a date!

Shaking her head, she texted back quickly. “I’m still sorry. We still on for movie night? I’ll go buy your favorite movie snack.” Chase loved Reese’s Pieces. He could eat them by the bowl full. She’d go and buy the biggest freaking bag she could find if it’d make him forgive her.

Why am I so worried? Of course he’ll forgive me. It’s not like I killed his cat or something. I was just late. It’s no big deal.

But she couldn’t shake the feeling that being late had somehow strained their friendship. Obviously, they were stronger than a little fight or misunderstanding. They’d had plenty of those in the past. But this just felt… fuck, it was that burning feeling in her chest again. A fluttering in her stomach and tightening of her heart. What the hell was wrong with her?

“Sounds good. I’ll come by around 8.” Another simple reply. Nothing wrong with it, and yet it felt so cold. Why did she feel like Chase was shutting her out all of the sudden.

Melody let out a frustrated groan that made the patrons around her give her funny looks, but she didn’t care. Something was really wrong with her. She was overreacting to everything. Everything was fine. Just fine. They’d have their movie night, she’d even spring for one of those period dramas Chase liked and get him a bucket full of Reese’s Pieces. It would be fine. She was just frazzled from last night and this morning. Staying the night with someone else and then being late to meet Chase, it was all just making a traffic jam of emotions and anxiety in her brain.

Thankfully she was taking the day off. So she could relax, get all her ducks in a row again. Everything would be fine.

But why wouldn’t her heart stop pounding? It was thundering like a storm was approaching, preparing to wipe away everything she knew.

— —

Friday 6:50 PM - Chase

I was one of the last people in the office. I’d long since finished my work for the day, or at least gotten to a stopping point for the week. The truth was editing was never done. No matter how perfect you felt a manuscript was, there were always stray misspellings, repeated words, and bad grammar. Despite being done, I lingered in my office, rocking in my chair thoughtfully with my tablet on my knee, mindlessly scrolling through various book seller websites, eyeing the various novels that had come out and were coming out in the next few months. Call it market research. Keeping an eye on the competition. Call it whatever you’d like, I just liked looking at books. It was like looking at pictures of sunsets or the ocean. It was relaxing.

A knock sounded on my door and when I looked up, Angela was leaning against the doorframe. The best way to describe Angela would be to say she’s solid. She was middle height, with wavy reddish hair that was tossed over one shoulder. Her curves were smooth, accentuating a lovely figure. Unlike most of the women in the office, she had a more muscular tone to her, having participated in several body building competitions. Dressed in a sharp, pinstripe suit that went to her knee and dark stockings and a red blouse. She had the look of a CEO rather than a Senior Editor. The one anachronism about her appearance was the sneakers she wore, a slip on pair of pink Nike’s. Comfort was more important than meeting the expectations of an implied dress code.

“Planning on burning the midnight oil?” She asked, arms folded across her chest as she raised an eyebrow at me.

I put down my tablet and tossed my glasses onto the desk, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Nah. Just… killing some time.”

“Why here? I’d think killing time at home would be more comfortable. Or maybe go to a bar or something. Didn’t you go out last night with Kurt and Raven and that friend of yours?” Angela stepped into my office and took a seat in front of my desk.

“Oh. Yeah. Raven tell you that?” That seemed the most logical. Angela was an intimidating woman and most people skirted around her until they got to know her. I’d been the same when I’d first started at Inkwell. Angela had terrified me. And though Kurt was definitely more of a ‘traditional’ man, I’d seen the same trepidation in his eyes whenever Angela approached. After nearly seven years of working with her, the only time I was afraid was when she was cracking her knuckles. That was the moment you needed to duck and cover. She was pissed and you didn’t want to be in her way.

“Yeah. Poor girl looked exhausted at the front desk. Told her to go home at lunch. Better to have an empty reception than someone sleeping there. Optics and all that. Not to mention Kurt called in this morning too I heard. So you guys must have really hit the town hard.” She grinned at me and leaned back in her chair. “That why you’re a little off today? Get smashed and trying to barrel through?”

I shook my head. I’d hoped that my mood wasn’t noticeable, but I guess I wear my emotions on my sleeve more than I care to admit. I’d spent the majority of the day in my office except when I had a meeting I couldn’t Zoom into. Usually I was engaging in meetings, but today I was silent. Angela was perceptive, so it wasn’t surprising she’d noticed. “I’m fine. Just a long week.”

Her lips pressed into a line, as if she were preparing to say something but shrugged it off at the last second. “Fair enough. Don’t stay too late, okay. It’s Friday, and though publishing isn’t supposed to ever take a break… this is me, telling you to take a break.” She winked as she got up, straightening her skirt.

I watched her go, hips swaying with a straight backed swagger to her step. Taking a break sounded like a good idea. I honestly hadn’t had a vacation in a long time. The idea of having empty days was appealing but it also felt like I was abandoning my duties. And that ever present anxiety would inevitably creep up, whispering that Inkwell would realise they didn’t need me while I was out and when I came back they’d dismiss me with extreme prejudice.

That was absurd of course. But, it’s hard to silence the thoughts that are most deranged, because they are often the loudest.

So what did taking a break look like for me? Even if it was just for the weekend, what was I supposed to do with myself if I wasn’t working.

My phone buzzed. It was a text from Lori. We’d been messaging back and forth most of the day since having coffee.

“What are your plans this evening?”

Was she fishing to see if I was available? That wouldn’t surprise me. When we met this morning, she’d been even more flirty than last night. Either this was her typical demeanor, or she saw that most guys were too dense to pick up on the subtle cues of the feminine that she was just dispensing with subtlety and coming in like a wrecking ball. Or… maybe she just liked me. I guess that wasn’t too hard to believe.

“Going to a friend's place.” I texted back. It was true enough, but I wasn’t prepared to try and explain Melody and I’s strange relationship. Best to put that off until we knew each other better.

“Sounds fun. What about tomorrow night?”

I smiled. She was persistent. Charging in like a bull. “Nothing planned. Got any ideas?”

“I may have a few 😉”

I sat back in my chair as she began to text frantically, naming different possibilities of things we could do. Every one of them sounded interesting. Just the idea of going out on a date seemed fun. Obviously that’s what Lori was proposing. Not just a fun get together but something… more. And it was exciting. Refreshing.

So why did I feel so guilty?

— —

It was obvious even if it was stupid. I knew why I felt guilty. I’d been in love with Melody for almost my entire life. When you’ve loved someone for that long, it leaves a mark. It’s etched into your bones. That love was a part of me. If I just let it go, it’d be like a limb being lopped off. And what would it mean if I did? Would we still be friends? Could we continue on exactly like we have been?

That would be the smart, mature thing to do. But love, rejection and loss doesn’t really work logically. It scars and shapes and twists and bends. If I let Melody go and started pursuing someone else, what would that mean for us? The very thought of cutting her out of my life, even just a little, felt like scooping my heart out with a spoon.

Fuck, I was messed up.

I rode the elevator up to the sixth floor of Melody’s apartment building. It was an older building that had been renovated in the last decade with several new modern amenities. The doors opened onto the long hallway with doors on either side at intervals with large bold black numbers next to each one. The carpet was a neutral gray pattern and had already worn down from the constant foot traffic from the various tenants.

It was almost robotic, walking down the hall and stopping in front of Melody’s door, number 605. I pulled out my keys and picked the one to her apartment, a pink key with little ballet shoes painted on either side. It was somewhat embarrassing having that key on my ring. Knocking was a thing of the past with us since she’d given me the key.

“Knocking is for strangers.” She’d said. So either that meant I was like family to her, or she trusted me enough not to steal anything. Not that she had anything worth stealing.

I unlocked her apartment and slipped inside, shutting the door behind me, set down my bag, and took off my jacket, hanging it on the hook next to the door. It was a one bedroom apartment with a balcony, a large living area that led into the open kitchen. Melody had decorated the place with secondhand furniture, a large flat screen (not secondhand) and hung large artsy pictures along with walls of ballet shoes and dancers. The entire place smelled of lavender and citrus.

The kitchen island was packed with snacks, beer, glass bottles of Dr. Pepper and a stack of pizzas. At the center of it all was a large bowl that was filled with Reese’s Pieces. It looked and smelled like heaven. I was drawn towards the candy and soda like one of those cartoon characters, floating along following a wafting scent of something delicious. The smell of chocolate and peanut butter was divine and I quickly grabbed a handful.

“And who said you could start eating without me?”

I turned when I heard Melody and nearly choked on the candy I’d popped into my mouth. Her hair was up in a ponytail, an oversized Taylor Swift t-shirt barely went to her waist, exposing her high hipped pink panties with delicate lace work around the legs. The smile on her face was bright and her hands were on her hips like she was Peter Pan, giving me a mischievous look.

Clearing my throat, trying my best not to suck down a candy and kill myself, I made myself glance away from my barely dressed friend. “Y… you did.” I was able to croak out.

Melody chuckled, making her chest bounce. Great, so she wasn’t wearing a bra. I desperately tried to keep my gaze respectful. Looking at her face didn’t help anything. She was beautiful. My eyes raced over her figure, noting the slope of her breasts in the loose shirt, her nipples making an impression. Her legs were toned and tight, muscles leading right to her center, the panties clinging so tight it was more like they were painted on. There was nowhere for my eyes to go that did stir something inside.

Turning back to the snacks, I grabbed a soda. “Um, so what movie did you decide on?” I put the candy I was holding into a napkin and twisted the cap off the bottle. The hiss and sudden smell of fizzy bubbles and vanilla helped me relax just a fraction. It helped to distract from Melody, who smelled like a fresh shower, peaches and cream.

Mel walked to the other side of the island and grabbed a beer, holding the cap to the marble countertop and giving it a hard smack to pop the top. It seemed needles since it was a twist off, but Mel always loved being dramatic. Taking a quick drink, she placed the bottle against her cheek and sighed with a deep smile. “The Duchess of Crestwood.” Her eyes met mine as she took another drink.

“A period flick? Really?” I pushed the candy around on the napkin for a moment, still trying not to look at her too intently.

She bit her lip, a look of nervous agitation flickering across her face. “I…” Her words halted. 

I’d never seen Melody nearly speechless when she was with me. Guess there’s a first for everything. 

“I’m sorry about this morning.” She finally muttered, her mouth against the lip of the beer bottle like she was speaking a secret into it.

“Oh…” My eyes moved over the pile of snacks and pizza and soda, landing on the bowl of my favorite candy. So tonight was an apology. She really didn’t need to apologize. Yes, she’d been late and hadn’t even bothered to text me that she was running behind. But I wasn’t going to hold that against her. My feelings might be tangled like a yarn ball, but I wasn’t petty. “It’s fine, Mel. I mean, it happens. Besides, we were all drinking a lot last night so… I get it.” I shrugged.

Mel’s cheeks tinted pink for a second. “Right. Well, thankfully I didn’t drink enough to give myself a hangover.” She smiled. “It just turned into a late night. Early morning too.” Grabbing a plate, she grabbed a couple pieces of pizza. “I was just exhausted and I left my phone in the bathroom, so I didn’t hear my alarm.”

I nodded. What else was I supposed to say or do? The puzzle pieces were starting to work themselves into place. Raven had been exhausted, supposedly hung over. Kurt called in. Melody was exhausted and had run late. It didn’t take a genius to figure things out. I’d seen them leave together. Maybe it was just a coincidence. Sure, all the pieces seemed to fit, but I might be looking at pieces that belonged to different puzzles. But Melody had been at someone else’s apartment last night. That didn’t mean it was Kurt’s. And it didn’t mean Raven had been there.

You’re a fucking idiot, Chase.

I tapped the Dr. Pepper bottle against my forehead, agreeing with my brain. Gathering up my own plate of pizza and candy, I followed Melody into the living room. Her shirt fluttered as she walked and her ass, beautiful and tight, bounced in the thong panties. There was a sway to her hips that was hypnotic, only adding to the fact that her entire ass was basically on display.

She plopped down on the couch, breasts swaying and shirt riding up further to expose a sliver of her tight tummy.

My erection was painful, but thankfully it didn’t show as I sat on the opposite end of the couch, putting my plate on my lap to hide any evidence that the sight of my friend’s ass had turned me on.

Melody looked over at me curiously. “Why so far away?” She took a bite of pizza.

I just shrugged and took a drink of my soda and popped a few Reese’s into my mouth. I didn’t have a good answer.

Rolling her eyes she scooted over to sit next to me, within a foot. I could feel the heat of her thigh even through my jeans. The smell of her overpowered the food. She grabbed the remote and turned the TV on. “Don’t hate me if I fall asleep. I think I got like, four hours this morning. Threesomes really take a lot out of you.”

Every muscle inside me tensed. My jaw clenched and my teeth grit so hard I was afraid I might crack one.

A threesome?

Shit.

I was right.

“You wouldn’t think it to look at her, but Raven is pretty wild. A real wild cat in the sheets.” Mel laughed casually, taking a quick swig of her beer. “ And Kurt’s got stamina. I already told you about the other night. I can’t believe I ran into him at your office. Small world.”

So Kurt was the man that had rocked her world the other night too. And she’d been with him again last night and this morning. Along with Raven. She’d had so much fun with them, she’d been late to meet me.

“I was going to take a nap since I took the day off, but I ended up having to go shopping and then running a bunch of errands. Ya know, all that stuff you put off until you have the time and suddenly when you’ve got that time you don’t wanna be the responsible adult, you just wanna be lazy. Anyway, I got a fair amount accomplished.” She scooted a little closer, tucking her feet underneath her and leaning in against me as she pressed play on the movie.

I hated that just that little touch made my heart race.

“Great.” I muttered between bites of pizza.

“Maybe you should ask Raven out.” Mel turned to me, her legs shirting and making her panties wedge up tighter against her, showing a deep crease right down the center. A perfect camel toe. The fact she was flashing so much to me didn’t even seem to register. “She’s really sweet. And if last night is any indication, she’d really rock your world. She may be tiny but that girl really take cock. And she’s sexy. Seriously, you should have seen her…”

I tried blocking out the words Melody spoke. Describing Raven’s body and how she performed in bed. The last thing I needed now was knowing what our receptionist looked like naked and writhing in pleasure. But she wouldn’t stop.

“Kurt really stretched her. I mean fuck, me too. Guy’s thick.” She laughed and her shoulder rubbed against me.

Scratch that. The last thing I needed was to know how big my coworkers penis was and how he fit into my best friend.

She kept going.

The grip on my soda bottle tightened, knuckles growing white. “Can you please stop?” I’d meant to say it quietly, casually, but the words came out strained and harsh and much too loud.

Melody’s eyes were wide. Whatever mirth she’d had was gone in a flash. “W…what?” She asked taken aback.

“I said…” I took a deep, steadying breath, but it didn’t help. Instead, everything came out like a dam breaking inside my brain and flooding all the words I’d kept inside out of my mouth in a destructive torrent. “I said can you please just fucking stop!” The words wouldn’t stop. Why wouldn’t they stop?

“S…stop what? Is this about Raven? I mean, if you’re not interested that’s fine. I was just…” She put her beer and food down on the coffee table. She clearly understood something was wrong, even if she didn’t know exactly what.

“It’s not Raven. But yes, I don’t want to picture my coworkers naked. And I certainly don’t want to think about them having sex! Especially with you!” I tossed my plate onto the table, slammed my soda down making it bubble over and got up from the couch, bushing Melody off and went to the kitchen, trying to get space between me and her.

“Oh. Uh. Well, I mean… I guess I get that. Could be kinda awkward in meetings, right?” Her voice was strained, but she was clearly trying to lighten the mood. Getting up she came over to me and put a hand on my arm as I kept my back to her. “Hey, I’m sorry. That was stupid of me to talk about Raven and Kurt like that.”

It wasn’t just that. It wasn’t just that she was talking about people I knew. Usually, when she was graphically talking about her sexual escapades, they were people I didn’t know or at best might have met them tangentially, like when we were in college. The condensed world on campus meant you always knew someone who knew someone. Just a few degrees of separation. Melody had told me about plenty of drunken meet up at parties, at best those guys were in one of my classes. But she’d never fucked a friend and told me about it. So yes, this was different, and that would definitely be enough to upset me. But that wasn’t it.

“It’s not just that Mel. It’s not about Raven. Or Kurt.” My voice was raspy and low. All of the sudden my throat was clenching, like I needed to cough… or cry. “It’s all of it.”

“All… all of it?” The confusion in her voice was soft, light, like she was afraid if she spoke louder I’d shatter.

She wasn’t far off.

I tried to find the right words. Words that wouldn’t be harsh. Would expose me.

“Chase.” Her grip on my arm sent waves of electricity and heat through every pour and fiber and muscle. She pulled me, turning me towards her. “Chase. I don’t understand.” The whispyness of her voice sounded almost sultry. “I’m sorry if I said something…”

“But you’re not sorry!” The yarn ball of emotions was unraveling, tumbling down the stairs of my mind and leaving a trail behind that I could only stumble after, trying to stop it. “You’re not sorry that you tell me about fucking other men and I guess girls now too. Unless Raven is just  some one-off.”

Melody stepped back, hand falling away from my arm. She looked like I’d just slapped her.

Nothing could stop my words. “Do you not see how that makes me feel? You talking about… about having sex? It’s not just that you tell me, it’s that you’re so fucking explicit! I don’t want to think of you naked with another guy, Melody! I don’t wanna hear about what they did to you. How amazing it was. It drives me fucking insane! I have to go home and jerk off every time you tell me a story and I hate myself for it after. Now you’re telling me you had a threesome with Kurt and Raven. My coworkers for fuck’s sake! Now I’m going to have to think about how they got to be with you, how everyone gets to be with you. Everyone except for me!”

I was scrubbing my hands through my hair. My jaw was so tight my muscles were knotting painfully. My throat was raw, but even so I kept speaking. Melody was like a deer in the headlights, mouth open and eyes wide as I let out all my pent up frustration like I was Old Faithful.

“I’m tired of hearing it. I’m tired of being relentlessly teased. Why do you fucking do this to me! Is it fun for you? To torture me? Telling me how you slutted yourself out for…” My words finally stopped. The crack echoed in the room as Melody slapped me full in the face. The force sent me stumbling back a few steps, catching myself on the edge of the kitchen island, knocking over the bowl of candy and beer, the bottles shattering all over the floor.

My cheek throbbed. That was putting it lightly. I’d never been slapped before, so I didn’t have anything to compare it to. Was it a hard slap? A soft one? It felt like she’d put her full weight behind it. No holds bar. I felt a trickle of blood along my cheek and my fingers came away red from a small scratch along my ear.

Melody’s eyes were like saucers, hands over her mouth in disbelief. “Chase…oh my god. I’m so sorry.” She was trembling.

I shut my eyes and leaned against the counter. “I… deserved it.” Calling her a slut was crossing the line. Never once had I thought Melody was like that. She had a healthy sexual appetite. I couldn’t, and shouldn’t, judge her for that. And to be fair, I’d never told her that her stories made me uncomfortable. How could she be considerate of my feelings if she didn’t know what my feelings were?

“You’re bleeding!” She was rushing to the sink, grabbing a paper towel and getting it wet. “Oh fuck, I’m sorry. Here, let me…”

I took hold of her wrist before she could put the towel to my cheek. The idea of her touching me right now… it was something I couldn’t handle. Even holding her wrist, it made everything inside me burn. I felt sick. I felt aroused. I felt…alone.

Taking the towel from her, I dabbed at the cut while Melody stepped back looking guilty and scared. “Chase… I… I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t mean…”

I shook my head. “I said I deserved it. I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t have said that.” I didn’t want to repeat the word. It felt like if I did, it would just be rubbing salt into the wound. Thankfully, the cut wasn’t deep and it had already stopped bleeding. I tossed the towel into the trash and made myself look back at Mel.

Her face was pale. Eyes brimming red and watery with unshed tears. She was gripping the hem of her shirt, unintentionally flashing more of her underwear. God, why did she have to dress like that in front of me? Why didn’t she see me as a man?

“Chase…” Her voice was a horse whisper. “What…what did you mean when… when you said… everyone gets to be with me, accept you?” She swallowed, her teeth worrying at her lip as she held my gaze.

What was the point in trying to hide it anymore? I was so tired. So tangled and now unraveling. Everything was too complicated. “What do you think, Mel? Seriously? How could you not see the things you told me… how they would affect me? Am I really so… do you not see me as a man? Do I really hide my feelings that well?”

There was confusion in Melody’s eyes. A desperate need to understand but lacking the glue to make all the pieces stay together. “But… I mean, you never said… Even that first time, after prom… I mean, we agreed to tell each other everything so, I was just… ya know. And it’s not like I wouldn’t have listened to your stories. I guess I just figured, I don’t know… that you needed encouragement? Like, if I was just… upfront, honest, you’d be more comfortable telling me…”

“I’m a virgin, Melody.” I blurted, shoving my hands in my pockets. A weight suddenly lifted from my chest, only for it to settle down on my crotch.

Now her face twisted in disbelief. “What? No… no you’re not. You said, on prom night you said…”

“I lied. Tiff and I didn’t have sex. We didn’t do anything.” It came out as a growl and I regretted every syllable. But whatever control I used to have over my temper was gone.

Melody’s eyes were darting like pinballs, searching for something to cling to like the whole apartment was suddenly falling apart. “Why… why would you lie about that?”

“I didn’t want to disappoint you. To make you feel like I’d broken our deal. I thought you’d be embarrassed. And hell, I was embarrassed that I couldn’t go through with it. What guy passes up a chance at sex right?” I rolled my eyes, voice cracking. “I was afraid you’d think I’d tricked you. Made you do it for nothing. But I couldn’t. I just… she wasn’t you.” Fuck. Had I really just said that?

She folded her arms under her chest. The shirt was thin and pressed tight to her curves. “I… um…” Her cheeks were rosy, eyes downcast, wandering over the mess on the floor as if it somehow symbolized the very conversation we were having.

This wasn’t how I’d wanted things to go. Why couldn’t we just have had a quiet night. She’d been trying to make things up to me. Trying to get things back into our normal rhythm. Instead, I’d thrown out the metronome. I’d thrown everything out. And for what? Because I couldn’t handle hearing about her having a threesome?

“So… you mean, you really haven’t ever…” She was rubbing her arms, refusing to look at me.

“No.” There wasn’t anything else to say.

“And… that was… because…” Her hand pressed against her chest.

“Forget it.” I sighed. “Just… forget it.” I turned and shuffled to the door, grabbing my bag before grabbing the doorknob.

“What? Chase… wait, you don’t have to go…” She was making her way around the mess on the floor, bare feet playing a game of hot lava with glass and beer.

“Yeah.” I muttered. “I do.” I took one last look at her. She looked broken, confused, desperate. I opened the door and stepped out into the hall, ignoring Melody’s cry for me to stop. Instead, I just walked out and let the door shut behind me.

— —

Friday 7:30 PM - Melody

What the fuck had just happened?

The sound of the door shutting was like a gunshot. It echoed through the apartment, resonating in Melody’s chest like the thrum of an earthquake. She tripped towards the door, nearly slipping on the slowly spreading spilled beer, and stumbled to grab the knob and flung the door back open. There was no sign of Chase.

Had he taken the stairs? The elevator? Could she beat him to the lobby if she ran? She didn’t have her keys, or pants. Fuck! Fuckfuckfuck.

Melody stepped back into her apartment and closed the door shut, gripping the hem of her shirt like it might anchor her. Everything was spinning. She noticed Chase’s coat on the hook and in a daze took it down, bringing it close. The rough feel of the wool itched at her skin. It smelled worn, with a layer of Chase. Warm printer paper. Ink. The scent of books. Cinnamon.

She held it tight as she went back to the couch and sat down slowly, as if the furniture might try to run away from her like Chase had. Tears spilled down her cheeks onto the rough wool as she rubbed her face against it as she tried to breathe and slow things down. To back up and organize her thoughts. To piece together what had just happened.

How could she have been so inconsiderate? So blind? Sure she knew that telling Chase the intimate details of her sex life got him excited. He was a red blooded male after all. But she hadn’t thought it would hurt him. Why did sex have to be so taboo? So hush, hush? If people just talked about it more openly then it would have less stigma. No more repression and no more secrets. That didn’t mean she thought everyone should be comfortable airing their dirty kinks, but at least being open about sexuality would be a step in the right direction.

Chase was her best friend. She told him everything. If she couldn’t be open and honest with him, then who could she trust? Her morning ritual of unloading on him had been so freeing… hell it had sometimes been even more exciting than the sex itself. Seeing the expressions on his face, the way he had to adjust himself…

Melody’s cheeks went pink as she brought her knees up to her chest, still clinging to his coat. The look on Chase’s face was burned into her brain. He’d looked so miserable. Like when his parents had died. How could she live with herself knowing she’d caused him that kind of pain?

How could she have messed up so badly?

She wasn’t you.

Everything inside her was burning and she wanted to be consumed by it. How could three little words burrow so deep and strike so hard?

She’d been hurting him. All those conversations and confessions. Teasing him and watching him get flustered… it hadn’t been because he was turned on by what she was telling him. At least not completely. It was because he’d wanted to be one of the men in her stories. Maybe even the only man…

Melody started hiccuping, her nose running and mixing with the tears that were cascading down her cheeks. All these years she’d been hoping to hear details about his happiness. Trying to open up to him so he’d open up to her. She’d thought he was just as adventurous as she was… okay, maybe not that adventurous but still. Now she knew he hadn’t done anything. He’d lied. That sudden thought twisted her sorrow into anger.

How could he have lied to me like that?

Did he really think she’d have been mad at him? If Chase wasn’t comfortable about having sex then she would have understood. Hell, if he’d turned out to be gay or asexual or whatever, she’d still have cared about him and supported him.

Instead, he'd made up some story about losing his virginity. All so she didn’t feel embarrassed or betrayed. Because… he’d wanted Melody to be the one he lost it to. 

The memory of that night slipped to the surface, soft and quiet as silk. She’d told Chase what had happened in the limo, but not what happened after, when she got home. That was the part of the night that actually mattered to her.

After their little tryst in the back of the limo, Noah had dropped Melody off at her house. Her parents were already in bed and she quietly tiptoed into her room, shutting the door. The night had been practically perfect. Dancing. Singing. It had been a picture perfect prom. The events in the limo… they were just satisfactory. She may not have had anything to compare it to, but even without some sort of curve to grade on, she knew that the sex had been subpar, but serviceable. It had been nice, but lacked any sort of shine like the rest of the night had.

Melody slipped out of her dress and hung it up in her closet where it would probably stay until it was sold or thrifted. She fell back on her bed, letting herself soak in everything that had happened. Losing her virginity had seemed so important, but now that it was ‘gone’ it felt like it had never really been something to look forward to. Sure, sex could be great, she was positive in the future she’d have better experiences. With the right person, it would probably be amazing and beyond words. All she needed to do was find that person. Easier said than done of course.

A hand drifted to her panties, fingers trailing along the satin fabric that was lightly clinging to her sex. What would she tell Chase? She wanted to hear about what he and Tiff got up to, how Chase made it special. Obviously he’d make it special. That was the sort of guy Chase was.

A finger traced along the center of her panties.

He was a bit of a romantic. Would he put on some soft, sexy music? Jazz maybe? They’d probably drive somewhere secluded. No joy riding in a limo around town for them. Though it would have been nice if Chase had been there with her. Maybe she should have offered to share the limo. There’d been enough room in the back.  

The idea of Chase sitting across from her, Tiff in his lap, sent a chill and a warm spark through Melody, making her skin buzz and her fingers press more firmly against her folds beneath her panties. The feeling of the satin against her smooth skin added to the dream-like sensation of imagining someone else touching her.

Imagining Chase touching her.

Chase wouldn’t have been clumsy or rushed like Noah. He would have taken his time. He would have been sweet. The feel of Chase’s lips on Tiff’s neck would no doubt drive the girl wild.

Melody was panting now, laying in bed with her legs spread wide, one hand on her breast, pulling down the bra cup to caress and circle her nipple with her nails. She imagined lips, the scrape of teeth.  Her other hand rubbed along the center of her panties, feeling the warmth and emerging wetness her arousal was beginning to create. As ‘good’ as it had been to feel Noah inside her, Melody hadn’t orgasmed. She hadn’t even come close.

The whole affair had left her needy, wanting. There was a fire inside that had been started, but hadn’t been fanned.

Shutting her eyes, she continued touching herself. Squeezing her breast… imagining Chase fondling Tiffany’s chest. A groan left her lips as she writhed against her soft sheets, a tremor of pleasure snaking its way through her.

The thought of Chase on the other side of the limo, with Tiffany, kissing her neck, her chest… then his scintillating hazel eyes locking onto hers. Watching. Seeing Melody sitting back with Noah between her legs, his tongue sliding along her bare slit. Just the idea of Chase’s eyes meeting hers…

“Aaaahhh!” Melody let out a shivering gasp, her nerves igniting. Her hand slid under her panties, fingers trailing along her labia, opening herself and feeling the inferno between her legs. The slick wetness of desire coated her fingers, the tip of one finding her entrance and pressing, making the muscles stretch and take it in. “F…fuuuu..fuuuuckkkk.” It came out as a desperate whimper.

Electrical signals flashed through her brain, making the dream scenario slightly more real. She imagined herself mounting Noah, but this time in reverse. Her dress pulled up to expose her vagina, her most intimate self, letting chase see it as he was fondling his date. The scene played out, Noah guiding his penis inside, her lips swallowing the member and Chase, watching it all. Seeing every part of her exposed. The entire time, their eyes were on each other. He was seeing her, and she was seeing him.

“God…fuckfuck!” Melody plunged her finger inside, her walls clenching at the stimulation. It was so hot, so moist and slick. Of all the times she’d masturbated and explored herself, it had never felt this good. “Oh…oooohhhh god!” Every breath was a curse or an appeal to some higher power as pleasure washed over her.

The fantasy changed. Now it was just Chase on the other side of the limo, watching. Tiffany was gone. The fact that it was Noah fucking her didn’t matter. It didn’t matter whose penis was taking her virginity. What mattered was Chase. His eyes. Watching her body. Seeing her raw and unfiltered, split open by a thick cock. Seeing her pleasured. Writhing. Gasping. Wanting.

Inside her chest a bonfire erupted, as if gasoline had been poured onto that tiny flame she’d started with. Melody’s body jolted, convulsed. She arched her back, hand roughly squeezing and grasping her tit, twisting her nipple almost painfully as she grit her teeth with a pleasure that was threatening to swallow her whole. Another finger slipped into her pussy, stretching the moist walls further. She pressed inward, curving up to find the little bundle of nerves that would make her melt.

Chase was watching her. SEEING her.

Melody’s whole body trembled. Her skin broke out in a slick sheen of sweat and goosebumps. Hairs on her arms and neck stood up like razor needles. Her fingers flashed in and out, deep into her tunnel over and over, rubbing against her g-spot, making herself whimper. “Yes…yessss… mmmmm fuck oh god!”

The orgasm snuck up on her, just like the sudden flash of Chase in her fantasy. Of him over her. Inside her. His eyes burning with just as much want as she felt.

“FUCK OH GOD FUCK!” Melody could barely keep from shouting, which would have absolutely woken her parents up. Her orgasm rocked through her like a meteor shower falling to earth, piercing the atmosphere like her fingers were plunging into her depths. It was earth shattering. Everything was on fire and she felt warmth flooding down her thighs and ass, soaking through her panties and onto her bedsheets.

She whimpered, everything inside her pulsing with electricity, muscles spasming. Her legs pressed together, pulling her hand deeper inside herself, curling into the fetal position as she held on, riding the waves of pleasure and just trying to stay conscious, her brain was flooded with all the feel good chemical cocktail of desire.

An orgasm had never felt so intense, so fulfilling. It had taken hold of her for much longer than she could ever remember. The tide finally started to ebb, allowing her to relax and lay back, stretching out and taking her hand away from her dripping sex. When she finally opened her eyes, staring up at the ceiling, it was hard to process what she’d just experienced. It must have been because she’d been so wound up from the limo ride with Noah. No release. She was on the edge and needed to fall, not teeter there between pleasure and normalcy. Noah had gotten to have his fun, but she’d been left wanting. It was natural to finish what had gotten started.

But why had she been thinking about Chase? Why was the idea of him watching her so utterly mesmerizing and erotic… and scary. Scary in a good way. The kind of scared everyone wants to feel at least once in their lives. Like the moment before a roller coaster plunges down after the long, steep climb.

Her thoughts and questions didn’t get far before she fell asleep, content and calm. The next morning she’d gone to meet Chase at the diner, her heart pounding. She wanted to tell him everything. All of it… especially what she’d done in bed when she’d gotten home. About the strange fantasy. He’d probably laugh or give that shy blushing eye roll that always made her smile. They’d chalk it up to Melody being horny and having a lack of imagination to conjure up some other hotty to watch her. Chase was just a stand-in.

She wanted to laugh about it. Needed to. But when she saw him, her mouth went dry. Her heart skipped. That same burning sensation from last night filled her from her toes, up her thighs, spilled between her soft lower lips and rushed up through her stomach and chest and neck and cheeks. She was blushing so red she practically matched the ketchup bottles on the tables. 

Fuck. She couldn’t tell him about her fantasy. No way. It was too embarrassing. Too personal. And… and what would happen if she did? She couldn’t let Chase think…Think what? Melody wasn’t sure… and that was what was the most frightening.

So she didn’t tell him. Instead she pretended like what had happened in her bedroom hadn’t happened at all. She told Chase all about her night with Noah in detail, maybe too much detail, because she was trying to distract and make it seem better than it had been. To forget that the best moment of last night was a fantasy about her best friend watching her have sex and the best orgasm of her life had been thinking about him on top of her taking her…

Then Chase told her about Tiffany. She’d been a little jealous, but also happy. The could scratch this little thing off their lists and move on. It was just fun. Just sex. Fantasies, no matter how mind blowing, didn’t need to be discussed.

Melody wrapped herself around Chase’s coat, sobbing. The memory… that memory… it was all twisted now. Knowing Chase hadn’t had sex with Tiffany because… because he’d wanted it to be her. He’d wanted Melody and he still wanted her.

The fantasy came back, as vivid as the night it had first conjured itself. Even after all these years, she still thought of it sometimes when she was in bed, rubbing herself, touching and teasing, wondering what it would be like to actually experience her best friend watching her. Is that all she wanted him to do? Did she want more? Maybe to be watched but also for him to take what he wanted?

A spike of arousal made Melody’s stomach twist. All the emotions, anger, sadness, frustration, mixed together into a potent cocktail of chaos. Everything was tense. Spinning. She needed to be grounded. Needed to get back to before Chase had blown up. Before she’d slapped him. Before he’d confessed…

Without even realizing, Melody began to lay back, Chase’s coat locked between her teeth like a bite block. Her hand was between her legs, ripping her panties aside and unceremoniously thrusting two fingers deep inside her folds. She arched, jerked, screamed into the coat as she bit down harder. Gentleness and elegance were not a part of this. Melody needed to untie the knots, to relieve the tension that was straining every muscle and clouding her mind. Fingers thrust hard and fast, the squelching sounds of her sex and arousal filled the room as loudly as her muffled cries and sobs.

Melody’s pussy clenched, convulsed, tremors ran along the tight walls making them squeeze her fingers as she pistoned them in and out of her soaked hole. There was no gentle build to her orgasm. It came on like a rushing freight train. It crashed into her and steamrolled every rational thought and feeling. Even then, she couldn’t stop fingering. She couldn’t stop the constant need to thrust to feel something.

Her teeth bit harder into the wool of the coat, tasting the fibers, getting them caught between her teeth and coating her tongue.

Finally, she ripped the coat from her mouth. “GODFUCKINGSHITGODAHHHHHGHGHAHHH!” Melody screamed, her pussy contracted around her fingers painfully and juices gushed all over her couch and along the hem of the coat.

A forced orgasm. Pleasure and pain and frustration exploding and sizzling and dissolving like sugar in water. Mel collapsed onto the couch, slick with sweat and aching. She pulled the coat tighter to her chest and continued to sob, but now all the confusion and tension had vanished. The endorphins in her bloodstream had given her enough calm and clarity to realize that whatever happened now, her friendship with Chase was going to be different.

But… did she want it to go back to how it was before?

The memory of Chase’s eyes… the fantasy from prom night… it loomed over her. All she could think of as she sobbed, before she fell into a fitful sleep, was that she wanted those eyes to burn her, to envelope her. She wanted him to watch her forever. But she wasn’t sure if she’d ever seen him again.