Eva was Cass's friend from school so they'd known each other for years. If I was to describe Cass as unconventionally attractive - so was Eva. Reddish, long, slightly frizzy hair surrounded an almost feline-looking face. Her face was long rather than round with a smallish mouth. Round glasses framed her eyes. A few inches taller than Cass, she was almost the opposite of in terms of build, willowy almost, slender with long limbs, her breasts a gentle undulation on her body.
There wasn't such a thing as a "bohemian" style back then but, if there was, Eva would have been it. Long flowing dresses or skirts with loose tops and the odd chain around her neck or bracelet on her hand. Maybe more "rock festival chic" now but, back then, it was just how Eva dressed.
I thought Eva came across as a bit posh at first. Her natural affectation seemed to be one of horror should anything suggestive or rude came up in the conversation, only to then be a major driver to any further obscene escalation. She was also very inquisitive on subjects she liked. Over the course of the next few weeks, Eva was often around when I would call into Cass. She was very likable and her friendship with Cass was clearly very important to her. There was a bond between them.
Eva worked in London and got the train in. So did I but it would have been unusual for us have met because our hours were different. Even with that, I wouldn't have known her -- just another person on the train and the awful monotony of commuting often meant I was just happy to get on the train and keep myself to myself.
As I found out, Cass and Eva met in primary school and, whilst not quite in each other's pockets, were as close to each other as friends get. Eva was around a lot when Cass's Mum and Dad called it quits which reinforced their friendship. I found this out over a number of times meeting up at Cass's house in the following weeks.
Cass and David always appeared to be an uneven relationship. David was doing what he wanted (which curiously didn't seem to be much but didn't involve Cass) which left Cass hanging on stand-by more than she should have been. Complacent and selfish would be a reasonable description of his attitude toward her.
One particular Saturday night, a few weeks later, I'd come over because Eva called. By this time, Cass, Eva, David and I had met round Cass's a few times for a drink and a smoke and, whilst the conversation was mildly rude, it was ultimately superficial. I did sometimes, though, get the hint that Eva was not over-excited about Cass's choice of partner.
It was the first time I'd spoken to Eva on the phone so it took a moment to recognise her voice even though I'd been in her company a number of times. Eva said I should come over as soon as I could.
As per usual when Cass was at home, the front door was unlocked so I walked in. I called for Eva.
"Upstairs, Andy". I walked up the stairs and could hear Eva talking. Opening the door, Cass was quiet and red-eyed and she and Eva were together in her bedroom upstairs. Eva took me into the other upstairs room.
"He's been a real arse to her, Andy."
"What's happened?"
"Apparently David came over earlier and said that the thing they had arranged for tomorrow he couldn't make. He said he didn't want to go anymore."
With David, alongside the laidback approach, there was a hefty dose of laziness so the fact that he had actually arranged a day out for them was a welcome surprise and Cass had worked herself up to this apparent exciting day out at David's instigation, only for him to cancel it the day before.
David had turned up a couple of hours earlier and suddenly announced in the afternoon that it wasn't happening and refused to give a reason why -- just a flat cancellation. Cass had let rip and told him exactly what she thought of how their relationship was going -- or not going. David left and Cass called Eva in a state.
"I was shocked by how she sounded, Andy." Eva spoke in a clear but quiet voice so as not to disturb Cass in the next room. Eva described the call as virtually unintelligible and that it reminded her of some of the calls she'd had from Cass after her parents' break-up. Eva lived only 10 minutes walk away so she had got there quite soon this day.
I went in to see Cass and the tears flowed again. For a while, I was holding Cass while Eva's head was resting on her from behind while gently rubbing her to comfort her. Cass had told David where to get off. Their relationship lately had consisted of him coming over, expecting to be waited on by Cass (she would cook dinner for him sometimes, even though he was still living with his parents) and then expect to have sex and go home.
Cass had let this slowly become the pattern and had resisted saying anything because she loved him. However, that was wearing thin and the broken promise on the one thing he was doing for her was the final straw.
It was early enough in the evening that, once Eva and I had settled Cass down, we decided two things. 1) Go to the chippy and get some food in and 2) stop by the off-licence to pick up the mandatory bottle of Cinzano and some lemonade. Cass had a sleep while Eva and I went in opposite directions to gather supplies. We met back at the house and sorted ourselves for dinner.
Regardless of temperature, the patio doors were thrown open and we got Cass up. After washing her face and deciding to get out of the dress she had been wearing all day (David had appeared not long after she got home from her singing lessons), Cass appeared. Devoid of any make-up, her skin still slightly reddened in places from the sheer amount of upset that had been caused to her, she slumped between Eva and me, in an old, very long T-shirt and knickers.
"After today, I frankly don't give a fuck about getting another load of clothes on, so this is me"
It was Eva who remarked "It must be bad if you left the bra behind!" Cass's breasts had freely moved about underneath her T shirt. It was unusual to see.
"I just need to stop, Eva. David can bugger off and maybe you can both stick around. Been a rubbish day"
"We're here for you, Cass" I said, and held her hand. Cass kissed us each on the cheek and we got into the chips and Cinzano, classy people that we were.
A few hours later, with a few but not too many drinks behind us accompanied by a cigarette or two (or more), I'd certainly been on a voyage of discovery about Eva and the friendship between her and Cass. It appeared Eva "didn't do boyfriends".
When asked about this, another side of Eva came out. The gentle, but continuous consumption of Cinzano and Lemonade made the conversation more frank than it had been previously. Cass had cheered up considerably so the innuendo level had crept up a bit but this was heading into more personal territory.
Eva declared that, if she wanted sex, she would either "sort herself out" or, at the next available opportunity, find someone to help satisfy her requirements. It seemed a rather "matter of fact" approach to it at that point but, given Cass as an example, she was probably better off. Eva was clearly completely aware of what she needed and how to get it. In their company, it struck me I was completely inexperienced (although Cass and I's moment recently had upped that experience significantly).
Cass began to look a little sheepish as Eva stepped out to the bathroom.
"Andy, you should know that Eva knows"
"Sorry, Cass, Eva knows what?"
"About our little "goodbye" the other week."
For a moment, I didn't know what to think, but what could I do except go with it?
"Everything?"
"Yes, everything, Andy. My feelings were overwhelming me the following day and Eva knows pretty much everything about me so I told her -- what we did and why I did it. Is that OK?"
"Er...well...yes. Going by what we've talked about tonight, she's been there all the time for you, hasn't she?"
"Yes, she has -- she's my best mate, I trust her implicitly."
"OK. I get that. If you trust her then that is absolutely good enough for me."
I got the sense that this eased down Cass a bit more, knowing that I wasn't upset or annoyed that an illicit, intimate moment had been shared. I gave her hand a rub which she held for a moment.
Eva returned, so, in the interests of making sure there were no secrets, I took the initiative.
"Eva, so you know about the "goodbye" the other week?"
What came next made me wonder if the drink hadn't loosened Eva's tongue a little too much.
"Yes, I did and, frankly, it was probably more thrilling than anything she had with David recently. How big is your dick, by the way? Cass said it was a good handful." said Eva, not so much crossing boundaries as smashing them to bits!
"Well, no-one's ever asked me that before so I don't know. It's the only one I've got!"
Eva came back in a flash "If it's as big as Cass says, if she doesn't use it, I will."
"Really, Eva?" I must have looked a little startled. "I won't hold you to that."
"Maybe I'd quite like you to hold me to it, Andy." Eva gave me a slightly coy glance. "Or get me to hold it?" Sharp as a pin, this girl.
"You're a dirty cow sometimes, Eva." Cass laughed as she chastised Eva.
Eva was certainly direct, with the help of alcohol. It ultimately redefined the rest of that evening and, possibly, how Eva's and mine friendship would develop alongside Cass. From a verbal point of view, the boundaries had been blown away.
It wasn't a case of who could confess the most but some very honest facts were told. Eva explained that her first intimate conquest was actually with a woman. It had been only touching and kissing but the thrill of sharing that with a woman still stood out for her.
Another choice Eva contribution was "my tits aren't big enough for a bra. I only wear them to avoid friction burns on my nipples!". Eva was certainly open with people she trusted and it appears I was within that sphere now.
Cass, on a more serious note, told us that David never used (or more likely wanted to use) a condom. They had relied on the "rhythm method" or withdrawal and, sometimes, he missed the beat, so to say. Cass had told us about going to the doctors on more than one occasion for the "morning-after" pill and the internal shame she carried because of that. In the end, Cass went on the pill. As with a number of other things in their seemingly unbalanced relationship, she carried the burden.
My contribution consisted of confirming to Eva that I was a virgin and that my sexual exploits were very minor. The most exciting thing being a dare where I ended up in a field almost completely naked.
Eva was interested and direct. "Did you like being out in the open air? Did it make you hard?"
"Well, I didn't really think about it at the time but it was quite exhilarating feeling the breeze round my bits so I'm sure I was probably a bit worked up."
Eva said "Oh, I love it when I'm out with no underwear on."
"What?" said Cass, clearly finding out something she didn't know about Eva.
"Cass, whenever I can, with the right dress on, that and some shoes are all I'm wearing. It feels great. You should try it sometime."
"How can I do that with these?" Cass said, briefly cupping her breasts. "You don't have these to manage."
