Autumn rolled in. I began to get the hang of university. I made a small group of friends, mostly staying in dorms on the other side of town, so hanging out naturally fell at their apartments rather than at my lodgings. There were a few guys, a few girls, and although the idea of a relationship intrigued me, there didn't seem to be any that really took my fancy. I enjoyed spending time with the girls on my course, discussing the lectures and exchanging ideas and thoughts, and several were very sexy indeed, I couldn't bring myself to make a move on any of them. It didn't feel right. I don't know whether that was as a result of my, let's say unusual home life, or my natural social awkwardness.
Several weeks passed without another 'incident'. I spent time with Sarah, but there always seemed to be another person in the house, and I guess she was being extra careful after her mother walked in on us the last time. Alison was barely in the house, what with her job and college, and I guess seventeen year olds never want to hang out at home much anyway. Lauren was kind as ever, and I got the feeling that she was beginning to treat me as one of the family. She would fuss around cleaning my things for me even though I said that I would be happy to, she insisted. Our relationship remained casual, and we agreed it was best that we didn't tell the girls about our Friday morning fun. It had only happened the once, and she didn't make any overt moves for it to happen again, and I didn't want to push my luck, although I did notice she wouldn't wait for a response after knocking on my door before coming in any more. . .
Anyway, after a few weeks of normality, I came home to a hallway full of suitcases. I carefully picked my way through the maze and into the living room.
'What's going on? I nearly broke my neck out there.'
Lauren looked up from her book and took her glasses off.
'Oh hello, Alex, the girls are going up to their Grandparents for a few days. They do love seeing my parents, and it happens so rarely these days, since they moved up to Norfolk.'
'Aren't you going?'
'No, I can't get time off work, and anyway, my mother has been funny around me since the divorce and I'm not in the mood to face that just yet.'
OK. Best to let that one lie, i thought.
'My dad will be here soon to pick them up, I'm surprised they didn't tell you actually, they're so excited about it.'
There was a knock at the door, and two sets of footsteps came barrelling down the stairs. The door was opened and 'Gramps' was let in. I was introduced to him, quite formally, and then they were off. It was a long drive, he told us, and they had to be making tracks. I wished them all a safe journey, and like that, I was alone with Lauren. And even then, not for long, as she had to go and do the late shift at work, so I had the house to myself. I did some studying, and finding myself unable to focus properly, hit the hay for an early night.
I woke up the next morning, looked at my bedside clock and saw it was 9.37. I had a mild heart attack, and then realised it was Saturday. I lay there staring at the ceiling for a few minutes, then got up and hit the shower. The water felt so good, I must have got very hot overnight as I felt very sticky and sweaty. I turned the water off, and stood there dripping for a few seconds, feeling the cold morning air on my skin until I began to shiver. I patted myself dry with a clean towel, before wrapping it around myself and heading back to my room.
I tried to open the top drawer of my dresser, and stopped. It was locked. So was the next one. They were all locked. So was the wardrobe. Lauren must have come in and done it when she came in from work. Even the messy pile I'd left of yesterday's clothes, and the shorts I'd worn in bed had vanished.
I strode downstairs. Anyway, its not like she hadn't seen me like this already, was it? I opened the door to the kitchen and stepped in. Lauren was there, drinking coffee with a woman I didn't recognise.
'Alex!' Lauren said as she saw me. 'This is Natalie, she's a friend of mine from work.'
'Hi,' Natalie said, getting up and shaking my hand, 'I see what you mean.' she said turning to Lauren.
I let that slide, with other things on my mind.
'Some things seem to have changed in my room, Lauren. You wouldn't know anything about it would you?'
'If you mean all your dresser and wardrobe, then yes I do. If it's anything else, then no.' She smirked, knowing damn well I meant my clothes.
'May I have the key, please?'
'Er,' Lauren looked at the ceiling and stroked her chin, feigning deep thought. 'No,' she said, eventually, 'I think not.'
'Why not?'
Natalie's shoulders were shaking by this point, as she tried desperately to suppress laughter, and failing miserably. It struck me at this point that she was in her mid twenties, and very pretty. My cock began to twitch as I became fully aware of just how exposed I was, in just a towel, meeting her for the first time.
'Come on,' Lauren said, 'I want to have some fun. We,' she looked at Lauren, 'want to have some fun.'
'What kind of fun?'
'The kind of fun where you complete tasks we set and if you complete them all satisfactorily you get your clothes back.'
'And if I refuse?'
'You don't get your clothes back.'
I supposed I could try to pick the locks, but not knowing how to begin with such a thing, I decided to play along. At least for a little while.
'OK, what do you want me to do?'
Lauren and Natalie exchanged glances.
'I want you,' Lauren said slowly, 'to go and get us a newspaper.'
'Wearing just a towel?'
'Yup. Here's the money.' She tossed me a coin.
'OK.' If she wanted me to squirm, I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. I turned and walked through the hall and out of the house.
The news agents was only at the end of the street, and thankfully the only person in there was the cashier behind the counter, who had the decency not to mention my attire, wordlessly accepting the coin and then going back to his crossword. I passed an old woman walking her dog on the short walk back, who studiously ignored me.
I hadn't got a key with me. I had no pockets to put it in, so I had to knock on the door.
'Pass the paper through the living room window.' Lauren's voice came through the closed door. A few seconds passed and a hand appeared at said window and I stepped across thesmall lawn and handed it over.
More time passed.
'Can I come in now?'
The hand reappeared.
'When you've given me the towel.'
I'd suspected that was coming, but not while I was outside.
'What?'