This story contains masturbation and exhibitionist themes. All characters are 18 or over.
*****
Sarah Gray, or Gray as her friends called her, was a traditional southern belle. She wore a silver cross around her neck and a prayer on her lips. If anything she was more naive and trusting than any of her friends, but inside of her was something that wanted to be seen and loved. It was deep under her pink blouse, black shirt, denim skirt, silver cross, and even deeper than her prayers. It was something she'd kept hidden from absolutely everyone, including herself, until now.
"Gray, You ever thought about being a model?" Gray blinked, pausing before taking a bit of her salad. "Hah! You look like you've seen a ghost! Yeah, I'm talking about you Sarah Gray!"
"No, No, No!" She shook her head insistently. "Ahm not one of them types-" She coughed, "I mean, I am not that kind of girl."
"You know, I think that drawl of yours is cute. You should keep it."
Gray blushed, "Shannon, you're the best friend I have on campus, but not everyone is as understanding as you."
"You have a better friend off campus?"
"Well, no, actually, but-" Gray ate some greens before continuing, "You know what ah mean! Ah don't need nobody-" She cleared her through, "I don't want anyone calling me a hic, or redneck, or anything."
"Anyways." Shannon rolled her eyes, "A guy-friend of mine is taking art classes and wants a model. A little weird, but I think he's your brand of weird."
Gray's eyes narrowed, "Mah kind ah weird?" Gray shook her head, "I mean my-"
"Traditional I mean." Shannon laughed as Gray looked away, embarrassed. "He's cute, and quirky, and best of all," Shannon winked, "Word is he's got just as much experience as you."
"What's that got to do with anything!" Gray looked around nervously.
"I know boys here can be pretty intimidating. Well, to someone like you." Shannon added.
"Not mah fault you keep tryin' ta hook me up with lowlives." She muttered under her breath. She swallowed and tried to bury accent again, She spoke slowly "Just let me focus on my studies."
"Give it a chance!" Shannon grunted, "To be honest, I promised him I'd do it, and I have another engagement so-"
"Another date with Tony?" Gray asked knowingly.
"He has an irregular work schedule!" Shannon argued. "And we were also thinking of heading to our place afterwards and, well, you know-"
"Again?" Gray asked. "Ya tryin'" she coughed, "Trying to make a baby or something?"
"He's very amorous." Shannon said with pride and a giggle, "And we were going to try... well, it would just be best if you weren't there for a few hours." Gray grumbled, "Grumpy Gray!" Shannon shook her head, "I promise I'll make it up to you! Just give the guy a shot! You really do look cuter than me!"
"I don't know." Gray was feeling even more self conscious than usual.
"You'll be fine. Call me if he's a creep. Or if he isn't. Just call me. Just know that I might be a bit distracted, but I'll call back as soon as can. Just don't be back before eleven."
Gray pouted. It was her last line of defense when she didn't want to do something, but it never seemed to work on Shannon. "Thank you so much!" She took the pout as acceptance. "Now, do you think I should wear my pink underwear, or my black underwear? The pink is newer, but the black is-"
--
Joel had the aura of a man on a mission at all times. At no point was he wasting his efforts. He put everything into everything he did. He had short, effective hair and piercing brown eyes. He always held his hands as if he was always holding a brush or pen. His frame was made of edges that softened into subtle curves like a knifes edge. He had a keen bone structure and disciplined features including meticulous care of his nails and hair. He almost looked dangerous when Sarah Gray walked in on him painting one of his works alone in the studio. He seemed frustrated, like a god angry at his own creation, unable to blame anyone but himself, but ready and willing to destroy everything in order to rebuild from the fiery ashes.
"H-Hello?" She spoke slowly, firstly due to awkward desire to sound normal, and secondly as not to enrage the passionate artist.
But her fears had little merit. The stern and hard features on the mans face softened into a youthful wonder. His angles became yet more curved as he relaxed. He now had an intriguing glow about him that made him feel safe and kind. She wondered for a moment if he was actually a man. He was certainly cute enough to pass a girl with a little work. He was handsome enough to make the difference and she convinced herself it wasn't gay to be attracted to him. "Greetings! You must be Sarah Gray Parker!" He was smiling happily. She rarely met anyone willing to us her full name. "Please, come in! Thank you so much for coming!"
Gray smiled and sat down on a stool in front of the artist. "No problem. I just hope I can help." She spoke carefully. "I'm sorry Shannon could not make it-"
"Seeing you, I'm glad she didn't. You are much more beautiful."
"T-Thanks?" She wasn't sure how to respond. She was no expert, but he didn't sound like he was flirting. "S-So what do you want me to do exactly?"
"Strike a pose!" He said with dramatic flare, swinging about a lithe limb across his body. "I need inspiration!"
"Oh, okay." She swallowed hard and dropped her bag down as she put her hands in her lap. She suddenly felt very exposed and cold in the large room alone with a stranger, especially one looking at her so intently. "Like this?"
"Perfect." He smiled, "Very candid. Just let me start fresh from a blank page," he flipped the paper and began to sketch. His eyes covered her body and she clenched her muscles tight.
"What are you drawing now?" She asked. She wondered if he'd notice the scar on her ear or the chip on her tooth, the freckle on her neck or the pimple on her scalp. She tried to hide all the skin she could under her clothes. She spoke now mostly to drown the silence. She hated silence when she was around other people.
"Just the outline, the form and feeling." He spoke aloud, "The quiver in your fingers, the stiffness in your posture, the way your eyes focus-" He stopped, "I'm sorry, this is making you anxious isn't it?"
Gray was embarrassed, "You can tell all that?"
"I'm studying body language now. I'm sorry." The idea that he could see beyond her shell scared her, but also intrigued her.
"No, that's fine. What else can you see?" She asked. She tried to relax. "I'm curious."
"Over corrections, your spine slumps, your fingers clench." He continued to sketch. She gulped in wonder and awe, "Your eyes are afraid to meet mine."
"I'm sorry." Gray blinked, "I'm terrible around new people." She was even worse around him. It was like she was more naked when he looked at her, like her clothes were melting away.
"No, that's fine. I should stop talking-"
"No, it's very interesting, please keep going." She tried to act more comfortable.
"You are beginning to relax now." He continued, "Yes, there!" he captured another curve with a pencil stroke. "Your hands rest naturally on your lap, your legs dangle freely. Your shoes are tight, but pretty, it feels better with your feet off the floor. You are facing a small angle and your movements are restless. You aren't comfortable in your clothes, but you like wearing them." He stopped and began to shade certain areas, "Surprising."
"What's surprising?"
"You are enjoying yourself, despite feeling exposed. No, perhaps you enjoy feeling exposed."
"That's enough!" Gray sat up. "I think that's enough for one evening!" She felt blood rushing to her skin. The room was feeling hotter than before. "T-Thank you kindly sir but ah should be gettin goin'!"
"Wait!" She took her purse and was moseying along to the exit when he called her, "I'm sorry!" She paused and turned back. "I'll stop! I just thought you wanted to know-" She got a good look at the picture he was drawing and suddenly felt her stomach turn to stone. Her heart raced even faster as her eyes strained to find folds and seams but found instead bare, white skin. The picture was of her face and pose, but completely nude. She saw her expression on the canvas, blushing and bashful with her hands covering her modesty and her naked form, however imaginary, exposed to the world.
She rushed out with her heart beating in her ears. This was a mistake. Joel did not follow her.
--
"Hah!" Shannon laughed, "Wow. Yea, sorry, I should have told you that's what he was going to do."
"Y-You knew?" Gray was appalled.
"Well, like, it's not like he's actually seeing you naked or anything. He's taking an anatomy class and one of their projects was guess the form under the clothes. He probably thought I told you and you were okay with it." Gray wasn't happy with that answer. She desperately wanted Joel to be some wackjob. "Poor kid is probably worried he traumatized you."
"He did!" Gray asserted.
"Did he really show you anything you haven't seen before?"
"It wasn't just that!"
"Hmm?"
"It was-" Gray stopped herself. She really didn't want to talk about Joel's guess about what she enjoyed. "Nothing. I guess."
"No biggie. If you have bad feeling in your gut, trust it girl. I'll tell him you had a stomach bug or something."
"No, I should apologize myself." Gray rubbed her arm as if it were cold.
"You didn't do anything wrong!"
"I know, but-"
"Oh, I get it."
"What?" Shannon had a devious smile. "You like him don't you? And that scares you."
"What? No!"
"You're scared because good girls aren't supposed to have naughty feelings like that! Oh, I wonder what mommy and daddy would think if they knew what little Sarah Gray was up to in that little head of hers hmm?" Shannon was too close to the truth for comfort.
"I just feel like I owe him okay?" She asserted.
"Whatever." Shannon let it go. "By the way. Yesterday was fantastic!"
"I don't want to hear it." Gray groaned.
"He put on some slow music, lit some candles, we took it slow for like, the first hour-"
"Shannon, I said I don't want to hear it."
