Chapter 3: Bagel, Coke zero and an awkward conversation.
The nude beach had become the usual hang-out for Sophie and her friends for the past month. They all knew of the big plan and encouraged her from the beginning. This was a way of showing their support while joining in on the fun. Marcos and Jenna jumped in on the idea as soon as presented. Patricia haven't joined yet, and Sophie was actually a little relieved. She loved Trish, of course, but the idea of being naked with her made her feel extra self-conscious for some reason.
Sophie and Liza never wore anything to the beach again. Sophie would leave home naked and find her friend the same way in the car. Jenna and Marcos still chose to wear something minimal.
Sophie had cut her hair in a wavy bob. She noticed she was using her hair to cover the front of her body, and decided to cut it so she wouldn't have a chance to do so.
She has also been talking to her therapist, Leyla, about it. She was the first one Sophie talked about her idea, and she has always been cautiously supportive. It was Leyla's idea to talk it out with her friends at the start. On their talks, the therapist seemed actually happy that social nudity was having a positive impact on Sophie. In the end of a session, she said something that resonated with Sophie.
"Take your time with it, but remember that you have the tendency to get comfortable and stop progressing."
It was a Wednesday morning and the thought wouldn't leave her head. She was getting ready to work. She likes to wake up super early and enjoy the morning, so she still had time.
Looking for breakfast, there was nothing.
"Guess I'll go grab something." She grabbed her stuff and had just opened the front door when she realized she was still naked and shut it close. She went to her room to get her clothing, but Leyla's words came to her mind yet again. She would have to take the next step soon, and going out for a naked walk was the next one she had planned. Not anything like walking in the middle of the city, but something small around her neighborhood. She just had to go grab some breakfast on the nearby bakery, she could walk there and back in half an hour. It was the perfect opportunity. But could she actually do it?
"I have to do it!" She left her clothing on the bed, put on her waistlet for confidence, walked to the door, grabbed her purse and... nothing. She stood there, hand on the knob, paralyzed.
"FUCK!"
She threw herself at the couch. She wanted to talk to someone.
Usually, Liza would be the first person she would talk about this stuff. She was the nudist, after all. But it didn't feel right.
Jenna was a lovely person who she shared everything with, but she was never the one she went for help, even though she would help in a heartbeat.
Marcos had a golden heart and a tinfoil brain.
It had to be Trish. She grabbed the phone and called.
"Hey, Sophie?" her voice was the usual calm shy one.
"Hey Trish."
"Everything ok?" Her soothing voice had an instead calming effect on Sophie, but she could still notice the worried tones.
"Yeah, yeah. I just..." She couldn't come up with a sentence that made sense.
"Yes?"
"I was going for a naked walk to the bakery right now."
"That's amazing!"
"I couldn't leave the house."
"I see." Trish was silent for a moment, her excitement dying down, replaced with concern. "Why not?"
"It is too much. This whole plan is stupid. So what, now I just walk naked everywhere?" her voice was raising by the word. "I should just quit."
"Don't be stupid!" Trish was rarely aggressive, and it caught Sophie off-guard. "If any of us could do it, it's you."
"It is probably Liza, actually."
"What? No! Liza is too scared for these things!"
"Scared? Liza is a nudist."
"So what? It takes more than being comfortable with nudity to do something like that."
"I don't have it."
"You do!" She sounded frustrated. "Remember that boy when we were younger?"
"What boy?"
"The one form the other school. He was looking at you and you went and talked to him."
"Yeah, and he called me ugly."
"He chickened out. Couldn't handle a girl boss."
"Girl boss? Really?" she laughed a little
"What I mean," she continued, embarrassed "is that you have always been the brave one of the group. Up until you started going out with that dickhead, you were always on the lead, pushing us, cheering us, leading by example."
"Really? Never noticed."
"That's because you don't pay attention to your friends."
"I had just the same conversation with Liza the other day."
"Which means we are telling the truth."
"I guess."
"Are you doing it?"
"Yes. I have to."
"Right now?"
"Yes."
"Ok! Go! Bye!" She hang up. Not even giving Sophie the chance to say bye. She knew that if she delayed too much Sophie would step back.
Sophie took a deep breath, walked to the door, grabbed her purse and left.
The cold morning breeze felt amazing on her body. It crawled through her skin, making her feel even more naked. There was no one out, so she just started walking.
Didn't take long for the first people to show up. Most of them looked uncomfortable and worried. They were people she knew, and they probably thought there was something wrong.
"Good morning!" was all she said to anyone passing by.
People answered with hushed good mornings or by diverting their gaze. Some treated her normally.
She passed by Mrs. Welkins, an older lady that knew her from a baby. "Good morning!"
"Sophie! Good morning, dear. Nice to see you out and about." She sounded very genuine and not worried about her nudity at all.
"You too!"
She kept walking. It all felt surreal. Here she was, completely nude, walking around her neighborhood. All these people knew her. It was a harder feeling to brush off than walking naked on the beach.
Every step made her waistlet move and brush against her skin. It made her more aware of her nudity. But knowing it was there, and remembering how much she liked it on herself, gave her some confidence.
She finally got to the bakery and walked in.
"Hello! How can I... Sophie?" An astonished boy, Drew, looked at her. He worked on his parents' bakery when he wasn't at school. "Are you all right?" She felt like blushing, and she may have a little, but she had to play it normal.
"Of course. Just hungry."
"Sure." He sounded unsure. He nervously looked straight at her eyes, as if diverging it to anywhere else would turn him into a stone like a reverse medusa. "What can I get you?"
"One of those bagels will do fine. With egg and salad. And a Coke Zero, please."
"Sure." He got it and handed her. "Have a nice day."
"The payment."
"Oh yeah!" The boy was completely lost. "Credit?"
"Yes. Here you go."
"Thanks. See you!"
