Briefly home from college, I realize I'm going to have to take up some sort of work. It's the last thing I want to do, especially having just survived several weeks of exams, but I figure it'll take my mind off of how quiet my parents' house is, and how little I actually have to do.
"Why don't you watch the Clarence kids?" My mom suggests, at breakfast. "Kara's ten and Ethan's seven. That's shouldn't be too hard." Inwardly, I groan. Children aren't my strong suit, but she's right, older ones are easier to talk to. I tell her to set it up for next Monday. Maybe I'll have developed either an inheritance or some nurturance skills by then.
Sunday night, I sign online from my childhood bedroom. It feels better to use my laptop than the hulking monster in the family room, plus I know the noise from the older model would keep my parents awake. Sighing, I'm not surprised to see that none of my new college friends are online. They've probably got better things to do, I thought. Might as well wallow in self-pity, right? I check a couple of email addresses, read the news on Google, and wander around some friends' online journals before remembering something I'd been meaning to check out for awhile now. A few weeks ago, my friend Brian told me about how he met his current boyfriend on an adult message board.
"He's the same age as us and everything, not some older creep," he said, promising to email me the site's address. I didn't bother telling him that I wouldn't mind chatting with someone a little older, especially about sex, considering the shitty experiences I'd had so far at school. I pull up the site and pause when asked to create a username. Think, think. Diana? Taken. I didn't want to use anything like my real name, but didn't want to make up some 'starfuck6969' type of thing either. Brenda? Sounds like something from a John Hughes movie. I finally type in 'Lucy,' thinking of the slutty vampire from Stoker's Dracula. Sexy movie, I think, making dracula my password and logging on. Immediately, a few messages pop up: Hi, a/s/l type of stuff. They sound mostly like eager high school students looking to jerk one before Mommy tucks them into bed. I've already begun a good game of solitaire when 'Mark44' appears on the screen.
Mark44: New here?
I pause, double-clicking an ace before answering.
Lucy: How do you figure?
Mark44: Never seen the username, that's all.
Makes sense, I think, smiling a little. I close the game and widen your window.
Lucy: So you've been here awhile, I guess?
Mark44: Haha, long enough I guess. How old r u?
I roll my eyes, here we go. 'R' and 'U' – never good signs.
Lucy: 19. You?
Mark44: (points to username)
I smirk. Forty-four, huh. I thought it might be your football number or something. I check the clock, nearly 2 a.m. I reach over and click off the lamp and the room dims to black.
Mark44: Hello? Am I too old for u?
Lucy: No, that's okay...I don't mind.
Mark44: What're you up to tonight?
Lucy: Oh...nothing. I'm home for Christmas. You?
Mark44: You're in college? What are u studying.
Lucy: Economics for now. I'm thinking about changing to political science or something.
Mark44: What r u wearing, lucy?
I freeze. This seemed like a sexy idea, in theory, but maybe it wasn't so smart. What if you hack my profile and figure out where I'm typing from, start stalking me or something? What if you're, like, 80 instead of 44? I have to remind myself that just because I tell the truth online, not everyone does the same. I know I should probably just sign off, but something makes me really want to continue. Maybe it feels kind of bad and wrong, but it also feels good. It feels sexy. My mind wanders to whether or not you're already fondling yourself, maybe through your work slacks or soft pajamas. Thinking about your cock getting hard as you talk to me...I can't help it, it turns me on...what if I remind you, a little, of your babysitter? Your stepdaughter? I can't sign off now. I'm hooked.
Lucy: Um...a short skirt, underwear, and a t-shirt.
Mark44: What kind of underwear?
Lucy: Pink. It's sort of stretchy.
Mark44: No bra?
Lucy: No...no bra.
There is a pause. I feel my pussy heating up. Did someone interrupt you? Please don't be gone, I hope silently.
Mark44: lucy, do you want to play a game?
Lucy: ...maybe?