A Watersports short story by Luna Swift
*
Beth looked back up at the house as she squatted in the long grass. Here at the end of the garden all she could see was the light shining from the windows, it was impossible to tell how many people were in there. It was embarrassing enough peeing in public but if anyone saw her she thought she might just die of shame.
It had been a good party, free drinks all night even after turning up with the cheapest bottle of wine she could find. Kathleen was there, so was Trish, the house was crammed with people getting steadily drunker. Beth spotted Kathleen when she arrived but couldn't get across to her. She found herself instead somehow trapped in a corner of the living room, penned in by Gary, the head of H.R who was trying to flirt with her and didn't seem to realise she wasn't interested.
Whilst Gary droned on Beth became increasingly uncomfortable. It wasn't just his bad breath or lack of awareness of personal space, she was starting to regret the amount of wine she'd drunk. At parties like this there was always a queue for the bathroom and she never got much warning from her body when she needed to pee. She knew she needed to get to a toilet soon but Gary didn't seem to be getting her hints.
Beth squeezed her legs together, the pressure in her bladder was growing with every passing minute.
"So then I had to call them both up to the office at the same time," Gary said, holding his beer bottle as if it was a microphone and he was compere at an award show. "You can imagine the hassle I'm sure."
Beth grunted in response. Her tummy was feeling very bloated now and she no longer wanted the wine in her hand. She managed to put it on the windowsill behind her and turned back to Gary.
"Look ..." she began but was saved from going any further when someone stumbled into Gary's back, making him spill his beer onto Beth. It was icy cold and her top was immediately soaked through. This wasn't helping.
"I'm sorry," he began but Beth took the chance and squeezed past him, heading for the downstairs toilet. There were about five people queuing and she wasn't sure if she could wait that long. Weaving her way through the crowds she made her way upstairs. The wine was having an effect on her, she felt quite dizzy and had to hold tight to the banister to make sure she didn't fall. On the first floor she managed to stumble in on two people having sex in one bedroom, someone else asleep on the landing with their head in a plant pot before finally making it to the bathroom. There was another queue here. Beth joined the back and waited. She could feel the drops of beer trickling down her top and into her skirt, soaking the fabric, making her even more uncomfortable. It made her wish she'd worn a bra as her breasts were now clearly outlined through the thin cotton. The man in front of her in the queue turned to face her, his eyes drawn downwards. away from her face to her chest.
"Hi," he said, staring at her clearly visible nipples.
"Hi," Beth replied. "Listen do you mind if I go in front of you? I'm desperate."
"Me too," he replied. I'm not sure if someone's being sick in there, nobody's come out for ages."