Laurel rolled up her sleeves and got to work. She pulled at the sheets until they released with a gently airy puff and aggressively tossed them in the laundry bin. She replaced them, carefully, pulling at every wrinkle until they were a near perfect plane. She put condoms next to her vibrator in the drawer of her bedside table and shut it fully. She replaced the tissue box next to the bed. She got 2 glasses of water ready and an extra charger. And then she ran out of things to do. There were already extra sheets ready. Check. She had already checked that her siblings and parents would be out. Check. She had locked the door so that even if they did come back she would hear them coming. Check. And she had set the TV for a movie in the living room to start with. Check.
Laurel had planned her first time like she planned everything. It was perfect. She had a hard time handling uncertainty. In the face of the unknown her mind liked to play through every possible scenario. Once you've done that, of course, there are only two options: agonize over the negative outcomes, or plan for them. So she planned. Carefully. And for many hours.
She had already been texting Blake for weeks. They had been high school friends, but it wasn't until she moved back into her parents place after college that they reconnected. Laurel had gone to a prestigious college, studied extensively, gotten a degree in chemical engineering, and graduated with distinction with the added bonus of extreme burnout. She had enjoyed college, the long nights and occasional parties suited her. She had joined clubs, learned new skills, met amazing people, and grown emotionally. But she had never wanted to be with someone until now.
"I just don't think any man could really satisfy me as well as my own vibrator. Or my hand." She had texted blake.
"Really? You think you can do better than me? I could make you cum faster. Easy." He'd added a laughing emoji for effect.
Holy shit.
"The thing is that no one knows me well enough. No one would know the buttons to push ;)" she replied.
"I do." Came his reply.
"What would you do to me?" She asked.
"That would be spoilers..."
"Not spoilers, just a trailer. You need to get me interested or I won't watch the whole film"
"Ok." He'd said. "I would start off tender. Kind. I'd get you to love me. Even just a little."
After he didn't send more she said "Go on."
"But then I wouldn't be truly gentle. I'd take charge. I'd bend you over and fuck you so hard you'd forget who I was to you. I want to make you scream so loud you won't even be able to hear the neighbors complaining"
4 years of being busy, or too unwilling to even consider a relationship had taken their toll. She wasn't lonely, she still didn't want a relationship, but she did want to try sex. She'd figured if she liked her vibrator, that was enough. Until she wanted more. She wanted to touch. She wanted to be held. But mostly she wanted to give up control. You couldn't give up control with yourself.
Laurel may have hated uncertainty in her life, but in bed, she wanted to be caught off guard. She didn't want her boundaries crossed, of course, but masturbating to the same (albeit reliable) smut each night wasn't going to cut it anymore. So a few weeks ago she texted blake. He was the first friend she had talked to about her sexuality in high school, and the first person she had told that she was bi. He had understood her, but more than that he had made her feel normal. A weight had lifted off her shoulders when she told him and from then on she had felt free to crush on just about anyone she felt like. That feeling had been freeing to say the least. It carried her through high school and 4 years of college.
She asked Blake to come over for a movie. She had asked this a few times before, and he had always obliged, getting closer and closer to the line each time. The first time he bumped her hand, the second he held it, the third he leaned into her, the fourth he kissed her briefly. By now he knew what she wanted even if neither of them had said it out loud. Laurel wanted him to be her first. She wanted someone she trusted, but she didn't want the relationship. So she asked him over for the 5th time with the full confidence of someone who knew what she was doing.
But now she was out of things to do. When there was nothing left to prepare her brain finally had the empty space to spiral again. She felt woozy. She sat down on the couch and tried to wait it out. Whether it was a happy coincidence or an intentional tactic to calm laurel down, she didn't know, but Blake arrived a full half hour earlier than she expected. When laurel opened the door he strolled in, already knowing he was welcome.
"Hey" he said " the place looks spotless".
Laurel froze, fear overcoming her. Then she took a deep breath and turned to him. "Hi!" she said, a little too shrill "you're early"
"Yeah the traffic wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. I parked in your driveway, is that ok?"
"Yeah my family is out."
"Oh where'd they go? I brought something for your sister" he said, pulling a pressed 4 leaf clover out of his bag and placing it on the small table by the door beside his car keys. He had a knack for finding little gifts like that. The four leaf clover was set in a resin pendant and probably a fake, but she knew her sister believed in luck of all kinds, even fake tokens of it.
"Camping. I can't go. I have a doctors appointment tomorrow"
"Ah. sucks." he said. Blake took his shoes off and slid them onto the shoe rack. Then he walked over and sat next to laurel on the couch. He leaned back, dramatically sighing as he pressed the weight of his back into the cushion. He turned lazily to look at her. "What are we watching?"