Beth's Summer Brea

BETH'S SUMMER BREAK Part 6 – FRIENDS REUNITED

A crossover story with my first published work 'The Third Time'. Beth, an uncredited but important extra in the first story meets up with old school friend Sienna, the leading lady of the tale, and unrequited passions are fulfilled.

All characters portrayed are fictional and anyone engaging in sexual activity is at least eighteen years old and consenting.

*****

Chapter 1 – BETH – Friends Reunited

It was a glorious day and the sun was shining as I wandered round the shops of Amberdown. Gina was up in London on one of her occasional days in her 'other' job and from the sound of it was in for a treat. She and one of the girls from the Agency she co-owned were attending a very exclusive, very naughty private party in Knightsbridge and judging by the amount they were getting paid, it was going to be a busy night.

Lucky buggers.

I was about to head back to the now familiar surroundings of Sycamore Avenue when on a whim I decided I deserved a nice little lunchtime drink. Well it was a hot day and I had walked miles round those shops so I settled myself into my favourite spot in the garden of the White Lion with a refreshing pint of cider and logged my tablet onto the pub's Wi-Fi.

I had been surfing for a few minutes when subconsciously I reached into my bag for my cigarettes. I rummaged for a few seconds before I remembered I had thrown them away shortly after Gina walked in on Sam and I, so I dug further and pulled out my vape pen. It had spent some time in Gina's living room bin after she told me her life story recently but I had retrieved it and bought a refill for it

in case of need.

There was no real need today - I simply fancied something to accompany my drink. I puffed on it absent-mindedly. It was nice to be shutting out the world again for a few minutes.

I was awakened from my concentration by a soft, velvety voice from behind me.

"Glad to see you've given up those nasty brown things you used to smoke, Hamilton!"

I'd know that voice in a crowd of millions.

I turned in absolute shock grinning all over my face. "Williamson you old tart! What the fuck are you doing here?"

Sienna Williamson. Two years ahead of me at school, captain of the hockey team - which despite my younger age I was a key part of - and generally just a gorgeous, drop-dead heartthrob that every girl at school who was that way inclined used to lust over.

Me included.

She laughed, opening her arms for a big hug. "Blunt as ever, Hamilton! I was going to ask the very same thing, only slightly more politely."

I dropped the pen and got up to embrace her. Over four years on from our last meeting she had only changed in one way.

She looked even more stunning.

We did all the usual "great to see you" gushing and "oh god, how long?" stuff that goes on when old friends meet. When we calmed down and stopped bouncing off the walls of the beer garden, I gestured to my table.

"Come on, sit down. I'll get us some drinks and we can spend the afternoon catching up!"

"Oh Beth, I'd love to but I've got a gym class in a few minutes. I was just inside with a friend having a Coke before we head off to the gym and I saw you through the window. I couldn't believe my eyes – I thought I was going mad!"

"Oh no, that's a shame. We must catch up soon. I'm staying here for a few weeks at Dad's girlfriend's place so I'm free more or less any time."

"Fab! I live here now and my boyfriend is away at the moment so I am pretty well free at the moment as well." She thought for a second. "How about tonight? If you've nothing on we could do dinner?"

"Yes that would be great. The new American place over the road is pretty good."

"Brilliant – look I have to rush now. I'll pop in and book it for tonight on my way to the gym. Seven thirty ok?"

My face lit up. "Got a lot to talk about – make it six thirty."

"You're on. This is so cool. I can't believe it! See you later." We hugged again and she dashed off for her gym class.

I went back inside and ordered myself another cider and returning to the garden sat sipping it contentedly.

Oh my Lord, Sienna Williamson! She was a thing to behold. I couldn't quite recall but there was definitely some far-eastern heritage in her genealogy. I think her Mum was half Korean – certainly she was from that part of the world. Wherever she hailed from, that gene had contributed to Sienna's beauty. She was so tall with wonderful almond eyes, a full, sensuous mouth and thick, shining black hair that was almost as long as mine, but rather less unruly.

I didn't know if she was still into girls but I was sure as hell going to try and find out.

For once I decided to dress up a little and forgo my usual attire of worn t-shirts with band logos on them, and put on a rather pleasant red dress with a fetching black belt that Gina had bought for me one afternoon recently along with a handful of other items of clothing. I decided that the suspenders and stockings she bought for me the same day may be handy later.

At least I hoped they'd be handy later.

I walked back into town on what was still a lovely evening wondering how we'd get on. Sometimes after the initial heady rush of seeing someone for the first time in years it gets a little awkward and you realise that you have moved on.

But I needn't have worried. Sienna was waving to me from the bar as I arrived. Needless to say she was radiant and I was glad of my red dress. Sienna would look good in Dobbie's pillowcase from Harry Potter. Tonight she looked even better in a simple Broderie Anglaise top and a mid length black skirt and dark tights. Her hair was pinned up, something I had seen her do rarely in our schooldays. She was wearing a pair of dark rimmed glasses and they enhanced rather than detracted from her beauty. She was garnering admiring glances from all corners and I was glad to be in her reflected aura.

She looked me up and down, appraising me. "Not at all bad Hammy Hamilton. My goodness, whatever happened to Grunge-Girl?"

"She's still around. I can't quite kill her off. I find it handy to have multiple personas."

We got straight back into the old days over a cocktail for her and some hoppy American beer for me. After a nice bout of reminiscing Sienna said, "That gym session has left me so hungry I could eat a scabby horse so come on. I hear it's pretty good here but I've not tried it yet; have you?"

"I had lunch a few weeks ago. It was pretty damned fine!"

I recalled the foot long hot dog I'd had enjoyed that day, but after my attempts at deep-throating Gina's new friend Mike last week, I'd be sticking to burgers or ribs tonight. I was sure my throat was still bruised.

We sat down and ordered and as more drinks arrived Sienna said, "Come on then sister, spill the beans. What's a girl like you doing in a one-horse town like this?"

I sighed. "It's a long story."

It was, and took most of the main course to tell. I told her an edited version of my incident packed few weeks living with my Dad's girlfriend Gina. Of discovering what I thought was Gina's illicit affair with a handsome black American guy, my seduction of Sam her computer engineer, then Gina walking in on us unexpectedly and the steamy events that ensued.

The once hated Gina - now my almost nightly bed-mate.

I finally finished just as I demolished the last of my rack of ribs.

"Oh my goodness you do attract trouble Beth don't you," laughed Sienna.

"Too bloody true," I replied. "It's been fun since though, I can assure you. Making up with Gina has been..." I twiddled my fork on my plate and looked up at her lovely dark eyes, "... educational to say the least!"

"Never too old to learn! I'd love to have seen her walk in on you and Sam." She giggled and sighed wistfully, gazing off over the restaurant. "It's been a while since I had a threesome you lucky little minx!"

"I'll bet it is. Knowing you a 'while' is a week and a half," I said laughing. "Which brings us nicely on to you my dear. Just what has the lovely Sienna Williamson been up to these last four years and how did

you

end up in Hicksville, Sussex?"

"Oh my god Beth that's another long story. Let's order something sticky, sugary and decadent and top up those drinks. We may be here a while.

But before I start, I should tell you that I only realised coming back from the gym earlier - I have you to thank for all this, so dinner is on me. In a strange roundabout way,

you

are the reason I am here. And I've never been happier!"

Chapter 2 – SIENNA – The Eighth Time...

I really didn't fancy going to the Albermarle school class reunion. It was out in the middle of nowhere in an old hotel near the school. As usual I was late in replying so all the rooms were taken. It would mean driving back afterwards, so no drinking.

I was

this

close to not going.

Thank God I did go. It changed my life.

Driving down the winding country roads I thought back to my days at Albermarle. The outrageous things we'd get up to, the wild hockey tours, the nights with Saarah.

The 'thing' with Rick.

Those seven encounters in Rick Redmond's office were engraved on my soul. They say school days are the best days of your life. Well those seven nights will still be right up there when they put me under, believe me.

I hadn't really ever fancied smoking but a few of the girls in the hockey team used to sneak off for a crafty one after training. As head girl and captain I suppose I should have done something about it but I thought 'what the hell?' I was doing far worse things myself after all. There was one girl in particular who stood out. She smoked those long brown cigarettes and she looked so pretty and elegant doing it I thought I'd try it. Bethany Hamilton – she was a couple of years younger than me at sixteen which was a shame as had she been my age – well, draw your own conclusions.

And so it came to pass that on one of my first forays into the grown up world of smoking, I was caught red handed by the gym teacher, the very fit and handsome Mr. Richard Redmond, known to all and sundry as Rick.

The madness of youth. The madness of an eighteen year old girl going down on her teacher to save herself from being expelled. The madness of the next few Thursdays in Rick's office. The madness that could have cost him his job and his future, and me my chance of University.

It was only much later that I realised what it could have cost us both. I probably would only have been reprimanded for smoking anyway and not expelled. But for what we had ended up doing? It didn't bear thinking about and we were bloody lucky to get away with it.

But I did get to University and passed my final school exams with flying colours as expected. Rick ended the term taking an athletics team to a tournament in France and our brief, incendiary affair was extinguished just like that. We never saw each other again.

I loved my years at Oxford. It went by in a flash – a searing, full-on hedonistic whirl of fabulous fun and unforgettable sex in a beautiful city. Oh there was hard work too and despite being horizontal for much of my time there, I managed a first. On graduating, I found myself working in London in a very decent job and commuting in each day, which was a bit of a drag but manageable.

I loved being out in the real world at last and whilst I was a little more restrained than in my Uni days, London provided abundant opportunities to keep expanding my sexual education.

I had heard Rick had left Albermarle a year or so after me and moved to another school somewhere south of London. My nights in Rick's office became very fond, oft replayed memories.

I arrived at the hotel and parked up. I didn't intend to stay long – it was going to be a bugger of a drive back in the dark.

The reunion was everything I'd prayed it wouldn't be. All cliquey and girly and – I don't know, most of them hadn't seemed to have moved on. The only girl I really wanted to see was my old room-mate Saarah but she was over in Germany with her new job so I made some small talk with some of the other girls and pretended it was nice to see them again.

I made the rounds and chatted to some of the teachers and it was nice to speak to them more or less as equals and not as people in authority. They seemed genuinely pleased at what I had achieved.

After an hour and a half of small talk and fixed smiles, I decided to have one last Coke to give me a sugar rush for the drive home and walked up to the bar. I was just taking my first sip when I heard a soft voice behind me.

"Miss Williamson – I do seem to keep find you in compromising situations don't I?"

I closed my eyes tight. Oh fuck no. Don't do this to me, please!

Seven nights in his office zipped through my mind at a million miles an hour. My heart began to thud in my chest. I took another drink, wishing it was something stronger.

I turned slowly, hardly believing he was here. I held the glass out, hand shaking. "It's only Coke, Sir. Honestly. I'm driving."

He took the glass from my hand and sniffed it. The brief touch of his fingers made me tingle. His thick wavy blonde hair was a tad longer; his lovely blue eyes still sparkled. He nodded and gave me the glass back. He was having the same effect on me as four years ago and I was stupefied.

We just stood looking at each other, neither of us really knowing what to say or do.

What I really wanted to do was to tear his clothes off and have him there and then in front of everyone in the room.

"Hi Sir... Mr. Rrrr... Rick," I finally managed in a voice that sounded tiny and slightly scared. "I... I didn't think you'd be here."

He smiled and I melted a little more. He seemed nervous too. "Hi Sienna, it's really good to see you. Old Chalmers thought it might be nice if a few of us teachers who left came back as well. I wasn't sure - I nearly didn't come."

"Me too."

"I'm... glad you did."

"Me too."

"Sienna-"

I held my hand up to cut him off. Whatever we wanted to say to each other was not for the middle of a class reunion. "Let's go and sit somewhere away from this lot." I waved at the room in general. "There's a public bar through there I think."

He nodded and gestured for me to lead. We walked through a convoluted set of hotel corridors into the bar and found a quiet corner. I still had my Coke, so he ordered himself a pint of beer and came and sat opposite me. For ten minutes we caught up with my Uni years and his new job at a school in Sussex called Newton's. Whatever we said held an undercurrent. We were stilted, a bit formal and a bit uncomfortable. Neither of us seemed to dare broach the big issue. There was an elephant in the room and he was getting bigger by the minute.

So in the end, I decided to let him out.

I looked him straight in his lovely blue eyes and with a thumping heart said, "Rick, those nights in your office... I'll never forget them. It was crazy but I hope you look back on them the same way that I do. When I think what it could have cost us both. But for me the risk was worth every minute. I cherish the memories and I've never told a soul, I swear."

He looked at me and said quietly, "Sienna, nobody else has come even close. Before or after. Those seven nights..." He shook his head. "I was a very lucky man in more ways than one. I thank God we did what we did and thank Him even more that we got away with it. Thanks for never telling. Me neither."

I was stunned. I thought I would just have been 'that girl he once had'. He knew the number of times just as well as I did. We sat in silence not knowing how to continue. He drained his beer and gestured at my glass.

"No thanks. I'm driving back tonight. I was just having a last one before I head back."

He looked crestfallen.

"Oh right. Mind if I do? I'm staying here tonight – I've got myself a room, so..." He shook the glass as if to confirm it was ok for him to drink and I nodded silently as he turned towards the bar.

Four years ago I had done something mad on the spur of the moment that led to something very special indeed.

If I didn't act now and ended up driving home alone, I would never forgive myself. After all, he had just said 'I've got

myself

a room'. Not

us

. He was on his own.

Wasn't he?

I fucking prayed he was on his own.

"Rick!"

He turned from the bar.

"Get me a gin and tonic. A big one."

"I thought you were..." he mimicked turning a steering wheel.

"I was but I just heard there's a room available here. I got lucky... again."

He put his glass down hard on the bar and walked back to the table.

"Oh Sienna - I only came tonight because I heard you'd be here." He held his hand out and I took it. We were both trembling. He glanced at the door.

I smiled. "Go and get the drinks, Rick. It's been four years. Another few minutes won't harm. Let's face it we won't have to rush this time..."

In the end we had another three and it was after midnight before we went upstairs.

Once the big blue inflatable elephant called Albermarle had been punctured we relaxed and began talking properly. No more mentions of four years ago, no more teacher-student dynamics – just two adults talking and enjoying each other's company.

I took me a moment to realise where I was next morning and as I saw Rick lying next to me I felt pure elation. He looked so peaceful lying there and as I watched him, so many thoughts flashed through my mind at the speed of light.

And as I watched, I came to a massive decision.

I was just about to slide out of bed and head to the bathroom when he opened one eye. "Oh thank God – I thought I'd dreamt it all."

I grinned – "You did, you're still asleep!"

"Nooooo," he groaned. "Best dream I ever had." We'd said something similar one night four years ago.

I did what I needed and walked back to the bed. He was sitting up on one elbow watching me as I came back. I snuggled up to him and it felt good.

"Sleep well?" he asked, holding me to him, cupping one breast in his hand and stroking it gently.

"Dreadful. Didn't get a wink until 3am. Bloody noise those two made. I thought they'd never stop."

"I

hoped

they'd never stop," he said, sliding his hand lower. "Three o'clock? Bloody lightweights, eh?"

I grabbed his hand and put it back outside of the sheets. "Hey plenty of time, tiger. Let me wake up first. I'm

sooooo

much more responsive when I am awake," I added with a dirty little smile to allay his disappointment.

There was something I had to know before I went any further. I took a moment and went on. "So, tell me - is there anyone... significant in the life of Mr. Richard Redmond at the moment?"

He let out a long sigh. "No, not really. I was with a teacher from Newton's for a while, but you know, some things are not meant to be. She left and-"

"At least you've graduated to teachers," I teased.

"Ooh, low blow Williamson. You were very much of age, and very willing if I recall. You were my first and last 'indiscretion'." He gave me a light slap on the bottom and we kissed for a long time.

"So that's it then? Bloke as fit as you? One shag in four years?" I said when we came up for air.

"Answer for everything, haven't you? I'd forgotten what you are like! No there's been a few since. Mainly casual stuff, friends with benefits. The odd thing on tours - you've been there, you know the score."

"Nice arrangement. Worked for me!"

"It's been ok, some nice memories." He seemed hesitant all of a sudden. "So... you? Any significant others in your no doubt complicated love life?"

I was dreading this moment, not knowing how he would react to what I had decided to say. The thought that came to me as he lay sleeping made me feel almost breathless. I tried my usual technique of making light of it all. "Well, as you can imagine I left a trail of dead and broken lovers of both sexes in Oxford, their bodies scattered around the city and surrounding area like empty husks." He was laughing as I went on. "London is great as well as it allows me free access to a limitless supply of helpless victims to feed on."