An Accidental Jubilee Sploshing

'Fine. Ask away. I'll do my best to answer.'

'Well, first of all, who dared you?'

'Remember how I said you had to keep everything I tell you a secret?'

'I remember.'

'Well there's a group of us. You'll understand I can't tell you names, but we take it in turns to give each other ridiculous, usually messy dares. Today was my turn.'

'You don't seem to mind. I mean, now that I've caught you.'

Katie shrugged nonchalantly. 'I'd rather people didn't know, obviously, but there's not much I can do about it if I get caught, is there?'

'So you like doing this?'

Another shrug.

'Alright. Okay. I think I get it.'

'You do?'

Now it was Carrie's turn to shrug, though she wasn't as good at pulling of the nonchalance as Katie had been. She felt her cheeks burning red, but something about the situation made her want to tell her story too. No. She couldn't do that. 'Anyway, I'm not finished. Which is an appropriate turn of phrase, because my next question was whether part two was the final part of the dare.'

'Ah,' Katie said. 'Not exactly.'

A thrill ran through Carrie, then. She really was enjoying this. 'Well...'

Katie tittered nervously. Apparently, there were things that could still make her blush. 'There's one more part. Well, two, kind of, but the very last part involves me and the camera on my phone if you catch my meaning.'

Carrie nodded that she did, but said nothing, leaving Katie just enough rope to hang herself by if she chose to do so. Katie gripped the rope with both hands and with surprising eagerness.

'I have to go to three shops, then fill my underwear step-by-step with the substance I've been told to buy in that shop. I can do them in any order, but I have to do all of them and provide proof. I got custard from my corner shop, and I assumed this place would be empty so I wouldn't have much of an audience. Imagine my surprise.'

'So where are we going for step three?'

'We?' The word had escaped Carrie's lips without her really thinking about it. Katie had obviously caught it, though, and leapt on it.

'Well, uh, now that I'm here, y'know. I mean, as long as I don't have to be initiated or anything.'

Carrie found herself subject to an appraising look, then. Was Katie weighing her up? Checking her out? Sizing her up for some kind of messy initiation. Again, Carrie found herself surprised by the way her pulse had kicked up a gear at the idea.

'I hadn't planned on an audience, but since I've got one it feels rude to turn you away,' Katie said. 'I've saved the best -- or worst -- till last. It's definitely the hardest part to do subtly, and not just because I'm already leaking slop.'

'Go on.'

'Next up is my bra, of course, and ice-cream. Figured I'd go to Tesco and get some Ben and Jerry's.'

Carrie found herself thinking about how the cold slime would feel against her own nipples, and immediately regretted it. The lump in her throat felt as if it was impossible to ignore, but Katie made no mention of it. Breaking the quiet herself, Carrie asked 'why Ben and Jerry's? Why the nice, expensive jam if you're just going to ruin it?'

'Part of the dare,' Katie said. 'It's supposed to teach me a lesson about expense. We do come up with some elaborate dares.'

Now Carrie wondered again who the other members of this perverted circle were. Instead, she asked 'can you just give me a minute? I do need to get my jam and that poor woman will be wondering if I've changed my mind and done one.'

Katie smiled sympathetically. 'Fine. But not too long. You'll understand that I don't really want to stay here like this for too long.'

Already half out of the car by now, Carrie was emboldened. 'Are you sure?' She heard Katie laugh wickedly at that, but if she said anything more it was cut off by the noise of the door closing.