Avery's Exposure

Avery's stomach was in knots as the movie's final credits rolled across the TV screen. A few feet away from her, two couch cushions away, sat Isaac and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was about to risk it all. The two of them had been friends for a couple years now. They had met when they had been in the same class the first semester of graduate school after being randomly sorted into the same project group.

Isaac was a few years older than her. She had come straight out of college into the grad program where he had taken a couple years off to work before returning to school. He was always so chill, and nothing seemed to faze him. And he was always selfless; he would drop everything to help whether that be school or real life. He had helped her move, written a group assignment by himself when she got sick, and once he had gotten up in the middle of the night to pick her up from a party when she was drunk.

She looked over at the man and took a deep breath. He ran his hand through his short, buzzed blond hair before starting to push himself onto his feet. "Well, that was fun," he started.

Avery pushed away the thought of just letting him leave. She needed him and she'd put asking until the last minute. "Listen," she said, "Can we talk for a minute?"

"What's up?" he answered.

"Well, what are you doing tomorrow? I need a big favor," she said, feeling the pit in her stomach sink even deeper.

"Nothing," he answered, "What's wrong? Is everything ok?"

Avery felt her round cheeks burn. "Well . . ." she trailed off, "I'm just going to spit it out. I'm sorry."

"Now you have to tell me," Isaac answered.

"I'm going to, um," she hesitated, "I kind of got in trouble and I need you to do something for me."

He narrowed his eyes in concern, "What kind of trouble?"

"Like legal trouble. Like I have to go to the Judicial Center tomorrow . . ." she muttered.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Isaac said, "What happened? That's terrible."

The Punishment Codes that had been instituted a couple years ago were well known now. Everybody had heard the stories of people guilty of petty crimes being spanked rather than paying a fine or serving a short prison sentence.

"Um, yeah," Avery said, feeling herself glow even redder. She waved if off, "You know what? Don't worry about it. Ignore me."

"No, no. What do you need me to do?" Isaac insisted, "Why didn't you tell me before?" He hesitated, untying his tongue, "I mean, I might keep that to myself, too, but what do you need. I'll do anything."

"I know," Avery said, hoping she wasn't asking too much of him, "I want you to come."

"What?"

He looked like he was in shock, but she kept going, "Well, I want you to be there. I want somebody I know to be there."

"So, it's public. Like outside?"

"It's in the viewing theatre that they have," Avery explained. She wished he would just say he would come.

Isaac stumbled over his words, "Um, well, um, what happened? How did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Look, I was embarrassed, obviously. It's ok. You don't have to come. I understand," Avery blurted.

"No, no. If you really want me to come then I'll go, but why do you want me?" Isaac asked.

"So, you'll come? Please," Avery said.

"Yeah, of course. Whatever you want. What do you want me to do?"

"Just, you know, support me. I just," she stopped to collect her thoughts, "Want somebody I know to be there."

Isaac sat, looking dumbfounded, "Sorry. It's just a bit of a shock. Of course. I'll help you however I can."

"Thank you," Avery said as she slid over the cushions closer to him. She thought about what to say next, "It's just that I didn't have anybody else to ask. I don't want to tell my parents and you're my closest friend . . . That, you know, is living nearby."

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Isaac said, soothingly.

"And you know, I'm not really experienced with that kind of thing," she continued.

"Crime and punishment?" he interjected.

"Shut up," she said. He never missed a chance at a laugh. She loved that about him.

"Sorry."

"You know what kind of thing. I'm, you know, a virgin," she whispered like it was a dirty word, "And I'm going to be naked." She saw Isaac's eyebrows raise and could imagine the joke he was holding back: some sex pun that was just funny enough to overcome the awkwardness. "I just don't want everybody who sees me naked for the first time to be a stranger."

Isaac shrugged, "I guess that makes sense." He took a deep breath and reached his hand out and touched Avery's hand before pulling it back.

Her heart leaped. She didn't know why but just him brushing her hand made her feel better. She wished his hand had stayed but she wasn't brave enough to reach out for it.

"So, what did you do?" he asked.

"It was just a stupid mistake. I got caught speeding. Fifty-eight in a forty-five. It's a four-lane highway with a median so I don't know why it's not fifty-five on that road."

"Oh, out on route one sixty-four?"

"Yeah. Anyway, I was more than ten miles over so that bumped it up," she explained.

"So, that added up to a public spanking?" Isaac guessed.

"No! It's not that bad," Avery answered, "Oh, never mind. You don't have to come. I shouldn't have said anything."

"If that's what you want," Isaac said.

Avery was glad that he kept giving her outs. It would be weird if he was too into it, but she really did want him there. "No, no. I want you to be there. I don't know why I said that. I just . . . It's weird," she said.

"Maybe a little," Isaac said, quietly, "So what's gonna happen?"

"Um, I'm gonna be tied up with . . .," Avery said. She put her hands together and spread them in a V.

Isaac's eyes opened again, "Wow, I'm so sorry."

Avery nodded, "No, I'm sorry. This is so weird. I shouldn't be making this so uncomfortable for you. You don't have to come."

Isaac nodded slowly, "It must be worse for you. I guess I'm honored that you asked me." He shrugged, "Is there anything else you want me to do?"

Avery did have something more thing in mind, but it scared her too. "Well I was thinking that . . ." she stopped and mulled it over. She could still audible to any favor, but she convinced herself to just go for it, "That . . . That I might strip for you."

"Um, if . . ."

Avery talked over him, "You know it's going to happen tomorrow and I want the first time to be with someone I know. So, I thought, maybe I should do it right now."

"You're first time?" Isaac said.

"You know what I mean. This is hard. Can you not?" Avery frowned.

"Sorry. If that's what you want, then do it. I'll see you tomorrow anyway."

Avery's stomach dropped at the reminder.

It must have registered on her face because he was apologizing again, "Sorry, I shouldn't say that," Isaac apologized. "Um, what do you want me to say though?"

"It's ok. I don't know. What do you want to say?" Avery asked.

"I don't know. Usually when a girl is naked in front of me, I'm calling her hot," Isaac said.

Avery wasn't sure if that was another joke. It was hard to tell with him, sometimes. "Well, you can call me hot."

"Really? I can handle that," Isaac answered

"I mean is it weird? It's not like we're dating and I don't want to give you the wrong idea."

"No, no, but you're hot."

"Am I?" she didn't really believe him.

"Hottest girl in the program," Isaac answered.

"You're just saying that," she demurred.

"Nope, you're hot," Isaac repeated.

Avery produced a half-hearted smile, "Yeah, sure." She didn't really believe him, but it was nice to hear, "Compliments will help, but no sex jokes, please. Not until this is over and then you can tell those again."

"Ok, compliments and no sex jokes," he affirmed, "I just want to help."

"You are, really," Avery responded, "So should I just do it there?" She indicated the space between the coffee table and the TV.

"Sure," Isaac answered, "Um, should you close the blinds?"

"Probably." she was on the third floor and no building overlooked the apartment, but better safe than sorry, "Double check that the door is locked."

"Sure," Isaac answered. He got up to lock the door and Avery got off the couch and pulled the shades over the window and the glass door that led to her small balcony.

Butterflies rose in her stomach as she took her spot and Isaac returned to sit in the middle of her dingy blue couch. He pulled a pillow on top of his lap and said, "Well, you're very pretty and very brave."

"Thanks, Isaac," Avery said, but she stood frozen in the middle of the room. She was wearing her normal summer uniform: a white t-shirt with her undergrad's logo and running shorts. Today's shorts (she had about a dozen pairs) were neon green with white stripes on the outside of her round thighs.

Her fingers went to the hem of her shirt and she started to pull it up her stomach revealing the elastic waistband of her shorts. Apprehension rose in her and she let her shirt drop back into place. She looked at Isaac who was looking her in the eye with a soft smile on his face.

After a few long moments, she decided that her pants might be easier to take off first. They were so short it's not like she would be showing off much more skin, just a couple of inches higher up her thigh.

Her hands went to her hips and she pushed up the sides of her shirt to hook her thumbs in her waistband. She pulled the elastic away from her skin and all she had to do was guide them down, but she couldn't. With a snap, she let go and put her hands on her head in dismay.

"You don't have to do it," Isaac assured her, "Whatever you're comfortable with is all you have to do."

"That's not true. I have to do it tomorrow," she huffed, "I want to do this." She grabbed the bottom of her shirt again and yanked it up showing her flat stomach for a split second before she dropped it again. "I just can't," she exclaimed. She felt tears in her eyes, but not from embarrassment. She was mad at herself. She'd been brave enough to ask for help but now she was too scared to go further.

"What about this?" Isaac offered, "Why don't you go to the bathroom or in your bedroom and then come out without, um, whatever you want to take off."

Avery thought about it for a second and nodded, "Yeah, that's better than nothing. I don't think I can do it in front of you."

"You don't have to do it at all," Isaac reminded her.

"I should, though," Avery answered as she walked out of the living room and headed into the hallway bathroom.

She looked at the full-length mirror on the back of the door. She shook her head angrily and brushed her straight, brown hair behind her shoulders. She scowled at herself and wiped her watery, brown eyes. She took a deep breath and pointed at herself in the mirror, whispering, "Come on, this is what you wanted."

"Yeah, I know," she answered herself.

"Then do it," her alter ego hissed.

She took a deep breath and sat on the closed toilet seat, "Just gonna do it."

Avery pulled off her shirt and looked at herself in the mirror "There are you happy now?" she asked her own reflection. She nodded to herself and smirked at her own bit. It was easier when nobody was watching. Hopefully, she would get to strip in private tomorrow. She didn't know how else she could get through it.

She chewed her lip as she examined her own nude bra in the mirror. She wore a 32D but always thought that the size sounded bigger than they actually were. She liked her chest but sometimes wished they looked as big as she thought Ds should. "Can I really show Isaac my boobs?" she asked herself aloud.

"No, let's just do underwear. It's better than nothing," she answered. She hooked her thumbs back in her shorts and lifted her bottom off the toilet to yank them down and sat back down in her nude-colored panties. Accidentally, she had dressed in matching underwear this morning. Luckily, they were suitably boring, and Isaac wouldn't think that she was trying to be sexy.

Avery stood up and nodded to herself. In the past, she wasn't always happy with her body, but she'd grown to be happy with it. She had larger thighs and an ample butt, which she thought was her best feature. It was pleasingly round without being too large. She turned to check her bottom in the mirror and pulled fabric out from her crack and pulled them down to cover as much skin as she could.

Then she locked eyes with herself in the mirror and grimaced at her complexion. Stress wasn't doing her any favors and she had a red spot on her cheek and a few bumps on her forehead. Still, she knew she was pretty. Enough boys had told her over the years that they couldn't all just be nice.

Avery rubbed her hands over her pale skin and felt her stomach drop at the thought of having to bare it all tomorrow for all those strangers. Pushing down the fear she reached for the doorknob, and stuck her head out the door, "Isaac, I'm coming out."

"Ok, I'm sure you look great!" he answered.

Avery thought that he had taken this about as well as she could hope. Deep down she knew that he would, that was why she had asked him. She pushed open the door and walked out into the living room in only her underwear.

"Wow," the man muttered, and Avery felt herself blush.

"Well, what do you think?" she asked. She stood in front of him. She didn't know what to do with her hands. They crossed over her chest and over her crotch and then behind her back before she rested them on her hips in an attempt to look confident.

"Just like I thought, ten out of ten," Isaac answered.

"No, I'm not. Be truthful, please," Avery demanded.

"You're everything any man could want," he said.

"Don't be evasive. Am I too pale? Are my thighs too big?"

His eyes descended from her face, over her torso, and to her thighs. She liked that he was taking her questions seriously, but self-consciously her hands covered the thin triangle of fabric between her legs.

"I like pale girls and thick thighs are hot," he responded.

"Really?" she asked unable to look him in the eyes as he flattered her.

"Yep, you're very attractive. Any other questions?"

"Are you mad that I'm not naked?"

"Of course not. I only want you to do what you're comfortable doing, or do you want the other answer?"

"What's that?" she asked.

"I wanted to see you naked," he answered with a grin, "So maybe I'm a little mad."

Avery couldn't help but laugh, "Isaac, you said no jokes!"

"That wasn't a joke. I'm sure it doesn't help much, but you shouldn't be ashamed of how you look. Maybe nobody should be ashamed of their looks, but you definitely shouldn't."

"All body positive," Avery said with an eye roll, "Well, thanks, I guess, but maybe you have low standards."

"You asked," he said matter of factly, "Everything I've seen of you is hot, in my opinion."

Avery still wasn't sure, "Don't lie."

"I'm not," he promised.

Avery decided to call an end to her experiment, "Well, I think that's all you get to see tonight. You can see the rest tomorrow with everybody else."

Isaac frowned and Avery hoped it was at the idea of the punishment rather than her not stripping further. "What do you want to do now?"

Avery flopped onto the couch, "Can I ask another favor?"

"Sure," Isaac said, sliding over to give her the customary empty cushion between them, "Whatever you want."

"I don't want to be alone; let's open another bottle of wine. You can stay the night if you don't want to drive home. The couch pulls out into a bed," Avery said.

"Of course. Anything to make you feel better," he said.

"It does," she said, "Thank you. It really does."

***

Isaac decided to give up on sleep when his phone read seven. He hadn't slept well the night before, distracted both from the metal bar that seemed to hit his back in just the wrong spot, but, more importantly, the previous night felt like a dream. He thought it couldn't be real, but it was. His crush, Avery Miles, had stripped down to her underwear and invited him to watch her be punished at the Judicial Center in about six hours.

He had been smitten with her since the first time they met as project partners in their first semester of graduate school. She was smart and bubbly, and they were interested in the same things. When one of them had an idea, the other was always up for it. It was so effortless to spend time with her.

He had planned for a while to ask her out, but he was worried about ruining the friendship. Plus, it had become clear early on that he had much more life experience than her especially in the dating and sex game. It just never felt right to try to have a romantic relationship with her.

"Was last night even real?" he thought to himself. It was just so different than their usual hangouts. Him and Avery had been watching movies together a lot in the last few months, and nothing had been anything like that. Every once in a while, the topic of sex or dating would come up, but those conversations never lasted longer than her saying she might try online dating (she never did) and him jokingly telling her not to waste her youth.

He replayed the night in his head. Was she drunk? No, they hadn't been intoxicated until after she settled back on the couch in her underwear. Did he act too excited to help? Did she think that he wanted to see her at the Judicial Center? Did he make it worse with his jokes? He winced at the memory of telling her he'd see all of her tomorrow anyway. That wasn't his best moment.

Avery stripping in front of him was crazy. It was just so out of character for her. He had imagined that so many times when he was alone. Avery was perfect to him; he wasn't exaggerating when he complimented her. Constantly, he had snuck glances at her legs in her short shorts when they were together or hoped for a glimpse of her panties above her waistband. "I'm such a creep!" he reprimanded himself.

Questions and fears raced through his head. Did she notice his erection when she stood in front of him? Hopefully, she hadn't given the pillow on his lap a second thought. And he called her hot, too. Did girls like being called hot? She seemed to like it, but was that the truth? Guilt welled up within him. He shouldn't have said that he wanted to see her naked last night. "She must think I'm such an asshole. Is it obvious that I like her?"

He imagined his crush was like a lighthouse flashing at her. There was no way she could miss it. Normal people without feelings for her wouldn't be calling her a ten out of ten. He shook it out of his head, knowing that wasn't true. If she thought he was a perv, she wouldn't have fallen asleep next to him in only her underwear. When he had noticed he put a blanket on her and waited for her to wake up on her own for him to pull out the couch-bed.

More guilt rose in him again at the thought about what he would see later in the day. He didn't want to see her be punished, but he couldn't deny that he was looking forward to seeing her naked. "God, I'm such a fucking ass. How could I think that?"

He rolled over onto his stomach and grew angrier at himself as he felt his hard on rub against the thin mattress. Invasive thoughts overwhelmed him, "I wonder how they do it? Probably tie her to a pole, right? No! Stop it. Don't imagine that. She doesn't deserve it. All for a speeding ticket. It's insane." Almost against his will his hand began to rub his cock through his boxers. For a moment, his mind was filled with images of Avery, both real and imagined. Avery standing in front of him in her underwear. Her ass in her running shorts. How he imagined her pussy, unrealistically perfect and hairless.

With a sigh, he got control of himself before he passed the point of no return. He flung the blanket off himself and momentarily debated heading to the bathroom to finish himself off. It would probably help him avoid random erections today while Avery was around. "No, I'm not just going to jack off in my friend's bathroom. That's so fucked up."