Best Friend's Journey Pt. 02

"Aww, bruv," I started. "I fucking love you. But not in a gay way, you know?"

Carl grinned at that, wobbling to his feet, and stumbling onto the seat next to me. I could smell the alcohol wafting from him, but I imagined I wasn't much better.

"What you doing?" I protested as he squeezed me against the window.

"Just letting you know you're my best mate," he said.

"What brought this on?" I asked.

He flipped over his phone and lifted it up, letting me see the glowing screen. A girl was looking out of it, a phone held in her hand and pointing at the screen -- she was in a mirror; in what looked like a bathroom in a pub or something. I looked down at the words on the screen and saw with shock that they were all that was covering her breasts, which were hanging out over the top of an extremely tight yellow dress: "R u sure ur ok w him seeing this?".

Before I could take in the girl's face, Carl flicked the screen, which flashed and text scrolled across it until he eventually said, "Here."

"What?" I asked, stunned.

"Look at the message," Carl pointed at the screen, touching it, and causing it to start scrolling slowly.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "Who was that?"

"What?" He looked at me with confusion, his eyes obviously struggling to focus. "Message from Jess."

I looked back at his phone, realization dawning. Had Carl just shown me a flash of his girlfriend? Was that picture Jess? His phone had her name at the top of the screen, and the conversation bubbles on each side showed it was in his messaging app. Fuck, my brain screamed at me, wishing I'd focused quicker when he first held the phone out to me.

I looked at the screen, willing it to become less blurry. The timestamps were from just a couple of hours ago.

"This one," Carl prompted, trying to pinch to zoom in to make the message larger, to no avail.

The message just said: "R u serious?"

"Err, mate, I don't think that's what you're trying to show me?" I said quietly.

He looked at me, confused, then looked at his phone again, before bringing it closer to his face, one of his eyes closing in focus.

He scrolled up and down for a minute, before dropping his phone, defeated, into his lap.

"I told Jess about my idea," he grinned up at me. "They're coming over Friday. She seemed excited. So, I's just saying thanks to you."

A robotic voice cut through our conversation, and I looked up to see the stop name.

"Shit, this is us!" I said, standing up abruptly and hammering the button on the pole next to Carl's head as he looked around in confusion.

***

Thursday was a write-off. Carl was up before me, but I don't think either of us were awake before midday and the afternoon was spent sweating, taking painkillers, and sitting on the bathroom floor.

Friday daytime was a blur, Carl was absolutely buzzing with some kind of nervous energy that made it seem as though he had been awake for a week, subsisting solely on coffee. He tidied our place, then groomed himself, then tidied the place again in a loop that lasted until I forced him to come to the shop with me to get supplies.

"This is a bad idea!" he blurted out, as we walked back, laden with bags of snacks and booze. "Why am I doing this!?"

He looked up at me, imploring in his eyes.

"I am a bit surprised you told her. I thought you were going to be subtle about it," I replied, trying to change the focus.

"I was trying to be subtle!" He almost shouted. "But I bloody fucked it up and Jess thought I wanted to sleep with Abby! I had to let her know what I meant."

"How did you get her to that conclusion? I thought you were just inviting them over and we would take it from there?"

"Obviously, that's a stupid idea and would weird her out. So, I was trying to gently ease her into it and see her receptiveness."

"By implying you had a thing for Abby?"

"No!" Carl's face battled through several emotions, before settling on something like resignation. "I may have focused too much on Abby when I was asking her if she'd had any sexual experiences with groups of people..."

"That sounds a bit specific to be 'easing her into it'," I sighed. "But what's done is done. At least she's up for it?"

"Yeah... I hope it helps... I love her so much... I can't bear the thought of losing her to something stupid like this."

"You said she was excited and seems totally up for it. Abby said that Jess has enjoyed showing off before. So, it all sounds positive for you."

"Thank you. Thanks for doing this," Carl smiled up at me. "I know it's you, but even so, it's still got to be a bit weird, yeah? So, thanks..."

We walked the rest of the way home in silence, but at least Carl was less frantic for the rest of the afternoon.

***

"Greetings, Jessica. Welcome, Abs," I said, upon opening the door to them both.

Abby had freshly re-dyed her hair, vivid slashes of red cut through the black extremely loose ponytail and shocks of red and black hung down over her face. She wore tight light blue jeans under a dark red crop top, visible under her open jacket. Her eyes seemed to be darker tonight, looking brown against the burgundy makeup that surrounded them.

Jess's blonde hair was also tied back, but in a complex braid that started above her head and ran down to around the middle of her back. Her ice-blue eyes were lined with solid black teardrop shapes and her cheekbones were accentuated by a very subtle sparkly blush. She wore a long beige coat with a multitude of belt things that obscured her figure and clothing entirely, other than her bare shins.

They both looked up at me with almost identical expressions of anger, refusing to respond to my greeting as they brushed past me and into the room.

Before I closed the door, I saw our opposite neighbour standing at his door, keys in the lock, staring in my direction with a dumbfounded expression. He noticed me looking and mouthed something and shook his head. I smiled, waved, and closed the door.

"Wow, how did you get such a small room?" I heard Abby ask from behind. "You must be the only people to be sharing one of these."

I turned to see Abby and Jess standing in what now seemed to be a very cramped room. It was larger than many of the others I'd been in, but they only had one occupant usually. Our room was basically an L-shaped box, like many standard hotel rooms. Our front door led onto a small corridor with a mirror and rail for coats opposite the bathroom door. Three steps from the front door and you were into the main part of our room and a few paces from the foot of my bed.

Carl and I had beds positioned at opposite sides of the room, tucked against the two facing walls and directly next to a tiny alcove to a tall window that looked out onto the street below. Between our beds was a long desk with two seats and a small cabinet at each end.

Next to the entrance alcove, and therefore a few steps from the foot of our beds, was a bar that spanned the wall with a small sink on the end closest to the door. Above the bar hung an embedded TV, alongside a matching set of hanging cabinets.

"Wait, this is it? Where's your kitchen?" Abby exclaimed in surprise.

"There's a communal one down the hall," Carl began, embracing Jess. "We've got a tiny fridge in the cupboard next to the sink there."

"Can I take your coats?" I asked, seeing as we seemed to have bypassed greetings entirely. "Then Carl can give you the tour."

Abby grunted a laugh and handed me her jacket.

"Hello, Samuel,," Jess smiled, taking off her coat and handing it to me.

This revealed that she was wearing an extremely tight yellow dress. One that looked oddly familiar to me. I suddenly remembered the photo Carl accidentally showed me; that was definitely Jess. I felt my face begin to flush and turned quickly to hang the coats up. But not before Jess gave me an odd smile.

"Bedroom-slash-living room-slash-study, kitchen, bathroom through that door." I heard Carl say as I hung the coats up.

"What a tour," Abby clapped her hands together lethargically. "Why did we come here to party on the Friday before we go back?"

I turned in time to see a mischievous look flash across her face before it became one of innocent curiosity.

"Err, well..." Carl began, as Jess sat down on his bed. "We're always at yours, yeah? So, we thought it was only fair that we 'host' for once."

Jess laughed behind her hand, but Carl was looking at Abby so missed it. It seemed to me like everyone knew the plan in excruciating detail, but Carl obviously didn't know that how much Abby knew, and I wasn't sure whether Jess and Abby knew each other knew. This could be interesting.

"At the end of the corridor's a communal area we could hang out in?" Carl suggested when nobody responded.

"Have you seen what she's wearing, love?" Abby quickly responded, tilting her head at Jess. "If you want a crowd, then go ahead."

A broad smile cut her face and I turned to see Jess's own face take on a subtle glow at the suggestion. Carl started floundering, so I stepped back into the room proper and rested my hand on his shoulder.

"Can we get either of you fine ladies anything to drink?" I asked, putting on a posh southern accent. "We have all sorts of divine concoctions just waiting to be imbibed."

Carl scurried back to the bar area and opened one of the doors, revealing a tiny fridge that resembled a hotel mini bar. He opened the door next to it, revealing a cupboard that, other than a few glasses, looked similar.

"Vodka lemonade?" He asked Jess.

"Thanks babe," she responded with a warm smile, her face having lost the blush from moments before.

"What do you want?" I asked Abby, who made an exasperated expression.

"I thought you knew me so well..." she pouted, before smiling. "I'll have the same."

"Mate?" Carl asked up at me.

"We may as well have the same. Saves us opening anything else yet." I shrugged.

I sat down next to Abby as Carl made the drinks for everyone and handed them out. The first hour seemed to feel a bit awkward. Abby seemed to relish in taking every opportunity to mock our humble lodgings, while Jess sat quieter than I'd ever known her. Carl turned his console on and started streaming music from the TV, and before long, the atmosphere seemed to become more convivial.

"You know alcohol makes me horny." Abby whispered in my ear while Carl was in the middle of a story about one of his classes.

The unexpected warmth of her breath on my ear and neck caused a shiver to run down my spine. I turned to look at her and she pulled me into a deep, wet, kiss.

"Oh, get a room!" Jess shouted over at us, suddenly more animated.

Abby pulled away, a mischievous look in her eye.

"Jealous, Jessica?" She smiled over at her innocently.

Jess's face had flushed. I hadn't noticed it before and didn't know whether it was due to the alcohol or Abby's provocation.

"Err, no," Jess shot back. "I can see I'm a much better kisser than him. Your nips aren't even hard."

We all unconsciously looked at Abby's chest before she covered it with a thin arm.

"Hey!" She laughed. "Why don't you come over here and prove it then?"

Jess cocked her head slowly, then looked at Carl as if for permission. He smiled and raised his shoulders in a shrug.

"Fine," Jess said in a quiet voice.

Abby pushed me back from her as Jess stood up and smoothed her dress down. As Abby leaned back on the bed, I shuffled further towards the end of it, watching Jess walked to the edge. She leaned down towards Abby, who stayed lounging backwards.

Jess made an expression of playful anger, "Don't make me come down there."

Abby just stuck her tongue out at her and smiled. I looked over at Carl who seemed to be mesmerised. The bed shifting caused me to look back over at the girls. Jess had leaned onto the bed now but was still too far away from Abby to reach her. She sighed and hitched her dress up slightly, lifting her bare leg onto the bed and leaning even further forward.

My cock slammed against my jeans, and I wouldn't have been surprised if someone had heard it. Jess's lips pressed firmly against Abby's and one of Abby's arms languidly raised to rest on Jess's shoulder.

The way Jess was leaned over Abby was clearly causing her dress trauma; her breasts were hanging on for dear life, not quite spilling out, but bulging dangerously over the yellow hem. I don't know what about the sight caused my immediate reaction: the girls kissing sensuously, Jess's perfect bare leg, the casual ease of the adjustment of her dress or her magnificent breasts being so visible, so close to me.

Everyone seemed as caught up in the moment as me; the music seemed to have become a buzzing in the background, the only other noise that of the sound of the girls' mouths pressing together.

Jess pulled back and looked down at Abby, who now seemed to have lost her breath, "I think that means I win."

As she began to rise, a smile of triumph on her face; Abby's hand fell back to the bed from her shoulder, catching briefly on something and pulling it. Her face transformed into an evil smile.

"Oops," she said breathily, Jess's shoulder strap twanging loose from her grip.

Where previously her dress had put up a heroic effort in keeping safe her breasts from being released, the sudden lack of support from the strap that should have been on her shoulder was all it took: Jess's left breast popped out over the top of the now loose yellow dress, giving Abby and I full view. Unfortunately, she was still wearing a bra that somehow continued the fight; concealing her nipple from sight but doing nothing to hide the fact it had become as hard as iron.

She panicked, trying to cover up and stand up at the same time, falling forward onto Abby entirely. Abby flowed around her, wrapping her legs around her waist and pulling her further onto the bed. Jess's dress had risen even higher, exposing the round curve of her bum and a flash of light lace underwear.

"Abby!" Jess squealed, before Abby pressed their lips together again, bringing her hands up and around Jess.

I heard something and turned to see Carl on his feet, his eyes wide and mouth working wordlessly.

"Enjoying the show?" I laughed to him, but he didn't tear his gaze away from the girls.

"Abby!" Jess shouted again; her face flushed but smiling. "Stop! My arse is on show and my tits are flopping everywhere!"

"That's the idea!" Abby laughed back at her.

Jess tried to reach with one arm to pull her dress down, leaving her free breast uncovered as her other arm held her up. Abby saw this and directed a smile at me before flipping the strap on Jess's other shoulder off. Jess seemingly didn't notice, so when she pulled at the bottom of her dress, the whole dress shifted downwards.

"What a pair," Abby laughed, pushing her head forwards and into the barely concealed mountains of flesh.

"Fuck, mate!" I exclaimed, painfully tearing my eyes off the magnificent sight to look at Carl.

He was stood in the middle of the room, frozen in a half-step. His mouth hung open as if he was going to say something, but no words came. His face held a blush that made him look pink in the waning light.

At a sharp intake of breath, I returned my gaze to the girls next to me. Jess had pressed herself into Abby, instead of trying to cover her bum, it looked like she was now trying to roll onto the bed or suffocate Abby in her cleavage. Both girls were letting out grunts of effort between laughs and the occasional gasp.

I moved further over, trying to avoid any potential flailing limbs, and saw Carl was still immobile, although no longer looked as if he was mid-step.

"Do you think I should help?" He asked, turning his head to me.

Before I could answer, Abby's face surfaced from within Jess's breasts and she gasped, "Yes! Pull her dress off!"

"No!" Jess cried, the word extending into a laugh. "Baby! Get her off me!"

Carl took a step forward as if to do as Jess had asked, but I stood up and handed him my drink, "Fill it up, would you? Cheers mate."

He stared at it in confusion for a second, so I flashed him a bright smile and quickly walked to the light switch at the front door. I hit it, leaving the room to be lit by a mix of the TV in the corner and the lampposts outside. The shadows stretched, but the room was still bright enough to see the show.

"Isn't this much more romantic?" Abby breathed heavily from where she was tangled up with Jess.

"Baby!" Jess cried again.

"Sorry, love," Carl said in response. "Just getting Sam a drink."

I stepped back to the bed, taking the drink from Carl's hands as I passed him, just in time to see Jess glaring daggers at him. He shrugged meekly and tried a smile.

"Fine..." Abby said, laying back lazily. "I see you don't want me today."

Her expression could be taken as real rejection, but Jess ignored it as she stood back up and adjusted her clothing. My gaze must have lingered on her curves for a little too long, as both Carl and Abby spoke at the same time.

"Mate-" Carl said flatly.

"-guess I'll have to play with someone else then," Abby said, delight plain in her voice.

I shrugged apologetically at Carl, before sitting back on the bed next to Abby, who sinuously flowed towards me.

"Isn't it hot in here?" She purred. "This room was not designed for two people, let alone four."

"Shall I open a window?" Carl asked.

"No," Abby responded, giving Carl a bright smile as he stepped over to help Jess.

My vision was obscured, and I heard a deep gasp as I moved my hands to my face, feeling a soft fabric.

"You don't mind, right?" I heard Abby ask.

"Slut." Was the only response I heard, before I pulled the fabric away from my face.

I was holding something red. I took it in both hands, turning it around to form a top of some sort. I looked up to see Carl and Jess looking in my direction. That's when I noticed the feeling of warm flesh against my arm.

"Ahem," Abby articulated.

I turned to see her half laying, half sitting. The bare skin of her back brushing my arm as she looked up over her shoulder at me. I realised with a start that the top she was wearing previously was now spread between my hands. From what I could see of her bra, it was a black and white lacy affair, although from my position in relation to hers, it was mostly obscured by her perfect honeyed skin.

"Bitch, look what you've done to my boyfriend," Jess chided from where she was finally covered and sitting on the edge of the opposite bed.

Her voice was stern, but she had a look of barely concealed laughter on her face as she looked up at Carl. He visibly stiffened and turned bright red.

"It's not like that! I just wasn't expecting it! Suddenly, tits," he stammered.

"I told you it was too hot," Abby replied smugly, unfurling on the bed. "Aren't you all feeling hot, too?"

She lazily reached around to tug my t-shirt up and I leaned back to let her. I noticed that Jess and Carl were both sitting now, sipping their drinks but looking over at us with wildly different expressions. Carl seemed somewhere between embarrassed and something else, his face swinging between Jess and Abby as if seeking permission to look at Abby's body. Jess looked mostly amused, her full lips curved into a smile as she slowly looked between Abby and not-quite-me.

I felt Abby struggling with my top, so grabbed a handful of it and pulled it roughly over my head. Abby may have been exaggerating, but she was right; the room was hot with all of us in it, and I looked down to see my torso glistening very slightly with sweat.

I heard a sharp intake of breath from the other side of the room but looked to Abby. "Is that better?"

"You tell me. You're the one with sweaty abs."

"I suppose it was pretty hot, and this does feel nice."

"You know what would feel nicer?"