Book Club

Book Club

By Saddle Rider

mc, mf, ff, md, fd

Note: This story takes place not long after the events in "Kayley Goes Shopping."

"Trina?"

When she saw Wendi blink rapidly, as though her brain was having difficulty processing what was in front of her, Trina mirrored it back with a general air of, 'What the fuck is this look about?' before actually asking the question in exactly that way.

Wendi processed it, looking Trina up and down completely before answering. "You look...different is all."

Trina decided to take half a step back and spread her arms out quickly before slapping her palms to her thighs. "Different how?" She watched Wendi blank and open her mouth only to have nothing come out right away because, even with what was, in her mind, an obvious assertion, it wasn't the easiest thing to articulate. She was always put together. She always dressed fashionably and now was no different, but there was something more...fun to it, and trashy without being obvious about it. White heels and slacks with a slim black belt and a polished silver buckle was all about being serious.

Above was a black crop top under a white jacket with a black choker with a silver and gold pendant bringing the eye to her cleavage and putting before them fact that she was conspicuously not wearing a bra. Her makeup was similar to what she usually wore, but...just a little more attention seeking and striking now. "You look like you could go to a business meeting or a business meeting with your sugar daddy."

"Wouldn't both of those be business meetings?" Her words were cool and matter-of- fact, so much so that Wendi considered shrinking backwards a touch, then Trina threw her head back in laughter and touched her shoulder. "Relax, it's fine. I just...decided to loosen up a little bit more. She then seemed worried. "You hate it."

"No...no, not at all. Like I said, it's just different. You just used to be a little more formal, at least in public and...it's just different. What happened?"

"Just woke up one morning and decided I'd try a new style of...me. I admit I'm still getting used to it, but enough about that. Come on in, I was just about to text you." Trina glanced back as they walked into the living room. "You're still looking good too though."

Wendi was proud of that. She knew what she had going for her. Other people would call them blessings or gifts, but she knew that what she had came as a result of the effort that she put into it. Genetics gifted her with good looks, but no one would have truly noticed them if she hadn't worked to emphasize them. Her long, midnight hair flowed to the middle of her back. She could spend hours getting those soft curls on the ends just so and making sure the black shimmered in the light. Her eyes were brown with gold flecks that looked almost amber in the right light and she'd heard more than once that they looked black when she was pissed enough.

People complimented her on how lovely she looked with so little makeup, most not knowing how much makeup and effort went into nailing looking like you wore little to none of it. She knew how to enhance what she had and use that to open the doors that her intellect would not.

She cultivated that as well. She was in the top three of her law school class, determined to be on top when it was time for her degree next year, and Wendi wasn't one to be smart in just the area she chose as her career path. She knew a fair bit about a lot and liked each of the more than a few times she'd been underestimated and then put the guilty party in their place. They had looked at the pretty girl and learned that her name was Wendi with an 'i' and made all sorts of assumptions that worked to her advantage.

Wendi crafted her body, too. How she came into the world lent her body to a more hourglass figure and full breasts only slightly larger than what she thought would have been proportional, but at least she didn't look like a comic book character. But she ran, swam, climbed and lifted weights. The result was a tight and firm form that she was plenty satisfied with when she looked in the mirror. She was smart, hot, in good shape, never sold herself short with other people or knuckled under just because 'girls are supposed to be nice.'

Wendi stepped in, her eyes scanning the new modern, yet comfortable condo. "I really do love this place. Your mom and dad still covering it?"

Trina nodded, "Keep my grades up and the check is still blank."

"Nice."

"I'm a little pissed that you haven't come to see it before now."

"Busy. Lot's of family stuff. Long story short, stepmom putting the 'evil' in 'evil stepmom' because she can. I'm more sad that I've missed at least three of your legendary parties by now."

Trina gave it some thought, "Yeah, three. You're always invited, you know."

"I know, and next time, I swear. I'm just not quite in the mood for the sensory overload right now. A book club sounded fun, though. It was an easy read, it's a chance to meet some new people, and we can chill and catch up this way way better than at one of your blowouts."

"Mmmmm....nah," Trina agreed. "My usual parties aren't known for their intimacy."

"Occasional fucking in the spare rooms or blowjobs in the closets notwithstanding," Wendi teased.

"Like that happens all the time or something. Good music, good food, good drink and happy, attractive people leads to things sometimes. As long as they fuck on the floor with a couple of pillows like reasonably civilized people and not icking my beds, who cares?"

"You're so very pragmatic."

"I know it."

"A little party like this sounds really nice.."

"That's what I'm hoping."

"How many more people are we waiting for?"

"A couple. Want a glass of wine?"

"I'll wait a few minutes for them to get here." Wendi knew who would be there and she knew who she didn't know of the group that got invitations. "So, what are 'Carey' and 'Lynne' like, and what gets them an invitation to a high-class party like yours?"

"This is a book club, not a campus blowout. Anyway, Lynne's pretty and bubbly without making you wonder if she gets high just to be that bubbly. It was my turn to do a walking tour and there she was. That turned into an all-day visit, and we got along. I thought she might be a nice addition to the parties later on. One pretty, bubbly girl gets you half a dozen guys."

Wendi knew the truth of that well enough having spent summers tending bar. A bar that drew in girls was a healthy bar, and hot girls were the key to a successful party. But she looked curiously at Trina when her voice just sort of dropped away. "What about the other one? Carey?"

Now Trina looked uncharacteristically sheepish, grabbing a bottle of wine from the counter to a to the one that, no doubt, was already being worked on in the living room. "Yeah...I sorta hit her with my car."

Wendi lit up at the very idea because it was so unlike her and leaned her hip against the island. "You what?"

Her embarrassment grew, showing via the sudden shading of red "It was just a little...tunk. It really wasn't anything. Neither of us even really felt it. I was pulling into the lot and there wasn't anything there, swear to God. I checked my phone and...tunk...there was her bumper. Christ, a little tap and an eight-inch crack in a bumper and it's eighteen hundred bucks. What the hell is up with that?"

Getting the embarrassing bit out, she now sort of shrugged it off, it not being as bad as it sounded at the end of the day, even if she was completely at fault.

"Her car or yours?"

"Oh, hers. Mine just got the paint scuffed. I never even bothered to have mine fixed. She was understandably freaked out for about ten minutes, then was pretty calm about it. She just wanted to get it taken care of. Took a few phone calls and texts back and forth, and you know how it goes on the phone. There's an awkward pause here and there where you kinda think you should hang up, but the call barely started, so it seems rude. You end up filling time with idle nonsense. Everything about her screams bookish, so I ended up mentioning that I had a book club, and was thinking about restarting it. I asked if she wanted to come hang out and she said, 'Sure.'

"Super nice of you."

"Like I said, she seems like she fits a book club and I thought it was a good way to reinforce the 'sorry,' and just generally show that I'm a sweet and classy young woman."

Wendi nodded and grinned. "You really are."

"Come on."

They walked into the main room and there were three girls that needed no introduction to Wendi. Trina was right that they were already working on some wine as they all exchanged enthusiastic if mostly non-specific greetings. One of the girls spied the bottle and raised her glass in approval. "Excellent. Haven't gotten to half of this one yet, but we'll need an emergency reserve."

"Gemma, you're a lush."

"You aren't the first person to call me plush, though you are the one of the only girls I've heard do it."

"Lush." Wendi, repeated, then one more time for emphasis, craning her neck towards the other and her place on the couch. "Lush."

"And you're uptight and always have been." Gemma dropped that fact, but did it with good nature. Truth be told, she had been called plush by her suitors and they had all meant it in the most endearing of ways. She worked out as religiously as anyone else and she was as firm as as anyone, but it was always going to under a layer of soft that could especially be seen and felt around her belly, backside, thighs, and ass.

"Give the girl a break," Trina commanded.

"Me or her?" Wendi asked.

"Whichever will get you guys to shut up and have a good time."

"I'm just giving her a little bit of shit," Wendi answered.

"I know it. How you doin', hon? It's been a minute."

"Yeah, that's my fault, Gemma, but planning to stick closer to home for a while, so you'll see me more, assuming you want to."

"Cool. I miss our shopping trips."

"Did I keep you from shopping?"

"No," Gemma said, her green eyes a striking contrast to her dark skin, sparkling in amusement at the ridiculousness of the idea. "I just miss our shopping trips. We have a lot of the same taste."

"Helps you when you want to borrow my clothes."

"It does. Having a dear, dear friend like you that functionally doubles my wardrobe is someone to be cherished. By the by, can I get that red blazer of yours? The one with the pearl buttons?"

"Tomorrow."

Gemma smiled brightly and relaxed into the dark leather couch. "It's so good to have you back."

"I love you, too."

Wendi found a spot at one end of the couch and spent the next few minutes catching up with the other girls. It was nice and it didn't take long for her to get back into the social swing. It felt pretty normal and she was able to begin to put the unpleasantness of home behind her. That bitch trying to get between her and her father had consumed way too much of her time and her thoughts lately. She didn't like leaving and giving the bitch time alone to do her work on him, but there was nothing to be done about it now that wouldn't make things worse on her end. Wendi needed time away to think of a better approach, but there would be time for that later. Now was the time to chill with old friends, meet some new people and talk up shitty books.

About twenty minutes later, there was a timid knock at the side door. "That sounds like a quiet, bookish knock," Wendi assessed.

Trina sighed a playful sigh. "It does, doesn't it?" She looked around, "I shouldn't have to tell anyone here to be nice, I know I don't have to tell anyone here to be nice."

"But?" Gemma asked.

"Since I make a point to drop the rules on everyone at a party whether they need them or not, be nice."

"And nobody has to tell us that," Gemma said. "Even if I hate a bitch I can fake smile for a few hours so everybody else's good time isn't ruined."

"She just doesn't come from money, that's all, so no jokes, even if they're really just jokes. I don't know her that well and she might be sensitive to that sort of thing."

Wendi threw out a tease before Trina left the room, "Sweet on her or something?"

Trina turned, "No. I just throw nice parties, so be fucking nice."

"Yes, ma'am."

"'Miss,' bitch. I'm not old enough to have transitioned to 'Ma'am'" Trina disappeared from view into the kitchen and opened the door when, "Hey, Carey," was heard.

"Uh, hi." She gestured to the street, "Is that okay? I just saw the other cars and..."

"It's just fine, come on in. How are you?"

"I'm just fine." She took in the expansive, five-star, stainless steel kitchen that looked apportioned like the stuff of dreams. "Wow. Do you cook? Tell me you cook."

Trina looked around, feeling a bit embarrassed once again, "No. Honestly, I look around and I feel kind of crap because I know enough to know that this really is a helluva setup, but I have absolutely no idea what you do with anything in it but the fridge. Why, do you?"

"Home taught. Mom. Grandma. Aunts. I added to it," she said proudly. "Man, I could dance around here."

"Maybe you can come over sometime and cook. Then I can watch until you get sick of me asking questions."

"That's a deal," she said, spinning slowly, thinking of what she could do with a place like this.

"All I have is wine, fruit, and some other snacks that you're welcome to, assuming you read the book. You can't stay if you didn't read the book."

She said firmly, and with a bit of pride that always came with anything that could be remotely considered an academic assignment. "I read it."

"Kidding. Come meet my friends."

That awkward heat hit as it always did. Her eyes went to the floor and she had to force them up, like she always did.

"Relax. None of them bite." Trina put her hand on Carey's shoulder and only had to give her the slightest push forward. As they entered the room, Trina employed her patented cheery party tone as they entered. "Wendi Lawson? Gemma Kenner? This is my new friend Carey Masters. Carey, these are my old friends, Gemma and Wendi."

They both waved and welcomed her in, which made Carey blush again, this time making her once-pale cheeks flare. "Hi, how are you two doing?"

"Just fine," said Gemma.

"Doing great, though I hear that Trina there tried to kill your car."

Nervousness led Carey to laugh far more loudly than intended, which made the other girls laugh in return with Trina patting Carey's shoulder once again, "You okay?"

Carey cleared her throat to attempt to cover her minor humiliation, "Yeah, sorry, no idea what that was."

"Something caught in your throat, duh," Trina said.

Wendi didn't think anything of it, and honestly didn't judge the young lady, but, dear God, did she have friends that would, but even they, at least, would have have had the decency to never do it on social media or to her face. This girl's 'plain' radiated from her like the light from the sun. Her red hair was straight and to the middle of her back, with her bangs perfectly straight. Loose gray sweats met a like-colored baggy sweatshirt with a unicorn riding a rainbow. At least the unicorn wasn't a full-on elementary school rendition and had the decency to look fierce with silver battle armor, wings with feathers that tapered into blades, muscles on top of muscles without being too ridiculous, and even a rather impressive set of fangs.

Her eyes were sharp and emerald green, though it was hard to get a really good look at them through thick glasses that gave off a young wizard vibe. Wendi wondered if she could use those things to build a fire if she had to. Her lips were full and freckles dappled her face. She at least seemed to take good care of her skin, not that most anyone would give her a second look.

"Do you like it?"

Wendi blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

"The unicorn." Carey glanced down and then back up, "I saw you looking."

Wendi got the impression that she'd seen the expression on her face on many faces before and decided to offer her an out that didn't maybe leave Carey embarrassed.

"Oh. Sorry. Yeah, I actually do like that. Where'd you find it?"

"I drew it," she said with pride. "I draw a lot of things. Commissions are a nice little side hustle."

"They help pay for school?" Gemma asked.

She felt simultaneously more at ease with something of a familiar topic and on guard waiting for the hammers of mockery or judgment to come down on her. "Yeah. Trying not to rack up too much in loans, you know?"

"Got'cha," Gemma answered. "I at least see the bills and I'm happy as fuck that I'm not the one paying them."

"You do more than unicorns?" Wendi wondered.

"I can draw anything and do it with anything...pencil, pen, crayon...whatever." In the moment of silence that followed Carey realized how she might be coming off as a bitch and retreated within herself once again. "You...want something maybe?"

"I really might," she answered. "Something 'superhero me,' and cool."

"Cool. Maybe we can talk about it later if you want and can talk about ideas. Or, you know, whenever."

"Relax, okay?" Trina ordered playfully.

"Yes. Let us have wine and snacks and a chat about an insanely bad book." Gemma said.

"Soon. We're not complete yet and it would be rude to really get going before the last guest has arrived. But you know that because you're fuckin' classy like me."

A few minutes after that, the energy in the room increased a dozen-fold with the arrival of Lynne. Wendi looked at her, then looked at Carey, wondering if the latter was some sort of sorceress because Lynne looked like someone Carey would have drawn if they asked her for a faerie pixie girl.

Petite, like a stiff breeze would blow her off the map, her hair dyed white as snow and actually cut in a pixie bob that contrasted with deep brown eyes. Her cheeks were round with a hint of natural rose and her features soft. The way she spoke and moved made her energy known. She flitted about the room and spoke as though the words were rushing from her in way beyond her control. Even sitting on the couch, she looked like a bundle of nervous energy looking for a reason to burst.

Wendi found herself conflicted. On one hand, she found herself sighing in exhaustion just watching her, but she was eminently likable as they sat about getting to know each other while Trina set the mood, bringing out the fruit and hors d'oeuvres. "Have you ever been tired?"

Lynne looked at Wendi, then nodded and smiled at the joke. "Yeah, sorry. I know I can go on and on. If I do, please tell me to hush. Sometimes I get going and I miss cues and before I know it I've sucked the air out of the room and everyone has just completely zoned out waiting for me to stop talking." She caught sight of Gemma blanking, eyes staring off at nothing and she laughed, "Just like that."

Gemma laughed, too. It was a nice moment to break the ice and made the getting to know you chatting much easier until it almost didn't feel like that. Wendi looked at Carey when she mentioned her field of study. Honestly, it was one of the things she would have guessed, but it was still something of an awe-inspiring thing to hear someone say that they were studying physics and doing extraordinarily well. She was smart and gifted in her own ways, but that required a level of intellect that just didn't belong to her. "Physics, huh? Wow."

"Yeah, I know," Carey answered, almost as if trying to justify it. She gestured her hands to either side of her head and spread them as though her head was exploding, "All that stuff in there; I could never get it out. Honestly, I just..." She stopped herself before she said too much, "It's dumb."

Gemma wouldn't let her shut down again, "What?"

"It's...how the universe works. It's how everything works. I just wanna know how everything works."