Good Girl Sara

It was her first week as a newly hired assistant editor for a major fashion magazine. A strong resume and plenty of internships helped Sara land the coveted job only a few years after graduating from a prestigious university. She was close to her dream job of becoming a staff writer.

Writing was her calling in life. She was certain of that. Both of her parents were writers; her dad wrote stage productions, and her mom wrote children's books.

As always, Sara dressed sharp. She had to, since she was working for a place that revolved around fashion. Her personal philosophy on style was to be classy, yet sassy, while remaining professional. That consisted of heels, stockings, office skirts, and buttoned up tops.

Sara put her purse down on the desk and leaned back in her chair, breathing a sigh of relief. It was her goal to show everyone that she was always on time, and that she worked harder than everyone else. Reputation was very important to her.

"Busy morning?" Chloe asked from the other desk.

The office area was loose and relaxed. It was common for people to be walking around and having normal conversations. From the moment Sara first landed the job, Chloe had been her close friend. Chloe was almost like a mentor, even though they were a few years apart in age. But Chloe had been there a lot longer.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to living in the city," Sara replied. "My god, it's crazy."

"You'll get used to it. We all do."

***

They usually ate lunch at the same place. A small Mexican restaurant where people waited in line for something quick to be served. After they got their food, they sat at an outside table under the sun.

"I think the boss really likes you," Chloe said while eating. "He usually doesn't give a shit about the new employees."

Sara smiled and shook her head. "We said 'hi' a few times. That doesn't mean anything."

"Yeah, but he usually doesn't say 'hi' to lower level employees. Especially assistant editors like us."

"I was the one who said 'hi' first. What's he going to do? Be a giant prick and ignore me?"

Chloe shrugged and took another bite of her lunch. "I don't know. I just think he treats you better than most of the new employees. I'm good at reading body-language. I know all about this stuff."

"Well, hopefully I can use it to my advantage then."

"Got anything in mind?"

"I want to be a staff writer someday," Sara replied.

"For this place, that'll take years and years. There's a long line of talented writers who are dying to work for Mr. Halpern."

"But it's all about who you know right? Maybe I'll drop off some writing samples for Mr. Halpern to look at."

Chloe smiled, "Yeah, you and a hundred other people."

"How many job solicitations do you think he gets every day?"

"I don't know. But I hear it's a lot. He's got crazy connections in the fashion and magazine world. I've heard it takes years to become a staff writer. And that's if you're lucky, and if you're an extremely good writer. Halpern has crazy standards, as you already know."

"Oh..."

"Have you thought about applying to become a writer somewhere else?" Chloe asked.

"It's crossed my mind. But I'm already an employee here. This company is my ideal place to work, without a doubt."

Chloe gave a sympathetic nod. "Like I said, Mr. Halpern seems to like you. Maybe you'll get special treatment."

There was a quiet sadness on Sara's face. She nodded and accepted the fact that she was a small fish swimming in a big ocean.

"Look, can you keep a secret?" Chloe asked.

"Sure I can."

"I mean, this is a big freaking deal. If I tell you something, do you swear to never tell anyone that I've told you?"

Sara's interest was peaked. "Yeah, I swear."

"I'm serious. You can never tell anyone I've told you this. Ever. Until the end of time."

"Just tell me already," Sara replied, annoyed.

"Alright, well, before you started working here, my old supervisor was an editor here. A big time editor. She was fired for embezzlement of corporate cash. It's a long story, but she was bitter about the whole thing. She says she didn't do it. Anyway, she told me a secret one night."

Sara leaned it. "I'm listening."

"Apparently, there's something called the Good Girl's Club in the fashion industry. It's super secretive. And it's highly exclusive."

"What do they do?"

"They give each other preferential treatment," Chloe explained. "You know, it's like if you want a high profile job at a magazine, or as a reporter, or even as a model, you'll go to the front of the line."

"How come I've never heard of this?"

"Like I said, it's super secretive. Apparently, the initiation is providing sexual services."

"Sounds like a conspiracy theory," Sara replied with a skeptical tone. "You even said, the person who told you this was bitter. Maybe she was just spreading rumors to get back at the company."

"Maybe. But she sounded pretty convincing. I'm rarely ever wrong in judging human emotions."

They went back to eating. Things were quiet for a while, especially as Sara processed the strange rumor of a private club.

"Do you really think it's true?" Sara asked hesitantly. "The whole club thing. It makes it easier to get a promotion, right?"

Chloe smiled, "I don't know. Why don't you ask?"

***

The managing editor of the magazine, Mr. Halpern, was a notoriously intense boss. He had a sharp demeanor and was quick to scold his employees. He was in his mid 40's, stylishly dressed, and highly intelligent with an overly ambitious attitude. That was how he became the managing editor of one of the most influential fashion magazines in the world.

He had been informed by his secretary that someone was waiting for him in the lobby. Someone without an appointment. He had extra time, so he agreed to the impromptu meeting, which he normally didn't do.

Sara entered the room with a blatantly forced confidence. The confidence wasn't fooling anyone. She was a nervous wreck deep down.

"What's your name again?" he asked, standing up.

"Sara. I'm a new assistant editor here."

They shook hands.

"Have a seat."

When Sara sat down in front of Mr. Halpern's desk, her eyes briefly surveyed some of the accolades and awards which were displayed. She even caught glimpses of some of the pictures on his desk, which included photos of Mr. Halpern with celebrities, big time fashion models, and even a few politicians.

"Just so we're clear, I normally don't do this," he said.

"Do what?"

"Meet in my office without an appointment. I'm a very busy man. But, since you're new, I'll make an exception."

"Thank you so much," she smiled nervously.

"Did you come here to sit down? Or did you have something in mind?"

"Well, I'm a new assistant editor here. However, my dream is to eventually become a writer for this magazine. You know, like write articles, things like that."

He gave an annoyed look. "I know what a magazine writer does. You don't have to explain that to me."

"Sorry. I'm a little nervous."

"Don't be."

Sara quickly took a deep breath. "Anyway, my goal is to become a fashion writer. I'd like to cover new trends, report on fashion shows, give advice, and so forth. The manager who hired me said that I have talent."

"This city is filled with people who have writing talent," he replied coldly. "What makes you so special?"

For a split second, Sara completely froze. The boss was a much bigger prick than she had expected. Visiting the boss might have been the biggest mistake of her life, she thought. When she finally realized that she had a stupid look on her face, she tried her best to snap back to reality.

"Maybe I'm not as talented as others," she quickly backtracked. "But I'm loyal to you, and this company."

He gave a long cold expression. "If you're not as talented as others, why should you still be employed here? Maybe I should fire you right now?"

Signs of perspiration formed underneath Sara's shirt and her forehead.

"I...I don't know."

"Give me a reason why I should keep you employed."

She gulped. And in a moment of complete desperation, she threw the hail mary pass, almost without thinking.

"I know about the Good Girl's Club."

He raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"

"Yes," she replied, thinking it saved her job.

"And what exactly do you know about it? Tell me."

"I know that it involves a lot of people in the fashion world. And I know that it helps with job connections."

Mr. Halpern stood, and Sara was unsure of what to do. For a moment, he didn't say anything. He turned around and looked through the window towards the outside view. Thinking.

"Are you interested in joining?" he finally spoke.

The question had caught Sara completely off guard. She really had no idea what the club was, let alone being prepared to join it.

"Yes," she blurted out, unsure of what would happen next.

"Very well. But first, you have to tell me how you found out. Who was your source? Who leaked the information?"

The perspiration in Sara's body continued. She could feel the tiny beads of sweat begin to form underneath her shirt.

"It was something I overheard."

"I don't believe you Sara," he replied confidently. "Tell me the truth. Or else you're fired."

She gulped. "What's going to happen to the person that told me?"

"It depends."

"On?"

"The circumstances. I'm not a cruel man. I can be a little strict, but I try to be fair."

"Do you promise you won't fire her?" Sara asked.

He thought for a few seconds. "Fine. Her job is safe. And I won't mention this conversation to anyone."

"Chloe told me about it during lunch. We were talking about my desire to be a writer here, and she told me. She thinks it's a rumor from a former boss. She doesn't know if it's real. I swear. Please don't fire us."

Mr. Halpern turned around to face Sara.

"Both of your jobs are safe," he said. "As long as this remains private."

Sara breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh thank you."

"I like you Sara. I see great potential in you. That's why I'm willing to accommodate you. However, confidentiality is a big part of this arrangement. If I can't trust you, then you cannot join. Understood?"

"Yes, I understand."

"Now go. Tell your friend Chloe that the club was just a big nasty rumor. Nothing more. She can never know. Tomorrow, come to the main conference room, first thing in the morning. We have a few things to discuss."

"Okay. Thank you so much for this opportunity, Mr. Halpern."

"Don't thank me. You haven't passed the initiation yet."

A realization had sunk in Sara. Judging by the look on Mr. Halpern's face, she knew she was in for a few surprises.

***

That night. Sara laid on her couch watching Game of Thrones. Despite the nudity, treachery, and violence, all Sara could think about was the meeting with Mr. Halpern. It had been the most awkward moment of her life. She wondered where the next meeting would lead, and what they were going to discuss.

She also felt bad about lying to Chloe. She told her office friend that Mr. Halpern admonished her for even suggesting such a thing. But it was for the best. If Sara didn't lie to Chloe, then both of them would have been fired.

Before long, her eyes were closing before the episode ended. She turned off the television and went to the bedroom, making a mental note to finish that episode later. The stresses of the day had left her exhausted beyond belief.

***

Early morning. The conference area was well known. It was a long room which was frequently used for high level meetings. It was where all the major decisions were made. It was where all the big deals were closed. It was even the place where big name celebrities and models were courted.

Sara took the elevator and went to the proper floor. Surprisingly, it was mostly empty except for a few people and a receptionist. The floor wasn't hard to navigate. She followed the signs on the wall and headed towards the conference room, where the door was slightly open. She peeked inside and saw Mr. Halpern standing alone.

After a few knocks on the door for courtesy, Sara entered.

"Close the door," he said.

Sara closed the door, and they were alone. There were a few pieces of paper placed neatly on the table, along with a pen.

"What's that?" she asked.

They were still far apart, and Sara walked towards the boss.

"They're a few legal documents for you to sign, if you want. Don't worry, everything is written in plain English, so it's simple to understand. I'm not trying to trick you."

Sara's eyes glanced down at the separate documents. The font was large. Each page only consisted of one or two paragraphs. The writing was in basic form, and there was no legal terminology.

"What is it for?" she asked, still glancing at the pages.

"Nondisclosure agreements. It says that everything that happens between us remains private. It's really that simple. I'll give you time to read it. We can continue this conversation tomorrow if you decide to think about it."

After a few more seconds of glancing through the pages, Sara grabbed the pen and quickly signed her name on each of the documents. When she finished, she put the pen down and looked at her boss.

"There. It's done."

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" he asked.

"I'm sure. My dream is to become a writer here. Whatever you want to discuss, I won't tell anyone. It'll be our secret."

"And Chloe? Will you tell her?"

Sara shook her head. "I told her yesterday that the club thing wasn't true."

"Did she believe it?"

"She did."

Mr. Halpern reached over to collect the papers. Then he folded it and placed it neatly inside of his jacket pocket.

"So, you wish to join the infamous Good Girl's Club. But you don't know exactly what it is. How interesting."

"I'm very motivated to succeed," she gulped.

His eyes looked over her body. He noted that she was well dressed, particularly for that day. He liked that she had dressed extra sharply for him.

"Slid your panties down. Give them to me."

Those words caused Sara to reflexively tighten her muscles.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because it's part of the initiation. Do you want to join or not?"

"Of course I do."

He looked down at her skirt. "Then show me you're interested."

The look in his eyes was serious, and so was the tone in his voice. Sara knew that there was no way around it. It was humiliating, especially as they stood by the window. There was a large office building nearby. Anyone from the other building could have easily looked to see Sara undressing. But it was worth the risk.

Sara reached below and slid her panties down, trying her very best not to expose any of her private parts. Once the panties were around her ankles, she stepped out of it, and she held the panties in her hand.

"Give them to me," he said with his hand extended.

She reached over and placed her panties in his hand.

"Now turn around," he added. Model yourself for me. You look great in that skirt."

"I'm not very good at modeling," she admitted.

"Just give it a try. I'm not going to criticise you."

With a hint of embarrassment, Sara gave a slow and awkward twirl. But not too hard. She didn't want her office skirt to fly up. It looked painfully bad, and any professional model would have laughed at Sara's horrendous moves.

"Was that okay?" she asked, hoping it would be over.

Mr. Halpern sat down in a leather chair and leaned back, which was a clear sign that they weren't even close to being finished.

"You have a cute bottom," he complimented. "Turn around and show me the back of your skirt."

Sara listened and turned around. She faced the other end of the room thinking it was less embarrassing since she didn't have to look at her boss anymore. She prayed that no one in the other office building was looking at the awkward conference room encounter.

"Now pull your skirt," he said. "Pull it forward so that I can see the shape of your rear end."

Her fingers wrapped around the bottom of her skirt, then she pulled it forward, giving her boss a clear outline of her bottom. She wondered what the shape looked like. She wondered what Mr. Halpern must have been thinking.

"Do you like it?" she asked, then immediately regretting it because it sounded like she was enjoying the moment.

"You have a lovely figure. I've noticed it since the day you started working here."

"Thank you."

Sara was still holding her dress to reveal the shape of her rear end. She held the position, wondering how much longer she would have to do it.

"Now lift your skirt," he said.

Sara tried to think of the quickest excuse possible to get out of the situation. But she couldn't think of one.

"I'm not wearing any panties," she said, as if that would somehow help.

"I know. It's finally time I see your bottom."

"Why?"

"Are you questioning me?"

"No."

"Then do it," he said.

Sara lifted the dress, praying that no one in the nearby office building was looking. She was too scared to check. Even though the room was set to a comfortable temperature, Sara could still feel the cool area on her private parts. In a strange way, she could feel Mr. Halpern's eyes roaming across her round shapely bottom.

"Very nice," he said. "That was excellent. You may cover yourself now."

She quickly pulled her skirt down, then turned around, almost too embarrassed to look him in the eyes.

"That was weird," she said.

"Don't be ashamed. You have such a beautiful backside."

She blushed. Feeling kind of proud of her hard-earned body, especially her toned legs.

"Thanks. I do a lot of aerobics at the gym."

"Have you enjoyed this?" he asked, eyebrow raised. "Do you like being a secret exhibitionist for me?"

She gestured to the window. "Who knows who else might be watching."

"Ignore them," he smiled. "Just focus on me. Did you enjoy showing your beautiful rear end to me?"

"It was interesting. Am I part of the club now?"

"What's the rush? The initiation process is usually quite lengthy. And for good reason. Think of all the perks you'll be receiving."

Sara nodded. "What else do I have to do?"

"Don't wear panties in the office anymore. I like you better without panties. Also, try wearing smaller skirts. Show off those incredible legs."

"But...people would notice that I'm not wearing..."

"Don't worry about anyone else," he replied sharply. "The only opinion that matters is mine. Understood?"

"Yes."

"I might check at any time. And if you're wearing panties, the deal is off."

She nodded. "Okay."

"You'll be receiving further instructions soon. And I expect total compliance. If you do this, then you'll be rewarded for your good deeds."

"Thank you sir."

Mr. Halpern put the panties in his pocket. "You can go now. I'm keeping your panties as a souvenir."

After another nod, Sara left the conference room. When she left, she could still feel her boss's eyes glaring at her bottom. It was strange walking down the hall without any panties on. She felt exposed. A wrong move could expose her private parts by accident. It was an unusual rush.

***

Days passed. Then a week. Then two weeks. Sara became restless with her boss. She tried to muster the courage to go talk to him. But she figured it would only lead to more humiliation. Soon after their first 'meeting,' Sara began to doubt the whole thing. The Good Girl's Club was probably a dumb rumor, and Mr. Halpern was sleazy enough to take advantage of a naive young employee, she thought to herself. What a jerk.

Nevertheless, she continued to follow the instruction. After their meeting, she stopped wearing panties to work. It was a feeling she quickly became accustomed to. It was thrilling and nerve wracking at times. Other times, she had completely forgotten about it. The worst moments were outside the building. If there was a cool breeze, she felt the air brush against her vagina. She worried that the wind would blow her skirt up, then everyone would see her privates.