Gracie's Three Punishments Ch. 02

Thank you to everybody reading this. All comments are appreciated. This story is an interlude between Gracie's three punishments. This is more on the reluctance side of NonConsent/Reluctance and it ends with a budding romance. I hope you enjoy.

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Gracie was in the bathroom of a coffeeshop near City College. She brushed her fingers through her brown hair and herself in the mirror. She was a pretty girl with sharp features, brown eyes, and olive skin. She had travelled into the city to visit with her new friends, Kelsey and AJ. It was Sunday, eight days after the three of them had endured a public punishment in a public park across the city. Gracie was significantly older than the other two girls. While she was twenty-nine, Kelsey was nineteen and just finished her freshman year of college and AJ had only just graduated high school and was looking forward to starting university in a few months.

They had only met when they were all stuffed into the back of a van together and delivered to Bradford Park where Gracie had been caned and the others were tied up naked for the enjoyment of the crowd. They had become quick friends, forged in the crucible of their ordeal. Kelsey, the most outgoing of the three, had immediately found her new friends online and had started a group chat and scheduled today's get together.

Gracie felt a little weird making friends with these younger women, but she was lonely. All her peers had shunned her after her fraud allegation and eventual conviction. She had shut herself in her house waiting for the days of her punishments, so it felt good to be out doing something fun. She had decided to dress well in black and white striped blouse and slacks. It was something she would have worn to a nice restaurant or a first date. It was nice just to go through the motions again, including putting on her make up for the first time since her last court appearance.

When she got back to the table, the girls, who obviously had much more in common with each other, were talking about professors to take or avoid. Gracie chipped in with memories from her undergrad days and giving wise advice that comes only with age.

Chatting over the last week, Kelsey had been vocal about telling Gracie she could talk as much or as little about her punishments that were still upcoming. Unlike the other girls, her crime was severe enough that she had multiple visits to the Punishment Center. Gracie didn't want to talk about it, she'd already turned down the chance to speak to a therapist. Nevertheless, Kelsey believed in the power of positive thought and plain talk, so she kept bringing up how much it helped her to talk about her feelings before last weekend.

It was tiresome, but she knew Kelsey meant well, it wasn't like she was a weird voyeur or anything. Ultimately, she had agreed that if they found a private place to talk, like this table tucked in a quiet corner, she would discuss it with them. "It might even help me, like Kelsey says."

She feared that the two girls would get scared off by the intensity of her upcoming punishments. Caning was tame, just a step up from childhood discipline, compared to what she was about to tell her friends. They only knew that she had two more punishments left to pay off her crime, because a guard had referenced it within earshot of them.

Gracie had told them she was going to have to leave soon, so she was expecting Kelsey to start leading conversation back to the topic. It didn't take long.

"Sooooo," Kelsey said, dramatically changing the subject, "I know you have to go catch your train, and you don't have to talk, but that is the reason we got together today."

"Not just for my wonderful company?" Gracie joked.

Kelsey frowned, AJ, much more reserved than Kelsey, flashed Gracie a sympathetic smile, knowing that this wasn't her ideal topic of conversation.

"No, no, it's ok," Gracie said, readying herself for interrogation, "What do you want to know?"

"Well," the short haired girl started, "I think you could tell us what your next punishment is and tell us what you think about it."

Gracie opened her mouth, but Kelsey kept talking, obviously having an argument to make.

"I think that saying things aloud, and, you know, owning it, rather than," she hesitated, thinking about her words, "hiding or pretending it's not going to happen really helped me before last weekend. I knew that it was going to be bad but talking about it and going through my feelings, I think, really made it easier."

Gracie wasn't sure what "owning it" meant, but she thought that she owed it to the girls, who had been so nice and open to her, to talk about it. "Maybe it will help."

"Alright, here goes," Gracie whispered, as the girls leaned in to maintain their privacy, "Tomorrow is my second punishment. The judge sentenced me to be spanked, um, between my legs and it's public."

AJ frowned, but Kelsey, brave as always, didn't blink, "I'm sorry that's going to happen to you. What worries you the most about it?" She spoke like a therapist.

"I mean, obviously, it's my vagina. What happened last Saturday really hurt, but this will be worse, right?"

"Why do you think it will be worse?"

Gracie paused, annoyed she was going to say it out loud. "It feels more personal and more sexual, I guess. Like caning just seemed like I was a kid again getting spanked, worse obviously, but this is something totally different."

"Yeah, I got lucky," AJ piped up, "I never had to open my legs at the park."

AJ had gotten off easily in that sense. Of the three of them, Kelsey showed the most people her most private place, hundreds of people got a close-up view if they wanted.

Kelsey launched into more of her philosophy, "Yeah, that is definitely no fun. I figured that mine would definitely be, um, out, I guess. Owning my punishment really helped me."

"I don't know what that means, though," Gracie interrupted her.

"It means accepting that it's going to happen and being ready for it. Part of it is personal responsibility and I don't want to lecture you on that. I knew I did something wrong and the price was last weekend."

"Yeah, but I did something actually wrong," Gracie interrupted her, "You shouldn't feel bad about underage drinking. Who cares about that? I tried to steal money from my company."

"That doesn't matter. I felt bad about it and I knew that everything that happened last weekend was a result of my actions and it was inevitable."

AJ added her two cents again, "I'm with Gracie, you didn't do anything wrong."

"That still doesn't matter," Kelsey continued, "even if you don't feel guilty, accepting that the punishment is definitely going to happen and there's nothing that can be done about it puts you in the headspace to prepare for tomorrow and the next day, whenever that is."

"She reads too many self-help books, but that makes some sense."

"Ok, that kind of makes sense," she admitted, "but what do you mean prepare?"

Kelsey blushed, "Well, you know," she hesitated to try to avoid saying it aloud, "practice."

Gracie knew what Kelsey must have done and understood her embarrassment, "Oh, you practiced anal before last week. Don't worry about it, that's totally normal."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I think its weird, I know it's not, but you know."

"It's ok, Kels," AJ whispered squeezing her friend's hand.

Gracie found both girls very impressive. AJ was the by far the least experienced sexually, but she was taking all these conversations in stride, when she could have just washed her hands of everybody after her punishment was served.

Gracie thought about ending the conversation now, she had a train to catch back to her house in the suburbs and this whole thing was awkward and she felt bad for bringing AJ and Kelsey into her troubled life. That felt like abandoning them and she really did like them.

"Does practicing really make sense though? I mean just, you know, slapping myself doesn't make sense."

"It might, if you can make yourself do it. And it doesn't have to be that, you know how it is at these public events, close your eyes and imagine it. That's part of owning it. Any preparation that makes it just slightly better is worth it."

Gracie frowned at the thought and added more information, "That's not what its going to be like tomorrow. It's a weekday so the public punishments happen in the Center and people can buy tickets to watch."

Kelsey thought for a second. "Doesn't that make it better? Less people will be there."

"Maybe, I just keep imagining being the center of attention and people staring at me and it sucks."

"Yeah, I'm sure it does. I still think imagining it helps prepare you. Like you're trading awkward feelings now for a little better time tomorrow. It worked for me."

"Maybe, listen I need to go. I hope this wasn't too weird, I was scared of running you guys off."

"Don't worry about it," AJ said. "We are here for you, you made me feel so much better last weekend. We just want to help you. A lot of this is new for me, but I'll be ok."

Kelsey spoke up, suggesting an alternative, "Listen, your appointment is in the city tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah."

"Why don't you stay with me tonight? I, or maybe we," she suggested looking at AJ, "can walk you to the Center tomorrow."

"I don't know," Gracie started.

"Come on, I have an extra bed, my roommates aren't moving in until August. I'm lonely, you're lonely. I think it will be good for you."

Gracie sighed, thinking. "It's not the worst idea, I can call the firm and cancel the driver. Maybe it's weird to stay with a college student?"

"It's an apartment, not a dorm?"

"Yes, I promise, it's ok, I'm on my own."

"Ok, I guess. It's not like I don't have everything I need for tomorrow," Gracie finally conceded.

"Yes!" Kelsey celebrated, "What do you think AJ? Please say you can make it."

"Yeah, my parents won't care."

Gracie was still reminded she was dealing with women in a much different time of life from her. She knew everyone was an adult, though, they would be ok. "Kelsey is driving this whole thing anyway."

"Come on, let's go, by the time we walk over there it will be almost dinner, we can order food and keep hanging out," Kelsey said excitedly.

The women got up to leave from the coffeeshop and headed out into the buzzing city. On their walk, Gracie allowed Kelsey and AJ to walk ahead as she called her twenty-four-hour contact at the law firm. She was lucky. Having failed to actually steal any money, she hadn't had to pay anything back. Consequently, she still had a sizeable bank account and investments and could afford good lawyers who provided a lot of services for her.

She asked them to cancel the ride from her house to the Punishment Center, but they were still scheduled to pick her up. She also asked that they send an email to her with the checklist so she could double check that she had everything she needed the next day. If she didn't have anything then she could always pay an exorbitant cab fare to head home late tonight.

She was happy to have something to do this evening, if she went home then she would just be suffering in silence dreading sunrise. Gracie was suspicious that Kelsey had more planned for the night, maybe even suggesting "practice."

"She might have a point, but wouldn't it be really weird doing it with these girls? I guess they want to help though. Maybe I should just judge by how AJ reacts. Maybe she's in on the plan."

She continued to walk behind the girls who were chatting and laughing walking down the sidewalk. They were both pretty girls in different ways. AJ had blue eyes and a big smile. Her long curly blonde hair was currently tied in a loose bun on top of her head, trying to escape the heat from the early evening sun. She was a heavier set girl but knew what to wear to show off her assets. She was wearing a navy V-neck t-shirt that showed off her large breasts and a frilly white skirt that sat high up on her waist, slimming her and lengthening her legs. Kelsey was shorter and smaller. She had short dark hair currently under a red bandana wrapped around her head. She had pretty, brown eyes on a round face and an hourglass figure. She had on tight blue jeans and a blue and orange floral blouse.

In the end, Gracie decided she'd probably go along with whatever Kelsey suggested figuring she was just trying to help, and it made some sense to "practice," as Kelsey described it. "It might be easier to do it together, and it will be more realistic. I'll have an audience tomorrow, after all."

She wasn't going to suggest anything herself, maybe her suspicions were all wrong and she was just projecting her desires onto her friends. "Maybe it's just what I want, deep down, it's not fair to expect anything from these girls."

Putting her uncertainties aside she caught up to the others, interrupting their conversation about good, cheap restaurants near campus. They walked together chatting the last few blocks to Kelsey's apartment building and entered the elevator. They rose a dozen stories and walked down a hallway toward her apartment.

When they entered, they all kicked off their shoes and went into the common room, sitting at the round dinner table. Conversation was easy between them now, Kelsey was particularly skilled with directing conversation where it needed to go. They debated which place they would call for delivery before settling on Indian food. Gracie paid, the other two were poor teenagers after all.

Nearly two hours later, the sun was going down and Kelsey was circling the room turning on various lamps that lit the living room. They had already finished eating and Kelsey suggested they move over to the couch and, using her phone, turned on music. Kelsey jumped onto the center cushion while AJ and Gracie sat on either side.

"Sorry girls, I don't have any beer," she laughed, "I haven't kept it in the house for a while."

AJ laughed at her friend's joke. "Yeah I wouldn't either if I were you."

"So that's how she's going to do it," Gracie realized. This was the way she was getting back to the conversation about tomorrow. She'd already decided she was up for it if AJ was on board, knowing that this must be Kelsey's idea.

"It was so stupid how I got caught," she started, "The cops broke up a party for noise and I just happened to be standing next to the door when they barged in. They grabbed a few of us but I was the only person underage that didn't get away.

"The damned judge decided to make an example out of me, but I did meet you two at least."

"Yeah," AJ concurred, "That happened so it wasn't all bad."

"You know," Kelsey started.

"Here it comes," Gracie thought.

"Practice, or whatever you want to call it, did help. We could do it together. We'll do it with you, whatever you want to do."

Gracie looked at AJ to judge her reaction to being volunteered.

Kelsey notice, adding, "We already talked about it. She's ok with it."

"Ah, so this was a plan," Gracie thought, relieved her suspicions weren't unfounded.

AJ noticed Gracie still looking skeptically at her and reassured her, "Yeah, we're your friends. I think this would have helped me especially if I had others around me. I owe it to you."

"You don't owe me anything."

"You know what I mean. I'm happy to do it if it might help you," AJ promised her.

"Ok, I thought this might happen on our walk over here and I was going to do it as long as you didn't freak out."

"Yes!" Kelsey exclaimed. "This really helped me! I'll tell you what I was thinking, and you tell me what you think."

"Ok," Gracie said, bracing for Kelsey elaborate plan.

"When I was preparing with my therapist before last week, she asked me specifically what I was worried about. Which, I know, sounds dumb, like it's so obvious, but when you stop and think about the details you can talk yourself out the problems you have with yourself. Especially because we are all going to be positive about each other.

"And I know," she continued breathlessly, "this sounds weird but all of us are going to take off our clothes and talk about what we like about each other and tomorrow, when whatever is going to happen is happening and you are insecure about yourself you'll remember how you have nothing to be insecure about. Like obviously it still sucks to show everybody your body but at least you'll be proud of your body and it really does help. I promise. Women get trained to be so critical of themselves and it really helps to try to silence that voice."

Gracie thought for a second, "That was a lot, but it's not really that I'm insecure, it's just all the eyes on me. I don't like being the center of attention ever, especially like that."

"Then you'll get practice getting watched tonight. It might still help some."

"Ok, I think that will help," she said. Gracie didn't think of herself as insecure, but she was currently listing all the body parts she wanted to be different, "Pointy nose, too skinny, my weird lips." She forced herself to stop, Kelsey was right, of course.

Kelsey kept going, "I know I suggested practicing other stuff, like I did, um, butt stuff, and we can do that if you want. However you want to do it. I have some suggestions, but I'll only say them if you want, we can just ignore it if you want, I know it's," she hesitated, "just a different thing."

Kelsey was spot on, as usual. Some stranger was going to slap her vagina tomorrow and that would be weird to practice tonight. It was sexual in ways that stripping or even caning wasn't. "I'll think about it. It would be weird for all of us."

"We're up for anything you are," AJ promised her. "You guys have seen me in my worst moment, this is nothing. I'm with you no matter what." Kelsey nodded in agreement.

This was obviously Kelsey's plan, and it was a good one, but AJ just always knew what to say. Gracie loved these girls. They cared so much about her and she had been debating keeping them at arm's length, which wasn't nice. At least for the night, or even the next little while, she decided just to embrace them, it was what they wanted, and she needed people to lean on going forward.

Gracie decided just to buy in all the way, "What are your suggestions? I'll do them."

"Um, ok," Kelsey said with a surprised smile, "I think, at minimum, you, or we, should spread our legs, it's going to happen tomorrow and it's different. I didn't know I was going to have that bar between my legs and it really screws with your head."

Gracie knew that. Her ankles had been tied apart when she had been caned, but AJ and Kelsey weren't there to see that. Tomorrow, it would probably be much more graphic, and she imagined the audience would be closer than it had been last week. "I think that's a good idea, practice, right?"

"Yeah, the spanking, or whatever, is weirder. It's not like what I did. I guess you can hit yourself or I'll spank you, maybe. I'd let you hit me back if you wanted."

Gracie thought about it, "I don't think I can hit myself hard. Maybe we should just skip that part."

While she thought about it, AJ spoke up, "I think it's good to spank each other."

Gracie was taken aback, "I thought there was no way you'd do that."

"Well," AJ thought for a moment, "I think it will help you and I kind of want," AJ trailed off, "I've been thinking the last week that I want somebody other than the guards to have touched me, you know, not in a sex way, but kind of in a sex way. Is this getting too weird? I can take it all back," she said, turning red.

Kelsey and Gracie looked at each other.

"It's fine," Kelsey started.