New Material

Charlene's friends arrived about half an hour before the package came. Kumiko was the first to ring the doorbell at Charlene's parents house. Her smile was radiant and the girls hugged and kissed on the cheek. They had been close friends the previous school year but had not seen each other over the summer.

Charlene had a round face and was of average height and build with light brown ringlets of her hair falling past her shoulders. She was modest, but descriptions of her ranged from cute to stunningly beautiful. She was beginning her third year as an English Literature major at a university that until recently only enrolled women students. It was still warm on the late autumn day when the package arrived, and Charlene wore a piece blue dress more appropriate to summer.

Nineteen year old Kumiko was in her second year. She studied Sociology and had few classes in common with Charlene but two had become close friends. In her high heels, Kumiko was the same height as Charlene, and on that day she wore a white blouse with a black pleated skirt.

Despite her obvious beauty, Kumiko was quite shy. Charlene sometimes found this trait endearing, at other times frustrating. The previous year, after Kumiko had confided that she was a virgin, Charlene decided to introduce her to Marc. Marc was one of the best looking boys in the school, and something of a prize in a school where girls outnumbered boys three to one. Charlene hadn't thought she wanted Marc; indeed, she had chosen to attend a school with a majority female student population precisely to avoid romantic engagements. She had had boyfriends in high school and over the summer breaks, and there would be enough time for that after college. Despite her attitude, she had found herself jealous of Kumiko and Marc's relationship. At the end of the previous year, Charlene had confessed her feelings to Kumiko. She had run off, almost in tears, before Kumiko could respond. For the next few days, Charlene was so distraught that she barely ate. And then she learned that Kumiko had broken off the relationship with Marc before going to Japan for the summer. When the fall semester began, the girls quickly resumed their friendship.

As Kumiko and Charlene sat in the living room of Charlene's parents' house, Cathy and Julie arrived together in Julie's Honda Civic. Both had straight dark brown hair that came to their shoulders. They looked like sisters and might even pass for twins. Their resemblance was skin deep however, as their temperaments were quite different. Julie had a logical mind and was studying to be an engineer. In conversation, she was direct, but discreet. Cathy loved being the center of attention. Like Charlene, Cathy studied English Literature. She had sharp wit and supplied copious snark in class. Julie and Cathy were close friends and spent nearly all their free time together. The previous year, Charlene had learned that Julie and Cathy had bedded one of Marc's friends together. Charlene suspected that the two were linked sexually, but she hadn't asked.

Like Charlene and Kumiko, Julie and Cathy were remarkably beautiful. On the day they came to Charlene's parents house, Julie was casually dressed in blue jeans and a black T-shirt. Cathy wore a prim white blouse with a short grey skirt and white stockings. Both had brought their bookbags so they could study.

"So, did the package arrive yet?" asked Cathy as Charlene showed them around the house.

"Not yet," said Charlene. "It should be here in thirty minutes or so."

"Did you say your aunt worked in research and development at Dear Angela?" Julie asked.

"Yeah," said Charlene. "She's a project manager."

"Research at an underwear company," teased Cathy, "Hmm, sounds very high tech."

"Well, the slips we're going to be testing are made from a new material they developed in the lab," said Charlene. "I don't know if it's high tech, but she said it'd be different from anything we've worn before."

"Oh, I'm not complaining," said Cathy. "Being paid $200 to try on sexy underwear for three hours is a good deal. I'm glad your aunt offered us this little job."

"But paying us to try on lingerie and fill out an evaluation sounds more like marketing research than science, remarked Julie. "Calling it 'R&D' is a little pretentious, don't you think?"

"It does sound a little funny," admitted Charlene. "But I trust my aunt. She a master's degree in chemistry, you know. I'm surprised she went to work for Dear Angela, actually."

"And all we need to do is try on their chemically advanced lingerie?" asked Julie.

"Right. For three hours. And fill out an evaluation."

"So, these slips we're going to wear... have you seen them?" asked Kumiko.

"No," said Charlene. "I don't think it'll be anything too weird. My aunt said they'd be short, though. She told me to try them with friends I'd feel comfortable around. So I called you all!" Charlene smiled. "I honestly don't know what they're going to be like. Since my parents are out of town for the week, I thought this would be a good place to try them on."

"What's so special about this new material?" questioned Cathy. "Is it transparent?"

"I don't think so," Charlene replied. "In fact, I remember her mentioning something about it being completely opaque."

"Opaque?" said Kumiko.

"Yes, that means the opposite of fun," said Cathy. Julie laughed at this, and Kumiko giggled.

Charlene led her friends to an open area upstairs where there was a weight bench and a pool table by a sofa. A door led to Charlene's old bedroom.

"When I moved into the dorms at school, my dad wanted to convert my old bedroom into his exercise room," explained Charlene. One wall of her old room was covered in floor to ceiling mirrors. Against another wall was a giant bed, and two small couches were crammed into the corner by a stereo system. "But his sister got divorced and she needed a place to stay. She had that bed and those loveseats brought in with her. Also, the pool table outside. She stayed for half a year and left all this stuff behind when she went to live in Spain."

"Is this the aunt who's hiring us to test the slips?" asked Julie.

"Oh god, no," said Charlene. "That's my mom's sister. Completely different person."

"I think that's the biggest bed I've ever seen," remarked Kumiko.

"Yeah, it took like four guys to get it up the stairs when she moved in."

"How many people sleep on that bed at once?" wondered Kumiko.

"You know, that's the kind of question I didn't ask!"

"Swinger..." sang Cathy.

Kumiko and Charlene chatted while Julie and Cathy read they school books. When the doorbell rang, Kumiko followed Charlene downstairs to answer. It was FedEx as expected, but Charlene was surprised when the deliveryman handed her a document-sized cardboard envelope. "Is that it? There's no other package?" she asked. "Sorry miss, just the one," said the deliveryman. The envelope was clearly too small to contain garments for four young women. Charlene and Kumiko returned upstairs disappointed.

Cathy looked up and saw the envelope. "Oh, I know what that's going to say. 'We're sorry to inform you that we've found better looking young women to try our space age underwear. Please accept this letter as a token of our apology.'"

"It was too good to be true," sighed Kumiko sitting the sofa next to Cathy.

Charlene opened the envelope and removed a letter. She read aloud. "Instructions... Tear open packet and remove slip. The slip should be worn immediately after being removed from the packet. No other clothing should be worn underneath or on top of the slip for the duration of the trial.' And so on... and there's a web address for the online evaluation."

Cathy frowned "Not very useful instructions without the slips."

"A different shipment maybe?" suggested Kumiko.

Julie peered into the cardboard FedEx envelope. She held it open over the coffee table, and out fell four small white packets. Each was flat and about two inches long. "So we have packets..." said Julie.

"They look condiment packets from Taco Bell," exclaimed Kumiko.

"Are we going to wear hot sauce for three hours?" laughed Cathy.

"Well, you did say they'd be short" noted Julie.

Cathy held one of the packets on top of her head. "Am I wearing this correctly?" she teased.

Charlene continued with the instructions. "'After the garments have been donned, subjects should remain physically active during the trial,'" she read aloud. "'Examples of suitable physical activities include walking, running, dancing...'"

Julie examined one of the packets. It seemed to contain a milky white fluid. She held it over the polished black coffee table and carefully tore open the wrapper. A pearly fluid poured out onto the table into a flat white puddle the size of a sheet of printer paper. The girls gathered around as Julie dipped her finger onto the surface and began swirling it around. "What is that?" wondered Kumiko. "Ew, it's alien space spunk!" said Cathy.

Julie pinched a part of the puddle and lifted a strand of it off the table. Rubbing her thumb against her finger, it formed a loop. Julie furrowed her brow, and located a faint white-on-white stripe in another part of the puddle and lifted another strand. As she rubbed it, it too formed a loop. She put her fingers through the strands and lifted. The whole puddle rose from the table as a single piece and the girls were amazed to see that it was the shape and size of a short dress.

"Oh my god!" exclaimed Kumiko.

"It's..." started Cathy, at a loss for words.

Charlene touched the filmy object that Julie held above the table. It felt fluid, and almost insubstantial despite its white opacity, but it was clearly a solid not a liquid. The texture was viscous, like a thin sheet of iridescent white oil covering... nothing. Despite the thinness of the material, it wasn't in the least bit transparent. It didn't seem possible that something that size could come from the tiny packet. The surface texture was so slippery it felt wet to the touch, but Charlene's fingers were dry as she pulled them away. It seemed to be made from a single sheet; there were no seams where the shoulder straps connected to the rest of the slip.

"Can that actually be worn?" wondered Cathy.

"I think so," said Julie. "It's short, but it'll fit any of us."

Kumiko ran her hand through the fabric. "I'm amazed this actually fit in that tiny packet."

"This is different from what I was expecting," admitted Jule. "So, Charlene..." She cocked an eyebrow. "You first, right?"

The garment was like nothing Charlene had expected, but she couldn't object. She glanced around the room. The windows admitted plenty of light, but the girls would not be visible from the street. Charlene hesitated a moment, considering whether she should take the strange garment into her old room to change privately. She decided against it; the slip would leave her nearly bare anyway. Charlene unzipped the back of her dress. She pulled out of it and stood before her friends in her white bra, satin panties and cotton socks. She glanced quickly at Kumiko, then unlatched her bra. Her ample firm breasts held their shape as they came free. She had small nipples with areolas only slightly darker than the surrounding skin. She put her arms into the slip that Julie held out for her, located the shoulder straps then slipped it over her head. It seemed weightless, but she could feel its slick surface on her body. The material hung loose despite the small size, barely covering her panties.

The girls gathered around Charlene to feel the fabric. Kumiko gently ran her fingertips over Charlene's flat stomach. Julie ran her hand along Charlene's back while Cathy felt Charlene's side just above her hip. "It feels like suntan oil," remarked Kumiko. In fact, the feeling was sensational. The pearl colored fabric was fully opaque, but so thin that where it rested on Charlene's skin, it seemed painted on. Charlene's small nipples were clearly delineated, as were her panties where the material brushed against her waist. The instructions had said not to wear anything under the slip. Charlene reached underneath and pulled down her satin panties. Charlene stepped out of them, then used her toes to pull off her socks. She walked a few steps and turned to face her friends. As Kumiko had said, it felt like she was dressed in nothing but oil. In fact, she felt naked.

"How do I look?" she asked.

"Amazing!" said Cathy.

"This stuff is so cool!" said Julie.

"You look beautiful," said Kumiko.

"Okay, I need to try this." said Cathy. She and Julie began removing their clothing. Under her jeans and T-shirt, Julie wore white cotton panties and a bra. Cathy removed her blouse and skirt and to reveal a white bra and thong with white garterless stockings. Cathy stepped up to Julie, turned her back and looked over her shoulder. Julie undid Cathy's bra then turned her back and Cathy undid her bra in turn. Even their breasts had the same form, slightly smaller than Charlene's with darker, more prominent nipples. But even wearing as little as they did, their dress styles revealed their contrasting personalities. Julie wore sensible cotton panties. Cathy's thong and stockings made a different impression.

The girls tore open two more of the small white packets and poured the contents on the black table. The milky puddles seemed to merge together, but pulled apart easily when the straps were located. They put on their slips and stood up.

"This feels amazing!" exclaimed Julie, as she slid her hands along the sides of her breasts. The outline of her cotton panties was visible where the fabric brushed over her hips.

"I love this," said Cathy. The tops of her stockings were inches from the bottom of the slip, leaving a few inches of her thighs bare in grade A zettai ryouiki fashion. She looked at Julie, then put her thumbs under the slip and removed her thong. Standing straight, she began rolling her shoulders and swaying her hips, as if dancing to music only she could hear. "Oh my god, it feels even better like this!" She put her hands behind her neck and stretched her elbows above her head. Her slip was pulled up just long enough for Charlene to note that Cathy's pubes were shaved bare.

Julie removed her own cotton panties and grinned. "This is some nice work!" she exclaimed.

Kumiko had unbuttoned her blouse. She hesitated, then looked at Charlene before removing it. Her dark nipples showed clearly through her white bra. She unzipped and removed her pleated skirt. Her panties matched her bra in color and transparency, and her trim black bush was visible as a dark patch through the lacy fabric. She approached Charlene, then turned her back as Cathy and Julie had done. Charlene found her eyes drawn to Kumiko's naked shoulders, then down her back to her beautifully formed rear. Kumiko looked over her shoulder and smiled shyly as Charlene unlatched her bra. Kumiko's small breasts were pointed with prominent dark nipples. She tore open the last packet and put on her slip. She pulled down her lace underwear. As she stood up one of the straps slipped down Kumiko's shoulder. Charlene gently pulled it back in place. She allowed her finger to glide down the side of Kumiko's breast. "How do you like it?" she asked. "It feels wonderful," Kumiko replied softly.

"Let's see how we look in the big mirror!" announced Cathy. The four girls went into Charlene's old bedroom and stood in front of the mirror that had been installed when the room was to have been converted into an exercise room. There was no denying that the four of them were absolutely stunning in the shimmering outfits. The iridescent white of the slips had an arresting beauty that accentuated the curves of their bodies. The shapes of their breasts were no more concealed than had the slips been painted on, but the material rippled where it swayed over their hips. Even so, Charlene discerned the faint outline of Julie's and Kumiko's pubic hair when the slips brushed against the skin.

"They should make a gown from this," gushed Cathy. "Full length but slit way up the side. Low in the back, and cut to here in the front." She indicated a spot above her navel. "It would be fabulous. Can you imagine stepping onto the red carpet in this? The paparazzi behind a velvet rope, snapping pictures. Wearing nothing but a dress that would fit inside a matchbox!"

Julie grinned and Kumiko closed her eyes. Charlene found the notion exhilarating. To be covered, yet feel so exposed. She pictured herself in Cathy's scenario, then thought of Kumiko on the red carpet next to her.

"So what do we do now?" asked Julie.

Charlene let go of her reverie. "We're supposed to stay active for the next three hours. So whatever."

A cue stick was leaning against the wall in a corner of the room. Julie picked it up. "Pool, anyone?"

It seemed as good an idea as any, so Julie and Cathy went back to the open area to rack the balls while Kumiko and Charlene set up a soft rock playlist on the iPod hooked up to the stereo. Those would be the teams. "I'll break," said Cathy. Charlene stood to the side of the table and watched Cathy take her shot. Charlene realized immediately that these slips were not designed to provided coverage while playing pool. Though it had clung to her skin when she stood upright, Cathy's slip hung loosely as she leaned forward, the tips of her breasts visible as she aimed. Cathy sunk a ball on the break and stood next to Charlene to take her next shot. As she leaned over the table, the gap between her stockings and the slip increased several inches, bearing her bottom. She casually sank another ball before it was Kumiko's turn.

Charlene stood across the corner of the table as Kumiko leaned forward to take her shot. Through the open front of Kumiko's slip, Charlene could see between her breasts, past her navel, to the top of her pubic hair. Kumiko glanced up and Charlene met her eyes. Kumiko smiled briefly before shooting the ball. She sunk it, but missed the next one. As Julie efficiently pocketed two more balls, Charlene was more than ever aware of the Kumiko's presence next to her.

When it was Charlene's turn, she found a spot opposite Kumiko, reversing the positions they had held before. She positioned her body carefully, thinking more of Kumiko than the balls on the table. She held her chin up as she adjusted her shoulders, allowing the slip to hang lower. When she looked up, Kumiko's eyes flicked up to meet hers. Charlene looked back at the cue ball and gently rocked her hips before she took the shot. It should have been an easy one, but Charlene's attention was focused elsewhere and the ball missed the pocket. It wasn't a complete failure, though. Kumiko was visibly flushed and the two continued to steal glances at each other for the rest of the match.

Julie and Cathy handily won the match and offered to change teams for a next round, but Charlene and Kumiko declined.

"Let's turn up the music," suggested Julie. The girls went back to Charlene's old room where Julie turned up the stereo. She began dancing and Cathy responded. Kumiko joined in, and Charlene completed the circle. At first, the four faced inward, smiling all around as they danced. But they soon paired up. Charlene found herself dancing closer and closer to Kumiko. She put her hand on Kumiko's waist. Their breasts brushed against each other through the slippery fabric. Charlene put her other hand on Kumiko's back, and the girls gently pressed their bodies together. Kumiko put her lips by Charlene's ear.

"Last spring..." Kumiko whispered. "You said you were jealous because of Marc. I was so worried you didn't want us to be friends."

"Kumiko," said Charlene softly. "It wasn't you I was jealous of. I was jealous of Marc."

Kumiko met Charlene's gaze. Slowly, Charlene leaned forward and the girls allowed their lips to brush against each other. Then Kumiko closed her eyes and Charlene kissed her fully on the mouth. Kumiko squeezed Charlene tightly in her arms and opened her lips, accepting Charlene's passionate kiss. Kumiko's leg rubbed between Charlene's thighs as they pressed their bodies together, squeezing each other through the thin fabric.