The Friends List Ch. 06

I considered all of this. "You're right. Thank you. I can see why you and Sam are best friends."

Paul jumped in. "They're the best Jewish-German collaboration since..."

Kirsten smacked him on the back of the head. "My Grandfather was active in the Resistance during the war, and you damn well know that."

"Mine was also active in the Resistance," Paul teased. "We called it the RAF."

I finished my beer. "Want to go again?"

We geared up and started playing again, running through more Synth-Pop and New Wave songs as a trio for another hour before calling it a night. I mulled Kirsten's words over in my head on the way home. I'd never seen anything in Monique except a close friend who was willing to go out of her way to generate positive things for me, but all of a sudden I could sense a sinister undertone to her machinations. What would happen if she ever decided she didn't like me anymore? I trusted her, and she'd never given me a reason to doubt her sincerity, but the seed of doubt had been planted, and I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling Kirsten's warning had given me.

It was a short drive home from Kirsten's, and I lugged my gear into a dark, silent house, quietly leaving it out of the way in the living room before tiptoeing to bed. I tossed and turned sleeplessly for what felt like forever, mulling over Sam, Monique, Jacob, Kirsten, before finally pulling out my phone. I thought about checking Facebook to see if Samantha had posted any new photos from the Maldives, before deciding that seeing her having fun without me was only going to make me even more depressed.

Instead, I called up my favourite video she had sent me over the past semester. She was in bed in her dorm, wearing only a hiked-up pale yellow nightshirt and looking like she'd just woken up. The phone was filming between her spread legs and her pink slit was already visibly puffy and wet. I popped my headphones in so I couldn't be overheard.

"Hi Peter," said the Sam on video. "Melody just went to have a shower, so I only have a few minutes. I'm going to try to get off before she gets back. The risk of getting caught is a turn-on, and I woke up so horny, thinking about all those things you did to me last night."

I started stroking myself as the Sam on video began touching herself, first slowly, then picking up speed. She was moaning quietly as her fingers worked their magic on her clit, then inside herself, then back to her clit. It didn't take either of us long to cum, and I'd watched the video enough times to be able to time my orgasm exactly with hers. She moaned my name, scrunched her face, and the bottom of her vaginal opening started to contract in rhythm while one hand held her outer labia spread apart and two fingers on the other rubbed across her clit. I nearly moaned her name back before remembering I had Vanessa on the other side of my bedroom wall. Instead I came silently onto my stomach, quickly cleaned up, then lay back, feeling even sadder than before. It had only been a week, and I already missed her so much. The orgasm didn't much help my sleep or my mood, but I got some rest eventually.

A few days passed. I still didn't have many friends left in Guelph, so I spent my days decompressing, relaxing, doing as little as possible to reset myself for the final stretch to graduation. Seven semesters of school down, one to go.

The day before New Year's Eve, Vanessa came into my room, sitting down on the bed.

"Hey, Peter. You have any plans for New Year's?"

"Nope."

"You know Dad and Diane are going to a party at the Wiersma's, right?"

I knew. They had couples friends they spent the New Year with every year. "Yeah. What's up?"

"I'm having the girls over, with boyfriends. You're welcome to join us."

"This isn't a rager like last spring, right?" I asked.

"No. You know I'll never do that again. It's mostly the same people you've met before. We're just going to get drunk and hang out, watch the ball drop in Times Square at midnight. I figured you'd be here anyway, but, you know, you're welcome to hang out with us. I don't expect you to sit in your room alone the whole time." She smiled.

"Anyone coming I haven't met?"

"Yeah. Adam. He's my..." she trailed off.

"Fuck-buddy?" I guessed.

Vanessa nodded sheepishly. "Yes. That's what he is. We're adults. It's nice being honest with you. And it's nice we're not blood-related, or it would be super weird hearing you referring to my 'fuck-buddy'."

"Yeah, agreed. Mom told me you'd started having guys sleep over. I'm glad you're comfortable enough to do that."

Vanessa flipped her brown hair behind her ear. "I'm not going to pretend that having to be quiet doesn't cramp my style a little, but yeah, I'm glad not to have to lie or sneak around anymore."

"I'll be there. Sounds fun. Will Laura be there?"

"She will. And, she's bringing her... boyfriend." She pronounced the word slowly and deliberately, shooting me a knowing look.

"Praise the Lord." I was immediately relieved.

"I know, right? I'm sure that nonsense was awkward as hell for you, but it was almost as awkward for me, too. I'm so glad that crush of hers on you finally seems to be over."

"Is her boyfriend a decent guy?" I asked.

"Never met him before. They met at Western, and this will be the first time he's meeting her friends. But she's apparently as into him as she was into you over the summer, so that's a good sign, right?"

He can have her, I thought. The relief I felt was palpable.

New Year's Eve was a bitterly cold night, with a howling wind and damp chill in the air. I knew from experience that a lot of drunk teenagers would be downtown at the city's annual New Year's countdown, and I couldn't have been happier not to be among them. Mom and Walt left around 8, and soon after that the girls started arriving. Monique apparently was committed to a party back in Toronto with her university friends, and Samantha obviously was on an island in the Indian Ocean, but the rest of the gang I knew from the previous summer was there.

Adam was the first to arrive, and he immediately pitched in with getting ready for the party, which I appreciated. He was a tall, beefy blond dude with a laid-back attitude and a wicked sense of humour. Vanessa seemed smitten with him, kissing him frequently and grabbing his ass when she thought I wasn't looking. I was close to 100% sure they were getting it on later.

Paul and Kirsten arrived with Michelle and Jason, and Priya and Mark came shortly after. Laura showed up a little later with her boyfriend, Chris, and I was politely introduced to him with no fanfare. Sure enough, all the bullshit that had happened between us last summer seemed well and truly over, and I was so relieved to see she'd finally moved on. I was never going to like her, and I still regretted sleeping with her, but I was prepared to forgive and forget if she was.

The last to arrive was Natalie Chen, shortly after 10 PM. The gang in the living room was already well into the liquor by then, so I greeted her alone at the door. She was carrying an overnight bag, and I'd noticed earlier that Vanessa had made up the sofa bed in the basement, so it must be Natalie sleeping down there. I took her coat and hung it up in the closet, discovering as I did that she was wearing a low-cut orange top with glitter on her chest. Her small tits were clearly unrestrained by a bra. She had also done her makeup, which surprised me as I'd never seen her so made up. She looked beautiful.

"Nice to see you again. Weiyin's not here?" I asked as she removed her winter boots.

"Nah. He's back in China. We broke up."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. What happened?" I led her into the kitchen and poured her a drink, which she accepted gratefully. She sat in a chair, and I joined her, glad to have some time to catch up. I'd always liked Natalie. She drained the glass of bourbon in one gulp and then motioned for me to pour again, which I did.

"Weiyin's mom was in a car accident in October," she explained. "She survived, but she's in a wheelchair until she finishes physio, and they still don't know if she'll be able to walk again. She needs a lot of help around the house, and if you know Chinese families at all, we value respect for our elders and our families above almost all else. Since he's an only child, his Dad ordered him to come home immediately to Guangzhou, and he did. Dropped out of school and everything. He's apparently going to be able to transfer his credits from University of Ottawa to a school there, and since he's not coming back, we decided it wasn't worth attempting long-distance over an entire ocean. If he ever moves back, or if I wind up living in China someday and we're both single, we'd probably pick up again. But I doubt that'll ever happen."

I leaned over and gave her a hug. "Sorry to hear. He really seemed like a good guy."

"He was. I miss him. But, you know, nobody marries their first boyfriend. I knew that going into it. I never believed it was going to be happily ever after, but man, getting dumped still sucks." She finished her second bourbon in one gulp and motioned for me to pour again.

"You sure you don't want to slow down a little?" I asked. Natalie had always been the good girl of the group, so seeing this side of her surprised me a little.

"I'm sure."

"Is your sister rubbing off on you a little?"

Natalie made a face. "No! Vivian's a skank. I'm the well-behaved one."

"But you're discovering a taste for rebellion?"

"Shhhhhh." She winked. "It's a secret. Ottawa Natalie is a little different. Don't tell anyone."

"Is that Natalie?" Vanessa appeared around the corner. Her jaw dropped when she saw her friend. "Holy fuck, girl. You look hot."

"Thanks!" Natalie said breezily. She refilled her glass again and I followed her into the living room.

The last few hours of 2010 passed quickly. The girls kept a conversation going that I found it hard to break into, not knowing many of their friends or old teachers or other common references. It was the first time they'd had this many of the group together since Natalie's pool party in early September, so I didn't begrudge them their catch-up time. I occasionally exchanged looks with Adam or Chris or Paul, all equally silent and bemused by the conversation whirlwind going on around them. Jason had the look of a man who'd been in that situation countless times before.

I maintained my buzz throughout the evening, but I wasn't trying to get outrageously drunk. Several of the people in the room, though, clearly were. I knew we'd have some overnight guests, and I was glad most of the gang had been dropped off or walked, as no one would be safe to drive tonight. I also knew Mom and Walt would be sleeping over at their friends' house, as they still didn't like Vanessa and I to see them out of control.

Natalie had slowed down after her first four drinks, so I wasn't worried about her consumption, but she was louder than her normal quiet self, and her face had the deep red flush many Asian people get while drinking heavily. She looked out of place dressed for a night on the town with the rest of the gang in sweaters and thick winter clothes, but she also looked absolutely radiant. It was difficult not to stare.

A minute before midnight, Dick Clark started the countdown. His stroke from a few years' before made his voice slurred, but he was still a welcome sight on our television, an annual tradition to ring in the new year. The room counted down the last ten seconds along with the TV, and then the giant 2011 lit up over Times Square.

"Happy New Year!"

A chorus of shouts and whooping went around the room. The couples paired off, with Vanessa kissing Adam so passionately it seemed like foreplay. Laura and Chris were also right on the line between a friendly kiss and making out, as were Jason and Michelle. Kirsten and Paul's kiss was slightly more chaste, but they were still obviously kissing as boyfriend and girlfriend. Priya and Mark kissed as well, more friendly given that Mark was gay, but still a kiss to ring in the new year. And Natalie reached over, grabbed me by the face, and kissed me.

I was so surprised I didn't kiss back at first, but instinct quickly took over and I returned the favour, kissing her with all I had. We finally pulled out of it. Michelle, Jason, Priya and Mark had all clearly noticed, though none of them said anything. Vanessa, Laura and Kirsten were still preoccupied with their boys.

I looked at Natalie in surprise as Auld Lang Syne finished playing on the TV.

"Sorry," she apologized. "We're the only two people here without partners. It made sense in my head, but I should have asked. It won't happen again."

"I'm not offended," I reassured, and to prove it I kissed her back again, just a quick peck on the lips. She smiled as I pulled back.

"Okay. Glad you were okay with it."

"I liked it. I was just surprised."

Natalie smiled, flipping her hair behind her ear flirtatiously. Monique's words from the summer canoe trip, that Natalie had always kind of liked me, flashed through my head.

We kept hanging out in the basement for a while longer, still chatting. Kesha was now performing on the TV, and Vanessa, sitting in Adam's lap, had the same look on her face I recognized from the cottage the previous summer. My stepsister was horny, and she wasn't trying to hide it.

"We're going to go upstairs for a while," she announced, right on cue. "You guys are free to keep hanging out, or take off, or whatever. If anyone's sleeping over, there's a sofa bed and some sleeping bags in the basement. Just please don't sleep in my folks' bed. Or do anything else to defile it; I'm looking at you, Laura."

Laura blushed, glancing at Chris. "We're actually going to walk back to my place. It's not far."

Michelle yawned. "I'm not much for late nights either, so I think we're going to bounce. I almost fell asleep waiting for midnight."

Jason looked slightly jealously at the guys in the room who were clearly about to score, but said nothing.

Mark then volunteered that he and Priya had another party they had an invite to, if this one was breaking up. Kirsten lived too far to walk, so she and Paul decided to head down for the basement, staking their claim on the double bed. By this point Vanessa was already halfway up the stairs with Adam and beyond caring what any of her friends were doing, and shortly Natalie and I were alone in the living room.

"So much for a New Year's party," I commented.

Natalie shrugged. "I'm here for the night. It's too far and too cold out to walk home alone, and Vivian's awful friends are over tonight anyway. I don't object to turning in, but I don't want to be a third wheel downstairs if they're planning to hook up. Can we keep hanging out here for a bit longer?"

"I'd love to." I pointed at an ice bucket of imitation champagne that Vanessa had made a point of showing off earlier. It was still sitting unopened. "Want to get into the cheap sparkling wine with me?"

"I'd love to."

I popped the plastic cork and handed Natalie a dollar store champagne flute.

"Cheers."

"To 2011."

We regarded each other for a moment as we sipped the wine. It was a little sour for my taste, but I drank it anyway.

"I am sorry about Weiyin," I finally said, to break the silence if nothing else.

Natalie shrugged. "Trust me, Peter. It's fine. He was a good guy. I loved him. But no one's first relationship is meant to last forever. I got some experience with love and heartbreak for the first time and swiped my V-card. It sucked for a while, but I'm over him. Though I appreciate your concern for me. You've got a good heart."

"You're welcome, and thank you."

We drank for a moment, watching Kesha wrap up her set and hand it over to Jason Derulo. Overhead, I started hearing a rhythmic creaking noise. Natalie clearly heard it too, her eyes drifting upward to pinpoint the location of the sound. We listened together for a minute or so.

"Is it weird for you knowing your stepsister's getting it on right overhead?" she asked.

I shrugged. "A little, but not as much as it would be if we were blood-related. It doesn't seem to bother me knowing she's a grown woman with the same sex drive as anyone else."

Natalie nodded. "I've heard Vivian more times than I'd like to, which is zero. I normally just put on headphones and try not to listen. But it doesn't bother me when it's a friend. Anyone but my sister and it's kind of hot overhearing something so private."

"I don't think of Vanessa as my sister, so that helps, and I agree that sex sounds are hot. But Vanessa and I are getting a lot closer than we used to be. The cottage last summer was really the time the barriers started to break down. Not just what happened up there that crazy night, but we also had a really good clear-the-air conversation on the way up there, too. It was a little weird being naked with her up there, but it was fun, too."

Natalie gave me a look. "God, the cottage. That was the hottest thing I've ever done."

I laughed. "It's way up that list for me, too. Which part?"

She smiled, reminiscing. "All of it. The spinning the bottle, the skinny-dipping, staying naked after around the campfire, hearing Michelle and Jason going at it in their tent, trying to will my horniness to go away in the lake with you and Priya late at night knowing full well it wasn't going to happen. Trying to wait until I thought you two were asleep to touch myself, and you catching me literally seconds after I'd started. But instead of it being embarrassing getting caught, it turned into like four minutes of pure animal need. The fact we were fully-clothed and had to be quiet just made it hotter. Couldn't see anything, couldn't hear anything, just desperate to cum. It felt feral."

I hadn't actually known I'd caught Natalie masturbating the previous summer, since she'd been so covered up in her sleeping bag, but it sent a surge of arousal through me finding that out. I swallowed hard and tried to stay cool. "And Priya joining in, too. I never expected that. I barely even know her."

"Me neither. I'm not into girls, but in that moment I couldn't have stopped no matter who joined in. Having her lying there beside me just added to it. I couldn't even really see her, but I could hear her, and I could feel her body moving beside mine."

Overhead we started hearing Vanessa moaning as the creaking picked up speed a little. I'd never heard my stepsister having sex before, never caught her masturbating, never had any hint of her sexuality despite living together for our entire teen years. Despite hearing comments from nearly all of her friends about her promiscuity, she'd hidden it away completely from me. But now, she had to know her bedroom was directly over the room where we were hanging out, had to know she could be heard, and she clearly didn't care if we could hear her. I had already been turned on, but this was adding to it, which surprised me. I wasn't ever going to be into her like that, but just like seeing her naked at the cottage last summer, something about it was getting a reaction.

"So how was it for you, sleeping with all my friends over the course of a summer except me?" Natalie deadpanned, interrupting my train of thought. I nearly panicked at the question, but she smiled disarmingly, and I relaxed.

"It was fucking fun. And I never slept with Michelle, either."

"Yeah, she's off-limits. But otherwise, you've had them all, right? Who was best?"

I stared. "I'm not kissing and telling."

"You're no fun." Natalie shifted on the couch, tucking her legs underneath her, and refilled her champagne flute. She offered me another top-up, which I accepted.

"You really want to know?" I heard myself ask. It must have been the wine talking.