The Hot Summer of '88 Pt. 01

As the summer of 1988 began, I couldn't wait to return to the Adirondack wilderness. I had just finished my sophomore year of college and was looking forward to a break. I was going back to a sleep-away camp where I had once been a camper, but this time as a counselor for the third consecutive summer.

Paul was one of my closest friends. We had known each other for almost a decade and had hiked the trails together and shared many secrets. Lauren, who was a year older than us, was also an important part of our group. We had all worked at the camp for the past three summers and had formed a strong bond.

Paul was 5'10" with an athletic build, thanks to his time on the high school swim team. He was now one of the camp's lifeguards and counselors, and he truly thrived in that role. He was great with the kids and had a fun and outgoing personality. Despite attending different universities, we always picked up where we left off when we reunited.

Lauren stood at a graceful 5'6", and her strawberry blond hair flowed around her shoulders. Despite her background as a high school swimmer and soccer captain, a remnant of the baby fat that lent her a certain cherubic charm. Her talent on the soccer field helped her get into at one of the prestigious "Baby Ivy" universities. Yet, despite her toughness on the field, there had always been a vulnerability to Lauren, a self-consciousness that seemed to temper her confidence.

However, as the summer of 1988 began, I could tell that there was a personal transformation that happened this past year with Lauren. The once-plump tom boy shape had completely blossomed into womanly curves, and the shy girl had been replaced by a confident woman. Yet, despite these changes, the essence of Lauren remained unchanged, she was still kind-hearted and fiercely loyal.

I stand at a stocky 5'8", my muscular, bulging thick frame exuding strength and resilience. My wavy brown hair frames my face accenting my hazel eyes, speckled with shades of green and gold. I'm known for my quick wit and mischievous sense of humor. I've always been the one with a quick comeback and a knack for making people laugh. I'm not a natural athlete, but I work hard in the gym and on the field to stay in shape.

As the third lifeguard at the camp, I take my responsibilities seriously, but I also know that this is the last summer that I'm going to be able to enjoy as a counselor. Next summer is going to entail running around an office building getting coffee for executives as an intern. This seems like the last opportunity for me to straddle the line between adolescence and adulthood.

As we entered the first week of the session, a heatwave swept through the area, casting a sweltering haze over the usually cool lake region. Such temperatures were rare in these parts, leaving us all somewhat bewildered by the unusual turn of events. In response to the oppressive heat, camp activities were reduced to those that could be done around the cool sanctuary of the lake. We all flocked to the beach and docks, seeking refuge from the searing heat.

It was during my shifts on lifeguard duty that I began to notice Lauren in a different light. Not only did she physically change, there was a change in her demeanor as well. While we had always been close friends, there was something about the way she commanded authority amidst the chaos of the lake that caught my attention. As I watched her effortlessly control a large group of rowdy teenagers with a combination of firmness and charm, I couldn't help but admire her grace under pressure. It was as if I was seeing her in a whole new light, her newfound strength and beauty was a combination that drew me in.

On the fourth night, the heatwave was at its worst. Inside our small cabin, the air was stifling. There was no wind and the small open windows offered the slightest relief. Paul and I were down to our boxer shorts and we still couldn't find any relief from the heat. We were drenched in sweat with our shirts clinging to our skin. Unable to endure the heat any longer, we agreed to sneak out and take a dip in the lake to cool off.

As we approached the dock, we realized that someone else had the same thought as we did. The lake was dark, with only the light of the moon by which we could see. It wasn't until we were halfway down the dock that we could see that Lauren was swimming by herself. As soon as she saw us, a big smile came across her face. The trio was back together and we could all

After a few minutes of swimming, we all started talking. Knowing that voices carried on the water, we were careful to stay quiet. Paul started by saying that he had a good year at college but nothing great. He hooked up a couple of times, but nothing seemed to come of it. As a sophomore, he was well settled into campus life, but he was excited about his off-campus apartment next year.

I had a similar story as Paul's where I had taken a few girls out on some dates, but nothing much as far as a steady girlfriend. I was looking forward to a more active social life next year now that I have survived some of the difficult "weeder" classes that were designed to drop some of the less dedicated and less capable students from the engineering school. I complained that there weren't many girls in engineering and for the few that were there wasn't much to look at.

It was Lauren who had the best story to tell. She said that she just got back from a semester abroad. She had spent the past 4 months in Barcelona, taking in the culture and the amazing sights. She mentioned that the university had students from all around the world and that it was a stark contrast to her small New England College in upstate Massachusetts. Her eyes lit up as she talked about her weekend trips up and down the Spanish coast.

After swearing us to secrecy, she told us about a weekend in Valencia that in her words "changed her life". She said that she had a story to tell and that she hadn't told anyone else. She was deadly serious and said that she would kill us if we told a soul. We agreed by crossing our hearts like we did when we were kids.

She explained that it was a small village south of Valencia where she and her roommate Sandy from Australia went to the beach. It was a good mix of younger and middle-aged people at the beach and in typical European fashion, there were plenty of topless women and men in tight Speedos. It was nothing new, but as they went further down the beach, they saw that portion of the beach was a nude beach. She and Sandy thought "What the hell". "We're never going to see anyone here ever again". So with that, they opened up their umbrella and set out their chairs and towels.

Lauren said that it was really weird getting naked in front of her roommate. She explained how even with sports and all, she never really hung out naked with another person. Even after being with guys in school, they all kind of stayed under the sheets after sex and didn't really "hang out" naked. So it took Lauren a little while to get used to the whole situation. After taking off her clothes and her bathing suit, She lay on her stomach on the towel exposing her naked ass for the first time in her life. As she and Sandy continued to talk, she became more and more comfortable with the new surroundings. She explained to us that she was shedding a whole lifetime of fear and self-consciousness in one afternoon.

After 30 minutes or so, Sandy stood up took her towel, and sat on one of the two beach chairs right in front of Lauren. They continued to talk and crack jokes, but the main difference was that every time Lauren looked up, she was gazing between Sandy's legs, up along her crotch and breasts to see her face. She couldn't help but look at her friend and take in her figure. Lauren said "Now I'm not gay or anything", but it was cool just hanging out naked with someone else.

Lauren continued. After getting my courage up, I rolled over on my back and lay there naked for the whole world to see. I realize now that there wasn't the whole world around us at all. It was just Sandy and me and the occasional other person that may be walking by. I knew that Sandy couldn't help but look me over and I liked it. She went on to say how great it felt to go skinny dipping in the ocean during the light of day. It felt so fun and natural while also feeling sexy and kind of dirty.

She said that Sandy continued to comment how gorgeous Lauren's tits were and that she was so jealous of her tits and that if she had tits like Lauren's that she would show them constantly. "The girl was infatuated with my tits. Tits this, tits that..." Instead of becoming embarrassed by what she was saying, I became emboldened by her compliments. Well, I guess, that afternoon changed how I felt about myself and how I feel about my body. I also became somewhat of an exhibitionist, I liked it when the people around me were checking me out and looked at my private parts. I don't know, am I weird?

Paul and I were dumbfounded for a second. It took me a couple of seconds to respond with a resounding "No". Oops, I almost forgot about being loud by the lake. " No," I said again in a much lower tone of voice. That is totally cool. Listen this is the time in our lives when we have to try new things and discover who we are. I just wish I had an opportunity to go to Europe and try something like that. I mean soon we'll be out of college and before you know it we'll be married and living the "American dream". But seriously, I am glad you told us.

Lauren checked her watch and said that it was already 1:30 AM and that we better get back to our cabins. With that, she grabbed the latter and climbed out onto the boat dock. Paul and I looked at each other knowing that we both were sporting some serious wood. Luckily for us, Lauren hurried down the trail back towards the cabins. Paul climbed up the latter next pitching a serious tent in his bathing suit before wrapping his towel around his waist. I followed close behind and grabbed my towel as well.

I think it was Lauren's story that emboldened me to take the next step. Instead of quickly covering up with the towel, I went ahead and used it to dry my hair. I just stood there in front of my best friend sporting a massive hard-on and acting like it was no big deal. We were talking back and forth about how crazy that story was and I was taking my time drying off, acting like nothing was wrong with a guy getting turned on by a sexy story. I think Paul picked up on my cue and dropped his shyness. He unwrapped his towel from his waist and started to dry himself as well. After we dried off, we both put on our shirts and flip-flops and headed back to our cabin.