The Only One Naked Ch. 01

Jamal snorted. 'See no, that's just not true is it?' He looked over at the only one he trusted. 'Sash?'

'No... yeah,' Sasha nodded forlornly, 'she did actually do that.'

Alex beamed. 'Told you.'

Katie kept recounting the moment with a pride that made it sound like she'd been the one streaking. 'Yep, they really did it. They ran through the kitchen, to the far end, and touched the fridge, right? I think that was the target they gave themselves. Then they turned around and sprinted back the way they'd come, I remember someone having to open the door for them because neither of them were willing to take their hands away from their junk. Mind you, we all got a pretty good view from behind anyway. Then they made it back to the bedroom and finally got dressed.'

Alex sat back and twiddled her straw victoriously. 'See, I was telling the truth, every word. I ran through a university dorm, a university that I didn't even attend can we all appreciate, without wearing a stitch of clothing.' She stood up to take a theatrical bow, and they all wryly applauded her as she blew kisses to a non-existent crowd. 'Thank you everyone, thank you.'

Jamal now had a glint in his eye when he gazed at Alex, and Sasha noted it with disgust. Men, she thought, so easily and predictably side-tracked by even the mere mention of some female nudity.

'But why did you do it if you hadn't even lost the game? Did you guys just both persuade each other to say fuck it, let's go?'

Alex cocked her head to the side and frowned. 'I don't know, I guess we were just young and dumb, and it felt like a funny thing to do at the time. You only live once, have no regrets, that kind of thing. And honestly it was hysterical, everyone's faces were priceless, and it was over in a flash so no harm done, right?'

'I guess... I mean good on you, I could never do something like that, I'd be way too scared.'

'Yeah, well,' Alex shrugged, 'I used to be a bit crazy back in the day. I've calmed down now, but I still don't regret any of it. Old me was a blast.'

Jamal nodded thoughtfully, then turned to Katie. 'And did you say you filmed Alex, you still have a video?'

Katie shook her head. 'No no, I didn't even see them when they were in the corridor, it was over too quickly. But one of the girls in the flat started recording them the second they burst out the bedroom, and she shared the footage with me the next morning.'

'So stupid...' Sasha had accidentally grumbled out loud and she glanced up to see the others looking at her judgingly. 'No sorry, I just mean... well no, it is so stupidly risky to have some complete stranger film you doing something like that. You're lucky it was just her and that she only showed Kate, that footage could have been sent to absolutely anyone, appeared literally anywhere online... and then what? What if it gets back to your family, or to your boss, or to any future employer... what then?'

Katie snored theatrically. 'Oh God, aren't lawyers fun.'

Jamal interjected. 'No, Sash is right though. You really should be careful with that kind of thing Alex, everyone has a phone so if you're doing stuff like that out in public you run a real risk of having your image widely distributed. And if someone manages to attach your name to that video then yes, anyone who ever needs to run a quick background check on you, or just gives you a cursory google, has a decent chance of finding something very unexpected...'

Now Alex pretended to slump into a boredom-induced coma. 'Oh great, now there's two of them. Guys I'm a big girl, I can look after myself thank you.'

Jamal raised his palms in surrender. 'Just some advice ok, be careful out there. You too Katie.'

Alex snorted. 'Her? She didn't do shit, she didn't even show off anything more than a push-up bra exposes. I've seen her wear low-cut shirts to secure house sales that reveal more than I saw that night.'

'Oh really?' Katie looked with indignant surprise at Alex's unkind words, she hadn't expected to be the one accused of being vanilla, not with Sasha still sitting at the table. She had a quick glance around to confirm that nobody in the bar seemed to be paying particular attention to their group, then with a sardonic smile aimed at her friend, she reached for the neck of her top and confidently pulled it down. She was wearing a flowery, strapless off-the-shoulder dress, the sort which have a singular wide neckline, and despite her generous proportions she didn't ruin the lowcut lines of the garment with a bra. Therefore as she pulled her top down it tightly stretched across her bust, before pinging down as it passed over her nipples, then settled in a ruffled ring around her waist as her captivating breasts were suddenly exposed to anyone who might be glancing her way. Alex snickered, Jamal gawked, and Sasha put her head in her hands.

'For fuck's sake...'

'There we go.' Katie smirked triumphantly at Alex who just shook her head disbelievingly, before snorting and breaking out into a grin too. 'You happy now? Am I daring enough for you?'

'Ok, well played Kate, I take back what I said.' Alex reached over and the giggling women clinked glasses, then Sasha grew tired of her crush ogling her topless friend and leaned across to tug Katie's top back up.

'Come on stop it, put them away, or you'll get us kicked out.' She was so annoyed that she found herself actually shoving Katie's boobs back into her clothing, as her friend looked down at her chest with bewilderment.

'Umm thanks, Sasha, think I got it though.' She finished adjusting and tucking herself in, then smoothed out her top and looked around eagerly. 'Anyone want more drinks?'

Yet more shots were purchased and downed, and then it was Jamal's turn to surprise them all. 'You know I actually have a crazy streaking story too, and I think it beats your one.'

Sasha had been absentmindedly sucking on an olive, and now she nearly choked on it. 'Sorry, excuse me what? You did something like that as well?'

Jamal laughed. 'God no, can you imagine. Like I said, I have a career to think of, anyone who wants to make it as a lawyer needs a bullet proof history, no criminal record, and nothing that could be used as blackmail.'

'Sounds super fun.' Alex sarcastically retorted.

'You want the story or not?'

'No sure sure, go on.'

'Right. So this happened during my fourth year at uni, after I'd left Sash and gone to this new place, and honestly, it was crazy. It was around Christmas time I think, like the last week of term, so it was freezing outside and pretty quiet. And that night it was raining too, really heavily, and I remember because I'd had the worst time working until two in the morning on this deadline, and then I got soaked on the way home, my glasses got completely fogged-up and I was in a shit mood. But then I decided to take this shortcut home over the grass, and because I'm just staring at the ground, trying my best not to slip over in the dark, I'm not looking where I'm going right? And then suddenly bam! I almost walk straight into this nude chick.'

Now it was the girls' turn to frown in disbelief, and they all chorused in sync.

'You did what?'

Jamal nodded vigorously. 'I swear, to God, on my life, on anything. She was completely naked, didn't even have shoes on, and she's soaked to the skin and just standing there, looking all shiny and shivery in the rain. And she clearly hadn't seen me coming either, because she screams like she's just seen a ghost, and like tries to cover herself up.'

Katie purred into his ear. 'And was she hot? Did you get a good look at her?'

Jamal whistled. 'Oh she was very, very attractive. She managed to hide most of her... umm, assets, almost immediately, but I did get a quick glimpse and yeah... if everyone looked like her then maybe running around with no clothes on wouldn't be frowned upon so much.'

Sasha couldn't believe what she was hearing. 'So what did you say? What did she say?'

'Nothing, not for a moment. I just kind of froze, it was late and I was sleep deprived so I genuinely thought for a second that I might be hallucinating, and she was like a weird angel or something. And she didn't say anything either really, just sort of stayed there staring back at me, with her mouth wide open. It was one of the stranger moments of my life, and I guess she was pretty weirded out by it too, I don't think she'd really planned on getting caught.'

Katie scoffed. 'A streaker who didn't anticipate people seeing her?'

'Yeah but you know what I mean, it wasn't like she just laughed and kept on running with her arms waving up in the air, like they do in dumb college movies, she actually seemed really mortified to see me. Maybe she'd lost a bet, or it was some insane dare, I don't know.'

'Ok, so what happened next?' Alex was enjoying this story, this sounded like her kind of woman.

Jamal rubbed his eyes. 'Well after a few seconds where we were both lost for words, I think she just said goodbye..? Yeah she did, she said bye, really awkwardly which I guess given the circumstances wasn't surprising, and then she just turned and sprinted away up the road. She was running towards the center of campus too, which would have had more people around, like I said it was one of the wildest things I've ever seen anyone do.'

'You didn't want to follow her?'

'Again, given the circumstances I think that might have come across as a little creepy... and I was still freezing, and then the thunder and lightning began, so I rushed back to my flat. I never saw her again, I thought I might bump into her somewhere the term after, but I never did. Then a few months later I left, and I never really thought about her again until you mentioned your story.'

Katie leant back in her chair and giggled. 'Well, good on her. I hope she had fun, wherever she ended up.'

Sasha just ruefully dropped her olive back into her drink and wondered why on earth people just couldn't keep their damn clothes on...

*****

A short while later the evening was beginning to draw to a close. Jamal hugged the girls goodbye and promised Sasha that they'd meet up for lunch soon, then he went off to get a taxi home with his friends. Even Alex and Katie were now beginning to feel pretty tired, and so they agreed to start the twenty minute walk back to the flat, and headed out into the cool evening air. It was only about one in the morning and there were still plenty of people about, some continuing to drink outside bars or simply on the street, and the rest heading home or searching for a cheeky takeaway. As the girls stumbled along the pavement they chatted.

'So, Sash, how come you never told us what a hunk Jamal is?'

'Yeah Sash, what's up with that, he's gorgeous! Why did you never say anything, or make a move yourself back in the day?'

'Guys come on, it's not like that...'

'Why not?' Alex nearly tripped over an uneven paving stone and swore. 'What's wrong with him? Is he gay? I wasn't really getting that vibe, but he did have great hair-'

'Ok there's nothing wrong with him, got it? We're just friends, always have been, always will be. Now can we drop it, please?'

'Alright alright, relax.'

The trio passed by their local park and swung round into the penultimate road on their route home, the call of their beds was growing louder with every step.

'Tell you what though, he put my story to shame...' Alex muttered, looking up at the stars twinkling above them. 'Every other man I've told that to has ended up drooling over me like a dog, but no not Jamal, he just one-ups me with a better one.'

Sasha had been ignoring Alex but now she felt a twinge of smug satisfaction begin to grow in her chest. Finally the other two knew how it felt to not to be the most daring one in a group, and she was glad that they'd had their stupid anecdote undermined. 'Yeah well, that girl sounded ballsier than most.'

'What?' Alex shook her head disapprovingly. 'Nah, she just had more of an opportunity than me. I didn't even go to uni, imagine what I'd have got up to if I had done.'

Katie yawned. 'Bollocks.'

'Excuse me?'

'You wouldn't have dared. Running down a flat corridor is one thing, but outside in public, and for more than the thirty seconds you managed? That's way harder.'

Alex was genuinely offended. 'Are you insane? You, who couldn't even show her tits to a couple of guys because you were too scared? You really think you're in a position to say what I would and wouldn't do?'

Katie pouted. 'Sorry, do I have to flash my boobs at you again to prove a point or what? Sure, you pulled off one impressive streak, one time, in a place where literally no one knew you, so it was basically anonymous anyway. Other than that you're not the daredevil you think you are.'

'I actually don't believe this. So what, you'd do it? You really think you're that brave?'

'Yeah sure, why not. I'm just as likely to do it as you, if not more so. There's no way you'd be able to outdo me.'

'I did once before, you idiot!'

'But now it's an equal playing field, and there's no way you'd have the guts!'

Sasha had tried her best to remain calm but now all her frustrations and pent-up grievances from the evening finally bubbled over. She was sick of everyone showing off about how outgoing and free-spirited and fucking sexy they were, it was driving her insane and she couldn't take it for another second.

'Oh shut up, both of you! Neither of you would do it because it's fucking ludicrous! You're adults now, with jobs and bills and real responsibilities, you're not stupid college students anymore who are just trying to get their kicks with some stupid dare! Now stop acting like you're both the bravest, or the craziest, or the hottest or whatever shit you think you are, and just grow up for once.'

'Wow...'

'Sasha, no one was even asking you...'

They'd come to a halt at the junction that led onto their road, and they all turned to look at each other as an uneasy silence descended between the three. It felt like they'd also reached a metaphorical crossroads in their friendship, and they were waiting to decided which way to go. Down one path lay the future that Sasha wanted, one of successful careers and strings of promotions, of adult obligations and mature decisions. And down the other was the life that Katie and Alex preferred, with a good work-life balance and just enough immaturity to stop them feeling that they were getting too old too quickly. Unfortunately for Sasha she was outnumbered and outargued by two to one, and even for a lawyer those were tricky odds to beat. Her friends looked at her for another moment with growing contempt in their eyes, then they disregarded her and started bickering again.

'Ok fine, I'll tell you what, I'll do it if you do it too.'

'Oh yeah, sure you will.'

'I'm serious.'

'Ok fine, so am I. I will if you will.'

'Ok.'

'Ok.'

'Go on then.'

'What?'

'You go first.'

'No, we do it together, at the same time.'

'Hah see, I knew you wouldn't. Chicken.'

'Urgh, screw you.' Alex's teasing finally broke Katie's resolve, and she leant against a post box as she reached down to tug off her heels, stepping out of them to stand barefoot on the pavement. 'Come on then, or are you all talk like I think you are?'

Sasha groaned, she could tell that she'd messed up as she saw a flash of anger cross Alex's face. Growing up they had all been at times ridiculously competitive and stubborn with each other, even over the most trivial things, and although Sasha had matured to the point where she was now happy to be the bigger person and let most things go, the other two were still very much prone to clashing horns.

'Fine, if you want to play this game then fine, let's play.' Alex's shoes quickly joined Katie's on the floor, and then after a pause both women started to frantically shrug their coats off their shoulders, flapping their sleeves comically as they raced to undress.

'Here Sasha, take this.' Both jackets were shoved at Sasha who sighed and folded them over her arm, then apprehensively looked up and down the road to see if anyone had noticed this odd behaviour. At the far end of the street, near their apartment block, she could see a group of people walking away from them, and she hoped that they didn't turn back for any reason. She returned her attention back to Alex, who seemed to have stalled slightly, and was standing there shivering uneasily on the pavement. Then Katie goaded her again.

'See, feels pretty different now that you actually have to go through with it, doesn't it?'

Alex just glared back in reply, then reached behind her back and began to fiddle with a clasp. In a moment it had snapped open, and she reached under her crop top and slid the straps down, before yanking her unfastened bra out and holding it aloft triumphantly.

'Happy?' She tossed it at Sasha who added it to the coats, and now it was Katie's turn to look slightly concerned.

'Ok, ok...' To her credit she didn't delay for long, instead she seemed to force herself to move quickly, and after bending down and rummaging briefly she straightened and clumsily hopped around on one leg as she stepped out of her tangled thong. 'Here, take this too.'

'Eww.' Sasha carefully added the piece of underwear to the growing pile of clothes, delicately holding it between the tips of her finger and thumb, and once more the pendulum swung back round to Alex. They all knew that Katie only had one item of clothing left, her flower-patterned dress, but her competitor was still wearing three.

Alex bit her tongue anxiously, and then turned to look dead into Katie's eyes. 'Ok look Kate, are we really about to do this? Because all joking aside, if you want to, then fuck it, let's do it. I'm actually serious now. What do you say?'

Katie's face melted into an excited grin, and she nodded eagerly. 'Ok, I say we do it! Come on, it will be so fun! As long as we do it together, right?'

'Right.'

'No guys, seriously,' Sasha tried one final time to appeal to whatever semblance of common sense their tequila-addled brains were still able to conjure up. 'I was being harsh and I'm really sorry, but this is an incredibly dumb idea, there's still loads of people around, not to mention our neighbours, and you don't have to prove-'

'Shut up Sash. Ok, let's do this!' Alex interrupted Sasha's speech to disappear behind the post box, crouching down to undress as even she realised that they were a bit exposed, standing there on the corner of the road, brightly illuminated under a streetlight. Katie just smiled victoriously at Sasha, who realised that all she'd managed to do was take all the animosity and spite her friend's had for each other, and instead aim it straight at herself. Now it was Alex and Katie united against her, drunkenly determined to prove that they weren't afraid of anything.

'Ok I'm ready, nearly.' Alex remerged from her cover with her skinny jeans held in front of her breasts, the denim legs hanging down low enough to cover the rest of her body. They could see from her bare hips that she'd taken off everything else, and sure enough in her other hand was the rest of her clothes. She unceremoniously chucked the balled up top and thong at Sasha and then anxiously smiled at her new partner in crime.

'So, you ready too?'

Katie nodded nervously and reached down to the hem of her dress, but then at the last second she paused. 'Hold on.' She walked over to Sasha and tried to reach through the pile of clothes in order to get to her coat, but to no avail. 'Oh fuck it, Sasha give me your phone instead, I can't be arsed to get mine.'

'What? Why?' Sasha felt her friend reach into her pocket and pull out her mobile. They all knew each other's passcodes and so Katie quickly had it unlocked.

'Well you know, after all the fun cyber-safety lawyer talk earlier, I thought what would make this even more fun?' The phone's torch clicked on as Katie opened up the camera app and began to record. 'Well, if we film it of course!'