The Washing

"Well, I guess it doesn't really matter."

"Why, because of John?"

"Yeah."

"Actually," replied Natalie, with a slightly sinister grin forming on her face, "I guess I can say this, 'cuz it's public knowledge now. But asshat John has been cheating on Brooke for, like, months now."

"Wow, really?" answered Mark, becoming suddenly alert. "With who? Does she know about it?"

"That bitch Jenna Coleman. All the frat guys share her pussy, basically. -- Yeah, of course she knows. She's known for a little while now."

"Huh." Mark decided not to press her for more details, out of respect for Brooke.

"Yeah, so you might have a chance with her soon enough..."

"Is she breaking up with him?"

"I mean... I dunno. But I sense a disturbance in the Force with her. I don't think it'll last much longer, now that the cat is out of the bag." Natalie seemed pleased with herself for having delivered the delicious news, especially to someone she knew had the potential to replace Brooke's current boyfriend, whom she despised. "Oh!" she exclaimed, suddenly having an idea. "You should ask her if you can join her group for the Washing! She'd totally let you come... I'll be there!"

"Oh, actually she already invited me. Just this morning."

"Oooh, that's a good sign," Natalie replied, clapping her hands together. "Do you have a partner yet?"

"I wasn't aware I needed one..." said Mark, surprised.

"Of course. Do you want to be my partner then? I still need to find one."

"Sure... What exactly does that mean, though?" Mark grew mildly nervous at the growing realization that he was really about to take part in some naked shenanigans, and that Natalie would also be present.

"Well, you need a partner to share a bar of soap and a bucket with. Who'd wash you, otherwise?" she answered with a wicked grin.

Mark laughed. If there was one person he wasn't surprised to see so eager about the prospect of such an episode, it was Natalie. "Okay, I think I get it. So... we literally wash each other? Like..." He was hesitant to believe he really understood the full details of what was going on.

"Yup!" she replied, happily.

"And you'd be okay with that?" he asked, still in disbelief that she was asking to interact with him in the nude.

She rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't have asked you if I wasn't."

"Okay," Mark said with a smirk.

"I mean, chill! It's not like we're going to the prom or anything," chuckled Natalie as she finally began to unpack her books and arrange them on her desk. A grin began to spread across her face. She added, in a somewhat softer tone, "I'm merely asking you to put your hands all over my naked body."

A sudden laugh forced itself up Mark's throat and he almost choked on it. Just then, the teacher walked in and everyone began to quiet down. Mark continued to gaze at Natalie in bewilderment.

She sat face forward, ready for class, with the wicked smile still lingering on her face.

***

Later that afternoon Mark strolled into his dorm room and threw his bag onto his bed. Trevon sat in the corner tapping away at his smartphone. Mark gave him a swift punch in the shoulder, causing his roommate to almost drop the device.

"Ow!" said Trevon with a wince. He rubbed his shoulder.

Mark smirked. "Why didn't you tell me about the Washing?!"

Trevon started laughing. "Actually, I was going to. Shayna and I are going over to Anthony's tomorrow for one and I was gonna see if you wanted to join us." Mark hadn't had a chance to get the update on how things had gone with Shayna, but clearly they'd gone well. "I think Kate needs a partner still," Trevon added. "Do you wanna join us? You can maybe go with her."

Mark walked back to his bed and took a seat at the edge of the mattress. "I'm taking Natalie to Brooke's."

"Wait," said Trevon, with a look of mild confusion. "Isn't Brooke the one you like?"

"Yeah, but she's going out with John still."

"Oh yeah... that asshole," Trevon mumbled, turning back to his phone.

Mark was silent for a few moments. He was feeling a range of emotions. He felt confusion over an event that was still obscure in his mind. What was it like? Did everyone really just get naked together? Did they really touch each other's body? He felt dizzy with a mixture of excitement and extreme anxiety about seeing Natalie take her clothes off in front of him. What would she look like, and ow would she react to his own body?

But most of all, he felt a rising terror at the prospect of stripping down completely with Brooke nearby. He'd imagined her naked a thousand times, but never in a scenario quite like this. In his fantasies it was always just the two of them; together, desirous of one another, ready to share a moment of extreme intimacy. Mark still couldn't quite process the unbelievable fact that he'd finally get to see her body in all its glory, nor how cruel it was that she'd be with John and not with him.

"So... Shayna, eh?" said Mark, in a desperate attempt to block these thoughts which exhausted his mind and emotions.

Trevon put down his phone and looked up at him with a grin.

***

Tuesday came and went without much discussion of the upcoming event, mostly because Mark's anxieties about it prevented him from bringing up the topic too often. However, at lunch he overheard someone excitedly mention a Washing that was taking place later that day. There was a mild buzz in the air, covert looks, giggles, and whispers, which Mark assumed were all related to Washings that had just taken place, or were about to happen.

As the day wore on the butterflies in his stomach steadily grew. He remained on high alert, watching out for Brooke wherever he went, but he never bumped into her. It left him feeling panicky, like he wanted to at least run into her to confirm that this was really happening, that she had really invited him to an event where they'd see each other naked. He wanted to see her boldly facing the task, if anything just to help him feel less insecure about it.

By Wednesday morning his nervousness and excitement reached a fever pitch. He passed Natalie in the halls twice and both times she made a show of what they were going to do together later that afternoon. "Ready for your scrub?" she asked with a wink as she passed by. Later, she used her favorite phrase with him, "See you tonight, hot stuff."

Knowing what lay ahead for the two of them, Mark found that he could no longer look at Natalie without imagining her completely nude. He remained hard for a long period of time after their transient encounters, his arousal being maintained by a near hallucinogenic sensation of her soft hands rubbing themselves curiously all over his naked body. He tried to talk himself down, hypothesizing that it wouldn't really be that erotic, that they would end up just laughing a bit and splashing each other with soap and water, carrying on, pointing, and making wisecracks.

As the afternoon approached he had the urge to flee, but knew he'd never bail on Natalie, nor miss a chance to see Brooke naked for that matter. As four o-clock neared four-thirty and then rounded the clock toward five, Mark began to make his way across campus toward the frat house where John lived, where it would all finally go down. He began to wonder if he should have given himself a fresh trim or any other last minute preparations to make sure that his naked body was as presentable as possible for a bunch of girls he knew and one he was head-over-heels for. Distracted, awkward thoughts plagued his mind right up until he finally reached the old brick building, behind which he could hear a low thumping of music and laughter.

Mark walked around the corner of the house toward the backyard and the music grew louder. When he reached the other side he found a small crowd of people hanging around holding plastic cups filled with beer. There were a few couples he recognized. He spotted John in a t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, as well as several of his frat brothers and their girlfriends. The yard was decorated sparsely with globe lights and a long table had been set up with snacks and stacks of napkins, as well as much to drink. A couple of the girls standing near John and his friends already looked drunk, dancing and grinding sarcastically against the guys who watched them with wide grins. Other couples looked on, observing nervously with their arms folded and hands tightly clutching their cups.

Mark saw little to do with the ritual that was about to take place until he approached the table for a drink. On the other side, near a sliding door leading into the house, he spotted a small grid of seven or eight light blue buckets filled with water, one for each couple in attendance. Inside each bucket he noticed a dull, mustard-colored sponge floating there, vaguely in the shape of a large peanut. A jumbo bar of soap sat in the grass in front of each one. Beside them all the hoses were pulled out, lazily curled like snakes basking in the afternoon sun.

Mark retreated from the table and wandered over to the small crowd, taking a brief sip of beer and looking for the faces he recognized.

"Mark!" shrieked Natalie, arriving out of nowhere. She skipped over to him, briefly splashing her beer.

Mark grinned. "Hey Natalie!" he exclaimed, his heart suddenly thumping.

Natalie finished bounding over to his side. She wore tight denim shorts, frayed at the edges, and a black t-shirt sporting the logo for an '80s hair band. It was obvious from the spring in her step that she hadn't bothered to wear a bra. The loose movement of her two small breasts mildly obscured the text on her shirt, bending inward to a shallow channel between them. In fact, everyone present appeared to be wearing simple, loose-fitting clothes that could be easily removed.

"You didn't chicken out!" she squealed, wrapping one arm around him and squeezing him tightly as her beer hovered by his head in her other hand.

"Are you kidding me?" he laughed. Mark sarcastically sized her up. "I've been dreaming of this moment since I first met you!"

Natalie threw her head back and erupted into mad laughter. "You and me both!" she exclaimed. Natalie tugged his hand over to a nearby couple to introduce him. They began to mingle and Mark's nerves started to calm slightly, thanks to the social distraction.

Moments later the sliding door across the yard opened and Brooke stepped out into the sunlight holding a bowl of pretzels for the table. She was wearing a pair of white shorts and an army green bikini top. Brooke seemed mildly stressed at the responsibilities of being a good host while John hung out with their friends. There was an explosion of sudden laughter. She looked up and laughed at the antics of some friends nearby, then glanced casually across the yard. Upon spotting Mark she stopped short. Brooke's smile quivered a little as she fell silent.

"Hey," Mark silently mouthed in her direction. She responded in kind, her smile freshly renewed. Brooke then turned back toward the house and vanished inside. Mark returned to the flow of conversation, each of them musing about their summertime escapades, which lasted for several minutes until John grew restless.

"Dude, it's past five already! Let's get this party started!" he exclaimed. "Someone get Brooke..." He raised his hands to his mouth and aimed them toward the house. "Brooooke!" he shouted.

Hearing her name, she stepped out of the house. "Shit! The affirmations!" she shouted before turning abruptly around and darting back inside. Moments later she ran back out holding a piece of paper, switched off the music, and hurried over to join everyone, wiping aside the strands of hair that clung to her forehead.

"Whew, okay..." she mumbled with a laugh. "Thank you everyone for coming to our Washing!"

The small gathering around Mark began to cheer loudly and he joined in. Natalie stood beside him raising both arms in the air, holding her beer triumphantly aloft and unleashing a loud, "Whoooo!" She turned to Mark and they chuckled.

Brooke continued, "Most of you know how this goes, but I know that some of you haven't done it before, so I'll just explain how it works." She glanced briefly at Mark. He knew she was referring to him, and probably only him. "I'm going to read the affirmations first and everyone will respond. Then one of you will go over and grab a bucket of water and a bar of soap and bring it back to your partner so we can get started. We've got a bunch of towels that I'll bring out later, if the sun doesn't dry you off first."

She took a deep breath and looked down at the sheet in front of her. "Okay! Here we go..." The crowd quieted down and everyone faced Brooke, listening attentively as they finished the last sips of their beer. Brooke began to read from the piece of paper.

"We gather here today to expunge ourselves of the mistakes of our pasts, to rinse our minds of the things that trouble us and to wash away the memories of past failures. As we cleanse our bodies, so too are we cleansing our minds, our emotions, the negative thoughts that hold us back from success."

The crowd grew restless and excited around her.

"We gather here today to start the year fresh. To slough off the hardened, cracked shells of our old selves and proceed anew, with fresh bodies and fresh minds. We advance together with a new charge: to liberate ourselves of the baggage we carried here with us today and to take tomorrow by storm."

Mark observed everyone around him exchanging excited looks and tapping their feet impatiently.

Brooke continued, "We wash away the poor grades, the lost matches, the slept-through exams."

The crowd erupted into a loud, "We wash them away!" which they roared in unison.

Brooke grinned and continued. "We wash away the arguments, the grudges, the soured relationships."

Again the crowd droned, "We wash them away!"

"We wash away the threat of failure, of defeat, of loss, and of all other obstacles that stand in our way of making this..." Brooke lowered the paper and paraphrased the final words with a gleeful shout, "... the best fucking year we've ever had!"

Mark laughed as everyone cheered. Empty cups flew into the air. Chants and whistles commenced. After a few moments, Brooke quieted everyone down.

"Now everyone go grab a bucket and soap, and then find a place in the yard for you and your partner," she said. "Have a great Washing everyone!"

Natalie turned to Mark, saying, "I'll be right back!" He watched her race off toward the house with several others. They each selected a bucket and grabbed a bar of soap and hurried back to greet their partners. Everyone wandered off around the yard to find a nice spot by a tree or in the warmest patch of sun, while still remaining a few yards from one another.

Natalie came racing back with a look of wild excitement. She placed the supplies between them and then stood back up to face her partner, taking a deep breath. "Okay! Wakey-wakey -- time to get nakey!" she exclaimed cheerfully.

Mark smiled nervously at her, as it registered that the moment of truth had arrived. Natalie paused momentarily, searching his eyes for signs of what he might be feeling, then developed a huge grin. She grasped the bottom of her t-shirt, looked him straight in the eye, and then launched it upward. As it briefly snagged on her head, Mark found himself suddenly staring at her bare chest. Natalie's small breasts jiggled erratically as she struggled to get the t-shirt over her head. They stretched ever so slightly as she raised her arms up over her head. Then, as her head popped through the opening and she threw down her t-shirt, they were sent swaying briefly from side to side before stopping and pointing outward toward him.

Mark's mind was racing. Here was a close friend, someone he'd taken classes with, gone to concerts with, drank, smoked pot, and played video games with. He felt he had come to know her so well through their friendship, yet somehow here was something totally new, her naked breasts appearing like some new dimension to her persona.

Natalie appeared to be more than amused by Mark's silent bewilderment as he stood there taking it all in. Her wicked grin flittered at the edges of her mouth as she quickly undid the button of her denim shorts. The moment she stuck her thumbs in to push them down Mark realized she hadn't bothered to wear any panties. His heart briefly stopped as she tugged them down and kicked them off. His cock swelled instantly in his pants, necessitating a few moments of pause to bring it back under control.

After a brief glance at the grass to collect himself, he returned his attention to Natalie's crotch. Mark gazed incredulously at his close friend's pussy; two perfectly rounded lips, completely hairless, tucked neatly into the apex between her thighs. She allowed him to quietly observe her, the same look of amusement still frozen on her face as if perpetually on the verge of laughter. He found that he couldn't look away from those smooth folds pursed together with a clean channel running straight down between them.

Finally, Natalie lost control and a peal of laughter broke free. Mark snapped out of it and felt himself turning red.

"Come on, come on... Let's see that hot bod..." she joked, tugging at his shirt.

"Okay, okay," he laughed, blocking her attempts to get it off him.

She rolled her eyes and gestured at him to remove it. Then she squatted down beside the bucket and began to squeeze the sponge as if assessing the temperature of the water.

Mark directed his attention across the yard. Brooke stood nearby with her back to him. With an air of slight insecurity, which he was afraid he may have caused, she shot her shorts down to her feet and stepped out, revealing the bottom half of her green bikini. She quickly reached around her back, targeting the strap of her top. He saw it come loose. Although he couldn't see her chest, Mark could almost sense the free release of her weighty breasts, as if hallucinating their soft dip upon greeting the warm sunlight. He suffered a deep yearning for her to turn... and when she finally did it was nothing short of a fantasy making itself real.

Mark gazed at the perfect outward bearing of her lovely breasts, softly sculpted into two generous orbs. They moved with a tight liquid motion, lagging behind the subtle twists of her body before settling back into place with a gentle wobble. At the tips she possessed two salmon-colored nipples which stood freshly at attention, already sensitive to the glances of bystanders and enjoying the graceful touch of a passing breeze.

Brooke glanced up at Mark, her eyes flashing for an instant in a moment of recognition, keenly observing his curiosity before turning back away and resuming her task.

Her bikini bottoms slid down before he had any time to prepare. The thin strip of material glided swiftly over the smoothly rounded cheeks of her buttocks which wobbled momentarily before steadying themselves and placing on display the faintly perceptible tan line that framed them. She cast him another subtle glance over her shoulder as if occasionally checking to see if he had begun to undress also. Mark became acutely aware of having stalled, becoming transfixed instead with her own progress.

There stood Brooke, nude as the day she was born. Tall, well-proportioned, well-endowed, and suffused with a deeply feminine sex appeal. Mark knew that in mere moments she would inevitably reveal herself to him and every inch of her body would cease to be a mystery. Her most secret, intimate charms remained just one half turn from his desperate eyes, longing to explore every nook and cranny from afar. He ached for that sudden moment of erotic satisfaction as she would share with him a glimpse of the shocking sweetness he imagined of her sex.

Turn she did, and Mark caught sight of a smooth layer of dark brown hair laying flat against her pubic mound. Breathless, he observed a thin gash of bright coral pink which bisected it; the lovely, delicate flesh of her labia standing in stark contrast to the scant swath of dusky hair. This cruel vision of her raw femininity only made him hopeful for more: to experience it with all his other senses. To touch it, to smell her, to taste her body. Privately, intimately, in the throes of a shared passion while they made love, intoxicated on each other's unrelenting arousal.