Chapter #31What It's Like to Be on the Other Side by: Nostrum   You’re not comfortable keeping secrets from Jessica, but you want to give Allison the benefit of the doubt. What if overreacting ruins things?
One thing’s for sure. You’re thankful Allison has the pen. Katie has gotten so desperate as to demand checking your stuff – your lockers, your rooms, your houses... Tina’s chewing calmed her down, but she’s still suspecting. Which is why you tell Claire your plan while walking to school on Wednesday morning. “Can you keep an eye on Katie today?”
“Uh... sure. Why?”
“I need to take Jess to meet some people.”
“Is this about the girl you were talking with?” (Turns out, Claire overheard your conversation with Allison, and between the three of you, you worked your story. You agreed to blame everything on the punch, and Allison even suggests what they might have used – roofies.) “The girl Jess wore last Friday?”
Your eyes bug as you hear Claire speaking so casually about wearing skins. “Shush! What if someone hears you!?”
“S’not like anyone’s around. But it’s her, right?”
“Yeah. She wants to meet Jess.”
She slows her step, clutching the straps of her backpack tight. “You know she’s gonna turn you into skins, right?”
“I don’t wanna think about it, but... I guess you’re right.” You grab your phone, checking the map. “I’ll send you the pin to their house. If I don’t get back by dinner, you probably know where we are.”
You see her shiver. “Uh... You know that means Mom and Dad’ll know, right?”
“Better for them to know than think we’re gone forever.”
“Alright. But if you disappear forever, can I take your room?” You stop and stare her hard. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding! Why would I want a room that stinks of boy sweat anyways?”
“Claire, I’m serious.”
“Like I said, I was kidding. You said they smoke weed, right?” (You’re surprised Ally’s plan worked. You had to take a shower, but there was no evidence of the smell until yesterday, when your mother took you aside and asked if you smoked marijuana. You obviously didn’t tell her about the edibles.)
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“Well, we can always get them through that.”
“Just don’t do it unless I’m in trouble. I’ll call you if everything’s alright.”
“Okay.” That seems to satisfy her, but not you. It’s not that you don’t trust her. It’s that you have to depend on her.
And depending on her means a favor with strings attached.
--
“What’s that about taking my story out!?”
Joanna’s livid after Ashley’s stunt, taking her story down to promote yours. To her credit, she’s taking the heat off you.
“You know Ms. Martinez and I have final say on what it goes, and David’s story was more important.”
“But he didn’t even go there!” (That was what you told her, when she pressed about why there was an article with your name on it.)
“Yeah, but he got solid sources. He got people that got affected by the punch, plus Mackenzie herself.”
“Couldn’t you put it somewhere else?”
“I still added your water fountain story, Joanna. You know we’re not supposed to do hit pieces.”
After some huffing, you see her calm down. “You know that’s not true,” she tells Ashley.
“Maybe. But that story was more important. We still don’t know who did it – could be anyone. How’s that for a follow-up?”
“Why not give it to David? He seems to know better.”
“If that’s what you want...” Ashley grabs your shoulder, shaking it. “You’re on that story.”
“I’ll make sure to remember it when my lay-out time comes...” She sighs, approaching you. “And just so you don’t think I have anything against you... Good story.”
That shocks you. Joanna rarely gives praise like that. You suspect there must be something behind it, but you can’t quite pin it.
Soon, the bell rings, and you’re free to leave with your free copy of the newspaper. You call Ashton, who must be looking for you everywhere. “Hey. Got out of the newsroom. Gonna go look for my girlfriend; will meet you at the parking lot.”
“Sure, man.”
You find Jessica at the lockers, escorting her to where Ashton is. You look around, in case anyone’s close – Katie, especially. “Hey, man,” you greet him. “Ash, this is Jessica. Jess, this is Ashton – though you kinda met him already.”
“Duude!” he says, cheerfully. “You’ve got a smokin’ hot girl!” He glances at Jessica, swallowing his tongue. “Uh, sorry.”
“It’s alright. Your girlfriend’s kinda hot too, y’know.”
“How d’you...?” As he realizes his slip, Ashton smacks his head. “Right. So, uh... Hop in. We can, uh... talk on the way and stuff.”
Compared to last time, the truck smells better. It’s still pungent, but with the odor of chemical freshener instead. (You even see the can of Febreze laying aside.) Jessica sits behind, while you ride shotgun; the trip mostly has them know a bit about each other, confirming what you told him about that day.
As you reach Allison’s shack, you start to shiver. Jessica protests about taking off her clothes, but as you try to persuade her, the owner appears. “It’s to avoid the scent. This your girl, David?”
“Yeah. Ally, this is Jessica, my girlfriend – the one I talked about. Jess... I guess I don’t need to introduce you.”
“Yeah, I guess...” She takes off her pink polo, followed by her jeans. “Sorry about last time, by the way.”
“Don’t worry,” Allison claims. “You had your reasons. By the way – you do weed?”
“Uh... No.”
“Alright. Won’t offer you edibles, then. Ash goofed off and gave your boyfriend one.”
“He did?” Jessica snorts. “Dave, you should’ve known!”
“I was hungry, babe.” You notice how Allison grins as you say that. “I didn’t know it had that stuff!”
“Fortunately, it was a low dose. If you wanna try, I can help you. But after we finish our deal.”
“What deal?” your girlfriend asks as you’re escorted downstairs.
There, you notice Allison holds the black pen. Jessica stares at you, terrified, before the owner of the shack zaps her with it. “Don’t worry. We’ll take good care of you.”
“I should’ve known,” you lament.
“Don’t be such a worrywart!” She approaches you, clamping your shoulder. “It’s gonna be only for a while. You stole a bit of time from us, so...”
You feel the shock from the pen, and almost instantly, you faint. “...it’s only fair we do the same.”
--
...mmm...
...vely place...
You hear voices. It’s like that time you were trying to learn how to hold your breath, where you heard the laughs of the other kids muffled by the water. It sounds exactly like that.
You feel a delicate hand rubbing your loins, but like if it was coated with thick grease. You feel soft flesh touching your lips, and then something flexible and slimy slipping in.
You try to move, but to no avail. It feels like something’s filling you. Your eyes burn, and all you can see is shadows. Oh – there is some light, but it’s distant, and only serves to highlight the shadows.
You feel something down there, rumbling. You feel soft, downy hair rubbing it, and then a squelch as it gets driven inward. You hear muted laughs, and distant giggles.
...me Jess’ca...
...right, babe...
...oh, David! Dav’d...
...oh, Jess! Oh, yeah...!
...s’good. So good...!
...gonna cum. I can feel it...
...oh... Oh... Oooh...!!!
Then, a flushing sensation, heavy pants and breaths taken involuntarily on lungs you can’t feel. You hear blood pumping madly, and giggles of delight.
It’s like you’re being drowned. Listening to whatever these two are doing.
...know what, babe...?
Another kiss. ...What?
...do it. Doggie style...
--
You wake up, gasping for air. The shadows are still there, and you feebly grasp to the dim light crawling inside your eyes.
You hear cries of terror. You feel a hand, desperately looking for something. Your own instinctively grabs her, and you hear a yelp. “Jess?”
“David!?” She’s about to go in panic. “What’s wrong?”
“Shit,” you hear Allison say. “We didn’t wake up that way. Ash, check if they’re alright!”
“Hey, bro!” You feel a shadow interposing within the light, grabbing your head. “You alright, man?”
“Ash!?” You shake your head as you feel Jessica’s grip tightening. “What’s happening?”
“David, Jessica? What are you feeling?”
“I’m fucking blind, you bitch!”
“That’s gonna fix in time,” Allison claims. “It happened to us. If it lasts for too long, then--”
“Where are we?” your girlfriend demands. “What were you doing?”
“You’re in my room,” she tells her. “We just woke you up.”
“You’re gonna keep using us, don’t you?” You feel Jessica’s hand gripping you, hearing her sobs. “Why did you decide to wake us?”
“Calm down, girl! We just wanted to feel what it felt to wear someone else. We’re not gonna do it again unless we get your consent.”
“Consent!?” Jessica yelps.
“Babe,” you say, trying to calm her. You try to stand up, and you feel two strong arms helping you. “We turned them into skins. It was only fair.”
“And we got what we wanted,” Allison adds, “so we’re not gonna bother you anymore. Hell – I hoped this wouldn’t freak you so much, but I guess I did. So, uh... sorry for that.”
That seems to calm her out – and just in time, as the blur in your eyes, the next step from the shadows, finally clears, and you can see everything. Like the fact that Ashton, Allison, Jessica and yourself are buck naked.
“I’m not sure if I can trust you afterwards.”
“If it helps, you’re gonna get the pen back. It’s yours, after all. Though...” Allison looks at Jessica, biting her lip. “If you wanna hide it from your sister...”
Jessica turns towards you, furious. “You told them about that!?”
You’re about to shake your head, when Allison stands up for you. “He didn’t say a thing. You told me.”  You have the following choice: 1. Continue |
| Members who added to this interactive story also contributed to these: |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author