New story, new perspective. More to come, hope you enjoy.
Chapter One
“This is why they warned the class not to get married during the program!” I slapped the cover shut on my advanced marketing strategy textbook. Like a boxer pulling a punch, I smiled, hoping the grin would soften the weight of my words. I had a habit of betraying my true feelings. Perhaps, this is why I was reluctantly engaged at 27; just one year into my two-year MBA program; or should I say *our* MBA program.
“I hate when you bring up orientation.” Whether intentional or not, Jessica attempted to divert the argument away from the root issue. I always suspected she adopted this maneuver to capitalize on my nonassertive nature. She pulled her knees closer to her chest. We were sitting aside one another on the living room sectional. It was the only place to sit comfortably in the small room. I can only assume this was Jessica’s attempt at distancing herself from me.
“I’m just saying, they weren’t kidding, we should have waited.” I reached to caress her foot. Jessica had been recently accepted into our University’s partnership program for candidates focused in international business. She would be spending the next academic year in London. This would have been wonderful news, if we did not have to cancel our venue and push the wedding until the summer. Our already long two-year engagement just became a three-year purgatory.
“I wish you would quit whining and focus on the real issue here. How are we going to afford this place and my accommodations in London?” Her question angered me, Jessica had been the one to push us into getting a two-bedroom East Village apartment, even though the rent stressed the combined limits of my GI Bill housing allowance and her savings.
“I’ll refresh the posting, or we can just lower what we are asking for the sublet.” I got up and crossed through the two French doors into the bedroom turned office. Although the apartment’s two bedrooms shared a common wall and were equal in size, we chose this room to be the office because its paned French doors provided a lesser sense of privacy.
“I really wish you would reconsider Nicole’s offer.” Jessica called out as I fired up my laptop.
Instead of pulling up our posting, I detoured to pull up the girl’s social media. I didn’t know too much about her, other than the fact that she and Jessica had been friends throughout their undergraduate years. Apparently, she was starting her master’s in fine arts for fashion design and had changed her mind on commuting. Although her profile was sprinkled with photos of the two of them, I hardly recall spending time with her on my few trips to visit Jessica.
“I told you, I don’t think that is a good idea.” I quickly closed the page and resumed the task I set out to accomplish.
“Look, she’s willing to split the expenses fifty-fifty and she’s eager to get out of New Jersey.” Jessica stood and lingered in the doorway. “I doubt we will find someone this late in the summer. If we wanted to sublet, we should have looked months ago.”
“I’m just not comfortable with it, I can’t believe you are.”
“Honey, I’m not worried about *you*.” Jessica laughed and placed peculiar emphasis on the word “you” as if it were some sort of insult.
Flustered, I couldn’t help but stammer. “No…no… not that, I just, just like the idea of privacy. I’ll be uncomfortable the entire year.”
“It’ll be fine, I’m calling her and telling her we accept.” Jessica pushed off the doorway and headed into our bedroom. Toxic? Yes, but this how things were.
Three weeks later, Nicole, Jessica and I were struggling to navigate a bedspring around three flights of stairs. We decided to move her in two weeks before Jessica’s flight to London. We figured the time would help the transition and help establish the often-unspoken boundaries of coed-cohabitation.
Honestly, the two weeks passed without issue and I could see why I hardly recalled the few times I had met Nicole in the past. She was largely self-sufficient and introverted. Her smart, fashionably nerdy style matched her reserved and composed demeanor. She wasn’t shy or timid, just unexcitable; in fact, the three of us had a lot of fun in those two weeks. On several nights we simply stayed in, cooked dinner, and enjoyed good wine. On the weekends we acquainted Nicole with the local bars and had a small housewarming with a few of her friends. When it came time for Jessica’s flight, Nicole offered to take the ride with us out to LaGuardia.
“I can’t believe you are leaving us.” Nicole lamented.
“I know, we were having such a good time. I wish we had you move in sooner!” Jessica reached over and hugged her friend. I exited the car to unpack her suitcases.
Now standing at the curb, Jessica leaned back towards the open car window. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back around Thanksgiving. Take care of him until then.” Jessica blew Nicole a kiss before turning back to me.
“I told you it would be fine. Just think of all the money we are saving for the wedding. I’m going to miss you terribly.” As always, Jessica’s mind ran rapidly from pragmatism to emotion and back to pragmatism. “We’ll talk as often as possible.” Jessica embraced me expecting a long kiss, but I felt awkward displaying this affection in front of my new roommate. I decided to walk Jessica into the terminal.
“Nicole, he’s going to walk me inside. Watch for the Cops, they will ticket the car if it sits there too long”
“Oh, ok. I’ll take it for a spin if I have to.”
Chapter Two
When I exited the terminal, my car was nowhere to be seen. In that moment, the reality of the situation sunk in. Here I am, standing outside the terminal like an idiot, and I can’t find my car because it is being driven by a woman whom I’ve only known for two weeks and whose number I don’t even have.
After a minute or two, Nicole circled back around the terminal and pulled up to the curb. “A fat cop came, but don’t worry I handled it. Although, I’ll need your help lifting him out the trunk.” I laughed and smiled as we passed by one another. The ride home was made somewhat less awkward by Nicole’s humor. However, Jessica’s absence was obvious. Until now, she had been present for nearly every moment Nicole and I shared together; she was at every meal, she was in on every joke, and she was there to smooth out any embarrassing wrinkles; the first of which came that night.
At around three A.M., I awoke to the building’s blaring fire alarm. This happened from time to time and was always a malfunction. As I had done many times before, I stumbled to the hall in just my boxers, took a whiff of the air and waited for the alarm to subside. In my stupor, I completely forgot about Nicole. I quickly turned back inside and found the poor girl standing in the living room scared half to death. To me, this siren had become a nuisance, but to the unaccustomed, this siren was both piercing and menacing.
“What’s going on!” Nicole crept nervously towards me and the door. She was bra-less, wearing just a cropped grey camisole top and matching cotton running shorts. Despite living together for the past two weeks, this was the first time I paid any real attention to Nicole’s figure. I felt a lump gather in my throat. This year was going to be harder than I could have imagined.
“It’s nothing, just a false alarm.” I whispered. “We should have warned you. You can go back to sleep.”
“This isn’t your version of the ‘everything is fine’ meme, is it?” Nicole laughed before stretching her arms out in a yawn. Her cami top rose, exposing another inch or two of her midriff. I feared swallowing my tongue as I took in her outfit’s carefree expression. I felt guilty for objectifying her in that moment. Though I stood half naked, Nicole’s mind went straight to humor and here I was salivating like a wolf in the hen house. I thought about Jessica and buried the tension.
“Trust me,” I laughed. “This is fine.” I passed narrowly behind Nicole and headed back to my bedroom.
“Wait . . . I don’t think I’ll be able to fall back asleep.” Nicole fixed a portion her hem that failed to settle following her yawn. “Do you mind if I watch some t.v.?”
“No, not at all.” I paused for a moment. Why did she say wait? She could have just asked the question. Did she want me to stay?
“You know what, I’ll join you.”
“You might want to change first.” Nicole giggled pointing down at my boxers. Every ounce of blood drained from my body as I quickly realized that the loose flap of my fly had been open the entire time; my junk partially exposed. While I’ve always struggled with a bulge due to my beyond-average girth, I was certainly a grower and not a shower in the length department. I wondered when she first noticed my wardrobe malfunction. Did she yawn and stretch the way she did to see if she could get a rise out of me? No. She is too innocent.
Without covering myself, I simply replied, “You’re right” and headed into the bedroom to change into a t-shirt and a pair of screen-printed Nylon running shorts. In the military, these were referred to as Ranger Panties and for good reason. The short inseam and light fabric left little to the imagination.
“My god,” Nicole laughed. “You were better off with the open flap! What are those?”
“Get your head out of the gutter. I guarantee these are more comfortable than what you are wearing.”
“Come here, let me see them.” Nicole patted the couch she had curled up on.
I could not believe I was indulging her request. As I walked the short distance, I tried everything I could to stem the flow of blood to my groin. I was relatively unsuccessful, and by the time I reached Nicole my bulge had grown by at least 25%. This problem only grew worse as she pinched the fabric between her fingers at her eye level.
“You’re right, these do seem comfortable. Jessica must hate them though.”
“She does; I’m forbidden from wearing them in public.” The mention of Jessica was enough to break the pitched tension. I took up a seat on the far end of the sectional and pulled the ottoman close. Nicole stretched her legs down the length of the couch, while I extended mine out on a diagonal. It took her about an hour to fall asleep once we found something to stream. It was the longest hour of my life. The entire time adrenaline coursed through my veins. How could she sleep, after being on edge like that? Perhaps she wasn’t. I went back to my bedroom and salvaged what I could of the morning.
It was around Ten when I rolled out of bed. Nicole had already left for the day. Both of our programs started the next day, so I figured she was likely out picking up some last-minute books. I took the opportunity to glance in at her room. The French doors were closed, and I dared not enter. However, the paned windows provided a glimpse into her world. She had decorated the doors with two sets of drapes; rich navy blackout curtains and a white sheer, nearly transparent, inner curtain. She typically kept these drapes tied to the side with white ribbon. Her full bed was centered in the room perpendicular to two windows that had a remarkable view of Tompkins Square Park. The bed’s frame consisted of white steel and a delicately curved high headboard that abutted our common wall. In the corner beneath the windows sat a grey high back lounge chair. A book rested on the long windowsill. Her linen was neatly made and save for the book, everything was as tidy and composed as her personality. In the far corner, across from the lounge chair stood a sleek full-length mirror. I caught my reflection and put an end to my snooping.
Chapter Three
Nicole was out for much of the day, so I took the opportunity to check in with Jessica in the late afternoon. By then, she was settling into her on-campus graduate hall. After describing her accommodations, she finally asked me how my first night alone with Nicole had been.
“Uneventful.” I lied. While I hated the thought of being dishonest, I couldn’t exactly tell her that her friend saw my package on the very first night she left us alone together.
“Oh.” She replied. “Nicole told me the fire alarm scared the shit out of her.”
“Well, yeah. That nonsense.”
“If you don’t write the landlord and demand some kind of break on our rent, I’m going to.” Jessica had been hounding me for months. “You know what I say, if you want something done right . . .”
I cut her off. “I’ll do it!” Even from across the ocean, Jessica found a way to nag me. I had been dragging my feet on complaining to the landlord because I had already gotten him to waive our rent’s online payment fee. Jessica and I were like oil and vinegar; I was easy going where she was a ball of stress. Perhaps, this is why we were a “successful” couple in the eyes of our friends. We balanced each other out. Still, this episode compelled me to hasten the end of our conversation.
At around eight p.m., Nicole strolled in carrying Chinese food. Her dirty blonde hair was back in a messy bun and slightly oversized horn-rimmed glasses framed her face.
“I wanted to repay you for helping me fall back asleep.” Nicole placed the bags on the small table.
“You didn’t have too. But thank you. I was actually looking to call you to see if you wanted me to cook but I realized I didn’t have your number.”
“Jessica didn’t give you it? I assumed she did.”
I’m an idiot, why didn’t I just ask Jessica. For a second, I wondered whether my folly was intentional. “You know what, I never thought to ask.”
“Ok, I’ll text you.” Nicole replied. A second later my phone chimed to the image of a smiling emoji. She obviously had my number. I truly am an idiot.
I plated the Chinese and the two of us opened up about our respective programs. I was fascinated with how intensive and hands-on her program would be. I never gave any thought to what a masters in fashion design would be; I was biased by my own business-centered curriculum.
“When we finish, I’ll have to show you some of my drawings.” Nicole dabbed her lip with a napkin. I imagined the tingling sensation one feels when an object is softly drawn across the bottom lip.
“I didn’t know you were an artist.”
“I wouldn’t say, I am an artist.” Nicole laughed. “but yeah, sketching is huge part of what I do.”
I gathered up my empty plate and used napkins and tossed them in the brown take-out bag.
“I’ll clean up.” Nicole suggested. “Go wash your hands, I don’t want your greasy fingers on my sketchbook.”
I never liked being bossed around by Jessica, but something in Nicole’s playful tone was different. I happily obliged and headed to the apartment’s sole bathroom.
Nicole was throwing out the trash and washing her hands in the kitchen sink when I heard her call out. “Meet me in my bedroom.” A pit started to form in my stomach.
“Ok.” I opened the two doors and took a seat on her lounge chair. I turned the book she left on the sill; it was a copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover.
Still drying her hands, Nicole came in and grabbed a large sketchbook from under the bed. “Come here” she gestured.
We sat side by side, as Nicole opened the large leather backed book; the front cover rested atop her thigh, while the back sat atop my jeans. “I only use this book for final drawings, it’s a time-capsule of sorts.”
Nicole’s work clearly progressed from the beginning pages toward the latter. For nearly fifteen minutes we sat there as she enthusiastically described each concept.
“What’s this.” I pulled a loose page from the back of the book. It was a sketch of five silhouettes clothed in various forms of lingerie.
“Ha, you weren’t meant to see that. I’m not finished. This is a brainstorming sketch for my thesis.”
“Your thesis?”
“Yeah, it’s a sort of culminating project for the program.”
“What are you shooting for?” I inquired, trying hard not to sound demeaning.
“I want to create a design that incorporates the appeal of lingerie, but in a way that can be worn confidently in public. My goal is too give women a collection of their own.” She stopped. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to turn this into a soap box.”
“No, please go on. I asked you. I want to hear what you have to say.”
“Well, I absolutely love lingerie, but I’ve found that the public treats it as some gift for men. Its not. I wear lingerie to be empowered, not subjugated. I know many women feel the same way. I want to give them a collection where they can broadcast this sentiment to the public at large.”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea.” I took another glance around the room, realizing again, just how little I knew about Nicole. “I like how thought out it is. I look forward to seeing it come to life.”
My blood was again coursing with adrenaline. The pit in my stomach had grown tenfold. I wondered if she felt the same. I looked down at her hands. Her finger was gently tracing the corner of the page. A risky act, the edge was thin, one wrong movement and her skin would slit open in incredible pain. I feared looking up from the book to her face. I feared what may happen, feared where she may be looking. Still, I wanted this anxiousness to end. I wanted something, anything, to happen. I looked up. She was looking at me.
“I see you found my book.” Nicole broke the silence. She wasn’t looking at me. She was looking beyond me. “Have you read it?”
“No, but I have heard about it. Well, at least in passing. One of my undergraduate professors referenced it during a lecture on censorship.”
Nicole closed the sketchbook and walked over to the window.
“Here.” She handed me the book. “Homework. Now get outta here, we’ve both got class tomorrow.”
Chapter Four
The first week of class passed without much fanfare. Nicole and I barely crossed paths; Jessica and I talked nightly. Saturday afternoon, I was laying on the couch when Nicole exited the bathroom. Steam followed her through the door as she emerged with a toothbrush in her mouth and a towel wrapped around her body.
“Good, you’re reading it.” Nicole pointed her toothbrush to her book in my hands.
“Yes, can’t put it down actually.”
“I must have read it a dozen times.” Nicole adjusted the towel where it wrapped in on itself just left of her chest.
“Have you got to the part where. ..” With the tooth brush in her mouth, the rest was inaudible. She again struggled to adjust the towel. It was clearly moments from coming undone. Nicole swallowed. “Hang on, I’ll be right back.” She disappeared into her bedroom and emerged moments later in her grey running shorts and a grey Calvin Klein racerback bralette. The wide elasticized Calvin Klein logo matched the white stripe in her shorts. She returned her towel and toothbrush to the bathroom and sat down with me on the couch.
“How far are you?” She leaned closer to look.
“About one-third.” I replied. She sat back on her ass.
“What are your plans for tonight?” I inquired.
“I’m glad you asked.” Nicole sat further back. “I’m having drink’s with a guy I met during orientation.” She shifted her seat again. “I was actually wondering if you could do me a favor and leave the apartment empty for a few hours this evening.”
For a while I had forgotten what it was like to be single. Jessica and I had been together for what seemed like forever now. “Sure, no problem. I’ll head down to O’Connor’s” That was the name of the corner bar just north of our building. “Just text me when.”
“Thank you so much, you may actually see us there. We haven’t decided whether to meet there or that place on 8th.” She placed her hand on my calf before heading back to her room.
Around ten p.m., I met Jake, a buddy of mine at O’Connor’s. We practically lived on top of the place; the bar on 8th was not much further. Wherever Nicole went that night, one thing was clear, she intended on staying close to our place.
After two rounds, Nicole and her guy finally stopped in. He was athletic but plainly dressed. His unthreatening image eased a quiet discomfort I had been enduring ever since Nicole mentioned her plans for the evening. She was cutely dressed. Her hair was back in a loose pony tail. She wore a grey sweater over a black and white polka dot collared shirt. Her legs were bare under a black skirt. I didn’t point her out to Jake and to be honest, I may not have even mentioned her. The same went for my daily conversations with Jessica. I hardly every spoke about Nicole. Doing so just didn’t feel right.
I quickly took my eyes off the pair. The last thing I wanted was to be caught staring her down. A few moments later, my phone chimed.
“I see you!” It was from Nicole.
I looked up and she waved. Her beau was ordering a round at the bar.
“What’s the verdict?” I replied.
“You’ll see ; )” She answered.
Her date came back to the table with two beers. Nicole sipped from one and then whispered in the man’s ear. Before I knew it, I was staring at two abandoned mugs as Nicole and her date headed for the door.
“Let’s get some whisky.” I put my hand on Jake’s shoulder and flagged down the waitress.
Forty minutes and three shots later, my phone chimed again.
“Coast is clear. Thank you.”
It was obvious what had transpired and I shouldn’t have been bothered. I was engaged for God’s sake. Still, I felt a pang of jealous curiosity. I paid the bill and left Jake with the regulars.
Nicole was in the bathroom when I entered the apartment. Habitually, I walked to my room to take off my watch and put my wallet away. I passed the open French doors and saw that Nicole’s room was a chaotic antipode of the image I had seen the day before. Her comforter was thrown back, the sheets hopelessly wrinkled. Her polished outfit was strewn about the room in frenzied disorder. Even the high back chair was turned forty-five degrees from its normal disposition.
My mind abstractedly fell into wonder. I pictured Nicole on her knees in front of the lounge chair before removing her underwear and straddling her date. I pictured her being thrown onto the bed and her racing to remove her skirt. Just as before, I caught my glimpse in the standing mirror and snapped back to my senses.
Nicole was still in the bathroom, so I kicked off my jeans without closing my door. I had removed my shirt and was rifling through my drawers when I heard a knock on the door frame.
“Hey” Nicole stood in the doorway. She was wearing a longer camisole top. The hem rested atop dark grey boy shorts. In conformity with her room, her hair was down over one shoulder in a clumsy mess.
“Hey” I caught her eying me up and down. Perhaps she regretted the object of her escapade.
“Thank you for that. Did you have a good time?” Nicole asked of my time with Jake.
“Don’t mention it, and yeah, I’ll have to introduce you to Jake sometime. We tend to regular that place.”
“Good, I’m glad.” Nicole placed her thumb in the band of her boyshorts. “Would you like to watch a movie?”
Source: reddit.com/r/eroticliterature/comments/hb0y7b/teaser_chapters_for_new_story_the_sublet
This has such great promise, I can’t wait!