Unspoken Pleasure

Tim sat back against the couch and took everything in. After starting strong, he'd taken a blue shell and it had sent him into a bit of a tailspin. He was glad he wasn't racing this round or things would almost certainly have gotten worse. Tim looked over to his right and watched Sydney. The buxom blonde looked so good. She was wearing another sweater, a pink one. She had these cute little gold earrings in her ears this time and a gold necklace as well. Shiny Sydney! And Shiny Sydney had definitely brought her golden globes with her, once again. Tim marveled at her chest. She had a B-cup body with these, like, D-cup tits and the context made them look all the more massive. Sydney caught him staring and she smiled. Not the shy, uncomfortable thing from the past week but something genuinely comfortable and friendly. They'd both had their share of shots and Tim could tell Sydney was feeling at least as fuzzy as he was right then.

With no little effort, Tim tossed his head to the other side to look at Courtney. He'd always thought of her has one of the guys, honestly. Not that she wasn't feminine, because of course she was. And pretty, too, with a heart-shaped face, an impertinent freckled nose, and almost-grey eyes.

He had to admit that Courtney seemed a bit nervous, though he couldn't imagine why. She'd been a worrier as long as Tim had known her, though, so it wasn't totally weird. Courtney was smart, yes, but she could make herself crazy with how much she cared sometimes.Text © owned by NôvelDrama.Org.

Taylor handed Tim another shot and he almost pushed it away. He knew before the alcohol even hit his lips --he'd already had too much. The whole world seemed to tip along with his glass as he turned it over. I'm such a lightweight, Tim thought to himself, there's no way anyone else is already this wasted.

*

Colin didn't want to admit it after he'd made fun of them before, but he was wasted. Fucking coconut rum. They'd been playing Kart for less than an hour and Colin knew he was already over his limit.

Looking around, Colin could tell that everyone was in a similar place. Tim was now lying back against the couch like a dead man. Courtney was also past the point of no return -- Colin knew that face. The new blonde, Taylor's work friend Sydney, she'd been turning shades of pink since the first round. Only Taylor seemed even within sight of sober and Colin never really could tell with that girl. She handled her liquor so well, he couldn't think of a time he'd seen her lose control. But Colin wasn't going to admit he was done. No way. His pride wouldn't let him. Was college really so long ago that he couldn't do a few shots with friends? No. He'd make it work somehow. Force it down.

They finished the last set of races and Colin was in last. Someone filled his shot glass and he was about to empty it when some part of his brain took over and made him yell, "Stop!"

The room turned to look at him. Now Colin had to cover for the other part of his mind that had, without his permission, suddenly spoken.

"I just... I think I've had enough. Too much, honestly."

Taylor gave him an odd look. Sort of disappointed. Maybe a little angry? He couldn't tell through the alcohol and worse, he had no idea why.

"Colin's right," Courtney said, getting his back for once, "I'm done."

"Oh man," Taylor said, "We were just getting started. I had all these, like, tournaments and stuff set up. Ultimate Mario Kart Championship. Like old times?"

"I'm sorry, hon. I think we let the alcohol get away from us again," Tim said.

"Yeah," Sydney said, very quietly. She seemed very shy -- not at all Taylor's type. Colin had trouble imagining the two of them ever hanging out.

"I mean, we could still race," Tim said. Colin practically flinched. He knew Taylor -- she would not play for nothing and got angry when anyone ever suggested they do otherwise. It was one of the unwritten bylaws of the group: never tell Taylor to play a game just for fun. Tim really should have known better. The alcohol was clearly messing with his mind.

"We should play for something."

Colin looked up and, to his shock, saw that it was Courtney talking. Courtney?! Maybe he wasn't drunk. Maybe he was in another dimension. Actually, Colin thought ruefully, that might explain a lot of things lately. Maybe they'd crossed over on the way to the honeymoon. Alternate dimension Courtney continued.

"We could play for something other than alcohol."

"Like what?" Tim asked, cautiously.

"Well, what if we played for, like, clothes?" Courtney said.

Colin felt the whole room pucker up. Like, he practically heard the air whoosh right out.

"That could be fun," Tim said, tentatively.

Silent Sydney nodded in agreement. Taylor sort of shrugged.

The blood in Colin's ears started to rush so loud he could barely hear. His heart pounded in his chest. Everything drowned out by the dull roar. He remembered that morning.

*

They were standing outside in front of Tim and Taylor's apartment building. Right before they went in. I need you to trust me, Courtney had said.

"What are you talking about?" Colin asked.

"I spoke to Taylor last week," Courtney said, "She and Tim are having troubles, too. Together, us four friends, we're going to fix everything."

"With Mario Kart."

"I know things have been bad but I promise it will get better. Just, if today starts to be weird or whatever, please. Just go along with it. For me. For us. I promise you're going to have fun, too. OK?" And Colin had agreed, not knowing exactly what Courtney was talking about.

Until that very moment up at the apartment. And it all fell into place.

*

"Yeah," Colin said, "Kart for clothes. Sounds fun. Let's do this."

The group agreed to take a quick break for the bathroom before beginning under the new rules. With everyone distracted, Tim cornered Taylor back in the kitchen.

"We're making the same mistakes as last time," he said.

"This is me fixing the mistakes from last time," Taylor said, "They've been having problems too. Courtney told me."

"I take off my pants, see Courtney's tits," Tim said, "That makes us even in your mind?"

"I don't know. Maybe. That's what I'm hoping for anyway."

"And then you show your goods to Colin?"

"No! Duh," Taylor leaned in and whispered in Tim's ear, "That's what Sydney is for."

Tim looked over at Sydney, sitting on the couch. She smiled at him and gave him a little wave, unaware of how she'd just been sold out. And Tim's first thought, damn him, was not about seeing Courtney naked or worrying about Taylor or any of that.

All he felt was jealousy that Sydney was for someone else.

*

Everyone returned to their seats. This was the moment Taylor had been planning all week.

"OK -- the rules are basically the same. If you come in last, you lose a piece of clothing," Taylor said, trying not to sound too rehearsed, "Sock, belt whatever."