Sated ✔

7 TO THE LETTER

To me, I have a girlfriend. We do it twice a day, once that very morning. So it comes to me as a shock three days after our first time when I see a couple taking off their clothes as they enter Gara's bedroom.

My body shuts down for a moment, and then I feel stupid. Deep down I know I should expect it.

She catches my eye and smiles. "Hey. Good evening."

I stare at her, stunned and stupid; at least she acknowledges me.

My intent is to walk away, make her see that I'm not dumb enough to put more importance on what we have.

Gara gestures behind her and asks, "You coming?"

Till a week ago my only bedfellow has been myself. I blame that for fighting back a curious smile. Maybe I've been playing it safe all this time, trying to follow this strict, impossible path my pa has concocted. I go into that room, more than ready to behold all that Gara will allow me to see.

It's not what I expect.

The bed is grand now with the room well-lighted. Till now she's only walked me back to my room whenever she's interested in us getting naked. My thoughts travel to the first night back from the medical center and Gara's way of keeping me company.

Just like then, even now, we never have a real conversation but Gara does take my mind off things. Can't say my ex-virgin body isn't appreciative.

This room is luxurious. It looks different from when I'm high passing out on the floor. Candles line the perimeter, shrouding us in a dim light that's both warm and relaxing.

The four-post bed sits low, though, so low that the chairs Gara leads me to afford us a view downward of it.

Gara meets the couple, an undying smile on her face.

"Gara," the tall man says. "Regular like clockwork."

"Originality isn't my forte. I like my cycles. How is your chest?"

I can't make out the scar but when the man touches it, it's hard to forget again. Bailey. And he was alive.

"Those stunners really do sting," Bailey says.

Gara gives Bailey's companion, an otherwise silent woman, a bow. "You're new."

They are both dark-skinned and I can't make out the new accent Bailey takes on now. Maybe they are from the common area, too. As I'm Lower-Levels born and raised; I only know the accents of my area.

"She's real. Her...you know, the one I told you about. The one that...I might change for," Bailey, the talkative of the two, says. "Real and true. This is my gift to you for treating me so well."

Gara seems at a loss at first but in time she nods. "So this is it then, the last time? It's more than worth it." She backs away and says, "Let's get started then."

I'm not sure what I'm in for, but I make a fast job of taking my shirt off. Gara's raised eyebrow and chuckle tells me maybe I'm too eager.

Slowly, I drag my shirt down again, reminding myself to play it cool.

Gara sits back on one oversized chair and gives me a smile. I join her there, the next chair over.

The couple holds each other's faces, staring at one another like fools.

Two minutes into the closest I may ever be to joining an orgy and they are...staring.

Gara brings her right ankle on her left knee.

"What are they doing?" I finally ask, convinced more is going on than I can see.

"They're just looking at each other," Gara replies.