This story was suggested by Cassie's ecstatic "He just left." when she talked to Jal about being back in love with her sweet Sid.
A Sweet Encounter
Most of the 'gang' were involved in revising for their A2 exams, which were fast approaching. Cassie was relaxing in Chris's flat, daydreaming about her Sid's forthcoming visit. She was really looking forward to spending time away from the rest of the 'gang' with the one boy she totally adored. Chris was at work, and Jal was in college anticipating her afternoon appointment at the ante natal clinic. Sid was in the revision room, preparing to quietly slide out as soon as Doug and the college director had looked in on the group.
At last, the waiting was over. The letterbox rattled. Cassie got up from the sofa and could see Sid's vague silhouette through the 'opaqued' glass of the front door. She opened it, smiling. She was wearing the gold stripey dress she had worn to Abigail's party nearly two years previously. As soon as Sid was inside, Cassie embraced and kissed him passionately. He was surprised as he had only been away from her since the previous afternoon.
"You're very affectionate this morning." said Sid, "We've only been apart for about thirteen hours. The way you greeted me anyone would think it was thirteen weeks!"
"That's because I've been daydreaming about you ever since I woke up." said Cassie, "Anyway, now we're together, what would you like to do today?"
"Since it's a nice, warm sunny morning," said Sid, "I think we could go into the city and have a coffee or something. Then we could go to Brandon Hill and enjoy each other's company in the sunshine for a bit. Incidentally, have you had any breakfast?"
"I had a bowl of Frosties when I got up," said Cassie, "But that was well over two hours ago."
"You got up early." commented Sid.
"Yes," said Cassie, "Chris banging about getting his breakfast woke me up, so I thought I might as well join the land of the wakeful."
"In that case," said Sid, "After Brandon Hill, we could have some lunch, then come back here."
"For some 'afternoon delight'?" suggested Cassie.
"You're reading my mind." said Sid, smiling and giving Cassie a peck on the cheek, "Shall we start?"
"Okay!" said Cassie, "Since it's going to be quite hot, we'll take some water. I certainly won't need a cardigan today."
Cassie took a couple of half litre bottles of water from the fridge and put them into her shoulder bag. Although the couple were going to have coffee, they would probably need the water.
"That dress is really pretty." said Sid, "It shows off your slender figure and I love that it's backless."
"I wore it to remind you of the first time we met at Abigail's party." said Cassie.
"That's sweet of you." said Sid, "Are we going on a trip down memory lane?"
"We might." said Cassie, smiling, "Especially since we're going to Brandon Hill."
The couple set out by bus for the city centre, getting out at 'The Triangle', which is close to Brandon Hill, and where there are several cafés, restaurants and coffee bars. Sid had seen a Costa coffee shop just before the bus entered the one-way system, so he walked back to it, hand-in-hand with Cassie. They opted for two medium lattes. Cassie had hers in a tall glass, while Sid opted for a china mug.
"This is nice." said Cassie.
"What is?" asked Sid.
"Sitting with my favourite person in the whole world," said Cassie, smiling broadly, "Enjoying a soothing cup of warm milky coffee."
"You sound deeply happy." said Sid, "And you look relaxed."
"I am," said Cassie, "Things have turned out right for a change. We're together and we're in love. Could it be any better?"
"There's only one tiny little fly in the ointment." said Sid.
"What's that?" asked Cassie, "Or should I say who's that?"
"You're reading my mind again." said Sid, "Everything's totally lovely between us, but Tony and Michelle are still my friends. I would so love it if you could make it up to 'Chelle."
"I know I should." said Cassie, "But I still have it in my mind that she seduced you - and you let her."
"Oh, sweet Cass!" said Sid, "When that happened, I was in an impossible position. I honestly thought you'd dumped me in favour of Lachlan. I'd just lost my dad. I was seriously considering drowning myself. In a way, she saved my miserable life. She brought me back from a really dark place."
"Katie was right, then." said Cassie, "She usually is."
"Katie?" queried Sid.
"She was my roommate at the clinic." said Cassie, "Since I fell out with Michelle, she's now my best friend. She's calm, intelligent and sensible. She also saw at first-hand what a state you were in during the weeks following your dad's death. She was keeping an 'angel's eye' on you in case you did anything really stupid. Despite that card I sent you, I did want you back. I still cared about you. One day, Katie's going to make a wonderful wife for someone. Yes, I'll try to mend my bridges with Michelle. After all, she used to be my best friend and I must admit, she did stop you killing yourself."
"Thank you, my sweet one." said Sid, "It'll be so much nicer if we're all friends."
Sid and Cassie touched hands across the table, smiling and looking into each other's eyes. They finished their coffees and made their way, still hand-in-hand, from the coffee shop to Brandon Hill park. Unfortunately, the Cabot tower was closed for repairs, so they couldn't see the view of the city from its viewing platforms. They walked around the park for a while before settling on the same seat they had occupied on the evening Cassie went to Elgin.
"Last time we sat here," said Cassie, "We were both in tears because we were saying 'goodbye' to each other with an uncertain future."
"And now we're so happy." said Sid, "We're together and I believe we have a bright future."
Cassie produced a tube of sun block from her bag and applied it to her arms and legs. She handed the tube to Sid.
"Would you like to do my back?" asked Cassie.
"With pleasure!" said Sid.
He gently kissed her back between her shoulder blades, eliciting a little shiver of pleasure from Cassie, before applying the cream to her back. He made sure it was spread evenly over her back, letting his fingers go well beyond the area revealed by her backless dress. He relished the feel of her gentle body under his hands. She held the front of the dress so he could push the garment off her shoulders to apply the cream. As his fingers explored the full width of her slender shoulders, he was beginning to feel quite excited.
"I think you enjoyed doing that." said Cassie, smiling and with a twinkle in her eye.
"I did!" said Sid, "It was so lovely. You feel as beautiful as you look."
Sid kissed the point of one of Cassie's shoulders, then embraced and kissed her warmly, to banish the sad memories and 'to make the bench a happy place again'. The couple spent the next half-hour reminiscing about their admittedly bumpy relationship over the previous two years before moving across to the bench Cassie had danced on when she tried to kill herself. Sid's left arm was across Cassie's slender shoulders, his fingers caressing her left shoulder. His right hand, meanwhile explored her thighs, pushing her dress up, exposing them. She gently deflected his hand before he reached the top of her legs. She didn't want to reveal her surprise just yet.
"That was a bit cheeky." said Cassie, "You obviously like my thighs."
"Of course I do." said Sid, "I love them. They're beautiful, just like the rest of you. I can't understand why you 'hated' them."
"That was such a sweet thing to say." said Cassie, "Perhaps you can get me to love them."
"All I have to do," said Sid, "Is to persuade you that everything about you is beautiful."
They once again embraced and kissed to make this bench a happy place as well. While Sid was holding Cassie, he let his hands explore her back. Cassie set Sid's mind completely at rest about her relationship with her Scottish flatmates, Lachlan and Riuri.
"It looks as if all our 'break-ups' were the result of misunderstandings." said Sid.
"Yes," said Cassie, "At the choir concert, you fell for one of Tony's schemes."
"And in Scotland, I totally misinterpreted what you were doing up there." said Sid, "My dad dying the same evening was just the icing on the cake. Anyway, it's getting towards lunchtime. Are you hungry yet?"
"I'm beginning to think I could eat something." said Cassie.
The couple made their way back to the triangle and walked, once again hand-in-hand, to Rocotillos. Entering, they kissed and then sat in the same places they had occupied when Sid had walked out on Cassie, the night Effy was abducted. They kissed again before obtaining their food. Sid opted for a 'full English' brunch, while Cassie had a burger and chips. All this washed down with cola. While the couple were eating, they frequently exchanged glances and smiles, now and again kissing each other properly.
"Today, you've banished three sets of sad memories from this place." said Cassie.
"Three?" queried Sid.
"Yes." said Cassie, "There was the time I had to go back to the clinic after you didn't want to admit your feelings for me. I waited for the taxi here. I came in here before preparing for my own death on Brandon Hill, and there was the time you walked out on me in the middle of the night. Now, we're both here, happy and in love. That's wonderful. This is now another happy place.
Once they had eaten, the couple revisited Brandon Hill, exchanging a few more embraces and deep kisses before finding the bus back to Chris's flat. During one of the embraces, when Sid's roving hands went from her thighs to her shoulders, he commented on how smooth Cassie felt through her dress. She accepted the comment, but declined to say why.
When they arrived at the flat, Cassie closed the venetian blinds on the front window and busied herself making some hot chocolate. The couple settled initially on the sofa, Cassie shed her shoes, as did Sid. They enjoyed their hot chocolate, then started to enjoy each other. It was clear, by this time that Sid was not going to hold back with his exploration of Cassie. He was sitting on Cassie's right. His left hand explored the smooth skin of her bare back. When she leaned forward to pick up the chocolate, he located the short zip at the back of her dress and slid it down. He then turned his attention to her left shoulder. He pushed the dress off it while simultaneously caressing her right thigh with his other hand. As his hand reached the top of her thigh between her legs and met skin instead of fabric, he gasped.
"Wow!" exclaimed Sid, "Where are your panties?"
"I'm not wearing any." said Cassie, "I'm completely naked under this dress, Just as I was at Abigail's party. Back then, I was there for you to shag me, so I thought I'd make it easier for you. This dress looks better without any underwear anyway."
This loosening of clothing was not a one-way affair. During one of their embraces, Cassie pulled Sid's t-shirt right up to his armpits. He raised his arms to let her remove it. This prompted him to slide the right side of her dress off her shoulder. She withdrew both her arms from the dress. This caused it to fall to her waist revealing her perfect breasts. She embraced the now shirtless Sid, the couple enjoying major skin to skin contact. When Cassie disengaged her embrace, she unfastened the waistband of Sid's jeans and unzipped the fly. While she was doing this, Sid leant across and kissed her breasts.
"I think it's time we went to the bedroom." said a clearly excited Sid.
Sid got up from the sofa. He removed his now insecure jeans and his socks, leaving him clad only in his boxer shorts. He took the mugs to the kitchen sink. He turned back just in time to see Cassie rise to a standing position, letting her dress fall away from her body and fall to the floor revealing her conspicuous rib cage, her slender waist, her beautifully flat belly, her bony hips and her smooth, hairless pussy. She stepped out of it. His jaw dropped. He gasped in appreciation of his sweet Cassie's now totally naked form.
"Wow, sweet Cass!" said an astonished Sid, "You are so perfect, so beautiful."
"Are your eyes seeing right?" said Cassie, "I didn't think I was that lovely, especially naked."
"You are beautiful whatever you wear, especially in that gold dress." said Sid, as he approached her, "You're even lovelier naked. Your body is utter perfection."
With that remark, Sid put his arms round Cassie's slender naked body and kissed her deeply and enthusiastically, letting his hands explore the whole of her shapely back from her shoulders to her beautifully smooth rounded buttocks. She reacted by exploring his back in a similar fashion. She put her hands inside the back of Sid's boxer shorts and squeezed his buttocks. She then forced them down to his thighs. This liberated his not inconsiderable erection. The boxers fell to the floor. He stepped out of them. Surprisingly, neither Sid nor Cassie felt uneasy or self-conscious, naked and excited in each other's presence. In fact, they felt that it was natural to be naked together. They continued their ardent snogging and exploration of each other's bodies for some minutes, before disengaging their embraces, picking up their discarded clothes and heading naked into Cassie's bedroom.
"Let's share a shower." suggested Cassie, "I'd like to wash the sunblock off before we get into bed."
"What a sweet idea." said Sid, "We can explore every part of each other. I'm so going to love this."
He smiled and once again embraced and kissed Cassie.
The couple headed for the bathroom and Cassie started the shower. As it warmed up, Sid enfolded Cassie's slender body in his arms and kissed her.
"This is so lovely." Said Cassie, as they entered the shower cubicle.
The shower was a wonderful, fulfilling and exciting experience for both of them. They were able to explore every part of each other under the warm cascading water. Drying each other afterwards was just as satisfying. Now they had totally accepted each other's nakedness. Sid particularly enjoyed drying Cassie's dainty feet, kissing them as he did so. She was sitting on a stool to make this easier for him.
"You must love my feet." commented Cassie.
"I'm glad you don't wear heels." said Sid, "Your little feet are perfect and undamaged. They're so pretty."
"You really think so?" asked Cassie.
"Of course!" said Sid, kissing her feet again.
He worked his way up her legs to her knees, planting kisses as he moved up. While he did this, she gently dried his shoulders and back. When he approached the top of her thighs, she parted her legs and invited him to dry her most intimate region.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Certainly," said Cassie, "But be gentle. It's very sensitive."
"Of course I will." said Sid.
Sid carefully dried Cassie's fanny, making sure he was careful not to hurt her. However, he was so physically excited that he couldn't resist planting a few gentle kisses on her upper thighs and the external parts of her genitals.
"That was cheeky!" said Cassie.
"I know," said Sid, "I'm so excited, I couldn't resist. Even that part of you is beautiful."
The couple changed places. Sid sat on the stool while Cassie dried his feet and legs. He had to ask her to be cautious when she reached his erection, but he did love drying and then caressing her graceful back.
"Your back is absolutely gorgeous." remarked Sid, as he caressed Cassie's shoulder blades, "I love you so much."
The couple stood up and continued drying and stroking each other. Cassie made a suggestion.
"Now that there's nothing physical I can hide from you," said Cassie, "You've seen all of me. We trust each other so let's keep no other secrets from each other."
"That's a wonderful idea." said Sid, "In any case, you're so perceptive that I couldn't keep anything from you anyway."
Once they were dry, they hung up the towels and made their way, still naked, to the bedroom. Sid persuaded Cassie to stand in front of the full-length mirror and explained to her why he thought her body was beautiful. He praised each part of her, starting with her dainty little feet and working his way up to her shoulders. He paid particular attention to her smooth slender thighs, kissing and caressing them. After doing this, he held her, caressed her all over and kissed her passionately.
"I hope I've convinced you that you are really beautiful." said Sid, "Let's find that bed."
Once they were on the bed, Cassie lay with her back to Sid and invited him to cup her breasts. This he did, willingly. He also caressed her rib cage and her bony hips.
"Your stiffy's digging into my back." said Cassie, jokingly.
"Oh, sorry!" said Sid changing his position.
"I was only joking," said Cassie, "I liked it. I think you did as well."
"I did." Said Sid, as he moved back to his former position with his member between his lower abdomen and the small of Cassie's elegant back. He wriggled a bit. Cassie squirmed against him to provide some extra stimulation. He kissed her shoulders and caressed her chest from her hips to her collar bones. After this, Cassie turned over to face Sid and the couple made love to each other with gentleness and tenderness, but with enough passion to produce simultaneous orgasms. They explored every part of each other's bodies with fingertips, lips and tongues before actually coupling. After this, they lay together, gently caressing each other for about an hour, neither of them wanting to get up.
Eventually, time pressure caught up with Sid and he realised, regretfully that he had to move. He gave Cassie a squeeze and kissed her gently and ardently.
"I'm so sorry, my sweet." said Sid, "Today has been a perfect day, with a perfect person, but time has caught up with me. I've got to go. Sorry."
Sid got out of bed and dressed. He leant down and kissed Cassie. She got up and walked with him into the lounge. He gave Cassie's still naked body a last caressing embrace, kissed her and left. Cassie felt a little sad that that her time with Sid was over. However, she did feel deeply happy and contented. She went back to bed and rested for a while.
About an hour had passed. Cassie was feeling comfortable and relaxed, laying naked in her bed when she heard the front door being opened followed by Jal's voice saying "Hello?". Shortly after this, there was the sound of something heavy being put on the dining table. It was late afternoon, but a bit early for Chris, so she got up to investigate. She didn't bother to dress, but just wrapped the bedsheet around her. She entered the lounge to find a very stressed looking Jal sitting at the table, unpacking her college books.
"Morning, Jal." Said Cassie, as she walked barefoot towards the sink.
"Hi Cass." replied Jal, "It's not the morning, by the way."
"Does it matter?" said Cassie, in a light and airy voice, as she selected a glass and filled it with water.
"Needed somewhere quiet to revise." said Cassie.
"Well. It's quiet, isn't it?" said Cassie.
She started walking towards the armchair.
"I haven't spoken to you in such a long time, Jal." said Cassie, as she placed her water on the coffee table.
"Gotta revise, Cass." said Jal.
Cassie draped herself gracefully across the armchair.
"It's not like you need to." said Cassie, smiling, "Forget the books. Let's talk."
"What about?" said Jal,
"I dunno." Said Cassie, "Fill me in with everything. Every little detail."
"I dunno, there's nothing really to tell." said Jal.
"I'm really happy, Jal." said Cassie, "Things worked out for once. Isn't that great?"
"Sid?" asked Jal.
"He just left." said Cassie, smiling, "We've been getting to know each other again. - A lot."
"Cool." commented Jal.
"And it's lovely having someone who cares about you." continued Cassie, getting up and standing close behind Jal's left shoulder. She carried a serene smile.
She moved to the other side of Jal.
"All the worries feel lighter when you've got someone you can tell everything to. Yeah?" continued Cassie.
She sat down on the chair next to Jal, who looked perplexed. Cassie looked intently into Jal's eyes, with a half-smile on her lovely face.
"We can carry on pretending," said Cassie, "If it makes you feel any better. - Would you like a role play, a love drama?"
"What?" queried Jal.
"Do you wanna play Jal, or should I?" asked Cassie.
Without waiting for a response, Cassie grabbed Jal's books and started rapidly miming the action of reading and making notes.
"Hey!" exclaimed Jal.
"Shut up, Cassie." she continued, "I'm trying to revise here."
"What!" exclaimed Jal.
"I've got so much to do, so little time." continued Cassie, "Revision, revision, revision! Even though I'm going to music college, I can't help myself. I've gotta revise, cos it takes my mind off being pregnant."
"What?!" exclaimed an astonished Jal, who didn't know that Cassie was aware of her condition.
"All these books." continued Cassie, "Stops me thinking about anything. Stops me thinking about why I'm keeping it secret from my boyfriend."
"Please!" pleaded Jal.
"Or my best friends." continued Cassie, after a pause.
"Please don't tell, Cass." implored a desperate Jal.
"Secrets hurt." said Cassie as she got up from the chair, "It's only a matter of time before you and Chris know everything about each other, Jal. And there's a lot of secrets out there."
Cassie picked the glass of water up from the coffee table.
"Breakfast? Bye." said Cassie, sweetly, as she went back to her bedroom, having started to persuade Jal to open up about her pregnancy.