Chapter 2: Finding Intimacy
The next morning, Katie was the first to wake up. When she first opened her eyes, she thought she was still dreaming. There, sleeping peacefully in the other bed, was the one person in the whole world she had come to regard as a real friend, Cassie Ainsworth. Then she remembered that Cassie was to be her roommate for the next few weeks.
Cassie, sleeping was a picture of blissful serenity. She looked as if she didn't have a care in the world. The sight of her tranquil features filled Katie with love for this beautiful, but troubled girl. It would be a pity to wake her up, she thought, but it was now seven o'clock, so it had to be done. Katie climbed out of her bed, went over to Cassie, and gently kissed her forehead. The sight of those stunning brown eyes opening to greet a new day was something that Katie would not forget for a long time.
"Good morning, Cassie." said Katie.
"Is it?" yawned a still half-asleep Cassie, "Just before you woke me up, I had such a wonderful dream."
"What was it about?" asked Katie.
"It wasn't so much a 'narrative' dream as a feeling." said Cassie, "It was a warm, sunny day, and I was being cradled in someone's loving arms, feeling totally at peace with the world. I was completely naked, but that didn't worry me. It felt normal and natural. I was so relaxed. It was so lovely."
"Did anything happen?" asked Katie.
"Yes," said Cassie, "Whoever was tenderly cradling me leant across, and kissed my forehead in a gesture of total love. Then I woke up."
"Oh, sorry about that." said Katie, "It was me that kissed you. It sounds as if I've just interrupted something beautiful. Did you have any hints about who was holding you?"
"No." said Cassie, "I don't even know if they were male or female. It could have been you or it could have been Sid. Both of you are dominating my affections at the moment. It was so lovely, with the warm sun reaching every part of my body."
She sighed, not wanting to break the heavenly feeling of her dream just yet.
"It seems your subconscious mind wants you to accept being naked as something natural and normal." said Katie, "Anyway, time is a hard taskmaster, and this place runs on time and routine, so we'd better be stirring. Would you like to shower first, or shall I?"
"You go first," said Cassie, "Since you're already out of bed. I'll just relax a little more. It's so nice and comfy in here."
Cassie snuggled down and pulled the duvet up over her shoulders.
When Katie returned from her shower, Cassie got out of her bed and went for her own shower. Katie was delighted by the sight of the naked Cassie tripping lightly into the shower room. She felt an inner warmth and smiled. Once Cassie and Katie had showered and dressed for the day, they went down to breakfast together. Katie, as usual was dressed in a short black skirt and a white blouse, this morning she had short sleeves. Cassie wore a knee length red and white tartan skirt and a white t-shirt with a bow motif. On their way to the dining room, they discussed their favourite subject, food.
"You had a big lunch yesterday." said Cassie, "Would this morning's ambitions take you as far as a 'full English', because I'd like one if the clinic's still doing them."
"Wow, Cassie!" said Katie, "You seem to have found an appetite somewhere. Yes, I might go for a 'full English', or I may fall at the last hurdle and just have an omelette."
"That's up to you," said Cassie, "But I'm going to have my sausage, baked beans, sauté potatoes, fried eggs and bacon with all the trimmings."
In the end, Katie didn't have the full breakfast, but decided on a three-egg omelette with crispy bacon, onion and mushrooms. This was preceded by muesli and washed down with fruit juices and coffee.
The two girls had another free morning, during which they got to know more about each other's taste in music and other cultural matters. Cassie was delighted to realise that Katie liked a lot of the same things that delighted her. They joined the patients who had been in the morning's group therapy session over morning coffee. Cassie was debating with herself, Katie and the other patients whether to mention her waking dream of that morning at their own session the next day. Katie suggested that she should, as it seemed an appropriate subject to be discussed at such a gathering. One or two of the morning session's patients said that dreams were important and should be discussed.
Once again, Katie ate her lunch – and kept it down. This time she had a meat stew. This was followed by rhubarb crumble which, surprisingly was a new taste for Katie. She really relished it. Cassie's companionship was evidently affecting her in a really positive way.
Since it was a pleasant, warm, sunny afternoon, the next activity was 'Happy Time' when all the patients were able to indulge in activities which they found to be enjoyable. For Cassie and Katie, this was sitting on a sunlit bench and either talking about everything and nothing in particular, or spending time in silence enjoying each other's presence. They used these twice weekly 'Happy Time' sessions to get to know each other better. Usually, the two girls were together, but occasionally, when either Cassie or Katie had an interview with one of the psychiatrists, or Dr Stock, Cassie was on her own.
After 'Happy Time' the two girls adjourned to the lounge for afternoon tea, during which they continued discussing Cassie's dream.
Once again, they changed for dinner. This time, Cassie chose to wear her gold striped sleeveless dress, while Katie just changed her top for a loose fitting one, which quite often slipped down and uncovered her right shoulder. Since the fabric was quite sheer, and there were several large slits in this top, she chose to wear a flesh coloured bra, while Cassie's dress was completely backless so she wasn't able to wear one.
When they eventually went back to their room to go to bed, Katie asked about Cassie's dress.
"That's a lovely dress you're wearing, Cassie." said Katie, "I just get the impression it means something to you."
"It does." said Cassie, "It was the one I was wearing when I was first introduced to Sid."
Cassie explained that the reason she was put together with Sid at Abigail Stock's party was so that he could end his virginity by having sex with her. To that end, she went to the party completely naked under it. In the end, he didn't shag her, but took the trouble to try to get to know her as a person.
"Were you disappointed?" asked Katie,
"I was at first," said Cassie, "But before I passed out, I realised that Sid genuinely wanted to know me as a person and felt real affection for me."
"You passed out!" remarked Katie, "How did that happen?"
"I'd taken a whole load of pills to keep me going through the all-night party." said Cassie, "While I was laying on a big garden trampoline chatting to Sid, the effects wore off and I just went into a deep sleep. When I woke up, I was in a car outside the hospital. I'd just had a lovely dream. I think I frightened my friends, not least Sid. They thought I'd overdosed, and might die."
"From what you've told me about Sid," said Katie, "He may be a bit of a klutz, but I think he'll stay with you to the end whatever happens. If you do get back with him, you should hang on to him.
"You think so?" said Cassie.
"Yes, I do," said Katie, "And if you have the same effect on him as you've had on me, you'll inspire him to be a confident young man who knows where he's going. Try to get back with him if you can when you get out of here. I get the impression there's something rather special about him."
"I'll try to do that if I can." said Cassie.
"On another subject," said Katie, "I've got what you might think is a rather naughty suggestion. You can turn it down if you like."
"What's that?" asked Cassie.
"It's nearly bedtime, so let's undress each other," said Katie, with a smirk, "Then we can share the shower. You were a little bit hesitant about undressing with me in the room last night. It might be less stressful if I undressed you."
"What!" said Cassie, surprised, "Are you serious? I'd love that! I really think that would bring us even closer to each other."
"That's the idea." said Katie, "Look on it as a sort of 'bonding' exercise."
The two girls stood up and embraced each other. On this second evening together, they gave in to their intense attraction for each other and kissed passionately. While they were kissing, Katie's hands were roving all over Cassie's exposed back. Cassie, meanwhile, took the initiative and, after caressing Katie's back, lifted her top up to her armpits. Katie disengaged her embrace and allowed Cassie to remove it.
"Oh, Cassie, your hands are so warm, soft and gentle." sighed Katie, as their hands resumed their exploration of each other's bodies, while their lips and tongues interacted.
It wasn't very long before the inevitable happened. Cassie's gentle fingers located the clip of Katie's bra, and unfastened it. This prompted Katie to locate the short zip at the back of Cassie's backless dress and slide it down. This allowed Katie to explore even further down Cassie's elegant back, Cassie, meanwhile, unzipped Katie's skirt, letting it fall to the floor. Katie then caressed Cassie's shoulders in such a way that her dress slid off them. She separated from Katie and withdrew her arms from the garment. It joined Katie's skirt on the floor. Cassie then slid Katie's bra straps off her shoulders. This joined the other discarded items. The two girls picked up their clothes and hung them up, while appreciating the sight of each other's nearly naked bodies. They were now only wearing their panties.
"I hope you're ready for this." said Katie, as they re-engaged their embrace, "You were a bit hesitant last night."
"I was," said Cassie, "And I'm not at all sure why."
As they continued to caress and explore each other's bodies, Cassie untied Katie's thong, revealing her fanny, which like Cassie's, was smooth and devoid of hair. Katie then slid her delicate hands inside Cassie's panties and gave her buttocks a playful squeeze. She then pushed the panties down to her thighs. Cassie caught her breath as this was done. The panties fell to the floor and Cassie stepped out of them. Both girls were now totally naked.
"Well," said Katie, "That wasn't so bad, was it."
"I suppose it was because you were stripping me." said Cassie, "I enjoyed that little squeeze before you did it. Anyway, we're both totally naked now. Let's enjoy that shower."
Cassie and Katie made their way into the shower room, Katie leading the way. Before they entered, Cassie kissed Katie's back between her shoulder blades.
"That was a sweet gesture." said Katie, "What was it for?"
"For you being the person who is making my stay here enjoyable." said Cassie, "I think you're rapidly becoming my new best friend."
Katie started the shower and adjusted the temperature. For the next few minutes the two girls enjoyed exploring and caressing each other's slender bodies under the warm cascading water. They allowed each other to access their most intimate areas. For both girls, this was more intense than anything they had done previously.
Drying each other proved even more stimulating. Katie allowed Cassie to dry every part of her, even her most intimate areas. She welcomed this intimate attention from a close friend. Cassie seemed to particularly enjoy Katie's feet and breasts, kissing them as she towelled them dry. Katie performed a similar service for Cassie, really enjoying her dainty little feet and her slender, graceful legs.
"Your thighs are so lovely." said Katie, "I don't know why you 'hate' them."
Far from dampening their ardour, the intimate skin to skin experience of a shared shower had intensified their physical desire for each other. Even before they lay down together on one of the generously sized beds, they embraced, kissed passionately, and allowed their hands to find their way around each other's bodies without the inconvenience of encounters with clothes. Now they were clean, they felt that no parts of each other's bodies were 'off limits'.
Gradually they moved towards 'Katie's' bed, and collapsed on to it. Katie laid with her back to Cassie and suggested that she would like Cassie to caress her breasts. Cassie complied, cupping them in her hands, then gently tweaked the nipples, so that they stood up.
"That's so nice." said Katie, " Don't stop. It's so lovely to have someone doing that to me."
After a while, Katie turned over and lay on her back. Cassie did likewise, and let Katie turn towards her and pay similar attention to her breasts. She sighed gently as Katie did this. She was becoming more excited, and it wasn't long before she was impelled to explore more intimate parts of Katie's slender and elegant body. As Katie once again lay on her back, Cassie kissed her breasts, running her tongue around each nipple in turn. She let a hand stray down over Katie's gloriously flat abdomen towards her bony hips. Cassie enjoyed feeling the shape of these, before carefully approaching her genital region.
Cassie continued using her lips and tongue to stimulate Katie's breasts, while her hand started to explore and caress her genital area. she found the absence of hair interesting and exciting. After a while she reached Katie's slit, and ran a finger up and down it without venturing inside. As a result of this, Katie was feeling little pulses of arousal.
"You can feel inside me if you like," said Katie, "I think I can trust you to be gentle."
Cassie didn't need any further prompting. She gently parted the outer lips of Katie's fanny, and located a firm spot. Katie caught her breath, causing Cassie to withdraw her hand.
"Don't stop!" gasped Katie, "That felt so good."
Cassie resumed her tender intimate stimulation of Katie's fanny. Katie responded with ecstatic gasps and moans, while moving to rub her clit against Cassie's hand. Cassie then explored further down inside Katie's now very wet pussy and found her opening. Exploring this with her fingers, she located another sensitive area. When Cassie stimulated this, Katie could not hold back any longer. She writhed. She moaned. She gasped. Cassie rode this out, trying to maintain intimate contact with Katie's pussy. After a while, Katie calmed down and relaxed. She had just experienced her first orgasm.
"Oh! Wow! Cassie!" gasped Katie, once she had regained her breath, "That was amazing. I didn't know I could feel like that, you're wonderful. I'd love to kiss you all over your body for that."
"Go ahead." said Cassie, "I think I'd love that.
Katie embraced Cassie, then started to explore her body with her lips and fingertips, kissing her shoulders, then her breasts, which she stimulated. After this, she took a different approach from Katie. She was as good as her word, and started covering the whole of Cassie's gloriously skinny body with lots of little kisses, eventually reaching her smooth fanny. Like Cassie had done earlier, she gently inserted her fingers into Cassie's slit, softly massaged her clitoris, then followed this up by inserting her tongue. The result was immediate. Like Katie, Cassie bucked, gasped and moaned when Katie found the sensitive area inside her now very wet vaginal opening. After her own climax, Cassie calmed down and began to relax.
"Thank you for that." said a still breathless Cassie, "That felt so good. I loved the way you showered me with lots of little kisses before you made me cum. You must love me so much."
"I do!" said Katie, "You're very special."
All this sexual activity in a warm bedroom had rendered both girls more than somewhat sweaty.
"I think we're going to have to share the shower again after that." said Katie.
"That's a sweet idea." said Cassie, "Let's go for it."
Cassie and Katie got out of bed and, once again, enjoyed several more minutes of intimate skin to skin contact in the shower before getting into the other bed. After some more tender mutual caresses, they slept peacefully, naked in each other's gentle arms until morning.
Following this intense physical interaction, Cassie and Katie would now be even closer friends than before. They now knew just about everything about each other. It also appeared that a telepathic link had developed between Cassie and Katie. They had almost become part of each other. They appeared to have unexpectedly found a form of love.