Congregate


After rendering Alfonso and Ferguson unconscious, Janna and Star dragged Marco and Jackie away from the food court to the entrance of a woman's apparel store. Marco looked at the logo on the front. It said 'Rapture' in a bright white cursive font with the silhouette of a—most likely—naked woman with angel wings rising above it. He looked at the big windows in front showing off mannequins in various bras and panties—some very provocative. Marco's face contorted to one of dread and embarrassment.

"Whew.." Janna tried catching her breath. "Let's hurry.." She told the group.

"No." Marco quickly defied with a head shake and let go of Janna's hand. "I can't go in there."

"Well, so can't Alfonso and Ferg," Janna explained, "so you're gonna 'cause they won't stay knocked out forever." She grabbed his hand again and dragged him in with Star and Jackie following suite. Inside were many shelves, tables, racks, and more mannequins displaying undergarments. The store was slightly dim and a lot of the colors that made it up were rich and vibrant; mostly on the redder side of the spectrum. Star looked at the pictures of the women on the walls of the store. The women were in suggestive positions, making sure the camera got the most intriguing shots.

"Wow, so many girls have big boobs!" Star said loudly. "Jackie, when will mine be like that?" She turned and asked her.

"Uh.. Maybe when you're older?" Jackie smiled at her.

"I hope so." Star said. Jackie looked ahead at Janna and Marco holding hands as they walked deeper into the store. They were bickering like they were completely accustomed to each other, all while holding hands like it meant nothing.

"I can't!.." Marco complained. "People are looking at me.." He said quietly, trying to hide his face.

"Because you keep bitching!" Janna retorted before stopping in front of a table. It held shelves of classic brief panties neatly folded in a line. "Do these look comfy, Star?" She asked her.

"Look at that one!" She pointed at a mannequin with a red lingerie. "It's not covering her nipples!"

"That's not regular underwear.." Jackie told her.

"Really?" Star questioned. "What's it for?"

"Star!" Janna called out, irked.

"Hm?" She turned toward her.

"...Do you like these?" Janna questioned again with raised eyebrows.

"I don't know." She said with a shrug. "Let me try them on." Star suggested as she grabbed on to her shorts' waistband. Jackie grabbed her wrist before she could do anything else.

"There's changing rooms for that, Star." Jackie said with a tired face. "We should get her a few more." She suggested to Janna. "Like some high-cuts, hipsters, shorts, maybe even tangas."

"Alright.." Janna agreed reluctantly. "Let's not be too long."

"It's all so expensive.." Marco sighed, pitying his wallet.


Back at the food court, Alfonso woke up with his face on the table. He groaned as he wiped the drool from his cheek and sat up. He looked around, realizing Marco and Jackie were gone.

"What the hell happened?.." He asked himself before looking across the table. He saw Ferguson across from him, still soundly face-planted. "Hey, hey!" Alfonso shook his arm, trying to get a response.

"Guh.. *SNORT*" Ferguson's eyes shot open and he slowly cocked his head up. "Agh.. Oww..." He sat up and soothed the right side of his neck. "Shit, that hurts!.." Alfonso felt a jolt surge through his body, the same kind of jolt he would get when Janna would tase him.

"I.. I think Janna knocked us out.." He claimed. "This feels way too familiar." Small jolts continued to plague his body language.

"Well, damn, she musta hit me with the taser 'cause my neck hurts like a bitch!" Ferguson theorized looking down as he massaged his neck. "But how could she tase you and hit me at the same time like that?"

"I don't know.." Alfonso answered as he looked around. "But now.. I'm even more confused."

"Huh?" Ferguson looked at him.

"If it really was Janna that did this," he said, "is she in on the whole thing with Marco and Jackie?"

"Yeah, what the hell?" Ferguson gloomed. "What are they keeping from us? I thought we were friends.." The two sat in silence for a moment, letting a feeling of betrayal take them over. They have been spending time with Marco and Janna almost everyday for years. They were a regular band of friends that could depend on and trust each other—at least it felt that way.

"N—..No!" Alfonso shot up, away from his despair. "There has to be a reason! They wouldn't keep us out of something unless there was a good reason!" Ferguson put his fingers on his chin and thought for a second.

"Maybe they're all fuckin'?" He guessed with a grin and raised forearms. "I mean, that's a pretty good reason to hide it."

"Then we have to meddle!" Alfonso declared. "That wouldn't be fair! Marco's supposed to be like us! One of the nerds! The dateless! The milquetoast, virginity-carrying, medieval-loving dorks!"

"Ouch.." Ferguson muttered. "He still is, alright? Janna would probably fuck him but I don't think Jackie would. Maybe they're just hanging out?"

"That doesn't mean that bastard deserves two beauties to himself!" Alfonso exited the booth and stood up. "Come on, let's find them!" He stood motionless before realizing something. "Wh—.. Where should we look?.." He asked his friend who was on his phone.

"I think Janna has her location available to her friends on SnapBox." Ferguson inquired as his thumb slid on his device. "..Yup." He showed the screen to Alfonso. "She's still in the mall."


Jackie walks up to Star with nearly a dozen panties draped over her arm. She had a variety of sizes, types, colors, and patterns.

"Here, Star." She gestures for Star to take them. "I want you to try on each one and tell me which one you like the most." Star wads them all up in her hands.

"Okay!" She complied.

"Let's get you a changing room." Jackie leads Star to the back end of the store where six changing rooms were available for patron use. They speak to the female associate in charge of accessing them and get their own private box. They both enter and turn the lock so that the label read 'occupied'.

"Do I get naked now?" Star asked as she threw all the clothes on the cushioned seat against the wall.

"Just your panties." Jackie corrected, picking up one of the styles and sitting down.

"You too?"

"No, just you. If Marco was buying underwear for both of us, he'd have an even bigger hole in his wallet." Jackie chuckled. Then she remembered something and her face relaxed. Marco.. He's been in love with her since the fourth grade? All this time and he's never even tried to converse with her? He must be a really shy person.. Has Janna ever tried to push him to ask for a date? Would she have said yes? What would Janna think if she did say yes?

"JACKIE!" Star screamed.

"AHH!" Jackie jumps in surprise, her distracting thoughts being completely pushed away. "WHAT?!"

"Are you okay?" Star asks in a settled tone. "You got all quiet and red!"

"I—.. I did?.. Oh,.." Jackie looked down, embarrassed. "Sorry.."

"I wanna put something on!" Star hopped up and down.

"Oh, yeah.." Jackie realized Star didn't have any underwear on. "Here, let's start with the ones I think you'll like." She gave her a pair of panty shorts.

"Thank you!" Star slipped them on and looked at herself in the mirror. She waved her butt around and smiled. "You're right, I do!"

"Hah.. Told ya." Jackie picked up a pair of high-cuts. "Here, I like these."

"Hey.." Star said as she took them.

"Huh? Yeah, Star?" Jackie looked up at her.

"You know, Janna reeaally likes you." Star told her as she slipped on the high-cuts. "You and Marco."

"Yeah, I know." Jackie smiled. "Never doubted that."

"It's why she wants me gone." Star looked herself over in the mirror. "Mm.. They're okay." Jackie looked down, visibly upset with the way Janna feels.

"..It's 'cause she doesn't want us to get hurt, right?" Jackie asks. "Hm.." She spent a moment, quiet, before smiling and looking up with a content look on her face. "Thanks for telling me, Star. I'll talk to her about it."


Janna watches Star and Jackie enter a changing room as she sits on a bench with Marco. The bench had a bright red cushion and black legs holding it up.

"Did she really have to go in with her?" Janna questions aloud. She looks at Marco and sees him tilting his head down with his hands intertwining fingers. He still looked incredibly awkward to be there. "The pictures on the wall pitchin' your tent?" She asks before crossing her legs and looking at her phone.

"No," He says with a groan. "that won't happen with just some panty pics."

"Then what is pitchin' your tent?"

"My tent isn't pitched!" He darts up from his slump to retort. Janna snickers and he sighs at his susceptibility to her antics. "You know, gotta give you credit; you really know how to ease a tense situation."

"Hm.." Janna smiles as she looks through phone.

"Star is similar to you in that way.." This makes Janna glance at him before returning to her handheld distraction. "When we finish shopping, I'm gonna try to convince her to stay." He says with conviction as he leans back on the wall. Janna stops her dawdling and shuts off her phone.

"Do you know how I feel about that?" She asks him with a stern look.

"I think I do.." He looks back at her with a calm expression. "I'm sorry I got hurt. I'm sorry it frightened you. But I think it's selfish to drive her away."

"I'm not driving her away." Janna crossed her arms. "You were there. She wanted to leave on her own. I'm just for her leaving." She alternates her crossing legs. "Besides, it's not just for your sake."

"What do you mean?" Marco asks.

"Are you really okay with the possibility of Jackie getting hurt or even killed?" She questions with firm eyes. "Have you even thought about her safety while you try to play hero?" Marco's brows furrow before he looks away from her.

"...I don't think it's heroic to help a girl that's lost and vulnerable. I think it's just the decent thing to do." Janna grits her teeth and looks away. "But... you're right." Marco's voice becomes slightly melancholic. "I didn't think about Jackie or you while Star stayed with us." Marco looks back at Janna and moves up closer to her. She makes eye contact for a moment before quickly averting her eyes. "So.. if she leaves, I'm gonna follow her. Whether you're for it, or not." Janna looks at Marco, her eyes wide with shock.

"Wh—..Why?.." Her hands were tightening in anxiety.

"I have to.." Marco looks down with a smile. "Otherwise, what good am I?"

"You act like you don't matter.." Janna informs him sourly.

"Do I matter?" Marco asks as he looks at his hand. "All my life I've never felt like I've made a real difference in someone's life." He looks at Janna with his smile. "Now, I feel like I can."

"...Ha.. Hahaha.." Janna looks away as her soft laugh confuses Marco. "Just when I thought you couldn't get any fucking stupider.." She runs her hand through hair in frustration, removing her beanie.

"What? What do you mean?" Marco questions.

"'You don't make a difference in anyone's life'? You really believe that?!" Janna asked him vexed. "How could you be so selfish?!" Marco recoils in doubt.

"Wh-What are you talking about?!" He asks.

"You're saying Alfonso and Ferguson aren't affected by you?!" Janna demands. "What about me?! What do we even mean to you?!" Marco's chest tightens. He looks away, Janna's eyes were becoming difficult to meet again.

"I—.. I know you guys care about me like I care for you but—"

"Do you?.." Janna asks with an aggravated chuckle. "For God's sake, Marco, do you have any idea how I feel about you?!"

"...How you feel?.." Marco's racing mind grounded to a halt. Janna's adrenaline wore off quickly. The atmosphere they created was abandoned for a different one. Their eyes were now locked on to each other, almost refusing to blink. "What do you..." Marco muttered, having a difficult time processing Janna's words. "..mean?.."

"..Ah—.. I..." Janna's face flushes a soft crimson realizing that she took a wrong turn with the conversation. The heat of the moment had spread to her cheeks.

"Janna?.." Their hearts beat faster. Any more suspense might make them dizzy.

"..Mar—..Marco.. I.." Janna was able to break away from his stare. She looked down and covered her mouth, fearing what she might say next.

"What? What?!" Marco moved closer, desperate for a response.

"Mmn-mm.." Janna shakes her head with her hand still silencing herself. Marco saw how adamant she was about not explaining herself and it made him even more eager.

"Why won't you tell me?!" He begged before letting out a sharp exhale and removing Janna's hand from her mouth. He held her hand and looked at her with unshakable eyes. Janna took a deep breath and clenched Marco's hand for strength.

"..Because it's not what you want.." She spoke in undertone. Marco took in what she said and dissected it thoroughly. Yet, it didn't satisfy him.

"Well, well, well,..." A voice, grating to their ears in particular, intrudes on the moment. They look toward the sound and see Brittney Wong, the lead cheerleader of their school, approaching them with her hands on her hips. "If it isn't Dork-o Diaz and Janna Whore-donia. Where's the rest of your gang bang? Only settling for one guy today?" She teases Janna with the notorious condescending tone she has mastered. Marco and Janna take a moment to compose themselves and return to the reality they felt they left.

"Great.." Janna sighs. "Can't wait to listen to your bullshit this time." She greets in an uninterested tone. Marco looks at Janna, surprised that she was speaking like her usual self. Just a few seconds ago, her voice sounded so vulnerable and unsure. How did she regain herself so quickly?

"Hah.. Oh, wait!" Brittney made a melodramatic face of astonishment. Marco was able to take a good look at her to see her wearing white high heels, tight black jeans, and a tufty white fur coat; all very expensive. She certainly didn't dress like a junior in high school. "I know what's going on here." A dastardly smile creeps onto her pink lips before she reaches into her coat for her phone. She snaps a picture of the two. "Nerds on a cute little nerd date." She snickers as she looks at her taken photo. "I'm gonna post this everywhere." Janna and Marco look down at their still-interlocked hands. Janna swipes her hand away and puts her beanie back on as she scoots away from Marco.

"Don't you have anything better to do than piss out your obvious garbage? I think that one of the mens' bathrooms has a broken toilet you can fill in for." Janna counters confidently like she has dealt with Brittney a thousand times. The pompous cheerleader just grimaces before looking at Marco with a smirk. She gets closer and puts her right knee on the bench beside him. Her left arm comes up and plants itself on the wall on his other side, trapping him between her feminine limbs. "H-Hey.." Janna let's out in irritation.

"You know, Diaz.." Brittney speaks so closely, their faces almost touch. "You're kinda cute up close.." The fingers of her free hand travel down his chest and feel him intimately. "..muscly too.." Janna's eyes and mouth wince in disgust.

"Uh.. Th—.. Thanks.." Marco looks away, unsure how to respond. The girl takes advantage and moves in toward his ear.

"I can give you more, you know.." Brittney sensually whispers before moving away and planting her other hand on the wall. She grins and puts her left hand on her chest. "Just come to my house alone and we'll work something out.. You know which, right? It's the big one with 'W' on the fence." Marco spots the opening left by her removed arm and escapes her web. He stands up and looks away with a blush. Brittney looks at him in amusement.

"Hey.." Janna calls out with grit.

"What?" Brittney responds rigidly as she turns to her.

"Why don't you go find your dad and give him another hand job?" Janna tells her with a malicious smile. Marco quickly turns and looks at Brittney anxiously. Her eyes widened with shock before a furious fire engulfed her body language.

"What was that?.." She questioned Janna as she stood up from the bench.

"You heard me.." Janna looked at her with a deadly supremacy. The upper hand she felt gave her an unbridled joy. "Things get through the grape vine quick at school. Even to someone as low on the social ladder as me." Brittney looked at Janna with a seething hatred that she's never seen from her before. Her fists were shaking and her jaw was tight with rage.

"You.. bitch!" Brittney rose her right hand and launched a slap at Janna's face. She closed her eyes, expecting to feel a sharp sting upon her cheek. When it didn't come, she opened them to see Marco holding onto Brittney's wrist with his left hand. He pulls her away from Janna, causing her to spin and stumble. "Ggh! Get—..!" Brittney is made still by Marco's face. It was calm and protective, making her lose even more of her ego. "..D-Don't fucking touch me!" She yanks her hand away from him and looks at them with teary vengeful eyes before turning away to leave. Her stride is immediately interrupted when her face is buried between two man-breasts. She pushes herself off and looks at her stop to see a large red-haired boy smiling down at her.

"Hey, girl, how ya doin'?" It was Ferguson trying his best to be charming. Brittney looked at him with a disturbed face before screaming in frustration. She shoves him out of the way and left the area. Ferguson watched her go before turning back to his friends with a proud face. "Yeah, that's me,.." He sighs in satisfaction and leans on the wall with his elbow. "..always makin' the ladies scream in pleasure."

"Did you find them?" Alfonso comes from around the corner of the wall with a curious face.

"Yup." Ferguson assures, causing Alfonso to look at Janna and Marco.

"Ah-HA!" Alfonso approaches the two with a finger point. "I knew you too would be in here!"

"Tch.." Janna scoffs and rubs the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "..and here I thought you two wouldn't come in here." She says.

"How'd you know we'd be in here?" Marco asks, in a disquiet tone.

"Because the question we have for you relates to it.." Alfonso walks to Marco's side with his arms crossed.

"..Yeah..a real important question.." Ferguson walks up to Marco's other side with his hands in his pockets.

"Wh—..What?.." Marco asks, slightly nervous for his well being.

"Marco! Marco!" Star abruptly approaches Marco, passing by Janna and Alfonso with boy shorts type panties in her hands. "I like these! They're comfy!"

"Star, no!" Jackie arrives and grabs onto Star with one hand while the other held a bundle of panties. She pulled Star away and stood next to Janna who had her palm planted on her face. The group was silent now. Marco's shoulders were risen in preparation for a berating from his male friends. He looked at them, their eyes were dead and unblinking. Their hands slowly rose and occupied a shoulder of Marco's each. They began to walk him away from the girls to be around the corner of the wall.

"Marco.."

"Dude.." They speak in a quiet daunting tone before silence befalls them again. As if linked to the mind, they simultaneously grip Marco tighter and take a deep breath. "HOW COULD YOU?! YOU SELFISH DICK!"

"THREE! YOU REALLY NEED THREE TO YOURSELF?!"

"YOU'RE SUCH A TRAITOR!"

Janna and Jackie listened to the conspicuous admonishing, feeling a sense of embarrassment they haven't felt in a while. Star realized something and made a surprised face.

"Hey, those are the boys we hit!" She told Janna, who had a repulsed face. "Should we hit them again?"

"Yes.." Janna stood up with gritted teeth and walked up to the yelling boys with Star. Jackie was left there alone, unsure of what to do.

"Excuse me." A stern voice grabs her attention. She looks toward it to see a woman with a manager name tag on. "Are they with you?" Jackie nervously looked at the panties in her hand before saying..

"Nope.."

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They've been discovered!

Hey,... thanks for reading. ( ͡ ͜ʖ ͡)

This story will go on. It'll just take some time.

You better not forget about me!

Byyyyyyyye!