Quiet Betty by YDB95,YDB95

“What I think of your body is, it’s incredibly beautiful!” Rob drew back.

“You still haven’t seen all of it.”

“I don’t need to, I know it! But…you’re not saving yourself?”

Betty shook her head. “Don’t you remember I tried once with you?”

“Oh my God!” Rob cringed. “Betty, I’m sorry!” He let go of her and looked away. “You’d be totally justified if you threw your clothes back on and told me to get lost. I just – that time, that was really early on, you know, just three or four dates, I think?”

“Four,” Betty said.

“Right, and I knew you and Audra were tight, and I…I don’t know if Nick has told you or Janice about his history with her?”

“Oh, Rob!” Rob could barely bring himself to look at Betty, expecting her to be furious. Instead, she looked sad and sympathetic. “Yes, Janice told me just the other night. And I’ve got to admit, even I didn’t think Audra was capable of something that cruel.”

“I wouldn’t have guessed it before then either,” Rob said. “Going all the way back to grade school, she was mostly the type who’d join in on the bullying when others were doing it, but she wouldn’t be the ringleader. I still don’t know if someone else put her up to it this time either. Didn’t matter, though.”

“I’m guessing her mother wouldn’t tell you?”

“Her mother wouldn’t hear a bad word about her in the first place. And since Nick wasn’t seriously injured, there was nothing we could do.”

“I’m surprised he wasn’t.”

“I don’t think they wanted to injure him,” Rob said. “They just wanted to humiliate him, and they sure did that. In any case, our mother called her mother, and all she had to say was, ‘Oh, my Audra would never do a thing like that, and haven’t you noticed how Nick always finds himself in trouble with the other kids?'” Rob flopped down on Betty’s bed. “I’m sorry, Betty, but we had just started dating, I was falling hard for you, but I couldn’t help wondering, a friend of Audra’s…”

“I have to admit I’m a little hurt,” Betty said. “I would never hurt you like that, Rob. Or anyone! But listen, I know what it’s like to be humiliated like that, and I can see why you were on your guard about it.”

“Do you?” Rob asked. “Oh, right, your weight. I’m sorry, I forgot about that, you’ve done such a great job of losing it.”

“Well, that too.” Betty’s lips curled into a coy smile as she stood before him. The thought of lifting up her nightie to reveal her triangle was nearly irresistible. But she was too overcome with relief at once again feeling comfortable with her true love to push the envelope that far just now.

“That too?” he asked. “What else?”

Tell him? Show him? Neither? Betty opted for door number three. “I’ll explain that later,” she said, and she sat down beside him on the bed. “Listen, about Nude Day, is the invitation still open?”

“Absolutely!” Rob looked for all the world like he could barely get the words out as he looked Betty up and down, obviously anticipating what he’d be seeing then.

That, and the sweet sensation of his body close against hers, had Betty as wet as she could ever recall feeling and her nipples making themselves very much known through her nightie. Why not tonight?

Rob answered that before shy Betty could get the words out. “My parents’ll be delighted,” he said. “In the meantime, listen, I’ve been so lonely all week and thinking of our future…”

“Oh, me too, Rob!”

“Great, so this must be as big a relief for you as it is for me. Could I…I don’t want to push you, Betty, but could I spend the night?”

“I’d love that!” Betty could feel his hands on her breasts already, and they ached for his touch in the most delightful way.

“Oh, me too,” Rob said. “Since you’re dressed like that, I take it you won’t mind if I strip down to my boxers?”

Only down to his boxers?

Betty felt like screaming in frustration. But she reminded herself that an hour ago she wasn’t even sure she’d ever see him again, and now she had said yes to Nude Day. So her secret would be out soon enough, and if he didn’t like it, at least she could savor the joy of their reconciliation for tonight. If it meant neglecting the veritable rain-forest between her legs, at least it also meant there was no risk of the same scaring Rob off once and for all.

She smiled through her frustration. “Of…course, Rob. Why should you be the only one who has to eat your heart out?”

Rob laughed. “Thanks. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty more I’d love to do than just hold you, but, you know, I don’t want to push.”

Neither did Betty. Having admitted to herself how fearful she was that Rob would turn out to be like the bullies back at school, she swallowed her frustration and looked forward to at least sleeping in his arms for the first time.

***During the movie, Janice and Nick’s hands touched at least half a dozen times while reaching for the popcorn. When the tub was empty, Janice kept her hand there waiting for Nick to reach for more. When he did and found only her hand there, she grasped it tightly before he could get away, and to her delight, he squeezed back.

They had to let go for a bathroom stop after the credits rolled, and when Janice emerged from the ladies’ room to find him waiting, there was but a moment of awkwardness before he spoke up. “There’s a cappuccino place up the street, if you feel like it.”

“I’ll be awake all night!” Janice passed over in silence that there might be a positive side to that.

“Eh, good point,” Nick said. “It’s just, while you were in there I checked my phone and Rob hasn’t texted me or anything. No news is good news, but it does mean I’ve got nowhere else to go.

“You’re welcome to come back to our place,” Janice said. “I’ve got a bottle of wine we could open, and no, Audra won’t be there.”

Nick’s eyes lit up like it was Christmas morning. “Are you saying…”

“Yes, Nick. Let’s not let any miscommunications get in the way like they did with Rob and Betty!” She kissed him, and took his hand for the walk back to the car.

When they got home, it was not immediately clear that their mission had succeeded. Betty’s room door was shut and there wasn’t a sound from behind it – or anywhere else in the apartment. Assuming Betty was asleep whether she was alone or not, Janice raised a finger to her lips.