Candlelight City

by Jessica Tang Von Harper

  They did the scene several times, and it was exquisite agony. Suzie and Ricardo would have sex, grinding together like animals, but then Brad would burst in and they would have to stop. It became harder and harder to stop each time. Near the end of rehearsal, Suzie was so turned on that she couldn’t be bothered with wrapping the sheet around herself, choosing instead to go backstage in the nude, and as soon as was off stage, she had her hand between her legs, rubbing, urging that heat into some form of release.

  The hour finally ended, and Suzie still hadn’t reached any kind of climax. “That was excellent work, you three. I think this play will be something special,” Mr. Belfast enthused. “Brad, Ricardo, I’d like to speak with you a little bit about some of your lines. Suzie, I will see you tomorrow.”

  Suzie put on her clothes quickly and left the auditorium. She stood outside, trying to push Jenna deep inside her and return to the Suzie that she had always been. The quiet girl, the good student, the one who was just doing this to get into Stanford. “I need to go home,” she whispered to herself. “A cold shower. That’ll do the trick.”

  She started to walk towards the parking lot, but then Brad came out. “Hey!” he called, jogging up. “Great rehearsal. Pretty intense, huh?”

  “Maybe too intense,” Suzie whispered.

  Brad gazed at her for a moment. Then he took her hand. “Here, come with me.”

  “Where are we going?” Suzie asked, but he didn’t answer. She allowed him to pull her along behind him.

  They ended up at the bleachers next to the football field. Brad took her hand and led her underneath the bleachers, into a shadowy labyrinth of wooden beams. The light was dim, and Brad took her deeper and deeper under the structure, until they were near the center. Light leaked through the cracks in the steps above them, and Suzie could hear the sounds of footfalls as someone walked above their heads.

  “What are we doing down here?” Suzie asked.

  “I think we need to let off a little steam after that rehearsal.” Brad indicated a bar that crossed just over their heads. “Hold onto that bar.”

  Suzie did as he said, winding her fingers around the cold metal. Brad stood behind her, and Suzie could feel his breath against her hair. His hands reached around her, and he began to undo the buttons on her shirt.

  “Brad… we’re not alone. Those boys are watching.” Twenty feet away, two boys were crouched in the murky light, passing a cigarette back and forth. They stared intently at Suzie as Brad finished unbuttoning her shirt and pulled it open. Suzie could feel the cool air against her skin, but she kept her fingers on the bar above her, even while Brad slid his hands up over her belly and onto her breasts. He squeezed her through the fabric of her bikini, then slipped his hands into her top, gently pulling one breast free, then the other. His fingers were on her nipples, pulling and teasing them.

  Suzie watched the two boys, knowing they could see everything. “Don’t worry about them,” Brad breathed in her ear. “We’re actors. We like to do things in front of an audience. It’s why we go on stage.” His fingers were undoing her jeans now. He unzipped them, and pushed them down her smooth legs to her ankles. Next came her bikini bottom, sliding down her legs and falling to the ground. Brad crouched down, and lifted one of her feet. He took off her shoe so that it would be easier to pull the jeans and bikini over her foot, then replaced her shoe when he was done. He did the same with her other foot. Suzie felt her heart beat fast, knowing that except for her heels she was naked from the waist down, and that the two strange boys could see everything. She kept remembering how she had described Jenna to Mr. Belfast. “She likes to give men pleasure…. she likes giving her body to men, and she likes that they’re able to use her body to feel happier.” Suzie tried to imagine that she was the same. She made herself meet the eyes of the two boys, and didn’t try to cover herself. Her heart pounded as she saw them staring between her legs at her exposed vagina. Just like Jenna, she would give them the pleasure of viewing her naked body.

  Brad’s hand caressed her ass, his fingers tracing her ass-crack, and then moving between her legs to cup her vagina from behind. Suzie gasped as Brad’s finger slid inside her. Brad found her clitoris, and he rubbed it slowly, sending waves of pleasure sparking through her body.

  He reached under her shirt and undid her bikini top. Suzie released the bar with one hand, letting Brad pull her shirt and bikini top off her right arm, then did the same with her left arm. When he was done, she obediently took hold of the bar again, knowing she was now completely naked in full view of Brad and the two boys, and anyone else who happened to be walking under the bleachers. Suzie wondered if she had ever been so turned on before. She was so wet that she could feel tiny droplets trickling down her legs. Brad’s strong hands slid up and down her body, stroking and squeezing her bare flesh.

  She heard a zipper go down behind her, and arched her back, thrusting her ass towards Brad, her legs apart. He gripped her hips, and the head of his penis prodded her soaked vagina. He easily slid into her, making Suzie gasp. Brad begin to move back and forth, having sex with her, and Suzie was amazed at how good it felt, as if her body had been reduced to a single point of pleasure where their bodies joined. It was different from the sex she had simulated with Ricardo. Even though she and Brad had an audience, Suzie felt that there was something very intimate in their coupling.

  I’m falling for him, Suzie realized. I’m falling for Brad, and he has a girlfriend.

  She pushed Corine from her thoughts as quickly as she could. Brad might belong to Corine, but at the moment he was with her, his hands on her breasts, his penis deep inside her. Suzie felt her orgasm finally crest, and she yielded to it, letting it spasm through her. Brad’s shirt pressed against her sweaty back, and his strong hands tightened on her breasts. His penis felt like it was growing inside her, and she willed him to climax, letting the energy of her orgasm pulse in her vagina, the muscles clinching against his swollen erection. All at once, he began to cum inside her, and his moans joined with hers.

  He remained inside her for a few minutes, and she felt him start to soften. Finally, he pulled out, and she heard him pull his zipper up. Suzie remained naked, clinching the bar in her sweaty hands. Brad came around to her front, smiling, and gave her a kiss. He stepped back, admiring the way her naked body was stretched between the ground and the bar. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured to her.

  “Thanks,” Suzie replied shyly. It seemed strange to remember the first time Brad had seen her naked in his room, and how uncomfortable she had felt. Now, it felt so natural, to be standing naked while he was fully clothed. It almost felt like that was the way it should always be.

  “You can let go now,” Brad told her gently, and Suzie released the bar. She stood in front of him, naked, watching as he gathered her clothes. “Here.” He eyed the two boys, who were still watching them. “You should probably get dressed now.”

  Suzie slipped on her clothes, and as she put them on, it was as if she was putting on the old Suzie again. Her shyness returned, and it seemed astounding that she had just put on such a lurid show in front of two strange boys. Brad led her out from under the bleachers, and she hurried behind him, glancing timidly at the two boys who had just watched her have sex. They grinned and waved, and Suzie couldn’t help but blush.

  Brad walked her to her car. “That was nice,” he said. “It gave me some good ideas for our love scene. I really think we got into the feel of Jenna and Elias’ relationship.”

  Suzie tried to hide her disappointment at his words. Of course. The whole thing had just been preparation for the play. Method acting. Suzie felt foolish for thinking it had really been an intimate moment between them. Brad had probably been thinking of the play the whole time. He hadn’t been making love to Suzie, he had been making love to Jenna.

  Suzie was glad when she was finally in her car. As she drove home, she berated herself. Jenna was a role she was playing, and Elias was a role Brad was playing, and just because their cha
racters were in love didn’t mean Suzie should let those feelings bleed into real life. It was stupid. It’s only a play, Suzie told herself.

  11. Method Acting

  Suzie quickly finished the book on method acting. A few days later, she decided it was time to do her own experiment. She really wanted to see if she could get a feel for how it was to be Jenna.

  She called her best friend Emma. “Are you busy tonight?”

  “No… what’s up?”

  “Can you come out and help me with something?”

  Emma was willing, and they agreed that Suzie would pick her up at eight. After she hung up, Suzie went to her closet. She selected a black skirt that was a little too short for her, and a lacy top that left her midriff bare. She also put on her laciest bra and panties. In her closet, she found a pair of high heels, and rolled on a pair of black stockings that ended two inches below the bottom of her skirt.

  Suzie looked at herself in the mirror. The effect was definitely different from her usual outfit. So much of her skin was exposed. Was she really going to go outside dressed like this?

  Of course she was. Because she wasn’t Suzie. She was Jenna.

  Suzie stepped out of her room and found her purse. “Hey, mom… I’m going out,” she told her mother in the kitchen.

  Her mother stared. “Suzie… you’re going out dressed like that? That skirt hasn’t fit you in years, you should throw it away!”

  “It’s part of rehearsal,” Suzie said. “This is the kind of thing I need to wear for the play.”

  “Oh.” Mrs. Moore smiled. “I guess I’m just not used to seeing you dress so sexy! Well, be safe, Suzie.”

  Suzie stepped outside and got in her car. It was a short drive to Emma’s house, and Emma was waiting on the porch.

  Emma also looked astonished when she saw how Suzie was dressed. “Where are we going with you dressed like that?”

  “Downtown,” Suzie said. “King Avenue.”

  “King Avenue? Suzie, that’s not a very good part of town. Are you sure? Where are we going exactly?”

  “I know it’s not the best area. But that’s why I’m going. That’s where the prostitutes hang out, and I need to see them. I’m supposed to be playing one on stage, so I need to see what they’re like.”

  “Oh…” said Emma. She looked again at Suzie’s outfit. “Suzie… the way you’re dressed… you’re not going to pretend to be a prostitute, are you? Is that why you’re dressed so sexy?”

  Suzie paused before answering. “I’m going to stand out there like I’m a prostitute. I need to know what it feels like.”

  “It sounds dangerous to me,” Emma said.

  “That’s why I brought you with me. You can keep watch, and call the police if I get in a bad situation.”

  They reached King Avenue, and Suzie drove slowly up the street. She could see some hookers now, standing on corners dressed in tight revealing clothes. Most of them had a tired look to them, but a few of them were pretty.

  “Hookers are possessive about their corners,” Emma said nervously. “That’s what I’ve heard. You should pick a corner that’s empty, or else one of the hookers might want to fight you.”

  Suzie didn’t want to get into a fight. She drove around until she found a dark corner that was empty. She parked her car on the street fifteen feet away from the corner. “You stand guard,” she told Emma. “I’ll be right out there.” She got out of the car, and felt the cool night on her exposed skin. Her heart was beating fast, and she felt really nervous.

  “You’re Jenna,” she told herself. “This is your life.” She walked out to the corner and stood there.

  It was a little frightening. She saw cars drive by, and had to fight the urge to shrink down and hide. Instead, she copied the prostitutes she had observed earlier, cocking her hip out and boldly look at the cars, trying to appear sexy. One of the cars slowed, and Suzie really felt nervous. But then the car sped up and drive past, and she exhaled in relief.

  Suzie had been standing on the corner for almost ten minutes when a pair of bright headlights blinded her. A car was slowly pulling up in front of her. Suzie tried to look sexy, although her heart was beating fast and she wasn’t sure what she would say if the driver tried to buy her. But when she was finally able to see past the headlights, Suzie realized she was in big trouble. It was a police car.

  The police officer rolled down his window. “Hey, there,” he called out to her. “New girl in town? Looking for customers?”

  “No…” Suzie said nervously. “I mean… I’m not really a prostitute.”

  The officer was a broad-shouldered black man, and he gave her a skeptical look. “Really,” he said. “I suppose you’re out here selling lemonade?”

  “No, really!” Suzie protested. “I’m really not. I’m rehearsing for a play. I’m in high school!”

  “Rehearsing a play? I haven’t heard that one before,” said the officer. “Maybe you can explain it to the booking officer.”

  Suzie was terrified that she would be arrested. Fortunately, Emma ran up to save her. “Don’t arrest her!” Emma said. “She’s not a hooker, she isn’t!”

  “She’s rehearsing for a play,” the officer said, still sounding skeptical. But then his eyes lit up. “Wait… what’s the name of the play?”

  “Candlelight City,” Suzie said.

  The officer smiled. “Candlelight City! Let me guess…. Jenna?”

  Suzie was surprised. “Yes! You know the play?”

  “I saw it a year ago, when I was visiting Chicago.” The officer grinned. “I really liked it. So the high school is doing ‘Candlelight City’? I might have to check it out.”

  “Yeah,” Suzie said, feeling relieved. “I’m playing Jenna. I wanted to do some method acting, really get a feel for how it was to be her… that’s why I came out dressed like this.”

  “I see.” The officer laughed. “You know, I thought you looked different from the usual hooker. Now it all makes sense.” He didn’t seem to doubt her any longer. His demeanor had become friendlier.

  But his words bothered her. “I don’t seem like a real hooker?” she asked. “What am I doing wrong?”

  “Well…” The officer opened his door and stepped out of his cruiser. He came around and looked at her closely. “For one thing, I can see your bra strap. Real street hookers don’t usually wear bras. It gets in the way, costs them time. They want to give their customers easy access.”

  “Oh.” Suzie looked down at herself. “I guess I should get rid of it?”

  “You should if you want to look authentic,” the officer said. “Street hookers don’t have much use for modesty, as I’m sure you can imagine. They wear as little as they can get away with.”

  Suzie briefly considered returning to her car and removing her bra. But the officer’s words made her think. Street hookers really didn’t think in terms of modesty. It was part of their job to have strangers view them naked, and naturally they were used to it. So instead of being modest and returning to her car, Suzie pulled off her top while she stood under the street lamp, leaving herself in her lacy bra. She looked at the officer for a moment, but he didn’t seem to object. Suzie undid her bra and took it off. She made herself stand there with her breasts exposed as a few seconds ticked by, then swiftly put her top back on. She passed the bra to Emma.

  “Is that better?”

  “Yes, that looks more real,” the officer said.

  Suzie blushed. “Um… what about my panties? I’m wearing panties, too.”

  The officer scratched his chin. “Yeah, you should take those off, too. Real hookers don’t wear panties.”

  Suzie nodded. Being careful to avoid appearing modest, she hiked her skirt up past her belly button, revealing her lacy panties. They were certainly skimpy, but still too much for a street hooker. Suzie slid them down her legs, and handed them to Emma. Emma’s eyes were wide and shocked at Suzie’s display of nudity, but she obediently took the panties and balled them up.

  T
he officer’s eyes gazed between Suzie’s legs, and Suzie paused with her skirt bunched around her waist, letting him examine her. “Your pubic hair is another giveaway,” the officer informed her. “Hookers are usually clean shaven. It’s more hygienic, and also gives a better view of what they’re trying to sell.”

  Suzie looked down at her small triangle of dark hair. “I don’t have anything to shave with,” she said. “Maybe I should go home and try this another time.”

  The officer considered. “I might have a razor in my car.” He walked back to the cruiser, and popped open the glove compartment. A moment later, he returned with a small can of shaving cream and a disposable razor.

  “You really did have one!” Suzie smiled.

  “Yep,” said the officer. “But you should probably remove your skirt before you do anything, or you’ll get shaving cream on it.”

  “Can I shave right here? Sitting on the curb?” Suzie asked.

  “Not a problem,” said the officer. “No one will give you any trouble if I’m here.”

  “Thanks,” Suzie unzipped her skirt, and removed it, acutely aware that she was exposing herself from the waist down. Actually, more than the waist down, since her top ended barely below her breasts. She sat on the curb, feeling the cold concrete against her ass. As Emma and the police officer watched, Suzie opened her legs wide and squirted a dollop of shaving cream into her palm. She carefully spread the cream onto her vagina, and began to shave.

  It didn’t take long. Emma ran back to the car to bring back some paper towels, and this helped Suzie to wipe the excess cream off the razor and off her vagina. She was very careful to try and remove every hair, no matter how small. Cars drove by, and some of them slowed to stare at her. But none of them lingered, seeing that she had a police officer with her.

  When her vagina seemed smooth, Suzie wiped off the remainder of the shaving cream and stood up. “How’s that?” she asked. She blushed when she looked down at herself. Being shaved in that way made her vagina look so exposed.