by NTS
"No..." Sarah said. "I can't..."
"The Wizard has spoken."
"No!" Sarah yelled. She'd traveled so far, she'd found the Wizard - she'd get what she deserved!
"Leave now," the Wizard said, his giant floating head turning away from her.
"I won't!" Sarah dove. Her goal for so long had been the Wizard, she wasn't about to leave without getting what she needed. She dove right for him, passing right through the holographic head and grabbing at the curtain behind.
"No, don't look there!" he shouted.
But it was too late. Sarah pulled the curtain back, revealing the Wizard for what he was. There, working a machine and speaking into a microphone was...
Yukiko?
"Sarah..." a soft voice called from the distance, barely more than a whisper. "Hey, Sarah..."
Sarah drifted back to consciousness. She was cocooned and warm. She was confused at first... but then remembered where she was. In Yukiko's bed, wearing her roommate's clothes, and now being prodded awake by that same roommate.
"Sarah... what are you doing?" Yukiko asked. There wasn't a hint of anger in her voice... just concern.
"Yukiko... I... I'm sorry, I..." Sarah said sleepily. She sat up, revealing the clothes she was wearing.
Yukiko was clearly confused, but reacted simply by looking right into Sarah's eyes. "What happened?"
Sarah looked back at Yukiko. She saw her best friend. A person she cared about and respected, and who cared about her, who'd been there so much for her in so many ways this summer. A person she'd been lying to for months, just like everyone else. No more.
It all came out. How she'd wanted her internship so badly. How Kierra had planted the idea of becoming a nudist and how she'd talked herself into it. She talked about everything she'd experienced since then: every embarrassment, every humiliation. She confessed to Yukiko how it made her sexually excited. How guilty she felt, thinking about nudists who'd been discriminated against in negative ways. How she'd felt so alone, so unable to relate to other nudists she'd met, and how she hated lying to everyone, and how the constant bottling of those emotions ate away at her. How confused she was, trying to deal with such contradictory emotions and feelings about nudism and about herself. And she told her about Kierra, how it was like high school all over again with her - how she'd been tormented, embarrassed and humiliated for so many weeks.
Through it all, Yukiko listened. She offered comfort and support, but mostly she just listened. Sarah needed to talk right now, and Yukiko let her go on as long as she needed, simply taking it all in.
Finally Sarah got to what had happened that afternoon and started to cry anew, burying her head in Yukiko's bosom. "... I'm just not a real nudist. I never have been. I..." she trailed off.
"Sarah..." Yukiko said.
Sarah kept sobbing, losing control.
"Sarah..." Yukiko tried again, but to no better effect. Sarah showed no signs of regaining control of herself.
"SARAH!" Yukiko yelled.
Finally Sarah heeded her roommate, bringing her tears under control and looking up at Yukiko.
"Of course you're a nudist."
"Yukiko, I - "
"Let me finish. I kind of figured, in the beginning, that you weren't naked out of some burning desire to be that way, at least not a conscious one. But you've been walking around naked for what - almost four months now? You've death with the same difficulties as anyone else carrying one of those cards. More, by the sounds of it. Of course you're real, as real as any of the rest of them. What else do you think you have to do to be a nudist?"
Sarah blinked. She wasn't sure what to say; she wasn't sure what she'd expected Yukiko to say. But she was surprised by what was being said.
Yukiko continued. "Sarah... for all this time, I've admired you for your bravery. Every day, you've faced this thing that's been so difficult for you. So many other people wouldn't have. Look at yourself: don't you see your strength? Your courage? Because I look at you and that's almost all I see."
Sarah sniffled, still finding no words to respond. Yukiko's words were hitting home though. Sarah had never seen herself that way before, but somehow Yukiko was showing it to her.
"You're a wonderful girl, capable of amazing things. You decided to be a nudist. Maybe you don't want that anymore... that's something you have to look into your heart and really decide. But don't give it up just because you think you can't do it anymore, because I know you can do anything," Yukiko told her.
"But I couldn't. I broke today," Sarah said. She felt ashamed... but this time, for letting Yukiko down, because she was afraid she wasn't the girl Yukiko thought she was. That bothered her more than she ever would have thought.
"No," Yukiko said, her voice becoming hardly a whisper. "Because you have someone here who'll help you get back together again."
Sarah did look into her heart, and she made a decision. But it wasn't one that she ever could have predicted. She leaned forward and kissed Yukiko. It was only a light kiss, little more than a peck. But the message was unmistakable.
No more words were spoken between the two girls; none needed to be. Sarah looked into Yukiko's eyes and slowly peeled off the T-shirt she was wearing, letting her breasts bounce free once again. The sweatpants joined it on the floor seconds later, and then she kissed Yukiko again - this time longer, and deeper. Yukiko responded by slipping her tongue into Sarah's mouth.
Making love to another girl was a completely new experience for Sarah, but with Yukiko it just came naturally. It felt unbelievably wonderful - tender, yet forceful. Sophisticated, yet primal. The things that she found herself doing, and having done to her, with a tongue and fingers were simply amazing; it was a pleasure unparalleled by any of the boys she'd ever been with.
Sarah knew it was love; and with that on her side, she could face anything.
Chapter 21
Sarah woke up to smell of pancakes. She reached over but realized Yukiko wasn't there. Had it all been a dream?
No... she was in Yukiko's bed, she realized. Last night had really happened. Sarah spent several minutes just laying there. She felt comfortable, safe, good.
The sun shone brightly through the window, falling on her skin and filling her with a pleasant warmth. The clock on the nightstand read 10:30. She was late for work... but that seemed strangely unimportant. She rolled over and put her bare feet on the ground, taking a minute to squeeze the carpet with her toes before standing up.
She followed the smell of pancakes out to the kitchen, where she found a naked Yukiko cooking them.
"Morning lover," Yukiko said, smiling. "I hope you don't mind, I called in sick for you this morning. I just didn't have the heart to wake you, you seemed to peaceful..."
"Thanks," Sarah said. "For... everything."
Yukiko smiled, and came over to kiss Sarah's cheek before putting a plate of pancakes down on the table. "Breakfast is ready."
Sarah dove in, realizing how hungry she was. She'd almost finished it before Yukiko even had a chance to sit down.
"Hungry today?" Yukiko asked.
"Yeah. But I've never felt better," Sarah answered. It was the truth.
"But..." Yukiko responded.
How does she know me better than I know myself? Sarah asked herself. "Last night was so wonderful, but... I'm not... at least I never thought I was... am I gay now too?" Sarah said. "I have no idea who I am anymore."
"That's easy," Yukiko said, reaching across the table to rest her hand on Sarah's ac. "You're Sarah Mariano. You're true to yourself, not to a label - labels don't make you who you are, they don't define you. Or me. Gay, nudist, or not - we're all just individuals, living our lives as best we can. You're Sarah Mariano, and I love you for being you and no one else."
Sarah smiled warmly. "I love you too... I'm just sorry it took so long to figure that out."
Yukiko smiled back. "This is new for me too, you know. You're not like any other girl I've ever known Sarah."
Sarah smiled throu
ghout the rest of breakfast. She did wonder how she could have been oblivious to this for so long; in retrospect, it seemed she'd been in love with Yukiko forever.
Yukiko stood when she finished her pancakes. "I also ran one other errand while you were still sleeping this morning..." she announced.
"Oh?" Sarah asked.
Yukiko placed a small card on the table in front of Sarah. She recognized it immediately as a lifestyle registration card for nudists. It looked just like her own, except the name was different: Yukiko Ling.
"I never want you to feel alone again, Sarah," she said.
Sarah jumped up and grabbed Yukiko, mashing their bare breasts together as she squeezed her new girlfriend in a tight hug. "Thank you," she said. "You didn't have to though."
"I wanted to, for you. And besides... I've found I rather like being naked," Yukiko blushed a little at the admission, prompting Sarah to kiss her again.
The two girls cleaned up breakfast and then went about bagging Yukiko's clothes for donation. Sarah recalled giving up her own clothes just a few months ago... but this time, it felt like something was being gained rather than lost. It didn't take too long; Yukiko's whole wardrobe fit into only two bags.
"Shall we get rid of these?" Yukiko asked, picking up a bag and motioning at the door.
Sarah had almost forgotten that there was a whole world outside, and that they'd both have to be naked in it now. Thinking about it still sent a small pang of fear through her, but it was quickly fought back by a newfound sense of confidence. "Let's," she agreed.
Sarah felt like a new woman as she stepped outside her building into the bright warm sun with Yukiko by her side, neither of them wearing a stitch of clothing. A buxom, naked blond and an equally naked petite Asian girl together was literally enough to stop traffic as they walked down the block.
Sarah was still very conscious of the stares and attention they attracted. Countless onlookers ogled the naked girls walking down through the city. But Sarah was able to combat her embarrassment with the new image she had of herself, the one Yukiko had shown her last night. She was strong. She was confident. Even better, she felt that way because she was out in public naked, not in spite of it. It still wasn't easy, but she faced it, and that was something she could take pride in.
They found a drop box for the clothes and got rid of them unceremoniously. They simply weren't anything that Sarah felt she needed anymore; and she suspected that Yukiko felt the same way.
"So, we have the rest of the day to ourselves: what now?" Sarah asked, after giving Yukiko another kiss.
"That's easy," Yukiko answered. "Ice cream!"
Sarah laughed, then took Yukiko's hand and walked with her to the park, where they found an ice cream stand. If it was a truism that a naked girl attracted attention wherever she went, then it was an iron law of nature that the whole world would revolve around two of them together. They'd acquired a small audience simply ordering ice cream together, and it only got bigger when they began licking each other's cones.
Neither girl paid any heed to the attention though; they were only focused on each other and their ice cream - which hit the spot perfectly on this warm August day. They wandered aimlessly through the park until their ice cream had vanished, occasionally giving an extra shake or lesbian tease for their onlookers, which the girls simply giggled about.
When the ice cream was finished, Sarah turned to give Yukiko a sensual hug. "I'm already having the best day of my life," she told Yukiko. "I never thought that would happen while I was naked. Thank you."
"There's nothing to thank me for, I'm not responsible," Yukiko reassured her. "This has been in you all along. But you know there's one more thing you have to do out here today."
Sarah sighed. "I know..."
Yukiko spun Sarah around and wrapped her arms around her, displaying Sarah's body to a passing jogger, who nearly tripped while staring. Yukiko began kissing the nape of Sarah's neck, her hands gently caressing Sarah's body. "Look at everyone who can see you, staring at you naked," Yukiko said. "You're so exposed to them, their eyes. You know it turns you on."
"Yessss..." was all Sarah could manage to say. The situation was hot enough, and Yukiko was making it hotter.
"Let yourself respond to it. Let go of your fears..."
"mmm..." Sarah said. Her heart was pounding. She was filled with that all too familiar anxiety, the feeling of self consciousness that came with being so open and exposed in public. The same feelings surged through her that she'd felt yesterday in the office in front of Barb and Kierra. But this time, it was different. Sarah was different.
Sarah's hands drifted between her legs... she was so wet already. But now she didn't try to hide it. It was shameful... but it was hot. She blushed... but she was also turned on. Her finger began to rub her clit. She gasped.
Yukiko stepped back, and moved to watch her girlfriend from a distance. Sarah understood - she had to do this on her own. She had to be comfortable with this most intimate of acts being public. Feelings of humiliation still bubbled up... but so too did more primal feelings.
People were looking, but so what? It was her body, she was proud of it. They weren't seeing anything more than they'd seen already. It turned her on... there was nothing wrong with that... they looked, she liked the looks. It was embarrassing, but there was no reason for it to be. It was just her, Sarah, doing what came naturally, and they were free to look or not.
Sarah felt weak in her knees, and at down on the cool grass, leaning back with her legs spread wide. She lost track of who might be watching; by now she simply didn't care. The pleasure was overtaking her, and the sensations were amazing - she let her fingers do whatever felt good. The sensations of the grass on her naked back and sun on her naked front mixed in with everything else, making it even better. Soon, an orgasm ripped through her. She lay there panting, sweating, reveling. Naked. In public.
Yukiko came back and sat beside her, stroking Sarah's cheek as she relaxed in the afterglow.
"That... was... awesome..." Sarah said.
Yukiko kissed her. Sarah grabbed her. They made love right there in the grass, in the middle of the park. Plenty of people watched.
Chapter 22
Sarah sat in the office lobby looking over the new issue of Time magazine, which had just been released that morning. There was a picture of her on the cover, leaning against a building and smiling, naked from head to toe. She thought they'd Photoshopped it a little too much, giving her skin a plastic look, but overall it was a good picture. "For months, Sarah Mariano has let the world see her naked," the caption read, "Now the girl who brought down S-mart bares all."
On page 48, the article began with a full page photo taken while she was in the middle of her orgasm. "Sarah talks about civil rights, her testimony, and all things naked" read the subtitle. She smiled. It was unbelievable seeing herself like that; she thought she looked ridiculous. But she could see why they chose it.
The article itself wasn't bad. It was a fluff piece, to be sure - the actual details of the law suit or its fallout only got minimal mention. The article painted a pretty flattering picture of Sarah, which she was happy about. Barb told a story of determination and courage, qualities that Sarah hadn't seen in herself when she gave that interview, but she recognized now. The girl on the cover was naked - but she was also a girl with confidence and strength, who was empowered by her nudity. That's the person Sarah had become.
It was only a shame that it had taken so long, now that there wasn't even a whole week left before her internship ended and she'd be returning to school. But, Tom had all but promised her that there'd be a job waiting for her again here next year, and Sarah couldn't say that she didn't get a lot out of her internship this summer. A lot more than she ever thought she would.
Kierra got there the same time she usually did, walking into the office with an aura of entitlement and bitchiness. Sarah acted like she hadn't been waiting for her.
"That's a hell of a spread, nubbly,"
Kierra said to her moments after entering. "Gotta love that that's the way millions of people are gonna know you from now on."
Sarah shrugged it off. "They're good pictures," she countered. "I'm just glad to get my fifteen minutes - did you actually read the whole article? I can't say I really mind people knowing me like that."
Kierra had been miffed the last few days at her inability to get to Sarah anymore, but it hadn't stop her from trying. It was only now that Sarah realized how petty and small the black girl was. The high school ice queen she'd so feared was only able to maintain her status by tearing everyone else down. Sarah pitied her.
