The Reluctant Nudist [ENF] (Ch 2 posted 10/05)

[SixPathsKeyblader]

Can you post chapter 2 since you are already working on chapter 3? With this first chapter, this is potentially shaping up to be the best end story I have read in a while.

[TovaG]

Tami Smithers reborn? Too early to be sure.

Same opening. Let's hope Chloe is treated better than Tami was. While I hated the way the dean and Mr. Ross treated Tami, I don't feel as sorry for her as I normally would. She is smart enough that she should have researched it and learned that what they were forcing her to do was criminal and not how religious nudists act. Nudity, in and of itself, is not a lack of shame or dignity. It doesn't mean a person is automatically a slut or a whore. It is just living without clothes. So, I hope Chloe is treated better than Tami.

You are correct. Furthermore, I actually do feel sorrier for Chloe than Tami. In Tami's case, she was streaking of her own volition to get into the sorority. That's Tami's fault and her own decision-making. In Chloe's case, however, Jenna stole her clothes and didn't leave her anything to cover up with, or even her phone to call anyone. Sure, Chloe could have tried screaming for help from within the bathroom a couple of times, but the halls were empty, and it seemed that nobody was there. Chloe was left with little choice but to walk out naked.

Where Chloe messed up, however, was not ratting out Jenna. She should have told the school officer that Jenna stole her clothes and left her with nothing to cover up with. In fact, Chloe should have brought Jenna's note with her as evidence to show anyone who might have caught her.

If you recall, none of that would have happened if Wendy hadn't stolen Tami's clothes. The streak was successful, and the other girl got dressed and left. Tami got caught because she had to return to the dorm naked after realizing her clothes were missing.

Yes, Tami chose to run naked, and Chloe did not, but what both have in common is that their nudity was part of someone else's plan.

Tami could have kept her dignity and just taken the expulsion. Chloe could have done the same. In Tami's case, she could have exposed Wendy for her part, but I don't think the dean would have done anything about it. As for Chloe, I think when the truth came out in the principal's office things would have got differently for Chloe. Her mother's punishment was for the lying.

[deliciouscake1234]

Can you post chapter 2 since you are already working on chapter 3? With this first chapter, this is potentially shaping up to be the best end story I have read in a while.

Thanks!
I'll probably upload it in a few days! Just need to give it a final read-through and polish a couple of things.

[SixPathsKeyblader]

Same opening. Let's hope Chloe is treated better than Tami was. While I hated the way the dean and Mr. Ross treated Tami, I don't feel as sorry for her as I normally would. She is smart enough that she should have researched it and learned that what they were forcing her to do was criminal and not how religious nudists act. Nudity, in and of itself, is not a lack of shame or dignity. It doesn't mean a person is automatically a slut or a whore. It is just living without clothes. So, I hope Chloe is treated better than Tami.

You are correct. Furthermore, I actually do feel sorrier for Chloe than Tami. In Tami's case, she was streaking of her own volition to get into the sorority. That's Tami's fault and her own decision-making. In Chloe's case, however, Jenna stole her clothes and didn't leave her anything to cover up with, or even her phone to call anyone. Sure, Chloe could have tried screaming for help from within the bathroom a couple of times, but the halls were empty, and it seemed that nobody was there. Chloe was left with little choice but to walk out naked.

Where Chloe messed up, however, was not ratting out Jenna. She should have told the school officer that Jenna stole her clothes and left her with nothing to cover up with. In fact, Chloe should have brought Jenna's note with her as evidence to show anyone who might have caught her.

If you recall, none of that would have happened if Wendy hadn't stolen Tami's clothes. The streak was successful, and the other girl got dressed and left. Tami got caught because she had to return to the dorm naked after realizing her clothes were missing.

Yes, Tami chose to run naked, and Chloe did not, but what both have in common is that their nudity was part of someone else's plan.

Tami could have kept her dignity and just taken the expulsion. Chloe could have done the same. In Tami's case, she could have exposed Wendy for her part, but I don't think the dean would have done anything about it. As for Chloe, I think when the truth came out in the principal's office things would have got differently for Chloe. Her mother's punishment was for the lying.

True. That's why I acknowledged that Chloe's refusal to rat out Jenna was where she messed up. She instead chose to go with the nudist lie, and that got her to where she is now. Had she told the truth about her clothes being stolen, then she might have gotten off completely free (though adults in a lot of these situations tend to not let kids speak or not listen to them, so I could see her still getting in trouble initially).

[TovaG]

You are correct. Furthermore, I actually do feel sorrier for Chloe than Tami. In Tami's case, she was streaking of her own volition to get into the sorority. That's Tami's fault and her own decision-making. In Chloe's case, however, Jenna stole her clothes and didn't leave her anything to cover up with, or even her phone to call anyone. Sure, Chloe could have tried screaming for help from within the bathroom a couple of times, but the halls were empty, and it seemed that nobody was there. Chloe was left with little choice but to walk out naked.

Where Chloe messed up, however, was not ratting out Jenna. She should have told the school officer that Jenna stole her clothes and left her with nothing to cover up with. In fact, Chloe should have brought Jenna's note with her as evidence to show anyone who might have caught her.

If you recall, none of that would have happened if Wendy hadn't stolen Tami's clothes. The streak was successful, and the other girl got dressed and left. Tami got caught because she had to return to the dorm naked after realizing her clothes were missing.

Yes, Tami chose to run naked, and Chloe did not, but what both have in common is that their nudity was part of someone else's plan.

Tami could have kept her dignity and just taken the expulsion. Chloe could have done the same. In Tami's case, she could have exposed Wendy for her part, but I don't think the dean would have done anything about it. As for Chloe, I think when the truth came out in the principal's office, things would have gone differently for Chloe. Her mother's punishment was for the lying.

True. That's why I acknowledged that Chloe's refusal to rat out Jenna was where she messed up. She instead chose to go with the nudist lie, and that got her to where she is now. Had she told the truth about her clothes being stolen, then she might have gotten off completely free (though adults in a lot of these situations tend not to let kids speak or not listen to them, so I could see her still getting in trouble initially).

Sounds like Chloe was a better friend than Jenna.

[nachtmuziek]

Hey, thank you so much for this incredibly detailed and thoughtful comment! It honestly made my day to read through your analysis. You have a really sharp eye for the character dynamics and the little nuances I tried to weave into the setup, it's so rewarding to see someone really engage with the story like that.

I love that you're already speculating about Jenna's intentions, and I'm not going to confirm or deny anything there Let's just say you're asking the right questions, and I'm really glad the ambiguity comes through the way I intended.

I won't spoil a thing, but I hope the next parts live up to your expectations. Thanks again for taking the time to write all this, it means a lot, and feedback like this is the best fuel to keep writing!

It's great to see well thought out characters like these, it makes the story all the more interesting and engaging! And I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my predictions in a way that doesn't spoil anything but still makes me even more excited for the next part. I'm glad that my analysis is on the right track

[NS2000]

I really like the premise of this story, and of the whole concept of reluctant nudism/exhibitionism. This is well-composed with nicely developed characters. It also reminds me of Falcon’s Reluctant Exhibitionist story, which is an all time favorite.

My only issue is the lack of details about what Chloe looks like. Is the lack of a description about her physical characteristics intentional? Other than learning she has dark hair, we don’t really learn anything else about her or her body. Hopefully that gets addressed in chapter 2. Otherwise, this is a great start.

[deliciouscake1234]

Sorry for the delay with this chapter, I haven't had much time over the past week.

Chapter 2: The Bare Rules

The rumble woke her.

Chloe's eyes opened to gray morning light and the sound of something heavy moving down the street. For a second she didn't know where she was. Then she felt the comforter against her bare skin---her shoulders, her back, the curve of her butt---and everything came rushing back.

The garbage truck.

She threw off the blanket and scrambled to the window. Cold air hit her naked body and she gasped---her nipples tightened instantly, hard and aching, and goosebumps erupted across her chest and arms and thighs. She pressed her palms against the cold glass and looked down.

The truck was two houses away. The mechanical arm reached out, grabbed Mrs. Patterson's bin, lifted it, tipped it. Bags tumbled into the truck's maw. The arm set the bin down and the truck rumbled forward.

Next house. Then ours.

She watched it happen. The neighbor's bin. Lift, tip, return. The truck rolled forward until it stopped right in front of her house, right at the curb, right at the green bin where her entire wardrobe was sitting in the dark.

The arm reached out. Grabbed the bin. Lifted it.

No. No no no---

The bin tipped. She couldn't see inside from this angle, but she could imagine it---her jeans, her sweaters, her underwear, her socks, all of it sliding out, falling into the truck with everyone else's garbage. The arm set the bin back down. The truck rumbled away.

Gone. They're gone. Everything is gone.

She stood at the window for a long time, her hands pressed against the cold glass, her breath fogging the pane. The street was quiet again. The sun was just starting to peek over the rooftops, painting everything in pale gold. A bird was singing somewhere. It was a beautiful Saturday morning.

I don't own a single piece of clothing. Not even a sock.

She turned away from the window and looked at her room. The empty closet, hangers still swinging slightly. The dresser drawers still hanging open, bare and hollow. The purple comforter on the bed---the only thing she could wrap around herself. She grabbed it and pulled it tight around her shoulders, clutching it to her chest.

Okay. Okay. I have to go to the bathroom. I have to leave this room. I can do this. Just go fast.

She peeked into the hallway. Empty. Silent. Her parents' door was closed. Ethan's door was closed, his "KEEP OUT" sign still taped to it.

She dropped the comforter on her bed and stepped into the hallway. The carpet was soft under her bare feet. She cupped her left hand firmly over her right breast, pressing her nipple flat against her palm, and trying to cover her left nipple with her arm. She wedged her right hand between her thighs, fingers covering her vulva, the heel of her hand pressed against her pubic hair. The dark hair peeked above her hand, but her nipples and labia were shielded. It wasn't much, but it was something.

Ten feet. Just ten feet.

She walked quickly, her bare feet silent on the carpet, her hands clamped in place. She was almost at the bathroom door when Ethan's door swung open.

He stepped out, still in his pajamas---an old t-shirt and flannel pants---rubbing his eyes. His hair was a mess. He yawned, blinked, and then saw her.

His eyes went wide. His mouth opened.

"Chloe? What the---"

"Don't!" She pressed herself against the wall, her hands still clamped over herself---one cupping her breasts, the other wedged between her legs. Her face was burning. "Don't look at me!"

"Why are you naked?" He was staring. His eyes dropped to her chest, to the hand cupped there, to the soft flesh that bulged around her fingers. Then lower, to the hand between her legs, to the dark hair visible above her hand. "Why are you---"

"Just---just go back in your room!" Her voice came out high and panicked. "Please, Ethan, just---"

"Mom!" Ethan yelled, not taking his eyes off her. "Mom! Chloe's naked in the hallway!"

Chloe didn't wait. She lunged for the bathroom door, yanked it open, slammed it shut behind her, and locked it. The click of the lock was the most beautiful sound in the world.

She stood there, shaking, her back pressed against the door, her hands still clamped over herself. Her heart was pounding so hard she could feel it in her throat.

He saw me. He saw everything. My own brother saw my---

From somewhere downstairs, Victoria's voice floated up, calm and measured: "We'll discuss it at breakfast, Ethan. Leave your sister alone."

Breakfast. I have to go to breakfast. With Ethan. With everyone.

She used the toilet, washed her hands, splashed cold water on her face. Her reflection in the mirror was a mess---puffy eyes, tangled hair, skin pale. She cupped her breasts with both hands, covering herself, and stared at the girl in the mirror.

This is my life now.

* * *

She stayed in the bathroom as long as she could. Ten minutes. Fifteen. Long enough that her mother would notice. Long enough that Victoria would come looking for her.

"Chloe." The voice came from downstairs, flat. "Breakfast is ready. Now."

I can't go down there. I can't sit at the table with my whole family while I'm---

"Chloe."

She unlocked the door and stepped into the hallway. Her hands snapped back into position---left hand cupped over her breasts, right hand pressed between her legs. She walked to the stairs and started down, one step at a time. She couldn't hold the railing---both hands were busy---so she moved carefully, her bare feet silent on the wood. The third step creaked, the one near the bottom. She'd been hearing that creak her whole life. It had never sounded so loud.

The kitchen was bright. Sunlight streamed through the windows over the sink. The coffee maker was gurgling. Bacon was sizzling in a pan on the stove. Her father was sitting at the table, a newspaper in front of him, his coffee mug untouched. He wasn't reading. He was just staring at the paper.

Victoria was at the stove, flipping bacon with a fork. She was dressed---jeans, a blouse, her hair pulled back. She looked like she always looked on Saturday mornings. Like nothing had changed.

Ethan was already at the table, a glass of orange juice in front of him. He turned when Chloe walked in, and his eyes immediately dropped to her hands---the one cupped over her breasts, the one pressed between her legs.

"Still doing that, huh?" he said. "The hand thing?"

"Sit down, Chloe." Victoria didn't turn around.

Chloe looked at her chair---the one at the end of the table, next to Ethan's. The wood was pale and smooth. She thought about her bare butt on that wood.

"Mom, can I please just---"

"Sit down."

She sat. The chair was cold against her thighs and butt, and she had to fight the urge to jump back up. She kept her hands where they were. She hunched forward, her hair falling over her shoulders.

Victoria turned around. She looked at Chloe---at her hunched shoulders, at her clamped hands.

"Hands."

"Mom---"

"Chloe. Hands."

Chloe's throat tightened. She looked at Ethan, who was watching with undisguised interest. She looked at her father, who was still staring at his newspaper like it contained the secrets of the universe.

Please don't make me do this.

"Chloe." Victoria's voice was level. "I'm not going to ask again."

Her hands felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. She lowered them slowly, one at a time, until they were resting at her sides. Her breasts were completely exposed now---the soft curve of them, the pink nipples still tight from the cold air. Her pubic hair was visible above the junction of her thighs, the trimmed triangle dark against her pale skin. Everything was visible. Everything was out there for her whole family to see.

Ethan's fork clattered onto his plate.

"Holy shit," he breathed.

"Language." Victoria set the plate of bacon on the table. Then the scrambled eggs and the toast. "Ethan, your sister has something to tell you."

Chloe stared at her mother. "What?"

"Tell him the truth."

The truth. She wants me to tell him the truth. She wants me to say it out loud, in front of everyone, while I'm sitting here naked.

"I---" Her voice cracked. "I don't---"

"Tell him, Chloe. Or I will."

She looked at Ethan. He was staring at her chest, his mouth slightly open, his eyes wide. He looked like someone who'd just found a hundred dollars on the sidewalk.

"I lied," she said. Her voice was barely a whisper. "To the school. I told them I was a nudist. But I'm not. I'm not a nudist. Jenna took my clothes as a prank and I got caught and I panicked and I lied."

Ethan blinked. "Wait. So you're not actually---"

"She is now." Victoria sat down at the table, unfolding her napkin. "Your sister committed an offense---streaking through her school---and then lied to escape the consequences. She fabricated a religious conviction to avoid expulsion and potential legal charges."

"Mom, that's not---"

"Quiet." Victoria didn't look at her. "I've given your sister a choice. She can go to the school on Monday and confess everything---the streaking, the lie, the deception. She can accept the expulsion and whatever legal consequences follow. Or she can live the lie she told. She can be the nudist she claimed to be, every day, in every situation, until she's ready to tell the truth herself."

Ethan looked from Victoria to Chloe and back again. The shock on his face was slowly transforming into something else. Something that made Chloe's stomach clench.

"So she has to be naked," he said slowly. "All the time. Like... forever?"

"Until she confesses."

"And she can't wear clothes? At all?"

"Not unless I decide otherwise."

Ethan turned to look at Chloe. His eyes moved over her body---her breasts, her stomach, the dark hair between her thighs---with a slow, deliberate sweep that made her skin crawl.

"Huh," he said. And then he smiled. "Okay."

"Ethan." Victoria's voice was flat. "You will treat your sister with respect. Understood?"

"Yeah, sure." He grabbed a piece of bacon and bit into it, still smiling. "Respect. Got it."

He's not going to respect anything. Look at him. Look at his face. He's already thinking about---

"Now." Victoria picked up her coffee. "Some ground rules."

She said it the same way she said everything---calm, measured, like she was discussing the grocery list. Like this was normal. Like any of this was normal.

"First. You will not cover yourself in this house. Not with your hands, not with objects, not with furniture. You chose to live as a nudist, and you will live that way openly. If I see you trying to hide your body, there will be consequences."

Consequences. What consequences? What's worse than this?

"Second. You will not hide in your room. You will participate in family life normally. Meals, chores, leisure time. If we have guests, you will greet them and interact with them as you always have."

Guests. Oh god. She's going to make me be naked in front of guests.

"Third. You will maintain this practice at all times and in all places. At home. At school. In public. Anywhere you go, you go as you are. Otherwise your story falls apart, and you wouldn't want that."

"And fourth." Victoria set down her coffee. "Your bedroom door. David, after breakfast I want you to take it off its hinges."

Chloe's head snapped up. "What?"

"Nudists have nothing to hide. A closed door suggests shame. We don't want anyone thinking you're ashamed of your body."

"Mom, you can't---that's my room. That's the only place I can---"

"The only place you can what." Victoria's voice was level. "Hide. Cover yourself. Pretend you're not what you've claimed to be. You chose this, Chloe. The door is unnecessary."

Chloe opened her mouth. Closed it. There was nothing she could say. Nothing that wouldn't make it worse.

David finally looked up from his newspaper. His face was gray. "Victoria, don't you think that's a little---"

"David." Victoria didn't look at him. "The door."

He looked at Chloe. Just for a second. His eyes were full of something---pity, maybe, or guilt, or just exhaustion. Then he looked away.

"Fine," he said quietly. "After breakfast."

Ethan was grinning now. Actually grinning, like this was the best thing that had ever happened to him. "No door? That's awesome. So I can just, like, walk by whenever and---"

Chloe stared at her plate. The eggs were getting cold. She hadn't eaten anything. Her stomach was a tight knot of shame and fear and something else---something hot and bitter that she didn't have a name for.

* * *

After breakfast, David took the door off its hinges.

Chloe stood in the hallway, her arms wrapped around herself---she couldn't help it, she didn't care about the rules, she needed to cover something---and watched her father work. He had a screwdriver and a hammer and he was taking the pins out of the hinges one by one, his movements slow and mechanical. He didn't look at her.

"Dad," she said quietly. "Please."

He paused. His hand on the screwdriver. His shoulders hunched.

"Dad, please. I can't---I need somewhere to---please just leave the door. Please."

He didn't turn around. "Your mother made her decision."

"Since when do you just do whatever Mom says? Since when do you not have an opinion about anything?"

Silence. The screwdriver turned. Another pin came out.

"Dad---"

"Chloe." His voice was strained. "I can't. Okay? I just... I can't."

Can't what? Can't help me? Can't stand up to her? Can't be a father?

She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to grab his shoulders and shake him and make him look at her and do something. But she just stood there, naked, her arms wrapped around herself, watching him take apart the only barrier between her and the rest of the world.

The door came off. David carried it down the stairs to the basement. The hinges were still on the frame, empty now, like the eye sockets of a skull.

Chloe walked into her room. The doorway gaped behind her, open to the hallway. Anyone walking past could look in and see everything---her bed, her dresser, her desk, her. Anyone could see her. There was nowhere to hide.

This is my room. This was supposed to be my safe place. And now it's just... it's just another stage.

She sat on her bed and pulled the purple comforter around herself. Just for a minute. Just while nobody was watching. The fabric was soft and warm and familiar, and she pressed her face into it and tried not to cry.

I'm trapped. I can't believe there is nothing I can do to stop all of this nonsense.

* * *

Chloe was in the living room, sitting on the couch, trying to watch TV. Trying to pretend everything was normal. The couch was leather, cold against her bare skin, and she'd been sitting in the same position for an hour because every time she moved, the leather made that awful squeaking sound and everyone looked at her. Ethan was in the armchair, playing on his phone, glancing up at her every few seconds. Victoria was in the kitchen, doing something with the dishwasher.

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Ethan was on his feet before anyone else could move.

"No." Victoria appeared in the kitchen doorway, drying her hands on a towel. "Chloe, get the door."

Chloe's blood went cold. "What?"

"Answer the door."

"Mom, I can't---what if it's the mailman? What if it's a neighbor? Or what if---"

"Then you'll greet them." Victoria's voice was flat. "Go."

She stood up. Her legs were shaking. The leather made that awful squeaking sound as her skin peeled off it. She walked to the front door, her bare feet silent on the hardwood, her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her ears.

She opened the door.

Jenna was standing on the porch, holding Chloe's backpack in one hand and her gym bag in the other. Her blonde hair was in a messy bun. She was wearing jeans and a hoodie, and her face lit up when she saw Chloe.

"Oh my god, Chloe!" She stepped forward like she was going to hug her, then stopped, her eyes sweeping over Chloe's body---the breasts, the pubic hair, the bare thighs. "You're... you're still..."

"Yeah." Chloe's voice was flat. "I'm still naked. Come in."

Jenna stepped inside, her eyes still moving over Chloe's body with an expression that looked like concern but felt like something else.

"I brought your stuff," Jenna said, holding up the bags. "Your backpack and your gym bag. Your phone's in there, I charged it for you. I figured you'd want it back."

"Thanks." Chloe took the bags, clutching them to her chest. They covered more than her arms did. "What about my clothes? My jeans and stuff?"

Jenna's face fell. "Oh. Oh no. I'm so sorry---I left them in my locker at school. I was in such a hurry last night, I just grabbed your bags and ran. I totally forgot the clothes were in the locker."

She forgot my clothes. The one thing I actually need.

"That's okay," Chloe heard herself say. "It's not like I can wear them anyway."

Jenna's eyes went wide. "What do you mean?"

Chloe led her into the living room. Victoria was standing in the doorway, watching. Ethan was still in his armchair, his phone forgotten, staring at Jenna with the same hungry look he'd been giving Chloe all morning.

"Mrs. Bennett." Jenna gave her a little wave. "Hi. I just came by to drop off Chloe's stuff."

"Thank you, Jenna." Victoria's voice was even. "Chloe was about to explain her new living situation. Weren't you."

That's so humiliating.

Chloe took a deep breath. "My mom decided that since I'm a nudist, I should... live the lifestyle. All the time. She threw away all my clothes."

Jenna's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my god. Chloe, that's---that's awful. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine." It wasn't fine. Nothing was fine.

Jenna sat down on the couch next to Chloe---close, her thigh almost touching Chloe's bare leg. She was wearing jeans, and the denim was rough against Chloe's skin.

"This is all my fault," Jenna said quietly. "If I hadn't taken your clothes as a prank, none of this would have happened."

"It's not your fault." Chloe shook her head. "You didn't know Mr. Hannigan would be there. You were just trying to be funny."

"I know, but still." Jenna reached over and squeezed Chloe's hand. Her fingers were warm. "I'm going to help you through this. Okay? Whatever you need. I'll be there. At school, everywhere. You're not alone."

Chloe felt tears prick at her eyes. She's such a good friend. She's the only person who actually cares about me.

"Thanks," she whispered. "That means a lot."

Victoria cleared her throat. "Jenna, would you like to stay for lunch?"

Please say no. It's already hard enough with my family seeing me all the time like that.

But Jenna was already nodding. "I'd love to, Mrs. Bennett. Thank you."

* * *

Lunch was sandwiches. Turkey and cheese on white bread. Chloe sat in her usual chair, naked, trying to eat while Jenna sat across from her. It was like breakfast all over again, except worse, because now there was more audience.

Jenna kept looking at her. Not staring, exactly---more like glancing, quick little flickers of her eyes that landed on Chloe's breasts, her stomach, and then skittered away. She was trying to be subtle about it.

"So," Jenna said, picking at her sandwich, "what's the plan for Monday?"

Chloe's stomach clenched. School. Walking through the halls naked while everyone stares at her.

"I don't know," she said. "I haven't really thought about it."

"You should sit with me at lunch," Jenna said. "And walk with me between classes. I'll make sure nobody bothers you."

"That's really nice of you."

"It's the least I can do." Jenna smiled, that warm, concerned smile that made Chloe feel like maybe---just maybe---everything was going to be okay. "We'll get through this together."

Ethan snorted. "Yeah, I bet you will."

"Ethan." Victoria's voice was flat. "Manners."

"What? I didn't say anything."

Chloe stared at her sandwich. She'd taken two bites. She wasn't hungry.

Monday is coming. I hate my life.

* * *

After lunch, Jenna left. She hugged Chloe at the door---her body warm against Chloe's bare skin, her hoodie soft where it pressed against Chloe's breasts---and promised to text later.

"We'll figure this out," she whispered. "I promise."

Chloe watched her walk down the driveway and then closed the door, leaning her forehead against the wood.

She turned around. Ethan was standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. Smiling.

"Your friend's hot," he said.

"Shut up, Ethan."

"Just saying. Maybe she can come over more often. You know, to support you in your... situation." He made air quotes around the word. "I could support you too. We could all support each other."

Chloe walked past him, up the stairs, into her room---her doorless room. She sat on the bed and pulled the comforter around herself and stared at the empty doorway.

[iwanttowrite]

Really enjoying how this story is going so far. Your writing is wonderful. I’m interested in reading what you’ve got planned for Chloe. The only critique I have is that the story feels a bit rushed - considering Chloe’s mother gave her the *choice* of telling the truth or committing to the lie, but immediately threw away her clothes. Doesn’t seem like she has much of a choice any more(good for us, not so good for her). Can’t wait to see how she endures her first day back at school! Here’s hoping that she might not have to endure the humiliation alone

[flyingmonk]

Nice story. Deliciously detailed