A week of flux

------------------- (with Ian ) -------------------

After the revelations of Monday, the next few days seemed to blur by. Your workload piled up, and while you were effectively done with school, you felt you still owed enough back to do the work. That also involved preparing for a track meet, and starting to prep for swim. Neha, too, felt the same, and her workload was even more than yours.

You also found out that you only came fourth in your class, and so wouldn't be speaking at your graduation. Neha, as expected, was top - she'd be giving the valedictory address.

You wore panties to school every day. Once, when no one was looking, Sarah snuck behind you and gave the waistband a little tug. You didn't know if you were more humiliated or aroused - but mostly, you were thankful that no one else saw it.

As for Neha - you noticed that she'd often glance at her phone, and then smile and giggle. Sometimes, she would blush, and other times, she'd show her phone to Sarah, who'd also giggle. Once, during lunch, she immediately got up and left to the bathroom, and only to return ten minutes later with a satisfied smile on her face. This, in particular, hit you hard - only two weeks ago, you would have been the one she'd be sharing those little jokes with.

But the truth of what was going on was revealed to you on the Thursday.

Just as you were leaving school, Sarah drags you to an empty classroom.

"So, we need to talk." she says.

You look around. "Obviously. Whats up?"

"You remember that dude, Jarrett? He and Neha have been texting."

Your stomach drops.

"He wants to hook up with her. _She _wants to hook up with him. But she's been all over the place, mostly because she feels super guilty - mainly about you. But I can swing her one way or the other. What I do depends on you, Ian. But I think... I think you should let her do this."

Your head shoots up, almost incredulous.

"You guys are basically legitimately broken up, even if it is temporary. You love her, but you are not her partner. And to be honest, this separation will be good for you both. You both _need _to explore, try new things, try new relationships, find out more about yourselves. And besides... you find it super hot, no?"

You turn it over in your head, before coming to a decision.

"Ok. Convince her. I'm... I'll deal with it."

--------------- (with Neha, a few hours later) ---------------

As Neha walked over to Sarah's house for a good old hangout, she ran the past few days over in her head. Neha and Jarrett had been flirting up a storm over text since his first message. It wasn't that other guys didn't try to hit on her; it happened all the time on trips and competitions... but this was a man, so different to Ian in his appearance, his interests, his plain physicality... he made her feel... not just sexy, but wild and so very excited, in a way she hadn't before. Most of all, he was a prime physical specimen, and he made her horny. All the time. He'd even gotten her to send her a nude from the school bathroom!

All this was counterbalanced by her guilt. Ian was braving...whatever it was that Selene was doing to him for her sake. She loved him, so very much. And it wasn't like the sex was poor or anything. Ian, more than anyone, even Sarah, was her best friend, her lover, her confidant... and yet, she was slutting it up with an older man she met in a club.

She was so out of sorts that Sarah, of course, noticed immediately.

"Babe, listen. You've got to stop this... ****.. whatever it is."

Ever the eloquent one, that girl.

"You're veering from horny to guilty to horny. You never do this. You're usually so decisive. But you need to make a decision." Sarah stated insistently. "And... if you want my advice... you should go for it."

Neha snorted. "Yeah, but you've never thought Ian was good enough for me."

"In the start, yeah." Sarah admitted. "But... I got to know him. I got to see the two of you together. He's honestly perfect for you. And you're perfect for him."

"But then why...?"

"Because whatever the... external reasons are, you're on a break. That means you're not his girlfriend, and he's not your boyfriend. This isn't cheating. This is you exploring."

Neha knew this wasn't true, since Sarah didn't know about the secret correspondence between her and Ian.

"But look. Even if you aren't actually broken up for whatever weird reason... you should still do it. First, didn't Ian say he got horny watching the video I posted? And second... you need to explore. You've been together two years, and you've been with noone else. If not now, when? In college? Where the chances of things going wrong are that much more?"

Neha nodded, slowly getting convinced.

"But there is one thing. Ian is my friend too. And you're my best friend, so I can't let you become a monstrous bitch. So if he hooks up with someone, you can't get mad either." Sarah said.

"I don't know that I can do that..." Neha admitted.

"Then tell Jarrett that while the flirting was fun, you can't go through with this. But my advice? Go for it, head first, and let Ian go for it as well. "

Neha chewed her lip, thinking... but eventually she decided Sarah was right