Modern charms

Jack arrived at an empty café, slightly later than he'd agreed with Leah. Leah was still behind the counter, bustling around with her apron on, despite the café being closed for almost an hour. When she spotted him, her face lit up in a way he wasn't accustomed to. She waved him over, her blonde ponytail bouncing with excitement, and it was clear from her body language that she was dying to share something with him.

They sat down at one of the corner tables, away from the windows, and Leah immediately launched into a string of stories. She was almost glowing with excitement as she told him about her newfound confidence over the past few days—how she had effortlessly charmed customers, made her coworkers laugh, and even exchanged numbers with someone who had been coming in regularly for coffee.

“I’ve never felt like this before, Jack. Your playlist really works!” she said, eyes wide with enthusiasm. "It’s like... I’m finally showing people the real me."

Jack smiled, amused. Leah’s eagerness was endearing, and the shift in her personality was unmistakable. She casually mentioned that she’d been listening to his playlist while cleaning the kitchen just before he arrived, which explained the slightly jittery energy rolling off her. He found it adorable how she always seemed so eager to please, but he couldn’t help but notice something else.

“You’re still wearing your apron,” Jack remarked, his voice calm but inquisitive, leaning back in his chair.

Leah froze for a second, her cheeks flushing with color. Her hands instinctively reached for the hem of the apron, fingers fidgeting nervously.

“Well…” she hesitated, clearly embarrassed, but then straightened up, gathering her courage. “I wanted to show you something. But only you.”

She slowly untied the knot of the apron, letting it fall off her shoulders with a graceful movement. Beneath the thin, transparent blouse of her uniform, it became glaringly obvious—Leah wasn’t wearing a bra. The delicate fabric clung to her skin, her pink, proud nipples poking little mountains in the material. While she was still technically covered, it left little to the imagination. Her blush was now deep red as she sat there, looking at Jack with bright blue eyes, studying his reaction.

"I thought… maybe you'd like it?" she said softly, biting her lip, still flushed, but looking proud—charming, even.

Jack’s eyes widened, pleasantly surprised, genuinely amazed at how far she had come in just a few days. Her awkwardness was still there, lurking under the surface, but it was clear that she was trying to embody the “charm” she believed Jack wanted. He could see her desire for his approval in every gesture, every nervous glance.

“You’re doing great, Leah,” he said, trying to keep his tone both congratulatory and indulgent, despite his suddenly dry throat. “You’ve... made a lot of progress.”

Her face lit up, beaming with satisfaction at his praise. She neatly folded the apron and set it on the table, encouraged by his words, the nervousness dissolving into a quiet sense of comfort. Without the apron, she seemed bolder, like she had finally shed something more than just fabric.

After a moment of silence, with them both glancing at each other, Jack decided it was time to introduce the questionnaire. He casually pulled it out, leaning into the next phase of their experiment.

“Let’s go over a few things,” he said, glancing at the questions. “I would like to hear how things have been for you with the playlist.”

Leah happily agreed, her eyes bright with anticipation.

“Have you noticed any changes to your mood while listening?” Jack asked.

Leah nodded enthusiastically. “Oh, definitely! I feel so much more… I don’t know, alive? Like, everything’s more exciting. I have so much energy, and I want to talk to people, like, all the time. It’s amazing.”

“Have you noticed any new thoughts or feelings about yourself or others?”

She hesitated for a moment, biting her lip again. “I guess… I’ve been thinking a lot about how people see me. You know, like, I’ve always been kind of shy, but now I feel like I could be more... charming. Like, really show people my... um, confidence.” She glanced down at herself, meaningfully, as she said that final word.

Jack hid his smirk. Something about Leah’s ideas of "charm" and "confidence" had definitely taken a more sexual turn than he had expected, though it was hard to say where exactly that came from. Maybe the influence of modern media had subtly shaped her views, or, considering how shy she'd been, the countless hours she had likely spent online. Whatever the reason, Jack wasn’t going to question it—he was more than happy to indulge her newfound attitude.

“Any new habits or behaviors?” he asked, moving on.

Leah thought for a moment, then chuckled. “Well, I’ve been more daring. Doing things just to feel a little more... bold. Like today, wearing nothing under my uniform, you know?” She gestured at her braless blouse again, sticking out her chest. “It’s very fun. I never thought I’d do something like this before, but, in some ways, I've always wanted to be able to.”

Jack stared at her, slightly surprised at this confession, reconsidering what he thought he knew of her. He couldn’t help but let his gaze travel down to her nipples, following her gesture, left and right, just long enough to notice that they seemed... harder, than they'd been before. Looking back up into her eyes, he smiled, and gave her an approving nod. “And I'm very impressed, you're really owning it. Are you satisfied with the results of the experiment so far?”

“Absolutely! I’ve never felt this good. I don’t want it to stop,” she beamed.

Then came the final question.

“Is there anything you would like to ask, share, or show me?”

Leah’s cheeks flushed again, but this time, it wasn’t embarrassment. There was a boldness in her blue eyes, a new edge that hadn’t been there before.

“Well… actually, I was wondering,” she started, her voice quieter but no less eager, “would it be okay if I sent you a… spicy picture sometime? You know, just to see what you think. I want your honest opinion.”

Jack couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, again, pleasantly surprised by her boldness. He smiled, his voice warm and reassuring. “Of course, Leah. I’d be happy to give you my thoughts.”

Leah’s face lit up in relief, like she’d achieved some unspoken goal. She gave a nervous giggle and shifted in her chair, before glancing at the clock, as if suddenly aware of the time.

“I was supposed to close up an hour ago,” she said, her voice a mix of awkwardness and satisfaction. “Maybe we should wrap this up?”

Jack silently agreed, and stood up, thoughtful, lost for words by how the unexpectedly well the conversation had gone. As Leah turned her attention towards closing up the café, Jack began walking back to his apartment, wondering what she had meant by "spicy." Whatever it was, he had a feeling it was going to be interesting.