...the lost friend..

Elena Mendez

"Ah crap. Three missed calls" Elena said. The 19 year old college freshmen had turned off her phone for her afternoon track practice, and was now just looking at it. She was still dressed in her workout gear, which included a sleeveless red shirt, white shorts, and sneakers.

"Looks like dad called" she said, looking at the call history. "Better see what he wants."

She selected his number, and after a moment he picked up.

"He dad. What's up?" Elena said.

"Oh, now she calls" her dad replied with a fake-mad tone of voice.

Elena laughed. "Sorry about that. Things have been so busy lately. But I'm here now. What did you want to talk about?"

"Oh I don't know. How about the fact that my pride and joy broke the freshman track record, and didn't tell us. We had to learn through the grapevine."

"Oh that. That was nothing. Me and the folks at my high school ran better then that record all the time."

“Well, your college never had anyone as amazing as you before to show those slackers who’s boss.”

“Thanks dad, but I’m just getting started.”

"We know you are" her father said with pride. "Your mother and I are so proud of you."

“Aw, I’m proud of you… I mean me too. I mean, I’m also proud of you for being a great dad and… you know what I mean”

They both started laughing. Elena then filled in her father on all the other things she had been up to since starting college. She told him about the friends she was making every day, her classes, and of course the track team.

She walked around campus as talked. By the time things were wrapping up, an hour later, she had walked an additional two miles and hadn’t broken a sweat.

“Alright dad, I gotta go. I’m meeting with some friends and should probably get ready.”

“Oh of course. Sorry to keep you.”

“No need to apologize” Elena smiled. “Say hi to mom for me”

“Or maybe, if you called more often, you could tell her yourself” her dad teased.

Elena was going to make a witty retort, but she suddenly felt a strange sense of vertigo. Her hand slipped from her hand and cracked on the concrete. She could feel her consciousness fading. With her last ounce of strength she shifted her balance so she would fall onto the grass as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Moments later, her father had forgotten who he was speaking to.

---

Levi Summers

Levi's eyes widened as he saw who was being lifted onto the stage. Even though it had been years, he recognized her instantly.

"Everyone welcome, Elena Mendez."

"Uh... hi?" the girl said, as she scratched the back of her head in confusion. "Sorry, anyone know where I am?"

Levi continued to stair, but he couldn't believe his eyes. "El? Is that you?"

The girl looked at Levi confused for a moment before a spark of recognition hit her. "Oh my god. Levi! It’s been so long. How are you?” She beamed, momentarily forgetting her concern.

"El! You have to get out of here! Before it's too late!" Levi shouted, panicking.

"Too late for what?" Elena asked, raising an eyebrow. Before Levi could respond, Azure had given her the microphone.

"I'm Elena Mendez. I'm 19 and just started college. The last time I had sex, with another person anyway, was in high school. I was dating this guy Frank, but he was kind of an asshole, and graduation made dumping him even easier. My hobbies include track running, live concerts, and Mario Kart."

"Nice" Sophia said under her breath about the last hobby in that list.

Elena continued "Levi and I were inseparable when we were kids. We met in second grade and quickly became best friends. In middle school my dad moved to California though. We tried to stay in touch, but I guess we kind of lost contact after a while."

The blonde girl, Lauren, desperately wanted to make a snide remark at the revelation that Levi ever had friends, but she was still magically forbade from talking.

Levi turned to the host. "Azure! You've made a mistake. She doesn't belong her. You have to let her go now."

Azure raised one eyebrow, mildly impressed that Levi tried to give her a command. 'Perhaps there's hope for you yet' she thought.

Elena looked mildly hurt. "I don't belong? What do you mean Levi?"

Levi did not answer her, and continued facing Azure. "You said the people brought here were people who hurt me. But Elena never did. She's my friend. My BEST Friend!" 'My only friend' a voice in Levi's head finished for him, but he ignored it.

Azure chuckled. "She was your best friend. Until she abadnoded you for California"

"Her parents were the ones who moved" Levi argued back.

"Sure, but she could have at least tried to keep you in her life. Long distance friendships are possible you know."

"That's not..."

Azure turned to Elena and cut Levi off. "Elena, Levi tried to call you plenty of times. Asked if you would ever visit. But you never made the effort, did you?”

"Hey! That's none of your business... you... whoever you are!"

"It's Azure, and everything is my business" the host said coolly.

"Regardless, I totally took Levi's calls. It’s been a while, but I remember us talking."

"That's right!" Levi aggreed.

Azure rolled her eyes. "Calls that Levi had to initate. You never called him yourself."

"That...uh... are you sure?" Elena asked.

"That shouldn't matter" Levi argued.

Again, Azure was impressed that Levi hadn't backed down like he had with the others. 'Looks like I chose the right contestent to pile on the drama'

Azure let out a theatrical sigh. "It does matter. You were the only one trying to keep the friendship together, Levi. Meanwhile, Elena was making new friends in California. She even had a new bestie within the first year."

Azure walked towards Levi again. "And where did that leave you while she was frolicking in her new social life? Alone. Friendless. Praying that the one person you thought you could rely on wouldn't forget you."

"It... it's my own fault I wasn't able to make new friends..." Levi argued, though weaker this time.

Azure got directly into his face. "The day she left you cried all night. And when your parents divorced, and you needed anyone in the world to help you, where was she?"

"You're parents got divorced?!" Elena asked in surprise.

"You see?" Azure asked, pointing at her. "At no point in the years since has she even bothered to call once, just to check in. Did she ever care about you at all?!"

"She... it's not... I..." Levi said weakly. "I don't care... she's still my friend" was all he could manage.

Azure beamed. "Well then why are you complaining? You're finally reunited. Isn't this a good thing?"

Elena smiled as well. "Yeah. I don't have a clue what's going on. But whatever it is, it's great to see you."

"I didn't want it to happen like this. Not with her being a... a..."

"A member of your harem?" Azure finished. Elena raised a confused eyebrow, and Azure kept speaking to Levi. "I see. I think I understand."

She took a step back, hand on her chin with a look of deep thinking. Levi felt a ray of hope. Was Azure seriously reconsidering?

Azure grinned. "The problem is that you still think of her as that childhood friend. It's hard for you to see her as an adult woman after not seeing her for so long. That's why you don't want her in you harem, isn't it?"

"What! No! That's not what I..."

But Azure was already at work. "That's compleatly fair. I'm sorry I didn't think of it before. Let me help you see her, not as the girl she was, but the woman she is now."

Azure snapped her fingers. A steel pole rapidly grew out of the stage, stretching to nearly twenty feet, and standing perfectly steady despite not having a roof to connect to.

"What's that about?" Elena asked, not noticing that her hips had begun swaying on their own.

"Let's get some music!" Azure called out. Moments later, a high BPM techno song rang out from the stages speakers.

"Oh, I'm liking the sound of this... WHAA?!" Elena screamed as she felt her body strut partway to the pole, before falling forward. Her possessed arms reached out and caught the pole. In a smooth motion she stood up and walking around the pole in beat to the music. Her limbs swayed and moved along, while her face looked confused and embarrassed. "What... what's happening to me?"

"Let her stop. Please!" Levi begged, but Azure ignored him. Elena brought her body close to the pole, jumped up it, and gripped the pile with her powerful legs. She used the momentum from her jump to spin around it.

“How the hell am I doing this? Why am I doing this” Elena wimpered, as she excerted herself through her perfect routine

Levi grabbed Azures arm. “Please. You proved your point. Let me friend go!”

“No. I don’t think its sunk in yet.

The lights dimmed, inadvertently darkening Elenas complexion. She hopped back down onto her feet, her back to Levi. Her hands grapped her shorts, shifted them a bit to give herself a wedgie that revealed more of her butt. She then arched her back so her torso was against the pole, and stuck her ass out to her master, which she proceeded to shake.

“Please! What do you want from me?" Levi begged.

Azure smiled "I'm fairly certain you know."

Elena took a step away from the pole. She swayed her hips and belly seductively as she pulled her red shirt above her head, revealing her sports bra underneath. She twirled it around a few times before throwing it at Levi’s feet.

“Levi, please help me. I don’t know what’s happening” she wimped. Her hands slowly ran themselves down her midriff, and pulled off her shorts, showing her athletic panties. Her hands then moved behind her head as she strut around the pole.

“Wow, what a hottie” Azure laughed. “Now, enough edging. Why don't you show you master everything and…”

“Ok! Fine!” Levi yelled. “I… I want her in my harem ok. Is that what you need to hear?”

Azure smiled. “I’m proud of you for finally admitting your desires, well done Levi”

She snapped her fingers and the music stopped. Elena fell like a puppet whose strings were cut. She scrambled to her shirt and shorts.

“What the hell is this?” She asked.

Azure giggled. Don’t worry, all will be fully explained shortly. But we still have one more contestant to go.

“Contestant? Is this some sort of game show? I never sighed a release form” Elena said, pulling her clothes back on.

Azure rolled her eyes and ignored her. Alison went up to Elena and took her hand. “This way to your seat” she said. Elena looked at Levi who nodded. She nodded back and walked with Alison to her seat, not wanting Azure to control her again.

“I’m sorry El” Levi said, too softly for anyone to hear.

Azure jumped up and down in place a few times and said. “Wowie! It’s already time. Let’s meet our final contestant!”