Treading Murky Waters

Treading Murky Waters

****

The dark rolling storm clouds threatened to unleash a torrent of rain at any moment. The few thick drops of rain already hinted at the scale of the storm heading right towards them. Charlie raced the boat back to the pier. Not even the boat's engine, running at full throttle as they bounced and cut through the waves, could drown out the rumble of thunder as they saw the occasional flashes of lightning ahead. Everyone nervously held on to the handrails until Charlie smoothly slid the boat next to the pier.

Logan and Charlie tied up the boat to the pier while the rest of the teens raced back to their cabin. The two friends hurried to lock down everything in the boat and make sure all the covers are closed before heading back. They barely made it past the door when a blinding flash of lightning lights up the beach, and with a thunderous boom, the rain starts to pour like a river.

Looking around Logan noticed that Jake and Alice are gone, 'Probably in their room,' Logan thinks to himself. The next thing he noticed wass the smug look on Sharon's face and the scowl on Scarlett's face as the two beauties silently traded barded glances at each other. He knew Sharon had an attitude, "A bitchy attitude," Heather would say. He let out a sigh and made his way over to ask her what had happened and see if he could smooth things over between the two girls.

***

Once back inside the cabin, Alice shot Jake a blistering glare before she strode up the stairs to her bedroom. Jake hurriedly followed her, his heart hammering in his chest as he felt his worst fears about to come true. Walking into their bedroom, he saw Alcie angrily pacing the room as he closed the door behind him.

Jake hesitantly tries to broach the subject "Alice-"

Alice's eyes searched Jake's face for any sign of remorse. "Jake, why? Why didn't you come to me? I was with Duncan and Delilah..." Her voice trembles with emotion, a mix of pain and anger, "I thought you would want to be a part of it."

Taking a deep breath, Jake's eyes met Alice's, filled with a strange mix of fear and regret. "Alice, I... I do want to be a part of it. But...

"But what, Jake? What could be more important than being with me?" Her eyes narrowed slightly, the anger clearly seeping through her voice.

Jake found himself standing there, lost for words. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. His mind raced with thoughts of how to explain his fetish without causing her any more pain.

Alice crossed her arms over her chest, her body language speaking volumes. She was hurt and confused, feeling like she's missed something important about Jake. "What is it, Jake? What's going on with you?"

It's... " He stammers, his Adam's apple bobbing with the effort to find the right words. "It's complicated, Alice. I... I just... I don't know how to explain it."

Her eyebrows furrow, her voice a mix of curiosity and accusation. "Is it because of Sharon? Did you like what she did more than what I do for you?"

No!" Jake said emphatically, "No, Alice, it's not that. It's just... ."

"Then what?" Alice shot back, "Did I do something wrong? Was I not good enough for you?"

He swallowed hard, trying to find the right words to express his deepest, darkest fantasy. "Alice, it's not about you not being enough. It's..."

"Then what is it!" Alice snaped at him, her voice sharp as she demands the truth from her boyfriend. "Jake, tell me what's going on. Why weren't you with me? Why Sharon? "Tell me, Jake. What is it?"

Jake took a deep, shaky breath, his eyes never left hers as he speaks. "Alice, I have something I need to tell you. It's a part of me that I've never talked about with anyone, but I think now's the time."

Alice glared at him expectantly, and he hesitantly continues. Jake felt his heart hammering in his chest, and the weight of his secret seemed to bear down on his shoulders. He took Alice's hand gently, hoping his touch could convey the love and honesty behind his words. "Alice, I have a... fetish. I... I get turned on watching you with someone else."

"What?!" Alice exclaimed in shock. Her eyes widen with surprise and confusion. "What? You... you want me to... cheat on you? Is that what you're saying?" *Her voice barely a whisper, as if the very idea was too strange to say out loud.

"No, Alice, it's not about cheating." He said, squeezing her hand reassuringly, trying to keep his voice steady. "It's about... It's a fetish, seeing you with someone else... it turns me on."

"When I watched you with Duncan and Delilah," he hurried to add, "it was... it was...” he stammered for a moment. “Watching how much the others desired you, watching how you enjoyed the pleasure they gave you..." He paused and stared at her eyes. "It was... exhilarating. I've never felt more alive, more in love with you than in those moments."

Alice's green eyes flicker back and forth in confusion, anger, disbelief, and a hint of curiosity. She could see he was struggling to express his turmoil. "How could you, Jake? How could you watch me like that and not want to be a part of it?" She whispered the pain in her voice was like a knife to his heart.

His voice cracked as he gently stroked her hand. "Alice, baby, it's not about not wanting to be with you. It's about watching you, seeing you be so beautiful and sexy, and how they all desire you... It does something to me, something that turns me on more than I can explain. I'm... I'm sorry."

Alice felt her emotions well up inside her, she doesn't know if she should cry or scream as her mind raced everywhere. "But Jake... You're supposed to be jealous, not... not excited by it!"

"I do feel jealous. It's part of the thrill. But it's a different kind of jealousy." He tried to explain, "It's not a fear of losing you but about the excitement of sharing you. Of having others know I have the best, sexiest, most desirable girl there is. And that excitement... it makes me want you more."

He watched the gears turn in her head and a glimmer of hope came back to him. "Alice, Didn't you feel sexy when Duncan and Delilah were touching you? Did you feel how much they wanted you? Didn't that make it more intense for you when you knew I was watching?"

Alice's eyes darted to the floor as she recalled the scene with guilty pleasure. "It... it did," she said as she remembered how excited and desired it made her feel. She imagined it was what the other, more popular girls, felt with all the attention they got. "But I didn't know you liked it. I thought you'd be upset, that you'd want to be with me."

Letting out a soft sigh, Jake pulls her into a tight embrace, his strong arms encircling her. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Alice. I was scared of losing you, of you not understanding. But I can't keep hiding it anymore."

Her body stiffened at first, then slowly she relaxed into his embrace, her mind racing with questions and emotions. "Jake... I just don't know what to think. It's so... so weird." she said.

She couldn't deny it to herself. She had enjoyed the attention from Duncan and Delilah, and even more the threesome they had with Duncan last night. Being the center of attention was something that made her feel like she truly was on a pedestal. It made her feel the way she imagined all the popular girls felt when they were showered with attention from everyone.

"I know it's a lot to take in, Alice. But I promise you, it's not about neglecting you or wanting you any less," He whispered soothingly into her ear, "Alice, when you were with Duncan and Delilah, did you enjoy it? Tell me."

Alice looked up at Jake, her eyes now a mix of doubt and something more. "I... I did enjoy it, Jake. But I thought..." she pauses, trying to gather her thoughts. "I don't know what I thought."

Jake's spirit rose with hope, and he whispered to her, "If you enjoyed it, Alice? That's all that matters to me. I know it's not traditional, but if it makes us both happy, why can't we explore it?"

"You want to do it again?" Alice asked hesitantly, but there was a hit of curiosity in her eyes.

Seeing the glimmer of curiosity, Jake's heart skips with hope, and he reminded himself not to push too hard. "If it's something you're open to, we can explore it together. It doesn't have to be all the time, just when we're both comfortable and it feels right," he said hopefully.

So, you want me to... to have sex with other people, and you'll just... watch?" She said hesitantly as she tried to wrap the idea around her head.

"It's not just watching, Alice," Jake said, "It's about the thrill of knowing you're desired, and seeing the pleasure in your face."

"But what if... what if I want you to join?" She said hesitantly, and yet she couldn't deny the warmth spreading through her body at the thought.

Jake's eyes light up with excitement and hope. "Baby, if that's what you want, then yes. I want to be a part of it. But only if it makes you happy and if you're okay with it."

****

The group of teenagers hurried back to the cabin as the rain started to fall harder. The boat ride had been a rollercoaster of fun, flirting, and sexual tension between all of them. A storm of confusing feeling swept through them as they unknowingly opened Pandora's box. The teens spilled into the cozy space of the cabin, a sense of security from the turmoil. Jake and Alice immediately headed off to their room while Duncan and Delilah retreated to the kitchen to grab some snacks. Scarlett, still feeling the buzz from her tryst with Logan, couldn't help but watch Sharon closely after her previous comment. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the subtle smirk playing on the other girl's lips.

Sharon sashays over to the couch, flipping her hair dramatically as she plops down. "Well, Scar, I hope you enjoyed the boat trip."

"It was fun," Scarlett said as she tried to keep her voice neutral and guess what the other girl's next move was going to be.

"That's great to hear," Sharon said, a smug smirk on her lips. "Better treasure that memory."

Scarlett crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Sharon looked up at Scarlett, feigning innocence. "Oh, nothing. Just that it's always fun to see newbies get all flustered in the water?"

"What's your problem?" Scarlett said defiantly. She could feel that Sharon had an angle but she wasn't going to let her have her way that easily.

"Don't get used to it, darling." Sharon smirked with a gleam of triumph in them, "That's just what happens when you're around Logan. He's got that charm that makes everyone think they have a shot, but let's be real, I'm the one he actually cares about."

"What makes you so sure about that?" Scarlett said as her eyes flashed with annoyance.

"Oh come on, Scar, don't play dumb. Everyone knows Logan and I have history. We're practically joined at the hip." Sharon shot back. "Don't go getting your heart broken chasing after someone who's already taken."

"Didn't look like that to me." Scarlett taunted her, a hint of challenge in her voice. "Maybe you're the one who's confused about what's going on." Scarlett had noticed how they had acted this morning, and she guessed that last night Logan hadn't gotten the answer he was looking for from Sharon.

"I don't think so. We both know what Logan wants, and it's not to be tied down with someone as... how should I put it? As unpredictable as you." Sharon said smuggly.

"Maybe he's just tired of being stuck in your little 'benefits' bubble. You're so busy playing games you don't even know what a real relationship looks like." Scarlett said, poking at the other girl's assumptions.

"What are you trying to say?" Sharon asked, her smirk faltering for a moment.

"I'm saying that maybe, just maybe, Logan wants more than what you're willing to give him," Scarlett whispered in her low voice, a challenge to the other girl's confidence.

"You think you know everything, don't you? Just because you can play a few chords on a guitar and throw a decent party doesn't mean you know what goes on between Logan and me." Sharon snapped back with a flash of anger.

Scarlett knew she had hit a soft spot. "I don't need to know everything, Sharon." Scarllet said with a grin, "But I know enough to see that you're scared."

"Scared? Of what? You? Please, Scar, you're just a plaything to him like all the rest. "Sharon snapped back, the fury on her face matching her flaming red hair as the blonde's words cut closer than she expected, "He's just playing along to get what he wanted from you."

"Maybe you're the one who doesn't know what you have with Logan. How long do you think you can string him along before he gets tired of your games?" Scarlett gave the redhead a challenging grin.

"What makes you think I'm the one playing games? Maybe he enjoys the arrangement we have. Maybe he was in on it all along." Sharon teased Scarlett, trying to undermine her ego.

Scarlett's eyes widen in shock for a moment, but she quickly recovers, her voice took on a sharp edge. "You think I'm that naive? That I'd believe you two would actually do that to me?"

Just then the door to the cabin swung open with a gentle creak, and Logan and Charlie walked in. Their footsteps were heavy with an unspoken tension between them. Logan looked around the room and saw the two girls facing off while Duncan and Delilah watched from the kitchen. "Everything okay in here?" he asked, sensing the tension between the two girls.

"Everything's fine, Loggy." Sharon said as she gave Scarlett a petty smile, "Scarlett and I were just having a little chat."

"Sharon," Logan said with a hint of annoyance as his gaze flickered between the two girls. He knew Sharon sometimes had a haughty attitude toward other girls, but he had hoped it wouldn't show up on their trip.

"It's just a friendly conversation, no need to worry," Sharon said to Logan as she continued to smirk at Scarlett. "Just girl talk."

"What's she talking about?" Logan said to Scarlett as he looked for a clue about what was going on.

"Oh, you know, just the usual. Sharon being Sharon, trying to mark her territory."Scarlett answered calmly as she glared back at Sharon.

"Good thing you know your place, Scar," Sharon said, her voice dripping with sweet, honeyed acid. "Now run along and entertain the others, I'm sure they're missing your delightful company."

"Sharon! That's enough!" Logan snapped at Sharon, his voice firm and decisive.

"Logan, baby, it's just a joke." Sharon said as her smile faltered when she realized this wasn't going to be easy.