Shaved with a strip

"You okay?"

Jim looked up from his book as Angela came into the room and, when she spotted him looking at her, pointed to her phone and mouthed "Becky", her friend from college. Jim nodded and slowly got up from his spot and walked out of the room to give her some space, especially when it came to Becky, or Bekkah Landry, a nice girl but a very simple naive one to boot. It seemed like there was never one weekend that went by without another drama or three in that girl's life. Dramas, of course, he didn't need.

As he turned the stairs, he noticed that there was a pair of shoes by the door that didn't quite fit for one simple reason: why would there be a pair of men's basketball shoes in their house? The sounds coming from upstairs told him enough. He just smiled and shook his head, knowing better than to try and talk to Laura again about sneaking around a guy in their house. It didn't bother him that she did, she was going to do what she wanted to anyway, and there was nothing wrong with her bringing her boyfriend over. What was his name again? Marshall? He didn't really know but figured he would have a chance to find out later on (or, from the sounds coming from up the stairs, sooner). He was sure that Laura would move on before his presence became a fixture in her life, the whims of a high school senior were hard to understand.

Jim stepped into his bedroom and looked around for a few moments before he picked up the phone on his bed and checked his texts. A few were from work and after replying quickly, he turned next to several from his aunt Vivian.

HEY, SORRY FOR BOTHERING YOU, BUT HOW ARE THINGS?

THEY'RE FINE, LAURA AND ANGELA ARE DOING GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?

A few seconds went by before she replied. YOUR DAD JUST WANTED ME TO CHECK IN ON YOU. HE SHOULD BE HOME LATER TOMORROW.

He laughed at that. IS DAD ENJOYING HIMSELF?

His aunt sent a text and a few fire emoji.

HARD TO IMAGINE HIM HAVING 3 DAUGHTERS AND LOOKING LIKE THAT, DAMN BITCH...

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY, BLACK DON' CRACK!

Jim glanced at the quiz next to him and with some time between Angela's drama queen friend and Laura fucking the daylights out of some high school jock, picked up a pen.

14.) IF YOU WERE A GIRL...WOULD YOU SHAVE?

He thought about it for a few moments. He didn't like the feeling of being hairy, especially since his skin was rather soft and fair, plus it just didn't sit right with him. If he was a girl, born and raised as one, there wouldn't be an issue of hair on him. Now, on a man, that was different, but on a woman? No, not in the least.

With exception, of course.

Yes, I would be very careful about body hair, though I wouldn't mind tending down there from time to time. Jim stretched and just as he was about to read the next question, his phone pinged and he turned his attention back to it and smiled. "Hey Gerald, good timing."

"Hey, some of the guys are getting together and I wondered if you wanted to come along?"

He looked at the clock by his bed and shrugged. "Anyone that I know?"

"Just Thomas and Zach, though Shanice is going to be there. Figured you two would like to get together."

Jim smiled. For some reason, it felt that he had never met Shanice or Thomas or Zach before but that couldn't be the case, Shanice was his best girlfriend. They went back years, went to the same school, kept in touch all these years. "Love to see her. I'll be ready in about 20?"

***

Jim walked with the other woman as they followed the three guys talking and laughing in the restaurant as they were heading towards the door. After a few hours, Jim was certain that he had imagined not knowing her, there was simply no way he could be so at ease and having so much fun with a complete stranger and as they talked, the more he remembered things about her. Childhood parties, sleepovers, there was simply no way all that could've been made up.

"So, girl, tell me something, what y'do about Thomas?" he asked, leaning in quietly and pointing at the decently built man in front of them.

"I'm tryin' to hook him up with Janice. You remember her?"

"Thought she was back east?"

"Yeah, but she always talkin' about needing a man and being tired of boys. So, figured I'd send her a pic, right?" she took out her phone and showed her the image she had snapped of him and sent to their friend. "Never saw a sister text so quickly back."

Jim laughed a little and then after they reached the cars, he gave her a warm hug and promised to call the next day for lunch. He gave similar hugs to the other guys before he slid into Gerald's car and the two of them pulled away from the curb. "Thanks for the invite, Gerald."

"Sure thing, baby girl," he replied and placed a hand on his leg. "Glad you could come out with me tonight. Shanice missed you a lot."

Jim smiled, feeling no need to remove his hand, and placed his own on top of it.

15.) IF YOU WERE A GIRL...WOULD YOU USE PADS OR TAMPONS?