Find a female friend to 'spot' you

You decide that maybe things would be a bit less intimidating if you have a friend with you. A female friend, that is. Part of what's unnerving you is the fact that these situations would have been dangerous, before: having someone you trust with you, might help you to feel a bit safer.

You go looking for a female classmate to come with you. You don't have to look long, before you find Janine: a thin, blond-haired classmate in your and Gabriel's class. She is a close friend of yours, bonded through a shared interest in math, physics, and sci-fi, in a male-dominated discipline. She and Gabriel are basically friendly with each other too, having the camaraderie of shared lab sessions.

Janine looks to you and smiles: three parts friendly, one part evaluating. "Hiya Tilly! How's it going?"

You notice Janine looking at you a bit differently from how she used to, but it still feels like Janine. You come up to hug her, and she comes in the way she always does. "It's been an interesting morning," you say. "You?"

"I'm great, thanks!" she says. The two of you hug. "Oooh," Janine says, as you press in: she wriggles very slightly, brushing your nipples against her bra.

"Someone's having a perky day today," she says a little more loudly than she really needed to, as she breaks the hug. "Classic Tilly, wearing your mood on your sleeve. Or in this case, your chest," she jokes.

You blush. But from Janine, it feels like playful ribbing, not the sort of back-handed comment that it felt that Olivia or Raven-guy was making. Janine was grinning at you, the picture of having a bit of a friendly poke.

You try to make a joke yourself. "I did get up bright and early today," you say, gently pushing your chest forward to press your nipples against your shirt. Janine chuckled.

"Looks like you hurried out so quickly this morning, you forgot to close the door," she said, reaching down to your open fly. Your eyes widen as Janine ruffles your pubic hair with her fingertips.

"Janine!" You exclaim, gently.

"By which I mean, your fly is open," Janine added helpfully, again a bit louder than she needed to. A few people heads turn their heads to look at you as they pass in the hallway.

"You don't have to draw attention to it," you protest.

"I do it because I love you," Janine says with an impish grin, pulling her hand back. "Do you want to button up --- or do you want me to unbutton the top two for you? We can go meet Gabe," she says, giving you a knowing look.

Your mind whirls. Nobody in this world remembers anything differently, but they are all much more on-board with the new situation than you are. Somehow, Janine has already guessed that you might be looking for Gabriel, and has nominated herself as your wingwoman.

There is so much that you want to ask. "What do you mean?" is all you manage.

Janine leans in. "Come on, Tilly. I've seen the way you look at him sometimes, the way you daydream. I'm your friend, and you deciding to be a free-use sexual plaything doesn't change that," she says, earnestly. "I'm sure that Gabriel's going to get around to playing with your holes sooner or later, but you know Gabe. If you'd like him to get the the point sooner rather than later, showing off your pubes will get him thinking along the right lines."

Your head spins. This is not what you thought Janine would be like. (Actually, you're not sure you were thinking about the change in attitude in your female friends much at all.) But she did seem to genuinely be on your side.

"Um, it might get some other boys thinking along those lines too, and I'd rather get on with the day just now." Janine nodded, and you felt a little more confident. "Let's just go meet Gabe. Maybe you can do my buttons when we're coming up to him."

Janine cocked her head. "Why don't you do it?"

You think on the spot. "My hands are a bit too shaky right now. Uh, too much coffee."

Janine shrugged. "Okay, slut, let's go this way!" she chirped out, taking you by the shaky hand down the hallway.