Summer

This is a true story. All the characters in this story we over the age of consent when the story took place. All these events took place during the course of one very long and hot summer when I was growing up, just on the change from boy to man and still full of the innocence and wonder that seemed to characterise kids back then.

I had just finished my exams and depending upon the results, would either go on to a sixth form school some miles away or have to get out and find myself a job. I wasn't particularly worried; I felt I have done enough (just), to get the grades I wanted and besides the results came out at the end of summer and that was light years away.

Right now I just wanted to enjoy a complete summer with no school work; and enjoying the summer meant never-ending games of football with the gang, long walks out into the countryside and occasional swimming at the local baths if there was the money to go.

No different really from every other summer except this was the last one of our childhood and we knew it, whatever happened after this summer things would never be quite the same again.

We had all grown up together, Mike, Dave, Roy and me, bright kids from a working class mining village in Yorkshire. Roy and I had wider aspirations and went on to take higher exams and then I went on to college and Roy went into the police force and an early death in a car crash. Strange but he always said he would die young.

Dave went into the local steel works and Mike down the mine. They would both later be caught up in the strikes and watch the demise of their respective industries under the brutal care of Margaret Thatcher.

But that was all in the future and the only cares we had at the start of that summer was getting a football to play with and the chances of an illegal bottle of beer at one of the more remote, and understanding, rural off-licences we knew of in the area. Sue changed all that.

Sue was 'one of the boys'. She had started hanging around with us about three summers before and just sort of hovered on the fringe of everything we did. She came with us on our long and rambling walks out into the countryside, walking for miles in whatever direction the wind was blowing; and she would watch as the boys climbed trees and fooled about; not really taking part but always there.

Occasionally she brought a friend along and they walked with us or sat and talked as we played football for hours, faces close together as young girls do, brushing hair from their eyes as they discussed matters of current importance, arms clasped around their knees; but the friends came and went and only Sue stayed. She was part of the scenery. Almost by default she became one of the gang.

In that final summer Sue was changing into a fine young woman; her body changed from a gangly tomboy into a young woman with a slim and athletic figure with small, budding breasts and for the first time that summer we began to notice the difference.

The effect on us all was slight and subtle in the beginning, the boys began to include her more in their games, made room for her to sit with them when they were talking, sly glances at her bust or her rear as she walked with them. She was still 'one of the boys' but whenever she was present there was a slight change in the group, just as a breeze ruffles leaves on a tree or stirs the grass in the fields, Sue began to have an effect on us, she began to be noticed.

She herself seemed to be unaware that any change was taking place; she tagged along where ever we went. We used to play football on some spare ground near the railway, usual stuff, from 2 to a 100 a side depending on who was there and who wanted to play. The game lasted until people got fed up and went home or it got too dark to play anymore. Sometimes Sue would get roped in to play but usually she was content to sit on the grassy bank and just watch.

We four lads would usually get together straight after breakfast and head for whatever adventure we had planned for the day and more often than not Sue would 'just turn up' and join us, walking along slightly behind, talking in her usual quietish manner to whoever walked with her; but boy could she run; whenever the games turned fast Sue could out run any of us.

Sue was a sprinter; graceful and long legged she ran with a freedom and speed that left the rest of us following lamely up behind her. She became our mascot and would be proudly brought to the front of the gang whenever a foot race was called for.

Most boys hated running against her and soon she was the unchallenged champion of our area. I guess she soon got used to ending a race and being bowled over by four cheering lads – she would disappear under us laughing and gasping for breath.

It was one of the few times that I remember her being outrageously happy, laughing and shouting with the rest of us, just glad to be alive; most of the time she still seemed happy but in a much quieter way, kind of reserved – don't get me wrong, she was never unhappy, but she had a quiet about her that made you think of still waters, of someone waiting for something, a sort of sleeping beauty air about her.

One evening, after everyone had gone home, the four of us were laying on the grass bank talking and watching the lights come on in the houses across the fields. Sue had not been with us that day and as usual, whether she was there or not, the conversation drifted around to sex, or our lack of it in our cases.

If she was there Sue would join in with some gossip about who in her class was 'doing it' and with whom. We all joined with lewd comments about the people we were talking about and said that we 'wouldn't touch them with a bargepole' but secretly wishing that we could with anything.

Girls who had 'done it' were creatures of mystery and awe to us. We pretended to be men of the world and talked with authority about all things sexual when in reality we were all pathetic virgins who had never even seen a girl undressed, let alone know what to do with her if we were ever luck enough to meet one without her clothes.

We bluffed and blustered about our conquests and we all knew we were lying. That's the problem with growing up together, we all knew all there was to know about each other which made the bragging just a little bit harder to pull off in a convincing manner. Usually if you went a step too far someone would be able to shoot you down and leave you to pick up the pieces the best you could.

Anyway this particular evening the conversation had worked its way around to sex and Dave was recounting the escapades of one of the 'sluts' in school and were discussing in some detail the probable shape and dimensions of this girls fanny when suddenly Mike sat up and said to Dave, "How would you know? I bet you've never even seen one".

We all froze; this was too near the truth for all of us. I happened to know that Dave had never seen one as we had admitted as much to each other one day not long before as we walked home from school. Eyes went down to the ground in an attempt find something interesting on the floor in the gathering gloom as Dave tried to bluster his way out of it.

"Of course I bloody have, seen loads."

"Whose?" Said Mike not willing to let him off the hook so easily.

"My sisters" said Dave.

"Doesn't count." Mike snorted, "She's too small and anyway we've all see your sisters'!" Pretending anger and seeing a way to divert the question Dave launched himself at Mike and they rolled over down the banking.

We all followed and sat on Dave who had ended up beneath Mike. "Come on." Mike laughed pushing him easily away, "Who else?"

"Sue's." Dave said in quiet desperation.

We all burst out laughing, "Sue's? Sue hasn't got one. An' even if she has you've never seen it."

Gasping under our weight Dave continued with his lie. "I have too. Gerrof me."

"When?" We all asked simultaneously.

"Last summer at the swimming pool, You weren't there. I saw it."

"Liar." Mike said and cuffed him over the head. We all sat back and let Dave sit up. Dave brushed himself off and said almost to himself. "I bloody have seen it and it's hairy!"

We stood around in an almost embarrassed silence, some sort of line had been crossed and we knew it. We were suddenly all thinking of what Sue would look like without her skirt and we just didn't think of Sue like that. We looked sheepishly at each other and shrugged in the fading light.

"Better get home" I said.

We split up at the end of the field and went our own ways home. I walked with Dave a little way before he turned off towards his house.

"It wasn't true was it?" I asked.

"What?" He said although we both knew what I was talking about. "About seeing Sue."

"No." he said and paused for fraction before adding quietly "but I'd like to."

"So would I." I admitted. "So would I."

....................................

Some days later we were all out walking; a straggling group of young people aimlessly wandering along. The lead boys were deadheading wildflowers with sticks while Sue, Dave and I brought up the rear.

We had played football until it the heat had beaten us and then by common consent we had decided to go for a walk. The air was hot and heavy and uncomfortable as English summer days can often get. We had bought some beer at the off-licence and were pretending we were heavy drinkers as we walked along taking gulps from the passed around bottles.

We crossed some fields and skirted the edge a wood; a sort of aimless wandering despite the fact that we knew all the paths within a 10 mile radius by heart. As we skirted the woods we decided to go and find somewhere to sit and drink our underage beers, somewhere away from prying eyes who could tell our parents what we were up to.

Mike knew of an old 'den' that someone had made some time in the past, deep in the middle of a stand of trees on the edge of the wood, a children's hideaway of overhanging branches and flattened undergrowth. We found the entrance and crawled inside.

The air inside the den was hot and heavy but at least we were private and away from prying eyes. The sun dappled us and the floor with bright spots of gently moving light. There was not a lot of room for all of us and so we spread our cardigans and jumpers on the floor and lay down, crowded close together.

Sue crawled through the opening and seeing there wasn't much space she clumsily crawled across everyone and sat herself down in the middle. All the guys she crawled over pushed back and cursed her half heartedly. She half fell, half sat, heavily in the middle of us, pulled her pleated school skirt down over her thighs where it has ridden up and proceeded to brush the dirt and bits grass and debris from her brown, sun tanned knees.

She threw her cardigan on the floor behind her. She didn't really notice the boys watching her legs intently as her hands brushed away the dirt. Sitting almost in front of her I leaned forward and brushed a few imaginary specks from her other knee.

She laughed and pushed my hand away. 'Pack it in' she said, 'it tickles'. I put my hand back on her knee and brushed again. She laughed 'Pack it in I said'. Dave reached out and brushed her other knee. She put both legs down flat and put her hands on her knees.

'Stop it' she said, 'you know how ticklish I am.'

Roy, who was sitting slightly behind her reached out for her shoulders and pulled her back flat onto the ground. She laughed again as her legs went up in the air and she tried to smooth down her skirt while struggling to sit back up, a flash of white knickers caught our attention.

Roy pulled her back down again pressing her shoulders flat to the earth. He leaned forward slightly across her and tried to lick her nose, a childish, messy game we had played many times before. As she tried to push him away Mike took hold of one of her hands and placed it underneath him, Dave followed his lead and did the same with her other hand. I leaned forward across her legs, effectively pinning her to the ground.

Still laughing Sue looked up at Roy whose face was hovering above her and then at the rest of us.

"Please don't tickle me." She said. I moved up her legs and sat astride her knees.

"We're not going to tickle you," I said, "Not at first anyway. I think we have other games to play."

Sue looked puzzled. "What other games?"

"Like finding out what colour your knickers are."

Sue looked startled. "Cheeky bugger. Let me go and I'll tell you."

"Why do I need to let you go?" I said. "Watch this." I reached down and picked up the hem of her skirt and lifted it slightly. I glanced up and into the darkness before replacing the skirt with exaggerated care. "They're white." I said.

Sue began to struggle a little, "Look, let me go, you've all seen my pants before."

I placed my hands on either side of her hips and held her down quietly. The guys continued to hold her arms. When she had calmed a little I said. "I know that we've all seen your knickers before. We've done nothing but look up your skirt for weeks. But now we want to take it a bit further." Sue stopped struggling altogether and looked at me.

"What do you mean?" She asked cautiously.

"We want to have a closer look."

"A closer look at what?"

I smiled at her. "At you." It took a second for my words to sink in and then suddenly Sue began to struggle. She thrashed from side to side trying to loosen our grip in her but it was no contest, she was no match for the four of us.

Finally she stopped and lay quiet, her chest heaving with her exertions. "Look, it's no use struggling" I said watching the sunlight chase across her face as the leaves above us moved, "you're only going to knock yourself out. There are four of us and we are far too strong for you so just listen up for a minute."

Sue looked around cautiously, "What?"

"We're all really good friends aren't we?" I said and Sue nodded reluctantly, unsure of where this was going. "And friends share don't they?" She half nodded again without taking her eyes off me. "So we have been watching your body for a long time; and we think it's about time you shared it with us."

Sue shook her head "I don't think so..."

I cut her off. "Look, it's a beautiful hot day isn't it? The sun is shining and it's a great day for taking your clothes off. Or at least," I glance around at the intense faces of the other three, "for having someone take your clothes off for you. And as I said before, 'you're amongst friends' and friends are supposed to share. We just want to share you." I made myself more comfortable on her legs. "That's not a problem is it?"

Realising we were serious she began to struggle again. We held her and waited for the struggling to stop. "Look Sue, we can do this anyway that you want but just remember that we are all your friends here," she looked at our faces in turn, "and we want to have a look at you, at all of you. And if you were our friend you'd let us look, wouldn't she boys?" The guys all nodded.

Sue looked up at me. "What do you want to see?" She asked in a whisper.

"You've seen my knickers."

"I know Sue", I said, "but that's not enough is it?"

"What else is there?" She said quietly.

"We want to see what's inside them. I think that that's only fair don't you?" I brushed her knees with my fingertips. "In fact I think we want to see all of you." I paused slightly "without your clothes."

Sue flinched a little. She closed her eyes as if hoping that we would go away and her head slowly slumped back. I smiled at the guys and leaned forward. Strands of her dirty blonde hair lay across her face, moving erratically as she breathed. I pulled a few strands away from the corner of her mouth and stroked her cheek. She never moved.

"Sue" I said quietly and she opened her eyes and looked at me "we are going to take your clothes off." Her eyes half closed again but she kept watching me from under her lids. "You do understand what we are going to do don't you?" She never moved. "We are going to undress you and look at your body" I paused for effect "and we will most probably touch it."

She nodded ever so slightly and kept her eyes on mine. I was aware of her body heat where I sat astride her hips. "You don't mind if I take your clothes off do you Sue?" Sue licked her dry lips but didn't say anything. She continued to watch me, her eyes narrowing even more.

"I'll take that as a 'yes' then shall I?" I asked and she did not answer. The air was a still as I have ever known it. I leaned forward slightly keeping eye contact with her. "Has anyone ever seen you naked before Sue?"

"Naked?" she whispered.

"Yes naked. Nude, Without clothes," I answered slowly and Sue softly shook her head.

"No?" I asked and she shook her head again. "Then we will be the first will we?" She nodded almost imperceptibly. I sat back and ran my hands down her body. She opened her eyes. "Then I guess that its better that we are your friends isn't it?"

"Is it?" She whispered.

I sat back and looked at her. "Of course it is. Friends should share and we are going to share you. That's fair isn't it?"

She looked at me and for the first time I thought I saw something deep in her eyes, an acquiescence, a slight submission. "And I think you want us to share you don't you Sue?" Her eyes flicked open and watched me as I sat back astride her young body and she never made a sound.

"Top first?" I asked the guys quietly, "Shall we start at the top? Who wants her to get her Tits out for the boys?" All the guys nodded, I could tell by their eyes that they desperately wanted to carry this through but were still slightly apprehensive about the consequences.

I figured that seeing as I had really started it I needed to move it along before anyone had second thoughts; so I quickly reached forward and pulled her blouse out of the elasticated waistband of her skirt. I thought I heard Sue say 'Don't' under her breath but there was no stopping now, I was the master of ceremonies, I was in charge of the unveiling of Sue and the knowledge and anticipation of what we were about to do was intoxicating.

I pushed her blouse up and out slightly to expose a little of her stomach. I touched her skin and marvelled in its softness and warmth. A fine down of tiny blonde hairs caught the sunlight. They ran in a golden line down from below her belly button under the waistband of her skirt. I was a kid in a sweet shop, I wanted to follow these hairs and explore where they went to but instead I remembered that I promised the boys her breasts first so I reversed the direction of my fingers and stroked up to the bottom hem of her blouse.

At the touch of my fingers Sue sucked in her stomach as if trying to avoid them but they would not be denied; my fingers had a will of their own and as I stroked her stomach I marvelled at the first real feel of a young woman's skin. I eased the tails of her blouse apart as my fingers moved upward until I touched the bottom button. Without fumbling it came undone almost on its own.

I gently pushed the shirt apart as I moved upwards to the next button which also easily came undone. I pushed the blouse further apart revealing the whole of her stomach. The guys watched her slowly growing nakedness with awe. We were already looking at more of Sue that we had every really though we would ever get to see.

"Only two more buttons Sue." I said, "And then we can all look at what you've got under here" Sue's nod was barely perceptible "are you sure no one has ever seen them before?" She licked lips and shook her head. I undid the third button and ran my fingers on the skin underneath.

"No bra." I said. She licked her lips again and looked at the faces around her. "Why are you not wearing a bra Sue?" Her eyes flicked from face to face again. "I think you wanted to show us your breasts didn't you? You wanted us to see them. Not wearing a bra makes it really easy for us doesn't it Sue? Nothing to stop us, nothing at all."