by T. M. Haught
“Humph,” she said. “Well, I’ll be.”
Jonah didn’t know whether to be angry or relieved. He was definitely a little of both. Maybe a lot of both!
“Penny? Have you been hiding in my closet?”
She made a face. “Hiding? No way!”
“Then... then what are you doing in there?”
“I just discovered something,” she said innocently. “Come see for yourself.”
She swung the door open wider and motioned him forward. Jonah could see now that she was wearing an oversized T-shirt with alternating bands of hot pink, purple, orange and aqua that reached down past her hips. He imagined she was wearing it like a nightshirt, since her legs were bare. He noticed that her feet were bare, too, and for some strange reason that bothered him more than anything else.
He advanced cautiously, then as he got closer to the closet he could see that some of the clothes he had hung in there had been scooted over to one side to create an open space. Right behind them, one of the panels forming the back wall had been slid over to the right to create an opening. Through that opening he could see the interior of another closet, filled with girly things, and beyond the open door to that closet was the bedroom next door, like his in size but decorated in a feminine style.
“A secret passage?” he said, puzzled and intrigued. He looked at the book in his hand a moment, then set it on the desk.
“Not much of a passage, really,” said Penny. “Just an unofficial doorway between our two closets. Didn’t you know it was there?”
“No... not until now! When we moved in here about a year ago, we had to do some cleaning and repainting, but none of us ever noticed that. How did you find it?”
“I was trying to pick up a hanger I’d dropped on the floor, and when I did I noticed there was a thread caught between the edge of the panel that moves and the next one. So I got my fingernails on the edge of it and gave it a little push. It opened. Cool, huh?”
Jonah was clearly undecided. “Maybe... maybe not.”
The sound of a TV was coming from the other bedroom. Voices and weird noises. He couldn’t see the set but remembered seeing a small one among their belongings when Penny and her dad had moved in.
“What are you watching?”
“A reality show,” she said. “It’s so stupid it’s funny. Do people really believe those things are real?”
Jonah shook his head. “I wouldn’t know.”
Penny took another look around, apprising the posters and books and whatnot, then said, “Nice room! Well, good night.”
And with that she turned and re-entered the closet, closing the door behind her. He could hear faint sounds, then the scrape of the thin wall panel as it was slid back to its original position. The sounds of the TV in the other room were more muted now.
Jonah stood there a moment, perplexed and lost in thought. It was an old house and he wondered what the story was behind that sliding panel. Why was it there? He also wondered about Penny and the easy access she now had to his private domain... his personal space... his sanctum sanctorum, as it were. Should he tell anyone about the panel? Should he nail it shut?
He sighed and shook his head, then went to the desk and picked up his book. At least that was one adventure that he had control over, and could start and stop at will, just by opening or closing the book. No fear of being teased or rejected by the characters on those printed pages. When he was reading a book he could be somebody else, brave and bold, capable of even heroic actions.
He turned the reading light on over the head of the bed and pushed the pillows up to form a back rest. He sat down and opened the book, turning to the first page... the first chapter....
* * * * * * * * * *
It was a little after ten when Jonah realized that he had dozed off. He got up and went to the bathroom to make a pit stop, got a drink of water, then turned off the room light. He left the music playing since it was repeating on its own and returned to the bed, first getting out of his street clothes and leaving on only the boxer shorts that he wore when sleeping. He picked up his book, sat down and got cozy and started reading again. He was up to Chapter 3. He decided to read one more chapter before turning in for the night.
He had only read a few pages when he heard a faint noise and the slight scraping sound he had heard before. Quicker this time, the door to his closet swung open and Penny entered the room, dressed as before.
“Hi,” she said brightly. “Me again.”
Jonah quickly got to his feet, a bit awkwardly, and holding the book in front of his chest... then a bit lower... then... Well, he just wished it was bigger, the better to hide behind.
“Maybe I should padlock that door,” he said peevishly.
“Oh—sorry,” she said. “Guess I should have knocked.”
“I would have,” he said. “What do you want?”
“We need to talk,” Penny replied, then glanced toward the front wall of the room. “Do you think my dad or your mom can hear us up here?”
“I doubt it. Their rooms are on the back side of the second floor. We’re on the front side of the third floor, over the study and the room that was supposed to be a nursery. They’re probably on the first floor at this hour anyway.”
Penny looked puzzled. “Nursery?”
“My parents had talked about maybe having another child,” said Jonah. “That was back when we were fixing this place up, when my dad was home on leave. He probably would have retired after another year. It would have been his twentieth. Then... he went back overseas on a mission, and never came back. They never found his body. They said he was officially missing in action and presumed dead. Something about a bomb.”
Penny grimaced and cast her gaze down for a moment. “Sorry.” She knew only too well about personal loss and its aftermath. “So I guess that’s why your mom needed to rent rooms out.”
“Yeah,” said Jonah without looking directly at her. “The government took awhile with the paperwork, but my dad’s military life insurance was put through. It was set up for monthly payments until it runs out. It’s enough to cover the mortgage on our house and the utilities, but not much more. My mom gets temp jobs in offices when she can, but....” His voice trailed off.
Penny waited a few more seconds, then looked worriedly toward the door to his room again. She crossed to it and turned the latch to be sure it was secure. Her glance met his puzzled look. “Just to be on the safe side,” she said. She headed back to the edge of the room, where Jonah stood waiting. She stopped right in front of him, just studying him.
“Ah... you said we need to talk?” said Jonah nervously. “What about?”
“What we were discussing earlier—finding a way to help you have more confidence with the girls.”
“Like Tiffany?”
“Or any of them,” said Penny. “I gave it some thought and I decided that the key is to help you realize that girls aren’t some kind of strange, mysterious creatures that are unapproachable. Well, I mean, we are kind of strange and mysterious, and different from boys, but in a good way that you don’t have to be scared of, you know?”
Jonah sighed. “I’m not sure this is helping.”
“The trick is to get used to being around us. You need a crash course. If you had grown up with sisters you’d be a lot better off.”
Jonah mulled that one over. “Maybe. Not sure.”
“I am,” she said.
Penny took the book from him and tossed it on the bed, then took hold of his right hand and brought it to her face. She moved his hand so that his fingertips gently stroked her cheek, moving from a point near her eye down to her chin. She repeated the motion, then moved his hand so that the backs of his knuckles caressed the other side of her face.
“See, we’re real, tangible. Nothing scary about that, now was there?” She studied him briefly. His chest was rising and falling quicker than before. “You’re breathing faster, Jonah. Just relax.”
“Trying to,” he said, but his voice
cracked.
She let go of his hand. “Okay. Now the next step, give me a hug.”
“What—?”
“A hug,” she repeated. “You’ve given women a hug before, haven’t you?”
“Only relatives,” he said. “Not the same. Really, really not the same.”
She reached out and pulled him closer. “All right, arms around me. That’s right. Now pretend I’m a long-lost friend and give me a little squeeze. Do it!”
Jonah said, “I feel like such a loser. All the other guys must be light-years ahead of me.”
“It’s never too late. Can I have my hug?”
Jonah did as he was told. The softness of her body within his arms was exquisite, and at such close proximity he was keenly aware of the mingling scents of bath power and shampoo and a trace of subdued perfume. Had she done all that just for him? Probably not, but it was pleasing to think about.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” asked Penny. “Now let’s try for a kiss.”
“Ah... not sure I know you that well.”
She turned her head slightly and touched a finger to her cheek. “Let’s see you plant one right there. Okay?”
He hesitated, raised up on his toes a bit because of their height difference, then leaned in and kissed her cheek. He found that nice, too. Her skin felt soft and warm and wonderful against his lips.
“Very good,” Penny said. “Now do it again, same spot.”
Jonah leaned in again, but just before his lips could connect with her cheek, she turned her face back toward him and the kiss was lip to lip and quite firm. He recoiled a bit, but only a bit, surprised.
“Yeah, we’re sneaky, aren’t we?” said Penny. “But that wasn’t so bad either, was it? See, in just a few minutes you’ve made more progress than you made in two whole years with Tiffany. I’m proud of you.”
Jonah removed his arms from around her and stepped back slightly. He sighed. “I wish I was taller.”
“You will be,” she said with an encouraging tone. “Back where we used to live one of my friends has an older brother who’s in his third year of college now. He was short, too, but in his first year of college he shot up almost four inches.”
“Really?”
“Yes, it works that way sometimes. Boys are a bit slower in growing. Girls mature faster. Look at me. I’m already about as tall as I’ll ever be. That’s just the way it works. Of course, I haven’t quite lost all my baby fat yet. See—?”
And with that she reached down and grabbed the bottom edge of her T-shirt and pulled it clear up to her chin, revealing her lush, naked body in all its glory, from her breasts all the way down to her hips and beyond. Jonah gasped and let out a weird moan, then instantly averted his eyes, looking the other way.
Penny let the T-shirt drop back down, then reached out and gently turned his face back toward her. “Wow, you really are a shy guy, aren’t you! Most boys our age would have been staring at me with their tongues hanging out. I’m kinda glad you didn’t. That’s refreshing. But I can see it did have an effect on you. What’s going on down there—?”
“Huh?”
Penny reached down impulsively and grasped the waistband of Jonah’s boxer shorts. She tugged them down nearly to his knees, enough to reveal his penis, which was almost fully engorged and starting to rise. The sight of it took even her by surprise and she stared at it appreciatively.
“Wow, Squirt! You’re pretty well hung for a little guy,” Penny said. “Too bad they don’t allow nudity at school. You wouldn’t have to chase the girls. They’d all be chasing you!”
“Penny!” he said, blushing and embarrassed.
“Sorry—maybe I went too far,” she apologized. “Let me get that!”
She just as impulsively pulled the boxers back up again, a bit awkwardly, but the elastic waistband snagged on his erect member, bouncing it like a diving board.
“Uhh!” he said.
“Sorry again!” she said, before she finally got his shorts back in their proper position and everything was covered once more. Protruding, but covered. “Look at it this way, we’re even now? We’ve both seen each other naked?”
She sounded as if she wasn’t entirely convinced herself. She studied Jonah and saw a wild, frightened animal look in his eyes that was hard to decipher. His breathing also seemed shallow and rapid. She realized that her own breathing was that way, too, and she could feel her pulse quickening. That scared her a little.
“Well, maybe that’s enough of a pep talk for one night,” she said abruptly. “I’m turning in, now. Sweet dreams. See you in the morning.”
Penny turned and quickly padded her way silently across the floor to the closet door. She stepped inside, gave a quick wave and an awkward glance, then disappeared inside and closed the door behind her.
Jonah watched the closet door for a long, long moment, then he headed for the shower. He planned to use only the cold water....
* * * * * * * * * *
It was a little after eleven when Jonah heard the scraping sound again. By now it was dark in his room except for the moonlight that came in through the window. The stereo was off. He jumped out of bed and reached the door to his closet just as Penny was starting to open it. Her eyes met his and they both stood there a moment, awkwardly silent. Then....
“I can’t sleep,” Penny said, a bit breathless.
“Me either,” said Jonah.
Penny looked away from him, then back again and blurted out, “That last visit got me all hot and bothered.”
Jonah swallowed hard. “Me too.” He stared long into her eyes. Then, even though he hoped he already knew the answer, he asked her, “What should we do?”
“You should just shut up,” Penny told him, not in a mean way, but with great urgency. “This time, we really don’t need to talk.”
She gave him a tight hug, then took him by the hand and steered him toward the bed. He went willingly, nearly tripping over one of his shoes in his haste. Once there, Penny pointed at the bed with an adamant gesture.
“Lay down,” she told him. “On your back.”
He did exactly that, stretching out as straight as a board. “Now what?”
“Lose the shorts,” she said.
Jonah quickly wriggled free of the boxers and tossed them carelessly aside. He was now fully naked and lay there, staring at her wide-eyed like a deer in the headlights. For a fleeting moment he had the awful thought that this would turn out to be some kind of a ghastly prank, ending with her laughing uproariously at him and leaving him alone in his embarrassment and shame.
“Oh, don’t look so scared,” she told him softly. “I’m not going to hurt you. At least, I’ll try not to.”
Jonah swallowed hard again. “I believe you.”
Penny looked at him a moment more, then took a deep breath and let it out. She stripped off her T-shirt and tossed it in an arcing trajectory across the room without even looking. She was now fully naked as well, and in the cool and revealing moonlight with her golden hair in disarray, she was incredibly gorgeous.
“I sure hope your bed springs don’t squeak,” she said, then she stood as close to the side of the bed as she could, braced herself with one hand next to Jonah’s chest, and swung her right leg over him so that her knee was positioned near his left side. She braced her other hand above that knee and swung her left leg up and onto the bed, coming to rest along his right side, so that she was straddling him, her hips over his, leaning forward.
Jonah felt the warmth and pressure of her thighs along his sides and marveled at the sensation. It sent a nearly electric thrill coursing through him. Every pubescent fantasy he had ever had was finally coming true.
“You should put your glasses on the nightstand,” she told him.
“But I want to be able to see you,” he protested softly.
She smiled meaningfully. “You’ll see me better without them than you will looking through fogged up lenses. Know what I mean?”
“Oh,” he said. He t
ook them off and put them on the nightstand.
Penny now brought her own torso lower and lower, until she was lying fully upon him, her breasts pressing against his chest, their warmth and softness punctuated by the quickening hardness of her nipples. Because he was a bit shorter than her, she had to scrunch a bit to bring her face close to his, nuzzling the side of his cheek.
She spread her knees a little farther apart and slowly slid her legs back, the soles of her feet sliding along the sides of his own legs until they reached Jonah’s feet, caressing them as well. Then she slowly brought them back up until her knees and thighs were in the original straddle position.
Jonah let out a low moan and put his arms around her. She kissed him into silence, and they stayed in that position for a full minute.
Then Jonah said, “Something’s getting wet down there.”
Penny’s voice was breathy as she replied, “Girls get a little juicy in their lady parts when they’re aroused. Boys juice a little, too. It’s all about lubrication. Slippery is good, at least where you’re going. For some parts of me, friction is better.” She hesitated briefly, rising slightly to look down between their bodies. “I think we’re ready. I know I am. I’ve been freakin’ ready for the past hour.”
As Jonah moved his arms away from her back, she resumed an almost sitting position and pushed her hips up a bit. Without the pressure of her own belly against his, Jonah’s penis popped up into fully erect position and was now poised below the gap between her legs. She could see the tip of it was glistening with moisture, and that her labia minora were slightly wet, too.
“I’ll guide you in,” she told him, then gently gripped his penis and aimed it into the waiting small mouth of her vagina. Once its head was securely in place and she could feel its moist hotness within her, Penny pushed slowly down, hungrily swallowing his manhood until their bellies met once more.
Jonah moaned softly. Penny did, too.