Literotica can be a bizarre place for honesty.
I've been visiting the site for years, mostly reading the stories, which I found vicariously erotic and a sexy diversion from some personal trials I was facing at the time. A few years later, covid lockdown still an annoying feature of life, I discovered the chats. Although wading through the onslaught of greetings at any given sign-on moment, I actually managed to make a few what I consider to be close friends. People I have chatted with for years. Over that time, I have explored a lot of personal turn-ons, sexy kinks, fantasies, and some more-than-expected deeply personal experiences.
I am in my mid-to-late-40s, divorced, mom of one, and in a new relationship--a same-sex relationship with a woman named Alyssa I happen to be deeply in love with. I am healthy, modestly happy, I have a nice home with a pool, and a Jeep Cherokee that runs like a tank. Lots of things in the win column for me at the moment. I like my life, truly, and I feel very lucky to have the support cast around me right now that I have. Life is, at least in the very general sense, very good.
But it hasn't always been a bed of roses, and I experienced more than my own share of "downs," even well before my depression-inducing divorce. If you've read any of my other stories, you may have picked up a bit of my history here and there, but I'll throw some texture and context out just so there's some understanding of where I came from and how I got here.
My mom moved out when I was still in grade school, and I spent a few formative years without anything resembling a strong female role model. I was also an exceptionally early bloomer very much on the "top heavy" side of things which created a plethora of body image issues that I sometimes, even now, contend with. Transitioning to high school was tumultuous and I swung wildly from childish naivety to spiteful rebelliousness at the drop of a hat. Looking back, it was pretty clear I had no idea who I was, which I suppose isn't the worst thing because I doubt I'd have liked myself if I did. I like myself much better now.
My transition to college life wasn't much easier, but I took it as a challenge to change, develop, find myself, and put a lot of my damaged self-esteem behind me. I moved into my first dorm, managed to make friends with the random person the University paired me up with, and I felt the freedom that came with being able to become anyone I wanted to be. A new start. A new world. I was always a pretty good student, so I was never really worried about the educational experience at college. It was the personal growth that came with social acceptance I craved most. And, much to my surprise, my Freshman year went wonderfully.
Sure, I was always a bit of a wallflower, but at least I was going out. Making friends. Doing something other than laying in my bed worried everyone might stare at me or talk about me. I felt like I was finally growing into my womanly physique, and although I was forever miserably ten to fifteen pounds overweight, I no longer felt like a sexual aberration with E-cup breasts without a nickel with which to buy a clue. I was no longer revolted when a guy, particularly an older guy, stared lustily at me the way I was revolted in 8th Grade through my high school graduation. As most young women are supposed to do when they enter collegiate life, I was, dare I say, finding myself. And for the first time I could remember since innocent childhood, I didn't hate myself or how I looked. Maybe it took a few years, but I could actually feel myself growing beyond my self-confinement. And it felt good. It felt healthy.
The following summer, going into my Sophomore year, I was actually giddy to get back to my life on campus. Michelle, my roommate from Freshman year, had become a very good friend, and we decided to invite another mutual friend of ours, Marni, to move into a triple suite in one of the nicer campus dorms. We moved back in the last weekend of August, threw ourselves a little mocktail party (ok, maybe a few actual cocktails), and laughed and giggled as we talked about guys, classes, guys, the social scene, and guys some more. Marni was a little more socially connected that Michelle or me, so we were excited to plan our party calendar those first few weeks. It felt...amazing. It felt like I was living in "College"...like the postcard, dumbed down for television, prototypical consequence-free college experience. And oh my goodness I loved it.
I don't remember which party it was...the third or fourth we attended in those first few weeks, but I do remember it wasn't the first. It was midweek, and we were all doing the annoying "what should we wear?" dance in our suite, trying on outfits, trying on each other's clothes, accessorizing, pretending like we were invited to some Oscars after-party in Beverly Hills instead of a crowded, sweaty kegger at a grimy fraternity house. But that was our world, and we were loving it, giggling and teasing and posing in the mirror together.
At one point, I tried on one of Marni's ivory tennis sweaters. Dramatically v-scooped in the front, it was meant to be worn over a turtleneck or polo shirt or--clothing of any kind. Not realizing the cut when I grabbed it from the pile on the bed and slipped it on, I was immediately drizzled with uproarious "oooohs!' and whistles from Michelle and Marni, and when I looked at myself in the mirror I could see why. The front v-neck was so impossibly low that I was baring flesh inches below the front-clasp of my bra. I looked like a country club stripper. My cheeks reddened hot with embarrassment until Marni cheekily suggested, "Oh my god, you should totally wear that to the party."
At first I thought she was joking, Marni was kind of like that. When she urged me with enthusiasm a second time, I thought she had lost her mind. How in the hell could I wear something so revealing? Me? I looked back at the mirror again--still getting a major Playboy vibe from the figure looking back at me, all I needed was the soft lighting and a fan on my hair.
"You're crazy," I laughed it off. But then Michelle stood up behind me and tugged the sweater down from the back to create a bit more of a demure fit in front. "You could pull this off, Kristi," she smiled with a bit of mischief. "You look hot, and this party is going to be full of hot guys!"