I was home alone and having nothing that I wanted to do I was in the game-room, practicing some snooker. Perhaps I should clarify the home alone bit. My sister was also home and had a couple of her friends with her but I have never considered my sister to be meaningful company so effectively I was alone.
I was doing some trick shots, generally keeping my hand in. I was an expert where snooker was concerned, able to place any ball exactly where I wanted it. If I break and a ball drops I was quite capable of running the table. I didn't do that when I was playing with friends as it's the sort of thing that would stop those friends playing against you. I liked to set up the table so whoever I was playing had a fair show of winning if they were skilled enough.
I'd just set up the table when there was an intrusion.
"Can we play?"
Turning I found Trudy and Samantha standing there. They were the two friends that Marie had visiting. Both girls were eighteen, not bad looking, with nice figures, figures that were currently being shown off in tights or yoga pants (damned if I know the difference) and short crop tops.
"Where's Marie," I asked, "and why aren't you with her?"
"Um, she had to run down the street for a moment," said Trudy. "We thought we weren't required for that little excursion. She should be back soon."
Both girls giggled and I caught on to what was going on.
"Martin?" I asked and the girls nodded.
"This is when he takes his break and Marie thought she'd go and say hullo."
That meant she'd be gone for around an hour so the girls had come to torment me.
"Feel free to play," I told them. "Do you want to play each other or play against me?"
"We'll pair up against you," Trudy said, with Samantha nodding in agreement.
"I'll break," I told them, and promptly slammed the cue ball against the pack, sending balls in all directions. Nothing dropped so I stepped back to let the girls have a shot.
It was, ah, educational to what a teenaged girl bend over the table while clad in tights. A really excellent view was on display. After a few shots I decided it was just as much fun when I was at the other end of the table, watching as one or the other bent forward, showing some interesting cleavage. Not that I was noticeably staring at the girls. It was just that they seemed to be constantly in my peripheral vision.
I played carefully, certain shots missing being potted, apparently by a bit of bad luck, leaving the occasional sitter for the girls. I also noticed that Tracy did the same a couple of times when they seemed to be getting a bit far ahead.
I was being taken for a sucker, I decided. Both girls were quite good and deliberately flubbing some shots, allowing me to retake the lead. I finished up winning quite nicely but it didn't discourage the girls at all.
"Another game?" suggested Trudy.
"Why not? Your break."
"Um, why don't we make it a little more interesting with a small wager?"
"Not happening. I'm a better player than the pair of you and I don't want to take your money. If you're anything like Marie you're probably perpetually broke."
There were indignant protests that I was not better than them and they'd wipe the table with me. Two rounds, they said, one against each of them so they could show me where I stood in the rankings. They were also quite insistent that we should lay some money down.
"How much money are we talking?"
"Oh, nothing major," said Tracy airily. "What say we say a dollar for each point the winner is ahead of the loser?"
In a close match that was nothing but if someone ran the table that could be nearly a hundred dollars. Not happening, I decided.
"Ok, but we'll cap the amount the loser has to pay at fifty dollars. Just in case one of us gets a lucky streak."
The girls looked at each other then back at me and nodded.
"That's fine," Tracy said, sounding so very innocent.
"And there's one other minor detail. Like I said, I don't want to take your money from you so you can redeem your loss by shedding an item of clothing for each ten dollars you owe me."
Tracy started giggling.
"Ok," she said between giggles, "but don't expect the shedding of clothes to apply to you. We'll take the cash."
"That's fair enough. Samantha, you're up first and I'll let you break."
My, my, my. Samantha suddenly showed an unexpected talent with a cue and played a very good game. Just not good enough as I led her on and made sure to win by nine points.
"That will be nine dollars you owe me. Do you want to settle up now or wait until I've beaten Tracy?"
