Bertie had once told her over dinner that no food drew him back to a specific time and place like two-dollar student discount pizza. While he’d never admitted it, Rachel knew from the occasional stain on his clothes that he indulged in that nostalgia perhaps a little more than he should.

But she’d never gone to university, and the two-dollar slice he remembered from his school days now went for three-fifty. The only time and place Rachel could see herself connecting to was in bed and in middle of the coming night, when she would rocked awake by indigestion.

Her guest was late.

Rachel sucked back the rest of her slice, the cooling cheese still sticking to her chin. She hadn’t chosen this rendezvous, and she’d been worried from the start of being identified as an outsider and escorted out by security.

Relax, she’d been told, the Student Centre gets visitors all the time, and besides – you could pass for a student easily! (Winking emoji). She appreciated the compliment, but it didn’t pass scrutiny. Rachel would be thirty-eight in a month, and as kind as nature and Clariol had been to her, she still felt her age.

A handsome young athlete passed her table, wearing only a light shirt and shorts despite the weather. A bit of fall chill wasn’t excuse enough to cover the muscles he was clearly proud of. Running his tongue over his teeth, the athlete winked at her.

Even ten years ago, she might have been flattered by the attention. Maybe even entertained the thought of what might be under those shorts, or how he might look down at her with those hopeful, puppy-dog eyes, reaching out with clumsy hands…

... That felt like it was so long ago.

Rachel glanced back to her phone. No new calls, no texts. She was beginning to think she’d been stood up until she heard a familiar voice in her periphery.

“Yeah, I’ll have a venti latte half-caf, no whip, oat milk…”

She didn’t recognize the order, but the entitled tone in which it was made was unmistakable. Pretending not to have heard, Rachel kept her focus on the screen in front of her.

Her scent was the first thing Rachel noticed. Strawberries and fresh dew – she’d showered just before coming here. The last time Rachel had seen her, she’d worn her hair loose – now, with it damp and tied back, she would have been hard-pressed to recognize the young woman behind her sunglasses and puffy coat.

“I’m so sorry, I had to rush from the gym to get here. I hope you haven’t been waiting long?”

“Hello, Mika. Pull up a chair, please.”

The girl did as she was told, though not without visible hesitation. Rachel didn’t blame her – they’d met in person only the once before, at the house of one of Bertie’s friends, and Rachel hadn’t come away from the experience with a good impression.

For her part, she’d certainly made an impression on Mika. With the flat of her hand, and for several agonizing minutes.

It had been a massive surprise, then, when the girl had texted her out of the blue asking if she wanted to meet.

“You found this place alright?”

“It’s in the middle of campus, Mika.” She drew into her coat, the residual warmth from her meal already fading. “Mind telling me what I’m doing here?”

Mika looked disappointed, if only for a moment. Swirling her drink around in its paper cup, she continued, “I just wanted to talk. Most of Daddy’s friends are guys his age. I don’t know any other girls in the scene.”

Considering that Jeff – Mika’s ‘Daddy-dom’ – was retired, that was a considerable age gap from their social circle. Given that fact, Mika’s behaviour at Jeff’s barbeque began to make sense; if she was being treated like a child, she might well as act like one.

“That’s fair. Actually,” Rachel took a breath, “It’s good that you reached out. I wanted to apologize for how I treated you before...”

Mika chuckled. “Oh, that? I acted up and I got punished for it. You weren’t the one I was expecting to get a spanking from, but it’s done and I really hope we’re cool now.”

She took a sip from her drink.

“Rachel? You look like you went offline for a second there.”

Rachel blinked. “It’s just… I’m not used to talking about that in public.”

“Why not? Girl, nobody’s listening. Most of them are on their phones. We can talk about whatever the fuck we feel like.”

A few ears perked up around them at the mention of ‘fuck’, but their attention soon wavered. Rachel found it harder to focus her own thoughts.

“What I’m trying to say is that I shouldn’t have presumed to… discipline you like that. I’m not judging what you have with Jeff,” she added quickly, “I mean, I had that kind of relationship with an older man once.”

“Yeah, isn’t it awesome?”

“What?”

“Look, I’m not going to deny that money isn’t a part of it,” said Mika, “But that’s just icing on the cake. You know why so many of Daddy’s friends are older guys? Because older guys aren’t wandering around trying to figure themselves out. What twenty-one-year-old boy can say that? And here’s the other thing. I’m hot, right?”

Rachel wasn’t sure how to answer the question. “Yes?”

“Now, I’ve known I’m into some kinky stuff since before I started uni. Is it fair to expect me to wait until I’m old myself to find, you know, like-minded people? People who would have wanted me even more while I’m still young and hot?”

“You don’t think you’re being taken advantage of? Sure, you’re covered financially, but what does Jeff expect of you in return?”

Mika’s eyebrows narrowed behind her sunglasses, and Rachel considered too late that she’d insulted the younger woman. To her surprise, Mika took her gently by the hand.

“Rachel. Honey. Your ex was controlling, right? Withholding? Maybe he made you do some things you didn’t want to do, but it was that or live on the street?”

Rachel didn’t have an answer. As moisture gathered at the corner of her eyes, she nodded.

“I’m sorry you went through that. But my Daddy is not your ex. I haven’t been tricked or coerced, and I’m not under any illusion this is going to be a lasting thing. Besides,” she continued with a wink, “My Daddy doesn’t mind sharing.”

“You mean like an open relationship?” Rachel whispered.

“I mean you were there when I was trying to pick up your boyfriend. And that’s my bad, I assumed when Daddy invited you over that you and Bertie did the same. I’ll say it again, I absolutely deserved the spanking you gave me.”

Two nearby co-eds put down their phones, trying to look inconspicuous.

“I’m curious, though,” Mika continued, “How does it work with you two? How do you decide who’s on top?”

Rachel glared at the eavesdroppers, who guiltily returned to their devices. “It’s not like that. One of us will feel the need for whatever reason, and we just… let the other person know.”

“Uh-huh. And how do you do that, wait on the bed with your pants down and tell him that you’ve been a bad girl?”

Rachel’s sudden beet-red complexion told her all she needed to know.

“No!”

“I only tried that once, and it didn’t work. He knew something else was up, so we sat down and discussed the situation like adults.”

“And then…”

“And then he spanked me.” Rachel saw the co-eds turn their attention back toward herself and Mika, but this time resolved to ignore them. “Satisfied?”

“I’m not laughing, I swear,” Mika said without much conviction. “Daddy and I use a system sometimes as well. I’m going over to his place tomorrow, let me show you.”

She reached into her coat, and Rachel saw just for the moment the outline of her sports bra – Mika must be awfully chilly. She withdrew her phone, tapped out a quick message and showed it to Rachel.

“’Waving hand – peach – heart – question mark’?”

“Read between the lines, Rachel. I’m asking him if he’s going to spank me when I come over.”

The phone pinged.

“’Thumbs up,’” Rachel read. The phone pinged again. “And a clock?”

Mika grumbled, “Corner time. I should have been more careful what I asked for.”

“Sorry.” Rachel decided to change the topic. “You still haven’t told me why you asked me to come out here today.”

Mika gulped down the rest of her latte in place of a response. Finally, she said, “I think it’s too soon to bring this up.”

“What, are you shy now?”

“No, it’s just… we’re just starting to connect, you know? It’s too soon…” Rachel fixed her gaze on the sputtering young woman. Her mother had called it kokomati, and it was an ability that Rachel had honed over the years. Bertie knew it all too well, and it wasn’t the first time she’d trained it on Mika. She’d just used it on the nosy students at the next table over.

Mika broke. “I was going to ask if Bertie would be cool with us hooking up.”

“You’re still trying to get in my boyfriend’s pants? Are you out of your mind?”

“Not your boyfriend. You.”

The couple at the table beside them chose this moment to make themselves scarce. Their steel patio chairs scraped the ground as they took their books and left. Several of the occupants of the other tables were watching them now, and Rachel had to remind herself that she was ignoring them - especially after Mika’s revelation.

“Why?”

“Well… I’m bi. And you’re bi, right?”

“How do you know?” asked Rachel, but she already had a suspicion. Clearly she was going to have to have a talk with Bertie about what information he shared with his friends online. It might even have to be a ‘talk’.

Mika sidestepped the question. “See, I was right. It’s too soon.”

“Even if it wasn’t, look where we are. There’s got to be a pretty girl exploring her sexuality on the floor of every dorm.” Rachel had even made out with such a student when she’d been a DJ at the university bar. “Why me?”

“Why not? Besides, you’ve already seen me naked.”

Which wasn’t exactly true, but close enough. A girl with her pants around her ankles doesn’t keep a lot of secrets, and Rachel would have happily reminded her of that had Mika not just then leaned over the table into Rachel’s face.

“I’m going to shoot my shot anyway. You want to come up to my dorm tonight and fool around? I’d give you until tomorrow, but it looks like I’m going to be busy getting my cute little butt smacked.”

Rachel blushed to the roots of her hair. Mika’s youth and recklessness were wearing at her patience, but it was hard to stay mad at the girl who reminded her, not so much of herself at that age, but the person she wished she had been.

And if Rachel was being honest, there was something incredibly hot about Mika’s forwardness. She could see how Bertie could find the little brat so alluring…

Then something clicked.

“This is your thing, isn’t it? It isn’t enough that you're kinky, you want an audience for it.” Mika opened her mouth to retort, but Rachel continued, “You don’t even really like girls, do you – you just want another sexy story to tell your Daddy.”

That raised Mika’s hackles. “Are you calling me a fake?”

“Convince me. Go on, just a little kiss on the cheek.”

To her credit, Mika didn’t hesitate. She closed her eyes and leaned forward – and at the last second, Rachel turned her head. Their lips met, and for a moment Rachel was overwhelmed by a wash of fresh fruit and conditioner.

The crowd that had politely ignored them up until this point went suddenly quiet, until a round of clapping began and some overeager observer shouted, “Love is love!”

And then the moment ended, and they broke apart.

“Uh,” muttered Rachel, “Too much tongue.”

“What do you mean, too much tongue? You’re the one who tastes like cheap pizza!”

“Didn’t you want to know what I tasted like?”

Mika actually lowered her glasses, her face frozen in a mask of I can’t believe she just said that. After a moment, of shocked silence, she laughed. Well, giggled, anyway, with a snort or two thrown in there for good measure.

“Look, I like being propositioned in the middle of the school cafeteria as much as the next girl,” Rachel continued, “but I’ll pass this time.”

“Just this time?”

Rachel smirked. “We’ll see.”

She checked her phone – the next bus to the mainline would be leaving in five minutes, and if she missed that one she’d be late for work. She rose from the table.

“Seriously, though – if it doesn’t work out with you and Jeff, come talk to me. No judgment. As a friend.”

For the second time, Mika was taken aback. She blushed behind her sunglasses.

“Thanks.”

And then…

“Hey, do you want me to send you a pic of my butt when Daddy’s done with me?”

Rachel rolled her eyes and walked off toward the bus stop. This had been a fulfilling afternoon, she decided. Her opinion of Mika hadn’t changed much – as far as she was concerned, the girl was still irritatingly self-centred and overconfident. She had no chill and no filter, and she did have an awful laugh.

She was, Rachel hated to admit it, somebody she could relate to.

But she was still going to enjoy seeing Mika get her cute little butt smacked again.