Six Weeks Later

Lin Ming could hardly believe it was almost time.

Over a month had gone by since she made up her mind to join Dr. Harwood’s expedition to the Amazon rainforest. Six slow, agonizing weeks that seemed to drag on forever. Lin Ming did her best to make good use of those weeks. In addition to her regular classes, she used every spare moment she got to meticulously prepare for her upcoming adventure. Now, the night before she was due to leave, she was double-checking everything one last time.

Lin glanced at the sheet of paper in her hand, then at the traveling pack sitting at the foot of her bed. Inside that pack was everything she’d need for the trip: her clothes, her gear, her tent, her sleeping bag, her clothes, and all the other items on Harwood’s list. She stored each one in plastic baggies to keep them from getting wet, and even went so far as to push the air out of the bags before zipping them up to save more room. Jacob told her that trick back at the sporting goods store.

Lin unpacked it all, arranging each bag neatly on her bed so she could go down the list, line by line, and make absolutely sure she wasn’t missing anything. Her adorable face bunched up in concentration.

Granola bars and trail mix. Check.

One folding knife. Check.

Two 6-foot lengths of nylon rope. Check.

Hiking boots. Check.

Condoms. Lin’s face grew hot. Check.

Toiletries. Check.

Water bottles, purification tablets, and water flavoring. Check.

Plane ticket, boarding pass and passport. Check.

Poncho. Raincoat. Batteries. Flashlight.

Check. Check. Check. Check.

On it went, over and over. Lin checked and double-checked and triple-checked everything, then checked yet again. There must be something she forgot to take, some small detail she overlooked.

But no. No matter how many times she went over the list, she found and checked off every item on it. Lin was ready to go, from a logistical standpoint at least.

It was still difficult for her to wrap her brain around the fact that this was really happening, that this was real, that she was actually going through with it. The sheer audacity of what she was doing, the outright rebellion against so many of her father’s edicts...it both terrified and thrilled her. Terrified, because she knew what the consequences would be if her father found out. Thrilled, because for the first time in her life, Lin Ming felt like she was taking control. Her father did not make this decision. His wishes did not factor into the choice Lin Ming made. She was going because she decided to.

Every time she thought about it, she felt a quiet sense of exhilaration. Was this what freedom felt like? Was this what it was like to be an adult?

That gave her a moment’s pause. Turning to stand before the mirror in the dorm she shared with Dana, Lin Ming bit her lip and hesitantly removed her clothes. As she studied her naked reflection, she frowned. She didn’t look like an adult. With her petite figure, small A-cup breasts and heart-shaped face, she could have passed for high school freshman. She still didn’t understand why so many of the male students on campus seemed interested in her. It made no sense at all. Compared to Bonnie or Krupa or Aisha, she really didn’t think her looks were anything special. Those other girls were blessed ample bosoms and luscious curves. Compared to them, she surely looked like a stick. I appear more like a child than a woman. Surely, no Aiwaha man will pay any attention to me.

The thought shocked her as soon as it crossed her mind. Lin Ming squeaked and shook her head vigorously. Her face burned a fiery shade of scarlet. What am I even thinking? It will be difficult enough to adjust to being naked all the time! I must focus on that, and nothing more.

She wasn’t going to the Amazon to get laid, and she certainly wasn’t going there to be swept off her feet. She was going because she wanted to have an adventure. Those were two very different things, she told herself firmly.

Lin Ming finished putting her clothes back on just as Dana walked in the door. “Hey, Lin. What are you doing up so late? Tomorrow’s the big day.”

“Yes, it is. I was just...making sure I have not forgotten anything.”

Dana snorted. “Lin, you’ve been double-checking this crap for days. If you forgot anything, you’d have realized it by now. Chill.”

“Yet even so, it--it gives me a way to, um...” Unable to finish the sentence, she looked away, embarrassed.

“It gives you a way to take your mind off the stress you’re feeling,” Dana finished. Lin wasn’t surprised her friend was able to figure it out so quickly. Dana was always able to read her like a book.

She looked down at her shoes. “Yes. I know it is late and I should try and rest, for I will need all my strength for what is to come, but I know I will not sleep. My mind is filled with thoughts that dart about like birds.”

“Mm-hm.” Dana cocked her head. “Are there any particular thoughts troubling you?”

The question almost made Lin Ming laugh out loud, though of course that was unacceptable. Women were supposed to be meek, quiet and demure. She learned to suppress such emotional outbursts long ago. Her father, and his trusty belt, saw to that. “I...I...”

She took a deep breath, fighting against a growing sense of helplessness. “I will be naked among strange, foreign men,” Lin finally admitted. Her voice was little more than a whisper. “I knew that when I decided to go, but for some reason, it did not concern me as much as it does now. Perhaps it is because there was so much to do in order to prepare for the journey, I did not have a lot of time to worry about it. But now, there is nothing to occupy my mind, and...and...”

She took a shuddering breath. Her whole body started to tremble. “It is so frightening, knowing that so many men will be able to look upon my body. I do not know what they will think or how they will react. I know little enough of American men. Of the Aiwaha, I know only what Harwood has told us.”

Dana considered her response for a moment before replying. “Well,” she finally said, “let me ask you, Lin: how do you want them to react?”

Lin blinked. “Wh-what?”

“You just said you don’t know how they’ll react. How do you want them to react to the sight of you?”

The question made Lin’s head spin. I never even thought about that before. “I...I do not know.”

“Do you want them to touch you? Do you want to touch them?”

Lin’s cheeks heated up all over again. “N-no! O-of course not, Dana!”

“You don’t sound very certain.”

“I am!”

Dana folded her arms over her breasts and gave her roommate a skeptical look.

“I am!” Lin Ming insisted.

“Sure you are.” Dana’s tone made it clear she wasn’t convinced, but she didn’t press the subject further. Instead, she waited for her friend to continue.

“I...” Lin Ming blew out a breath and finally admitted it. Her words grew very quiet and soft. “I do not look feminine, Dana. Not compared to Krupa or Bonnie or the other girls I will be traveling with. I am...well, look at me.” She gestured at herself, misery on her face. “Even if I wished to be with one of the Aiwaha, they would not choose my company over that of the others, not when they have so much...more to offer.”

Her confession clearly took the older girl by surprise. “Lin...I love ya to death, but sometimes you’re just completely oblivious,” Dana said. “Let me let you in on a little secret: not all guys have the same taste. Some guys like big boobs, like Bonnie has, but a lot of guys like their women on the smaller side. Makes ’em feel...I dunno, dominant or something. Lin, every time you walk out that door to go to class you wind up with hangers-on trying desperately to get your attention. Guys on campus would murder each other for a chance with you. I keep telling you you’re beautiful because it’s true. Yeah, you’re petite, but so what? There’s more than one kind of beauty, and besides that, consider what else you’ve got to offer. Bonnie is often abrasive and blunt to the point where she makes a lot of people uncomfortable. You, though? You’re so sweet and kind to everyone, and the fact that you’re shy only heightens your appeal. A lot of guys love that shit. They can’t get enough of it. That’s why they’re so drawn to you even though you’ve never so much as kissed one before. If you really wanted to be with one, all you’d have to do was snap your fingers.”

“You really think so?”

“I’m not in the habit of lying to my friends, so yeah. I think so.” Dana gave a knowing smirk. “I dunno if you’ve noticed but my boobs aren’t the biggest, either. I’m a C-cup--not too small, but certainly not the biggest either. You think my boyfriend cares? He can barely keep his hands off me.”

“Do you care for him?” Lin asked. Dana had been going out with her current boyfriend for some time now, and Lin never got the chance to meet him. She wondered what sort of man her roommate was attracted to.

Dana tapped her chin. “Yeah. Yeah, I do. Sometimes he’s an asshole, but he treats me right and he’s fucking amazing in bed. Definitely an upgrade over the jackass I was going out with before. So yeah. I care for the guy. I’m not sure if he’s, like, marriage material or anything, but he’s fun to hang out with.”

“I hope he continues to make you feel that way,” Lin said earnestly. “You deserve to be happy, Dana.” Her eyes stung with sudden tears. “I will miss you very much. Thank you for everything!”

Unable to help herself, she ran to Dana and gave her a tight hug. Dana immediately returned it with a surprised laugh.

“I’ll miss you too, Lin. It’s going to be rough without you around! I just wish I could go too, so I could look after you.”

“I wish you could go as well,” Lin sniffled. “You have been such a good friend, and I will always be grateful for that. I would never have found the courage to do this were it not for you.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, Lin.” Dana replied, her voice gentle but firm. “The courage was always there, deep down. I just...helped you remember you had it. Have lots of fun on your big adventure, okay? And make sure to give me all the dirty details when you get back!”

“I promise,” Lin swore. “I will leave nothing out, and I have already purchased a small notebook so I may record as many details as possible.”

“Atta girl,” Dana laughed. Then her face grew somber. “You sure you don’t need a ride to the airport? I know your flight leaves super-early, but I could--”

Lin shook her head. “No, but thank you. Harwood has already seen to our transportation. A shuttle will pick us up and take us there.”

“Then...” Now it was Dana’s turn to get misty-eyed. “I guess this is goodbye for now.”

"Not yet. Not until tomorrow," Lin pointed out with a rare, shy smile. "May we...may we watch a movie together, one last time before I go?"

Dana grinned. "Of course we can! That's a great idea, Lin. Nothing like a movie night as a final send-off! Hand my cell-phone, would you? We're ordering pizza."

Elsewhere on campus, some of Lin’s classmates were less emotional about their impending departure. Krupa, for example, took it all in stride. All her stuff was ready to go, but unlike Lin she felt no need to keep going over it again and again. She double-checked her list only once, then invited her friend-with-benefits Alex over to spend the night. He arrived quickly and the two of them wasted no time taking their clothes. Without exchanging any words at all, Alex lay on his back and Krupa clambered on top of him, aligning his dick at her entrance and sinking down onto it. She moaned, fondling her dark-nippled breast as she began bouncing up and down on his manhood.

“Oh, God,” she mewled, rolling her hips to take him deeper inside her. “Oh, god, that feels so good! Just like that, baby! Yes, yes, yes!”

“N-nice to see you too,” Alex grunted. “Fuck, Krupa, I’m gonna miss this! You feel so fucking good!”

“So do you!” Krupa said breathlessly. “I can feel your cock against my cervix, it’s hitting my G-spot every time you thrust! You’re fucking incredible! Fuck, fuck, FUCK!”

Her pussy spasmed and she gave a harsh, half-strangled cry as pleasure washed over. Krupa’s vagina muscles clamped down on around his cock, driving him wild with desire and eagerness to reach his own orgasm. His shaft became coated with her feminine juices, but Alex offered her no respite. He kept fucking her, maintaining the steady rhythm they’d established.

Krupa was in heaven and fondness for her friend made her heart swell. Even as she continued to ride him, she leaned in close and pressed her lips to his. Alex eagerly returned the kiss. They weren’t romantically involved and never would be, but kissing was still a great way to show the affection they shared. Krupa let her eyes roll back in their sockets, feeling pleasure building within her.

There’s nothing like this feeling, she mused, breaking the kiss and pulling away. Knowing it’s coming, anticipating it...oh, God...

Alex was nearing the precipice too, she could tell. His grip on her body was growing tighter, his fingers digging into her flesh. Krupa winced, but the pain wasn’t too bad.

“Just like that!” she panted, her boobs bouncing each time she rose up and down on his cock. “Just like that, baby. I’m almost there! I’m almost there! Oh, God, Alex, I’m gonna cum! I’m gonna cum! FUUUUUUCK!”

Stars exploded in Krupa’s vision and she cried out, unable to help the sound that emerged from between her luscious lips. She cried out his name as her gorgeous body spasmed and twitched on top of him. “Alex!”

His only response was to thrust upward, burying his cock as far inside her as possible before letting loose with a burst after burst of hot, sticky cum. Krupa exulted in the feeling of the warmth gushing into her womb. That hot, sticky feeling inside me...I love it, she thought, panting. I can’t get enough of it...

She let herself fall onto Alex’s chest, resting her head just below his chin. The two fuck-buddies lay there for several minutes as they fought for breath.

“I’m...gonna miss you,” Alex said, when he finally regained the ability to speak. It wasn’t the first time he’d said that to her, and as always, the sentiment was appreciated.

“Me too,” she said, with an innocent-sounding giggle. “Just make sure to use a condom if you fuck any other girls while I’m away. I’m on the pill, but someone else might not be.”

Alex rolled his eyes. “I’m not stupid, Krupa.”

“Of course not,” she said, laying a trail of kisses along his collarbone. “You’re a great guy and a good friend. I’ll be sorry when you start dating someone.”

“Me too, a little. I almost wish we were dating, sometimes, but like you said when we first started doing this, we’re not compatible that way.”

Krupa nodded. “I’m glad we’re on the same page on that. It’d be really awkward if we started to fall for each other. I’d hate to break your heart.”

“At least you’ve got one,” Alex replied.

Krupa laughed wryly. “Why, thank you for noticing! I’m glad it’s so easy to tell.” She glanced at the clock by her bedside. “Hey, is it okay if we call it a night? I know it’s still kind of early, but I’d like to do one last stream before I leave tomorrow.”

Alex gave a reluctant sigh. “Yeah, I guess. I was really hoping for one more round, though.”

“Awwww, you poor thing,” Krupa cooed teasingly. “You do care.” She pretended to look thoughtful for a moment. “It would be a shame, though, if such a great cock went un-used while I’m away, so I’ll do you a solid.” She reached for her phone and fired off a quick text message. A heartbeat later, Alex’s phone dinged. “I just sent you the number of a friend of mine. She’s not seeing anyone right now and she hasn’t had a good lay in weeks. Text her and tell her I sent you. She’ll be happy to oblige.”

“Wow, thanks!” Alex picked up his phone eagerly. “Really appreciate that, Krupa. Seriously.”

She gave him a playful shove. “What are friends for? Now go ahead and get dressed, okay?”

He did. There were no heartfelt words exchanged or long goodbyes. Alex just put his clothes on, smiled at her, and walked out. Krupa smiled fondly at his retreating back as he closed the door, then turned her attention back to the matter at hand.

A few minutes was all it took for her to start streaming, and within moments, hundreds of her followers were watching. Krupa grinned and waved at them all. “Hey, peeps! It’s your girl Krupa here with a very special livestream for you all. I know it’s sudden, but there’s some stuff I wanna go over with you guys so you know what’s going on. First, the bad news: I’m not gonna be able to stream for a while.” She paused to scan the messages that came flooding into the live chat. “I know, I’ll miss you guys too! But I promise, when I get back I’ll tell you guys all about it.”

This was followed by a flood of questions. More than a few of them sounded alarmed. Many of them were asking the same thing. “Where am I going?” Krupa asked, repeating the query. "Well... this is gonna sound crazy, but I’m headed into the Amazon rainforest! I know, I know it sounds sudden, but trust me, this has been in the works for a few weeks now and I’ve done a lot to prepare. I’m going as part of one of the classes I’m taking.”

She paused again, letting more questions come in.

“I’d honestly love to tell you more about it, but the prof made us sign an NDA so I can’t get into the specifics. What I can tell you, though, is this: I won’t be going alone, and when I get to where I’m going it’s gonna be a hell of a lot of fun. Dr. Harwood is really tight with one of the indigenous tribes down there, so we’re going to spend an entire semester living with them and learning all about their culture. I’m really excited!”

She read another question, but this time Krupa shook her head regretfully. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you which tribe it is, or where they’re located. Sorry about that. But I will be recording some stuff when I get there, and I’ll post my vlogs here on my channel when I get back! Some of them will probably be a little...spicy.” She winked. “I fly out tomorrow and I’ll keep you guys informed every step of the way for as long as I’ve got a connection. Updates will be posted to my Twitter feed, so give me a follow if you haven’t already! See ya!”

Krupa switched the feed off and flopped back with a sigh. This was going to be so much fun!

Elsewhere, each of the other students in Dr. Harwood’s class prepared for the start of their adventure in their own way. Bonnie held a goodbye fuck-fest, posting on her social media that her door was unlocked and any guy who want to come in and fuck her could do so. She was bent over her desk chair, stark naked, facing away from the door. Not knowing the names or faces of all the guys who came in to use her was part of the fun, though she was able to recognize a few of her favorite fuck-buddies from the feel of their cocks. She remained in that position for most of the night, lost in a haze of pleasure and sex that continued long into the early hours of the morning.

Even for someone like Bonnie, a grizzled veteran of innumerable dickings, it tested her endurance to be fucked so many times in a row. Her pussy was red, swollen and sore from overuse, and cum dangled from it in thick, heavy, viscous strands. More of it spilled out of her, slopping onto the floor with audible plopping noises and making a growing puddle between her legs. She finally fell asleep somewhere around one-thirty in the morning, but she was so tired she forgot to lock her door and update her posts to let people know her cunt was no longer available. As a result, she was woken several times when some guy or other came in and started fucking her while she slept. Bonnie didn’t mind--she was too tired to say anything, and it was still sex, so she just rolled with it. Ultimately, she got very little rest.

Aisha and her new husband Jeremy spent the night together, practically glued together in the way all newlyweds ought to be. Jeremy fucked his woman like the world was ending, and Aisha absolutely loved it. The feeling of his cum blasting into her womb was amazing, but it was even better because it was Jeremy doing it. She couldn’t believe how quickly and how much this handsome, commanding man transformed her life since they first met, but she’d never been happier.

She watched him pull out of her, felt his seed flowing out of her pussy in a small river. “I can’t wait to get pregnant with our first,” she said breathlessly, reaching up to cup his face with her hand. “I love you, Jeremy.”

Jeremy didn’t say the words back, but he didn’t need to. Aisha knew he felt the same. “I hope it’s a boy,” he said gruffly.

“And if it’s a girl?” Aisha asked teasingly.

“I’ll be happy with that too, obviously. But a son...I really want a son, Aisha.” He paused, as if considering his next words carefully, debating whether or not to share them. “My dad was a fucking loser. He ran out on me and my mom the moment he found out she was pregnant. I want a son so I can be the kind of dad I never got to have.”

Aisha was surprised and touched that he was sharing this with her. Jeremy was a very private person, not given to taking others into his confidence. She was honored that he trusted her enough to share such a private and painful part of his past with her.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “Is...where is your mother now?”

“Dead.” His voice was flat. “Been dead for years.”

“I will absolutely give you a son,” Aisha promised him. “I don’t care how many tries it takes. You will have one and I am honored to bear him for you.”

“Thanks.” He looked away. Even in the dim light of the bedside lamp she could see him flushing. “Now roll the fuck over, dammit. I wanna do you on your belly again.”

She did. Eagerly.

Gabby was the only girl in Harwood’s class, aside from Lin Ming, who didn’t spend her last night before the trip in bed with someone else. It was tempting, but she was far more curious to have sex with one of the Aiwaha. She thought of them like distant relatives, since she herself could trace her ancestry back to the ancient Mayans. She wondered, as she did her regular pre-sleep workout, if the Mayans and the Aiwaha ever met. Perhaps the storyteller Harwood mentioned, the old woman Kura, would know. Gabby looked forward to asking.

Isaiah, Brian and Richard spent the night playing cards until they were both too tired to stay awake any longer. Both of them went to bed filled with excitement, eager and hopeful that some beautiful Aiwaha woman might take an interest in them.

They would soon find out. Tomorrow, the adventure would finally begin.

Lin was up before the sun rose the following morning. The flight to Bolivia left early, and Harwood had stressed over and over how important it was to be at the pick-up spot on time. “If you’re not on time, we will have to leave without you,” the professor had said, and Lin had no intention of being left behind. She rose, took a very quick shower, and dressed as quietly as she could to avoid waking her still-sleeping roommate. Then she gathered up her luggage and headed for the door. Lin gave Dana a final, fond look before she shut it carefully behind her.

The pre-dawn air was chilly and there was a slight wind blowing. Lin, in her denim shorts and black short-sleeve shirt, shivered as it gusted over her. Her skin broke out in goosebumps. Lin considered digging through her things to find the windbreaker she’d packed, but decided against it. All it would do was make a mess and upset the delicate order in which she’d organized everything.

She stood there, alone and trembling in the cold, for the better part of fifteen minutes before the other students in her class began to arrive. Bonnie came first, looking drowsy with bags under her eyes. She didn’t look like she’d slept well at all. Krupa arrived next, and unlike the busty blonde Bonnie, she looked rested and eager to begin the trip. Brian and Richard, ever the study in visual opposites, arrived not long after that. Brian was carrying a large suitcase over each shoulder as though they weighed nothing. Isaiah was next, followed by Gabby who was clutching a thermos of coffee in one hand. Bonnie gazed at it enviously, but Gabby either didn’t notice or didn’t care. Her arrival was closely followed by Aisha and a young man Lin didn’t recognize. That must be Jeremy, she thought. He was almost as tall and powerfully built as Brian, but where Brian was gentle, Jeremy looked stern and brooding, even a little frightening.

He does not seem very nice, Lin concluded. But Aisha seemed happy enough and Lin supposed that was all that mattered. In fact, Aisha seemed almost comically eager to please her man. She trailed behind him like an enthusiastic puppy, her dark hair still half-damp from the shower. Jeremy’s hand was firmly clasped around hers.

“Is this everyone?” he asked curtly.

Aisha nodded. “Almost. The only person who hasn’t shown up yet is Dr. Harwood. Otherwise, yeah, this is everyone.”

Jeremy grunted. “Thought there’d be more.”

Richard pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Harwood planned for more, but many of them walked out when she told us what her class entailed.”

“Bunch of pussies.” Jeremy’s lip curled. “I’m kind of surprised you didn’t go with them.”

Richard bristled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means whatever you think it means, nerd.”

“Jeremy. Sweetie.” Aisha kept her tone quiet. “Please try to get along with everyone. Can you do that for me, baby?”

“...Fine.”

Aisha turned to Richard with a sheepish grin. “Please don’t hold it against him. Jeremy can be...blunt, at times.”

“If by blunt you mean an asshole,” Richard shot back waspishly.

Krupa, sensing the tension growing between the two males, took it upon herself to change the topic. “Wonder what’s taking Harwood so long? The shuttle to the airport will be here soon.”

“I’m sure there’s a good explanation,” Gabby said. “Harwood never does anything without a reason.” She turned to Lin. “What about you, Lin Ming? You excited?”

Lin nodded, a little jerkily. “Yes. I--I am. I will not deny I am still very nervous, but...I feel excitement as well.” Whether the excitement was about the trip itself or about the idea of living amongst a people with few if any sexual inhibitions was another question entirely, and one she didn’t know the answer to.

Thankfully, Harwood’s arrival rescued her from having to think about it any further. The professor was wearing clothes that were comfortable to travel in: set of blue jeans that showed off her slender legs and a crisp white blouse. She was all smiles as she approached the group, tugging her luggage behind her.

“Good morning! How are we all?”

Everyone responded with some variation of “good” or “doing okay,” save for Bonnie who looked too tired to speak.

“Glad to hear it.” Harwood nodded at a large white minivan turning into the parking lot. “AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION” was painted on its sides in big, blocky letters. “That will be our ride to the airport, right on schedule. Excellent!”

“I hope we can get something to eat once we get through security,” Gabby said, once they’d loaded their luggage into the van and piled into their seats. The driver, not a very talkative sort, said little as he pulled out and into the street.

“Me too.” Bonnie spoke for the first time, her speech a little slurred.

Lin nodded agreement. Breakfast sounded quite nice. “I am sure we will find time to eat before we have to board our flight,” she said.

“I hope so,” grumbled Bonnie. “I need food and I need a fuck. Not necessarily in that order.”

“Tell me about it,” Jeremy said, with a sidelong glance at Aisha.

That got a round of chuckles from everyone, including Harwood. Aisha squirmed with embarrassment, but seemed to take Jeremy’s bluntness in stride.

“Let’s just hope no one’s packed anything that’ll get us detained,” she said. “Hope you didn’t bring any guns, Isaiah.”

Isaiah narrowed his eyes. “Why? ’Cause I’m from Texas? Fuck you.”

“You wish,” Jeremy said. “The only one who fucks Aisha is me.” He fixed Isaiah with a flat, menacing stare. Isaiah flinched a little and visibly backed down. It reminded Lin of a documentary she’d once watched with Dana about wolves, in which a pack member yielded to the will of its alpha.

“Jeremy!” Aisha squealed, to a renewed chorus of laughter.

“What?” He seemed genuinely puzzled. “It’s true.”

Aisha rolled her eyes. “Men.”

The ride to the airport took a little less than hour, owing to the morning traffic that was already beginning to worsen. It was only Lin’s second time visiting one, and this one was much larger than the one she’d flown out of back in her home country. She couldn’t help gawking a little at the size of it, at how many different airlines were serviced at it. She didn’t have a lot of time to stare, though. Once the shuttle pulled up to the curb, the group hastily unloaded their luggage and headed for the check-in kiosk.

There was already a growing line by the time they got there, to Lin’s dismay. All they could do was wait their turn. But if Harwood felt stressed about the delay, she didn’t show it.

Surely she would not allow us to miss our flight, Lin tried to tell herself. The professor plans for everything.

“Hey, Lin?”

Brian’s voice jarred her from her ruminations. Lin turned with a slight start, gazing up at him. “Y-yes?” What does he want? We have not spoken much before, not even in class.

“What seat are you in?′

Lin checked her boarding pass. “It is...seat F12 where I am sitting.”

His face split in a grin. “That’s right next to mine. Nice! At least we won’t be sitting next to strangers.”

Lin nodded, looking away. Brian seemed nice, but his size frightened her. “Y-yes. I am...sure it will be enjoyable.”

Bonnie smirked. “If there are any cute flight attendants, it’ll definitely be fun for me.”

Krupa snorted with disbelief. “Seriously? You’d do one of the flight attendants?”

“At this point, I’d do just about anyone,” Bonnie said. “I’m not used to functioning without some morning dick.”

“Try to restrain yourself,” Richard said drily, though Lin noticed his cheeks were turning pink. “The last thing we want is to miss our flight due to you being brought up on indecent exposure charges.”

Bonnie folded her arms over her ample breasts. “You always such a wiseass?”

“No,” Richard said matter-of-factly. “Sometimes I am sleeping or eating.”

“I will pay you to beat his ass, Jeremy,” Bonnie said.

Jeremy waved the offer aside. “You couldn’t afford me,” he retorted. Aisha spluttered with laughter.

The banter continued as they inched their way forward in line. It took almost twenty minutes. Lin spent most of it thinking about their destination. I wonder if I will get to see some of the brightly colored birds that live there, she thought. I hope so. They are so beautiful. I would also like to see a tropical frog, though I will do so from a safer distance since some of them are poisonous.

If I am very lucky, I hope I will see a river dolphin. I suppose I should not expect to. I read that they are very rare today.

She thought of the cheap waterproof camera she’d purchased and a small smile tugged at her lips. But if I do see one, I am prepared.

I miss Dana already.

She was still thinking about her best friend when their turn finally came. The employee behind the kiosk worked with practiced efficiency, and less than fifteen minutes later they were on their way up the escalator to the security gate.

Lin shuddered a little. This part of flying frightened her. The idea of strangers rooting through her belongings made her very uncomfortable, and many of the security personnel were unsmiling and humorous, going about their duties with grim solemnity. They frightened her.

Still...she thought, biting her lip as she tugged her shoes off and dropped them in a plastic bin. It cannot be helped. I hope this will go smoothly. Sometimes it didn’t, as Lin knew from bitter experience. She did her best to keep that memory far out of her mind.

Lin’s petite body looked almost comically small next to Brian’s as she got in line behind him, waiting for her turn to walk through the metal detector. Brian seemed to take it in stride, but when it was her turn, she couldn’t help a small whimper.

“Step out, please,” the stocky man in the TSA uniform said, beckoning to her.

Lin stiffened. “Wh-what?”

“Step out, please.” The man pointed to a small screen next to where he was standing. A green icon of a woman’s body was shown on it, with a small area highlighted yellow. “The machine picked up something. You’ll need to be searched.”

“B-but--”

“It’s okay.” Harwood said, raising her voice a little to be heard over the crowd. She was two or three spots in line behind Lin, but could see what was happening. “Just do what they ask, Lin. You’re not in trouble. I’m sure it’s a technical glitch.”

Lin squeezed her eyes shut tight but complied, stepping out of the machine, and lifting her arms and legs to be patted down. The man did so briskly. His heavy hands ran down her body, searching for anything the machine might have sensed. It took all of Lin’s self-control not to flinch.

After a few moments, he nodded. “You’re clear. Keep moving and don’t hold up the line.”

Lin was only too happy to comply. She hurried to retrieve her shoes and other belongings, then sat to wait for the rest of her party to go through. She noted with a little resentment no one else had any problems with the machine at all, but did her best to let it go.

“You were very brave,” Harwood said, after coming over to join her. “I know it must have been frightening, Lin Ming. I’m sorry.”

Lin smoothed a strand of black hair away from her face. “It is not your fault, professor.”

“I know. But someone had to say it.”

“I appreciate it,” Lin murmured, touched by her teacher’s concern. “Thank you very much.”

“Well, that was a pain in the ass,” Krupa said cheerfully. She walked over to them, followed closely by Brian, Richard and all the others. “Let’s get some breakfast now, yeah?”

“Amen to that,” Isaiah said fervently. “I could eat a horse.”

“Before or after you ride it in your cowboy hat?” Jeremy asked sardonically.

Isaiah clenched his fists. “Listen, you--”

“Jeremy.” Harwood’s voice was sharp. “Need I remind you, you are here on this trip as a guest. If you wish to continue, you will behave yourself accordingly. Stop antagonizing my students.”

Jeremy was a full foot taller than Harwood, broad-shouldered and strong. But even he backed down in the face of her authority.

“Yeah. Okay. Sorry.”

“I certainly hope you mean that.” The professor rose to her feet. “Go and get something to eat, all of you. Be back here in forty-five minutes, okay? Our gate is Gate C-14. If you get lost or need any help, text me and I will come find you.”

The imminent prospect of food put a fresh spring in Lin’s step. She rather liked American cuisine, particularly breakfast foods. Dana once took her to a place called “Cracker Barrel” where she tried eggs, sausage, and bacon the first time. Lin still remembered that magical moment when the first taste touched her tongue. How different it was from the traditional breakfast of rice, fresh fish, and boiled vegetables she always ate back home! Different, but very tasty.

The petite young woman felt her stomach growl with anticipation.

But while Lin Ming was eager to fill her stomach, Bonnie was intent on sating a different kind of hunger. She waited, like an ambush predator, for Richard and Brian to split up before marching up behind him and seizing him by the arm. Richard’s remark from earlier still stung, and she was intent on teaching him a lesson the best way she knew how.

“You,” she growled. “With me. Now.”

“What the hell?” Richard sputtered. “What are you doing? Let go of me!”

“Shut up.”

Ignoring his protestations, Bonnie half-dragged him to a nearby unisex bathroom and shoved him inside.

“What are you doing?” he demanded. “Bonnie, this is not at all amusing.”

“I’m not laughing,” she retorted.

“Why have you dragged me in here? I am going to tell Harwood!”

Bonnie couldn’t help a sneer. “Running to the teacher? What are you, a six-year-old?”

“Bonnie!”

She continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “You know, Richard, I really didn’t appreciate your comments earlier. I am a slut. I am proud to be a slut. That doesn’t mean you get to be rude about it.” The buxom blonde jabbed a finger at him. “So here’s what’s going to happen. First, we’re going to fuck. Then, you’re going to buy me breakfast. After that, we’ll be square. Got it?”

Richard’s jaw dropped. “We’re--wait, what?”

But Bonnie was already lifting the hem of her shirt. "Oh, stop it, you big pussy,” she said, rolling her eyes. “The whole shy nerd thing won’t work with me. You really expect me to think you’re not totally on board with the idea of doing it?” She nodded at the tent now forming in Richard’s jeans. “You might not be honest, but that always is. So drop your pants and quit whining, loser.”

Richard hesitated for about two seconds. That was how long it took for his libido to override his common sense. The opportunity to have sex, especially with a girl as attractive as Bonnie, was too good to pass up. He unbuckled his belt and let both his pants and boxers fall to the floor.

Bonnie eyed his rampant cock judiciously. “Not bad,” she noted. “Not as big as some I’ve seen, but still respectable and certainly nothing to be embarrassed about.”

She let her shirt fall to the floor, followed by her bra. The horny cheerleader couldn’t help grinning when she saw the way Richard’s eyes widened at the sight of her breasts. “You like what you see?” she asked, shaking her shoulders to make them jiggle a little.

Richard nodded. Words failed him.

“You’re not bad yourself. A little skinny, but we can work with that.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him close for a lewd kiss. Richard eagerly returned it. What he lacked in experience, he made up for in enthusiasm.

A few minutes later, they broke the embrace. Both of them were panting a little. Bonnie’s sex drive was in full swing now. It was a furnace inside her, roaring, screaming, demanding to be sated. Without asking permission, she got down on her knees and began to suck Richard’s cock like the professional slut she was.

She began with his balls first, suckling on them and teasing them with her tongue before working her way slowly up his shaft. When she reached the tip, she teased the slitted head with the tip of her tongue. Bonnie knew that part of the male anatomy was particularly sensitive.

Richard gasped, then nearly cried out when she took his length inside her warm, wet mouth. Bonnie swallowed him all the way up to the hilt and began throat-fucking him. He was amazed at her lack of gag reflex, at the way she took all of him in a single go. It was the most incredible blowjob he’d ever had, not that he’d had very many.

“Oh, God,” he groaned. He was helpless, unable to move in the throes of pleasure. “Bonnie, if you don’t stop, I’m gonna--”

She paused, removing him from her mouth with a wet slopping noise. Drool hung from her chin. “You’d better not,” she hissed. “Don’t you dare cum unless it’s inside my pussy, you got that?”

He nodded. What else could he say?

“Good. Now get down here.” She reclined onto her back, hastily removing her panties, and lifting the hem of her short skirt. “Come on, we don’t have all day. Fuck me!”

Richard couldn’t get on his knees fast enough. Taking his shaft in one hand, he lowered his hips a little and brushed against her entrance. Bonnie was absolutely soaking wet, her pussy engorged and swollen. It was the sexiest thing Richard had ever seen in his life up to the point. The picture of this beautiful blonde, lying before him waiting to be fucked, would stay with him till his dying day.

“Brian’s never going to believe this,” he muttered, then thrust himself inside her waiting, willing body.

Bonnie gasped. The feeling of Richard’s dick inside her was glorious. Hell, the feeling of any dick inside her was glorious. It was better than food, better than sleep, better than anything. That feeling of exquisite completeness, being able to feel every ridge and bump of Richard’s cock brushing against her vaginal walls...Bonnie lived for it. “Go on,” she panted. “Go to it, nerd. Do it! Fuck me!”

Richard entered her. Bonnie shuddered, as if she’d jumped into a pool of ice-cold water, but gave him an encouraging nod to continue.

He began bucking his hips, driven by pure male instinct. He’d only had sex twice in his life so far, but Bonnie’s pussy was better than the previous two combined. Warm, wet, and exquisitely tight, it felt as though she were made just for him. And the look on her face! The way she moaned, the way her fingers scrabbled at the tile floor of the bathroom, the sound of their bodies slapping together...it was like the hottest, naughtiest fantasy come to life. This situation was the kind of thing you read about dirty magazines.

Dear Penthouse, Richard thought. I never thought this would happen to me...

Bonnie was rubbing her clit with one hand now, furiously frigging herself to bring her body closer to orgasm. Richard saw this and redoubled his efforts, driving further and further into her with each thrust. He felt his own climax building too. This was the first time he’d ever had sex without a condom, and it was so, so much better this way. He wasn’t sure if he could ever go back, not after this. Nor did he want to.

“I’m gonna cum,” he said in a strained voice.

“Me too,” she ground out. “Just a little more...a little more...Oh, god, yes, right there! Right there! I’m gonna cum right now oh God oh God OH MY GOD!”

She arched her back, unable to help the triumphant, rapturous cry that ripped from her throat. Bonnie’s entire body convulsed, as though she were having some sort of seizure. Richard gathered her into his arms, pulling her close as she shuddered and twitched.

Her pussy clenched like a fist. Richard came so hard he saw stars. His cock shuddered and jerked against the entrance to her womb, filling it with gushes of hot, sticky cum. It was so good and so intense and so visceral that he nearly passed out from it, but thankfully he managed not to. That was the last thing he needed. If I did pass out, she’d never let me hear the end of it.

The exhausted couple slumped together, breathing hard. Bonnie and Richard both basked for a moment in the afterglow only great sex can give, but it wasn’t long before the irrepressible young woman began to reach for her clothes.

“That was great,” she said, fastening her bra behind her back and pulling her shirt back on. She took a second to wipe at the cum dripping from her pussy. “Man, I needed that. I feel so much better now.”

Richard still looked a little concussed. “I-I enjoyed it too. More than anything."

She gave him a stern look. "Oh, no you don't. I know that tone. Don't make this out to be more than it is, all right? Spare us both the drama. This was just a one-time thing, nothing more. It was fun, and now it’s over.”

“Sure. Yeah. Okay.” Richard’s tone was dazed. “It--it was still great, though.”

“Yeah, it was.” She finished dressing and headed for the door. "You should put your clothes on too. Harwood will be expecting us back soon.”

She left the bathroom without looking back. Richard stared after her a moment, then hastily dressed too. No one so much as looked twice at him. The bathroom walls must have muffled Bonnie's cries. Thank God.

He had just enough time to grab something to eat from a nearby vending machine before heading to Gate C-14. Everyone else was already there. Krupa was listening to her Iphone, Aisha and Jeremy were sucking each other’s faces, Gabby was eating a piece of fruit and Lin was nose-deep in a book. Brian was a few seats away, petting a small dog an elderly woman was holding in her lap. The dog seemed eager for the attention.

“How long until we board?” Richard asked, hoping to pre-empt any questions about where he’d been or what he’d been doing.

“Not long,” Harwood said. “I was about to text you to get over here.”

“Then I am right on time.” He sat down and tried to catch Bonnie’s eye. The blonde was already playing with her phone and didn’t notice. It was as if their fucking never happened.

Fifteen minutes later, the announcement they were all waiting for came over the intercom.

“Flight 274 to Santa Cruz will be boarding shortly. Please have your boarding passes and carry-on items ready when your boarding group is called.”

Lin Ming felt her pulse quicken. This was it, she knew. This was the moment. If she had any doubts, if she wanted to turn back, this was her very last chance. If she got on that plane, she would have to walk among the Aiwaha fully nude, her body exposed for all to see. She would have to witness the Festival of Fertility and all that it entailed. For just a moment, for as long as the space between heartbeats, she considered turning back.

Her grip around the strap of her backpack tightened until her knuckles turned white. No. No. I must be brave. I cannot falter now. How could I face Dana, knowing I backed out at the last moment?

She stood with a swish of black hair and got in line, all but marching with her head held high to the seat number specified on her boarding pass. Brian sat next to her with a friendly smile. Lin hesitantly returned it. She even tried smiling at Richard too, but he seemed very distracted and didn’t notice. He looks almost dazed. I wonder why.

Bonnie took a seat directly behind Lin, a smug smile on her face as she crossed her legs in front of her. Harwood sat with Richard and Isaiah, while Jeremy, Aisha, and Gabby sat in the following row. Krupa, the odd one out, sat by herself but didn’t seem too put out about it. Lin fished a book out of her backpack and buried her head in it while she waited for the plane to take off. It was one of Dana’s, but her friend let her borrow it. It was a racy, very steamy romance novel--precisely the sort of thing that would drive Lin’s father to red-faced fury if he knew she was reading it. Lin felt her face heat up as she turned the page.

“Good book?” Brian asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Lin turned even redder. “Y-yes. It is...unlike the books I normally read.”

“What’s it about?”

The question made her blink in surprise. “I...it is about a man who works as a bounty hunter in the days of what Americans call the Old West. He is not a very nice man, yet he falls in love with a woman he meets while on one of his hunts.”

“An anti-hero.” Brian nodded. “Classic.”

“Er...thank you.”

Bonnie tapped her on the shoulder. “If it’s one of those dirty romances, lend it to me when you’re finished with it. I’d love to read it next.”

“Don’t you have a Kindle?” Gabby asked.

“Yeah, but that book’s not on it.”

“I don’t need anything to read.” Aisha put a hand on Jeremy’s shoulder. “I think I’ll be able to entertain myself.”

Lin sank into her seat. Such a public and open display of affection was all but taboo in her home country. The way Americans kissed and hugged in public was something she still wasn’t used to. But I must become used to it, for the Aiwaha not only do such things in the open too.

The intercom buzzed and the captain did his boilerplate welcome, followed by a flight attendant who showed how to use the in-flight oxygen masks the plane provided. No one paid her much attention, including Lin Ming. She was too engrossed in her book.

The plane lurched into motion, gathering speed as it hurtled down the runway. There was a jolting bounce when it left the ground. Lin stared out the window and watched all the buildings below rapidly grow tiny as they gained altitude.

“How long is the flight to Santa Cruz again, doctor?” Richard asked.

Harwood glanced up from her Ipad. “About 11 hours. Get comfy, everyone. It’s going to be a long flight.”

Lin turned back to her book, only to look up again when a flight attendant came by with a cart filled with snacks. She accepted a bag of peanuts gratefully and nibbled on them as she read. The blatant sexuality and lurid descriptions in the book both tantalized and scandalized her. She wondered, as she read of the male protagonist wrapping his big, strong arms around his beloved, if a man would ever touch her that way, and every time the two characters made love, Lin felt a strange heat coiling in her belly. She’d never seen sex described this way before. Did it really feel as good as the book described? Dana certainly seemed to enjoy doing it with her boyfriend, and Dana wasn’t the kind of girl to do something she didn’t like doing.

Will I ever meet a man who will make me feel such things? Will I feel for myself the kind of pleasure the female lead feels in these pages?

A curious sensation between her legs made Lin Ming start. She realized, with a jolt of mortification, that the cleft between her legs was suddenly slimy and wet! Hurriedly, she unbuckled her seat belt and excused herself to the restroom, praying no one noticed or suspected the source of her humiliation. This was not seemly! It was not proper for an unmarried young woman to be so aroused!

And yet, Lin Ming thought, as she locked the lavatory door behind her and pulled down her khaki shorts and plain white panties, nothing about this trip is proper, at least not from the point of view held by most back home.

She took a piece of toilet paper, wiping away the wetness of her sudden arousal. The feather-light touch of the white square against her most intimate place made her shudder a little. For a moment, Lin Ming wanted to pursue that sensation, and she wondered if using her hand would feel even better. But she knew there were others who wished to use the lavatory and she didn’t want to inconvenience them. So she finished her business and washed her hands carefully before scurrying back to her seat. She put the book away as soon as she got there. The strange sensations it made her feel frightened her. Instead, she read a book about the American Revolutionary War. Lin was fascinated by the topic, in no small part because her father held it in such disdain. “An illegitimate, honor-less revolt,” he’d once called it. “The Americans founded their country by betraying the overlord to whom they’d sworn fealty. They are an undisciplined, treacherous people. Do not associate with them, or you will be punished.”

Well, my best friend is an American, Lin thought, a little resentfully. And she is a good, kind, caring person, Father.

The flight attendant soon returned to take their orders for an in-flight meal. Lin ordered a hamburger and a soda, both of which were strictly forbidden under her father’s roof, and consumed them with relish. Dana had nothing good to say about food served on airplanes, but this is quite good!

Brian kept to himself for the most part. He had some sort of gaming apparatus out and was totally absorbed in it. His large thumbs moved across the controls with surprising dexterity as he hacked and slashed some sort of monster to bloody ribbons.

Lin, unable to help herself, cleared her throat. “What are you playing?”

“It’s a game called Dark Souls,” Brian said without looking up.

“Would...would you mind if I tried? If it is not too much trouble?”

“Sure!” He all but shoved the small device toward her, and Lin didn’t put it down for the next four hours. Brian was a patient teacher, showing her what each button did and coaching her through the combat system. Lin was amazed by it, and when she slew her first digital enemy, Brian gave her a high-five.

“Fun, isn’t it?” he asked.

“It is!” Lin beamed with pleasure. “It is not an easy game, but it is very entertaining. Thank you for letting me play it.”

“Would you like to borrow it till the plane lands?”

Lin’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Sure. I’ve beaten that game many times, and I’ve got some stuff on my phone I can watch instead. Just don’t break it.”

“I will not,” Lin assured him, clasping it to her chest for a moment. “I promise.”

“Then knock yourself out.”

Lin frowned. “Why would I do that?”

“It’s an expression,” Brian explained, a little hastily. “It basically means, ‘go for it and enjoy yourself.’ Sorry, I sometimes forget you’re an exchange student.”

I don’t, Lin thought, a little sadly. But it wasn’t Brian’s fault, so she gave him a brief, soft half-smile to put him at ease. “I see. Thank you.”

Brian nodded and pulled his phone from his pocket, turning his attention to a movie of some sort playing on the screen. Lin, eager to keep playing the game, turned to the device he’d lent her and proceeded to do just that.

Her fellow classmates too spent the trip in their own way. Bonnie watched porn on her phone, not caring who saw or what they thought of her when they did. Richard listened to a podcast, while Krupa spent nearly an hour recording a new entry to her vlog so she could post it as soon as the plane landed. Aisha curled up next to Jeremy like a great black cat and put her head on his lap. Jeremy, without a word, dug a blanket from his bag and put it over her. A simple gesture at his fly made it clear what he wanted to her to do. Aisha was happy to oblige. She was thrilled at how naughty and taboo the idea was. Beneath the blanket she hurriedly freed Jeremy’s cock from his pants and began going to town on it with her skilled tongue and lips.

“Don’t you dare stop till I tell you to,” Jeremy told her softly. “I want to see how long you can keep going. I want to test your endurance.”

She gave a wordless nod, her mouth splitting in a wicked grin. She went to work on Jeremy’s cock with zeal. Nothing gave her more pleasure and more satisfaction than pleasing her man. Jeremy, for his part, held back his orgasm for more than an hour before he finally let loose, making Aisha choke on the cum that gushed into her mouth. He held her in place with a firm grip, forcing her to swallow every drop.

“W-was that good?" she asked, her voice weak from smothered coughing.

“Yeah, it was.” Jeremy stroked her hair, giving her a rare smile to indicate his approval. “Good girl, Aisha. I can’t wait to fuck you when the plane lands.”

The aforementioned pussy became instantly soaked. “I’d love nothing more. I’m in the height of my fertility cycle and the more cum you put into my pussy, the more chance I’ll get pregnant.” She gazed up at him adoringly. “I’m so excited to get knocked up.”

“The first of at least three,” he reminded her, a bit sternly. “Just one won’t do. I want at least three, and I’ll be extra pleased if the first is a boy.”

“I’ll do my best,” Aisha promised him. She would do anything for this commanding, handsome man who’d changed her life. “I love you.”

“Yeah.” He didn’t say it back, but that was fine. Aisha knew he felt the same, but Jeremy wasn’t the sort to say such things often. It made the moments when he did all the more precious. Aisha licked drops of cum from her lips, took a deep breath and returned to her task.

As for Lin Ming, she wasn’t sure how long she played before her eyes finally drifted shut, or what time it was when she fell asleep. But fall asleep she did, nodding off as the plane rode high above the clouds against the moonlit sky.