Harem House Chapter 33 Part 1

Dorm life held many advantages that Rani took full advantage of when she could. There were downsides, of course, but she enjoyed most things. As an upperclassman, she was one of the privileged few who enjoyed a private two-person room with its own bathroom. The freshmen on the first floor had communal bathrooms. 


The biggest downside? Her roommate. 


Rani returned from her emotional evening at Mindy’s house to find a bra hanging from the door handle. Some people used a sock, but she and her roommate thought bras were funnier. The c-cups of her roommate’s Victoria's Secret bra were their signal for ‘fuck off.’ She sighed, hugged her backpack to her stomach, and detoured to the floor’s lounge. 


She’d been planning on pulling an all-nighter anyway. She’d gotten some homework done over Sunday, but not nearly enough to keep up with her schedule. One all-nighter, and she should be good, though. If she was diligent, she might even pull ahead. 


She eyed the lounge when she entered, checking for any signs of life. 


The third-floor lounge had a kitchenette in the near corner to the left of the door and a TV in the far right corner opposite. Otherwise, the deeper-than-it-was-wide rectangular room contained comfortable oversized high-back chairs that acted as three-walled pods. Sitting in them, you were only visible from the front, and they staggered through the room in three-chair groups surrounding small coffee tables.


No one else was visible when Rani arrived, so she sat in one out of view of the door, opened up her books on the coffee table, and got to work. She had quite the spread between her laptop, notebooks, tablet, and textbooks. 


Two hours later, the lounge door opened and closed. Rani peeked over the wall of her cubed chair and spotted a dark-haired pajama-clad girl by the microwave. The long pajama pants were pink and had bedazzled PINK across the butt. The short blue T-shirt had a stylized Disney Elsa on the front. Typical pajama girl on a late-night tea, coffee, or hot chocolate run. Rani returned to her work. The microwave went off, and the girl collected her mug from it.


A minute later, the scent of powdered hot cocoa hit Rani’s nose. She looked over the wall of her chair again but didn't spot the girl a second time. She didn't remember hearing the door but hadn't heard footsteps either. The girl must have left because she hadn't heard the unzipping of a book bag or the familiar buzz of the TV in its corner. 


Then, Rani heard it. The sniffle. The wet scrape of snot on an inhale dragged across Rani's spine. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She’d never been able to explain it, but ever since her sisters all had a cold at the same time, the sound of sniffles was like nails on a chalkboard. 


Maybe it was just the one? 


No, a second sniffle soon followed like an icicle stabbed into her asshole. She wanted to jump up and yell at this girl for making the noise at random intervals that triggered her primal rage. Instead, Rani reminded herself that this girl, with her hot cocoa and sniffles, was obviously in distress. She needed comfort, not anger. Whoever she was, she was part of that sisterhood of women. She needed–the third sniffle was enough. 


“Do you need a tissue?” Rani asked, her voice sharp and the ‘or else’ unspoken but clear. She winced immediately after asking, berating herself for being so direct. 


“I guess I do.” The voice came from the chair that was back-to-back with Rani’s, and she'd clearly been crying. There were tears in her weak voice. She’d been crying long before her sniffles came in earshot of Rani. 


Rani sighed. She wasn’t the right person to comfort someone who needed a soft touch. The young woman sounded like she’d break if Rani snapped at her again. Any of the others would be better at this kind of thing. Even Kat. If Kelly were here, she’d mother the girl into feeling better. Sometimes, Rani wished she could be more like that. More comforting and friendly. Yet, she was who she was. 


She fished a pack of tissues out of her backpack. They were crumpled and old but functional. She climbed over her pod chair’s wall and held them over the bridge. The other girl’s hand rose from her chair and took them, withdrawing them into the privacy of her pod. 


Rani gave her some time until the nose-blowing subsided. 


“Do you… want to talk about whatever’s got you crying?” Rani asked, hoping the answer was no, but offering on impulse. Someone had been there for her once. She could be there for someone else. 


The girl blew her nose. “I don’t… I don’t even know where to start.” 


Rani took a deep breath, doing her best not to sigh. “Love trouble?” She asked. 


The girl laughed. “Am I that obvious?” 


“It’s going around.” Rani said, not elaborating on the issues she currently faced that she was ignoring in favor of homework. “But fair warning, I’m an engineering major, not a counseling major. Any advice or comfort I offer will probably be blunt and to the point.” 


The girl chuckled. “That’s okay.” She said. “I could use an outside opinion. I don’t mind.” 


Rani thought the girl might want to wait and see how much she minded, but she’d find out soon enough. People found her callous sometimes because she was direct, but she was trying. She had to channel Kelly, thinking soft, maternal thoughts as she curled her feet under her and got comfortable. 


“Okay, so…” Rani hesitated, unsure how to ask. “Tell me the story. What’s got you so upset?” 


“Well…” The girl hesitated. “There’s this guy.” 


“Go on.” Rani said when the girl didn’t. 


“We’ve known each other for years, and we’ve flirted off and on, but he had a girlfriend, so it couldn’t go further than flirty banter. Harmless fun.” The girl explained. “But…” 


“But you caught feelings?” Rani asked, seeing where the story was going. 


The girl broke. “Oh-my-god-I-love-him-so-much.” She sniffled again, then blew her nose. 


Rani winced at the sniffle; the wet sound was an ice pick poking her eardrum. 


“And it’s not just because he’s hot. He is, but he’s also… so sweet and caring. The way he is with everyone is amazing. He’s husband material, you know? And we could be perfect together.” The girl continued. 


“But he has a partner already?” Rani asked. There was always a but to this kind of story, and the guy being taken made the most sense. 


“Had. Well, kind of.” The girl said. “He and his girlfriend broke up. I was trying to catch his attention, but then this other girl moved in before I could. And I tried. I tried so hard to get him to ask me out, but I didn’t want to seem like I was being too aggressive, you know? I didn’t want to scare him away. He and his girlfriend were together for a long time, so I thought I’d give him time to get over her. I didn’t want to be his rebound fling, you know?” 


Rani nodded, then realized the other girl couldn’t see her. “Yeah, I get that.” 


“But this other girl moved in, and she completely changed him. She’s encouraging him to sleep around, play the field, being a total slut bag, and turning him into this manwhore I don’t even recognize.” The girl sounded angrier than she was sad as she said it. “And the worst part? I thought she was my friend. She knew I liked this guy and intentionally ruined everything for me.” 


“Sounds like a bitch.” Rani said. “Though, I don’t slut shame anybody. Nothing wrong with sleeping around and playing the field if that’s what they want.” 


The girl blew her nose again. “I hate her.” She blew her nose. “And I’m so mad at him for falling for it. He hasn’t even looked at me since they started hooking up, and all of our flirty banter has stopped. It’s like she’s turned him and everyone else against me.” 


“Everyone else?” Rani asked. 


“Our friend group.” The girl explained. “We’re in a school club, and they all banded together and kicked me out.” 


Rani wasn’t sure what to say to that. She couldn’t imagine what she would do if her friend group, the harem, did that to her. “Well, that sucks.” 


“Yeah.” The girl blew her nose. “They forced me to quit, and I just… I shouldn’t have gotten so angry at him or lashed out.” 


“Anger’s a reasonable response to heartbreak.” Rani said. “Though, we’re still responsible for what we do with our anger. So… how did you lash out?” 


“I…” The girl hesitated, then sighed. “I tried to kick him out of our club. I can't stand the idea of being forced to spend time with him, near him, but not having him. And he's so changed from who he was... I don't know how to deal with him, but I wasn't going to give up the club without a fight.” 


“Ah.” Rani said, nodding. “And then they kicked you out instead?” 


“Yeah.” 


“That sucks.” Rani said, not knowing what else to say that might commiserate. What would Kelly say? WWKS? “I’m sorry you’re going through that, honey.” Honey? Eh, it worked. “It sounds like you need some direct communication with this guy. Do you think he'd listen if you tried to talk to him about it? Maybe the club will take you back if you apologize and explain why you were so upset?” 


“Maybe.” The girl shuffled in her seat. “Honestly, I probably should apologize. I don’t know if I can face him again, though. Seeing them together and her influence on him hurts so much when I know he should be with me.” 


Ah, the clingy possessiveness of the narrow-minded. “Does this guy know how you feel?” 


“I thought he did.” She answered. “But I get the feeling he’s clueless. He’d never be this cruel intentionally. Not without that slut’s influence anyway.” 


Rani laughed. “Guys are dumb. My boyfriend doesn’t have a clue sometimes when women are into him, and it’s infuriating. The first time I flirted with him? He totally missed my advances, and all he would have had to do was follow me back to my room. He’s smart about a lot of other things but totally idiotic sometimes.” 


“Sounds about right.” The other girl said. “My guy’s a lot like that. Even if he’s not my guy. Yet.” 


Rani smiled slightly. “Boys are dumb.” 


“Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em.” The girl replied. 


Rani chuckled. “Honestly, it’s not my boyfriend I’m having an issue with right now. It’s my… friend.” She didn't have the energy to explain polyamory to this woman. 


“Oh yeah?” The girl asked, wiping her nose with a tissue. “Whatcha got? Since we’re clearly trading problems and advice here.” 


Rani smiled. “She’s… okay. So, my friend is a freshman. I know she’s young and naive about certain things, but Baghwan, she’s killing me with the outright dishonesty about some things.” Rani said. “She pretended she didn’t know anything about football to get attention, but she was a cheerleader in high school. She’s lied to a bunch of our friends about stuff, small stuff, I guess, but still. And she refuses to come out of the closet. Like… she’s more comfortable living her lies than she is being herself. And it drives me insane. I just want to set her free, you know? To show her how great it can be when you’re comfortable with yourself and not trying to lie to everybody all the time.” 


“You sound like you came out of the closet yourself.” The girl said, scoffing. 


“Yeah. Freshman year.” Rani said. 


“Oh.” The girl said. “But… you have a boyfriend? Are you Trans or something?” 


“No, I’m not trans. But I’m queer. I like girls, guys, and everything in between. Organs don’t matter as much to me as the fun, right?” Rani asked. “Being with a guy doesn’t mean I stop being queer.” 


“Well… when you put it like that… I guess not? But cool. Okay, so you’re… out and proud, obviously. Good for you, by the way, but your friend just hasn’t gotten there yet?” The girl asked. 


“Right.” Rani said. “And it’s frustrating.” 


“You said you came out Freshman year?” The girl asked. 


“Yeah.” Rani said. 


“And this girl… how long has she known she’s gay?” 


“Bi.” Rani corrected her automatically. “But uh… I don’t know. I know her first time with a girl was… about two weeks ago?” She conveniently left out the fact it was with her and Arthur. 


“How long did it take you to come out to people after your first experience?” 


Rani frowned. “Well, shit. When you put it like that… I guess it took me a few weeks until I had the conversation with my parents. I wanted to have it in person, so I had to wait until Diwali, but her parents live closer than mine do.” 


“Is she scared?” 


Rani thought back to Mindy’s expressions that night. Was Mindy scared? Yes. Was it a rational and logical fear? Rani didn’t think so, but it was still Mindy’s life, not Rani’s. It was Mindy’s parents, and she knew them best. She sighed. 


“Yeah.” Rani said. “I don’t think it’s a rational fear, though.” 


“Since when does that ever matter?” The girl almost laughed. “If she’s afraid, you can only encourage her and make her feel safe with you, right? Let her be herself with you and build her confidence over time until she has the courage to be herself around other people.” 


“Do you have experience with this kind of thing?” Rani asked, realizing how wise the advice sounded to her. 


The other girl sighed. “I seem to attract a lot of gay guys.” She said. “My high school boyfriend came out to me during our senior year. During my freshman year of college, this guy I almost dated, Caleb, came out to me on our first date. It was super awkward, but we got over it. We were friends, or so I thought. He turned on me tonight with the rest. For a while, I was afraid Arthur was gay, too, and just in the closet, but no, he’s definitely into women. Just not me, I guess.” 


Rani tilted her head. “Arthur?” No. The Arthur this girl was talking about had to be a different Arthur. There was no way yet another girl on this campus was interested in him. But she had to know. “As in Arthur Clarke?” 


The other girl scoffed. “Yeah, the guy with not one, not two, but five girlfriends, apparently. He was parading around with them at homecoming like he owned the place. It was disgusting.” 


“The guy you were crushing on was Arthur Clarke?” Rani asked, trying to put the pieces together. 


“Yeah.” The other girl sighed. “He’s just so… ugh. I’m such an idiot.” 


Rani was silent for a moment, thinking through things. If Arthur was the guy, then that made Selene the slutbag bitch, right? And Caleb sounded familiar… wasn’t that one of their theater friends? So then, this must be the girl she’d heard about. Yvonne. 


“Yvonne?” Rani asked, half-surprised she remembered the girl’s name.  


“Yeah?” The girl went quiet on the other side of the chairs. 


Rani popped up, trying to see over the divide of the two pod chairs. The other girl did the same. Yvonne stared back at her like she’d seen a ghost. Yvonne might be a stranger to Rani, but she knew Rani on sight. 


“Shit.” Yvonne said, her tears forming again. “Oh my god. I can’t believe what an idiot I am!” 


“Hey.” Rani said, holding out her hands. “It’s okay.” 


“I just poured my fucking heart out to you, and you’re one of them?!?” Yvonne yelled. 


“I mean… yeah, which, if you think about it, should prove that we’re not heartless slutbags. I didn’t know you were talking about Arthur, or I’m guessing Selene, who is technically my girlfriend, I think. It’s complicated.” Rani held up her hands. “But hey, it’s not like I hate you or anything. I hardly know you! We’re just two strangers who were lending an ear to each other! We could be friends! You gave me good advice!” 


“Fuck you!” Yvonne spat, throwing the tissues back at her from the other side of the chairs and moving away as fast as she could. “Just… Ugh!” The tears started again by the time Yvonne reached the doors. 


“Hey!” Rani exclaimed, catching the packet of tissues as it struck her chest. “I wasn’t trying to trick you or anything!” 


Her protest went unanswered as Yvonne pushed through the door, slamming it behind her. 


Rani sighed and collapsed into her chair again. She felt the momentary impulse to run after Yvonne, but the girl’s exit hadn’t exactly proclaimed her to be the approachable type. She clearly wanted space, and Rani wasn’t going to force her to deal with her problems when she had issues of her own to consider. Not to mention homework. She’d have to tell Selene about the encounter, but it was the middle of the night. She’d tell her in the morning. 


Rani shook her head and went back to her projects. 


~~~


Tuesday Morning arrived, and Beth blinked her eyes open as she stirred. She was warm and comfortable, wrapped in blankets and half-wrapped around a furnace. Her eyes opened to see Kat’s face close to hers, also blinking awake. The body between them had disappeared, and they’d fallen toward each other to fill the vacancy in their sleep until they wrapped their arms around one another. 


“Well… this is awkward.” Kat said. 


“Where’s…” Beth shifted away from Kat, realizing they were both naked as she moved and skin slid against her skin. 


“I don’t know.” Kat yawned. “He was here when we fell asleep. Maybe he went for a run?” 


“A run?” Beth asked, confused. 


“He does that.” Kat said, yawning again, which made Beth yawn. “He works out all the time. You’d think he had enough cardio last night.” 


Beth blushed. 


“So he just left us here?” Beth asked after silence fell. 


“In his defense, we were asleep and safe until you started moving around.” Kat sighed. “We’d better get dressed. What time is it?” 


Beth rolled over, but when she looked at the nightstand, she saw that her alarm clock wasn’t there. Of course it wasn’t. This wasn’t her bedroom. It was Arthur’s. Well, it was technically Arthur’s. He hadn’t finished moving in yet. She scooted to the edge of the king-sized bed and covered herself with the blanket. 


“You don’t have to be shy around me.” Kat said. “You practically humped me to orgasm last night. I think we’re past the shy stage.” 


Beth frowned. “I’m… I’m sorry about that. I don’t know what came over me.” 


“Was I complaining?” Kat asked, her tone sharp. 


Beth looked confused. 


“I… I guess I was, wasn’t I? Sorry. It’s early. I need my coffee. And I’m a little mad that he didn’t even leave a note.” Kat looked around her side of the bed, finally spotting their phones plugged in and charged on the other side of the room, on the long table with the caged bottom beneath the wall-mounted TV. 


Master: I’m downstairs. Join me in the kitchen if you wake up before I come upstairs. 


“He’s downstairs. He says we should join him in the kitchen.” Kat said, standing there naked. Beth noticed the bruises on her ass cheeks and wondered if they hurt. If they did, Kat didn’t mention it. “I have to pee first.” She walked past Beth to the master bedroom and closed the door. An exclamation a few seconds later made Beth approach the door. 


“Are you okay?” Beth asked. 


“Yeah.” Kat said. “Sorry. I just wasn’t prepared for how much this hurts sitting down.” 


Beth nodded, realizing Kat couldn’t see her through the door. “Do you need anything?” 


“No… just need a minute.” Kat’s voice came through the door. 


Beth nodded and walked away, checking her phone. She sighed. Seventeen missed messages and six missed calls, all from Krissy. It was early still, but she figured Krissy would either be up or sleep through the call, and she could leave a message. She wanted to text, but if Krissy was in a panic, she’d need to call to calm her. 


Krissy: Hey, you coming home tonight? Lol. 


Krissy: You said you had a dinner meeting. Is that still going? 


Krissy: Just let me know when you’re going to be home. 


Krissy: I tried calling. Pick up! 


Krissy: Elizabeth! Answer your phone! 


Krissy: Did you lose your phone? 


Krissy: You turned your location off? 


Krissy: Aunt Diane doesn’t know where you are either. 


Krissy: You’re not at Mom and Dad’s? 


Krissy: Are you on a date? 


Krissy: Hello? 


Krissy: If you get abducted by a Tinder date, I’m taking your bath bombs.


Krissy: ELIZABETH! ANSWER YOUR PHONE! 


Krissy: Okay, I’m seriously worried. Girl, call me as soon as you can! 


Krissy: I’m about to start driving between here and Pendleton.


Krissy: I’m assuming you lost your phone or something. Call me as soon as you can! I’m going to the cops in the morning if you aren’t home when I wake up! 


Krissy: Seriously! Where the fuck are you?!?


The last text was four hours old. Krissy must’ve fallen asleep. Beth felt guilty calling if she was going to wake Krissy, but she knew a text wouldn’t cut it. She took a deep breath, sat on the edge of the bed, pulled the blanket over her bottom half, and called. 


Krissy answered on the third ring. “Where the fuck are you? Are you okay?” 


“I’m fine!” Beth said. “I… I met a guy last night.”


“You what?” Krissy asked. “Where? When? Was this at your dinner meeting? Is he a work friend?” 


“We had dinner together, and things went really well… I… he’s just a friend, but… I’ll be home in a little bit. I have to stop on my way to work. I can’t tell you much about him; I just wanted to let you know I’m okay and safe.” 


“DON’T SCARE ME LIKE THAT!” Krissy yelled into the phone so that Beth had to hold it away from her ear. “Are you kidding me? You could have been murdered! Do you know this guy?” 


“I know him. I trust him. We had a great time. I’m coming home as soon as I can.” Beth said, doing her best to remain calm despite the beating heart. 


“Are you still with him right now?” Krissy asked. “Where are you?” 


“I’m at his house.” Beth said, not explaining further. “He’s downstairs, making breakfast, I think.” 


“He’s making you breakfast?” Krissy asked, calmer now. “Is he hot?” 


Beth rolled her eyes. “Very hot.” 


“How… how far did you go?” Krissy asked. 


“Uh… I spent the night.” Beth said. “I’ll tell you about it later. I have to hang up before he comes upstairs. I’ll be home in a little bit, okay?” 


“Well, hurry up! I want to hear all about it! AND DON’T YOU EVER SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN! NEXT TIME YOU PULL A ONE-NIGHT STAND, YOU TELL ME WHERE YOU’RE GOING! GOT IT?” 


Beth held the phone away from her ear again and took a deep breath. She smiled. Krissy had a point. Not telling her sister where she was going had been intentional but also stupid. She should have known her sister would panic. At least she knew Krissy cared. 


“Okay, I got it. Bye!” Beth said and ended the call as Kat exited the bathroom. She rolled her eyes. 


“Everything okay?” Kat asked, eyeing her phone. 


“Yeah. Are you okay?” Beth asked Kat as she stood up and moved to help her. Kat waved her away, still walking awkwardly but determined to do it under her own power. 


“Yeah.” Kat said, nodding. “Just sore as fuck.” 


“Do you regret pissing him off last night?” Beth asked, watching Kat move to the bedroom door that led to the hallway. 


Kat smiled. “Are you kidding? The angrier he gets, the less he holds back, and the better the sex. And last night? Woof. That was the best yet.” 


Beth smiled. She held the door open for Kat, and the two of them made their way downstairs. Their clothes were where they left them, but Kat’s were torn and ripped, discarded on the floor, and unwearable. She sighed and left them in a pile on the table by the door as she headed into the kitchen. 


~~~


Kat entered the kitchen to find Arthur at the stove, wearing an apron and nothing else. She bit her lip as she watched him, but he spotted her and smiled. 


“Good morning, sleepy head.” Arthur said. “How did you sleep?” 


“Pretty good.” Kat said, stepping closer to him but keeping a respectable distance. She eyed the stove to see he was cooking eggs, which she realized must have been leftover uncooked from yesterday’s brunch. 


“I was going to bring you breakfast in bed.” Arthur said. “Bacon’s in the oven.” 


“You bake your bacon?” Kat asked. 


“I’m in an apron that doesn’t cover much above the waist.” Arthur said, turning to show her his bared chest, exposed shoulders, and arms. The only barrier was a small square of fabric in the front with the halter tie behind his neck. The flower-print apron must have been his mother’s, and Kat smiled to see it on him. 


Arthur kissed her forehead, and Kat hugged his waist. 


“Good morning, Sir.” Kat said. 


“There’s coffee over there.” He nodded toward the coffee machine. “Mugs are on the island.” He gestured to where he’d pulled two coffee mugs. 


“That’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever said to me.” Kat said, leaving his side instantly and walking awkwardly toward the coffee pot. Arthur noticed her gait and gestured toward the freezer. “There’s an ice pack in there. Sit on it.” He said. “I’ll get you some more lotion before we leave.” 


“Thank you, Sir.” Kat said, pouring her coffee, then getting the ice pack and putting it on the stool closest to him. She blew on her coffee, sending the steam away in a puff of swirling fog before she took a sip. Kat typically added cream and sugar, but there weren’t any here. She checked when she got the ice pack. 


“Is Beth awake?” He asked. 


“Yeah. I think she’s in the foyer, getting dressed. She still has clothes, after all.” Kat pouted. “How am I supposed to drive home now? You ripped my dress. And my bra.” 


Arthur shrugged. “You wanted me to.” 


Kat stuck her tongue out at him. 


“I guess you can borrow my undershirt for the drive back. Once I get you into your apartment safely, you’ll have to return it, though.” Arthur said. 


“Absolutely not.” Kat said, shaking her head. “I’m your girlfriend, right? If you give me one of your clothes, I’m obligated to keep it. Forever. It becomes mine now.” 


Arthur laughed. “Fair enough.” 


~~~


Back in the foyer, Beth did her best to get dressed on the cold tile floor. She had no panties to collect but took her bra and dress and put them on. She faced the front door as she dressed, looking out its peephole to see their cars were where they’d left them the night before. All four. 


She might have questioned the number more if she was thinking straight or had coffee in her system. She could smell it wafting from the kitchen, and she wanted a mug full with a plate of whatever Arthur was cooking. The sizzling smell of bacon joined the coffee and permeated the foyer. Her mouth started to salivate. 


She heard Kat or Arthur approach from behind her as she struggled with the zipper of her dress. Her arms weren’t as flexible as they needed to be. She knew it would be trouble getting into this again. She’d struggled yesterday, too. At least now she had someone to help her. 


“Hey, can you give me a hand with this?” She gestured, and a pair of hands pinched the fabric above her bare butt and pulled the zipper up to her neck. “Thanks, I–” 


Beth turned and froze, looking directly into a familiar face, but neither Arthur’s nor Kat’s. She struggled to place where she recognized this girl from, and then it clicked. She’d seen her, in passing, at the University. 


During the homecoming weekend, Beth had been helping Krissy get to the car from the bathrooms in the admin building, and they’d let this girl go in as they went out. She’d claimed she’d forgotten her ID and really needed to pee. A student, then. Beth’s face went ghostly pale.


A student who could obviously pair her with Arthur, her employee, and who wasn’t one of his girlfriends. 


“Hi!” The girl said, smiling like a tiger. “I’m Lynn.” Her grin widened. “Who are you, and why were you naked in my house?”