We Stripped on the Beach in Front of Strangers

I met Vera on a Saturday to have dinner with her group of friends. The restaurant was a short walk from her place, so I decided to leave the car in her garage and walk there together. I arrived quite a bit early and found her naked, doing her makeup in front of the bedroom mirror, with two hangers hanging from the closet door.

—I’m torn between these two —she told me without turning around—. I think I’m going to wear this one.

It surprised me. It wasn’t a dress or a skirt like the ones she usually picked when we went out. It was a light one-piece jumpsuit, fitted at the waist, the kind that outlines your whole figure. She put it on in an instant to show me.

—How is it you never know how to be normal? You only know how to be gorgeous —I told her—. You’re good enough to eat. Anyone would lose their mind over you.

She laughed, took the jumpsuit off, and kept painting her lips in the mirror.

—Well, well, that’s easy for you to say —she replied—. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself. My self-esteem is pretty high too, especially after what you just said. Tonight I’m going to put the guy I “apparently” am seeing to the test. And I don’t think he’s going to pass.

She trusted me completely, so she laid out her plan in detail while she lined her eyes. She had told him about the nighttime walk along the riverbank, that first time we went out to dinner just the two of us and ended up barefoot on the shore. He had loved it, and I had thought it was wonderful too. Since then she had suggested a similar walk several times, and he always responded in ways that made it clear he had no interest in sharing a romantic moment with her.

—Either he’s a man with not a shred of initiative, or he’s not very bright —she said, shrugging—. And that’s despite the fact that he tells me a thousand times how much he likes me. Tonight I’m going to suggest it again. With these clothes, if I had to piss in the field I’d have to strip almost completely naked. An offer like that doesn’t get turned down.

I came up behind her, took her by the elbows, and moved her a step away from the mirror until she could see almost her full body.

—Look at yourself properly and tell me if you don’t see a beautiful woman —I whispered in her ear—. You leave anyone who looks at you speechless.

—Especially like this, with so little on —she replied, laughing.

—Now close your eyes and keep thinking about yourself. You’re intelligent, your head is screwed on right, you’re funny, and you’re gorgeous. Think about it carefully: do you really believe you deserve a guy you have to hammer your personality into? Doesn’t it seem like a ridiculous waste of time, the whole mental movie you’ve built up to convince him he’s letting the opportunity of a lifetime slip away?

I didn’t recognize myself speaking to her like that, so close, with my hand still resting on her naked elbow.

—Wear whatever makes you feel most comfortable —I went on—. And if you go through with the test you had in mind, do it. From what you’re telling me, chances are you’ll find out that no matter how handsome he is, and he is, and no matter how hot he is, and he is, he doesn’t even come close to you.

She stayed quiet for a good while, with the eyeliner in her hand and her gaze lost in her own reflection.

—Fuck, you’re right, Carla —she said at last—. I don’t have to go after this guy. Or any guy. Either way, I’m going to do the test I had in mind. I’m almost one hundred percent sure how he’s going to react. And that will put an end to this sort of relationship for good. I’m wearing the dress.

***

At the restaurant there were about five girls and six guys, more or less the same ones as at Vera’s last birthday. The atmosphere was great, jokes the whole time, no karaoke and no one getting too drunk. I sat next to Vera’s brother and right across from her. I didn’t notice any gesture that hinted at anything strange; dinner unfolded with the normality of any Saturday among friends.

When we finished, and each person was deciding where to go next, I stayed very close to her, pretending to be distracted but paying attention to every word.

—Even though I want to get up early tomorrow, I feel like walking back along the riverbank —she said, looking at her guy—. Will you walk me home?

He answered hesitantly, scratching the back of his neck.

—Mmm, I don’t know. I really do have to get up early tomorrow, I’m going with the guys to do a bike route. I’m sure someone will be up for getting their feet wet and will walk you. Call me and we’ll meet up whenever you want.

—Okay, okay —Vera replied with a calm smile—. Don’t worry, I’ll take the initiative and call you.

At that moment our eyes met. Hers said, without needing words: “See? Just as I thought.” He left with two other girls and three guys. That left two guys, another girl, Vera, and me.

***

We started walking along a wooden boardwalk that led toward the riverbank. The other three went on ahead and Vera and I lagged behind, commenting on what had just happened.

—The same thing happened to me with the guy I was seeing —I told her—. There came a point when I could see crystal clear that I didn’t want to keep seeing him, and it was him who gave me the perfect moment to break it off.

—Same as me —she answered—. Tomorrow I’ll call him, we’ll make plans, and I’ll tell him it’s over.

—Hey, one thing —I asked her—. What if he had said yes, that he’d walk you home? Would you have gone through with what you seemed to be promising for the walk?

—I was absolutely sure he was going to say no, and that’s exactly what he did —she replied—. But if he hadn’t, I would’ve come up with something on the spot. After everything you and I talked about this afternoon, I was already set on ending it anyway.

Further on we saw a light moving slowly across the sand, a blue light. It was a local police motorbike. I asked whether there were any problems on the beach, since we felt like going for a swim.

—At night or during the day, no problem —the officer answered—. Just be careful and don’t go too far in.

We’d had the idea of the five of us going swimming that night in our heads.

***

When we were alone again, I picked up the conversation where we had left off.

—I’ll admit the guy is ridiculously handsome —I told her.

—Yes, and he’s very hot —she answered right away—. And to answer your question, yes, he fucks well. But do you want me to confess something, with the promise that it won’t mean any commitment on your part?

We stopped in the middle of the boardwalk. I thought it over and had no idea what she wanted to tell me. I told her to go ahead, to spit it out.

—You’re the only girl I’ve been with —she said softly—. And I’ve felt more pleasure than with any guy. If this could affect our friendship, forget it, I didn’t tell you anything. I want us to keep exactly as we’ve been until now.

I didn’t know how to answer in words.

My only reaction was to close the half-step between us and kiss her, long and deep, which she returned at once. I felt her hand settle on my waist and the wood creak under our feet while the water murmured very close by, in the dark.

***

We had started walking again when the girl who was ahead with the two guys turned around and came back toward us almost running.

—I’m desperate, I need to pee and I can’t hold it anymore —she said quietly—. I don’t know if you two are the same. What do we do?

—What are we going to do? —Vera replied with complete naturalness—. Piss. We lift our skirts, pull down our panties, pee, and feel better.

—And the guys? —the other girl asked again, looking toward them, since they were already a few meters away—. They’re going to see everything.

—Let the guys do whatever they want —I said.

We didn’t hesitate. Vera and I took off our panties and put them in our bags; she did the same. The two guys didn’t even try to hide it: they watched us from start to finish, not missing a single detail. And I enjoyed it to the fullest. Two strangers and a girl I barely knew were watching me do something so intimate, and at the same time I was seeing that girl and Vera doing exactly the same thing, a meter from me, under the moon.

There was something electric about knowing myself to be looked at like that, without hiding, with their eyes following every gesture. It wasn’t shame. It was a kind of power. I straightened up slowly, held the gaze of the one closest to me, and didn’t look away.

***

—I propose a swim —I said, smoothing my dress—. The police told us there’s no danger of anything being stolen. If you’re up for it…

—And with what swimsuit? —the other girl shot back.

—I didn’t bring one —I replied—. So I’m taking off all my clothes and making a little pile here in the sand. You can go in in your underwear or however each of you prefers. Shall we get in the water?

No one needed coaxing. All five of us took off all our clothes and left them in a heap far from the shore. We went in splashing, with laughter and the occasional yelp at the shock of the cold first touch. The water was warmer than I expected, black and still, and the city lights shone in the distance like a string of trembling points.

We swam for a while without going too close to the deep area, just as the officer had warned us. At one point Vera slid over until she was beside me, water up to her shoulders, and under the surface her hand found mine and didn’t let go. No one could see us down there. It was our secret within a secret we already shared with three other people.

***

When we came out onto the seafront promenade, near Vera’s house, the three of them said goodbye and went off to find their car. She and I were left alone on the sidewalk, with wet hair and clothes stuck to our still-damp skin.

—Tomorrow I’ll call the guy and end all of that —she said, searching for her keys in her bag.

—Do it —I answered.

We went up to her place together. There were no more plans to discuss, no more tests to spring on anyone. That night we had checked everything we needed to know.