Harem House - Selene Pt. 32

They'd call her with any luck, and she could meet them at Arthur's apartment. She wanted to do what Kat had done last night. They could strap her to the wall and make her watch. Her body reacted to the mental image, and she squeezed her thighs together and practiced her Kegels.

"Hey, there she is!"

Selene turned to see Maria walking toward her from the campus walk. She waved, and Maria returned the gesture as Selene waited for her by the door. Maria wore a nice, comfy red sweater over blue jeans. Selene wore an orange cardigan open over her white T-shirt, a long, flowy black skirt, and boots. She'd gotten Arthur's approval for the outfit ahead of time, but she'd need to text him about what he wanted her to wear tomorrow.

"Ready to deal with Yvonne again?" Maria asked, looking around. "Where's Arthur?"

"He's busy tonight." Selene said. "He's still committed to the Theater Club, but since he's not in the fall show, he doesn't need to attend every meeting."

"You had that locked and loaded." Maria said, laughing, not accusing. "No need to be defensive with me. I get it."

Selene nodded. "Sorry."

"Not a problem." Maria hugged Selene, who returned the hug.

"Where's Mark?" Selene asked.

"Inside, waiting for me." Maria said, gesturing to the door. "Shall we?"

Selene nodded and opened the door. They entered the building and walked the hall to the meeting room. The posters of shows from the theater majors lined the hall, signed by casts and crews, recent and ancient. The theater doors were open, but the house was empty. The stage waited for the performance of a show, which was still weeks away.

"How was your weekend after homecoming?" Maria asked. "Your entire group has been quiet."

"Heh. It was fantastic!" Selene said. "Master took us to a hotel."

Maria giggled. "You did it again."

"Hm?" Selene asked, turning to look at her as they walked.

"You called Arthur 'Master'." Maria pointed to her collar. "I'm not shaming you, but watch who you do that with. Mark and I don't care, obviously. We're not into that, but to each their own, right? Still..."

Selene nodded. "Sorry." She sighed and shook her head. "I just... He's Master in my head. I don't have to worry about it with the other girls, so it just... slips out."

Maria smiled. "I think it's cute the way you six are together."

"Thanks." Selene said, smiling. "You and Mark are cute, too. How was your weekend?"

"Oh, it was good." Maria said after considering it for a moment. "Mark, Brad, Jen, and I hung out at the Alpha Theta Party. We had fun."

"Nice." Selene said, nodding. They'd reached the meeting room and stood outside it long enough. "Ready?"

Maria nodded. "Let's get this over with." She opened the door, and Yvonne's icy glare greeted them first.

The long table had four people sitting at the far end of it. Yvonne sat at the head. She looked professional, even regal, in a purple V-neck blouse that tucked into her slacks. Mark sat beside her, with an open chair between him and Caleb. They were both in jeans, T-shirts, and flannel overshirts of differing colors that hung open. Brad sat on the other side across from Mark, reading his phone and smiling as he texted whoever he was messaging. He wore his usual jeans and T-shirt look, the sleeves tight against his upper arms.

"Finally." Yvonne said. "Where's the man whore?"

Selene flinched as if slapped.

"Mrow." Caleb flexed his fingers like cat claws, mocking her.

"Arthur's busy tonight." Selene said, and that was all she said as she sat next to Brad, across from Caleb, leaving an empty seat between her and Brad.

Maria kissed Mark's cheek, then sat between him and Caleb.

"What'd we miss?" Maria asked.

"Nothing." Caleb said, putting his phone away with a sigh. "We were waiting for you because Yvonne wanted a quorum."

Maria turned to Yvonne expectantly.

"We have an urgent issue and need at least five of us." Yvonne explained.

Yvonne, Brad, Mark, Maria, and Caleb made five. The number roused Selene's suspicions since they only needed a quorum on matters requiring a vote, including disciplinary actions.

"There have been complaints raised against a Theater Club member for sexual misconduct." Yvonne continued without waiting. "So I wanted to move for immediate expulsion."

"Is this because I joked about sucking Brad's dick?" Caleb asked, looking as though he knew it wasn't. "Okay, not joked so much as offered."

"You did?" Brad asked, confused.

Caleb winked at him. "Just let me know, hot stuff."

Maria giggled.

Yvonne looked as though someone had spiked her punch with something sour and non-alcoholic. "No. This is about Arthur."

"Of course." Mark rolled his eyes. "Who complained?"

"Multiple club members." Yvonne said, not naming names.

"And what did Arthur do?" Caleb asked, confused. "Did he flash somebody? How did I miss it? Are there any pictures? Can you send them to me?"

"Down, boy." Maria said. "Arthur did nothing. I expect any complaints we've received were because of rumors a certain someone spread last week." She turned her stare to Yvonne.

"He's made multiple members uncomfortable." Yvonne said.

"Okay. Let's review the complaints." Maria said, pulling up her phone. "Are they on the Suggestions and Complaints Google Form?"

"No." Yvonne frowned. "They were delivered verbally."

Maria put her phone face down. "So, there have been no documented complaints."

"There have been multiple complaints." Yvonne said.

"Has anyone here besides Yvonne heard complaints regarding Arthur's sexual conduct?" Maria asked.

"I'd like to submit a complaint that none of Arthur's sexual conduct has been conducted toward me." Caleb said, raising his hand. "He should rectify this immediately."

Selene couldn't help the smile that quirked her lips at that.

"We need to take this seriously." Yvonne said. "He's made multiple women uncomfortable with his behavior, and it's not rumors of his behavior. Someone saw him doing... sexually aggressive things to another club member."

Selene sighed and put her forehead in her hands with her elbows on the table.

"Oh?" Caleb asked, raising an eyebrow at Selene. "What'd he do? I thought he and Selene were together? Is Selene the one complaining? Did he hit on somebody else? What happened? Somebody fill me in on the drama!"

"He threw me in his trunk." Selene said, recalling her conversation with Maria. That was the 'aggressive' act that Arthur had committed. "A completely consensual act." Selene stated. "I practically begged him to do it."

Yvonne looked surprised by that confession but took it in stride. "That doesn't matter. What matters is the effect he's having on others."

"And what effect is that?" Selene asked.

"He's made other people uncomfortable." Yvonne said, repeating her battle cry.

"Who?" Selene asked. She shrugged her shoulders and held her hands palm-up, completing the gesture. Selene didn't know who Arthur made uncomfortable besides Yvonne, who wanted him for herself. Yvonne had made that clear at homecoming.

"The complaints were anonymous." Yvonne said. "And people made them expecting privacy."

"No, complaints are anonymous when they come through the proper form anonymously. You saying people told you he made them uncomfortable is hearsay. We have no means of follow-up to determine when, where, and how any misconduct occurred." Maria objected.

"We're not putting him on trial. We're not a court. We're the club's committee. It's our job to follow our guidelines and remove any questionable or objectionable members before they cause issues." Yvonne said.

"So, you want us to kick Arthur out of the club?" Mark asked.

"I want us to vote on expelling a club member whose conduct has made others uncomfortable." Yvonne said.

"And this member's name is Arthur Clarke?" Maria asked.

"Yes." Yvonne nodded.

"Well, that's easy then." Caleb said. "All in favor of kicking out the hottest guy on campus because Yvonne's bitter he went for Selene instead of her?"

Yvonne looked like he'd slapped her in the face with a wet hand.

"What?" Caleb asked. "I'm never mean, just sassy." He wiggled his shoulders and laughed. "So... those in favor?"

Yvonne raised her hand.

"Those opposed?"

Selene, Caleb, Brad, Mark, and Maria raised their hands.

"Motion shot down in flames." Caleb thumped his fist on the table. "Next item on the agenda, Madame President?"

~~~

Mindy's mother had driven to campus, so she drove home. Rani rode with Mindy in her car since Mindy insisted on driving separately from her mother. Her parent's apartment and restaurant weren't far from campus, but walking would take too long.

"Whatever you do, please don't mention the harem or tell my parents I'm bi." Mindy said. "Oh, and don't mention Arthur. Don't call me Whore, either, or any nicknames other than Mindy. Don't joke about sex or religion. Maybe don't mention the number of people you've slept with, and don't bring up politics with my umma or sister-in-law. And if they ask, would you mind saying you're a Christian? If you tell them you're Hindu, it'll be this whole thing, and I don't want them to try to convert you."

Rani stared at Mindy for a moment before answering. Her girl was panicking, her cheerful attitude gone, and her pulse spiking. Rani put her hand on Mindy's thigh and gave her legging-clad lover a gentle squeeze. "Maybe I should stay on campus."

"No." Mindy said. "It'd be suspicious if you don't come now."

"Okay..." Rani said, hesitant. "Mindy... are you okay? Your mom seemed nice. Is she super strict? Is your house not a safe place for you?"

"What?" Mindy asked, confused. "No, there's no abuse or anything, but my parents have this specific image of me. I'm their studious, hardworking, talented daughter who gets good grades and works hard. I don't mess around with boys, and I don't do anything immoral with women, either. I'm a good girl. I go to school and church, and they're proud of me. That's the image I've worked hard to maintain with them, no matter what."

Silence reigned as Mindy drove, and Rani digested her words.

"Wow." Rani said. "There's a lot to unpack there."

"What?" Mindy asked again, distracted.

Rani closed her eyes and breathed. Two intense conversations in two days was too many. "Mindy... I'm not a good liar. I can cover for you some, and I know it's not my place to out you to your parents. That's a conversation you need to have with them, which I will one-hundred percent attend and support you if you want me there. I'd be honored. But I can't pretend to be someone I'm not." She looked at Mindy.

"I'm Rani. Your parent's gorgeous, cute, sexy, hardworking, studious, and talented daughter is in a polyamorous relationship with a smart, beautiful, loud-mouthed, sexually liberated pansexual. They can either accept me for who I am or reject me. I don't have to bring you into it, but they'll know me for me, not for who you want me to pretend to be." Rani expected an answer, but when she didn't get one, she prodded Mindy's leg and prompted her. "Okay?"

Mindy frowned but tried to lighten the car's atmosphere by giggling. "You think I'm sexy?"

"Duh, you bimbo. You want me to lean over and prove it?" Rani asked.

"No." Mindy said, glancing at the car in front of them, where she could see her mother's eyes in the rear-view mirror.

Rani sighed, withdrawing her hand from Mindy's lap and reclining in the passenger seat, crossing her arms over her middle.

"Look, Min. What you tell your parents and reveal to them is between you and them." Rani said. "But if you want my advice? Let them experience the real you. You're fuckin' awesome, and hiding who you are never works out long-term. It's better to learn upfront if people accept or reject you."

Mindy's frown didn't fade as she parked behind the restaurant, but when she and Rani left the car, her face had become neutral again. She even smiled at her mother as her umma unlocked the back door. She opened it to reveal the stairs leading to the second-floor apartment, and Rani followed Mindy up to the landing at the top.

The landing led to a narrow hallway to their left. The rooms on either side stood shut. The hallway passed a doorless opening on the left that led to the kitchen. It emptied straight ahead to a small rectangular living room. A comfortable sofa, a well-loved armchair, a coffee table, and an entertainment center made up the 'living room.'

A wooden oval dining table with four chairs around it made up the 'dining room' behind the sofa. Books, notebooks, mail, and junk of various kinds blanketed it, which Mrs. Tae started clearing.

The entire apartment smelled the same, the faint scent of wood underlying the kitchen's spiced smell and the living room's fabric-heavy scent.

"Why don't the two of you wait in Mindy's room?" Mrs. Tae asked. She straightened up the table, which was the only messy item in the room. "I'll make popcorn, and Judy will be here soon!"

"Judy?" Rani asked.

"Sister-in-law." Mindy said, nodding. "Come on!" She took Rani's hand and pulled her back into the hallway. "I'll show you my room!"

Rani followed her pull and staggered into her room as Mindy shut the door behind them. She leaned against it and took a deep breath. Her enthusiasm from a moment ago disappeared in a flash. She flicked the switch by the door and turned on her floor lamp on the opposite wall.

"You okay?" Rani asked, looking at Mindy.

"Yeah. This is just... I didn't expect to be showing you my old bedroom tonight." Mindy said, smiling awkwardly. "This is uh... me." She gestured, and Rani looked around.

The room was cute. Mindy had decorated its walls with pictures of her, her family, and high school friends, and people in matching t-shirts that said 'youth group' on them, her church friends. There was no crossover between the groups. Rani didn't have long to study them before her eyes fell on a picture of Mindy as part of a cheerleading team.

She looked at Mindy, then back at the photo. Mindy took the cheerleading uniform hanging on her closet door and shoved it into the closet.

"You were a cheerleader?" Rani asked, the confusion evident in her voice.

"Uh... yeah!" Mindy said. "Back in high school."

Rani stared at her.

"What?" Mindy asked.

"At homecoming, you made it sound like you knew nothing about football. You and Kelly bonded over her teaching you the game." Rani said, still confused. "And yesterday-"

"Well... I might have known more about it than I let on." Mindy admitted. "I thought if I feigned ignorance, Arthur would jump in and teach me, but then Kelly jumped in and... I don't know. It just didn't seem like a big deal."

"You lied to Arthur?" Rani asked. "To Kelly and everyone?"

"I pretended with Arthur. It's... girls do it all the time! It's flirting! You know how you pretend to be dumb to get a guy's attention? Then they explain things to you?" Mindy asked, as if everyone did it.

"I don't do that." Rani said, shaking her head. "I have guys trying to explain things to me all the time in my STEM classes. I hate it. HATE it." She could not emphasize the word enough.

"Oh." Mindy said, deflating.

"And you don't have to act dumb. Arthur likes you. We like you. It's okay to be smart." Rani said.

"I know." Mindy said, almost reflexively. "I'm sorry."

Rani still looked confused but didn't refuse a hug when Mindy moved in for one. She squeezed her, and Mindy's breasts squished against her, soft and pleasant. She kept Mindy in her arms but pulled away without leaving her embrace to examine her face.

They looked at each other; their lips were close, and their faces drifted closer. Rani tilted her head in anticipation of a kiss, their mouths opening as Mindy pulled her closer. The moment Rani's lips touched Mindy's, a click at the door sent the younger woman spinning away. By the time the door opened, Mindy was sitting on the bed. Rani stood with her arms open without a partner, facing the door. She bore a confused expression.

Mrs. Tae pushed the door open and smiled. "Judy is here! She brought the pizza! Come, come!" She held up a DVD with a woman and two young men on the cover. The writing was in Korean, so Rani couldn't read it. "Time to watch!"

Rani nodded and followed Mrs. Tae to the living room. Still in a slight daze from everything, she erred on remaining silent rather than risk saying the wrong thing. Mindy followed behind her, quiet, with her head bowed.

A small but wide-hipped woman with shoulder-length black hair was in the hallway with them, following Mindy until they split apart. She was Caucasian, which surprised Rani, but she wasn't sure why. She put the pizza boxes she carried on the stove, and Mrs. Tae pulled plates from the cabinet.

The young woman was dressed well. She'd done her hair and makeup for this, hoping to make a good impression. She and Rani met eyes and studied the other's face, trying to determine where they'd seen the other one before.

"Salon lady?" Rani asked, pointing.

Judy raised her eyebrows. "You're that girl from outside the salon, the inappropriate one?"

Rani snorted. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"The inappropriate one? You've met before?" Mindy asked, alarmed.

"Not exactly." Judy said.

"No." Rani said. "But she came out of the salon as I was talking to Arthur." She glanced at Mindy, then explained to Mrs. Tae and Judy before she continued. "My boyfriend. I was joking around with him, trying to cheer him up."

"Cheer him up?" Mindy asked, concerned. "Why were you cheering him up? What happened?"

"We..." Rani hesitated, nervous. Arthur had confided in her about Lynn. Mindy wanted to know, but this was not the time or place. Nor was it her story to tell. Arthur said he'd tell the others when he could at the harem meeting on Wednesday. Full transparency had to wait. She sighed.

"We had a very serious conversation." Rani said. "Then we shared a hug. He bought me ice cream, and we went back to his place."

Judy and Mrs. Tae's eyebrows rose.

Mindy tugged on Rani's sleeve. "What serious conversation? What did you two say?"

"Don't be so nosy, Ji-Min!" Her mother rebuked her with a poke on her nose. "What Rani and her boyfriend do is none of your business!"

"No, it's okay." Rani said, intervening for Mindy's sake.

Judy smiled awkwardly. "It sounded like things were about to get pretty heated."

Rani smiled. "Oh, well... yeah. I mean, you've seen him. It's easy to get heated."

Judy bit her lip to keep from laughing and glanced toward Mrs. Tae, whose focus was on Rani. Mindy nudged Rani in her back, avoiding being seen.

"Your boyfriend goes to school with you?" Mrs. Tae asked. She passed the girls, getting the DVD ready for the player.

"Oh, yeah." Rani nodded, following Mrs. Tae into the living room. "He's a senior at the University."

"Well, if you don't mind discussing him, why don't you tell us the story? Did you meet him at school?" Mrs. Tae asked. She passed out the popcorn she'd microwaved while the girls were in Mindy's bedroom. Everyone had a bowl of popcorn and a plate of pizza.

"Oh, uh..." Rani said. She sat at the table as Judy and Mrs. Tae took their seats. Mindy sat beside her, looking uncomfortable.

"So, how did you meet this boyfriend of yours?" Mrs. Tae asked. "And what's his name?"

"Arthur." Rani said, answering the second question first. "And... technically, I met him last semester in a business writing class."

"You're a business major like Ji-Min?" Mrs. Tae perked up.

"Oh, no." Rani shook her head. "It was an elective. I'm an engineering major, but I guess it's important for us to know how to write professionally, for manuals and such, so..."

Mrs. Tae nodded.

"Yeah." Rani said, glancing at Mindy. Storytelling was awkward while trying to watch what she might say.