The Awakening of Suzan - Chapter 8

These events occur immediately after the end of chapter 7.
Chapter 8 <unk> Unexpected visits
I pick up the phone with my hands still trembling, hoping for the worst, but to my immediate relief, I see that the message has nothing to do with that photo or the blackmailer, it's just a few colleagues from InovaMind. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves as I read the contents of the message. It was a group of four colleagues who wanted to organize a "girls' night" here in my apartment. They wanted to get together to relax, talk about life and, of course, exchange professional ideas - something that is always useful for our creativity.
It would be perfect... if I wasn't following these crazy orders.
As the anxiety started to give way to confusion, I kept reading. They were going to bring everything - food, drink, and even some desserts. Nothing to worry about in terms of organization. But still, my heart was heavy. How could I deal with it? I was in this embarrassing situation, trying to follow the blackmailer's orders, and now I would have to socialize with colleagues as if nothing was happening.
I looked at the message group.
There were four of them:
1. Carla <unk> She was from the creative team. Creative, extroverted and always full of new ideas. Her short blonde hair and her naked manner made her one of the most striking figures of the company. It was difficult not to be influenced by Carla's contagious energy. Even in moments of crisis, she was able to cheer everyone up with her optimism.
2. Natalia <unk> A data analyst, methodical and intelligent. She was the kind of person who kept her feet on the ground and brought the dose of rationality that the team sometimes lacked. Natalia was more reserved, with her brown hair tied in a bow and her glasses that gave her a serious but at the same time welcoming look. I have always admired her ability to remain calm under pressure.
3. Barbara <unk> Graphic Designer. Always the most creative, with her bohemian lifestyle, casually dressed, her curly hair always tied up with colorful scarves. Barbara could turn any idea into something visually amazing. She was always on top of the latest trends in both fashion and design. Her presence always brought an artistic energy to any environment.
4. Renata <unk> She was the project manager and, frankly, the person who made everything work. Organized, practical and with a brilliant strategic vision. Renata was the born leader who knew how to motivate the team and make sure everyone was on the same page. Tall and slender, with a firm stance, she was able to balance the seriousness of the work very well with a personal lightness that I admired.
These were the women who were organizing to come to my apartment in a few hours, and now I was completely lost. What was I going to do? It was bad enough dealing with this crazy situation alone, but now having to face my colleagues while trying to keep this secret felt surreal.
"This is crazy", I thought, as I kept staring at the screen of my phone. "How am I going to deal with this?"
Suddenly, I started walking around, still naked, trying to think of some solution. I couldn't just cancel, it would be too weird. They were already excited, and I knew that a night like this could be really fun. But the feeling of being watched, the order to keep me... with nothing, not even my underwear, tormented me. Could this bloody blackmailer be watching me, waiting for me to make a mistake?
"I can't spend the night like this", I thought, a mixture of frustration and despair gripping me. "What if he knows? What if he's watching me? I can't throw it all away".
I looked at my watch, they'd be here in a few hours, I had to think fast.
"Maybe I can wear something light, disguise... something that doesn't make me so exposed, but also doesn't seem like an affront to orders". It was an idea. An outlet. Maybe a loose dress? Something that wouldn't make me feel so vulnerable, but that would still meet the "rules", in case the blackmailer was really watching me.
I approached the wardrobe, still restless, and the girls' night, something that was supposed to be light and relaxed, now seemed like an almost impossible mission, and I just wanted this to end, this absurd situation to end.
While I was thinking about all this, I kept walking around the apartment, trying to find a way to stay in control.
I was completely paralyzed, trying to decide what to do, and my thoughts were confused in an almost chaotic way, and I only had two hours until the girls would arrive, and the idea of being naked all the time with them here seemed unbearable, but at the same time, there was something in me that said to go on, to carry out the orders, even if it meant receiving my friends like this, vulnerable.
"There's no way I'm going to do this", I thought, feeling the heat rise to my face. But something inside me was curious. How would it be to handle this situation in such an extreme way? I knew I had to come up with some excuse in case they thought it was strange. It wouldn't be easy. But maybe if I was confident enough, they wouldn't suspect either. I could say that I was trying a new practice of self-acceptance, something like connecting with my body, as a way to de-stress.
This idea was not so absurd, considering that we worked in an environment full of creative people, where the idea of individual freedom was highly valued.
"Okay. That's it. I'll make a creative excuse", I thought, as I looked around. The apartment was relatively tidy, but it needed some adjustments.
I took a deep breath, accepting the decision I had made, and began to organize things. The kitchen was almost in order, but there were still some dishes to wash. So I went to the sink and began to clean, still naked. The feeling of doing everything without clothes didn't seem as strange as before. It was as if somehow my body was getting used to this new normal.
After finishing the kitchen, I went into the living room. The center table was cluttered with magazines and some papers from work that I had left there. I collected everything and put it in a drawer, trying to keep the room looking more organized.
I looked at my watch. Time was passing quickly, but I still had an hour and a half. I went to my room, made the bed and threw out some things that were thrown on the floor. Although I was organizing everything in a hurry, the idea of welcoming the girls still weighed on my mind.
"Will I be able to keep this up all night?" I asked myself as I folded some blankets.
I went back into the living room, did one last sweep of the entire apartment, and decided to light some scented candles. I wanted to create a relaxing environment, which might help to disguise my tension. The softer lights might at least minimize my exposure a little bit, which made me feel a little safer.
I needed everything to be perfect to take the focus off any strangeness.
I went to the bathroom, washed my face, and for a few seconds, I looked in the mirror. "Suzan, you're really going to do this". I said to myself. "Be strong. This is going to end well".
The two hours were almost up.
The sound of the intercom made me jump, my heart racing instantly, and I ran to the machine, still trying to keep calm, but my hands got a little soft as I pressed the button.
My voice came out a little shaky.
"Good evening, Suzanne. Your friends are coming up". It was the voice of another doorman. It wasn't Mr. Oswaldo. That surprised me a bit, but it wasn't the time to question.
My focus now had to be totally on how I was going to handle the situation.
I was naked. I was completely naked. And in a few minutes, Carla and Natalia and Barbara and Renata would be knocking on my door. That was crazy. I knew I had to come up with an excuse that made some sense, something that didn't leave any room for suspicion, but also justified why, in the name of everything, I was going to receive them that way. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my heart that seemed to want to jump out of my chest.
"Okay, Susan, be creative. They know you, they know you're always focused on work, so... maybe something related to well-being, to relaxation... yes, that might work. Say you were experimenting with a new technique of self-acceptance, of liberation from the body... no, that sounds exaggerated... oh, I don't know... just speak with confidence. If I don't shake myself, maybe they won't either".
The plan sounded good, at least in theory.
I went to the door and, before opening it, took another quick look around the apartment. The soft light of the candles that I had lit created a pleasant atmosphere. This might help to soften things, I thought. I looked at myself again. Naked. My body exposed in such a commonplace situation as receiving friends for a night of socializing and exchanging professional ideas.
I heard the knock on the door and swallowed it dry.
I opened the door, and there they were. Carla, Natalia, Barbara and Renata. All smiling, carrying bags of food and drink. For a second, their smile froze, their gaze taking longer than usual to register the fact that I was completely naked. But to my relief, they didn't say anything right away.
<unk> Hi, girls! <unk> <unk> I tried to sound as natural as possible by opening up a smile. <unk> Sorry for the... well, for the unusual situation. I know it may sound strange, but I decided to try a personal liberation technique. Something related to body self-acceptance. I've been feeling very stuck lately, both at work and in life, so I thought I'd try something new. I hope you don't mind. <unk>
Carla was the first to react, raising her eyebrows, but then smiling.
That's very different, but if it makes you feel good, who are we to judge, right?
Natalie gave a nervous chuckle, but did not directly comment on my nakedness either. <unk>I completely understand. People work so hard that sometimes they forget to relax.<unk>
Renata and Barbara looked at each other, clearly surprised but not uncomfortable.
"Well, I've never tried anything like this, but I think we all need a break from the conventional from time to time".
Renata, always the most pragmatic of the group, simply nodded. "Yeah, it makes sense. And the atmosphere here is super relaxing. Those candles... you really thought of everything".
I felt an immediate relief when I realized that they weren't judging me, they weren't making me feel uncomfortable, and the feeling that I had crossed the line of normalcy into something so unexpected made me anxious, but their acceptance was surprisingly quick, and maybe I was worrying too much.
"Please come in!" he said, opening the door wider for them to come in.
As they entered, I still remained calm, trying to look confident, and I led the girls into the living room, where they placed the bags of food and drink on the center table.
<unk>Ok, and now let's relax. After all, this is a night to relax, isn't it?<unk> I spoke, trying to establish a lighter tone, gesturing for them to settle down.
Carla took a bottle of wine from the bag. "Of course. Let's open it and enjoy the night!"
We all sat on the floor around the center table, and the conversation began to flow naturally, as it always did between us, we talked about the latest InnovMind projects, about how some campaigns were demanding more creativity than normal, and also about the daily challenges of work. Gradually, the subject became more relaxed, and the fact that I was naked became just a detail, even I began to forget that fact, that we were all so involved in the conversation.
Barbara, always the most curious, finally brought the matter to light.
"Suzan, I have to admit, this approach of yours to body release is fascinating. Do you think it really helps relieve stress? Don't get me wrong, I think it's super brave of you to do something like this".
I smiled at her, feeling a little more at ease. "Look, it's too early to tell if this really makes a huge difference, but in a way, I feel... light. It's like I've let go of a weight that I didn't even know I was carrying. I think we should all try to step out of our comfort zone a little bit from time to time".
Natalie laughed. "I understand what you mean. Maybe not exactly that way, but we all carry stresses that we accumulate in our day-to-day life".
The conversation went on like this, alternating between jokes and more serious discussions about work and personal life, and gradually, I started to feel more comfortable, less aware of my nakedness, like it really wasn't a big deal.
After an hour of talking and laughing, the girls were already so wrapped up in the evening that my nudity had become just another element of the different evening we were sharing.