Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 The Housekeeper by *Lady Lucia*

   PART ONE

   JESS

   I couldn't believe my luck!

   University wasn't cheap, so I had decided at the beginning of my first
year there to keep my babysitting business from high school going.  My
website was already set up and, it may sound braggy, but I was pretty great
at my job.  Reliable, punctual, great with kids, and almost always asked
back.  By the time I graduated high school, I honestly could have given up
higher education and made a decent living with the rates I had established
by the end.  Between the referrals and the repeat jobs, the only thing
holding me back from babysitting every night was the fact that I still
wanted a social life.

   So, since I ended up at a local university, it made sense to keep
running my business.  I was a lot choosier when it came to the jobs, since
I could only give up one or two nights a week while still keeping up with
my studies and enjoying the freedom of living alone.  Not totally alone, as
I had a roommate, but that was still more liberating than sharing a roof
with my parents.  For the most part, I tried to stick with younger kids
with earlier bedtimes, so I could knock out some homework and studying for
a few hours at the end of the night.  As for the rest, I referred them to
friends of mine that were still in high school, as not many other girls my
age were still babysitting.  For a small, one time fee, of course.  It's
not that I was greedy.  But textbooks were expensive, and I had put a lot
of work into my teenage babysitting career.  I wasn't just going to give
more than half of it away for nothing.

   Then, at the end of my sophomore year, I hit the jackpot.  Some wealthy
family halfway across the state got my name somehow, and offered me the job
of my dreams.  For starters, it was a lot of money.  More money than I
currently had in my checking and savings account combined.  If that wasn't
tempting enough, the summer job involved watching a teenager.  Personally,
I've never minded babysitting teens.  While the attitude can sometimes be
an issue, the huge `pro' is that they're self sufficient.  My trick is to
just treat them with respect, lay down a few basic rules, and otherwise let
them do whatever they want.  When I pull it off correctly, they get a whole
night of doing their own thing without being bothered, and I get paid for
doing nothing but maybe making a meal if the parents didn't leave money for
ordering something.

   Part of the reason I was being offered so much was due to the commitment
involved.  Six whole weeks staying at their house and watching their kid
while they were on vacation.  I had only done two overnight jobs before,
and both of those were just a Saturday/Sunday thing.  This was definitely
outside the scope of my usual experience, but that didn't mean I wasn't
equipped to handle it.  It was summer, so I had the time, and it was really
good money.  On top of that, a quick online search of their address showed
me that the family lived at this huge manor, complete with a guest house
and a pool.  I would probably be staying in the main house, but there was
always the possibility of inviting a friend over and having a sleepover
across the way after my teenage charge was fast asleep.  Oh, and they had a
pool.

   In a lot of ways, this could be both a job and a vacation.  No parents
or other adults around, and a fancy, expensive property for me to relax at
whenever Hannah was content entertaining herself.  That was the girl's
name-Hannah-though I didn't get many details about the girl herself.  For
the most part, the messages were about the job.  And it made sense that the
girl's parents were hiring a babysitter.  Plenty of teenagers could be
trusted to be home alone for a day or two, but six weeks was a long time.
Hannah probably didn't want to be shipped off to some relative's house for
half the summer, so this was the better alternative.

   When the day arrived, I must have spent hours getting ready.  Hannah's
parents had an early morning flight, so they wouldn't even be there to
greet me.  However, teenagers could be quite judgmental, and I wanted to
make a good first impression.  Also, I was stuck between being daunted by
the fancy manor and wanting to look like my usual summer self.  And that
was just one outfit.  Packing was a whole other thing, though I solved that
problem by simply throwing everything I owned into my suitcases and duffel
bags.  It would be easier to choose future ensembles after seeing how
Hannah dressed.  Normally I wasn't afraid to just throw on jeans and a tank
top, but that was when I was a middle class girl babysitting for middle
class families.  This was different.

   Heels were a must.

   I was short for my age; only 4'11".  Breaking five feet would have been
wonderful, but I hadn't grown in years.  Now that I was twenty, I was more
or less resigned to my embarrassingly short height.  Thankfully, I had
plenty of other things going for me.  My chest was a point of pride.  32C
exactly, which made bra shopping simple compared to other girls I knew.  I
also worked out a minimum of three times a week, leaving me with a
well-defined stomach and a hint of tone everywhere else.

   Looking myself over in the mirror after my shower, content with how my
naturally tanned skin looked better than usual after a fresh shave, I got
to work blow drying my brunette locks so any lingering dampness on my body
could air dry at the same time.  I'm not vain, but I'm also not blind.  I
know I'm decently attractive, minus the pathetic height, and today was
especially important to highlight and accentuate all my best qualities. 
After building a good rapport with Hannah, I could probably get away with
messy hair and PJs.  But on day one, I had to look my best.

   Ultimately, I decided on a dark green sundress.  It was one of my
favorites and, like many dresses of that variety, did a good job of looking
nice yet casual.  It was comfortable, too.  For footwear, I opted for a
pair of brown heels that gave me an extra three inches of height. 
Returning to the bathroom, I made short work of putting in my contact
lenses and adding a light curl to my hair.  Picking out an outfit was one
thing, but I didn't trust myself with a curling iron without my contacts.
Aside from my height, my poor vision was the other thing I wasn't
particularly fond of.  That, and my tiny feet.

   My parents were already off at work, so I hauled all my suitcases and
duffel bags downstairs and to the car by myself.  After triple checking my
room for anything I tended to forget when it came to trips-chargers,
toiletries, and socks-I jotted a quick note with Hannah's address and her
home phone number in case there was an issue with my cell, and then hopped
in the car to make the four hour drive.

   I'd be getting there just after lunch.  Her parents had assured me she
would be fine for half a day by herself, but I still felt a little bit
nervous along the way.  Normally, I would arrive and greet the parents
before they left, especially for a new job.  Halfway through the drive, I
considered calling Hannah during my stretch break at a rest stop.  I had
already added her cell phone number into my Contacts, as well as the
landline.  After thinking for a minute or two, I decided against it.  The
average teenager didn't enjoy talking on the phone, and it would be better
if my first interaction with her was face to face.

   Finally, after a healthy combination of podcasts and music, I arrived at
Walker Manor.  Turns out, the online images didn't do it justice in the
slightest.  As I drove through the main gate and looked around with wide
eyes, it was difficult to tell where their property ended and nature began.
The time it took to get up the road/driveway was enough to get a good look
at the perfectly kept grounds, a gorgeous lake off to the left, and the
enormous stone house that I would be staying in for the next six weeks. 
Suddenly, my sundress felt entirely inadequate.  I should have shown up in
a fucking ballgown.

   Where was I supposed to park?  There was plenty of space right in front
of the house, but the smooth driveway also looped around the side towards
the smaller guest house and perhaps a nineteen car garage.  I wouldn't be
surprised.  For the moment, I stopped the car near the main door.  Hannah
would know better than I would, plus this would be easiest in terms of
hauling all my things inside.  Taking a deep breath, feeling entirely out
of my element, I stepped out of the car and approached the front door.

   `Housekeeper.' That's what I was supposed to be.  At least, that's what
Hannah's parents had strongly suggested.  Since I'd be doing a bit of the
cooking and cleaning, like I ended up doing at most of my jobs, they
thought it would be a better term than `babysitter.' While I understood
where they were coming from, as their idea would be theoretically easier to
swallow for a rich teenager who probably thought she didn't need
supervision, I had been in this line of work for a while.  Kids aren't
stupid, and that goes doubly so for teens.  If I had to guess, Hannah would
see right through the white lie.

   But I would try.  Jess, the housekeeper.

   As long as Hannah and I could coexist, I'd go with whatever title
worked. It was going to be a win/win.  I'd get a six week vacation at a
place that would cost me thousands if it were a bed and breakfast, and
their daughter would get the freedom she wanted.  As long as she didn't
destroy the house, I could be flexible about a lot of other things.

   Taking another breath, I took the brass knocker and officially announced
my arrival.



   HANNAH

   A babysitter.  A fucking babysitter.

   I was going to kill my parents.  What, they didn't trust me because I
hosted a party one time when they were out of town?  It's not like I left a
huge mess for them to clean up.  Hell, I hired an outside maid with my own
money to put the whole house together in a matter of hours the next
morning. The only reason they even found out is because one of my (former)
friends ratted me out.  She was too hungover, and bombed a university
interview.  Her parents managed to interrogate her enough that she cracked
and tried to put the blame on me to save her own skin.

   As if.  All she succeeded in doing was uninviting herself to every party
since then.  Were the pity points worth it, Brittany?  None of us trusted
her with anything any more.  Goes to show what happened to girls who
crossed me and my friends.

   More importantly, I was eighteen years old.  A legal ADULT.  A high
school graduate who absolutely did not need supervision.  And yet, my
parents decided that it would be a good idea to hire someone to watch me
while they went off on some charity cruise.  Like they actually cared about
whatever their donation was going to.  It was just an opportunity to lounge
on a boat and see a few exotic countries along the way.  Just like their
real motivations for their trip was obvious, it was also painfully clear
what `housekeeper' really meant.  We already had two maids.  We had a
groundskeeper.  So why hire someone new at the exact time they were leaving
for vacation?  What a crazy mystery.

   My parents were long gone by the time I woke up.  It was summer, which
meant I didn't plan on ever waking up before 9 AM.  This new hire was
supposed to arrive some time after noon, which meant that I had all of
three hours to myself.  I considered throwing an impromptu day party just
to make her deal with dozens of inebriated high school graduates and
perhaps some university students as well if I gave my friends the green
light to invite their older friends and relatives.

   It was a fun idea, but it wasn't a smart play.  Why risk something that
bold before even meeting the woman that was supposed to be supervising me
all summer?  I'm a people person, after all.  I'd rather get a read on her
and then plan accordingly.  While I hated sucking up to authority figures,
it wasn't beneath me.  I've done it plenty of times with teachers,
especially the male variety, and playing nice with Jess could yield some
equally positive results.  She would lower her guard, and I could start
pushing the envelope.  Anything she lets me do once is something I could
then do forever.  Backpedaling is difficult once you've already said `yes'
to something.

   Also, what kind of name is `Jess?' Short for Jessica, or maybe
Jessamine? Most adults tended to shed such nicknames as they got older. 
Then again, this woman accepted a babysitter job, which meant she wasn't
well off financially.  Maybe lower class types are more keen to stick with
nicknames.  Or maybe Jess was just an anomaly.  Whatever.  There could be a
million other reasons, but dwelling on something like that was a total
waste of time.

   Changing into one of my many bikinis, I grabbed a bottled smoothie and
some lotion before heading out to the pool.  Jess was going to be here in a
few hours, which meant this was my last chance to tan while topless. 
Practically, I just hated having pale orbs on my chest that didn't match
the rest of my skin tone.  But also, it was exhilarating to be half naked
outside, even if no one was scheduled to work this morning.  Low risk, but
still alluring to be reminded of my nudity every time a light breeze
brushed my bare breasts.

   I stayed by the pool all morning.  Texting, scrolling, and occasionally
drifting off.  I eventually got up to grab myself a pitcher of water, but
that's about it.  Once noon hit, I was a little more alert, but opted to
keep my top off for as long as possible.  I think it was safe to assume
that Jess would frown upon such exposure, which meant this would be my last
opportunity to tan topless for six weeks.

   Honestly, having a babysitter was going to be worse than my parents
being around.  They worked so much, I almost always had the place to myself
during the day.  Now I was going to have to deal with near-24/7
supervision. Fuck me.

   Finally, I heard her.  We were the only house in at least a half mile
radius, which means the sound of a car was either the mailman or the new
`housekeeper.' Odds were on the latter, simply due to the timing.  Groaning
to myself, I grabbed my bikini top and tied it into place.  Goodbye, peace
and quiet.  Goodbye, freedom.  Despite the negativity coursing through me
as I walked back inside, I forced a warm smile onto my face.  The best way
to sell a good attitude was to ease into it.  While I was quite adept when
it came to all things social, trying to flip the switch from `bitch face'
to `genuine smile' was difficult to pull off without showing at least a
trace of disdain.

   Just to be sure I had it right, I glanced at my reflection in the
kitchen microwave.  Perfect.  My expression was hospitable, but my
bikini-clad body would serve to throw her off guard as I opened the door. A
lovely concoction to test how Jess handled herself when facing the
unexpected.  I waited in the kitchen, as I had no idea where the woman was
going to enter.  Front door?  Side door?  Or perhaps she'd just sit in the
car and call the house.  I had tried to break into my father's home
computer earlier to see if there was an email exchange between him and the
babysitter, but couldn't find the password anywhere in his office.

   Two loud knocks on the front door answered my question and put an end to
my impatient waiting.  Brushing my hair back and pushing another wave of
warmth onto my smile and into my eyes, I sauntered down the hallway towards
the front door.  Taking my time, but also not making her wait forever. 
Similar to my appearance, I wanted to strike a decent balance when it came
to my response time.

   With no hesitation, as I had always been the kind of girl who just rips
off the band-aid, I unlocked the door and opened it wide for her.  "Hey," I
said, "You must be Jess."



   JESS

   The first thing that caught my attention was the bikini.  Matching top
and bottoms in a sharp emerald.  Coincidentally similar to the color of my
sundress, but I was more focused on all the bare skin that greeted me when
I had expected Hannah to be clothed.  But that isn't where the surprises
stopped.  She was tall, easily towering over me despite my heels, and I
instantly noticed what else was wrong when I looked up and took in her
blonde hair and sharp facial features.

   Wait, what?

   How old was this girl?!

   When her parents had said `teenage daughter,' I had first assumed that
they meant thirteen or so, as that's about the oldest I've ever had to
supervise.  I find that around that age, parents begin trusting their kids
alone for a few hours when they go out for the evening.  Since this was six
full weeks, I had stretched my assumption to maybe fourteen or fifteen,
where the girl could be self-sufficient while still needing someone around
to make sure she wasn't getting into trouble.

   But the girl in front of me had to be older than that.  Sixteen,
minimum. Or seventeen?  Not legally an adult, so therefore needs a
`guardian' around in her parents' absence?  The moment she opened the door,
I regretted jumping to conclusions and not asking for more details before
accepting the job.  I was only twenty years old!  True, I had a solid eight
years of experience babysitting, but still.  How could I possibly earn the
respect of a girl just a few years younger than me?

   I couldn't just stare and overanalyze, however.  "Hey," I replied,
hoping that she didn't catch the faint hesitation.  The blonde looked
friendly enough, rather than a scowling teenager who didn't appreciate
someone disturbing her privacy.  "Hannah, right?" I asked.  It was a stupid
question.  Who else would be here in a swimsuit?

   "Mm hmm," she nodded, "And you're Jess.  Or is it `Jessica?' Aren't you
going to come in?"

   "`Jessica,' technically," I said, "But you can call me `Jess.' And in a
minute.  I should grab my things.  Do you-" Catching myself halfway through
a request for help, I scrambled to think of something else to say instead.
While I'd ask just about any friend for assistance with my luggage, I
didn't want my first encounter with Hannah to include me asking her for
manual labor.  What if she was the kind of girl that didn't lift a finger
around the house?  What if this got us off on the wrong foot?  Still
determined to make this more of a vacation than a job, both for myself and
for her, I pivoted.  "Do you know which room I'm staying in?  I can get
myself settled if you want to go back to the pool.  Sorry if I
interrupted."

   "It's fine!  You actually got here at just the right time.  I really
need someone to get my back.  You brought a suit, right?  You should get
changed up and meet me out there.  I'd much rather get to know my new
housekeeper by the pool, instead of in this stuffy house.  Sound good?"

   It was a lot to take in.  While it would be irresponsible to let the
girl burn, I didn't know how I felt about physical contact like that before
establishing my authority.  Then she was suggesting that I join her by the
pool, and in swimwear instead of my dress?  On top of all that, the phrase
`my new housekeeper' didn't sit very well with me.  If I wasn't careful,
she'd assume that I was around to be more subservient.  That was the
opposite of what this dynamic was supposed to be, and suddenly I found
myself wishing she did see through her parents' retitling of my babysitter
role.

   So much to process, so little time to respond.  And she didn't even
answer the question about where my room was!  Okay, two could play that
game.  Remembering that she was a teenager, there was a good chance that
she was at least playing a little bit dumb on purpose.  "So where's my
room?" I casually asked.  Not actually confirming anything, but also
knowing that I'd need my own space to change if it came to that.

   To her credit, Hannah didn't miss a beat.  Maybe she wasn't being
difficult on purpose after all.  "Upstairs, on your left.  The room with
the gray sheets."

   "Thanks, Hannah," I said.  Ugh, she was SO tall.  The sooner we were
both seated, the better.  It would be much better laying down a few ground
rules when I didn't have to look up to meet her eyes.  "I'll be out in a
few minutes, okay?" In my sundress.  While it would be nice to relax by the
pool and get some sun, it was way too soon to wear a bikini around her. 
Now that I was dealing with an older teenager, I'd have to adjust my entire
game plan.

   "Oh, I can't wait to see what you brought for swimwear!  Trust me,
you're going to fucking love the pool here.  You're not the boring type who
never jumps in, right?"

   Boring?  Me?  Not a chance!  I decided to let the swear word go, as that
would almost prove her point right then and there.  Not that she was making
a point.  The question had more of a playfully curious tone than anything
else.  "Of course not.  I love to swim," I replied.  It was the truth.

   "Good!" she exclaimed, "Bikini.  Pool.  Ten minutes.  I'll be waiting,
Jessie!"



   HANNAH

   The moment I opened the door, I had to forcefully shove down a laugh
that was threatening to burst through my lips.

   No way.  No fucking way!!

   This was Jess?!  A short brunette girl who looked almost as young as I
was?  This had to be a joke.  For some reason, I had expected a no-nonsense
woman in her late twenties or early thirties.  An age that could still work
for a `Jess;' an age that was old enough yet young enough to put up with
the shit of a rebellious teenager.  Or a manipulative one, in my case. 
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that it would be someone so much
smaller than me, and so close in age.

   Did my parents know when hiring her?  Or did they massively screw up? 
Only one way to find out.

   I started off friendly, testing the waters.  Throwing a bunch of
friendly ideas out while acting like she was just another girl like me.  I
half expected her to flip some domineering switch and lay down the law, but
she didn't.  Instead, little Jess just tried to brush past my questions. 
Nice try, girl.  At that point, I was determined to get her into a bikini
and down to the pool.  I would be her `friend,' and she would have a
difficult time fulfilling her babysitting duties when so underdressed.

   Hopefully my parting words would do the trick.  Pushing too hard on the
subject would put her guard up, so I simply swiveled on my heel and
strutted away.  Unfortunately, that meant I couldn't study her reaction to
`Jessie.' Oh, well.  There would be plenty of opportunities to try out the
alternative nickname and see if it made her cringe or object.  For the
moment, I would once again have to be patient.  Either Jess would change
and prove that she was a fun girl who wanted to get along with the teenager
she was hired to babysit, or she would come outside fully dressed and I
would have to shift tactics.

   While I waited, I simply sat by the edge of the pool and dipped my feet
in to cool off.  Leaning back and killing time on my phone; making it seem
like I was content to do so for hours even though I was restless with the
countless ideas to put Jess in a situation where she felt more pressured to
be a roommate than a babysitter.

   To my partial disbelief, the girl actually came outside in nothing but a
bikini!!  Not even a towel draped over her shoulders to hide part of her
bare skin, which was almost as surprising as the fact that she changed in
the first place.  I couldn't help but wonder what the deciding factor was.
The excitement about what she brought?  The insinuation that she might be
boring?  The general need to make our first day together as smooth as
possible?  Probably that, though it was fun to imagine that my directive
before walking away was what sealed the deal.

   As Jess got closer, however, my internal smugness quickly evaporated
when I caught a glimpse of her breasts.

   FUCK.

   I hadn't noticed it before, as the cut of her dress was more modest at
the neckline, but her cleavage was a lot more obvious in the bikini top. 
How on earth did such a small girl end up with boobs like that?!  While I
was thoroughly hot, tall, and slender, and could have pretty much anyone I
wanted, it would have been nice to have a little more in the upstairs
department.  And this little college girl had bigger breasts than me?  Fuck
that.

   The plan to shift Jess into more of a friend/roommate was no longer
acceptable.  Right then and there, I dismissed all the floating ideas that
had occupied the majority of my headspace just moments ago.  It was one
thing for this fucking brunette to show up at my house and think that she
could boss me around.  I was way too old to need a babysitter, especially
one her age and her size.  More importantly, it wasn't fair that her chest
was better than mine.  It was bullshit.

   New plan.

   I was going to humiliate Jess, and make her regret ever taking this job.
She was going to feel small in more ways than one, in front of me and in
front of my friends.  And, if she was claiming to be my `housekeeper,' then
I was going to make sure that she conformed more to that role than anything
else for the next six weeks.

   By the end of the day, I was going to make Jess bend to my will.



   PART TWO

   Jess

   I wasn't in love with the idea of wearing just a bikini.

   My initial thought had been to wear a sundress over my swimwear, but I
ended up changing my mind once I had a moment to myself.  Hannah was a lot
older than I expected, which meant my game plan needed to change.  What if
she thought I was a total prude by not doing what she suggested and
matching her?  She had also suggested I would be `boring' if I didn't get
in the pool.  A teenager's opinion of me really shouldn't matter,
especially not from one I'm supposed to have authority over, but I was
still determined to make a good impression.

   If I could connect with her, get her to respect me more as a peer than
an uptight adult, then maybe the rest of the summer would go more smoothly.
After all, I tended to trust advice from friends.  If she viewed me as
such, then I could gently nudge her away from anything her parents wouldn't
approve of.  It would be a delicate line to walk, but I could already tell
that my height was going to be a big issue now that I was a lot closer in
age to my charge than I expected.  I was technically older, but Hannah
towered over me!

   "Get my back, Jessie?" Hannah asked.  She gestured to the sunscreen
sitting on the small table next to her chaise lounge chair.  Rather than
turning away and scooting over so I could sit behind her and apply the
lotion, she proceeded to lie down on her stomach and reach back with one
hand to untie the strings on her top.

   I flinched at the use of `Jessie.' It was the second time she had said
it, and the second time I was reluctant to correct her.  The first had been
back at the front door, where she had bounded off before I could say
anything else.  I was left to haul all my things inside and park my car in
what I hoped was an acceptable spot.  This time around, I was immediately
distracted by the blonde's totally bare back as she pulled her hair over
her shoulder so all of her fair skin was on display.  It was less about
what I could currently see, and more about the fact that one wrong move
might give me an inappropriate glimpse of her bare chest.

   Still in that weird headspace where I didn't want to start things off on
the wrong foot, I bit my tongue about everything.  Instead, I grabbed the
nearest chair and pulled it up so I could sit right next to the girl.  "So,
I guess we're stuck together all summer, huh?" I said, trying to make light
of this arrangement in an effort to connect with her.  Ultimately, my goal
was to spin things as `I'll stay out of your way as long as you behave,'
but I needed to work my way there.

   "Guess so," Hannah replied.  Now that she was settled, she lay perfectly
still.  Waiting for me to get to it, probably.

   If only she gave me something to work with.  A chuckle, a more full
reply.  That was my system for new babysitting jobs-get a read on their
attitude, their humor, whatever I could use to figure out whether I needed
to be easy-going or stern.  "This is going to be a little cold," I said. 
Cringing immediately at the patronizing warning, I squeezed a decent amount
of lotion onto my hand and hoped she wouldn't take it the wrong way.

   Once again, nothing.  When she didn't reply at all, I tentatively placed
my hand on her back so the majority of the sunscreen was centralized.  I
should have expected it, but her skin was so warm.  The sun would do that,
of course, but it gave me enough pause that she mistook my hesitation for
something else entirely.  "You're not a lesbian, are you, Jessie?"

   What?!  "NO." My response came out a lot more harsh than I expected. 
It's not that there's anything wrong with liking girls-I have several
friends that are gay or bi-but Hannah's question was just so blunt and out
of the blue.  "No.  I'm straight." I lowered my voice to a more normal
level.  While it might have been worth explaining that it was more that I
felt awkward about this kind of contact with a girl I was supposed to be
babysitting, I made a snap decision that `less is more.' Instead, I chose
something else to focus on.  "And it's `Jess.'"

   "Jeez, no need to freak out about it.  I just wanted to check.  When I'm
home alone, I like to be comfortable.  Good to know you won't be ogling me
or anything."

   Comfortable?  Like . . .  ?  I barely registered the subtle idea that
she considered herself `home alone' when I was literally going to be there.
Instead, I found myself dwelling on what the girl meant.  Just because I
wasn't into girls didn't mean I wanted Hannah walking around in, well,
whatever she wanted.  "Comfortable, how?" I asked.  Little by little, I
found myself bailing on the `friend' plan and slipping into the babysitter
role I was more comfortable with.  It was only after I asked for
clarification that I remembered what I was supposed to be doing.  Spreading
out the sunscreen with my hand, I worked on making it even before rubbing
it in.

   Hannah let out a sigh before explaining.  "I don't know; it depends. 
Long tee and nothing else?  Sports bra for a workout?  A towel if I haven't
picked out an outfit yet?  I mean, it doesn't really matter.  We're both
girls, so it's not that big of a deal.  Right?"

   "Umm . . ." Technically, no.  I had seen plenty of friends like that. 
Well, maybe not the t-shirt thing.  Still trying to figure out this whole
dynamic, I tried to split the difference.  "I guess not," I said, "But
maybe get dressed before coming downstairs?"

   She simply replied with, "Well see."

   Noncommittal.  Great.  I went quiet, focusing on Hannah's back.  Since I
wasn't there when she applied the rest, I made sure to hit her shoulders
and sides, just in case.  As for her lower back, I only went so far down
after the `lesbian' question.  She was certainly capable of getting that
last area herself, and it was important to keep up boundaries.  If I had it
my way, this wouldn't be happening at all, but it's not like I could deny
the girl protection from the sun.

   By the time I was finished, I could already feel my own skin heating up.
Unlike Hannah, I hadn't put on any sunscreen yet.  Sitting up and informing
the blonde that she was all set, I quickly rubbed the excess lotion on my
shoulders.  Before I could get much farther, she shifted her head to face
me.  "So, Jessie.  Fuck any guys lately?"

   What?!

   Similar to her question about my sexuality, I was completely taken
aback. Feeling a blush coming on, I blurted out the first thing that came
to mind.  "That's none of your business." The truth was, I was a virgin. 
It was a bit embarrassing for my age, especially since it's not like I was
a prude or saving myself.  I had gotten to second and third base a handful
of times, but those short-lived relationships never felt serious enough to
go all the way.

   Plus, even if I had slept with someone or multiple someones, what kind
of question was that?  Hannah and I just met.  It would be one thing if she
had asked if I was seeing someone, but that wasn't at all what she said.

   "Whatever," she replied, "It's just sex.  I don't know why people have
to be so weird about it.  Want to hear about who I fucked last weekend?"

   "No!" I exclaimed.  Once again, a little louder than I had intended. 
"You-" I began, before changing course.  There was one thing I was dying to
know, especially since Hannah was somewhat topless as she lay on her untied
bikini top.  "How old are you, Hannah?"

   To my relief, she said, "I'm eighteen.  You?"

   The good news was, that made it more acceptable to see her in any number
of ways that would otherwise be less appropriate.  I had seen my fair share
of undressed women in the locker room, after all, though I preferred to
change in a stall.  The bad news was, I had been hired to babysit an
eighteen year old??  How on earth did that not come up when her parents and
I discussed the job?  It might have been my fault for not asking, or their
fault for not looking closely enough at my website.  No matter where the
blame fell, I was apparently supposed to be in charge of a girl who was
practically the same age as me!

   I wanted to lie, but decided against it.  Since I was going to be there
for the next six weeks, there was a good chance I'd accidentally contradict
myself at some point.  "I'm twenty," I confessed.  Silver lining, Hannah
had been told I was a `housekeeper.' If she knew the truth, I could only
imagine how insulted she might feel.  And how difficult it would be to make
her listen to me.  Well, that was going to be an issue either way.

   "Oh, cool.  Hey, would you mind putting some snacks together?  I have
some friends coming over in a few minutes."

   Wait, what?  "Hannah!" I exclaimed.  She had said it so casually, but
that's not at all how I felt about the information sprung on me.  "I
didn't-" My voice caught my throat.  UGH.  Since I wasn't officially her
babysitter, why would she need me to approve an invitation like this?  I
was quickly finding myself in a difficult position thanks to her parents'
insistence on this charade.  "How many friends?" I asked.  Thankfully,
years of experience had taught me to be quick on my feet, and I pivoted. 
"Look, you need to ask me about this kind of stuff ahead of time. 
Otherwise, I can't do my job as well."

   Hannah sighed.  Taking care to grab her bikini top before doing so, she
sat herself up.  "Jessie.  You're my housekeeper.  Isn't that right?"

   `No.  I'm your babysitter.' If only.  "Yes, that's right," I nodded. 
For now.  First chance I got, I was going to give her parents a call and
try to work this out.  Either I needed to be able to tell Hannah why I was
really here, or they needed to tell her that she had to listen to me.  "And
it's Jess."

   "Then please do your job," she said, "Snacks and drinks.  You should
also bring out some towels for us, and maybe some more sunscreen?  There
might not be enough in this tube for everyone."

   Oh, God.  She was talking to me like a servant.  Swallowing my pride, I
nodded again.  "Of course, Hannah.  I'll be right back."

   Not wasting another second with the presumptuous blonde, I went back
inside.  I had no intention of actually following the girl's orders.  My
phone was just up in my room, and I also no longer felt comfortable wearing
a bikini.  It was one thing when I was trying to get Hannah to warm up to
me, but she clearly didn't see me as much of a friend.  That, and
apparently her friends were going to be there soon.  I'd have better luck
compelling respect if I dressed like the young adult that I was, rather
than trying to hang out at the pool like `one of the girls.'

   Closing the bedroom door behind me, I grabbed my phone from the top of
the dresser and called the number on the mobile note I had made about the
summer job's details.  Straight to voicemail.  "Fuck," I huffed.  They
could be on a plane, or simply enjoying their vacation if they were already
there.  I hated leaving voicemails, so I just sent off a text politely
asking them to call.

   I made short work of stripping off my bikini and tossing on a
skirt/blouse combo that was one of my favorites.  Just for good measure, I
added a pair of heels.  Normally I wouldn't wear shoes inside, but I was
feeling extra self conscious about my shortness compared to Hannah.

   The entitled eighteen year old had said `soon,' but I didn't realize
just how soon she meant.  By the time I made it downstairs, I practically
ran into an unfamiliar redhead as I turned the corner.  She was wearing
short shorts and a bikini top, and I honestly wouldn't have been surprised
if that's how she drove.  Before I could get out a word, she said, "Oh! 
You must be the new housekeeper.  Is that your car out front?  You should
probably move it before it messes up everyone's parking."

   Shit.  I had hauled all my stuff up to the guest bedroom, but hadn't
found a chance to park my little sedan properly.  It's not even that I had
forgotten about it; I just wanted to ask Hannah if I could have one of the
garage spots.  With no idea how many people were coming over, and with at
least one already here, there wasn't any more time for that.  I ran up to
grab my keys, then hopped in my car as soon as possible.  Two other empty
vehicles were already out there, and I maneuvered mine to line up with the
others on the opposite side of the driveway.

   Hurrying back inside, not wanting to leave the girls unattended for too
long, I made a beeline for the pool.  My initial plan of calling Hannah's
parents had failed, and preparing refreshments for everyone would solidify
a subservient image of me in her eyes.  Instead, I strutted outside in the
hopes that I could pull her away from her friends for a quick one-on-one. I
wasn't totally sure what I wanted to say yet, but I'd figure something out.
I was a professional babysitter, after all.

   Right away, I was faced with the exact kind of situation I had been
hired to prevent.  Hannah, the redhead, and one other girl were all sitting
together and drinking.  Like, drinking.  All three of them were holding
hard seltzers, which was absolutely unacceptable.  Day one on the job, and
I was already failing miserably.  The `housekeeper' role was working
against me, and my charge was illegally drinking under my watch.

   "HANNAH." Raising my voice, I began storming over.  "Absolutely not. 
Your parents were very clear about the house rules when they hired me."

   "Relax, Jessie," Hannah said.  Her bikini was tied up again, thank God,
which made it easy for her to stand up and meet me halfway.  Despite my
heels, she still had a good bit of height on me.  "They don't have to know,
do they?  I won't tell them.  You won't tell them.  So, what's the
problem?"

   "It's Jess.  Get it right," I insisted.  Narrowing my eyes and not
letting the fact that I had to look up to match her gaze deter me, I
continued.  "And no, I'm not going to cover for you.  But if you hand it
over, this can just be a warning.  Okay?  Otherwise, I'm going to have to
call your parents."

   "Ooh, call my parents?  So scary!" she giggled for a second, before
going totally deadpan.  "Fuck off.  This is my house, and you can't tell me
what to do."

   "Yes.  I can." Screw this.  I tried the `housekeeper' cover story.  It
clearly wasn't working.  Maybe coming clean and embarrassing her in front
of her friends would do the trick.  As a former teenager, I could only
imagine how it might sound to hear that you still need a babysitter.  Eight
or eighteen, some attitudes need a firm adjustment.  "Hannah, I-"

   But that's as far as I made it.  Out of nowhere, she dropped her can and
shoved me with both hands.  Hard.  Unable to react quickly enough, I
stumbled backwards only to find no ground waiting for me.  Gasping at the
way too late realization, I fruitlessly flailed my arms to no avail before
plunging into the pool behind me.

   My body submerged completely and I scrambled to upright myself and
resurface.  The section of the pool was too deep to find any footing, so I
had to awkwardly tread in my clothes once my head was above water.  The
other two girls were sitting there with dropped jaws, before finally
giggling as they came back to reality.  Meanwhile, Hannah was just smirking
down at me as she picked up her partially spilled drink for a victory sip.

   I was furious.  FURIOUS.  But I couldn't yell at her from the pool. 
Plus the chlorine was going to ruin my clothes and my contacts.  Ugh, and
my hair.  It clung to part of my face in what I had to assume was an
unattractive way, and I quickly pushed it to the side as I paddled to the
nearest ladder.  My heels caught on one of the metal steps, and I was
pissed off enough that I cared a lot less about my height than before. 
Quickly undoing the straps and pulling them off, I climbed out of the pool
barefoot with shoes in hand.

   "Hey!" I yelled.  My clothes clung to my body, and I was dripping all
over.  I didn't need a mirror to know that I must look ridiculous, but I
tried my very hardest to be intimidating anyway.  "Laugh while you can. 
I'm going to take a shower, and then you're going to be in deep shit." It
felt lame threatening an eighteen year old like that, but what other ammo
did I have?  Trying not to lose steam, I added on, "Your friends better be
gone by the time I'm back, or else."

   "Whatever you say, Jessie," Hannah said, "Now, go get naked."

   Not dignifying that with a response, even though it's technically what I
was about to do in order to rinse off, I marched back to the house. 
Normally, I would care a lot more about dripping inside, but I was over it
at this point.  What was I thinking?  Of course I wouldn't be able to
control an eighteen year old rich girl.  At this point, I was strongly
considering quitting.  I had never bailed on a job before, and I had dealt
with some pretty awful kids over the years.  But a whole summer of this? 
It was good money, but Hannah wasn't some tween!  For the life of me, I
couldn't think of a way to course correct without involving her parents. 
It would make me look so weak, relying on someone else in order to achieve
authority.  Groaning to myself after the glass door was fully closed behind
me, I made my way upstairs, being careful not to let my bare feet slip out
from underneath me on the way up the stairs.

   The warm water helped.  Not with the Hannah situation; it was just nice
to have a moment to myself.  To breathe, to calm down.  Thank goodness I
had taken a minute earlier to set the hallway bathroom up for myself. 
While I didn't mind getting the rest of the house a little wet, I would
hate to do that to my own room and give the smirking blonde the
satisfaction.

   I couldn't believe Hannah's audacity!  What if my phone had been in my
pocket?  Plus, any kind of water was terrible for contact lenses. 
Thankfully, I had some spares lying around, so I could go grab a fresh pair
while the current ones sat in solution.  My wet clothes monopolized the
towel racks for a moment, though I'd be running them through the wash the
moment I was done showering.  Initially, I had planned to be quick about
it, but eventually settled into the idea that the longer I stayed behind
the fogged glass doors, the longer I could pretend the outside world didn't
exist.

   Eventually, however, I had to face the music.  The voices through the
bathroom window were a pretty good indicator that Hannah hadn't listened to
me in terms of sending her friends home.  I could only hope that my long
shower had given her parents enough time to check their messages so I could
reach them momentarily.  Turning off the water and finding myself twice as
blind as usual thanks to the blurry vision and the heavy steam around me, I
pushed open the door.

   No.

   No, no, no.

   How could I have been so stupid?!  Even with my poor eyesight, I could
see what was wrong: The entire bathroom was empty.  No clothes on the
racks, no stack of towels on the sink where I left them; nothing.  Even the
towel that had previously been laid on the floor to prevent dripping had
been taken.  This had to be Hannah, or one of her friends.  And I couldn't
help but blame myself a little bit-leaving the door unlocked?  Horrible
move.

   I hated being seen naked.  It's why I changed privately no matter the
setting.  I mean, I'm confident enough about my body, but it's MY body. 
And I could already imagine a gaggle of girls waiting on the other side of
the bathroom door, cameras aimed to capture every second of my exposure. 
Hell, I was lucky they hadn't quietly been waiting in here.  With that in
mind, I was extra careful as I peeked my head farther out of the shower.

   Wait, there was something in here!  On the back of the door.  A towel,
or a robe, or something.  I couldn't see very well, but I immediately let
out a sigh of relief when I realized Hannah missed something.  Taking a
second to brush as much water off my bare form as possible, I wrapped my
arms around my private areas and padded across the bathroom, bracing myself
for someone to barge in at any second.  The tile on the outside of the
shower was a lot cooler than on the inside, and I grimaced as the bottoms
of my feet dealt with the cold, hard surface.  Without the warm steam, my
nipples almost instantly stiffened as I delicately moved forward.

   Once I made it a few feet away from the warmth and safety of the fogged
glass, the blurry thing on the door came into view enough for me to make
out what it was.  My heart sank and my cheeks flushed at what I saw.

   Hannah had left me a fucking french maid dress.

   For a second, I froze.  The dots weren't difficult to connect.  I was
supposed to be her housekeeper, so she wanted me to dress up like a
subservient little maid.  But what else could I do?!  I was tempted to
scream out her name, but the last thing I wanted to do while buck naked was
draw attention to myself.  And hiding in the bathroom wouldn't do anything
for me.  Wrapping the outfit around myself as a towel crossed my mind, but
it looked small and that felt too risky if I ended up outnumbered even two
to one.  Ugh, why did it have to be frosted glass for the shower?  If there
was a curtain, I could use that as my makeshift towel/bathrobe.

   Groaning more loudly than before in pure frustration, I snatched the
hideous thing from the door.  What other choice did I have?

   I was going to put it on.