Miss Garland clapped her hands.

“Girls, who can tell me the first rule of Rope Club?”

Tina's hand was first. “To take care of each other, Miss!”

“That's right, Tina. We're here to have fun together and that can only happen if we're taking care of each other. I see some new faces. If it's your first time, you need to be with an instructor whether you're tying up someone else, or being the one tied up. Come and talk to any of us after I'm finished.”

The instructors smiled and waved to make themselves visible. Miss Garland continued.

“Everyone at Rope Club has to wear clothes, but a two piece swimsuit counts as clothes. Where there's rope, there has to be safety shears. We don't tie rope, we tie people. Rope tops do the tying, rope bottoms get tied. Rope's disposable, rope bottoms are not, repeat, NOT disposable. Our safewords are traffic lights. Red means 'stop right now'. Yellow means 'slow down, give me a minute to settle'. Green means 'go ahead'. Bottoms should use those any time they need. Tops, remember to check in with your bottoms and don't just wait for them to speak up.”

By this point the more eager regulars were fidgeting. Casey was unbuttoning her dress.

“That's all. Have lots of fun and take care of each other!”

There were five new girls and the instructors gathered them up. As usual they ranged from bold to shy, but skewed young. Miss Garland wondered if an older sister or friend had clued them in. The rest of the girls were busily stripping, setting up and discussing scenes although not necessarily in that order. Casey was down to her bikini and sat on a crash mat, plotting with Ruby. When she jumped up to grab supplies the other girl wriggled into her overalls and began checking her stash of rope and restraints.

Portia was one of the older girls and very experienced. She took the lead.

“Ok girls, I'm so glad you're trying out Rope Club. It's okay to be nervous and it's always okay to ask questions. But first, who's here to be tied up?”

Three hands went up. One of the other two girls just wanted to watch and the last wanted to tie someone up. Each girl was paired with an instructor. Portia kept a willowy eleven year old called Tahira for herself. The youngster's shy smile and huge, dark eyes were irresistible and her short hair framed her face nicely.

“Have you ever been tied up before?”

Tahira shook her head. “No, but it seems cool. It's scary too, but that's ok.”

Portia selected some soft, pink rope and let the girl feel it. She watched Tahira's face as she ran the rope between her fingers and scrunched her hand around its loops; it was subtle, but there was a yearning in her eyes.

“We can start small. Just your wrists and your waist. I think rope feels best against your skin. Is that okay and do you mind if I lift up your shirt a little?” Tahira smiled and nodded. “Green? Is it like that?”

She was wearing cropped leggings and a pale blue t-shirt. Portia slid the hem up to reveal a stripe of bare skin and started working. She doubled the rope around the girl's waist, back through the midpoint and around once more, keeping it snug but not overly tight. Tahira's breathing quickened and she twisted her head to watch as much as she could. Portia deliberately worked slowly. She liked to savour the experience of tying someone up for their first time, and she wanted the girl to enjoy the feeling. It was an intimate thing and going too fast spoiled the connection. She brought one of the girl's slender wrists down and wrapped one end of the rope around it several times before coming back under and around the waist rope, pinning Tahira's left hand at her hip. Her right wrist got the same treatment, putting her in real bondage for the first time in her life.

“Go ahead and flex and twist, see how it feels and what you can do. Let me know if it's too tight or painful, ok?”

Tahira tested the rope carefully. Her brow furrowed in concentration. She could slide the rope around her stomach, but could not bring her hands together. She tugged but there was no escaping the bonds. The girl struggled a little more and then stopped to look at Portia. Her face was a little flushed and her eyes were glassy. Portia grinned; this one was a natural.

“We can pause here, or I could tie your legs. You get to set the pace, honey.”

“Mmmmm. Uh... green. Yeah, legs.”

“Can I lay you on your back?”

Tahira nodded and Portia held her arms, guiding her down to her knees and then to the mat. She looked so appealing laying there that Portia couldn't help but stroke her cheek, making the girl sigh.

“Can I take your shoes off? You can keep your socks if you want.”

“Socks too. Ohhh, this is... nice.”

Tahira felt the rope encircle her ankles, turn after turn after turn, then looped over to secure and tighten the bondage. The strictness was wonderful. She moved her feet and flexed her knees, but her ankles were trapped. She smiled up at Portia, who grinned back. Being tied was so peaceful and comforting and restricting and controlling and... amazing. Tahira wasn't sure why she felt that way, but she did and she hoped Portia would keep going.

Portia picked up another rope and repeated the process at her partner's knees. Tahira's leggings were blue with a cute pattern, and the pink rope went nicely with them. Portia kept her slow pace, turn after turn around the novice girl's legs just above her knees. Her thighs were held shut and all she could do was bend her knees. The rope wouldn't come free on its own. Tahira squirmed but she couldn't reach it with her bound hands.

“Are you still doing alright? Feeling numb or tingly anywhere?”

“It's so good. Thank you for tying me up and making me feel so nice, Portia! My tummy feels funny, but nice funny. Wow, this is so good. Um, can you scratch my nose?”

Tahira wrinkled her face as Portia obliged. Her skin was so soft and warm and Portia wanted so badly to kiss her. Instead she beeped her nose and the young girl giggled. Portia took a moment to brush Tahira's hair back and caress that beautiful face. Tahira relaxed even more and let out a long, contented sigh.

Portia watched the girl carefully and checked her hands and feet. They were pale, but not turning blue, and they weren't cold. Tahira twitched at the touch and Portia was satisfied she was doing well. She took some time to check the bonds and run her hands over the girl's slender body and long limbs. Portia loved tying girls up, but there was always something special about a bottom's first time. It was doubly so for girls as young as Tahira, who had rarely gone through puberty and usually didn't understand the sexual aspect of bondage. All they knew were their urges and the pleasure they brought.

Tahira sat up on her heels with Portia's help. She could feel the ankle rope under her butt, and brush it with her fingers. She couldn't reach the knots though and was glad about that. She looked down at the coils around her knees and the ones at her tummy. Portia bit her lip as she considered her options.

“I think I'll do a chest harness next. It goes around your arms and over your shoulders and criss-crosses your front. It looks pretty and you feel it when you breathe, but it doesn't restrict your breathing. Would you like to try that?”

“Oh, um, yeah. I... that sounds really cool. Please.”

Portia selected a longer piece of rope, doubled it and held it at Tahira's back while she wrapped it around her biceps and through the middle. She went back and forth again, then started to go over the girl's shoulders and under her armpits to the center point. Tahira craned her head down to watch the bondage take shape. Portia was keeping the rope very straight and even and Tahira thought it looked so beautiful.

“You're doing so great, Tahira. Really good. You're a natural for this and you look so pretty bound in rope. I'm really enjoying tying you up and seeing you enjoy it so much. Before I do the next bit, I need to explain something. I'm putting a hankie in your hand, and if you need me to stop, you can toss it away to get my attention. The rope's going around your mouth to gag you so you won't be able to say yellow or red like before, and this is how you'll let me know. I'll check in with you more often as well. Are you ready for the last bit?”

Tahira stopped flexing her muscles and paid attention. She swallowed and looked up, eyes unsure but otherwise relaxed.

“Um. Yeah. I might only be kinda able to drop it. Is that okay? And, um, can you kinda hold me or something while you do it? I'm a bit scared, but I want to try it. So, green, I guess.”

Portia knelt astride her charge and leaned forward to bring her mouth to the girl's ear. She spoke softly and kindly and put her hands at Tahira's neck.

“That's just fine. All fine. How's this, are you comfy? Okay, good, here we go, nice and slow.”

Tahira felt the corners of her cheeks being pulled tight and her lips pressed against her teeth as the rope went across her mouth. Despite Portia's soothing voice she felt a thrill of fear at not being able to speak and having no way to stop the process. She scrunched the hankie tightly in her hand and concentrated on breathing. The feeling in her tummy had tightened and moved a little south, tingling and pulsing between her legs, a bit like when the shower sprayed on her private place. It was a good feeling and biting down on the rope made it grow stronger. She was drooling and the rope was getting a little wet, but she couldn't close her mouth or push it out with her tongue at all. She felt Portia tying a knot behind her head, keeping the rope tight over her cheeks. It was frightening when she felt swallowed and gagged a little. She thought about throwing the hankie, but then she thought to herself, I'm being bound and Portia's taking care of me so I should trust her. I don't want her to stop.

Tahira looked around the room at the other girls. Ruby had suspended Casey from a big ring by her chest and legs and was gently pushing her back and forth. Tahira's eyes went big as she realised there was a rope between Casey's legs that moved when she swung. She wasn't sure what it was for, but Casey seemed to like it, because she was squirming with it. Being hung in the air looked really cool and she knew right away it was the next thing she wanted to try.

Tahira marveled at everything, occasionally sighing as she imagined herself being tied up in those ways. She cooed when Portia stroked her hair or squeezed her hands and feet. The older girl was very diligent about checking her charge's circulation and always had one eye on the handkerchief. As the time passed (Tahira was in her happy place and had no sense at all of how long) the younger girl's limbs began to cramp and the pain impinged on her. She grunted and twisted her head, and shifted her butt to try to get comfortable again.

“Okay Tahira, I think it's time to untie you. I'll go slow because being unbound can feel as good as being bound, there's no need to rush.”

Tahira nodded but was still a little disappointed. The gag rope came out first and she flexed her jaw, suddenly aware of how stiff it had become. Portia took the hankie and wiped the sweat and drool off the girl's face.

“Thank you Portia.”

Portia helped Tahira roll over and stretch out on her front. Her limbs protested at the movement and she moaned at the discomfort. It didn't take long before her body adjusted and she was able to lay peacefully as Portia carefully freed her wrists, rubbing her hands to make sure their circulation was good. There were rope marks around Tahira's wrists and stomach, but Portia said nothing, so as not to spoil the surprise. The ankle rope was next so that Tahira could adjust her legs a little. She put the girl's socks back on to keep her feet warm. Once Tahira's knees were freed Portia helped her move her legs apart a little. Tahira winced as her hips adjusted. The chest harness took the longest to unwind, but Portia worked gradually, sliding the rope from under Tahira until the last loop came free.

“Lay there for a bit and get your feeling back. It'll take a bit before you come down. Don't try to sit up right away, just take your time and I'll help you when you're ready.”

The club's time was winding down and the other pairs were packing up. Tahira could see the new girl - the one who just wanted to be there, not the one who wanted to do tying - was curled up not too far away and realised she must have been watching them the whole time. She blushed and looked away, but not before she saw that girl give her a big smile and a nod.

Tahira was quite wobbly as she sat up, and when she saw the marks on her skin she felt so good.

“Wow, you can see where the rope was on me. It's, like, patterned and pretty. Oh! It doesn't stay like that, right? I mean...”

Portia grinned and ruffled her novice bottom's hair.

“No kiddo, it'll fade soon. I love the marks, on me and when I put them on someone else. They're a reminder of what you did together. It's special and there's a lot of trust. Did you have fun?”

“So much fun. I was all floaty and warm even when it was uncomfortable. Thank you Portia, you were amazing!”

“My pleasure. Thank you so much for trusting me enough to tie you up, and letting me be part of your first experience of bondage. I'm here every week if you decide to come back.”

“Oh I'll be back! If it's okay to come back and you're not, um, busy or something. I mean, I bet lots of girls want you to tie them up.”

Portia chuckled as she helped Tahira to her feet and supported her first steps. Tahira made it to a chair and Portia handed her her shoes. Her hands trembled a bit as she tied the laces, but she managed. When she stood up again the older girl swept her up into a big hug and they smiled at each other.

“You're special, Tahira. You did so well today and I'm really happy for you. Now, try to take it easy and don't go running around. You might find you feel dreamy, or you might get excited, but take time to let your mind get back to normal. Got it?”

“Yes Portia. Be easy and chill out.”

Portia nodded and watched Tahira leave. The rope lay there on the mat, waiting to be coiled and put away.