Once upon a time, not very long ago but during that strange period between the end of exams and the end of term, two friends bunked off school. The school was a small but expensive boarding school near a funky, up-and-coming town on the south coast. The friends were called Hannah and Gretchen, and it was Hannah's idea to run away. Hannah was very beautiful and Gretchen had fancied her like crazy since they'd met. Hannah was also very rebellious and, on a whim, decided to sneak out and have some fun in town because she was bored after finishing her exams. Gretchen was also bored and the idea of sneaking off into town appealed to her, so she went along with it when Hannah suggested it. Although she was normally quite sensible, Gretchen was definitely very suggestible when Hannah did the suggesting.

They left quickly, on a quiet Friday morning when everyone else seemed to be looking the other way. As they slipped out of the loose bit of fencing behind the hut where the groundsman kept his tools, Gretchen wondered if anyone would notice they'd gone. Hannah gave a shout of joy at being free as they stepped on to the lane and started walking towards the nearest bus stop. It was only as the driver gave them a strange look that Gretchen realised their school uniforms were a bit of a giveaway, but it was too late to go back.

On the journey in, Gretchen sat squashed between Hannah and the window and enjoyed every sway of the bus, because it meant that Hannah brushed against her. Hannah didn't notice, because she was too busy assessing how much attention she was getting off the men on the bus. Gretchen pretended to look out of the window and contented herself with making sure her leg and arm and shoulder all rested against Hannah's.

Once in town, they wandered about some of the shops then had takeaway burger and fries sitting on the steps of the fountain in the marketplace. An elegant woman reading a glossy magazine on a bench nearby caught Gretchen's eye and smiled quickly. Gretchen smiled back before she knew what she was doing, then spent the rest of the time they sat there trying to keep an eye on the woman surreptitiously. She didn't do a very good job, because the woman caught her out several times.

Gretchen wondered who the woman might be, because although her black trouser suit was unfussy, it was unfussy in a sophisticated and expensive-looking way. The handbag next to her on the bench was plain black leather, and also looked expensive. The woman turned a page of the magazine lazily with a long finger, and Gretchen noticed the expensive-looking manicure, intrigued by the dark green shade of her nails. It matched her blouse, Gretchen realised – the only splash of colour about her. Even her hair was almost black, tied up in a tight bun. As Gretchen watched, the woman licked a fingertip to turn another page then looked straight at Gretchen and held her gaze. The woman licked her lips, quickly but obviously, and smiled again, and Gretchen stared at her mouth with a disquieting but instinctive interest. There was something both fascinating and slightly disturbing about the woman, and after a moment, Gretchen twisted away from her, towards Hannah, and crossed her legs.

When she glanced back a few moments later, the woman met her gaze calmly then dropped it lingeringly. Gretchen was suddenly uncomfortably aware that her school skirt was quite short, although she wasn't entirely against the idea of elegant women checking her legs out. She looked at the woman again but the woman had turned her lingering attention to Hannah, who had better legs and an even shorter skirt, and who was undeniably prettier.

Not knowing whether to feel relieved or jealous, Gretchen suggested they move on. They went back to window-shopping, occasionally popping into a shop here or there if something caught their eye. In one high-end shop, they were holding a cute minidress up against Hannah in a mirror, when Gretchen spotted the green and black woman's reflection. Looking round quickly, she saw a flash of elegance disappear behind a display some way across the shop floor, but she was certain of what she'd seen. She felt her heart beat faster, but couldn't tell if it was from alarm or curiosity.

Hannah was cooing over the dress, so Gretchen suggested they go and try it on in the changing rooms. She tried not to give away her pleasure at being crammed into a cubicle with Hannah, eagerly watching her unbutton her blouse and drop her skirt before pulling on the dress over her head. The dress was soft velvet, a deep shade of blue, and Hannah stroked the material gently. Gretchen bit back her desire to do the same and dutifully zipped Hannah into the dress, then held Hannah's clothes while her friend tried the dress on, poking her head out of the cubicle to watch as Hannah swayed up and down in front of the mirror.

The green and black woman approached, heading for one of the other cubicles with a couple of tops over her arm. Gretchen held her breath, but the woman was focussed on Hannah, pausing as the girl passed her. "Very nice. Looks good on you, honey."

"Thanks." Hannah twisted in front of the mirror, and smiled at the woman, automatically adopting a pose. In a moment of clarity, Gretchen realised that Hannah looked absolutely beautiful in the dress; that she, Hannah and the woman all knew it; and that the woman's interest in Hannah and the dress was probably just as keen as Gretchen's own, in similar ways.

The woman looked at Gretchen for a moment as she passed, then winked, before casting another slow, openly appreciative, look over Hannah and disappearing into the next cubicle. Gretchen felt another disquieting thrill, knowing the woman was just the other side of the thin partition.

The girls were never really going to buy the dress, as they had very little ready money. Reluctantly, Hannah hung it back where they'd found it and they moved on. Gretchen glanced over her shoulder as they left the shop, noticing the woman emerge from the changing rooms just in time to see them leave.

***

Gretchen knew somehow that they hadn't seen the last of the woman, so wasn't surprised to see her approach some time later, as they were lounging on a bench in the park. She tried to think of some way of getting Hannah to move, or at least of warning her, but ran out of time and had to watch dumbly as the woman neared and pretended to hesitate. Again she winked at Gretchen, then addressed Hannah. "So, did you get the dress?"

"Sorry?" Hannah looked up from her phone, taking in the woman quickly.

The woman met Hannah's gaze with a nonchalant little shrug. "The little velvet dress. It was perfect for you. You didn't get it?"

Hannah obviously saw something in the woman's eyes and sat up straighter, crossing her legs quickly and putting her phone aside. "No. Too expensive. One for the wishlist, though."

The woman rested one hand on her hip and waved airily with the other. "If it's money that's the problem...would you let me help out?" She fixed Hannah with a suddenly intense stare, and Gretchen thought she had a casual authority, even more than the scariest teachers. If this woman wanted something, Gretchen would bet she usually got it.

Hannah shifted slightly, Gretchen suspected because she felt a little intimidated by the woman. It was unusual for Gretchen to see Hannah intimidated by someone. Hannah fiddled with her hair, then recovered her composure a little. "Why would you do that?"

The woman smiled. "Because I haven't seen anything look so perfect on someone for a long time. It was almost as if that dress was made for you. I wouldn't want to let that pass. I have an eye for these things." She slipped a card out of her jacket pocket and held it out to Hannah, who took it carefully. Gretchen peered over her friend's shoulder, and both girls learned that the mysterious woman was apparently a fashion photographer. The woman gave them enough time to think about it and start to be impressed. "Trust me, I know a good look when I see one. You in that dress was one of the best looks I've seen in a fairly long career. I'd like to capture it, if you'll let me."

Hannah turned the card over in her fingers. She was obviously deeply flattered. For her part, Gretchen felt uneasy at the woman's interest, but couldn't deny she was slightly intrigued by the whole notion of the woman being someone who photographed sexy girls for a living. And the woman was spot on about the dress looking perfect on Hannah, so she could understand where the woman was coming from – but she did feel that Hannah's sexiness was primarily her business and no-one else's.

On the other hand, Gretchen would also have paid good money to see Hannah in that dress one more time, especially if she got to help her in, and out, of it. At that moment, the woman glanced at her and smiled, cocking an eyebrow casually as if in some secret acknowledgement of their mutual interest. Gretchen flushed, realising then that the woman was easily taking control, both of her and of Hannah.

The woman tuned back to Hannah. "Anyway. Think about it. You know where I am." She waved at the card in Hannah's hand, then blatantly looked her over. "Size eight?" She watched Hannah nod, then grinned. "Good, thought so." She patted the shopping bag hanging off her arm. "I bought the right one, then."

The girls watched her walk off. Then, both slightly rattled by the encounter, they went straight to catch the bus back to school.

***

To Gretchen's relief, no-one had noticed their absence.

They behaved themselves for a few days, but then Hannah came to find her quickly between classes. "I've texted that woman," she told Gretchen.

"Is that a good idea?" She had an uncomfortably pleasant image of Hannah in the dress, and decided it didn't help to know the woman had bought one in Hannah's exact size. "You don't know what she wants."

"Pictures, dummy." Hannah fiddled with her phone, obviously less certain than she wanted to appear, though she couldn't hide her excitement."Anyway, that's what I asked her. What the deal was."

"And?" Gretchen was concerned, because she didn't particularly trust the woman. But she was also a bit more experienced and a lot more cunning than her innocent appearance suggested. "Any good deal works both ways."

"It's just a few pictures. I get to keep the dress, and she said there'd probably be some cash in it too. Maybe even something more long-term." Hannah fidgeted, running her hands through her hair. Her eyes were alive. "I mean, shit, Grets, that dress...she's already bought it! You saw how much it cost. Wasn't it gorgeous, though?"

Gretchen remembered the distinct feeling she had that the woman knew exactly what she was doing, that she had already begun to get Hannah to do what she wanted. "Yeah, well. Be careful." She tamped down the tingle of jealousy. "I'll come with, if you want. You know, next time..."

***

The next Saturday, a week after they'd escaped the first time, the two girls found themselves back on the bus into town. Hannah had eventually been quite keen that she should come along – Gretchen wondered if it was because Hannah had her own concerns, deep down.

They met the woman, whom Gretchen now knew was called Ginger, at the fountain in the market place, as arranged by text between her and Hannah, and she took them for a coffee. Ginger had a portfolio of her work with her, which she spread on the table to show Hannah. The three of them were on one long sofa, the woman between the girls.

Gretchen watched Ginger talk to Hannah and took in her arresting appearance again: a different, lighter green blouse, silk with black tracing; tight black jeans tucked into immaculate black leather boots; subtly perfect make-up, fiercely neat bun. It was difficult to age the woman. Gretchen noticed her eyes, which were very dark with flecks of green, and seemed to have seen many things over many years. But the woman's skin was clear and soft with very few lines, her hands were still fine and lively, her black hair seemed its natural colour, and her figure was still tight and trim. Gretchen caught herself admiring Ginger's figure, and realised that her knee had been casually resting against the woman's for a moment or two. She moved it and sipped from her coffee, but felt Ginger's knee touch hers again anyway. She wasn't all that surprised, and she didn't mind either. She pushed back subtly, and felt (rather than saw or heard) the woman falter for a second in what she was saying to Hannah. Admittedly, otherwise the woman gave no indication of being distracted.

Gretchen moved a hand to rest it on the hem of her skirt, letting her fingertips touch Ginger's leg. The woman turned a page of the portfolio, and Gretchen stroked a finger along the seam of the expensive jeans. The woman didn't falter this time, but her knee twitched a little and she touched a hand to her bun quickly, and Gretchen knew then that Ginger was a person she really needed to get to know. She trailed her finger over the woman's thigh, then lifted her hand and turned the gesture into holding the saucer of her coffee cup.

Gretchen had had a few fumbling experiences with other girls, but had grown impatient with her limited opportunities, whether at school or home: recently she knew she wanted more than just a few kisses and cuddles with girls who were basically straight and just lonely or experimenting. More than anything, she was desperate to go all the way with another girl, and it wasn't from want of trying over the last year or so that she still hadn't managed it yet. Now she thought about it, the idea of putting herself in the hands of an experienced older woman seemed like quite a good one; that thought made her glance at Ginger's hands again, and with a little kick of interest Gretchen decided they could probably do things to her that she'd previously only dimly imagined. Ginger exuded a knowing confidence that was very sexy, and openly looked at other women with unambiguous interest. Gretchen liked that, at least when it was her that Ginger was looking at, and she liked the feeling that the woman could see right into her and tell exactly what she wanted. Gretchen realised that probably made Ginger a rather sinister figure, but she couldn't resist the woman's dark, contained elegance: the hint of danger just made her more exciting.

When Hannah had finished poring over the portfolio, Gretchen asked if she could have a look, and the woman passed the portfolio over. Gretchen pulled it forward off the table, onto her lap, making sure it also fell over the woman's leg. As she'd intended, the woman put out a hand to protect and support the heavy leaves of the folder, and all of a sudden the woman's hand was trapped between the folder and Gretchen's knee. Her fingers were warm on Gretchen's bare skin, and Gretchen held her breath.

The woman turned her hand, and Gretchen felt her heart skip with excitement: she'd reacted just as she'd hoped. Ginger cupped Gretchen's knee under the folder, and Gretchen pushed her knee against the woman's a little. Ginger squeezed lightly: also as Gretchen had hoped. Gretchen pushed some loose hair behind her ear and flashed the woman a quick sideways smile to encourage her. She felt Ginger's fingers open slightly and stroke her knee. For a long moment, they both stayed stock still, then Gretchen broke the moment by clamping her legs together. She quickly closed the portfolio, surprising the woman into having to whisk her hand away or else be seen to be touching her up. She caught the woman's eye, and something like recognition passed between them: their mutual look said that Gretchen had something Ginger wanted, and that at some point soon, Ginger was pretty sure she might get it.

The girls went shopping again, the woman keeping them company as if by some unspoken invitation. They didn't buy any clothes this time, but the woman treated them to an ice cream before they parted.

***

The girls skipped school several more times to meet Ginger, who paid for various things, mainly quality clothes for Hannah. Hannah had had her head turned by the promise of money and glamour that the woman offered through her photography, and was keen to keep seeing her. Gretchen had her own reasons to want to keep seeing Ginger, of course, not least because she felt that she should hang around while Hannah got deeper into this stuff, just in case. She wasn't sure where it was all going and had a vague sense of unease, and she knew she didn't trust the woman much at all. But she also knew that even after just a couple of meetings she fancied Ginger quite badly, and that hadn't been helped by the way Ginger blatantly led her on. 

At one point, going up an escalator, Ginger had stepped in close behind the girls, and Gretchen had felt the woman's hand brush the back of her skirt, and the curve of Ginger's breast lightly touch her shoulder. She'd felt the woman's knee press the backs of her thighs, too, almost as if she wanted to push between them, and every time Gretchen thought about that she felt deep twists of arousal inside.

There'd been other times too, little touches and glances, and Gretchen knew Ginger went further with her than she ever tried to with Hannah.

***

Eventually, the girls were caught sneaking back into school. As it was towards the end of term, and lessons had turned into more informal affairs, the headteacher decided the best punishment was to suspend them from a trip the rest of their year was taking over the next few days, and contact their parents to collect them early before the end of term. The problem with that was that there weren't enough members of staff to supervise them properly so they were confined to their rooms, pending their parents being able to get there. Gretchen didn't mind because her father was pretty relaxed, when his work even allowed him to be around, and she hadn't been going on the trip anyway. Hannah, however, hated being cooped up. She wasn't too worried about her parents, who had a distant relationship with her at best, but she was anxious not to be stuck kicking her heels with nothing to do.

She rang Gretchen's mobile to complain at how unfair it was. "And I was really hoping to see Ginger at some point, she wanted to try a few shots, to see how it went."

"Yeah," said Gretchen, thinking how inappropriate the woman's name was, given that her hair was black and she only ever wore black with splashes of green. "Have you been in touch?"

"Yeah. She wanted to know if we were both grounded."

Gretchen carefully said, "Oh?"

"I said we were. She asked how long for, I said I didn't know. She said she'd been looking forward to seeing us again. I think she meant us both, she's always asked if you're coming along when we've met up before." Gretchen stayed quiet, and Hannah went on, "Mind you, Grets, at least were not away now this week. If we could get away somehow..."

It would give them almost a week solid alone with the woman, Gretchen thought. An exciting and scary thought, at the same time. "You sure she wants me too? It's you she wants to photograph."

"Yeah. She likes you, I reckon. Likes you around."

Gretchen remembered the feel of the woman's hand on her leg, the way they touched and brushed each other, the way she sometimes caught Ginger mentally undressing her in the same way she often caught her mentally undressed Hannah. Gretchen decided this was their chance. "Fuck it. We should go, Han."

"Yeah. How though?" Hannah wasn't usually uncertain but the situation had become too important to her. She was very keen on being photographed by Ginger, and her head had been turned by all the nice clothes and the promise of glamour and money.

"Yeah," said Gretchen carefully. "Let me think. I'll call you back." She already knew that the school still hadn't been able to reach her own father, who was away with work, and that Hannah's parents couldn't make it to collect her for a few days yet. 

About an hour later, she rang Hannah back. "Can you get in touch with Ginger? See if she can pick us up from town tomorrow?"

"Have you got a plan?"

"Maybe. The best I can come up with is that we go and tell them I've managed to get hold of my dad and he's offered to pick us both up, save yours the trouble. We say he'll be here at a time when we know they'll all be busy, then we get the hell out of here and hope they don't realise until it's too late."

Hannah hmm'd. "Might work. It's better than anything I've got."

"I'll go and find someone, if you like." Gretchen knew she was more popular with the senior staff than the rebellious Hannah. "I was thinking of Miss Derby, maybe. She's usually on my side, for some reason."

"Like it, Grets. You devious bitch." Hannah chuckled. "Miss Derby is a great choice, she likes you. When she sits you down, hitch your skirt up, flash her a bit of thigh. She definitely likes that. I'll text Ginger, tell her to pick us up tomorrow." She rang off.

Gretchen wondered whether the long-standing rumour about the incredibly strict (but young and quite attractive) Miss Derby was actually true. She took Hannah's advice about her skirt and tried giving off a few other not-so-subtle signals of her own in the teacher's office, though, and it worked, so she wondered why she hadn't noticed it before. She found the ill-concealed flickers of interest in Miss Derby's eyes rather gratifying.