Bound

It was a hot and humid summer night, the air thick and heavy, making it difficult to sleep. Victoria tossed and turned in bed, her mind racing with thoughts and worries. Just as she was about to drift off, a loud knock at her bedroom door jolted her awake.

She groggily sat up and rubbed her eyes, wondering who could be knocking on her door at this late hour.

With a sigh, she got out of bed and reached for the small lamp on her desk. The dim light illuminated her room, revealing the piles of books and papers scattered everywhere. Victoria let out another sigh, realizing she would have to clean up her room soon.

As she made her way to the door, the knocking continued, growing more persistent.

Irritated, Victoria yelled, "I'm coming!" and flung open the door. To her surprise, standing in front of her was her best friend, Rosemary, holding a beautiful cake. In her other hand, she held a lighter and two spoons, ready to share the delicious treat.

"Happy birthday, my dear!" She exclaimed happily before planting a kiss on her friend's cheek and stepping into the room.

Victoria cringed at her loudness but as she took in the sight of the gorgeous cake now resting on her bed, a genuine smile spread across her face. It was a red velvet cake, her absolute favorite, with layers of moist cake and a decadent amount of buttercream icing.

In the center of the cake, bold letters stated, "Another year older but still looking gorgeous. Happy birthday."

Lost in admiration of the beautifully decorated cake, Victoria didn't even notice as Rosemary lit the candles. "Alright, make a wish!" She urged, grinning from ear to ear as she clapped her hands excitedly.

Victoria closed her eyes and quietly made a wish, then blew out the candles with a satisfied smile.

Rose erupted into a round of applause and began to sing a slightly off-key rendition of the traditional birthday song. The two friends couldn't contain their happiness and burst into a spontaneous dance, laughing until their stomachs hurt.

Finally, they collapsed onto the bed, ready to indulge in the delicious cake. As they savored each bite, Rose suddenly suggested going out for the evening to continue the celebration.

Victoria expressed her refusal with a sigh, her mood quickly souring. She made it clear that she had no intention of going because the last time she did, she was abandoned and therefore left no room for argument but Rose remained stubborn since the day they met.

"We need to go out. It's your birthday, and as your best friend, I refuse to let you spend it confined to this room, reading a book, as I know you'll do once I leave. Let's go out and celebrate, have some fun, and hopefully find a cute guy." She said with a mischievous grin on her doll-like face.

"I don't like going out and my books are quite interesting," Victoria was aware her response was not the best but it was the only thing she could muster up at the moment.

She despised the idea of going outside and was quite reserved and introverted while Rosemary possessed an outgoing nature and had an uncanny ability to captivate attention in any room.

If there was a party she was at home, rather than go to a bar she invited her close friends (which to her definition of friends only included Rose and Maria, who was her coworker) to share a bottle of dry white wine and appetizers.

Victoria was always an introvert, preferring to observe from the sidelines rather than being the center of attention. She found solace in watching people interact and reveal their true selves through their body language, facial expressions, and subtle actions. It was like a never-ending puzzle for her, trying to piece together the complexities of human behavior and she surely never minded when Rose went out with other people as she loved cozy nights at home with herself.

Rosemary and Victoria's bond was formed in the orphanage where they both grew up. Despite their shared loneliness and lack of family, they found comfort and companionship in each other. As they grew older, their friendship only grew stronger, and they became inseparable. Through ups and downs, they were always there for each other, like true sisters. No matter what life threw their way, they knew they could always count on each other for unwavering support and protection.

Ignoring her comments about being a bookworm Rosemary stood from the bed and heading into Victoria's reasonably spacious closet, searching through her collection of clothes.

Victoria let out a groan of frustration before joining her in the closet. "If I decide to go out, you must promise me that you will stay by my side the entire time, without abandoning me anymore," she stated firmly, pointing her finger at Rose.

Her best friend turned around and grinned, handing Victoria a black dress.

"I promise I won't leave you," she said excitedly.

Victoria took a good look at the dress and immediately shook her head. "Are you out of your mind?" she asked, throwing the flimsy garment back at Rose.

She laughed. "Come on, Vic! It'll look amazing on you. Plus, it's the perfect dress for tonight."

Victoria rolled her eyes. "I don't know, it seems a bit...revealing."

"Well, that's the point!" Rose exclaimed. "You have ass and tits for days. Besides I'm hoping I'll get you laid for once," she said handing her back the dress.

Indeed Victoria couldn't remember the last time she had sex or been with a man in general which made Roses statement far more annoying.

Her life was a boring one full of work and books.

There was no time to have fun let alone go out on dates.

She always found it to be a waste of time, as men her age only seemed to have one thing on their minds, and that wasn't getting to understanding her likes and dislikes or who she was as a person.

It wasn't as if she deliberately chose not to engage in sexual activities, and even if that's all she desired, she had cravings and desires that she feared no man on this planet could satisfy and was constantly disappointed by men who only viewed her as a means to fulfill their physical wants, disregarding her own needs.

Victoria had made a conscious decision not to invest her time in shallow connections and instead focused on her own happiness and personal fulfillment. However, even that path was not always smooth and straightforward.

Maybe she did need to let loose tonight.

She hesitated for a moment eyeing her best friend in annoyance before her eyes casted down to the dress in her hands.

It was indeed a stunning dress that would look great on her body.

She whispered a quiet "Fine I'll go" but Rose heard it loud and clear embracing her in a bear-crushing hug. "We leave in an hour and wear red lipstick, it will go with the dress," she noted before leaving the closet and out the door.

Victoria returned to her bed and carefully placed the dress down. She noticed her birthday cake still resting on the bed and decided to indulge in a small spoonful, relishing its sweetness.

After satisfying her appetite, she set the cake aside and proceeded to undress before heading into the bathroom for a hot shower to alleviate her aching muscles.

Once finished, she wrapped an old t-shirt around her long hair to remove any excess water. With a small towel wrapped around her body, she made her way to her vanity mirror. Taking a seat, she applied a scented lotion with notes of sweet vanilla and coconut all over her body, followed by a

Sensitive-skin cream for her face.

Her makeup routine consisted of applying a light concealer under her eyes, powder, dark-colored eye shadows, and blush to achieve a natural yet polished look.

She also added a touch of mascara to her lashes and then proceeded with a bit of highlighter to her cheekbones and cupid's bow to give her face a glowing and dewy appearance.

Finally, she completed her makeup with a swipe of ruby red lipstick.

She smiled at her reflection and styled her hair, putting her hair into a high ponytail. Once she finished, she gracefully slipped on the dress from the bed.

She admired herself in the mirror twisting and turning to get a better look.

The dress showcased every curve of her body to perfection.

To match the dress, she wore black high heels that wrapped around her legs like vines and accentuated the length and elegance of her legs.

The delicate necklace around her neck added a subtle yet charming touch, completing the ensemble.

Victoria made her way downstairs where Rose had been waiting.

"I am prepared," she declared upon reaching the bottom step.

Rose glanced up from her phone and smirked. "Wow, look at you," she said, twirling her finger to signal Victoria to spin, which she did, albeit with a slight eye roll.

"You look sexy, Victoria. Like very, very hot ." Victoria blushed and covered her face with her hands. She never handled compliments well.

"Alright, let's go before I change my mind-

Wait, where are we even going?" It took her a while to realize that she hadn't asked the entire time.

Rose smiled broadly. "You will find out soon." With that, she headed for the front door, with Victoria following behind.