*His thumbs were on her jugulars and he gazed into the mirrors of her soul, wide, red, and wet.
His smile was warm.
His eyes were cold.
He was a hard man...
...with an empty heart, and her tears would drown herself before they filled it.
She went over the edge, the world went black, and he let her come back.*
-YOLO!-
Ava yawned and stretched. She likes to be productive and as nice as the rest has been, she was even more bored than usual. Mr. Snaggletooth Fluffybottom Esq lll yawned and stretched in partial agreement. He was bored of Ava's break; mostly he was tired of the complete invasion of his space she imposed upon him. It would soon be over. Work started back up tomorrow!!! The New Year as well.
Morning routine time. Coffee, breakfast, mail. She put on the pot, brought in the mail, and decided on a liquid breakfast today. And a treat! Pumpkin creamer! Coffee, orange juice, and a low calorie protein shake from the huge jug of powder Emma gifted her for Christmas. Maybe someday Ava will start to work out.
Upon sitting with her feast and thumbing through her mail, Ava discovered an envelope: not unlike the mysterious one she'd received with the New Years Resolution list. She felt a chill in her head. She opened it to reveal a very plain unscented card which read:
"When the clock strikes midnight
In one years time
You must have everything you've wished for,
Or you'll value your life."
"Uhhhhh what the fuck!?" Ava reread it as if she may gain a clearer understanding.
"What the fuck is this supposed to mean?" She looked at Snaggletooth, as if he could give her the answer. His ears twitched at her voice and he stared sleepily at nothing, tail wrapped around his soft little body.
Someone must be playing a really weird prank on Ava.
Whatever.
She couldn't help but feel a little bit creeped out though. She put the card back in the envelope and tucked it into a book, which she put far out of Snaggly's reach.
Ava's notifications started spazzing out.
Emails, candy crush, youtube, and texts came in all at once.
Ugh, that loser who sent her flowers on her birthday who just won't get the hint.
Ignore.
Quotes for insurance.
Unsubcribe.
Does she want to upgrade her phone plan? Nope.
Emma!
"Ava i have 2 exclusive passes in the mail for a New Year party at this really trendy club! Come with!"
"Don't you want to go with Richard?"
Ava relished her coffee by the window, gazing at the snow covered trees and bright blue sky, with Mr. Flufflybottom curled up on her lap.
*ding ding*
"Richard's a scrote. We're done. He ditched me to hang out with the boys at that bar he knows i hate. Like i don't know what that means. I don't need him. But i need you to get your lazy ass off the pot, get dressed, and let me in so we can chill n have lunch, n watch terrible movies, and get sexified for tonight!!!"
Emma was right. The movie was terrible. The woman was so basic and "quirky". All the guys were falling all over her and trying to win her affections with extravagant displays of love and thoughtful words and sappy gifts. Guys are so not like this.
Ava finished the last of her bourbon-spiked coffee.
Emma scooted Snaggly and stood up.
"It's time!"
She placed her one of her large bags on the coffee table and pulled out...masks?
"It's a masquerade!!!" Emma screeched.
Ava didn't know how to feel about that.
"Look at the shoes i brought!" She brandished shiny black platform pumps.
"Emma, no....are the Louboutins????"
Mr. Flufflybottom ran away from the screeching. He hid under the bed, and when the girls were preoccupied with the closet, he scurried, tail and body low, out of the bedroom, to hide under the couch. These feminine rituals were beneath him, and frankly, the high pitched gushing over clothes, makeup, and shoes frightened him more than a cucumber ever could.
Emma wore a low-cut little black dress, accented with red accessories, and a sparkly black mask, with red around the edges, and cherry red lips.
By Emma's persistence, and bourbon's persuasion, Ava reluctantly squeezed into an unused gift from an ex. It was the most inappropriate outfit she owned. It wasn't even an outfit! It was a practically sheer light blue baby doll negligee that cut off at her hip. OF COURSE it was the only acceptable option to Emma. Ava only agreed to wear it if she could cover most of her ass with deep blue denim booty shorts and dark nude hose. Also an unused gift from that ex. Ava felt so fat...she couldn't even zip them up all the way.
"It's fine! It's cuter that way!" Emma insisted. "YOLO!!!" She handed Ava a dark blue mask, then pulled out crimson platform heels in Ava's size.
When they arrived at SALTY GOAT, ava couldn't help but balk. She hadn't been to a club since college. Electronic bass reverberated through her head.
"Em, do you seriously want to stand here in the cold till we get in?"
"Yup! Don't worry, look what i brought to keep us warm!" She pulled out a flask bigger than the Grinch's butt from devil knows where and wiggled her eyebrows. "Plus, all this is just for show! We have passes. We'll get in in no time!"
By the time they got in, Ava's skin was buzzing and her head was numb. Nothing another drink couldn't fix.
After some drinking and dancing, Emma paired off with a tall stranger in a black mask, assuring Ava she'd find her soon and wouldn't leave without her. Ava sat at the bar and watched the anonymous heads bouncing up and down to the thump of the beat, trying to look satisfied, yet indifferent to be alone. She felt a tap on her shoulder.
"WHAT?" She cupped her ear. The muscularly stocky man in the green mask leaned in to shout in her ear.
"SHOT?"
Ava nodded. It was time to live a little. Emma was right. YOLO.
He led her by the hand to the dance floor, where they tested each other at a distance, and in no time began to sweat as they teased closer and closer. Within a few songs which seemed to blend together at times, she started to grind her body on him to the sounds of a sultry woman droning in French over a deep electronic beat. Her head slightly back, with her eyes closed, the flashing lights shone through her lids. He had his lips by her neck, breathing heavily on her skin as he ran his hands up her stomach under her "top".
She opened her eyes and they locked with a man in a white mask standing nearby at the bar.
He wore a very expensive belt.