The Toy Maker

Everyone falls victim to desiring what they can't have at least once in their life. The driving force almost always came down to the danger of getting caught. In some circumstances disobeying the rules was the reward in itself. I couldn't say that was why I ended up slumped on my couch and dreading facing the consequences of my actions. But people loved forbidden things.

And I was no exception.

The world demanded my attention right as another hot Cheeto graced my lips. I stuffed the whole bag in my mouth in an ill-fated attempt to erase the lingering memory of Jason's cock.

My phone vibrated against the glass coffee table. I continued to ignore my problems with carbs.

After four missed calls I picked up the phone, "Where's the fire?"

"There's a hot new club downtown and guess who got us in?" Sarah's bubbly voice carried through the phone. "That's right, this bitch."

"Name?" The sketchy side of town started to encroach on 'respectable businesses'. The owners proclaimed themselves family men despite frequenting the same erotic establishments. "That's a surprise," Sarah said, "Be ready by seven."

My internal hermit hissed but before I could protest Sarah cut me off.

"No excuses. Squeeze your ass into something sexy. We'll be there at seven." Sarah commanded. It was her personal mission to get me into the world, even if it meant taking an ax to my door.

I didn't feel like exerting the energy it would take to argue, "Fuck you."

"I love you too," She giggled and hung up.

I tilted my head back on the couch and reminisced about the days when I intimidated people. It was difficult to instill fear in someone who saw you in an LED thong.

I shrugged off my blues and attempted to look on the bright side. A group of friends did come with perks. Instead staying home and digging to the bottom of a quart of ice cream, they planned on dragging me out by my hair.

While forcing myself to interact wasn't my first plan, licking my wounds at home hadn't eased my nerves. Submitting to Jason seemed magnificent at first but the regret began to sink in.

His disappearing act triggered my change of heart.

After digging through the leftovers taking over my fridge, I attempted to find an outfit. Shopping never piqued my interest despite my mom dragging me through the store for hours when I was a child. We wouldn't stop until tears covered my face.

Needless to say, I kept clothes shopping to a minimum. I cursed myself for it as I searched for a Sarah approved dress. I threw a few ensembles onto my bed and yanked them on for judgement.

I stared at the girl in the mirror and prayed the bar crawlers would avoid me.

I settled on the fitted burgundy dress which I wore to the Christmas party at my last job. The party where I stumbled onto Mr. Whelm's infidelity.

Witnessing the shriveled man boning his twenty-something desk jockey poisoned the whole night.

After almost a year I gazed at my toned ass, courtesy of Kitty's fitness regimen, and decided to wear it out.

I gathered my hair into a ponytail and fought the desire to change back into my sweats. I stared at my computer and thought about all the episodes of Friends I had yet to watch.

Before I could succumb to temptation someone knocked on my front door. I figured Sarah arrived early to collect the missing piece of her slut squad.

The doorbell rang as I hurried to the door.

"Calm your tits I'm com-"

My mom's brooding stare met mine as soon as I opened the door.

"What are you doing here?"

She flashed her most convincing smile, "A mother can't come visit her daughter?" Luggage filled her hands. She pushed past me and into my safe space. "Such a lovely little apartment. I never would have guessed because of the neighborhood,"

Her dark eyes wandered over my life, scanning for a reason to nag.

"Why are you here?" I still had months before her annual Christmas lecture. She often compared living in the city to rolling around in a pigsty.

"I missed my angel and after you said you don't want to come down for Thanksgiving I decided to come up."

I rubbed my forehead and watched her tornado into every room.

"I do want to come but I have to work."

"Work at the job you refuse to tell me about," She waved her acrylic claws in my face.

The temptation to blurt out my job title and watch her explode almost took over. Her expression would have been one for the record books but after I would have to deal with hours of life lectures. I didn't want to subject myself to that.

"Well," I gave up on trying to send her away. She put on a pot of coffee and I knew my mom wouldn't leave if there was coffee in her grasp. "I made plans for tonight."

She stopped in her tracks, "Male plans?"

"No," I sighed, "Girl plans."

"Oh, well, I can't say I'm surprised. You did have your eyes on that one girl. Susie from down the street. You always wanted her to come out and play with you an-"

"Not like that." I cut off the anecdote before she could make it more awkward. "Friends from work."

"Well, if you think leaving your mother alone after she drove down to see you is appropriate then you go right ahead."

I hesitated before using the out while I could.

Before another word could leave her pursed lips I slipped on my shoes and grabbed my purse.

"Thanks, I'll be home late,"

The door shut behind me and sealed off the nightmare waiting for me whenever I came home.

I ran into Kitty on my way down the stairs. She looked me up and down, "I didn't expect you to be ready yet,"

"Sarah told me to get dressed," I leaned on the handrail for support and adjusted the strap on my heels.

Kitty grinned, "She said I would need to drag you out of bed."

She had no clue how close that came to being true.

"I was sort of smoked out of my apartment," Kitty stared at me with a funny expression. "Forget it, Sarah will have my head if we're late."

A mischievous gleam sparkled in Kitty's eyes before she led me down the stairs. "Believe me, you don't have to worry about heads where we're going." She turned back and winked at me. I rolled my eyes and prepared for the adventure ahead of me.