Chapter 1: Chapter 1
The air in Jade’s studio apartment was thick with the scent of her perfume, something floral and expensive that seemed to cling to the low ceiling. The two nylon sleeping bags lay unrolled on the floor near the couch, side by side, a silent reminder of the sleeping arrangements. Mariana sat on the edge of the air mattress, her own going-out dress already on, a simple forest green wrap, and watched as Jade emerged from the small bathroom that doubled as a closet.
Mariana’s breath caught. Jade stepped out of the bathroom completely naked, her skin a deep, even tan that seemed to glow under the dim overhead light. Her breasts were full and round, impossibly perky, the nipples a soft rose color. The muscles in her arms and legs were defined but feminine, the result of those legendary two-a-days. She stood there, one hand on her hip, completely at ease.
“Hope you girls don’t mind!” Jade said, her voice high and playful, a giggle bubbling up. “We’re all girls here, right? No need to be shy.”
Jade giggled once more, then turned and padded back into the bathroom, her bare feet silent on the laminate floor. She reached for a small basket of cosmetics on the counter, her movements unhurried, utterly unselfconscious. The bathroom door clicked shut behind her, leaving the two friends alone in the sudden quiet.
Mariana’s eyes met the other woman’s, a friend whose name was lost in the swirl of introductions hours earlier, a graphic designer from somewhere else. They stared at each other. The image of Jade hung in the air between them: the flawless skin, the impossible curves, the casual display of a body that seemed carved for worship. Mariana’s mouth felt dry. She blinked.
The other woman let out a slow breath. “Jesus,” she whispered.
Mariana nodded. She stood up and walked over to the edge of the bed, the one Jade had pointed out as hers. A queen frame pushed against the wall, the sheets rumpled and cream-colored. She sat down on the edge. The frame let out a loud, piercing creak, a groan of stressed wood and metal that seemed far too heavy for a simple sit. The sound hung in the air, obscene, intimate.
The other woman flinched. Mariana shook her head sharply, as if to physically dislodge a thought. No. Don’t go there. But her eyes caught on the mattress. Near the foot, just below the fitted sheet, there were faint discolorations, a yellowish stain that had been scrubbed, almost faded, but not quite gone. The fabric was rougher there, worn, as if cleaned too many times.
Mariana’s stomach tightened. She looked away quickly, toward the bathroom door, then back to her friend. Neither spoke. The creak of the bed still echoed in her ears.
The bathroom door swung open with a soft click, and Jade stepped out.
The velvet romper was black, so dark it seemed to drink the apartment's dim light. The fabric was plush, expensive, and it wrapped around her body in a way that defied logic. The V of the neckline plunged deep between her breasts, the velvet hugging the inner curves, showing the full, heavy swell of them. There was no bra beneath. No pasties. The outline of her nipples was visible, two soft peaks pressing against the lush fabric, a gentle but unmistakable shadow. The romper tied at her waist with a thin velvet strap, a loose bow that sat just above her hip, and the skirt of it ended high on her thighs, showing off the dense, cut muscle of her quadriceps and the smooth curve of her hamstrings. Her legs were bare, tanned, and glowed under the light.
She turned, and the back of the romper dipped low, nearly to her tailbone, a deep scoop that left her spine exposed, the muscles on either side of it defined. The fabric rustled as she moved.
Jade struck a pose, one hand on her hip, the other holding up a pair of dangling gold earrings shaped like tiny crescent moons. She looked at her friends and let out a bright, bubbling giggle that seemed too innocent for the body it came from. "Okay, okay, be honest," she said, her voice sugary and high. "Is this too much? I wanted something fun. Something foxy. You know?"
She spun once, the velvet swishing, the skirt flaring just enough to show the underside of her thighs.
The other woman on the air mattress said nothing. Her mouth was slightly open. Mariana felt her own jaw tighten, her throat suddenly dry.
Jade noticed their silence and giggled again, a sound like glass wind chimes. "You guys are no help! Like, I need a real opinion here." She stepped closer to the small mirror on the wall, her heels clicking against the floor. The outfit shifted as she moved, the velvet clinging and releasing, the deep V gaping for a split second, offering a view of smooth tan skin before settling back into place.
She tugged at the bow at her waist, made it tighter, then loosened it again, her fingers working the fabric with practiced ease. "I think it's cute," she said, talking to her own reflection. She smiled, her teeth white, her lips glossy, and turned back to them. "It's like, trying to look cute but also like, hey, I'm here to have a good time. Right?"
Mariana finally found her voice. "Right." The word came out rough, a croak. She cleared her throat. "It's... really something, Jade."
Jade beamed, oblivious or indifferent to the weight in her friend's voice. She reached for her purse, a tiny black clutch, and checked her phone. "Okay, I called the Uber, it's like three minutes out. Are we ready?" She looked at them, her eyes bright, her smile eager. "This is gonna be so fun. I have been dying to show you girls my city."