Over at the museum, Kayla had just arrived and was headed down to the lower level to meet with Maiko again. She headed through the door and toward the back where Maiko’s office was. Maiko was arranging some books, dressed again today in her usual poised fashion—sweater neatly tucked into a long skirt, her brown boots swapped out today for black mary-jane flats.

“Kayla,” she said with a tense smile. “Thanks for coming.”

“Oh my god, of course. I’m so sorry what happened to you, that’s awful. Are you doing okay?”

“Oh, sure, yeah, being tied up is honestly the least of my worries.”

Kayla couldn’t help but chuckle, “you sound like a reporter.”

“Ah, yes, I’m sure you’re well aware of these kinds of things.”

“Just a bit,” Kayla teased, taking a seat in one of the chairs across from Maiko’s desk.

Maiko took a seat in her own chair, a serious look on her face.

“It’s one thing for those thugs to have tied me up, but they didn’t stop there. They managed to break into the center here and stole some of our paintings. God, the fucking nerve of them!”

Kayla was taken aback by Maiko’s sudden urge to swear, then again it was more than warranted given the situation.

“Sorry, pardon my language” Maiko said, calming herself down, “it’s just that…well look, can we have this meeting be off the record?”

Kayla perked up at the mention of this.

“Of course, yeah.”

Maiko took a deep breath.

“I didn’t want to text you this and leave any kind of a paper trail, but I did want to make sure I shared this theory with at least someone else. But I have a sinking suspicion as to who is behind this attack.”

Kayla recalled her conversation with Toby earlier. If what Maiko was about to say matched with what he was saying then she for sure had a lead. Who knew if it would go anywhere, but it was nonetheless intriguing.

“I realize that this may be a stretch,” Maiko continued, “but I just cannot shake the notion that those brats over at the Smith Auditorium had something to do with this.”

Bingo.

“Oh yeah?” Kayla said in response, “why do you say that?”

“Well, we were awarded a grant that they were also up for. When the news broke that they didn’t get the money, they cancelled their annual New Year ballet dance that’s always held here at the museum. When I tried to reach out to Susan and Mike, I never got a response. I even went down there in person, and the temperature was just…I mean it was like I was an intruder! They were so cold to me.”

“Right, but that doesn’t mean they’d hire thugs to tie you up and steal paintings…right?”

Maiko raised an eyebrow, “since when is anyone in this town with power prone to mild mannered reactions?”

“True,” Kayla conceded, nodding her head. Hazeldale was known for being a hotbed of seedy activity. Hell, even she had been bound and gagged for far less!

“I get that this is unsubstantiated for now,” Maiko said, “but I just…I mean don’t you ever just get a feeling with any of your stories and–”

“Oh my god, all the time,” Kayla interrupted, “sorry, didn’t mean to cut you off, but yes. All the time.”

“Great, well if they won’t talk to me, maybe you can head over there and see if anything comes up.”

“Hmmm,” Kayla pondered this for a moment, “the only tricky thing is if they really are behind this attack, then they probably won’t be too keen on talking to the press. They might still be a bit jumpy.”

“Oh!” Maiko light up, and idea hitting her like a flash of lightning. “In a few weeks they’re debuting their spring ballet program. I’m sure the Tribune would love to do a feature about this, yes?”

“You know what, I’m sure they would,” Kayla said with a smirk, “yeah that’s a great cover. Hopefully that gets their guard down and I can get in there and see if anything comes up. Obviously no guarantees, but I’ll absolutely see what I can do.”

“Oh, Kayla, thank you so much,” Maiko stood up from her chair and walked around to give Kayla a big hug.

“Not a problem,” Kayla responded, “I can say with experience…lots and lots of experience…that being tied up can be no fun at all. So if there’s any way I can help make this right for you, I would be more than glad.”

“You’re an angel,” Maiko concluded, pulling away from the hug as she looked over at Kayla with a beaming smile.

Kayla couldn’t help but blush, the feeling of such a beautiful woman like Maiko showering her with this kind of praise was more than enough to elicit such a reaction from her. Waving goodbye, Kayla shouldered her bag and started her way back to the office.

On her way, she thought about what her plan should be moving forward. Going in solo was likely going to result in not getting much info. If the owners of the auditorium were behind the attack, they would obviously never just admit it, and despite Kayla’s excuse to seek an interview they would likely be guarded anyway.

There was always the option of snooping, but doing this solo would be tough as well. She could stick around after the interview to poke around, but as it was she would probably already be treated with suspicion so that was a no-go too.

There was one option that came to mind, albeit a loud-mouthed, bratty, cold-hearted option. Kayla was of course thinking of enlisting Jennifer for some help, but this meant spilling the beans on the whole situation and opening herself up to an earful from her rival. Still, if she was going to get anything out of her visit, she absolutely needed backup. Kayla hated the idea, but it was looking to be her only option at this point.

So when she arrived back at the Tribune, she approached Jennifer’s desk ready to pitch her idea. As if Jennifer could sense Kayla coming from a mile away, she swung her chair around as soon as Kayla was close, crossing one of her nylon clad legs over the other. She drummed her fingers on her tights, a devious smirk painted at the corner of her mouth.

“Well, well, well,” she cooed, “I suppose it was only a matter of time before you came to me for help. Let me guess, you’re in over your head and need some backup.”

She always knew just how to get right under Kayla’s skin, and it worked every damn time. Although Kayla hadn’t come to play games. She was here to talk business.

“Look, the short of it is I need your help,” she began, “so either you quit being a pill, listen to what I’ve got going on, and take part in what’s shaping up to be a pretty interesting story, or I buzz off and find someone else to help me. Lord knows Toby’s probably foaming at the mouth.”

Jennifer rolled her eyes, but she bit anyway.

“Fine, spit it out, Grace.”

Kayla pulled over a chair and gave Jennifer the whole spiel, about Maiko, the attack, and her plans for investigating the museum. Jennifer was hanging on every word, her eagerness to chase a good story outshining her need to be in constant rivalry with Kayla.

“Interesting stuff,” she remarked once Kayla was finished, “so if I understand you correctly, you want me to do your dirty work so that you can swoop in and write the big story, is that it?”

Kayla sighed, “obviously you’ll get equal credit on the entire thing. I’m not that much of a bitch, am I? Not like you…”

She said this last part under her breath, or at least she tried.

“I heard that,” Jennifer blurted.

“Look, are you going to help me or not,” said Kayla, ready to get this thing going or call it a bust.

“Obviously I’m going to help you,” Jennifer smiled, “just wanted to put you through the ringer first. My help doesn’t come cheap you know. Gotta pay the toll.”

“Having to put up with your shit is a high price to pay,” Kayla groaned, “but I’ll take it.”

“Duh,” Jennifer said rising to her feet, “so we doing this thing or what?”

Kayla stood with her, “sure, I’ll drive.”

“Obviously. I want to stop and get matcha on the way. You’re buying.”

She said this as she turned on her heels and clomped off, leaving Kayla to seethe as she followed behind her. They arrived at the Smith Auditorium about a half hour later, Jennifer was slurping the last of her iced matcha before tossing the empty cup in a nearby trash can. 

The grand building loomed ahead, a beautiful, mid-century structure. Its broad concrete facade stretched outward in a curve, stark and symmetrical. Massive square pillars lined the outer edge, holding up the deep overhang that shaded a set of sleek glass doors. A series of wide steps led up to the main entrance, flanked on either side by minimal landscaping.

Kayla trailed behind Jennifer as she watched her clamor up the steps, admiring her outfit in the process. As much as she beefed with her rival, she couldn't help but admit that she had impeccable style. Today was no excuse, she was a vision of effortless glam. Her tall heeled boots gleamed in the afternoon sun with slouchy, oatmeal-colored socks peeking out at the top. Her tight black skirt showed off her toned legs, also dressed in sheer black nylons as her long checkered coat gently swished behind her.

Kayla caught a glimpse of herself in the museum doors reflection as she reached the top of the steps, taking a minute to appreciate the look that she had thrown together for the day. She wore a short black skirt, fitted to her form. Sheer black pantyhose hugged her legs, paired with lace up black loafers and bright red socks bunched casually over her ankles adding a pop of color. Over this she was rocking a cozy wool turtleneck, the material soft and worn in.

Kayla adjusted the strap of her bag slung across her body as she reached the top of the steps. She and Jennifer paused together for a moment.

“Do we need to go over the plan one more time?” She asked.

Jennifer gave a dry chuckle and flipped her ponytail back. “You distract, I dig. How much time do you think I’ll have?”

“Maybe twenty hopefully thirty minutes?”

“Psh, I could make do with just ten. This’ll be a cake walk.”

Kayla sighed, knowing that with her and Jennifer nothing was ever a cake walk.

“I’ll go in first,” Kayla announced, “you just wait out here for a bit. Once you see me clear the lobby, go ahead and enter. That’s your queue to get in and start taking a look around. Got it?”

“Done and dusted,” Jennifer replied confidently.

“Great, now just keep your wits about you. If these are in fact the people that tied Maiko up, then they mean business. I’d rather not spend my afternoon bound and gagged by any freaks.”

“Yeah, same. Be safe in there.”

For a brief second, Jennifer’s tone had shifted. Her well wishes to Kayla sounded actually sincere, as if she genuinely wanted Kayla to be safe. Kayla was caught off guard by this, the only reply she was able to offer being just a silent nod. With that, she strode inside, finding the lobby pretty much empty at this time of day.

Inside, the lobby was quiet, echoey, and dimly lit. Afternoon light poured through the tall windows. Kayla approached the ticket counter where a young woman in a black polo with the Smith logo was flipping through a clipboard.

“Excuse me?” Kayla began, flashing her press badge in a polite-but-authoritative manner. “Kayla Grace, Hazeldale Tribune. I was hoping to speak briefly with either Mike or Susan—just a few questions about the spring ballet program.”

The woman looked up, blinking a few times. “Oh, um… Mike and Susan aren’t here today, so sorry. But if you're looking to talk about the ballet, the studio's director is in right now. Alyssa… uhh… she's down in rehearsal. I can take you there if you want?”

Kayla smiled, grateful things were at least partially lining up. She preferred a meeting with Mike or Susan, but meeting with this Alyssa just might work. “That’d be perfect, thank you.”

As the woman disappeared through a staff door behind the counter, Kayla turned and gave a subtle nod toward the front windows where Jennifer was standing, casually leaning against a planter as if waiting for someone. The moment Kayla disappeared into the hall, Jennifer peeled herself away from the planter, tossed her hair with practiced ease, and pushed through the entrance.

Her boots clicked smartly across the floor as she surveyed the lobby with a feigned air of casual boredom. She slipped past the main hall and took a turn down a side corridor marked Authorized Personnel Only.

“Here we go,” she whispered to herself as she strode through the doors.

A few moments later, the staffer returned and led Kayla through a narrow corridor that twisted behind the stage. They passed stacks of old set pieces—papier-mâché columns and oversized props—until they reached a door with a small frosted-glass window that read Alyssa Hart, Studio Director.

Inside, the office was neatly illuminated with soft lighting, shelves of ballet books, and a wall of framed posters featuring past performances. Alyssa stood from behind her desk and smiled warmly as Kayla entered.

She was tall, athletic, and graceful in the way only a lifelong dancer could be. She wore a slate-gray knit wrap over a black rehearsal leotard and tights, her hair pulled into a taut bun. Kayla immediately clocked the intensity behind her eyes—steely, sharp, yet perfectly masked with poise and charm.

“Hi, Kayla Grace from the Hazeldale Tribune,” Kayla said, stretching out her hand as she introduced herself.

“Pleasure to meet you, Kayla,” Alyssa said, reaching her hand to meet Kayla’s in a firm and decisive handshake, “please, have a seat.”

“This shouldn’t take up much of your time,” Kayla began, “I just wanted to ask a few questions about the spring ballet showcase. I know you’ve got that coming up, and the Tribune would just love to get you folks a big spot.”

“Is that so?” Alyssa responded in an almost calculated manner, “well that would be just so delightful. Please, go ahead, ask away.”

Alright, here we go. Kayla thought to herself before launching into the array of questions she had prepared.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the auditorium, Jennifer slipped quietly down the dimly lit hall, her phone in hand, camera at the ready. The deeper she got, the more maze-like the backstage corridors became—lined with faded rehearsal schedules, and racks of worn costumes and other various props and supplies.

She passed a few storage rooms, peeked briefly into the orchestra pit, then stopped short when she spotted a sign marked Dressing Room B.

“Seems like a decent place to poke around,” she murmured as she quietly headed over.

Inside, the dressing room was quiet and unoccupied. Rows of lighted mirrors lined the walls, and dance bags were scattered in the corners. Jennifer moved to the far end where two duffel bags sat slightly ajar. From one, the corner of a length of rope dangled out in plain sight.

“Huh,” Jennifer remarked as she approached the bags to get a closer look.

She crouched and unzipped the bags fully. Her eyes widened. Inside were bundles of nylon rope—neatly coiled—and rolls of silver duct tape along with several packs of unopened pantyhose. She had been in this business long enough to recognize the kidnapping essentials, and this bag sure was packing!

“Jennifer, you sly bastard,” she mumbled to herself as she snapped a few pictures, “you’ve done it again.”

While she was absorbed in her work, taking pictures, she felt a light touch landed on her shoulder.

tap. tap. tap.

Jennifer froze, then slowly turned, lifting her gaze to meet the amused, slightly stern faces of two women in sleek black leotards and tights. Both were clearly dancers—tall, toned, poised—but there was an unmistakable air of menace in their perfectly arched eyebrows and folded arms.

“Awww, shit,” she cursed, the last thing she was able to say before the two women pounced.

Back in Alyssa’s office, Kayla was still nodding along as the studio director finished her polished speech on audience engagement and modern choreography.

A sudden buzz from Alyssa’s desk broke the rhythm. She picked up her phone and glanced at the screen. A brief flicker of something unreadable passed over her face—curiosity, annoyance, maybe satisfaction—but it was gone before Kayla could clock it.

“Well,” Alyssa said smoothly, placing the phone down, “since you’re here, would you like a little tour? I imagine it might help paint a better picture for your article.”

Kayla perked up. “Sure, yeah! I’d love that.”

She figured this was ideal—it would keep Alyssa busy and give Jennifer more time to snoop. Win-win.

The two women exited the office and walked together down the softly lit corridor. Alyssa made pleasant small talk as they passed rehearsal rooms and prop storage. Then she stopped beside a door at the far end of the backstage hallway. A simple gold placard read Dressing Room B.

“This,” Alyssa said with a smile, “is where the dancers prep before each show.”

She opened the door and gestured for Kayla to step inside.

The moment she did, Kayla’s breath caught.

“HNMMN MNNH NNPH NPHPH N PHRNPPPPMMPH!!”

Jennifer was on the floor in the middle of the room, tightly bound from shoulders to ankles in a tangle of white rope. Her nice white top was wrinkled from the struggle, her skirt slightly hiked up to reveal the full length of her nylon clad legs and the white panties she wore beneath her tights. Most notably, more than a few pairs of pantyhose had been balled up and shoved firmly into her mouth, sealed in place with even more nylons wrapped between her lips and around her head. Her eyes met Kayla’s with a wide, furious urgency.

“MNNH NNNNNRRRMMPH!” she yelled through the mouth filling gag, writhing.

Kayla stood frozen. Her mind was running a mile a minute, realizing that the two of them had walked squarely into a trap and that there was little either of them could do now.

Alyssa clicked her tongue behind her. “Tsk tsk. Snooping is such an unbecoming habit for a reporter, don’t you think?”

Kayla spun around just in time to see Alyssa calmly shove her backward into the room.

Kayla stumbled, catching herself just before falling, but the door slammed shut behind her with a loud click—and she heard the unmistakable snick of a lock turning.

Inside, the two dancers—those same poised women in black rehearsal tights and ballet flats—were standing near Jennifer, now turning their cool gazes toward Kayla.

Kayla took a cautious step back, the dread of what she knew was coming next began to sink in.

“…Okay,” she said aloud, trying to keep her voice calm as her eyes flicked from the dancers to the bound Jennifer and back. “So it seems like we have a bit of a misunderstanding here.”

Jennifer groaned through her gag, clearly irritated at Kayla’s lousy attempt to charm her way out of things.

“Hhhhhhmmrrrmph!”

But she couldn’t do anything to stop the two dancers from advancing on Kayla, grabbing her arms as they forced her down to the floor.

Meanwhile back at the Hannah's apartment with waivers signed and their lunch finished, Madelyn and Andrea were just about ready to start their shoot. Madelyn sat atop the desk in a tight little grey pencil skirt and a white button-up blouse that clung teasingly to her form. Her sheer black pantyhose glistened in the spotlight as she crossed one leg over the other, playfully dangling a black heel from her foot.

Andrea, sitting in the rolling office chair beside her, looked every bit the scandalous secretary, her navy mini-skirt dangerously short as she shifted her own nylon-clad legs.

Hannah had already given them the action signal, and with that Andera launched into the scene. She was a bit nervous having to act, but with Madelyn by her side she felt comfortable enough to give it a try.

“So the idea,” Andrea whispered conspiratorially, twirling a pen, “is we fake some invoices, move the decimal point here and there… and boom, suddenly the office lunch budget is paying for my next beach vacation. How does that sound, Jane?”

Madelyn giggled, kicking her feet idly. “Ooooh, a beach vacation. That sounds nice, Lily!”

clomp! clomp! clomp!

Hannah’s heels echoed across the room as she entered from off screen.

“Well, well,” Hannah purred, folding her arms and raising one perfectly plucked brow. Her tone was low, velvety, and a little sarcastic. “Discussing office fraud in broad daylight. How brazen.”

Andrea and Madelyn froze. The “uh-oh” look passed between them instantly.

“Miss Meadows!” Madelyn gasped, playing along with the scene. “We were just… talking about lunch orders.”

“Mmhm.” Hannah stepped closer, her heels clacking against the floor with a rhythm that sounded a lot like trouble. “Here’s the thing. I could report this little scheme to the board. Or…” She leaned across the desk, eyeing Madelyn and Andrea with amused authority. “You could agree to a little... punishment.”

Andrea's eyes widened. “Punishment?”

Hannah smirked wider. “Yes. A bit of restraint. For the sake of workplace discipline.”

Before they could answer, Hannah was already pulling out coils of rope from beneath the desk.

Andrea looked at Madelyn, who try as she might, was totally unable to hide her excitement. She bit her lower lip in anticipation. Andrea smiled back.

“Let’s start with you, Lily,” she said, nodding toward the office chair where Andrea was sat.

Andrea hesitated for only a moment before smirking. “Ugh. Fine. I’d rather this than lose my job.”

Hannah worked efficiently, securing Andrea to the chair. Her arms were pulled behind her and wrapped expertly in several loops of rope, pinning her wrists and elbows tightly together. More rope pinned her torso back against the chair, wrapping snugly above and below her chest, pressing her blouse tightly across her bust. Her legs were pulled wide apart—spread into a V shape as Hannah tied each ankle to the back legs of the chair. This caused her skirt to bunch up toward her hips, exposing the panties she wore underneath her tights.

Andrea squirmed, biting her lip as she tugged against the bonds. “Umm, this feels very illegal HR-wise.”

Hannah chuckled. “Yeah, and so is embezzling money.”

Hannah turned from Andrea, who was now helplessly bound and squirming in the office chair, and fixed her eyes on Madelyn who looked positively giddy, her nylon clad legs bouncing up and down in anticipation.

“Your turn, Jane,” Hannah said smoothly and decisively, snapping a coil of rope between her hands.

Madelyn grinned and gave an exaggerated sigh. “If I must.”

With careful precision, Hannah guided Madelyn into a lotus position—her legs folded tightly, one over the other, pantyhose brushing against pantyhose as her ankles tucked neatly onto opposite thighs. The snug skirt bunched higher and higher until it was practically a belt, giving a generous view of Madelyn’s hips and the sleek, high-cut panties beneath the sheer nylon.

Hannah began wrapping the first coil of rope around her crossed ankles, welding them together. She then passed more rope from Madelyn’s ankles around her back and then tied it off at her ankles again, keeping her legs held in this crossed position. The beige rope contrasted sharply against the black of her nylons, each pass cinched with a practiced tug, drawing soft squeaks from the nylon fabric as the strands dug in snugly. Hannah worked quickly, methodically, looping and cinching each coil with expert control. She passed lots of rope around Madelyn’s legs, laddering it up her thighs as she welded her legs together.

Once her legs were secure, Hannah turned her attention now to Madelyn’s upper body. She pulled Madelyn’s wrists behind her, crossing them over and cinching them tightly with rope. Then came the chest harness—layer upon layer wrapping around her upper torso, above and below her breasts, pinning her arms against her back and pushing her boobs out such that they were about to burst against her thin blouse.

“How long are we going to be kept like this?” Madelyn asked, pretending to pout.

“I’ll let you know when your time is up,” Hannah responding, digging in her desk for some more accessories, “for now, let’s deal with those pretty mouths.”

She pulled out a few bundles of pantyhose along with two giant ball gags. Madelyn looked over at Andrea, her eyes glistening with excitement. Andrea took a deep breath in and out. She was ready for the challenge, but admittedly a bit nervous. Those ball gags were no joke!

“Let’s start with you,” Hannah said, approaching Madelyn with the pantyhose in hand. “Open wide!”

Madelyn’s lips parted—half-expectant, half-resistant—but before she could say another word, Hannah stuffed the first bundle deep into her left cheek. The sheer black hose squished in, forcing Madelyn to groan instinctively.

“Mmmrmmmph…”

Her cheeks ballooned instantly. Hannah held the second bundle up with a little twirl, then slowly stuffed it into the other cheek, pushing it in deep with her index fingers.

“What a beautiful mouth you have,” Hannah said this while reaching for the ballgag, “let’s just make sure those tights stay in there, yeah?”

“Hmmmrrrrmmnnggph,” was all Madelyn could respond with, the tights filling most of her mouth already and reducing her speech to mumbles.

Hannah pressed the massive rubber ball against Madelyn’s lips, letting it rest for a moment, tauntingly. Madelyn’s eyes fluttered as the ball began to press forward, parting her lips wide.

“Mmmmrrrrrrphhhhhh!”

The hosiery inside her mouth compressed tighter and tighter as the gag was shoved in, forcing the bulging ball between her teeth with steady, insistent pressure. Hannah fastened the straps behind her head, drawing the leather tight against her skin. She tugged until the ball was seated impossibly deep, sealing the pantyhose inside and mashing them down with perfect precision.

Drool now spilled freely from behind the gag, running in glistening strands down Madelyn’s chin and onto her blouse.

“Nnnnh mmmmmrrrn gnnnnrrmph”

Hannah stood back with a satisfied smile, admiring the bound model before her. She reached down, gripping Madelyn’s heels and gently tugging them away from her feet, exposing her nylon clad toes.

“Perfect,” Hannah said, brushing a finger along Madelyn’s jawline. “You’re drooling already. Good girl.”

“Mmmrrmmmph,” Madelyn hummed with delight.

Hannah turned her attention back to Andrea, who was watching everything with a mixture of awe and dread.

“You didn’t think I forgot about you, did you?” Hannah cooed. She twirled the remaining bundles of pantyhose in her hands.

Andrea made a split decision to ham up the scene a bit and feign defiance. After all, why not?

Andrea’s eyes widened. “Wait, wait. We don’t need to do this. Maybe we can actually work something else out instemmmmmrmmph!”

Hannah cut her off, mid speech as she stuffed in the first pair of nylons. With expert finesse, she stuffed the wad deep into Andrea’s open mouth, her thumb pressing it back against Andrea’s tongue. 

“Ggggggrrrmmph!” Andrea groaned loudly as her cheeks began to puff out.

“Sorry girlie. But I’m the one making the rules right now. But nice try!”

Madelyn looked on, as she met Andrea’s eyeline. Her gaze was one of approval, happy that Andrea was getting into the spirit of things and having a good time. Andrea had to admit, this was pretty fun after all. There was a certain kind of thrill to being tied up like this. It was hard to put her finger on it, but it just felt good!

“Alright, keep that mouth open,” Hannah said sweetly, stuffing in the second pair. She gave each cheek a firm squeeze, redistributing the thick stuffing so it packed evenly. 

“Mnnnhhmmrmph,” Andrea whimpered, her voice thick and gooey now behind the two wads of tights.

Hannah then retrieved the second ballgag, just a touch smaller than Madelyn’s but still comically oversized. 

“Nnnnnnhhhhmmrrmph!!” Andrea protested, shaking her head, still in character as she pretended to protest.

“Ah ah ah,” Hannah scolded gently, already guiding the ball to Andrea’s lips. “What did I say about who makes the rules around here?”

“Hmmmmmmrrmmph,” Andrea finally gave in, holding still as she opened her jaw even wider, allowing Hannah to push the rubber ball into her mouth and just past her lips.

“Good girl,” Hannah purred as she wedged the ballgag in.

“Mnmm phhnphph phn hngggghhh!”

Her jaw stretched wide as the ball wedged past her teeth, the pantyhose compressing beneath it until the gag sank deep into place with a wet squelch. Andrea’s head rocked backward against the chair as Hannah buckled the strap tight behind her, tugging it until the ball was planted impossibly deep in her mouth.

“Alright, I think that about does it for you two. God, you both look gorgeous all tied up like this. Very nice!”

Andrea let out a dramatic, whimpering growl behind the gag. “Hhnn mmm hm nnnm nnhhhrrmph!”

“Mmmrrrrnnnn mmmph,” Madelyn chimed in from the desk.

Hannah crossed her arms and smiled at the sight before her: two helpless women, bound, stuffed, drooling, and gagged to perfection. The soft sounds of nylon rubbing against nylon, of gags squeaking and girls wriggling, it filled the room like a beautiful symphony.

“Alright, girls,” Hannah said, giving Madelyn’s exposed nylon toes a playful little tickle and Andrea’s gag a soft tap, “I’ll be back in a bit to check you. Until then, just sit there and think long and hard about how naughty the two of you have been. Maybe this will teach you a lesson not to steal.”

“MMMHHHHHNNMPH!”

“HHNNNNGGGRRMMPHH!”

Back at the Auditorium, Kayla and Jennifer were in their own dire straits but rather at the hands of actual thugs. Kayla had been sat on the floor next to Jennifer who wriggled and writhed in fury, cursing and mumbling through the many pairs of nylons she was currently chewing on.

Kayla’s arms had already been wrenched behind her by one of the ballerina’s. She was crazy strong, pulling the ropes tight around Kayla’s limbs and causing her to wince slightly. The other one was crouched down in front of Kayla working on her legs, the soft rope digging into Kayla’s skin through her nylons as rope was tied around her ankles just above her socks.

“Gotta say,” she said, “this is pretty much the nail in the coffin I needed. Not much mystery left as to who attacked Maiko. So thanks for that.”

“Shut your lousy trap!” One of the ballerina’s barked.

“Lydia, relax,” Alyssa chided, “no need to get upset. Our guest makes a good point. We’ve been caught red-handed. Makes little sense to try and deny that now.”

Kayla sighed, “so what’s your plan then. You just going to tie us up in hopes that’s enough to get us not to talk? News flash, that’s never worked.”

“Mmmmmmggmmmph,” Jennifer cheered through her stuffed mouth.

Kayla met Alyssa's icy glare with a look of her own, not willing to give an inch. The two ballerina’s continued to apply tight ropes around her body, cinching them now around her elbows and knees, but that never stopped Kayla from talking back.

“You’ve got an awful big mouth for someone who’s not really in any place to talk,” Alyssa sneered, taking a step closer to her.

“Yeah, and you’re not the first to point that one out,” Kayla huffed, “that’s old news by now.”

Alyssa scowled at Kayla, clearly very unhappy with how this conversation was going.

“You know I’ve heard of you,” she said, “the nosy little reporter from the Tribune, always getting herself into trouble for poking around where she doesn’t belong.”

“You say that as if trouble is some abstract concept, but you’re literally the one tying us up right now. You’re the trouble. Which, by the way, why did you attack Maiko and tie her up and steal those paintings?”

Alyssa laughed, “as if I would just run my mouth and tell you. Nice try.”

“Hey I mean, why not?” Kayla counted. “It’s not like I’m going anywhere anyway. Least you could do is fill me in on your master plan.”

Alyssa bent down this time, getting her face close to Kayla’s.

“There is no master plan,” she said, “just a couple of meddling snoops getting in my way. Things were going so well until you decided to start poking around, asking questions you have no business asking.”

“Yeah and I’d say things were going quite well for us, until you freaks decided to tie us up,” Kayla replied, returning Alyssa’s scowl with one of her own.

By now, Kayla was thoroughly trussed up with ropes, the soft coils wound all around her chest, arms, and legs. She could do little more than flex her fingers and shift her feet around.

“Well, if freaks is what you think we are, then freaks we shall be,” Alyssa snapped.

She reached down to Kayla’s feet tugging off her loafers one by one. She reached for Kayla’s red socks, peeling them from her nylon clad feet slowly, clearly savoring the moment. Kayla rolled her eyes as she watched this happen. Beside her, Jennifer just sighed, knowing where this was going…

“You’ve been running that mouth of yours quite a bit,” Alyssa said, folding the socks up into a neat little ball. “How about we change that?”

“Do you worst,” Kayla huffed.

“Oh,” Alyssa perked up, “what a delicious challenge. I’ll see what I can do. Let’s start with this though. Open up, bitch!”

Kayla had barely a moment to respond before Alyssa lunged forward with the socks, plunging them into Kayla’s mouth as she squashed them past her lips.

“Hmmmmmrrrrmrmrmmmph!” She groaned as cotton wad was forced inside, smooshing her tongue down and puffing out her cheeks.

One of the ballerina’s had grabbed a pair of pantyhose and passed it to Alyssa. She carefully wrapped the tights around Kayla’s head and between her lips, sealing the socks in place as the silky nylons pulled at the corners of Kayla’s wide open mouth.

“I’m sure those taste amazing,” Alyssa purred.

“Mmnh phhmm phnphphm grmnph!” Kayla scoffed back, her words reduced to incoherent mumbles under the weight of her gag.

“That is so much better,” Alyssa said with a big smile.

“Mmmrmrmpph,” Kayla growled back, her nylon clad toes flexing back and forth as she shifted around in her ropes.

Alyssa then turned to Jennifer, another mischievous smile creeping up the corners of her mouth as she eyed Jennifer’s cream colored socks, just visible over the tops of her boots.

“Don’t think I forgot about you,” she said, reaching down to undo the ropes around Jennifer’s boot clad ankles.

“Wrrrrmmmph!? NNMMMMPH!” Jennfier bucked her legs in protest, knowing full well what Alyssa had planned for her.

Alyssa didn’t seem in the slightest bit phased. She simply raised an eyebrow and gave a small, satisfied chuckle. “Girls, a little help?”

Jumping at Alyssa’s request, the two ballerina’s sprang into action holding Jennifer down as Alyssa worked the boots off Jennifer’s slender legs, carelessly tossing them aside.

“Hmmmph! Gmnphmm mmnphh phhnphmnph!!” Jennifer roared, the sight of her boots being treated in such a haphazard way was far worse than anything she had suffered thus far.

Her oatmeal-colored socks were now visible, snugly fitting over her slender feet, the cotton fabric scrunched slightly at the top, where the boots had once sat.

Alyssa eyed the socks with a cruel smirk, her fingers brushing over the delicate material. "These will do just perfectly," she mused.

Jennifer’s feet, now bare except for the soft cotton socks, flexed as she tried to shift away. But it was no use. Alyssa worked quickly removing the socks one by one, leaving Jennifer in nothing but her nylons just like Kayla.

Alyssa draped one of the socks over Jennifer’s nyloned legs, taking the other one in her hand and balling it up. Jennifer glared daggers at her, breathing heavily behind her already gagged mouth after all her struggling.

“Alright, time for a little switcheroo,” Alyssa said, her tone smug as she leaned closer to Jennifer’s face. She removed the pantyhose from her mouth with a swift yank, the wet fabric slipping free from Jennifer’s lips as it fell to the floor with a wet splat.

“If you think you’re going to get away with this you’ve got another thing coming you sick fummmmmmmrmrrmmph!”

Alyssa swiftly cut off Jennifer’s protests, jamming the long sock into her mouth and past her lips.

“Mmmmm phnhm mnnph nnmmn hnnnphch!!”

Jennifer’s eyes went wide as the sock filled her mouth, her cheeks bulging slightly as Alyssa twisted it deeper, packing it in with force.

“Not so talkative now, are you?” Alyssa teased, reaching down for the second sock which she promptly tied between Jennifer’s lips, knotting it off at the back of her head.

With the socks secured in place, Jennifer could only mumble and groan, her mouth stuffed to the brim. She looked over, her eyes locked with Kayla’s, a moment of silent understanding passing between them. Kayla shot back a sympathetic look, knowing that there was little either of them could do now at this point.

Alyssa stood back, looking over the two of them with a satisfied nod as her lackeys gathered next to her. “Perfect,” she said, her voice cold and final. “That’s a lot better.”

“This kind of fucks our whole plan up,” one of the ballerina’s chimed in. She sounded a bit anxious.

“No, everything is fine,” Alyssa quickly fired back, “what fucks up our plan is if we panic. Now that these two are out of the way, all that’s left is to make sure they stay out of the way…permanently. Catch my drift?”

“Definitely,” the other ballerina nodded her head, looking down at Jennifer and Kayla with disdain.

“Nnph nf phhm mmnm pmrmnnphmm?!” Kayla did not like the sound of that.

“Let me make a call,” Alyssa said, pulling out her phone, “as it turns out I have just the person who can help clean this mess up. Come on, let’s leave them here to stew in the meantime.”

Alyssa started walking toward the door as her hench-ladies followed behind her. Kayla and Jennifer remained on the floor, bound and gagged and already trying to come up with a way out. As soon as their assailants had cleared the room, they looked at each other. Determination in their eyes.

“MMm nmmn phn gmph nnph nf hmrmmmph!” Kayla sputtered.

“Nnnnm phhnpppph!” Jennifer muttered back.

Kayla and Jennifer twisted and arched in their bindings, their bodies straining against the tight ropes that pinned their arms and legs together. Despite their best efforts, the ropes that kept them bound held tight. Realizing this they both paused their escape efforts, breathing heavy through their noses.

“Mnnhph mnhm mmm'rm phphnch,” Kayla babbled.

“Nghhh, fnnnnch,” was Jennifer’s response, her head rolling back as she groaned loudly.

Not long after that, they could hear the door being unlocked. They looked at each other with wide inquisitive eyes before fixing their gaze ahead as the door was swung open. If Kayla’s jaw wasn’t already being forced open by her socks, it would have dropped and hit the floor at the sight of who was now walking into the dressing room.

Sasha Perkins.

“Kayla Grace and Jennifer Lee, fancy meeting you here,” she said, her voice slow and sultry.

She pranced into the room, each step calculated and deliberate as she circled Jennifer and Kayla like the apex predator that she was. Her heels clicked slowly across the floor as she approached the squirming duo.

“Gggnnph!” Kayla snapped, her eyes narrowing.

Sasha crouched beside them, her grin widening as she reached out and brushed a finger along Kayla’s bulging cheek. “Oh, sweetheart. You know how much I love seeing you like this. And with your cute little rival here? What a bonus.”

“Fnch nffffmph,” Kayla snarled. 

Not far behind Sasha came Alyssa and the two ballerinas. It was clear from their change in demeanor that they realized they were no longer in control. Sasha owned the air in that room, her demanding presence impossible to ignore.

“Thanks again for coming on such short notice,” Alyssa said.

“Of course, I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Sasha said this, leaning close into Kayla’s face, whispering the last part right into her ear.

“Hhhmmph!” Kayla shuttered, feeling Sasha’s warm breath against her face.

“If you don’t mind,” Alyssa continued, “I’m kind of in a bit over my head here. You see these two were poking around and…well they’ve seen too much. I need them gone. Permanently gone.”

“Excuse me?”

Sasha paused her circling, turning on her heels as she stared down Alyssa. Suddenly the air felt dry, as everyone’s voice caught in their throat. Sasha’s icy glare chilling the whole room.

“I just…well we were hoping that…” Alyssa stumbled over her words, struggling to find the right thing to say.

“If you were hoping that I could get rid of miss Grace permanently, that is something I am unable to do. You should know this. It was in the contract we signed.”

“Yes, but…”

“Are you questioning the terms of the contrat?”

Sasha’s voice suddenly became elevated. Everyone in the room flinched as if her words carried a physical weight to them.

“I know about the rules of the contract I just…”

“You just what?” Sasha said, moving in a straight line toward Alyssa. “Thought that you could just get rid of Kayla Grace? Every hero needs their villain, and every villain needs a…”

She turned her head, looking Kayla up and down with a surprisingly tender smile.

“...plucky little reporter, trying oh so hard to take them down but always coming up short. Like a forever game of cat and mouse.”

“Hnmm phnnchnngggh,” Kayla grunted.

“But Miss Perkins,” Alyssa pleaded, “she and her friend have seen too much. You said that you could…”

“Make people disappear, yes I did. But I specifically said that Kayla was off limits. You seem to have really missed that part.”

Sasha was now circling Alyssa, like a snake wrapping its body around its next prey. Alyssa gulped as a trail of sweat ran down the side of her face.

“Let me paint you a picture,” Sasha said, running a finger up and down Alyssa’s arm. “You and your little posse here, thought you could get away with some good old fashioned revenge. Getting back at the museum for stealing your grant money. You almost pulled it off, but in the end, you forgot to burn the evidence like a fucking amateur. Does that sound about right?”

Alyssa knew she had no other option but to nod her head yes.

“Right,” Sasha continued, “and on top of it all, you call me in, to come and clean up your mess by getting rid of my precious Kayla Grace.”

“Mmnfm mm nnph nf phhnph!” Kayla moaned.

“I’m…I’m sorry I didn’t realize, I just–”

“You just, what? Thought I’d show up and just take care of things for you? Tie up your loose ends? Attend to your dirty laundry? Bold of you to assume that I would be so kind.”

Alyssa just stood there, frozen still as Sasha circled her relentlessly.

“Ladies, if you don’t mind excusing us for a moment.”

Alyssa’s lackeys looked at each other, and then swiftly exited the room slamming the door behind them. Sasha licked her lips.

“Now then,” she said, “for this horrendous inconvenience, I’ve decided it best to teach you a lesson. It would be criminal to let such an injustice go without any sort of retribution.”

“Really? Because I think if maybe we just talk about–”

“Hands behind your back. Now.”

Alyssa didn’t waste a second more of thought. At Sasha’s command she hastily pulled her arms behind her back. Kayla and Jennifer could only watch, their muffled grunts echoing softly in the room as they witnessed Sasha turn the once-dominant studio director into just another helpless figure on the floor—tightly hogtied, humbled, and utterly still.

Sasha had managed to fold Alyssa’s arms into a chicken wing shape, with her elbows Sticking out behind her back. Her legs had been drawn up so that her soles were wresting on the backs of her arms, rope wrapped around her sock clad feet and tied off around her elbows keeping her bound in this contorted state.

Sasha had worked with electrifying speed, securing Alyssa in this shape in what could only be described as record time. Her last order of business was to plug Alyssa’s trap, but this was hardly even necessary with how stringently she had been tied. She was hardly able to utter a peep as it was.

Taking a large handful of nylons that Sasha had pilfered from one of the drawers, she bent down toward Alyssa’s face. The studio director anxiously looked up, meeting Sasha’s commanding gaze.

“I think this should serve as a fine lesson,” she said, balling up the nylons into a thick wad.

Alyssa allowed herself one last gulp before Sasha started moving her hand with tights toward her mouth. Figuring it was better to be compliant, Alyssa parted her lips and allowed Sasha to force the mass in.

“Nhhhh mmmm gnnnnmph,” she squeaked as the pantyhose filled her mouth and pressed into her cheeks. Sasha was sure to work the entire tangle of tights into Alyssa’s mouth. Even by Kayla’s standards this was a mouthful.

She followed up with reams of tape wound about Alyssa’s head, trapping her hair beneath it. She also pulled multiple pairs of pantyhose over Alyssa’s head, taking the ends and tying them off around her elbows, forcing her head to shift up slightly.

By the time Sasha was done, Alyssa was a blundering mess. She could barely do anything save for just kind of teeter on the spot, soft hums escaping her mouth underneath her enormous gag. Sasha stood back up, turning around as she faced Jennifer and Kayla once again. The two of them, still all bound and gagged themselves, looked up at her with wide eyes over their sock stuffed mouths.

“Well then,” Sasha said, brushing her skirt off, “now that that’s taken care of, I can give you both my undivided attention.”

“Nhhh gmm hnmm nncmmmph,” Kayla mumbled, wiggling her nyloned toes.

Sasha leaned down, her body right between Kayla and Jennifer’s. She looked the two damsels up and down, affectionately.

“Mmnfm nph nmnnm mnn frmnnph,” Jennifer wiggled her body, her nylon clad legs swishing against the floor.

“To think, that nasty woman wanted to get rid of you,” Sasha said, reaching out with both hands to cup the chins of Kayla and Jennifer.

“Mmmrrmmph!” Kayla grunted in response.

“Don’t worry, I would never be so cruel,” Sasha cooed. “After all, Kayla. You…complete…me. None of these games I play would be any fun without you, I hope you know that.”

“Mnn'rm phnn hnnnnnph…” Kayla sighed. 

“Speaking of games,” Sasha lowered her voice now, “I have a lot of money riding on the success of this Auditorium and by extension the ballet studio. I won’t bore you with the details of it all, that’s not important right now. What is important is that it seems like Alyssa overreacted when she wasn’t awarded that grant money. Now I get that her overreaction is of particular interest to you and that floozy over at the museum…what was her name, Maiko?”

“Phhm'ph nnph n fmnnphmmph!” Kayla mumbled.

“Anyway,” Sasha went on, “I get that maybe Alyssa crossed a line in your eyes, and it would make sense that you’d want to see her taken down for that. But I simply cannot have that be the case. I’m sure you understand. At the end of the day it’s nothing personal. Just business.”

“Mnhm hmmm nph nnnph!” Kayla shook her head. She was outraged. To think that her scoop was about to be ruined due to Sasha’s interference was beyond frustrating. She and Jennifer had come so close!

“So then, let’s go ahead and get things cleaned up here. I’m so sorry about this, really. But this whole situation has become a mess, and I just need to make sure it's all cleaned up.”

“Rmmncnphmmmph!?” Kayla and Jennifer’s eyes went wide at the mention of this. Just what the hell was Sasha planning to do with them?”

“Oh relax, it’s going to be great! Trust me, you two are going to love it.”

She gave them both patronizing pats on the head before pushing herself to her feet. Kayla exchanged a worried glance with Jennifer. Given their history with Sasha, whatever she had planned couldn’t be good.

Over at Hannah’s apartment, Madelyn and Andrea were all done for the day. They were dressed back in their normal clothes, the only additional accessory was a bunch of rope marks up all over their arms. Andrea was busy gently rubbing them, hoping to get them to go away in time for her date later that evening.

“Relax, your date is gonna’ love ‘em!” Madelyn smiled, nudging Andrea.

Andrea gave her a skeptical side-eye, still working her fingertips over a particularly deep indent just above her elbow. “Let’s hope so.”

“Thanks again for coming you guys,” Hanah said, her arms outstretched.

“No, thank you!” Madelyn said, giving Hannah a big hug. “Today was awesome. I can’t wait to see how the footage turns out.”

“Yes, of course. Why don’t you and your friend come back in a few weeks once I have it all finalized and we can look over it together.”

Madelyn looked at Andrea, who returned with an approving nod.

“That sounds great,” Madelyn replied, “we’ll see you then.”

Together she and Andrea headed out, the last lights of daylight fading as the sun began to set over the horizon. Hannah’s place wasn’t far from Madelyn’s, and as such the duo decided to just walk back.

“God, I fucking love this city at dusk,” Madelyn said as they walked across one of Hazeldale’s many bridges, the light glistening off the river water below.

As she skipped ahead, Andrea’s phone beeped. She pulled it from her bag and saw a message from an unknown number. She immediately opened it.

“Oh my god…” she sighed as soon as she saw the image that the message contained.

She looked up to see Madelyn holding her own phone. The look on her face suggested that she too had received the same message.

“Looks like we’re not the only ones wearing ropes today,” Madelyn joked.

“Come on, let’s hurry back to your place and grab the car. Who knows how long they’ve been stuck like that.”

It had been at least an hour, maybe more. At a certain point Kayla stopped trying to keep track of time. She and Jennifer lay atop a dingy old mattress, their bodies trapped in an embrace neither had chosen, every inch of them cinched, welded, and cocooned together by layers of pantyhose.

Sasha had been so kind as to relieve them of their cute outfits, their clothes neatly folded and stashed away in a bag beside them. She’d left them in just their underwear and tights, but this was hardly even noticeable under the many layers of pantyhose encasing them. 

Dozens of pairs of pantyhose had been used to bind them together at every major point. The sheer fabric wound around them with ruthless precision, welding them together. Their legs rubbed against one another with each small shift, each woman unable to move without brushing, bumping, or sliding against the other.

“Mmmph grrrrmmmph!” Kayla groaned, her muffled voice vibrating against Jennifer’s face.

“Mmhhhfff mmrrph!” came Jennifer’s furious reply, equally incoherent.

Through the hazy blur of nylon, they glared at each other. Being bound was bad enough—but being bound together like this? Close enough to feel each other’s every breath, every twitch, every exasperated grunt?

Kayla could feel Jennifer’s face rubbing against hers as she struggled, the outline of her lips stretched wide over all the stuffing in her mouth, unmistakable even beneath the nylon hood she donned. Their eyes met one another occasionally as they struggled, the heat between them rising as they twisted and thrashed around on the mattress. The fabric they were wrapped in whispered with every squirm. 

She could feel the rest of Jennifer’s body pushed snugly against her own, her chest rising and falling softly. Kayla’s heartbeat quickened every time their eyes locked. She could feel Jennifer’s heart do the same, the two of them perfectly in sync in this way.

After all of her struggling Kayla was getting tired. She could sense Jennifer was feeling the same. She rested her head against the mattress, breathing as deeply as she could through the nylons pressing against her nose. She could feel Jennifer’s head fall into the mattress beside her.

“Mmmmmph,” Jennifer moaned, letting out a long sigh.

“Mnn'rm phmmmnngh mmmmph,” Kayla babbled in reply.

For a moment the two of them lay there, eyes locked on one another as they lay in stillness, their bodies huddled together. The dim, flickering overhead light buzzed softly, its industrial hum cutting through the silence as the two captives sunk into the mattress. It was as if time itself had stood still. Not long ago if Kayla had found herself in a position such as this every second would have been agonizing, humiliating even.

But now, pressed face to face with her rival, Kayla found herself strangely calm. There was a quiet intimacy in the warmth of Jennifer’s breath ghosting against her lips, the soft glide of their legs shifting together with each tiny movement. And somehow, despite the absurdity of their situation, Kayla felt an odd comfort in knowing they were tangled in this ridiculous predicament together.

All of the sudden the quiet was replaced by doors slamming open. Kayla and Jennifer jumped at the sound, followed by footsteps quickly approaching.

“Mmmmrmph!”

“Hhhhhhmph!”

“So much for just a normal story,” Madelyn teased, pulling out a pocket knife.

Thirty minutes later, Kayla and Jennifer were fully clothed again, sitting now at a bar with Madelyn and Andrea. It had been a long day for them and Kayla was more than excited to just share a drink and some food with her friends.

“Do you really not have anything you can use against that ballet studio freak?” Madelyn asked, in between bites of tater tots.

“No,” Kayla groaned, taking another sip from her beer. “I mean nothing other than my word against hers, which in the grand scheme of things won’t be worth much.”

Jennifer swirled her cocktail absentmindedly, the ice clinking against the glass as she stared down into it with a faint scowl. “I should have known this is how things would turn out when I agreed to team up with you, Grace.”

“Yeah, and who was the one who got caught first?” Kayla chided.

Jennifer took a big sip from her drink, “no comment.”

Kayla chuckled, taking another sip from her own.

“So what now?” Andrea asked, “is there any way to salvage the story?”

“Oh, the story’s fine,” replied Kayla, “I was just really hoping I could track down and expose the thugs that tied up Maiko but that dream is kinda dead now.”

“Damn, well I’m just glad you both are okay,” Madelyn said.

“Speaking of ropes and such,” Kayla began, “how’d the photo shoot go?”

“You’ll have to ask, Andrea,” Madelyn said with a smirk, “she was the one who really stole the show.”

“Ooooh, so you let Mads convince you to join the fun, eh?” Kayla said.

“What, could you not tell from the rope marks?” Andrea said, holding up her arms.

“Wait…aren’t you supposed to be on a date right now?” Kayla asked.

“And miss hanging out with my girls? No way.”

Kayla smiled. It was times like this that she was so grateful to have friends like these. The night continued as they gathered around the booth talking and laughing. It was mostly Kayla, Andrea, and Madelyn doing all the talking, Jennifer didn’t have much to say. Every now and then Kayla would glance over, the two of them meeting eyes for a second and then quickly looking away.

By the time they all decided to call it a night it was quite late, and Kayla was tired, ready to head home and crawl into bed. Leaving the bar the cool night air welcomed them as they stepped outside, the soft patter of rain misting down from above. The glow from the street lamps shimmered on the wet pavement, casting long reflections across the sidewalk. Madelyn and Andrea huddled together under one umbrella as they waved goodbye.

“Since it’s Saturday tomorrow,” Kayla said, tugging her coat tighter around herself, “you two should come over. We can hang out, maybe watch something dumb and eat too much takeout.”

Madelyn lit up. “Done.”

They shared quick hugs, and then the two friends wandered off into the rain, disappearing down the block with the soft rhythm of conversation trailing behind them.

Now it was just Kayla and Jennifer.

They stood silently beneath the bar’s awning, the street calm and quiet but for the gentle drizzle that tapped against the canvas above. Kayla hugged her arms, her breath puffing faintly in the chill. Beside her, Jennifer shifted slightly, her hand gripping the handle of her umbrella, expression unreadable in the soft, golden light.

Kayla’s heart was thudding.

She remembered Madelyn’s words from earlier—Be brave. Just send it. She even opened her mouth, ready to speak.

But the words caught in her throat. She wanted nothing more than to just open all the way up to Jennifer, telling her everything she had been feeling, but she just couldn’t. At least not today.

Instead, she offered a faint smile. “Night, Jennifer.”

Jennifer hesitated. “Night.”

And then she turned and began walking, the tap of her boots thumping softly against the pavement as she disappeared into the rain.

Kayla lingered for a moment before sighing and stepping out into the downpour, her own umbrella opening with a soft "fwump" above her. She glanced behind her for a moment, watching Jennifer disappear around the corner eventually and out of sight.

Kayla sighed. She wondered if she would ever find the courage to confront Jennifer about whatever it was she was feeling. All she knew was that tonight was not that night.