“You said work was busy,” I offered a change of topic, then pursed my lips and sucked.

“I had to do three clients today,” Zhou told me, bringing the cup close to me.

I drank some, swallowed, and asked, “Just three?”

She clicked her tongue. “Let me get my shit out first. They weren't ordinary clients, Vale. This one girl around seventeen or eighteen... anyway, she was young. The little rat wanted a complete Cybergoth makeup. Took me a bit over an hour.”

My eyebrows went up. “With the neon shit?”

“With the neon shit,” she confirmed. “And she had one of those phosphorescent tattoos on her face, too. I had to use darklight to see that atrocity. People do crazy shit these days.”

“They do,” I agreed with a nod, remembering Barbed Wire and Tears. “Was she happy with it, though?”

“She almost pissed herself,” my best friend chuckled. “Hailed me as a Goddess and promised to tell all her little rat friends. I pray to nuclear power they don't go. Fucking hate Cybergoth. Anyway, that was the first client and I was already contemplating suicide by the time I was done. Guess what?”

My lips curled into a smile. “Another Cybergoth?”

“Worse,” Zhou hissed. “Some cunt I can't even describe using human language asked for a stained glass style makeup.”

My brows furrowed in a mix of emotions. “What the fuck is that?” I asked while taking a turn.

“No idea!” she grumbled. “So, I asked for references, since... you know... can't condense a concept older than a thousand years on the spot.”

“Right,” I agreed, overtaking another slow driver.

“I can't make this shit up...” Zhou sighed. “This... entity showed me a picture, saying it was some Chartres rose window or some random bullshit like that. I was literally praying to die right then and there. You have no idea how complex that shit was.”

“You pulled it off anyway, right?” I asked, aware of how talented my best friend was.

“Hmph!” she harrumphed with pride. “Who do you think this Zhou Linghu is? Thing is, when I was removing the tape, this cunt-”

“What? Tape?” I interrupted, confused by the mention of tape out of nowhere.

“Right. So, when doing a geometric pattern like that, or any for that matter, really... you use tape to help shape the whole thing. Saves a lot of time and results in sharper lines.”

“I see,” I uttered, trying to picture it in my mind.

“So, I was removing the tape and this cunt sneezed!” Zhou huffed in frustration. “The area around the mouth and nose got absolutely fucked,” she sighed. “I had to do it all over again. That took over two whole hours!”

“Damn,” I muttered, then took yet another turn, this time into the street where Lucciano lived.

The houses were single buildings with gates that reached the ceiling of the driving street, probably in the eighty to one hundred and fifty million Kredits range. The driveways, each styled to the owners' eccentric tastes, had big numbers and nameplates on them.

We had reached the wealthy sector of our district.

“So, anyway,” Zhou continued. “That was torture. The last client was a gift of God, thank fuck. She was a very sweet middle aged lady who was going to a friend's second wedding. I heard the entire story. She wanted to hide a few white hairs and some wrinkles, but since she was a natural ginger it took me a while to find a matching dye. I gave her a good pamper and she left with a big smile.”

“A ginger?” I repeated with raised eyebrows.

“Yep,” she confirmed. “Her hair was a gorgeous 4b kinky, too. Was a lot of fun working with her.”

“Like Khadia?” I asked for clarification, referencing our former classmate.

“Yeah, but shorter,” Zhou confirmed. “And red.”

I nodded while humming. “Gotcha.”

“I know I'm, like, complaining and all, but it was fun,” she admitted with a sigh. “Thanks for listening.”

I gave her a smile. “You've been especially bitchy today, slut.”

“Shut the fuck up,” she giggled, slapping my arm. “You're so mean to me sometimes!”

We reached Lucciano's house and loud music bled into the street, but a bit muffled.

I slowed down to a stop facing the gate, retrieved the edibles from my pocket, and showed them to Zhou. “Got us a bit of something~” I cheekily sang.

My best friend leaned to me and pinched both my cheeks. “You're the best, Valentina. Are these mango?”

“They are,” I revealed with a conspiratorial grin. “Or...” I showed her the other container. “I got a-” I remembered something and gasped loudly.

“What?” she tilted her head in confusion.

I covered my face with both hands, feeling a deep regret course through me. “Oh, nooo!”

Zhou grabbed my shoulder and shook me. “What? Tell me!”

“I gave Javiera my condoms,” I groaned, shaking my head in dismay.

“And?” Zhou asked as if that was no problem at all. “I like you raw better.”

I peeked at her between my fingers. “Bitch, chill. That's the second time today,” I warned with an arched eyebrow.

“Hey,” she leaned back, raising her arms in surrender and giving me a mischievous smile. “We never said I couldn't try.”

I dropped my hands on my lap and gave her a serious look. “What's the point of taking a break if you're gonna act like we never did?”

My best friend folded her arms across her chest. “Well, I don't like it anymore!” She pouted angrily. “I thought I was going to get cocks by the dozen! And what did I get? Just one in a whole month! Is this some sick joke?”

I shook my head while taking a deep breath, then let it out. “That's just how it goes sometimes.”

Zhou let out a very long sigh. “I feel like the world is against me.”

“Sure, sure,” I chuckled. “Let's go inside now. Here,” I passed her the edibles. “Leave one for me.”

My best friend opened the bag and bit into one. “Hmm! You're the best!” she chirped and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “I love you, baby.”

“Call Lucciano Castilla,” I told my car.

“Calling contact: Lucciano Castilla,” my car responded, showing the man's contact picture on the dashboard.

The call connected and rang two times.

“Hey, Vale,” his voice came out of the speakers. “Are you coming?” he asked with expectation.

“I'm outside,” I told him. “With Zhou.”

“Hey!” she greeted him.

“Awesome! I'll open the gate right away,” he informed us. “Give me a second, I'm a bit tipsy.”

“Already?” I laughed, then teased him, “You won't last long, boy.”

A nervous laugh escaped him. “Shut up!” he stuttered and hung up.

The gate slowly opened, a few parked cars coming into view.

Eight cars were already parked inside, leaving two spots open.

I drove in, looking at the house.

It was a monolith, standing tall with an impressive brutalist style that gave the feeling of a weirdly geometrical boulder.

The music grew louder as we got closer.

“Sounds promising,” Zhou muttered, chewing on the edible.

“It does,” I agreed, stopping at a free spot closest to the house. I turned the engine off and stretched my back. “Okay. Same signals as always?”

My best friend turned to me, swallowed, and smiled. “Same as always.”

I took my cup and drank some tea. “My share?”

Zhou took the other edible in the pack and put it in her mouth, then leaned towards me.

I giggled and used my lips to take it, then dropped it in my hand. “You are one dirty whore,” I chuckled.

“But I'm your favorite, right?” She pouted cutely.

I hummed, thinking for a second. “Monika was pretty good...”

Her eyes widened, her eyebrows went up, and her mouth opened in disbelief. “Hey! Say I'm your favorite whore!” She demanded, playfully slapping my arm.

“Okay,” I surrendered with an amused giggle. “You're my favorite whore,” I laughed.

“That's more like it,” she harrumphed. “I'll let you be prideful for a bit longer, but don't blame me if I'm not polite!”

I arched an eyebrow, touching the dashboard to open the doors. “Bitch, go get fucked. Make the lucky guy wear a condom, though. I don't know if you remember, but cum drips out of your pussy for a while.”

“Oh, fuck you!” Zhou laughed, giving me the stink eye. She got off and fixed her skirt.

I got off and fixed my shirt, then fetched my bikini top and swimming trunks from under the driver seat. “Did you bring swimwear?”

“Wearing it,” she replied, waiting for me behind my car. She offered her hand and wiggled her fingers.

I walked to her and took her hand. “Did I tell you how beautiful you look?”

Her face turned a bit red, and a smile blossomed on her face. “Thank you, baby. You look as handsome as always.”

My lips curled into a happy smile. “Thank you.”

“Hey,” she whispered, coming really close to me. “I'm a bit wet already, does it show?”

I checked her skirt. “Turn around for me.”

Zhou did, slowly spinning in place. Her skirt was perfectly fine.

“All good,” I assured her, then gave her ass a slap.

She yelped and jumped away. “You brute,” she complained, rubbing her butt cheek. “Not in public!”

I laughed, held her hand, and walked to the house. “Let's go,” I told her.

Zhou followed, locking fingers with mine.

We walked to the door and rang the bell.

The door opened, Lucciano appearing with a silly smile and a drink in his free hand. “Welcome to my humble abode,” he greeted with a theatrical bow.

“Hey,” I greeted him, spreading my arms wide. “Looks like we're a bit late.”

“Hi, Lucciano,” Zhou greeted him with a smile.

He shrugged and gave me a hug. “Hot babes are never late, nor are they errrly. They arrive precisely when they mean to.”

I gave him a kiss on the cheek and tightened the hug. “How have you been?”

“Letting myself go apparently,” he groaned. “Too tight!”

I released him and smiled. “Are we the last ones to get here?”

“Yeah,” Lucciano replied, then greeted Zhou with a kiss on the cheek as well. “Full house with you two.”

“Wow,” she uttered in surprise. “That's a first since we graduated.”

He took a sip of his drink and nodded. “Over a hundred people,” he sighed, then looked past us. “You came alone?”

We both nodded.

“Is Angelo here already?” I asked with raised eyebrows. “The little cunt didn't tell us anything.”

Lucciano rolled his eyes. “He got here like... two hours ago with some girl. Looks nice but she has this psychotic look in her eyes. You know her?”

Zhou sighed. “Yannah, his girlfriend. She's... a unique one.”

I nodded in confirmation.

Our former classmate sucked air through his teeth. “Poor Angelo looked a bit whipped if you asked me,” he lamented. “Bit quieter than before. Pussy must be fire... not that I would know,” he joked and laughed.

I held my stomach and laughed, leaning back a bit.

Zhou giggled, covering her mouth.

“In you go, then,” Lucciano invited, stepping aside. “You know where everything is... and Valentina...”

I sighed and nodded. “Yeah?”

“Make sure whoever you're going to fuck is single, okay?” He requested, giving me a look over. “I mean it!” he added, pointing at me with a strict face. “You broke a vase last year...”

My eyes widened and my eyebrows went up. “That was his boyfriend!” I defended myself. “I can't read minds, Lucciano!”

“I'll keep an eye on her,” Zhou told him, putting an arm over my neck and pulling me in.

“I know,” he told me with a sigh, then turned to Zhou. “You do that for me, girl. Have fun now. There's a sushi bar upstairs. Also, thank you for the gifts. You're the best!” He added, then gave both of us a hug.

I patted his back. “You're welcome,” I sighed in defeat at the accusations.

“Glad you liked it,” Zhou giggled.

Lucciano let us go and walked into his home. “Party hard, bitches!”

I turned to my best friend with an arched eyebrow. “What did you get him?”

A smug smile took over her beautiful lips. “A deluxe spa package,” she scoffed. “You?”

“Ten thousand Kredits,” I replied with a shrug.

Zhou's face dropped into a disapproving frown. “Money? For real?”

I walked into Lucciano's house. “Makes the world go round, doesn't it?” I simply said.

She sighed and followed me.

We walked behind Lucciano, going up a set of stairs and into the house proper.

A spacious living room welcomed us, the music loud enough for the bass to shake my bones and echo in my thorax.

I took a bite of my edible and smiled at the sweet taste of mango.

The wall opposite of the stairs was a massive window that showed the entire garden outside. From floor to ceiling and from wall to wall, glass shook with the loud music.

The garden itself was big, some eighty meters square with statues, fountains, and natural bushes expertly pruned in several shapes and sizes lining the grass.

Some forty people were dancing, mingling about, and making conversation in front of a stage where a Dj was playing music.

The heavenly king was still in his throne, blasting planet Earth with scorching fury.

Lucciano walked through the open half of the window, bursting into dance while walking to the guests.

“In this heat?” I criticized, then turned to Zhou. “Pool?”

She nodded, a similar look of apprehension on her face. “Yeah,” she replied.

We went back to the stairs, going up to the second floor.

A dining room welcomed us, and yet another wall of glass showed the exterior, this one on the other side of Lucciano's house.

Some fifty people were dancing in and next to a big pool. Another Dj was playing music on top of a smaller stage, and a bartender stood behind a bar on the other side of the yard.

“Valentina!” A mature voice called. “Zhou!”

We turned to the source.

Lucciano's mother, Felicia Castilla, walked to us with a big smile. “It's been a while, you two. How have you been?”

“Aunt Felicia,” I greeted her with a hug. “I've been doing great, how about you?”

“Same old,” she replied with a smile and turned to Zhou and greeted her. “I see you lovebirds are still together. I remember when you were kids...” she sighed. “Time sure flies.”

“We're not dating, aunt Felicia,” Zhou clarified for the nth time, an awkward smile on her face. “You always say the same thing!” she giggled.

The old woman gave us a look, the kind a married woman nearing her fifties gives clueless children. “Whatever you call it, then,” she insisted with an arched eyebrow. Her face softened and her smiled turned motherly. “Thank you for coming to Lucciano's birthday. Means a lot to him.”

We both nodded.

“Wouldn't miss it,” I assured her. “Do we leave our stuff in the usual place?”

“Yes, dear,” Felicia confirmed, then placed a hand on my arm. “You can use the girl's room, honey. If anyone says anything you come to me, okay?”

I nodded. “Thank you.”

She looked at me and Zhou, her smile widening. “You two look so good together,” she laughed. “Say hi to Yun and Meiling for me,” she told Zhou, then turned to me. “And say hi to Eusebio and Sofia for me, too, okay?”

“In your name,” my best friend replied with a smile.

“Will do,” I said back.

She gave us a wink and walked away. “Have fun!”

Zhou and I looked at each other, then rolled our eyes.

“She catches us fucking once and we're forever fatebound lovers,” she sighed in defeat. “It's been five years already!”

I shook my head. “Well... you were going I love you so much! so... Can't blame her,” I reminded her with a cheeky smile, imitating her voice from back then.

My best friend playfully slapped my arm. “Don't,” she pouted. “That was so embarrassing!”

I laughed and walked to a hallway, pulling Zhou along and stuffing the last bit of the edible in my mouth. “Let's get changed,” I mumbled through the food.

We went into a room with a sign that read [Girl's room] on it, then closed the door.

The room had a bed and a closet. A mountain of bags with labels occupied most of the bed, and a box of empty bags laid at its feet.

I sat on the bed and removed my shoes while humming to the music coming from outside.

Zhou took a bag from the box and opened it for me.

I removed my socks, pants, briefs, shirt, and bra, then put them in the bag. I stood up and put the white swimming trunks on, then the black bikini top. “Fit check,” I said and gave her a sexy pose.

My best friend gave me a look over, then nodded. “I'd have your children out of ten. I would have liked to see your cock for a bit longer, but beggars can't be choosers.”

“Beggar indeed,” I roasted her, giving her a shrug.

She closed her eyes, hung her head, and huffed. “Damn,” she uttered. “I walked into that one,” she sighed and removed her top, undid her skirt button, removed it, and took her shoes off. She put the clothes in the bag and closed it, the action making her breasts jiggle.

I squinted my eyes at her tits. “Hold on a second,” I blurted out in urgency, grabbing her by the shoulders.

Zhou looked at me in confusion, then gave me a saucy smile. “What? Want a quicky?”

I clicked my tongue and sighed. “You're an irredeemable pervert,” I scolded her and held her tits.

The familiar feeling of my best friend's full, perky, and heavy breasts filled my palms.

“Your words don't match your actions,” she commented, but didn't move to stop me. “Want a titty fuck?”

I rolled my eyes at her, placing my hands beneath her breasts and carefully weighing them.

Something was off.

“Did they grow?” I asked in shock, looking her in the eye while giving her tits a gentle squeeze. “Again?!”

“Hm...” She breathed out in slight annoyance. “Yes,” she deadpanned, clearly displeased.

“Damn...” I muttered and released her ample bosom. “How much?”

“Double H now,” Zhou informed me with a deep frown. She fixed her bikini top and sighed, “Half my cosplays don't fit anymore.”

I stared at my hands, flexing my fingers. “Double H,” I repeated in absolute disbelief despite having held the evidence. AA, A, B, C, D, DD, F, FF, G, GG, H, HH... I counted in my mind. “I'm a little envious,” I confessed, looking back at her.

Her eyebrows went up. “Bitch, you have a huge cock,” she pointed out, gesturing at my groin. “And big balls. Is that not enough?” She asked while fixing the bikini bottom.

I thought for a second, then nodded. “Yeah, it's enough,” I confirmed, fixing my meat to a more comfortable spot.

She sighed again and shook her head, then searched the box for the labels.

I stretched my back and yawned. “Hoouwaaa....”

Zhou took a pointer from the box and wrote our names on the label, stuck it on the bag, and left it on the pile. She made a few gestures with her right hand and her watch turned into a drone just like mine, then took a picture of the bag.

I walked to the door and opened it.

My best friend walked out of the room.

I closed the door and followed her to the pool area.