Michael is right on time

Diana idly scrolls through her social media feed on her phone as you are waiting helplessly secured firmly to the post. Your feet cannot quite stand firmly on the ground and while the discomfort of that is growing by the minute, you think darkly that at least you will not be told to open your legs to be whipped between them. But then if Michael intended to do that, he would not have told you you can wear underwear to start with, so the comfort of the thought is rather reduced. You glance at the clock on the wall to see it is 6:59 and you feel your stomach slowly crawling towards your throat.

You have prepared yourself but you still let out a whine of fear and shame when the fateful doorbell rings. Diana sets both her phone and her glass down and gracefully glides towards the door and out of your line of sight to let him in. Even though you can still hear her and know exactly where she is, the feeling of not seeing anyone whilst tied up and helpless is surprisingly scary. You know Diana will never leave you like this, but what if... With an effort you suppress the irrational fear, focusing instead on the far more rational one - that of the forthcoming punishment. Diana opens the door and greets your ex; they have only met once before if you recall correctly, but Michael remembers her name with only the slightest hesitation in his voice. Diana goes on to tell him she started to date you and wants to see you learning your lesson and he unsurprisingly has no problem with that. Chatting amiably as Diana offers refreshments they both walk into the room.

This is probably the moment when you realise how well the punishment you designed works. As your ex enters the room to see you naked, helpless, fighting back tears of shame and ready to be punished the overwhelming regret you feel is not for writing this rule or for breaking things off with him. Even in your state you are rational enough to know there was no future there. Instead your regret is for having started that you knew would not last, for having played with someone's feelings because you felt like at the moment. The moment you made very costly.

"Good evening, Jenna" Michael says in a voice that obviously costs him an effort to control. Like Diana he is dressed quite smartly, trousers and vest being completed by a white shirt and a tie. At least your outfit does not clash with others’, you suppose. Too bad the cost of that is not having an outfit at all.

“Hello...” you reply. Your voice has always been fairly high-pitched but now you are just squeaking, your attempt at a dignified greeting in an undignified state crashing before it even took off. “And just water, thanks.” He finishes replying to Diana, having been interrupted by the sight of you. Diana pours him a glass while he slips a messenger bag off his shoulder and takes a loop of rope that can only be one thing from it.

“Straight to the point?” Diana asks and your ex actually uncharacteristically grins at that. “No, I just want it where Jenna can see it. Few more minutes won’t change much.” They actually rather would, you want to say. Being tied up naked and waiting on your toes can rather change one’s perspective. You keep your mouth shut, though. That much the new reality taught you to do very quickly. “Quite right. Don’t you think so, Jen?” Diana addresses you for the first time since Michael arrived. You reply affirmatively and politely, trying ineffectually to sound less like a mouse that inhaled a balloonfull of helium.

You continue standing and waiting, trying to shift your weight around to reduce the pressure somewhat and to make out the details of the whip. Just as Michael intended, no doubt. Actually it looks about as mild and light as a whip can get while still being a punishment tool rather than a sex toy but you know appearances can be deceiving. You will not learn that with certainty until it bites into your skin. Finally the few minutes of pointless small talk between your girlfriend and your ex which you know are aimed at nothing but making you even more uncomfortable tick away and Michael gets up again.

“Let’s get this over with.” he announces as he uncoils his tool.