The Day Of

Nora held down her dress nervously as she walked. Every time the wind danced across her, her dress fluttered a bit, tickling her legs. She squeezed them together in a vain effort to hide her treasure. Why did Amber tell her to go commando?

A small group of women walked behind Nora. One of them was weeping while the others comforted her.

“You don't need him, girl.”

“You're strong and you're beautiful.”

“There are better men out there.”

The woman continued to cry.

“I just... why on Valentine's Day?” she asked. “Why not chocolates?

“We'll get you all the chocolate you want. But first, you need booze!”

Another gust of wind struck Nora's dress. Hurriedly, she grabbed the back and forced it down. The last thing she needed right now was to be flashing strangers.

Of course, this was partially Nora's fault for choosing a dress of all things. But, still. Amber was the one who said to dress sexy.

Ugh. Maybe Nora _was _an exhibitionist.

No, no, no. Nora slapped herself again. She wasn't an exhibitionist. She wasn't.

Unfortunately, Nora's released grip allowed her dressed to flutter up again from the back, exposing Nora's butt. Hurriedly, Nora pressed her dress down, shielding herself. She looked back. Thankfully, no one was there. The group of women had already left. The sun was setting. Most others would be on dates or heading to parties.

“There you are!”

Nora flinched, almost jumping. She turned to see Amber running for her, dressed in jeans and a blue hoodie. Amber tackled her, pulling her into a hug.

“Glad you're here,” she said. “Thought you were gonna chicken out.”

“I... I-I still might,” Nora said, gripping her dress. “Why'd you make me dress up like this again?”

Amber pushed away and smiled at Nora.

“To seduce Molly, of course,” she said, pinching Nora's cheek. “Besides, I didn't tell you to put on a dress.” Amber reached down and grabbed the hem of Nora's dress, lifting it up briefly. Nora swatted her hand away.

“You said to put on something good,” Nora said. “And this was the best I had. Where's Molly?”

“Waiting for us.”

As they started forward, Nora suddenly remembered something. She swore.

“What is it?” Amber asked.

“The chocolates,” Nora said. “I got a heart-shaped box of chocolates. I figured I could pass it off as a snack between us.”

Amber giggled and pinched Nora's cheek again.

“You are so cute!” she said.

“Knock it off,” Nora said, swatting her hand away. Then her heart fell as she saw what stood ahead of them.

Amber guided Nora up the sidewalk. Ahead of them stood a tall, black house, complete with a couple of broken windows and cobwebs.

“W-what's that?” Nora asked weakly.

Amber didn't say anything.

“Amber?”

“It's your date,” Amber said. “It's a Haunted House my Mom runs. She's on a business trip right now, so no one's watching it. It's perfect.”

“Yeah, for Halloween,” Nora protested. Her legs were shaking more than they were before. “Today's Valentine's Day. Shouldn't we do something more romantic?”

“What's more romantic than the girl you're crushing on hugging you out of pure fear?” Amber asked. “Besides, if this works – and it will – you two can use this as an anniversary. Twice a year. Once for Halloween and once for Valentine's. Like the Nightmare Before Christmas.”

“How is Molly okay with this?”

“She wasn't,” Amber said. “She's as nervous as you are. When the hugging starts, make her feel safe, okay? She'll be pudding in your arms in no time.”

Nora glared at Amber. She opened her mouth to say something when they rounded a corner and saw Molly.

Molly was standing there in a green T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Her white hair was tied up in a ponytail, and a small sliver of midriff was exposed. It was very simple. Molly was always more on the athletic side than on the cutesy side, so Nora shouldn't have been surprised. Still, it was surprisingly attractive.

No, no, no.

Molly seemed to be staring at Nora as intently as Nora had been staring at her. Amber cleared her throat and both girls jumped.

“Alright,” Amber said. “Here's how it's gonna be. You're both gonna give me your cellphones. They can screw with the equipment in here, and we don't want anything to go wrong, otherwise, Mom'll have my ass.”

Amber held out her hands as she said it. Grumbling, Nora and Molly pulled out their cellphones and dropped them in Amber's hands.

Amber smiled as she shoved their phones in her back pocket.

“Alrighty, then,” she said, turning around. “Follow me. Everything's set up.”

Nora and Molly followed her, walking close to each other. Every now and then, their hands grazed one another.

“You okay?” Nora forced herself to ask.

“Um, yeah,” Molly said. “Just, you know, nervous about the Haunted House. Which is a totally good idea, by the way!” She raised her voice so that Amber could hear her, but Amber gave no response. She just pulled open the front doors to the house and stepped aside.

“After you, ladies,” she said with a dramatic bow.

On the other side of the doors was a dimly lit hallway. Further in, all they could see was darkness. Both Nora and Molly stood frozen.

“Well, after you,” Nora offered.

Molly swallowed.

“Oh no,” she said. “You first.”

“I insist.”

Amber sighed and walked behind them. Before they knew it, they were both pushed inside. They stumbled forward a few feet before grabbing hold of one another and regaining their balance. Amber walked up behind them, closing the doors as she entered. Then she leaned against the wall.

“Yeash,” she said. “You'd think you never been in a haunted house on Valentine's Day before.”

Nora stared ahead at the dark corridor. She never thought herself to be afraid of the dark before, but looking at the dense shadows ahead made her reconsider.

“So... we just walk forward... I guess?” she asked, looking back at Amber.

Amber shrugged.

“It's on you,” she said.

Nora glared at her. She opened her mouth to say something snarky when Amber gasped.

“Behind you!” she shouted.

Ordinarily, Nora would have seen this for what it was, but the eerie atmosphere of the Haunted House, coupled with the sudden of Amber's change in tone prompted her and Molly to look ahead.

A glowing white light was heading towards them from further up the hall. Shaking, both Nora and Molly stepped back. Just then, the light sped ahead. Then an ugly face flashed; crossed-eyed with an open mouth and uneven teeth.

Nora and Molly both screamed. Seeing nothing else to grab onto, they hurled themselves at each other, pulling into a big hug as they screamed and cried.

Then the face vanished. The light dispersed with it. Then the hall returned to being darkened. Nora and Molly stood there for several long seconds, breathing heavily. Then Nora realized the position they were both in.

The two girls were hugging each other tightly. Their hands were on each others' hips (which, given that Nora was wearing only a thin dress, led to Nora feeling Molly's hand a little too closely). Their breasts were crushed against each other, feeling the softness and heat of the other. And their faces were touching, right at the cheeks.

Slowly, Nora pulled away. Molly gave a nervous giggle.

“S-sorry... about that,” Molly said, rubbing the back of her neck. She was blushing.

Nora felt her own cheeks heat up.

“I-it's alright,” she said. “We're just both, you know, rattled. Okay, you got us, Amber. I think we're both...”

Nora turned to Amber, then trailed off to a stop. Amber was gone.

“Amber?” she asked weakly.

Then Nora ran for the wall where Amber had been, running her hands over it.

“Where'd she go?” Molly asked.

Nora continued to look over the wall. Then she noticed a thin line. She followed it and made out the outline of a hidden door.

“She ran off,” Nora growled. She pushed against the wall, but nothing happened. Then she backed up and threw herself against it. Still, nothing happened.

“Yeah, I doubt Amber would've used that door if we could've followed her,” Molly said. “Bitch. I knew I was walking into one of her pranks. C'mon. Let's just get outta here. Maybe we can go to a cafe somewhere.”

Nora stopped, then looked at Molly.

“Er,” Molly said, her face reddening. “I mean... if you want to? Not saying like a date or anything. Just for fun. As friends. Nothing more.”

Nora smiled.

“Yeah,” she said. “Let's.”

They both started back for the doors and grabbed the handles.

The doors didn't open.

Nora and Molly stood there, staring. Then they tightened their grips and began tugging with ferocity. But the doors remained sealed.

“Amber!” Nora shouted at the top of her lungs. “Let us out!”

*****

Amber casually walked into the control room. It was black and empty save for a set of controls standing at one wall, with dozens of screens connected to the wall above it, displaying every room in the Haunted House. Amber stopped just short of the chair and looked at the screen of the entrance hall.

The two love birds were screaming as they slammed their fists against the doors. Nora screamed her name.

“Sorry, ladies,” Amber said. “You're not leaving until you fuck. Now, let's get comfortable.”

Amber shrugged off her hoodie and pulled down her pants. Now dressed in only panties and her T-shirt, Amber sat down on the chair, leaning back and resting her hands on the armrests. She raised her feet and rested them on the controls. She could feel the devilish grin spreading across her face.

“Now, make your next move, girls,” she said.