SWEET SPOT

Hot Sauce 3

Nyla

After the long hug with Susie, we decided to skip the bus and walk home together. It was one of those nights where neither of us wanted the conversation to end. The cool evening air felt nice on my skin after being stuck in the restaurant all day, and talking with my best friend always made everything feel lighter.

We strolled side by side, holding hands, gossiping about everything and nothing. We laughed about the professor who always smelled like coffee and old books, roasted the girl in our literature class who kept trying to flirt with the TA, and I even told her how stressed I was about balancing school and that stupid job. Susie listened like she always did. She really listened and made me laugh until my cheeks hurt.

Before I knew it, we were standing in front of her house.

Well… 'house' was an understatement. Susie’s family mansion rose up in front of us, all sleek modern lines, warm lights glowing from huge windows, and a massive gate that probably cost more than my entire year of tuition. It screamed wealth in the most elegant way possible.

I stopped and smiled softly. “Well, you’re home.”

Susie looked at me, then at the long road ahead that led toward my neighborhood. “Why don’t you just take a taxi back? I’ll feel weird knowing you’re walking alone this late.”

I waved my hand dismissively. “Nah, it’s fine. It’s only like a fifteen or twenty-minute walk. I do it all the time.”

She sighed, clearly not convinced. “I feel bad. Why does my house have to be closer? Ugh!” She grunted dramatically, making me burst into laughter.

“You should go in before your mom starts wondering why you’re out so late,” I said, nudging her gently. “I’ll head out now.”

“Nyla, wait.”

I stopped and turned back. “What is it?”

Susie didn’t answer right away. She dug into her bag with a mischievous little smile playing on her lips. I stood there confused, watching her.

Finally, she pulled out a sleek, beautifully wrapped package. The moment I saw the branding on it, my eyes widened in horror.

“Oh my goodness… hell no. Oh hell no,” I whispered, taking a step back.

“Take it,” she said, pushing it toward me. “I got two, and I decided one is for you.”

“Hell no, I can’t take that!” I hissed, glancing around even though the street was empty. I lowered my voice to a frantic whisper. “A vibrator? Come on, girl. Hide it right now!”

Susie paused, tilting her head with that stubborn look I knew too well. “Really? You’re going to do this? If you don’t take it, I’m not going inside. We’ll just stand here until morning.”

I groaned, covering my face with both hands. “Oh my goodness, what is wrong with you? Why are you so stubborn?” I peeked through my fingers and sighed in defeat. “Okay… hand it over.”

I snatched it from her quickly, opened my bag, and shoved the package deep inside like it was illegal contraband. My cheeks were burning hot with embarrassment.

Susie grinned like she’d just won the lottery. “Use it while you think of Ezekiel,” she added with a dramatic wink.

“Hey!” I yelped, mortified.

But she was already laughing and running toward the gate, her ponytail swinging behind her.

“Susie!” I whisper-shouted after her, but she just blew me a kiss and disappeared behind the massive gate, still giggling.

I stood there for a second, heart racing, face flushed, clutching my bag like it now contained state secrets. The walk home suddenly felt a lot longer… and a lot more interesting.

I couldn’t stop the shy, nervous smile from creeping onto my face as I started walking again, my fingers brushing against the package hidden in my bag.

Ezekiel…

God, Susie was impossible.

The walk home took me about fifteen minutes. The night air had cooled down, but my cheeks still felt warm every time I thought about Susie’s “gift” bouncing around in my bag. By the time I slipped my key into the door, I was exhausted but strangely giddy.

The moment I stepped inside, I saw Garrett lounging on the couch, legs stretched out, scrolling through his phone.

“Hey,” he looked up with a lazy grin. “You back from school… or work?”

“Yeah,” I replied softly, adjusting the strap of my bag.

He smirked. “Ezekiel told me you wore the necklace today. Said it looked good on you.”

My heart gave a little flutter. I tried to hide my smile but failed. I gave him a small, shy grin instead of answering and quickly slipped into my room before he could tease me more.

I took a long, hot shower, letting the day wash off me. After drying off, I slipped into my soft pink pajamas and felt a little more like myself again.

I had just finished brushing my hair when I heard the front door open.

“Mom?” I whispered, hope rising in my chest.

I ran out of my room like an excited kid. “Mom!” I screamed, launching myself into her arms the second I saw her.

She laughed warmly, hugging me tight, her familiar perfume wrapping around me. She’d been away on a business trip for the whole week, and I hadn’t realized how much I missed her until now.

“How are you, my baby?” she asked, pulling back to look at me.

“I’m okay. I missed you so much.” I squeezed her again. “Thank you for the money you sent on my birthday. It really helped.”

She smiled, but her eyes looked tired. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be here on the actual day, sweetheart. Work has been crazy.”

“It’s fine, Mom. Really,” I said, meaning it. Having her home now was enough.

Garrett walked over and gave her a hug too. “Welcome back, Mom.”

She had brought gifts from her trip — beautiful scarves, snacks from another country, and some cute little souvenirs. We sat in the living room going through everything, laughing and talking over bowls of ice cream and chips. For the first time in days, the house felt warm and full. Even Garrett seemed more relaxed, cracking jokes and teasing me lightly about growing up too fast.

We had a late family dinner together, something simple Mom threw together. We talked, laughed, and caught up. Eventually, I helped clean up, said goodnight, and retreated to my room.

***

I closed the door behind me, leaned against it for a second, and let out a long breath. Then my eyes fell on my bag lying on the bed. I walked over slowly and opened it.

The sleek black box was right there, staring back at me.

I gasped quietly. “Damn… I totally forgot about that,” I whispered, my pulse picking up speed.

I glanced at my bedroom door to make sure it was locked, then carefully pulled the package out. My hands trembled a little as I stared at it. The soft silicone toy looked innocent and terrifying at the same time.

My heart hammered hard against my ribs. Heat crept up my neck and settled in my cheeks.

It wouldn’t be wrong to… test it now, would it? I thought, biting my lower lip.

I swallowed hard, thighs pressing together without thinking. My mind immediately drifted to Ezekiel — his deep voice at the counter today, the way his eyes had lingered on the necklace he bought me, the way his shirt stretched across his chest…

I sat on the edge of my bed, still holding the box, my breathing already a little faster.