I walked into the convenience store, my heart still racing from the morning's chaos, and shouted, "Good morning, boss! I'm here!"
My boss, Mr. Carlos, looked up from the back of the store where he was organizing some cans. He's the father of the twins, Alex and Emily—my best friend and my childhood crush, respectively. He's got that friendly dad vibe, with a neatly trimmed beard and a smile that makes you feel at home. He looked at me as usual, no trace of the weird changes I'd seen in others.
"Erick, always punctual, huh?" he said, approaching with a small box in his hands. "Hey, isn't today your birthday?"
"Yeah, boss, I'm turning eighteen today," I replied, scratching the back of my neck, still trying to process what happened with María and Camille.
"Happy birthday, little man!" he exclaimed, giving me a shoulder pat that nearly knocked me over. He handed me the box. "A little something from me. And you can leave early today, alright? Enjoy your day."
I opened the box and found a single-serving cupcake, covered in white frosting with a shiny cherry on top. This looks amazing, I thought, smiling. "Thanks, boss, really. This looks great."
I put on the store's apron, a faded blue one that smelled of detergent, and took my place behind the counter. The store was quiet, with only the hum of the fridge and the faint murmur of the street outside. I leaned on the counter, letting my mind replay the morning's chaos. First, Camille… she acted like always. Well, within her "normal." Damn it, we never should've done that semen test. She ended up getting addicted. I rubbed my face in frustration, trying to erase the image of her hands in my pants. Second, the boss. Just as kind, nothing out of the ordinary. I took a bite of the cupcake, and the sweetness of the frosting made me sigh. This is tasty. But then I got to the third point. Third, why did María act like that this morning? That kiss, those hands… I finished the cupcake, wiping crumbs from my mouth. What kind of change happened today?
A theory started to take shape. What if the change only affected adult women with kids? María, a single mom, had acted… intense. If my theory was right, the store's customers might give me clues. I decided to watch them closely.
Hours passed, and nothing. Zero. Customers came and went: a guy buying cigarettes, a young girl asking for a soda, a couple of grandparents chatting about the weather. All normal. Some adults who knew me gave me tips for my birthday, saying things like "Happy birthday, kid!" or "You're a man now, huh!" But no strange behavior, no sign of the change.
I glanced at the clock: five minutes to noon.
That's when classes ended for the final-year course, the extra year the government added five years ago to prepare students for university. It's mandatory for anyone who wants to continue studying, but since everyone's already of legal age, the teachers are more laid-back. Being an exemplary student, I could afford to skip classes now and then, like today. I worked mornings to have afternoons and evenings free.
*Ding-ding.* The doorbell chime snapped me out of my thoughts. Two people walked in, or rather, two students. The twins: Emily and Alex.
Emily was… well, Emily. Her purple hair, straight and long, reached down her back, shimmering under the store's fluorescent lights. Her purple eyes had a mischievous glint that always made me nervous. She wore the school uniform (white shirt, blue tie, matching skirt) that hugged her figure, highlighting her breasts, a bit larger than average for her age. She was my childhood crush, the reason I started working here: to see her more often. But she was also a whirlwind of chaos.
Next to her was Alex, my best friend. His purple hair, even longer than Emily's, gave him a feminine air, as did his slim build and height of 1.61 meters, the same as his sister. He wore the male uniform (white shirt, blue tie, black pants) but his appearance always confused people. Including me, years ago. I'm 1.68 meters, not exactly a giant, but I teased them for being shorter. Though Alex, the little guy, always found a way to tease me back.
Our history is… complicated. When we were kids, I thought Alex was a girl. I even asked him out, not knowing he was a cruel prankster who accepted. It was my first "relationship." My first kiss. We spent hours making out, and… well, we did some perverted things I shouldn't detail. I almost lost my virginity to "her," though I'm not sure if anal sex counts as losing it. When I brought up sex, Alex would say it was only through his anus, and I didn't know why he couldn't use his "vagina." Then people started whispering that we were boyfriends. One day, a classmate asked why I was dating a guy. I made up an excuse, but later confronted Alex. With a malicious laugh and mocking eyes, he said, "I've always worn the boys' uniform, haven't I?"
That's when I realized how stupid and naive I'd been. Alex broke up with me before I could, but we stayed friends. We have too much in common, and though people still call us "boyfriends" sometimes, we let it slide. I once asked if he'd told anyone about us, and he swore only Emily knew. And she, apparently, is good at keeping secrets.
Back to the present, both were staring at me with malicious eyes, like I was their favorite toy.
"Hey, Mr. Erick, I brought you your girlfriend," said Emily, pointing at Alex, who was sucking on a lollipop with a bored expression.
I ignored her. I wasn't falling for her game.
"I'm going to change," said Alex, heading to the room behind the counter.
"I've told you I don't like being ignored," said Emily, slowly unbuttoning her shirt.
I kept my gaze forward, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw every move. She left her shirt open, exposing her bra, and started taking it off. I raised my eyes to the ceiling, trying not to give in.
"Hey, mister, I brought a lovely sight for your eyes," she said in a flirty voice that gave me goosebumps.
I kept ignoring her.
"Don't you want my birthday gift?" she asked, with a fake sad tone.
Nothing. I wasn't going to react.
"I'll take it off in three… Three… Two… And—"
I looked down. Big mistake. Her shirt was unbuttoned, her bra gone, but her breasts were covered by… photos? Two images of Alex in a Bridget cosplay from *Guilty Gear*, posing ridiculously sexy.
"I hate you," I said, holding back my anger.
"And I love you, Erick," she replied, making a heart with her hands. "Every time I see your face, my day gets better. Every time I feel your gaze, my skin tingles. Every time I smell your scent, my heart races. And every time I tease you, my vagina cries. Happy birthday, my beloved boyfriend!"
I knew my face was red as a tomato, but I kept ignoring her. Reacting would only prolong this torture. Better to stay like a statue and wait for her to get bored.
"Mmm, if you help me remove my brother's photos, you can see what's underneath," she said, back to that flirty voice.
I looked at her face. Her smile went from sweet to wicked in an instant.
"I'm not lying," she said, pointing at her breasts.
I knew it was a trap, but the temptation was too strong. If I could see her bare breasts… With two fingers on each hand, I grabbed the corners of the photos and ripped them off in one pull. And there they were… nipple covers.
"YOU!" I pointed at her, furious, as she laughed.
"I didn't lie, did I? You saw what's underneath," she said in an innocent voice that only made me angrier.
"I'm going to rip those off!" I shouted, losing control.
I reached out, but just before touching her, I noticed her smile widen, as if daring me. Do it, her eyes seemed to say.
"Can I give you some advice, Erick?" said Alex, suddenly appearing with a large gift box in his hands.
I hadn't noticed he was there. Did he see everything? "Say it," I replied, glancing quickly between Alex, Emily, and her nipple covers.
"Don't do it. It's another trap," said Alex, serious.
"Is this Alex, Emily's brother, or Alex, my best friend?" I asked, doubtful.
"The Alex who never lies to you."
"Okay, I believe you," I said, pulling my hand back.
Emily huffed and started buttoning her shirt. "Happy birthday, Erick. This is my gift," said Alex, handing me the box.
"Our gift!" Emily corrected, annoyed.
"Whatever. Take it, open it at home," said Alex.
"Thanks, Alex and Emily," I replied, accepting the box. It felt heavy, like it had multiple items inside.
"We'd like to invite you to our house to celebrate your birthday," said Alex with enthusiasm.
"I'll wear super sexy, very revealing lingerie," added Emily, with that flirty voice that set my nerves on edge.
I looked at Alex for confirmation. "Is that true?"
"It's not a lie. Exactly as she describes it, lingerie with no tricks or traps," he replied, guessing my doubt.
I looked back at Emily. Her smile was sweet, almost innocent. Too innocent.
"You can put a tail on me, use a whip, oil, lubricant, condoms… and more," Emily continued, listing increasingly weird things while keeping that angelic facade.
I looked at Alex again. "I'm not your lie detector. Just tell her yes or no," he said, clearly fed up.
I slowly turned to Emily. Saying "no" to Emily always had consequences. But I already had plans. "I'd love to see you in lingerie, but I'm already invited somewhere tonight," I said, feeling a déjà vu. Is this the change for today?
"What?" Emily's smile vanished. Her eyes turned cold, almost lifeless, as if I'd committed an unforgivable sin.
"I said I'm already busy tonight," I repeated, savoring her reaction a bit.
"What?" her voice cracked.
"I said—" Before I could finish, Emily jumped over the counter. Alex, with surprising speed, snatched the gift box from my hands.
Emily pushed me, and I fell sitting on the floor. She climbed on top of me, her hands on my neck.
"Wait, Emily, you're—"
"Shut up!" she cut me off.
Alex tried to intervene, but she silenced him with a gesture.
"What did you say?!" Her hands tightened, making it hard to breathe, as she moved her hips against my crotch.
"I…" I tried to speak, but her grip tightened, and her movements got faster.
"Who's the one forcing you to celebrate?" she shouted, furious.
"Who's that damn bitch?" her voice was pure venom, and her hips moved harder.
"Who's—" she started moaning, her movements erratic, her eyes still locked on me with that dead stare.
"Hmm… mm… Aah!" Though she was moaning, she kept staring with those empty eyes.
Suddenly, she let go of my neck and hugged me tightly. I gasped, trying to catch my breath. "Aaaahh!" she moaned louder, trembling as she squeezed me.
I had no idea what was happening. My eyes were teary from lack of air, and I could barely see. I felt something wet in my crotch. What the hell?
"W-we can celebrate on Saturday," I said, eyes closed, trying to calm her.
"You don't mind celebrating your birthday late?" asked Emily, her voice now sad.
"No, I know you put in a lot of effort," I replied, with a hint of fear.
"But you'll keep saying you can't, right?" she said, not waiting for my answer. I felt her get off my lap, keeping my eyes closed.
I heard a strange sound, like someone taking off clothes.
"With this, I forgive you!" she said, grabbing my hair and lifting my face. "Mmm, ah…" she moaned, and a hot liquid splashed my face.
After a long while, the liquid stopped flowing. "I'm going to the bathroom to calm down. You two, clean this up," she said, and I heard her footsteps walking away while I kept my eyes closed.
Alex approached. "I told you not to spoil her and set limits, but you didn't listen. You chose 'an opportunity' over your dignity. And now, you've got neither opportunity nor dignity," he said with sarcasm.
"B-but…" I tried to defend myself.
"No 'buts.' Change, wash up before the smell of… beer sticks. I'll get something to clean and your clothes," he said, leaving.
I opened my eyes. Beer? The smell was strong, rancid, like spoiled beer. Another damn prank. I'd never drunk before, but this smelled bad. Maybe it's expired, I thought, confused. I got up carefully and headed to the employee bathroom, making sure not to enter the women's where Emily was.
I took off my clothes and stepped into the shower. The cold water hit my head, and my brain started processing everything. What the hell just happened? I soaped my face, frustrated. In the past, when I said "no" to Emily, she got upset, but never violent. Why did she act like that? It has to be today's change. Emily's not like this. She's too sweet for this.
I heard a faint creak, like the door opening. "Hello? Alex? Leave the clothes on the sink," I said, not paying much attention. Must be my imagination.
Does today's change amplify girls' emotions? No, it can't be. Camille was "normal"… within her normality. I still felt a presence but ignored it. Maybe it's about my birthday. Yeah, that's gotta be it. I'll confirm when I get out.
I finished rinsing, turned off the shower, and turned to the door. It was open. "What the hell!" I muttered. I must've left it ajar, and it opened on its own.
Naked, I approached the men's bathroom entrance. "Alex!" I shouted.
"Coming," he replied, approaching with the gift box and my clothes on top. "Here."
I grabbed the box with both hands. "Thanks, Alex," I said, but noticed his gaze drop. I realized I'd left myself exposed. I quickly covered my crotch with the box.
"You're welcome, Erick, at your service," he said, smiling and bowing before leaving.
Those two siblings are nuts, but they complement each other perfectly, I thought as I got dressed. I left the bathroom and found Emily and Alex talking, both now in the store uniform.
"An extra gift," said Emily, showing me a six-pack of beers. "There were supposed to be seven, but one got… wasted, you know how."
"Thanks, Emily, but it wasn't necessary. I don't drink," I said carefully, trying not to offend her.
"You didn't drink because you were underage. Now you can. And I won't take a 'no.' Take them for today or save them for Saturday," she said, smiling.
"Thanks," I replied, taking the six-pack and heading to the door.
"Wait, mister, ID," said Alex, with a mocking tone.
"Isn't this a gift?" I asked, confused.
"Yup, free, but we need to verify your age," said Alex.
"You can't sell alcohol to minors," added Emily.
"I just turned eighteen today, I haven't even renewed my ID," I said, with irony.
"Well, give me the current one, it's just a quick check," insisted Emily.
I sighed, pulled out my wallet, and handed her my ID. It felt bigger than usual, but I brushed it off. Emily grabbed it quickly. "Let's see… mmm, yup, virgin," she said, reading something with a smile.
Virgin? I thought, baffled.
"I told you, you just have to trust Erick," added Alex.
"All good, mister. You can go," said Emily, handing back my ID.
As I was leaving the store, I heard Emily mutter, "Stop looking at me like that. I asked for it because he rejected me. I thought he'd been raped and was scared of women."
"Uh-huh, sure," replied Alex, sarcastic.
I tied the gift box to my motorcycle and, out of curiosity, checked my ID again.
_____________________
Identity Document
Name: Erick Blackbird
Date of Birth: 19/09/2007
Marital Status: Single
Virginity Status: Active
_____________________
What? "Virginity Status" wasn't there before. This must be today's change. IDs now show if you're a virgin. But that didn't explain why María and Emily acted like that…
I decided to deal with it later. First, home. I checked my phone: 2:30 PM. I hopped on my bike and rode off.
Twenty minutes later, I was in my apartment. On the table was the gift box from Emily and Alex. "Emily and Alex's gift, let's see what it is," I said, unwrapping it with curiosity.
The first thing I pulled out was a photo frame for hanging. In the picture, Emily was in a BB cosplay from Fate/Grand Order and Alex in a Meltlilith one, both in summer versions that left little to the imagination, forming a heart with their hands. Looking closer, I recognized the background: my bed. Those jerks were the ones eating my fridge food. I'd always suspected someone was sneaking into my apartment, and now I had proof.
*I'm gonna have to hang this, aren't I?* With a bad feeling, I went to my room. In front of my bed, a new nail in the wall. "What a pair of jerks," I cursed, looking for something to stand on to hang the frame.
I went back to the living room and kept checking the box. I found a smaller box with an expensive MP4 player. I turned it on and saw three files:
_________________
- Listen_first.mp3
- Poem_alarm.mp3
- Day_one.mp3
_________________
I put on some earphones and played the first one. "Hey, Erick, if you're hearing this, you didn't throw out the gift, and that makes me really horny," said Emily, not an ounce of seriousness. She's not even serious in an audio, I thought, rolling my eyes. "But setting aside how turned on I am by that, I'd like you to connect this MP4 to your wifi and do this…"
The instructions were endless, like I was hacking a server. *What the hell is this?* I muttered, frustrated. After forty minutes, Emily's voice continued: "If you did everything right, the MP4's side light should be green." I checked: green. "From now on, I can send you audios you'll only hear on this MP4, as long as it's connected to wifi or your phone. Happy? I'm thrilled, hahaha! … My brother said no matter how long or what I say, you'll listen to it all because you're super responsible with me."
Stop saying stuff, Alex, damn it, I thought, annoyed. How does he know me so well? "I don't know what that means, but anyway, if you checked properly, there are two more audios. One you can use as an alarm or whatever. If everything went well, I probably told you today what's in it. The other is… something between you and me. Listen to it alone, relaxed…" I was about to switch audios, but there were still twenty minutes left. This is eternal, I sighed. At one point, she said a number, then another, forming 117. Maybe I need to tell her that number tomorrow.
I moved to the next file: Poem_Alarm.mp3. "Wake up, my princess, I need to see you, because every time I see your face, my day gets better. Every time I feel your gaze, my skin tingles. Every time I smell your scent, my heart races. And every time I tease you, my vagina cries. Wake up, my dear prince, because I love you…"
Another "I love you." My face must be red as a tomato,* I thought, embarrassed. This confirms she acted like that to mess with me. Emily's not aggressive. She's too sweet for that. For a second, I considered jerking off to her voice. "Should I jerk off to this? No, no, it's a fake 'I love you.' I have to stay strong and wait for a real one. I can't settle," I told myself, trying to stay firm.
I moved to the last audio: Day_one.mp3. "And here we are, the last audio. Alex arranged the box knowing you'd pick the MP4 second, so go back to the box…" What, is Alex a psychic now? I thought, exasperated. "Got it? Grab the box in the top left corner. Open it, and you'll see a metal bottle and a round container…" I did. The bottle looked like a thermos with water. "The important thing is the water inside. Set it aside for now. Open the other box…"
"It's a smartwatch, put it on, it's already set up for you… You put it on your right arm, right?" How did she know that? Definitely Alex. "Now take the last box, the bottle, and the container to your room…"
I did and placed them on my nightstand. "Open the container, smell its scent, memorize it, become one with it, then close it. It's valuable…" The smell was weird, but I wasn't going to criticize a gift. "Done, now smell your pillow…" I did: same smell. "Smell your bed…" I did, and most spots smelled the same, except one corner with a bitter smell. "Now open the last gift…" It was a pair of purple panties, one in a plastic bag. "With those, I made the water in the bottle, and it's the same smell as your bed. If you want, check by smelling them…"
I didn't even think. I was already sniffing them. But this means she… "Yeah, I masturbated… a lot. So much I almost cried. Know why?" No, but I want to know why, I thought, heart racing. "I had to fill that damn bottle twice. The first time, almost done, I had a leak. My bladder couldn't hold it…" That bitter smell was urine? I was pissed. "Out of frustration, I threw it all on your bed, plus peed on it. The second time, my nipples were red… I did this today, when you left. So, if you fell for my trap and removed the nipple covers, you'd have seen my red nipples, and that's why…"
Thanks for nothing, Alex, I thought, relieved. "My vagina and that whole area, I'm saving for someone special, so I only used my nipples… We dried your bed with stuff. My brother said to wash it, though I don't know why, since it's obvious you'll wash it. Now I want you to do something for me…"
What more instructions? "The bottle, I want you to record a video drinking or using it…" she said in a flirty voice.
What? "The container and the panty, sadly, aren't yours. I want you to do what I did: fill the container with your 'juice,' meaning semen, and do the same with the panty. Bring them tomorrow…"
What? WHAT? "Now, a secret: Alex hid something in the photo frame. I don't know what it is, he just said if you find and use it, you're obligated to do what it says… I hope it's not something perverted…"
I knew my angel Emily isn't a succubus. Alex is corrupting her, I thought, outraged. "And finally, the rest of the audio is my attempt to fill the bottle. Yup, lots of moaning and frustration aimed at you…"
It was almost forty minutes more.
"I hope to have my container full tomorrow, I love you… Happy birthday, Erick, if you're hearing this, it's because you want to hear how I filled the bottle—"
I paused the audio. My phone showed 5:20 PM. I had to be at María's apartment at 6:00.
I grabbed the bottle, put it in the fridge, and went to shower. Now comes the real battle against Mrs. María.