The Playroom

Chapter One

“ P retend you don’t know. Act surprised. It’s no one’s fault that you know.”

Walking up the wildflower-lined brick path of my friend’s house, I could see shadows dancing across the blinds as people scurried to find hiding places. Chuckling at the sight, I quickly regained my serious composure, showing complete unawareness of what was about to transpire.

A fucking surprise birthday party.

I’m not sure why Trey, my ride-or-die bitch, keeps trying to surprise me, when he knows damn well it will never happen. A couple of years ago an ex-boyfriend decided to get down on one knee proposing, planning the entire surprise months prior. I knew a month in and the only person who was blindsided was him when my answer was no.

Standing at the front door, I took a deep inhale, there was no turning back. Small muffled noises could be heard from behind the beige door.

“You can’t hide here.”

“Hey, you’re hogging the space.”

“We’re gonna get him so good.”

The last one was Trey, for sure.

I knocked.

Nothing.

I knocked again.

Still nothing.

Turning the door handle, I slowly turned and pushed it open, letting myself in. All the lights were still on, but no one was in sight and completely silent. I had to admit, everyone’s hiding skills were on point.

“Hello?” I called out loudly.

Looking around again, there was no movement.

“Hell—"

“Surprise!!!”

Before I could finish, everybody popped out from behind a piece of furniture or a wall greeting me with smiles and laughter thinking they all got me.

Everybody was dressed like they were heading to the club. Ladies wore sparkling cocktail dresses so short it made them all seem like they had legs for days, while the gentleman wore colorful jackets with either v-neck or button-up shirts underneath. Trey came barrelling out of the kitchen with the biggest smile, wrapping his arms around me in an embracing hug.

“Did I surprise you?” he whispered.

“Nope,” softly told him.

“What gave it away?”

“The shadows from the window.”

“Son of a cunt,” he muttered.

“Probably best to have all the lights off, so they don’t cast shadows in the window,” I told him.

“Okay smart-ass. Anywho, happy birthday! Let’s get you a drink.”

Nodding, he led me back into the kitchen where a cornucopia of food and alcohol was fabulously displayed. The man went all out, cooking up some of my favorite things ranging from steak bites to pinwheels made of cheese tortillas, cream cheese, and deli meat. Trey even decided to whip up cosmopolitans as the cocktail of the night and, of course, wine.

“Please tell me the theme of my birthday party is club night,” I asked, as Trey handed me a decadent glass of cabernet.

“Yay!” he screeched, “You got the theme! Since you don’t really like to hit the clubs with me as often as we fucking should. I figured I’d bring the club to you.”

Shaking my head, I took another gander around little decor items that started to pop out; neon lights shimmering across the floor, fog, sheer red fabric over most of the lamps creating a sexy ambiance, and crappy DJ remixes to good songs. Someone even started passing around glow sticks for guests to wear as bracelets, necklaces, and headpieces.

“Do you love it?” Trey said, looking at me for confirmation.

I nodded my head with a slight smirk taking another look around before facing him.

“I love it,” I said, giving him another hug, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’d figure this would light a fire under your ass since you only have five more years left before gay death comes knocking on your front door, turning you into a tired old queen who stays home and lets the world pass you by.”

“You fucking bitch,” I said in a chuckle.

“Anything for you, babe.”

If you asked how Trey and I met, you wouldn’t believe it. About seven years ago, we both arrived at the same time at some random guy's apartment off of Grindr who was utterly handsome and looked as if he lived at the gym. He had the most infectious smile and the way he looked lustful in his photos, of course I said yes to his invitation—Trey did the same.

We were confused at first.

“Do you know what’s going on?” Trey asked.

“Threesome?” I replied, confident in my answer.

“Threesome,” he agreed, wondering how he could’ve gotten tangled up in this situation.

Our confusion subsided when the front door swung open and the guy from the photographs stood before us naked with a semi-hard dick, taking a small whiff from his poppers bottle.

“Looks like you two have already met, no need for introductions then,” he stated, moving aside.

As soon as we entered his lavish apartment adorned with Ikea furniture and cheap home decor we didn’t have a chance to familiarize ourselves with our surroundings, he was rather quick to get things started.

“Who wants to suck my dick first while I eat the other's ass?” he posed.

Trey and I looked at each other.

Here we both thought we were gearing up for a simple but hot one-on-one session and not have to worry about a third. Prudishly for me, threesomes aren’t my thing and require as they take a lot of work. Not only do you have to make one person feel incredible, attentive, and be extremely sexy, there’s a whole other person.

No thank you.

None of this seemed right and the look on Trey's face with a small hint of worrisome, he thought the same. What really placed the cherry on top of it all was the sounds of the neighbors upstairs trickled of them arguing and fighting—their words were extremely muffled, but it was clear an argument had started.

“Don’t worry about them,” the hot naked guy told us, as he walked over to the coffee table, grabbing the remote and turning up the music until the fighting couple could no longer be heard.

Something deep down told me this was not worth it, and from the look on Trey’s face again, he was mirroring the same feelings. Don’t get me wrong, he was cute, and even if I was remotely interested in having threesomes, I wouldn’t be able to cum or be satisfied as he isn’t my type.

“So have you guys decided who’s doing what?” the naked man pushed.

“Um,” Trey started, looking at me.

“Do you mind if he and I freshen up in the bathroom first,” I meditated, quickly thinking.

“Yeah, of course. Bathroom is down the hall behind you,” he said, pointing past us.

“Thanks. You get comfortable on the couch and keep that dick hard,” I seductively said, grabbing Trey by the hand and leading him to the bathroom.

“You guys better be naked when you return, I don’t want to waste anymore time, we should have been sucking or fucking by now.”

“You got it,” I said.

Closing the bathroom door behind us, I instantly open the window—large enough for each of us to get through

“What are you doing?” Trey said, in an uncertain tone.

Making sure the window stays open, “Look, I don’t want to be here anymore and from your performance back there, neither do you.”

“Yeah.”

“As luck would have it, these buildings on this side of town were built with their fire escapes accessible from bathroom windows,” I explained, quickly moving.

“Who would design that?” Trey commented.

“I’d love to continue this conversation about bad apartment designs over a glass of wine, but first we need to leave.”

“Why don’t we just tell him no and leave through the front door?”

I paused for a second, looking Trey dead in his eyes, “Do you truly want to have that uncomfortable conversation with that naked man who obviously has no respect for us, neglected to tell either one of us another person was joining, and slightly high on poppers?”

“Good point.”

Nodding with a quick “thank you”, I gestured for Trey to climb through the window first.

“Hey! What is taking so long?” the naked man screamed from the living room.

It was only a matter of time before he grow impatient and come to the bathroom seeking us out—so mouthed to Trey to move faster.

Knock. Knock.

Fuck.

This guy moves quickly.

The door knob started to turn and the door opening, which made me start to panic and my cue to get moving. In a swift motion, I climbed through the window crashing into Trey for a brief moment until we came to our feet shutting the window as our host looked at each of us, raising his muffled voice wondering what just had happened.

“In the words of RuPaul, we’re going to sashay away,” Trey blurted.

I rolled my eyes, laughing as we hastily climbed down the fire escape, watching our step so we don’t tumble.

“I’m Trey.”

“I’m Drew,” I said.

The naked man popped his head out the window in a rush, looking around until he found us at least a couple floors below, “You guys are such pussies!”

We couldn’t help but laugh.

After all said and done, Trey and I ended up at a club until two in the morning, dancing, drinking, and retelling our crazy night to any one who would listen.

Minutes turned to hours, and after a thousand “happy birthday” wishes, Trey decided it was time to do what he thought was funny, when really it’s not—make me open gifts in front of everyone like a five-year-old.

If I were to choose between this and everybody singing happy birthday to me, I’d pick the song—it’s over in like 45 seconds and less painful.

Doing as I’m told, Trey forces me onto the couch while everybody gathers around, forming a circle and placing all the gifts at my feet. There was a barrage of them, both big and small.

“Go ahead, open them,” my bestie told me.

Picking a random one—a medium sized gold glitter bag—I removed tissue paper inside revealing a new stylish leather laptop bag.

“A little birdy told me you were in the market for a new one,” Mira, a friend I’ve come to know through Trey, gently commented.

“And that little birdy was right,” I responded with a smile, appreciative of her gift.

It didn’t take as long as I thought it would to go through all of them. Much of what I got were gift cards to places I love, which was totally fine. I’d rather get something I want versus having to go through the hassle of returning it and feeling bad.

“I think that’s it,” I said, taking one last look around.

“You have one more, from yours truly,” Trey said, placing the back of his hand under his chin making look innocently cute.

“What did you get me?”

Trey enjoys gifting me unconventional items. Last Christmas, he got me a collection of different-sized dildos and a lovely stocking filled with poppers. Still to this day, I’m not sure if the poppers was a gag gift based on our history or if he truly meant for me to inhale away and stretch out my hole.

None of that was going to happen, if that’s the case.

For my last birthday, he told me he was taking me out to dinner and to meet him at the restaurant. He didn’t show up, and in his place was a very handsome stranger who didn’t speak a word of english.

This is why I get so cautious and worrisome about what he gives me.

Trey steps up to me and whips out a white envelope from his back pocket, handing over. I’m sure this is a certificate of sorts—the question was, to what, and did I dare open it in front of everyone?

“You can open it later if you want,” he tells me, knowing that everybody would be curious.

“Maybe I’ll do that then,” I said.

“Open it. Open it. Open it. Open it.” a small chant starts, filling the room.

I shake my head at Trey, who merely responds with a shrug.

“Fine!” I tell everyone.

The room immediately falls silent. All eyes glued to the white unmarked envelope in my hands as I slowly rip open the glued down seam. Inside, I pull out a small white card with nothing on it except for an address and the number thirty-five.

“What does it say?” someone blurted out.

“Nothing really, just this,” I said, passing the card around.

A murmur shifted from one side of the room to the other wondering what any of it meant, including myself.

“What is this?” I asked Trey.

“My lips are sealed. You’ll just have to show up at that address and provide the number at the bottom when asked,” Trey instructed, keeping his response vague as the card.

“So, there’s no chance you’re just going to tell me what this is.”

“Nope.”

Sliding the card back into its sleeve, “Okay, I’ll indulge, but I’m not going to tell you when I go.”

Trey couldn’t help but laugh. I stood shaking my head and pulling him into a hug thanking him for whatever he got me.

The rest of the night, people kept asking about the address, wanting to search it on their phones. They even came up with some outrageous conclusions of what Trey gotten me. It made me wonder if the gift was even real. It’d be like him to pull something of this nature and get people talking about what it could be—making me laugh.

By the time I got back to my place, the clock read 12:01 am. Officially my birthday was now over. I quickly showered, put on some comfy PJs, and hopped into bed, ready for sleep.

My mind had other plans.

All I could think about was that damn card.

Grabbing my phone and the card from my jacket pocket that was laying on the floor, I pulled up Google maps and plugged in the address, only for it to tell me that it exists and it’s thirty minutes away, right near the ocean. The only buildings that exist out there are warehouses. So, the question still remains, what the hell did Trey get me for my birthday?