Amanda's life had taken a turn she hadn't expected.
It wasn't anything dramatic on the outside. No one would notice any change other than a small piercing and a delicate pepper-shaped tattoo.
But on the inside...
It was as if something had awakened.
Edu, her neighbour — a decade younger — understood her in a way that baffled her. He listened. He joked around. He was present. Ironically, this was something she had never demanded of her husband... because he simply never tried.
And that hurt to admit.
Getting the piercing was impulsive. Getting the tattoo was daring. She always said she was "too old" for these things.
But when she saw Edu's expectant gaze, that proud and sincere smile...
Something in her wanted to let herself go.
It was addictive to feel seen.
Arriving home after shopping, she dropped her things on the sofa and went straight to the shower. The hot water fell on her shoulders as she relived the day.
The laughter. The teasing. His hand holding hers. The way he said, "It's perfect."
She got out of the shower exhausted, put on something comfortable and fell into bed.
Sleep came almost instantly.
Usually, her dreams were disconnected blurs. Random, meaningless images.
But that night was different.
She was in the hallway of the building.
Alone.
The lift door opened... and it was Edu who stepped out.
He smiled in that light, carefree way. He walked towards her as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
In the dream, she didn't think about the age difference. She didn't think about her husband. She didn't think about right or wrong.
She just felt lust...
He reached out his hand.
He grabbed my hair and made me kneel.
"What are you doing?" I asked, trying to hide the anticipation in my voice.
"I'm putting you where I always wanted you to be: at my feet." Then he started to unzip his trousers. I already had an idea of his size; I'd seen him get hard while I teased him, and he's big. He takes it out, almost hitting my face. I take it in my hand and feel it throbbing. It makes my mouth water when I'm about to put it in my mouth, and then I wake up.
The room was dark. My heart was racing.
I stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, trying to understand why that dream had been so vivid.
So real.
I ran my hand over the small piercing, then over the newly made tattoo. Then I did something I hadn't done in years: I masturbated.
A sigh escaped me.