CHAPTER 1

"Girl, you're crazy!" 

Andrea let out a soft laugh as she noticed the look of utter disbelief on her friend, Emily's face. Emily was her best friend. As a matter of fact, her only friend and she shared everything with her. Including her plan to go kinky with her fiance. Emily stared at her friend like there were horns growing out of her head. She moved closer to the edge of the bed where Andrea sat. "I cannot believe that you are the one actually saying this!"

                                                                   

"Well..I was just thinking that it was high time I made a move, a leap of faith or something like that." Andrea started shyly. Her brown eyes boring into Emily's own, begging for a sign of validation, maybe begging for any sign at all. "You know that I'm not really the flirty type and you know how much the mere thought of a roleplay and cosplay kinda kinks cringes me the fuck out.. I'm honestly very nervous."

"I know..I know!" Emily squealed even more, completely paying zero attention to Andrea's nervousness. Not that she loved Andrea any less or she did not care about her, she was just too engrossed in what Andrea had said earlier. "Tell me everything, what you are going to do and do not dare leave out any details."

Andrea broke her eye contact with Emily and took in a deep breath as she tried to steady her nerves. She couldn't understand why she was suddenly so tense, she could hear the sound of her heartbeat.

                                                                   

"So.." Andrea began slowly, intentionally taking her time as she knew fully well how impatient Emily was. Emily remained calm and was surprisedly patient, though her face said otherwise and revealed how she could hardly contain her excitement. "You know Mark has a thing for superheroes right?"

"Yes.. that's why you guys only watch superhero movies whenever you both go to see a movie."

"Exactly! He loves it so much, even I don't know why he's obsessed with it." Andrea complained with a slight frown evident on her face. She and Mark have never seen a romantic movie together or even just a normal romcom, or anything at all besides superhero movies. She recalled one time when she was riding the bus home and she overheard the kids behind her arguing about superheroes, she had to fight her inner demons not to chirp in on their conversation and look like some weird lady who has forgotten that she's too old for such conversation, just because she had seen almost if not all the superhero movies ever made and that was all thanks to Mark, her fiance.

"Hey!" Emily snapped her fingers impatiently, drawing Andrea attention back to the matter at hand and reality. "Back to earth little miss cosplay, you still haven't given me the full gist of everything."

"Okay fine fine, here's what I'm thinking," Andrea started again, her voice gaining confidence with each word. "Mark has a thing for superheroes, especially Batman. He's so damn crazy for Batman, he literally has every collection or anything at all that relates to Batman. He even calls his room the Bat cave." She paused, shook her head and let out a small laugh before she continued. "So I thought, why not surprise him by dressing up as Cat woman?"

Emily's eyes widened in delight, her hands flew to her mouth as she stared at Andrea. "Who are you and what have you done to my friend?" It felt like she was just meeting the person before her for the very first time.

"Hi I'm a new and improved version of your dear best friend, nice to meet you." Andrea said playfully, stretching out her right hand for a handshake.

"Well hello new and improved version of my best friend, nice to meet you too!" Emily responded with a laugh as she shook hands with Andrea.

"But I'm a little worried that the plan might not work."

"What? Your idea is beautiful, brilliant, magnificent..is there any other word to use to describe it?"

"Perfect?"

"Yes baby, just perfect. Oh my goodness, it's so brilliant!"

"You think so?"

"Do I think so? I don't think so, I know so! He is going to absolutely love it."

"You think he will love it?"

"Trust me, he will." Emily nodded excitedly, personally she knew how much men loved when their women dresses up just for them and not just any type of dress up, they love it when the ladies dress up just the way they liked it.

"The truth is," There was a sad and distant look in Andrea's eyes, she let out a long sigh before she continued. "We have become so comfortable with each other that it's now suffocating. Sometimes it feels like we are both just familiar strangers about to get married."

"Oh my God.." Emily murmured and wrapped her hands around Andrea as she pulled her in for a warm embrace.

"It's so hard." She blinked repeatedly, trying to fight the tears stinging her eyes and threatening to fall out. It had started out slowly, one cancelled date turned to two and then three and then holiday plans were cancelled, too busy with work, too busy to take calls or return them. At first it was hard but they had both gotten too comfortable with the bridge and gap in their relationship that it ended up becoming the usual norms.

"Everything is going to be fine, you just have to be strong. You both used to be such love birds, but you both also had your careers to pursue that doesn't mean that Mark no longer loves you. He loves you more than life itself."

"Emily, you do not seem to understand," Andrea freed herself from the hug and locked eye contact with Emily. "The spark is gone."

"Spark? What spark?"

"We no longer do it." Andrea said in an almost whisper, her eyes darting anywhere but Emily's.

"Do what?" Emily asked mischievously, feigning the beautiful art of innocent cluelessness. She knew how shy Andrea could get and she wanted to just taunt her a little to brighten up her already ruined mood.

"Come on Emily," She eyed Emily suspiciously, her eyes scanning Emily's face for a sign of mischief. She noticed the twinkle in Emily's eyes and how she was fighting hard to hold in her smile. 

"I honestly have zero idea of what you're talking about."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. I can't remember the last time we did it, even when we actually did it which has been so long, it was really boring. It felt more like a chore, like some kind of responsibility."

Emily burst out laughing, unable to contain herself any longer. Andrea's serious expression was too much for her to handle. "Oh, Andrea, you crack me up!" Emily said between giggles. "I thought you were talking about something serious, but you're just referring to…sex. So all of these is because someone is horny?"

Andrea blushed deeply, feeling embarrassed and exposed. Her face was as red as a lobster. "Yeah, I know it sounds silly, but it's true. Our physical connection has gone down the drain, and I miss the hot passion we used to have."

Emily's laughter subsided, and she took Andrea's hands in hers, her expression turned serious, she understood how much Andrea loved Mark. "Look girl, relationships go through ups and downs, and it's completely normal to experience lulls in intimacy. But that doesn't mean the spark is gone forever. You and Mark just need to find a way to reignite it. You understand me right? Get freaky tonight baby girl."

Andrea sighed, her gaze fixed on their joined hands. "I know you're right, Emily. It's just that sometimes I worry that we've lost touch with each other. We're so focused on our careers and other aspects of our lives that we've neglected the most important part—the connection between us."

Emily nodded in understanding, her messy black hair bouncing with each movement of her head. "It happens to the best of us, Andrea. But the fact that you're willing to go the extra mile and plan this surprise for Mark shows that you still care deeply about your relationship. And that's a good sign, you're doing great girl."

Andrea smiled weakly. "I hope so. I just want us to feel that excitement again, that sense of adventure we used to have."

"Well, dressing up as Cat woman might just be the start you need," Emily said as she placed a soft kiss on Andrea's forehead "But remember, it's not just about the costume. It's about the effort and intention behind it. Show Mark that you still want to explore new things together, that you're open to trying new experiences. That's what will reignite the spark."

Andrea nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope. "You're right, Emily."

"Exactly!" Emily exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Now, let's brainstorm some ideas to make this surprise truly unforgettable. Talking about cosplay, do you have a costume?"

Andrea grinned mischievously. "Funny you should ask. I may or may not have already bought a Cat woman custom online. It's been tucked away in my closet, waiting for the perfect moment."

Emily clapped her hands, unable to contain her excitement any longer. "This is going to be epic, what's the time? Shouldn't you be on your way?"

"Well I should, I don't want him to come back from his conference before I get there, so yeah, I need to get ready."

"You're so lucky to have me Andrea! I'll make you look so damn sexy…oh I can see it already!" Emily screamed excitedly. 

Andrea and Emily spent the next hour preparing for the surprise. Emily rummaged through Andrea's closet, pulling out various pieces of clothing and accessories to create the perfect Cat woman costume. She had an eye for fashion and a knack for putting together stunning outfits, so Andrea trusted her completely.

As Emily worked her magic, Andrea couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. The anticipation of seeing Mark's reaction to her surprise was both thrilling and daunting. 

Finally, after carefully selecting each element of the costume, Emily stepped back to admire her handiwork. Andrea stood before the mirror, completely transformed. The skin-tight black suit clung to her curves, accentuating her figure in all the right places. The sleek black boots added an air of power and confidence to her ensemble. The final touch was a whip, coiled at her side, completing the Cat woman look.

"Oh my gosh, Andrea, you look incredible!" Emily exclaimed, her eyes wide with awe.

Andrea blushed, feeling a surge of self-assurance. "Thank you, Emily. I need to be on my way!" With that she hurriedly rushed out of the apartment and into her car, in a split second she was already on the road and on her way to Mark's apartment.

Arriving at the apartment complex, Andrea found a parking spot and quickly made her way to the elevator. Each passing floor filled her with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. She could hardly contain her excitement, her heart pounding in her chest as she reached Mark's floor.

Taking a deep breath, she walked down the hallway and stood in front of Mark's door. She retrieved the spare key from her small bag and unlocked the door. She saw that the lliving room lights were turned on so she knew he was prolly already home, which disappointed her a bit but she brushed it aside. 

She headed for his room but suddenly stopped when she got to the door. She could hear faint sounds coming from his room, it sounded like someone moaning. Her heart sank as she prayed deeply inside of her that she was just 

hearing things or maybe he was watching an adult movie. 

Andrea carefully turned the doorknob and pushed the door open, ensuring that it didn't creak. However, the scene that unraveled before her shattered her heart like fragile glass and tore at her soul. Her gaze fell upon the bed and there was Mark deeply entangled with another woman, completely oblivious to what was happening around him. Her trembling hands flew to her mouth, trying to stop the gasp that threatened to escape her quivering mouth. Overwhelmed by shock, she swiftly made her way out of the apartment, ensuring her presence remained unnoticed.

Outside, she fell to the floor and closed her eyes as she tried to steady her racing heart. She retrieved her phone and composed a precise yet detailed break up text and sent it to him. She took one last look at the apartment as she gathered herself up and summoned the strength to walk away. Her steps were steady but her heart was in chaos. How could Mark do this to me? Haven't I been faithful enough? she continuously questions herself.