Saved by a CEO

6

I stare at the ceiling, feeling nausea with each movement I make. I swallow all my pained questions towards Lana, who’s lightly snoring in the bed next to mine.  I sigh thinking about why everyone else is here and how everyone got hard feelings towards Lana after what she said. Jason is her brother. Why did she never tell us?  We don’t know.  And why Jason didn’t handle her as a sister, we also don’t know.  She completely cut us off when we started to ask questions, saying it’s for a later time.  With suspicious eyes, Lilly started to speak about why she’s here.

“My dad abused me.  It’s better here than there.” She raised her shoulders as if it isn’t a big deal.

“What about a foster home?” Sarah asked the same why she kept on questioning Lana.

“My first two foster homes,” she looks down and shakes her head, “nah.”

We all just nod, trying our best to understand.

When Sarah started to speak, I listened intently.I always wanted to know why she’s here as she’s here as she’s the oldest of us all.

“My husband was in a car accident.  He was in a coma for almost four months.” I can see her starting to tear up, “I don't know what else to do, to cover all his expenses. To keep him alive.” She grits her teeth.  When we rub her back, trying to comfort her.  When I think she’s done speaking she starts again, with a deep breath.

“When my husband woke, he hated me and I didn’t know what else to do.  Now he stills hates me and want nothing to do with me.” She starts crying fully.  I swallowed as I felt so much sorrow for her.  Now she’s pregnant with Jason’s child, as she said. 

I feel neglected.  Two of the other girls and I didn't get the chance to tell our stories. I didn’t mind, as I always cried like a baby just thinking about it.

I close my eyes and try to calm myself.  I need to sleep, but my mind keeps traveling to the far ends in tight knots.  When I hear Lana’s snoring stops I grab the opportunity.

“Lana?”

“Mmm?” She’s awake.  I sit up and make my eyes used to the dark to see her shadowy outline.

“Are you awake?” I ask just to make sure she isn’t in a dreamy state.

“Yeah.” She pulls herself up as well and rubs her eyes.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask, hoping this won’t let her down.

“Tell you what?”

“About Jason?”

She sighs and I can see her looking up, not being in the mood to talk about it.

“I didn’t know how.”

“But it’s me.” I say.  She knows she can trust me and I know I can trust her.

“It’s not like you ever told me what’s going on in your life.”

“But it’s different.  Jason is your brother.  We live with him. Like why? Why?  Why would a brother do this to a sister.”  I speak up, not understanding the whole situations

“I know.  I don’t understand either.”

“How?”

“Let’s just say he’s evil.  He doesn’t care about family or blood.” Her voice becomes hard ad I can hear so much hate in her voice.

“You’re parents like that as well.”

“Yeah.  They raised us that way.  And Jason took it to heart.  And we didn’t.”  The ‘we’ is probably referring to her and her sisters.  Who’s doing all the shitty things.

“So, do you have a choice to be here?” I feel nervous to hear her answer.

“No.” She squeezes the word through a lumpy throat.

“I’m sorry.” I say, not knowing what else to say.

“Unless I murder  Jason.” She says and I bite my lips.  Murder Jason.  I remember her telling me words of killing Jason, but I didn’t think she meant it.

“Well, that’s not an option.” I say, wondering if she will agree with me.

She stays silent for a moment before she says, “It can be.”

Okay. She is serious about it.  I gulp all my gathered spit and feel an anxiety sweat form on my skin.  Has she really had all these thoughts all along?

“So you kill Jason and then you're a puppet for your parents? Then they’ll approve of you?”  I ask, stating the obvious.

Through the dark shadows I can see her heads move up and down, “But we overcome them.  We figure out all their ways, so that we can ruin them, just like they ruin us.”  I swipe my tongue over my teeth, wondering what she means by ‘we.’

“But it’s not going to make you a better person by doing the same as they do.”

“I don’t care about all that bullshit.” She stands from the bed and stalks up and down in the small space. “There’s so many others out there. Others like us.  Who is being pulled in this. Some unwillingly.  Some think it’s their only hope.  So people like my parents and brother use us as an opportunity.  A hopeless little girl, so that they can grow.  But we all know that there are other options.  There is.”

I sigh. Maybe she’s right.  But other options seem so hard and too time consuming.  And when you start,it’s like there’s no way out.  You’re already so deep in and you feel helpless.

“What are you suggesting?” I ask.

“I’m not suggesting anything, I’m just sick and tired  of all this.” She flaps her arms around in the air with force.

I stay silent for several minutes.

“When I was little, I think I killed a guy.”

“What?” Lana asks loudly, so I put my finger to my mouth and shush her.  She might wake the other girls and I don’t want them listening in on our conversation.

“You killed a guy?” She whispers, with so much surprise and shock.

“I’m not sure, but I remember seeing his eyes.  They we’re open and unmoving like dead person’s.”  I think about how I ran away from the guy I hit with a rock, holding tightly on the boys hand.  The scene still haunts me, wondering if that guy is still out there, alive or if I killed him.

“Really?  How?”

“I hit him with a rock two times.”

“Well that can’t be too bad.”

“Yeah but I hit him here.” I point to the side of my head, “Very hard,  And he just fell down.”

She nods and I can see her in a deep thinking mode.

“Why though?”

I lick my lips, “He was about to hurt a friend.” Actually a stranger who stood up for me.  Who protected me.

“How old were you.”

“Ten.” It feels ridiculous saying how old I was.   I was ten and I might have killed a man.

“Wow.” Lana says with a hint of confusion in her voice.  She probably wants to ask more questions but she stays quiet.

“We’re going to sleep?” I suggest and she nods jumping back in her bed.

Just when I lay back and close my eyes a voice intrudes our silence.

“What are you doing?” The lights go on.  Oh no.  It’s Jason.  Lana gives me a look of annoyance, as we try to adjust our eyes with the bright light.

“What are you doing.” He asks again, “It’s time to go.”  He looks at us in disgust.

“Get ready.” He throws each of us an outfit and it feels like I want to start crying. I’m really not feeling for it tonight.

“I will meet you in ten minutes at the van.” He shouts and leaves the room. I sigh and climb of my bed.

“Really?” Lana says with irritation.  I quickly took off my pajamas and put on the T-shirt, black stockings and very short jean shorts he gave me. I frown.  This is the most clothes I’ve ever worn in forever. Even Lana eyes me weirdly with her black lace lingerie.  I take the hand mirror laying on the floor next to my bed and start to apply make-up, knowing that the bathroom is going to be full.  I I don’t know how to make my hair,so I adjust it into two ponytails.  I make sure to perfectly cover up my birthmark on my arm.

“Read?” Lana asks half heartedly.  I nod and follow her with the other girls towards the van.

“I was sleeping so deep.” Lilly says with a yawn afterwards.  Her thin pale body is covered in a scarlet bra and panty and she quickly knots her silky gown as step outside.

“I'm really over this.” Lana comments in my ear as she opens the van’s door and I know she has a deeper meaning in words.

“You all in?” Jason asks and we all nod.  He starts the engine and speeds off.

“Did you eat all your food today?” He asks and we all eye each other with nervous expressions.

“Yes!” Lilly quickly answers.

“Customers are complaining.”  We frown.

“They say you’re too thin, and they want more curves.”  What bullshit.

I sigh just like Lana who’s sitting next to me. Why can’t they just accept what they get.

“Well everyone has different tastes, so not everyone can like curves.”  Lilly says and we all frown at her.  She has some guts on her.

“More money.” Jason replies and I feel relieved that he doesn’t get angry and lash out on us.  Lilly rolls her eyes at us and we all feel the same aura as she does.

“So things are going to change a little bit.” Jason says and we all stay quiet.  I don’t feel like hearing all his changes on us as if we’re just things.

When the car stops we all hop out taking the keys from Jason’s giving hands.  I clench my teeth wondering if I’m going to have one of the bald or blonde man us customers. Just as I take the key from Jason and turn away from him he grabs my wrist.  Oh no. I look at him with big questioning eyes.

“Make it worth it.” I swallow at his words.

“What?”  I even feel too scared to just ask what.

“This is your last night here. With us.” I jerk my head backwards.  What does he mean?  Am I going to be free now?

He nods at me and climbs back in the car,making me stand like a statue.  This is my last night here. I frown.  Did he have enough of me? What about mom.  Maybe she died and he doesn’t have to pay her fees anymore.  I shudder at the thought.  Why now?  Why all of a sudden.  Why can’t he just give me more answers. Why can’t I just speak up and ask.  

“Hey.” I hear Lana call, standing in front of her room door. I see Lilly already taking a man in so I rush towards my door, passing Lana.

“What was that about?” She asks.

“I don’t know.” I say, my lips quivering.  I don’t understand.

“Well, what did he say.”

“He said that this is my last night here.”  I stare ahead trying to make way in my mind.  Lana frowns, obviously feeling confused with me.  She swipes her hands through her hair and looks behind me.

“We’ll talk later.” She says hurriedly and goes inside her room.  I do the same, feeling emptiness in my soul, just like the room with just a bed.  This is my last night here.  Weird.

I try to keep my composer and wait five minutes before I hear a light knock on the door.  I breathe in deeply and open the door.

“Cameron.” My eyes light up.

“Hello.” He says and all my bad emotions slowly fades away.  All of a sudden I feel happy and my heart leaps in joy.

“How are you doing?” He asks, his voice like warm honey sliding on a thick and crispy waffle.

“I’m doing good thank you.” I give him a bright smile, “What about you?”

“I’m good.” He says.

I eye his dark clothing , making him look like a complete bad biker boy. He swipes his hand through his dark hair and he clenches his teeth and Ican see the outline of his sharp jawline.  I lick my lips and feel shy seeing him checking me out as well.  Oh no.  Why is he checking me from under his eyes? No. I’m not going to think of him as one of the usual men that only comes here for one thing.  BUt what is he doing here in the first place?

“What are you doing here?” I cross my arms over my chest and sit on the bed.

“What do you mean?” He asks with a small smile playing on his face.

“Why are you here and not?” I don’t know how to say s*x in front of me.  I don’t want to give him ideas.

“Not wanting s*x?”  He asks with a smirk.  I nod, hoping that he’s not hoping to do it now.

He lifts his shoulders, “That’s sick man.”

“Then why?”

“I’m looking for someone.”

“Looking for someone?”

“Yeah, it’s a long story, but I would never pay to have s*x with someone.”

“So why are you here for the second time?”

“Cause I like your vibe.” butterflies erupt in my stomach.

He likes my vibe.

It feels like the first that someone likes me not just for my body and s*x.  I try not to give him googly eyes and realize that tonight might be the last time I’ll ever see him..