Synopsis

All Natalie Portal's life she lived with her so called parents.
Her Stepmom runs a bar with the bar being a facade for the
actual reason the building is for.

Her Parents are Traffickers.

Human traffickers. Mostly girls.

But Nat can't tell a soul because they let her live with them...
But everything changes when a Billionaire appears in her life...
In form of her buyer... Nat's stepmom gets into trouble with
some people and she has to pay back a debt.
And at first meeting, she discovered He is a complete Jerk...
A cold hearted, selfish and rude jerk who ends up buying her...
And Yes. Natalie Portal really got sold to The Billionaire Jerk.
Chapter 1
"Where's that good for nothing girl?! Still in bed?!" A woman in
the building yells at her sleeping daughter.
Wrong.
Her Stepdaughter.
The sound of pounding footsteps echoed around the house and
at the same time, the sound of an opening door opens as well.
The person standing by the door looks to be around 19 years of
age with platinum blonde hair which was obviously rudely
taken away from the comfort of the pillow.
"I'm awake. I only had to freshen up and come downstairs."
Natalie explains to her scowling stepmom.
Her Stepmom is obviously looking for faults and reasons to take
her anger out on the poor girl.
Natalie stands at the door earnestly hoping not to get slapped.
Her stepmom takes a once over again and glances into the
room.
She smiles to herself.
She looks down at Natalie and slaps her.
Natalie's hair fly due to the impact of the slap. Her hair cover
her face which has turn bright red
Natalie raises her head back up, looking at her step mom
defiantly, telling her silently to explain to her why she was
slapped today.
What petty reason she got slapped for like every other day.
"How many times did I tell you to lay your bed after you get up
in the mornings? At this rate, nobody will want you for a wife if
after they see all your bad habits." Her stepmom, Eve shouts
harshly at the girl in the front of her.
"I laid it when I got up from bed."
"Then why is it scattered?"
Natalie turns back to look the made bed with only a few creases
by the top left edge.
"It's not scattered. It's just creased in the top side because the
sheet is not big enough for the bed."
"Whose fault is it? You should be happy you're living here after
killing your mum. Work well and your Dad might just decide to
change it for you."
"..." Natalie says nothing in response and just looks at the
ground, hoping Eve will leave her alone or just assign chores
like she always does.
By the next room door stands Gina.
The only person in the entire building who actually looks out for
her.
Gina is one of the girls from a batch of girls that didn't
completely sell out. She was kept behind as worker for Eva and
the bar until the next batch of girls arrive and she can be sold
along with the other girls.
Gina stands by her own door expecting the already in a good
mood Eve in her room next.
Eve seems to be in a good mood every day after the ritual of
slapping Natalie.

After Natalie doesn't respond to Eves rantings anymore, Eve

moves over to Gina.
She looks around and does not pick up any issue in her room.
She steps back and takes a once over on both girls.
"Before you head to the bar downstairs, Natalie, wash last night
dishes and cook breakfast, while Gina, you should clean my
room including the bathrooms and do the dirty laundry by the
door to the room as well. You must be done in two hours so
you can leave together for work in the bar before it opens.".
Eve turns to leave and suddenly turns around, startling both of
them.
"Is that CLEAR?!" She suddenly barks out
"Yes"
"Yes."
Both girls reply immediately to avoid slaps on either of their
faces.
Eve smiles wickedly and goes down the stairs.

The house is a three storey building.

The ground floor for the bar, the first and second floor for the
living quarters and the third and last floor for where trafficking
takes place.
As for Gina, she isn't living there willingly.
She has tried to run away twice before and got caught every
time. The first time she got away with a beating, the second
time, Gina was threatened that her family will be killed if she
runs away so she has no choice to wait it out so she can see her
family again.
Gina and Natalie find comfort in each other as they are always
there for one another.

*Natalie*
Gosh
I think I got away easy this morning. Just one slap.
Just dishes and breakfast too.
Maybe she has been in a good mood and just boosted it by
slapping me.
I have to change my dress and I have to hurry because I have
just two hours to do everything I have and want to do.
I hurriedly change my dress and rush downstairs.
Thank goodness the dishes is not as plenty as the day before.
I get to it and soon enough, I'm done.
I should still have over an hour to go.
A simple breakfast should do.

I hurry over to the drawer and pull out everything I need for a
sandwich, tea bags and instant coffee sachets.
Dad is the only one who drinks coffee in the whole house.

Mum drinks tea and I don't drink either.

Maybe because I have never had the comfort to drink either.
Gosh. I sigh again.
My life sucks so much.
I miss my mum.
She was the nicest woman I've ever had the opportunity to
know. She corrected me gently in a way that I'll think twice
before I offend her.
I lost her when I was in high school.
I'm done with high school now but no opportunity to continue
to the university or college.
I'd have loved to become a police officer so I can raid everyone
involved in human trafficking.
Human trafficking also has its own silver lining because it
brought me the only friend I have now.

Talking of best friends, Gina is taking the clothes to dry out

outside. She sights me and throws me a smile.
I smile back and signal her to hurry up.
We don't want to get on Eve's bad side early in the morning.
It'll be very good if her good mood lasts the whole day.
We might even get to eat dinner.

Gina nods and hurry out. I turn back to pour the boiling water
in the two cups.
The clock in the living room chimes.
Shit!
Two hours gone so fast?!
I haven't even done the sandwiches!
We are so dead!!.
Gina also seemed to have heard the clock chime and rushed
back in with the tub of clothes still in her hands.
She looks at me and I look back at her, fear evident on both our
faces.
Coming down from the top of the stairs, I sight Eve's black head
coming down.
We are really so dead!!.
Chapter 2

Gina also seemed to have heard the clock chime and rushed
back in with the tub of clothes still in her hands.
She looks at me and I look back at her, fear evident on both our
faces.
Coming down from the top of the stairs, I sight Eve's black
haired head coming down.
I hurriedly signal to her to quickly go spread the clothes.
The bathroom can wait one more day but if we get beaten early
this morning, the week is ruined entirely.
She rushes out and I turn back calmly to the tea and coffee I
was stirring.
I put the cups in their places and put the cheese and ham
between the slices of bread.
Just then, the chair opposite me scrapes and Eve takes her seat
in front of me.
It does not seem like she is aware of the time just yet so I don't
give her any reason to suspect that something is wrong.
I can only hope that Gina does not ruin it all because she gets
nervous and scared easily compared to me.
The microwave pings and I place both plates of sandwiches by
the two cups.
Eve still does not say anything but keeps watching my every
move.
I break the silence first.
"I'm going to wash up now. I don't want to be late."
"Why don't you want to be late? Why this change?" She asks
with a smile, a smile that I can't tell the origin of.
Maybe it's a genuine smile or a sly smile, I really can't tell this
time.
I don't say anything and just keep silent like I don't understand
the question.
"Of course. You don't understand. You can go."
I simply nod and go outside to get Gina.
She is done with the clothes but is just too nerve racked to
come inside.
"It's fine. She doesn't suspect a thing. Let's be fast and leave
within twenty minutes."
"I have not washed the bathroom yet. She will find out won't
she?” Gina rambles on, visibly scared and worried
“Don't worry. You'd have washed it before she finds out. We'll
wash it before we go to bed later today. I'll help so it will be
faster. Let's go now." I urge her urgently
She nods and picks up the bowl at her legs.
We walk to our rooms together.
I enter my room and falls on the bed, I'm so exhausted.
Twenty minutes is all I have now. I have to hurry.
*
Twenty fast minutes later, Natalie and Gina are headed
downstairs without breakfast.
They are both dressed casually as they will put on an apron
when they get to the bar anyway.
Eve has always made it clear that a bar wants sexy waitresses
and not bland ones.
Sexy waitresses bring more appeal to the bar and Eve makes
sure they have more than enough skimpy and suggestive
clothes to wear.
Since both Natalie and Gina are quite curvy, the men who visit
the bar always have eyes on either of them whenever they stop
to deliver an order or are walking back to the back to attend to
another customer or get an order.
Natalie most especially, has more back curve than the boobs so
she is usually a centre of attraction whenever she is walking
back to answer an order.
Today, she and Gina dressed as possibly casual yet appealing in
a way that shows their curves and is descent at the same time.
As they are walking down to open the bar, Eve calls them both
from upstairs.
"Will you both go change your clothes NOW?!" She orders
Natalie and Gina freeze where they are.
"You heard me. Gina, go put on that sleeveless top and short I
have you and Natalie... You know what to wear." She barks out
from above the staircase.
Unknown to Natalie and Gina, she had been watching since
they stepped out of their rooms respectively.
Gina hurries up the stairs and disappears into her room almost
immediately.
Natalie takes her time while walking up the stairs.
She finally enters her room and closes the door behind her.

*Natalie*

I sure know what she means when she says I know what to
wear.
There's pretty much only one thing I should wear when she says
that.
I sigh.
I don't always have a choice anyway so I sluggishly walk to my
wardrobe and there lays what I'm to wear.
Like it had been waiting for me to come wear it.
I put it on anyway and step out of the room right into my step
mom's face.
She rudely runs her eyes over my body like a predator which
she actually is.
She smiles to herself and I can see the glee in her eyes.
"You look like the perfect waitress in a bar. A perfect eye
candy." As she speaks, my dad pass by, he looks me over.
"You look perfect darling."
Tears prick at the corner of my eyes at his words.
I expected my Dad to at least stand up for me that the cloth is
too revealing.
My mum just chuckles at his comment and turns back to eyeing
me.
Gina comes of her room looking like a seductive teenager, I
would have preferred that to this a thousand times.
"What are you both still waiting for? To the bar. It's almost time
for my customers to start arriving. Natalie, you'll be the main
waitress for today. Gina, you can just stay by the counter."
Gina and I slowly nod and go down to the bar.
After opening the doors and windows and airing out the place a
little bit.
Gina comes over to me and puts her hand on my shoulder.
"It will be fine. Let's endure it again for today. Don't worry, I'll
serve with you. We'll feel embarrassed together." She says and
smiles to me.
Just then, the bell jingles and the first customer, a group of
people actually, come into the bar.
We stand up immediately and smiles to them like it's our
routine to all customers to smile seductively to them.
The men in the group all has their eyes fixed on me while the
women were dumbfounded.
"She is actually wearing that?!"
"Wow. All to keep a job."
They all enter and take a seat.
Gina walks over and takes their orders.
Between them, I can hear what they are saying clearly.
"Yes. I saw it in an anime once. It's the anime maid dress. The
white and black revealing cosplay for maids in an anime."
They are right.
That's exactly what my step-mom made me wear to work.

Chapter 3

I stood there, hands folded across my half bared chest and

feeling extremely embarrassed.
Gina glances my way with a worried look as she is fulfilling their
orders.
Another group enters with the same expression, only this group
is just three men this time.
Gina is busy so I have to attend to them.
I brush all the looks off and walk to them.
"Welcome to Spicy Bar. Follow me to your seats." I slur my
words and lead them to their seats.
They simply nod as they have eyes fixed on my chest.
I turn around and try to pull the dress up to no avail.
I honestly wish this is the last time I have to go through this
embarrassing moments in clothes like this.
I have to brush it all off though.
Hours later, it is 8pm.
The rush hour has begun and people are trooping in and out of
the building and bar.
A new set of people just came in and I have to take their orders.
Nothing feels new when they gape at me. I've had thousands of
them in one day.
It is a set of three men.
I walk over and take their orders.
One does not say a thing and is in a grey hoodie.
Another man in suit orders for them all.
"Two cups of the bar special and one cup of simple cola"
"Coming right up."
I turn around and leave.
I can feel eyes all over me as I walk back to bring their orders.
While waiting for the bartender to answer me with the cups,
my eyes wander over to the man in the grey hoodie.
Men who use hoodies like that are always creepy.
Suddenly, it almost feels his head is turned my way, I
immediately turn my back to the tables.
It is bad manners to be caught staring at a customer.
"Here's the order for table 7." Gina calls out to me from the
back
I receive the tray of cups and go back to the grey hoodie's man
table.
I drop each cup gently. The Cola goes to the grey hoodie.
As I turn to pass by him to answer another table, His hands
suddenly grab by left hand.
"Aren't you cold in what you are wearing? Or it's simply for
more customers? I won't put it past girls like you anyway." He
says and drops my hand and goes back to slouching like he
never did or said anything.
I straighten up and look around, forcing a smile to not show
how much sting his words held.
Of course, they all think I'm wearing it to attract customers.
I brush the lacy bottom of the dress, stand straight with my
eyes threatening to drop the tears.
A tear falls from my eyes down, so I quickly wipe the other
before it drops.
I walk right by him and answer the table.
Just like I knew the cloth was pretty much breeding trouble for
me.
As I went to drop another order for a table that had been
occupied for a while, a drunk man grabs my hand.
I expected him to say something scalding like the other man did
but he didn't.
His other hands go straight at my butt.
I practically scream.
Every sober and not so sober eyes in the bar turns to our table.
I raise my hand and slap him.
With my eyes on fire, I raise my hand to slap him again but he
catches it.
"Didn't you wear the dress so we can touch what you carry? I
mean?" He says in the typical drunken manner
A murmur of assent and jeers went through the crowd.
I drop my hand and make to leave even after I knew slapping
him once was not enough.
Behind me, I hear another slap.
I wheel around and there stood the suited man from the grey
hoodie's table.
The drunk man got slapped and he has passed out, sprawled on
the table with his face red.
"You should cover your legs ma'am. It's cold out. And change
out of that, it's an eyesore." He says to me and walks back to
his table.
The grey hoodie hadn't moved an inch while it all happened.
I rush out of the bar and bumps into Gina who seemed to have
just come in.
I go to the back of the bar and change my dress into something
much better, a simple jean trouser and casual round neck.
What I had worn before I had gone to change my dress.

*Grey Hoodie*
I sit up after she runs to the back.
She should have done that sooner.
I remove the top part of my hoodie and sips my cola.
"Why did you get involved?" The man in suit, my secretary asks.
"I didn't get involved. You did." That shuts him right up.
I unfold my palm and look into it.
Right in its middle and glistening is a stray tear.
"Let's go. I'm already sick of this place." I order and the other
two stand up.
My secretary walks to the counter to pay our bills while we
wait.
We are almost out of the door when men burst in.
Each one armed with either a hammer, gun or baseball bats.
We three step back into the bar to avoid being hit.
Two men stay by the door, letting no one leave or enter.
What a troublesome bar this is.
Much more than I heard.
One who seems to be the leader of the group walks to the
counter and bangs on it.
"Where's the head? Eve? Get out here?" He yells
He brings his voice down just loud for everyone in the room to
hear
"Her name is just perfect don't you think? Eve? She is really a
daughter of Eve."
From the door behind the counter, someone steps out.
It's the girl from earlier.
The leader's eyes whip over to her.
She's stupid, can't she can't read the room?
The leader of the thugs come down from his place on the
counter and walks over to her.
She seems to have flirted with trouble tonight.
Even the drunk man hadn't woken up yet and another
harbinger of trouble has found her.
I stealthily walk closer to her so I can help out.
I suddenly stop midway and give myself a rethink there.
"What the fuck am I doing helping a simple waitress?" I smack
myself mentally.
The male thug walks up to her and holds her head up with his
bat.
"You're obviously not Eve. What are you wearing? You look like
a beggar. I won't wanna come to this bar if the waitresses dress
like this."
It seems to be a good thing she had gotten out of that garb
from earlier. Because if she still had it on, there is no way she
could have escaped whatever unholy thing was running
through the man’s head.
From behind her trembling body, the door opens and a much
bigger woman steps out. I guess she's the Eve he's asking for.
The thug sees her and pushes the waitress out of the way and
her head is heading right for the counter hard stone.
Out of reflex, I put my hands out and break her fall.
Startled, she looks up at me.
She is quite tempting as well, but I catch myself and drop her
just before she sees my face.
I don't watch to see how she falls, I simply turn and walk out
along with the two others I came with.
I'll be back some other time.
For some very valid reasons.
I don't glance back.
Chapter 4

*Natalie*
I feel so good after changing out of that horrible dress.
I stand there looking at it for a while then a thought crosses my
mind.
I smile and pick up the box cutter not far from me.
I hold the box cutter to the dress and pause momentarily.
This is going to get me in big trouble.
But who gives a fuck? I'm always in trouble anyway.
With all the hatred in my heart for the cloth and the
embarrassing moments I had the entire day, even indirectly
getting called a call girl.
That particular memory fuels my hand and I shred the cloth in
numerous sides so it's not reparable in any way.
When I'm done venting on the dress, I hold it up to see my
handwork.
I smile again with hatred visible in all my being.
Just then, I hear the sound of banging.
I guess the drunk man is awake and I hurriedly step out so I can
stop whatever is going on before I get blamed for it all.
And also to thank the suited man for standing up for me earlier.
I step out right into something else.
It takes my mind a second to react to the atmosphere in the
bar.
There are men, armed men, standing by the door with more
close to the door where I am.
A man who seems to be the lead walks up to me.
I gulp visibly but I don't move an inch so I don't get clobbered
by the bat in his hand.
He reaches me and checks me out.
Thank goodness I had changed out of that dress, things could
have been worse.
"You're obviously not Eve..."
Yeah.
I can't ever be Eve. I have a conscience unlike her.
Just then, Eve emerges from behind me.
There is a staircase in the room behind the door that leads
upstairs.
I guess she came down from there.
Seeing her made the man in front of me push me aside.
Oh God.
At this rate, I'll die.
Maybe my accident will make them close the bar?
Knowing Eve, she will just market the bar by using advantage of
my death so by all means, my death will not be worth anything.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, someone catches me.
Fuck.
Its grey hoodie this time. What is with this man and me?
Curiosity takes over me as I want to see the face hiding in the
hoodie. I lean down ever so slightly and see the lower part of
his face.
Wow. For a jerk, he certainly has nice and well done features. I
jerk out of it but by that time, he coldly drops me to the ground
and walks away.
He is wearing a male fancy shoe.
I am going to remember those shoes anywhere from now on.
I fall down slightly hard but it could have been worse had I
fallen on the counter top.
I simply graze my forehead...
Few seconds later, words from outside filter into my ears
"What's going on here Bint?" Eve questions the man with the
bat
"Ow. Eve… the true descendant of Eve..." Bint jokes and his
men laugh behind him
"What are you doing here disturbing my business?!" Eve shouts
in anger but a held down one, she glances at me and her face
twists into a sneer, she looks back up and her face returns to
Bint.
Did she just sneer at me? After someone looking for her
wounded me?
I say nothing but just get up and take a seat to understand what
is going on and silently nurse my wounds.
"I just feel like it. Why? A creditor can't visit his debtor?"
Eve visibly calms down at the mention of creditor and debtor.
She looks around nervously and gesticulates with her hands at
me to stand up and start working.
"Let's talk about this upstairs. You don't have to disrupt my
business. Follow me up." Eve turns back to Bint and makes to
lead the way.
Bint laughs and she turns around to look at him.
"I have nothing to discuss with you. I want my money by this
time next week." He says to Eve and then turns to face the
customers
"No one will be spared by then..." He finishes with his eyes on
me.
He sizes me up again and I give him a raised eyebrow.
He smiles slyly and faces Eve again.
"I'll stop disrupting your business if you pay me my money. Till
this time next week, once again, we your boys sign out." He
says and gives a mock bow and signals his boys to leave.
They all leave but there are chairs scattered around, Gina
nowhere to be seen and me with a scrape on my forehead.
Eve pretty much just gives me a glance and leaves through the
back door.
I guess I know what to do.
Maybe I can still get dinner tonight.
I get up sluggishly and start arranging the fallen chairs and side
turned tables.
One by one, the customers in the bar began to pay and leave.
Until the last group leaves.
Then I remember I was not able to thank the man in the suit for
helping me, or thank grey hoodie halfly for not watching me die
although he made his mark. I unconsciously run my hand over
the bruise.
I guess I have to keep my eyes peeled to see him again.
If I do.
Gina walks into the bar and helps out with the remaining
arrangements.
I smile and straighten up.
"I have to use the rest room. The one here is broken, I'll use the
one upstairs." I inform Gina
She doesn't say anything and just nods to me.
Is something wrong?
I'll ask when I come back down.
Because right now?
It feels like my bladder is about to burst.
I take the stairs up and running.
I reach the top and enter my room. I quickly do my thing and
head back downstairs.
Passing through the main door, I can hear my parent’s voices in
their room.
I know the people I live with and when something is being
discussed in hush voices, it has important facts in it and it could
concern I or Gina.
I go closer and put my ears on the door.
"We are short of girls. I just heard from Dan. We are short of
two girls."
I don't hear what my Dad says.
"Yes. Two. And without them, this house will be gone by this
time next week. How did we end up owing that much to Ben?
Did you borrow again? Four million dollars?! Are you stupid?!"
"I'm sorry. We needed it bad that time we got Gina." I hear
what my Dad says this time.
"Yesss.... Gina. That's one girl down, we still need one more girl
if we are to pay Ben back."
There is silence for about a minute until Eve speaks up again.
"What about Natalie?"

Chapter 5

After easing myself and sitting down on the bed aimlessly for a
few justifiable minutes, I come out of the room.
On my way down the stairs, I hear voices from my parents
room.
Honestly, a part of me wants to walk away and hope that the
Ben guy destroys the bar. Then I can laze around after all my
chores without being busy 24/7.
All the same, I walk up to the door and I'm not sure if I regret it
after what I hear or not.
"What about Natalie?"
My ears almost pop off.
I've never been at unease like this ever in my life.
Selling me off? To pay a guy like that? And then, people who
buy girls are usually so wicked and mysterious.
Someone I have never met, buying me? The thought brings
shudders to my body and I visibly shake where I stand.
I need someone to stand up for me now.
Ah yeah.
My Dad is there. He will definitely not agree to sell me out, to
an unknown person at that. I'm sure he won't even give it a
second thought. He might be a jerk and a puppet to Eve at
times but not up to the extent of selling his daughter for a bar.
"What? No." He voices out, though a few seconds later which
means he thought of it before responding.
Or maybe he was just surprised and couldn't talk for some
seconds?
"How can you even think of that? Selling Natalie? Who will do
the house chores and make the only coffee I can drink?"
Duh. It's instant coffee he loves so much. I sneer and roll my
eyes.
I sigh in relief and straighten up by back and make to leave
when Eve's voice filters through again.
"We can sell her. I also know how to make that much for you.
And after we pay Ben, we'll have some money left that we can
probably eat out until the next batch of girls come around.
Don't worry darling."
"How can I not? She is still my daughter."
This is the longest my Dad has ever stood up to Eve. I'm almost
proud of him but then...
"She is my daughter too... Well, in a way." She mutters
"You see? You shouldn't sell your daughter no matter what."
It seems like my Dad wins this round.
I won't be sold but I already know there's no dinner for me
tonight unless the impossible happens, and it never does.
I leave the door and walk downstairs so Gina won't be too
worried about me.

*Eve*
Such a spineless man.
Can't even sell his daughter.
If not for the comfortable place he has and the building, I won't
have married him.
That girl.
I'll make sure to give her hell on earth.
She and her Dad are thorns in my flesh.
She's nothing close to what my daughter will be like.
If I have one.
I stand up from the bed and head to the door.
"Fine then. Think about it all the same. She might be the one to
save us from poverty. Who knows how much we might make
on her alone."
"I'm not going to think about selling my own daughter. She's
your daughter too like you said."
"If we sell her, after paying Ben, we'll buy her back." I say and
leave through the door without waiting for an answer.
I guess Natalie is not for sale then.
I'll see to what I can do to pacify Ben when next I see him.
Probably when he comes to break the bar.

*Natalie*
It's past 11pm so I and Gina have to clear the bar, clean up the
cups and dishes in preparation for tomorrow and arrange the
chairs and tables. Also, to lock up and go prepare dinner for
everyone.
Yeah. It sure sounds easy but for someone who has been
working for about 15hours straight, it is not easy.
We sluggishly go about our jobs until we are done.
Gina with her own trouble with being tired, me with the
thought of being sold weighing me down. It's never easy to
bypass whatever Eve wants to do like that.
I really hope my Dad wins that argument but I'll miss Gina.
A lot.
It will be very lonely now that she's leaving. I'm not going to tell
her though.
Hopefully, she might not get sold and if she does, I'm pretty
much the only person who she has to say bye to.
I can only hope she gets sent to a good place unlike this living
hell.
"Let's go up. We are done here." Gina voices out and snaps me
out of my thoughts
"Okay." I smile at her and let her lead the way.
Climbing the stairs up is another torture on its own.
Really.
We both stagger up the stairs while holding the stair railings so
we won't fall down as the staircase is very narrow.
We finally get upstairs and looks at each other.
Our faces are flushed and our ears are red. Terribly red.
We look at one another for another second and both burst into
laughter at our own faces.
The laughter is refreshing compared to the entire day.
We both hold each other up so we can still stand.
"We still have a darned bathroom to do." Gina reminds me
"Oh shit." I say and we burst into laughter again.
We stagger to the kitchen area and start making dinner.
Dinner is usually tangible unlike the simple bread and
sandwiches they eat in the morning.
Talking about breakfast, all we have both eaten today is the
untouched leftovers from the customers.
It's really starting to take it's toll on us these days.
Gina looks frail and older than she originally is and I can't even
see my own body but I know I have lost my looks.
My dimple especially.
Unconsciously, I tap where my dimple is supposed to be and
press it in and in the process, get pepper on my face.
Gina sees the pepper and laughs out loud.
"You have pepper on your face." She stutters amidst her
laughter and removes it for me.
She looks into my eyes and though her lips are still smiling, her
eyes aren't anymore.
They look deeper than what a smile in the eyes can be.
I hold her gaze there until...
"God knows when Dinner will be ready tonight. In 20 minutes
or no dinner for you both..." Eve shouts from the stairs
We break our eyes and go back to what we were doing.
"Gina. To my room now." Eve says finally and leaves
Gina looks worried and glances at me. I guess the time has
come for her to know she'll be leaving soon.
I hold in whatever it is I feel and smile at her in reassurance.
Chapter 6
Gina smiles back and sadness flashes through her eyes for a
split second.
She gently drops the knife in her hands and go up to Eve's room
as ordered.
Once in, she closes the door behind her and does not move an
inch with her head also facing down.
Eve sizes her up and down.
"Are you a virgin?"
Gina is taken aback but does not raise her head all the same.
"Yes." She replies in a low voice
"Good then. You'll be wearing a white this Saturday. You'll be
leaving with other girls."
Gina finally raises her head and looks at Eve straight.
"I'll be leaving? To where?" She questions
"Like you don't know. You're leaving with whoever buys you.
Go pack your things. Saturday is just a little over twenty four
hours away. You have a day. Wear the same white you wore
back then. If it's too small, let me know. You should at least
look pretty if you want a better chance at survival."
Gina contemplates getting down and begging Eve to let her stay
but does not. She stands there like a steel rod has been fixed in
her knees.
"I'm done with you. Leave." Eve waves her hand at Gina,
signaling her to get out of the room.
Gina snaps out of it and drags her weak legs out.
Outside the door stands Natalie. She looks very apprehensive.
Gina stops and looks at Natalie for a full minute before bursting
into tears.
"I'm getting sold..." She says amidst heavy tears
Tears gather in Natalie's eyes too but she holds them in. Nat
crying won't solve anything but only aggravate Gina's tears.
Natalie hugs Gina and they stay there until Gina's tears lower
down to sniffling.
Natalie follows Gina to her room and sits her down.
"I'll go finish dinner and bring yours ok?" Natalie says to Gina
and leaves the room. Giving Gina more room to cry to herself or
do whatever she wants to.