Not enough money

[teasingSophie]

Life was hard on those days. At least for me. And no one seemed to understand my problems. Let me give you a rapid history of it all. With my parents having died when I was 18 and beginning my studies, it was a real turn down of events. Nobody could help, I had no family, and I suddenly needed money. What I inherited helped me for a couple of months, but I was soon forced to get a part-time job besides classes. This was working in a fast-food restaurant. Stupid job that I hated, but there was nothing else for me. And besides I needed money for the rent, for my clothes, for my transportation, for my books, and simply to eat. God, the studies grew expensive, with the need of a laptop and so on.
As time passed, I went to betting on the hope to get more money. Although I did win once or twice a couple of bucks, I most often lost it all. And there came those men, the ones asking me about my debts and the money that I had to give back for the bets. And as the studies grew harder, I had to work all night on them. Less sleeping, I failed some exams, and had to redo a lot of thing, making again same year. And there I was asleep at work and fired. It seemd that I was stuck in a whirl of damnation. Each week something went even more bad than before. God damn it, I was so short on money. I found myself crying on the doorstep of my landlord. I was sobbing each evening on my bed. I saw my clothes getting in less good shape as I couldn't afford new ones. My life was falling into pieces.
These were the last 3 years in fact, today I'm 21 and I think everyday about changing my way of life. I have thought about many ways of getting a bit more money. I even thought about those websites, but didn't have the courage till now. But I learned how to set it on and use the webcam. Some friends told me about escorting as I'm told to look cute, but I can't stand it (and I don't hae the clthes for). I don't wanna touch the bottom, I wanna raise up from there and find a ncie life again...


OOC :
Eva Sanders
21 years old

http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lo6zn0tDUC1qmzekbo1_500.jpg

The thread's closed to MisterBigBucks, at least for its beginning. Who knows where it may lead us and if we'll have to invite some friends....

 

[MisterBigBucks]

The landlord simply stared at the wad of bills in the man's hand. "I ... don't understand. Are you here boyfriend?"

Carter shook his head. "Does it matter?"

The old man looked between his newest tenant and the cash, shrugged, and answered, "I guess not. I just don't--" A smirk spread across his face. "Are you, ya'know..."

The man made an indecent gesture.

Carter repeated, this time a bit more harshly, "Does it matter?"

The landlord's smile faded quickly. Carter wasn't a small man, and the landlord's first interaction with him a couple of weeks earlier had been explaining to the cops that the two men groaning and writhing on the sidewalk had attacked Carter, and not the other way around like one of the muggers was portraying.

"Are you going to take this or not?"

The landlord snatched the money and stuffed it into the pocket of his stained bath robe. "You want a receipt?"

"Of course I do."

The man went into his apartment and a few minutes later returned to hand Carter a yellow slip of paper. "There you go, and I just wanna say--"

Carter leaned in menacingly; the landlord's mouth remained open, but no words were coming out. "The next time I see a female tenant pleading to you for some leniency on rent ... and your gaze drops to her ass as she walking away ... I'll remove those eyes with a ball point pen."

The landlord's eyes widened; he backed into his apartment and slowly closed the door. Beyond, the half dozen locks and chains clicked quickly into place.

Carter turned away and headed immediately for the apartment in the corner, knocking solidly. When the young woman answered, Carter offered out the receipt. "I was wondering, Eva ... would you like to have dinner with me. Oh--" He thrust his hand out and smiled broadly. "I'm Carter. Carter Price."

 

[teasingSophie]

On that evening, I was sobbing on my couch. Alone. No TV to watch as I had to seel it. I wasn't surfing or working on my computer. I was simply looking at that letter. A threatening one. From some bookmaker I had a deal with. Seemed he was tired of aksing my money back and had handed the case to his sidekick. The letter let me know that the tough guy would be here two days from now and that I had to return the money at that moment. The threats implied but not written frankly on the paper made me shiver. I didn't had the first penny of that sum on money. Many thoughts ran in my mind. I wondered if I could just go to the bookmaker and find a way around. maybe there would be some way to arrange this. I was afraid... really..

I jumped when someone knocked at my door. I dried the tears from my eyes and went to look through the hole in the door... Who was that guy? Oh yeah, the new neighbour. I wondered about not answering because I wasn't in the mood. Then I thought it would be better to have good relationships with my neighbours ; at least with them. I breathed deeply, tried to regain some composure, brushed my clothes straight and opened the door, giving him the best smile I could find.
There he was standing, and before I could even say "Hello", he was handing me a receipt. I recognized the writing of that damned fucking perv landlord. I watched with bewildered and wide opened eyes as I saw that all my previous months and the one to come had been paid for. Then I slowly looked up to my neighbour's face. I gulped. I couldn't say a thing.

"I was wondering, Eva ... would you like to have dinner with me. Oh-- I'm Carter. Carter Price."

I took his hand slowly and let him shake it gently. I was still staring into his eyes... I tried to say something but only an horrible sobbing sound came out. My mind was racing wild and freely. Trying to catch any sense in all this. What was going on?

 

[MisterBigBucks]

"I was wondering, Eva ... would you like to have dinner with me. Oh-- I'm Carter. Carter Price."

She took my hand with hesitance, or uncertainty, I wasn't sure. A guy you don't know pays your rent, then asks you out; how are you going to react? You're gonna think, he wants something. Well ... duh!

Even before she released my hand, she began to break down, trying to conceal it but failing. It was sad to me, actually. Not necessarily because I hated to see women cry, but because I hated to see Eva's beautiful hazel-green eyes turning red from it all. A woman that attractive shouldn't be crying ... unless, I muse, it's 'cause I just gave you the best orgasm of your life, and sex from here out will just be a disappointment.

"Hey, hey, it's gonna be alright," I told her, using my most compassionate tone. I took her hand into both of mine, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "Trust me, I've been there--"

I cut my words off sharply. I didn't want her to know just exactly how much I know of her situation. Too early, Carter. Not the time.

"Eva ... it is Eva, isn't?" I asked unnecessarily. I know all about the girl: age, height, weight; where she came from, why she's in the city, what happened to her folks; and I knew about her gambling habits, too, and the borrowing because of them that's led her to this place in her life. I knew it all ... but that's my secret, and my strength. Time to use your strengths, Carter, I reminded myself. "I heard the landlord--" I leaned in with a knowing smile and told her softly, "Kind of a dick..." Secretly, of course, the man is doing me a favor, pressuring Eva about the rent. I returned to height again, finishing "I heard him call to you once. Eva ... I like that. Anyway, have dinner with me, please. I had a couple of coupons that were gonna expire so I used them. I've got enough Thai food on my kitchen table to feed most of Southeast Asia."

I gave a little tug on her hand, urging her into the hall. "C'm'on ... I won't bite. The fried pork, yes ... you, no."

(OOC -- If she goes without question, you can go ahead and write them ascending the stairs to the second floor, and I will respond accordingly once there. His apartment is directly above hers. If she doesn't, then I will respond accordingly anyway, won't I?

 

[teasingSophie]

All this pressure, everything, a coupld of tears came again in my yes as I was trying to answer him. He took my hand in both of his. Large, strong hands, but that could be really gentle.


"Hey, hey, it's gonna be alright. Trust me, I've been there--"

I looked into his eyes. How could he know where I was? How could a man like him be there? But I saw the truth in his eyes, I saw how sincere he was.

"Eva ... it is Eva, isn't?"
- Yes, yes, that's it...

I looked sideways besides my door. There was my name on a little paper there. Of course he knew my name. I smiled. My fears, my paranoia, that was too much. It was easy to know my name, if only you know to read.
His words about the landlord made me smile. How true that was. Such a lazy stupid perv fucking naughty douchebag!

"Anyway, have dinner with me, please. I had a couple of coupons that were gonna expire so I used them. I've got enough Thai food on my kitchen table to feed most of Southeast Asia."

And there I laughed a bit. A nervous laugh. Kind of a relief after all the tense moments. Being thus invited by a tall handsome man. After all this. AT least this could only change my mind. I thought for a second if a yes wouldn't be taken as me being an easy girl. Well, he inivited me for dinner. And he seemed a gentleman. Surely he wasn't thinking of more ; at least not for that first time.

"C'm'on ... I won't bite. The fried pork, yes ... you, no."

- OK, ok, just let me get my keys.
I went inside my appartment, moved around in the rooms. I made a quick detour by the restrooms, looking at myself in the mirror, drying away the last tears, taking my best smile, rearranging my clothes. These were no clothes ot be invited by a handsome man. But at least won't give him a wrong idea about me. I had a pair of wide black sport trousers and a grey tank top. Then I grabbed my keys and followed him in the hall.

We went upstairs, his flat being just above mine. I tried to remind myself if I had once or twice put the music too loud or done something that could have upset him. But nothing came, I was surely a good neighbour.

- So this is where you live, Carter...?

 

[MisterBigBucks]

I hesitated after unlocking the door, turning to say, "I, um ... did a little bit of remodeling. I hope the noise wasn't a hassle."

I pushed the door open and made my way in, this time without hesitation. I smiled to himself, wanting to turn back and see her reaction to what I'd called a little bit of remodeling, but didn't. Give her a moment ... see what happens, I told myself.

I'd looked at several apartments in the building before selecting this particular one, so I knew that they were all pretty much the same: old structural brick, 1940's era design, peeling wall paper, and warping paneling. My partner in crime -- literally and figuratively -- had laughed with disbelief when I'd told him I was moving in to this part of town, and laughed even harder when I should him the apartment the day I moved in.

"What the fuck is going through your head?" he'd asked, shaking his head. "You can afford better!"

"I can," I'd told him. "But if I want to continue to afford better in the future, I need to make money ... and there's money to be made here."

He'd known what I meant, of course. Financially depressed neighborhoods like this were rife with people willing to do things most people wouldn't normally do if it meant keeping their car or not crying to mama for a couple of dollars.

"I did the best I could," I said, gesturing toward the furnishings like Vanna White showing off a new car. Deep inside the living room, I turned and gestured toward the "bedroom. "I debated about whether to leave the wall in or open the bedroom to the rest of the apartment. But ... I prefer the openness, don't you?"

I turned -- away from her, not letting her see the slight smirk on my lips -- and headed for the kitchen. I'd taken a chance, ordering all that food without having the slightest idea whether Eva would chance coming up to my place. I'm sure the homeless guy in the alley out back would have sat down on a garbage can and ate it with me, I thought.

The counters were covered in little, handled containers. I snatched one up and pulled out a breaded shrimp and finally turned to look at her. "So, Eva ... do you like it...?"

 

[teasingSophie]

"I, um ... did a little bit of remodeling. I hope the noise wasn't a hassle."

- I heard almost nothing. In fact I wasn't much at home those last weeks.

Of course, the part time job, then the search for another one, plus the studies, plus the desperate struggle to gain more with bets and so on. Gee, I hadn't spent much time at home, that was true.

I was completely bewildered. How could something like that be done in this building? How? When? How much money did this cost? How did he do that? The place was stunnign. Completely out of the global frame of the neighborhood. My eyes were wide. It was like a palace. Was Carter a Prince Charming in here? No no, I was makign myslef a fool thinking this. He was just having pity for a neighbour.

"So, Eva ... do you like it...?"

- If I like it?
i was in the middle of the living room, turning on mysle fto watch everywhere...
- It's terrific! I love it. YOu really did a perfect change, it's so much better than anything I've ever seen. I wiish I could live in such a wonderful place.

 

[MisterBigBucks]

"It's terrific! I love it."


She was impressed, which was exactly what I needed from her. It could have gone a different way; the last time I'd made this play, the woman had thought I was flaunting my money and immediately turned and left. It was the reason I was trying to be humble now with Eva.

"I wiish I could live in such a wonderful place," she finished as I gestured her to the kitchen to join me.

Chewing on the prawn, I said with a friendly smile, "You're welcome to come up anytime, Eva. You need anything ... all you have to do is knock."

Of course, knocking wasn't all she was going to have to do. But ... that could wait for now.

 

[teasingSophie]

IO followed him to the kitchen, and leaned with my elbows on the counter set there. I blushed.
- No thanks Carter. I cannot ask too much from you. You've already done so much...
My voice became lower, trembling a bit. I looked down.
- Speaking of that... I don't even know how I could begin to give you back what I owe you. YOu were really nice to take that rent on you, but.... You see...
I looked up at him. my face showed a form of despair.
- I can't even imagine how I could pay you back. Or when. Or... I don't want to owe you that. I...
My voice faded completely there.

 

[MisterBigBucks]

"I can't even imagine how I could pay you back," she told him. "Or when. Or... I don't want to owe you that. I..."

As her voice trailed off, I said, "Spend the night with me."

By her reaction, I could tell she'd taken my request as I meant it. Sex for money...? I could hear bouncing about inside her skull. I gave it just a moment before adding, as if I had misspoken, "I have a great Indie Film I've been wanting to share with someone, and of course there's got to be something good on the Movie Stations. We could probably squeeze in a show or two before you have to go home ... popcorn ... beer, or wine if that's your preference..."

I turned away and passed by her, heading for the living room to locate the remote control. Intentionally, I brushed against her just slightly, then let my fingers trail across her backside as if I was just trying to get around her.