Chapter 1

“Hey, baby.” I say, leaning in the passenger side window. “Lookin’ for a good time?”

He reaches down, into his pocket and I start to open the car door. A flash of gold and my heart sinks. Shit, a cop. He smiles and I roll my eyes. I straighten up and turn to make a break for it. Too late. Rough hands grab me from behind. Slam me into the car. The handcuffs are cold against my wrists.

“Third time this month, Skylar. You’d think you would learn your lesson…” I recognize Officer Dave’s voice and groan internally.

The strings of profanity I scream are just for show. I don’t care about getting caught. Beats going back to Alex tonight. I’m short after a bad trick and he won’t be happy. At least now I can blame it on the cops. Not like it matters to him. Either way, he’ll be pissed when I get back tomorrow. I’ll worry about that later.

I keep up my front the whole way. Scream everything I can think of. I even spit on Officer Dave in the front seat. That’s not part of the front. He’s an ass. Dirty, and he’s got it in for me. He’s not happy when the spit hits the side of his cheek. Oh well, like I give a shit. When we get out, he slams me into the wall. Of course, no one sees his fist hit my side. I gasp but refuse to show him fear. In my ear, he breathes,

“Spit on me again, you’re dead.”

Like I don’t get death threats everyday from Alex. I force a laugh. Into the bricks, I say,

“Go fuck yourself, asshole!”

He smashes me into the wall again. I fight the involuntary tears. Never show fear. Never show pain. His hand gropes me from behind. I growl into the wall, but can’t get free. He just laughs and I don’t dare say anything. Finally, he takes me inside. I’m sporting two fresh bruises thanks to him. No one notices. That’s convenient.

The bench is hard and the handcuffs are biting into my wrists. I’m sitting next to Candy. The one girl I can trust. She’s two years older than me. Eighteen, she’s been on the job for four years now. She rolls her eyes at me and pops her gum. I grin. At least I’m not alone tonight. We sit and watch everyone buzz by. Throw insults at the cops when they pass.

Candy was one of the first girls I met after Alex found me. She helped me out from the start. Taught me all about good and bad tricks. About Alex’s bad moods, how to avoid them. Taught me everything she knew. She took me under her wing. With big blonde hair and cherry lips, she’s beautiful. Alex’s first girl, she says. I don’t know why she’s proud of that. I wouldn’t be.

Finally, peace and quiet. Candy and I are in a cell with a girl named Star. I’ve seen her before, but she’s not one of Alex’s girls, so I don’t know her well. She sits with her back to us. Shaking with sobs. Candy laughs at her, but I feel bad. Candy lies down to get some sleep so I go over to the girl. She’s pretty young. Younger than me, at least. Probably no more than fourteen. New to the life.
I sit next to her on the bench. She flinches, turns to face me.

“What the hell do you want?”

I glare at her. My first thought is to slap that glare off her face. The second is to yell at her. But I stop myself. She looks bad. Mascara smeared down her cheeks, dark hair a mess. I see a poorly hidden bruise on her forehead.

“You okay?”

Her glare is just a front. I see the fear in her eyes. She’s terrified. She hugs herself tight and sniffs.

“Why do you care?”

That’s a good question. Why do I care? I should get up, go back to Candy. Forget about her, but I can’t. There’s something in her eyes. Something familiar. Instead of leaving, I say,

“It’ll be okay, you know. We’ll be out in a few hours.”

“No, it’s not that… he’s… he’s gonna kill me. I lost all the money.” Her voice is barely more than a whisper. Fresh tears well in her eyes. I feel a wave of sympathy.

“Th-They came up behind me… right before the bust. One of them had a knife. I’d just finished for the night. I was going back. They took everything. H-He’s gonna kill me.”

She starts to bawl again. I don’t know what to do. I’ve never been good with other people’s tears. They always freak me out. I kind of pat her shoulder and Candy groans.

“God, shut her up! I need my beauty sleep!”

Over my shoulder, I say, “Oh, get bent, Candy.”

She shoots a well-aimed hairclip at my head. I turn around and hurl my shoe at her stomach. My aim is off; it hits the wall behind her. She gives me a death-look and keeps my shoe.

“Now what’re you gonna do, bitch?” She says.

I roll my eyes and turn back to Star.

“Forget her. She’s just cranky ‘cause she’s an old woman. They get like that sometimes.”

Star looks like she has no idea what to think. I grin and roll my eyes again. She seems to realize we’re just playing and she relaxes a little. Not much. Tears still streak down her cheeks. I’m not sure if she recognizes me. I give her a warm smile.

“My name is Skylar. You’re Star, right?”

She nods. Gives me a small smile. Probably the best I’ll get from her. I sigh.

“Here… you look like shit. Can I help?”

I ask because she looks like she might crumple if I touch her. She nods again. I wipe her face with the blanket. Wipe off all the makeup. I use my fingers to get the tangles out of her hair. She winces, but doesn’t say anything. When I’m finished, I sit back and look at her. She’s cute. Big brown eyes and pretty olive skin. Her hair is jet black and silky. I smile.

“There. That’s better.”

She gives me another small smile. “Thanks.” She whispers.

“God, are you two ever gonna shut up?”

“Not if you don’t mind your own fucking business!”

Star laughs and I stand up. I hate being caged in here. It beats being with Alex, but not by much. Stupid bars freak me out. Claustrophobic, I think that’s what it’s called. I hear Candy start to snore and laugh. I leave her alone, though. It’s been a long night. When Alex gets a hold of us, we’re gonna need to be rested. I pace back and forth in the cell. Count my steps. Wait for morning. What time was the bust? It was after three. Not too much longer. I hope Officer Dave is gone when we get out.

Last time, he followed me when I left. Bastard grabbed me behind the precinct. Laughed at me when I tried to scream. Didn’t give two shits that I was already in deep with Alex. Took what he wanted, left me to clean up. Stole half my money, too. Alex was horrible that day.

The door opens, breaks through my thoughts. A woman with a clipboard walks through with Officer Nancy. Great, it’s time for the sermon. Clipboard woman is new, though. I’ve never seen her before. She’s young. Late twenties, early thirties at most. She doesn’t have the same tired look the last one had. She’s eager to save us. I roll my eyes and cross my arms. The bars clang open, wake Candy up. She groans, tosses me my shoe. Star is in the corner, hiding behind me. I put on my shoe and Candy jumps off the bed.

Clipboard woman is all smiles. She gives us her name, like we give a damn. Star won’t move from the corner. I wonder why she’s so freaked. Clipboard woman tries to take our names. Candy and I give her bullshit names, but Star won’t speak. Clipboard woman tries again to take Star’s name and I say,

“She doesn’t talk. Her name’s Samantha.”

I don’t know why I save her. Candy raises an eyebrow and I roll my eyes. Clipboard woman talks. I don’t listen. The busts are never about arresting us. They’re an excuse to get us away from our pimps to ‘save’ us. Like they could help, anyway. They don’t know Alex. He hunts girls down. Kills them in a heartbeat. Clipboard woman tries to tell us about shelters, places we can go to be safe. Candy pops her gum in Clipboard woman’s face. She takes it in stride. Poor woman, we’re her first attempts. She’s failing miserably. And then she turns to Star.

“How old are you, Samantha?”

Star’s face goes pale. It hits me suddenly. She’s young. They’ll take her away, back to wherever she’s running from. She looks at me to save her again, but I’ve got nothing. She couldn’t pass for anything older than fifteen. Clipboard woman asks again. Star can’t answer. I start to say something, but Candy elbows me. Under her breath, she says,

“Leave it. Not your problem.”

I bite my lip. She’s right. It’s not worth it. Star doesn’t answer Clipboard woman. Clipboard woman sighs and turns on me.

“What about you? How old are you?”

“Eighteen.” I say without a pause. With makeup and my hair done, I can easily pass for two years older than I am. Clipboard woman’s eyes narrow. Maybe I can’t.

“You don’t look eighteen.”

“Well, I am. Birthday’s in October. I’ll be nineteen in a month.”

Clipboard woman frowns. Scribbles something on her clipboard and says,

“Okay. Well, think about what I said. You two are free to go. Samantha, stay here.”

********************************************

I’ve still got about an hour left to salvage some good money. Candy leaves me with a good luck on the corner of fifth and eleventh. Before I can start walking, rough hands grab me from behind. I smell Alex before I see him. That nasty cologne he wears. Musky and overpowering. My heart sinks. I let him drag me into the ally. There’s an old man slumped a few feet away, a needle deep in his arm. He’s lost to the word, mumbling to himself. Alex shoves me into the cold bricks and I don’t dare look at him. My stomach twists and I cross my arms to protect myself.

“Where the fuck were you?” He demands. His voice is quiet and that scares me more than any yelling would.

I don’t know why he asks. He already knows; he just wants to hear me say it. I try to hide the fear from my voice, but it doesn’t work.

“S-Stupid cops. C-caught me and Candy. Held us—,”

Alex backhands me hard but I don’t make a sound. The pain sends tears to my eyes. I fight them back. He hates tears. His fingers dig deep bruises into my shoulders. He shakes me like a ragdoll. Too hard, my head starts to spin. I accidentally bite my tongue and blood fills my mouth. The ally blurs in front of me.

“What the fuck have I told you about getting caught? I think you like it. I think you like the attention you get. Maybe I haven’t gotten through to you before. Maybe I need to really teach you a lesson.”

“N-no, please!” I beg, knowing it does no good. “The stupid cops have it out for me! I think they’re following—,”

Another blow to my face, this time with a closed fist. It catches me by surprise and I cry out. My head snaps back against the bricks. Black dots spot my vision. Involuntary tears of pain streak down my cheeks. I try to fight them.

“You’ve got an hour to make up what you lost. You better have the money when you come back, or I’d hate to be you. And wipe your face, tears make you look ugly.”

He leaves before I can respond. I don’t ask how he knows I’m short. Alex always knows. I wipe the tears from my cheeks. Spit out the blood on the concrete. I leave the ally and start down the street, knowing I don’t have a chance of making up what I lost.

While I walk, I think back to when I first met Alex. It was a year and a half ago. He came at a time in my life when everything was going to shit. I like to think that’s the reason I let him go as far as he did. Dad left me and mom for some skank he met at the office. Mom couldn’t handle it. She started drinking, lost her job. I had to support us, but an afterschool job at the Pizza King wasn’t paying the rent.

And then Alex came. Promised me I’d live like a princess. I ran off with him, thinking I was in a fairytale. He didn’t turn me out at first. Kept me for himself. I thought he was a dream come true. Beautiful blue eyes that pierced through me. Spiky brown hair. He was older; I think he said he was twenty-two. I know that’s a lie now. I don’t know how old he really is. Somewhere between late twenties and early thirties. He always bought me the most beautiful jewelry. A diamond bracelet for my fifteenth birthday. A soft fur coat for just ‘being me’ he said.

It was a week after the fur coat. He came home, said he had a friend coming over. Told me if I loved him, I would entertain his friend. I was stupid. I did it. Thought that would be the only time, but I was wrong. He brought over more and more friends. Introduced me to Candy, who showed me the ropes. I gave Alex every bit of me. The worst decision I’ve ever made.


The sun comes up and I try not to panic. I only got one more trick and it didn’t make up the difference. I’m still two hundred short. I walk down the street towards home. Try not to cry. I see Candy first. She’s standing outside, chain-smoking. When she sees me, she gives me a glare that makes my stomach twist.

“You stupid skank! The fuck were you thinking telling him! I had my money! I finished, but you had to run your stupid mouth!”

My heart sinks and I see the fresh bruise her makeup doesn’t cover. Shit, stupid me. Running my mouth to Alex.

“I’m sorry. He just—, you know how I get when he starts asking questions—, I’m sorry!”

I don’t know why she’s so mad. Not my fault she got caught, too. He probably told her I gave her up. She doesn’t answer me, but turns to continue fuming. I take a deep breath and go inside, wondering if this is it. Is this going to be the time he actually kills me? I got caught and I’m short. A bad night.

He’s waiting for me in the living room. I hand him the cash and don’t say anything. He counts it while I wait with baited breath. I cross my arms and stare hard at the floor. Try to calm my frantic heart. He finishes counting and puts the money in his back pocket. Here we go. I brace myself as he says,

“You’re short. Why are you short?”

I don’t know why he asks. It’s not like any excuse I give is going to keep his fists away. I try anyway, just in case he has sympathy this time.

“A b-bad trick. Stole some of my cash when I went to pee. He ran off before he paid. And then the stupid cops—,”

“That’s not good enough.” His voice is almost too low to hear. I can’t hide my fear any more. I see his hands clench into fists and try to take a step back. It doesn’t help. The blows land on my stomach, my chest. I throw up my arms to protect my face. I try not to cry out when I fall against the wall. He hits me until I feel like I’m gonna throw up. At least he leaves my face alone.

When he finally stops, I collapse on the floor. I want to cry so badly, but I don’t dare in front of him. Pain shoots through me as I try to catch my breath. Alex crouches down, grabs my face. Forces me to look at him.

“This is the last time I go easy on you. Next time you get caught, you better stay caught. I’m through messing with you. And if you ever come home short again, you’re dead.”

I know he means it. He’s given me too many chances already. Candy says it’s because I’m still new. He’s gotten rid of girls for less. I nod and whisper,

“Yes sir. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.”

He kisses my forehead and says,

“I know it won’t.”

And then he leaves. I hear him say something to Candy on the porch and she comes back inside. She gives me a glare in the doorway. I ignore her and try to stand back up. Candy crosses the room and puts out a hand to help. She’s always been horrible about holding grudges. I take her hand and she helps me to the bathroom. I pull off my shirt slowly and look in the mirror.

“Damn, girl. He’s pissed at you.”

I touch the bright red marks on my chest. Wince at the sharp pain. My stomach is just as bad. Tonight’s gonna be horrible. The tears I held in earlier overcome me. I slump down on the toilet and cover my face, bawling. Candy quickly turns on the faucet and shuts the door.

“Shh, girl.” She whispers, stroking my hair. “You know what’ll happen if he comes back and hears you.”

I try to stop crying, but that only makes the sobs louder. She turns on the shower, too. Hands me a prescription bottle.

“Here, baby. Take these, you’ll feel better in no time.”

I look at the label. Vicodin. I shake my head and hand it back to her.

“No, Advil’s fine. I don’t hurt that bad.”

She sighs and pockets the pills again. “Well, take a shower. Get some sleep. You’re okay now, right? I mean, he’s giving you another chance. That’s something. I doubt even Cherry gets as many chances as you have.”

“I guess…”

“Girl, I’d love to know how you do it. If I did half the things you did, he’d kill me in a second. He’s still got a thing for you, I think.”

I roll my eyes. Candy and her theories.

“Yeah, if he did would I have these?” I point to the fresh marks on my chest. She sighs and says,

“Baby, you know that’s just the life. Take a shower. Stop feeling bad for yourself. I’ve got something to show you.”

I get up and wipe my eyes. She’s right. I shut the door behind her and climb in the shower. The pain is much worse than I’d ever tell her. I put my face under the water and cry until I have no more tears. I hate crying more than anything. It’s a sign of weakness. The only person I’ve ever cried in front of is Candy. I know she won’t hold it against me. She says that she used to cry in the beginning. Way more than I ever did. But she really loved Alex. I think she still does. I hear banging on the door and temporarily freeze.

“Damnit, bitch! You’re using all the hot water!”

Just Cherry. Not Alex. I yell back, but get out anyway. It’s not worth the fight. Cherry’s a hair-puller. Dumb bitch, that’s the only way she knows how to fight. Still, I’m too sore to get into it with her. After I get out and dressed, I go find Candy in her room. She’s sitting on the bed with a shoe box. I knock on the doorframe and she gives me a smile.

“Hey, girl. Close the door, alright?”

I shut the door and join her on the bed. She hands me a photo from the box. It’s Candy, but not the Candy I know. Her hair is short; she doesn’t have any makeup on. She’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt standing next to a horse. A horse. I want to laugh, but Candy seems really excited to show me.

“What’s this?” I ask, afraid to hurt her feelings.

“It’s me. Back on the ranch. Remember, I told you about that ranch I lived on? This is my old horse. Oh, god, we used to have so much fun!”

I vaguely remember her telling me about her old life. She lived on a ranch until she was twelve. Her parents got divorced and her mom moved her here to the city. And then she met Alex. Her eyes are shining and I hand the picture back.

“That’s sweet.”

“That’s not all.” She leans close to me and whispers, “I’m going back.”

I quickly glance at the door, terrified someone might hear her. If Alex finds out she’s thinking of leaving, she’s dead.

“What do you mean, go back?” I whisper.

“I’ve been saving some money. He doesn’t know. As soon as I get enough, I’m gone.”

Hurt overshadows the panic. She wants to leave me here alone. With no one to talk to. What would I do without her? She frowns at my lack of excitement.

“What?”

“What about me?” I ask. I know it sounds childish, but I can’t help myself. She’s like my sister. I can’t survive Alex without her. Her eyebrows crumple and she sits back. Obviously she hadn’t thought about that.

“Well… you could save up too. We could both go.”

I shake my head. “Yeah right. Let’s just pretend I don’t come up short almost every night. Even if I could save up, Alex would find out. He knows everything.”

“No, that’s not true. He doesn’t know about me.”
I cross my arms. “It’s a bad idea. I’m only one bad night away from getting killed. I’m not about to risk that.”

Her face falls. She quickly puts the photo back in the shoebox. I watch her slide the shoebox under her bed and open the door.

“Fine. Just thought you’d be excited for me. Whatever.”

I feel bad for hurting her feelings. I smile, grab her arm.

“Come on, let’s go mess with Cherry. That always cheers you up, right?”

She rolls her eyes and pulls her arm away. “No. This isn’t a joke, Skylar. I’m serious.”

“I know you are. Just be safe, okay?”

She nods and says she’s tired. I leave her in her room and walk down the hallway to mine. Cherry’s in the living room watching TV. I can hear her snorting laughter and I roll my eyes. There are only three girls living at the house right now. It’s nice. I think Alex is working on a new girl. He’s never here, but I’m not complaining. He’s spending all his time with the girl. Soon, she’ll move in with us and I’ll probably have to share a room with Candy. I don’t mind. We shared a room when the last girl was here. She disappeared after the first week. I want to ask what happened, but Candy won’t let me. She says questions aren’t allowed. I take her word for it. She knows the unspoken rules better than me.

I like the house. It’s pretty big for a four bedroom two bath. The living room is on the small side, but the bedrooms are huge. Each one has a queen sized bed. We’re not allowed to have decorations, which makes sense because we move rooms so much. Alex bought our sheets and a few generic things to make the house look better. The house basically looks like an IKEA ad. The chores get traded between me, Candy, and Cherry. Cleaning, dishes, laundry. As much as possible, Candy and I stick Cherry with the chores. She’ll fight one of us on our own, but not when we ban together.

I go into my room and shut the door behind me. I don’t really like my room, it’s lonely. I wish I could stay in Candy’s room, but she likes her privacy. Whatever, when the new girl comes Candy will be stuck with me. The Advil really knocks me out. Without even pulling down the blankets, I fall into bed and pass out, fully clothed.

**********************************************

I open my eyes and groan. I’ve only been asleep for a few hours. A sound startles me and I sit up quickly to see Jeremiah step into my room and close the door. I groan again internally, but don’t dare say anything. Jeremiah is Alex’s friend. He’s the one that stays at the house with us. Keeps a ‘close eye’ on everything we do. This translates into screwing us for free. No one says anything to Alex because, come on, who’s he gonna believe? Exactly.

Jeremiah is huge. Not fat, but built like the hulk. He’s gotta be at least six foot five; he’s almost two of me in width. His arms are like tree trunks. He’s got this coffee skin and pretty brown eyes, but don’t let it fool you. He’s a monster just like Alex.
Jeremiah joins me on my bed and I do whatever he wants. It’s not like I’m not used to him or his demands. The first time he came into my room, I was shocked. I wanted to tell Alex, but Candy stopped me. Said the last girl who tried disappeared. Either Jeremiah framed her or just got rid of her himself. He’s the only other person I’m scared of.

When he leaves, I curl back into a ball. Don’t even bother cleaning up; I’ll just have to do it again later. My stomach growls and I rub it. I want to get up and eat, but I’m not allowed. Eating is a privilege, one that I always screw up. Coming up short or getting caught are obviously against the unspoken rules. Sometimes, Candy will sneak me some food, but she’s gotta avoid Jeremiah and Cherry. I think Cherry’s got a thing for Jeremiah. She’s always ratting us out to him. Stupid snitch, half my bruises are from her running her mouth. I ignore the hunger and shut my eyes. I fall back asleep immediately.

***********************************************

Candy wakes me up this time. Pulls the covers off my face.

“Hey, girl…” She whispers, “Time to get up.”

I yawn and give her a small smile. She’s really great. I don’t know what I’d do without her. From my open door, I hear Cherry banging around in the bathroom. She’s loud and singing. I roll my eyes and sit up. Candy says,

“So, tonight, I was thinking you should walk with me. You can’t afford to come up short again. I’ve been doing good, I could help.”

This is what I love about Candy. She’s got my back. The big sister I never had.

“Thanks, girl.”

Jeremiah sticks his head in the door and I freeze. Candy feels me tense beside her. She rubs my back reassuringly and Jeremiah smiles.

“Get ready. You’ve got an hour.”

We both nod and he leaves. I let out a sigh of relief when I hear him walk out the front door. Candy frowns at me.

“You okay?”

I nod. She’s the only one who knows how bad Jeremiah scares me. I don’t dare let Cherry or Alex see. Candy’s had a few bad experiences with him, but nothing like me. After he first started coming in my room, he got mean. Like, worse than Alex, mean. For no reason. On any given day, it’s a toss up between who I hate more, Alex or Jeremiah. Even if I get a good day with Alex, it’s not a guaranteed good day with Jeremiah.

We get up and drive Cherry out of the bathroom. Candy does my makeup and I do her hair. Cherry stands in the hallway, arms crossed, glaring. We take our time to piss her off. Candy pops a few pills and we go outside to start the night.

When we pass a diner, my stomach growls. I cross my arms and frown at no one. Candy hears my stomach and sighs.

“Tomorrow, you’ll eat. I swear, even if I have to sneak you food.”

I grin and bump her shoulder. A silver Volvo pulls over and Candy lets me go first. The night goes much better than the night before. I make enough and even some extra. Walking with Candy definitely helps. I’m finished before we have to go back home, a first for me. She takes me to the diner around the corner. We order huge breakfasts and dig in. God, you don’t really know how good food is until you haven’t had it in a while. I finish long before Candy and she laughs at me. She doesn’t say anything, though. She used to get in trouble as much as me. She knows what it’s like.

After breakfast, we go back home. Cherry beat us there, but from the sounds of it, she’s short. We wait outside and listen to Alex punishing her. It’s times like this that I feel bad for Cherry. She doesn’t have anyone to cry to when he gets mad at her. It’s her own fault, though. If she was nicer to us, we wouldn’t be mean to her.

When Alex is finished, he calls us inside. Cherry is gone and I listen for the sound of the shower. Hope that she’s okay enough to clean herself up. I hope he didn’t beat her too bad. Candy hands Alex her money first. He counts it fast, knows that she’s never short. She gives me a quick squeeze on the hand before disappearing down the hallway. I hand Alex my money and cross my arms. I know I’m good, but my stomach clenches by force of habit.

“This is what I expect from you every night. Make sure you don’t fuck up again.”

To the floor, I say, “Yes sir.”

He pats my cheek and then cups my chin. Pulls my face up to him. His eyes are soft, nice. It unnerves me. I prefer Angry Alex to this. He smiles; leans down to kiss me. I shut my eyes and kiss him back. I want to pull away. I don’t dare move, though. Finally, he releases my face. Walks out without a word.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement. I turn to see Candy frowning at me. I see the jealousy in her eyes. Guilt washes over me.

“Candy…”

She turns on her heel and storms to her room. I hear her door slam and sigh. Shit. The bathroom door opens and Cherry sticks her head out. Her eyes are swollen and red from crying. Her lip is busted and still bleeding. She looks terrified as she whispers,

“Is he gone?”

I nod and she sighs in relief. She shuts the door again and I go to change. I want to go make up with Candy, but I have no idea what to say. She’s still really in to Alex. I don’t get it. He’s a bastard, but she loves him. He was her first everything. A girl never forgets her first.

After I put on pajamas, I take a few Advil for my sore calves. I still hear crying from the bathroom and groan. So much for a shower. I could always go drive her out, but I know what it’s like to need a safe place. The bathroom is hers. Mine is Candy’s room.

I decide that I need to talk to her, especially after she saved me last night. I knock on her door and hear rustling.

“Candy, it’s me.”

“Go away, bitch!”

I ignore her and open her door. She swears and I dodge the pillow she hurls at my head. I shut the door behind me and say,

“Candy… Please don’t be mad at me? I hate it when you’re mad.”

She shoots me a glare and I cross my arms. I can see in her eyes she’s over it. She’s just putting up a front. I grin and join her on the bed.

“You know I hate him, Candy. I wish he would just leave me alone.”

She sighs. “Yeah, I know. But it sucks, because he never touches me anymore. It’s like I’m too old for him now or something. And I’m the one who loves him.”

“Oh, shut up. You’re not old.”

“But I am for him! I mean, think about it. I was fourteen when we started. You were fourteen. Cherry’s fifteen. But I’ll be nineteen next month. An old woman.”

I see tears in her eyes. Actual tears. I have no idea what to say. She’s never cried before. She’s the strong one. I’m not strong enough for her. I kind of pat her shoulder and she takes a deep breath. She forces a smile. There’s the Candy I know.

“Whatever. Fuck him, I don’t care.”

My stomach twists and I glance at the door.

“Candy,” I whisper, “Don’t say that! What if Jeremiah hears?”

She rolls her eyes. “Fuck him, too. Once I’ve got the cash, I’m gone.”

Sometimes her bravery is just stupidity. If Jeremiah hears her talk like that, she’s dead. I decide to change the subject before anything happens.

“So, Cherry’s still in the bathroom…”

Candy sighs. “Yeah. I could hear her. She needs to be more careful. If Alex comes back and hears her…”

“Yeah, well. I feel bad, like I should go make her feel better. I mean, she’s a bitch, I know. But if you think about it, she’s all alone. We’ve got each other, but she doesn’t have anyone.”

Candy rolls her eyes. “Then go, Mother Teresa.”

I punch her shoulder and she shoves me off the bed. We’re both laughing when the door opens. I freeze, holding Candy’s pillow up in the air. Jeremiah grins and says,

“Skylar, shouldn’t you be in bed? It’s late.”

My stomach twists and I nod, suddenly mute. Candy shoots him a glare that he ignores. He waits for me in the hallway. Candy gives me a reassuring slap on the butt as I leave. He joins me in my room and I fight the tears. He’s in a mean mood today. Stupid bastard stays in my room for almost two hours. Leaves me with two fresh bruises and a cut on my lip.

About an hour after he leaves, my door opens. Candy is carrying a Mars bar, my favorite. She sits on my bed without a word and hands me the candy. I eat it and try to stop my tears. Candy’s arms wrap tight around me and I lay my head on her shoulder.

“Why is he only mean to me?” I whisper.

She sighs. “I don’t know, baby. Because he’s a bastard, I guess. He’s not that nice to Cherry, either…”

I sit up and glare at her. “Oh, don’t give me that bullshit. She doesn’t get it half as bad. And he doesn’t touch you ever.”

“That’s ‘cause I’m not scared of him. He knows he can’t push me around, so he doesn’t try. You’ve just got to learn to hide your fear better. Every time he comes in the room, it’s written all over your face. Same with Alex. You panic and they can tell. They feed off that, Skylar.”

I know she’s right. I just can’t help it. She sits up.

“Okay, girl. You need sleep. You look like shit.”

I lie down and curl into a ball. She gives me a kiss on the forehead. Shuts the door on her way out and I fall asleep.


**********************************************
**********************************************


Chapter 2

I wake up to the sound of my door opening. Thinking its Candy, I groan, “Leave me alone, bitch! I’ve still got ten minutes left!”

But it’s not Candy’s voice that answers.

“You better watch your mouth talking to me like that.”

My stomach twists. I sit up to see Jeremiah standing in the doorway. I actually feel the blood drain from my face. He grins at me and crosses his arms, waiting. I try to find my voice.

“S-sorry,” I whisper, “I d-didn’t… I thought you were Candy.”

He laughs and crosses the room. “I know. She’s getting ready and you should be, too. I told her I would wake—,”

“There, she’s up!” Candy rushes into my room and glares at Jeremiah. She wiggles her fingers and says, “Run along now.”

She’s got guts, I’ll give her that. She doesn’t cower under the look he gives her. She crosses her arms and frowns. He walks toward her and my stomach twists further. Before she can flinch, he backhands her hard. The loud sound echoes in my room. She stumbles backwards and falls to the floor, holding her mouth tight.

“You need to learn some respect. Don’t ever interrupt me again. Both of you get ready or I’m making a call to Alex.”

I jump up, terrified, and say, “Okay, we’re going now. Sorry, she’s an idiot sometimes. Doesn’t always think before she talks.”

He leaves and I look at Candy. She’s holding her mouth and I see tears streaking her makeup. The anger in her face makes me step back. She stumbles to her feet and stomps down the hallway without a word.
Her anger lasts the whole time we’re getting ready. She doesn’t say anything to me. Even when Cherry accidentally bumps Candy’s arm, she says nothing. Just ignores both of us. I know she’s embarrassed. She never gets hit in front of us. And he hit her hard. Her jaw is swollen and her lip takes forever to stop bleeding. I want to help, but I think that might embarrass her more.

She doesn’t offer to walk with me tonight. I’m not surprised. The night goes by slow. The money’s good, though. I make enough again tonight and even have enough left over for breakfast. I can’t find Candy, so I go to the diner without her. I eat fast, anxious to find Candy. Surely she’s not still upset. I mean, it was a damage to her ego, but it’s not like I’ll hold it against her. I get hit five times as much as her. I know what it’s like.

She’s not home when I get there and that bothers me. I give Alex my money and go back outside to wait for her. Cherry comes back a little while later with a grin on her face. So she had a good night, too. I’m really starting to worry when Candy comes up the street. She looks like hell and she’s sobbing. Oh, no. Please tell me she’s okay.

She rushes past me and inside. I start to go in after her, but then I hear something that makes my blood run cold. I can’t hear her voice, but Alex’s is loud enough.

“What do you mean you lost my money!”

I hear a smack and hug myself tight. Alex is yelling all sorts of things at her. I feel hot tears streak down my face. I want to go in and help her, but I don’t have a chance against Alex. She’s begging; I can hear it in her voice. He doesn’t care. Begging never helps.

When Alex finally storms past me, I see him wiping blood off his fist. He ignores me and I go back inside. Candy is slumped in the corner of the room next to the couch. She’s not moving and I panic. I cross the room and crouch down next to her. Her face is covered in blood and she won’t open her eyes. Terrified, I check for breathing. She’s still alive, just unconscious. I see Cherry standing in the doorway, hesitant.

“Can you help me? I don’t think I can get her up.”

She nods and we try to pull Candy up. We stumble down the hallway and put her in her bed. Cherry leaves to get a rag and I sit down next to Candy. I brush her hair from her face and try to stop crying. She’s okay. Its okay now, she’s still alive. I chant the words in my head, but they don’t help.

“Candy, wake up.” I whisper, “I need you to wake up. I can’t take care of you… you’re the one who takes care of me.”

Cherry comes back in with a couple wet rags and an icepack. I wash the blood off Candy’s face. She’s got cuts all over from his ring. Stupid bastard, hate boils deep in my stomach. She’s never in trouble! She’s allowed to get a pass!

When I put the icepack on her forehead, her eyes flutter open. She immediately groans and tries to sit up.

“No, girl. Stay down.” I say quietly. I put a hand on her shoulder to keep her still and she frowns.

“What happened?”

“You lost the money, I think. Alex was pissed. Got you bad, but you’re okay now. Just a few bruises, not too bad.”

“Why do I feel all swollen?” She mumbles.

“Because you are. He got your face. You’re fine; just don’t enter any beauty pageants… I don’t think you’ll win.”

She tries to smile, but it looks painful. I give her a smile and tease,

“Not that you would’ve before…”

She rolls her eyes and mutters, “Get bent, bitch.”

I laugh and see movement out of the corner of my eye. Cherry is standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.

“Um… is she okay now?”

“Yeah, she’ll be fine. Thanks for the help.”

I give her a smile and she returns it. Maybe she’s not such a bitch after all. Huh. I turn back to Candy as Cherry closes the door. I say,

“What happened? How’d you loose the money?”

“I don’t remember. I think it was—,”

The door opens again and Jeremiah crosses his arms.

“Skylar, your room. Now.”

I jump up and give Candy a quick squeeze on her shoulder. When I walk past Jeremiah, I expect him to close her door and follow me. He doesn’t. I turn in time to see him go into Candy’s room and shut the door. I hear his voice, low, but I can’t understand the words. She whimpers and I press my ear to her door. A small hand grabs my arm and yanks me down the hallway. Cherry whispers,

“What are you doing? Don’t you know how dangerous that is? Leave them alone or you’ll look like her, too.”

I yank my arm away and say,

“What is that supposed to mean?”

She shakes her head and pulls me into her room. As soon as she shuts the door, I cross my arms. She sits down on her bed and I join her.

"What are you talking about?"

“He set her up.” She whispers. White-hot anger shoots through me. “Because she talked back to him. He set her up with Alex. Stole her money.”

“Wait, how do you know that?”

She sighs. “I just got out of a car. She was walking my way. I was about to yell at her to go somewhere else and then he grabbed her. Pulled her in the ally and I heard yelling and crying.”

“What happened?”

“I dunno. I wasn’t about to stick around and find out.”

Before I can say anything else, Cherry’s door flies open. My stomach twists at the anger in Jeremiah’s face. He crosses the room and yanks me to my feet by my hair.

“I said your room! Not hers!”

I cry out in pain when he rips out a handful of my hair. Involuntary tears streak down my cheeks. He drags me down the hall to my room and I try to keep up. He’s still got my hair in his fist and the pain is horrible. He’s gonna rip off my scalp!

When we get to my room, he throws me to the bed. I’m terrified he’s about to hurt me, but he stands in the doorway.

“You need to learn your place. When I tell you to do something, you do it. I say sleep. Now. I better not hear this door open until tonight, do you understand me?”

I nod and try to stop my tears. I hate that he scares me so much. He smiles at me and I cross my arms.

“Good girl. Maybe I’ll come keep you company in a little while.”

I feel the blood drain from my face. He gives me a wink and shuts the door behind him. As soon as he’s gone, I sigh in relief. I rub my head and grab the Advil hidden under my bed. I take a few and curl into bed. From across the hallway, I can hear Candy crying. I want to go check on her, but I’m terrified Jeremiah will hear me.

I feel so bad for Candy. She’s messed up because she stuck up for me. I deserve to be the one with the swollen face, not her. I shut my eyes and try to fall asleep, but can’t. I get up and wander around my room. I’m too worried about Candy to sleep. So she puts Jeremiah in his place. Once. What the hell is his problem? It’s not like it’s a big deal. God forbid he has damage to his ego. Bastard.

I hear footsteps in the hall and jump back in bed. Shut my eyes and force my breathing normal. I hear my door open and close again. I squint to see my empty room. God, he’s paranoid! I’m in my room, what does it matter if I’m not asleep? I glance at my clock and see I only have three hours left to sleep. I shut my eyes again and force myself to fall asleep.

**************************************************

I hear talking and open my eyes. Through the door, I hear Alex. That’s weird, he’s never here at night, especially not when he’s working on a girl. Jeremiah’s the one who makes sure we get ready.

Alex sounds angry. I hear crying and sit up. Candy is whimpering. I slowly climb out of bed and tip toe across the room. I press my ear to the door, but the words are still muffled. I take a deep breath. If I get caught… I ignore my jumping stomach and crack the door. The voices are clear now.

“…working tonight, I don’t care. You don’t ever take a night off. You’re gonna make up what you lost last night and the regular amount.”

“N-no, please! That’s too much!” She’s sobbing. I’m shaking. He’s got her terrified. I hear a loud smack and she cries out.

“Don’t say no to me, ever. It’s done. You’ll do it, I’m not asking. I’m telling. Get ready, and I’ll be close by tonight… so don’t try anything.”

I quickly shut my door again. Jump back in bed just as my door flies open. Alex is in my doorway, arms crossed.

“Get up or you’ll be late.”

I nod and climb back out of bed. I know I should respond, but I can’t find my voice. He smiles at me. I see something in his eyes. Something I used to see before he changed. It unnerves me and I look down at the floor. I’m waiting for him to either say something or leave. He does neither. The door closes behind him. I take an involuntary step back, away from him. He’s quick, across the room before I can flinch.

His fingers stroke my cheek. I still can’t look at him. I focus on the floorboard I’m standing on. There is a chip next to my big toe. His fingers trace my jaw. I wonder how the chip got there. I hear Alex’s breath. It’s heavy on the top of my head. I wish he would just go; I want to check on Candy. I hate him with everything in me. I hate everything he does, everything he makes me do. I hate that he made Candy beg. I hate how terrified I am of him.

I clench my hands into tight fists, fighting the urge to shake in fear. I refuse to show him how scared I am. His hand cups my chin. Forces my face up to his. I shut my eyes to avoid looking at him. His low chuckle sends chills down my spine.

“What’s the matter, Skylar?” He whispers. “Come on… look at me.”

I open my eyes, not because I want to, but because he told me to. Another reason I hate him so much. He laughs again at my expression.

“What?”

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from saying something I’ll regret. He smiles. Taunting me. I glare at him, the one thing I can safely do. He leans down until his face is inches from mine. I force myself not to flinch. In my head, I chant, I hate you I hate you I hate you I HATE YOU

!

“You know I don’t care how much you hate me.” I must’ve shown my surprise because he says, “It’s written all over your face. And I don’t care.”

I glare at him and say nothing. He gives me a gentle kiss on my forehead. In my ear, he whispers,

“Get ready; it’s almost time to go.”

I would nod, but he’s still holding my chin tight. With as much hatred as I can muster, I bite out,

“Yes sir.”

He laughs and releases my face. He leaves and I sigh in relief. While I’m getting dressed, I hear crying from Candy’s room. My heart sinks. I peek my head into the hallway and see that Jeremiah is standing in Cherry’s doorway, probably watching her change. Alex is gone. I decide it’s too risky with Jeremiah standing so close. I can’t talk to Candy now. Maybe later tonight while we walk.

I never get the chance to talk to Candy. Every time I see her on the street, Jeremiah is close by. He’s following her. I’m distracted so I barely make enough tonight. I finish just in time to get back. I made enough to eat, but don’t have time to stop at the diner. I decide a peanut butter sandwich is good enough. The only food we ever have in the house is peanut butter and crusty bread. When Jeremiah gets hungry, he orders. If we suck up to him, he’ll give us some too. I hate to beg, so I stick to the sandwiches. Candy’s got some food stashed in her room, but not much. She saves it for the nights when she’s short.

I’m the first one back. Alex is sitting on the couch next to a young girl. She can’t be older than thirteen. Her face is stained with tears, her makeup is running. She’s hugging herself and staring at her lap. She’s pretty. Curly brown hair, big green eyes. Her skin is white, like porcelain. The bruise on her chin is dark against her white skin.

Alex’s new girl.

He stands up when I walk in the room. The new girl flinches like he’s about to hit her. I feel a wave of empathy for her. I hand Alex the money and he counts it. The only sound in the room is the girl’s sniffling cries. I wonder why Alex says nothing about her tears. He ignores her like she's no more than a decoration.

When he finishes counting, he says,

“You barely made it.”

I know. I count my money all night every night. Why does he always have to tell me? Instead of talking back, I say,

“I know. I’m sorry, tomorrow I’ll do better.”

Alex gives me a smile and a pat on the cheek.

“I know you will. This is Mandy. Take her to your room. She’ll be sharing with you.”

Anger shoots through me. That’s not fair! I want to stay with Candy! I forget who I’m talking to and burst out,

“That’s not fair! Why can’t I stay with—,”

He backhands me hard; catches me by surprise. Fire shoots through my face and I stumble back, clutching my cheek. Tears of pain well in my eyes. I fight them back.

“Try that again.” He says, so quietly I almost don’t hear. Terrified, I whisper,

“Yes sir. I-I’m sorry.”

“That’s more like it. Mandy,” He turns to her and she cringes away from his hand. He ignores her fear and grabs her arm. Pulls her to her feet. “Go with Skylar. I’ll come see you in a little while.”

She says nothing and then cries out in pain. I see his fingers are deep in her arm. He says,

“What do you say?”

Her face turns beet red. To the floor, she mutters,

“Yes sir.”

He pushes her toward me and I take her hand. She flinches again but doesn’t pull away. We go to my room and I shut the door. She’s still crying and I’m not sure what to do. Candy’s the better person for this. She’s the one who teaches the new girls. I’m still learning. I say,

“Um… Mandy, my name is Skylar.”

“My name’s not Mandy.” She whispers. I sigh. This is going to be hard.

“Now it is... Um, so, this is our room. I’m gonna clean up, okay?”

She nods and I grab my pajamas. When I open the door, she says,

“Wait! Don’t leave me alone!”

Shit. I sigh again. I don’t have the patience for this.

“I’ve got to shower. I’ll just be down the hall. Okay?”

She nods, but looks so scared that I cave. I remember attaching myself to Candy when I first came. I take her hand and lead her down the hall to the bathroom. The front door opens and I hear Cherry come in. I wonder where Candy is. She’s usually back by now.

Mandy sits on the toilet while I shower. I hear her crying and a few tears well in my eyes. Memories wash over me. The first time he turned me out. How it felt to know it was all an act. He was just shopping for a girl. Stupid me, I thought he loved me. All those things he bought me. All the times he said he loved me. That I was a princess. All a lie.

Mandy faces the door while I grab my towel. After I’m dressed, I say,

“You know, it’s not safe to cry. He doesn’t like it. It makes him mad.”

“Why is he doing this?” She whispers. My heart breaks. I don’t have an answer for that.

We go back to our room and sit on the bed. She’s playing with a lock of her hair and staring at the comforter.

“Listen, Mandy. Um, there are lots of rules you need to know. Things you can’t do. Um, you can’t cry in front of Alex. Ever. If you want to cry, wait until you’re in the shower. The water muffles the sound. Um, there’s Jeremiah—,”

When I say his name, she shudders.

“I know him. He came over a few times. He’s mean.”

“Yeah, he is. He lives here, down the hall. Keeps an eye on the house while Alex is gone. He gets the benefits without paying. Don’t ever fight him or talk back. And whatever you do, don’t tell Alex. He doesn’t know.”

Her face is pale, but she nods.

“Um, okay. I guess tonight you’ll walk with me. I’ll show you what to do, who to go with, who to avoid. We’re supposed to get at least a thousand a night. Cash only.”

“What happens if you don’t make enough?”

“He gets mad. Um, and if you don’t make enough, you don’t eat. And then there’s the cops—,”

“Could they help?” Her face has hope that I hate to crush.

“No. And don’t try. He’ll kill you.”

Tears well in her eyes again and I decide that’s enough rules for now. She’s about to crumple. My stomach growls and I say,

“Hey, um. I’m gonna go make a sandwich…”

She gets up and follows me to the kitchen. Jeremiah is laying across the couch and Mandy freezes in mid-step. He smiles at her and says,

“Hey baby girl… Alex said you were coming.”

She doesn’t say anything and he laughs. He turns back to the TV and I grab Mandy’s arm. I pull her into the kitchen with me and make two sandwiches. We’re walking back through the living room when Jeremiah stands up. Mandy freezes again and he says,

“Wait. What’s that?”

I try to hide the sandwiches from him, but he grabs my arm. Yanks my hand from behind my back.

“S-sandwiches. I m-made enough last night.”

“Why do you have two?”

“I’m hungry?”

I know it’s not a good enough excuse for him. He glances at Mandy, who is staring at the floor.

“She doesn’t eat. Not until after tonight. If you’re that hungry; eat them here.”

I nod and stuff the sandwiches in my mouth, anxious to get away from him. He watches me eat with a smirk. Mandy stands silent at my side. When I finish, I ask if I can go back to my room. He says yes, but when Mandy starts to follow, he catches her arm.

“Not you. You can keep me company for a while.” She looks at me to save her, but I can’t. To me, Jeremiah says, “Why are you still here? Go away.”

I leave before he can get mad at me. I hear crying from the living room and my stomach twists. Poor Mandy. I open Candy’s door to check on her. She’s in bed with the covers over her head. I sit down next to her and pull the covers down. I try not to gasp. She looks horrible. Her face is so swollen, she’s not recognizable. Her face is wet with tears. She’s crying in her sleep. I stroke her hair and fight my tears. I hate this! Candy’s eyes open and she tries to smile.

“Hey, girl. What’s up?”

Before I can answer, a sharp cry echoes loud from the living room. Candy frowns and sits up.

“That didn’t sound like Cherry…”

“It’s not. New girl’s here. She’s young, probably thirteen. Alex gave her to me. She’s staying in my room. Jeremiah’s breaking her in right now.”

Candy’s face falls. “Oh.”

“Candy, I don’t know what to do. I can’t teach her; I’m still learning. She’s terrified. What am I supposed to do?”

She sighs. “I don’t know. We’ll figure it out.”

Another sharp cry from the living room. Mandy’s sobs are loud through the house. I can hear Jeremiah’s voice; his low murmurs carry to the room.

“Candy, are you okay?”

She looks down at her lap. “No.” She whispers, “I’m not. Jeremiah’s got it out for me. Because of him, I had to get twice as much last night. I didn’t. Alex was pissed. I’ve gotta make it up tonight. I don’t think I can. I think I’m gonna have to dig into my stash to get Alex off my back.”

“I’m so sorry. I’m the one who should be in trouble, not you. You were just sticking up for me.”

She shrugs. “He’s a bastard. He’s been waiting for an excuse to get me for a while. It’s not your fault.”

I don’t believe her, but I’m not going to argue. The sounds from the living room stop and I jump up. I get back to my room just as Jeremiah rounds the corner. He’s pulling Mandy’s arm. She’s sobbing and I see her bloody lip. My heart sinks again.

Jeremiah shoves her into our room and says,

“Keep her in here. Go to bed. I better not hear a sound from this room, do you understand me?”

I nod and he slams the door shut. I hear him say something to Candy and then slam her door, too. Mandy curls into a ball on the floor and covers her face with her hands. I don’t know what to do. My first thought is to rub her back because that always makes me feel better. But she could break completely if I touch her. Instead, I let her cry. After she dies down a little, I whisper,

“I’m going to bed, okay? Um, you can get in when you’re ready. We’ve got to go at five thirty, so it helps if you get sleep. It’s gonna be a long night.”

She doesn’t answer and I climb into bed. I try to sleep, but can’t. Instead, I stare at the ceiling and wonder how things got so screwed up. After about an hour on the floor, Mandy joins me in the bed. I listen to her cry herself to sleep and hope she learns the rules faster than I did. Otherwise, she's screwed.

*********************************************** 

Mandy wakes up before me. She’s sitting with her knees hugged tight to her chest. Her sniffling cries wake me up. I groan and glance at the clock. I’ve still got thirty minutes left to sleep, but I decide I should try again to calm her down. Especially if Alex comes back.

“Hey, Mandy… You know it’ll be okay. It’s not too bad once you learn the rules, and you’ve got me to help. And Candy’s the best. She can help you, too.”

Mandy says nothing, but stares at her knees. I fight the urge to rub her back. I don’t want to scare her. I can’t do this. I need Candy’s help. I glance at the clock and decide I can at least see if she’ll get up.

“I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Wait, where are you going?” Her eyes are wide with fear.

“Just across the hall. Only for a second, I swear.”

She nods and I open Candy’s door. She’s already awake and dressed. When I come in she jumps.

“Oh, hey girl, you scared me. I thought he said to stay in your room?”

“Yeah, but I need your help. I can’t do this. I have no idea what to say to her. She’s been crying all day long. I don’t know how to make her stop. I’m not good with tears.”

Candy sighs. “You were like that, too. I can help for a minute, but I’ve gotta leave soon.”

“But we’ve still got an hour and a half.”

“Not me. Remember? I’ve got to make twice as much. That means leaving earlier and coming home later. Unless I get lucky and get a rich one.”

Candy follows me back to my room and I start getting dressed. Candy sits down next to Mandy and I listen to them talk. Candy is much better at teaching than I am. She tells Mandy everything. How to get a good trick, which Johns to look out for, how much to charge for what. Candy gives her tips on what to do and where. How to spot a cop.

I smile to myself and give Candy a wink. She’s no better at spotting a cop than I am. She likes to act like she is, though. When she stops talking, she lets Mandy ask questions. I go to the bathroom and fix my hair and makeup.

Candy joins me in the bathroom and says,

“Hey, I’m leaving. She’s as ready as she’ll ever be. She’s putting on some of your clothes; none of mine will fit her. Stay close to her as much as possible. Just keep an eye on her, and whenever you can, keep her away from Jeremiah.”

I give her a quick good luck. Candy leaves just as Cherry’s door opens. She’s yawning and rubbing her eyes. I get out of her way and go back to Mandy. She’s dressed and sitting on the bed. When I walk in, she flinches. She wipes her eyes and says,

“What happened to Candy’s face?”

I sigh and cross my arms. I should tell her the truth, but she’s so scared already. She doesn’t need another reason to be terrified of Jeremiah or Alex.

“She broke the rules.”

“Did Alex hurt her?”

“It doesn’t matter, come on, it’s almost time to go…”

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 13.01.2010

Alle Rechte vorbehalten