For A Price

Chapter Twenty-Two Front Page

Chapter Twenty-Two

Front Page

I tapped my finger on the window of the bus and watched the city go by. Luke had insisted to take me to school this morning, and I had insisted he get his ass to work and let me take the bus. I wasn’t stupid; I knew that ever time he took me he was late. He been really uptight since last weeks incident with the strange guy, but today, I was going to do thing by myself.

I shifted in my seat and adjusted my book bag on the seat, so it wouldn’t fall on the ground. It was mainly there so no one tried to sit by me. I need my space and didn’t need some annoying person right next to me, especially after last week. 

Luke had said anything else about it, but just by his actions alone, I knew something was bothering him. The bus stopped and people got on and off. Two more to go, before I could get off this thing. If getting a license wouldn’t mean exposing personal information to the police, I would have gotten one by now and thought about buying a car. But I was still too proud to ask Luke for help with that, so I had to settle for the bus. 

Ten minutes later, the bus stopped outside the campus, and the majority of the passengers got off. I fell in line with the rest of them and was happy to once again be out in the fresh air. Fixing my backpack strap on my shoulder, I headed for my first class of the day. 

For the most part things weren’t any different, but then I noticed a group of girls, staring and pointing at me. I didn’t know any of them, hell I didn’t know anyone on campus. I had no ambition to make any friends or attracted anyone other than men. Ducking my head, I continued toward the science building. That weird feel from last week was coming back. People had stared at me before, but not like that. I was so wrapped up in my head, I wasn’t watching where I was going and slammed right into some poor girl. 

Her books and papers went flying to the ground. 

“I’m so sorry,” I breathed as I stooped down to help her pick them up.“It’s fine, no harm done,” she said, sounding slightly annoyed.

“I really am sorry,” I handed her the pile of books in my arms, and grabbed the gossip magazine. My heart stopped. “Oh my god. Oh my god…” I was froze, until the undying need to run took over. I jumped to my feet and ran for it.

“Hey that’s mine!”

I didn’t stop of look back at the girl. I was seconds away from having a mental break down, and I didn’t need to do it in public. I probably look like an idiot running through the crowds of students, but I didn’t care. Heading straight for the student building, I raced up the steps and hurried inside. I hurried up the stairs and find an empty corner of the building. I stopped by a window and rested my head against the wall, staring down at the photo in my hands.
It was the photo that had me close to tears it was the title: Is Luke Montgomery Paying for Sex? And it was clear who they were referring to as the slut, the only other person in the picture.

The front cover showed the picture of us kissing in the parking garage. My hands were shacking as I flipped to the article. The pages showed multiple other pictures of us. One of us kissing in the car, a couple of us just out together, even one of me walking on campus. I sunk to my knees as I began to read the article. 

‘Is Luke Paying for Sex?

The soon to be CEO of my Montgomery Enterprise was seen on multiple occasions with a well known prostitute Gavin Marlow in the underground sex industry that pledges the city.’

I the tears begin to burn in my eyes.

‘It has been three years since the two were separated, after Luke found out about Gavin working for a drug dealer as a prostitute, and at the time the eighteen year old was sent home with his parents. Marlow went missing a few months later, and our resource say he’s resorted back to selling his body on the streets and in private night clubs for the past three years.’