Mila

Prospect

By noon the crowd had lessened and Ben called it a day. Since none of them had nothing else to do, Mila suggested they go around Pomeron Street.

Ben wasn't much of a wanderer on that area but he obliged. They found their way towards the business corner. It was the heart of the street. And mostly, the busiest on weekends. Mila found free samples on stalls that sold fried food. She and Ben enjoyed the spicy sauces offered as it was rare for them to get hands on those. One guy had to chase them away because they ate a whole plate of samples instead of two slices.

They ran away laughing. The guy was fat and could barely keep chasing them without tripping over his feet. When they turned around, the man's face was red.
***

Around the next block was a well-known wood carving shop. "Theo's woodcraft" the sign said. It was Mila's favorite. The store was right below an old acacia tree that shaded a huge part of the place. Because of this the inside felt cooler than the other stores.

They went in and looked around. Ben pointed at various items and she was too happy to stare. They were careful not to touch anything that looked fragile since the shop also displayed antique jars and paintings. But what she liked most was the miniature carvings made by the owner himself, Theo.

The attendant ignored them as he was busy with a promising prospect. Mila picked up a carving of an airplane. It was just like the ones she saw from afar. She traced the intricate details and wondered how Theo managed them. It was like staring at the real thing on her hand and somehow, she imagined how it probably felt like being on one.

She heard the customer was finally making a decision and bought a life size Saint Peter mahogany carving. Mila stared from where she stood. The customer was elderly lady and the order was being hauled away, once she was out of the view she recognized the man next in line. The guy was waiting patiently for his turn.

And she recognized his face.

The said man owned a rich car—she knew because she had followed him one day. The older kids told her the car was a Mercedes. He parked about three blocks away from here. It was as if he didn't want anyone knowing he had money.

He was a frequent customer at Broken Avenue. He would pick up women and hand them cash right away. Through her friend's connections and other prostitutes gossiping, she learned that his name was Darren.

The owner, Theo was soon talking to Darren. She couldn't hear their exact words but the way their hands waved around, it looked like they were arguing.

Darren talked and talked and Theo felt it was too much. He reached for his service bell below the counter. It meant he was closing the shop earlier than usual. He rang it and turned away from the door. His assistant would soon lock the doors and they had to go. So Darren was dismissed with a scorn. Mila found Ben and they left the shop.
***

Evening came at Broken Avenue.

Mila waited for Lia to meet with her. They usually had some time together when her mother was away. But not right now. Lia's mom snagged an early customer and her friend was upstairs—working.

She had to sit on the gravel. Lucky for her, the ground was dry. She reached down her pocket and pulled out a garlic bread. Courtesy of the ever generous Ben. God knows where he got it from. She bit and nibbled at the wonderful taste.

Up ahead she heard angry voices. It was Lucio and his mother. The mother stuck her head out of the window while her son craned his neck looking up. She was throwing inappropriate words at him. Apparently she won't let him inside their own house.

Lucio knew his mother was sniffing again and probably had friends over. He threatened to barge down the door and take away his sisters. The last part got into his mother. There was a moment of silence until the door finally opened. Three grown men walked out and Lucio went in.

Mila let out a heavy sigh before swallowing what remained of the bread. Another hysterical performance for all the neighbors to gossip about. If only there was something she could do for Lucio and his sisters.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the door to Lia's house opened and she was ushered inside. Their place was much better than the others. It actually looked like a house than a shack. Thanks to their generous patrons, Lia's mom could also afford electricity.

Lia was putting on her clothes when the light flooded the room. Mila was used to seeing her friend nude. They used to bathe in the river without anything to cover themselves.

Also, an oversized shirt was all it took to hide her nudity. Lia simply sashayed without pants or underwear. She watched as Lia's breasts bounced and her nipples protrude.

Oh, how she envied those melons.

Lia sat her down at their table. Mila's eyes bulged at the sight of all the food there. She saw meat, noodles, fruits and vegetables. Her throat ran dry from swallowing. Lia laughed at her friend's face. She explained how the previous customer was actually a cook. He became a regular who soon brought them left overs from his work.

These were left overs? Mila was shocked. The chunk of meat was big! Did rich people merely bite at their food and dispose them?

Lia nodded and said that most of these actually came from someone else's plate. But neither one of them cared. They dug their way in and enjoyed the little feast. They have about thirty minutes before Lia's next customer arrived.

Mila thought it was time to say her piece. Her mind ran through the sentences she'd practiced the day before. With a deep breath, she asked Lia to teach her how to seduce a man. Her friend spat out the broccoli she had been munching on. A few coughs and "Are you sure's" later, Lia finally believed her. And since they've been old friends she did not ask Mila why.

As if on cue, Lia's mom came knocking. Her next appointment was there. She pulled Mila aside and hid her behind a false wall. There was small space where she could sit down. Lia pointed at a small hole that she could peep at. A finger on her lips signaled she had to stay quite.

Lia opened the door and started talking to her mom. The client was making an offer and upon meeting an agreement, the door closed and Lia pulled the man inside.

Mila couldn't see his face. He stood right in front of the hole, her only access to the room. A few ruffling sounds erupted and she realized that he had disrobed. Lia pushed him down the bed and put on a show. She did a little teasing dance before throwing her shirt away.

The man's features were illuminated and Mila could see him grinned from ear to ear. He must've thought how lucky he was. How he struck gold with Lia. She was young and not so expensive.

Things got intense and the man flipped Lia onto her back and started riding her.