The Prostitute And The Player (Watty Awards 2011)

Chapter One

It all started after my mother died. She passed away from terminal cancer, and so my father began drinking his nights away, just trying to live without her. He began creating fantasies in his head, and reciting them late at night when he became drunk. The first night I discovered it would never end was the worst. Before she died, we were the perfect family.

The house was always tidy, the meals were always home-cooked, and life was good. The night she died, I was feeding my newborn brother. I am eighteen, thirteen years older than him. He was relentless, no matter how much I wanted him to stop crying, he just wouldn’t. I knew why, he wanted his mother. As soon as he walked in the door, the alcohol had begun to take over. My little self made it’s way out into the living room.

He was swearing and stumbling and throwing things around. “This is your fault!” He screamed at me. My only response is to cover my ears and cry in the corner.

Ever since then, the house is always a mess because I don’t have time to clean it, my brother doesn’t receive proper health care, and my dad is a mean old nasty drunk. The first time I ever had my first prostitute job, I was fifteen. Dad tricked me into thinking I was going to play beauty shop. He shoved me out of the car in a bikini and woof whistled, tons of men coming at me, ripping my clothes off.

No wonder daddy had applied red lipstick and mascara and eyeliner, and he did it all to well.

*******

Dad lay on the floor, clutching his bleeding shoulder. I hoped he died. “Call 911!” He begged. For a few seconds, I felt bad. Then it washed away.

I did anyways though, because I knew if I didn’t, we would end up in foster care. I only had one more year until I could live on my own, but I couldn’t be separated from Caleb, he was all I had. When the ambulance arrived, they confirmed that my dad would live, unfortunately and that Caleb had somehow sprained his arm.

Gee, wonder how that happened.

Packing a few bags, after they had loaded my dad to the hospital, I grab Caleb’s tiny hand and lead him to Maria’s house so that she can watch him for me. Making it to the club, I enter in a tight dark blue dress and fish nets. I really needed to rail in one more hunk of cash for tonight. “Hey, man, no!” One boy was shoved into the joint by an unknown hand, and smiled sheepishly at me. I had to do my job and danced around the pull, doing the splits at the end of my routine.

My filthy father owned this club, but luckily was never here.

Afterwards, my job was to lure the boys in, so I worked on that one. “Ready for me, rookie?” I question in a seductive voice, leading him over to the stripper pole. I was both I guess. Woof whistles surrounded me as I wrap my legs around the boy, who looks to be about my age. “Don’t fight the urge.” I whisper into his ear, kissing up and down his neck.

It wasn’t hard to get him into the mood. I could feel his little friend in his pants. Leading him into one of the rooms, I shut the door, making sure it’s silent so he can hear the lock. “Whoa, no, this was just-” I cut him off, making out with him uncontrollably. Soon, his muscles relax and he is basically a pro at this. Unzipping his pants, he tugs off my undies with his teeth, ready for more.

Soon we take the whole process faster than ever, harder and stronger. Afterwards, he unlocks the door and wipes his lips. “Your good.” He gave me an awkward, rehearsed grin and booked it out of here. On the pool table where everything happened all the time, lay a fifty dollar bill. I pick it up and head to the girl’s bathroom, preparing for my next customer.

After work, I head to the school and pick Caleb up in the car Maria is letting me use for a while. It’s nice. “How was school?”

“Fine.” Caleb shifts uncomfortably in the backseat, tugging at his dress shirt. “Can we just drive?” He clicks his seatbelt on. For a first grader, who knew he knew how to blush?

Glancing at him in the rearview mirror, I knew why he was so nervous. “Your embarrassed of me, aren’t you?” I accuse, trying to cover up the hurt with a usual fake smile.

“Only a little.” I sigh loudly, driving away. Who could blame him? Driving towards our new home, an apartment Maria had helped set up and was going to pay half the rent for me. She was going to be our roommate, and I knew that meant we had to be extra careful around Caleb. He didn’t need to be around this sort of environment. It was bad enough that went kids got old enough, their older brothers and sisters would explain that that’s the kid with the prostitute sister.

I shut off the ignition and grab his Superman backpack from the passenger side, locking the doors once we’re both outside. It begins to pour rain, so we enter the apartment and I lock the door behind us. I hear familiar noises. “Uh, Caleb, why don’t you go check out your new room?” I bend down to his level and smile, kissing his forehead before he runs off.

Hurrying to the other bedroom, surprisingly we each get our own, it was a nice apartment, I barge in on the two. “Hey, you cant be doing these things with Caleb around!” I snap, unpacking the coffee maker from it’s original box and plugging it into the outlet, starting it up. I could use a good cup. “Want some?” I question.

She nods. I get out the milk, cream, and sugar, setting them on the counter, as Maria grabs two mugs. “Look, I’m sorry. It was totally last minute, and it won’t happen again unless it’s at his house.” Her dark red high heels clacked on the wooden floors. I pour even amounts into cups and add the same from the cream and sugar, some milk as well.

“Alright. I just don’t want him growing up like I did. You know, no money, no faith, no hope.” I shrug and drink some coffee, spitting it back into the cup when I can taste soap residue mixed in with the coffee. “Yuck, who did the dishes?” I ask, pushing it away from me.

Maria smiles sheepishly and takes the two cups, dumping the coffee out in the sink. “Okay, well I gotta get back to John.” She smiles deviously and hurries away, leaving me to bask in the comfort of finally owning a good apartment.

After dinner, I decide to give Caleb a bath. I really needed to start being a better mother figure to him. “See the fire truck?” I question, throwing some more toys into the warm, bubbly water. He grabs it, squealing happily. Even though he was a first grader, he loved bath time. I allowed him to help me wash his hair and he got me soaked as well.

“Are we gonna live here for a long time? What about daddy?” He said between a yawn in his race car bed that night. It was an original blue, a room crowded with toys. I’d paint his white walls blue soon. I click on his nightlight, ruffling his hair.

“Yeah, we’re gonna be here for a while.” I explain, smiling. “Night, one more day.” Tomorrow was the last day of school for Caleb until summer. School got out two days earlier for us because we had exams and things, so they decided to give us an extra break. I shut his door and make it across the hall to my new bedroom, which had a queen-sized bed. It felt great.

Laying in bed that night, I couldn’t help but think of the mysterious boy that had been my age. It had never really happened before. All I know, is that for once, he left me wanting more. It was a change, but a nice one. Smiling, that was the first night I’d ever dream of him.

In the morning, the sun shone down and I awoke Caleb, who complained he had a stuffy nose, fever, and sore throat. Knowing it was the last day before summer, I allowed him to skip. Making pancakes for everyone, it was a nice gesture. For once I felt normal.

Until I found myself back in those ridiculously tall high heels and a red ruby dress so short you could probably see my black lingerie. Only a few more times until I’d have saved up just enough to live without being what I am. A hardcore prostitute. But who wanted to give it up?

Surprisingly, I loved the everyday thrill, no matter how ignorant that sounded. It was a fun-filled job.

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