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Chapter One
Joy
“You have two weeks to pay the rent, or you’re out.”
I stare at my roommate unseeingly, my mind racing to process the most recent disaster in what has already been a terrible day. Desperation and anxiety swirl within me, but my gaze remains fixed on her, desperately seeking confirmation or some sign that I may have misheard.
She rolls her icy eyes at me when I don’t respond. “Look, you’re already a month behind. I can’t afford to just let you stay here for free. If you can’t pay your share of the rent, you’re going to have to move out.”
No, no,no. Not today. I can’t handle this today. I can feel tears begin to threaten as everything that has happened bears down on me like an oppressive weight. After waking up late and realizing my phone had died during the night because I hadn’t fully plugged in the charger, so my alarm didn’t go off, I had to skip my shower and morning coffee to rush to work. And I was still late. Turns out, it didn’t matter that I was late, because, as soon as I’d arrived, my boss informed me that I was being laid off from the daycare. I knew things were slow and enrollment was down, but I hadn’t realized they were that bad. As the most recent hire, I was the first to be let go.
I’d only worked there for a few weeks! I was drowning in student loan debt, and I hadn’t been able to make both my loan payment and pay rent. My landlord and roommate, Kim, assured me that she could give me some time to catch up, but it looks like she has changed her mind.
We’ve been roommates for a little over two years, sharing this rundown two-bedroom apartment in one of the worst neighborhoods in the city, but I wouldn’t consider us friends. Still, I never imagined she’d do something like this.
“Kim, I just got home, and I really need to get some rest,” I say carefully, eyes on my bedroom door as I start for it, hoping to put off this conversation until I can figure out what to do, but I don’t get far before she grabs my wrist, her eyes hardening when they meet mine.
“Joy, do you have the rent money or not?” she asks, tightening the grip she has on me.
I shake my head, trying to pull my wrist from her hold, but it’s too tight, and the venomous way she’s staring at me has me shrinking. I am not good at confrontations, and she knows this. This is why it’s been easy for her to push me into doing whatever she wants for the past two years that I’ve lived here.
“Kim, I-I just lost my job,” I whisper, a shudder breaking through when her face hardens further. “But I’ll get the money, I promise. I just need some time to find a new job. And I’ll still get my last paycheck from the daycare—”
She cuts me off with a scoff. “You didn’t make enough taking care of those snot-faucets to cover your share of the rent with a full paycheck, let alone whatever they owe you for the past few days.” Her eyes narrow on me thoughtfully. “Though, I can think of a way for you to earn your share and then some. Solve all our problems, actually.”
“What?” I ask, a chill running down my spine at the way she is looking at me.
Kim walks in a circle around me, nodding to herself. “Yes, I think it could work. You don’t look like much to me, but plenty of men love the wide-eyed innocent look. And with those big brown eyes, you’ve got the Bambi thing going for you.”
“W-what are you talking about?”
Kim flicks my braid with a finger as she moves around me. “It would be better if you were a blond, but I suppose there is nothing to be done about it.”
I pull my braid over my shoulder, clutching my dark brown locks protectively. I’ve always liked my hair color. I may not have the gorgeous blond hair and blue eyes that Kim does, but I like my hair. It’s the same color my mom’s was, and every time I look in the mirror, I’m reminded of her.
Kim continues without waiting for a response from me. “Alright. I’ll build your profile for you. Lord knows what you would put on there.”
“Profile? Kim, what are you talking about?”
“The service, silly,” she responds condescendingly. “I’m going to create you an escort profile. Surely, someone will hire you for a couple of nights. You’ll have to pay the commission, but even still, you should earn enough to cover what you owe me.”
Realization washes over me like a bucket of ice water. Kim works as an escort for an online service. Anyone would assume she is rich by looking at her. Nearly every night, she eats dinner at some of the nicest restaurants in the city, and most of her wardrobe is designer brands, gifts from some of her regular clients.
“Kim, I can’t do that. I’m a teacher, not an escort!” I cry. I don’t care how Kim makes her money, but I can’t do . . .that. While her clients officially hire her to accompany them to dinner or various events, I know that, unofficially, she provides them with, what she calls, “off book services.”
Waving her hand, Kim bats away my words like she would an annoying fly. “Of course, you can. You don’t really have a choice, do you? You no longer have a job. So, it’s this . . . or pack your bags.”
I swallow hard and watch as she walks over to the worn kitchen table and opens her laptop, typing quickly. “Ugh,” she groans after a minute. “Why don’t you have any good photos on social media? All of your pictures make you look like Mary Poppins.”
I shrink back when she lifts her eyes to me. “They’ll have to do for now. If no one answers your ad by morning, we’ll take some new ones. You can borrow a couple of the outfits I was planning to throw away.”
Before I can respond, Kim’s computer dings, and she looks away. “Huh. That was fast. Someone wants to hire you.”
If I weren’t so shocked, I’d be annoyed by her clear surprise that anyone would be interested in spending time with me, let alone paying for the privilege. I watch as Kim’s eyes suddenly go wide, and she gasps.
“Holy shit!” she cries.
“What? What is it?”
