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Finally, I hear her exit the bathroom and I turn toward her. She’s standing in the middle of the room, fully dressed and still looking innocent. Heaven help me, I want to fuck her again.
I stalk toward the door. “I’ll send your money up now.”
4
ELENA
Ihurry from class to Kate's apartment, skipping the coffee kiosk. I'm a week away from my forced marriage to Romeo, so I have all my fingers and toes crossed that today will be the day my passport shows up in the mail. In the nearly two months since I sold my virginity, I've been putting my plan of escape into action. I've run into challenges and obstacles along the way. I didn't know I would need my birth certificate to apply for a passport. For most people, it’s no big deal to go to the clerk's office for a birth certificate. For me, it’s not possible. My father has eyes everywhere, and I can’t afford to have anyone noticing what I’m doing. So, I ordered my birth certificate online by sneaking onto my mother's computer in the middle of the night and had it sent to Kate's. Once I had the birth certificate, I applied for my passport, paying extra for the expedited service. Even so, I was cutting it close. Right now, I can’t buy my plane ticket until I have the passport, and if it doesn’t come in the next few days, all this effort will be for nothing.
Although I’m still not sure what to make of my encounter with the man who bought my virginity, the hundred thousand dollars makes it easy to be grateful. The truth is, although I wasscared to death to have sex and that first moment of penetration hurt a lot, the experience wasn't all that unpleasant. As he moved in and out of me, he also touched me, evoking feelings that were a mixture of pleasure and torment that built until it was like a dam broke and sweet sensations flowed throughout me.
He had cursed and forced me onto my knees as he stroked himself and his release splattered over me. His words and his expression made it seem like he was in pain. But that couldn't be right. Men liked sex, right?
I wasn't sure what to make of how abruptly he ended things with me, but I didn't complain. A few moments after he walked out, the man who had led me up to the room appeared with a bag filled with cash. I returned home excited and hopeful, but also knowing that I wasn’t home free yet. Until I have my passport and a plane ticket, I’m stuck here. I also have to figure out when exactly I’ll make my escape. Do I try to leave late at night? Everything I've done up to now has been dangerous, but the closer I get to leaving, the more dangerous my situation becomes. I can feel the stress of it weighing on me. I’m tired and stressed out, hardly able to eat.
I arrive at Kate's place, and as I set my book bag in the corner, she's holding up an envelope, waving it at me. "I think your freedom is here."
Elated, filled with energy for the first time in weeks, I rush to her and take the envelope. I rip it open. Inside is a dark blue passport. My eyes well with tears as emotion floods me. I'm not normally one to be overcome with emotion, but this little book is a symbol of my freedom.
"Just in time, right?” Kate says.
I nod, sniffing from the tears.
She rubs my back. "I hate to see you leave, but I understand that you have to go. Do you think you’ll be able to stay in touch with me?"
Up until this moment, I haven't thought too far ahead once I make my escape. I know that I want to change my identity and not give my father or Romeo any chance to find me. As long as he never finds out about my friendship with Kate, maybe I could stay in touch with her.
"I hope so. I need to buy a plane ticket."
Kate grabs her laptop from her tiny dining table. "We can do it now."
"Did I give you enough money to cover all this?"
I’ve given Kate the money I need, and she’s made the payments so there’s no trace of it to me. When I first handed her the five thousand dollars, she was resistant to taking it knowing where it came from. But I told her this was my freedom money, and eventually, she gave in.
"You have given me more than enough. So, when do you plan to leave?"
A part of me wants to leave right this moment, but I need to go home and pack. That is one thing I haven't done in advance because I can’t afford for anybody at home to notice a packed suitcase in my room. As it is, I had to be clever in hiding the bag of money I got from the club. It’s stored in my closet, under a floorboard, hidden by carpet.
I'm only seven days from having to get married, so I need to arrange my flight soon, but I can’t rush things. I need to do everything right.
"Tomorrow. I don't think I can get out of my house when everyone is sleeping, so maybe I can do it when they think I'm going to class. Is there a plane in the afternoon?"
"Let me look."
The best we could manage is a flight from New York to Rome leaving tomorrow evening. I have to hope that my parents don't notice I'm gone until I'm on the flight. Ever since the evening I was at the club, I feel like they've been watching me more closely. Like they’re suspicious of something. It’s probably just paranoia on my end because if my parents knew what I was planning, they wouldn't hesitate to lock me in my room or maybe send me away like they did with my sister.
Once the ticket is bought, Kate prints it out since I don’t have a smartphone. All I have is a small burner one I’ve been saving to call my sister when I’m ready to flee. I can't wait to see Lucia. I haven't spoken to her since my father sent her away. I begged my father to invite her to the wedding, but he didn't want the taint of her to ruin my day. At least that's what he said. I know what he really meant was that he didn't want the Abate Family to have a reminder of what my sister had done.
"Here, have some tea. You sure you're alright?" Kate said, handing me a mug of tea as we sat on her couch.
"I’m nervous, of course, but I’m doing alright."
She cocked her head to the side. "You look like you've lost weight. And you’re pale."
I nod. "It's probably the stress. It's wreaking havoc on me. I'm not really hungry, but when I do eat, I feel nauseous."
She arches her brow at me. "Nauseous as in you throw up, or just feeling queasy?"
