both.”
“I won’t say anything.” I press my lips into a tight line, annoyed that she’s actually threatening me, but maybe she’s just worried that her boyfriend will find out that she’s cheating on him or whatever it is that she’s doing.
“Steven doesn’t like that kind of thing, and I mostly just watch, so don’t think I’m being a bitch. He has his little pleasures and I have mine.” She backs off.
“Right. I have to go now. Call me when you...”
“Yeah, yeah.” She opens her red bag and digs through it until she takes out a pack of cigarettes. She lights one up, and I turn to leave, excited about the possibility of seeing Caleb again.
My hands are clammy as I wait for Caleb in the alley where Alessandra told me to come. The alley is not completely abandoned, so I try to stay out of sight. I slip my hands into the pockets of my blue jeans and lean on one of the parked cars. My heart jitters as soon as I spot Caleb coming down the street. He’s wearing dark blue jeans and a white shirt. His dark hair is messy and his steps are wide and strong. I wish I could feel as confident as he does when I step from around the car.
“Hi,” he says, smiling. “Nice to see you again.”
“You too.” Warmth flushes my cheeks.
“Where do you want us to go?” he asks. “I know a place near here. No one will recognize you there.”
“No, I...” I look down at my black sneakers. “I don’t really want to have sex right now.”
“Then what do you want?” His voice is tense, and I look up to meet his serious gaze.
“I want you to come with me somewhere. If you don’t mind.” I give him a shy look. “If you don’t want to, that’s okay. I’ll go alone.”
“You should have said something...” His forehead wrinkles as he shuffles his feet.
“I didn’t really know it back then,” I lie. “I changed my mind today, actually. I thought it would be weird to just cancel. My friends are all busy, so I was hoping for some company, but I totally understand if you don’t want to...”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll come with you. I just... didn’t expect it.” He tries to smile but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He’s fidgeting a little and I wonder if he’s just being nice but actually wants to bolt.
“I don’t want to be a pushy, annoying client, so if this bothers you, please tell me.” I search his eyes for something, but he doesn’t give me anything.
“It’s okay. Really.”
“Great. Then let’s go.” I start down the street, and in the corner of my eye, I can see him taking out his phone and quickly typing something. When he’s done, he looks up at me. I really hope he’s not lying about everything being fine.
“How was your week?” I ask as we walk down the street.
“Fine.” He shrugs. “As usual.”
“Did you do anything fun?” I give him a quick look.
“Not really. What about you?”
“I’ve been mostly busy with school, and now that it’s the weekend and I’m free, my friends apparently don’t have time for me. But luckily, I’ve got you.” I flash him a smile. “I want to do something fun.”
“And what is your idea of fun?” Curiosity is written all over his face.
“I want to see a movie;” I say, and nod toward the movie theater that is right across the street. “What do you think? Bad idea or good idea?”
“Depends on the movie.”
“True.” I tug at his arm. “Come on. Let’s see if we can find something interesting to watch.”
“Found anything you might like?” he asks as I’m scanning through the schedule.
I can feel his eyes on me. “I don’t know. Any suggestions?” I actually want him to pick a movie because I don’t want him to spend a couple of hours watching something he hates, but when I look up at him, I see he’s paying more attention to people around us than the movies, and he’s rocking on his feet.
“Caleb?” I ask when he doesn’t say anything.
His head whips toward me. “Whatever you want. I
“I won’t say anything.” I press my lips into a tight line, annoyed that she’s actually threatening me, but maybe she’s just worried that her boyfriend will find out that she’s cheating on him or whatever it is that she’s doing.
“Steven doesn’t like that kind of thing, and I mostly just watch, so don’t think I’m being a bitch. He has his little pleasures and I have mine.” She backs off.
“Right. I have to go now. Call me when you...”
“Yeah, yeah.” She opens her red bag and digs through it until she takes out a pack of cigarettes. She lights one up, and I turn to leave, excited about the possibility of seeing Caleb again.
My hands are clammy as I wait for Caleb in the alley where Alessandra told me to come. The alley is not completely abandoned, so I try to stay out of sight. I slip my hands into the pockets of my blue jeans and lean on one of the parked cars. My heart jitters as soon as I spot Caleb coming down the street. He’s wearing dark blue jeans and a white shirt. His dark hair is messy and his steps are wide and strong. I wish I could feel as confident as he does when I step from around the car.
“Hi,” he says, smiling. “Nice to see you again.”
“You too.” Warmth flushes my cheeks.
“Where do you want us to go?” he asks. “I know a place near here. No one will recognize you there.”
“No, I...” I look down at my black sneakers. “I don’t really want to have sex right now.”
“Then what do you want?” His voice is tense, and I look up to meet his serious gaze.
“I want you to come with me somewhere. If you don’t mind.” I give him a shy look. “If you don’t want to, that’s okay. I’ll go alone.”
“You should have said something...” His forehead wrinkles as he shuffles his feet.
“I didn’t really know it back then,” I lie. “I changed my mind today, actually. I thought it would be weird to just cancel. My friends are all busy, so I was hoping for some company, but I totally understand if you don’t want to...”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll come with you. I just... didn’t expect it.” He tries to smile but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He’s fidgeting a little and I wonder if he’s just being nice but actually wants to bolt.
“I don’t want to be a pushy, annoying client, so if this bothers you, please tell me.” I search his eyes for something, but he doesn’t give me anything.
“It’s okay. Really.”
“Great. Then let’s go.” I start down the street, and in the corner of my eye, I can see him taking out his phone and quickly typing something. When he’s done, he looks up at me. I really hope he’s not lying about everything being fine.
“How was your week?” I ask as we walk down the street.
“Fine.” He shrugs. “As usual.”
“Did you do anything fun?” I give him a quick look.
“Not really. What about you?”
“I’ve been mostly busy with school, and now that it’s the weekend and I’m free, my friends apparently don’t have time for me. But luckily, I’ve got you.” I flash him a smile. “I want to do something fun.”
“And what is your idea of fun?” Curiosity is written all over his face.
“I want to see a movie;” I say, and nod toward the movie theater that is right across the street. “What do you think? Bad idea or good idea?”
“Depends on the movie.”
“True.” I tug at his arm. “Come on. Let’s see if we can find something interesting to watch.”
“Found anything you might like?” he asks as I’m scanning through the schedule.
I can feel his eyes on me. “I don’t know. Any suggestions?” I actually want him to pick a movie because I don’t want him to spend a couple of hours watching something he hates, but when I look up at him, I see he’s paying more attention to people around us than the movies, and he’s rocking on his feet.
“Caleb?” I ask when he doesn’t say anything.
His head whips toward me. “Whatever you want. I
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