0 comments

General

So I have been so happy. I mean, yes I lost a really close friend but I have something better than that now. I have a boyfriend. He treats me so well. Life couldn't get better. 

I have a couple of errands to run later today, but right now all I am doing is hanging out with Jack. We don't even have to be talking to each other and I will still have a good time. He usually just talks to his gaming friends and we watch YouTube together and go raid his kitchen. Fun stuff like that. I am going to be so sad when I go to the bank though, because I won't have time to go back to Jack's and I can't see him again until he gets well. Oh, right. He's sick. It isn't major, but I know he will be more comfortable suffering alone rather than thinking he's pestering me with his illness problems. 

It's time to leave for the bank now. He kisses me one last time before I go. Well, we end up on the bed and the kiss seems like it'll lead to something else, but it doesn't. 

"You have to go," he whispers in my ear. 

"Ugh, I know. I'll text you later," I assure him. 

I get to the bank to withdraw enough money to pay my water bill by tomorrow. 

The bank worker says, "Ma'am, you don't have the amount of money you're asking for."

I don't? I swear I put in my fifty dollars on the first of the month. What happened?

"I don't? Hm, I guess I'll have to borrow," I say wearily. 

I hate borrow money, even from the bank. 

"You're completely bankrupt, sweetie. If you were to borrow interest would go up on you paying it back."

What? I'm... bankrupt? No, it's okay. I am not bankrupt, she just pulled up the wrong account. It's probably just a typo. 

"It's probably just some technical mistake. Run my ID through the machine to pull up my account?" I suggest.

"Okay, I'll try it," she worked with me. 

After she ran my ID through, she glanced up at me. She looked so disappointed and sympathetic. 

"Did you make a purchase last week for a hundred-forty dollars at the local bar?" she asked. 

"No, ma'am," I answered, my words coming up slow and slurred.

She sighed. 

Seeming frustrated, she announced, "Well that was the latest purchase made on your bank card."

"What am I supposed to do," I begged for help.

"Honey, there's nothing we can do. Take this up with the identity theft lawyer on the poster board by I-60. He helps several people in this kind of situation," she implied. 

The whole ride home was silent. I couldn't turn on music, because then I would remember the good life. I had no one to talk to due to how late it was. Maybe I can get some food? Wait, no money, almost forgot. I started to cry. It wasn't the flooding tears, aching chest kind of cry. It was the sprinkle in the sunlight, soundless cry. The tears slowly drained down my expressionless face as I stared hard at the road in front of me. 

A couple roads before I got to my street, I felt a bump. Pot hole? Flat tire? My imagination? An animal? No. Some old lady in front of me slammed on her brakes. I hit her. I have to pay the insurance. Isn't this perfect? When I thought things couldn't get worse, she got out of the old, rundown Volkswagen and walked up to my door. 

"I have had this car since I was sixteen and never got in any wrecks, you need to watch where you're going missy," she exclaimed. 

I almost said Yeah, I can tell you got it when you were sixteen, I mean, do you see it? Just please let me go home, I have had such a bad evening, but then I figured she wouldn't care. Why would she when I know I wouldn't either? I don't even deserve for her to care. Oh well, my insurance is good. 

I gave her my insurance company information and my information then drove away. I didn't think about it until I got home, but my insurance will no longer be good when I can't pay them. I'll just use out-of-pocket money. This isn't my first rodeo of being broke. All I have to do is get one more job and apply for scholarships at my college. I probably will get them because I go to a community college. I was planning on getting my basics done there and then transferring to a university to get my associates in manufacturing. Anyway, I'm screwed.

Two weeks later my insurance company calls and said that everything is taken care of. How? Did my parents get a call first and pay it for me? Why would that even happen, I've been on my own for three years now. Maybe my luck is just starting to turn around. Maybe I'll make it out alive.

Just when my hope gets lifted and I get all excited to start this new chapter of my life, I get the one call I've been waiting for. Jack asks me to come over for the rest of the week before I have to go back to college. This is the relaxation I have needed. I haven't been in a better place before now.

When I pulled into his driveway, he walked onto the porch to greet me.

"Why do you always wear makeup," he asked politely.

"It's not that I'm insecure, I just like having on an extra layer incase my first one breaks down," I replied.

"Hmm. You can break down in front of me and I won't judge you," he tried to convince me. That's really not the problem, though. I'll judge myself and feel so stupid for it later.

"I know," I say quickly to avoid the thoughts that started entering my mind. Jack grabbed my hand and sat down on the couch, waiting for me to sit beside him. I was looking forward to seeing him this week but now I don't know how pleasing it will be. Oh well, every relationship has it's ups and downs.

Once it is time for bed, Jack lights some candles on his nightstand. Aw, he's trying to make me feel better. I cuddle up next to him and just let my mind wander into nothingness. It seems bad to be numb but that's better than being overwhelmed with emotions.

The morning comes sooner than I hoped. When I wake up next to Jack, though, I actually feel okay. How do I smell food in the kitchen when I can feel Jack's body against mine? I turn over to see Jack wide awake staring at the ceiling.

"You good," I question his wandering, my voice raspy and dry since I just woke.

"Hey, there you are. I already made you some breakfast. Want me to bring it in here?" he suggests. He's being extra caring today. That's weird.

Throughout the entire day we went shopping, played at a local carnival, tried out a new restaurant, went sky diving for the time, and got to see a new singer perform live at a bar before returning to his home. I enjoyed every minute of it.

"Hey, babe. You haven't been talking that much today. Is everything okay?" Jack assumes something is wrong.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just thinking a lot today. I had a wonderful time," I explain.

"What are you thinking about," he asks.

"Just money and stuff," I answer.

"Oh. Do you need any? I can make you pay it back. I know how you are about those things," he offered.

"Thanks but no thanks," I sighed. I can't put this on him too. I'm already stressed enough about it. I should just lay down and drift away again. Yeah, that's smart.

When I wake up, Jack isn't beside me. I walk into the living room to see him on the couch.

"You know how much I care about you, right?" he asked. It seems like he's been pondering on this for a while.

"Uh, y-yes," I stuttered. What is he doing?

"Well, I am not doing this to hurt you, but I think you should go," he said, his tone cold.

"Okay, when do you want me to come back," I asked, clueless.

"No, babe, I don't want you to come back," he whispered.

"Oh, right," I mouthed. Sound just wouldn't come out. I gathered my things and left without another word. He watched me drive away, which hurt more. Why would he do this? What did I do? How long has he been planning on ending things?

When I get back home, my insurance company calls.

"Hello, this is Kate on a recorded line. I am sorry for the inconvenience, but your insurance has been cancelled. I am aware that you were notified that you would not have to pay anything on your most recent car wreck, and I am sorry to be the one to say that this no longer applies. Have a wonderful day," the machine says. Before I could say anything else, the line is disconnected. Why does this have to happen now? I literally am digging my hole deeper and deeper just by waking up everyday. Since when did life get so cruel and unfair? Whatever, I'll just call in sick for my second job today so I have time to work out some sort of loan with the bank or something. They can't just watch me suffer, right?

So apparently I was wrong. The bank can do what they want, including watch me suffer like some sadistic cult leader. I have no money, no boyfriend, and no insurance. I thought it couldn't get worse until my second job manager called me to tell me that I'm fired and they have given someone else my position already. All I could think is, what the fuck is this? I cannot be making my life so bad. Why is this happening? Okay, well I need to develop new hobbies anyway and this gives me a good opportunity.

I've learned that I like to go to the library and read books from the Teen Sci-Fi section. I only cry in public when I am in the bathroom. I haven't cried but once today, which is a major improvement. It's been about two weeks since everything bad put me here. My mom helped me get a lawyer for the wreck case and I have one week to scrape up the money. Maybe if I sell my body off I can get the money quick enough.

So, all week I've been prostituting and I got the money I needed. I feel slightly sick like I picked up a germ, maybe the flu or some stomach virus. I'll go to the doctor later. For now, time to pay that money off.

When I get to the doctor I admit my prostitution. She takes a blood sample and sends it away for testing. I should get a call by tomorrow. Yes, that soon, because it might be serious. As soon as I get home I cancel all of my sex sessions forever and go straight to sleep without even eating.

The next morning my ringtone wakes me.

"Hello, Miss Anadasia, I hate to tell you this, but you have a disease commonly know as HIV," the nurse states. Oh no! I contracted a disease when I was trying to get money for the bank! Gosh, what will go wrong next? Eh, I can handle it. YOLO.

October 12, 2019 02:56

You must sign up or log in to submit a comment.

0 comments

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in the Reedsy Book Editor. 100% free.