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405 Words
“Hey Jade! Pearl needs new linen! Can you help?”
Sigh. It’s the third time today I help out with Pearls linen. I know she’s the most popular one here, cause she is the only natural blonde, and they are quite rare around here. Okay, she has a gorgeous body too. But still - why is it always me they are calling?
I grab a set of new linens and make my way up the stairs. It’s pretty crowded tonight, and it looks like most of the girls are working. I feel the eyes on me, but they disappear just as quickly again when they see the the yellow collar around my neck. It’s the indicator that I’m underage and no one is allowed to touch me or talk to me.
Mother is sitting in her chair in her office at the end of the second set of stairs. She sees everyone who comes up and makes sure everything is okay. She handles the money and gives out protection - it’s a must here.
“Hi Mother. Pearl needs new linen again, just gonna run down and help her.”
“Oh good darling. Pearl is doing great tonight don’t you think?”
Like I see anything down in the basement except laundry and dirty dishes.
“I guess so,” I answer.
“Jade - before you leave. I need to talk to you tomorrow at 10. We need to start planning your big day.”
She smiles afterward with her stained teeth completely exposed. That means one thing only - Mother is thinking about money.
I note the time, smiles and runs down to Pearl. She’s not in her room - probably gone showering. I just start taking off the dirty linen myself, put on fresh new ones and makes the bed so it doesn’t seems like there have been 3 sweaty men here already. After all, the night is still young and as long as Mother smells this kind of money, we are not closing anytime soon.
When I comes down in the basement again I go straight to the bathroom. I lock the door and sit down on the floor.
I have always known that “my big day” would come, but now it’s next week. My 18th birthday. The day Mother will cut my yellow collar and assign me to my own room upstairs and make me work.
- Writer
