IN PRINCIPIO

Adina

Rosana, my roommate will say, somethings got to give. I stare at my exhausted reflection in the mirror and sigh. Today being a Friday means more customers, more work, and that means more getting pissed off, shoved around and getting more pissed off. I have been walking around and taking orders for the past 8 hours, which has my feet screaming in agony. I gather my red hair into a tight ponytail and sigh. Oval face on full display. I am no beauty like Rosana, I know that. I've had people rub it in my face every second they got. The only thing they liked was my full lip. I knew I wasn't going to get anything by using my beauty, that is why after dropping out of high school after first year, I started working as a waitress to be able to pay my bills and help ma. I still don't know where she run off to with Jasper her lousy boyfriend. It's been ten years and I'm now 24. I retouch lip with a lip gloss I took from Rosana, fix my employee tag and step out of the washroom. 

I take the hallway leading straight to the kitchen. 

"Adina! table 62 needs a plate of potato chips wings sent to them immediately!" Rosana shouts. 

I rush to her, take the tray of food and give her a look. The ugh, I'm tired of this shit look. She smiles and mouths, later. I roll my eyes, take the order and step out. I know what she means by later. We have to go to our second job. Rosana brought this idea that we worked as mini servers at The Bulls which is about 45 minutes' drive from the restaurant. The Bulls is a hotel where big men pay for professional sex workers or hookers as Rosana says it to service them. You do not have to show your face to them. And you don't have to know who it is, just wear a mask which they give everyone including workers and clients and get the job done.

We have been doing that for the past six months and that has been helpful. The money is good. Although I like it very much, because of the way I've found my way around in servicing the clients, sometimes I get nervous and scared of when my cup will run full. I can't let a random man be the one to pop my cherry. I can't let someone do that just because I need that money. I had to use that trick. I know I can trust Rosana and tell her the truth, but I don't know what her reaction will be. Although she is my best friend, I can't tell her everything. When she gets drunk, she is able to say anything at all to anyone. She tells them all the things. And I can't risk her blowing my secret. It's better she believes I let one of the big men be my first. I cringe at the thought.

Adina, think about that later, for now concentrate.

I walk to table 62 and serve them. 

Just as I'm about to walk back to the kitchen, Maria, holds me by the arm, stopping me in my tracks. " Two customers walked in with an order." she gives me a sheet of paper which she wrote the order on. Can my shift just end already? 

I continue the routine of running up and down till its twelve midnight. My shift's closing time. I meet Marina in the dressing room at the storeroom no one uses. Marina was able to convince Amos, the security personnel to leave the key to that dressing room for us and also turn off the security cameras from the hallway leading to the storeroom and the emergency exit. We change into the uniforms for our second work. I quickly change into the short-sleeved body con dress which reaches my mid-thigh. I keep my hair in the tight ponytail and slip my black mask on.  I quickly change my flat shoes to a black stiletto heel. 

Rosana looks back at me and says, "Girl, you look so pretty!" 

I smile, " Ha! says the sexy goddess." 

She puts on her mask and packs her bag. so, do I. We walk to the back where our uber is waiting for us. 

*****

We stop and queue at the employee check or reception to pick the big men we are supposed to service tonight.  I join the queue after Rosana, but I can't seem to shake off the feeling that I'm being watched. I feel the itch in my neck and the goosebumps rise. I look around but see no one. Rosana turns and whispers, " Girl, I don't think I have the energy to service anyone for tonight, but somethings got to give. I think my period might even come."  I whisper back, " If your period is about to come, you can abort mission, maybe he might not like period sex." 

"I need to buy that Ride, Adi, you know."

I sigh. Rosana and I are so different but that's what makes us best friends and unique. "I understand."

"Next!" The receptionist calls. 

Rosana walks to her and dips her hand into the honey pot, A box containing the room numbers of the big men we are going to be servicing. 

I follow after her and dip my hand into the box and draw a number. 72. Room number 72. I sigh and head towards the elevator. Every part of The Bull screams luxury. Bling. Money. That's why I didn't hesitate when Rosana brought the idea. I've been saving the thousands of dollars so that I can be able to move to Penny's State. That neighborhood is peaceful and quiet and worth all the money and hype. I also want to open a boutique hotel. ugh, one can dream. If wishes were horses, I might have ridden all those horses out of their stables. I also want to be that public relations practitioner, that renowned one, so bad. I have so many I wants and I wishs. I want to see the reality of that so bad. 

The elevator stops on the 7th floor and the doors open. I step onto the hallway and the chill creeps back in. as if I'm being watched. While we were changing at the restaurant and Rosana was not watching, I hid my tiny concoction for my clients between by breasts.  I look around me and it's just me on the hallway. But I don't know why I feel like I'm being watched. I swallow past the lump forming in my throat and continue walking.  I double my steps down the hallway till I'm standing in front of room 72. I slide my card and the door unlocks. I turn the knob and peek into the dark room.  Why the fuck is the room dark? I try to close it shut when I hear a voice say, "Come in pretty thing."

Every part of my body screams abort mission, but there is that tiny voice in my head, the one belonging to marina that says, "Somethings got to give girl, somethings got to give."  I swallow hard and step into the dark room. 

Immediately I do, light shines into the room. I close my eyes reflexively, as a result of the assault on my eyes.  I quickly open them and see the masked old man on the bed, naked. With his skinny dick! I immediately feel repulsed and nauseous.  Thank God for the mask. 

He commands "Strip!"

There is no way on hell I'm going to strip. Adina, take charge of this girl! you've got this. Do you!

I begin to take slow catwalks to him, completely ignoring his order and doing what I can do best. As I reach the foot of the bed, he burst out laughing. I stop, puzzled. 

"You silly girl, you think you can trick me tonight?"  he says coldly.

That statement causes a shock to be rippled through my body. Followed by an intense fever I have no idea where it came from. I take a shaky step back. 

"You silly girl. Did you think my men won't find you and that friend of yours? Rosana? "

I try to say something, but nothing comes out my mouth. He knows me. Jesus, he knows me. I don't want to have sex with him. think Adina! Think!

Then I think. I bolt for the door. As soon as I reach for it a sharp pain erupts in my right arm. I don't have time to check it. I turn the knob and run out. Thank goodness I still had the key card with me. I run down the hallway to the elevator, but three men rush out from the corner. I turn and run in the opposite direction. The pain in my arm keeps spreading. I look over at it. Fuck I've been stabbed. Probably the most courageous thing I've ever done or its the adrenalin, I don't know, and I don't care. I pull the small knife out and hold onto it, not breaking the run. 

I reach a corner and turn onto it, the men still chasing me. I quickly stop for a second and kick off my shoes. I run up the stairs leading onto the 8th floor. Then run down the hallway.  I have no idea where I'm going but I just go. I just don't want to killed or worse raped. I don't want them to harm me.

I take my right and hear a loud thud. That makes me stop in my tracks. Fear takes over my body. Consumes me. I look around but I see no sign of any body on the hallway. The elevator is on the corner. I run for it. 

The scene at the hallway is not something I thought I would see in such a circumstance of mine. An old woman, lying on the floor with a broken clutch.  Ugh. she looks up at me with a sad face and says, "Please help me up. I am trying to go to the ground floor. " 

I look behind me. The men are nowhere to be found. My mask feels so sticky underneath with all the sweat. she looks at my fisted hand. The knife and blood on my arm. Then she begins to shake. 

oh shit! "No, I'm not going to kill you, I promise, I'm running away from some bad men." I say calmly. 

she looks at my feet and nods. I Help her up and make her drape an arm around me. the elevator opens to us, and we step in. the door closes immediately and I press the ground floor. I pray no one stops this elevator on any floor. 

The elevator ride is fast and uninterrupted like I prayed for.  when we step out, she says, "Thank you, I'll take it from here." 

Confused I ask, " Your clutches are broken, how do you intend on going home? its late too let me just get you a cab." 

She shakes her head and says, " No, I'll go from here, thank you." 

I nod. I need to get out of here myself. I won't stand and debate with her any second on why she should let me take her to a cab. I let go of her and she stands perfectly. I nod to her and turn to run but she stops me and says, " What do you want me to thank you with?" 

I turn, smile and say, " A lot, mama. Probably a try again. And a wish horse to ride. just one." I say jokingly. 

she smiles back and nods. I take that as a goodbye and run off.

I get a cab immediately I step on to the streets of Frayser. I tell him my address and he drives. We turn onto my street, but a bright car light hits my eye, simultaneously, a sharp pierce into my neck. I clutch my neck and try to shout, but only blood flows, plenty of blood. My world begins to spin, then, darkness greets me.