Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Appetite
Alexander walked into the kitchen. His stomach was growling. He opened the fridge. Empty.
"Tch. Nothing" said Alexander. "Those rich places give you a tiny slice of food for a fortune. I’m still starving."
His cousin appeared in the doorway. She was dressed now, but her face was still red.
"Alex, we need to talk" said his cousin.
"Sure. But I’m hungry. Let’s get dinner first" said Alexander.
She blinked. She knew he worked at 7-Eleven. He never had a spare dollar. Every cent went to tuition.
"I’m not paying" said his cousin.
"I know. My treat. How about a cheeseburger?" said Alexander.
The mention of food seemed to kill the embarrassment. "Fine. Let’s go. Hurry up" said his cousin. She pushed him toward the door.
They drove to Five Guys. They ordered two massive burgers and sat in a corner booth. She took a huge bite, then pointed a fry at him.
"We haven’t talked about earlier" said his cousin.
"Nothing to talk about. I didn’t knock. I didn’t see anything. I promise" said Alexander.
She narrowed her eyes. "Don’t lie to me" said his cousin.
Alexander leaned across the table. He felt a surge of confidence he didn’t recognize.
"If you want, I can take responsibility" said Alexander. He leaned into her ear, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I could take the place of that toy and fuck you myself."
He nipped her earlobe. Just a quick, sharp bite.
She bolted out of her seat. Her face went purple. She didn’t say a word, just turned and ran toward the bathroom. Alexander sat back and laughed.
"What is this? The money? Or just losing my virginity?" said Alexander.
He wasn’t an ugly guy. Tall, lean, a good face. He’d had chances before, but the money complex always stopped him. In high school, a girl had invited him to a motel, but he couldn’t pay for the room. She laughed in his face and told the whole school. He had been the "broke kid" ever since.
But now, he felt the weight of the phone in his pocket. He wasn’t that kid anymore.
He kept eating. A buzz broke his focus. He pulled out the TMC phone.
[Reservation for tomorrow at 20:00. Reply: 1. Accept 2. Decline 3. Request Photo?]
Below it: [Note: Option 3 reduces commission by 50%.]
"Picky eaters cost extra, huh?" said Alexander. "Money is what matters. Not the face."
He hit ’1’.
[Appointment confirmed: Tomorrow at 20:00. Arrive thirty minutes early. Be professional.]
It sounded like a corporate email. Cold.
His cousin came back from the bathroom. She looked like she wanted to scream.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Are you crazy?" said his cousin.
Alexander looked up from his fries. He looked completely calm.
"Not at all. I’m serious. It hurts to see you so... needy. If I can help, I will" said Alexander.
His gaze was steady. For a second, she didn’t see her annoying cousin. She saw a man who meant it. Then the shame hit her again.
"Go to hell!" said his cousin.
She grabbed her burger and stormed out. Alexander didn’t follow. He just took another bite and checked his bank app.
"Trouble with the girlfriend?" said a voice.
A girl was standing by the booth. She had a playful smirk, watching the drama.
"Something like that" said Alexander.
He didn’t feel the usual panic. He didn’t feel like a loser. He felt like the man Marcus wanted him to be.
"Well, she’s missing out. Mind if I take the seat?" said the girl.
Alexander looked at the girl and gestured to the empty seat. "Go ahead," said Alexander.
He felt the phone buzz again. Another notification.
[Reservation for the day after tomorrow at 08:00.]
Same rules. Same warnings. He didn’t even read the fine print this time; he just tapped ’1’. That made two appointments in the bag. If the pay stayed the same, he was looking at five grand in just a few days.
"Holy shit. I’m making a killing," Alexander muttered to himself.
"Something good happen?" said the girl. She sat down across from him, leaning her chin on her hand.
"Yeah. Things are just looking up, little by little," said Alexander. He slid his phone back into his pocket. "And what about you? What are you doing out this late?"
"Just grabbing dinner. I’ve got a midterm to study for tomorrow at the university. What about you?" said the girl.
The university. Alexander’s heart skipped a beat for a completely different reason this time. Shit. I almost forgot. I have a midterm tomorrow too, he thought.
"You forgot about your exam, didn’t you?" said the girl. She let out a soft laugh at the look on his face.
"Crap... yeah. A little bit," said Alexander.
She looked at him, her eyes tracing the lines of his expensive suit, then back up to his face. "What if we go back to my apartment and study together?" said the girl.
Alexander looked at her for a second. He wasn’t the naive kid he was four hours ago. He knew exactly what she was actually asking for, and it wasn’t help with her notes.
"Sure. Let’s go," said Alexander.
He stood up and followed her out, a small smirk playing on his lips. She’s basically asking me to fuck her, Alexander thought. Why would I pass that up?
