"Chad White," I said, frozen. "You guys did it under the bleachers one night after a big game."
"Oh right," replied Rachel breezily, waving a hand. "Almost forgot. I guess I forgot on purpose," she said with a giggle, "because Chad was soooo bad, he was my first and I didn't know better back then, stupid girl that I was. But it gets even raunchier," she added saucily.
My heart beat like a drum but I remained silent. Oh shit, what was she going to say? That she had sex on-stage? That she let two men take her? Oh god, oh god. But my friend hadn't gone that far. With another cheeky smile, she said, "I had fun with myself," she confided naughtily. "It was really hot, it felt so good to perform for all these strange men, I was super wet," she added with a smirk.
I breathed a sigh of relief. For some reason, I'd been expecting the worst, and by no means was this kosher whatsoever. But somehow, the masturbation didn't seem so bad, she probably just played with herself a bit, hand between her legs, nothing too crazy. I caught myself. I was the one who was crazy, who was completely bonkers. Somehow in the past week my boundaries had completely shifted, all of this was completely crazy, every single moment, I'd simply become a slut, willing to do anything, willing to accept anything from my man.
But Rachel went on, still clueless to my roiling mind.
"They gave me a huge dildo and I had fun with it," she giggled once more. "It was amazing, and I did such a good job that they said I set a record price at the auction," she giggled. "One million dollars! And you know we get to keep half of it," she murmured in a lowered voice. "So that's five hundred thousand in my bank account!" she crowed. "Cha-ching!" she sang, miming pulling a slot machine handle. And I was stunned at the turn of events, but Rach hadn't finished yet.
"By the way, did I mention my buyer is super-studly, a real man?" she asked with a wicked grin. "Ahmed is the hottest guy I've ever met and I'm joining him later today in Dubai."
Now I was completely taken aback.
"Your buyer re-upped your contract?" I asked hesitantly. "He paid for another week with you?"
Rach shook her head, pouring herself another glass of bubbly before handing me one.
"Nope, we're in love," she said carelessly. "And for your information, he's not just "some guy," or even just "Ahmed." He's "Prince Ahmed," part of the royal family, and I'm going to Dubai of my own free will. We're going to see what's in store for us, start dating like a normal couple, you know, see where it goes."
I gasped.
"But aren't you afraid?" I asked tremulously. "I mean, you don't really know this guy and Dubai's really far away. You're gonna just take off like that? What about high school? What about your parents?"
And Rachel shrugged, nonchalant.
"I'm not worried hun," she said, flinging a curl over her shoulder. "Life's an adventure, and believe me, I got to know Prince Ahmed really well during our week together," she said with a wink. "There's no one more charming, handsome, powerful, he's so incredible," she said dreamily, cheeks flushing thinking of her man. "In fact, I can't wait to get on the plane, I miss him so bad already."
And I was jealous suddenly. Because despite my friend's flighty ways, she was clearly in love, or at least in infatuation. And it feels good to have happiness coursing through your veins, the heady, bubbly feel of summer wine, the sheer joy that takes over your soul. Who wouldn't dunk themselves in that barrel of honey, let the sweet goo run all over them, covered in bliss?
So I tried to smile, tried to look happy for her, but it was tough. Because inside, I was a gloomy cloud, all blues and greys, mooning over a man that didn't want me. But I made myself smile for my friend because I understood love better now. It was a taste of heaven, of sheer ecstasy, and I couldn't hold it against Rachel, couldn't be a Debbie Downer when she was clearly soaring on air.
So I smiled at her genuinely.
"Have fun, Rach, just be safe, okay?" I said quietly, putting my glass down. "You're going to be a stranger in a strange land, so make sure you always have a phone with you, okay? And what did your parents say about this?"
Rachel smiled then.
"Oh Jim and Barbara aren't happy about it, no way, but I didn't tell them the whole story. I told them that an opportunity had come up to model in Dubai, and I was going to work on my GED while I'm there."
That was plausible actually. My friend is gorgeous, with rippling hair and a killer smile. She already had a modeling portfolio, experience doing small jobs at the local mall and whatnot. Plus, Rachel had never been a school person, had been bugging her parents to let her move to NYC to try modeling full-time, so this was just the latest chapter in that story. I nodded slowly.
"Best of luck, Rach, I'm gonna miss you," I said slowly. "And I'm so happy you've found happiness with Prince Ahmed, you're gonna have a good time, I know it."
"Yes, of course!" exclaimed my friend. "It's just a two-week hiatus, if I hate the desert I'll be back at Central High in a snap," she smiled sassily, sticking out her tongue. "But what about you Ellie? How come I haven't heard anything about you?"
And I paused because I was still so heartsick about what had happened. Like my friend, I'd fallen in love as well but there was no corresponding happy ending for me.
"Well, you know," I beat around the bush. "I was auctioned too, and I was really scared at first, but I did get to like it in the end," I admitted, blushing a little.
"How much did you sell for?" preened Rach. "I know it wasn't as much as me, but it was a good price right? I hear they pay a lot for virgins."
I paused for a moment.
"Rach was it you who told them I'd never been with a man before?" I asked, cocking my head to the side, looking hard at her.
At least my friend had the grace to look shamefaced.
"Yeah, I'm so sorry, El," she admitted, bowing her head a little. "It was that dick Miles. When we were at the pool the first day, I told him to get his friend to ask you out, I said you just wanted to have some fun, needed a man for the first time, and he ran with it. So yeah," she confessed, "that was my fault."
I could have ripped into the blonde for talking about my virginity with strange men, but it now seemed so long ago. And it'd also happened back when Miles and his buddies were normal guys to us, when we had no inkling they were actually thugs trying to kidnap us. So I shook my head, sighing again. Best to let sleeping dogs lie.
"Well," I continued slowly, "I went up for auction and yes, got a nice price. I don't know how much," I said fibbing, "but I was bought by a billionaire. They're all billionaires," I corrected slowly. "You have to be, to be in the Club."
"Oh I know," grinned Rachel merrily. "I'm flying to Dubai on the prince's private jet, did I mention? No more commercial for this girl," she tooted, twerking around the living room, shaking her ass sassily. And I had to laugh at that, the blonde looked so funny, dancing with joy, curls flying with glee.
"They're all billionaires," I said again. "But I wasn't lucky like you. Because I fell in love with my buyer too," I confessed. "But he didn't want me in the end. In fact, he basically kicked me out," I said, taking a deep breath, putting a brave smile on my face. "So we're done," I said with a small shrug, trying to look okay even as another lance of pain pierced my heart.
And my friend, despite being flighty and silly, was still a good friend. Immediately Rachel stopped prancing around the room and dropped next to me on the couch.
"Ellie I'm so sorry," she breathed, putting an arm around my quivering shoulders. "I'm so sorry to hear. Are you sure? Are you sure there wasn't some misunderstanding?"
I twisted around to look at her, wiping a tear from my eye.
"No, there was no misunderstanding," I said ruefully. "When it was time to go, my buyer literally lifted me in his arms and put me in the car, so that I'd get out of his life. And I'm not like you," I said, mouth twisted in a painful smile. "Mr. Black could have re-upped for a week, he could be flying me to Dubai, heck, he could have gotten my cell number, but he didn't. I have no idea what the alpha male's up to now," I concluded in a soft voice. "And I'll never know."
Rachel hugged me tighter as my shoulders began to convulse in sobs.
"I'm so sorry, honey," she murmured again, genuine pity on her face. "Neither of us were prepared for this, I just got lucky," she said. "I just got really lucky that Ahmed and I hit it off, that now I'm gonna date him for real," she said, rubbing my shoulder comfortingly. "But buck up!" she added cheerily. "What did you say his name was again? These guys are all billionaires, I'm sure we can find him on-line."