he says and I try to touch him every chance I get. The eyes he keeps giving me, though, he’s making it hard to just pretend.
One of the other men at the table is genuinely funny, everything he says is humorous and I try not to laugh, but I can’t help it. Displeased by this, Robert uncomfortably shifts in his chair, so I strangle my laughter and try to block out the comedian.
Robert leans into my ear and I’m waiting to be lectured. “I like your giggle, Lily,” he says and leans back so our eyes meet; his head does a slight nod, indicating he wants me to react with a giggle and maybe a lascivious expression.
I play along, biting my bottom lip with a giggle that’s more seductive than giggly. With a pleased smile, his hand goes to my shoulder and he sits back in his seat. I’ve relaxed because this is the dullest dinner I’ve ever experienced, but I keep reminding myself I’m being paid and I’m with an attractive man; even if this is fake.
Once talk starts, the men at the table are all business, but they each eye me occasionally, and tucked close to Robert’s side, I keep to myself.
Dinner’s concluded, but now we’ve moved over to couches in the back of the restaurant where soft music is playing and they’re enjoying drinks. Robert’s arm is around me, keeping me close and the looks I keep getting from the other men are hard to read. I wonder what they’re thinking. Perhaps, ‘why is this young girl at Robert’s side’, or maybe they’re worried I’m underage. Robert has told me to only drink water, so I know that’s the image he wants to portray, and as much as I’m unsettled by that, I remind myself it’s my job.
When I excuse myself to go to the bathroom, all of there heads adjust to watch me walk away. I feel ridiculous. This dress would look good in a pair of heels I have; I can picture them perfectly, but in these flats I look like an adolescent. ‘It’s just a job’, I keep repeating to myself.
In the mirror my mom is staring back at me and it makes me want to put my red lipstick on. The wound on my wrist is hidden with colorful bangles; girlish bangles. I huff and reapply my pink lipstick then check my phone. Ian hasn’t text or called, but I suppose it wouldn’t be professional of him if he did.
When I return to the couches, three of the men have left, giving me hope this will be over soon. They continue to talk business and I’m dreadfully, fall asleep bored, but I keep a smile firm on my lips because this isn’t for my pleasure. I’m getting tired of reminding myself that.
The man that looks the oldest of the group looks at me. “What’s your name again?”
“Lily,” Robert answers for me and I place my hand on his knee.
“You know this guy has a girlfriend at home, Lily?”
The three men laugh and Robert shifts a little.
“Well, he’s not at home.” I probably shouldn’t have said that, but I have to defend my date.
Robert grins a victorious grin and pulls me a little closer, kissing my temple. The men are laughing, proving they’re all pigs. All that comes to mind is Ian. Ian is one of these men; I’m his fiancée and he has a girlfriend. He’s a pig and I’m a home-wrecking whore. Oh god, this is not the time to do this.
We’re approaching the third hour of the date and finally they stand and shake hands. Robert keeps me firmly at his side with his arm around me.
“Hey, good to meet you,” the funny man says and winks at me. I just smile; my face hurts from fake smiling for the last three hours.
When we leave, it feels like a weight’s been lifted off my chest and I need a drink of some sort.
In the backseat, Robert turns to me to say, “Thank you.”
“Pleasure was all mine.” I smile at him then look out the window.
“I do have a girlfriend in Yokohama.”
I nod and smile. I don’t care.
“That’s why I said no sex.”
I nod again and smile.
“If I didn’t, we would have sex.”
“I don’t do
One of the other men at the table is genuinely funny, everything he says is humorous and I try not to laugh, but I can’t help it. Displeased by this, Robert uncomfortably shifts in his chair, so I strangle my laughter and try to block out the comedian.
Robert leans into my ear and I’m waiting to be lectured. “I like your giggle, Lily,” he says and leans back so our eyes meet; his head does a slight nod, indicating he wants me to react with a giggle and maybe a lascivious expression.
I play along, biting my bottom lip with a giggle that’s more seductive than giggly. With a pleased smile, his hand goes to my shoulder and he sits back in his seat. I’ve relaxed because this is the dullest dinner I’ve ever experienced, but I keep reminding myself I’m being paid and I’m with an attractive man; even if this is fake.
Once talk starts, the men at the table are all business, but they each eye me occasionally, and tucked close to Robert’s side, I keep to myself.
Dinner’s concluded, but now we’ve moved over to couches in the back of the restaurant where soft music is playing and they’re enjoying drinks. Robert’s arm is around me, keeping me close and the looks I keep getting from the other men are hard to read. I wonder what they’re thinking. Perhaps, ‘why is this young girl at Robert’s side’, or maybe they’re worried I’m underage. Robert has told me to only drink water, so I know that’s the image he wants to portray, and as much as I’m unsettled by that, I remind myself it’s my job.
When I excuse myself to go to the bathroom, all of there heads adjust to watch me walk away. I feel ridiculous. This dress would look good in a pair of heels I have; I can picture them perfectly, but in these flats I look like an adolescent. ‘It’s just a job’, I keep repeating to myself.
In the mirror my mom is staring back at me and it makes me want to put my red lipstick on. The wound on my wrist is hidden with colorful bangles; girlish bangles. I huff and reapply my pink lipstick then check my phone. Ian hasn’t text or called, but I suppose it wouldn’t be professional of him if he did.
When I return to the couches, three of the men have left, giving me hope this will be over soon. They continue to talk business and I’m dreadfully, fall asleep bored, but I keep a smile firm on my lips because this isn’t for my pleasure. I’m getting tired of reminding myself that.
The man that looks the oldest of the group looks at me. “What’s your name again?”
“Lily,” Robert answers for me and I place my hand on his knee.
“You know this guy has a girlfriend at home, Lily?”
The three men laugh and Robert shifts a little.
“Well, he’s not at home.” I probably shouldn’t have said that, but I have to defend my date.
Robert grins a victorious grin and pulls me a little closer, kissing my temple. The men are laughing, proving they’re all pigs. All that comes to mind is Ian. Ian is one of these men; I’m his fiancée and he has a girlfriend. He’s a pig and I’m a home-wrecking whore. Oh god, this is not the time to do this.
We’re approaching the third hour of the date and finally they stand and shake hands. Robert keeps me firmly at his side with his arm around me.
“Hey, good to meet you,” the funny man says and winks at me. I just smile; my face hurts from fake smiling for the last three hours.
When we leave, it feels like a weight’s been lifted off my chest and I need a drink of some sort.
In the backseat, Robert turns to me to say, “Thank you.”
“Pleasure was all mine.” I smile at him then look out the window.
“I do have a girlfriend in Yokohama.”
I nod and smile. I don’t care.
“That’s why I said no sex.”
I nod again and smile.
“If I didn’t, we would have sex.”
“I don’t do
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