The Hard Life (Working Title) by Ashley Beth (ebook reader with built in dictionary TXT) 📕
Excerpt from the book:
Skylar wants nothing more than to escape Alex and live her life on her own. When Candy, Skylar's best friend, disappears, Skylar is shaken. Alex says he's not the reason, but how much can she trust him? Should she stay with Alex and hope that things get easier, or risk everything to leave and find Candy?
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- Author: Ashley Beth
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it’s not a good enough excuse for him. He glances at Mandy, who is staring at the floor.
“She doesn’t eat. Not until after tonight. If you’re that hungry; eat them here.”
I nod and stuff the sandwiches in my mouth, anxious to get away from him. He watches me eat with a smirk. Mandy stands silent at my side. When I finish, I ask if I can go back to my room. He says yes, but when Mandy starts to follow, he catches her arm.
“Not you. You can keep me company for a while.” She looks at me to save her, but I can’t. To me, Jeremiah says, “Why are you still here? Go away.”
I leave before he can get mad at me. I hear crying from the living room and my stomach twists. Poor Mandy. I open Candy’s door to check on her. She’s in bed with the covers over her head. I sit down next to her and pull the covers down. I try not to gasp. She looks horrible. Her face is so swollen, she’s not recognizable. Her face is wet with tears. She’s crying in her sleep. I stroke her hair and fight my tears. I hate this! Candy’s eyes open and she tries to smile.
“Hey, girl. What’s up?”
Before I can answer, a sharp cry echoes loud from the living room. Candy frowns and sits up.
“That didn’t sound like Cherry…”
“It’s not. New girl’s here. She’s young, probably thirteen. Alex gave her to me. She’s staying in my room. Jeremiah’s breaking her in right now.”
Candy’s face falls. “Oh.”
“Candy, I don’t know what to do. I can’t teach her; I’m still learning. She’s terrified. What am I supposed to do?”
She sighs. “I don’t know. We’ll figure it out.”
Another sharp cry from the living room. Mandy’s sobs are loud through the house. I can hear Jeremiah’s voice; his low murmurs carry to the room.
“Candy, are you okay?”
She looks down at her lap. “No.” She whispers, “I’m not. Jeremiah’s got it out for me. Because of him, I had to get twice as much last night. I didn’t. Alex was pissed. I’ve gotta make it up tonight. I don’t think I can. I think I’m gonna have to dig into my stash to get Alex off my back.”
“I’m so sorry. I’m the one who should be in trouble, not you. You were just sticking up for me.”
She shrugs. “He’s a bastard. He’s been waiting for an excuse to get me for a while. It’s not your fault.”
I don’t believe her, but I’m not going to argue. The sounds from the living room stop and I jump up. I get back to my room just as Jeremiah rounds the corner. He’s pulling Mandy’s arm. She’s sobbing and I see her bloody lip. My heart sinks again.
Jeremiah shoves her into our room and says,
“Keep her in here. Go to bed. I better not hear a sound from this room, do you understand me?”
I nod and he slams the door shut. I hear him say something to Candy and then slam her door, too. Mandy curls into a ball on the floor and covers her face with her hands. I don’t know what to do. My first thought is to rub her back because that always makes me feel better. But she could break completely if I touch her. Instead, I let her cry. After she dies down a little, I whisper,
“I’m going to bed, okay? Um, you can get in when you’re ready. We’ve got to go at five thirty, so it helps if you get sleep. It’s gonna be a long night.”
She doesn’t answer and I climb into bed. I try to sleep, but can’t. Instead, I stare at the ceiling and wonder how things got so screwed up. After about an hour on the floor, Mandy joins me in the bed. I listen to her cry herself to sleep and hope she learns the rules faster than I did. Otherwise, she's screwed.
***********************************************
Mandy wakes up before me. She’s sitting with her knees hugged tight to her chest. Her sniffling cries wake me up. I groan and glance at the clock. I’ve still got thirty minutes left to sleep, but I decide I should try again to calm her down. Especially if Alex comes back.
“Hey, Mandy… You know it’ll be okay. It’s not too bad once you learn the rules, and you’ve got me to help. And Candy’s the best. She can help you, too.”
Mandy says nothing, but stares at her knees. I fight the urge to rub her back. I don’t want to scare her. I can’t do this. I need Candy’s help. I glance at the clock and decide I can at least see if she’ll get up.
“I’ll be right back, okay?”
“Wait, where are you going?” Her eyes are wide with fear.
“Just across the hall. Only for a second, I swear.”
She nods and I open Candy’s door. She’s already awake and dressed. When I come in she jumps.
“Oh, hey girl, you scared me. I thought he said to stay in your room?”
“Yeah, but I need your help. I can’t do this. I have no idea what to say to her. She’s been crying all day long. I don’t know how to make her stop. I’m not good with tears.”
Candy sighs. “You were like that, too. I can help for a minute, but I’ve gotta leave soon.”
“But we’ve still got an hour and a half.”
“Not me. Remember? I’ve got to make twice as much. That means leaving earlier and coming home later. Unless I get lucky and get a rich one.”
Candy follows me back to my room and I start getting dressed. Candy sits down next to Mandy and I listen to them talk. Candy is much better at teaching than I am. She tells Mandy everything. How to get a good trick, which Johns to look out for, how much to charge for what. Candy gives her tips on what to do and where. How to spot a cop.
I smile to myself and give Candy a wink. She’s no better at spotting a cop than I am. She likes to act like she is, though. When she stops talking, she lets Mandy ask questions. I go to the bathroom and fix my hair and makeup.
Candy joins me in the bathroom and says,
“Hey, I’m leaving. She’s as ready as she’ll ever be. She’s putting on some of your clothes; none of mine will fit her. Stay close to her as much as possible. Just keep an eye on her, and whenever you can, keep her away from Jeremiah.”
I give her a quick good luck. Candy leaves just as Cherry’s door opens. She’s yawning and rubbing her eyes. I get out of her way and go back to Mandy. She’s dressed and sitting on the bed. When I walk in, she flinches. She wipes her eyes and says,
“What happened to Candy’s face?”
I sigh and cross my arms. I should tell her the truth, but she’s so scared already. She doesn’t need another reason to be terrified of Jeremiah or Alex.
“She broke the rules.”
“Did Alex hurt her?”
“It doesn’t matter, come on, it’s almost time to go…”
Imprint
“She doesn’t eat. Not until after tonight. If you’re that hungry; eat them here.”
I nod and stuff the sandwiches in my mouth, anxious to get away from him. He watches me eat with a smirk. Mandy stands silent at my side. When I finish, I ask if I can go back to my room. He says yes, but when Mandy starts to follow, he catches her arm.
“Not you. You can keep me company for a while.” She looks at me to save her, but I can’t. To me, Jeremiah says, “Why are you still here? Go away.”
I leave before he can get mad at me. I hear crying from the living room and my stomach twists. Poor Mandy. I open Candy’s door to check on her. She’s in bed with the covers over her head. I sit down next to her and pull the covers down. I try not to gasp. She looks horrible. Her face is so swollen, she’s not recognizable. Her face is wet with tears. She’s crying in her sleep. I stroke her hair and fight my tears. I hate this! Candy’s eyes open and she tries to smile.
“Hey, girl. What’s up?”
Before I can answer, a sharp cry echoes loud from the living room. Candy frowns and sits up.
“That didn’t sound like Cherry…”
“It’s not. New girl’s here. She’s young, probably thirteen. Alex gave her to me. She’s staying in my room. Jeremiah’s breaking her in right now.”
Candy’s face falls. “Oh.”
“Candy, I don’t know what to do. I can’t teach her; I’m still learning. She’s terrified. What am I supposed to do?”
She sighs. “I don’t know. We’ll figure it out.”
Another sharp cry from the living room. Mandy’s sobs are loud through the house. I can hear Jeremiah’s voice; his low murmurs carry to the room.
“Candy, are you okay?”
She looks down at her lap. “No.” She whispers, “I’m not. Jeremiah’s got it out for me. Because of him, I had to get twice as much last night. I didn’t. Alex was pissed. I’ve gotta make it up tonight. I don’t think I can. I think I’m gonna have to dig into my stash to get Alex off my back.”
“I’m so sorry. I’m the one who should be in trouble, not you. You were just sticking up for me.”
She shrugs. “He’s a bastard. He’s been waiting for an excuse to get me for a while. It’s not your fault.”
I don’t believe her, but I’m not going to argue. The sounds from the living room stop and I jump up. I get back to my room just as Jeremiah rounds the corner. He’s pulling Mandy’s arm. She’s sobbing and I see her bloody lip. My heart sinks again.
Jeremiah shoves her into our room and says,
“Keep her in here. Go to bed. I better not hear a sound from this room, do you understand me?”
I nod and he slams the door shut. I hear him say something to Candy and then slam her door, too. Mandy curls into a ball on the floor and covers her face with her hands. I don’t know what to do. My first thought is to rub her back because that always makes me feel better. But she could break completely if I touch her. Instead, I let her cry. After she dies down a little, I whisper,
“I’m going to bed, okay? Um, you can get in when you’re ready. We’ve got to go at five thirty, so it helps if you get sleep. It’s gonna be a long night.”
She doesn’t answer and I climb into bed. I try to sleep, but can’t. Instead, I stare at the ceiling and wonder how things got so screwed up. After about an hour on the floor, Mandy joins me in the bed. I listen to her cry herself to sleep and hope she learns the rules faster than I did. Otherwise, she's screwed.
***********************************************
Mandy wakes up before me. She’s sitting with her knees hugged tight to her chest. Her sniffling cries wake me up. I groan and glance at the clock. I’ve still got thirty minutes left to sleep, but I decide I should try again to calm her down. Especially if Alex comes back.
“Hey, Mandy… You know it’ll be okay. It’s not too bad once you learn the rules, and you’ve got me to help. And Candy’s the best. She can help you, too.”
Mandy says nothing, but stares at her knees. I fight the urge to rub her back. I don’t want to scare her. I can’t do this. I need Candy’s help. I glance at the clock and decide I can at least see if she’ll get up.
“I’ll be right back, okay?”
“Wait, where are you going?” Her eyes are wide with fear.
“Just across the hall. Only for a second, I swear.”
She nods and I open Candy’s door. She’s already awake and dressed. When I come in she jumps.
“Oh, hey girl, you scared me. I thought he said to stay in your room?”
“Yeah, but I need your help. I can’t do this. I have no idea what to say to her. She’s been crying all day long. I don’t know how to make her stop. I’m not good with tears.”
Candy sighs. “You were like that, too. I can help for a minute, but I’ve gotta leave soon.”
“But we’ve still got an hour and a half.”
“Not me. Remember? I’ve got to make twice as much. That means leaving earlier and coming home later. Unless I get lucky and get a rich one.”
Candy follows me back to my room and I start getting dressed. Candy sits down next to Mandy and I listen to them talk. Candy is much better at teaching than I am. She tells Mandy everything. How to get a good trick, which Johns to look out for, how much to charge for what. Candy gives her tips on what to do and where. How to spot a cop.
I smile to myself and give Candy a wink. She’s no better at spotting a cop than I am. She likes to act like she is, though. When she stops talking, she lets Mandy ask questions. I go to the bathroom and fix my hair and makeup.
Candy joins me in the bathroom and says,
“Hey, I’m leaving. She’s as ready as she’ll ever be. She’s putting on some of your clothes; none of mine will fit her. Stay close to her as much as possible. Just keep an eye on her, and whenever you can, keep her away from Jeremiah.”
I give her a quick good luck. Candy leaves just as Cherry’s door opens. She’s yawning and rubbing her eyes. I get out of her way and go back to Mandy. She’s dressed and sitting on the bed. When I walk in, she flinches. She wipes her eyes and says,
“What happened to Candy’s face?”
I sigh and cross my arms. I should tell her the truth, but she’s so scared already. She doesn’t need another reason to be terrified of Jeremiah or Alex.
“She broke the rules.”
“Did Alex hurt her?”
“It doesn’t matter, come on, it’s almost time to go…”
Imprint
Publication Date: 01-13-2010
All Rights Reserved
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