I habitually wake up to thoughts of cash and all the other luxuries in the world that came with having cash. On this occasion, I'm glad it was my best friend who came to me first with evidence that sticking to her moral codes was getting us nowhere.
"You have to call him." Krystal told me with a stubborn set of her jaw that told me she didn't want to talk to me so soon after the fight we had last night, even when we both knew she apologized first after a fight.
"Why do I have to call him?" I hurry around the house looking for my panty hose. It was almost time for work and i couldn't find it anywhere I looked. And Tommy just got them for me.
"He wants you Sally. They always do. Call him, tell him to give us a little more time." She chewed on her bottom lip in worry. 'They' in question referred to all the men that crossed paths with me.
I heave a sigh. Krystal has always been a worrywart, worrying about everyone else, it was both a blessing and a curse.
"Stop doing that, you're going to ruin your lips."
I started to apply lip balm on her lip before she swatted my hands away.
"Sally please take this seriously. You never take anything seriously. Or else.. we'd be living on the streets."
I almost smile at that. She sounded like my mom.
"If we don't leave for work this very instant we will have no job as well."
Her eyes widen as if she was just realizing we had no time.
She broke apart from me, scrambling for her purse. We could not afford to be late, we were both late earlier this week and our boss threatened to make sure hell rained on us. You'd think our jobs were really special until you found out Krystal and i were sales reps who stood all day in heels and fake smiles, hoping to attract customers. Krystal always said our boss, Gideon, hired me for the job specifically because I would bring in tons of customers and she only worked here because we were a package deal. Buy Sally get Krystal free. I refute the statement each time, Krystal always made it look like I was a star shining so bright, I burnt everyone around me severely and they couldn't shine as much. She was also beautiful, no doubt, her dark brown hair came up to the small of her back, even if I tried to tell her several times it would look a thousand times better if short.
"Mr. Rufus, we were just talking about you." Krystal' s alarmed voice reached my ears. She had already slipped out the front door while I was still inside.
"Good. Because either you guys pay up today. Or you move out. No two ways about it." His gruff voice left no room for argument and i knew I have to step in now else we will be late for work and also have no roof over our heads.
Popping open the first two buttons of my milk chiffon blouse, and stretching my lips to form the seductive smile that has always gotten me what I want, I walk out of the building.
My eyes land on the stout man with a soft pouch and thinning black hair, he was nothing short of the word ugly but he was a man, and my talent was manipulating men. He even brought in his expensive Mercedes, with my skills, I'm certain he would be dropping us off at work.
"Hey Mark." I greet in my sultry tone like we were more than tenant and landlord.
Mark Rufus's angry eyes left my best friend and landed on me. His eyes did a complete sweep, taking in all of me, I already know what he was seeing. All the twenty six years of my life, I always knew I was beautiful, not just beautiful, I was sexy-- hot and i knew how to use it. I often hear people say that I had the body that gods sculpted by themselves after a well rested break. And I used this to my advantage more than once. I used it all my life if we were being honest with ourselves. My curves were a killer but the real deal was my chest, I thank the heavens everyday that I didn't inherit my mom's genes, what else would have worked for me the way they did?
His eyes took their sweet time taking across my chest, I would roll my eyes but there was too much at stake, we were behind on rent and well running late for work this morning. I catch Krystal's eyes from the top of Mark's head. She looked guilty before looking away. Even if this was what she asked me to do to save our home, she still felt guilty.
Krystal was the moral compass of our duo. She wouldn't let an old geezer undress me with his eyes, if it was not our last and only hope. Unlike Krystal whose morality came first all the time to her, survival came first to me. I was not going to eat my morals, people don't exchange morals for a place to stay. Life was a jungle, i had what it takes, I was not going to let morals ruin it.
My eyes go back to Mark. He looked like he wanted more, but that's all he was going to get. Until I wanted more from him.
"Mark, you know we don't pay late. Something came up at home with my grandma. So we could not meet up the payment for this month. But I promise, we will send you your money soon." I say a little too dramatically.
Mark blinked, he must have forgotten what he came out here for.
"Well.. you girls should pay on time. I don't want you sleeping on the streets. I give you two weeks to pay up."
I grin and throw myself on him. Hugging him close to me, allowing him a few seconds close to my chest before pulling away.
"You are the best, you know that Mark!"
The old geezer must have not heard me because his eyes stayed on my chest.
"By the way Mark. Can you please drop off us at the mall? We have to be there now and we are running late." I bat my lashes and run a fore finger across his arm.
"Sure of course. Please get in."
I hooked my hand in his as he led us to the car. I silently passed a message to Krystal.
'Let's see your morals get you into the latest Mercedes.'