𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝, guy germaine

𝐒𝐈𝐗 | fancy

"OPIE, C'MON, IT'S NINE, I know you like to get out there early..." My mom coaxed me awake, rubbing my arm. "How was work?"
"It's alright." I sighed.
Though it took a moment, I started to recollect everything that happened to me yesterday - making up with Guy, the charity event, kissing Guy's cheek, working at the bar, Guy watching me... all my thoughts were laced with him.

"What are you so smiley about?" She asked, forcing me to look at her.
"...There's a boy, mama. He's real sweet and we keep findin' each other."
"He's nice to you, yes?"
"Yes, very nice... and get this, he's a bit of a celebrity."
"A celebrity? My goodness." She rolled out of bed. "Well, I'm happy for you darling - already doing better than I was at your age."
"Oh stop... I don't even know that he really likes me, he's just stopping in town for a few days. There's a whole group of 'em and a bunch of stops - I'm just one of many."
"I bet you're not to him. You've got a special story and a special face." She explained. "Nobody can ever forget you. My boss always forgot I had four boys, but they knew you by name."
I just gently shook my head, getting out of bed calmly.

"He's just different. And believe me, he's very nice, just... you know how those people are. Sometimes they just like a fling."
"Well, it's sounding like more than a fling for you, honey."
I changed up for the first part of the day, stuffing into my bra and keeping it simple with a white shirt and jeans. I put my money from yesterday in the box, keeping it safe, and I counted while I had a minute. I only made a thousand in the last two weeks. Rent was 2500. Not to mention food and anything else.

I heard a little commotion in the living room, so I went out once I had my boots on and my guitar packed up.

My mama was always happy to see Judson when he came over. Of course, he didn't let her know his line of business, so she still thought he was this amazing young businessman. My views on him were starting to change ever since he roughed up Guy in the alley. I was starting to realize that he couldn't control his violence, even subtly.

"Opie, hey!" He waded over to me, pushing aside my brothers. "I brought you as much as I could."
"What?" He set a wad of cash in my hand - all 50 dollar bills, 5 of them. $250...

"Judson, you-"
"I have plenty of money. This is what I can spare for you all."
"Seriously, you make this much?"
"Yeah. You surprised? I'm in a lucrative business, Opie."
"I know, just... I didn't know men paid so much to be with ladies." I rolled the cash up again, going to put it in the box - he followed me.
"Guys'll do anything to be with a beautiful girl. And people visiting down here tend to have the money to spend." He explained.
"Well, thank you. Seriously, we need the..." As I had reached in to hug him, he pushed me off of him.

"You slept with somebody." He exclaimed quietly. "The fuck, you smell like a man!"
Thank God we were out of the way and in my room, I didn't need my mother or my brothers hearing those words.

"Are you crazy, Jud? I'm 15, I'm not-"
"Did that blonde kid bed you? Seriously? You should know better than to do that, look how many kids mama ended up with. The last thing you need is a bun in the oven."
"I didn't do anything! I don't even know what it would be from!"

Well, now that I thought about it, the smell could have been from Guy giving me a hug. He always smelled good, and he held onto me for more than five seconds, so anything's possible.

"You don't even know? Jesus, Opal."
"I hugged somebody, maybe that's it."
"Was he about this tall, blonde?" Judson gestured Guy's height, fuming.
"Yes. And you have to remember you have no reign on my life. I can make my own decisions."
"Opie, I didn't want to tell you this, but I've got to. That kid... guys at your age, they don't like girls for anything but what they see."
"Huh?" I questioned, putting my hair up in the mirror. "I'm not following."
"I mean, a guy like him sees that you've got the features of a woman and that's it - that's all he sees."
"W-well yeah, but doesn't everybody think that?"
"It makes him want to sleep with you, Opal. All he's seeing in you is that you're a very attractive girl that's out of his league. He wants to be able to say he's conquered you."
I sniffed, trying to understand what he said. "But mama says that those things are about being in love, showing love to somebody. It isn't about conquering, right?"
"Sex is about power, Opie. And until you realize that, the world will continue trampling all over you." He made those his last words, leaving me alone - cuing me to cry.