Highest Bidder [[ON GOING]]

CHAPTER 2

By the time I woke up, Mom had left the apartment. She left a note that she had a hairdressing appointment. I put the note down and sighed. Obviously, I was not begrudging Mom a trip to the hairdresser, but her hairdresser cost nearly a thousand a visit. We were both going to have to make a lot of changes and sacrifices.

~OUTSIDE MOTHER'S BOUTIQUE~

Before I headed off to Uni, I decided to my mothers' Boutique. As I waited for the pedestrian light to turn green, I saw a woman walk in. The light turned green, and keeping my gaze on the store, I crossed the road and stopped by the window.

I don't know why I didn't go in. I guess I knew I was about to witness something important. Then my mom showed up, her reading glasses on her nose. My mother was the vainest person I know so she loathed them and only put them on when no one could see her. For her to forget and come out into the front shop with them on, must mean something extremely serious was going down.

I saw my mother talk with this woman and then the woman turned and began to go through the racks of clothes. As she did so, she began to snatch dresses and blazers off the racks. My mom went after her, trying to speak and hold on to the clothes to stop the woman from taking them away. It was then I realized what was happening.

The woman was probably a supplier to whom my mom had defaulted on payments. I froze and took a step back so I was hidden by one of the large potted plants on either side of the door. I blinked back tears for my mother. How life had changed for her.

Then suddenly, My mother dropped down to her knees and grabbed the clothes. I watched in disbelief. But my mom wouldn't let go until the woman got tired of the tussle and threw the clothes at her. I stormed into the boutique, and I was just in time to hear my mother's plea.

~MOTHER'S BOUTIQUE~

"Please. Please? Give me one more day." My mother begged that woman.

I was in shock, the kind that made me so angry I started to shake. "Please, I need you to leave."

"I can't leave without getting the clothes or the money for them." That woman looked at me in disbelief.

"Then take your damn clothes with you but I beg you, please go. The havoc you have done is enough" The tight frown on the woman's face eased to what became pity, or was that guilt? Then she walked out of the store.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, as though nothing had just happened, even though her lips were quivering. "Don't you have to be at class?"

I watched my mother fight with everything she had in her, to keep standing to make me believe that her pride had not just been shattered into a thousand pieces at how deeply and completely she had been humiliated in front of Martin and me. She couldn't hold on to that composure for long though. Before she could fall apart in front of us, she turned around and rushed back into her office.

"I need to make a quick call, give me a moment."

~MOTHER'S OFFICE~

I opened the office door to my mother's bright, plastic smile. I didn't smile back. I couldn't. Her smile faltered.

"Don't you have class? You're not meant to be here. "

"I do have class, but I had a break so I made a stopover here."

"Why?"

"Does that matter anymore? You... I'm sorry, Mom." I reached up to her face and took off her glasses. She tutted.

"Oh, I can't believe I went out wearing them."

"I love you...Mom." My voice broke. My mother's eyes filled with tears.

"I love you too, my little button. Now I want you to go to class and stop thinking about our finances. I'll sort everything out. I promise. We will be fine."

I nodded my agreement with a smile and echoed her words. "We will be fine."

"That's my girl."

"See you later, then." In the past year, we had lost almost everything. My father, our status, our homes, our cars, a good proportion of our 'friends', even our peace of mind. Not anymore. My mother was going to keep her pride."

~OUTSIDE THE BOUTIQUE~

When I exited the boutique, I did not head to Uni, instead, I pulled my phone out and called Ella.

"So did you speak to your mom about dropping out?"

"I didn't. There was no need."

"Why?"

"We're not going to lose everything more, Ella. I'm not dropping out of Uni, and she is not going to lose her shop or the apartment either. I'm going to participate in the virginity auction."

"Uh, actually I don't think that's a good idea, Avery. I was annoyed with myself today. It was so stupid of me to even bring that topic up last night. You're not like that and you shouldn't have to do things that you will regret for the rest of your..."

"Ella..my mom went down on her knees today. She knelt down and pleaded with some fucking bitch. This is now beyond my going to Uni. I'd rather die than watch my mother lose her dignity that way again."

"What about her? Will she be okay with the way you're about to lose yourself?"

"That's not my dignity. My dignity is in my ability to care for my mother."

"Avery, you don't have to..."

"Ella, I'm going to do what I have to do. My mind is made up."

"There's no billionaire club. I lied."

I stopped in my tracks. For a few seconds, neither of us spoke, then I yelled my frustration into the phone. "FUCK YOU, ELLA! THIS IS MY DAMN LIFE AND I WANT TO MAKE MY OWN CHOICES."

"I won't forgive myself if this goes awry, Avery.... if this damages you."

"I won't forgive you if we lose everything. If once again, my mother has to get on her knees to save our lives, I won't forgive you. And if she breaks and does something stupid, that'll be her blood on your hands. Send me your friend's number right now."

My breaths were coming in short spurts, my heart thumping in my chest, and my hands were shaking from everything that had happened. I felt bad, I had never spoken to Ella like that before, and I hoped she would forgive me.

I looked around then I saw a bench. Walking over, I perched at the edge and tried my best to settle my swirling mind. Anxiety had slowly crept into my life over the last year and remained. I shut my eyes and thought of my father. His smile. His lofty pride. He'd loved us, but he loved himself just a bit more. He spent all that money and left my mother unprotected. For that, the bitterness towards him remained in my heart. 

My mother and I would not have been in this state if he had only paid for an insurance scheme. Our hearts would not have been so broken, and we would not have been thrust into this pit of humiliation with no means of escape in sight. Until now. No means of escape, until now. The buzz of my phone startled me. I didn't expect a response so soon. 

Ella had sent a message with her friend's phone number. I stilled my heart, then unlocked my phone to access it. I didn't allow myself to think. Only when the number was already dialing did I realize I hadn't even mapped out what to say? It was answered after a few rings.