Highest Bidding

Chapter Four

I plopped down on the couch with an exasperated sigh. I couldn't recall how I had gotten home, or even landing at the airport. Even though I had been having a good time the last few days, it was still hard to believe that I had slept with two completely different people in that short period of time. A pretty big portion of me felt like a complete slut, yet the rest of me knew I would never go back and change it if I had the opportunity.
I already had enough money to be able to pay for the first few semesters of college, and all the bills that had been piling up. With just a few more dates, no sex required, I would be set for the rest of my life. Especially after what Joshua and others had been willing to pay for a date.
I rubbed my eyes as a yawn began to escape my lips. The jet lag and sexual activities were starting to take their toll on my body. I felt like I needed a good 24 hour nap to finally recuperate and be back to my normal self again.
After running my fingers through my hair, I pulled myself from the couch and made my way to my bedroom. I slipped off the clothes I had been wearing and put on a pair of fuzzy pants and a tank top. My hair was thrown into a bun behind my head and I slipped under the comforter. Within no time, I felt sleep welcome me with open arms.
§§
My dream was interrupted by the constant buzzing and ringing on my cell phone. I could see it laying on my nightstand, the screen filling with notifications.
Each one was from the bidding site, and seemed to be never ending. After receiving my second review, messages seemed to be pouring in, along with a few new polls open for bids. I bit my lip and shook my head. It was 3 in the morning and all I wanted to do was catch up on my sleep.
I was about to lock my cell when I saw something that caught my eye. On the newest poll, one that was based off my art interests, I saw that the one and only virginity stealer was bidding, and bidding high. Like the one before, it was just for a date, and offered a trip to one of the biggest art museums in the world. Inside, I was giddy. I had always wanted to go to a big art museum but traveling is hard when you don't have much money or free time.

My facial features, however, told a different story. My lips puckered, and an eyebrow immediately shot up. After seeing him in bed all dominant and cold, my mind couldn't picture him being anything but how he was that night.

I knew in my mind that there was no way I could decline any offer to go to the one place in the world I had already wanted to go. With a sigh, I turned my phone on silent and snuggled myself back into bed. In the morning, I'd go with one of the higher offers made by someone closer to my age.

It was way too late to try an scroll through every option while a rational mind, so it would have to wait. I rolled to my side, shoving a hand under my pillow and slowly my body moved to its usual sleeping position. Once again, I was out within minutes.

§§

"Hey!" A voice yelled as my body was thrown over the side of the bed.

I just managed to catch myself from a nasty fall as my blankets and pillows began to bury me on the carpet. I only knew one person with a key to this place, and one person who was insane enough to try to kill me.

With the blanket encasing me, I peered over the edge of the bed and my suspicions were confirmed.

Standing before me in a sweater and tight pants was my best and only friend, Jessie. Her hair had grown out from the red pixie cut she had worn for the past few months. A pair of giant, black rimmed glasses sat perfectly on the bridge of her nose, showing off her winged eyeliner. When she sent me a smirk, her lip piercing stuck out from her face.

"Hey sleepy head, I haven't seen you in a while."

I narrowed my eyes, "That tends to happen when your best friend is stuck in one city while you're busy traveling."

Jessie rolled her eyes, "Don't pretend that I didn't ask you to come with me. If you weren't so busy with all your thousands of jobs to go to school- which I still think is a waste- you could have seen the whole country with me!"

"It's not a waste, and I'll have you know I have finally been able to cut my jobs down to one, thank you very much." I pulled myself from the floor and began making the bed.

"Really?" Jessie placed a hand on her hip, eyeing me suspiciously. "Who did you marry to support your needs?"

"No one!" I shrieked. "But I do have news for you." Jessie crossed her arms across her chest. "I lost my virginity."

In a single moment, Jessie went from the cool, collected rocker I had always known to a giddy teenage girl who found out she had concert tickets for Justin bieber or something. She was jumping up and down, shooting her body across the bed so she could squeeze the life from my lungs.

"Tell me tell me tell me!" She shook my body side to side. "What was it like? To who? OMG where did you meet!? Is he still in your life? Do I know him!"

"Jessie please stop with the questions!" I whined. "Remember that site I texted you about forever ago?"

Jessie finally release me and laid herself comfortably on my recently made bed. "Yeeeees, I checked it out even. Wasn't my slice of pie." Jessie's eyebrow shot up. "Wait.. You didn't."

I gulped, "I did."

Jessie leaned over the far side of the bed and pulled my laptop out of it's hiding spot. After opening it and typing away, she patted the bed next to her. Reluctantly, and as cautiously as possible, I sat next to her.

"Type in your information."

Jessie closed her eyes tightly as my fingers glided across the keyboard. When I was done I tapped her on the shoulder.

"Holy moly!!" She exclaimed. "Why are there so many alerts!?"

I looked back at the screen and realized in the few short hours of sleeping, the polls had blown up bigger than I had expected. I grabbed the laptop from my friend and began flipping through each comment on the art poll. The price had skyrocketed to an unbelievable level, and I felt my heart drop when I realized how many zeros had been tacked on the end of each abbreviated offer. Even if I when with one of the fewer ones, I would be able to completely pay for all my schooling, with plenty left to live off of peacefully for the rest of my life.

"Whoa, what's this for, May?" Jessie asked.

"A date," I looked over at her, "to that museum I've always wanted to go to."

Jessie looked over some of the comments, "All this money for a date?"

"Yeah, the last guy I went out with took me out of the states!"

"Is he the one who took your virginity?"

"No, but I did sleep with him." I admitted, feeling the blush rise to my cheeks.

"Then who took it?"

I pointed to Alastor's most recent, and highest bidding. "That guy."

Jessie's fingers slid across the pad and clicked on his profile. A whistle escaped her lips as she checked out his picture. "Pretty attractive guy. What was he like?"

"Cold, demanding." I bit my lip.
"Really, really dominant and kinda kinky."

"Hm," Jessie pondered a moment. "Well so far no one has been able to outbid him, maybe you should give him a chance for this date thing. I mean, I'm a bit against you going with someone who could end your life and get away with it, but I'm sure you'll be fine."

My jaw dropped, "He didn't kill me last time!"

Jessie did her famous eye roll, "Doesn't mean it couldn't happen another time."

"You're such a downer."

"Yeah, yeah. Now accept that bid thingy and let's go get breakfast. I'm starving." Jessie removed herself from my bed and left the room.

I looked at the offer and thought about denying it. Yet in the back of my mind, I really did want to go, and I knew I needed the money - as bad as that sounded. After running my hand through my hair, I accepted and watched as the poll closed down like the last one had. Once my laptop was closed, I took a quick shower and got dressed for a casual day out with Jessie. Knowing her, we'd be running all day.