Jillian Rose

Chapter 3

The rest of the week I stayed in my room to avoid another run in with Boss John. I finally ventured out of the room when Slumlord knocked on my door looking for rent. Slumlord did not believe in the courtesy of making change. There was no way I was handing him extra money. $100 could get me through the week easily. It was enough to pay for rent and food.

I should have stocked up on supplies, but at that moment all I could think about was cherry pie and ice cream from the diner. I cursed the 80's waitress for stimulating my taste buds with sugar. There went $5. $5 could have bought me peanut butter and a loaf of bread. I could have lived off that for half a week alone.

"All you have is a $50? Where'd you get that?" She said looking at me sternly.

In the Neon District a $20 bill was the largest that was seen. No one had money. Johns came in to the Neon District with ATM cash. There were no banks in the Neon district. No one was paid in large bills. Not even the pimps carried around anything larger than a $20 bill.

"A John," I said softly burying myself in the sweet treat.

"A John? Are you stupid, Rosey? It's probably fake. Then all you got was fucked."

"It's not fake. Check it." I nodded over to the register and hoped I sounded more confident than I felt. It had never occurred to me that Boss John had given me counterfeit. But why would he? I pushed the thought out of my mind. 

"It's real," She called from across the room. She put the cap back on the counterfeit pen and held it up to the light. "How much did he pay you?"

"300," I knew I shouldn't be talking to her about Boss John. She'd tell everyone. I'd lose him to the more persistent girls...but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. I couldn't help but brag a little, especially if that meant I'd never see him agian.

"300? All in 50's?"

"No...2 were 100's"

A smile crept out of the corners of my mouth as her mouth fell open. I doubt anyone in the Neon District has even seen a hundred. That was going to be impossible to cash. I was going to have to venture to the Business District or the, heaven forbid, mall to cash that in.

"What'd he look like?"

I eyed her suspiciously. 

"Just a John....expensive taste and all." I had to give her something.

"Like Richard Gere?" she said wrinkling her nose.

"More like Christian Grey. You know...rich and all fucked up on the inside."

Her left eyebrow raised slightly and a small smirk formed at the corner of her mouth. "That him?" she said pointing a long red nail towards the street. 

My heart sank. I slowly turned in my seat and followed the waitress's gaze. There he was. Still dressed in an Armani suit, this time it was black. I swallowed hard. That grin was on his face again. If I didn't know better the sparkle was there as well. I could feel my heart skipping. "Can I have my change please." It came out in a squeak. I wanted to get out of there. I wanted to get far far away.

I closed my eyes as I felt him sit on the stool next to me. The Neon District had a special etiquette. Only pimps sat next to their girls, everyone else stayed two or three stools away. He was claiming me. Fuck me. I wanted to run, but I was not going to abandon my $5 dessert.

"Only pimps sit this close to the girls," I say taking a bite of my pie.

"Says who?" There was amusement in his voice.