Love For Sale

Chapter Two

Ari was awakened by a hard slap to her cheek. 

"Where are my Lucky jeans, Ari? I told you to wash them and have them on my bed before I go to work!" Meghan squealed. 

"wha... What?" 

Her rude awakening had her mind spinning in confusion just long enough for Meghan to be agitated even further. Growing more and more impatient as the seconds ticked by. She gripped Ari by her hair and drug her off of her cot onto the cold wet floor. 

"Where are they? Are you stealing my clothes or something? Answer me!"

As Ari was just about to answer Meghan, the air was knocked out of her by a swift kick to the stomach from Meghans size seven and a half boot. Ari coughed and choked trying to get a breath of air as she cowered and attempted to crawl away from a second assault. 

"Get back here you bitch! Tell me where my jeans are or else I'll kick your ugly ass face in next!" She screamed.

Ari's mind began searching for a memory of what the heck Meghan was talking about, Jeans? Lucky jeans? She didn't recall ever seeing Meghan wear jeans. Ever. Was this some ploy to torment her? Meghan was always concocting made up arguments just so she can vent her frustrations on Ari. Ari was rarely at fault for the issues in Meghans life. She often believed she just enjoys hurting her simply because she feels like it. 

"I never saw a pair of jeans Meg.. I swear!" Ari choked out in a pleading tone. 

"Liar!" 

"I'm not. I'm not lying! You never gave me any jeans to wash." 

"Oh, so you're calling me a liar now?"

"NO! I never said that. I'll look for your jeans okay? I'm sorry. I must have forgotten."

Ari never forgets anything. Especially when the people upstairs tell her to do something. She knows that one mistake means more blood, more bruising. 

"You forgot? You must be kidding me! Why do you always forget what I tell you to do and not everyone else? Show me some respect. Fucking hell. You're going to regret you were ever born. Just wait until I tell mom. You won't get to eat for a week!" Meghan taunted as she spun on her heels and ran up the stairs.

Ari let out a sigh of relief and plopped down on her butt. She backed up against the walls and hugged her knees. She again tried to recant any time Meghan had ever asked her to wash a specific pair of jeans. After a while, she decides it was a completely fabricated request on Meg's part. It was another one of those moments where Meg just wanted to pick a fight. It had to be. Her mind switched from the fabricated jeans to the consequence that is to follow after Meghan tells mom about the fight. 

Right on cue. Ari hears mom yelling for her. 

"Ariel! Upstairs now!" 

The tone of that woman's shrill scratchy voice had Ari springing to her feet and bounding up the stairs as quick as a racehorse exiting a starting gate.

"I'm here." Ari panted breathlessly.

"Faster next time. I don't have all fucking day." 

"I'm sorry. wha.. what can I help you with mom?" Ari asked robotically.

"Meg tells me you lost or stole a pair of her jeans. Where are they?" 

"Mom, I really don't know what jeans she is referring to. I never saw any jeans and she never asked me to wash any."

"You know damn well that I did!" Meghan spat from behind her mother. "Mom, she's lying! She stole them!"

Ari dropped to her knees and began begging and pleading for her mother to believe she was telling the truth. Even though she was sure her words would be all in vain. Elise always takes Meghans side. No matter what. Even when she knows Meghan is flat out lying. Still, she tried to convince her of the truth in this matter and every other matter that surfaces. She knows that Elise seldom shows mercy but sometimes she does. So it is always worth a try to grasp at that tiny shred of hope.