Orange

Ten

Things really started to get complicated on Wednesday, a particularly slow day at Warehouse 44. Most of the girls were bored out of our minds, and the guys on the opposing wall just chatted amongst each other about random stuff. It was hard to hear them since they were so far away, but every now and then, a huge burst of laughter would echo out from their lanes. I kept my eyes focused ahead of me, picking out a few of the stragglers that wandered aimlessly through the halls of the Warehouse, unsure of which person to pick.

One man in particular caught my eye.

He was tall, strutting down the aisle with his artificially tanned skin gleaming in the dim red lighting. He smiled as he eyed each and every girl in my lane; the soft moans of wonder surprised me a bit from the girls. Normally we weren't so vocal about our buyers, but he was the exception. He was a regular, after all. He stopped just before Sandra, the girl who sat in the booth next to me, biting his lip. His botox-filled face brimmed with primitive excitement.

"Ah, Sandy," I saw his lips move. After so many years of working in the Warehouse, I pretty much learned how to read lips pretty well. "A classic choice."

Sandra moved some of her auburn hair onto her shoulder, giving him a lustful look. He examined her price card, then back up to her. He seemed to be thinking pretty hard about his choice, occasionally checking his phone for the time. I was so busy watching his movements that I didn't even realize he was now staring at me.

While I was further down the line, I didn't consider myself expensive. I was cheaper than Sandra, that's for sure, but I wasn't a give-out like Laura. I was an economy girl, as my buyers liked to call me. Affordable, yet a luxury. A quintessential item everyone should try at least once. He flicked an eyebrow up at me, then glanced down at my price. Another confused look. He looked back up at me, taking in my form as if it were the last time he would see it. As always, my hands rested dutifully on my knees, fingers occasionally fiddling with the hems of my favorite red pleated skirt. He let out a small snicker, giving me a crooked smile before turning his back to me. Without wasting any more time, he punched his credit card in and purchased Sandra. The girl seemed more than pleased, excitedly rushing out of her booth to greet him in the loading room. While I didn't pay them much mind, I could feel the icy stares of my fellow Blank girls against my body.

Several hours after this, I caught sight of a familiar face walking down the aisle. He caught my stare almost immediately, as if he couldn't stop his eyes from naturally meeting my own. A crooked smile fell dumbly on his face as he attempted to look away, feigning disinterest. I cocked my head. Thus began our little game.

I watched as he walked slowly down the aisle, looking every girl in the eyes. Occasionally, he would flick his eyes down towards me to see if I was still watching. Every time we locked eyes, I'd be the first to turn away, instead focusing my attention on the blank space in front of me. He'd snicker, turning his attention back up to the girl in front of him. His hands rested in his pockets, hips slightly forward as he walked slowly down the aisle. Countless girls cooed at him, wiggled their chests for him, begged him to purchase their time—he would just look them up and down before eventually walking away. That is, until he stopped by Sandra.

He stayed there for quite some time, engaging in a small staring match with the woman. She ran her fingers down her long, straight red hair with her lips pouted for him. Orion's face didn't budge, nor did a blush run across his soft cheeks. No, he just sort of... stared at her. Sandra ran her hands effortlessly down her chest, sliding slowly down to her waist as she gave him bedroom eyes. I tried to look away, really. But something kept pulling me back in. I wanted to see what he would do. My hands slipped from my knees and rested on the stool I sat on all day long. I crossed my legs, feeling my skirt rise up a bit. Before I could adjust it, Orion's eyes flicked towards me. Now he was red. He looked away for a moment, running a hand over his mouth as he tried not to laugh. What're you laughing at, I wanted to hiss at him. I rolled my eyes and moved back into my regular position. Orion smiled.