Orange

Sixteen

[Mild Trigger Warning: Implied Sexual Abuse in this chapter. Please proceed with caution.]

Another busy Saturday was upon me, but for some reason, I was feeling a bit... off.

That morning I woke up gasping from a really intense dream. So intense that it vanished into thin air the moment I jumped up. Sweat coated my body as I accidentally woke Orion up at four in the morning. For some odd reason, perhaps in his grogginess, he cooed me back to sleep, wrapping his arms around my shoulders as he mumbled comforting words into the back of my hair. I tried desperately to fall back asleep, but something about that dream wouldn't leave me be. It was about the damn fruit again.

So, when I got to work, I was already tired and in a pretty rough mood. But I didn't let it show. Not even when Laura pranced past me as I walked out of my reserved room, gliding her terribly hand-painted nailed across my shoulder.

"Hey, Clementine, looks like you've seen a ghost," she sang before gasping. "Oh, wait, you already are one!"

A few girls snickered. Even Sandra let out a soft chuckle. I sighed, putting my hands on my hips.

"This isn't high school, you know. We're both two grown adults, so why don't you start acting like it?"

"There's nothing grown about you, sweetie. You're a toothpick. A prepubescent boy, at best. That's probably why you only get gross old men—they're really into that whole schoolgirl thing you've got goin' on."

More laughs.

"Well, at least I know that I'm worth my price. You're still a bit too expensive, Miss Hundred-Dollar-Deal."

A few 'Ooo's rang out from the small crowd that formed around us. Laura blinked, clearly flustered but eventually just let out a laugh.

"Y-yeah, well... I'm doing a public service! It's my duty to provide sex to anyone and everyone! That's what it means to be a Blank!"

"Keep telling yourself that, and maybe one day, your tiny little pea-brain will believe it."

Those words held a little bit more weight than I meant them to, but they got the job done. Laura shut her trap and just glared down at me, trying to think of a sufficient comeback before I eventually climbed back into my booth. She growled in her frustration and stomped back into hers.

I wasn't feeling so great. My stomach was still rattling with anxiety from that tense encounter between Blaise and Orion, and my brain was muddled with frustration from the weird dream that haunted me earlier that morning. It was as if the world was out to get me. And if I really put two and two together, I probably would've realized that, well, maybe it really was. Because then this happened.

By four, I was quite tired, but still had about two more hours to go. That's when I caught sight of Orion making his way towards me in the crowd. I felt my lips curling into a weak smile as he approached me. He wore no smile, and his eyes seemed a bit stressed. Slowly, he began to reach for the glass when somebody nudged him aside.

"Hey!" I saw him say, but realization splattered across his face like iced water.

I recognized that mysterious outfit. It was none other than Blaise, nonchalantly shoving his way past Orion to jam his credit card into the machine. A flash of anger slipped onto Orion's face as he pulled Blaise to face him.

"What the fuck?"

Blaise was looking away from me, so I couldn't read his lips. But I did see that whatever Blaise had said, Orion really didn't like. I could see his shoulders jolt up as if he had been punched, his hands wrapping into tight fists as several other buyers began to take notice. Blaise said something else, and Orion raised his hands, ready to punch him. A couple of bulky-looking guys came up to Orion, holding down his arms as Blaise walked away towards the loading area. Orion looked up at me, and all of his anger melted into something else. Worry. I sadly got up from my seat, motion with my hands for him to stay calm. That seemed to relax him a bit, allowing for the men to release him. I'm sure that he watched me walk away.