Control

Part 1

"I can't I'm busy." Eddie said as he worked on trying to fix the TV. The stupid thing kept shorting out. Then again they lived in a crummy little apartment so that could be the problem also.

"Come on, Please? It'll be short and sweet favor. You won't be out for more than an hour." His roommate said.

Eddie and Joanne had met in college and just never left each other's side since. She found the apartment, sure it was shitty at times but it was close to a market and it was alright on noise. He knew he'd be in a worse situation without her. Joanne was practically family.

"Look, whatever you earn I will split it with you, 50 / 50." Joanne promised. She just knew she couldn't do the job herself, she wasn't the client's type.

Eddie sighed, he could use the extra money. "Fine, what do you need me to do?" He asked.

She smiled, but not in the nice way. In the way that said she had something up her sleeve. Something he wasn't going to enjoy.

"Well first I have to tell you about my job and you can't judge." She said. Eddie frowned at that.

"You know I can't do that."

"Well try."

He stayed silent and gestured for her to continue talking.

"So, I was never really good at much, but I am very pretty. That isn't just to sound conceded, it is just a fact." She went to open a bottle of wine and poured them both a glass. "I always wanted to be apart of the higher lifestyle but you know with my whole family situation, I was sure that would never happen."

Joanne grew up in a poor family, they sent her to college to get a degree in hopes that she would have a better life than they did. They gave her a European name, sent her to a predominately white college and raised her to only speak English. They wanted only the best for her.

"So do you remember senior year of college when my Dad got really sick?" She asked.

He nodded, he remembered she had taken a semester off to be with her family and work and then came back after. He'd been really worried about her working herself into an early grave. She had been secretive about her time away but Eddie wasn't the type to pry.

"Well in that time I was introduced to a profession that takes no degree...I became an escort." She said. Eddie's eyes widened so large Joanne thought they might pop out of his head.

"No, I'm not having sex with a random old guy for many. I'm not gay, I've told you that a thousand times." Eddie stated as he shook his head. He refused to be groped and assaulted by an old man. There wasn't enough money in the world to make him do it.

"I told you not to judge!"

"I'm not! I am just stating that I have heard what escorts do and I am not willing to do those things." Eddie tried to put it delicately but it was hard when his best friend was trying to pimp him out right now.

"You haven't even listened to my pitch yet!" She stated. He groaned as a response, weighing the options in his head. He could walk away and not hear her out but also hearing her out wouldn't hurt him. He could just say no.

"Fine. Continue." He said reluctantly.

"I don't have sex with old men for starters. Being an escort means being an arm piece for your clients. Some of them just are lonely, they want to talk, but this client is different. They were sent to me but they aren't into girl but the money is too big for us to pass up. They are young, don't want sex. They just need you to be there as a stand in, because they don't want people saying they are gay."