The Exchange Student, the Pop Prince and the Raffle Tickets

Chapter Thirty Five: Wandering in Soho

Okay Guys, Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

Lauren =D

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Chapter Thirty Five

At first, it was going well. I arrived home, tired, out of money but glad. I longed for my own comfy bed and though I knew what I was about to do, I was ready for it.  

My old job at the golf course was more than happy to take me back. They were seriously understaffed and very much needing people on hand plus, I needed the money too. Dad and Lily had taken a break away to Spain for their anniversary of nearly two years which meant a house to myself for two weeks.  

Before the email all those months ago, I had been contemplating getting a flat for myself. I was very nearly twenty with a full time job, some good qualifications, no boyfriend, living with my parents. I decided that maybe in a year or two, I would. The dream of getting my own flat was now replaced with the new dream of finding Bindi. I could feel it. I was going to find her.  

I was on a mission. My room had turned into some kind of detective office. I was sleeping in the spare room because I couldn’t see my bed anymore. Pictures of Bindi were everywhere with places that I thought she might go to, places she mentioned she wanted to visit, Wattpad chapters all over the walls with highlighted phrases. Copies of her notepad were on the desk scribbled with red ink, yellow highlighters and little drawings from where I had tried to decipher her words.  

Every day after work I would travel up to London, handing out pictures of Bindi anywhere. Printing off big pictures of her and hanging them on all sorts of places that she might go. Her picture was in the newspapers.  

Though I told Jesse I’d keep him updated I couldn’t. He was being scouted by some huge American football club and the thought of disturbing that with my ‘no news on finding Bindi’ email wasn’t worth it.  

*

Tonight I was going to Soho, I didn’t want to think about my best friend being in the dreaded red light district but I couldn’t take that chance.

“Hey baby… looking for someone?”

“Yeah…” I mumbled trying my hardest to blend into the background but she spotted me almost instantly. The prostitute looked at me puzzled.

“You don’t really look like you belong here honey.”

I laughed nervously. “You can tell can you?”

“You looking for Ronnie? You looking for a job?”

I replied too quickly. “No thank you!”

She flashed me a smile, her blue eyes sparkled for a second. She stepped back in her leather skirt, bright blue tank top and feather coat looking at me up and down. She gave no hint to anyone that was walking past us that she wasn’t a prostitute. She definitely looked like one; her dark hair was long, curly and messy with feline eyes and lots of foundation on to cover the amount of spots on her face. She had large dark bags under her eyes and the constant scratching of her arm gave the clue she on drugs. I didn’t know whether to feel sad or unsympathetic towards her.  

“You want to play?” She purred in a typical London accent that normally I loved to hear, but through her mouth it sounded dirty.

“Play?” I looked towards the floor spotting her very high glass stilettos. Hooker heels. She winked at me.

“I’ve done it before, it’s different. Fun though.” I had only realised that she was chewing gum as she popped a bubble in her mouth smiling widely.

“As much as I think you’d be worth the money, I can’t.” I spoke sarcastically.

“Why not? You’re pretty and I’m worth it.”

“Like I said, can’t.”

“Your loss…” Turning around onto another passer-by.

“Yeah, I bet.” I rolled my eyes. “Hey!” She turned around smiling again.

“Yeah?”

“Seen her around?” I produced a picture of Bindi from my pocket.

The prostitute looked at the picture, looked back at me, smiled and gave me in her dirty accent the words I wanted to hear. “Nope.”

“Cheers.” I said relieved. I offered to buy her a coffee as a way of saying thanks but she declined.

“Can’t drink it, my doctor says so. And it makes me pee too much.” I cringed away from her saying my goodbyes.

“If you’re ever up for us together, you know where to find me.” The prostitute winked at me sending horrible chills up my spine.  

I knew I had hit a dead end but where did I look now? I walked past where I had previously left posters but they had been torn down. I sighed deeply, now I really was stuck.

“Got any change? Change? Ah! Bless you sir…” I rummaged around my purse to find money upon approaching the homeless old man.

“Hey, why don’t I just buy you something to eat… what do you want?”

Before he could reply I ran off into the local supermarket that was open and returned with some water, a fizzy drink, a couple of sandwiches for the next couple of days and an orange.

“Thanks!” I shrugged saying it was not a problem, I said good night but not before I could ask him if he had seen Bindi around. “Sorry angel, but you never know, she’s around to be here somewhere.”

“I hope so.”  

I wanted aimlessly around London asking anybody homeless if they had been Bindi. Every one of them said no. A good thing but the nagging voice in my head seemed to say that this was going to be much harder and contain more mystery that I wanted to see.

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