Mean Girls Missing

7

March 29

7:28 pm

Stephanie

Sammi was the first to be requested on a date. She had been taken into the other room, which was always locked, and had been in there for nearly two hours. When she left the date, she was crying in my arms and brushed her teeth probably three times. She was a wreck. When Arnie told me it was our turn for a date, my heart stopped beating. Panic coursed through my veins instead of blood.

All he said was to be ready by seven thirty and to dress flirty.

Here I was, sitting at the very end of the couch, about to fall and hit the floor, waiting for his arrival. I didn't know what to expect. Sammi had helped me pick out an outfit that wasn't overtly provocative but also slightly revealing for his pleasure.

Ugh, the thought of Arnie's eyes even looking at my body made me want to retch. When he actually made physical contact with me, my body froze and I didn't know how to act through it. Social and emotional games? No problem. Pretending to be interested if he wants to kiss? Not so much.

The dress was white with a high collar. Images of flags of countries around the world were imprinted from the tip of the collar to the bottom towards my shin. Sammi said it covered most skin, except for my bare arms and the ends of my legs, though this Balenciaga dress was body-forming and sealed itself to my curves.

Without time to blink, the hatch squeaked open and dark orange and yellow rays flashed against the dungy walls. Arnie's footsteps ricocheted through the whole dungeon. Sam, right by my side, squeezed my hand as he neared me

He was holding one hand behind his back. The other extended out with an open palm. "Are you ready, my darling?"

Sammi smiled at me encouragingly. She gave me one last squeeze. Hesitantly, I reached out to accept his hand with mine and let him pull me up from the sofa. Hand in hand, he walked me towards the private room. I glanced at Sammi over my shoulder.

"You can do it." She mouthed silently. She nodded her head at me as Arnie fumbled for the key in his pocket. He dropped my hand to do this.

He unlocked the door. It creaked halfway open and he gestured to go inside. I entered first and he made sure to lock the door behind him. I didn't have a chance to look at my sister before I was stuck. In the room. Alone. With him.

The private room was not exactly what I pictured. I was preparing for the worst. I was thinking this was the sex room, with handcuffs and chains and whips and harnesses he could strap us into. It wasn't like that at all. There was a queen sized bed in the center of the room, matching mahogany oak end tables beside it. Even the lamps on top of the nightstands were the exact shade of pale orange. An orange, maroon, and yellow circular area rug was in the middle of the floor. On the opposite side of the bed, there was a small oak table with two chairs. A candle with in the center, though it wasn't lit. There was a locked file cabinet and a green military trunk beside it. The closet was closed. I could only wonder what he was hiding in all of it. Maybe I didn't want to know.

"I brought you a few gifts," he stated. He turned back around, one hand still behind the back.

"You shouldn't have." I tried to sound like he was the sweetest man I ever met.

"Take a seat, Stephanie. Loosen up."

Shit. He could tell I was nervous. Maybe he could see me sweating or shaking over here. I sat in one of the chairs and waited for him to continue.

First, he handed me a bouquet of flowers. I had no idea what kind they were. I hadn't seen anything like it before. Green leaves framed the outside, and the petals inside were pink on the tips and turned white in the middle. I smiled as I held them in my arms.