"So, I need you to stay home tonight."
Justine stared at her daughter across the kitchen counter. Tina barely raised her head as she acknowledged the comment.
"Where would I go, mom?"
The answer's tone was detached, almost disconnected. Justine might as well been talking to the air. It wasn't really a concern to have her daughter go anywhere, really. She didn't leave home. They didn't have internet, nor cable (they had an old-style television and VCR put didn't use it anymore). Only books. She only left to go get books to the public library. It was free for all residents of the neighborhood, after all.
"Where you going, mom?" Tina asked.
She wasn't that interested, truthfully, but it filled the void of the conversation. Justine adjusted her hair.
"Maybe we'll move... I'm meeting an owner for a new apartment... something better."
"You mean cheaper."
Tina was no fool. She wore the same clothes as last year, whereas all her schoolmates had new ones with the rolling in of the new year. Her boots were worn from three years ago.
"It'll be better, I know... I hope."
Justine had always strived for the positive in her life, despite all the hardships she had endured. She wanted the best for her daughter. The only way to do that was to go meet Mister Rand. She had called him earlier today and they had set up the meeting after 7, to visit the place where they might move. Justine needed to be on her way. She was taking the bus there.
"If you're hungry..."
"Mom, I'm fifteen. I'm good. Go."
"Ok... love you."
Justine walked around the counter and kissed her daughter on the forehead before leaving, grabbing her purse on the way out. Tina watched her mother leave, waited a few moments, then picked up the phone. She dialed the number she knew by heart.
A male voice answer.
"Hey."
"Hi. It's Tina."
Tina's voice was shy, almost hesitant to speak up more.
"Tina. What can I do for you?"
"Can we... meet?"
"Sure."
"You can come over to my place. My mom's out for... the evening."
"Sure. I can drop by in fifteen. How much do you want?"
"Enough for two days, please..."
"And how are you going to pay this time?"
She didn't answer.
"All right... we'll take about it when I get there."
The man hung up. Tina sighed. She hurried back to the other room where her mother and herself slept, huddled in the same bed every night. It wasn't like there was any room to sleep anywhere else and, after fifteen years, it didn't feel awkward at all.
Tina crawled under the bed and played with the floorboard, shifting it around. She took out a small metallic box. It contained a plastic bag which was empty, save for a few dry leaves. In the box was also a one-piece lacy black neglige, folded up. She started to strip, putting her clothes on the bed, getting fully naked. She then slipped on the piece of clothing which hid only the essential. Tina was skinny, so the clothing seemed to float on her body. She barely had breasts to support the look, but she still found herself ravishing.
She sighed. Haley would be here in no time, with her fix. And since she didn't have any money to pay for her drugs, she would offer him the next best thing she could. It wasn't like she didn't enjoy it, to some extent. And the arrangement seemed to suit her provider ever since she had offered it, about a year ago, when she started using.
She quickly darted back to the window, from where she could see the bus stop. Her mother was already gone. She would be away for at least an hour, possibly more. Timing was good.
Anxiety built up in Tina's heart as she waited for the events to unfold.
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