Rachel walked into the kitchen flicking through the mail. The only thing for her was a postcard from Darwin sent by Liz. Rachel had been surprised the first time Liz had contacted her after leaving the hostel. She honestly didn’t expect to ever hear from her again, that was seven months ago. Somewhere between then and now Rachel had told Liz the truth, about her age and running away from home. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to tell her about Trevor though. The only thing Liz said in response was she was right to stick with a cash job and if she could get one a fake ID might not be a bad idea. Unfortunately Liz didn’t know where Rachel could get on from but thought Jez or Brett might know someone.
The advice had not been much help though because the boys had left to travel just over a month after Liz had left and Rachel hadn’t heard from either of them since. Not that she was exactly surprised, by the leaving or the no contact, though both had hurt. She wasn’t sure whether she had been more hurt by the no contact or by the way she’d found out Jez was leaving.
After they had been together one night he’d said, ‘I’m going to miss this.’ Not her, just this, just the convenient sex. Rachel asked what he meant and that was when he told her he and Brett were leaving at the end of the week. Apparently they both felt the need to move on and the best thing about not being tied down to anything, was the fact you could just pick up and leave anytime you wanted. Rachel remembered hearing Liz say those exact same words.
Rachel was disappointed that the news had hurt her so much. She hadn’t intended letting Jez get that close. They hadn’t even known each other for three months. The three days between being told and the guys actually leaving were hard. Rachel had tried acting normal but inside she was angry and confused and more bricks were built into the wall around her heart.
Less than a month after Jez and Brett left Rachel had moved in with Mark and his brother Danny. Rachel had been sharing a place with them for around five months now and she still had no idea what Mark did, except that he was stoned a good percentage of the time. Danny on the other hand looked like a clean cut public servant, but then looks could be deceiving. Danny was the one with the contacts. Danny was the one who got her the fake, ID. He was the one who got her a job at the strip club.
The hours weren’t great but the money was definitely better and it was more interesting than working at the deli. Sure some of the guys that came in made her skin crawl but as long as they paid Rachel decided she could cope with the creepiness. In fact she quickly learnt that when serving drinks or collecting glasses the occasional brush of her body on theirs earned her some good tips. It took a little while but she soon worked out how to pick the right guys to work on.
Putting her bag on the kitchen table she headed to the fridge. She’d just had a meeting with her boss and finally convinced him to let her dance. It was better money. She wouldn’t get a great time slot but she couldn’t expect to she’d have to work her way up to what she wanted and she was prepared to do that. Rachel had just turned seventeen, today in fact, and her goal in life was to be completely self reliant, to never need a man for anything except personal gratification, on her terms and hers alone.
Grabbing a beer from the fridge she scanned the postcard before heading out into the back yard. Mark was spread out on the outside lounge smoking a joint. Rachel wasn’t sure he smoked anything else when he was at home. He offered it to her, she took it and he lit up another one. Marijuana and alcohol were her drugs of choice, if you didn’t include caffeine but most people were caffeine junkies so she figured you really didn’t need to count it.
She didn’t smoke very often but living with the guys she did, it was always around. It would have been easy to get other stuff, Danny had offered to set her up enough times but she preferred to be in control as much as possible, the occasional smoke and drinking binge were all she allowed herself. Besides she preferred to spend her money on other things. She had just about anything she wanted when she was living at home but somehow knowing she’d earned the money for it herself, rather than her parents buying her off, made stuff more valuable to her.
“Happy birthday,” said Mark holding out his beer for her to chink.
“How did you know?”
“Some chick called to wish you one, said she’d call you back later.”
“Wow you actually answered the phone, I’m impressed.” Rachel sank into the papa-san chair curling her legs up underneath her.
“Blow me.”
“You can’t afford it.”
“If you must know I was expecting an important phone call.”
Rachel didn’t pursue the topic, the less she knew about what Mark did the better it would be, after all what she didn’t know couldn’t hurt her. In this particular case she decided that ignorance was definitely bliss.
Mark changed the topic, “You got any plans tonight.”
“Nah, it’s my night off, I start dancing tomorrow.”
“Good lets go out and get pissed to celebrate.”
Rachel couldn’t help herself, she laughed. “Well it’s not going to be a very long party then, you are mostly pissed already.”
“That’s okay,” a third voice joined the conversation, Danny closed the sliding door behind himself as he joined the other two out the back. “When he passes out you and I can continue on with our own private party.”
Rachel smiled around the neck of the bottle she had just lifted to her mouth. Danny was the biggest flirt she knew. He had a different girl nearly every weekend and as far as she was aware she was the only person he had been with more than once. In his recent history at least. It wasn’t a monogamous relationship. Neither of them wanted that, it was more a matter of convenience. Sometimes when one of them wanted an itch scratched the best person to do the scratching was the other. It worked well. Rachel felt she was stronger than she had been with Jez and as long as they saw other people her head, or heart couldn’t form any particular attachment to Danny.
“As a special birthday treat what say you and I go out for dinner first?”
“What about me?” demanded Mark.
“What about you? There is plenty of food in the house, I’m not going to waste good food and good money on your damn munchies, you’re so stoned you won’t care what you’re eating.”
“You’ve got a point there.” Mark conceded taking another toke. “Just leave money for pizza and I’ll meet you guys down the Stamford later then.” He used the remainder of his joint to light another one.
Rachel rolled her eyes and not for the first time wondered how Mark always seemed to have pot but never money for anything else.
Danny turned his attention to Rachel, “If I were you I’d go and get changed.”
“Why, we’re just going down the pub.”
“Well if you expect to get lucky in that outfit.”
“I thought I wouldn’t need to try tonight.”
Danny put his hand on his chest in mock pain, “Oh I’m hurt that you don’t think I’m worth trying to entice.”
Rachel uncurled herself, stood, walked over to Danny and kissed him. “You might be worth it. I could do with a shower anyway, besides you’re right, it’s my birthday I might get a better offer.” Rachel went inside.
Danny shouted after her, “So might I.”
When Rachel walked into her bedroom she discovered the real reason behind Danny’s comments about getting changed. Lying on her bed was a new top, she picked it up and held it against her torso. It was dark red, practically backless with a plunging neckline, Rachel loved it. She wasn’t about to complain about the top but she made a mental note to ask Danny why. They were housemates who occasionally had sex, gifts weren’t a usual part of their relationship.
Danny was already showered and changed by the time Rachel emerged from her room. ‘Guys definitely have it easier when it came to getting ready to go out,’ Rachel thought as she looked him over. It was quite impressive considering he wouldn’t have been able to get in the shower until she was out of hers.
Rachel gave a little spin and Danny’s eye’s travelled over her body with approval. “It looks good on you.”
“Yes it does, but why?”
“Because you’ve got the right body type and it is the right colour for you.”
“Don’t be an idiot.”
“You mean I’m wrong?” Danny asked trying to play innocent.
“No you’re right, I look hot, and you can compliment me as much as you like but you still haven’t answered my question.”
“I dunno,” Danny gave a half shrug. “I saw it and thought you would look good in it.”
“And?”
“And my birthday isn’t far off and I expect something in return.”
“That’s it?” Rachel wasn’t completely convinced. “There isn’t some girl you’re trying to manipulate into sleeping with you by being seen with someone else? Though I have to say if you are I don’t mind as long as you keep paying me off like this.”
“What do you take me for?”
“You’re right I’m sorry what was I thinking, they all know you are the biggest sleaze there is.”
“Be nice or I’ll take that back.”
“You can try later.” Rachel handed him some money. He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t want to ruin the line of my clothes.”
“Oh, obviously.”
They headed out the door.
“Later Mark,” they shouted in stereo.
Mark grunted at the in reply from the backyard.
Rachel turned to Danny, “What do you reckon the chances are of him actually making it down to the pub tonight?”
“Pretty good, there isn’t much beer left in the fridge.”
The advice had not been much help though because the boys had left to travel just over a month after Liz had left and Rachel hadn’t heard from either of them since. Not that she was exactly surprised, by the leaving or the no contact, though both had hurt. She wasn’t sure whether she had been more hurt by the no contact or by the way she’d found out Jez was leaving.
After they had been together one night he’d said, ‘I’m going to miss this.’ Not her, just this, just the convenient sex. Rachel asked what he meant and that was when he told her he and Brett were leaving at the end of the week. Apparently they both felt the need to move on and the best thing about not being tied down to anything, was the fact you could just pick up and leave anytime you wanted. Rachel remembered hearing Liz say those exact same words.
Rachel was disappointed that the news had hurt her so much. She hadn’t intended letting Jez get that close. They hadn’t even known each other for three months. The three days between being told and the guys actually leaving were hard. Rachel had tried acting normal but inside she was angry and confused and more bricks were built into the wall around her heart.
Less than a month after Jez and Brett left Rachel had moved in with Mark and his brother Danny. Rachel had been sharing a place with them for around five months now and she still had no idea what Mark did, except that he was stoned a good percentage of the time. Danny on the other hand looked like a clean cut public servant, but then looks could be deceiving. Danny was the one with the contacts. Danny was the one who got her the fake, ID. He was the one who got her a job at the strip club.
The hours weren’t great but the money was definitely better and it was more interesting than working at the deli. Sure some of the guys that came in made her skin crawl but as long as they paid Rachel decided she could cope with the creepiness. In fact she quickly learnt that when serving drinks or collecting glasses the occasional brush of her body on theirs earned her some good tips. It took a little while but she soon worked out how to pick the right guys to work on.
Putting her bag on the kitchen table she headed to the fridge. She’d just had a meeting with her boss and finally convinced him to let her dance. It was better money. She wouldn’t get a great time slot but she couldn’t expect to she’d have to work her way up to what she wanted and she was prepared to do that. Rachel had just turned seventeen, today in fact, and her goal in life was to be completely self reliant, to never need a man for anything except personal gratification, on her terms and hers alone.
Grabbing a beer from the fridge she scanned the postcard before heading out into the back yard. Mark was spread out on the outside lounge smoking a joint. Rachel wasn’t sure he smoked anything else when he was at home. He offered it to her, she took it and he lit up another one. Marijuana and alcohol were her drugs of choice, if you didn’t include caffeine but most people were caffeine junkies so she figured you really didn’t need to count it.
She didn’t smoke very often but living with the guys she did, it was always around. It would have been easy to get other stuff, Danny had offered to set her up enough times but she preferred to be in control as much as possible, the occasional smoke and drinking binge were all she allowed herself. Besides she preferred to spend her money on other things. She had just about anything she wanted when she was living at home but somehow knowing she’d earned the money for it herself, rather than her parents buying her off, made stuff more valuable to her.
“Happy birthday,” said Mark holding out his beer for her to chink.
“How did you know?”
“Some chick called to wish you one, said she’d call you back later.”
“Wow you actually answered the phone, I’m impressed.” Rachel sank into the papa-san chair curling her legs up underneath her.
“Blow me.”
“You can’t afford it.”
“If you must know I was expecting an important phone call.”
Rachel didn’t pursue the topic, the less she knew about what Mark did the better it would be, after all what she didn’t know couldn’t hurt her. In this particular case she decided that ignorance was definitely bliss.
Mark changed the topic, “You got any plans tonight.”
“Nah, it’s my night off, I start dancing tomorrow.”
“Good lets go out and get pissed to celebrate.”
Rachel couldn’t help herself, she laughed. “Well it’s not going to be a very long party then, you are mostly pissed already.”
“That’s okay,” a third voice joined the conversation, Danny closed the sliding door behind himself as he joined the other two out the back. “When he passes out you and I can continue on with our own private party.”
Rachel smiled around the neck of the bottle she had just lifted to her mouth. Danny was the biggest flirt she knew. He had a different girl nearly every weekend and as far as she was aware she was the only person he had been with more than once. In his recent history at least. It wasn’t a monogamous relationship. Neither of them wanted that, it was more a matter of convenience. Sometimes when one of them wanted an itch scratched the best person to do the scratching was the other. It worked well. Rachel felt she was stronger than she had been with Jez and as long as they saw other people her head, or heart couldn’t form any particular attachment to Danny.
“As a special birthday treat what say you and I go out for dinner first?”
“What about me?” demanded Mark.
“What about you? There is plenty of food in the house, I’m not going to waste good food and good money on your damn munchies, you’re so stoned you won’t care what you’re eating.”
“You’ve got a point there.” Mark conceded taking another toke. “Just leave money for pizza and I’ll meet you guys down the Stamford later then.” He used the remainder of his joint to light another one.
Rachel rolled her eyes and not for the first time wondered how Mark always seemed to have pot but never money for anything else.
Danny turned his attention to Rachel, “If I were you I’d go and get changed.”
“Why, we’re just going down the pub.”
“Well if you expect to get lucky in that outfit.”
“I thought I wouldn’t need to try tonight.”
Danny put his hand on his chest in mock pain, “Oh I’m hurt that you don’t think I’m worth trying to entice.”
Rachel uncurled herself, stood, walked over to Danny and kissed him. “You might be worth it. I could do with a shower anyway, besides you’re right, it’s my birthday I might get a better offer.” Rachel went inside.
Danny shouted after her, “So might I.”
When Rachel walked into her bedroom she discovered the real reason behind Danny’s comments about getting changed. Lying on her bed was a new top, she picked it up and held it against her torso. It was dark red, practically backless with a plunging neckline, Rachel loved it. She wasn’t about to complain about the top but she made a mental note to ask Danny why. They were housemates who occasionally had sex, gifts weren’t a usual part of their relationship.
Danny was already showered and changed by the time Rachel emerged from her room. ‘Guys definitely have it easier when it came to getting ready to go out,’ Rachel thought as she looked him over. It was quite impressive considering he wouldn’t have been able to get in the shower until she was out of hers.
Rachel gave a little spin and Danny’s eye’s travelled over her body with approval. “It looks good on you.”
“Yes it does, but why?”
“Because you’ve got the right body type and it is the right colour for you.”
“Don’t be an idiot.”
“You mean I’m wrong?” Danny asked trying to play innocent.
“No you’re right, I look hot, and you can compliment me as much as you like but you still haven’t answered my question.”
“I dunno,” Danny gave a half shrug. “I saw it and thought you would look good in it.”
“And?”
“And my birthday isn’t far off and I expect something in return.”
“That’s it?” Rachel wasn’t completely convinced. “There isn’t some girl you’re trying to manipulate into sleeping with you by being seen with someone else? Though I have to say if you are I don’t mind as long as you keep paying me off like this.”
“What do you take me for?”
“You’re right I’m sorry what was I thinking, they all know you are the biggest sleaze there is.”
“Be nice or I’ll take that back.”
“You can try later.” Rachel handed him some money. He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t want to ruin the line of my clothes.”
“Oh, obviously.”
They headed out the door.
“Later Mark,” they shouted in stereo.
Mark grunted at the in reply from the backyard.
Rachel turned to Danny, “What do you reckon the chances are of him actually making it down to the pub tonight?”
“Pretty good, there isn’t much beer left in the fridge.”
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