Half-Measures

Jason's smile reached those beautiful blue eyes of his when he saw me waiting for him. Though he must have seen how red and puffy my eyes were from crying, because that smile turned into a worried frown.

"What's wrong love? Usually you are in a much better mood when I walk in."

"I don't know how to say this but my dad took out fifty thousand dollars in my name and lost it. He never told me, and never payed on it. So I woke up today to a text from the debt app saying I was about to lose everything. Though maybe I'll be lucky and no one will want to buy me." I said that last part with a sarcastic giggle. Everyone knows young female Debtors get bought fast, and why that is. "After today I don't know when or if I'll ever see you again. So I just want you to know I love you, and I'm sorry you fell for someone with such a bad family."

As my vision blurred once again, I saw him step forward to hold me tight. "Stop ,you know I love you and adore your sister and mother. I am so sorry he is your dad, but never feel bad about coming into my life. In fact I...I was going to take you to dinner this weekend and ask you to marry me. Part of that was going to be me telling you that a few months ago I earned a promotion and a raise, and that I had been saving money up for the honeymoon to the Bahamas you always wanted."

"I would have said yes in a heartbeat. I wish I could have been your wife, instead of some creeps fleshlight. Just like mom will be. Oh, god, and Abbie, would he have done that to her, does she even know yet?" I started doing a bit of math, and if he did the same thing to her, she should have at least a week to get the money. She just turned eighteen six and a half months ago

"Babe, you are running a million miles a minute, and you aren't listening. I have more than enough to pay your ten percent. All we have to do is transfer the money to you and you can buy your debt back. Then we can warn your sister, help her if she needs it, and after that we get married and we pay your debt off. Together."

"Yes, YES of course, but we have to hurry. I only have like, thirty minutes left!" With the first bit of hope I've had all day, we quickly head to the computer to do the bank transfer.

"I'm an idiot, I'm sorry Dawn." I looked over his shoulder to see what he was talking about, and the last bit of hope for me to remain a person was gone.

All bank to bank transfers finalize at close of business the next business day. Amounts exceeding $1000 must be completed in person.

"It's not what I wanted, but I would rather own you, than have someone else take you from me. Are you ok with that love?"

"None of this is what either of us wanted, but if anyone had to own me I would pick you. Please take care of me though, and don't throw me away for a newer model, ok?"

"I would never do that to you." With that settled I logged him into my account to buy me. While waiting I see that there were four hundred and twelve people viewing my profile, and I shudder, relieved that I would at least be with someone who loved me. Then I picked up my phone to call Abbie.

"Hey sis, what's up?"

"I can't talk long I just wanted to tell you that Dad took out a loan in my name and never paid on it. You should make sure he didn't do the same to you."

"That's a lot to dump on a girl at ten in the morning, Dawn. Hold on, let me check."

"I can't hold on. Just call Jason if you need help. By teddy bear, I love you."

"Wai-"-click-

She tried calling back right away, but I just wanted to spend my last few minutes with Jason. Doing something we had never done before...