I started packing my bags

Well, I've messed it up. Again.

I headed upstairs and started packing everything I'd brought with me - which wasn't much - into my backpack. Ten minutes later, I hoisted it onto my shoulder. I quickly checked my phone, but Liam hadn't replied yet. While I was lacing up my shoes, the door to the bathroom opened again.

"What are you doing?" Chrissie asked. Her eyes were reddened, and she kept twitching her nose and sniffing.

"I'm going," I said simply. "I don't want to ... y'know, impose on you."

She nodded, seemingly too shocked to react much. Then she laughed weakly. "Where the fuck are you gonna stay? You've kicked yourself out of two houses in two days," she said.

I shrugged, smiling sadly. "I'll find somewhere." Then, jokingly, I added, "Hell, I'm sure there are a few sugar daddies in this shithole."

Chrissie cracked a smile and hugged me.

"I'm sorry," I said as I squeezed her. Despite the mood, I felt a rush of adrenaline at how close she was, and I breathed in deeply through my nose to smell her perfume. "You've got my number if you ever need a booty call," I joked.

She laughed. "Great. Thanks."

*

The cold night air crept under my skirt and chilled my thighs to the bone as I walked through the car park of the motel on the edge of town. Outside the entrance, two young men were sharing a cigarette - or a joint, I thought as I caught a whiff - and my heart began racing as their eyes followed me.

"Wonder what asshole's got the schoolgirl kink," one of them said. His mustache twitched violently on his lip as he spoke.

"Let's ask her," the other - who sported a fledgling goatee - replied. "Hey! Whatever dickhead's got you dressing up like a schoolgirl, tell him that shit's fucked up," he yelled at me, laughing.

Brilliant, they think I'm a hooker. I put on a high-pitched, girly voice, and said, "I think he knows."

The guy with the mustache moved to block my path. "Once you're done, come see us - we could show you a good time," he winked.

My heart was in my throat as I scrambled for a response. "Sorry, but I've got another booking right after on the other side of town. I'm really sorry, guys." I slowly edged around him.

"Shame," he said.

"Dude, you're scaring her, let her go make her living," the other guy said.

"Sorry, miss," he smirked, moving out of my way.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I stepped inside the reception area of the motel. The receptionist, a surly-looking woman in her 50's, barely looked up as I approached the desk. "Whaddaya want?" she asked, pushing her glasses further up her nose.

"Single room for the night, please," I said.

"45 bucks. Any preference on which room?"

"No, thank you," I said as I thumbed through my purse. I only had $42.60. "Do you take card?"

She raised an eyebrow and glanced at the card-reader - which I'd obviously not noticed. "No, that's just for show," she said sarcastically.

I paid, and she handed me the keys to a room on the 2nd floor. Dumping my bag on the floor, I sat down on the edge of the bed and gazed out the window. Down below, on the other side of the building to the car park, a neon sign flickered:

'ROXY'S ROCKING GIRLS'. Beside the letters was the neon outline of a woman wrapping herself around a pole.

No wonder they thought I was a hooker. Still ... I was kinda curious.

Suddenly my phone buzzed. I picked it up, then sighed in disappointment when I saw Jasmine's name instead of Liam's.

Jasmine: yo can you tell chrissie to pick up her phone i need help with my chemistry hw

Emily: Soz I'm not at hers rn

Jasmine: oh crap

Emily: How'd your date go?

Jasmine: idk

Jasmine: good i think

Jasmine: tell you about it tomorrow

Emily: Ok ttyl

I put my phone down and lay back on the bed, then plugged in my music and tried to sleep. My stomach rumbled violently.