4: Auction

ASHLEY

We walk out through a different door and I follow Drea’s lead like I’ve been doing all night. She could lead me to hell and I’ll eagerly follow but what can I say, I am the loyal sister.

This walk is shorter and there are no buff men outside the door she pushes open. Thank God!

She struts into the room like she owns the place and I try to keep and not look out of place, hoping I don’t look like I’m breaking a leg in these death trap heels.

There are about ten or maybe fifteen women in the room, most of them dressed similar to us and those that aren’t dressed like that are wearing something more scanty, it made me want to ask why they even bothered but I keep my opinions to myselfß.

“Come on,” Andrea says, already dragging me by the hand and I just let her lead, too tired of arguing. 

“Why are they—“she doesn’t let me finish before we move to the end of the room and join a line. Probably the line to hell but oh whelps.

The line is a moving one and I think my body has shut down. I'm not even scared this is happening, I’m really just standing there waiting to see what Andrea has dragged me into. I would like to say it is because of my ever-flowing trust for her but that is not it, I am here because I can’t go anywhere else.

We’re given a tag and then everyone dispersed, thankfully I got one close to Andrea.

“This would be a really good time to tell me what the hell is going on Andrea,” I say in the most stern voice I could muster and she sighed hearing my use of her full name.

We’ve been at this since my birth so I know how to deal with her.

She let out another exaggerated sigh but didn’t get to speak, someone was clapping and calling for our attention at one end of the room.

Like the place we went and got the number tags, it also has a table but this time there’s a box of something I can’t see the inside of from here and racks of clothing that are concealed with a sheet.

“Good evening ladies, hope you had a great time with our selection of plays from the club?” all the other girls cheer and I fight the urge to palm my ears with the hope of blocking the squeals.

“Great, it is all part of the amazing selection we have here at Crescent’s and the whole committee wants to let you know how much we appreciate you being here. For starters my name is Danielle but you all can call me Danny for the rest of the night and throughout the course of your stay if you decide to stay with us.”

What she is saying isn’t helping and I know no more than I did before I entered this room, well except her name is Danny and the damn club is called Crescent’s which isn't exactly new since I saw it in the brief glance I had before Andrea dragged me.

I look around at the others, seeing how they are all rushing about and taking off their clothes. TAKING OFF THEIR CLOTHES?!

Andrea must’ve seen the panic in my eyes because she reaches for my hand and pulls me to another end of the room, away from the squealing and screaming young ladies, most of them not that much older than me or Andrea.

“They are just changing for the show.” She says in a rush like just those words are enough to calm the tornado of panic that is my insides. I really don’t like things like this, I’m a having-fun-in-bed-with-a-book kind of girl, not whatever this is.

This is not only taking me out of my comfort zone, it is throwing me at the wolves. I might be saying this for the millionth time but I don’t like it one bit. Not for a millisecond.

“What show Drea? What are we doing here? Mum and dad would be worried sick about us, it is almost two in the morning let us get the hell out of here.” I say everything in one breath, sounding agitated.

“God, Ash, listen I really want to explain everything in detail to you right now but if we don’t change, all the good outfits will be gone by the time we get there so let’s just change and I’ll tell you everything after the auction.”

I don’t know if it is the pleading look in her eyes or the urgency in her voice or maybe the effect she has on me, the same one that made me agree to come here in the middle of the night but I nod and follow her lead. That thought didn’t help her in getting me to change because I don’t see why that is needed.

She changes into a two-piece bikini set that is nude colored and pairs it with her red heels and red painted lips, long wave of brunette hair, she looks nothing short of sexy.

She has always been the ‘ready to walk the runway’ sister with her abs and perfect body and did I mention the amazing height she stands with at 5 '9 even without heels so with the stilettos she looks like a model.

“Are you sure you don’t want to change?” she said referring to my tiny already uncomfortable gown that I already feel naked in.

“And walk around in just panties and a bra? No thank you.” She rolls her eyes before taking my arm and dragging me with her, again.

“Just don’t regret this and have fun. Let loose Ash, you only live once.” I shake my head and roll my eyes before standing in line again, this time with the tag—I don’t have anything better to call it—around my neck.

I didn’t fail to notice that I am the only one still fully dressed and I regret not taking off the heels but I have to get over it at some point, I choose to let this be the point.

A girl, probably nineteen or twenty is handing out masks to everyone before you walk through the door. Something that would conceal my face? Ha! I thought you’d never ask.

I take that willingly without any argument.

We’re standing as our numbers state so I’m behind Andrea. I am the last person in line. We’re standing in a line like earlier and there’s a large veil of some sort, okay no kidding there’s a huge ass curtain in front of us, like in the theaters.

So this is like a backstage, why does it actually impress me when I know it is a club and they do have stages and things like these but I just thought that was only in cinemas and theaters but I’m not one to judge, you never really know what impresses rich people.

“Here at Crescent's we have the best set of young ladies that fit every category in your head.” I recognize the woman’s voice as Danny from earlier. I remind myself to start paying attention to what the woman is saying but I can’t because I’m too anxious to know what—more like who—is out there.

God, I really hope Andrea didn’t sign us up to sleep with old men. That is something I know my sister can do just for the fun of it.

“And we are pleased to welcome you to the first-ever open auction right here at Crescent's, with the theme ‘For your ultimate pleasure’.” Claps ring out in the room and I wait for the hoots or excited screams but there is nothing. Prickly uncool old men.

I’m so used to high school parties and events and bonfires even though I’ve only ever been to, once, but that aside, don’t they know how to show even a bit of enthusiasm at whatever it is they are doing here?

She explains what is going to happen, aka what my sister conveniently ‘didn’t have time to tell me’ also that we’re spending thirty days with whoever bids the highest on us. She said something about part of the money going to building a hospital in a country in Africa and the little Miss Green in me was clapping at that.

I know my fellow Miss Greens will understand why that will have me excited.

Well, it doesn’t sound as bad, she didn’t say we had to sleep with the prickly uncool old men so we might just actually go on vacation with them, maybe be their fake girlfriend or even get married to them, or have his first CEO son fall in love with us. I’m open to multiple possibilities, you know, expect the first and second.

I’ve been told I have an overactive imagination but my mum says it is good so whatevs.

My mouth hangs open when they start bidding at ten grand, will someone actually bid that high just to get a woman? I mean when you look at their bank accounts it would be the easiest thing for them to get the woman of their choice since age doesn’t seem to be a hazard anymore, every girl wants to be an I*******m sensation and they need content, also the people that can sponsor them are these rich old men so they go for them.

Gone are the days when we do till death do us part and believe in love, now it is all just about money. It has become the leading emotion in most things.

My sister’s number being called pulled me from my reverie again and I look up now, trying to stop my clammy hands from shaking because I know I am next and well, your girl has a serious case of stage fright.

It is fine girl, you’ve got this. No one in school will see you and mum and dad aren’t even here.

You only live once. You only live once. You only live once.

I look around first with my eyes as wide as saucers, the people backstage all seem to be looking at me, the woman from earlier walks up to me, I didn’t even notice her.

“You look a bit ashen, everything will be fine.” She has a nice smile and face that is surely the type to make you want to do her bidding, it has to be why I follow her no questions asked. I didn’t even realize what she was doing until I was standing near the front of the stage.

“You got this.” she smiled again giving me two thumb-ups. I give her a wobbly smile before willing my legs to function as the curtains are lifted and my body automatically moves itself in a strut I never knew I was capable of.ß

I take a deep breath and hope the onlookers don’t notice, standing like I’ve peeked at the girls before I did.

The microphone sounds and the auctioneer starts the bid at ten grand.

Holy shit.