‹ Prequel: Freefall
Status: Complete
Plummet
13
The next day, I got a phone call from one of the restaurants I’d applied at. I was hired. I did a celebratory dance, because I refused to look at this as a bad thing, and went out shopping. I spent my last fifty dollars on work shoes.
But that was okay, because I was going to be making money soon. Hopefully it would be quite a lot. Especially considering the embarrassingly revealing uniform they expected me to wear: a lacey black bustier, a scrap of cloth that pretended to be a skirt, and ridiculously high heels.
But at least I had a good figure. That had to be worth extra tips. It felt unclean, thinking that way, but what else could a girl do? It was a job and I needed money.
Still, I was always careful to leave the house with a long coat on, to keep Dad from seeing what I’d been reduced to.
I started training, and after three days they had me working insanely long shifts six days per week. It was exhausting, but I didn’t mind. What bothered me about my schedule was that I hadn’t seen Embry since the day after I’d learned what he was. He called me every single day, but half of the time he caught my answering machine and simply left several long messages.
I missed him, more than I’d care to admit.
Luckily, after my first six-day week, Embry was available on my first day off. I didn’t feel like leaving the house, so he came over and brought with him a stack of scary movies and several boxes of microwave popcorn.
When he knocked on the door, I raced to answer it and threw myself into his arms, making him drop his bags full of movies and popcorn. I didn’t think either of us minded. I felt his lips brush against my hair and I thoughtlessly lifted my face so that our lips met.
If I’d been thinking, I might have been nervous. As it was, there would have been no reason for nerves. He made a surprised noise and kissed back hungrily.
For the first time, I believed there was an animal inside him.
When we finally drew apart, both of us were not a little breathless and I had a feeling my lips would be bruised. It was worth it.
“How’s that for a hello,” I whispered breathlessly and laughed. “Now I’m really glad Dad’s never home.” I opened the door wider to let him in and we headed to the couch. I set up the first movie, not bothering to look at the title since I knew it would be something I’d never heard of anyway.
“I’ve never seen a horror film before,” I said conversationally. He gave me an exaggerated look of shock.
“I didn’t even know that was possible.” I laughed sarcastically and he beamed up at me. My stomach flipped. It seemed like it was always doing that around him.
I sat on the couch, next to him but not as close as I’d like to be. I didn’t know how he would respond to me leaning against him like I had at the beach, though I desperately wanted to be touching him in some way, even if it was the smallest contact.
“What are you doing over there? You might as well be miles away,” he complained, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and yanking me closer. So I snuggled against him and watched the movie.
It turns out, it was for my own good that he was there. I had no stomach for horror films and more than once, I had to hide my face against his chest until he told me it was alright to look again. It would have been embarrassing, but Embry kept making lighthearted jokes about it, which somehow made me more comfortable. Besides, it gave me an excuse to be closer to him.
I would have been lying if I said I wasn’t getting pretty tied up over him.
But that was okay, because I was going to be making money soon. Hopefully it would be quite a lot. Especially considering the embarrassingly revealing uniform they expected me to wear: a lacey black bustier, a scrap of cloth that pretended to be a skirt, and ridiculously high heels.
But at least I had a good figure. That had to be worth extra tips. It felt unclean, thinking that way, but what else could a girl do? It was a job and I needed money.
Still, I was always careful to leave the house with a long coat on, to keep Dad from seeing what I’d been reduced to.
I started training, and after three days they had me working insanely long shifts six days per week. It was exhausting, but I didn’t mind. What bothered me about my schedule was that I hadn’t seen Embry since the day after I’d learned what he was. He called me every single day, but half of the time he caught my answering machine and simply left several long messages.
I missed him, more than I’d care to admit.
Luckily, after my first six-day week, Embry was available on my first day off. I didn’t feel like leaving the house, so he came over and brought with him a stack of scary movies and several boxes of microwave popcorn.
When he knocked on the door, I raced to answer it and threw myself into his arms, making him drop his bags full of movies and popcorn. I didn’t think either of us minded. I felt his lips brush against my hair and I thoughtlessly lifted my face so that our lips met.
If I’d been thinking, I might have been nervous. As it was, there would have been no reason for nerves. He made a surprised noise and kissed back hungrily.
For the first time, I believed there was an animal inside him.
When we finally drew apart, both of us were not a little breathless and I had a feeling my lips would be bruised. It was worth it.
“How’s that for a hello,” I whispered breathlessly and laughed. “Now I’m really glad Dad’s never home.” I opened the door wider to let him in and we headed to the couch. I set up the first movie, not bothering to look at the title since I knew it would be something I’d never heard of anyway.
“I’ve never seen a horror film before,” I said conversationally. He gave me an exaggerated look of shock.
“I didn’t even know that was possible.” I laughed sarcastically and he beamed up at me. My stomach flipped. It seemed like it was always doing that around him.
I sat on the couch, next to him but not as close as I’d like to be. I didn’t know how he would respond to me leaning against him like I had at the beach, though I desperately wanted to be touching him in some way, even if it was the smallest contact.
“What are you doing over there? You might as well be miles away,” he complained, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and yanking me closer. So I snuggled against him and watched the movie.
It turns out, it was for my own good that he was there. I had no stomach for horror films and more than once, I had to hide my face against his chest until he told me it was alright to look again. It would have been embarrassing, but Embry kept making lighthearted jokes about it, which somehow made me more comfortable. Besides, it gave me an excuse to be closer to him.
I would have been lying if I said I wasn’t getting pretty tied up over him.