SOPHIA
The lights suddenly flashed on, almost blinding my vision. I squinted and blinked my eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden light. The footsteps began to sound and just like I thought, they came for me.
Finally adjusted to the light, my eyes collided with green ones opposite my cell.
Bruce was black haired and light skinned, but the dirt on his skin made him brownish. His body frame gave a hint that he was a tall guy, but the things hunger had done to his physical appearance made it impossible to focus on how pretty he looked.
"You'll be fine." He mouthed towards me, shooting me a smile.
"Get up." The gruff voice of the short bald man resounded in the basement as soon as he unlocked my cell.
Immediately, I tried to get up, but I lost my balance and fell back. Out of impatience, he pulled me up by the arm. Roughly.
"We feed you, and yet you don't have the strength to get up. Lazy bitch." He barked in anger as he dragged me out of my cell and towards the door.
As we moved, my heart banged heavily against my chest at what awaited me.
What does he want to do with me this time? Could it be to give him a blow job like last time? What if it's to have sex with me?
As much as I liked him, I wouldn't want my first time to be forced.
What are you saying Angelina?
I chide myself and decide to focus my mind on something else, but my mind didn't wander far before something pressed down on my foot.
"Ouch!" I cried out in pain as the man pulling me along with him mistakenly stepped on my toes.
"Shut up!" He growled into my face, making me shut my eyes in fear.
We walked for a few minutes before we halted in front of a door. The loudness of the music coming from behind the slightly open door was enough to convince me that it was a club, but clubs are not built inside a house.
The man pushed the door open, and we went in.
The music became louder, and it was like I was inside the speakers. I looked around the room, trying to figure out what it was.
About 6 girls, clad in scanty clothings were stationed at different corners of the room, in front of a pole, moving to the instructions of a young woman. The heels they wore looked painful to walk in, and the look on some of their faces weren't pleasant.
I needed no soothsayer to tell me that this was a dance studio for strippers.
My breath caught in my throat at the realization of what I was there for.
"Is this the new girl?" The lady asked, pausing the music and cat-walked towards me.
"She looks pretty, and pure, like an angel. She'd make thousands of dollars on her first night." She said, trailing her fingers down my face. I moved my face to the side at the contact of her fingers as I dusted my clothes in my hand.
"But before we get into practising, she'll need a shower and a change of clothes."
"Chelsea, help her get ready."
A girl walked towards me and pulled me towards what I guessed to be the bathroom.
"Remove your clothes and make use of the bathroom over there. I'd be quick if I were you." Her tone was blank and devoid of any emotions, making me wonder if that was her nature.
"Am I here for the same reason that you are?" I asked.
"You have no idea why you're here?"
"No, I was kinda just sold off to them by my parents."
My thoughts wandered to that day and my face dropped.
"Well, whatever debt your parents owed them, you have been sold to become a stripper to repay the loan. And here, you have no rights whatsoever. So if you know what is good for you, get in there and start taking your bath, because that witch is not as nice as she looks." She said, staring deep into my eyes.
Tears stung the back of my eyes as I walked into the bathroom.
"No way am I going to wear that." I said with strong rejection as she threw me the thing I was supposed to wear after I had finished taking my bath.
"I'm not asking you to make a choice, you must wear it."
"No I'm not going to, it's as good as wearing nothing. I can't wear it in front of you, not to talk of out there where there are other girls and two men."
"For your own good, you'd better wear this, or..." Chelsea was saying, but was interrupted by another voice.
"What is going on here? Why are you still in a towel?" The lady from earlier asked, sizing me up with a frown on her face.
"That c-cloth is too revealing, I'm sorry it doesn't sit well with me. So, I can't wear it." I voiced out, trying to be bold.
"It doesn't have to be okay by you, as long as it's the right outfit for what you're here for. Now don't waste anymore of my precious time and wear it." The lady said, about to turn around and walk out.
"But…" I was about to object again when her hand came upon my face in a heavy slap.
"I am not giving you a choice. Chelsea, come with me."
Uncontrollable tears dropped from my eyes, and in that moment I began to despise my parents.
Why do I have to pay for their sins?
Reluctantly, I put on the cloth, with tears falling down my face.
As soon as I stepped out, one of the men whistled upon my appearance. The whole room turned their attention to me, making me hate the feel of my own skin.
"I knew that body shape was the right one." The lady said with a devious smile on my face.
"Matteo, what do you say about taking the first spin?" She said towards the man that was sitting down on a chair at the far end of the room.
"Who am I to say no?" He replied with a thick accent and a lustful smile on his face.
Turning her attention towards me, she spoke the most dreadful words I've ever heard.
"Go over and give him a lap dance."