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FOUR
Jessie
New message from Monstrous Deals:
Hi Jessie,
We’ve noticed that you’ve recently updated your services offered in your profile. That’s great! We’re always looking for more we can offer our clients. We’d love to chat with you a little more about how things are going for you on Monstrous Deals. It’s important that both clients and providers are satisfied at all times. Why don’t you book an appointment or simply drop in and see us? The Monster Bar is always open and there’s always someone available for a chat day or night.
The Team at Monstrous Deals
Huh. That’s kinda nice actually. I’ve been feeling so shitty about still not getting any acting work I decided to re-evaluate. Sleeping with someone for money doesn’t feel so bad. It would certainly be better than working at Macy’s and giving up on my dream. And it’s waaaay better than crawling home to my parents.
Maybe if I go in and meet with someone from the company, I can get advice about how to make my profile more attractive and pick up more work. I’ve chatted online with a few girls who say they picked up long-term clients really quickly after signing up. That’s the sort of thing I need. An ongoing arrangement so I know where the money’s coming from for a while.
Plus they all say their clients treat them well. I wouldn’t mind getting in on a bit of that action, too.
Using my elbow and the back of my arm, I brush aside Rachel’s damp towel hanging over my bunk and find my shoes. My black heels are looking a little beat up these days, but I can’t exactly wear runners to a bar. I pull on the only clean dress I can find, a black bodycon sleeveless dress and hastily pull my long hair into a messy knot on top of my head. A little red lipstick and it’ll have to do. I’m low on options because tonight is wash night. I’ll deal with that when I get home. Or tomorrow.
It takes me a little while to find the right place. When I step off the subway, I’m pleased to see it’s in a nice neighborhood. Quaint little buildings with historical features line the street and the trees in the area are dotted with fairy lights. It looks almost suburban, except the ground floor of most of these buildings is a shopfront.
When I get to the place my phone tells me is the Monster Bar, I think at first something’s gone wrong with the GPS. It's a courtyard garden with wrought iron lamps and decorative benches. At the other side of the courtyard is a building painted orange. It has green shutters and a bright yellow door. Surely not.
When I get close enough to ring the buzzer though, I see a little sign which reads ‘Monstrous Deals’. There’s even a cute little logo with three writhing tentacles just in case you can’t work out from the name this place serves supes. I shrug and raise a finger to ring. Before I can, the door opens to reveal a smiling woman with bronze skin and short, pale blonde hair. Her smile grows even wider when she takes me in. “Hi there. Jessie, right?” She holds out her hand and I take it with a frown.
“Um, yeah. How did you—”
She gives me a little laugh. “Well I’m clairvoyant and sometimes these things just come to me, but mostly because I just looked at your file to send out that email. I assume that’s why you’ve come.”
“Uh, yeah,” I say again. She’s so friendly it’s hard not to like her instantly, which is unusual for me.
The woman ushers me inside with a wave. “I’m Sofia. Come on in. Can I get you something to drink?”
This is really not what I was expecting. A wooden staircase is off to my left and a door leads toward a cozy sitting room in front of us. Sofia leads me to a sitting room and I settle on a striped sofa and look up at the wall in front of me covered with portraits of beautiful people.
“I really just came to talk to you about getting more clients,” I say.
Sofia goes to a little trolley in the corner. “Tea? Coffee? Something stronger?”
I shake my head. “That’s OK.”
She perches on a white armchair opposite me and folds her hands in her lap with a tinkle from the various golden bangles she’s wearing. “So you’re looking for more work?”
I nod.
