Responsibilities
I have always been a good girlfriend, never cheating on Larry or even really flirting with other guys.
But I'm only 18 years old, and it wasn’t easy keeping myself just for my nerdy boyfriend. And now Larry had gotten us into a bit of trouble...again.
I can't say I'm surprised, to be honest.
Larry lost his job down at the bowling alley a few months back, and now we're falling behind on bills and everything else.
He keeps pestering me to get a job, but, like, I'm in college, you know what I mean? Besides, it's a man's responsibility to make money.
My job is to make sure I look good. And if he really loved me, he'd know that.
Larry tried to hide the scope of the problem from me for a while, but it wasn't long before the phone kept ringing with creditors demanding that he pay them.
Even worse, when I confronted Larry about the rent, he admitted that we were three months behind. Three months! And if he didn't find a way to pay the rent soon, we'd be out on the street.
Look, it's probably not politically correct to say this, but I was way too hot to be homeless.
One day, he got a call from Tristin, our landlord. Larry ran into the bathroom so I couldn't hear what he was saying, but when he came back out, his face was as white as a ghost.
"What is it?" I said. "Is it bad?"
"We're going to get kicked out," Larry said. "Tristin says we owe too much."
"But can't you ask him to give us some more time to come up with the money?" I said.
"He said he's out of time," said Larry, unable to meet my gaze.
"Good job, loser!" I screamed. "What am I supposed to do now?"
"Well, there is one option," said Larry. "But I'm not sure if you're gonna like it."
"Come on, spit it out," I said. "It can't be worse than being on the street, can it?"
"Okay, just hear me out," said Larry. "But Tristin said he'll forgive all the back rent if he can fuck you once."
"What?" I spluttered.
"I mean, think about it, okay? If you're willing to have sex with him just once, he'll wipe out the whole debt, and we won't have to worry about this anymore."
"Are you fucking kidding me?" I said. "Are you seriously trying to pimp me out? How dare you!"
"I told him I'd ask you, didn't I?" retorted Larry. "But I don't know what other choice we have, Nadia. Unless you win the lottery or something, this is the only offer on the table."
"And you're gonna look me in the eye and tell me you're okay with some other guy fucking me?" I said.
"No," said Larry, gulping audibly. "But I told Tristin that, if this happens, I've got to be in the room. That way you won't have to go through this alone."
"Jesus, Larry!" I said. "Can't you ask your parents for a loan or something?"
"Don't you think I've tried everything already?" said Larry, a sheen of sweat breaking out on his forehead. "My mom's broke, and my stepdad laughed in my face."
"Oh, you've tried everything, eh?" I said. "Except for getting a fucking job."
"You don't know what it's like out there!" said Larry, using that whiny tone of voice that I absolutely hate. "I send out, like, a hundred resumes every day, and I never hear back from anyone. What more can I do?"
"Oh my god, sometimes, I really hate you," I growled as I paced around the tiny living room of our apartment.
"Come on, Nadia," said Larry, trying to touch me on my arm, but I jerked back to avoid his loathsome touch. "It'll just be one time. That's not so bad, is it?"
"Prostituting myself one time isn't so bad?" I said. "Seriously? That's what you're telling me? Christ, I can't believe I let myself get into this mess."
"Nadia, I love you," said Larry, sinking to his knees. "Please believe me. If there were any other way, I wouldn't be asking you. But I need you to do this, baby."
He put his hand on my leg, looking up at me with pleading eyes. "If you do this for me, I swear, I'll never forget it. You're my girl, and I promise I'll take care of you forevermore."
Larry looked up at me so pathetically that I felt my resistance begin to crumble. "You'll really be in the room the whole time?"
"I swear, I will," said Larry. "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise."
"And no butt stuff," I said. "Because I'm not doing butt stuff."
"Absolutely," said Larry. "Just regular, um... you know, stuff."
"Fine," I said, folding my arms.
Larry broke out into a huge grin and sprang to his feet, wrapping me in a passionate hug even though I didn't reciprocate it. "Oh my god, you're the best! I love you so much, Nadia."
"Whatever," I muttered.
"Okay, I'm going to go call Tristin right now," said Larry, dashing into the kitchen. "We're saved! Yes!"
