CHAP 4: {Arrival}

{Abebi}

I sighed heavily, my voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and frustration. I thought about how Tony was going to cope in my absence. He must have known everything, he must have been receiving threatening calls from Mrs. Beatrice, since I left my phone with him, only $4000 I have been able to race since these two weeks.

"For the past two weeks, I have been dancing for men old enough to be my father," I confessed, my eyes fixed on the ceiling above. The weight of my experiences seemed to hang in the air.

Chiara, busy combing her hair in front of the mirror, turned her attention to my words.

"Did anybody touch you while you danced?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

"No, nobody touched me," I replied, my voice filled with a mix of relief and sadness.

"But that doesn't make it any less degrading. I've been treated worse than animals. Dancing in skimpy dresses inside a metallic bar—it's dehumanizing."

Chiara's reflection in the mirror showed a hint of understanding. She paused for a moment, contemplating my words.

"I understand your frustration," she said softly, her voice carrying a mix of empathy and resignation.

"Keep the voice low "Bianca cut in.

"But sometimes, I wonder if we are all victims of this cruel world. We've been dancing in skimpy dresses for people's entertainment, and sometimes they even try to touch us inappropriately. It's a constant battle to maintain our dignity."

My eyes welled up with tears as I listened to Chiara's words. The shared pain and vulnerability were evident in her conversation.

"It's just so unfair," I whispered, my voice trembling.

"We deserve so much better than this. We deserve respect and the chance to live our lives on own terms."

Chiara put down the comb and turned to face Abebi, her expression filled with determination.

"You're right," she said firmly. "We may have ended up in this situation, but we still have the power to reclaim our worth and fight for a better future. We can support each other, find strength in our unity, and refuse to let this define us."

My tears slowly subsided, replaced by a glimmer of hope. I looked at Chiara, grateful for her words of encouragement.

"You're right, Chiara," I said, my voice filled with newfound determination.

"We may have been stripped of our dignity, but we won't let them break our spirits. We will find a way to rise above this and create a better life for ourselves."

"Hey, we're trying to get some sleep here!" Bianca yelled, her frustration evident in her voice.

Chiara, not one to back down, retorted, "And how does our conversation affect your sleep?

"You better stop being a crybaby!" This is your life and you are born to do this ", Bianca fired back.

The exchange seemed to reach a boiling point as Chiara took a step closer to Bianca's bed, anger blazing in her eyes. Sensing the escalating conflict, I tried to diffuse the situation.

"Come on, guys, let's not fight. We're all in this together," I pleaded, her voice filled with a mix of concern and desperation.

But before the situation could escalate any further, the door swung open, revealing Lady Angelica. She stood there, dressed in a revealing black dress and a striking red wig, a provocative smile playing on her lips. Her presence instantly commanded attention, and the room fell into an uneasy silence.

"Hello, ladies," Angelica greeted, her voice laced with a subtle hint of mischief. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the tense atmosphere. I felt a shiver run down her spine as she met Angelica's gaze. There was something unnerving about the way Angelica carried herself, an air of authority mixed with an unsettling sense of control.

Chiara and Bianca, momentarily distracted by Angelica's entrance, shifted their attention away from each other. The intensity of their disagreement faded, replaced by an unspoken understanding that there were bigger forces at play.

"You have all done a good job," Angelica said.

"You have all grown in this game at a rate I didn't expect. "

"The main game starts tonight. Master will be available tonight ". Angelica pushed the large door, allowing us to move out of the through it.

I listened to Angelica's words with a mixture of dread and confusion. The thought of pleasing a mysterious man sent a wave of discomfort through her. I couldn't understand how they had reached this point, where my worth was reduced to their ability to satisfy the desires of others.

As Angelica directed us into the dance room, my heart raced with trepidation. She looked around at the other girls, their expressions mirroring her own. The atmosphere in the room was heavy with anticipation, but it was an anticipation tinged with fear.

"You must do everything you can to please him," Angelica reiterated, her voice laced with an unsettling mix of authority and expectation. I couldn't help but feel a knot forming in my stomach as I contemplated the lengths they were being pushed to. It was a stark reminder of the harsh reality they were trapped in, a world where their bodies were mere commodities to be exploited.

Angelica proceeded to demonstrate a seductive movement, twisting her waist and emphasizing the need to master the act of lust. I watched, her eyes wide with disbelief. This wasn't the life I had envisioned for myself. I had dreams and aspirations beyond being reduced to an object of desire.

"And other Dons will be available, you can as well win their hearts," Angelica said, attempting to inject a false sense of encouragement into her words. But to me, it felt like a mockery of their dignity, a sickening reminder that their worth was measured by their ability to entice and please powerful men.

Angelica forced a smile. I couldn't help but feel a surge of anger within me.

Angelica led me into the grand dance hall, my heart pounded with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. The hall was adorned with dazzling lights, casting a mesmerizing array of colors across the room. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause as I ascended the podium, their eager gazes fixed upon me.

The DJ started playing a captivating melody, and I began to move to its rhythm. My body swayed and twisted, my every movement a calculated display of sensuality. I could feel the eyes of the spectators devouring me, their desires palpable in the air. It was both intoxicating and degrading, as if my worth was solely measured by how I could captivate their attention.

Amidst the sea of faces, my eyes caught sight of a young man dressed in black. His dark hair and piercing brown eyes accentuated his bony yet undeniably handsome face. As he entered the hall, a hush fell over the crowd, and even the high-ranking men of power bowed their heads in acknowledgment.

Curiosity mixed with apprehension as I wondered who this young man could be and why he commanded such respect. His presence seemed to carry an air of authority, a magnetism that drew all attention towards him. I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of unease, as if his arrival marked a significant turning point in my journey.

But for now, I continued to dance, losing myself in the rhythm and movement. The world around me faded away, and all that mattered at that moment was the undulating music and the gazes that hungered for my performance.

"Stop this crap!" His booming scream reverberated through the dance hall, commanding attention and freezing every movement in its tracks.

The abrupt halt of the music left a deafening silence in the air, and the room was engulfed in a stillness that mirrored the shock and confusion coursing through my veins. The man's enraged voice pierced through the silence, shattering any semblance of composure I had managed to maintain.

I felt my heart lurch in my chest as I absorbed the weight of his words, a mix of fear and uncertainty flooding my senses.

All eyes turned to the man as he rose from his seat, his anger palpable and his presence commanding. His voice carried a deep authority that seemed to resonate within the very core of my being. The room seemed to hold its breath, awaiting his next words.

"Angelica!" he bellowed, and the sound of her name pulled her from her reverie. With haste, she hurriedly made her way to him, her head bowed in deference. It was clear that she recognized his importance and the weight his words carried.

"Is this the nonsense you have been training for the past two weeks?" His voice dripped with disappointment and disdain, each word striking Angelica like a blow. Her apology hung in the air, a meek acknowledgment of her failure to meet his expectations.

The man's gaze swept across the room, his eyes landing on each of us, his silent judgment cutting through our very souls. I felt a deep sense of shame wash over me as if I had let him down, even though I was merely a pawn in this grand game.

Without another word, he turned and walked out of the dance hall, leaving behind a lingering atmosphere of uncertainty and discontent. As the weight of his presence dissipated, the room slowly began to stir, whispers and murmurs filling the void left by his departure.

I stood there, my body frozen in the aftermath of his outburst, the realization sinking in that the world I had entered was far more complex and dangerous than I had ever imagined.

******

The abrupt slam of the door shattered the peacefulness of the room, ripping me from the clutches of sleep and thrusting me into a harsh reality. Disoriented and groggy, I struggled to gather my thoughts as my bleary eyes adjusted to the dimly lit space.

Angelica's furious presence filled the room, her face contorted with anger and disappointment. Her piercing gaze locked onto me, and I could feel the weight of her fury bore into my very being. Dread tightened its grip around my heart, constricting with every passing moment.

"What the hell was wrong with you when you danced?" Her words were laced with venom, each syllable cutting through the air like a razor-sharp blade. I felt a knot form in the pit of my stomach, a mix of fear and confusion churning within me.

The room fell into an uneasy silence as her anger hung heavily in the air. The accusing stares of the other girls mirrored my feelings of vulnerability, as we stood there, defenseless against her wrath.

"Now you have provoked the master and jeopardized your pathetic lives," she seethed, her voice dripping with contempt.

" another careless mistake might not be tolerated " she added

As she stormed out of the room, her anger leaving a lingering sense of unease in its wake, I found myself paralyzed with a mix of fear.