Brandi's new boyfriend was a lot richer than her ex. He gave her more gifts, sometimes even just giving her straight cash, and she was sure to put out. They had a good thing going. Her ex had been more about the lovey-dovey shit, which Brandi couldn't spend. It was nice to have an understanding with a man. Brandi was pretty sure he was sleeping around on his business trips, but that was alright because Brandi was trading blowjobs with her landlord for reduced rent. She didn't need an intimate lover—a sugar daddy would do.
Brandi had put out for her boyfriend last night, giving him a little striptease and then straddling him on the couch until he did his deed. In return, he had given her a few hundred dollars "to get yourself something nice." As he was showering, Brandi had helped herself to a couple more bills from his wallet and then helped herself out.
With about five hundred dollars to blow, Brandi decided to go shopping. She hit a few of her regular stores, picked up a few cute outfits, and settled down for lunch. Brandi's boyfriend used to give her more money and she used to invite her friends along, but his gifts had been lacking lately. Brandi was wondering if it was getting close to when she would have to dump him and find a new boyfriend who knew how to treat a lady.
"Hello Brandi," someone said behind her. An arm reached over her shoulder and put a small device on the table. It looked a little like a flip phone.
"What...?" Brandi started, but the man behind her pressed a button on the phone and Brandi immediately lost her train of thought. There was a faint ringing—not loud enough to block out any other noises, but loud enough for Brandi to hear. It seemed like that ringing was all that mattered to her.
The man sat across the table from her. Brandi didn't pay any attention to him. The ringing was very interesting and all other thoughts, concerns, and worries seemed to drop out of the back of her head.
"Look at me," he said.
It was suddenly very important to look at him. Brandi locked her eyes on the man with fierce focus and was surprised to find that she knew him. It was her ex-boyfriend, the one who tried to give her flowers despite her hints that she just wanted cash. The one who barely ever had anything in his wallet to lift. What was he doing here?
"Hello Brandi," her ex smiled. The smile was only on his lips, it didn't touch his eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm spending my boyfriend's money shopping." The words were out of Brandi's mouth before she had a chance to register them. Even after they left, Brandi only thought about the ringing from the device and looking intently at her ex. Nothing else mattered.
"Did he give you the money?" her ex asked.
"Some of it was a reward for fucking. Some of it I stole."
"I see," he nodded thoughtfully. "So you traded sex for money?"
"Not explicitly," Brandi said. "We never arranged..."
"But there is an understanding?" he interrupted.
"Yes," Brandi nodded.
"So you're a whore?" he said.
"I don't tend to think of myself..." Brandi said, but again he interrupted. As soon as he started talking, it seemed vitally important that she listen.
"I shouldn't have stated that as a question," he said. "Let me rephrase. You are a whore."
Immediately, Brandi knew it to be true. She was a whore, a genuine prostitute. She traded sex for money and loved it. Beyond even the facts, the connotation rang true as well. She was cheap and filthy.
"Yes, I am a whore," Brandi responded.
Her ex smiled, this time genuinely. It was like something was confirmed for him.
"Ok," he said. "I'm going to go home. And you're going to follow me in your car. If you have any appointments, you'll cancel them. If anyone's expecting you, let them know you won't be coming. Don't reschedule anything, just tell them you'll reach out. Do you understanding?"
"Yes," Brandi said, immediately cataloguing her plans in her mind.
"Do you remember where I live?"
"Yes."
"Good," her ex said. He reached over and pressed a button on the device on the table again. The ringing stopped and slowly, Brandi found she was able to think again. She plotted a course in her mind to her ex's house even as she was pulling her phone out of her purse to call her boyfriend. She canceled on him with minimal explanation and got off the line quickly. Her food hadn't even arrived yet, but she dropped a couple twenties on the table and scurried off.
As she was driving to her ex's house, she thought that if she had more time, she could have taken the waiter out back and let him fuck her. That should cover lunch at least. As a whore, it was likely the more economical way to handle things.
At stoplights, she applied some flashes of makeup. As a whore, it was important to look dolled up. All the same, she drove quickly. It seemed very important to get to her ex's house very quickly, but she couldn't exactly explain why.
When she arrived, she parked in the driveway and walked up to the front door. He ex must have been waiting for her, because he opened the door and she stepped inside.
Suddenly, she wondered why she was here.