Chapter 2: A Friend In Need

"Alicia! Where are you at this hour?"

I heard Pablo's voice in high tone the moment I received his call during my visit in the bank.

I was voiceless for a moment, but I mustered up my courage to apologize when I realized that I did something wrong to make him feel so upset. “I’m sorry Pablo”, then I started explaining myself.

“I have an urgent matter to attend and I can’t go to work right now” my voice was stuttering, yet I still managed to compose myself while I was writing my personal information on the form.

“How important is that matter Alicia, for you to be absent?”

I swallowed hard to clear the lump in my throat before I reply “My friend…uhm, she needs my help Pablo. She might die any moment, she needs surgery and I have to help her”

And a hissed of disappointment slipped his mouth before he mocked me “And what can you do to save her life, huh? You don’t even have enough money to treat yourself right, so how can you help a friend in need? Sell your soul? ”

That very moment, I was in deep silence when reality hit me…“What can I do to help her? Would I be able to raise the amount of money to get her an operation?”

And I came back to my senses when I heard the bank personnel called my name.

“Ms. Park.”

“I got to go Pablo. I’m sorry!” then I stood up quickly to face the woman who would process my loan application.

I stepped forward as she came close to me. “Hi! Here’s the loan form Miss. I’ve already signed it. How long should I wait for the approval” I asked after handling the piece of paper to her.

Her eyes narrowed down on the documents I just submitted and after reviewing the forms, she broke the news to me straightforward “Ms. Park, please expect for our call by next week Wednesday, for loan status, will be submitting this today and the process may take up to 7-10 business days for the…”

“7 days or more?” I cut her off before she could even continue, and I didn’t realize that I was a bit sarcastic when I questioned her. She was flabbergasted over my tone. “Did I hear you right, Miss?”

Coldly, she replied to me “Yes, that’s correct”, and I felt my knees got weak all of a sudden when it came to me like a bombshell. I didn’t anticipated that this may take longer than I think. Thought it was just going to be less than a week since all of my documents were complete. So out of frustration, I stepped an inch closer to her and grabbed her wrist aggressively.

“I can’t wait that long Miss, please help me” and I found her eyes in dismays out of my pleading action.

She pulled her arm against my grip right away and utter “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do about it. Please wait patiently” then she quickly turned her back on me, and left me with nothing to hold on to.

“I can’t wait this long” I mumbled under my breath. “Time is precious and I must hurry” I uttered these to myself, so I crumpled the copies of papers in my hand when I realized that the idea of applying for a loan won’t work anymore. Then I grabbed my bag on the table and immediately stepped out of the bank, without a word.

And as I reached the door entrance of the establishment, I took out my mobile and called the last person I knew who could help me.

“Dara. Can we meet?”

And after a couple of hours, I was waiting for Dara at the nearest coffee shop in the city hospital. I decided to meet her before going back in and check up on Rebecca’s condition.

“Long time no see Alicia, why did you ask to meet suddenly?” I heard a familiar voice coming close and when I looked up to check. I recognized the woman right away. It was my colleague Dara, he took the vacant seat next to me and my eyes just couldn’t help but wandered over her seductive body.

She was wearing a Red micro mini dress with a deep ruffled neckline and a 5 inches stiletto heels.

She looked pretty and sexy on that, and I just couldn’t take my eyes off of her.

Her long white legs were absolutely perfect, along with her blonde bouncing hair. From top to bottom she was so gorgeous, no wonder why she was ranked as the highest paid guest relation officer for VIP in the casino, where I was working.

“What do you want to drink?” I asked the moment she rest her back on the wooden chair while chewing a bubble gum.

“I’m good, I won’t stay long since I haven’t got any sleep yet. Why did you ask for me?” without further ado she asked me straight. “Need an extra job?”

My fingers were curling above the table, and my eyes wandered around as I mustered up my courage to say what I have in mind.

I took a deep breath and cleared the lump in my throat first, before I spilled out my concern without shame. “Yes! I need an extra job. Let me work with you at the VIP lounge as a G.R.O Dara, I need to earn instant money to save a friend.”

And her red thin lips stretched from ear to ear as her eyes trailed on my medium frame.

Then she utter “You’re in baby girl”

That very moment, all the butterflies in my stomach went wild and crazy over the thought of working as an escort lady. And I realized that my life have indeed changed a lot after running away from home.

***

I was walking on the dark street when the rain suddenly fell hard on the ground, and it started to soak me without consideration. So I immediately covered my head with my jacket and made large steps to reach the end of the street, where I can finally take a Tuk Tuk ride.

I just got off from the night shift and I was rushing to the nearest mini mart in the area that soon will be closing at 1 a.m., to buy some cup of noodles and crackers for my late dinner.

It was past midnight now, and I haven’t ate anything since I started my shift at 4 in the afternoon.

It was payday and I had to send money overseas for my family in the U.S during my break time, so instead of eating I decided to use my free time to go to the remittance center, and I didn’t have the chance to grab something to fill my tummy along the way, since there’s no food stall around.

So I tried to walk fast as the rain poured heavily, and the only light that I have in my path was the light from the moon above me that was shining generously. Because of that, I somehow felt at ease to walk in the alley.

But that was before I even reached the end of the street, because not so far away from me, my eyes spotted a group of young men who were standing under the bakery’s overhead shade while smoking and drinking beer to warm their bodies.

Their voices were loud, and it was enough for me to know that there were already dunk, and the way it sounded like to me, they were nothing but bad boys in the street. And that thought made my heart raced in my throat as they laughed out loud and used profanity in every statement.

I tried to be calm but terror was crawling down my spine when they stared at me with their murderous and lustful eyes, as they caught me standing a bit far from them…Hesitating to walk.

Then a dark tall drunk guy filled the air with thick smoke from his cigar and I could hardly see his face behind the white cloud.

And just before the smoke faded away in thin air…my eyes widened out of shocked when a scar faced man appeared before me with an evil smile.

I stepped back and braced myself as I looked at him.

“Hey Mama! Where you going?” he asked me in their native language, and I don’t understand what he was trying to tell me.

“I don’t speak Thai, I’m sorry”

“What ‘ya doing out here, huh! Come with me and I’ll take you to my home, you’re soaking wet baby” and he grabbed my wrist in an instant and it made me freaked out.

“Get off your hands on me!” I exclaimed, but my voice was scattered in the air and you could hardly hear it clearly because of the heavy rain sound.

He grabbed me by the shoulder so it shocked me even more, I dodged and tried running away but the other men blocked my way to the end of the street, and even the way back to where I came in. Once again, he pulled me close and held unto my wrist tightly.

My tears started to fall down on my cheeks, however, they were not visible in every eye since the rain washed them away on my face, leaving no marks of tears to show fear.

“Please, let me pass. I’m begging you” I pleaded for my freedom but the gangster’s boss doesn’t even showed me some mercy.

He began dragging me to the darkest side of the street and I was screaming for help when suddenly a mini van passed by and saw the abduction.

It was Kasem and his girlfriend Rebecca who saw me being forced by those bastards, so they quickly stepped out of the vehicle and Kasem talked to them in their language.

And after a couple of minutes, the man released my hand in an instant.

Then I ran right away behind the woman’s back to hide myself. I don’t know how did he convince those punk, but I was thankful that these two lovely people passed that night and saved my life.

Now it’s my time to pay the debt I owed.

“Alicia! My goodness sweetie I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” Dara exclaimed the moment she saw me at the 3rd floor fire exit, and I didn’t say a word to answer her. I just narrowed down my head as I pinned my back on the wall.

“Look at you! You look so scared and worried Alicia”

“I am Dara, and you know that this is ain’t my kind of game that’s why I am so nervous to do this.”

“But you have to do this.” She cut me off and it simply reminded me the reason why I had to do it, so I nodded to agree on her.

“She’s right! And you asked for this Alicia, so you must endure whatever comes” I muttered under my breath to convince my heart.

“Are you ready?” She was looking at my pale face and waiting for my answer, so I lifted my chin up and stretched the crock of my neck from left to right, then broke my arms and legs to release all the tension in me before I plastered a smile on my face.

“Come on, I’m ready!” I said in fierce.

“And that’s my girl! Let them drool over your sexy body baby and make lots of money out of your beauty.”

That same moment, I just couldn’t help feeling low for myself as I walked to the VIP lounge with my bareback mini cowl black dress and stiletto glass heels paired with a glittering eye mask.

I realized that ever since the day I left my homeland, I have indeed gone this far.