Good Girl (Playroom) (3 page)

The look
of confusion on my face has Mr. Kline shaking his head at me in frustration. “You’re a virgin. Kieren likes virgins. The sad truth of it is that he will play you so he can have sex with you, and then he will leave. It doesn’t matter who the girl is, this is what he does,” Auggie says in disgust. 

“Thanks for the talk, Auggie. I feel so special now. No guy will want me except to de
flower me. Great, I feel better,” I sarcastically mumble. “And I love how everyone knows everything about me.” I hop off the counter, grumbling a litany of curses under my breath and start to round it.

Auggie roughly
yanks me back with his huge hands and plunks me back on the counter. “We’re not finished until you understand this,” his growly-bear grunt stuns me into compliance. “You’re susceptible to Kieren’s manipulations. He will try to date you, and then he will get what he wants and move on. It isn’t about every guy, just him. Pick another one, and I will let you know if it’s a good idea. I want you to date. I want you to have fun. I’m not lecturing about abstinence. Go ahead and fuck ten guys as long as you want them and it’s about respect and you’re safe. But Kieren will either lie to get into your pants or take it. Kieren has to grow up and deal with his shit first.”

Anger flashes across Auggie’s
face and ignites his green eyes into dazzling emeralds. He gives me a frustrated shake and growls deep in his chest. “I promised Sam! Dammit,” a rough shake has my head rolling on my neck. “I don’t want you to get raped. Is that clear enough for you? You’re eighteen now, and Kieren can’t go to jail for fucking you. And this isn’t Kieren’s first rodeo- or his tenth. You got it now, Willow?” Auggie’s entire demeanor is different than I’ve ever see it. His green eyes are usually a happy seafoam color and his face is relaxed and pleasant. Now his eyes are angry and his face is taut with frustration.

My skin
blazes in embarrassment so fierce that it prickles. I hide behind my palms and try to will it away. I’ll leave Kieren alone for Auggie- Sam trusted Auggie and so do I.

“Okay, no
Kieren,” sounds muffled from beneath my hands.

“That’
s a good girl,” Mr. Kline praises me with a brilliant toothy smile.

My ha
nds drop. “I thought you said that being a good girl was bad. You called me a monster,” I sullenly say as my bottom lip quivers.

“Yeah, it’s bad for someone like
Kieren.” Auggie’s eyes never leave my mouth and it creates a confusing buzz in my belly.

“Who’s it good for?” I ask in
all seriousness. If I can’t play with Kieren- then who?

Auggie’
s gaze leaves my mouth and darts to my eyes. He groans in frustration and runs his fingers through his reddish-brown curls. “Yeah- um… I’m not answering that one. I’ve got to go to the post office. Yeah, the post office is where I need to be. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He grabs his keys from the hook and runs for the front door.

“Well, men flee from you, Willow,” I murmur as I jump to the floor. “You sure do know how to clear a room.”

I quickly check the appropriate pricing for Kieren’s dolls, tag them, and place them on display. I mark Aquaman as a free with purchase. I manage to clean up the store and check my auctions fifty times and Mr. Kline still hasn’t returned. I even sold a few items and told a woman to come back in an hour with her consignment items.

I worry that I’ve run Mr. Kline from his own store. I load another cd into the stereo and allow the music to melt my insecurities away.

“He's a one stop shop… makes my cherry pop… He's a sweet talkin' sugar coated candyman… A sweet talkin' sugar coated candyman… ohh yeah.” I sing with Christina and bop my way around the shop.

“Hmm… is that what the good girl dreams about at night, the candym
an?” Mr. Kline smoothly purrs.

“Holy fuck,” I yelp and cover my face. The prickling from earlier returns to a full-fledged burn. I doubt my ski
n will ever return to its flesh tone. I’ll forever be red with embarrassment.

“Update,
and then let’s play some
Perfect Dark
.” Auggie continues to laugh at me as he strides across Revamped to join me at the counter.

I groan in mortification
. I take a deep breath and soldier on. It’s not the first, and it surely won’t be the last time I’m embarrassed. “I… um- priced Kieren’s action figures. I made two sales. A lady will be back shortly. She has some stuff to sell. One auction is bombing, two are on the retail mark, and one is quadruple the price we paid,” I rapidly reply to cover my embarrassment. 

“And you wer
e doing a perfect rendition of
Candy Man
…” Auggie hasn’t stopped laughing even while I was giving him an update. His cheeks are rosy from the cold and snow, or maybe from my ridiculous karaoke act. His green eyes are twinkling as he loads the N64.

One of the perks about working at
Revamped
is that we don’t actually work- we play constantly. Old game systems are our favorite.
Perfect Dark
is a first-person shooter. Basically, we run around shooting at each other. I always customize my Joanna Dark and Auggie will make his exactly like mine. Last time, I was Elvis the alien, short with a huge head for sniping. When he created the same avatar, I finally asked him why, because you’re a fool to use Elvis. Mr. Kline’s response was that it’s only fair if we are the same character- so much for individualism. Today, I am Joanna Dark, again, wearing a
Datadyne
catsuit.

“Have you ever noticed that the CMP150 icon looks like the word calypso? I know it doesn’t, but that’s what I see and that’s what I call them.” I say this to distract
Auggie. I want him to think that’s my weapon. My avatar sneaks behind him and sticks a proximity mine on the wall next to his Joanna. I make my Joanna run away, and I giggle when I hear the explosion.

“Oh, that was col
d. You’re no longer a good girl. We’re back to calling you monster. Watch out, Monster, I know that dirty trick now.” Auggie good-naturedly chuckles, the happy sound makes me feel good. I love entertaining Auggie.

I
focus on having my avatar and its minions track down Auggie’s and his. The front door bell dings, effectively ending our fun. I snap off the ancient console television set and shut down the N64.

We get into the groove we’ve had for the past five months.
I take care of customers and Mr. Kline pops out if they need to sell something. He doesn’t trust me with that type of transactions yet. My auctions won’t close until tomorrow at mid-day, so my work here is done. The door dings again just as I finish closing out the cash register.

A woman walks in
to the store. That is the only way to describe her- woman. My itty-bitty-titties invert in shame. She has to be six-feet tall. Maybe not, she has on spiky heels. I mean spiky- they are metal rods. Her tight jeans encase shapely thighs that I don’t have a chance in hell of getting mine to look like, no matter what exercises I do. My jaw pops open when I see her perfect breasts peeking out of her tight sweater. Envy- that is what this feeling is. My eyes finally roll up to her face. Pale skin is showcased by red-glossed, full lips, eyes as black as midnight lined in kohl, and perfect inky, black hair- a young Elvira. If her name is actually Elvira, I think I will faint. I want to grow up to be the woman.

Big fingers snap my lower jaw up to meet my upper jaw. I almost bite my tongue. I may have
even drooled a little bit.

“Isis,” Mr. Kline says in greeting.

Yeah, Isis is even better than Elvira. I manage not to faint. Even her name is perfect. I dab the corner of my lips where a spot of droll pools. I’m in awe- hot damn, she’s gorgeous!

I
watch in shock as Isis kisses Mr. Kline on the lips. Those vibrant, red lips part to give way for a pink tongue that snakes its way into Auggie’s mouth. Her dark eyes pin me as she gives a sultry moan when his tongue connects with hers.

My jaw falls open again. Mr. Kline looks different next to Is
is. He doesn’t seem like a geek. He looks like a man- a manly man that Isis likes very much, thank you, judging by her red-tipped talons flexing on his muscular ass.

Yes, I will agree- I am naïve. I’ve seen kissing. I’ve even been kissed. I’ve watch porn with my friends. I’
ve even watched my friends makeout. But never have I seen this kind of intensity. That buzz in my belly turns into a screeching alarm. An alarm that feels warm and pleasurable. I look at my shoes and blush. I try to ignore the smacking noises that flash fire down my spine.

“Th
at wasn’t appropriate, Isis,” Mr. Kline chastises the goddess in a deep voice I’ve never heard. I have to look up to make sure Mr. Kline didn’t poof and was replaced by a sex god.

The
hungry look Auggie gives me creates a heavy weight in my belly along with that warm buzz. I flush deeper and his eyes widen. I look to the floor, knowing Auggie caught me. I’m in trouble. He’s going to kick my ass. Thinking naughty thoughts about Kieren got me into big trouble, thinking naughty thoughts about Mr. Kline will get me skinned alive.

I anxiously step from foot-to-foot and stare at the gray speckles on the tile floor. I’m not flushed from my boss… watching the vampire lady eat my boss’ mouth didn’t turn me on- nope!

“Augustus, won’t you introduce me to your little friend?” Isis says friend weird, like it means something else. My boss shakes his head no. Auggie’s not going to introduce me to the seductive lady… now, that’s not very nice.

“This is Rob’s baby sister, Willow. She isn’t for yo
u to toy with,” Auggie warns.

Isis’
answering smile is brilliant and scary. I back up a step and yank my coat from underneath the counter. Auggie caused hot alarms to blaze in my body, but Isis’ expression flashes ice water through my veins.

“Rob speaks highly of you
, my dear,” Isis purrs. “I hear today is your birthday,” her voice is lulling.
The spider said to the fly.

“No!” Mr. Kline hi
sses. I wonder if he smacks Isis with rolled up paper, too.

“Rob said Willow is just like him,” Isis hisses
in annoyance and bites her pouty bottom lip.

“No!
” Mr. Kline directs to the woman. “Willow, get your stuff. I’ll drive you home,” he grumbles. “Isis can wait for me here.”

“Sir, you stay with your guest. I can walk. It’s not far.” I sta
rt for the front of the store.

“Willow, don’t s
ay that word again,” Auggie barks a panicked warning, as Isis’ laugh is sharp and wounding.

“Ah- I see now. I’
m not allowed to play because Willow is already your toy,” Isis says in disappointment and flashes me a strange look. The third person today looks at me in that peculiar manner. What the hell does that look mean, anyway?

Mr. Kline
roughly pulls my coat up my arms and starts buttoning it in a hurry. I smack his hands away and say
I’m not a baby. I can dress myself
underneath my breath. He ignores me and buttons the last button.

Auggie pushes me from the store, and
I run to his truck because he looks like he will forcibly move me if I don’t get away from Isis fast enough. I let Auggie lift me in and buckle my seatbelt. Seconds later, we’re making the half mile drive to my house.

“I could have walked home faster than it took for you to start your truck and drive me,” I say in annoyance.

“It’s cold out. Birthday girls should get chauffer service,” Auggie croons as he pulls up to the curb. He smiles at me in the dim of the streetlights. I unbuckle my belt and he’s already at my door, wrenching it open. Auggie turns me so that we’re face-to-face. “Isis is another type of person you need to avoid. She’s worse than Kieren Mason. I’d explain, but I don’t want you to know why,” he mumbles.

Auggie
bites his lip in indecision and it draws my attention. I want to smooth the indents from his teeth with my tongue. I rapidly shake my head at the thought. Never has my mind wandered to Mr. Kline in a sexual way. Green eyes track across my face and widen when they read my thoughts. I hide my face against his chest in embarrassment as he murmurs that it’s okay.

He gives me a bear-hug, and m
y arms barely go around his back and my knees don’t part far enough to let him hug me fully. I feel safe and warm in his embrace. I bury my face in his neck and inhale. I groan in pleasure at his comforting scent.

“Please be careful tonight when you go out with y
our friends. Be a good girl,” Auggie whispers in my ear, causing me to shiver. He pretends it was the cold and tightens his hold on me for a second longer.

“Here,” Auggie
says as he pulls a box from his coat pocket. I take it and smile. It’s a small box with a polka-dot bow on top. I wiggle the top off the box and peer inside. Shiny silver catches my eye. Mr. Kline hooks the necklace around my neck. It’s tight like a choker. I finger a small charm in the center wishing I could see it better in the dim of the truck cab.

“Thank you,” I whisper into the dark. My voice is raw with emotions I can’t name.
Those unnamed emotions are echoed in Auggie’s tortured expression.