Slave Auction

The rest of the week went by in a dark haze. Wednesday: Every senior guy and every girl who signed up for the auction knew who I was. They would watch me as I passed by. I hated their eyes on me. Every little movement I made I knew I was being judged. I could sense the hate on the girls’s faces as they watched me. They were upset because I beat them and got to be the Last Girl. A feat I wish I had never won. Thursday: Everyone pretty much knew who I was. People were also getting braver and actually would say things about me as I walked by. Guys would whistle and girls would say things among the words of “What a whore. Look at what she is wearing!” Then I would glance down and look at my long-sleeve baggy shirt and old ripped jeans, and wonder how they could still call me a slut while wearing something as hideous as this. At lunch I opened my locker and found a love note from some senior guy named Todd. I’m not going to lie, Todd was really attractive. But, it was so creepy how this guy I had never talked to was leaving me a love letter saying, “Your eyes sparkle in the sunlight.” How would he know if my eyes sparkled in the sunlight? Then, one girl ran up to me and screamed about how her boyfriend was going to bid on me at the auction and that I should do everything in my power to make sure he doesn’t win or else. Yeah, like I can control that. Friday: Everywhere I went Daisy and Jessica would form a barricade in front of me, trying to block me from any more threats. They were being really helpful through all of this. We had to stop sitting at our normal lunch table and eat in the library with all the nerds. We could barely talk to each other because we were always getting quieted by the librarian. But at least no one in there was calling me a whore. My locker was full of love notes that day and I kept finding flower petals taped to it. Pretty soon, it smelled so strongly that I avoided it at all costs. Harry, Louis, and Zayn would wave at me whenever they saw me and would try to walk up to me but I would run in the other direction. I saw Liam around and wanted him to wave to me, but he and Niall never did. I wore a grey tank top that had a layer of black lace over it that day, with black skinny jeans. They were calling me names anyway, might as well look good while they do. And hey, maybe I will get more bids at the auction and get more money for the school. Maybe they can use the money to actually sell decent food for lunch. I was beginning not to hate the Slave Auction as much. I was just looking forward to getting it over with. And I hate to admit it but I am kind of excited. I keep hoping Liam will bid on me, even though it’s a ridiculous thought. He wouldn’t bid on me. Jessica keeps telling me that I will be staying with Harry because he has the most money to spend. Daisy says that at home she can hear Louis talking on the phone through her bedroom wall. He does a group call with Harry, Zayn, Niall, and Liam and all they talk about is the Slave Auction. They argue about who will win me. It’s weird knowing that they talk about me. She says that Louis says that he is saving a lot of money for the auction and I wonder what Liam says about me on the other line, but Daisy doesn’t know. Maybe Louis will have the highest bid, then at least that way I can have Daisy there with me the whole week. Now, it’s Saturday morning, and I am waiting for Jessica at the front of the school. Rehearsal starts in five minutes. I see her mom’s car pull up and she gets out. “Thanks mom,” she calls. Her mom waves to me and drives away. “Are you ready for the best four hours of our lives?” “I hope that’s sarcasm,” I say blankly. “It wasn’t.” “What I can’t believe is that it’s four hours! And four hours tomorrow too! What are doing that could possibly take that long?” I complain. “Oh stop pretending like you wish you weren’t here. I know you are getting excited about this,” Jessica says as she opens the theater doors. Damn it, I have to hide my feelings better. Courtney is standing center stage and is telling people to sit down in the first five rows of seats. She is wearing her perfectly ironed cheer leading uniform and her hair is tied up in a high ponytail with a gold bow. Jessica grabs two red velvet chairs in the front row. We wait about ten more minutes and Courtney ‘takes roll’. She calls out names in the order they are on the list so of course she calls my name last. After everyone says ‘here’ when she calls their name, she crumples the list up and throws it behind her. “Can you guys come out now?” she calls. Two girls come from the sides of the stage. They are wearing palm length, blue shorts that were ripped and had fringe at the bottom. They were wearing tight white v-neck shirts with- you guessed it- the signature red bras underneath. The shirts had the school logo on it, a paw print. Our mascot was a grey wolf. The girls were also wearing high top black and white converse. “These are what you are required to wear for the auction. We will provide the shirts and shorts, so that’s why we need you to fill out these papers,” papers started being passed down each row, “so we can get your sizes. But you need to get these shoes and the bras yourselves. They must be exactly the same as you see up here. Everyone needs to be the same, no trying to stand out. We will have the full dress rehearsal tomorrow so you need to get some today. You don’t have to buy them, I’m sure you can find someone who will let you borrow a pair,” Courtney explains as if she is so over it. “Yeah, like we all have bright red push-up bras that are two sizes too small in our drawers,” I whisper to Jessica and she smacks my arm. “Okay, let’s get started,” Courtney claps her hands. *** The rest of the rehearsal was a waste of time. First, we walk out together and stand in a line while Courtney does her introduction. Then, we all go back stage and come out one by one when it is time for people to bid on us. Each of our shirts will have a number on the back. I will be number 20. We did the same things over and over again. Courtney would coach girls on how to walk properly. Blah blah blah. Finally, when we were allowed to leave, after being told “Don’t forget same time tomorrow! Bring your bras and shoes!” a billion times, Jessica and I walked back to the front of the school. “Want me to call my mom and ask if she can drop us off at the mall so we can get our shoes and bras?” she asks me. I roll my eyes and nod. She unlocks her phone and is about to click on her mom’s contact when a blinding red convertible Porsche pulls up in front of us. My heart nearly pops out of my chest. Harry, with his curls blown back from the wind, is in the driver’s seat with Louis is in the passenger seat. I hear a little gasp from Jessica as her thumb stops moving over her phone. “Hey,” Harry says, “You girls need a lift?”’ I know where this is headed, so I speak up before Jessica could, “No, thanks, we have a ride.” “Actually,” Jessica locks her phone, “I just remembered that my mom is at work. Could you give us a ride?” “Your mom has work on a Saturday?” I ask under my breath. She nudges me. “Anything for my sister’s best friends,” Louis says as he reaches over and opens the back door. Jessica gets in and I have no choice but to do the same. I slide in behind Louis. “So where are you two off to?” Harry asks. “The mall.” “Oh, what for?” Louis asks. That'll be an awkward answer. “Nothing in particular,” I speak up eyeing Jessica. I look at the rear view mirror and see Harry glance at Louis. Then his eyes flash up and we make eye contact through the mirror. He does have pretty eyes. “So, how was rehearsal? Was Courtney mean and grumpy as usual?” Louis asks, turning around in his chair. “She’s always like that?” Jessica laughs. “Oh yeah.” “Well, it was long and boring,” Jessica answers instantly. “She just yelled at us the whole time.” I smile to myself. Jessica wasn’t bored, she loved every second of it. I was the bored one. “Are you excited for the auction?” Harry asks. “Not as excited as you probably are,” I mutter. I feel another nudge from Jessica and I glace back up to the mirror. Harry’s lips are turned upward and I can tell he is smiling. Why is he smiling? He needs to hate me. We spent about 15 more minutes in the car making small talk and me trying to act more and more like a bitch to the two of them to no avail. All I got was more nudges from my best friend and more smiles from Harry in the mirror. We pull up to the mall and Jessica and I get out. “Thanks for the lift,” Jessica says with a smile. “Anytime,” Harry smirks. “What’s your number?” Jessica gives both of them her number and then Harry asks me for mine. “I don’t have a phone,” I say. “Isn’t that your phone in your pocket right there?” Louis asks glancing down. “Yeah well, I am not allowed to give my number to strangers. Thanks for the ride though,” I see Harry laugh and I turn around to walk into the mall not waiting for Jessica. I hear her say something else to them, and then she catches up to me. “Why are you so mean to them? They are so nice!” “They are trying to manipulate you.” “What’s wrong with that?” she asks. “You are ridiculous. Let’s drop the subject and buy these stupid clothes,” I say as we walk into Victoria’s Secret. Jessica goes straight to the bright colors and finds a lace red push up. I find a nude bra with neon green lace that isn’t a push up. “What are you doing?” Jessica asks me. “Buying this bra, what does it look like I am doing?” “It has to be red.” “What are they gonna do? Kick me out of the auction?” I ask sarcastically. “Maybe!” “Oh, what a shame.” “Jenna, stop. Remember what she said about the academic dishonor stamp?” “They can’t punish you when I am the one doing this. Trust me, you will be fine. Besides, it’s a public school; they can’t force me to buy anything. If it’s that big of a deal, I can say this was the only bra I could afford.” She checks the price tag, “It’s the same price as the one I am buying!” “They don’t know that.” “Why do you go out of your way to cause trouble?” she asks, moving up in line. I shrug, “Why did you go out of your way to sign me up for something I didn’t want to do?” She sighs and drops the subject.

Notes