Hard knocks

[morevacant]

It's official. She's failed out of uni. Lydia Bennet, the thick sister of the bunch. The useless one. The disappointment.

Well, her mum won't be disappointed, once Lydia tells her about Cesare. She will quite understand that Lydia spent the time she should have been studying for her exams in Cesare's hotel making him happy. When Lydia tells her. Right now, Lydia doesn't dare: her mum is the biggest gossip and it will take two minutes for word of her and Cesare will be everywhere.

Lydia heads for her favourite haunt, a cosy Starbucks close by. She fancies an extra large double shotted caramel macchiato. What she actually gets is a small tea. Because she's broke. She's failed and she's broke.

Why is life so hard?

Comments

[morevacant]

"Sell my -" At first, Lydia is shocked - horrified even. She sits just looking at Dodger, open mouthed. It's disgusting. It's heinous. It's - it's.... it's pure genius.

She tries not to let on to Dodger, though. "Who would buy it? She asks cooly, though inside, she's bubbling with excitement. Could she really sell her blood? Could she?

[knowntohisfriends]

There's a slight shrug of his shoulders, as he leans forward to grab a packet of sugar from the table. He shakes the packet, opens it, and downs the contents in one go.

"Lots of vamps wantin' if you just look." There's a pause and since things can't get any worse in his life. "Nance did it, fer a bit."

[morevacant]

"Did she?" Lydia's left reeling. She can't imagine Nancy as anything but the successful, together young woman that she is now.

"I can't believe it..." she says, thoughtfully. She rests her lips against the rim of her mug.
"It can't be that bad then, if Nancy did it, can it?"

[knowntohisfriends]

He shrugs again, digging the last of the sugar out of the packet with his finger.

"She always got good pay."

[morevacant]

"How much did she charge?" Lydia licks her lips. She doesn't know why, but she suddenly feels very nervous and perhaps even a little bit excited deep down in her belly.

"I wonder why she's never told me?"

[knowntohisfriends]

"Depended on how much they wanted. Reckon you could get about 50 a litre, but never let more than 4 go in a night without resti'." He's talking out of his arse here, and he knows it.

"Nance don't like lettin' people know how she makes her money. Reckons work is work and you don't talk work outside of it."

[morevacant]

Well, this is dangerous. Lydia doesn't have a clue.

" Two hundred pounds a night?" Her eyes beginto sparkle. "Oh my gosh, I'm going to be rich!"
She very nearly reaches out to hug Dodger, but stops herself in the nick of time.
"Dodger, will you help me?"

[knowntohisfriends]

He leans back in his chair and just smirks.

"An' I thought you didn't mix wiv my kind." He means those on the other side of the poverty line, but the way he says it... Do you know who he runs with, Lydia?

[morevacant]

"You know what you're doing." Lydia pouts.
"And I..."
She puts the tea down on the table and folds her arms, scowling.
"Look, I'll pay you a bit. Just till I know what I'm doing."

[knowntohisfriends]

"25% of whatever you earn."

Can't say he's not quick.

[morevacant]

"What?" She scowls. "That's a lot."

But she needs him.

Lydia scowls.

"Fine." She sticks her hand out. "Deal."

[knowntohisfriends]

He grins, cheek clear.

"Pleasure to be doing business wiv ya," he shakes her hand