Bad Boy Judah

s e v e n t e e n

We drive for about an hour, before parking in the driveway of a columned mansion. We pass through the gates, and I stare at the large estate. I don't get how these people have so much money.

"Stay in the car," Judah tells me, "I'm serious."

He pops his door open and walks off to the front doors, before I can glance at him. I don't know where we are, so I can't disappear. I scan the landscape covered in snow and spot other expensive cars parked nearby. I frown, wondering what Judah is even doing.

He stays inside for a long time. Slowly, vapours of my breath are more and more visible.

Unfortunately, he has turned the car off, so I suffer in the cold. I zip up my coat to the top and slowly pop my door loose, slipping out. Standing up, I rub my hands together.

I close the door and look at the old gatekeeper far away. He sits in his booth, snoring. My boots sink down into the snow. I curl my toes, regretting not having thicker socks on. The whiteness of the snow and the grey skies hurt my eyes.

Who lives here? I ask myself. First, a prison, now a mansion—strange is what this is. I jog over to the gatekeeper and knock on the glass.

Startled from his snoring slumber, he looks at me. I ask for the time and he shows me that it's ten after two.

I groan. I've been sitting here alone for over four hours. Plus, I don't have my phone on me. And Judah's phone is in the car.

I walk up to the door. I lift the door knocker and hit it several times. Rosalie, what are you doing? Judah said to stay in the car.

An old man dressed in a butler's suit answers. Feeling off, I stutter.

"C-can you please, uh, call Judah for me?" I ask.

As if he didn't hear a word I said, the butler steps to the side and invites me in. I take a step in and he closes the door, walking away. I give him a strange look, but then see a pair of Victoria Secret type girls sway down the curved stairs. They wear nothing but see-through lingerie. There are more of them appearing down the hall, walking every which way.

I stare at the gigantic modern chandeliers running down the foyer. The floors are too shiny, and the furniture is detailed with gold and silver.

I turn the corner and find a large room. My eyes shock me. Two naked women entertain a set of sophisticated looking men's fantasies, using unmentionable items on each other. I back away, wishing I hadn't seen or heard it. The best way I can describe it is that it's live porn. I just shut my eyes and try to think of happy things.

Suddenly, my back hits something hard, like a wall. I turn around, and my eyes find a tall man with finely combed hair and a black suit, though the buttons of his shirt aren't buttoned.

"Can I help you?" he asks me.

I quickly shake my head. He looks past me at the live porn show behind. He then glances at my winter getup, and figures that I'm not part of what's happening.

"How'd you get in here?"

"Uh," I voice and point my finger at the door. "The-the butler..."

He then politely smiles. Before he can get any ideas, I speak clearly.

"I'm looking for Judah," I tell the new stranger in a clear tone.

I'd hate to think that Judah is busy... somewhere. But the gentleman frowns.

"Judah?" he asks, "How do you know him?"

I feel like giving him details might get me into trouble.