BABYLON //a.f.i//

• S T R A N G E M E N •

•••Cora•••
________________________________

OLYMPUS.

For some reason that word resonated with me. It stuck with me even as the car pulled off into the infinite darkness. OLYMPUS. I couldn't put quite my finger on it...

"So are you gonna tell me why we have a girl dressed in pajamas in the back seat?" It was the voice of the man who was driving the car. Honestly, I didn't quite know what to say.

"Luke, this is Cora. Cora has decided to join us for a day." Ashton responded, delivering a very vague explanation.

"Decided to join us for a day?" The man named Luke responded incredulously. "What the hell did you do?"

"I made a business decision, Luke."

I began to feel slightly uncomfortable at the conversation at hand. "Business decision?" I echoed Ashton's words. "I'm just here for the money."

The car slammed to a stop.

"You're paying her? What is she, a fucking hooker?!" Luke spoke brashly and was obviously angry about something. I of course was completely lost but was not about to be branded a hooker.

"Okay hold the fuck up, I am not a hooker. I met this guy last fucking night and he said I could have $10,000 if I spent 24 hours with him."

"Sounds quite a bit like a hooker if you ask me sweetheart."

I could feel my blood begin to boil as I clenched my fists at my sides. "If you're going to insult me, atleast do it to my fucking face you coward!" I spat, trying to contain my growing frustration.

"Ashton would you please explain to your new 24 hour toy that-" Luke began to speak again, but I wasn't taking it. Ashton had asked me to come with him and now he was allowing me to be treated like this? I didn't know what their fucking deal was, but I wasn't going to be talked to like this. Not again. So I got out of the car.

"Fuck this, and fuck both of you!" I screamed before slamming the door. It was only when I stepped back into the open night air that I remembered that I wearing pajamas and didn't even have shoes. It didn't matter though, I wrapped my arms around myself and began to walk away.

I heard the slamming of a car door again and footsteps behind me. "Cora we have a deal, remember?" I heard Ashton's voice from behind me but I didn't turn around. "Walk away now and you don't get anything."

I stopped, spinning on my heels so aggressively I could feel the pavement scrape them. "Keep your fucking money!" I yelled in exasperation. "But I will not be talked to like that! This was a stupid ass idea anyway, walking off with a stranger. What the hell was I thinking?!" The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I was angry at myself. Me and my bullshit.

Ashton glared at me cooly, unreadable emotions in his eyes. He waited a minute before speaking again. "Are you done?"

I scoffed. "Don't patronize me, Ashton." I wrapped my arms around myself again in an unsuccessful attempt to conserve body heat. "I just ... I didn't think this through. Whatever happened at the club to make you believe I was worth your time ... it doesn't matter now. This is crazy. Clearly I never learned the lesson to never get into cars with strange men." I turned to go again, but this time, before I could react, he reached out and grabbed my shoulder, spinning me so that I faced him again.