Chapter Seven

7th December 2015

The last couple of weeks had been pretty exhausting for me. Despite the fact that I had taken time out of my studies to refocus and to recharge I felt that I was more tired than ever. I was constantly over at Carla’s sorting out one thing or another. A few days ago there was a problem with her boiler. I was the one who had to phone round for a plumber to come and fix it. I had to wait at her apartment for the plumber to arrive. I had to explain the problem, and I even ended up paying him for the work he did. Carla said she would pay me back but she hasn’t mentioned it again and I don’t feel confident enough to bring it up.

More and more when we talk she just barks orders at me. She talks to me like I’m just a servant. Did she ever have feelings for me? I wonder. And again and again I wonder why I put up with it all. Why don’t I just leave. She’s shown me no affection for weeks, haven’t kissed in about a month. But when I get back to my lonely, empty apartment. I consider what my life would be like without her. No educational prospects, socially awkward, timid, probably alone forever. And then I just refocus on pleasing Carla. Always about Carla. Whatever is best for Carla.

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Ryan doesn’t help with my mood, for obvious reasons. He seems to enjoy bringing up conversation about the amazing sex they have. How she’s completely wild in bed. How she couldn’t get enough of his cock. How she gives awesome blowjobs. He knew I hated hearing about it but that just seemed to spur him on. I try my best to block it out but now whenever I know they’re together I can’t help imagining them having sex. Imagining him inside her. Imagining her licking the head of his cock. Imagining him cumming over her tits. My imagination runs away with itself, no matter how desperate I am to think of anything else. He’s a clever guy Ryan, he seems to be manipulating my brain just to fuck with me.

And Ryan has had me do more and more things for him. I’m always driving him to and from sports practice. It has become my regular job to ensure that his sports clothes and shoes are clean. He says he likes to look sharp in practice and at the games. He says it gives him a psychological advantage over his opponents. And then often if he’s hungry and can’t be bothered to cook, he texts me to pick something up for him. And I do it, EVERY SINGLE TIME. How can I argue when he describes me as a “wimp?” I hate that Carla has started calling me that too. It brings back such painful memories from school and I have asked her to stop calling me that, but she doesn’t seem to care. And to be honest, even I feel like its an accurate description of what I’ve become.

The other change that has made my life more difficult is that Carla’s friend Becky has taken her up on that offer to use me for chores. I was round at Carla’s apartment scrubbing her toilet when I heard her mobile ring and I could quickly work out that she was talking to Becky.

“Hey sweetie, how are you? …I know it feels like it’s been ages…we should definitely catch up…tomorrow after class?...sounds perfect…At the moment I’m just chilling out really…Going out with Ryan tonight…yeah going to meet up with some of his friends…I know they’re such jocks.” They laughed about something, but I couldn’t hear what Becky had said. “John? Oh he’s got his usual busy social schedule.” More laughter, “shall I ask him?...”

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I put down the cloth and started washing my hands in anticipation of being summoned.

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“Wimp!” Carla called. Ah, what respect the love of my life reserves for me. I came running to see what she wanted.

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“Yes Carla can I do anything for you?” I smiled, as usual trying to be cheerful, at least around Carla. ‘Nobody wants to be around someone who mopes all the time’ I kept thinking to myself.

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“Me and Becky wanted to ask what your plans are tonight?”

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“Well, I have Ryan’s football shoes to polish but apart from that nothing.”

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“Awwwww…not quite the exciting university life you were expecting when you arrived here is it?” Carla asked with a voice of mock pity, it was a tone of voice that I knew well.

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“No Carla.”

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“Well your prayers have been answered wimp, Becky says she’s got a tonne of laundry for you to do. So I think you should head over there now and then once you’re finished you can do Ryan’s football shoes!” She smiled at me, seemingly enjoying my never ending humiliation.

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“Yes Carla.” I replied.

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“Excellent.” She said to me before returning to her phone call, “I’ll send him over now…oh don’t worry about it, I’m happy to help…see you tomorrow.”

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She ended the phone call and then told me to hurry over to Becky’s so I had enough time to finish the laundry.

So off I went, making the short drive to Becky’s apartment. I knocked on her door and she answered without a smile or anything, she didn’t even say hello.

“Good, you’re here. The laundry that needs doing is through there.” She pointed towards her bedroom, “make sure you hand-wash my delicates. And be quick about it I have a load of other chores I want you to do before you go home.”

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“Ummmm…Carla said it was just the laundry Becky, I’ve still got to polish Ryan’s shoes and drop them over to his tonight.”

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“Don’t answer me back wimp! Carla said I can use you for whatever I like and I fully intend to. You’ll just have to find a way to keep us all happy.” She snapped at me and I knew better than to argue with her, the fire in her eyes was very intimidating.

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“Yes Becky, sorry Becky.” And with that I trotted off to start on the laundry while Becky sat on the sofa watching TV.

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I’d put the first load on and had started to hand wash some of her underwear when she called out to me,

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“Wimp, top up my drink.” I was surprised at the comfort she showed taking advantage of me but I went out to the lounge and topped up her lemonade.

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“Good boy.” She said condescendingly as I placed the full drink on the table in front of her. “Go on, back to work.” She nodded towards the laundry as her focus returned to the TV.

Becky interrupted me a couple more times before I had the got last wash on.

“Ummmm…Becky the last wash is on and I’ve done all your delicates. I was wondering if I could make a start on your other chores while I wait for the last of the laundry to be washed.”

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“Oh you’re just desperate to get back to Ryan’s shoes aren’t you wimp?” Carla taunted me.

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“Ummmm…I just want to make everyone happy.”

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“Well keep up your hard work and I’m sure you will.” She stood up from the sofa and indicated what she wanted done. “The main thing I need you to do is clean the bathroom, top to bottom and especially I need you to remove all the hair from the shower plug, its not draining very well and that is a job for someone like you, not for someone like me.”

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“Yes Becky.” I responded, ignoring her little jibe at me.

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“Then you can do wash my dishes, make sure the kitchen counters are clean and then vacuum the whole apartment. And then you can get back to Ryan’s precious shoes.” This was a lot of work, I was starting to really worry that I wouldn’t have time to polish Ryan’s shoes and drop them off before he went to bed. And I knew that he wanted them for practice tomorrow morning. Becky was definitely not in the mood to be questioned again, so I decided to focus on her chores and then I’d have to do my best with Ryan’s football shoes.

Another hour went by, I’d washed Becky’s dishes, I’d hung all the washed clothes up to dry and I started on cleaning the counters. I felt my phone vibrate and checked to see what it was, Ryan was phoning me. I answered and without any greeting he launched straight into his demand.

“Hurry up with my shoes wimp, I want you round here with them pronto. I want to show Sam what a good job you do with them.” I could hear an eruption of laughter in the background which I assumed was Sam.

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“Ummmm…I’m really sorry Ryan, I’m round at Becky’s doing some chores for her.”

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“What? What about my football shoes?” He replied with a hint of annoyance.

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“I’m sorry, I promise I will do them tonight.” I was really hoping he’d take a little bit of pity on me.

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“You’ve really pissed me off wimp. I wanted to show off to Sam what a good little shoe shine boy you are. Now you’ve made me look bad in front of my buddy.”

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“I’m so sorry Ryan, I really am.”

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“Oh whatever…” And with that he hung up the phone. How the hell was it fair that he gets pissed off with me when I’m the one who’s being taken advantage of. I’m the one who’s expected to be available to everyone all of the time. I felt a little anger build inside me but I took a few deep breaths and got back to the kitchen counters.

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“Wimp get in here!” It wasn’t long before Becky was calling for me again.

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“Yes Becky, what can I do for you?” I asked as I entered the lounge.

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“I’m a bit hungry, I want you to make me a snack. See what I’ve got in the kitchen and give me some options of what you can make.

God, would my list of chores never end. I had a peek round the kitchen then returned to Becky to present the options,

“I could make some hot nachos with salsa and cheese, I could bake some fresh cookies, I could make you a ham and cheese panini.”

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“Is that it?”

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“Sorry Becky, I couldn’t find much in the kitchen.”

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“Well you’ll have to get more inventive wont you.” She snapped at me, “Make me the nachos, but I want Guacamole not Salsa.”

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“Yes Becky.” I cursed inwardly, knowing that Becky didn’t have any guacamole in her kitchen, so it was going to be a trip to the shop for me.

Another half an hour and I presented Becky with her tray of hot nachos with guacamole,

“Hope you enjoy.” I said to her.

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“Out of the way of the TV” she shot back.

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“Sorry.” I hung my head and returned to cleaning the kitchen counters. Once I was done, I grabbed the vacuum cleaner and tentatively asked Becky if I could start vacuuming the floors or whether it would interrupt her television programme.

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“That’s very good of you wimp, you should always be thinking about what would be best for your superiors.” I noticed that she used the word “superiors” without a hint of irony, “but don’t worry I’m on my way out to meet a friend for dinner anyway. You finish up here and then lock up.”

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“Yes Becky.”

I finished up at Becky’s and was about to leave when I got a text from Ryan, it read: “You better drop my shoes off by 10 tonight or I’m going to be even more angry with you than I already am.” I checked the clock and it was 9 at the moment. It was going to be seriously tight, I ran to my car, hurtled back to my apartment, ran up the stairs and into the apartment. No time for something to eat or drink I immediately grabbed my shoe care kit and worked as quickly as possible on Ryan’s football shoes. My hands were cramping up after ten minutes but I forced them to work harder.

I knew that I was working hard for Ryan, but my only thought process was that it would make Carla happy. Or at least it would make Carla angry if I pissed off her lover. So I worked through the pain. Got every bit of dirt out of every little crevice. It was 9:50 when I finished and I darted back to my car and drove over to Ryan’s. I was panting with exhaustion as I knocked on his door. He came out, looked me up and down and then looked at his watch.

“Two minutes to spare wimp!”

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“Sorry…I…went…as…”

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“Oh spare me your explanation, hand over the shoes!” He ordered and I handed over his football shoes.

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“Good, I’m going to have a chat with Carla about you embarrassing me in front of Sam earlier.” I tried to apologise and explain but he just put a hand up to stop me, “We’ll let you know the consequences of your actions tomorrow.” And with that he closed the door on me. What a shitty, unfair day its been I thought as I made my way back to my apartment.

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