Lola Smirnova - Twisted

She wound up facing two frustrated men and had to be very creative . So she made the guy pay for another two bottles, because he had ‘got her in trouble’ and ‘had to make it up to her’ and then after she’d sent the drunk home, she had to listen to an hour-long lecture from the boss (of course, in French again !) on how careful she must be, otherwise he could end up in jail on pimping charges.

We laughed half of the morning, just couldn’t stop . I wish you were with us…

Okay , I hope it was entertaining enough for you, my little baby. Waiting for your letters.

xxx

It’s 3 a.m. I hesitate, but dial Ali.

It takes him some time, but I hear his sleepy-surprised voice.

‘Hello?’

I start crying. The lump in my throat doesn’t let me say a word; I sob pitifully instead.

‘Julia? Is that you? What happened? Where are you?’ He sounds wide awake now, his voice becoming full of concern.

‘I had a fight with Inna.’ I can finally voice a few words. ‘She threw me out of her place in the middle of the night.’

‘Why? What happened?’

‘Nothing, actually. She is very drunk again. She was vicious for no reason. I think she already has the jimjams. She even attacked me with a knife!’

I lie. I cannot tell him the truth. And I need to make sure I come across as the good-girl victim, to gain as much sympathy as possible.

‘Allah-Allah! Is she crazy? Are you injured?’

‘No, I am fine – but I have nowhere to go…’ I fall silent and wait, listening to my heartbeat and hoping to hear the right answer.

‘Oh… sure, Jul, you can stay with me… Where are you now?’

I sigh with relief and smile into the phone.

‘I am actually downstairs… can you please call the concierge to let me in?’

‘Damn!’ Ali laughs. ‘You are quick! How did you know I would invite you?’ He sounds genuinely amused.

‘Despite your highly developed pragmatism, I always believed that you are an innate philanthropist and would never leave me on the street.’ I laugh, while still feeling the wetness on my cheeks.

‘Slow down, beautiful’, he giggles back. ‘It’s dangerous for my half-asleep brains to use those puzzling words, especially at 3 a.m.’ The sound of him delights, warms and comforts me like a down duvet on a winter’s day. ‘Come up, Jul. I will make us some coffee.’

The next few days are great. While Ali is at varsity, and I am officially fired, I spend the days killing time with some work around the apartment: cleaning, washing and cooking, watching TV, or simply browsing the web and checking my emails…

I have no idea how long Ali will let me stay in his place or what I should do about my jobless situation, but it feels divine not to be expecting a phone call from Alexandra.

My evenings are dedicated only to one man, with whom I enjoy spending every second. We have fun no matter what we do: watching TV, eating take-aways, or mostly fucking like rabbits.

After a few days of recovery, I finally call Inna to ask when I can stop by to get my stuff. She sounds colder than Antarctica. ‘I have a client and am leaving in two hours. If you want to fetch your shit – which, by the way, I have packed already – make sure you get here before four.’ These are probably the last words we’ll ever speak to each other. An hour later, when I get to her place, she opens the door and pushes my two suitcases out without saying a word, making sure I don’t get a chance to walk in.

What a bitch!

On my way back Ali calls. ‘How is my beautiful girl doing?’

I love to hear his voice.

‘I will be home by eight. Put on something nice and sexy. We are going out for dinner.’

It’s a good thing I’ve got my dresses back. ‘Sure, baby,’ I murmur and we hang up after exchanging a few noisy kisses through the air.

The place turns out to be a super cool, trendy seafood eatery. We enjoy the meal and each other’s company to the fullest, adding to that a few sniffs in the bathroom for aperitif and dessert – which, of course, makes us feel like the world belongs to us.

When the waiter brings the cheque, Ali looks at his wallet and lifts his eyebrows.

‘Shit, I forgot I had a fight with my father.’ He rolls his eyes and continues, ‘You know, nothing serious. The old man is just trying to prove his point and we all know that the only way he can make me listen is to cut me off from the manger.’

He closes the wallet and puts it back into his pants pocket, frowning. ‘I hate to ask you, Jul, but could you please get this one? I will pay you back as soon as I’ve sorted things out with my father… in a few days max.’

I nod sure and pick up the bill without hesitation.

He leans over the table and kisses me on the lips. ‘Thanks, you are the best!’

Hi my Poppy-seed!

How are you keeping? I haven’t heard from you lately. What’s going on? I am worried about you big time .

Guess what? I think Natalia is in love!

She met this Russian guy who serves in the French legion. He is a very handsome guy with a great personality and an awesome black Audi TT. He took us on the Gardon River where we had a picnic and did some canoeing. Had great fun.

You know Natalia, she is all cool, and keeps saying that it is not serious, but I think she is totally smitten by this guy, and that he is planning some serious moves on her.

I am so tired – this champagne-drinking for real is exhausting. We have another two weeks before the end of our contract. Can’t wait to go home. Natalia is making plans already for expanding and improving the salon.

Waiting for your reply…

xxx

Fuck.

The next day the same thing happens… and the day after that.

Ali asks me if I want to go out, chooses an expensive place and then bullshits me with his father story when it comes to the bill, adding a stupid-excuse smile when he sees the disapproval on my face.

Every night we go out to luxury places with fancy food and well-trained waiters who remind me of circus animals and who bring me the bill. In return, I get cheesy kisses over the table with a you-are-the-best-I-will-pay-you-back from Ali.

I know that he needs my help. I am sure he will repay me as soon as he fixes his relationship with his parents: but, what the fuck? I worked hard for my money, which now is melting away at an enormous speed to maintain my ‘boyfriend’s’ lifestyle.

Before long, I realise that grocery shopping is my expense and that Ali sometimes goes into my purse, without asking me, when he calls the dealer or goes out with his friends for a drink.

Less than two weeks later, we’ve pretty much eaten and sniffed up all the money I managed to make during three months of whoredom in Istanbul.

Shit! My sisters are making money and I don’t even know what to do? Again, Natalia is swimming in the chocolate with her super-cool Russian boyfriend, while I am wasting my time and my money on some good-fuck-flop, and proving to myself that she was right!