Free Beauty by Louise Mensch

cash, and he’d bought a cheap phone he would throw away after tonight, so no harassing calls on his mobile. Once he’d banged Dina, the boys would stop showing up at the coffee shop. There was no Edward Fielding lodged at Columbia, so she couldn’t find him there. She would never see him again. No harm done.
    ‘I told Mom about you last night. She’s looking forward to cooking for you.’ Edward chuckled to himself. His mom hadn’t picked up a frying pan since her wedding night. She just gave the menus to the cook.
    Dina smiled, relaxed. ‘It’s so good that you respect me like this, Edward.’
    ‘Why wouldn’t I?’ Respect her? Funniest thing ever. He couldn’t wait to slip into that tight little pussy. Now he just needed to close the deal. He flashed her that bright smile. ‘Let’s celebrate. Waiter? Can I get a bottle of champagne for the table? Veuve Cliquot – perfect.’
    Dina hoped she didn’t look drunk.
    She rarely took in alcohol. So three glasses of champagne and she was weaving.
    Edward was being so nice . . . so sweet. He paid for everything; he told her all about his worries in class. Now he wanted to bring her to his parents.
    They were going back to her apartment. She felt light, happy. The wine ran round her bloodstream, warming her, taking away the fear.
    Dina glanced over at Edward. He was tall, aristocratic, slim. But she didn’t feel any desire for him . . . That undeveloped body. Was that normal? Was she normal?
    She was eighteen. Most of the girls at school had sex long ago. Maybe it was time. She trusted Edward, and they’d been dating almost a month, a few times each week. Wasn’t that how you were supposed to do it?
    Perhaps it was always this way. Virgins probably didn’t feel any desire, didn’t actually ever want the guy. The way the TV showed it, it was always the husbands trying to get the wives into bed. Like sex was not something women wanted. Perhaps this was normal, the price you paid.
    Dina wanted to be like other girls – to have a nice boyfriend.
    Edward stopped at her door and slipped his arm around her. Dina tried not to shrink back when he thrust his tongue into her mouth.
    ‘Can I come in?’ he asked, softly. ‘Be with you tonight?’
    She shuddered, and he took it as lust.
    ‘OK,’ Dina said. ‘Sure. Sure, Edward.’
    Yes. He was her boyfriend, and this was the price.
    Dina lay in her bed, looking at the ceiling. Wanting to cry.
    She hated this sex – hated the pain when he penetrated her, hated how unaroused she felt, hated his weird smile as he moved on top of her. There was blood on her thighs and all she could think about was getting into the shower.
    ‘Oh, this is great. You’re so hot,’ Edward said, gasping. ‘You’re so sexy . . .’
    ‘Mmm,’ Dina managed. She just wanted him to get it over with.
    ‘You like this, baby. You like it, don’t you?’
    Dina could hardly say, No .
    He was thrusting on top of her with a strange, triumphal smile. ‘A virgin . . . God . . . you’re a virgin . . . That’s a shock.’
    Dina gasped, looking at him.
    ‘Popped your cherry!’ he grunted, his face contorted in a weird laugh. He wasn’t even looking at her, just staring at the wall. ‘Popped your fucking cherry! Bet you can’t wait to get banged again. Jesus! You’re so fucking tight.’ He gasped, grinned. ‘Don’t worry, baby; I’ll give you a great review . . .’
    She twisted, moaning in pain. ‘What the hell are you talking about? What do you mean?’
    ‘It’s what all you bridge-and-tunnel girls like. Just like your momma, aren’t you? She fucked around. Yeah, spread those legs for me, baby.’
    Dina shrieked, tried to force him off her. But he was a dead weight. She couldn’t move him. She was pushing against concrete.
    ‘My momma? Edward, what the hell—?’
    ‘Fucking around with the Italians. After your pops died. That’s a great reputation, right there. Town slut. She lives nice, right?’ He