Free Exploits by Poppet Page B

Kristy."
    Wailing comes pouring into my ear. “ Pleeeease don’t hate me.”
    I examine my desk and feel sorry for her, "It's not your fault, Kristy. How can I hate you? We all just do as we're told. He made you do it. I don't blame you."
    Man, she's seriously crying over this. She sounds more torn up than I feel.
    Sniiiiiffffff . "Promise?"
    I nod, even though she can't see me. "Kristy, we're cool. Honest."
    "Will I ever see you again?"
    How the hell should I know? Not if it means seeing Aladdin. "I don't know, right now."
    She bursts into tears and manages to get out, "I have to go."
    I have a huge lump in my throat, "Okay. Thanks for calling."
    "Stef, I love you! I'll miss you."
    My eyes are prickly and my nose is hot, "Me too!"
    Click.
    I look up and meet Selene's eyes, "I'm going for a smoke."
    She nods supportively, "I'll take your calls."
    "Thanks."
    * * * * *
     
    Oh yeah, it's going to be just a peachy all round happy day. The moment I return to my desk my phone rings again. We only open at eight-thirty and it's not even eight yet.
    Taking a deep breath, I say, "Stefanie speaking, how may I help you?"
    "Wait!"
    Fuck.
    "Don't hang up!"
    I'm flooding with tension at Gary's voice.
    "Did you get my messages?"
    "Yes."
    "Why didn't you phone me back?"
    "Because, I have nothing to say to you. "
    And I hang up.
    O h sheeee s . My boss, her boss, and everyone else in the open plan office stares at me with horrified shock.
    My cheeks throb with instantaneous embarrassment, "My ex-boyfriend." I announce in explanation.
    No one looks convinced. I open my drawer, grab my smokes again and tell Selene, “I’m going outside. I’ll be back before we open.”
    * * * * *
     
    Selene decides the only thing that can save me is party therapy. So, we get dressed after dinner, to go out. My eyes nearly explode out of their sockets at my friend's dress. It's short. It's skin-tight. And it has a huge hole cut on either side that gives the perfect view of skin and the wrong side of cleavage. She gives a whole new meaning to the word cleavage. (I wonder how many boys will have their eyes cleaved straight out of their skulls when they see that!) Selene is buxom; she has boobs that rival Adelle's and is obviously proud of them. We've never done this before, I've only ever seen her dressed for work.
    She looks at my jeans and hauls me to her room, rifles through her closet for a dress, and throws it at me, "Put this on."
    I take the skimpy thing that doesn't even look big enough to be a negligée and grin with shyness. I go back to my room and change. Then I return to stare into her body-length mirror.
    Fuck me blind.
    She smiles, "That should do it."
    It's exactly the same as hers, except the sides aren't missing. My back is completely open and it leaves nothing to the imagination.
    I'm suddenly delirious with rebellion. I'm free .
    It hits me: I can do whatever I want and I won't get into shit. Yipeekayaymotherfuckers, let's start this party!
    Selene has thick, almost black, straight hair. She has that whole Egyptian princess look about her. What's really funny is she's as ‘good’ and as ‘shy’ as I am, (during the day at work, anyway). But this is an education. She wears court shoes; I wear high heels. (I only own high heels to go with a dress.)
    Smokes. Money. Eyeliner. Let's go!
    (I urge you to picture Robert Palmer's video here Addicted to Love – which I see on MTV and VH1 regularly – well, Selene and I, looked like that, with hair down and loads of cleavage popping out.)
                 
    We hit the smoky dance floor and dance, laugh, drink and smoke. It's been a long time since I've had to listen to music like this and it's like forgetting how to drive. I’m awkward, all hands and feet.
    She can read minds this girl, "It gets better. They have to play this crap for the trendies."
    I nod.
    Poof! Magic spell, a guy manifests next to Selene. My insides contract as the creepy sidekick hones in on me.
    I can't do this