Page 7 of Behind The Screen

URBaby2000: Never. Didn’t even notice the time.

MxLeo83: Are you busy?

URBaby2000: Never too busy for my best customer ;)

MxLeo83: What would it take to be your only customer?

I stare at my phone screen, my stomach burning with anxiety. I’m light-headed from excitement. God, I know better than this. I shouldn’t be putting myself in a position where I rely on just one person. They could decide at any time to cut me off, and I’d be right back where I started.

URBaby2000: I don’t think that’s a possibility. I think it would cost you too much. Plus, how do I know you won’t just get sick of me?

MxLeo83: I could never get sick of you, doll face. You’re perfect.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

A notification makes my phone vibrate. Five hundred dollars has been deposited.

MxLeo83: Maybe you could show me more of you.

URBaby2000: You’ve seen pretty much all of me lol I don’t think there’s anything left unless you want to give me a pap.

MxLeo83: There’s your face.

URBaby2000: I think you’d have to give me a lot more for me to show my face, Leo.

I don’t know if that’s their name; it’s probably their sign or something. But I can’t be bothered to type out their entire username every time. And I’m not one to come up with cute little nicknames. They call me doll face, and I call them Leo.

MxLeo83: I wish you’d stop calling me that. It’s not my name.

URBaby2000: You could tell me your name.

MxLeo83: You can call me yours.

URBaby2000: Cute.

MxLeo83: What will it cost me to see your face?

I don’t even know what to say. My rational brain tells me there isn’t a price. Because I shouldnotbe showing my face to anyone. No personal information, and no showing my face. You never know what kind of creep is behind the screen, and I don’t want to end up onDatelineor some true crime podcast.

MxLeo83: How about you think about it? Name your price, doll face. Don’t be shy. I’m a little busy tonight, though, so I have to go.

Oh. That’s never happened before. We’ve barely been talking for ten minutes, and they’ve paid for thirty.

URBaby2000: We’ll add the minutes on to your next session?

MxLeo83: Have you not realized yet that money is not an issue with me? Keep it. Get yourself that new apartment. Stop going to work smelling like last night’s pizza. And make sure you touch yourself thinking about me tonight. Text me when you’ve finished.

They sign off before I can respond. Well, that was a little disappointing. I’ve started looking forward to our conversations, especially the ones where we talk about stupid shit not related to sex. Don’t get me wrong, I love orgasms as much as the next girl. But when you’re the one getting yourself off over and over again, it’s a nice change of pace to have someone seem actually interested in you and not just how hard you can make them come.

I recognize the signs. I’m getting attached. Dangerously so. I’ve given this person far more information on myself than I should have. But there’s just something about them that makes me want to open up. I think about them throughout the day, wondering what their life looks like outside of our messages. What do they do for a living to make so much money?

“Fine!” I groan out loud before texting Vanessa. A little night out won’t hurt me, and I need to stop spending so much time alone with strangers on the internet.

CHAPTER6

Io

I don’t knowwhy I’m standing here.

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