The stylist gave the chair a theatrical twirl so that Soothe could see Kristin’s new look from the front. Soothe smiled. The fourteen-year-old looked almost unrecognizable. Not only was her hair a bright, cartoonish red, it had been shaped into a bob. With her large eyes, she looked, thought Soothe, like a character from a Japanese animation. More importantly, her appearance was completely different. It would take a second or third look to realize it was the same person.
Sitting in the chair, Kristin didn’t look as impressed. “Are you sure Hanger’s going to be okay with this?” she asked.
Soothe ignored the question.
“Is there somewhere she can get changed?” she asked the stylist, holding up the bag with the outfit.
“Sure, just go through the back.”
Kristin trotted obediently behind Soothe as she led her through a door at the back of the salon and into a break room.
Pulling out the clothes, Soothe told Kristin to change into them.
Kristin held the t-shirt up, confused.
“What’s this?”
Soothe guessed that the time had come to tell her the truth, or as much of it as she thought Kristin could handle.
“You’re going to get changed into these clothes and then I’m going to put you on a bus back to LA.”
“What? Why? Does Hanger want me back on the track? I know I haven’t been making much money out here, but I’ll get better, I promise. I just need more time.”
Soothe placed her hands on the girl’s shoulders and shook her head.
“No, you’re going home.”
Kristin recoiled at the words.
“No, I can’t. Not now.”
“Listen to me, if you stay here, you’re going to die.”
“No, I won’t. Hanger’s here now. If any of the Johns try anything, he’ll mess them up.”
Soothe stared into her eyes. “No, he won’t.”
“Sure he will. That’s what pimps do. They look after their hoes. Keep them safe so they can work.”
For the longest time, Soothe would have agreed. More than agreed. She’d have been the one saying it. But it was bullshit and dangerous bullshit at that. She could barely think of one time she’d been saved by a pimp. That’s why she carried a knife.
It was strange to be here. Hearing this kid spit back the sales pitch that Soothe had heard given a hundred times. It worked too; it was a good pitch if you found the right kind of person to say it to. But the reality was different. When you were in the life, no one cared if you lived or if you died.
“Why’d you think he wanted you blonde, huh?”
The question seemed to perplex Kristin.
“I’ll tell you why. Because he’s going to pass you over to a guy who likes little blonde, white girls. That’s why.”
“So?”
Soothe had to fight back her temper.
“When he finds a girl he likes, he likes to hurt them. Do all sorts of crazy stuff to them, like a horror movie. If you don’t finish up dead, then you’ll wish you were.”
“Hanger wouldn’t let anyone do that. I’m a swan.”
“Oh, you think? This guy pays a lot of money for the right girl, and you’re a whole bunch of trouble right now.”
Kristin’s gaze dropped to the floor. Those words seemed to find their target.
“I’m going to take you down to catch the bus now, and you’re going to get on it, okay?”
No answer.
“You’re going to get on it or you’re going to die,” Soothe repeated.
Kristin finally looked up.
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“What are you going to say to Hanger?”
“Let me worry about that,” said Soothe. “Now finish getting changed.”
“I don’t know if I can go home,” said Kristin.
She sounded less defiant than defeated.
“You don’t have a friend you can maybe go stay with?”
Kristin just looked at her and Soothe realized it was a stupid question. Girls with lots of friends weren’t usually the ones who got caught up in the life.
She dropped the subject and watched as Kristin got changed into her new set of casual clothes. When she was finished, Soothe jammed her old clothes into the bag.
“Come on, I’m going to show you where you can catch the bus.”
Together they walked out of the salon and out onto the street. Taken by a sudden wave of paranoia, Soothe looked around for Hanger. He was nowhere to be seen. He was likely still back at the apartment, planning how he was going to spend the money he’d get from handing Kristin over.
Her phone chimed with a text. It was Hanger. He was asking for a picture of Kristin’s new look. For a second Soothe thought about sending him one, but that would be like throwing gasoline onto a fire. She powered down her phone and put it back into her bag, then she turned back to Kristin.
“You’re gonna be okay. You’re going to get on that bus and if you don’t want to go home, there are places you can go, places that have girls just like you.”
Kristin blinked back tears. Soothe’s words finally seemed to be hitting home.
Soothe could feel her own throat start to tighten. There would be no going home for her. Not ever. Maybe one day she’d also be able to leave the life behind her.
Today wasn’t that day.