Carrie and Keith 16

Keith stiffened as he felt Carrie's arms around him. She released him immediately and stepped in front of him.

"Are you OK? Oh my god, what happened to your face?" She reached for his bruised cheek. He jerked his head away. Her green eyes widened.

Keith stared stonily at her. She returned his gaze and he saw fear in her eyes. He bent down and put his face inches from hers.

"I heard Joey came to visit you," he snarled.

Carrie stared at him. "He did." She took a step backwards.

Keith stood up and looked down at her. "Yeah. He announced to everyone how good you were."

"OK. I'm glad he was satisfied." Keith's blood boiled at her choice of words.

"He said you did something extra for him."

"Well, yes. I do that for all my clients."

Keith's jaw dropped. Then he closed his mouth and gritted his teeth. He turned away from her and started walking toward the house.

"What's wrong? I only treated him like any other client," she cried and moved in front of him.

"Back off!" he bent down and yelled it in her face. Carrie jumped and stepped aside.

"Keith, please tell me why you're so upset!" she begged as he walked past her.

Keith reached the top of the steps. He turned to face her. "No wonder you were so easy. It's no big deal for you since you do it for all your clients," he sneered. "Go home. I'm through with you." He heard her gasp as he turned away. He went inside without looking back.

***

Carrie stood on his sidewalk, too shocked to move. She felt her chest constricting. She gasped for air and desperately tried to calm herself. After several minutes she thought she could make it home. She turned and walked slowly down the street.

When she arrived at the house, she went inside and sat at the kitchen table and buried her face in her arms. She struggled to cry silently, but the sobs won out in the end.

"Carrie! What's wrong?" Kim cried and put her hand on Carrie's shoulder.

"He says he's through with me!" Carrie wailed.

Kim sighed, an angry, frustrated rush of air.

"God damn it." she said and pulled a chair up next to her. Kim rubbed her back and she sobbed even harder.