Chapter 7

”Anthony, meet my friends, Ling and Betty, the girls I told you about.”

Betty was lost in her admiration of Anthony’s body and confident look. Lin took a look at Anthony, from head to toe in complete admiration. 

”Pleased to meet you,” Anthony said, offering a handshake to Ling and Betty.

”I’m Betty.” Belt felt the firmness of Anthony’s gripping handshake.

”I’m Ling.” Ling also felt the same impact.

”I’ll leave you guys here. I’m almost late for class! See you soon! Anthony, do take good care of them.” Keisha smiled, leaving to go to class.

”You know I’m good at what I do, Keisha,” Anthony’s baritone voice drew Ling and Betty to him.

The look on Lin and Betty’s faces showed they were in for an adventure—to engage in an activity they are oblivious of.

Anthony realized Ling and Betty appeared uncomfortable.

”Ladies, do you your seats.”

Thank you,” Ling and Betty said in unison and sat.

”I welcome you all to my apartment. As you all know, I’m Anthony. I want to believe Keisha had told you about me, right?”

”Yes,” Betty answered.

”Right,” Ling replied in haste.

”Cool. Make yourselves comfortable. You need not to panic at all.”

Lin and Betty looked at each other. They stared at him, chuckling.

”I hope you ladies are aware of what’s on ground.”

”Keisha told us,” Betty said, touching Ling’s hand for confirmation. 

Lin nodded in agreement with Betty.

”Good! Welcome to the Hustle’s Lane. This is where ladies recruited by our trusted members like your friend, Keisha, are required to show their ‘girly’ stuff they possess. Upon evaluation, they are connected to clients for money. Am I communicating?”

”Yes, you are,” Lin answered in a mild tone.

”I understand what you just said,” Betty replied. She maintained some composure.

Anthony continued: “Upon the client’s satisfaction, he transfers money to my account, then I give you your share. My share in each deal is forty percent. You take the rest. That’s my standard. Do you understand?”

Lin and Betty were thrilled about the offer.

”Yes!” Ling said, tapping Betty with her hands.

”Understood,” Betty expressed.

There was murmuring going on between them.

‘’Girls, I can see, from the look of things, a green light…a ‘go ahead sign’’

”Sure!” Betty replied, though reluctant to say a word at first.

”I’m with Betty on this.”

”Feel comfortable,” Anthony said, feeling impressed, standing. ”Can I offer you something? A drink? Some snacks?”

Ling touched her belly. 

”We ate at Nice N Fine before coming here,” Betty answered. ”Thanks for the offer.”

”That’s fine.” Anthony sat back down. ”Let’s get down to business. You already know that time is of the essence. Right about now, I want you to show me your ‘girly’ stuff.”

Anthony sounded serious. The tone of his voice swept the feet of Ling and Betty. They were confused. Anthony saw the need for clarity.

”I want to believe Keisha told you what you have to do. Simply, unclad yourselves this moment!”

Betty’s abrupt shock transcended what she could ever imagine. 

Ling, shocked as well, imagined the ground opened up to swallow her.

Betty summoned the courage to ask Anthony, “What do you mean by ‘unclad yourselves?’” She was frightened.

”Do you mean we have to go all naked?” Lin inquired, panicking.

”I believe very firmly Keisha told you everything. I can’t afford to waste time on some class that’s not necessary! Soon, my clients would be calling me up for new takes and I have to convince them you ladies are the very best options!”

”Keisha never told us what this actually meant. I kid you not!” Ling lamented, shedding tears.

“Anthony, in all sincerity, we never knew this would be the case,” Betty confessed.

”Keisha told you, or mentioned the ‘girly stuff’ to you, right?”

”She did! Yes, she did…” answered Ling, covering her face with her hands.

”Keisha mentioned ‘doing the needful,’ right?”

Ling and Betty answered, “Yes.”

”Then do the needful. Take off your clothes right now!” Anthony instructed. His commanding tone was enough to make them more scared. He stood up, making a threatening look at them. 

In a rather sudden twist of fate, Ling summoned the temerity to resist Anthony’s challenge.

”Anthony, I know you have every right to do unto us as you wish. Unfortunately, Betty and I had no clue or even the faintest idea that this would be the criterion to get into the Hustle’s Lane. I beg you to pardon our naivety. We were moved by the things we see Keisha bringing home. Now, I understand this wasn’t meant for us. I’m very sorry. I can’t do this! I know Betty can’t do the same.”

‘’How do you know?’’ Anthony asked, clutching his fist

”Betty and I are like sisters. We know each other near perfectly.”

”Why would you then go with Keisha in the first place?”

”I blame it on us! But we now realize this wasn’t for us. I beg of you, don’t harm us!”

Anthony was moved by what he heard. ”Okay! I like your sincerity. Betty, what do you have to say?”

”Ling is right! I agree with her hook, line and sinker. Keisha didn’t put us through the process. I thought it would be greener on the other side. But I realize… it’s always the exact opposite! Anthony, with all due respect, do not harm us! We aren’t prepared at all for this! I can’t undress myself in front of you! In all honesty, we don’t even really know you. But like Lin said, take it to heart to forgive us and let us peacefully leave.”

Anthony couldn’t think of what else to say or even to do. The stunning look on his face didn’t permit him to meet any stringent action on Lin and Betty for the next five minutes. Standing akimbo, he looked all around his apartment, then at them, and sighed.

”Okay ladies! I understand your plight and pardoned your mediocrity. It happens! Life happens! It’s not your fault! It’s Keisha’s! Do you know I’ve lost two big clients already today? Never mind what I said!”

Ling and Betty looked miserable.

”You can leave. Keisha will pay for this!”

As Ling and Betty were about to leave, Anthony called their attention.

”Are you aware that Keisha is almost out of school? She couldn’t pay for any of her courses. She told me she’ll drop out of school and continue fully at Hustle Lane! Have you dropped out as well?”

Ling and Betty were stuck in surprise. They were lost in thought. Anthony’s shocking statement got on their nerves so seriously that they had to hurriedly leave.

Before boarding a taxi back to school, Betty said to Ling, “We have a bad friend in Keisha. Very misleading, deceptive and wicked!”

Betty agreed. ”You’re absolutely right. I never knew she was about dropping out, forcing us to be like her! That’s wicked!”

”Yes, she is. Later today, we’ll invite Keisha to the study room for a serious discussion and give her a piece of our minds,” Lin added.

”I support you wholeheartedly,” Betty agreed.

A taxi came by and drove them to school. 

                                                              Chapter 8

Meanwhile, Anthony, upset and restless, had to call Keisha who was in class. Keisha realized her phone was ringing. As she got to her bag, she saw that the caller was Anthony. Keisha quickly left the lecture room to answer Anthony’s call.

”Anthony, what’s up? Hope my girls gave you some girls’ stuff.”

”Shut the hell up!” Anthony shouted. ”Both Ling and Betty told me you didn’t tell them what it really involved. Sadly, I had to let them go! I have a conscience. But you made me lose clients. In fact, Tate X, in particular, alongside Ban B, Mr. B, Master M, and a host of others have filed complaints of your of theft! They opened up to me that you stole their money, jewelry, and other valuables. Why would you do such a thing? Keisha, tell me why? If not for the long-standing relationship I have with them, they would have you and I arrested! Therefore, right this moment, I’m cutting ties with you! Tate X vowed to blackball you! I tried to plead with him but he insisted. It’s out of my power at this time!’’

Anthony hung up without waiting for Keisha’s explanation. Keisha found herself lost between the devil and deep blue sea. She knew an insurmountable problem had come to stay. She paced hysterically back and forth. Some students passing by looked at her like she was about to go uncontrollably insane. So, they observed her. Others ignored her, minding their business, walking to their respective destinations—on and off the school’s campus. In less than a minute, a text popped on Keisha’s phone. Still walking hysterically, she picked her phone from her pocket to read the message:

Betty and I would like to see you now! It’s very urgent we discuss a pressing issue among us. We are at the study room.

”Look at these wicked souls! I thought I did them a favour but they ended up messing with me! I will teach them a lesson they won’t forget!” She walked as fast as she could to her friends since they were nearby. Anthony was calling again. 

Some students who watched her behave funny were murmuring. ”Maybe she temporarily lost her senses!” Another said, “OH! It’s one of those things that come with the side hustle business’’ while the rest were laughing at her as she ran and taking pictures of her. Keisha didn’t care about who was watching her. Anthony was on his way to the study room, having informed his close-niche friends---Tye, Mark and Son what had happened. At first, he invited them to his place---subsequently drove them to campus.