My Perfect Boyfriend

Clutching the heavy books to her chest, Misty attempted to keep her balance. Gripping her school textbooks took the majority of her focus as her wobbly legs traveled over the smooth pavement. Misty knew that her dorm was just a few more blocks. She could make this, no problem. 

    Hearing a loud train crossing the tracks nearby, her head tilted towards the sound. However, with her attention focused away from her feet, she felt the world start to dip. About to come to a crash because of a crack in the concrete, Misty held onto her books for dear life.

    Suddenly, strong arms grabbed her waist and kept her from crumbling to the hard ground. Grateful to be saved from an ugly fall, Misty looked up and was astonished to see a very good-looking face smiling at her. Very close.

    Stuttering more because of his cute eyes than the adrenaline humming in her veins, she managed to croak out, "Th...Thank you."

    Grinning, the stranger said, "You're welcome. Wouldn't want to damage those nice books."

    Blushing, she smiled. No one had ever come to her rescue before. No one had ever even held her hand before, much less support her entire weight with a simple sweep of strong arms. Misty couldn't remember how to breathe... so her face sort of turned purple.

    "Hey! Hey... Umm, Suzy? Tracie? You look like a Becca? Anyway, stranger lady, your face is getting discolored. Are you okay?"

    Trying to control her wheezing and completely embarrassed at her lack of ability to inhale properly, she whispered, "It's Misty, and yes, I'm fine thank you."

    Settling Misty onto her feet, the stranger with mysterious brown eyes smiled again. "Okay. Well, since you might need a minute to get yourself together, you wanna go grab a coffee with me?"

    Excited that her almost-mishap ended with a guy interested in her, she nodded her head in the affirmative. "Yes, that'd be great. But, I think I need to know a name first or I might just call you Frank."

    Laughing, the man asked, "Frank? I look like a Frank?"

    Giggling like a middle-schooler, Misty shrugged and gave no answer.

   Accepting her humor, the guy replied, "Alrighty, the name's Blake."

    Misty smiled and they began to walk. Carrying all her books without a problem, Misty tagged along, and together they made their way to the campus cafe. Opening the door for her, Blake waited while she walked through and then followed her into the addicting smell of caffeine. Gagging at the thought of coffee, when Blake asked what she wanted to drink, she asked for a small green tea.

    Nodding, Blake said to the blonde barista, "She'll take a Venti green tea and I'd like the same."

    Shocked that this guy would not only order her a bigger size than she offered, but that he also proceeded to take out his wallet and pay for both their drinks, she was in unbelief. Although never having an actual boyfriend, Misty had hung out with several male friends. All of them were cheap and would have probably heaved at the thought of paying for something that didn't benefit themselves. Misty was used to selfish guys and didn't know how to respond to a gentleman. But this guy... What a strange fella!

    Shocked that this guy would not only order her a bigger size than she offered, but that he also proceeded to take out his wallet and pay for both their drinks, she was in unbelief. Although never having an actual boyfriend, Misty had hung out with several male friends. All of them were cheap and would have probably heaved at the thought of paying for something that didn't benefit them. Misty was used to selfish guys and didn't know how to respond to a gentleman. But this guy... What a strange fella! Wanting permanency and solidified affection only for herself, Misty had only remained friends with the guys and never dated any of them. 

    Knowing all this about herself, Misty decided to just enjoy this nice stranger and let him decide if he liked being with her or not. Shaking her head to clear the muddled thoughts and simply focus on this gorgeous hunk of a man, she grinned and asked why he was on the campus.

    And just like that, an easy conversation ensued and before either one of them knew it, three hours had gone by and the cafe was closing soon. They had talked about school, future goals, amusing stories from their childhoods, and everything in between. Misty had never before felt so valued. He listened intently to her words and asked insightful questions. He was funny, seemed caring, and was actually interested in her life. Maybe he was interested in her? Could that even be possible?

    And by the way he was looking at her, with complete adoration, it was quite plausible. Together they made it out of the cafe and made plans to meet up the next day to study for classes. But when the time came, they didn't have time to study. Instead, they got too caught up talking about life. 

    Misty thought that she was in love. Here was a handsome guy who was spending quality time with her, and even after getting to know her, he seemed to like her more! She, the quiet, shy, independent girl who never talked to anyone out of her circle. But he didn't seem to mind. Blake was kind and sweet and considerate. 

    Things started to escalate quite fast. After their second official date, Blake kissed her. Misty didn't tell him this, but Blake was actually her first kiss. He gave her butterflies that traveled all the way down her spine and up her back again. He made her feel as if she were floating on air. All that mattered was him. He took her to get her nails done! And he even took her on very expensive trips to malls and cute boutiques. Spending money on her without a second thought and assurance that she shouldn't worry about it, it was his job to make sure that she was taken care of.

Then he began creating feelings inside of her and before she knew it, Misty was obsessed. She was obsessed with him and his touch and his words of affection. And even better, he wanted to spend his life with her! After just a short time, he painted beautiful word pictures of a large house, cute pets, adorable babies, and togetherness forever. She was captivated. 

    Thinking that she couldn't live without this sweet guy who treated her well, Misty gave her full attention to him. Usually a straight-A student with no exceptions, her grades started to fall due to her lack of attention and attendance. Normally a girl who called home every week to check-in with her family living states away, she failed to keep in touch with them because Blake convinced her that spending time with him would make her family happy. Never a person to give herself away physically, Misty began to spend consecutive nights at Blake's nice apartment and gave into his proddings for intimacy. Eventually, the old Misty wasn't recognizable because her adoration for Blake had begun to blind her better judgment.

    And then, something odd started happening. Instead of sweet love-making, Blake began to become more prone to aggressive behavior. At first, it took her breath away that he would get rough. Not her Blake. She didn't say anything at first, and then when he really hurt her, she cried out. Blake just grinned and told her how much he loved her. Willing to do anything for him, she smiled and gritted her teeth. If he liked it, then who was she to say different? After all, he was her first. Her first everything. And he knew what he was doing. Maybe it was her. Sex was supposed to hurt sometimes, right? Bruises and bleeding were normal... Misty had to take his word for it. He seemed to love it, so maybe she should too.

Somehow, the endless bank account of Blakes seemed to halt. Not sure where he was working because he was busy all the time with 'boring stuff she shouldn't be worried about', Blake began to make her feel guilty for all the money he had spent on her. It wasn't Blake's fault, but Misty's because of the extra expenses. So he asked her a question. A simple one, but a step Misty had never taken before.

Would she consider making money for their future by taking her clothes off,

just until they got enough money?

    Stripping had never been something Misty ever thought that she would consider. But... Blake never asked for anything. She was the one living at his place. She was the one who was expensive. She was the one who could make them money through her sexuality. She was the one he was looking to for help with their future. She could be a stripper for Blake. 

    On a frigidly cold night, Blake pulled to a stop at the curb of the strip club. Not wanting to show her trepidation and intense fear, Misty smiled. Pulling her into a hug, Blake enveloped her in his strong arms. She could do this. She would help both of them. It was only going to be for a short while. This was a good thing, right?

    Unsure but focused on pleasing her man, Misty opened the door of the car. Blake smiled and told her that he would pick her up at the end of her first shift. Feeling the frosty air with her bare skin, she nodded and headed into the building. 

    Nothing could have prepared Misty for what awaited her in the smokey building. Blue and purple lights lit up the dark room. Loud, blaring music that had provocative lyrics and a thumping beat was an unwelcome sound to her ears. Finding the manager, the man with a sneering smile looked at Misty like he wanted to devour her right there. Uncomfortable to say the least, Misty hid her feelings and started her shift.

    What felt like an eternity, the vulnerable girl finally found Blake's car. He held her as she cried in his arms. Feeling violated as countless men had grabbed her body and placed their faces into her, she didn't know that a person could feel so low. She had never before experienced this intense ache desiring to be clean. Even though she was physically spotless, her whole body felt dirty and gross. Men had shouted explicit things at her and she was treated as not a person, but an object. Something to be seen, touched, and used. Not as a human being. But, this was what she had to do, right?

    That night, Blake was very gentle and loving in the way that he held her. Being sweet and gentle, very unlike the usual way he made love to her, Misty felt loved. He soothed away her pain and somehow fixed her broken spirit.

    But the next night, she went back because she made good money. Blake was proud of her. And one night turned into two. A week turned into a month. Before long, it was expected that Misty would strip and Blake was given every paycheck. 

    After a long shift, Misty dragged her exhausted body home. Feeling like she accomplished something for their future, Misty held out the large check. However, this time, Blake only looked at it. "That's all?"

    "What do you mean, 'that's all'? It's more than last time!"

    Not registering what happened next, Misty was on the floor. Feeling a burning sensation across her face, she crumpled to the floor in a ball. Grabbing her by the hair on her head, Blake pulled Misty up from the ground. His face close to hers, he whispered, "It's not enough, you slut."

    Thinking her heart would break in two pieces, she whimpered, "I'm sorry."

    Slowly, the menacing look melted into a look of adoration. Holding her, he rocked her back and forth. "I have a solution, baby. It's all gonna be okay. Next time, you'll do better. I love you. You'll never find another guy who loves you more than I do. Remember that."

    Closing her eyes, Misty felt okay again. Not wanting to upset him, she would do anything to make sure that look of disgust never crossed his eyes again. Wondering how to do that, she simply accepted his love. Rejection was something she never wanted to experience. So, whatever she could do to keep his affection, she would do it. 

    After another week of working hard at the club, Blake broached a topic. "Hey, baby? You wanna know something?"

    "Yeah?"

    "I was thinking, you know how much more money you could make than working as a stripper? If you sell yourself one time, it would cover the cost of some of your expenses. You can make four times as much in an hour than working six at the club..."

    Feeling nauseous, Misty simply nodded. "You need me to sell? Baby, I'll sell."

    Unsure of what exactly he was talking about, Misty just waited for him to offer up the information. But he just came across the room and gave her a gentle hug. After a few minutes, he whispered, "Oh, baby, it'll only be one time and then we can start planning a wedding. All you gotta do is give some guy paid sex. It's hard for me, but we can do this."

    So, Misty waited until Blake made all the arrangements. Two nights later, she was traded off from Blake to an older man. After a blurry night with no real memories of what transpired, Misty didn't know how to feel. The man actually hurt her, and after he repeatedly slapped her in the face and neck, he laughed at the tears that streamed down her face. Uncaring of her emotions, he simply got more aggressive and kept calling her 'his bitch'. 

    After the allotted time had passed, Blake took Misty to their apartment. Taking her to the couch, he soothed her and said, "You know, I'm proud of my little ho."

    Worse than any slap he'd ever given her, Misty was shocked. Who could love a ho? She was tainted. Now a prostitute, she actually had someone take her body and use it however they wished. Her fate was sealed. She was forever a dirty woman.

    With that mentality, Misty began to prostitute. Blake was still willing to marry her. He was going to give them a great future. She just had to work a little harder. She had a quota to keep and it kept rising because of how much she needed to give. Taking all the money earned from selling herself, Blake kept her working. It felt like Misty was living in a blur with the cycle of abuse mixed with love being a continuing thing in her life.

    After a while, Blake stopped being as sweet and affectionate and displayed more aggressive behavior towards her. Misty knew that she had to pick up the slack and stop messing up, but sometimes when she thought that her tone of voice was quiet and submissive, the beatings were harsher than expected. He never really hurt her, it was only because he loved her so much that the discipline continued... at least that's what he repeated verbatim. 

    Before long, Misty was working the streets and felt like she had nowhere else to go. Blake was her only savior from homelessness and abandonment. He was her rock; she worked for him and he gave her protection from the society that now shunned her. She became acquaintances with other hos and together they walked the track, as they called it. A community of outcasts, they were abused by countless men who raped, beat, and used them. All for money... the money that fell into Blake's pockets. 

Little did Misty know that day at the campus, her life would forever be changed by the smooth-talking snake. 

*    *    *    *    *

Appearing to be a boyfriend, this man was actually a trafficker... in the life, he was known as a pimp. Disguising his true character with the mask of affection and love, his only mission was to groom her into being ready for the streets. With this mentality, an influx of cash was constantly being added into his hands. Unknown to Misty, Blake actually had several girls that he had placed under his control and they all exponentially made him an insane amount of money. 

They all had the hope that one day, maybe Blake would be satisfied and he would provide a beautiful life for them. One that could be filled with laughter and true love.

Oh, what a fantasy that would never be a reality.

It's that exact hope that keeps them trapped... "Today could be the day that I don't have to sell myself," is the thought that keeps them going. 

But, today never comes. Traffickers don't love their victims. They profit off of them.

Knowing the signs of what tactics traffickers will use for grooming victims could have saved Misty's life. This tactic is titled, The Boyfriend Pimp. The victim will wait for the day that never comes. 

Be aware of the...

New boyfriend who seems too good to be true.

Isolation from friends and family.

Breaking down moral boundaries.

An unhealthy, loyalty-based relationship.

Bruises and excuses.

Rough sex used to normalize sexual abuse.

Extra cash being used as bribery.

If there's a Misty in your life, stand beside her and show her that her worth doesn't come from the 'love' of an unhealthy relationship. She should never trade her body for the hopes of a better life.