Four seeking men are interested in you...

Christine had nearly forgotten about the profile she had made the night before. It wasn't until she was in on the eighth hour of her shift and she glanced at a teen couple sharing a milkshake that she remembered. Anxiety and anticipation fueled the final two hours of her workday and her laptop was the first thing for her to greet when she arrived home.

She looked through the four profiles of the men, read their bios and shuffled through their photos. The first two she viewed were older. David was balding in his mid-forties and seemed to have an extreme interest in sports cars by the extensive collection of photographs featuring him standing in front of some luxury vehicle she'd never seen on the road before. Jonathan was in his early fifties and his bio reading of nothing more than Looking for a lady who wants to have a good time. She shivered at that.

The final two were closer to her age. Jake was only three years ahead of her and reminded her of Raoul with his youthful glow, clean-shaven face, and thick head of blonde hair. His bio was lengthy and revealing, the opposite of the final profile she looked at. Mr. Y's profile only featured one photo of a man's suit and tie, his bio even less revealing: Works for NORR.

Christine frowned when she went back to view Jake's profile, realizing she could not reach out and send a message. Sorry, the date auction is still in process. Check back after the 24 hour period has ended.

Auction?

The online world of dating was already degrading enough. Everyone judged one another upon each other's photos, people were lucky if someone even took the time to read over their hobbies. Now she was just a prize to win? She exhaled heavily through her nostrils. Perhaps it only made sense. She wasn't really on here to find true love anyways. Surely these guys weren't either.

"All those men want is an attractive girl on their arm and in their bed."

Christine called Meg after she knew her rehearsal was over with, receiving a buckle of laughter in response to her admittance that she had joined a dating site...for sugar daddies, she added with reluctance.

"I don't know if being a sugar baby is for you, Chris."

Christine felt close to tears. "I don't know what to do, Meg. I don't know why I actually went through with this."

"No backing out now, sweety. You'll just have to turn them down gently and explain that you had made a mistake."

Christine whined in frustration. "Now I feel bad."

Meg laughed. "I'm sure some of those men have done this several times before. You shouldn't feel bad."

It was nine at night. One hour more and she found out the results.

"Who knows," Meg sighed. "You might just find someone you actually like."

Christine paced back and forth between the kitchen and the living room, munching on the final packet of Pop-Tarts she had stocked in her pantry. She was coming up on the final few minutes of the auction, and soon she'd know who had been willing to pay the most to go on a date with her.

Just turn them down gently, she repeated to herself. They'll be fine. There are plenty of other girls.

Her computer chimed loudly, signaling the end of the auction.

She raced over to her computer, kneeling on the floor to check the results. Her heart sank in an instant. She surely didn't want to go out with someone close to her father's age, and perhaps Jake wasn't the best idea considering he reminded her too much of her ex, but this mystery man—this Mr. Y—unnerved her with his lack of transparency.

Her computer chimed again. One new notification.

She felt her heart thudding in her chest. This was it.

How are you today Miss Daae?

Her heart was still racing, her mind begging her to end it here. But how could she?

Doing well! And yourself?

Guilt crept up her shoulders. Was she really so low that she would continue to lead this man on?

Good. Are you busy tonight?

Christine frowned. It was already so late. Did he want to meet up already?

Nope!

She laughed at her inability to refrain from using exclamation points. She really was trying to convince this man she was interested, even enthusiastic, about getting to know him. Maybe she really was desperate.

Would you mind exchanging phone numbers?

He might as well have asked for her address. Christine wasn't one to give out so much personal information, but seeing as he already knew her full name, her face, her hobbies and interests, it didn't seem to matter. Hell, it probably wouldn't have mattered if she handed over her social security number at this point.

Sure!

Christine watched her phone anxiously, waiting for a request to chat via video call. Instead, a text message popped up across her screen.

Hello.

She wanted to laugh. He asked for her phone number and wanted to continue through text?

Hey!

This man was peculiar.

If you don't mind, I'd prefer texting you instead of sending messages through the site. I don't really use my computer for anything besides work, so if you ever need anything this would be a better way to contact me.

Sounds good.

Their conversation deadened until her mid-afternoon break the next day when she noticed he'd sent her a message at eight in the morning.

How are you doing today?

Christine flopped down onto a pile of concrete blocks by the dumpsters.

Good. Finally caught a break at work. How about you?

The dots appeared almost immediately. She wondered if he had been on the edge for the past few hours awaiting her reply.

Sounds like you've been busy. I'm doing well.

She sighed and nodded, knowing he couldn't see. I have been busy. I feel like a wreck. Probably look like one too.

I doubt that. You're much too pretty.

His message made her laugh and her cheeks burned a rosy red. The back door of the restaurant swung open with a loud squeak and she silenced herself immediately, peeking over her shoulder to see one of the back-of-house workers pushing along a trash can, not caring so much as to glance in her direction as he tossed the trash into the dumpster.

Thanks, she sent, adding a heart emoticon.

Don't work too hard, sweety. I'll have a massage arranged for you sometime within the next week, if that's fine with you. It sounds like something you need.

She smiled. That would be nice.

Text me when you get home, okay? Let me know if you need anything, too.

I will.

A/N: Apologies that these chapters are short. I plan on updating regularly through October and it's just easier to write a short chapter to publish than a long one. I hope you guys will stick around! Thanks for the reviews!