Dedication: I dedicate this story to Bella, I hope shes still out there somewhere
Bella was the most beautiful and strongest girl I ever had the privilege of meeting. She was Albanian, and though she didn’t speak English well at all, the two of us had an instant connection, and a lasting understanding of each other. Her story broke me, and the pain she must have felt I couldn’t even begin to imagine.
She was young, only 19, and had been raised by her grandmother her whole life, probably happily, until her grandmother passed and Bella was lost. She had connected with who she thought was a smart young girl from Canada and had left her home country, flown to Canada, and met with the girl she had been communicating with online for months. But it wasn’t a girl, when she arrived she was met with a man in his 20’s, but it was too late for her. From the second she had stepped on that plane it was too late for her.
At the time I was also being controlled by a pimp, one named Royall, who after months of controlling me, was starting to gain some trust in me. He let me manage the other girls and as long as I still made my quota, he always made sure I was fed and had a roof over my head. I was almost delusional, thinking Royall actually cared about me, but my story with Royall is for another time.
I didn’t meet Bella until a few weeks after she had landed, when the man had brought her to us, and pulled Royall aside to explain. She was a mess, she was bawling, and I knew I had to comfort her. That was always my job, comfort the new ones, but there was something different about this one.
Royall later explained it to me, she had been brought over, and she had made no money, and the man, whose name was Lax, was giving her over saying she was a useless liability. I didn’t know if she understood what we were saying, but I knew I had to help her. First, I had to figure her out. We were sent to the other room to take pictures, set up an ad, and I was to teach her how to be “useful” to our group. But I used that time differently. I used it to talk to her, and I used it to let her know she was safe…. Or as safe as she could be at that moment.
She didn’t know the language well, but translator apps helped me get the message across, and also helped her get a message across to me. A message that truly broke my heart. Bella knew what was expected of her, but she wasn’t like other girls Lax had scammed. Bella was a lesbian, and I knew in that moment how to help her the best I could. I told her that. I told her with as much sincerity as I could manage, “You don’t have to do anything, just trust me, and I will keep you safe” and she kissed me. A long passionate kiss, and I knew she understood.
There was no need for a seperate ad for her, all we needed was the pictures, and I would take care of the rest to protect her. She couldn’t see clients alone, and I would make sure she wouldn’t have to. I added her pictures to my ad and posted as a duo, explaining to Royall that I was just “teaching her what to do” the truth being that I was making sure she wouldn’t have to sleep with a man.
In that first night, in only one client, the two of us as a duo made over $2600 in entirely $100 bills. Royall was happy, she was happy, and I felt like maybe for just a second I had done a little good towards the girl, I felt like I had helped her feel more comfortable in this new country. I knew if we continued I’d soon be able to get her a ticket and send her home.
But it wasn’t meant to be. I wasn’t meant to save her. We only got a week together and that week was the most wonderful whirlwind of love between the two of us. Until Lax returned, having heard of Bellas sudden success. I knew the second I saw him I would never see Bella again.
Bella came to me then, a smile on her face, but her words were not happy.
“He has things that belonged to my grandmother back in Albania, he says I can have them back I just need to earn them…” I stopped her there,
“I won’t be going with you Bella” thinking that would make her reconsider but she shook her head, kissed me quick, and said,
“I know what to do now, I’ll be back in a week, and we won’t have to worry”
I knew those words were a lie Lax had fed her, I knew she wouldn’t be back, I knew that if she walked out of our room with that man I would never see her again. But when I tried to tell her, she simply shook her head, telling me not to worry, and repeating that she would be back in a week.
I kissed her one last time, and never saw her again.