Supply and Demand Pt. 01

Hunter's eyes were still wide while he gulped down a third of his can. Meanwhile, Roger's head almost did a full circle. "Five hundred bucks for a picture of your feet? What the fuck?" He leant towards Gabriela and shook his head dismissively. "I'm calling bullshit on that!"

Gabriela merely bit her lip. "Fine, I'll prove it." She fished her phone from her handbag, and after signing into her banking app, she was showing a number of transactions that went back to over a year ago, claiming they were all a result of feet pics. I tried to pretend I wasn't interested, but couldn't help but take a sneak peek when she turned the screen for us all to see. With her fingertip, she scrolled down the screen and highlighted each deposit. "See? $500. $500. $500. $500." She jokingly pointed her phone down towards her boots. "It's just like...click...and I'm $500 richer." She narrowed her eyes at the next transaction and then shook her head. "This guy only paid $200." She turned towards me and shrugged. "Better than a paltry ten bucks though, isn't it?"

With that, my whole face burned up to a fire engine red and I didn't have a clue how to respond.

Hunter almost spat out his beer. "Why didn't you tell me about any of this?" He lurched towards Roger and slapped him on the back. "I've been paying for all of our dates this whole time!"

Heidi seemed awestruck. "Well, this wasn't how I envisioned this evening going."

Gabriela's smirk was brutal by this point. "What can I say? My pezinhos make...how do you say, babe?" She snuggled in towards Hunter, and he whispered in her ear. "Bank," she added excitingly. "My feet make bank!"

"I'd say," Roger added. "You must have a pair of weapons in those shoes!"

"Well, it helps while trying to survive on a student budget," she smirked before signalling to Heidi that she needed a refill and I scowled as my friend duly obliged. "I'm a business student after all, and I'm Brazilian. We see opportunity in everything, even our feet!"

Everyone seemed to be laughing along with her as if she had been part of our friend group for years! Nowhere seemed at all interested in my story anymore, and all attention and focus was on Hunter's new girlfriend. For the first time, my eyes scanned downwards towards Gabriela's feet. I hadn't even considered them earlier when checking out her outfit, because: why would I? Now, however, I was curious whether she was telling the truth, and I wanted to see how pretty her feet were since they were apparently worth way more than my own. She was wearing a pair of ankle boots though, and I figured she was just talking out of her ass. I mean, those transactions could have literally been from anything, and were probably just a student loan or something. This whole thing was probably just another way of making me look bad in front of Hunter.

At that moment, he then spoke, as if to confirm my worst fear. "Seems like I've really bagged myself a catch this time," he said, the words laced with both careless disregard and hurt. He didn't even bother to offer me a look of sympathy to soften the blow, instead sinking his face into the nape of Gabriela's neck. It was the 'this time' that cut me the most, and it had been an unnecessary inclusion; denouncing our entire relationship in favour of the short time he'd been with her? If he wanted to compliment his girlfriend, he didn't have to cheapen me in the process.

Heidi settled back down, and still seemed invested in the conversation. "So, like, how do you even get into this kind of thing?"

Roger chuckled. "Still considering it, are you, babe?"

I took a breath and continued with my story. "They'll just message you. It helps if you have photos of your feet on your profile--"

"Don't listen to her," Gabriela said while rudely flapping a hand in my direction. "How do you think I get to charge so much? It's supply and demand. You have to keep them wanting more. If you give too much away for free, then they're not gonna pay, are they?" She rolled her eyes at me. "It's basic business practice. I mean, if you want to earn a couple of bucks, then yeah, listen to her." She shook her head at me dismissively, then took a drink from her glass.

"Do the same guys keep coming back for more?" Heidi asked with intrigue while fingering her necklace. "Like, you get regular customers?"

I considered my own customer and the way he had stuck with me. I nodded at Heidi, though I was still flummoxed at being so abruptly cut off the previous time, my throat dry and croaky. "Yes--"

"They become addicted," Gabriela said and Heidi's eyes never wavered from her. "Especially when you have feet as pretty as mine. You won't believe what some guys will pay for a pair of pretty feet." Her eyes turned back to mine as Hunter nuzzled and kissed behind her ear. "But I guess you wouldn't know anything about that?"

I was about to say something desperate and ill-considered in my defence, when Ruth interjected, "Right, who's up next?" She offered me a knowing glance, while making an obvious attempt to move the game on. "Heidi, I think, right?"

"Oh God," Heidi said, while reaching for the bottle. "I apologise in advance to whoever this lands on!" She spun the bottle on the carpet, before clasping her hands in prayer and closing her eyes.

We all watched as the bottle spun a few times, before it came to rest on Gabriela. "Dare," she said, without hesitance.

"That was quick," Heidi said, before puffing and drumming her lips with her fingertips. "What to choose." She cocked her head towards her. "What's going to ruffle your feathers then miss feet queen?"

I knew Heidi was just playing around, but I actually felt betrayed that she'd referred to Gabriela in such a way. I was the one who had first brought up the topic of selling feet pics, but just because Gabriela had made some outlandish, bold claims, apparently, she was the one who was now taking the crown? She was the fucking expert? Even in the eyes of my best friend, Gabriela was the feet queen, and not me! I glanced at her feet again, hidden away in those boots, and it seemed so unfair. She hadn't even proved anything.

Sensing an opportunity to retake the narrative, an idea burst from my lips, "How about she shows us her feet?" My eyes were still drawn to Gabriela's boots and overcome with curiosity at why they were apparently worth so much. I was still embarrassed with the backhanded way she had insulted me and I was filled with a dire need to defend and justify myself. I was proud that I was able to make money from my feet, yet, this skank had come along and made me look a complete fool. First, she had taken my boyfriend, and now she was making me feel like I was a joke about something I was quietly proud of.

A few of the others offered me strange looks, while Gabriela raised her eyebrow. I shrank away, realising I'd voiced my thoughts without considering how it sounded. I'd come across as if I was eager to see Gabriela's feet, almost like one of those losers that paid for pics of them. I wasn't like that at all, I just wanted to prove I wasn't a hoke, but, I was fearful I was appearing that way. "I mean," I said in a desperate attempt to cover up my faux pas. "Since she claims they're worth so much and all."

Thankfully, Roger shook his head dismissively. "No, that's way too easy," he said. "She's like some professional foot model. That's like me daring you to book me a hotel room." He nodded towards Heidi. "Think of something that'll make her sweat."

I didn't know what was more frustrating, the fact that Gabriela's feet were to remain a mystery, or that she was seen as the expert of selling feet pics amongst us. It had become some kind of accepted fact between everyone. First Heidi, and now Roger had offhandedly referred to her in such a way. That's what I wanted to be, instead of some girl who worked in a hotel. I wanted all of my friends to recognise that my feet were desirable, and that others found me sexy and wanted me, even if Hunter didn't. How had Gabriela managed to snatch my one small victory away from me in such an effortless way? Yes, she was beautiful, and obviously sexy, and had my ex-boyfriend cosying up to her in a way he had never done so publicly with me, but apparently her feet were some merciless money-makers too? That just wasn't fair and my frustration was boiling over.

However, as I stared over with both envy and annoyance, Gabriela's eyes were still locked on me, squinted while she was considering something. As Hunter kissed all over her neck, she adjusted her position slightly, and slid one of her booted feet into the circle, before she looked at me curiously. My own eyes couldn't resist momentarily peeking at her booted foot, the thoughts of how pretty her feet must have been swirling around my head. I mean, I thought my own feet were pretty decent, considering I had a guy willing to pay to see them. But the amounts Gabriela was nonchalantly humble-bragging about dwarfed the petty prices I'd brought in. Could her feet really be so beautiful that there were guys willing to pay so much to see them? If my own cute feet could only make ten bucks, then how much better must Gabriela's feet be if they were capable of bringing in five hundred per photo? That was almost as much as I made in a week at work! What even made a foot that beautiful? There was both jealousy and curiosity wracking every inch of my body, because I wanted five hundred-dollar feet too!

The intrigue was simply killing me, and I bit my lip with anxiety to the point it was about to bleed. There was still a conversation going on as Heidi and Roger argued about which dare to choose, but I wasn't party to it. All the words seemed to blur into one as my entire focus remained on Gabriela's boots. Was there really a stunning pair of feet inside them? I didn't even know what constituted a foot worth that much, but I wanted to find out! Then again, maybe Gabriela was completely full of shit and this was some scheme to make me look inferior in Hunter's presence. Perhaps those transactions had nothing do with her feet and she was just taking the opportunity to make me feel bad. Regardless, when my eyes finally crept away from her boot, I was startled by the fact that Gabriela was observing me quietly, almost assessing my behaviour. When our eyes met, she dipped her head slightly, twirled a braid in her fingers, then nodded with a smug grin; both of us seemingly recognising the thoughts that were dancing around my head: I was thinking about what her feet looked like and she damn well knew it. Was that why she had mentioned them in the first place?

Immediately, I blushed and looked elsewhere, almost panicking and spluttering some desperate excuse towards Heidi, breaking her off mid-conversation. "I don't want to see her feet or anything. I just thought it was would, you know, be funny and stuff." I looked back towards Gabriela, my mouth drying out as I fumbled around. "I don't want to see your feet."

The girl merely raised an eyebrow in response, before turning and offering Hunter a knowing look as he came away from her embrace. In turn, he furrowed his eyes and offered no inkling to his own thoughts.

Roger sniggered. "Thou doth protest too much I think."

"What, no," I said in defence; feeling like I was about to die from embarrassment. "I don't want to see them or anything." I looked towards Ruth this time. "You know I was kidding, right?"

However, Ruth looked utterly perplexed by the hole I seemed to be digging for myself.

Gabriela smirked slightly amongst my blubbering. "Whatever you say, honey." She then made a show of winking at me and crossing her booted feet at the ankles, which brought a few laughs from the boys. "Maybe I'll let you see them later if you're that desperate."

Immediately my face blushed a burning crimson and I realised how much of a fool of myself I had made. Did it really matter that Gabriela was making such ridiculous claims? Why had I felt the need to insinuate I wanted to see her feet? I'd let her get under my skin, and she'd completely dishevelled my composure. This whole foot revelation was supposed to be my moment to shine and show Hunter what he was missing. Instead, I'd been left looking like nothing but a bumbling fool.

"I'll never be that desperate," I said, this time being the one to roll my eyes. "I don't even believe you make that kind of money from them." I deliberately turned away and reached to top up my wine, the neck of the bottle rattling against the glass's rim as my hand shook on adrenaline.

"Easy," Ruth said, while taking the bottle from me. "Let me help."

Meanwhile, Gabriela's eyes didn't even waver. "Yes, you do," she said defiantly without any hesitance. "And it's killing you, isn't it?" She stretched a booted foot back out towards me, offering me a peek of the treaded sole. "These feet in here are worth way more than yours will ever be, and you're jealous, right? That's why you're making such a big deal out of this." She snorted and took Hunter's hand. "Your ex is so funny, babe. Look at her, she's desperate for me to take my boots off."

There was an awkward silence as that thought was left lingering in the air. Obviously, it was annoying to me that Gabriela had undermined my secret, and truthfully, it was grating at both my pride and jealousy. I wanted to prove to everyone that she was full of shit and that I was the one making bank from my feet. But, there was no way of doing that without making myself look both desperate and too eager to actually see her feet. Without thinking, I looked over the tread of her boot, and I wanted to just reach over and rip it from her foot, before dancing around victoriously and pointing at its ugliness so everyone could see she was full of shit.

"Oh my God," Gabriela said while slapping a hand over her mouth. "She just looked again!" Her eyes suddenly became a lot more seductive and she winked at me. "You really want to see them, don't you?"

I visibly swallowed my discomfort down, before gasping and averting my eyes above reddened cheeks. I raised a hand and dismissively batted away her provocations. "Of course not, don't be silly."

Gabriela seemed honed in on her prey and seized the opportunity to poke at me while I was unnerved. "I'll let you take my boot off and see, if you want," she teased, while I shrank under the weight of the attention. My friends all seemed stumped by how to intervene, almost fearful of Gabriela and as if they didn't want to become the target of her teasing. "Right here in front of everyone." Her eyes jumped around and assessed the feeling amongst all in attendance, everyone quiet and allowing her to seemingly belittle me. "It's no big deal to me. We're very open to this kind of stuff in Brazil." When Roger looked confused, Gabriela leant towards him and whispered, "Sexual stuff."

"There's nothing sexual about feet," I said in my defence.

But Gabriela shot back in defiance, "I don't know why you're so shy about it. If you want me to show you my feet, you only need to ask. I've been selling feet pics long enough that I'm not at all bothered by it."

I gulped and looked towards Ruth and Heidi, who seemed uncomfortable, yet somewhat rivetted by the exchange. "What's she on about?" I asked with a forced chuckle. "She's crazy, huh?" Neither girl laughed along with me.

"You can crawl over here and unlace my boot if you want," Gabriela teased. "I'm totally cool with it."

"Stop it, will you," Hunter said with a laugh, and finally I felt like someone was on my side. "Stop teasing her."

Gabriela pushed out her bottom lip and let out a little whine. "Awww, don't ruin my fun." She then brushed some of her braids from her face and waved her hand at me. "Fine, I'll stop. I was only playing with you."

However, the awkward silence remained, and I didn't have a clue how to respond. I remained frozen and gutted by the exchange. Never in my life had I been so brazenly mocked and humiliated straight to my face. Not only was Gabriela better looking than I was, but she was surely more confident and apparently comfortable in tormenting me. Not only that, but she held such a presence, that all of my friends seemed to be shocked into silence too. Perhaps they were curious to see how I would have responded if Gabriela hadn't dropped the subject. I felt an immense load of pressure under the expectation to act. I mean, she had taunted me in front of everyone, insinuating that I had some kind of obsession with her feet and I'd willingly take her boot off at the chance of seeing them. I had to do something, but I was paralysed in both fear and embarrassment. The longer I sat there immobilized, the longer the tension was building and my hesitance and apprehension only seemed to deepen my plight. Gabriela was completely erasing me as a rival, and in my limp silence, I was allowing her to lower my status in our friend group. My lips quivered, searching for some kind of response that would allow me an escape, however, nothing came to me, and Gabriela smirked at my meek nature.

"Come on, play nice," Ruth finally said, evidently feeling as uncomfortable as I was. She reached over and caressed my arm. "We're all friends here. Anyway, Heidi needs to think of a dare for Gabriela."

I breathed a sigh of relief, and sensing the atmosphere lift slightly, I attempted to make a joke. "Just make sure it doesn't involve her feet," I said playfully, before looking around at everyone while making fun of myself. Obviously, it was an appropriate joke after the conversation we'd just had. However, no one seemed to get that I was poking fun at myself, and most appeared confused.

Gabriela looked towards me, and she seemed almost hesitant, her juicy lips unsteady as if she was about to say something. She glanced towards Heidi, and seemed to be second-guessing herself, but finally, the words won and she said while nodding towards her, "Does that sound like reverse psychology to you?" Heidi blinked and seemed confused, so Gabriela elaborated, "She's probably hoping you'll dare me to rub my foot in her face."

Amongst gasps, and an awkward chuckle from Roger, all of the blood drained from my face and I instantly became pale and nauseous. The mere thought of experiencing such a humiliation at the feet of the woman who was now dating my ex-boyfriend unsettled me. My eyes dropped towards her booted foot, the same boot she'd been wearing all evening. However pretty her feet may have been, they were likely moist and sweaty, and probably stank to all hell. I wrinkled my nose while imagining her clammy sole being streaked down my face; a shudder running down the length of my spine. I looked at Heidi in a panic, praying that she didn't dare Gabriela to do such a thing, especially if she thought that's what I wanted.

"Babe," Hunter said, and as if almost by instinct, my head popped up in hope that he was speaking to me. Perhaps he had recognised that Gabriela was being a complete bitch and some of the love he once had for me had rekindled. However, his attention was entirely on the girl that was currently tormenting me. "Go easy on her, will you?"

I couldn't help but briefly smile, relieved that some part of him must still hold affection for me. There was the Hunter I knew, striving forwards to protect me.

Meanwhile, Gabriela grimaced and wrinkled her forehead. "She's the one that keeps talking about my feet." She nodded towards me accusingly. "I'm not the one asking her to show her feet to everyone, am I? If you want me to stop, tell her to stop going on about my feet like she's obsessed."

Hunter looked towards me and was about to say something, however, Gabriela's argument had evidently perplexed him. Instead, of defending me any further, he just shrugged.

With Heidi and Ruth completely silent, I felt abandoned and exposed. "Fine," I said in defeat, my eyes looking towards the carpet in shame. "I won't mention your feet again."