Chapter 88: The green one.

It was dark outside when Felix arrived in the red-light district, lamps glowing in the streets, casting orange light everywhere. Small houses were arranged along the street, their doors ajar and women leaning against their frames in thin clothes covered in make-up that was somehow lit by lamps in the strange manner. They all started shouting to him the very moment he appeared on the street.

"Young master, come to me!"

"Sir, spend the night with me!"

A girl came out of one of the doors, moved right through the street to approach Felix, put her arm around him and hugged him. "What do you think? The night has just begun, why don’t you start it with me?"

Felix smiled, still going forward calmly. "I have no money. Is it okay for you?"

She hushed him, leaving instantly, already shouting something to the next passing by guy.

Felix kept moving forward, stopping only in front of a two-story building set a little away from the street. There was a sign hanging over its door saying Second Heaven, lit by rows of hanging lanterns over the roof. Felix nodded to himself and pushed the door open.

The room opened up wide; sofas were placed in clusters all over the floor, the smell of perfume and pipe smoke could be felt in the air. Felix looked around for the counter at the back wall, but there was nobody at it.

He looked around and his gaze fell on a young boy sitting alone in the far corner of the room, having a rigid posture and holding his arms tightly across his chest. He could not be older than sixteen years old. A glass of water was standing untouched in front of him, drops of condensed water sliding down its side, while he looked absentmindedly at it.

Felix walked over and sat down next to the boy without even asking. The boy jerked violently and rose from his place; his eyes were wide open and looked directly at Felix. "Don’t hurt me. I have the money, just take it. "Please don’t hurt me. I’ll give you the money; just take it."

"Calm down." Felix picked the glass of water left untouched and drank half of it in one go. Boy continued staring at him while his cheeks flushed from embarrassment.

"You will not be harmed here." Felix put the glass down and leaned on the sofa with an arm hung over the back rest. "Also, wasn’t there something else this money is meant for?"

"I know that." The boy pulled away a bit, giving some more distance between himself and Felix. "I am here because everyone else is also here for the same reason."

"It’s your first time, then?"

"No." The boy spoke immediately but then his voice cracked on the word. "I’ve done it many times already; I just happen to be in the mood for it. That is the reason why I am here tonight."

"Really." Felix gave a nod to confirm what the boy said but didn’t seem convinced at all. "So, you must have remembered the pain when you did it for the first time. After mine, I could barely piss straight for two days."

"What? You’re kidding!" The boy’s eyes widened but then he stopped himself, closing his mouth firmly. "Sorry. I assumed that only women suffered like that."

Felix laughed. "We all do."

The boy gulped and lowered his voice. "Fine. This is my first time. My friends laugh at me because I have not done it despite being already fifteen years old. They say it is supposed to be the best experience one can ever have."

"So, you came here in order to prove something to your friends," Felix asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes. I mean, no. I don’t know." The boy mumbled to himself, twisting his fingers on the table nervously. "I just want to experience it. There is no one who I could do it with. All the girls only laugh at me, I want to walk back home and tell them that I am not that guy anymore, that I will be able to stand up for myself because I am not a virgin anymore."

"So, the point here is that you need some confidence."

"Why is it so wrong to come here for that purpose?"

"It’s fine," said Felix shrugging. "There are plenty of people who come here with exactly the same reasons, and I believe that it’s about time you go there and turn into a man tonight." He leaned in. "Just remember that sex isn’t some kind of magic. It won’t give you the confidence for free, you have to build it yourself."

The boy nodded. "What exactly should I do there?" he asked eagerly, leaning towards him. "I see that you are experienced enough."

"Well, nothing much at first," Felix replied. "Just lie down and let her guide everything. It’s better if you are honest and say that it’s your first time because that way she will be more careful with you."

"She will laugh at me for that."

"Nope." He shook his head. "And whatever you do, don’t try the things which your friends told you to try."

"What—" The boy didn’t even manage to say the whole question as he noticed that the fat lady, who had been sitting behind the counter, appeared with five women standing close to her.

"Pick one, boy," she said, her voice full of authority, "I already know you won’t be able to handle more than one at a time."

"I, uh—" His eyes started wandering slowly along the row of women, looking carefully at each of them. They all wore plenty of make-up so he wouldn’t be able to say how old were they but the clothes that hugged their bodies made his mouth go dry. He quickly looked at Felix, asking for help.

"You want me to choose?"

He nodded rapidly several times.

Felix took a quick look at the row and then pointed at the one standing on the right. "The green one."

"The green one," he repeated out loud and suddenly gained some self-confidence and stood.

The woman wearing green smile kindly, took his hand and led him to the stairs. Before vanishing at the corner he cast one last glance at Felix. "I’ll figure something out."

Felix smiled slightly and remained sitting in his position, resting his arm on the back of the sofa. Now the fat manager focused on him and narrowed her eyes. "What about you? Choose already."

"I want Lara," Felix said calmly.

"She’s busy with other man now. It will take time."

"I’ll wait."

The manager looked at him for some time and then left with the rest of the women towards the counter.