Free Genie #10 - Car Loan and Love

From that touch, I literally felt a shiver run down my spine. A man’s hand, large with rough fingers and reddened knuckles, rested on my thigh. He squeezed a little tighter, as if hinting that I should respond, but I sat there like I was paralyzed, staring at my thin, pale legs. My legs. It still seemed unreal, but the rough feeling of his skin said otherwise.

— You gonna stay quiet, Hailey? — he growled in a voice that wouldn’t have scared me a while ago. But now? Now, that voice and the heavy look I caught out of the corner of my eye made me exhale sharply and nervously tense up.

— No... — I muttered, not recognizing myself. That "No" came out so quietly, like a pathetic whisper, as if I hadn’t tried to put any confidence into it. He took his hand away, but it didn’t bring any relief. Only emptiness. What the hell am I doing here? What the hell do I look like?!

Yesterday morning, I was John Matthews, the cocky and confident car dealership manager who thought he could turn the world inside out. I know how that sounds, but I also know that being a complete asshole is awesome, damn it! I always knew how to work clients, mock my colleagues, and, honestly, just enjoyed my impunity, getting whatever I wanted while not giving a damn about anyone else’s feelings. I had it all: money, status, women. But it was never enough. I mean, how could it be, how can you conquer the world without ambition?

It all started when I met her. Lisa. At first glance, just another blonde in an old convertible, coming to the dealership where I worked to "look at something newer." But her gaze — warm and cold at the same time, like those rare clients who know exactly what they want — immediately threw me off balance when she came straight to me. Well, of course, who else would she go to? I’m the coolest... at least I used to be.

— So, you’re the "John Matthews," — she said with a smile, leaning on the counter and carefully looking me over like she was choosing which kind of product I was. — The one who sold an old Honda to a girl with two jobs and a sick mom?

Her words were like a slap in the face. Well, theoretically, they should’ve been, but it wasn’t so easy to knock me off my perch. I smirked, pulled out my "arsenal" of lines for such situations, and, leaning toward her just a little, said:

— Oh my God, I don’t know what you’re talking about, sweetheart, but business is business, darling. We’re not here for charity, darling, — I added, raising an eyebrow and casually leaning back against the counter. Two thoughts spun in my head: first, that she was just another dissatisfied customer hoping for a "miracle" discount, and second, that maybe I should offer her "special conditions." She looked... well, you get it. Pretty, clearly well-maintained. If I played my cards right, not only would she buy the car, but she might even add an evening to my list of wins.

Profitable. Convenient. Easy. Just the way I like it.

— You know, if you're not happy, I can do something special for you, — I added my signature smile, the one I thought would make girls melt.

She didn’t react. No smirk, no irritation. She just leaned in a little closer and spoke. Her voice was soft, but that only made it more unsettling.

— Are you sure you can offer me something? — she asked, as though the question was about more than just a car.

— I can offer you anything you want, baby. Just say it, — I replied, leaning a little closer to her to close the gap.

— Anything I want? — she repeated, and a mysterious smile appeared on her face, a smile that, if I’m honest, I was starting not to like.

Something clicked. Not physically — it was just an air of tension, like before a storm.

— Alright, John, — she said, slowly standing up. — You clearly have no idea who you're talking to.

Her eyes flashed, and I’m not sure it was just the light from the lamp.

— So here’s the deal, let’s play a game. You offered to do anything I wanted, right? Great. Now, I want you to understand what it feels like to be in the skin of the person you use, deceive, and look down on.

I frowned, ready to snap back, but didn’t get the chance. She snapped her fingers.

And the world turned upside down.

...

I opened my eyes, but it wasn’t my life in front of me anymore. I was sitting in a battered car. It felt like my entire body was foreign.

My eyes slowly dropped to my hands, and I froze. These were delicate, elegant hands with well-groomed fingers and short nails painted a soft purple. I blinked, trying to wipe away the image, but nothing changed. These were my hands.

I exhaled, feeling a strange weight in my chest, and looked down. I was wearing a tight white tank top with thin straps that hugged my body, emphasizing my small breasts. A black skirt ended too high, exposing my pale legs. So smooth and thin that I felt like they could snap at any moment.

I took a deep breath, trying to fight off the rising panic. Then, uncertain, I turned my head toward the driver.

He was big, with a broad chest, scruffy stubble on his square chin, and a bit long, tangled hair. He wore a torn T-shirt under which massive tattoos covered his arms, and worn jeans completed his look. Rough and sloppy, he looked like he could break someone’s neck with a single move.

His gaze was heavy, a little tired, but at the same time filled with something that made my insides freeze. He was staring at the road, not really paying attention to me, but it felt like his presence was suffocating.

Travis. How I knew his name, I couldn’t explain, but I knew. His name was Travis. Somehow, I understood that he was my... no, not mine. I squinted to push that thought away, but it broke through my mind anyway. He was my boyfriend. Or something like that. The person who thought he could control my life. But it was love... What the fuck? What the hell is this crap?

And yet, looking at him, I suddenly felt a warm, almost painful response inside. Some part of me saw not only a rough man with harsh manners, but also someone I had... no, someone I have real affection for. This feeling came out of nowhere, but it was too strong to ignore. Love. It literally burned from within, making me look at him with an unconscious tenderness, despite the whole situation.

"Fuck, what the hell is wrong with me!?" I gritted my teeth, looking again at my own thin arms, pale legs, and the black skirt that had nervously ridden up even higher than it should have.

I glanced at the dashboard—the interior looked cheap and worn, but the car was new to us. My mind started throwing out more details. I—Hayley. A girl working at a fast-food joint for minimum wage, struggling to make ends meet, and apparently just bought this damn car on credit! What the hell is going on in my head?!

"No, no, no. This isn’t me. This can’t be me. I’m John. John Matthews. A successful, confident, goddamn man! This is some kind of mistake!"

I was still trying to figure out how I ended up in this body and this life when Travis threw a glance my way.

— "Well, are you happy now? You’ve got the car. I thought it was bullshit, but maybe now you’ll stop whining about always driving my junk," — he said with a smirk.

I froze, not knowing what to say. The horror slowly crept over me. I wanted to ask him what was going on, but instead, I stayed silent, feeling my throat tighten.

The car stopped at a red light, and then his hand landed on my thigh. Heavy, rough, with calloused skin and red knuckles, it literally burned into me with its presence.

— "What, you gonna stay quiet, Hayley?" — he growled, casting a heavy look at me.

The touch sent chills down my spine. Not out of excitement, but from fear and disgust. I couldn’t move, as though he had paralyzed me with one simple motion. I instinctively shrank back.

— "No..." — I mumbled, not even knowing why... Actually, no, I did know. It was because that was the only word that could slip out. I didn’t know what to say. Or maybe I did, but I was afraid. Afraid of him. Afraid of hurting him, of damaging his pride. And yet, along with that, I felt something else, something that stopped me from speaking, from breaking out of the situation. Fuck... goddamn it! Is... is this really love?! Why am I so sure of that?!

But it was love. It was irrational, irresistible, warm and suffocating all at once. I hated this feeling now, hated myself for it, but I couldn’t suppress it. It made me silent, submissive, and even in his roughness, I found something that drew me in. Some part of me seemed to genuinely need him.

Travis scoffed, removed his hand from my thigh, and turned his attention back to the road. His silence was supposed to bring relief, but all I felt was tension.

"Well, John, how does it feel?"

The voice of that girl from the car dealership echoed in my head, like a sharp laugh. She spoke with unabashed pleasure, as though enjoying how I was floundering in this new reality.

"Feel that?" — Lisa continued. — "Now you know what it’s like to be in the shoes of those you used. Remember that girl you shoved that 'Honda' onto? The one working two jobs to take care of her sick mom? Congratulations, John, now you’re her. Well, almost. Welcome to your new life, Hayley."

I clenched my teeth, silently trying to ignore her words, but it was useless.

"Oh, and one more thing," — she added, and I felt a coldness spread through me. — "That car you're sitting in? Credit. In your name. And your new boyfriend," — her voice turned especially sarcastic, — "well, you’ve figured that one out. Now you owe him. And the bank. Great start, huh?"

— "You... who are you?" — I whispered, feeling the words come out painfully.

"Me?" — she chuckled briefly. — "I’m just Lisa. A genie. I grant wishes. You wanted to control everything, be on top, use people for your gain? Well, now you’ll learn what it’s like to be at the bottom. Get used to it, John... or maybe it’s better to call you Hayley now?"

Her voice faded, as if it had dissolved into the air, leaving me in a deafening silence.

Travis glanced at me, snorted, and switched the radio back on.

— "Hope you're happy, Hayley," — he muttered with a grin. — "Now you’ve got your own car. Will you stop complaining about me driving you around?"

He placed his heavy hand back on my thigh. It burned with its roughness, making me shrink again. But I didn’t move, didn’t push it away, even though I could have. I wanted to.

But I couldn’t. This feeling... it didn’t let me do anything. It wasn’t just fear. It was something more. Something suffocating and wrong. It was attachment. Unnatural, painful, the kind that made me want to howl, but wouldn’t let me go. Lisa knew exactly what she was doing.

I looked down at my thin legs, the skirt that had ridden up too high, and swallowed hard. Fragments of memories flashed in my head—no, not mine. Hers. Hayley’s. It was her life. I saw it, felt it like my own: two jobs to pay the bills. A sick mother who no longer got out of bed. Debts. And now, this damn car loan I signed without a second thought. Why did I need this car? To impress Travis? To prove I could handle it?

For a moment, I seriously considered: what if I just return it to the dealership? Get rid of these payments, this damn burden. But then I felt a crushing weight in my chest at the thought of Travis finding out. If I did that...

If I did that, he’d get angry. He’d be disappointed. And then, maybe, he’d leave.

I couldn’t let that happen.

Fuck. No. I couldn’t.

My gaze fell again on his hand. It rested on my thigh, heavy, rough, like it was holding me in place. I didn’t pull away, didn’t remove it. Because... I didn’t want to disappoint him. This fear, mixed with a vile, agonizing attachment, held me tighter than any chains.

Inside, everything was twisting. What the fuck am I doing here? What the fuck am I putting up with?