"I'm sorry sweetie, you aren't tall enough to ride this yet," said the ride operator, smiling sweetly. "Maybe when you're a little older."
Bella rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time. She was so sick and tired of being mistaken for younger than she was, and she was about to give this woman a piece of her mind.
"Listen lady," Bella said. "I'm old enough to drink and smoke, so you'd better let me on this fucking ride."
The ride operator gasped and started admonishing Bella like she would any misbehaving toddler. "I don't know who you think you're fooling, young lady, nor do I know where you picked up such foul language, but I am an adult and you WILL treat me with respect."
Bella snorted at that, "Respect, huh? For what? Dropping out of high school so you can spend the rest of your life counting tickets in some rundown hellhole of an amusement park?"
Before Bella could get another word in edgewise, Bella found herself lifted off her feet, her tiny figure splayed across the woman's lap.
"H- HEY! Let go of me you bitch! I'll have your ass fired for-"
Bella let out an embarrassed yelp as the woman delivered a sharp smack to her behind.
"OW! What the fuck do you think you're-"
But the woman didn't relent, pulling Bella's pants down to deliver a bare-bottomed spanking. Bella squirmed about desperately, trying to find a way out of the woman's grip. Before long, all the fight left her, and she was reduced to a whimpering, sobbing mess.
"Are we quite finished?" said the ride operator, an amused smile springing to her face as she admired her handiwork.
Bella could do nothing but nod dumbly, the sting fresh on her bottom, still crying in pain and humiliation after having been given a public spanking by a complete stranger.
"Now get out of my sight, you little brat," said the ride operator, pulling Bella's pants back on her and giving her bottom one last light smack as she sent her on her way. Tears in her eyes and a sob in her throat, Bella could only let out a light hiccup as she gingerly waddled her way back to the main plaza.
"So," Emma asked as Bella approached meekly. "How'd it go?"
Bella handed Emma a $20 bill, her face burning with humiliation. "She didn't let me on the ride. You win the bet. Again."
Emma chuckled as she admired her winnings.
"Sorry Bella. Guess this is another win for me and that precious babyface of yours," Emma said as she reached over and pinched Bella's cheeks.
"Yeah, yeah," Bella said, not looking Emma in the eye.
Emma noticed Bella's apprehensiveness. "What's wrong?"
Emma broke out into a sly grin.
"Did something else happen?"
"NO!" Bella said just a little bit too quickly. Emma couldn't help but laugh at that. Even though she knew she was sensitive about it, she loved making Bella flustered.
"I thought these bets were your idea in the first place anyway. Didn't you say that you liked that sense of humiliation and powerlessness?"
"Well yeah," Bella admitted with a blush. "But it just gets depressing sometimes y'know? I'm 22 years old, but I can't even walk to the park without somebody asking if I'm lost or if I need help finding my mommy. God help me if I just want to go out and get a drink at the bar."
"I can see that, I suppose," Emma said. "Maybe you're looking at this the wrong way though. There are perks to being a kid too."
"Oh yeah?" Bella asked. "Like what?"
Emma thought for a moment and looked around. She spotted an ice cream shop, and a mischievous grin crept across her face.
"How well can you act?"
***
Bella approached the counter of the ice cream shop.
"Excuse me mister," Bella said to the pimply faced young man operating the counter. God she couldn't believe she let Emma talk her into this.
The man looked down from his magazine and noticed Bella, her head barely peeking over the counter.
"Hi there!" he said brightly. "Is there something you want?"
Bella looked at the different flavors on display, making her widest and most sickeningly adorable doe eyes.
"Ooh - what's that flavor?" she asked, pointing to a greenish looking tub of ice cream.
The man smiled at her choice. "That's mint chocolate chip! Did you want to buy it?"
"Uh huh!" Bella said. Then she frowned and gave him a long stare. "But... my mommy didn't give me any money..."
The man looked from Emma to the tub of ice cream, and sighed.
"It's okay sweetheart - it's on the house."
Bella's eyes lit up. "Really? Yaaaaay!"
The man handed Bella the ice cream cone, which Bella took a lick of. Victory was sweet, indeed.
"Thanks mister!" Bella said.
"Anytime," the young man said.
Bella returned to the table her friend was sitting at, free ice cream in hand.
"Well?" Emma asked. "How'd it go?"
Bella smiled. "Maybe I could get used to this."
***
From that point on, it was as if a whole world had opened up to Bella. Her and Emma opened up shop, conning restaurants and shops alike for free meals and silly trinkets. Life was pretty good.
Until one day.
"Emma!" Bella shouted. They had taken a trip to the mall, but when she returned to the table at the food court, free corn dog in hand, she noticed that Emma was nowhere to be seen. Figures. She probably went to the bathroom or something.
As Bella sat at the table, munching greedily on her corn dog, she noticed an older looking mall security guard come up to her.
"Excuse me, little miss," said the security guard politely. "Do you know where your parents are?"
Bella realized she had to drop the act. "Uh, sorry. I'm actually an adult."
The security guard chuckled at that. "An adult, huh? Either my eyes don't work as well as they used to, or somebody's fibbing."
Bella rolled her eyes. "I'm serious! Look, I have my ID in my purse right..."
She paused. Wait a minute. Where WAS her purse? She left it on the table with Emma, right? Then... oh shit, she took her purse with her to the bathroom didn't she?
Bella looked back at the security guard. "Um... I think my friend has my purse, just give me a second and I'll..."
But the security guard wasn't buying it. "Look, you can drop the lie. You clearly don't know where your parents are. We'll find them for you, sweetie, but for now, we can't have any youngsters wandering off unsupervised. We have a really nice daycare where we'll make sure you're safe and looked after, okay?"
Bella's face went white as she realized what the security guard was implying. "Now wait just a fucking minute!"
Without another word, the security guard took her hand and ignored her protests as she began leading her to the daycare.