Chapter 14
"... JoJo Wyatt, I'm sorry for delaying you, please meet any guard around and give this paper to him, or her." She tore off a piece of paper from a booklet and scribbled into it, before handing it over to me.
I took the paper and found the guard at the doorpost. The building was enormous, I could not risk getting lost in the wrong place. The guard examined the paper, before staring at me. This floor of the building was so high, I felt like a feeble lost ant within it.
The guard stopped in front of a door for scanning. After we were scanned, the door auto-unlocked. The guard ushered me in before turning his back to leave.
The sight of the older woman at the table in front of me made me want to turn and run as fast as I could. Everything about this place screamed elegance, including the people in it. I did not belong here.
"How may I help you?" Her voice caused me to move forward, toward her.
I flashed her my signature smile, but it wasn't returned. I cleared my throat and stated my business.
"I got accepted for the strip dancing job, ma'am. I came for my interview."
She scrutinized my appearance thoroughly. I couldn't blame her. I would look down on myself if I were her too. This black dress and a pair of black sandals were the nicest things I had worn in years. My red hair had never been styled in a neat and classy French plait before.
"And your name was on the list when our receptionist checked?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Sit here." It was more of an order than an invite. I looked around the red-polished office walls. She asked for my name and ticked it on a register.
"How old are you?" She asked first.
"I'm nineteen, ma'am."
I saw the hesitance in her eyes.
"Why did you leave your previous job?"
"I didn't, ma'am. I still have all five of my part-time jobs."
Her right brow arched. She probably thought I was crazy. Perhaps, I was.
"Okay, did any of your part-time jobs involve strip dancing?"
I shook my head slowly, a sign for no.
"So how did you... Who the hell..." She did not finish diving her eyes into the screen of her laptop. She read through something furiously. "Special? Why the fuck is she special?" She had muttered, but loud enough for me to hear. I didn't think too much of it; it couldn't be me. "Okay, you know what strip dancing means right?"
I nodded.
"Have you ever danced before a crowd?"
"Of course, ma'am." I thought back to all my ballet classes. I was once as graceful as a swan.
She looked relieved by my response and then looked at the laptop again.
"My name's Bentley, I would like to be referred to as Bentley." She stated. She must have been in her early 50's, but I could work with that.
"I have work to do right now, so I would see you in training. But first, when you begin working with us, would you offer extra services such as lap dancing or intimate relations for extra money?" Two words.
Hell no.
"I would only like to dance, please." I was elated she had asked. I would have hated to be forced.
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"Are the audience allowed to touch you before, during, or after the performance?"
"No, I'll just dance," I repeated. She scoffed.
"Any performance-enhancing drugs?" She asked.
"No." My reply was plain, she frowned.
"Are you a virgin?"
I glared at her, then decided to lie.
"Absolutely not." An awkward and nervous laugh followed my last word. She was having a hard time believing me. But, she did rise and stretch her hand towards me. I accepted the warm handshake.
"From tomorrow, you'll join the other strippers for training and the training would last for seven days after which you would properly begin your job. Is that okay?"
Joy filled my heart. Like hell it was!
"It's great."
I rushed back to the restaurant after my interview. One step in told me I had made a terrible mistake. All eyes rested on me as I walked in. I kept my eyes down and made my way to the counter where Mel, Harris, and Viktor stood. Mel stood there like a proud mom. Harris stood with his mouth slightly apart and cheeks red while Viktor just looked like he had seen a ghost. I wanted to run.
"Now somebody sure came for the motherfucking kill!" Mel cried out loud, winking at me. I blushed, silly me.
"And I. am your first victim." Harris did a mock bow in front of me, and Mel's laugh overshadowed my chuckle.
"Go change and come for your tables," Viktor called out. Mel shook her head as she laughed.
I turned to go into the changing room and Harris followed me behind. I made sure to leave the door open when we both stepped in.
"What is it, Harris?"
"Can we talk?" He had his hands in his pockets, flushed like a silly high school boy.
I was in no mood for this.
"You like me, that's great! I'm flattered. But I'm not interested in you, Harris, or anyone else for that matter."
"Wow. Never thought I was that ugly."
I almost snarled at him. A pity party? Really?
"It's not that."
He was a sweet boy, with a fancy accent and a warm brown shade of hair, tall and cute by all beauty standards. But it didn't matter, I didn't care.
"I've been asking you out for almost a year now." I noticed a strain in his voice.
"Well, you should stop, it's not going to happen." My tone was definite, but he moved towards me. I panicked, instantly.
"Get out, Harris, or I'll call security." That was enough to keep him away from me.
After changing, I stepped out to work. I met Mel behind the counter and told her all that had happened.
I was to leave tomorrow and be away for seven days. She offered to take care of Valerie since Shawn had found his own apartment already. And boy, was I glad?
That night, I spoke to Valerie about my job, and the number of days I had to be away. Contrary to what I had expected, she snuggled me in her arms and kissed my right cheek.
"I would always love and support you. And one day... one day we would be okay."
I smiled and kissed her too. Hope and each other, were all we had left.