[kaylor] strippers and unrequited love;

seven

        As she cleaned up the pieces of Monopoly, thoughts plagued her mind. Why did I kiss her? Why did I fuck up this bad? She won't even let me call her Karlie and I kiss her. Taylor pushes the heels of her hands into her eyes tiredly, sighing. But she kissed me back, I know she did. I wasn't dreaming that. She would'nt have even stopped if I hadn't been surprised by her biting my lip. God, when she bit my lip... Taylor let out an involuntary whimper at the thought and then blushed red at no one in particular. I'm such a fuck up. How could I let this happen? I need to fix this.

        And so, for nearly the rest of the night, Taylor devised a plan.

/ / /

        Just a few blocks away, Karlie was unmanageable. She had broken into her roommate's alcohol supply and was nursing vodka straight out of the bottle, sitting dejectedly on the floor against the ratty couch. Tears had stained her face and created rivers of mascara down her cheeks and her hair was a mess. 

        Why do I even care so much? I've been alone for so long, why is it bothering me now? Karlie wondered bitterly. Taylor's effect on her was strong and present and she hated it. She hated relying on anyone for happiness or entertainment. Why did I kiss her? But she kissed me... Why did I kiss her back then? The stripper argued with herself in her head, beating herself up for decisions she made hastily. I shouldn't have even gone over. She's too good for me. Too rich, too nice, too perfect, too famous. Her job is respectable. Mine isn't. What a fucking joke, a stripper becoming friends with a world famous singer. 

        Karlie had work the next day, and she knew not to get too wasted, but just enough so that she would feel numb all tomorrow for the pain to come, and to be numb to forget Taylor. 

/ / /

        The stripper is only a few hours into her shift when she's called into Dominic's office. She knows this only happens when she's done something bad, or is about to be asked to do something awful. She walks in quietly and keeps her eyes on the floor, knowing fully well how ruthless Dominic can be in a snap.

        "Karlie," the Italian man drawls, sidling up to the girl. She tenses at the mention of her name and Dominic smirks. Ever since he found out her name he used it against her in every situation to cow her into submission. "I've got a business proposition for you."

        Karlie knows what that sentence means. As she had explained to Taylor, there was always a price, and someone was always willing to pay it. She closed her eyes gently and took a deep breath. "Do you?" She asked politely, pretending to be oblivious. Dominic kept his hand on her left shoulder authoratively, tightening his grip before he spoke to keep her from running.

        "Someone has offered ten grand to have you for the night." Karlie's breath catches and she begins to shake her head. Dominic's eyes flash with rage, but he hides it quickly. Karlie swallows hard and speaks up.

        "I'm not interested." She says weakly, her voice quivering. She knew what she was getting into when she asked for this job, but she didn't know how seedy this club was and how awful Dominic was until it was too late. Dominic removed his hand from Karlie and kept both his fists balled at his side. 

        "I didn't ask if you were or not. You're going to go into the back rooms and please the paying customer." Dominic says sweetly, grinning at Karlie. The girl is considerably taller than him, and should be intimidating, but as he speaks Karlie trembles and shrinks into herself.

        "No." Karlie repeats, stronger this time. She is about to turn and leave when Dominic quickly moves and she feels a sharp pain across her cheek and her lips numb. She looks up in confusion, holding her hand gently against her face, feeling the burn of a slap. Something dribbles down her bottom lip, and Karlie then realizes that her lips split thanks to the slap. Her tongue flicks out and she tastes the bitter blood.