Stardom

The Platinum Rose

The large room was classily decorated but dimly lit. Glowing chandeliers hung from the ceiling, but the majority of the lighting came from purple-ish toned spotlights which were all focused solely on the large stage in the centre of the room, where a scantily dressed blonde woman was currently hanging upside down on a long, thin pole, her body spinning around as an audience, of mostly men, watched eagerly, cheering and throwing cash onto the stage floor.

A strip club?

Someone cleared their throat behind me, alerting me to the obstruction that I was now causing. Apologising hastily, I continued down the steps and wove my way through the crowd, my eyes darting around and seeing the various places where the room branched off to other areas where more women danced on similar stages. I made it to the bar, where a tall and smartly dressed man put down the bottle he was carrying and approached me. Unlike the other bar staff, who were wearing a smart black uniform, he was wearing a crisp white shirt and tailored suit pants. His blonde hair was tidily styled and a set of dark blue eyes narrowed on me with curiosity.

"You look a bit out of your comfort zone," He said with an amused tone.

"Just a bit," I replied, my eyes still taking in the unexpected scene. "I didn't realise it was this type of place," I explained.

"Ah, I see," He said, following my gaze, then reaching for a glass and a bottle, pouring a measuring of amber liquid and sliding it toward me.

"Thanks."

He dipped his head in acknowledgement, watching as I lifted the glass to my lips and threw down the drink, the burning feeling at the back of my throat helping me to regain composure.

"New to town?" He asked when I put it back on the bar and pushed it toward him again.

"How did you know?"

"You don't exactly scream LA-born," He laughed.

I wasn't sure if it was a compliment or an insult, and as I narrowed my eyes in thought, he threw his hands up.

"Not a bad thing, I promise. Just curious is all."

"Boston," I said with a chuckle.

"Singing, dancing or acting?"

"You know, you're pretty good at guessing, so you tell me,"

He pushed away from the bar, crossing his arms over his chest and studying me closely, biting the inside of his cheek in thought.

"You have the body for a dancer," He gestured around him, "I should know I suppose."

"I would say so," I agreed.

"But I don't imagine that's your passion. Not enough curiosity in your face when you saw the dancers. I'd say acting?"

"Nicely done," I said sincerely, "Why not singing?"

He refilled the drink, laughing to himself, then leant in as he passed it to me.

"Most wannabe singers don't drink. Can mess up their voice for rehearsals." He said quietly as if he was sharing a secret.

"Got it all figured out back there, huh?" I rebuffed, impressed by his ability to discover so much with such little effort.

"It's a helpful tool in my line of work," He said simply, straightening up. "So, Selena McCall, wannabe Hollywood actress, d'you still want a job?"

"You're the owner?" I gasped.

"Charles Redmond," He nodded, "You can call me Charlie though if you take the job."

I didn't know what to say as I continued to look around me. I hadn't anticipated this, and now I was facing being employed here, I had no idea what to say.

"Join me in my office a moment," He said, noting my anxiety at the job prospect. "Please?" He added politely, gesturing a hand in the direction of a black door a short distance away.

I had to get a job, I had to get money... and it had to be soon. All of those facts were racing through my head, and Ross's voice echoed in my ears. He would be joining me as soon as he could, I couldn't be waiting here for him, with nothing. No job, no home and no money. I needed to do something to support myself, to support both of us whilst I pursued my dream.

"Okay," I agreed.

Charlie guided me through a narrow hallway and into a luxurious office where the music was muted out by thick, seemingly sound-proofed walls. Once inside, he took a seat behind the desk and gestured me to sit opposite.

"I take it the dancing is why you're unsure of the job?" He asked.

"It's definitely the biggest thing on the list, yes," I confessed.

"What if I was to tell you that as a dancer was only one of the two positions I had open?" He enquired.

My interest piqued, I shuffled forward in my seat, awaiting his elaboration.

"I have one opening on that side of things, and another as a waitress, purely interacting with the clients on the level of delivering drinks to their tables, booths and private rooms."

"No poles involved?" I asked for clarification.

"No poles involved," He laughed. "The money's good, and tips aren't bad either. It's lower pay than the dancers, but it's not bad for the work."

I thought it over, the idea settling with me much better than the idea of grinding on a pole in my underwear.

"The hours would be in the evening too, you can still audition throughout the day," He added as a sweetener, "And there's also a bonus with our customers... A lot of them work in the industry, you never know the connections you might make here."

That comment definitely got my attention. If I met someone with influence here and managed to impress them on some level, I could work my way out of this place and into the industry with ease. With my dream now dangled tantalisingly close, I nodded my head.

"I'll take it," I said swiftly.