Author's note: HEY EVERYONE. 600 reads? It may not seem like a lot to some people BUT TO ME IM SO GRATEFUL. Thanks so much!
I know for a wattpad story, this book may be long. YES I KNOW chelseatbrown IT TOOK JEAN AND SHAWN 8 CHAPTERS TO MEET. BACKSTORY IMPORTANT THOUGH. PLUS WERE ALL STILL ROOTING FOR 🐜 ANTHONY RIGHT?
It's long because I'm trying to right a full novel. Like 100,000 words THIS AINT NO JOKE novel. This is my rough draft, my first draft, and you guys push me and motivate me to keep going! If you read my annoying author's notes, you know God put this story on my heart 10 years ago, and a decade later I'm finally getting it written. It's all because of you guys! I just need to get the words out, then I'll clean it up and make it great. Thanks for forgiving my typos and mistakes.
ALSO SHOUT OUT TO @WarriorOfTheLORDGOD who entertained my dumb trivia and got a character named after her!
Enjoy! Please let me know what you think!
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It would be Jean's luck to get pulled over with expired plates and get a $150 fine. Right after finding out that she'd basically lost her job.
Jean had never dreaded going into work as much as she did this evening. It was the first time she was going to face Terry since finding out she had basically laid her off. She didn't know how she was going to feel when she saw her. However, she didn't know how she was going to get her bills paid this month, so she needed every hour she could get.
Terry was in her office and Jean didn't bother to say hello to her. She punched in, put on her apron, and headed for the front register.
Jean was there for a couple hours. Terry came up front and would talk to a few customers. When she was transitioning back, she patted Jean on the shoulder. She cringed, only getting more angry. What game was she playing?
The bell rang, and she looked up to see two girls walking towards the counter. They were whispering to each other as they approached, and Jean's eyes narrowed in confusion until she realized who it was.
Ametta.
Jean felt her body tense up as they walked up. Ametta looked slightly uncomfortable, but the other girl took the lead.
"Hi," the dark haired girl said, overly nice to where it sounded fake. "We would both like large soybean lattes with no whip."
Jean couldn't move. She moved her eyes from the girl who was speaking to her to Ametta. Ametta pressed her lips together like she was trying to suppress a smile, her eyes fixed on her friend. Did they plan this?
The girl who was taking charge looked at Ametta. "Should we get anything for Anthony?"
"Megan!" Ametta whispered, slapping her in the rib cage with the back of her hand.
Jean took a step back at those words. They knew who she was. They had purposely come here to hurt her. Hadn't they put her through enough? She turned away and walked into the back. Terry was in her office and she stopped in the doorway.
"You have to help the girls at the register," Jean said with urgency, trying to keep her voice steady. "I can't."
Terry's eyes narrowed at Jean and she got up from her seat. Terry walked past her without saying a word. Jean moved her body to let Terry pass. She remained where she was, leaning against the doorframe for support to herself while she took deep breaths to calm down.
She could hear the girls talking in high pitched kind voices to Terry. Then they laughed. Jean felt sick. What could have possibly justified in their minds that it was okay to come here? And the Anthony comment, it just proved that they were trying to get a rise out of her.
Terry came into the back of the house. "What's your problem? Those girls were nothing but kind."
Jean couldn't hold the anger in any longer. "Do you know who they were?"
Terry put her hands on her hips. "It doesn't matter, you leave your problems at the door when you come here to work. I have not been a fan of your behavior lately."
Jean started laughing. She had to turn away from Terry because she was laughing too hard in the absence of humor.
"I don't see what's so funny."
"What's funny," Jean said, knowing there was no turning back. "Is that I've spent six years of my life here, my life begins to fall apart, and you decide that I'm unfit to work here. After six. Damn. Years."
"You better watch your mouth," Terry said, clearly getting angry herself. "I suggest you take off early tonight."
"Oh, gladly," Jean said, not believing the words that were coming out of her mouth. She was losing it. She grabbed her purse off the hook and roughly shoved it up on her shoulder. "Next time, try asking me about what's going on in my life instead of assuming I'm behaving this way because I feel like it."
"I'll see you Thursday," Terry said. "With a better attitude."
Jean turned around and pushed open the door. "We'll see."
People in the dining room glanced in her direction as she bee-lined across the room and pushed open the door. Jean laughed again when she saw Ametta and the girl apparently named Megan standing by their car talking. Today couldn't get any worse.
When they looked at her, she couldn't help herself.
"Haven't you done enough to me?" Jean said, sounding more desperate than she intended to. She paused with her hand on the handle as she looked over her car at them. "Don't ever come back when I'm here again."
Megan's eyes narrowed, and Jean could hear the attitude in her voice when she started to defend herself "Um, we were just trying to get some coffee and—"
Jean slammed her car door hard, cutting her off. She peeled out of the parking spot, startling them when her wheels squealed. She picked up her phone.
When Brooke answered, she couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her mouth.
"Get me the job."
***
Jean couldn't remember the events that had caused her to walk into Carmella's Gentleman's club that night. She should have learned her lesson from the other night, but she found herself throwing back shots with Brooke in the car. There was no way she would drink once she was in there. If she possibly got drugged at the college bar, then she was definitely getting drugged here.
"I don't know about this," Jean said as they pulled into the parking lot. She was just upset earlier, she didn't actually want a job at Carmella's gentlemen club. She didn't even want to walk inside a place like that. "You know I wasn't serious earlier."
"I know," Brooke said. "But relax, we're just checking it out tonight, right? Don't think about working here. You're just checking it out."
The shots helped and Jean walked through the door with Brooke. The music was loud and the lights were dark and flashing. There were stages with multiple girls dancing and men crowding around to watch. She saw one girl laughing as she sat on a guy's lap. She looked genuinely happy to be there.
Jean barely had time to process her surroundings when Brooke pulled her behind the bar. She turned Jean around to face the three guys who were sitting at the counter.
Before Jean knew what was happening, the three guys eyed her and their faces lit up. The youngest guy- probably in his mid 30s, put his hands straight up in the air. All of them cheered simultaneously. The older guy, a friendly looking man who looked like he would try to sell Jean a car, put his hand up to high-five Jean. She laughed nervously as she tentatively went to high-five him back.
"It's actually you!" the old man said. "Brooke here was bragging about knowing you. I didn't believe it!"
"Jean, this is Donny," Brooke said. "Matt, Jeff." She said, pointing to the other two. She remembered their names?
"I take it you saw my video?" Jean said, unsure of what else to say.
They all laughed together. Jean looked past one of them to see a half naked girl walking around and she quickly averted her eyes back to Donny.
"Matt here saw it online and was showing me here. Looks like you know how to have a good time!"
A good time? What was a good time?
"I don't really remember anything," Jean replied.
She wasn't intentionally trying to be funny, but they all laughed at her as if she made a joke. She smiled in return.
"You wanna learn how to make a drink?" Brooke asked. "You can make Donny here his favorite."
Donny smiled at Jean.
Jean shook her head. "I probably shouldn't."
Brooke ignored her and started handing her the bottles. Jean wondered where the management in this place was, and wondered if they would be upset.
"What?" Brooke said, looking at Jeff. "She's over 21, and I'm in charge tonight."
Jean did as Brooke said and handed the drink to Donny. He took a sip and his face lit up.
"Better than Brooke's."
Jean laughed as that caused an uproar among the friends. Donny reached into his pocket and slid a $20 bill to Jean across the bar.
"No, no!" Jean said, not taking the money. "I don't want to take-"
Brooke crumpled the money in her own hand and pulled Jean to the side roughly. She shoved the money into her hand and got right in her ear.
"Don't be an idiot," she said. "This is why we're here."
Jean looked at the money in her hand and slid it into her pocket. It would take making at least twenty cups of coffee to get that much of a tip.
She knew she was in trouble.
***
Jean sat in the armchair is her living room. She looked around at her barren apartment. The walls were mostly bare, with 2 picture frames hung that Jasmine had given her as gifts. She had one chair, a small table and a TV on it. She never had enough spare money to invest in things to make her apartment look nice.
She knew a $20 tip was abnormally high, even in a place like that. The guys were just excited to see her because of the video. She couldn't expect that every time.
However, Jean found herself unable to move, because even despite the money, Jean found herself not entirely hating the time she had. The men were friendly, and frankly, she enjoyed the attention. She couldn't remember the last time so many people were so interested in what she had to say. Yes, the half-naked women shocked her at first, but as the night went on, she found herself not noticing as much.
Brooke had texted Jean and told her that the owner was okay with Jean working as a waitress. Brooke already asked when she wanted to come in and fill out her paperwork. Jean hadn't even been able to process what was happening, if this was something she actually wanted to do. She knew she technically wouldn't be a stripper, she would just work at the club itself. She didn't know if it was much better.
She found the strength to get up and go knock on Brooke's door.
Brooke opened the door looking half asleep. "Jean?"
"What are the odds of someone finding out I work there?"
Brooke rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. "At Carmella's?"
"Yes."
Brooke leaned against her door frame and smiled weakly at Jean. "Nobody in Bellevue goes there. They all go to Platinum."
"And you wouldn't tell anyone?"
Brooke squinted at Jean. "Why are you freaking out?"
Jean put her hands on her face and took a deep breath. "What if I just worked there until I got out of this whole mess? Get this ticket paid off, got back on my feet and got my hours back?"
Brooke laughed. "Why are you asking me?"
Jean laced back and forth nervously. "Because, Brooke, I'm a rule follower. I can remember every single time I got disciplined my entire school career. I've worked the same job for six years and I still do everything the way it's supposed to be done. I'm not the kind of girl who works at a strip club. Even if I am technically just a waitress."
Jean knew when she said it that she messed up. Luckily for her, Brooke had a thick skin and nothing phased her.
"Jean, do you think little girls dream about growing up and becoming strippers?"
Jean closed her eyes. "Brooke, I'm sorry, I—"
"You're fine, Jean." Brooke said, smiling warmly at her. "I'm just saying, life happens. I felt the same way as you before I worked there, but if it wasn't for Carmella's, I wouldn't be able to support myself and live comfortably. Life's hard. Sometimes you have to forget the world and just do what you need to do to get by. And who knows, maybe you'll love it. Maybe you'll thrive. It changed my life, it can change yours too."
Jean was afraid of that happening. Of all the things that could change her life for the better, she didn't want it to be sex industry. She knew if she started, she might not want to leave. She loved Brooke, but she didn't want ten years to pass and her identity to be a stripper. If people ever found out, that would be all she would ever be known for. If a stupid video peaked the interest of Bellevue this much, she couldn't imagine what working at Carmella's would do to her. Nobody could ever know.
"Just give it two weeks," Brooke said. "Two weeks. If you hate it, you made a bunch of extra money and nobody would ever have to know."
Jean took a deep breath. Two weeks. She could manage two weeks.
"You promise nobody can touch me and I don't have to take my clothes off?" Jean asked.
Brooke just smiled at her in return and nodded her head.
"Okay," Jean said breathlessly.
Brooke smiled. "I'm working tomorrow night. Come by then to do your paperwork and I'll show you around." She shook her head. "It's gonna be good for you, Jean. if I didn't think you had it in you, I would let you know.."
Jean went back into her apartment. So this was it. She had an appointment tomorrow night to work in a strip club. How did her life come to this?
It's just a job, she told herself. It was just a way to make more money. She was desperate, and nobody needed to know. She could leave as soon as she was back on her feet.
***
"Scottie, why haven't you RSVPed to my wedding?" Zeiler said with exasperation.
Scottie looked at Zeiler. "Because I'm obviously going."
"Yes, but the cards help me keep everything in order, and you have to mark if you're bringing a date or not."
Scottie looked at Zeiler for a long time. "I literally see you every single day, why did you even mail my invitation?"
Zeiler squinted her eyes at Scottie and looked to Tyler. Tyler shrugged.
"You do see him everyday," Tyler replied.
Zeiler picked up a magazine that was lying on a nearby table and threw it at Scottie. He laughed and ripped a page out of it.
"Fine!" he said. He grabbed a pen and began scribbling on the page. "I am going to your wedding," he said as he wrote the words on the page. "And yes, I'm bringing someone." He picked up the paper and handed it to Zeiler.
"Who are you bringing?" Zeiler asked, suddenly interested.
Scottie looked back over his shoulder at Shawn and smirked menacingly. Shawn shook his head.
"Don't make me lay you out," Shawn said, knowing exactly what he was going to say.
Scottie smiled and looked back at Zeiler. "Don't worry, Megan's busy that night. I'm asking someone else."
Tyler shook his head and looked at Shawn. "Lay him out."
Shawn stood up and Scottie laughed nervously as he backed away from him. "Wait, time out, I said Megan's busy!"
Shawn had him in a headlock before he could finish his sentence. "Then who are you taking?"
Scottie couldn't stop laughing and Shawn took him down to the floor. Scottie was still laughing after Shawn pinned him there.
"He's acting weird..." Zeiler said, looking at Scottie. "Scottie, do you have a crush on someone?"
"I haven't asked her yet," Scottie said. "She's way out of my league."
Shawn let go of Scottie and leaned back, giving him a perplexed look. "Since when have you ever thought anyone was out of your league?" The next words were out of Shawn's mouth before he realized what he was saying. "You're not talking about Jean, are you?"
Scottie squinted in confusion. "What? No." His eyebrows shot up and he looked at Shawn with a teasing look. "Why, because you like her?"
Shawn was quick to recover. "The girl's been through enough. She doesn't need your corruption right now."
"Shawn's in love," Scottie said, pointing at him. "You literally swept her off her feet!"
"Quit trying to take the focus off you," Zeiler said. "Who are you asking to my wedding so I can approve?"
"He went to church again this week," Tyler said. "Maybe it's someone there."
Shawn and Scottie looked at each other at the same time. Shawn smiled slowly.
"Don't," Scottie whispered.
"I think I know," Shawn whispered back to him.
"It's not Chloe," Scottie said.
"It's not?"
Scottie couldn't help the smile that grew on his face. "Okay, it is."
"Chloe, the girl who plays guitar Chloe?" Zeiler asked. "She'd be perfect for you, if you ever grew up and realized what's good for you."
Scottie closed his eyes and smiled. "Yeah."
"She's not your usual type," Tyler said. "She's like actually...smart."
"I know!" Scottie said, jumping up to his feet. "She's too good for me, but I'm gonna marry her. I can feel it."
"Have you been talking to her?" Shawn asked.
"No, but she said hi to me at church. Then I don't remember what happened after that because I blacked out."
Everyone laughed. Scottie didn't usually get flustered over women. Scottie looked out the window and his face dropped.
"Speaking of blacking out..." he said. "Shawn, your girl's here."