Hedonica

Chapter Five.

A few weeks had passed since Charlotte had stormed out of Becky's apartment. As much as the other woman tried to speak to her whilst she got herself dressed and made sure she looked presentable enough to leave, she simply ignored her. A wave of pride rushed through her once she'd left without saying a word. She wanted to respond to Becky, yell at her, cry, push her away; but a part of her new it wasn't completely her fault. Or was it? She couldn't decide whether or not Becky was to blame.

She'd avoided going back to the club for those few weeks, finding she'd had enough money to tide her over for a little while before she'd end up having to go back. As much as she didn't really want to, the fear of her life on the line swarming at the front of her mind, she was running out of money, so she had no other choice.

Another job was an option, but she didn't know where to start. She didn't have many qualifications other than dancing, and she didn't like the idea of going back to proper stripping. It just wasn't for her. She much preferred the performing part of burlesque, and she found in the strip club she'd work at prior to Hedonica was more interested in a dancer's assets rather than their abilities. They could be a beautiful dancer, but if they didn't fit the beauty standard, they weren't accepted there. Charlotte thought she was pretty, but not enough to be eye candy, so she up and quit, leaving for burlesque, and she never looked back.

So here she was, clad in a black corset and skirt, the heels to match, stood outside the cold and wondering if she should actually go in. Becky was already there, she knew that. Her obnoxious looking car was parked right out front and she wanted to turn away just at the mere sight of it. But it was cold and she wasn't dressed in weather appropriate attire, so she opted to go inside where it was warmer. Surely if Becky tried something, she could fight back, right?

It was eerily quiet upon first entry, the only sounds audible were the door clicking back into place once it was shut, and the clicking of her heels on the ground. At first glance, she couldn't see Becky, but once she looked further, there she was, behind the bar, glass in hand.

"There you are. I've been waiting weeks for you to show up. Where the hell have you been?!" Becky spat, slamming the glass onto the counter and coming out from behind the bar to move closer to Charlotte. "I thought you'd been killed!"

"Aren't you supposed to be the one doing that?" Charlotte couldn't help the sharp remark. It'd slipped past her lips before she even got a chance to stop it, not that she even wanted to. She wanted to be mad at Becky for gambling with her life.

"Don't be ridiculous. You think I'd actually hurt you?" Becky's voice was still vicious, the words she spoke contradicting the way she said them. She continued to walk towards Charlotte, and right there and then Charlotte regretted coming into the club. Becky was going to kill her, she was sure of it.

She stepped backwards until her back hit the wall, and Becky still didn't let up, advancing closer to the blonde until their bodies were close together.

They were so close Becky could hear Charlotte's panicked breaths, opting to reach a hand out to rest on her cheek for comfort, and frowning when the blonde flinched. She didn't withdraw though, instead using svelte fingers to trace patterns along the underside of Charlotte's jaw until she relaxed.

"I wouldn't hurt you, Charlotte."

It was hard to listen to Becky speak the way she was, knowing fine well she'd put her life at risk, and even continues to do so.

"Don't put my life on the line for whatever it is that you do. I don't deserve that... I-I'm a good person." Her voice was wavering as she spoke, and she bowed her head, growing frustrated with herself for being unable to control her emotions. Becky pinched Charlotte's chin between her fingertips, lifting her head up to look at her.