Starstruck ✧ (Cherry Valance x reader)

21.

"Come in!"

I heave open the door and walk into Audrey's office. She's smoking at her desk, her cold, unsettling eyes settle on me. "You again," she tuts with an eye roll. I close the door behind me with a little slam. "I need to talk to you," I tell her. 

"State your business,"

"I want a pay rise" 

She flashes me an expression almost like I said something offensive.

"Are you demanding or asking?"

"What do you think?"

She starts to laugh heartily. My harsh glare doesn't change. She eventually composes herself and swaps her finished cigarette for a glass of brandy. "What makes you think you deserve one?" She asks me. "Because I bust my ass every single day to give you 100% so that you'll have customers. If you can constantly splash the cash on brandy and cigs you can surely pay me the amount I deserve."

The room falls silent. 

She's a tough shell to crack, I know that. I'm not giving up though, it's time I take control.

"You wouldn't want me to quit, especially not after you lost one of your best dancers."

Her hand grips the glass tightly.

"That was Sherri's decision to leave. Apparently, she's found somewhere better" Audrey replies bluntly. "If all your dancers found somewhere better, you'd be out of business," I say. She leans back in her chair, clearly unimpressed. "So...-" She takes a sip of her drink "-Say I give you a raise, what does that do for me?"

"It's not always about you, Mrs Preston."

She rises to her feet before walking over to her drinks cabinet, pouring even more brandy into her cup. "You miss her, don't you?" She changes the subject and I tense up. It's obviously her tactic to throw me off but I'm stronger than that. "Sure I do but this is about my money. I'm barely surviving here!"

Her face is so emotionless I can't even tell what she's thinking. After a moment, she returns to her desk and sighs heavily. "Fine, but if you spread a word to the others about this I will personally see to it that your actions will have consequences."

I break into a small smile, relief washing over me. "Pleasure doing business with you ma'am."

With that, I leave the club and start making my way home when it hits me. It's almost six pm.

'Shit, I gotta hurry!'

I make a run for the train station, dodging my way through civilians of all ages. I'm not a track star and I feel like I'm going to pass out but I have to make it, the adrenaline forces me to carry on. I notice a small queue but I don't have time to pay as I slip past the barricade. "Hey, you can't do that!" I hear a bellowing voice but I proceed to ignore it.

The train is already packed with passengers. "Final call for Vegas" the train conductor announces as I run up to him. "Excuse me, sir" I pant a little "I really have to say goodbye to someone on that train!"

"Ticket ma'am?"

"I don't have one..."

"Then you can't board,"

"Please sir, it's urgent!"

"So is my job. Move along" he brushes past me, the doors of the train slam shut. With no choice, I walk aimlessly along the platform, trying to scout out Cherry. It's nothing but a sea of faces and I feel anxious. 

"Y/n?" 

That familiar voice freezes me in my place. Cherry is half hanging out of the window, a look of surprise on her beautiful face. "I-I'm sorry Sherri. I've been such an idiot and I can't bear the thought of you leaving!" The words prattle out of me. She flashes a sad smile. "I'm sorry that I have to leave but I just can't let this audition pass. This could be my big break."

"But what about us?"

The train whistle blares before the locomotive slowly begins to travel.

"I'll write to you when I can about my adventures" she smiles. I start to walk beside the moving train, my heart pounding and my pace increasing. "You'll come back,  won't you? There's so much we have to figure out for our future Cherry" I call out. She nods. "One day. For now, don't let me hold you back. Give Derek and Mandi my love," she calls back. By now I'm half running to keep up, the train growing increasingly loud as it glides across the tracks.

"Cherry I love you,"

"What?" She shouts.

"I said I love you," I shout back.

The platform is quickly reaching its end.

"What did you say?" She yells.

"I SAID I LOVE YOU!"

The platform comes to a sharp end, I stop running. I can't tell if she heard me or not as she disappears inside the train that passes every so quickly before my eyes. I can't help but let a few tears escape because just like that, she's gone and I know I fucked up.