Leaving Las Vegas (h.s)

un

BLUE EMERALD was a rather contradicting name if she would say so herself. Her mother, a fanatic of artwork, believed those two colors could make or break a piece.

She believed her darling Blue Emerald would make this world brighter with her rich colors. However, what she didn't know was that Blue was not the sky blue she envisioned her to be. She was the darkness of the ocean before a storm, chaotic and destroying everything in its path.

Despite her name, her life was colorless. Dull and longing for something to color the emptiness of her soul.

•••

Blue moved to Las Vegas when she was 19. Freedom was a refreshing feeling, the wind loosened its grip around her neck and no longer suffocated her.

After her mother passed when she was 17, Blue left her life behind. She contemplated living in Oregon for a while but figured the gloomy skies and gray clouds wouldn't cure the feeling of emptiness lodged in her soul.

Somehow, she settled on Las Vegas. The busy lifestyle and the endless parties was something that pulled her in like an intoxicating drink.

The red lights of the club she danced at shined throughout, illuminating the silhouette of her figure for the men in the audience as she walked towards the stage.

She was a stripper, but preferred to call herself an exotic dancer.

When she on that stage, she was allowed to be someone else. Her problems and fears were the ropes that bound her to a chair and never allowed her to move. Dancing allowed her to loosen the ropes.

She called herself Ruby. Ruby Red to be exact.

The color red was something she craved to be. The way it represents strength, resilience, and sexiness. Something she knew she couldn't be if she stuck with Blue.

"Come here baby, let me put his twenty in your panty string," a man yelled from the tabletop. This man came in every Friday, a greasy man with his wedding ring on full display. As he took out the twenty, Blue could see the picture of his two children in the wallet. She hoped he spent money on his children the way he does at the club. She smiled at him as an appreciation and continued her way to the stage.

Blue rarely saw younger men at this club, as it was further from the strip. Married older men filled this place, resembling bees in a beehive following their queen.

As she began to grip the pole with her hands, the feeling of the cold metal sent a shock through her veins. She felt like she was set on fire, Ruby had come alive.

Everything becomes a blur when she dances, the feeling of freedom and the sounds of the men cheering was euphoric. As her set was finishing, her heels slid against the floor covered in bills. She looked around when her eyes caught a figure sitting in front of her.

It was a young man, sitting next to two older men who had big wads of cash in their hand as they were pointing towards the young man's lap.

Her rent was due soon, might as well earn half that money for herself by giving the man a lap dance.

She walked down the steps, the cheers getting louder and the sound of the music was ringing in her ears. When she got in front of the man, she smiled and looked for reassurance before doing anything. He nodded hesitantly, darting his eyes around.