Luscious

13. Parting Ways

Human - Sevdaliza

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Luscious

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"Angel?"

I tried to mask my shock as she looked at me with teary eyes.

"I didn't know where else to go."

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I rubbed my hands together, trying to give them any semblance of heat before I rummage in my bag for a cigarette. I hastily lit it, taking a long drag as I rolled on the balls of my heels, the winter air biting into my skin despite my coat.

How long was she going to be?

It was all a waiting game and this had been the third and final option of the day to try and get Angel into another reputable strip club after the Boss so kindly kicked her out of ours, the bastard.

A small smile tugged at my lips as he crossed my mind, quickly disrupted by the slamming of the club door behind me.

"Fucking idiots," Angel muttered as she stormed out of the club, hastily setting off down the street and leaving me in her wake.

I threw my half-used cigarette on the ground and rushed to keep up with her as she muttered indistinguishable phrases to herself. I didn't say anything and softly took her arm in mine, pulling her into the closest coffee shop I could find and ordering two coffees for us both.

I kept silent, wrapping my hands around the warmth of the coffee as she stared into the milky abyss, seemingly wanting it to go up in flames.

"So, I'm guessing it didn't go well?" I tentatively asked, earning myself a hard glare in my direction.

She only let out a sigh and, taking a sip of her coffee, her shoulders slowly relaxed.

"I should just move back home at this point."

My eyes went wide at her suggestion.

"Are you out of your mind?" I questioned, baffled that moving back to her hell of a home would even cross her mind.

"What else can I do?" She exclaimed, drawing the eyes of a few customers.

I glanced around the room before taking her hands into mine and forcing her to make eye contact with me.

Keeping my voice low and controlled, I tried my best to console her, "We'll find something, don't let this get to you."

A small smile tugged at her lips as she pulled away from my hands and clasped them over her coffee.

"You're shit at consolation, Lush," She said, taking a sip from her coffee, "You know that right?"

I sighed, returning my hands to my coffee, not satisfied with her poor attempt at deflection. I eyed her from over the table, as she gulped the rest of her coffee and dodged any eye contact.

After only a few beats of silence, she gave in and spoke.

"Look, Lush, I am and will always be eternally grateful for your help but it has been a week and there's no hope," She paused, her hands fiddling with the now empty coffee cup, "You're already struggling to support your brother and I can't have you sleeping on the sofa for much longer."

I watched as she tugged at the frays of her jumper, seemingly closing in on herself.

New York was a harsh city for the toughest of people and it seemed that Angel had almost reached her capacity for the amount of bullshit she could take. Only one thought lingered in the back of my mind, Strippers made money, lots of money, and almost all of mine was spent on Robbie's sky-high tuition which left me wondering why she didn't seem to have any resources.