"You're on in five, four, three, two-" Heavy hands push me onto the 'stage' of the small town's bar.
There's tacky disco lights, no doubt bought from the local dollar store, beaming straight into my eyes. Though I am grateful. I'd much rather only see a mixed combination of blue, green and red than all the middle aged men sat before me with their hands on their crotches.
"Hi there." I smiled, trying not to throw up.
If a small audience makes you nervous, how do you expect to be a star?
Those were Green's words. But Green doesn't understand that this isn't stage fright. This is the same fear you feel when walking down an alleyway alone. Or the feeling of a man following you across the street. It's like I've found a peeping Tom sized hole in my hotel room's wall, and I can't cover it up.
"My name's Lowen, and I'll be your entertainment for the night."
I knew right here that these men's smiles, laughs and grunts would be tattooed in my mind forever, ready to come back and haunt me in my nightmares. A whistle echoed around the room but the lights hid who the culprit was.
The music started and I closed my eyes. This is why you're doing this.
I stood there on the stage, swaying my hips, wandering back and forth with a pop of my hips while singing a cover of a shitty song I had never heard before the other day.
I got a few cheers after the song finished, but not enough to satisfy Mr Green. I slipped off the side of the stage, following his gesture. "What was that?" He spat.
"I... preformed, I don't kn-"
"You think that's entertainment?" He tried to keep his voice down, but wasn't satisfied with the lack of authority that came with that, so he wrapped his hand around my throat for compensation.
"If you want to get paid, if you want somewhere to sleep tonight, you're going to go out there and give them the show they want. You understand now?"
"Yeah." I choked, "I got it."
Catching my breath, returning to the stage, I swallowed back my tears. "Now, are you ready for the real show?" I smirked seductively at the crowd while slipping the sparkly shawl off my shoulders.
YOU ARE READING
For The Plot
Romantizm✓ academic rivals ✓ enemies to lovers ✓ fake dating ✓ Many more of your favourite tropes <3 Lowen had been through hell and back to get to where she is now - one of the world's best upcoming music artists. But after releasing a few hit singles she k...
