𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 by A.P.Mary

17.

The dark streets of Venice are lit up by the shops and street lights, until I reach the red district, alive only past midnight. I check the hour on a pharmacy led sign that displays that classic green cross. 12:03am, pretty early. My vermilion dress sways with my legs, and the whole family be damned because of the coat, which even if it's pretty long, it's not enough to cover my bare legs. It also is heavy as fuck

Then I'm suddenly in front of the club's gigantic sign, where the entrance is guarded by a lean man. I cross the street and start swaying my hips as I walk. Not my forte, but I would look worse if I'd walk shyly in a goddamn strip club.  I give the guy a shy smile, to which his smile is so large that I cross the doors without saying a word.

The bass of the music is turned at the max,and my lipstick shines through the dim purple light. I go to the counter and the woman there greets me, which by the unbothered look on her face, she successfully mistook me for a stripper.

Next to me a real stripper shows up, and I follow her tracks to the locker rooms. I pass through the whole room: multiple stages, several sofas and couches for the watchers, and various rooms around the walls, for private shows. I walk into the locker room and I'm met with not more than eight girls, preparing their shoes for their performance. The other women are already outside, and I need to prepare quickly, both mentally and physically. Anything happens, the show must go on. I take my coat off and put it in a dresser with a broken door, and get into those insane high heels that, fortunately, I know how to use.

~

Mom is holding my little arms, and at the fragile age of 6 years old, I got to learn how to not break my neck while stealing my mother's heels. She said one day I'll thank her, but I already know.

~

I smile and lose my ponytail, and my waves are put to my shoulders. I take a deep breath, but is soon cut by a hand on my shoulder. I flinch but as soon as I see a blonde woman I relax

"Hi, you must be the new one! It's your turn now, go and have fun" we smile at each other and I nod, going ahead to the platform where the other woman is leaving the pole.

I hear the notes and my body starts moving around the metal pole. I must suck at it, but I put my faith in the various stripper vlogs I used to watch on youtube, and as I see money flow towards me, my movements start to be less stiff. I try to scan my surroundings, seeing the men's lustful and greedy looks, and a bunch of rings on various ring fingers, to which I try hard to not snarl at their faces.

I grip onto that pole and my hips sway in loud melody, feeling every stress and worry leave my body as I touch the ground again. No sight of him anywhere. The guys got me some pictures from where i could recognize him, but at the same time i try to imagine him with long or buzzed hair, beard or no beard, in any way he could've grown in a bunch of months with an unbalanced dose of extra or less testosterone.

I see a woman in the corner of my eye, and I understand it's my time to make an ending.

I retreat seeing the other men whine and smile again as the tall brunette takes my place.

As I retreat to the changing room, the same blonde woman comes running towards me. I stop my steps and watch her taking deep breaths as if she ran around the whole local three times already. She puts a hand on my shoulder and between gibberish I try to understand her words.

"Someone...man...money...book...room" I put two and two together and understand I might have a problem. Someone booked me for a private dance. She gives me a note with the room number, and as she drifts off, I stare at the ceiling. It was a simple come, dance, find, bye bye. Now i have to fucking dance for a guy and waste time.