Love Bites

Chapter 1 - Welcome To The Jungle

- Don't you think I look a little...weird? - asked Charlotte after taking a look at her herself. She was standing in front of the mirror in the living room of the flat she shared with her best friend Elle, wearing very high heels and a short dress that hugged her figure so tight she could hardly breathe.

- Weird? You look hot as hell!

- Isn't it a little too tight? - Charlotte tried to pinch the skirt of the dress but failed, - I feel like I'm naked!

- Everybody looks like that, Charlie, it's LA, not Louisiana!

- Maybe you are right...

Charlotte Withers, a former Alexandria resident, moved to California with Elle only two months ago, and was still a little shocked by the way people here are. Unlike friendly Louisiana, where everybody knew everyone, Los Angeles dwellers were often cold and ruthless. Every second girl you met was either an aspiring model or an actress, and nearly all of them had a night job as well. All guys were muscular, tall, had snow-white teeth and completely ignored Charlotte. Most of them were either screenwriters and wore scarves around their necks, or played a minor role in series on cable TV and had a six pack.

Charlotte was thankful to her parents who send her a little money every two weeks. She saw a lot of girls around her age partying every night, wasting all their dough and then having to strip off in the clubs or sell themselves. Fortunately, Charlie was smart enough not to waste money like that, and she also had a job that seemed quite steady.

The epopee began last summer when Elle, having graduated high school, announced she was going to California to pursue an acting career. Elle's orderly parents went mad but, luckily, it turned out that her estranged aunt Marie was then living in Los Angeles. Charlie went with Elle, pretending to be going to find herself, but actually begged by Elle's parents to keep an eye on their careless daughter.

When the girls arrived in Los Angeles, they were greeted by the news that Aunt Marie has decided to move to the country to "give her old lungs some fresh air", and the flat was completely at their disposal. It was great news because Charlie has assumed living with another's aunt was strange, and, as she later learned from one of her new acquaintances, it was nearly impossible to rent a flat in LA if you weren't a billionaire.

Since them, Charlie has been spending her days on the wild and wonderful streets of Los Angeles and working shifts at Johnny Rockets. Elle was always going to movie auditions and earned her living by modeling. Charlie was slightly worried by her friend's job, as it seemed somewhat menacing to her, but it seemed to be going good for Elle so far. She's even took part in filming a milk commercial and made an appearance a Seventeen.

Today's evening was bright, warm and sunny as most Californian evenings, and Elle suggested going to the Alouette's. It was one of the most notorious and luxurious night club on Sunset Strip, and it had probably the most expensive entrance and the strictest face control. However, Elle claimed to know the security guy, and so they were getting ready for the fun night, dressing up in their best clothes.

- We just need to make it up, - said Elle in a sing songy voice, looking for her beauty case. She was wearing such a stiff and short leather skirt she could hardly walk, but she didn't seem to be bothered by that. She rushed to the sofa, squatted and took a case out from under it with a triumphant whoop.

- Close your eyes, Charlie, I am going to make a Janice Dickinson out of you!

- No, thanks, you know I don't like that paint! - cringed Charlie and stuck out her tongue, - it's so icky!

- It's not! You want to look good, don't you?

- I look fine enough without that.

- Too late to complain, I've already begun.