Deception (Urban Fiction)

Chapter 9: The Show Must Go On

Harmony's POV

For weeks my life consisted of training, role-playing, packing, and moving. I worked endlessly trying to embody my new identity with Ezekiel and my pretend best friend Serenity.

Ezekiel helped me with roleplaying while Serenity helped me with stripping, and everything else that I needed.

                                                                                    Serenity

Photo Credit @dymondsflawless (IG)

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"Okay mamacita, open your eyes," Serenity says excitedly while standing beside me in my apartment's living room.

"You like it chicka?" Serenity says as I slowly peek between the crevices of my fingers.

"Girl, it's beautiful," I say hugging her.

"See Harmonia, I told you I could work my magic," Serenity says indulging in our hug.

"Once I am done with your apartment chicka, you wouldn't even know you live in a low-income area." Serenity says in her thick Spanish accent.

"Follow me, I am not done. I want you to see your bedroom chicka" Serenity says as she excitedly leads the way.

"Beautiful," is all that can escape my lips as I entered the room. 

"You did all of this?" I ask speechlessly.

"You know it mamacita," Serenity says while walking over to my plush bed and taking a seat.

Serenity and I have become very close in these last few weeks. The first time I met her in the strip club we clicked automatically. She has a very sweet and bubbly personality, although you'd be surprised by how freaky she is and all of the naughty things she's taught me how to do on the pole.

Serenity is Black, Asian, and Hispanic, but growing up she mostly was around her mother's side of the family who spoke mostly Spanish, so she has a thick Spanish accent when she speaks in English.

Serenity became a stripper four years ago to help her mother with living expenses and her family gain their citizenship. However, when her mother found out what she was doing to make her money, she disowned her and wanted absolutely nothing to do with the lifestyle she created for herself.

After being disowned by her mother, Serenity kept doing what made her money and never looked back.

Honestly, she has been an amazing person to me and has guided me through the ropes of stripping. She also has doubled as my mentor and my apartment decorator.

It feels good to have her around all of the time because I am so used to being around Neveah.  Without her, I probably would feel a little lonely.

"So, miss soon-to-be Desirita, how are you feeling about all of this at this point?" Serenity asks me curiously.

"Well honestly, I hope I don't get robbed," I say as Serenity starts laughing.

"No girl, I am serious. I appreciate all of the decorating you have done but in this neighborhood, I hope I am not a target." I say honestly.

"Chicka, do not worry about getting robbed, all of this stuff is replaceable."Serenity says reassuringly.

"I get that, but what if they try to rob me when I am home, my life is not replaceable," I say worried as hell. I have never lived in an area that has so many homeless people wandering around and asking for money. I think I even saw a prostitute while driving past the entrance of the apartment.

"I will make sure that does not happen. I will work on getting you an alarm system and making sure there are plenty of deadbolts on your door mamas. Will this make you feel a little better? Serenity asks sincerely.

"Maybe," I say hesitantly. "Or maybe I just need a-," is all I manage to say before being interrupted by the doorbell.

"I'll go get it," I say as I head out of my room and into the living room.

Reaching the front door, I look through the peephole to make sure it's not some random homeless person anticipating to come in and rob me.

"Aye Yo Desire, it's me," a familiar voice on the opposite side of the door says.

I open the door and in walks Ezekiel. 

"Damn it's looking nice in here ma," Ezekiel says while admiring my living room.

"Thank you, it's all thanks to-"

"Mi" Serenity says while walking into the living room and taking a seat on the couch.

"You got an eye for this decorating shit ma," Ezekiel says while giving Serenity a silent round of applause.

"Gracias Papi" Serenity says playfully to Ezekiel.

"You welcome. Say, I'm here to make sure you straight" Ezekiel says looking at me.

"Yeah, I am good as of now. Although, this neighborhood looks very shady, "I say blatantly.

"Welcome to my side of town ma. Some of the people mean you no harm you'll get used to them. Just don't be acting all stuck up when you be walking around here. People from my hood don't be on allat. Act like what you see is normal" Ezekiel says informatively.

"I'll try," I say playfully rolling my eyes. 

"Well look, it's almost that time to start executing the plan. I know my girl Serenity has been hooking you up with all the do's and don'ts when it comes to the strip game. So I think you almost ready. How you feeling? Ezekiel asks curiously.

"I'm feeling pretty confident as of now," I say hesitantly.

"My chicka is going to kill it. I'm not worried" Serenity says reassuringly.

"I believe so too." Ezekiel says.

"Say, don't mean to cut our convo short, but I gotta go get caked up with my boo. I'm gonna have to hit y'all up later" Ezekiel says while side-hugging me and Serenity.

"If you need anything I'm gone leave my black card on yo table" Ezekiel says as he pulls out his wallet from his back pocket and places his black card on my table.

"I know you are not about to go bother Nevaeh," I say playfully crossing my arms.

"You already know what's up ma. Me and yo bestie are about to go on a date tonight and she don't even know it." Ezekiel says as he heads out the front door.

To be continued...