Across the Hall

Chapter One

Isabela's POV:

I woke up to my alarm blaring as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes to get up for my day. I showered and did my usual routine just to grab a banana before heading to work. I'm never late but I said I'd be there early to help out before we open. I left my apartment but no before seeing my neighbour across the hall from me. Jaylin Hayes, she moved in over a month ago and I know she has another roommate with her. But since the day I saw her, I was attracted.

"Morning Jaylin" I said seeing her lock her door behind her.

"Morning" she replied, and I quickly made my way out of the complex to the café.

Delicate Bites Café was the hot spot of town, build and run b Black Corporation, I've had this job for six months now and the manager, Maverick, is truly the best.

I walked in seeing Maverick start to set up. Maverick is 24 years old and although she only has a small knowledge in business, she picked it up very quickly.

"Hey, I was starting to think you wouldn't make it" she said closing the book she had laid out.

"Sorry, I overslept a little, but I'm here now" I told her, and we began the morning preparations. Brewing coffee, warming up the stoves and setting down the stools for the morning customers. We run a tight ship but a simple 9 to 5 job. It soon became 9 as the chef, Cole, came in and we were ready to start serving. Maverick and I on the front serving and taking orders, while Cole cooked up meals and I helped if we had a rush.

Around lunchtime, Jaylin came in with her roommate who's named I've learned which is Nico. As soon as they walked in, my line of sight and Maverick were on them two as the seated together in a booth.

"You want this one?" Maverick asked as her eyes were glancing towards them.

"Don't you want to go see you crush" I teased her knowing she has a huge crush on Nico since the day she came here to ask about opening a garage around town.

"What about you, you said anymore to Jaylin or is it still hello" she teased back, and I pouted. We decided to flip a coin and Maverick won so she went to go take their order while I looked busy to wait.

When she came back, we gave the order through to Cole as we made their drinks.

"So Jaylin works with Nico, did you know that?" Maverick tells me to make conversation.

"I didn't know what she did but makes sense, she seem like the handy type" I simply said, thinking it fits her appearance.

"Oh yeah, can you imagine, them hands" Maverick teased again and this time I blushed as I shooed her away to take the drinks to the table. They received their food in record time and now finally things were quiet for us. I got out my journal book and flipped to the last pages to see my finances.

"Having money trouble?" Maverick asked as she sat next to me with her lunch.

"Not really, just need another job or a raise" I said hinting to her, but she shook her head.

"We are a small team, I can't, I can speak to the bosses but I feel like they'll say no, why not just get another job that pays more, I can put your hours down here and it'll work out" Maverick offered to me and it seemed like the only choice I had but no idea what else id do.

"I mean I can dance as a skill but what good is that for a job" I said and Maverick gave me a knowing look.

"Honey, there's a few jobs you can do with dance" she said hinting at what I thought she was.

"Are you serious?" I whispered to her, and she smirked.

"You have the body and the looks, plus you can hide your identity if you truly wish so people won't know, just try it, what's the worse that can happen" Maverick tells me, and I began to think about it and it didn't seem like the worse thing.

"I'll look around" I said and Maverick gave me a side hug.

"I'll come to your first show" she said making me laugh and shake my head. We finished up out lunch rush and began to wind down for late lunchtime and start to clean up the place.

We finished up for the day and I told Maverick I'll look at some clubs around town. So I spent the night calling placing and putting myself in for jobs and luckily I got a call back for a club nearby and also owned by Black Corp for seemed safe to be in the same company I work for.

I texted Maverick to say I'd need the morning off to go for the interview and she allowed me to. So the next day I went to the nightclub known as Gems and had my interview with the manager, Eliza. She asked me questions and even had me do a short routine dance to see if I could keep up and learn easily and she was impressed. She took me on board quite quickly hearing that a girl dropped out last second. So I was due to start tonight, so I headed back to the café for lunch time and explained everything to Maverick.

So Maverick was on board with coming to my show tonight and we even convinced Cole to join us as well. So after work we went out to get some last minute outfits and then I was at home getting showered and packing a bag while I'd meet Maverick and Cole there.

I left the apartment to bump into Jaylin and Nico leaving as well, their eyes landed on me as mine went between them both.

"Going out as well I see?" I asked and mentally facepalmed for the obvious reason.

"So are you, let's walks out together?" Jaylin offered as the three of us left the complex and they parted ways for our nightly adventures.

To say I was nervous was an understatement. I said hello to Maverick and Cole before going backstage as Eliza showed me around where everything was, introduced me to the girls and left then left me to get ready.

A few of the girls came to me to wish me look and some last minute advice which I was thankful for. I put on a trench coat and went out the back door where two guards were and waited for me as I took a cigarette break. I rarely smoke it's usually for stress related situations.

I took a long drag from the cigarette I had as the neon sign flashed above the door. I began pacing as I smoked. I looked to the bouncer, and he nodded to me. I put out the cigarette and he opened the door for me as I walked in.

I went down the hallway to the side room where the other girls were as they all looked at me with smiles and wished me luck. I went backstage to get ready to go on stage as I saw the girls go to a corner out of sight of the audience but just so they can see me.

The lights dimmed as I took of the coat, threw it to the side and placed on my mask to hide my face The curtains opened as the music started and as I walked slowly to the pole in the centre, the spotlight hit my feet first and trailed up my body as I walked. Wearing a black skin-tight fit and for it to be off by the end of my performance.

The light hit my face as the lights in the club turned a dark red, as I spun around the pole, showing my flexibility and how my hips move. It started out rough, but I got into it as the first piece of clothing was removed leaving me in a G-string thong and my chest still covered. I used the pole and climb up it to use my strength to grip the pol and spread my legs apart as far as a could before spinning into a curl on the pole and back down to my knees as I slid out and ripped open the chest piece leaving me bare chested.

The audience loving it and I saw one of the girls walking around to collect tips for me. I turned and bent over for a moment before standing up straight again and ran a hand through my hair before running and leaping onto the pole with my legs to spin around it before finishing leaning against it as the lights flashed out and cheers erupted.

I quickly went back behind stage but before I got my coat on I was engulfed by hugs from the other girls. All of them praising me and saying how good I was. I was on an adrenaline rush after that, never in my life I thought I could do that. We served into the night, and I got a chance to speak with Maverick and Cole a little and told them I'd see them tomorrow.

Before I left, Eliza gave me the time I had made when I danced, and I was shocked to see $450. I thanked her and she said she'd see me tomorrow since I would be only dancing on Friday and Saturdays. She gave me a bodyguard to walk me home, his name is Marcus, and he walked me home. I got in and smiled to myself knowing that my money situation may have just been solved.

Thanks for reading

~ Molly.