The Womanizer

Chapter 10: Buttons

**play Buttons by The Pussycat Dolls when you see (*) for a better read

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(Flashback) Model City- Miami 1997

As the dim streetlights flickered on, casting long shadows across the pavement, Lauren crouched in the alley beside the corner shop. The urge for a smoke gnawed at her insides, her pack long emptied. She glanced around, ensuring no prying eyes lingered in the deserted street.

With cautious steps, Lauren crept towards the shop's entrance, her heart pounding in her chest. The neon sign buzzed above, illuminating the grimy windows and the silhouette of shelves stacked with goods. Her gaze fixated on the coveted pack of cigarettes behind the counter, tantalizingly close yet guarded by the cashier's watchful eyes. Taking a deep breath, Lauren composed herself, summoning every ounce of stealth she possessed. She slipped through the door, the bell jingling softly in her wake. The cashier, engrossed in a magazine, remained oblivious to her presence. With silent steps, Lauren made her way to the tobacco aisle, her fingers itching to grab the forbidden treasure. But just as she reached out, a voice cut through the silence.

"Can I help you find something?"

Lauren froze, her heart seizing in her chest. She turned to see the cashier eyeing her suspiciously, a faint frown creasing his brow.

Panic surged through Lauren's veins, but she forced a casual smile, trying to mask her nerves.

"Just browsing," She muttered, her voice cracking slightly. She hastily retreated, her mind racing with schemes to distract the cashier. As she edged along the narrow aisles of the corner shop, her eyes scanning the shelves, something else caught her attention. A row of glossy magazines, each adorned with sultry pin-up girls, beckoned to her from the rack, with their 'racks'. For a moment, she forgot about the task at hand, drawn in by the allure of the glossy covers. The images seemed to leap out at her, promising escape from the tragic reality of her life.

She reached out, fingers grazing the smooth surface of the nearest magazine. The vibrant colors and suggestive poses held a magnetic pull, stirring something primal within her. Forgotten momentarily were the cigarettes, her mind consumed by the fantasy world within the pages.

While Lauren's fingers hovered over the glossy magazines, her mind drifted to darker thoughts. The images of pin-up girls blurred before her eyes, replaced by memories she had long tried to bury. In the quiet of the shop, the echoes of her father's angry shouts seemed to reverberate around her. The sting of his words, the sting of his fists – they were a constant presence, lurking just beneath the surface of Lauren's consciousness.

She shuddered, pushing the memories aside as she clenched her fists, the rage boiling within her. If her father found out about this petty theft, about the cigarettes she'd secretly smoke, Lauren knew all too well the consequences that awaited her. The thought sent a chill down her spine. The thought of facing her father's wrath once more filled her with a bone-deep dread. She couldn't bear the thought of enduring another beating, another barrage of insults hurled her way.

But a sudden cough from behind jolted her back to reality. Glancing over her shoulder, Lauren saw the cashier eyeing her warily now, suspicion etched in his features. Heat flooded her cheeks as she hastily returned the magazine to its place, her heart racing with embarrassment.

With a forced nonchalance, Lauren resumed her search for the cigarettes, determined to shake off the distraction. But the memory of those pin-up girls lingered in her mind, a tantalizing temptation tempting her to linger just a moment longer. Pushing the thoughts aside, Lauren refocused on the task at hand, her fingers inching towards the familiar pack behind the counter. Yet even as she reached out, the memory of those glossy magazines lingered, a reminder of the fleeting escape they offered.