Worth It

Coke bottle

Patrick twisted his watch nervously as he waited for Ellen to arrive. He had been at the cafe they agreed on for ten minutes now, waiting. He sipped his warm coffee, leaning back against the cozy seat. He was in a secluded corner so no one would recognize him or Ellen when and if she arrived. Patrick pulled at his hair, starting to worry she chickened out, and he wouldn't blame her.

"Sorry I know! I know I'm late and I shouldn't be late I mean I like you I really like you and everything and you're getting me out I shouldn't ruin this-" Ellen had arrived, but Patrick had a feeling not all of her. He got up, reaching for her hands. Her pulse was double what it should be, and her body had a slight shake to it.

"Ellen. Look at me, are you...are you," Patrick lowered his voice, as to not attract suspicion. "Are you high?" He asked. Ellen immediately gasped, her eyes flickering each direction. She couldn't hide it. She was totally high on cocaine.

"Yes." She pouted, big green eyes glazed over as her heartbeat went faster. Patrick rolled his eyes, making a disgruntled noise. He didn't know what he was doing here. Ellen saw him move to go and her brows furrowed. She sat in his now vacant chair, feeling the world close in on her. "So you're just going to leave me? A dancer looking to leave the pole, who you promised you could save..."

Patrick turned on his heel, unsure what he had even promised. Could he save her? This starving actress hidden under drugs. He walked back to her.

"I'm leaving a cocaine addict. It's a different story-"

"Addict?! Right! Okay nice one Hollywood man." Ellen seethed, her pale body flushing. "They make us take it at the club! I don't want to! But our manager is a douche who makes us do lines every day during practice! I'm on a lunch break right now, but he will have us go again before showing him our new routines. Is that what you want to hear?! You stupid lousy rich prick! You judge everything before you read into it! I'm not some helpless street hobo getting high on coke because it's what I spend my money on! You can take your high and mighty attitude and go then!"

Patrick took a breath, reaching for her shaking hand still. He figured she would come off the high soon.

"Shshhh, calm down, it's going to be okay. I will help you still." He murmured, crouching down to be leveled with her. Ellen's eyes kept looking around but she eventually met his. Her breathing slowed, and Patrick nodded. "Better?" He asked. Ellen pushed back her hair, shrugging.

"I am coming down thanks bud," Her accent slurred as she spoke, body relaxing into the big chair.

"Want me to order you a coffee? I don't know what it does for drugs but cures my hangovers," Patrick asked, watching her stretch out. Ellen bit her lip, but eventually nodded.

"Get me some regular joe, and I doubt you've ever been hung over my friend." She teased. It was hard imagining the clean shaven, button up wearing man across from her black out drunk. Patrick ordered, leaning on the waiting counter, occasionally looking back at Ellen. She was an entirely different creature outside the club. Her body was covered, for starters. It was a mild day so she wore jeans and a tight crop top in green that brought out her eyes. There was something different, he could feel it.

"Here," The barista slid the coffee mug to Patrick. He walked it to Ellen, setting it beside her. She took a sip, smiling.

"This is far better than I expected it would be." Ellen mentioned between sips as she kept drinking. Patrick sat down in a chair across from her, nodding.

"So," he started, trailing off. It started to occur to Patrick that what the hell was he doing there, what would Jill say, and what had happened at the club.

"So." Ellen replied cheekily, leaning towards him. Patrick chuckled, staring at her.

"Well you have a sense of humor there, that's nice to know." He teased, pulling out his wallet. "This is my agent. Go in for testing with her...plan a few bits. She'll treat you real nice. So the next thing is,"

Ellen took the card, sliding it into her clutch. She nodded. "Hmhm the next thing?" She questioned. Patrick sat back, running a hand through his thick waves.

"Where are you living? What I mean is, like apartment, condo, paying rent with roomies- what is it? I know you're staying stripping for that." He explained. Ellen shifted, looking down. The corners of her mouth twitched with want to tell him, but she bit them.

"Oh uh I am uh well you see...fine," Ellen rolled her eyes at herself. She didn't quite understand what the meeting was doing besides giving her connections. "I live alone. Shitty apartment hole in the wall type deal. But I'm rarely home. Sometimes I sleep backstage, okay. A lot of us do. We have showers, and just get ready there." She revealed to him, looking down. She felt embarrassed, dirty. Suddenly her skin crawled, and Ellen began shifting in her seat. She pushed back her hair, rubbed her fingers together, feeling her jeans stick to her sweaty thighs. Patrick set down his drink, surprised. Well he hadn't been too surprised, he was expecting the club owner to be some shitty ex like a soap opera would do it, and he would have trapped her by the rent. He watched Ellen across from him grow insecure, and his eyes widened.

Insecure. That's what was different. At the club she was fearless, under the wig, under the rouge lips, those green eyes sparkling in the spotlight as her body shimmed. Out in public that was torn away from her, and she was quiet. Patrick had the feeling she was a riot when you got to know her, but she was certainly shy.

"I've slept on sets before and sure it's clean, and we got showers in trailers but don't feel bad-look Ellen you can't, shame yourself. You're doing this to better yourself, gain money. Don't look down on yourself , please." Patrick urged her, his voice low and soft. Ellen listened, nodding. She understood him, but also scoffed. He didn't all the way understand, he couldn't because he didn't live her life. "If you ever need rent money, I want you to ask me. And no I don't need it. I'm an actor who has made a few decent films,"

"No. No way I couldn't. I'm not some-"

"You feel like an actor. I haven't even seen you do anything but actors we, have this air about us and I don't want to see yours wasted. Ellen," Patrick sipped his drink, and sighed. Ellen sat up a little bit,

"Fine I will are you happy?" She replied, finishing her drink.

"Why don't you walk with me?" Patrick asked as he got up, offering his hand. Ellen looked back and forth, standing up.

"You know you're engaged right?" She asked him, feeling as if he was trying to take her on a date. Ellen clasped his warm hands in hers, heat rolling through her as they walked out. Being closer to him gave her time to smell the cologne he wore. At the club colognes were drowned out by the smoke, and the cocaine everyone was snorting. Ellen licked her lips.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"Oh I was going to walk you to the club. Don't you have practice soon?" Patrick paused, looking at the spring sun shine over her. Ellen glowed in the sunshine, making him smile.

"Oh that's sweet-" she paused as a car rolled past and a coke bottle was thrown out of it, smashing by her feet. Patrick instinctively covered Ellen from the blast,  afraid glass would shoot up.
She walked out from behind him, kissing his cheek as they both stopped panicking.

"but I can take a cab." Ellen leaned out into the busy streets, hailing a cab within seconds and she was gone.

Patrick's phone lit up, and he answered as he watched the cab go.

"We have rehearsal dinner tonight and you need to come be with your family Patrick Galen. Do not make me call you again."