Love In A Lap Dance - Brendon Urie

The Parish

"Bailey! Wake Up!" Leanne cheered so full of life. I groaned and sat up. "I made you hot chocolate" handing a mug to me. I took a sip and felt warmth run through my body, which was surprising as I am a very cold person in all aspects. The hot chocolate tasted different but it was because it didn't have some form of alcohol like the way I would usually make it. This hot chocolate tasted like christmas mornings with your siblings and road trips with your friends. Something I had missed for a long time.

"thanks" I said with a soft smile. for a moment I feel as if I had reverted to my old self, the girl who always wore her hair in two braids, had large brimmed glasses an would do her homework. I picked up my phone and noticed the time. 7 in the morning? What sort of crazy person is this.

"Bailey, I'm gonna go to church" I abandoned my faith years ago. Sometimes I wish I had faith in something, because I could use a little hope.

"oh okay" I said yawning

"where's the nearest one?"

"well, what sort of religious are you"

"I'm catholic"

I scanned my mind and remembered that there is one walking distance from here.

"There's one down the road, but you do realise you could have googled that right"

"I don't know the wifi password"

"Oh true, give me your phone"

She pulls it out of the pocket of her blue jeans and hands it to me. I type the code in and smile at her.

"Get ready and I'll come with you" I said standing up and feeling my back crack

"Wait what? You don't seem like the religious sort of person" She said tilting her face and slightly looking like an owl

"I'm far from it, but I just need to wash all this fucking sin off me" I said with a chuckle walking over to my cupboard grabbing my uniform out and shoving my apron in a nearby bag. Leanne left the room and I changed into my uniform. It was a grey peplum skirt with a white blouse. I also worked the lunch shift at an Italian restaurant. I didn't need the extra money but I had to take the job so I didn't have to tell my aunt that I was working at a strip club. I just told her it was a very high paying place and she believed that shit.

I pulled my hair back into a bun and put on my glasses, I only wear my contacts when needed because I find them quite annoying and at the time the only ones they had in my prescription were a very dark brown. I would have had to pay an extra $25 for them in my color. I didn't bother putting on makeup because I was just going to have to take it all off later and replace it with a much trashier red lipstick or something along the lines of that. I always found it strange looking at my face without makeup these days, my eyes were puffy and natural redness of my cheeks came through.

I stuck a few pieces of gum in my mouth and then walked into out small kitchen/living area.

"You ready to go bub?" I said reaching for my keys on the counter. Leanne nodded and we headed out the door. The sun was blaring and I immediately had to roll up my sleeves. Once we got outside the complex I felt the burning hot pavement through my cheap target shoes and started walking faster to make the burning not as painful.

We arrived outside the church and noticed that everyone was already piling in quickly. We walked in and put some holy water on ourselves and sat right up the front. I looked around the room and took in the old stain windows with religious settings on them. It felt as if I was going back in time to when life was so simple. The priest and his alter boys walked in and the preaching began. I still remembered when I had to stand up, sit down and sing. I felt human here. When we did the peace be with you part I turned around and a woman with what seemed to be her two little children and her husband all shook my hand. They didn't look at me with judgement and for such a small thing it made me feel so happy.

Leanne went to go to drink 'christs blood' but I stayed put. The woman behind me tapped on my shoulder and politely asked "Would you like to come up to him with us? You can even go for a blessing if you just wish"

I turned to her and gave her a soft smile "I don't think I deserve any blessings anymore". She pushed one of her grey hairs out of her face and pulled me in for a hug. She replied "God will always forgive, all you have to do is forgive yourself". The lady walked off and I waited for Leanne to come back.

Once she did we walked out the door. What the lady said really struck a chord with me, not the god part though; I came to choose science over religion. But about forgiving myself, i didn't even think I had to forgive myself for anything but It really got me thinking. I shook it off and then turned to Leanne.

"make your way back home and I'll meet you there at 4:30, make sure you're wearing sports wear and that you're ready to be out the door". Leanne nodded and we walked our separate ways.

I made it to the restaurant on time and started working. It was pretty busy as it was the weekend but the owners were really good and made sure we were never understaffed. A man with the same unforgettable forehead as strange as that sounds walked in with one shorter man and one man with ridiculously long legs. They sat down at the back of the restaurant and I picked up a few menu's.

I walked over, passed them over and said in a cheery voice "Welcome to Francesco's. feel free to decide your order". Forehead raised an eyebrow at me, but then the shorter man slapped forehead's shoulder quite hard. I rolled my eyes and walked over to another table near

"Kenny, what the fuck man" One of the trio said quite annoyed.

"Don't be so rude to that waitress, she's just trying to do her job"

"I know she's trying to do her job, she just looks like someone i-i" he stopped in his tracks "forget it"

I gulped a little and went to the counter to pick up another table's food, gave them their food and then went over to the dreaded trio. I pulled out my pen and paper.

"Are you guys ready to order?" I asked looking at long legs

"Yeah. Could I get a diet coke with the ravioli"

"we'll have the three cheese pizza and two beers"

"Also can we get garlic bread for the table" forehead added.

I nodded and then scribbled everything onto my notepad. I gave the order to the kitchen and sat down as there wasn't another table i had to serve for at least 5 minutes.

Every time I had to go to that table there was a massive pit in my stomach. Dear God I hope it isn't actually the guy at the club, I like to keep those to jobs separate. That's why I had to quit my last job, I kept getting harassed.

The three men ate their food as if they were in an eating contest and waved me over for the bill, I walked calmly over and the lanky bean stalk of a man said "may we have the bill?"

I nodded, grabbed their bill from the counter, then placed it one their table. I served a few more tables, then came back to pick up their bill.

They were gone

I grabbed the bill and opened it up to see $200 dollars, their bill was only $58. I looked over to the exit and they had already left. I looked under the cash and saw they had written 'keep the change' in cursive lettering. I brought it to the counter to show them and then shoved the cash in my pocket.