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2/24/17
I RUSH OUT of the apartment casting a hurried goodbye to my roommate before climbing into my car. I don't want to lie to my friend about my whereabouts, but I also fear telling anyone the truth about my job. So I avoid any questions about it like the plague and pretend I work at a dinner in the shady part of the city. I notice the sky for the evening is darker than usual almost like a storm is brewing. Like the weather knows my life is in a downward spiral and decided to mirror it.
I graduate from college, a prestigious college at that, in seventy-eight days. The first in my family to graduate high school none the less college. I am supposed to be going places, making money, becoming a hot shot in the big city of Chicago. But no, I'm not going anywhere. I have no idea what I want to do with my life, where I want it to go, and who I want to do it with. I've never been so confused and off track with my life. The only thing I know and am confident about is my job.
The job no one knows about because I would be an outcast. People would throw their judgments my way, and I don't need that in my life. I've had to pay my way through college. Sure I received scholarships but those didn't cover a lot, especially when you live in the city.
So I got this job. At first I was skeptical about it, but to be completely honest I love it. It's no career, but it is fun. There's this part of me that comes over, and I get to be whomever I want in that small moment. No more small quiet Maxine. No, I can be outgoing, daring, sexy, and confident. Things that in real life is hard for me to be. I'm none of those things, but in that little window of time I can pretend, and pretending is fun.
I slow down and take a left at the stoplight to turn down a dark road. The building is slightly hidden, which is odd for a place like this. Most have big flashing lights to grab men's attention so they pull off the highway, and throw their hard earned cash where they don't need to be spending it.
But not this place. During the day it is just a simple building. But at night it's in the shadows, almost drowned by the darkness. Drowned by seduction, sweat, and glitter. I pull into the back parking lot and quickly slip in through the back door.
I head towards the dressing room and slide into the seat at my vanity. I click the light on and the bulbs that line the mirror spark to life. I stop and stare at my reflection for a single heartbeat. My dark auburn hair in stark contrast with my pale skin, my bottom lip fuller than my top, my eyes a dark blue that don't represent my personality at all. They resemble a stormy sea, an ocean with courage and passion. I wish I could be as wild as my eyes betrayed me as, but no. I'm too reserved, too timid, too scared of ever trying anything outside my comfort zone.
The door opens and two girls come chattering through. I shake my head to clear my thoughts, and take my makeup bag out and start to apply some moisturizer.
Allison sits down a few chairs away. Her long shiny blonde hair bundled up on top of her head as she begins to set her station up also. "Hey Max how's it goin' tonight?" she asks while smacking her bubalicious gum loudly.
