The layers of Kaid Isherwood (The 1st book in the 'Layers' series)

Chapter 16

Kaid Isherwood's POV

Everything was going according to plan—or at least, that's what I kept telling myself as I adjusted the starfish costume in the mirror. Over the past three months, I had found many ways to fill my time and—let's be honest—quench my boredom. What's the result of that? I became a stripper starfish.

Yes, you heard me right. A starfish. You might be wondering what exactly that entails, and frankly, so am I some days. It means I wear a full starfish costume and pole dance. No, I don't strip (unless you count taking the suit off at the end of my shift). That would be a whole new level of unnecessary.

Most of the other dancers think I'm a girl. I'm not entirely sure where they got that idea—maybe it's my voice, maybe my hair, or maybe it's just that I'm so fabulous they can't handle it. It doesn't help that I get asked all the time how I attract the attention of the wealthiest patrons. Well, there's a little mystery there. Let's just say I've got a side hustle that keeps things interesting. That little tidbit of my life remains just between me and my bank account.

And speaking of side hustles, Lucan—my ever-watchful arch-nemesis—seems to have taken a special interest in me. He's one of the few people at school who's still trying to crack my secrets. Right now, he's trusting Mr. SBP (Student Body President), but I know how this story ends: Lucan won't be satisfied until he figures me out.

Oh, but he's wrong. I'm good at this. Too good. And if he only knew the truth behind Mr. SBP's identity, I'd never hear the end of it. It's way more fun this way, though, so I'll just let him keep guessing.

In the meantime, I've been getting cold and distant, or so Lucan says. It's not that I've changed—it's just who I am. I mean, when was I ever warm or fuzzy? It's not like I've been kind to anyone, so this is just par for the course. It's my personal brand, really.

Tonight was no different. I had to sneak out again to get to work. No one at school can know about my stripper starfish alter ego, and I've taken extreme precautions to keep my costume hidden. I've even added extra locks to my closet—because people are nosy. I don't trust anyone, not even Lucan. The fewer people who know about my secret life, the better.

So, with my costume securely tucked away in my room, I dashed out the door, locked it behind me, and sprinted to the bus stop. The only other person on the bus was eyeing me like I had two heads. Seriously? It's 10:30 PM. At this hour, you're more likely to see weird stuff on public transport than a dude in a starfish suit.

I ignored the stares. You get used to it after a while. Besides, it wasn't like I was doing anything weird for the night—this was basically my second job, and I had it down to a science.

When I got off at my stop, I quickly made my way to the back entrance of the strip club. The owner had given me a key months ago, and let me tell you, it's handy. No waiting in line for this guy.

"Hey, Star, you're cutting it close," the club owner greeted me as I walked in.

"I know," I replied smoothly. "But I'm here. That's all that matters, right?"

The girls around me shot me some looks, probably because I was still wearing my high-pitched, feminine voice—despite having no feminine parts. But whatever. I wasn't about to explain it to them.

"Well, get out there," the owner said. "People are asking for you. You're popular tonight, I guess. Go give the crowd what they want."

I grinned. This was the part I loved. I straightened my starfish costume, knowing it was time to shine.

And let me tell you, if you've never seen a person pole-dancing in a starfish suit, you're missing out. It's ridiculous in all the right ways. People pay for the absurdity of it, and that's fine by me. Who doesn't want to see a human-shaped starfish spinning around a pole with strobe lights flashing? I know I wouldn't get bored of that.

Sure enough, money started flying my way, probably because people figured they'd fall flat on their faces trying to do what I was doing. So far, I'd avoided any major mishaps. I was practically a pro at this.

That's when it happened. The one person I never thought I'd see here—the Headmaster—walked into the club. Of course, he didn't know I was working here. No one did. But there he was, strolling in like he was looking for a quiet drink at the bar.

He took a step closer to the stage, and I immediately froze. Our eyes locked. I felt a little sick to my stomach. I really didn't want him to recognize me. But, in true Mr. SBP style, he stopped in his tracks, did a double take, and just stared.

I returned his gaze, unflinching. Let him make the first move.

And that's when he lost it. The Headmaster—Mr. Quartson—dropped to the floor, clutching his stomach and laughing like I'd just told the funniest joke in the history of education.

The music stopped. Everyone stared.

"I heard there was a starfish stripper in town," Mr. Quartson gasped between fits of laughter. "Had to see this for myself! Never thought it'd be you, Kaid."

I raised an eyebrow. "Fancy seeing you here, Mr. Quartson. I've got a special offer for you tonight: Would you like a bag of blood, or maybe a lap dance?"

This set him off again. The guy was dying of laughter, clutching his stomach like I'd just told him the world's best-kept secret. But he didn't answer my question, which—admittedly—was a little rude of him.

He wiped a tear from his eye and sat up. "How exactly do you give a lap dance in a starfish suit?"

Well, that was a loaded question, and I was ready. Without thinking, I jumped off the stage and onto Mr. Quartson. There was a very loud snap and a strange sound, like someone had stepped on a twig. It didn't take long to realize I had just broke his arm.

Oops.

But hey, at least I gave him the lap dance he asked for, right? Kind of hard to ignore the fact that his arm was bending at an odd angle into my throat, though.

I quickly assessed the damage. Not only did I think I broke his arm, but I was also probably fired.

I stayed on top of him, waiting for the fallout.

A few minutes later, the owner came over, looking less than pleased. "Kaid..." he said, raising an eyebrow. "You're fired. But that was one hell of a performance."

Yeah, I think that counts as a win, right? In a weird, twisted way, it felt like I was living my best life.