Title In Progress

For as long as I can remember, my "father", not really even a father, "raised" me. I don't know how to explain Marvin. He's...as some people say...a pimp. And I have a very hectic schedule. A lot is required of me. Weekdays, I walk the streets as a slutty teen and jump on every guy who is at least four years older than me. Weekends, I swing around on a pole. I really hate it. But it's the way I was brought up. I don't know my biological parents. Wish I did.

One thing about being me, I did go to school for a period of time. So I could be educated and whatnot. But I just recently dropped out. My grades were so bad and it was becoming too much. And it's not like I had friends. No one liked me at my old school.

"Kate! You're on in five!" Marvin yells.

I look at myself in the mirror and take myself in. My hair is perfectly curled, makeup perfectly done, my outfit only covering certain places. I can never figure out why I have to look pretty in order for it to get ruined later. You would be disgusted by how many animals there are out there. It's Saturday, so it's onto the pole I go.

I stand backstage and Marvin feels me up. I smile at him as if I enjoy it. He looks like he doesn't buy it, so I circle my hands around his neck and kiss him as convincingly as I can. He pulls me back and laughs.

"You have always been my favorite," he says. "But save it for them."

"What if I just want you tonight, hm?" I ask. I really hate the men I go home with. A little more than Marvin.

"Well, you're already scheduled for now, so," he slaps my butt. "Knock em dead."

I unhook myself from him and spin myself out on stage.

"Whoo! Look, Johnnyboy, that's the one from last Saturday," last week's customer says.

"Dad, that's gross. You're fifty two and she can't be any older than eighteen," his son says.

He's close. I'm seventeen.

"Hey, sexy thing, come over here!" The old perv hoots.

I dance my way over and get in his face. "Hi."

"It's my son's twenty first birthday. Wanna show him a good time tonight?" He asks.

I look at Johnny. "Are you up for it?"

He looks uncertain, but shrugs. "I'll take you to my place."

I look over at Marvin and he nods, allowing me to leave. But mouths, "Show some stuff first."

I look back at Johnny. "The Man says I gotta do a few tricks, but then we can go. Can you wait a sec?"

He nods.

I stand up and make my way over to the pole. I kick my leg and wrap it around the pole and spin a few times. Never letting go of the pole, I tilt my head back and let my auburn hair fall. I have blonde highlights and brown lowlights. I slowly lift my head up and strut to the other side of the stage. Old men stick money in my shoes and I blow them an innocent kiss. I spin away and do a few hair flips and sway my hips. I get more money thrown at me. I take it to Marvin and go to Johnny.

"Ready?" I place my hands on my hips.

"She's good, son. She's real good," he looks over me.

"Uh, yeah, let's go," Johnny says a little disgusted by his father.

We walk to his car and I go to the passenger side and get in. Johnny gets behind the wheel and I buckle my seatbelt. He does too and starts the engine.

"I'm not having sex with you," he says.

"Yeah, I figured. Since that thing with your dad-"

"It's not just my dad. A big part, yeah, but not the whole reason. As he mentioned, I'm twenty one," he says. "And you are?"