Youngblood

Chapter 4: Woke Up In Japan

Venus

As the routine came to an end with an expected She Looks So Perfect recap, Venus was glowing with sweat. She killed any last shards of hope as no one pulled her backstage, and she knew she didn't have time to meet the boys after the show. She sighed in defeat.

Kaia wasn't psychic, but she could tell when something was bothering Venus. "Hey sweetie."

"I'm so stupid." She responded, laughing bitterly. "I set myself up, and ended up disappointing myself."

"It's gonna be alright, Vee. There's always a next time." Her best friend pulled her away as they said their goodbyes to Chris and Andrea. They had 30 minutes to change their outfits in the car and get to the club. Racing the clock, Venus involuntarily changed into her red salsa dress, her feet still in the faded black converse she had worn during the show.

"It was so sick, though. Don't you think?" Kaia said as she applied red lipstick to her full lips.

"God, it was amazing." She replied as she pulled out of her parking spot. "I've never left a concert this early."

"Thanks to your asshole of a boss." Kaia was obviously sick of listening to loud music, that she turned the soft beat of Wherever You Are off with such violence. "I cannot feel my ears."

They reached the club quicker than they had anticipated. West was nowhere to be seen. Venus took her cellphone out of her duffle bag and gave him a call. "Where the hell are you?"

"What are you talking about?" He said, sleep heavy in his voice.

"Um, Hello?" Venus slid her feet into high heels. "The job????"

"Yeah, what's it gotta do with me?" He was so reckless that it fueled her anger. Not wanting to hear any more of it, she brutally hung up.

"What am I supposed to do, Kaia?"

"Hey, what am I? A tree? You got me, stop sulking." Her best friend lead her to the entrance of the club. She never ceased to lift up her spirits.

Her name was on the list, as she expected, and a bulky man in headsets lead her to where she was supposed to be. "Please stay in your position, we've got some hotshot celebrities coming in and don't want any trouble."

"Don't you worry about it, Dave. Is that your name?" Venus smiled innocently as the man rolled his eyes and walked away.

She looked around at the people, mostly intoxicated, and was comforted by the fact that she was gonna slide in and out, without a trace, no one knowing who she is.

A loud beat started to play indicating her turn to start dancing. A blue spotlight played over her head, and she swayed her hands with pointed feet as all eyes were upon her on the pedestal. She heard Kaia scream in the crowd and an involuntary smile crept on her lips. She kicked and pumped her shoulders and shimmied her hips with such normality that she felt she was swimming in water. This is where she was happiest. Cheers erupted from the crowd as she slid her hands over her dress and thrust her hips from side to side. She let her hair fly, she let her arms move out of her own accord, and she knew this was her moment.

Not daring to look at the crowd beneath her, Venus danced to song after song until the guard she decided to call 'Dave' held her upper arm, "We don't need you to dance here anymore."

Fairly enough, standing behind him was a brunette in a feathery dress and thigh-high boots. "What are you talking about? I'm working a job."

"No, we need you in the back." He didn't wait for her response as he pushed through thick velvet curtains out back. She had no choice but to follow him, and he ushered her inside.

She'd been into the VIP section of several night clubs with West, where he had taken her as his date, not his employee. It was a whole less crowded, with black lights and an assortment of seafood displayed on a large glass table. Dave led her to a pedestal high above level-ground, identical to the one she had danced on in the public section, with white lights covering the floor. Except there was one problem.

"A pole? Who do you think I am?" She could almost say she was offended, but knew what Dave had to deal with on a daily basis.

"You don't have to do anything out of your comfort zone, I'm just doing what I'm told." He gave her a sad shrug. "Someone requested we brought you back here."

"Who did?" Her curiosity ate her out. "If it's a creepy old man-"

"I don't know anything, I'm sorry." He stepped away before she realized how rude she was to him, and could apologize.

She faced her current wave; the pole situated between the floor and ceiling. She wasn't a stranger to pole-dancing, and knew she would rock the scene, but it made her uncomfortable. In her mind, she thought of the ten thousand dollars she was promised, and climbed up to her pedestal. Many people who were lingering and softly swaying to the music turned their attention to her. She closed her mind off before beginning to move in ways she never thought she would in front of a crowd. She owned it, she kept telling herself that. her hands wrapped around the cold metal as she hung her head back and arched her back. She saw strange faces looking at her with fascination, until her eyes met familiar brown orbs she had spent years obsessing over.

Her breath caught in her throat, she looked away before he could see the blood creeping up to her cheeks. She tried not to trip over her feet and to keep her mind in the dance that usually came so effortlessly to her. But he was here.

Calum was here.