LURE ✧ l.s. ✧

6.

The time finally comes for Louis to seriously start getting ready to go to the club. He tries to decide on an outfit which is harder than he originally thought it would be. At first, he figured it didn't really matter all that much considering he's just going to watch and maybe get a drink but now he's second guessing that. He wants to make a good first impression on Harry and any of the other dancers he might meet.

Louis' currently digging through all of his drawers and then all of Niall's too. As a uni student, he doesn't really have many options for clothing. All he really owns are black skinny jeans, t-shirts or sweats. He decides that black jeans and a red t-shirt with a small Nirvana smiley face in the corner will have to do. He does his hair, which for him really means he ruffles his fingers through it and then fixes a few pieces until he's satisfied with it. He looks in the mirror and is happy with how he looks, it's just the club after all, not the Met Gala.

Even though Niall already knows where he's going, Louis writes him a note saying he'll be back later tonight. He grabs his wallet and keys and then heads out.

When Louis gets to the club he parks in the parking lot and then gets out. From the outside, it looks like any other club and the only way you'd know it's a strip club is because there's a sign that says so. The building doesn't look huge but it's not small either. There are quite a few cars parked in the lot so Louis assumes that it's a pretty busy place.

He doesn't let himself overthink it before walking to the doors. He opens them and is immediately met with the sound of loud music and people talking. The club is crowded and to Louis, it just looks like a swarm of random people. There are girls and guys which doesn't surprise him because the club has both boy and girl strippers.

Louis starts to walk further into the club, as he does he sees the bar area and decides if he's getting a drink he might as well get it now. It'll probably be good for him to have a little alcohol in his system to calm the nerves he has.

After ordering his drink and then downing it Louis starts to wander around a little. He sees the girls dancing and it isn't that shocking or mind-blowing. It's not like he's never seen a stripper before. He does happen to watch tv and movies.

He notices how good they are though, and he thinks about how he'd never be able to do that. Everyone in the crowd is so focused on the dance and there's no way he'd be able to keep anyone's attention.

There are three different stage-like areas. The one in the center is bigger and is easiest to see but then on the sides are two smaller areas that are like pits almost. Louis also notices that there are a few strippers giving lap dances and drinking with the customers. He sees only a couple guy strippers otherwise the majority of them are women.

Louis decides to go back over to the bar area before he ends up getting caught up with one of the strippers or even just anyone in general.

When he gets over to the bar he orders another drink. He really shouldn't have because now he really is broke, but if he's going to be able to think without a million worries running through his head then he'll definitely need this.

After a few minutes Louis' already over it. He's seen enough to get the gist of it. So far he doesn't really have any sort of decision but he thinks he wants to do it, and it looks pretty fun. He saw all the money being thrown at the strippers and even if they're mostly ones, Louis' sure that after a few nights he'll already have ten times the amount of money he has now.

It just seems like so much work. At this point though, Louis isn't really allowed to complain about hard work. He needs money and this will honestly probably be the easiest way to make a lot of it at once. He just knows if he's going to do this he'll have to learn to dance and probably have to start working out.

"Louis?" Louis turns his head at the mention of his name. He looks around for a couple of seconds until his eyes land on the source.

"Harry?" Louis says to the guy standing behind the bar.

"Yeah. You actually came," Harry says as if it's the most shocking thing.

Louis awkwardly chuckles. "You wanted that right? I was supposed to come, right?"

Harry nods, his face falls back to its neutral expression, "Yeah, you were. How long have you been here?"

Louis looks down at his phone to check the time. "An hour maybe?"

Harry grabs himself a drink and Louis takes a sip of the almost empty one in his hand. "Mm, well, have you decided yet?"

"I think so."

"And?" Harry takes a drink of his beer.

"I think I'm going to do it," Louis gives a sad smile. "Don't really have a choice anymore."

"No one's forcing you."

"My car bill is. And student loans. I'm broke. I need the money and I need it now." Louis throws back the rest of his drink.

"You're in school still?"

Louis nods, "Uni."

Harry furrows his eyebrows. "How's that gonna work? Won't you have classes?" His face shifts into a serious expression. "If you start this I really can't have you quitting."

"Why? Not that I will, but don't you have enough dancers?" Louis genuinely asks.

"Not male dancers. If I get more that means more customers which means more money."

"Oh," Louis says as he looks from Harry back to where the strippers are dancing. "Will I have to wear that stuff?"

Harry shrugs. "Well, it depends on what impression you want to give."

"Huh?"

"Well, more masculine male strippers will wear more masculine outfits, well as masculine as stripper clothes can be I guess. If you're going for more feminine, which with your body is really the only thing that'll work, you'll have to dress to fit the part."

"So girl clothes?"

Harry nods. "Girl clothes."

Louis' quiet as he takes everything in. Harry seems serious about this and Louis really doesn't want to disappoint him because he's very intimidating.

"My only concern, like I told you, is that I can't dance," Louis finally says.

"Well, I guess I probably should've mentioned this earlier actually, but you'll have to audition."

Louis' eyes go wide. "What?? So this might not even be an option?"

Harry's lips turn up the slightest at Louis' reaction. "You'll dance for the crowd as if you're already a stripper, and if you do well enough then you'll be hired."

Louis is still very wary and might be starting to second guess this whole idea. He looks around at the club again. He doesn't really have anything to lose, there's no harm in trying is there? Who knows, maybe he really will do good.

"Well," Louis says to Harry, "I guess I'm auditioning then."

Harry smirks. "Great. Be here next Saturday and make sure you're dressed for it." And with that Harry turns and leaves, disappearing behind a door that leads who knows where.

Louis gets up from his spot at the bar and makes his way through all of the people dancing and drinking. When he finally makes it outside he breathes in the fresh air. This is crazy. It's the craziest thing he's ever done, ever will do, probably.

When he gets in his car his mind still hasn't fully processed what just happened. He's kind of glad he decided to pick up that body suit because at least now he doesn't have to worry about that. All he has to do now is figure out what the hell he's going to wear for shoes. Heels? It's not like he can wear his vans.

Oh, this should be good.