You're Always You

Chapter Eight

Lydia Petrov

"Sasha, focus."

Lydia let a smile slip onto her face as she watched her friend squinting in various windows of the stores. Sasha, much like the other girls that Lydia worked with, had eyes that favored more expensive clothes and objects than what they could actually afford.

Fortunately, thanks to Richie, Lydia was able to afford just a little bit more than the other girls. Not too much, though, because she was still on a limit by him. He was the one that controlled budgeting, after all.

"It's so pretty," Sasha said with a groan. "I mean, look at that. I'd look good just walking out in the street and pulling it off."

"You would," Lydia hummed in agreement. She wrapped her arm around Sasha's waist with a smile. "But Richie already buys the clothes for us at the club. Focus on buying and looking at things that you would want to wear and can afford. Yeah?"

Sasha gave a groan and slouched over somewhat. They continued to walk forward to go past the store. However, Sasha had her eyes too locked on the clothes inside. Instead, before Lydia could really argue, Sasha reached over and grabbed her wrist to drag her inside.

"Sash," Lydia argued with a groan, but let her friend drag her along.

...There was no harm in looking, she supposed.

"Come on," Sasha said happily while dragging Lydia over to a pile of undergarments hanging up. She pulled out a matching set of a bra and underwear, dangling around. It wasn't even something that Lydia would wear for comfort.

It was stripping clothes.

"You know you want it," Sasha said.

Lydia gave a soft laugh and rolled her eyes. "I can't afford it, and neither can you."

"I can."

Jumping slightly, Lydia looked over her shoulder to see a stranger with a smile stepping up behind her. At least, Lydia assumed it was a stranger. It wasn't until she pictured his jacket open and a few buttons undone, along with a tightening near his crotch, that she recognized him.

One of the regulars.

"Hey," Sasha spoke up with a smile, since Lydia had her mouth shut. Sasha recognized the regular, but she was far more okay with seeing customers outside of the club. Sasha had nothing against flirting with the regulars. She said that it was harmless and that it only encourages them more to come for a visit when she's less dressed.

"Hey there, Rose." The man spoke to Sasha, using her stripper name. It wasn't all that much of a surprise, though it bugged Lydia. "Bambi," He greeted Lydia.

Lydia put a smile on her face, which even remained plastered there as he stepped up next to Lydia, squeezing her rear discreetly with his hand.

Pleasant...

"How about I buy that for you girls?" The man, whom Lydia had danced on top of multiple times but hadn't learned his name, spoke.

Sasha gave a warm smile and leaned forward flirtatiously. "Would you really do that for us?" Sasha said, looking over to Lydia. "Bambi here wants this, but I had my eye on something else. If... that's okay?"

"Sure thing, Rose." The man said as he released his grip from Lydia's ass, reaching for the lingerie outfit. Something Lydia didn't really want that much. She could've put it on for stripping, she supposed. Or maybe a surprise for Richie, later, if he was in the mood.

Who is kidding, Richie is always in the mood.

"Just be sure to give me a little bit extra attention later tonight, yeah?" The man said with a chuckle.

"Oh, of course~!" Sasha flirted with him as she handed him a short, short yellow dress. Something Lydia would have much preferred getting over Lingerie. Lydia felt like she needed to keep her mouth shut, since she wasn't buying.

...But, well...

"Actually," Lydia spoke up and smiled seductively towards him. Even though she wasn't at work, she decided to let herself act a little bit like Bambi. "Can I get a dress instead, too~? Or... would that be a bit too much?"

The man chuckled, falling for her puppy dog eyes. "Of course, doll." He said. The middle aged man began to put the lingerie back where it was hanging as Lydia stepped over closer to the dresses.

Lydia let her fingers run through the dresses before landing on one that was a bit more modest than Sasha's. Something Lydia felt that she wouldn't be horrified wearing out in public. Though... also something that Lydia pictured she could wear if she wanted to go stripping in it, too.

It was a two-in-one.

"You're wonderful," Lydia cooed as Sasha kissed the man's cheek. The man took the two dresses and stepped towards the cash register, leaving Lydia and Sasha to stand off to the side a distance away while waiting.

Subtly, Sasha raised up her fist to bump against Lydia's. "See," Sasha whispered to Lydia with a smile. "Little bit of flirting can get mama a new dress." Sasha teased with a giggle.

...

Lydia couldn't exactly argue. She would have liked to say that she was better than that, just a passerby, but she really wasn't. Lydia had wanted the dress and... flirted her way to get it. Lydia was on track to get the lingerie passively. The woman had to actively get the dress. She wasn't innocent in the slightest.

"No more," Lydia whispered back to Sasha. "You know he's coming tonight and we'll just get paid more." She pointed out. "It's not fair to him."

"That's all on him," Sasha pointed out with a smile. "He chooses what he wants to spend his money on. All he had to do was say no." She explained.

Rolling her eyes, Lydia stared at Sasha and whispered back, "You knew he wasn't going to say no to you, Sasha."

"Or you," Sasha pointed out, dragging Lydia down with her. Lydia let out a breath and shook her head, unable to argue. Though, Sasha continued. "...Think we could drag him along to the next store? There are these really cute earrings that I found-"

Lydia elbowed her friend. "Sasha-" She would have continued speaking if the man didn't return walking over to the strippers with a happy smile on his face and two bags in his hand. The man began to hand each bag to the appropriate woman.

"Here you go, ladies."

"You're wonderful," Sasha gushed as she leaned forward to kiss his cheek again. Lydia kept her lips to herself, uninterested. She had a boyfriend, and Lydia was very loyal. Richie was as well, as far as she could tell. Despite working at a strip club with Richie, Lydia had no reason to believe otherwise. All she could do was trust him until he proved her wrong. "So, are you busy now?" Sasha questioned with a smile. "Bambi and I could really use some company for our shopping."

No. No we didn't.

"I suppose I have an hour or so I can kill~..."

Great.