westward grove

four

Lauren had brought me up to the roof of the club, using a secret staircase that I was apparently never allowed to speak of to anyone. I hadn't even been working here for half an hour and I already knew the deepest secret harbored within the walls below.

The scenery that was visible from up here was incredible, definitely worth a life of secrecy. Miles of sea green ocean was visible. Plenty of people were surfing, and even more were simply enjoying the beach.

"The view is beautiful, isn't it?" Lauren asked, admiring it before sitting down.

A lawn chair and a table were the only pieces of furniture on the roof. She opted for the table, insinuating that I could take the more comfortable seat. As much as I wanted to absorb the sight before me, I stole more than a few glances at Lauren.

She passed me a cigarette, which I lit graciously. I was never really committed to quitting, but the habit wasted a lot of money during a time I needed it.

We sat in silence for a few seconds, and I decided to start a conversation. "So, tell me about yourself." I requested, bringing up memories of a conversation we had the day before.

Lauren ran a hand through her hair, obviously musing. "Well, to start off, my name is Lauren Michelle Jauregui. I was born and raised in Miami, Florida. I spent some time in San Francisco when I was younger, though. Both cities hold my heart." She stopped for a moment, taking a dramatic drag of her cigarette. "I like to think that everything is complex and subjective. I'm pretty certain that nothing is certain. I believe that people can change, no matter how far gone they are. In addition to that, I believe in love at first sight. It's completely ridiculous, and there's no way it's real. I still believe in it, though." Lauren concluded the self explanation gracefully, by rolling her eyes at her own statements.

"You're pretty complex and subjective yourself, Ms. Jauregui." I joked, pushing her shoulder.

Lauren rolled her eyes, scoffing in a less than serious manner. "Shut up, Ms. Cabello." She requested light heatedly, but grew serious once again. "About you, though. What's the deal? Girls just don't become strippers. What went wrong?"

The question caught me off guard, but I knew it was playful. "I have an unpleasant relationship with my family." I admitted with a dramatic sigh. "Things went horribly wrong in that department, especially with my mother."

Lauren smirked. "Mommy issues are debilitating, honestly. How do you deal with that weight on your shoulders all the time?"

"You don't even want to know." I told her honestly, flashing a half smile.

Lauren shrugged."I'm just trying to figure you out. Mommy issues are debilitating, though. How do you manage?"

I wasn't sure whether she was trying to get inside of my head or was just joking around, but I decided I'd play whatever game this was. "That's cute, Lauren. You're cute."

"Nah, I'm not."

"Yeah, you really are."

"I'm not cute," Lauren replied quickly, shooting me a venomous glare.

"Nope, not cute at all."

"No, I'm not."

"You really believe that, don't you?" I asked. "Come on, Lauren. You're a kitten."

"You think I'm a kitten?"

"I don't think you are, it's a fact."

"We'll see about that." She mumbled before flicking her cigarette off the roof.

Before I knew what was happening, I was on my back. Lauren straddled me tightly, giving me no room to move. We made intense eye contact, neither one of us breaking it.

After a few moments, Lauren released a deep sigh and climbed off of me.

I stayed glued to the lawn chair, my mind reeling. I wasn't sure what had just happened, let alone how to process it. One minute Lauren and I were engaged in light banter, and the next, she was on top of me.

"I have a girlfriend." I said, deciding it was a relevant fact. I finally stood up, brushing myself off.

Lauren's face dropped a little bit. "Oh, shit. Yeah, that's right. Your black girlfriend. I forget about her, if I'm honest." She admitted, a look of guilt flashing across her face. I supposed she figured her actions were out of line.

"Me too," I replied without thinking.

Lauren looked like she wanted to say something, but bit her tongue. "I'll try not to come onto you like that again." She promised, but smiled mischievously."In the meantime, though, we should head back. I have my best girl showing you the ropes today."

"I.. uh... Yeah." Was all I managed to reply before we made our way downstairs.

/

I couldn't manage to push thoughts of Lauren and the incident on the rooftop. She jumped on top of me, and I didn't push her off. Even though I knew it was wrong, I didn't feel bad about it. The instant connection between us was real apparently

Despite my clouded mind, I enjoyed expanding my knowledge on stripping. I had a little practice with it, but only from sexual expeditions. Learning how to actually work a pole, preform a slut drop, and grind was riveting.

A girl named Dinah was teaching me everything I needed to know. She was a fantastic stripper, and fun to be around. She was pretty set on staying on topic, she takes the job seriously. We ended up talking quite a bit, though. As it turns out, we have a lot in common. I had a feeling we'd become good friends over time.

By the time Dinah was done running me through everything, I was completely exhausted. As I biked home, I realized that I was going to be very tired for the next few weeks. I was in good shape on account of the fact I had to commute on foot everywhere, but this was next level exercise.

All things considered, I was happy with where things were, and where they were headed. I had a promising new job, an interesting new boss, and a definite friend. Even though strip clubs were usually gross, and stripping was usually a grimy job, it was surprisingly pleasant.

Sometimes all you need is a change of pace.

a/n: plugs

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