The Unlovables

Elijah - 1

The cool air of the club hit me like a train as the door closed behind me. Breathing the cool air in, I heard an angry shout.

"ELIJAH! I swear ta' dah gods, if ya don' get yar arse ovah here, I'mma rip tha' prettah face ov' yars off!" The heavy Scottish/Irish accent drifted down from the stairs on the left, where a short human/faery stood, fuming.

"Benny," I drawled, earning a glare from the tiny female, "look, I had a rough night, and then there was traffic!" She raised her eyebrows at that.

"Rough night?" Her face settled into understanding, "nightmares?" She asked softly. I nodded. "Shit Eli, are ya takin' yar meds?" I nodded again. "Goin' tah ya therapy sessions?" As I hesitated, she hardened her look.

"They make me uncomfortable, Ben."

"I don' care! Ya need tah go! Ya lil' shite!" Shaking her head, she pointed at the left corner pole, "Ya get tha' left pole todah, okay? Now go get dressed!"

I laughed and smiled at her, to let her know my happiness at her understanding. She just nodded and walked off, presumably to go yell at a rude customer.

I grabbed my bag, walked as fast as possible to the changing room, and changed into my gold shorts with a fishnet like shirt that I only wore on 'left corner days'. I shoved my bag in my locker, the one on the top of shelf 2B, and walked over to the left corner pole. Shoving my hair into a messy bun, I wiped down the pole with a sanitizing wipe which I promptly threw away, and started to warm up. After I got used to the pole, I stretched to the best of my ability on the platform that was unsmooth from years of damage from presumably heels. The wood was also old and in dire need of replacement. I should probably tell Benny soon.

Once ready, I began my usual routine, waiting for people to pool around. Luckily, people don't usually go this far back, that's why I get it on my bad days, however, there are some people - regulars that know me - who watch and tip me back here.

I danced for about three hours, gaining a total of 253 dollars in tips, a surprisingly large amount for the left corner. It was nearing break time when Bobby walked in with a small demon, who looked sorely out of place with tense shoulders and a beat up face. Bobby then introduced them to Benny, who nodded at something Bobby said, and looked over at me.

"BIG AN' TALL! Get yar sexy arse ovah here! We's gots a new person!" I jogged over at her first word, but she continued speaking even after I was already there.

"Yes Benny, we get it, you like to talk, what about you little dude?" I smiled warmly at the tiny demon. "What's your name?"

He looked up at me, "Delta."

"Delta, that's a nice name, my name is Elijah. So, you wanna work here, huh?"

He nodded

"Okay, well, let me show you around."

Gently pushing Delta by his back, I showed him around Ben's Faeries. "Here is the bar," pointing out the L-shaped bar with all kinds of drinks behind it, "Usually Neold, Patrick, or Lenny works behind the bar, and over here," the locker room, with all the shelves, "is the locker room/changing room, where people can change or leave things they want too during their shift," Looking over at the poles, "and here is where the magic happens. The poles. You ever worked on one?" Not really giving him time to answer, I spoke again, "doesn't matter, someone'll teach you. Questions?"

He shook his head, and I suddenly got a feeling.

"Whatever you need man, I'm here."

He hesitated for a second "Is there a place for the workers to stay?"

"You don't have a place?" He shook his head. "Well, I guess you're coming home with me."

His head snapped up at that, and he looked at me with wide eyes.

I flashed a disarming smile and said, "look, I have to go back to work, but feel free to roam and watch, we'll get you set up tomorrow. And when I get off my shift, I'll take you home, okay?"

Without waiting for a response I just walked back to my pole and continued my shift.

I decided to watch Delta, and with the way he slowly became accustomed to the environment, I believed he would settle in quite well.

After all, Ben's is known to pick up strays.