"Do I gotta whoop somebody ass to get it moving in this bitch?!" I hear Madame Cheddar yell to her girls all the way from the locker room.
I straighten up as I slither through tables, offering flirtatious smiles as I drop off their bottles and eyes droop down to my cleavage, their leering eyes follow my ass as I walk away.
The thoughts behind those eyes would probably leave my skin crawling, it's a good thing I can't read minds.
I feel my phone buzz and I immediately look around into the purple haze to see if I'm in Madame Cheddar's line of sight before I pull out my phone from my waistband.
The bass from the speakers around me somehow manages to get louder, I have to plug one of my ears in to read my messages. My eyes light up when I see who it's from but, the feeling is immediately followed by a horrific pit drop in my stomach.
Tomorrow's the deadline and I haven't even gotten half of the money.
Darius
hey, you still coming tonite?
Me
Of course, I've got your food. Just got to make a little more before I start heading over.
Darius
dw about that, I just need you to come see me, I feel like I'm rotting in here fr
Before I can text back a reply, I feel some one breathing down my neck and immediately flinch. "Chill girl, it's just me," Tasha says, she's chewing gum like it owes her money again.
I turn to face her fully and exhale.
We're both bottle girls at this club and we've spent so much time together in the same onionskin uniform, the term "bestie" feels like a flimsy tag.
"Was that Darius, how's he doing?" her expression softens as she asks.
I shrug as I slip my phone back into my waistband. "He's hanging on."
Tasha's breath catches, "Don't look now but Mr. Sexy Bands is staring right at you,"
My face scrunches up, "Who now?"
Tasha smirks, "That hot guy from last time. Remember? The one we–"
"Oh no," I say quickly, "do you think we're in trouble, why is he back here?"
I whip my head around, eyes scanning the crowd and sure enough there he is. He's seated at the other end of the room, the same place he sat last time. It's where our VIP customers seat, and he's sat there like he owns the place. Manspreading like there's no tomorrow.
My eyes trail his body upward and we lock eyes.
I'm caught off guard by the intensity with which he stares at me, but then he slowly looks away.
I think I'm fucked.
"It's a shame he and his friend are such pricks, he's so unbelievably hot," Tasha says, we're both staring at him, watching his movements. I give her a judgy look and she wiggles her eyebrows at me, I hate that she's right.
"What the fuck?" Tasha whispers as we watch him wave Madame Cheddar over. My chest tightens every passing second as I watch them talk in each other's ears. They both turn their head to look in my direction, and then he nods his head toward me.
"Fuuuck." I and Tasha curse simultaneously.
He hands Madame Cheddar a big wad of notes and she smiles at him, says something to him and then starts walking in our direction.
"Fuck girl, l'm finna dip. You should too," Tasha says quickly as she ducks behind the curtain that leads to the back.
Before I can process my next action, I hear Madame Cheddar bark my name. "Leona!" She pushes through a group of dancers to get to me, the music is roaring loud but her voice manages to slice through it.
"Yes, Madame Cheddar?" I say as I turn to her, plastering on a fake smile.
"That man over there wants you," she motions towards him. He's standing now, talking to men who seem to be his bodyguards. I blink slowly.
"Do you know what he wants me for? I'm not a dancer," I say tentatively. Say the wrong thing with Madame Cheddar and she'll go nuclear on you.
"Girl, I don't know and I don't give a rat's ass but you better give him whatever the fuck he asks for," she orders waving the wad of cash in my face, "and wipe that constipated look off your goddam face, child. Go!" she pushes me forward and gives my sparsely clad bum a hard slap, the sting sends me on my heel.