Afterglow ❃ l.m.j

• chapter forty four •

I was spreading foundation onto one of the dancer's cheeks when I felt a hand tap my shoulder. I turned with an eyebrow raised. Cherry smirked.

"Can I talk to you?"

I turned back to the dancer in front of me with an empty shrug. I finished what I was doing before handing the palette to the dancer, mouthing give me a second. The woman nodded.

I turned to Cherry, gesturing for her to walk. We left the stripper's quarters to go into a small nook in the hallway away from the chaos.

I looked at her expectantly. I had nothing to say so I refused to begin the conversation. There was nothing in her eyes to go off of either. She looked at me blankly even if a corner of her lips tugged upwards.

She looked down, fiddling alone with her fingers. The words seemed hard for her to come by. I crossed my arms.

"I just wanted to say thanks. For the ride the other day." She finally spit out. I waited for something more but that was all she had.

"That's it?"

She rolled her neck as if it was egregious that I expected more. I scoffed.

"You don't have anything else to say to me?"

She shrugged. "I still feel the same as I did. Just because I don't like you doesn't mean I can't show a little hospitality."

My eyes slimmed in aggravation. We sat there in silence while I just looked at her. I had a billion thoughts and none of them were good. I could feel my hands beginning to shake. A dry laugh of disbelief escaped my lips.

"I don't know why I expected anything more. You're a bitch. Always have been. Be grateful I did you that favor the other day. There won't be another." I pushed past her and back into the quarters before my words got any nastier. To hell with keeping the peace. She was working my last damn nerve. And I had a lot.

I walked back over to one of the girls, mumbling a slight apology. After asking if she still needed help, I took one of the eyeshadow palettes from her hands. I was filing through some of the nearby brushes when a voice brushed through the curtain, yelling at the top of their lungs.

"You know what? I've had enough. I think it's time we all have a conversation, shall we?" The blonde marched, standing on one of the benches.

Stefanie stood at her locker, looking at the woman a few feet in front of her with squinted eyes. We both locked eyes, looking for Rosé in the room who was also looking at us. Collectively, we rolled our eyes. I turned back to the girl in front of me, picking a shade of green to match her outfit. Leave it to her to start this shit. She was probably mad at what I said. Oh fucking well. I'm tired of being nice. I guess it's my lesson that leniency gets a person nowhere.

"How many of us don't feel comfortable in this locker room due to someone that works here?" A few hands raised. I looked up, looking at the selection. "And how many of you can say this person is in the room right now?" A hand or two raised. She snorted. "I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. Because how fucking unlucky of me, that I've had to work alongside someone who isn't even like any of us here. Claiming she's a woman and doesn't even know what being a woman means. All of these speeches, and all of this niceness to make y'all think she's a team player and she's just as much of a fucking snake."

I did my best to not look up. My hand shook as I held onto the brush. My grip was so tight it really wouldn't be surprising if I broke it. Tears burned at the back of my eyes. I knew she was talking about me, it was obvious. I didn't even want to think about whether other people noticed it too.

"Isn't that right, Peaches? Heaven's Door's golden boy— wait, I'm sorry. Golden girl. My mistake."

I broke my neck to stare up at her. My eyes were surely bloodshot red with fury. I placed my fists at my sides, fixing to say something when I heard a locker slam.

"Bitch, are you out of your fucking mind?" A voice I didn't even expect rose up. Valencia stomped forward, and everything happened so fast, I couldn't even process it. So many bodies jumped forward and of them all, I noticed Stefanie's. She reached a hand to grip at the shorter woman's ankle, and in a swift motion, Cherry's face collided with the pavement. And then she was climbing on top of her with fists flying. I dropped the makeup in my hands and rushed forward to grab someone, anyone, to move the fight out of the way. At the sound of the scuffle, several security guards rushed in, pulling girls apart and dissecting the small section of the room that was slowly filling with blood. The only remainder was Cherry who rolled around, clutching her face. Blood stained her from her chin to her head, her groans filling the air. Stefanie and a few other dancers were ushered out of the room by security and in rushed Ally.

My expression hardened instantly, locking eyes with the woman who easily had the power to stand between this somehow and didn't. Allyson blinked my way and then avoided my eyes. She turned to a guard.

"Get her off of this floor and into my office." She looked at me once more. "Now."