Stripper || z.m

twenty-five

"What the hell are you even doing over here with so many profits? All the strips clubs in Miami and this is the one you chose to frequent." People pass back and forth in front of the car, each patron cause my anxiety to rise, thinking I'll get caught.

"This is neutral grounds." The pressure building up in my forehead is unreal but we're in this mess and the only way of both of us coming out safe is leaving. "I don't know what to do Zayn, if I get out I'll get questioned on why I'm here or even near your car. If I start your car and leave I'll have damn near every hear on the blocked turned my way, it's literally a lose lose situation." I weigh many variations of outcomes, none of them end in victory which scares me.

The line stays silent on both ends which seems to last a lifetime. Zayn trapped in the locker room and me trapped in his car.

*Y'all out?* Bunny being late to see if we're gone rings a bell in my head.

*Theyre all outside and I'm in Zayns car. I need you to find a reason to have everyone come inside*

*Bitch, are you serious... give me a moment*

"I think Bunny's going to figure something out."

"This isn't her battle Kasmir." I know Zayns annoyed with me, he has every right to be. He's a grown man sneaking around as if he were a teen, I'd be pissed as well but with the circumstances we're in I'm more than happy he's playing along for me. Moment later I hear a loud muffled voice over the speaker and patrons start rushing in. Both men and women flood into the club and I anxiously wait for Zayn to emerge.

As expected a few stragglers to stay outside but even if we were to get caught it would still give us time to escape and the others would only be notified. My hands shake from all the nerves produced over the last hour as I patiently wait for Zayn to come out. Somewhere between our last spoken words and the dj making an announcement, the call dropped and I'm sent to voicemail eveytime I attempt to call. "Come on Zayn." I frantically shift my eyes across the front of the building and imagine hime running towards the car and it seems like hours before I see him causally stroll from behind the building and walk up yo the car.

I unlock the vehicle and he falls into the seat. "Some fucking plan." He rolls his head over to me and I shrug.

"We both made it out, that's a win for me." He smacks his lips and ignites the engine wanting us glares from the remainder club goers but just as soon as they're looking, Zayn backs out of the parking spot and speeds off. I've seen a few of them around the house from time to time so I know it's only a matter of time before one of my brothers are informed and I'm being contacted on my whereabouts.

"Never again Kasmir. You know how fucking stupid you had me looking in there?" His fist grip the wheel and even in the dark of night I can see his knuckles turning a shade of white from him gripping so hard. "Zayn, with or without me you would've had the same outcome. They know who you are and you know who they are, don't act like this is all on me. You were at the club before I even showed up."

"But they didn't show up until you did." The way he's trying to pin this on me is infuriating. "You act like i specifically told them to go there, they don't even know I'm a fucking stripper. Do you really think I'm trying to get you caught up, let alone myself?" At a red light he manages to find a perfectly rolled blunt in his glove compartment and light it within the time before the light is green. "You want me to drop you off or what?"

"Fuck no." I watch as the high rise building pass by the car window and leave within the blink of an eye. I wonder what it would be like to live in them, what job I would have the friends I would hold. What my life would be like had I not been born into this family. As we ride through downtown, Zayn lowers the windows and plays calming neo-soul, the high seeming to take a drastic affect on his mood. He pulls into a beach parking lot shuts the engine off and opens the door. "You coming?"