135 (Capital Steez)

25• Stockholm Syndrome

"You'll never leave me right?" Steez asked.

I laughed. "You're so paranoid. Chill out will you?"

"We have to start our jobs today."

"Are you serious?! I'm not even ready! I don't wanna do this! Fuck all this!"

"Don't give up on me. Stripping ain't that big of a deal anyway." He shrugged.

"Reallllly?"

"Mhm." He pulled a thread out of his sock.

"No. I have toooo much self respect."

"Steffy we need the money!!" He pleaded.

"If I'm stripping what are you doing?" I asked.

"Sell drugs. I already have some weed I can sell. Baby we gon make big money! We can move out this shit hotel and get our own place."

"Mhm." He chewed my bottom lip and scratched my shoulder.

"Come on! Lighten up. Why are always debunking my ideas?"

"Because we can't mess anything up! It's either we get what we want and need or we get caught. There's no time for mistakes. We can't make any. I just wanna make it." I said.

"Word, well Imma drop you off at work and I gotta start my job too. You wanna eat tonight right?"

"Yeah." I said with depressingly.

"Alright lets go."

•

I walked into a strip club. The place was pretty quite obviously because its only 12 in the afternoon. I was welcomed by an extremely attractive man and woman around their early 20's. They have to be about 18 or 21

"Can we help you?" The girl asked.

"Yeah, I'm looking for a job." I said strictly.

"And you came here?" The boy asked.

"Yeah. Something wrong with that?"

The girl smiled and the boy put his hands up surrendering.

"I like you already." She said. "What's your name thickie?"

"Stephanie." I answered.

"My name is Toni and this is your caregiver Prince. Nice to meet you Steph." Toni said.

"Caregiver? What?"

"Yeah, his job is to make sure you're doing fine and getting what you want."

"Basically a sugar daddy." I shoved my hands in my hoodie pocket and rocked back and forth on my heels.

"Somewhat but younger and more caring." She smiled. "It's a system we have here."

"More caring." I laughed. "Okay. I already have a boyfriend that cares about me, thanks but I don't need a caregiver."

"Yes you do. You wanna work here right? Having a caregiver is crucial." Prince said.

"Alright fine, so I call you Prince?"

"Yeah but I prefer Daddy."

My eyes widened and I pursed my lips. Toni chuckled.

"It's okay Steph. You'll get used to it. It was weird for me too at first. Plus you're his only babygirl so you good sweetie."

"Okay. Cool. When do I start?"

"Tonight. We lost a good number of strippers last week so we're recruiting more girls like you. Come on to the back and I'll show you some moves. You know what you're doing?"

I shook my head.

"Alright." I followed her to the back and Prince followed us.

Once we got to the back Toni sat down. "Prince is gonna talk to you first alright? Then I'll show you some moves."

He motioned me over and I jogged across the room where he was sitting. The room was big as fuck and dull with only a couch, arm chair, white walls and a pole.

"How are you?" He smiled. He has white straight teeth. The kind of smile that makes you wonder if he's up to something but it looks too sincere to have anything behind it.

"I'm fine. How about yourself?"

"I'm good, you're very respectful."

"Yes, I am." I smiled and stood in front of him. "Just don't try me."

"I already like you, you sure yo man ain't a simp?"

I wrinkled my nose and made eye contact.

"What? No! Don't ever disrespect me or my man. Fuck wrong wit you?"

He laughed.

"That shit ain't funny! Watch yo mouth b cuz I'll switch up on you anytime, any day. The fuck?"

He finished laughing. "Alright, alright, calm down babygirl." He grabbed my hand and kissed it.

"Whatever. So is Prince your real name?"

"Yeah."

"Cute name."

"Is Stephanie your real name?"

I rolled my eyes.

He giggled and grabbed my hand tightly. "I'm just playing mama. Cool out."

I sighed and sat down on the floor in front of him.

"So what's the move?"