Unfold

Chapter Twenty-One (21)

*Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading everyone! Over 60,000 words in and it's all because of you guys motivating me to keep going. If you like this story, please vote!

I returned to my classroom this week and within two hours of setting foot in the school my throat started to hurt. I've been sick all week, so this chapter was edited while under the effects of NyQuil. ENJOY!
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Jean thought she would feel better once Shawn left, but as soon as he closed the door, she felt a million times worse. Part of her wanted to go and chase him, to tell him she was sorry, like she had always wanted Anthony to do when she left but he never did. Instead, she found her feet frozen in place until it was too late.

She sat on the couch and buried her face in her arms and she felt the tears roll down her cheeks. She knew it was for the best; Shawn and her would never last anyways. It was better to get things out of the way now before he hurt her or she hurt him.

She couldn't get herself to move and she eventually fell asleep. When she woke up, she remembered she had to work at Carmella's that night. It was the last thing she wanted to do; she felt terrible already. She knew she could always call off, as they used this weird point system, but she needed the money. Her hours were limited that week.

She took a shower to try to wake her up and quickly inhaled some food. She put on her fancy underwear, which she thought was stupid as nobody ever saw it. She decided to wear the black dress that Brooke had bought for her. She didn't know if it had always been that short or if it was shrinking in the wash.

She usually waited to change until she got there, but she wanted to just get in and get out. She threw a jacket on over the dress and headed out.

When she got to the club, she sat in her car and stared at the building. The neon sign outlined the silhouette of a curvy girl with her head thrown back. Jean couldn't help but laugh. This morning she was worried about what to wear to church, and now she was wearing a dress that barely covered her. She sat in the church wearing a high-necked blouse and pretended to understand what was going on. Who even was she? She was a hypocrite. A fraud. Here she was, working at a strip club but hiding it from the world because she was ashamed. She thought she was more moral than the girls who danced because she was "just waitressing." At least they had the confidence to know who they were.

She opened her glove box and saw the bottle of tequila was still in there from her first night. She had to take a shot just to have the confidence to go inside. Now, Jean grabbed the bottle and took a deep swig. She needed it to drown out the disgust she had for herself. It was going to be a long night and she need to get her fight with Shawn out of her head.

When Jean walked in, she couldn't help but laugh. It was a joke how dead it was inside. There wasn't anyone here, why was she even expected to be here?

Jean was there about 45 minutes before Brooke waved her over the bar.

"Sorry Jean, I might have to cut you soon," she said. "Didn't expect it to be this dead. I thought it might pick up."

Jean collapsed in the chair at the bar and saw that Donny and Matt were there, per usual.

"What's got you so down, Magic Jeanie?" Donny said teasingly. She didn't know if she loved or hated that she had a nickname around here now.

"Bad day at church," Jean said, knowing they wouldn't believe her. They laughed.

"Brooke, get this girl a double shot, on me."

Jean shook her head at Donny and looked at Brooke. "I'm working, Don."

"Were dead," Brooke said, pouring the shot. "What's the harm?"