The Pole Dancer

Red Lighting and Sexy Lingerie

My hips swayed while my hands gripped the pole. At times I'd arch my back, letting my long blonde hair fall as I lifted my chin up and turned around it. Every now and then I'd throw a sexy glance at the audience, usually consisted out of fat old men or curious younger ones. Always wearing minimal clothing and lacy lingerie but never showing any intimate parts, I left those same men breathless and wanting more. 

Other girls in this modest strip club are different. They provide 'happy endings' to their dances since prostitution here is legal. Thus they often dance topless. That has nothing to do with our boss Tom, because he doesn't want to be an owner of a brothel. He knows very well what they do, but he doesn't care as long as it is out of his club. I've always been his favourite and he seems to have a crush on me. Whenever I need something he'd be there to give it. Partly it is because he likes me, and partly because he knows I don't have anyone. I live alone with no family, and my only friends are the people here. Even girls treat me nicely, we are all very close here. Tom, even though he doesn't approve of prostitution, understands that some of them have family to provide for. I never cared who does what, I don't judge.

I took a break between my dances and went to stand at the entrance to catch some breath. Clothed of course. The security guards let me out and I stood on the wide pavement, watching the passers by. Some gave me a judging look, some smiled, and some didn't pay any attention. Tom came out, joining me. 

"Everything alright?" He asked smilingly. I nodded in response as my throat felt too dry to speak. Dancing is like running, it leaves you breathless. He put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer earning another smile from me. 

"I'm gonna go have some water." I said moving out of his hug.

Just as I was about to turn and go back inside, a tall blonde man passed by staring right at my eyes. Finding him handsome I smiled, but he kept on looking at me seriously. It all lasted a couple of seconds but felt much longer. Perhaps he got it the wrong way. Lots of men judge girls like me, probably he is one of those. I didn't smile to allure him and have him come inside, I just did it because I felt like it. Not giving it much thought, I went back inside.

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The alarm went off at six am, but I already got up. No one needs an alarm with neighbours like mine. I live in a very old building that seems to be falling apart. The lady who owns the apartments in it, my landlord, is too old to care to repair them. But I can't complain since I don't earn enough to afford a better place. In the apartment across from mine lives a couple. The man is an alcoholic and beats his wife. Sometimes they argue all night, that is why they woke me up this morning. In the apartment next to them lives Ellen, one of the girls who works at the strip club with me, and her five year old son. He is a very sweet child, I babysit him sometimes. On the ground floor there are also three apartments, one of the landlord herself, in one lives a guy who is an addict, and in the third some poor family. Yeah, it's definitely not a nice area to live in but you get used to it.

I ate some leftovers from yesterday real quick, and then put on a pair of high-wasted jeans and a white shirt, all buttoned up. I work part time as a librarian's assistant, so three days a week I have to spend sitting in silence with Ms Heilig. She is an Austrian woman in her late fifties who is really antisocial and doesn't like talking. I must admit though, her bone structure is splendid. She looks really good, and I imagine she was once a very beautiful young woman. 

I arrived to the library five minutes late and she reminded me like every single time to which I smiled innocently and apologised. I sat down at my desk across from her's and began reading a book I picked just like her. She always sits there and reads, but doesn't let me be on my phone. I can only either read or sit quietly. Sometimes I sneak into the toilet and use my phone. I don't do much work here, just put books back into their place, check them once a customer returns them and find the new one he or she would like to rent. Apart from the awkward silence between Ms Heilig and me, I can't complain about anything. Dancing at the strip club pays for my rent and other expenses including food, so the money I earn here is what I use to buy myself something nice and go out to the cinema or restaurants, and maybe save a little too. I've never been the study type so I stopped once I graduated high school. Obviously Ms Heilig and others at the library don't know about my little dancing job, because if they did they'd fire me instantly.