Natalie had a boring shift all throughout the week. Jenna took the week off so Natalie was stuck with register duty. Yay. Believe or not, that is not sarcasm.
The week has been unbearably slow but it gives Natalie more time to anticipate the events of Saturday.
The free days in her week was channeled towards watching YouTube videos on how to be a bartender. If it is done as on the internet, she might even get a raise on her first day.
Who would've known that she'd end up in this position? Juggling between two jobs while struggling to pay a rip-off rent.
Natalie can't wait to see what LowiSe can offer. With the nature of the heels and dresses Polly wears to clubs, she can say the offer is pretty bounty.
"Are you cooking or what?"
Natalie mentally sighs before removing the remote from her lap and placing it on the center table. Sometimes she wonders if Polly only uses her for cooking and nothing else. This is a vital reason why Natalie has been looking up cheap houses around the neighborhood. A nice self-con in an elderly neighborhood will suffice.
Quietly whipping some spaghetti and tiny meatballs, Natalie hums as she dishes the swirly hot goodness into small bowls for both of them while blowing off the baby hairs that keeps getting into her eyes.
"When are we going to the club?"
Polly glances at her briefly before she turns back to face the TV. She purses her lip before kissing her teeth, "We'll go by 9pm since it's your first time. Your bank account wouldn't want you to be late," she shrugs casually.
Natalie beams before replying, "Um... Dinner is served then."
Four hours later, a nerve-racked Natalie and a scowling Polly is walking through the huge doors of LowiSe. The usual wolf-whistles is louder than usual, maybe it has something to do with the tight bum-short and lace sports bra that Polly had on.
When Natalie set eyes on her cousin's outfit, she couldn't help but wonder when sports bras are styled in lace form.
"Oh my Gosh, Natty!" A loud peppy voice squeals behind the duo.
Natalie's brows raises in apprehension, "Kaller, Hi!"
Polly turns too and immediately she does, her frown deepens. She crosses her arms around her chest, this causes her breasts to push up.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Polly says with an attitude.
Kally mirrors Polly's facial expression. Her lips pulls on a sneer.
"Um, Excuse me, dumbo. I work here. I guess your brain is too small to accommodate that fact,"
"You bit—"
Natalie gulps loudly before tugging the raging black woman's arm lightly, "Polly, let's go meet Tony now, come on."
Polly yanks her arm forcefully even if Natalie's grip wasn't firm at all. She passes her signature glare to Natalie before turning to Kally.
"Look here, you slu—" Polly begins but her counterpart cuts her off before she even takes off.
"Girl, shut the fuck up and go beg for money as usual," Kaller's voice rises in decibels. The little commotion attracts the attention of a few bartenders and some patrons.
Natalie furrows her brows in disbelief, "Please guys, can you not do this right now? Everyone is watching,"
Seeing as they both turn deaf ears to her soft whisper, Natalie turns to face Kally.
"Kally, please, I'll be late for my job interview, just..."
Kally breaks off her glare for a second, "Wait, what job?"
Natalie catches the shift in Polly's throat as the latter is about to pass out a sarcastic reply, she quickly replies, "I'll catch up with you later, Kaller."
Polly snorts, "Oh, is that whatcha calling yourself now?"
Kally smiles softly at Natalie before sneering at the black woman beside her, "Girl, fuck you."
With that, she walks away. With hurried steps, she reaches the kitchen where a fuming Susan stood tall with disappointed eyes.
"Polly, what was all that about?" Natalie queries once her cousin leads them to a dark hallway, littered with a few sweaty bodies.
"Po—"
"Just shut up and don't talk to me!" Polly yells with a huffed breath. Natalie gives her some space to cool off before they continue walking.
They pass by a bead curtain and stop in front of a black door. It looks like an office door. Polly knocks twice before she pulls the door open. Natalie takes a deep breath before walking in.
Natalie makes out the figure sitting leisurely with a stick of flaming cancer dangling on his lip.
Tony.
"You're in early," Tony says once Polly moves to sit on one of the chairs opposite him.
Polly shrugs and crosses her leg. Natalie sits on the other chair and intertwines her fingers together.
"You gave her a job." Her cousin says almost unbelievably. Tony rises from his chair, a smirk dwindling on his lips before he plucks out the cig stick and blows out a puff of smoke. He carelessly drops the cigarette on the ashtray beside his laptop before her turns to face Natalie.
"Yes. That I did..." He smiles almost seductively as he leans closer, "Is that what you're wearing to work?"
Natalie furrows her brows and looks down at her outfit. Was it too skimpy? Revealing?
Surely, she wouldn't dare wear this to D&J's but it wasn't also bad to wear to a club. Her off-shoulder shirt stopped a little above her bellybutton—influenced by Polly's advice, she wore black skinny high-waist jeans with white running shoes.
Natalie doesn't feel too comfortable in this clothing, but what can she do? Her next month's rent and feeding expenses is on the line.
Finally looking up, her eyes meets Tony's amused ones, "What is wrong with my dressing?"
"What is wrong with your dressing? Did you just ask me that?! How'd you expect to twirl on a pole dressed like that!" Tony bellows, "Gosh... Not even one hour in the job and I already want to fire you,"
Natalie pales.
Twirl. On. A Pole, she recites slowly in her mind. The only people that twirl on poles for entertainment are...
Suddenly, her palm feels sweaty. Her eyes darts to Polly who looks incredibly bored. Natalie probably looks like she just heard a news that people sacrifice kittens for bigger breasts.
Mortified and mildly confused, Natalie flies up from her seat, almost bumping heads with Tony. She stands far away from him as possible before she speaks, "What do you mean by twirl on a pole? I'm not a pole dancer! Besides, didn't I already get the waitress job?"
Tony stares at her for a moment before he barks out a laugh albeit mockingly. Heat of embarrassment washes over Natalie as Tony takes his fill from humiliating her.
"All the waiting spots are occupied," Polly says in his stead.
Natalie's eyes widen, "You knew about this?"
Polly groans and stands up, "Of course, I did! Why'd you think I freaked out that much,"
Natalie's fingers massage her temple. This is just too much. Bartending and waiting in a club, that, Natalie could manage to handle. But pole dancing? It's like telling her to wear a lingerie to Church. Possible, but inappropriate.
Natalie shakes her head softly, "I'm out of here."
She runs out the door as she is about the walk through the curtain, a firm hand yanks her back.
"You can't leave." Polly says in a matter of fact tone.
"Why can't I? Why shouldn't I? Gosh, Polly why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't tell you because I know you'd chicken out... Just as you're doing now,"
Natalie looks away. The mild anger that seemed to accumulate in her chest dissolves as she sighs.
"I don't know how to pole dance,"
"So? That shit don't matter!" Polly bites her lip for a moment, "Look, I'm gonna be real with you. I don't want you living in my crib anymore..."
Ouch.
"It's not you or anything but, you've kinda have been in ma business and it irks me. I want you out as soon as possible and the only way that can happen is if you accept this job and get your own apartment."
Natalie blinks once.
Twice.
Oh.
She doesn't even know why her heart aches. She doesn't even like Polly that much, so why did it ache so much?
Was this how Joel felt?
Was this what he thought her to be? Clingy and "in his business?"
Again, Oh.
"Okay," she sighs.
I'll do it.