The Lesson

Madeleine sighed and hit Disconnect on the call window.

Another rude asshole. She thought. The days were supposed to feel shorter when you have a lot of work to keep you busy, however bad calls like that made them drag on forever.

"Hang in there." A pleasant voice floated over her cubicle.

Madeleine looked over her shoulder to meet eyes with the voice. Janine sat there, smiling as she tapped a stack of papers against her desk, straightening them in preparation for the stapler. Her red shoulder length hair was pulled over her left side, exposing the bare nape of her neck.

"I could hear it in your voice," Janine continued. "He sounded like a peach."

"A rotten one." Madeleine grimaced. "Called me everything in the book because I wouldn't refund a $10 dollar late fee. Seriously, $10?! You're going to huff and puff over the price of a movie ticket, all because you were 35 days late on your cable bill."

"Maybe Mr. Late Fee should cut back on the pay per view pornos so he could afford to get his bill in on time." Janine stapled the stack of papers, put them in a desk file, then spun her chair around so she could speak to Madeleine face to face. An alabaster leg crossed over the other, forming a plateau for folded hands to rest in her lap.

"I don't know how you do it, Janine." Madeleine grumbled. "You've been here for what, five years now? I'm here for two months and I can barely stand it. I mean, most of the calls are fine, but then I get that one customer, two if I'm unlucky, that has nothing better to do than unload their lungs on me for an hour. It sucks." Madeleine slumped her chin into her hands, brown curls cascading in front of her face.

"I get it, trust me." Janine nodded sagely. "I've had my fair share, I just learned how to deal with it in a constructive manner. Plus," Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I have to say I get a little schadenfreude when I hear one of our nastier co-workers get a screamer."

Madeleine smiled in spite of her fouled mood. Janine had a way of picking her up. She had style, too. A red top which cut down to show an work-appropriate amount of cleavage while still showing off her sensuality complimented a black skirt that cut just above the knee. Her alabaster legs crisscrossed and disappeared into the fabric, teasing any onlookers with an elegance they were not privy to experience.

"So, it's Friday." Janine said, reaching out and patting Madeleine playfully. "I assume you have a hot date tonight to get your mind off rude callers."

Madeleine frowned, slumping further. "No... I dated this one guy a few months ago, but he ended up being a total jerk. I dumped him after finding a phone full of pictures with him and two other women at some frat party. Seriously, how lazy can you get? If you're going to cheat, at least pretend like you care about me enough to hide it from me. He practically wanted to get caught."

Janine's lips pursed in a slight frown. "We're going to have to do something about this."

"Janine... I'm not a charity case." Madeleine looked up with brown doe eyes. "Just tell me your secret to dealing with these jerks, I'll finish my day, then go drown my sorrows in a bottle of wine and a few episodes of Sex in the City."

"No no no." Janine admonished, wagging her finger. "I'll tell you my secret, but you have to promise to come out with me tonight. There'll be no moping in solitude for you."

"I really don't-"

"-have a choice in the matter, I know." Janine smiled playfully. "So say thank you, and put something pretty on when you get home. Jason and I will be by to pick you up around 8. Tonight, I'll tell you all about how to enjoy this job over a fruity drink of your choice."

Madeleine sighed. She was tired after a full week, and really didn't want to deal with a late night out after a day full of rancid customers. But then again, it may be good to get out. She had been shut in for a couple months, and part of her sullen mood may be the cause of her self-inflicted solitude. She stared back into Janine's mischievous eyes, then grinned and let out a sigh of defeat. "All right, fine. You win."

"8'o clock." Janine reminded her, then spun around and put her headset back on.

Madeleine tugged at her skirt nervously, almost rocking off balance in her heels. She wasn't used to wearing anything but tennis shoes, but Janine had insisted she look her best for the club tonight.

'You might meet a stud you want to take back to your place and tame!' Janine advised.

That wasn't really Madeleine's style. She wasn't one to pick up someone random at a club and go home for a night of passion. She liked her intimacy to be, well, intimate. There had to be a connection. A future. There's no real pleasure in instant gratification with a stranger who cares nothing about you.

A knock on her door drew her attention. Checking her watch, she noted it was 8:05. It had to be Janine.

Her expectations were not met, leading to a look of surprise when the door opened and a tall gentlemen stood waiting in the hallway outside her apartment. He was dressed in pair of loose fitting designer jeans, a tight V-Neck black shirt with a stark white short sleeve overshirt to complete the ensemble. His light brown hair was brushed back without gel, and his neatly trimmed goatee completed his clean-cut , bad-boy-next-door look.

Madeleine suddenly felt slightly underdressed. Her red top was tight fitting with spaghetti straps, and her skirt a generic item she had picked up at the mall on a whim. She thought it was a nice enough setup, though the confident, well dressed man in front of her was slightly intimidating.

"Madeleine?" His voice was like chocolate.

"Uh, um, I mean, yes, hi. Jason?" Madeleine fumbled.

"Yes," He smiled supportively. "Sorry, Janine was going to come up here to get you so she could introduce us properly. However she had a slight wardrobe malfunction. She's down in the car fixing it, and asked me to come grab you since we were already running late."

"Oh, it's no problem." Madeleine waved him off with a nervous laugh.

"Well, we'll make it up to you." He grinned. "Janine tells me you are ready to hit the dance floor with fervor."

"She, huh?" Madeleine stuttered, closing the door behind her and locking up. "I, oh, well, I'm not much of a dancer."

Jason chuckled. "Janine has a tendency to get excited. Don't worry, I'll make sure she doesn't drag you anywhere you're not comfortable going."

"My hero." Madeleine grinned. Am I flirting? Madeleine... stop that!

Jason simply grinned, either ignoring or overlooking the comment. They arrived out to the curb, walking towards a F-150 extended cab truck. Janine sat in the passenger seat, door open, mirror down. Her purse rested in her lap while she furiously worked at adjusting her makeup, wiping something away and immediately uncapping a brush to reapply. She looked over at the approaching pair, a deer-in-headlights look flashing across her features momentarily.

"Ohmygod! Madeleine, I'm so sorry!" Janine blurted. "It's my fault, I lost track of time!"

"Oh, um, it's okay..." Madeleine was caught off guard. "You're only a couple minutes late."

Jason walked over to the passenger side, sliding a hand over the small of Janine's back. "Sweetie, it's okay. The night is very much on track, no need to worry." He placed a tender kiss on her cheek. He looked over at Madeleine. "She likes to be punctual. It's one of the things I love about her, truth be told."

Madeleine fluttered at the gesture. Janine was blushing and looking up at Jason with love in her eyes. With a touch and a soft series of words, he had calmed her nerves and put her back at ease.

Dammit, how come I don't have someone like that? Madeleine griped internally.

Janine, smiling again and radiant in her perfect makeup and stunning dark green dress, looked over to Madeleine. "I am sorry we were late, it's a pet peeve of mine so I hate doing it to other people."

"It's really okay." Madeleine assured. She leaned in and whispered to Janine as Jason circled around the truck to the driver side. "He seems very sweet."

"You have no idea." Janine gushed. "Treats me like a princess."

Madeleine flushed with envy, smiling at her friend.

"Come on," Janine urged. "I'll sit in the back with you so we can chat on the way."

The truck pulled up out front of the club. Jason parked by the front curb, exited, circled around, and opened the doors for the two passengers.

"Ladies," He beckoned charmingly.

Janine and Madeleine stepped down from the truck with Jason's assistance. He took their hands gingerly and acted as an impromptu railing for their descent. Once they were safely on the sidewalk, he tipped his invisible hat. "I'll go park then join you inside."

Janine kissed him on the cheek, a gesture he returned with a hug and pinch on her side.

Madeleine walked with Janine towards the door, producing her ID and cash for the waiting bouncer. "Okay, Janine, we're going to have to talk about cloning your man. Does he have a brother?"

Janine giggled. "Only child, unfortunately. Don't worry," Janine said with a note of seriousness. "I'll help you find one."

The bouncer eyed both of them up and down, doing his due diligence to scrutinize their ID's and ensure they were indeed the beautiful women they claimed to be. After a long look up and down each of their figures, he handed the plastic back and greeted them in a gruff voice, "Have a good night, ladies."

The music thrummed inside the club. Deep bass reverberated off the walls, guiding the crowds of bodies on the floor into rhythmic motions. The sea of arms and faces flowed with each other, obeying the steady beat with their fluid gyrations.

The two women made their way to the bar, ordering a Cosmopolitan and a Sex on the Beach before taking a seat on a pair of stools.

"So, you promised me a secret." Madeleine said, eying her friend.

"I did." Janine confirmed, taking her drink from the bartender and sipping at it lightly. "This one's dangerous... don't let me drink more than two. I'm a lightweight, and I can't taste the alcohol!"

"Me too. This will be my only one if I don't want you guys carrying me out." Madeleine agreed. "But no dodging the subject!"

"Oh, alright." Janine smiled, giving another playful pat on Madeleine's arm. "The secret is control."

"Control?" Madeleine asked. "What do you mean? How are you supposed to control someone who's that angry."

"No no, not you." She corrected with a grin. "Give it up. Let them have the control."

Madeleine cocked her head, a querying look on her face.

"The caller is upset because they want something. They have lost control, and they want it back." Janine put her drink down, leaning closer to talk to Madeleine without shouting. Madeleine saw Janine's dress drift open an inch, revealing a luscious cavern of skin between her alabaster breasts. The green dress, like a canopy of trees, fluttered back against her skin and covered the brief flash of skin. "Most operators try to control the call. They want to boss the customer around. They want to tell them how it is going to be. You have to learn to let go. Rein them in when appropriate, but otherwise, don't fight them. Let them have their victories, and subtly guide them to a resolution that you want."

"I'm... not following." Madeleine frowned.

"It takes practice." Janine said frankly, leaning back and retrieving her drink and bringing the two tiny straws to her pouting lips. Cosmo darkened the straw on its ascent, flowing into her mouth as she sucked greedily. Releasing the plastic with her lips, she continued. "I'll show you some examples at work, but you can also watch how Jason and I interact tonight."

"Jason?" Madeleine asked, curious. "He's... a perfect gentlemen. I don't see how that applies."

Janine grinned and allowed her eyes to dart away evasively. "Yes he is, when he needs to be."

Madeleine continued to stare, confused.

When Janine returned her gaze, she reached up and lightly tapped herself on the shoulder with two fingers. It was an odd gesture, and was accompanied by a knowing smile from the coy read head. "Do you see that?"

"Yes, what does it mean?"

"Just remember it." Janine's grin was feral. "I think you'll figure it out."

"What'd I miss?" Jason walked up through the crowd, standing next to the seated women. He wrapped an arm around Janine's waist, pulling her into a quick hug and placed a kiss on her temple.

Janine blushed in response, but only stirred for a moment in her chair before taking a final pull on her drink and placing it on the bar. She stood from her seat, giving Jason a peck on the cheek. Her lips hovered near his ear for a few moments more as she whispered a short string of words. She finished with a coy glance towards Madeleine. "I'm going to the dance floor, I'll leave you with Jason to finish your drink. See you down there."

She walked... no, she stalked across the club, down two quick steps and out onto the dance floor. Her feet brought her to a small open space in the dance floor. Arms lifted above her head, elbows hovering chin height. She showed off her full figure as her hips began to sway, rotating back and forth with the beat. Bodies writhed around her, though they seemed to give her the space she needed to move. When another man, or woman, would come closer than Janine deemed appropriate, a steely glance or an outstretched hand would clearly communicate that their participation was not required.

"So Janine tells me you're a newbe on the phones." Jason said, taking a seat on Janine's stool. His eyes pulled away from Janine's form to politely make eye contact with Madeleine.

"Yeah," Madeleine found herself having to force her eyes away from Janine's graceful form. "She kinda took me under her wing. Showed me the ropes, talks me through the hard days, you know."

"She's a nurturer, that's for sure." Jason agreed. "So what's this about you having issues at work?"

"Oh, its nothing." Madeleine shrugged, smiling uncomfortably. It was hard enough showing weakness at work, she didn't want to seem like a troubled little girl around a stranger. "It's just tough dealing with angry callers sometimes. I can tough it out, though. I'm a big girl."

"You are." Jason agreed, his eyes remained on hers, despite the warmth and implication of his words. "But everyone has troubles here and there. No need to be ashamed."

Madeleine blushed. His words were soothing, and had a supportive tone to them. Had the situation been different, Madeleine could see herself flirting with Jason for real. However, she knew boundaries, and decided it was time to pull back. "Thank you," She offered. "You two have been very nice. It's been a good pick me up. And Janine is very lucky, you treat her like a princess."

"I like to think a queen." He smiled. "Which is why I wanted to clarify something. Janine wanted you to see some things. I don't want you to get the wrong idea."

"I don't think I follow." Madeleine said warily. What the hell is he talking about? Oh god, I hope this isn't some crazy trick to get me to find Jesus or sell Amway.

"I love Janine." He assured. "Just keep that in mind. Why don't you sit here, finish your drink, and watch for a bit. It may get a bit clearer."

Madeleine simply nodded, though her eyes shone with confusion.

Jason gave one final smile, then pushed himself off of the stool. He took long, slow steps away from the bar towards the dance floor. The crowd did not part as easily for him as Janine, though he moved with the confidence of a predator. His pace did not slow, even when he entered the thick of the dancers, gently moving them with his hands, or a graceful twist of his body.

Madeleine watched as Janine stopped another man from dancing with her from behind. A stern look was all it took, and the man backed away.

Jason approached.

Much to Madeleine's surprise, a similar stern look was shot at Jason.

It's dark. Madeleine explained to herself. She probably thinks he's just another club goer trying to rub against her. Then a frightening though intruded. What if she saw us flirting?! What if she's angry at him? At me?!

Jason ignored the look meant to shun his presence, moving in and dancing next to Janine as if invited. Again, however, she rebuked him. Taking a step back, she placed a firm, flat hand on his chest, pushing him to arm's distance.

Something is different. Madeleine observed. Through the flashing lights of the club, and the low, steady thrum of the music, Madeleine struggled to witness the scene unfolding in front of her. His face... his eyes. They're not warm and caring anymore... is he angry?

Madeleine was correct. Jason's loving, doting look had been replaced by a fierce, cold gaze. He reached his hand up, taking Janine's wrist roughly. With a tug and a forward step, Janine's form fell into his, back landing against his chest. His free hand slid up the small of her back, reaching the nape of her neck just as she regained her balance and began to struggle. Fingers interlocked with weaves of hair, and a fist closed around a loose network of red hair.

Janine's posture instantly changed. Her head snapped back with the grip Jason had on her hair, and her body language radiated submissiveness. Her Queen of the Jungle facade was broken, and she leaned up against Jason's body to show it.

Her hand, still imprisoned by Jason's grip, moved up over her shoulder and around to the back of Jason's neck. Without the obvious display of force, this would have looked like a sensual dance between a man and woman. The man with his hand in his lady's hair, and the woman reaching back to stroke the nape of her lover's neck. However the unnatural arch of Janine's neck, the way her throat was exposed to the world, her timid grasp on Jason's neck as he positioned her hand for her, was anything but the norm for this club.

Jason began to dance, gyrating his hips back and forth with the music. Words were spoken into Janine's ear. Nothing happened for a few moments, until her face tensed as his grip tightened on her hair. In response, her hips began moving with his. Her firm ass, covered by nothing but a thin layer of silk, rubbed back against his groin as they moved together on the dance floor.

Madeleine watched, unsure what she was seeing. What happened to the doe eyed, happy couple who had picked her up? Where was the knight in shining armor she had been conversing with earlier? What were they doing?

Jason's hand left Janine's wrist, though her hand stayed dutifully in place. He let his fingers drift down her arm, caressing her skin until it ran under the silk of her dress. His fingertips continued their path over the green fabric, passing over the side of her breast, and down over her stomach. Pressure was applied, and their rhythmic grinds picked up in intensity. Janine's face, despite having a distant look of discomfort from being held in place, pulled a slight smile with pleasure.

Several onlookers began to stare at the pair gyrating on the dance floor. Their behavior was unnatural for this environment. Something was different, which meant wrong in the mind's of this crowd. They, like Madeleine, did not understand what they were seeing. This scared more than a few.

Jason's hand moved up Janine's stomach, sliding into the folds of fabric in the front of her dress. A few more inches, and he would be stroking the heaving mounds of alabaster flesh hidden beneath.

Despite her confusion, Madeleine's breath caught in voyeuristic anticipation. She was enjoying the show they put on. Then something happened. It was almost too subtle to notice, though with the moving figures on the dance floor, Madeleine's view was limited to the torso up. Given her focused field of vision, she saw Janine's index and middle finger extend out from Jason's neck and tap him twice on the shoulder.