The driveway curled into the forest, disappearing behind thick trees. Rose couldn't see any other sign of life around her. The highway in front of her was deserted and in bizarre disrepair, funny how city funds and county funds run up to one another so clearly in road construction. No wonder people never came this way. Rose's car rattled and wheezed while idling on the side of the road. She was sure this was the place. She shook her hands to wring out the nervousness and turned down the drive.
After a winding few minutes, the club loomed out of the forest, neon and glittering. The recent town legend lived up to the gossip. The front of the building was bright red and yellow with a brilliant sign reading "CRIMSON" flickering above the door. The forest around the structure was gnarled and twisted, trees weren't cut and removed, but seemed to be ripped apart and tossed aside. The parking lot was nothing but a muddy field, but it was already full at midday. A tow truck was removing one of the vehicles under the supervision of a stunningly attractive young man, who winked at Rose as she parked nearby.
She readied herself. In her wildest dreams, she had never imagined it would come to this. Stripping. Every other chance and risk had been taken, but she had bills to pay. Rose had been behind on rent for weeks and hadn't had a meal for almost as long. A lady at the local diner had given her a few free meals, but she was starting to feel real hunger. News of the club came as a shock to everyone, but when the fliers started to circulate the local women started forming committees of outrage. Rose got her hands on one. "Dancers Wanted" and a set of directions. Nothing else, just those words. She had to at least try.
Rose considered herself attractive. She loved her eyes, big and deep blue with long lashes that rarely needed mascara. Her hair was plain and rather flat, no matter what she tried. Her B cups worried her. She'd seen movies where strippers walked around with breasts large enough to have their own area codes. She hoped her ass would make up the difference, it had always gotten her compliments. Some were remembered fondly, like the high school boys leering at her as she bent down to pick up her books. Others, she hoped to put out of her mind, like her landlord running a rough hand down her back while she unlocked her door. She adjusted her bright green bra to better push up her handfuls and got out of the car.
Other than the hum of the tow truck's hydraulics, the outside of the building was dead silent as she walked to the door. Her heels clacked on the wooden step, and she hoped that the she'd at least won the attention of the tow guy with her short skirt and skin tight top. She opened the door and heard the low thrum of music coming from inside. Her eyes took a minute to adjust to the dark interior. She had entered a small lobby, not unlike what she'd experienced at a doctor's office. At the far end of the room, she saw a woman sitting behind a small window, flipping through a magazine with absolute disinterest. Rose felt out of place and terrified, but she managed to make it to the window and, not knowing what else to say, loudly cleared her throat.
"Can I help you, hon?" said the woman, without looking up at her. Rose could see that below the desk, the woman was only wearing a thong.
Rose rummaged in her purse, trying to hide her blush, "Uh, yeah, I have this flier. I was hoping to apply for one of the dancing jobs." She produced the scrap of paper and dropped it on the window ledge.
The woman dropped her magazine and looked up at Rose, "An applicant!" she yelped. "I didn't mean to startle you sweetie, but we've had nothing other than bible thumpers and angry wives all week. Oh, and a few angry husbands. C'mon, I'll buzz you back. Hey Adonis, we have an applicant!"
After a moment, Rose heard a loud click from the door to her left and a man entered the room. He was tall and absolutely gorgeous. His pinstripe suit contoured to his body as if he were barely wearing anything. He extended a firm handshake to Rose. "Hi there, I'm Adonis. Come on back, we're very excited to meet you."
Rose blithely followed, entranced by the man's stunning perfection. She had never in her whole life noticed a man's jawline, until now. And she found herself enraptured by it. He led her through a short corridor, passing by several rooms before arriving in a dimly lit, but well furnished office. Rose's eyes immediately went to the platform at the back of the room, complete with a shining silver pole. Adonis's hand on her back guided her towards the desk. He offered her a chair and then took his seat on the opposite side of his desk. "Don't let that worry you," he said with a warm smile. "All of that comes later. We start very simple at first, Rose."
His charm almost smoothed over the fact that she hadn't mentioned her name. "I'm sorry, how did you know who I was?"
Adonis laughed to himself and leaned back in his chair, "You wouldn't know it to look at me, but we knew each other a long time ago. Back in school, I don't think I ever managed to say three words to you. I was called Adam back then."
Rose looked carefully at the man across from her. She had known an Adam a few years below her in school, but this creature across from her couldn't possibly be that pimply, skinny boy. "Oh my god, Adam! You look...so different!"
"And you still look as incredible as you did back then. And now I can say that without the influence teenage hormones. I'm sorry, I hope this doesn't make it awkward for you. I can get someone else if you like."
"No, no!" she lied. A new little stone of horror was pushing its way past the others in her gut. Then again, she could barely remember him. "You just sort of startled me is all. Why do they call you Adonis?"
"Stage names. We all use them around here. It's a holdover from when this was a much bigger secret than it is now. You don't pick your own, I'm not that vain. Well, I'm a little vain." He smiled at her and a wave of calm warmth washed over her.
