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December 31st 2015

It's been a great year, not. I thought, sipping on my coffee in the cafe. I just spent my last twelve dollars.

This year, I broke up with an eligible bachelor who couldn't stick to one woman. From what I've read in a magazine since he dumped me in January, he went through fifty women.

After I got dumped, I searched for a job and got one as a secretary at a law firm in San Francisco.

I enjoyed working in the law firm. Then, one day, my boss approached me at a party. When I turned him down, he went to the partners and told them that I had broken the no-dating co-workers rule.

They fired me on the spot a week ago. I couldn't afford rent for the gorgeous pad I lived in, so I left San Francisco right after that and came crawling back to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

Finishing my coffee, I glance around the cafe. People are talking to each other, and I'm alone in a corner booth with the newspaper. I flip through the newspaper, and see a picture of my Ex, Landon Parker, wrapped around some stick-thin blonde.

Landon's eyes have lost the light in them.

What has he done to himself?

The heading of the newspaper captures my attention.

Bachelor Gets thrown out of own Party

The eligible Bachelor, Landon Parker, has been thrown out of his party after getting into a fight with a contender in the competition. This year, Landon was named the most eligible bachelor after he broke up with his long-term girlfriend, Mikayla Harrison.

Mikayla Harrison hasn't been seen around Los Angeles since they broke up. Rumours were heard the night they broke up was the night he would propose to her.

Landon Parker hasn't been seen with a girl worthy of the Parker last name since his Ex. If she shows up in Los Angeles, how would she react to finding this out?

Crumbling up the paper, I throw it under the table.

Why would they use my name in the same sentence as his? We haven't been together in nearly twelve months.

I sigh, rise from the chair and head to the bin. Throwing the cup away and exit the cafe.

On my way home, I walk past Molly's. A sign in the window advertises positions available.

Positions Available

Bar person 
Dancer
Bouncers

The Open sign faces towards the walkway, so I push the door open and enter Molly's. I hear the bells ring from the door and see the door chime as the door shuts behind me.

Walking through the building, I see three stages are painted red, with a pole in the middle.

The lights are flashing black and white. I can't see in front of me, and the flashing lights are making my eyes hurt. I close my eyes for a second. When I open them, I see the bar, and the lights have stopped flashing.

A man stands behind the bar. He is tall—6.3 feet—with bulging muscles. I bet I can do pull-ups on this man. He has tanned skin, brown eyes, and black hair. He has an ear piercing. He smirks. "Did you find something you like?"

"You're cute." I blurt and cover my mouth. My face heats up from embarrassment.

He throws his head back and laughs. "I wouldn't want my misses to learn about you flirting with me."

Rolling my eyes I say. "I want to apply for the position of bartender."

He arches his eyebrows. "I'm surprised."

I frown.

Huh?

He continues. "Most of the girls that have come through those doors want to be a dancer. Why don't you?"

folding my arms across my body. "I'm not desperate to show my body off to men for money. I show my body off when I'm in the bedroom, ready to be treasured by the man with me."

"Riley," the guy yells.

A brown hair, light blue-eyed, tanned-skinned 5.9ft girl steps out from a room behind the bar. She wraps her arms around the guy's neck. "Baby, can you take the new girl shopping? She starts work here tonight as the bartender."

"Okay, Kyle." She walks over to me and extends her hand. I place mine in hers, and she shakes my hand. "I'm Riley."

"Mikayla," I pull my hand out of hers.

Riley picks up her handbag from behind the bar. She kisses her boyfriend. "I'll see you tonight." Riley walks out from behind the bar and holds my hand.

My hand starts to sweat in hers.

I don't feel comfortable holding a girl's hand.

I pull my hand out of hers and wipe the sweat on my pants.

Riley stops in front of a sleek black BMW. "Get in, " she says, unlocking the door to her car and climbing in.

Opening the door, I climb in. The cool black leather hits my legs, and I scream out from the cold.

Riley turns to me. "Are you alright?"

"The seats are a bit too cold for me."

Riley pulls out of the parking lot and drives towards the closest shopping centre.

I have no money to buy these outfits.

At the store, Riley walks over to the short dresses and pulls them off the rack. She places them in my hands and turns to me. "Try those on while I look around for more clothes for you."

  I entered the dressing room and stripped out of my black dress. I tried on the short dresses Riley had given me. My breasts hardened as they touched the material. The dress fit me perfectly, showing off my curves in all the right places."

This dress is perfect.

Riley's voice comes through the dressing room. "Kayla, I want to see the dress."

It's weird to hear someone else use the nickname my Ex gave me.

Pushing the curtains across, I step out of the dressing room. I spin around. "What do you think, Riley?"

She smiles. "That's the dress you're wearing tonight."

I bite my lip and look at the ground. "I can't afford the dresses."

Riley pulls out her credit card. "You can pay me back."

Entering the dressing room and gather all the clothes.

Riley waits outside the room for the dresses, and I hand them to her. She then takes them to the cash register.

I take the dress off inside the dressing room and put my black one back on. I slip my feet into my shoes and join Riley at the register. I place the dress on the counter.

Riley swipes her credit card to pay for the clothes. She signs the piece of paper, and then we exit the shopping centre and head back to Molly's.

  ***

At Molly's, Riley pulls into the parking lot.

Why did they call it Molly's if his wife's name is Riley?

Riley parks in front of the door. "Do you want to know why this place is called Molly's?"

I nod.

She sighs. "Kyle and I had a daughter named Molly, and she died in a car accident when she was twenty. Her boyfriend lost control of the car and crashed into a pole. The pole split the car in two. Molly died on impact. The boyfriend died on the way to the hospital."

Oh, my god. That's so sad.

Tears fall down her face and I hug her. "I'm sorry."

She wipes her hand across her face. "It's been ten years since she died, and I miss her every day."

I know how she feels.

Looking at her, I say. "I had a daughter when I was eighteen. After the birth, she died, and I never got to hold my baby or see her. Recently, I found out that the life I was living was a lie. The parents I believed were mine died in a car accident last year. They left nothing in their Will for me. I found a letter telling me that they stole me from my Birth Parents. They didn't tell me who they are." Tears fall down my cheeks.

I haven't told anyone about my daughter. I usually keep everything to myself.

Riley hugs me. "Is that why you came here for a job?"

"I also don't have any money left." I sob. "I had a great job at the beginning of the year, and last week, I was fired because of a stupid rule that someone else broke."

"What rule?"

"There was no in-house dating policy in the lawyer's office where I worked. A guy tried to hit on me, and I turned him down. He went to the bosses and lied to them about me. He told them I was the one that hit on him and that I stalked him."

Riley steps out of the car. "There's no policy like that in Molly's. The only advice I'll give you is 'do what makes you comfortable at Molly's. If you don't feel comfortable, don't do it.' I'll see you inside." She enters the building.

Picking up my bags, I head toward the door. I stop when I see a familiar limo parked on the road.

What's he doing here? Does he know I'm back in Los Angeles? Has he been keeping tabs on me?

Entering Molly's, I look around for the familiar sandy-blonde man I met earlier.

Riley and Kyle are behind the bar.

Walking over to them, I say. "Hey, guys. I was wondering where I could get changed."

Riley takes me through a double door that leads into a hallway. The hallway has red walls, and the carpet is white.

I start to shiver as I walk down the hallway, as it reminds me of horror movies.

Why does the hallway have a creepy feel to it?

Riley stops in front of a door. "This is your room from now on. I know you don't want to be a dancer, but we have a special client who likes the new girls. It's up to you if you want to."

Hugging her, I say. "Thanks for today, Riley."

"You're welcome." She exits the room. As she closes the door, she pauses halfway. "While we were out, some guy showed up asking about you. He's still here. Do you want me to tell him to leave?"

Shaking my head. "Nah, I'll hear him out. Thanks for checking to see if it's alright for him to be here."

Riley closes the door.

I look in the mirror; my blonde hair cascades down my back, and my blue eyes shine in the light. Putting on some makeup, before I change into the black dress I brought with Riley. I sprayed deodorant and some sweet-scented perfume.

exiting the dressing room, I walk down the hallway, which is reminiscent of a horror movie. I push the door and step out into the club.

Where are you?

I lay my eyes on my target, and approach that guy. The target happened to be my Ex, Landon Parker, an eligible bachelor.

It's time to play with the Devil.

Landon is sitting in a chair that's facing the stage. He won't see me coming until I stand right before him.

I look on the stage and see a girl do a split, revealing her waxed.

Oh, forget it. You don't want to know that.

Moving toward my Ex, I fling my hair over my shoulder and smack my lips together as I move closer to him.

He rubs his jaw and licks his lips at the woman on the stage, and she climbs off and grinds on him. He whispers something in her ear, and she turns to me. "He's all yours."

I glare at my Ex. "What are you doing here?"