Horned Angel

~ Malaysha Whoever said alcohol taste like juice had to be a drunk, there was nothing juice-like about it. "Girl what you tasting it for? Drink that s**t and let's go!" Mari tilt my cup till all the content went down my throat and I couldn't help but make a face, I hated drinking but I had to get a buzz after the day I had. I spent all day at school and my boyfriend swears I'm out entertaining every man with a pulse, not like he isn't a w***e himself. I slipped into my Swarovski crystal platforms and pulled my thong higher on my hips, everything was crystaled from my two piece to my nails. I learned a long time ago that it takes money to make money and if I looked like I shopped at city trends I wouldn't have as much money as I make, the other girls haven't quite caught on to that yet. "Marlaysha, Marylaysha... D**n girl you look good, you ready for tonight? We have a full house baby and everybody is hyped up to see X X XXXPRESSIOOOOON!!!!" Danny hollered while making his entrance. Mari contained her laughter and went over to her vanity to check her makeup. Usually I hated loud mouth people but I can make an exception for him, he is my boss after all and gave me a place to make my coins, a lot of coins at that. "You know I came to perform as usualll!" I slipped my Swarovski crystal mask over my face, ran the hot comb through my hair one more time and made my way to the entrance of the stage. "She's slicker than oil, finer than wine, and only gets better with time. When that a** shakes it POURRRSSS!! Welcome to the stage X X XXXPRESSIOOOON!!!" I walked through the smoke into an instant shower of 20 dollar bills, these dudes knew I would accept nothing less. Megan Thee Stallion (Ms. Nasty) blast through the speakers as I wrapped my legs around the pole and gave nothing but energy. Finding myself upside down I examined the crowd of usual suspects, I could see a lot of people I knew from campus in here. Mostly men who of course were getting rejected by women they claim couldn't keep their hands off of them. I flipped down the pole into a split and twerked my way to the edge of the stage to give a better view. I know I'm a bad mf and my glistening brown skin adorned with these crystals had the players in the palm of my hand. The lights bounced off my body making me sparkle, clicking my platforms together I laid on my back and spread full eagle to showcase my flexibility. "Woooooooh Xxxpression ain't come to play tonight, throw them bands playas, make it rain like it's income tax season!!" I laughed behind my mask as DJ Proof winked at me and a few hundred dollar bills came my way. I was dancing my heart out and per usual towards tbe ending n***as was getting to handsy with me. I shook them off and made my way back to pole to do a few more tricks. I went upside down again and a girl with a red wig rushed the stage and grabbed the straps that held my mask firm to my face. I panicked and fell to the floor trying to keep the mask on while everyone started getting rowdy and screaming. There was a chant going "Take it off! Take it off" and I started to feel anxious and scared, I couldn't reveal my identity to world on this stage, this isn't the life I want entangled with my real one. Just then the girl was yanked from the stage and a strong set of arms pulled me back, I started to fight them off because I needed to get my money that I made for the night. "Leave it!" I clawed at the arms that engulfed me. "The f**k I will! Let me go." "Mari is collecting it for you relax." I could tell the person was my girl Shayla because nobody called Omari by that name except us two. I went over to my vanity and removed my mask taking note of a cut on my lower jaw. "F**ck man, they messed my face up. I'm so tired of going through this I'll be glad when I get my degree so I can move on." The air in the room felt stiff and everyone got quiet. "I wish you would stop talking like that. The club lost steam since you started school and missed a couple nights, the money is better and so is the energy in this club. Don't hurt everybody pockets thinking about yourself." Shayla tossed the strap to my mask on the table and walked away. "Y'all do know y'all can stack y'all money and get out of here too right? I didn't create dancing so don't let me be the ring leader to this circus." Shayla and two other girls started to close in on me with bothered faces. "Oh so we clowns now?" I stood up just incase someone tried to sneak me. "That's not how I meant it-" "Yeah, but that's what you implied so wassup?" I didn't have time for this s**t and was about to snap when Mari came rushing into the room. "What's the issue?" She said rushing to my side eyeing Shayla, the two girls she was with walked off. Everybody is hard body until Omari shows up, she was a underground street fighter that turned a new leaf so nobody wants that type of problem. "Shay has a issue with me wanting to pursue life outside this club." I said while patting the cut on my jaw to see if the blood stopped or not. "Omg, this again? Shay come on now, you don't wanna grow and fly? Why you always trying to guilt LayLay into staying in this club?" Shayla ran her hands through her hair and calmed down, even she was smart enough not to try Mari. "I'm just saying that we all have a part to play, I talked to Danny way back to get her a job at this club and she's acting like she isn't grateful just because she become hot so fast. That isn't a bad thing either because it's bringing money into everybody's pockets, a lot more money and my life has improved because of her I won't lie." "So what's the issue?" Mari said getting impatient. "The problem is that she's forgetting how she got here, she's forgetting the blessings she receiving and trying to jump ship to a new path without even knowing if it'll be right for her." I started laughing and took a seat at my vanity, I knew what was going on. "So what you saying is you don't want me to leave because I owe you? I owe you my presence in this club for life because you have no future ambitions and money is good right now, am I right?" I stared her down while Mari looked back and forth between us. It's been like this a lot lately, all the fighting and arguing with Shayla over this lil job and I'm tired of it. Just a minute ago she was saving me from a brawl now she's trying to touch my nerves. It feels more and more everyday like she just doesn't want to be my homegirl anymore but doesn't want to say it. I'm not stupid but I'm trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. "Look, y'all my girls stop with the bs, it's getting late and I need to go do my dance." She handed me three bags full of 20's and hundreds. Shayla stormed to the other side of the room and I sat down to count my bags for the night and prepare the cut for Danny. "Ms. R&B is that you??" I heard the crowd going crazy and the sync of everybody smacking the tables in unison, it always made me smile when Proof did the intro for Mari. "Ms. Souuuulll and Slow Jams, the reason you cry into your pillow at night and fight for your right into the cluuub, you know her for her rhythm now give it up and welcome to the stage BLUEEEEEEES!!!" Avant (Don't Say No, Just Say Yes) blast through the speakers and I let the music move me. Mari was the only girl that I knew that could sell a slow jam with her body and collect the same amount of bank that I make on a just okay night. The girl was my best friend since middle school and I remember being at her house on Sundays before church and her Mom would play the most sensual music like the lord wasn't watching before we entered his house, it was so amusing to me. I let the song ride while I went to pay my dues and got ready to go. *** I had been standing outside for 18 minutes when Hakeem finally pulled up in his Mercedes. I got into the passenger side and the smell of w**d hit me so hard I had to cover my nose and mouth, he and his boys had been hot boxing. "D**n Keem y'all couldn't roll the windows down before you came?" He rolled them down half way to let some of the smoke out but I can tell he was aggravated. "My bad shawty, my bad. You look good though." He looked me over and licked his lips. I was wearing a long black coat over my dancing outfit but he had seen me nude before so there wasn't really much to the imagination. "Hello to you too." A deep voice said from the backseat. It was none other than Ralph and if he was here I knew the other two losers were too, Drew and Fredo. "Hey y'all." It was foolish of me to think I can catch a ride home with my man alone. "Sorry baby, me and the gang were chilling when you called to come get you, but you're used to n***as around you so it's fine." I felt my heart start to ache at the slick remark Keem just made. "What's wrong with you?" I said disgustedly trying to keep my voice from cracking as I interrogated him, I wouldn't let him end my day on a rude note. "I'm just saying, you a stripper aren't you? You dance for n***as right?" He side eyed me while still focusing on the road. "As if you weren't one of the many men in the crowd before we got together." I said while shifting my weight to lean on the window. I heard his friends in the back start to snicker and his jaw tightened. All of a sudden the car picked up speed and we ended up at a gas station parking lot, I was confused as to what was going on. "Aye y'all hop out real quick I'll be back in a minute I'm finna take baby girl home, I'll be back." Without a word they exited the car and Keem sped through the streets until we ended up at my apartment complex parking lot. He turned the car off but didn't unlock the doors. A slap went across my face causing me to scream and suddenly see stars for a few seconds, I knew I wouldn't get a break tonight. "You know Lay, you have a very slick mouth and I been telling you about it for the last few days." I coward in my seat trying not cry and covering my face from further damage. He forcefully removed my hands and kissed me passionately. "Baby I'm sorry..... I'm sorry.. it's just I-.... You really need to watch your mouth when you talk to me. You don't want to end up all alone do you? Your family doesn't check on you, you barely have friends and me? Me? Who would stick with someone that shakes a** through the week just to get through school? You think any man would wife a stripper?" I let the tears escape my eyes as his words seeped into my brain leaving mental bruises that would never heal. "A lot of n***as aren't built like me to be here with you." I couldn't hold on any longer, the attack was getting to me. " Don't do that Lay." He wiped my tears with his thumbs and pulled me closer. "Don't cry baby.... You know I love you right?" I cleared my throat enough to speak clearly. "Yes.... I know." He pulled me into another long kiss and then another and another. His full lips felt like pillows on mine and I let myself melt into him. He pulled the string to my coat causing it to loosen and helped me out of it. Next thing I know I was on his lap with 7 inches inside me. I let my hips do the talking and mentally recorded every moan he had to give. Hakeem was 5'8 to my 5'4 and had 360 waves. His dark skin was so beautiful under the full moon and tinted windows and his abs glistened with sweat as he gripped my waist to get maximum penetration. Through all the pain and abuse I couldn't help myself when it came to f***ing him. Hakeem was so reckless and could ruin my day but give me a million reasons to wake up every time he stroked my p***y. He was right.. he is all I have in this life. At least the only one I want to give my body to and he did an amazing job at correcting his faults when it came to this. I could feel his rhythm change meaning he's about to bust and I hop up letting him spray on his own stomach. Climbing back into my seat and putting my coat on he starts laughing. "Still don't wanna give me a baby huh?" He opens the glove compartment to grab some tissues. It's not that I wouldn't want to have his baby, I mean the man is so fine with his gold teeth and square jaw, I just can't bring myself to let my future get put on pause for a new life. One I can't provide a secure life for yet. "You know we aren't ready for that Keem, we have all the time in the world to think about a baby." I grab my bag of money off the floor. "Besides, don't you want to build an Empire before we start a family? Get married?" He ignored me and pulled his phone out and smiled while reading the screen. I knew it was one of the others that he thought I had no clue about. I unlocked my door and threw it open in anger before stepping out. "Aye, watch how you handle my door before you never touch it again." He slipped into his shirt and signaled for me to close it. "I'll be by tomorrow to come get you, be ready by 10 he said before starting the car and driving into the night. I was drained emotionally, hurt physically and freshly f**ked. A lot was racing through my mind as I climbed the stairs when my phone started buzzing. It was Mari. "Get on i********: and look at what I tagged you in, somebody recorded you in the club when the girl was snatching at your mask" My heart started thumping rapidly, I couldn't unlock my phone fast enough. All I could think about was if my face showed. I'm just trying to survive the night, this couldn't be happening, I couldn't have this much bad luck all in one night. A minute later I pulled up the video..... S**t...