HIS DOUBLE LIFE, HER SECRET

CHAPTER 5: A Week To Prepare

ROSELINE

I skip both school and work for about a week in attempt to avoid bumping into Mr Romero. He handed me a stack of cash when he dropped me off the last time I saw him and that's what I've been surviving on. A part of the contract required me to fill out my phone number and I did so but Mr Romero hasn't called me yet. Not that I want him to call me anyway.

Sophie has called every now and then to check up on me and I'm now tired of playing sick so I decide to go to class today.

"Look who's back!" Mark says when I enter class and Sophie runs to hug me.

"At least I won't be so bored now." she says.

Mr Romero walks in and we all take our seats. He teaches without even looking at me and somehow, I feel hurt even though I'm not supposed to. I contemplate telling Sophie about him and his dangerous cult but I decide against it. I don't want to ruin his reputation, at least not now.

"Delva! come to my office." Mr Romero says when he's done teaching, sparing me a glance for the first time since he walked in. Surprised by the authenticity in his voice, I stand up and follow behind him.

When I get to his office, I knock and he lets me in.

"We don't need to lock it," he says when he notices me staring at the door and offers me a seat.

"I hope you're sticking to the contract rules." I frown at that.

"How are you?...Mr..."

"I said call me Mateo." he interrupts, clenching his jaw.

"But this is school," I say and he sighs as if irritated.

"We're alone in here Delva."

Someone walks in before I reply and I stand to leave.

"Stay where you are." Mateo says to me and to the lecturer that just walked in, "you may take your seat."

When he notices that the man doesn't say a word, Mateo says,

"Delva, I'm giving you a week to prepare. You may leave." I walk out almost immediately. I go straight to my room just to get my mind cleared. Throughout my meeting with Mateo, I got flashbacks of the two nights I spent with him and the s*x we had. It's quite bizarre because it's so unlike me to relive a s****l moment.

My phone rings but I don't pick up because the caller is unknown. When it stops ringing a message pops up on the screen.

unknown caller: It's Mateo.

My phone chimes again and this time, I pick up.

"Hello Mateo."

"Roseline, the engagement is next week. Everything is ready. All that's left is for you to prepare yourself like I mentioned earlier today. I'll give you more details at Las Montez tonight." he says and hangs up.

Who does this man think he is, giving out orders without getting my opinion on the damn issue? I hate him enough already and now I have to stand his bullshit until this mess he put me in is cleared.

"Fuuuuuccccck!" I scream into my pillow at the same time that Jessica walks in and she stops to look at me.

"Everything okay, Ro?"

"yeah," I sigh. "Well, not really...but I'll be fine, thanks."

"Sure, Ken is coming over...heads up."

I want to scream again but I manage to fight the urge to do so. Ken, Jessica's irritating boyfriend spends most of his Mondays in this room. I hate him because he f***s Jessica in my presence and hits on me whenever she steps out. How disgusting is that?

To avoid seeing him, I ready myself and go to Las Montez looking as casual as possible in my floral print summer dress. I won't be performing until 6pm so I put on the casual look to blend in with the clubbers.

I order myself a martini at the bar and chat with Billy, the bar tender.

"You went missing. You're the people's favourite performer, you know. Everyone kept asking about the brown skin girl. Guess they'll be excited to see you."

I blush, "Then I'll give them a show to remember, tonight.

I was sick, had a flu so I couldn't make it here the whole damn week."

"Oh! don't you worry. Your colleague took care of it. She kept them entertained so this week is all yours. I hear she's taking a week off. Just get yourself ready."

Hearing the last statement instantly reminds me of Mateo. I turn away from Billy and search the crowd for Mateo but I don't see him anywhere. I don't know what time he wants to meet me but I leave Billy and walk into the dressing room. I open a drawer and withdraw my favourite red lingerie. I put them on and grab a pair of red stilettos. When I'm ready, I spritz some cheap yet sweet smelling perfume on my skin and walk onto the stage, the stage light shining upon me. People begin to cheer and I start to dance when the music begins. There's money flying everywhere and I'm afraid the heels of my stilettos might rip through the it but I continue giving them the show they pretty much deserve after a week of not seeing me dance. David announces my break time and I pick all the tip money, stuffing it in my bag.

I'm about to count the tip money when somebody walks in.

"Delva."

"What are you doing in the dressing room?" I ask, watching Mateo's reflection in the mirror before turning around to face him.

He gives me a lingering once over and I watch him as he does that.

"Nice lingerie."

"Thank you."

"I forgot to mention something to you and that's the main reason I wanted to meet you here. You have to quit strip dancing if you're going to be my fiance."

That catches me by surprise, "Why?"

"Because that might besmirch my reputation in some way."

"That's insane, Mateo. I have a family to take care of."

"I'll support your family, I'll add all that to the contract and you can sign it again."

"Whatever," I say, knowing clearly that I know I won't stop strip dancing because it's my life now, and I won't let a man I just met take that away from me.