Transforming

Daniela POV

I couldn’t help but frown as I slid my body up and down the pole for the group of men and women on the floor. My stage was rightly lit with silver lights; the floor of it was pink and had a silver pole, reaching from floor to ceiling, in the middle. I walked to the edge of the stage and bent over giving the many men, and handful of women, an excellent view of my cleavage. They tossed more dollars on the stage and some of the closer men stuffed dollars down my top. I stood up and walked back over to the pole and climbed up a bit before flipping upside down with my legs behind the pole on opposite sides, and I opened my legs so that my feet were near my head. When I climbed down I walked off of my stage and went to the center of the people around my stage.

I picked the person who didn’t look too into the dance and sat on his lap, before grinding my ass on him. After a minute he was moving along to my rhythm and was stuffing dollar bills into the back of my panties and down my top. After about five minutes I got off of him and walked back to my stage and danced a little more. Just as I got onto the stage, someone walked in and sat to the far back of my crowd. I shrugged it off not paying him any attention and kept on dancing.

The man was dressed in a suit, unusual to be dressed like that around here, with his hair gelled to perfection and a smirk on his face. It was then that I noticed who had sat beside him, John. John still looked every bit as muscular now as he did in high school, maybe more. My show was over for the night and I collected all the money before walking to the backroom and to the dressing room I shared with the other girls that worked tonight.

“Hey Dani.” Rena, another girl working here, called out to me as I walked into the dressing room. I looked at her and smiled before walking over to my locker, I reached up to my neck, where my necklace held the key only for my hand to touch bare skin. The skin where my necklace was supposed to be but wasn’t. Daniela turned around in a hurry and walked over to the only mirror in the room. She looked at her reflection and her eyes raced to her neck and the first thing she noticed was that her neck was bare, meaning her necklace and key was missing.

“Rena have you seen my necklace? The one with my key to my locker on it?” I asked Rena in a panicky tone, that necklace was my most prized possession and if it went missing I’d breakdown and most likely harm myself or someone else.

Rena shook her head with a sad look on her face, “No I’m sorry. Why don’t you check on the floor out there? I’ll help, if you want it.” Rena told me, and I shook my head, not wanting to deny the help of someone who cares unlike the rest of these girls who couldn’t give two shits.

“Please, help.” I said to Rena and she nodded before grabbing my hand and leading me out the backroom and out into the open area where we did our dances. We walked over to my stage and got down on our hands and knees to find it. Every couple of minutes Rena and I would ask the other if we have it but to no avail. “Fuck, Rena I think we got to ask for it to be over announced on the speaker. Could you ask Tally to announce for it please? You know what it looks like right?” I asked her and she stood up dusting herself off and nodded.

“Of course, everyone does.” Rena said, walking over to the back booth to speak to Tally. I was still on my knees searching when there was a shadow over me. I looked up to find John and I hurried to stand up.

“Hey, need help?” I asked him, hoping he didn’t recognize me.

“Do I know you?” Was the first thing out of John’s mouth when he spoke to me.

I shook my head and turned towards him, “Not unless you’re a backroom regular.” I told him, which was true. The only people that recognize me are the ones who get the strip tease dance in the backroom.

“No, I’m afraid I’m not. But you look super familiar. Did you go to Manta Crux, by any chance?” John asked me and I nodded, not wanting to lie.

“Yeah, I recognize you now! You always hung out with that blonde girl, um… Daniela, right?” I asked him, talking about myself. He nodded and shrugged.

“Yeah that’s her. I don’t remember your name though.” I didn’t expect him too since he knew it already. I shrugged and told him the same thing. “John. The name is John.” I shrugged again.

“Listen I would love to stay and chat but I have to find something very important to me. It’s a silver loopy cross necklace with a bronze key on it, if you find it could you take it to the bar and tell them it’s pink stage? Please?” I practically begged him because I needed it and the necklace meant everything to me.

He just shrugged, “You mean this necklace?” He asked holding up the necklace I just described in my face. I nodded, and reached my hand out to grab it only for it to be pulled back. “Not so fast. Who are you? Answer and you get this back.” John said dangling the key in front of me like bait. I sighed; I had no choice if I wanted my necklace and key back.

“Daniela from high school.” I told him letting my shoulders drop, feeling my last bit of dignity leave me. Somebody from high school recognized me and is going to tell everybody and they’ll come here just to torment me. I might as well mentally prepare myself for it coming by next week. I snatched my keys away from him and turned on my heel to walk back into the backroom after telling Tally and Rena not to worry anymore.

I felt a hand grip my shoulder and spin me around so that I could face John again. “Hey now, it’s nothing wrong with being a stripper for a living.” John said, and I knew even though he was trying to make me feel better he just made it worst. I hated the term stripper I don’t understand what’s wrong with the term exotic dancer it sounds so much classier.

“Don’t use that word!” I told him and spun around to escape again. And once again I was forced to turn back around and face John.

“Look I’m sorry for using that word.” John told me and let go of my shoulder, letting his hand drop by his side. “But seriously there’s nothing wrong with being an exotic dancer for a living.” John told me and I nodded, smiling a little, he returned my small smile with a gigantic one of his own.

“Thanks John. I got to go now.” I told him and turned to head back to the backroom and this time he didn’t stop me.