Chapter 2 Two

I bit the tears back as I watched him from the floor. I slipped my hand into my hoody's front pocket and retrieved the money Donovan had asked me to keep earlier, set it down between us, and choked in my cries.

"I'm sorry, Dad"

I quickly shut the door behind me and pulled the hood over my head.

"You hear me?!" he screamed from inside but I continued to walk away "don't you bother coming back! Go back to that club and keep whoring till you die! Just like your mother!"

I shut my eyes as I walked along the hall, my knees getting weaker. I let out muffled cries, I didn't wanna wake up the neighbors. Not that anyone would care. I stopped just before the elevator. I couldn't let the security man see me like this. I take a quick turn back where I came, stopping at the window. I flung my legs over it and landed on the ladder steps that led down to the side of the apartment.

*You're my sickness, Kelsey*

I took sharp muffled breaths as I walked along the sidewalk of the apartment.

*What do I have to live for?*

I found myself crying as I continued to walk. I hid my face under my hoody as I passed the apartment frontage so the security guard doesn't recognize me.

The street was awfully quiet. Getting a cap at this hour was impossible and I couldn't afford to get an Uber. Talk about afford it, I didn't have a penny on me to even pay a taxi if I saw one. I'd left all my money with my Dad. Abby wasn't at the motel to pay for me too. Now I'm stranded.

*You live in a fucked up motel whoring with men!*

I didn't shut my eyes this time. I stared into the air as the tears ran down. His words keep replaying in my head. I stopped at the next public bench set a few walks from the apartment and sat down. The night was cold, I could feel it on my exposed face as I just sat there gazing at the block of houses across the street to me. My father's hateful glare appeared to me again. All the words he said to me, all the curses before now, everything seemed to be hitting my face hard.

Maybe if I hadn't left, if I hadn't taken that scholarship to Mexico, Mom wouldn't have died. Maybe I wouldn't be a freaking stripper now. Maybe I'd be in school too, like Barney's nerdy daughter. Just maybe...

After what felt like ages of pulling myself together, I pulled out my phone and called the one person I could call at times like this, other than Abby who apparently must be very occupied at some hotel with her 'hottie' man to be disturbed.

Donovan's responsive voice from the other end soothed one-fourth of me.

"Yeah......... I'm sorry for calling so late," I said " actually I'm sorry for calling at all, you're still busy at the club now and......oh, okay......listen, could you pick me up from my apartment? I'm sorry........yeah.......yeah, I'll explain everything later......okay, thanks"

"What happened, Kel?"Donovan asked for the second time as he drove along the quiet street, glancing now and then at me. I'd composed myself enough to let him know I'd been crying but being the Donovan that he was, he still managed to know that something's up.

"Had it with your dad again?" he pressed as I still didn't answer.

I nod my head "yeah. Wefoughtught to hit me"

"What?!"

I'd cried so much I didn't know if the actual pain coming from my eyes was because of the cry of because it was past 2 in the morning and I still haven't gotten any sleep.

"But he didn't" I reassured him with a small smile.

"Are you alright?" He asked, concern in his words and eyes.

"I'll be fine"

"I'm sorry, Kelsey. Honestly"

"You don't need to worry about me, Don" he pulls up in front of the motel.

"You wanna talk about it?" he angles himself to face me, one arm resting on the steering wheel.

After a second thought, I decided not to "Nah, I'm okay. I just don't think I'll be going back to see him for a long time"

"He kicked you out?"

I froze, stared at his eyes then looked down. I'd stubbornly clung to him for years, even when it was obvious he wanted me to leave. I guess tonight was obvious enough.

"Yeah, "I replied "he kinda did. I'm sure he....."

"Doesn't mean it?" he cuts me off "Kelsey, he's a drug addict and an alcoholic, no offense. You're not even supposed to be living with him, to bbeginwith"

"He's still my father......"

"Kel, that man could abuse you. He could inflict physical pain and rape....."

"But he hasn't done any of that"

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you"

"I understand, Don, thank you. For everything and you have no idea how sorry I am for dragging you into this"

"Hey, hey," he inches closer and cups my chin with his big hand "I got your back, okay? And you do not have to be sorry about any of this. You can...I mean, if this motel isn't comfortable for you which I'm sure isn't, you're always welcome to my place. You still got the key, right?"

I gave him a smile that's been the truest I've mustered all night. Donovan was such a good-hearted man. Ever since he found out about my little secret when I started working at the club, he'd been very protective of me. He even gave me a key to his house just in case I "needed some space" as he always liked to put it.

"Thank you, Don but I could need some friends here at the motel"

"Don't lie to me, Kel," he chuckles at my lie "you don't have any friends here except Abby"

I chuckled too and before I knew it, we were both laughing.

"You're right. But thanks anyway, I'll be okay here"

"You should stay in today. You don't have to come to work. It's past 2 a.mm and you need some serious sleep okay?"

I nodded "thanks, Don. I ate this"

"It's alright. Just call me if you need anything, okay?"

I nodded before leaning into his chest for a brief hug "goodnight"

*

I could hear distinct voices whispering all around me in the room. I struggled to peel my eyes open but the burning sensation of the window lights stopped me. The fucking pulled the window curtains open?!

"Oh dear, you've had too much to drink last night, didn't you?" I could hear Abby's voice now. She walks over to my head, blocking the light rays from my face and I finally opened my eyes.

"Hey, Abby" my voice came out bold and cracked. I slowly moved the duvet away and tried to sit up.

"Girl, your hair is a mess" she walks over to the foot of my bunk bed.

"Good morning to you too, "I said sleepily, searching under my pillow for my phone to check the time. 9:32 a.m. Damn, I deserved that much sleep. I remember falling into a deep sleep after arriving last night. Or morning. I'd only managed to pull off my flats and hoody which was the easiest thing to do then and slumped on my bed. And......my flats and red hoody were still on the floor right where I left them. On the floor next to my bed

"Kel, I've got a lot to tell you about last night!"Abby giggled, jumping from one leg to another. She looked radiant enough and I knew exactly what to expect. Her skin glowed and her lips were smiling, even though that's like a constant thing for her around here. Her long vanilla blond hair is curled this time down her back and she wore her favorite type of dress. A sundress.

"I feel like I'm havinaannana e hangover" I clutched my head, hurrying my face down.

"That's because you are," Abby replied "whirrrreminds sees me," she sits beside me, grabbing my shoulders with both palms "how did you end up here? I thought you were going to your apartment last night"

"Yeah, long story short, I fought last night"

"Wow," her eyes widened "did you finally...."

"No!"

She slaps my arm and eyes me "well that's not how to cut a story short. What did you expect me to think when you end up in a motel room with your ......hair looking likebirbirdss nest and those tired eyes. So tell me what happened? And if you're gonna cut the story short, make it a long short story. Go"

*You're a whore Kelsey, just like Elizabeth!*

I shut my eyes as his words cut through me like a knife.

"Kelsey, "Abby's handshaking me brings me back from my surreal flashback. "Hey" she calls quietly "what's wrong?"

"I did go to see my dad last night, "I breathe sharply "and....we fought my God, again?"

"Yeah, again" I gave out a broken chuckle "and...hand this time, Abby. He kept calling me a whore and my mom too and I just....spoke back and then he tried to hit me and he fell.....I pushed him. And then....he asked me to leave"

"Hey come on now," she strokes my back "he might just be joking. I...."

"Yeah, or drunk. He messed up the apartment again and even if he didn't mean it which he does, I'm seriously tired of him, of that place. God, of everything"

"I'm so sorry, Kel. Listen you can move in with me. You shouldn't live here, it's not the nicest idea to make the strippers motel your home, Kel, cause shits get the output of hand around here sometimes and you can't live like these other low life girls here"

"We're all considered low life here, Abs, so why try to change that?"

"What matters is what's in your won heart, Kel"

"But move in with you? Your brother......I mean"

"Yeah I live with my brother and he's a jerk sometimes"

"All the time"

"Fine all the time. But so what? You can't stay here"

"Thank you. Really. All of you. Even Donovan asked me to move in with him"

"Wait, Donovan the Donovan?"

"Yeah, he drove me here last night"

"Wow," he gave me the look "

"No, no, no, no, no. Do not go over your love theory again. It was past 1 a.mm when I left the apartment, I couldn't get a cab at that hour, you were off skimping the night with some...... hottie and he was the only one I could call to pick me up"

"I'll still remind you of how he has a thing for you"

"He doesn't, Abby. God, quit saying that, he's just a friend"

"You just don't wanna admit it cause he hasn't spoken up yet"

"Okay, Don does not like me"

"He probably wanna have sex with you too"

"He doesn't wanna do that either. God, Abby, stop already please!"

"Okay fine. Well, I'm sorry, Kel. You should stay in today and get enough rest"

"Yeah, Don asked me to take today off. What about you?"

"I need to be at the club since......two hours ago. I'm taking that bar from Paige today, you see.....but Stephen wouldn't let me leave. He demanded we visited a restaurant for breakfast before he lets me leave"

"Who's Stephen again?"I fold my hands across my chest.

"I thought you'd never ask!" She exclaimed, knocking one of my hands away "Stephen Arthur is the hot guy I was with last night. Oh My God, he is a walking god, Kel. He told me his name the moment I got into his car. He took me to this hotel which belonged to his family and boy!...." she dug her nails into my forearm "he is some pro in bed"

My eyes went wide after she said that. I didn't know why I found this strange cause....leave it to Abby to say all the most embarrassing things aloud.

"In the morning he told me that I'm amazing and that he thinks we should meet again. We ate at a freaking restaurant, Kel! And he insisted on driving me home personally"

"Oh my God?!"

"And....." she picks her bag and presented a calling card from it to me "...he gave me his phone number"

"Wow"

"And quote his number"

"Well he sure didn't look like a one-nighter"

"No, he doesn't. I'm looking forward to another night with him. I just have everything from last night in my head, men!"

"Okay, take things easy okay? You know how these club men are"

"You're right but.....I don't know about this one babe"

"Alright, "I raise my hand in surrender "I'm starving"

"I figured that out already. That is why.." she dumps a white plastic bag on my arms " I bought you Quinn's chicken and the morning yogurt"

"Aw thank you so much. You're the best!"

"I know girl" I stepped down from the bed.

"God!" Abby groans as she falls back on my bed " I don't wanna go to that club today"

"I'm thinking of going, "I told her, setting the chicken down on a table "this place is boring, especially when you all are out" I pointed out to the other empty bunk beds. " I even miss Blaire even though she's in the fifth room after mine. So I'll just take a quick shower, get dressed, and tag along to the club"

"If you're up for it then okay"

I laughed shortly before searching for my toothbrush and running into the bathroom.