Chapter 5 Dancing For Him

I nod towards the tech guy - I know I am late, and he has been waiting to hit play.

The music stops, and everything goes quiet momentarily before the song begins. Walking out onto the stage, I begin dancing. Planning in my mind which chair is first and how long to dance near each. I decide to leave chair one until last. Marcello. I don't know why, but maybe so I run out of time.

I continue dancing, walking out towards the chairs; stopping at the first one, I dance in front of the guy. My eyes glanced up towards Marcello. He isn't even watching? He is on his phone? I feel slightly annoyed as I continue to move between the chairs, dancing. The end of the song comes closer as I dance towards him.

Standing at the chair, I dance, his eyes on his phone still as I do. I glance at him and then to Elaine – she shrugs her shoulder. So he requests that he sits here knowing I have to dance here, then pays no attention? I begin to feel annoyed, dancing more, my body against his slightly trying to get attention. As the song ends, I walk backstage, annoyed.

"Daniella, through here first."

Nodding, I wrap the robe around myself and follow Elaine. Sitting in her office, I look at her.

"So what? He requests to sit where I have to dance, then ignores the whole dance and looks at his phone. Why did you accept me?" I don't understand.

"Guess you could say I was interested in what would happen next. You work here, and you're an amazing dancer Daniella, but your fear of what others will think and fear of being open to new things holds you back. How much do you make in your day job Daniella? A week, how much?" I look at her confused.

"Like six hundred why?" She points to the chair, and I sit down.

"Six hundred for how many hours work?"

"Around fifty hours - what does this have to do with you accepting me into the group?"

She laughs, shaking her head. "Nothing, how much do you earn on average here a night? Doing three dances on stage? Like two hundred a dance, right? Four hundred for dances in the private rooms. Some nights you can take home over a grand. Yet you still work as an accountant full time and here once a week?"

"Right? And your point is? This has nothing to do with the group or Marcello. Why are we discussing my job?"

"Because maybe it is time to quit and do this properly? Two nights working, and you will make enough for the whole week, maybe even a month."

I laugh at her words. "I get it. He asked you to do this, didn't he? Maybe he isn't a sexist pig, but he wants me here dancing every night instead, right? This was his idea."

"No, he has no idea. How bad would it be for people to know you dance here? You lie about where you are, so why not lie about where the money comes from? Private dance lessons, there is a world of things you could say you do to earn money so you can work here every night."

So it wasn't Marcello trying to get me here every night?

"I will consider it, now the group?" I need to know.

"As I said, you're too closed-minded. I thought I would accept you, and it would push you into opening up more. You speak a lot here to the girls. It isn't unnoticed that your friend isn't exactly doing it for you." I stare at her shocked.

"Look, you have one more dance tonight. Go home and consider it, Daniella - you can lie about what you do for work. You lie about where you are every time you come here. If people find out, why is that a bad thing?"

Nodding, I stand. Working here would be better, and more enjoyable, but the thought of people finding out scares me. Stopping, I look back at her. "Marcello? What was that about? Why ask to sit there to ignore me?"

"No idea, ask him." She throws a key at me, my eyes glancing down. "Room one, that is his room. He likely disappeared back there after the dance." Nodding, I walk out, stopping at the door. I go to knock and stop; instead, I put the key in. Unlocking the door, I walk in and shut it behind me, my eyes glancing at him.