Drella Next

I've been here to watch the girls practicing quite a lot. Melissa doesn't mind me being here. I think she feels some kind of loyalty to Taylor, wherever she is. But tonight I'm seeing an actual show. It won't be like watching my mother because apparently her routine is far too legendary to preform. It must have been good if it took her all over the world.
I'm sitting at a table at the back. All of the tables in front are full with middle aged men and some younger women. I didn't expect to see any women. Despite what I told Vic this is a strip club, just a classier one. Women still take their clothes off for money. It may be because of my mother but I don't see anything wrong with that. They're doing what they love and enjoy. If art was socially unacceptable would I stop? No, of course not.
The lights went down and music started. It was old 50s music. Lights came on the stage and I saw one of the girls. I think her name was Jessie. She slowly and teasingly took the black elbow high velvet gloves she was wearing off. She threw them done on to the floor gently. Then she danced around on stage before she started to undo the lace and ribbons at the back of her long dress.
"Here." Ryan - the bar man said. I looked up and saw he had placed a glass of something down onto the table.
"Thanks." I said.
"Enjoying yourself?"
"Immensely," I rolled my eyes. "I don't know. I find it interesting." I shrugged.
"You look like you're taking tips."
"Maybe I am." I laughed.
"On the house." he told me before he went back to the bar. I took a sip and turned my gaze back to Jessie. She was untying the ribbon at the back of her corset. She started to undo the clasps at the front before she dropped it.
People have such a bad opinion of these girls but I honestly don't see why. They work hard. They train for hours every day. They have to make sure their bodies are toned and as perfect as possible. They have to spend hundreds of dollars every year on waxing, lotions and products. People don't consider that before shooting them down.
Jessie let her bra fall down and covered her breasts with her arm. Then she slipped down her underwear and stepped out of them. She turned so her back was to the crowd and the lights went down, letting her walk off stage.
My phone started ringing and I stepped outside of the club to answer it. I saw Vic calling and smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "Hey." I answered.
"I miss you, Ella." he told me without even saying hello.
"I miss you too." I said.
"Where are you now?"
"Outside the club."
"The strip club?" he asked and I could just imagine him raising his eyebrows.
"It's not just a strip club." I said firmly. "It's classier than that."
"Oh okay." he laughed. I could tell he was making fun of me.
"There were women watching the show tonight."
"You watched the show?" Vic suddenly asked.
"Yeah."
"You watched a woman take her clothes off?"
"It's what my mother did. Yes."
"There are other ways you could go about this." he sighed.
"I want to try."
"Try what?"
"Some of the routines."
"Ella," he stopped me. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."
"Why not?" I asked.
"The routines were designed to make men happy. You know that it isn't a good idea for you to learn this to show the men at the club."
"Do I?" I grumbled. Vic was annoying me. He wasn't getting what I wanted.
"Drella, please don't do this."
"Why shouldn't I?" I asked.
"For me. I don't want other guys seeing you with no clothes on. Not my f-"
"Your what?" I asked.
"Not my girlfriend." he rushed.
"You were going to say something else."
"No, I wasn't." he defended.
"Liar."
"I've been on voice rest. You know I have trouble getting all my words out when I've just come off of voice rest."
"Hmm okay." I mumbled.
"Drella, please for me... Seeing you with no clothes on is something only I should get. That's like a rule when you agree to be someone's girlfriend."
"What rule?" I laughed. "I've never heard that rule before."
"It's an unspoken rule, Ella."
"Since when?"
"Since always. Please stop arguing with me." he tried.
"But I miss arguing with you." I said.
"Come home."
"I'll be home in one week. Can you wait that long?"
"I guess."
"Like you have a choice." I laughed. "Do something for me?"
"What do you want?"
"Can you go out with the guys and get completely drunk and have fun? Then when I get back we can be all disgustingly in love and go out then I'll show you some things that I'm learning in the club."
"Okay." Vic agreed.
"Good, I'll see you soon." I said. "And I love you, Vincent."
"Love you back, Monroe." Vic replied.
I hung up and went back inside the club. I went to the back corridors and to Melissa's office. I knocked and heard her call for me to come in. I pushed the door open and she smiled when she saw me.
"Hi, Drella. Come in." she urged.
"Thanks," I said. "Look I have a kind of crazy idea." I said as I sat down.
"What idea?" she asked.
"I want to learn Taylor's routine."
"What?" she gasped.
"I want to learn it."
"It's not that simple. You don't even know burlesque basics."
"But you know and you know Taylor's routine." I said.
"Yes, I do." she agreed.
"If you teach me and I get it down will you do a show for me?" I asked.
"You want a show?" she raised her eyebrows.
"I want some way to get her here. I need to meet her. If you make this show as big as you possibly can it'll get her here. Right?"
"It probably will. I don't think Taylor would be able to resist coming." Melissa agreed. "Do you really want to do this?" she asked carefully.
"Yes." I smiled. "I need to."
"Okay," she breathed. "Drella, I want you to go and get waxed. There's a place ally he girls go to. Spend the rest of the day working out so you're ready for training tomorrow. When you go back to San Diego I want you to train with someone I know. When you're ready for Taylor's routine you'll be sent here." she told me.
"Thank you." I told her.
"I'm doing this for your mother." Melissa said.
"I know." I nodded and stood up, going out of the office.

Notes

Hey! What did you think? What will Vic think? How will Drella get on? Will her mother even show up? Can you see something new for Drella? What will the guys think?

Theres also something I need your help on! I know I've done a collab with some people on this site. But I've got an (if I do say so myself) amazing idea! I normally wouldn't do this but I want to write a story. It's more like a project. It's going to involve a lot of people. My idea is that there is a pretty horrible event and from that event it starts to effect people lives. It'll be told from the point of view of seven different people, that's why I need so many of you! Each person will write one chapter (or more if it goes well) and will pretty much have free rein. I'll just give you a small paragraph about how it's affecting that person and maybe a few ideas that I had about what could happen to them. I really need you guys so if you're interested then please message me! Mike, Tony, two female other characters and either Vic or Jaime (I forget which one is taken) are up for grabs! So message me for more details! :)