d into my hoody's front pocket and retrieved the money Donovan had ask

sorry

r behind me and pulled

walk away "don't you bother coming back! Go back to that

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

y sicknes

ths as I walked along the

I have to

my face under my hoody as I passed the apartment f

get an Uber. Talk about afford it, I didn't have a penny on me to even pay a taxi if I saw one.

ucked up motel w

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 str

Mom wouldn't have died. Maybe I wouldn't be a freaking stripper now. M

called the one person I could call at times like this, other than Abby who appar

ice from the other end

you're still busy at the club now and......oh, okay......listen, could you pick me up from my

eet, glancing now and then at me. I'd composed myself enough to let him know I'd been

again?" he pressed as

"yeah. Wefough

ha

from my eyes was because of the cry of because it was pa

reassured him wi

He asked, concern i

l be

y, Kelsey

about me, Don" he pulls

ngles himself to face me, one a

"Nah, I'm okay. I just don't think I'll

cked y

rnly clung to him for years, even when it was obvious he

d "he kinda did.

rug addict and an alcoholic, no offense. You're not

ll my fat

e you. He could inflict p

sn't done

rry. I'm just w

verything and you have no idea how s

u do not have to be sorry about any of this. You can...I mean, if this motel isn't comfortable

er since he found out about my little secret when I started working at the club, he'd been very protective

could need some frie

ckles at my lie "you don't hav

before I knew it, w

t thanks anyway,

ave to come to work. It's past 2 a.mm

hanks, Don.

t call me if you n

g into his chest for a

struggled to peel my eyes open but the burning sensation of the win

" I could hear Abby's voice now. She walks over to my head, bl

ld and cracked. I slowly moved t

ess" she walks over to

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

d I knew exactly what to expect. Her skin glowed and her lips were smiling, even though that's like a constant thing for her a

a e hangover" I clutched my

sits beside me, grabbing my shoulders with both palms "how did you

ry short, I fou

widened "did y

N

nk when you end up in a motel room with your ......hair looking likebirbirdss nest and those tired ey

Kelsey, just l

is words cut throug

s me back from my surreal flashback.

night, "I breathe sharply "an

pt calling me a whore and my mom too and I just....spoke back and then he tr

strokes my back "he mig

d even if he didn't mean it which he does, I'm serio

the nicest idea to make the strippers motel your home, Kel, cause shits get the output

ow life here, Abs, so w

s what's in you

h you? Your brot

my brother and he'

the

e. But so what? Y

of you. Even Donovan ask

novan the

rove me her

gave me

n I left the apartment, I couldn't get a cab at that hour, you were off skimping t

d you of how he h

od, quit saying that

a admit it cause he

n does no

wanna have se

hat either. God, Abby,

y, Kel. You should stay in

e to take today of

r from Paige today, you see.....but Stephen wouldn't let me leave. He

in?"I fold my hand

th 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

ow why I found this strange cause....leave it to A

thinks we should meet again. We ate at a freaking restau

my G

resented a calling card from it to

W

ote his

idn't look like

another night with him. I just have ever

asy okay? You know h

....I don't know a

my hand in surren

e dumps a white plastic bag on my arms " I bou

so much. You

I stepped down

lls back on my bed " I don't

y when you all are out" I pointed out to the other empty bunk beds. " I even miss Blaire even though she'

up for it

arching for my toothbrush a