Maeve

My eyes were focused on reading Pride & Prejudice as I took a few puffs of my cigarette sat in front of my movie star mirror.

The other girls shattered in the dressing room were preparing to perform in front of the rowdy swarm of sexual frustration males awaiting for them to  dance on a pole for their own pure entertainment.

"That looks like a good read" Cindy one of The most popular girls at The Twilight Club. Peered over my shoulder take a closer glance of the chapter I was currently reading.

She folded her arms over her chest wrapped warmly in a luxury purple dressing gown covering her curvy body. As her golden blonde curls laid above her shoulders.

With one last puff of my cigarette I glanced up at her and put the book down to one side. "I never took you for being a secret admirer of Jane Austen" An amused chuckle fall from my lips.

"And If I may say you have such great taste" Giving Cindy a cheeky wink and I put the cigarette out in an ashtray laid out before me on my less than glamorous dressing table.

"See I'm not just a pretty face with big boobs and a nice ass to match" Cindy and I simultaneously laughed at her witty remark. "I do like to read a good book or two in my spare time"

I tapped my hand above my chin as a quick thought clouded my mind. "You can borrow my copy of Pride & Prejudice after I'm done rereading it for the hundredth fucking time. If you like?"

Cindy beamed from ear to ear doing an overly excited happy dance. "Aww thanks, Maeve" A slight expression of guilt sudden came across her face. "But you don't have to do that if you don't want to"

"Oh no, Cindy" Shaking my head I politely dismissed her claim. My back was turned to her staring through the mirror to apply some lipgloss  followed by pushing up my bra. "It's absolutely fine"

Cindy nodding strolling passed me to lightly tap my shoulder on her way back to her own dressing table.

"See ya later, Maeve"

"See ya later, Cindy"

My hand lightly blushed The Pride & Prejudice book cover laid upwards on my table. No matter how many times I've read it. It never gets old.

I reflected back to the time when I first found Pride & Prejudice scrolling through the bookshelves at Moordale Sixth Form's library.

It was the only place where I could truly escape to after growing up in a chaotic environment heavily surrounded by abandonment and drugs.

But even after I left the States and graduated from Wallace.

Things have taken a slow pace after my publisher decided to turn down Southchester over something more for the kids instead of a loosely based on autobiography of my life in Moordale.

And now look at this young aspiring writer who was once full of wonder and hope.

Has turned to stripping as an income for paying the bills and to keep a roof over my head.

Imagine if Otis could see me now, eh

I wonder he what is up to nowadays. Its's been six years since we last spoke and saw one another for the last time before I left.

But.

I.

Still.

Miss.

That.

Dickhead.

Athough I'm too proud to admit it. It's the true and nothing but the truth.

"Meave?" A loud door knock nearly startled me out of my seat. I look up and see David one of the runners who keep everything in check backstage and gathers each performer to the stage one by one, once they time has come.

"Oh" David's looked if his heart lapped out of his chest as he clutched his hand above it. "I'm so sorry, Meave I didn't mean to scare you"

I gave him a sympathetic smile straightening out the dark red bob styled wig above my head.

"It's ok, David. I know you didn't mean to do any harm"

The lanky youngster tilled his head, nervously biting on his lower lip shyly looking at me through the corner of his eyes.

His awkwardness reminded me so much of Otis when we first started to be become friends and run the clinic together back in Moordale as young and naive teenagers.

"Thanks, Maeve" David nodded curving a small grin across his lips. "You're set about to be begin. Are you ready?"

Giving David a wink I stood up to do a sexy strut with such endearing confidence.

"I'm ready, David. Let's fucking do this" He and I  exited the dressing room and wandered to the closed dark curtains backstage.

Once I was in position David whispered good luck in my left earlobe before he left to continue his other duties.

"Everybody put your hands together for the punky red haired sexy firecracker, Phoenix"

The music began to play and the curtains open wide. The crowd erupted with applause and cheers  as I stepped onto the stage having my head held high ready to perform.