FAULTED Destinies

“Bella” the name always had a way of flowing through her lips. They would usually respond with a quirky comment such as “a beautiful name for a beautiful girl.” She had gotten used to it so much so that she had a signature smile to follow suit; she was beautiful, and she knew it. That was something she always took advantage of. “All men are the same," she would always say.

But the man that she had her eyes on tonight begged to differ. He was different, his gaze commanded the truth, his eyes were like a clock for hypnosis, the longer you stared, the more lost you felt, his body was like that of a Roman commander that had gone for war more times than one could count, she could not decipher if it was because of the shirt that hugged his muscles so well that it seemed they would pop if he moved.

Or maybe it was the way his grey orbs shone so beautifully under the club light, or was it the way he sat so casually but had an aura that screamed “royalty”; but, there was something about him that she knew would be her doom. She tentatively took long seductive strides towards him. While the sound of the ever blasting music continued to fade behind her, she kept her eyes on him with each step, drawing her closer to him.

He stared back at her, undeniably impressed by what he saw, only when she had gotten to his table did she break eye contact. Although other girls were there in their numbers, none dared to touch him. She did not have intentions of doing so either. She had somehow gotten the attention of the other men around this stranger. They all looked cooperative with their all black suits but at the same time looked dangerous.

She stopped her mind from wandering and went to the task at hand, turning around and slowly going down to touch her knees, she got whistling sounds from the thirsty men in the club, she smirked, she had understood the language of these men and when necessary knew to communicate with them through her body, swaying her hips slowly and seductively.

She turned back around, and as expected, his eyes were still on her.

She could not tell what he was thinking. He was not like the other men whom she would easily read their emotions through. Audaciously, she moved round the table and stood right in front of him, a wrong move she told herself because once she had gotten closer she perceived his panty dropping cologne, it was expensive, inviting, and addictive just like him. His face looked even more beautiful close up.

She could not deny it. He was a very handsome man, his chiselled face, and plump lips made her picture unholy things. Bella sat on the table, dropping her legs to his sides, to cage him, but she knew that it was not her legs that did that. It was her. Those muscles were the kind that would fling her across the room if they wanted. He stared at her, his eyes tracing every curve of her body. She let her hands wander.

She followed his gaze, from her hair to her neck, all the way down to her knees. Readjusting to squat on the table, she turned back around and did one of the many things she learnt in the club. She twerked, and she let her ass jiggle in his face as the applause increased. When she turned back around she was faced with a shocking sight, the stranger had stood up, she expected him to try to touch her.

But he did something she would have never imagined, he walked out. He walked out of the table and the club without giving her a second glance, she was beyond shocked because never in her three years of being a stripper had any man ever walked out on her. A feisty one, she thought. Another skill she had was how to keep the show going. She moved back on stage and continued to dance.

She danced until the music stopped and the stage lights went off. The two minutes walk to her dressing room gave her enough time to process what had happened, she didn't realize there was a smile on her face; although she should feel embarrassed and should probably stay away, why did he intrigue her? Why did it make her crave him even more? “Hey best friend” someone squealed.

“Angel” she thought, she had gotten used to that voice and had gotten tired of reminding the girl that they were not best friends. Her plan anyway to make Bella repeat it so much she would get tired of doing so. She turned to the direction of the squeal and gave a subtle nod to the guard to let her in, “you see me everyday come into Bella's dressing room and you still decide to make me wait for approval before letting me in!” Angel said.

That made Bella smile, she knew the guards had a strict rule, no matter how often they saw a face, the stripper always had to give consent before they could come in. That protocol had undeniably saved them so many times. Angel knew that, but would still make a fuss every single time, the name did suit her

… Angel. She had beautiful blonde silver dyed hair, her eyes were a perfect kind of big, with beautiful blue orbs.

If one looked close they would see thin lines of silver. With the name, she had a signature piece, it was white lingerie, it made her glow in the club lights. Bella stared at her beautiful figure while she walked towards her, “hello gorgeous”, she said while hugging her, Bella responded with a tap on the back, she seemed to have wanted to say something but she was being called up on stage. “I will be back,” she began to speak.

“Then you can tell me what everyone is whispering about “The Bella” being rejected,” Angel said as she used air quotes for my name.