Chapter 7 Ava

• Ava POV
• Getting home at 4 am wasn’t unusual, half drunk and exhausted, I plopped down on my bed with the fucking envelope in my hand and cried myself to sleep.
• I hadn’t opened it then because I couldn’t but staring at it now as I sit at my table I still can’t, taking a deep breath I take out the paper from the envelope and skim through it.
• I can't believe he did this, I thought I could talk sense with him but he played me.
• The benefit of the doubt my ass, that’s just bait to get me to do this. I need to be smart about this.
• -ugh-
• Smart later coffee first, the hangover isn’t helping the hunger threatening to reap my stomach.
• I hadn’t had anything to eat since yesterday as I lost my appetite, and drinking on an empty stomach wasn’t wise at all.
• After getting food in my stomach, I decided to worry about the contract later and browsed the internet instead for auditions available, which wasn’t fruitful.
• “So you signed the contract” Anna asks.
• “Not yet.”
• “30% revenue per performance, that’s grand Ava“ she takes a sip of her drink
• I had nothing to do today so came here earlier to catch up with Anna, I didn’t have a shift today.
• “You aren’t the one getting naked, wanna exchange roles” I deadpan, apparently we have different views of what grand is.
• “You want a repeat of what happened before?” she laughs and I join her at the memory.
• “I can't believe your legs got stuck” Remembering when she tried air splits, I take a sip feeling the cool breeze on my cheeks.
• “Hey, not everyone can be a pro like you” she eyes me “But you know you don’t have to sign it, it's not like he can force you, we all know how much he adores you.”
• “I beg to differ” not telling her the full story of what the contract entails.
• “You were sent to school Ava, that never happens here.”
• If only she knew that was a small price to pay for my current predicament.
• “Enough about me, tell me about you.”
• “There isn't much, I had to fight my way to this position, it wasn’t easy but well nothing good comes easy right, there was a time I wanted to leave too you know.”
• “Why didn't you?” I pry.
• “I had to survive,” she says staring at her cup, a small laugh leaves her mouth “Plus, I had nowhere to go.”
• Oh, I should have known the harshness that comes with working for Gordon, feeling guilty over the little freedom I had.
• Everyone thinks he likes me but I am just one of his pawns for money.
• “I'm sorry.”
• “I turned out fine though.”
• "That most certainly is true” We clink our glasses and look at the stars. This was my favourite place in the building before I left, and it still is.
• After a while, Anna bumps me.
• “I still can't believe I'm sitting with a celebrity.”
• “I'm not, at least not yet.”
• “You’re an actress, that spells celebrity, just don’t forget me when you become bigshot” and we laugh.
• “So how long do I have until the night begins.”
• “You'll have to go now to be ready on time” She feels sad for me I know.
• I stand taking my leave” See you later.”
• “Cheers to the money you'll be making today, masked girl.”
• “Uh, about that, can you keep my identity a secret? I don’t want anyone to know who I am.”
• “And you say you aren't a celebrity.”
• “Anna!”
• “Okay..okay...I promise."
• I didn’t want to see Gordon but that was unavoidable when he came to the changing room.
• “I see you still pouting but I am glad I didn’t have to drag you to get here.”
• “Can you leave, I would like to get changed now” I turn to face him from the mirror ”Wouldn’t want to be late for all your clients who worship me.”
• “I believe you'll begin to see things differently as time goes on.”
• “The contract?”
• “I haven’t signed it.”
• “Then do it now, we don’t have all night.”
• “I haven’t looked through it yet.”
• “What did I say about lying little one” he taunts.
• “I'm not going to sign anything until I've read and fully understood” I keep my voice even though my hands are balled into a fist.
• “You seem to believe that contract is opened indefinitely, It's not, I can change my mind, Ava.”
• “And what's stopping you?” I ask him.
• “You wanted me here at your disposal, I am here, so leave, so I can get ready.”
• He looks around the room “But it's all mine.”
• He turns and I think he is about to leave when he takes a sit on the couch by the wall, he looks up at me and smiles.
• “Carry on don’t let me get in the way of what you were doing.”
• so he wants to play it like that, I take my bag and burst through the door.
• “But he is faster, he grabs me pulling me to him.
• “And just how dead do you want to be.”
• “Not really, but if I have to change in front of you, then get on with it,”
• his laugh booms through the hallway threatening while finding me amusing.
• “Now why..” his phone rings, he picks it and I can't hear what the other end says before he ends the call and smiles, his whole expression shifts.
• “Go get ready little one, I just got a matter to attend to, Today you are expected to tease them a little” and with that, he leaves.
• The money bathed my body and I have never felt dirtier as I danced on the dice Gordon brought up death so casually and he said we were family,
• _What a joke_.
• Men of all calibre are here as one who I danced close to grabbed me flush against himself, the alcohol oozing from his mouth as he laughs haggardly and I want to puke but I hold it in as his hands roam over my body, grabbing my breast.
• I push myself off him before he can do more.
• Hold it in Ava, come on, and when the music ends, I step off the dice, literally running to the changing room
• tears drop down my face as I pull off my shoes, still feeling my skin crawl with the memory of how those hands touched me.
• My door opens and someone steps in. Can't he just let me breathe for a moment?
• “Don’t bug me, Gordon, I'm not signing anything yet” trying to remove the mask off my face as I turn to face him but my hands stop moving when I see who it is.
• “What are you doing here?” I tighten the mask over my face again and cover myself.
• “We meet again” he moves closer and I can see him well in this bright light.
• He isn’t wearing a three-piece suit like yesterday instead a shirt and jeans, his hair is a bit ruffled, and his green eyes are clad with long lashes I didn’t notice before.
• It's like seeing him in a new light all his features are sharper and clearer.
• “You are not supposed to be in here,” I say as I back up with every step he takes.
• “Why not?” he says staring into my eyes I have never felt so glad about any decision I made in my life until moments ago when I used contact lenses on my eyes, it’s a thin film but I don’t feel so vulnerable under his stare.
• “This is the changing room for workers Sir” I look away gulping.
• “Sir…” he says “I like the sound of that.”
• He looks around the room “I’m here for the redo you offered, I have a proposition that might catch your interest.”
• What is it with men, do they have to get in every little pant they see, a small laugh leaves my mouth at the ridiculousness, apparently they are all the same.
• “If you want a private performance then go pay to have one, if not, I don’t have sex with guests” folding my hands.
• He laughs, amusement dancing around his eyes.
• “You might want to reconsider” leaning in and I get a whiff of his cologne again.
• “As it may grant you your freedom.”