The Stripper

“LAP DANCE? That’s the last thing I would do,” said Samantha with disgust. She was talking to the manager of Peregrine Club—Bob.

A year ago, she left the Philippines to venture into the complex city of Las Vegas. Aside from the money earned, he is more hopeful of finding her father who abandoned her mother twenty-four years ago. That’s the main reason why she was there—to find her father.

Samantha landed as an erotic dancer. At the job nature, you can’t guarantee that a guy won’t make a boner. And you can’t avoid belittling and judge by others. But for her, it’s just a job. Her conscience is clean and pure despite her work. The important thing for her was the money she gets from every sway and moves she makes in front of men full of lust.

“I’m not forcing you, lady.” Bob puffed as the smoke from his cigarette was like a dragon. He was tall and has a serious-looking face.

He then turned around and went to the other ladies facing their respective dressers.

“Whew!” Helen—her co-worker, who happens a Filipina like her went inside the dressing room. Helen was carrying two crumpled pieces of cloth that had been removed earlier when she dances on the stage. The woman was sweaty. And because Bob was blocking its path, she put on her panties behind the man.

Inside the dressing room, it is normal to undress and get dressed after their show. Even their manager got immune to how the atmosphere work. They looked without malice. It is just for work. If your stagy, then you’re out of this work.

When Bob turned around, Helen leaned over. The man walked outside the room. Helen then quickly sat down in front of the dresses, next to Samantha’s. she simply grabbed the towel from the other dresser to wipe her sweaty body.

“Hey! That’s mine,” snapped the black American named Dolly.

“Just grabbed another one over there,” Samantha said and pointed to the hanging cabinet.

Dolly then glanced at her. "I'm not talking about you."

Dolly stared at her, sharply once more before she stormed out of the room.

Samantha shook her head and turned to Helen. “Are there lots of customers today?” Samantha asked.

Helen took a small chunk of ice from the ice bucket and rubbed it on her tips. She had to do that for the tip to survive.

“Yeah,” Helen replied and wear her brassiere.

“C’mon, Sam,” her Canadian co-worker called her.

“Coming!” She then brought her face closer to the mirror. “Did you know that Bob offered me to dance on a customer’s lap?”

“Lap dance? Hey, you will be paid a lot with it,” Helen said, which seems regretful.

"I will not do that. Never."

“Girl, the customer won’t touch you. Remember the rule: I can touch you, but you can’t touch me.”

“Sam!” called Bob.

“Coming!”

Sam slowly opened the beaded curtains out of the stage, accompanied by the uplifting music fast and boisterous. Apart from the location, there are several other stages. They are centered in a row of tables where customers sit. The lights are dim and shaky. Waiters are swiftly walking here and there.

Along with other erotic dancers, Sam grinds on her stage. Her beautiful body danced with the rhythm. Suddenly, she slowly took off her brassiere. She lowered her bikini to her knees. She grinned. She shakes her body and her bikini slowly fell. And now, she was naked. She pulled closer to the tube bar. She made loops and turns like a snake. She twined. Looking so attractive, derisive… showing some rigid feelings.

FROM THE table where he was, Andrius couldn’t help but warm himself up while watching one of the women's dances. His friend Chuck is chatting with the Black American girl named Dolly—the woman who rode with them to the city of Las Vegas.

Due to the extreme proximity of the stage, Andrius could clearly see the female dancer’s face. Her face was familiar. He just can’t remember where he saw it, but he was sure that he does. He sipped on his glass of vodka and started again at the girl’s face. Still, he can’t remember where he saw it.

Unable to bear it, he poked Dolly. “What’s her name?” he asked and simply pointed to the woman on the stage.

“Sam,” said Dolly and turned back to Chuck.

He repeated many times the girl's name, but still, he can't remember. He tossed a small amount of his drink. The women were replaced by another group.

Andrius's head almost aches thinking about where he saw that face.

Later, his attention was focused on a tall man in formal attire. There’s an authority in the man’s face. A customer near their table called the man. After a quick chat, the man left. And when he returned, he was already with a woman who was one of Sam’s former contemporaries. The customer stood up and followed the woman into the back room.

A sudden idea hit his mind. He called for that guy who happened to be the manager of the club named Bob. Andrius delivered what he wants, which is Sam and was willing to pay whatever the amount is… just for a private dance, the manager promised that he will convince the girl, Sam.

According to Bob, Sam allegedly rejected a customer for a private dance. When Bob turned away, Chuck’s temptation rained down on him. For the first time, Chuck sees him get interested in another woman.

Andrius just ignored his friend. He just wanted to fill the curiosity of where he first saw Sam.

When Bob returned, Sam was already with him. Emotionless, the woman approached their table. Now, her dress was short.

"I won't dance," said Sam, emphatically to him.

Bob pulled Sam away. After a few minutes of argument, the two returned.

“Follow me in the back room,” said the girl and turned away.

Bob patted him, with a teasing smile flustered on his face. Andrius then stood up.

“That’s instinct, dude.” It’s Chuck, who threw a goofy smile at him.

He followed the girl to the back room. When he opened the beaded curtain, the girl was already standing in front of a soft and floppy chair. He then dropped his body on the chair.

The small room was surrounded by mirrors. Carpeted floor. Dim lights. But he clearly saw Sam’s face. The fast and boisterous music started to play.

"I can touch you, but you can't touch me." Sam reminded him and removed her garment.

At the sudden view, Andrius feels like the world stops. His chest throbbed. The thought of where he saw the girl was gone. He had seen and claimed his girlfriend’s body, but he never feels the way he felt today as she saw Sam.

Was Sam’s charm different?

Sam started to dance. Andrius's jaw dropped. He seemed to be tickled by every swing of the woman’s body. She went closer to him. She put the tips of her long fingers on his shoulders and swayed. She pulled the collar of his polo shirt and sat on his lap.

Andrius breathe deeply and bite his lower lip.

She clasped her hands around his neck, and she brought his face close to hers. Lips teasing and blinking.

"May your wild imagination reach heaven," she whispered in his ear.

Her breath bit into his system. He suddenly warmed up. He then buried his palms in the soft chair.

Sam rubbed her healthy chest against him following the rhythm of the music. She shook her body, and he was forced to close his eyes to feel the sudden feeling. The moves of the girl became slow. She goes up and down… slowly at first until it gets wild.

He moaned. His pet wants to get out of his scorch.

The girl felt his massive boner. She pulled his hair which makes lost his insanity.

He was about to reach his climax when Sam suddenly stopped. He opened his eyes.

The woman stared at him. Her forehead furrowed and she suddenly stood up.

He was sighing as he looked up at her.

"You!"

"Me?" he asked the woman in shock.

Sam slapped him.

"Why?... Is this the way you treat your customer?"

She quickly picked up her panty, brassiere, and her dress on the carpet. “Have you forgotten your arrears to me?”

"What are you talking about?" he stood up as his jaw clenched.

"You let me pick condoms on the floor a year ago."

Andrius remain silent. And now he remembered the place where he met her. Right! He saw her in a 24-hour grocery. But is it that tough when he left her picking condoms on the floor? He clenched his fist.

Sam dressed up quickly. She was about to leave when Andrius stopped her.

“Are my arrears too much, for you to slap me?” there was an emphasis in his voice.

“Release me if you don’t want to be kicked out by the bouncer,” she warned.

“I’m not afraid! You hurt my abdomen, my head, and even my jaw.”

Sam felt his anger. Fear flashed on her face, but she still managed to break free from his grip.

"We're even." She glared at him and left the room.