caught up in the energy

Cassie, visibly angered, retorted, “Oh, shut your trap up! Who the hell do you think you are?” The room fell silent as the unexpected rudeness hung in the air.

A calm voice on the other end questioned, “Cassie, when will you learn manners?” The caller’s shock was palpable, and an eerie laughter echoed through the room.

Observing Cassie’s inability to respond, Barbie seized the phone in frustration. “Listen up, you piece of shit! Stop calling my number. I don’t know who you are, and I don’t give a damn, just stop calling!” Barbie’s yell reverberated with a mix of anger and fear.

In a twisted response, the caller said, “The voice of an angel that warms my soul every time I hear it, my love.” Barbie, furious, muttered, “Son of a bitch!” before slamming the phone down and turning off her device.

Breathing heavily, Barbie faced Cassie, who warned, “Barbie, looks like you have a stalker.” Fear gripped Barbie as she sought advice, “What the hell, oh gosh, what do I do?”

Cassie attempted to reassure her, saying, “Don’t worry, we will be fine,” though her own unease lingered beneath the surface. Trying to understand the situation, Cassie inquired, “Was this the reason you were acting weird?” Barbie nodded in confirmation.

“I thought maybe Mark was the person behind this, but he doesn’t know you, I guess,” Barbie admitted, confusion etched on her face. Cassie, curious, asked, “Why would you think he is behind this?” Barbie recounted their second encounter with Mark in vivid detail

Two days ago

In the midst of the school drop-off routine, Barbie kissed her son Michael on the forehead and bid him farewell as a teacher came to pick him up. As she turned to head back to her car, a voice interrupted her progress.

"What a cute son you got there," the voice remarked, and Barbie turned to see Mark, a face from her past. "Hey, Miss Barbie or Mrs. Barbie," he greeted with a smirk, prompting an eye roll from her.

"Miss, okay. And what are you doing here?" Barbie questioned, sceptical of his presence. Mark continued smirking, saying, "Well, I don't think I should answer that question." His tone held a mocking undertone, and Barbie couldn't help but recall their last encounter.

Realising he was right, she conceded, "Well, you are right, though." She moved to enter her car, but Mark intervened by grabbing her hand. Barbie halted, glancing at their connected hands and then back at him.

"Don't mind me; I just wanted to know if that is your son or not," Mark inquired, his tone probing. Barbie, irritated, rolled her eyes and pulled her hand away from his grasp, frowning.

"WTF, how does it concern you if he is my son?" Barbie retorted, her voice laced with fury. Mark merely smirked in response, leaving Barbie with a mix of frustration and confusion about his intentions.

"So, you're a single mother," Mark remarked, further fueling Barbie's fury. "Whether I'm a single mother is none of your business. Now excuse me," Barbie snapped, attempting to leave, but Mark once again grabbed her hand.

Refusing to tolerate his interference, Barbie raised her hand and delivered a resounding slap to his cheek. The shock on Mark's face was evident as he held his stinging cheek.

"How dare you slap me!" he growled angrily. Unfazed, Barbie rolled her eyes, asserting, "I will slap you again if you don't get out of my sight with your cheap questions." She opened the car door, but Mark, in a surprising turn, pinned her against the door, staring intensely at her.

"Listen, Miss Barbie, nobody has ever slapped me before, and you dare to. You will regret the day you laid your hands on me," Mark warned furiously before abruptly releasing her and walking away. Barbie, somewhat frightened, quickly entered the car and drove off to her house, the encounter leaving her shaken by the intensity in Mark's eyes and his ominous threat lingering in her mind.

As Barbie finished recounting her encounter with Mark, Cassie, still visibly shocked, exclaimed, "You slapped him," her hand covering her mouth. Barbie nodded slowly, a sense of anxiety settling over her.

Later, as they prepared to head to the club, Cassie took care of tucking Michael into bed and giving him a goodnight kiss. Barbie, determined, grabbed the car keys, and as they left, she locked the door behind them. The duo hopped into the car, with Cassie taking the driver's seat, steering towards the club.

Upon their arrival, the crowded atmosphere led them straight to the girls' locker area. Molly's presence caught their attention. "Oh, look who we have here," Molly announced with a smirk.

"Hey," Barbie calmly greeted, unfazed by Molly's demeanour. Molly, seemingly attempting to engage in conversation, said, "Hey, doll. What are you doing here today? I mean, you didn't come for three days now, and the place kinda seems a bit lively," she admitted.

"Thanks," Barbie responded, showing little reaction to Molly's words. As she turned to walk away, Molly seized her hand, taunting, "What's with the rush, baby stripper? Eager to earn money."

"Let go of my hand," Barbie calmly asserted, but Molly stubbornly refused, prompting her to question, "What are you gonna do? I'm not done talking to you, and you wanna walk out on me. Who do you think you are?" Molly yelled.

Barbie decisively yanked her hand away and walked off. Molly, left dumbfounded, faced the laughter of some girls in the locker area.

A few minutes later, the staff announced the sections for the girls. Molly, with a scoff, addressed Barbie, "Hey, Barbie, where is your mind?"

"Huh?" Barbie muttered, unsure if Molly was addressing her.

"We have a duet together, okay?" Molly groaned. Barbie, oblivious to the plan, asked, "Duet?"

"I don't have time to explain to a baby stripper, okay? Just get dressed within 2 minutes because we're up after them," Molly announced before leaving Barbie in a state of confusion.

As she pondered the situation, a girl from behind remarked, "Duet with Molly, let's hope she doesn't cheat you." Barbie turned to find a slim, short girl behind her.

"I'm Ivy," she introduced, extending her hand toward Barbie.

"I'm Barbie," Barbie shook Ivy's hand.

"Well, you're so beautiful. I hope we can be friends," Ivy uttered with a bright smile.

"Sure, you're not bad yourself," Barbie responded.

"Thanks. I heard you were having a duet with that scumbag Molly," Ivy remarked. Barbie nodded, prompting her to inquire, "Yes, any problem, and what's a duet?"

"A duet is when two strippers dance together on a pole, and any money you guys get will be split equally," Ivy emphasised the concept of equality.

"Okay," Barbie sighed.

"Well, the problem is Molly won't let you shine. She'll make sure she takes the spotlight, and at the end of the day, she won't split it equally, telling you some of the money was hers," Ivy explained, her face now filled with disgust.

"What can I do then?" Barbie asked, and Ivy smiled.

"Show her that she can't mess around with you. She always likes attacking baby strippers because she knows they are clueless about the club rules and all," Ivy advised, placing a reassuring hand on Barbie's shoulder.

"Okay," Barbie nodded.

"I was once like you, a baby stripper, and Molly made my stay here terrible with the way she normally pretends so that she can have everybody supporting her, especially the staff," Ivy shared, her expression turning serious.

"Oh, I'm sorry for that," Barbie apologised, to which Ivy chuckled.

"You are not at fault, anyway. Go get ready for your duet," Ivy advised before walking away.

"Sure," Barbie uttered, even though Ivy had already left the room.

Barbie got ready, and Molly approached her, signalling that it was time. Barbie followed Molly as they made their way to the stage. On reaching there, two poles awaited them. Molly touched the first one, then switched to the next, taking a towel to clean her hands while sporting an evil smirk. Barbie couldn't help but wonder about the reason behind Molly's actions and the malicious grin on her face.

As the music started, Molly confidently held the pole and gracefully ascended while dancing. Barbie, matching the rhythm, swayed around her own pole, drawing cheers from the crowd. The enthusiastic response led to money being tossed toward Barbie’s side of the stage, much to Molly’s growing frustration. However, Molly persisted in her dance.

Barbie, caught up in the energy of the moment, decided to go up with the pole. As she attempted to ascend, the slippery surface caused her to lose balance, resulting in a sudden and unexpected fall. Gasps rippled through the crowd as Barbie hit the stage, momentarily interrupting the performance.