Elouise Edron - In The Night Time

"That guy was harassing me!" I barked in defence. "He’s been stalking me, and now he’s at my work, offering me a job in the porn industry!" I said almost laughingly; he’d surely have my back on this one.

"You better take it, Bianca. I can't keep covering for you all the time, and I need more customers like DeGrain. On top of that, you’re barely ever on time, you’re constantly changing shifts, and then overload on them only when it suits your schedule. Plus, you’ve been making a lot of mistakes lately around the till and wastage, and we keep coming up short on the nights you’re working. I know you’re not a thief, but I also know that when my boss works out that it’s you making the mistakes, he’ll have my arse for not firing you sooner.” Dan finished, his eyes firm, and his mouth closing solidly on his last word.

"Fired? Over this??" Now he's done it. It’s one thing to stalk me at work, but it’s another thing entirely to get me fired. "You can't be serious - he's stalking me!"

"Bianca, I find it very hard to believe that a man like Paul DeGrain is stalking YOU of all people. He's the utmost gentleman and very professional with all of his clients and staff too.”

"But..."

"But nothing. If you can't work nicely with our top paying customers after all I put up with from you, I can't have you working here at all.” He paused, trying to keep his cool.

I stood staring blankly at the space beyond him. My world had completely spun out of control in an instant. I thought about the upcoming bills I’d no longer be able to pay. My heart panged with remorse from ditching my other job, wishing I had picked that over this. I doubted I could ask for any sort of reference. My eyes welled, and I gritted my teeth trying not to show weakness in this moment of truth. I regretted such a fleeting moment of stupidity to show the man up. I should’ve just walked out and left it, but I couldn’t resist playing his game and now I had truly copped the wrath of my ways.

I was screwed. I had the easiest job in the world, and I’d even managed to mess that up, leaving myself out on the curb because I was trying to prove a point to a man dubbed as a ‘hero’ in his circle, and seemingly, by everyone else he met. A gentleman? Not from what I had experienced so far. It’s not like he was particularly creepy, and he had never touched me nor made me feel cheap, but he was far from what I would consider a man of good manners.

My life had collapsed due to my attitude, and while that was something I knew needed changing; right now getting a new job was my main priority. Swallowing my pride, I thanked Dan for the opportunity, and turned to leave. I fumbled for the doorknob, just long enough to hear his last words.

“Grab your stuff and sign out Bianca, you’ll get your last pay next Friday and have a few weeks leave owing too, so it should get you through until you find something else,” he said no doubt with his eyes back on the books. He wasn’t a bad guy, he was just doing his job and following the rules. In hindsight, I wished I’d had the same maturity, but I never liked playing by other people’s rules.

I felt upset. I felt lost. And here I was, just after 2am on a Monday morning, and only hours left to get enough sleep for a full day of university lectures starting at 8:30.

No job. A shitty apartment. No family to rely on. And a whole bunch of assessments ahead that weren't going to write themselves. I felt like I was well and truly fucked.

I scrambled down the stairs without saying goodbye to my colleagues and rushed outside hoping that I could forget this whole night ever occurred. I was ready to get out into the fresh air of the cool night, to be alone with my swirling thoughts.

"Bianca!” that voice chased after me. “Where are you going?"

Paul. Of course. Just to finish rubbing salt into my fresh wounds.

"If you've come to gloat, I'm not in the mood,” I said, wrapping my jacket tightly around my chest. “He fired me because of that stupid drink" My breath lit the air in front of me, my bare legs shivering in the cold.

"He what? Shit, I'm sorry, but I swear I didn't say anything. I want what I want, but I don't play dirty," he said from a distance, hesitantly walking towards me.

"I guess your job offer is my only option now isn't it!" I tried to tackle a laugh between tears that unwillingly broke the surface of my raw demeanour.

He caught up to me and stopped under the moonlight in the otherwise dimly lit street. We were standing face-to-face. him out of breath and me wild with emotions I was trying to keep under wraps. I didn’t want him to see me as weak, and so I stood tall pretending like it didn’t bother me.

"No sweetie, it's not like that. I know talent when I see it, but I don't force people into working in this industry. It’s not a slave trade. It's fun, empowering, and creative and we're really like a big old family when you get to know us. It’s just that our family is a bit..."

"Incestuous?" I interrupted with a laugh, pushing at his surprisingly strong shoulder. Under all his layers, I hadn't really had a chance to see what kind of shape he was in and assumed that his silhouette was more likely shaped like a beer keg than a six pack.

"I was going to say, highly sexual," he said, toning his voice down as our eyes caught each other. Those baby blues.

My heart began pounding against my chest again. He brought a sense of new life into me, teasing a mixture of unknown emotions I didn’t know what to do with.

"I'm sorry this happened to you. And to be honest, I don’t think the industry is for you. You’re too innocent, too nice despite the armour you wear. I was just joking around because I knew you were so unlikely to fall from the sky like the other angels I have on the books.”

His smile was warm, and for once, he made me feel comforted, and at ease. His perverted demeanour ceased for a moment, and a sense of calm overcame us both as we engaged in a conversation imitating friendship.

“You look cold,” he said as I shuddered under the blanket of the night.

“A little,” I replied with a smile. The icy tip of my noise began to run. I wiped my face to try and rid the tears, hoping he wouldn’t notice. “I’m okay. I’m used to the cold.”

“Are you walking home? In the dark?” He seemed to be concerned, and it showed on his face.

“Yeah, it’s not far. Besides, I like unwinding after a shift, the night time is so quiet, and it makes me feel alive.”

“Bianca, you shouldn’t be walking home alone in the middle of the night. It’s not safe around here, especially for a girl as beautiful as you.”

I blushed, uncomfortable receiving a compliment. He was suddenly boasting authenticity in his tone, and all that smarmy pretence had vanished.

“Let me call you an Uber,” he said authoritatively, peering deep into my eyes, as if searching for my soul. “I’d feel a lot better if I knew you were getting home safe tonight.”

I tried to swallow the tension that had sparked between us.

“You can’t do that, it’s not far. Besides, if I wanted an Uber, I could pay for it myself,” I said still trying to keep my sense of pride and independence, despite the night’s events.

“I know, you’re a strong independent woman, but you’re also one I’d like to protect from all the bad in this world. You might not see your talent Bianca, but I certainly do.” He smiled with warmth. “And not just in the boudoir…”

I was intrigued by his change in character, and the good rap everyone seemed to give him. Despite our uncomfortable first meet, I was sure now that there was a reason deeper for connecting than a starring role some porno. Instinctively, I knew I wanted to know more.

I looked down at my boots, not knowing how to respond “Oh, gee, thanks,” I muttered. “Here I was thinking I had found my life’s calling by meeting you, and now you’re not so sure?”