“I don't know… maybe your best friend and roommate?”
She smiled at me brightly. “Does that mean you'll go? Will you help me get together a little routine? I mean we only have today.”
I nodded. “Of course! This sounds like a great idea.”
If only I had known what I was getting myself into, I would've realized what a great idea it was.
Three
We worked all afternoon on her sexy moves, playing popular club music, and coming up with quick routines so that anything they could throw at us we would be able to handle. Alexis was small and athletic, but I had the height on her, and long lines when I danced. I had taken some hip-hop lessons in early high school, but stopped when my family couldn’t afford them anymore. I would dance at a local club sometimes to make a little extra money. Before they figured out I was underage, that is. This go-go job sounded exactly like something I'd be into. And no one would have to know; the club was on the other side of town. Only kids like Alexis with lots of money went over to the West side. No one would ever know about our little secret.
We caught a cab to the audition space. Alexis said that it wasn't at the club, but that if they liked us, they would take use there later to show off our skills to a live audience. But when we pulled up to what was supposed to be an empty warehouse, I could tell that the audition space was more than that.
“I thought you said that it was just a rehearsal studio? This looks like a bank or something.” We both looked out the window at an older stone building, with dark stairs leading up to an ornate wooden door. There was a bouncer standing at the front, but no line or red carpet in front of him. Whatever type of venue this was, it wasn't your typical rehearsal space.
Alexis shrugged. “I don't know. This is the address on the card.” She passed the card up to the cabbie again, “Are you sure this is the right place?”
He nodded. “Yes, yes. The fair is $17.95. You’re paying with cash or credit?”
She rolled her eyes, and passed up a twenty-dollar bill. “Keep the change.”
We both got out of the cab, and watched it drive away as the bouncer waved his hand at us to come over to him. We had coats wrapped around our scantily clad outfits, so besides our heels and our coats, it looked like we were naked. Alexis approached him first. He was tall and stocky with a black long-sleeved shirt on and black pants. “We’re here for the audition.”
He didn't say anything, just nodded, and opened the door for us to go through. No checking of IDs or asking us how we had found out about the audition. It was strange. We walked up another set of stairs and into a dark lobby. There was a girl just a couple years older than me standing behind an ornate wooden desk. There was a bell in front of her, and the guest list where people had been signing in their names. A fountain pen still laid on top of the paper. I looked at Alexis. This was definitely not what she described. She shrugged at me and walked up to the desk.
“Hi, um, we’re here for the audition.”
The girl had a black corset on, but I couldn't see what she was wearing on the bottom. Her long brown hair went down past her chest, and was cut straight across her forehead. She looked like a model.
“Audition? Oh, did you get our information from Club Zero?”
Alexis nodded. “A guy gave me the card and said the audition was here. Are we in the right place?”
She looked Alexis up-and-down, and then did the same to me. “I think there's something that we can do with you. Follow me upstairs; that's where the girls get ready. The Madame will meet with you after that.”
I was confused. “I'm sorry, Madame? Is that what you call the woman who hires everyone?”
She smiled at me, and cocked her head. “That's what everyone calls her. She owns the Buyer’s Club.”
“But I thought this was for Club Zero?”
She walked up the stairs and beckoned for us to follow her, but ignored my question. Without anything else better to do, we followed her. I think out of sheer curiosity.
We could barely hear her soft footballs on the red velvet carpet as she ascended the stairs. She continued to talk as she walked in front of us. “We use Club Zero to field potential girls for our operations here. This is the Boston Buyer’s Club. Welcome.” With that, we were at the top of the stairs and we had entered a large room with dozens of girls lying around on sofas and sitting in oversized armchairs. They all had on similar outfits as our hostess: corsets with little boy shorts and ruffles on the ass. And they were all just as beautiful as she was. Many of them had their shoes off, and were putting on makeup or curling their hair. But some were ready to go at an ornate wooden back door, standing in clusters whispering excitedly.
As the woman continued to walk, I grabbed Alexis’s arm. “What the hell is this? These girls are not go-go dancers.”
I could tell she didn't know what to say, and that she was just as shocked as I was. “I don't know, Calla. This isn't what they told me, I swear.”
A beautiful African-American girl walked up to us. She had long black hair that went past her shoulders, with a blond streak right in front. Her skin was smooth, and it look like she had hardly any makeup on; she was just naturally beautiful. “They didn't tell you honey? I swear, getting these girls off the streets is just not going to work out for us.” She turned around to address the tall brunette who had brought us upstairs. “Jessica, you have got to talk to the Madame about this. These girls are going to tell everybody about us. And you know that is not how it works here.” She moved her hands as she talked, and then turned back to us. “I mean you’d be stupid to tell, though. Girls who tell don’t get far.” I shuddered. She added, “We don't need any virgins in the Buyer’s Club.”
I made a face. “I'm not a virgin. But thanks anyway.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Feisty. Maybe you do belong here. But your little sidekick… Girl, you should head on home.”
I addressed her again. “She stays. She's with me.” I held onto Alexis’s hand tightly, afraid that they might rip her from me. Many of the other girls were now watching our altercation. They'd stopped chatting in the corner and the girls who had been putting their makeup on had frozen in place. They all looked like mannequins at a department store.
“Fine. It's not my decision anyway. The Madame will have your ass out in a second. Just stay away from my Buyers.”