So I know that I have Between the Lines of Love and Hate going at the moment, but I wanted to get this one written!
It's based on the film Burlesque but hopefully those of you who haven't seen the film will also enjoy it!
Edit: I've already gone through and edited this chapter to improve it so I was satisfied with it. Sorry to all those who read the awful first version!
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As Piper Chapman sat on the bus to Los Angeles, she could feel her stomach churning. Every second she sat staring out the window as the city passed her by was another second closer to a new life. She didn't know what it held, or if it would be any good, but Piper could no longer sit at home and hear her mother pester her about work and relationships and "you should be doing something, Piper". At Smith, Piper had been free to do what she wanted to do, go and come as she pleased and there was no one nagging her about getting a boyfriend and a job. But as soon as she had returned to her family home with her degree, it was as though her freedom had been ripped out from under her and she was a teenager again.
After five months of having her mother constantly on her case, Piper had packed her bags and caught the first bus to LA. With the small amount of her savings she had, she fully intended to find herself a small place and spend every second of the day looking for a job. The determination she possessed would surely ensure that she found something semi-decent, at least. Piper was a hard worker and was willing to work her way up from the bottom. If she needed to fetch coffee for a while in order to make something of herself, she'd freaking well do it.
As soon as she stepped foot off the bus, she opened google maps on her iphone, typed in her new address and followed the directions that she could never freaking understand. With the small amount of money that she had, she knew the place she had found for herself would be far from spacious, but she hadn't banked on the box sized room she ended up in. With barely enough room to swing a cat in, as the clique goes, it wasn't exactly the cosy little apartment she had imagined. But needs must and at the end of the day, this is what she had. She would just have to add it to the growing list of things that she would need to make work in her favour.
Dumping her bag down, Piper let out an exhausted sigh. The apartment block was a tall one and she'd had to climb the stairs after finding the elevator out but as she wandered over to her window, she realised that the view was worth it. Although far from the best, it allowed her to see out far enough to put a smile on her face and give her the oomph that she needed to begin her job hunt. This was it. This was the beginning.
But the beginning of something good wasn't going to come knocking on her door and asking if she wanted a job. Piper would have to get out there and let people know she was here, ready to work. Someone would want her.
They had to.
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They didn't.
The stack of résumés she had started the day with had dwindled a significant amount but she was feeling pretty damn negative about her prospects. She'd looked up every single publishing house and potential work place in the area and every one of them had given her that patronising smile, the sympathetic nod and the insincere "I'll see what we can do". Piper was sure that none of them would call her back and the pain in her feet was for a big fat nothing.
Good god, she needed a drink. The thought of sipping on cold alcohol was far too tempting and she soon began her search for a welcoming looking bar. After the horrific and discouraging day that she had had, she was pretty sure that she'd earned it. In terms of bars, she wasn't short of options, the street she was on was crammed with places where she could grab a drink, but none of them really called out to her. So instead of walking into the first place her eyes found, Piper decided to walk on and find somewhere she could really enjoy the drink that was calling her name oh so freaking loudly. As the light began to fade, more and more clubs and bars opened there doors, their neon signs cheerfully flashing 'open' but it was one particular place that eventually caught Piper's attention. As she turned a corner, the entrance to what looked like an underground club made her turn her head. It didn't have any of the tacky flashing signs like all the other bars she had passed her hanging outside. Instead, a series of metal bars came together in an arch over the door with one name made out of lightbulbs like you would find on a Hollywood mirror.
"Litchfield".
Piper raised an eyebrow. If she was going to go into any of the places along the strip, it may as well be this one. At least it looked unique. It would have to do.
As she made her way down the steps, she eyed up the décor. There seemed to be a very dark theme, reminding Piper of the clubs she always saw in smokey, old Hollywood films. The colour palette was clearly all black and deep reds with the occasional flash or burnt orange, embellished with empty photo frames of intricate black metal work. It was all very atmospheric. She half expected someone in a bowler hat smoking a cigar to greet her.
The man that did actually meet her at the bottom of the stairs didn't have a hat but he did have his eyes lined heavily with black kohl. Leant against an archway in a very debonair kind of fashion that Piper was certain he must have practiced, he gave her a small smirk of a smile.
"Welcome" he purred, his head tipped forward and a shadow falling over his face. "Ticket for one?" Piper nodded. The smirk grew a little bigger and he held out one hand, wiggling his fingers slowly and, with the other, pointed to a sign to his left with the words "$20 per person. Enjoy your evening" emblazoned on it. Piper's eyes widened.
"$£20? I only wanted a drink" she protested. The man raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side.
"I can guarantee it will be money well spent". The guy was so suave and slick that Piper almost wanted to smack the smirk right off of his face, but there was also an element of charm about him that stopped her, as she was sure it did with many people. Frowning, she tried to look past him quickly and into the club but her line of sight was stopped by a heavy velvet curtain.
"I'll have to hurry you I'm afraid," he drawled "the show is about to start". He wriggled his fingers slowly once more and Piper pressed a 20 into his hand with a sigh, earning her a wide grin. "Enjoy" he told her, gripping the edge of the curtain and pulling it back slowly.
"Thanks" Piper mumbled, ducking under the curtain and into the bar which was decorated in very much the same way as the stairs had been. The only difference now was the flash of lights that swept across the floor where tables were set up, all focused towards a stage. Each table was already full and Piper vaguely wandered what it was that the audience, what she, was waiting to watch. Making her way over to an empty seat at the bar that lined the back wall and curled around the side of the room, Piper perched herself on the edge of a velvet cushioned barstool and waited for the tender to come over.
"What can I get you?" he asked. Piper looked the man over quickly and saw the same kind of old school clothes as she had seen on the man on the door. Everything here seemed to be bespoke for each of the members of staff. Fancy.
"Oh, erm. Double vodka soda lime" Piper smiled at the man who, incidentally, was wearing a bowler hat. He tipped it to her slightly in acknowledgment and began to make her drink.
"So, what is this place?" Piper asked him as he poured out the generous shots of vodka.
"What do you mean 'what is this place?'" he laughed, not unkindly.
"Like, is this some kind of club or bar or cabaret or what?" The guy handed her the drink and took the money she offered.
"It's a burlesque lounge" he said simply. Piper nodded. She'd always kind of wanted to visit a burlesque lounge but had never had the balls to. She guessed there was no better way to start anew than to do something she never would have done at home. Settling onto the stool a little more, she sipped her drink slowly as the guy who had served her sorted out her change.
"You're new around here, aren't you" he stated. Piper wasn't sure how to answer. Did she really look that green? She'd hoped she looked like she knew what she was doing, that she had that air about her that people who were from the city always had but no. Apparently not.
"How did you know?"
"You still have that wide eyed, little girl lost look about you" Piper frowned. "Don't worry. It's cute. It suits you". Piper could feel the blush that was coming over her cheeks but prayed that the darkness was doing a good job of hiding it. Before she had the chance to reply, the stage was lit by some spotlights and the band, just by its side, started up.
Centre stage stood a tall, slim women with a military looking hat perched jauntily on her head. Her hair, long and black, fell way past her shoulders in loose curls, tipped with jet blue; a look Piper would never have thought of but worked surprisingly well for the woman. Her body was clad in a perfectly tailored tail suit jacket, a tight white top and a skin tight pair of leather leggings that really left very little to the imagination. As she band started up and the woman began her song, Piper watched, mesmerised, as she moved about the stage. Her eyes skitted over the audience as a smug smile played at her lips. It was that told the audience she knew exactly how much they were enthralled with her and she was loving every second of it. She'd catch a members eye, singing to them and only them for a second before moving on to another, stealing across the stage with more elegance than Piper thought she could ever possesses.
As the slinky song progressed, a number of dancers came out from behind a curtain at the back of the stage. Each one of them was dressed in a skimpy costume that, once again, fitted to each of their bodies perfectly. Pipers' eyes flitted from thigh high socks to hot pants to crop tops to stockings to body suits to high heels – so many high heels – and back again. But her attention was always brought back to the woman in the middle. Around her, the women swayed and stomped, singing and dancing their way through their well-rehearsed routine.
"She's incredible" Piper sighed in awe. Behind her, she heard the barman laugh lightly.
"Yeah, we get that a lot. That's Alex. She owns this place." Piper raised an eyebrow, turning back to the stage. Alex was making her way across it now, hips swaying with the music and her hands twisting gracefully. Reaching over, she took the hand of one of the dancers and twirled her with expertise. The dancer in question twisted out of the move, dropping to the floor with her knees spread. As a drum brought down a sharp beat, she threw her head to one side, sending her head of wild blondish hair flying around her face as she grinned at the audience. Piper was sure she heard a small gasp escape her as the girl's insanely wide eyes caught hers and she was gifted with a slow, sexy wink before the dancer jumped up onto her feet and carried on dancing with a dark haired woman with brightly painted red lips.
As the opening number wound to an end, the audience whooped and hollered, a couple of them clambering to their feet to show their enjoyment for the opening song. Piper turned to the bar man, taking another sip of her drink. In her mind, the decision to stay or go after one drink had been made up. There was no way she was leaving this place tonight before she had seen the rest of the show and she wouldn't surprise herself if she was back here tomorrow to watch it again.
"They're absolutely amazing" she sighed. The man behind the bar winked at her.
"Best view on the sunset strip" he grinned. Piper laughed, nodding in agreement.
"I'm Piper". A sudden burst of bravery had come over her and she extended her hand to him. He looked at it for a second with a small smile on his lips. Instead of shaking the proffered hand, he turned it palm down and placed a gently kiss on her knuckles, looking up at her through his lashes as he did so.
"Larry. Enchanté".
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Your thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you for reading!
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