Chapter 2 Diving in head first

Trish didn't have much to move in, she had politely told Raven that she could handle it so the young tattooed beauty left her to it. Trish didn't want her to see how little she had, it was pretty much the clothes on her back and a few treasures her father had rescued from the trash. As she looked at the empty room she wondered if her mother would ever love her again, if her mother would ever just accept that Trish couldn't change who she was, no matter how hard she tried. Sighing, Trish wondered just how she was going to make rent and every other little bit that she had managed to overlook for one happy moment, so far she had a roof over her head and that for a second made her forget. Around dinner time, Trish ventured from her room to the smells of dinner, the last time Trish had a home cooked meal, it was the night she told her mother that she was gay, Alice flipped her lid and Trish's meal went sailing across the room, she never did finish it.

"What cha cooking?" Trish asked shyly, trying like hell to tear her chocolate brown eyes from her new room mates body, Trish couldn't help it, there was something about Raven, something she couldn't put her finger on but she was liking it, liking it with everything she had.

"I have no idea, it started out as noodle soup but I got bored so I just threw in all kinds of crap, if you would like some theres a bowl in the cupboard"

Trish pulled out two bowls and put them on the table as Raven finished with her random cooking, Trish didn't care what was in it, just smelling it made her mouth water with hunger. Raven looked to the table and instantly her face blushed a deep red.

"Uh Trish, could you" Raven started making the blonde look at her in surprise, people didn't usually get this nervous around her but clearly Raven was a little nervous and she had no idea why.

"What?"

Raven shut her eyes and counted to five in chinese, when she had finished she looked to her flatty, "Sorry, I have a little bit of a compulsion issue, I always have the red bowl when I'm eatin soup"

Trish couldn't help the little giggle, she didn't mean to laugh at her friend but it just wasn't a big deal to her, it was a quirk and Trish had always liked people with quirks, it made them way more interesting. Trish took the bowl back and grabbed the red one for Raven.

"I know its weird but I guess thats me" Raven shrugged as bought the soup-noodle-random crap concoction to the table, it sat proudly like a centre peice on a wooden chopping board so the girls could help themselves.

"So how long have you been studying?" Trish asked as she spooned the soup into her mouth, it was still really hot which was good because Trish wanted to face plant it, never had random food tossed together tasted so good, obviously Raven knew food, or was just really lucky.

"Feels like forever" Raven laughed "But I've only got this year to go so thats ok I guess"

"This is really good, where did you learn to cook?"
"My mother, of course it helps to study cooking and own part of a restuarant"

"Is that where you work?" Trish asked trying not to tear up at the word mother, it must of been nice to have a mother that didn't hate you.

"No, I gave up my half to my cousin, there was some drama, I can never go back" Raven hinted out a smile but Trish could tell that this wasn't something she wanted to talk about. "Now I work at Demonica's"

Trish had heard of Demonica's, it surprised her which she didn't hide well, "Your a stripper?"

Raven let out a laugh "No Trish, I'm a bikini waitress, its not as seedy as you think"

"Really?"

Raven put down her spoon and looked at her friend, "Yeah really. Trust me if it was way the movies potrayed it, I wouldn't work there"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so judgemental, it was just a surprise is all"

Raven waved it aside, she couldn't blame Trish for that, afterall it was one of the many reasons why Raven was by herself, her family didn't approve of her waitressing, it paid the bills. "Don't worry about it. Hey if you like, I could ask John if they have any job openings?"

Trish blushed, any work sounded good but doing something like that? It seemed weird and not something she had the confidence for. "I'm not sure Raven, I mean I want work but this" She trailed off not knowing how to put it without sounding like a bitchy prude.

Raven softened as she took Trish's hand, her fingers soft on the skin "Trish, its not as bad or dodgy as you think, and you don't have to work the same as I do, there are many positions you could take"

"Like?" Trish asked wondering what else she could possibly do, surely there couldn't be that many jobs at a place like that.

"John always needs help at the bar, making drinks and stuff. Theres stock take and back stage work, stripper, waitress, bouncer, hostess, you could introduce the girls. See, lots to do"

Trish let out a smile at the fact that Raven's hand was still on her's. "Do you mind setting me up with work?"

"Course not, I'll talk to John and I'm sure he'll come up with somethin"

"This John? Is he?" Trish asked timidly, picturing him she got a fat man with a balding head that chained smoke, and he didn't like or treat his girls like employee's.

Raven let out a little chuckle, "No he's not that boss that makes his girls fuck him in order to keep their jobs, he's a decent man who's only dream was to build the worlds greatest strip club"

Trish giggled, "He sounds alright"

"Although all new girls have to give him head as part of the interview"

Trish dropped her spoon in shock, fear resounding in her eyes,

"Trish I was just jokin, sorry I couldn't help it"

Trish relaxed but scowled at Raven "Not very nice"

"Sorry Trish, really, I was just jokin"

Trish could tell that she did mean it so she let it go. "So you'll talk to John?"

"Yeah I'll talk to him tomorrow, right now he's probably up to eye balls in girls wanting to perform and Randy being annoying"

"Randy?"

"He's the bouncer and part time booze jockey, but he's cool too."

Trish and Raven carried on with their dinner, talking and laughing as though they were old friends. The more they talked, the more Trish felt relaxed, she was home and this was her new life. Tomorrow her job hunt would begin and finally Trish could move forward, despite all this Trish couldn't help the hurt in her heart, if only she had her mother on her side, then things would be perfect.