Emma gulped and followed Ruby through the beaded curtain. On the actual club floor, the building seemed to lose its shape, just a tangle of darkness and red silhouettes above the mirror-reflective surfaces of the stages. A thin catwalk lined one wall with paths to two main stages, poles placed every ten feet. On the far side of the room were three red curtains, dramatically lit, which drew Emma's eye. She didn't bother asking any questions, the music was overpowering, probably to mask any sound of the women's tall platforms. Five dancers were on the floor, one spun in a lazy arc around a pole like a bored kid at a jungle gym, most languished provocatively in chairs. Emma followed Ruby through another beaded curtain and then as she popped open a dark door into a brightly lit locker room.
The lighting was fluorescent and harsh inside, three walls lined with small brown metal cubbies, with two benches that ran the room that reminded Emma of her softball team days. The other wall was a floor to ceiling mirror with a wood table built into it on which three girls were sitting and laughing, their whoops echoing in the small room, cheap beauty products taking up every other inch of space.
"Phew!" Ruby shot Emma a smile before spinning a combination lock and popping open a locker. "She really took to you. Good call wearing those jeggings, they really leave nothing to the imagination."
Emma didn't mention they were only pants she had. "So what now?"
Ruby shrugged, pulling her jacket off. "Hang out. Get the feel of things. If any of the girls come up to you let them know you're going to be working here. Or you know, get a lapdance. Whatever." Ruby snorted with laughter, then looked a little shyly at Emma. "What do you think so far?"
Emma tried not to sound too judgemental or like a fuddy duddy. "It's, um, interesting. Ursula is…"
"A total bitch. I know. We all hate her. But she's kind of got a monopoly on easy money, you know? Girl, check this out-" Ruby pointed to her tiny jean shorts, tugging the waist band down to reveal even smaller, skintight shorts beneath.
"The key to this job is layers. I've got another pair of panties on under this and a thong under those. Twenty dollars for each item, get it? They get so mad when they realize how many layers they have to get through. It's hilarious." she double-checked the ankle strap of her red six inch platform. "Okay. Off to the mines."
"Hi Ho!" the other girls called as if on cue, some private joke between them. "Hi ho!" Ruby laughed back. "It's off to work we go!"
Emma looked at the girls sitting by the mirror, who were still laughing, even as they checked her out. One of them had long bright red hair with hipster side swept bangs and a purple bikini top on with a shell patter on the cups. She gave Emma a small smile. "Your first night?"
"Tomorrow will be…maybe." Emma said, blushing.
"I've been here for years and every day I say, mmmaybe I'll come back tomorrow night. And I always do." The girl smiled, her huge blue eyes a little sad. "I mean, ultimately it's just temporary. One day I'm going to be a singer." Emma nodded, one eyebrow up. The girl stood up and tottered for a second on her sky-high heels, Emma noticed her legs were unbelievably perfect. She gave Emma a smile as she clopped toward the door. "But, if you are going to work here, you should have a stage name. Mine's Shelley."
Emma stayed the whole night until closing, mostly hanging out in the locker room and by the bar, but occasionally peeking in to see Ruby crawling across the stage on all fours, her garter stuffed with wads of bills. After the night was through she offered to drive Ruby, who'd been bought more than a few drinks, and Ruby agreed, greatful for the chance to count through her money again. Emma couldn't argue with the numbers:all told, Ruby was taking home $650 after paying Ursula her house fee.
"Tomorrow." Ruby said as Emma crawled out of her car in front of her apartment building. "We're going to get your gear. You got to look sharp tomorrow night. And stage name and SONG. Got it?"
Emma smiled, her heart hammering. It had been a weird, strange, unexpected side to Storybrooke. She went to bed with the booming bass, the sugary smell and the memories of the girls from the club dancing in her head.
The next morning Emma practically crawled into the kitchen to see her roommate Mary Margaret white sipping her favorite- chocolate vanilla- while grading papers.
"Hey you." Mary Margaret chirped. "Whatchya got planned today? The sisters are putting on a piano recital at the nunnery if you're interested."
Um. Emma raised her eyebrows. "Actually Ruby's taking me shopping."
"Oh." Mary-Margaret looked a little taken aback. "Well that sounds fun. Can I come?"
"Um…" Emma stalled. How was she going to tell Mary-Margaret that they were shopping for stripper clothes?