Chapter 3, people! :o) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

Isabella Marie Swan

I wouldn't even wish this on my worst enemy. I am basically selling my body, my soul, to dozens, even hundreds of pervy eyes. But they're not even the worst. The worst, is his eyes. I can feel his eyes on me while I'm on stage. I always know he's there, but I can never find him in the crowd.

My name is Isabella Marie Swan, Bella to my friends and family. Marie to the customers at Twilight strip club. I have been stuck here for two years now in order to protect my father, yes two years! Sweet, virginal Marie. I was kidnapped two years ago, apparently to pay for ruining my mother Renee's life, according to Phil that is.

I can feel the tears coming up as I am putting on the final touches of my make-up, right before I go on stage.

I need to hold them down, this won't do me any good.

I have to keep reminding myself that I'm doing this to protect my father.

I put on my black corset, plaid mini skirt and high heeled chucks. Last and not least, a long pearl necklace. My hair is in piggy tails. I hated the stupid school girl costume. How many pervy guys are out there that this really is a turn on to them? Well at least it's less cliché than that bitch Tanya. She dressed as a nurse. Hello, originality?

I make my way out of the changing room to the backstage area and I wait for Tanya to finish her routine. As she comes off stage, she 'accidentally' bumps my shoulder on her way past, I'm used to it by now. She's hated me ever since I stepped foot in here. Well...she does have a good reason: she was the favourite…up until I arrived and started.

It's not that I like being the favourite, believe me. But it just makes me feel good sometimes that there's something I have that Tanya doesn't. I mean, she's tall, blonde, killer curves, killer legs… and me? I'm just plain old Bella. Brown eyes, brown hair, barely 5'4. I'm too skinny because of the lack of a decent meal in the last two years.

It's a good thing I have Rose with me. If it weren't for her, I would have gone insane long ago. She keeps telling me that we'll find a way to get out of here. Yeah, I wish…it's been two years, three for her, and every attempt we made to escape has failed. James, the club's bouncer and Phil's right hand man, would always know that we had tried to escape. It was like a sixth sense with him.

I can hear the crowd cheering loudly on the other side of the curtain.

"Gentlemen", I heard Laurent, the host, say. "Please welcome Marie."

The crowd explodes in cheers as I step through the curtain and make my way towards the pole. A few seconds later, Like a Virgin starts and I begin my routine. I am no longer Bella. I am Marie, the virgin school girl, main character in many men's fantasies.

On some nights the transition is an easy one to make from Bella to Marie. Other nights it is like I'm slowly dying inside and one day there won't be a Bella anymore, only Marie. That is the day I truly fear. I keep telling myself one day we will figure out a way to get out of here. Phil and even sixth sense James will make a mistake and we will be free. I hope and pray everyday for this to be that day.

When I'm done, I make my way off stage without a backward glance and run to the changing room, smiling softly at Rose on my way.

While she does her thing, I pull on my black tulle corset, panties and stockings. Retouching my make-up, I then put on those death traps they call shoes and make my way back to the curtain. All the other strippers are there, in their 'private room' get up. Jessica in pink, Tanya in purple, and Irina (scoff) in her snakeskin set. Only Rose was missing, as she had just came offstage. She scrambled to her changing room, coming out a minute later in her raspberry red set. Laurent went back on stage and introduced us one by one, me being the last. And the auction started.

We were to offer a private dance to each lucky customer that paid the best. I was sold for a thousand dollars once. Even though the money is slipped either in my corset or my panties, none of that money is mine. Nope, all money went to Phil. However… I do manage to slip a few bills in my secret stash sometimes. I must have a few hundred dollars by now. That's the money I'm saving up to pay for whatever I'll need when I finally manage to escape.

The night was finally over, this thankfully was one of those nights that flew by. No unruly customers, no one grabbing, pinching or asking for disgusting things tonight. Thankfully. Those were the nights I hated the most, the nights when those things happened. That was when it was hardest to remember that I was still Bella and not really Marie.

I got changed quickly into my clothes, though rags would be the more appropriate title. I made my way out into the hallway and waited for Rose. She always joined me quickly, Rose knows that I don't like to be left alone for long. We locked arms as we waited by the back door patiently. Neither of us said a word, we never speak unless we are alone. After about half an hour Phil opened the back door and escorted us to the car. We get in willingly and stay silent the whole trip back. We both know this is the only way to escape Phil's anger and punishment.

It was the same routine every day, so it made it hard for Rose and I to escape, but we tried anyway. The trip from the club to Phil's basement was quick, and soon we were escorted out of the car and straight to the basement. Phil left us straight away. I sat down on the single bed, just thankful to be off my feet. I felt the bed sag with Rose's weight as she sat down next to me. We both waited for Phil to return. He always returned, if business was good we got supplies to shower, but if business was bad then... I try not to think about those times.

Phil came bounding down the stairs and I flinched, fearing the worst. Rose put her arm around me, but I only relaxed when I saw that Phil was carrying towels, soap, and shampoo. And if Phil had someone coming to the club he wanted to impress then we got conditioner as well, but only then. Phil smiled at us. It always came out as more of a grimace, but we knew from experience that it was his happy smile.

"You did good tonight girls," he said on his way to the bathroom. He put all the supplies on the bathroom floor and began to exit. "You have ten minutes, then I'm shutting the water off."

Phil quickly exited and Rose and I jumped up at once. We never get to have the water on for this long so we both wanted to make the most of it. We realized that in our rush we both were heading to the showers at the same time. When our eyes met, Rose sat back down on the bed.

"You go first Bella," Rose said with sympathy.

"No, you go," I told her. "I've got to stash my money anyway."

"Right, okay," Rose accepted standing back up. "Here," Rose said as she pulled out two fifty dollar bills that were tucked firmly in her bra and handed them to me.

Rose knew I tried to save as many bills as I could, no matter how small they were. She knew it was for my escape and she knew that I wouldn't leave without her. This, however, was the first time that she's ever given me any money to stash along with mine. Two fifties, wow! If we both kept stashing money we would have enough so much faster.

I didn't want Rose to think that I only wanted her for the help she provided to me. So I tried to hand her the money back. "Rose I can't," She needed to know that she was my entire life at this point, the only thing keeping me moving and she meant so much more than some cash that we hid from Phil.

"Yes, you can," Rose said not accepting the money back. "It's for our escape Bella, tonight was a very good night, please just take it, put it with the rest, please."

"Okay," I accepted. "But now it's our money, both of ours, if you need it then you take it."

"Sure," Rose replied not wanting to argue with me. "I better get in the shower before Phil turns it off, I'll be quick."

"Yeah." I replied as reality sunk in again. Our reality. We lived like prisoners, much worse in fact. At least the prisoners had done some act to deserve the punishment they faced. We were completely innocent, that was until Phil got his hands on us.

I grabbed my money out of my bra and quickly counted it, $48. Tonight was certainly a good night with my money and Rose's combined. I had never put away that much money in one night. I rolled the money up and quickly scrambled under the bed. I loosened the brick and carefully put the money in there.

"Your turn," Rose said and I pulled myself out from under the bed, she was only wrapped in a towel, she must have been quick.

I hurried to the shower. We only got a shower when Phil felt like it. He provided the water and everything else. Sometimes we would go a week without a shower, so we had to learn how to hide our greasy hair for the club. Most times we could wash up in the club bathroom without Phil knowing, so we never went on stage smelling bad. I'm sure that is not a big tip draw when you smell like a garbage truck. I turned on the water and jumped under the spray, expecting cold water as usual, but it was warm. And as much as I hated the customers that came to the club every night, tonight I thanked them for making sure that Rose and I had a hot shower.

I had just finished rinsing my hair when the water ran out. I grabbed a towel and dried off, making my way back out to Rose. I had been ashamed at first to show any large amount of skin in front of Rose, but now I was used to it. She always made me feel comfortable by looking away, or just looking at my face if we were talking. I got dressed quickly in a nightgown that Phil had provided for us. I liked putting on my nightgown, probably because it was usually the only clean thing I had. I suspect Renee cleaned them whilst we were working at the club, but I've never actually seen her, so I really don't know. My heart began to break at the thought of a mother allowing her child to live like this, even if her child had ruined her dreams. I just couldn't imagine ever wanting to make my child suffer like this.

"How much do you have?" Rose asked me out of the blue as I gathered our towels and shower supplies and stood in front of her. She must have seen the sadness creeping over me and was trying to talk about anything at all that could bring me happiness.

"Well with the $148 we got tonight," I said quickly calculating it in my head. "I'd have to say somewhere between $400 and $500 dollars, more if we're lucky."

"Good, good," Rose said quietly.

I did a quick check of the bathroom to make sure I missed nothing, then ran everything up the stairs and sat them at the door. Phil grabs them at any time and if they're not sitting there then he comes downstairs to search, we are in for some severe punishment from him. I made my way back down the stairs and sat down on the bed next to Rose, who looked deep in thought.

"What are you thinking about Rosie?" I asked her as I rested my head against her shoulder.

"Nothing," Rose replied.

"Is it Royce?" I asked her carefully. "I haven't seen him in the club for a few months now."

"No, not Royce, though I do wonder if Phil had him killed or something, it's not like him to leave me alone and unprotected, I don't know," Rose replied. "I'm kind of glad he's not around. I kind of feel free, I know it probably sounds stupid considering where I am right now, but without him there, watching me, I finally feel free."

"I could imagine," I said as I imagined if Phil had suddenly disappeared. It would be so much easier to work if he wasn't there watching me.

"I think we should try and escape," Rose said suddenly after a long silence.

"Really?" I asked her shocked. It was always my idea to escape and Rose only tagged along because she didn't want to leave me. But this was a big thing, Rose never wanted to escape, she always tried to talk me out of it.

"Yes, Bella," Rose said determinedly. "We have to try."

"But we've tried everything," I replied hugging her to me. I knew that there was no way to escape, I had tried every possible way I could think of. At this point in time I was afraid to let my mind hope for the freedom that might one day lay outside this house for us. Because if my life carried on day after day and it never happened, well that is a heartbreak I don't think I could get over.

"Not everything, there are sacrifices in every war Bella, my cousin taught me that," Rose explained.

"Sacrifices? What are you talking about?" I asked her confused.

"I'll sacrifice myself, I'll create a diversion and you can run, I'll help you escape Bella."

"What? No, I'm not leaving without you Rose!" I was crying now, how could she even entertain this idea.

"It's our only chance Bella." Her sad, resigned eyes told me that this really might be the only way out for either of us.

"I refuse to believe that, there will be another way." Perhaps I was naive, but who the hell cared. I needed Rose to help provide that small amount of sanity that I held onto each day and I couldn't make it without her.

"We've been here for two years Bella, nothing changes, we have to make the change, I have to make the change," Rose was determined.

"No, no, no," I was breaking down. How could Rose do this? We both needed to escape. What if something happened and I was left here by myself... she is the only one keeping me together and keeping me from losing my mind. Without her... I just didn't want to think about it. I cried harder.

"Ssshhh Bella," Rose tried to comfort me.

"No," I wailed. "Not until you tell me you won't do anything stupid. I don't want to be left here alone Rose, I can't do this alone. We're better together, not apart." I begged for her to understand that we had to be together.

"Okay, okay, I'll stay," Rose whispered. "Just calm down Bella, I won't leave your side, I'm sorry, just calm down we don't want Phil down here."

That immediately sobered me up and the tears stopped at once. It took me a few minutes to collect myself but when I did, I asked her the only question in my mind.

"How could you even think that?" Disbelief and shock were dripping from every word.

"I had to say it," Rose said lowering her head. "It's hard for me to trust Bella, you know that, and I do trust you. I guess a part of me wanted you to escape, for you to lead the life you should be leading, and the other part of me wanted to test your loyalty... I don't know, blame my dorky cousin." She seemed full of sorrow that we had to push each other this way, in a normal life we could be friends and never have to test a loyalty bond to this extent. Once again my heart cracked open a little further that we weren't normal in any way right now.

"Your cousin?" I questioned her confused, also trying to divert my mind from going down a road that would lead to more tears and heartbreak. "You've never mentioned a cousin before today."

"Lay down with me and I'll tell you about him," Rose said as she laid down and pulled me with her.

We always tried to stay up late, just talking or playing simple games like I Spy. We use to sleep as much as we could, but it felt as though we were wasting our lives, and just living by Phil's rules. This way, with our talks, it was like we had some control over the way we lived. A time where we could be happy, a time where we could pretend we were somewhere else. We relished this time most.

Rose was about to begin when the door opened, I stiffened immediately, but as soon as it opened, it closed, and locked. Must have been Phil grabbing the towels and supplies. I relaxed as soon and the lock clicked, even though we were essentially trapped now, I never felt safer. Phil couldn't get to us in a locked room, and when he did come, we always heard him.

"So your dorky cousin?" I prompted Rose as I cuddled up to her.

"Yeah, he's my age, but his family lives in Texas, so we only ever got to see each other over the holidays," I looked over and Rose was smiling, it was very hard to get Rose to smile. "He was a dork, always into war books and marine life, I know the two don't even go hand in hand but that was just Jazz. Anyway I was always up myself, well I didn't think that back then of course, but I would ignore him. I spent all my time practicing my modeling poses and all that. He'd try to get my attention all the time, giving me facts about the civil war and sharks." Her eyes had a far off look to them that told me she was back in Texas at some holiday gathering wishing that she had just paid a little more attention to what she had back then.

"He sounds sweet," I replied. "And you were so mean to him."

"I was a fourteen year old girl when I saw him last, and he was a lanky annoying fourteen year old boy. We clashed, but we loved each other too. I don't know how to explain it really. He'd annoy me, I'd ignore him, but when it was time to leave we'd always hug goodbye." I couldn't take Rose's sadness, she was the one in charge of keeping us upbeat, so when she got sad the only thing I knew to do was divert her attention.

"So he's the one that taught you those military things you were saying earlier?" I questioned, trying to prolong the conversation. Rose seemed happier when she talked about her family, and I didn't want to go to sleep yet.

"Yeah, he always wanted me to play army with him, he didn't like it when I tried to put makeup on him on more than one occasion," Rose laughed.

"I can see why he wouldn't" I laughed along with her.

"But the best thing about him was that he just got me, and I got him," Rose explained. "I don't know if it's some weird cousin thing, but we just knew when to leave each other alone and when to be there for each other. I have no doubt that if we grew up in the same state then we would be inseparable, but-" Rose stopped suddenly staring off into the distance.

"He sounds like a good cousin," I said trying to end the subject. "Let's go to sleep."

We both got under the covers, and I closed my eyes. It was the end of another day, and as soon as I opened my eyes the whole routine would start again. I set free all the tears I had refrained earlier. Used to it, Rose hugged me until I was done. I was tired of this. Yes, I was doing this to protect my father, but he must be somewhere, looking for me. There must be someone looking for me, but at least, in the meantime, I had Rose... we had each other.

I hope you enjoyed... please drop me a line or two if you feel like it :o) See you next Sunday!