Two Years Ago:

"Oh, come on, Stells." Jacque groaned, as she lightly brushed her face with blush. She stood with her back to me, but I could see her reflection in the mirror she was using. "He's super hot. And Madi and him have been over for like…six days. It's a total open for you."

Jacqueline grinned like a Cheshire cat as she ran her fingers through her chestnut brown hair, which she'd just straightened. She adjusted the tight red top that she'd selected to wear for the party that evening, and did a once over in her mirror, nodding in approval at her appearance.

"I don't know, Jay. He's super hot and all, but he has no personality, and Madi would be pissed if I did that with her recent ex." I twirled one of my blonde curls around my index finger, still snapping away on my bubblegum.

I jumped up as Jacqueline motioned that it was time to leave. The party had started precisely 56 minutes ago, so we were set to make our late appearance.

"She is our other best friend too, Jacque. It would kill her. I don't think I should. I'll just stick with David." I smiled weakly at her, and she rolled her eyes. She obviously thought I was giving up on what she referred to as 'a great opportunity on the social caliber.'

"Whatever, Stella. You obviously don't have the balls to do this." Jacqueline shrugged, with a small little grin on her lips because of the swipe she'd just made at my confidence.

Present Day:

The boy with the big brown eyes stared up at me like after a million years of darkness, he'd finally seen the light.

His mouth had fallen into a small 'o' and all of a sudden, I felt ashamed standing there in my black latex outfit.

Looking at him made me want to prove that I was better than this. That I was capable of something more than this shitty place.

His friend looked up and finally noticed the silent exchange between the two of us.

"Hi, Pretty Lady. This is my friend Seth. I think by his unusual absence of words, he likes you."

I couldn't help but giggle gently at his statement, and the boy, whose name is Seth apparently, snapped out of his trance.

"Hi," He muttered gently, his tone so soft I could just barely hear it. There was a slight pink tinge to his russet cheeks.

"Hello," I smiled warmly, I couldn't explain it, but his presence made me want to never stop smiling. He seemed nervous, or tense.

"I'm Stella, did you guys want a girl, or are you just waiting here?" I asked, again, embarrassed by the fact that I'd just said that.

"No, no." Seth mumbled gently, looking down nervously. "Our friends brought us along for his bachelor party," He nodded towards his friend, who was reclining in the chair.

"Staying committed to your fiancée? I'm impressed," I giggled gently, nodding in approval. He shrugged, "We have this special thing, which nothing and no one can break."

Lauren, who was working the front desk, awed from the background and I couldn't help but do the same thing.

"That's so sweet." I smiled genuinely. And the man shrugged, slumping back into his chair. It was obvious that he was thinking about the girl.

The Party:

The music seemed to make the whole house thump. I pushed my way through the mass of sweaty bodies, looking for Jacqueline. I was getting tired of this place and wanted to bail.

I knocked on the nearest bedroom door, and a deep, throaty voice called: "This room's taken!" Following that was a high pitched giggle, one that I would recognize from miles away. It was Jacqueline's giggle.

With a huge, defeated sigh, I headed back down the hallway. I was making my way past the last door when there was a squeak as the door opened and a hand shot out, grabbing my shirt and pulling me in.

I screamed, but it was muffled by someone's warm and sweaty hand closing over my mouth.

"Shh, Stella, it's just me."

Present time:

"Brady's what we like to call whipped." Seth chuckled, and Brady sent him a resentful glance, before he closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall.

I was about to make a witty remark about being whipped, when the phone rang behind me. Lauren's voice rang out behind me. "Stella, your break's up, and you're due in room sixteen." Her voice was gentle, knowing how much I hate this.

That's when the heavy weight I'd been carrying around landed back on my shoulders. It had taken a temporary break once I laid my eyes on Seth. For a few moments, I was back in high school, being the giggly 15 year old that someone was flirting with. I didn't think I'd miss having someone look at me like that.

His warm brown eyes released me from the stress of my life, and gave me this taste of freedom that I've missed so much. But alas, the stress of the world was back on me.

"It was so nice to meet you, Seth. And…?" I trailed off, my eyes on his friend.

"Brady." Seth said roughly, his smile falling, knowing that I had to go now.

I smiled warmly once more, and nodded, as soon as I turned my back to them, my smile fell, and a single tear tracked down my cheek. I wiped it away, taking the rest of the tears welling in my eyes away also. I was a professional at stopping tears. I'd master it after I'd run away. I turned down the hallway, and stopped in front of room sixteen.

The Party:

There was a dingy lamp on a nightstand that was flickering on and off. The warm glow still wasn't stable enough for me to see what was going on.

The mouth that had been covering my hand was removed, and I whipped around frantically. My eyes landed on the muscular jaw, and deep blue eyes that belonged to Jack Coleman, my best friend's ex-boyfriend of six days.

"What do you want from me?" I asked quickly, ducking my head. His fingers reached out to my hair, grasping it roughly. The awkward stop-motion way he was moving and when he said again:

"Shhh, Stells, it's just meee." He sang it this time. His voice going up an octave. He wasn't any singer, I can guarantee that. Anyways, he was drunk. He was so drunk, that I could smell his alcohol soaked breath and it made me cringe.

"Ya know, Stella. You've always been the prettiest. Prettier than Jacqueline, and Madi, and allllll the other girls in the world."

His words were kind, but I knew the real intentions. I frantically reached for the door, scrambling away from him. His fingers were still twined in my hair.

"No, no, Stella. No, no. Don't do that." He released his grip on my hair, and grasped my arms, easily over powering me. His muscles buldged as he tightened his grip, cutting off my circulation.

"Jack, stop!" I cried, tears springing into my eyes. His finger tips pressed sharply into my skin, and would make my fragile skin bruise.

"Stop, please, stop…" I sobbed, the noises choked and course. I gasped for air, fear starting to settle into my mind.

Present Time:

My fingers rested on the golden doorknob, and I froze. I'd done this millions of times before, so many that I've lost count. I would walk in, and he would be waiting. It was every single time, always someone new. It was routine, and I was starting to hate it. Hell, I've hated it forever.

Something in the back of my mind was telling me not to go in there. Something was telling me that I had to turn around and leave this place. That I was better than this. But, even I knew that this was as good as it was going to get.

And with the fake smile on my lips, I twisted the door knob and stepped in, all my emotions hidden in the one facial expression. Because in this job, emotions weren't real.

Seth:

The girl sitting behind the desk told Stella, such a beautiful name, that she had to go. That she had to go work. She had to go have sex with another man.

It broke my heart, seeing the way her face fell when she was told she must return. I wanted to reach out, wrap her in my arms, and save her from ever frowning again. She was too pretty to frown.

She said her fragile goodbye, and quickly turned, skittering down the hallway. I could hear the muffled sobs as she sucked her tears back in. My hearing followed her sound until her light footsteps stop. There was no creaking or opening of a door. She must have just been standing there. I felt like a rope was pulling me towards her. In the pit of my stomach, I wanted to race down that hallway and get her away from this place forever.

Eventually, the sound of a creaking door was heard, and then it quickly pounded shut.

After a few long awkward moments of silence, another door opened, and a very satisfied looking Colin stepped out.

"That was good." He smiled satisfactory, and I rolled my eyes at him."What's the matter Sethy? Jealous?" He smirked.

I shook my head, and Paul appeared from the hallways also, a big smile on his face. "I like it here." He tossed me his wallet, "Give the lady the money, Sethy boy."

I quickly stepped up to the desk and she silently said, "That's one hundred and seventeen dollars even."

I pulled the crisp bills out of Paul's wallet and forked them over, and she nodded at me. She handed me a small slip of paper that read in that obnoxiously neat girly handwriting:

Stella Forster:

555-2821

I smiled up at her brightly, and she nodded, seeming to understand my interest in Stella. She nodded back at me with a warm smile, and we all left.

I still felt that rope pulling me back towards Stella, but it's tight pull had lessened once she handed me that slip of paper. It gave me the relief of knowing I had some form of contact towards Stella.