Page 171 of Rebound
“Don’t you already teach pole dancing classes?” I ask.
“You teach pole dancing?” Sage asks, looking at Elena in question.
“I also teach ballet to kids and adults. And I’m a certified Pilates instructor.” Elena looks at all of us in turn. “You girls should come to a class sometime.”
“I prefer my exercise to involve bookstores,” Jules says. “As in, I walk to my nearest bookstore and then walk around in it looking for books.”
The lights dim as a heavy, low beat plays through the speakers. Excitement hangs in the air as a woman in a thin sequinned dress walks on stage, each movement slow and sexy.
The way the dancer moves is entirely too hot and mesmerizing, each movement meant to make you think of sex. You can’t look away.
“If ballet was half as exciting, I wouldn’t have left,” Elena says absently.
“Really?”
“Eh, probably not.” Elena takes a sip of her drink. “You know what it's like being at the top of your game. Everyone’s expectations are bad enough, but your own are somehow worse.”
Every mistake somehow feels like the end of the world and the end of a long fought for career. The last few months have made me realize I don’t have to have hockey in my life to be interesting.
My career as a content creator isn’t a joke. I can still be a role model without playing the game I love.
“I can’t imagine doing what either of you did,” Sage says. “My brain isn’t wired to compete.”
“I know what you mean. I can’t imagine waking up at an ungodly hour to train,” Jules says.
A server stops by to check up on us and the girls order another round of drinks and since I’m the designated driver, I order another diet soda.
“Thank you for inviting me,” Sage says, turning to look at me.
We’re sitting on a U shaped hot pink velvet couch close to the stage and Sage is right beside me. It’s dark here but when she turns to look at me, I can still make out the beauty mark on her right cheek and the genuine emotion in her eyes.
“I haven’t had the time to do anything by myself in a very long time,” she continues.
“We can hang out any time you want. It doesn’t have to be a girls’ night out. If you want us to go to a picnic with your daughter, we can do that as well.” Jules and Elena nod in agreement.
Sage laughs lightly. “I’ll take you up on that.”
“Is she in Boston?” Elena asks.
“No, she’s still in Los Angeles with my cousin. I came out early for the job and now I have to find a house for us,” Sageexplains. “They’re a couple I like but I want River and Junie to see them first before I finalize.”
“We can go with you as well, if you want some extra opinions,” Jules offers.
“Absolutely, tell us the date and time and we’ll be there,” I add.
On stage, the dancer has removed all her clothes and is left in strategically placed pasties and feather fans. She looks like she’s really enjoying herself and it’s so sexy.
“I think I just fell in love,” Elena says, eyes trained on the dancer.
When the song ends and the dancer takes a bow, a chorus of cheers and hoots ring out. I look around and notice the bar is full of women. Only women.
“Is this a women only club?” I ask Jules. “If so, that is so cool.”
She looks around the room as well. “Huh. I don’t think it’s women only. The photos I saw on social media also had men in the audience.”
“Maybe it’s girls’ night?” Sage suggests.
“Either way, who’s going to miss the men?” Elena says. We all raise our glasses to that. Every single woman in here is dressed to the nines in really sexy, slinky clothes, the kind we only ever wear for ourselves and our partners if they’re ever so lucky.
