Page 16 of Next Time We'll Fall

So classy. Not!

I try to ignore him, as I can tell that he’s obviously drunk and having the time of his life.

I look down at the front of my top. My T-shirt is soaked through, and you can definitely see my nipples as well, as I’m wearing a pretty thin bra. I want to cover my breasts with my hands, but I also don’t want to look like a Goody Two-shoes who doesn’t know how to have fun. Amelia looks panicked, and she’s standing behind me.

“Who’s ready for phase two?” John shouts out. “Any volunteers from the audience?”

“What’s he talking about?” I whisper desperately to Amelia.

She shakes her head. “I have no idea what’s going on.”

“Some of the men are going to come up,” a girl to our left says, “and basically, they’re going to sit in chairs, and if we want to shake our tits in their faces, we can.” She grins. “That really helps you get votes at the end. I mean, if you’re in it for the thousand dollars.”

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

I lick my lips nervously. I do not want to go any further, but I don’t know how to get out of this.

“Okay, girls, line up! We’ve got Mark, Jason, and Grayson here—three best friends from the state of Arizona—and they want to see how much you can turn them on as you take off those tops and those bras. Who wants to go first, girls?”

I bite on my lower lip.

There’s no way.

I watch as Rafe starts coming closer to the stage.

There’s no way he’s going to embarrass me.

Before I know what I’m doing, I stick my hand up.

“Me,” I say.

I walk forward, and I’m not sure how my legs are carrying me. Amelia looks aghast as I make my way across the stage.

“Hey, sexy,” John says, looking directly at my chest. “Okay, guys, this is Julia.”

“It’s Juniper,” I say to him, but he just ignores me.

“Julia, I want you to take a seat on Mark’s lap there, and when we play the music, I want you to give him your best lap dance. Feel free to take off as many clothes as possible, and if you take off that T-shirt, feel free to throw it into the crowd. I’m sure there are plenty of men out here who want to see all you have to offer.”

“Um …” I say as I walk slowly over to Mark.

I stand in front of him, and he’s leering at me, licking his lips, his eyes glued to my breasts. I stare at him and am about to lower myself onto his lap when John stops me.

“No, honey. You’ve got to turn around. Face the audience. We all want to see those beautiful boobies as you take your top off.”

I spin around, my heart racing. I feel Mark’s hand on my waist, sliding up, and before I can say anything, I watch as Rafe runs up to the stage and grabs my hand.

“That’s enough, Juniper,” he says as he pulls me toward him.

“Hey, you can’t be up here!” John shouts.

Rafe just glares at him. He looks down at me, his blue eyes furious.

“I don’t know what the hell you think you’re doing or if you’re drunk, but we’re leaving.”

“But I?—”

“Juniper, are you really about to give that man a lap dance? Are you really about to let him peel off your T-shirt and squeeze your boobs?”