Read The Affair: a New Adult Romance novelette for Free Online Page B

with Sabrina tonight? I’m going to Tony’s…”
    His voice faded away as my need to speak to my love drowned him out. I wanted nothing more than to cozy up to Justin’s poetic words, to read his thoughtful and enduring opinion. Yet, for days my messages of yearning continued to go unanswered and even unread.
    By Thursday, the end of the semester was approaching with as much certainty as the next disconnect notice. That evening, I called Rosie, who was all too excited to hear that me and my red hair would be on stage the following evening.
    “Grande! A domani! Assicurarsi di guardare sexy, bambola!”
    Her deep, raspy Italian pierced a head that was hurting with confusion and fear. “English, Rosie.”
    She sucked her teeth and spat. “Make sure you look sexy, doll. See you tomorrow.”
    Tomorrow was now the present, and Sabrina and I were walking through Pink Rhino. Her steps were much more assuring than mine, as she strode through the crowd of men in clear six-inch strappy pumps that were similar to those worn by the dancer who was currently on stage. With flawless olive skin and an abundant up do, she was swinging around the pole as effortlessly as a Julliard student. I was timidly on Sabrina’s heels, carrying a duffle bag full of outfits that Sabrina had helped me pick out at some slutty boutique on Belmont Avenue that afternoon after class.
    As promised during Sabrina’s call in the car a few minutes prior, Rainy was standing outside of the dressing room waiting on us.
    “Hey, guys. Right this way.”
    She didn’t even give me a moment to prepare as she opened the cracked, old wooden door. As if she knew that I would run, Sabrina slid behind me and ushered me through the doorway. I received tons of glares - some evil, some curious, some judgmental, and some all of the above - from the women inside of the small dressing room that resembled the locker room at my old high school. However, instead of timid, frail girls hiding their nakedness from one another as they dressed for gym, grown women with curves that I envied, smooth skin that I adored, and hairless everything paraded around the room without a shy bone in their body.
    Sabrina looked as if she fit right in as she stood courageously beside me, eye balling each dancer that glared at us with intimidating and territorial expressions.
    “This is my friend, the new dancer, that I told you guys about,” Rainy spoke to them. “Her name is…” Rainy’s introduction ceased and then she put me on the spot. “What’s your stage name gonna be?”
    Shit . I hadn’t thought about it.
    They all watched me, waiting, questioning my comprehension as I stood there with no words leaving my lips.
    A 5’7” dancer, with skin the color of dark chocolate and an ass that rivaled Kim Kardashian’s, snickered, which broke the silence and caused them all to shake their heads at my obvious freshness.
    “Ginger,” Sabrina spat. “Her name is Ginger.”
    “Well, welcome, Ginger . You better take those clothes off fast. Ralph ‘ll be callin’ you on stage soon,” the snickering chick shot over her shoulder.
    I looked at Rainy for confirmation, and she nodded knowingly.
    Rainy let me share a locker with her. Luckily it was tucked away in a corner, away from the rest of the girls who’d finally taken their attention off of me. She unlocked it and left to tend to her customers.
    As I finally got the courage to shed my clothes, I noticed Sabrina practically falling off the bench as she sat perched on the very edge with a snarl on her face while clutching her Gucci bag tightly to her chest.
    Watching her curiously, I asked, “Why are you sitting like that?”
    “Trying not to catch Heps A through C back here.”
    I chuckled in astonishment. “I’m sorry? I don’t understand. I don’t speak bougie.”
    “Just hurry up and get dressed so that I can get the hell from back here,” she spat as she failed to discreetly look around the room in disapproval at all the bare