Los Angeles. Some strip club in Downtown. VIP zone, where nobody could recognize and vex the withdrawn and sulky Bette Porter with his presence. A pole and a somewhat useless stripper, who was trying too hard to attract Bette’s attention and maybe make a few hundreds of dollars to get into her so-called panties.

All her efforts to no avail, because Bette wasn’t here. No, Bette was here, but mentally she wasn’t. Bette didn’t even know what she was doing here and why. Again, no. She knew what she was doing here. She was escaping from reality, running from herself. How could she not, when reality was so harsh to except.

It had been more days since Tina’s company was alien to Bette. As well as any other person’s company. Totally detached from the whole world. Every time Bette looked into her phone, she wanted to smash it into pieces. Because she only waited for the one person to call and tell her they would be okay no matter what. Instead of this particular person there was dozens unwanted ones. It drove Bette crazy.

How could Tina say that she needs a month or two to think? Bette didn’t know how to get her head around this request. She had been already dying from a week of no-Tina. But a month? Or two? God, that was beyond belief.

Still, Bette promised that she would wait. That promise was a promise of all promises. At least Bette thought so.

By now the stripper danced away from the pole, swaying her half-naked body between Bette’s legs to the slow erotic music. The woman then bent forward, trapping Bette between her arms as she rested her hands against the wall behind the brunette.

”You seem ten thousand miles away, sexy…” She drawled in a seductive whisper into Bette’s ear. ”Donchu like the way I sway my ass for you?”

Bette continued to watch her without uttering a word.

The stripper smiled wickedly. ”I know there’s a no-touch rule, but… You wanna me to make you feel really good?”

The brunette didn’t react.

”It’ll be our little secret…” The woman murmured close to Bette’s mouth. ”But before that I’d like a–” Before she could finish, Bette pressed a palm against her mouth.