TW // Violence

Eliza changed out of her clothes, took off her makeup and waited for Bessie's performance with the chorus girls to finish. Bessie stumbled backstage, her breasts entirely exposed and only a small skirt that seemed to simply be there for decoration. She smiled at her friend who was already dressed and ready to go home.

"It's a hot night, we're thinking of staying open late." Bessie said as she tried to catch her breath. "Please I don't think I'm gonna go home tonight. There's a lot of fine men looking to spend some dough on us here."

Eliza was slightly disappointed. She and Bessie usually went home together, and now Bessie intended to stay late. "I don't plan on staying. I'm gonna head home."

"Come on, just stay. I don't like you traveling this city alone." Said Bessie, excess glitter sparkling between her furrowed eyebrows.

Eliza thought for a moment, but she already made up her mind. "I think I'll head home. I've done it before."

"You sure?" Bessie outreached a hand, resting it on Eliza's shoulder.

Eliza thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I'm positive. No need to worry about me."

"I know, you're a tough cookie." Bessie laughed. "I'll see you next show."

"I'll see you next show." Eliza nodded before heading into the dressing room. Calmly, she gathered her things and then began heading out. She made her way out of the basement and into the open, night air.

The street was silent, not a soul was in sight. Being from the suburbs, Eliza was used to such silence. The quiet streets of Manhattan at night was the closest thing that city got to sleeping. She stuffed her hands into her pockets and slowly began making her way down the sidewalk. She didn't look around much, just at her feet as her heels hit against the pavement.

At the corner, however, she heard a noise. Eliza looked over her shoulder, inquiring about where it came from. She wrote it off as a raccoon and continued on crossing the street. She heard another noise, which she wrote off as someone on their fire escape. She looked up at the brownstone buildings, but couldn't make out exactly where it was coming from.

Being that it was so late at night, and Eliza was the only person there, she began to get spooked. Eliza stepped back for a moment closer toward the street as she looked back at the buildings. Most of the lights in the rooms were off, with the exception of a newlywed couple that made love in the window.

Eliza watched the couple and envied what they had. They were a black couple, and seemingly well off judging by the decor of their bedroom. She watched as the man held the woman's jaw in his strong hand, and left kissed on her neck. And he watched as the woman led his hand between her breasts, down her stomach and to her pussy. She exhaled as her love touched her where she needed it the most.

If only she and William could have that. If only race wasn't such a factor in whether or not they could be in love. Maybe then they'd be able to openly be just as that couple. Happily married, expressing their love in the most ancient of ways.

"Tsk tsk."

Eliza quickly turned. She knew for certain she heard a noise that time. She looked in another direction, then another. No one was to be found anywhere. That is until a body bumped into her, causing her to scream. For a split second, she found comfort in the idea that it must be William. Once again sneaking up on her to meet in the most surprising of ways.

But to her dismay, it wasn't him at all, but a man she couldn't recognize. The man had dark hair and a scar down his face. She opened her mouth as if to scream again, but it was quickly covered. With tears in her eyes she was pressed against a brick wall, not a soul in sight.

"You're Gigi, aren't you?" He whispered. Eliza figured it was one of the men from the club. But she would soon come to realize this was far more than a crazed admirer. He continued on speaking. "You're the one that Willy is always after."

Eliza screamed into the man's hand, the muffled noise vibrating against his palm. "Yeah, that's you. Do you know the kind of guy you're dealing with? Who he is?"

Eliza's screams turned to cries under the man's palm.

"He's climbing the ranks pretty quickly, ain't he? He's the reason I lost my spot." The man spoke into her ear. "You see, I used to be pretty high up. But then you guy came around and proved he could do better. Making a fool out of me."

Eliza looked into his eyes, listening to his words. She lost hope, she knew she was helpless.

"Well look what I have here. His woman." The stranger said with grit. "I wonder what I should do with her."

A tear ran down Eliza's cheek. He smelled her hair, and pressed his body harder onto hers. Eliza sobbed as he left a kiss on her lips, her arms fell limply to her sides as he did so. He gripped an arm around her waist and pressed her body to his, and he stared into her eyes.

"Such a pretty colored girl, aren't you?" He asked. Eliza was expressionless. He walked away, leaving her shaken. For a long while after his absence, Eliza stood exactly in the same spot against the wall. Her hand shook as she touched against the brick, as she attempted to ground herself back into this reality.

Once she got home, she took off those clothes. The clothes that smelled like him. And she ran herself a warm bath. As she ran the sponge against her bruised skin, she thought of how she had no choice but to let go of her love. If being with William meant being targeted by the men in his lifestyle, she had no choice but to separate herself.

However, such a plan didn't seem as appealing to William.