Tatum walked into back room and grabbed an outfit to change into. Cat smiled at her. "Tate! Where did you go last night?"
Tatum jumped. "What do you mean?"
Cat sat on the vanity and looked at her friend. "Last time I saw you you were all over Joel."
"So?"
"So tell."
"Tell what? There is nothing to tell." She tried to avoid looking at Cat.
"Oh, I know there's something, otherwise you'd look at me." She grabbed Tatums chin and looked her in the eye. "Now tell me." Tatum blushed. "Did you? You did, didn't you? How was he?"
"Shut up, Catherine." Tatum laughed, smacking Cat in the arm. "You do know there's seven years between him and me."
"Oh yeah, so that's statuatary rape, or something like that." Cat thought a minute. "You aren't gonna tell anyone are you?"
"No. I said I wouldn't," She buttoned her top and fixed her hair. "besides, who'd beleive I screwed Joel Madden?"
"I would." Cat smiled, handing Tatum black eyeliner. "Course that's only because I saw you two together last night."
Sandra walked into the dressing room. "Cat, you're working the bar until Chelsea gets here." Cat nodded and changed into her bar tending outfit.
"So, you want me to take you home tonight? Or is your new boyfriend going to?" Cat teased.
"He's not my boyfriend and I'm walking." She took one last look in the mirror and sighed. "Fourteen years, Cat. Fourteen years tomorrow. I was three and most kids that little don't remember, but I do. Why do I remember him walking out like that?"
Cat hugged Tatum. "Honey, it's OK..." Cat looked her in the eye. "I'm here for you, so are all the other girls. You're like our little sister." She smiled and wiped Tatums eyes. "Now go give it your all and we'll get shit-faced later."
"Thanks Cat."
~
"Benj, I feel bad." Joel said, pacing the room.
Benji sighed. "You were both drunk. And how could you have known? Did she tell you?"
"No, but I should have asked."
Benji rolled his eyes. "Dude, the place we were playing is only supposed to be eightteen and older. Like you would have asked."
"She's seventeen!" Joel shouted.
"And a stripper..." Benji added, almost smiling.
Joel threw his hands in the air. "You're not helping!"
"I'm sorry. It's just funny." Benji looked at the clock. "Oh, it's almost six, I gotta go pick her up."
"Oh, so now you're boinkin' the seventeen year old stripper?"
"No! I told her boss it was my fault I was late and that I'd pick her up." Benji grabbed his keys and opened the front door. He paused and turned to his twin. "You wanna talk to her?"
"About what?"
Benji sighed. "Forget it." He got in the car and waited for Joel. He knew he was coming. Joel came out the door and got in the car. "So what are you going to tell her?"
"I have no idea..." Joel trailed off and looked out the window.
Benji walked into the club and saw Tatum on stage. He blushed seeing her like that. Tatum looked up and saw Benji, she almost fell off the edge of the stage. 'What is he doing here?' She thought. She finished her 'performance' and went to the dressing room.
Benji sat at the bar. "Hey Benj, what're you doin' here?" Cat asked.
Benji looked at her. "I'm sorry, I can't remember your name I know we had a long conversation last night though."
"Yeah," She nodded. "I'm Cat."
"I remember. Man, that was embarrassing this morning finding out Tate was sev--"
Cat cut him off. "Shh! Our boss doesn't know." She whispered.
"Oh... maybe you can tell me, why does she work here?"
Cat grimaced. "Well... don't tell her I told you, but she's an only child, her dad left when she was three and her mom's a druggie, so she has to work so they can eat and keep their appartment. She was supposed to be working here at the bar, but Sandra wanted her to do the stage. And Sandy thinks she's almost nineteen. No one else would hire her. So I got her a job here."
"Why though? I mean, why a strip club?"
"It's all lookie no touchie. And I can keep an eye on Tate here. I've known her since she was five, I was eight, so she's been like the little sister I never had." She gave Benji a coke, knowing he didn't drink anymore. "Trust me, I'd never let anyone hurt her. And I know that she went home with your twin last night."
Benji looked at her. "He didn't know."
Cat smiled and nodded. "I know. I'm not mad, but she was glowing when she came in to work today. So if he breaks her heart, I will break him."
"Who will you break?" Tatum asked, sitting next to Benji.
Cat looked at Benji and then to Tatum. "No one. But you better get home, you're mom might worry."
Tatum rolled her eyes and got off the bar stool. "OK, Cat. G'night. See you tomorrow." She went out the door and Benji followed. She turned to him. "What are you doing here?"
"You said you'd see me tonight, so I came. So get in the car and I'll drive you home." He smiled.
She rolled her eyes and followed him to the car. "Why are you so nice?" She got in the backseat, seeing that Joel was in the passenger seat. "Hi Joel."
"Hi..." He didn't know what to say.
"We can pretend it never happened if you want Joel?" Tatum put a hand on his shoulder. "But that wouldn't be as fun."
Joel turned to look at her. "What do you mean?"
Benji laughed as he started the car. "Which way?"
"Left." She looked at Joel. "What I mean is, we can go out and forget that I'm seventeen, or we can be friends and forget we had sex, or we can forget about everything and never see each other again?"
Joel contemplated the choices a minute. Benji stopped at the light. "Right, left or straight?"
"Right." She looked at Joel. "So, Joelsy, which is it?" All were silent. "OK, narrow it down to two choices, friends or lovers?"
"Friends." Benji caughed and cleared his throat.
"What was that Benji?" Tatum asked.
"What? Nothing. I didn't say anything."
"Sure." She said sarcastically. "Joel... I need an answer." She paused. "I'll make it easy for you. I'm eightteen in three weeks."
Benji looked at her. "You manipulative little skank." He laughed.
"I know. Don't you love me for it?" She joked.
Joel wasn't sure what to say. "What do you want?"
Tatum grinned. "Well... I enjoyed last night, or what I can remember."
"Do I have to hear this?" Benji asked.
"No." Joel said. "So, you wanna go out for a while and see what happens?"
Tatum licked her lip and grinned. "Sure."
That was not what Benji wanted to hear. Deep down inside he felt something for Tatum, though he didn't know what it was.