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Raven chuckled. “I’m not a goddess. Just a normal girl with big dreams.”
"Tell me," I started, "tell me more about you. Why did you choose to dance? Do you find pleasure in it?"
She released a breath and looked forward. "Well, I do. I do love dancing. It's one of the things that allows me to escape from reality. Growing up, my mum had to work two jobs just to keep me in college. When she got sick, I had to leave school and get a job. I found work as a waitress in a bar for a while, and that was how I discovered I could get paid for dancing in clubs."
I didn't enjoy the direction the conversation was taking, but it couldn't be helped. I needed to know more about her. "Your mum, is she better now?"
She smiled quietly and watched our shadows on the cement. "She’s dead."
Oh shit. "I'm sorry, Raven. Fuck, I didn't know."
She shrugged. "It's fine. That was 3 years ago."
"It's recent then."
"I don't see it that way. I have had so much to do since she’s been gone. There’s been so little time to think about it."
I watched her mouth as she talked and felt the urge to cover it with mine. I also wanted to wrap my arms around her, share all her pain, or perhaps make it all melt away.
“How do you manage to combine cleaning with the dancing gig?” I took a shot at it. My forefinger ran circles across her palm. It wasn’t really a conscious thing.
To my surprise, she didn't shrink away. She remained relaxed, and she responded, “It’s not easy at all, but a girl’s gotta do what it takes to survive. I love dancing though, and I’ve always found cleaning therapeutic, like a piece of life that I can always control. But it’s hell combining the two. My whole body hurts by bedtime.”
“You don’t have to do all that anymore. I don’t mind helping you out. I can hire you as an intern in my coding company, to speed up your learning process. We even have educational assistance to help with paying for your classes. And the dance thing, I don’t want you dancing that way with other guys. The last thing I want is for someone to fly away with my Raven.”
Raven hit me playfully on the shoulder. “I'm not a thing to possess, Carson!”
"I know you love dancing. We can do it together. We can go out dancing, or dance at my house. I can bust a couple of moves myself." I threw my head back, grabbed my crotch, and attempted a moonwalk. I didn't quite pull it off, but it was enough to crack Raven up.
“Please, don’t ever do that again,” she giggled.
“If that will keep you away from go-go dancing, yeah, I’ll stop.”
She shuddered a little, and I pulled her closer to me. She didn't resist. Under the moonlight, we stared into each other's eyes. I breathed her name, and she closed her eyes, her lips parting for a kiss.
It was soft and unhurried. A gentle kiss that held promises. Her arms clung to me as I held her by the waist. She moaned in delight before pulling away. "Anna, my name is Anna Woods."
For a few seconds, my mind was muddled from the kiss. It took me a moment to register her words. "Your name is not Raven?"
She smirked. "Nah, it's just a stage name. Over time, I got so used to it. She feels like a real part of me. I guess I desperately need to start living as just Anna, a girl that loves IT, and can clean a house like nobody’s business. Not be that girl who dances in the clubs at night."
"I love Anna." I blurted, and her eyes widened. I immediately felt stupid and tried reconstructing my sentence. "I love the Anna I see everyday."
Better? Shit, I didn't even care anymore. She made me feel so free with my emotions.
"I also love the Raven I see by night, but I do want both women all to myself," I whispered close to her ear. She shuddered, her body shaking against mine. "Come home with me, Anna," I said.
"Oh, Carson. I don't know about—"
"Come home with me, Raven."
That was enough to get her attention. She looked up at me and noticed the sincerity in my eyes.
I got in front of her and gave her a piggyback. She held onto my chest, and I turned around, heading back to her apartment.
“I have one last gig though. Tomorrow. I’ve already been paid for it.”
“I can help with the refund if you want.”
