i want to paint my face
& pretend that i am someone else
sometimes i get so fed up ,
i don't even wanna look at myself
but people have problems that are worse than mine
i don’t want you to think i’m complainin’ all the time
“ and why , pray tell , is there a harlot housed in room 13 ? ”
“ because room 12 was taken , ” marlene taunted , a perfectly plucked eyebrow raising in the direction of the wrinkly man who wore a wrinkly suit . he and his comrades were visiting far too often , and they running out of reasons to explain their presence . and despite the calm expression painted across her delicate features , she was seething , because she , too , was running out of reasons for the choices she was making .
if they weren’t careful , eventually they would find themselves standing in front of one another , not a lie left in the world . they would have to settle for the truth and merlin knew honesty never worked out for anyone .
“ she is not a member of this establishment . ”
“ neither was i , and look how well that turned out . ”
“ are you trying to tell me you share qualities with a common whore ? ” his hand raised to touch the base of the cross he wore . it dangled noticeably from a thick golden chain that hung around his weathered neck . disgusting . it was so ostentatious , marlene thought briefly about finding herself a pair of sunglasses to shield herself from the flashiness of it all .
and she found his judgments absolutely hysterical , as if he didn’t spend the better part of his visits hoping she would drop something and have to pick it up .
at first , she had nothing to offer him but silence . she was too busy scrutinizing the man in question , blue eyes scanning him from top to bottom and back up again .
marlene imagined he used to be quite the catch . she could see him once being perfect and pure , a man of the church who misinterpreted every passage of the bible for his own personal gain . he must have been very handsome at one point , from the shiny top of his raven-colored hair all the way down to the sharp and symmetrical points of his shined oxfords .
but now he looked like a man who spent far too long in a bathtub .
“ possibly . and what makes you think you don’t ? ” she finally asked , a question for a question .
“ how dare you ! you insolent little ... i am a man of god ! ” his whole body shook in anger , flabs of skin moving along with it . it was clear from the spark in his eyes that he was getting exactly what he wanted . a fight . they were always looking for something to undermine the blonde something to keep her where she belonged : at the bottom of the totem pole .
“ sweetheart , ya get on your knees either way . least she has the common sense to get paid for what she does , ” she tutted , tongue tapping against the roof of her mouth as she narrowed her gaze . marlene was beginning to lose her patience , and that was never a good thing . she knew she needed to reel it in ; flash him a smile and give him a quick glance at her ass , but merlin , she couldn’t handle that right now .
“ you forget your place , ” he scolded , much like a father would to a daughter .
“ and where is my place , huh ? over by that door ? in a kitchen ? ”
the skin of his lips stretched out thinly over his teeth , a horrific smirk emerging as he took a step closer . there was something daunting about him . something terrifying . he might have been old , but marlene frequently wondered what kind of evils remained hidden beneath the surface . “ your job is to stand still and look pretty . nothing but a flower , you are . nothing but a decoration for our guests ; something nice for them to look at . ”
marlene could handle a lot of things . she had tough skin , or so she told anyone who would ask . but being minimized to a cliche was something that burned her . it was her biggest insecurity and it plagued her mind day in and day out .
her eyes focused on the man . she would speak , but her jaw was too tense . she felt like screaming . like slapping him and maybe even crying . she was being a child and she knew it , trying not to shake while he stood there with nothing but cool confidence seeping off his person . he was the epitome of power , but it was all junk . he lacked substance . because despite the way he carried himself and how he looked down on her , he needed her . they all did .
“ ah good , ” he cooed , buttoning his suit jacket before turning to take his leave . “ she remembered flowers don’t speak . now get rid of the whore . ”
he walked toward the door and time seemed to freeze . she wondered if that was what the imperious curse felt like forced to stand outside of yourself , unable to control your body . how could she carry herself like a confident woman when only a few words unraveled her like an old sweater ? she swallowed down the helpless feeling inside of her , reminding herself that she was better than that .
“ FLOWERS ” she practically shouted ( a side effect of speaking without fully knowing what to say ) . this caused him to halt , his wrinkled neck twisting as he turned to face her . “ can be poisonous . they can have thorns . whether you like it or not , sir , i will always be hard to stomach . but you’re welcome . ”
“ ... for ? ” he asked , unamused curiosity practically dripping off his person .
“ for making your life easier . i’ve been looking over the numbers , and the hotel has never been this successful . never been this organized , clean , respected . in the two years since i’ve been here , i have transformed this place into a top notch institution . i have made more contacts , more safety precautions . i have kept us a secret ; a whisper on the wind , no one entirely sure as to whether we really exist or not . i am the reason you get to buy all those fancy suits and i am the reason you get to spend every night at a whore house . ”
he moved to interrupt her , but she cut him off with a raise of her hand . “ i checked her in as a waitress . you were the one who recognized her , sir . ” she took a moment to study him again , this time taking pride in the way his demeanor shifted . he was no longer a man with a leash . the bitch now had free reign .
the witch coughed , impatient with him , as she turned her head quickly . “ i am going to do you yet another favor and pretend this conversation never happened . and priya ? that’s her name , by the way . she stays . ” and with that , marlene was the one to leave , walking past him with regained confidence as she refused to even spare him a parting glance .
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