Dangerous Identity

But not necessarily. Take, for example,

ly lacked. But trust me when I say Lexi would rather be covered in the stench of money than alcohol. After all, the ste

thoughts. The faint smell of last night's alcohol lingered in the air, mixing with the musty scent

roan, she rose from the bed, still wearing her stripper outf

afternoon shift at the local café. At night she worked as a stripper, and during the day

ake off the lingering sleepiness. She quickly got ready because sh

d enough money for his surgery-she wasn't even close, and he was getti

ed to herself, staring at her reflection in the cracked mirror. Somehow,

dropped out of college after working so hard to get scholarships because her father fell sick. Not when she took two jobs, working four different shifts, whether she was healthy, sick, o

ong time. She took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders,

*

sister'-demanded, her voice sharp enough to cut through steel as she

om, the sterile scent of disinfectant mixing wi

gainst the wall, feeling the cool surface against her back, desperate for a moment of peace

y smell the alcohol all over you." Her eyes, hard and unforgiving, bored into Lexi's tired ones. "You've

hat she was a stripper, and she always assumed her nights we

easy, so stop complaining, please. You have no idea the str

pay for it. And this week's is coming up... not to mention the surgery, the light bill for the house, the rent, and also the insuranc

e. Engaging with Sophia would only lead to another screaming match, like every morning.

said, her voice hollow. She turned and walked away, each step heavy w

uld get hit by a truck. A huge one. The thought was fleeting and guilt-inducing,

not of anxiety in her chest. She glanced at her watch-barely enough time to get to her shift at the café. She needed th

ckingly low. Her dad's surgery was looming, and she wasn't anywhere close to the amount needed.

She opened it, expecting another reminder about an

h and Main tonight. I have i