She walked out on the stage, totally disgusted by the crowd of leering men. She wouldn't be doing this if she didn't need the money. She had run away from home years ago with her best friend, Marleny. They were desperate, and needed the jobs. In the back of the room she saw Marleny serving 3 men, one grabbed her ass and she cringed. Katrina did her dance, the whole time looking in the eyes of a blonde man sitting at a table a few feet away from her. He had a look in his eyes, and watched her intently, almost as if concentrating. As she left the stage, she saw the  blonde going up to her boss. Marleny ran over to her after she was finished, in tears.      "I CAN'T TAKE THIS!" She sobbed to her friend. Marleny was explaining a story to her, making Katrina's opinion of men dwindle down to almost nothing. In the middle of her story, their boss came over and said something in Marleny's ear. Her face, drained a bit and she nodded and walked rather reluctantly back to the man who had grabber her earlier. He then turned to Katrina.

     "You see that man over there?" he asked her pointing to the blonde who had been looking at her. She nodded. "Well, you're to keep him company for the night, you got me?" He roughly grabbed her arm. She winced and nodded fast. He let go and she walked over to the man.

     He looked at her, picked up his keys, and asked "Do you wanna leave here?" Katrina's nodded. She knew what he wanted, and that was the only thing, even if it wasn't there. He led her to his car, opening the door for her. She smiled, this was unusual. She kept her mouth shut the whole car ride, smiling a bit to herself. He took her to a nice hotel. She looked surprised. It looked expensive. He took her up to the penthouse. He let her go in first, then followed her and shut the door.

     "Well what-" She started and was immediately cut off by him pressing his lips hard against hers. She was shocked at first. He seemed like such a gentleman. She went to push him off of her out of reflex and wiped her mouth off. He raised his hand and smacked her hard across the face.

     "Listen bitch, I tried to be nice about this, but looks like I'm not gonna anymore if you're gonna act like that." He said grabbing her arm, reminding her of her boss. He pulled her to a bedroom. He threw her onto the bed, and proceeded to tear her clothes off, while she started to cry.

*They are not nice, they're mostly noise
They swear like men, they screw like boys
I know there's nothing in their hearts
But every time I take one in
My arms...
It starts*

     They lay there after he had his pleasure, with her facing away from him, staring at the wall. He was sleeping, and turned over and wrapped an arm around her and nuzzled the back of her neck. She sighed at the comfort she felt. Why couldn't this be real? Just her and a man laying in bed, with a feeling of love. She closed her eyes, knowing it would never happen for her.

*The movie in my mind
The dream they leave behind
A scene I can't erase
And in a strong GI's
Embrace
Flee this life
Flee this place*

     She and the man whose name she learned was Justin were sitting in front of their TV, laughing at their child Lauren who was watching cartoons. She leaned over and kissed him sweetly and he whispered 'I love you' into her ear. Startled, she woke up. She looked down and realized she was still in his bed, and he was snoring softly. She laid back down, laying her head on his chest, and a tear leaked out of her eye.

*The movie plays and plays
The screen before me fills
He takes me to New York
He gives me dollar bills
Our children laugh all day
And eat too much ice cream
And life is like a dream*

     She got up a few minutes later. She knew her work was done. She got dressed and looked down at Justin. A few more tears slipped out of her eyes as she walked out of his hotel room. She noticed a guy with dreadlocks come out of another room a few feet away and stare at her while she hurried and left. In the elevator, she put her head on the side of the the wall and cried.

*Dream
The dream I long to find
The movie in my mind*

*MEANWHILE*

     "Oooh baby, I like the way you move." The guy whispered into her ear. Marleny forced herself to smile at him. She knew what was going to happen, and wasn't looking forward to it. He had taken her to a hotel, up to a penthouse. He then took her into a room and putting on slow music, asked her to dance for him. She began to dance for a while getting into it, until he had gotten up and took her into his arms. She smiled at the soft way he did that, but then he said that. After that comment he led her to the bed. He pushed her onto the bed, and hovered over her as he proceeded to undress her..

*I will not cry, I will not think
I'll do my dance, I'll make him drink
When I make love it won't be me
And if he hurts me I'll just close
My eyes...
And see*

     "Baby, you were so good." He said to her as she lay down facing away from her. She turned around, and he saw the tears in her eyes. He took her into his arms and she cried. He just let her cry, having no idea what was wrong. They both soon fell asleep. She woke up in a strange man's arms. He told her his name was Josh. She lay there, thinking about where Katrina was. She looked down at his hand, to see the ring on his left ring finger.

*(They are not nice, they're mostly noise)
  The movie in my mind
(They kill like men, they die like boys)
  The dream that fills my head
(They give their cash they keep their hearts)
  A man who will not kill
(But every night again it starts)
  Who'll fight for me instead*

     She imagined it was her he was bound to. She could see the house they would live at. She knew he would protect her from anything that came along. She closed her eyes and saw the whole thing play out in her head. Marleny turned around and looked at his sweet face. She got up and dressed and without looking back, left the room and suite. She decided to take the stairs. She made it down the first few before breaking down and crying in the dimly lit stairwell. Why couldn't she ever find anyone? And why was her life so fucked up? And why couldn't she be happy?

*He'll keep us safe all day
So no one comes at night
To blow the dream away
Dream
The dream I have to find
The movie in my mind*

     Both girls made it back to the apartment they shared. With their little money they had managed to keep it. Katrina made it back in time to see Marleny camped out on the couch. Her face was red, and Katrina could tell Marleny had cried herself to sleep. Katrina placed a blanket over her, then took her friends shoes off. Katrina went into her bedroom. She collapsed on the bed, crying. She knew she shouldn't ask for anything, but the one thing she needed most, she knew she'd never have. Her mind rewound back to how it felt to have Justin holding her in his powerful arms.

*And in a strong GI's embrace
Flee this life
Flee this place*

     She fell asleep with a smile on her face, dreaming of something she knew she could never have.

*A world that's far away
Where life is not unkind
The movie in my mind*

     Off on the other side of town, two men woke up to find themselves alone, then without a second thought fell back asleep.