She will do her best.

The Domino Effect- rough draft v1

Natalie lifted her gaze to meet Jasmine's, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I...I can try, Jasmine," she said. "For you, I can try." It was the last thing Natalie said that night as they went home and passed out emotionally exhausted. She was turning the problem over in her head, she could think of hundreds of solutions but none they she thought Jasmine would like, for how smart she could be, an ethical solution eluded her. 'Why, am I really that lost in hate, that every solution hurts someone?'

The next morning Natalie sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers nervously twisting in her lap. She was grappling with the weight of her mistakes and the enormity of their consequences. As she looked up, her gaze met Jasmine's steady, resolute eyes from the doorway.

"Natalie," Jasmine started, her voice steady, "we need to figure this out."

"I know," Natalie replied, her voice barely above a whisper. She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I've been thinking... maybe we could find someone else, someone who wouldn't mind..."

Jasmine raised an eyebrow, gesturing for Natalie to continue.

"A professional," Natalie suggested, "someone who's used to... this kind of thing. Maybe someone from another club, or..."

"No," Jasmine cut her off gently, shaking her head. "That's just shifting the burden to someone else. It doesn't solve the problem; it just makes it someone else's."

Natalie bit her lip, her mind spinning as she tried to come up with another plan. "What if we convinced Leo to change the show? We could suggest a different theme, something less... humiliating for Mark."

"But that still leaves Mark in a **** position," Jasmine pointed out. "He's not prepared for this. We can't just throw him into a situation like that without his consent. It wouldn't be right."

Natalie fell silent, the gravity of her actions weighing heavily on her. She had been so consumed by her desire for **** that she hadn't considered the full extent of the consequences. Now, she was facing those consequences head-on, and they were far more severe than she had anticipated.

"I'm going to call Leo," Jasmine declared, her voice ringing with determination. "I'm going to tell him that we'll be the replacements."

Natalie's eyes widened in shock. "Jasmine, no, you can't—" Natalie started, but Jasmine interrupted her.

"I can, and I will," Jasmine stated firmly. "I won't let you take the fall for this. This is something we have to fix together."

Picking up Natalie's phone, Jasmine dialed Leo's number. She steeled herself as the dial tone rang through the room.

Leo picked up on the second ring. "Jasmine," he greeted, his voice carrying a hint of irritation. "I assume you've found a replacement?"

"I'm calling to tell you that Natalie and I will be your replacements," Jasmine replied, her voice steady despite the butterflies in her stomach.

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "You're sure about this?"

"Yes," Jasmine confirmed, glancing over at Natalie. "We're sure."

There was a moment of silence, then a low chuckle. "Interesting." he said in a tone that implied he was sure you would throw Mark under the bus once you knew it was your ass on the line otherwise. "But it's not that simple, Jasmine. The headliner is not just any performer. They're the star of the show, the main attraction. They need to be able to entertain, engage, and keep the crowd wanting more. It's a tough role to fill."

"We understand," Jasmine replied, determination lacing her words. "Tell us what we need to do."

Leo cleared his throat, then began to outline his expectations.

"You'll need to perform a routine," he began. "Choreographed, rehearsed, the works. You'll have to be in costume – something that fits the theme of the night. And you'll have to play the part of the down on his luck **** straight man willing to do whatever it takes to please the crowd."

He paused, then continued, "You'll need to engage with the audience, flirt, tease, make them feel special. And you'll have to be willing to be... flexible. Plans can change on the fly, and you'll need to adapt. Are you sure you're up for this?"

Jasmine exchanged a glance with Natalie, who looked frightened but resolute. She took a deep breath, then answered, "Yes. We're up for it."

Natalie echoed her agreement, though her voice was a mere whisper, laden with guilt.Jasmine hung up the phone and turned to face Natalie, her heart aching at the sight of her partner's guilt-ridden expression. "We'll get through this, Nat," she assured her, reaching out to hold her hand. "We always do."

Natalie squeezed Jasmine's hand, a fresh wave of guilt washing over her. "I'm so sorry, Jas," she murmured, her voice thick with regret. "I never meant for this to happen."

Jasmine gave Natalie a small, comforting smile. "I know, Nat," she said softly.