And so I can't ignore, my heart is bruised and sore
my sanctuary has been raked, been raked.
My soul is colored red from all the love I bled
my crucifixion is complete, complete.
Now I need a substitute for...

...the love that you gave
now I just can't be saved
and there is no salvation for me.
My sin was to touch but I wanted it too much.

No matter how I try, I still can't justify
my absolution is denied, denied.
And so i'm left to burn, my body craves and yearns
the beast inside me is alive, alive.

"Mahla I thought I told you to stay out of trouble!" Officer Roberts yelled over his desk.
Mahla just sat their and stared at him.
"I hope you relieze that if I bring you in here one more time their going to lock you up and throw away the key. You don't exactly have a good record and they won't show you any mercy. How many times have I told you to stay away from that club. I swear they bring you in her 2 or 3 times a month. You know it's no good down their..and if you ever get caught with drugs that's it."
"I don't do drugs..yea I party alot but drugs ain't on my list you know that. You think im that stupid? I've already been in jail for something I didn't do and I aint going back." Mahla said.

"Mahla whether or not you were innocent isn't an issue now. You served your time and your out. Don't screw up."

"Whatever..can I get out of here now?"
"Yea go ahead..and im telling you I don't want to see you in her again!" He yelled.

Mahla walked out into the crisp cold air of Chicago.
"Should of grabbed my coat" she muttered.
After all this is Chicago and it is practically snowing here and well the wind don't help much.

She's been out of jail for 6 monthes now, working dead end jobs just trying to live day by day. The few friends that she still had have been trying to get her to go out with guys but she wasn't interested. Who in their right mind would want to go out with her? A 23 year old chick who just got out of jail? Yea right..either they aint saints themselves or they just dont care. Anyhow she didn't need that in her life right now.

The Next Day

"Shit im late for work" Mahla said running out her apartment and down the stairs.
She worked at a local strip club. She wasn't a dancer she just tended bar their..it paid the bills and that's all she cared about.
"John is going to kill me!" Mahla said running through the parking lot of the club. She looked around.."There's already alot of people here" Mahla thought before crashing into something.
"Oh wow im sorry are you ok?" Jeff asked.

"Um yea im fine..I wasn't watching where i was going".
When she looked up her eyes locked with the his bright crystal green ones.

"Sorry.." she said.
"Are you sure your ok?" he asked again.
"Umm yea..im late for work" she said running off into the club.

John was pissed when she got their as was the girl before her who had to stay a extra half hour which she didn't like one bit.
"God I need a drink" she said while getting a few others for some customers.

Jeff, Matt, Adam, Jay and Scott walked into the club.
I dunno why im here..I never go to these things" Jeff said.
"Atleast we have time to go out..plus these clubs are kinda fun" Scott said grinning at all the half naked girls walking around.

"I wonder if that chick dances here" Jeff said.
"I dunno man..she was kinda hot though." Jay said.

Jeff looked around the club then looked over at the bar and saw her behind it collecting money from a customer.
"There she is." Jeff said. Matt looked over at her two. "Go talk to her" Matt said.
"Anyone want a drink?" Jeff said smiling.
After getting everyones orders he walked over to the bar and waited for her to come in his direction.
Mahla looked around the bar to see if anyone else needed a drink when she saw him at the end of the by himself looking at her. She walked down to see what he needed.

"Need some drinks?" she asked smiling.
"Yea..I do". He gave her his drink order..which was rather large.
"Ok I'll bring it to your table in a minute" she said. Jeff just smiled and walked back to their table.
"Where's the drinks at?" adam asked.
"She's bringing them over in a minute."

Mahla got all the drinks ready and set them on a tray. She walked towards the table and notice all the guys their staring at her..including the one she ran into in the parking lot.
"Here you go fella's..comes to $16.50"
Scott handed her a $20. "Keep the change" he said.
Mahla chuckled and grabbed the bill from his hand. "Generous are we?" she said. He just smiled and looked over at Jeff who hadn't said anything since she got their.
"Hey Jeff..stop staring at her ass man..that's rude!" Jay said.
"Huh!?..Shutup Jay!" Jeff said embarrased.
Mahla laughed and said "I'll be over at the bar if you need anything else."

A couple hours passed as Jeff watched the girls with little interest. The majority of his attention was focused on Mahla.
After and 20 minutes Jeff saw that she was alone and deceided to go talk to her.

"Hi..I never got your name earlier" Jeff said.
"mahla turned around and saw it was the guy she ran into earlier and smiled.
"Mahla" she said.
"Nice to meet you..im Jeff."
"Nice to meet you too" Mahla said.
There was a few seconds of silence before Jeff spoke again.
"Umm I never really do this and im sure you get asked this alot and stuff but I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go out tomorrow afternoon? I leave town in the evening." Jeff said.
Mahla looked at Jeff for second. Usually she would have outright told a guy she wasn't interested but Mahla liked Jeff..she didn't know him but she liked something about him. Maybe because he looked so outgoing and very talkative yet he seemed so quiet and reserved.
"Well I usually don't go out with guys I meet here but I like you..yea i'll go out with you."

Matt, Adam and Jay walked up to the bar looking to Jeff because they were ready to leave.
"Hey Jeff you ready?" Jay called.
"Yea hold on one minute" Jeff said.
"So umm want me to call you tomorrow?" Jeff asked.
Mahla gave Jeff her number and watched him walk out with his friends.

Next Day

Jeff called Mahla the next day as promised and told her he'd pick her up around 12:30 and she agreed.

At around 12:25 Mahla heard someone pull in her driveway. She looked out the window and saw Jeff get out his rental car. When he knocked she went to open the door.

"Hi" Mahla said.
"Hi Mahla..you ready to go?" Jeff asked.
"Yea just let me get my coat" she said.
Mahla turned around to grab her coat, that's when Jeff saw her back which had an array or tattoos on it. He had seen the one on her arm but didn't know she had anymore.

Mahla and Jeff stopped and had lunch first and spent awhile just talking. Then they deceided to talk a walk down the park and talk somemore.

"Want to sit down?" Jeff asked.
"Sure"

Mahla layed down on her stomach in the grass while Jeff layed on his side.

"couldn't help but notice your tattoos" Jeff said.
"Oh yea..don't like chicks with tattoos?" Mahla asked jokingly.
"No I do..I think their nice on you" Jeff said.
"Her reached over and pushed her hair off her back.
"Especially the wings.." Jeff said.
"Yea those are my favorite too" Mahla said.

Jeff contunied to to looks at her tattoos closly, fingering each one.
A few hours passed and it was almost time for Jeff to leave town.
"I don't want to leave now" Jeff said brushing a stray peice of auburn hair of Mahla's forhead.
Mahla looked up at Jeff.
"It's weird Mahla..I feel a strong connection to you. It's like im meant to be here..like this is all right and how it's supposed to be. I know this might sound a bit forward but I want to ask you if you will leave with me?" Jeff asked.
Mahla say stunned for a few seconds. She would have most definatly left with Jeff..if things had been differant.

"Jeff..if things were differant I would go with you in a second but you don't know anything about me. You don't know that i've been in jail. I din't do anything wrong..I got blamed for something I had nothing to do with but they don't care. If anyone found out it would hurt your career Jeff." Mahla said.
"Why were you in jail?" Jeff asked.
"My boyfriend had some drug problems. He had a pretty bad record to begin with so when he got arrrested he asked to to take the blame for him. Said I wouldn't get much. I didn't either but when I got convicted he was no where to be found. Havent seen him since. Stupid i know but I was in love." Mahla said.

"I don't care about that Mahla and I don't care about what people say. Forget loving him..love me?" Jeff said.

"I can't Jeff...You have no idea how hard it is for me to trust anyone let alone literally fall in love again."

After another 45 minutes of trying to convince Mahla to to come with him he gave up. He was convinced she wouldn't and he was hurt.

"Im sorry Jeff." Mahla said, a tear falling down her cheek.

"It's ok Mahla just give it some thought ok?" Jeff said getting up and helping Mahla up.

Jeff took Mahla back to her house and left for the airport with Matt.

A few days later Jeff tried calling Mahla but she never answered her phone..he even tried calling her job but her manager told Jeff she didn't work their anymore. The first time he met Mahla was the last time he saw her. Jeff would never feel the same towards anyone else like he did Mahla. He knew that if he felt that stronglytowards her in one day then he knew they were meant to be.

Soulmates.

Mahla often thought about Jeff..she knew if she didn't leave she would end up going after him and she didn't want to mess his life up with her past.

Will Mahla and Jeff meet up with eachother again? That's your call!

Email illusions and tell her what you want!