Two
1545 Words
Karina looks me over as I open my door once she pulls up outside the club. It's a little past nightfall and my shift ends at midnight.
"Will you be fine?" Concern flickers in her eyes when she asks that.
"I got this. Go to your boyfriend. I'll see you tomorrow."
"See you, sweetie. Please don't get drunk."
"Trust me."
She gives me a halfhearted smile before she drives away.
I walk in through the backdoor that is restricted for the staff and I easily find the manager's office. He hands me my uniform which is a little red dress and high heeled sandals. I like the outfit. It's cute.
I change quickly then I walk to the counter. I understand that tonight, I'll be behind the counter. I guess that's easier than carrying drinks around in trays and wiping tables.
"Hey, you must be Alisha." A girl who is already behind the counter grins at me. "I'm Livia. I'll teach everything."
"Livia. Nice name."
She smirks.
"I know, right? Thanks Mom and dad."
"I've never done this before. I hope I won't screw it up."
"That's why you have me here. We have several shifts together so don't worry. You'll get the hang of it in no time."
"Okay."
"First things first, don't drink at work. If they find out, you'll get fired."
"Got it."
"Number two, stay away from that girl. She's an asshole."
We both turn to look at the said girl. She's chatting with a cute male customer and she's busy tossing her hair about. She's obviously flirting with him.
"What's her name?"
"Hayley. She walks around like she owns the place. She's just an employee like you so if she tries to give you s**t, tell her off. Just don't break a beer bottle on her head. Someone tried that once and the results were really bad."
"What happened?"
"Hayley ended up in the hospital with a concussion. The girl is still behind bars."
"That's terrifying."
"Yeah. Kinda. Anyway, people are starting to stream in. You know the drinks, right?"
I nod.
"Yeah. My father had a bar at home. He kept all kinds of drinks."
"Kept? Past tense?"
I nod, turning away from her when a familiar ache starts in my belly.
"Yeah. He is dead."
"Alisha, I-"
"Don't. Don't say anything."
I grip the edge of the counter as I close my eyes. The memories choose that precise moment to come rushing back.
***
*SIX MONTHS EARLIER*
"How is she?" Karina's voice registers in my head.
I close my eyes tighter, feigning to be asleep. They're talking about me and I'm totally not eavesdropping.
"She's in a very bad condition. She has to be locked away in a rehabilitation center, otherwise you're going to lose her."
"She said no."
"She doesn't have a lot of choices right now. She's going to kill herself with all this drinking, Karina."
"I can try to stop her."
"No, you can't. You've been with her for the last six months as she drank through every single bottle in this house. How exactly are you going to stop her right now."
"I don't know. You can't take her away. She's all I have."
"I'm sorry."
I listen carefully until the footsteps are gone then I sit up in bed. I retrieve the half bottle of whisky from under my pillow and I open it. I tilt the bottle and I take a deep swig.
I don't feel anything. I don't even feel drunk. All I feel is a numbness, starting from head to toe.
I like that feeling. It's unlike anything I've ever experienced. I don't feel sad or lost. I feel nothing.
But I know that deep down I feel a raging storm, a spurt of anger about to burst into flames. I'm a very angry human.
The only way to keep me sane is the alcohol.
But then I've gone though most of my father's stock. I need to get some new stuff with the money that's left in my account. It's not a lot so I know that I'll be in deep s**t once I finish it. I can't access my trust fund until I turn twenty one but I'm not even twenty yet. I still have a few more weeks before I stop being a teenager.
A drunk teenager.
I laugh.
A f*****g orphan.
I take another swig.
I f*****g hate my brother for doing this to me; to us.
***
*PRESENT DAY*
"A Scotch. Double. And make it quick. I don't have all day." A deep male voice says, and I quickly snap back to action.
I straighten up, and I stare at the person standing on the other side of the counter.
He leans forward on the counter and he looks at me right in the eye. When he talks, he brings out the individual syllables like he's talking to a five year old.
"Scotch. Double."
I nod.
"Yeah, I heard the first time."
I turn around and luckily I spot the whisky glasses. I grab one, and I place it on the counter before him. When I turn around to pick the Scotch, his voice stops me yet again.
"You know that you're supposed to pour alcohol into the glass, right?"
I close my eyes and blow out my breath.
"If only you could be patient for a minute. I was getting around to doing that."
"I'm sure you can function faster than that."
I fight the urge to roll my eyes as I pick the bottle. I start to pour the alcohol into the glass, but he grabs my arm to stop me.
"You didn't wipe the glass."
"Trust me, the glass is very clean."
"And I'm just supposed to take your word for it?"
"Yes."
"Look here," he glances at my name tag. "Alisha. Who names their child Alisha? That's a stupid name."
I grab the counter once more. I'm about to lose s**t yet I've been working here for approximately three minutes.
"With all due respect-"
"Hey?" A different, less deeper voice calls and I quickly look up.
Oh s**t. He's so cute.
"Hey. What can I get you?"
He smiles. He has a f*****g nice smile too.
"I was seated right over there with my friend and we happened to eavesdrop. I'll help you with this douchebag."
"Um..excuse me?"
His teeth sink into his bottom lip as he leans over the counter.
"What do you want me to do with him? Punch him in the face, kick him out or make him apologize?"
All three of them, please and thank you very much.
Loudly I say;
"That will get me fired."
"It won't."
"How would you know that?"
"Because I know the someone who owns the club."
"That guarantees nothing."
He grins yet again. I'm quickly arriving to the conclusion that he smiles a lot.
"What if I told you that the owner's blood flows in my veins?"
"Really? Does your father own this?"
"No. My Nana does. My brother and I basically own it because she passed on and left it to us. Anyway, my offer still stands. What do you want me to do with him?"
"How about you make him leave the bar?"
"Really? That's it?"
"Well, I would have no complains whatsoever if you shoved his head up his ass."
He raises an eyebrow as he stares the guy down.
"Nice idea but I don't think he's flexible enough to do that. That's a bit aggressive for his age, don't you think? I'd probably snap his poor waist into two."
I laugh despite myself.
"Just get him away from the bar. I'll appreciate that."
"You got it."
He manhandles the already drunk guy away and he dumps him and his drink at some corner table.
I watch my knight in a leather jacket as he walks back to me and leans over the counter again.
"There's a customer behind you."
He shrugs.
"I know. He can walk over to Livia. She's free, and you're obviously occupied."
"I won't get paid to stand here and look pretty."
"You don't know that."
"I need to work."
"No 'thank you' good Sir?"
"Thank you for saving me but you need to step away."
"On one condition."
"And that is?"
"You have to buy me a thank you drink."
"I forgot my wallet at home." I lie smoothly.
"Not today. Say tomorrow? It's Saturday."
"I'll be working tomorrow night."
"Bummer. I have an idea. Why don't we do this tonight after your shift, huh?"
"Did you miss the entire part where I forgot my wallet at home?"
"Come on. It's on me."
"The point was me to buy you a drink."
He smiles. He smiles a lot.
"You can pay me back. So, is that a yes?"
"I, uh, don't want to miss the bus."
"I'll get you home. Deal?"
I shrug. It's been so long since I hang out with anyone other than Karina, and I probably won't get any sleep tonight anyway, so I shrug.
"Fine."
"Nice meeting you, Alisha."
"Pleasure.. Uh?"
"The name is Allen Johnson. You can call me Allen."
He spares me another one of his dazzling smiles before he turns on his heel and walks away.
- Writer
