Chapter 3
The music booms loudly all the way to the outdoor dance floor, the rooms almost shaking with the hard bass of the Spanish club music being played. The bar is already quite full, teenagers bop their heads with drinks in their hands surrounded by a dozen of their friends. The bar is a typical holiday vibe, there’s big lillos outside shaped like ice cream cones and flamingos, there’s umberella’s poking out from almost every drink they serve and there’s a karaoke machine in the corner. It’s only early in the day but drinks are building on the bar and the interns have to rush around collecting glasses before another layer of empty and half finished drinks get piled on. Vanessa looks stressed to the max and Finn looks as if he’s about to have a heart attack when a punter comes up to him saying he gave them the wrong change. Charity had stood in front of him and crossed her arms, a little flattery and the tall Spanish guys were buying more drinks instead of trying to pull a fast one, Finn was like a mathematician geek after all so Charity knew his change wouldn’t have been incorrect.
She’s about to go and collect more glasses when she sees her smaller friend, friend? Yeah they’re friends she thinks. Anyway, Vanessa is looking all flustered by the karaoke machine, apparently one of the microphones weren’t working but it seemed like the tanned, tall guy wasn’t really bothered anymore. She watches as he practically drools when Vanessa bends doesn’t to fiddle with the wires.
“There all done” Vanessa stands up oblivious and hands him the fixed mic, he takes it and steps closer. She coughs awkwardly stepping back.
“You gonna give us a song love?” He speaks with a quite posh accent, and he waves the microphone in Vanessa’s direction.
She shakes her head, “no ta, I’d probably scare the punters” she jokes, making another move to step back to the bar but getting blocked again by the punter. Charity’s already moving around the side of the bar.
“Maybe you could give us something else then…” he winks at her, making a clicking sound with his tongue and his arms go to hold her in position, trailing down her side, hands coming dangerously close to her backside. Vanessa’s eyes widen and she freezes.
“Oi ya perv, back off” Vanessa breaths a sigh of relief. The tall blonde steps in front of the guy, creating a barrier between him and Vanessa.
“Don’t you ever speak to a woman like that again” she’s jabbing her finger in his chest, advancing as he walks backwards like predator to pray. She almost snarls at him, the dirty smirk on his face.
“Or what?” The guy shrugs.
There’s a slap and an exclamation of gasps, the loudest one being Vanessa’s, who’s gaping at Charity. Rita notices the commotion and quickly settles the situation, reprimanding Charity for hitting a customer but barring the guy anyway and telling him to take his filthy mates, who were sniggering in the corner, with him.
“Is your hand okay?” Vanessa asks, stepping closer to Charity and place her own gentle hand against the back of Charity’s crossed arms. She pries them open and drops their hands together, squeezing Charity’s.
“What? Oh yeah, probably a bit dirty from touching that dirt bag though…” She scoffs a laugh. “Are you okay? He didn’t touch you did he?” She says quietly, her eyes raking over Vanessa worriedly.
Vanessa tugs on her hand and encourages her to meet her eyes. “No, I’m fine, thanks to you” she grins, steps into her tiptoes and plants a kiss against Charity’s cheek. “My hero” she says.
“It was nothing” Charity shakes her head, her skin tingling after Vanessa’s lips had met it. Her face flushed and she can feel it burning, her eyes sitting around everywhere but at Vanessa. She thinks she sees Vanessa lean in from the corner of her eye, and she stays still, like a deer in the headlight. Her eyes drop to Vanessa’s lips, and she thinks they’re pouted and they’re slowly getting closer to her, as if daring to edge further. Her breath quickens and her eyes close, somethings about to happen between them, she’s not sure what but she welcomes it, welcomes this tiny little ball of sunshine. But then it’s over because Rita demands to see Charity behind the bar, and she sighs, walking away and popping their little bubble.
Vanessa’s eyes linger on Charity for a few seconds, her heart hammering. She leaves the microphone in the stand and heads back behind the bar snapping herself out of her daze.
*
Vanessas surprised at how much she’s enjoyed working behind the bar, she found herself dancing joyfully while mixing up cocktails and singing along to the songs she knew. She especially enjoyed the way Charity would come up to her and grab her waist, then she’d twirl her on her way to grab another glass or deliver an order to a customer. Charity was definitely in her element, charming the customers and showing off her cocktail making skills.
They’re walking through the warm Spanish streets, the smell of hot and spicy food being carried through the stuffy wind. Charity sees Rhona getting particularly flirty with Pete, she nudges Vanessa to make fun of their joint hands and ditsy smiles when talking quietly with each other, stood a little further away from the rest of the group.
“…t-that’s about it really, oh and I also did some work experience in a dog shelter” Charity’s picking up on the end of the conversation Vanessa’s having with Paddy about being a vet.
“I wish we had a dog” Finn pipes in.
“When I was younger we had this little golden, she was gorgeous, then my mum made us sell her because she made a mess of the living room or whatever” Vanessa says, looking down sadly.
“Why what did she do?” Finn asks.
“She only ripped a few letters up” Vanessa laughs at the memory. “I remember walking in and there were bits all over the carpet” Charity laughs through her nose lightly. “Mum wasn’t pleased, the next day she took her without even telling me and then I came home from school to find all her toys and cage gone”
Paddy sighs. “That’s awful”
“Bet you were right upset” Finn adds.
“I was, cried for days and I wouldn’t come out of my room” Vanessa says. They turn the next street and ahead there’s bunches of people outside their hotel, drinks in hand and in the background there’s live music.
“What a bitch” Charity says, reaching her hand to squeeze Vanessa’s hand.
“That’s my mum alright” Vanessa laughs sarcastically.
They walk for a few more minutes until they reach the hotel. Ross appears from basically no where with a brunette hooked around his arm, he smiles cheekily, shouting a quick “stay out of the room” to the other Barton’s, Finn mumbles about wanting to grab his Nintendo DS or something.
“Hey do you wanna meet for drinks in a bit?” Pete asks the group, Rhona in tow.
Charity shrugs, looks at Vanessa who then says, “why not, see you in an hour?”
They head their separate ways, Charity and Vanessa going up to their room.
“You are alright about meeting them lot later aren’t you? Cos if not we can just do something here” Vanessa asks, throwing herself on the bed before plugging her phone in.
Charity kicks her shoes off, busying herself with grabbing her toiletry bag, she empties the little travel shampoos and conditioners and things before starting to undress casually. Vanessa may have gulped at the sight of her toned arms and abs, may have. (She definitely did)
“Course babe, they’re not as bad as I thought they’d be, and besides, it’s an all inclusive bar downstairs so why would I not wanna make use of that?” Charity grind.
Vanessa grabs her phone to distract herself from the way Charity is so casually flaunting her body while folding up her clothes. Well, she isn’t flaunting, but she may as well be with the way she’s so confidently undressing in front of her. Vanessa had to force her eyes to move. She was basically half clothed anyways, her bra hugging her breasts in a flattering way was the only skin that was showing. She hides her face in her phone when Charity strips her trousers, missing the way Charity recognises the blush on her face and sways over to the bathroom.
“Just gonna shower so, back in a few”
“Yep” Vanessa salutes her, a wide smile on her face.
Charity laughs softly as she enters the bathroom, she’s gathered by now that she definitely likes this Vanessa, but now she’s convinced that Vanessa likes her too.