An Introduction
Megan's POV
"Another day at work" I groaned to myself, holding in a sob. It would never end, it seemed. My phone buzzed furiously, just like the person who was contacting me. "Hello?" I said weakly into the phone. "Better, fucking, be home by 6 do you understand? With my money!" He growled. "Yes, father" I muttered, holding in my shivers. "Fucking bitch" he said, and hung up without another word.
Honestly? I just wanted to curl up into one of the booths here and just cry, but I felt like I'd already exhausted all my tears. "Diana! I don't pay you to stand there with your phone! Fucking get changed!" My manager screamed. I jumped, startled. Oh right, that's my name. Diana. At work, I went by Diana. It was easier. To pretend to be someone else. Just for these hours. It was only 4pm and we opened at 6pm but there was much to do. I tied on my apron, tucked my hair behind my ears and started to set everything up. The place I worked at, was a swanky place. High-class, expensive and exclusive. The people that came here? Not so much. They were sleazy, slimy, self-entitled humans who thought that they were God's gift to the world. I wanted to quit so bad, but the thought of the consequences pushed that thought right out of my head.
It probably didn't help that my manager hated my guts but loved the volume of customers that I managed to retain each night. I just had a way with people, or so I've been told. My co-workers didn't like me that much either, considering that they had to do 'extra' activities to get the amount of tips that I did. But none of them knew what was happening at home, and it'd stay that way for as long as I can help it. I finished cleaning the ice-bin and started filling in the ice for my shift.
"Hey Diana!" Rosie, a co-worker called. She was somewhat pleasant, I guess. "Yeah?" I called. She came up to me, her apron tied, makeup dark and her hair done neatIy. She leaned over the counter, looking around for any other of our co-workers, before turning to me with a serious expression. "Diana, could you do me a favor?" "Hmm?" I hummed looking at her. "I need you to send more people to my section today. And access the VIP section. My rent's due and my landlord's threatening to kick us out. I don't want my kids out on the street. They don't deserve that, D..." She pleaded. I smiled weakly back. She was a single mother. 2 kids in a rental. As downtrodden as I felt, my heart still went out to her.
"You got it Rosie. It'll be our secret." I promised. She beamed widely, grasping my hand. "Thank you sweetie!".
"Oh look, the ugly bitches are in cahoots" a sniveling voice came. We looked at the direction it came from. "Fuck off, Stacy" I grumbled, turning back to fill the ice bin. "I'm keeping my eye on you bitches alright?" She warned. It was no secret that Joe our manager really liked her. I wonder why. (note sarcasm)
Opening time couldn't come fast enough. It was a Friday, so naturally, we were expecting a huge crowd. I plastered on a fake grin as the first few customers started coming in.
It was around 11pm already, and I could feel the fatigue already. I still had almost 6 hours left on my shift. I kept sending Rosie to deliver the drinks to the VIP section and Stacy was beginning to notice. I cringed when I saw her disappear into the office where Joe was. The other waitresses kept on their rounds, as I kept making the drinks as per their order. We sorely needed another bartender, but Joe was too stingy to hire one more, when he could have another waitress/fuckbuddy like Stacy.
"Hey Steve! Nice to see you back here again! What can I get ya?" I rushed out, my hands in the process of making another gin and tonic. Steve was pretty cute, with bright eyes and a neat beard. I could have sworn he looked familiar but I couldn't bother enough to research it. After all, we had many famous actresses and actors visit us before, so someone famous really meant nothing to me. He grinned cutely. "I'll get a whiskey and my friend here will have a martini" He said, gesturing. I glanced at his friend, before pausing and taking a second look. Was it a requirement to look good to be his friend? "Hey dude, name's Die, nice to meet ya" I said flippantly, getting to work on their drinks.
"Dude?" I heard him ask Steve. "Yeah, part of her charm I suppose" Steve responded chortling. "Hey, hey my charm's the only thing keeping me alive alright?" I said half seriously, as i turned around and placed the drinks in front of them. They didn't have to know I wasn't really kidding about the keeping alive part. Probably wouldn't care even if they did know, I thought wryly.
"There ya go. Whiskey and martini. I'll put it on your tab?"
"I got it," Steve's friend said, handing me a hundred. I made mental calculations and opened the register to get him his change. "Keep the change sweetheart" He said in his accent that made me want to scream. No one should be able to speak like that. I looked to Steve, a little lost. He smiled gently. "Keep the change Diana" he assured me. "B-but it's too much" I stammered. Steve just smiled and shook his head.
The man wrapped his hand around mine, curling it into a fist for me. "Keep it." He winked. I slipped into my default flirty personality. It was my go-to shield when I didn't know what to do. "My, but you haven't even told me your name"
"T'Challa".
"Nice-" I started.
"DIANA!" Joe yelled behind me, grabbing my arm roughly.
"Yeah what's up?" I snapped yanking my arm out of his grasp. "Stacy told me you've been favoritizing Rosie tonight? "
"Joe, I've got customers to serve alright? I'll try and keep it fair but no promises because some of the waitresses just disappear!" I placated him by calling Stacy over. "Room 23, for Mr Wilson" I told her, handing her the drinks and the bottles of champagne. Couldn't afford to get him angry at me, not when I needed this job.
"T'Challa" I said surprised that he and Steve were still there. I read over new orders quickly and started on the drinks. "It was not right for him to-" T'Challa started.
I laughed fakely."Oh, c'mon. That? Was nothing alright? And you should enjoy your night. Why worry about things that really don't matter?" I asked rhetorically. "Steve, always a pleasure" I greeted, before walking away from that corner of the bar to the other end where other guys were waiting for their orders.
Glancing back, the spot that they were at, was now empty. I sighed, looking at my watch. 5 hours to go. "Hey, Johnathan! How's the missus? What can I get you boys tonight?" I smiled widely. Fakely.
When would it ever end?
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Hope you guys liked this so far! It's a poly-fic alright so
if that ain't your thing then be warned :)
Cheers friends!!