Sui Generis

Chapter 1: Scraps, Bones & Grub

[Neviah]

The bar curved into the barely lit room, filled with all the cheapest drinks you could find from every country. The fumes that resided in this small but packed bar were toxic, yet no one seemed to notice with liquor and drugs swimming in the body like fish in a stream. Unfortunately, we resided in the worst island area in Fulagar, an island unknown to most countries and people for good reason. Specifically, I lived in the North of Fulagar- Vondus. The coldest parish of the island made all dragons and some humans avoid the area. Though I can't complain, I loved the cold breeze on my skin. But we all knew the real reason the dragons and sane people avoided here. Even I wanted to avoid this place. 

Vondus was riddled with crime and poverty. 

The rich humans are situated in the burning south. They were treated well because they could pay the dragons to live on their land. The humans and dragons in the south all lived in large houses, flashy cars, and food to fill their stomachs at any time they wanted. They smelt like money and privilege. An odour I wished to inhale instead of my current scent.

Instead, I was enveloped in cheap cigarette smoke and perfume that clung to everything alike, from the skin to furniture. But that couldn't mask the detrimental scent of stale alcohol, bad breath, and the sweaty odour of the men and women that entered here more than their homes. I watched my colleagues strut around the packed pub in barely-there clothing, with bottles, cups, and plates filling their trays as they groped my every hand. 

"I swear if another one of these disgusting pigs touches me again, I will cut off their hands. They're lucky their tips pay my bills." My friend, Chaiyan, grunted, roughly placing the empty tray of glasses on the bar table. "Refill these with beer." She ordered, making me get straight to work. 

"Sure." I grabbed the glass and placed it under a cask tap and pulled the handle, causing the light brown liquid to pour out. "No offence, but I'm glad I don't understand your pain." I said, putting a glass cup under the tap. Having server duty was the worst, especially when they were all drunk. The servers would be lucky if their ass or breast didn't have a hand on them for a nano-second. 

Chaiyan sat on the small stool placed behind the bar for staff to sit and watched me fill them to the brim. "My ass feels like it's on fire. You're lucky your ass is behind there, away from preying hands. Yours is way bigger than mine, so it's sure to have been in flames from all the slaps and pinches." She continued to complain, making me laugh shyly. 

I was always made to feel disgusted by my features by my aunt and uncle. My butt was too big, my hips were too wide, my legs were too long, my skin was too dark... The list was endless on what she could find was wrong with me. So I doubted I would be interested in me. None of the men even tried to chat me up the way they did to the gorgeous Chaiyan or the other 3 waitresses of the bar. I guess they all found me repugnant. I couldn't blame them if what my aunt said was true. 

I placed the last frothy cup on the tray and turned it to her. "Sorry." I offered with a weak smile. My uncle never let me waitress as I was his prized possession that couldn't be spoiled by common hands - whatever that meant - so I was stuck being here.

She stood up from the stool and grabbed the tray for the table. "It's not your fault, baby girl; it's your creepy ass uncle." She whispered, looking around for him, making me laugh yet again. "These men act as if there's not whores eager for their touches. I would do anything for a dragon to come burn this place down." She said before going back to serving the tables.