"Yo, Ace!"
The whole bar seemed to stop at the abruptness of the greeting. Ace, a brunette, green-eyed man in his late twenties laughed, holding the girl's hand whom he had brought with him that evening as he walked over to the guy calling him.
"What's happening Shaun, how are you?" Ace replied, grabbing the girl's hand again as she caught up.
"Who is this beauty then?" Shaun remarked, flicking his blonde hair over his shoulder and looking her up and down in her skimpy pink dress, revealing a busty cleavage and long slender legs.
Ace looked at her admiringly and shook her hips within his grasp, making her laugh, "this is Paris. Hot thing ain't she?"
Paris shook her blonde hair, giggling, making the bartender behind the bar roll her eyes and laugh.
"Sorry, did you want to say something?" Shaun snapped, the bartender's sassiness not going unnoticed.
She grabbed the empty shot glasses off the bar in front of them and shook her head, "honestly, I really have nothing to say..."
Ace suddenly turned, the sweet sound of the bartender's voice making his ears prick up. Shaun grabbed the bartender's wrist tightly in his hand, "well then I guess you should learn to keep quiet then!" he snapped aggressively.
Paris stood twirling her blonde extensions and gently put her hand on Shaun's arm, "let the darling go, she probably didn't mean it. Maybe she could get us some drinks as an apology?"
The bartender raised her eyebrows at her and looked back at Shaun, wincing as his grip tightened. Shaun suddenly let go and laughed, "you're lucky she is feeling so kind. I wouldn't let you off that lightly."
The bartender gulped.
"Ace, mate, I'm gonna take this sweet thing of yours over to our table. Order me my usual. I can see Alistair; he is going to be so jealous of this one you have managed to grab again!" Shaun grabbed Paris' arm and whisked her away, leaving Ace shaking his head and laughing.
The bartender busied herself, grabbing glasses from in front of her and refilling the nut dish on the side, accidentally knocking an empty fruit juice carton on the floor. "Can you make drinks, or are you just the cleaner here?" Ace asked, leaning over the side to get the bartender's attention as she knelt to the floor to pick up the empty carton.
She stood up too quickly and knocked her head into his. "Oh my god, I am so sorry!" she stammered, clutching her head tightly as it throbbed, using her other hand to reach out to him. "Let me get you, uh, some ice?" she asked.
Ace laughed nervously, his hand rubbing his head gently where she knocked into him, "it's fine honestly. Don't worry about it." He paused, taking her in. Her face seemed perfectly symmetrical, her eyes a deep purple that sparkled in the light against her olive skin.
Suddenly he caught sight of a muscly looking man with broad shoulders walking over to Effie, looking very unimpressed, "Effie! For Gods sake, please look after our customers, not knock them around."
"I.." Effie stammered but was interrupted.
"Look, it's no trouble, more my fault..." Ace started.
"No, no, no, I am so sorry Mr Wesley, this won't happen again", the man, who had a badge on saying 'Manager' turned to Effie aggressively, shoving a round grey tray into her, "Effie, make yourself useful and fetch this regular customer of ours some drinks, on the house!" He winked at Ace and walked off.
Effie turned her back to her manager instantly and rubbed her head once more as a girl with dirty blonde hair walked up to her wearing a matching Seven's t-shirt. Ace watched her whisper to Effie, making her smile a little. "No, it's okay, I'm fine", she replied, knocking her hip into the other girl, "thanks Hayley." The girl, Hayley, looked at Ace then smiled back at Effie as she walked off to serve another customer further down the bar. Ace quickly turned his eye gaze and watched Effie as she impressively flipped six shot glasses onto the tray. He watched in awe as she poured two different spirits into them and jumped over the bar, grabbing the tray as she landed her feet on the ground in front of him. "So, where am I taking these?" she said sounding fed up.
Ace grinned, there was something so intriguing about her, yet he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "Over on that far table with the group of nutters in suits. You see?"
Ace pointed at the table full of men in well-fitted white shirts, blue blazers and navy chinos alongside Paris in her very pink, tight dress. "Yes, couldn't miss that girl you are with for sure!"
Ace smirked, "what's your name?"
She turned to face him, tray steady in one hand, "oh god, you aren't going to report me are you? I seriously need this job! My manager is already gonna lay into me later when we are on our own about what I did." She looked petrified.
Ace noticed the worry lines on her face and rapidly responded, "huh? Why would you speak to him on your own later? Sorry, I was just curious."
Effie looked at him confused, pointing to the badge on her black shirt, "my name is Effie. And my manager can be a nice guy you know. He isn't always so uptight, he's my boyfriend, Cade."
Ace looked at her oddly, "you always let people speak to you like that?"
She relaxed and the corners of her mouth turned up into a half-smile, "no, not usually. Tonight has been just one of those nights though."
Ace held out his hand, "well it is nice to meet you Effie. My name is Ace. Ace Wesley."
Effie felt her cheeks flush as she held out her hand, "I know who you are..." She paused as her fingers touched his. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he held her hand tightly, a weird feeling erupting in the pit of his stomach. Her stomach flipped and a thousand butterflies exploded through her body. She rapidly took her hand out his grasp and laughed nervously, "erm, nice to meet you anyway Mr Wesley."
She turned on her heel and walked towards the table; Ace didn't move. He stared at her long wavy, brunette hair swishing in its ponytail as she walked off, "nice to meet you too. Effie."
He caught up to her as she approached the table and watched, almost in slow motion, as Paris's drink slyly tipped and landed all down the front of Effie's shirt, "whoops!" Paris said sarcastically, putting her hand to her mouth and giggling.
Ace pushed her to the side and caught Effie's eyes as embarrassment drew across her face, "are you alright?"
Effie shook her drenched shirt and glared at Paris, knowing full well she did it on purpose after seeing her talking with Ace by the bar. Ace looked back at Paris angrily, "what did you do that for? There was no need!"
Paris stood back in shock, his reaction not what she was expecting at all. This was their fifth time out together and whenever any bar or restaurant staff fell or had things spilt over them he had always found it hilarious!
Effie looked up and caught Ace's emerald-green eyes staring straight at her in concern. "It's fine honestly, things like this happen all the time..."
Ace shook his head as his older brother stood up from the table, pushing Paris down into his seat forcefully. He had brunette hair that was gelled so much to his head it did not move and salt water blue eyes that dazzled under the lights. He straightened his jacket as he stood up and drank the shot that Effie had brought over, "nice choice barmaid. Now, what are we going to do about that shirt of yours? I do apologise for her manners, honestly, I don't know where my brother picks these women up from!" He smirked, placing his hand firmly onto Ace's shoulder. He leant into Effie's ear; she could smell the whiskey on his breath making her stomach twist in disgust. "Fancy making some easy money? You are a very beautiful woman, how about a kiss?"
Effie's eyes widened upon such a request from such a sleaze of a man. She stepped back, not noticing Ace watching her from behind his brother. "Thank you very much for your offer but I am going to decline." The rest of the table started to laugh hysterically, knowing exactly what Alastair was up to, always using his father's company's money as a charm, worming his way into every woman's knickers he could.
"Your loss", Alastair shrugged, making his way back to the table as Effie rushed off. "Ace! Mate, what's going on?" he shouted above all the noise in the bar.
Ace hadn't moved, his eyes following Effie as she made her way back around the bar, wringing out her wet shirt, shaking her head, near to tears whilst Hollie comforted her. She had met some awful men in her twenty-six years but no one matched the grossness of how Alastair made her feel.
"Ace?" Paris squealed from the seat.
He turned around, snapping out of whatever transfixion he was in. "Yeah, right." He grabbed the tray of shots and passed them round, "who is feeling like partying tonight then? Fuck work tomorrow, I am sure big boss Steve will have a go at us whatever!"
They all cheered, grabbing the shots off the tray and all downed it in one. Ace downed his and slyly glanced out the corner of his eye at Effie, noticing her turning her back towards their table, not wanting anything to do with the dirty men surrounding her in the bar that evening.
*
"Effie, oh my god, what happened?" Hayley said worriedly as she opened the creaky front door of her apartment she shared with their two other best friends Sarah and Charlotte. They had been a strong group of four since sixth form – Effie's closest friends in the whole world. Hayley had started working at Sevens a few years before Effie after many failed attempts at trying out different courses at University. Sarah and Charlotte both worked in the media; Sarah worked behind the scenes for ITV. She was a cool hippy chick with shoulder length black hair and had a dated wardrobe. Charlotte on the other hand had a great sense of style, working in front of the camera to talk about the weather on the BBC every day. She was made for TV with beautiful, thick blonde hair that cascaded down her back and a magnificent eye for fashion. Hayley had no real flare for anything and enjoyed working in the bar, meaning she could focus on her music she enjoyed writing and playing, where as Effie had gone through many failed job interviews to try and get into business but she wasn't about to give up.
Effie dropped her bag off her shoulder onto the already messy floor and threw herself onto the sofa, pulling a brown blanket over her as she curled into a ball in the corner. "Cade", she whispered.
Hayley shook her head and snuggled herself up next to Effie, "oh Effie, again? What happened this time? He seemed pissed off all evening, but didn't think he would take it out on you."
Effie wiped the angry tears falling from her eyes, "oh he was mad before we even started shift, something about some money being taken from the till again, but no, after everyone left and he was locking up he started ranting and raving about how I embarrassed him knocking into that Wesley guy."
Hayley rolled her eyes, "oh yeah, Ace Wesley; he is pretty important. Him and his brother have been coming to us for years. Gives us good business."
Effie sat up, letting the blanket fall off her body onto her legs, "but I didn't mean to do anything, and he was fine." Hayley was about to speak but Effie beat her to it, "I have quit Sevens. I have been looking at jobs and there is a good opportunity going at Wesley Inc."
Hayley rubbed her eyes in disbelief, "what? You've quit? What did Cade have to say?"
Effie shook her head, "he says to do what I want. I think he's given up caring. Two years he's been with me and I guess he's used to it."
Hayley looked at her confused, "used to what? You've been a dream with him. Yeah he can be the most loveliest, sweetest guy but sometimes he really is such a dick!"
Effie smiled, "yeah I know, but we've been through a lot together. Everything that happened with his parents divorcing and helping me through sorting the paperwork when the orphanage kicked me out."
Hayley put her arm around Effie's shoulder, "yeah, I guess you are right. Do what you want babe, I will always be here for you. I can keep an eye on Cade at Sevens whilst you are away. Let you know if you should stay at the office longer if he is in a bad mood for something or other."
Effie closed her eyes and leant her head back on the brown leather sofa, "thanks Hayley." She squeezed her hand tightly as she felt herself relax and slowly drift off to sleep.