Kennedy's POV
It's 12 o'clock. I'm tired , I'm hungry , I've had 4 men who are probably in their mid forties/ early fifties hit on me tonight and I am done. I'm the only member of staff left and I'm ready to go home.
Aside from her original first trip to the bar when she got here , I haven't seen Rosie at all throughout the night. I wish , however, I could say the same about her sister.
Fair do's to her , her sister is in her mid-thirties and still gets pissed as if it were the night of her 18th birthday. She got a little rowdy earlier in the night after her 4th Bloody Mary , and so due to company policy , I had to refuse her anymore alcohol for her sake as well as the sake of the others in the pub (although the majority of them were just as wasted as she was). It would be an understatement to say that this left her a little bitter and so I don't think she's too fond of me right now , the embarrassed look on Rosie's face made it worth it though.
The pub closes in 15 minutes ; I've closed the bar , closed the kitchen , counted stocks and swept all the floors. The only thing left to do is clear everybody out , put the leftover glasses in the dishwasher and quickly wipe down the tables. THEN I can go home.
"Pub closes in five minutes!!" I shouted above the loud chatter filling the room.
At that , the majority of people began to take the last swig of their drinks and make their way to the door ; I smiled and thanked them for coming as each one of them left , although my real feelings towards these people aren't so polite and civil.
Two minutes before close , one of the regulars came up to the bar with a credit card in hand and pointed to a bottle of largar on display behind me.
"I'll have a pint of Shipyard.." he said , leaning forward against the bar with both hands.
Very politely (may I add) , I replied "I'm sorry Sir I can't serve anymore alcohol tonight , we close in 2 minutes."
His eyebrows furrowed , "Just give me the bottle then so I can take it with me."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes or respond to him in the same tone he just spoke to me in. Customer service isn't for me.
"I'm sorry but the tills are closed so I can't do any more transactions , we're closing."
The guy scowls at me , if looks could kill , i would be six feet under by now.
"That's bullshit?? You're not closed yet so why shouldn't I get served??" he responded agitatedly , his voice raised and his hands angrily balled into fists.
As I said , this guy's a regular and is never usually like this , only when he's pissed does he start getting aggressive.
A slight surge of panic coursed through me upon realising that I am in fact the only staff member on the premises, and that this guy weighs twice as much as me and might as well be twice my height.
"Sir I'm sorry but once we're closed , we're closed. I can't serve you tonight." I say , as calmly as I could muster.
In an instant , his fist slammed down onto the bar's counter , creating an ear drum-shattering thud , most likely grabbing the attention of anyone still left in the room. It was then that he leant further forward across the bar towards me , and i could smell the alcohol on his breath as if holding an open bottle right under my nose.
Swallowing thickly, I maintained my composure. "Sir I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"Don't tell me what to fucking do." He retaliated , his voice raising impossibly louder.
"She's told you to leave , so leave." another calm but severe voice piped up.
I looked over the man's shoulder and saw Rosie behind him , that calm but assertive voice belonging to her.
"Piss off you bitch." He replied , adding insult to injury and fuelling an already raging fire.
Rosie looked at me briefly before opening her mouth once again.
"You have 5 seconds to fuck off before either I or the pub call the police." she said , raising her voice to match his.
This man looked at Rosie , then at me , then back at Rosie before slamming his fist down onto the counter once again and walking , or should I say stumbling, out of the door.
Although I tried to suppress it I couldn't help a deep sigh of relief escaping between my lips , I would've been in deep shit if I Rosie hadn't of jumped in and saved my ass.
Seconds later when I eventually gathered to the courage to look at her , I noticed we both shared the same look of solace on our faces.
"Thank you." was all I could think to say , the sincerity in my love clear as day.
She smiled , "You never heard that word come out of my mouth , okay?"
I smiled , "What , fuck?"
"Language!" she said , as if we were still in her classroom.
I laughed, walking out from behind the bar and onto the floor of the now empty pub , (barring Rosie and I) .
"You're closing by yourself?" Rosie questioned , putting her hands in her pockets.
I nodded as i stacked several pint glasses on top of one another. "Yep , the manager called in sick and so i have to do it instead."
"Hmm" she hummed. "And how are you getting home?"
"I'm walking home." I told her honestly.
"Tell me you're joking, that's like a 20 minute walk Kennedy and it's dark. Who knows , that guy could be waiting for you on some street corner. You'd be unsuspecting and vulnerable." Rosie quips , a slight smile pulling at her lips.
I chuckle , "I'll be fine , it'll be no different to any other Saturday."
There's a period of silence that lasts around 10 seconds, filled by the sound of glasses clanking as well as my footsteps pacing the pub floor.
"This doesn't sit right with me , let me drive you home."
I stop focusing on what I'm doing and instead turn to look at her.
I shake my head , "I don't want to put you out of your way , plus I won't finish cleaning for another 20 minutes anyway , I wouldn't wanna force you to wait around. Haven't you got your sister waiting for you?"
Rosie shakes her head , "Chris went home with her only sober friend from earlier and is gonna stay over at her's tonight. Kenn I'm not letting you walk alone in the dark at almost 1am ; obviously I can't force you but please let me drive you home."
I swear something switches in me whenever she calls me Kenn.
Smiling , i respond , "You're not gonna let up are you?"
She huffs , "Well I won't go as far as physically dragging you , but other than that , no , no I won't."
I sigh , removing my cleaning cloth from over my shoulder. "I mean yes please, as long as you're positive you don't mind waiting 20 minutes for me to close?"
Rosie nods as she takes off her coat , setting it down on the back of a chair and rolling up her sleeves.
"Would you rather wipe tables or wash cups?" she asked.
Immediately I knew what she was doing.
"Respectfully Miss Foster , you're mad.." I said , smiling and shaking my head.
"First of all , what have i said about calling me by my last name outside of school" , she began in a disapproving tone , "And it wont take 20 minutes if you give me one of the two tasks to do.." she retaliated.
"I'm not sure it's legal to have a customer help me close." I told her.
Rosie put her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows, "You can't pick and choose which legalities to abide by and which to ignore Miss Matthews."
I laugh , hard , feeling the sting of her quite obvious dig at me for lying to my manager about my age.
She chuckles , "Just hand me the cloth, I'll do the tables."
I concede , throwing the cloth at her , which she catches , and going back behind the bar into glass wash.
10 minutes go by and I'm about 3/4 of the way done with washing the glasses. Taking a small breather , i peak out over the bar behind me and smile at the sight of Rosie scrubbing hard at the surface of one of the tables , most likely trying to remove the glass marks made by people who can't be bothered to use a coaster.
"Those stains are never going to come off Miss Foster."
Without even looking up , she replies , "Stop with the 'Miss Foster' , and yes it will it just needs some elbow grease."
I smile , "I'm almost done with these glasses"
"Good girl" she responded nonchalantly and in her teacher voice , too focused on removing the stains.
Within milliseconds I feel blood rush to the apples of my cheeks. Shit.
Almost immediately I turned back around and hid away inside of the glass wash , disguising the obvious change in pigmentation displayed across my cheeks.
Rosie's POV
"I finished the glasses" Kennedy said as she emerged from the glass wash , switching off the light in the process.
I smile , "I hate to prove you wrong , but I got those stains out despite what you said."
"Sure you do.." she replied , her tone sarcastic as per.
Time Skip
After checking everything over one last time , Kennedy grabbed her jacket from behind the bar and locked the doors of the pub.
"Put that jacket on , it's freezing." I told her , sticking my own hands in my pockets for fear of them turning blue.
"Yes Miss"
There was no need to even look at her , I knew she was smirking to herself.
"I told you , enough with calling me Miss Foster outside of class , it feels weird." I tell her.
Slipping the jacket over both arms , Kennedy catches up to me and walks by my side. The streets are dark , only the odd lamppost every few hundred yards providing any light.
"My house is just 2 minutes away , my car's still on the driveway." I say , looking to my left and meeting her gaze.
"You live nowhere near school? How come you don't work at Truham , it's like 5 minutes from here , t'would save you a lot of petrol money." she asked , smiling.
I return the smile , "Truham has a shocking humanities department, plus Claire would kill me if I left."
"Claire?"
I bite the inside of my cheek before continuing , "Ms Wilson..Sorry I forgot who I was talking to."
Kennedy shrugs, "Don't be sorry."
The second we turn the corner into my street , I can already spot Evie stood up on the couch peering out of the living room window , most likely waiting for me to come home so she can be fed.
I gently nudge Kennedy's elbow to get her attention , pointing in the direction of the window so that she'd see her too.
"Is that Evie?" she asks , squinting her eyes.
I nod , "Now she's spotted someone she knows , she'll undoubtedly come bombing out of the front door to you. Just a warning."
Kennedy smiles , "It wouldn't be the first time."
I laugh , plucking my set of keys from my coat pocket and flicking through them to find the correct one.
As we approach the house I start walking ahead , eventually reaching the door with Kennedy stood a couple feet behind me.
She looks up and to each side , clearly expecting the house from the outside.
"You struck me as more of an apartment person , Miss Foster." she said , grinning to herself.
I shake my head , "I won't tell you again , and apparently I strike you as a lot of things."
I look back over my shoulder, a smile still lingering on her lips.
The second the locking mechanism clicked and the door creaked open , an unpleasantly loud bark echoed throughout my hallway , as Evie came bounding from inside of the living and out of the house towards Kennedy's legs.
"Evie" I scolded her , not so much for running out of the house but for barking.
Slipping my keys back into my pocket , I stepped both feet into the hallway and wiped my shoes on the mat. I took off my coat and hung it on the hook next to the door , not bothering to remove my shoes as I knew I'd be leaving again in a few minutes to drive Kennedy home.
After turning my back for not even a minute, I swivelled back around and rolled my eyes at the sight ; Kennedy was sat cross legged on the driveway , Evie stood up on her hind legs with her front paws up on Kennedy's shoulders.
I smiled , "Do you plan on staying sat on the concrete?"
She shrugs , "If that's where Evie is , that's where I am."
I shake my head , "I have to call that friend of Chris' I mentioned earlier that took her home , I'll be a few minutes, come in you'll freeze."
And that was it , without thinking I'd fully just invited this girl into my house..invited a student into my house.
Kennedy's POV
"I have to call that friend of Chris' I mentioned earlier that took her home , I'll be a few minutes, come in you'll freeze."
My eyes widened slightly, did she just invited me inside? Like...inside of her house?
I'd like to think it's because I'm special, but taking into account the bitter temperature of 2 degrees celsius lingering in the air out here , I have to be realistic.
I immediately nod yes , trying not to make the grin on my face too obvious , and hoisted Evie up into my arms before following Rosie inside.
I shut her navy blue-painted front door behind me as I set Evie down , watching as Rosie gently placed her keys down onto a shelf next to her coat rack and showed me down her hallway and into another room I presume to be the kitchen.
"Do you want a cup of tea or anything?" she says , already filling up her kettle with water.
I smile "If it's not too much of a hassle."
"When are you not a hassle , Kennedy Matthews." she replied , smiling to herself as she set the kettle down and flicked it on.
I rolled my eyes , bending down to pick Evie back up as she was sat waiting patiently at my feet.
"That dog is just desperate for attention." Rosie stated.
I grinned , "If you don't want her anymore, I'll take her" I joked.
Rosie chuckled , "Is that right?"
I nodded , kissing Evie on the head. "I'm only half joking."
Rosie smiled , "I'm quite fond of her actually, I think I'll keep MY dog."
I shook my head , "She clearly likes me more , it's obvious she wants to hang with me."
Rosie raises her eyebrows, taking a mug from one of her kitchen cupboards and setting down on the black marbled counter.
"I'm sure she does to be honest , anybody willing to give her their undivided attention becomes her new favourite." Rosie responded as she squeezed out the tea bag.
A minute or so later Rosie finished making my tea , adding milk and one sugar as I had asked for. She did however, which I thought was funny , not bother to use a teaspoon for the sugar , but instead tipped an estimated amount into the mug straight out of the packet.
"I'm gonna call Chris' friend , go ahead and sit down in the living room , I'll be a few." she said as she handed me my tea.
This feels weird..but at the same time surprisingly not weird. Just..casual? I honestly don't think I've ever seen her acting so causally ; I wouldn't have thought the first time would be when I was in her home.
I nod , a slight smile still tugging at my expression.
"It's the second door down , and if you need the loo or anything it's the one opposite."
I didn't need instructions really , as a very excitable Evie pacing up and down the hallway showed me exactly where it was I was going.
"Thank you." I expressed sincerely.
I really appreciate her not kicking me out and having me wait outside in the cold , although I fully expected that's what I'd be doing anyway and had no problem doing it.
She smiled , "Shush child , go and sit down."
I chuckled , following Evie's wagging tail down her hallway and into her living room.