My work uniform was on and my hair was pulled into a bun. I was relieved when I saw Zack had left like I asked him to. It wasn't until I was about to leave when I noticed the sticky note on my door.
I lied. I took one paper plate. Along with a few cookies. I think you'll live.
After reading it, I rolled my eyes and balled up the paper. I tossed it into the trash and left for the bar.
The name of the bar is Drunk Business. It wasn't the craziest bar but it wasn't exactly ideal either.
The fake wood floors were usually sticky and the tables were almost always covered in alcohol. The weekdays aren't usually bad; however, Saturday nights are always the worst.
It was almost midnight and people kept flooding through the doors. It was quickly getting more and more cramped, not to mention the noise level along with the music.
I was pouring drinks and taking orders as fast as I could manage. At least a dozen guys were barking orders at me and the other bartender working to my right.
"Hey, little girl! Where's my beer at?" Some loud man yelled at me.
After apologizing for the wait, I grabbed a bottle and popped the top off. He handed me a ten and told me to keep the change, not wanting to deal with me anymore. Hey, I'm not complaining.
"You shouldn't let them talk to you like that," Travis yelled as he passed by me to reach the vodka. He was the other bartender in this hell hole.
"They can say whatever they want as long as I get a tip in return," I called as I poured another shot.
"I don't think it's worth it." He told me, handing off two drinks.
"Whatever I can get helps." I told him, collecting empty glasses along the bar strip.
He scoffed when he heard another insult thrown my way. I shrugged it off like always and continued my job.
By two, things started slowing down. The crowd was thinning and I was calling multiple cabs for drunk people.
Travis was picking up empty glasses all over the small room and wiped down the tables as he did. I joined him once I got off the phone with the sixth cab I had called.
"Why are you even here? Some of these guys are just plain disrespectful." Travis asked as he placed glasses into the large sink.
Travis was lean but built. He had dark brown skin with dark brown eyes. His white shirt had a mystery drink spilled on it.
Wiping down a particularly soaked table, I shrugged. "I need the money and it works with school. I can't complain."
"Uh, yeah. You can." He said a matter of factly.
I laughed and said "I need the money and I don't have time to find another job. Besides, tips are always a huge help."
"I can't wait to get out of here," Travis said with a heavy sigh.
"It's not that bad," I said, cleaning the glasses.
"I mean out of this town. It's suffocating. Once I'm done with school, I'm out." He clarified.
"I like it here," I commented, not sure what he meant by suffocating.
"Well yeah, you weren't born and raised here. Your parents didn't force you to go to the closest college so you can keep in touch." Travis said as he picked up empty beer bottles. "By this time next year, I'll be in New York."
"Why all the way out there?" I asked him.
"It's high in fashion and design. That's what I'm majoring in. I can have a steady job designing lofts while creating the next top trend." He said with a goofy smile.
I chuckled and said, "I wouldn't pin you to be a fashionista."
He sent me a blunt look and said, "Well when you put it that way, it sounds silly."
I laughed and said "I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll do great in the big city."
"Thank you. Glad someone has my back." He said as he began sweeping behind the bar.
"Your parents don't support you?" I asked him, aware it could be a touchy subject.
"They think it's a waste of time and money. They want me to be a lawyer or something." He shrugged. "But, nevertheless, they are helping me pay for college so I can't be talking crap about 'em."
"That's good that they're helping. It at least means they care." I told him, drying the now clean glasses.
"Or they just want to see me fail so they can say they told me so." He said bitterly.
"I'm sure that's not the case," I said, more reassuring.
"Whatever. It's just a mess. Just be glad your parents don't hate your life choices like mine." He grumbled.
"You have no idea," I mumbled so he couldn't hear. His parents sound much more supportive than mine. At least they didn't kick him out.
The bar closed at three. When Travis and I finally finished making the place look decent, we locked up and left for the night.
I stepped off the elevator and walked up to my door. For some odd reason, a plate was nailed to my door. A paper plate was nailed to my door.
I ripped the sticky note off the plate and read the explanation.
Thought I'd give you your plate back before you tried to kill me over it. The cookies were good, btw.
I rolled my eyes and tried to pull the nail out of my door. Long story short, it didn't come out.
I got the plate off and walked into my apartment. After throwing away the note and plate, I walked into my bathroom and took a shower.
I finally pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a thin T-shirt and crawled into bed. I was almost asleep when someone knocked on my door.
Who the hell comes to someone's home at almost four in the morning? I hope they don't expect me to actually get up for them. If it's really an emergency, they'll knock my door down.
After a few minutes of knocking, the person finally went away. Thank God because I need sleep.
After a minute of silence, an even louder knocking began. Who the hell is this person that so desperately needs me at this hour?
Dragging myself out of bed, I made my way to the door. When I opened it, my anger woke me up.
Zack was standing in front of me with his phone in his hand.
"Were you beating on my door with your phone?" I asked him.
"Yeah, I had to get something that would knock louder." He shrugged.
"What the hell do you want?" I asked him, clearly aggravated.
"I wanted to make sure you got your plate back. I knew it meant a lot to you." He said innocently.
My blood boiled and I had to refrain from shouting at him. "Get this damn nail out of my door and leave me alone." I sneered and slammed the door in his face.
He yelled from the other side of the door "Sweet dreams, Hot Stuff!"
Without another word said, I went to my room and crawled back into bed. He is completely insufferable.
-
I woke up around eleven the next morning, which is by far the longest I've slept in a long time. I felt so much more refreshed than any other morning this week.
I climbed out of bed, pulled my phone off of its charger, and went to the kitchen.
After pouring a cup of coffee, I pulled up my messages. Sky had texted me saying that she would drop Sophia off around four and, since I didn't have work tonight, she would stick around for 'best friend bonding'. I'm pretty sure she just wanted more time with my daughter.
Realizing I practically had a free afternoon, I spent no time getting my school stuff out and ready. I had so much homework it was hands down impossible to complete with a kid running around.
A popped a bag of popcorn and got comfortable on my couch. I pulled out my textbooks and laptop and set to work.
I was so focused on my work I had forgotten about my popcorn ten minutes after I started. By the time someone knocked on my door, I had completed two papers and all of my financial assignments.
I looked at the clock and saw it was two thirty. Sky was early. Maybe they caught an earlier time.
I stood up, placing the half-eaten bowl of popcorn on the coffee table, and walked to my door.
I unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door, ready to give my little girl a hug. Instead, I got an arrogant smirk.
"What do you want?" I asked him, leaning against my door frame.
"When will your friend be back?" He asked me.
"Why do you care?" I asked in return.
"Because, unlike you, she's nice to me." He retorted.
"Can't you go hang out with your own friends? Or did they ditch you because of your personality?" I asked him, happy with my response.
"Ha ha." He mocked. It was hardly noticeable, but I could tell I might've hit a nerve. "Anyways," he started with an eye roll. "I felt like being gracious today. I want to take Sky out for dinner tomorrow night."
It came as a shock at first but I pushed it back before he could notice. "And what makes you think she'd want to go out with you?"
"That's kind of the point of asking." He said slowly as if I was a child.
"Well, she's gonna say no," I told him. No need to build his hope up just for it to crash back down.
"How about I just wait and ask her myself?" He asked, almost sneering.
"Be my guest," I said and rolled my eyes. He tried stepping into my apartment, but before he could make it in, I stopped him. "I didn't say you could come into my home." I snapped.
"Then why'd you say 'be my guest'?" He said with frustration.
"You can wait out there," I replied and pushed his chest back into the hall.
"You're a fucking child." He complained as I closed the door.
"Only with you, Sweet Cheeks," I yelled through the door. If he wanted to give me a nickname, I could give him one. Although his new name is more sarcastic.
"Do I get any other special treatment, Hot Stuff?" He yelled back with a slightly flirtatious tone to it.
"Not even in your dreams, asshole!" I yelled.
He shouted something else but I didn't hear exactly what he said. I went back to the couch and continued my work. The last thing I need is another distraction.
By the time four rolled around, I had completed almost all my assignments and the bowl of popcorn. I put away all of my school stuff and actually put on some decent clothes. Sky said she wanted the three of us to go out, so it's probably best if I don't wear sweat pants.
I pulled on some skinny jeans and a crimson shirt that said Mommin' ain't easy. Sky got me this shirt for my birthday last year and it couldn't be more true.
Suddenly, I heard Sophia's voice echo through the apartment. "Mommy we're home!" I forgot I had given Sky a spare key.
She ran through the house and into my room. Once she jumped into my arms, I spun her around and then fell onto my bed.
"How was the movie?" I asked her as she crawled off of my torso to sit next to me.
"It was so good! There was a fat cat that was really funny." She said excitedly.
I laughed and said, "I'm glad you enjoyed it."
Sky came into my room and then jumped onto my bed with us. I was grateful she didn't land on me or my child.
"So how was your day?" Sky said, quite happily.
"Good. I got a lot of schoolwork done." I said. "What about you? You seem happy." I noted.
"Well, your very attractive neighbor just asked me to dinner tomorrow night." She said with a big smile.
"And what did you say?" I asked her, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes! Why wouldn't I?" She questioned me. "Just because you hate him doesn't mean I have to." She said jokingly.
"Well, I wish you the best of luck with him. His big head might take up all the space in the restaurant." I told her. I was glad she was excited about this. She doesn't go out often ever since her last boyfriend cheated on her. However, now I don't have a babysitter for tomorrow night.
She rolled her eyes and sighed. "What am I going to do with you, Naomi?"
I didn't answer the rhetorical question. Instead, we all laid in silence on my bed, lost in our thoughts. Except for Sophia, she was using my pencil to doodle on a piece of blank paper.
I was faced with two options. Take tomorrow night off from work or try desperately to find a babysitter in time. I didn't know anyone here well enough to trust them with my kid and there was no way I'd be taking her to the bar with me even if she could sit in the break room.
I stood up from my bed and grabbed my cellphone. I told Sky I had to make a quick phone call to the university about something and I walked through my apartment and into the outside hallway.
I dialed the Drunk Business's manager and told him I couldn't come in tomorrow night. After explaining to him I didn't have a babysitter, he told me to make sure it didn't happen again. I obligated and hung up.
After rejoining with Sky, we all finished getting ready and we left for town.