"I'm sorry ma'am but I can't do that, it's against cafe policy" I say with the most plastic smile slapped across my face, looking at a middle aged woman and a man I assume to be her son. She stands there with a dumbfounded expression, the woman somehow shocked at the fact I can't give her a refund because she dropped her coffee after she left the cafe. You can clearly see how uncomfortable the man feels, his cheeks practically two large tomatoes as he nudges the woman and mumbles, "come on mum let's just go, she can't do anything". He mouths a 'sorry' to me and I give him an understanding nod.
"No, no, no, this is unacceptable - I want to speak to the manager now" she commands. I'd be annoyed, but we get this kind of customer several times a day. "One moment" I say, keeping my exaggerated smile. The woman crosses her arms in frustration as she impatiently taps her foot. The man still desperately trying to get her to leave.
"Jemmaaaaaa, I have a lovely customer wanting your honourable presence!" Jemma is a nice manager, we have a really good and friendly relationship, it helps that I'm probably her most reliable employee. She's the kind of manager you could go for a meal with, or just hang out with in general - not that I would though. As much as I get complimented by my customer service skills and friendly personality, I am not a people person. Anything even remotely social is not my thing, a fake serving smile and positive attitude at a small corner cafe can fool anyone.
Jemma groans as she drags herself over, doing what I do and slapping on a smile before opening the door that separates the back from the cafe, winking at me before turning to the woman. "What seems to be the problem?" Jemma asks as I go over and begin clearing up a table from a group of eight.
"I need a refund, my coffee was knocked over so it's not fair I wasted my money, I know you refund for spillages because Sarah was telling me how that happened to her a few days ago" the woman rambled. "Sorry about that, where was the spillage? Just so I can get one of my employees to clean it up". Jemma already knows the woman is up her own arse.
"Oh you see it was actually down the street a few minutes so I don't think that's necessary" the woman explains, calming down as she thinks Jemma is on her side. "I'm sorry, what?" Jemma's eyes watering as she holds back a laugh. The woman repeats herself.
"Sorry ma'am but our policy states that once you have left the cafe we hold no responsibility, we only offer refunds or replacement drinks if the drink is spilled by one of our employees within the cafe" Jemma states as if reading it straight out of the policy booklet you receive on the first day - nobody actually reads it, just as long as your aware of the important parts, Jemma doesn't mind.
"I'm going to report you! And I'll sue the cafe!" The woman storms out with her son trailing awkwardly behind. "Thank you, have a nice day" Jemma calls casually as the door slams shut. There were a mix of reactions from awkward stops is conversations to people barely holding it together with there phones out recording, but as quick as it all started, every customer went back to normal as if nothing happened. After I cleared some tables, I went back to the till.
"Good afternoon how may I help?" I ask flipping open my notebook and looking up only to meet a pair of piercing green eyes. I'm taken aback for a brief moment but I snap back to reality pretty instantly.
The man smirks as he orders, "I'll have a large cappuccino thanks" he says, practically oozing confidence.
I could never.
"Anything else sir?" I say with my usual fake smile, though I notice one of my dimples pop, that doesn't usually happen with my fake smiles. I choose to ignore it, it's probably just because it's almost the end of my shift. "That's all thanks..." he pauses as he leans down on his hands on the counter and peers down at my name badge, "...Melanie"
Why is he smirking like that?
"No problem, £3.50 please" he hands over the exact change. "Thanks". I make his drink and hand it to him.
"Sorry love, I didn't mean a takeaway drink" he has a charming smile. I'd made his drink up in a takeaway cup because he came up to the till and ordered. If you want to sit in you're supposed to just sit straight down, a sign says it but it happens a few times. "Oh I see, usually you order at the till for takeaway orders but no problem, would you like me to remake it in a cup to stay?" I smile. "Oh no worries, that'd be a waste - the cup is fine thanks" he takes it and goes to sit down on one of the single tables by a window. I continue my work, brushing him out my mind.
*6pm / End of Melanie's shift*
I take off my apron and grab my bag. It had been a warm day so I didn't actually have a jacket, I began to regret that now it had started getting chilly. It wasn't too bad though. The cafe was open til around 7:30 so I always offer to stay the extra hour and a half but Jemma rarely accepts. It's not that busy I'm the evening to be fair.
As I'm walking home, with a little speed as it cools down even more, I see a butterfly. I always find it so random seeing things like butterflies around this time; it's starting to get dark and cold. It was a gorgeous deep blue, glistening as it perched someone's front gate. I pull my camera out of my bag and line up the frame. From a couple of angles, trying not to disturb the sweet creature, I take photographs. Not for any particular reason, I just take photos of whatever I want, things I find beautiful. Although, I am also rather fond of creepy aesthetic photos too, I suppose it depends on how I feel and what I'm capturing.
As I finally reach home, my mother is waiting at the door with her arms crossed. It's a half an hour walk from my work to home, the time was now 7:02pm. "And where have you been?" My mother asks sternly. "Sorry, I was taking some photos on the way home and-" I begin to explain. "You and that stupid camera" she rolls her eyes. "Honestly Melanie, it was just a waste of money - you're never gonna get anywhere with those silly photos." She gestures for me to go inside. "It's just something I like to do mum, a bit of fun" I reply quietly as I walk in past her, not wanting to piss her off any more, but not wanting to be treated like a doormat. "And that's why you're gonna be stuck in a dead end job at that cafe, you aren't focused on the important things." My mother wasn't very supportive of my goals in life: currently working at a cafe, wanting to get professionally into either my photography or dance.
However, she absolutely adores my older brother. I mean I get it, I do to. He was always there for me, whenever I needed someone it was Ollie who was there. My asshole father walked out before I was born so he's always been the authoritative figure. He's not around so much anymore, busy life being a doctor in another city I suppose. He was always mum's favourite, like I said though, I get it. He consistently had top grades, he's sweet and always in a positive mood. He always knows the right thing to say - I still text or call him if I need advice, I wouldn't even know who else to consider for help.
Maybe my one and only best friend, Sammy (her actual name is Samantha - she hates it) but she's a little wild. Sometimes her advice just isn't quite fitting - like the time I was stressing about an exam that was the next morning, so she told me to go to this party instead of revising to take my mind off things.
I just mumble a fake agreement and drag myself up the stairs, flopping down dramatically onto my bed. I decide to scroll through instagram for a bit, I have a personal account and an account for my photography. I've not posted in a while so I decide to post the butterfly from earlier, I only have 1068 followers, mainly ghost followers so I don't get many likes. It's fun though.
I need to shower, so I decide to put my phone on charge on my bedside table. As I'm drying myself after the shower, I hear my phone ping. Again. And again. And again. It kept going, it was probably just Sammy spamming me to get my attention. I don't rush getting dressed into my favourite type of pyjamas, an oversized t-shirt and some fluffy socks.
When I pick up my phone, I see a load of instagram notifications - nothing from Sammy. Confused, I unlock my phone and see:
151 🤍 16 💬 103 👤
On one post?
So to some people, that is practically nothing, but I rarely get above 50 likes per photo, nobody really comments except Sammy and I get maybe 10 new followers within one week - max.
It's that butterfly post.
I had a couple of dms as well. There was one that caught my eye. It was a job offer - not like a forever job, just a one off shoot. It's a club - Midnight Cherry. They're having a dress up night for Halloween and want some promotional photos taking throughout the night. I click onto their profile, the profile picture is a neon sign, with the words 'Midnight Cherry' glowing purple underneath a mouth biting a cherry. They seem pretty active, a few posts a week. 150.7k followers, bloody hell. It's only a club. Clubs aren't really my thing, I've only been out a couple times with Sammy and the most I've drank is a WKD which made me feel sick instantly, I didn't actually throw up but it felt like I could've - I make lightweights look like alcoholics.
It's just a couple of photos - I wouldn't have to party or drink or anything, and I could take Sammy. She's always down for a night out - Halloween is this weekend.
I FaceTime her. She picks up almost straight the way. "Hey girl what's up?!" She sings in her usual positive tone. I explain the whole instagram thing, from me seeing the butterfly, all the way to the Halloween night. Of course she accepts and is already planning our costumes.
"No, I'm not dressing up, I'm just going to take photos, I'm not partying"
"Oh yes you are, well you don't have to party party but I'm sure you can have a bit of fun, even if you don't drink or dance, you're dressing up!"
I give up pretty easily, once Sammy's decided something it's practically impossible to persuade her otherwise.
I message the club back:
'That sounds great, I would love to accept. Thank you, see you Saturday'
Literally within seconds they respond:
'We look forward to meeting you, please arrive half an hour early, so 8:30pm so we can discuss details. Thank you'
Great, I'm feeling nervous - I don't do social things, I don't do clubs and I don't do parties. I really need the money though - thinking about it, they never mentioned the pay. Would it be rude to ask? I'll just wait and see what they say Saturday.
*The next day, Friday*
Sammy wants to go into town today and buy some new costumes so I wake up and do my usual morning routine. I throw on a black cropped jumper with a pair of grey skinny jeans. My hair is brushed quickly up into a messy ponytail and I slip on some black trainers.
My older sister is home now, I see her collapsed on her bed; it's clear she got home late like usual but my mother seems to have a huge blind spot when it comes to her. Klara can do no wrong to my mother even though she's constantly out late, with god knows what boy next. My mother refuses to believe she's anything but perfect. I don't know how she gets away with it.
I tiptoe past her room, even though she probably won't even stir for several more hours. I don't wanna take any risks of possible conversation with her. It's only 8am, mum will be awake in the living room so I have to try and sneak past. "Melanie?"
Fail.
"Yes?" I reply, mentally face palming myself. There's no way I can mention the club to my mum, she'd never let me go and even if she did, she'd take whatever money I earned from it.
"Where are you going so early? Why are you sneaking around?" Time for my grade A bull shitting skills.
"Oh I didn't want to wake anyone, I was just going into town with Sammy. We were going to get some costumes so we could take her little sister trick or treating tomorrow" I smile, exactly like my work smile.
"You know I don't like you hanging around her, she's a bad influence" my mother replies sharply. "Please mum, you like Jess, she's not allowed to go trick or treating with only Sammy" Jess is Sammy's little sister. Although my mum doesn't like Sammy, she has a sweet spot for Jess. Even though I was lying about what we were doing, it's actually true that Jess isn't allowed trick or treating with just Sammy ever since two years ago. Sammy decided, whilst she was with Jess, who was eight years old at this point, that egging her ex-best friend's house was a good idea. So I'm not lying because we actually are taking Jess trick or treating before the party, she just isn't going to know about the party part.
"Oh Jess, bless her sweet little soul. Of course you can help out with her tomorrow - I don't see why you need a new costume though?"
"Because Jess wants to do my makeup so might as well have a costume to make her happy" I lie straight through my smiling teeth.
"Aww she's so adorable. Okay, just don't spend too much money on one"
"It's my money mum-"
"Don't back chat me, just go, back before lunch time"
I don't hesitate, she was actually letting me go buy a costume so I didn't argue any more. I drive to Sammy's to pick her up and we head to town.
"I'm thinking, devils? Or maybe a devil and an angel? Or maybe both angels... fallen angels?" Sammy is rambling excitedly. "Don't you think that's a bit cliché, we should do something unique?" I question. Usually, I like unique costumes, last year I was a Botox Barbie, where I did my makeup to look botched and falling apart. It looked really dope if I do say so myself.
"Yeah but this is a club Halloween party NieNie, we don't need to do anything unique" she mocks my voice on the last word. Again, I don't argue because she clearly had a solid idea in her head of our costumes. "Fine, I say devils then" I say, making her face glow with a fully beamed smile, "yesssss!"
We get to the shop and Sammy basically picks out both of our outfits. I really wasn't sure about what she's picked out for me, but she managed to get me to agree to it - she's too persuasive for her own good. Our outfits match, they were quite cute to be fair. We'd have to cover up though when we take Jess - there's no way Sammy's mother would let us take her with what Sammy's picked for us.
Before we leave, we grab some KFC and do a little browsing around town. I drop Sammy home. "See you tomorrow, love you!" She calls as she runs inside. "Love you!"
It doesn't take me long to drive home, I don't live far from Sammy. I get home just before 12:00pm. "Oh so you actually came back on time today" my mother comments. I just nod and smile as I rush past to get to my room before my mum asks about my costume. "So can I see your costume?" She asks, I know she isn't really interested, she just wants to make some kind of snide comment about it.
I pull out the devil horns and show her red fabric. "It's just a basic devil costume, it wasn't expensive" I don't want to show it her properly, otherwise she'd beat me into next week. "Alright, is that what Jess wants you to be?"
How does she care more about what Jess wants than her own daughter?
"Yeah... also can I sleep over Sammy's after the p- erm, trick or treating, yeah after trick or treating?" God I hope she didn't notice, I almost dropped myself in it.
She hesitated. "Fine, but only because I'm going out and I don't want you to disturb Klara when you come home" Of course it's about Klara. "Thanks mum" I act sweet, making sure to stay on her 'good' side.
I manage to pull myself away from the conversation and take my bag upstairs. Tomorrow I will be a photographer for a seemingly very popular club. Sammy knew the club instantly when I brought it up on FaceTime, she goes there regularly apparently so she can help with getting around I suppose. It's got a huge layout. I hang up my costume. When I sit down, I check my phone. The photo seems to have settled:
236 🤍 24 💬
I'm on 1.3k followers now. Nice.
*A/N*
So this is the first chapter, I know there isn't much appearance of Harry in this one, but don't worry, starting with the next chapter we will be seeing much more of him.
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, and I hope you didn't ignore the warning - don't get hooked to the book if you don't like violence or smut.
Also I hope there isn't any typos, I proof read it quickly, but when I say quickly I mean QUICKLY. So don't hate appreciate ✌🏼😙
Lots of love Fruities ❤️