Thin Ice ✔️

chapter one: Not cool man

Class was finally over. The first month of school had already passed and the sun had just about set when I walked outside. I had a little over an hour to get to work and I was starving. But I didn't have time for a full meal.

Seems like I never do.

Using the little money I had on me I bought a bag of chips from the vending machine. Walking over to the bus station I waited to be picked up.

The wind blew wildly and I was forced to hold my jacket tighter. By the time the bus arrived I could feel my nose dripping and I assumed I looked like rudolph.

This has been my routine almost everyday for the past three years. Even with financial aid, college seemed more expensive than I thought. It was also quite a hellhole for me.

The people here only loved two things. Hockey. And the hockey players. This school has one of the best college hockey teams in the nation. Everyone knew it. Everyone wanted to see it.

It was like they considered them gods. Whatever they said, people relayed. Whatever happened last night, don't worry everyone already knew about it.

I never paid any attention to the team despite being friends with Callum. Or Cal as I like to call him. I can say he's my only friend at this school. Everyone else seemed too full of themselves but not him

He was a defenseman for the team and despite being a player, he was never like any of them. He lived in his own apartment and not with any of his teammates.

Thank god for that though.

But enough ranting about him. I needed to get to work. When I first got to this school I knew immediately that I needed employment. I found a bar off campus that was hiring and lucky enough, I got the job.

I worked as a part-time bartender and tonight may have been one of our busiest nights. Fridays we're always tough. Customers flocked to the counter and there were always multiple tabs open.

Cold and exhausted I got behind the counter to start my shift. With the amount of people at the bar at only six thirty, I knew this was about to be a long night of work.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly. Happy customers, I was making drinks efficiently, and the tips were amazing. Until I noticed one man had a lot to drink. He was a regular here but I had never seen him this drunk before.

He was speaking gibberish and I wondered if I should even serve him another drink if it came to it. "Rick, what do we do about this guy?" I asked my manager.

"If he asks for another drink, serve it to him," he answers.

I was a little taken aback by his response. "But doesn't he seem-"

"He's a customer Danielle. If he wants a drink you make him a drink." he says before walking into the kitchen.

God. Does anyone in this town have morals?

I take a deep breath and head back to the counter. A few minutes pass and the man orders another drink. I hesitated for a moment but against my will, I decided to make it anyway.

"You're a very pretty girl," he slurs across the counter.

"Thank you sir," I said, uncomfortably pouring alcohol into the shaker.

"What's your name, gorgeous?" he asks.

"I'm just a bartender sir. No need to know my name," I responded.

"You know pretty girls like you always want to have fun,"

Oh god. Here we go.

"I can get you into the best clubs in Denver," he offers, getting a few looks from the patrons around him.

"We're in Aspen sir, I don't want to go to clubs in Denver," I responded in a polite tone but I could hear some attitude squeak through.

The man sloppily searched his pocket and pulled out a couple bills. Sliding them across the counter I look at him in disgust. "I'll even tip you extra-"

"Ok, not cool man," a voice says down the bar. I look over and see a lady, not far from my age, glaring at the drunk man in front of me. "She's obviously not interested in you, more than just serving you. So just take your drink and stop bothering her."

I didn't even have to say anything before the guy got up and stumbled away. Everyone seemed to forget about it after a few minutes. When the same woman called me over for a drink I greeted her with a smile.

"Thank you by the way," I said, before she ordered.

"Don't worry about it. I couldn't stand to listen to that anymore," she rolls her eyes as I start shaking her drink. "Are you okay though?" she asks.

"Yeah, I just was in disbelief. He's a regular here but I've never seen him that drunk before," I explained.

She gives me a small shrug as I hand her the drink she ordered. "You do have really pretty eyes though," she says, taking a sip.

"Thank you," I smiled. This time it was actually genuine.

"I'm Addison by the way," she smiled

"Danielle." I introduced myself.

Maybe this shift wasn't going to be so bad after all.