One Last Shot

[1] Ginger Ale

                                                                                              Iris

I throw my uniform on, a black t-shirt and black pants, and grab my phone.

"I'm heading to work!" I shout from the front door. "Good luck at your game tonight Marcus!"

"Thanks! Bring home the bacon!" He shouts back. I chuckle and roll my eyes, getting in my car to head to work. I'm greeted by my usual customers, who ask me how school is going and what year I'm in now. They comment on how they've known me since my Freshman year, and how much I've changed, and how pretty I am. I can still feel the effects of last night's one night stand as they talk to me, and my legs wobble a little.

I've been working an 8 hour shift, and I still have another 2 hours when the college's basketball team comes in, radiating that toxic masculinity and BO off a win. I'm lucky my best friend Marcus is the captain, because when they're seated at a table in my section he asks them all to be nice. I take the many orders, all of which are hard to keep straight, and bring back the drinks.

"And a Ginger Ale for you," I hand the soda to the sweaty, messy haired, hunk of a man sitting at the middle seat of the table.

"I ordered a Sprite." His tone is cold, and I should've guessed by the way he looks he was gonna be an ass.

"Sorry, I must've written it down wrong. With so many of you with so many different orders, how's a gal gonna keep track?" My tone is mocking a southern damsel in distress, truly I could not give a fuck about this ass of a guy.

"Well that's going out of your tip." He snaps. I scoff, snatching the soda from his hands, spilling half it on his jersey.

"And to get that cleaned, that's coming out of your tuition." The guys laugh and I walk away, dumping it in the sink, and filling it up with Sprite. I redo my hair, pulled up in a ponytail, and while my only table, the largest in the place, eats, I count my tips so far. Not enough yet to go visit my parents over Christmas break. Anything for my family, I guess. My legs are still sore from last night, some hot Sophomore thought she could fuck me so hard I couldn't walk. But here I am, slightly affected by the newbie's actions. I walk over to the table, dreading any interaction with them.

"Everything taste okay?"

"Yes, thank you so much Iris," Marcus thanks me graciously, and I shoot him a wink.

"Actually," the ass with a mouth interjects. "My Sprite has a bit of a Ginger Ale flavor to it, is there a reason for that?" The group of guys giggle. Fuck. This.

"Yes I do believe there's a reason for that. Sometimes, guys like to fuck with their waitresses. And when that happens, we're not too understanding. So, instead of a new cup, I dumped the half of the Ginger Ale that didn't spill all over that ugly little jersey of yours, into the sink, and simply refilled it. If cross contamination isn't your thing, suck it it up buttercup." Marcus puts his head in his hands, letting a loud sigh out.

"Liam, cool it," he huffs.

"Seriously Bender, seems like this is one chick you don't want to mess with," one of his teammates adds.

"Smart guy," I comment, putting the check on the table. "Have a nice night," I give one of those half assed smiles that make guys call girls bitches and walk away.

Later that night, I head home, greeted by my amazing roommates and best friends, Marcus, Lilly, and Violet. Thomas, Lilly's boyfriend is also over. Still heated from my encounter earlier, I sit on the couch and start venting.

"What an ass! Listen, I deal with shitty customers all the time, but a Senior in college? Oh my god, grow up!"

"Yeah, he's an ass when it comes to new people," Marcus adds.

"I don't need you defending him, he is just an asshole! I am glad he's a senior, and can be gone by the time we're seniors, maybe then I'll enjoy the basketball games without a sour taste in my mouth."

"Jesus Iris, it was just a dick guy," Lilly scoffs.

"A HOT dick guy," Marcus adds. "Liam Bender? Forward. 6 foot? Completely jacked."

"Shut up. LIAM BENDER?" Violet screams. "He's literally ONE of the HOTTEST guys on campus."

"And he's a dick!" I add. "Hotness doesn't excuse that type of behavior."

"So you agree he's hot," Lilly raises her eyebrow.

"I have eyes, I'm not gonna lie. Dude is jacked. But he was all sweaty and messy, not my type."

"Mhm," Marcus rolls his eyes.

"Is there a problem?"

"Was the girl you fucked last night your type?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Stop fucking around!" Lilly shouts. "You're going to be an adult soon, lower your standards and start looking seriously. Megan isn't coming back, and no amount of sex reverses that."

"What if I don't want to settle down? Megan fucked me up enough. Besides, you all saw how I was with Megan. Relationships and I don't mix, I fucked her up enough with my ridiculously high standards."

"We know, we know, you're all mysterious and brooding, smarty pants slut," Violet laughs.

"All right, enough," I playfully tap her shoulder. "Well I worked a 10 hour shift today and I'm fucking exhausted, goodnight bitches!" I head to my room, change, and knock out immediately. Even if he was an ass of a guy, he's not worth losing sleep over, and I sleep soundly knowing I'll never have to interact with him again.