Hollingwood University

Chapter 28

An hours or so later was very close to midnight, and I was ready to go home, put my feet up, and conk out on my bed. But something told me deep inside, that this wish was not going to come true.

The restaurant was nearly empty, except for our special party in the back room who was hopped up on alcohol and sugary lemon mousses as a part of their a la carte menu. Sami was starting to drift off, with on hand propping her head off as he eyes were gently closing. Porter looked exhausted too, he was just about ready to go home and do...well... I wasn't really sure what Porter did after a long night. I had a slight idea that it involved watching endless hours of Playboy pornography.

Erica came up to me with the same tired expression that I had. Hey bright and sharp make up had no faded away, and her pin back hair was starting to sag down. She slumped down into a seat at the bar and sighed.

"How is that I'm the one who's wearing a plain-Jane uniform, and you look worse than I do?" I asked her. She laughed one of her half-hearted laughs, a laugh I don't hear very often.

"You know what completely sucks about my boyfriend?" she asked.

"I could probably make a list," I replied.

"He's never wants to leave his booze," she said.

"Figures just as much, you want me to throw him out?" I asked.

"No, that'll result in me getting an ear-full of complaining for the rest of the week," she replied.

"Aw, the pros and cons of having a rich boyfriend," I snickered. Porter suddenly stormed past us and into the back room. Sami followed, then stopped with us.

"We may have a problem," she said. It was all we needed to hear for us to follow her into the room. We stayed back a bit so we could eavesdrop, and what I heard, I didn't like very much.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this restaurant is closing. It's time for you to leave," he told them.

"Come on mate, the night is still young," Lawrence said.

"It's quarter after two now," Edie said.

"And I am in deep need of my beauty sleep," Adelaide added.

"You ducklings are always so negative, here," Harry stood up and pulled a hundred dollar bill from his wallet, then stuffed it into Porter's shirt pocket. "We're planning to stay, there's a little something for your troubles. Probably the biggest tip you've ever gotten, I reckon," he said.

"Harry, come on, the man's tired. We should just leave," Ethan said.

"What the fuck for? Humpty Dumpty's only here for us," he replied.

"You young man should watch your mouth," Porter warned him.

"Should we do something?" Sami asked.

"You lot can't, but I probably could, excuse me," Erica pushed past us and went into the room.

"Harry darling, I am quite tired, we should call it a night," she said to her boyfriend.

"You can go home if you want, I'm having a smashing time," he replied. Sami and I looked at each other, then shook our heads. He said the wrong thing at that moment, and Erica's expression reflected that.

"Harry, we're going home. Put on your coat and say goodbye," she told him.

"Who do you think you are, my mum?" he asked.

"I'm your girlfriend, and a relationship is supposed to have the say of each person involved, and I wanna go," she said.

"And I wanna stay," he replied. Erica grabbed his tie at that moment and made him face her.