Coffee Shop Crush

4

What...?

"I'm really sorry, loads of the staff called in sick, you'll have to help out the waitresses till I can call some others in, is that ok!?" The woman asks looking like she is on the verge of tears, I don't blame her, the shop is full of people.

"Uh ye sure I can, but what about the dishes."

"A-are you sure!? K-Kristine said she would handle it if you agreed to help us. Don't worry, we'll pay extra for today." I guess that's not too bad. I agree again, the lady almost breaks down in tears when I said yes. I calmed her down, she told me I just have to keep the tables clean, Damien would be making the drinks, and she would handle the till. Three people dealing with the lunch time rush... yay.

-

It is finally done. In the end, we couldn't get anyone else to come in to help us. We were so busy that none of us got our break. The only words spoken between us were making sure we kept on top of our tasks. We are currently sitting in the now quiet shop, drained. "If that old bastard makes us do a day like that again imma kill him." I lift my head up from my arms to see Kristine rubbing her thumb into the palms of her hand.

"It wasn't that bad," Kristine glares at Damien.

"Did we have the same shift you did!?" He laughs awkwardly. The other waitress I'm pretty sure was asleep. The shop is closed, but none of us want to move. I don't know how long I've been laying here.

"Hey, how about we go get some drinks?" Kristine jumps up from her chair and wraps her arm around Damien's neck.

"HA HA, now you're talking!?" The waitress jumps awake by the sudden laughter.

"Wait, huh??" Kristine pulls out a card from her wallet.

"Good'ol boss can cover us after putting through today."

"What? What's happening?" Kristine sits back down and shows the card to the waitress.

"Boss is gunna cover us for some drinks, you joining Mary?" The waitress starts to tear up.

"Really? That's so kind of him." I laugh and sit up.

"You sure this is a good idea?" I ask stretching. Kristine grins and nods.

"Course, why else would he give me the company card." I mean, I guess? The thought of getting free drinks seemed to fire up the others, they started finishing up cleaning, I helped, but I'm not really a drinker. I mean, I'm not going to turn it down, but still.

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"Don't worry kid, it's fine, really. Rick has done this himself before," Kristine says holding the door open to the pub. Guess she could see I was a bit worried. "As long as we don't go nuts, we'll be fine. Even if not, I'll get all the punishment." She laughs and walks over to a table. We sit down and look at the drink's menu, I have no idea what to pick...

"Whatcha want Loid?" I look up at Kristine a bit overwhelmed by the list of drink names, she laughs, "Never drunk before?" I can feel my cheeks turning a bit red.

"No, I have, just not a lot." She plucks the menu from my hands and has a quick read.

"Hmm, do you wanna get fucked up or still be able to walk straight?" Umm, "Ok are you a lightweight or heavyweight?" I couldn't answer, she laughs again putting the menu down, I'll get you a cocktail then, they aren't too bad, right Mary?" The woman jumps.

"Yeah, I have to drink a lot to get tipsy off those." Kristine hits Mary on the back laughing.

I agree to have what Mary is having. Kristine got Damien to go with her up to the bar to order the drinks. I started picking at my nails, Mary was on her phone, and I felt weird interrupting her.

"Yo, budge over," I turn to see Damien standing next to me, two reddish orange drinks in his hands. I schooch over, why next to me. "Here's your drinks ladies." I stare at the drink in front of me, ignoring him calling me a lady, it was red at the bottom but orange everywhere else, with ice.

"What is it?" I ask picking it up to sniff it.

"Sex on the beach." I pause and put the glass down.

"Sorry?" I say turning to Damien as he sits down, he grins.

"It's called Sex on the beach." I stare at him for a moment.

"Why...?" He shrugs and takes a sip from his drink. "What's yours?" He pushes it towards me.

"Jack and coke, wanna try some?" I eye it up before agreeing. I sip it, it wasn't bad but as soon as I swallowed it it burned.

"Gah! why the fuck does it burn!?" Damien laughs before drinking it again.

"I asked for more shots of Jack then normal so it's a bit stronger." I rubbed my throat before grabbing to have a sip of my drink.

"Yuck. Why is this bitter!?" Damien covers his mouth as he laughs once I scowled at him.

"Come on its not that bad," Mary says, her glass nearly empty.

"Damn," Damien laughs.

"You guys didn't even wait for me." Kristine sits across from me, placing a tray on the table. "Shots, my brothers, the bartender, he said he'd give me these for free if I took him home tonight." She says answering everyone question we didn't have time to answer. I eye the small shot glasses; they varied in different colours.

"Doesn't that mean you can't drink Kris?" She sighs dramatically.

"Yeh... But that means drinking is on you next time," she says pointing to Damien, "I only agreed because Its newbies first time drinking this much." I sulk as I put the glass to my mouth, pulling a strange face as I swallowed it. Kristine laughs and passes me a transparent liquid shot glass, "Not a fan of that are ya, here have one of these, it'll make later on drinking easier for you." I pick up the glass and eye it up.

"Is it going to taste bad too?" No one answers, it's going to taste bad...

"Oh, stop being a pussy," everyone looks surprised as Mary grabs a purple liquid glass and downing it, no reaction. She sighs, "I am going get something stronger, Kristine can I borrow that card please." In silence Kristine gives the card to Mary, we watched her walk up to the bar.

"Ha damn, she's normally so quiet." I tense up as she turns to me with an evil grin, "Come on your turn kid." I grumble and try and do what Mary did downing the small glass. I start coughing, that burned worse than Damien's drink. The two laugh.

"Come on, can't be that bad," Damien grabs the same shot as the one I had and downs it. He winces and gives a weak smile.

"I'll give fifty quid to whomever drinks the most," Kristine says leaning in the back of her chair.

"I'm down," Mary says sitting down, now with a bubbly clear drink. She was quick at the bar. She slips the card back to Kristine.

"Sure. Don't know how much I can have of that vodka though," he coughs. I look at my colourful drink again, fifty quid would be enough to treat my mum to something. I take another shot and quickly down it, I cough and shiver.

"Ok, bet." I turn to see Damien watching me, eyes in surprise, a massive smile on his face. Kristine claps loudly and laughs.

"Perfect. And don't worry if we go over budget I'll pay for the rest," she says with a massive grin on her face, "Now drink, my entertainment!" She laughs evilly.

"Good luck boys," Mary says, her glass empty again, her shyness seems to have completely disappeared.

This might not have been a good idea...