Castlebay // Blake Richardson

Chapter 1

*Brenda's POV*

      I swear this job gets more and more boring each year. Waitressing in Castlebay's only hotel at the height of summer. At least it pays well, I need to fund my dreams somehow.

      "BRENDA, TABLE 24" my boss calls from the kitchen and I hurry to it, not wishing to be scolded for another time this shift. "Hi I'm Brenda I'll be your server for the evening, what can I get you to start?" I finish my perfectly rehearsed speech before I glance up at the latest customers I was dealing with. Surprisingly I was met with 3 young faces, seemingly without parents at this moment.

      "Hi Brenda, I have a question about your chicken," the eldest looking of the three answered, what caught my eye being the Tide t-shirt she was wearing. "Megan for god's sake it's just chicken why do you have to ask?" the girl who I'm assuming was her sister laughed. "Shush Emma it's an important question" Megan then retaliated. "So I take it you're all new to Castlebay?" I asked. The three nodded and then Emma spoke, "None of us had been to Ireland before so our parents thought this trip would be fun" I laughed and received confused looks from those at the table.

      "Fun? In Castlebay? I'm sorry to disappoint but welcome to the most boring smalltown of them all!" I waved my hands slightly extravagantly which amused the trio in front of me. 

     I proceeded to then kneel beside their table so I could avoid being noticed not doing my job. "So you guys are English then?" I asked, but as, again I'm assuming, their brother went to respond he was cut off by Megan. "Yes now Joe don't talk, I want to ask her about The Tide," Megan smiled at me.

      "How do you know I even like them?" I questioned which caused both girls to point at my right wrist adorned in my 'Team Nate' wristband as always. I raised my hands slightly in surrender, "Caught red-handed as a Nate girl, now tell me your favourites" Emma agreed with being a Nate girl which caused me to high-five her, whereas Megan breathed in a dreamy manner the words, "Levi freaking Jones"

      After this exchange I felt a sharp pain on the back of my head and turned to be met with Alex, one of my co-workers. "Get back to work Brenda" he teased. I rolled my eyes and mumbled, "Yes dickhead" before standing up and gaining another slap with Alex's notepad.

      "Boyfriend?" Megan questioned in a teasing tone. I mimicked throwing up before answering, "Nah we've just worked together for years, he's like the older brother I never had" I finally got round to taking the table's order but before I left them, I scribbled my name and number on Megan's napkin and left with the parting words, "Incase you need a tour guide"

      I moved now to the window behind the bar to hand the order to the kitchen and not long afterwards, Alex was by my side, with his signature cocky grin on his face. "I could've sworn you were trying to pull the boy there, but it turns out you found some of your own kind who like your bands," he mocked. I rolled my eyes before sarcastically responding, "Well Alex not all of us can pull a new person every night of the week" to which he faked hurt before moving to serve another table.

      Now I care about Alex, like I said, he's the brother figure I never had. But he's wasting his life away here in Castlebay. He's 18, goodlooking, intelligent and talented, he could get into any university course he wanted, yet he stays here, drinking and pulling girls constantly. I'm on a little mission to show him what the world can offer him.