This I Love

Chapter Six; Drinking Buddies

*anyone else have trouble getting on wattpad recently? I tried last night and just barely got on this morning. Hmm...*

 Paul's Bar And Grill was a pretty questionable joint just like Axl had said. It was the kind of place that was dark and dingy inside but tried to lighten up with some obnoxious coloured lights and cheerfully ugly wall mounts. Even the patrons looked like something out of a sketchy mid-west-hometown movie about druggies and alcoholics. Immediately, I knew I'd be out of place with my preference for wearing pants after about three waitresses walked past me in what were NOT uniform mini skirts. We had an option of khaki pants or skirts with a navy blue dress shirt to accentuate the bar's cheesy nautical theme. Paul Finkler himself, the bar's owner and namesake, was a fat guy, balding and sweating from something as simple as waddling his fat ass from the bar to the front door. He made many attempts to point out I could wear a skirt too though I turned it down each time, insisting I'd buy some pants from a thrift store or something. I wasn't about to flash my ass just for an extra tip. Call it crazy, but despite my druggie ex and hippie upbringing, I wasn't unfamiliar with the concept of having proper work ethic.

"Madison is going to teach you how to work the bar. You can mix a drink, right?" Paul questioned.

I nodded. "Been to enough parties to know how to mix pretty much anything," I assured. I left Paul and his creepy beady eyes to talk to a cute, short brunette girl behind the bar. She had big puffy, dimpled cheeks with equally big boobs that were mounted in a not-so-discreetly covered red bra. "You're Madison?" I guessed. "Scarlette."

"Scarlette", she repeated. "Good to meet you sweet pea. I'm glad we could get a new girl on such short notice. You know with Tabbitha and that whole fiasco at the club on Weston Avenue-"

"What happened to Tabbitha?" I asked.

"Cocaine overdose in the bathroom. Shame. She was cute." Madison shrugged it off and beamed. "So you know how to run a bar, right? Sorry to say, not all girls put things back where they find them so some bottles may be misplaced. You can try rearranging them but it's just going to get messed up again so don't worry about it. Glasses go there, come out here. Mixers are here. When you're done with your mixing cup, put it with the glasses. Can't cross contaminate you know. Guys can't be caught drinking something that was just made with the same mixer you used for a cosmo. Pretty lame, I know. And-why don't you help that cutie over there?"

A man with big curls had just sat down at the bar before Madison could go on with what she was saying. I was pushed over to him where I tried painting on my best smile. "Hello," I greeted. "My name's Scarlette and I'll be your server today. What can I get you to start-"

"Lessie T?" The man gripped my wrist before meeting me with way too recognizable brown eyes. "Leslie! Scarlette! Scarry! Tuh-Tuh-Turner!"

"Don't you dare open your mouth to anyone," I ordered.

"Lessie." Tommy Lee's dark eyebrows formed the same pout he had on his lips. "Why the fuck not?" he asked. "OmiGod, dudette, Nikki's been so worried about you. You need to tell him you're okay-"

"Nikki and I are over," I grumbled. "Now, what do you want? A Coke and whiskey?"