Surviving my Scholarship

Caipavodka

        I glanced in the mirror and shivered at the girl staring back. In this ridiculous silver strapless, dress, I felt more like a partially unwrapped Hershey Kiss than a waitress. The dress just went past my behind and if you didn't walk carefully enough they saw black under covers. I was pushed out of the way by Paradise and I walked out to the bar.

        I smiled when I saw the bar tenders. It was a vodka night. Bay Breeze, BeBe for short, and Caipavodka rushed around in their silver ridiculousness to serve the men their drinks in between dancers. Caipavodka stopped when she saw me and waved me over. It appeared as I was the only underage tonight.

        Caipavodka had artificial pink hair and ridiculous silver pulled powder across her entire eye up to her eyebrow. When she turned it had a rainbow effect. Her eyelashes had small gems on them and sparkled when the light hit them just right. Her lips were tamed back with a bronze coat. Her cleavage practically fell out of her top.

        "Vivi," she hugged me quickly and yelled back at some suited up gentleman complaining about not getting his refill. "I'm so glad he called you in! Ok this tray needs to go to table 12 and this tray goes to table 12A. Bastards combined them again. Watch the guy in the lime green suit. He's a Grabber. Here's your drink, now buzz off. Oh and when you're done you have an old friend down at stool 7 waiting for you to say hi." The gentleman grumbled as he walked back to his table near the front.

        I hoisted up the first tray and weaved through the crowd to table 12. Sliding the tray to my hip, I glanced down at the selection. "Who has the beer?" A man gestured and I leaned over the table a bit to set it down in front of him with a plastered smile on my face. "The Paradise? Very good choice, sir. She is on next I believe." The men understood my newness to the table. I couldn't just slip the drinks down like I normally did, I didn't take their order. "Please enjoy! If you need anything, my name is Vivi, just give me a holler!"

        A disruption from the balcony of the VIP section made me glance up. I shook my head as a man was leaning over the barrier obviously wasted yelling down to Mimosa, another waitress. I started back towards the bar to grab the second tray when I heard AMI sweetly asking the gentleman to come back inside because their requested dancer was arriving shortly.

        "Don't you understand, bitch, I love her! Mimosa," he yelled down again.

        I shook my head as I grabbed the other tray and carefully walked to the far side of table 12A away from the Grabber. I really didn't feel like being molested at my job today. It was bad enough that I sunk this low to work at a "dance" club. I glanced over my shoulder as Mimosa was talked to by Skeet and after her protest and some negotiation on pay she headed up to the VIP room. He motioned to me and I knew he added more tables for me.

        "Here honey, thanks," a man looked me straight in the, well, visor as he handed me a rather large tip. I smiled at him warmly and slipped it in my hidden pocket. I didn't have the guts to do like the other girls and pack their breasts with it.

        "Mr. Thomas back again I see," I smiled at a man stumbling on his bar stool. The same stool every time I worked here. He was in his late forties. A sailor by trade and he had the looks to prove it. He was my one follower.

        "I'm drinking you," he slurred pointing to his glass. "I have developed a taste for ViVi." We talked a bit while Paradise was on. Not once did he look up at her. His attention always stayed on me. It was sweet in a creepy kind of way. When the dance was over, I excused myself leaned back to BeBe and signaled. She nodded. That was the last drink he got for the night.

        Hoisting another tray I started towards the new tables I had to cover. As I traveled, a man cut me off. At first, his face looked stern and his eyes were red with anger. He glanced down at me and his face softened. He apologized, tilting his head in a kind gesture. He looked familiar. I couldn't place him though. I delivered the drinks with ease and ran back to grab the other trays.

        "So," chirped BeBe in her over perkiness, "someone is turning 18 next month!" I looked down at my silver heels and shrugged. "Hun, the real money is on stage. I know you have that debt to pay off, are you going to try for a dancer. More hours, better pay... eh?" She knocked my shoulder. I waved her comment off and headed for my last table before Spritzer came on.

        I lost sleep over this fact. I would reach the 10 million credits a lot faster if I did go up there, but it wasn't my thing. I know Skeet said he would keep me on behind the bar, but I would have to lose the visor. I didn't know if I wanted people recognizing me here. Especially, at the college library, I worked odd days at. A huge commotion came from the stairwell to the VIP section.

        The man from earlier came downstairs pulling on the jacket of a younger one. Skeet was behind him bumbling like a fool. Spritzer huffed on stage as everyone's attention went to the new entertainment. Finally, the younger one pulled out of the man's hold and stopped.

        "My Comm is upstairs," he barked. The man said nothing just gestured with a wave of his hand.

        "Mr. Galloway, sir, there is a small matter of payment," Skeet said trying to sound respectable. Like that would ever happen. I gasped at the name and held my hand up to my chest.

        Mr. Galloway was one of the richest and most powerful men in the entire colony. He owns more properties on more planets than all the others combined.  He worked extremely hard in trades and security to keep his fortune. He rose up from a poor lifestyle to gain all the riches. Some said with some illegal methods, but I didn't bother listening to rumors. What on Earth was he doing here?

        Skeet motioned for me near the end of the bar. I put down my tray and headed over.  He smiled at me grimly and placed his hand behind his head rubbing his neck. He had my jacket and satchel in his hands. I know what he was about to say.

        "No, Skeet. You can't send me home! I passed up other work for this. Please! You know I need the money," I started. Skeet just looked me over with regret.

        "I'm sorry V, we don't need the help and the Unders are always the first to get sent home. How about I call you a cab, eh?" He looked like this was killing him. He handed me some cash and turned me towards the house Comm unit.

        "I'm fine. I don't live too far. Thanks anyway Skeet, see you for my regular shift," I disappointedly understood. I turned around to leave nearly bumping into Mr. Galloway. I apologized quickly, keeping my head down, and stumbled out the front door. The bouncer rushed past me, into the building, to take care of a drunken brawl.