The Flood Is Getting Closer
one
I checked myself in the mirror one last time before heading out for the night. I grabbed my bag and locked my apartment and headed down to the parking lot. I got into my black ’06 Dodge Charger RT when my phone rang. “Yes?” I answered. “Where are you? Did you forget your training the new girl tonight” It was my manager. “I haven’t forgot Jeff don’t worry. I’m on my way” I responded. “The bar isn’t gonna open its self you know” He hung up. I threw my phone in the back seat and put my car in drive.
I got to the club and pulled in the back where I normally park. I get out and head inside. There I see Jeff yelling at one of the bussers. “Next time there won’t be a next time”. Jeff is pretty chill guy normally but that’s because he’s my brother’s old college buddy. “There you are what took you so long!” Have I mention I use to live with him when I moved to Sin City? Probably not but yeah I did.
"Where is this new girl then?" I asked Jeff. He pointed toward the back and I nodded. Of course! She would be getting changed into the uniform, which really wasn’t a uniform at all. Unless you consider jeans and black v-neck vest a uniform. The back door opened and a real short girl around 5ft4 with dyed red shoulder length hair comes into view. She gives me a friendly but obviously nervous smile. For some reason I felt bad for her which I don't usually but oh well. I walked over and introduced myself.
“Hi Natalie I’m Scottie” I tried smiling. “Hello” She was soft spoken a bit shy. “This will not do. If you’re going to be working here you have to project your voice and not be such a turtle” I said. “Ok” There we go again with the timidness. “Scottie a word” Jeff pulled me aside. “Now what?” I crossed my arms. “This is going to be your eighth person you trained. I would like you to not scare this one off. She actually knows how to make a martini” He said. I rolled my eyes. “So do I. But I can’t help it if everyone else quit or was fired. They just couldn’t cut it. Not my fault. Look at me. You trained me and I turned out fine” I grinned walking off. Taking Natalie with me to the bar.
Natalie's POV.
I walked behind Scottie to the bar looking down. She didn't know me and she told me not to be a turtle already, whatever the hell that means. Must be some kind of American thing like stop being quiet or something. I couldn't help my quietness though it always happens when I'm new to something and meet new people, after an hour or so I perk up. I sigh to myself as I am told to wipe down the bar tops. I didn't actually need training I had done enough bar work back in England to pay for moving her for the college. I wiped the bar down drifting off into a day dream. I missed England more than I thought I would and to be honest I was dreading going back to my new apartment it freaked me out. I have never hated being alone before but now I am I fucking do!
“Hey Nat!” I jumped and looked behind me. Scottie was calling me over to her. I walked over. I just don’t understand how a girl like her who didn’t even look of age was head bartender. Life totally sucks sometimes. I mean the only way she could have gotten her job was from Jeff the manager. He was like 30 or so and she probably 19 not even. But she was kind of pretty if you liked tomboys with green and pink highlighted curly hair. She looked about my height a bit taller. I was jealous of her assets. I really just wanted to ask they were real but I have a feeling I would get canned on the spot then.
Scottie’s POV
Nat came over looking still shy. “What would you like me to do” She said. “Well for starters I need you to be loose and warmed up when people come in tonight. It’s sort of a busy night. I mean yeah every night is busy but tonight is well gonna be busy. Stupid Thursday’s band night” I said to no one in particular. I took two shot glasses and out and a nearly empty bottle of Jack Daniels. “Listen you can’t tell Jeffery about this and promise me don’t puke after either. I swear the second kid they hired to bartend couldn’t hold his liquor let’s hope you can do better. I poured to shots and handed her a glass of coke to chase it down. “Cheers let’s hope you don’t screw up tonight kid” I grinned.
The bar was heaving and Natalie was on fire! I don't know if it was the alcohol or not but she was working almost as fast as me. She even managed to serve more than one customer at a time which was cool I had to say I was impressed. "Hey Nat! Will you be okay while I grab some more Jack, were all out?" I shouted to her over the music. She just gave me a thumbs up and I went out to grab a bottle of Jack Daniels expect to come back and find the bar a complete mess but to my surprise she was just serving the last customer.
Nat’s POV
Scottie came back with a huge bottle in hand. I handed the customer their bill as they tipped me. I walked over to her. She was pour two big glass with JD and Coke. “What are those for” I asked. “Celebration” She said. “What are we celebrating” Scottie just looked at me like she was going to ring my neck. “God save you not the queen” She handed me the drink and took a huge gulp of hers. “What” I sniffed it before sipping it. Damn that was some good Jack and Coke. “Where you going?” I asked. “Need to tell Jeffery you’re a keeper so he can put you on the payroll” Scottie put her glass down and walked into the dark part of the bar. I was still curious if she was for real or not.
I watched after her as another customer came up to the bar I quickly finished my drink and walked over to the man. "Hey, what can I get you?" I asked him. He smiled and motioned toward the back door. "How about your friends number?" He asked. I smiled amused and chuckled. "Well for one I don't know if she is my friend and two I don't have her number to give you and three, do it yourself! Now what drink can I get you?" I said adding emphasis on the word 'drink'. "I'll have a bottle of bud, honey." He says and I nod grabbing a chilled glass bottle I place it down on the bar in front of him. He hands me a few notes and winks. "Keep the change." He says and I laugh slightly. "Paying me won’t result in her number you know." He sighs and shrugs. "I'll have to work my magic on her myself wont I?" He says. I nod and smirk at him slightly. He nods his head at me and walks away to his table hidden away round the corner of the bar.
Scottie came back and took a cold beer from the fridge out. “Are we even allowed to drink on the job” I said looking at her. “Please I practically run this myself. Jeff said you’re absolutely hired. Congrats” She smiled. “Oh some guy wanted your number” I said. Scottie gave me a death stare. “Who?” She asked. I shrugged. “Here” I handed her the paper he gave me. I walked down towards the other end of the bar. “No fucking way” She shouted. “Nat come here” I walked back over to her. “Go tell Green if he doesn’t stop this shit right now I’m kicking him and his stupid band out of the bar for good” She smiled evily sweet at me. “Erm isn’t that why we have bouncers for?” I asked. “Hell no they don’t do shit. Beside he’ll listen to you”
"Why will he listen to me?" I asked with wide eyes. She pointed to the side of the bar that was hidden from view. I rolled my eyes and walked out of the bar round to the table with 4 guys sat at it. The guy looked at me and smiled. "Hey, you!" He said in a funny voice. I rolled my eyes and picked up his empty bottle along with the other empties on the table. "Scottie said you can't have her number." I mumbled and he nodded. "Is that all she said?" Another one said but this one had me nearly stop what I was doing. He was just gorgeous! "Uhm yes!" I quickly said and made my exit going shy again. I went back to the bar and threw the empty bottles into a recycling bin and turned to Scottie. "You're safe." Scottie laughed. “Thanks you can take off now don’t worry I’ll clean up” She smiled. I nodded. “Oh and Natalie” She said. I turned and looked at her. “Get home safe and txt me when you do get home. Don’t need you to like die on me before the weekend comes”.
I got to the club and pulled in the back where I normally park. I get out and head inside. There I see Jeff yelling at one of the bussers. “Next time there won’t be a next time”. Jeff is pretty chill guy normally but that’s because he’s my brother’s old college buddy. “There you are what took you so long!” Have I mention I use to live with him when I moved to Sin City? Probably not but yeah I did.
"Where is this new girl then?" I asked Jeff. He pointed toward the back and I nodded. Of course! She would be getting changed into the uniform, which really wasn’t a uniform at all. Unless you consider jeans and black v-neck vest a uniform. The back door opened and a real short girl around 5ft4 with dyed red shoulder length hair comes into view. She gives me a friendly but obviously nervous smile. For some reason I felt bad for her which I don't usually but oh well. I walked over and introduced myself.
“Hi Natalie I’m Scottie” I tried smiling. “Hello” She was soft spoken a bit shy. “This will not do. If you’re going to be working here you have to project your voice and not be such a turtle” I said. “Ok” There we go again with the timidness. “Scottie a word” Jeff pulled me aside. “Now what?” I crossed my arms. “This is going to be your eighth person you trained. I would like you to not scare this one off. She actually knows how to make a martini” He said. I rolled my eyes. “So do I. But I can’t help it if everyone else quit or was fired. They just couldn’t cut it. Not my fault. Look at me. You trained me and I turned out fine” I grinned walking off. Taking Natalie with me to the bar.
Natalie's POV.
I walked behind Scottie to the bar looking down. She didn't know me and she told me not to be a turtle already, whatever the hell that means. Must be some kind of American thing like stop being quiet or something. I couldn't help my quietness though it always happens when I'm new to something and meet new people, after an hour or so I perk up. I sigh to myself as I am told to wipe down the bar tops. I didn't actually need training I had done enough bar work back in England to pay for moving her for the college. I wiped the bar down drifting off into a day dream. I missed England more than I thought I would and to be honest I was dreading going back to my new apartment it freaked me out. I have never hated being alone before but now I am I fucking do!
“Hey Nat!” I jumped and looked behind me. Scottie was calling me over to her. I walked over. I just don’t understand how a girl like her who didn’t even look of age was head bartender. Life totally sucks sometimes. I mean the only way she could have gotten her job was from Jeff the manager. He was like 30 or so and she probably 19 not even. But she was kind of pretty if you liked tomboys with green and pink highlighted curly hair. She looked about my height a bit taller. I was jealous of her assets. I really just wanted to ask they were real but I have a feeling I would get canned on the spot then.
Scottie’s POV
Nat came over looking still shy. “What would you like me to do” She said. “Well for starters I need you to be loose and warmed up when people come in tonight. It’s sort of a busy night. I mean yeah every night is busy but tonight is well gonna be busy. Stupid Thursday’s band night” I said to no one in particular. I took two shot glasses and out and a nearly empty bottle of Jack Daniels. “Listen you can’t tell Jeffery about this and promise me don’t puke after either. I swear the second kid they hired to bartend couldn’t hold his liquor let’s hope you can do better. I poured to shots and handed her a glass of coke to chase it down. “Cheers let’s hope you don’t screw up tonight kid” I grinned.
The bar was heaving and Natalie was on fire! I don't know if it was the alcohol or not but she was working almost as fast as me. She even managed to serve more than one customer at a time which was cool I had to say I was impressed. "Hey Nat! Will you be okay while I grab some more Jack, were all out?" I shouted to her over the music. She just gave me a thumbs up and I went out to grab a bottle of Jack Daniels expect to come back and find the bar a complete mess but to my surprise she was just serving the last customer.
Nat’s POV
Scottie came back with a huge bottle in hand. I handed the customer their bill as they tipped me. I walked over to her. She was pour two big glass with JD and Coke. “What are those for” I asked. “Celebration” She said. “What are we celebrating” Scottie just looked at me like she was going to ring my neck. “God save you not the queen” She handed me the drink and took a huge gulp of hers. “What” I sniffed it before sipping it. Damn that was some good Jack and Coke. “Where you going?” I asked. “Need to tell Jeffery you’re a keeper so he can put you on the payroll” Scottie put her glass down and walked into the dark part of the bar. I was still curious if she was for real or not.
I watched after her as another customer came up to the bar I quickly finished my drink and walked over to the man. "Hey, what can I get you?" I asked him. He smiled and motioned toward the back door. "How about your friends number?" He asked. I smiled amused and chuckled. "Well for one I don't know if she is my friend and two I don't have her number to give you and three, do it yourself! Now what drink can I get you?" I said adding emphasis on the word 'drink'. "I'll have a bottle of bud, honey." He says and I nod grabbing a chilled glass bottle I place it down on the bar in front of him. He hands me a few notes and winks. "Keep the change." He says and I laugh slightly. "Paying me won’t result in her number you know." He sighs and shrugs. "I'll have to work my magic on her myself wont I?" He says. I nod and smirk at him slightly. He nods his head at me and walks away to his table hidden away round the corner of the bar.
Scottie came back and took a cold beer from the fridge out. “Are we even allowed to drink on the job” I said looking at her. “Please I practically run this myself. Jeff said you’re absolutely hired. Congrats” She smiled. “Oh some guy wanted your number” I said. Scottie gave me a death stare. “Who?” She asked. I shrugged. “Here” I handed her the paper he gave me. I walked down towards the other end of the bar. “No fucking way” She shouted. “Nat come here” I walked back over to her. “Go tell Green if he doesn’t stop this shit right now I’m kicking him and his stupid band out of the bar for good” She smiled evily sweet at me. “Erm isn’t that why we have bouncers for?” I asked. “Hell no they don’t do shit. Beside he’ll listen to you”
"Why will he listen to me?" I asked with wide eyes. She pointed to the side of the bar that was hidden from view. I rolled my eyes and walked out of the bar round to the table with 4 guys sat at it. The guy looked at me and smiled. "Hey, you!" He said in a funny voice. I rolled my eyes and picked up his empty bottle along with the other empties on the table. "Scottie said you can't have her number." I mumbled and he nodded. "Is that all she said?" Another one said but this one had me nearly stop what I was doing. He was just gorgeous! "Uhm yes!" I quickly said and made my exit going shy again. I went back to the bar and threw the empty bottles into a recycling bin and turned to Scottie. "You're safe." Scottie laughed. “Thanks you can take off now don’t worry I’ll clean up” She smiled. I nodded. “Oh and Natalie” She said. I turned and looked at her. “Get home safe and txt me when you do get home. Don’t need you to like die on me before the weekend comes”.