Adele
When I am finally done crying, Alexis releases my hand and I put the check into my backpack. She tells me that I can leave my things in Frank’s office until I am assigned a locker. I decide that it’s best to wait until I start working before I ask for one. I can’t believe any of this is happening. I can’t believe I have a job and I really can’t believe that Frank just handed me five thousand dollars. It may not be a million dollars, but when you have nothing, it’s a lot of money. He just gave it to me and I didn’t have to do anything for it. At least I haven’t had to do anything for it yet. I have a feeling Frank is a good guy and won’t make me regret taking it, so hopefully, my gut feeling is correct. I stand up deciding it’s time to face the music and head downstairs. I know that when I get down there I will face an angry Alex. He already doesn’t like me, so I know me being in the office this long didn’t score any points with him. As I head down, my eyes meet his and I am suddenly stopped in my tracks. I don’t know why he is looking at me like that, but at the same time, I don’t know why I suddenly have this fluttering feeling in my stomach.
I walk down and finally reach him as he continues to stare at me.
“I am ready for you,” I say and notice that he goes stiff.
“Excuse me?” he asks and now my face heats up as I realize how I sounded.
“I am ready to get to work. Are you going to show me the ropes?” I ask trying to clarify what I just offered.
Alex gives me the highlights of the club, advising which booths I should never approach. I feel uncomfortable being around him and I don’t quite understand why. He is very attractive, but this guy is one of the biggest assholes I have met in a long time. Garth may have been my worst nightmare, but at least he hid it and faked the charm. Alex just doesn’t care if he has asshole written across his forehead in neon colors. When one of the bartenders accidentally bumped into me causing me to bump into Alex, I could have fainted. He felt like a wall, but a comfortable wall. He felt and smelled so good. I caught myself taking a deep breath of his wonderful scent. I pulled away suddenly because I realized how stupid I was for doing so. I already have one bad apple that I am trying to escape, I don’t need to take a bite of another one. I looked away hoping that Alex didn’t notice how suddenly I pulled away from him. It was an innocent bump, but something about touching him didn’t feel innocent.
Alex has me shadowing a waitress that I have a bad feeling about. She is rude to customers and messes up a lot of orders. She is annoying me and I can tell she is annoying the customers as well. She is so slow picking up orders that I start to worry that the food will be cold before we deliver them. She seems to be more interested in socializing than working and I don’t understand how she’s never been fired. The sad part is she even has the nerve to complain when no one leaves her a tip. I honestly don’t blame anyone for not leaving her one. A tip is for good service and there were times I mouthed an apology before leaving several of the tables. When she takes a tenth bathroom break during two hours, I wait for her behind the bar and chat with another waitress. She is stunned that Alex would have me shadow the worst waitress at Deluca’s. She mentions that none of the other staff likes her and every customer she waits on, complains about her. She comments that it’s almost like Alex is setting me up to fail. That’s when it occurs to me that is exactly what that bastard is doing. He doesn’t want me here and he is making sure that I don’t last long. I close my eyes, fighting to keep my tears in.
For the rest of the night, I decide to not let Alex win. I note every customer’s order and correct them when they are misread to the bartender. I make sure that every customer gets the correct order. When the order is ready, instead of waiting, I rush up to the bar and pick it up to deliver it to the customer. I can tell I am annoying the hell out of this loser who is supposed to be training me, but I don’t give a rat’s ass. I need this job. Within a few hours, the customers are catching on very quickly and they start giving me their orders. They become very generous when handing me the tip and I can feel angry eyes on the back of my head as she marches back to the bar behind me. When I stop to empty the leftovers from the plates she keeps walking. I look up when I see she is angrily talking to Alex. They both look over to me and she points her finger towards me as she shakes her head and become quite animated when talking to him. I notice he closes his eyes and leans his head back and when he lifts it back up he turns to look back over at me. He takes his hand and starts to rub his forehead and I easily notice that he is quite agitated and if I should guess I can assume that I am the reason.
I wonder if I am going solo for the rest of the night when Alex waltzes over to me with an annoyed look on his face. I notice the bitch who was supposedly training me, suddenly ran off towards the lockers. I cross my arms prepared to do battle with Alex as he takes his position in front of me.
“I guess you’re the little troublemaker, aren’t you?” he suggests as he now mimics me and cross his arms.
“I am only trying to do the job that the nice brother hired me to do,” I tell him with probably a little too much attitude.
Alex releases his arms and tilts his head towards me as he moves an inch closer than I would prefer. I turn my head and thankfully, notice Frank as he approaches us behind the bar.
“Is there a problem here, Alex?” Frank asks as he manages to put himself between me and Alex.
“There actually is a big problem, Frank. Your new girl has been here a few hours and already Angie got so upset that I had to send her home.” Alex is talking to Frank, but I notice his eyes are glued to me.
Frank turns to look at me and then turns his attention back to Alex.
“Angie is the worst waitress that we have. She is probably the worst waitress in the city. Why would you have her training Adele?” Frank’s voice is slightly strained and I can tell he is pissed.
Alex final takes his eyes from me and looks back at Frank as he starts to rub the short stubble on his chin.
“As you have pointed out, we are short staffed. I don’t have extra babysitters for her to stick with. Angie handles fewer tables so I thought it was the best option.” He advises Frank and gives him a quick smile, which even I can tell is phonier than a six-dollar bill.
Frank closes his eyes and turns his attention back to me.
“Your shift is going to end early tonight, Adele. Can you come to my office when you’re done at one?” Frank advises and he turns to walk away from Alex and me.
“Her shift is done at one? We’re fucking open until three and you're letting her leave two hours early, Frank? What the hell?” Alex is practically yelling as everyone around looks up and starts staring at us. Frank never stops walking and Alex turns back to me and shakes his head in disgust as he walks away from me too.