It's Working Time 2.1

Chapter 2

"Games are nature's most beautiful creation." - Leonard Cohen, Beautiful Losers

4:30 pm. Lexie smiled as she entered the bar with great determination, which immediately disappeared when she got in. The woman from yesterday – Kaylee, was standing right in front of her, hands on her hips and lips pursed. Lexie couldn't help but stare at the beautiful woman in front of her. She was wearing a black tank top that showed a little cleavage and black skinny jeans. So simple yet so appealing.

"Listen, we don't really need someone like you here but you look like you really need it." Kaylee started. Her voice was firm, cold, and businesslike. Gone is the nice and sweet woman this morning.

Lexie just nodded. After breakfast earlier, she told her to come to the club at 5 pm to start work. She wasn't expecting Kaylee the 'boss', she was actually hoping more of Kaylee-the-really-nice-woman-who-gave-her-a-job.

"You will be what we need you to be, where we need you to be, when we need you to be. Understand?" Lexie just kept nodding.

"You will help out in the kitchen, clean the comfort rooms and around the bar, and if badly needed you will be a waitress. You will be paid minimum wage."

"Okay." Lexie answered, not knowing what else to say. How much is minimum wage exactly?

"Alright. Go to the kitchen and look for Jen. She'll tell you what to do." With that, Kaylee left Lexie standing by herself. She gathered herself and proceeded to the kitchen, dragging her travel bag with her.

==

"Uhmm. Are you Jen?" Lexie peeked inside the kitchen where a woman, probably in her early thirties was standing by the counter. She had black shoulder length curly hair. She looked really nice.

"And are you the new girl?" The woman asked. Lexie nodded and the woman signaled her to come closer.

"It's still quite early so we don't need any help in the kitchen yet. Will it be okay for you to clean the comfort rooms?" Jen looked Lexie up and down. Lexie was wearing a simple black Armani skinny jeans and a plain grey Gucci v-neck shirt. It was the simplest item of clothing she found in her bag. Although Jen could not identify brands just by looking at them, she knew the girl in front of her was dressed expensively.

"Uhmm.. yeah. Of course." Lexie answered lightly, trying to cover up the disgust she felt. Lexie never had to clean anything her whole life. She didn't even clean her own nails, she paid someone to do that, now here she is about to clean comfort rooms in a bar.

Funny how the world turns upside down sometimes.

"Dear? Are you gonna drag that bag of yours everywhere? You're not keeping gold bars there are you?" Jen was looking at Lexie's travel bag.

"Oh. No. it's just that, I don't know where to put it." Lexie mumbled.

"Just keep it in Kaylee's office."

"Oh, okay. Thanks."

==

"What are you doing here?" Nathan practically growled at Lexie as soon as she opened the door to Kaylee's office.

"Oh. Hey. Uhm.. Jen said I could leave some stuff here?" She showed Nathan her bag, ignoring the obvious annoyance in Nathan's face. Seriously, what is his problem?

"What? Why are you here?"

"Well, I can't drag this bag with me all around the bar can I?" Lexie is starting to lose her temper. No one talks to her that way, and she'd already let Nathan slip last night.

"Wait, she hired you?" He was standing right in front of her. His nose was flaring, and he was trying his best to control himself.

"Why else would I be here?" Lexie knew she shouldn't aggravate him but she just couldn't help herself. If he can be a jerk then she's going to be a bitch.

==

By 5 pm, 3 other staff came. First was Brit, a girl with this straight blonde – not real color- hair. At 5'3, Lexie always thought she was short but Brit was even shorter at 5' flat. Brit is really sweet, really nice, always smiling but a little on the quiet side.

And then there's Jana. Her hair was styled in a really cute bob. She was nice too, a little rough but nice. And while Brit tends to be quieter, Jana's mouth can be mistaken for a microphone. Her voice can be heard through the whole bar, and she liked to talk. A lot.

And last is Mark, the bartender, a really nice guy. 'Much nicer than some other guy who works here.' Lexie thought.

Lexie also learned that the guy's name is Nathan. She still didn't know why he's being such a jerk to her, but she knows to just suck it up.

By 6 pm customers were starting to come. It was okay at first. By 7 pm they started piling. Lexie cleaned the comfort room but had to keep re-cleaning it. After a while she gave up and went to the kitchen to help out. She didn't know things could be this busy. The bar isn't really the nicest place around, and it's located practically at the edge of the city. One of the reasons she wanted to work here was because she thought there wouldn't be that much people around. She helped out as much as she could, she tried to slice vegetables as fast as she could – which was really slow. Then washed dishes, which she learned she was actually not so bad at if she ignores all the gross food left. Then later she helped Brit and Jana out in the floor. She served as the busgirl tidying up tables. Despite all the chaos happening around her, she was actually having fun. Everyone was busy with their own thing. Nathan and Mark were in the bar serving drinks and mixing up different liquids and what knot. Jen was in the kitchen cooking up a storm. Brit and Jana were moving through the crowd trays in hand, either getting orders or giving drinks out. And Kaylee was everywhere, giving orders, entertaining customers.

"21. Keep moving!" Lexie heard someone shout. She didn't notice she was just standing there.

Nathan was at the bar glaring at her. "If Kaylee sees you doing nothing you're out of here. So I guess it's fine if you just keep standing there."

"Oh. Got it. Thanks." Lexie straightened up and started collecting dirty dishes, once again ignoring the hostility from Nathan. "Take the high road. Take the high road." She thought to herself.

The work was non-stop, Lexie didn't even notice the time.

==

"21! Come on!"

Nathan dragged Lexie into the kitchen.

"Hey! Wait. What's going on?" Lexie asked trying not to trip on her own feet.

"It's already 11. Break time."

Nathan grabbed a plate of fries and burgers, and 2 beers with one hand and went to Kaylee's office still dragging Lexie behind.

"We only have 15 minutes." He sat on the desk and placed the fries beside him, handed one beer to Lexie and started eating. So he's being nice now? Is this guy bipolar or something?

"What about the bar?" Lexie asked, munching on fries herself.

"Mark's got it."

"Oh."

They ate in silence, munching on fries, drinking beer.

"Why do you wanna work here anyway?" It was Nathan who broke the silence, there was no irritation in his voice and Lexie looked up at him. Is he really done being a jerk?

"I told you. I need money."

"How old are you?"

"22."

"Okay. Now how old are you for real?"

Lexie looked at Nathan who was looking at her intently. She sighed.

"19."

"Well.. at least you're legal." He shrugged. "Why aren't you in school?"

Because I can't afford it anymore. Because I'm hiding from everyone. Because I can't show my face there. Lexie thought.

"What's with the 20 questions?" She tried to sound lightly.

Nathan's head was tilted slightly to the left- Lexie noticed it was something he does often.

"uhmm. How many minutes we got?" Lexie tried changing the subject.

Nathan looked at her then shrugged and looked at his watch.

"Time's up actually." He jumped off the table and took the plate back to the kitchen.

They both went back to work.