Chapter 3: Work and spilled beer

"How was London?"

I cringe at how cheerful my mom sounds.

"Good."

"Just good? Didn't you like it? Were you lonely?"

"I need to go."

"Why? I just called. We haven't spoken since last month!"

I let out a strained breath. "I need to go to work, mom."

"Ah, okay." She sounds disappointed. "Call me soon, okay? Dad and I miss you."

"Yeah. Bye."

I hang up. I doesn't wait for her reply. Maybe she will catch my lie. I find myself not caring.

I stare up at the roof of my room.

I hear lively chatter outside my room. The semester begins in a few days. Lot's of people are arriving. Happy and excited for the next chapter in their life.

Not me. I am not. And I live alone. I paid extra for that.

I muster up some courage and leave my bed. My hair is a mess. I stink.

I haven't showered since my trip home from London. It is almost a week ago. I don't think I left my room. I can't remember.

/"Haven't you showered girl? You reek of sweat!"

"Well sorry my highness, but I have been working my ass of today and didn't have the time to shower before I arrived here."

"You are not allowed anywhere else in my apartment, before you have showered!"

I sent a glare to Ahmet. "Chill! It is not that bad!" I lifted my arm to sniff my armpit. I gaged.

"See!"

I glared at him again. "Asshole."

"I heard you, my stinking darling!"

"You were supposed to!"

I smack the bathroom door shut./

I laugh at the memory. I peel of my clothes. It reeks of old sweat.

I dump it in the shower. I step over it and turn on the water. I let the water flow down my hair and back. It soothes my unused and arching muscles.

I take out soap. I scrub my body. I need to get the old sweat gone. I shave too. I exfoliate too. I use a hair mask.

It knocks on my door. I turn of the water and wrap myself in the towel.

"Coming!" I yell. I open the door slightly ajar, keeping my towelled wrapped body out of sight. "Hey."

A girl, a few years older than me by the looks of it, stand in front of me. She sends me a warm smile.

"Hey! I am living next door to you and we are a lot here already at campus, so a bunch of us are thinking about going out. Getting a pint or many. You wanna join?"

"Um hey...?" I trail off, unsure of her name. Did she even tell it?

"Sorry! My name is Amber!"

"Hey! No, sorry. Work," I reply, sending her a smile, hoping it looks real.

I cross my fingers behind my back, hoping she believes my lie.

"No problem...?"

"Ophelia."

"Ophelia. Okay. Well, I will see you around! Bye girl!"

I send her a strained smile, nodding. I quickly close my door.

I sigh and lean against the door. I play with my ring.

My phone beeps. I groan. I don't want to interact with other human beings.

'Can you work tonight? Just for a few hours. My nanny is coming late.'

I look down at the text message, a frown between my brows. I huff. At least my lie isn't a lie anymore. I find myself not caring anyway. Why do I not care?

'Yeah! No problem! I will be there shortly'

I sit down on the bed and stare at my unopened suitcase. My uniform is in there.

I get on my uniform, a black t-shirt with the pub's logo and name on, paired with jeans and sneakers. I pull my hair up in a high ponytail.

I look in the mirror. It looks like I have been crying non stop for a week. Mildly put. I have almost clawed my eyes out multiple times in the past week. I put on some cooling cream on my eye area, before adding a light layer of make up. I can't look like death. It gives no tips. I need tips.

Grabbing my coat, I begin my journey to work. A lot of young people are on the streets. I try to avoid them at all cost. I just want to get to work.

I smile widely, once I enter the pub, putting on my best fake face. My costumer face, as I like to call it.

"Ophelia! Nice to see you! I thought you were off tonight," it sounds happily from Taylor. He sends my a quick smile, before balancing of with a few pints of beer.

I take my place behind the counter, smiling and serving customers. I even chat with some of the regulars ones.

"Ophelia, you beautiful young lady," it sounds from one of our older regulars. "Did London treat you good? Missed you here."

"Sure you did, Mr. Wright, but yeah, London treated me real good!" I tell him, smiling. I find him some water. "Now, be a good one and drink this, please. We can't have Mrs. Wright coming here and beating up my arse, just because you forgot your water to your beer!"

Wright chuckles at me, taking a big gulp of the offered water. "I will never let her do that to you, girl. You are like our second granddaughter."

I smile, a real smile. It warms. "I am glad to hear that."

The bells from the door rings, signalling new costumers. I look at Wright and he nods in understanding.

"Hey," I greet the new comers, my costumer face on. I look up at them. Alice? Amberly? "Amber?"

The one girl smiles. "Yeah! Ophelia, right?"

I nod. "What can I get you?"

"Beers."

I nod.

I quickly fill up the cups, keeping an eye out for them.

We are one of the only places with table service in the area. I don't mind it. Almost the same as waitress. I am a good waitress I have been told.

"-but I have a very hard time with people from the Middle East. Look at our criminal rates! It is people from those countries! They are lazy. They doesn't want to work. They stea- Argh!"

I look down, seeing the beer spilled on top of a young man's head. I smirk slightly for myself.

"I am so sorry!" I rush out. "It must have slipped when I tried to put it on the table. I am so sorry!"

The young man looks up at me, a glare in his eyes. If looks could kill.

"Ophelia!" it sounds from Amber. She has risen from her seat. "Can we get a towel."

"Yeah, sure! This round is on me," I tell them, quickly handing the others their beers. I hurry back to the counter, getting a new beer and offers it the guy I spilled it on along with a towel.

"I am so sorry," I tell him, hoping to sound sincere. Not that I am. "I didn't mean it."

He just huffs.

I roll my eyes.

I walk back to the counter. Wright smiles to me, his eyes twinkling. "You did it on purpose, right?"

I smile sheepishly, leaning against the wall, my arms crossed over my chest.

"I might have to pay for it due to company rules, but it was total worth it," I whisper to Wright, smiling with delight. I observe the young man, patting off his drenched t-shirt.

"Yeah. Here," Wright says, holding out his hand.

"What is it?" I glance down at his hand.

"Tips from tonight."

I smile up at him, a genuine smile. "You didn't need to."

"Well, I want to."

"Thanks. See you Mr. Wright!"

I wave to the old man, my reason to a real smile for the rest of the evening is gone. I glance at the clock, hoping I can soon leave. I really want to leave.