back-”
“Lo, it’s fine. You’ve spotted me lots of times. But this is all I have..” she trails off, pulling a little baggie out of her purse.
“Coke, Sam?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “It’s Brody’s. Do you want some or not?”
I bite my lip, thinking. There isn’t much time to decide, though, and I can feel the tremors in my hands and knees. The bar won’t be closing for another two hours and I won’t be leaving for at least another three. “Do you have cash on you?”
She nods her head and digs through her purse again. Wipes the water off of the counter, sets up a line. Looks at me expectantly as she holds out the dollar. After it’s rolled up, I put it to the entrance of my left nostril, plug the other, bend down, inhale. The sensation is a lot like snorting roxies, but I know immediately that the high won’t be the same. I’ve never done coke before, but I don’t tell that to Sam. Instead, I say thank you, give her a quick hug and run back out to my station at the bar. Kaitlin sees me and moves back to her side.
After a few minutes, the shaking hasn’t stopped. If anything, it’s gotten worse. And then my heart starts to beat wildly. And then I feel like running through the streets, waving my hands in the air. I’m on overload, hyper drive, pouring drinks and talking and smiling like I actually enjoy what I do. Nathan catches my eyes and I smile at him. His brows furrow in confusion and he smiles back hesitantly, but I hardly even notice. My focus is on doing my job and doing it well.
It feels like the rest of the night passes in the blink of an eye, yet I’ve made more money than I have since I started working here almost one month ago. My feet don’t hurt, my side isn’t aching. I’m ready to keep going. Sam strolls over to the now empty bar as I’m wiping down the surfaces.
“God, Sam,” I whisper. “That stuff is amazing.”
She smiles knowingly. “I know. I only do it on the weekends but it’s like being a superhero, right?”
I laugh loudly. “Yeah, just without the flying part or the superpowers part, but besides that.”
“ Speaking of weekends,” she says, drawing out the word weekends . “There’s this party at one of Brody’s friend’s house tomorrow. Would you wanna come?”
“I don’t think I can, Sam.”
“Oh, come on! It’ll be so much fun, and when’s the last time we partied together?” She bats her eyelashes and sticks out her bottom lip. “Pretty please?”
I bite the inside of my cheek. “I guess I could come after my shift. I’m first cut so I shouldn’t be here too late.”
It’s a bad idea to go to a party. Danny would flip his shit if he knew, but I’m supposed to be working and I can tell him that I have a long shift. Maybe it’ll work. Maybe I’ll be able to drink and dance and have fun like Sam and I used to before Danny was in the picture.
“Danny can never know,” I demand, looking at her straight in the eyes.
She drags a finger across her chest. “Cross my heart.”
“Uh, Lo?” Nathan calls from the end of the bar.
Sam ’s eyes drift over him, a surprised smile playing at her lips. “I know him. Who is he?” she whispers.
“Sorry, Nathan, I’m just saying bye to my friend.” To Sam, I say, “That’s my boss and you have to go before I get fired and don’t have an excuse to come to your party. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
With that, she walks away, throwing a wink over her shoulder in my direction. At least I hope it was in my direction. I get back to wiping counters and collecting glasses, disgusted at the mess people leave behind. Kaitlin turns the radio up and starts singing at the top of her lungs, while Georgia, Bridget and Ashley dance along. I can’t help but laugh. When I’m here, it’s like I’m a different person. Especially tonight. I feel like I could
“Lo, it’s fine. You’ve spotted me lots of times. But this is all I have..” she trails off, pulling a little baggie out of her purse.
“Coke, Sam?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “It’s Brody’s. Do you want some or not?”
I bite my lip, thinking. There isn’t much time to decide, though, and I can feel the tremors in my hands and knees. The bar won’t be closing for another two hours and I won’t be leaving for at least another three. “Do you have cash on you?”
She nods her head and digs through her purse again. Wipes the water off of the counter, sets up a line. Looks at me expectantly as she holds out the dollar. After it’s rolled up, I put it to the entrance of my left nostril, plug the other, bend down, inhale. The sensation is a lot like snorting roxies, but I know immediately that the high won’t be the same. I’ve never done coke before, but I don’t tell that to Sam. Instead, I say thank you, give her a quick hug and run back out to my station at the bar. Kaitlin sees me and moves back to her side.
After a few minutes, the shaking hasn’t stopped. If anything, it’s gotten worse. And then my heart starts to beat wildly. And then I feel like running through the streets, waving my hands in the air. I’m on overload, hyper drive, pouring drinks and talking and smiling like I actually enjoy what I do. Nathan catches my eyes and I smile at him. His brows furrow in confusion and he smiles back hesitantly, but I hardly even notice. My focus is on doing my job and doing it well.
It feels like the rest of the night passes in the blink of an eye, yet I’ve made more money than I have since I started working here almost one month ago. My feet don’t hurt, my side isn’t aching. I’m ready to keep going. Sam strolls over to the now empty bar as I’m wiping down the surfaces.
“God, Sam,” I whisper. “That stuff is amazing.”
She smiles knowingly. “I know. I only do it on the weekends but it’s like being a superhero, right?”
I laugh loudly. “Yeah, just without the flying part or the superpowers part, but besides that.”
“ Speaking of weekends,” she says, drawing out the word weekends . “There’s this party at one of Brody’s friend’s house tomorrow. Would you wanna come?”
“I don’t think I can, Sam.”
“Oh, come on! It’ll be so much fun, and when’s the last time we partied together?” She bats her eyelashes and sticks out her bottom lip. “Pretty please?”
I bite the inside of my cheek. “I guess I could come after my shift. I’m first cut so I shouldn’t be here too late.”
It’s a bad idea to go to a party. Danny would flip his shit if he knew, but I’m supposed to be working and I can tell him that I have a long shift. Maybe it’ll work. Maybe I’ll be able to drink and dance and have fun like Sam and I used to before Danny was in the picture.
“Danny can never know,” I demand, looking at her straight in the eyes.
She drags a finger across her chest. “Cross my heart.”
“Uh, Lo?” Nathan calls from the end of the bar.
Sam ’s eyes drift over him, a surprised smile playing at her lips. “I know him. Who is he?” she whispers.
“Sorry, Nathan, I’m just saying bye to my friend.” To Sam, I say, “That’s my boss and you have to go before I get fired and don’t have an excuse to come to your party. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
With that, she walks away, throwing a wink over her shoulder in my direction. At least I hope it was in my direction. I get back to wiping counters and collecting glasses, disgusted at the mess people leave behind. Kaitlin turns the radio up and starts singing at the top of her lungs, while Georgia, Bridget and Ashley dance along. I can’t help but laugh. When I’m here, it’s like I’m a different person. Especially tonight. I feel like I could
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