"Fuck" Alex spat as she wiped the hot coffee off her tight-fitting jeans. She had accidently spilt her coffee as she overlooked an advert in the newspaper, advertising for bar work in a bar down town. Alex had recently been in some trouble with drugs and was trying to get herself straight so she could help support her alcoholic mother- who was far from getting herself straight and never supported Alex when she was growing up.
Snapping out of her day dream she had succumbed to the wincey burning on her delicate skin as the coffee soaked through her jeans causing Alex to clasp air tightly through her teeth. The pain soon dissolved and Alex went back to reviewing the advert.
"FUSION BAR:
BAR MAIDS WANTED – HOURLY RATE $6. NEED TO BE OUTGOING, EASY ON THE EYE AND ABLE TO MAKE MONEY.
AGE 21+
CALL THE NUMBER BELOW IF INTERESTED"
Below was a number with the name 'ANT', Alex was desperate for money and knew that she had been an easy money maker in her previous job (not one she planned to return to anytime soon), so she took out her phone, dialled the number and listened to the dial tone ring 4 times.
"Ant speaking" –
"Hi, I saw your ad in the paper and just wanted to know if there's a time I can come down to the bar and meet ya"
"Yeah sure, the bars open tonight I'll be around if you want to pop in between 8-10"
"yah, sounds cool – see you tonight"
Alex hung up, swigging at her last mouthful of coffee she grabbed her worn leather jacket and scrambled out of the diner. The wind was brisk blowing at Alex's long black locks as she jumped onto her outdated motorbike, threw on her helmet and sped off into the suburban city.
"Are you alright Piper?" Larry shouted through to the kitchen not being bothered to drag himself from the couch, where he had built a forte of paperwork.
"Yes Lar, I'm fine – just looking for the red I brought the other week. Have you seen it?"
Larry sat sheepishly on the sofa not knowing how to reply. He knew full well that Piper had brought the wine for tonight as Friday was always some form of alcohol beverage night. "Uh, uhm, uh" –
"Larry?" Piper questioned as she slightly shouted through the living room door swinging her hips across the kitchen, not hearing the beginning to what seemed like Larry's sheepish reply.
"Yeah – uhm me and Pete drank it the other night, when you and Polly were at Pilates" – he sat and listened for a response, but nothing was said. "It's just the game was on and we didn't have any beers in" –
"Alright Larry, I should've guessed. I'm just going to finish up the dishes and go grab some from Henry's" Piper sighed as she half-heartedly smiled in Larry's direction.
"Oh No! I'll go Piper, don't be silly it's getting late!" –
"Oh shut up Larry, it's two blocks over – you're always such a drama queen!"
Piper threw the last few dishes onto the draining board and headed over to the front door, grabbing her denim jacket from the hook and pulling on the little brown ankle boots that she wore religiously since Christmas, Piper left the apartment slamming the door behind her.
It was cold outside and Piper cursed Larry's name in her head a few more times than she should've. "Why is he such a selfish prick! He's constantly pissing me off and dicking around. Oh, but the game was on bla bla fucking bla – do you really think I care if the game was on you arsehole". She finally realised what she was doing and told herself to stop – she knew she had been short tempered recently but Larry was testing her patience this week.
She got to Henry's in a matter of minutes but to her luck it was closed – "who knew liquor store closed before 11pm on a Friday night? What a fucking funny joke." Piper murmured to herself. She pulled out her phone pressing a couple of buttons and held the handset to her ear.
"Hello Piper, what's up? Bit of a strange time to call don't you think?"
"Alright grandma, it's only 9pm on a Friday night what's your name? Larry?" Piper responded in a half sarcastic, half serious tone.
"Jesus, who's twisted your undies tonight?" it was Polly on the phone Pipers go to for everything, from her parent's affairs to her petty boy problems.
"Sorry Pol, just Larry has really fucked me off tonight he's such an idiot and" –
"Woah, Piper calm down" Polly was giggling which was only winding Piper up more. "Tell me what happened"
"He drank the wine, so after a lovely fucking meal – which I cooked may I add I go into the cupboard, you know to get out the wine as I usually do on a Friday night." Piper was exhaling loudly as she vented to Polly "And guess what Pol, guess what! You don't even need to guess because it's too predictable Larry the loser and your Pete the prick drunk the lot." Piper stopped to inhale giving Polly a chance to speak.
"Oh Piper!" Polly laughed down the phone "are you bloody joking? I thought Larry had brought a bearded prostitute back to yours from across town or something! What are you doing now? Pete's had to go over to his Mom's for the night to help his Dad with some stuff so I'm free if you wanna go grab a drink?"
Piper couldn't bite Polly's hand off quick enough at the offer – she hung up the phone typed a text and sent it to Larry
TO: LARRY
HI BABE, GOING TO MEET POLLY FOR A DRINK. HENRY'S WAS SHUT AND COULD DO WITH ONE – WOULD SAY MEET US BUT THINK WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT A GIRL'S NIGHT. LET YOURSELF OUT AND I'LL TEXT YOU TOMORROW. SWEET DREAMS.
PIPER X
She proceeded on half jogging, half skipping making her way over to Polly's apartment. As Piper bent over trying to catch her breath Polly shouted out the window "I've buzzed you in, come up!"
Piper jumped almost staggering back off the pavement. "Bloody hell Pol, alright I'll be right up but hurry up and get ready I need a margarita make that a double or two or whatever I just need a drink." Pipers voice echoed down the street and up to Polly's apartment, Polly turned her back to the window rushing over to the bathroom with a grin on her face "a double margarita? That woman is seriously something".
It wasn't long before Polly emerged from the bathroom in her tight blue jeans, white blouse and loafers neatly polished as they sat comfortably on her feet. "Ready?" Piper jumped up threw down the soap catalogue she had been boringly drowning herself in as she waited on Polly.
"Yes! Let's go – I was thinking that bar you know on 63rd Street uhm, Fussle? Fissle?" –
"Fusion Piper, it's called Fusion. But yes, sounds good."
Piper led the way, removing her phone from her back pocket that tightly hugged her bum as she paced down the stairs. She unlocked the phone and saw she received a message from Larry, after a slight sigh she opened it reluctantly
From: LARRY
HI PIPER,
OK NO WORRIES, SORRY IF I'VE PISSED YOU OFF!:( I'LL MAKE IT UP TO YOU!
HOPE YOU AND POLLY HAVE A GOOD EVENING, SEND HER MY LOVE AND DON'T GET TOO DRUNK WE BOTH KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME ;)
LOVE LARRY XXXX
Although Larry was evidently sorry and trying to be nice Piper couldn't help but squirm at his cheesiness but knew he meant well. Smiling slightly, she slid the phone back into her pocket and stepped out onto the street to meet the cold brisk air, Polly following close behind.
