Chapter 3
Waking up to the ear splitting alarm of her phone. Signalling that it was 7am and time for Piper to get up. Today she was job hunting. Getting up at 7 was enough of a struggle for her, let alone getting out of the apartment by 8:30. Dragging herself out of bed Piper made her way to the bathroom across the hall. Getting into the shower, she spend the next 20 minutes getting ready. Heading out of the bathroom, clean and dressed, she headed to the kitchen. Filling up a flask to take coffee with her and picking up a cereal bar to have on the way to her first choice of work. Picking up her resume from the coffee table, she headed out the door at exactly 8:30am.
Several hours later it was getting dark outside. God knows how long she has been looking for a job with no luck hat so ever. Piper hadn't checked her phone since midday when she got a call off her mom asking her to return home on the weekend with the rest of her family. Not giving a straight answer Piper had ended the call and turned her phone off in fear of her mother calling back and asking the same question till she got the answer she wanted.
As it was dark it must have been at least 7 by now. Spotting the small bar at the end of the street she found herself on, Piper entered.
Walking in she found herself in a homey feeling bar. Several tables spread out to the left of the door, right from the front of the room up till the final table which was directly in front of the bar. There were bar stools that were unoccupied. Briefly surveying the entire bar, looking round with interest, Piper headed towards the bar. Resume in hand and a handbag resting on her left shoulder.
Apprehensively looking round the room again as she approached the bar, she heared someone calling out.
"Hey you" Piper thought nothing much of it at first. "Laura Ingalls wilder." This time turning round, Piper realised it was her that was being called. It was a woman, long black hair done to perfection. Secretary glasses adorned her face with a tattoo on the arm facing her however Piper couldn't make out what it was from this distance. She didn't have much more time to look as she called out once again.
"We're skipping America before the apocalypse wana come?" said the woman again, smirking afterwards and lifting her beer bottle to her bright red lips to take a sip.
"Sorry?" Piper questioned, very confused. However shyly smiling, attempting to appear as polite.
"What can I get for ya?" Still confused, Piper turned briskly towards the bartender asking her question.
"Oh, hi. I was wondering if you're hiring." She asked, a small smile on her face. Not wanting to appear rude.
"No sorry." The bartender replied, looking down and away from here. But Piper was becoming desperate. She had been to over 20 places today alone. Handing out her resume, hoping to find a job. Somewhere.
"Well can I leave this with you?" Piper asked, handing the resume over the bar to the man.
With a sigh the man replied with. "Honestly, it's just gonna end up in a draw somewhere. So…" Giving Piper an apologetic look and another sigh.
"Okay," Piper responds with a defeated look. "Well…" Piper trailed off, looking over her right shoulder at the strange yet intriguing woman from earlier. "Can I have a margarita then?" she asked. Giving up with trying to find a job today.
"That I can do for you," the bartender replied, grabbing a glass to make her drink.
Finally, Piper slowly sat down at the bar on one of the stools with a light smile on her face. Taking in the bar once again. Till…
"It's a little cold out for a margarita, don't ya think?" That voice again. That raspy but feminine voice flooded her ears. This time much closer than the last. Turning round Piper came face to face with the same woman from earlier. Only this time, she was stood right next to her. Giving a little smile towards her, the other woman looked down and picked up her oh so brilliant resume.
"Let's see this." She began reading. "Steve's Greek quinine," the woman quirked an eyebrow, a small smirk arising on her face. "La grande Fromage. Bullshit, bullshit" she said with a chuckle. "You need a lesson in forging a resume"
"Do you work here?" Piper questioned hopefully but suspiciously, wondering what this woman wants from her.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" The dark haired woman replied chuckling and an amused look to wards Piper. She can't help herself from staring at this woman, who she doesn't even know the name of. As she continues reading, Piper just silently stares at this woman who she seems to have taken an interest in for some reason.
"Manager: Polly Harper." Hearing this broke Piper out of her trance she seems to have found in this woman. Looking up from the paper the woman continues, "no-one named Polly Harper gets put in charge, who is that really?" She questions Piper with the amused look that seems to be permanently painted on her face.
"My friend," Piper replies with a sheepish smile which receives a heartfelt laugh from the still mysterious woman. This causes Piper to look down in embarrassment due to being caught out.
"You've never waited a fucking table in your life, have you?" The woman begins the sentence with a laugh but ends it with a slightly more serious tone. But still adorning that smile across her face. Slowly Piper responds with a smile, a slight shake of her head and quiet 'no'. Causing the woman to smile and silently chuckle which could have only possibly been heard by the two of them.
Turning away, the woman goes back to looking at the resume.
"So…Piper Chapman." Once again catching Pipers attention. "A Smith grad with excellent listening skills. Passionate about making diners feel good" The woman reads dramatically. Causing Piper to look at the bar in shame and embarrassment. "Mmhhh, that sounds kinda naughty." The brunette says suggestively.
Finally Piper's drink comes, placed in front of her by the bartender. The woman tells him to put it on her tab and gestures to Pipers drink and herself for emphasis. Still holding Pipers increasingly embarrassing resume. Piper goes to pick up the drink but is interrupted, when she heards
"Safe, clean and careful when handling food and drink," followed by a laugh from the other woman. Which made Piper finally rip the horrific resume from the woman's hands muttering a 'gosh' under her breath, expressing her embarrassment through rubbing her temple ith her hand that isn't clasped around the sheet of paper that caused this embarrassment.
"I like that in a woman." She hears over the screams of embarrassment in her head. Looking up the other woman is staring at her, this time no joke about her expression. "What else do I need to know about you?" she asks, intrigued. Piper stares at her till she finally asks the question that she's had in her head for the entire length of the conversation.
"Who are you?" She asks, still staring at the woman. Becoming increasingly interested. Placing her bottle down, the woman turns to face her once again.
"My name is Alex." Finally. A name to put to this woman so finds so interesting. They both smile at each other for a few seconds. Piper becoming completely entranced with Alex. Piper finally breaks the silence.
"And what do you do Alex?" She asks, with an adorable smile. "Besides of make fun of strangers in bars?" Sill with a painted smile across her features. Her eyes scanning every inch of Alex's face.
"I work for an international drug cartel." Alex replies. 100 percent serious. No sign of a joke shown at all. A million things run through Pipers mind; starting at 'what' and ending with 'why aren't I freaking out about this'. Till Alex starts laughing, followed by Piper. Creating a beautiful duet.
Their laughter dies down. Piper still unsure of what this woman actually does. Was she telling the truth? Piper didn't think much in to it for now. Concentrating too much on the beautiful woman named Alex who has yet to sit down. Not realising she was staring Piper is knocked back to reality when Alex gives a light cough to get her attention.
Sensing it was late, Piper decided she should probably leave if she had to go and look elsewhere for a job tomorrow since today was such a bust.
"It's getting late, I should probably head home," Piper suggests. Not really wanting to leave this woman. AT least without her number, but not wanting to seem pushy or desperate and ask for it herself.
"Ahh, yeah. Okay. You may need to think about altering your resume before you hand it out to anyone else tomorrow" Alex chuckled. I was is if she read my mind Piper thought. "Can I get your number?" Piper heard Alex ask. Squealing slightly, Piper nodded her head and got out her phone.
"Here, just add yours into mine." Handing it over to Alex she sent a minute staring at Alex while she was inserting her number into Pipers phone.
Handing Piper's phone back, Alex gave a grin in Pipers direction.
"I'll see ya around." Alex said, assuming Piper was now ready to leave.
"Yeah, see you," Piper responded with a large smile radiating her features as she looked at Alex one last time before she turned away and headed out the door of the bar.
Out on the street, Piper took out her phone and searched for Alex's name in her contact list.
It was there for sure 'Alex'. It was simple but it made Piper smile like a school girl none the less. Walking to her car, Piper could not wipe the grin off her face but she couldn't pin point why. There was definitely something about Alex. Just what. Getting in to the car, Piper turned on the engine and paused to look at the bar one last time.
The Lucky Star.
She made a note to remember it as she drove off in the direction of her apartment. To end the night alone. Hoping she will see Alex again. Sometime in the near future.