The weekend went over in a haze, one drink turned into a few and we stumbled home drunk at 3am Saturday morning, I spent the whole day in bed. When I got up late Saturday afternoon it was only to grab some water and take my class reading to bed. Sunday was pretty similar except I moved to the sofa to start on some class work for British History Class. By Monday, I was caught up on all my reading for the week and pretty much finished all my essays for my core classes. Waking up Monday remembering I had to go to class for Bucky to most likely bring up Rumlow, was a struggle, I was over it, buried, dead, I don't care.

I got to class earlier and got my notebook, juice, pen and phone on the desk, dating the page on my notebook. Bucky came in 5 minutes before class started and scooted past me to get to his seat, I could feel his eyes on me.

"Morning," I started "How was your weekend?"

"Yeah, good, um, yours?" He looked at me confused, he knows I won't bring it up, clearly.

"Spent most of it in bed, me and Nat went out-"

"Couldn't have been that tired," he muttered under his breathe

"Yeah well-"

"Alright! Time to shut up and learn!" Professor Phillips shouted. "If you've got something to say, I suggest you keep it to yourself."

I frowned and looked to the front of the hall. The class started.

After the professor had announced end of class I turned to Bucky, I went to say something but decided against it, turning and walking out. I raced to my next class.

I spent the rest of the day after classes in the library, and then in the dorm getting ready for my first shift in The Crown, I walked in 10 minutes before shift, Rumlow smiled from behind the bar,

"Your friend didn't scare you away from coming then?"

"Yeah," I walked up to the bar, "I'm sorry about Nat, I don't know what came over her,"

"Well, we have a history," He rubbed the back of his head, "Well not me and Romanov, but that Bucky friend of hers, you know him?"

"Yeah, yeah, we're classmates,"

"Yeah well," he paused looking at his watch, "Look go clock in out back, put your bag in a locker and I'll tell you the story whilst I teach, looks more professional that way,"

I laughed, "You got it,"

When I came back out, I walked behind the bar, looking around it was pretty quiet, I mean it was 4pm on a Monday.

"So, what first?" I smiled

"Well, let's go over the basics; make the patrons happy, but don't give away too many free drinks. Don't drink on duty. Don't get too personal with the patrons, pretty girl like you someone will think they can get handsy," I blushed a little at the compliment "Keep the bar clean, always. Remember to serve people in order, guys hate it when they've waited for ten minutes and someone who has just strolled up gets served first. Um, and you can keep your tips, we all have our own tip jars under the bar, fill it up, take it at the end of the night,"

"Doesn't sound too hard"

"It's really not, oh and on karaoke nights, prepare for drunks climbing on the bar thinking it's Coyote Ugly. Hose 'em down with water, get them out."

I laughed, "Really?"

"Oh yeah, karaoke nights are crazy, hope you have a go-to song, everyone tries to pull the staff up" I covered my face, he laughed nudging me, moving closer "Don't worry, I'll take a bullet for you,"

"I can't imagine singing in front of so many people, definitely didn't sign up for that," I laughed, glowing red I'm sure.

"Yeah, it's definitely not in the job description, it's all in the name of fun though" As he finished a guy came up and ordered two beers on tap, "Hey man, we've got a newbie here, mind it I show her the ropes on your drinks?"

"Sure," the guy looked me up and down lingering on my chest, great.

Brock grabbed two pint glasses, handing me one, putting it under the tap he tilted it and pulled the tap "Tilt, pull, fill" he stated, I did the same "You're a natural,"

I smiled, "Thanks," I placed the pints in front of the customer

"Yeah you're great at head."

Rolling my eyes, "How'd you know anything about head? You look about 12, buddy"

"Just joking around, beautiful" he smirked walking away,

"Look at you; pulling pints and putting down customers-"

"Oh shit, I'm sorry I didn't think-"

"Hey, it's fine, they talk to you like shit you have every right to talk shit back." He smirked down at me,

"I don't know why Nat has an issue with you, you've nothing but kind to me," I told him honestly,

"Well, like I said it wasn't really Nat, it was that guy Bucky," we started to clean the bar down as he told me the story, pausing every once in a while, to serve a customer, "So, me and Bucky used to go the High School together, we played Football together, when he went off to the Army I got a football scholarship, around the time he came back, I changed my degree coming here, same year as him. We hung out a little, we weren't half as close as we were. Anyway, I started seeing this girl, Dot." He sighed, "Look, to cut a long story short, I found her top of Bucky, I went to see her after work, flowers and all and there they were. I was devastated, walked out. Next day I saw Bucky in the quad, confronted him and we got in a big fight, huge actually. He busted my nose; I broke his hand. We both came out of it bad, and ever since we've never spoke."

"Oh my god, Brock that's horrible, I'm so sorry, I never would have guessed, what an ass!"

"Look it was like a year ago if not longer," He shrugged, "Sometimes just wish we could go back to being buddies, side by side on the football field we were unstoppable,"

"Maybe it's better this way," I stroked his arm, "You seem to have a really good group of friends, actually"

"Yeah they're good guys, you should come out with us sometime,"

"Yeah, that'd be fun"

The rest of the shift went by pretty quickly, the bar actually picked up. By 8, it hadn't quietened down and Phil asked me to work an extra hour, I must be doing something right.

I got back to the dorm around 9.30, Brock had offered me a ride but I declined I needed the fresh air, Nat was up on her laptop.

"How was your first shift?"

"Really good, actually, I got asked to do some overtime, must trust me I guess?"

"Mmmhmm," she nodded, typing away, "how was… Rumlow?"

"Fine," she hadn't looked up, "He told me about him and Bucky."

"Really?" Her head whipped up "And?"

"I think it's just horrible,"

"So, we can agree on that at least,"

"I don't know how you can even look at him,"

"It's hard,"

"He's a real piece of shit,"

"Yup," she looked incredibly satisfied with herself, I don't know why she's the one who chooses to be friends with Bucky after what he did.

I scoffed, "Yeah well I'm showering, and then sleeping, I don't want to think about it anymore"

"I'll probably be gone when you get back, I'm staying at... a friend's tonight."

"Wait you have... a friend?"

"Yep-"

"Not going to tell me about him?"

"No, I don't think I will,"

I rolled my eyes, "Well have fun." I walked out with my shower caddy, and when I got back, she was gone.