CHAPTER FIVE
Was this the plan? No. Is he still here? Yes.
Alex leaving her his number at the front desk was more than a bit odd, but he'd still programmed it into his phone, more out of the polite ideals of the century than anything else. And, if she calls, at least he'll know who it is. Jonas had been right about one thing though; the Island isn't his usual scene. At all. Party-goers and pimps all around, or at least that's how he'd describe the whole thing. He's never been one for all the flashing lights and moving bodies. For nearly 30 minutes now he's just been leaned up against a wall, glancing over the people who pass by, and glaring at any that have the interest or the balls to stare. Those are few and far in between.
Getting his footing would be a good way to describe it. Trying to remember how to act, what he knows about the place, and who exactly is working the bar at the moment. One of those things is obvious - he can spot Alex's bright hair even halfway across the dance floor - but the rest only comes with observation. As long as he keeps his mouth shut, no one messes with him, and the Island is a club. Jonas can be just another face in the crowd by the end of the night. He'll most certainly be fine with that.
It takes him another few minutes to pick himself up off of the wall, curving his way through the swarm of people through a mixture of butting shoulders and excused glances. Salmon swimming against the stream. A shit metaphor, but it works, because people don't want to move and he has places to be at the moment. It feels better to be away from the pits and at the bar, but Jonas doesn't bother sitting down. At least, he won't until he has a drink in his hand. That might loosen him up enough to actually get him talking to people. He isn't exactly antisocial, just… Not as energetic. God this really isn't his usual MO, and it's kind of making him uncomfortable? But that's fine. He can tough it out for free alcohol.
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She's at the turning point in her shift, and it's exactly what she needed. Having to focus on multiple things at once - dealing with people, and drinks, and the POS system - all underscored with music that she really doesn't mind— it lets her brain work in the moment. And it's something Alex is good at, which is reassuring. That she's capable of something. That she's useful. That she's needed. 'Cause this place wouldn't be doing nearly so well without her, not tonight.
She's hit her stride, smoothly running her well and picking up the slack for others, all grins and laughs and reassurances. Sundays aren't as packed as Saturdays, but it's summer and they're still pretty busy. There's a slight lull in the action, and Alex is clearing a couple empty glasses from the counter when she spots him. She'd already been in a good mood, because work does that for her, but upon seeing him she lights up even more. "Hey! You made it!"
The stools at the bar are rarely ever used, tucked underneath as people mostly just come and go while dancing, but she taps the bar in an invitation to sit. "What'll it be, angel? I'm giving you a $30 tab, on me, for as long as it lasts; use it wisely."
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Jonas rolls his eyes a bit at the nickname, kicking a bar stool out from underneath the counter to settle himself. "I guess that's sticking, then. Just a Guinness is fine."
Thirty dollar tab. He's going to blow through that within the night, based on the prices at this place. The Island doesn't exactly seem high-class, but it certainly isn't a 'let everyone who wants to enter, enter' kind of place, based off of the bouncers out front. Some girl had helped him get in, probably because the guy out front had been pretty goddamn confused to see him. And maybe a little intimidated. Jonas had been proud of that, at least, but the girl (he thinks her name was Maddie) had almost certainly been trying to earn his favor. She hasn't shown up again though, which means he isn't going to be avoiding her all night. Another perk of being able to get lost in the crowd.
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Alex's eyes narrow at his comment on the nickname, some part of her considering her little tally of weirdly angel-like things he's done, but goes for the cooler and grabs a can, pops it open, then flips a glass out over her palm, giving the can a second to settle before doing the fancy-schmancy are you doing it the right way pour. She knows this stuff. She has to know this stuff; some people are really fuckin' picky about beer.
"So." She passes over the glass, then leans on her palms on her side of the bar top. "You don't work Sunday nights?" For some reason she thought he did? Had he mentioned something about it? Admittedly, she's not always great at remembering personal details, when they're not attached to paychecks, but she coulda sworn he said something. Maybe it was about the boxing thing?
Her eyes flick down the bar a bit, "Sorry, just—" Holding up a finger, she moves down to get the man's order - nodding, smiling that crooked smile as she tosses out a teasing joke before assuring him she's got it all, give her a sec. Shooting an apologetic look to Jonas, she fills the order in record time, no fancy bottlework, no tricks, just speedy, before coming back. "Sorry."
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He just nods his head to both the question and her sudden disappearance, nursing the cup as he watches her work. It's something he's used to, having to stop in the middle of a conversation, but at least Alex has perfected the strange art of getting through it quickly. Something even he flubs sometimes. "Sundays are my usual free days. Reggie takes care of the bar with Daniel, and I usually get a full night's sleep. For once."
Every other day, he's working with clients, serving the bar, or sleeping. Or getting food. Your general survival skills for adulthood. Jonas is at least trying to drink slowly, both to keep Alex from having to fill cups every five seconds and so that he can waste as much time here as possible. He knows how fast nights go, even if it's usually a blur, and she's being… oddly professional?
Well not really odd. It's just a contrast to how he's seen her before. Drunk and tossed over his shoulder, and then thrown on the mats, and it's more jarring to see Alex working normally than it is to see her in public. Which is both a blessing and a curse. Maybe he'll actually be able to hold a conversation for once.
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"Daniel— that's the owner, right?" She's managing to keep her eyes on him even as she's filling some woman's ask for a vodka tonic (boring). "How long have you been working at the Kanaloa, then? You're not a local, so you… moved here for school?"
For once, she's not flirting shamelessly. Mostly 'cause she's spending so much in front of him that someone will get the wrong idea if she's being too flirtatious. Even the appearance of being single can be helpful, in an environment like this. Unfortunately. Or maybe fortunately, since she's… always single. Even when in a relationship. Ugh, nope, stop thinking about depressing lonely things.
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"Yup. Started it a good few years ago, way before I joined up. Used to live down in North Valley, but I kinda needed to…" Get away from everything that happened. Stop dealing with the people who knew about his record - who extended his record. Find a place where he actually felt like he could breathe fresh air for once. "Restart, I guess. Now I've set up roots."
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Huh. Alex raises an eyebrow, because that sounds like a story that's not being told, but he doesn't elaborate. So she shakes her head, looks away, shoots a smile at someone approaching the bar with that 'time to settle up' look about him, and excuses herself again to close out his tab.
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The question had caught Jonas's attention, though there's a lull in their conversation as he swirls his glass back and forth, waiting for her to return. "You said you had friends from back home— means you aren't a local, either. Just come here for the party scene?" It's a bit of a jab, but he's got that signature half-smile on his face, just a little paced for the public eye. Not his usual cool bartender look, but something similar.
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Back in a flash, still with that thank-you smile on, Alex settles in front of him again before he voices his own question. Her smile hooks into a smirk, shooting him a sidelong glance at the subtle teasing. "Grew up by the coast, actually— Camena. After school I knew I wanted to be in a city - not just for the party scene, just 'cause they're more interesting. More to do, in general. Slow towns bore me. But I wanted to stay on the West coast… It was gonna be Portland, Seattle, or somewhere down in SoCal, but I didn't want to deal with the heat, so. Here we are."
Her gaze skirts away again, focusing on straightening the bar caddy in front of her station. "And this way my mom is still just a few hours away." Not that she ever visits. And thank God for that. And her dad… well, her dad hasn't talked to her in years, really. After getting remarried, his old family is just… reminders. "Any siblings?" she shoots back, glancing up again. Not that she's thinking of Michael. Not that she's always thinking about Michael. Ugh. Why did she ask. Right: because even when being professional, there's not nearly enough filter between her brain and her mouth.
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Jonas shakes his head a bit, "None that I'm aware of. Been an only child since forever, basically." There's a pause when he glances back, and spots the wonder girl from before. Maddie. She hasn't noticed him yet, and he's not about to draw attention to himself, so he just leans further on the bar and takes another swig from his drink. "What about you? Anyone I should watch out for, considering I flipped you over my shoulders earlier today?"
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Alex's smile falters for a second. "Not really." She rolls her palm forward on the edge of the well, pressing hard against the dates on her wrist. Not anymore. She's so distracted that she doesn't even make a cheeky comment about her free flight earlier. Clearing her throat, she looks away again, checking down the bar. But it looks like Mick is handling most of the traffic down at her end at this point, as things slow down a little.
"So you moved here for school, got a job at the Kanaloa… how did the boxing start?" The interrogation is kinda nice, when she's the one asking. Being asked is… not as good.
God. She needs a drink.
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That means he hit a nerve. Jonas is quick enough to backpedal, because he isn't here to dredge up bad memories, and it seems like that's exactly what he'd just done. Though getting asked about the boxing is a bit of a distraction. "Mostly because I joined up with the gym. I didn't originally plan on teaching people, but someone needed a personal trainer, said I caught their eye… kinda went from there. Keeps me in shape, at least. Gets me free classes."
And keeps him from pummeling random people on the street. Even if he hasn't done that in years. Even if he hasn't really thought about doing that in years. Which is probably a good thing. But it's also looming over his head - like one of those old factory '_ days without an incident' boards.
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Focused on his answers, it's a little easier to get playful again. "Mmhm, 'caught their eye,' sure," Alex laughs. She's still not looking at him, though she does glance up with a half smile at the keeps me in shape. "Not gonna say anything about that," she comments, playing with a spare bottle, absently. "I'm on the clock."
The music changes, and without an order to fill, Alex is left tapping her foot, flipping the bottle a few times to keep her hands busy. "I have to say, I'm kinda surprised you showed. Doesn't seem like your scene. I thought you had an aversion to partying," she grins, getting bolder with both her words and actions, tossing the bottle from behind her back. She learned to juggle for this career. Well, kind of. Learned it 'cause her hands were bored; got better 'cause she had to keep upping the ante.
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He manages not to snort at her comments. "Aversion to partying is one way to put it. I'm not antisocial - or at least, I don't think I am - but big events like this aren't really my forte. Never have been. Introverted would be a better way to put it, I guess? I dunno. I'm rambling." Jonas is definitely rambling. Spilling personal info isn't his forte, either, but Alex is a bartender, and so is he. Comes with the territory a bit.
The pint is empty, and he's fine for now without a refill. Instead he listens to the hollow noise of the glass circling on the bar top as he moves it back and forth, still checking over his shoulder every so often. It isn't exactly paranoid— more like the need to make sure someone isn't about to pop up and scare him. More jumpy than when he's behind the bar, that's for sure. "You look like you're thriving on the energy, though. Explains why you chose to work the Island instead of the many, many other options."
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"Thanks, I think," she shoots him a narrow-eyed glance, but it's teasing. She knows it's more compliment than unflattering observation. "'Thriving' is a nicer way to put it than what I usually get." It's a grim smile, but she shrugs it off. "And this place has pricier drinks, which means better autograt and tips in general. Plus, they wanted some eye candy, so…" Alex rolls her eyes. Typical club stuff, really. She'd much rather be a bartender than be part of the bottle service crew at some places. Or working some resort like Cancun. The bar is protection and power. Here she's a legitimate employee. With skills. Even if part of her hire was probably based on looks. Whatever. It pays the rent.
"I've worked other spots. They were plenty of fun, and I could wear flannels when I wanted," which was often, "but this pays a hell of a lot better." She's been bartending on and off since she wasn't even legally allowed to do it. Though, technically, she'd been employed as a barback before she started learning the trade. Now she has a nice handful of solid references, even if she got bored and moved on after however many months.
"Plus-" she lets out a laugh, "It's not like I care about showing some skin, not in this heat." Not if there wasn't anyone actually getting too close. As long as no one was being a dick about it. And she hasn't had any kind of safety issues here so far. Even heading home at 4am. So it seems promising, despite her worries to the contrary. So far, this neighborhood at least is better than the place she'd worked straight out of college. That had been… Well. Suffice it to say, she'd stopped wearing heels. Too paranoid.
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Nicer than she usually gets. …Yeah, that's about par for the course.
Jonas has to act fast when another Guinness ends up slid his way, Alex's coworker motioning behind him as he turns around. Maddie's made another appearance. She takes a seat just one stool over from him, a big grin on her face. He does his best to return the favor, glancing over the drink before she starts talking again.
"Figured you might want another. Saw you drinking it beforehand, so…" She's doing the thing. The thing where a girl twirls her hair between her fingers and hides her face a bit. Cute, admittedly, but not really his go-to.
"I should be the one buying you drinks, for helping me out at the door."
She's giggling. Also kind of cute. "Oh, that wasn't anything to bleed over. Just a little bit of a favor in return would be fine."
"Name your price."
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Admittedly, part of Alex is a little annoyed to be interrupted. But she takes it in stride. Besides, having Mick take over an order she should've filled is reminder enough that she's been paying too much attention to Jonas. Pulling an apologetic face for a second at Mick, getting a good-natured eye roll in return, Alex helps pick up some of the extra patrons on the other end of things. When she glances back to her guest, he's smiling at li'l miss dimples.
If she's trying to build up a friendship with this guardian angel guy, the least she can do is help him get a date, right? Since he obviously hasn't returned her flirting. And this girl is kind of... adorable? So she slides back to her spot just in time to take an order, smiling broadly. "He's already got a tab going, hon, but I'm happy to add something to it?" Eyebrows raised in a slightly cheeky look at Jonas. Well look who's pulling tail at the Island. And he said he didn't even like clubs. She's not too sore over it. No right to be, anyway, so she won't be.
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Jonas makes an almost accusatory noise, but Maddie seems more than happy to order a Tequila Sunrise, moving just a bit closer to him so they can talk. It doesn't bother him as much as he'd originally thought. Having Alex wingwoman for him is a bit… weird? Especially since she'd been flirting with him both today and the day before that, but he isn't complaining. Of course the girl banks instantly on talking about his tattoos, because that's where most people go to. Wanting to hear the stories on them, how he'd gotten them, did it hurt, etc etc etc. Though she isn't unpleasant about her advances. If Jonas had to peg her attitude on something, it'd be more 'southern belle' than Alex's 'avid barfly.'
Wait. Why is he comparing her to Alex? That is— okay, too early for that. Technically, it's too early for either of them. At least he's know her for more than just a night. Wouldn't be his first time in the moment, but he hasn't had an actual one night stand in at least a year. Jonas's drinks are probably kicking in just a little bit, that must be it. Which means he's probably going to make some pretty stupid choices. Also par for the course. He isn't surprised when she slips him a napkin with her name and number on it, though he probably won't need that tonight, based on the current conversation.
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It's not exactly polite to listen in on conversations, so Alex goes back to what she should've been doing anyway: her job. She glances over, or pauses nearby a few times, at least once to refill the girl's drink and wiggle her eyebrows at Jonas with a bit of a smirk. It's maybe a little weird to be so on board for hooking this guy up with someone else, but— well, she'd probably fucked it up coming into his place and getting wasted and… Well, he's too classy for her. Too upstanding. She's a bit of a mess, and he's obviously better than that. But he's also a seriously good guy. A guy she'd really like to keep as a friend. And a guy who totally deserves to bang this chick. So yeah, she's gonna do everything she can.
Apparently there's some guy getting married soon, 'cause about 25 minutes later a well-pickled bachelor party shows up, and Alex grins. Absolute idiots, but in a way they're incredibly entertaining. And good for tips, if things are going well. After a bit of goading from the boys, she and Mick double up on a little show, and Alex is so grateful that someone else wasted their time learning useless shit like bottle tricks, 'cause they get a lovely ovation and, while the orders are a little jumbled because everyone's trying to order for everyone at the same time, when the group head onto the dance floor she and Mick share a high five in passing, grinning at one another for a job well done. Ten minutes of work made her more than the last hour. And they sprung for shots for the lovely lady bartenders who helped them out. The good stuff. And her favorite: tequila. Nice.
She doesn't head back to Jonas until she catches li'l miss dimples on her way out, and when she gets back to him he's tucking away a napkin. "You're welcome," she grins, bobbing a sarcastic curtsy, jerks her head toward the exit. "Cute kid." Kid. Like the girl isn't right around their age. Benefits of being a bartender: you get to treat everyone else like you're older and wiser. Excellent perk. "I'll admit, I totally forgot about the cover. Next time I'll just have you on the list. Make it easier for everyone." She's a bit flush with the high of attention as well as the tequila flowing in her veins. Bright. Happy. It's a good look for her.
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Jonas really wants to flick her in the forehead, or at least be generally annoying, but the bar is too wide and he's not really in the mood. Which is rare. People tend to think he's more sour than he is, or at least more intimidating— And how can he blame them, built like he is? So he's used to either sticking out like a sore thumb or blending in as best he can. Having a conversation with a girl, and an entertaining one at that, isn't how he'd imagined he'd be spending his night. Maddie is sweet, and he was being more laid back than usual. Saying Alex is a good influence on him would be a stretch, but… Eh. Technically it's right. Very, very technically.
"Thank you. If I even should be. Abandoning me to go play parlor tricks while I get shamelessly hit on, that's totally how you do your job." It's easy to tell he's joking. Jonas starts to stand up, takes out a wad of cash, places it absentmindedly onto the counter. Good service, and a good end to what started out as a bit of a shitty night. "Could've warned me about the doorman, though. Pain to get through when people expect you to start shit." There's a bit of a lull in the conversation as he watches the party-goers jump through to the dance floor, snorting softly at how they stumble over one another. It's almost a different side of him. Less of the formal, uptight view most people get. Jonas is still in his usual stance, leaned up against the bar and watching the crowd, but it's softer somehow. More relaxed when his head tips to the side to follow Maddie as long as he can catch the bounce of her curls.
He doesn't expect it to work out, or amount to more than a one night stand, but she's cute and Jonas doesn't have any qualms about the idea.
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"I serve drinks and I make life a little easier, it's the job description. And your life will be easier if you loosen up a little, Jonas." No angel, no Jojo. Just Jonas. Genuine. Alex tucks his cash away with the rest of her tips (look, she tipped him, it's fair), watches him watching the rest of the club, and huffs a laugh. "God, I have to wonder what you're like drunk. One day I'm gonna see it and I'm gonna be absolutely delighted. You owe me one, after last night. You see me sloshed, I see you sloshed. It's like that thing with roommates." There's a bit of mischief in her look, but it's warm, not sharp.
She catches his glance to the southern belle. "Go get 'er, angel." It's back, that nickname. Because it's fitting, for him. God, he's just… so good. How the hell is she gonna keep him around? Well, wingwomaning for him seems like a good start. "She's adorable and only tipsy, so your morality is unquestionable," she teases. "Seriously, go get some."
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"My morality is what now?" He's distracted, and it's easy to tell he's distracted. Though after reviewing the comment in his head a bit, Jonas just rolls his eyes at her, picking himself up off of the bar to go and follow after Maddie. "You know, I'm still surprised you're sticking to that nickname. And you're never going to see me drunk. At least, not if I can help it. You have your own roommate, and I live alone. No plans on acting a fuckin' fool."
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"You're not gonna lose your wings over it, that's all I'm saying." She bites back a comment about his living situation, 'cause now is not the time to flirt— he probably doesn't get that she does that… a lot. Like a lot a lot. So she swallows the comment. "Just… go have fun." Alex waves him away. "…Night, Jonas."
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He's out of earshot when a voice comes from her left. "…So. …Did you just get your heart broken, or was than an ex, or…?" Mick has slowly paced her way up next to Alex as they both watch Jonas leave, one eyebrow raised at her coworker. Of course it isn't her business, but she's intrigued. "'Cause he was a catch. Like, a real fucking looker. Just saying."
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Alex gives her a raised eyebrow. "…No." It's flat, but amused. "He works at a bar down the street. I was a bit of a plastered mess and figured I owed him one." Her eyes look to the exit again. "Also: yes. And I did try. Like I said: utterly plastered." She grins. Mick grins back.
Notes: Okay, yeah, I am aware that not a single person on FFnet is reading this. But you know what? Some day someone will. And then I will be glad I posted it for them. For now though, may the ether enjoy our words.