Counting Stars

Bonus Chapter from the ladies' point of view.

The night was going fairly slow with the evening drinkers trickling in by fewer and fewer numbers. Lola busied herself wiping down the bar's counters while ensuring to keep an eye out for any dangerous drunks that were known for giving said bar a bad reputation.

Working at The Gutter became more of a chore when Bugs suddenly stopped coming. Lately there had been more bar fights and less peaceful reconciliations and more gang violence than simple patrons looking to have a good time.

She supposed it served her right for choosing to work in one of the worst bars in the city with little to no company except her boyfriend Sylvester and Taz. At least when Bugs was around the nights proved uneventful; no one dared to piss him off when he came in for a drink.

But she had to play the hand she was dealt. Her rent wasn't going to pay itself and neither were her acting classes. Plus she kind of liked the old beer hut, it had its ups and downs but it sure beat prancing around in that uncomfortable apron taking orders from ungrateful people in the most sexist establishment she ever encountered back when she had been a waitress.

Not that being a bartender was glamorous. It took true grit to deal with what she had to on a daily basis. Many nights the three of them found themselves throwing people out left and right or having to call the cops because some idiot fired a gun.

No, when Bugs was around he had the place wrapped around his finger with everyone in awe of him. And anyone stupid enough to challenge him would have their asses kicked and their pride shamed just the way they ought to be.

Sure, he was trouble himself, what with the wild temper he was notorious for, but Bugs also had a sweet side, at least, that's what she thought when he spent late nights listening to her vent about her problems.

He called himself a loner but she highly doubted anyone with such charm and willingness to help those in need was the type of person who desired solitude. He was even nice to Sylvester when a group of thugs tried knocking him around.

She just hoped he wasn't dead. It was foolish, she knew, befriending someone who hung out at the bar; most times they were up to no good and wanted by the police, but Bugs seemed different. Even Taz, who rarely liked anybody, took a liking to him.

Yep, Bugs was a rare gem, a diamond in the rough, a good guy under that tough exterior. Wherever he was, she hoped he was okay.

"Yes Dad everything's fine." Carrie rolled her eyes affectionately at her father's insistence to check up on her and her brother despite the fact that they were both legal adults. Sure, she had given him good reason to be concerned half the time but she was amending her behavior by attending her classes and partying less.

Even Daffy had commended her on her efforts, but her father was different. He worried for her safety and her future. Of course, if her brother hadn't been a troublemaker in the beginning, it wouldn't have rubbed off on her and she would be the little Miss Goodie Two Shoes her father always wanted.

Seriously, how was she supposed to know that Daffy would reform into this super sophisticated autodidact capable of having many cling to every word he spoke? Last thing she remembered of him was the wild pariah who was too young to realize his own self worth. But it was good how times change.

Her father was still rambling on and on about obeying rules and following guidelines and a whole bunch of other stuff she was carefully tuning out. She had heard it all before and it never once made her feel like being a better person, instead it made her slightly jealous of Daffy, who was off working late at the school and sparing himself the torment of having to listen to this.

She loved her father dearly-they both did, but he was a bit of a stick in the mud sometimes when it came to anything fun and this was because he practically raised them by himself and thus never really gave himself the liberty of a person without responsibilities.

She supposed the revolutionary in her came from her mother's side while Daffy's protectiveness and straight-laced ways came from her father's side without a doubt. Her brother even had the same brown eyes and dark hair their father had. The apple never did fall far from the tree after all.

"Dad I told you, we're fine. Now tell me more about that hardware store lady you like so much." Carrie offered, hoping to cheer her father up a little and also change the subject.

That had him going, her Dad spent the rest of the conversation talking about Rianne, the clerk at the hardware store whom he had a liking for.

It gave Carrie some relief to see her father finally over her mother; heaven knows he had had it rough. It was nice having him speak about other women and his ventures in the dating world. But nothing was more relieving than not having to talk to him about living in California.

The state was beautiful, no lie, but she always had trouble adjusting to new situations. This was precisely why they moved her there in the first place. Her brother and her father figured she'd get into less trouble when she no longer had her influences to corrupt her. It was their best, most foolproof plan to get her on the straight and narrow and as much as she hated to admit it: it was working.

She had started doing some self-exploration with the amount of free time she now had these days since she no longer partied and found she had a passion for something she never imagined.

She had found a new school, well specifically a flyer on the ground advertising a new school, and had gone to check it out. Then it had been love at first sight. A culinary arts school her father would never approve of. That's not a proper career; he'd say and then end the discussion completely. Her brother would be a bit more understanding, knowing that their father only rejected the idea of any career in the Arts because he was more of a Science and Mathematics man himself.

She was at a loss and only hoped her father didn't find out that she was skipping classes and thinking of switching schools. It would be too much for him to deal with. In the end though, it was all about what she wanted and though she wasn't the best at making good life decisions, one look at any of her old friends could confirm that, she still reserved the right to decide how she wanted to live.

And so far, it just felt like it was meant to be. The world better have made room because she was coming through.