Closing Arguments

|18|

Nothing like the stench of drink-splattered carpet really, imagine your Kings Cup concoction overflowing into a super-sponge day in and day out.  Yup, a description that can make your throat tense pre-wretch  - you're so welcome.

But as the night turned up and the clientele increased, the spillage flowed more freely than ever.  A Niagra Falls level cascade of mystery drinks all come together,  mingling in their odour.

I'd left Summer at the bar to take a few of the larger orders to their tables and students perched on stool, collecting the graveyard of glassware as I did my loop. Torn up coasters, straws chewed apart adding to the diversity of gunk to be collected from each outpost as I did.

Clad in my uniform you'd think that everything being left to the most imaginative to conjure up all on their own (as they saw fit), that the harassment was low.  Alas that would've been a dream. Instead as Summer and I did our jobs, there was a constant chatter about the two ladies running the show. I could tell Summer was totally unfettered, she had to be to survive as her life was filled with a particular sort of male attention. Who was I kidding, no gender confine on that attention the girl was impeccable and unbiased in that respect. But myself? I'd figured out only how to up my guard, not lower the emotional weight I felt with each jeer or lewd look.

It felt as though everybody on campus was here tonight, a compulsory attendance sort of game of scholarly sardines. I could see old classmates, swerved past acquaintances of Asher's and even could have sworn I spotted the back of Iggy's head at one point. The fact that I was working tonight no hindrance, I would've gladly avoided this pub with pleasure had I been off duty this evening.

As I rounded the corner back to the front bar I watched Summer work her magic in brief awe. She whistled through the shot orders and bourbon demands, pouring as if the drink taps were about to be shut off at any moment. When she caught me appreciating her work rather than helping her actually do any if it, her head tilted in query as if to say - get your ass back up here. Part perfect human part puppy gnawing at my inaction.

A tilt with twice the message I found when I landed behind the bar once more. This time met with the somewhat glassy eyes of Iggy instead.  As the person in front cleared with their beers in hand, he came closer til' he was leaning over the bar with a face contorted in a familiar manner.  That knowing eyebrow heightened and a full pout, made extra adorable with the tipsy air about him. He had on a white tee, a navy sleeveless vest and a light wash pant I couldn't quite spy the color of in the dim setting.  But my peering gaze to find out kept me occupied for a moment longer than allowed me to play innocently unaffected by his appearance.

"Who knew I'd get to see you this evening huh?" Iggy rolled easily as if his voice wore roller skates. His smile only growing the longer my eyes stayed fixed on his face.

"If you're unsure where I am always assume work, especially on the biggest party night of the sem it seems." I gestured around, neglecting to divert my eyes in the process making the hand movement feel more puppeteer than I'd intended.

"When do you finish up - I can wait?" Iggy swallowed an ever bigger grin before cutting right to the chase.

"That's nice of you but I'll be here for ages at this rate, past close." Watching his eyes turn pleading then dejected, but their glassiness guided a swift recovery back to cheeky. "Can I get you another drink?" I smiled as a counter offer. Genuinely disappointed that I couldn't leave anytime soon.

"Hey, I'm supposed to say that." Iggy grumbled low, raising his chest a little off the counter so he was now towering over me once more.

"And yet I'm the one behind the bar. So a bourbon and ginger ale yeah?" A poke to his chest in the process, earning me a look that needed further interpretation but it flittered past before I had the chance to grasp it with both hands.