2. SPILL IN VIP
1147 Words
The Devil's Bar.
Messy. Chaotic. Empty, except for the lingering stench of the night before—alcohol, smoke, and sweat clinging to every surface like a stubborn memory. Glasses lay shattered on the floor, sticky trails of spilled drinks marking the path of careless footsteps.
Chairs were toppled, and the faint echo of boisterous laughter seemed to hang in the stale air, as if the room itself remembered the chaos long after the people had gone.
I navigated through the space and made my way to the office of my boss, Rick. I knocked once, then stepped back, waiting.
"Come in."
I pushed the door and stepped in. He was seated with both of his legs on the desk. He was a big man—bald and muscular with a love for cigars and whiskey.
"Kae, you're extra early this morning," he said, slipping his feet from off the desk.
"I'm always early," I replied, my fingers tightening around my bag.
He smirked. "That's true. Anyways, I have something for you."
He reached into his drawer and pulled out a thick envelope.
"Take it," he said, sliding it towards me.
I frowned and hesitated before taking it. "What's this?"
"Your pay," he replied.
"But... it's only Thursday."
He smiled, the kind that made my stomach twist. "I know. Kae, you work really hard, so I decided to pay you early. Oh, and I added a little bonus."
I blinked, staring at the envelope like it might disappear if I looked too long. My fingers trembled slightly as I lifted it.
"Early... and a bonus?" I whispered, my voice barely steady. My heart was racing, but a knot of suspicion twisted in my stomach. Why now? Why me?
I glanced up at him, searching his smirk for a hint of a trick, but he just watched me, calm, confident. I hesitated, then let a small, almost imperceptible smile slip past my lips. "Thank you."
He grinned. "You're welcome, Kae. When you're off Sunday, you should go out and relax. Take a friend and go shop—whatever you girls do."
I wanted to laugh, but I swallowed it. Relax? Friend?
Those didn't exist in my life.
Sunday was my day off and I was dreading it. I will be at the house all day, and my uncle doesn't work on Sundays.
"Okay," I whispered, forcing a small smile.
He returned one.
I left the office seconds later and went to my locker. I stuffed my bag inside and then headed to the janitor's closet. I flicked the light on, grabbed my overalls and then slipped it on, tightening the straps around my wrists.
I adjusted my gloves then grabbed the mop.
I flicked off the light and stepped out into the empty bar. The silence pressed in, broken only by the low hum of the fridge. I took a slow, steady breath, letting my eyes adjust to the dim light, and started down the floor, moving carefully so the tiles didn't squeak beneath my shoes.
I spent an entire hour mopping the floors. I mopped until my back started to ache.
"Kae."
My head snapped around. It was Rick.
"Here," he said, handing me a bottle of water.
I gladly took it and gulped it down. My throat welcomed the water with open arms.
"You should take breaks in-between, Kae," he said once I finished off the bottle.
I shook my head. "It's okay."
He chuckled, shaking his head from side to side. "You are... different."
I smiled a little. I was indeed different.
I continued with my work, moving methodically through the floors, tables, counters, and windows. By the time I finished the bathrooms, the bar had opened hours ago.
Now, it was past seven in the night.
The place buzzed faintly with conversation and clinking glasses, but I stayed in the shadows, mop in hand, scanning for any spills or messes. Hours of cleaning had left me tired, every muscle sore, but I couldn't let it show.
A sudden clatter from the VIP section made me stiffen. A glass had tipped over, its contents spilling across the polished tiles. I moved quickly to wipe it up, careful not to draw attention. The soft swish of the mop against the floor felt louder than it should, but I kept going, silent as a shadow.
Then I heard it. A low voice, smooth and confident: "Beautiful."
I froze, my hand hovering over the damp spot. The word wasn't for the mess. I didn't think it was even meant for me. It had to be for one of the servers or the strippers.
I willed my hands to move, keeping my eyes lowered. I didn't look at the men as they continued on with their conversation.
"I think it's a good idea," someone said.
"I agree. The higher the risk, the greater the reward," someone else said.
Once I was finished, I left the VIP section and headed to the back. I rinsed the cloth and washed the mop. God, I was so tired. My lower back was screaming in pain and my eyes hurt. My shift doesn't end until the next two hours and it felt like I was going to collapse.
I exhaled as I returned to my spot in the shadows. I basically zoned out—my eyes closed and my back against the wall. I just wanted my shift to end so I could go home and try to rest. The best thing about going home late was that no one's ever up. A blessing.
"Kae."
My eyes snapped opened.
It was Rick.
"You good?" He asked, a bottle of beer in his hand.
I nodded. "I'm okay."
He shook his head. "Kae, you're tired."
"I'm okay," I repeated.
He huffed slightly. "You're not. Take five."
I was about to protest but he gave me a look that said don't. I thanked him before walking off towards the back of the bar. I pushed the door opened, and was hit with the cool, night air. I exhaled as I flopped down on an old chair that was in the shadows.
I was really exhausted. I could feel my body slowly shutting down. I had two more working days before my day off. I don't think I'll be able to make it. But if I'm being honest, over-working was a lot better than being at the house. At least, I had no one insulting or beating me.
I sat there until my body felt a little better. When I stood, I let out a quiet exhale and slid back into the crowd, tucking myself into the shadows while pretending everything was fine.
If I wasn't good at anything else, I knew I could wipe up a spill, stack a few glasses, and fake a smile—and somehow, that would be enough to keep me afloat.
- Writer
