Needing You (2 page)

I had the luxury of working with Marcus who is crazy fast at bar tending and has taught me quite a bit.  I am now much faster as serving drinks and serving faster means more customers, which ends up meaning more tips.  I was able to splurge a little bit and get some décor for the apartment, it may not be much but it was more than I started with.  I picked up some pictures, candles, and trinkets so it looks homey now.  Since I’m now on the schedule and doing pretty well I work most nights which works great.  I’ll continue to work shifts when I’m in classes too. I may not be able to work every night like I do now, but I still have some time before my first semester starts.

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Now that things are going pretty well, I decide it is probably smart to change my name that way my parents cannot locate me, because God help me if they did. I go into the courthouse and fill out the necessary paperwork. Currently, my name is Alaney Mae Harper.  I am going to keep my name just change it around, and so my new name is Harper Mae Lane.  I started introducing myself as Harp or Harper once I got out here anyway, so it’s not like people would know anyway.  After all the paperwork is completed, I was advised it would take a few weeks for everything to go through.  After it goes through, then I can notify the school of the change.  I already used my new name on my mail so that’s one less thing I need to worry about.  This process takes much longer than I anticipated, but all the paperwork is done now.  Soon I will be officially Harper Mae Lane.  I feel much better having done this. 

After all the running around, I end up hanging out the rest of the day at my dorm until it’s time to head into work.  Tonight is going to be a crazy night. Some band is playing and I guess it is a crazy rock band so the crowd gets a bit rowdy, I am not worried though.  I am excited to hear a new band.  It’s so nice to work and listen to music even if it is over the top of loudmouth drunks.

So, I get into work tonight and the freaking place is packed, I mean beyond packed.  Lou, one of the bouncers told me it’s filled to capacity already and hell it’s only 9 p.m. The band doesn’t start until 10 p.m.  The line outside to get in is ridiculous.  Glad I work, as I’m able to get right in.

Once I am in and finally at my station, I’m working at the bar with Natalie and Marcus on the first floor where the band is set up. Eddie has three of us manning the bar because of how packed it is.  There are also three bartenders at the bar on the second floor because it is ridiculous in here.  I know I am going to be dead by the end of the night, but tips should kick ass.

I ask Natalie who the band is and she tells me it’s a local band named King Dread.  I never heard of the group before but clearly they are a favorite.  I am able to tell when it is close to 10 p.m. because the crowd starts getting louder and then they start chanting King Dread, King Dread.  The tone is deafening but it’s incredible.  I hope they are as great as they are perceived to be.  The guys finally come out on the stage area and address the crowd and yeah this crowd goes crazy. 

They start into their first song and I must admit they are pretty good. The second song goes a bit slower, but damn if that singer can’t sing his heart out.  He’s not bad on the eyes either, but then again neither are the rest of the guys on the stage!  Pure hotness is what is on that stage.  I am not sure if the crowd’s here for the music or the men on stage, but either way, it works.  When the band finally takes a break our bar is swamped.  I never felt such a rush before and it’s exhilarating.  People are everywhere and they all want alcohol, yep tips are kicking ass!   Finally the mayhem at the bar dies down a bit, but it’s still a steady crowd wanting drinks.  Natalie tells me to take my break now before the band gets back up on stage as it will get crazy.  I’m not too sure what she’s talking about, but decide a break sounds good.  It’s so hot inside I sneak out the side door for some fresh air.  I don’t smoke, well not usually but I grab a cig from Davie, another bouncer, before heading outside.  The air feels great and nice against my sweat crazed body. 

I take a seat because my feet are starting to ache and I have quite a bit left on my shift.  All of a sudden some guy starts yelling at me like I took his seat or something.  I stand quickly and apologize and then I realize he’s yelling at me because I am outside.

“You need to get the fuck out, you are not allowed out here.” 

Of course I go on the defense and yell back “Who the fuck made you boss?”

All of a sudden the guy apologizes after looking at my shirt; he now realizes I work at the bar, dickhead.  Up close I now realize he is one of the guitar players in the band.  Nothing else is said, I continue with my cigarette and he continues to do whatever it is he’s doing, and then I head back to the bar.

The band is now back up on stage and rocking it out. The crowd is still going crazy, I think they got louder if that’s even possible. Then Natalie turns and says get ready and hands me some Jack Daniels…I look down and I see seven bottles lined up of the stuff, what the hell. Before I have the chance to ask Natalie what I’m supposed to do with them, the lead singer whose name I learned is Parker tells everyone they better get their Jack ready because the songs coming up next. Next thing I see is lines and lines of people at the bar asking for one, two, three, up to ten shots of Jack.  Holy shit!  Before I know it, all the bottles I have are now emptied and finding their way down the throats of these drunken crazies.  Parker starts singing a song about the liquor and everyone freaks out sucking down the stuff like its water.  I have never seen anything like it before.

The rest of the night flies by and before I know it the crowd is being told it’s time to go.  I have never felt so exhausted.  My feet are aching to the bone and my head is pounding from the blaring of the band. All in all, it is a great night. We quickly start to restock the bar before heading out for the night.  Everyone chips in to help clean up the mess so we won’t have to do it tomorrow. The band stays for a little while longer and sits at a table and talks with Eddie.  From what Natalie said, one of the guys is the nephew of Eddie. I didn’t catch which one Eddie was related to and I couldn’t tell by looks, but whatever. 

I continue restocking and Eddie comes up to the bar to talk to me. “So how are you holding up,” he asks me.

I joked back and said “Oh pretty good, you know typical night.” He laughed at me, our banter was great!  He continues to talk to me for a bit longer then heads back to his office to speak with Colin.

“Well that was a freaking awesome night of tips,” Natalie says as she hands me and Marcus our shares. 

We each made over two hundred bucks. “Holy shitballs that’s a lot more than I anticipated.”  I say excitedly.

Next thing I know Marcus and Natalie are laughing their asses off at me…and saying “Holy shitballs…what the fuck is that?” 

Now they have me laughing. I need to think before I speak sometimes. After our laughter dies down, we say goodnight to the crew and the band because they are still there drinking with Eddie and we head out to go home.  I’m feeling wide-awake, but know I need to get some sleep. 

As I start to walk home, Natalie and Marcus both stop and stare at me. Natalie asks “where’s your car?”

“I don’t have one, I walked.” 

She looks at me like I’m nuts.  Then she proceeds to tell me “You can’t walk home by yourself” and of course Marcus agrees. 

I just look at them “I do it every night, tonight’s no different, I’ll be fine, and it’s not a far walk.” 

Before I can say anything else a guy says “I’ll take her home.”  What the hell, who is that guy.  I will be damn if I will let a stranger take me home…I watched enough Dateline and First 48 to know about shit.  Marcus and Natalie both say okay and say goodnight to me before they are off to their cars.  I’m dumbstruck, what the hell just happened.  “Come on let’s go,” the man says. 

Now I recognize him as the asshole who bitched at me in the alley, screw this. “I’m good I can make it home on my own but thanks,” I tell him and then start to walk in the direction of my dorm.

Before I get five steps in he says “Look I’m sorry about earlier but it’s not safe to walk home after one of our shows, people tend to get crazy and do crazy shit afterwards.”

I have no idea what to say, I don’t even know this guy. So what comes out of my mouth is “Well it’s either deal with the crazies or deal with you, either way you’re all strangers, so I figure I am best on my own.” 

Now Davie is out here and I guess he heard the conversation because he chimes in and says “Harp, let Declan take you home.  He’s not a bad guy and he’s right, it’s not safe to walk home now.” Geez…ugh...I speak up and say “fine let’s go.”

The ride back to my dorm is eerily quiet.  I don’t know Declan and have no motivation to want to talk or get to know him.  I give him the directions to my dorm and we head towards it.  After a few moments of complete silence, Declan finally opens his mouth and says, “Look I am sorry about tonight, I thought you were a crazy fan following me.” 

So being the nice person that I am, I tell him “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” That pretty much ends the conversation in the car. He pulls up to my dorm and I thank him for the ride and get out of the car and head inside. I was thankful for the ride because damn my feet and legs hurt. I want to take a hot shower, but shit I just want to lie down.  Once I get a whiff of myself, I decide a shower it is.  Ew, I am gross, between the sweat and the alcohol and the cigarettes I wreak. After the shower, I plop down in bed and its lights out.

Chapter 3

I have one week left until my first semester of college starts. Things are getting busier by the day around campus. Now that the holidays are over, people are coming back to school.  Working at PowerTrip on Christmas Eve and day was pretty fun.  I was amazed at how many people came out to drink on a freaking holiday, but hey more money for me!  With the money I’ve been making and saving I bought myself a television for my bedroom. I figure I spend most of my time in my room I might as well have something to watch while I’m in there. I also picked up a few more knickknacks for around the apartment.  Lucky for me I don’t have to share this apartment with anyone until the summer session. I could not be more excited. Things are finally all falling into place.

I decide to go for a run.  I haven’t run much since I’ve been out here and I need to get back into the habit.  I put my running gear on and head out the door.  I figure three miles should be enough but depending on how my legs feel maybe more or less.  The first mile isn’t so bad, but damn if the second one isn’t rough.  My legs feel like they are Jell-O and I keep thinking they are going to give out on me, but the burn oh how I missed that burn.  So I keep going, eventually the pain subsides.  It’s a beautiful night out and I feel free.  I only have a little bit left until I’m home, I have my jams blaring in my ears and enjoying that last leg of the run until somehow next thing I know I am on the damn ground. “What the hell,” I yell. 

The man beside me now keeps saying, “Oh shit, I’m so sorry I didn’t see you there.”

I get up, wipe myself off and turn to Mr. I-didn’t-see-you and stop dead in my tracks. Now I want to tell him that he can run me over anytime, but not the right thing to say.  This man is fucking delicious.  He’s around 6’3” I think, has short wavy brown hair, the brownest eyes I have ever seen, and he looks fit, like very fit. By the way his short sleeves are hugging his biceps, I would say he works out a lot but who am I to know. He apologizes again and asks if I’m alright. I tell him, “I’m fine, just watch where you’re going.”  Then I continue on my way. I get home, get showered and now all I can think about is that brown-eyed man, who was he, why did he run into me? All the questions I will never know because I got up and left quicker than shit.

I don’t see mystery man again for the rest of the week, which I am not too surprised considering I only saw him that one time.  I head into work, there’s a band playing tonight, it’s the last Saturday before classes starts.  I am looking forward to going to school but not on cutting back some of my hours here, but I don’t have a choice, I am not sure if I can keep up with everything.  Eddie told me not to worry because he will work out something with me even if I only end up working weekends.  Some of the other staff is in school too, so he said it will work itself out.  That makes me feel a little better; at least I don’t have to quit my job.  This place is so much fun and I get to have a bit of a life even if I am behind the bar. 

The bar is so packed tonight it’s crazy but a good crazy. The band sounds amazing, the group is called The Craft and boy do they like their piercings and body art. I would say this band takes it to a whole new level, but it looks good on them.  This group has five people in the band, four guys and one girl who sings sometimes with the lead singer.  I must admit I am digging this band.  Maybe not as much as King Dread but they are hard to beat.  I’m consistently busy but it keeps my mind from wandering, which is good.  When I serve the next customer I swear I saw Mr. Brown eyes and don’t get me wrong he could be in this bar, it is a bar after all.  I serve my customer and then walk down by Natalie to see if it was indeed mister brown eyes. Natalie asks me what I am doing and I try to swing it off as nothing, but clearly she sees past me.

“Who are you looking for?” she asks.

“Oh no one, I thought I saw someone I knew,” was my quick remark. 

“Nice try, you know no one here so clearly you were looking at someone, who is it? Is he hot?”

Well there is no way I am getting out of this one. I do spot mister brown eyes and I ask her if she knows him and I let her know where to look.

“Oh no, stay the hell away from him,” she says, “He’s bad news.”

Hmmm interesting, he looks all prim and proper. “Not that I am interested, but why is he bad news?”

Natalie continues, “He doesn’t give a shit about anyone but himself or his frat buddies. He uses every girl he gets his hands on, and trust me honey he gets his hands on a lot!”