Wanna Bet? (32 page)

“
He’s just turned up at my
work”

“
OKAY give me the address
I’ll leave now”

I tell him the address and
to meet me by the bar.

“
Cant wait to see you
again” he says sarcastically into the phone before hanging
up.

“
Ugh I think I’m going to
be sick” I say to the phone as I hand it back to Phin “He’ll be
here in three hours, you can stay in here and I’ll come get you
when he gets here” I tell him.

“
Can’t I live with you? I
hate it there. I hate them” he whines.

“
I wish I could help you,
but I can’t. Sorry kiddo you got two choices. You either phone the
police and or social services if he’s hitting you or you stick it
out till your old enough to move out” I say
sympathetically.

“
Wait you mean that was
just ...” Matt asks.

“
Yeap that was my step dad”
I finish for him.

“
Which means you’re …”
Tucker says staring at Phin. Then I remember our argument before I
left was over him.

“
This is Phin, my
brother
from another
daddy” I emphasize the word brother and he visibly cringes shooting
me an apologetic look.

“
Come on we better get back
out there” I say to Matt and Tucker as I start making my way to the
door “Il send in a drink for you Phin, stay put. No trying to
escape. Don’t make me chase you around please.” I call over my
shoulder.

Lucy and Sophie watch us
as we return to the bar and they also do a double take when they
notice Tucker with us. Honestly how did no one see him go in when
he needs to go behind the bar to get there?

“
Umm everything OKAY?”
Sophie asks having seen Matt bring in Phin.

“
Weirdest night ever” I
shake my head at them and climb onto the bar, noticing me the DJ
shuts the music off and everyone turns to me.

“
Hey guys, having a good
night?” I call out to everyone and listen to their cheers and
shouts “Because you are all so amazing at putting up with me we
will be staying open an extra two hours tonight” I announce making
them go wild. “I have to pop out for half hour in a minute but when
I get back I will give you all a round on the house, just because
I’m that nice” I announce and get another cheer. I turn to see Lucy
and Sophie deep in discussion below me. “While I’m out Lucy will be
in charge so be nice to her guys, get up here and say hello Luce” I
gesture for her to join and she does eagerly sharing a smile with
Sophie and grabs a mic.

“
Hey guys” she waves to
them all. “Since I’m in charge, I say Brooke does one of her weekly
bar dances before she goes, what do you think?” she asks but her
eyes are focused on someone in the crowd and I follow her gaze to
the man with the lip ring.

“
Oh no, not tonight” I say
in the mic playing it off but I’m actually serious.

“
What’s the matter? Haven’t
got the energy?” she asks smiling at me knowingly. I look beyond
her and glare at Matt for having a big mouth and stomp over to
Lucy.

“
That’s not the reason” I
protest.

“
Then what other reason is
there?” she asks smiling sweetly.

I lower my mic and lean
into her ear “I have no underwear on, if I bend over or lower by
self, like I normally do spreading my knee’s I’m going to be
showing a lot of people something I don’t want them to see” I
remind her making her bend over laughing, laughing so hard she has
tears running down her face. Of course I blush.

“
Come on Brooke, don’t be a
spoil sport” Andrew calls from behind me teasingly. I shake my head
at him adamantly while Lucy tries to control her
laughing.

“
I’m sorry Brooke but you
do put yourself in these situations” she points out still
laughing.

I just huff and fold my
arms across my stomach.

“
Why won’t she do it?”
Sophie asks Lucy curiously. Lucy bends down and explains to her
only loud enough for her to hear. I watch as Sophie’s eyes widen
she snorts and slaps her hand to her mouth trying to hold in her
laugh. She then explains to Matt who grins at me and shakes his
head.

“
While you lot discuss
that, and take a great deal of time taking advantage of all the
jokes you can make about this. Which you will no doubt do. I really
do have to go and when I come back I will do the bar dance” Once I
have finished my announcement I jump down from the bar and head
home.

I go in the back entrance
to the
club and store my clothes in the
staff toilets. I check my outfit over in the mirror and smile at my
dress, it has a turtle neck (to cover the mark Tucker left) it has
no sleeves so the top is styled like a man’s tank top, but skin
tight and flows down into a skater style skirt. It is white with
dramatic black flowers strategically placed in various places. I
have black ankle boots on with a six inch heel and my hair is in
two ponytails just below my ears. On my head rests a black cowboy
hat. When I enter the bar no one notices me, my group of friends
are all facing away from the bar, waiting for me to return that way
so I climb on the bar and press my finger to my lips to the people
who have noticed me for them to remain silent and I grab a mic and
gesture for the DJ. Since the first night I did the bar dance ‘bad
girlfriend’ has become my theme song for this so as the first few
beats come through I lift my mic up and scream “oooowww” into it
and then start dancing. I watch as my friends all turn at one and
stare up at me. I throw them a wink and they all stare at me
dumbfounded.

I play it up and wink at a
few of the men watching me and blow a kiss to the man with the lip
ring. I dance down to the end of the bar where the gang are all
watching me and dip my self low so I’m eye level with them all and
put my hat on Sophie’s head before bring myself back up slowly and
laugh down at Derek and Cam as they try to close there mouth but
fail when they keep dropping back open. Shaking my head I do a last
twirl as the song comes to an end. I’m greeted with claps, shouts
of ‘encore’ and cheers.

“
Was it worth the wait?” I
ask the crowd laughing “Free round time!” I announce before get
back down off the bar with Lucy’s help.

“
Men are so easy to
entertain” I sigh amazed as I watch the crowd move in closer to the
bar.

“
Helps when you put on a
show like that” Jamie notes.

“
I’m just messing about” I
shrug used to the reaction of men by now.

“
Which is one of the
reasons I love you” Sophie grins putting the hat back on my
head.

“
Won’t be long” I call over
my shoulder and head out to check on Phin. He’s sleeping on the
chair in the office. I walk closer to him as quietly as I can
trying not to disturb him and inspect him with my eyes. He seems to
have no other marks on him apart from the one above his eye. I
shake my head and leave the office not letting my self think too
much about it.

“
Nice dress” Lip ring man
smiles at me over the shoulder of the girl I’m serving.

“
Thanks” I smile back and
hand him a bottle of the beer he had earlier.

“
You do that often?” he
says gesturing the bar.

“
I have to do it twice a
week for a month” I wince “Lost a bet” I screech the last part and
jump back glaring at Lucy who just pinched my bum as she walked
past. She just winks at me.

“
What else have you got to
do as a result of lost bets then?” lip ring man asks
curiously.

“
Oh the stories I could
tell you” Andrew says to him clapping him on the
shoulder.

I roll my eyes at him.
“Please don’t listen to anything this man tells you”

“
I’m the best one to talk
to, I’m the one that places the bets with her” he smirks at me “You
should have been here the other night, not only did she have to do
the bar dance but she also had to work the whole night wearing just
a b…”He starts but I cut him off.

“
That’s enough story time
for one night I think” glaring at him I search for a friendly face,
I catch Sophie’s eye and plead for her to come over
silently.

“
Could I have your phone a
second please?” Lip ring man asks me.

I glance at him and pass
him my phone. A few seconds later he returns it to me and walks
away. I follow him with my eyes as he leaves the bar. A second
later my phone beeps.

Unknown: I’m Jason by the
way; my number is attached to this message. Coffee,
tomorrow?

“
What was that about?”
Andrew asks still looking at the door “I didn’t scare him away did
I?”

Sophie grabs the phone out
of my hand and reads the text. “No you definitely did not scare him
away” she laughs and hands my phone back.

“
What’s going on?” Lucy
asks joining us.

“
Lip ring guy just asked me
out” I say still staring at the door but now I’m frowning. He just
walked out, didn’t say a word to me before he left. Not even a
smile. “Not much of a talker”.

“
I don’t think talking is
what he has in mind for you Brooke” Matt supplies.

“
Why? I have barely spoken
to the man, he knows nothing about me, and I could be a complete
psycho for all he knows”

They all stare at me.
“What?”

“
Oh god, you’re serious?”
Derek asks looking at everyone for confirmation.

“
When a man meets a woman
like you, the risk of you being a psycho is well worth it. Trust
me” Cam fills in.

“
You’re all crazy” I
protest.

My phone rings so I answer
it turning my back on them.

“
Hello?” I ask as Lucy and
Sophie make kissing noises behind me.

“
Have you calmed down yet?”
Will asks

“
What would you say if I
said no?” I ask and they girls start making ‘Oooh’ sounds into my
other ear.

“
I would say you’re lying
because it sounds like you’re having a good time” he replies good
naturedly.

“
Are you coming
back?”

“
Not tonight, I didn’t
think you would want to see me”

“
You’d be right” I admit
“I’m sure I’ll have some questions for you. Don’t know when I’ll be
ready to see you again though”

“
I would be surprised if
you didn’t”

“
Guess I’ll see you then” I
hang up and shush the girls.

“
Was that lover boy?”
Andrew teases.

“
Can you not call him that?
I’m not going to have sex with him”

“
Why the hell not” Lucy
asks completely offended.

“
How long have you known
me?” I ask her seriously.

“
About eighteen months” she
answers.

“
Then you shouldn’t even
have to ask why not” I state simply.

“
What’s happening with
Phin?” Sophie asks changing the subject.

“
He’s sleeping in the
office at the moment but his parents are coming to get him” I
refuse to claim any relation to them.

“
They are coming here?” she
asks surprised.

“
Do they know where you
live?” Matt asks

“
Nope”

“
Will they follow you home
tonight?” He asks concern covering his face.

I shrug “I’m not going
back to the house tonight; you have the place to
yourselves”

“
Where are you staying”
Sophie asks shocked that I would sleep anywhere but my own
house.

“
Don’t worry about me I’ll
be safe and happy” I nod at the door when Sam and Julie walk in “I
won’t be long with this lot, make sure no one comes in the office
OKAY”

“
Brooke, you’re not going
in there alone” Sophie insists.

“
I’ll be fine I promise” I
swear. They spot me and head towards the bar, I lift up the hatch
for them and lead them to the office.

“
Funny how you haven’t
changed a bit over the years” Sam says sweeping his eyes over
me.

“
Funny how you can’t keep
an eye on your children and they skip towns without you knowing” I
counter

“
You have an answer for
everything now?”

“
I just don’t bother to
answer the inane questions”

“
Still a whore I see” he
says taking in my outfit again slowly this time. I shrug my
shoulders at him and turn to my mother.

“
I can’t even say you’re
father would be ashamed of you, you’re just like him” she
sneers.

“
So I heard, is it
true?”

“
Is what true?”

“
That he was leaving you,
us”

“
I have no idea what you’re
talking about” she says avoiding my eyes.

“
You knew and you never
thought to tell me?” I ask incredulous.

“
What difference would it
have made?” she counters.