Chapter 1 #2
I’m lost in my head as I cross into the parking lot, a blaring horn scaring the bejeezus out of me as a guy slams on his brakes in front of me.
Pushing my blonde and pink hair out of my face, I look over at the wild and concerned look of someone who probably goes here and has a lot less problems than I do.
“I’m sorry,” I mouth, putting my hand over my heart so he knows I’m not bullshitting him before I keep moving toward my car.
Please let it be here. I’ll take the ticket if they give me one, just please leave the car.
“Hey!” The guy yells, the window of his Mercedes SUV opening. I can’t complain about how nice his car is, because my vehicle was one of the only things Mom let me leave with, along with my clothes and a laptop. I had to buy a prepaid phone when I got here. “Are you okay?”
“Yes! I’m so sorry, I’m just going to be late to work,” I explain as I keep walking. “Thanks for not running me over!”
The dirty-blonde haired guy smirks, relaxing from the worry he wore seconds earlier, and then I’m leaving him behind as I weave through the cars until I find mine.
“Thank fuck,” I whisper as I see there’s not a ticket or boot on it.
“You need a permit, Miss,” someone says, making me turn with wide eyes. I’ve been meaning to get one, and honestly, the tips at the bar should allow me to get a semester long permit tomorrow.
“I know,” I tell the man who has a ticket book. “I’m so sorry, but things are really tight and I plan to get a permit tomorrow after work with my tips. I’m literally on my way to work right now.”
Taking in my crop top and jeans, he sighs. “Tomorrow,” he warns. “I really hate ticketing anyone who doesn’t have a stick up their ass.”
A surprised giggle escapes me, and the university employee shrugs. “Please get this taken care of tomorrow, okay?”
“I promise, yes,” I tell him, nodding wildly. I probably look like a psychopath, but I’m so damn grateful that he’s not giving me a ticket.
“Now off with you before you’re late,” he chuckles, getting in his golf cart to head to the next car.
Jumping into my SUV, I beg the tipping Gods for a really good night. It’s a Wednesday downtown, and while there’s rarely a bad night, the issue is that I don’t get enough shifts.
I need five shifts to be comfortable, and I’m usually only lucky enough to get three a week.
It’s expensive to live here even with my scholarship, and I’ve been getting daily passes for parking.
There’s the added worry of safety after finishing work as an omega, but I’m determined to take it one day at a time.
I didn’t expect there to be such a line for a shower at the gym today. I know most people have their own bathroom facilities at the dorms, why did they insist on using the gym’s today of all days?
I’m grumpy as I ease my car out onto the road. Blaring Brad Paisley on the radio as I pick up speed in accordance with the speed limits, I’m careful of my typically heavy foot on the speedometer. Speeding tickets are no joke here, so I suffer as I drive through traffic toward the bar.
Zipping into a parking spot for employees in the back of the bar, I change out of my jeans to shimmy into a tiny pair of ripped jean shorts and exchange my trusty sneakers for boots.
Jumping out of the car, I’m again grateful for the warm weather of October we have happening right now.
I know my luck isn’t going to last forever, so I’m going to need to buy more blankets toward the end of the month. The need to burrow underneath them for warmth is so strong, I’m disappointed I can’t go shopping for blankets right now .
Smiling at the bouncer, I wave hello to Terri as I run inside, bypassing the rest of the bar to find my boss.
“Good, you’re early,” Patrick sighs, taking me in. He’s my manager, and one of the better ones. He’s more laid back even as an alpha as well. “We’re starting to get busy, so get ready to be slammed behind the bar. Let’s have a good night.”
“You got it.” I grin, losing myself to the routine of my job. It’s seven thirty, and the regulars and people just looking to have a good time are starting to flood the place. Smile permanently on my face, boobs on display in my low cut crop top, I work the crowd.
“Can I get a Jack and coke and your number, baby?” A man I don’t know at all smirks as he leans over the bar.
I can’t smell a damn thing right now with my scent blocking gel underneath my nose, but I can tell he’s an alpha.
I don’t make it a habit to overly flirt with my clients, because I don’t want to have to worry about someone following me out to my car, insisting that I promised more.
“Let’s start with the drink first, sugar,” I say instead, serving him his drink as his friends chatter around him.
The night continues on in a blur, until we close. Then after we nicely kick out the stragglers, we clean up the place together.
“Damn, it was busy today,” Hailey chuckles, out of breath. We both never stopped behind the bar as we made drinks.
Brian is a little slower because he likes to shoot the shit with customers, but they also tip him well for it. It’s a hard line to walk. Personally, I don’t want my customers pissed off at me for moving too slowly.
“Thanks for a great night,” Patrick says as he puts up the last chair. Brian is actually mopping, which makes me feel badly for a moment. It’s not that he’s lazy, he just sees his job differently than Hailey and I.
I made three-hundred dollars tonight in tips, which will allow me to pay the two-hundred dollar permit tomorrow. The rest of the money will be gas and maybe a coffee if I decide to splurge a little.
My next shift isn’t until Saturday, so I should really just squirrel the remaining hundred dollars away. Being an adult sucks. I grab my bag to go to the bathroom, glancing at Hailey to let her know I need a break. Nodding, she continues to do her thing as she dances as she cleans.
There’s no one else like her. If there’s music, her hips are moving. It makes working with her fun.
Walking to the bathroom, I do my nightly routine quickly. There aren’t any restrooms that are open this late, so I make sure to use the facilities, breathing a sigh of relief as I pee. There’s rarely any downtime, so I just end up holding it for most of the night.
Washing my hands, I dry them before working through the rest of my routine.
I wash my face with cleanser, toner, and moisturizer, and then quickly add a little eye serum under my eyes. I’ve never learned what order this is supposed to go, but as long as I do it every night, it should be fine.
My mother had an insane face care routine, she just never bothered to teach me.
Lastly, I brush my teeth and then throw all of my things in my purse. Thank God for bags that will fit all of the necessities of my life.
God, I wish so many things in my life were different. No little girl grows up and asks to be homeless.
I spent many hours in the tall tree in my backyard, dreaming about what my life would be like, even after I fell out of it when I was nine.
It always bothered my step-father, but he knew it was the only way that I could get away from my mother.
I’m grateful I was able to grow up in the same house I was brought home to as a baby.
Cooper wanted to make sure my life didn’t change too quickly, and I thought he’d always be around to help with all of my mom’s demands.
Sometimes he could help, but other things were out of his hands. None of my ruminations imagined me here in a bar bathroom, getting ready to find a parking spot to spend the night.
Sighing, I know I can’t change my fate, and I need to go back out to finish my job.
Finally done closing up a half an hour later, Patrick walks us out. It’s one in the morning, and I can practically feel my jaw crack as I yawn. I appreciate that my boss ensures our safety at the end of the night.
He’s been doing this since he started working here, refusing to let anything happen to the people he works with. I’ve heard the rumors of omegas going missing in Minneapolis, and it scares me, especially with my current living situation.
So many things could go wrong.
There’s a chill in the air, making me shiver in my tiny work shorts.
I’ll have to spring for a small heater for my car at some point so I don’t turn into a popsicle, but that’s a problem for another day.
I have class at eight in the morning, which wasn’t my first choice, but freshmen don’t really get to be picky.
“Night,” I say sleepily as I get into my car and search for a safe place to sleep. There are more cops out on the roads than normal and while I would usually find a grocery store to park at, there appears to be too much activity to do so.
Sighing, I drive into a residential area and pray for the best, parking on the street. I don’t see any signs saying that I can’t park here overnight, so I shrug and decide to stay here.
Putting up my privacy screens on all of my windows and locking the doors now that the vehicle is turned off, I change into sleep shorts and a tank top.
Soon, it’ll be a lot colder, and I’m not looking forward to that. Crawling into the back seat, I drop it flat before setting up my comfy floor mattress that will easily roll up in the morning.
I need a podcast to sleep to, so I scroll through Omega Link until I see something having to do with omegas.
I know so little about my designation, maybe I can learn more through osmosis while I’m staring at the backs of my eyelids.
I know that’s not how it works, but it’s too quiet on the street, and I need a little background noise so I can drop off to sleep.
The podcast I end up pulling up is by someone called Emilia Richardson, and she insists that she knows what’s best for omegas. She honestly sounds like someone my mother would be friends with.
Setting my alarm for six, so that I’m gone before everyone else wakes up for the day, I pull my thin blanket over my head to sleep.
To sweet dreams, peace, and not getting mugged.
My cash is rolled up and hidden underneath the now reclined seats so there’s no way anyone can get to it.
“ An omega shouldn’t be a bartender, club dancer, or any profession that will have her working late at night. It’s indecent…”
On second thought, I decide as I shut off the podcast, maybe I’m tired enough to sleep without it.
My eyelids get heavier and heavier until I drift off.