Inhale (A Zayn Malik Fanfiction AU)

31//Change Of Plans

Chapter 31

(Eve's POV)

"One Maxim, Eve!"

"Hey, lady, I've been waiting for ages! I need a Bloody Mary!"

"A couple of shots over here, baby!"

"Don't call her that. She's Malik's girl now."

"Oh shit. . . No wonder she looks so familiar."

I pick up the tray of shots and walk to the two gossiping, full grown men, slamming the tray on the bar so some of the tequila spills out. Both of them stare at me, eyebrows raised, and I just glare at them.

"I'm nobody's girl," I roll my eyes and turn around, wiping my hands on the towel flung over my shoulder quickly before getting back to work. Luke, Bridget, Cole, and some new girl named Dina were behind the bar with me tonight because it was a busy Friday. Not that I was complaining, though, the tips tonight were crazy good.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Eve Quinn."

I smile and turn around after hearing Jason's familiar voice. He smirks at me, taking a seat behind the bar, a glint of appreciation in his eyes. Already knowing his order - Vodka with a shot of whiskey - I begin making it.

"Long time no see, Jason. How have you been doing?" I ask him, pouring vodka in a glass and sticking a tea bag inside instead of whiskey, because I never want him to be too drunk, it never works out well enough for him.

"I'm fine, doll. How are you?" I'm about to reply, but he shakes his head and says, "let me rephrase that. So, I was sitting at home, yeah? And guess who I saw in my edition of US Weekly? Oh, that's right . . . you!"

I smile, then hand him his glass. "Really? I haven't ever seen myself in any magazine before."

"Bullshit," he grins. "So tell me, Eve. How exciting is it to be dating the most handsome and rich man in Manhattan?"

Laughing, I begin making a Bloody Mary for the man in the back that wouldn't stop yelling. "We haven't actually talked about what we're doing yet."

Jason raises his eyebrows. "What? Are you just friends with benefits? Is that what it is? Because I'll tell you now, babe, those things never end well."

"No, no, no. That's not what is," I smile at him. "It's just . . . complicated."

He takes a sip of his drink. "Is it?"

I hand the annoying guy his Bloody Mary and begin fulfilling some more orders. "I mean, it kind of is. I think it's partly because I won't let him ruin his rep or anything else for me because I'm just not that important, you know?"

"Hey, now don't sell yourself short, babe. You're very important." He lifts his glass at me. "I mean, who I else would I tell my boy problems to?"

"Thanks, Jason," I grin at him, then check the clock on the side of the room. it's nearly eleven, meaning my shift is over in about thirty more minutes. I turn back to Jason. "Speaking of, why are you here so late? Shouldn't you be at home with Max?"

His eyes light up. "Oh, I didn't tell you? The bastard cheated on me with some girl he met at work."

My heart sinks and I reach over and take his hand. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not," Jason grins, tipping his head back and drinking the last sip of his vodka. "I have found another man, his name is Ethan, and he's everything I dreamed for."

"Good for you," I smile. "So why aren't you home with him?"

"He works late. I just came back from visiting him."