Withering Hearts✔

Chapter Thirteen

Pulling her apron off over her head robby picked up her bag from behind the counter. It was a Friday afternoon and she needed a drink ,so as she walked out the coffee shop doors she made a straight bee line for the bar. It was the regular for the past seven months, for robby stopped trying to get over the longing to go back and started to down her sorrows. The bell boy -Inga - and she had became good friends, he was the one person who came to fetch her at the bar nearly every night if she was too drunk to even walk. Samuel ,the bar owner had ingas number on speed dial after the first night robby nearly got run over by a car as she exited the bar on her way home. So everybody who regularly went to the bar knew inga ,Inga never knew why she started drinking ,he only thought her parents kicked her out. Obviously the it was one of the many lies she told him,because she didn't want him finding out who and what she really was. Pushing open the olden day bar door robby was quickly being seated and offered her regular few drinks. The music that was being played made her ears feel like they were ringing but she was use to it by now ,she was used to many things by now.

"Hey Melanie ,long day at work again I suspect ?" Jerry the night shift bartender asked her. Robby nodded her head as she downed the clean whiskey in one shot. Tapping her glass on the counter she was quickly offered another one. She had told everyone her name was Melanie, born and raised in Somersetshire, then kicked out when she was accused of who knew what.

Robby leaned on the counter with her arms crossed and sighed when Samuel came out from the back and greeted her with a frown and a grunt. She had never started a fight in his bar ,only quarrels, yet it was quite clear that he didn't like her. The way he always seemed irritated when he saw her, or maybe it was the way he screamed through the phone whenever inga had to come and fetch robby.

After drinking at least fifteen glasses of whiskey robby ordered vodka shots, then turned her head when she heard someone walk in. Someone with a scent not even she could ignore because she was around it for seventeen whole years. Dawson and Joshua ,Robby's eyes widened and she quickly turned back around and pulled her hoodie over her head. The soft thud made her even more wary because now they decided to sit right next to her. Six small glasses were scooted in her way and she just stared at them ,Jerry asking Dawson and Joshua what they would like to drink. Robby worried that if they recalled her scent, did she smell enough of alchohol and smoke for them to ignore it. Jerry eyed robby suspiciously but carried on with his serving and robby quickly shot down five of the cups with vodka. The sixth one she immediately regretted because as she threw her head back and her hoodie slipped off, earning a gasp and a slight growl from the people next to her. Robby quickly pulled it back on and stood up, only to be stopped by a massive body. Joshua stood in front of her with his arms crossed and Dawson leaned back in his chair to see what Joshua had gotten up for. Though he clearly knew what it was about he still acted clueless.

"Well Robby ,it's been what nearly a year?" Joshua said with no sign of humor in his voice. Robby glared at the floor saying nothing ,then looked at jerry ,signalling him to call Inga. Joshua put his arm at the back of Robby's head and pulled off her cap with a little too much force, earning a shove from her. He stumbled back a little, he was too happy to see her to even shove her back, though he still didn't like her enough to be kind.

He smirked ,"Well I always knew you were a coward ,walking away and running away. Not caring who you hurt in the process right!"

Robby growled and dared him with her eyes to say something else ,just as jerry broke into the conversation ,"Uhm sir sorry but I think you have the wrong person. Her name is Melanie not Robby !"

Joshua laughed historically and looked at Dawson then the bartender ,then robby again.

"So she's been lying to everyone here too hasn't she !"