Midnight Talks #Wattys2017

sixteen

         dedicated to @TheMorph

CHAPTER 16| EVELYN

I'M DAMN NEAR CONVINCED THAT all I've been doing today is testing gravity, I let out a collection of bitter slurs before pushing before pushing myself off of the cold brown stone floor for the umpteenth time today. "Little one, baristas are supposed to be behind the counter not on the floor next to the shot table," Kyle laughed heartily helping me up. I grunted in response brushing off my uniform and tucking a lock of hair behind my ear.

"Remind me why I hired her?" Andy sneered rolling her mocha caramel eyes taking the wash cloth and basin from my hands and pointed behind the main counter.

"Because, doll face you need staff and Evelyn is a really hard worker." Evan cut in surprisingly defending me. I cast my gaze down and continued to tend to the line of customers in front of me carefully noting down their orders. It was nearly time for them to start singing, the place was already pretty packed and Jace, my co-worker was already to starting to set up the alcohol bar across from me.

"What time does the witch get here?" Kyle asked with a cheeky grin, his small simple showing as he smiled wider at Andy'a face palming.

"In 20, and stop calling her that. I need all the help I can get tonight with your rabid fans, I don't need anyone quitting on me tonight, you hear me, Henderson?" She said in a low tone slowly enough for everyone to hear.

"Uh, loud and clear 'boss'." Kyle retorted giving a mock salute, then turning towards Jace for his second black coffee of the hour. The 33 year old woman glared at him before walking back behind the store cupboard muttering something alone the lines of 'cigarette break' and how 'these damn kids don't know respect' although she wasn't much older than a decade older than us. Perhaps she could be a good match for Victor...on second thought he's too sweet for that for that she-dragon.

"One day you two will get along," Matt pondered aloud, a frown grazing his lips as he took a seat  opposite me on one of the stools murmuring to one of the baristas for a 'vanilla latte' and how he won't tell if she added the 'good stuff' in the coffee, whatever that means.

"She and I do get along, we have the best relationship." Kyle chuckled sarcastically sending a wink my way making my cheeks flame slightly obviously noticing that I still hadn't looked away from his face.

"Chatting up another girl are we, Kyle? Haven't changed much have you, Casanova?" A rather nasally voice pipped from behind Kyle, her long dark hair cascaded down her back and over her slim shoulders, her eyes like crystals cut through my dark ones, she was intimidatingly pretty to say the least. Kyle rolled his eyes placing his paper to-go cup down rather loudly and pushed away the muffin he was picking at earlier.

"I knew I smelled something stale, and it apparently isn't the coffee." Kyle sighed turning around, his eyes looking at the figure in front of him, his eyes seemed to be covered in a thick mist. I couldn't read his face for once. His eyebrow twitched as he took her in, visibly shuddering. "Hi to you too, Christa."

"The only thing that's stale is your attitude, Kyle. I missed you, Hun." Her eyes crinkled as she smiled, her fingers brushed his face caressing his 5 o'clock shadow.

His hand grasped hers and stepped back from her as if her touch was like an open flame on his bare skin. He leaned close to her ear, although she was pretty tall he still towered over her but she couldn't be more than 5"10. "That's fucking bullshit, Christa. Don't come near me or any of the guys, do you hear me? Just do your job and go back to fucking him since that's what you do best." He grinned unceremoniously grabbing his cup of lukewarm coffee and went to towards the practice room behind the stage. Christa' face paled as her cheeks flamed red before heading towards the store room where Andy was before.