Inizio (COMPLETED)

3. They're Here (Part I)

On my way to the stage, Melinda informed me on how things functioned around here. The hostess is to:

Mingle with the guests

Make sure they're alright

Serve them drinks

Introduce activities for the crowd to engage in
and give announcements on behalf of whoever asks.

I nodded as she rapidly spat the rules and instructions.

"Now, you're gonna introduce yourself as the new hostess, because faces that show up here a lot don't know you. Then, we have important guests coming in later. I was told not to tell anyone who they were until they actually arrived; just to avoid the crowd and paparazzi attacks. Since it's your first night, we'll have you read off a screen on the ceiling in the middle of the room." I tried to keep up with her pace and to not to show my nervousness, but she saw it anyways. She stopped right at the steps of the stage and looked at me.

"You got this, trust me. I know it's a bit more nerve wrecking with all the upper, upper, upper class people and their judge-y eyes, but usually they're all preoccupied with whatever's new in each others lives or the women and men walking around." She smiled and patted me on the shoulders. I took a deep breath.

I got this. This isn't anything new. Just be you, Zhara. Don't imagine the crowd naked. Imagine them fully clothed because that's what they are and it would be hella fucked up if they weren't.

I climbed up the steps of the stage and the DJ lowered the volume just enough for the crowd to hear me.

"Helloooo, L.A!!! How are y'all doing this evening? You ready to have some fun?" I got an unexpected immense response from them.

Alright. They took the sticks Melinda kept implying they had shoved up their asses, out their asses.

" It's a pleasure to introduce myself as your new hostess. My name is Zhara Embin and I just want you to know that tonight is going to be insane. We've got a new song release by Duke Dollaz that he's going to premier tonight. So, with that being said, here's Duke Dollaaaz!!"

The crowd erupted in fits of excitement and yelling. I stepped off the stage proud of how short the introduction was. It would take a few more talks to get used to this new setting. As I was walking to the bar to meet up with Dario for the drinks I was to serve, I heard the beat drop as Duke Dollaz began rapping.

" Ayy Ayy Ayy Ayy (beat drop)

This shit hotter than miami heat

all you bitches tryin me but you too fuckin weak

I been ballin since mutherfuhkin 25

I been on tours --no reeefunds- since fuckin July

Bet the beat drop really hard on them foreign streets

Even my cars blazing wit that foreign sheet (shit)

I could give two fucks where you wanna eat

cause what you finna fuhkin dois come suck dis-"

" Zhara! Hurry up we've got tons of orders tonight. It's actually insane," yelled Dario. Selena was already at the bar picking up trays of drinks. I caught up to her and relieved her of one of the trays.

" Thanks! You did great by the way. Crowd likes you! And this trash." Selena said the last part while looking at Duke rile up the crowd. I laughed and grabbed the small sheet of paper on the tray with the table orders. The first one on the list was a bottle service request. I set the bottles down on the table as soon as I arrived. When the group saw me they started yelling 'ayyyyy' in unison. I saw balloons that read 21st B-Day Bitch! A girl pushed her way through her crowd of friends and had the biggest grin. She looked familiar with the striking green eyes and medium blonde hair.

"Ashlyn!!! Tell her to announce your birthday," said one of her guy friends. He was drapped in versace head to frickin shoelace.

What are you, fucking three? Why are your shoelaces different colors?

"Yeah Dawson, why not. Your dads friends are probably here and they'd totally send us free bottles," agreed another girl in the group. She was on the verge of a nip slip, the dress was so small and tight. The name Ashlyn Dawson rang a bell. She was Edward Dawson's step-daughter. She got a DUI two weeks before her 21st birthday and mommy begged daddy to get it wiped off her record; even though TMZ still probably had the footage. I set the biggest bottle, with the sparklers on top, down. She picked up the bottle, and when Dukes beat dropped, they all started jumping and singing along. I left them, not wanting to have to go up on stage again. At least not right now. I had tons of other orders.

***

It was about 11:23 pm when they came.

Duke had finished his performance about an hour ago and the club was still banging with loud music. People were still coming in and more and more drinks were being ordered. I had announced a few other news for the celebs in the room, including Ms. Ashlyn's B-day announcement.

As I was cleaning the tables for the incoming guests I heard a loud scream; like louder than the music. Actually, it was series of screams followed by a combination of all of them; it was coming from outside. From my position at the table, I couldn't see much when the double doors opened, because as soon as people in the club heard it, a mass of them went towards the doors to see what was happening.

I heard Melinda call my name. I walked over to her, trying not to knock over the shot glasses on my tray.

"Is that table clean? Like really clean? Well cleaned? No stains, no marks, no vomit," she asked.

"Yeah. I mean there wasn't vomit, thank God, but yeah it's clean. Why, what's going on?" She seemed stressed.

"The Fiorentino's are here. THE Fiorentino's!" I stared at her blankly. I didn't know who the Fiorentino's were.

I mean, for one, I know they're people...

"YOU DON'T KN-," she lowered her voice, eyes wide. "You don't know who they are? How?!" She saw people who were crowding around the door resume to their partying.

"Just go clean these glasses and make yourself available soon. You'll be taking care of them tonight." She scurried to the table after shooing me. On my way to the back of the bar, I thought to myself:

Who are they? Clearly they're popular...

I grew up in the suburbs of New York. My life revolved around learning how important family is and how important school is. My parents always told me that the things of the outside world can wait.

" Yerekha, this is the land of opportunity. Take advantage of it. Live to the best of your possibilities by studying, studying, studying. Then, you can worry about Justin Beaver and Chris Bran after!"

I smiled at the thought of my moms voice and her mispronunciation of Justin Bieber and Chris Brown. She'd always limit how exposed I was to anything that could distract me from my studies. After my father and my aunt died in a car accident, it was hard being a single mother who had to raise her sisters kids and her own child. But she did it anyway.

It made sense that I hadn't heard of these people. I washed the shot glasses and grabbed a new clean tray. When I walked out from behind the bar, Selena and Dario were whispering and looking over at a table. I approached them and they nearly jumped when I asked what was going on.
" They're back! Like actually back," said Selena. I looked at where her gaze was set and my view was interrupted by Melinda's face. Dario snickered beside me and I held my hands up in surrender.

"Dario, are the drinks ready? Give them to Zhara. Zhara, make sure you double check their orders. Whatever they need, they get. One of them practically owns this place and we need these jobs if we want to keep living in this money draining place called L.A." I laughed and extended the tray for Dario to place the drinks. With my other hand, I adjusted my dress and checked my reflection in the small mirror on the bar wall.

Surprised my mascara hasn't melted onto my face — what with all the bodies in this place creating such extreme heat.