Against Everything Else

1. The Alley Way

Avery's POV

My eyes were glued to the sound of her beautiful voice echoing throughout the bar. I was mesmerised by the way her hand struck the chords of the guitar so naturally as if it was in her blood to play. And the way she sang? Do not get me started on that amazing voice.

You'd think I was in love her rather than the music itself.

"Avery!! Get your ass back here and get to work!" My manager yelled over the round of applauses coming from the the audience around us. "I didn't pay you to stand around daydreaming!''

I mumbled a quick apology and grabbed the remainder of the empty glasses from the table, before making my way over to the back where Andy, the bartender, was waiting for me.

"Watching her again?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me as he took the glasses away from my tray.

I sighed and nodded, leaning over the counter slightly to get another glimpse of the girl on stage.

"Honestly Ava, you should just sign up to perform. Your voice is just as good as hers, if anything its better." I felt heat rush towards my cheeks but shook my head at his words. There was no way my voice is like hers. Nowhere near.

"You're crazy Andy. You and I both know that I can't do what she does." I turned back towards him and gave him a sad smile. "And he'll never allow it anyways."

Steven, the manager of the bar, glared at me from afar and signalled me over to him in the far corner. I frowned but hurriedly rushed to where he was, doing my best to put on a smile. I just wanted the night to end.

"Avery, if you're going to stand around and chit chat all night I'll have to cut your salary. This is the last time I will catch you like this tonight you hear?" I nodded furiously, stuttering out apologies as he shook his head in annoyance. "Just don't do it again. Why don't you be useful and take the trash out for me. Go home after that and come back tomorrow ready to work properly."

Without another word, I grabbed the two large garbage bags beside him and made my way out the back door, letting the night's cool breeze welcome me as soon as I stepped outside. I shivered from the lack of protection my uniform gave me, watching as my breath formed into small puffs of smoke in front of me.

As usual, the alleyway was dead silent, the only sound you could hear were from the sirens in the distance. The dumpsters were filled to the brim with black garbage bags and the ocassional stray cats sitting upon them, digging for scraps.

I shook my head and hauled the glass filled bags alongside me as I made my way to the far corner of the alleyway. Since the dumpsters were always filled by this time, we'd have to resort in using the dumpster behind the old record store. The owner was an old lady named Isabelle. She never seemed to mind, considering she rarely had much to throw out.

Most of the time when i'm on garbage duty, i'd get Andy to walk with me to the bins. I was afraid of the dark and even though I know that nothing bad usually happens in the area, its still dangerous for a girl to be walking alone hours past midnight.

Don't get me wrong, I know a lot of badass girls who could easily take down anyone that comes her way.

It just happens that I am anything but that.

"No, no please i'll pay it back to you by Monday I promise!"

Immediately I froze in place, my feet falling weak at the sound of a man's cry and the grunts that followed shortly after. As if on instinct, I gripped onto the garbage bags tighter, leaning ever so slightly behind the corner wall.

From where I was, I could see the old record store's dumpsters and a group of tall men in black suits surrounding a younger male kneeling on the floor.

I was so close yet so far.