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Lily's POV

"Two margaritas and a sex on the beach please," The blonde lady looking out of her wits requested as she continued to talk to her partner.

I rolled my eyes and forced a smile on my face as I turned to mix their drinks. This was definitely not a new thing on the job. I am used to it. But at least, she said please.

Grabbing the tequila and triple sec from the freezer behind me, I tried hard not to sigh out loud in frustration.

I should be the one ordering drinks, I should be out there, with my friends on a day like this but no! I'm stuck here, attending to a drunk lady who looks like she just had a quickie in the back of her car.

Holding back a sigh again, I squeezed out the lime with the perfect measurement and proceeded to make the drink.

I love my job honestly but I really hate the fact that I have to be here, today of all days but then again, I have no say. I need this job, I need the money for my brother’s hospital bills. They have piled up enough already.

"Here's your drink, ma'am," I said, passing the drinks to her and smiling sweetly.

"On the rocks, sweetie, do I really have to tell you that? I mean it's not your first day here, is it?" She asked, glaring at me.

'Keep it in, Lily, endure it,' I said to myself as I clenched my teeth.

"I'm really sorry, let me fix it," I apologized and placed some ice cubes into her drink.

"There, it's all done."

"Oh is it?" She asked, mocking me as she turned to face her partner with her drink.

"I honestly think some people ought to know their place. I mean, I could barely even talk to her back then," The man next to her was saying.

I rolled my eyes at them again and turned to face the other customers sitting in front of me.

Where the heck was Mira? She was supposed to come here by now and change shifts with me! She promised.

Glancing at the door behind me, I frowned slightly and continued to serve the drinks.

"What would you like to have sir?" I asked the hot guy sitting across from me.

"What do you recommend, darling?" His English accent poured out at every single word.

"Depends," I answered smiling, "Want to ease up from stress or just here to chill?"

He smiled and leaned closer.

"Got stood up by my date so what do you recommend for that? A heartbreak drink?" He chuckled.

"Definitely! Don't worry, I know the exact drink to get you out of your bad mood."

I grabbed the shaker and a lime squeezer.

"Well, it'll be a bad thing if you don't, won't it?" I will just ignore that comment. Nothing seems to be going well today.

“Here, Gin and lime.. on the house. Take it as a special gift for being stood up," I smiled as I passed the glass to him.

"I'm guessing that's not the only advantage of my being stood up by my date, is it now, darling?" He asked, his voice lowering to a drawl.

"The drink's on the house, isn't that enough to ease your mood?"

I knew what he was doing and I could already tell where his next line of conversation was going.

"Don't mess with me, sweetie, What time do you get off work? Maybe you could, you know..mend my broken heart," He winked.

I sighed inwardly and forced a smile at him. Why do they always think that women who work at bars are their available sluts??

"Well, I... "

"I'm sorry I took so long, Lily. I was a bit caught up," Mira’s voice interrupted just in time. Oh, thank goodness!

"Thanks," I whispered softly as I turned to face her, sighing with relief as she patted my back. Then whispered to me “I told you you need a break. You could have gotten someone else to cover for your day shift, then I will take the night. Or maybe you can just sign up for that auction shit. It's people like you they need” This was almost her tenth time talking about the auction in two days and she has begun to win me over.

She had said it would be the answers to all my prayers, I would be able to settle my brother’s bills and be able to pay for my college bills too. But as tempting as it is, do I really want to lose my virginity to a total nut job because of money?

"I'll take it from here, sir," She said to the man and then turned to face me again, "The manager wants to have a meeting with you before you leave."

Oh no! What did I do now?

"Am I...?"

" Just go. She won't bite... " Mira chuckled.

I sighed heavily and took off the apron as I walked through the door leading to the manager’s office.

I really hope it was not about the fact that I had asked Mira to take over for me today.

Standing in front of the door, I realized that I hadn't seen any of the other bartenders at all today.

Ryan and Jeff were both missing.

Sensing something was wrong, I knocked on her door with a pensive heart.

No response.

Knocking one more time before I pushed the door open in worry and...

"Surprise!!! "

I stood there with my mouth open in shock as Miss Hobson, Ryan and Jeff waved at me with large smiles on their faces.

A cake was at the center of the table with the word, 'Happy birthday, Lily,' written on it but I was still looking around in surprise.

"What's going on?" I asked, still in shock.

"Happy birthday, Lily!!" Ryan squealed and ran to hug me.

"My goodness... Thank you so much guys, I really appreciate it... I .. I didn't... " I started to say but choked up. No one has ever done anything as sweet as this to me in a long, long time.

"Did you really think we had forgotten about your birthday? You thought we'd let you serve drinks to nosy and a bit too annoying people without letting you breathe some fresh air?" Jeff laughed.

"I don't know what to say," I said, blinking back the tears in my eyes.

It was so sweet of them to plan this for me despite everything and to think I was wondering if I had offended Miss Hobson.

"Happy birthday Lily, I'm grateful that I have someone like you as one of my workers, and I mean it," She said smiling at me.

"I thought I was your favorite!" Mira said as she walked in.

"What are you doing back here?!" I laughed.

"What do you mean? Think I'd miss your birthday party?"

I smiled at all of them, wiping the tears that were now falling off my face.

"Here, let the celebrant wear the birthday hat... "Miss Hobson said, placing the hat on my head.

"Don’t you think I'm a bit too old to wear that?"

"Nonsense.. you are not."

We laughed, I looked around as they cut the cake and gave me my gifts... There couldn't be a happier moment for me than this.

"Lily!" Sam called as he walked in with a worried look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"It's an emergency, you have a call, it's from the hospital," he said, passing the phone to me.

"Hello?" I answered the phone, What could have happened, the nurses told me just yesterday that there was nothing to worry about. And they never just call unless there is something terribly wrong.

“You have to come here, Lily. Your brother. . . It's not looking good” I wanted to shout at her that it was not what they had told me yesterday, but I know it's no use. They had warned me about the money for surgery even though she didn't say there would be complications if it was not soon.

“I am sorry, Miss Hobson, I think I have to go,” I say as I end the call,

“Yes, please go. I hope he will be okay”

I could not look at the rest of them, but I said to my roommate, “Please take my things home, Mira”