4: New Barmaid

We drive by the city and I can't keep my eyes to myself. Everything is so bright and vivid and everyone here looks different somehow. It's like I'm in a completely different planet, let alone country. Even the way everyone talks is different.

"Now look, Yara, where we're going is different from anyplace you've ever been. I don't want you to be shocked when you get there, so I'm telling you now. If you see anyone fucking someone else in a corner or whatever, don't stare. Just walk the fuck away. That's considered normal. The boss doesn't mind. And that's what you'll call him, by the way. To Devon, he's a criminal. Here, he's boss. Got it?"

I nod. "Who's he?"

"Damien Fucking Keller."

"He runs the Keller family?" That's all Devon told me. I never heard anyone's name specifically.

Jason nods, "Yeah, that's him. Now, it's unlikely he'll ever get involved with you, or even his cousin Ethan, but maybe one of the guys will be interested. You take the opportunity, but don't ask anything. The information will come to you, when the time comes, got it?"

"What do you mean by getting involved?" I have a feeling I know what he means, but I want to hear him say it.

He shakes his head. "You're too naïve for this shit, man. But then again, I see why Devon chose you. I mean someone might try to fuck you, Yara. You're a pretty girl, that's not uncommon. Someone will want to try, eventually. Just try to snatch someone who's higher up in the hierarchy, not a button guy or anything."

There are so many terms I'm unfamiliar with, but I'll learn them soon. Devon told me it would be a month, so I never really thought about this. Regardless, I'll be ready for anything. I need to do this, everyone is depending on it back home. I just hope Aaron never finds out about this. Or my mom, for that matter.

He parks his car in a parking lot packed with all kinds of vehicles. They're all shiny and look expensive, and I even know some of them. "Stay close to me, Yara. This is the club. I'll take you to the back so you can change. I don't want anyone to see you like this."

There's a line of people trying to get in. Jason is stopped by a guard. He's wearing sunglasses, which is strange considering it's dark out. He looks over at me. "Who the fuck is that, Huxley?"

"Hey, watch your mouth, Carl. That's my cousin, Yara. I told you she was coming for the job."

"I'll have to see some ID."

"What the fuck, man."

"Orders are orders." Jason takes out my ID card from his wallet and hands it to him. The guy, Carl, glances at it briefly and then gives it back. "She's late. You know the boss hates tardiness."

"It was the fucking bus. What can I do?"

"Just get her inside."

I follow Jason inside and the music is so loud my eardrums nearly burst. I didn't expect it to be this loud. We walk down a corridor and Jason opens a door. Once he closes the door behind him, it gets silent. There's a line of pressed white shirts and black skirts hanging from a metal rack. I notice that there's an emblem on the shirt, with the words KF. Keller Family? What else could the 'F' stand for?

"Get dressed quickly. I'll be right here so you don't get lost, or worse, get questioned by the wrong people."

He turns around and gives me the privacy I need. I dress in the shirt and skirt, and I see a new pair of stockings in a small cabinet. I'm assuming it goes with the uniform, so I put it on. There are also plain black pumps in many sizes and I easily find mine. Jason turns around and nods. "Better. Much better. Come on, let's go."

We get back outside and it's loud again. I refrain from covering my ears. We pass the door where Carl is and walk a little further. We get to an open area and the lights blind me. I've never seen so many people in one place. The floor changes colors, and so does the bar. I see a few girls serving drinks and as we approach, I start getting nervous. There's a variety of bottles on glass shelves behind them, of varying colors. I've never seen such a collection before and I've worked in a bar for years. I'm also unfamiliar with some of the names.

Jason leans towards one of the girls. "Hey Sandra, this is my cousin Yara. She's starting today, remember?"

Sandra looks at me from head to toe. She's beautiful, in fact every girl working here is physically attractive. It makes me feel self-conscious. "She's late. We opened an hour ago."

"The bus was late. Just don't tell the boss, okay?"

She scoffs. "As if he doesn't know."

Jason grabs my arm and says, "Just try to get comfortable. Do what you already know, don't try to impress anyone. Just serve drinks, it's not that hard."

He leaves me alone with them, but lingers around for some time. There are people literally shouting orders and after five minutes, I've already grown accustomed to most of it. I'm familiar with most of the cocktails, but whenever I hear a name I'm unfamiliar with, Sandra comes to my rescue and gets the drink ready in no time. Everyone here is so efficient. I haven't met any of the other girls, but then again there isn't much time for that. There's always someone shouting an order or wanting to open a tab. Meanwhile, I learn how she does it and I have no problem preparing one in the exact same way she did. I've always been a fast learner.

I look to my left and I see a man sitting with a tumbler in front of him. He's wearing a navy blue suit and smoking a cigarette. He's been sitting there for the last thirty minutes, not even moving. He's very attractive. Light colored hair. Dark eyes. What's he doing all by himself in such a place?

Sandra sees me staring at him. "That's Ethan Keller. He's the boss's cousin." Yet another name I'm unfamiliar with. "He sits here every evening. Don't stare too much, or you'll be confronted about it."

I immediately avert my gaze. I don't want any trouble, especially with the Keller family. I expected them to be old, but this guy's at least 26 or so. If he's the boss's cousin, then the boss can't be much older than him. I could be wrong.

I'm so lost in the rhythm of mixing drinks and pouring drinks that I don't even see the guy, Ethan, waving me over until Sandra pinches me. "What the fuck is the matter with you? Go to him!"

I stumble towards him and I smile. "Yes, sir. How can I help you?"

"Are you fucking blind?"

My smile melts from my face. "No, I'm sorry."

"You must be. I've been waving at you for a fucking eternity." Before I get to say anything, Jason comes to my rescue. Where'd he even come from? I don't care. I'm just glad he's here.

"Ethan, I do apologize. She's a small town girl, she's not used to all this. She's my cousin, Yara, I told you about her earlier."

"Your cousin is incompetent, Huxley."

"She'll learn. They all do."

He glares at me. "Just get me a whiskey, for fuck's sake."

I move so quickly that I nearly fall, but I recover immediately. I pour and he dismisses me with a wave. I spend most of the time with an eye on him, waiting to see if he'll call me again, but he never does. After a few hours, he gets up and leaves. I breathe easily. I haven't been this tense in a long time. Sandra appears by my side. "Don't be so relieved. Ethan's the nice one."

I gulp. "He's nice?"

"You haven't met the boss, Damien." Her eyes cloud over and she shakes her head. "Or his fiancée, Elizabeth. She's a downright bitch but don't tell anyone I said that."

"I won't."

"Theodora's a cunt, too."

"Okay." I don't even know who that is.

"I've been working here for three years now. Believe me, they don't even know my name. It's better that way. You don't want them to acknowledge you." She gets closer to me. "Keep your head down. They kill for anything here. Look at one of them the wrong way and the whole of hell falls right over your fucking head."

"I'll keep that in mind."

The rest of the night drags on. It's monotonous. Pour, pour, pour. The clock strikes four and it's still so crowded. Don't people sleep here? Do they just party all night? Clubs back home close at two. I'm too anxious to be tired. I'm still shaken by my encounter with Ethan Keller. That was a bad start. I'm sure Jason will scold me for it later. I'll be more alert the next time. This will never happen again.

I'll make sure of it.