On Santa's lap - S01 E03

4 months ago

On Santa's lap - S01 E03

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 3

I frowned and shook my head as he smiled at me, his long fingers tapping a beat on the counter top.

"Hello chirpy chirp," he reached over poking my nose and I slapped it away. Didn't this man have the knowledge of hte simple phrase "Keep your hands and feet to yourself," ?

"I thought last nights hangover would keep you away tonight," I said as I reached below slipping on the work apron and emptying out the pockets, thankfully I didn't leave any money in there last night, just a hair tie. Grabbing that I tied my hair back and used the sanitizing wipes to clean my hand before I got to work.

"I don't know, there is something pulling me to this place," He replied giving me a sly wink and I shrugged and did a double take, "You're wearing a Santa costume too?" I asked.

Except his looked like he was missing half of it, "Work," he said and I grimaced, people had to wear that when they worked as well? God is Mike started making us wear it, I would knee him and then quit.

"What can I get you?" I asked turning my attention to the group of girls next to him as they waited. Thankfully the annoying man had people he could flirt with, which was a massive plus since he could finally stop talking to me.

"Um, some Vodka shots please, Smirnoff only" the girl giggled turning her attention to Nik, "Hi,"

Nik surprisingly gave her an odd look before rolling his eyes at her and mouthing something to me.

What? I thought as I tilted my head no understanding anything.

"Get me some scotch yeah? Thanks pretty girl, I'll be back," he said and hopped off the stool instead of flirting back and taking them home for the night. Well, wasn't that what usually happened? Wait, was he gay? Is that why he rejected them?

I watched him confused before getting back to my job, lining up a row of eight shots and filled them at once with vodka.

"Oh my god girls, let's do it!" she flicked her hair away from her face and I coudln't help but watch them count to three before downing it, and which ended in a row of spluttering and coughing girls making me hide a smile.

"Can I get you another line?"

"No!"

"Eww god no, do you have orange juice?"

I pursed my lips as they paid me and walked off and Ashlee broke into laughter next to me, "Man they're weak," she said and I smiled shaking my head.

"Let's show them how it's done," Ashlee grabbed two plastic ones, since she was a germ freak and refused to drink out of the glasses we used, and filled them up with vodka. She was the type to carry her own damn plastic cups to the party.

"You in?" she asked.

"Wait, count me in!" Mike our manager ran up to us and I laughed grabbing another glass for him.

"Fine," I could never help a good challenge. On our own count we downed it, Mike shuddered a bit but Ashlee and I took it like it was water, it wasn't and it did have a distinctive gross taste but we were better at hiding how terrible we felt.

There was no point to exaggerate.

"That was good," She nodded going off to her own customers and I turned back, nearly yelping realising Nik was sitting there, when the hell did he come back? He tapped his fingers on the counter top, "Neat, but I thought you don't drink on the job,"

I took my time making his drink before I replied, "I lied,"

Simple as that.

"God someone change the damn song!" I yelled out as John Lennnon's Happy Xmas came on. Nik chuckled as I poured a row of shots for another group.

"Don't like Christmas songs?" he asked raising his glass to his lips, does he wear lipstick?

I raised my eyes to meet his before going back to the shots, "Don't like Christmas, period," I replied handing the shots on a tray so they could take it back to their table. But I didn't know how since it was pretty crowded in here. I bet they would be back in five asking for the ones that got knocked over.

I got to work making more cocktails as Nik nodded thinking of something before he replied, "Why?"

Thankfully Timber came on and I turned my attention to singing the song in a quiet voice, my feet tapping.

I placed the piece of pineapple pushing the drinks over, "Enjoy," I said and wrote down the next order. The only thing annoying about this many people were a lot of group orders, and the press to make it in time before they got annoyed.

Of course since they already paid they sort of had to wait, but it was still annoying when they just kept staring at you and watching what you pour.

Secretly judging how much alcohol was in the drink, but then again you can't put too much alcohol in the drink because guess who got sued when they got sick.

I looked up seeing Nik had disappeared through the crowd and let out a sigh.

Finally, he was gone.

I looked at the watch on my hand to realise it was only six in the afternoon. I seemed to have a whole night ahead of me.

I threw on my jacket walking out when I was surprised to see Gavin leaning against the wall this time.

Man, was this a new thing or something?

"What do you want?" I asked as I took out my phone from my bag switching it on.

"I was just, you know, making sure you're okay," he replied kicking himself off the wall. His hazel eyes regarded me and I raised an eyebrow as I walked towards the escalators.

Did he think that just because I was working at a pub I was going to drink myself over him?

"I'm fine, as you can see," I said somewhat perplexed to why he dumped me and was now checking up on me.

"Okay," he nodded and I stepped away from him, he was a bit too close to someone he just jumped, "I just don't want you to do anything stupid ya know?"

No I don't, and did he think I was that invested in our relationship? As bitchy as that sounded saying it in my mind. I got off eyeing the taxi, nearly deciding to take it to avoid the walk home if this man was going to follow me.

But why would I waste twenty bucks on a taxi, I could get so many things with that money. Just imagine the tubs of ice-cream or Krispy Kreme doughnuts I can buy with that.

"Ho ho ho!" someone walked by yelling it at us, clearly drunk and I wrinkled my nose, great, people were still in the festive season at three in the morning.

"Let me walk you home," he said reaching out and I took a step back.

"What? No Gavin you dumped me and you're back? What, found no one else to spend the night with?" I asked. He pursed his lips, the jerk.

"No, I'm just checking up on how you are. Plus you can't walk home this late," I raised an eyebrow as his eyes looked around. And I haven't been walking home the whole time we were together.

"Really," I said the same time I heard someone call my name out, "I'm fine you can go," I said looking up and seeing Nik come down the escalators, he raised a hand flashing me a grin, a whole lot of white teeth, before he ran down the last few steps.

Gavin looked back at me raising an eyebrow clearing his throat, "Who's he?" he asked curiosity laced in his voice.

"Nik," I replied, "With a K that is," I said nodding.

"You moved on fast," he said and I didn't bother to correct him, I didn't know why but the shocked expression made me feel something inside.

Why did everyone think it was impossible for me to get a guy?

It wasn't that I couldn't. It was that I didn't want to.

But I did bother to say this as Nik closed the distance between us and fast before he heard, "Not everyone needs someone to keep their bed warm Gavin," I looked up at Nik, "Hey, want to walk me home?" I asked.

Gavin narrowed his eyes, giving Nik a pointed look. Nik just looked confused at my sudden change as he looked between us and I hoped he could feel the hostility in the environment and my pointed look, and thankfully he did.

"Isn't that why I waited, come on," he raised a hand to throw it over my shoulder and then dropped it, smart move. Gavin present or not, I would have ribbed him.

I didn't need to look back to know Gavin was biting his lower lip, something he does when he gets annoyed or loses or get's angry. It was't jealousy that made him so annoyed about Nik, it was the fact that he hated losing.

If he thought dumping me was going to send me crying back to him begging him to take me back, he lost at that.

I waited a good street before I stopped, Nik was in the middle of some story I wasn't really paying attention too, "Thanks for that, I can take it from here," I said looking over my shoulder just to make sure Gavin wasn't lurking in the shadows, because he would be the type to do that.

The coast is clear.

"Nah, I have another idea," He said, he reached out this time not hesitating to grab my arm and give me a tug in a different direction.

"No, I need to get back," I said confused. Was I letting this stranger I met a day ago drag me through dark streets? I racked my brain trying to remember if I had perfume in my bag I could use as pepper spray.

"Relax, I'm not going to rob you," He said sending me a lazy smile, like he was reading my mind. But it wasn't the "rob" part that would have worried me.

But that would be on most girls mind if they were being dragged at this time, man why was he so strong. He didn't look like it under that thick jacket.

"At least tell me where we are going,"

"To get hot chocolate, isn't it cold?" he asked.

No, for us it was Summer when it was Christmas, the downside of living in Australia I guess. But the wind was slightly chilly, "At this time?" I asked. The only store that was open at this time that would sell hot chocolate was the 7/11 convenience store.

And the taste wasn't that good either.

"You owe me for before," he said and I sighed. I guess I did. I pulled my hand out and he stopped looking at me confused, the other hand lifted like he was going to grab me if I run, "I can walk myself," I replied wiping my hand, which I hoped was subtle, on my jacket.

Nik shrugged and turned around walking at a slower pace which I easily kept up with, "Sure thing."

The 7/11 was quiet and the guy behind the counter briefly looked up at us as we walked in, doing a double take just to make sure we weren't robbers trying to hold him up and relaxed back into his chair as Nik walked to the hot chocolate machine.

The hot chocolate tasted like water and chocolate, but that what it would taste like when it was only $2.00. I watched as he filled two glasses up, stirring it with the paddle stick and walked to the counter throwing a some dollars coins onto it and nodding to the man.

"Thanks," I replied as he handed me a cup and walked towards the crossing.

"Where are you going, I have to go this way,"

"Aw come on, just sit with me while we finish this. I might spill the very hot liquid while I walk and no one wants me to be burned, I'm too hot for that,"

I pursed my lips as his green eyes pleaded with me, and I was positive he was using a puppy dog trick that most girls would fall for.

But what I fell for was the fact my feet ached and I nodded, "Fine," I said, I knew this was a bad night.He cracked a grin crossing the road even though the lights were red, but the traffic was nearly dead. I followed him across the road to the garden, it was called City Square.

It was a small patch of rectangular long grass with a small river like segment that ran across it, with tiny step "bridges" that linked it to the shops next to it.

The only other presence was a homeless man sleeping near the fountain. I all too gladly took of my shoes and sat on the grass. Screw decency.

"I like it out here," I nodded, approving his taste. I spent many days just sitting here, it was good when it was quiet like this. But the only thing I didn't like was all the Christmas things that were up, including the candy cane lights that were hanging up.

If only they were lanterns.

I lifted the horrible tasting drink to my mouth, blowing on it before taking a sip as Nik sat next to me quietly. It, being the silence, wasn't weird which was surprising, as weird as the fact that I was here with nearly a complete stranger drinking hot chocolate.

Damn you Gavin.

And it was also weird that he didn't make any mention of Gavin or what had happened before.

"So, you finished earlier than yesterday," he said confusing and surprising me. Did he keep tabs on me or something?

I shrugged, "Yeah when it gets quiet not many of us are required, so I left. Why are you still in the plaza that late?" I questioned. I didn't like talking, I preferred listening. Which sometimes aided in the job when there were drunk girls crying over some stupid issue.

Of course it wasn't just girls, there were guys, sometimes husbands that were complaining about their wife and life in general.

"I finished work and thought I would stick around," he said. He placed his cup on the grass and I watched as he shook his jacket off, "Geez it's warming up," He said.

I agreed, it felt like it was thirty degrees Celsius and it was only three thirty in the morning. You know this summer was going to be a bad one. I prayed that winter would come back fast.

He rolled up the sleeves to his white shirt up, the candy cane lights weren't strong, but they were strong enough for me to see the grey V neck shit he wore underneath, one that was way too fitting. I looked at the white shirt again to realise it was a work shirt.

I frowned leaning over and pulling at something that was hanging out of his jacked pocket, raising an eyebrow when I pulled out a Santa hat.

"What?" I asked with a small smile on my face, "Why are you carrying this around?" I asked confused.

Nik shrugged, "I'm Santa Clause," and I wasn't sure if he was being serious or not, but the expression on his face made me bowl over, nearly knocking my cup over, as I laughed.