“Certainly. I will be right back with your drinks.”
“Be quick about it.” You can buy an expensive dress, but class is priceless. Something this bitch doesn’t have. One of the most abhorrent things you can do is be rude to waitstaff. It screams poor judgment and bad manners.
The music is now getting louder, as is M’s temper.
“If you talk to her like that again, you’ll be stained in the color that’s coursing through your veins.” M’s sharp voice cuts through the air, and it seems like only the three of us heard the threat because everybody else is so engrossed in their conversations. Drowned out by the music.
The brunette puts her hand on her chest to showcase how shocked and wounded she is.
“Listen,” she scoots closer to M, “I could give you a night you won’t forget.” He goes away from her by scooting his chair closer to the man sitting next to him. Yet that doesn’t mean that he is done.
“Listen, Selma, I know who you are and who your dad is. Out of respect for your dad, I won’t hurt you.” She looks at M, then at me, and then she redirects her attention to her phone. Without looking at M, I go and fetch their drinks.
***
The couple arrived a while ago, and the party is in full swing.
Laughter floats like champagne. The string quartet plays something expensive-sounding, and the chandeliers above are throwing diamonds across the floor. Everything shimmers—the guests, their smiles, even the air. I weave between tables with a tray balanced on one hand, the scent of peonies and money thick enough to taste. They toast love, while mentally I was counting my money. This is a big gig, which means I would get paid generously.
From what I have gathered from stolen glances and quick chats, it seems that M stayed where I left him. He hasn’t gotten up to dance, even though Selma, the classless bitch, tried many times. I feel like her memory has erased M’s threat because she is trying her best to get him to pay attention to her.
Keep working, Lana.
I’m in the kitchen and go up to my supervisor.
“Alen, the ice is almost out, so I’ll go and grab some. One of the guests keeps asking for ice.” He nods at me, and I go to the cooler to grab some ice. I return from the cooler to the bar, where I am alone and away from prying eyes, and start making Selma’s drink. A fucking mojito.
“So, this is where lowlifes are.” You've got to be fucking kidding me. I look up and see that Selma is looking at me with a venomous look.
“Your drink is almost ready, ma’am.” I have to stay professional to keep this job.
“Listen, Laja—” Fucking hell. “—he is mine, and if you don’t stop flirting with him, I will destroy you.”
“Ms. Zukanovic, I promise you that I’m just working. I have no interest—”
“Zacepi1. I don’t know if you know this, but my daddy is very prominent in this town.” I want to roll my eyes, but I can’t.
“I have had my eyes on that delicious man for a while, and I can’t have a commoner like you talking to him.” I stop making her drink because her statement is derogatory and cruel. I fucking hate it when people in power view people with regular jobs as less-than.
“Excuse me?” I ask her. She cocks her eyebrows as if to say that I’m being ridiculous.
“You heard me. I hate people like you.” The pure venom in her voice states that this isn’t the first or last time she will talk to servers like this. Or anyone ‘beneath’ her.
“I apologize, Ms. Zukanovic, but do you talk to everyone like this?” My question makes her grin and bite her lip.
“Only to whores who come from the slums of this city.” I feel something brewing in my chest, and for a moment of not looking at this crude woman, my eyes findhis.
Fuck, I have to play this right, otherwise chaos will ensue.
“I’m going to get some white rum for your drink, Ms. Zukanovic. Please proceed to your table, and I will gladly bring it to you.”
“And that’s how it should be. You have been warned.” I watch her strut away, and I run to the storage room to get away from this embarrassment.
1."Shut up" in the Bosnian language.
26
MAfter a couple more tries of Selma trying to get into my space, she understood that I was definitely not interested.
