Bad Rep

by A. Meredith Walters

  “Uh, I'm not sure. I'll have to see if I'm on the schedule at Barton's for the night,” I told him.

  Eli ran his fingers up into my hair and pulled me toward him again, giving me another kiss. This one more hungry than the last. “I'd like to take you out. Just the two of us. I don't think we've done that yet.” I shook my head. Dates hadn't been high on his priority list. Getting both of us naked had always been number one in both of our minds. So Eli asking me out had me flustered. And for the first time, I was feeling a little guilty about my interactions with Jordan the night before.

  “I'll call you,” Eli said softly, kissing my forehead before making his way down the hallway. I closed the door to the apartment softly and leaned my back against it. I closed my eyes and ran my hand over my face. Eli had left me feeling very confused.

  “Lover boy gone?” Riley asked, poking her head around the door to the living room. I nodded as I headed to my room. “I want to leave in fifteen minutes. I've got to head to the library today to start my independent study proposals. Will you be ready?” Riley asked.

  “Yeah, just let me jump into the shower. I'll come with you to the library. I have a mountain of work before class on Monday,” I said, grabbing a pair of jeans and a tank top before disappearing into the bathroom.

  I took the quickest shower in history and pulled my still dripping hair into a bun at the back of my head. I didn't bother with makeup, so I was ready in seven minutes flat. “Impressive,” Riley remarked as we headed out.

  We chatted about nothing in particular as we headed to Barton's. Riley parked around back and we made our way in through the employee entrance in the kitchen. The day staff was on. We hadn't met any of these people, so I had no idea who anyone was.

  We stopped at Moore's office and I wasn't surprised to see him sitting at his desk, click clacking on his computer. I could tell he was the type to take his job as general manager very seriously. He looked up when we arrived and gave us a smile. “Good morning Maysie, Riley. Nice to see you. The schedule is tacked up on the board by the expediting station. Maysie, I put you on for this evening. Riley, you have the lunch shift tomorrow. I tried to work around the schedules you guys gave me but if there are any conflicts, let me know and I'll sort it out.”

  We both said our thanks and went to find the schedule. Once we found it, we looked for our names and started writing down our shifts. I was working three nights through the upcoming week, which didn't conflict with my classes or my shifts at Bibi's. It seemed Riley and I had opposite schedules and I was bummed we wouldn't be working together.

  I couldn't help but look for Jordan's name and my stomach dropped when I saw that we pretty much had the same schedule. Just great. Clearly avoidance wouldn't work. “Looks like I'm being thrown in the deep end this evening. Let's get back to the apartment so we can grab our stuff and head to the library. I've got to be here at 4:00,” I said, trying not to show how freaked out I was at the prospect of working with Jordan tonight.

  Riley tucked her handwritten schedule into her pocket and we headed back through the kitchen, calling out our goodbyes to Moore as we walked by.

  We spent most of the morning in the campus library. It was dead since most students were away for the summer. I was able to finish the rest of my statistics homework and got a good head start on my biology research paper on natural selection. We went to a deli around the block to get lunch and I sent a text to Eli, letting him know I had to work.

  I didn't hear back from him, which wasn't surprising. I guess whatever had been up with his behavior that morning was fleeting. We finally headed back to the apartment around 3:15. That gave me enough time to eat something and get changed for my shift. I went ahead and laid out clothes for tomorrow. I had to open Bibi's in the morning and knew that I would be wrecked from having to help close tonight.

  Riley was heading to a movie that night with some of her friends, so she let me borrow her car. My little VW Bug was in the shop with a dodgy alternator. I'd have to use some cash to pay for that now that my parents had closed their wallets. I tried not to panic over how fast I was accruing debt.

  I pulled into Barton's and hurried inside. I clocked in and went to Moore's office to let him know I was there. It looked as though he hadn't moved. He was still sitting behind his desk, pecking away at his keyboard. Did this guy ever go home? He gave me a shift checklist and instructed me to go through it. I was to use this as my guide until I got into the swing of things.

  Pocco and Fed were manning the industrial dishwasher. Fed tried to squirt me with the hose as I walked by, making a suggestive comment about my nipples through the wet shirt. I chose to ignore them and headed out to the dining room.

  Damien was working again and I was happy to see Jaz as well. She squealed and ran up to me. “Yay! I'm so happy you're working tonight!” she said in that perky way of hers. She was sitting at the bar. I was relieved to see Jordan hadn't come on yet and it was only Lyla.

  “Hey Maysie. You ready for tonight? It'll be absolutely crazy,” Lyla said, handing me the soda I asked for. “You're lucky to be on the schedule. Servers kill to be on Saturdays,” Damien said, sitting on the stool beside me.

  Barton's usually had a band on Saturdays so I hoped to make good tips. “Yeah, Devil's Stone is playing at 8:00. But Generation Rejects has the stage at 11:00!” Jaz enthused. My heart plummeted. Jordan would not only be working the bar tonight but his band would be playing.

  “Oh, yeah?” I asked weakly, drinking the rest of my soda so I could get started with my shift checklist.

  “They haven't played here in almost six weeks. So I'm sure the place will be packed! Wait until you hear Jordan sing! He's unbelievable!” Jaz gushed.

  “I thought he played the drums,” I said, intrigued despite myself.

  “Oh, he does. But he does some of the singing too. What I wouldn't give to have that guy's moves. He's usually knee deep in pussy by the end of the night,” Damien commented crudely. Jaz leaned over and smacked his arm. I frowned.

  “But he has a girlfriend,” I pointed out. God, this guy was a complete player! I was so thankful I had wised up before being sucked into his rock god pants.

  “Don't listen to Damien. Jordan isn't like that. Sure he's a flirt and everything, but he has never cheated on Olivia. He likes to give off the bad boy vibe and lord knows he plays the part. Unfortunately, he has remained faithful,” Jaz sighed, clearly disappointed by that fact.

  I wanted to shout, faithful my ass! Lyla was counting the bottles of tequila behind the bar and she looked up at Jaz's statement. “Well, he always has been before...but things change,” she gave me a look and I flushed, staring down into my empty glass.

  Jaz huffed. “No, he's whipped. He's had more than enough opportunity to hook up. Especially since Olivia's out of town. But there's nothing that would make that boy stray. I mean, who can compare to Olivia Peer? She's gorgeous!” Jaz said. I swallowed around the lump in my throat. I was officially over this conversation.

  I handed my glass to Lyla who looked at me a little too perceptively. I gave her my best I-don't-care-about-anything grin and headed over to what would be my section for the night. The rest of Barton's evening staff clocked in over the next forty-five minutes. Aside from Jaz, Damien and me, a girl named Ginny, who I recognized from my biology class this summer and an older guy named Leo also clocked in.

  Then, around a quarter to five, Jordan came in through the kitchen doors. I almost dropped the bottles of ketchup I was holding. He looked amazing. Of course he looked amazing! I bet there wasn't a day in his life he didn't look like sex on a stick. His dark hair was freshly buzzed and I could see the gleam of his eyebrow piercing. I hated that I noticed he had replaced the ring with a silver barbell. His polo shirt was snug over his muscles and his cargo pants hung low on his hips.

  Lyla gave him a quick hug and he called out a greeting to Jaz and Damien, whose sections were closest to the bar. I tried really hard not to watch him as he scanned the rest of the
dining room. But I felt the moment his eyes found me. It was like my entire body thrummed with it.

  “Hey, Maysie,” he called out. I grudgingly looked up and our eyes met. And just like that first time I saw him, the air hummed with electricity. The chemistry between us was palpable. I jerked my eyes away from him and lifted a hand in greeting, not trusting my voice at that moment.

  I felt him watch me for a few seconds longer and then turn away. I snuck another look in his direction but he was talking to Lyla and pulling the rack of glasses off the counter to put them away. I busied myself with finishing up my prep work.

  By the time I was done, it was 5:15 and I had my first table. And then another one and another one until all five of my tables were full. I ran around like crazy. But at least tonight I got to keep the tips. And so far they were fat. By 7:30, I had $60. I was glowing, I was so happy.

  I had just scooped up a 20 dollar tip left by some older business guys who I had flirted shamelessly with while they checked out my chest. I practically skipped to the back to have a quick smoke before my next table was sat.

  I pushed open the outside door and almost collided with Jordan, who was coming inside. “Sorry,” I mumbled, my good mood evaporating instantly. It sucked that when I looked at him, lust warred with embarrassment in my mind. Embarrassment over what might have been had I not found out how close I came to being “the other woman.”

  “Hey, Mays. How's it goin'?” he asked, holding the door open for me so I could step out. I really needed the nicotine, so I ignored my discomfort and stepped around him to get to the milk crate and have a seat.

  “It's going good,” I replied shortly.

  I could see Jordan out of my peripheral as he hesitated. He still held the door open, as if unsure whether to go inside or not. Go inside. Please, just go inside. I pleaded silently. My Jedi mind trick clearly wasn't working, because Jordan let the door close and sat down on the stoop beside me.

  He watched me as I smoked my cigarette. Finally I looked at him and arched my eyebrow. “Can I help you with something?” I asked snidely. Jordan smirked, as if amused by my bitchiness.

  “Is this how it's going to be between us now?” he asked. I looked at him, refusing to drop my eyes. No sense in him seeing how much he had screwed with my head in the short time I had known him.

  “Well, how do you expect me to act? I mean, it's not every day the guy you may or may not be interested in, asks you out, but conveniently forgets to inform you that he has a girlfriend. It puts a bit of damper on things, don't you think?”

  Jordan raised his eyebrows at me and smiled. “May or may not be interested in, huh?” he teased and I could smack myself for my monumental slip up.

  “It doesn't matter how I feel. This...” I gestured between us with my hand, “is off limits.” I finished, not liking how this conversation was going. Jordan looked down at the ground and kicked a rock.

  “Why does it have to be off limits?” he asked quietly. It was my turn to smirk.

  “Do you even need to ask?' I questioned in disbelief. How could he be so dense?

  Jordan cleared his throat. “What if it wasn't? Off limits, I mean. What if...” He was cut off by the kitchen door opening and Jaz and Leo came out, immediately lighting up their cigarettes.

  “Maysie, you just got sat,” Leo told me, taking my seat as I stood up.

  Jordan got to his feet as well and he was still watching me as I picked up my lighter. It annoyed me that I was curious by what he had been about to say. What did he mean about not being off limits? I met Jordan's eyes again but dropped his gaze a second later. Without another word, I turned and went back to my section.

  Chapter Five

  I successfully avoided any further contact with Jordan for the rest of the night. I was proud of the fact that I had resisted the urge to check him out behind the bar. Which, was a feat unto itself because I hadn't been sure I was capable of such self-restraint.

  The crowd in Barton's started to thicken as the night wore on. Devil's Stone started playing at 8:00. They were clearly a local favorite, though I didn't really enjoy their screaming rock. The noise volume was deafening and I was fighting a killer headache but my tips had been stellar! Jaz and I did a little happy dance as we stood waiting for drinks at the bar.

  “I've made $250 already! And I still have another two hours on the clock!” Jaz yelled over the music. I grinned at her, pushing back my sweaty bangs.

  “I know! I've made almost $300! It's insane!” Jaz gave me a pout.

  “That's not fair. The new girl should not be getting more tips than me!” She tried to come across like she was teasing, but I knew her well enough to see the irritation on her face.

  “Well, when you look like Maysie, guys will throw money at you.” Jordan said as he brought our drinks over to us. He smiled at me but I quickly looked away. Jaz did not like his comment at all. She huffed.

  “Well, thanks Jordan. You sure do know how to make a girl feel good,” she sulked.

  Jordan reached over the bar and squeezed her arm. “You know I think you're pretty, Jaz.” He grinned at her and Jaz instantly melted. She wore a goofy smile as she turned back to her tables. I rolled my eyes to try and cover the flash of jealousy I felt at the compliment Jordan had given her.

  I yanked my tray off of the bar, my annoyance obvious. “Hey, Mays,” Jordan yelled from behind me. I grudgingly turned back around, my back straight and my face blank.

  “Yeah?”

  Jordan cocked his head to the side, his eyes burning into mine. “Jaz may be pretty, but you're fucking gorgeous,” he called out loud enough for me to hear over the thumping base of the band. He grinned at me and then he freaking winked. I hated and loved it when he did that.

  I couldn't help but blush at his flirting. We held searing hot eye contact for what seemed like an eternity until someone called out Jordan's name and he turned away from me. Damn, he was going to be the death of me! How the hell was I going to stay disinterested and unaffected by him when he said shit like that? The obnoxious thing was he knew he got to me. Just like he knew he got to every girl he came into contact with. I hated like hell that I was just another chick in a long line of flirtations. It hurt and it sucked that it hurt.

  I had to rein in the anger that reared up. I painted a happy smile on my face as I continued to tend to my tables. Things stayed steady while Devil's Stone played. I was able to forget about Jordan Levitt and his endless mind fucks as I was lost in the Barton madness. And I was relieved when the band finished around 10:30. The lead singer's screaming was driving me nuts!

  Fifteen minutes to 11, there was a ripple in the atmosphere. A noticeable elevation in mood around the restaurant as a group of three guys came in the front door, rolling amps and guitar cases. Tables had been moved back in the large dining area to create a make shift stage.

  Jordan hopped over the bar and went up to the three guys, giving them a fist bump, guy hug thing. These must be the other members of Generation Rejects. I watched Jordan interact his band mates and could see the easy comradery between them.

  Jaz stopped and saw what I was staring at. “The guy with the tattoo covering his head is Mitch. He moved to Bakersville a few years back. The guy with the long blond hair and guitar case is Garrett, he's a townie. Then there's Cole. He's the lead singer, though Jordan sings sometimes too. Cole is a bit of jack ass. He plays the whole lead singer thing up a bit. But they're all cool,” Jaz told me.

  The guys started hooking up their amps and began sound testing the equipment. There was a buzz of anticipation as people started crowding around the band. I handed my last two tables their checks. The kitchen closed at 11:00, so the crowd started clambering around the bar for drinks. Lyla was slammed, as she was the only one left with Jordan now out front. Jaz, Damien and I made our way to the bar to wait for the show.

  Around 11:15, Jordan sat down at his drum kit and did a quick run. I couldn't help but be impressed by his obvious talent. Moore had come out from the
back and grabbed himself a beer. Cole took the mic and turned it on, a squeal from the amp cutting through the noise of the restaurant. Everyone got quiet as the guys took their spots.

  “Thanks to everyone who has come out to see us tonight. My name is Cole and we're Generation Rejects.” And with that they launched into a metal version of the Rolling Stones' Gimme Shelter. I watched riveted as Jordan beat the hell out of his kit, sweat already dripping down his face. Cole's voice was almost a scream as he sang about war being a shot away.

  The crowd soaked it up. Girls had jumped up and started dancing to the music, yelling out the names of the guys playing for them. I had been to a fair number of live shows, but this was awesome. The vibe was intense and the band played like their lives depended on it.

  And Jordan was...well, he was the sun in the middle of it all. It was impossible to ignore his presence behind the drums. Even though Cole was technically the lead singer, it was Jordan's voice that I focused on as it melded with the music. He was flipping fantastic.