(NFTMB)Chapter 15
Victoria
(Begging on her knees)
I groaned in frustration and exhaustion as my back ached and cracked. These back aches were becoming a constant part of my day nowadays. But one thing was certain, I was tired.
My new job at the nightclub was very demanding and tiring or maybe I was just getting lazier everyday. I noticed I’ve been feeling dizzier and more tired than usual.
I yawned for like the nth time today. The fatigue was really hitting home, I thought and laughed to myself.
My phone buzzed and I looked at the caller. Flynn.
I happily picked up the call despite my exhaustion.
“Babe”. His cheery voice came through over the phone.
Flynn had decided to quit job hunting and start his own thing. He is an amateur YouTuber now. I was so proud of him. He is slowly getting recognised and thankfully his new job allows us to spend time together.
We met almost everyday and it felt nice. Being with Flynn felt nice. He was warm and cozy and felt like home. I loved his hugs and his kisses.
“What’s up?”. I tried to sound cool but failed miserably. We both had this little thing where we wanted to find out who was cooler between us.
Deep down I knew it was him. He was so much cooler than I was.
“That’s so cringe Victoria”. He burst out laughing, dragging me into laughter with him. We always laughed at everything, it was soothing.
There were no reckless words or harsh words or dehumanizing actions, just a very respectful and healthy relationship. Just what I wanted.
My mind often floated to Mr Rossi most times. How’s little Matteo doing? I always pray that he’ll be fine. That boy was innocent.
“Nahh, I nailed that bruh”. I continued my wannabe cool act.
“Stop, please , that’s so cringe. Who says bruh now”. He said in the middle of his laughter.
“Alright alright”. I gave up, I wasn’t cool.
“So what do you want for dinner tonight?”. He asked me. How sweet.
We always make sure we eat dinner together. It’s like our little thing.
“I’m craving Italian cuisine. Something very spicy and saucy”. I ordered.
He laughed into the phone as I smiled.
“That’s very weird babe, you hate spicy food. Are you sure you’re okay?”. He asked me
I didn’t know what was wrong with my food preferences. It was upside down.
“Yeah I’m fine, just change in tastes I guess. Variety is the spice of life they say”. I said.
“That, you’re very right. Very well, then. Italian night it is”. He said.
“Thank you so much Flynn”. I genuinely love having him around. He helps out around the house, no questions asked. He’s always there for me.
“Stop that. It’s actually my pleasure”. He responded.
“Alright I have to get back to work now. Love you babe”. I hurried out.
“Love you too”. He said before hanging up.
I got back to the task before me, arranging the new batch of drinks that just arrived before customers started arriving.
I bobbed my head to the hip hop music playing in the club as I went about my normal business. I loved that song.
I did my task effortlessly with the help of the song as I placed the last drink onto the wine bar.
I looked over at the place and gave myself an invisible pay on the back. I got lost in the music and I did not know when I completed the task at hand.
It was getting late now as customers and VIP guests arrived at the club. This place wasn’t anything spectacular but weirdly it had some loyal clients.
I already mastered the faces of some of the guests as I directed them to their usual spots.
The VIP area was the only eye catching area in this club. It was dark and classily decorated in black and gold and away from the prying eyes of the others.
The club was booming tonight, there were a lot of people. More people than usual which was strange. They were mostly males. I was trying to attend to everybody diligently but most of them were difficult to handle.
This particular drunk guy walked up to me in a drunken manner and requested a dirty martini. I whipped it up for him and slid it over to him.
Only for him to take a sip and spit it out, yelling loudly that I was disrespectful and unruly and that I had no right to tell him what to order.
I was genuinely confused because that never actually happened. It was like a movie for me.
“You bitch! I’ll make sure you never find a job anywhere else in this city. I will ruin your life for this great disrespect”. He thundered
I was torn between pleading and standing up for myself. I didn’t like being lied upon. What he was doing was bad, very bad. I didn’t do anything wrong.
A crowd was beginning to form, people were watching. This was embarrassing.
“Please calm down sir”. I tried to be gentle instead of attacking him.
“How dare you talk to me whore”. He yelled in my face.
I closed my eyes to calm myself for a while then reopened them to retry my earlier option.
“With all due respect sir, I am not a whore and also stop creating a scene in here you’re drunk”. I pleaded with him.
It was like fuel to a raging furnace. In a split second the dirty martini was on my face. He had poured the drink on me. That was it.
I slapped the drunk customer across the face in anger. How dare he disrespect and embarrass me like that.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing Victoria?”. My manager suddenly appeared from nowhere.
Wow, what luck I have!. He wouldn’t appear when the man was causing trouble only when I reacted accordingly would he come out. Wow.
I looked at Donald as he stared daggers at me. He looked like he would pounce on me any moment from now.
“Donald, it’s not what it looks like”. I told him
“Yeah well, what does it look like? Cause to me it looks like you just physically assaulted a customer”. He raged.
I looked at the drunk man, he didn’t look, seem or act drunk anymore. He stood straight and sober.
“I swear he attacked me first. I just made what he requested but he started yelling at me and threw the drink on me. I just reacted like every normal person would. I defended myself from a drunk customer. That’s all”. I tried to calm my breathing as I stood up for myself.
“Can you shut up for a moment Victoria. This man right here isn’t a drunk customer but a subordinate and a representative of the new club owner”.
I stood there speechless and paralyzed. It can’t be.
“No way”
“Yes way Victoria. You just slapped a representative who came to test the present staff for good behavior. And you’re the only one who failed the test”. He seethed at me.
Yeah I forgot to mention that Donald hated me and my guts.
“I didn’t know. Why wasn’t I informed?”. I looked around for any help. But everyone looked at me with disdain.
Even the DJ had turned off the music a while ago. All The attention was on me now. I felt very embarrassed. I didn’t know when I started crying.
I don’t know why I cried a lot lately. It was annoying. My emotions were all over the place.
“I’m sorry”. I muttered to no-one in particular. I was so humiliated.
“And you know the best part? He can sue you for physical assault Victoria. How cool”. Donald seemed happy with that information.
The man in question just stood there with arms folded wearing a stoic expression. I looked down to my feet immediately his eyes met mine.
“Forgive me sir”. I begged. I needed this job.
Grace would be so disappointed once again and I did not want that. Plus I couldn’t handle a lawsuit now nor could Flynn, it would ruin his beginning career. My heart broke at the thought.
“Save that for my boss”. He spat out in a hate filled tone.
I shrunk back in fear of the animosity his tone conveyed. Why does everybody hate me?.
I did something I never thought I would. I went down on my knees in the club and begged him.
“Please forgive me sir, it was a mistake. I didn’t know who you were. It’s my fault I was wrong”. I rubbed my palms together as I begged him on my knees.
The man just stared at me unfeelingly. From the corner of my eye I saw camera flashes, people were taking photos.
The man stared at me for a while and walked out of the club. I immediately got up from the floor and ran after him.
I was stopped at the door by Donald. Now I was beginning to hate this guy much more than he hated me.
“Where do you think you’re running to Victoria?”.
He asked me folding his hands across his chest as he eyed me up and down.
“I’m trying to go after him and you’re in my way”. I snapped at him. I was not in the mood for all these games.
“He won’t listen to you darling”.
“Let me be the judge of that. Now, out of my way”. I told him pushing him out of the way.
I was just in time as the man was getting into his car.
“Mister please wait!”. I yelled as I placed my hands on his car bonnet to stop him from moving.
He didn’t get out of his car, he just stretched out his hand through the window and threw out what looked like a complimentary card before signaling I leave his way by pressing the horn. I got the memo and stepped away as he sped off leaving me alone there.
I bent down and picked up the card from the floor but immediately I picked it up and glanced at it, bile rose up to my throat as I read out whose card that was.
“Alessandro Rossi”.