IceBerg - 10. Chapter 10

‘You put up with him, don’t you?’ I raised my eyebrow over to Oli.

‘I could say the same for you,’ he replied, laughing. He had a nice laugh. I looked over to Oli. He was grinning. No wonder. He was right. David was cool. Oli was so over excited, and David was happy to just watch, delighted.

His mellow vibe alongside being a tall guy with long black hair, large eyebrows and happy-go-lucky charm made them a balanced handsome couple.

Well suited. Oli picked well.

‘You both adore me, so shut it,’ Oli stuck his tongue out, nudging David.

David nudged him right and the two laughed together, their hands were close together and their eyes sparkling.

David cleared his throat, and pushed Oli, ‘Come on. You guys got to move, if he sees your behind the bar with me.’

‘He’ll be jealous is what he will be,’ remarked Oli.

I laughed out loud to that as we were ushered out. Before Oli left, he looked around and before I could blink, he reached over, cupped a hand around the back of David’s neck and gave him a long kiss.

I saw Gregory in the background, welcoming in the celebrities for another grand epic amazing wonderful once again charity night.

‘It was nice to meet you, David!’ I said out loud.

With much reluctance, they both pulled away from each other. Oli returned to my side.

David gave me a small salute and I saluted back, both us chuckling.

‘You guys are sweet,’ I said to Oli as we picked up our trays filled with alcohol. ‘You really like him, don’t you?’

‘How can I not like him?’ grinned Oli, almost skipping alongside me. ‘So, you think we look good together?’

‘Absolutely,’ I replied without missing a beat.

Oli looked as if he was about to say something. But his smiling face dimmed a little. He turned and muttered under his breath, ‘Gregory. Right behind us, he’s looking our way.’

I clamped my mouth shut and gave Oli a nod. Straightening my back, I got my posture right and picked up my own tray and began the walk.

‘Drinks, sir? Ma’am?’ I offered the tray alongside my plastic smile face.

I blinked at the huddled crowds waving ‘no’ at me, not even looking at me. It was okay. I barely looked back at them either.

Scanning the room, I saw the other panel co-hosts from Charlie Conray’s T.V show laughing in a circle together. The main host was stood nearby, leaning against the wall, glass in hand, flirting smiling with some young blonde thing.

I always felt out of place amongst all these stars. But never more so then when I saw those co-hosts. They were in a world I could not belong.

‘Charlie already probably told them all about you,’ sneered Jake. ‘You’re just a punchline.’

Looking down, I went to my next group of huddled celebrities.

I raised my tray and offered them drinks. Some grab glasses, some decided to make this the time to dump their empty glasses onto the tray.

One guy cried out, ‘More Champagne for the ladies!’

The ladies giggled and the men chortled.

I smiled and said nothing, walking away to my next group.

‘Hey!’ Oli was walking alongside me at a quick speed. ‘You, okay?’

I tried not to frown, keeping my plastic smile face on, ‘Yes, why?’

‘Oh, oh. Nothing, nothing! I just thought.’

I stopped him and stared.

‘I, um,’ Oli looked over my shoulder. ‘I should see if David can get me a fresh bottle.’

He darted away, going back the way he came. I watched him scarper, trying very hard not to frown away my plastic smile complex. I straightened my shoulders and turned around.

‘Oof! Sorry, about that!’

I got the full force of someone knocking into my shoulder. I saw his face.

Charlie.

Lucky for me nothing spilled on the tray. His hand was on my shoulder. He looked startled, his eyes widened, his bottom lip hung in mid-sentence. We stared at each other for a few seconds before he snatched his hand back.

I gulped the lump way back into my throat and forced that chuckle out, ‘At least nothing is spilled, ha.’

An upset and horrified look crossed his face. He cleared his throat and walked past me. I stood there with the fake smile still plastered on tight. I focused on the bright chandelier, the sun in the middle of the room, the lights glittering out. I stared at it hard, gulping back another lump, trying my hardest not to blink.

‘Ahem!’

It was Gregory. He was standing across from me. He frowned at me and tilted his head.

I nodded my head down and walked away, still holding the tray. My fingernails dug deep into my palm as a I squeezed my free hand behind my back. People kept laughing at each other and waving me away. Some took drinks off the tray. I dodged a few drunken spillers.

My face was hurting, the smile aching. I stood against the wall. I stared more at the sun in the room.

‘Waldo,’ Oli was next to me.

‘I,’ he glanced down. ‘I’m sorry. I thought you would talk.’

I shook my head, ‘Don’t be silly, Oli. You don’t need to say sorry.’

Oli looked round, then grabbed under my arm and paced me to towards the bathroom area, the smaller male toilets of the five the place had.

A man came out adjusting his jacket and waved to his friends before walking over.

I turned to my friend, ‘Oli.’

‘He’s in there. Alone. I just saw him go in. Try one more time. I will guard the door for five minutes.’

Startled, I said, ‘You don’t owe me anything, Oli.’

‘Just try, Waldo.’

I gave him a funny look before looking around for Gregory.

‘Here, give me that.’ He grabbed my tray off me, balancing it with hardly any effort. ‘Go in now.’

He pushed me forward.

Why was he so eager for this?

Taking a breath, I walked forward, and opened the door. There was only one cubical in use.

This bathroom had way too many mirrors, and the bleach smell wasn’t strong enough yet. That would be later in the evening. I leaned against the black sinks with soap spots sprayed all over. Was going to have to clean that later. Janitor time.

I cleared my throat and said into the bathroom, ‘Charlie, I know you are in here. It’s just me in here. No one else. Can we talk please?’

Feet shuffled in the cubical. But he said nothing.

‘Please, can we just be friends, Charlie?’ I said, my hand reaching out and gripping the edge of the sinks.

Still nothing.

‘Can you at least come out here and face me?’

Nothing.

‘Oh, sir, sir! Before you go into that bathroom,’ Oli called in the background, I could hear the warning signs very clearly.

I sighed and leaned off the counter, ‘Look Charlie, if you want to talk, just email me. If not, then, then, I wish you luck in the future and I will continue the project on my own. Without your input.’

I walked out the door the same time as a few men come in, all of them giving Oli strange looks.

Oli peered at me, grinning, offering me my tray back.

I got my tray and didn’t grin back.

                                                                                     ***

Walking towards my car, I let out a long hard sigh. I shrugged my coat on, loosening the two top buttons on my sweaty shirt. That was a long shift.

Wait. What was that?

Rushing to my box of a car, I placed my fingers on the door.

Scratches.

White marks clawed at my door, scraped along.

I ran my finger along the rugged lines. There was another car near mine with similar scratches to mine. Looks both our cars got done, some stupid teenagers maybe.

There were so many scratches. How was I going to pay for this? There were all over my door.

I went to open my door and paused. Dents were glowing under the street lights. How could someone catch my car like that?

I threw myself in the car, my hands on the steering wheel. I was probably going to have to work extra shifts just to pay this off. My car was just parked in its normal spot, not sticking out, not wanting attention, why did someone get my car like that? Now I had to drive around with these glaring scars; I looked like someone who couldn’t even look after a damn car.

My face crumpled up and tears were already streaming down my face.