"Desna, the man at that table has been waving for you for five minutes."
"Thanks, Tommy," Desna said sarcastically, glaring at one of the Alibi regulars as she passed by with three beers in her hands. Why don't you put on an apron and start to serve?" She said as she told Kevin to get other two beers and a shot of vodka ready, then moved again to make her way towards the table where the guy was waiting.
"And since you are at it, another three beers!" She heard Tommy say.
That day, the Alibi was packed with people; she didn't know where to turn. Desna had been working three hours and still hadn't had a single moment to go to the bathroom.
"Girly! Give me my beer!" She heard Frank Gallagher's voice as he entered the Alibi, already drunk.
"I'm sure you'll find your seat alone," she said as she walked towards the counter. "Kevin!"
"I'm on it, bug," he said as he was filling other glasses of beer before getting one ready for Frank.
"Hey, sweety, where's my shot?" Mickey Milkovich shouted at her surroundings and his gang as he showed her his empty glass.
"Don't call me that," she said as she passed by, grabbing some empty glasses to bring them back to the counter.
"You are doing great," Kev said happily when he passed behind her, squeezing her shoulder.
"Glad to hear," she answered, filling some more glasses to bring to Milkovich.
"Another!" Frank shouted, and Desna gave him one of the shots she had in hand.
"I wanted beer," he complained.
"It's alcohol, and Kev is taking ice," she said countless times to bring the glasses she had prepared, "Enjoy it while he gets back."
"Hey, love, my cousin wanted to know if you're free later," Mickey said, eyeing the boy next to him and laughing.
"I don't think so," she stated, walking back and hearing them laugh again.
"Can I offer you something?" She was ready to snap back when she noticed that the one who had made the question was Lip. As she saw him, Desna's body relaxed, and from her lips escaped a laugh.
"I can't drink, sir," she said, smiling at him, "But for you, I'd make an exception."
"Oh yeah?" Lip smirked, but then Tommy called for her once again.
"Three more beers?" she asked as the man pointed at him and his companions. "Right on it!" she said before turning to Lip.
"Are you looking for Frank?" She asked, pointing behind her back.
"Why? Is he here?" He answered with a frown that made her chuckle.
"Desna!" Tommy called again, and she groaned before making her way to the counter to fill new glasses. She noticed that Lip had gotten closer to the counter as Kev walked out from the back.
"Where were you?" Desna asked, "Couldn't you find the way back?"
"I was about to give you five minutes of break," he said, and her eyes grew bigger.
"You took the time that it was needed," she said sweetly.
"That's what I thought," he said as Desna smiled before walking to Lip.
"Are you here for a drink?" She asked him.
"Umm… no," she said at his answer. She took his hand, pulling him alongside her as she exited from the back of the bar. Finally, she breathed as the cool air hit her face.
"Busy night, eh?" Lip said, giving her a cigarette that she gladly took, quickly lighting it up.
"Every day is a good day to drink," she said, taking a drag before passing it to him, who brought the cigarette in his mouth, "But it seems that they decide when to be a pain in the ass altogether."
Lip laughed as he passed the thing to her once again.
"Why are you here?" She asked, taking a drag.
Lip shrugged his shoulders, "Passing by," he said, and Desna nodded her head, blowing out the smoke.
"Are you free this Thursday, in the afternoon?" He asked her.
"There's the game," that Thursday, Kevin was organizing the bar so as to make it possible to see the game with the customers. "Kev didn't ask me to help yet, though; why?" She tilted her head to the side, observing him putting his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.
"Fiona is organizing this thing where we are going to install the new TV," he explained. Steve is coming, and she wants to ask V, too."
She frowned in curiosity. "Then why did you want to ask me-"
"Told you, I was passing by," he shrugged his shoulders. And she found herself nodding her head.
"If Kev doesn't ask for my help, I can make it," she said, throwing the cigarette on the ground and stepping on it with her foot.
"Yeah?" Desna nodded with a smile.
"Okay," he said, giving a glance at the door before walking towards her. In a moment, his lips were on hers and his arms around her waist. She was surprised by the action, but she didn't complain as she brought her arms around his neck, bringing him close. He slowly pushed towards the wall until her back hit the wall.
"Not here," she muttered against his lips. Then she noticed his gaze was deep in thought, and she put her hand on his cheek.
"What is it?" She asked, caressing his skin.
"I should…" he said, "I should really bring Karen too."
"What?" She asked, pushing him back slightly.
"Yeah, no, I mean, you're both my friends, so," he stuttered, "And-"
"You're fucking both of us," she challenged him as she moved away from him.
"We said no jealousy," he said, "You two are different," but that made her laugh bitterly.
"No, I don't think so," she said as he shrugged his shoulders.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
Desna shook her head, putting her hands in the back pockets of her jeans, "Listen, do whatever you want. I don't fucking care."
"Are you angry now?" He asked, making her stop as she was about to get back in.
"I don't know.." she said sarcastically, "What if next time I bring the other guy that I'm fucking?"
"You're not fucking anyone else," he protested.
"Yeah," Desna said, "Maybe I should."
"Oh, come on!" Lip said, stopping her by the arm, but she snapped it away.
"Why bring it up now?" She asked, challenging him, who just scoffed.
"I thought about it, I said it," he said simply.
"Bullshit!" She said, and he laughed, annoyed, pacing as he passed his hand on his mouth, "Why do you always do this?" Desna asked.
"Doing what?" He argued.
"Last time you brought me with you to see your so-called friend suck your brother because what was it?" She said mockingly, "I don't have to fear Karen. So, what? It is her turn now?"
"Karen is my fucking best friend, Desna!" He argued with a low voice.
"Then what does this make me?" she yelled at him, and she noticed his jaw clench. They observed each other in silence; they could even hear the voices from inside the bar as they kept staring.
"I don't want things to change between us," Desna laughed at that.
"You can't even answer a question," she said, turning her back at him, ready to get back in. But then he grabbed her arm, pulling her so that she would face him.
"This," he answered, and she scoffed, "We are this."
"Not my question," she answered, shaking her head, "Let me fucking go."
"Why do you have to complicate everything?" He asked angrily, his hand still gripping her arm.
"Why can't you answer a fucking question?" His jaw clenched again, looking at her, "What is this, uh? You've got a label for her but not for me, Lip?" she said, pushing his shoulder with her free hand, his jaw even more clenched. She shoved him again, "She is your best friend, then what am I?!"
His other hand moved, blocking her other wrist and yanking her closer, "A good fuck," he hissed. Desna's eyes widened before she pushed him, freeing herself, and then her hand moved to slap him across the face.
"Fuck you," She said coldly. His eyes widened just before Kev opened the door of the bar.
"Bug, I need your help over there," he said before looking between the two of them, "Are you guys okay?"
"Yeah," she answered, keeping looking at Lip. He was going home," the boy observed her as he wanted to say something, but Desna turned her back on him, pushing past Kevin to go back to work.
Fucking Lip Gallagher.
A good fuck! She was a fucking good fuck! That's all he wanted from her? Karen Jackson was his best friend, and she was just a good fuck? Then he wouldn't have minded her doing the same. She entered the hall, grabbed a shot of Techila, and swallowed it whole before she made her way toward Milkovich's table.
"Look who's here!" Mikey said, but she turned to the boy to his left.
"You wanted to know if I was free after, right?" She asked the boy, who nodded his head, "Fine, my shift ends at 11.00. I hope you've got somewhere we can fuck," she didn't even give him time to answer, and as she got back, swallowing another shot of tequila.