Kayla's First Shift Who: CJ and Kayla Where: Avarice When: Thursday, August 12th
Kayla was at Avarice at 5pm as Ben had instructed her, looking for CJ since he'd kindly asked the other girl to show her the difference between the two clubs before her shift started. "CJ!" She called out as she walked toward the bar, her hand and wrist still bandaged from the other day with Gabriel. She was wearing her purple doc's, tight black jeans with a studded belt and a ripped far-too-tight Broken Sunrise tee, her dark hair styled in a faux-hawk.
"Well damn..." CJ said with a friendly grin as she stepped out of the walk-in cooler. "There go MY tips tonight if yer gonna look like that. I'm CJ. Nice to meetcha."
"Yeah, like you'll ever have that problem," Kayla replied, thinking that Ben had really understated how jaw-droppingly beautiful CJ was. "Nice to meet you, too, though," she added, her voice a little... flat there.
"Admittedly, the ol' tight-vest-and-leather-pants ensemble ain't ailed me yet, but damn girl. That's a helluva look. Ain't never hit on a girl and meant it but... DAMN." CJ gave that bright, infectious smile again, hands on her hips. "Lookin' like that's enough to me rethink that."
"Thanks," Kayla chuckled as she brushed a hand along the back of her neck. "So, I guess we'd better get down to it, huh? What've you got to show me?"
"Well... obviously you know the basics at least of bartending. So I don't need to go over all that stuff. Basically, if you run out of any of the beer or hard liquor, anything we have that's cold will be in the walk-in cooler here... any overstock we have will be in the basement."
Obviously, CJ didn't know Kayla was a slayer, as evidenced by her next statement.
"If you need to get any of the big-ass boxes of liquor from the basement, call for some help. Ben'd be pissed if you bust your back trying to lug it up here yourself."
Kayla's blue eyes looked over toward the cooler and she nodded slowly, trying to commit the location of things to memory. The last thing she wanted to do was knock someone over because she was frantically looking for something. You never made friends that way.
When CJ mentioned the big-ass boxes, she couldn't help it but bark a small laugh.
"That... won't be a problem. Trust me."
"Ok, great. Now... tips. You keep any tips you get. Simple as that,. Just... we all have a silent agreement that we don't try to jack each other's regulars. The controls to all the lights, the jukebox, and the DJ booth are all under the register in that little silver panel." The curvy brunette really WAS about the friendliest bartender in history. Not a mean or cynical bone in her body.
"Closing is easier to show you than tell you, so... I'll be back at 3am to help you close."
Ohmygod. She was going to drag herself out of bed at 3am just to help a new coworker?
"Everything else is pretty much common sense if you've been working at S&S."
Kayla nodded again, trying to remember every little thing CJ said. She had... memory problems when she first woke up from her coma, so to combat that she repeated things in her head until she was confident that she'd gotten it right.
She didn't have memory problems anymore. Just problems with aggression. Anger.
"Thanks," she said, giving CJ a small smile.
"Anytime. I still say between McConnell first, now you... Ben's just TRYING to make me look plain by comparison..." CJ gave a wry little laugh there. "So.. do they hurt? The tattoos, I mean. They're wicked pretty... but GEEZ they look like they hurt."
Kayla rounded to the opposite side of the bar, looking over the labels of the bottles of liquor, the beers they had on tap. To CJ's question, she looked up and couldn't help it but smirk: "It's a good kind of hurt."
"I wanna get one... I just don't think I have the guts to go through with it." How cute... CJ was trying to bond a little. She couldn't help it: she'd really developed a bond with Patience, and the two of them worked well together for it. She needed to feel that connection to really click with a coworker.
"Naw, it's not so bad. It gets addictive after a while," Kayla admitted, thinking that she'd have to visit Sarah soon. "It's important to get a design that means something to you, though. I've had far too many friends get tattoos of guys... or girls names on them and that NEVER ends well."
"Gawd, yes. Girl that comes in here a lot had Ben's wife's name tattooed on her back. They broke up and she drank herself into a stupor till Meredith paid to get the damn thing taken off of her."
Grinning again, looking a little hyper, CJ took a sip of her own drink, a Jack & Coke she'd mixed.
"Now... I'll be home all evening. So if you have ANY questions tonight, promise you'll call me. I swear you won't be bothering me. My number's in the little book under the icebox."
Kayla grumbled a little at the mention of Meredith's name, since she knew who Deanna had run off to that night and had a pretty damn good idea where that led.
A question actually *did* come to mind, but... Kayla bit her tongue there, since she generally wasn't so forward with someone she just met.
"Right," she said instead. "Thanks, CJ."
"You... look like you were thinkin' something you weren't putting voice to." She raised a brow, usually VERY good at reading people. "Come on... ain't nothin' you can't ask me, babe. Nothin'." Kayla smirked and shook her head, "I doubt you'd like it."
"Well hell, girl... if ya got something bad to tell me, I'd rather hear it now than in the future, when it's festered and got ya all hot under the collar about it..."
Clearly, whatever it was, CJ was thinking Kayla was annoyed or aggravated at something she did or said.
That was the amusing part, really. For once, Kayla WASN'T annoyed. "I just wondered if you'd go for a drink after work." Or ten.
"Oh! I'd love to! Seriously, girl... I need more friends. I can't believe you didn't think I'd like that..." She gave Kayla a cute little hip-bump as she laughed, sort of... either not quite getting Kayla's intent or just pretending not to.
"Yeah, well. If you'd heard about my rep lately, I doubt you'd go for it," Kayla shrugged. "Anyway, prepare yourself to get drunk under the table," she smirked faintly.
"I never cared much for reps, babe." CJ said with a wink, laughing loudly. "And I can hold my own, sweetheart... you might be in for some trouble." Was she even aware that Kayla was SORT of hitting on her?
Kayla chuckled and rolled her eyes, for the first time in a while... NOT feeling like the biggest asshole in the world. "Pssh, you've got nothin' on me, babe."
"You're on. Once we close this place down... we're gonna get to know each other over a buttload of booze, girl. Teach you some respect." Oh, but her tone was extremely playful there. CJ was just... inhumanly friendly.
Kayla just chuckled and shook her head. "Look forward to it. Now go on, then. I have to set up."
Come 3AM, Kayla had called CJ to help her close and was finishing the last of her duties before asking her fellow brunette with a cheeky little grin: "What's your poison?"
"I'm a Jack Daniels girl. Pour me some of that and have a seat." CJ said with a cute little snort. "Good job by the way. Everything still looks great."
"Cheers," Kayla replied. She poured them each a glass and took them over to a small table for them. Along with the bottle. "Can't believe you agreed to come out this late," she added, shaking her head.
"I have like... NO life, hon. Least I can do is help someone who seems nice." She gave a little noncommittal shrug then, laughing. "So what made you switch to Avarice?"
"Mmm, not a fun story," Kayla replied. She sat down in one of the chairs and kicked her feet up in another one. "What made YOU come here?" She asked, trying to take the focus off of herself as she took a sip of her drink. Mm, alcohol.
Hell, CJ could understand not wanting to talk about something bad. "Well, if ya ever need to talk, you know how to get me. As for me? I came to LA to be an actress. Quickly found bartending to be the only thing I had any real talent at. And Ben's a great boss. Actually pays well, where most bars don't."
"True," Kayla agreed, idly wondering if CJ had agreed to a threesome with Ben and his wife. ... Maybe that was a weird thing to bring up. "I meant Ben being a great boss, obviously, since I haven't seen you act. Modeling wouldn't be out of the question, though," she added, as she took another sip of her drink. Thank GOD she had such a high alcohol tolerance, huh?
CJ, meanwhile, had no superpowers... Just a Texas girl's drinking prowess. "A model? Heh. Thanks. Compliments are always nice when they don't come from a drunken slob. Can't believe a girl lookin' like you only tended bar at the other place."
Kayla shrugged lightly and finished the last of her glass before pouring another, "I was never really confident to do that," she said.
"Yeah, I'm the same way. I dress kinda skanky here for tips, but I'm sorta acting. I'm really kind of bashful about myself." Huh. Maybe it was the booze, but she was finding Kayla remarkably easy to talk to.
Kayla smiled lopsidedly and traced her fingers along the rim of her glass, "...Have you ever played 'I never'?" Oh, now THERE was an evil thought.
"Can't say I have... Never against a good drinkin' game though." CJ cracked up, knowing she sounded like a total lush. "How do you play?"
Kayla chuckled. She wasn't much of a drinker, usually, but she could appreciate getting good and tight every once and a while. "Easy. I'll say something like 'I've never... pet a cat', and if you've done it, then you take a swig... or sip (I'm not picky) of your drink. If I've actually done it, then obviously I'll drink as well. Easy."
"Sounds easy enough... Start us off." Again, never let it be said that CJ wouldn't try things, huh?
"Alright," Kayla rolled her eyes thoughtfully. "I never... called someone the wrong name during sex," she smirked.
"Hah! No drink for me this time..." She cackled with a little smirk. "What about YOU?" CJ asked with a raised eyebrow.
Kayla rolled her eyes and took a swig of her drink. "ONCE," she clarified. Of course, she didn't need to. That wasn't part of the rules. "I never... killed a man."
"Well, I broke a man's heart so bad he SAID I killed him, but still! Close enough!" And she grabbed a shot, downing it. "My turn..." She gave an evil little smirk. "I never... took home someone I met while tending bar." Oh dear. She took a BIG ol' shot that time...
Kayla actually laughed at the first part, since her answer would have been 'Well, he was already dead, so...'. Of course, to the second part, Kayla actually made a face and took a swig. "Again, ONCE." She sucked her lip between her teeth, "Same question."
"Hah! Fact that I did a shot riiiight after asking shows my answer there." She smirked and rolled her eyes. "I've done it at least three times, which says a lot about my virtue. So try again. New question."
"Well now, here I thought you were just thirsty," Kayla sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and thought about her next question briefly: "Ever fucked a coworker?"
"No, actually I haven't. I'll admit to having flirted incessantly with Ben, and finding Patience and Nevada completely adorable..." She snickered there, blushing a little. "But nope. Not me. You?"
"Not yet," Kayla replied with a smirk, taking a sip of her drink anyway. She took in a breath and let it out slowly: "I forgot whose turn it was," she chuckled.
"You know... So did I." CJ admitted, cracking up. "Hell with it then." She did another shot just because. "Not yet, huh? Got someone in your sights?"
"Maybe," Kayla chuckled again, the alcohol having a soothing effect on her. "S'that a bad thing?"
"Nah. I admit, even I'VE been tempted by Ben a few times. Guy's a charmer and a half." Annnnd there went another shot down the hatch...
Kayla took another swig of her drink that time and then set her glass down, before sitting up straight and leaning her elbows against the table. "I think you're ahead of me," she smirked.
"Exactly why am I ahead of you? Maybe the booze is muddying me, but I'm... kinda lost." CJ admitted with a little giggle.
"You've been drinking more!" Kayla laughed and shook her head, before moving her mouth to the side thoughtfully: "Okay, here's an easy one. Ever been with a woman?" She smirked and took a shot, just STARTING to feel buzzled. Damn Slayers with the high tolerances.
"Nope. Can't say I have. Been tempted a few time, won't lie there..." Ok, so she'd been tempted by a few of Patience's half-joking offers to come home with her and Patrick...
Kayla licked her lower lip and shook her head, "So, you've been tempted... What's stopped you?"
"Been curious a few times... But never REALLY attracted to another girl. Not in that extreme of a way, anyway..." And yes, she blushed then, showing why CJ would never make money playing poker.
Kayla chuckled again and took another shot before leaning back comfortably in her seat, "You sure about that?"
"Ok. So... Maybe ALMOST never..." She blushed again, looking away...
"Really now?" Kayla asked with a smug little smirk. Wow, what a bitch, huh? Who knew!
"Ok, ok... Look. You KNOW yer hot, ok?" She laughed and reached over to playfully smack the other woman in the arm. "Straight or whatever, I'd have to be BLIND to not think you're sexy."
"See? Now was that so hard to say?" Kayla laughed and clicked her tongue, pretending to be mildly disapproving here. "So," she started ticking off with her fingers, "You think I'm hot and you've never been with a woman. Wanna change that last part?"
"Oh my lord..." The bartender laughed loudly with a tinge of embarrassment. "You're... Ohmygod. Are you for real here?"
Kayla actually laughed, then. Something which she wouldn't have done if it weren't for copious amounts of alcohol. She was a mellow chick right now. Which was a word that no one would use to describe her lately. "Yeah," she smirked. "Why not?"
"You know what? Why not." CJ replied, no doubt braver due to being buzzed. "You plan on makin' it an affair to remember, good-lookin'?"
"Oh yeah," Kayla replied, before leaning forward with her elbows on the table. "It won't be somethin' you'll forget easily. Trust me."
"So this is where I use the cheezy old line:" with a little giggle and a grin that gave away just how excited about this she really was. "Your place or mine?"
Kayla smirked lopsidedly, glad that CJ wasn't aware of her... current situation. "Let's go to yours."