Neon Lights [LadyBluey x Ich_heiße_Shawn]

[LadyBluey]

The lights in the bar were hazy but bright and colorful and pumping full of life. All the bartenders were busy, mixing up their drinks full of vodka and spirits to serve to these busy and young customers. The place smelled of cigarette smoke yet a pleasing fragrance of fruit from behind the counter. This was not Halyn's first day, but she was fairly new still. Only a week into her new job and she still had trouble keeping up with the new life. She barely spoke to her coworkers and no one knew why. She knew though: it was because of her social anxiety.

Halyn's anxiety made her so unpredictable. Sometimes she would scream and yell, other times she just stayed quiet. There was no reason for it really, it was just how she was. The medicine she takes just barely keeps her going throughout the day. It's not that she was a bad person, but just communicating with people is a chore for her. The only time she's at peace is at home and on her couch. Finally gathering up the courage to walk into the bar, Halyn opened the door to find the place busy as usual and quickly walked to the back room to get ready for her shift. Before going out there though, she splashed cold water on her face and washed her hands. Time to work for the night.

 

[Ich_heiße_Shawn]

The lights in the bar were hazy but bright and colorful and pumping full of life. All the bartenders were busy, mixing up their drinks full of vodka and spirits to serve to these busy and young customers. The place smelled of cigarette smoke yet a pleasing fragrance of fruit from behind the counter. This was not Halyn's first day, but she was fairly new still. Only a week into her new job and she still had trouble keeping up with the new life. She barely spoke to her coworkers and no one knew why. She knew though: it was because of her social anxiety.

Halyn's anxiety made her so unpredictable. Sometimes she would scream and yell, other times she just stayed quiet. There was no reason for it really, it was just how she was. The medicine she takes just barely keeps her going throughout the day. It's not that she was a bad person, but just communicating with people is a chore for her. The only time she's at peace is at home and on her couch. Finally gathering up the courage to walk into the bar, Halyn opened the door to find the place busy as usual and quickly walked to the back room to get ready for her shift. Before going out there though, she splashed cold water on her face and washed her hands. Time to work for the night.

Shawn had been working at the bar for a little over a year. Since he left home when he was legally able to, he didn't graduate high school, so a lot of places didn't want him as an employee. Rejection was an aspect of life he was used to. Employers rejected him, girls rejected him and he even felt as if growing up his family rejected him. He lied about his age when he started there, saying he was 21 when really he was just shy of 20.

When Halyn came in, it was about time for Shawn to head home. He lived alone in a small one bedroom apartment, preferring an apartment to a house in case he ever decided to move somewhere else. He hated the bar, but it was the only place that would give him a spot. He hated listening to the banter of the local crowd, most of them over-privileged college guys proving what little bravado they have by downing shots and sorority girls getting drunk to hook up with the aforementioned guys. He tossed his hand towel on the sink in the back, seeing Halyn there "Hey. I'm headed out now. Have fun."

 

[LadyBluey]

Halyn just looked blankly at Shawn, another coworker of hers. He threw his towel in the sink and left, telling her to have fun. She grabbed the towel from the sink and started wiping down the counters, then cleaning off the tabs that served the cold beers and ales. She particularly didn't care for him but she had no choice. Well okay, he wasn't that bad but how could she talk to him normally? Well she couldn't. She could only think of one thing to say to him without making things awkward.

"Okay. Bye."

Seeing him walk out of the bar, Halyn went back to work. It was one guy after another and girl after girl, each wanting an ale or maybe they would change their minds and want mixed drinks with vodka or rum. This was a lot of stress for Halyn and it was only a half hour into her shift. If only she could go into the back room and just have a drink for yourself but drinking on the job was frowned upon, even in the bar. So all she could do was just hang on and go into the bathroom every now and then for a quick 5 minute break.

 

[Ich_heiße_Shawn]

When Shawn got to his apartment, he saw the woman across the hall coming in as well. She was a nice woman, he thought; mid-thirties, no kids, periodic boyfriends. Her name was Stephanie and she had been a tenant there even before Shawn moved in. She and he had days where they spent time together, or just talk in passing. She had no interest in him, though, since she was very much older than him, but it was good to have someone to talk to almost daily, especially since he was still a newcomer to the city even after a year. He smiled at her and when he approached her he said "Are you just now getting home? I thought you got off like three hours ago, someone come in late?" Stephanie worked as a nurse at the hospital and worked first shift. She always got home the same time, like a creature of habit, but tonight she was getting in later. "Have you eaten yet? I was going to call in a pizza."

Life at the bar was brutal some nights. Sometimes the patrons would get to be of an asshole level. As Halyn was pouring drinks and wiping down the counter, one of the guys from the university was trying to hit on her. "Hey baby, how about I guy you a drink and we can go somewhere when you get off? We can take a drive downtown." Some of the female workers liked flirting with the patrons for more tips, but sometimes those patrons got hands-on and were escorted out.

 

[LadyBluey]

Halyn mostly kept to herself while working, still serving drinks but really not talking to anyone because of her social anxiety. When she heard a guy talking to her, she turned around slowly with a beer bottle in her hand and handed it to him. But she refused to answer his question. She knew better than to just go with any customer and who knows what he would do. Despite her refusal to speak, Halyn had some clear morals. And she knew when someone meant harm and when they didn't and she knew when to call for anyone to throw someone out on their ass.

Despite her morals and her own thoughts though, Halyn's anxiety was getting worse by the second. She really didn't want anyone talking to her today and this guy picked a bad day to try and get her in his hands. It has been 6 hours though and there was at least 3 more to go. Any more and she would panic and go home early.

 

[Ich_heiße_Shawn]

Shawn and Stephanie were having pizza together at her apartment, having wine together and just talking about their week. Stephanie was the kind of woman that Shawn wanted to only get together with and talk and share her company, but also to just fuck, but never happened. Instead, Shawn would have a nice evening with this woman, and go home across the hall at the end of the night physically unsatisfied. Other than that, Stephanie was probably his only real friend since moving in. Most guys his age were just jerk-offs displaying pathetic displays of bravado, but he didn't. That was probably why Stephanie, a woman older than him by about ten years, tolerated being around him. Her being more mature, they could talk about anything, work, life, sex, bad television. She even served as his therapist when he was really pissed off at his own life.

 

[LadyBluey]

Halyn was finally able to finish up her shift and went in the back room to get her stuff and get ready to head home. The sun was starting to come up too and it really didn't help her sleeping schedule that she had to work graveyard shift. She didn't have to work it all the time but it did weigh heavily on her. Once the last customer left, Halyn and another coworker locked up the bar and headed home. Heading home was not so bad, but she had to take the half hour bus ride home. Great, just more people for her to deal with.

Once she got home, she immediately ran to her apartment building and used the staircase to reach it faster. Halyn quickly opened her door like she couldn't wait to reach her safe area. Once inside, she quickly slammed the door and slumped to the floor, struggling to breathe. Her anxiety was so bad. But luckily she didn't have to work until later, which was a huge relief.