“Hey,” a voice said snapping Evi out of her thoughts, “don’t let Gav catch you spacing out in here.”
She looked around and saw Bill, he had been really nice going out of his way to get her used to the place. She had been spacing, just standing there caught up in the performance. She hadn’t thought much of the musician when she found him in the smoking area but the guy could sing. It didn’t hurt that he was handsome, with his long black wavy hair, and strong features. The musician noticed her watching and she thought she saw a smile.
“Ha yeah s***,” she laughed, and finished wiping the table.
It had been a pretty cruisy shift, not too many people coming in. Evi had been working here near a month. Garfield Street Bar was a beautiful old building and most of the furnishings were original. When she’d seen the staff wanted sign on the door she knew this was the place for her. Gav had given her a shift that same night. At the time he had seemed like such a nice guy. He was a different, angrier man when drunk. At first she had loved this job, but Gav’s nightly drinking had turned it sour. She would have quit, but she needed to save up for her ticket home. There was no way she would go begging her parents for the money.
“It’s real quiet huh?” said Alexia pouring a drink next to her.
It was quiet, normally it was packed out on a Friday. The Garf was a hotspot for hipsters, the nightly live music lured them in.
“Yeah, quieter again,” Evi said.
“I think everyone’s home cause of that virus,” Alexia said.
“Muaro virus yeah,” Evi said, “must have everyone spooked.”
“I think they’re all being idiots. The news has been saying that they have it under control,” Alexia said, “it’s not like it’s in Australia anyway.”
“That signers pretty good,” she said.
“Glenn?” Alexia said with a smirk, “Don’t go there, that guy is a complete mess.”
Evi found herself making excuses to come watch Glenn play, she thought he had made a pass at her earlier but she wasn’t sure. Her visa was only valid for a bit over a month, if he turned out to be a mess she had the perfect excuse to get rid of him. Plus there is no way he could be as bad as the last guy. After his set she’d try to talk with him.
She waited for the end of his set and went on break. She took a seat at an empty table and rolled a cigarette, the ritual of rolling the tobacco always calmed her more so than the smoking itself. She lit her cigarette and noticed Bill cleaning tables.
“Hey Bill,” she said.
“Hey what’s up?” he said smiling and coming over.
“Is that musician still here?” she asked and his smile faltered.
“Glenn? Yeah, he’s up with Gav,” He said.
“Ah OK,” She said.
She lit up another cigarette. She needed to quit before she got back to Denmark. Her mother would kill her if she found out.
The smoking area was a thin balcony divided by tables looking over the busy street below. She looked along the balcony and saw Glenn standing by the entrance. He pulled a pouch of tobacco from a pocket and rolled a cigarette. He scanned the balcony until his eyes met hers. She quickly looked away. S***, I hope he didn’t see me staring.
She turned to the street pretending to watch the crowds. She could see him heading in her direction from the corner of her eye. He pulled out a seat at her table and she turned to him.
“What did you think?” he said with a smile.
“Sorry?” she said.
“My music?” he said with a laugh.
“I didn’t get much of a chance to see it,” she lied, gesturing down at her uniform, “I am at work you know.”
“That wasn’t you watching then?” He smiled.
She felt her face going hot.
“You’re new here right? I’m Glenn,” he said, offering his hand for a shake.
“I’m Evi,” she said, shaking his hand, “My breaks over, gotta get back to work.”
“Alright then, I’ll see you round,” Glenn said.
She got up from the table and headed back into work. A sinking feeling in her stomach. She mentally kicked herself. She always let her nerves get the better of her. She thought a new situation would change her but she was still the same Evi, just in a different place.
She walked the empty streets of the Melbourne CBD back to her hostel. It was a small run down building full of backpackers. She couldn’t sign up for a lease, so the month she’d been here it was a hostel or nothing. She missed her share house but at least it was cheap and close to work. This month in Melbourne had been tough. She missed Sydney. She had everything worked out there, but it wasn’t an option anymore.
She opened the door slowly into her small room trying not to make a noise. The girls in the other three beds would be up early. It was a tiny room and her only space was her bed. She had learnt the top bunk was for suckers in a hostel. you could seal off the lower bunk with a sheet and gain a bit of privacy. She moved slowly, trying to step light and not let the old floorboards creak.
“Evi, that you?” Her bunkmate, Lucy said.
“Yeah,” she whispered.
“There was some guy asking around for you,”
For a moment fancy got the better of her and she thought it might have been Glenn, but that made little sense. She felt sick.
“S***, what did he look like?”
“Tall with short blonde hair,” Lucy said.
It was him.
“F***, what did you tell him?” she asked but she already knew the answer. She thought her move to Melbourne would get rid of him.
Craig had found her again.
