Page 1 of Claiming Kenna

Welcome to the club…

ChristmasinNewYorkwas a spectacular event. If you have ever experienced it you will understand. The snow scattered throughout the city is like a dusting of icing sugar. There were pops of vibrant colours decorating the city and bright fairy lights arranged elegantly. Christmas carols were a constant background tune and if you looked hard enough you may even see fucking Santa Claus. But for a broke student like me, I didn’t see Santa Claus, he didn’t leave me any presents and I did not have time to go outside and enjoy the Christmas carols.

I gazed out of my small studio apartment window watching the luminous white snow come down over New York and dreamed of at least building a snowman this year and stabbing a carrot into its round face for its nose. While caught up in my thoughts, I was absently tapping my pen on my school books and I sighed loudly feeling frustrated that none of the words from my text books were sticking in my brain. So many students in my class were naturally academic and would memorize everything they needed for their assignments first read through. Then they would all head to the local bar after school and drink themselves silly till three in the morning and complain at school the next day about how hung over they were and how the one night stands they had picked up were total shit and a waste of their time.

For me, every day after class I would head straight home and sit at this small wooden desk and study for endless hours. At twenty one years old I should be going out. I should be having terrible one night stands and experiencing the worst hangovers but I wanted to become New York’s best criminal lawyer more than I wanted to have disappointing sex. I was very inexperienced with sex anyway so I wouldn’t be able to rate it. Working part time and studying just left no time for anything else. I sighed again. Louder this time and threw my pen down on my books. I ran my hand through my mouse brown, shoulder length hair and went to the small kitchenette to make a coffee.

The cheap instant coffee tasted like bitter dirt. My small chipped terracotta mug was warm in my hands and I sniffed the terrible coffee before taking a sip. Terrible or not it still gave me the caffeine hit I needed. I checked the time on my phone and a frantic panic hit me when I realized it was nearly 5.00pm. I had work in an hour and was no closer to finishing my assignment then what I was three hours ago. I stripped my black sweater over my head, unclipped my bra and tugged off my baggy cream track pants. I turned my bluetooth speaker up so G-Eazys’ Tumbler Girls was flowing through my apartment getting me amped up for my night shift job. I had to snap out of my mood if I was going to try and get some tips tonight while waitressing at the bar.

Half an hour later I was showered and dressed in my plain black button up uniform shirt and put on some leather look skinny jeans. I tied my hair up into a high ponytail, put on some tinted moisturizer, black mascara and slid some nude gloss over my lips. My light green eyes glistened slightly with tears as I looked at myself in the mirror. Originally from California, I have no family in New York with me. My mum and step brother lived back home and my dad was in jail for grand theft auto. Me becoming a criminal lawyer seemed contradictory after growing up with a dad like mine but being in and out of court with our family and watching lawyers in action, I knew instantly that this is what I wanted to do. Working every night just to get by and going to school everyday was wearing thin. I knew I was on the verge of having a breakdown but I couldn’t see any other way.

Thewalktotheclub was freezing but walking for twenty minutes one way saved me a lot of money. I always caught a taxi or bus home though because no young girl should be walking the streets of New York at three in the morning. I hugged my puffer jacket around me tighter, keeping my head down so the ice cold wind wouldn’t whip across my face too severely. I was dodging people as I rushed along the footpaths being careful not to bang into anyone while I had my face down. Everyone was always in a rush in New York, some days it felt like everyone was playing dodgems. I smirked to myself at my inside joke. Tiredness and stress aside, I love going to the club to work. Every night was different from the last and I always met the most interesting and sometimes outrageous party goers.

When I got to the club I walked straight through the front doors. The regular bouncer, Buster, was standing guard at the entrance and he smiled and waved me in.

“Evening Kenna, you doing an all nighter tonight?” Buster asked me. I glanced up at him stretching my neck. He was 6 foot tall and built with strong massive shoulders yet he had the personality of a giant teddy bear. Everyone loved Buster.

“Yeap, have to pay for my tiny, overpriced apartment somehow,” I grumbled. then gave him a lopsided smirk.

“Girl, this place would be dull without you here,” he threw over his shoulder as I made my way into the club.

The music hit me like a beautiful sharp slap to my face. I took a deep breath in and the aroma of sweaty bodies and cheap liquor filled my senses. I got to the large oval bar in the middle of the night club and threw my faded black backpack under the counter. “Hi Millie!” I greeted my work mate who was busy serving drinks. She was the cocktail queen and taught me everything I know. Her hazel eyes narrowed on me, “Girl, we need new jobs seriously. I just had a bunch of rich, up themselves girls make me re-make their espresso martinis because there was a lack of froth on the top,”

“I can imagine that went down real well,” I muttered and chuckled openly.

“Nah, bitches didn’t tip me either. Next time I will spit in their drinks,” Millie voiced loudly over the music. I laughed but part of me new she was deadly serious.

“When did you start your shift?” I asked Millie.

“Only an hour ago. I will go to closing with you. I need the extra money, you know?” She sighed. And I did know. Millie was trying to get ahead in life and save so she can travel and see the world. But currently every cent she earned went to keeping a roof over her head and looking after her mum who was unable to work because she was in a wheelchair. Millie and I bonded instantly when we met because we both appreciated every dollar we made and promised each other we would be each others’ hype girls when we were feeling down. The only difference between us aside from our looks was the fact Millie was loud and outspoken and I was quiet and preferred to put my head down and not piss anyone off. But I still swore like a sailor thanks to my upbringing.

I quickly scanned the counter and served the first person that waved their hand out to me. It was a Wednesday night so the club was packed with younger people today. After the third hour I had made so many vodka and red bulls that I was starting to feel sick from the smell of it. At least tonight I wasn’t cleaning up red bull vomit off the bar counter top – yet. I was feeling bummed because usually by now I would have got some tips but the young ones don’t like tipping. They were young and broke like the rest of us. I will have to really skimp on my food shopping this week if I want to make sure I make rent.

By the fourth hour my mood had really soured and I had almost become robotic. Taking orders, making drinks and ringing up the till. A sweet high pitched voice startled me and my head snapped up when it rang in my ears.

“Can I please get a bottle of your nicest champagne hun,” she spoke loudly over the music.

“Of course. We may not have what you normally drink but I can still give you the best of what we have. Is this ok?” I replied and grabbed a large bottle from the shelf above my head.

“Thanks hun, These old guys are so drunk they won’t notice the difference anyway. I am just here spending their money and getting paid,” She said with a wide smile that held a mouth full of polished white teeth.Damn she almost looked like straight money.

“Where do you get a job like that?” I questioned casually. She eyed me curiously for a bit then smirked.

“I work at an exclusive club downtown. You know I don’t normally do this but you have an innocent look about you that men will fall for instantly. And women, whatever you are in to…” She left hanging between us then her manicured hand slid a black and gold business card across the counter towards me. I picked it up and scanned the writing.New York’s Elite,it reads with a number and address underneath.

“If you want to make some decent money, come check us out. You could work one night a week and earn what you would working here for an entire week. Ask for Crystal and they will come find me,” She almost screeched then sauntered off with her bottle of bubbles and red bottom shoes zig zagging through the sea of party goers.

I slid the card into my bra and carried on serving drinks for the rest of the night. I was relieved when the bouncers came around and cleared the last of the patrons out of the club for closing time. My feet were killing me and I needed to be at university in a few hours. I sighed and rubbed my temples in circular motions trying to ease my headache that I could feel coming on. Millie came up behind me and pulled me back into her for a hug.

“We got this girl. This won’t be our lives forever. Go home for a shower, have a power nap, drink that nasty arse coffee you have and get yourself to Uni. I may need your lawyer skills one day to get me out of trouble,” she giggled behind me. I patted her hands lightly and snagged my backpack from under the counter. Yawning loudly I nodded in agreement to Millie.

“That nasty coffee is my life line right now. But you’re right I’m going to go home and power nap then fuck off to school,” I grumbled and rubbed the grit and old mascara out of my eyes.

We waited with each other outside until our cabs arrived like we did every night we worked together. I pulled Millie into an embrace fighting back tears. I was too tired and too stressed so my emotions were on a roller coaster.

“Give your mum my love and enjoy your day nap today,” I teased her.

“I will be thinking of you when I cat nap I promise,” She replied and let out a loud cackling laugh.

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