Page 54 of Silver Tears

“I want your bank details!”

Seb smirks and shakes his head, walking backwards away from me. “Not going to happen, precious. Oh, and by the way.” He looks at his watch. “You’re five minutes late for class.”

My eyes flare as I frantically check my own watch. Shit! He’s right. I’m never late for class, never ever! “We’ll talk about this later,” I shout over my shoulder as I run off towards the east wing for Maths. Seb Collings is nothing but a constant thorn in my side. The sooner we can call it quits on this fake dating ruse, the better. I don’t need him interfering in my life. I was doing just fine without him.

MILLY

I’m two hours into my four-hour shift. I’ve just taken some empty glasses through to the pot washer and walk back into the main bar area. A familiar laugh pulls me from my daydreaming. Seb’s here and he’s not alone. He's sitting near the large bi-folding doors. He fits in here. Seb looks like he was born to eat and drink in somewhere like this. Not like me.

“Hey, can you serve table eight?” Jasper asks me, gesturing over to the very table I was hoping to avoid.

I want to refuse, but of course I can’t. I can handle Seb and his group. Pulling my shoulders back and pulling out my notepad and pen, I make my way over to them.

“Good evening. My names Milly. What can I get you all to drink?”

Seb’s head whips up at the sound of my voice.

Another guy who’s wearing shades inside. Like, who does that, grins over at me. “Ah, Milly. The Milly. Seb’s Milly.”

I bristle at being called his. I’m not Sebs. I’m not a possession, something that someone can own. “I’m his girlfriend, yes. Now what can I get you?”

The dark-haired guy studies me, grinning. “I haven’t decided what I want yet, sweetheart.”

“I’ll take a Jack D and coke, please,” Seb says, offering me a smile with his order.

“Does that come with any extras?” The dark-haired guy snickers and a few others round the table join in.

“It comes with ice,” I tell him dryly. Who is this conceited fucker?

“I’ll have a bourbon. With ice,” he adds on, with a deadpan smile. I smile back at him and take down the rest of the guys’ orders. I leave them, heading off to the bar.

“Oh, girl.”

I hear a clicking noise and turn around to find the annoying dark-haired guy clicking his fingers at me. Plastering on a smile, I walk back over.

“What can I do for you?”

“Sir,” he grins.

“Pardon?” I say, scrunching up my nose.

“It’s what can I do for you, sir,” he replies, the smug smile never leaving his face. He leans back in his seat, his TAG Heuer watch glistening against the sun.

“What can I do for you, sir?” I repeat through clenched teeth. I am slowly losing my patience with this dickface.

“Quit it, Chester,” Seb warns, looking up from his phone.

Chester holds his hands up. “I’m just playing with your new toy, Collings.”

Seb pockets his phone and stares coldly at the guy. “She’s not for you to play with, though. She’s mine and only I play with her. You can go, Mills. He wants nothing else. He’s just being an arse.”

I nod my head at him and swivel on my heels, glad to put some distance between me and the giant nob in the room. I reach the bar and pass Jasper the order and wait with my tray. I sense him before I feel him at my back.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I say, with gritted teeth. “Just go away. You can’t accost me when I’m working. It doesn’t look professional. I’m a big girl. I don’t need the likes of you fighting my battles.”

I feel him tense behind me and wait, but he doesn’t respond, and I’m surprised when I turn around to see him walking back to his seat. Good. Glad he got the message.

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