I wouldn't give him the pleasure of satisfying his curiosity, let everyone keep their lives private, I thought, looking at him and smiling back.
- Well, that's not all, but I've got a few drinks to catch up.
- Have fun, I said, looking down at my machine to turn it off and go home.
- Here, he said, handing me a few tickets, have a drink with the person of your choice.
- Thank you, I said, taking the tickets and stuffing them into my bag. Have a good weekend, Anthony!
- Same to you, lalie
I put everything away in a hurry and rushed to the green to start my shift. I always wondered by what miracle I'd never bumped into Anthony at the Green. Maybe it wasn't the kind of place he used to go to. I don't know if he has kept me from knowing the reputation the waitresses at the Green had here.
- It's packed tonight, my lielie, let's do our utmost to win as much as possible.
Says Ane with a broad smile on his face,
- I don't have your assets, but I'll do my best
- You're simplifying your pointy tits and your pretty bottom? You've got assets, love, the trick is knowing how to use them. You can take a leaf out of my book by starting to do your service without a bra, and let your nipples, hardened by the cold, attract customers for you, my pretty.
I picked up my tray and followed her to do my service. If I gave good tips, I could go back to Sandton to the cathedral and, with a bit of luck, Apollo would still be there on Sunday, and I'd see him again. Loaded with this new positive thought, I made my way to the tables with a smile plastered on my face, ready to do whatever I could to earn more tonight, ignoring his suggestion about my bra as it wouldn't make any difference if I walked around naked. My underwear is my only protection against the micro-clothes I wear to work. So I let myself be groped by the customers and their (rough) hands with a fake smile plastered on my lips. I tried to imitate Ana by talking into the customer's ear, letting my breath trail down their neck or wander over their ears, apparently, it was an erogenous organ, and rubbed my breasts on their backs, so they could feel my firm breasts through their clothes and their imagination did the rest. I repeated this pattern on several customers. The smell of alcohol on them was really disgusting, and their breath was not fresh, their wandering hands, their bodies dripping with sweat. I even received salacious compliments, some said pretty tips, others still, you're actually a good slut. You, or you hid your game well little bitch, usually accompanied by a tap on my ass, I had to clench my teeth several times not to respond and smile to receive tickets. It was the same thing on Saturday until 4am. After a few hours of heavy sleep, I woke up and rushed to my bag where I kept all my tips to count them and see if I had enough to go to Sandton and I realized that I had around forty thousand rand, enough for two Sundays and even for two nice outfits and even to do my hair next week.
It was with a big smile that I headed for my bathroom to take my shower, during which I rubbed my skin until it was irritated. I repeated this pattern all weekend to try and get rid of the sensation of all those disgusting touches I'd been through the previous days, then I went to church. Once in the taxi, I ran my hand over my sky-blue dress more to calm the tension that was rising as I dreaded the moment when I would see Apollon. I didn't see the journey past, immersed in my thoughts, the taxi parked at the entrance to the cathedral. I gave him his money and headed for the same bench as last Sunday opposite the gym. What if he doesn't come? I asked myself, and then I remembered everything I'd done in the last two days on the green, everything I'd had to put up with in order to be able to see him again, I could feel those hands on me, my breasts on the torsos of his fathers, their bad nicotine breath on my face, all for the sole purpose of being able to see him today. Given that I can only see him from a distance, I can't make out a single feature of his face, why hadn't he left my mind all week? Now, with hindsight, I realize how ridiculous the situation was, a man I'd only seen once. What was happening to me? And to think that maybe he didn't even know I existed. I was cut off from my thoughts by the slowing down of a car at my level. When I looked up, I saw that it was a car textually like that of Apollon. I even forgot what I was thinking.