It happened for the second time that day. If she weren't so mad about it, it would almost be funny. Frankly, these sleazebag customers at the Stardust had no clue what she could do to them if she wanted to, and at the moment, she wasn't sure she didn't.
Earlier it had been some fat, balding human in his late 40's. This time it was a younger being of mixed species decent... human mixed with something, she couldn't tell exactly what, but his skin had a bluish-green hue to it.
Apparently he considered himself quite the ladies man around here. "Hey, baby, how's about you come over to my place when you get off?" he had asked. It wasn't getting hit on that bothered her. That had been happening all day. It was the part where he grabbed her buttocks right before asking that was about to earn him an extra orifice in his skull.
Sorah tried not to let it show, but it must have been written all over her face. As she ducked back into the kitchen to grab a couple of plates, Drae stopped her. "Hey, I know some of these customers can be real sleemos, but try to blow it off. If they see it's getting to you, it's only going to egg them on."
She puffed out her cheeks as she exhaled. Drae was right. She had already known this kind of stuff would come with the territory. "It's just going to take a bit of getting used to."
"The up side of playing it off, is that you do it just right, you can let them know you don't like it but still get a decent tip," the cook offered with a smile.
"I'd rather put the fear of the Sith in them," Sorah replied with a chuckle.
Drae acknowledged her comment with a look rather than a comment, as he put a few plates on the counter for her to deliver. She grabbed them, returned his smile, and headed back to work with a new idea of how to handle the overzealous jerks that happened to be her customers.
She carried the plates carefully the long way around the room, to avoid having the guy grab at her again. She was ready to deal with him, but didn't want to risk losing the other customers' food. The table she delivered to was happy with the food, and seemed happy with her service, but politely pointed out that she'd forgotten the Tenkin sauce. She laughed, and thanked them for understanding on her first day, noting to herself that their politeness may indicate that they didn't come here often.
She headed back for the sauce as promised, and made way by the table with the guffawing perverts. She was not only ready to deal with them, but to go the other route would make it seem as though she was avoiding them.
Sure enough, the guy reached for her again. She reacted quickly, expecting the move almost exactly. With his large and hairy wrist now caught in her grip, she squeezed as hard as she could. The smile she gave him was mostly genuine, because she really was enjoying the thought that it hurt him. She played down the malicious edge though, trying to seem flirty.
"Now now... you didn't pay for that." She scolded as she let go of him.
"So it is on the menu, then?" His lips, covered in gravy that hadn't made it all the way into his mouth, split wide into a disturbing smile.
"Honey, you'd have to have a lot more to offer than money to get what you're looking for."
Sorah let out a deep breath of relief as she returned to the kitchen, glad it was over with and went over well. As she peered out of the window to the dining room, she could see the group still laughing, and the one was rubbing his wrist.
"Well handled!" Drae acted out an audience applause. "Those guys really are jerks, and honestly they've been at least a part of our employee turnover issue. But they tip ok from what I've heard and have been coming around for ages."
"They'd better tip." Sorah agreed.
Drae suddenly looked a little nervous. "Hey listen." He forced a chuckle. "At the risk of sounding like an old sleemo, what say you and I go get a celebratory drink or catch a vid after work? Let a little loose after your first successful day at the Stardust?"
She wasn't ready for that. "Listen Drae... You're a really sweet guy... but you're a bit young for me."
"Doesn't bug me none, if you can get past it."
"You really have no idea what I've been through."
Drae leaned in a little closer. "I'd love to hear about it. Or you can completely pretend none of its ever happened, and keep it from me. It's the past."
"I can't..." She was shaking her head, still off balance. "Tonight." She added, not knowing why and regretting it very quickly. She shouldn't give him false hope, even if she did want to avoid hurting his feelings.
"Fair enough, Ms. Mysterious... but you're going to have to do more than hurt my wrist to get me to give up..."
With that, he turned around and got back to the stove, whistling a cheerful tune to himself.
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