Welcome to Hickstead, home to both Seven Oak Stables, and Blue Acre - two rival stables. Both offer opportunities for their clients to reach the highest level of excellence. Each stable differs from the other, so choose wisely and never forget, loyalty is everything... Meanwhile as the stables battle it out, there's trouble brewing at the university. Be careful, if you don't pick a side you may get caught in the cross-fire...
This is an chilled out rpg with a super friendly and relaxed atmosphere! Remember to sign up with your characters full name in all caps and don't forget to do your claims! Thank you and Welcome, we've been established since 10th March 2009 but unfortunately have had to close guest view of our boards due to multiple sites ripping off our hard work, such a shame! Come chat to us in Discord before joining if you like!.
Harper was looking forward to being out tonight. She wasn’t working, but she still would be at work. It was a shame that she couldn’t exactly escape it, but it was hard to avoid when they had some of the best parties out there. Plus, Harper was meeting her friends there. They hadn’t seen each other for a bit due to work. Things had begun getting busier and busier.
She didn’t quite know what to dress up as, as there wasn’t exactly a theme. Halloween was a free for all, but the nightclub wasn’t like the lounge. Esther had an elegant thing going on, while the club was more about showing up in whatever and having fun.
It took her a bit, but she managed to find something suitable to pull together. The color palette was a bit more pale than she usually did, but it fit her skin and the theme. After making sure she was dressed and ready, Harper was quick to find her group. She shortly found out that she was the first one and grabbed a spot.
Aaron had come first, then Gwyn. “Hello, Ghouls!” Harper grinned. “I got us some lemon drops to start. My treat.” It did help that she had a solid discount, after all. “Look at us. A menagerie of fun, huh? I hope y’all are ready for the monster mash!”
Harper thought for a moment and then nodded. It would be a bit of a test, kind of. More to see what he had mastered at his old place. See how Chris could handle his time. She pulled out her phone and got the clock app up. Harper didn’t know if Moses would consider this training, but it would be a bit of a break before going over the till system.
“Let’s have a bit of a fun break. I want you to make me one drink you did at your old place. And for some fun, see how long it’ll take you to do so. Keep it to the alcohol and ingredients that are out.” Even if it meant a vodka cran, it’d give Harper a good chance to see how Chris counted his pours and so forth. She hovered her thumb over the screen, and after a brief countdown, she went Go and started the timer.
“They do burlesque shows there, so if you’re looking for some classier raunch, you can go there!” Harper smiled. She didn’t know which way Chris swung, but there seemed to be a good mix of everyone there. Anyone could recognize a hot person, no matter what their interest lay. “Yes, we have security starting at 9 p.m.”
When Chris asked a few more questions, Harper nodded. She was happy that he was asking questions, as it was easier for him to understand what was happening. “No sir, they’re ice makers – so they make ice consistently. If we start to overflow a bit, we turn it off until it gets to a more manageable amount. It prevents less running around. For glasses, we have our bussers that go around and handle all of that. We have a straight shot to the back room and kitchen, without the blockage of patrons.”
“Oh, not here at R&R. The lounge does, it’s a few buildings down,” she said. “People can get just as rowdy here though. If someone starts striping here, it means they need to be cut off and sent home.” Granted, seeing someone take off a shirt was better than being vomited on. That was a whole other mess. She was thankful that Moses hired a professional team to come in twice a week. The bathrooms were all wet bathrooms, meaning the staff could just spray everything down at the end of the night, and squeegee into the drain.
“Excellent! We’ll start with the bar counter itself.” Harper stood up and guided Chris to the belly side of the bar, where everything was neatly lined up and organized. “We have two fridges where we keep the glasses that need to remain chilled. So beer glasses and anything like a ball glass. Theres three ice holders, one each on the ends, and then the center. Everything is kept open, mainly for easy access for when things are busy. Easier than having to keep opening cabinets.”
“Only during times, it’s needed. It’s far from the lounge, that’s fancy all the time. Well, as fancy as it gets with partially stripping people,” she smiled. Despite loving to look and schmooze, Harper wasn’t a creep. She knew how to handle herself at work or when she was visiting. “We do more themed nights. In summer, we often do a few things with the local beach shack too. But it's very rare that anything about suits and ties.” There was the occasional hen and stag, but they often came in their group. Renting out was more of the lounge. Sometimes, an after party of a wedding would show up after a reception.
“So it sounds like, at the moment, working the evening shifts will work better. Until you’re more comfortable with the fancier things. We have some nifty cards that help with measurements if needed. We’re very chill here and are always wanting to help out. There’s a lot of information, so when you’re ready - I can at least start giving you a tour of the bar space.”
“Why do you say that? Have you just not, I guess, been in love per se? Or just don't think you're the person to be cared for?” The crossing of the arms could’ve meant a lot of things, but Jack did come off as more of a guarded person. There were times Harper could read something, but she hadn’t been able to stare at him long enough to pick up on too much. Now, she was getting into a bit of an intimate situation. While Jack was still a bit more foreboding, he appeared a bit more relaxed.
The hint of tonal change made Harper smile. She pushed her glass away from her, so someone could bus it. She propped her left elbow on the table and rested her cheek on her palm. “What’s one of your favorite thing about her?” Harper herself had never been in love. It never really felt to be one of her things. While she knew what a healthy relationship was, as her parents were an amazing example=the idea of commitment was scary.
She quirked an eyebrow. “And they call me Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.” If he knew that reference, then that was some points – but from the looks of it, he didn’t. But nevertheless, Harper remained polite. She knew she could get a bit rambunctious, but she loved her job – and was good at it. It was always fun showing off her skills. Though, she was still nowhere near the artistry of the boss man.
“Great! So if I asked you to make a slippery nipple, Long Island, or a classic dry martini – you’d be okay with that?” She picked up a croissant and broke it apart. “Thankfully, the fancier drinks only happen before the club becomes the club,” Harper added, making air quotes. “So from five to ten is the time that the fancier drinks come out. Ten and after is the basic shots and the vodka cranberry knowledge is useful. Have you worked in a high-paced environment before, or more dive areas?”
Harper looked up and smiled. “That’ll be me!” she grinned.
“Harper is our head tender,” Moses added. “So you’ll be training with her a lot with your first few shifts. If you two need anything, I’ll be in my office.” Her boss gave her his usual friendly face, albeit a bit more tired than Harper had seen in a while.
“Chris, was it?” Harper asked as Moses had given her his resume of sorts to look over. “Feel free to grab something to eat. Why don’t you start telling me what you do know?” She wasn’t the person to show someone how to make a margarita if they already knew how to make one. The till was a different story, and how the bar ran too.
She wasn’t buying it, but she let his words linger in the air. Harper watched as the dancer finished their dance and she clapped with a loud whistle. If these dancers weren’t exactly Jack’s type…That thought flashed something behind Harper’s eyes, and a somewhat sinister grin crossed her face again before turning towards Jack.
“She’s not a dream, is she?” Harper probed, lips pursed around her straw for one long, finishing slurp. “Which reminds me…I wonder if she only comes in for one drink.” This was all a guess of course. Harper knew that Jack had a lot of admirers at the club. Even though she didn't find men sexually attractive, she knew a hot person, no matter their gender.
Harper yawned. The only thing that had gotten her to come in during daylight was the double pay and the free breakfast. Damn, that Moses was good. He knew how to make his employees happy. It was training today, something that harper didn’t mind. Though, she did wish she could’ve slept in a bit. But thankfully, she was going to be doing the late shift at the lounge tonight so she could go back home and sleep through Aaron coming home. Granted, he had been going out a bit lately. Harper didn’t know what exactly – but he knew he was seeing someone.
She entered through the back entrance, as it was easier to deal with than people wondering why she was entering super early. Harper took a seat at the bar and caught Moses out of the corner of her eye. He had a big bag of food and a few beverages. She eyed her order right away and could feel the drool on her lip. Hell yeah.
Harper also saw the guy that was walking in with him through the front. He looked brand spanking new, like the newest green grass. Oh boy.
“Oh, changing to an earlier shift?” Harper asked, taking a sip of the drink she had gotten from the bar. It was fruity, something she didn’t go for too often. But a little syrup made for some sweeter kisses. If she got anyone tonight, that was. But she may wing woman for Jack if he was interested. Harper didn’t know his interests quite yet, but there was no denying he was a catch to someone. “It does a bit more of social life,” she laughed. “My roommate mainly works days so it’s rare I see him sometimes. Though it is nice when I can.”
Harper turned her eyes to the stage again. The blonde was now working the tables near the front of the stage, a few quid being handed out. Her eyebrows quirked with interest at the mention of a female friend. “A friend or a friend?” she asked, watching his face and body language.
“Well, I’m glad we could hang out a bit outside of work,” Harper smiled. She wasn’t the person to really push a conversation, especially with someone like Jack. She wouldn’t admit that she got scared of him a bit. Maybe it was the face? Harper had seen how Jack had man-handled a few of the people that touched Harper inappropriately at work. The tourist had gotten worse. It had been a few years since someone reached over and tried to choke her out for cutting her off.
The music started to play and the lights dimmed. There were whoops and woos. Suddenly, a leg peeked out from the curtain. A trumpet blared and the first girl came out. A blonde in a bright pink set, jewels bedazzled everywhere. “Have you seen a burlesque show before?” Harper asked.
“Yeah, sure! And if you insist. If not fishnets. What did?” Harper asked. Jack was a quiet fellow. While Harper didn’t talk to Jack too much during work hours, she was always polite to him outside and inside of work. Though, there was something that she caught. Like security, bartenders had a solid skill of watching people’s habits. Jack had been watching his phone a bit more than he started. Not during work hours too much, but there was a glint of waiting.
“Either way, you’re in for a treat. The show is happening in a few minutes!”