Chapter 1

My drive to work was pretty dry. Traffic was slow, but, when is it ever fast? You'd think in a small town like Elmore people would get to their destinations quicker, but things seem to linger on. All I want Is small drink from the bar before I go home, but it looks like the bastard in front of me is too busy eyeing some girl in a waist-high skirt and dark leggings to notice the green light. I honk my horn.

Beeeep!...Beeeep!

"Hey buddy! Move it along!" I call out. He quickly sees the green light and moves, only for it turn red not five seconds after he leaves.

"Fuckin'-hell. Can I have one day where my drive from work goes smoothly?" My face buried in my hands in frustration. I need a drink. Something to get my mind off of things. Just drown it down in liquid nullifier and suck it up for another day. Just for another day to go by and I go deeper into this alcoholic depression. Never acknowledging my future lead to such a repetitive rut. God, just give me a bottle. Give me one O sweet Lord, so I can stop over thinking my troubles like this already.

The light turns green, and I speed to the bar for my nightly drink.

Darwin's Fish Bowl. The most popular bar in town. Family never really thought Darwin would run such a place. His explanation was that "-if people can't make themselves happy, let me make it easier." A bit...weird, to say the least. None the less, he stood by his word. Now people come by here so often that he knows every drink a person could ask for; Especially mine.

The place wasn't as filled as it usually was. Bad for me. That means I'll have to talk with Darwin again about my job. Don't get me wrong, I love to share my accomplishments, but this was one " accomplishment" better left unspoken. Especially here, where I come to forget about that kind of stuff. Better get ready for that talk. Approaching the full grown orange fish, cleaning glasses and stacking bottles on the racks above his head.

"You still got a full bottle for me?" He turns around and small smile runs across his face.

"Another night here, huh Ani? Three nights in a row."

"I've been here more times than that in a week."

"Not consecutively. It's always a bit more spaced out; usually a day or two. Hard day at the factory?"

Here we go.

"Nothing you're smarter-than-you sister can't handle. That factory couldn't run any smoother with me on board." Here I am going on about this. Heh.

"I'm sure it is, sis. I'm sure it is." He turns around and reaches for the bottle at the top of the rack, separated from the others. "Your usual mixture for tonight An, or are we feeling adventurous?"

"Just hand me the bottle Darwin. No glass needed tonight."

"Going all in." He says grabbing the bottle. "I know you said things were under control, but what's the occasion?"

"Oh, just some jerk on the road pissing off the drivers behind him. It nothing."

He holds the bottle in his hand; his face scrunches up as he appears to be examining my words. Perhaps he knows more than he want to let on about my condition. But if there's one thing I know about Darwin, he'll never call you out on your situation. He's not like Gumball. Not by a long shot, but he still worries.

"Sure." He says unconvinced "Whatever you say." Handing the open bottle over the counter into my tired hand. I needed this more than he'll ever understand. Just lifting the bottle and tasting the sweet nectar hit my tongue was already melting the built tension away. I needed this.

Placing the bottle on the counter and licking my lips of the alcohol, Darwin leans in, elbows rested on the counter-top and his smile turned into a blank expression.

"Ya know Ani," he says softly, but in serious connotation, " I always have a position open here, if your ever to over-stressed by the old factory."

My eyes widen.

He continues, "The place is busy - you of all people should know that - so you'll never be too bored waiting around for your next duty. And the pay is great. I know the boss and he said he'd offer you a pretty penny to come along side him."

He winks after say that and gives a small chuckle. Darwin has been trying to get me to come on board and work in his bar for a year now. I know he's just concerned about his baby sister taking on so much work, but I'm not four anymore. I don't need him looking over me; I never needed him, or Gumball, looking over me. If anything, I should be looking over him in case this fad of a bar begins to fail. Just as I always have.

"Darwin, I don't need a job offer. My profession is already taken care of."

"I wouldn't exactly call something you need to get drunk after doing a profession, Anais."

"Well Darwin, no profession is perfect. We can't all have a job at candy-land and eat gumdrops and chocolate everyday. Sometimes, what you do will cause a bit of whiplash on you. And little drink here and there is the remedy to numb the sore."

"But An-"

"No Darwin. That's my final answer. Understand?"

He nods his head, but it looked like forced compliance. I don't care whether he agrees or not. What does he know? How to flip a few bottles every night for a few hours and get people drunk before passing out? Heh. That's not work. That's pandering. I know, because he's pandering to me by giving me the bottle. What I do is real work. He'll never understand. And I can't tell him. You can't tell people experience. You can't speak years of passed hours in front of a 's not how life works...That's not how fucking life works. It just doesn't.

I pay for the drink, say my thanks, and leave. Nothing else needed to be said.