The Things I Do For Money...

Veronika resisted the urge to punch yet another guy who got too close to her. She elbowed him away and he was too drunk to raise a fuss about it. She walked over to her table and put the drinks down, going back to the bar and leaning her hip against it as she waited for another order to come out. She sighed, thinking of her family. The things I do for them...

Veronika didn't resent her family, but sometimes she wished they had a little more money so she didn't have to work in places like this. But hey, the money was good because she was paid extra to keep her mouth shut about certain things that went on in the pub. And even though the hours were kind of terrible, she would do it to get her mother her medicine. She sighed as a new customer walked in the door and went over to their table. "What can I get you?"

Tessa was lost when she walked into the pub. She had her dog, Ariel with her. Tessa didn't need her to see like she was used for. But she didn't want to keep her locked up at the school. So she still went around with her. People around her was drunk and that is why she was staying very close to Ariel. Because she would protect her if she need to.

She sat down at an empty table. Looking around she wished Afonka was with her. This was a place that she didn't want to be alone. But now she couldn't do anything about it since she was here. But she then watched as someone came over to her table. And she recognize this girl. She was in the lost corridor with her. “ I guess some Butterbeer.” She smiled. “ You go to my school.”

Veronika looked closer at the girl in the dim light. She wasn't really in the habit of looking at her customers. "Oh yeah. I remember you now." She raised an eyebrow. "You didn't really seem the type for this kind of... establishment." She waved her quill in the general direction of the rest of the pub. "You're a little too innocent for this crowd. They play a rougher game than you look like you're used to."

Veronika grabbed a butterbeer off the tray of one of her coworkers. He scowled at her, but she just glared back and he went back to the bar grumbling to get another one. Plunking it down on the table, she asked, "Anything else?

Tessa tried to smile a little bit. “ Yeah you was lost other day. And I can't really remember your name.” She then was watching this person. “ Yeah I kind of got lost and it started to rain so I came in here.” Tessa then was looking around the pub. “ Yeah I know I really don't fit it here but I really don't care.” That is when she bent down and was petting Ariel.

She then watched as Butterbeer was placed down in front of her. This person was asking if she wanted needed anything else. “ Yeah can you get me a some water. Ariel is thirsty from all the walking we been doing.”

Veronika smirked in return. "Ok, I suppose I'll admit it now. I'm Veronika. You're... Tessa, right?" She cocked her head, listening and could indeed hear the sound of rain over the drunk voices. She almost cursed out loud. "I hope it stops before I have to walk back up to the castle. I don't have an umbrella, or know any spell for that. But getting wet wouldn't be that bad I suppose." Veronika glanced at the girl. "If I can tell you're not used to this kind of place, so can they," she jerked her head to the rest of the room. "So just... watch your back. They're not exactly angels around here."

Veronika smiled down at the dog, her first genuine smile in the conversation. "She's very pretty," the Slushatel said. "I'll be right back." She hurried behind the counter and grabbed the cleanest bowl she could find, filling it with water and bringing it back. She set it on the ground, petting the dog's head as she drank. "Good girl."

Tessa then started to grin. “ Don't worry I was lost in the same place before. And that is how I meet my boyfriend, Afonka.” She was smiling still. “ Yup that is me.” Tessa was saying it slowly just to remember the name. “ Veronika. That is a new name.” Tessa sighed when she heard that it was still raining. “ Me too I don't want to get wet because then we can get sick.” She was listening to everything that Veronika was saying. “ Yeah I am not really used to places like this. And I will be sure to watch my back around here.”

She then seen how Veronika was smiling as she was looking at Ariel. “ Thanks.” Tessa then watched as she went behind the counter and grabbed a bowl of water for her. After watching Veronika place it infront of Ariel she then watched as she started to drink. “ She is really a good dog. I know I bought her when I was blind. She help me get around the castle just a little bit easier.”

Veronika rolled her eyes. "Pointless corridor," she muttered. "Although I suppose it is good for meeting people." She smiled a little. "Thanks, although I supposed you should thank my mother for wanting to name me that." Veronika ran a hand through her hair agitatedly. "You couldn't just cooperate nature?" she asked in the direction of the ceiling. Veronika looked at Tessa seriously. "You do that."

Veronika looked up, startled. "You were blind? For how long? I don't think I could do it."

Tessa laughed. “ Yeah it really is pointless but like I said I meet my boyfriend in there.” She smiled a little bit. “ It is a verry different name, I am just Tessa.” She then watched at Veronika as she was looking up at the ceiling. “ Yeah wish the nature would have cooperate.” She then was listen as Veronika was serious. “ Ariel is very protective of me.”

“ I been blind all of my life. This summer I went to St Mungos to get a cure.”

Veronika smiled hesitantly. She wasn't really sure how to handle people being nice to her that weren't her family. "Well that's good at least. Congratulations. How long ago did you meet him?" She glanced around, then sat down at Tessa's table. "I'm less obviously shirking work this way. And I think Tessa is a good name." She scowled. "It never does when I need it to." She nodded. "Good. Extra protection is always good."

Veronika was startled. "Really? Yeah, I really couldn't have been blind that long." We would have starved to death, so I wouldn't have even been alive that long. You can't steal if you can't see.

Tessa smiled as she was looking at Veronika. “ Thank we been together since our third year. I was actually lost at that time. That summer is when he came with me to New York City and helped me pick out Ariel.” She then watched as she sat down at the table with her. “ Yeah I wouldn't want to work in a place like this.” She then looked around the pub. “ I guess Tessa is a good name. I mean I do have some cute nicknames cause of it.” They was talking about the weather. “ That happens a lot it does it when it wants to.” She then grinned. “ Yup extra protection is always good.”

Veronia then pointed out that she couldn't have been blind that long. “ Yeah well not like I had a choice. And after my parents died my aunt and uncle stepped in and took me in. If not it would have been an orphanage for me.”

Veronika rolled her eyes. "Well I suppose everyone's been lost in it at some point. It's still cool that you could find him there." She smiled down at the dog again. "She was a good pick," she said. She shrugged. "I have to," she said simply. "Well, we have to live with the name we're given, so we might as well like it." She smiled without humor. "Extra protection is a necessity in this place."

Veronika's laugh wasn't at all happy. "It's not that I couldn't handle it. I just wouldn't be alive right now if I was blind." She hesitated for a moment, then decided to continue. She liked this girl, and trusted h, rare for the Slushatel. "My dad didn't exactly deal well with defects."

Tessa smiled. “ Yeah at some point everybody gets lost.” She was grinning when they was talking about Afonka. “ I am very lucky that I found him. And he has been there for me ever since.” They now was talking about Ariel. “ She was an awesome pick. I mean she helped me around the castle and she let people know if she didn't like what they would say.” Tessa couldn't help but laugh when Veronika commented about the weather. But she also said that she should love the name that she was given. “ There is nothing wrong with Tessa never heard anybody else have it.”Tessa was looking around the pub. “ Around this place extra protection is necessity.”

She could tell that Veronika laugh wasn't at all happy. She was saying that it wasn't that she couldn't handle it. But she wouldn't have been alive now. Tessa was trying to show her that she was a trust worthy person. And she couldn't believe what she had just heard. “ Oh wow I don't know what to say about that.”

Veronika smiled. Look at her, talking to a girl like a... friend? She had never been able to have girl friends before. "Well I'm glad you're happy with him then. Maybe I can meet him sometime." She laughed. "Somehow, I doubt that you let Ariel do all the talking when you had an issue with someone." Veronika nodded. "I've never heard the name Tessa either, actually. It's a cool name."

Veronika's face was grim. "You can't dodge punches if you can't see them. One would have hit me in a critical place sooner or later."

Tessa was smiling because she was enjoying Veronika company. And she seemed like a nice girl and would make an awesome friend. “ I am sure that you can meet Afonka sometime. I know he is very sweet.” She couldn't help but laugh at what Veronika said. “ No Ariel doesn't do all the talking. I throw some words in there.” Veronika was saying that she never heard of the name Tessa before. “ Yeah it is really cool an different. And I guess it fits me.”

She then seen the look on her face. Tessa smiled a little bit. “ You would actually be surprised when you lose one sense the other grow stronger. I know I was learning how to duel when I was blind.”

Veronika smiled. "That would be awesome. It's really cute that he's sweet to you." She smirked. "Yeah, I thought so. You have to put in your own two cents sometimes." She nodded. "Yeah, it does. What name would you want if it wasn't Tessa?"

Veronika shook her head. "When you were 5? Cause that's how early I was being hit. And there was other stuff too." Can't work if you're blind. Can't steal.

Tessa smiled. “ Yeah it would be awesome. Afonka loves to meet my friends.” Veronika comment that it was cute that Afonka was sweet to her. “ That is just who he is and we are dating so it makes sense.” She then was talking about how she was right that Tessa had to put her two cents in. “ Have to just to make a point.” Tessa then started to think about the name she would of rather have. “ I really don't know I never thought about it. I guess I just love the name Tessa.”

She felt bad for Veronika. “ I did hit someone when I was five. But they was really close to me.” Tessa hated it when someone had to grow up like Veronika did.

Veronika smiled. "Cool. Maybe I'll see you two around school." She nodded. "That's nice. At least you picked the right guy to be your boyfriend. I'm not the settling type myself." She laughed. "Get your opinion out loud and proud!" she said. She shrugged. "Well it is a good name, you don't really need another one."

Veronika gave another harsh smile. "Well I survived." She suddenly realized how much she was telling this girl she barely knew and her face shut down. The emotions vanished from them. What did Vasya always say? she asked herself angrily. 'You're too trusting Snowflake! You've got to stop that. Cause one day, you're going to trust the wrong people. And that's the day you end up dead.' I've got to stop that. She rose abruptly, not caring that she was being rude. "Sorry, I have to get back to work," she said stiffly. "It was nice talking to you."

Tessa smiled. “ I am sure that you will see us at school.” She loved it how Veronika said that she picked the right guy. “ Afonka must have been meant for me. And I find it funny is that we was both lost together.” Tessa nodded her head because she was agreeing with her. “ That only way to do it is let people know your opinion.” Veronika was saying how her name was a good name and didn't know another one. “ You are right about that, I only need one name for people to know who I am.”

She smiled. “ That will only make you stronger.” Tessa hoped that she wasn't feeling like she was praying. And that is when she watch Veronia face fade. And listening how she said that she needed to get back to work. “ Yeah I will let you get back to work. But do you want me to go buy you an umbralla and we can walk back up to the castle after your off. I just don't want you getting hurt. You are one of my friends now, and I care about all of them.”

Veronika smiled, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Yeah, I'm sure I will. If I see you with a cute guy I'll be sure to ask if it's him." She gazed off into the distance. "Yeah. I suppose sometimes fate just steps in." Not that it ever will for me. Veronika smiled again. "Of course it is. Otherwise nothing we want would ever happen." She smiled. "Yep."

Veronika's face gentled a little. Something about Tessa just got under her guard and made her like the girl. "No thanks. I'll manage Tessa, it's just water. It's nice of you to offer though. See you around." She walked away to her next table, with another fake waitress smile on her face.

Tessa smiled but was trying not to blush. “ I will have to remember that the next time I see you and I am with Afonka.” She then was watching her and she seemed a little bit off. “ I got an idea, why don't we try and look for you a guy. And then maybe we could go on double dates.” She then smiled. “ Yeah if you don't people will walk all over you.”

She then watched as her face soften. “ Alright well I hope that we you get off work that it isn't raining. And maybe we could do something sometime?” Tessa then watched as she then went to the next table. She was glad that she could to talk.