Tw: A man who is  unable to take a hint, unwanted sexual advances, panic attack, talk of sex

Yuck I did that thing where the MC has to be saved by someone when she can't defend herself.

At least it's not some guy who she then falls for.

It's her new bff!

:D

Saria left for her new job, leaving Eric a packed lunch. She smiled at everyone she passed, and some of them even wished her a good day.

 She reached the bar and met with her new employer, a Devaronian man who immediately told her to get out and start serving drinks. He scolded her for being late, even though she was only two minutes late since she couldn't find the building.

Saria nodded and grabbed a serving tray from a table and went to the bar.

The barkeeper was a purple Twi'lek woman with dark purple makeup. She introduced herself as Te'tai and gave Saria a round of drinks for a table of rowdy friends.

Saria put them on her tray and tried her best to balance them, while trying to navigate the throngs of dancing people. She reached the group's table and handed them their drinks, then hurried back to Te'tai to get more.

"How many can you handle at a time?" Te'tai asked as she slid one down the counter for someone at the other end.

Saria shrugged.

A drunk dancer stumbled into Saria, making her grip the counter in surprise.

"Sorry hun," The lady apologized. "Guess I had too much to drink tonight."

"It's fine," Saria signed.

The lady stared at her apologetically. "I'm so sorry love, I don't speak sign language."

Saria smiled gently and gave a thumbs up. Te'tai tapped her shoulder and gave her a couple more drinks to hand out.

"These go to those fine boys in the corner," Tetai winked. "And give the middle one this paper alright? It has my comm channels number."

Saria nodded and placed them on her tray. She carefully carried it to the customers as Te'tai handed a glass to someone else who was leaning on the bar.

"Saria?" Wrecker asked. "What are you doin' here?"

Saria put the tray down to explain. "I got a job here. I serve drinks now."

"Hey," Crosshair nodded his thanks as he received his drink. 

"Hi!" Saria happily smiled.

Hunter eyed Wrecker as he downed his drink in one gulp. He slammed his empty cup down with a cheer.

"This is for you," Saria slipped Hunter the paper Te'tai had handed her.

"I'm sorry but I don't exactly..." Hunter trailed off staring at Tech. "I mean- I'm not... I-"

Saria's shoulders shook with laughter and she pointed at Te'tai who wiggled her fingers at them. Hunter's mouth opened in an 'O' and silently put the paper in his pocket. 

"Hello Saria!" Tech brightly said. "Are you enjoying your new job?"

"It's fine," Saria tilted her head in thought. "I miss my old one."

"I hope I'm not being to rude by asking, but why did you leave your position?" Tech questioned and sipped at his drink. "It was quite sudden."

Saria cringed. "Eric didn't feel comfortable with me working with soldiers."

Crosshair squinted at her. "Who's Eric? And why's he a dick?"

"He isn't... that word," Saria defended her boyfriend. "And he's my boyfriend."

"He sounds like a dick," Crosshair leaned back in the booth.

"Are you sure this Eric guy is good for you?" Hunter asked, eyeing Te'tai. "He sounds controlling. He just made you quit your job?"

"Eric is good. He's really good. He's nice in fact. He's a swell guy," Saria signed, struggling to find any more positives.

Why was it so hard to defend him?

"I'm sure she can take care of herself," Tech said.

Saris nodded and returned to Te'tai with her empty tray. 

"How'd that go?" Te'tai asked, leaning on the counter to gaze at Hunter. "Was he interested?"

"It went very well. He kept staring at you," Saria smiled.

"I'm sorry Saria, can you slow it down? I'm not very fast with BSL," Te'tai sheepishly asked. "My father was deaf, but he passed before I really got a hold on the language."

"I'm so sorry about your dad, but of course I'll slow it down!" Saria agreed  and repeated what she had said about Hunter, but slowing down her movements.

"I don't usually give out my information at work, but he is my exception," Te'tai sighed dreamily as she stared at him. "Did you catch his name?"

"Hunter," Saria brushed her hair out of her eyes. "I used to work with his brother."

"Oh when you say work do you mean..." Te'tai trailed off and made a circle with one hand and put the other hand's index finger in it.

"No!" Saria slapped Te'tai's hand down. "Just work partners! I have a boyfriend!"

"Ah I get it," Te'tai hummed. "Just out of curiosity, which one of them do you think is hottest?"

"Excuse me?" Saria turned red and covered her face behind her serving tray. "I have a boyfriend! I shouldn't be answering that!"

"Hey, the way I see it you can look but you can't touch!" Te'tai put a citrus on the rim of a glass and handed it to another server. "Now tell me who you'd be interested in if your boyfriend wasn't in the picture."

"Fine," Saria crossed her arms and stared at them. "But none of them do it for me."

"Aw come one," Te'tai encouraged. "If not them, who in this club would you have sex with if not for your boyfriend?"

Saria shrugged and her gaze flicked over them again, lingering on one in particular.

"Oh don't tell me," Te'tai laughed. "It would be the nerd wouldn't it?"

"No!" Saria's eyes widened and she turned to make sure he didn't hear Te'tai's outburst, but of course he couldn't over the roaring crowd.

"Oh hush, he can't hear you," Te'tai laughed and handed Saria a couple more drinks to bring out onto the dance floor.

Saria rolled her eyes jokingly and and stepped out to hand the drinks out. As she was doing so, a hand brushed her butt and she jumped away from the touch.

"Hey, don't be like 'at," a man slurred as he leered at her.

Saria tried skirting around him but he placed his hands on her waist. He chugged back a drink off the tray and smiled at her.

"Wanna go to the back with me?" He smirked.

Saria shook her head and tried to push him away, but he held her firmly. 

"I like your hips," he stroked her sides with his fingers. 

Saria's insides churned and she pushed a little harder this time. His smirk dropped and he pulled her closer to him.

"Hey you!" Te'tai yelled from the bar. "Yeah you with the goatee! Get your karking hands off her before I go over there and shove that serving tray down your throat!"

The man jerked and let go of Saria before disappearing into the crowd. Saria curled into herself and froze in place, her heartbeat echoing in her ear.

Everything seemed too loud.

There was too many people.

They kept bumping into her as they danced, and she didn't know what she was doing.

"Saria!" Te'tai softly said, gently pushing Saria into an employees only room. "Saria are you okay?"

Saria blinked past tears and looked up at Te'tai. Te'tai brushed Saria's hair out of her face soothingly.

"You're gonna be okay. He was a creep okay?" Te'tai tilted Saria's chin up to look her in the eyes. 

"Okay," Saria agreed. "Do you ever have to deal with creeps like that?"

"Oh yeah," Te'tai sighed. "I hate my job, but this is what pays the rent. Barely."

"You two!" Their Devronian boss stepped into the room. "Get back to work! It's a busy day!"

"Yes sir Mr. Gerial," Te'tai nodded. "We're on it."

 "Yeah you better," he grumbled and walked away.

"Ready to get back out there?" Te'tai asked and adjusted Saria's shirt. "You sure look ready. This shirt is amazing."

"Yes I am," Saria smiled thankfully at her. "And thank you."

"No problem. Let's make it through this shift and then I'll buy you a drink," Te'tai grinned and opened the door for Saria.

I love Te'tai. 

She's my OC, and I have big plans for her.

And we went a whole chapter without Eric!

Yay!