16- Don't hit or hurt others , use your words to express yourself instead . Before we start any training , Laura checks in on me . " Are you okay ? Do you want to talk about it ? " She says sympathetically . That sympathy just pisses me off more . She's so sweet . I don't want her to be sweet . I don't want any of them to be sweet , I want to be mad and I want to hate them all , but I just can't . Because even if they're completely messing up my life , I understand their reasons and I truly believe they're good people . The good news is you can like someone and still be grumpy with them . " No , I don't want to talk about it right now . I would like to work please . " I force myself to stay polite . Making everyone hate me because I'm rude to them isn't going to make my situation any better . Laura plasters what I'm fairly sure is a fake smile onto her face , pushes her shoulders back , flicks her hair out of her face and nods firmly . " Okay , distraction it is . " She agrees . She spends some time teaching me how to use the cash register , she has to adjust some spell so that I can actually open it . Apparently to avoid theft it's spelled so only certain people can open it , so as long as I close it after I'm done using it the money is fairly safe . Technically someone could threaten me and force me to open it , but as Laura puts it , at that point the money is the least of my problems . Once I decide I'm fairly confident with the cash register , Laura shows me their notice board . " It's actually more like a job board . People post advertisements for jobs they want done that specifically require supernaturals , or at least would be much easier with them . " She explains . I read over a few of the notices . There are requests for magic users to ward buildings , whatever that means . Some of them are for home renovations , and others are stranger . Jobs that ask people to look for strange objects , or even volunteer ' feathers , blood samples and magic ' Those ones scare me a little but Laura insists they're totally normal . Apparently a lot of magic users make potions and blood and stuff can be a very useful ingredient . Gross . " The jobs are ranked in a system . Jobs on the left are easy jobs . Safe , risk free and generally don't pay all that much . Ones towards the right are riskier and pay a lot more . They include bounties , hunting dangerous creatures or participating in really difficult spells . You don't have to worry about that , I'll manage the board . But if someone does 29 1/3 100 % Lesson 16- Don't hit or hurt others , use your words to express yourself instead . come in and claim a job , there's another spelled book behind the bar . Just take down their details and the job number and I'll give them a call later to confirm everything is completed . Then whoever posted the job can pay them . " She explains . I resist the desire to sigh when she mentions calling them . A task I can't do because they won't let me have a damn phone . Ugh , whatever . I just nod that I understand and let Laura continue to show me the magic books . They ARE pretty cool . I worked a crappy retail job for a while and a book like that would have been ridiculously useful when doing awful stocktake counts . With the boring stuff out of the way , Laura finally starts showing me how to mix a few drinks . We just stick with the basics , ones I sort of already knew but wasn't confident enough to serve to anyone . She shows me how to measure them out correctly and she writes out a basic list of the drink prices . Apparently it's something that she just kind of memorised so there's no written board anywhere . My guesses last night weren't TOO far off , but I think I'm going to continue to use the list as a rough guide rather than as a strict rule . Apparently I don't have to worry about anyone complaining if I give out an asshole tax so I'm going to keep doing it . Who are they going to complain to ? Torin ? The idea is laughable since it seems like most people won't even meet his eye . I can't imagine anyone going up to complain that his new bartender is occasionally overcharging . Since I'm essentially going to always be the least powerful and magical person in the room , I'm going to take what little authority I have and I'm going to use it to force everyone to respect me . And if that doesn't work I'll channel my inner kindergarten teacher and scold them . " We don't often have any REALLY bad customers here . It takes a particularly insane kind of person to abuse someone who is working in a bar owned by a demon . If you DO feel threatened , run out back and get help . Torin is around most nights and Kyle is totally capable of tossing rowdy drunks out on their asses too . I can use magic to defend myself if I need to . You ... " She trails off , clearly not quite sure what to say . " I'll be fine . Torin wouldn't have hired me if I couldn't handle it , right ? " I say with forced cheer . I just have to believe that it's true . I'm not one hundred percent sure I understand what time the bar is supposed to open , I don't think there really is a set time . Laura just glances out a window , notes that it's starting to get dark , then goes and unlocks the doors . I suppose very few people schedule a specific time to arrive at a place like this anyway . I make a mental note to remember that this place opens ' whenever it's dark out . ' It also seems to be open seven days a week unless for some reason Torin decides he doesn't want to open , or there's no one available to work . The operating hours seem extensive and at the same time a little vague , but I 29 29 لی 2/3 11:18 Fri , Aug 29 Lesson 16- Don't hit or hurt others , use your words to express yourself instead . 100 % suppose it doesn't make much difference to me . I'm stuck here whether this place is open . or closed . Laura is unlocking the doors and is going around lighting all the non - electric lights when a tap on my shoulder makes me jump . I spin on the spot , flailing my arms out widely and I can feel the back of my hand make contact with something hard . My brain catches up with my reflexes and I find Torin standing behind me , poker face in place , blinking in shock as he yanks back the hand he was apparently reaching out to me . I must have whacked it hard because he tucks his hands in his pockets and takes a half step back , as much as he can in the space behind the bar . Oops , I totally didn't mean to do that at all , but I suspect Torin is reading more into it than that because he continues to retreat towards the door behind the bar . " Wait . " I call out to stop him . He freezes and looks back over his shoulder guiltily . Why does HE look guilty ? I'm the one who hit him ! " Did you want something ? " I ask blankly . Shoot , that's not what I meant to say . I was GOING to apologise for the unexpected violence . Torin shrugs . " Just ... Good luck tonight . " He mutters and before I can so much as open my mouth to say sorry , he is gone . For such a big guy , he certainly moves fast when he wants to . I consider going after him , but someone has just arrived and Laura joins me behind the bar , a huge smile on her face . ( 2 " Ready ? " She asks . I glance at the door again . It's fine , I'll just apologise later . " Let's do this . "