[RainbowSky]

Chapter forty seven

Holly's POV

There was a knock on my door. I blinked the last bit of sleep out my eyes and yawned. I'd had such a good sleep. Saskia had been right, I'd needed it. I sat up as the door opened. Liam peered round the door. "Hey," he said quietly. "you alright?" he asked. I nodded and swung my legs out of the bed and stood up, walking towards him. "Urm, we are doing dinner prep so I was sent to come get you," he added nervously.

"I know. I guessed. I knew someone would be coming at some point," I explained. I opened the door further allowing him to tumble in. "Shall we get going?" I asked. He nodded and we walked down the twisting corridors back down to the kitchen.

"Are you alright?" he asked suddenly as we were walking. "Saskia was really vague about what was wrong with you," he added as an additional explanation.

"Yeah, just over-exerted and not enough asleep," I said as convincingly as I could be. I was pleased to know that Saskia was keeping her promise though and not telling anyone.

Down in the kitchen there was a frenzy of activity. The theme tonight was festival so every dish had to be big and bold, the drinks would be served with sparklers and be brightly coloured. I headed over to Matt when we entered, while Liam went back to whatever dish he was prepping. I stood in front of Matt, quietly, scared of his reaction.

"How nice of you to join us Holly," he said sarcasm dripping from every word. "I trust you are feeling better?" he added. I nodded, my heart pounding in my throat with nerves. "Very well, this evening you are wholly responsible for drinks," he handed me a menu and a skimpy outfit. "Upstairs the hall has been transformed into essentially a street party. The food dishes will be placed at various stands and the guests will help themselves, there is music, dancing, a carnival feel essentially. You will be manning the bar. You will be the only slave up there, due to your earlier lack of ability to wait on them. You will make and mix whatever drink they ask for, and serve it with a smile and a sparkler. Understand?" he asked. I nodded. "You can practise each drink once, bring them to me to taste and then you will be heading upstairs. Now go."

I scuttled off, actually quite scared of Matt. I read through all the twelve drinks and stared in dismay. I was never going to be able to make all these. I grabbed twelve glasses and found the liquids I needed, quickly mixing them all up... or at least as quickly as I could. I took each one over to Matt and listened to his comments, trying my hardest to remember each piece of feedback and the drink it went with. I was told to change and head upstairs. I put on the yellow bandeau which literally just covered my boobs and was decorated with sequins. The bottom was a pair of lycra yellow panties, with a half ruffle knee length blue skirt, which left one leg revealed from hip to floor and covered the other to its knee. There was a yellow and blue flower for my hair as well. I clipped it in and taking the menu with me, headed upstairs.

I walked into the hall and was astounded by the noise and the atmosphere in their. I knew it was a carnival but I hadn't expected a feeling of joy. In all the commotion and noise I managed to slink around the outside over to the bar where I stood patiently behind it. Ready to serve.