Artwork by  kittydee

Friday nights at the hotel bar usually brought decent money and Karina was in need of it. After electing to quit volleyball in high school, she was able to keep an academic scholarship to her choice university, but unfortunately, it didn't cover all of her living expenses. Getting a bartending gig at a nearby hotel on the weekends was able to boost her finances, but it also took her out of her comfort zone.

Karina had always been an introvert. Growing up, she was bullied for her long and lean frame that towered over virtually everyone in her class and even some of the adults who were teaching them. By the time she entered high school, she was already 6 feet 6 inches tall, and some classmates joked that she was part giraffe. Unable to hide in the crowd, she was spotted by the volleyball coach who offered her a shot on the team without a second thought. She earned kudos and friends by using her height to play the sport but never had the heart for it. She continued getting taller until finally stopping at about 7 feet prior to her senior year (much taller than the average female feline). Upon starting college, she hoped to get away from sports and focus on her studies and research.

Bartending isn't usually the first choice for someone who is as shy and reserved as she is. The only reason she got the job was because her roommate, a natural talker, also worked there and helped vouch for her. Being a chemistry major helped too as she demonstrated a knack as a mixologist. Weekends, however, would often bring a crowd and Karina would have to try to keep multiple guests engaged and hydrated. The bar would fill with already drunk patrons looking to continue their buzzes from a night of frivolous spending. It never failed that on her way in to work, some passerby would gawk or even approach her to ask if she was on the basketball team. Luckily, she was able to avoid most stares and annoying comments about her height due to the area behind the bar being sunken in and making her appear shorter.

She secretly hoped for a slow Friday. She was already exhausted from working on her fall research project all week and really just wanted some time to chill. Maybe curl up with a good book or watch a movie with her roomie. She stood behind the bar, cleaning out some of the glassware when she heard someone sit at the counter.

"Here we go," she said to herself.

Expecting to see a group coming in, she turned and saw a lone patron sitting at the bar reading a menu. He looked at him sitting there quietly and thought, "Oh my...he's kinda cute."

Everyone welcome my newest addition, Karina Igris. I don't know why I had a sudden inspiration for a tall, female character but it came to me somehow and I just rolled with it. I got the design in my head and  kittydee brought her to life. She will be involved in the CFA way later but she will indeed have a part. I wonder who has caught her eye at the bar? Hope you guys like her and the story about her. Let me know what you think!

Karina Igris © dub-c aka me