Six Days, Sixteen Hours

She'd managed to clean herseld up,wich was something anyway. So after the shower, Erin headed back into the bedroom to dress,wrapped from the chest down in a towel. She stepped cautiosly in, still dripping, for Frank. He was on the balcony again. Smoking,again. He heard her come in again and turned. He grinned and looked her up and down.

"Hey,stop that." she frowned, heading over to the bed where she'd left her jeans.

"stop what?"

"Checking me out. Now turn round."

Frank still grinning turned round but kept his eyes on her.

"I said turn round!" she said. Frank laughed and looked out at the traffic. Erin quickly slipped her clothes on,still keeping her eyes on frank on the balcony. Once she'd done she joined him. They must of been about 20 metres high up, above a busy road, lined with big green trees. On the other side there were high buildings, as high as theirs, offices, flats,galleries..

Erin turned to frank. "give us a fag then." frank raised his eyebrows,but handed her the packet anyway. She lit one and blew the smoke out of her lungs.

"so where are we?"

"monroeville hotel."

she looked at him. "we're in a hotel?"

"yes."

"why?"

"because I won't be here for long."

They stayed in silence watching the cars go by underneath them, until she threw her cigarette away and nudged him.

"come on then, take me out for some food. I'm starving."

"i think you should take me out for food. I'm the one that's done the saving bit and deserves a prize."

Erin laughed. "alright, i'll get it. but I need food. now." and with that she went back into the bedroom.

They left soon afterwards and walked down the high street, in the afternoon sun. Erin found out that Frank was in a band, and that he had been in town for his cousin's wedding, and soon he'd be on tour again,and Frank found out that Erin was an art student that lived in a flat with two other friends. They walked and walked, not really noticing how far they'd actually gone, until they realised.

"haven't we gone too far?"

"how should i know, i'm from new jersey." said Frank. Erin looked at him. "I thought you knew the way."

"no, i don't. don't you?"

"I don't even know what part of Crawley this is!"

"Crawley? that's probably because we're not in Crawley." answered Frank.

Erin widened her eyes at him. "what do you mean?!" she shouted.

"why were you at a party here if you're not from Worthing?"

Erin rolled her eyes,turned and took a few steps back towards the Hotel, then turned to face him,"I ended up here,ok? I was just..I needed to get away..so I drove and drove.."

Frank raised his eyebrows. "is that how you do it here? you just drive hoping to bump into a party?"

Erin threw her head back. "no it's just I...it was..." she stuttered, "oh leave it." She turned and walked quickly back the way they came.

"Hey,wait!" Frank caught up with her and they walked along side in silence for a while. It was getting dark and everything was lighting up. They'd forgotten about eating until Erin suddenly stopped in front of a small italian place on the corner. She walked in and Frank obediently followed. "I hope you like italian." she smirked. "even if you don't, we're eating here 'cos I'm paying," she grinned.

Frank sighed and sat down at a small table next to the windows that faced on to the busy street. A waitress came and took they're order, then hobbled away in her high heels.

"so what's your band like?" Erin grinned.

"pretty damn good."

"can I be the judge of that?"

He smiled. "you most certainly can. We're meeting up tomorrow..come."

"I thought you were from new jersey?"

"Our tour starts here, so they came over."

"Right..you realise your going to have to drive me home at some point?"

"Not really,I'm going to lock you up and keep you here forever."

Erin narrowed her eyes.

"Kidding." he said holding up his hands. "too soon to joke?"

"I don't actually remember anything,so.."

"You want to know?"

"I prefer not.."

"What were you doing at a party like that anyway? on your own? if I hadn't been there.."

"Yes,Frank,I know." she snapped.

Frank raised his eyebrows. There was a short silence. "Ok..I won't ask again.."

Erin said nothing. A few moments passed.

"How's the head?" he asked. She closed her eyes for a second.

"It's been better.."

"Do you want to take something?" he got out his wallet and slipped out a sheet of pills.

"No,thanks. I prefer to lay off medicines.."

"Oh?" frank raised his eyebrow.

"Yes..it's a long story-"

Frank put his wallet away and leant towards her, elbows on the table.

"We have time."

Erin sighed,and leant her elbows on the table too.

"I got stuck on benzos for an injury."

Frank looked puzzled. "that's not a very long story."

"No,it's just something I'm not quite proud of."

He paused a moment. "was it bad?"

"Yes..a while before I even got help."

"But you know, what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.."

"In a way..." she paused,"..I've been off 'em for almost a year now."

Frank nodded and raised his bottle for a toast."To sobriety."

Erin smiled and knocked her bottle against his with a clink. They both drunk and set they're bottles down again.

"You don't look like the clean and sober type." She grinned.

"You insult me!" he said, mock-offended.

Erin laughed. "aw, come on. the tattoo..the piercings.."

"You're so shallow." he grinned back.

"I think I'm realistic."

The waitress laid they're pizzas in front of them. Frank ran his hand across the scorpion on his neck.

"Does it mean anything?"

"It was enough to not get a job." he winked.

"My god. You did that just so you din't have to work?"

"Well it worked, so I don't regret it."

"You don't?"

"I never regret anything."

Erin looked into his eyes for a moment, but left it at that and they both started on their pizzas. They sat in silence for a while and watched the people moving around them and outside on the dark pavement. A young woman in her suit, coming home from work..a hoodie,his face hidden from cold glances..a dark skinned immigrant, shuffling slowly,counting pennies in his old hand..a girl,dressed in black with a pierced lip, laughing into her mobile phone..

"Shit i haven't phoned ryan.." Erin said putting a hand in front of her mouth.

"Who's ryan?" asked Frank with a full mouth.

"A mate of mine..he'll be worried sick. I completely forgot.." Frank looked back at his pizza and carried on eating.

"Well come on, give us yer phone then."

Frank looked up, eyebrow raised. "why should I do that?"

"'Cos I lost mine last night,didn't I?"

"Nothing to do with me."

"Oh come on."

Frank continued eating.

Erin leaned closer,"if you don't,I can always call the police.."

"Ha, you haven't got a phone to phone 'em with."

Erin narrowed her eyes. "I'll leave and get lost in this goddamn town until some maniac finds me and rapes me. Again. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

"Oh, so now we're allowed to joke about it?"

Erin smiled slyly. "Not joking."

Frank paused, "fine," he huffed, then slipped his phone out of his pocket and banged it on the table. "But you didn't actually get raped, thanks to me."

"Yeah yeah," she said vaguely as she composed the number. She put the phone to her ear. It was ringing.

"Yes." answered a bored voice.

"Hey,it's me."

"Oh hey..been wondering where you were.."

"Yeah I went to this party last night and kind of got stuck there.."

"Oh..so do I have to come and get you?"

"No it's ok..my friend'll take me home.."

"good cos I can't now anyway.."

"Fine. Laters."

"Bye love.."

Erin hang up and passed the phone back to Frank. she felt a dull dissapointment: it sounded like ryan wasn't even that bothered..

Frank was finishing his last piece and his mouth was full of pizza so she had to wait a minute before he could say anything.

"I'm taking you? I thought you drove here?"

Erin leant forwards a bit. "Frank. Believe me when I say this: I have no idea how I ended up here."

"You must of been well stoned."

"ok, so I must of got a lift at another party. Who knows. And I just remember drinking. A lot. But not doing anything else."

Frank stared at her in disbelief. "God, anything could of happened to you,getting drunk like that..are you completely mad?"

Erin smiled slightly. "Yes."

"You should grow up a bit." Frank pushed his chair back and started putting his jacket on.

"Hey..you hardly know me, why do you even care?"

Frank took out his wallet.

She frowned at him,"What are you doing?!" Erin stood up.

He handed her a 20£ note. "I know you lost your wallet. Don't think I fell for that one,too."

Erin looked at him wide eyed. What was this all about? was he just leaving her there? she looked at the note. "I thought..why are you doing this?"

"Because I did what I had to do, and that's what matters. But I've worked out the kind of person you are. You're the irresponsible one, the one that gets drunk evry fucking night and doesn't care if they could even get killed. You're the kind that makes they're friends go through hell having to keep an eye on you."

Erin stood speechless, and Frank shook his head and turned to the door.

"How dare you judge me!" she hissed. "you don't know -"

"I do," he cut her off, "I was just like you."

And with that he pushed open the door and disappeared into the street.