My Best Friend's Girlfriend.
Chapter 4
In the end, only five of them went to the pub; Rhea, Nathan, Cali, Erik, and Rhea’s friend Lily. Lily was a quiet girl who had never belonged to a particular group at school, and now seemed to have permanently attached herself to Rhea’s side. They got to The King’s Crown at about half past nine; it was a dingy place that had a distinct smell of beer and cigarettes, despite the smoking ban. Cali wrinkled her nose at the smell, trying desperately not to cough and embarrass herself. Instead of looking around with the same expression of distaste that Cali was wearing, Nathan was staring delightedly.
Cali hadn’t realised how bored he had been with their same old weekend routine until she’d seen him out and socialising. Even at school he kept to himself. Was she really holding him back that much? Rhea kept her own face passive, sauntering up to the bar and asking for two beers and three vodka and cokes whilst the others got a table in the corner. The place was filled with grimy old men swaying on their stools, and Cali was highly aware of how out of place the five teenagers must have seemed.
The barman looked vaguely relieved at the new custom, and poured their drinks painfully slowly whilst staring at Rhea’s chest. She came back with the girl’s drinks, giving Cali hers first who took a large mouthful straight away for something to do. Realising too late that Rhea must have got a triple shot of vodka, Cali felt her throat burning angrily as the hot fluid ran toward her stomach. Somehow she managed to swallow without wincing and then glared at Rhea.
“You got three shots of vodka?”
“Well, I don’t wanna be here all night – the faster we all get wankered, the quicker I can get home.” Luckily, Cali and Nathan had illegally bought enough bottles of something, and stolen enough out of their parents booze cupboards, for her to be able to drink the whole thing without getting blurred vision.
Two later, however, and it was a different story. Lily had her forehead stuck to the table and was moaning to herself whilst clutching her stomach. Erik was leaning back, mumbling insensibly, and possibly trying to convince himself that he could indeed drink a sixth pint without vomiting.
“Awh, you guys are all lightweights! You can’t manage one more? What kind of college is this?!”
“Well it’s not like your last one evidently was.” Cali said, draining the last of her glass, and feeling her head begin to spin. Nathan was still clutching to sobriety in vain; his hair was stuck up in random places where he’d run his hands through it multiple times. His eyes were out of focus, and he was in danger of falling right of his stool if he continued to rock the way he was. He’d passed on the last round, and had spent the last quarter of an hour with his hand lightly on Rhea’s knee.
Jeez, that was quick... Cali thought, another rush of annoyance surprising her. She supposed it was merely jealousy that Nathan had finally found someone that he also wanted to spend his time with.
“I need to get another drink!” Rhea said with a voice as clear and steady as when she’d walked into the pub. She walked confidently to the bar in five inch heels with Nathan closely behind offering to pay. Cali had her back to the bar, facing the wall where she was staring, trying to avoid eye contact with Erik. He, however, seemed to have given up with her, and was currently trying to wake Lily from her comatose state, probably so he could grope her without it being against the law. Cali crossed her legs and realised suddenly that she needed the toilet. She looked around at her grim surroundings, trying to decide if it was worth venturing into what was destined to be a filthy little hole in the floor.
But no, her drinks had gone through her too quickly and now she was desperate. Without bothering to excuse herself, given the company, she started to walk toward the little cartoon of a woman in a skirt, hardly noticing that Rhea and Nathan were no longer at the bar. She tried desperately to keep upright and not squeeze her thighs together – it seemed that since standing up, gravity was being a bitch.
Cali hobbled to the toilet, ignoring the leering old men staring right at her, and pushed the door open. It seemed that it was just one room used by both sexes which in itself was pretty disgusting. And standing right in the middle of that tiny, dirty little room were two people entwined around one another. And those two people were Rhea and Nathan. Nathan noticed her first, a frown on his face as though he was still catching up with what was happening. And then Rhea looked up and her eyes pierced Cali’s so intensely, that Cali almost felt like she was going to vomit. So she backed out of the toilet, if one could call it that, and ran outside for some fresh air. There she stood for ten minutes until she finally called a taxi to take her home, all the while picturing Rhea’s beautiful face pressed up against Nathan’s and wondering why on earth it bothered her so much.
Cali hadn’t realised how bored he had been with their same old weekend routine until she’d seen him out and socialising. Even at school he kept to himself. Was she really holding him back that much? Rhea kept her own face passive, sauntering up to the bar and asking for two beers and three vodka and cokes whilst the others got a table in the corner. The place was filled with grimy old men swaying on their stools, and Cali was highly aware of how out of place the five teenagers must have seemed.
The barman looked vaguely relieved at the new custom, and poured their drinks painfully slowly whilst staring at Rhea’s chest. She came back with the girl’s drinks, giving Cali hers first who took a large mouthful straight away for something to do. Realising too late that Rhea must have got a triple shot of vodka, Cali felt her throat burning angrily as the hot fluid ran toward her stomach. Somehow she managed to swallow without wincing and then glared at Rhea.
“You got three shots of vodka?”
“Well, I don’t wanna be here all night – the faster we all get wankered, the quicker I can get home.” Luckily, Cali and Nathan had illegally bought enough bottles of something, and stolen enough out of their parents booze cupboards, for her to be able to drink the whole thing without getting blurred vision.
Two later, however, and it was a different story. Lily had her forehead stuck to the table and was moaning to herself whilst clutching her stomach. Erik was leaning back, mumbling insensibly, and possibly trying to convince himself that he could indeed drink a sixth pint without vomiting.
“Awh, you guys are all lightweights! You can’t manage one more? What kind of college is this?!”
“Well it’s not like your last one evidently was.” Cali said, draining the last of her glass, and feeling her head begin to spin. Nathan was still clutching to sobriety in vain; his hair was stuck up in random places where he’d run his hands through it multiple times. His eyes were out of focus, and he was in danger of falling right of his stool if he continued to rock the way he was. He’d passed on the last round, and had spent the last quarter of an hour with his hand lightly on Rhea’s knee.
Jeez, that was quick... Cali thought, another rush of annoyance surprising her. She supposed it was merely jealousy that Nathan had finally found someone that he also wanted to spend his time with.
“I need to get another drink!” Rhea said with a voice as clear and steady as when she’d walked into the pub. She walked confidently to the bar in five inch heels with Nathan closely behind offering to pay. Cali had her back to the bar, facing the wall where she was staring, trying to avoid eye contact with Erik. He, however, seemed to have given up with her, and was currently trying to wake Lily from her comatose state, probably so he could grope her without it being against the law. Cali crossed her legs and realised suddenly that she needed the toilet. She looked around at her grim surroundings, trying to decide if it was worth venturing into what was destined to be a filthy little hole in the floor.
But no, her drinks had gone through her too quickly and now she was desperate. Without bothering to excuse herself, given the company, she started to walk toward the little cartoon of a woman in a skirt, hardly noticing that Rhea and Nathan were no longer at the bar. She tried desperately to keep upright and not squeeze her thighs together – it seemed that since standing up, gravity was being a bitch.
Cali hobbled to the toilet, ignoring the leering old men staring right at her, and pushed the door open. It seemed that it was just one room used by both sexes which in itself was pretty disgusting. And standing right in the middle of that tiny, dirty little room were two people entwined around one another. And those two people were Rhea and Nathan. Nathan noticed her first, a frown on his face as though he was still catching up with what was happening. And then Rhea looked up and her eyes pierced Cali’s so intensely, that Cali almost felt like she was going to vomit. So she backed out of the toilet, if one could call it that, and ran outside for some fresh air. There she stood for ten minutes until she finally called a taxi to take her home, all the while picturing Rhea’s beautiful face pressed up against Nathan’s and wondering why on earth it bothered her so much.