NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE

CHAPTER ONE

27th of May, 1997
London, England, United Kingdom

IT HADN'T BEEN hard to convince Laney to go out for a drink on a casual Tuesday night, but neither her or Jamia, the red-haired best friend, had expected their usual location of choice to be filled to the absolute brim.

Elliot, their friend and waiter at the pub, had told them about the large group that had arrived early in the evening, but they hadn't expected them to be occupying at least two-thirds of the booths and tables. And by the concerned looks on the workers' faces, and the content look on the owner's, the group was also rapidly clearing out the pub's stock of beer.

"Americans..." Elliot whispered when he walked by the pair still standing by the door, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively towards one specific table to their right, in which a group of five men, apparently not much older than them, chatted and laughed loudly.

The two girls shared a look and giggled. The three of them had met only a few months back, but had become tight friends almost from night to day. Elliot was the perfect person to be around if you wanted to know the latest gossip in town and he was also the best wingman a person could ask for.

"There's no table for us..." Jamia mumbled, looking around the room in search of a free spot. "Wanna stand by the bar? Maybe Elliot could tell us more about the..." she nudged Laney's arm with her elbow and winked dramatically, "... Americans"

Laney rolled her eyes and giggled, shaking her head. "Absolutely not. If we stand by the bar, you two will end up getting me drunk. You said one drink, remember?"

Jamia scoffed and crossed her arms against her chest. Laney took a look at her friend and couldn't hold a chuckle. They were probably the only two chicks coming down for drinks at a pub in sweatpants and old worn down shirts.

On their behalf, Tuesday nights used to be dead nights at the pub. Nights in which they would come down just to drink a couple of pints and keep Elliot some company, maybe watch some football, and just have a relaxing time.

They usually saved the skanky outfits for the weekend, when it got hot and busy. There was something about picking outfits too small and freezing their tits off on the way to the bar that made it so much fun.

"So what are we supposed to do, then?" Jamia pouted. "Drink while standing up? I'm knackered from being on my feet all day"

Laney looked around the room one more time and then sighed. "Seems like we've got no other option, Jam"

Elliot passed by them again carrying a tray heavy with beer on his arms and offered each of the girls a generously served pint, with a wink.

"What you're going to do is: stay right there," he instructed with a smirk and they listened with furrowed brows. "I think the American lads are plotting something with you ladies"

"Plotting something with us?" Jamia asked dumbfounded, while the two of them sneaked a look towards the table in question. "In these outfits? Bloody hell, their bar must really be low"

Laney snorted into her glass of beer, almost choking, and then feigned a dramatic expression of offense.

"Hun..." Elliot said, reaching over to lightly smack Jamia on the butt after making sure no one was looking. "With a rack like that, even a gay man like me would ask you out for a drink"