I Have Been Chosen

Cody 7

Friday 16th January

Darren's eyebrows raised as Cody ordered the round for the rest of the band but not himself, opting to continue drinking his large bottle of water.

"You not even drinking the alcohol-free beer?" asked Darren. "Damn, you're pretty serious about this."

Cody shook his head. "I went out a couple of nights ago with some old work friends and had that zero per cent stuff." He leaned against the bar, flopping almost on it. "It just made me want to have the real stuff even more." Cody sighed, sinking even lower.

"I thought you said you were feeling better from all that water?"

"I want a fucking beer!" Cody groaned guttarly. "And sex, I fucking miss fucking!"

The customers nearby gave Cody some odd glances.

"This is all your fault!" Cody hissed at Darren.

Darren kicked Cody's leg, causing him to lose balance and almost topple over as he lost support from the bar. "Hey, you went without getting laid for twenty-seven years," he teased. "I'm sure a month will be nothing."

"That's because I didn't know what I was missing." Cody pouted, taking an unsatisfying sip of his water, his eyes staring longingly at the alcoholic drinks he had ordered for his friends that the bartender placed before him. "You know, it would really help if you guys didn't order-"

"Yeah, I'm not going sober too; suffer alone." Darren paid and thanked the bartender, then took his drink alongside Zeke and Rheanna's, walking away to find them on the other side of the pub.

"Fucking bitch," Cody mumbled under his breath. He also thanked the bartender and collected the remaining two drinks: Kara's and Oliver's, likely outside since Oliver was a smoker.

The pub's garden outside area was nicer than most as it had plants, trellises of wall climbers snaking down in a curtain of green along the fences that divided the pub's territory from the public access area and the branching snickleways that wove through the city, connecting everywhere in a winding system.

Oliver and Kara sat on the bench furthest away from everyone else. Oliver was the only one smoking a cigarette; the rest were vaping. Cody approached, and Kara cheered as she received her Southern Comfort and lemonade. Oliver gave his usual nod and quiet 'thank you' for his lime and soda.

As Kara took a refreshing sip from her whiskey and mixer, Cody stared in envy, sipping at his water. All he had to drink today was water as he didn't have time to buy more squash... of course, he had coffee, but he could not help himself and drank his flask on the way to the pub instead of saving it. Perhaps he could see if the bar hadn't turned off their coffee machine. Though having been a bartender before, Cody knew how much he hated customers asking for hot drinks, especially in the evening. Why do people drink coffee and tea in a pub? Go to a bloody cafe; the hot beverages at pubs are vile. But nothing a generous serving of sugar couldn't fix.

After giving Kara and Oliver the usual warning of time, Cody returned inside to be that annoying customer who asked for a coffee at night.

Tonight was another successful performance. Cody was in a buzzing mood as he packed away the equipment, or perhaps that was because of the coffee. He would likely regret it later when attempting to fall asleep tonight, but he did not care yet at this moment; he needed something other than boring water. Perhaps he should invest in one of the special bottles that change the taste of water?

After everything was packed in the van, Zeke returned to the car park so everyone could stay and have a couple of drinks before the pub shut. Cody smirked, almost spitting his water as he noticed Oliver's eyes shooting daggers of disapproval at Zeke as he had not been drinking non-alcoholic cider but the real stuff. Though Zeke had only a few pints, having kept his pace slow as he was the assigned driver tonight, and was still within the legal drinking limit, only just, it was not sufficient for Oliver's standards of safety.