Grand Theft Autumn

Chapter Ten

Pete's POV

So I go and make some motivational speeches like that, and then I go and screw it all up again. I was beginning to see a pattern. No more motivational speeches for me.

I was drunk. Like, wasted. I was back at the bar and was currently trying to chat with Mark, the bartender. He still didn't seem to like me. Whatever, my drunk-self considered him to be my best friend. Drunk logic.

I was drinking some brown drink. It wasn't whiskey, but it burned like it was. Why did it smell like pineapples but taste like raspberries? I don't know, and in all honestly, I didn't fucking care. I was frustrated, and I needed a drink, so I went and got one.... Plus four more.

The music was really loud, so loud I could feel it. I considered going onto the dance floor, but it was packed. Bodies rubbed on bodies, and I am pretty sure that most of the people out there were drunk.

There were only a few more people on bar stools like me, including a man who was talking to his beer bottle, and a woman who was trying (and failing) to make a phone call. I felt bad for whoever was on the other side of the line. Mark was currently washing a glass, staring ahead blankly. I didn't even want to go to the bathrooms, the place already reeked of sweat, alcohol and piss.

A red hair girl stumbled up to me, clearly more drunk than I was. She was wearing a thin t-shirt that was sticking to her with all of the humidity in the room. Her hair was all up in a messy bun, and she smelled like tequila. Somehow that was very attractive for my drunk self. 

"Hiiii!" She slurred. "I'm Anna. Anna Milton. Want to go somewhere more private?" Wow. She got right to the point. Hey, she was hot, and we were both drunk.

"Sure!" I agreed, and we started stumbling towards the door. "So, you come here often?" I asked. Anna shook her head. "Same. I am only here for a little bit," I admitted. She was some random drunk girl, I could obviously trust her.

I heard some shouting from in front of us. There were some obviously drunk boys, who looked underage, pushing around another one in a circle. They were obviously messing with the kid, but they all looked the same age. What the fuck? My fist tightened, and I took a step towards them. Yes, drunk self. You can fight them. It isn't like you are outnumbered by five people and you are drunker than they are. Determined, I nodded solemnly at Anna, who was confusedly at me. I started walking towards them, when I felt something.

Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back. Slightly annoyed, I turned around to tell Anna that I had it covered. Who was actually standing there did not make my mood any better.

"Natasha?" I asked. Anna turned and looked at her, suddenly looking confused, and a little annoyed. Natasha didn't pay attention to her, and stared at me. I was a mess, I know. That tends to happen when I get drunk. 

"Is this your girlfriend?" Anna asked. "Cause I may be drunk, but I don't want to ruin any relationships." I shook my head quickly, making my head spin. Come on, as soon as I got a chance to get laid, something stops me. Dammit Natasha!

"No, Natasha is just a friend. Nothing more." I said, and Natasha snorted.

"Pete, you are drunk. You can't help Patrick like this." I didn't listen to most of what she said, but the name Patrick stuck out to me. Why was she talking about Patrick again? I thought she didn't want me looking for him anymore? I swiveled my head from Anna to Natasha, my eyes widening. Natasha watched me before turning to Anna. "Anna, sorry. Pete here needs to go and sober up. He has a job to do in the morning." Natasha said sweetly. "Would you like me to call a cab?" Anna nodded before giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"Call me," Anna said, slipping a piece of paper into my pocket. Natasha quickly called a cab and told Anna that it would pick her up in ten minutes.

"As much as we would like to stay and make sure that you get home safely, we need to go," Natasha said, dragging me along. The effects of the drinks were slowly wearing off, and my head hurt. I leaned mostly on her, and much to my embarrassment, threw up twice. We somehow got back to the motel room, where I sat on the bed. I didn't feel tired enough to sleep yet, so I decided to ask some questions.

"Why are you here?" I asked. Natasha found a bottle of Advil and handed it to me along with a water bottle. I gratefully took it and swallowed a few pills.

"To save your ass. Again." Natasha said, obviously annoyed. I rolled my eyes, but then winced when it hurt my head. I guess sassiness came at a price.

"I thought you didn't want me to stay. Letting me die would just get me out of the way. Why are you saving me, and not Patrick?" I asked. Okay, I was being dramatic. I wasn't going to die, but I was probably going to get beat up again. In front of Anna. Maybe I would of died of embarrassment.

"Because I reconsidered it. Plus, I know that Patrick..." She hesitated. "Trusts you more than he does me. I- I mean, he knows you." Natasha stammered. Was she really sounding weird or was I still drunk? Whatever.

"Well, can we work together now?" I asked, feeling sleepy. Natasha nodded. "Okay. Give back the journal." I said, sliding backwards in the bed until I hit the pillows. I heard Natasha started to protest, but I cut in. "Nope. You have to give it back, so when we get Pat back, I can give it to him." I looked at Natasha. Her face was stony, but she nodded. "Thanks." I closed my eyes again.

"Go to sleep. Then meet me at the diner at 10 in the morning tomorrow, if your hangover isn't that bad." Natasha said. Even in my half asleep state I could still hear the threat in her voice if I didn't show up.

The door opened and slammed shut. Great. Now I was going to have nightmares about Natasha killing me in my sleep.