Back in the pub on a Tuesday night. It was practically barren. Thomas was at the bar, sipping away at some bronze coloured alcohol. Ebony had gone home, or rather, Joseph had sent him home for not being emotionally stable. It was partially just because he wasn't needed, the pub was too quiet and there was no point in him being there, sitting behind the bar and crying.
Joseph seen his fellow musicians lurking around the door to the smoking area. He caught eye contact with Trixie just as she finished a cigarette.
"We're up boys," She dropped it on the floor and stamped it out with her shoe. Joseph had only looked at her and she knew that they needed a bit of music to liven up the boring, empty night. Victor pushed Spike up the stairwell to grab their instruments and amp leads. Victor's dad had bought him an acoustic bass for his eighteenth birthday. It was one of the few things he hadn't sold off for weed yet and he didn't intend to. Spike just used an old electric guitar that Joseph stored upstairs. The strings were beyond rusty but it did the job. Trixie stepped up onstage, joining Joseph, who was already behind the drum kit. She shed her oversized black cardigan and adjusted her black bowler hat. She cleared her throat, waiting for her mates to come back so she could start singing. Once Spike strummed that opening chord, Thomas looked at his watch and downed the remains of his drink before turning to gaze upon The Coachmen.
•~~×~~•
"We shouldn't be out this late," Cori said, wrapping her coat around herself tightly. She was freezing, "Why are we even going into the woods?"
"Shut up," Britney rolled her eyes, brushing some of her straight brown hair out of her face. She hated the woods and was seriously beginning to regret walking out there. In the dark.
"What is this, Britney?" Cori stopped walking, having grown tiresome of this silly game her friend was playing.
"Oh come on," Britney faced her, "You were coming here anyway,"
"What are you-?"
"Someone rang you and told you to go to the woods, I overheard," The brunette's lips twitched into a smirk.
"You should've kept that to yourself," Cori muttered, "It's none of your business,"
"Your business is my business," Britney stepped closer to her until she was within inches of her face, "Bitch, I only brought the woods to you,"
"Britney, you shouldn't be messing with this sort of thing," Cori was getting angry. This was not how she wanted the night to go down.
"Tell me!"
Cori slapped her and she staggered back as if she had just been shot.
"Fuck you," Cori said, fuming. She turned to leave but Britney grabbed her arm, pulling her back to punch her.
"It's Fiona, isn't it!?" Britney yelled as she watched her friend clutch her jaw in pain, "News for you, Cori: she didn't even like you!"
"Shut up!"
"She fucking hated you," Britney smiled over her, earning another hit from the pretty blonde.
"She didn't like anyone. Everyone knows that," Cori lowered her voice again, steadying her feet, "I don't care if she hated me, Britney. She was my friend and she was murdered,"
"She hated you," Britney practically growled at her.
"Yeah? Well, she fucking hated you too," Cori couldn't help but smirk, feeling a sense of justice, "Get out of here, Britney," The brunette didn't move, she just looked up in horror, not fully believing that her plan had backfired so badly onto herself, "Get out of here," Cori repeated.
"Fuck you, Cori," Britney scowled and spat at her before scurrying off, back towards the town, leaving Cori alone in the woods again.
Cori took a deep breath and remembered the phone call she had gotten from Reyn the previous evening. He had just gotten home from the police station after saying nothing, just as Bradley had told him to. She followed his instructions, to the last step. Then, moving bits of dirt and fallen leaves and bark, a pair of latex gloves stained with blood that was now brown were revealed.
Carefully, Cori pulled her sleeves down over her hands, and picked up the gloves using only her thumbs and index fingers through the fabric of her sleeves.
•~~×~~•
It was eleven at night and Francis tumbled through Raphina's window. She was still awake in the dark bedroom. When Francis arose from the floor she was looking right at him.
"I waited," She stated.
"I know, I'm sorry," He sighed, not surprised that she had stayed up for him.
"I waited," Her voice was firmer.
"I'm staying though, to make it up to you," Francis' voice stayed calm however.
"Because you've been spending so much time with Olivia," Raphina didn't even try to mask her bitterness.
"Because she's been having a hard time, Raph,"
"I've been having a hard time," She pointed to herself angrily, the flowy sleeves of her white frilly blouse swishing about as she moved.
"Yeah and I'm sorry but I can't ignore that Britney knocked a fucking hole in my best friend's head," Francis argued, beginning to feel less calm.
"But you're staying?" She nodded aggressively. Her up-do would've fallen down had she nodded any harder.
"I was planning on it, yes. I haven't been around as much and I'm sorry," He sighed in response, "Where are your pills?" He glanced around the dark room.
"I'm out. I took my last one this morning," She looked at the wall and folded her arms, the sleeves shuffling again, "My mom is gonna refill my prescription on the way to school tomorrow,"
There was a silence. Francis genuinely didn't know what to say. Raphina wasn't planning on saying much anyway, she was tired. This was usually the part where he would apologize and leave. They hadn't gotten past that in a while.
"Do you want me to leave?" He finally managed to ask.
"No. No no no, stay. Please," Raphina turned with desperate eyes and reached for her boyfriend. He joined her, laying down on the bed beside her, not even getting under the covers with her and put his arms around her loosely.
"I'll be gone when you wake," He kissed her head and stroked her dark hair gently, knowing it would not take her long to fall asleep.
