Friday night was only starting. In J's, Spike and Peter had reunited and were chortling over their shared thoughts on women while guzzling down their pints. Ugh. Elliott was staying well away from them. He sat alone at the bar. Well, Ebony was working, of course, but Joseph had him sent all over the pub doing little jobs for him. It wasn't that Joseph and Elliott didn't get along, Joseph just found him a bit annoying.
"Hello there," A certain blonde called over from a booth behind him. Lexi was there smiling at him, a few drinks on her. She was sitting with a few old school mates. He felt a great smirk taking over his lips. He was very fond of female company. He picked up his glass and casually made his way over to the table.
"Oh, oh. The brother from another mother is here!" Peter announced as he saw Victor coming in through the back entrance, shortly followed by Trixie.
"Hi guys," He gave them a smile as he pulled over a stool for himself.
"Hello boys," Trixie sighed, finding her perch on the unused pool table.
"Haven't seen you in a while," Peter sent her an unwanted grin, "What have you been up to?"
"Catching up on sleep," She stated, hoping the conversation would quickly move on from her.
"All that guilt, yeah?" He wouldn't lose his grin as he raised his pint up again.
"Shut up, Peter," Victor snapped.
"You think I killed her, don't you?" Trixie's expression did not falter.
"Well I-"
"Peter, let it go," Spike said, "We're just here for a quiet drink, yeah?"
"Yeah," Victor finished, giving Peter a hard stare.
"Yeah, okay," Peter shrugged and sipped at his pint, "Okay, ladies, okay,"
"Speaking of her though..," Spike started, "How's the investigation going? Do you think the lawyer has anything on anyone?"
"That weirdo is a coke-head," Victor scoffed.
"What?" Trixie's eyes snapped over to him straight away.
"Yeah, that time we spoke about what I saw that night he was snorting cocaine in the bathroom," He laughed.
"Hello friends, what are we talking about?" Elliott made his way over, lipstick on his face and an empty glass in hand.
"Turns out Thomas is into the finer kinds of drugs," Peter said, but continued upon seeing Elliott's confused face, "Cocaine,"
"Ah," He nodded.
"Oh, honey, no," Trixie shook her head at Victor, "That's not coke he's breathing,"
"Well what is it then?" Spike leaned forward to hear what she had to say.
"It's Fairy,"
"Eh?" Victor squinted at her as he tried to make sense of what she said.
"You know. Fairy. For clothes, the washing powder stuff," Trixie had begun laughing, as did the boys. All except for Elliott, who looked at her curiously, having heard what he heard the day before from Thomas and Lexi.
"How do you know that?" Peter smirked.
"Because I sold it to him," She smirked right back.
"Fucking Hell, I knew you were dealing something," The athlete pounded his fist on the table in victory, "I just didn't think it'd be Fairy,"
"I live in my ex-employer's hotel room and I enjoy drinking till I can't see," She nodded, "Yes. I've been selling stuff and telling him it's coke,"
"You sly bitch," Spike chuckled, raising his glass to her.
"I try," The girl's smile fell and she went over to the bar.
"I knew it," Peter grinned, pointing after her.
"Vodka and cranberry juice please," She said to Joseph, taking a seat up at the bar counter.
"Not tonight, Trix," He gave her a sad smile, "You owe me enough as it is,"
"Just one, Joseph, please-"
"No, Trixie. Not tonight,"
"Come sit with us," Lexi grinned over from her booth of girls.
"You should," Elliott smiled, sitting in next to Lexi again.
"Not tonight," She arose from the seat, "I need a smoke," And she walked on by and went for the smoking area.
That's when someone else walked right in through the front door. And in a pretty red strapless swing dress. Looking pretty. Elliott barely noticed his ex-girlfriend walking into J's. Tamsin sat down exactly where Trixie had been not three seconds beforehand.
"How can I help you?" Joseph leaned himself against the counter.
"Red wine," She spoke softly, but clearly, "Leave the bottle, please,"
"No worries," The barman nodded but watched her curiously.
"Joseph, Peter is hassling Trixie again," Ebony rushed behind the bar.
"Fuck's sake," He sighed angrily, "There's a bottle of red over there, get it out for this young woman here," Joseph ran out of the bar as he rolled up his sleeves and followed the pair into the smoking area.
"Sorry about that," Ebony pursed his lips regretfully as he reached for the wine, "This okay?" He showed her the label to her.
"Yah, it's fine," She briefly nodded. That's when she noticed Elliott in the booth across the pub with a bunch of younger girls. Well, only younger by two or three years, but still younger. Not the sight Tamsin wanted to see once she finally got herself together to even leave her family's house.
"I'm sorry about him," Ebony said awkwardly.
"It's fine," It wasn't fine, "We're no longer together, it's not up to me to be bothered by him and his... posse," She faked a smile. Only a fool would miss her bitterness. Ebony did not, "Do you want some?" She looked at him.
"I shouldn't drink on the job," Ebony shook his head.
"No, go ahead. I'm paying for it anyway and I won't be able to drink this all by myself,"
"Alright, just one," Ebony smiled and reached for two wine glasses.
"Don't take this as an invitation though," Her gaze hardened.
"I wouldn't try anything," He rolled his eyes and set the bottle down after pouring them both drinks, "I'm not really a girls kind of guy,"
"Ah, I see," Tamsin chuckled to herself, "You were the only one of his friends that I actually liked, by the way,"
"And look at us now," Ebony laughed a little and took ahold of his glass, "A pair of loners,"
"Loners that flock together," She snorted, "That's a riot,"
"Oh believe me," Ebony winked after taking a sip of red, "They haven't seen anything like us before,"
"Eb! Can we get some more drink over here!" Spike called from the back of the pub.
"Excuse me," Ebony sighed, setting his glass down again and heading over to their table.
"Lexi, she's been outside a while," Elliott leaned over to the blonde.
"Okay, let's go check up on her," She shrugged and knocked back what was left of her cocktail and they both clambered out of the booth, "Who knew smoking was such a worrisome activity?"
"We've been over this, Peter," Joseph pushed him back again, "Leave her alone,"
"Just leave it," Trixie protested, taking a drag of her cigarette and picking up her cardigan back up from the wet ground, "It's nothing,"
"It's happened too many times!" Joseph yelled.
"Fine! I'm leaving! If that's what you want I'll go!" Peter backed off and left the premises.
"Is everything alright?" Lexi asked. She and Elliott had been standing there long enough to get the jist of what was going on.
"Make sure she's alright," Joseph said and pushed past them, returning to the pub.
"I'm fine," Her frown said otherwise.
"Come on, Trixie, you can tell me what's going on," Lexi followed her as she went to leave, "After all those years in school, we're good friends, aren't we?"
"Don't be stupid, Lexi," Trixie scoffed and dropped her cigarette on the ground, snuffing it out with her foot, "I don't have any friends,"
"...I'm not stupid!" She caught up to her and harshly pushed her, letting her clattered to the dank pavement.
"Lexi!" Elliott grabbed her to hold her back.
"Get the fuck off me," She pushed him away and headed back to the pub.
"Are you alright?" He went to help the girl up.
"Fuck off, Elliott," Trixie swatted him away. Her face and hands and knees were skinned from the fall.
"I just want to help,"
"Then let me go to sleep," She pulled her cardigan around herself and unsteadily made her way back to her ratty hotel room.
