Digital Paintbrush - (Hat Films/Yogscast Fanfiction)

Chapter 10 - Pub

Turns out the video the boys needed me for was some weird 'Space Challenge' where we had to try to send something to space. It was weird but incredibly entertaining. It also didn't work. When we were finished cleaning up the office, which had been basically destroyed due to the recording, Ross suggested going to the pub because it was late and we didn't have work tomorrow. We all agreed to and bought Helen, Alice and Rhiannon along. 

When we all walked in, I was suddenly ambushed by the loudness of the place with so many people talking, so many people drunk and so many people watching the football. With all the chaos a sudden ripple of nausea came over me. 
"We'll go find a table, you boys get the drinks," Helen said. All four boys gave us the thumbs up and us girls ventured further into the pub, making the sick feeling in my stomach grow. 
We found a table after a few minutes of searching and stole a couple of chairs from other's but we eventually had enough space for the eight of us, albeit quite closed in, making my belly worse. The boys came back after a while, carrying drinks; Alex had whiskey and my coke because I don't drink, Ross also had a coke as he was driving half of us and some lemonade for Alice, Chris had a beer for Helen and water for himself since he was driving the other half and Craig had two beers. 
"Couldn't find any place better?" Alex chuckled, placing my drink in front of me and winking at me as he did so. This caused me to slightly blush. 
"You tried finding a table for eight at a packed pub!" Rhiannon smirked
"Maybe next time we will," Craig smiled, sitting down next to her and putting the drinks on the table. Quickly, we were all laughing together in the tight corner of the building. Everyone was having a blast, joking and smiling with each other. Everyone but me anyway. I loved the guys and I would have definitely been having fun if it weren't for being in a massive crowd of yelling strangers. Something about people around people I didn't know, especially when they were screaming, being unpredictable. I've been like that since I was a kid and I always hated it about myself but I could never seem to change it, even with all the counselling. For a while, I managed to hide my anxiety, long enough for everyone drinking alcohol to get drunk - especially Alex who was completely pissed by this point - however, when a random guy came over, banging his hands on the table asking for some spare change to buy another drink, my guard was let down and my anxiety showed a lot. Ross noticed this and took me outside for a minute
"You okay?" He questioned when we were outside the pub. The outside was the complete opposite to the inside. It was pleasant. 
"I'm fine, just crowds aren't exactly my thing," I told him 
"I'll say! You've looked on edge since we got here and when that guy came over you looked like you were about to shit yourself," Ross explained 
"Yeah, well, it's been like that since I was a child. It's pretty annoying," I added, taking a big sigh of fresh air
"There's more to it than just being a little nervous," He noted, looking straight at me as if he was asking for answers. I gave in to his daunting stare and sighed.
"Okay, I may have some mild social anxiety, which I've had counselling for but it hasn't done much," I clarified "I really am fine though, I just need a little bit of a breather sometimes," 
"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, giving me sad puppy dog eyes 
"I just never needed to and it's not a big deal," I snapped. I hated it when people asked me that. 
"Well, I'm your big brother, you can talk to me," He whispered
"I know, Ross, but I don't want to talk about my mental health all the time," I said. It was slightly awkward after that, I know Ross was only trying to help but all of these questions just felt like some sort of interrogation. We went back inside after we realised that neither of us were going to talk again.  When we got inside, we came back to Chris suggesting we leave 
"It's late and we have to get back to Mochi," He explained to everyone "I know I'm driving so if it's alright with you all, can we please go now?" 
We agreed with him, it was almost midnight and most of us wanted to go to bed. 
"I don't want to!!" Alex whined, throwing his arms over the table as if he was a child. He was hammered. 
"Well, you have to, unless you want to walk," Rhiannon joked 
"Fine!" He yelled, "I'll walk!" And all of a sudden he got up and walked out of the pub 
"Somebody needs to go with him," Ross chuckled "To make sure he doesn't do anything stupid," 
"I'll go," I offered, honestly I just didn't want to sit through an awkward car journey with Ross and Alice. I got a very concerned look from them all
"Marnie, are you sure? Someone else can go," Helen offered. I rolled my eyes at them in annoyance, I was capable of walking home. 
"I'll be fine," I muttered, grabbing my coat "See ya," Then I went the same way Alex did 
"I'll pick you up from his!" I heard Ross yell.