It's Only Love

Chapter Five

Madeline sips her beer, squished between Zoey and Rhea. The table meant for six is fitting ten people, currently: Madeline, of course, Zoey, Zoey's boyfriend Chris, Eva, Kelly and her boyfriend Scott, Scott's friend Jack, Rhea, Amber, and Amber's "friend" Mikey.

"So, Madeline," drawls Zoey from across the table. "How's your brother?"

Most of the time Madeline would be mad that any of her friends were mentioning her brother, but they are drunk, and she is drunk, and when they are drunk, she makes exceptions.

"What?" asks Chris in a jealous tone. "Who is this brother of yours, Mad? I'm a beat him up."

"No," whines Eva. "Her brother's hot."

"Nuh-uh," says Kelly. "Scottie is. And Paul."

"Who're we talking about?" asks Scott.

"Your mum," says Jack, elbowing him in the ribs. "Oi! Waitress! Get me another beer!"

The girl waiting on them rolls her eyes and disappears into the kitchen. Jack grins lopsidedly and turns to the rest of them. "Dunno who you lot are talking about, but that chick's hot."

The table erupts into laughter as the girl comes back with Jack's beer. "You know who else is hot?" Jack practically shouts. "Starkey." He stuck his foot up onto Madeline's lap, and she pushes it off again.

"Woo, Madeline," says Eva. "I thought you were single now?"

"Only in your mind," Madeline laughs, hiccuping.

Although she is facing the door, Madeline does not pay attention to the people entering the overcrowded Twin Moon. This is, to an extent, good, because four of the bar's regulars walk in, and had Madeline seen them, she might have made a different decision when Kelly said, "Well, guys, I'm leaving. See you all later."

Scott stands up too, along with Zoey, Chris, and Jack. Kelly glances at the other five. "Any of you guys coming?"

Madeline pauses, contemplating. "Nah." The other four murmured their agreement drunkenly. As Kelly, Scott, Zoey, Chris, and Jack leave, Eva leans across the table, meeting Madeline's eyes. "So you are single, right? Come on, tell, tell."

Madeline doesn't feel that she is quite drunk enough to talk about that, but she decides to try anyway. She decides to make it dramatic.

"So, I'm welcoming Ritchie's friends inside, right? Christmas Eve. A nice, romantic evening." She almost adds something about John, but decides against it. "Connor and I were gonna go to this party, right, except suddenly the phone rings, and it's him, and he's all like, 'Sorry, Madeline, can't go tonight.' Weird, right? Only then, Jenny calls. And she's talking about Hannah Spier going to the movies with Connor. I call Connor, and it's true, and that's it. Done. I don't need a cheater."

"Damn right you don't," says a voice behind her, and Madeline nearly jumps out of her skin. "That's what happened, was it? I knew something happened. How come no one ever explains to me?"

"Ritchie Starkey what the hell are you doing here?!" Madeline practically screams as Ringo leans on her chair.

"Well, we didn't know you were going to be here," says George, sliding in next to Eva, Amber, and Mikey.

"Mind if we sit down?" asks Paul, following suit.

"Doesn't make much of a difference what I think," she says with exasperation. "Hullo, John." For indeed, the band leader had slid into the seat to her right, the side which Rhea has not taken up.

"Hey, John, I wanna sit next to her," says Ringo angrily.

Eva says "You can sit next to me" as Madeline says "He's fine, Ritchie."

Ringo scowls and slides in next to John, and John unnescesarily squeezes closer to Madeline--not that she minds.

"Hey! Little Miss Adorable!" shouts Paul across the room. A waitress blushes and comes over.

"The usual, Mr. McCartney?" she stammers. "And what for the rest of you?"

John leans against Madeline's shoulder. She doesn't mind. She used to mind, when it was Connor, even when she was drunk, but now, she doesn't mind. John orders a beer, and Eva winks at Madeline across the table. Madeline laughs. Maybe she isn't as single as Eva makes her out to be.