Oxygen (Catfish And The Bottlemen/1975)

Saffron

"I'll get the next round in," slurred Bondy already heading towards the bar for jega bombs tequila and whatever we'd all settled for.

"Mines a Vodka Lemonade please," i said slipping in beside him with my elbows on the bar.

"I know," he smirked, "you drink it bottled and pretend that its water..."

I looked up at him a little shocked making him laugh as he called the barman over.

"Yeah see you're not fooling anyone," he smirked nudging me in the arm with his elbow, drawing a smile on my lips, forcing me to think about what Ally had said before she'd disappeared for the night with Camille.

I didn't notice until he did but thinking of Alice shacking up with strangers took the smile off my face within seconds.

"Woah where did that come from?"

"Where did what come from?"

"That pout what do you think," he chuckled pinching my cheek, i forced a smile and shook my head.

"Must be my infamous resting bitch face," i sighed sarcastically but he shook his head, slurring his way through another expression timed compliment.

"No," he shrugged, "you don't have one of those..."

I didn't know how to respond to Bondy when he got so complimentary, actually, i didn't know how to respond to moat genuine compliments. I only really understood those cheap one liners people throw at you until you unbuckle their jeans.

"Are you worried about Ally?" He asked as our drinks arrived, "she'll be reet you know, safer city than it sounds LA..."

"I've watched Mulholland Drive Bondy, i know youre lying to me," i smirked, shaking him off with a wider smile and then a laugh at another of his jokes, because he'd only been half wrong.

I was worried about Ally, but not because LA was a dangerous city to be wandering round on your own, but because I knew where Ally wanted to be, and i knew where she was. The two would always be mutually exclusive and i knew it fucked her up more than any of the drugs she took.

Id known for a long time about her feelings for Fliss, she'd never told me but i knew. It was obvious if you paid enough attention, luckily for Alice not many of us were ever sober enough to pay attention.

I shouldn't have but i was always routing for one of the numerous girls, or one of the numerous lads she sound up sharing a bed with to wind up being more than just a place to lay her head for one night, but they never did and they never would and every time i got my hopes up i knew she felt guilty for letting me down.

But it wasn't me she was letting down and every time she gave me a lecture on letting go of Rhys, i had to hold my tongue.

"Don't wait here with me lass go back to Fliss, she needs rescuing from our Van," he winked down at me, and though when i looked over my shoulder i could see the two of them locked in a tense starring contest across the table wed gathered around, i shook my head.

"You're alright," i smiled, "she can look after herself," he chuckled at that and shook his head, and i leant my chin in my palms as the bar man poured our drinks. "Want to be the first to get these shots down me anyway," i grinned taking the first tequila and the second, necking them both with such enthusiasm it was enough to place his hands on my shoulders, a smirk etched onto his lips.

"Careful darlin i don't want to have to carry you home again..."

"You've never carried me home," i giggled, but the look on his face, faltering for a moment, told me otherwise. "You've never!" I exclaimed again and this time he cracked a grin.