Fear and Blood

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

“I really don't want to...” Rome protested as Melissa pushed the struggling girl towards the door of a large pub. It was nice looking, as pubs go, but Rome still felt nervous about entering. The last time she had gone out drinking with friends, in a small country town her parents visited once every year or so, she ended up being harassed by a drunk at the bar. It wasn't an experience she wanted to relive. She didn't even want to think about the pub Ly had taken her to.

“Come on Rome,” Melissa said impatiently, rolling her eyes at Robert, Lisa and Josh. “Live a little, I thought country people spent as much time as they could in the local pub. It's not like we're doing anything illegal and it's perfectly safe as long as you don't do anything stupid. No-one's going to bother you if you don't want them to.”

Rome wasn't convinced, she remembered Ly saying something along those lines when he had taken her to that shifty looking bar and that place definitely hadn't been safe. She may be a country girl, but she didn't enjoy pubs at all.

“Just one drink,” Lisa said, watching Melissa push the reluctant girl through the doors and into the bar. “And if you really don't like it here we can go somewhere else. I hear the sports club has a beginners pool tournament on tonight, that could be fun.”

Rome sighed, but relented, thinking that, at the very least, the torture would be over soon.

As Melissa, Rome and Lisa found a table, Robert and Josh disappeared into the crowed to get some drinks. The atmosphere here was a lot different to other pubs Rome had visited, she admitted to herself. This place seemed to be a lot more modern, cleaner and better taken care of, not to mention that the patrons themselves were all young adults. Most of them looked like they could be university students, which wouldn't be that strange considering how close they were to the university.

“I think Josh likes you,” Melissa said, nudging Rome with her elbow. “It was his idea to invite you out tonight, even though I told him you wouldn't be up for it.”

“Really?” Rome was shocked, she had only just met the guy and had hardly even spoken to him.

“He seems really into you,” Lisa put in, though she didn't seem at all happy. “He kept asking me questions about you in our education lecture yesterday.”

“Lisa likes him,” Melissa explained. “But Josh is completely oblivious.”

“Oh, well I don't really know him so...” Rome tried to defuse the situation as Lisa became increasingly annoyed. “I mean it's not like I asked him to...Have you told him how you feel?”

“I've tried,” Lisa sighed. “He's just so clueless.” She shrugged and got up from the table. “I'm going to the bathroom.” With that she marched off.

“I'll go with her,” Melissa said, also standing. She took off after her friend.

It was then that Josh appeared, placing the four drinks down and taking a seat. “Where did the others go?” He asked as he handed Rome a glass.

“Bathroom,” Rome answered shortly. Now that she knew why she had been invited out she was feeling a little uncomfortable. “Where's Robert?”

The young man smiled and shook his head. “He saw something he liked at the bar and decided to stay behind,” he said, taking a sip of his drink. “So Melissa tells me you only just moved to the city, where did you live before here?”

“All over really,” Rome answered, trying to be polite, but not seem too interested. “My mum is a rural doctor, so we travel wherever she's needed.” That was the official story, the one she was allowed to tell.