The Lifeguard Hates You (Completed)

June Chapter 6

Coog's was our favourite bar to go to. Actually it was the closest bar to go too because if necessary it was only a half hour walk to Earth and Body. Also we got free drinks. I don't know why really, but I know it started when Rory joined our group. Shawn thinks its cause Coog wants to screw her. Coog is the name of the bar and the owner by the way. But I think Coog just likes Rory. She's just naturally likeable... like a puppy.

Coog is really Brandon Coogan, his bar is really the Cougar's Paw. Coog goes for younger girls. Hence why we call him Cougar, and that is the more entertaining reason why we call him Coog for short. As soon we enter he's moving people out of our booth. He doesn't care if they get mad, he's one of two bars and he's got better booze and cheaper prices. Our first free round is on the table before we can tell him we want something to eat.

As far as I know Rory hasn't paid for anything in Coog's bar, we all pay for food obviously but Rory never has to. I know from experience that Rory and Coog are so friendly that when she has one of her bad nights, like her really, really, bad nights she'll walk all the way back to this bar. Coog doesn't like this though, makes him nervous so he usually calls me to come and pick her up so she won't walk back on her own.

When he comes back twenty minutes later he has all our usual favourites and a hearty soup he makes sure is right in front of Rory.

She shoots a disgusted glare at Coog who says: "You're looking pale kid, besides I know how you take it, rice is on the side," and then he walks away and Rory dumps the whole bowl of rice into the soup.

I notice Jay is watching her, his eyes bright with confusion and then both triumph and anger when she starts to shovel the soup in her mouth. I know Jay tried to force soup on her the day before when he realized she had started to come down with something. When she refused—because Rory has never liked the taste of any kind of broth, nor is she a fan a vegetables if they're in her food—they settled on her taking a lot of cold medicine and going to bed early. For the first time this year Jay drove us down to the bar, which meant his drinking would be limited, I couldn't help but wonder if this was because he knew Rory was sick and as her roommate she was his responsibility now. Whether he liked it or not.

The day in the lake hadn't helped Rory in the least. She's paler than usual with an unhealthy flush on her cheeks. Her head is down, as she eats, usually when she's sick she's too tired to do anything, so I figure that's the reason she's quiet and unable to make eye contact.

So all of us, minus Rory, sit and talk and laugh. We sip our beers, we make sure Rory eats every bit of her soup flavoured rice, and then we share our fries and appetizers with her so she can get the taste of broth out of her mouth. Everything is as it should be, Rory and Jay have temporarily called off their fight and Shawn and I have moved in smoothly, there was nothing in the world I had to be worried about... until the PEG's walked through the door.

I swear to you a gust of cold wind blew in with them. We all just sat there shocked, staring at them. The PEG's usually went to the other fancier bar that was more of a club-slash-lounge. It was closer to them and more their style, to see them here slumming it with us was shocking.