Sometimes

Chapter twenty-five

Aiden almost made me drop my glass as Sonny lead me back towards the bar.  I was enjoying the feel of Sonny’s hand on mine, deciding that I could really get used to it, when I felt two sharp pinches on my waist.  The sensation sent two jolts of surprise up my spine and I snapped my head around to see him standing behind me, a grin on his face.

    Sonny laughed with him and, after I’d pouted for all of two seconds, I laughed along with them.

    “You’ve found the bar then, Mate,” Sonny said, patting him on the shoulder.

Aiden nodded enthusiastically, his hair flopping into his face completely.  He snorted.  “Yep.  They’re giving us free shots, because we were amazing on stage.  Well, that’s why I reckon anyway.”

I laughed again as I watched him bouncing around on the spot.  He was acting like a child who’d eaten a tub of sherbet.  “You’re drunk off two shots?”

He frowned then, giving Sonny an eye roll.  “No, silly.  I had a beer before the gig, too.”

    “Ooh, lightweight!”  I giggled.  “You better stop now before you start trying to beat everyone up.”

    “I’m not drunk,” he insisted, patting me on the head.

I threw his arm off and straightened my hair out, suddenly conscious of keeping my image perfect for Sonny again. 

Aiden chuckled. “You look fine.  Coming to get some free drinks?”

I looked up at Sonny to see him raising an eyebrow at Aiden.  When he saw me peering at him, however, he smiled.  “Sure.  Let’s go.”

    We soon found Warren and Leanne at the bar.  They were downing shots like there was no tomorrow and I grimaced as Warren drank a shot the colour of pee.

    “What is that?” I asked, pulling on a grimace similar to the one he was wearing at the taste of the alcohol.

    “Some sort of Sambuca,” he replied, wiping his chin to mop up any spilled liquid.  He licked his hand before grimacing again.

    “I’m not having any of that,” I said to Sonny, who was also watching Warren with a twisted expression. 

    “No.  Me neither. We can stick to the safe stuff,” he said before ordering a round of shots from the same barman who’d served us earlier.  He didn’t even glance at me this time as he started lining up shot glasses across the bar.

Aiden was standing on the other side of me, tapping his fingers along the edge of the counter.  I turned to look at him and he smiled.

    “I’m not drunk.”

I rolled my eyes.  “I was only kidding.”

    “I know,” he replied, scooting up closer to me as a group of lads thrust themselves into the tiny gap at the front of the bar.  His arm pressed against mine but he didn’t seem to notice.  His eyes were on the shots the barman was preparing for Sonny.  “You’re actually going to drink some of that?”

I nodded. “Course.”

    “What happened to serious Harriet?  Have you killed her off in favour of a new and improved version?”

I laughed.  “I bought the fun Harriet out tonight.”

    “Good,” he said, reaching across me to grab two of the shots that the barman had just filled up with what I assumed was vodka.  It didn’t look pee coloured at least.  “I like the fun Harriet.”

    “Good,” I said. 

He offered me one of the shots.  “To the fun Harriet?”

    “To the fun Harriet.”