just dive in [reed bishop spin-off] ✔️

fifteen

— f i f t e e n —

"OLIVER!" MARCIE EXCLAIMED, jumping up from the booth to greet him with a hug. "You came!"

"I did I say would," Oliver chuckled.

Wetherspoons, this particular one called The Moondrop, was packed. It was rarely ever empty in Spoons but considering it was a Saturday evening, every single table was overflowing with people and there was a crowd milling around the bar waiting to get a drinks order in. It took Oliver a good five minutes of scanning the faces to find Marcie and the others in a booth further back into Spoons. Their group must have been here for a while in order to have managed to snag a table. Along with Marcie was Indie and Indie's boyfriend Jonas, both of whom swam for Hampstead. There was no sign of Finley.

"Nice to see you again, Reed," Marcie said, as the two of them slid into the booth and Oliver glanced around as surreptitiously as he could. Had Fin decided not to come after all? "That's Indie," she gestured to Indie, who wiggled silver ringed fingers in greeting, "and Jonas, both who swim on my team." Jonas offered up a smile in greeting. "Guys, this is Reed, he swims with Oliver's new Manchester team."

"Hey," Reed said.

"Shouldn't I be the one introducing him?" Oliver wondered, amused.

"Nah, I'm his friend now," Marcie grinned. "You're just the added extra. Also, I have a present for both of you."

"Really?"

Marcie rooted around in her bag before whipping something out with flourish. Two driver's licences. She handed one over to Oliver, the name MICHAEL SAMUEL GOLDSTEIN printed over Micky's black and white photo, and gave the other one to Reed. A quick glance at it confirmed Reed would be fine for the night. He looked vaguely similar enough to Tom that the ID would hold up as long as it wasn't subject to intense scrutiny.

"The best kind of present to get," Indie said, amused. "At least you won't be stuck having Finley, the smug bastard, buying your drinks for the night like some of us sorry losers."

Jonas smiled. "Guilty."

"Where is Fin, anyway?" Oliver asked, as casually as he could. He thought he'd done a fairly decent job of playing the question off as nonchalance if not for the weighted look he received from Reed. "He decide not to show up?"

Marcie and Indie exchanged a look. "I — "

"Missing me after all, Oliver?"

They all glanced up to see Finley, tray with a load of various drinks in hand, standing by the table. He flashed Oliver that charming smile that could convince anyone to do anything he wanted. Once, Oliver had been part of that anyone. Whether you liked him or not, no one could deny that Finley was very attractive, possessing the easy good looks that came from a lucky combination of great genetics and effortless confidence. Finley was very good at making you feel wanted when he turned his charm on you and Oliver had been swept away by it all when he was younger, flattered that Finley of all people wanted to pay him any attention at all. Now, he just regretted going into any line of inquiry about Fin especially considering how his question must have looked to everyone else at the table, who all knew about the two of them.

"Don't flatter yourself," Oliver said, and stood up. "I'm going to get a drink. Anyone want anything?'

Fin set the tray down. "I'll come with you."

"Why?" Oliver asked, a little warily.

"Do I need a reason?" Fin returned, with that smile that made Oliver trust him even less.