Being Rose

I’m pretending I am only a social drinker. This is a bar we don’t come to too often so if anyone asks I don’t drink in the week. We know that’s true. I don’t have a bottle of gin in my locker, officer. I stared into my glass, watching the lemon float around while the others bickered. If I watch long enough maybe when I look up I’ll have my life together.
“Can you give it a rest, Rose?!” Lottie snapped.
“I’m sitting here, Lottie. I’m literally just sitting here.” I pointed out.
“Leave the weird one alone.” Alan rolled his eyes.
“Wait,” I know he isn’t talking about me. “Who’s weird?”
“You.” He shrugged.
“Alan remember when you went graffiti hunting and wanted to pretend you could draw it when the police came so you told them you did it? And the time you got a chocolate mould of your left elbow to give to your crazy ex for valentine’s day? Then there was the time you brought a blow up doll dressed as your mother to an interview. Remember those times? What are they?” I asked desperately.
“A good laugh?”
“No, Alan. They are weird.”
“Definitely not normal.” Jack agreed. I looked over. He was wearing denim cut offs and a neon orange shirt. I’ve been avoiding looking at him all evening. He hurts my eyes more than normal.
“Can you all shut up!” Lottie huffed.
“What is wrong with her?” I asked our miss matched group.
“I haven’t seen her highness since we got breakfast last week.” Alan shrugged.
“I’ve been on tour. I haven’t see any of you since before summer.” Jack defended. He’s right, Jack has been thoroughly out of the loop.
“Look around you, you daft thing!” Lottie exclaimed. “Where is everyone?”
She had a point. You see, usually on a Friday no matter what is going on in our lives the gang all meet up for drinks. By gang I mean army that is my family. There’s about one million of them with all the people Vic adopts when he’s on tour. My Christmas card list is enormous.
“Actually where is everyone? Where’s Vic? He usually buys my drinks.” I said.
“They’re at the party.” Alan said like it was obvious.
“What party?” I frowned.
“Oli’s. Did you not know?”
“Of course we knew, we just thought we’d sit here and wonder why all our friends now hate us, Alan you fucking idiot.” Lottie grumbled.
“I can’t believe Oli would have a party and not invite us. I was bridesmaid at his wedding.” I frowned.
“But Hannah is in England with her parents for a week.” Alan argued.
“So?” Lottie raised her eyebrows.
“So, maybe he thought-“
“Maybe that asshole still has that microphone jammed so far up his behind he can’t think.” Lottie rushed.
“Lottie-“ I tried gently. A long time ago before Oli had met Hannah – who by the way is my good friend – Oli and Lottie had dated. Then she went for Brady on the rebound.
I saw Jack and Alan exchange a worried look. “Maybe we were invited but our invites just got lost in the mail.” Jack offered.
“Lost in the mail?” Lottie repeated.
“Lost in the mail?” Alan muttered.
“You seriously think there were paper invites that were then lost in the mail?” I asked disbelievingly.
“He’s British. They still can’t admit we’re the better country.” Jack shrugged.
“We’re not. Have you ever watched the news?” Lottie rolled her eyes.
“I blame the south.” Alan stated.
“Why?” I asked curiously.
“They look suspicious.” He said knowledgably.
“Why are we talking politics when we could be at that party? I know we usually have our own little gang but damn it we deserve to be there.” Lottie said quite passionately.
“But we weren’t invited.” I shot back.
“Exactly! It’s time to show Oliver who is boss.”
“I don’t know.” Jack said cautiously.
“You can’t defend him, Barakat!” Lottie cried dramatically. “Remember when he stole the keys to your van and you had to call a locksmith. And when he swapped your pillow for a duck feather one and you had such bad allergies you had to go to hospital for a week?” she reminded him.
“That probably wasn’t intentional.” He reasoned.
“What about when he started cutting off your hair when you were sleeping to sell on the internet?” I asked.
“Maybe that was a little too far.”
“Or when he just sold your guitar all together to pay for a new designer suit for his brothers wedding?” Alan added.
“Okay, so maybe he isn’t innocent. We should be at that party!” Jack exclaimed.
“Then let’s gatecrash!” Lottie said excitedly. Lottie got up, and so did Jack and Alan. I downed the rest of my drink and sighed.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” I tried. “Everyone will be there and it’ll be so embarrassing.”
“Kellin will be there.” Lottie grinned.
“He will?”
“Yeah, and he’d love to see you all made up.”
“He would?”
“Definitely.” She nodded enthusiastically.
I will most likely regret this. “Okay, let’s do it.” I agreed.
We went outside and Lottie had ordered us to walk. Oli’s place wasn’t just down the road, it was a good mile. She didn’t seem to care though, she had taken Alan’s arm and the pair of them were marching along like their lives depended on it. Jack on the other hand was back with me probably regretting ever becoming friends with us.
The nearer we got the more I seemed to complain. By the time we were across the street I had been called a ‘shoe whore’ a total of seven times. Thank the Lord Jaime isn’t here, that’s the last thing I want him hearing about me.
“You think this is a good idea?” Jack asked me.
“Definitely not.” I admitted.
“Stop!” Lottie ordered. We could see people in the window. “If Oli has told people we aren’t invited we might have trouble getting in.”
“He wouldn’t do that. He won’t want to see like a dick, especially to Vic.” I said.
“Let’s do this carefully.” She said to herself and started to creep across the street and hide behind a car like she was in mission impossible. Alan for some bizarre reason followed suit with Jack in tow. I on the other hand just walked across the street apparently blowing our cover. Right now the three of them are a Jaime short of a restraining order.
Then I saw Mike stood outside having a smoke. “How you’re here and I’m not I will never know!” I exclaimed.
“Because dear Rose people like me.” he shot back easily.
“I never understood that. I thought they liked Vic so they just kind of put up with you.”
“You’re thinking of you.”
“Stop being a douche bag, you overgrown insect.” Lottie rolled her eyes.
“Nice to see you too.” He smiled. “Jack, Alan.” He greeted them. “Alex is inside.” He told Jack.
“What?!” Jack exclaimed and marched in angrily. I shrugged and decided to follow, not quite as angrily. “Alex you traitor!” Jack yelled and went to have a domestic with his band mate. Lottie went to make a scene with Oli and I think Alan went with her because Oli seemed to be near the food in the kitchen.
I on the other hand spotted Kellin and went over. “Hi.” I grinned at him.
“Hey Rose,” he smiled. “You look nice.”
“Thanks.” I blushed very obviously. “Where’s Kate?” I asked. By now she’s usually came and told me to piss off.
“Oh Cope is sick so she’s at home.” Thank God.
“Rose!” Jaime called. Damn it. Not him again.
I turned around and groaned. “What are you doing here?!” I sighed.
“I got invited unlike you!” he shot back, throwing my rudeness right back at me. He’s never, not even once been rude to me. I stood back in shock. I don’t like this. Is this how he feels after every conversation we have? “I only came to say hello. I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“You saw me yesterday.” I pointed out.
“So?” Jaime shrugged.
“I don’t care if it’s your birthday, you self-absorbed piece of trash!” everyone heard Lottie scream. Apparently it’s Oli’s birthday too.
I went to follow the disturbance before Lottie did something very Lottie like, like stabbing Oli with this own kitchen utensils. I walked in the kitchen and saw Lottie glaring at Oli with Vic in between them and by the looks of it she’d just thrown a baked potato.
I looked at Vic and waved. He waved back and sighed. I don’t think he likes being an adult. Then Lottie stood up on a chair. I hope she doesn’t jump off, she’ll probably break something, like Oli’s kitchen tiles. Vic looked at her like she was being stupid which she was and lifted her off of the chair and back onto the floor.
“You can have your stupid party! But I will have your cake!” Lottie screamed at the top of her voice and picked up the entirety of Oli’s probably very expensive birthday cake. “Let’s go Rose!” she shot at me. Everyone turned to look at me. I will forever be known as the crazy cake stealers friend.
“We should leave the cake.” I tried.
“I will have your cake!” she repeated and marched right out of the house.

Notes

Hey! Here's the next chapter, I'm getting good at this updating jazz. I hope you enjoy and tell me what you want to see or what you think will happen. I quite liked this chapter, loves. I'll update soon!

Kelci xxx