Taking care of Scott

In rapid succession, you down the two shots allotted to you, and can still feel the burn of **** on your tongue when you place both hands on Scott’s shoulders.

“Alright, so I want to talk with this git for a couple of minutes,” you announce, quickly adding, “Yes Sid, it’s time for some girl-talk, we’re off to powder our noses and all that,” before pulling Scott out of his chair. He nearly stumbles back over it as he leans towards you, being pulled to his feet showing just how wasted he is thanks to your friends. You don’t wait for anyone at the table to respond before you’ve got Scott alongside you and the two of you’re heading back to the girls’ table, with Lisa on his other side, helping to hold him up.

“You’re my best friend, John…” Scott informs you, his voice slurred.

“Sorry I couldn’t be here earlier, mate,” you reply.

“It’s alright,” Scott says, then looks at Rachel as she’s walking right behind your free shoulder, “Hi ya Rachel.”

“Hi, Scott,” Rachel replies, with a smile.

“You know, John, I think you got a shot with her if you card your plays right…” Scott says, sounding as conspiratorial as is possible for a man so drunk he can’t walk properly without assistance. (Writer’s note: Yes, the switch between card and plays is intentional. No, I will not appreciate someone informing me that they’ve been switched.)

“Jesus, Scott, how drunk are you?” You reply.

“Don’t worry about it, Rachel,” Lisa smiles at your girlfriend, “at least he remembered your name.”

“Oh, has John had that many girlfriends?” Rachel immediately replies, with a playful smile that’s immediately returned by Lisa. Those two seem to be getting along just fine.

“Gee, thanks Lisa…” you grin, “Way to go getting the guy helping you take care of your smashed boyfriend in trouble.”

“Sorry!” Lisa chuckles, “Nah, he’s barely had any.”

“Oh, that sounds so much better,” you shoot back without delay.

“He’s impossible to please, isn’t he?” Lisa says.

“I wouldn’t say that…” Rachel purrs, and squeezes your free arm to get you to look at her as it’s now her turn to form her lips into a conspirational smile.
At that, Lisa laughs, but doesn’t offer any comment, instead working with you to get Scott into a chair by their table, in which he first slumps backwards before leaning forwards, his arms on the table to help keep his head off of it while the rest of you take a seat as well, Lisa sitting next to her boyfriend, one arm round him to help prop him up.

“Looks like going clubbing is out now,” Terri comments on Scott’s wasted state.

“Hey, you’re looking at someone with moves like Travolta,” Scott fires back, a stupid grin on his lips as he makes a V with his right index and middle fingers before dragging them over his nose and across his face.

“Yeah, from Wild Hogs…” you say, making Lisa and Rachel giggle while Scott looks at you.

“That’s ice-cold, man,” Scott mumbles, before chuckling and dropping his head onto his arms after which Lisa leans in and kisses him on the back of the head.

“So, Rachel, how did you and John meet?” Kelly asks while you take a sip of your beer.

“I’m his new tenant,” Rachel explains, one of her hands coming to rest on your thigh while the other grabs her rum and coke.

“So you’re already living together?” Terri asks, and actually manages a smile. Well, she does have a nice and polite side that shines through on occasion, you remind yourself.

“Uh-huh,” Rachel nods.

“You’re not worried about that or anything? I mean, it’d seem a bit awkward if…” Kelly asks.

“Well, we did hesitate about it for a while,” You volunteer, only realising afterwards that this is the perfect excuse for why you and Rachel took so long to get together, rather than her insecurities about her, well… “but then things just sort of took off.”

“Rachel, did you get poor John drunk or something?” Lisa grins mischievously while running her fingers tenderly through Scott’s hair.

“Nah, she’s almost as bad at holding her liquor as you,” you reply.

“Anyway, I was actually hung-over when it happened,” Rachel says, “After a romantic night of Halo and beer.”

“Sounds like John knows just what a girl wants!” Kelly smiles.

“Jeez, I’m taking fire from all directions,” you mutter and shake your head with a smile.

“And then one thing sort of led to another, and suddenly John and me were a couple,” Rachel gives your hand a squeeze.

“That’s sweet,” Lisa beams at the two of you as Rachel and you share a quick kiss.

“Anyway, what about you guys,” Rachel asks, “how do you all know each other?”

“Well, I know John thanks to falling in love with Scott,” Lisa explains, making Scott look up with a weary but happy expression before returning to his slumber, “and Terri and I are old childhood friends.”

“And Kelly and me met at University,” Terri fills in.

“Really? What do you guys study?” Rachel asks.

“Economy,” Terri replies, “I was going to study Art History, but well, since it’s hard to get any kind of job off of that and the economy’s going down the crapper every five to ten years…”

About an hour later, the six of you leave the pub, Scott having recovered enough that he’s actually mobile. Your other friends haven’t noticed you leaving, and since she doesn’t want Scott to get into more trouble, Lisa’s decided to send them all a text once he and her are well on their way home.

“So, what about you two?” Terri asks, continuing to show off her good side as she stands next to Kelly while Lisa is trying to hail a cab, “Are you heading home to, or you want to go clubbing with us?”

If it was up to you, you’d opt for going straight home, but instead you turn to Rachel and await her response.