Half an hour later, I was about to pot the black ball in order to claim my twenty quid from Andy. Jason thrashed him and if we’d been playing forfeits, Andy would have had to walk around the pub in his boxers. Thankfully, we decided not to go down that route. The punters in The Mason’s Arms didn’t need to see his skanky pants.
As I drew back the cue, my phone vibrated in my jeans, enough to put me off, and I skewed the ball just wide of the pocket.
“Fuck!”
Andy laughed. “Thank God. I thought I was going to have to admit to being a loser.” He leaned over and easily potted the remaining ball. “Another game?”
“Jason can play again. I’ll get us some more drinks.”
“My round, mate.” Jason pressed a couple of notes into my hand. “Get some chasers as well.”
The barman took a few minutes with the beers and whisky, so I checked who had contacted me. I was hoping it was Saff, but an unknown number came up. Although I didn’t recognise it, I knew exactly who had sent it.
Tris, I really want to make it up to you. Will you at least meet me for a drink, son?
I shoved my phone back in my pocket. I didn’t want to deal with Louis now.
The rest of the evening whizzed by.
Apart from Darren, I didn’t really have any male friends and it was good chatting and bantering with Andy and Jason. Both of them were good guys, solid and dependable.
The type of people I needed in my life right now.
All too soon, it was closing time. “I’m getting a kebab,” announced Andy. “What about you two?”
“Yeah, why not?” I agreed. “It’s on the way home.”
There were a few people before us in the queue and we patiently waited to be served. The two guys at the front were talking about music, their voices carrying to the back of the takeaway where we stood.
“I’d have given anything to see Trash Gun play. This tour they’re doing is off the scale. And they’ve got that hot chick supporting them.”
“Yeah, she’s fucking smoking.”
Clearly not knowing I was there, and certainly not knowing who I was, the two of them went about describing what they would like to do to Saff. I hadn’t realised idiots like that existed outside of prison.
Without thinking, I barged to the front where they were and confronted them.
“How dare you speak about her like she’s an object,” I hissed.
Both of them looked at me through narrowed eyes.
“What business is it of yours?” One of them inclined his chin towards me. “She your sister or something?”
My lip curled in distaste. “No. Saff’s my girlfriend.”
They looked between each other, then at me before bursting out into peals of laughter.
“Course you are, mate. You, standing in a kebab shop, saying you’re fucking Saff Barnes. Get real.”
Instinctively, I pulled back my arm. Every fibre of my body wanted to punch him. A restraining hand landed on my shoulder. Andy shook his head and mouthed ‘not worth it’ towards me.
He was right, naturally, but it didn’t stop the anger coursing through my bloodstream.
The rational part of my brain ended up taking over. Say I did beat the guy up, he’d say I provoked him and he was only trying to protect himself. His word against mine. Witnesses who would probably be his mates. I didn’t need any more trouble, even if I was only doing it to protect Saff and her reputation. Look what protecting her had meant last time.
I let my arm drop back down to my side and took a step back. “Everything I say is true. Just be careful who you’re mouthing off to next time.”
And I did the right thing by walking away.
