Freckles

Freckles
Part 4
(071104)

The Salty Dog was a small, rustic pub near the various ports on the fringe of the city. It advertised itself as a redone pirate drinking hovel, passed down from generation to generation, the owners claiming to descend from pirates that came into possession of the establishment after their ship docked and consequently took over the town. It was all a load of tripe of course, but it brought in the tourists and the wait staff all claimed that it paid well. Well, Sebastien said it paid well and he was usually in the possession of money.

"Why are we here?" Kathryn asked her cousin as they entered The Salty Dog.

"To get drunk." Francesca replied as the door shut behind them. It was a fairly small area, the air conditioning turned up high to fight the humid, summer heat.

"But why here?" Kathryn asked as they approached the bar.

"Because Sebastien works here and we can discount drinks."

"Fuck discounted drinks."

"I don't get paid til Thursday, I'm low on money and I have this incredible urge to get drunk."

"I'll pay for you."

"Kathryn, we're already here. Who gives a flying fuck if Travis will be here?"

"Travis' baby sister is in 'ospital." Sebastien told the pair as the slid onto two central barstools.

"He's Irish not British." Francesca rolled her eyes at him.

"I can't do Irish. British is close enough."

"Will she be alright?" Kathryn asked curiously.

"I wouldn't have a clue. Now what can I get you?" Sebastien asked.

"Something, anything that will get me really drunk, really fast." Francesca told him.

"I got just the thing. Kathryn?" Sebastien turned to her.

"Just get me some vodka and pineapple."

"Gotcha." Sebastien bustled off to get their drinks and Kathryn turned to her cousin.

"Maybe he wasn't avoiding me." She said to her and Frankie shrugged in response.

"What happened exactly?" Francesca asked, swivelling around on her seat to face her cousin, full on.

"Well. We had sex. Good sex. As in I had my very first, you know."

"Orgasm." Francesca supplied, causing Kathryn to wince and flush in embarrassment, looking around to make sure no one had heard.

"Well, yeah. And I sort of passed out."

"Was it a good passing out or a bad passing out?"

"Eh? Thank you." Francesca slid her money across the counter to Sebastien as he returned with their drinks before walking off with a cheeky grin.

"Remember back in high school how I had that weird thing where every time I orgasmed I got migraines and sometimes I passed out from pain. But now I take medication and I eat more veges so it's better. Was it like that?"

"Good passing out. But when I woke the next morning, he was gone."

"You passed out for that long?" Francesca took a cautious sip of her drink, cringing a little.

"Well, I woke occasionally in the night. But once we hit daylight. Gone. I haven't seen him since." Kathryn picked up her drink and with a quick glance around her, took a quick drink.

"Kathryn. We aren't fucking sixteen anymore, sneaking into clubs using the twins i.d's. You can drink in public and not be worried."

"How we got away with that is beyond me. And all the times we nearly got caught sneaking back in."

"No all, the times YOU nearly got caught. Mum knew I was going out, as long as I called her if I ever got into trouble."

"Your mum is so liberal. I remember after what happened with Eliot she covered for me with mum and she was just so cool about the fact that I was sitting in her living room with a mussed up uniform, bawling my eyes out."

"Well, you know my mum. Any excuse to make brownies."

"God this stuff is strong." Kathryn muttered as she took another, longer drink from the glass in front of her.

"Well, drink up. I plan on getting wasted, and I don't plan on doing it alone."

~*~*~*~

"God, you guys really are wasted." Sebastien muttered as he held the door open for his two female roommates.

"No shit, Sherlock." Francesca said, causing Kathryn to erupt into a fit of giggles.

"Kathryn! Don't do that." Sebastien scolded as Kathryn tried to make her way back outside again.

After much wrestling and coaxing, Sebastien managed to get the pair into the house, firmly locking the door behind them. Francesca tottered off down the hall way, whistling a nursery rhyme as she went. She had a hand pressed against the wall, using it to steady herself as she walked. Sebastien's eyes were immediately drawn to the swell of Francesca's arse and he followed her, momentarily forgetting about Kathryn completely.

When Francesca stumbled past Travis' door, Sebastien noticed light filtering out from beneath the door. He stopped in front of it and knocked, waiting for a reply before he entered. When the answer came, Sebastien stepped in and gently closed the door behind him.

Sebastien tried not to wince as he took his surroundings. While he was used to the usual clutter littering Travis' room, tonight it was different. There were clothes and papers everywhere and it looked like Travis' had spent a lot of time throwing things around.

"Hey man." Travis said, his voice sounding as if he had spent a lot of time sobbing, his usual tone coming out hoarse and hollow.

"How's your sister?" He asked.

"It's still touch and go." Travis answered.

"I don't know what to say to you." Sebastien told him.

"Nothing you can say will help."

"OH FUCK." Sebastien cringed as he heard the unmistakable sound of yelling come from the lounge room.

"Was that Kathryn?" Travis asked, frowning.

"Yeah. Her and Frankie were down by the Dog getting drunk and now..." Sebastien turned to leave as he trailed off.

"I'll get her." Travis stood as Sebastien opened the door and followed him out.

"Are you sure?" Sebastien asked as he closed the door to Travis' room behind him.

"Yeah, I needed to talk to her any hows."

~*~*~*~

"Kathryn?" Kathryn lifted her head up as she sat on the couch, nursing her sore shin, her head in her hands. She had walked into the coffee table and Kathryn could feel the bruise form beneath her fingertips.

"Hey." She greeted Travis as he sat down next to her.

"How are you?" He asked her.

"I'll certainly be feeling this in the morning." She pointed to her shin and Travis frowned.

"Come here." Travis pulled her leg up and rolled her jeans leg up. He gently pinched at the back of her ankle before moving his finger out in small, soothing circles. He slid her shoe off with his free hand before bringing it up to massage the sole of her foot while he used his other to continue massaging her leg.

"That feels nice." Kathryn murmured, shifting a little so he had a better grasp on her calf. He continued massaging her lower leg before bringing both hands up to press small, gentle circles on the area around her bruise, helping ease the pain on her shin.

"How's your sister?" She asked quietly, cringing when Travis stopped moving his fingers.

"Touch and go. I don't want to talk about it." He said before resuming his massage.

"Travis? It's okay really, it is." Kathryn pulled her leg out of his lap and with a gentle tug on his arm, pulled him into her embrace, cradling his face in the crook of her neck as he began to cry.