Sooo. Right, uh. First and foremost, I've never done anything like this. Like, writing a story and maybe this entire idea is a bit too ambitious for someone inexperienced, but fuck it.
Basically, this is completely AU, and is set in Montreal, Canada. Figured I'd give Skins a nice little twist. It's also a little easier for me, since that is indeed where I am located. All the slang, locations, whatever are different to what you usually see, most likely. The locations are extremely specific. But do not fret, for every area mentioned, at the bottom there will be a link and maybe a tiny explanation of what/where that place is. If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask, I'd be happy to fill in the blank.
Lastly, this might have a complete lack of direction so yeah, have a go.
She lowered herself down onto the curb and felt around her coat pockets, attempting to locate her pack of riggs. Her brow furrowed as she furiously swept her hands over the same tiny compartments, her hazy brain currently not able to process the fact that they were just not there. The woman only halted her search when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She tilted her head up and squinted into the dark, trying to decipher who it was. A familiar, rough voice crept into her ear, "I think you're looking for these." and like magic, a pack of cigarettes landed in her lap.
Her lips curled at the edges as she hastily grasped at the cardboard edge of the box and ripped it open, momentarily stunned by the glorious smell, before tapping the bottom of the box so that two fell out. The man sat himself beside her, immediately reaching for the second cigarette, he grinned "I knew you'd be feeling generous." He watched as she sparked her own and waited for her to pass the lighter. Instead, she lifted it and made a show of closely inspecting it before jerking her hand back and throwing it as far as her shaky arm would permit. She turned and studied the boy beside her and smirked at the slight disbelief in his expression.
"What the fuck was that?" he asked as he craned his neck to look in the general direction of where it seemed to have landed.
"Shouldn't have dragged me here, Cook. It's your fault I'm having such a shit time." she sucked on the end of her rigg and dramatically exhaled the smoke to make it look like the single most satisfying inhale she'd ever taken.
Cook pushed himself off of the ground and chucked the stolen cigarette at Naomi's face, "Fuck off, if you'd even try you'd be having as much of a good time as the rest of us." Her face adopted a sceptical look, she began to retort but was cut off by a third figure stumbling out of the club. The person looked up and smiled widely when she realised she'd interrupted an argument among her two friends. Jumping to conclusions, she asked "Is Naomi being a Debbie Downer again?".
Cook laughed loudly and nodded his head and glanced at Naomi. She sighed and picked herself off the floor and scowled "Alright," she watched as the third person swayed and attempted to right herself by taking hold of a no parking pole "at least I don't look like I've got spaghetti legs, Katie."
Katie shrugged, ignoring the blonde's weak dig, "Whatever, I called a cab…So if you want a ride just tag along." Cook nodded his head in agreement but Naomi shook her head, "Nah, I'll just walk from here. Need some time to sort myself out."
She began walking backwards and waved slightly before turning completely and leaving the location that always seemed to cause problems. She'd been forced to a night out by Cook, exclaiming that she was spending way too much time doing work for college and not enough time getting hammered. She'd agreed, since he was right and she hadn't been to a proper party in a while. She should have known going to greasy Foufs with its cheap, gross beer on Saturday nights was a shit idea. Actually, going anywhere that involves large amounts of alcohol with her group of friends was always a bad idea. Sure, it always started out fun but no one was ever able to control their drunken word vomit.
Tonight, the blow up was entirely her fault. She sent Emily fleeing for the club doors and she hadn't even been there for 5 minutes. She didn't know why she acted like a fucking insensitive knob or why she decided that it would be okay to say something derogatory regarding her friend's sexuality. It's not even like she herself was completely s- "Hey, wanna join us? Want a bit of work?"
She looked up at the voice that had disturbed her inner monologue and rolled her eyes. She looked a bit behind the suit clad man and that elicited another eye roll. Behind him was a sign that read 'DANSEUSES NUES'.
"Right, let me just go dispose of my dignity and I'll come right back.", she continued walking, still hearing the man grumbling obscenities under his breath.
After a few more turns, she finally arrived in front of her apartment. She lit up another cigarette before entering and observed her surroundings. Nothing too interesting. A homeless man with a bunch of dogs wandered passed her and smiled. Her lips twitched up in what she hoped was a friendly smile and she silently wondered where and how he got his companions. She flicked her cigarette away before directing a greeting toward the man. He turned to her, his face sporting a questioning look and she continued, "Hold on a second, alright?" He nodded and bent down to pat one of his friends on the head.
Naomi ran up the stairs and quickly unlocked the door to her home. Grabbing a bag, she quickly began shoving anything she thought she wouldn't need into the bag. Clothes that could be worn by both genders, food and lastly, she grabbed some money and shoved it into one of the pockets of a sweater she didn't need. She raced back downstairs and offered the bag to the man. She silently deemed him Willem, because he had a similar hat to the one Will always wore.
Will had been somewhat of a brother to her. He adored graffiti. She'd often trespassed with him on properties to help him create his art. One night, they'd been painting just off a main highway and they somehow hadn't heard an oncoming train. She realised only last minute that it was close. She'd tried to grab Will but he shook her off, not realising that he was in danger. She stumbled off the railway and fell onto her stomach. She turned just in time to see the impact. He was killed instantly. She sat in the same position, immobile, for what felt like hours before an ambulance arrived. Someone must have seen what had happened. He was taken away and she was rushed to the hospital to be checked for injuries and treated for shock.
She must have completely zoned out because when her memories dissolved into the unsure fog that they usually were, Willy was waving his hand in front of her face. She grimaced at the unpleasant smell that the close proximity brought and he laughed, "Sorry about that, can't really help it. Are you okay?" "Yeah, thanks I just got a little lost. I should really get inside. See you around." He looked baffled at the abrupt dismissal and hurriedly thanked her before she got away.
The blonde climbed the stairs for the second time that night, but when she got inside, she locked the door and didn't bother changing her clothes. She settled herself on the couch and turned the television on. The background noise was comforting and it lulled her to sleep within minutes.
Every thought before her brain shut down was about Will.
Okay, here is the list of locations:
a) First one mentioned is 'Foufs', the entire name is actually Foufounes Électriques and it's a bar that often has many different bands playing and whatnot going down aaand on Saturday night it has this beer for a buck thing. I actually like it there.
b) Secondly, the strip club, which is a little walk down from Foufs is Kama sutra Club. Really creative, that name. Don't have a photo, but I've often walked past there with some friends and there are seedy, creepy people trying to get us inside. Mmmm.
c) Third, the apartment that Naomi lives in, is called Place du Cercle.
I've never actually been in there, but I know there's a metro station attached underneath and that is really convenient for the story.
City of Saints is one of the many nicknames for Montreal. So, let me know what you think, if I should bother to continue, constructive criticism, whatevs.
Peace.