The rave was still buzzing, the music was pounding through the streets, the alcohol still flowed and the copious amount of drugs were being consumed. The sun was starting to pokes it head above the houses and the nine friends were still drinking. Instead of being the last ones standing at the rave they had made their way to the park that over looked the city. Bottle's of vodka lay discarded on the floor surrounding them, as their laughter filled the night.
Emily looked at all of them wondering how they had ended up like this, they were an unlikely group but something about them worked. JJ was showing everyone a magic trick that he'd just mastered, which again involved fire and Cook was patting down his eyebrows worried JJ had singed them to which the group were laughing at. Effy was laying comfortable against Freddy who was beaming with pride as Effy held the cigarette to his lips. Pandora sat between Thomas' legs as they smiled widely at each other, and the image made Emily grin. Katie was finishing off one of the bottles slyly gazing at Freddy who seemed to be avoiding her gaze. And then there was Naomi who's hand was enterwined with mine as we all savoured this time together, tomorrow would bring on a new adventure. The blonde winked at me and I couldn't help but blush under her pale blue eyes, even after all this time she still had that effect on my body.
"I know I've asked so many fucking times but seriously girls, let me join in!" Cook suddenly proclaimed looking expectantly at the couple opposite him. Naomi looked at him then to Emily. "You wanna join in eh?" She asked him running a hand up my arm then to my neck and cheek sending shivers through my body.
"Fuck yeah." Came his response and the red head thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head as Naomi's other hand began to run up her girlfriends thigh stopping just under her skirt. "Fucking hell."
"Oh god stop, Christ." Katie piped up. "I will never be drunk enough to witness that. And just a heads up, just because I'm sleeping doesn't mean I'm deaf." Her brown eyes fell on Naomi as Emily bowed her head to hide her glowing red checks.
"What can I say, you're sister just hits all those hard to reach spots." Naomi laughed as the group joined in, except Katie who looked pain.
"Talking of getting hard." Cook told them grabbing his crouch.
"Don't fucking encourage them." Katie told him.
"You fancy scratching my itch then?" He raised his eyebrows to her and smirked.
"Not in this life time."
"They all come to the cookie monster in the end." He said as his eyes slowly looked at Naomi and then Pandora who looked away. Some secrets were meant to stay hidden, the two blondes knew that better than anyone.
"So what time you going tomorrow Em?" Freddy asked and she thanked him with a smile for changing the subject away from her sex life.
"Think I'm going to be leaving about ten, wanna get their early and miss all the rush." The hand around hers suddenly went loose and Emily squeezed lightly, not letting Naomi break contact. They hadn't discussed the topic of university much, both preferring to ignore the subject all together, but it had somehow snuck up on them. And now they were facing the prospect of living apart, which made ther hearts ache.
"Well take care of my girl." Freddy told her with a smile as he kissed Effy's head. Emily hadn't planned on going to Newcastle with Effy it was just how it had worked out and they'd decided to live together. Although it would have been nice to make a clean slate from Bristol, Emily was glad that she'd have one friendly face…well one face she knew. Effy had never been someone who was easy to get on with, she was impossible to read but maybe this was her chance to get to know her.
"Do you t-think we'll see each other again?" JJ asked playing with the grass by his knee.
"Course mate." Freddy offered him, and his tone suggested that he believed his statement.
"Shit, you can't get rid of Cook that easy!" The cocky teen informed them.
"Goldsmith is only down the road from Greenwich, you can come and visit us all the time." Pandora told JJ who was going to the same uni as Thomas.
"Yes, we will stay friends." Thomas repeated the confidence of our formed friendship. But the atmosphere suddenly felt changed and the drunken laughter had stopped. Everyone looked around at each other, wondering if this would be it. If the two years they'd spent forming this group was suddenly about to break apart.
"We've got the holidays." Katie told the group trying to offer some type of hope.
"Fuck it. I say three years back here." Cook stood up holding a bottle of Jack Daniels. JJ joined in the gesture, while the rest of the them looked on a little confused.
"I think what Cook is trying to say is that in three years if we do lose contact we come back here on this night at this time, for a reunion of such."
"That's what I fucking said."
The others looked at each other with a smile standing up also swigging from their bottle's toasting their plan. In three years they would all be back here, just like this, together again.
Emily looked over to Naomi as she sipped some of the alcohol, the blonde looked back getting lost chocolate eyes. "I love you Em."
"I know I love you too." They leaned in and shared a chaste kiss. "We'll work through this."
"Well you do think I can do anything." Naomi smirked and was given another kiss.
"To three years from now." Freddy said raising his bottle and a cheer erupted from the nine teens who had a whole new world in front of them, unfortunately there were nine paths for them, take all leading in opposite directions. As much as they hoped it wouldn't everything was about to change and they were all helpless to stop it.
~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X
Emily was sitting on the bench at the park watching the sun coming up over the buildings and memories of that night three years previously came springing back to life. It was almost half four in the morning and she was still the only one here. Of course they'd all forgotten, that evening had been the last time all nine had been together and teenage promises had been lost to the wind. Wrapping her arm's around herself, Emily decided she'd had enough of waiting and began to get up.
"Emily!" Came a high pitched girly squeal from behind her and was almost knocked over as Pandora threw her arms around her. The redhead hugged her back and couldn't help the huge grin that came across her lips. Over the blonde's shoulder she noticed Thomas who was waving and hugged both girls. "We got a little distracted." Pandora explained giving a devilish grin to Thomas. Emily rolled her eyes.
"Where is everyone?" Thomas asked who had grown into a handsome man and under his clothes it was obvious to see a muscled body.
"I guess they ain't coming. It was a long ti-"
"Fucking faster JJ." The words cut Emily off as she saw JJ running over the hill with Cook on his back. "Shit look who it is!" He shouted to them as they quickly approached. Cooke jumped from his friend's back as the shy boy rested his hands on his knees to get his breath back.
"JJ!" Emily said as she hugged him tightly overcome with an emotion she couldn't describe at seeing all these old faces.
"What no love for the Cookie?" Releasing him, Emily hugged Cook as well. "Fuck me, please say you're not gay now because, FUCK, you got hot."
"I'll just take that as a compliment." She giggled.
"Where is everyone else?" JJ asked looked around realised four people were still missing.
"I don't know. Katie said she'd be here, but she went clubbing first so I'm not…"
"Where's the fucking PARRRTTTY!" Came a voice behind them and Katie stood there two bottles of Vodka held high. Something's never change and Emily's sister was one of those things. She had definitely grown up a lot but the party girl was still very much there.
"Get that ass over here, so I see if it's still as firm as it was!" Cook called back to her.
"Dick head, my ass always was and always will be perfect." She said as Cook pulled her into a hug spinning her around. Before moving his hand down to feel her bum. "Satisfied?"
"Damn right." He pulled out a bottle out of his pants. "Great fucking minds. Fuck the others, lets go mental." The laughter sounded the same but it wasn't complete. Although there was an energy and an excitement about being together again as we began to consume the alcohol and crack jokes as though no time had passed. Emily was leaning her head on JJ's shoulder when she saw the silhouette of two people walking towards them. As she lifted her head the rest of the group turned to face the approaching duo.
"Cunting hell, if it isn't wonder boy himself and…" Cook shouted as he tried to make out the other person. "And blondie." Emily quickly stood up her eye's fixed to Naomi who was easier to make out now as she got closer. Emily let out a breath that she didn't even know she was holding. While the rest of the group started shouting various hello's and insults, the blonde stayed quiet her face unreadable. Her feet took her straight to Emily who was trying to process words to say. The shorter girl opened her mouth to speak but before she could Naomi's hand collided with her cheek. The graduates suddenly went silent as the sound of the slap echoed through the morning.
"Bad timing?" Effy asked as she approached from the opposite direction.