I'm not putting in a synopsis here this time. It's spoil the plot! Previously, Zoey got pissed off with Francis and left, Louis hot on her heels. *Cue East Enders Music*
Chapter Four
Solitude, Friendship and Getting Wasted
She was furious. She knew Francis was a bit of a jackass, but to say something like that in the middle of a friggin' zombie invasion? No matter how much she focused on being mad at him, she still found herself crying. To think that back at the boathouse she actually had some feelings for him? She knew now that she couldn't speak to him, not until she calmed down. She might say something as stupid as what he said. He seemed decent and good natured enough when he helped her up and embraced her after she startled the Witch. He seemed ready to take a bullet and jump in front of the hunter that leapt to her. But saying something as hurtful as that when he knew full well she'd lost her parents? All her heart's fire was snuffed out, and now she needed to cry.
Louis found her sitting on a bench, head held low. She was in a presumably quiet part of the neighbourhood, with not many people around and the birds twittering solemnly in the trees. A small tabby cat strolled over to Zoey and rubbed against her shins. A little smile came through on her tear stained face as she gave the cat an affectionate rub on the head, before sending it on its way and sitting up a little, brushing her hands a little on her clothes - like the reception advised after handling animals. She barely stirred when Louis sat down on the bench next to her. There was an awkward silence for a moment, before grief and anger suddenly took over Zoey and she held on tightly to Louis, sobbing into is shoulder. Louis was taken aback a little, but he slowly began to rub her back, muttering soothing words to her.
"Zoey, it's ok to be angry with him. He can be like that sometimes, you know? I think this time… he just said the wrong thing." She looked up at him, tears still streaming a little. Louis gave her a friendly smile, and she cheered up a little. She let go and sat back up, wiping her wet face and blowing her nose.
"That was unexpected…" Louis thought. "Hey, Zoey, can I ask you something?" She looked back to him again, a curious look on her face. "Do you want to… I mean, I was wondering…" Zoey narrowed her eyes a little. She thought she knew what might come next. "Do you want to go get a coffee or something, to cheer you up?" Louis finished.
Zoey kept her eyes narrow for a second, before opening them and grinning, letting out a quick sigh. She blinked a couple of times and breathed deeply, smiling broadly. "Sounds good!" She said, standing up. The two walked to the nearest coffee bar they could find, laughing, joking and shoving each other playfully the whole way.
"Hey, Francis, you got a minute?" Bill yelled. Francis was upstairs, reading through some pages of "gentlemen's literature." Sighing, he got up and walked to the hall. He glanced around, stalked over to Louis' room and carefully slid the magazine between two books on the bookcase.
"If he ever has someone come and help him clean up, he's gonna get one hell of a shock!" he thought to himself, chuckling at his ingenuity.
"What was it you… wanted… grandpa?" he finished slowly. Bill was sitting on the sofa still, but his shirt and trousers were off. He was wearing nought but a white undershirt, briefs and some black socks, and he was clutching a can of "Old Speckled Hen" in his hand. Francis recoiled a little at the sight of the drunken Bill. He looked a wreck, only after a day of living here.
"Come here, Francis. I wanna play a… a… um… li'l game with ya or something? Yeah, that was it." Bill said, speech slurred and slightly shaky on his legs as he stood up kicked his way through the cans on the floor… all eight of them.
"JESUS! Bill, what the hell? That was my booze you just got wasted on!" Francis yelled, picking up one of the cans and tossing it lightly so it rebounded off of the senior's head.
"Man, keep it down, ya hooligan. That hurts!" Bill said slowly, rubbing his head. He had a major hangover. "I just wanted you to play a game of spot the moron with me while I watch "Are you smarter than a ten year old!" he said loudly.
"Hell, I can spot a moron who just got wasted in about five minutes right in front of me!" Francis growled. "On my booze!" he added hastily.
"Who is it?" Bill said, with a look of genuine confusion on his face. Francis simply face palmed, pulled on his leathers and strolled out of the house, ignoring Bill's yells of "Where ya going, wuss?" and "Come back and fight like a man, prick!"
Even getting that badly drunk was bad by Francis' standards.
The small coffee bar was really a house that the owners decided to make a business out of. They would make coffee here and sell it to others, and their children helped. The children were always helping raised the spirits of everyone and their tableside manner was adored by all. It was already quite a successful family business, and they had recently purchased several outside tables with parasols to attract customers. Sat under one of the parasols were Louis and Zoey, deep in conversation. Zoey's spirits were significantly raised, and she was daintily nibbling on a pastry Louis had bought for her. She liked how kind Louis was sometimes. He was a gentle person, and he was never far when she needed him. Was it her, or was she beginning to get butterflies in her stomach? "Nah, it's just a light flutter. I'm just nervous and upset at Francis…" she thought. "It can't possibly be…"
"You ok, Zoey?" Louis broke her out of her thought trance.
"Yeah, fine. Just thinking things over," she replied, looking down at the remains of her pastry. "Is it fine if I leave this?" she asked. She didn't feel like eating, not with the feelings in her stomach.
"Hell, more for me!" Louis grinned before wolfing down the remains of Zoey's meal. Zoey giggled and put her hand on her lips to stop herself making a scene, pointing at the side of Louis' lip. He wiped it a little before feeling something slightly damp on his face. It was a little amount of cream and jam. He smiled and nodded his thanks to Zoey, before pulling out a tissue and wiping at the side of his mouth.
"Thanks Louis. Tonight's really helped me get over some things," Zoey sighed. She could probably cope with the loss of her parents now, as long as Francis said nothing stupid.
"No problem, Zoey. Anytime, I'll be here for you! Come on, the other two idiots are probably waiting for us at home," Louis said, smiling a little. He got up and stretched a little in his chair. Night was just beginning to set in and the pair had been there most of the day. Forever being a gentlemen, Louis took Zoey's hand to help her up to her feet, which amused her to no end.
"Sometimes, it's funny how kind he can be," she thought.
Past eight at night, the two walked in to quite possibly the most bizarre scene in the world. Bill and Francis had their arms linked, doing some kind of strange can-can on the dining room table, a can of beer in each man's hand. Both of them were singing slurred song lyrics and Louis and Zoey looked on with faces mixed with confusion and bemusement. The dancing drunks both seemed ready to end their performance when they both bellowed the last line:
"BUT WHEN YOU'RE A PROFFESSIONAL PIRATE...!!!"
Francis stumbled and fell off the table before quietly finishing:
"You don't have to wear a suit!"
Louis and Zoey both turned to each other at the same time, before both putting on coats and making rushed excuses that they had to go out, and they bustled out of the door.
*****
Right, to clear a few points up:
The whole game of "Spot the Moron" is a game me and my family devised. We watch a game show that involves general knowledge (Such as Who wants to be a Millionaire? Or Are you smarter than a ten year old? (fourth grader for my American cousins out there!)) We see who does terribly badly or fails to answer the most easy question in the world, then shout "MORON!" when they fail. It's amusing!
The song Francis and Bill were singing at the end is from Muppet's Treasure Island, quite possibly one of the most comically ingenious films of all time. The song in particular is called "When you're a professional pirate" if you want to YouTube it.
More emotional tension, ooh! Were those really just nervous feelings in Zoey? Will it evolve into something more? Find out in the next episode of DRAGON BALL Z!!! *ahem* I mean, The Good Aftermath…*Cue East Enders music*
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