By Star
Notes: Saturniia, I have no idea how you have time on your hands to review every chapter, but I for one salute you. Thanks very much, you're a star! Also, thanks to all the reviewers, it's so lovely to see that people are enjoying reading this as much as Victory and I are writing it. Thank you.
Taz's POVWhen Fulton and I get to our history class we find that our evil, slave-driving, minion of the anti-christ teacher is off sick and a substitute is standing in.
The sub stands up, introduces herself, explains that history is not her thing, and tells us that she can't make us work through a subject she knows nothing about, but the mature, responsible decision would be to continue with whatever it was we were doing during the last class.
The class thinks it over and comes to the mature and responsible decision to talk to their friends.
"Do you have practice tonight?" I ask him.
It's not the most tactful question I've ever asked. The Queertet are not getting on well with their new captain. We've been back almost a week, and the break from school has done nothing to lessen Connie's hatred of all things gay.
He shakes his head and leans closer to me. "I've been benched."
A few weeks ago I would have yelled "What!" at the top of my lungs, now I just put a hand on his shoulder and ask why.
He tells me that he lost his temper and punched out Luis. I'd seen him walking around with a great shiner and a wounded expression, I figured the Bash Brothers had something to do with it. I guess Coach has told them to keep it quiet, doesn't want his team to be in trouble.
"You wanna get out of here tonight?"
He looks alarmed. "All of us?"
"No, you and me." I don't feel up to company, and more than anything, I want to see my friend smile. I haven't seen Fulton smile since we got back from Thanksgiving, he's not talked about it but the fact that he was covered in bruises speaks decibels. Louie from my art class told me that he and Portman had arrived together. Not just at the same time, but got off the bus that came from the train station. Fulton usually doesn't catch the train. He lives in Minneapolis.
I spent a lot of time cheering Charlie up and now it's Fulton's turn.
This isn't because we have anything in common.
*~*~*~*~*
"Portman doesn't mind me borrowing you?" I ask in a more cheerful tone than I thought I could muster as we walk out of the huge wrought iron gates.
"No." He replies quickly. "What about you and Maya?"
"I left her a note." I say glibly.
Ok, so the note read 'Study-jam with Fulton', but what difference does that make?
"So what's the plan?"
I give him my trademark Taz-grin. "My plan was: Let's get out of here. Do I have to think of everything?"
We end up going to see a movie. I don't think either of us paid attention to it. I'm doing a terrible job of cheering us up. In fact, Fulton's depression is seeping towards me.
In the end I use my last resort. After the second day of Thanksgiving break I went to see a friend of mine who got me a fake ID.
"Stay here." I instruct, before walking towards the nearest liquor store. I walk in confidently and pick up a bottle of vodka. I plunk it down on the counter.
"ID." The guy says.
I pull a baffled face and shrug my shoulders.
"ID." He repeats.
I ask him what he's talking about. Only I say it in Irish.
He now pulls a baffled face. "ID." He says again.
I shrug again as if I don't have a clue what he's saying to me. In desperation he points to a sign about it being illegal to sell alcohol to minors. I stare at it for a few seconds, then I let a look of realisation cross my face. I dig out my ID and pass it to him with the words, "You idiot, I'm nowhere near twenty-one." Naturally, I say it Irish, and use a tone that sounds really apologetic.
He dutifully takes it, sighs and rings it up. I guess he decides that only a really stupid person as young looking as me would try to buy alcohol with a fake ID.
I wish him and his family years of suffering from crabs and leave.
I have to say, when I was younger, learning Irish seemed a stupid idea – especially since most Irish use English anyway – but I was wrong about that.
I walk away and motion for Fulton to follow me.
"You shouldn't have done that." He says when we finally stop.
"Then why didn't you stop me?" I ask.
He doesn't answer so I start walking again. He follows.
Fulton's POVShe's drinking way too fast. And way too much. It surprises me how much she can drink, to be honest, it shocked me that she drank at all. I've always thought of Taz as the kind of person who's high on life, I mean, look at the way she acts most of the time, it's like she's from another planet.
Tonight I'm seeing a new side of Taz, and I'm not sure I like it. At first I thought what the hell and matched her drink for drink, but I decided that one of us has to keep a clear head to get us back to the dorms. It's way past curfew, luckily we're in a park close to the school.
Taz started to tease me about not drinking, and sometimes it's easier not to argue with her, so I pretended I was drinking by pressing the bottle to my lips but not swallowing anything.
When she tripped over I poured half the vodka away. I'm going to have to take it off her soon. She's only small, and I know she hasn't eaten since lunch because we took off straight after school finished.
"Taz, why are you drinking?" I ask her.
She goggles at me as if she'd forgotten I was here. Under any other circumstances, it would be funny. She shrugs finally. "I'm not drinking, I'm getting you drunk."
I'm not going to argue with her, it's too difficult. "So why are you getting me drunk?" I take the bottle from her, fake a sip and pour some more away while she's staring at the tree.
"Cos life's a bitch." She nods, pleased with herself for this answer.
"I thought you were happy." I say. I had noticed that Taz hasn't quite been herself since we got back, but to be honest I've been a little preoccupied.
"I am." She gives me a big fake grin. "Happy as Larry. 'Cept I don't know a Larry. Do you know anyone called Larry? And is Larry happy? Stupid saying…" At this point I can't tell whether she's speaking Irish or just babbling.
It's time to get her back to the dorms. I hold my hand out to her. "Come on."
She gives me a look and starts laughing. I don't even want to know why. When she doesn't take my hand, I take hers. "Let's go."
"I'm looking for a butterfly."
"Taz, it's winter and it's night. There are no butterflies." I tell her in the most patient voice I can muster.
While she's looking around, no doubt trying to prove me wrong, I pour out the rest of the vodka and toss the bottle away. I tug her along and she stumbles.
I'm going to have to hand deliver her to her door the state she's in. She manages to stay upright for most of the walk home, but inside the hallway, Taz flakes out on me and I have to carry her. For someone so tiny, she does weigh a lot.
I carry her to the room she shares with Maya and knock softly on the door, fully aware of how much trouble we would be in if we got caught. I'm already in trouble for hitting Luis, despite Orion's attempts to cover the situation. Things would only get worse if I was caught in the girls' dorms carrying a drunken leprechaun.
Maya answers the door, she looks more terrifying than Taz could ever be. Her eyes are bloodshot from crying so much and she's absolutely fuming.
"How much has she drunk?" She asks curtly.
For a moment I wonder how she knows, then I realise that Taz is flaked out in my arms… and also that Maya knows her.
"A lot."
"Well, thanks for bringing her back." She moves out of the way and lets me put Taz on her bed. I wouldn't like to be Taz tomorrow morning. Her hangover will be welcome relief to Maya's mood.
Maya glares at me. "Portman's worried about you."
I nod. I guess it's time to go have an argument.