Chapter 2

"D'you guys wanna go for a drink?" Nathan asked after they'd finished cleaning up the streets.

"Not really." Responded Alisha almost immediately.

"Well then."

"I'll come with you." Simon said.

"Yeah, Alright, I'll go." Kelly replied.

Curtis walked off with Alisha, although they were no longer dating, they both seemed to have decided that they weren't going anywhere with Nathan.

So Nathan, Kelly and Simon walked off, on the way to the bar on the estate. Nathan thought Kelly was being a bit of a third wheel, then quickly changed his thinking, remembering Kelly's power, but not before she had heard him.

Third wheel? But Simon and Nathan...? No...not really. Really? Simon and Nathan? Nathan?

"What the fook is going on between you two?"

"What do you mean?" Simon asked. He was getting a little uncomfortable, he thought they might know about his late night stalking.

"Yeah, what?" Nathan backed him up. Kelly shook her head at Nathan.

"You know what I mean, Nathan. Don't pretend. I got it from your mind."

"Maybe you should just stay the fuck out of my head!" He yelled. He didn't like yelling at Kelly, but he seriously didn't want her to blow his chance with Simon by saying what he'd been thinking.

"Maybe I should just stay the fook away from ya. Because I'm such a fookin' third wheel."

"Third wheel?" Simon inquired hesitantly.

"Yeah, that's what he thinks anyway." She said, still mad, gesturing to Nathan. She stormed off.

Nathan and Simon were both shocked. Neither of them had ever seen Kelly act like that before. She was never like that. She obviously didn't like being a third wheel, and who would?

"What did you mean, third wheel?"

"She was just hanging around us two all today and she seemed a little, I dunno, clingy."

"So what, we're all friends."

Friends. A word that stung in both their minds.

"Friends, yes." Nathan uttered, his voice barely above a whisper. But he quickly snapped out of it. "Ya know what, Barry? We should go get stoned."

"Definitely."

But instead of going to a bar or anywhere, Nathan walked into an Off Licence. Simon stared for a minute, then followed him in. When he got in, he immediately saw Nathan juggling numerous beer and vodka bottles in his arms. "Hey Simon, glad you're here, you can help me carry all these drinks." Simon noticed that it was the first time Nathan had used his actual name, not Barry, but Simon. He decided not to make a big fuss of it.

"Sure." He responded, taking 2 bottles of expensive vodka and a 6 pack of beer. He was holding half of their drinks.

Simon was positive that he was going to have to pay. "Nathan, I don't have the money for all this."

"You're not buying it, I am." Nathan said, hurt evident in his voice.

"How much money do you have with you?"

"£100, some of the money my Mum gave me for my birthday."

"Don't spend all of it."

"You're not Mother." Nathan bickered.

The woman at the counter cleared her throat. "If you're not buying the alcohol, can you please put it back."

"Oh, I'm buying it." Responded Nathan, placing the alcohol on the counter. Simon followed Nathan over, and put his bottles on the counter.

"That's £65.78."

Nathan handed her the money, then dragged Simon out of the shop.

"Thanks!" Simon called back.

"Which way to your house, Barry?" Nathan asked. Simon sighed, it was lucky his family had gone away this weekend. "This way." He said and proceeded to tug Nathan's sleeve along.

"Someone's eager."

"Shut up." Responded Simon, his cheeks flushing red.

Nathan continued to tease Simon about different things until they reached the house.

Simon unlocked the door and Nathan strutted in as if he owned the place. "Nice House." He said to Simon. Simon wasn't sure if Nathan was mocking him or being serious. Either way, he whispered "Thanks."

Then Nathan did something totally unexpected. He grabbed Simon's hand and twisted their fingers together before pulling him upstairs. "Come on Barry, we haven't got any time to lose."

When they got upstairs, Simon looked down at their still linked hands.

Nathan saw him looking "Sorry." He said, before hurriedly pulling his hand out of Simons. He went into Simon's bedroom.

It's so neat in here. You should've seen my bedroom, it's so messy compared to yours." Nathan said whilst pulling the first bottle of vodka out of the bag and taking a huge swig. Nathan offered the bottle to Simon, but he shook his head, taking a bottle of beer out of the bag instead. "Aaw c'mon Barry. Where's your sense of fun? You'll get drunk faster with this vodka."

Which was precisely why Simon was sticking to beer. He didn't want to get too drunk and tell Nathan about his near creeper obsession with him. So after about half an hour of Nathan swigging his vodka and Simon sipping his beer, Nathan had drunk nearly all 4 bottles of vodka and Simon was still on his second bottle of beer. Nathan was very drunk, and Simon was only a tiny bit tipsy.

"Hey Simon." Nathan said, with a drunken giggle "You're the best."

Nathan was so much like a little child when he was drunk; giggly and overexcited.

"Thank you. You too." Simon whispered. Nathan grinned.

"We held hands earlier." Nathan stated, giggling uncontrollably again. Now it was Simons turn to grin.

"I thought you were just pulling me along."

"Well, any excuse to hold your hand." Nathan said, smiling. Simon was pretty positive that this wasn't Nathan. It was a giggly child in a Nathan suit. He was either brutally honest or he was just taking the piss; but somehow Simon doubted the latter.

Nathan entwined their fingers and Simon didn't let go. What did it matter?

Nathan wouldn't remember this in the morning.