Soldierboy

    A.N:  The Army Barracks and Characters are completely fictional in this story and do not exist anywhere other than my imagination

***********************************************************************

( Recreation Hall, Murrayfield Army Barrack's Belfast 1981)

The smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke hung heavy in the air, and the sound of people chatting and laughing could be just about heard above the noise of the music,

Blondie's 'Atomic' blasted out, vibrating through the thin walls in all its rock synth glory from the large speakers, whilst the multicoloured disco lights set up in the DJ's corner flashed to the thumping rhythm in the semi darkened room.

As she was standing at the busy crowded bar counter, Kelly Caruthers swung round to hear what her companion Chrissie was saying, barely able to make her out above the noise of the loud music,

The disco lights were flashing in her eyes, making it hard for Kelly to see, so when she turned, she didn't noticed the young man with the dirty fair cropped hair on the other side of her, moving away until her shoulder hit against his arm, knocking most the pint of beer he was holding in his hand, all down the front of his tee shirt.

Kelly was mortified when she realised what she had done. She couldn't stop apologising as he stood before her, in his beer soaked white tee shirt and dark jeans.

"Don't worry about it," he soothed her in his distinct a English accent, which was followed by an easy smile, "It would have probably happened sometime tonight anyway; better now than later, at least it will be dried out by the end of the evening."

"Well at least let me get you another drink, most of that one got spilt all over you," Kelly then offered, still feeling bad. Especially when he was being so gracious about it.

He seem to give it a moment's consideration, then shook his head, "No, it's ok really," he told her, then he leaned forward towards her, with a conspiring glint in his hazel eyes before adding, "But if you really want to make it up to me, you can promise me a dance sometime later in the evening."

Kelly found her face heat up at his unexpected cheeky proposal, but manage to laugh, "Ok then," she replied, still not sure if he was being serious or not.

Either way, she decided had nothing to lose by her reply.

"Good, I will hold you to that," he winked before turning and walking away with his friends, leaving Kelly staring after him, not sure what had just occurred between them.

Chrissie standing next to her, having also witnessed the little scene, thought the incident was funny. She couldn't wait to tell the others, who were with them, about what had happened when they rejoined them at their table.

This included Chrissie's cousin Tracy, who had invited them along to the monthly disco, which was run by army barracks, and held regularly, giving the soldiers a chance to relax.

Her boyfriend Tommy happened to be a soldier, who was stationed at the barracks., so unlike Chrissie and Kelly, this was not her first time at one of these evenings.

The only reason her cousin Chrissie had decided to come along, was because her fiancé Billy, who also happened to be Kelly's older brother, had taken himself off to Scotland over the weekend with his friends, to go to a football match, leaving her in the lurch and a little annoyed with him.

Chrissie decided she wasn't going to spend her Saturday evening moping over his love of football over her, so she had taken up her cousin Tracy's offer. She then cajoled and persuaded Kelly to come along too, seeing she wasn't doing anything either, just to keep her company.