Papillon (Prince Harry)

Chapter Seventy Two

Playlist: Drunk - Ed Sheeran, I Hate You, I Love You - Gnash

The blonde, young man marched towards the still unfamiliar pub. It just didn't feel like home but his friend had intended to meet there time and time again. Cursing, because he just had a long drive, he opened the heavy wooden door. It creaked underneath his forceful arms. Not a lot of people payed attention to him, it was still afternoon. Most of them were off to work.

His eyes scanned the dark room. This pub looked like the one back in South London but it had a different vibe. When he finally spotted his bearded friend, not far from the small television in the corner, his feet dragged him towards the table. "You look like shit."

"Thanks dickhead." Fred spoke, raising his eyebrows as Jared playfully patted his shoulder.

"I hate this pub by the way, it's not the same."

"Whatever." Fred replied, taking out his pack of cigarettes and lighting one up.

"I don't think you can smoke in here." Jared eyed the cancerstick in his friend's mouth, watching as he inhaled the smoke.

"They don't care over here." He shrugged. He raised his glass of empty scotch towards the middleaged bartender, implying that he wanted two more.

"It's the middle of the afternoon on a wednesday, don't you have to work?" Jared questioned. He hadn't seen Fred as much as he wanted to these last few months. He knew how much the dark haired man struggled with Evee and he wanted to be there for him but he wasn't really making it very easy on him.

Somehow Fred never wanted to speak of his blonde ex-neighbour. Jared knew he was troubled, he had seen it for months now, every time he looked a little worse. The bags underneath his eyes always matching his troubled expression.

Fred shrugged, mumbling a thanks when the bartender put the drinks down on the table, not caring that he was smoking inside.

"Come on man, if you miss her that much just call her. When's the last time you heard from Evee?" Jared spoke, watching how his friend nearly cringed at the sound of her name.

"It doesn't matter." Fred mumbled again, not wanting to speak of her.

"Did you call her for New Year?"

"No."

"Why not? You obviously miss her." Jared replied.

"Well, she doesn't miss me so it doesn't matter."

"Of course she misses you, Fred. Stop being such an ignorant pain in the ass and call her." Jared spoke harshly, sipping from the scotch, scrunching his nose at the taste. "How many of these have you had, this is strong."

"Doesn't matter."

"Too many obviously." Jared mumbled, almost rolling his eyes at his friend.

"'S none of your business."

"I didn't come here to hear you whine. Pick your ass up, call her and stop sulking for crying out loud. You know just as much as I do that she misses you too. You guys were tight."

"We were tight. Were. I haven't heard from her in half a year. Since her birthday."

Jared was surprised. He didn't think their friendship had gotten this bad. If he could still call it a friendship in the first place. He always knew Evee liked Fred more than just friends, he called Fred out on it a couple of times when she wasn't around. He tried to convince him to step up the plate and not mess around with her anymore but Fred always liked the way they were. Careless and fun.