Oxygen (Catfish And The Bottlemen/1975)

Fliss

When I got back to the flat Saffron was already drinking, mind you she was always drinking. I was more of a "cheeky" cigarette girl myself, though partial to a White Russian.

They were our drink of choice at the flat, Katie's speciality.

"Aaaannddddd she's back," Alice smiled, Saffron replacing my house keys with a glass and a joint she'd rolled especially for the occasion.

Katie, Alice and Saffron were the other girls in the band and conveniently my flatmates, they'd all had an exam that morning however which had made them unable to join me in the studios. Who had had a better morning we'll never know...

"Sooooo come on, did they love us? Did they?" Grinned Katie spinning on her stool at the kitchen counter already rolling another joint so as we might spend the next 8 hours intoxicated, the only way we really liked to spend our days.

"Well I mean, they don't know you guys.... they loved me though," I winked teasing as I hopped up onto the counter and took a sip of my drink. It was stronger than usual but the kick in it only gave me kicks and I couldn't hold back a smile as I crossed my legs and popped the joint between my teeth.

"Anyone over tonight?" I asked watching the windows as the sun afternoon sun filtered through the half drawn curtains. "Might smoke this outside, where are me shades? Its divine out there yous should see it..."

"Love," grinned Alice, "are you already baked? They're on your face you tit," she giggled. I joined in a little shocked, a guilty smile as I nodded sheepishly and they began to laugh harder.

"Oh my god youd better not have said owt stupid!" Gasped Katie, "oh my god if you did..."

"Hey, hey!" I raised my hands defensively, "have a little faith for fuck sake! I might have been high but I still got Van McCans number so you lot can pipe down alright," I said with a triumphant smirk as they stopped dead and stared, mouths open. For a moment there was silence as I lit up and took in a drag, sitting back to revel in their surprise. Their admiration.

"Youre messin..." started Alice brushing me off, "you must be messing, its rate girls shes messin..." but I smirked and shook my head.

"Do I look like im messin?"

"Fuck me," breathed Katie, "fuck me,"

"Thats what I said," I winked at her, drawing another laugh as I hopped down and wandered out into the garden to lie back on the patio and smoke, watching the sky through my shades.

"Did you give him mine?" Called Saffron after me, only making me laugh quietly to myself.

"Fuck off did I," I called closing my eyes and exhaling, my head already spinning. If I drunk slowly I'd be alright, but I'd never been one of those girls.

"WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE REFRAINED MY UNCLE JONNY DID COCAINE," the girls were shouting when I wandered back inside, I little bit dizzy and a lot lighter than I had been when I left. I grinned holding my hands in the air joining in with them, falling into the bean bags we had on the floor in place of the settee we couldn't afford.

We spent all afternoon like that, blasting indie tunes through the house, dancing around our living room in celebration of our first radio slot, and my lack of fuck ups on the air, discounting my love actually moment of course.

By the time the night set in we were all gone as you like, Saffron and I were baked lying on the kitchen table harmonising to Champagne Supernova. The room spun a little but I always preferred it that way. In the distance I could hear my phone ringing and for a moment I didn't mind when Alice picked it up and started speaking. It was only when she started giggling, Katie peering over her shoulder trying to listen in, that I practically fell off the table trying to get to them.

"If thats me mam! Oh my god get off will yous, shit, is that me mam?! Katie c'mon don't be a jerk off, is that me mam? Jesus girl give me the phone!" I cried out fighting with them for it as they only lost themselves to a heavier bout of laughter.

"Oh my god fuck off is it your mam," alice practically cried, "fuck off!" She could barely control herself laughing, dropping the phone as she did.

"Oh my god mam im so sorry, Alice got to me phone before...." I sighed into the phone, panic stricken because I wasn't entirely sure what they'd said to her. My mother was a lot different to me, we didn't exactly see eye to eye on... well, anything and the girls loved to let things slip to her every now and again just to rile me.

"Alice? Who the fuck is Alice?" Smirked a voice I hadn't been expecting to hear, I breathed a sigh of relief when Vans accent hit me, doing little to sober me up.

"Oh you like that joke too," I grinned into the receiver as I pushed myself up off the floor and headed outside, escaping the speakers and the Strokes song they were now all shouting along to.

"Sounds like you're havin a gooden," I could hear him grinning, it was all in his tone. He had a cheeky tone, it drew me in despite myself.

"Yeah am baked," I admitted catching myself by surprise because I hadn't meant to tell him that. He laughed then almost endeared I think.

"Inspiring honesty lass, I like it..." he teased, "it a party?"

"Its going to be," I nodded, "this is nothin yet," and I wasn't lying. The girls had invited Jazz our drummer which inevitably meant we'd be joined by his mates and then, well, they'd bring the pills or the coke or whatever they were in the mood for. Then it would be a party.

Perhaps we were a little too into our intoxication, but our poisons were the only entertainment most of us could find.

"You fancy some extra guests?" He asked suddenly, I bit my lip to uold back my smile. I'd heard stories about this lad, I wasn't naive enough to think he was really going to pursue me, or offer me anything anyone else couldn't. But his cheeky tone of voice was tempting to me and I couldn't help myself but warm to him.

"Only if you're good company..." I smirked hoping I might wind him up and draw him in a little bit more.

"Want me bring anythin?"

"As much vodka as you can and um, just a second... I will pay yous for this by the way dont worreh...." I started back inside... "saff how the baileys lookin, oh shit and the tia??" I shouted over the music, wiggling my hips to the cribs unable to stop myself.

"Vodka, baileys and tia maria? What kinda party you having..." he laughed, "you dont have pay me lass its grand, text us your address would yous? I'll see you soon," and with that he was gone and the girls were watching me expectantly eager for some kind of signal. A smile was all it took as I joined alice on the table.