Since Summers

seventeen : dead drunk

I pulled out my phone and typed the pub's name on the Google search bar. He was right. The pub was truly famous and all the rest of his words were facts.

"You're lucky you come here in 2018. This used to be a men-only pub," said Frazier as he signaled the barman. "Read their history. Women were not allowed into McSorley's until 1970 when a city ordinance banned discrimination against women in public places." He turned to face me and asked, "Do you want more beer or are you done?"

"Get me one more dark ale, please."

He informed our order to the barman. In a few minutes, he brought four more mugs and placed them in front of us. I took a long drink and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand unladylike. I let the fluid of alcohol calm my nerves and tone down the tension I was having in the back of my neck.

I had to admit, there was something about Frazier that made it easy to be around him, especially when he was being friendly.

TYLER

"What the hell were you doing there?" I pulled Mario away once we parted ways with Faith at the junction. Mario has been acting as if we didn't know each other and asking questions about me and Autumn. It felt weird for me especially since we didn't even talk to each other that much during our nighttime job and there we were, fifteen minutes ago, sitting in a cafe and having what felt like a girl talk.

"Take it easy." He shrugged my hand from his shoulder and pulled a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of his back pocket. "I was just being curious."

"About me?" I asked him incredulously. "We hardly said anything before and now you're suddenly interested in what's going on in my life?!"

Mario smirked. "I wasn't here for that. I know everything about you even when you don't know anything about me."

I raised one brow. "That's creepy, dude."

Surprisingly, he burst into a set of laughter. "You should get used to it. We don't employ people without having all the details on their personal information." He pulled a Marlboro from the pack and lit the end with his lighter. Squinting his eyes against the flame, he eyed the cars passing on the road like a hawk.

I froze. "What do you mean by details on my personal information?" I always felt that it was quite odd for someone from the other gang to trust me right away and handed me tasks without further supervision but since I didn't really care about the job, as long as Santiano didn't touch Autumn or anyone I cared, I didn't raise any question.

Mario exhaled a long stream of smoke and started to walk down the road. "This and that. Your background and all those stuff. We're Italians, we don't hand our trust to people that easily."

I wanted to ask more questions but I knew I had to go back to the apartment as soon as I could. Autumn has been waiting for hours. I glanced at the watch on my wrist and cursed almost immediately. It was twenty past seven. Time flew so fast. "Damn it!" I moved two steps and I heard Mario calling me. "What?" I turned.

"You have work to do. Come with me."

I shook my head. "I can't. Autumn's waiting at home. I gotta go." I knew I was late but if I stopped wasting time and ran, I might get home before it was too late for dinner.

"No." His voice was as stern as the look he gave me. "You're coming with me or there won't even be Autumn tomorrow."

AUTUMN

I lost track of how many ales I'd drunk. I suddenly felt like my old sixteen years old self, the one who liked to party and got drunk. The girl who didn't give a fuck about anything and stayed up all night long outside partying because no one gave a fuck about her at home anyway.