A Pocket Full of Posies (Book 1)

Chapter Seven

The conversation has moved on to drinking games by now. Tom is explaining one he invented with one of his coursemates, which based on its inclusion of blindfolds and forced drinking, is probably illegal. By the time nine o'clock is rolling around, I'm only on my third drink, which is an orange juice and lemonade. The restlessness hasn't gone away, and I think the alcohol was only making things worse. On top of that, Katie hasn't stopped drinking since we got here, and if there's no one sober left to look after her, she might choke on her own sick at some point tonight.

We're at the bar after I promised to buy her a drink, purely so I can get her a water and tell her it's vodka. Her boyfriend has rendered himself useless by passing out an hour ago, so Ava and I have been trying to ensure she doesn't kill herself.

"You know what, Felix? It's mad. I can't remember you being this northern," Katie says through a laugh. "Like, you don't speak that northern, but you sound it. It's sexy. Sometimes I can't understand what you're saying, but it's hot--you're hot."

"Fantastic," I reply as I wave Mosi over.

This is the second time she's commented on my accent, and the fifth time she's called me hot. The first three times were when her boyfriend was conscious and sitting right next to her. Ava distracts Katie by starting a conversation about shopping, or clothes, or something similarly female-related, I imagine.

"Hey," I say as Mosi reaches us. His complexion is darker than Ava's, but their deep brown eyes are identical in colour. "Could we get some tap water for that one before she collapses and dies on your floor? Cheers."

Mosi winks at me as he turns to the sink behind the bar. I'm about to order another drink for Carmen because I remember hers almost being empty, but a high-pitched cackle stops me in my tracks. Katie's laughing hysterically. She's laughing so much that she backs up, and trips. Ava reaches out to grab her arm, but she's not fast enough.

Katie's falling, and her head is perfectly aligned to smack against the corner of a heavy, wooden stool. Panic floods me. The stool is too far for me to reach, but I shoot my hand out anyway, as if to push it away. And it moves. I don't have a goddamn clue how, but it flings out of the way, just in time for Katie's head to miss it as she falls.

Before I can even process it, Katie is lying on her back in hysterical fits of laughter while the stool now lies lifelessly on the floor, yards away from where it was moments ago. It must all have happened quickly because no one has moved much once it's over, but it feels like time has slowed down.

People rush to where Katie lies, while others watch the stray stool in bewilderment. I can't say I blame them; the thing did literally just fly across the room by itself. The feeling of restlessness is crawling through my skin now, and amongst the crowds and the humid air, I feel faint.

"Did you do that?" Annabel.

She gazes at me, her mouth hanging open. She starts rambling about the list I wrote after reading Ava's book for the first time, for some bizarre reason, but I cut her short and tell her to give me five. I don't know what the hell is going on. I just need some fresh air.

I stumble outside, and am surprised to find Jamie sitting on the steps leading up to the building. He flicks his eyes towards me the second I emerge, but they don't linger long. I think he wants me to ignore him. I do just that, primarily because I'll pass out if I stop paying attention to my aching head and clammy hands.

Simply leaving the cramped space of the pub has made me feel instantaneously better, though. As I'm about to step back into the place in an attempt to make sense of everything that just happened, Jamie stops me.

"Why did you tell me to call my family?"

"Huh? Oh, I--uh, I dunno," I answer pathetically.

"My grandmother has died."