TW: alcohol consumption
Hunter's POV
Beth, Danielle and I had been in the restaraunt with all the other girls for ages, the minutes were ticking by like hours. The new signing was a no show currently so I just assumed that Leah, Viv and Lisa had somehow already scared her off.
"Is she ever going to get here?" Beth sighed, looking down to her watch again.
"I reckon she's done a runner," I chuckled, "I mean if I got the chance again, I would as well. Don't blame her," this made quite a few of the girls around the table laugh.
Though Kim gave me a scornful glare, "Don't say that Hunter," she quietly snapped at me.
"Want to get a drink?" Beth asked as she slowly sunk further and further into her seat due to boredom.
I nodded, "You and I think the same Bethy," and we stood up about to walk to the bar.
"Where are you two going?" Kim asked suspiciously.
"We're just getting a drink," Beth replied feeling rather offended Kim assumed we were up to our usual troublesome acts.
"Don't be too long, you need to be here when she arrives," Kim ordered us; she really was like our mother around here and while I found it annoying at times, it also brought comfort to the team.
"If she arrives," I muttered under my breath.
"I heard that Hunter!" She told me as we turned away, "And don't drink too much," Kim called after us.
"We never drink too much," I sighed as we reached the bar.
Beth gave me a questioning look, "You sure about that?"
I rolled my eyes, "Okay well we as a pair never drink too much."
"That's cause I'm responsible," Beth replied smugly, sitting down on a bar stool.
"Don't act all high and mighty," I raised my eyebrows, "I was holding your hair back last time as you threw up all night. I, on the other hand, have never been sick."
Beth shook her head, rolling her eyes, "That's just because you're some sort of superhuman."
"Of course I'm superhuman, I'm a Putellas."
The bartender walked over to get our orders, "What can I get you ladies?"
Beth knew our usuals so took it upon herself to order, "Two vodka sodas please."
I nodded and then added an extra request, "Heavy on the vodka if you could, we've got a new teammate to meet," I grimaced.
He couldn't quite tell whether I was joking or not so chuckled lightly, nodding his head, "Coming right up for you."
"You've got to be nice tonight," Beth warned me.
I tilted my head, acting like the perfect little angel, "I'm always nice."
Beth scoffed, "You tell yourself that."
It's true, I was nice most of the time but I wasn't always easy. Being easy was completely overrated though and being conventional was just a bore. I would always be authentically myself and not everyone liked that person but it wasn't my job to please everyone around me; in fact my job was to play football and it was something that I was bloody great at, so I saw zero problems.
The bartender handed us our drinks, Beth took a sip and winced, "That is strong," she choked out.
"Just the way it should be," I told her, drinking mine and being grateful that the bartender had heard my request loud and clear.
"We should probably go back," Beth suggested, she'd always been the more responsible one.
I nodded then had one last thought, "one second," I told her as I walked over to the bartender, "Two vodka shots please."
"Is the new teammate really that bad?" He chuckled as I paid for the shots.
I shrugged, "I have no clue, we haven't even met her yet. She's been a no show."
Proudly holding the two glasses, I strutted back over to Beth as she chuckled, "Already acting like your in a fashion show, Kim is going to kill me."
I shot my vodka first and then was followed by Beth who swallowed it with great difficult, I gave her a little pat on the back figuring she deserved the encouragement, "Well done Bethy, wasn't so hard. Was it?"
Beth shook her head, still disgusted, "You're just superhuman."
We walked back into the room and I was slightly shocked to see four more chairs filled, three of them being our Arsenal teammates but there was one new character. Instantly, I recognized her as Jill Roord, a now former Bayern Munich player I guessed, "huh, didn't think you'd show up," I commented under my breath.
Kim didn't look impressed with us, "I told you guys to be quick."
As I walked to my seat, I gave Kim a quick hug from behind knowing she'd forgive me a lot sooner that way, "Sorry Kimmy."
Kim just rolled her eyes, "Go sit in your seats," but I could see the slight smile playing on her lips.
As I looked at the seating arrangement, which Kim had decided on, I now realized exactly what she'd done. Jill, Lisa, Viv and Leah were all sitting down one end with all the more responsible people like Kim and Danielle. Then poor old Beth and I were all the way down the other end of the table.
Jordan also noticed this, she pointed to us two laughing her head off, "You guys got the kids seats."
"You are just jealous of my youth Nobbs," I chuckled.
Jordan shook her head, looking ready to tease me, "We went on a trip to America last year and you weren't even allowed to drink."
"If I remember correctly though, I got the most drunk out of everyone," I reminded her, showing that my age had never stopped me participating in the team activities; legally or not.
Kim shook her head, already looking tired of us all, "Jordan please stop teasing Hunter and Hunter please stop telling everyone about the illegal activities you've performed with us."
Jen looked to our captain, trying to stifle her laughter but failed miserably, this was probably the reason she'd been shunned into 'the kids seats' with Beth and I.
It was just like any usual team dinner, Beth and I continued ordering our drinks and eventually roped Jen into our antics. Everyone else seemed more mature as they engaged in their adult conversations about mortgage and engagements but I think we had a better time.
I knew Beth was drunk when her cheeks turned slightly flushed and her laughter only grew louder, we'd both come out with the most random statements and found ourselves the funniest people in the world. That's why Beth and I were such great friends, there was zero judgement and heaps of fun.
Jen preferred to just sip on her drinks, watching us with a massive grin on her face and chiming in occasionally.
"Hey Beth," I giggled, feeling myself slide down the chair slightly, "You are so honored to have a friend like me."
Beth looked down to me, chuckling, "I'm not so sure about that."
Straight away, I sat up straight, "I am so highly offended right now, you don't even understand," I dramatically covered my face like I was about to cry.
Drunk Hunter always made life into a reality TV show, sober Hunter did it most of the time as well, but in my head there were a hundred cameras filming this interaction currently. Call me dramatic, but I'd rather live my life for an audience rather than being alone.
"I'm just kidding," Beth consoled me, pulling me into a side hug.
"You alright Hunts?" Jen pressed her lips into thin lines to avoid a grin taking over her face.
"I am fine," I told them, my words all overexaggerated, "You will not get a single tear out of me tonight."
"That's what we like to hear!" Jen clapped, beckoning over the waiter, "I think as a celebration for that we should get you another drink."
I mean, I wasn't going to deny that very kind offer.
Just as the waiter walked over, Kim called down the table, "Jen, I swear to God. Do not order that girl anymore drinks before you go to the club."
Jen nodded, acting completely innocent, until Kim looked away then whispered to the bartender ordering more drinks.
"This is why you're my favorite Jenny," I smiled at her.
"Hey!" Beth gave me a joking slap to the arm, "I thought I was your favorite."
I shook my head, "No! My favorite at this table is Leah."
"Someone say my name?" Leah called from the other end of the table, looking down to our seats.
"Hunter's just professing her undying love for you," Jen shouted back, smirking, she loved teasing Leah and I.
"Again!" Leah questioned, it was clearly a joke which made everyone laugh.
"It's true," I said back to her, trying desperately hard to project my voice far enough, "It's always been you Leah. It will always be you," I told her like it was some Shakespearean performance.
Leah shook her head laughing and continued her conversation with the 'sensible' group.
"Jesus you guys are drunk," Jordan commented, giggling to herself at our little trio.
"And why aren't you?" I asked Jordan, knowing this night had been labelled as a party yet everyone looked far too civilized.
"I'm waiting for the club," she told me to which I just nodded.
It had been a successful dinner in my mind; I hadn't had to engage once with the newbie, Beth and I had gotten amazingly plastered, Kim hadn't shot me yet and Beth hadn't been sick. Though that could all change once we left the restaraunt and entered the club.