Short Story Rough Draft
The boys are standing outside the ship, when I arrive. There‘s Jack and Kyle and Justin, my flatmate. Jack spots me as I saunter down the street, towards them.
"Look who it is", he says. "It’s the stranger".
"Alright lads", I say, weaving through the crowd of massed drinkers on the pavement.
"Have a good holiday?".
What do you think?”.
“Just what we expected”, laughs Jack.
“I‘ll see you in a moment“.
I walk into the pub and wait at the bar. It’s quite empty in here. There are posters for a band on the wall, who go by the name of The Tonics, a four piece in sharp suits with floppy haircuts, who I decide might be worth checking out later. In a few moments, I’m served, with an ice cold pint of Peroni, and am heading back out onto the street. RINGING IN MY EARS is the unmistakable sound of Hammond organ, which sends a shiver down my back and a buzz into my heart and tells me that the magic carpet ride has just begun.
Jack turns, as I rejoin them.
“Good time in Ibiza, was it?”, he asks.
“Marvellous“.
“It’s alright for some”, he says. “Jetting off somewhere hot. Well, you’re looking well on it, I have to say”.
“Nice of you to say so”.
“Bring me back a tan like that next time you go”.
“I’ll see what I can do”.
We laugh.
It's warm tonight. For England. I stand and sip my lager and survey the scene. Girls are standing, alone and in groups, boys are leaning against the wall, gangs are hanging round, looking for something to take their attention. Some of them are talking on their mobile phones, others are texting.
“So what’s been happening here?”,I ask.
"You've not missed a lot, if I'm honest. There have been a few parties. Nothing to write home about".
"Whose parties?".
"A couple of birds had one. Then some bloke who comes in here. They were all right. But tonight should be a good one. There's a band on later”.
"I saw some