The Look of Love (6 page)

As Jo and the
young man ordered the drinks, Chrissy led Louise away to find an
empty table.

They had to
push their way through the crush of people, and they hadn’t got far
when three young men got in their way. One of them stepped in front
of Chrissy, held out his arms, and exclaimed, “Gosh! It’s an angel
come down from heaven! Save me!”

“Gosh!” Chrissy
replied. “It’s a school boy dying to lose his virginity!” and
pushed passed him.

Everyone around
laughed, and the young man clutched at his heart and staggered.

There were
hardly any free tables left. But then a group got up from one
almost right next to them and moved away, and Chrissy pounced on
it. There were several empty glasses on the table, and Chrissy
moved them to one side as she and Louise sat down.

Louise stared
at Chrissy in admiration. “I don’t know how you can think of
something to say like that so quickly.”

“Vicky and I
used to practice put downs all the time. It keeps the lads on their
toes!”

That reminded
Louise, and she suddenly felt anxious. “Where is Victoria? And
Angie? Are they not coming?”

“Oh, they’re
already here!” Chrissy replied. “They both went to the toilet
together just before you came in. Some poor lad probably had the
audacity to proposition them on the way, and Vicky’s put downs are
far worse than mine!”

“Is she
alright? I mean is she behaving alright?”

Chrissy
shrugged, her smile fading a little. “So far. But the night is
young, as they say.”

Louise then
asked, “Who’s Jo’s friend?”

“Oh, yes, we
didn’t do the introductions thing, did we? Well, his name’s Max.
He’s been Jo’s boyfriend for the last two weeks. He’s got a brother
and some mates coming to meet him here tonight. I think they are
under some illusion that we are all going to pair off together. Fat
chance!”

Louise was
pleased to hear Chrissy’s firm dismissal of the idea, but she
wondered why. “Aren’t you interested, then?”

Chrissy shook
her head. “I want somebody older, wiser, and much richer!”

Jo and Max then
appeared. They weren’t alone. There were three other young men with
them.

As Max handed
out the drinks, Jo said to Chrissy, “Thanks for telling us where
you were! We could have been wandering around for hours!”

“With your
bat-like ears, you’d have found us sooner or later!”

Jo put her
hands on her hips and said, “Well, thank you!”

Max then made
the introductions. His brother was called Scott. He was twenty-two,
and three years older than Max. He was also the tallest at just
under six foot. Both brothers had fair hair, blue eyes and were
obviously quite fit. They looked very much alike, too, with the
same strong features and square jaw-line.

Max’s two
friends were John and Andy. John had brown hair and eyes, with a
thin, wiry body. It made him look taller than he actually was. Andy
was quite the opposite. He obviously liked his food. Although he
wasn’t fat yet, he was well on his way. With jet black hair and
brown eyes, he was also the shortest of the group.

As Max
introduced them to Louise and they each shook her hand and said
hello, she was instantly given a quick glimpse into their
characters. Max was easy going, casual and polite. Scott was very
focused; he hardly took his eyes off Chrissy the whole time. John
was very intense. Louise felt that he was trying to read her mind
as he stared right into her eyes. Like Max, Andy was very casual,
and he also seemed to have a constantly happy disposition.

As soon as the
introductions were over, Scott made an immediate move on Chrissy.
Sitting down next to her he said, “Where have you been all my life,
gorgeous?”

Chrissy looked
disdainfully at him and replied, “Boiling an egg.”

“Ouch!”

Max laughed. “I
told you not to bother! Unless you’ve got a Porsche or a Mercedes,
you’ve no chance!”

Chrissy looked
offended. “Are you suggesting that I can be bought?” She spoke very
harshly, and the smiles faded from everyone’s lips.

“No…” Max began
hesitantly, and then he looked up and stared.

Like everyone
else, Louise followed his gaze, and found herself staring at
Victoria and Angela, or more correctly, at Victoria’s body.

Victoria was
wearing an even smaller and far more flimsy top than Chrissy wore,
and unlike Chrissy, she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath it. She was
also wearing a skirt that could only be considered to be a skirt
because it was too wide to be a belt. Although it was slung low
around her hips, it was far too short, but it still had a dart
revealing even more thigh. Both skirt and top were a sparkling
gold, as were her sling-back heels. With her long blonde hair all
fluffed out, the whole effect was Hollywood Hooker Barbie.

The last time
Louise had seen so much of Victoria’s body, she was naked and wet
in the shower.

In comparison,
Angela was dressed almost conservatively. She wore a short, blue
skirt, a white blouse, and a blue waistcoat. Like Louise, she was
wearing sheer tights and heels. She also had a jacket, which she
held over her arm.

While Scott,
John and Andy stared at Victoria in what could only be described as
lust, she stared back at them in what could only be described as
distaste.

“I see we’ve
been invaded,” she said in a grim voice.

Jo quickly
introduced them. “It’s alright Tori! Put your claws away! This is
Scott, Max’s brother, and his mates, John and Andy, from work.
Boys, meet Tori and Angie!”

Victoria’s
expression softened, and she grinned. “That’s alright then!”

Scott
immediately stood up, and Victoria sat down next to Chrissy. She
didn’t say thank you to Scott, or even acknowledge him. He sat next
to her on the other side, shoving John out of the way.

Angela smiled
at Louise and came to sit next to her. Jo sat on Max’s knee to make
room for her. Everyone was now squeezed in at the little table.

“Are you glad
you came?” Angela asked Louise.

Louise nodded.
“So far!”

Victoria
noticed Louise for the first time and immediately looked startled.
“Louise! I didn’t recognise you! Don’t you look nice!” She reached
across the table and touched Louise’s hair.

Louise felt
embarrassed and exhilarated all at once. “You look amazing! I don’t
think I’d have the courage to dress like that!”

“Oh, I don’t
care what people think!”

Chrissy said,
“I think we can gather that.”

Victoria turned
to her. “Don’t pick on me, Chrissy! I haven’t done anything
wrong!”

“Yet!”

Then Jo said,
“Will you two stop bickering! Are we going to have fun tonight, or
not?”

“Fun!” Victoria
said with a grin.

Max hugged Jo
in his arms and announced, “Well, lads, now that we’re all set up,
what do you think?”

Scott eyed
Chrissy and Victoria next to him and said, “I think I’ve died and
gone to heaven!”

John stared at
Louise and said, “I like mine!”

Andy was
looking at both Louise and Angela when he said, “I like mine and
yours!”

And Chrissy
said, “Are you talking about us, or your dicks?”

They stayed for
over an hour in Edward’s Bar before they decided to move on. By
then they had consumed a few rounds of drinks and had begun to
relax in one another’s company. Even Chrissy had mellowed. She even
smiled at one or two of Scott’s jokes.

At first, Scott
tried to chat up both Chrissy and Victoria. But as the drinks went
down, Victoria’s put down’s became more and more caustic. She may
have been beautiful, and almost undressed, but Scott was soon put
off by her biting remarks. That pleased Louise. She had begun to
fear that Victoria would be whisked away from her by this handsome
young man. She needn’t have worried. Victoria’s body may have been
a temporary distraction, but it was Chrissy that Scott was really
interested in.

Louise had to
admit that Scott was persistent and actually quite charming. And he
really worked hard with Chrissy. But although Chrissy seemed to
have warmed to him a little, Louise could see by the look in her
eye that Scott was going to be disappointed.

Louise had done
her best to keep to the orange juice, but when Victoria kept egging
her on to drink something stronger, she finally gave in. And by the
time they left the table, she had drunk two vodkas, and was
beginning to feel a little tipsy. Victoria, however, seemed to be
none the worse for wear, even though she had drunk far more than
the rest of them.

The bar was now
absolutely heaving with people, and they had to run the gauntlet of
groping hands on their way out. Victoria got most of the attention.
Her response was to kick or claw at her attackers, sometimes
drawing blood, but nearly always hitting the target. The verbal
abuse she got as a result didn’t seem to faze her. It was as if she
enjoyed it. Even when one of the women in the bar hurled abuse at
her, calling her a slut, Victoria just smiled.

Louise was
fascinated by it all. Then she suddenly felt someone grab her
bottom, and the surprise caused her to jump and squeak, and she
immediately went bright red. It was the first time that she was
thankful for the presence of Max, Scott and their friends. They did
a lot to fend off most of the attacks.

They were
nearly at the door when Chrissy got grabbed for the second time,
and Scott lost his temper. He turned and pushed her assailant away
and the result was a lot of jostling and shouting. The girls
quickly headed for the street with John and Andy while Max stayed
to help his brother.

Chrissy wasn’t
impressed by the heroics. “Look at them huffing and puffing at each
other!” she said as they waited outside. “They’re like pigeons in
Piccadilly Gardens!”

Jo defended her
boyfriend’s brother. “Scott was only trying to look after you! Why
do you have to be so rotten to him? Scott’s alright!”

“I don’t care
if Scott’s alright! He’s not my boyfriend, and I don’t need looking
after!”

Victoria
grinned mischievously and asked Chrissy, “Are you still looking for
Richard Gere?”

Chrissy turned
to her, snapped, “Shut up!” and walked away.

Victoria
laughed. After what Chrissy had told her, Louise understood her
meaning. But Chrissy wasn’t the only one pursuing a fantasy. Louise
stood next to Victoria, watching her laugh and filled with
yearning.

Max and Scott
came out of the bar. Scott looked upset to see Chrissy walking
away, and quickly gave chase. They all followed after him.

When they
crossed Portland Street, they had to run to avoid the traffic. Jo
lingered behind. Louise thought she was going to get run over, but
Jo just laughed as all the cars honked their horns at her. She was
obviously feeling the effects of all those vodkas, and Max had to
pull her out of the way.

“Are you mad!”
he said, shaking her.

“I’m just
having fun!” she replied, still laughing and slurring her words.
“Anyway, I can’t run fast in these heels…” as she spoke, she took
them off and carried them in one hand. Max held her other hand and
pulled her along. She trotted after him, bare foot.

They caught up
with Chrissy and Scott. Scott was doing his best to get back into
Chrissy’s good books, but with only partial success.

“I’m sorry! I
lost my temper, that’s all! I was trying to protect you!” He kept
trying to hold on to her arm, but Chrissy kept fending him off.

“I don’t need
protecting!” she replied. “I’m not a baby!”

All the time
they argued, Louise noticed how Victoria watched them so intently,
her eyes narrow, and her expression hard. It was as if she was
jealous. But why would that be?

Then Jo called
out, “Oh, give him a break, Chrissy! Scott’s the best lad to come
your way in ages!”

Chrissy turned
to her in annoyance. “Shut it, you! You make me sound like a nun!
And he is
not
the best lad to come my way!”

“Yes he is!
You’re just too fussy!”

“I am not
fussy!”

“Prove it,
then!”

Chrissy stared
at her, but didn’t reply.

And Angela
said, “Yeah, Chrissy! Prove it!”

Chrissy became
conscious of everyone staring at her and quickly relented. She
looked at Scott, took a deep breath, sighed, said, “Oh, come on,
then!” and walked away.

Scott followed
her. As he walked along, he turned, put his hands together in
supplication, and mouthed, “Thank you!”

As they walked
across Piccadilly Gardens, Louise tried to keep close to Victoria,
while John was obviously trying to keep close to her. He kept
coming between them, trying to shepherd her away. Louise resisted,
and looked to Victoria for support, but Victoria was too busy
staring after Chrissy and Scott to notice.

John talked to
Louise constantly, asking her where she worked, or where she lived,
or if she was seeing anyone. Gradually he got round to asking her
out. She said no, and tried to put him off, but he wouldn’t give
up. He kept asking why not, and Louise wasn’t sure if it was the
drink speaking or the glimpse of Angela’s cheeky grin, but she
suddenly announced in a very loud voice, “Because I’m a lesbian!
Alright?”

Why was
Piccadilly so quiet when she said that?

Everyone
laughed, and Angela almost had a fit. Even Louise saw the funny
side. But it finally put John off, and he moved away.

Her outburst
also had an unexpected effect on Victoria. She was shaken from her
fixation on Chrissy and Scott and quickly came over. She put her
arm around Louise’s shoulder, and hugging her close, she whispered,
“Nice one, Louise! You’re learning!” Then she raised her head,
grinned, and stuck her tongue out at John.