"Is it here?" Mirabella asked, looking at the pub's entrance.

"The GPS says it is." Emily said, giving one last look at her phone.

"It looks empty." Pandora approached it. "But I can hear voices!" Her voice was filled with excitement.

This was the first official night out of the group. Cook invited everyone to his party, hoping he would be the school's celebrity, but until now, only him, JJ, and Freddie were inside of his uncle's pub.

"Someone will come here. You invited half of the school." As soon as Freddie spoke, the door opened, revealing the six girls. Katie was the first to come inside, then Emily, Effy, Mirabella, Pandora, and Samantha.

"Oh, look who's here!" Cook jumped out of his seat. "This party can officially start!" He raised his fists. "Beer!" He reached for the glass at the counter and started drinking it as fast as he could. At some point, the beer started to leak and in no time his polo was soaked. "Whoooooo-oooh!" He screamed once the liquid was all gone.

Everyone was looking at him, laughing but at the same time, kind of not knowing what to think of it.

"Ah, fuck it." Effy was the first one to talk, stepping closer to the counter, waiting for her drink.

Soon enough everybody started to do the same and, above all, they started to talk. They formed a circle.

"Ew, you are all wet. Get away, man!" Mirabella said, pushing Cook away from her.

"C'mon here Cookie. I'll give you a hug." Pandora said, opening her arms to the birthday boy.

"Cookie, uh?" He said, stepping closer to her.

"Yeah, don't you like it?" She asked. "It's so adorable."

"I love it." He said, hugging the blonde girl when he reached her side.

"Adorable..." Mirabella said, looking at them, laughing.

"Hey, guys."

"Hey, Naomi!" Samantha said when she turned her head to see who talked.

"Sorry I'm late. Got a bit lost." She apologized.

"You invited her?" Katie said, pointing at Naomi. The girl just sighed. "What a poor choice, Cook."

Naomi ruled her eyes and looked at Emily, not really knowing why. Maybe looking for help.

"This was a bad idea. I'm just gonna go." She turned her back to the group.

"Stay Naomi. We are about to get fucked!" Cook grabbed her by the arm.

"Yeah, stay. This is going to be great." Mirabella completed.

"Katie, please behave. This is his birthday party..." Emily asked her twin, looking serious.

"Yeah, fine. Whatever." Katie rolled her eyes.

"We were about to drink some shots. Do you want?" Pandora asked.

Naomi turned to face the group. Emily was looking at her, biting her lip nervously.

"Sure." She smiled.

"Great. 20 shots for the table!" He yelled, making his way to the largest table of the pub and everybody followed his lead. "You, I can cure you, Naomi." He said once the group was all sat.

"Excuse me?" She looked at him, confused.

"From your lesbo thing. My dick can do miracles." He laughed, scooping close to her. She backed off.

"You are gross." Samantha said, looking at the scene.

"The only miracle your cock can't do is to stay inside of your pants, apparently." Effy said, finishing the beer on her glass.

Everybody laughed and internally agreed with her. The shots arrived at the table. Cook started to offer them. JJ and Freddie refused it, but everyone else accepted it.

"Don't mind me." Cook said before drinking his friend's shots like they were water.

"So, I think it's time for the magic." JJ spoke, grabbing the glass of water.

Samantha immediately landed her eyes on him, curious to know what he was about to do. Freddie made a look of here we go again, Mirabella shrugged and Effy looked at JJ weird.

A napkin was put on top of the glass and it was impossible for anyone to see it. JJ looked at everyone.

"And then... Voila!" The napkin was taken, and a golden fish was inside of the glass.

Everyone opened their mouth in shook.

"Here you go, mate. Happy birthday." He delivered the glass to Cook.

"Thanks, lad. This is amazing." Quickly he started to drink the water in it.

Everyone got even more shocked. Samantha made a disgusted face and was only thinking he could drink the fish. But he wouldn't, right?

"Cook, stop---" She started, but it was too late. He had already swallowed the fish. "You fucking retarded!" She yelled, feeling sick all of the sudden. Urgently she got up and ran to the bathroom. And like she just had tasted something really bad, she poured her guts out in the toilet.

"What the fuck just happened?" He asked, confused.

"You twat!" Mirabella said. "You imbecile!" She also got up, chasing after her sister.

"Haven't you notice that she doesn't eat meat? Or fish?" Katie said, looking at him.

"Or that she talks about animals like they are her family?" Naomi continued.

"Ah, no." He looked confused. "What are you trying to say?"

"She's vegan. She defends the animals. You just ate one. Alive." Freddie enlightened his friend.

"And...?"

JJ looked at Cook. Took in a deep breath.

"You just hurt her!" He almost screamed, nodding in disapproval.

"It was just a fucking fish." Effy said.

In the bathroom, Mirabella was rubbing her sister's back while she was splashing water in her face.

"I want to leave Bella."

"Sammy... Don't be like that. He was an asshole, but don't let him ruin the fun."

"Did you see what he just did?" She talked angrily, still feeling a little nauseous.

"Just... Go outside for a while. You'll feel better. Then, if you want to leave. We'll leave."

Samantha cleaned her face, taking in a big deep breath.

"Okay." She mumbled and left the bathroom, almost running to the outside of the pub.

"How is she?" Emily asked when Mirabella sat.

"She just needs a moment."

"Poor thing." Pandora mumbled, sighing. "You should talk to her and apologize."

"Me?" Cook asked.

"Yeah, that would be a start." Mirabella looked at him, almost demanding.

Cook got up and moved to the outside of the pub. Samantha was not far. She was leaning against the wall, right next to the door.

"What do you want?" She snapped at him.

He leaned in the wall too.

"Sorry."

"Sorry? You just ate a living fish! You should be apologizing to him!" She turned to him, so she could face him.

"I'm sorry fish." He looked down at his belly.

"Unbelievable." She laughed but with no humour. "Is everything a joke to you?" She asked him.

"In what way should it be?" He shrugged, lighting a cigarette.

"Don't you want people to take you seriously?"

"Nah. Look... I'm really sorry. I won't do anything like that ever again... Just, come back inside? Everyone is waiting and we were about to play a game."

"No, you are not." She took the cigarette out of his mouth. "This will kill you." She threw it into the ground.

"A lot of things will."

She looked at him, sighing.

"You know, for some reason, my sister enjoys your company. I don't know why. We are only having this conversation because she sent you here. Because she wants us to get along."

"Actually, Pandora sent me. Your sister just confirmed I should come." He interrupted her. "I get it. You are too good to be my mate."

"That's not what I'm saying." She rolled her eyes. "I just have the feeling I'll have the urge to storm a lot of times, and I don't want that. I want to enjoy the company of everyone."

"I'll try to behave, and you'll try to control that urge. Sounds like a plan to me. Now, can we go inside?" Cook looked at Samantha, smiling.

"Fine." She said and pushed the door, coming in. Cook followed her and both sat.

No one said anything. Mirabella looked at Samantha and Samantha smiled slightly. Everything was kind of okay.

"So, let's play never ever I ever?" Cook suggested.

"Are we in the sixth grade or something?" Naomi sad.

"It seems fun." Emily shrugged.

"I never played it. Let's do it!" Pandora clapped her hands in excitement.

Cook ordered more drinks and the group started playing.

"Okay...." Effy mumbled when her was her turned. "Never ever I ever... had sex." Cook laughed and drank.

Everyone drank except for JJ and Pandora. All the eyes were locked on them. How could they be virgins? But Mirabella's eyes were not on them. Were on her sister, who had just given a huge gulp.

"Sammy?" She asked. "With who? When?"

"It... It doesn't matter." Samantha started to regret the gulp.

"It does... Did you do it here? In Bristol?"

JJ and Pandora didn't matter anymore. The eyes were all now giving attention to the twins.

"Ew. No. Bella. Is not that big of a deal."

"It sure is. Especially if you didn't tell me. Are you embarrassed or something?"

"No!" Samantha closed her eyes.

"Tell me..."

"Okay, fine! It was Charlie, okay? Charlie!" She let a yelp of frustration leave her mouth. Now the secret was out.

Mirabella was looking at her sister, speechless. Her eyes were shinning, and the words were not there to be found.

"I'm sorry, okay? We didn't mean to."

"For how long...?" Mirabella whispered.

The group was somewhat amused but also without knowing what to do. This was, clearly a private matter, but both Mirabella and Samantha must have forgotten that.

"The whole summer..."

"The whole...? Oh, my fucking God. How...?" Mirabella stopped talking, burring her face in her hands. She took in some deep breaths.

"So... I brought a little something..." Emily said, reaching for her bag. "It's a cake!" She said, with fake enthusiasm, trying to change the subject.

Everyone clapped, happy about it. Samantha looked at the floor, controlling her tears from falling out. She knew her sister was to find out about it anytime. But not like this. Mirabella recomposed herself, flicking her hair and putting a smile on her lips.

"Looks delicious Em. Should we sing happy birthday?" She asked, looking at Cook.

"Hell yes!" He yelled, getting his lighter out. "Turn off the lights!" He said to someone on the counter and immediately they did as he said. He turned his lighter on, and everyone with one did the same. The whole pub started to sing happy birthday to him, and he balanced his torso to the sound of it, happy.

Samantha looked at the closest flame of her, focusing on it, hoping it would erase the last minutes. 

x . x . x 

It oficially started. Things can only go down after this ahahaah

So, has anyone watched the american version of skins? I never did, but I confess I'm somewhat curious