John stood pressed against the bar, leaning on it with both his elbows to maintain his place in the queue that was little more than a gaggle of men and women who pressed and jostled for a place at the bar. The music was loud and pounded in his ears and he looked back to see the people standing between the dance floor and the bar where a few girls danced and gyrated slowly, almost unconsciously, as they waited for a gap to open in the crowd. 'Jesus Christ! What does he want now?' John thought as he caught sight of Ed stumbling across to the bar, his arm around a girl who clearly wasn't too keen on supporting his weight as well as her own. John looked at his watch, almost a quarter to two, the club would be closing soon.
'So much for the drink,' he thought as he began to edge through the crowd towards the pair. Ed was tall with dark hair and very drunk, the girl with him, Sally, was shorter and fair, brown hair and a clarity in her walk that made it quite clear that she wasn't nearly as drunk as Ed. John met them both by a column, 'where are the others?!' he shouted over the music.
'They decided to go home, sent us to get you so we can beat the rush,' Sally moved away from Ed so that she no longer had to support him, 'they are in the queue for the cloak room, said to meet them there.'
The three walked down the stairs to the cloakroom, joining the queue at the back behind the others. James and Dave leaning against the wall talking to Andy and Jo, his girlfriend. John leant against the wall next to Dave, 'sorry mate.'
Dave turned to John, 'we are going to head off, the place will close in a bit and we want to get a taxi before everyone wants one.' John nodded in agreement and then looked surprised when Sally walked backwards into him. He felt her lean against him for a second, pushing backwards slightly with her hips, before she moved forward again to speak animatedly with the drunken Ed. John didn't pay much attention to the conversation, Sally was a friend of Jo's who had taken something of a shine to Ed when they had met in a bar earlier in the day.
John picked up his coat and the seven met outside by the taxi stand. 'So how are we all getting home?' He asked looking at the group.
'Well we all want to get a taxi and Ed isn't going to be able to walk it,' James looked at the row of taxi's, 'how about you?'
'I don't mind walking,' Sally had moved away from Ed again and was standing close to John whilst he looked through his wallet.
'I haven't got the money for it really so I'll walk back with Sally,' John put his wallet back in his pocket, 'I need the exercise anyway.'
'You sure?' Andy asked standing with his arm around Jo, 'We can probably work it out if you want to hop a cab?'
'Nah, don't worry guys, I'll walk Sally back and be home in a bit.' John began to do up his coat, 'it isn't too bad a night.' Ed stood and tried to talk but collapsed back into the car as James pulled him inside. The others climbed into the cab and it pulled away leaving John and Sally standing outside the club.
They began walking up the hill and John looked at her again in the yellow glow of the streetlights, they had been at the 'back to school night' and Sally was wearing her 'uniform.' It looked good on her, many girls just wound up looking like tarts in the short skirts, blouses and ties but John reckoned Sally looked different, the skirt was a real school skirt but he doubted she had ever worn it that short at school. Her blouse was light and hung loosely outside her skirt, moving gently in the breeze whilst the tie with its red and white stripe hung loosely around her neck and her light brown hair was tied behind her head. No, she did look different, the skirt and blouse showed off her figure beautifully, the blouse just tight enough to show off her breasts without giving away too much. Her face was striking, with deep red lips and eyes of deep blue, almost piercing as she turned up to look at him and suddenly he realised he was staring and was embarrassed.
'You ok?' She asked him with a smile.
'What? Oh, yeah, fine,' John looked down, 'sorry.'
Sally laughed, 'ok then, where abouts do you live?'
'Up in Endcliff, how about you?'
'I'm up that way, by Halifax actually.'
'Great, that's on my way so I can drop you off there.' John looked at Sally and then looked down at his coat, 'are you cold?'
