1. 2. The Mr Darcy and Wine Appreciation Club
Every Thursday since I was eighteen I have always met up with the ladies, Liv, Jess, Rachel and Twix for a few drinks at the Capitola Bar in town for a catch up. Liv is in the interior design business; she has a keen eye for that sort of thing and constantly tells me that my flat is a dump in serious need of refashioning. Jess is a town planner and I genuinely have no idea what that involves, I just nod and smile when she goes on about it. Rachel is a paediatric nurse and Twix is between jobs at the minute, yet she is technically an actress. It’s nice to have a relaxing chinwag with the girls. The Capitola Bar was the bar of choice during fresher’s week and it has been the home of several amazing nights out. These were the girls I first saw the Colin Firth adaptation of Pride and Prejudice with and it will be forever our film. As I walked into the bar I suddenly heard the lovely shriek from our usual spot.
“ABBBBIIIIEEEE!!!” Screamed Liv, causing the whole place to stop and stare at me. Liv ran over, glass of wine in hand and gave me a big hug. She was wearing a beautiful dark green dress and her hair was up.
“Alright Liv how are you?”
“Can’t complain darling, bit awkward, had a bit of fun with Harry the other night, haven’t text him since but everything seems peachy so shuuush don’t say anything,” Liv slurred dragging me to the other girls. Harry was a barman in the Capitola Bar, which sometimes made Liv’s night very expensive or very cheap dependent on what state the pair were in, and by her current state things were in a cheap state. After hugging the other girls I sat down.
“WINE!” Shouted Twix, handing me an empty bottle of rose wine planting a giant lipstick mark on my face. Clearly they had started early, or at least Liv and Twix had.
“I am going to nip to the bar anyone coming?” I said grabbing my purse.
“I’ll come” replied Jess, shuffling round. We both got up and headed to the bar.
“So how’s life trouble? How is James?” I asked as we stood behind two people at the bar. Jess and James had been together as long as I could remember, we met when we started university three years ago and they were still going strong. They gave me hope for any sort of future relationship.
“Oh you know, being a major pain in the arse” She replied, she loved him really he just did daft things every once in a while. “He still won’t take me on holiday, the bastard. How about you? Any one on the scene yet? I am sure Liv won’t mind lending you harry.” She inclined her head towards Harry. He was handsome, but smarmy. He wandered over to us.
“Evening girls, on the prowl our we Abs?” He said, winking at me.
“Me? On the prowl? Don’t make me laugh. Get me a Midori and lemonade please” I replied.
“And get me a southern comfort and lemonade, double please” said Jess smiling.
“Got it ladies” He replied strolling off to get our drinks.
“I think I can leave him in Liv’s very capable hands thanks Jess. Besides, I’m still waiting for my Mr Darcy and I am sure he will make himself known soon.” I replied to Jess. We handed over the money to Harry and wandered back to the table. Rachel and Twix looked in deep conversation.
“Oh hello! Ladies very nice arse at twelve o’clock” Rachel said, sipping her wine. We all did the subtle swivel which ensured the man in question didn’t know we were discussing his particular arse. The girls were always up for a laugh and the problems outside the door, stayed outside the door, most of the time. As the night progressed we chatted about what we had been up to this week and Twix spent most of her time arguing with Liv how she was a “proper” actress, and just a waitress until the right job comes along. When the argument got heated I decided to take refuge at the bar. It was about half 12 by this point so the place was dwindling in numbers as people had moved on the where ever the night may take them. I stood waiting for one of the bar staff to be free when I noticed I was being stared at. I hate the feeling of a gaze, reminds me to much of the creepy Spanish men from the holiday I went on with the girls. Ergh. I decided not to reciprocate the gaze as at this moment I had drank a bit too much and probably would look very unsubtle and a bit stupid. One of the bar girls Steph came over.
“Hiya Abbie, the usual?”
“Cheers Steph that would be great,” I replied, counting the change in my bag to see if I could salvage two pound eighty out of a mess of pound coins and five pence’s. After unloading the change onto the bar ready to pay, a voice appeared from behind me.
“I’ll get a JD and coke thanks and whatever she is having, I’ll buy,” Said a man’s voice. Great I thought, here comes the Hi my names Chad, I love water skiing and staring and my own reflection, and who might you be? Or even worse, Hi I might not be Fred Flintstone but I can make your bed rock. Yes, that was an actual chat up line used to get my number, yes I did laugh in the man’s face and no he did not get my number.
“I’m fine really,” I said turning. Thankfully it was not quite the sleazy face I expected. It was Dan, a colleague from my previous job I had during University. It was quite weird as I hadn’t seen him for a good couple of months. “Oh my god! It’s you!” I said giving him a big hug.
“Yeah it’s me! How the devil are you?” He said reciprocating the hug. He hadn’t changed much, glasses, only slightly taller than me, brown hair and one of the nicest blokes that I have met. Steph gave us out drinks and we sat, chatted and drank. He had moved on from working in the tiny coffee shop where we first worked and he was now working in some weird media business.
“So you here alone then?” he asked.
“No, I am with the loud group over there,” I said, inclining my head towards a giggling group as Rachel had just fallen to the floor. “It’s Mr Darcy and Wine appreciation club night. Fancy joining?”
“Well, I feel I am more of a Mr Bingley but go on then, introduce me. Who knows I might find me a lucky lady to be my Jane.” He said looking at his phone.
“Excuse me! Since when did you read?” I asked in shock. Coming from a man who only read gaming magazines and books based around games, I was shocked.
“I read. Plus my ex girlfriend was a mad keen Jane Austen fan. I read so she would get off my case. Not bad but I wasn’t a fan of Darcy. Arsey Darcy, she didn’t like me calling him that. Now, to the table so I can meet your slightly loud friends?” He said picking up his drink and offering his hand. Arriving at the table, I introduced him to the girls.
“TO FINDING MR DARCY AND HIS OH SO LOVELY ARSE!” Shouted Liv, clearly having two bottles of wine had made her completely plastered and I felt like needed to catch up in the drunken antics. All the girls had been on the wine whilst I had been chatting to Dan so I swiftly grabbed a bottle of rose and poured myself a big glass.
“To Mr Darcy” I said, raising my glass. “May he be a man worthy enough for us to find and keep us!” All the girls cheered and clinked there glasses with mine.
“Ah Mr Darcy lovers are we ladies?” Dan said placing his glass on the table. “Well I’ll be your Mr Darcy any day” Raising his glass, we all started to laugh. As the night turned into morning, a lot of wine was consumed. The last thing I remember was failing over a few times and then being in my bed. Good times.
By Abigail Barton
Next - 3. The Mother of all Hangovers
Hiya all! Right could you do me a massive favour. Please let me know what you think of these series of blogs. I am kind of unsure whether to continue with this or not. I like writing it and such but if people find it boring then I am tempted to put other posts up and maybe keep this for myself, so please let me know it would be greatly appreciated.
Loves! Abbly
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